2SAMUEL 3-4:In yesterday's story, David was anointed as king over his own tribe of Judah, while all the rest of Israel followed Saul's son, Ishbosheth. Ishbosheth was not a strong leader, but was put in place by Abner, the general. Joab was David's military commander. In the first battle, it is significant that Abner killed Joab's brother Asahel. David's troops decisively won their first battle in the civil war.

PSALM 108:This is a psalm of exalted praise, and a song asking God for military victory.

ROMANS 12a:Yesterday at the end of Romans 11, we came to the end of the long parenthesis. God is seen as both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who refuse to believe. Belief is not something that just happens without our control. It is an act of the will to believe. That is why the stubborn disbelief of the Israelites is called 'disobedience'.

This chapter marks the beginning of the practical section of Romans. In other words, this part shows the way we should live based on the teachings given in the chapters before.

NLT Translation notes:Ps. 108:6 Now [please] rescue your beloved people.Answer and save us by your power.7 [O] God [You have//has] promised this by [your/his] holiness:"I will divide up Shechem with joy.I will measure out the valley of Succoth.13 With [your help, O God,//God's help] we will do mighty things,for [you/he] will trample down our foes.====Rom. 12:1 And so [/therefore], dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all [the merciful things] he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.3 Because of the privilege and authorityc God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the [true beliefs//faith] God has given us.6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much [belief//faith] as God has given you.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.