Restored - 1 Samuel 30

Week before last I started on 1 Samuel 29 & 30, but before Sunday came the Lord directed me to split my message up into two messages (thank you Lord, it would have been a LONG message that day!).

I even had a title for this weeks message - "Ripped Off,"  because that is exactly what our enemy likes to do, rip us off:

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10)

But Satan is not interested in your car, your golf clubs, or your flat screen TV. No, Satan is more interested in ripping you off in the things that matter spiritually:

• Your gifts
• Your calling
• Your future

Yet the real message is NOT that Satan likes to rip us off, the real message is that GOD RESTORES! We serve a God that when we turn to Him, just like David in 1 Samuel 30, God restores to us what we allowed the enemy to steal.

That is a pretty incredible truth when I stop to thing about it:  I can make a dumb decision, allow myself to be in a vulnerable place, and the enemy will swoop in and rip me off.  I can sit there and think "I had it coming, I blew it, it's my fault."  True.  But God... God is so awesome that if I will turn to Him, and seek His face, He will RESTORE my fellowship with Him, He will move mountains in my life, and RESTORE what the enemy took.  ALL OF IT.

Wow. That truth deserves to be more fully explored.

Join us this Sunday at Calvary Chapel, 9:30 or 11:30 am, for 1 Sam 30:  Restored.

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Follow up - When God is Silent

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. (1 Samuel 28:6)

Last week we looked at five reasons that God may be silent in your life:

#1 – To bring us to repentance

In other words, there may be something in your life that is blocking you from being able to hear God's voice.  This was totally Saul’s issue:  Saul was sorry he sinned, he felt bad about it, he made great proclamations about it, but he never repented to the Lord.

Psalm 66:18 says,

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear, (Ps 66:18)

(click the link below to read the entire article)

When God goes silent

And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets. (1 Sam 28:6)

In 1 Samuel 28 we find both David and Saul in a tough spot.  David is living with pirates, and Saul is facing a huge army. ...and God is silent.  Saul seeks the Lord for direction, and nothing.  Zip. God has his phone on silent, all calls are going straight to voicemail.

Maybe you have experienced a time in your life when God was silent.  In times past God had spoken clearly to you, giving you supernatural words of wisdom, direction, even prophecy.  But now, at a time when you feel you really need Him, He is silent.  You pray, you ask, you worship, you sit on the beach with bible in hand, and nothing.  Then the doubt begins to creep in.  Is God done with me?  Have I gone too far? Can I ever get back to that place? Fret not Christian, there is an answer.

Join us this Sunday at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington, for “When God goes silent”

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Replacing Lies with Truth

And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.” (1 Sam 27:1)

 

Sunday we looked at David's sudden departure from the truth that God was his source of protection and his refuge, to thinking the only choice that he had was to escape Saul was to go and live with the Philistines, the mortal enemy of God's people.  The key phrase being "And David said in his heart..."  


We learned that what we say in our heart can affect our decisions in some pretty big ways.  The word of God tells us:

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. (Prov 23:7)

What we say in our heart has great power for good or evil, for life or death.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Prov 18:21)

We looked at four very common lies that Christians experience, the the truth that we need to replace it with:

Lie: “God doesn’t care about me,”

Truth: “God DOES cares about you”

…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

Lie: “God is not going to provide for me…”

Truth: “God IS going to provide for you…”

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19)

Lie: “This trial is going to overcome me,” 

Truth: “God WILL see you through this trial”

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Is 41:10)

Lie: “God doesn't have any plans for me,” 

Truth: “God DOES have a plan for you”

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11)

You will notice that each of these lies is contrary to what God's word tells us about Him, and His relationship to us.  Our adversary, Satan, is a liar, and he will attempt to deceive you into believing a lie rather than the truth.  Guys, the key is knowing the TRUTH of the word of God, and how to apply it to our lives. 

Follow up - David's many wives

Last week we looked at David’s multiple wives(1 Sam 25:36-44), and we were able to make a comparison to our own Christian walk:  That trying to walk with God, and dance with the world at the same time is a recipe for disaster!

When we dance with the world, relationships are formed that vie for our attention, we establish a place in the social network, we make compromises that we have to hide.  And these things impact our ability to walk with God

They will pull us away from the people of God

They will pull us away from the house of God

We form connections to people and practices that can impact us for the rest of our lives.  We end up doing things that we cannot undo.

