<style type="text/css">
<!--
@page { margin: 0.79in }
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in }
A:link { so-language: zxx }
-->
</style>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">“<b>TWO
ARE BETTER THAN ONE” MINISTRIES</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Jim
& Marie Watt</b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Tel:
<a href="tel:253-517-9195" target="_blank">253-517-9195</a> - Email:
<a href="mailto:jmbetter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jmbetter@gmail.com</a></b></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><b>Web:
<a href="http://www.2rbetter.org/" target="_blank">www.2rbetter.org</a></b></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">October 9, 2012</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<br></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER">
<style type="text/css">
<!--
@page { margin: 0.79in }
P { margin-bottom: 0.08in }
-->
</style>
</p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>JUN
4 - 2 SAMUEL 24 - DAVID’S LAST SIN</b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b>1.
24:1 (24:1-3, ESV) DAVID: COMMANDS NUMBERING OF ISRAEL. <font size="3">“Again
the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited
David against them, saying, ‘Go, number Israel and Judah.’”
</font></b><span style="font-weight:normal">There is a danger of the
sin of pride in old age after success. None of us are immune from
this danger, not even </span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">David</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">.
Even Joab discerned this evil desire in David. Father, may we not be
tempted to violate Kingdom principles! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Hallowed
be your :name.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">2.
24:4 (24:4-9) DAVID’S WORD PREVAILS. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“But
the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the
army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the
presence of the king to number the people of Israel.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">David
overrode the counsel of Joab and all his army captains. How foolish
to move unilaterally and bypass all our counselors. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:kingdom come.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">3.
24:10 DAVID’S REPENTANCE. </span><font style="font-size:13pt" size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“</span></font><font style="font-size:13pt" size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">But
David’s heart struck him after he had numbered the people. And
David said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done.
But now, O LORD, please take away the iniquity of your servant, for I
have done very foolishly.’” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Thank
God for this full and complete confession. But this was insufficient
to avoid the penalty for foolishness. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Your
:will be done, As in heaven, so on earth.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">4.
24:11-12 (24:11-13) DAVID: RECEIVES GOD’S WORD THROUGH GAD. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">And
when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the
prophet God, David’s seer, saying, </span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">12
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“Go
and say to David, ‘Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you.
Choose one of them, that I may do it to you.’” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">How
tragic that a leader’s sin of stubbornness bring</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">s</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
tragedy upon his followers! O forgive us for the temporary blindness
that comes upon us during times of pride! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
:daily :bread Give us this day.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">5.
24:14 (24:14-15) DAVID CHOOSES THE JUDGMENT OF GOD. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">Then
David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us fall into the
hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into
the hand of man.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">This
was a wise decision on David’s part, but he was really in a no-win
situation. O strengthen us Father, that we fall not by temptation
into the sin of pride! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
forgive us our :debts, As we also have forgiven our :debtors.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">6.
24:16 (24:16-17) DAVID PRAYS FOR MERCY. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">And
when the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy
it, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was
working destruction among the people, ‘It is enough; now stay your
hand.’ And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of
Araunah the Jebusite.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Your
mercy Father, triumphed over justice! David was correct in trusting
You. Satan meant the temptation for evil, but You cut judgment short
and delivered David from the evil one. </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">And
bring us not into temptation.</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">7.
24:24 (24:18-25) DAVID: BUYS TEMPLE SITE AND MAKES ATONEMENT. </span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">But
the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a
price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost
me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for
fifty shekels of silver.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Romans
8:28 is still in the Bible. The </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">temple</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
is the great symbol of Your Kingdom Father, and out of this sin its
site was purchased! </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">But
deliver us from the evil </span></i><span style="text-decoration:none">one!</span></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><u><b>NOTE</b></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><b>:
24:25 (24:18-25) DAVID: SEES GOD LIFT JUDGMENT THROUGH SACRIFICE.
</b></span><b><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">“And
David built there an altar to the LORD and offered burnt offerings
and peace offerings. So the LORD responded to the plea for the land,
and the plague was averted from Israel.” </span></font></b><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">This
was the second time David moved for the </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">healing
of the land</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">.
We need to understand and practice this also. </span></span></font></font>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">See
the grace of God in using a David in such a way - and yet so human -
like many of us. </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">This</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
should give encouragement and hope for the many! See how God blessed
his kingdom! his home! his seed in Jesus, Son of man! And yet in his
own life he was not perfected - even as we!</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">But
again - whenever David was confronted by God through His prophet -
immediately he </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">repented</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">,
and sought to make things right. And here even in what followed his
sin of numbering Israel in pride - yet the land he purchased to make
sacrifice, became the place where God led Solomon to build the
Temple!</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt">David
in 7 different ways prepared for the building of the Temple. The
purchase of the Temple site was but one of these seven. In a sense -
so extraordinary was David’s 7-fold preparation for the building of
the Temple, that it could almost be called “the Temple of David!”
Even the blue-print for its full plan - was given to David - written
on his heart by the Spirit of God!</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">David
relied on the prophets of God to receive both guidance, confirmation
and rebuke. Nathan and Gad were two who </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">fearlessly</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
confronted King David on 2 occasions of his sin. Presidents and
governors - not just kings - need to hear the Word of the Lord by
heaven-sent prophetic messengers!</span></span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;text-decoration:none" align="LEFT">
<br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in;font-style:normal" align="LEFT">
<font face="Palatino Linotype, serif"><font style="font-size:11pt"><b><span style="text-decoration:none">Our
chapter of Proverbs for the day: 4:7-8 (4) A FATHER’S WISE
INSTRUCTION. “</span><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">The
beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get
insight. </span></font><font style="font-size:8pt" size="1"><span style="text-decoration:none">8
</span></font><font size="3"><span style="text-decoration:none">Prize
her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace
her.” </span></font></b><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Wisdom</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
is like ballast for a ship: it prevents capsizing. Solomon understood
how much his son </span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">Rehoboam
</span></span><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">needed
this. And </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">You</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">
abundantly supply us, Your sons and daughters Father, with </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Jesus</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">,
our </span></span><u><span style="font-weight:normal">Personified
Wisdom</span></u><span style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-weight:normal">!
(1 Corinthians 1:30). </span></span><b><i><span style="text-decoration:none">
Hallowed be your :name!</span></i></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="CENTER"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b><br></b></font></p><p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>TO
SUBSCRIBE - Please Email: <a href="mailto:mailing-subscribe@2rbetter.org" target="_blank">mailing-subscribe@2rbetter.org</a></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>TO
UNSUBSCRIBE - Please Email: <a href="mailto:mailing-unsubscribe@2rbetter.org" target="_blank">mailing-unsubscribe@2rbetter.org</a></b></font></p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><br>
</p>
<p style="margin-top:0.01in;margin-bottom:0in" align="LEFT"><font size="3"><b>FOR
ARCHIVE ARTICLES - Web:<a href="http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/" target="_blank">http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/</a></b></font></p>