Sun.’s Devo - Honor and Favor for the Faithful

Read: 2 Samuel 9:1-11:27; John 15:1-27; Psalm 119:49-64: Proverrbs 16:1-3 David wanted to honor someone in Jonathan’s family because of their friendship and the pact they had made. Saul’s servant, Ziba knew about Mephibosheth who had become crippled when he was five years old. The day Saul and Jonathan had been killed, Mephibosheth’s nurse picked him up and fled. She accidentally dropped him and he had become crippled.He now lived in Lo-debar which means “nothing.” *** David had him brought to him and gave him all the land that had belonged to Saul. He also told him he would eat at his table with him all the rest of his days. David also called in Ziba and told him what he had done and told him to farm the land and keep it up for him. Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. *** Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. He ate with his father at David’s table also. *** David had been allies with King Nahab, of the Ammonites. King Nahab died, so David sent ambassadors to his son, Hanun, to express his sympathy. Hanun’s commanders convinced Hanun that these men were here to spy out their land. They took David’s men and shaved off half of their beards, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David. *** David told them to stay at Jericho till their beards grew back because it was such a shame to shave off ones beard in his culture. *** The people of Ammon realized how badly they had offended David so they hired 33,000 men from other lands to fight Israel. They attacked from two different directions. Joab divided his army and attacked. Israel won the battle but the Arameans regrouped for another attack. David found out and met them with 40,000 of his foot soldiers. The enemy surrendered to Israel. *** The next spring when kings usually went out to war, David decided to stay home. He was waling on the roof of his palace one day and noticed a woman who was unusually beautiful, taking a bath. He found out who she was and sent for her. Bathsheba was married to Uriah the Hittite, one of David’s mighty men. *** When Bathsheba came to see David, he slept with her and sent her home. She later found she was pregnant and sent word to David. *** David sent word to Joab to send Uriah to give him a report about the war. Uriah gave his report then David sent him home to relax with his wife, hoping they would have sex and Uriah could think it was his baby. Uriah refused to ho home. *** David sent a message by the hand of Uriah for Joab to station Uriah on the front lines were the battle was the worse then pull back so he would be killed. David soon got a message that Uriah had been killed. *** When Bathsheba found out her husband was killed she mourned for him. David soon had her brought to the palace and she became one of his wives. When the time came, she had a son but God was not pleased with what David had done. *** Jesus spoke to his disciples about their pruning. They were like grapes on his vine. They had been pruned and purified by his message. Now as long as they remained in him they would produce fruit for the kingdom. He was the vine that they grew on - their source. *** Jesus had showed them how to love one another because he had loved them with God’s love. The greatest love is laying down your life for another. Jesus counted them as his friends if they did what he commanded. They were not slaves, but friends. God chose them and their mission was to produce lasting fruit. Because they were his, they could ask God anything his Jesus name. *** If they felt hated by the world, they could remember that the world also hated Jesus. The world no longer loves them because they don’t belong to it. They belong to Christ. *** Jesus did many miracles to show who he was and those who rejected him are guilty because they hated him without a cause. *** Jesus was sending them the Holy Spirit who would testify about him and bring them the spirit of truth. *** Lord, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit who is our friend and teaches the truth about God and Jesus. Thank you that you chose us and opened our eyes to see who you are.