DBRP_153 1SA.25 PSA.105.1-23 ROM.9.1-24

1SAMUEL 25:

God gave protection and victoryto David. In a scene that must have caused Saul's men to roll theireyes several times, Saul was humbled before them as David directlyconfronted him. But after making peace, they didn't go back to thecapital together.

Turning for the first time toPSALM 105:

Today’s psalm is for teachingand reminding each generation of the children of Israel about thegreat things God has done for the Jewish people.

Turning for the first time toROMANS 9:

What wonderful promises God hasgiven to us in chapter 8 of Romans! That chapter always reminds meof a time when a Christian leader did wrong to me, and then saidthat it really didn’t matter because it would all turn out OKbecause of Romans 8:28. That is the ultimate of hypocrisy! Itruined that verse for me for a long time. But God DOES indeed workall things for good for all of us who fulfill the conditionsstated. This chapter also reminds me of Eloise Burson— the wife ofone of my spiritual fathers, Richard. Some years after herhusband's death, she showed me how her Bible— if you just let itfall open, would always open to Romans 8. There is no richerpassage to meditate on or to memorize.

Note that we are entering adifficult section of Romans. Romans 12 starts with “Therefore, Iurge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, …” But ifyou look back at what goes right before that in chapter 11, thatdoesn’t seem to be what Paul is going back to with the word‘Therefore’. Can you find what Paul was going back to and how thesections we will read for the next few days fittogether?

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DBRP_152 1SA.23 1SA.24 PSA.104.19-35 ROM.8.12-39

Let’s turn to 1SAMUEL 23-24.

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

We turn for the second time to PSALM 104.

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, especially as seen in His creation.

Translation note:
21 The young lions roar while they hunt, looking for the food that [You provide//God provides].
31 [O Lord, may your glory//May the glory of the Lord] last forever! May [You//the] Lord be happy with what [You have//he has] made!
32 [You look//He looks] at the earth, and it trembles; [You touch//he touches] the mountains, and they pour out smoke.  
33 I will sing to [You, O Lord my God//the Lord] all my life; as long as I live I will sing praises to [You//my God].
34 May [You//he] be pleased with my song, for my gladness comes from [You//him].

Turning for the second time to ROMANS 8:

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). He is the power for transformation in our lives. But 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. Then at the end, note the wonderful promises given to us!

Four times in this chapter Paul refers to us as God’s sons. GNT translated this as children, and that is an acceptable translation. But today I will read those four verses using ‘sons’ instead. Just as men feel a bit squeamish about being included in the ‘bride of Christ’ in Ephesians, I am sure there are some of the women listeners who will not feel comfortable being included as sons. But look for the treasure here! This passage and Ephesians 1:5 show that we are given legal adopted status as sons. In Roman law, the adoption of a son could not be undone. God has made the unchangeable decision that we would be his sons and have all the rights and privileges of that status. Thank the Lord for our union with his Son, Jesus!

 

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DBRP_151 1SA.21 1SA.22 PSA.104.1-18 ROM.8.1-30

1SAMUEL 21-22:

Yesterday we heard the touching story of David and Jonathan's deep friendship, and how Jonathan realized at last the secret plot that his father, Saul, had against David. Jonathan seems to have been a prophet, for he realized that he would not succeed his father as king.

We turn for the first time to PSALM 104:

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

Turning for the first time to ROMANS 8:

Paul said something in 7:5 that he felt needed to be explained from verse 7 to the end of chapter 7. (Of course there were no chapters or verses when Paul wrote it.) He said that the Law “aroused evil desires.” How could something good seemingly do something evil? Be sure to always link what Paul was saying before this explanation with 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. Our pattern for living is explained in this chapter!

Translation notes:
9 But you [no longer//do not] live as your human nature tells you to; instead, you live as the Spirit tells you to—if, in fact, God's Spirit lives in you. Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
14 Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's [sons//children].
15 For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's [sons//children], and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, “Father! [(Abba)] my Father!”
19 All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal his [sons//children].
23 But it is not just creation alone which groans; we who have the Spirit as the first of God's gifts also groan within ourselves as we wait for God to make us his [sons//children] and set our whole being free.

