Live A Life

Over the past weeks, the Holy Spirit has repeatedly led our church to the idea of cycles. Which, oddly enough, is in and of itself a cycle. There may be cycles of sin, desperation, anger, frustration, or addiction. Potential cycles are as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

King Saul’s life was marked by cycles. It was how he lived: cycle after cycle, day after day, through his choices: cycles of anger, jealousy, fits of rage, and revenge. While all these things are bad, they are symptoms of the broader problem: sin. This was how Saul lived.

The Prophet Samuel said these words in his farewell address to Israel. 1 Sam 12:14-15, “Now if you fear and worship the Lord and listen to his voice, and if you do not rebel against the Lord’s commands, then both you and your king will show that you recognize the Lord as your God. But if you rebel against the Lord’s commands and refuse to listen to him, then his hand will be as heavy upon you as it was upon your ancestors.”

Samuel gives King Saul and Israel the formula for living a Godly life. Saul failed at this time and time again. Let me list a few occurrences for you: he failed to accept his call, sacrificed when it was not his duty, tried to kill David, made a rash oath that almost cost him his son, sought advice from a witch, and failed to be obedient in dealing with the Amalekites.

I would encourage you to read 1 Sam 15:24-31for context.

Saul lived a life of sinful cycles. God wants you to live a life of freedom.  The Holman Bible Dictionary says this of Saul, “a tragic figure, Saul’s heart was initially changed, he even prophesied.” At some point, the Spirit that came upon Saul eventually left him.

So why did Saul continue to sin? In verse 24, we see Saul sinned because he feared the people. He obeyed the people’s voice rather than God’s. He lived a life of disobedience. God wants us to live a life of obedience.

In verse 26, we see Samuel walking away from his relationship with Saul because of his disobedience. Though he relents in this portion and does accompany Saul to worship the Lord, verse 35 says, “Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the Lord was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.”

Every time he sinned, he had an excuse: “It was not my fault,” “You were late,” “What else was I supposed to do?” “The Devil made me do it.” Repentance requires us to own our sins and seek forgiveness.

In verse 28, we see Saul kneeling, pleading with Samuel. He now reaches out and grabs the hem of Samule’s robe. It rips in Saul’s hand. Samuel then pronounces this judgment: As the rob ripped, so would the kingdom be ripped from him. Saul’s sin did not cause God to reject him as a person but as the king. Forgiveness for Saul’s sins was available, but God desired a righteous leader on the throne of Israel.

In verse 35, we see one of the saddest phrases in Scripture, “And the Lord was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.” In Hebrew, this phrase says, “And YHWH regretted that He made him king.” How, then, do we ensure we live as God wants?

First, Live a Life in relationship with God.

Second, Live a Life of obedience to God.

Third, Live a Life that seeks to bring glory to God rather than yourself.

Fourth, Live a Life that focuses on things eternal rather than temporal.

There are many ways we can live our lives. Perhaps God is leading you to break the cycle and Live A Life for Him.

It’s Personal

I have never liked it when people comment, “Children are the future of the church.” The same applies to Whitney Houston’s hit song, The Greatest Love of All. Sorry, Whitney. It was not your best work. While I understand the intent, I have a fundamental problem with this assertion. To say that children are the future is correct in that they will one day grow to lead, but it is incorrect because it leads to the assumption that they are not a part of the Church now.

Children are vitally important to the church today. They are just as crucial as others within the congregation. So, yes, I do understand the future aspect, but I believe we need to spend time and energy on their discipleship. Not simply because they are future leaders but because they are children of God now, capable of sharing their faith and discipling someone else.

God gave the children of Israel instructions to pass the faith from one generation to the next. That is necessary for the continued propagation of the Gospel. We must never forget that it is also about seeing that individual child in a loving and growing relationship with Christ. It’s personal.

King David was a mighty leader of Israel. He led well in battle and spiritual matters. Of course, we know that he was not perfect. He made mistakes. Perhaps one of the saddest is recorded in 1 Kings 1:5-6.

The NLT says, “About that time, David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.” Emphasis Mine

Kind David led the nation of Israel but failed to lead his family. As a result, his son did not have a personal relationship with God, nor would he lead others into a similar faith. Instead, he sought to make himself king. He ignored God’s word, declaring Solomon the next king.

