1 Samuel 17:4-5 MKJV
(4) And a champion named Goliath came out of the Philistines camp; he was from Gath. His height was six cubits and a span.
(5) And a bronze helmet was on his head, and he was armed with scaled armor. And the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze.
Most Christians learn the story of Goliath in Sunday school. There are some very profound things to note about the description of Goliath, particularly the 6's that describe various parts of his equipment. I would like to point out his armor. It was scale armor. This devil-man was armed like a serpent.
Genesis 3:15 MKJV
(15) And I will put enmity between you (serpent) and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.
The Seed of the woman is Jesus, our Rock. He was polished smooth in the stream of the Holy Spirit. We are His brothers, still waiting in the pouch for our chance to fell the next giant.
Showing posts with label David. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Opportunities May Knock
Pro 4:3-5 ESV
(3) When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
(4) he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
(5) Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Who wrote this passage? Solomon. Is it ironic that David instructed Solomon in his youth to pursue wisdom? Solomon was prepared, should the opportunity ever arise, to make a wise choice. God gave him the opportunity because he was prepared for it.
Prepare yourself for the opportunities you'd like to see come your way. If you're prepared for nothing, expect to see it.
(3) When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother,
(4) he taught me and said to me, "Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.
(5) Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth.
Who wrote this passage? Solomon. Is it ironic that David instructed Solomon in his youth to pursue wisdom? Solomon was prepared, should the opportunity ever arise, to make a wise choice. God gave him the opportunity because he was prepared for it.
Prepare yourself for the opportunities you'd like to see come your way. If you're prepared for nothing, expect to see it.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Waiting On God
1Sa 16:11-13 ESV
(11) Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here."
(12) And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."
(13) Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
This was the point where David was anointed King of Israel by Samuel the prophet. Saul, the current king, had disobeyed God and had turned his heart from God, so God took his anointing from Saul.
Here's the question: what did David do after Samuel left?
Here's the answer: he went back to tending his sheep.
It was literally years before David sat upon the throne of Israel, even though God had chosen him for the job. Saul continued to reign - ineffectively - chasing David because of jealousy and satisfying the demands of his own ego.
Do you sense God calling you to something? Something big? Are you ready to step into it, or is there a spiritual training camp you need to attend? Don't step into anything until God says you're ready - even if you know He has called you. Make sure, above all, that you have been walking under God's authority, which typically starts by placing yourself under the mentor-ship of someone in your church! If you cannot submit to authority, you will never be placed in authority.
(11) Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your sons here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here."
(12) And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for this is he."
(13) Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.
This was the point where David was anointed King of Israel by Samuel the prophet. Saul, the current king, had disobeyed God and had turned his heart from God, so God took his anointing from Saul.
Here's the question: what did David do after Samuel left?
Here's the answer: he went back to tending his sheep.
It was literally years before David sat upon the throne of Israel, even though God had chosen him for the job. Saul continued to reign - ineffectively - chasing David because of jealousy and satisfying the demands of his own ego.
Do you sense God calling you to something? Something big? Are you ready to step into it, or is there a spiritual training camp you need to attend? Don't step into anything until God says you're ready - even if you know He has called you. Make sure, above all, that you have been walking under God's authority, which typically starts by placing yourself under the mentor-ship of someone in your church! If you cannot submit to authority, you will never be placed in authority.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Don't Agree With the Devil
1Sa 27:1 ESV
(1) Then David said in his heart, "Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand."
If you read the story of David, especially in the early going up until this passage, you will notice that there is nothing but David's faith and God's deliverance. David's faith.... God's deliverance... and the promises of God to establish David as king of Israel. This was all a done deal. Saul was bi-polar. He was hurling javelins at David one minute, crying and begging for forgiveness the next. Through all of this, David kept his eyes on God and God delivered.
But David grew tired of running. With fatigue comes weakness of spirit, and that's when the enemy whispers in our ear the loudest. David said in his heart, "One of these days, Saul is going to kill me." The devil finally got a public declaration out of David - an agreement, and even though this declaration never came to pass, it had quite the effect on him.
He moved in with the Philistines. He moved to Gath - the very place Goliath lived because he knew Saul would not follow him into enemy territory. How popular could David have been? He'd killed the most famous person to ever come from Gath. From this action, a number of near-disastrous events occurred. However, God faithfully continued to deliver David.
