1 Samuel_26
Psalms_80
Scripture
Psalm 80:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand, the son of man you have raised up for yourself.
18 Then we will not turn away from you; revive us, and we will call on your name.
Observation
David crying out once again. Feeling as though he’s on the outs with God and seeking, crying out for restoration. He recounts that they were set apart – pulled out of Egypt. Acknowledges the “wins” provided by God (v 9-11)…but then asks why God has now turned away and asks Him to return.
Understanding
Just like last week…this verse speaks to me because I feel it’s representative of our church and, in this particular case, of PG’s heart. He’s been so open and honest with us about his own crying out and how God has restored his hope and confirmed His word, His vision that He gave to PG long ago. And, perhaps, now we are in the time where God is resting His hand upon the leaders that He’s raised up in our church. He’s reviving us, breathing life into dry bones and we are calling on His name.
Life Application
As I read today, it came heavy on my heart to be praying for the leaders within our church. We are so crazy blessed with dedicated, solid, talented leaders – prayer warriors, passionate speakers and worshipers with their ears turned to God who exemplify the Christian walk. Let’s lift them up. Cover them. Bless them. God has cast a mighty vision over His people and over THIS church…so, of course, the enemy is eager to steal, kill and destroy that plan – whether through temptations or distraction or whatever else he may attempt. We know God is all powerful, but the human flesh is week. May we lift each other and all those on the “front lines” up.
God, thank you for your covering over your children. Thank you that you love us enough to call us out, set us apart, gift us, empower us…all for Your honor and Your glory. Put Your hedge of protection around us, rest Your hand upon us and help to reorient our focus to you as many times as it takes…so that Your will be done in the areas of influence where you’ve placed us.
In Your Name, I pray.
Rei
1 Samuel_24
1 Samuel_23
Scripture
1 Samuel 23
4 Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.”
13 So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place.
16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.
Observation – What does it say?
David heard the Philistines were bullying Keilah, a city in the lowlands of Judah, and needed to be stopped. So David asked the Lord if he would give the Philistines into his hand, God said yes, and he did some major damage to the Philistines. They even left with the livestock (bbq items to celebrate the victory I guess). Soon after he gets word that Saul is coming for his life… again 🙁
Understanding – What does it mean?
Celebrate your victory, keep moving toward God’s promises, and surround yourself with godly people who believe God’s word for you!
Isn’t that so how it is! We have this incredible victory in our lives that God totally gave to us then the enemy is right there to let us know he’s still coming for us! I mean WhatTheHeck! I was victorious! I just did a 28 day fast with my church and the Holy Spirit came, amazing things were happening in my family, strongholds were broken and lives were changed and…here comes the enemy sending word that he’s got us on his radar and he’s coming for us 🙁 to top it off, the people in the city David just fought for, Keilah, were going to turn him over to Saul! ShakingMyHead…You do the right thing and still it seems you come out the loser.
But David kept moving,
It could have been so easy for him to stop,get down on himself, and let the enemy have his way but he kept moving in the direction of what the Lord had spoke over his life, to be king of Israel. And just when he needed it here comes Jonathan to lift up his Spirit! Yes, Thank you! I think God sent Jonathan to him.
1 Samuel 23:17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” 18 The two of them made a covenant before the Lord. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.
Jonathan, a loyal friend came to remind him of his future because God said it and no matter what…it was going to be so! He encouraged David to have faith, to stay strong, and to keep going.
Life Application – How can I apply this today?
We will have victories! We will be sought after by the enemy…BUT God has plans for us with a hope and a future, to prosper us and not to harm us!
We must keep moving toward His word and His promises. Keep reading our bible, keep cranking up that worship music, keep clinging to Him in the midst of adversity!
And… Here is where some of the best magic happens…Let ourselves be surrounded by the body of Christ. Let godly people that God has brought to us, (hint: DSC), speak life to us, encourage us, sharpen us, and remind us of God’s promises in our lives.
Father, thank you for the victories, be with us in our difficult times, strengthen us to keep moving toward your word for us, and direct us to build godly relationships where we can cheer each other on toward the prize and run the race together! In Jesus’s name Amen!
Psalm 77
Scripture
Psalm 77: 11-12 (NIV)
Observation
Understanding
God is with us always! Not only when times are good and we feel blessed, but in every aspect of our life.
Habakkuk 3: 17-18 (NIV) 17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Rejoice in the waiting!
