Today's Treasure:
"One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her"
2 Samuel 11: 2 - 3
Read 2 Samuel 11: 1 - 5. Read verse 1 carefully. What was David supposed to be doing in the spring?
going off to war
David's temptation turned to three specific actions recorded in verses 3 - 4. What are they?
1. He sent someone to find out about Bathsheba
2. He sent someone after Bathsheba
3. He slept with Bathsheba
The sin between David and Bathsheba had numerous repercussions. What was the first result according to verse 5?
Bathsheba became pregnant
Do you feel as let down in this moment as I do? It is like we travel from a world of righteousness into one of shame within moments of scripture!!! Beth points out how few verses it takes in 2 Samuel to record the downfall of David. I bet if you asked ten people to say the first word that comes to their mind about David, half of them would probably say "Bathsheba". Isn't that profound? Look at all David has accomplished up to this point in his life. Look at all he had done to further the kingdom of God, and thousands of years later, most people can quickly recall this story about him. Does this put into perspective how easily sin can tear away at your integrity? One moment of passion (be it adultery or any other sin) can destroy years of commitment to the Lord. One moment of passion can leave you a legacy that overshadows all of the good you may have done in your life!!! If you are feeling tempted by sin, please consider the consequences that sin has attached to it. Not only do you suffer, but your relationship with God suffers in a mighty way!!!
Have you recently had to say no to yourself for something you really wanted but knew you shouldn't have? How difficult is it for you to say no?
I do have to tell myself "no" quite often. I may not be tempted in the way David was, but there are other areas of my life that I have to control. It is important to us to control our spending, and that is difficult to do when lenders make it so easy to borrow money that you do not have. At times, I feel inadequate when I see others relish in their "toys". Yet, I have to remind myself that they are just trying to fill a void in their lives with material things. Our void has been filled with our Lord. Now, I am not saying that Christians do not deserve nice things!!! I believe God wants us to enjoy many wonderful blessings on this earth. I consider it wrong when we put ourselves in debt to a point of stress in order to have "things". When we are so controlled by desire to "have" that we allow ourselves to make enslaving choices, then we need to rethink our perspective on things.
In Deuteronomy 17: 17 which of the following did God command the rulers of His chosen nation not to do?
He commanded the rulers to not take many wives
Remember that scripture notes David taking many concubines and wives in Jerusalem
God clearly stated the consequences of multiplying wives in Deuteronomy 17: 17. What was the consequence?
The heart of the individual will be led astray
Isn't it amazing how wise the word of God is? Now, we know David is familiar with scripture...he had it memorized in his heart. Why did he choose to overlook this portion when it was so important for him to please God in every other way?
What does God tell us about the heart in the following verses?
Proverbs 4: 23
guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life
Jeremiah 17: 9
the heart is deceitful...who can understand it?
These two verses easily relate together. In your own words, combine the two concepts into a one-sentence statement:
Guard your heart against deceit and your life will spring forth understanding
How do you think David's wandering heart began to lie to him?
I am sure it told him that he could have anything he wanted because he was king. Why should he be denied anything when he was such a righteous man? It is easy to think that what we have is insufficient when we see something more appealing!!!
There are a few things we can do to protect ourselves from sin when we are tempted.
1. Don't allow yourself to be in the wrong place at the wrong time
David should have been off at war, but he was home in his palace. Remember that this also meant that many husbands were away from their wives at this time because they were off at war. If David had been with his men, he would not have been tempted. Also, if Bathsheba's husband would have been home with her, David probably would not have been so bold.
2. Protect yourself with accountability partners
I cannot say enough times how important it is to have strong accountability in your life. You absolutely need Christian friends in your life that will not hesitate to call you out when you are in the wrong. If you surround yourself with people that hold you accountable for your actions, you will find yourself making fewer bad decisions. Seek out people that you can trust to share your temptations with. It certainly doesn't have to be as big as adultery. Accountability partners can be used to keep you in the Word each day, to help you maintain godly relationships with others, to help you make good financial decisions, etc. You can never go wrong when you ask people with solid principles to help you. If you do not have individuals in your life that are spiritually mature enough to hold you accountable for your actions, pray that God will bring someone to you. Very often, it is good for the person to not be a family member. It is difficult to confront family. I think you will find that these relationships will turn into some of the most precious in your life!!!
3. Don't isolate yourself and become lonely
Isolation can make you reach out to things that you would never consider if supported by others in your life. I honestly do not know how I could deal with this cancer if I had not chosen to share it with all of you. I know you will never realize the important role that each of you plays in my life!!! When I take up this keyboard and express the emotions I am going through, you save me from a world of depression. My commitment to this Bible study keeps me in my Lord's word everyday. If I did not know you were all expecting to share in this Bible study each day, it would be easy to put it aside and become overwhelmed by the severity of the situation. Yet, I know you are there, and I know the word of God is within reach. So, each day I find hope to keep fighting this battle. Do you understand that God has placed each of you in my life to bless me in this way?
Loneliness can cause us to be trapped in sin. Beth suggests the following to avoid this trap:
Be careful to fulfill the responsibilities God has given
Deliberately set up a network of accountability partners
Avoid lengthy periods of isolation, if possible
Be aware of the progressive nature of sin
Sin progresses in the following way:
1. In thought
David saw Bathsheba from that rooftop, and it began thoughts in his mind that he chose not to control. The seed of sin always begins in our mind.
Read Mark 12: 30. In reference to our lesson, what do you think loving the Lord your God "with all your mind" means?
Keep your mind pure so it can focus on your relationship with God
2. In word
If we do not repent and confess our sins with our mouths, it will progress to the next stage which also involves the spoken word. Isn't it beautiful that God understood this and gave us a way to take care of this sin with confession so that we did not have take the alternative route? When we think about sin long enough, we will eventually begin to talk about it. If we do not surround ourselves with accountability, we will talk about our sin with people that will help us justify it.
3. In action
David did not stop with his thoughts or his conversations about Bathsheba; therefore, his sin progressed to the action phase. Once we participate in this phase, consequences are sure to follow. If you take time to categorize your sins, then you can stop them before they reach the point of no return.
As we conclude today's lesson, write the following scripture. Let them become staples in your prayer time to guide you through purity of thought, word and deed before God
Psalm 139: 23 - 24 (thought)
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Psalm 19: 14 (words)
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer"
Psalm 15: 1 - 2 (deeds)
"Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart...."
In Him,
Tiffany
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