KEY SCRIPTURE: Exo 25:10 KJV “And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.”

Please Read Exodus 25:1-28

The word ark means simply a box. It could be as large as Noah’s Ark or the Ark of the Covenant, which was a dwelling place of God among the Israelites under the Old Covenant. Before we examine the construction of the ark and the significance of its various aspects, I wish to establish that God no longer dwells in buildings or human-made structures, as was the case under the old covenant. This era ended when the Lord died on the cross. Acts 17:24 KJV “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;” The temples made by men were His dwelling and a place of meeting with men. This was a most Holy place that the priest went there once in a year. Heb 9:7 KJV” But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:”

When the Lord died, the veil that separated every ordinary man from entering was rent from top to bottom. Matt 27:51 KJV” And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;” For the veil to tear from top means it was not done by any man. It also signaled a new era, where God no longer dwelt in that temple. Men became the temple of God. 1Co 3:16 KJV” Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”  He (God) used to dwell in the ark, but from that day he ceased to dwell there. He actually came to live in men after the Lord Jesus resurrected from the dead. Every Christian is the present-day ark of God.

The Ark was a place of mercy. The Christian must demonstrate mercy through intercession for the lost.

In light of what I have said above, I would like to address the issue of whether the altars in our churches hold any power. The altar may just be a wooden structure or a concrete structure, yet the anointing upon the man of God who preaches on the altar flows unto the altar, making it bear the same anointing. As Paul touched handkerchiefs and aprons that carried the anointing (Acts 19), and the garment of Jesus could heal the sick, so does the platform on which the anointed man of God preaches bear that anointing. There are instances of people being healed by just sitting on the seat of an anointed man of God. A dead boy was placed on a cement platform where a man of God usually prays at night. These people did not know that that was a prayer place of the man of God. The dead boy was miraculously raised to life. The anointing is like oil, it flows down, and would rub on anything it comes into contact with. Ps 133:2

TO BE CONTINUED…

CONFESSION

I am the present-day Ark of God, filled with power, glory, and purity. God’s presence is mighty in me. I dominate every power of the enemy.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Thess 4:3 KJV “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:”

1 Pet 2:9 KJV” But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 13:21” But when King David heard of all these things, he was very wroth”.

Evil began brewing in the house of David. One of the sons of David, who is his first son called Amnon raped his own sister called Tamar. A demon of immorality has entered into the house of David. It is right to describe how this happened to accuse Ammon of this error. Without holding brief for him, yet he was under a great influence of evil without any support or assistance to overcome. His father, by his actions, had permitted the ‘enemies of God’ into his house. Now, the David, who enjoyed a life of peace and victories all around, is having his home and life in deep trouble.  For a life of peace and a continual stream of successes, decide to honour God and his word no matter the situation.

What is our answer to a victorious life? Rom 6:14 reads, For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law but under grace. Some misunderstand grace and so give themselves to sin, claiming the grace of God would take care of their sin. Please, this is an error. The grace of God is God’s supernatural ability in you to help you win over sin and other life matters. The first thing is to know that you have a supernatural power in you to live above sin. The next is to yield to this power. You yield to this power by acknowledging that through your union with Christ, you have become the very righteousness of God, and so you have no business yielding to sin. Whenever sin comes knocking at your door, remind yourself and the voice appealing to you that you cannot stoop low and defile your perfect nature.

What do you do when you falter and the enemy turns the heat against you? God, our Father, is never happy when things go that way, but has made a way in Christ for victory.  It is when the child of God allows guilt to fill his mind that the enemy freely rains a barrage of attacks upon attack on him. The Bible says there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit” (Romans 8:1). Some versions omit the second part that says “those who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit”. This part cannot be taken out because the subsequent verses teach that to walk in the flesh is death. When you walk in the flesh, you are condemned. What does it mean to walk in the flesh? It simply means to walk according to the senses. One simple word for this is unbelief. Unbelief means you walk according to what you can see or feel. Faith is to believe what God has said, although you don’t see or feel it. When you act and live this way, nothing can defeat you.

Jesus was punished for us. (Isaiah 53:4-5). Be strong to stand your ground on the finished work of Jesus. Tell the devil he cannot punish you for whatever has happened. Jesus was punished for our sins, and you don’t have to suffer for it. The scripture claims that the man who takes a stand on what the scripture has said has no condemnation. God does not condemn you, and Satan cannot condemn and afflict you because you are walking and trusting in Jesus’ finished work.

