And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory. 2 Samuel 23:11-12. In these scriptures, we find Shammah, one of King David’s mighty men, defending a field of lentils. Shammah risked his life to defend a field of lentils that was not his personal property, but Israel’s property. When others…
Genesis 25:30-31, And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage, for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. I’ve lost count how many times I have read the account of Jacob and Esau. I can be guilty of skimming over scriptures that are well-known and are on the highlight reel of popular sermons. However, despite myself, God still shines through my humanity, thankfully. I relish moments with the Lord where a word or phrase is magnified and illuminated, just like I was reading it for the very first time. Genesis 25:30 gives us insight on Esau’s life. When he asks for “that same red pottage” it indicates that this was not the first time he came out of the field feeling desperate for food. Esau had a pattern of desiring his brothers “red pottage.” Esau said, “feed me, with that same red pottage.” Esau’s weaknesses became predictable. His drama became predictable. His lack-of-preparation became predictable. The way you pattern your life is important and the things you hunger after are important. The things that you do consistently on a day-to-day basis are…
Today we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—a man who had a gift to make his dream of equality among every person, regardless of someone’s skin color, age, or gender. Proverbs 18:16 says, “A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” Dr. King was a man with prolific talents and various giftings, granting him a platform to challenge the world with a message that would change the fabrication of the cultural and spiritual structure of the twentieth century. King’s legacy is extensive; crossing cultural, religious, and segregational boundaries. Our environment, whether we like it or not, shapes who we are. The contours and ridges of our morals, convictions, quirks, values, and temperament are all relative to the value system taught in an individual’s home, education system, and country. Of coarse, everyone is subject to his or her own choice. We see this in the life Dr. King as he aspires to strengthen integration rather than enforcing segregation, even if that means going against the prevailing current of his present society that led him down a road of persecution. Revelation 7:9 paints a beautiful picture of what heaven will look like, “After these…
“He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.” (Psalm 112:7, ESV) Recently, a family in my church lost everything in a tragic house fire. Thankfully, all escaped unharmed. I’ve known others who have experienced tornadoes, hurricanes, or other natural disasters. These victims often feel that their lives will never be the same, and to a degree this is true. When such things happen, so much is lost. Although material goods can eventually be replaced or restored, some things are irretrievably lost. When tragedy overwhelms us, it is so easy to ask the age-old…
“The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the LORD blessed Obed-Edom and all his household.” (II Samuel 6:11, NKJV) While reading II Samuel 6, I became caught up in the story of Obed-Edom and his family who unexpectedly found themselves as keepers of the Ark of the Covenant for several months. You may remember that the Ark and its Mercy Seat was the most sacred item in the Old Testament Tabernacle and was kept behind the veil in the Holy of Holies. Once each year, the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat for atonement of sin. Let’s do a quick recap on how the Ark came to be in Obed-Edom’s home. Many years previously, the Israelites had carried the Ark with them into battle, an unwise decision. This most holy item was captured by their enemy, the Philistines (I Samuel chapters 4-6). When God brought judgment upon the Philistines because of the Ark, they soon determined to send it back to Israel. It remained in the home of Abinadab for twenty years before ending up in the home of Obed-Edom. This…
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have in tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, ESV) We do not live in a peaceful world—far from it. At this very moment, numerous places are experiencing military conflict or political unrest. There is often discord in families, in the workplace, and even within the body of Christ. These things create stress and anxiety in our lives if they go unresolved. There may not be much we can do about military conflicts or the political scene other than pray; but as a believer, God instructs us to pursue peace. The Source of Peace How do we pursue peace? First, we must be in a right relationship with the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). He is the source of all peace. “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way.” (II Thessalonians 3:16, ESV) Psalm 29:11 also gives us the promise that the Lord blesses His people with peace. Peace is attainable if we look in the right place, if we go to the source of all peace. The Price…