It’s been said that the most miserable place for a Christian to be is to have one foot in the church, and one foot in the world.  Why? Because it places you in the middle of a war

David's Many Wives

And David sent and proposed to Abigail, to take her as his wife. When the servants of David had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her saying, “David sent us to you, to ask you to become his wife.” Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, “Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” So Abigail rose in haste and rode on a donkey, attended by five of her maidens; and she followed the messengers of David, and became his wife. David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and so both of them were his wives. (1 Sam 25:39-43)

I stumbled upon a web site recently titled “Polygamy in the bible – it really is biblical!”  It was a site dedicated to showing how great men of the bible had multiple wives, and therefore, so should we! The site used David as an example; before it’s all over David will have eighteen wives. Wow.  It’s all I can do to be a good husband to one wife; I can’t imagine eighteen.

But there is something that I believe should be pointed out:  In the instances when David inquires of the Lord about a matter, and heeds the voice of the Lord, things turn out well for David. 

However, when David goes forward without seeking the counsel of Lord, things usually blow up. And come to think of it, I don’t see one instance in scripture where David seeks counsel from the Lord on which woman he should marry, or how many women he should marry. This leads me to believe that as much as David was a man after Gods heart, David may have had an area of weakness in his life; Women! And this weakness led to all kinds of problems in David house.  

Join us Sunday as we continue our study in 1 Samuel.

The Fool in Me

This past Sunday we walked through an account where David came very close to ruining his future as king (1 Sam 25).  A harsh, evil man named Nabal rejected David’s request for compensation for protecting his flocks, and he disrespected David in front of his men.  I can imaging as David heard the words of Nabal repeated to him by the young men sent to collect the gift, the anger came like a wave.  This could not be tolerated. David knew what needed to be done to teach this man a lesson:  He would pay a visit to Nabal, and he would kill Nabal, and every single male in his household.  Nabal was a fool, and David was going to cure his foolishness. Like, forever!

(click below to read the full article)

Five things from the life of Samuel

Last Sunday at Calvary Chapel of Wilmington we looked at the life of Samuel the prophet.  Samuel was a transitional figure between the time that God ruled the nation of Israel through His appointed judges, and the monarchy that we established under king Saul.  But Samuel was also much more than just a judge; he was a model of godly leadership. Samuel was a man who had learned to hear the voice of God, be obedient to His words, and speak the truth, no matter what the consequences might be. Samuel was like EF Hutton: When he spoke, everyone listened!

(click below to read the rest of the article)

Then Samuel Died...

This Sunday we are going to make great strides in our study of 1 Samuel; we’re going to cover ONE VERSE!

Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah.  (1 Sam 25:1)

I thought it worth taking a scenic diversion to highlight the life of God’s man during the transition period from the nation being led by prophet/judges, to kings: Samuel. We’ll look at a panorama of his life and see what we can learn from this great man of God.

Samuel was a one of the greatest men in the bible (not my words, but God’s, see Jeremiah 15:1).  What was it that made him such an incredible man of God?  Was he born into this greatness? Was he special?  Was he just lucky to be born at the right time, in the right place? Actually, none of these things could account for Samuel's greatness.  Samuel was a great man of God because of three things:

• He sought to hear the voice of God
• He was obedient to God’s voice
• He truthfully spoke the word of God.

 Join us Sunday, 9:30 & 11:30, as we look at the life and times of Samuel.

Pastor Clay

Spiritual Surgery

We went through fire and through water; but You brought us out to rich fulfillment. (Ps 66:12)

As Christians we can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that because we are Christians, and God loves us, that our life is supposed to be good, all the time. I mean, God is good, all the time, right?  Our lives ought to be one big bless-fest, and if anything comes into our live that is bad, or hard, then somewhere along the line we must have done something wrong.  Somehow we’ve failed God, and now He’s punishing us.  Funny that it never occurs to us that sometimes God allows difficult things into our life because he loves us.  Hard as it may seem to grasp, it’s true. 

The truth is, our Heavenly Father uses everything that comes into our live for a purpose, as Romans 8:28 teaches us “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” It doesn't say “good things work together,” it says “all things work together.”  

