Thought for October 5

 History:

• 1568: Trial of Mary Queen of Scots begins
• 1877: Chief Joseph surrenders ending Nez Perce War
• 1924: First Little Orphan Annie cartoon appears
• 1925: WSM-AM begins radio transmission
• 1932: Detroit Falcons become the Redwings and the Winged Wheel logo is introduced
• 1942: 5,000 Jews massacred in Dubno Russia and 90 Jewish women beaten to death at Auschwitz
• 1947: Truman makes first televised Presidential address from the White House
• 1953: Earl Warren becomes Chief Justice
• 1961: "Breakfast at Tiffany's" premiers
• 1962: "Dr. No" premiers in London
• 1973: Elton John releases "Yellow Brick Road" album
• 1983: Lech Walesa wins Nobel Peace Prize
• 2015: Jerry Brown signs bill giving terminally ill patients right to die
• Born: Jonathan Edwards, Chester A Arthur, Louis Lumiere [first motion picture], Robert Goddard [first liquid fueled rocket], Ray Kroc [McDonald's], Allen Ludden [Password], Bill Dana [Jose Jimenez], Barry Switzer, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Laura Davies, Mario Lemieux, Grant Hill, Kate Winslet, Jesse Palmer, Jesse Eisenberg, 
• Died: Charles Cornwallis, Tecumseh, Louis Brandeis, Earl Tupper [Tupperware], Rodney Dangerfield, Fred Shuttlesworth, Steve Jobs, 

Thought:

Reading again 2 Samuel 11 this morning--David and Bathsheba. We all know this story well. What does the Lord have to say to me today? Here are a couple of things that spoke to me.

• There is a battle going on. It was spring, "the time kings go out to battle." As we read the New Testament we understand that there is a battle raging today for the hearts and souls of millions. Satan is defeated but he will not stop his schemes to carry many with him into eternal death. Ephesians 6 urges us to put on our battle gear, not just in the spring, but every day before we go into battle. Without arming ourselves we are unable to stand firm in the face of the enemy. We have to cover ourselves with the Truth, wrap ourselves in righteous conduct and thinking, prepare to take the good news to a lost world, exercising faith in the face of the devil's darts of fear and doubt, reminding our minds that we have been saved by the blood of Christ and in Him we are more than conquerors, and carry the sword of the Word. And notice, our battle is a spiritual battle--against the world forces of darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness. Our job is to bring the Light. 
• If we do not daily engage in that spiritual battle against darkness, then darkness will creep into our lives. For David, an innocent walk turns into adultery, murder, loss of a child. That's why Jesus always says there is no neutrality, we can't be like Switzerland, we must choose sides. He tells us we are either for Him--in which case we enter the battle behind our Commander; or we are against Him. David decided to stay at home and it led to disaster. When we refuse to enter the battle today, we court disaster. We do not get a season off or a day off--When we became soldiers of the cross we enlisted for the duration of the battle. 
• Now look at Uriah. He wanted to be in the battle, but David brought him home to cover David's sin. Uriah knew where duty was and refused to sleep with Bathsheba, rather he slept at the door of David's house. Why? Maybe Uriah knew that if he went home he would be tempted to stay, he would forget about his duty, he would be reluctant to go back into the battle. Lord, help me be like Uriah and want to be in battle on the front lines. That should be easy for my King is not at home, my King leads in battle, so all I need to do is follow Him. 

Blessings

Larry