Fri.’s Devo- Betrayals

Read: 2 Samuel 14:1-15:22; John 18:1-24; Psalm 119:97-112; Proverbs 16:8-9 Joab knew that David longed to see Absalom, but his pride wouldn’t let him send for him, so Joab devised a plan. He sent a woman from Tekoa to tell David a similar story so he could look at his relationship with Absalom in a new light. It did the trick. David agreed to let Joab bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but he didn’t want to see him. *** Absalom came back to Jerusalem but was banned from the king’s presence. This went on for two years, till finally, Absalom had had enough and burned down Joab’s barley field to get some attention. He made the statement that if he was quilty, then let him be put to death. He spoke his own destiny. Absalom was very guilty and he was eventually met with death. *** Absalom got his wish and was brought before the king. Now that he had the approval of the king, he began his political campaign. Absalom was very handsome. He got himself a chariot and horses and 50 men to run before him to show how important he was. He met face to face with the people and would listen to their grievances. He would claim that if he was the judge, he would hear the people’s concerns and do something about them, personally. He slowly stole the hearts of the men of Israel. *** After four years of his campaign, Absalom thought it was time to make his claim to the kingdom. He asked David if he could go to Hebron (where kings are crowned) and fulfill a vow he had made to the Lord. How could David refuse. *** Absalom send messages throughout the tribes of Israel telling them to say that he was king when they heard the trumpet blast. Absalom invited 200 guest to go with him who knew nothing about what he was about to do. *** When Absalom got to Hebron, he did offer his sacrifices then he sent for Ahithophel, David’s counselor, who joined Absalom in his conspiracy. *** David found out what Absalom was doing and knew he had to escape and leave Jerusalem. He left ten concubines to keep the house. The king took the rest of his household and left Jerusalem. Over a thousand men went with David. *** Ittai, a Philistine and native of Gath, had apparently commanded David's band during his wanderings. He came with David with his whole family. David tried to get him to go back since he wasn’t even a native of Israel, but he refused to leave David. *** In John, Jesus took his disciples to the same garden he had gone many times before. Judas knew of this place also. He brought a band of armed solders and officers from the chief priest and Pharisees to arrest Jesus. *** Jesus knew this would happen and approached them asking who they were looking for. They said his name. Jesus said, “I am he” causing many of them to fall to the ground. Jesus asked that they let his disciples go free. Peter, full of passion, took his sword and struck the high priest’s servant’s ear and cut it off. His name was Malchus. Jesus healed it and told Peter to put away his sword. This was God’s will. *** They arrested Jesus and bound him. They led him first to Annas’ house, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who said that one man should die for all the people. *** Peter followed with probably, John. John was led into the courtyard of the high priest, since he knew him. He got Peter in too. Peter was approached by the servant girl in regard to being Jesus’ follower and denied it. *** The high priest questioned Jesus about his teaching and his disciples. Jesus defended himself, saying he had openly taught in the synagogues and the temple. He was there, so he had heard what he taught. Jesus got slapped for answering the high priest that way. Jesus told him that if he was lying then he needed to prove it but if he was telling the truth, so why did he slap him. *** Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas’ house. *** Lord, thank you for forgiving us for our sins. May we be bold in the face of opposition like you were. May we stand with you for truth.

Thurs.’s Devo - Absalom’s Revenge

Read: 2 Samuel 13:1-39; John 17:1-26; Psalm 119:81-96 Proverbs 16:6-7 David’s son, Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. David’s first born son, Amnon thought he was in love with Tamar, but thought he could never have her. He pined away over Tamar. Amnon’s best friend, Jonadab was his cousin the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was crafty and devised a plan for Amnon to have some time alone with Tamar. *** With David’s permission, Tamar went to take care of Amnon in his pretended sickness. But, when Amnon and Tamar were alone, Amnon raped Tamar then despised her and threw her out. She went home disgraced and violated. *** When Absalom heard what had happened to his sister he was enraged. So was David, though he did nothing about it. Absalom was not so forgiving. He promised Tamar he would get revenge for what Amnon did to her. *** Two years later, Absalom carried out his plan. He invited David and all the kings sons to his sheep shearing party. David couldn’t come, but all his sons went. Absalom had told his servants to kill Amnon as soon as he was good and drunk. When they did all the other sons fled, thinking they were next. *** Word got back to David that Absalom had killed all his sons. But, Jonadab assured David that it was only Amnon who was killed in revenge for what he did to Tamar. *** Absalom fled to the house of his mother’s father who was the king of Geshur. He stayed there for three years while David mourned for the death of Amnon. After mouning, David longed to go to Absalom. *** In John, Jesus has just had his last supper with his disciples. He then prayed aloud for them. He told his Father that he had completed the mission he was sent to earth to do. He had manifested who God was to the world. He spoke the words that God told him to speak and many believed that he came from heaven to them. He prayed that as he leaves earth, that God would guard his followers from the evil one and not let one of them, except Judas, get lost or be deceived. He also prayed for those who would come after them and believe, like us. He prayed that we would be one like him and God were. He leaves us his glory and his desire that we would come to know and love the Father and the Son. *** Lord, thank you that you have put your love in us and have given us eternal life through the cross. May we not honor any man above you.

