July 15

1 Chronicles 19:1-21:30, Romans 2:25-3:8, Psalm 11:1-7, Proverbs 19:10-12



Pray: God, I don’t even begin to know how to please You. Help me to love You unconditionally but also to fear You greatly.

Read: In 1 Chronicles 19 through 21 we see David and his men winning battle after battle “trusting the Lord”. But while Joab, David’s general, was out waging war David had an experience described in scripture this way, “Satan rose up against Israel and caused David to take a census of the people of Israel. David was tempted to “trust in numbers” rather than “trust the Lord”. Joab urged David not to take a census. But David would not listen. As a result of David trusting in numbers rather than trusting the Lord, God punished Israel.

Edify: When confronted by his seer David acknowledged his sin. God declared that David could choose one of three punishments. David decided that he would trust God to choose the punishment. So the Lord sent a plague upon Israel and 70,000 died as a result. The higher we go up in authority the greater the consequences when we mess up. But just as one of God’s angels was about to destroy Jerusalem David and his men dawned sackcloth and ashes and began to repent. There before David and his men was the altar of Araunah. David promptly purchased the altar and offered up sacrifices and the plague was stopped. At that time the tabernacle was at Gibeon but David was afraid to go worship God because he feared God’s presence. So, even David, a man after God’s own heart, had to grow and mature in his relationship with God.

Practice: We should listen to good counsel. David did not. We should fully understand that not every leading, not every voice, is from God. God had said many times, “Don’t count Israel but rather trust me.” David messed up. He ignored counsel and he didn’t seek the Lord. He paid a price. All Israel paid a price. Practice searching the scriptures before making a decision. Let the WORD direct you and not your feelings.