The Lord of Breakthroughs

Have you ever felt like you were fighting the same battle over and over again? I certainly have! Whether it's my physical limitations from fibromyalgia or the spiritual heaviness that sometimes settles over Wales, there are days when I wonder if I'll ever see victory.

David knew that feeling all too well. In 2 Samuel 5, we find him facing a familiar foe in a familiar place. The Bible tells us, "But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David" (2 Samuel 5:17). The Philistines—again! And where did they set up camp? In the Valley of Rephaim, otherwise known as the Valley of Giants.

This wasn't David's first rodeo in this valley. The Philistines had a nasty habit of gathering there to attack Israel. Same enemy. Same battlefield. Different day.

Have you ever felt like you were fighting the same battle over and over again? I certainly have! Whether it's my physical limitations from fibromyalgia or the spiritual heaviness that sometimes settles over Wales, there are days when I wonder if I'll ever see victory.

David knew that feeling all too well. In 2 Samuel 5, we find him facing a familiar foe in a familiar place. The Bible tells us, "But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David" (2 Samuel 5:17). The Philistines—again! And where did they set up camp? In the Valley of Rephaim, otherwise known as the Valley of Giants.

This wasn't David's first rodeo in this valley. The Philistines had a nasty habit of gathering there to attack Israel. Same enemy. Same battlefield. Different day.

I'm struck by what David did next. Instead of sighing heavily and thinking, "Here we go again," he "enquired of the Lord" (verse 19). And God answered with a resounding "Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand."

The result? Total victory! David declared, "The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters" (verse 20). He named that place Baal-perazim, which literally means "Lord of breakthroughs."

Isn't that beautiful? In the very place where battles seemed endless and enemies refused to stay defeated, God revealed Himself as the Lord of breakthroughs!

Perhaps you're standing in your own Valley of Giants today. Maybe it's a health issue that won't resolve, a relationship that keeps fracturing, or a temptation that continually resurfaces. The enemy keeps showing up, and you're exhausted from fighting the same battle.

Friend, take heart from David's example. Before charging into battle, he sought the Lord's direction. He didn't assume that because he'd fought this enemy before, he already knew the strategy. Each time, he asked afresh and trusted anew.

You may feel stuck in an endless cycle of helplessness and hopelessness, but our God specializes in breakthroughs! He doesn't just help us manage our recurring problems. He breaks through them like a powerful flood demolishing a dam.

What valley are you facing today? What battle seems endless? Remember that you serve Baal-perazim, the Lord of breakthroughs. He can shatter strongholds that have held firm for years. He can break chains that seem unbreakable. He can flood your situation with His power and presence. The next time the Philistines came back to that same valley, God gave David a completely different battle plan (2 Samuel 5:22-25). Sometimes our breakthrough comes through unexpected means. The key is to keep seeking Him, keep trusting Him, and keep believing that breakthrough is possible.

After all, it's not just what God does. It's who He is. He is the Lord of breakthroughs!

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God Doesn't Always Work the Same Way

We must trust God's character,even when we don't understand His methods..pngWe must trust God's character,even when we don't understand His methods..png

Today, I want to look at the same passage we looked at last time but from a slightly different perspective. And let me tell you, this is the perfect day to cover this topic. At least, it is for me. I need the reminder. Allow me to fill you in on the past couple of days.

On Tuesday morning, we left Montana and began making our way south. Ultimately, we were to arrive in Phoenix, AZ, by the weekend for a missions conference. But after calling a church in Las Vegas to ask about using their RV accommodations, the pastor invited us to join their missions conference, which began Wednesday evening. So, the plan was to drive to St. George, UT on Tuesday, get up Wednesday morning and do a quick tour of Zion National Park, then go the remaining few hours to Las Vegas to be ready for the 7:00 meeting. Then, we’d leave Las Vegas on Saturday morning and make it to Arizona for our conference beginning on Sunday.

Shortly after stopping for dinner late Tuesday evening in central Utah, our motorhome (which has behaved brilliantly for over 24,000 miles since we’ve had it) started overheating and developed an oil leak. We limped it along until we could find a place to pull over for the night safely.

The next morning, we called a nearby diesel service repair shop and had the RV towed to their shop. They worked on it all day Wednesday, and by the evening, they felt they had the overheating issue fixed but still had to deal with the oil leak. Obviously, we missed our meeting. So, we spent the night in our motorhome, which was parked in the repair shop. This was definitely a first.

