Humans divide over God's truth

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first post, dated November 12, 2008, in the archives, where I introduce myself and the blog.

Monday, July 27, 2009
Devotions: Ps 56, 57, 64, 65; 2 Sam 2:1-11; Acts 15:36-16:5; Mk 6:14-29

Lord, I turn to You; humans are harsh with me, but I trust You without fear. I know that God is for me, and I trust God without fear. He puts to shame those who trample me. My heart is steadfast, and I sing praise to my God. Let Your glory cover the earth! God intervenes to protect the innocent from malicious attacks. Let all the upright glorify Him! Lord, You care for me, and for all creation. Nature sings Your praises.

After Saul’s death, David sought YHWH’s guidance; God sent him up to Hebron in Judah, with his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, and his band of loyalists. When David learned that the men of Jabesh-gilead had tended the bodies of Saul and his sons, he sent messengers to encourage and thank them, and welcomed them under his kingship. Meanwhile, Saul’s chief of staff Abner had inaugurated Ish-bosheth, Saul’s surviving son, as king over Israel, Gilead, Ashur, Jezreel, Ephraim and Benjamin. But Judah gave allegiance to David. This situation persisted two years; and David ruled from Hebron for seven years and six months. The military leaders of the two opposing kingdoms met at a pool in Gibeon: Abner for Ish-bosheth, and Joab for David. Twelve warriors from each side contested; a battle ensued, and David’s servants prevailed over Abner and the forces of Ish-bosheth.

After a time in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas decided to retrace their missionary route and visit the Christians in those cities where they had planted churches. But they were sharply divided over John Mark, whom Barnabas wanted to take along, and whom Paul rejected because the young man had left the missionaries on their first journey. So Barnabas took John Mark with him, and Paul recruited Silas, and went through Syria and Cilicia strengthening the churches. In Lystra, he encountered a young disciple named Timothy, son of a Jewish Christian mother and Greek father. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; so Paul circumcised Timothy, to prove his faithfulness, since many of the Gentiles knew that Timothy’s father was a Greek unbeliever. As they went, [ironically,] Paul and his party announced to each city the Council’s decision, including the judgment that circumcision was not necessary for Gentiles to become Christians. Thus, the churches were strengthened in faith and in numbers.

Herod heard of Jesus and His ministry, and concluded that John the Baptizer, whom Herod had beheaded, had been raised, and Jesus was this resurrected Baptizer. Herod had imprisoned John because the prophet confronted Herod’s sin in marrying the wife of his brother Philip, enraging Herodias. But Herod had kept John safe, realizing that he was a holy man. But at a banquet Herod gave for his courtiers, officers and leading citizens, Herodias’ daughter danced for the assembly, and so pleased Herod that he offered her a wish. Consulting with her mother, the dancer asked for John’s head on a platter. Though he was ‘exceedingly sorry,’ Herod complied and had John beheaded, and gave his head on a platter to the girl, who took it to her mother. John’s disciples, hearing this news, came and retrieved John’s body and entombed his remains.