Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel 7:1-17.

“1 Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.”  3 Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But in the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in?  6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle.  7 Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

8 “Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel.  9 I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you;  and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth.  10 I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly, 11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.  The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you.  12 When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.  13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.  14 I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me;  when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,  15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.  16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever;  your throne shall be established forever.”’”  17 In accordance with all these words and all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.”    2 Samuel 7:1-17.

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In summary, David “said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.”  See verse 2  David wanted to build a permanent temple for the LORD.

But, the LORD replied:  “The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you.  …   I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.  …  Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever;  your throne shall be established forever.”  See verses 11-12 and 16.  Most importantly, the LORD promised to raise up a descendant of David, namely Christ, and establish Christ’s heavenly kingdom forever.

We too from time to time focus on ourselves and what we consider to do for the LORD.

But, we learn again from today’s Scripture that the LORD turns our focus to Himself and what He has done and will do for us.

Other doctrine continually puts the focus on man, man’s alleged free-will, and the alleged goodness of man to do good things for the LORD.

But, Reformed Doctrine starts with a consideration of man’s “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.  And, logically, Reformed Doctrine turns its attention to the LORD for hope.  Reformed Doctrine eagerly studies at what the LORD has done and will do for us from “Unconditional Election” through “Preservation of the Saints” (and in between “Limited Atonement” and “Irresistible Grace”) all of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Consistent with this start, the LORD reminds David of His “Unconditional Election” by his starting words to David:  “Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel.”  Verse 8.

Reformed Doctrine prefers to praise rather than to propose.

“For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.”  Psalm 92:4.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel Chapter 5.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+5&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.  2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel out and in.  And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over Israel.’”  3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the Lord at Hebron;  then they anointed David king over Israel.  4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.  5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

…

10 David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him.

11 Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees and carpenters and stonemasons;  and they built a house for David.  12 And David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.”  2 Samuel Chapter 5:  Verses 1-5 and 10-12.

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David had confidence of the Lord’s blessing upon him.  “…    David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel.”  Verse 12.  “David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him.”  Verse 10.  Hiram king of Tyre built a house for David.  Verse 11.

We too can have confidence of the Lord’s blessing upon us.  The LORD has also established us in His heavenly kingdom.  Colossians 1:13.  The LORD is also with us.  Psalm 46:7 and repeated in Psalm 46:11.  The LORD also is preparing a dwelling place for us.  John 14:2.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;  for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God;  you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”  1 Peter 2:9-10.

Like David, let us go forth in confidence of such blessing with joy and peace.  Let us shine.

“For you will go out with joy
And be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”  Isaiah 55:12.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel Chapter 4.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+4&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Now when Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel was disturbed.  2 Saul’s son had two men who were commanders of bands:  the name of the one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the sons of Benjamin (for Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin,

…

5 So the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, departed and came to the house of Ish-bosheth in the heat of the day while he was taking his midday rest.  6 They came to the middle of the house as if to get wheat, and they struck him in the belly;  and Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.  7 Now when they came into the house, as he was lying on his bed in his bedroom, they struck him and killed him and beheaded him.  And they took his head and traveled by way of the Arabah all night.  8 Then they brought the head of Ish-bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Behold, the head of Ish-bosheth the son of Saul, your enemy, who sought your life;  thus the Lord has given my lord the king vengeance this day on Saul and his descendants.”

9 David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said to them, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, 10 when one told me, saying, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him in Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news.  11 How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood from your hand and destroy you from the earth?”  12 Then David commanded the young men, and they killed them and cut off their hands and feet and hung them up beside the pool in Hebron.  But they took the head of Ish-bosheth and buried it in the grave of Abner in Hebron.”  2 Samuel Chapter 4:  Verses 1-2 and 5-12.

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So far in the Book of 2 Samuel, we have noticed that David did not rejoice when Saul, Abner, and Ish-bosheth died.  David paid his respects to them.  In 2 Samuel 1:17-27, David chanted a lament over Saul and Jonathan his son.  In 2 Samuel 3:31-34, David wept and chanted a lament for Abner.  And in today’s Scripture, David did not rejoice when Ish-bosheth was killed nor reward those who killed him, but rather, David called Ish-bosheth “a righteous man”.

“Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.”  Romans 12:17-19.

We do not think of David as a man of love.  We think of David as a man of war.  But consider this definition of love in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13, the Book of Love.  Love “does not act unbecomingly;  it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;  bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  1 Corinthians 13:5-7.

