Graves' This and That

I marvel at the phlegmatic who exudes peace, quiet, and patience. I dislike traffic lights which control north and south traffic on Grapevine Highway, they seem to stop the traffic forever but change quickly when it turns green and turn red again more quickly.  The poor east and west traffic coming off of Davis Boulevard take their lives in their own hands when they are trying to turn into the flow of north and south traffic.  All this nonsense complaint just to simply say, I am not a patient waiter.    King David in Psalm 5 asks of the Lord, "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my signing."  Give ear in the word picture of the Hebrew is the picking up of the ears like the puppy dog when he hears a sound, his ears pick up.  David is asking the Lord to pick up His ears to hear his complaint.  He now makes the same request, but in other words, "Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God."  David shows an intimacy with the Lord, Jehova...

Very interesting political intrigue!  One of the adversaries that God raises up against Solomon is Jeroboam.  Jeroboam is a valiant warrior and Solomon is so impressed with him that he is appointed over the forced labor of the house of Joseph.   While out of Jerusalem one day, Jeroboam is met by the prophet Ahijah on the road.  Ahijah takes off his own cloak and rips the clothing tearing it into ten pieces.  He instructs Jeroboam to take ten pieces of the cloak, and then announces to him that the kingdom will be torn from Solomon's son. Jeroboam will be given ten tribes and crowned as king over Israel.  Solomon hears of the announcement and then decides to have Jeroboam murdered.  Jeroboam escapes into Egypt and remains there until the death of Solomon.  He will appear on the scene again when Rehoboam is to be crowned as king.    Ahijah has explained to Jeroboam the reasoning that the kingdom will be torn from Rehoboam: th...

One of my many favs is Psalm 91.  I have done some color coding of  Scriptures and the first few verses of the Psalm I will think on today, and color in orange for this is a promise.   "He who dwells in the shelter of the MOST HIGH will abide in the shadow of the ALMIGHTY.  I will say to the LORD, 'My refuge and my fortress, my GOD in whom I trust." I chose to capitalize those names of God because as I did some checking I find that the names are showing His character, His care, and the blessing of security that we have in Him.   The first name is MOST HIGH:  El Elyon :  The Most High above all others.  He is sovereign ruler; He is involved; He is the final word.  He is the highest Judge of any court that you and I can appeal.  Yes, Father, I choose to dwell here with YOU as MOST HIGH. If I am willing to dwell/settle down in the Most High, I can abide/rest in the shadow of the ALMIGHTY.  ALMIGHTY: El Shaddai : Almighty God is th...

As I was driving home from grocery shopping, the word, never, popped into my mind.  In some cases, never is a for certain word which I can count on.  Of course my never is now in thinking with fuller understanding that I will never again experience the presence of my first son in this earthy life. It has now been three months since I saw him for the very last time. He was so fragile and ill with tubes and machines keeping him alive.  Of course, he was not conscious of all his loved ones singing, praying, and touching him declaring our love to him. Therefore, I certainly am glad to say that I will never see him again in that miserable condition.I am so glad that I am in my 70's because never will not be as long.  Of course in Heaven, I don't know about relationships of spouse, son, father, daughter, mother, in-laws, and child. Another area in which I get to trust my loving Father.He did such an excellent job in Creation and putting us in family relationships that I...

How many times have I left the grocery store with a full cart and then try to figure out what I am going to fix for the upcoming meal when I get home?  It was a challenge shopping with three little guys, but even now, I am plagued at times with the same question.   As you have faced a challenge, where all have you shopped to get the advice you wanted to hear?  1 Kings 12, King Rehoboam, King Solomon's son, has a complaint before him from the people of Israel as they come together to crown him king.  Perhaps they want to clear the air immediately.  Their complaint  is about the "hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us".  Rehoboam encourages the people to give him three days to come to a conclusion.  He, first, consults with the "elders" who have served his father and their advice is to grant the people their petition.  Scripture tells us that he "forsook" relinquishes the counsel of the elders and now checks in...

