How ambitious are you?
How ambitious are you in your walk, your relationships and your profession?
I am taking this holiday break to really think on that thought... I think the way God has wired me that regardless of the area of life I am never satisfied with just existing... being and floating. There is a saying the boy friend of a friend on mine says that I feel at core. "Mani, I don't want to just be an exisiter. Other people can just exist. We have got to live."
Gosh I feel that... and I feel the truth of that statement in multiple areas of my life. Recently I have been taking stock of my world. The two areas that I have been looking at is Faith and Work (yes I know that work is a part of faith but hear me out). I am looking at where do I want to be in my walk (which is not where I am currently at) and where do I see myself professionally (which is slowing moving where I want). I am looking at life and counting the cost... but am I really. Even if I didn't count the cost I would have no choice but to move forward, sorry that's just the way He has made me. So I guess the more honest statement would be this "I am looking at what I need to do personally to keep moving..."
These thoughts are making me examine where I go to church, where I am living, who is my community. These thoughts are making me examine who am I aligning myself with professionally, where should I put my energy in my firm, what type of clients do I take. And the one area that effects both my walk and my profession is this "Who am I aligning myself with romantically? Does this man push me and support me in my walk AND push me and support me in my profession?"
I am glad to be thinking again...
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Prayer
November 1st
Prayer
So tonight we are going to spend a little bit of time in prayer. But before we begin let's talk about one of the models that some people use regarding prayer.
ACTS
That model is the ACTS model. You might have heard people mention this model in passing.
What the ACTS model stands for are some of the different types of prayers that we approach God with. The A stands for Adoration. Meaning taking time to tell God what we love (adore) about Him. It could be the fact that He is ever present (church phrase for that is omnipresence). That He is Love, that He is beautiful to us... We are taking time to say out loud what is good about God.
The C stands for confession. What do we need to put in front of God and confess to him. Remember our study on repentance,? One of the first steps in repenting is to admit, confess, that we have done something wrong.
Next is T, which stands for thanksgiving. What are you thankful to God about? What has He done recently that has affected you? It doesn't matter how big or small the thing you are thanking Him for is. Just thanking Him shows that you understand that He is the one who gave you the good in your life.
S is for supplication. Supplication is another word for telling God “Here is what I need. Will you please act in behalf in this area. Please Lord I need you to do something in this area.” Believe it or not telling God what you need is an act of faith. If we did not believe He could act on our behalf we would never ask for His help.
So take time tonight think about ACTS
A. Adoration: What about God do you love?
C: Confession: What do you need to confess to God, where have you hurt someone, taken something that was not yours or acted only out of your own selfish interest?
T. Thanksgiving: What are you thankful God has done? Is it having a job, a home, the beautiful day, not getting grilled by a co-worker?
S. Supplication: What do you need God to do in your life? Where do you need Him to act? Is it with your work place, living, wisdom on going back to school, classroom.
Prayer
So tonight we are going to spend a little bit of time in prayer. But before we begin let's talk about one of the models that some people use regarding prayer.
ACTS
That model is the ACTS model. You might have heard people mention this model in passing.
What the ACTS model stands for are some of the different types of prayers that we approach God with. The A stands for Adoration. Meaning taking time to tell God what we love (adore) about Him. It could be the fact that He is ever present (church phrase for that is omnipresence). That He is Love, that He is beautiful to us... We are taking time to say out loud what is good about God.
The C stands for confession. What do we need to put in front of God and confess to him. Remember our study on repentance,? One of the first steps in repenting is to admit, confess, that we have done something wrong.
Next is T, which stands for thanksgiving. What are you thankful to God about? What has He done recently that has affected you? It doesn't matter how big or small the thing you are thanking Him for is. Just thanking Him shows that you understand that He is the one who gave you the good in your life.
S is for supplication. Supplication is another word for telling God “Here is what I need. Will you please act in behalf in this area. Please Lord I need you to do something in this area.” Believe it or not telling God what you need is an act of faith. If we did not believe He could act on our behalf we would never ask for His help.
So take time tonight think about ACTS
A. Adoration: What about God do you love?
C: Confession: What do you need to confess to God, where have you hurt someone, taken something that was not yours or acted only out of your own selfish interest?
T. Thanksgiving: What are you thankful God has done? Is it having a job, a home, the beautiful day, not getting grilled by a co-worker?
S. Supplication: What do you need God to do in your life? Where do you need Him to act? Is it with your work place, living, wisdom on going back to school, classroom.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Follow up
By the end of this week we will post the past couple lessons that were not posted.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
When the Doves Cry: Week Four
When the Doves Cry
Maybe I'm just too demanding (Maybe, maybe I'm like my father)
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold (Ya know he's too bold)
Maybe you're just like my mother (Maybe you're just like my mother)
She's never satisfied (She's never, never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other (Why do we scream, why)
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
Why the heck are we starting this section with a song from Prince… because we are going to talk a little bit about generational blessings and curses.
What?