A difficulty in life can serve many purposes, for instance when we do something dumb, the ensuing repercussion is instrumental in teaching us a valuable lesson (I’ll never do that again!).

Another reason God allows a trial into our life to perform what I call “spiritual surgery.” Spiritual surgery is an event where God is either adding something to us that we are in desperate need of (I can think of many things He has had to add to me!), or removing something from us that is going to hinder us going forward.  Whatever the case, it’s never pleasant.

This Sunday we’ll be finishing up 1 Samuel 23, and watching as God performs spiritual surgery on David.  What is it God is removing from David?  You’ll just have to come and hear. 

Oh and also, we’ll be taking communion together.  Personally, I can’t wait!  (by the way, if you’re reading this and aren’t able to attend, you can get our messages each week by clicking here).

Pastor Clay

Surviving the Keilalites in your life

In 1 Samuel 23 David and his four-hundred men travel to a small town named Keilah to rescue its inhabitants from a marauding band of Philistines.  The Philistines were coming in at the end of the harvest season and raiding the food stocks of the town. Not really a big deal, I’m sure they could cruise over to Costco and get more grain.  Wait, they didn't have Costco’s back then.  Matter of fact, they was no safety net in that culture.  If you didn’t have food stored up for the winter, you didn't eat.  There was no Holy Grounds Food Pantry to sustain them through the winter. Losing their food stocks meant starvation. So for David and his men to come in and drive out the Philistines was a pretty big deal; they literally saved the lives of the people of that town.

But a funny thing happened after they drove out the Philistines.  God told David that the men of that town were going to turn on David, and hand him over to Saul. Perhaps “funny” isn’t the right word. “Sellout” might be a better description of these people.  “Ungrateful” fits too.  You have to ask, how could a town that had just experienced salvation through David and his men turn around and hand David over to crazy king Saul?

We may never know the answer to that question, as we really don't know what was in the hearts and minds of these folks.  But there is one thing that we can take away from this:  Sometimes the people that you sacrifice the most for, are the very ones that will toss you under the bus when it suits them.  The people that we love the most can sometimes become our “Keilalites.”

Perhaps you have experienced something like this.  A friend comes to you in a desperate situation.  You pray for them, counsel, talk to them on the phone, meet with them, and through your sacrifice you help them overcome the Philistines in their life. But once they’re over the hump, not only do you not hear from them anymore, you get word that that person has spoken badly and criticized you behind your back. What! Of all the nerve!  How could they do such a thing? That person that you poured yourself out for has become your Keilalite.  How do we respond to the Keilalites in our life?

Join us Sunday at 9:30 & 11:30, for the continuation of our series “The Rise of the Kings: Surviving the Keilalites in your life.”

Successful Failure

This Sunday we’ll be going back into 1 Samuel chapter 21, as we follow David's journey as an outcast and an enemy of the state.  During the first few months of his time on the run, David is going to make some decisions that are, well I’ll just say it, STUPID.  David is going to do things that are a far cry from the young man that stepped out to meet the giant of Gath with nothing more than a slingshot and the power of God. Lying to a priest, running to the capital city of the enemy, feigning insanity, these are not the actions of a man who is walking in the spirit and power of the Lord!  These are the actions of a desperate man, doing whatever he can to save his skin. 

If we happened to be living in that time, and were watching that situation, we might take the position that David was pretty much washed up.  We might think that David had fallen so low, that we might as well write him off, and maybe we should start praying for another king who could replace Saul.  

But if we thought that, we would be wrong. Sunday we are going to learn that God doesn’t write people off. We will learn that no matter how far we fall, God always has a way to turn our ashes into beauty.

Join us Sunday for 1 Samuel 21, for “Successful Failure”.

... till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

And there was war again...

As I was reading and praying about this coming Sunday’s communion service, a statement from our text in 1 Samuel jumped out at me: “And there was war again.” (1 Sam 19:8)

It’s not an overly deep theological statement.  The thing that jumped out at me was this truth:  In this world we are never in a place of 100% peace.

Certainly we are at peace with God.  We can be at peace with our fellow man.  But the fact of the matter is that there is always a battle that rages all around us, each and every day.  Our enemy, Satan and his demonic forces, never sleep.  They never give us pause.  They are always lurking around us looking for an opportunity to pounce.   

