Author: Calleen Hough

God keeps his promises

One of the characteristics of God’s perfection is his reputation. God is not the same as man in that he was not created. He is self-existent, he is entirely self-sufficient and not dependent or contingent upon anything else. Basically, what that means is that he does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and for the rest of eternity. Therefore, his character or attributes are constant and can be relied upon to be the same in every situation.

I believe the reason God took the time to develop a relationship with Abraham was so that he could establish his reputation in dealing with sinful man. Psalm 106 is a confession of Israel’s long history of rebellion and a prayer for God to once again save his people. It says in Psalm 106:8, “Nevertheless, he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.”

God’s ability to do miraculous things is what sets him apart from every other being. That in and of itself is enough to qualify  him to be God, but it is not that he can do a miracle, God can do anything. His power is unlimited. Most people, even those that know God and have a personal relationship with him, are not aware of what God is capable of. God wanted Abraham and the rest of the world to know that he could do the impossible and when he made a promise, it was certain to be kept.

God promised Abraham that his descendants would dwell in the land known as Canaan. He even told Abraham ahead of time that his children would end up in slavery and God would deliver them. He even told Abraham the length of time they would be held in bondage (Genesis 15:13). In spite of the Israelites rebellion and lack of faith, God kept his promise and he will keep his promise to you too.

The miracle of life

“For the LORD commanded the blessing even life for evermore” (Psalm 133:3). The sustainment of life on planet earth is something I think we all take for granted. If God’s blessing were not on his creation, the human race would have become extinct a long time ago.

The miracle of life is that God’s provision is continuous, his resources are never diminished. Beyond the life we have here, God has commanded that eternal life be given to those who accept his son as savior and it is a free gift to all who want to receive it.

The manna that appeared in the desert to feed the Israelites while they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years is a picture of the free gift of eternal life. The manna came from the dew that settled on the ground. It blanketed the earth with abundant nourishment and was available for anyone that wanted to gather it.

The only restriction on gathering manna was that you could only take enough for one day at a time except the day before the Sabbath. When the day was over, the food rotted and had to be thrown away.

The restriction on the gift of eternal life is that it is only available while you are alive on earth. Everyday, the gift is there, waiting to be received. Each day of life provides another opportunity to take it. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Jesus was referred to as the bread of life because like the manna that appeared in the desert, he was able to sustain life indefinitely (John 6:21-40). Jesus explained to his disciples that unity with him meant eternal provision, all who believed would be permanently connected to his Father in heaven whose resources were unlimited and always available.

The miracle of life that Jesus offered was based on a unity that went beyond an external physical or spiritual connection. Jesus said, “He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him” (John 6:56). Through what we now refer to as communion, it became possible for Christ to dwell or stay in believers.

Jesus differentiated the life he could provide from that provided by the manna by stating that everyone that ate the manna was dead or separated from God (John 6:58). It did not provide a permanent connection.

The unity that David experienced in his kingdom was just a foretaste of the unity believers experience in Christ. Although David knew the LORD, he was not connected to him the same way we are. David did not go to heaven when he died. He had to wait until Jesus was crucified to receive the miracle of eternal life.

Unity of faith

In verse one of Psalm 133, David talked about brethren dwelling together in unity in order to establish a physical basis for community. In verse two of Psalm 133, David explains how unity works from a spiritual perspective. David said, “It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments.

When Aaron became the chief priest, his head was anointed with oil as a sign of his consecration to God (Leviticus 8:12). Aaron was the spiritual leader of Israel and was a direct representative of God that lived among the Israelites to remind them of God’s presence in their community. David’s expression of Aaron’s anointing being like brethren dwelling together in unity is intended to convey the point that God’s presence in the community was the source of its unity or what kept the people united.

The oil that was used to anoint Aaron was a combination of olive oil and sweet smelling spices that when combined formed a strong perfume that could probably be smelled from a great distance. The idea behind the anointing was the goodness of God being like a sweet smelling fragrance that affected everyone that came in contact with it.

