1 Chronicles 19:8

1 Chronicles 19:8 says, And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.  When David heard that the people of Ammon were coming to fight a war with Israel, in spite of his being sympathetic to them at the loss of their king, he didn't run and hide.  He sent Joab and a host of mighty to meet them. We are in a battle against Satan and his forces of evil today as Christians, and we don't need to run away and hide.  We need to be mighty men and women of God and face them head-on.  Verse nine adds, And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by themselves in the field.  The people of Ammon started the war with their kings present in the field.  The forces of evil today, along with those who are the main leaders, will always be ready to engage us as followers of Christ in battle.  We are not called on to start the war, but we are called on to be prepared for it.  Verse ten continues, Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in array against the Syrians.  When Joab saw how the war was going to be waged against him, by being attacked front and rear, he chose the best men of Israel and went against the Syrians.  We may be attacked from every side spiritual, but we should never run away in fear, but stand firm in our battle against evil.  Verse eleven states, And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of Ammon.  Joab didn't try to fight all the enemy by himself but divided his forces. putting some under the leadership of his brother, Abishai, who faced the forces of Ammon.  We should never think that we are the only one capable of leading God's people in battle but must willing share the responsibility with others.  Verse twelve adds, 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 help thee.  Joab told Abishai that if the Syrians proved to be too strong for him to defeat, that Abisahi was to come help him, and if the Ammonites proved to be too strong for Abishai to defeat that he would come to aid him.  We need to be ready to help other Christians who might be in danger of being overcome by the forces of evil.  If we see this happening, we need to come to their aid and visa-versa.  Verse thirteen continues, Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the Lord do that which is good in his sight.  Joab called on Abishai and all the troops to be of good cheer and act valiantly for their people and their God and to do what was right in His sight.  This is all we can ever do, even if we are defeated in battle in this world.  Verse fourteen adds, So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.  When Joab and his forces went against the Syrians, they fled.  They were just hired soldiers and may have thought it really wasn't worth the fight, but for whatever reason, they didn't want to fight against Joab and his forces, so they fled.  Sometimes, just standing for God will be enough to cause some of our enemies to flee, because they aren't totally invested in the fight to start with.  Verse fifteen says, And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled, they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.  When the Ammonites saw the Syrians fleeing, they fled also.  They were looking for strength in numbers, but they suddenly didn't have the numbers on their side, so they gave up the fight.  We will likely never have the numbers on our side as Christians, but if we are acting under the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit, sometimes those who oppose God are going to give up without a fight.  Verse sixteen adds, And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer went before them.  When the Syrians saw that they were losing, they sent for reinforcements.  They were not going to totally give up without a fight, because it would have made them look bad to the rest of those around them.  We should never expect our enemies to just give up completely until the return of Jesus Christ in victory.  Verse seventeen continues, And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.  When David heard about this, he led all his army to fight them.  As Christians, we need to all be engaged in the battle against evil today, no matter how powerful the forces of evil might be.  Verse eighteen states, But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.  In the battle, the Syrians once more fled, and seven thousand of them who fought in chariots were killed, along with forty-thousand-foot soldiers.  All our enemies are already spiritually defeated, no matter how many of them there may be, so we just have to stand firm in our faith when we face them.  Verse nineteen adds, And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any more.  When the king of Syria saw that his army was losing, he made peace with David and became his servant and never again helped the Ammonites.  Those who do not believe in God will likely never become His servants, but at times they are willing to live more at peace with Christians.  

