Author: Randall Smith

Stages of Growth: Seven Descriptions of Great Leadership – 2 Samuel 10

Now that you are the leader, what does that mean? What does God expect you to know to carry out leadership? David learned in battles with neighbors and a tapestry of daily leadership choices. We will wade into the pool of leadership with him, and see if we can discern the central lessons God taught him! Today we will look at seven lessons:

Key Principle: God has defined and illustrated what great leadership techniques are. It is less dependent on what we were, than what models we follow!

  • Great leaders are “values driven” leaders: Because you know what you mean, doesn’t mean THEY know what you mean. Even if your heart is right, their heart may not be! You cannot always judge your performance by the reaction of others (so your actions must be values driven! 10:1-2).
  • Great leaders are discerning leaders: When the well is poisoned, the water is bitter. When you get a reaction that is unexpected, it usually comes because of a factor that ISN’T you. If you take everything personally, you will find yourself paralyzed! (10:3-4).
  • Great leaders are empathetic leaders: When the followers are hurt, you will need to give them time and attention to get them back on their feet. (10:5).
  • Great leaders are proactive leaders: Most problems work out, because you WORK at them! Problems will have a way of growing as other “bandwagon” the problem. (10:6-8). Action is not always necessary, but knowing when to act and how to act proportionately is a great leadership test.
  • Great leaders are delegating leaders: Find competent people to manage every issue and let leaders lead. If you over-manage leaders they will chafe against you. Things may well be trickier than you foresee them! (10:9-10).
  • Great leaders are team builders: They must understand the things that hold God’s people together: a) loyalty to their families; b) desire to hold what God has given us; c) a drive to see God’s will accomplished. (10:11).
  • Great leaders are tenacious: Quitters are unrealiable and ultimately dangerous in leadership positions. They dishearten people! a) Tenacious leaders read the situation well, because they put everything on the line to make the steps necessary for success (10:13-14); b) Tenacious leaders don’t retreat when others join in to hurt the people (10:15-16); c) Tenacious leaders aren’t afraid to get involved in any level necessary to get the job done (10:17-19).


At the end of the day, everything depends on leadership.

The quality of the leader determines much about the impact of the work – in any area! God has defined and illustrated what great leadership techniques are. It is less dependent on what we were, than what models we follow!

David and Mephibosheth: “Ten Keys to Deliberate Fathering”- 2 Samuel 9

Does God have a model for fathering? What are the priorities for this important work? What does God say he wants us to accomplish? Today is dad’s day to reflect on what God calls him to be and do! We will seek to see God’s hand in the life of a man that truly desires to honor the Lord!

The story of Mephibosheth is a wonderful story of God’s grace and salvation. He started life as a prince, but by age five he lost his inheritance through the sins of his grandfather. He ran from the palace and was crippled by a fall. He spent time in darkness, until the David ( a type of “Savior-King”)  came to restore his promised life as a result of a covenant with his father. This Savior-King loved and provided for him. He lived for awhile with the Savior-King missing from him and accusations about him were carried to that King. Yet, in time the Savior-King came and rescued him! What a picture of loving adopted fathering or mentoring! David’s love for Mephibosheth is the setting for our story this morning. It is the story of deliberate fathering.

Key Principle: When we look at God’s models of fatherhood, we glean key truths that can help us set the standard for dads!

Key One: Make a Conscious Choice to Parent (9:1-6).

Key Two: Express your Feelings of Love and Warmth (9:7a).

Key Three:  Give tools for a Meaningful Life of Accomplishment (9:7b).

Key Four:  Spend Time Sharing their Life (9:7b).

Key Five:  Engender, Teach and Accept Respect (9:8).

Key Six:  Speak Openly to Honor Your Child (9:9).

Key Seven:  Provide Companions and Tools for Success (9:10).

Key Eight:  Don’t Compete – Share your Provisions and Prestige with them (9:11).

Key Nine:  Celebrate Their Growth and Blessing (9:12).

Key Ten:  Look Beyond Their Limitations to Their Abilities (9:13).

God has a standard, and His models offer the key truths that can help identify the standard!

Christmas Dreams – Matthew 2

The premiere of “White Christmas” in 1954 delighted American audiences as Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye were making people laugh, and the songs of Irving Berlin were making them sing… including the now popular song “White Christmas”. The movie was a comedic love story of Crosby and Kay with two sister – set in the drama of saving of the Columbia Inn in Pine Tree, Vermont that belonged to the retired Brigadier General of the 151st Division of the Army. Crosby and Kaye became a great act after the war, and discovered that their former general was losing his life’s savings, because an Inn was vacant due to lack of snow. The entertainers invited a variety show to bring all the men of the 151stDivision and honor the general that now felt forgotten. Packed with back in uniform “retired” soldiers, the General enters the hall of his Inn only to discover he was to be honored by his former men. At the end of the movie, the background of the set is removed to show the new snow falling in Pine Tree. All the guest a glass, toasting, “May your days be merry and bright; and may all your Christmases be white” – and the White Christmas song embedded itself in American Christmas culture. Since then, we have all been dreaming of White Christmases – except for Florida’s citrus growers!

Everyone has their own Christmas dream.

  • In Hollywood, it is to make the blockbuster film that will pull the Holiday crowds into the theatre and get the critics buzzing.
  • In Cupertino, California, your Christmas is already full to overflowing with news of the high tech purchases that make your devices named after your favorite fruit a smash hit.
  • If you are working on Madison Avenue in New York, you are laboring night and day to bring in the best revenue you have seen in 2011 – trying to get the advertising dollars for your client’s product to “hit” in the consumer marketplace.
  • If you are the American shopping Mall, you are hoping to make enough in profits to pay months of rent and facility costs, and break into the black between November 26th and December 31st.
  • If you are the mom and dad of a young family, you are trying to figure out how you can pay the mortgage and insurance, and still eek out enough for the ever more expensive toys for your kids that will light up their faces on Christmas morning.
  • If you are a single mom or dad, you are trying to figure out how you can make the best “family feel” out of an otherwise hurtful and broken time. Most of the time you deal with the family breakup just fine – but this is Christmas, and feelings come to the surface as the smell of the pine tree enters the front door.

In our study in the opening chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, we looked at five women deeply woven into the fabric of the Messiah’s story, and in fact, His DNA. In the second chapter, Matthew’s account shifted to the MEN involved in the Christmas scene. Biblically, the men had no genetic role in Jesus’ formation – for the Holy Spirit impregnated Mary (for the male seed carried in some special way the sin curse passed from generation to generation). The story of the men was not “in His genes”, but in His reception on the earth– and it is a fascinating story worth recalling this Christmas season. This text offers us a window into the answer to an important question…

Have you ever come out of Christmas and felt like the whole thing was pretty empty?

