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.