My youngest son likes to watch Big Cat Dairies, and one of the highlights of the show is when they show footage of a big cat stealthily creeping up to a group of gazelle.  While the gazelle are peacefully grazing, this cat is slowly getting closer and closer, looking for an opportunity to make a quick kill.  It’s the same picture that our bible gives us:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Pet 5:8)

Now I don’t believe we should be looking around every corner, expecting the devil to jump out.  But I do believe that we should be aware – not afraid, but aware – that our enemy seeks to destroy us.  Just like David, I’ll go through a period of relative calm, then BAM!  Another battle is upon me!  Just as the scripture says, “…and there was war again!“  Then I think of the song we recently learned:   

Always

My foes are many, they rise against me,

But I will hold my ground.

I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm.

My help is on the way, my help is on the way.

Oh, my God, He will not delay.

My refuge and strength always.

I will not  fear, His promise is true.

My God will come through always! 

Troubles surround me, chaos abounding.

My soul will rest in You.

I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm.

My help is on the way, my help is on the way.

(then comes the awesome bridge…)

I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord!

What a powerful declaration!  What a powerful truth to trust!  

My friends, Jesus came to bring us life, to make all things new, and to set the captives free!  This coming Sunday, when we gather in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, lets expect chains to be broken, captives to be set free, and lives to be changed forever.  Let’s expect VICTORY!  

Pastor Clay

Preparation for Greatness

We opened up 2012 with a challenge: God has a purpose and a plan for each of us:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

As His special people, God calls us to be set apart, different from the rest of the world.  Not so that we can think we are better or more holy, but so that the world can see the peace, beauty, and love in our lives, in contrast to the conflict, carnage, and pain of the rest of the world.

God calls on us to live in such a way that our very lives, and the lives of our family and children, would be lights to a dark and dying world.  That everything in our life: our possessions, our career, our relationships, even our checkbook, these things would be a testimony to the God we serve.

But as we move forward in our purpose, there will be many twists and turns along the way.  There will be challenges, and there will be difficulties.  There will be events and situations that God will use as a honing stone in our lives, to prepare us for the things we will face in the future.

David was anointed as king as a young boy, but he was far from walking in the fullness of who God had called him to be.  Starting on the day that he stepped into the valley of Elam to face Goliath, David would face many challenges, each one an important part of Gods preparation for the role that David was going to fulfill as King of Israel. 

As we walk through this series, I believe its important for not to see this as simply a study of David’s life.  We need to see these challenges, and how David responds to them, in the context of our own lives.  We need to understand how God will use the events and situations in our lives, especially the negative ones, to prepare us for the future roles that God has planned for us.  

Join us Sunday as we begin the next phase of our 1 Samuel series:  “The Rise of the Kings:  Preparation for Greatness”

...till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Rally in the Valley

This Sunday we are going to explore what could be said to be the most famous battle ever fought:  David & Goliath.  It’s the quintessential story of good vs evil, of the weak vs the strong, the story of the victory of the underdog. It’s the Old Testament version of Rocky!

Something that really intrigues me about this account is the aspect of God’s plan, linked together with David’s obedience, empowered by David’s faith and God’s Spirit working in David, produced a result that absolutely no one was expecting. No one, that is, except God!

See sometimes it seems that we’re all alone in our endeavor.  No one is for us, and no one is willing to go into the battle with us. But saints, we are NOT alone.  God is for us, and He will empower us if we will step out in faith to what He has called us to.  Even slaying giants!

Join us Sunday, for 1 Samuel 17, Rally in the Valley!

…till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

The Power of Worship

And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him. – 1 Sam 16:23

This past Sunday we learned a powerful truth that I believe has the power to change our walk with Christ:  The Power of Worship.

We learned that worship has power:  Power to bring refreshment, power to bring victory, and power to bring the Kingdom!

But why is worship really important?  What’s the big deal?  Isn’t it just music? 

Worship can involve music, but it is so much more.  Worship is something that dates to eternity past that involved an angel who was called the “seal of perfection.” His name was Lucifer:

“You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.
You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, Beryl, onyx, and jasper, Sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.
“You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
-- Ez 28:12-14

Ezekiel is describing an angelic being that radiated the splendor of God in all of His creative ability.  This being was crafted to produce beauty: He was beautiful to look upon, and beautiful to listen to.  This being was created to bring glory to the Living God in the eternal realm.