Have you looked forward to time with family and friends – only to have the reality of that not measure up to the anticipation? Have the hassles of Christmas ever replaced any JOY of Christmas? If any of that is true, this passage is for YOU. This passage offers its own special Christmas gift… the answer to a question: To whom is the joy of Christmas given? What kind of person can PLAN to have a great Christmas and truly see it come to pass?

Key Principle: Power was threatened by Messiah’s coming, and the working man just tried to do what he could to meet his responsibility but it was the hungry seekers who really knew the JOY of the season – and it still is.

When you read the text of Matthew 2, you quickly notice individual men and groups of men are featured as the story unfolds:

  • Herod the King (and later Archelaus his son): men of power and prestige – the Herodian line had one clear desire – to remove any threat the baby born in Bethlehem posed to their most treasured asset – the throne.
  • Joseph the Builder: a working man with grave concerns about his family’s safety and well being, he passed through the most difficult experiences of his life in public embarrassment and private turmoil – just to keep the family going.
  • Chief priests and Scribes: studious and diligent men – who knew great facts about God but were not yielded to God. They could dissect the theological debate about a God they did not truly serve.
  • Magi from the East: anxious men who had pledged obedience and worship from afar, and had borne the cost of their commitment. These were men sensitive to the Lord’s leading and dedicated to the Lord’s honor.

Let’s take a moment, and read Matthew 2:

Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” 7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. 13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” 14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” 16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.” 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

In a way – three dreams collided in the early days of Jesus’ life in Bethlehem.

  • The first, was a dream of increased power and prestige – led by a successful King of the Jews.
  • The second was a dream of safety and provision – exemplified in a blue collar hard working man – a simple builder named Joseph.
  • The third was the dream of seekers of truth – seen in two kinds of students of the promises of God.

Let’s zoom in and look carefully at each person featured in the passage as our men and their dreams are introduced:

Dream #1: Men Hungry for Power and Prestige – Herod the King (and Archelaus):

Some people USE Christmas. There is no way to be delicate about it. In fact, they barely try to hide it… They put up the lights and tinsel before Thanksgiving, and – if the truth were told – they’d start about December 26th to push for the next year. They have shamelessly commercialized Christmas for their own objectives. One famous advertiser remarked: “If we didn’t have Christmas, the American economy would need to create one!” Many hijack the idea of Christmas… perhaps to make a killing financially, and grow their prestige and market share. Christmas is a sentimental and quaint idea they cash in on – that is their objective. Perhaps they do it to gain some other advantage… that IS as it ALWAYS WAS – all the way back in the first century.

Go back and look. Herod wasn’t trying to worship, sing or even meet the Messiah. He wanted to USE Him. The text offers an insider view of:

His time: Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king…”  Herod the Great (born 74-73 BCE, died 4 BCE in Jericho), was a Roman client king of Judea who is most known for his colossal building projects in expansion of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the massive construction of the port at Caesarea Maritima. He amassed a fortune, and held the reigns of his realm tightly – leaving behind many monuments to both his paranoia and his splendor. Among them are palaces at the Herodion (named “in all humility after himself” according to Josephus Flavius), Masada –the fortress near the Dead Sea and the Huge construction above the tombs of the Patriarchs – the Cave of Machpelah. These were days of frenetic activity. These were days of economic prosperity. These were days of the rising notation of the Roman world – as Herod established famous Olympic style games and built world class cities. These were days of relative political stability – these were the days of the Pax Romana or Augustus fleshed out in the reign of Herod the Great, his long time friend.

His guests: Matthew 2:1b “…magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” Connection to the Jewish community was strong since the captivity in Babylon. The three waves of return over a 100 year period under Zerubbabel, then Ezra and finally Nehemiah didn’t bring home all of the Jews. In fact, it didn’t even bring home MOST of the Jews. Many of them remained in the east, and many of them continued studying the Law of Moses as well as the signs of the heavens. A few dropped by to visit the reigning King – on their way to the new born promised King.

His reactions: Herod’s reactions take up the rest of Matthew’s account concerning his part in the birth story. Herod was a calculating man, so his reactions were played out in three stages:

First Herod got the facts, so he could see how this might offer him an opportunity. He got advice on the possibility, place and timing of the birth: Matthew 2:3 “When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’” 7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

Herod had the same opportunity as any Jew of his day to celebrate the coming of the Promised One – but he was not interested in any other ruler than himself. That is not an uncommon reaction to the message of Messiah. One Pastor wrote: “Herod’s response is paranoia and intimidation. He was afraid of a new king… afraid that he would lose the power and authority which he had come to cherish.” The truth is that many a man or woman has feared losing the throne of their own heart to the King of Kings. They have played with God – learned to use “God words” – rather than surrender to Him.

Finally, Herod co-opted the event to use it for his own purposes. He USED the people who cared deeply about the event, and got them into a different cause – to do HIS bidding: Matthew 2:8 “And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.” Herod became the prototype for the Hallmark Card company and the Macy’s department store… He grabbed the hearts of people who were longing for the meaning of the event and co-opted its meaning. He did the ancient version of substituting the original purpose of the story – bringing God’s long awaited Redeemer to the earth under the protection of a shield of angelic host –and converted the story into something else. “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” has now been sung: “It’s the most wonderful SALE of the year” (in a current Nissan ad). For Herod, the story was converted to “I am going to worship” (but you should read the word KILL the baby). To our modern marketing firms it is substituting a God who “sees you when you are sleeping and knows when you are awake” to a fat and ever-friendly man in a red suit. The co-opting of Christmas is an OLD phenomenon.

Don’t forget what happened when co-opting the event didn’t get him what he wanted – he simply attempted to destroy the event! Matthew 2:16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. 17 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.”  Without being cynical, am I wrong for assuming that our public rights to have and hold Christmas dear are being supported as much or more by the commercial gain community than by those who really care about Jesus as the reason for the season? In just a few years, if America finds a way to celebrate this event without ANY JESUS at all – they will kill the original message and replace it with the innocuous “peace on earth, goodwill to men” message taken up by Hallmark.

His lesson: Herod was hungry to use the event to erect greater power for himself – but it didn’t ultimately work. God’s work advanced in spite of the rulers of the Roman Empire that were largely evil men. Herod slaughtered babies. Emperor Caligula (37-41) was a ruler of the brought great wrath against God’s infant church movement – but we are still here. Emperor Claudius didn’t know Paul was doing mission journeys – but we are still learning from them. Emperor Nero saw Christians as a nuisance and then a scapegoat – but he ruled as the great writings of the Pastoral Epistles were penned and the church advanced. It didn’t matter who was ruling, and in the final analysis to the big plan of God – it didn’t matter how they ruled. A Sovereign God kept telling His story right over top of their earthly power!

