Day 161 Bible Readings - 2 Samuel 16: 11-12 (ESV)

2 Samuel 15: 13-37, 2 Samuel 16: 1-14, Acts 6, Acts 7: 1-19, Psalm 89: 1-8

2 Samuel 16: 11-12 (ESV)

“And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.”

 Verses 11 and 12 from 2 Samuel 16 shows how David handled a man named Shimei who was cursing him. David did not freak out and want to punish the man, even though his men wanted kill Shimei. David instead listened to the man as if he had been sent by God to chastise him. I love how David saw God’s hand in everything in his life including a man who was cursing him for things that the did not do. David knew that perhaps if he listened to the cursing man that God would repay him by not harming Shimei. Even though David was now once again on the run from his own son Absalom, whom he did not punish for killing his brother Amnon, he still had enough faith in God to know that God was taking care of him in the present and in the future.

I am reminded by David’s actions to always look at a troubling situation in my life as God having a hand in what is happening, and not overreact, get depressed, or act out in any way. Always having an eye on God in any situation brings perspective to any situation that comes up in our lives.

2 Samuel 13 in a PowerPoint flow chart

I used create many slide presentations for work, for my own and for the head of my group. I had inspiration to see how David's sins in 2 Samuel led to him to feel reluctant to punish his own son Absalom for murdering his brother Ammon.

Here's my flow chart - perhaps not the best but I like it.

This was very fun to do. I like the arrow pointing down to symbolize the fall or cascading down into more sin.

Day 160 Bible Readings – Acts 5: 17-21 (ESV)

2 Samuel 14, 2 Samuel 15: 1-12, Act 5: 12-42, Psalm 88: 10-19

“But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, “Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life.” And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.”

Verses 17 through 21 from Acts 5 show the rescue of the apostles b an angel of God when they were locked up for preaching about Christ. The angel freed the disciples and told them to preach, and the disciples breached again in the morning. I love these miracles of Christ, but then I remember that the disciples of Christ were for the most martyred for their faith. They died very painful deaths for preaching about the resurrection of Christ.

I sometimes wonder if that’s why some churches do not fully preach all of God’s teachings. All Christians know that the early followers of Christ died horrible deaths, and I think they are afraid of the same thing happening to them. In today’s times, we don’t see many Christians dying of horrible deaths in the western countries. But there are parts of the worlds where Christians are still persecuted and killed like the first disciples of Christ. It takes a lot to be a Christian in today’s world, where talking about your faith will lead to cancellation and name-calling on social media. But the true followers of Christ in the early church didn’t let torture and murder stop them. They just kept on going and we need to follow in their example.

Day 159 Bible Readings – Acts 5: 5 (ESV)

 These are the Bible readings for June 9.

2 Samuel 13 Acts 4: 23-37, Act 5: 1-11

Acts 5: 5 (ESV)

“When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.”

Verse 5 from Acts 5 shows what happens when we lie to God about our behavior. Ananias said they would give all their money to the church, but they lied and kept a portion back for themselves because they wanted the benefits that come with extreme generosity. When Ananias was called out by Peter, he died. He died for the sin of lying. Whether it was supernatural or shock when Peter called him out doesn’t matter. He died and God didn’t save him. This was Ananias’ judgement day played out before the disciples and their followers.

Some of the Bible commentaries I read have noted that in past revivals, a type of Judgement Day happened. God passed judgement on pastors and those who believed in him. I believe a great revival is coming soon, and many Christians, pastors, and churches will be judged by God for their behavior and obedience to God’s words. I think as long as one is trying to do their very best to follow God’s laws, God will have mercy because God knows the hearts of his true believers. Do I fear a judgement day if revival comes? No not for myself, but I do fear for those who profess loudly to follow God’s words and have sinned like Ananias.