You probably did not see that coming did you? But it is there. Along with talking about generational gifts we are also going to talk about how we can both break old patterns and also set new patterns that will bless other people further on down the road. This week we are going to do a little background reading into Solomon’s early start and also where he finished his life. This talk will help guide us in our discussion concerning one of the patterns set by Solomon and look to see if we are repeating the same pattern in our own lives. Next week we will focus on Generational Blessings
Read Chapter Three of I Kings
As a group read the first three verses.
What do you observe is going on in first few verses of this chapter?
Where was Solomon’s heart in these verses?
Who did he love?
Why do you think he married Pharaoh’s daughter?
Does it matter that he married her?
Read I Kings 11:1-8
I Kings 3:3
Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; except he burned incense on the high places.
I Kings 8:23
He said Oh Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before you with all their heart…
I Kings 8:61
Solomon’s words “Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord out God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments
Proverb 4:23
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
I Kings 11:6
Solomon built a high place for the Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and Milech the detestable idol of the sons of Amon. Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
I Kings 11:4
For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other Gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of his father David had been.
I Kings 11:1-3
“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women…from the nations concerning which the Lord has said to the sons of Israel “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods”
I Kings 3: 1
Then Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh King of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.
Gray Matter:
I know the first thought that is running through everyone’s mind. Is she going to talk about not dating unbelievers? What I am going to talk about is much broader than talking about whom we date… but who do we allow close to our hearts.
Let’s look at the verse that is running through people’s minds.
II Corinthians 6:14
Why do we have this commandment? Is this commandment only dealing with marriage and dating? Or is there an even deeper reason behind the commandment. I realized the importance of this command after dating awesome men who were not passionately in love with God. It hit me that the commands that are given to us are, as Pastor Terry says, to give us life. Even though these men were amazing there was something missing... something life giving.
So why is this commandment life giving and not simply a prohibition? Let's look at Solomon's life to find out why and I Corinthians 6:14-18.
What happened when Solomon loved all these women? Why do you think he built the high places for his wives?
It is a true statement that you become the company you keep.
I see that principle in my own life. I have friends who are doing big things professionally and it pushes me to not want to settle in my professional life.
However, when I want to feel good about myself and settle it is funny who I surround myself with instinctively… it is also funny who I start to avoid.
Areas that used to be black and white slowly turn to gray the longer you spend time with people whose idea of right and wrong are not the same as yours. Now this is not a call to live in the church and never exist in the world. Remember we are to be in the world not of it and implied in that statement is that we live in the world. But who is feeding your soul? Is your soul being fed by someone who is getting their life source from God and so in turn when they speak to you they are speaking words of wisdom?
Generational patterns
So what does this have to do with generational patterns?
Guess what? Those high places that Solomon built…the high places that the people of Israel used time and time again to worship other gods for many generations… those high places where their children were sacrificed to please a foreign god…those gods and high places were brought in by the many wives of Solomon and Solomon himself.
Solomon desire to please his different wives set a pattern of disobedience for his people. Solomon’s pleasing a few people helped open the door for the destruction of many.
Now before we get too deep into this whole issue let’s first talk about certain things we know are true.
First in Christ no longer is it said that the son will die for the sins of the father. Or as the bible likes to say it “No longer will it be said that the father have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” But what we cannot deny is that the environment we live in can affect us. We see this often times with divorce and the way people handle their divorce. The children often time re-live the pattern of their parents whether they mean to or not.
If this is true then what happens when we combine what we know about being unequally yoked with our role in the world. If we disobey God what does it mean?
For us?
For the people around us
For our families
In the same way what does our obedience mean for others?
Things to dwell on:
Here is a temperature test for you. Do you still view certain things as right and wrong… or have areas that once were black and white become gray?
Do you think it was Solomon’s intention to not follow God?
Where is your heart right now?
Do you have people in your life who can challenge you and raise the bar in your walk?
If not what are your action steps to bring them into your life?
Maybe I'm just too demanding (Maybe, maybe I'm like my father)
Maybe I'm just like my father too bold (Ya know he's too bold)
Maybe you're just like my mother (Maybe you're just like my mother)
She's never satisfied (She's never, never satisfied)
Why do we scream at each other (Why do we scream, why)
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry
Why the heck are we starting this section with a song from Prince… because we are going to talk a little bit about generational blessings and curses.
What?
You probably did not see that coming did you? But it is there. Along with talking about generational gifts we are also going to talk about how we can both break old patterns and also set new patterns that will bless other people further on down the road. This week we are going to do a little background reading into Solomon’s early start and also where he finished his life. This talk will help guide us in our discussion concerning one of the patterns set by Solomon and look to see if we are repeating the same pattern in our own lives. Next week we will focus on Generational Blessings
Read Chapter Three of I Kings
As a group read the first three verses.
What do you observe is going on in first few verses of this chapter?
Where was Solomon’s heart in these verses?
Who did he love?
Why do you think he married Pharaoh’s daughter?
Does it matter that he married her?
Read I Kings 11:1-8
I Kings 3:3
Now Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; except he burned incense on the high places.