Please note that the strength of sin is the law. Don’t place yourself under the law. Take advantage of the great sacrifice and penalty Jesus suffered for us. On such occasions, Satan would not easily give in. Do hold your ground and fight your way to freedom. Speak out the promises of scripture and rest on them.

 PRAYER

Oh, God, open the eyes of all Christians to walk in the Spirit and consistently take their stand against the enemy. May the body of Christ grow into its full stature, that is, like Jesus.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Ephesians 6:10” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might”.

1 Timothy 6:12” Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses”.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 12:9 “Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon”.

David’s life reveals to us the two main aspects of life.

1. Total victory

2. Total trouble. 

 A life that is committed to God and always pleases God will bring you Total victory (meaning overcoming every opposition or difficulty that comes at you) and avoid what brings total trouble (being helpless and defeated by the opposition and difficulties that come at you). Reading through 2nd Samuel 12, we see that the prophet Nathan brought God’s word to David. He exposed his sin unto him. David did not attempt to defend himself as Saul did. 2nd Samuel 12:13 “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord, and Nathan said unto David, The Lord also had put away the sin, thou shalt not die “. The Lord added the following to what He said earlier. However, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto you shall surely die. (2nd Samuel 12:14). Who are the enemies of God that blaspheme the name of God? Satan and his host of devils.

 When the children of God walk uprightly, God praises them to the devil. God is excited when His children are faithful unto Him. (Job 1:8). When the child of God falters and fails, Satan also scorns God and blasphemes. Don’t allow the devil to blaspheme the name of God because of your mistakes. Prophet Nathan listed certain punishments that will come on David and his house. All the judgements that were to come on David were the legal attack of Satan that God could do nothing about. The Lord permitted the enemies of his because they had the legal right. He said the sword will never leave his house. David took Bathsheba in the closet but his wives will be raped openly. All these were done by his children. Do you think God caused these things? No, it was the right of the enemies of God to attack. Dear child of God, give no occasion for the enemies of God to attack you…

 Our Lord Jesus, on the cross, bore the full judgement and punishment of God for every sin now and in the future. Galatians 3:13 says, he Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone that is hanged on a tree”. Whenever Satan claims the right to assault you, please turn to Galatians 3:13 and refuse his onslaught against your life. This does not give license to sin. Sin may weaken your resolve to lay hold of God’s provision in Christ.

Don’t give place to sin. Don’t allow Satan to torment you on any grounds. Lay claim to the finished work of our Lord Jesus.

 CONFESSION

My Lord Jesus was made a curse for me and has blotted out every ordinance that opposed me and nailed it to the cross; there is therefore now no condemnation for me, because I am in Christ and I walk in the Spirit.

FURTHER STUDIES.

Romans 8:1” There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”.

Colossians 2:14” Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 11:13 “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.”

King David tries to make Uriah go to his wife and sleep with her, yet the husband of Bathsheba, would not go home to his wife. David has been successful in most of his life because in all those times he acted to honour God. This time he was acting against the word of God, and so he has no grace to make him succeed. Dear child of God, be sure that any wrong action you undertake will never have God’s approval. If you give a bribe to obtain a job, be sure God is not involved.

When all of David’s plans to get Uriah to go to his house failed, he decided to use his position as the king to do something God had not asked any man to do. He planned Uriah’s death. David at this moment, rebelled against the word of God. No man must take the life of his neighbour. How on Earth could a man like David get to such an extent? He allowed his position as a king to dominate his awareness that he is a king by grace. Dear leader or person of authority, never feel your life is more valuable than the life of another human. Position and authority are God’s design to fulfill His program. It does not make you a better human than another human.

Did David have to go that far? No, he should have admitted his sin before God and then informed the elders of Israel, who would have handled the case in the light of God’s law as well as David’s position as the king. His main concern was to hide the issue of the baby. TRUTH CAN NEVER BE COVERED. RATHER FACE IT TODAY AND BE AT PEACE TOMORROW.

