1 Chronicles 17:1-2, 25

“Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains. Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee. . . . For Thou, O my God, hast told Thy servant that Thou wilt build him an house: therefore Thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before Thee”

King David had thought of a project he was sure would delight the heart of God, and one that would be the crowning achievement of his reign: to build for Jehovah the most glorious temple ever erected by man.

The immediate encouragement Prophet Nathan gave him must have considerably strengthened his resolve. The one called “a man after God’s own heart” was sure that he had been given a green light to undertake this magnificent project.

So he must have really been stunned when the prophet returned a little while later with the shattering news . . . God had nixed his plan!

However, the Lord’s message was not altogether negative, for it came wrapped in grace. Along with the disappointing notice, Nathan also delivered a promise. This promise set the king to thinking, and soon the sting of disappointment vanished.

God was exchanging David’s plan for one incredibly better. Instead of him building a dwelling place for God, the Lord was going to prepare one for him!

This divinely constructed house would not be of marble or timber. David already lived comfortably in a mansion. No, what God intended to build was considerably grander than any mere physical structure could be. In fact, it had three amazing elements. It consisted of a line of royal sons, a glorious name that would never die (David is still a household word today), and an eternal place with God in heaven.

Notice especially the last phrase. Does it not ring a New Testament bell? Remember the words spoken to a group of bewildered disciples? “In my Father’s house are many mansions . . . I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)

Apparently, the meaning suddenly dawned on David! God was not speaking in merely earthly terms of time and space. He was talking on an eternal level, of matters that transcended this tiny globe and speck of history. That is why David responded as he did–in astonishment, praise, and worship!

Are we not like the former shepherd boy–poor, weak, sinful, and essentially worthless to an infinitely mighty and holy God? Is it not utterly impossible for any project within reach of our resources to WOW the LORD?

But our God is the same as David’s!

His character in the Old Testament was one of mercy and grace, and this promise to David was just one of many examples. In the New Testament this teaching is intensified and directed to us personally through the life and words of His Son Jesus.

Somehow it is true. No matter what I am able to do for Him in this life, the breathtaking truth is that He is actually building a place especially for me!

As it dawned on David, it should dawn on us too.

Dear Father, my greatest efforts for You are mere sand castles compared to the inheritance You are preparing for me. My only sensible response is to simply offer to You the sacrifice of humble praise and joyful worship. It is very little, yet it is the deepest and most meaningful gift I can give. Amen.

This outline is taken from a series of messages on the book of Daniel, preached by Dr. Charles Surrett.

• Recognize that God has arranged the situation and has both placed you and allowed you to be in a pagan society. (1:1-2)

God is in control, and He sets up and removes kings. Don’t kick and scream against the society in which you live. He has a purpose for you being here.

• Admit that you do not deserve better circumstances. (9:4-15)

We are always better off than we deserve. Were it not for His mercies, we would be consumed.

• Learn to discern what you can do and what you should avoid. (1:3-5)

What can/should you as a Christian avoid in this culture? Daniel and his friends were taught the learning and the language of foreigners. They received government education and government food. He did not refuse to learn the language and culture. He refused only the meat and wine, and that was for a religious principle. He was not belligerent or arrogant. He was discerning. You must live by principle. (I Cor. 10:31)

• Determine to remain personally pure. (1:8)

You must have this purpose or you will be defiled and impure by default. There must be a clear determination to be pure. Purity gives value to anything. Impurity devalues anything.

Eventually we as believers will be pure, without spot or wrinkle; yet in the present day we must strive for purity. Make your determination to purity when you are not under the influence of emotional feelings and desires.  Purity is possible, but it takes determination.

• Trust God to give you whatever help you need. (1:9)

God arranged it so that Daniel could receive favor in the eyes of his superiors, without going against his principles. God has a way for you to do things right. When called to take a stand, you must trust God to arrange the circumstances.

• Do not be defiant in spirit, but never compromise in actions. (1:12-14; 3:16-18)

Be determined. Take a stand. But, do it in the right way. Daniel respectfully made his request. Shadrach, Meshak, and Abednego were polite when speaking to the king.

