I Kings 1

Abishagverses 1-4

Now king David was old and stricken in years

and they covered him with clothes – BUT he got no heat

Wherefore his servants

said to him

Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin

and let her stand before the king – and let her cherish him

and let her lie in your bosom

that my lord the king may get heat

So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel

and found Abishag a Shunammite

and brought her to the king

and the damsel was very fair

and cherished the king

and ministered to him

BUT the king knew her not

Adonijah wants to be kingverses 5-10

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself

saying

I will be king – and he prepared him chariots and horsemen

and fifty men to run before him

And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying

Why have you done so?

and he also was a very goodly man

and his mother bare him after Absalom

And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah

and Abiathar the priest

and they following Adonijah helped him

BUT Zadok the priest – and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada

and Nathan the prophet and Shimei – and Rei

and the mighty men which belonged to David

were not with Adonijah

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle

by the stone of Zoheleth which is by En-rogel

and called all his brethren the king’s sons

and all the men of Judah the king’s servants

BUT Nathan the prophet – and Benaiah – and the mighty men

and Solomon his brother – he called not

Nathan the Prophet informs Bath-shebaverses 11-14

Wherefore Nathan spoke to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon

saying

Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith does reign

and David our lord knows it not?

Now therefore come – let me – I pray you give you counsel

that you may save your own life

and the life of your son Solomon

Go and get you in to king David

and say to him

Did not you – my lord – O king

swear unto your handmaid

saying

Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me

and he shall sit upon my throne?

Why then does Adonijah reign?

Behold while you yet talk there with the king

I also will come in after you

and confirm your words

Bath-sheba goes to king David regarding Solomonverses 15-21

And Bath-sheba went in to the king into the chamber

and the king was very old

and Abishag the Shunammite

ministered unto the king

and Bath-sheba bowed

and did obeisance to the king

And the king said

What would you?

And she

said to him

My lord – you swore by the LORD your God to your handmaid

saying

Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me

and he shall sit on my throne

And now behold – Adonijah reigns

and now my lord the king

you know it not

and he has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance

and has called all the sons of the king

and Abiathar the priest

and Joab the captain of the host

BUT Solomon your servant has he not called

and you my lord – O king – the eyes of all Israel are on you

that you should tell them

who shall sit on the throne of my lord

the king after him

Otherwise it shall come to pass

when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers

that I and my son Solomon

shall be counted offenders

Nathan confirms Bath-sheba’s accountverses 22-27

And lo while she yet talked with the king

Nathan the prophet also came in

and they told the king

saying

Behold Nathan the prophet

And when he was come in before the king

he bowed himself before the king

with his face to the ground

And Nathan said

My lord – O king

have you said

Adonijah shall reign after me

and he shall sit upon my throne?

For he is gone down this day – and has slain oxen and fat cattle

and sheep in abundance

and has called all the king’s sons

and the captains of the host

and Abiathar the priest

and behold – they eat and drink before him

and say

God save king Adonijah

But me even me your servant – and Zadok the priest

and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada

and your servant Solomon

has he not called

Is this thing done by my lord the king

and you have not showed it to your servant

who should sit on the throne of my lord

the king after him?