On Thursday (the day I’m writing this), our prayer was that they could fix the remaining issues and have us on the road by lunchtime. We’re four hours away from Las Vegas, but if we could have gotten on the road shortly after lunch, we would have had just enough time to get to our location, hook up, grab some quick showers and maybe a bite to eat, and be ready for the missions conference.

Lunchtime came and went. As the minutes ticked by, we prayed and wondered if we’d be able to make it on time. Finally, around 2:00, we received word that everything was finished, and all that was left was for us to take a quick test drive to make sure everything was running as it should. Within a mile, we started overheating again. So, once again, we limped our way to the repair shop and called the pastor in Las Vegas to tell him we weren’t going to make it to the missions conference tonight after all.

The mechanics are currently working hard to figure out what else could be the problem, and I’m wondering if we’ll be spending another night in the repair shop. And that’s not all I’m wondering, but before I tell you the rest, let’s look at our passage of Scripture again.

But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

— II Samuel 5:17-24

We already discussed how God’s ways don’t always make sense to us, right? Well, I’m certainly getting a belly-full of that right now. The invitation to the missions conference in Las Vegas was a blessing. It seemed like a Godsend. Yet, for whatever reason, God is not allowing us to get there. I don’t understand it. This delay is not only costing us a meeting but likely financial support too. Could that really be God’s will? For the life of me, I can’t make sense of it. But, as we’ve rehearsed, His ways are not our ways.

Today, I want us to notice that God doesn’t always work things out in the same way as He has before. The first time the Philistines attacked, God told David to go out and meet them head-on. The second time, however, God had a different plan. Why didn’t He tell David to do the same thing he did last time? It was effective. Maybe not long term, but effective. Why did God change up the game plan? Furthermore, why didn’t God give David the same orders He gave to Joshua or Gideon or other military leaders when their enemies attacked? Honestly, I don’t know.

I’ve heard people testify how they were on a long journey and started having vehicle trouble. They prayed, and immediately, the issues cleared up, and the people made it safely (and quickly) to their destination. Trust me, when things started going wonky on Tuesday, I did a lot of praying and guess what—we still ended up on the side of the road. I can’t explain that.

I’ve read accounts of miraculous rescues, but I’ve also read about martyrs of the faith. The Bible tells how sometimes Jesus healed lepers with a mere word while other times, he touched them. When Jairus came to Jesus and told Him his daughter was ill, Jesus set out immediately to heal her, yet when Mary and Martha sent for Him to heal Lazarus, He delayed. On certain occasions, God allowed Israel to fight their battles, but other times, He sent the enemy scampering away before Israel even raised a sword. God’s methods are not consistent, and sometimes that’s frustrating.

God could have mended our engine right away, but He didn’t. He could have kept the problem from coming up, to begin with, but He didn’t. He could have caused the repairs to be quicker or at least adequate, but He didn’t. At this point, I don’t even know what the resolution of this situation will be or when it will be, and while I’m doing all I can to keep trusting, there are still so many questions in my mind. I see so many ways God could have helped, yet He didn’t see fit to do any of them. Instead, He’s working some mysterious plan I can’t see or understand.

But here’s the thing—and this is where I find comfort and peace—through God’s ways are ever-changing, His nature is not. He is always good. He is loving and kind. He is generous and merciful. He loves me and has my best interest in mind. And while I may not be able to trace His hand, I can undoubtedly trust His heart.

That’s what David did. He didn’t lean on his understanding and approach the situation the way he had the first time. Instead, David trusted God. I’m sure he didn’t understand the whole idea of the marching in the mulberry trees, but he didn’t have to. He merely trusted that God was good and wouldn’t lead him astray. He had faith in God’s character even when he didn’t understand God’s methods. And that faith led him to victory, just as it will for us.

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

— Psalm 145:8-9, 17-19

[youtube=://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWhREkwI4Jc&w=854&h=480]

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Do You Hear What I Hear?