Paul talks about the unity of the Spirit in Ephesians chapter four. Paul encouraged believers in the city of Ephesus “to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace…Till we all come in the unity of faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:3,13). Paul’s reference to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ appears to be tied to the anointing of the priests and could clarify why David used the anointing of Aaron as an example of unity.

If you think of the priests’ garments as a representation of God’s holiness imparted to man, the anointing oil running down onto the garments was a picture of Jesus’ death as the atonement for sin. The anointing of the priest was an act of faith that linked him to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. David used this illustration to make the point that the brethren dwelling together in unity during his reign was based on an act of faith. They all believed they were establishing the kingdom of Christ and that one day he would walk in their midst and his presence would affect everyone that came in contact with him.

A common goal

“Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1). The best example I can think of for brethren dwelling together in unity is the United States. Although some people may think the men who designed our government were brilliant, I believe they had divine inspiration and may have even used Psalm 133:1 as a guide for our country.

Initially, the United States was intended to be a Christian nation. Our pledge of allegiance stated that we were to be one nation under God. The interesting thing about our country is that it is unique in the world. No other country has been able to replicate the way we govern ourselves as independent states with a common federal system linking them together.

The nation of Israel under David’s leadership became a type of United States in that each of the clans or tribes of Israel lived in their own territories and acted independently of each other, but under David’s reign they united and followed him with one heart (1 Chronicles 12:38).

One of the characteristics of unity that is sometimes overlooked or taken for granted is the absence of conflict. The United States’ Civil War was a bloody battle that threatened to split our country in two. Since that time, there have been no such wars within our borders. It is definitely good and pleasant to live in peace, but very difficult to maintain it when there are varying opinions about what is acceptable.

There is more to unity than living within the same borders or the absence of conflict. I believe there is an element of unity that has to do with shared or common goals. You might call it the tie that binds because it is this element that keeps things together and makes it possible for conflicts to be resolved. The common goal of the tribes of Israel was the removal of foreigners from the Promised Land. Only some areas were secure and free from warfare. David gave the people hope that if they fought together as they had when they first entered the Promised Land, they could overcome all their enemies and live in peace.

David was a valiant warrior and his mighty men were the best of the best at defeating strong enemies. His leadership was the key to success when it came to bringing together men of diverse backgrounds. David had a way of finding the common denominator and was able to communicate his vision in a way that enabled complete unity among the tribes. David’s reign lasted a short 40 years. Although he accomplished many important things during that time, the unification of the tribes was probably the most miraculous.

God’s host

“For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host like the host of God” (1 Chronicles 12:22). The word translated host, machâneh (makh – an – eh´) means an encampment (4264). Machaneh is derived from the Hebrew word chânâh (khaw – naw´) which means specifically to pitch a tent (2583). What 1 Chronicles 12:22 is saying is that David’s host and God’s host were covering the same territory.

God’s host consists of superhuman beings including God and his angels (430). We cannot see God’s host, but they are surrounding us to protect us and assist us in warfare. The significance of David’s host and God’s host covering the same territory was that physical and spiritual warfare could be conducted simultaneously. David was tearing down physical and spiritual strong holds at the same time.

It says in 1 Chronicles 12:38,  “All these men of war that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.” A perfect heart is one that has been completely transformed. David’s camp was filled with peace and the men were living in harmony with one another. One way to describe the situation would be heaven on earth, everything was perfect in David’s army.

The supernatural experience of peace that is sometimes felt by believers is a result of God’s presence. As we live our daily lives, we are not always aware of God’s presence, but the evidence that he is among is the peace we feel in our hearts. I believe there was a correlation between the number of men in David’s camp and the number of angels that were surrounding them. Whether it was a one to one correlation or higher, the number of supernatural beings was great enough that all conflict and strife was eliminated. Everyone’s attention was focused on the battle and the defeat of God’s enemies.

