People who understand the Grace of God are always cognizance of what God has done for them in their past. As a result they are always willing to show kindness to others - even there enemies. The story of David and Mephibosheth illustrates God's great mercy to us and the mercy we should always be willing to show to a lost and dying world around us. Mephibosheth was lame from his birth - a beautiful yet tragic picture of all of fallen humanity - INCLUDING WE AS CHRISTIANS! Without total dependence on the King - we will never walk like we should!

By Chris McDonald

TEXT: 2 Samuel 4:3-6  - And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there until this day.) [4] And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

2 Samuel 9:1-5  - And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake? [2] And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. [3] And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. [4] And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.  Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

        The story of David and Saul has always fascinated me. It's hard to comprehend the hatred and jealousy that Saul, the first king of Israel, developed for David who was used by God so many times to chase evil spirits from Saul with his harp playing.  For nearly 9 years David was hunted like a wild animal by this madman who once anointed David to serve in his army and eventually his royal court after the young shepherd boy slew Goliath the giant. I have always wandered how hard it was for David to spare Saul's life, not once, but twice, when he had the power to kill his enemy. David was such a man after God's own heart that he never would have done such a thing. In David's eyes, Saul was God's anointed still even though he had gone mad, and to touch God's anointed was to touch GOD HIMSELF. And David loved the Lord more than he hated Saul. He was a GRACE person.

        As this story unfolds we find David a few years into his ruler ship after Saul was killed by the enemies of the Lord. The Bible said Saul's murder was judgment upon Him from God for consulting witches near the end of his reign. But now Saul is dead. Jonathan, Saul's son and David's closest friend is dead. No more threats on David's life - just a time of great peace and blessing upon all Jerusalem and Israel. It would be the beginning of the nation's few bright spots in her history - the greatest prosperity and expansion - which would continue into the reign of David's son, Solomon.

        As David is pondering what the Lord had done in delivering him from his enemies and pouring out great blessings, he begins to remember just how good God has been to him. Praise God. Praise God. I feel the unction of the Holy Ghost even as I write that sentence. If we can just stop and praise God for the GOODNESS and GRACE He has bestowed upon us all. "GREAT" is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. Bless the Lord, Oh, my soul, and ALL that is within me, BLESS HIS HOLY NAME. He has done great things. He has done great things. He has done great things, bless HIS HOLY NAME.

        Listen to me neighbor, if we want to come out of our depression and despair - just starting thinking about what God has done for us! COUNTY YOUR MANY BLESSINGS, NAME THEM ONE BY ONE, count your many blessings, see what God has done. Glory to God. If we'd start being THANKFUL and GRATEFUL instead of complaining and moaning we'll see heaven open up its gates and blessings after blessings fall upon us. And to be quite brutally honest, if God never did anything else for any of us - HE'S ALREADY DONE ENOUGH BY SENDING HIS SON JESUS CHRIST TO DIE ON A BLOODY CROSS AND  BRING SALVATION TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD so we may not come under the wrath of God and be set free from hell! That right there is ENOUGH to make us shout! That right there is enough to make us just pause and lift our hands and humbly thank the Lord that we're saved and not lost! We're not blind, but we can see. We're able to breath at this very moment and experience the very essence of His nature - the very air we breathe is full of GOD! PRAISE GOD. We should praise God we live in a free country and can worship Him and serve Him without a threat of death or torture over our lives like some in other parts of the world live with everyday. We should be thankful we have a roof on our heads, shoes on our feet, food to eat at our tables - things most of us take for granted - but things that OTHERS can't take for granted because they don't have those things. It's not time to look at what we DON'T HAVE, it's time to PRAISE THE LORD FOR WHO HE IS and what HE HAS DONE FOR US!

        A grateful person will ALWAYS operate in a GRACEFUL manner. Grace people will always forgive quickly. Grace people will never condemn another. Grace people don't judge others. Grace people don't set themselves up as some "standard" to judge the conduct of others by. Grace people don't criticize others who don't talk like they do, walk like they do, sit like they do. NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! Grace people are people who, like David, have come to see that GOD HAS DONE A LOT FOR THEM! They see that GOD has set them free through the power of His Son, Jesus Christ. We GRACE people know how to love others like Jesus loves them because HIS LOVE IS SHED ABROAD IN OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY GHOST! GLORY TO GOD!

