Weekly Guide：Week 26
July 22, 2018
Forward
We continue the reading on the Gospel of Matthew this week.
Jesus’ preaching recorded in Matthew gives us a vivid depiction of the life of Jesus’ disciples. We might see the sky-high standard as a heavy burden that we must carry in order to be with God, which causes us to become ever more self-demanding and feel frustrated in such a way that often pushes us to the verge of giving up. However, Jesus invites us to carry with Him His yoke because tiredness and exhaustion are not characteristics of Jesus’ disciples as His yoke is easy and His burden is light so that we may receive the utmost rest and peace as we learn to be more like Him. Restfulness as a promise of being disciple of Jesus seems to go against our instinct to put ahead of our personal comfort the righteousness, kingdom, and persecution. Jesus’ yoke is a prerequisite of restfulness and peace as His teaching is about changing our thoughts as opposed to escaping the reality in worldly pleasure which ultimately ends in emptiness. What Jesus has for us is not an escape but a transformation. It is a transformation of life from inside out as we become His disciples. It enables us to bear His lightened yoke so we may have real peace even when facing the toughest challenges of life. There’s no other way of life will give us true rest, true peace, to do away with self-criticism, self-indulgence, self-approval, and self-desire. Give up our selfishness, money, and desires to go back to God. Let us accept the peace Jesus has in store for us disciples.
May our Lord’s word renew you all each day!
Question
What did Jesus encounter on the way to Jerusalem?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Jesus led the disciples on their important journey to Jerusalem which would climax in crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.
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Continue the theme on persecution by religious leaders and the question of discipleship.
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Personal reward and fame are wrong motivations for serving the Lord.
Meditation: My Story
- Fidelity - Am I looking for recognition and fame when serving God? If so, let me turn to God humbly and ask Him to lead me in my life of service.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How did Jesus go into Jerusalem?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Jesus proclaimed Himself as King and cleansed His temple.
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Most of the narrative is a series of parables on depiction of conflict.
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The conflicts between Jesus and religious leaders eventually led to His crucifixion.
Meditation: My Story
- Community - What does the story of Jesus cleansing the temple teach me how to treat the place of worship? How do I face my own anger and others’ sins?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What was Jesus’ purpose in Jerusalem?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Jesus announced the woes against the hypocritical Pharisees and the teachers of the law.
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Jesus left the temple and declared the judgement against Jerusalem, the destruction of temple, and the signs of the end times.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Bible warned repeatedly against false prophets. Am I being vigilant to the ignorance of the world and its teaching? Am I able to distinguish the heresy from the truth?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What and how Jesus’ disciples need to be prepared for the end of times?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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The need to serve and to be alert as the end of times is near. The parable of the Ten Virgins teaches us the importance of being alert and be prepared because no one knows when Jesus will come again.
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The parable of the Bags of Gold tells us to serve faithfully while waiting for the second coming of the Christ.
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When Jesus comes again, those who are in His kingdom will take the inheritance while the others will be judged.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Am I waiting alertly for Jesus’ second coming? If He comes today, can I have the assurance in getting the inheritance?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How was Jesus betrayed and taken?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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In His last hours on earth, Jesus told His disciples: “As you know, the Passover is two days away-and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” (26:2)
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The Holy Communion was established and took place on the Passover Supper.
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Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, was betrayed by Judas, got arrested, and was denied three times by Peter.
Meditation: My Story
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Walking with God - How does Jesus’ sorrow in Gethsemane help me during my time of sorrow? Do I understand He knows the difficulties and challenges I face and He can carry my burdens for me?
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Identity - Do I understand the meaning of the cup and bread in the Holy Communion that Jesus has established for His disciples?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How was Jesus tried and crucified?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Tearing of the curtain in the temple signifies the gap between God and mankind had been cleansed with Jesus’ blood. Can I come willingly and fearlessly in front of Jesus to off load all my worries and burdens to Him?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Scripture Reading
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What other conducts are not pleasing to God?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Chapter 19 details the morality, regulations, worship, and spiritual life and covers all the Ten Commandments. A total of 16 short sections with each ending with the phrase "I am the Lord." "Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." is the basis for calling upon the people to live holy lives. "Love your neighbor as yourself" appears in the verses and tells Israelites that the standard of holiness is not just keeping the law, but also to actively live out its virtue.
