Devotional: Respect for God’s Anointed

September 28, 2020By PK ManagerDevotional
Devotional: Respect for God’s Anointed

This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.

“May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”

When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”

– 1 Samuel 24:10-21

This is one of two opportunities David had to free himself from Saul’s pursuit (see ch. 26 for the other story). In his jealous rage, Saul had tried to kill David many times. David had every right to fight back and to protect his own life, but refused to do it. 

David gave two reasons for not retaliating. First, Saul was God’s anointed—David would not harm Saul because God had made him king. Second, judgment belongs to God, and David trusted him to deal with Saul (vv. 12-15). What a model David provides for us to follow when people wrong us! The David who killed Goliath, God’s enemy, refused to harm Saul, God’s anointed. After reading these accounts, read David’s response to Saul’s death in 2 Samuel 1. Then ask God to help you frame a proper response to the next person who treads on your “rights.”

This devotional is an excerpt from the PK Study Bible. For more devotionals and encouraging resources, download the FREE Promise Keepers app. (Download for iOS or for Android.)

Devotional: Jesus Looked Beyond Appearances

September 25, 2020By PK ManagerDevotional
Devotional: Jesus Looked Beyond Appearances

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.

When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!’

Then Jesus answered his thoughts. ‘Simon,’ he said to the Pharisee, ‘I have something to say to you.’

‘Go ahead, Teacher,’ Simon replied.

Then Jesus told him this story: ‘A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?’

Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.’

‘That’s right,’ Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.

‘I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.’ Then Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’

The men at the table said among themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?’

And Jesus said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’

– Luke 7:36-50

 
It’s easy to reject someone because they appear different from us. To the Pharisee who hosted Jesus in this story, the woman who anointed the Lord’s feet was a sinner… Her reputation in the town had been sullied; her past was littered with one-night stands. Nobody of high reputation, especially not this religious leader, would want to be seen with her. Yet Jesus allowed her to anoint his feet with perfume, cover them with tears and wipe them with her hair.
 
Why did Jesus do this? Because he looked beyond this woman’s past and saw her future. He knew she ‘loved much’ because she had been forgiven much. His parable and his sharp rebuke of the Pharisee (vv.41-47) bring his actions—and the lessons we’re to learn through them—into razor-sharp focus.
 
How would you have responded if you had been present that evening? Or, to be more pointed, who do you respond to people who are different from yourself–people with lighter or darker skin, people who speak with a different accent, people whose bad reputation precedes them? Remember, Jesus loved and accepted love from someone just like that. And today he wants those who follow him to show the same kind of love. Jesus looked beyond appearances. He shunned stereotypes. Just as Jesus did, look beyond such a person’s past or his or her differences. Look toward that person’s bright potential future–complete forgiveness of sins and eternity with Jesus Christ.
 

This devotional is an excerpt from the PK Study Bible. For more devotionals and encouraging resources, download the FREE Promise Keepers app. (Download for iOS or for Android.)

Devotional: Jacob & Laban

September 23, 2020By PK ManagerDevotional
Devotional: Jacob & Laban

“…for he said, ‘The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight.'” – Genesis 31:49

The relationship between Jacob and Laban is tragic—and all too familiar. This verse essentially says, ‘I can’t watch you all the time, so may God watch you when I can’t.” While many people mistakenly read this statement as a blessing, it is actually filled with skepticism and veiled accusation.

How sad that men’s behavior breeds antagonism and mistrust. So many things drive us apart that we have to work overtime to build bridges. Although the suspicion and antagonism between these men had more than enough basis in behavior, the end result was still tragic. How much more tragic are the divisions between us that are based on tradition, race and other things. Only the power of God at work in men who love him can overcome the barriers that separate us. Do something today that actively builds a bridge to someone to whom you may not otherwise relate.

This devotional is an excerpt from the PK Study Bible. For more devotionals and encouraging resources, download the FREE Promise Keepers app. (Download for iOS or for Android.)