• Try to establish an excellent testimony. (1:19-20; 6:4-5)

Unbelievers may not appreciate the stand you take, but they ought to know you have a good testimony.

• Depend on prayer to get you through the trials. (2:17-18)

Daniel had the kind of friends who would pray.

• Give God the glory for your victories. (2:19-23, 28, 30)

Don’t claim victory for self. Be humble. Point others to God. He does not give victory because you are someone special. We are here for the glory of God.

• Accept the fact that in this world you will have enemies. This should not take you by surprise. (3:8-12)

Your presence will or should put them under conviction. They may be jealous. Don’t let this get to your head. They hate your God. Don’t develop a martyr’s complex. If you represent God, His enemies will be your enemies. Love them. Do good to them.

If you are a friend of the world, God will be your enemy. Either way you will have an enemy.  It’s far better to be on God’s side with the world as your enemy.

• Remember that God is able to deliver from persecution and oppression. (3:18)

Have the attitude of Christ, “Not my will, but thine be done.”  The leper cried, “Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”  You must recognize God’s ability, but also yield to His will.

• Recognize that God may not choose to deliver. (3:18)

As Job said, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him.” The psalmist wrote, “As for God, his way is perfect.” You must still be true to God, even if He chooses not to deliver you.

• Do not make moral decisions on the basis of convenience. (3:18)

This is what makes people become compromisers. If it is the right stand to take, then take it regardless of the outcome. God can give you another job or new friends. Don’t try to bargain with Him that you will do right if ____ happens. It sometimes hurts to do right, but it always hurts more to do wrong.

• Live so wisely that unbelievers can see the difference. (4:18; 5:11-12)

They may not appreciate or agree with you, but thy should see a difference and see that you can be victorious regardless of what happens to you. The best testimony you have is how you deal with difficulty. (I Thes. 4:13)

• Speak the truth uncompromisingly, but not unkindly or arrogantly. (4:24-27; 5:22-23) 

• When secondary authorities command you to disobey God, you must disobey the secondary authority.  (6:7-10)

They exist so that you will obey God. He established the system. Obey – in the Lord. You must not disobey God in order to obey secondary authorities. When you must disobey a secondary authority, do so respectfully.

• Do not fear the consequences of obeying God. (6:10)

Instead, fear the consequences of disobeying Him. It is your choice whether God will bless or chastise you. He is not a respecter of persons and does not play favorites.

• Depend upon the coming Lord to eventually make all wrongs right. (7:21-27)

He is coming. You may not see things made right in your lifetime. The martyrs died, not seeing the fulfillment of the promises, but God is still faithful. In His time and way, He will take care of it. Remember that He is merciful and gives time and space to repent.

(Matthew 5:20-48)

The Pharisees were always concerned about the external! They made sure they were dressed in the finest of clothes to make themselves look good. They were always interested in exposing the sins of others to make themselves look good. They were always concerned about the toothpick in someone else’s eye instead of the telephone pole in their own. Likewise, they loved to use the Old Testament law to point out the sins they caught other people in, while ignoring the sins of their own hearts. Jesus instructed His disciples in what we call the Sermon on the Mount. He used the phrase “But I say unto you” seven times when He pointed out what the disciples had heard from the religious establishment of the day. It is more important to hear what Jesus says than any other person or group.

Jesus first said to His disciples they must be more genuine than the Pharisees to be His followers and to enter heaven. Jesus then said, “Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause. . .” is in danger of the same judgment as a murderer. Thou shalt not kill is not only a commandment, but can also be an attitude against someone. Murder is precipitated by anger. Jesus said to His disciples to control their attitude about others. Not only is the act of adultery a sin, but Jesus said to His disciples if you look at a woman and lust after her you have committed adultery in your heart. Jesus then dealt with the ungodly manner the Jewish men handled divorce, by treating a woman like a piece of property and putting her away for any petty reason. Jesus said to His disciples the only reason anyone should consider divorce was for sexual sin. The Pharisees and scribes had invented all sorts of oaths from major to minor situations. Jesus said to His disciples, “Swear not at all.” Everyone has heard, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” but Jesus said, “. . .whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” His disciples no doubt had heard  the saying, “love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” What Jesus has said is more important than anything we have heard anyone else say. Jesus was more concerned with the heart issues. The breaking of any commandment comes from a problem of disobedience in the heart whether it is anger, adultery, divorce, swearing, vengeance, or hatred. Jesus taught His disciples and us that the real problem is not what we see outwardly, but what is taking place in the heart.