From Judges forward, it has been like gloom, despair and agony on me in reading.  I decided to break out of the traces and settle in on some good ole encouragement from the Lord.  David's Psalms have always been a favorite of mine, so I decided to settle in Psalm 16 and only a few  verses for this writing.  I can't even fathom being on the run for twenty-five years from an enemy and find the time to write songs, Psalms, and poetry.  How in the world did David get time to even journal?  But then I also think of the Apostle Paul who spent most of his writing time in prison and often with someone (amanuensis) to write down his dictated words and  thoughts.  I applaud either man for even having the sense to put together a sentence under such stress!  I am more than sure that  having the empowered Holy Spirit to guide and guard the writings was a marvelous energy and motivation.     Psalm 16 is another of David's prayers to J...

  As I come into 1 Kings 11, I can see there is trouble brewing with King Solomon and his addiction to excess: chariots, horses, 700 wives, 300 concubines, the worship of the idols of Ashtoreth, Baal, Chemosh, and  Molech.  Not sure about what they did about children that were born from 1, 000 women,  but I do recall that Molech included child sacrifice.  You may draw your own conclusions.  It is no mere slight statment, "The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice."  Of course, Solomon also threw in the worship of the Lord God  which is called syncretism. Syncretism is the almalgrammation of religions, cultures, or the schools of theoughts.  Scripture says that all of the wives turned his heart after other gods, but I am more prone to think plain old LUST, I WANT WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT IT AND I AM GOING TO HAVE IT!  Lust is not always expressed in...

   Power, possessions, and position...Solomon has it all!  He is the king in the counting house counting out his money from the ole nursery rhyme.  Solomon is regarded as the wisest man, the richest man, and the man with the most wives, concubines, and stables with horses.  Because he asks the Lord for wisdom and discernment  to rule his people, instead of asking riches and fame for himself, the Lord gives him wisdom and discernment yet HE also gives him riches and honor.  As any wise parent, God gives him this counsel, "But if you or your sons turn away from me and do not observed the commands and decrees I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them..." 1 Kings 9:6a. It is not the power, possessions, and position that taints and then draws our hearts away from the Lord God, but the SETTING of our hearts on attaining and maintaining all that we have been blessed by the Lord.  How easily we transition into thinking that the...

  I confess as I read the Old Testament, I find some incidents beyond my ability to understand, and when all I have is the knowledge of my lifetime, that is so very finite in light of 3,000 years.  Some of the aspects of the culture of 1000 BC, I find difficult to force 2017  more`s and values, much less Christian teachings on some of the incidents.  I look for truths which I can apply to my own life and any "alerts" which I see.  I want to share with other travelers that "the bridge is out on the highway, and be very alert and cautious as you choose the route you are going to take." An old friend, now deceased, once shared with me, "Experience can be the teacher of fools."  As I read, I can see foolish choices, and be most willing to inspect my own life for foolish choices made or making, and be wary not to make again, and a willingness to correct.  King Solomon, by this reading, has been given wisdom from the Lord God.  2 Kings 4:29 describ...

Most of us have been taught cause and effect in our lives.  King David has seen the full blown tornadic effects of some of his choices, even though he had a heart for confession, repentance, and obedience to the Lord.  Because life happens and we do make poor choices at times as parents, there finally comes the time in which the cause and effect issue cannot be pressed if the child is an adult.  The onus is now on "the child" regardless of what he has or has not been taught.  The child has seen enough of life to know what is right and what is wrong for him/her.  Our role is now continued bombarding the heavens for them! Entering 1 Kings in my reading, I find David is probably in his 70's and in ill health.  His fourth son, Adonijah decides that he will be king, although his father is still alive.  The author inserts an observation, "His father had never interfered with him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?"  1 Kings 1:6.  I wonder ...

I feel a rant coming on for sure.  Proverbs 26:11 tells me , "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. "  For the life of me, I cannot figure out why we choose to return to a behavior which is catastrophic to our mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual welfare.  I guess I have hit the golden age where I don't have the time or the energy to try to recoup any wasted time much less years of trying to recoup the hellish damage. I attended the viewing of a 22 year old woman last night, and with the death of my own son who was much older, I am REMINDED again that death is not a respecter of age!  John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full "  What a promise!  Why would I choose to allow the crap-shoot that the evil one wants to play with my life and destroy me?  It just doesn't make sense that one would not allow the Lord to master him/her but would al...

  Paul gives us great encouragement,truth, and promise from Romans 6:5-11, "If we have been united with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also be united with Him in His resurrection.  For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him.   For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again;death no longer has mastery over him. The death He died, He died to sin once for all , but the life He lives, He lives to God.  In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus." Oh how we need to understand that the slave chains to sin have been broken.  Jesus' death and resurrection bought the victory over the penalty of sin, over the power of sin in us, and will in Heaven, provide the absence...

