Read to prACTice

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* The last resort or it's second nature... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 15   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (running away from his own son, David, and all his entourage left the palace in a hurry...) 30  And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went.   31  Now someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O  Lord , I pray, make the counsel of Ahithophel foolishness.” III. Reflection *  Questions :  At the depth of his painful and shameful descent, what were the two special things that David did? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank You for letting me see that, in the most painful and shameful condition ...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* A privilege... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 14   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (David allowed his son Absalom to come back from self-exile after killing his brother, Amnon. However, Absalom was not allowed to go into the palace to see the father king...) 28  Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king’s face.   29  Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he would not come.  30  Therefore he said to his servants, “See,  Joab’s  field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the  field on fire. III. Reflection *  Questions :  What indicated that Absalom was very desirous to go see his king, the father, but to no avail? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank You for l...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* Fake news... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 13   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (the children of David were fighting each other. Absalom was avenging his sister's rape two years previously by killing Amnon, the violator, who was also David's son...)  30  Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” III. Reflection *  Questions :  Was there a difference between a murder of 1 and a murder of the entire 18 sons of David? How could there be such a discrepancy? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank You for letting me see such a huge difference between the murder of 1 and the murder of the entire 18 sons of David. The report was targeted to bring harm to David emotionally as well as physically. I thank You for reminding me that insensitive and intentionall...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* Please God or Grieve God... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 12   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (David committed adultery with Bathsheba and murdered her husband as his plot to cover up his sin failed. Through the prophet Nathan, the Lord questioned David and told him...) 9  Why  have you despised the word of the  Lord  by doing evil in His sight? 14  However, because by this deed you have  given occasion to the enemies of the  Lord  to blaspheme... III. Reflection *  Questions :  What are the consequences of our sinning besides our being punished? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank You for letting me see the spreading consequences of sinning that affect David himself, his infant son, his adult children, his kingdom, his respect for You, and his causing others to verbally abuse Your holy name. I thank You, Lord Jesus, for ta...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* Fellowship, presently... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 11   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (David committed adultery with Bathsheba, tried to cover it up, killed her husband when the cover-up failed...) 26  When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him.   27  After the time of mourning was over, David had her brought to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing David had done displeased the  Lord . III. Reflection *  Questions :  Did not the Lord twice say previously that David was the man after His own heart? IV. Application Dear Lord God, I thank You for letting me know that while our past, present, and future are all before You at any one time, You allow us to live in our time. You do not treat us today in accordance with our sins of tomorrow. I thank You for showing me that You enc...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* The business of delivering kindness... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 10   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  1  N ow it happened afterwards that the king of the Ammonites died, and Hanun his son became king in his place.   2  Then David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” III. Reflection *  Questions :  What kind of "business" was David in?  IV. Application Dear Lord God, I thank You for letting me know that David's business was fighting and winning wars for his kingdom of Israel. I also thank You for letting me know that no one would believe that such a tough man could also have a "business" specializing in delivering kindness to other people. He was doing exactly that here in this passage, and it seemed like yesterday, that he did the same for Jonathan's cripple son, Mephibosh...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* The channel vs The source... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 9   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (Once settled on top of his kingdom, David remembered his predecessor and the predecessor's family...) 3  The king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the  kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “ There is still a son of Jonathan who is crippled in both feet.” III. Reflection *  Questions :  What showed the humility side of David most clearly in this passage? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank You for showing me that David's humility was clearly shown when he declared that he was only a channel through which the Lord used to flow His kindness to Jonathan's cripple son. Mephibosheth was receiving Your kindness, not David's. I thank You, Lord Jesus, for taking me to this point to remind me that You Yourself reminded Your ...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* End of the road? Let God help... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 8   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (David's ongoing military records...) 1  . . . David defeated the Philistines . . .  2  He defeated Moab . . .  3  Then David defeated Hadadezer . . .  5 . . .  David killed 22,000 Arameans.   6 . . .  the Arameans became servants to David, bringing tribute. . .  14 . . .  all the Edomites became servants to David. And the  Lord  helped David wherever he went. III. Reflection *  Questions :  What was one key component of all five of David's victories? IV. Application Dear Lord God, I thank You for showing me that David was victorious. In fact, he did triumph over his enemies five times. I thank you for showing me that David fought a lot early in his kingship. Thank You for showing me that the one...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* Counsel a man? Must consult God first... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 7   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (David would like to build a good "house" for the Lord as opposed to a tent, and he consulted the prophet Nathan...) 2 ...  the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God remains within the tent.”  3  Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for the  Lord  is with you.”  4  But in the same night, the word of the  Lord  came to Nathan, saying,   5  “Go and say to My servant David, ‘This is what the  Lord  says:  “Should you build Me a house for My dwelling? . . . III. Reflection *  Questions :  How fast was the prophet Nathan in answering David--very fast, fast, not so fast? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank Yo...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* Rush worshipper, Not rush worshipping... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 6   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (the ark of God at that time had been temporarily placed at the house of Obed-edom for 3 months. And the house of Obed-edom has been blessed for being a host to the ark. Now it's time to bring the ark to its more deserving place...) 12 . . .  So David went and brought the ark of God up from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with joy.   13  And so it was, that when those carrying the ark of the  Lord  marched six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened steer.   III. Reflection *  Questions :  What was the clue that indicated that it was a very long outdoor worship time on that day? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank You for letting me see that this was a very long, but joyful, worship time in ...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* One battlefield, two strategies... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 5   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (Having heard that David had been made king over all Israel, the Philistines planned to attack...) 18  Now the Philistines came and overran the Valley of Rephaim.   19  So David inquired of the  Lord , saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You hand them over to me?” And the  Lord  said to David, “Go up, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.” . . .  22  Now the Philistines came up once again and overran the Valley of Rephaim.   23  So David inquired of the  Lord , but He said, “You shall not go directly up; circle around behind them and come at them in front of the baka-shrubs.   III. Reflection *  Questions :  Who attacked whom? Where? Who inq...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* Caught off guard! I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 4   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (The two brothers  Rechab and Baanah  took it upon themselves to murder Saul's son, who was made king after his death. They brought evidence of the killing to David, thinking David would be elated. But David told the men the following, then ordered them killed...) 11 " . . . when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and destroy you from the earth?”   III. Reflection *  Questions :  Was this the first time people were caught by surprise at the reaction of David regarding the seemingly good news concerning his enemies? If not, what was a similar incident that happened before this? IV. Application Dear Lord God, I thank You for showing me that David was consistent. He genuinely was not hap...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* When the weak wins... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 3   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (after the assassination and funeral of Abner, who was a top general of the deceased king Saul, newly ascended king David publicly said to his servants...) 38 . . .  “Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel?   39  I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah are too difficult for me. May the  Lord  repay the evildoer according to his evil.” III. Reflection *  Questions :  Although David admitted that he was weak, was he? What made his statement false? IV. Application Dear Lord God, I thank You for showing me that David was not really weak. He was, in fact, a man with admirable strength because he confessed his weakness, he admitted it publicly, and he relied upon the Lord for he...

To read this in Vietnamese, please click  here . ******************* Pray frequently, not hurriedly... I. Click here to READ   2 Samuel 2   first . II. One thing the Bible teaches:  (having led his people to pay tribute to the passing of king Saul...) 1  Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the  Lord , saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” And the  Lord  said to him, “Go up.” So David said, “Where shall I go up?” And He said, “To Hebron.”   2  So David went up there . . .   III. Reflection *  Questions :  How would David ask these questions only once (as we would these days)? IV. Application Dear Lord God: I thank You for showing me the life of David--the life of a person who had a good habit of inquiring of You a lot. I thank you for reminding me that he did not fire the questions at you hurriedly, or give you a two- or three-part question. I thank You, Lord Jesus, for taking me ...