Devotionals of Recovery: Day 28

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 28: Genesis 1:28
June 29, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. - Genesis 1:28

God gave man dominion over the earth. He made men the gods of this world -- not to abuse it, but to use it. The earth brings forth everything that man needs to create and be the men of God that He created them to be.

In the animal kingdom, when animals are wild and have not known mankind, they are dangerous to men. Once they get to know man and what he provides for them, they see him as a god. They treat man with reverence and loyalty. But in order to get this loyalty, man has to remain consistent and loving.

We also have to remain consistent and loving to our offspring, and to others who may depend on us for their needs.

A good rule of thumb is to always treat others as you want to be treated; not as they have treated you, or as they might treat you, but as you want to be treated by them.

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. -- Matthew 7:12

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 16

David and his company were still running from Absalom. They got as far as Mt. Olivet. As they crossed over the hill, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, met him with supplies. David asked him, "Why are you doing this?"

Ziba said, "Because you need them, don't you?"

David asked, "Where is Mephibosheth?"

"He is still in Jerusalem. He is certain that the Kingdom of Israel will be given to him because he is Saul's son, now that it is being taken from you."

David said, "Then everything I gave to Mephibosheth is yours."

Ziba then said, "I hope we can still be friends."

So they travelled on to Bahurim, where another servant of Saul came out cursing David. David's men got on either side of him to protect him because Shimei, the servant was throwing stones at him and yelling, "Come on out you S.O.B!" (S.O.B stands for "Son of Belial", with the same meaning we give the reference today)

Shimei told him, "The reason this is happening to you is because of the blood you shed from the innocent! God is giving you what you deserve!"

Abishai asked for permission to slay Shimei, and David said, "My own son is betraying me and insulting me. How much more can this little man do? Leave him alone. There is a reason for everything. Maybe if I put up with it, God will bless me for it."

So Shimei continued to curse David, and David continued to travel.

Now when Hushai arrived in Jerusalem, he greeted Absalom with, "God save the King!"

Absalom wanted to know why he hadn't gone with David.

Hushai told him, "I served your father, and now you are king so I will serve you."

Absalom asked Antithophel what he thought he should do.

Antithophel told him, "If I were you, I'd go and be with his girlfriends in front of all of Israel. That way there is NO doubt that you are not allied with your father, and that he hates you."

Antithophels reputation was so great in the land that if he told you to go jump off a cliff and that if you did you would live, people believed him. So Absalem pitched a tent on top of David's house and there in front of all of Israel, he slept with David's girlfriends.

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I have learned that sometimes you have to take the heat when you are in exhile in order to keep moving forward. I have also learned not to trust the counsel of your enemy's friends.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 15

Absalom got ten chariots and horses and fifty men to go with him, then he stood at the gate of the city, so he could talk to the people coming in, behind David's back. When anyone had a problem and needed the King to settle it, Absalom told them that the King was too busy to handle their problems, and he didn't have anyone to handle their problems for him, and that he wished the people would make him a judge then he could do them justice.

He was on the campaign trail, so to speak, and everyone supported him for it.

After a while, he went and told David, "I promised God that if he brought me back to Jerusalem, I would serve him. Now I need to go to Hebron to honor that promise."

So David gave him permission to leave.

But Absalem went to take over Hebron, and he set men up who supported him to spread the word that he was King in Hebron when they heard the trumpet sound to signal he had made it there. Two hundred men went with him, but they had no idea what was going on.

He won the hearts of a lot of people that day, and a messenger was sent to David to tell him what was going on. David decided to run away, but he left ten of his live-in girlfriends there when he did.

Many men, over 600 of them, were loyal to David and went with him. Even his servant Ittai the Gittite, who David tried to talk into staying.

Zaddock brought the Ark of the Covenant with him, but David sent him back and told him, "If God finds favor with me, I will be back. The Ark needs to stay put."

So they went up Mt. Olivet weeping, and praying. When David found out that Ahithophel, the Gilonite who was David's Counsellor had allied himself with Absalom, he prayed that God would turn his counsel to foolishness.

When Hushai the Archite showed up to show his loyalty, David sent him back to be a spy for him against Ahithophel. You can use your sons to send messages.

And so it was.

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The lesson I got out of this is that it is good to prepare for the worst and to have people around you that are loyal to you when bad things happen. I am sure most of the people who supported Absalom had no idea who Absalom really was inside, and only believed what they heard.

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When an ex-boyfriend was in jail, he was living with his aging grandmother. It was winter time and she had trouble lighting the pilots on her heater every day. Without him there to take care of her, I worried that she needed someone to help her. So I called her every day to see how she was and if she wanted me to come help her.

My dad said, "Why are you doing that? She is nothing to you. She isn't your responsibility." I told him, "Because one day, when my kids are grown and not there, and I get old and can't do for myself, I pray to God that I am blessed with someone like me."

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 14

Joab understood that the King was saddened by Absalom's absence, so he sent for a wise woman from Tekoah and told her what to do:

The woman dressed like a mourner who had been mourning a long time, and went and bowed down to David. When David asked her what was wrong, she said,

"I had two sons that were fighting, and one of them killed the other, and now the whole family is angry with my son that lives, and wants to kill him and leave me no heir! And now everyone is angry with me because I refuse, but I will take his punishment if I can! "

The king said, "Woman, no one is going to hurt you. I will see to that, and I will get them to leave you alone concerning your son. Just tell me who is bothering you?"

She answered and said, "I would rather leave it in the Lord's hand. He is the great avenger. Why tell you when that would be putting you in God's place. Besides, if I die, my son will have no one to protect him."

David then said, "I will make sure no one hurts your son."

The woman then said, "May I speak freely?"

He gave her permission.

"If you are willing to do this for me, then why not do it for yourself? Why not go and get Absalom? The anger of the people cannot override your command, and God will be with you if you intend to do right by letting him be the avenger of the blood that was spilt?"

"Did Joab put you up to this?"

"He did."

So David sent Joab to get Absalom, but instructed him that he did not want to see Absalom's face. Joab did as he was told, and Absalom came home, but did not see his father.

