Listening to the Word

1 Chronicles 14-15; Psalms 132; Matthew 18   “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you? In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:33-35 One of the evidences of our salvation is that we live with grateful awareness of Christ’s mercy and forgiveness. When this awareness dims, we have drifted from a gospel-focused life into a self-focused existence. How did we respond the last time someone hurt us, betrayed us, ignored us, or dishonored us? Jesus’ story of the unmerciful servant ends with some very challenging words. He promises us that unforgiveness has consequences that are painful. Our Father in heaven will turn us over to the ‘jailers to be tortured’. Forgiveness is not an option for a Christ-follower. How much physical pain is the fruit of relational unforgiveness? Living a...

Samuel 6; 1 Chronicles 13; Psalms 68; Matthew 17   “Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah…David was afraid of the Lord that day…So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.” 2 Samuel 6:8, 9, 12 David’s emotional journey, from anger and fear toward God and then followed by rejoicing, has been experienced by many who choose to pursue the presence of the Lord. God is holy. His exposure of our sin and rebellion is costly, but worth it. When our sinfulness is exposed, we have a choice: remain stuck in anger and fear, or submit to God’s ways. David offered sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise to God. We have been additionally blessed with the atoning blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sin. We no longer need to live in sin. Jesus offers us freedom, forgiveness, and peace with God. Are we living in the joy of God’s presence, or are we still stuck in rebellion and sin? “Lord Jesus, this d...

2 Samuel 4-5; Psalms 139; Matthew 16   “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will bind my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18, 19 It is the Lord who names us, gives us our assignments in his kingdom, and then gives us the authority to complete those assignments. When we attempt to make a name for ourselves, our work, including vocational ministry, becomes self-serving. When we pursue our own goals in life rather than the Lord’s assignments for us, we fail to leave a lasting legacy. When we try to serve others in our own strength or positional authority, we fail to see the breakthroughs God intends us to experience. Name, assignments, and authority all define the impact of our lives. Are we experiencing the fullness of Christ’s kingdom-mission in our lives? Where is he invitin...

  2 Samuel 3; 1 Chronicles 12; Matthew 15   “Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: ‘We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse!...’” 1 Chronicles 12:18 God has created us to respond to sacrificial challenges with the freewill offering of our lives. There is no greater honor than offering our lives to the Lord Jesus and inviting his Spirit to fill us. We, too, can become mighty men and women of God in service to the Lord. His mission is global and eternal. Many have discovered the deep satisfaction of giving the very best of their time, talents, and treasure to the Lord, and seeing God multiply those gifts many times over. David’s mighty men overthrew kingdoms and fought with courage and valor. “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers” (Ephesians 6:12 KJV) in the mission of making disciples of all nations. Are we with the King? “Lord Jesus, I am with you. All I have is yours, for your glory.”

2 Samuel 2; 1 Chronicles 11; Psalms 142; Matthew 14 “David longed for water and said, ‘Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!’ So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 11:17, 18 David recognized that his personal wants were not worthy of the sacrifice of his men’s lives. In an age where spiritual leaders are attracting a large following, the temptation to misuse authority for personal gain is significant. David’s unguarded musing was interpreted by his men as an assignment worthy of their lives. The fault lay with David, not his men, to accept responsibility for this foolish effort. The only one worthy of the sacrifice of our lives is the Lord Jesus. David’s drink offering redeemed a situation that could have ended as badly as his impulsive counting of Israel’s fig...

Proverbs 1-3; Romans 7   “and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:3-6 Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge are all found in a relationship with the Creator, the Lord God Almighty. It is the Lord who gives wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Do we believe that? Our universities and influential authors promise that we will find all we need at their feet or possibly within ourselves. What do we really believe? Does the One who made the eye and created the cell and the vast universe have anything to teach us? Like Solomon, are we willing to seek the Lord for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding in every area of life, or are we seeking only biblical understanding and knowledge from him? Solomon taught the leaders of ...

  2 Samuel 1; Psalms 140; Matthew 13   “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Matthew 13:44 When we find something worth investing in, there is joy. When we find something with eternal value to invest in, there is great joy. Those with great wealth describe the emptiness of collecting another toy they don’t need. Even those with everything this world can offer search for treasure that money cannot buy. What have we placed value on in our lives? Does the investment of our time, resources, abilities, and passion reflect our true values? Jesus lived in loving surrender and obedience to his Father, the source of all authority in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus invested thirty years of hidden obedience in a workshop because his joy was in obeying the Father, not public ministry. Have we bought the field with eternal treasure, or have we bought treasure, lookin...

