Being Shaped by God

1 Kings 6:7---And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Imagine the precision that had to be used to have the stones perfectly fit when they arrived at the temple site! Three-dimensional exactness had to be obtained at the quarry, for no pounding of any iron tool was to be heard at the site. Each block was custom made for an exact location to fit with the blocks beside and below. Peter refers to believers as living stones. What kind of parallel can we see here? Jesus is the real builder of the temple of God, as the author of Hebrews declared. He must shape us to perfectly fit the place God has for us and that includes fitting in with those around us. Each of us has a calling and a place in the temple. But what does this noiseless activity represent? The pounding and shaping, the noisy activity, should go on outside the temple site. When we gather to worship is not the time to hash out our differences. There we quietly behold His glory or sing His praises. There, our focus is not on our fit with the stone next to us but the wonder of our Savior. O come let us adore Him. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. The hammering and shaping should go on in the quarry. One on one with the Lord, we should allow ourselves to be shaped. The places in our life that do not fit with the other living stones must be chiseled away. That noisy and often painful activity goes on in the quarry with Jesus so that we do not disturb the focus of others as we gather to worship corporately. Are you letting Him remove from you the protrusions in your life that keep you from fitting perfectly with the rest of the building?

Being Shaped by God

1 Kings 6:7---And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Imagine the precision that had to be used to have the stones perfectly fit when they arrived at the temple site! Three-dimensional exactness had to be obtained at the quarry, for no pounding of any iron tool was to be heard at the site. Each block was custom made for an exact location to fit with the blocks beside and below. Peter refers to believers as living stones. What kind of parallel can we see here? Jesus is the real builder of the temple of God, as the author of Hebrews declared. He must shape us to perfectly fit the place God has for us and that includes fitting in with those around us. Each of us has a calling and a place in the temple. But what does this noiseless activity represent? The pounding and shaping, the noisy activity, should go on outside the temple site. When we gather to worship is not the time to hash out our differences. There we quietly behold His glory or sing His praises. There, our focus is not on our fit with the stone next to us but the wonder of our Savior. O come let us adore Him. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. The hammering and shaping should go on in the quarry. One on one with the Lord, we should allow ourselves to be shaped. The places in our life that do not fit with the other living stones must be chiseled away. That noisy and often painful activity goes on in the quarry with Jesus so that we do not disturb the focus of others as we gather to worship corporately. Are you letting Him remove from you the protrusions in your life that keep you from fitting perfectly with the rest of the building?

Being Shaped by God

1 Kings 6:7---And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

Imagine the precision that had to be used to have the stones perfectly fit when they arrived at the temple site! Three-dimensional exactness had to be obtained at the quarry, for no pounding of any iron tool was to be heard at the site. Each block was custom made for an exact location to fit with the blocks beside and below. Peter refers to believers as living stones. What kind of parallel can we see here? Jesus is the real builder of the temple of God, as the author of Hebrews declared. He must shape us to perfectly fit the place God has for us and that includes fitting in with those around us. Each of us has a calling and a place in the temple. But what does this noiseless activity represent? The pounding and shaping, the noisy activity, should go on outside the temple site. When we gather to worship is not the time to hash out our differences. There we quietly behold His glory or sing His praises. There, our focus is not on our fit with the stone next to us but the wonder of our Savior. O come let us adore Him. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. The hammering and shaping should go on in the quarry. One on one with the Lord, we should allow ourselves to be shaped. The places in our life that do not fit with the other living stones must be chiseled away. That noisy and often painful activity goes on in the quarry with Jesus so that we do not disturb the focus of others as we gather to worship corporately. Are you letting Him remove from you the protrusions in your life that keep you from fitting perfectly with the rest of the building?

Consider What You Would Ask God For

1 Kings 3:5,9—So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

Solomon began his reign with a heart seeking God. After offering 1000 sacrifices upon the high place of Gibeon, the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream promising him whatever he would ask. Of all the things Solomon could have desired, he asked for a discerning heart, wisdom to rule God’s people. He recognized his need for discernment. This pleased the heart of God. He was then told that he would also receive the things a man would normally ask for, riches, long life, and the death of his enemies. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Isn’t seeking the kingdom seeking the good of the people in it? Solomon was thinking of others and not himself. It is sad that his heart did not remain in this condition, but at the time it was genuine. We have here both the good example of seeking the best for the people of God, and the warning to be careful that we do not turn our attention to pleasing ourselves. If you will seek the good of others, God will see that you are taken care of, and you will be laying up treasures in heaven.