1 Chronicles 19:1

1 Chronicles 19:1 says, Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.  As they always will, one king died as was replaced, this time Nahash the king of Ammon, who was replaced by his son.  Those who are leaders in God's kingdom will one day die and be replaced, not by their sons necessarily, but by the person God calls.  Verse two adds. And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort him.  When David heard of the death of Nahash, he decided to whew kindness to his son, Hanun, because Nahash had shown kindness to him.  We should show kindness to those who are bereaved by the loss of a parent or loved one today, even if they haven't shown kindness to us.  We as Christians represent God by our actions, and He showed kindness, or mercy, to us even when we didn't deserve it.  Verse three continues, But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to overthrow, and to spy out the land?  The other princes around Hanun asked him if he really thought that David was showing him kindness in honor of his father.  They said he was likely sending them to spy on him instead.  People will often question the motives of Christians if we are kind to them and claim we are somehow trying to use or control them.  This doesn't mean that we shouldn't be kind and help others though.  David had not done this because it benefitted him in any way, but out of compassion for Hanun.  We should never show compassion for others and help them out of an attitude of wanting to profit from it somehow.  Verse four concludes, Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.  Hunan listened to his advisors or friends instead of believing that David was simply trying to bring him comfort, and he abused the servants that David had sent by shaving them and cutting their clothes away to expose their buttocks and sent them away.  He humiliated them in other words.  People did a whole lot more to God's Son, Jesus Christ, when he came to bring salvation to them out of the mercy of God, not only trying to humiliate Him but also crucifying Him on a cruel cross.  Verse five states, Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served. And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.  David received word of what had happened, and he sent word to Jerico where the men were to comfort them, telling them to remain there until their beards had grown out again.  God is going to meet us where we are today, and He will bring us comfort when we need it if we are followers of Christ, or to offer us the comfort of salvation if we aren't.  Verse six adds, And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.  When Hanun and the people of Ammon saw that they had made themselves enemies of David, they attempted to buy protection for themselves.  We need to realize that if we are enemies of God that we will never be able to buy anything that will protect us from His coming judgment, no matter how powerful we may become in the world.  Verse seven continues, So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and came to battle.  They not only hired chariots, but they hired the people of Maachah to fight with them.  The lost people of the world often unite in their fight against God, but no matter how many there may be, they will never overpower God.  This all started because Hanun rejected David's act of compassion, and if we are at war with God, it will be because we have rejected His act of mercy when He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. 

1 Chronicles 18:9

1 Chronicles 18:9 says, Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the host of Hadarezer king of Zobah;  News of David's victory over Hadarezer reached Tou, King if Hamath.  If we are having spiritual victories in the world today, news needs to reach others about our success.  Verse ten adds, He sent Hadoram his son to king David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and brass.  Tou sent his Hadoram son to David with gifts of vessels of gold, silver, and brass and to inquire about David's health. Tou did this because he had been at war with Hadarezer, and David had defeated him.  God sent His only begotten Son to defeat sin and evil in the world today because people at war against them and cannot defeat them and we should give everything we have to Him after we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven continues, Them also king David dedicated unto the Lord, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek.  David dedicated everything that he gained in the wars he won to God and set it aside for His use.  I will state again that I believe that everything we gain in the world as Christians should be dedicated to God and bringing about His purpose and not just be to use for ourselves and to meet our desires.  Verse twelve states, Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.  Abishai, one of David's military leaders, killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the valley of salt.  The Edomites were descendants of Esau, who should have had the birthright of Isaac, but he sold it.  We all have the birthright, or rebirth right, available to us if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, but too many people sell it for the things of this world and never have the benefit of salvation that is already provided for them.  Verse thirteen adds, And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's servants. Thus the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.  Abishai. acting under David's authority or David himself established garrisons in Edom and they became David's servants and God preserved David wherever he went.   When God has defeated the forces of sin in life for us, we must allow Him to establish a fortress in our lives by the presence of the Holy Spirit, and by His power we will be preserved forever spiritually.  Verse fourteen continues, So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and justice among all his people. David ruled over all his people with good judgment and justice for all the people.  God today rules over all His people, those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ, with good judgment and justice.  Verse fifteen says, And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, recorder.  Joab became the leader of the military and Ahilud became the recorder of what happened.  We need leaders in the war against evil today, but we need to let the world know what God has done through us.  God's good works should be made known to the world, and if they are to be, we as Cristians should make them known.  Verse sixteen adds, And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe;  We are then given the names of the priests and scribe.  Verse seventeen continues, And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.  Then we are told the name of one of the other leaders and the area he was over and are told that David's sons were the main ones in authority around him.  We all have different callings as Christians, but we are all under the authority of the Holy Spirit and should work together to spread the gospel to the world, and all should be done for God's glory. 