AR Bernard Joins Pastoral Advisory Board of Promise Keepers

September 21, 2020By PK ManagerBoard, News
AR Bernard Joins Pastoral Advisory Board of Promise Keepers

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — A.R. Bernard, spiritual leader of the Christian Cultural Center in New York City, has joined the pastoral advisory board of Promise Keepers (PK). Founded in 1990 by former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney, PK is calling men back to courageous and bold servant leadership by sparking a movement that will mobilize millions of men to follow Christ into today’s broken world as changemakers for their families, churches and communities.

A.R. Bernard is the spiritual leader of the Christian Cultural Center, a church in Brooklyn with over 37,000 members. Bernard has been named the #1 religious leader in New York by The New York Daily News. He is a member of the board of directors of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. He is the author of the bestselling book Four Things Women Want from a Man. The New York Times described him as “The Power Pastor,” noting that “The reverend’s intellectualism and distinctive brand of man-up Christianity draws a wide audience to his church, the largest in New York.”

Bernard had this to say about Promise Keepers:

“Being a responsible male in modern America is a full-time job and a tough one at that. Never before in the history of humankind have distractions been so plentiful and temptations so prevalent. Even well-intentioned men can become caught up in seemingly “harmless” behaviors that can quickly turn destructive.” Promise Keepers is not only calling men to man up; it’s providing the resources and relationships to empower men to live for Christ.”

Ken Harrison, CEO of Promise Keepers, had this to say about Bernard joining the board of Promise Keepers:

“A.R. Bernard has built a strong congregation of godly men by focusing on the four things God wants most from them: maturity, decisiveness, consistency and strength. As part of our board, he’ll help Promise Keepers to equip and inspire men to stand strong and stay focused on what matters most in light of eternity.”

ABOUT PROMISE KEEPERS

Founded in 1990 by Coach Bill McCartney, Promise Keepers is one of the most significant movements of God in the history of the church. In 1997 alone, Promise Keepers packed 22 NFL stadiums and gathered 1 million men for Stand in the Gap: A Sacred Assembly of Men at the National Mall in the District of Columbia.

On July 16-17, 2021, 80,000 men are expected to gather from across America and around the world at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, for its annual stadium event.

The organization’s mission is to empower men to live out their God-given identity and purpose today and destiny tomorrow by serving their homes, workplaces and communities with integrity and influence.

www.promisekeepers.org
https://www.facebook.com/promisekeepers/
https://www.instagram.com/promise_keepers
https://twitter.com/PromiseKeepers
https://www.youtube.com/user/PromiseKeepers

Why Worry?

September 15, 2020By PK ManagerDevotional
Why Worry?
Luke 12:22-34 – “Why Worry?”
 
Worry infects all members of society. In today’s turbulent culture, people worry about their health, their wealth, their jobs, their families and their futures. Jesus understood our tendency to worry. That’s why He addressed the issue head on. The Lord not only commanded us not to worry, he told us why we shouldn’t. Consider the following points:
 
  • Worry ignores God’s faithfulness. If God feeds the birds and clothes the flowers, doesn’t it make sense that he’ll provide for us?
  • Worry ignores its own limitations. Has anything ever changed for the better because we worried about it? Of course not! Yet we worry as though the mere act of worrying will somehow make a difference.
  • Worry ignores God’s love. Unbelievers, like fatherless orphans, worry about the future. But God’s children don’t need to worry. The God who gives life also cares for his own.
  • Worry ignores the present. When we worry about the future, we miss out on the blessings of today.
The next time you find yourself worrying, turn to this passage. If you’re still anxious after reading it, then ask yourself which of these four things you’re ignoring. Consider how different your perspective might be if you didn’t ignore them.
This devotional is an excerpt from the PK Study Bible

Prayer for a Nation

September 12, 2020By PK ManagerDevotional
Prayer for a Nation
Daniel 9:1-19
 
Make no mistake about it: Life is difficult, and there are no detours to get us around life’s trials. We’ll all encounter them. So the question of our lives is not, ‘How can we avoid hardship?’ The question should be, ‘How can we hold on to God when times get tough?’ In the face of great adversity, Daniel grabbed hold of God and refused to let go. How did he do it? Daniel prayed. And within his prayer we find an example that we’ll do well to follow.
 