David informs Bath-sheba concerning Solomonverses 28-31

Then king David answered

and said

Call me Bath-sheba

And she came into the king’s presence

and stood before the king

And the king spoke

and said

As the LORD lives

that has redeemed my soul out of all distress

even as I swore unto you

by the LORD God of Israel

saying

Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me

and he shall sit on my throne in my stead

even so will I certainly do this day

Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth

and did reverence to the king

and said

Let my lord king David live for ever

David calls for officials to make Solomon kingverses 32-40

And king David said

Call me Zadok the priest – and Nathan the prophet

and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada

And they came before the king

The king also said to them

Take with you the servants of your lord

and cause Solomon my son to ride on mine own mule

and bring him down to Gihon

And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet

anoint him there king over Israel

and blow ye with the trumpet

and say

God save king Solomon

Then you shall come up after him

that he may come and sit on my throne

For he shall be king in my stead

and I have appointed him to be ruler

over Israel and over Judah

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king

and said

Amen – the LORD God of my lord the king say so too

as the LORD has been with my lord the king

even so be HE with Solomon

and make his throne greater than the throne of

my lord king David

So Zadok the priest – and Nathan the prophet

and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada

and the Cherethites – and the Pelethites – went down

and caused Solomon to ride on king David’s mule

and brought him to Gihon

And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle

and anointed Solomon

And they blew the trumpet

and all the people said

God save king Solomon

And all the people came up after him

and the people piped with pipes

and rejoiced with great joy

so that the earth rent with the sound of them

Adonijah hears the noiseverses 41-48

And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they

had made an end of eating

And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet – he said

Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

And while he yet spoke

BEHOLD – Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came

and Adonijah said to him

Come in – for you are a valiant man

and bring good tidings

And Jonathan answered

and said to Adonijah

Verily our lord king David has made Solomon king

and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest

and Nathan the prophet

and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada

and the Cherethites – and the Pelethites

and they have caused him

to ride upon the king’s mule

and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him

king in Gihon – and they are come up from thence

rejoicing – so that the city rang again

This is the noise that you have heard

and also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom

and moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord

king David

saying

God make the name of Solomon

better than your name

and make his throne

greater than your throne

And the king bowed himself on the bed

And also thus said the king

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel

which has given one to sit on my throne this day

mine eyes even seeing it

Guests run from Adonijah’s partyverse 49

And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid

and rose up – and went every man his way

Solomon addresses Adonijahverses 50-53

And Adonijah feared because of Solomon – and arose – and went

and caught hold on the horns of the altar

And it was told Solomon

saying

BEHOLD – Adonijah fears king Solomon – for lo

he has caught hold on the horns of the altar

saying

Let king Solomon swear to me today that he will

not slay his servant with the sword

And Solomon

said

If he will show himself a worthy man

there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth

BUT if wickedness shall be found in him

he shall die

So Solomon sent – and they brought him down from the altar

and he came and bowed himself to king Solomon

and Solomon said to him

Go to your house

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. (3303 “fair” [yapheh] means beautiful, right, delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration, proper, appropriate, or comely)

DEVOTION: David is now advanced in age and is not in good health. He needed someone to keep him warm. They searched for someone and found this young lady, Abishag, to keep him warm. There was no other relationship between them but we will find in the future that her name will come up again.

There are different needs for different ages in the life on a individual. There is no need today for find a younger woman to keep an older man warm if he is married to another. This passage is not promoting this type of action.

We need to stay with the wife of our youth. We need to honor marriage as long as we are together. It is not always easy but life was not to be easy. We honor the LORD by all of our actions or at least we should.

God is giving us this account because there is something else that is going to happen in the future. It is a warning that we need to make sure that we make wise decisions even in our old age.

Our wives are appropriate for us at all ages. Each of us should stay with our wife while we are old as well as when we are young. We are to pick wisely the first time.

CHALLENGE: Today we will in an age where marriages are forgotten and this is wrong. Marry someone who loves the LORD and stick with them. God wants marriage to last a lifetime.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why have you done so? And he also was a very goodly ma; and his mother bare him after Absalom. (6087 “displeased” [‘atsab] means to rebuke, to discipline, find fault with, grieved, vexed, filled with grieve, properly trained, or give discipline and training to a child for right living)

DEVOTION: Fathers are responsible for the bringing up their children in the nurture and admonition of the LORD. This means that fathers are held accountable for the raising of their children. God expects fathers to be involved in the lives of their children to the point that at time it means that they must discipline them when they do something that is considered a sin in the eyes of the LORD.

The LORD has a standard of behavior for not only fathers but for every member of the family. Children are to honor their parents. This means that even when they are grown up children should honor their parent by listening to their counsel at times.