1 Chronicles 18:1

1 Chronicles 18:1 says, Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines, and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the Philistines.  After this time of communion and prayer, David began to be successful in defeating the Philistines, who had long been enemies of Israel, and even took Gath from them.  Before we go out to battle the enemies of God today, we need to spend some time in communion with God, and we will be facing the forces of Satan, who is always the ultimate enemy.  He has already been defeated, though, not by us but by Jesus Christ, so we just have to put our faith in Him to claim the victory.  Verse two adds, And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and brought gifts.  David next defeated the Moabites, and they became his servants.  If we defeat the enemies of God today, they should not become our servants, but if they want to serve someone after they are defeated, it should be God.  Of course, our ultimate responsibility is not to physically defeat those who don't believe in God, but to reach them with the gospel out of love.  Verse three continues, And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.  David continued to be victorious and expand the kingdom of Israel even farther.   We need to pray that we will be able to expand the kingdom of God further as we witness to people today  Verse four states, And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.  From these people, David took a thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen or cavalrymen, and twenty-thousand footmen, or infantry men.  He then houghed, or hamstrung the chariot horses, and kept only a hundred chariots.  David had said a horse was a vain thing to put your trust in according to Matthew Henry, and he proved that he believed it by his actions.  We may look to the amassing of weapons of war to keep us safe today, but only faith in God can.  Verse five adds, And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.  When the Syrians came to help Hadarezer, David and his forces, by God's power, killed twenty-two thousand of them.  As followers of Christ, we can expect all those who do not believe in God to be aligned against us. but they will never defeat us spiritually as long as we remain faithful to Him.   Verse six continues, Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the Lord preserved David whithersoever he went.  David then set up a garrison in Syria at Damascus, and the Syrians brought him gifts and became his servants.  Our goal as Christians is to reach people with the gospel, not for our material gain, but so that they might become servants of God and bring their gifts to Him.  Verse seven says, And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.  David also took the golden shields of Hadarezer's troops and brought them to Jerusalem.  We need to bring anything we gained in the battle against evil to God, and not just claim it for our own use.  Verse eight adds, Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer, brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea, and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.  David had also brought a lot of brass from the cities of Tibhath  and Chun, which Solomon would later use to make the sea of brass, the pillars, and the vessels in the temple.  Though David amassed all this brass that was later used in the temple, he was not allowed to build the temple himself.  We may lay the seeds of the gospel that others will reap the benefit of, but we are not to serve God for our own glory.