+ Chapter 20 is an addendum to chapters 18 and 19. It's the punishment for those who rebel and unholy. Those who committed offenses must face severe punishments, executed, or cut off.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - Sin is not something private. It spreads and brings down the whole community like yeast in the dough. We not only are responsible for our own holiness but fellow Christians, too. How do these two chapters remind me of my view toward sin?
+ **Integrity** - Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy. This was the basis for God to elect Israelites and a basis for my life. Is there any part of my life I need to pay more attention in order to be holy?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What are other requirements for priests?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The priests are set apart from the rest of the people for God. The requirements for the priests are even higher. God set clear priority to their duty and daily lives.
+ Holy objects are set apart for God. Israelites needed to keep these objects holy.
+ The phrases "I am the Lord who makes them holy" or similar appeared 6 times and "I am the Lord" appeared 6 times, as well.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - God set high standards for the priests. How does today's passage remind me that I am a chosen royal priest?
+ **Fidelity** - What's my priority comparing my tasks at hand and serving God? What do the requirements God set for the priests remind me of?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What are other requirements for priests?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The priests are set apart from the rest of the people for God. The requirements for the priests are even higher. God set clear priority to their duty and daily lives.
+ Holy objects are set apart for God. Israelites needed to keep these objects holy.
+ The phrases "I am the Lord who makes them holy" or similar appeared 6 times and "I am the Lord" appeared 6 times, as well.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - God set high standards for the priests. How does today's passage remind me that I am a chosen royal priest?
+ **Fidelity** - What's my priority comparing my tasks at hand and serving God? What do the requirements God set for the priests remind me of?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What are the regulations on blasphemy, killing, and Sabbath Year?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Leviticus 24:10-22 records the punishment laid upon a Gentile who blasphemed against God and thus committed an offense of the 3rd law of the ten commandments. "You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born. I am the Lord your God."
+ Verses 25:1-22 are about the regulations on Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee. Verses 25:23-55 talk about the necessary attitude toward property and poverty to realize the meaning of Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - Sabbath occurs after 6 days of work. Sabbath Year occurs after 6 years of work. The Year of Jubilee occurs once after every 49 years. What was God's intention for these? Do I know the true meaning of Sabbath? Do I often take refuge in God?
+ **Community** - Verses 24:17-22 list the punishments for injuring others and their animals. God shows us the attitude we ought to have toward poverty and property in verses 25:23-55. What is my attitude toward other people around me and their property?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What are the blessings for being obedient and the punishments for disobedient?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Proclaim the blessings and punishments after the covenant was made.
+ Verses 3 to 13 are the blessings: rain comes, crops grow, peace in the land, and Israelites' number increase.
+ Verses 14-46 are the punishments: disasters come, crops die, wars rage, famines occur, and people die. Not all disasters would come simultaneously. God always give His people chances to repent and turn around. Each time a disaster strikes, the next disaster comes only "if in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me."
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - God blesses His people. He blesses those who obey His commands and love Him. Do I often see God's mercy and love by counting the blessings He has bestowed upon me?
+ **Integrity** - God sends disaster to people not to punish them but to give them a chance to turn around. What characters of God do I realize from the incremental disasters He places? Have I in my life been reminded or impeded by the Holy Spirit? Am I willing to understand His will and turn around to obey Him?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How does a man redeem his vow to God?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Redeeming what is the Lord's is a very serious business. Man often take a vow to make wishes to the Lord during distress but then forget his vow afterward. Bible often warned against this type of behavior. This passage set a relatively high redeeming price with additional 20% for those who forget their vows.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - God dislikes those who don't follow through with their vows. We must be prudent when signing a contract or making a promise. Have I made any promise to God, to my spouse, my friends, or my children? Do I always keep my promises? What should I do if I am in breach of my promises?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why Balaam blessed Israelites when Balak wanted him to curse them?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Moab wasn't their target when the Israelites came to camp across from Jericho. Balak summoned Balaam to curse the Israelites but God made him to bless them instead.