David was a warrior and was likely away from his family for long periods, including the formative years of his kids. In our American culture and way of life, we work hard to make that promotion or to advance our financial security. Too often, this is accomplished at the expense of our families. We focus so much on the job at hand that we miss the most important thing: ensuring that a deep and personal faith grows in our kids. Or, if you do not have kids, the next generation of believers where you have influence.

Last week, my blog focused on the beautiful words of King David in Psalm 23. I love this Psalm, and studying David for that matter, because he often uses personal phraseology. “The Lord is my Shepherd.” “I will dwell in the house of the Lord.” For David, it was personal, but he failed to make it personal for his kids.

It’s personal for our kids. It is eternally essential for them and those that they, too, will reach.

Why Sheep?

I have often laughed at the fact that Scripture refers to Christ’s followers as sheep. There are many reasons why this is an appropriate analogy. We will get into that later. The fundamental fact is sheep need a shepherd. They are not intelligent animals. Some might say they are dumb. I have heard farmers comment that their sheep would walk into a hole. I guess that’s why shepherds have a staff.

One interesting factoid I recently read explained that sheep cannot drink from moving water. Their nose and mouth are so close together that running water will cause them to be unable to breathe while drinking. They need still water.

Sheep are herd animals, but it is also not uncommon for one to wander off. Maybe they daydream. Perhaps the most interesting fact deals with their sleep patterns. When a sheep cannot sleep, they count humans jumping over a fence. Weird! 😊

They are beautiful creatures with helpful wool. They are gentle, loyal, and loving to their shepherd. They indeed learn their shepherd’s voice. They are also delicious with mint jelly. I apologize to my vegan friends.

One might ask, why sheep? Why would God compare us to sheep? Because sheep need a shepherd. Honestly, we are a lot like them. We wander off at times. I have been known to step into an obvious hole in front of me…more often than I care to admit. I also like to get too close to the wolf on occasion. I need a shepherd, and so do you.

Fortunately, Jesus is ready, willing, and lovingly able to shepherd His people. From the book of Isaiah to the Gospel of John, Jesus is proclaimed our Good Shepherd. So good that John 10 tells us He is willing to lay down his life for His sheep.

Psalm 23 is probably the most known portion of Scripture outside John 3:16. David writes about the Good Shepherd. While these verses do not explicitly use different names of good, His character is depicted in the text. Two names are used. I will mark those with an *. I will present this verse by verse with the NLT text of Psalm 23.

Verse 1, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

In Verse one, we see the first of two names written in the text: Jehovah-Ro’iy*, the Lord my Shepherd.

“I have all that I need,” Jehovah-Jireh.

Verse 2, “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful stream.”

This is a peaceful place where we see God as Jehovah-Shalom, the Lord my peace.

Verse 3, “He renews my strength.”

He is Jehovah-Raphe, the Lord, my healer.

“He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

He is Jehovah-Tsidkenu, the Lord my righteousness.

Verse 4, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”

We see God’s nearness to us reflected in His name, Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is there.

Verse 5, “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.”

He is Jehovah-Nissi, the Lord my banner.

“You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.”

He is Jehovah-M’Kaddesh, the Lord who sanctifies.

Verse 6, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”

He is Jehovah*, YHWH, the covenant God.

It is interesting to contemplate the character of sheep and how we connect, but my goal is not to be like another sheep but like my Shepherd. Isn’t the character of our Shepherd amazing? He is truly our all in all. YHWH, the I Am that I Am. I encourage you to do the same. Strive to be like the Shepherd. Trust the Shepherd. Know His voice and love Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do.

Stay close to the Shepherd. Otherwise, the enemy of our soul may serve us up on a plate with a side of mint jelly. As the Facebook prophetess once remarked, “ain’t nobody got time for that.”

“Bring It On!”

The Emperor’s New Groove is one of my favorite movies. There are so many quotable lines. “Bless you for coming out in public,” “Lamma face.” Or my wife’s favorite when she doesn’t want to do something, “I’ve been turned into a cow. Can I go home now?” Then, there is the scene where there is imminent danger as Cusco and Pacha dangle from a frayed rope over a deep ravine with sharp rocks below. Cusco looks down and says, “Bring It On!”

David was a wise and spiritual leader. He never ran from a challenge but always sought the Lord’s direction before moving. To me, that is the very definition of a spiritual leader. Leaders lead. Spiritual leaders do so only at the direction of the Lord.

 My sermon title from this week was also from a famous movie. “It’s a Trap!” My message focused on the struggles that often come against us—betrayal, offense, discouragement, anger, etc. I encourage you to check our YouTube channel to hear that message. You will find it under C3AGTV. For this blog, I want to focus on David’s willingness to seek the Lord’s direction. There is, of course, a crossover between the sermon and the blog.