David was the type of father that never disciplined his children. This was a sin in the eyes of the LORD because it caused problems for the children and the parents later in life. Here is another son of David from the same woman rebelling against him and declaring himself king without permission.

Fathers need to be involved with their children. There are millions of children who have no father in the house because of abandonment or incarceration or just plain not caring. This is a sin and they will be judged for their actions.

Now what is the church to do to help these children who receive no discipline at home? Should we have programs that teach them their responsibility toward their parents? Should we be involved in their life to teach them what God expects of them?

Children need direction from a young age. This includes those fathers who are involved with their children not causing anger in their children because the Bible states that discipline should be done in a loving manner where the children know that their father is disciplining because of love and not in anger.

I was raised in a home where there was no father home most of the time and he did have an anger problem. He was a hardworking man who was not raised with a father around. His father wasn’t around for many years. Now when my parents divorced I was left in charge of my siblings many times and the only form of discipline I knew was yelling and spanking. This carried over even into my raising of my children at times.

The LORD is able to help us raise our children properly if we look to HIM to provide good examples of a proper raising of our children. HE gives that to us when HE disciplines us in love. We need to look at how those who are Biblical during their life. We see many examples of fathers who didn’t discipline at all or that disciplines to harshly. We have to hit a balance which can only happen if we trust in the LORD to help us.

CHALLENGE: The bible gives us instructions in proper discipline in the home of our children. Search the Scriptures to find the answer.

: 14 Behold, while you yet take there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words. (4390 “confirm” [male] means to be full, to consecrate as a priest, devote, to establish the validity of, or ordain)

DEVOTION: In the days of David there seemed to be an unwritten rule that a king had to destroy the rest of the family that might challenge his reign. One of David’s sons, Adonijah was rebelling against his father. He was going to declare himself king and with that happening would kill Bathsheba and Solomon.

Nathan the prophet knew what was happening and went to her to help her save her life and the kingdom. He knew who the LORD wanted to reign in the stead of David. He knew that he had to do something to keep Adonijah from killing Solomon.

So he gave Bathsheba a plan and then they worked their plan. She would go first into David and remind him about his statement about Solomon becoming king after him. As she was talking with David he would come in right after and confirm that Adonijah was rebelling and setting up himself to be king.

They would encourage David to anoint Solomon right then to make sure that the people knew who was supposed to be king. It was a good plan and it worked to save the life of Bathsheba and Solomon.

So out of the mouth of two witnesses something was confirmed and this is what the Word of God tells us to do when we have rebellion happening in our world. We are not to believe only one witness but have two or three that say the same thing about an event.

We need to make sure the story someone is telling us is the truth. We need to not accuse someone on the witness of one person. Too often even in church we hear a rumor about someone and then act on it only to find out that it was idle gossip which the LORD says is a sin.

CHALLENGE: Confirm what you hear and then act in a way that is pleasing to the LORD

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them. (8056 “rejoiced” [sameach] means blithe, gleeful, glad, joyful, merry, or merry hearted.)

DEVOTION: Dysfunctional families are all around. Here we have two brothers who want to be king. One calls a party together to make himself king without the knowledge of King David. He has the following of many of David’s key men. The party in underway before David hears about what is going on.

Problem: David had not disciplined his children. Here was a son, Adonijah, who thought he could take over the throne from David. He had it all planned out. He was the brother of Absalom. Remember he was the son of David that rebelled and almost took over the nation but the LORD intervened.

Now we have a second rebellion. Nathan hears of the rebellion. He goes and tells Bath-sheba. Nathan and Bath-sheba went to king David and told him what was happening. David had a better idea.

He had them anoint Solomon as king. There was such a noise in the city of the anointing of Solomon that the ones at the party for Adonijah wondered what was happening. They found out that Solomon was king and not Adonijah. The people in the streets were joyful. The people in the streets were yelling. When a new leader is crowned, the people were full of glee. They knew Solomon would make a good king.