Now, Absalom had very long and thick hair. It weighed, alone, almost 7 pounds.

Absalom wanted to see the king, so he sent for Joab, to go and ask that he may do so; but Joab didn't come. He sent again and still Joab would not come, so he sent a servant to set Joab's field on fire.

Joab came and asked, "Why did your servant set my field on fire?"

"It was the only way I could get your attention so you would come. I want to see the King."

So Joab went and talked to David and David sent for Absalom, and Absalom bowed before David, who kissed his son.

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The lesson I got out of all this is that sometimes it is best to forgive and let God be your vengeance, because forgiveness restores family unity, and any other feuds you may have with anyone can restore lost friendships and allies. I also learned that you should do whatever means available to get the unforgiving party to hear you when you ask for forgiveness.

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Devotionals of Recovery: Day 27

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 27: Genesis 1:27
June 25, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. -- Genesis 1:27

God created man. Man is finite. God is infinite. Man only has the bounds that God set for him in His creation; but what man creates can sometimes overpower mankind because even his creation has bounds that God sets, not man. Man has no power to set boundaries in creativity. If he did, then God couldn't make anything possible for him.

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. -- Mark 9:23

But you have to believe. You have to believe that God is all-powerful, almighty, all-knowing, and all-loving. He wants to give you everything that is His, but you have to prove that you are worthy of His trust. The only way you can do that is to place all of your own trust in Him.

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Daily Comments: June 24

I started downloading the video game Fallout:New Vegas on the Steam Network Tuesday night, and I am still downloading. I have to be online while downloading, and it is taking forever. Sigh

But I am totally addicted to this game.

Would love to share my experience with someone else.

Fallout New Vegas No Synopsis Available

Escape from Camp 14

Janis Joplin sang, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." Well, reading Escape from Camp 14 is an education in how much we take for granted. I just read about Shin's realization that outside the camp was a world of food, a world where stealing, lying, and snitching for food was not necessary. He is 21 at this point in the book and just learned the concept of money, the presence of South Korea and China, and the location of Pyongyang (50 miles from his camp). He begins to long for freedom - not to see all these places, but to be able to eat. The author writes, "For Shin, freedom was just another word for grilled meat." He's not alone. We need to get over our consumer mentality and realize the desperate needs of the world outside our borders. If you are an American, you are part of the 1% globally. "To whom much is given, much will be required." If you need a jolt of reality, read this book. -- Rosa Edwards

Devotionals of Recovery: Day 26

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 26: Genesis 1:26
June 22, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. -- Genesis 1:26

God made man in His image, not to BE Him, but to be LIKE Him. This means that you have all the feelings, wants, needs and desires that He has, and you have the power to create and to love your creation.

In a way, this makes you a god on earth. You will never BE God, because you can only create with what He gives you to create with. He is the only One who can make something out of nothing. But, if you utilize your faith in HIM, and you ask HIM for anything you want, need or desire to create, nothing is impossible to you.

God also gives you the power to destroy, with a mind that helps you decide what you should keep or what you should destroy. This is a power that needs to be used very wisely.

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; (John 10:34,35)

So, as gods under the authority of the ONE almighty God, it is up to you to create or destroy your life as you see fit. Which one will you choose?

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. -- John 10:10

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 13

David's son Absolam had a sister by his mother who was very beautiful. Her name was Tamar, and she was a virgin. His half brother, Amnon, had a crush on her. She was all he could think about. He was totally infatuated with her.

David's brother's son, Jonadab, Amnon's cousin, came to see Amnon one day and saw how depressed Amnon was. He asked Amnon what was wrong? Amnon told him about Tamar. Jonadab was a very sneaky and underhanded person, so he gave Amnon the idea to fake sickness and have Tamar come take care of him.

So, Amnon faked being ill, and David came to see him. He asked what he could do to help him, and Amnon suggested having Tamar come to feed him. So, David sent for Tamar, who cooked him a big meal and took it to him. But, Amnon refused to eat and sent all the men away. Then he grabbed Tamar and began to force himself on her. She begged him to stop, but he wouldn't. She even said, "Just ask our father to give me to you to wife, you don't have to force me! You KNOW he will do it!"

Amnon raped Tamar, then he didn't want her anymore. He cast her aside like trash, and hurt her as emotionally as he had physically.

Absolom went to check on his sister and told her to please not say anything, after all, Amnon IS her brother. David was angry but did nothing, and Absalom didn't say anything, but he hated Amnon for what he did to his sister.

After two years, it was time for the sheep to be sheared. Absolam had all the sheep shearers present and invited all his brothers to a feast. He asked David for permission, but David refused even to just let Amnon go, for fear all his sons might be in danger in just one place. But, after much pleading, David finally let them all go.

Absolam made a plan with his servants to kill Amnon when he had been made drunk. "Don't worry, I'm your master and I am commanding it, so you are not responsible." And they did.

All the king's sons ran away. David got news that all of his sons were dead, and he immediately went into mourning. But it was Jonadab, his nephew, that finally told him that it was just Amnon that was killed; and Absolam had fled to Geshur, ruled by king Ammihud. David still mourned after Amnon.

All of David's sons returned home. Then for three years, David mourned for Absolam who was gone, and he no longer mourned for Amnon, because Amnon was dead, and he knew he could not bring HIM back.

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Maybe David should have done more to discipline his son, Amnon, then the anger that Absolam endured would not have grown to the point that it did; or maybe David should have been more involved in his son's emotional state of mind. Because of his indifference, he lost two of his sons.

So, the lesson I got from this is that you should never let anyone get away with sin in your household. If you do, you are breeding drama and broken hearts into your life.

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Memories of a Lived Life: The Policeman

When my 21 year old son was five years old, we were on our way, moving to Houston from Austin, Texas on Hwy 59. I was going a little over the speed limit and I got pulled over.

The cop asked me for my papers, then said "Hey, buddy!" to my son, Justin Williams, Justin said, "Hi!" back.

He went to his car and came back and said, "Maam, I'm gonna let you go today, because I got a call and I got bigger fish to fry, but slow down." I said thank you and went on my way.