1 Samuel 30-31; 1 Chronicles 10; Matthew 12   “But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.” Matthew 12:28, 29 Healing from demonic influence in our lives requires a greater authority than the unclean spirits. Jesus confronted the demonic powers with the Spirit of God, and he gave his disciples the same authority. However, Jesus used strategy in identifying the function or influence that the unclean spirit(s) had in a person’s life (deaf/dumb spirit), starting with the strong man, or most powerful spirit, in the person’s life. Jesus also cautioned against driving out unclean spirits and not filling that space with the Holy Spirit. Unclean spirits can return, looking to re-occupy our lives and bring others with them. We must know our authority in Christ and not just take ground back from the...

1 Samuel 28-29; Psalms 109; Matthew 11   “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it…I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” Matthew 11:12, 25 The paradox of the kingdom of heaven is that forceful men lay hold of it, yet entrance to the kingdom requires child-like faith, humility, and tenacity, in concert with submission and surrender, alongside bold, risk-taking obedience. If the kingdom of heaven does not appear to be advancing within our context, we must ask if we are engaging in the battle. John the Baptist battled with the religious elite of Jerusalem and a religious system of entitlement and hypocrisy. Jesus battles similar forces and the spiritual powers of darkness. Living on mission with Jesus requires the surrender of our will, in humility, like a child in full dependence on our...

1 Samuel 27; Psalms 141; 1 Chronicles 9; Matthew 10   “So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath.” 1 Samuel 27:2 The confidence David had placed in the Lord for his refuge needed to be renewed every day. Yesterday’s victories don’t help us today. David ‘went over’ to the Philistines for refuge from Saul. He replaced the hand of God with the hand of Achish, king of Gath and he replaced the provision of God with his own plunder as he took innocent lives in order to survive. He replaced the shelter of the Most High with Ziklag. What have we traded for our own security? Fear can rob us of our faith and confidence in the Lord. We, too, can make impulsive decisions which affect the lives of those in our care. In what ways are we tempted to ‘go over’ to the enemy’s territory in order to find refuge for the pressures in our lives? “Lord Jesus, you are my refuge. Living according to your ways, under your hand, is my shelter and strong t...

1 Samuel 25-26; Psalms 63; Matthew 9 “So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head…Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was wide space between them.” 1 Samuel 26:12, 13 “Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a [paralyzed man], lying on a mat…” Matthew 9:1, 2 David took Saul’s spear as he slept, the same spear Saul had hurled at him. Instead of engaging Saul in warfare, David “crossed over” to a spacious place and then gently rebuked Saul for his jealous fear and intent to kill. How do we respond when “spears” are thrown at us? Have we crossed over to a higher place, or do we fight flesh and blood? Jesus left his confrontation with the demoniac by crossing over to his home town. When the enemy taunted him, Jesus responded with authority. Jesus didn’t just forgive sin, he took sin upon himself and allowed the “spear of sin” to pierce his side. He died in our place. He...

  1 Samuel 24; Psalms 57-58; 1 Chronicles 8; Matthew 8 “’…I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’” 1 Samuel 24:10 “’…But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.” Matthew 8:8, 9 The anointing of the Holy Spirit on our lives is the most valuable gift God gives his servants. This anointing is for those who submit to the Lord’s authority and give themselves to the Lord’s assignments. David recognized the Lord’s anointing on King Saul. He knew that if he usurped that authority, the Lord’s authority in his own life would be usurped by someone. Jesus commended the centurion who understood and responded to authority with faith. Do we recognize and respond to spiritual authority? Are we seeking the authority of men, or the authority of the Lord? Will we submit to authority with humility? “Lord Jesus, you rebuked sickness, the wind, the waves, and even death. I submit to your autho...

