2 Samuel 23; Psalm 119; John 3

 June 22: We’d all like to be admired, and thought to be a better person than we are. But what is most important? That God gave us promises we can claim; we can only claim them if we hear His voice and look deep down inside ourselves and admit, yes, I’ve been a sheep that has gone astray; that describes me. And then, in faith, seek His certain promises for that. This becomes a sure and certain hope, an anchor for the soul, (Hebrews 6:19), a foundation for one’s life, (Matthew 7:24), that God loved the world so much, including me, that He sent His only begotten Son to be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness, so that whoever believes on Him will not perish but have everlasting life. 


2 Samuel 23: Who wrote these last words of David? Was it Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud? (2 Samuel 20:24) There’s a great deal of awe aroused at the recounting of the exploits of the heroes who walked with David; but what is in the first person? What did David want to be remembered for?
  1. The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and His Word was in my tongue 
  2. He spoke to me: “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God."
  3. My own house was not so
  4. Nevertheless, God made an everlasting covenant with me: it is my salvation and all my desire. It cannot be taken away.
With all his fame and accomplishments, what David wanted to be remembered for was that God had spoken through him. That God had spoken to him, and promised him a sure salvation.

Psalm 119:1-16: How earnestly I wish I could have been a better man: a better son, husband and father. To have truly reflected the words of this Psalm and to not have wandered from God's commandments. Yet, do the commandments not include the remedy for wandering? “All we, like sheep, have gone astray…” (Isaiah 53:6) yet, “thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4) I will continue to hide His Word in my heart that I may not sin against Him, to cleanse my way by application of His Word, to rejoice in it, meditate on it, delight myself in it and make it my foundation for living.

John 3: What is the turning point for Nicodemus? He confesses he knows Jesus is a teacher come from God. (He actually confesses that “we” know - does he mean the whole Sanhedrin? If so, do they fit the qualification of Hebrews 10:26? Drawing back unto perdition rather than believing to the saving of the soul? Hebrews 10:39) We find out later in John’s Gospel that Nicodemus does come to believe, and the turning point for him is named as this encounter, John 19:39, but as Jesus delves into his heart, He is warning that he can’t enter the Kingdom of God without being born again, (3:3) then plainly, “ye receive not our witness.” (John 3:11) The pronoun is plural: Jesus’ warning is that, although they may know He’s a teacher come from God, they are rejecting what He has to say, despite the confirming signs. Jesus then begins to transition to plain speech, about His heavenly nature, His omnipresence and His upcoming crucifixion. Did that accusation cut Nicodemus to the heart and cause him to repent? Believing on Him as a way of coming to the light is the invitation Jesus issues, and Nicodemus obviously receives Him.

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