I looked at my son and said, "He was a good cop wasn't he?" and my son said, "No. If he was a good cop, he'd have given you a ticket. You WERE speeding, Mom!"

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Devotionals of Recovery: Day 25

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 25: Genesis 1:25
June 21, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. -- Genesis 1:25

Everything God does is good. He does nothing bad. Everything God does, He does for a reason: to be fruitful; to multiply; to fill the earth with His goodness.

Because God gives us free will, if bad things happen to us, it isn't because God is bad or because He did something bad, it is because we did. When bad things happen, therefore, we must work to make it good again. We must learn from our mistakes, repent of our sin that led us to that point, and move forward with faith that God will give us a great testimony to share through that experience.

Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. -- Ecclesiastes 8:6

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 12

God sent the prophet Nathan to talk to David. When Nathan got there, he told David, "There was this poor man who had a little lamb. This little lamb had been his since he was a child. The lamb played with his children. He loved the lamb so much, it was like a part of his family, and even slept in the same bed with this man, and ate from the same table. This lamb was all this man owned in the world.

And, there was this rich man. He had everything. One day, a visitor came to see him and he wanted to make dinner for the visitor. But, the rich man didn't want to spend his own money or take from his own pantry to fix dinner. To save money, he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it and cooked it for the visitor."

This story made David angry and he said, "That was wrong! That rich man should die for what he did! He should pay back the poor man four times what he took because he had no pity for the man!"

Nathan said, "David, you did the same thing. And, God said to tell you this: I gave you the Kingdom of Israel. I delivered you from Saul. I gave you everything that was his, and a beautiful home in Judah. If that wasn't enough for you, I would have given you even more! But you took an innocent man and killed him to hide your sin, and took his most precious possession and made it your own.

Because you have done this, I will take your wives and give them to your neighbor. The sword shall never depart from out of your house. What you did in secret to Uriah, I will do to you in front of all of Israel."

And David said to Nathan, "I have sinned. I deserve that."

Nathan said, "And God knows that you repent of your sin, and because of that, He will not kill you. But, he will not let the child of this union live, because what you have done is made Him look bad to your enemies."

The baby that Bathsheba had became very ill. David went and wept before God, and pleaded for the baby's life. His servants became concerned and tried to get David to eat, and to get up from his depression, but David refused. He was so heartbroken, that they worried when the baby died, and wondered if it would be the right thing to tell David at that point, because of the state of mind he was already in.

When David saw them whispering, he figured the baby had died. So he asked them point blank, "Is the baby dead?" They answered him,confirming his suspicion.

So David got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, then went to comfort his wife. He was in a much better state of mind. His servants did not understand this, and asked him why. He said, "I knew the baby was going to die. I figured if he was still alive, there might be a chance God would change His mind. But, He didn't, and there is nothing I can do about it but accept it. One day, I will see him again, but he will never be here again."

He and Bathsheba had another son, named Solomon. God loved Solomon.

In the meanwhile, Joab defeated the Ammonites and gained the city of Rabbah. He told David, "I have won you this city. If you don't come and take control of it, I am going to control it myself, and make myself king in it." So, David went and imprisoned all of the people, and took the crown off their king's head and put it on his own.

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The lesson I got from this is that when you sin, there is a consequence to be paid. You can do nothing but accept the responsibility for having sinned, and deal with the consequence. If you don't, things can get a lot worse. God won't let you get by with your sin, but He can make your punishment lighter, and He will if you are willing to accept it.

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Devotionals of Recovery: Day 24

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 24: Genesis 1:24
June 20, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible

And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. -- Genesis 1:24

God made all the living creatures, and gave them the ability to make more of their own kind. A dog will have more dogs, and a cat will have kittens.

The same can be said about the fruits of our life: Good thoughts brings goodness, whereas sinful thoughts bring about more sin. God doesn't want us to be negative because He doesn't want us to have negative things in our life; because once the negativity is there, it takes a while for the positivity to wear it down.

This is why it is important for us to have faith. Jesus said,

...for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. -- Matthew 17:20

If you can believe that what He says is true, then you can believe that He wants you to have good things in your life. So, believe! Believe that God is capable of anything, and anything is possible with Him!

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him -- Hebrews 11:6

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 11

At the end of the year, when David sent out Joab to do battle and defeat the children of Ammon, David was alone at his house. He went out to the rooftop because he couldn't sleep one night. While he was there, he saw a woman taking a bath.

He asked around to find out who she was. She was Uriah's wife, Bathsheba. He sent for her, and she came and had sex with him. This union impregnated her. So, David sent a messenger to the battlefield for Uriah.

The plan was to get Uriah back so he could sleep with his wife and think the baby was his. But, Uriah did not go home like he was told to. Instead, he slept at David's house with his servants.

David asked him why. Uriah said, "All your men are at battle. I should be at battle for my king. I won't be having a good time while we are at war and I should be fighting!"

David tried to get him drunk, but that didn't work either. So, David sent him back, and told Joab to put Uriah on the front lines, hoping he would get killed, so he would never find out about the baby.

Soon, Uriah was dead. Joab sent a messenger to tell David. David told the messenger to tell Joab to keep up the good fight, and then he married Bathsheba and she had the child.

But God was not pleased with what David had done.

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The lesson I got from this is that if you want to please God, you can't do underhanded things to hide your sin. Had David taken responsibility for his sin, things may have been different. Instead, he murdered a man to hide his sin, and that was wrong.

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Devotionals of Recovery: Day 23

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 23: Genesis 1:23
June 19, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible

And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. -- Genesis 1:23

Each day, God gives new commands. Each day, God has a new gift to give the world. Each day, God wants to find someone who is grateful, who is praising Him for what He does. If you are thankful for what God does, and humbled each time He does small things for you, God has a plan for you. He has a job for you, and He wants you to be rewarded for your effort on His behalf.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: -- 1 Peter 5:6

Humble yourself before God. Let Him love you and show you how much He appreciates you with praises to him and thanksgiving. The results will be overpowering!