At DSC we stand by the idea that “the best is yet to come!” It’s one thing to say it, but it’s another to believe it. Push aside fears and anxieties of the tough times and lean into God’s goodness and faithfulness. He’s never failed and He has a plan and purpose in everything.
-Allison Khan
Psalm_76
“You are radiant with light, more majestic than mountains rich with game. The valiant lie plundered, they sleep their last sleep; not one of the warriors can lift his hands. At your rebuke, God of Jacob, both horse and chariot lie still. It is you alone who are to be feared. Who can stand before you when you are angry? From heaven you pronounced judgment, and the land feared and was quiet— when you, God, rose up to judge, to save all the afflicted of the land. Surely your wrath against mankind brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.”
Observation-What does it say?
If I was to title this psalm, I would title it the greatness of our God. The Psalmist describes the Lord as radiant, majestic, the only One to be feared.
Understanding-What does it mean?
The greatness of our God is what makes Him worthy of our fear (aka respect).
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”`
Matthew 10:28 NIV
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Proverbs 9:10 NIV
The definition of fear from the Oxford dictionary is: an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
When used as a verb, the definition is: be afraid of (someone or something) as likely to be dangerous, painful, or threatening.
When we hear the word fear, it emotes feelings of anxiety, being scared of something/someone, being manipulated to do something we don’t want to do, etc. However, God doesn’t want us to fear him in the sense of being afraid of Him.
God’s character is nothing like the traits of the type of people or things to be afraid of. His character is always motivated by love and as Scripture says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.”
1 John 4:18-19 NIV
Because we are in awe of Who He is and His character, and because He first loved us, we choose to respect (fear) Him.
Life Application
Fear of the Lord can be likened to honor and respect towards someone we trust. Also, honor and respect is not just believable through words, but actual works. If my kids don’t honor or respect me, there will be consequences. If I don’t love my kids, take advantage of my authority over them and promote them to anger all the time, there will be consequences in the sense that they won’t trust me. Also, that type of parenting is more of a dictatorship and is discouraged-(see Ephesians 6:4.)
If I don’t honor and respect my husband, there are consequences, and vice versa if I don’t feel loved by my husband. If I don’t honor or respect by boss, there are consequences and vice versa if I feel mistreated as an employee. I’m sure you get the picture.
The God of this universe is not only amazing because He’s Creator and the Great I Am. He’s amazing because He loved us first and did all the work on the front end of our relationship in order to make it easier to fear/respect and trust Him. Let’s give Him all the fear, honor, glory, worship and obedience that He’s due! Let’s surrender our whole lives to Him and His Spirit’s work in us everyday!
Song: Great I Am by Phillips, Craig and Dean https://youtu.be/y_VR-zwp2KA
-Michelle Gaddi
Psalm_75
Scripture
Psalm 75:1 (NKJV)
1 We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks!
For your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.
Observation
I forever love David’s heart; he’s up, down, open, honest, raw.
In Chapter 75, he starts with giving thanks – written as plural, not just David but those in his kingdom, the congregation – and said twice for emphasis – that they gladly give thanks.
“We should praise God again and again. Stinted gratitude is ingratitude. For infinite goodness there should be measureless thanks.” (Spurgeon)
The second part of the verse give us the backstory…there’s ALWAYS stuff to give thanks for; but, here, it was because God was near and this was evident through His wonderous works.
“The name of God is said to be near, because it had come into public notice, and was in every mind and every tongue—opposed to what is unknown and obscure, which is said to be far remote.” (Venema, cited in Spurgeon)
“The reason for rejoicing lies in the manifest presence of God proclaimed and celebrated in the stories of God’s mighty acts. In remembrance and retelling of the history of salvation lies the comforting affirmation of God’s closeness to his people.” (VanGemeren)
The chapter goes on to speak of God’s judgment (in His time), speak to the proud and remind that exaltation come from God alone (stay humble).
Understanding
This verse stuck out to me because I feel it rings true for our church today. God is near! We’re seeing His wondrous works, experiencing His presence.
So it would follow that we must…
1) Give thanks!
2) Tell and retell of His manifest presence…not in a “hyped up” way but in the true, honest, raw way that David maintains throughout Psalms and in the way the “church of Acts” did.
3) Stay humble. Remember that God exalts and takes down.