Romans 5:5  - And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
 

        At a time when David could have been rejoicing over the demise of the house of Saul, his enemy, David was looking for anyone who was left to "show the kindness of God to." NOW THAT'S A GRACE PERSON! That's why David was a man/person after God's own heart. David was not concerned about what Saul had put him through. He was just THANKFUL for where God had brought him to and what God had brought HIM THROUGH. He held no malice. He was the KING. And he was a TYPE OF CHRIST, the coming KING, who also dealt with the world in the same manner. He loves the world even though most of the world doesn't love Him. He died for the world with the idea that even if no one accepted what He did - HE WOULD HAVE STILL DONE IT - because of His love for us. The law condemned all under sin. Jesus came with GRACE to set those under the penalty of sin free but also set the offending party FREE from the sin itself too. Glory to God. And it's HIS COMMAND TO US AS HIS CHILDREN TO LOVE OUR ENEMIES, not curse them. We are ordained to be out looking for "someone" in the house of our enemies to show GRACE, not judgment, TO!

Matthew 5:44-45  - But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; [45] That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
 

Jonathan Has A Son Who Became Lame On His Feet...And Wound Up In Lodebar

2 Samuel 9:2-4 -  And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. [3] And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. [4] And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar       

        David calls ZIBA, who once served  under SAUL, but who now serves David in the new kingdom. Ziba identifies the only member left of Saul's lineage as a young man named Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul, David's chief persecutor and enemy, and the son of Jonathan, David's closest, dearest friend in all the kingdom before he is killed in battle along side Saul. Before Jonathan died, David had made a pact with Jonathan that when David ascended to the throne he would never forget Jonathan nor his lineage that followed. As a result of sin ALL OF SAUL'S lineage and house were cut off except one - MEPHIBOSHETH who lived in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in LODEBAR.

            Lodebar Was A Wasteland

    Mephibosheth dwelt in a place called LODEBAR, which literally means "wasteland," and "place of no pasture or rest." It was a barren land away from all known civilization. I'm also sure that more than likely it was a place where there was very little move or power of God. It was a place of anonymity. It's a place where many hurting people are at today.

        I don't think too many people reading this will say they've never been to this place in their life. Only the self-righteous and proud will utter such nonsense, but most of us have at one time if not at this very moment been right here with Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth is a type of fallen humanity - saint and sinner alike. There are no "perfect" creatures who have never been lame on their feet. THE HONEST TRUTH IS THAT ALL OF MANKIND IS LAME ON HIS FEET AND IN LODEBAR without God. ALL HAVE SINNED and been hurt by the results of sin. All have reaped the consequences of a life torn apart by the brokenness of the human condition.

        One out of every two homes in America end up in divorce - and that's just the figures for first marriages. Statistics say 6 out of 10 second marriages won't last either. As a result, our children are touched by the sins of their parents and feel the barrenness of not having contact of one parent or the other except in a few rare cases when both parents keep in constant contact with each other. Divorce has caused many a child to taste what Mephibosheth felt like stranded in this barren place - lame of their feet without one parent or the other.

        Sin will always cause us to become lame on our feet. It will cripple us including Christians.  We were all born in this condition. Like it or not ALL ARE LAME in one way or the other! There are no exceptions to this rule!! The Fifth Avenue millionaire with a three-piece suit who walks down the street looking like he owns the world is just as LAME spiritually as the poor drunkard who sits in a back alley every night begging for a few bucks to buy himself a swill of whiskey or beer. BOTH ARE ALIKE! Society and sadly even the church categorizes people into different stereotypes which cause us to think that the most wealthy, affluent and even moral people are those who are whole and without need of any help. The truth is though that we were all born lame and unless we have an encounter, not just an "experience" with Jesus Christ, life will remain just one broken, barren place.

