Daily Archives: January 3, 2019

Battle Cry!

David was in a very difficult situation. He was king and his son Absalom, waged war against his father so he could become king. Absalom had already disrupted their household when he slept with David’s wives and then he had an army looking for David. David still greatly loved his son. His heart was broken. David was on the run from Absalom, so he ran to the only one who had power to help him and that was God! In the end, David continued to reign because his son died from an accident (not in battle). In that time, David once again cried out to God saying his son’s name again to mourn his death.

So how did David express himself in such a great moment of family breakdown and civil war? His emotional plea to God was captured in Psalm 3.

Psalm 3:

1 O Lord, I have so many enemies;
    so many are against me.
2 So many are saying,
    “God will never rescue him!” Interlude

3 But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
    you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
4 I cried out to the Lord,
    and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude

5 I lay down and slept,
    yet I woke up in safety,
    for the Lord was watching over me.
6 I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
    who surround me on every side.

7 Arise, O Lord!
    Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
    Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
8 Victory comes from you, O Lord.
    May you bless your people. Interlude

Standard

Be Like Jesus

Jesus spoke God’s Word when He was directly tempted by the Devil.

 

Matthew 4:

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.

3 During that time the devil[a] came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,

‘People do not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,

‘He will order his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’[c]”

7 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lordyour God.’[d]”

8 Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

10 “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,

‘You must worship the Lord your God
    and serve only him.’[e]”

11 Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

 

 

Standard