But there was a problem – apparently Lucifer was so splendid, so incredible, that he became completely enamored of himself, and decided that he should be the one receiving worship. And this was a problem:

You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.
“By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones.
“Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.
-- Ez 28:12-17

Isaiah 14 describes the fall:

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the sound of your stringed instruments; The maggot is spread under you, and worms cover you.’
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations!
For you have said in your heart:‘ I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the Pit.
“Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying:‘ Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,
Who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?’
-- Is 14:11-17

From this we learn that worship is holy, that it is set apart for God alone, for God alone is the only being worthy of our worship.  Lucifer, who we now call Satan, is not worthy of our worship, yet he desires it more than anything else.  That tells you something about the importance and value of worship.  And it brings us back to our truth about what worship brings:

Refreshment

When we are engaged in worship of the true and Living God, the result is refreshment.  But its not refreshing because the music is nice, it is refreshing because God is enthroned on the praise of His people:

But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel. – Ps 22:3

In other words, when we praise Him, a spiritual reality is happening, we are enthroning God in our praise.  As we enthrone God, God refreshes us – as rain refreshes the fields:

Ask the LORD for rain, in the time of the latter rain. The LORD will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, grass in the field for everyone.
– Zech 10:1

Victory

This is pretty simple to me.  Satan desires to receive worship as God, but he isn’t God.  When we worship the true God, it throws that reality right in Satan’s face!  He can’t stand it. The enemies of God flee when God’s people worship Him. In military terms, when you’re enemy runs away, it’s called victory!

Kingdom

As Christians we live with the promise of the future eternal kingdom of God in heaven, but there is a present sense of the kingdom of God that we should not miss: God working in and through us!  When the Pharisee’s asked Jesus about the kingdom, He replied:

The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. -- Luke 17:20-21

Saints, we should keep our eye’s focused on the coming of our Lord:

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ… -- Phil 3:20

But we also should walk in the power and freedom of the kingdom of God that is within us.  Worship is something that recognizes that kingdom, embraces that kingdom, and manifests the power and presence of the Living God in our lives right now – today!

Oh, sing to the LORD a new song! Sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the LORD made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
 Give to the LORD, O families of the peoples, Give to the LORD glory and strength.
Give to the LORD the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
-- Ps 96:1-9

Think about these truths the next time you come to worship the Lord, whether in church, your home, or sitting on the beach.  

Pastor Clay

God's Plan for your life

Last week we were introduced to a young man named David, who at the time was only a young boy keeping sheep, but we know that God had bigger plans for David’s life!

I hear many people ask the question: “Does God have a plan for my life?” Here’s the deal: The question is NOT “does God have a plan,” but rather “What is God’s plan for my life?” Because rest assured, God DOES have a plan for your life! You may not know it yet, God may not have revealed it to you completely, but I want you to know, for sure, God has a plan for you!  The problem is that often we see ourselves as just one of billions, and we think God has other, more important people to work with.

This past week the population of the earth passed seven BILLION. That is a lot of people! But here’s the thing:  

You are not just a speck of life in a pool of humanity; God specifically designed you in your mother’s womb as a unique individual, different from each and every other of the seven billion people on this planet.   

And if God custom designed you, then it stands to reason that He custom designed you for a purpose!  And that purpose cannot be fulfilled by any other of the seven billion people on this planet, because they are not YOU! And it really doesn’t matter if our purpose seems to be as important as the next person because everything that God does works together to fulfill His great commission: to spread the gospel message from one end of the earth to the other.  There are no minor parts.  Every part is important.

So folks, don’t limit what God can do through based on your view of your importance, or your age, or even your ability’s, because that is not what God needs.  God only needs two things in order to work through us, like we learned about David:

#1 – A heart that seeks after God

#2 – The filling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

That’s it!  I know, it sounds simple.  That’s why a lot of people miss it completely. I think it’s time we begin to fully and completely seek after God, and ask be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and let’s just see what God might do! Trust me, if you seek Him, He will answer.  Jesus promised it:

For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  Luke 11:10

Pastor Clay

David, God's Chosen King

One of the things that Christians often struggle with is knowing the will and call of God on their life. We’ll assess our gifts, our abilities, and our circumstances, and try to figure out what God has in store for us. 