     As I approach this special season of the year and focus on the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord, I treasure all the glorious benefits of each transaction and what each has afforded me as a Christ follower.  In my mind's eye, I can see the Holy Counsel of Father God, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in conversation as they pre-plan the future of the humans who were going to be the first humans to be created.  I can envision the angels hovering near and over- hearing the conversation and being totally shocked at what The Holy Three have agreed upon.  Sin and rebellion again?  They had seen the ruckus that Lucifer and his angels caused when God removed them from heaven down to earth. Now the angels are going to see rebellion again  from heaven with their eyes upon earth involving the two created ones, but this time, Father God is going to intervene.  The Scripture from Romans 5:8,  comes to mind, "But ...

Chapters 13-19 of 2 Samuel provide the backstory of God's rebuke to David delivered by Nathan with the words, "...the sword shall never depart from your house because you have despised ME."  The baby will die within days; David's first son, Amnon,  raped his half sister, Tamar;  Amnon will be murdered by his half brother Absalom;  then Absalom will move into defiance and rebellion against his own father and will try to usurp his throne for himself, and finally Joab, David's commander over his armies, will kill Absalom.  Granted the events occur over several years, but can you imagine all of this hell because of a choice to give in to an impulse?  You might ask, why would the author of 2 Samuel give six chapters to Absalom's betrayal of his father and its effects on the family and his kingdom?  The first reason that comes to my mind is to show what happens in a family when a Dad chooses to be disobedient and "do his own thing" leaving the Lord out o...

  David has experienced great victories by conquering the surrounding nations.  Scripture records that "The Lord gave David victory wherever he went."  He has now been the reigning monarch for some 20 years.  Tragically, he now enters a period of his life that spirals downward morally.  It is a repeat of any life who allows power, possessions, and position to be the priorities of the personal life.  He can be in control of neighboring nations, but cannot and will not control the desires of his lust filled heart.  His logo, "I want it, and I want it now, no matter the price." From his rooftop, He saw Bathsheba bathing.  He inquired as to her identity, which did not make any difference, because of his lust's demands.  He already had 6 wives and numerous concubines, what is another woman?  He impregnated her; he now must move to cover his sin by making some horrific choices to further complicate his life, his family, and his throne....

When I think of the character of integrity, I am so glad that I had a model before me in my Father.  His word was his bond.  That character trait is still expected and cherished in HEALTHY relationships today.   In 1 Samuel 20:14-15, Jonathan asks David to show him and his house lovingkindness/grace when David comes to the throne.  He knows that David may have to cut off other enemies to his rule, but he and David make a covenant to spare Jonathan's progeny.  David has long been anointed and crowned as king when he asks of his men if there is anyone left of the house of Saul that he can show kindness for Jonathan's sake. 2 Samuel 9:1.  There is a son named Mephibosheth and he has a son named Mica. Mephibosheth comes before David and he is so humbled that he falls on his face to David, and David restores to him all the land that his grandfather Saul had possessed and he promises Mephibosheth that he will eat at his table regularly.  Ziba is the...

     David's kingdom has been firmly established with the beginning of Chapter 7.  We see that he is living large and the Lord has given him "rest on every side from his enemies."  By way of Nathan, who will guide David, God makes a promise to David.   David will have a son to succeed him, His son would build a house for God's name. David's throne would be established forever. God will correct any of those who reign, but he will correct with His lovingkindness forever. David's dynasty would continue forever.  Scripture records that David "went in and sat before the Lord."   Can't you just see it?  I can imagine David pulling a chair over and sitting down and talking with God in a face to face conversation. (I find that sat means that he sat back on his heels in a position of prayer. ) David shows great humility and reverence as he speaks with God.  He speaks with such intimacy to the LORD GOD as if friend to FRIEND....

