Unity in Spite of Differences.

David recruited history’s greatest warriors.  Jashobeam killed 300 with a spear. Eleazar and David stood back-to-back and slew a Philistine army. Benaiah killed a lion and killed an 8-ft giant with the giant’s own spear. Saul’s relatives could use either spears or slings and fight equally well with their right or left hands.  Another group was “expert with shield and spear, their faces the faces of lions, and they were swift as gazelles… the least was a match for a hundred, the greatest for a thousand” 1 Chronicles 12:8, 14.  The man who slew Goliath could recruit fighters as well as anyone.

But the thing about fighters is—they FIGHT.  Many of these had been loyal to David, but the relatives of Saul had fought AGAINST David.  This was not a feud, it was a civil war. 

Only David could fix it.  He went to Saul’s troops in a spirit of unity:

“If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you, but if you have come to betray me to my enemies … may the God of our ancestors look on it and judge” 1 Chron.12:17.  The men swore their allegiance to the young king and he “received them and made them leaders of his troops” v.18. 

Finally, the fighting between Saul and David was over. It was time for peace in Israel (and for fighters to focus on foreign enemies). 

Jesus values unity.  He said “blessed are the peacemakers” Matt.5:9.  You can be a mighty warrior—but don’t fight your own team!  Christians should not fight each other over politics, vaccines, or church doctrine.  Sure, these issues matter.  But lay down your weapons and have a conversation in love, unity, and godliness.  It’s not a bitter civil war.  Remember the story David Self told about Grandpa: when deacons’ meetings went from civil to bitter, he spoke up—not taking sides but calling his brothers to unity.

“By THIS shall all men know that you are My DISCIPLES: if you love one another” John 13:35.

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Prayer Request.

I need wisdom. Don’t you? Don’t we all? Our leaders really need wisdom during this quarantine of 2020. All the decisions they are making are based on predictions about the virus and what the future holds. But there are so many factors that influence those predictions—accurate reporting, inaccurate reporting, good science, bad science, emotions and public opinion (whether right or wrong).

We need God to give us an accurate, clear understanding of the times, of what lies ahead, and of what He is doing in the world.

The Bible speaks of men with that kind of God-given wisdom in a little-known verse about the descendants of the tribe of Issachar:

“From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” 1 Chronicles 12:32.

Join me in praying for two things:

  1. That you and I and our leaders would “UNDERSTAND THE TIMES,” and
  • That you and I and our leaders would “KNOW THE BEST COURSE FOR [the USA] TO TAKE.”

Dear God, give us wisdom. Please help us and our leaders to understand what You are doing in the world and to know the best decisions for our people to take. Keep us safe, and draw us closer to You.

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David’s Army.

First Chronicles 11 and 12 records tales of King David’s greatest warriors. What trait do you think was the most prized among them? If you were building an army, what would you look for? Consider:

  • Jashobeam wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them; Abishai later did the same.
  • The “Three” broke through the Philistine lines to bring David water from Bethlehem.
  • Benaiah went into a snowy pit and killed a lion, and killed an Egyptian who was 7.5 feet tall.
  • A group of Saul’s relatives “were archers who could use either the right hand or the left hand, both to sling stones and to shoot arrows.”
  • There were the Gadites, expert fighters “with faces like lions and swift as gazelles on the mountains… The least of them was a match for a hundred, the greatest of them for a thousand.”
  • 200 chiefs from the Issarchites, who “understood the times and knew what Israel should do.”

In all, 341,100 men left Saul to support David. That is just less than the US Army (471K). The tiny nation of Israel had a massive army.

So what was the key trait? If you were holding a military draft, what would you look for?

The Chronological Bible places Psalm 133 just after this roll call of heroes. Look what David values:

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! It is like fine oil on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, even onto his robes.” Psalm 133:1-2.

David prizes UNITY. The ability to work in harmony is an ANOINTING, like the anointing of Aaron. Are you a person of unity? Do you create unity, or do you spread dissension? Do you support the leadership, at your school, your church, or your job? Or do you doubt the leadership and create problems for your leaders? Are you a skeptic, mocking authority? (Why?)