The Lord is good to all_ and his tender mercies are over all his works..pngThe Lord is good to all_ and his tender mercies are over all his works..png

We’ve been working our way through a particular passage in II Samuel 5. So far, we’ve learned the enemy is out to get us and is persistent, we should always seek the Lord’s counsel before making any decisions, and our God is the one true God who will fight for us and defend us. Today, we’re going to look at my favorite part of the story. Not my favorite lesson, necessarily (though it is undoubtedly an important one), but the part of the story that gives me goosebumps and creates a sense of awe in me. Are you ready?  

But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines.

— II Samuel 5:17-24

When the Philistines attacked the first time, David enquired of the Lord if he should go out to meet them, and the Lord said, “Go!” But the second time was different. When David asked for God’s guidance, the instructions were a little strange. This time, the Lord said, “No, don’t go out and meet them head-on. Instead, circle around behind them and wait at the mulberry trees until you hear the “sound of a going” in the tops of the trees. That will be your signal to attack because then you’ll know that I am leading you to victory.”

Circle around behind them? Okay, that’s a sound strategy. I get that. Wait for a signal from the Lord? Sure, that makes perfect sense. But then things get a bit weird. What was the signal? When I first read the passage and saw the phrase “the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees,” I thought it was referring to the wind. You know, when the wind whips through the tops of the trees. But after further study, I discovered it’s so much better than that. The phrase means “a marching” or “marching feet.” Marching? In the treetops?

I don’t know about you, but the very idea evokes a thousand questions in my mind. Who was marching in the treetops? God? A heavenly host? An invisible army? Furthermore, what does marching in the treetops sound like? Does it sound the same as marching on solid ground? Did the trees sway or bow under the force of this marching, or was it only a sound? Did the Philistines hear it or only the army of Israel?  So many questions!!!

And that, my friends, is today’s lesson. Sometimes God’s ways leave us with more questions than answers. Let’s face it, His ways are not our ways. He looks at things from a heavenly perspective and with all knowledge while we have a very limited view of how things are and how problems should be solved. Sometimes, God’s ways don’t make sense. I can’t stress this enough because this is a daily battle for me and probably for some of you as well.

God says, “Die, and you shall live.”

God says, “Give, and you shall receive.”

God says, “Hold fast, and you can let go.”

It sounds crazy to our finite minds. Try as we might, we can’t make sense of directions that seem so foreign. We want to trust that God knows best and has our best interest in mind, but His methods are so far outside of the box we can’t wrap our brains around them.

I have to wonder if David told his men what the plan was. If so, what was their response? “Um, I’m sorry, sir. Did you say we’re waiting to hear marching in the treetops?” Surely, they thought David had lost his mind. I would have thought that. It’s weird. It’s unconventional. It’s not the way I would have approached the situation. Therefore, I would have balked at the idea.

Fortunately, David didn’t. In fact, there’s no evidence that he even raised an eyebrow at this unusual battle plan. God said it, and David believed it and obeyed. No doubts. No questions. No pleas with God to explain Himself. Just complete faith in the God who had proven Himself faithful time and time again.

Oh, that’s what I want!  I long to say, “Not my will but Thine be done” and genuinely mean it. I desire to follow God’s directions without hesitations, questions, or arguments. I want to believe with all my heart that God is good, His ways are right, and His plans are perfect. And then, I want to live as if I believe it!

God never promised us we would understand His will. He never said we would comprehend his delays or fathom His workings. But He did promise that His plans for us are good and that He will be true to His character. Then, He asks us to trust Him and leave the results up to Him.

I, for one, know it’s not an easy task, but if God can cause the sound of marching in the tops of mulberry trees, is there anything He can’t do?

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

— Jeremiah 29:11
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

— I Thessalonians 5:24
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

— Jeremiah 32:27
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Daily Guidance

God's ways are not our ways..pngGod's ways are not our ways..png

When we left off in our story, the Philistine army came up against the Israelite army. . .again. Same enemy. Same battlefield. Same bad attitude. But here’s where things take an interesting turn—at least, in the way I typically handle things.

And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.

— II Samuel 5:22-23

Did you notice how David responded to this attack? He enquired of the Lord. . .again. Logic dictates that if the Lord wanted David to attack the last time the Philistines picked a fight, He would want David to do the same this time. Why would this time be any different, right? Well, because it was.

I don’t know about you, but I depend on human logic far too much. I see things the way I think they should be. I understand things the way my brain interprets them. And if I’m not careful, I tend to bypass that “enquire of the Lord” stage and jump right into the action I assume is His will. After all, the last time I checked with Him, these were the directions He gave.