What was the reaction of Adonijah and those at his party? FEAR!!! The people at the party ran home. Adonijah ran to the temple and took hold of the horns of the altar for protection. He thought he was going to be killed. Solomon sent some of his men and brought him to the palace. He told his brother to go home.

We can be joyful when we have the right leader in control. We need to pray for the right leaders in our churches and in our nations. The Christian responsibility in the church is to find the right man to lead and then follow him. The characteristics of the man God wants to lead are found in the Pastoral Epistles. We need good Biblical leaders in our churches. Too often we vote for a pastor on appearance or sometimes in desperation because it has been a long time between pastors. These reasons are not Biblical.

The Christian responsibility in our nation is to vote. We have to make a wise choice of those who are running for office. The choice is not to vote.

What happens to a nation where those who love the LORD don’t do anything?

The people can have an Adonijah in office instead of a Solomon. Yes, the LORD rises up leaders and takes them down but we still can do our part. When Biblical people sit on the sidelines, evil wins!!!

CHALLENGE: Watch out for false leaders. They are the ones who want to teach false doctrine. They are the ones that are not living the life the LORD wants for leaders. Be a leader that honors the LORD!!!

: 49 And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. (7121 “guests” [qara’] means called, invited as a guest, bidden, summoned, or receive an offer of hospitality.)

DEVOTION: Have you ever been invited to a place and found yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had a deacon who when he was first born again went to a drug party. He had been going for many years before his salvation and thought he could witness to his friends while taking drugs with them. He started to witness and they asked him why he was still coming to these types of parties if he was a bornagain Christian. He had no answer. They would not accept his witness while he was still doing drugs.

Here we find that another son of David was acting in rebellion against his father. David was old and didn’t know what was going on around him until he was told that Adonijah was anointing himself as king.

Adonijah had invited those who would co-operate with his anointing as king. This included Joab the general of David’s army.

While the party was going on Nathan the prophet went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon and told her what was happening. They made a plan to tell David what was going on and carried out the plan.

David wanted Solomon to be the king after him and so he set up to have him anointed king even while Adonijah was having a party to celebrate his anointing himself as king.

Well after Solomon was anointed there was a great shout in the city regarding Solomon being king and the ones who were celebrating with Adonijah knew they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What was their reaction? They ran for their lives. They knew at that point that Adonijah was going to be judged by Solomon and they wanted no part in the judgment.

Today we might be invited places we would not want to be found if the LORD returned at the time period we were with people who were in the state of rebellion against God. We have to watch where we go which is part of our testimony to those around us at the time.

CHALLENGE: Remember the LORD can return at any time and we need to be in a place where we can bring honor to the LORD. Don’t be in the wrong place when HE returns. It is part of your testimony to others.

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Abiathar the priestverses 7, 19, 25, 42

Helped Adonijah

Zadok the priestverses 8, 26, 32, 38-39, 44, 45

Anointed Solomon king

Blew the trumpet

Nathan the prophetverses 8, 10, 11, 22-44, 45

Spoke with Bath-sheba

Came in to David

Horn of old out of the Tabernacleverse 39

Anointed Solomon king

Jonathan the son of Abiathar = priestverse 42, 43

Altarverses 51, 53

DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 17, 29, 30, 36, 37, 48

God – Elohim (Creator)verses 17, 25, 30, 34, 36, 39, 47, 48

LORD thy Godverse 17

LORD livethverse 29

LORD God of Israelverses 30, 48

LORD Godverse 36

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Chereithiteverses 18, 44

Pelethitesverses 18, 44

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Exalting selfverse 5

David not displeasing his sonverse 6

Helping in rebellionverse 7

Afraidverse 49

Fearverses 50, 51

Wickednessverse 52

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Prophetverses 8, 10, 22, 32, 34, 38, 44, 45