First, Daniel’s prayer flowed from his knowledge of God and God’s Word. As Daniel examined the Scripture he discovered that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. The realization that this time would soon be completed drove the prophet to his knees.
 
Second, Daniel’s prayer was filled with confession and repentance. Notice that he prayed not only for his own sins, but for those of the nation. God had disciplined Israel because of its sins. The only way the nation could move forward was for each individual to turn from his or her sin is the same confusion and repentance. Realizing that, Daniel poured out his heart to God.
 
Third, Daniel pled for mercy. He didn’t demand. Instead, he humbly asked God to extend mercy to a people who didn’t deserve it. The church today needs men who will pray as David did. Indeed, prayer is our only hope.
We need men who are devoted to praying for themselves, for their families, for their church communities, and for their country.
This devotional is an excerpt from the PK Study Bible

Pastor Tommy Barnett Joins Pastoral Advisory Board of Promise Keepers

September 2, 2020By PK ManagerBoard, News
Pastor Tommy Barnett Joins Pastoral Advisory Board of Promise Keepers

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Pastor Tommy Barnett has joined the pastoral advisory board of Promise Keepers (PK). Founded in 1990 by former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney, PK is calling men back to courageous and bold servant-leadership by sparking a movement that will mobilize millions of men to follow Christ into today’s broken world as changemakers for their families, churches and communities.

Tommy Barnett is the global pastor of Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, one of the largest churches in America. He is the founder, with his son, Matthew, of the Los Angeles Dream Center, as well as the chancellor of Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida, and the former chancellor of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. Tommy and his wife Marja have three children — Luke, Matthew and Kristie — seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Barnett had this to say about Promise Keepers:

“Throughout my life, God has continually inspired me to dream bigger, reach higher, and trust Him for far more than I could imagine. He’s done that by driving me to these two questions: “What if?” and “Why not?”

“When I think about the men of America, I think, ‘What if the men of our country were sold out to God?’ ‘What if they were the husbands and fathers God empowered them to be?’ ‘What if they stood without fear for righteousness and truth in their churches, communities and companies?’ Central to seeing that kind of uprising of men is Promise Keepers. It’s the missing link between ‘what if’ and ‘why not’ for men, and I’m convinced that more than ever, we’re going to see God do amazing things through Promise Keepers.”

Ken Harrison, CEO of Promise Keepers, had this to say about Barnett joining the pastoral advisory board of Promise Keepers:

“Throughout his life, Tommy has been focused on God’s clear call to find a need and fill it, to find a hurt and heal it. Today there is no greater need in our society than for men to band together and encourage each other to become authentic men of God. And there are no greater hurts to marriages, families, and communities than those which occur when men fail to live as real men of God. Tommy’s insight will be critical as we seek to meet the needs of more men in more ways than ever before.”

ABOUT PROMISE KEEPERS

Founded in 1990 by Coach Bill McCartney, Promise Keepers is one of the most significant movements of God in the history of the church. In 1997 alone, Promise Keepers packed 22 NFL stadiums and gathered 1 million men for Stand in the Gap: A Sacred Assembly of Men at the National Mall in the District of Columbia.

On July 16-17, 2021, 80,000 men are expected to gather from across America and around the world at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys, for its annual stadium event.

The organization’s mission is to empower men to live out their God-given identity and purpose today and destiny tomorrow by serving their homes, workplaces and communities with integrity and influence.

www.promisekeepers.org
https://www.facebook.com/promisekeepers/
https://www.instagram.com/promise_keepers
https://twitter.com/PromiseKeepers
https://www.youtube.com/user/PromiseKeepers