Take comfort that even the greatest men of the Bible were beaten down from time to time. They, too, made silly decisions at times. But God never let them down. Lean on the promises of God in your life. What are they? Recite them. When you're beaten down, immerse yourself in His Word. When we can hear Him, then we can't hear the enemy.
(1) Then David said in his heart, "Now I shall perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand."
If you read the story of David, especially in the early going up until this passage, you will notice that there is nothing but David's faith and God's deliverance. David's faith.... God's deliverance... and the promises of God to establish David as king of Israel. This was all a done deal. Saul was bi-polar. He was hurling javelins at David one minute, crying and begging for forgiveness the next. Through all of this, David kept his eyes on God and God delivered.
But David grew tired of running. With fatigue comes weakness of spirit, and that's when the enemy whispers in our ear the loudest. David said in his heart, "One of these days, Saul is going to kill me." The devil finally got a public declaration out of David - an agreement, and even though this declaration never came to pass, it had quite the effect on him.
He moved in with the Philistines. He moved to Gath - the very place Goliath lived because he knew Saul would not follow him into enemy territory. How popular could David have been? He'd killed the most famous person to ever come from Gath. From this action, a number of near-disastrous events occurred. However, God faithfully continued to deliver David.
Take comfort that even the greatest men of the Bible were beaten down from time to time. They, too, made silly decisions at times. But God never let them down. Lean on the promises of God in your life. What are they? Recite them. When you're beaten down, immerse yourself in His Word. When we can hear Him, then we can't hear the enemy.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Stepping Into The Prophetic
Regarding prophecies, there are a couple of types that come to mind. There is that which is fore-ordained. God has said it, and He will not 'repent' of it, therefore it WILL be. Bank on it. If we read Revelation, we see a solid twenty two chapters of that which will be, period. There is nothing that can happen that will prevent Jesus Christ from accepting the deed to the creation He has purchased. We will rule and reign with Him. There will be great tribulation on the earth. You get the point.
However, when you have a word prophesied over you, realize that you must step into it. Many of the prophecies in the Old Testament were given as a warning to Israel. Rarely were the prophets popular for this reason. Literally, the word to Israel was often 'turn or burn'. Sometimes they turned. Sometimes they burned. But as a people they stepped into the prophetic. They had a say.
1Sa 23:10-14 LITV
(10) And David said, O Jehovah the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.
(11) Will the masters of Keilah shut me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? I pray You, Jehovah the God of Israel, tell your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
(12) And David said, Will the masters of Keilah shut me and my men up into Saul's hand? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up.
(13) And David and his men, about six hundred men, rose up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he ceased to go out.
(14) And David stayed in the wilderness, in the strongholds. And he stayed in the hill, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his days. And God did not give him into his hand.
In this example, the very word from God was: The citizens will give you over to your enemy, Saul. It was prophesied by God. David could have stepped into this, but heeding the word of God, he chose to run to the desert, and nothing prophesied came to pass.
If it has been prophesied in your life that you will be a great man or woman of God, and that you will lead many to Jesus, you need to understand that this will not come to pass in front of your PlayStation. It's difficult to reach people for the Kingdom if you invest nothing in the Kingdom. We must press in. We must be serious. We must be zealous. We must be intentional.
However, when you have a word prophesied over you, realize that you must step into it. Many of the prophecies in the Old Testament were given as a warning to Israel. Rarely were the prophets popular for this reason. Literally, the word to Israel was often 'turn or burn'. Sometimes they turned. Sometimes they burned. But as a people they stepped into the prophetic. They had a say.
1Sa 23:10-14 LITV
(10) And David said, O Jehovah the God of Israel, Your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.
(11) Will the masters of Keilah shut me up into his hand? Will Saul come down as Your servant has heard? I pray You, Jehovah the God of Israel, tell your servant. And Jehovah said, He will come down.
(12) And David said, Will the masters of Keilah shut me and my men up into Saul's hand? And Jehovah said, They will shut you up.
(13) And David and his men, about six hundred men, rose up and left Keilah, and went wherever they could go. And it was told to Saul that David had escaped from Keilah. And he ceased to go out.