1 Chronicles 17:18

1 Chronicles 17:18 says, What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.  David asked what more could he say to God in order for God to honor him, because God knew him.  There is nothing that we can say to God to justify ourselves before Him.  We will never merit the honor of salvation that God bestows on us.  Verse nineteen adds, O Lord, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. David said that all the good that God had done for him was because of God's own heart and for David's sake.  Salvation is a free gift from God, because of His loving heart for mankind, His creation, but it is for our good.  Verse twenty continues, O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.  David proclaimed God to be unlike any other, and even more than that, He was the only God.  This is still true today and will be forever.  We cannot be faithful to God and still hold on to false gods.  Verse twenty-one states, And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?  David asked what other nation was as great as Israel, not of their own worthiness, but because God had chosen to work through them.  There is no nation like the Christian nation, and it is without borders, because God has redeemed us and not because of our own worthiness.  Verse twenty-two adds, For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, Lord, becamest their God.  David said God made the people of Israel His because of them accepting Him as their God.  It was their acceptance and obedience to God that made them great in the world, and if they failed to accept Him and be obedient, even though they were Israelites by birth, they failed to be great in the world.  We as followers of Christ are a part of the family of God because of our relationship to Jesus Christ, and not because of where we were born or who our parents are.  Verse twenty-three continues, Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.  David asked that God do as He said He would and establish the house of David forever.  This was accomplished when Jesus Crist was born into the house of David, not because of Davd's worthiness, but because of God's choice of him and His promise to David.  Salvation will always be available because of God's work and not ours.  Verse twenty-four says, Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.  David asked that the house of David be established forever so that God might be glorified and not David himself.  We as Christians are established as a part of God's kingdom forever, not for our glory, but for His.  Verse twenty-five adds, For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.  David said because of God's goodness to him, he had found it in his heart to pray to God.  David did not receive as great a gift by being made the earthly king of Israel as we do by having the gift of everlasting life with God through putting our faith in Jesus Christ, so, like David we should pray to God for direction in our lives.  Verse twenty-six continues, And now, Lord, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:  Just as God promised goodness to David as long as he was obedient to God, He has promised good to us as long as we are obedient to Him.  This is not to say that if we become disobedient to God at times as Christians that we lose our salvation, but we may lose having God's protective hand on us in this old sinful world.  Verse twenty-seven concludes, Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever.  David repeated his request that his house, the house of David, be established forever, and it was through Jesus Christ.  God had made a promise to David, and He fulfilled it, just as He will always fulfill His promises to us.  I believe David was still thinking in physical terms, but God's promise was made in spiritual terms.  We need to look at life in spiritual terms and not just physical ones.

1 Chronicles 17:1

1 Chronicles 17:1 says, Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.  While David was sitting in his house, he called Nathan the prophet to ask him a question.  We aren't told why David didn't just ask God, but it may be that he just wanted a second opinion.  The question was why David lived in a house built of cedars, but the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent.  At least David was concerned enough about this to have Nathan help him find the answer.  Verse two adds, Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.  Without consulting God, Nathan told David to do whatever was in his heart, so David's attempt to get clarification  might not have been  a good thing.  If we are seeking clarification about something we are questioning today in our spiritual life, we need to first ask God to help us understand what he wants.  If we then ask a fellow Christian for help in understanding it, we need to make sure that they are seeking God's will in the situation, and not just telling us what they think we want to hear.  Verse three states, And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,  Nathan may not have sought God's advice, but God gave it to him that night anyway.  If we are open to hearing God's advice in life, He is always going to let us know the truth in any situation, even if we may have already said something different, and we need to heed His advice.  Verse four adds, Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:  Nathan had told David to what he wanted to do, which was build a house for the Ark, but God told him to go tell David not to.  I would think this would have been hard for Nathan to hear, and sometimes God's word to us is hard to hear.  Verse five continues, For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.  God told Nathan to tell David that He had never lived in one tent, but went from tent to tent, from one tabernacle to another, ever since He had called Israel to be His chosen people.  We cannot confine God to a particular building or country today, because He lives in the heart of individual believer.  Verse six says, Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?  God asked in all that time of walking with Israel had He ever asked the judges, who had been in charge until the people demanded a king, why they hadn't built Him a building.  We need to make sure if we are building a house of worship today that we are doing so by God's direction.  Verse seven adds, Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:  God told Nathan that He had taken David from being a simple shepherd to being the ruler of Israel.  David was successful because of God and not because he was a great man by his own abilities and he needed to look to God for guidance is the implication.  We will never be great in God's eyes by our own merit, because we are all sinners, who can only be great in His Kingdom because of His calling us to salvation and service and our accepting His call.  Verse eight continues, And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.  Nathan was to remind God that He had been with him every step of the way and He was the One Who had brought David victory.  As followers of Christ today, the Holy Spirit is with us every step we take, and any victory we achieve is through God's power.  Verse nine states, Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,  God said He would establish a place for the people of Israel and they would no longer be moved by the children of wickedness.  I believe that the place He prepared for them is their heavenly home, since they were often moved out of the land God had given them here on earth.  I personally don't believe that we should ever give a physical application to the spiritual truth of God.  Nothing on this earth is permanent, but only our relationship with God is.  Verse ten adds, And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house.  God reminded them that He had given them judges and said that He would build them a house.  Again, I believe that the house that God referred to is the heart of each individual and not a physical building.  As magnificent as the temple Solomon built was, it is gone, and the dwelling place that God said He would build will never be destroyed, or so I believe.  Verse eleven continues, And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.  David was then told that after he was dead, God would raise up one of his sons to be king, and that son would be used to establish God's kingdom.  David was not going to complete the work of building the nation of Israel, God's kingdom, and we will never do so today, so we must raise our children to believe in God so He can continue His work through them.  Verse twelve states, He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.  God said David's son would build him a house, and through him He would establish his throne forever. We could see this as referring to Solomon, but I believe that it refers to a later descendant of David's, Jesus Christ.  God had said he would establish His kingdom forever through David's descendants, and Solomon did not live forever, but Jesus Christ does.  Verse thirteen adds, I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:  Again, we could apply this to Solomon, but Jesus Christ is the Son of God Who establishes an everlasting kingdom, and it will never be taken from Him as it was from all who came before Him, whether by military defeat or death.  Verse fourteen continues, But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.  This did not happen with Solomon, but with Jesus Christ.  Verse fifteen says, According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.  Nathan told David all that God had revealed to him, and we must tell people the truth that God has revealed to us as Christians, and that is that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Verse sixteen adds, And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?  David sat before God and asked who he was that God would bring him to this point.  He humbly acknowledged his own unworthiness before God, and so must we.  Our plans must be guided by God and done for His glory if they are to be of any lasting value. Verse seventeen continues, And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.  This was a reference to Jesus, who would come from the house of David. Because of the coming Messiah, David could be viewed as a man of high degree, and not because of his own worthiness. Our unworthiness is of little concern to God, because through faith in Jesus Christ, we have value. 