Ask God to make you loyal, one who encourages others to be loyal. Train yourself to look for good in people and to be a peacemaker.

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Wait on the Lord Like King David.

How old was David when he killed Goliath? And when he became king? Do you remember what happened in between? David spent the in-between years running from Saul, the king who wanted to kill him.

First, David is anointed the future king by Samuel. Then he kills Goliath and does many other great feats. Everyone loves him, but he spends a dozen years on the run from Saul. Why? Why did God make him wait?

God was growing David, maturing him and preparing him for the challenges he would face as king of Israel.

After Saul’s death, one of his sons became king briefly. But eventually, “the elders of Israel came to the king [David] at Hebron… and they anointed David king over Israel. David was 30 years old when he began his reign; he reigned 40 years” 2 Samuel 5:3-4.

Does 30 years old seem old to you? Does it seem like a long time to wait to “arrive” at God’s destination for you?

Jesus was also 30 when He began his ministry. Why? Because God was preparing Him too. That’s right—even Jesus had to grow and prepare for the plan God had for Him.

So be patient. God has a great plan for your life. Submit to Him. Ask Him to lead you—and then follow Him.

Trust Him when you have to wait and wait and wait.

God knows what He is doing. And waiting is part of His plan too. You can be right in the CENTER of God’s will, right in the PALM of His hand, and still be waiting for years.

But then one day, they will anoint you king over a kingdom bigger than what you ever expected. One day, God’s plan will come to pass. Be patient.

“Wait on the Lord. Trust also in Him and He will do it.” Psalm 37:5.

Pray. Ask God to give you the patience and wisdom to wait on Him and to trust His plans.

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Of Warriors and Wisdom.

King David surrounded himself with amazing men.  There was THE THREE.  Then there was THE THIRTY.

“Jashobeam … wielded his spear against 300 and killed them … Abishai … raised his spear against 300 men and killed them …  Benaiah went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.  He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall …  [There] were archers who could use either the right or left hand, both to sling stones and shoot arrows from a bow …  The Gadites … the least of them was a match for a hundred, and the greatest of them for a thousand….” 1 Chronicles 11 and 12.

David’s “Mighty Men of Valor” are amazing.  But the group that intrigues me most comes later:

“From the Issacharites, WHO UNDERSTOOD THE TIMES AND KNEW WHAT ISRAEL SHOULD DO” came 200 chiefs with all their relatives” 1 Chronicles 12:32.

Lots of people can fight—but in a world of mechanized weapons where the skill of hand-to-hand combat is less and less useful—I am intrigued by these men of wisdom.  The Issacharites were warriors like all the others, but they were ALSO men who “UNDERSTOOD THE TIMES AND KNEW WHAT ISRAEL SHOULD DO.”

We need more people like that.  We need people who understand the world we live in.  How can you and I understand the times?  How can you and I know what our nation should do?  Where does such wisdom come from?

The Bible.  We must be people of the book.  We must read it and study it every day.  Memorize parts of it.  Pray using words from scripture.  God is the Giver of Wisdom.  Ask Him for understanding.  May we do our part by studying and working hard to learn the word.  But may we also remember to pray for insight.  We need God to lead us through difficult times. 


Dear God, make us men and women who “understand the times and know what our leaders should do.”

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Are You Capable and Can You Be Trusted?

This morning I ran across an article from 1960 commemorating my grandfather’s 40 years of service at what was then the world’s largest oil refinery, Esso, Baton Rouge.  His bosses reported:

“He seems able to cope with almost any situation, no matter how critical. He has a level head, practical manner, and I think he is one of our most valuable employees. He is looked up to by his fellow employees as a sort of ‘grand old man’ around the units. Everyone likes Mr. Willie.” 

The Bible speaks of men like Willie Wales, men “able to cope with almost any situation, no matter how critical.” 

“These were capable men employed in the ministry of God’s temple … The total number of those chosen to be gatekeepers at the thresholds was 212….  David and Samuel the seer had appointed them to their trusted positions” 1 Chronicles 9:13 and 22.

