Devotionary

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Ep 593 – 1 Samuel 17:31-40 Aug 01, 2018

Show notes

David and Goliath. Those two names are so familiar to us that we almost always associate them with some moral story about facing the giants in life. And when we do, we forget the context of the original event and the true message that God is trying to convey through the lives of these two men. As we so often do, we take the stories found in the Old Testament and make them all about the individual involved. We stress the faith of Abraham and then try to emulate it. We study the leadership skills of Moses and attempt to apply them in our business. We read about David facing a literal giant in his life and we try to turn it into a lesson on fearlessness and faithfulness against all odds. And it's not that we're wrong for doing so. It's just that we tend to miss the point of the passage. The story of David and Goliath is not really about either man. They aren't the stars of this drama, God is. Yes, this is a story about insurmountable odds, formidable foes, and unlikely victories. But it's also about the power of God. David was a shepherd boy. Goliath was a larger-than-life, battle-seasoned warrior. But David had something Goliath didn't have. And it wasn't his faith. It was his God.

Ep 591 – 1 Samuel 17:19-30 Jul 31, 2018

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David has showed up at the front lines of battle, where the army of Israel is facing the Philistines and their larger-than-life champion, Goliath. And David is appalled at what he finds. Not a single man is willing to stand up to the taunts of the Philistine warrior, and take his challenge to hand-to-hand combat. Everyone is in fear and afraid to risk a confrontation with what appears to be an unbeatable foe. But in 1 Samuel 17:19-30, David will express his dismay at the lack of action on the part of Saul and his troops, including his older brother, Eliab. He will accuse David of showing up unannounced and without the permission of their father. In essence, he accuses David of shirking his shepherding duties at home. But, in reality, David had been sent by his father and, as the rest of the story unfolds, he was on a mission for God. This young, seemingly insignificant shepherd was going to do what no one else was willing to do: Stand up to the enemies of God in the power of God. And he would do so not for promise of reward, but to protect the name of his God.

Ep 590 – 1 Samuel 17:1-18 Jul 30, 2018

Show notes

David had the anointing of the Holy Spirit and had been designated by God to be the next king of Israel. But, there was only one problem. Saul was still the official king. While God had removed His Spirit from Saul, He had not yet chosen to remove Saul from the throne. And God, in His inimitable way, chose to place David in the employment of the man he would eventually replace. But David was already setting himself apart as a man of valor. And in 1 Samuel 17:1-18, we have the opening of one of the most famous stories regarding David, his confrontation with Goliath, the Philistine champion. David, when not serenading the emotionally disturbed king by playing his lyre, was busy shepherding his father's flocks. But God had something significant for David to do. He was about to confront one of the most ominous and intimidating enemies that Israel had ever seen. When the king was too afraid to stand up to the giant, Goliath, David would reveal his faith in God and his willingness to trust in the power of God. This young shepherd boy would display a courage and conviction that would put the king to shame and the enemies of Israel to flight. The least-expected was about to do the unexpected.

Ep 589 – 1 Samuel 16:11-23 Jul 29, 2018

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David, the youngest of all Jesse's sons, was a lowly shepherd, designated with the responsibility to care for the flocks and herds belonging to the family. In fact, when the prophet had shown up at Jesse's home, David had not even been included in the gathering of all the sons. Instead, he hadh been left to tend the sheep. But when God had refused to accept any of the sons of Jesse as the next king of Israel, the prophet demanded that David be brought before him. And the rest, they say, is history. David would be anointed by Samuel, in the presence of his father and brothers. But it is not clear whether anyone but the prophet knew the significance of all that was taking place. One of the remarkable aspects of this story, found in 1 Samuel 16:11-23, is that David, upon his anointing with oil, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He had been divinely ordained by God to be the next king of Israel and had received the power of God in the form of the Spirit of God. But oddly enough, David didn't ascend to the throne. He went to work for King Saul, the man he was to replace. And it would be years before he would ever bear the title, King of Israel. Because, despite the calling of God and his anointing with the Spirit of God, David was not yet ready to lead the people of God.

Ep 589 – 1 Samuel 16:1-11 Jul 28, 2018

Show notes

Today we begin a new series on the life of David. Over the next few months we are going to be looking into the books of 1st and 2nd Samuel and 1st Kings as we unpack the life of this incredible character from the Old Testament. We'll open up in this episode with God sending His prophet, Samuel, to the house of Jesse in order to select a successor for the disobedient King Saul. We are first introduced to David in 1 Samuel 16:1-11. And interestingly enough, he's almost a no-show in this passage, having been left in the fields by his father, relegated to tending sheep while Jesse and his older sons entertain the prophet of God. This passage presents an interesting contrast, revealing a marked difference between God's viewpoint and that of men. Samuel has been commanded by God to anoint the next king of Israel, whom God Himself had already chosen. But Samuel was in the dark as to who this new king might be. So, he went with his instincts and looked for the man who looked the part. He judged by outward appearances, falling into the old trap of judging a book by its cover. But God intervened and insisted that His choice would be unexpected and he would be a man after His own heart.