  Just when David thinks it is time to EXHALE  and move on with life, he finds himself embroiled in another prolonged ruckus of seven years with his own out-of-control nephews and Saul's surviving son, Ish-bosheth.  He has been crowned after the death of Saul.  David has been reigning from Hebron, and Ish-bosheth is reigning over the northern tribes of Israel. The intrigue continues and Ish-bosheth is betrayed and murdered by his own men who are commanders in his army. Finally, after battles, deaths, and funerals, David is anointed as king over both Israel and Judah in 2 Samuel 5.  Later in the same chapter, there is warfare again with the Philistines, but David and his men win this battle and his kingdom is more secure...for now.    Back in Chapter 3, his wives are listed along with the mention of sons born to him during the seven year reign in Hebron.  In Chapter 5:13, David takes more wives and concubines who will bare him more son...

David has learned of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan in the reading of 2 Samuel 1.  We are told that he and his men tear their clothes, mourn, weep , and fast in their grief.  I have seen the tearing of clothing in Scripture by other Biblical characters, and I am curious about that custom.  I find that tearing the clothing is a public and powerful expression of mourning, grief, and loss.  It can be accompanied with other acts which suggest humility: shaving the head, throwing dust on oneself as reported in Job, and the wearing of the roughly woven sackcloth.   David has been on the run for twenty-five years, and I think it interesting that the writer or writers, who may have been the prophets Nathan and or Gad, do not mention any other emotions except grief, distress, and love expressed by David in his song or poem that he speaks concerning the men.  At the beginning of chapter 2, David is anointed king over the house of Judah.  Twenty-five grue...

Dear Saul had a great beginning.  God chose him as the first king. At first, he was humble, had a teachable spirit, and had ole Samuel as a mentor to guide and counsel him.  Tragically, as with most of us humans, power and influence can corrupt if our negative emotions of fear and pride take control.  Saul's sin probably began like most sin, small, but once the sin became an ingrained habit (stronghold), then the character is  greatly devolves.  The compromises which seemed innocuous, maybe in the beginning, soon became flagrant and blatant behaviors of an evil driven personality.   Saul by now is probably in his late 60's or 70's.  An age when the goal should have been to finish well, and to know that he had reigned 40 years and his son, Jonathan, would be king at his death.  Perhaps the Philistines would have been conquered and the kingdom would be experiencing peace.  Isaiah 30:15b-16a have been rich reminders, "...In repentance and res...

Saul continues his pursuits with its focus on finding and killing David.  Jonathan realizes that his Father wants to kill David because of his popularity with the people, his bold leadership abilities in warfare, and the knowledge that he will replace Saul on his throne. David and Jonathan have covenanted that when David becomes king that he will "not cut off your loving-kindness from my house forever". ( The m/o of the newly reigning king is to kill all threats and enemies to his reign and Jonathan wants David to vow that he will not kill his family.)  Saul orchestrates the murdering of the priest, his family, and the animals for perceived betrayal of him concerning David.  1 Samuel 22.  Saul is on a rampage that will drive him for some 20+ years because of his fear of David.  Saul understands that David will succeed him; God is blessing David; and in his mind, he has been overlooked, disregarded, and pushed aside, and he is the victim.  Since he perceiv...

  I don't know the time lapse in the story between the chapters.  David has come to live with Saul and his son, Jonathan in 1 Samuel 18.  Jonathan and David are about the same ages and have become hard and fast buds.  Somehow, Jonathan knows and understands that David is to be crowned as king after the death of his father.  One would think that there would have been jealousy on Jonathan's part since he would have been the crown prince,  but there seems to be none apparent in the reading.  As David is given greater assignments by Saul, the more successful David becomes. As David becomes more successful, the more insecure Saul becomes.   Saul is so driven by his fear and pride that there is no mention of any admission of sin or evidence of an humble or contrite heart from him.I just betcha that the old guilty conscience is knocking at the door of his mind and heart remembering his choices to be rebellious when he was given explicit dir...

David has overheard the men speaking of the lavish benefits for the one who would kill Goliath.  David's eldest brother, Eliab is in the group of men, and he derides David for his boldness in speaking of Goliath.    1 Samuel 17:28 speaks of the ugly contempt of Eliab for David.  Immediately, it is easy to see the root of his contempt toward David, jealousy and judgmental spirits are masquerading as anger. Remember he is present when Samuel anoint s David.  I don't sense he is rejoicing for David's destiny as king of Israel after Saul dies.  David's bold question, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God." is repeated to Saul by the men.  Saul, the once brave warrior, sends for David.  David states confidently that he will go and fight the Philistine.  Since Saul's discouraging words do not seem to bother David, then Saul gives his armor to David. (I guess ole Saul is trying to relie...