Dream #2: Men just trying to Get By – Joseph the builder:

Herod may enrage us with his “adoption of Christmas”, but few of us identify with him Joseph the Builder is more our speed. Joe was an average guy – a working man with grave concerns about his family’s safety and well being. He was trying hard to get the bills paid and keep the government off his back. The first few Christmases for him were the most difficult experiences of his life. There was private family conflict and public embarrassment. His goals, like many of us today, were to GET THROUGH CHRISTMAS. In fact, the struggle of the trip to Bethlehem and the uprooting of the work that he was doing put a strain on him. He had serious private turmoil – and his closest companion was a woman about to give birth, whose pregnancy story was… well… impossible for his family to accept!  Too bad his whole family didn’t have the same dream of the angel that assured him of her fidelity. Step back into the scene when the baby was a toddler. The magi came and offered the baby gifts… and that put a bit of cash in the bank and took the pressure off the struggling family. They were finally going to be ok for awhile. Then God broke in again…

His problem: Matthew 2:13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

Has that ever happened to you? No, I don’t mean the angel of the Lord comes to tell you to move – although that could be the case. I mean, have you ever gotten the bills finally managed and it looks like there will be a time of relative calm, and the Lord throws a curve ball into your plan? All of the sudden the new money Joe got was portioned off to a caravan camel ticket. He KNEW that his family was in danger. He knew that God called him to protect the child and His mother. He knew that, just as things got settled, God pushed him out of his comfort zone. Another move, and this time FARTHER from the Nazareth village where he was when the whole thing started. Don’t you wonder if on his weaker moments Joe wondered if his life wouldn’t have been better if he never met Mary? Maybe… but ours wouldn’t be.

His protector: Matthew 2:14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. 15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” … 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, 20 “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” 21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Joe moved from Nazareth to Bethlehem, from Bethlehem to Egypt, from Egypt back to Nazareth. Every time, he needed to develop a new network to sell his abilities and make a living… not fun! The bouncing baby boy left Joe and his family bouncing from place to place for years. It wasn’t easy – it was the time of life many of you can identify with – the time of PROVIDING for your growing and changing family. Maybe your kids are small and you are struggling. Daycare isn’t cheap. Health care is ridiculous. Work hours compete for a few fragments of healthy family time. Bills climb and pay hasn’t. You get the picture… I want to offer a word of encouragement to you from Joseph’s life.

You are not simply getting by. You are raising our mutual future. Your child will help or hinder the future of our neighborhood – and even our country. You are constructing a HUMAN BEING.

It is a task of enormous pain at times – but incredible importance always. I would be personally remiss if I didn’t tell you a very personal lesson God taught me the hard way – they need your time, energy and assistance in very important ways VERY EARLY in life. Much of their character and personality will be shaped by the time they can speak. Cherish the days – don’t drag your way through them. They will be long days and hard days – and few will be the times you will feel like you are really succeeding – but do not look at this as anything less than a call of God. God gave you your children. God CALLED you to do this. Joy surrounds the busy believer who recognizes a greater purpose for their life’s journey than simply getting by… God has plans for you and your family.

Dream #3: Men who dreamed of finding truth – seen in two kinds of students of the promises of God.

One kind of student group found the TRUTH – but not the Savior! The Chief priests and Scribes were certainly studious and diligent men – who knew great facts about God but were not yielded to God. They could dissect the theological debate about a God they did not truly serve.

Matthew 2:4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”

These guys knew the prophet Micah. They knew that four times in the book that bore his name he promised Messiah. In the first prophetic mention of Messiah in the book, He was called both King and Lord. In the second, He was coming from a small village of Judah named Bethlehem. If they truly hungered for God’s will – why weren’t they walking behind the magi to check out the baby? Because they were satisfied with KNOWING ABOUT GOD. How tragic, that so many people are willing to sacrifice a walk with God for an education about God. They want to be able to answer the Bible questions, and they may even think that knowing about God is enough – but they didn’t have any JOY in His coming – because they weren’t HUNGRY TO KNOW HIM!

A SECOND GROUP found the JOY of Christmas. That group gave up ease and comfort, and put it all on the line to discover the Messiah. THEY hungered and thirsted to see Jesus. They sought to have Him in their lives. They sacrificed time and treasure to honor Him! They alone got the blessing of JOY from Christmas. They were the WINNERS! These anxious men who had pledged obedience and worship from afar, and had borne the cost of their commitment found the greatest experience kneeling before the KING. These were men sensitive to the Lord’s leading and dedicated to the Lord’s honor.

Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”(after Herod told them Bethlehem was the place prophesied) …8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

Do you see it? “Christmas is a time for GOD’S love to TUG hearts back to HIM with the powerful grip of a tiny hand reaching out from a bed of straw.” Have you ever placed your finger inside the hand of a little baby and felt its grip reach all the way to your heart? Let it happen. You will have the real JOY Christmas can bring! Remember, it was the hungry seekers who really found the JOY of the season – and it still is.

2 Samuel 8-9 Stages of Growth: "When I Find My Path"

Psychologists and Sociologists tell us there are discernible and natural stages in the each persons life, from infancy to the aged. We have scientific terminology for each stage, and can identify our stage by answering some basic diagnostic questions. Each stage is marked by particular trappings and problems (i.e. Infancy, toddler, youth, puberty, early adulthood, ascendancy to full adult, rise of certain infirmities, etc.).

David, like many of us, struggled for a long time to finally find his path, and begin to live the vision God gave him years before. His first steps were good, but the days quickly began to pass as he set in motion the vision and the plans of his heart. How do you truly honor God with your life? What must you set in motion that will bring your life purpose and fulfillment? God offered five principles in this passage, each with a process attached as an example for us!

Key Principle: Fulfillment comes from doing WHAT God says the WAY God says to do it!

1.       Find your chief identity in what God says about you, not in any other source. 2 Samuel 8:1a says “Now after this”… After David ascended to the role God had for him. Note, this was a process for him as it is for all of us:

  • Our initial sense of our destiny is revealed by the Word of God. 1 Sam. 16:12 – God’s prophet said it,
  • Those who know God and us help establish the call we have. 18:3,4 – Godly friend proclaimed it,
  • Even those who don’t love us have to begin to recognize that we are different, and suited for a different work than others. 24:20-21 – an enemy affirmed it;
  • Eventually, people all around us openly speak of our call as our work. 2 Sam. 2:7, 5:2,3 – widely acknowledged by others).

2.       Begin to fulfill the responsibility that God has placed on you as a privilege of being His servant. 2 Samuel 8:1b-12). Note again the process revealed by the Word:

  • Settle the most pressing problems first (8:1b). The Philistines were the most pressing attackers, and had taken the life of the previous king. Subduing them would quickly set David’s strength and allow people to see his call.
  • Deal decisively with some of the “close” family issues that were long standing problems of his task (8:2). Failure to do so will signal people that you are not willing to do the uncomfortable!
  • Secure things necessary fro vital stability of your task (8:4-6a). The vital long term water supply of the Jordan River was secured by defeating Hadadezer the Aramean in the Beqa’a.
  • Grow in your experience of God successfully using you (8:6b). David KNEW God was at work, and that gave him encouragement to keep going!

