2 Samuel – Chapter 4

When Ish-bosheth, Saul’s son, heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Samuel 4:1 – To fully understand the message behind this verse, some context is key. Ish-bosheth was made king of Israel after the death of Saul for a short time. Abner, the general of Saul’s army, was the one who pushed for him to be king and was his main council. Ish-bosheth was a weak man, so while Ish-bosheth held the title of king, Abner was really the one calling the shots. So when Ish-bosheth heard that Abner, the one really leading the nation, had died, he and all of the nation was in shambles. Such is the story when our confidence is in something that is temporal. We can place our faith in leaders and politicians, but they fail and die. We can place our faith in money, but money can leave as quickly as it comes. When we make the choice to trust in anything in the world other than Jesus, we must know eventually we will find ourselves where Ish-bosheth was. Our courage failing and being fully dismayed. For anything other than Jesus will one day fade away leaving us having to support ourselves in this life and in the life to come. Thankfully, in a world filled with things that will fail us, we have a Savior named Jesus Christ that is present and able to be a sure place for our faith. Choose to replace whatever it is you’re trusting in to sustain you in this life with Jesus before it’s too late. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3023

2 Samuel 4 Daily DEVO But David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, when one told me, ‘Behold, Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag, which was the reward I gave him for his news. How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?” 2 Samuel 4:9-11 – Make sure you’re actually following God when you say you’re following God. We see a couple guys here thinking they are doing what’s right by killing one of Saul’s sons. Yet what they come to find out is while they thought they were doing right, they were doing the very thing that was going to give them the punishment of death. So how can we make sure we’re really following God with our decisions and actions and not just falling prey to an enemy deception? One way is to read scripture and pray more than ever. The more you become consistent in those things the more likely it will be you’ll find clarity from God on your choices. Also surround yourself with people who are trying to follow God too. Let the people going in the direction you want to go be the flow you go with. Then when you come to a big decision and your aren’t sure which is the God-honoring choice, check it against scripture and the people you’re walking with. Big point is check yourself before you wreck yourself. Don’t just assume you’re following God, make sure you’re checking yourself daily against scripture and good Christian counsel. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 435

Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ish-bosheth as he was taking his noonday rest. And they came into the midst of the house as if to get wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped. 2 Samuel 4:5-6 – Iso-bosheth, the guy who was stabbed, was the enemy of King David. These two men thought that if they killed the enemy of the king they’d earn the king’s favor. What they found out quickly was earning the favor of the king their way, discarding how the king said his favor can be found, didn’t end well for them. Today, how are you seeking to earn the favor of God? Are you seeking God’s favor like these two men were with King David? Are you going after it through all the ways you think it should be given to you? By being good, by going to church, by giving your offerings. Scripture tells us the favor of God comes on us not through those avenues, but only through placing our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus. If we only seek God’s favor through our means, discarding how God said His favor is given to us, our story will end in death just like the two men in our passage. The favor of God is available to you, yet only through the way God established. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1863