        Man is more lost than he will ever want to admit. There is nothing to ashamed of if we are lame. What's bad and keeps us from God's healing grace is the face we never want to admit we're in that condition. It's hard to get anybody now a days to say they are lost and need God. It's equally hard to get the church at large to recognize that without Jesus being the TRUE HEAD of the Body and infusing His life into our churches and services - we are just as lame as the worst sinner and we become barren and like this wasteland.

        When a person is lame it means they must depend on someone else for their existence to walk or get around. But that is exactly the condition man is in without God. He cannot function properly without His Creator living inside Him through Jesus Christ. Fallen man don't talk right. He don't think right. His choices and thought processes are warped. He kills himself through drugs, illicit sex, alcohol, lying, cheating, stealing and any other thing his wicked mind can conjure up. To sum it up friend, THERE IS NO HOPE OUTSIDE GOD! There is only one way out of Lodebar mister and that is through the blood-stained row of Calvary's cleansing stream found at the foot of the world's Redeemer Jesus Christ. There is only one way out of the guilt and depression that being lame always brings with it - and that's through the shed blood of the LORD JESUS CHRIST! There is only one way out of the horrible delusion that has millions gripped in its vice that life is geared around making more money than anyone else at the expense of our homes, our marriages, our children and even our own lives. A man's life does not consist in the ABUNDANCE of the THINGS he possesses! Mephibosheth was LAME ON HIS FEET and in LODEBAR. There were not any "THINGS" that could ever get him out of that condition - and there are not any "THINGS" that can get us out of that condition tonight! We need God to find us. We need to run to His mercy and cry out for Him to help us walk again. We need to place ourselves under His care and compassion so we can cease to spend all our lives in a place of barrenness where we just waste away as human beings without any sense of purpose or desire for living.

David Sends And Fetches Him...

9:4 - And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lo-debar.  Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.

        Mephibosheth was in a barren place and he was lame on his feet. His only hope, even though he didn't even know David was looking for him, was the mercy of the great King. Many reading this right now don't even know that God is looking for YOU! God has been seeking you for many days now. Some of you He's been seeking much longer - months, years, decades. But God is looking for YOU! God is seeking you! God is not angry with you. God is not wanting to do you harm or hurt. God is wanting to meet you at your place of need and pour out His love upon you and grace. God is looking for the Mephibosheths of this world - and He's looking for some "DAVID'S" to go out and help fetch them out of the fields of waste and barrenness.

        There is coming a great "fetching out" in these last days before Jesus comes. God is going to use some of the strangest things and events this world has ever known to usher in the harvest that was foretold by prophets nearly 3,000 years ago. We are living in such a time! There are many scriptures which allude to a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit before the rapture. Actually it's not an allusion. It is coming! It's already beginning to start in some parts of the world. There seems to be a small ebb right now but friend, "there is a SOUND of an abundance of rain coming." The latter rain of the HOLY GHOST is just over the horizon. We've been preaching it for decades this is the harvest generation. Well friend, this harvest generation has a lot of 'harvesting" to do and without the help of our heavenly KING DAVID we're not going to make it in time. The  rolling sounds of thunder of God's judgment can be heard on the horizon. The jagged forks of lightning of God's judgments upon the Earth can be seen in the distance. We're getting close to the end! We're getting close to the rapture of the church. It's almost here. Believe what you want to believe about the end times, but JESUS IS COMING! And before He comes a great outpouring of the HOLY GHOST will hit this planet unlike anything we've ever seen.

        There have been "sprinkles" of this even in this past decade with the outpourings of Smithton and Brownsville. But those were just a "raindrop" compared to what is coming. Stadiums which are now used to hold 30-40 thousand people to cheer on two teams carrying a football across a goal line are going to be filled with people HUNGRY to hear how they can get out of the wasteland their in here on earth. They're going to come from the north, south, east and west and fill these same stadiums with the glory of God. God is going to fetch hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people in before the onslaught of judgment. AND THEN THE END WILL COME.

