ruler

Inhale275

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ruler

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2 Samuel 5:1,2

Then all the tribes of Israel

came to David at Hebron

and spoke,

saying,

“Indeed we [are] your bone

and your flesh.

 

“Also, in time past,

when Saul was king over us,

you were the one

who led Israel out

and brought them in;

and the LORD

said to you,

‘You shall shepherd

My people Israel,

and be ruler over Israel.’ ”

+

shepherd ra`ah…to pasture, tend, feed

ruler nagiyd…leader, ruler, captain, prince

+

 

These all come

and recognize David

to be not just one of them

but their own,

and

their own DNA!

+

In our presidential elections …

individually we choose

who best represents

our capacity to say …

Indeed we [are]

your bone and your flesh,

from an idealogical stance.

+

David had dealt harshly

with those who abused Saul,

Saul’s family

and

Saul’s leadership.

+

David has honored those

who were truly heroic

in defending Saul’s honor.

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All of Israel

has recognized

who David is

and

what David is

anointed to be.

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All of Israel

are now behind David

to be their king

and ruler,

just as

God intended him to be.

+

This word ruler is also leader,

captain and prince,

which was used twice before

regarding

David’s anointed positioning

as king.

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First,

Samuel was telling Saul

his kingdom was very limited

and

that he would be replaced by David …

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1Samuel 13:13,14

And Samuel said to Saul,

“You have done foolishly.

You have not kept

the commandment

of the LORD your God,

which He commanded you.

For now the LORD

would have established

your kingdom

over Israel

forever.

“But now

your kingdom

shall not continue.

The LORD has sought for Himself

a man after His own heart,

and

the LORD has commanded him

[to be] commander over His people,

because you have not kept

what the LORD commanded you.”

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commandernagiyd

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Second,

Abigail prevented David

from blighting his own future,

keeping him from

pridefully slaughtering many men,

by reminding David

that God had destined him

for much better

and

for far more …

+

 

1Samuel 25:28-31

“Please forgive

the trespass of your maidservant.

For the LORD

will certainly make for my lord

an enduring house,

because my lord

fights the battles of the LORD,

and evil is not found in you

throughout your days.

“Yet a man has risen

to pursue you

and seek your life,

but the life of my lord

shall be bound

in the bundle of the living

with the LORD your God;

and the lives of your enemies

He shall sling out,

[as from] the pocket of a sling.

“And it shall come to pass,

when the LORD

has done for my lord

according to all the good

that He has spoken concerning you,

and has appointed you

ruler over Israel,

“that this will be no grief to you,

nor offense of heart to my lord,

either that you have

shed blood without cause,

or that

my lord has avenged himself.

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ruler nagiyd

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Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

Hanging out by the pool

inhale274

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Hanging out by the pool

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2 Samuel 4:12

So David commanded his young men,

and they executed them,

cut off their hands and feet,

and hanged [them]

by the pool in Hebron.

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… David honors his oath to Saul.

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David is obviously

very displeased with any

who viewed Saul

as any other than

the LORD’s anointed.

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David is merciless to any who,

thinking their sinful deeds

toward Saul

or Saul’s remnants,

may please him

their new king.

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David’s response

may confound his supporters,

but causes all

to see things

the way David

see things.

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At the same time,

David’s actions

cause his detractors

to view him

more admirably.

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We as well

look at David’s harsh treatment

of these who claimed to kill Saul,

or have killed Saul’s people,

and it challenges our perceptions,

to honor those

who even appear to be

totally against us.

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Love your enemies

and pray for those

who spitefully

abuse you.

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Helps us to see

we have such a distance

to travel spiritually.

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All that may manifest

in our mind …

must be

brought under control

of the Holy Spirit.

+

All that we may

want to say

needs to be brought

under self control.

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All that we may

may desire to do

must be reigned in

so that our behavior

honors God.

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That we live our lives

in submission

and obedience

to the Holy Spirit

and become all

who God intends

us to be.

And to not

just be folks

who are only

hanging out

by the pool.

+

Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

Inhalewednesday

Inhalewednesday

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Stoked

to be in

2 Samuel 8

tonight.

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Come if you can.

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Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

honors his oath

inhale273

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honors his oath

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2 Samuel 4:12

So David commanded

his young men,

and they executed them,

cut off their hands and feet,

and hanged [them]

by the pool in Hebron.

 

But they took

the head of Ishbosheth

and buried[it]

in the tomb of Abner

in Hebron.

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Pretty gruesome death

for these guys

and then their corpses

displayed publicly.

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This was done

in order that others

have a graphic exhibit

of what not to do

or what not to be.

+

David had another reason

to respond this way

toward these men:

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1Samuel 24:14-22

After whom is the king of Israel come out?

after whom dost thou pursue?

after a dead dog, after a flea.