1 Samuel 23; Psalms 31, 54; Matthew 7   “…’Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,’ he inquired of the Lord, saying ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’ The Lord answered him, ‘Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah.’ But David’s men said to him, ‘Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!’” 1 Samuel 23:1-2 When the enemy is robbing our harvest we have a choice: cower in fear or advance in faith. David asked the Lord about this. Prayer is always the best place to start. The need does not constitute the call. David sought the Lord’s will, knowing only God could give the victory.   In the spiritual battles we face for the spiritual harvest in our day, are we seeking the Lord for his direction? David’s men responded with fear, as many do today. Pluralism has cut the ‘tongue’ out of the Church; we fear rejection by men more than we fear the Lord of the harvest.  ...

  1 Samuel 22; Psalms 17, 35; Matthew 6   “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 Worry about having enough, looking attractive enough, planning enough, being healthy enough can   consume a significant amount of energy and focus in our lives. Jesus calls us to place our focus, energy, and resources on seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness. Jesus is our righteousness and the only gate to the kingdom of heaven. Daily seeking to serve Jesus’ kingdom, will, and mission includes loving our neighbors as ourselves, listening for the gentle promptings of the Spirit, and daily surrendering our will to King Jesus. When we live this way, Jesus promises to take care of our needs. Those who seek and live within his kingdom as their first priority, testify that Jesus is faithful to meet every need, and so much more! “Lord Jesus, you are faithful and worth my full attention and focus, for your glory.”

I Samuel 20-21; Psalms 34, Matthew 5 “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34:11-14 David said that the fear of the Lord is the key to enjoying life. What do we imagine when we hear the term ‘fear of the Lord’? Rather than a negative emotion connected to punishment or pain, the fear of the Lord is living in loving surrender to God’s will and his ways. It is reflected in keeping our tongue from evil speech, lies, and untruths. The fear of the Lord means we walk away from evil and instead pursue that which is good. We do good to others and seek peace and pursue it in every area of life. When we do good and pursue peace, the quality of our relationships increases and we positively influence the environment around us. Living in the fear of the Lord means that in this world, w...

  1 Samuel 19: 1 Chronicles 7; Psalms 59, Matthew 4   “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” Matthew 4:8-10 The temptation to value our culture and power above the kingdom of God is still very much alive today. The glory of this world’s kingdoms will fade, while the glory of the kingdom of God is eternal. Jesus knew the pathway to greatness in the kingdom of his Father was at the cross and the denial of self. The same path must be followed by all disciples of Jesus. The kingdom of God is like a rock that struck the statue representing the kingdoms of the world. This rock grew to become a mountain which filled the whole world. Jesus represented that rock on which we can fall and be broken, or eventually be crushed. Jesus...

1 Samuel 18; 1 Chronicles 6; Psalms 11, Matthew 3   “And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. The next day an evil spirit from God came forcefully upon Saul. He was prophesying in his house, while David was playing the harp, as he usually did. Saul had a spear in his hand and he hurled it, saying to himself, ‘I’ll pin David to the wall.’ But David eluded him twice.” 1 Samuel 18:9-11 It is possible to function with the gift of prophesy and other gifts, and still hold bitterness, jealousy, and even murder in our hearts. Like a jar that we fill with water, the gifts of the Spirit are expressed within the container of our character. Jesus, John the Baptist, Paul, and other New Testament writers focused on the heart, character, and life of a disciple. The anointing and gifting of the Spirit is powerful and essential for a fruitful life in mission; however, it is character that determines how the gifts of the Spirit will be used. Saul enjoyed worship and prophesying but th...

  1 Samuel 17; Psalms 9; Matthew 2   “…’You came against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45 “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10 Our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. If we do not know the name of the Lord Almighty personally, we are powerless to resist the enemy. As a young man, David knew the Lord and was filled with the Holy Spirit. He trusted in the Lord and not in his own weapons, skill, strength, or experience. What do we trust in when confronted with significant challenges? We learn God’s name as we learn to know him personally in the many battles of life. The many names of God were revealed to people, just like us, who sought God in their time of need. What spiritual giants are taunting us, and how will we respond? “Lord Jes...

1 Samuel 15-16; 1 Chronicles 5; Matthew 1   “Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, ‘Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor and has turned and gone on down to Gilgal.’…’Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?’ ‘But I did obey the Lord,’ Saul said…” 1 Samuel 15:12, 19, 20 How do we respond when we are confronted with our sin? Defensive attitudes, pride, excuses, and blaming others are all common responses. Saul even honored himself publically, both before and after he was confronted and rebuked. Pride blinds us to our own sin, while humility welcomes rebuke, repents quickly, and learns from each experience. The more public our leadership, the more important our attitude is in responding well to rebuke. Saul enjoyed the plunder of his mission as do many leaders today. Blaming others for decisions related to how that plunder is used is a common deflection...