My mother says when she thinks of her father-in-law, she thinks of the old cliché that says “he’s a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord.”  That comes from this chapter of 1 Chronicles where it is repeated over and over in what might otherwise be another “dull” chapter filled with genealogies. 

What is interesting about that is that these roles were passed down from generation to generation.  What does that mean for you and me? It means that there is value in your Christian heritage. Perhaps if your father and mother are capable people, serving the church with good judgment and hard work for decades, then you too will “be a doorkeeper in the House of the Lord.” And for those without such a history, focus on the future: if you are faithful with your life, it will bless those who come after you.

May each of us remember those who have come before.  Remember those who have cultivated and nurtured your faith. Pray for them. Thank God for them. And as Paul says, “imitate their faith.”  Grow, like Jesus, “in wisdom and in stature.” And God will give your life meaning by giving you greater purpose and a greater opportunity to serve His Kingdom.

“Only one life, ‘twill soon be passed. 

Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

—C.T. Studd

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Is it Wrong to Desire Rewards?

Bruce Wilkinson wrote A LIFE GOD REWARDS, examining the statements of Jesus about rewards in Heaven. Wilkinson concludes Heaven will be loaded with rewards.  God will lavish rewards on you for things you do for Him.  But isn’t it wrong for you to WANT rewards?  Wouldn’t it be better to serve God without thinking about rewards? The answer may surprise you: NO!  God LONGS to reward you—and He wants you to LONG to be rewarded!  This is completely different from coveting riches on earth. Why? Because longing for heavenly rewards is AN ACT OF FAITH. 

There is NOTHING selfish about desiring rewards you cannot see, that will be given to you in a heaven you have never visited, during an eternity you cannot possibly imagine. 

Longing for heavenly rewards is living by faith, just as Jesus lived. See Heb. 12:2.

It is not ‘just okay’ for you to desire rewards—God WANTS you to desire heavenly rewards. He wants to reward you, and He wants you to be excited about it.  But if God LONGS to lavish rewards on you, and He wants you to LONG for those rewards, how can you earn those rewards?  Short answer: Live a righteous life of surrender to His will, and submission to His word.

“The righteous… STILL BEAR FRUIT IN OLD AGE, healthy and green, they declare: ‘The Lord is just. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him’” Psalm 92:12-15.

Obey God and serve Him every day—that will earn you many rewards.  AND it will likely extend your life (as you avoid bad choices), resulting in many more years in which to earn rewards.  And remember: GOD LONGS for you to LONG for Heavenly rewards.  That motivation requires FAITH and, after a lifetime of serving Him, heavenly rewards will actually become your deepest longing. 

Finally, this truth illustrates what may be the greatest failure of “health and wealth”/“prosperity gospel” teachings: the pointless obsession with rewards on earth leads to a complete neglect of rewards in heaven[1].

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[1] P.S. When was the last time you heard a preacher of the so-called “prosperity gospel” encourage his flock by preaching about rewards in heaven? Instead, a single “prosperity” sermon may include a dozen phrases such as “your best days are yet to come,” “things are about to turn around,” “those bills are gonna be paid,” etc.  The truth—as anyone sitting in those audiences knows—is that sometimes things do not turn around.  Sometimes the bill does not get paid and the car gets repossessed.  Sadly, many then draw the discouraging conclusion that things did not “turn around,” because they did not have enough faith. 

By contrast, a message based on scripture can encourage those with problems, even when they do NOT magically improve:

“Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing.  Don’t think that some strange thing is happening to you alone.  For the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren all over the world.  Rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ!” 1 Peter 4:12.

Chinese Tallows.

We may have a hundred Chinese Tallow trees. This invasive species grows fast, and has bright green leaves twisting like pinwheels in the wind. In autumn, they create some of the most flashy fall colors in the South. Plant stores used to sell them as fast-growing shade trees. But fifty years later, birds have spread their berries all over the Gulf Coast, popping up in every spot lawnmowers neglect. In a year, a seed can become a six-foot bush. In several years, it is a mature tree dropping 100,000 seeds a year. If ten years pass, that first tree may have spawned twenty more. But around year twenty (in our soil) that first tree will die, rotting where it stands and eventually falling down. As beautiful as a Chinese Tallow may be, it is short-lived: it grows fast, shows off a bit, then dies. A Southern Live Oak, on the other hand (we have a lot of those too), grows slowly, with hard, healthy wood. And a massive Live Oak can live for a THOUSAND YEARS.

