GROW PLAN
Jan. 6-12, 2025
Day One
2 Samuel 5:1-5
In Agreement with God
The Israelites were on record as desiring a king who would fight their battles for them. They wanted a successful military leader. David was proven in battle, with many celebrated victories, which was probably one of the main reasons that the people chose to make David their king. In the struggle that followed Saul’s death, David had become more powerful and growing numbers of people had shifted their allegiance to him, further demonstrating his ability as a leader. They also knew that David had been anointed by the Lord as king. The Lord wanted a king who was more than a military leader. He wanted a king after His own heart, a king who would lead the people toward Him. In David, both the people and the Lord were happy. David was a military and a spiritual leader. And once the will of the people and the will of God were aligned, good things happened for Israel. David’s reign saw a dramatic expansion of Israel’s power and wealth. Things were so good at this time that centuries later, the Jewish people dreamed of restoring the kingdom of David.
Aligning our will with God’s may not result in power and wealth for us, but it will result in spiritual growth, progress and joy. Make up your mind to accept the Lord’s will for you and pray that He would align your will to His.
Day Two
2 Samuel 5:6-16
The Importance of Jerusalem
David and his men attacked the Jebusites at their city of Jerusalem. The Jebusites were so sure of their defenses that they trash talked before the battle that even the blind and lame could defend their city. But the Israelites took it, and David made the city his capital. We can see the Lord’s long-term plan in operation. Jerusalem became the religious and political center of Israel. The temple was located there. Jesus taught and ministered there. He shed tears for the city and prophesied its destruction. Jesus died and was resurrected there. When He comes back, Jesus will come back in Jerusalem. And the current city will be replaced by a New Jerusalem in eternity. Only the Lord knew this when David went to attack a strategic city that was located between the territory of Judah and the Northern tribes. The Lord was working His plan, as He always is. He was preparing wonders and blessings of which the people couldn’t even dream.
The Lord is working His plan in your life, in minor developments, in your struggles and in your successes. Praise Him for what He has already done in your life and thank Him for the blessings He is planning for you.
Day Three
2 Samuel 5:17-25
The Lord Defeats the Philistines
When the Philistines heard that David was king over all Israel, they moved to attack. Why? For the same reason that Israel was glad to have David as king. David had an excellent record as a military commander. He had defeated the Philistines in battle. He had defeated other peoples. And they were probably uncomfortable with the fact that David was closer to Yahweh than Saul was. They wanted to attack soon, before David consolidated his hold on the nation and unified its military forces. Their fears were well-founded. When David heard that the Philistines had come to attack, he did the right thing and asked the Lord what he should do. Following the Lord’s guidance led to such a victory over the Philistines that they left their idols behind. The Philistines tried again, but again, the Lord led Israel to victory. Verse 25 tells us that “David did as the Lord commanded him.” That sums up the difference between the kingship of Saul and the reign of David. Saul disobeyed God, while David obeyed. The Lord told David to attack when he could hear the sound of the Lord’s forces marching over his head in the top of the trees. The Lord went in front of David and his army to strike the Philistines.
The Lord does not leave us to struggle on our own, and he doesn’t cheer us on from behind. He leads and we follow. He goes out in front of us to battle for us. When we are in a right relationship with God, we can count on Him to lead us in the right direction and fight for us. Commit to seeking God and spending time with Him each day, in His Word and in prayer, to establish that kind of relationship with Him.
Day Four
2 Samuel 6:1-8
Disobedience and Death
David had made Jerusalem his capital, and he wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant there as well. The problem was that he didn’t obey the instructions of the Lord in transporting the ark. The law that the Lord had given Moses was clear that when the ark was moved, the poles that had been made for it were inserted into the rings on its side and it was to be carried by Levites. It was not to be carried on a cart drawn by oxen. Keep in mind that the ark was the very presence of God in Israel. That’s why verse 2 states that the Lord Almighty is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. The Lord should be obeyed in all things. But to disobey him in handling the very presence of God is not only disobedient, it is fundamentally disrespectful. That’s why, when the oxen pulling the cart stumbled and Uzzah reached out and touched the ark, the Lord struck him dead. It may seem harsh but remember the Lord killed 40 people who dared to look inside the ark. God’s presence was too holy to be accessible to people. (Only after Jesus died, and the curtain separating God from the people was torn by God, could we access His presence.) David thought it was harsh as well and was angry at the Lord. But David’s anger may have been fueled by guilt. He was the leader of the people, and he had failed to make sure they followed the law in transporting the ark.
