Saturday, January 17, 2015 Good morning, Read: 2 Samuel 12:1-23 HOW TO HANDLE BAD NEWS “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about” (Psalm 32:10). Three words express the steps that believers in Christ need to take when they receive bad news –acknowledgment, acceptance, and adjustment. These actions were illustrated in the life of David. Acknowledgment: when David was confronted by Nathan about his sin, he admitted his guilt (2 Sam.12:13). When we are faced with a problem, whether it’s the result of our sin or not, it’s futile to run from the truth. Perhaps Adam would have received God’s forgiveness if he had not blamed the woman; and the woman if she had not blamed the serpent (Gen.3:9-13). Acceptance: when his infant son died as punishment for his sin with Bathsheba, David accepted it as God’s will (vv.19-23) and learned from it. We too need to see difficulties as opportunities to trust God and grow spiritually (Jas.1:2-4). Adjustment: David turned to the Lord for forgiveness and help, and later wrote about what he had learned (Ps.32). For us, we may need to ask the Lord for the ability to make a change in lifestyle or to take some specific action. Have you been hit hard by bad news? We can emulate David by following his steps and receive God’s forgiveness. Why not begin a serious study of God’s Word! Prayer: Lord Jesus, teach me to acknowledge and accept my faults in order to develop a godly character like David - Amen.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 07:52:50 +0000