3.       Plan the use of the resources of the initial successes (8:7-14).

  • Save what you can from the initial success, don’t immediately assume you will always have that to work with! (2 Sam. 8:7-9).
  • Expect that some perks will come with recognition of your work, but don’t become over-infatuated with the perks (8:10).
  • Don’t forget, it all belongs to the LORD (2 Sam. 8:11-12). David collected and saved the spoil of the wave of successes for later times.
  • Secure the first successes with the spoils of those successes, don’t risk early on! (8:13-14). These spoils helped him establish a secure base to work from later.

4.       Become deliberately organized about maintaining how you do what you do (8:15-18). Watch the process carefully:

  • Do the job faithfully (8:15).
  • Establish ways to maintain the work that you are doing (8:16-18).

5.       Remember what your purpose is – use your successes to help people! (2 Samuel 9:1). Bear in mind that God has placed you where you are to accomplish something for Him in the lives of people!

Fulfillment comes from doing WHAT God says the WAY God says to do it!

2 Samuel 6 Really Getting it Right: "The Missing Element to Success!”

Several years ago, Reader’s Digest told of a young couple who had just bought a water bed. While assembling the bed, the couple realized they would need a hose to fill it with – and they didn’t own one. So, the husband went to the hardware store and bought one. They attached the hose to the bed, ran it through the apartment to the kitchen tap and – knowing it would take over an hour for the bed to fill – they left their apartment to run an errand. About an hour later they returned to check on its progress. And that’s when they discovered that the husband had bought a sprinkler hose.

Did you ever try to do the right thing for the right reason, but things went terribly wrong! It is possible to do the right thing, have the right heart, have the right parts, and still get it completely wrong!

There are four ways to do worship, and only one of them is the right way!

1)       The wrong God, the wrong way. I read not long ago about a spiritist in a Florida city that was bleeding himself and his followers as part of religious rituals, and was arrested for bloodletting in children.

2)       The wrong God, the right way. How many people do you know are giving and sacrificing to please an angry and vengeful god. I have lived and worked among Muslims that walked in fear of allah’s vengeance, yet they were loving and moral people.

3)       The right God, the wrong way. I just heard about a ministry in Tampa this week that had their two Pastors – Mr. Pastor and Mrs. Pastor – stand before their more than 20,000 member congregation and announce they were getting a divorce and each would be going on in Pastoral ministry, his with the Tampa congregation, and her with her own new ministry.

4)       The right God, the right way. This is the desire of God. He wants us to know His Word, follow His Word and walk in truth. He wants us to guard our hearts and do right to honor His name.

Today, David is our example of how to the right thing the WRONG way, then learn and try again. The initial mistakes cost a man his life, and David is set back on his heels. Today we will learn the missing element of success – doing it the WAY God says to do it!

Key Principle: Having the right intent and trying the right thing for the right God only truly pleases Him if it is done the right way  –  as God told us to do it! We cannot make up the rules and ask God to fit into them!

Look at the Promising beginning of the story:

  • Excellent Unity: On the back of several great solidifying victories in warfare and the establishment of a new capital, David got the people “on board” with a plan that he felt strongly about (6:1).
  • Effective leadership: David didn’t “send” the people on a mission, he personally joined and led them (6:2a).
  • Exciting Purpose: The crowd was set for celebration as David brought the 400 year old Ark of God to the new capital city (6:2b).
  • Exultant Heart: David celebrated and had all the parade fanfare as he was excited and anticipating the Ark in the tent that he made on the threshing floor north of the new capital (6:5).

Sounds like a great story, right? David is doing the right things with the right heart, for the right reasons. But from this point the story goes off track:

  • Followed the wrong preparations: Number 4:5 offers the instruction that the Kohathites were to cover the Ark with the cloth from the Tabernacle BEFORE it was moved, to hide it from onlookers (6:3a).
  • Used the wrong means: Numbers 4:15 offers the further instruction that trained Kohathites were to place the poles in the ark and carry it while draped over with the cloth of the curtain by hand (6:3a)

David borrowed his idea from the Philistines. The Philistines were not familiar with God’s instructions for handling the ark. God did not punish them for transporting the ark on a cart. GOD WAS MERCIFUL TO THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR IGNORANCE! To the Philistines, the ark of the covenant was only part of the bounty they had captured. They had no cherished memories of the ark. To them the ark meant very little. They had defeated the Israelites and captured their God. The church today has borrowed from the world the vehicles of her ministry. We study techniques of this age… the gadgetry of the business, social and entertainment world,…
LOOKING FOR NEW CARTS ON WHICH TO CARRY OUR TESTIMONY. INSTEAD OF ASKING, “HOW DOES GOD DO IT?” WE ASK HOW DOES THE WORLD DO IT?

Churches have begun to copycat the world. We have to have entertainment, for we are not content to be in church. Ministers have begun to slant their messages to “tickle ears” for fear that the flock will go else where. We’ve begun to try methods and fads of the world within the church, just to try to add to our number. LIKE DAVID, OUR INTENTIONS ARE RIGHT…BUT OUR METHODS ARE WRONG!

  • Relied on the wrong people: After 20 years of watching the Ark, they should have known who could move the Ark and how it was to be transported, but they were not even close (6:3b).

One Pastor wrote: “When Diana and I were first married, we bought a brand new push mower. It was still in the box and we had to put it together. I figured it couldn’t be that hard to assemble and before long it was standing in our back yard all nice and shiny. I pulled the starting rope and it purred to life… just like it was supposed to. However, I did have one small problem. I couldn’t shut if off. So, I finally relented and pulled out the manual… and there on the top of the first page were these words: “Now that you’ve decided to read the instructions…”

The outcome of the celebration was:

  • God was angered and felt the men were irreverent rather than being glorified (6:6-7).
  • Uzzah lost his life (6:7)
  • David’s relationship with God was badly affected. He first became angry with God (6:8a) and was later estranged for a time from God because of fear (6:9). He realized he had done wrong (cp. 1 Chron. 15:26) and it created a negative guilt and an unwillingness in David to move forward with God (6:10)

In our society, we can understand David’s anger. We don’t like standards either, we think “trying” should get an award, even if not by the rules…

July issue of Reader’s Digest about a class in Piper, Ks. who is given an essay assignment by their teacher and warned not to cheat by plagiarizing off the internet. But 28 out of the 118 students in her classes did just that, and did it poorly, some copying entire sections from the same internet website. They got zero’s on their papers, but only temporarily. Soon, the parents of the 28 complained to the school board refusing to believe their child cheated and calling the teacher’s “zero’s” too harsh. Incredibly the school board gave in. They told the teacher to go back and give partial credit to the students. Teacher Christine Pelton said, “The next day I went to my class and tried to teach my kids, but they were whooping and hollering, ‘We don’t have to listen to you anymore, we don’t have to obey you!’” Her authority gone, she did the only thing she could. She quit. What did those kids learn? How to write properly? How to think for themselves? No, they learned how to disobey and get away with it. But please understand this.. God’s not going to quit. He’s not going grade on the curve. He has given His rules to us for our own good and expects us to obey them. You see, while God is a God of perfect love, He is also is a God of perfect justice.

