Precept upon precept

3:21 p.m. Today's project was to teach and, just as importantly, pray and fellowship with, the ladies in our  Bible study group. We studied II Samuel Chapter 5 today, where David was established as king over all of Israel.

When you teach a passage or chapter of the Bible verse by verse, you are compelled by the Holy Spirit to study, research, dig into original languages and the sublteties of meaning, understand and communicate the whole counsel of God, not just a topic the teacher might find fascinating. Many topics will be mentioned in the verses, and each is important, because God placed them there, whether in a narrative, as in our chapter, or a teaching, as in Paul's letters to the church. And each topic is applicable to my life and yours.                  I Corinthians 10:11-12 says of God's word and the realistic way it talks about human failings,

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

And we have been given "all things pertaining to life and godliness" (II Peter 1:3) to help us do just that--to stand .

In our chapter of II Samuel today, we covered these topics, and undoubtedly could have covered more, but these were the ones the Spirit brought to the forefront of my mind:

• Kinship, v. 1
• Unity, v.1
• A person's record of performance as a leader
• God's calling on one's life, v. 2
• The threefold covenant between David, the people, and God, v. 3
• The significance in scripture of a man attaining the age of 30, v.4
• The history of David's kingship, v.5
• The conquest of Jerusalem, to become the City of David, v. 7
• Prophecies of David's shepherding the people, Ezekiel 34:23
• Anointing of church leaders for office by the word of prophecy, I Timothy 1:18
• Functioning in the world of unsaved people--being a witness for the season they are in your life, v.11
• When the LORD God of hosts is with you, for the sake of others, v. 12
• Polygamy, v. 13
• Providential opportunity to defeat the enemy and regain lost territory, v.17
• Burning idols as commanded in th Law, v. 21
• Inquiring of the Lord before taking action, v. 19
• God's miraculous sign to go forward, v. 23
• Persistence of the enemies of the Kingdom of God, v. 22
• Giving the glory to God for victory, v.20

All of these themes in one chapter of the Bible! One could spend a lifetime implementing the principles of our faith demonstrated here, while looking to Jesus as our perfect example as He walked the earth!

The only One who can open up scriptures to the speaker or the hearer is the Holy Spirit; and the Lord put on my heart before I began teaching to ask Him for a fresh filling of the Spirit within each of us as we laid hands on a sister who is in great and persistent pain.We need Holy Spirit power to witness, to love others, to conduct our ministries in and out of the home and in the church. Believer, all we need to do is ask! Jesus said, in Luke 11:13,

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

Fill us, Lord, that we might glean the truths embedded in Your word!