David did not act becomingly.  David did not seek his own.  David was not provoked and take into account a wrong suffered.  David did not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoiced in truth.  David bear all things, believed all things, hoped all things, and endured all things.

David was a man of love, and he is a good example for us to follow.  

And, Reformed Doctrine can help! 

“7 Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret;  it leads only to evildoing.
9 For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.”  Psalm 37:7-9.

Like Rechab and Baanah took things into their own hands and killed Ish-bosheth, other doctrine teaches us to depend on ourselves and take things into our own hands.

But, like David bear all things, believed all things, hoped all things, and endured all things (“the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress”, verse 9), Reformed Doctrine teaches us to wait for the LORD Who redeems our life from all distress from “Unconditional Election” through “Preservation of the Saints” (and in between “Limited Atonement” and “Irresistible Grace”) all of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel Chapter 3.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Samuel%203&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David;  and David grew steadily stronger, but the house of Saul grew weaker continually.

…

6 It came about while there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David that Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul.  7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah;  and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”  8 Then Abner was very angry over the words of Ish-bosheth and said, “Am I a dog’s head that belongs to Judah?  Today I show kindness to the house of Saul your father, to his brothers and to his friends, and have not delivered you into the hands of David; and yet today you charge me with a guilt concerning the woman.  9 May God do so to Abner, and more also, if as the Lord has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him, 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.”     2 Samuel Chapter 3:  Verses 1 and 6-10.

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Abner was commander of Saul’s army.  2 Samuel 2:8.  We have read of some of accomplishments in 2 Samuel Chapter 2 from which we can reasonably conclude that he was a tough, disciplined man of war.

And yet, in today’s Scripture, Abner was willing to switch sides and deliver Saul’s kingdom to David because Ish-bosheth said to him, “Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?”

God turned Abner’s heart as easily as a man can turn the flow of water in his hand.

“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord;

He turns it wherever He wishes.”  Proverbs 21:1.

Other doctrine either does not see God’s sovereignty and God’s work throughout Scripture or minimizes it. 

But, Reformed Doctrine sees God’s sovereignty and God’s work throughout Scripture and is glad and exalts God.  

“4 For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

5 How great are Your works, O Lord!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man has no knowledge,
Nor does a stupid man understand this:
7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass
And all who did iniquity flourished,
It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.
8 But You, O Lord, are on high forever.
9 For, behold, Your enemies, O Lord,
For, behold, Your enemies will perish;
All who do iniquity will be scattered.”  Psalm 92:4-9.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel Chapter 2.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+2&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then it came about afterwards that David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go up to one of the cities of Judah?”  And the Lord said to him, “Go up.”  So David said, “Where shall I go up?”  And He said, “To Hebron.”  2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.  3 And David brought up his men who were with him, each with his household;  and they lived in the cities of Hebron.  4 Then the men of Judah came and there anointed David king over the house of Judah.

And they told David, saying, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”  5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, “May you be blessed of the Lord because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord, and have buried him.  6 Now may the Lord show lovingkindness and truth to you;  and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing.  7 Now therefore, let your hands be strong and be valiant;  for Saul your lord is dead, and also the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”  2 Samuel 2:1-7.

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David praised the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul saying:  “… you have shown this kindness to Saul …”

But, how can someone truly show kindness to someone who is dead?

Some doctrine focuses on the kindness of the men of Jabesh-gilead.  But, Reformed Doctrine focuses on the kindness of God.

Reformed Doctrine points us to God Who can and did show kindness to those dead in sin.

As dead as Saul was with his head cut off and his body fastened to the wall of Beth-shan (1 Samuel 31:8-10), we were that much dead in sin.

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”  Ephesians 2:4-7.

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man;  though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:6-8.

Saul could not do anything to motivate the men of Jabesh-gilead to show kindness to him.  He was dead and his lifeless body was fastened to a wall.  Likewise, we could do nothing to motivate God to show kindness to us.  We were dead in sin.  We could supply no condition to motivate God to save us.  We needed the “Unconditional Election” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Saul was still dead after the kindness of the men of Jabesh-gilead.  But, in sharp contrast, we were made alive and raised to the heavenly places after the kindness of God to us.  Ephesians 2:5-6.

