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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: Saturday, May 11, 2024
Chapters: II Samuel Chapter 10, I Chronicles Chapter 19, Psalm Chapter 20
Message: Fiery Trials

Hello My Friend,

I spent some time with my mom yesterday at the rehab, she was sitting in a wheelchair eating lunch, she cried when she heard my voice, then she perked up and even started singing. It was nice to see her spirits up, but she still had some sorrow and cried again as I was leaving, but she was determined to walk on her own again and by the grace I do pray that she is able to. While I was there my supervisor called me and told me that my job was on the line since I took so much time off the past few weeks and I am not eligible for paid time off because of that. So, as I was reading the chapters for today, this passage came to mind.

[1 Peter 4:12-16  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.  14  If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.  15  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.  16  Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.]

[Reproach; To find fault with (a person, group, etc.); Censure mingled with contempt; To charge with a fault in severe language; To upbraid; to suggest blame for any thing.] Reproach comes in different forms, and it is not always from our enemies, it often comes with people we know, love, and respect. All of these things going on with my mom and job coupled with my husband’s health problems and not being able to find anyone willing to hire him had put a strain on us. We were fighting and arguing over the most ridiculous things, but we finally realized that what we have done was take God out of our marriage. Then after another round of blaming each other I finally realized that I need to stop and said that I was sorry and he did the same thing. It was a reminder that we are not the enemy and need to be encouraging each other, [1 Thessalonians 5:11  Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.]

As we return to the reading of 1 Chronicles and continue in the reading of 2 Samuel, we find that one of David’s friends had died, the king of Ammon. The king of Ammon showed kindness to David by sheltering one of his brothers when the king of Moab massacred the rest of his family. Even though the two nations were not allies, David, and the king were so, when Nahash died, David, wanted to pay his respects by sending some of his servants to comfort him. However, Hanun, after listening to some ill advice caused an uproar.

[1 Chronicles 19:1-4  Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.  2  And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.  3  But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?  4  Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.]

[are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow,] These men had falsely accused David of just sending his men there to see what they were up against to take it over. Instead of just apologizing for their misconception and making things right with David they made things worse by hiring the Syrians to go up against Israel.

[1 Chronicles 19:6-7  And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.  7  So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.]

[So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots,] It does not matter how many nations they can get to attack Israel, God, always has their back as long as they are right with God. Civil battles do not start over something actually worth fighting for, they are always over pride. Thanks to Hanun and his ego, Israel has another battle to fight, but the first thing David did was pray to God.

Psalms 20:1-5  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;  2  Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;  3  Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.  4  Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.  5  We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.]

[Grant thee according to thine own heart,] Sometimes it is in God’s will that we lose a fight, but we are to never count any loss as a failure because God always have a reason and purpose behind it. There is great learning and insight that comes when God allows us to be knocked down once in a while. Yet in every battle, God sends out His very best to fight, they may not want to fight, they may even want to hide, but if God has chosen them for the battle, whether win or lose, they have to trust that He knows what He is doing and let Him lead the way. And that is exactly what David did, he sent his best men out to the battle, and Joab led the pack.

[2 Samuel 10:7,9-12  And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men. 9  When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:  10  And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.  11  And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee.  12  Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.]

[If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me:] Do you know what the biggest downfall of many Christians is today? They do not have each others back. It does not matter how bad things are going, we need to be there for each other and back each other up because we really are all in this together, [Ephesians 4:31-32  Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  32  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.]

[the LORD do that which seemeth him good.] Do you realize that even when things are going bad and we feel like we are being defeated at every angle that God is still good and working things out for good? It can be hard to understand reproach, but if we dig deep behind all the pain, fear, and misconceptions, we will find that God is on our side and working it all out for good, [Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]

No one wants to suffer reproach and we certainly do not want to fight over something that is not worth fighting over, but it is unavoidable sometimes. Therefore, we need to prepare ourselves to fight by getting the proper training, and then we leave the rest up to God. What training? That all depends on the battle. God, will actually give us skills and talents to be used for a purpose, sometimes later on in life even. God, will never lead us anywhere that He will not enable us to endure the fight. Now, David’s men were not defeated, in fact, they not only won, they earned the respect of the Syrians.

[2 Samuel 10:14-15,17-19  And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.  15  And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together. 17  And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.  18  And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.  19  And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.]

[saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel,] This is a great reminder that humility is necessary to prepare us for great things to come, even if we lost the battle here, we are still in the winning side. God’s will is not always joyful, but it always reminds us that we have better things awaiting us, [1 Timothy 4:9-12  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.  10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.  11  These things command and teach.  12  Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.]

Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [2 Samuel 10:12  Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.]

Today’s Prayer: God, since Jesus faced reproach it certainly should be no surprise that we who know Him as our Saviour will as well. As much as I do understand that You are with me through every battle, that still does not mean I am ready or willing to fight. Your timing is everything and as long as I wait patiently, and trust You, I know that I will beat this fiery trial. You never fail and will always give me what I need to not only endure, but win every battled, even if I must lose. I thank You for bringing me this far, to imagine what mess I would be in if You were not in my life would be frightening. I know You have more waiting for me as I patiently allow You to prepare me, strengthen me, and keep me trusting You. I ask You to give me Your power to wait on You, to not become discouraged, and to be strong even when all the odds are stacked against me. I also ask that You remove any fears, doubts, and disbelief’s that I have while enduring this fiery trial. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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