Read 1 Samuel 23:1-12

In this short portion of Scripture, David seeks the Lord four times, in verses 2, 4, 10, and 12. Each time, the Lord responded in the affirmative. There is a significant detail that some might miss. In verses 2 and 4, David is praying on his own. There is no priest present to consult the Lord for him. Verse 6 tells us that the priest Abiathar arrives with the Ephod. So, in verses 10 and 12, David seeks the Lord through the priest and ephod.

Why is this significant? It shows that David had a vibrant relationship with God. He did not need to go through a priest. He trusted that he could hear from the Lord personally. Yet, we also see that David shows the utmost respect to Abiathar when he arrives. He honors this priest by asking him to inquire of the Lord on his behalf.

Both show David’s character. They both show that David would say, “Bring it On,” if he first sought the Lord. David’s spiritual leadership is based on four things evident in this account. These four are also applicable in our lives.

First, we must have a personal relationship with God. David prayed to the Lord without the ephod because he knew his God.

Second, we must seek God’s direction before we act. Four times, David sought the Lord.

Third, we must respect and honor spiritual authority. When Abiathar, the priest, arrived with the ephod, David honored him and sought the Lord through him.

Fourth, we must trust God to lead us and obey His words. When God said, “Go,” David obeyed.

In this life of faith, we face many challenges. At times, we may feel like Cusco hanging from the frayed rope. If we are faithful to seek the Lord, we can confidently say, “Bring it On.” If you seek Him, you will find Him. If you ask, He will answer. Face your challenges, knowing that God is on your side. Ask for his guidance and be ready to act when he answers. Spiritual leaders lead. So, lead on, my friend. Lead on. “Bring it on!”

Proximity

It is interesting how much we desire to be relationally close to people but also try hard to be separated from them. (Awkwardly gives cell phone a condemning look.) We allow the busyness of life and often things that are not important to cloud our judgment of what truly is. Proximity is important. Proximity allows us to go beyond surface relationships into deep, meaningful ones. Proximity allows us to learn, listen, and, in turn, lead with the grace and the love of Christ.

1 Samuel 3 relates the story of Samuel’s calling. This follows the narrative of his mom desperately desiring a son and the spiritual situation in Israel and Eli, the high priest’s family.

1 Sam 3:1-3 “Meanwhile, the boy Samuel served the Lord by assisting Eli. Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. One night Eli, who was almost blind by now, had gone to bed. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was sleeping in the Tabernacle near the Ark of God.” (emphasis mine) NLT

The Ark of the Covenant was the seat of God’s physical presence. Samuel had proximity.

1 Sam 3:10 “And the Lord came and called as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening.” (emphasis mine) NLT

In Hebrew, this verse states, “The Lord came and stood and called…” Samuel had proximity to the presence of the Lord. This proximity served a purpose in Samuel’s life, as it does in ours. Through proximity, we learn:

              To listen to the voice of God.

              To submit to the will of God.

              To lead others into a deeper relationship with God.

All of these exemplify Samuel’s life as he becomes the spiritual and political leader as the last judge of Israel. Even transitioning from the judges to the kings, Samuel plays a pivotal role. He anoints Saul as the first king of Israel. He later rebukes Saul for rejecting God’s direction. Shortly after that, Samuel anoints David, the man after God’s own heart. It is interesting to note that David also had proximity to God. That made him a godly man, but that is a blog for another day.

Proximity is essential to any relationship. I love my dog CAP. My wife does not love my dog but tolerates him because she loves me. Now CAP listens to me. He has learned my voice and is mostly obedient. He is very loyal and protective of me because I am the one who spends time with him, feeds him, and sneaks him food from my plate. CAP loves cooked veggies. He has learned to be near me because he is bound to get something from me.

The one and only Cappidoodle, Cappuccino, Capicola, Cappadocia, Captain America

Proximity to God is not just about what we can get from Him but is genuinely rooted in our desire to be near Him. I love the words of Paul to the Philippians, “I want to know Him.” That is the true essence of proximity. I want to know Christ. Yet, as I get to know Christ, I also learn His voice. I hear Him when He speaks, and I long to be obedient to His will in my life. That is the effect of proximity.

I encourage you to spend more time with those you love. Be present. Spend more time with God just because He is God. Learn to hear His voice and be ready to obey. If I’ve learned anything from CAP it is the fact that proximity to the Master matters.