In conclusion, we receive every kind of kindness from God summarized as “surpassing riches of His grace toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:7.  “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:32.

Today’s devotion comes from 2 Samuel Chapter 1.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Samuel+1&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“17 Then David chanted with this lament over Saul and Jonathan his son, 18 and he told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow; behold, it is written in the book of Jashar.

19 “Your beauty, O Israel, is slain on your high places!
How have the mighty fallen!
20 “Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
Or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
The daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.
21 “O mountains of Gilboa,
Let not dew or rain be on you, nor fields of offerings;
For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22 “From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23 “Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life,
And in their death they were not parted;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
24 “O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you luxuriously in scarlet,
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25 “How have the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan is slain on your high places.
26 “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me.
Your love to me was more wonderful
Than the love of women.
27 “How have the mighty fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!”  2 Samuel 1:17-27.

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In eulogies, like David did in today’s Scripture, we tend to speak only the good about the decedents after their death.

But, in sharp contrast with us, God is the Righteous Judge Who reveals all, the good and the bad, and Who rewards and punishes.

“But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.  Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops.

“I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell;  yes, I tell you, fear Him!”  Luke 12:2-5.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked;  for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.  For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”  Galatians 6:7-8.

“God is a righteous judge,
And a God who has indignation every day.”  Psalm 7:11.

“7 But the Lord abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
8 And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.”  Psalm 9:7-8.

“1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, has spoken,
And summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,
God has shone forth.
3 May our God come and not keep silence;
Fire devours before Him,
And it is very tempestuous around Him.
4 He summons the heavens above,
And the earth, to judge His people:
5 “Gather My godly ones to Me,
Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.”
6 And the heavens declare His righteousness,
For God Himself is judge.  Selah.”  Psalm 50:1-6.

In essence, other doctrine wants free-will and does not want God’s sovereignty, perfection, and righteous judgment:

“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:3.

But, Reformed Doctrine proclaims:

“10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
12 Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
13 Before the Lord, for He is coming,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
And the peoples in His faithfulness.”  Psalm 96:10-13.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 31.

“1 Now the Philistines were fighting against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons;  and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchi-shua the sons of Saul.  3 The battle went heavily against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was badly wounded by the archers.  4 Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.”  But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid.  So Saul took his sword and fell on it.  5 When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him.  6 Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.

7 When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley, with those who were beyond the Jordan, saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled; then the Philistines came and lived in them.

8 It came about on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.  9 They cut off his head and stripped off his weapons, and sent them throughout the land of the Philistines, to carry the good news to the house of their idols and to the people.  10 They put his weapons in the temple of Ashtaroth, and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan.  11 Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.  13 They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.”    1 Samuel Chapter 31.

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The men of Israel were defeated and humiliated.  “… Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned the cities and fled …”  Verse 7.  And, the Philistines fastened Saul’s body to the wall of Beth-shan.

The men of Israel could have literally and figuratively hid in caves.

But, “all the valiant men rose and walked all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there.  They took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.”    Verses 12-13.  Although they were defeated and humiliated, they rose up and did good.

We may also experience defeat and humiliation.  But, how do we respond? 

There is nothing wrong with crying and fasting.  We see the righteous do it in Scripture.  But, we also see the limited time of seven days for fasting in today’s Scripture.  And, we also see that before they fasted, they rose up and did good.

Sometimes, we can cry and fast first.  But, other times, like the valiant men in today’s Scripture, we need to immediately rise up and do good (before we cry and fast) even though we may not feel like it.

The summary of all this can be found in Psalm 37:1-3.

“1 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
2 For they will wither quickly like the grass
And fade like the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.”    Psalm 37:1-3.

Reformed Doctrine can help!

Other doctrine focuses on man and his alleged free-will and continually looks and frets at what man is doing.

But, Reformed Doctrine focuses on God and what He is doing.  Reformed Doctrine pounds the table on God’s sovereignty and that the purpose of God will be established and that He will accomplish all of His good pleasure.

“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other;  I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure‘; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.  I have planned it, surely I will do it.”  Isaiah 46:9-11.

For example, the death of Saul and his sons was not outside of the purpose of God.  We remember it was prophesied just three chapters earlier.  “The Lord has done accordingly as He spoke through me;  for the Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hand and given it to your neighbor, to David.  As you did not obey the Lord and did not execute His fierce wrath on Amalek, so the Lord has done this thing to you this day.  Moreover the Lord will also give over Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines, therefore tomorrow you and your sons will be with me.  Indeed the Lord will give over the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines!”  1 Samuel Chapter 28:17-19.