This act of immorality had been a Waterloo for all kinds of people, including pastors. How can the child of God keep himself? The Lord’s answer is an acknowledgement of the work of the cross. Any man who comes to Christ no longer has his old man of sin reigning in him. (Romans 6:6). The very spirit in him is the Spirit of Christ. He becomes a spirit living in a human body. Never lose consciousness of the fact that you are a spirit living in a human body. You are not just a spirit, but your very spirit is the spirit of Christ. As a man, you can easily fall. As a spirit, you can’t fall. Always maintain that you are a spirit housed in a body. Your body is a house in which you express yourself. Take time to build this consciousness into you. You are a perfect spirit and can’t sin. (1st John 3:9) Say this to yourself daily. Never say I am a man and can easily sin. This is where most men, even great ministers, falter and Satan takes advantage of them. Your words control you.

CONFESSION

My spirit is one with the Spirit of Christ. My spirit is my real self. My body is a house for me. My spirit, which is the spirit of Christ, cannot sin. I cannot sin. My body never dictates to me, for I rule over my body, and I am always led by my spirit.

FURTHER STUDIES.

1 John 3:9” Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”

Romans 6:14 ” For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Sam 11:27 KJV” And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.”

David masterminded the death of Uriah and then boldly went for his wife. How could a man like David descend so low? David, for once, allowed his position as a king to override the superiority of God. He lost the fact that God would not agree with the wrong actions of men, no matter who does it. This has been one area certain men of God have failed miserably. They misconceive that since they do so much for God, God would have no problems with them when they act against the word of God. Some of them would flirt with girls within the church and have no regret at all. God has no favourites. God’s favourites are those who honour His word. Acts 10:34 KJV Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him: –

One fact that every man must know is that all flesh is the same before God. Whatever gifts or abilities we may have come from God. God blessed us with such gifts to glorify His name. They were not given to us for self-glory or to make us important than any man. The next thought to hold is that no matter your status in this life, you are never superior to anybody. David used his position to kill Uriah. This is one of the highest offences to commit against God. It was not just a sin against Uriah but an act against God. God had said thou shalt not murder. The ten commandments also said you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife. Exodus 20:1-12. David broke all these laws. The bible said God was not pleased with what he did.

What can we do so we do not become victims of such an act, or better still, we do not fall into such an act? The book of James 3.1 2 gives us a clue. James 3:2 KJV” For in many things we offend all. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and he is able to bridle the whole body.” The word of truth shows us that we hold the key to whether we would fail or overcome. It says we offend or err in all things, why, because people speak against the word of God. When a man says I am flesh and blood, and so I am subject to make such mistakes, he has set the stage for failure. The truth says 1Jn 3:9 KJV” Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” This must be our confession always because the scripture in James 3:2b said a man who does not offend in word, that is, speaks in line with the word of God, is a perfect man, and he is able to control his whole body. When you keep speaking the truth according to the scriptures, the flesh would be subjected to what you have been saying.

CONFESSION

I am born of God. His seed is in me, and so I do not sin for I am led by the Spirit. I acknowledge that I am not superior to any person. God is the Lord and the one who has given me my gifts, which I use to glorify His name.

FURTHER STUDIES

Phi 3:3 KJV For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Mat 12:37 KJV “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 11:2 And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

(READ: 2nd Samuel 11:1-27)

David had enjoyed a very good relationship with God and so had nothing putting him down. He overcame all that challenged him.

This chapter reveals the first time in the life of David how real trouble came to engulf him. The Bible said in our key scripture that one day David rose from his bed, and from his roof he saw a woman bathing. The scripture said the woman was very beautiful to look upon. This means he took time to observe the woman very well. David from the earlier stories had shown that he had a big problem with women. Each of his sons had his own mother. After admiring the beauty of the naked woman, he sent his servants to enquire who she was. In Job 31:1, he said, “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”. Job is saying he has decided or made a vow that he would not look on a woman and then begin to imagine all kinds of ungodly things in his mind or heart. The Lord Jesus also said in Matthew 5:28 that “But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart”. Many men fall this way. Sin is not only seen by the actions; it is already consummated in the heart before it is seen. You will do yourself a great good if you do as Job did. He covenanted with his eyes not to look on a woman to lust after her. The great evangelist, Dr Billy Graham of blessed memory, once said, “You must mind the second look”.

Our flesh is in our members as a servant. Anytime it is allowed to lead is a big problem. To be continually successful in this life, the Spirit must continually remain our leader. So long as the Spirit leads, Satan and his demons remain subject to us. When the flesh leads, even the weakest of all devils can easily mess you up. Vow never to give place to the flesh Romans 8:9-13

James 1:14 & 15 says, “but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

David, after nursing the desire of having an affair with the woman, went ahead, called, and slept with her. This act gave the man whom Satan could never handle to cheaply enter the corridors of his life and start dancing there. The woman became pregnant.