         Joel's Prophecy and James' Prediction Of Rain

Joel 2:28-32  - And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: [29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. [30] And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. [31] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. [32] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.

James 5:7-9  - Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. [8] Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draws nigh. [9] Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

        Joel's words tell us that in the "last days" that the Lord is going to pour out His spirit upon ALL FLESH. He hasn't done that in its totality yet. This outpouring will come into FULL FOCUS and MAGNITUDE during the Great Tribulation, but I firmly believe that we as the Bride of Christ will partake in this outpouring as well before the rapture takes us out. I've always believed in a pre-tribulation rapture and I still do, but I also believe that this "escape" mentality that has hung over the Body of Christ for the past 30 or so years has gotten many thinking there is no need to still bring in the harvest and that's a horrible delusion. JESUS IS COMING, but the HARVEST is ahead first! We need to be loosing ourselves of everything in our lives that will hinder us from partaking of this great move of God. We need to make ourselves as available to God as we can to be used in this great event on the horizon. It's coming! James called it the "latter rain." He said in this same text that the JUDGE stands at the door. Friend, if we could see how soon that door will open and the JUDGE OF THE EARTH will appear - we will be busy preparing our hearts from the mightiest move of God - YET - this world has ever seen! Glory to the Lamb. David sent and fetched Mephibosheth out of Lodebar. And God is sending His people throughout the earth at this very second to fetch out the Mephibosheths of this world at this very hour!

        Isaiah linked harvest time with JOY. Harvest time is a time of great rejoicing among those who have worked hard and finally see a result of their efforts and toil. And true JOY is coming back to the Body of Christ as a result of this coming harvest - not just a passing fad or manifestation of laughter. This joy will be something deeper and powerful. It's a joy that's going on in heaven as a result of lost souls! It's the laughter of the King being birthed inside us that we are "fetching" souls out of the land of Lodebar. Like the man who rejoiced and went and told his friends and neighbors when he found the one lost sheep who went missing, so are we going to REJOICE and tell the WORLD that Jesus is saving souls and fetching the lame out of Lodebar in these last days.

Isa 9:1-3 - Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-- The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. (NIV)

Luke 15:1-7  - Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. [2] And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receives sinners, and eats with them.  [3] And he spake this parable unto them, saying, [4] What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? [5] And when he hath found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. [6] And when he cometh home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. [7] I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

        The seeds for this harvest have continually been planted for over 2,000 years - but its THIS GENERATION I believe who will see the results of those seeds. PRAISE GOD. Many have sowed and many will reap in these last days before Judgment. Many of us have not worked that hard for what we're about to reap. Jesus prophesied this to the woman at Samaria during His discourse with her at Jacob's well:

John 4:35-38 - Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. - Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." (NIV)

        And this fetching will not just be for sinners who have never been saved. There are some Christians reading this right now and some things have happened that has made you lame on your feet and have caused you to find yourself in a barren place. I have good news to bring to you at this moment - THE KING WANTS TO SEE YOU! Part of this coming harvest will be a RESTORATION of unprecedented proportions of those who once knew God in totality but have fallen away and have been stricken down by the enemy and are lame. Friend, get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready - our Heavenly DAVID is coming after those who have been bruised, wounded and left for dead in a barren place by the church. He's not concerned about how many are on our church rolls. He's VERY passionately concerned about those wounded souls out in Lodebar that the so-called "church" at large has cast off and forgotten. There's coming a restoration to the Body unlike we've ever seen. And the only resistance to this move will not be the sinners - it will be the self-righteous and the judgmental. And God have mercy upon our souls if we try and stand in the way of this great harvest and restoration of souls that is coming to Planet Earth!

The King Wants To See You!

2 Samuel 9:5-7  - Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. [6] Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! 
 

        Mephibosheth arrives at the palace - AFRAID. One may ask, but "why is he afraid." Simply because he knows that the person who summoned him and fetched him out of this wasteland was the same person his grandfather sought to kill. He was in essence an "enemy" of the king as a result of his lineage ties to SAUL. In addition to feeling the fear of being an enemy of the king, he is ashamed of his crippled condition and appearance. Spending years in Lodebar were probably very hard physically, emotionally and mentally on Mephibosheth. Even though he did not have any control over what happened to make him this way - he was coming to stand before the king crippled, an enemy and an outcast.

