Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Chastened and Restored" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood for Tuesday, 8 November 2016 with Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:11-25

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Chastened and Restored" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood for Tuesday, 8 November 2016 with Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:11-25
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"Chastened and Restored" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood
2 Samuel 12:11 Here is what Adonai says: ‘I will generate evil against you out of your own household. I will take your wives before your very eyes and give them to your neighbor; he will go to bed with your wives, and everyone will know about it. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this before all Isra’el in broad daylight.’”
13 David said to Natan, “I have sinned against Adonai.”
Natan said to David, “Adonai also has taken away your sin. You will not die. 14 However, because by this act you have so greatly blasphemed Adonai, the child born to you must die.” 15 Then Natan returned to his house.
Adonai struck the child that Uriyah’s wife had borne to David, and it became very ill. 16 David prayed to God on behalf of the child; David fasted, then came and lay all night on the ground. 17 The court officials got up and stood next to him trying to get him off the ground, but he refused, and he wouldn’t eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day, the child died. The servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, because they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to us; if we tell him now that the child is dead, he may do himself some harm.” 19 But when David saw his servants whispering to each other, he suspected that the child was dead. David asked his servants, “Is the child dead?” and they answered, “He is dead.”
20 Then David got up off the ground, washed, anointed himself and changed his clothes. He went into the house of Adonai and worshipped; then he went to his own palace; and when he asked for food, they served it to him; and he ate. 21 His servants asked him, “What are you doing? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat food!” 22 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; because I thought, ‘Maybe Adonai will show his grace to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he’s dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
24 David comforted his wife Bat-Sheva, came to her and went to bed with her; she gave birth to a son and named him Shlomo. Adonai loved him 25 and sent through Natan the prophet to have him named Y’didyah [loved by God], for Adonai’s sake.
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With the help of the prophet Nathan, David confessed his sin. He suffered greatly due to the consequences of his first sin and the many sins he had committed in an attempt to cover up the first. God forgave David but there were painful consequences, and David’s baby lived only seven days. This is where a fictional story might end, but David’s continues. God gave David the strength to rise above his grief, put aside his regrets, and look ahead to the future that God had planned for him.

The enemy has plans for us today, plans to trip us up and lead us into temptation. God has another plan–a plan that involves keeping our focus on Him and saying “No” to temptation. When the enemy says to look closer, may we hear God’s voice telling us to look away. When the enemy tells us we need something, may we accept God’s answer of “No.” When the enemy wants us to wallow in self-pity, may we confess our sins, walk away from the past, and trust God for our future.
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Hymn for Today: "Whiter than Snow" by John Nicholson
1. Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain:
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
2. Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract every stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain:
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
3. Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,
And help me to make a complete sacrifice.
I give up myself, and whatever I know,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain
4. Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,
I wait, blessèd Lord, at Thy crucified feet.
By faith, for my cleansing, I see Thy blood flow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain:
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
5. Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait,
Come now, and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee, Thou never saidst No,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Refrain:
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
6. The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
O glory! my soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow.

Refrain:
Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
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Thought for Today: 1 Peter 5:10 You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm.
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Please Pray: For the development of Christian leaders in the Virgin Islands.
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Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Turning from Temptation" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood for Monday, 7 November 2016 with Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:1-10
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"Turning from Temptation" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood
2 Samuel 12:1 Adonai sent Natan to David. He came and said to him, “In a certain city there were two men, one rich, the other poor. 2 The rich man had vast flocks and herds; 3 but the poor man had nothing, except for one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and reared. It had grown up with him and his children; it ate from his plate, drank from his cup, lay on his chest — it was like a daughter to him. 4 One day a traveler visited the rich man, and instead of picking an animal from his own flock or herd to cook for his visitor, he took the poor man’s lamb and cooked it for the man who had come to him.”
5 David exploded with anger against the man and said to Natan, “As Adonai lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 For doing such a thing, he has to pay back four times the value of the lamb — and also because he had no pity.”
7 Natan said to David, “You are the man.
“Here is what Adonai, the God of Isra’el says: ‘I anointed you king over Isra’el. I rescued you from the power of Sha’ul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives to embrace. I gave you the house of Isra’el and the house of Y’hudah. And if that had been too little, I would have added to you a lot more.
9 “‘So why have you shown such contempt for the word of Adonai and done what I see as evil? You murdered Uriyah the Hitti with the sword and taken his wife as your own wife; you put him to death with the sword of the people of ‘Amon. 10 Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house — because you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriyah the Hitti as your own wife.’
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A common plotline in television sitcoms is for the main character to make a mistake and then tell a lie to cover up the truth. Soon, another lie is needed to hide the first. A mess is created, the truth comes out, and they realize it would have been better to just tell the truth right away. This is probably the plot of every I Love Lucy episode.
In the moment that David saw Bathsheba bathing from his roof, he had a choice to make. God was telling him to look away, but the enemy was telling him to look closer. David made a mistake–not an accident but a choice. He gave into temptation instead of listening to the Spirit. David’s behavior was self-serving instead of God-serving. David did not fall into sin; he stepped into it. Instead of confession, David chose manipulation, lies, and then murder to hide his sin.

The enemy has plans for us today, plans to trip us up and lead us into temptation. Let’s make a choice today: Let’s choose God and walk away from sin. Today may we give in to the urgings of the Spirit instead of the urgings of our sinful nature.
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Hymn for Today: "Yield Not to Temptation" by Horatio R. Palmer
1. Yield not to temptation,
For yielding is sin;
Each vict’ry will help you,
Some other to win;
Fight valiantly onward,
Evil passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
Refrain:
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.
2. Shun evil companions,
Bad language disdain;
God’s name hold in rev’rence,
Nor take it in vain;
Be thoughtful and earnest,
Kindhearted and true; 
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
Refrain:
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.
3. To him that o’ercometh,
God giveth a crown;
Through faith we will conquer,
Though often cast down;
He who is our Savior,
Our strength will renew;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
Refrain:
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.
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Thought of the Day: Matthew 26:41 Stay awake, and pray that you will not be put to the test — the spirit indeed is eager, but human nature is weak.”
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Please Pray: That many people in the Virgin Islands will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKpdesh.

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