Ep 588 – Ephesians 6:10-24 Jul 27, 2018

Show notes

As Paul sums up his thoughts in Ephesians 6:10-24, he calls on his audience to be strong and in the strength of His might. He isn't telling them to gut it up, He's encouraging them to look up, to Jesus. They must recognize that their strength is in Him. Their hope is in Him. And their guarantee of eternity is completely up to Him. Paul reminds them that they are in a battle and it is not against earthly enemies. It is against spiritual forces that operate in the invisible realm, but who are anything but figments of men's imaginations. They are evil and they are powerful. But we do not have to fear them. We have been provided all the armor we need to do battle with the enemy. But Paul reminds his readers, and us, that we do not fight alone. We are in this together, with Christ, but also alongside every other child of God. We make up a divine army that answers to the Lord of Hosts. We get our marching orders from Him. We fight in His name and according to His strength. And we do so, side by side, with every other believer. We are brothers in arms, not independent free-agents, operating as some kind of spiritual mercenaries for hire. We are called to fight together, not alone.

Ep 587 – Ephesians 5:21-6:9 Jul 26, 2018

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Submission. To many modern Christians, that might as well be a four-letter word. It carries the same impact and is viewed with the same degree of negativity. And yet, the Bible is replete with calls to submission. In fact, in Ephesians 5:21-6:9, Paul addresses this volatile topic in conjunction with his discussion of Spirit-filled living. He is out to change the way the believers in Ephesus thought about righteousness and its practical applications to all of life, including their relationships with others. Godly living was about far more than keeping a set of rules or maintaining a list of dos and don'ts. It was about life change. And for Paul, it was about a life of submission, first and foremost to God, but also to all those around you. Paul didn't see submission as a dirty word or some kind of call to subservience and subjugation. It was an expression of love for God and others. Submission involves humility and requires selflessness. It operates under the mindset that all we do is to be done as to the Lord. Is it natural? Far from it. It goes against every part of our fallen human nature. But it is anything but a dirty word. It is God's call upon His children and is only possible through His Spirit.

Ep 586 – Ephesians 5:15-20 Jul 25, 2018

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Living the Christ-like life is all about control. The question has to do with who is in control. Far too often, even the most well-intentioned believers find themselves fighting for control of their lives rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to guide, direct and empower all that they do. And for Paul, living the Christian life was impossible without submission to the Spirit's control. He alone provides us with the strength and the resources we need to live in keeping with God's will and in step with Christ's example. In Ephesians 5:15-20, Paul reminds us that we live in evil days, when there are countless forms of opposition that make our pursuit of righteousness impossible – unless we are relying on the indwelling power of the Spirit. Our will is no match for the flesh, the world and the enemy. We don't stand a chance unless we choose to be filled with the Spirit. And it is a daily choice. It is a matter of control. Doing God's will is only possible when we are controlled by God's Spirit. He alone can help us walk wisely, righteously, obediently, joyfully and in humility.

Ep 585 – Ephesians 5:1-17 Jul 24, 2018

Show notes

Light and dark. Sin and righteousness. These are key themes in Paul's letter as he addresses the believers in Ephesus. He is calling them to live according to their calling as sons and daughters of God. They are to be holy as God is holy. They are to live righteously, according to the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them. In fact, Paul tells them that they are to imitate God. That's a lofty ideal. But even more than that, they are to love in the same way that Christ did: Sacrificially and selflessly. Their lives are to be dramatically different than those of the lost who live all around them. Darkness and unrighteousness characterized their pagan neighbors who knew nothing about Jesus Christ and were still separated from God because of their sins. But they had been brought near by the grace of God and been made children of God. So, in Ephesians 5:1-14, Paul calls on them to as lights in the midst of a dark world. They were to expose sin by living in the light of God's Word and in the power of God's Spirit. Their righteous behavior would act as a bright light, illuminating the darkness and decadence that permeated their city, resulting in conviction of sin and attracting others to the forgiveness available in Christ.

Ep 584 – Ephesians 4:17-32 Jul 23, 2018

Show notes

Self-improvement is a hot topic in our culture. Books and seminars abound on the topic and social media is rife with advertorials lauding the latest diet, exercise program, or business strategy designed to produce a new and improved you. And even within Christian circles, we hear a lot about the topic of self-improvement, from sermons that offer five keys to a better life to books that provide simple steps to increased spirituality. And while Paul was a big fan of spiritual self-improvement, he knew that the self had little to do with it. It was the work of the Spirit of God. So, in Ephesians 4:17-32 he encourages his readers to put off the old self and to put on the new self. He demands that they live differently and distinctively, in keeping with their new status as God's children. But he also reminds them that the Holy Spirit is the key to their inner transformation and the power that makes possible any changes to their external behavior. He expected them to live dramatically different lives, but not based on self-effort. He was calling for complete reliance upon the Spirit of God so that they might live as sons and daughters of God.

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