        There is a fear in all of us for God to find us. The reason is because we know when God finds us He will always reveal and confront the REAL US. We may hide our crippled condition from others - but when GOD WANTS TO SEE US - He already knows that we are lame on our feet and in Lodebar. Sin has this effect on fallen humanity. It hides from God.

        When Adam and Eve sinned their first action was to hide from the Divine Creator. God's first reaction when this happened was to ask Adam where he was. Believe me, when God asks a question, it's not because He doesn't know the answer. God was not asking out of His justice - He was asking out of love. A love relationship that had existed without a problem had been broken because of sin. Now, God was seeking Adam in order to restore Adam and Eve back to fellowship through blood.

        There is no need for us to hide from God but we do. We've been taught in the church that God is a tyrant who has a big checklist in heaven and He's happy when we do good and angry when we do bad. We've been taught in the church that God is a strict coach who demands strict discipline out of His subjects without any room for mistakes. So when God starts to seek us out to commune with us and fellowship with us - our first reaction is to start looking at ourselves and saying "what reason could God be seeking ME out except to punish me or chastise me?" It's the common reaction to a fallen race to its Creator. It's also a common response in religious people who base their understanding of God upon a list of do's and don'ts. As we wrote in an earlier journal this year - God didn't transcend 14 generations from Adam to Abraham then 14 more from Abraham to David, then 14 more from David to CHRIST to establish a rule book! NO! He sent His Son Jesus Christ to reestablish fellowship with humanity through the sacrifice of THE LAMB once and for all to make man's way accessible to God once again! Mephibosheth fell on his face before David trembling for his life. But David's response to Mephibosheth is God's response to us today:

    Fear Not

        The FIRST thing David told Mephibosheth is to "FEAR NOT."  Throughout Isaiah, God's call to Israel was simple - FEAR NOT. In the New Covenant, Jesus spoke to his disciples about many things. But one thing He kept repeating many times was FEAR NOT! Do not be afraid. If we could hear the Lord speaking to us right now - He's telling the church - "FEAR NOT! I'm not angry with you!" "I have redeemed you and called you by MY NAME." "I have ordained you to bring forth fruit and I'm going to bring you forth into victory, not defeat." "I'm not disappointed in you daughter of God," "I'm not disappointed in you son of God," "I'm deeply passionately in LOVE WITH YOU child," "FEAR NOT."

Isa 43:1 - But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. (NIV)

Isa 41:10, 13-14 - So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you," declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (NIV)

Isa 43:1 - But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.

Isa 442 -  This is what the LORD says-- he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. (NIV)

        When Daniel stood trembling at the foot of CHRIST as the events of the last days were being unfolded to him - the Lord spoke to Daniel and said, "FEAR NOT!"

Dan 10:19 -  "Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed," he said. "Peace! Be strong now; be strong." When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, "Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength." (NIV)

 

        When Jesus taught on worry and anxiety about life - His first words were simply, "FEAR NOT!"

   
Matt 10:31 - So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (NIV)

Luke 12:7 - Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (NIV)
 

        In the third watch of the night when a storm came against the disciples at sea, Matthew, Mark, and  John all recorded that the Master's words to the disciples was simply, "FEAR NOT!"

Matt 14:27 - But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." (NIV)
 

Mark 6:50 - because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." (NIV)
 

John 6:20 - But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." (NIV)

        When Peter, James and John beheld HIS GLORY upon the Mount of Transfiguration it so shook them to their core they trembled at the sight of the glorified CHRIST. Jesus didn't rebuke them, He said, "FEAR NOT, don't be afraid..."

Matt 17:7 - But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." (NIV)

        There were times when Jesus performed great miracles that caused fear to come upon those watching. His words were simple and soothing - FEAR NOT.

