May 15th readings

~ Click on this link for today's readings ~
1 Samuel 17:1-18:4 ~ John 8:21-30
Psalm 111:1-10 ~ Proverbs 15:11

Old Testament - We are beginning the story of David, which is always a blessing to read. As you probably know, David wrote many of the Psalms, so we’ve been reading some of David’s writings already this year. Now we begin his story! Hang on! This is a wonderful part of the Bible – reading about David and reading the Gospel of John at the same time. . . great stuff!  Bob Deffinbaugh with Bible.org has a terrific overview of David becoming Israel’s King at this link.

Today in 1 Samuel chapter 17 read about David & Goliath. In verse 45 we read – “David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty.” How often in our lives today are we like Goliath, where we try to make things work or do things with our own strength or our latest technology? Goliath relied on his strength and sword and spear and javelin – and perhaps we today rely on our intellectual pride and Blackberry and career and money. David simply relied on God. David moved in the name of God. How often do you move in the name of God today? How often do you completely rely on only God today? Can you move beyond relying solely on your “strengths” and “technologies” and instead move and breathe and rely on God in every circumstance in your life?  Bible.org's commentary on today's readings titled "David and Goliath" is at this link.

New Testament - I love John 8 verse 29 where Jesus says - "And the one who sent me is with me--he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him."  If Jesus always did those things that are pleasing to God, do you think that you and I should do those things that are pleasing to Jesus and to God?   Meaning, it seems to me that Jesus was clearly very intentional with how he spent his time.  He only did those things that are pleasing to God.  How intentional are you and I in how we spend our time?  Do we make sure we are only doing those things that are pleasing to Jesus and God?  I know I don't.  I wish I did.  I pray that I will spend more and more of my time doing those things that are pleasing to God.  Let us pray that Jesus' personality permeates our personality and all that we do!

Psalms - Psalm 111 is a wonderful Psalm of praise!  I love the way it ends in verse 10 - "Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom.  The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever!" Do you believe that reverence for God is the foundation of true wisdom?  Do you believe that there are rewards of wisdom if you obey God?  Will you praise his name forever?

Proverbs - Proverbs 15:11 today teaches us: "Even the depths of Death and Destruction are known by the LORD. How much more does he know the human heart!"  This is a wonderful reminder that God not only knows us, he knows our very hearts!  How is the state of your heart today?

What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings?  Please post up in the Comments section below!

Grace,
Mike

Comments

[Anka]

David's brother's had a grudge:he was annointed before them and they like Joseph's brothers hated him for it.When David set out to get Goliath,his brothers must have hoped that would be the end of him,they didn't try to talk him out of it.
Saul it seems has a bit of trouble with his memory.When he had a demon disturb him he was told about David and who's son he was.David sang for him on his harp,could it be that Saul didn't even care to look at the face of the one whom with the help of the Holy Spirit chased his demons away.He really was conceited if so.
Jonathan and David had the same beliefs:God was the one who gave victory to Israel...not the number of fighting men,not the sophisticated weapons.He saw in David,a brother who shared his faith and loved him like he loved himself.If all the church of Christ was drawn together by the common faith and love....the kingdom of darkness would never prevail..David kept the two most important commandments:He loved God so much that he was ready to lay all aside and do his will(inspite of "encouragement"from his brothers)and he did have love for others(he didn't mind that Saul didn't remember who he was or that his brothers hated him cos I'm sure they showed him their "appreciation"whenever they could yet even in the heat of battle,David went to the front lines to greet his brothers).
I have to admit that I'm really not that sure I love God with all my heart and my mind....I certainly don't love my brothers and sisters in Christ like I do myself...I'm not sure I'd jump up with joy if I had to go preach in Iran,neither do I love my brethren when I see them try to put me down.
I'm asking God to show me my heart and put true repentance where all the dirt is...I pray we all truly learn to love God and each other.
God bless you all

[Ramona]

I Samuel 17:1-18:4

Interesting reading today indeed. It is fun and invigorating to see things in the text that I haven’t seen before. I had already observed in previous readings that David was not well liked by his family much less esteemed. After all, when Samuel came to his family’s home to anoint someone as king, David wasn’t even considered. He was only an afterthought after Samuel went through all the sons that were present only to discover that none were appointed by God. The rebuke to David by his older bother, Eliab, the one Samuel thought was the king because of his appearance, more than suggests that David was an embarrassment to them and bullied. “What have I done now?” is a response from someone who has been accused all of their life of doing something wrong. David was the butt of their “blame games.”