Wed.’s Devo - David is Disciplined -

Read: 2 Samuel 12:1-31; John 16:1-33; Psalm 119:65-80; Proverbs 16:4-5 Nathan went to David and gave him the scenario of two men. One was very rich, while they other had one lamb which he greatly loved and was part of his family. The rich man had a visitor and needed to prepare a meal for him. Instead of taking from his own abundant supply, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest. *** When David heard the story he was so angry. He wanted the rich man to restore four lambs to the poor man, then he deserved to die. *** Nathan then told David that he was the rich man. He had stolen Uriah’s wife, while he had a palace full of women. He had used the Ammonites to kill him, so now, the sword would not leave David’s house. His wives would be taken by someone from his own family. God would not kill David, but his son would not live. *** Everything that Nathan said came to pass. The son that he and Bathsheba had became sick and finally died. Year later, Absalom would lie with his wives, and David was constantly at war. *** Nothing David did stopped what the Lord had said. He fasted and prayed, but his son still died. David and Bathsheba did have another son, Solomon, who would become David’s heir to the kingdom. *** Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah of the Ammonites and was about to take the city. He told David to come and finish the battle so he could get the glory and not Joab. David helped Joab finish the battle and they took the crown of its king and placed it on David’s head. It weighed 75 pounds! David brought back the people as captives and made them do manual labor. *** In John, Jesus warned them of what was coming so they wouldn’t be discouraged and lose their faith when it happened. They would be thrown out of the synagogue because of their faith in him. But, they were to know that the leaders of the synagogue didn’t know God or Jesus. *** Jesus knew that they were sad when he explained he was leaving them, but he told them that it was for their advantage that he go. He would send them the Helper who would always be with them. He would convict the world of their sin, reveal true righteousness and judge the ruler of this world. He would lead them into all truth because he is the Spirit of truth. He will glorify Jesus and reveal Jesus to them. *** Jesus told them that when he leaves, they will lament and mourn - but only for a short time. The world will rejoice because he is gone. But they will see him again, and rejoice. He told them to ask anything in his name and they will receive it. Then he will speak plainly to them and answer their questions. He was leaving and going back to his Father, God. *** The disciples said they finally understood what he was saying, but Jesus told them that in the near future, they would leave him all alone. He wanted them to know that when they looked back on that time in guilt, they were to know that he was never alone. His Father was with him. He told them this so they would be at peace because this world is full of tribulations. We can take heart - Jesus overcame the world! *** Lord, help us remember this when we think we have failed you. You are always at peace and understand our weaknesses. You love us and have already forgiven us. We are so grateful for our Helper, Holy Spirit who is our friend, comforter, teacher and the Spirit of truth. May we walk in your truth.