The capture of Jerusalem

If there was one event in David’s life that stood out as his greatest moment, it was probably the conquest of Jerusalem. It’s likely that victory over the Jebusites, the people of Jerusalem, was considered impossible because of the strategic location of the city on a rise that was surrounded on three sides by deep valleys.

Jerusalem was the ultimate strong hold or fortress. It had been occupied for approximately 2000 years, since the time of Abraham, and at least two previous attempts to overtake it had failed. After conquering it, David renamed it the city of David (2 Samuel 5:7).

The capture of Jerusalem was probably important to David because he felt God was using him to establish a permanent kingdom on earth. David believed there would be a Messiah and may have known that Jerusalem would be the capitol from which he would rule and reign over his kingdom. Possession of Jerusalem was therefore and integral part of God’s redemptive program for Israel.

It says in 2 Samuel 5:6, “And David went on and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.” The term LORD God of hosts is used several times by David in his prayers for deliverance from his enemies. Although it is possible the hosts David was referring to were troops under his command, it s likely David was asking for help with spiritual warfare.

There are some battles that take involve both physical and spiritual warfare. Jerusalem was a key city in the Promised Land, but it is also described as a heavenly city. In Revelation 3:12, it says, “I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God.”

When Jacob was fleeing from his brother Esau, it says in Genesis 28:11 that he came to a certain place. “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12). The place Jacob came to might have been a portal between the physical and spiritual worlds that enabled him to see what is normally outside of human perception.

One of the unique characteristics of king David was his awareness of the spiritual realm that existed around him. He often spoke to the LORD as if he was standing right next to him. When it says that the LORD God of hosts was with him, I believe it is saying that the LORD God of hosts, super human beings including God and his angels (430), were David’s constant companions.

You only die once

I believe there are some people that think God doesn’t know what he is doing. They have spent a lot of time trying to figure things out and have decided that the world just doesn’t make sense. In Psalm 104, the Psalmist said, “O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: The earth is full of thy riches” (Psalm 104:24).

The word translated wisdom, chokmâh (khok – maw´) means experience (2451). I don’t know if any of those people that think God doesn’t know what he’s doing have considered the possibility that God has done this before, created other worlds or universes besides ours, but it seems like there is a possibility that he has.

The place we call Heaven is a world in and of itself. It exists in another dimension and has a purpose that is not fully disclosed in the Bible. Since God is an eternal being, it is reasonable to assume that he exists in an eternal place. That place would not have been created by God, it coexists with him.

One of the aspects of experience that God does not possess is the ability to learn. God does not get smarter over time. He knew everything there was to know from the beginning. Even though God does not learn, I think he tries stuff. For example, when God parted the Red Sea, he had never done anything like that before, so he was in a way trying I out to see what it would be like, what effect it would have on the Israelites and Egyptians.

A lot of times, God only does things once. We sometimes refer to these kinds of things as miracles. They are not miracles because they are hard or impossible to repeat, they are miracles because they have never happened before and likely will never happen again.

An advantage that God had as the creator of the universe in which we live is that he got to create his own birthplace. I can’t imagine what God was thinking when he decided to become like one of his creatures, but it might have been that he wanted to try out being human. In addition to birth, as a man, God would also experience death. Since Jesus is referred to as God’s only begotten son (John 3:18), living as a human was something that God would only do once.

Even though God probably enjoyed being human, he chose to limit himself to only 33 years living as a man on earth. It was probably not the experience of living he was looking for, but the experience of dying. It think it is interesting that the thing most humans want to avoid, God made an intentional effort to experience.

It says in Hebrews 9:27 that “it is appointed unto men once to die.” I think it is possible that death will turn out to be the best thing we will ever experience as humans, at least for believers anyway. It could be that death is a like a miracle and by experiencing it we will get a glimpse into what it felt like for God to become a man, only in reverse. We will travel or be transported from a finite world into the eternal place where God exists. Angels will escort us into the presence of the LORD and we will see him face to face and immediately know everything about what God was doing in our lives, in intimate detail. I’m pretty sure it will be a glorious experience or it wouldn’t make sense that God made sure everyone got to do it at least once.