When we gain that confidence through Reformed Doctrine that the purpose of God will be established and that He will accomplish all of His good pleasure, then it is easier for us to not fret because of evildoers.  It is easier for us to trust in the Lord and do good.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 30.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Samuel+30&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire;  2 and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.  3 When David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.  4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.  5 Now David’s two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.  6 Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters.  But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring me the ephod.”  So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. 8 David inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I pursue this band?  Shall I overtake them?”  And He said to him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all.”

…

16 When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.  17 David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.  18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and rescued his two wives.  19 But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves;  David brought it all back.  20 So David had captured all the sheep and the cattle which the people drove ahead of the other livestock, and they said, “This is David’s spoil.”  1 Samuel Chapter 30:  Verses 1-8 and 16-20.

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It was bad enough that King Saul had been chasing David, trying to kill him for so long, forcing him to hide in caves in the wilderness and later live temporarily in the land of the Philistines, but now we read in today’s Scripture that “… the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag (David’s temporary hometown), and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire;  and they took captive the women (including David’s two wives) and all who were in it … ”  Verses 1-2.  And, the people were blaming David, trying to stone him.  Verse 6.

“But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”  Verse 6.

Some doctrine teaches that we strengthen ourselves by just using our alleged free-will to try harder.

But, Reformed Doctrine emphasizes that we strengthen ourselves in the LORD and that we do so by increasing in knowledge of God and His will and His calling and His work.  Consider the following two Scriptures.

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.  These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,”  Ephesians 1:18-20.

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;  strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;  joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”  Colossians 1:9-12.

Our enlightened eyes first see and recognize certain small and great things that assure us that God has not lost control.  

We go back to the immediately preceding chapter and see God’s hand in causing David to be dismissed from the Philistines so he could get back in time to pursue the Amalekites.

We meditate generally on God’s calling of His saints, and we remember the precious promises to those whom He called in Scripture such as Romans 8:28:  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

We notice in today’s Scripture that although there was this distress, God delivered them out of all their troubles:  “But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves;  David brought it all back.”  Verse 19.

We ponder “…   the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.  These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead …”  Ephesians 1:19-20.

We see the pattern overall of God’s work from “Unconditional Election” through “Preservation of the Saints” (and in between “Limited Atonement” and “Irresistible Grace”) all of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

And, this knowledge (of God and His will and His calling and His work) strengthens us.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel Chapter 29.

“1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek, while the Israelites were camping by the spring which is in Jezreel. 2 And the lords of the Philistines were proceeding on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were proceeding on in the rear with Achish.  3 Then the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?”  And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, who has been with me these days, or rather these years, and I have found no fault in him from the day he deserted to me to this day?”  4 But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him, and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Make the man go back, that he may return to his place where you have assigned him, and do not let him go down to battle with us, or in the battle he may become an adversary to us.  For with what could this man make himself acceptable to his lord?  Would it not be with the heads of these men?  5 Is this not David, of whom they sing in the dances, saying,

‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”

6 Then Achish called David and said to him, “As the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight;  for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day.  Nevertheless, you are not pleasing in the sight of the lords.  7 Now therefore return and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” 8 David said to Achish, “But what have I done? And what have you found in your servant from the day when I came before you to this day, that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”  9 But Achish replied to David, “I know that you are pleasing in my sight, like an angel of God;  nevertheless the commanders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us to the battle.’ 10 Now then arise early in the morning with the servants of your lord who have come with you, and as soon as you have arisen early in the morning and have light, depart.”  11 So David arose early, he and his men, to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines.  And the Philistines went up to Jezreel.”  1 Samuel Chapter 29.

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To Achish, David was pleasing in his sight, like “an angel of God”.  Verse 9.

But, to the Philistines, David was not pleasing in their sight, but like their “adversary”.  Verse 4.

“For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;  to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.  And who is adequate for these things?”  2 Corinthians 2:15-16.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own;  but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;  if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin;  but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.  But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’”  John 15:18-25.

To some, we are like “an angel of God”;  to others, we are like “an adversary”.  To some, we are like a fragrance of life;  to others, we are like a fragrance of death.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”    2 Corinthians 2:14.