Tues.’s Devo - Stay Attached to the Vine

Read: 2 Samuel 9:1-11:27; John 15:1-27; Psalm 119:49-64;Provers 16:1-3 David wanted to honor anyone left in Jonathan’s house because of his love for Jonathan and the covenant they had made with each other. He learned from Ziba, who had been a servant of Saul, that Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth was still alive. He had been crippled since he was a small child. David called in Mephibosheth and told him that he was giving him all the land that had belonged to Saul, his grandfather, and that Ziba would be his servant and help him manage the land. But, Mephibosheth would live in Jerusalem and always eat at his table as one of his sons. Mephibosheth was humbled and grateful. Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants so this was a blessing for him also. *** Nahash who had been king of the Ammonites died and David wanted to send his condolences to his son Hanun. David sent some men to console Hanun. The princes of Hanun convinced him that the only reason David sent men to him was to scout out their land so they could attack it later. *** Hanun believed his men and took David’s servants and had their beard shaved off and cut their garments at their hips and sent them home disgraced. David came to meet his men and let them stay in Jericho until their beards grew back. *** David was angry at the Ammonites. They knew it, so they hired the Syrians to fight with them against Israel. They divided their army in half and the Ammonite army came to the gate of the city while the Syrians waited in the field on the other side of the city. *** David’s army commander, Joab saw this and sent some of the best of his army to go with him to fight the Syrians. Joab put Abishai, his brother, in charge of the rest of the army who would fight the Ammonites. They would help each other if they needed help. *** The Syrians fled before Joab and his army and when the Ammonites saw them flee, they also fled. The Syrians called for their reserves who had been waiting beyond the Euphrates. David led his army to meet them. The Syrians fled before David and lost 700 chariots and 40,000 horsemen. Their army commander Shobach was killed. When Syria realized they couldn’t win, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. They were afraid to ever fight for the Ammonites again. *** It was the spring of the year and David usually went out to war as their king, but this year he decided to stay in Jerusalem. He was walking on his roof and noticed a beautiful woman bathing. He inquired about her and found out she was married to Uriah, one of David’s mighty warriors who was off fighting for him. *** It didn’t matter to David that she was married, or that her husband was off risking his life for Israel; David sent for Bathsheba and slept with her. He soon learned Bathsheba was pregnant with his baby. He tried everything he could think of to have Uriah, her husband come home from the battle field and sleep with his wife, so he would think that the child was his. But, God was not going to let David hide his sin. *** David finally had Uriah killed, but it was done in a way that no one would know it was his doing. God knew, and he was not happy. *** Bathsheba mourned her husband’s death. Then David sent for Bathsheba and she became one of his wives. *** In John, Jesus told his disciples an allegory. God was like the owner of a vineyard. Jesus was the true vine that all the good grapes grew from. We, as his followers are the fruit of his vine. Apart from the vine, we can do nothing because he is our source of life. As long as we stay attached to the vine, we will be fruitful and healthy. If we don’t stay attached, we will be thrown away and thrown into the fire to be destroyed. It is believing in his words that keep us attached to him. It is the Fathers’s will that we bear fruit and abide in his love. We prove that we love him by obeying his commandments. Then, he can call us his friend instead of his master. It is his joy that we also love others in the family of God. *** We can expect the world to hate us, because they hated him also. They persecuted him, so we should expect them to do the same to us. They do this because they hate Jesus which means, they also hate God. *** The Helper was sent and he bore witness to the truth about Jesus. This witness is now our story, also. *** Lord, may we be your witnesses that you are the only way to truth and life. May we exemplify this truth to others today.

Mon.’s Devo - Building God’s House

Read: 2 Samuel 7:1-8:18; John 14:15-31; Psalm 119:33-48; Proverbs 15:33 David built his house, and when he began to live in it he thought about how he had this beautiful house of cedar, and God lived out in a tent. He told Nathan that he wanted to build God a house. Nathan told him to do it because it was obvious God was with David. But that night, the Lord came to Nathan and told him that he had always moved with his people in a tent and why would he want to settle down in a house made of cedar. He had never told any one to build him a house before. It was he who had built houses for his children. *** God continued. He had taken David from the sheepfold and made him ruler over all Israel. He had made his name great and given the people land to live in. He would give them peace from their enemies. God will make David a house. But, his offspring after him would be the one to build God a house. This man would be a son to God and God would discipline him as a son. God would always love him and David’s house and his kingdom would be established forever. *** Nathan told all this to David and his response was to go and sit before the Lord and pray. He worshiped God for choosing him. He realized that what God said was not just for then but for a great while to come, and it was the instruction for mankind. *** Israel was the one nation on earth who God came down to redeem to be his people. He make himself known through them. He took them out of the bondage of Egypt and its gods. He established that the children of Israel were his people. David was blessed that his family was chosen to reign over God’s people. He prayed that God would bless his house forever. *** After this, David went out and defeated the Philistines, the Moabites, the Rehobites, the Syrians, the Ammonites, the Edomites and the Amalekites. God was with him and gave him victory wherever he went. David brought the spoils and tribute and stored them in his treasuries for the Lord. They would be used to built God’s house. *** I look at David’s reign as what we have been going through in the world. We are fighting the Lord’s battles and defeating evil forces who have been ruling over us. We are entering into Solomon’s reign where we will built God’s temple here on earth (figuratively or physically, I don’t know). It will be a time of great peace and prosperity. Right now, God is giving us victory wherever we go. *** In John, Jesus tells his disciples of the Helper he has asked God to send us. He is the Spirit of truth that the world would not be able to receive. It won’t be able to see him or know him. We will know him because he will live in us. *** Jesus was not leaving them or us without a father. He promised to come back. He promised not to die but to live in us. We who follow God’s commandments will be loved by him and Jesus will manifest himself to us. Jesus and God will come make their home in us. This was what God was saying through Jesus. *** The Holy Spirit will come and be our Helper. He will teach us all the things Jesus said and teach us what they meant. Jesus leaves us with the gift of peace. *** Jesus told them he was going away, but he would come to them. He was going back to God and doesn’t have much longer to talk to them. The ruler of the world was coming but he has no claim on Jesus. Jesus submitted to God and demonstrated that love for his Father. *** Lord, may we live our lives demonstrating that we love you and will do whatever you ask us to do.