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 10

The King of Ammon died. His son, Hanun, was now king of Ammon. David wanted to send his condolences to Hanun because his father had been kind to him. So, he sent his servants to Ammon to do so.

But, the princes of Ammon spoke to the king and accused the servants of coming to spy out the land for David; so, they took the servants and cut off half their beard and cut their clothes in half and sent them back, ashamed. David gave them a leave of absence to stay at Jericho until their beards were grown out again.

Then David sent Joab and all of his mighty men to Ammon, who met them at the gates. The Syrians were in the fields around the city, and Joab new he was surrounded, so he chose his best men to do battle in the fields and then gave the rest to his brother Abishai to do battle with Ammon. Joab fought with the men in the fields, and he told his brother, "If you have any problems, I'll help you, and if I have any problems, you help me."

The people of Ammon, and the Syrians ran away from the battle, so David's men entered the city of Ammon. But, the Syrians were not happy with the end result, so they gathered more men at the river, and David gathered all of Israel together to go fight them. They defeated the Syrians that day, and all of the nations that were under Syria's control allied themselves with David.

The Syrians were too afraid to help Ammon any more after that.

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The lesson I got from this is that sometimes your kindnesses can be mistaken for contempt. When someone answers your kindness with contempt, stand your ground. The Lord will be on your side in any struggles you have to endure because of it.

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Devotionals of Recovery: Day 22

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 22: Genesis 1:22
June 14, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible
.
Genesis 1:22 -- And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

God wants us to be fruitful. He wants us to gain something in our time here on earth. And, He wants more people to bear more fruit. In this passage, He was telling Adam and Eve to have children and to populate the earth. Though He still wishes for us to have children, today there is an even greater calling: to bear fruit for the Lord. The only way to do this is to follow the teachings of Jesus.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)

Jesus wants to give everyone the hope of an eternal life with the Father, where there is no more pain or sorrow. So it is our job, as Christians to tell everyone we know about Jesus and what He has already done in our life.

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 36:18-20)

If we do this, we will bear much quality fruit for the Lord.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 9

David began to miss his old friend Jonathan. He started to ask around to see if anyone was left of Saul's house, so that he could honor his friend, and keep his word to Saul.

There was one servant, Ziba, who had 15 sons and 22 servants of his own. He came before David and said, "Jonathan had a son, he is lame. He is in the house of Machir in Lodebar." David immediately sent for him.

Mephibosheth came into David's presence afraid for his life. He immediately fell upon his face to honor David as king. David told him, "Don't be afraid. I want to show you kindness. Your father was a good friend of mine. I want to honor his memory by giving you all the land that King Saul had before he died, that would have been Jonathon's had he lived. Also, you are going to eat at my table from now on. You will never go hungry."

He called Ziba and told him what he told Mephibosheth, then said, "Since he is lame, he cannot work the land himself. I want you and your family and your servants to serve him, and work the land and his house for him." Ziba agreed.

So Mephibosheth and his own son, Micha, were well cared for from that day forward.

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The lesson I got out of this is that it pays to be kind to people who are not in power, because one day they may be, and they may remember your kindness and take care of you because of it.

Also, it is good to show mercy to those who are less fortunate. If you treat others who have had all they had taken away as if they are family, and help them back on their feet, God will bless you for it in the end. What you give to others, God gives back to you in so many ways.

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Better Cybercrime Response Called For

Keep the Web Open

================

Better Cybercrime Response Called For

Top cyber security experts will join together at Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) to urge business, local government and university officials to forge partnerships to fight surging cybercrime. In the first of a series of free lectures presented in collaboration with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, some of the nation's foremost names in computer security will call for a concerted move toward public and private collaboration.

Their call to action marks a significant departure from policies that often dictate that government and business maintain separate national security and intellectual property defenses. A recent increase in cybercrime spurred many cybersecurity experts to recommend greater collaboration. A recent Government Accountability Office analysis indicates cybercrime reported by federal agencies alone jumped 680 percent since 2006.

In the first talk in the new series, "Cyberspace Allies: How Public/Private Partnerships Can Fight Back," Marcus H. Sachs, vice president of government affairs, national security policy at Verizon, will explore new threats from criminals who exploit private computers, steal intellectual property and engage in espionage.

The panelists will also review longstanding threats to transportation, utilities and military infrastructure and commerce and discuss new and emerging attacks on personal computers, intellectual property and nation-state sponsored cyber attacks.

Joining Sachs on the panel will be a noted group of cyber experts including Edward G. Amoroso, senior vice president and chief security officer for AT&T; William F. Pelgrin, president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit Center for Internet Security; and Paul Mahon, assistant special agent in charge of the United States Secret Service New York Field Office, which includes the Electronics Crimes Task Force Network Intrusion Squad.

The event will take place Thursday, June 21, 2012, from 9:30 a.m. to noon on the Brooklyn campus of NYU-Poly. Admission is free, and registration is required.

"The lecture series gives students, faculty and the security community a rare opportunity to come face to face with scientists and policy-makers at the very highest levels," said Nasir Memon, world-recognized researcher and director of NYU-Poly's cyber security program. "They will learn what key leaders are saying about introducing responsible collaborative solutions that significantly outweigh separate initiatives."

"Cybersecurity is more important than ever not only for the public sector, but the private sector," said Verizon's Sachs. "Our ability to fend off increasingly sophisticated attacks can be improved by pooling our resources and intelligence to safeguard our national systems, critical infrastructure and our country's intellectual property. Without a collaborative approach that's both flexible and highly responsive, we will remain at risk."

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My useful links

American Civil Liberties Union
American Family Association
Alliance for American Manufacturing
American-Arab Anti-discrimination Committee
American Association for Affirmative Action
American Foundation for Equal Rights
Anti-Defamation League
Association of American Physicians and Surgeons
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
C-Span - watch it live
Center for Consumer Freedom
Citizens United
Competitive Enterprise Institute
Concerned Women for America
Center for Consumer Freedom
Federation for American Immigration Reform
Foundation for Individual Rights in Education
Gun Owners of America
Christian Bloggers
Commission Junction
Google Search Engine
Fair Testing
Firstgov - Every government office and agency
Newslink - online newspapers
Newswatch Magazine
PR Newswire
Texarkana Rocks
The city of Texarkana
U.S. Newswire Press Releases
United Nations

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 8

David took Methegammah from the Philistines. He got all the Moabites and killed many of them, and made the rest his servants. He gained land from the King of Zobah's son, Hadadezer, after killing him; and when the Syrians came to help the King of Zobah, he defeated them and made the Syrians into servants.

