[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY MARCH 29

[Donnie Parrett]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY MARCH 29

WORD OF WISDOM

I don't know if people in Dubai watch the Flintstones, but those in Abu
Dhabi do!


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DAILY DEVOTION

Become a Nathanael


Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite
indeed, in whom is no guile!
(John 1:47)

	 One of our personal goals should be that we are so honest, so above
board, so full of integrity that Jesus can describe us as He did Nathanael.
"That's not me," you say. Maybe not yet, but it can be. You can become a
person of integrity who does the right thing when no one is watching.
It starts in the home. When you have integrity, you're the same in private
as you are in public. You don't treat people at work nice and kind and come
home and be rude and harsh to your family. You should treat your family
better than you treat anyone else. Don't be kinder and more considerate to
coworkers than you are to your spouse and children. You don't have to be
perfect, but you have to be real. You can't change if you don't acknowledge
that you need to change. Ask yourself, "Where is my love and care falling
short? If I was standing before God, what attitude would I bring?"
	 
A Prayer for Today

"Father, thank You for challenging me to come up higher and be my best,
especially at home. Show me if there is anything I'm doing that is keeping
me from becoming a person of integrity. I want to change, and I believe You
have the power to change me. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

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DAILY BIBLE READING

2 Samuel 1-3 New King James Version
The Report of Saul's Death
1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had returned from
the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two days in Ziklag, 2
on the third day, behold, it happened that a man came from Saul's camp with
his clothes [a]torn and dust on his head. So it was, when he came to David,
that he fell to the ground and prostrated himself.

3 And David said to him, "Where have you come from?"

So he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel."

4 Then David said to him, "How did the matter go? Please tell me."

And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, many of the people
are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also."

5 So David said to the young man who told him, "How do you know that Saul
and Jonathan his son are dead?"

6 Then the young man who told him said, "As I happened by chance to be on
Mount Gilboa, there was Saul, leaning on his spear; and indeed the chariots
and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 Now when he looked behind him, he
saw me and called to me. And I answered, 'Here I am.' 8 And he said to me,
'Who are you?' So I answered him, 'I am an Amalekite.' 9 He said to me
again, 'Please stand over me and kill me, for [b]anguish has come upon me,
but my life still remains in me.' 10 So I stood over him and killed him,
because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took
the crown that was on his head and the bracelet that was on his arm, and
have brought them here to my lord."

11 Therefore David took hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did
all the men who were with him. 12 And they mourned and wept and fasted until
evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and
for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

13 Then David said to the young man who told him, "Where are you from?"

And he answered, "I am the son of an alien, an Amalekite."

14 So David said to him, "How was it you were not afraid to put forth your
hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?" 15 Then David called one of the young
men and said, "Go near, and execute him!" And he struck him so that he died.
16 So David said to him, "Your blood is on your own head, for your own mouth
has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed.' "

The Song of the Bow
17 Then David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his
son, 18 and he told them to teach the children of Judah the Song of the Bow;
indeed it is written in the Book [c]of Jasher:

19 "The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
20 Tell it not in Gath,
Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon-
Lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
Lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

21 "O mountains of Gilboa,
Let there be no dew nor rain upon you,
Nor fields of offerings.
For the shield of the mighty is [d]cast away there!
The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.
22 From the blood of the slain,
>From the fat of the mighty,
The bow of Jonathan did not turn back,
And the sword of Saul did not return empty.

23 "Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives,
And in their death they were not divided;
They were swifter than eagles,
They were stronger than lions.

24 "O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
Who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury;
Who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

25 "How the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle!
Jonathan was slain in your high places.
26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;
You have been very pleasant to me;
Your love to me was wonderful,
Surpassing the love of women.

27 "How the mighty have fallen,
And the weapons of war perished!"

David Anointed King of Judah
2 It happened after this that David inquired of the Lord, saying, "Shall I
go up to any of the cities of Judah?"

And the Lord said to him, "Go up."

David said, "Where shall I go up?"

And He said, "To Hebron."

2 So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess,
and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 And David brought up the men
who were with him, every man with his household. So they dwelt in the cities
of Hebron.