Sun.’s Devo - David’s Kingdom is Established

Read: 2 Samuel 4:1-6:23; John 13:31-14:14; Psalm 119:17-32; Proverbs 15:31-32 Baanah and Rechab were the captains of Saul’s raiding bands. When they heard that Abner had been killed at Hebron, so they went to Ish-bosheth’s house and killed him in his bed. They cut off his head and took it to David expecting a reward. Instead, they got the same reward as the man who gave David the news that Saul had been killed. David commanded his men to kill them and cut off their hands and feet and hang them beside the pool at Hebron. Their hands and feet had done a terrible sin. *** All the tribes of Israel came to Hebron to make David their king. David was 30 years old and reigned for 40 years over all Israel. *** David took his army to Jerusalem to fight the Jebusites who had said that even the blind and the lame could win over David. He took the city and named it the city of David. *** When Hiram the king of Tyre sent cedar trees, carpenters, and masons to build David a house, David knew that the Lord had established him king over Israel. He would finally have a permanent house in Israel. Even other nations were recognizing him and honoring him. *** David began to build his family with more concubines and wives. But, when the Philstines learned that David had become king of Israel, they were not as welcoming. They came to kill him. *** David asked the Lord if he should go out against the Philistines and if He would give them success. The Lord told him to go and he would win. David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines. Davids’ men carried the Philistine idols away with them. *** The Philisines then went to the Valley of Rephaim. God told David to do a rear attack. God would chase them right into their hands. David’s army struck them down and chased them from Geba to Gezer. *** David then gathered all the chosen men of Israel which were 30,000 at Baale-Judah to bring up the ark of God. They brought it on a new cart out of the house of Abinadab. *** David danced before the Lord to the music of all kinds of instruments. Abinadab’s house was on a hill and when the ark came to the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled. Uzzah put out his hand to the steady the ark. God was so angry, he killed him. *** David was angry and afraid of the Lord because he killed Uzzah. He wondered how he would ever get to bring the ark up to him. He left the ark at the house of Obed-edom, the Gittite. It stayed there for 3 months. During that short time, God blessed the house of Obed-edom. *** When David learned that God had so blessed Obed-edom, he felt confident to bring the ark to the city of David. This time, he brought the ark on the shoulders of priests and sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal every 6 steps. He rejoiced and danced before the ark with all his might. *** David had prepared a tent to house the ark and when the ark arrived there, David offered burnt offerings and peace offering before the Lord. He then blessed the people in the name of the Lord and gave them all bread, meat and some raisins. The people went home. *** When David arrived at his house, Michal, his wife who was Saul’s daughter came to meet him. She mocked how he had danced without his kingly garments before the people. She called him vulgar and shameless. David rebuked her and told her that he had done this before the Lord who had chosen him to be king over her father. He would become more dishonorable to her than this. From that day, Michal was not able to have children. *** In John, Jesus told his disciples that God was now going to be glorified in him. They had just left the place where they had their last supper together. He told them he was leaving them and they couldn’t come where he was going. He then gave them a new commandment. Instead of loving others as they love themselves, they were to love others as he had loved them. He had demonstrated to them and would demonstrate what that meant. It would mean laying down your lives for someone else which was much more powerful than loving others the same as you love yourself. *** Of course, Peter wanted to know where Jesus was going that they couldn’t come. Peter offered to lay down his life for Jesus, but Jesus let Peter know that he was not ready to do that. Before the rooster crowed he would have denied knowing him three times. *** Jesus told his disciples not to worry, but believe in God and in himself. He is going to prepare a place for them to come. He told them they knew where he was going. Thomas assured him, they did not know where he was going, so how would they know how to find him. Jesus told him that he was the way, the truth, and the life. God was in Jesus and because they had seen him, they had seen God. *** Phillip still didn’t get it and asked Jesus to show them God. Jesus said, ‘have I been with you for all this time and you still haven’t understood?’ It is God in him who says what he says and does all he does. Whoever believes in him will also do the works he does and greater works because he is going to his Father. He told them that whatever they ask in his name, he will do it so that God would be glorified. *** Jesus, we believe that you are who you say you are and that you answer all our prayers accordingly to your promises. Lord God, may you be glorified in our lives.

