Blessing Others in Prayer~Dave Miller

Blessing Others in Prayer

"I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said. "So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go, and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: 'If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' 1 Kings 2:2-4

The entire first chapter of First Kings is how Adonijah wanted to be King but those advising King David insisted that Solomon take the throne. Then, as David is on his death bed, he blesses Solomon, who is considered the wisest man who ever lived.

David blessed Solomon thusly, "So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go." This is a prayer that most Believers would love to have prayed over them. So, why don't we?

Read the prayer over and over again until you commit it to memory, then put it in the form of a prayer: "I pray that this person will be strong and show himself strong, and that he will observe what the Lord requires of him. I pray that he will walk in His ways, and keep his decrees and commands, as written in the Law of Moses, so that he may prosper in all he does and wherever he goes."

Memorize this blessing, then pray it over a different person every day. Then, watch that person grow in the Lord!

He Reached Down~Dave Miller

He Reached Down

"He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters." 2 Samuel 23-51

As you go through life, you need this. You need God to just reach down and take hold of you. More often than we care to admit, you think He might just reach down and shake you into your senses, but this is not the case in this passage. No, after spending a lot of time and more energy running from his enemies, David just cried out to God. In fact, this entire chapter is like that. You can tell that being on the run took its toll on David. He's spent, exhausted, ready to just hang it all up.

We get like that. We sometimes feel as if we can no longer move. But God, through simple, honest prayers like this, restores our soul, renews our spirit. But we have to take a step of faith and let it all go. Blurt it all out. Holding in all the junk and misery of life just complicates it. Let it all go.

Read the entire 23rd Chapter of Second Samuel out loud, then close your eyes and just worship. Weep if you need; raise your hands if you must, but cry out to Him.

But the King Knows~Dave Miller

July 17, 2009

But the King Knows

Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night. When David was told what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done, he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had taken them secretly from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land. 2 Samuel 21:10-14

Buried in the Bible are these little stories that can easily get passed over for the "juicier" sections (e.g., Moses parting the Red Sea, David and Goliath, Jesus turning water into wine). Rizpah, a relative of Saul, wanted to protect the bodies of the seven men who were killed. She was protecting them from the birds. A simple act of kindness and decency. No one would notice. After all, the men she was protecting were already dead.

But King David heard about it and acted. Long story short: Saul, Jonathan, and the seven men were all buried together. Away from the birds, away from the open air.

Rizpah's legacy lives on around the world. Most people have never heard her name but they are like her. Most reading this are like her. You work and labor and wonder if it's making a difference. No one seems to notice your deeds. You get discouraged and want to give it all up for an easier life.

But the King knows. The King is recording all of those deeds. Sometimes he rewards you on the spot; most times, however, your small acts of kindness and hard work go seemingly unnoticed. Seemingly. The Enemy would want you to think that it's all for nothing. But it's not.

Take heart, Brothers and Sisters, your work for the Lord is not in vain, even the smallest things you do for others. Like the concert pianist whispering in the ear of a five-year-old as he plays a simple Chopsticks, "Keep on, Lad, you're doing great. Keep it up. I'm here with you. You're doing good. You're doing great. Don't stop now."

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