As we minister to others, let’s remember what Jesus said to His disciples. The outward actions are all that religious hypocritical people see. If you really want to minister to people as you serve God, examine your own heart. Only then will you be truly aware of the needs in the hearts of others. Greatness in heaven is not determined by the outward appearance of obeying God’s commandments, but the inward heart attitude of genuine love for God and people.

—Tim Daniel

“Give me this mountain.” (Joshua 14:12)

Forty-five years before, Caleb had seen a mountain. He and eleven other men had spent forty days in a secret hike through what was then enemy territory. On the trek they had spied on the Amalekites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites. But what most caught Caleb’s eyes was a mountain where the gigantic sons of Anak lived in fortified cities.

The leader of the reconnaissance party had been Caleb’s friend Joshua. Together they had felt the assurance of the Lord surge in their hearts as they quietly looked upon the doomed enemies. Their souls were alive with the optimism and certainty of a victory guaranteed by their almighty God.

I think Caleb mentioned his particular interest to his partner. Maybe the two of them clasped hands on the idea, prayed together, and praised the Lord for His goodness.

But to their dismay the attitude of their ten friends began to sour. Day after day the tone of conversation became more despondent. What had started out as an exciting adventure was turning into a terrifying nightmare. The overwhelming number of their opponents had chipped away the surface faith of the other men and exposed their unbelief.

All this had happened nearly a half a century before. Now, five years into the Promised Land conquest, Caleb once again set his eyes on the mountain he and Joshua had sighted. The promise God had made to the faithful young spy was alive and healthy in the now old fighter’s mind. Although he had had to wait for an entire generation of Israelites to die off, the Lord had preserved his strength and brought him to this moment. The time was ripe for the fulfillment of his dream.

So Caleb stepped forward to claim his mountain prize.

It should not surprise us that Joshua had not forgotten it, nor had God.

It is never fun to watch youthful dreams fade into mist, but the Bible is full of examples of just that. Abraham waited decades for the promised son. Joseph spent years wondering how on earth the bowing sheaves and stars could possibly become a reality. For forty years the shepherd Moses silently grieved over a mission that appeared lost forever.

Using our own mistakes or those of others, God will often weave into our life’s work lengthy seasons of waiting. Do not give in to disheartening thoughts of weakness, age, or liabilities. Stay ready and expectant, and definitely don’t rush matters your own way. Abraham and Moses tried that and both regretted it deeply. When the time is right for us to claim the mountain God has promised us, the wisdom and strength will be there.

Dear Father, it is in me to always want answers right away. I feel like ignorance is necessarily bad, and that if I can’t understand everything around me, I am missing something I deserve. Teach me to relax and trust when dreams seem to fade into the distance. Knowing You is my highest priority and Your will, in Your good time, is all I want. Amen.

—Andy Bonikowsky

(Genesis 1:3 & Matthew 9:9)

“And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. . . .

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.“

The first to obey God’s voice in the Bible was light…or was it nothing? The actual facts are that God spoke to nothing and told light to exist. Nothing responded, so to speak, and there was light.

Sure, that sounds sort of odd, but by focusing on the creation this way, we are reminded of a very important Biblical truth. God is the One who both speaks and empowers. He is the ultimate reason for every good thing that is ever created or happens. When the Lord spoke to the deaf and dumb void, reality sprung into being.

The process continued after light was created, when the firmament and water appeared, and then dry land showed itself. Next the Lord spoke and all herbs and trees snapped into sight. Then again came the creating Word, and the sun, moon, and stars turned on.