1 Samuel 14; 1 Chronicles 4; 2 Corinthians 13   “”Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.” “Do all that you have in mind,” his armor-bearer said. “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.”“ ”For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.“ In the face of an overwhelmingly superior army, weaponry and momentum, Jonathan decided to attack the Philistines. He believed that “nothing could hinder the Lord from saving.”   Do we believe that?   His armour bearer was of the same mind.   “Go ahead, I am with you heart and soul.”   We all need friends like that!   Like Jonathan, Paul the apostle was often faced with huge odds against him, and a position of weakness.   Yet ...

  I Samuel 13; I Chronicles 2-3; 2 Corinthians 12   “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” 1 Samuel 13:14 Man looks at the outward appearance; the Lord looks at the heart. God’s call to Saul to lead Israel as their first king was not proceeded by a discipleship or training process where Saul’s heart was tested and exposed. The value Saul placed on obeying the Lord’s command revealed the true state of his heart. When our heart is strongly influenced by fear, we, too, will act impulsively. We, too, will value the opinions of others more than obeying the Lord. In the spiritual warfare of leadership, the nature of our heart is critical to the fruit we will express. God still looks for men and women after his own heart. God’s heart, or nature, is holy. He is righteous. He is just. He is loving. He is humble. He is courageous. His name is Jesus. Th...

I Samuel 11-12; 1 Chronicles 1; 2 Corinthians 11   “I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” 2 Corinthians 11:2 Those in vocational ministry like Paul or John the Baptist are ‘friends of the Bridegroom’ who prepare the bride for her wedding. When the friends of the Bridegroom steal the affections of the bride for their own needs or wants, they betray the Bridegroom. Our jealousy toward the pure devotion of the Bride of Christ is nothing like that of Christ. When we live with insecurity, people pleasing, and the fear of man, we allow our relationship with the church to influence our obedience to Christ. However, when our attention is firmly on Jesus and we live with devotion and obedience to him, our service with the Bride of Christ is by pointing her to the Lord himself. Are we a faithful ‘friend of the Bridegroom’? “Lord Jesus, my attention and focus are on you. Search my heart for a...

  1 Samuel 8-10; 2 Corinthians 10   “But the people refused to listen to Samuel. ‘No!’ they said. ‘We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.’” 1 Samuel 8:19, 20 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:5 The way of this world is to put our hope in a person, rather than in the presence of the Lord to save us and lead us. Our pretension is to trust in something we know and think we can control, rather than surrender our will to God. This spiritual warfare cuts through the center of every human heart and requires the weapons of the Spirit and the gospel to overcome.   In the battleground of our mind will we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ? The victory and freedom we are looking for don’t come from a better human leader; t...

1 Samuel 6-7; Psalms 72; 2 Corinthians 9   “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously…Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion…” 2 Corinthians 9:6, 10, 11 Our generosity points people to God who is more generous than anyone else. As we generously sow seeds of the gospel, faith, encouragement, hope, discipleship, and resources into the lives of others, God generously replenishes our store of seed. Praying for a generous harvest without sowing generously is not consistent. There are times when God calls others to sow generously and we reap their harvest, but that is the exception, not an expectation.   In the West, where the harvest is ‘thin’, are we investing deeply in disciple-making, or are we praying God will s...

  1 Samuel 3-5; Psalms 77; 2 Corinthians 8   “When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, ‘Why did the Lord bring defeat upon us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lords’ covenant from Shiloh, so that it may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.” 1 Samuel 4:3 The elders of Israel thought of the Ark of the Covenant as a good luck charm to ward off their enemies. Cultures around the world believe in superstitions in much the same way. However, the ark was a box with symbols, and it was the presence of the Lord above the ark that was significant. The presence of the Lord was predicated on Israel keeping the covenant. The Lord’s rebuke of Eli for the willful rebellion and blasphemy of his sons indicated that Israel had broken the covenant with the Lord Do we believe that giving to the poor, attending church, and supporting missions will cause God to turn a blind eye toward our sin? There is no good luck charm to ward off th...