DBRP_Jun01_2014 1Sam23-24 Ps104b Rom8b

God gives protection and victory to David. In a scene that must have caused Saul's men to roll their eyes several times, Saul is humbled before them as David directly confronts him. But after making peace, they don't go back to Jerusalem together.

 

Again we see the majesty and wisdom of God through his creation in today's psalm.

 

What wonderful promises have been given to us in this chapter! This chapter always reminds me of a time when a Christian leader did wrong to me, and then said that it would all turn out OK because of verse 28. That ruined that verse for me for a long time. But God DOES indeed work all things for good for all of us who fulfill the conditions stated. This chapter also reminds me of Eloise Burson, the wife of one of my spiritual fathers. Some years after her husband's death, she showed me how her Bible— if you just let it fall open, always opened to Romans 8. There is no richer passage to meditate on or to memorize.

Check out this episode!

DRBP_May31_2014 1Sam21-22 Ps104a Rom8a

As David flees from Saul, he goes for help to Ahimelech the priest. He needed food and wanted to consult with the Lord, and it happened that he also got Goliath's sword there. All this resulted later in Ahimilech's death and the deaths of all of Ahimilech's family.

 

Psalm 104 is a companion with Psalm 103. This psalm also starts and ends with the same refrain, the same one as in Psalm 103. This psalm expounds on the majesty of God.

 

The power behind the new lives that God wants us to live is the Holy Spirit. A side observation here: We can see that the Holy Spirit can equally be called the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ (vs. 9-11). Having God's Spirit in our lives does not mean that we will not suffer. In the second half of today's reading, note the Holy Spirit's role for us in the midst of our sufferings.

Check out this episode!

DBRP_May30_2014 1Sam20 Ps103 Rom7b

Today we hear the touching story of David and Jonathan's deep friendship, and how Jonathan realizes at last the secret plot that his father, Saul, has against David. Jonathan seems to be a prophet, for he realizes that he will not succeed his father as king.

 

How it must please the Lord when we pray this psalm, which is another favorite! Note that the psalm starts and ends with the same line.

 

Paul said something in verse 5 that he felt needed to be explained from verse 7 to the end of the chapter. He said that the Law “aroused evil desires.” How could something good seemingly do something evil? Be sure to link what Paul was saying before this explanation and what comes after it. Give that priority. Keep in mind that the explanation that Paul makes (a long parenthesis about how evil desires work) is not supposed to be our pattern for living now.

Check out this episode!

DBRP_May29_2014 1Sam18-19 Ps102 Rom7a

Today we hear the slow escalation of David's problems stemming from Saul's jealousy. Saul made David his son-in-law, but only with the hope that David would be killed by the Philistines. For only the first time in today's reading, we hear how Saul is humbled because of the result of acting on his jealousy. But he doesn't learn from it.

 

This psalm starts out like the prayer of anyone in distress and trouble calling out to God. As we read further, many see parallels with what our Savior would have prayed in his darkest days on earth.

 

The second key to being released from the power of sin is God's Spirit! Paul then launches into an exposition of what he meant in verse 5: “When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.” This explanation should not be construed to negate what he said in verse 6 and in the preceding chapters!

Check out this episode!

DBRP_May28_2014 1Sam17 Ps101 Rom6b

In today's story, David shows that he was more concerned with God's reputation than his own safety. May we all face our imposing enemies with more faith in the unseen God than in the very present enemy!

 

As we look forward to hearing about David's reign as king, it is appropriate that we hear this psalm telling of his aspirations.

 

It is better to take what we are given, rather than what we have earned! This is a big problem for some. My Dad's cherished integrity was one of his biggest blocks to him humbly coming to God and receiving the gift of eternal life. I don't think he ever understood how God would not be so impressed by his supposed integrity. The spiritual reality expressed starting at the beginning of this 6th chapter is a key to place along with a second key that will come in the next chapter.

Check out this episode!

DBRP_May27_2014 1Sam16 Ps100 Rom6a

God tells Samuel to anoint one of Jesse's sons as the next king of Israel. Anointing another king while one is still ruling is rather dangerous. So God tells Samuel how to do that without making it public. The story that follows has this memorable quote: “The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

 

Today's psalm probably ranks second in the most-memorized psalms, next to Psalm 23. 

 

Pay attention! Paul is telling us how the process of transformation takes place whereby we are released from the ‘power of sin and death’ to live a new life!

Check out this episode!

DBRP_May26_2014 1Sam15 Ps99 Rom5b

Today's reading tells the story of Saul's incomplete obedience and the rejection of Saul as king, by both God and Samuel. In the process Samuel says some of the most important statements in Scripture, which I will underline here:

Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,

and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.

Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,

and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.

A second quote:

He who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”

 

Before reading Psalm 99, “take off your sandals, because this ground is holy!” Enjoy this psalm proclaiming God’s majesty and holiness.

 

Mankind can at best only hope for the kind of partial obedience we see in Saul. We can't just 'try harder' to please God. We always ‘fall short’ of ‘God's glorious standard’, as we have heard before in chapter 3. The only hope for us is for God to recreate us. This is done by a our understanding and applying a spiritual reality we cannot see, which we will begin to hear about in chapter 6.

Check out this episode!