Next in line to respond in obedience to the Maker’s voice were the birds and sea animals, followed by every other living creature on earth. Finally, the culminating moment arrived, though in a curious twist of the pattern, Jehovah did not speak to nothing this time. He picked up some already made dust, personally formed it into a man, and made woman from him.

The entire sequence of creation came about in a chain of perfect obedience to the Words of God.

And how could it be otherwise?

All of this was beautiful and glorious and right. The Creator and His creation communicated in perfect harmony. His speech produced instant fruit.

Part of the mystery and marvel of it all was in the amazing Word that came from God. The sound was directed towards the powerless blank space, which by itself could do nothing. But with the Word came the very power needed for obedience. Ultimately it was all from God!

This perfect formula hasn’t changed over the centuries. The process of faith happens when impotent man hears the Word, and embraces it, knowing that with it comes the power to obey.

He who has ears to hear will pay attention to the Word of God. He will not pretend to have any special ability in himself but will expect to receive it from the very Word he hears. After all, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

The Word that was in the beginning, that was with God, and was God, continues to speak through the Scriptures. He calls out to man with words that cannot be misunderstood . . . only disobeyed.

“Follow me.”

How tragic that as far back as Eden man has used his God-given power of choice, to go against the example of light and firmament and tree and sun. The very quality that is our unique crown is turned into a deadly noose.

Today, the same challenge stands. I am not forced to respond correctly, like nature around me. Rather, it is my privilege to obey willingly, with thankfulness, with praise, with awe.

Dear Father, I look to You and want to obey. Help me remember that even as I read Your Word and hear Your voice, You are offering the power to say, “Yes, Lord.” and act. Amen.

—Andy Bonikowsky

(Job 1:10; 3:23)

“Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” (Hebrews 13:12-14)

Various cities in the Middle East fuss over which is the most ancient. Among the contenders are cities like Jerusalem, Byblos, Jericho, and Damascus. The debate often spars over definitions, involving the claims of uninterrupted habitation, the presence of the oldest ruins, and so forth. Some argue with archeology while others dig up their evidence from the writings of age-old historians.

The writer of Hebrews would not have taken sides in this squabble. He had his sights much higher than any earthly city. He had read the Biblical record of city builders like Nimrod, Pharoah, and Nebuchadnezzar. He was not ignorant of the glories of Niniveh, Pithom, and Babylon. But he was not too impressed with their splendor and power.

All of that dazzle was now sealed and useless in the coffins of history. Yes, they had risen, and they had shined. But their glory had forever fizzled out.

It was a different class of man and city that caught the author’s eye. These were Old Testament heroes who had shown a distinct aversion to sinking their roots into earthly soil. In one way or another, many of them forfeited temporary homes in favor of deeds to heavenly mansions.

Enoch simply walked away and disappeared.

Noah built a boat and said goodbye to every place he had ever known.

Abraham turned his back on Ur of the Chaldees and headed for the Promised Land, only to keep on living in tents when he arrived.

Moses had grown up in the luxurious palaces of the Nile, yet he voluntarily chose to leave that all behind and take off for the desert with a multitude of complainers. Why? He had discovered that the reward for bearing Christ’s reproach was worth infinitely more than all the treasures of Egypt.

Even Rahab the harlot came to set her priorities by this rule. With no hesitation that we know of she exchanged her house on the wall for the fantastic, but unknown, inheritance with the children of God.

Yet all of these examples were mere shadows of the Perfect One who would descend into the manger at Bethlehem. This Man ministered for three intense years with less of a home than foxes or birds. At the end of His ministry He walked right into the heart of Israel’s most important city to be cruelly beaten and shamed . . . but not to die.

He would not even die inside an earthly city.

The anonymous writer of the epistle wants to emphasize his point. Those who name the Name of Christ do not seek permanent residence on earth. They don’t expect to or want to continue here.

So, what do I look for? Are my eyes focused on the stuff of this world? Do I quietly yearn for the stability of the visible, tangible things of this earth? Do I get antsy if others have more, or better, or prettier?

Then maybe I am still seeking a city down here.

Dear Father, open my eyes to see your city. Tune my ears to hear its music and prepare my heart to worship its Builder.

—Andy Bonikowsky