All of David’s time with his sheep shaped his character. His concern for the sheep would come to translate into concern for God’s people. His protection of those sheep would build him up to be a great warrior. No, there was not boot camp training in the building up of his body to handle the armor and all the weapons of war. He had no training in tactical warfare, no marching drills, no long hikes to build up stamina by carrying all his gear on his back. David had been trained by God and thus trusted God. David above all the men on that battlefield who were interestingly enough not in battle, though they carried the accoutrements of battle, had a relationship with God. God had his back.

Though Saul had David in his employ, he knew nothing about this young man. Yes, he may have known in his head David’s parentage and David by sight, but he didn’t know in his knowing who David was nor what David was about. I don’t think his family knew either. David’s defeat of Goliath shattered everyone’s perception of who David was. Like Jesus, David’s hometown reputation undercut his true value. Bad reputation, bad location etc, can cause us to be boxed into a role that everyone expects us to play; however, a relationship and fellowship with God will blow you out of that box. And let’s face it most will not like it. When our expectations of others are changed, we must do some things: change our perceptions and possibly apologize or keep trying to put that person back in the box we have created. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Can anything good come out of Brooklyn? Can anything good come out of Detroit, or South Central LA (California), or any place man has stated is useless, corrupted and defiled. Absolutely, YES! Our challenge is too see past our mental hang-ups and prejudgments and get to the true heart of the matter. Is God in the midst?

The story of David should empower everyone who was ever looked upon with contempt and called a failure. With God you can do anything, despised and rejected, yet Jesus was the light of the World. Will we close our eyes to that light either by rejecting to acknowledge there is light or look for another?

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Vance Brown]

I Samuel 17 (NKJV)
26
Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”

36
Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”

John 8 (NKJV)
28
Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
29
And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”
30
As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