When the king of Toi heard of David's defeat of Hadadezer, he sent gifts to David because they, too were at war with Hadadezer. David dedicated the gifts to God.

Whereever David went, God helped him and protected him. David became a mighty king.

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The lesson I got out of this is that with God, there is no reason to fear. Even the enemies of your enemies will be your friends if you fight God's enemies with Him. And, God will bless you and keep you as you walk forward, without fear, trusting in Him.

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Devotionals of Recovery: Day 21

Devotionals of Recovery:
Day 21: Genesis 1:21
June 14, 2012
Written by Shonda Ponder
All Bible verses taken from the KJV of the Open Bible


Genesis 1:21 -- And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Whatever God does, He does in abundance. He makes enough to last as long as His will desires. All He asks is that you follow His commands: to love Him, and to love one another. There is no better way to show God that you appreciate all He has given you than to love others and show the same mercy and goodness to others that He has shown you.

God gave you a heart. In it is stored who you are. If you are good, you will say good things. If you are evil, you will say evil things.

O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. (Matthew 12:34)

So it is always best to take thought in what you say, because what you say can put to motion the blessings or the curses of God.

If you determine in your heart that you are going to love God and love others, you will come to love yourself. Loving Him is the key to finding happiness and contentment in your life.

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Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samual 7

David had rest. God had rid Israel of all her enemies for a time. Now, David wanted to do something for God. He looked around and said, "I want to build a House for God. Here I am in a house made of cedar while His house is a tent. Doesn't seem right."

So he went to Nathan the Prophet. Nathan told David that it was a great idea; but, later that night, God came to Nathan and told him to talk to David, and to tell him:

"David, I have never had a house. I have never needed a house. I thank you for your concern, however. And, I have made sure that you and all of Israel had homes. I have made sure you aren't bothered with the enemy. When you die, and are at rest with your fathers, I will take care of your children. When your son is king, I will let him build me a house. If he misbehaves, I will use the people around him to chastise him. I will not take my spirit from him as I did with Saul."

Nathan did as he was told. David then went before God and sat down. He said,

"Lord, you can do anything. It is nothing for you to give me all you have given me. And now, when I want to do something for you, you deny me the opportunity? Why? The reason you have done all you have done is so the people can know and understand your laws. But, you are God. You know everything. And you have blessed me and my house. Whatever you have willed, may it be done. I will accept this because I know you are a great and mighty God. And there is a reason for everything. You say you will bless me and my posterity, and I believe you. Whatever you say, Lord. That's what will be."

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The lesson I got from this is that it is okay to question God, as long as you accept God's answer. Just because you don't get what you want, or can't do what you feel you should, doesn't mean God doesn't know your heart. Sometimes what you want to do and what God wants you to do are two different things.

If you accept the things that you cannot do, and if you want to do it in your heart, God will even bless you for your desires. He knows your heart. He blesses according to what is in your heart.

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About me

I love God, dogs, (and cats, if I raise them) babies, and movies that make me cry, jump, or hide my eyes. (My oldest son stated once that I was more entertaining to watch than the movie).

I never wanted to be a mother, but I thank God that I became one.

I love to eat good southern home-cooked meals.

I love to cook, but hate to clean.

I clean just enough not to be nasty, until I get tired of looking at clutter and then I go on a cleaning rampage.

I like things that keep my mind occupied doing something constructive all the time.

If I don't have anything constructive to do, I get bored out of my mind and I get really grouchy. I don't consider cleaning house or doing any other kind of chores constructive. It is tedious, rather, and I can always think of a hundred other things that I could be doing that really matters.

And, I don't like living with someone who gripes at me about the fact that the house looks cluttered or telling me what I need to be doing all the time. I couldn't wait to get away from my parents for that reason. What makes anyone think I won't want to get away from them for the same reason?

I like to read. Sometimes I get so inspired by what I read, my mind goes into many directions at once and I have to write just so I can remember what inspired me.

I have this habit of wanting to learn new things all the time. And, then, when I learn them, I want everyone else to know what I know and go on a "talking" mission, (which is my way of teaching others and trying to get them inspired by what inspires me, even though I know that others don't get inspired by the same things in life).

My love is pure. When I love someone, it is unconditional.

I am a very forgiving person, but I practice tough love.

I know how to cover my backside when it comes to trusting people. I believe in the old addage "Prepare for the worst, but hope for the best".

I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

When the relationship becomes more give on my part and take on the other persons, I simply stop giving as much -- unless it is helping the other person get their life in order. I know the difference between giving a hand-out and a hand up.

I don't fault anyone for thinking differently than I do. But, my way has served me well, and until a better way can be proven, I will continue to think the way I do.

I am stubborn, yet still able to change. I think about things that happen in my life a lot, and ask myself if I acted or reacted in the right way, or if it would have been better had I done differently.

I don't depend on other people's opinions or advice to make decisions in my life. That doesn't mean I don't listen. Other people give me a lot to think about after the decision is made. Sometimes I am wrong, but most of the time I am happy with the decisions I make.

I don't believe life is about getting that big house, fancy car, or kewl clothes to show off. I am more content with getting what I need at the moment, feeling secure that I can get more if I need to, and getting and doing things to keep my mind occupied.

There were times when I had nothing, but God saw to it that I never did without anything I really needed. This is why my faith in Him is so strong now. And, it is why I am not afraid to lose everything for what I believe.

I believe in the vision that the Founding Fathers had at the beginning of our nation's history. I believe the Second Amendment is for individuals, not government to own arms to protect themselves.

I believe we should stay out of other nation's business as long as they are not hurting us, and when they do hurt us, we should turn them into a parking lot.