1 Chronicles 16:34

1 Chronicles 16:34 says, O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.  The following three verses are taken from Psalms 136:1 and various other Psalms.  This is still a continuation of the psalm that David was singing that had started in verse seven.  We have songs that we sing over and over in church, and then sometimes we add new ones.  As long as they glorify God, either one is good.  Verse thirty-five adds, And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.  David said that they called God the God of their salvation, and if He is to be our God today, He must still be, because unless we accept His gift of salvation, He can never be our God.  He asked God to gather them together and deliver them from the heathen, or those who didn't believe in God, and we must ask the same of Him today as long as we are in this world.  Then, he asked that God do this so that God could be glorified, and that should be our reason for serving Him today.  Verse thirty-six continues, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the Lord.  David asked that the God of Israel be blessed forever and ever, and He is and always will be, whether we accept Him or not.  Verse thirty-seven states, So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the Lord Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required:  David left priests before the Ark of the Covenant to minister to, or take care of, it every day.  We as part of the priesthood of believers need to take care of the things of God every day.  Verse thirty-eight adds, And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters:  Then, we are told the names of some of these priests and what their duties were.  We all have our called place of service to God.  Verse thirty-nine continues, And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon,  Then, we are given the names of others who had a different purpose in the service of God.  Verse forty concludes, To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel;  These men were to offer the burnt offerings continually, from morning until evening, in accordance with what was written in the law of the Lord as He had commanded Israel.  We are to present ourselves as a living sacrifice continually before God in accordance with His written His word, the Bible.  Verse forty-one says, And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the Lord, because his mercy endureth for ever;  We are then told the names of some others who were chosen to give thanks to God because His mercy endured forever.  If we feel we have nothing else to be thankful, we should always be thankful for God's mercy in sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from the penalty of our sins.  Verse forty-two adds, And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters.  We are then told who the ones were who blew the trumpet and played the cymbals to make music to God.  If we are gathered to worship God, I believe that music is always a part of the worship service, but it should always be played to glorify God and not us.  Verse forty-three continues, And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.  After everything concerning the Ark was in order, the rest of the people returned to their houses, and it said David returned to bless his house, or to ask God's blessing on it.  As Christians, we should dedicate our homes to God and ask His blessings on them.