The LORD therefore be judge,

and judge between me and thee,

and see, and plead my cause,

and deliver me out of thine hand.

 

 

 

And it came to pass,

when David had made an end

of speaking these words unto Saul,

that Saul said,

[Is] this thy voice, my son David?

 

And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

 

And he said to David,

Thou [art] more righteous than I:

for thou hast rewarded me good,

whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

 

And thou hast shewed this day

how that thou hast dealt well with me:

forasmuch as when the LORD

had delivered me into thine hand,

thou killedst me not.

For if a man find his enemy,

will he let him go well away?

wherefore the LORD reward thee good

for that thou hast done unto me this day.

 

And now, behold,

I know well that thou shalt surely be king,

and that the kingdom of Israel

shall be established in thine hand.

 

Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD,

that thou wilt not cut off my seed after me,

and that thou wilt not destroy my name

out of my father’s house.

 

 

And David sware unto Saul.

 

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David honors

his oath to king Saul.

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David has not attempted

to find and kill

all of Saul’s house.

+

Customarily,

in situations like this in other nations,

to ensure that your new kingdom

was unchallenged,

the family of the previous king

was killed off.

+

Though Saul saw David

as his enemy,

David only viewed Saul

as the LORD’s anointed,

never as his enemy.

+

Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

righteous ?!

inhale272

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righteous ?!

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2 Samuel 4:9-11

But David answered

Rechab and Baanah his brother,

the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite,

and said to them,

“[As] the LORD lives,

who has redeemed my life

from all adversity,

“when someone told me,

saying,

‘Look, Saul is dead,’

thinking to have brought good news,

I arrested him

and had him executed in Ziklag–

the one who [thought]

I would give him a reward

for [his] news.

“How much more,

when wicked men

have killed a righteous person

in his own house

on his bed?

 

Therefore,

shall I not now

require his blood

at your hand

and remove you

from the earth?”

+

David calls Ishbosheth

righteous!

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We have not seen

any obvious reason

to say that Ishbosheth

is righteous.

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But as we

look in the mirror

we see who

doesn’t look

very righteous either,

yet God says

we are!

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David is not gracious

or merciful

toward these

wicked,

deceptive,

treasonist,

murderers.

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Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

 

 

inhalesunday

inhalesunday

 

Today,

is a

great time

and a

great day

to come

thank the LORD

with us at

Waters Edge.

 

His mercy

endures

forever.

 

Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

 

spiritualize their sin

Inhale271

+

spiritualize their sin

+

2 Samuel 4:5-8

Then the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite,

Rechab and Baanah,

set out and came

at about the heat of the day

to the house of Ishbosheth,

who was lying on his bed at noon.

 

And they came there,

all the way into the house,

[as though] to get wheat,

and they stabbed him in the stomach.

 

Then Rechab

and Baanah his brother

escaped.

 

For when they came into the house,

he was lying on his bed in his bedroom;

then they struck him

and killed him,

beheaded him

and took his head,

and were all night escaping

through the plain.

 

And they brought

the head of Ishbosheth

to David at Hebron,

and said to the king,

“Here is the head of Ishbosheth,

the son of Saul your enemy,

who sought your life;

and the LORD

has avenged my lord the king

this day

of Saul and his descendants.”

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It was customary

to allow the soldiers

a certain quantity of corn/wheat,

with other articles of provision,

together with some pay:

and as it was the custom also

to grind the corn,

as needed,

at the break of day,

these two captains very naturally

went the day before to the palace,

where the king’s stores

appear to have been kept,

to fetch wheat,

in order to distribute it

to the soldiers under them,

to be ground at the accustomed hour

in the morning.

 

The princes of the East, in those days,

as appears from the history of David,

reposed on their couches

till the cool of the evening:

 

they therefore came

in the heat of the day,

when they knew their master

would be resting on his bed;

and as it was a necessary

to have the corn before it was needed,

their coming at this time,

though it might be earlier than usual,

excited no suspicion.

TSK

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These two Benjaminites

kill Saul’s son,

their own countryman.

+

Killing off

who they perceive

as David’s enemy.

+

This seems to be an attempt,

as Benjaminites,

to win favor with king David.

+

So these two guys

spiritualize their sin,

as if it was the work of the LORD.

+

Nothing worse

than someone blaming God

for their ignorant

sinful behavior.

+

If David had wanted this

to happen to Ish,

he would have ordered it.

+

Even Abner had that part right,

when being pursued by David’s men

without authority.

+

Abner saw them less as enemies

and rather more as brothers,

to rightfully avoid

further bloodshed

between brothers.

+

Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

 

The GOSPEL NEVER CHANGES

inhale270

The GOSPEL

NEVER

CHANGES …

 

1. The GOSPEL

CHANGES

HEARTS and LIVES

of WHOEVER

BELIEVES in JESUS.

