* David tries to do good.

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

II Samuel 10:1-   And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me.  And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon. 

And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

If you surround yourselves with such evil thinking people as these princes, you let yourselves in for much unnecessary trouble.

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.  (33,000 hired men) 

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob, and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians:

And the rest of the people he delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them in array against the children of Ammon.

And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee, then I will come and help thee. 

Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the Lord do that which seemeth HIM good.  

And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. 

So Joab returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel, they gathered themselves together.

And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.

And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves in array against David, and fought with him.

And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen, and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there. 

And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any more.

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Today's warfare, based on the wisdom of men, often fails.  God's warfare against the evil never fails.

II Corinthians 10:4-5   (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

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Psalm 3:1-8
Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.

But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and HE heard me out of HIS holy hill.

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God: for Thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone;

Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. 

Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: Thy blessing is upon Thy people.

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Isaiah 54:15-17   Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by ME: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. 

As long as we know God is on our side, we can't lose, no matter what it looks like.  And if God is not on our side, we can't win.

Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.  

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of ME, saith the Lord.

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Romans 8:31   If God be for us, who can be against us?

If we do something which we think might have been wrong, we have to straighten this up as quickly as possible.

For example:  I went to dentist to have my teeth cleaned.  The woman working on my teeth asked me what I did in Texas, from which I had moved to Colorado.  I gulped and then said, "I am a minister. Mostly now I write books."

She really came alive when I told her I write books.  It turned out her husband is an executive with a book publisher in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where I live now.  They publish Christian type books.  She wanted to see my books.  And she showed great interest in reading our daily blog:  Jesus Ministries Exhortations.

Pam and I picked up two of my books and took them back to the dental office and left them for her.

I began entertaining various thoughts of what might happen.  Maybe her husband will want me to write for him.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

I was very frightened.  I thought I wanted to share the Word of God but did I just want her and her husband to think well of me?

I didn't know.

Although one thing, I had just prayed the day before asking God who I could give a paperback book of Volume 1 to.  And that was one of the two books I had taken to leave for this woman.  It seemed like it was of God to do this.

But I am also cautious, so I prayed, asking God to forgive me if I had sinned in this.

After that, I heard from the Holy Spirit about something and I knew God was still with me and I rejoiced ... for that is all that really matters!

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