I don't think anyone has a right to come into my home and take what they want without asking; nor should they be offended if the answer is no. I don't like other people going through my purse, my locker, or my room. There are certain spaces in my life that I consider mine and mine alone. It is up to me whether I want to share them.

I am not selfish, but I refuse to go backwards, or do without so others may have. I don't mind sharing what I have. But, if it is going to ruin me or make it so I cannot share again because I am too busy pulling myself out of the hole I just fell into, I won't do it. I believe when two people are swimming and one is drowning, the other has to keep their head above water so that there's a chance for both to survive.

The way I look at it, I spent 46 years learning to be the person I have come to know and love when I look in the mirror. It wasn't always that way. It took me making the decision to be the person I wanted to be, rather than accepting other people's opinions about me.

I have been told that I couldn't do something I wanted to do, would never be something I wanted to be, would never accomplish something I wanted to accomplish. If I listened to those people, I would never have done half of what made me the person I like today. And, for the most part, I have done everything they told me I never could've, would've, and sometimes should've done. In the end, the only thing I really regret is not taking more chances earlier.

I believe in living fearless and worry-free. This was not always me. This is who I have become. Even my children look at me now and wonder who I am. But, as I have always told them, "I am not perfect. I don't know the answers to all of your questions: but I promise you, whatever I don't know, I will help you learn how to find out." And I have never been too proud to apologize to them for the mistakes I made when it affected their life; but I will NEVER apologize for the education that I gave them, nor will I ever stop trying to educate them.

I believe that all people are different, and each person has a different viewpoint on life, because everyone's life is different. I believe in a person's right to be theirself, and do what they believe is right in their own eyes, as long as it doesn't affect how I choose to live my life.

Having said that, I believe that my taxes shouldn't go towards killing unborn babies, paying benefits to illegal immigrants, or welfare for people who can but will not work under retirement age. And, when I am old enough to retire, if I am still able to work, I will continue to work, because I can make more from working than social security can pay me. Besides, I don't like the government telling me how much I can work and how much money I am allowed to make.

I refuse to let anyone choose my friends for me. No one tells me who to talk to, who to do business with, or who to take advice from. I'm a big girl. I am perfectly capable of making my own mistakes. More importantly, when I make mistakes, I am very good at accepting responsibility for having made them.

I have learned that, as long as I focus on bettering myself, and doing what makes me happy, there is a lot less room for drama in my life. I don't like drama, anyway. Good riddance. As a matter of fact, when there is drama, I do all I can to stay out of it. If I can't, I do all I can to get rid of it.

I can't stand negativity. People who just lay down and give up annoy me. I believe, and have taught my children, that with God, all things are possible. And, it has been proven time and again in my own life. Each time I am able to do what no one thinks I can, it makes me feel as if I can do anything! And, anytime I want to give up, I remember what God has already done in my life, and I keep going.

I don't follow parties in politics, I could care less whether he calls himself a Republican or a Democrat...what I care about is will he defend and protect the constitution of the United States and will he seek to promote laws that strengthen it and demote laws that weaken it. I also believe that voting for the lesser of two evils is still voting for evil and I won't do it. I will vote on what I believe and if there isn't a candidate, I will write one in. No vote is a wasted vote, and if I am going to waste my vote, it's going to be on something I believe in.


(There's more to come. I just don't have time to write it down right now).



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Prayer Requests

Please remember these in your prayers...
My niece and her family (miscarried yesterday)...
Sparkman Family...my son-in-laws Dad will have test and updates on his cancer today -- Bobby White

please pray for a girl named Ashley and her PaPa who is very ill. Ashley is praying for God's wil but I know she is having a hard time with things...-- Cindy Hartke

Hey everyone. My son Jonathan , whom has Cerebral Palsy, is in the hospital at the moment for something is ailing him severely. He cannot speak, nor can he walk, so we use are best understandings to relate with him. If anyone of you believe Gods mighty hands can heal my son, then please say a little prayer for him. Thank you and God bless -- Larry Butler

I need all my praying friends to pray with me for my sister Leslie. Last Wed, she learned her baby no longer had a heartbeat and she delivered tiny Gabriel on Thursday. She is now back in the hospital with a blood clot. Please pray for her and her husband Tor and son Alex.-- Laura Beard Lewis

My friend Vikki Clark-Looper is making arrangements for her uncle's funeral. Please pray for Vikki and her family as they go through this difficult time.

I have a couple of prayer request this morning. Please remember my Uncle Bobby & my Meemaw in your prayers. -- Lisa Marie Hodge

I wanted to get everyone on board to pray about our Deacon, Art and his wife, Early. They are going through a difficult time with health issues and life's struggles. Please pray for them to gain strength through our precious Lord and Savior! Thank you in advance to all who read this. Deb

Big Craig Rains' mom is in the hospital suffering from possible staph infection. She has finally been taken off the respirator and is doing better and has been moved to a room, but she still has a long road to recovery, and needs our prayers.

Deputy Sheriff Bobby Crapse was killed when his patrol vehicle was struck head-on by a wrong way driver. He had just completed a traffic control assignment and was driving back to the north part of Bryan County when the crash occurred. Deputy Crapse's canine partner sustained very minor injuries in the crash. Deputy Crapse is survived by his wife and three children. Please keep the family and co-workers of Deputy Crapse, Sr. in your prayers. God bless and stay safe. --Netexas Cops

Kevin and Leslie's friend Larry Loy had a pretty bad accident and is currently in a Shreveport Hospital. The doctors have given some bad news and are thinking that he may not be able to walk again. Let's be in prayer that our miraculous God will change this situation for their friend Larry. God is in the miracle working business and He hasn't closed the doors yet!
Bro. Matthew

I would like to ask for special prayers for a childhood friend who loss her her Daddy today...I pray that she finds comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering and that he is in Heaven now with the Angels now keeping watch over her and her family!!! Joy and MaRanda you are in my prayers — with MaRanda Megill Daels and Joy Megill Jacobs. -- From Vikki Clark-Looper

My friend, Jim Rains has to get an MRI today on his back and legs. He can barely walk. Please put him in your prayers.