  • The place of the events became marked as a terrible place (6:8b). The place of the Ark didn’t come close to its new home, and ended up in a place not prepared for it (6:11).

What’s wrong with this picture?

Key Principle: Having the right intent and trying the right thing for the right God only truly pleases Him if it is done the right way  –  as God told us to do it! We cannot make up the rules and ask God to fit into them!

If God didn’t care HOW we raised our children, would He have given so much instruction? Our business? Our community? Our churches? If we discount the value of God’s Word to direct us, and don’t take seriously our call to know what He has told us to do in these areas, we may lose the ability to bring glory to Him with these areas. It won’t be because we didn’t care about Him, it will be because we failed to take care concerning His instructions.

Let’s try it again!

1)       Repentance: David became aware of his mistake. He understood that he did wrong (1 Chronicles 15) and repented before the Lord. He didn’t apologize for the wrong desire, he apologized for the wrong execution! He then saw that God was blessing again, and went ahead with the right plan the right way (6:12a).

2)       Renewal: David reinitiated the celebration, and led the way again! (6:12b).

3)       Obedience: David had the Ark carried by the right people, the right way (6:13).

4)       Worship: David offered a sacrifice to God after he saw that all was well. The sacrifice was presented by a humbled King in a simple garment. He danced with joy before God and brought musicians together to play (6:14-15). Eventually, he placed the Ark in its new home (6:17).

5)       Offerings: David gave to the people some public displays of affection and celebrations with gifts of food (6:18-19).

6)       Endurance: David withstood the attack of Michal who thought him to be un-regal and base. It began with her heart (6:16). The embarrassment and anger drove her out to the front step on his return as she tried to shame him (6:20-23).

In our story we must remember, when all looked right, something was critically wrong. When all was done to God’s glory, some people (even close ones) were dissatisfied and contentious.

We are to do exactly what God told us to do the way God told us to do, for the purposes God told us to do them. Anything else may look successful, and may even bring happiness to us and those around us, but ultimately will not honor and glorify God.

2 Samuel 5: David the King: “First Steps”

 David the King: “First Steps”

You’ve waited – it seems like forever – to get what was coming to you. You worked hard, fought hard, and finally got the position. Now what? How do you set patterns in your life that will bring fulfillment, honor God and help you to be everything you dreamed you could be? David’s example will help us nail down the first steps.

Benjamin Disraeli: The great secret of success in life is for a man to be ready when his opportunity comes.

Key Principle: Getting the job is one thing. Doing it well and attaining what God intends is another!

  1. Learn to wait and let others reward you with what God has promised, don’t take it by force or struggle (5:1a “all the tribes came”).

Thomas Kelly, “People nowadays take time far more seriously than eternity”

“Now notice that this waiting isn’t procrastination. We don’t get a picture here of someone who just can’t make the decision to go for it. In fact just the opposite. He’s quite decisive when it comes to the question of what to do with the earlier two assassins of Ish-Bosheth. Nor is he sitting around doing nothing. He continues to consolidate his position as king in Hebron to the point where the Philistines are so concerned about him becoming king over the whole country. But he is willing to wait for the people of the northern tribes to make up their mind. Eugene Petersen describes his waiting as poised submissiveness. It’s a not-doing that leaves adequate space and time for God to initiate actions through others.”

Ortberg’s book, “Not long after moving to Chicago, I called a wise friend to ask for some spiritual direction. I described the pace at which things tend to move in my current setting. I told him about the rhythms of our family life and about the present condition of my heart, as best I could discern it. What did I need to do, I asked him to be spiritually healthy? Long pause. ‘You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.’ He said at last, Another long pause. ‘Okay I have written that down,’ I told him, a little impatiently. ’That’s a good one. Now what else is there?’ I had many things to do, and this was a long distance conversation, so I was anxious to cram as many units of spiritual wisdom into the least amount of time possible. Another long pause. ’There is nothing else,’ he said’ (p. 81).

Sometimes people don’t wait on God. They want to marry someone and they think it’s obvious that this person is God’s will. Maybe they want to make a purchase or enter into a business agreement or make a major change and everything seems obvious to them. But, it may not look that way 6 months from now. We make mistakes when we rush into something without waiting on God first.

An old sailor got lost at sea, so his friends gave him a compass and urged him to use it. The next time he went out in his boat, he followed the advice and took the compass with him. But as usual he became hopelessly confused and was unable to find land. Finally he was rescued by his friends. Disgusted and impatient with him, they asked, “Why didn’t you use that compass we gave you? You could have saved us a lot of trouble!” The sailor responded, “I didn’t dare to! I wanted to go north, but as hard as I tried to make the needle aim in that direction, it just kept on pointing southeast.” That old sailor was so certain he knew which way was north that he stubbornly tried to force his own personal persuasion on reality – his compass. Unable to do so, he tossed it aside as worthless and failed to benefit from the guidance it offered.”

  1. Stand upon your reputation as “one of them” and remember that is how they came to believe you are the one they should choose for this task (5:1b “bone and flesh”).

  1. While you let them acknowledge your time of faithful service, remember that must continue to keep the trust you have earned (5:2a “you were the one who led Israel”).

While they were telling him what he haddone, it would be easy to think David got puffed up. Nothing is farther from the truth! Andrew Murray said, “We can never have more faith than we have humility.” He continues, “As long as we take glory from another, we do not seek and cannot receive the glory that comes from God.”

Murray states, “We need only think for a moment what faith is. Is not the confession of nothingness and helplessness, the surrender and the waiting to let God work? Is it not in itself the most humbling thing there can be-the acceptance of our place as dependents, who can claim or get or do nothing but what grace bestows? Humility is simply the disposition which prepares the soul for living on trust. And every, even the most secret, breathing of pride-in self seeking, self-will, self confidence, or self-exultation-is just the strengthening of that self which cannot enter the kingdom or possess the things of the kingdom, because it refuses to allow God to be what He is and must be-the all in all” (46).

Humility releases more of the Spirit of God because it gets the “self” out of the way..
Sittser notes, “If God is not in control, then we should abandon faith and find our own way through the hard times of life”(38).

  1. When others see that you have been marked by God to do this work, celebrate that and don’t deny it (5:2b “you will shepherd”).

  1. Be accountable before the Lord and people to live up to the task you are being given (5:3 “before the Lord”).

  1. Note the tangible blessing of God and celebrate it daily (5:4-5 “thirty-three years; 2 for every year of prep!).

  1. Take on the new assignment and its problems head on (5:6-7).

Vince Lombardi :”The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”

  1. Reward those who work hard, just as God has rewarded you! (5:8; cp. 1 Chron. 11:6).

  1. Build up systems that will make the work successful (5:9 and 13).

Though it was smart to have some alliances, when they got to be too many, it would become a problem. Remember Deut 17:17: “[The king] must not acquire many wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; also silver and gold he must not acquire in great quantity for himself.” But David ignored this instruction and the result was that he had many children – who later caused problems for him! But that’s for another day.