Mark 5:36 - Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe." (NIV)

Luke 5:10 - and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." (NIV)

Luke 8:50 - Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." (NIV)

        That's what the Lord is saying to us today - FEAR NOT. His mercy endures forever. We don't need to hide from God. He's waiting with arms-stretched out to heal our weaknesses and meet our needs.

        I Will Show Kindness For Jonathan Your Father's Sake

        David had made a covenant with Mephibosheths father - Jonathan. Technically, David could have slit Mephibosheth's throat right there in the palace but he had made a covenant of blood with a person his soul had been knitted to closer than any natural brother David had in the flesh. As a result, he told Mephibosheth - "I'm going to show you kindness, not revenge."

        You see, it's not about "us" - it's about HIM! Everything good gift and every perfect gift comes from ABOVE from the FATHER of LIGHTS - not because we've been super spiritual or great in the pulpit. It's strictly because of the covenant of blood He made 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ went to Calvary, shed His precious blood, spent three days in Paradise preaching to demon spirits, then rising again victoriously over death, hell and the grave to present HIS BLOOD as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. God doesn't see our failures or sins - HE SEES THE BLOOD OF JESUS! He doesn't see us stumbling or falling - He sees what's going to happen when the BLOOD of JESUS sets us free. He doesn't see the negative traits of our personality - He sees what's going to happen when the BLOOD is applied to our hearts and lives and we're changed by the power of the Holy Ghost. And as a result - He wants to show KINDNESS to His church. He's a gracious God with a loving heart. He's a LOVER and a passionate LOVER at that who enjoys blessing HIS BRIDE with great gifts from the store chests of heaven. He LOVES us and takes great pleasure in showing us KINDNESS even when we were not very KIND to HIM! That's LOVE!

        I Will Restore

        There are some of you reading this right now and you're in Lodebar. Mark it down friend, you're coming back to the king's table. The KING is out looking for you because when He's finished working the work in you He started long ago - He's GOING TO RESTORE you back to the place of rightful leadership in your home, at your job and in some cases in the church. Some of you have a call of God on your life and it's wasting away in LODEBAR because of some problem in your past. HEAR ME BELOVED. God is looking for such. God is seeking such. God is wanting to show kindness in the house of His enemies! The world system is an enemy of God. But God is still plundering the world system by fetching out Mephibosheths from its grip. And when He's through fetching - He's going to RESTORE the Body of Christ to a place of power and grace unknown to humanity in all its history here on Planet Earth.

        You Will Eat Bread At My Table Continually As One Of The King's Sons

2 Samuel 9:8-11  - And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I am?  Then the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house. [10] Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat bread always at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. [11] Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king's sons.  And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. [13] So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

Psalm 23:1-6  A Psalm of David. - The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. [3] He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. [4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [5] You prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: you anoint my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

        David not only promised Mephibosheth restoration and kindness, he ordained it that Mephibosheth would always eat the king's table..."as one of the king's sons!"  He uses that phrase three times which should tell us as a church body that we have been brought to HIS TABLE, not as an enemy - but as one  of HIS SONS! When He brings you back from Lodebar - believe me, He don't stick you in some back pew at a church and tell you you're welcome to come but your past is too bad to use you in His Kingdom. NO NO. He places you in a seat of prominence at HIS OWN TABLE and feeds you NOT LIKE A SERVANT - but as a King's SON! And my oh my - the course of meal is great! He lets us partake of HIM and reveals HIMSELF TO US at this table we come to. There's a plate of salvation, a plate of the Holy Spirit, a plate of grace. There's another plate of forgiveness and mercy. Yes, there's even a plate of judgment, which when we partake of it and judge ourselves, it keeps HIM for having to Judge us in the end. He loves us so much that He gives us EVERY possible opportunity to change and repent before He steps in and brings chastisement. THAT'S OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. That's our KING! And the world wanders why we want to SERVE HIM? Why would any FOOL not want to??