Meditate On All That God Is To You

2 Samuel 22:2-4---And he said, The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.

After David was delivered from the hand of Saul and all the enemies of Israel, he sang this song. He gave all the credit to God for his victories. He recognized that it was all the grace and presence of the LORD in his life. He sang of what the Lord meant to him. Have you ever looked back over all that you have been through and given God praise for His goodness? If you do, you will probably find many of the same things David saw. You might not express it the same, but you will find the same wonderful working in your life. A rock, hasn't God been the one unshakable thing amidst all the changes in your life? A fortress, hasn't He been the one place you could run for safety in the storms of life? My Deliverer, not only has He delivered each of us from some impossible situations, but most of all from the chains of sin. The strength of my salvation, Your salvation is secure, because it was earned by the Mighty One who paid the price owed in full. A stronghold, a refuge, the One to Whom we run whenever we are overwhelmed or lacking in strength. My Savior! He is our Superman and much more. He saved us from an evil worse than any super-villain and has wonderful plans for us. Yes! He is worthy of praise. He has saved you. He is saving you. He will save you. What a mighty God we serve.

Lessons Can Be Learned Through Trials if We Seek Him (Jesus)

2 Samuel 21:1---Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered It is for Saul, and for his bloody house because he slew the Gibeonites.

When the weather conditions were severe so that they suffered a lack of food, David sought the face of the LORD. He did not think it was just cycles. He did not consider it coincidence or natural phenomenon. He looked to God for the reason behind this "natural" problem. When we seek, we will find. God spoke to David. We do not know how. It may have been audible, or it may have been in his heart. It could have been through one of the prophets. The answer was that the land was experiencing the judgment of God for something that had happened years earlier. Saul had violated the ancient covenant that Joshua made with the Gibeonites. Pretending they had come from a far-off country, they had tricked Israel into a peace treaty. Nevertheless, the covenant was made. Saul made war on them, breaking this ancient treaty. There are times in life when we face the consequences of another's actions. It is not always clear why there are problems, but it could be God balancing the books. If we seek the face of the LORD, He may show us some way to rectify the imbalance so that God can justly bless the land again with rain. Often it will be something in our own life. It may be an apology that needs to be made or forgiveness that needs to be granted.

The Words That Jesus Speaks To Us Are Spirit And Life

John 4:48-50---Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe. The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

Some folks are desperate for signs and wonders. "Show me and I'll believe," they say. A miraculous sign may help convince the seeking but cautious heart, but it will add to the condemnation of the hard-hearted who are looking for excuses. Jesus said, "They have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father" (John 15:24). Many will believe and yet not confess, because they love their lives just as they are (John 12:42-43). The royal official may have had some doubts, but he was desperate for Jesus to save his child. He did not let the rebuke deter him. There was nowhere else in which he placed any hope. Jesus spoke the word, and it was done. Remember that whatever your situation, Jesus need only speak the word and it is done. If He doesn't, there is a reason. The solution to every problem is a word from the lips of Jesus, but He will not speak it when He has better things in store for you. The man took Jesus at His word. What great faith! What an example for us today! Like the Centurion whose servant was sick, this official knew a word from the lips of Jesus was enough. And yet, when he arrived at his home and found his child well, he asked what hour his healing took place. When he found it was the moment Jesus spoke, he and his entire household believed. The miracle convinced his seeking heart. Are you taking Jesus at His word, both His written and spoken word? When He speaks to your heart, do you count it done? When you see the miracle, are you and your household convinced?