  1. Constantly keep in mind how you got where you are – GOD! (5:10 and 12).

It is NOT the man with a motive that wins, but the man with a purpose!

  1. Stay close to God and talk with Him often about how to do what He has given you to do (5:17-21).

Erwin W. Lutzer : Many who are climbing the ladder of success have their ladders leaning against the wrong walls.

  1. Timing is terribly important! (5:22-25). Do what you should do, when you should do it. Remember, Saul’s big downfall was to “jump the gun”. Laziness and impatience are BOTH from an untrusting heart that God will fulfill those who do what He says!

Getting the job is one thing. Doing it well and attaining what God intends is another!

2 Samuel 1:1-3:5 “Lessons from the Bench” (Part One)

 “Lessons from the Bench” (Part One)

 

Introduction: Though David was probably a very young man (a teen) when he was anointed king of Israel and told he would gain the crown, he did not actually receive that crown until age forty in 2 Samuel 5. On his best day he believed it was coming. During dark days he openly admitted that he lost hope. The first five chapters of this book find David learning the final lessons before God crowns him. The time between the promise of a great career and the first opportunity to live it – that is “BENCH TIME’.

By college, Michelle Akers had become an All-American soccer star, earning ESPN’s woman athlete of the year in 1985 – the same year the United States formed its first women’s national team, with Michelle a starter. In 1991 the U.S. team won the first-ever Women’s World Cup and Michelle scored 10 goals in five games, including the championship’s winner. She signed an endorsement deal and became the first woman soccer player to have a paid sponsor. She played professionally in Sweden. Michelle’s drive and tenacity were beginning to pay off. She even tried out as the place kicker for the Dallas Cowboys: her longest attempt reached 52 yards.

But just as her star was rising, Michelle’s health was declining. By 1993, the woman who used grit and determination to make life happen found her life unmanageable.
“Each day I felt like I had flown to Europe with no food or sleep, then flown right back and trained for hours,” Michelle says.She suffered from Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dystfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), a debilitating disease affecting more than a million adult Americans. “When it was really bad, I couldn’t sit up in a chair. The racking migraines stranded me at home, unable even to get up to brush my teeth or eat.”

For the first time, Michelle could no longer count on her old friends – strength and hard work. She had to find a new way to cope.”I couldn’t bear not to be the best in the world, not to be the one who could bounce back from an injury,” she says. “it was the only me I knew.” When her marriage of four years broke up in 1994, Michelle had reached the end of herself.
“I was so sick I couldn’t take a five-minute walk without needing two days on the couch to recover. I was forced to spend a lot of time thinking about who I was. I didn’t like what I saw.”

Michelle had put her trust in Christ as a high-school student, but ignored God in college and after graduation. Now sick and alone, Michelle, reluctantly accepted an invitation from a strength coach to attend his church, Northland Community Church in Longwood, Florida. Although she couldn’t atrticulate it at the time, in retrospect Michelle says she knew she “needed to get things right with God. Looking back,” she explains, “I think God was gently, patiently tapping me on the shoulder and calling my name for years. But I continously brushed him off, saying, ’Hey, I know what I am doing. I can make these decisions. Leave me alone.’ Then I think He finally said, ’Okay,’ crossed His arms and looked at me sadly – because He knew I was going to make a lot of mistakes by ignoring Him. He knew I would be hurting in the future. It took devastation before I would acquiesce and say, ’Okay, God. You can have my life. Please help me.’” (Christian Reader, March/April 2000)

Key Principle: Even when God has a great plan for you, you may not experience it until God has fully prepared you for it. Time for training and patience are essential to becoming what God desires you to be!

There are seven lessons we will observe in today’s lesson:

  1. Learn to deal with obedience to God’s commands (2 Samuel 1:1-12). This lesson was an observed lesson from Saul’s life. During the bench time, keep your eyes open and your heart keen to observe the people around you. What really brings happiness and holiness? Imitate that in your heart and life!

  1. Stick to your truth principles, even when abandoning truth for a season appears to be a great advantage (1:14). The people you must live with the rest of your life are you and the Lord, and you will both be disappointed if you compromise now!

In the first season of the popular TV show “24,” Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) was a federal agent charged with protecting a presidential candidate from an assassination plot. He was given that responsibility because in the uncertain world of espionage he possessed that rare character trait of integrity. In the show’s first episode, Jack’s integrity was already put to the test. Because he turned in other federal agents for bribery, some of his own comrades turned against him. In particular, Jack’s immediate boss came down hard on him and tried to persuade Jack not to be so honest in his job. Jack has an explosive confrontation with his boss and would not budge on this point. Just after the confrontation, Jack bristles with intensity as he explains his actions to his closest partner.

“You can look the other way once, and it’s no big deal, except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time. And pretty soon, that’s all you’re doing—compromising—because that’s how you think things are done. You know those guys I blew the whistle on? You think they were the bad guys? They weren’t the bad guys. They were just like you and me, except they compromised once.”

  1. Take time to acknowledge the good of the past before you forge ahead into the future with others (1:17-27). You are not more permanent than those who you follow, and it is wise to see yourself as part of the chain of life in your family, organization and community.

Most of us are much better at excusing our sins and failures than we are at confessing them. We’re quick to point out other peoples’ mistakes, but we have a hard time admitting when we’ve blown it. Here are some actual excerpts from insurance companies where individuals who had accidents explained what went wrong:  Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree that I don’t own. The other guy was all over the road and I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him. I had been driving my car for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident. The telephone pole approached my car at a rapid speed, as I swerved to get out of its way, it hit me. I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and drove over the embankment.

  1. Truly seek God’s direction for your next steps (2:1-4). Don’t just simply follow the circumstances and “lean into them” even if it looks like things are going the way you expected they would. Why should God hear any less from you when things are going as anticipated?

John Piper in “Let the Nations Be Glad” said, “Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. Prayer gives us the significance of front-line forces, and gives God the glory of a limitless Provider. The one who gives the power gets the glory. Thus prayer safeguards the supremacy of God in missions while linking us with endless grace for every need.”

  1. As God opens doors and leads you, use every opportunity to spread HOPE and encourage others, especially if things are changing uncomfortably around them (2:5-7).

In the book Stories for the Heart, Catherine Marshall tells this story. “There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace. The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfect peace. Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why? “Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”

  1. Don’t attempt to control loyalties of everyone around you, especially loyalty to you! (2:8-32). Do right before God and allow others to find you through that alone.

  1. Watch God bless, and count that blessing daily. You may be on the bench, but there is a lot that God can be doing in your life to improve the coming days of service. (3:1-5). You should keep your focus on what God can do in you to help you become what He created you to be, nothing more and nothing less!