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DBRP_150 1SA.20 PSA.103 ROM.7.7-25 ROM.8.1-4

Opening to 1SAMUEL 20:

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

PSALM 103:

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.

Observing the transition from ROMANS 7 to chapter 8.

The second key to being released from the power of sin is God's Spirit! (v.6) Paul then launched 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.” The explanation that extends from verse 7 to the end of the chapter should NOT be construed to negate what he said in verse 6, in the preceding chapters, and in chapter 8!

Notice that in the second half of chapter 7, Paul stops mentioning Christ. That’s a hint that he is not talking about our life in union with Christ. Also, I found it interesting to do a search of Romans searching for the word ‘Spirit’. Look at the pattern of where the word ‘Spirit’ is used!

Translation notes:
8:1 [So then,] There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.

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DBRP_149 1SA.18 1SA.19 PSA.102 ROM.7.1-17

1SAMUEL 18-19:

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

PSALM 102:

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.

Translation notes:
In Hebrew, one can talk directly to God (or a king) as if talking about ‘the Lord’. To keep the feeling of a prayer, English would normally use ‘You’.
15 Then the nations will tremble before [You,//the] LORD.
The kings of the earth will tremble before [your/his] glory.
16 For [You//the] LORD will rebuild Jerusalem.
[You/He] will appear in his glory.
17 [You/He] will listen to the prayers of the destitute.
[You/He] will not reject their pleas.
23 [You, Lord, have//The Lord has] made me weak while I am still young;
[You have//he has] shortened my life.

We turn for the first time to ROMANS 7.

The last verse of yesterday’s reading shows why 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 “having lived a good life” was one of the 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 the 6th chapter is a key to place along with a second key that we will hear about in today’s chapter.

Romans 6:19b-23:
At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes.
20 When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. 21 What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of? The result of those things is death! 22 But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life. 23 For sin pays its wage—death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.

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DBRP_148 1SA.17 PSA.101 ROM.6.1-23

Opening to 1SAMUEL 17:

God told 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 told Samuel how to do that without making it public. That story included 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.”

PSALM 101:

This psalm tells the aspirations of a great king.

We turn for the second time to ROMANS 6:

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

I found this hymn by Thomas Ryder (an American musician who lived in Massachusetts from 1836-1887.) This is not a hymn that I can remember ever singing. It would be a great idea for someone to write new music for it.

Buried with Christ and raised with Him, too,
What is there left for me to do?
Simply to cease from struggling and strife,
Simply to walk in newness of life.

Refrain
Buried with Christ and dead unto sin;
Dying but living, Jesus within;
Ruling and reigning day after day,
Guiding and keeping all of the way.

Risen with Christ my glorious Head,
Holiness now the pathway I tread;
Beautiful thought from walking therein,
He that is dead is freed from all sin.

Living with Christ, who dieth no more,
Following Christ, who goeth before;
Not under law, I’m now under grace,
Sin is dethroned, and Christ takes its place.

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DBRP_147 1SA.16 PSA.100 ROM.6.1-23

Opening to 1SAMUEL 16:

Yesterday's reading told the story of Saul's incomplete obedience and God’s rejection of Saul as king— by both God and Samuel. In the process Samuel said 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!”

PSALM 100:

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

We turn to for the first time to ROMANS 6.

Mankind can at best only hope for the kind of partial obedience we have seen 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 Romans chapter 3. The only hope for us is for God to recreate us. This is done through  our understanding and applying spiritual realities which we cannot see, and one of crucial importance is found in chapter 6.

We have a short reading today. I encourage you to take time to think about the spiritual concepts Paul has been talking about in these last chapters— particularly Romans 5-6. The way to apply unseen spiritual realities in your life is to ask God to help you fully understand and believe them.

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