+ Balaam was not a prophet. He seemingly proclaimed himself a prophet was in fact a spokesperson for all false gods. He was condemned many times in Bible for his immorality, injustice, and low ethics. (Num. 31:7-8,15-16, Deu. 23:3-6; Jos. 13:22;24:9-10; Neh.13:1-3;Mic. 6:5;2 Peter 2:15-16; Jude 11; Rev. 2:14)
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - Why did Balaam changed locations and the ways to curse the Israelites? How was God's power shown through Balaam's failures?
+ **Identity** - God intervened and protected Israelites when Balak summoned Balaam to curse them. God always protects without us knowing. Let me count the blessings I received last week and know they were from God, not myself.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did the Moabites deceive Israelites, cause them to sin and anger God.
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ In reference to Numbers 31:8,16, the incident in this chapter was Balaam's plan. He tried to corrupt the Israelites to cause them to separate from God and lose His protection.
+ Phinehas was zealous for God's honor. He killed those sinful Israelites and turned away God's anger for the Israelites. God made with Phinehas and his descendants the covenant of peace, the lasting priesthood.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Satan's deception is like Balaam's, to corrupt God's people from within to lure them away from God. Am I falling for Satan's deception? Ask God to remind me and keep me alert.
+ **Fidelity** - Phinehas' zeal for God's honor contrasts with Israelites. By no mean God wants us to judge upon others nor He wants us to carry out justice for Him. What does zeal for God's honor mean in my daily life? How do I live it out?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What blessings and protections from God were revealed in the second census?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Israelites' number had not changed much in the 40 years. This was a blessing from God for He promised Abraham's descendants would become a great nation.
+ God blessed Zelophehad's Daughters for they had the rightful view of their inheritances.
+ Moses was denied entry into the land of Canaan. He asked God in his last prayer for a new leader who would lead the Israelites into the promised land.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - Israelites number changed little after plagues, disasters, killings, and other punishments. God's promises never change because of our weakness. Looking back in my life, do I often see my own failures or God's faithfulness?
+ **Community** - Moses' heart was with the people even though he was denied entry into the promised land. What can I pray for my family, church, and God's leading in my services?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What were the Israelites' offerings in an entire year?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The day of Moses' passing was getting closer. God commanded him to pass on the honor of leading the Israelites to Joshua. God commanded Moses to pass on the regulations on the offerings for each day, each sabbath, beginning of each month, and each festival. This was to prepare the Israelites for the worship centered life under the leadership of Joshua and high priest Elijah when they entered the promised land.
+ These were the minimum offerings required of the Israelites in addition to the voluntary offerings for sin, cleansing, etc.
+ These two chapters record the details of the materials for offerings.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - Priests presented burnt offerings each morning. Do I have a God centered life? Am I presenting the best of me and everything I do to God?
+ **Walking with God** - Priests have a lot of tasks on their hands. Their works doubled on each sabbath when the rest of the community didn't work. Matthew 12:5, the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent. No work is allowed during sabbath and many other festivals so that we may worship God with our full attention. Have I been ignorant about those days that are set apart for worshiping?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did the Israelites divide up the plunders and spoils from the war?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Numbers chapter 30 is the regulation for woman who took vows. Her father before she marries or husband after she marries are responsible for her spiritual direction and protection.
+ Numbers chapter 31 documents the holy war against the Midianites in the plains of Moab. God destroyed the Midianites for they deceived Israelites to cause them to separate from God. Balaam who planned the deception was killed in the war. Israelites had a complete victory and lost not a single life. Israelites followed God's direction regarding the captives, cleansing of those who touched the dead, offerings, plunders and spoils of the war. This set a precedence for the wars after the Israelites have entered the land of Canaan.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - God gave fathers and husbands great responsibilities to protect their daughters and wives. For daughters and wives, they must obey and follow the spiritual leadership from their fathers and husbands. As a father or husband, what will from God have I learned for teaching or guiding my daughter or wife? How have I applied it to my life?