Godly counsel verse 12

Confirm the truthverse 14

Servantverses 26, 27

Redeemed out of distressesverse 29

Reverenceverse 31

Anointedverses 39, 45

Rejoiceverses 40, 45

Blessedverse 48

Worthyverse 52

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

King Davidverses 1-48

Old and stricken in years

Sought a young virgin for warmth

Didn’t know Abishag sexually

Heard about Adonijah

Told Zadok to make Solomon king

Bowed himself on bed after hearing the

news of Solomon as king

Blessed the LORD

Abishag a Shunammiteverses 3, 4, 15

Brought to David for warmth

Very fair

Adonijah – son of Haggith –son of Davidverses 5-7, 9-24, 41

Exalted himself to be king

Never disciplined by David

Blood brother of Absalom

Called for a feast

Heard news of Solomon anointed king

Caught hold on horns of altar

Joab the son of Zeruiahverses 7, 19, 41

Benaiah – son of Jehoiadaverses 8, 10, 26, 32, 44

Shimei and Rei – mighty menverse 8

Not with adonijah

Solomonverses 10-51

David promised he would reign

Ride on David’s mule

Anointed king in Gihon

Sent Adonijah home

Bath-shebaverses 11-22, 28-31

Told what was happening

Went to David

People shouted after Solomon

“God save King Solomonverses 39, 40

Great joy

Guests of Adonijah were afraidverse 49

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

DONATIONS:

Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org Also if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method. Thank you.

QUOTES regarding passage

50 This method of seeking sanctuary was a time-honored custom. In Israel the grasping of the horns of the altar did not provide sanctuary for all types of criminals only those guilty of the unintentional slaying of another. “In the horns of the altar, as symbols of power and strength, there was concentrated the true significance of the altar as a divine place, from which there emanated both life and health.… By grasping the horns of the altar the culprit placed himself under the protection of the saving and helping grace of God, which wipes away sin, and thereby abolishes punishment” (Keil, p. 25). The horns were the projections at the corners of the altar on which the blood of sacrifice was smeared.

The location of the altar is not mentioned, though it was most likely in the tent that David had erected in Jerusalem to house the ark of the covenant. (Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. (1988). 1, 2 Kings. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 33). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

1:49–51. Adonijah’s guests scattered as far from the traitor and as fast as they could so they would not be linked with him and dealt with as they felt surely he would be. In the ancient Near East traitors could expect to be purged by a new king. Terror at this prospect drove Adonijah to the tabernacle where he claimed refuge by grasping the horns on the brazen altar in the tabernacle courtyard. Such a practice was common in Israel and in other neighboring nations (cf., e.g., Ex. 21:13–14). The symbolism of taking hold of the altar’s horns seems to have meant that as God had been gracious to man, as seen in accepting man’s offerings to atone for his sins, so one man should be gracious to another man who had offended him. (Constable, T. L. (1985). 1 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 490). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

Jonathan made it clear that Solomon was at that very moment the king of Israel. Adonijah, his fellow conspirators, and his guests knew what that meant: they were all under great suspicion. The guests, including the naïve princes, all rose up and fled back to the city for safety, and Adonijah fled to the tabernacle for asylum. This was the tent in Jerusalem, which housed the Ark (1 Chron. 16:1, 37). The tabernacle with the other furnishings was at Gibeon (1 Chron. 16:39–40; 1 Kings 3:4). There was an altar there and Adonijah took hold of the horns of the altar, which is what people in danger did before the establishment of the six cities of refuge (2:28; Ex. 21:13–14). A place of asylum at least delayed judgment and gave the accused an opportunity for a hearing (Deut. 19).

Solomon showed mercy to his brother and allowed him to return to his home in Jerusalem. This amounted to house arrest because the king’s guards could keep Adonijah under constant surveillance. But Solomon also warned his brother to be careful how he behaved, for as an insurgent, Adonijah was worthy of death. If he stepped out of line, he would be executed. Adonijah bowed before Solomon, but his heart was submitted neither to the Lord nor his brother. (Wiersbe, W. W. (2002). Be responsible (p. 15). Colorado Springs, CO: Victor.)