Life Application
God, I’m grateful to be alive in a time where your presence is drawing near – a reminder that your power and presence are not just things from the past, written onto thin pages of a book from long ago, but that You are ALIVE TODAY! Thank You for using us, for moving through us and for showing us you are near. May we remain open, obedient and ready to be used in ways big and small.
In Your Name, I pray.
Rei
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1 Samuel_19
Scripture: 1 Samuel 19:23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth.
Observation-What does it say?: David, having found favor in God’s sight, has become prosperous in everything he does. Saul sees this and is threatened, to the point where he is now trying to secure his place as king through killing David. But, God’s plans are not our plans, and He secures the leaders and governments according to His will. So when Saul goes out to Naioth with the intention to kill David himself, he is captured by God’s spirit. “So irresistible is the power of the Spirit of God that not only is Saul’s evil plan frustrated, but the king himself becomes ‘infected’.”*
Understanding-What does it mean?: I was sitting there, drinking my shake and minding my own business, when this guy walks up and starts yelling at me and the group of high school kids I was with. This guy was irate and apparently felt severely disrespected. Not only that, he was completely concerned that one of our group was “looking” at him the wrong way. I’m still not sure exactly what that means. I was one of the adult “leaders” of the youth group at the church I was attending at the time, and had accompanied a few of the kids to In-N-Out that night.
Not wanting to set a bad example for the kids, I decided it wouldn’t be a good idea to try and start a fight with someone who was clearly not using the soft tissue between his ears. But, I still attempted to appeal to his more civilized side. While sitting there, I looked at him and said, “We really don’t want any trouble, could you just leave us alone?” The thing that stands out the most from that night was the loud and distinct sound my nose made as I blocked his fist with my face. As red fluid began pouring out of my nostrils, the gentleman is running away saying “Peckerwoods!” (some fraternity he belongs to I guess). This is when I realize my nose is broken.
Fast-forward about six months. I walk into church with the same group of kids and who do I see, but the gentleman from the bird-watching society. His hands are lifted and he is singing the same worship song as I am. I could clearly see a peace on his face that was not there on the night he introduced himself so abruptly.
God has a funny way of revealing himself to us. His power can overcome any and all evil. We have no need to fear those who can only kill us, because they can’t separate us from God. Paul told us in Romans 8:31 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Therefore, we know we can proceed to follow God through all the scariest of things, even crazy bird lovers and people who are trying to kill us with spears.
Life Application: Jesus, what do I have to fear? There is nothing greater than your love for me. You alone bore the weight of my sin in order to bring into your covenant. Help me to be infected with the Holy Spirit in a way that will be contagious to those around me. I pray that Your will be done in my life and in the world, as it is in Heaven.
*Zondervan Handbook to the Bible (1999) p.262
1 Samuel_18
Scripture
1 Samuel 18:23
But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
Observation – What does it say?
Saul intended to give David his daughter in marriage, and ordered his attendants to encourage David to marry her. However, David was hesitant. Not because she was ugly or annoying, but because he didn’t feel worthy of marrying royalty.
Understanding – What does it mean?
God exalts the humble.
David amazes me! He had killed Goliath and in turn saved a nation, the people sang songs about him, exalting him above the king, he led troops into battle and was victorious every time, everyone loved him (except Saul), he succeeded at everything he did (see 1 Samuel 18:14) and the princess was in love with him.
With all this, how did David not get prideful? He was the man! Most men in his position would not hesitate to marry her. In all their success most men would feel entitled to have whoever they wanted, and probably be eyeing the throne as well. But not David. He experienced time and again the truth of Jesus’ words, long before they were uttered:
Matthew 23:12 …those who humble themselves will be exalted.
The only way David could respond that way to Saul’s attendants, after experiencing so much fame and success, is because he recognized that God was behind it all. It wasn’t his gifts, strengths, talents or wisdom that led to his exalting. He approached every challenge the same way he approached Goliath, in the name of the Lord. And when he succeeded he gave the glory to God.
Life Application
Be humble! Recognize anything good that has come from me or through me has been 100% initiated and carried out by God.
God is moving in our church. He is going to be using you and me in more and more ways and will increase our influence and favor. He is with us, as he was with David, and so we can expect to find success at the things we’re putting our hands to. After every victory, every success, every compliment, it’s so important that the next time we are alone with God, we get on our knees and give God the glory for all of it.
– Levi Thompson
1 Samuel_17