Drift

The word drift invokes different things to different people. If you own a boat, you may imagine lazily drifting on the lake’s surface as you nap. Others may imagine their cares drifting away…que Rainbow Connection by the Muppets. I’m going to take a wild guess that most people are thinking of video games such as Mario Cart or Tokyo Drift. I must be honest: if you can make Mario drift, I’m unsure if I like you right now.

In many circumstances, drift is a dangerous thing. A ship sailing from the US to the UK can be off by miles if it only drifts a few inches off course without making corrections. Our spiritual lives are very much like this. It is also well illustrated throughout the history of Israel and Judah. Good kings came and went, making minor corrections to the drift caused by evil kings that came and went. Both Israel and Judah eventually drifted so far from their relationship with God and their intended purpose that they went into captivity. The Northern Kingdom (Israel) never fully returned. Judah did return but still struggled with drift.

In my sermon this past Sunday, I focused on guarding the church from drifting by remaining true to our Core Values. Those answer the question, why do we exist? For C3AG, there are five values: Spirit-filled, Multicultural, Missions Engaged, Discipleship Driven, and Outreach Oriented.

In this blog, I want to focus on us as individuals. F. B. Meyer pastored in England in the late 1800s and was a prolific writer. In his book, Shepherd Psalm, he outlines four reasons we might need our soul restored (Psalm 23).

First, The Neglect of the Word and private devotion. You WILL drift from the Lord if you are not spending time with Him apart from corporate worship. Being a Christian equals being in a committed, monogamous relationship. I am His, and He is mine (Song of Songs). It takes work to foster that relationship. It takes spending time with God to foster that relationship. You will drift if you are not in the Word.

Second, Meyer points to Unconfessed Sin. Romans 10:9 NLT: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The KJV says to confess and believe. Confession is part of repentance. If we are unwilling to admit we have sin in our lives, there is no forgiveness for us. Like a person in a 10-step program, it begins with admitting the problem…sin.

Third is Worldly Society. I love how the Chosen comes on. A few teal-colored fish swimming against the current. Drift occurs when an outward force pushes against us. That might be a water current with a boat, an air current with a plane, or the world’s current with a believer. Satan wants your relationship with God to fail. He wants you to drift. He will put pressure on you so that you drift. Often, it is so slow we barely notice.

Finally, Meyer points to the Neglect of Commands. Suppose I can put this in my words: disobedience. When God says don’t, and we do, we are disobedient. When God says do, but we don’t, we are disobedient. King Saul got into trouble when he offered a sacrifice only a priest should offer. Samuel tells him that “obedience is better than sacrifice.” Our willingness to obey protects us from drift. It keeps us close to the Father. It is for our protection.

What F. B. Meyer writes from Psalm 23 is illustrated in 2 Kings 23 as King Josiah brings about the most significant correction in Judah’s history. 2 Kings 23:25 says of him, “Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.”

May the same be said of us. So yes, drift while playing Mario Cart, but guard your spiritual life from it. A small drift can have a big consequence.

I Hate Discouragement

Life can be extremely discouraging. Discouragement is defined as being in a state of loss of confidence, enthusiasm, or dispiritedness. I would add the loss of hope to that definition. Most often, discouragement comes from situations that are part of being human. It may be a health crisis, challenges in your marriage, worry over kids, or being stuck in a routine that you feel there is no way out. All these things may discourage us. It’s not easy, but it is part of life…grumble…grumble…grumble.

This week’s lesson comes from 1 Sam 30:1-8. Take a moment to read that. I’ll wait.

A W Tozer writes in his book, The Counselor, “It is part of my belief that God wants to get us to a place where we would still be happy if we had only Him!” I will never profess that God is the root of my discouragement. It often comes from the tension between what God wants and what I want. Let’s face it: as humans, we want what we want. As believers, we also recognize that what we want is often not best for us. So, we are discouraged.

My wife and I have a beautiful, spunky daughter who is now spreading her wings as an adult. She is currently halfway around the world, serving in a foreign nation for three months. Last Wednesday night, as I sat thinking about her trip, I realized that God was calling me to a place of total surrender of my daughter.

From the first moment I held her, I acknowledged that she belonged to God. As her dad, I grapple with being unable to protect her and be there as she is halfway around the world. I was driving in my car alone and quietly praying, and the Spirit spoke to me; I recognized I now must trust God for her entirely. I’m not discouraged today; I strengthen myself in The Lord, My God. I trust Jesus to take care of my baby girl.