1:50 horns of the altar. Cf. 2:28. The “horns” were corner projections on the altar of burnt offering on which the priests smeared the blood of the sacrifices (Ex 27:2; 29:12). By taking hold of the horns, Adonijah sought to place himself under the protection of God (see Ex 21:13, 14). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Ki 1:50). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

Ver. 50. And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, &c.] Lest he should seize him as an usurper and traitor, and put him to death: and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar; either that which was at Gibeon, where the tabernacle now was; see ch. 3:4. so Jarchi; or rather that which was nearest, the altar that David had built in the threshing-floor of Araunah, 2 Sam. 24:25. the altar was a sort of asylum, or refuge, for such who had committed any crime worthy of death; not by divine appointment, but by custom, it being supposed that none would presume to defile with blood that which was sacred to the Lord; or shed the blood of meh where the blood of beasts was poured; or use severity and strict justice, but mercy, where sacrifices were offered to atone for sin, and mercy was shewn on account of them; these were notions, and this a custom, which obtained very early, and even among the Jews; see Exod. 21:14. as well as among Gentiles; with whom it was usual, as to flee to the statues of their emperors, and to the temples of their deities, so likewise to their altars; this was customary among the Molossians, Samothracians, Crotoniatæ, and Messenians; and particularly the altar of Jupiter Servator was an asylum, or place of refuge, to the Ithacians. Cornelius Nepos^m has given us an instance of one that fled to a temple of Neptune, and sat upon the altar for his security, as here Adonijah laid hold on the horns of this, that none might force him from it. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 677). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

Benjamin Franklin once decided to become morally perfect. He chose 13 qualities he felt embodied moral perfection and tried to perfect one a week – at the end of 13 weeks he would be morally perfect. He failed, yet later wrote he had become a much better man for trying and failing than if he had never tried at all. Our situation with the Lord is similar. We will never become morally perfect, as Paul writes, but we can experience maturation as we grow into the image of Christ. (Quiet Walk)

Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established. PROVERBS 16:3

When young William Borden—heir to the Borden dairy fortune—graduated from high school more than 100 years ago, his father gave him three things for his graduation gift: enough money for a trip around the world, a servant to accompany him and a brand-new Bible. So at just 16 years of age, William traveled throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East, experiencing a mix of cultures and people.

But the combination of seeing human suffering while simultaneously acquainting himself with the Scriptures caused William’s heart to be stirred with a calling from God. He committed his life to prepare for the mission field, and he wrote two words in the back of his Bible: “No reserve.”

Returning home, he enrolled at Yale University, where his spiritual devotion and his ministry to the poor and destitute became well known among the students, faculty and community in New Haven. And though he was courted by both Wall Street and the family business upon graduation, he stayed firm in his desire to serve God overseas. During this time he wrote two additional words in the back of his Bible: “No retreat.”

While traveling through Egypt on his way to a mission in China, William contracted a form of spinal meningitis. Within a month, he died. He was only 25. Weeks later, as his father was going through William’s things, he came across the Bible he had given his son as a high-school graduation present. The list of short handwritten statements in the back now included a third: “No regrets.”

No reserve. No retreat. No regrets. Those six words should challenge all of us to be radical followers of Christ. We should live purposefully in our marriages and families, investing ourselves wholeheartedly in the primary people God has given us to love and to lead. Always forward. Always faithful. No going back. (Moment with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)

Mark 14

Jesus spends His last two days in intimate communion with His closest friends.

INSIGHT

Prayer is one of the true mysteries in the Bible. It is inevitable, as we grow in our prayer life, that we will struggle with an inadequate understanding of how to pray.

The example of Jesus praying in Gethsemane helps us with what we can know and understand about prayer. First, we can know that prayer does not eliminate emotional struggling.