God’s standard for obedience is strict, but we can be grateful that through Jesus, God gives us mercy for our disobedience. Jesus’ sacrifice paid for our sins, and He gave us his righteousness so that we could be reconciled with the Father. Have you been reconciled to the Lord? If so, praise Him and thank Him. If not, speak to a group leader or Pastor Chris about this.
Day Five
2 Samuel 6:9-23
From Death to Dancing
After the death of Uzzah, David was afraid to do anything more with the ark. He decided to leave it at the house of Obed-Edom for a while. After hearing how the Lord had blessed the house of Obed-Edom while the ark was there, David decided to give it another shot. But this time, David did it right. He consulted the scriptures to determine the proper method to transport the ark. And this time, he had Levites carry it by its poles. He accompanied the move with sacrifices to the Lord. This time, moving the ark was an occasion for celebration. No one died because the Word of the Lord had been obeyed, and the ark was successfully moved to Jerusalem. The king accompanied the ark and “danced with all his might” before the Lord. The sequence of events here gives us a pattern that we should follow. David was disobedient in moving the ark incorrectly. He was afraid of the consequences of his sin. So he went home and read the scriptures to see what they said. Then he did what he needed to do according to God’s Word. The Word teaches us, corrects us, guides us in the way that we should go. But we shouldn’t wait until we do something wrong to run to the scriptures. We should read the Word regularly to be familiar with how the Lord wants us to act.
Have you ever been afraid of God the way that David was? Our relationship with the Lord should always be characterized by awe, respect and reverence, but we don’t have to fear what the Lord will do to us if we rely on His mercy and commit ourselves to obeying Him. Ask the Lord to show you any way in which you may not be obeying Him. Commit to making the changes He reveals to you.
Day Six
2 Samuel 7:1-17
God’s Promise
Once the ark was moved to Jerusalem, David realized that he lived in a palace, but the ark of God stayed in a tent. He wanted to build a house for the ark, a temple. But God sent word to David through the prophet Nathan. God told him to hold off, that his son would build the temple. But the word that came from the Lord was much more than that. God told David that instead of David building a house for God, the Lord would build a house for David. This was not a physical house, it was a family line. The Lord said that He would raise up David’s offspring to succeed him. The Lord promised to discipline these kings when they would do wrong, but in the end, God would build the House of David and establish the throne of that house forever. The Lord told him: “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, a descendant of David and the King of Kings forever. He is the descendant of David’s line who will rule for all eternity. The Lord is always faithful to keep His promises.
David had no idea how awesome the fulfillment of this promise would be, but He knew that God could be trusted to keep His Word. In the same way, we can trust God to keep His promises to us, and usually in a way that joyfully surprises us. Have you been reluctant to trust Him fully? Take that to Him and ask Him for more faith.
...GROW GROUPS - These groups focus on understanding and applying the daily grow plan for the week.
Men’s Group @ The Journey - Sundays at 9:15am
Adult Groups @ The Journey - Sundays at 6:00pm
Home Group - Saturdays at 6:30pm in Boiling Springs
OTHER MINISTRY GROUPS
Next Gen Student Group @ The Journey - Sundays at 6:00pm
Women’s Group Study @ The Journey - Sundays at 9:15 am (no childcare available)
Men’s Group at Miracle Hill - Mondays at 6:00pm
Women’s Chapel at Miracle Hill - Tuesdays at 9am
Women’s Chapel at Miracle Hill - 1st Tuesday each month at 6:00pm
Men’s Chapel at Miracle Hill - 2nd Thursday evening each month
Sidewalk Hope at Crescent Hill (Mobile Kids Church) - Thursdays at 4:00pm
Women’s Starting Over Recovery Group - Sober Living America participants only. Saturdays at 4:00pm
JOURNEYKIDZ
Sundays at 10:30am @ The Journey
Nursery 0-2
Preschool 3 - 5k
Elementary 1st - 5th grades
* Development of each child and the most appropriate classroom setting is considered as part of the placement process.