David was in a desperate situation. Everything and everyone was suddenly against him. Our text highlights several details of this situation. David and his troops were away from their families. While gone, their families and possessions were captured by their enemy. These soldiers encountered tragedy and loss. These, the toughest fighters of Israel, openly wept.

This was also personal for David as he was now separated from all three of his wives and his children. Michal was taken by her father Saul and given to another man. Now, Ahinoam and Abigail were taken by these raiders. David’s men looked for someone to blame, but David began looking for a solution. David did what every believer should do; he strengthened himself in the Lord. David turned to God’s arm for help because that was his only option.

In verses 6-8, we see that David called the priest, and he enquired of the Lord. It seems obvious, but we tend to mess this one up…along with many other things. I want you to look at how Saul and David handle desperate situations differently. One commentator believes these two things happened on the same day.

David was desperate for deliverance, so he sought the Lord for direction.

King Saul was also desperate for deliverance but sought a medium at Endor.

Due to these two situations, Saul was promised death, but David was promised life. It’s almost as if Saul approached God from an unfamiliar position. While the direct translation from verse 6 says, “he strengthened himself in YHWH his God.” For David, this was a personal relationship. He took his desperation to the one he knew could fix it.

See, this principle applies to us as individuals and to the Church. Can you say with confidence that He is the Lord, MY God? It is personal, and in times of discouragement and desperation, you know to run to Him. Rather than focusing on our weaknesses, we must focus on Christ’s strength.

How? By seeking His will. God wants to use our moments of discouragement to drive us back to a place of surrender and prayer. To seek Him above all else. To make Christ our highest goal.

Don’t be discouraged; strengthen and encourage yourself in the Lord Your God. I hate discouragement, but I’m thankful King David gave us a plan. Now, it’s up to us to do it.

This blog is partially adapted from my sermon, The Lord, My God, Jan 21, 24.

Live the Life

Do you ever wake up in the morning with the urge to hide? It may be a cold, gloomy winter day, and you just aren’t feeling it. Or it may be a bright sunny day with birds chirping and a warm late spring breeze, and you just aren’t feeling it. We all go through moments when we want to hide. There are a million reasons this could be true. Sometimes, we hide from situations and experiences. There are times when we are overwhelmed with feelings of can’t.

Last week, we looked at David’s second anointing. He had three: one when Samuel showed up at his dad’s house, one when Judah made him their king, and one when all of Israel gathered and made him king. I focused on the second one last week as we looked at the fact that YOU ARE CALLED. I opted to begin with David, though Saul was Israel’s first king.

King Saul had two anointings. The first occurred when he looked for his dad’s (Kish) lost donkey. He seeks the help of the Prophet Samuel, who anoints him to be Israel’s first king—some time passed between that occurrence and the second, maybe days or weeks. We really don’t know.

Let me set the scene for you. By the way, you can read about this in 1 Samuel 10:17-27. Israel asked for a king. God directs Samuel to anoint young Saul. Samuel then brings Saul before the nation to crown him their king. After all, in this case, Israel desired to look like the other nations.

So, Samuel calls the whole nation to the city of Mizpah. Tribe by tribe and clan by clan, the nation parades before the prophet. They came to the tribe of Benjamin to the clan of Matrites and the family of Kish—cue climactic music. I prefer “Zadok the Priest” by Handel. I have included a link for your listening enjoyment: https://youtu.be/5xWhclVLQyI. The winner is SAUL SON OF KISH. The heavens open with a chorus of voices. The sun directs its beam to the spot of coronation…and no one can find him. You can almost hear the scene deflating. They had to inquire of the Lord to find him. “And the Lord replied, ‘He is hiding among the baggage.’”

King David was willing to step into his call while waiting on God’s timing. King Saul, most likely dealing with insecurity, nervousness, and questions of worthiness, could not see himself as king.

I want to point out that at the first anointing earlier in this chapter, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul, and he began to prophesy. Saul had not yet learned to trust the Spirit over his abilities. He had not yet learned that his worth and value were rooted in his God rather than his ability.

For a while, and we will come back to this many times this year, Saul looked like he would be a great and godly king. Saul never fully learned to surrender to the Spirit’s leading and never fully grasped who he was in God.