However, David walked so closely with God that he rarely made a move without first checking in with his Master. And, it’s a good thing he did because God didn’t want him to march in and attack as before. This time, God had a different plan. A very different plan.

We must remember God doesn’t always do the same thing in the same way.  

Sometimes He parts the water. Other times, He teaches us to swim.  

Sometimes He moves the mountains. Other times, He gives us the strength to climb.  

Sometimes He calms the storm. Other times, He calms His child.  

His moves are mysterious and beyond our ability to understand or anticipate. We never know what He’s going to do next. I’m sure David and his army weren’t expecting what was to follow. (Spoiler: It’s my favorite part of the story!)

Friends, we must be careful not to assume we know what the Lord is doing or what path He wants us to take next. Never in my life would I have dreamed I’d be riding through the snowy mountains of Montana while typing out this devotion. Wales? Before May of 2018, I had never even contemplated moving to another country. As for being a missionary, well, I certainly never saw that coming. But God did.  

Remember how we talked about how our battles aren’t a “one-and-done” ordeal. Well, seeking God’s direction shouldn’t be either. With every new enemy (or the same old one who attacks again), we should enquire of the Lord. When facing a decision, we need to seek God’s will. Every day. Every hour of the day. We must follow the Lord!

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

— Proverbs 3:5-6
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

— Romans 11:33-34
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Who Is Caring For Whom?

For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods..pngFor I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods..png

Have you ever seen the movie, The Avengers? I'm not typically into superhero movies, but there's a particular scene in this one I could watch over and over again. A group of heroes has teamed up against the bad guy: Loki. At one point, there was a standoff between the Incredible Hulk (you know, the big, angry green guy) and Loki. As the Hulk begins his attack, Loki cries out incredulously, "Enough! You are--all of you are beneath me! I am a god, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by…" At this moment, Hulk grabs Loki by the feet and slings him around like a limp rag doll, beating the enemy's body repeatedly against the stone floor. As Loki lies in stunned silence, Hulk walks away and mutters, "Puny god!"

I imagine that's how David must have felt after defeating the Philistine army. It was bad enough that the Philistines had to literally carry their gods into battle for protection and assured victory, but what happened next was sad albeit a little comical. Let's look at the passage we've been studying.

But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them.

— II Samuel 5:17-21

Talk about puny gods. First, these idols were carried into battle by men. Second, they were left behind by these same men. And in their vulnerable state, they were destroyed. What kind of god is that?

The Philistines, no doubt, felt they had the upper hand. They had the element of surprise. They had chosen the battlefield. They probably outnumbered and “outgunned” the army of Israel (which was typically the case). And, they had not one, but many gods to ride into battle with them. What could go wrong? With multiple gods on their side, surely they would win, right? 

What they didn't realize is that no number of false gods could equal the one true God. So, they went to battle and lost. . .badly. Many were killed. Many more, I imagine, retreated. But in the end, all that was left was Israel's victorious army and all of the Philistine gods lying in the dust, unseeing, unhearing, unknowing, and uncaring. 

As David and his men collected the images, I imagine David smirking as he thought about their puny gods and His almighty One. Yes, I'm sure there were words of praise and adoration proclaimed as the flames lifted toward the sky, destroying the very things that were supposed to offer protection and direction.

Friends, aren't you glad that our God doesn't need our help? Doesn't it bring you comfort to know that you don't have to care for his needs, transport Him from place to place, and protect Him from harm? Aren't you glad we don't serve a puny god? We can depend on Him. He sees all, hears all, understands all, and best of all, He cares. He has our best interest in mind and at heart. And we never have to worry about Him running off and leaving us to fight the battle alone. He has promised He will never leave us or forsake us. That's not to say we'll never feel alone or abandoned, but that's a topic for another day.

Today, let's focus on the fact that God is faithful. He is good. He is powerful. He is limitless. No matter what we face, we don't face it alone, and God is able to make it right. He is the God of all gods and Lord of all lords. He is the one, true God. And because of that, we'll never have to wonder who is caring for whom?

Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.

— Deuteronomy 4:39
Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

— Isaiah 45:22
Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

— Psalm 115:2-8
Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

— Isaiah 44:8-10
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