My cousin Michael Deloach - recent back surgery (Michael says he is recovering nicely. But please keep him in your prayers)

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June Thoughts for the Day:

Sometimes you have to take the heat when you are in exhile in order to keep moving forward

The only way you can earn God's respect is to trust Him.

God made man in His image, not to BE Him, but to be LIKE Him.

It's not what you have to go through in this life, it is how you go through it. For Christians, this life is the only hell we will have to endure.

You should never let anyone get away with sin in your household. If you do, you are breeding drama and broken hearts into your life.

If you want to please God, you can't do underhanded things to hide your sin

Sometimes your kindnesses can be mistaken for contempt. When someone answers your kindness with contempt, stand your ground. The Lord will be on your side in any struggles you have to endure because of it.

God always answers prayer. He always gives the little things first, when you ask, or when He knows you need it. If you can show Him that you are grateful and praise Him with the little things, the big things are SURE to come!

Think of some of the bad things that have happened in your life. Now think of the people who are your friends now because of them. Think really hard. Do you really wish those bad things had never happened? Would you really trade the friends who you KNOW are true friends for a better time? God puts us where HE wants us, so we can be who HE wants us to be around the people HE wants us around.

God will bless you and keep you as you walk forward, without fear, trusting in Him.

The truth is, life IS fair. God is fair and God gave you life, to do with it as you will. Therefore, if life is not fair, it is because YOU make it that way. Life is what you make it.

It is okay to question God, as long as you accept God's answer.

When you choose to follow God, you choose to let Him use you as He wills. You will never be comfortable outside of the will of God.

When we think we know all, we are failures of the worst kind because we don't allow ourselves the opportunity to learn from our mistakes.

A professional is an amateur that didn't quit. -- Richard Bach

If you touch God the wrong way, you can expect His destructive temper to break forth.



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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 6

David gathered 30,000 men together and went to retrieve the Ark of God from the Baale of Judah, or what is known in 1 Chronicles 13:6 as Kirjath-jearim. This is where the Philistines finally sent it after it destroyed many of the Philistines when they last took it from Israel.

They set it on a new cart and two men named Uzzah and Ahio drove it out of the House of Abinadab there and took it to The House of Abinadab in Gibeah. Ahio went before the Ark, while David and the people celebrated with loud music played by an array of different musical instruments. David, himself was a musician who wrote many of the Psalms. That day, he danced naked in the streets.

Something startled one of the oxen that were pulling it, and Uzzah put his hand on it to steady it. Uzzah was immediately struck dead by God. This did not make David happy. He called the place Perezuzzah for that, and he was afraid to move the Ark to the City of David in Jerusalem because of it. Instead, he carried it to the House of Obededum. It wasn't until God blessed the House of Obededum for about three months that David gladly brought the Ark to Jerusalem.

David made a tabernacle there where he placed the Ark. Then he offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God, and he blessed all the people there. Then he gave each man and each woman a piece of bread, a piece of meat, and a some wine and sent them all home.

When he went home to bless his household, his wife, Michal, was very sarcastic with him about dancing naked and making a fool of himself in front of the whole nation of Israel. He chastised her, saying, "What I did, I did to honor God. And, if you find me too embarrassing to be with because of it, I'm sure any of your maidservants would find it an honor to be with me." He never had sexual relations with her again.

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The lesson I got out of this is to each his own. Everyone has their own way of glorifying and worshipping God. Just because you think wearing pretty clothes to church honors God doesn't mean it does for someone else. Some people like to go barefoot to church because, to them, it is holy ground.

Also, rules are rules. If you touch God the wrong way, you can expect His destructive temper to break forth.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 5

After the death of Ishbosheth, all of the elders of Israel that were not already allied with David came to him and said, "We remember all the good you did for Israel before you had to flee. We would like you to be our king." They anointed David king when he was thirty years old.

When David went to Jerusalem, the Jebusites were there. They knew it was against Israeli policy to persecute the lame and blind. So, they told David that if he wanted Jerusalem, he'd have to go through the lame and blind to get it. David didn't have a problem getting rid of the enemy, lame and blind or not.

He made Jerusalem his home, and Hiram, king of Tyre, gave a gift to David by sending over his best people to build David a house. David had eleven more sons while he lived there.

When the Philistines heard that David was now king, they called him out in Rephaim. Before he went, he sought guidance from God. Then, he went out to defeat them. The Philistines then decided to spread themselves out more then call him out again. Again, David sought guidance from God, and again, he defeated them.

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The lesson I got from this is that it is good to seek God's guidance in everything, because it is God who will clear all the obstacles out of your path. Remember, though, God wants it done His way.

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Defense of Marriage Act Thumbed Down on Military Base

Family Research Council (FRC) expressed concern today over a recent "same- sex ceremony" conducted at a Fort Polk chapel in Louisiana, a state in which voters have approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a Marine Corps veteran and former Louisiana legislator, made the following comments:

"This ceremony evades the intention and violates the spirit of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which remains the law in America, defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman for all purposes under federal law.

"The Obama administration is once again using the military as a vehicle to advance its social agenda which plainly includes tossing aside the marriage laws of forty-four states.

"This ceremony at Fort Polk is further evidence that Congress must act to adopt the current House of Representatives language in the Defense Authorization act to make very clear that the military should not be exploited to advance this administration's social agenda," concluded Perkins.

The question becomes this: Are military establishments inside state lines ruled by state law or by federal law? And, should our military bases be used as a way to defy the rule of law in either case?

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 4

After the death of Saul and Jonathan, everyone fled for their lives. Jonathan's son was being cared for by a nurse, who dutifully grabbed him to flee. While in flight, she fell with Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, in her arms. He was crippled for life because of it.

When Ishbosheth heard about Abner's death, he didn't know what to do. He just wrung his hands, then went to bed.

Two men of the Tribe of Benjamin who were captains of bands in Saul's army (named Rizpah and Baanah) came in and decapitated Ishbosheth around noon-time. They then took his head to David, thinking they had earned a hero's reward.