When David got to know of the pregnancy, he decided to cover it up. He called for her husband to return from the battlefield so he could go home and sleep with his wife, and that would close up the scandal. Lies have never succeeded in concealing the truth. It may delay it for a while, but truth will *certainly show up.    A lie is a waste of time. Don’t use it.

 CONFESSION

I will walk in the spirit and will not fulfil the desires of the flesh. I maintain that because Christ is my life, the body is dead because of sin, so the body never dictates to me.

Further Studies

Galatians 5:16” This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

Romans 8:10” And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 10:2” Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.”

(Please Read 2nd Sam.10:1–19)

David is a kind-hearted man who decided to show kindness to Hanun, the son of Nahash, king of Ammon, who had also shown kindness to David but had died. Certain acts always attract God’s favour, and one of such acts is to always seek the good of all. The Lord once spoke the following to His disciples in John 13:34: “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another”. David lived under the law, yet he was a man filled with love for all. Love is the perfection of all things.

In this instant, the king of Ammon misjudged him. His counsellors told him the Israelites had come to spy on them. Why do people misjudge or wrongly interpret the right actions of others? Titus 1:15 gives us the answer, “unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure but even their mind and conscience is defiled”. The mindset you carry determines how you see life and people’s actions. Let the basis for your actions be motivated by love and an attitude to be a blessing. These Ammonites were very selfish and cruel. It is bad taste for any Christian to have such a cruel mind. Many people create unnecessary troubles for themselves because they do not take time to listen and think deeply about what the other person or party is saying. They quickly jump to conclusions because of their preconceived thoughts, which are most likely very wrong. James the apostle counsels us to do the following. Be quick to listen, that is, think carefully through what you heard, and then you can take time to answer rightly. In this way, you would not easily be provoked to anger. James 1:19

The king of Ammon disgraced all the men David sent to console him. He drove them out. Their hair was shaved halfway, and their trousers’ cut. Knowing he had done a bad thing to King David, who would attack him, He asked the people of Syria to join him in Israel on his behalf.

He had a large number of men to fight the Israelites, yet they were defeated. *Standing with God is a sure way to remain victorious, always irrespective of the size of the enemy. The size of the enemy did not frighten them. Is there any problem or challenge making you fearful and worried? Please don’t worry any longer about any condition. All you need is to trust the Lord. You cannot be defeated.

Considering the history of the Israelites, they were never defeated in any context or battle, so long as they maintained their faith in God or honoured God in their lives. Stop being afraid because of the vastness of the opposition. Fear attracts failure, and the very thing you are afraid of would come on you. Job 3:25 “For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me”.

Dear child of God, fear is a sign that the enemy is in control. Refuse to fear. Trust the word of God to prevail over your enemies.

CONFESSION

The greater one lives in me, and I am more than a conqueror. His word is my confidence, and that is settled in heaven, declaring my victory always. His faithfulness is unto all generations.

FURTHER STUDIES.

1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Psalms 119:89-90 ” Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 6:18 KJV” Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.”

We continue with our discussion on this topic we looked at yesterday. The practice of sex is a release of life. Through sex, human beings are conceived and given birth to. The life of the man is in the blood. Lev 17:11. The release of seamen is a release of life, which is blood. That act makes it a covenant 1Co 6:16 KJV “What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.” Please understand that you have become one flesh with anybody you have sex with. A blood covenant has been initiated. Every covenant among men has a spirit who becomes a witness and the executor of the terms of the covenant. Mal 2:14 KJV ” Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.”

Please, whenever there is illicit sex, that is sex with one who is not your wife. A demon comes to witness that covenant. That demon becomes the master of that relationship. If a Christian gets himself or herself in that act, he or she brings himself or herself under the power of that spirit. This is the judgement God gives to such people. Every child of God is under God’s divine preservation, but by certain acts, like fornication, you willingly break yourself from God’s protection and supervision to another spirit, a demon. Eccl 10:8 KJV” He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.” Many children of Gid are under the supervision of devils, giving out all kinds of treatments to them.