Follow The True King, Even When It Is Difficult

2 Samuel 16:1-2---And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine. And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses are for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

Remember Ziba? He was Saul's servant. David appointed him and his family to be servants of Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth. After all the kindness and mercy that David showed Mephibosheth, he turned on him, hoping to inherit Saul's throne. Ziba was loyal to David. David's young children and wives needed animals to ride so that they could keep up. Ziba provided them and food to nourish them all on the journey. What David could not prepare on the short notice with his sudden flight, God provided from an unlikely source. We can know that when we are in the middle of calamity, God will provide. It seemed unjust that Ziba and family had been freed when Saul died and then turned back into the servants of Saul's family. Nevertheless, they humbly submitted. Now they are free again. All Israel was choosing sides. Will you side with the Usurper or with the true King? The Usurper promises position and power, but he cannot deliver. You will find real freedom with hardship if you follow the true King. Your service will be rewarded for He is just and genuinely appreciative.

Worshipping In Spirit And Truth

John 4:22-24---Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Jesus did not give in to the prejudice of His culture, but neither did He deny the error in the Samaritan belief system. Their version of the Laws of Moses was corrupted. They had formed a counterfeit belief system that did not lead to salvation, that is, to the Messiah. The tendency today is to praise the lack of prejudice but condemn Jesus' judgment on woman's religious beliefs. Jesus was leading her to the truth, not some universal acceptance of all belief systems. The issue was not about which mountain was the appropriate God-pleasing mountain to worship on, but about the heart. The true worshippers are more concerned about the condition of their spirit not ritual. They are more concerned about truth than cultural acceptance. What good is worship if the heart is fixed on the wrong thing or if the substance of belief is untrue? The Father is not looking for the correct procedure but for those worshipping in spirit and truth. With that expression, He bridged their cultural differences and found the common ground of a heart seeking God. Then He told her a most amazing thing. God is looking for that kind of worshipper. We don't have to go groping around after God. We just need to worship in spirit and truth and He will find us. He is a spirit. He is not some physical object. You don't need to worship before or in some special setting, but you do need to worship Him in spirit. He is the truth. There is nothing false in Him. That is why the two requirements for worship are that you worship in spirit and truth. You must be honest about your condition. Nothing is hidden from Him. You can't present one aspect when your heart is hiding something contrary. He sees right through us.

Our Life Must Flow From A Sincere Heart

2 Samuel 15:19-21---Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.

Absalom returned his father David's mercy with a coup. David got wind of the revolt and fled with those who were loyal to him. David knew it would be tough, so in the generosity of his spirit, he told the foreigner, Ittai, to stay. Ittai had only recently come to Jerusalem as an exile from his own land. Instead of taking the easy way out, Ittai chose the tough road with David. Ittai's response shows that David's good spirit must have won his heart. Ittai was probably exiled because of his political savy and not going along with those who led his own country. He could see David was an honest and sincere king. He chose to stay by David's side regardless of the cost. It doesn't take long to develop strong friendships if you are a genuinely loving person. The world is looking for sincere people who will be honest, people that will risk their position to be kind. This is how we influence people with the Gospel. They see our sincerity, align themselves with us, and we get to tell them why we live like we do. In time, our God becomes their choice.

Stop Sin Before It Moves From Thoughts To Actions!

2 Samuel 13:13-15---And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

One of David's sons, Amnon, was lustfully desirous of his half-sister, Tamar. His friend helped him hatch a plot to be alone with her. While he pretended to be sick, he asked for Tamar to come prepare a meal and feed him. Once she brought the food to his bed he showed what he was really after. Tamar responded wisely with verse 13. If he would act honorably, she would have married him. She asked him the question we should ask ourselves when faced with lust of any kind. What about the persons affected? What will be the consequences in their lives? What about ourselves? What will be the full consequences in our own life if we give in to that desire? They had seen their father make this mistake with Bathsheba and saw the consequences. Now Amnon needed to face the truth of what might happen if he went through with his plan, but he would not consider it. He had already determined what he would do. After raping her, he despised her. The carnal desires will paint a picture of fulfillment that is never even close to reality. Tamar's honorable questions showed how wicked his heart truly was. He wanted to be as far away from the truth as he could get. The end of the matter will be death and hatred within the family.

Guard Your Heart!

