God surely delivers

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.

Thursday & Friday, July 30 & 31, 2009
Devotions: Ps 69, 71; 2 Sam 4:1-5:12; Acts 16:25-17:15; Mk 7

Lord, save me! I’m up to my neck in water and slime; I’m being attacked from all sides by those who want to destroy me. You and I know, God, that I’m a sinner, but You have redeemed me, and I don’t want others to suffer for my transgressions. And much of the hostility and reproach I face is about being Your disciple, not about my very real faults and offenses. So I am reproached by the world for piety, and by my conscience for ungodliness. My prayer, then, is to You, my Holy One; at an acceptable time, in the abundance of Your steadfast love, answer and help me, I pray. Let their plots fail or fall upon them, and deliver me, I pray. Keep me safe as I age and weaken—and, I hope, as I grow in wisdom and obedience. Stay near, Lord, and help me testify in Your behalf. Your wondrous deeds abound, and I will tell of every one, to everyone.

After Joab killed Abner, the resolve of Ish-bosheth failed. He was murdered in his house by two rogues who had been working for him; they beheaded the dead king and took the head to David, expecting a reward for their murderous enterprise. David responded to these traitors as he had to the Amalekite who brought him news of Saul’s death in battle. David’s troops killed the two, severed their hands and feet, and hanged the bodies near Hebron’s pool. They buried Ish-bosheth’s head in Abner’s tomb at Hebron. At this point, all the tribes of Israel declared themselves for David, and their elders made covenant with David at Hebron, and David was anointed king over Israel. He was thirty years old at this time, and he reigned forty years—over Judah for seven and a half years at Hebron, then over all Judah and Israel for 33 years from Jerusalem. After consolidating his rule, David and his forces attacked Jerusalem. Though the Jebusites claimed ‘the blind and lame’ could ward off any attack, David and his forces attacked through the water shaft of the city, and Jerusalem feel to them. That portion of Jerusalem is still called ‘The City of David.' David extended and fortified Jerusalem, and his reign was favored by God. Hiram, king of Tyre, provided cedar lumber, and skilled masons and carpenters to help in building a suitable residence for David. Under YHWH, David exulted in the blessings of his kingdom, for the sake of God’s people of all Israel.

About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God in the Philippian jail, and the other prisoners were listening to them. A great earthquake suddenly shook the foundations of the prison; all the doors came open, all the fetters fell away. When the jailer awoke to this scene, he drew his sword to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted to him, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all still here.’ The jailer called for lights and rushed into the prison, trembling with fear; he fell at the feet of Paul and Silas and said, ‘Men, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and all your household will be saved!’ They spoke the word of the Lord to the jailer and his household. He washed and dressed their wounds, and was baptized at once, with all in his family. He brought them up into his own house and gave them food, rejoicing with his household that they had believed in God. At daybreak, the Philippian magistrates sent police to set the prisoners free. But Paul responded, ‘They have beaten us publicly, who are uncondemned Roman citizens, and cast us into prison. They will not cast us out secretly! Let the magristrates come and escort us out.’ The police reported to the magistrates, who realized their serious error; they came and apologized, and escorted Paul and Silas from prison. So they departed and next visited Lydia, where they exhorted the church. They traveled to Thessalonica; for three weeks, Paul spoke and debated in the synagogue, expounding scripture to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, and that it was necessary for Him to suffer and rise from the dead, as God’s Anointed One. Some were persuaded—including many Gentiles and leading women. But others among the Jewish leaders took offense, and incited a mob to attack the house of Jason, where the apostles were staying. When they could not seize the apostles, the crowd dragged Jason before the city authorities, accusing both the apostles and him of defying Caesar by proclaiming Jesus as king. They authorities took bail from Jason and let the Christians go. So the Christian community immediately sent Paul and Silas to Beroea, where they began, as usual, at the synagogue. The Bereans were more noble than the Thessalonians; they received the gospel eagerly and searched the scriptures daily to see if what Paul was saying was true. Therefore, many believed, including Gentile women and men of influence. When the Jews of Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching in Beroea, they came there, too, and stirred up crowds against the apostles. The Bereans sent Paul on his way, escorting him to Athens, while Silas and Timothy continued the work in Beroea.

At table with Jesus, the scribes and Pharisees noted that His disciples ate without washing their hands. Jewish tradition directs ritual handwashing before meals, as well as ritual purification in many other circumstances, including the washing of pottery and bronze utensils and vessels. The Jews challenged Jesus that His followers defied the traditions of the elders and at with defiled hands. Jesus responded: ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites: “The people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” You set aside God’s commandment but you honor the traditions of men! Moses said, “Honor your father and your mother” and “Let him die who speaks evil of father or mother.” But instead of this, you say, “If a man tells his father or mother, What you might have had from me is Corban [i.e., I have devoted it to God]. Thus you void God’s word in favor of your traditions.’

Jesus turned to the larger crowd of people: ‘Listen to Me, all of you, and understand. Nothing outside a person can defile him by entering in; people are defiled, rather, by what comes out from inside!’ In private, Jesus was asked about this, and He explained to His disciples: ‘What we eat or drink passes through mouth and digestive system and out of the body. [So, says Mark, Jesus proclaimed that all foods and drink are clean.] But people are defiled by evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride and folly—which come from within and defile a human.’

From there, Jesus traveled to the region of Tyre and Sidon. As soon as He settled into a house, a Syro-Phonecian woman came to Jesus and fell at His feet. She begged Him to deliver her daughter from a demon. At first, Jesus demurred: ‘Let the children [of Israel] be fed first; it is not right to take the heir’s bread and throw it to the dogs [i.e., the Gentiles].’ She answered, ‘Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs!’ Jesus answered, ‘For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.’ She went home and found her child in bed, with the demon departed. Jesus returned through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the Decapolis. People bought to Jesus a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. Jesus took the man aside, put His fingers into the man’s ears, spat, and touched his tongue. Looking up to heaven, Jesus sighed and said to him, ‘Ephathah! [Be opened!]’, and the man could speak and hear normally. Jesus charged the man to keep all this to himself; but the more He charged people to be silent, the more zealously they proclaimed His wonders. The people were astonished: ‘He does everything well! He even makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak!’