 

2. The GOSPEL

is FRESH WATER

for DRY, THIRSTY,

DYING SOULS.

 

3. YOU and I

are PRIVILEGED

to be WHO

get to REPRESENT GOD

telling the GOOD NEWS

to DRY SOULS,

DRAWING UP

for THEM

fromthe

WELLS of SALVATION,

so they can DRINK UP.

 

4. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE

the POWER of the GOSPEL.

 

NEVER DISCOUNT

the ABSOLUTE NEED

for EVERY SINNER

to KNOW

the MERCY

and FORGIVENESS

of GOD.

 

GOD’S MERCY

is ACCESSED THROUGH

BELIEVING the GOSPEL …

CONFESSING

and

REPENTING of SIN.

 

5.ONCE FORGIVEN,

NEVER EQUATE

who you NOW ARE

with your compilation of

past failures,

past wrongs,

and

past sins.

 

Your PAST is BEHIND YOU.

 

SEE YOURSELF

how GOD SEES YOU.

 

Even if no one else will

VIEW YOU AS INNOCENT,

know that GOD SAYS … YOU ARE INNOCENT

 

When ALL is FORGIVEN,

ALL is NEW …

NOW !

6. ALIGN YOUR DESIRES

with

HIS DESIRES.

 

Don’t LIMIT YOUR FUTURE

to or by

your PAST or PRESENT.

 

TRUST IN

and

DEPEND ON

our ALMIGHTY GOD,

 

ALL THE MORE.

 

HE IS LIMITLESS.

 

HE HAS ETERNAL RESOURCE.

 

HE is ALL ABLE

to accomplish

ALL HIS DESIRES.

 

7. The GOSPEL

NEVER

CHANGES

BUT The GOSPEL

ALWAYS

CHANGES

THE HEARTS

AND SOULS

OF WHOEVER WILL

BELIEVE GOD !

 

 

 

 

 

IF THE GOSPEL GIVES

SUCH GRACE

TO US

HOW CAN WE NOT

EXTEND SUCH GRACE

TO ONE ANOTHER.

SHARE

TRUTH

!

 

Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

happy thanks-giving

Happy Thanksgiving !!!

 

Happily giving thanks

to the Author

and Perfecter

of my faith…

 

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge

Lame is good …

Inhale269

+

Lame is good …

+

2 Samuel 4:4

Jonathan, Saul’s son,

had a son

[who was] lame

in [his] feet.

+

lame nakeh…stricken, smitten

+

As a side note,

this is the first of 3 verses

where this word Nakeh is found.

+

The second time

is in regard to this same young man,

later in 2 samuel 9.

+

The last time is in Isaiah 66 …

the LORD is speaking …

of what He regards

as His true temple,

where He abides on earth.

+

Isaiah 66:1,2

Thus says the LORD:

“Heaven [is] My throne,

And earth [is] My footstool.

 

Where [is] the house

that you will build Me?

 

And where [is] the place of My rest?

 

For all those [things]

My hand has made,

And all those [things] exist,”

 

Says the LORD.

 

“But on this [one] will I look:

On [him who is] poor

and of a contrite spirit,

And who trembles at My word.

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poor `aniy…poor, afflicted, humble, wretched

contrite nakeh

trembles chared…trembling, fearful, afraid, revere

+

Especially amazing to me

when we have churches

less like God’s people

and more like crosstown rivals

in competition for souls,

($),

air-time,

respect,

visibility,

notoriety,

validity.

+

Attendance numbers

and inflow of money

wrongly

validate or invalidate

the workings of God.

+

God validates the invalid!

+

According to Isaiah 66,

the LORD values

and inhabits

what we socially,

culturally,

and personally,

typically ignore.

+

A contrite spirit

is a broken, invalid,

disabled, lamed

spirit.

+

This is who God wants to inhabit.

+

Those who …

tremble at My word,

revere His word.

+

Are you revering His Word?

Hearing is not enough.

Hearing His Word,

responding to His Word

then obeying and doing His Word

is revering His Word.

+

Faith in Him

increases in us

as we revere His word…

+

Psalm 34:18

The LORD [is] nigh unto them

that are of a broken heart;

and saveth such

as be of a contrite spirit.

+

Psalm 51:17

The sacrifices of God

[are] a broken spirit:

a broken

and a contrite heart,

O God,

thou wilt not despise.

+

Psalm 69:29-33

But I [am] poor and sorrowful:

let thy salvation,

O God,

set me up on high.

I will praise the name of God with a song,

and

will magnify him with thanksgiving.

 

[This] also shall please the LORD

better than an ox [or] bullock

that hath horns and hoofs.

 

The humble shall see [this, and] be glad:

and

your heart shall live

that seek God.

 

For the LORD heareth the poor,

and

despiseth not his prisoners.

+

 

Lame is good !

+

Love in Christ,

Pastor Tom

Waters Edge