DETERMINE IN YOUR HEART TO BE LOYAL TO GOD

By honoring God with your life and your lips, you’re stepping into a realm of blessing that will literally take an eternity to explore. 

Remembering Divine Destiny

Joab constrained David to get a grip on his grief concerning Absalom's death and show the people that he appreciated their heroic efforts to save the kingdom. After we have fought our worst battles and taken our most painful losses, we must nevertheless return to perform the purpose of God that was irrevocably ordained for us.

2 Samuel 19:8, 11 - "The king arose, and sat in the gate. ...And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house?"

A Model For Repentance
Shemei cursed fleeing David, throwing stones and dust at him. But when David returned, Shimei rushed to repent, a thousand Benjamites with him. Shimei fell before the king, begging,

2 Samuel 19:19-20 - "Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, ...For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, ...I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king. ...[David said], Thou shalt not die."

Mephibosheth Welcomes David Home
Although Absalom was defeated, David wanted to know that Israel wanted him back in Jerusalem. Thousands came to meet him at Gilgal, where Joshua brought Israel from wandering, and God rolled away their reproach. Mephibosheth, though lame, came explaining that Ziba betrayed him and left him behind. Joyfully, he exclaimed, "My lord the king is as an angel of God." When God finishes your exile, He arranges a glorious reunion.

2 Samuel 19:15 - "So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan."

Spill-Over Blessings 
Att 80, Barzillai furnished food and supplies for David's defenders against Absalom. After David won, Barzillai came to escort him back home. David asked Barzillai to move into the palace with him, so he could care for him in his old age, but he respectfully declined, preferring to die in his own home. Barzillai offered his servant, Chimham, to David, who received him kindly. Great men leave spill-over blessings to their descendants.

2 Samuel 19:38 - "The king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee."

VICTORY VICTORY VICTORY VICTORY 

What happens to your body when you fast for 20 hours?

The liver and muscles store the glucose and release it into the bloodstream whenever the body needs it. However, during fasting, this process changes. ... So, for those breaking their fast after 24 hours, it is generally safe to go without eating for a day unless other health conditions are present.

Step Across the Faith Line  And being not weak in faith, [Abraham] considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. – Romans 4:19-20 In the years I've spent living by faith, there's something I've learned to do that helps me receive from God in the toughest of situations. It's something I call stepping over the faith line. A faith line is what you need when you want God to do the "impossible" in your life. It's what you need when you want to be firm in your faith and yet you keep wavering back and forth between your circumstances and God's promises—believing first one, then the other. It's what can make you like faithful Abraham. You know, Abraham had natural facts to deal with just like we do. He knew there was no natural way for God's promise to him to come true. Yet the Word says Abraham considered not his own body. In other words, Abraham ignored the natural evidence around him and believed only God's promise. Somewhere he stepped across the line of faith. He made an irreversible decision to go with the Word of God. He made a final commitment. He chose to step past the point of no return. And if you and I are ever going to see God do the impossible in our lives, we're going to have to do the same thing! How do you draw that faith line? Begin with the Word. Search the promises of God and purposely believe what He has said, and is saying, about your need. Meditate on those promises until faith rises in your heart. Then draw the line of faith. Draw it in your mind and heart. Draw it across the floor in your prayer room. Say, "In the presence of God, in the presence of all the angels in this room, and in the devils face, I am stepping across the line of faith. From this moment on, I consider this matter done. From this day forward, I give God the praise and the glory in the Name of Jesus." From that moment on, speak only as if your miracle has already happened. Turn your back on the problems, on the doubts, and turn your face toward Jesus. God will do the impossible in your life. Dare to step across the faith line!