        The sad footnote though this is that we as the church have basically promoted ourselves and bragged about how many we are "fetching" but when we get them in - we stick them in the fourth class section of the congregation. That's not God's way. His way is to sit him at the table as one of the King's Son! It's hard to sit at the King's table with sin in our lives. His love will always reveal and expose it. But the same love that reveals and exposes also heals and restores. His higher purpose in all of this is to make us like HIM - not like someone else in the church. It's hilarious at times how people use themselves as a standard of judgment instead of recognizing there is but one JUDGE - THE KING! And in the King's love, He burns with such passion for us that He places us at the table with exclusive rights as heirs to the throne - not as hired hands in the field. Glory to God. I feel the unction of the HOLY GHOST as I'm writing this. We're not bastards, we're SONS. As as a SON the KING, our Heavenly Father, will chasten us to keep us on the path of life.

Hebrews 12:8-20  - But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. [9] Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? [10] For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. [11] Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. [12] Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; [13] And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. [14] Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: [15] Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Romans 8:14-18 -  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. [15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. [16] The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: [17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. [19] For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
 

Mephibosheth Was Lame On Both His Feet

        Mephibosheth spent the rest of his life eating at the King's table with one small problem- he remained lame on his feet for the rest of his life. He had to be totally dependent on the King to not only feed him but to get him to the table to begin with. It is a beautiful picture of how we as the church must regain our desire to be totally dependent on the king! We are ALL LAME and need the Son to feed us!

Rev. 7:14-17  -  Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. [16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. [17] For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
 

        And if we are to see this great harvest come to pass in THIS GENERATION - we need to return to a simple child-like dependency on our King Jesus. He will lead us and feed us to where we hunger no more and thirst no more!

A Word About "Ziba"

        Before we close this journal I want to mention Ziba, Saul's servant who was commissioned by David to wait on Mephibosheth the rest of his life. Ziba was made to tend to the needs of David's "enemy." He is a type of the Holy Spirit on earth who has been commissioned to minister to the BODY OF CHRIST who is comprised of people who were once "enemies" of God but because of the covenant God has made with Jesus through the Cross - we are being blessed forever by our heavenly Ziba - the Holy Ghost. He's keeping us in fellowship with the King on earth while our Heavenly King David prepares a heavenly table for us in eternity at the right hand of God. He's preparing us for a great banquet that is coming in the near future - the MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB! Glory to God. Glory to God. He's preparing the BRIDE to meet her BRIDEGROOM who has been seeking her for a long time. Praise God.

        Friend, you can't outrun God the Holy Ghost. He'll go to the ends of the earth to woo you, convict you, deal with you, encourage you, speak to you - TO LET YOU KNOW THE KING IS LOOKING FOR YOU! He's been sent to Earth in these last days to convict the world of sin, of judgment and or righteousness. Of sin because without Christ all of humanity is lost and undone without hope of deliverance from the curse brought on it from Adam. Of judgment because the prince of this world, Satan, who is a master at causing things to put us in Lodebar, has been JUDGED by our Heavenly King David. And of righteousness, because nothing man can do himself can cure his own crippled condition. We need the righteousness that is from above to deliver us from sin and bring us out of the wasteland many of us are in right now.

        There are some of you reading this that have been to Lodebar more than once. Life has a way of causing that sometimes. It still doesn't matter. The King is looking for you! This entire story could have been one of blame. Mephibosheth could have stayed in Lodebar and blamed the nurse who dropped him when he was a baby. He could have refused Ziba's invitation from David and wallowed in his self-pity for the rest of his life.  But blame would have not made any difference - he'd still been lame on both feet. AND BLAME WILL NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE IN OUR CONDITION AS WELL! That's the entire theology of most churches and church people - BLAME. We are always looking to blame something or someone for what has happened to us or our loved ones. Friend, it's about a fallen race that has been laid waste by sin and is lame on its feet. It's about a fallen race that without a heavenly KING looking to redeem it would be without hope forever. Ziba is our Holy Ghost. He's been sent by 'David' to fetch us out. It's up to us to follow his wooing when he comes to us!