The problem is we often see ourselves as small and unimportant; a mere speck in the pool of seven billion lives on this planet. But if that is how we see ourselves, we would be wrong! Each and every life is important to God. Each and every believer has a plan and a purpose for the life they have received. Jesus said

I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly! -- John 10:10

You see, God’s ways are higher than ours. He see’s the future, we cannot.  He see’s what we are capable of, while we do not.  Even more important, God can see what He is going to accomplish through us by the working of His mighty power in our lives.

This Sunday we will be introduced to a young man named David who, it could be said, was fairly obscure.  He was the youngest of eight brothers.  He was the least of all the members of his family.  He was so unimportant that when the prophet Samuel invited his family to a sacrifice and a meal, he wasn’t even invited.  But God knew who David was.  God had already searched the heart of this young man named David, and saw things in his future that David had never even dreamed of.

What was the defining characteristic of David?  Was he big and strong?  Was he valiant?  Was he skilled with a sword? Doubtful, as David was probably between 10-15 years old at that time. But there were two things in particular that set David apart:

#1 – David was a man after God’s heart:

The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people – 1 Sam 13:14

#2 – The Spirit of the Lord was on David:

…the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. -- 1 Sam 16:13

The interesting thing about these two attributes is that we aren’t born with them, and they aren’t the result of good genes or family endowment.  These are attributes that are available to any born-again believer that is willing to submit their life to God, and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God’s choice of David shows that we don’t have to quit our jobs and enter into full-time ministry to be people after God’s own heart. We don’t need to be famous or prominent to be people after God’s own heart. We don’t need to be respected or even liked by others to be people after God’s own heart. We don’t need status, influence, power, the respect or approval of men, or great responsibilities to be people after God’s own heart.All we need is a heart that is submitted to God and to the Holy Spirit that lives within us.

Don’t miss this Sunday, as we open a new chapter in our study of 1 Samuel: David, God’s Chosen King

… till the whole world hears,

Pastor Clay

Does the bible have application for us today?

Edmund Allenby, the "bloody bull"

Last week we learned about how Jonathan used a unique rock formation to his advantage in gaining an upper hand against the Philistines, even though he was on lower ground. God was working supernaturally, through the natural.  God wins the same kind of victories today. In fact, one military man read this account and used Jonathan’s exact strategy to win an important battle. Here is the story from Major Vivian Gilbert, a British Army Officer

 -------------------

In the First World War a brigade major in Allenby’s army in Palestine was on one occasion searching his Bible with the light of a candle, looking for a certain name. His brigade had received orders to take a village that stood on a rocky prominence on the other side of a deep valley. It was called Michmash and the name seemed somehow familiar. Eventually he found it in 1 Samuel 13 and read there: 

“And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin but the Philistines encamped in Michmash.” 

It then went on to tell how Jonathan and his armour-bearer crossed over during the night “to the Philistines’ garrison” on the other side, and how they passed two sharp rocks: “there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez and the name of the other Seneh.” They clambered up the cliff and overpowered the garrison, “within as it were a half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plough.” The main body of the enemy awakened by the melee thought they were surrounded by Saul’s troops and “melted away and they went on beating down one another.” Thereupon Saul attacked with his whole force and beat the enemy. “So the Lord saved Israel that day.”

The brigade major reflected that there must still be this narrow passage through the rocks, between two spurs, and at the end of it the “half acre of land.” He woke the commander and there read the passage through together once more. Patrols were sent out. They found the pass, which was thinly held by the Turks, and which led past two jagged rocks - obviously Bozez and Seneh. Up on top, beside Michmash, they could see by the light of the moon a small flat field. The brigadier altered his plan of attack. Instead of deploying the whole brigade he sent one company through the pass under cover of darkness. The few Turks whom they met were overpowered without a sound, the cliffs were scaled, and shortly before daybreak the company had taken up a position on “the half acre of land.”

The Turks woke up and took to their heels in disorder since they thought they were being surrounded by Allenby’s army. They were all killed or taken prisoner. And so, after thousands of years British troops successfully copied the tactics of Saul and Jonathan. (Keller, The Bible As History, pages 179-180)

------------------

Does the bible have application for us today?  Just ask Allenby!