A second thing we can learn is that prayer can make us stronger spiritually and keep us from temptation. In each account of His prayer, Jesus says to His disciples, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Mark 14:38). If we watch and pray, we will be strengthened against temptation. (Quiet Walk)

SOWING AND REAPING
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Galatians 6:7-8
Life is a matter of sowing and reaping, and what a man sows, that shall he also reap. There are certain moral laws in operation in this world that are absolute. All of us are responsible beings, and we shall all die and stand before God in judgment and give account of the deeds done in the body. And our eternal destiny will depend upon what we have done in this life and in this world. Life therefore is a tremendous matter. It is the most serious thing conceivable, because what we get in this life and what we will get through all eternity depends upon whether we sow to the flesh or whether we sow to the Spirit.
Very well then, the most important thing to discover in this world is, how does one sow to the Spirit? How am I so to live that I shall reap the blessing of joy and happiness and peace in this world and in the world to come forever and forever? The great apostle Paul answers the question. He puts it in this glorious and tremendous statement: “God forbid that I should glory….” The thing is unthinkable, he says, that I should glory in anything “save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). This is the thing that he preached. And this by the grace of God is the thing that I am privileged to preach to you. The preaching of the cross, the preaching of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, is the very heart and center of the Christian gospel and the Christian message.
A Thought to Ponder
What we will get through all eternity depends upon whether we sow to the flesh or whether we sow to the Spirit. (From The Cross, pp. 17-18, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

The Earth Is the Lord’s
“The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.” (Psalm 24:1-2)
The psalms often draw our hearts to praise the Lord for His wondrous deeds and marvelous attributes. In today’s text, we are reminded of the Lord’s role as sovereign Creator of Earth and everything in it.
The Lord Jesus Christ is Creator (Colossians 1:16; John 1:1-3), and as Creator He is the rightful owner of His creation. He created all things, and everything belongs to Him.
While some search for life beyond our solar system, our finite minds still haven’t completely fathomed the intricate designs found on our own planet. From billowing clouds to the rolling waves of the Atlantic Ocean, from the peak of Mount Everest to the depths of the Mariana Trench, the wonder and beauty of God’s creation are clearly seen (Romans 1:20).
Life is unique to our planet. The Lord designed Earth to be the exclusive home for living things. Do you remember the old hymn “All Things Bright and Beautiful?” It said, “All creatures great and small…the Lord God made them all.” Think about the largest dinosaur and the tiniest bacterium. Living things are extremely complex.
Scientists discover new creature features almost every day. Some credit nature with the power to select and direct. But God’s Word is clear: The Lord—not nature—“founded” the earth, and He alone created “they that dwell therein.”
Why does this matter? The Lord who created all things— humanity being His special creation, made in His image (Genesis 1:27)—is the same Lord who became one of us and died in our place (Philippians 2:5-9). The Lord who created earthly life is the Savior who freely offers us eternal life (John 3:16). (MH, The Institute for Creation Research)

So Helpful”

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:13

The caller to the Christian radio station said that his wife was coming home from the hospital following surgery. Then he shared something that spoke deeply to my heart: “Everyone in our church family has been so helpful in taking care of us during this time.”

When I heard this simple statement, it reminded me of the value and necessity of Christian hospitality and care. I began to think that the love and support of fellow believers for one another is one of the greatest ways to demonstrate the life-changing power of the gospel.

In First Peter, the apostle was writing a letter to be circulated among the first-century churches in what’s now the country of Turkey. In that letter, he compelled his readers to do something that his friend Paul wrote about in Romans 12:13: “Practice hospitality.” Peter said, “Love each other deeply . . . offer hospitality,” and he told them to use the gifts God gave them to “serve others” (1 Peter 4:8–10). These are clear directions to all believers in Jesus for how we’re to treat fellow believers.

All of us know people like that caller’s wife—those who need someone to come alongside and show concern and Christlike love. In God’s strength, may we be among the ones who are noted for being “so helpful.” By Dave Branon

Visit our Facebook page for Small Church Ministries – please invite others to join us on Facebook. Thank you. Look for the logo from the devotionals.