In Closing

             This beautiful story of grace and mercy all started with the question "is there anyone left in the house of my enemy?" by David. I have not even touched on the practical aspects of what this tale means to us as Christians in our daily walk with each other. We need to be vessels of mercy and not wrath to those who have hurt us and done us wrong. David would have been justified in the natural to kill Mephibosheth. After all he was the last link to David's mortal enemy Saul, who had done him more hurt and harm in a few years than any one human being could do to anyone in a lifetime. But instead of acting in revenge he acted in GRACE. That's what GRACE people do - they show MERCY and not Judgment. Why? Because their KING is a king who is full of mercy and grace too - JESUS! And He's looking for the Mephibosheths of this world to bring out of Lodebar!

        We are entering an awesome time in human history. The harvest is ahead of us. If we are going to meet this great challenge, we must act like the LORD OF THE HARVEST - MERCIFUL and GRACIOUS! We need to ask ourselves is there anyone in the house of our enemies to show kindness to?  Those are the words of heaven's heartbeat and purpose. Those are the words that will bring blessing and honor to our lives. Those are the words that will seek God's highest purposes on earth. God loves the world and He is not wanting ANY to perish! EVEN OUR ENEMIES! The world does not need our condemnation. It's condemned already.
 

        If you're reading this and you're in this place today where Mephibosheth found himself so many centuries ago - hear the Spirit of God speak to your heart right now. "Ziba" has been sent to tell you the King is looking for you. When you answer the Spirit's call, the King's words to you will not be words of judgment and condemnation. They will say, "fear not," "I am going to restore what you've lost," "You're going to come to my table and eat forever and ever," "You're not just going to eat as a servant, you're going to eat as a KING's son." He has truly brought us ALL to His banqueting table and the banner over that table is LOVE. Why don't you take the King up on His invitation - there is life and restoration waiting! His heart is beating passionately for us and wants us to inherit eternal life and not die in our sins. That's the grace of God. And it's available to all who will receive it today. Praise God.

Song 2:4 - He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love. (NIV)

Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I want to say "thank you" Lord for sending Ziba to me on many occasions when I too have found myself in Lodebar. Thank You for patiently waiting for me to accept the Holy Spirit's call upon my heart and the call You have placed upon My life. Lord thank You for Your love and kindness to me even at times I have done absolutely NOTHING to deserve it. Thank You for loving me enough to not only send Ziba to fetch me out of the awful wasteland of sin, but to actively confront me about my condition before You. Your love is so deep and passionate for us we cannot comprehend it. We just accept it today. Now Lord, right now I pray for those reading this journal. I pray for those who are lost and without salvation from Your Son Jesus Christ. Speak to their hearts right now. Speak peace to the depressed. Speak restoration to the broken and wounded. Speak kindness to the heart heart by the agony and disappointment life brings at times. Use us Lord in this last day to be a "fetcher" of souls in this great upcoming HARVEST. I am claiming SOULS for the Kingdom of God through this web site. I am claiming restoration to lost ministries and lost marriages in the NAME OF JESUS right now. Use whatever means necessary Lord to bring us out of Lodebar. We praise You right now for YOUR MAJESTY and Your RADIANCE and YOUR GLORY. Lord, don't let us keep hidden sin in our lives. Bring it to the light to sanctify us WHOLLY FOR YOU to be used in these last days. Help us hate sin like You hate it. Chastise us as YOUR SONS so we may not become bastards and cut off from Your love. And let a love burn for YOU LORD in our hearts that surpasses the deepest flames of hell. Let the fires of passion erupt in YOUR people. Let us have a heart after Jesus Christ like David did in seeking out his enemy's house - not to curse - but to BLESS and RESTORE. That's the path we ask for today Lord and we praise YOU FOR PUTTING US ON THAT PATH TODAY. We love you Lord Jesus. We praise you Lord Jesus. We worship you Lord Jesus. We adore you Master. We thank you that one day you showed kindness to the ONE LEFT in the house of your enemy  - and that one was ME. Speak to hearts right now Lord and thank you for allowing us to be apart of this great harvest that is coming in Jesus name, AMEN.