As a Christian, you must read your Bible every day. Did you do so today? Are you willing to share your Bible reading experience? This thread is to enable us read the Bible together.

Here is my experience today:

09/04/11 - 2Samuel Chapters 4 - 7

2 Sam 4
The wicked murder of Ishboseth and the punishment met to the murderes by David.
These two men thought they were helping David when they murdered Ishboseth in his sleep and brought his head to David but David refused to reward wickedness carried out against his enemy. Rather he punished the wicked men with the same thing they did.
Lesson: We should not encourage wicked people in their wickedness even if they think we stand to profit from their wicked act.
Poser: Should not these men have learnt from the fate of the Amalekite who falsely claimed that he was the one who slew Saul? (2 Sam 1). Wicked people hardly learn from the mistakes of other people.

2 Sam 5
All Israel came to make David King. He did not have to struggle for it. When the Philistines heard, they gathered against Israel and David sought and got God’s a pproval before fighting against them.
Lesson: If we totally depend on God, he will bring his plan to pass over our lives. He will also guide us into the right decisions.
Poser: Why did the Philistines gather against Israel without any provocation? The same still happens today that enemies of the cross will gather against the church for no cause

2 Sam 6
David’s first attempt to bring the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem ended in a great disaster because instructions about how to carry the ark from place to place was not adhered to.
The ark was then deposited in the house of Obed-edom. This brought abundant blessings upon him and his household. The second attempt to move the ark was a huge success. This time, the instructions were followed. David, lost in adoration of the Lord, danced before the ark. This led his wife, Micah, to despise him. She earned for herself a reward of barrenness.
Lesson: No matter how honourable what we are doing is, we must do it according to God’s instruction or else it will end disastrously. Secondly, when we allow God’s presence in our lives, family or business, blessings come upon us. Thirdly, we must not despise those who are serving God.
Poser: Why did Micah not just mind her own business?


2 Sam 7:
David discusses his plan to build a house unto the Lord with Nathan the prophet. Nathan without consulting God gives a go ahead but God instructs him that night to go tell David that his son, and not he, would build such a house. David submits unto God’s decision, praising Him for His grace upon His family
Lesson: We must never rush to counsel people or else we counsel them against God’s will. Secondly, when we discover we have made a mistake, we should not feel too big to correct our mistakes. Third, like David, we must learn to accept God’s decision as final in all areas of our lives.
Poser: Why would Nathan, a prophet of God, commit such a blunder of counseling without seeking God’s face?

Prayer Points:
1. Help me O Lord not to encourage wicked people in their evil acts.
2. Lord, help me to depend on you in all that I do
3. Father, help me to do everything I do according to your instructions
4. Father, be my guardian and my guide
5. Father, help me never to rush into counseling people
6. Help me that when I have made a mistake and realized it, I will not feel too big to make amends
7. Lord, help me to learn to accept your decision as final in every area of my life.
8. Lord, help me to bridle me to bridle my tongue and not criticize my way to trouble.

10/04/2011

2 Sam 8
David fought against many nations and defeated them. In the course of these wars, he amassed much booties of war. These booties, we are told he dedicated to God.

Lesson:
When I am successful, I should acknowledge God as the source of my success and use the success to bring more glory to God’s name.

2 Sam 9
Now God has established David on the throne. He did not seek vengeance against those who did not want him to ascend the throne (Saul’s family). Instead, he remembered the good that Jonathan (Saul’s son) did to him and chose to repay that good on any surviving member of Saul’s family.
Lesson
I must not repay evil for evil but rather show kindness to all.

2 Sam 10
David’s good intention was misinterpreted by Hanun’s advisers. He acted on their bad advice without verifying the facts and he was dearly punished for it.
Lesson:
I must beware of bad advisers.

2 Sam 11
Rather than join his forces on the battle field, David stayed at home acting the boss. This offered a good opportunity for the tempter to catch up with him. The object of temptation was a mature married woman bathing in the open in broad daylight. David fell into the trap, seduced the woman who later became pregnant. To cover up his sin, David committed other sins such as
a. Depleting the army of the Lord by recalling Uriah from the battlefield
b. Getting Uriah drunk
c. Attempting to foist his own child on Uriah
d. Committing murder
e. Dragging the kingship in the mud by conspiring with an army commander to set up an innocent man to die
f. Causing other men to die along with Uriah by exposing them to enemy fire.

Lesson:
1. I must not rest in my Christian journey until I reach heaven. I must continue to labor for my Lord and Master.
2. I must not attempt to cover my sins as this will only lead to more sins.
3. I must not live my life in a way that will make me the object of temptation to others.

Prayer Points
a. Help me Lord to use every thing you provide for me to advance your kingdom here on earth
b. Help me to avoid vengeance in all I do. Help me to show kindness at all times
c. Father, deliver me from bad advisers
d. Help me never to rest or take a break from my work for you until I get to heaven
e. Deliver me O Lord when temptations come my way
f. Help me to watch my life that I do not become an object of temptation to anyone
g. Help me to constantly remember Proverbs 28:13 – He that covers his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesses and forsakes, the same shall have mercy.