(14) And David stayed in the wilderness, in the strongholds. And he stayed in the hill, in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him all his days. And God did not give him into his hand.
In this example, the very word from God was: The citizens will give you over to your enemy, Saul. It was prophesied by God. David could have stepped into this, but heeding the word of God, he chose to run to the desert, and nothing prophesied came to pass.
If it has been prophesied in your life that you will be a great man or woman of God, and that you will lead many to Jesus, you need to understand that this will not come to pass in front of your PlayStation. It's difficult to reach people for the Kingdom if you invest nothing in the Kingdom. We must press in. We must be serious. We must be zealous. We must be intentional.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Playing It Safe
1 Samuel 22:5 MKJV
(5) And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth.
When David was on the run from Saul, he left the cave of Adullam and went to Moab, seeking shelter from the king. God sent His prophet, Gad, to tell David to move on.
There are safe places for us to stay - thankfully - where we can rest spiritually, physically, and emotionally. In the embrace of our church family is such a stronghold. However, it's very easy to live within the confines of the church walls and never stray outside. We get complacent. Our Christian walk is only on sanctuary carpet. If this has been your walk, God says it's time to move on. Yes, there are risks outside, but with no risk there is no reward. God's plan for us rarely involves us being stagnant. His kingdom is constantly moving forward. Are we moving forward with it?
(5) And the prophet Gad said to David, Do not stay in the stronghold. Leave and go into the land of Judah. And David left and came into the forest of Hareth.
When David was on the run from Saul, he left the cave of Adullam and went to Moab, seeking shelter from the king. God sent His prophet, Gad, to tell David to move on.
There are safe places for us to stay - thankfully - where we can rest spiritually, physically, and emotionally. In the embrace of our church family is such a stronghold. However, it's very easy to live within the confines of the church walls and never stray outside. We get complacent. Our Christian walk is only on sanctuary carpet. If this has been your walk, God says it's time to move on. Yes, there are risks outside, but with no risk there is no reward. God's plan for us rarely involves us being stagnant. His kingdom is constantly moving forward. Are we moving forward with it?
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Feet Like A Deer
Psa 18:32-33 LITV
(32) It is God who girds me with strength and gives my way to be perfect;
(33) setting my feet like the deer, and making me stand on my high places;
Have you ever watched the Green Planet Discover Channel series? What awesome photography and cinematography! Sometimes the information is lacking, but the production is stunning.
Did you see the one where the snow leopard is chasing the mountain goat? It's like... in the Himalaya's or some place like that - where any wrong move or mis-step means certain death. The cat chases this goat hundreds of feet up and down a cliff-face that would be unnavigable to a human. The goat escapes, somehow, and the cat is left forlorn without his dinner.
Can you imagine being able to walk on such terrain? What about 'running' on such terrain?
God says that troubles and trials will come. David had sense enough to ask of God - please Lord give me the FEET to be able to travel the paths you have set before me. After all, even for a goat - it's easier to walk across a plain than a mountain range. But when the rocks come, the goats don't sweat it. They can navigate. They can cope.
God, give us feet to navigate the roads in front of us, because we know it's not always your will to remove the road, or to send us around the other way.
(32) It is God who girds me with strength and gives my way to be perfect;
(33) setting my feet like the deer, and making me stand on my high places;
Have you ever watched the Green Planet Discover Channel series? What awesome photography and cinematography! Sometimes the information is lacking, but the production is stunning.
Did you see the one where the snow leopard is chasing the mountain goat? It's like... in the Himalaya's or some place like that - where any wrong move or mis-step means certain death. The cat chases this goat hundreds of feet up and down a cliff-face that would be unnavigable to a human. The goat escapes, somehow, and the cat is left forlorn without his dinner.
Can you imagine being able to walk on such terrain? What about 'running' on such terrain?
God says that troubles and trials will come. David had sense enough to ask of God - please Lord give me the FEET to be able to travel the paths you have set before me. After all, even for a goat - it's easier to walk across a plain than a mountain range. But when the rocks come, the goats don't sweat it. They can navigate. They can cope.
God, give us feet to navigate the roads in front of us, because we know it's not always your will to remove the road, or to send us around the other way.
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