DAVID

David loved God but David allowed lust to linger in his life. Colin Smith noted the following: “He allowed sin to build a position of power in his life, and that led him to a place where he did things that, in the earlier years of his life, he would never have imagined himself doing.

Surely what comes after David committing these two heinous sins—adultery and murder—must be the most profound repentance, but that’s not what happens. By the time we get to chapter 12, the child is born. That means more than nine months have passed since David committed these sins, and has there been any repentance? None whatsoever. David has simply covered up and moved on.

Here’s the first thing we learn from this story: The natural sequel to sin is not repentance.

What was it like for David during these long months when he covered up and tried to move on? We know because David tells us in a Psalm that he wrote later in life, where he reflected on these months in which he covered up and tried to move on.

Listen to this from Psalm 32: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3-4).

Don’t think for a moment that when David covered up and tried to move on, everything was hunky-dory in the palace. It was not. In fact, this was, without doubt, the most miserable year of David’s life.

This was a man in a palace. He had money, he had privilege, and he had the wife that he wanted. But he lives every day with a nagging groan in his spirit. Even when he savored great pleasure, the groan is still there. He went to sleep at night with a groan, and when he woke up in the morning, he groaned at the thought of another day.

His “strength was dried up” (Psalm 32:4). He had no energy. He lost his zest for life. His enthusiasm for what he was doing was gone. The blessing of God on his life had departed and all that was left was a groan. The natural sequel to sin is not repentance, but hiding from God, and that experience for a believer always proves miserable.”

One problem with addiction is a lack of rapid repentance. Pray: “Father, help me to develop the habit of rapid repentance.”

Lastly, practice rapid repentance on even the smallest of sins. Sin leads to darkness and darkness leads back to addiction.

Stay in the light and you will stay in the right.

Lastly, Colin ended his fine article with the following:

“The Word of God broke through in David’s life when nothing else could. Time did not bring him to repentance. Conscience did not get him there either. Misery did not bring repentance either. But the Word of God broke through in his life when nothing else could.

Never underestimate the power of God’s Word to change a person’s life, to change your life. “My word… shall not return to me empty, but it… shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). God’s Word can bring change in your life when nothing else can or will.”

 

It is hard work going to war with sin. To prepare: Drink enough water daily, Get sleep and rest (honor the Sabbath), eat real foods like broccoli, skinless chicken, fish, and most importantly, cut down on sugar. It is hard to fight temptation if you always feel like garbage.
Secondly, exercise lowers your stress. It also helps you fight better, and it eventually makes you feel better. Start slow and "Do it every day."
Lastly, spend time with the Lord.
Psalm 16:11 ESV
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
What if today I determined to stay in the presence of the Lord. What great pleasures would He provide for me? What would I learn?
Do a Google search: How to stay in the presence of the Lord. Then see what happens.

 

David wrote in Psalm 1: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

We walk in the counsel of the ungodly when we watch sinful TV, and when we listen to and believe friends who influence us in bad ways. Matthew Henry wrote:

“A godly man, that he may avoid the evil, utterly renounces the companionship of evil-doers, and will not be led by them.” Consider praying:

“Father, help me to focus on being with people who You want me to be with.”

2 We stand in the way of sinners when we choose to be in the wrong place, where the wrong people are.

3 We sit in the seat of the scornful if we listen to people who scorn Christianity. If you don't get away from them, they will likely influence you.

2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

We delight first in the law of the Lord concerning lust. Focusing on those key verses. Second, we delight in the law of the Lord on sins that lead us back to lust (Do an internet search: Verses about ________). Third, we delight in the law of the Lord on sin in general. Because sin keeps us in darkness and depression. Now let's see what happens when we follow verse two.

3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The problem is... we only half believe this scripture. The Bible says: Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”

Read these 3 verses every day until you “really” believe them. Why? Because they will change your life into what verse three promises.

 

When David stared at Bathsheba he forgot to ask this question. Are these thoughts scriptural? I am guessing he learned that “habit” after all the destruction. He didn't ask: Will these thoughts build me up, or tear me down? He didn't ask: Where did these thoughts originate?

In his later years we know that David learned to get busy doing what God wanted him to do again. He got his mind busy, thinking the way God wanted him to think again.

Today, the focus is learning to praise the Lord the way David did. He was one of the greatest Christians of all time when he focused on thinking right and praising God. David wrote Psalms. Let's see what he said.

Psalm 150:6 ESV
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

Today I learned... this sounds as much like a command, as it does a suggestion.

Psalm 34:1 ESV
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 71:8 ESV
My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.”

David focused on God's glory all day, and he praised God all day.

Psalm 100:1-5 ESV
A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Hebrews 13:15 ESV
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Psalm 146:1-2 ESV
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.”

Always work on improving the habit of praising God. It is a great tool for renewing your mind to get your thinking off of the wrong things.

 

Is porn idolatry? 1 Corinthians 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

We have to eat and drink, so the problem is playing? Wow, God wants us doing certain things and he is more against certain things than others. Who knew?

If playing a game is idolatry, is porn idolatry. Decide for yourself. Second, this passage condemns gaming in excess. Once again, if you game in moderation, decide for yourself.

Third, maybe 51% of the reason David fell with Bathsheba was that he was not worshiping God fervently at that time. As a young boy, he worshiped and praised God “All the time.” But he got spoiled when he became king. Then he fell.

Psalm 95:6 ESV
Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
“After Bathseba,” David was famous for dancing before the Lord, for singing to the Lord, for giving thanks. He learned to run from sin, and he was a great worshiper again.

Isaiah 12:5 ESV “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.
Psalm 150:6 ESV Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Hebrews 12:28 ESV Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Psalm 71:8 ESV
My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day.”

When David was right, he praised God all the time.

I have a friend in real estate who puts “Praise the Lord,” on his sold signs.

Proclaim often: “Father, You are a great and mighty God. You are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Today, I worship You.

When I watch my fav Lauren Daigle video’s I am praising God just by singing along with her lyrics.

Fill your mind up with worship by singing spiritual songs, giving thanks often, and praising the Lord. Make it a daily habit.

I linked the great article that this thread is loosely based on.

 

In the story of David, Uriah the Hittite is a forgotten person. But if we live like he lived we will gain a lot.

David got Bathsheeba, Uriah's wife pregnent. At the time David did this, he was supposed to be doing God's will. He was relaxing at home... looking around, trying to amuse himself. Uriah was fighting the battle, and doing God's will. After David got her pregnant, he sent for Uriah, and told him to go home to his wife. He was hoping for a cover-up. But, Uriah refused to go home and he slept on the palace steps. Uriah said, How can I go home when my comrades are living in tents away from their families? Then David had him killed.

Uriah insisted on living God's way. He died a forgotten hero, a man who insisted on doing God's will.

Bibleinfo.com noted that Uriah's name means “light of Yahweh” or “flame of God.” Everywhere he was, and in everything he did, he did it to the glory of God, just as his name meant. His home life, his life on the battlefield, and his relationship to his leaders were all characterized by godly principles (1 Corinthians 10:31)."

If we insist on doing things God's way we will avoid the massive destruction David got. If we insist on focusing on God's will, we will have a huge reason to not go back to lust... because we have something important to do. Consider spending a daily block of time in prayer to seek what God's will is for you. It is a huge step toward quitting and a step in the direction of joy.