Years ago, Orel Hershiser was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had just won the World Series. And Orel had been named the MVP. A clip during the series showed him in the dugout just before the 9th inning started. He was leaning against the wall. And his lips were moving.

When he was a guest on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson asked him what he had been saying. “I wasn’t saying anything,” Orel responded. “Well, then, tell us what you were doing.” Finally Orel replied, “I was singing.” Johnny said, “You were singing? I didn’t know you were a singer. Come on, let’s here it!” And Orel said, “Nah. I don’t want to.” And the audience clapped and said, “Yeah! Let’s hear it! Wooooh!!!!” Finally, Orel Hershiser started to sing: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise him above Ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen!” And Johnny Carson was speechless. The whole audience was dead silent. Then one person stood up and started clapping. And soon, the whole audience joined in applause.

This was Orel’s way of saying, “Lord, the only reason I’m a Most Valuable Player is because you’re a Most Valuable God. You’re the one who gave me my ability. You’re the reason why my life has been so blessed. And I respect you. And I love you.

1 Samuel 31 "The Portrait Hall": Happily Ever After?

The Portrait Hall: Happily Ever After?

Did you ever watch a movie and feel robbed at the end because of the unhappy and unsatisfying end to their story? We all want ever story to end well. Why would God give us the last moments of Saul’s life in detail, rather than just telling us he died? What is the purpose to sharing the unhappy ending? Saul, like all of us, made choices during his life that grossly affected the outcome of his life. His legacy reflects what he was, not what he wished he could be. It gives us a moment to pause, and consider what we are, and what we will be remembered as being.

Most of us can sympathize with comedian Woody Allen, who once said::
I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens. But you will be there. Ready or not, expected or unexpected, death comes. Try to ignore it, some things in life remind you that today could be the day you die: a close call, like these airplane passengers; the funeral of a friend; a celebrity obituary; maybe even a scene taken from the pages of the Bible. EVERYBODY WHO LIVES WILL DIE. Many of us seem to unconsciously believe dying is what happens to other people, not me, not now, not today. But when you read these verses, they remind us that all kinds of people die every day.

Take a moment and gave at Saul’s life. Here we see three statements that all of us will have to confront in our own lives:

Gross Realization of the “Sin sore” left open (1 Samuel 31:1-10)

  1. He created defenselessness in the lives of those he was called to protect (31:1a)
  2. He caused the retreat of God’s people and their positive influence on the people they were to reach. (31:1b).
  3. His disobedience closed off avenues of testimony in his children who were not guilty, but were loyal to him (31:2).

First of all, let’s notice that bad people die. Saul is a good example. Saul was like most bad people- he didn’t start off as an evil person. In fact, he was probably a pretty good person. He was handsome, and eager, and seemed willing to serve his country and his Lord. But Saul let his crown go to his head. Instead of obeying God, he takes a wrong turn, and ends up doing all kinds of wicked things, from trying to murder David to turning to the occult instead of God for guidance. It doesn’t shock us when bad person like Saul dies.

What shocks us is when good like Jonathan die. Here is a prince of a man: loyal to God, a faithful soldier, loyal to his wicked father, but also loyal to his friend David. He is a man who trusted God, and who could be trusted by others. And yet he dies on the same day, in the same battle as his evil father Saul. It doesn’t seem fair that good people like Jonathan die because of bad people’s sin.

  1. He “bled out” the jealousy he would not deal with in life, and slowly watched all that he loved wither away. The graphic consequences of his sin were evident to him, but he would not change his ways (31:3). What do think would have been the epitaph on the tombstone of King Saul?
  2. His help evaporates and close companions fade away (31:4).
  3. Despair sets in, as others around Saul see no reason to carry on (31:5-6).
  4. His disobedience causes the loss of all his life fought for. He unraveled every accomplishment! (31:7).
  5. Shame set in on God’s people (31:8-9).
  6. The appearance of a victory for the enemy and his wicked system (31:10).

Saul was a leader! Our part in life is a passing opportunity that will never come our way again. What we do with the opportunities God gives us is up to us. We can make the most of them or we can squander them away.

Grand Recognition of Grace (1 Samuel 31:11-13)

  1. People heard of the humiliation and recalled Saul’s life (31:11).
  2. God tugged the hearts of some that remembered better days and stepped out to cut off the continued humiliation (31:12).
  3. After a time for chastening, Saul’s humiliation was ended and the people could heal (31:13). “There appears to be a kind of poetic justice here, in that Saul is buried under “the tamarisk tree” (verse 13). It seems that Saul spent much of his time under a tree, some of which should have been spent doing battle with his enemies (see 14:2; 22:6).”

Godly Recognition of the Need to Act (2 Samuel 1:8)

The big lesson: “The sinful practice you don’t kill in your life will kill you and your testimony for your Lord!” (2 Samuel 1:8 cp. 1 Samuel 15:3). HOW YOU LIVE AFFECTS HOW YOU DIE!

According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Death. He told the Grim Reaper he would willingly accompany him when it came his time to die, but only on one condition—that Death would warn him well in advance before he came for him. Death agreed, and time went on: weeks turned into months, and months into years. One bitter winter evening, as the man sat worrying about all his possessions, Death suddenly enters the room and taps him on the shoulder. Startled, the man cries out, “You’re here so soon and without warning! I thought you agreed to warn me before you came.” Death replied, “I’ve more than kept my part. I’ve sent you many reminders of my coming. Every morning you saw the sun rise, and then every night you saw the sun set. Every time you said goodbye to someone at a funeral, I reminded you this day was coming. Every time you looked into the mirror, your own face reminded you that you were getting older, and closer to this day. You sat in church many Sundays, listening to the preacher tell you over and over that you would one day have to leave this world. I’m sorry you’re not ready, but today is the day when your time is up. You must come with me right now.”

 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

“The solution to your problem is not to die in sin; it is to die to sin. The only way you can do this is by faith in Christ — as you acknowledge your sin and guilt and trust in Him who has died in your place, who has suffered the eternal pain for your sins. It is in Christ that you die to sin, and enter into eternal life. If you have never done this, I urge you to do it now. As God’s promise of salvation is sure, so is His promise of judgment and eternal death. Let us learn from Saul’s death.“ (Robert Deffinbaugh)

1 Samuel 30 "The Portrait Hall": Pictures From the Party

The Portrait Hall: “Pictures From the Party”

Most of us have pictures of a party or celebration. It is a time when the cameras come out and flashes go off. Whether a family celebration, a graduation, a wedding or a reunion – these kinds of snapshots make up the bulk of the family album. Not every shot is posed and form perfect in a studio, life isn’t like that. As will our lives, so with this story of David, we have less a portrait but more a snapshot of a time of great celebration. This joyous moment came after a very dark time, when David’s inner response was to meet and share with a God of light and good gifts.

