A poem posted at my other blog Step Ahead is inspired by the post Roadmap to Victory which gives examples of how victories were gained. The greatest attribute of those that gained victories was that they let God lead them. This is His secret purpose or God’s plan for us.
Here is a video about letting God lead you to victory: Lead Me On by Amy Grant. Pay special attention to the following lyrics within the song:
Lead me on
Lead me on
To a place where the river runs
Into your keeping
Lead me on
Lead me on
The awaited deliverance
Comforts the seeking … lead on.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
All the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever. – Psalm 23:6
Reading the word of God, we are given examples of how actions of past generations take their toll on future generations. In current times, there are examples too but when Christ paid the debt, all the negatives were cleared, and a positive future was assured.
The weather in Texas can change fast. As these photos I took one winter day at my office demonstrate. In the above photo, the morning was cold with snow. Then the afternoon was sunny and warm as in this second photo shows. Our relationship with God can change fast too.
Reading in 2 Samuel 21, there was a famine for three years in Israel. This drove David to seek God who told David that it was because of the way Saul had treated the Gibeonites. God’s wrath was upon them because of the broken covenant of peace between the Gibeonites and the house of Saul.
David wanted to make everything right with the Gibeonites so he asked what they wanted for atonement. They wanted seven of Saul’s descendants who they killed and then exposed their bodies on a hill (vv. 8-9).
As we read in the Old Testament, we see many times how actions of past generations take their toll on future generations. It’s the same in modern times. I remember hearing fromPaul Harvey’s – If I were the Devil and how the devil keeps us in cold dark times with drugs, violence, and low morals. It may start with little things and year by year it leads to bigger things. Then God is taken out of the schoolhouse, the courthouse, and the houses of congress. A nation is then at war with itself, and the media is fanning the flames.
To get things right, there has to be atonement and reformation. For us today, these are found in the blood of Christ Jesus. When Christ paid the debt, all the negatives were cleared, and a positive future was assured.
In today’s passage, David and his men won victory after victory once David made things right. We can do the same and change our world from a cold dark place into one of optimism by simply getting things right with God. This day with God, we are relying on the power of the Holy Spirit rather than our own wisdom and are looking forward to amazing things happening as difficulties become simplicities because of this power.
Lord, we have good days and bad days, but we know that You can take tough situations and turn them into something positive. Out of intense difficulties, You can make simplicities emerge because Your Son warms our heart. He went to the cross for our sake to reconcile us to You and we have the power of the Holy Spirit to change a cold dark day into a sunny warm day. Amen
He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 12:20
This day with God, let us know what issues there are and get help from wise people. As we found in “The Textbook to the Course”, once we know the plan, it’s important to spot opportunities and take action quickly.
Let us give praise today for the wisdom found in God’s Word and with the song The Way by Jeremy Camp. There isGod’s plan for usthat gives us directions to step ahead to applying our faith.
We continue to participate in the school of wisdom by using the Bible as thetextbook to the course. Today, we are in 2 Samuel 20.
This day with God, the victory is in our grasp if we keep going when things get difficult, listen for guidance, and follow directions to solve issues that come up. There is a rebellious heart in all, but it can be changed by grace so let us always be reminded ofGod’s plan for usand take each opportunity to move into action as we apply our faith.
We know from our past study that there was a rivalry between Israel and Judah which complicated things for David. In today’s passage, we read about a troublemaker named Sheba who took advantage of this disunity. The men of Israel were lacking in discernment and let Sheba convince them to desert David and follow him.
Amasa was told by David to get together the men of Judah quickly and organize the army but Amasa dragged his feet. So David sent his commander named Joab along with some men out to pursue Sheba. Joab met up with Amasa and killed him for his lack of urgency to the matter at hand.
Joab and the men in pursuit of Sheba came to the city named Abel Beth Maakah. They were trying to tear down the wall of the city when a wise woman spoke to Joab to find out why they wanted to take siege of the city. Once she found out that Joab wanted Sheba dead, she had information to formulate a plan to kill Sheba (v. 21). This satisfied Joab and they dispersed from the city since David’s kingship was no longer in danger.
Like the wise woman, Let us seek always to be people that are willing to ask questions and find practical solutions to the issues we face.
This day with You Lord, help us to spot opportunities and take action quickly. You have given us the plan, but it is up to us to notice the urgency to carry this plan out. There are wise people we can get help from. As we walk with the wise today, we have confidence that each step will be in the direction towards a brighter future. Amen.
This Day With God - A Spiritual Journey 