King James Bible Study – “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
Date: Sunday, May 19, 2019
Chapters: II Samuel 19-21
Message: Being Content In Your State
Hello My Friend,
As I was praying for God to bless me in the reading of His Word, this word was highlighted on my screen, state. So I figured it must have something to do with what God wants me to talk about today. State; Condition; the circumstances of a being or thing at any given time. These circumstances may be internal, constitutional or peculiar to the being, or they may have relation to other beings. And as I wonder why this word popped up in the first place this verse came to mind, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” – Philippians 4:11. And why am I telling you this? Ask God. He is the one directing this message, and must want me to explain how these messages come together. And we are to learn to be content in whatever state we are in because while we are to never stop asking God to bless us with more, it is wise to find contentment in whatever state we are in. “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” – Philippians 4:12-13.
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” These words are my lifeline in this world, life is tough enough as it is without being a Christian, add our faith to it, and it triples. Christ is our strength in this wicked world, and the only one who can help us endure those states in our lives where it is difficult to be content. Sometimes our state is joyful, we are blessed with prosperity, and therefore, content to remain where we are. Sometimes our state is tolerable, we are blessed with some form of chastening, and therefore, content to endure it until God sees fit that we have had enough. And yet there are other times when our state makes no sense at all, we are blessed with grief, and therefore, are to be content as well. That, however, does not come so easily. Now, David realized that everything he went through over his son trying to take the throne was the result of his sins concerning Bathsheba and her late husband, and was content with that state. However, when he found out that Absalom had been killed, he had a hard time accepting that.
“And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son. And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines; In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well. Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now. And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.” – II Samuel 19:1-2,5-7,14.
“if thou go not forth,” Of course, David had a right to grieve over the loss of his first born son, but we cannot let grief cause us to stop living, and caring for the living who need us. Each and every one of us are responsible for our own actions, those who make the wrong choices, and refuse to repent will die in their sins, and this includes, many saved, born again Christians who choose their sins over God’s will for their lives. “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” – Matthew 5:13.
“and to be trodden under foot of men.” While living in sin will not cause them to lose their salvation, God will not hesitate to bring one of His unrepentant children home who remain in their sinful state. Now, David realizes it was time to get the kingdom back in order, and started making wise decisions again. No sooner than he gets back to the palace, a man named Sheba led, but the tribe of Judah in a revolt against David returning as king. David knew their state would be worse than with Absalom, and took action right away.
“And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel. So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem. And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us. And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee. Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.” – II Samuel 20:1-2,6,22.
“but the men of Judah clave unto their king,” There will always be some rebel that will lead a revolt in an attempt to overthrow God’s people, but it will never happen. Clinging to our KING is the only way that we can endure the constant battles we face in this world, and it will also keep us from ending up like Sheba. “For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” – I Peter 2:15-16.
“For so is the will of God,” Something amazing happens when we get back in the will of God, He will answer our prayers. Remember, affliction may not always come from the wrongs we have done, but what someone else has done. No sooner than God delivered Israel out of the hands of Sheba a famine comes, for three years David sought answers from God, finally he gets his answer, it was something that Saul did to the Gibeonites.
“Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites. And the Gibeonites said unto him, We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say, that will I do for you. Let seven men of his sons be delivered unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them. But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the LORD’S oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite: And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night. And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done.” – II Samuel 21:1,4,6-8,10-11.
“from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven,” Rizpah stayed at the site as her two sons hung there, determined to keep prey from getting a hold of their bodies until the rain finally came, and they taken down to receive a proper burial. Sometimes our state blesses us with sorrow and grief, in such cases, it does no good to rebel or blame God, but rather find contentment in knowing that God’s will has been done. Remember when the women went to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body three days later after his death? When they got there they discovered the tomb was empty, and Jesus had risen from the dead. Sorrow always brings joy as long as we trust God. “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” – II Corinthians 7:10-11.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.” – II Samuel 19:11.
Today’s Prayer: God, I too have learned that whatsoever state I am in to be content with what you are blessing me with. I admit that my cup does not always run overflow with joy at the state I am in, but I do know that You have a purpose, and a plan for everything, and as long as I trust You you will see me through. Lord, give me Your strength to endure every state I am in, whether I am being blessed with joys, sorrows, or grief. Give me Your power to trust, wait, and grow closer to You through in my state and keep me to looking to You for guidance and direction in all my steps so that I can endure them with You getting the glory for seeing me through. And Lord, never let me forget that while I am to be both hungry, and full, Your greatest blessings come from my faith in You. In You name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://readytofollow.com/
Receive The KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Missed A Message: http://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Visit I’m Following Jesus Missions: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2019 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.