Do you want to have the faith of a Chinese Tallow or a Southern Live Oak?

“The righteous thrive like palm trees near the sea, they grow like cedar trees in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord, they thrive in His courtyard. They will bear fruit in old age, remaining healthy and green. They will declare ‘the Lord is just. He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.’” Psalm 92:12-15.

This is my prayer for you: that you thrive in your faith, grow steadily, and bear fruit in your old age, just as your grandparents continue to do. Make a conscious choice to follow your grandparents’ example. Start walking with Jesus now. READ HIS WORD EVERY DAY. And stay in the word for the duration—whether you live five more years or fifty more years. Walk with Jesus, learning His word and applying it to your life EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

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Trees.

Marshall and I drove a golf cart around Legendary Oaks Golf Course on Saturday.  We had not played there in a while and were surprised how many oak trees had either collapsed sideways into the earth, or bore the scars of having had half their limbs cut away with a chain saw.  At one point I joked, “If Legendary Oaks keeps losing trees they’re going to have to change the name to Legendary Stumps.”

God promises something better for us.

“The righteous thrive like a palm tree and grow like the cedars of Lebanon…. They will still bear fruit in old age, healthy and green” Psalm 92:12-14.

God will keep using His children even in old age.  Following the recent death of our friend Martha Rogers, many talked about the fact that she did not sign her first book deal until she was 70—and she wrote over 70 books before her death last month at 86.  (Amazon lists 95 titles by her name!)  Before writing novels, Martha had a long career as an English teacher to both high school and college students.  Her life had borne fruit for decades, and her old age was no different.  She “still bore fruit.” 

Most yearn to live a long, healthy life, and a big part of that is to continue to do things that matter.  Retirement is not a time for selfish pursuits, but a time to continue to serve others, though perhaps in new ways.  God can continue to use you in your older years.  He preserves the health of many of His children so they can continue to bear fruit, like trees planted in good soil.  God has a plan for your life and wants to use you today to bless others—no matter how old you are!

“I will be the same into your old age, and I will bear you up when you turn gray.  I have made you, and I will carry you. I will bear you and save you” Isaiah 46:4.

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Parent-as-Teacher: The Highest Calling.

Do you expect the church to teach your kids about God? 

Yesterday a friend posted words on Facebook that I found true and honest and vulnerable:

“Please don’t make the same mistake I did.  Don’t expect your church to train your children. That expectation isn’t even Biblical.  Don’t breathe a sigh of relief and think your job is done when your child walks an aisle and says the ‘sinner’s prayer.’  The Bible doesn’t teach us to make converts, but to make DISCIPLES.  Teach your children the ‘whys’ of our faith.  Teach them apologetics. Teach them how to stand up to the lies that will be forced on them. The enemy won’t give up trying to entice your child, so you can’t give up on training them. Did I step on some toes? Good. I wish someone would’ve stepped on mine ‘til I listened….”

Bitsy is right. The Bible ordains PARENTS to be children’s most important teachers. The church comes alongside parents and assists—but parents are the main teachers, both in their words and in their example.  Bitsy cited the key verses too:

“You shall teach [these scriptures] to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up” Deuteronomy 11:19.

There are SO MANY similar passages.  This PARENT-AS-TEACHER truth is repeated throughout the Bible. 

Today I found it in the Psalms:

The “wise sayings” and “mysteries of the past” were “passed down to us” by our fathers—

“We must not hide those truths but tell future generations the praises of the Lord, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed….  He commanded our FATHERS to teach His law to their CHILDREN so that generations not yet born might know. And they must rise and tell their CHILDREN, so they might put confidence in God and not forget His works, but keep His commands” Psalm 78:3-7.

I thank God for parents and grandparents who have taken this task SERIOUSLY.

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