4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the
house of Judah. And they told David, saying, "The men of Jabesh Gilead were
the ones who buried Saul." 5 So David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh
Gilead, and said to them, "You are blessed of the Lord, for you have shown
this kindness to your lord, to Saul, and have buried him. 6 And now may the
Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness,
because you have done this thing. 7 Now therefore, let your hands be
strengthened, and be valiant; for your master Saul is dead, and also the
house of Judah has anointed me king over them."

Ishbosheth Made King of Israel
8 But Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army, took [e]Ishbosheth the
son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim; 9 and he made him king over
Gilead, over the Ashurites, over Jezreel, over Ephraim, over Benjamin, and
over all Israel. 10 Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was forty years old when he
began to reign over Israel, and he reigned two years. Only the house of
Judah followed David. 11 And the [f]time that David was king in Hebron over
the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

Israel and Judah at War
12 Now Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul,
went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the
servants of David, went out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. So they sat
down, one on one side of the pool and the other on the other side of the
pool. 14 Then Abner said to Joab, "Let the young men now arise and compete
before us."

And Joab said, "Let them arise."

15 So they arose and went over by number, twelve from Benjamin, followers of
Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. 16 And
each one grasped his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his
opponent's side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called
[g]the Field of Sharp Swords, which is in Gibeon. 17 So there was a very
fierce battle that day, and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten before
the servants of David.

18 Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel.
And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle. 19 So Asahel pursued
Abner, and in going he did not turn to the right hand or to the left from
following Abner.

20 Then Abner looked behind him and said, "Are you Asahel?"

He answered, "I am."

21 And Abner said to him, "Turn aside to your right hand or to your left,
and lay hold on one of the young men and take his armor for yourself." But
Asahel would not turn aside from following him. 22 So Abner said again to
Asahel, "Turn aside from following me. Why should I strike you to the
ground? How then could I face your brother Joab?" 23 However, he refused to
turn aside. Therefore Abner struck him in the stomach with the blunt end of
the spear, so that the spear came out of his back; and he fell down there
and died on the spot. So it was that as many as came to the place where
Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

24 Joab and Abishai also pursued Abner. And the sun was going down when they
came to the hill of Ammah, which is before Giah by the road to the
Wilderness of Gibeon. 25 Now the children of Benjamin gathered together
behind Abner and became [h]a unit, and took their stand on top of a hill. 26
Then Abner called to Joab and said, "Shall the sword devour forever? Do you
not know that it will be bitter in the latter end? How long will it be then
until you tell the people to return from pursuing their brethren?"

27 And Joab said, "As God lives, [i]unless you had spoken, surely then by
morning all the people would have given up pursuing their brethren." 28 So
Joab blew a trumpet; and all the people stood still and did not pursue
Israel anymore, nor did they fight anymore. 29 Then Abner and his men went
on all that night through the plain, crossed over the Jordan, and went
through all Bithron; and they came to Mahanaim.

30 So Joab returned from pursuing Abner. And when he had gathered all the
people together, there were missing of David's servants nineteen men and
Asahel. 31 But the servants of David had struck down, of Benjamin and
Abner's men, three hundred and sixty men who died. 32 Then they took up
Asahel and buried him in his father's tomb, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab
and his men went all night, and they came to Hebron at daybreak.

Joab Kills Abner
3 Now there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David.
But David grew stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul grew weaker and
weaker.

Sons of David
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon by Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess; 3 his second, [j]Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal the
Carmelite; the third, Absalom the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai,
king of Geshur; 4 the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth,
Shephatiah the son of Abital; 5 and the sixth, Ithream, by David's wife
Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

Abner Joins Forces with David
6 Now it was so, while there was war between the house of Saul and the house
of David, that Abner was strengthening his hold on the house of Saul.

7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So
Ishbosheth said to Abner, "Why have you gone in to my father's concubine?"

8 Then Abner became very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, "Am I a
dog's head that belongs to Judah? Today I show loyalty to the house of Saul
your father, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not delivered you
into the hand of David; and you charge me today with a fault concerning this
woman? 9 May God do so to Abner, and more also, if I do not do for David as
the Lord has sworn to him- 10 to transfer the kingdom from the [k]house of
Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to
Beersheba." 11 And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared
him.