Before we are too hard on King Saul, remember that we are guilty of the same. I often hear people say things like this: I am unworthy. I can’t do that. Do you know my past? You don’t know what I have done. I want to make something obvious. If God says you are worthy, who are you, a mere mortal, to question His opinion? You have a choice. You can either hide behind the baggage of your life or step into the plan and calling God has for you.

I like the smell of leather as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to live among the baggage. I want to see where the Spirit leads stepping into my divine destiny. That’s my prayer for you. Know who you are in God and fulfill God’s plan. Who knows, you are likely called to reach someone no one else can reach! Stop hiding behind your baggage. Step out and live the life God has for you.

Join Me For The Journey

I’m a planner. Those who know me are currently chuckling or rolling their eyes at me. I can feel it through the internet. For the past 11 years, I have made it my practice to lay out as much as a year of sermons in advance. Sometimes it is not that much. It depends on what God is directing our church toward. Last year, 2023, we spent the entire year in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7), except for Dec., I usually have a Christmas-centered series for that month.

I begin praying and planning in June/July for the following year. Last Summer, the Lord began to speak to me about ministry Lessons from the Kings of Israel. I ordered a large wall sticky note. It was beautiful to see all those pages hanging on my office wall. Well, at least for a planner like me.  Eventually, the Lord showed me 52 lessons from the lives of Saul, David, and Solomon…mostly. We will touch on other kings here and there. Of course, this will point to the ultimate King, Jesus.

I will preach this series and post a weekly blog from that week’s message. You can find that blog here at throughtimeblog.com or in the Church Center App under C3AG Louisville.

So, I invite you to JOIN ME FOR THE JOURNEY.

The first two weeks of this series will focus on aspects of King David’s and King Saul’s callings. I have chosen to begin with David as he is a positive story—next week, Saul’s…well, not so much.

I invite you to pause here and read 2 Samuel 2:1-7. (From this point forward, I will assume you know the context.

There are several important actionable steps here. For the sake of brevity, I will list each without much commentary.

Lesson 1: Ask God for His general will in your life.

“After this, David asked the Lord, ‘Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah.’ ‘Yes,’ the Lord replied.” 2:1a

Lesson 2: Ask God for His specific direction.

“The David asked, ‘Which town should I go to?’ ‘To Hebron,’ the Lord answered.” 2:1b

Lesson 3 – Verse 3: Be obedient to God when He answers.

“So David and his wives and his men and their families all moved to Judah.” 2:3

Through David’s prayers and act of obedience, God moved him into his calling. In verse 4, the people of Judah crowned him their king. His obedience did not simply make him Judah’s king, though that was a huge step to fulfilling God’s call. David honored the people of Jabesh-Gilead, which was not a part of Judah but the half-tribe of Manasseh, and, in turn, invited them to support him as their king. This sets up the consolidation of David’s power across all of Israel. 7.5 years later. That’s right. There is no indication that the people of Jabesh-Gilead followed David at that time. I hate waiting! But God often calls us to seasons of waiting.

Ultimately, David is the pinnacle of the kings of Israel. That started through prayer, obedience, and waiting.

Many of us wish to see God’s will fulfilled in our lives, but we fail to pray and act in obedience when the time comes. We certainly do not like waiting, but we learn to trust God’s plan in the waiting. These lessons are pivotal to our journey this year, so I chose to begin with David rather than Saul.

We are focusing on reaching 1,000 for Jesus in 2024-25. For that to be accomplished, we must pray and act in obedience. To see God’s will accomplished in your life, you, too, must pray, act in obedience, and be willing to wait on God’s timing.

I invite you to follow my blog so that you are notified each time a new one is posted, likely on Wednesdays of each week.  

JOIN ME FOR THE JOURNEY!

I’m Back, Baby!

In the words of Frank Costanza, “I’m Back, Baby.” It has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to blog on an ongoing basis. My PhD journey will hopefully close on Jan 11, 2024.

My goal next year is to write a weekly blog/devotion based on my sermon series, Lessons from the Kings. These devotions are practical thoughts on leadership, morality, and following God in all aspects of our lives. We will explore the good, the bad, and the ugly from the Kings of Israel and Judah. Of course, this will point us to our Lord and King, Jesus. I will also throw in a few extra blogs on a wide variety of topics.

I hope that you will join me on this journey. For greater insight, I also hope you will join us online or in person at www.C3AG.org as I preach through this series.

I pray that you and your family will have a Merry, Christ-centered Christmas and a New Year full of the Holy Spirit.

It’s great to be back,

Darren

Is 9:6 “For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” NLT