Dear one, the spiritual implications of fornication are very severe. A lady said to me that she was introduced to a cult that is made up of women who manage to take samples of the semen of men after sex to perform rituals for money. Such men become very miserable afterwards. You might not have encountered such women, but know that it is a sin against your body, and it gives demons access to your life. Dear one, spiritual matters seriously outweigh so-called physical pleasure. Please, if it is about prostate cancer prevention, there are better practical and scientific ways to prevent it. Do not allow any medical doctor to cause you to break God’s divine laws, which have very serious implications both physical and spiritual as well.

PRAYER

In the name of Jesus, I declare my freedom from any illicit sexual act. I live by the truth of the word walking by God’s grace, and so sin has no power over me.

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Cor 6:13 KJV” Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.”

1 Cor 7:2 KJV” Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 1Co 6:16 KJV” What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. “

What is fornication? Fornication is simply any form of sex outside the marriage setting. It is described as illicit sex, coming from the Greek word ” poenia” I have heard certain doctors claim the answer to men solving their chances of not having prostate complications is to have more sexual activities. Since their wives cannot give that number of sex demands. Their way out is to go for another woman. The sad truth is that these doctors know very well that more sex has only 20% preventive chances, while there are more and better scientific means to prevent these complications. These include eating properly, keeping exercise, as well as regular check-ups.

Having multiple sexual partners has more serious spiritual and physical implications that weigh far heavier than what these doctors suggest. I explained in one of my posts, God’s change of dealing with men under this era of grace, as compared to the law era.

When Jesus died and resurrected, a new dispensation began. The dispensation of grace. Under the period before grace, men could have multiple sexual partners, but not so now. Heb 13:4 KJV” Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Each man must have his own wife, and each woman his own husband.

How does God judge fornication? That is when God lifts his hand of protection and preservation from you. I prayed for a lady who was delivered from the Spirit of witchcraft. How did she contact that spirit? It came through sex with a man who was a wizard. I prayed for another lady who married a man of another religious faith. As we prayed, she demonstrated a scene of one going through the prayer motions of that religion. She was ultimately delivered of that spirit. How did she contact that spirit? She got it through sex with the man of that faith. I have seen men whose lives have been terribly destroyed as a result of having sex with a demonised girl. Please do not toy with fornication.

 “Fornication gives a free highway for demons to flow out and flow in”. 1Co 6:18 KJV “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. ” Please, we are not under the period when God allowed concubinage and polygamy. He will judge all those who will sin against their bodies. The world is seriously making fornication appear very normal. Please, it is never normal.

PRAYER

Father set anyone held in bondage to fornication free. Let them come to the knowledge of the truth

FURTHER STUDIES

1 Thess 4:3 KJV” For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:”

Acts 15:29 KJV” That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: 2 Sam 9:10 KJV Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master’s son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master’s son shall eat bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.”

King David led a life of true love. He decided to honour the covenant he made with Jonathan, yet he extended the kindness to Ziba and his family. Please note that Ziba was a servant of King Saul, and David had no covenant with King Saul. King Saul made life very miserable for David. It would have been normal and acceptable for David to say since Saul made life difficult for him, he would do no good to Saul’s servant. David never gave in to any form of bitterness.

Unfortunately, many people are very bitter about a lot of negative treatment meted out to them. Bitterness in any form is poison to your body and soul. The Holy Spirit teaches that bitterness causes an individual to fall from the grace of God. Heb 12:15 KJV “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” The scripture said bitterness would trouble you, and it would defile others also. How does bitterness do this? A bitter person would go around spreading his anger and pain to others by telling them all the wrong things the one who made him bitter did to him. These people, not knowing the other side of the story, would be defiled by those negative words about the one who is claimed to have offended the brother who got bitter. Many have been defiled that way. They also get bitter against the person. Please note that human beings have no problem with others until those people have been painted black. Most of such accusations may be false, because they did not hear the view of the other person.

What made David comport himself in such a way that he was never bitter?

David’s secret was his trust in the Lord. He had committed his life, future, and will into God’s hands. He knew no evil could befall him, no matter how that individual tried. Just consider what he said in the song, Psalm 121:7 KJV “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” David knew King Saul could not harm him, so he never grew bitter against whatever he did. He was given to please God always. Please give no place to bitterness but rather forgive the offences of people and love them instead. Commit your life into God’s hands, who will preserve you against those who may seek to hurt you.

THOUGHT: BITTERNESS HURTS YOU, BUT LOVE AND FORGIVENESS WOULD BLESS YOU

FURTHER STUDIES

Eph 4:32 KJV “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”

Heb 12:15 KJV Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;