Psalm 111 (NKJV)
9
He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name.
10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.

~~~
NOTE: Goliath was an uncircumcised Philistine. David was circumcised. In other words, David had yielded Himself to the Lord by blood covenant and was protected by God’s covenant. David’s obedience in love and worship—and David’s ability move in the Spirit of God—was a relationship born and developed out of covenant.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Do we, as Christians, really practice the Presence of God on a regular basis? Do we wait before the Lord and allow His Presence—and the fullness of His redemption and His covenant—to be fully manifest in our lives?

As much as I love the Holy Bible, I realize that studying the Word of God and early waiting in His Presence for the fulfillment of His Promises—His Anointing—are two entirely different things.

I am exciting we can quote Scripture—and we should know Scripture well. For, just like Jesus—God the Son—we use Scripture against the schemes of the devil (Matthew 4).

However, we then need to also be like to Jesus—God the Son—regarding the Holy Spirit. Jesus, though fully God, was completely and fully man. As a man, He was righteous man, in right relationship with His Father. Yet, He needed the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

It is the same for us. I praise God that we are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21) because Jesus because Lord died, rose from the dead, and ascended as our sinless substitute and representative.

Yet, we need the anointing of the Holy Spirit. All of God’s Word says we are already blessed in the heavenly places with every spiritual blessing in Christ (Ephesians 1). We are called to be like Jesus and spend time surrendering and yielding to the Father in the Holy Spirit. We are called to be like Jesus: “The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.”

May we walk in the fear and anointing of the Lord. May we not be “half-baked” Christians simply knowing the Scriptures. May we walk in the fullness of what God promises in His Word, as in Ephesians 1 (Amplified):
17
[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, THAT HE MAY GRANT YOU A SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND REVELATION [OF INSIGHT INTO MYSTERIES AND SECRETS] IN THE [DEEP AND INTIMATE] KNOWLEDGE OF HIM,
18
BY HAVING THE EYES OF YOUR HEART FLOODED WITH LIGHT, SO THAT YOU CAN KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE HOPE TO WHICH HE HAS CALLED YOU, AND HOW RICH IS HIS GLORIOUS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS (HIS SET-APART ONES),
19
AND [SO THAT YOU CAN KNOW AND UNDERSTAND] WHAT IS THE IMMEASURABLE AND UNLIMITED AND SURPASSING GREATNESS OF HIS POWER IN AND FOR US WHO BELIEVE, AS DEMONSTRATED IN THE WORKING OF HIS MIGHTY STRENGTH,
20
Which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His [own] right hand in the heavenly [places]

Vance

[SissySue]

Don't you just love David's courage and humility? No. I don't think those are opposite traits, but they certainly require a close walk with the Lord.

Saul dresses David up with all this armor, but David's doesn't even seem to realize what an honor it is to be wearing the "KING's" very own protection!

Is that because David has on the whole armor of God described in Ephesians?

Are his loins gird about with TRUTH--

Does he have on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS--

Are his feet shod with the GOSPEL OF PEACE--

The helmet of SALVATION--

And above all, has he taken the shield of FAITH--(wherewith he can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked?)

And is he wearing the helmet of SALVATION--

Armed with the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT (which is the word of God).

You know, we all are giant slayers! What a privilege to be part of the Army of God.

[John]

Two more "I AM" statements

From Young's literal translation of the Bible.

24I said, therefore, to you, that ye shall die in your sins, for if ye may not believe that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins.'

28Jesus, therefore, said to them, `When ye may lift up the Son of Man then ye will know that I am [he]; and of myself I do nothing, but according as my Father did teach me, these things I speak;

Every time Jesus says "I AM" - I picture any of the priests and scribes around just wincing and contorting their facial expressions.

Verse 26
"I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world." NIV

I interpret this verse different than Bob. Jesus COULD say plenty more about them and judge them, but He does not? Why? Because the Father is faithful.

This trip (Jesus' first coming)is not about judgment, it is about salvation. The Father is faithful to the purpose of that trip. Jesus only speaks what the Father allows - that is the message of Salvation. Personal comments and judgments of individuals are not on the agenda. In a way, it seems like Jesus is curbing His tongue in this instance in submission to the Will of the Father.
======================================================

Bob had some comments in his conclusion that are pertinent to my proverbs post yesterday about Worship and Prayer. On this, I am 100% in agreement.

(3) Jesus is the only way to know and to worship God. There is no salvation apart from Christ, and there is no true worship of the Father which rejects, denies, diminishes the Son.

Ignorance of Christ is the root of not knowing God. People today say, ‘Well, I believe in God, but I don’t believe in Christ.’ They’re talking in a riddle. You can’t know God without Christ. And when you come to know Christ, you come to know God. These are inseparable.102

A man can know the Father only as He knows Jesus. It is a key doctrine of this Gospel that it is in the Son and in the Son alone that the Father is revealed. No one has ever seen God. It is the Son who has ‘declared’ Him (18). This is fundamental. If a man really comes to know Jesus then he will know the Father also, and acknowledge the Father’s testimony to the Son. The two go together (cf. Weymouth: ‘You know my Father as little as you know me’). But to reject Jesus is to place oneself out of reach of the divine testimony.103

http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=2366

[John]

Andrew B.

I am interested in hearing what you think the reasons are for a "dryness" (trickle) of the Holy Spirit in:

the church
a church
Christians
You

And if so inclined - How to increase the flow in the areas you talk about?

[John]

Scoffer talking about David

Scoffer: Some God. According to YOUR Bible, David took five stones out to fight Goliath.

Christian: So?

Scoffer: If Your God is so great and David beleived and was anointed - Why did he not take only one stone as a sign of his faith. Afterall, David only needed one stone, right?

Christian: Correct.

Scoffer: So?

Christian: Later on in the Bible it says Goliath had four brothers - all these men were also large warriors. (2 Sam 21:15-22)

David took five stones out to Goliath in case his Brothers wanted to avenge Goliath's death. One stone for each brother :)