12 Then Abner sent messengers on his behalf to David, saying, "Whose is the
land?" saying also, "Make your covenant with me, and indeed my hand shall be
with you to bring all Israel to you."

13 And David said, "Good, I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I
require of you: you shall not see my face unless you first bring Michal,
Saul's daughter, when you come to see my face." 14 So David sent messengers
to Ishbosheth, Saul's son, saying, "Give me my wife Michal, whom I betrothed
to myself for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines." 15 And Ishbosheth
sent and took her from her husband, from [l]Paltiel the son of Laish. 16
Then her husband went along with her to Bahurim, [m]weeping behind her. So
Abner said to him, "Go, return!" And he returned.

17 Now Abner had communicated with the elders of Israel, saying, "In time
past you were seeking for David to be king over you. 18 Now then, do it! For
the Lord has spoken of David, saying, 'By the hand of My servant David, [n]I
will save My people Israel from the hand of the Philistines and the hand of
all their enemies.' " 19 And Abner also spoke in the hearing of Benjamin.
Then Abner also went to speak in the hearing of David in Hebron all that
seemed good to Israel and the whole house of Benjamin.

20 So Abner and twenty men with him came to David at Hebron. And David made
a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. 21 Then Abner said to
David, "I will arise and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, that
they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your
heart desires." So David sent Abner away, and he went in peace.

Joab Murders Abner
22 At that moment the servants of David and Joab came from a raid and
brought much [o]spoil with them. But Abner was not with David in Hebron, for
he had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the
troops that were with him had come, they told Joab, saying, "Abner the son
of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he has gone in peace." 24
Then Joab came to the king and said, "What have you done? Look, Abner came
to you; why is it that you sent him away, and he has already gone? 25 Surely
you realize that Abner the son of Ner came to deceive you, to know your
going out and your coming in, and to know all that you are doing."

26 And when Joab had gone from David's presence, he sent messengers after
Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah. But David did not know
it. 27 Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the
gate to speak with him privately, and there [p]stabbed him in the stomach,
so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.

28 Afterward, when David heard it, he said, "My kingdom and I are
[q]guiltless before the Lord forever of the blood of Abner the son of Ner.
29 Let it rest on the head of Joab and on all his father's house; and let
there never fail to be in the [r]house of Joab one who has a discharge or is
a leper, who leans on a staff or falls by the sword, or who lacks bread." 30
So Joab and Abishai his brother killed Abner, because he had killed their
brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

David's Mourning for Abner
31 Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, "Tear
your clothes, gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn for Abner." And King
David followed the coffin. 32 So they buried Abner in Hebron; and the king
lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
33 And the king sang a lament over Abner and said:

"Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34 Your hands were not bound
Nor your feet put into fetters;
As a man falls before wicked men, so you fell."

Then all the people wept over him again.

35 And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was
still day, David took an oath, saying, "God do so to me, and more also, if I
taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!" 36 Now all the people
took note of it, and it pleased them, since whatever the king did pleased
all the people. 37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day
that it had not been the king's intent to kill Abner the son of Ner. 38 Then
the king said to his servants, "Do you not know that a prince and a great
man has fallen this day in Israel? 39 And I am weak today, though anointed
king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The Lord
shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness."

Footnotes
2 Samuel 1:2 To show grief
2 Samuel 1:9 agony
2 Samuel 1:18 Lit. of the Upright
2 Samuel 1:21 Lit. defiled
2 Samuel 2:8 Esh-Baal, 1 Chr. 8:33; 9:39
2 Samuel 2:11 Lit. number of days
2 Samuel 2:16 Heb. Helkath Hazzurim
2 Samuel 2:25 one band
2 Samuel 2:27 if you had not spoken
2 Samuel 3:3 Daniel, 1 Chr. 3:1
2 Samuel 3:10 family
2 Samuel 3:15 Palti, 1 Sam. 25:44
2 Samuel 3:16 Lit. going and weeping
2 Samuel 3:18 So with many Heb. mss., LXX, Syr., Tg.; MT he
2 Samuel 3:22 booty
2 Samuel 3:27 Lit. struck
2 Samuel 3:28 innocent
2 Samuel 3:29 family