2 Samuel 12:10---Now, therefore, the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

After David had Uriah killed and married Bathsheba, God sent the prophet Nathan to David. He told him the story of a man who had one little lamb that was his only and dearest possession. A wealthy man of the city came and took the lamb from him to feed to his guest. David said that wealthy man deserved death. Nathan's response must have stunned David, "You are the man!" David thought he had gotten away with his sin, but God loved David too much to let it go. The real crime in sin is despising God. David knew God had blessed him and that all he had was a gift from God. Every victory was because of God. Every blessing was the grace of God. He already had at least three wives, but he despised the goodness of God and took what was not his to take. That is the root of all sin, a despising of God and His goodness, demanding what we want though it is not ours to take. This is the height of ingratitude. If God was a man who was that generous and good and you abused his trust, he would probably end the relationship. Thank God for being more gracious and forgiving than men! David repented. He would now have to face the consequences. The cycle of sin would affect generations to come. The unguarded, rebellious moment would cause untold pain and suffering in David's life and in the life of his descendants. Sin is never a little thing. One seed sown reaps a harvest of trouble.

Stop The Cycle Before It Gets Uglier

2 Samuel 11:13-15---And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even, he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house. And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

The chain of sin that began when David stayed home instead of going into battle was carried even further. David wanted to cover up his adultery by having the husband of Bathsheba sleep with her. Then he would think her child was his own. The faithful Uriah would not sleep with his wife when his fellow soldiers and the ark of God were in tents in the battlefield. David tried harder. He got him drunk, but still Uriah was faithful. Then he sent a letter along with him that gave a plan for his murder by not defending him in battle. If David couldn't cover his sin, he would have Bathsheba's husband killed and take her for his wife. King David thinks no one but Joab will ever know. God knows! David thought the letter would remain a secret. But now the world has read the substance of his letter. When we plot a sin to cover sin and think that our cunning will keep anyone from knowing, we are only deceiving ourselves. Be sure your sin will find you out. When Bathsheba gave birth, the nation knew and the death of Uriah would be seen as more than a coincidence. In an effort to save his reputation, David lost even more respect in the eyes of his nation. Our sin always costs more than we planned to pay and takes us further than we planned to go.

Paying The Price

2 Samuel 11:2-4a---One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her.

In the spring, the kings would go out to war on the enemies of their nations. Instead of going out with his army, David sent his general, Joab. David remained in Jerusalem. It has been said that an idle mind is the Devil's workshop. It sounds like David was sleeping in and rose to do a little peeping on his neighbors from his roof. He saw a beautiful woman bathing. Instead of turning his gaze, as would have been appropriate, he continued to look. His mind dwelt on her beauty, and he took the next step to ask who she is. The answer from his servant should have been a wake-up call, but then he took the next step and had her summoned to his presence. We can see the string of sins, each leading to a greater one. In the season before, God had given David a great victory over his enemies. Joab was leading the forces against an old enemy, the Ammonites. Why had David decided to stay behind? He was not an old man. Was his vacation from the war a purposeful choice to indulge himself in some way? From the looking to the contemplation, to the asking, to the invitation, David was sliding down a slippery slope. The fall of many a man of God has the same sad story. One sin leads to another. If at any time in your life you decide to stop fighting the enemy to indulge yourself, it won't be long before you find yourself defeated. At any point, David could have stopped and realized where he was headed. He would have avoided the devastating consequences.

The King's Family And The Word Provided For You

2 Samuel 9:6-8---Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?

David remembered his covenant with Jonathan. Though he was in a position of power and needed to answer to none, he knew he must answer to God. David asked a former servant of Saul if there were any of Saul's family left. Only Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan survived. He was crippled in both feet. Mephibosheth came fearing for his life, but David only wanted to bless him. He restored all the land that belonged to Saul and appointed the servant of Saul and the servant's family to care for him. He also gave him a place at his table. That meant he would always eat the best and have fellowship with the King's family. Mephibosheth was shocked. Who am I that you would notice a dead dog like me? We are a lot like Mephibosheth. We are really powerless to do much. We are lame in our own way. Our family (mankind) sought the King's life. Though Jesus is anointed King, like David, we served another. Our family lost the conflict, but He still loves us and keeps His covenant toward us. He only seeks to do us good. He calls us to come before Him, and we tremble as if He would destroy us. He says, "Fear not. I will surely show you kindness for the sake of Christ Jesus. From now on, eat at my table.