He walks with you

Speaking of the LORD in Psalm 103, David said, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). The word translated transgression, pasha‘ (peh´ – shah) means a revolt, a willful rebellion from a prescribed or agreed upon path (6588). The word removed, nâchaq (naw – khak´) means to widen and is used in reference to distance (7368).

When David said east, he was referring to the point on the eastern horizon where the sunrises and the west, the point where the sun sets. So basically, he was saying that the distance that God removes our transgressions or widens the path for us when we rebel against him is the distance between the two farthest points in our line of sight. In other words, God gives us complete latitude, there is no way we can get off the pathway he has prescribed for us.

Although David emphasized God’s authority when he said in Psalm 103, “The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalm 103:19), he attributed God’s mercy with the power to overcome our willful rebellion (Psalm 103:11).

God does not force us down a narrow pathway. He gives us innumerable options to get where he wants us to go. Our free choice determines the how, God’s sovereignty determines the where and/or what we will do in our lives. If it is true that all paths lead to heaven, then why choose Jesus Christ? Because when you choose Jesus, he walks with you on the pathway and carries you when the road gets too tough.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

It’s time

If you are a Christian, there may come a time when your life is changed radically. I say may because the kind of change I am talking about is not automatic. It is true that when you accept Jesus as your savior, you personally are changed radically, transformed on the inside in an instant, but your life may stay exactly the same as it was before you became a believer.

Many people have experienced traumatic events that have changed their lives radically, like hurricane Katrina and some people have experienced positive things like winning the lottery. One day you are poor and the next day you are rich. One day you have a beautiful home and the next day you are homeless. Although events that are outside our control can alter our lives completely, it is possible to experience radical change by simply exercising your will to do things differently.

One of the reasons our lives do not change is because we don’t know what we need to do differently. We are unaware of the mistakes we are making. Jesus prayed on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

Sometimes, we willingly get ourselves into trouble. We do things of our own volition, knowing the results will not be good. When we consciously choose to do something over and over, it becomes a habit and eventually a lifestyle that we are unable to change. It takes an act of our will to break the cycle or a miracle from God to deliver us.

After I was raped, something happened inside of me. I can’t say I really thought about it or even made a conscious decision, but I know I decided to not trust men anymore. From that point forward, I didn’t develop any personal relationships with men. I dated, I even got married, but I never really cared about the men in my life. As far as I was concerned, men were untrustworthy and would only hurt me if I gave them the chance.

It has been 40 years since I was raped. That’s a long time to be set in my ways and I can say with assurance that I was completely unaware of what I was doing. If you would have asked me about it, I would have said, oh yah, I trust men. I have a lot of relationships with men, but that would have been a lie. I didn’t have my first personal relationship with a man until about a month ago.

In Psalm 102, it says about the LORD, “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come” (Psalm 102:13). The words translated time and set time are different. The word translated time, ‘êth (ayth) means an appointed time or proper time. “It is used of the appropriate time or suitable time for a given activity in life” (6256). The word translated set time, mô‘êd (mo – ade´) means an appointed place of meeting” (4150). Mo‘ed refers to the festivals that were prescribed and signifies the set place where they were to occur.

Although the festivals were prescribed and expected to be observed by all the Israelites, they were not. There was an appointed time for them to take place and each person had the opportunity to celebrate the festivals if they wanted to. It was as if God was saying, I’ll be here, come if you want to celebrate with me. What kept most people away was the need for a sacrifice. I had to make a sacrifice in order to trust again. I had to sacrifice my pride, my fear, and my need to know what was going to happen next. I decided it was worth it and my life has been radically changed.

A turn of events

Everything God does is intentional and produces the expected result. He does not react or get surprised by what happens. As our lives unfold before us, it may seem as if God is constantly course correcting because of our mistakes, but that is not the case. What we perceive as a turn of events is really God exercising his control, showing us that he is able to accomplish a desired outcome with or without our help.

So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; and inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)