+ **Identity** - Israelites did not lose one life in the war with the Midianites. God gave them special commands for cleansing themselves from the captives and spoils. What do the protection and requirements God gave Israelites for the war remind me of in the spiritual wars that I often face?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What should the Israelites' life be like when they arrive at the promised land?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ In Numbers chapter 32, the Gadites, Reubenites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had their eyes on the land to the east of Jordan river. They promised Moses that they would help the rest of the Israelites enter the promised land first. They saw the land was fertile and suitable for grazing, wanted to settle down quickly. Later, due to the lack of natural barriers, they were the first to be captured and occupied by the Assyrian before the entire nation of Israel fell.
+ Faithfully following God's command, Moses documented the 40 encampment sites during the 40 years of wandering in Numbers chapter 33.
+ God commanded Israelites to drive out the idol worshiping people to end idolatry from the promised land. He also commanded the tribes to distribute the land by lot according to their sizes.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Gadites, Reubenites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh choose the land by the value seen in their own eyes. But they never expected the disaster to follow. Are there things in my life that are valuable to the eyes of the world but not pleasing to God?
+ **Integrity** - When victory was in sight, God commanded the Israelites not to relax allowing idolatry to corrupt their hearts once they enter the promised land. Entering the promised land does not make an end to the journey of faith. While I enjoy many freedoms and privileges in my faith today, how can I remind myself to stay vigilant?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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Prayer
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### Question
How did David grow stronger in the Lord's grace and peace while facing persecution?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ David brought his family to take refuge in Moab, but God revealed to him through prophet Gad to go back to Judah where it was under Saul's control.
+ Because Ahimelek helped David, Saul destroyed the priesthood established by God and severed his own connection to God with the killing of Ahimelek and the entire town of priests.
+ David gained fighting men, a prophet who had connection to God, and a priest who could make offerings to God and inquire of God.
+ David followed God's will and saved Keilah but attracted Saul's attention. God revealed to David that the citizens of Keilah would surrender him to Saul. The Ziphites also told Saul of David's hiding place and caused Saul to pursue him. But David was again protected by God.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - God protected David's life and grew his strength even as he was under persecution and affliction. David's kingdom was being formed and build up. Suffering is usually a blessing in disguise! How have I experienced or heard such testimony of God's protection and building up of His faithful people? How would David's experience help me set focus on God's faithfulness when facing my next challenge?
+ **Integrity** - Saul blamed and killed innocent people while David saved those who were in danger even as he was facing danger. And, ironically, those who David saved sold him out to Saul. It is tough doing what is right in God's eyes and not getting paid back. How does David's integrity remind me of my own life? What warnings do I get from Saul's example?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did David forgive Saul in God and how did he almost commit great sin of flesh?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Saul went to take David's live but was delivered to David's hand by God. However, David did not want to harm God's anointed and told Saul about it. Saul wept in atonement and admitted David's righteousness as well as God's election. Saul also asked David not to kill off his descendants.
+ Nabal insulted David even though David gave him protection. David wanted to kill all males in Nabal's household. Nabal's wife Abigale brought with her gifts to David and dissuaded David from committing sin with her wisdom. God himself avenged for David and David gave thanks to the Lord for He had prevented David from sinning. With Abigale's consent, she became David's wife.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - David depended on God and wasn't willing to harm his enemy but in a blink of eyes, with fleshly revenge, he almost killed the one who insulted him and implicated many who were innocent. Doing good in God now does not mean the flesh won't take over in the future. Have I ever experienced similar events in my own spiritual journey? How may I stay alert so that the evil one will not take over?
+ **Integrity** - How did Abigale dissuade David? What wisdom can I see from her conversation with David? Why would David listen to a little woman? This is because what he saw was not just a wise woman, but God talking through her. God would also help us in our life with some insignificant things or people to remind us. Let me pray to God to help me have a humble and sensitive heart.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
Why did David stray away from God's protection?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Ziphites again revealed David's hiding place to Saul and he went searching for David. God then delivered Saul to David one more time. David's men suggested to him to kill Saul but David continued to spare Saul's live. David again questioned Saul and he expressed remorse.
+ David could not trust Saul and escaped to the Israelites' arch-enemy Philistines and earned the trust of Philistine king. He went attacking the Israelites' enemies, the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites, but lied to the Philistine king that he was attacking Israelites in order to gain trust of the king.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - David left Judah to the Philistines. It seemed, on the surface, David did not believe Saul but, in truth, David did not have faith in God's protection. Why? What is the basis of our faith when we forgive someone? Is it based on their transformation or God's mercy and omnipotence?