Sat.’s Devo - David’s Rocky Start

Read: 2 Samuel 2:12-3:39; John 13:1-30; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 15:29-30 Abner who was the army officer of Ishbosheth came head to head with Joab, David’s army officer at the pool of Gibeon. Abner suggested they have a contest. Twelve of his best men would fight 12 of Joab’s men. They agreed and they each killed the other. Then the real battle began. 
 *** Joab had two brothers named Abishai and Asahel. Asahel was a very fast runner, so he pursued Abner on foot. Abner was much older and didn’t want to kill Asahel, but when Asahel wouldn’t stop pursuing him, he struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went all the way through his body. *** Joab and Abishai saw that Abner had killed their younger brother and chased after Abner till they came to the land of Benjamin. All the people of Benjamin came out in support of Joab. Abner called out to Joab to stop the killing and called a truce. Joab agreed. When Joab got back to his troops they found they had lost 19 men, but Abner had lost 360 men. *** The house of Saul continued to war with the house of David. David became stronger while Saul became weaker. *** During this time, David had six sons by six different wives. Their order was Amnon, Chilean, Absalom, Adonijah, Stephatiah, and Ithream. *** Abner was becoming powerful in Israel and went in to Ishbosheth’s concubine which showed great disrespect to the king. When Ishbosheth confronted Abner, he was very offended. He told Ishbosheth he had made him who he was today and he would unmake him just as easily. He was defecting to David’s side and would give him Israel. Ishbosheth was very afraid of Abner from that day on. *** Abner went to David and offered to make a covenant with him to give him Israel. David said he would make a covenant with him if Abner would give him back his wife, Michal who Saul had given to Paltiel. Abner went and got Michal and brought her to David. Abner also met with the elders of Israel to tell them that it was time to make David their king. They agreed. *** Abner met with David again at Hebron and told him he would go throughout Israel and bring them there so they could make a covenant and make David their king. David let him go in peace. *** Meanwhile, Joab had just returned from a raid and was bringing all the spoils to David. He heard that Abner had met with David and had left in peace. He pursued Abner and killed him as revenge for killing his brother. *** When David found out what Joab did, he cursed his house with illness, leprosy, death and poverty. *** David made Joab and all who were with them tear their clothes and put on sackcloth and mourn for Abner. He refused to eat till the sun went down. The people of Israel loved David and approved of all he did. *** In John, Jesus was at his last supper with his disciples. Judas had already made up his mind to betray Jesus. Jesus knew he was going back to God and this was the last moments he would have with his disciples. He washed their feet. When Peter didn’t understand, Jesus told him he would understand later. *** Then Jesus asked them if they understood what he had just done. He told them that he had done this as an example for them to do to others. They were to remain humble and serving God, their creator and master. He told them that one of them was not clean and that he would lift his heel against him. He finally told them that one of them would betray him. They were all questioning who it was. Jesus dipped his bread and said that the one he gave it to was him. He gave it to Judas. He then sent Judas out to do what he had determined to do. The disciples didn’t understand what was happening and thought Jesus was sending him on a mission to buy something. Jesus was in truth sending him to sell him. *** Lord, how precious those last moments with your disciples must have been for you. Thank you that one day we will be able to see you face to face. May we enjoy your fellowship daily even now.