Problems pour out on us sometimes, feeling like a pummeling of wet cement being poured over us to defeat us. Yet, the key to cement is working it before it becomes hardened and unworkable. The key is not the amount of cement, nor the weight of the cement, it is our response to the pouring!

Key Principle: Our prompt and proper response to trouble is the key to an outcome that pleases God.

How problems come: (30:1-2).

  1. Starts with being in the wrong place (29:11).
  2. When not where we belong, we can easily neglect our real God-given responsibilities (30:1-2).

What the problems look like: (30:3-6)

  1. Sometimes you appear to lose your things (3a).
  2. Sometimes you appear to lose your dearest love (3b).
  3. Sometimes you appear to lose you future (3b).
  4. Sometimes you appear to lose your emotional footing (4-5).
  5. Sometimes you appear to lose your friends (6a).

Ten Proper Responses to the Troubles: (30:6b-31).

Depending on how it is handled, a crisis can either make us or break us: The Chinese do not have an alphabet as we know it. Rather than letters, words are represented by symbols. They have an interesting word-symbol for “crisis.” It is a combination of the symbols for “danger” and “opportunity.”

  1. Deal with God in your heart promptly and directly (6b). Remember, things are not as they seem, they are as God says they are!

Pastor Brian Atwood writes: “PUT WORSHIP BEFORE WARFARE. David is well known as a mighty man of warfare. His legendary entry into armed combat takes place against a giant named Goliath. With a sling, and the experience of protecting his father’s flocks against predators like lions and bears, David defeats the monster of a man in front of him. After that David joins Saul’s army and becomes so well known as a warrior that they sing songs about him. But don’t miss the point of David’s entire life. Before anything else – David was a first rate worshipper.

  1. Bring on a godly friend to help offer counsel and direction (7). Wounds cause us to see things in an unclear way, and another set of eyes on the problem can help dramatically!

  1. Seek God’s guidance for help solving all the symptoms beyond what your heart dealt with in step one. (8). Beside settling the past with him (#1), there is the issue of the future…

  1. Obey the direction that God reveals (9a). It seems funny to even mention it, but we will be tempted to go back to our “natural way” of dealing with the problems.
  2. If you led others in the wrong direction, lead them back in the right one (9b-10). Part of taking responsibility is looking at who else was hurt by your bad choices and making it right with them and for them.

  1. Keep the plan adjustable as God reveals more facts (11-16). Don’t set every new decision in stone. It is unwise to make judgments when some facts are not yet clear.

  1. Stand up and fight with all you have for what you believe in (17-20). Things that are important will need to be fought for. The good is the foe of the best!

  1. Walk with integrity even when exhausted (21-22). Don’t get too weary of the right direction. We cannot make the goal by quitting.

  1. Keep acknowledging to yourself and others the source of every victory (23-25). God gives victory. When my choices are right and things work out, it is still because of the Lord and not me!

  1. Share all the accolades of victory with those who need it! (26-31). Look around. Your good fortunes have been bestowed on you to share with others!

(Psalm 50:15) The Lord says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

Remember, depending on how it is handled, a crisis can either make us or break us. Our prompt and proper response to trouble is the key to an outcome that pleases God.

1 Samuel 28:3-25 "The Portrait Hall": The Finish Line

The finish line of a race often yields an interesting and heavily scrutinized picture of the participants of the race. The final frame of choices in the life of King Saul offered the same kind of picture to us. Saul had one last opportunity to show his heart for God. What he showed was the same self will that brought the former prophecy of the kingdom being ripped from his hands. He finished the “choices race” the way he ran much of it – a self reliant, impetuous and inconsistent man. The end was near and he still couldn’t make peace with God.

Key Principle: Eventually the bill comes due for our continued hardness toward God’s truth.

The Conditions (28:3-5):

  1. Loss: The great influence of a positive spiritual leader was removed and people felt the loss (28:3a).
  2. Memory: There was still the overflow of the positive period of influence, as people benefited from godly choices of that time (28:3b).
  3. External Pressure: Powerful external and potentially devastating new problems were facing the leadership of the nation (28:4).
  4. Self-Doubt: Internally, the leader was plunged into fear and doubt about the future (28:5).

The Decisions (28:6-12):

  1. Cloaked Piety: Having experienced a walk with God some time in the past, the fear-filled leader turned to God as a bail out plan, but God delayed an answer (28:6). Why? Note that God knows our hearts, and knows if we are asking for US or for HIS WILL. Saul’s past showed his heart, and this new test would as well.
  1. Disobedience: When turning to the Lord did not work the way Saul wanted in the time Saul allotted, he turned from the Scriptures to “plan b” – solving the problem in an unbiblical way (28:7; cp. Lev. 20; Dt. 18). Note how helpful it was to have friends that were so comfortable with ungodly helps!
  1. Deception: Saul knew he was doing wrong, and decided it would somehow work out to deceive others and hide his identity, while asking for help from “spiritual sources” (28:8-9). It is impossible to argue innocence when caught with a mask on!
  1. God Talk: Even in the middle of doing the wrong thing the wrong way, Saul casually invoked his “faith talk” as though there was some reality behind his adherence to God and God’s Word! Note how easily he refers to a God he isn’t following at all! (28:10-11).
  1. Contradiction: The woman didn’t know Saul personally, but new his public testimony by the laws of the past. She was unable to understand why the same king that outlawed her craft was now secretly acting inconsistently with the command. When we act differently than we preach, we confuse and dishearten people (28:12).

Getting to the Truth (28:13-19):

  1. Recognition of the Place of Truth: When Saul perceived that Samuel was before him, he felt responsible to show honor to the prophet in order to get direction (28:13-14). Understanding of where truth is found precedes hearing it as truth. Look in the wrong place, and you will not get the needed answer!
  1. Wise Counsel: Samuel (or this one who spoke as Samuel) asked the right questions and directed Saul to the right answer. The first question was “Why call on me?” (15). The second was “Why me if NOT God?” Wise counsel directs us back to facing what God is doing, not using God talk to justify what WE want to do. (28:15-16).
  1. Context: Truth must be understood in the context it is given. Saul needed to be reminded lest he charge God with injustice, that his past choices led to his present troubles (28:17-19).

Response to Hard Truth (28:20-25):

  1. Shock: When the cost of our sin is clear to us, we are surprised, shocked and even broken. All that we had been doing breaks down, and we feel inadequate to keep going (28:20).
  1. Accepting Help: Others around us cannot take away the inner pain of our realization that we have caused our own failure. They can feel for us and offer help, but they cannot make the pain go away (28:21-25)

A Note of Real Hope

The only hope we have in the pain of paying the consequences of our own actions is finding a substitute to pay the penalty for us! The Bible calls Jesus a “satisfying substitute”:

Ro 3:25 God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

Heb 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

1Jo 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1Jo 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Eventually the bill comes due for our continued hardness toward God’s truth. The good news is YOU don’t have to pay it!