+ **Integrity** - David did not inquire of God when he went to the Philistines but totally on his own will to seek their protection. He strayed away from God and caused him to commit more sins. Although he used the opportunity to attack Israelites' enemies but had to cover it with lies. Is this pleasing to God?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did God rescue David from a difficult situation?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Philistines gathered to attack Israel. Saul could not get any answer from God, so he went to consult a medium which God despised. The answer he got caused great horror and made him to lose all hope.
+ Being in the land of the Philistines, David was caught in a difficult position for he had to choose either to follow the Philistines to attack Israel or refuse and be killed by the Philistines. But God used the doubts from within the Philistines to remove David from the Philistines and relieved him of this impossible position.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - Saul broke off his connection with God, walked ever farther away from Him and unable to find peace from anything he had his hands on. However, God never forsake his elected. David strayed away from God, but God protected him and miraculously brought him out of the dire situation. Was God unfair to Saul? Let me go back a few chapters to see if God gave Saul the opportunities to turn back to Him.
+ **Integrity** - The reason David got stuck in such dire situation was his straying away from God, seeking of protection from the Philistines, and then the lies. What can I learn from this? If I ever stray away from God, let me not cover up prior sins with even more sins.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did David turn back to God?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The Amalekites revenged on David by raiding Ziklag of all women, all things, all the young and the old. Not only saddened, David also faced danger of being stoned by his own men. It is in this hopeless situation, David turned back to God, to lean on Him for strength.
+ God blessed David's rescue plan. Not only was he able to save his family, recovered all things he had lost, but he took plunders from the battle.
+ David treated the Amalekite slave with mercy and received his help. David was also merciful to those who were exhausted and had to stay behind. He shared God's blessings with them and all the places he roamed.
+ Saul met his end in the last battle. He ended his own life for he could not face the unknown future. He wanted to avoid humiliation but his remain was humiliated completely. The people of Jabesh Gilead whom Saul had saved before, took his remain back, buried it despite of danger, and fasted seven days for him.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - The Bible had no record of David inquiring of God after he went to the Philistines. Obviously, those were the days he was away from God. But David did turn back to God when he was facing danger and depended upon God for strength. God answered David's prayer and led him to the rescue. What inhibits me from turning to God when facing danger? How does David encourage me?
+ **Integrity** - David was willing to stop and help the dying slave while in pursue of the Amalekites. This slave became an important help to David. When in victory, David shared equally the plunders to include those two hundred who stayed behind because "what the Lord has given us, all will share alike" and made it into a statue and ordinance of Israel. He then shared the plunder to all the places he had roamed. Why was David so generous? Was he a clever king who knew how to buy into people's hearts or was that a transformation resulted from his spiritual journey?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How is it different for Ish-Bosheth being king and David being king?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ A young Amalekite came to David to report the death of Saul and claimed that he had killed him. David executed the young man for he killed the Lord's anointed. He then mourned for Saul and Jonathan and written for them the lament of the bow.
+ The people of Judah anointed David in Hebron. David reigned in Hebron as king of Judah for seven years and six months. At the same time, the commander of Saul's army, Abner, made the son of Saul the king of Israel in Mahanaim. The war between the house of David and the house of Saul started.
+ Abner challenged Judah and started fighting with Joab. They began with a small fight with a few involved then escalated into an all-out fierce war with heavy lost on both sides.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - What are the differences in the following three instances of kingship? Abner making Ish-Bosheth king, Judah anointing David as king, and the Israelites casting lot to select Saul as king. Thinking about the differences between a life following God's will and a life following the world's will, what kind of life do I want to live?
+ **Community** - We see the friendship between David and Jonathan in the lament of the bow. How is it different from the worldly friendships? Abner and Joab started with restrained fight then escalated to become a fierce civil war between brothers. This led to the killing of Asahel and Joab's hatred. They were all descendant of Jacob and children of God. What turned them into enemies? What disputes between them do I see are happening in today's Christians that started as insignificant contest then turned into vicious fight? Have I experienced anything like this and need to atone before the Lord?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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