DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY APRIL 21:
WORD OF WISDOM
Does your train of thought have a caboose?
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DAILY DEVOTION
Jesus Sees Through the Darkness
"Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was
alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was
against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them,
walking on the sea."...
(Mark 6:47-48)
A miracle occurred that day, and more than 5,000 people witnessed it. With
no more than five small loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus prayed over it
and instructed His disciples to begin dividing it among the crowd. Not only
did everyone have enough to eat, but the Bible also records the leftovers
amounted to twelve baskets full. What a day-to have seen that!
As the day drew to an end, Jesus sent His disciples on ahead in the boat
while He withdrew to spend time alone with His Father in prayer. The
disciples were way out in the Sea of Galilee. But He saw them toiling and
rowing in the midst of a storm. He was never unaware of where they were or
what they were experiencing.
Are you in the midst of a storm? Do you know He sees you right now? You say,
"He doesn't know where I am. He doesn't know this difficulty. Why is He so
far away? Why am I in the storm, and He is on the shore?" Friend, He is
there, and He's praying for you. He sees right through the dark. You can't
see Him, but He sees you.
My advice for you in the midst of your storm is to see Jesus, the great I
AM, and see Him walking on the water. That situation that looks like it's
going to be over your head is already under His feet. You're seated in the
heavenlies with Him. And you can't drown with your head above water. He is
the great I AM. You can put it down: you are guarded by His power.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
2 Samuel 1-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Report of Saul's Death
1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from
the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2
on the third day, behold, it happened that a man came from Saul's camp with
his clothes [a]torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David,
that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.
3 And David said to him, "Where have you come from?"
So he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel."
4 Then David said to him, "How did the matter go? Please tell me."
And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, many of the people
are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."
5 So David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul
and Jonathan his son are dead?"
6 Then the young man who told him said, "As I happened by chance to be on
Mount Gilboa, there was Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots
and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 Now when he looked behind him, he
saw me and called to me. And I answered, 'Here I am.' 8 And he said to me,
'Who are you?' So I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.' 9 He said to me
again, 'Please stand over me and kill me, for [b]anguish has come upon me,
but my life still remains in me.' 10 So I stood over him and killed him,
because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took
the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and
have brought them here to my lord."
11 Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did
all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted
until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord
and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
13 Then David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?"
And he answered, "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite."
14 So David said to him, "How was it you were not afraid to put forth your
hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?" 15 Then David called one of the young
men and said, "Go near, and execute him!" And he struck him so that he died.
16 So David said to him, "Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth
has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed.' "
The Song of the Bow
17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his
son, 18 and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the
Bow; indeed it is written in the Book [c]of Jasher:
19
"The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
20
Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon-
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.
21
"O mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is [d]cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22
From the blood of the slain,
From the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.
23
"Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.
24
"O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.
25
"How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.
26
I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.
27
"How the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!"
David Anointed King of Judah
2 It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I
go up to any of the cities of Judah?"
And the Lord said to him, "Go up."
David said, "Where shall I go up?"
And He said, "To Hebron."
2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,
and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up the
men who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the
cities of Hebron.
4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the
house of Judah. And they told David, saying, "The men of Jabesh Gilead were
the ones who buried Saul." 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh
Gilead, and said to them, "You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown
this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now may the
Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness,
because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore, let your hands be
strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the
house of Judah has anointed me king over them."
Ishbosheth Made King of Israel
8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took [e]Ishbosheth the
son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 and he made him king over
Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and
over all Israel. 10 Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he
began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of
Judah followed David. 11 And the [f]time that David was king in Hebron over
the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
Israel and Judah at War
12 Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul,
went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the
servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat
down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the
pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and compete
before us."
And Joab said, "Let them arise."
15 So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of
Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 And
each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his
opponent's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called
[g]the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. 17 So there was a very
fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before
the servants of David.
18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel.
And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 So Asahel pursued
Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from
following Abner.
20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, "Are you Asahel?"
He answered, "I am."
21 And Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left,
and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself." But
Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 So Abner said again to
Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the
ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?" 23 However, he refused to
turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of
the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there
and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where
Asahel fell down and died, stood still.
24 Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they
came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the
Wilderness of Gibeon. 25 Now the children of Benjamin gathered together
behind Abner and became [h]a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill.
26 Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do
you not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be
then until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?"
27 And Joab said, "As God lives, [i]unless you had spoken, surely then by
morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren." 28 So
Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue
Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore. 29 Then Abner and his men went
on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went
through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.
30 So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the
people together, there were missing of David's servants nineteen men and
Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and
Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men who died. 32 Then they took up
Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab
and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.
Joab Kills Abner
3 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.
But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and
weaker.
Sons of David
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess; 3 his second, [j]Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the
Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai,
king of Geshur; 4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth,
Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife
Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.
Abner Joins Forces with David
6 Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house
of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.
7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So
Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"
8 Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a
dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul
your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you
into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this
woman? 9 May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as
the Lord has sworn to him- 10 to transfer the kingdom from the [k]house of
Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to
Beersheba." 11 And he could not answer Abner another word, because he
feared him.
12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, "Whose is the
land?" saying also, "Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be
with you to bring all Israel to you."
13 And David said, "Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I
require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal,
Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face." 14 So David sent messengers
to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed
to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines." 15 And Ishbosheth
sent and took her from her husband, from [l]Paltiel the son of Laish. 16
Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, [m]weeping behind her. So
Abner said to him, "Go, return!" And he returned.
17 Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, "In time
past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 Now then, do it!
For the Lord has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of My servant David,
[n]I will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the
hand of all their enemies.' " 19 And Abner also spoke in the hearing of
Benjamin. Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron
all that seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.
20 So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made
a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Then Abner said to
David, "I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that
they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your
heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.
Joab Murders Abner
22 At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and
brought much [o]spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for
he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the
troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son
of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace."
24 Then Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner
came to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? 25
Surely you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know
your going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing."
26 And when Joab had gone from David's presence, he sent messengers after
Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know
it. 27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the
gate to speak with him privately, and there [p]stabbed him in the stomach,
so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "My kingdom and I are
[q]guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and let
there never fail to be in the [r]house of Joab one who has a discharge or is
a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread."
30 So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their
brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.
David's Mourning for Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear
your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." And King
David followed the coffin. 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king
lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said:
"Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34
Your hands were not bound
Nor your feet put into fetters;
As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell."
Then all the people wept over him again.
35 And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was
still day, David took an oath, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I
taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!" 36 Now all the people
took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased
all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day
that it had not been the king's intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38
Then the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a
great man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am weak today, though
anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The
Lord shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness."
Ishbosheth Is Murdered
4 When Saul's [s]son heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he[t] lost heart,
and all Israel was troubled. 2 Now Saul's son had two men who were captains
of troops. The name of one was Baanah and the name of the other Rechab, the
sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin. (For Beeroth
also was [u]part of Benjamin, 3 because the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and
have been sojourners there until this day.)
4 Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five
years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his
nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that
he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.[v]
5 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. 6 And they came there, all the way into the house, as
though to get wheat, and they [w]stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and
Baanah his brother escaped. 7 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. 8 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."
9 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, 10 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. 11 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 [x]blood at your hand and
[y]remove you from the earth?" 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.