David, when he saw the head of Ishbosheth, became angry. He told them, "When someone came and told me that Saul was dead and that they had killed him, I slew the man and mourned Saul's death. How can you be so ignorant as to think I would rejoice over Ishbosheth?"

He had Rizpah and Baanah's hands and feet cut off, then hung them over the pool in Hebron, then he buried Ishbosheth's head in the same tomb he buried Abner.

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Another lesson I have learned from this is that, perhaps, it is not good to do anything without the proper authority to do it. When you are acting on behalf of a government or a household, it is always best to run everything by the head of such entity before taking any action. This prevents any misunderstandings as to the nature of the leadership.

David stayed true to his character in that he did not wish evil on Saul or his house, even though they were persecuting him. David took what he did not understand and gave it to God to fix.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 3

The House of David and the House of Saul continued to war. The House of David continued to get stronger, while the House of Saul got weaker.

David had six sons while they lived in Hebron - all by six different wives.

Abner, in the meanwhile, won the hearts of much of Saul's House.

While Saul was alive, Saul had a live-in girlfriend named Rizpah. After Saul's death, Abner began seeing her. King Ishbosheth, Saul's son, didn't like that and told Abner so. Abner was offended and basically told Ishbosheth that he was ungrateful toward him, and because of that he was going to ally himself with David and give David everything God had already promised David.

Abner sent messengers to David, promising to work for David as his diplomat and talk them into a peaceful union of Israel under David as King. David said he would be happy to ally himself with Abner, providing Abner would bring him Saul's daughter (his first wife). David sent a messenger to Ishbosheth to send him Michal, his wife.

Michal had been given to another man to wife when David ran from Saul. So, when Ishbosheth sent for her, he followed her, weeping and begging to keep her. Abner finally sent him away.

In the meanwhile, Abner approached the Tribe of Benjamin and diplomatically talked them into allying with David as their king. David and his men made a great feast for Abner and his men when they arrived in Hebron to talk with David. After the feast, Abner took his leave to finish the job he had promised he would do for David.

At this time, Joab was battling other troops for David. When he brought home the spoils, someone told him of Abner's visit and how Abner had left peacefully. This angered Joab. He told David, "Are you nuts? Don't you realize he is up to no good and is spying on you to do you harm?" Then, he went behind David's back and sent for Abner.

Abner returned to meet Joab outside the gates of Hebron, where Joab killed him.

When David heard about it, he was angry. He told the people that they should mourn Abner and then he mourned in front of them. He then called a fast until sundown in honor of Abner, so all the people would understand that his death was not called for by David.

When David thought about what to do about Joab, he decided to leave it alone and let God take care of it.

==========

The lesson I got out of all this is that it is not good to handle things for someone else, no matter how good your intentions are.

However, I would be more apt to think the way Joab thought in this situation. Abner was shady and very apt to be underhanded. But, David was a man after God's own heart, and part of the reason is that David always saw the best in people. He always gave people the benefit of the doubt. If this was a trait God loved in David, then it's easy to understand how God feels about us.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 2

David prayed for guidance, and God told him to go to Hebron. So, David did, with his wives and all his men. Then, the men of Judah came and anointed him as King, and told him that the men of JabeshGilead had buried Saul. David then sent messengers with warm thanks and promise of recompense for their service to Saul.

Saul had one son alive, Ishbosheth, which the captain of Saul's armies, Abner, made king over Israel. He reined for two years. David was made King in Judah and reined there for seven years.

Abner and Ishbosheth were in Mahanaim. They left there and went to Gibeon. When they got to the pool of Gideon, Joab and some of David's men were on one side of the pool, and Abner and Ishbosheth's men were on the other. Abner challenged Joab with, "Hey, Joab. You wanna play?" So they all got up and met.

Joab and Abner fought that day and David's men defeated Abner's men. One of David's men, Asahel chased Abner until Abner begged him to chase someone else or he'd have to kill him. When Asahel, refused to quit the chase, Abner turned on him and killed him.

Joab and Abishai continued to chase Abner until the tribe of Benjamin joined forces with Abner, and Abner begged the men of David to cease-fire to fight another day. They all agreed and returned to their hometowns, David's men having defeated Abner that day.

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The lesson I got out of this is that sometimes when you are in a battle, it is good to call a time-out, to think about your tactics and to rest until a much better strategy can be initiated. Both sides need this time-out to prevent any unnecessary losses.

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Daily Bible Reading: 2 Samual 1

David went back to Ziklag after defeating the Amelekites. He was there for two days when an Amelekite showed up dressed in distress. He asked what was going on and the Amelekite told him that he was a servant of the Philistines and that the Philistines came up on Saul's camp and that everyone was dead. He told David that Saul had fallen on his own sword, but wasn't yet dead, and begged the Amelekite to kill him, so he did.

David became angry and said, "How dare you kill the anointed of the Lord! You don't ever raise your hand to harm the anointed for any reason!" and he killed the Amelekite. Then he mourned because his best friend, Jonathon, who was Saul's son, was also dead. He mourned for the whole family.

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The lesson I got out of this is that when God puts someone in position of authority, no matter how much you dislike the person or what they have done to hurt you, you wait it out. It is not your place to end their life in order to make things better.

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Daily Bible Reading: 1 Samual 31

The Philistines went to war against Israel until Israel ran. The Philistines chased after them, with the intent of slaying Saul and his sons. They killed his sons, then Saul was hit with arrows and badly wounded. Saul begged his armourbearer to kill him, but the armourbearer refused. So, Saul fell on his sword, committing suicide.
The armourbearer then committed suicide as well.

When Israel that was on the other side of the valley saw that Saul and his sons and his men were dead, they fled from their cities, and the Philistines took over the cities. When the Philistines went to gather the spoils from the dead, they found Saul and cut off his head.

They put his armour in the house of Ashteroth, their god that is a demon of the first hierarchy that seduces by means of vanity, reason, and laziness. Then, they pinned his body to the wall of Beth-shan.
Gilead heard about it, they snuck in and took Saul and his sons and burned the bodies, buried the bones under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.

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The lesson I got out of this is that what God says is going to happen, happens.

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