I Kings 8:23
He said Oh Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before you with all their heart…
I Kings 8:61
Solomon’s words “Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord out God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments
Proverb 4:23
Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.
I Kings 11:6
Solomon built a high place for the Chemosh the detestable idol of Moab, on the mountain which is east of Jerusalem, and Milech the detestable idol of the sons of Amon. Thus also he did for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.
I Kings 11:4
For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other Gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of his father David had been.
I Kings 11:1-3
“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women…from the nations concerning which the Lord has said to the sons of Israel “You shall not associate with them, nor shall they associate with you, for they will surely turn your heart away after their gods”
I Kings 3: 1
Then Solomon formed a marriage alliance with Pharaoh King of Egypt, and took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the city of David until he had finished building his own house and the house of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem.
Gray Matter:
I know the first thought that is running through everyone’s mind. Is she going to talk about not dating unbelievers? What I am going to talk about is much broader than talking about whom we date… but who do we allow close to our hearts.
Let’s look at the verse that is running through people’s minds.
II Corinthians 6:14
Why do we have this commandment? Is this commandment only dealing with marriage and dating? Or is there an even deeper reason behind the commandment. I realized the importance of this command after dating awesome men who were not passionately in love with God. It hit me that the commands that are given to us are, as Pastor Terry says, to give us life. Even though these men were amazing there was something missing... something life giving.
So why is this commandment life giving and not simply a prohibition? Let's look at Solomon's life to find out why and I Corinthians 6:14-18.
What happened when Solomon loved all these women? Why do you think he built the high places for his wives?
It is a true statement that you become the company you keep.
I see that principle in my own life. I have friends who are doing big things professionally and it pushes me to not want to settle in my professional life.
However, when I want to feel good about myself and settle it is funny who I surround myself with instinctively… it is also funny who I start to avoid.
Areas that used to be black and white slowly turn to gray the longer you spend time with people whose idea of right and wrong are not the same as yours. Now this is not a call to live in the church and never exist in the world. Remember we are to be in the world not of it and implied in that statement is that we live in the world. But who is feeding your soul? Is your soul being fed by someone who is getting their life source from God and so in turn when they speak to you they are speaking words of wisdom?
Generational patterns
So what does this have to do with generational patterns?
Guess what? Those high places that Solomon built…the high places that the people of Israel used time and time again to worship other gods for many generations… those high places where their children were sacrificed to please a foreign god…those gods and high places were brought in by the many wives of Solomon and Solomon himself.
Solomon desire to please his different wives set a pattern of disobedience for his people. Solomon’s pleasing a few people helped open the door for the destruction of many.
Now before we get too deep into this whole issue let’s first talk about certain things we know are true.
First in Christ no longer is it said that the son will die for the sins of the father. Or as the bible likes to say it “No longer will it be said that the father have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” But what we cannot deny is that the environment we live in can affect us. We see this often times with divorce and the way people handle their divorce. The children often time re-live the pattern of their parents whether they mean to or not.
If this is true then what happens when we combine what we know about being unequally yoked with our role in the world. If we disobey God what does it mean?
For us?
For the people around us
For our families
In the same way what does our obedience mean for others?
Things to dwell on:
Here is a temperature test for you. Do you still view certain things as right and wrong… or have areas that once were black and white become gray?
Do you think it was Solomon’s intention to not follow God?
Where is your heart right now?
Do you have people in your life who can challenge you and raise the bar in your walk?
If not what are your action steps to bring them into your life?
Monday, September 27, 2010
Repentance
Repentance.
I am more than a little fascinated by the idea of repentance right now.
Last week I got into a conversation with one of my honorary brothers about this topic. We were talking about what happened with a woman he had been dating. His words to me were “You know she ended it first so I never had to repent and obey God... and then I found myself in the same situation with another woman.”
After talking with him I had to ask myself... when am I simply sorry and when and when do I actually repent? What is repentance?
We are going to take some time today to sit and think about repentance in light of I Kings.
When you look at repentance in the dictionary this is what you get
–verb (used without object)
1.to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often fol. by of ): He repented after his thoughtless act.
2. to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.
–verb (used with object)
3.to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition: to repent one's injustice to another.
4.to feel sorry for; regret: to repent an imprudent act.
Is this different from God’s understanding of repentance?
What occurred in I Kings Chapter 2?
Was Adonijah done in his grab for power?
Why did he go for it again?
Was he unaware that Solomon was supposed to be king?
Read I Chronicles 22:6-10
Why do we repeat the same sin?
Are we repentant if in the back of our hearts we are still striving to get whatever ‘power’ prize etc we want and the only thing that is stopping us is a lack of opportunity?
So then what is repentance?
II Corinthians 7:8-13
Acts 26:20
Look again at definition number 2... do you think that is repentance?
I am more than a little fascinated by the idea of repentance right now.
Last week I got into a conversation with one of my honorary brothers about this topic. We were talking about what happened with a woman he had been dating. His words to me were “You know she ended it first so I never had to repent and obey God... and then I found myself in the same situation with another woman.”
After talking with him I had to ask myself... when am I simply sorry and when and when do I actually repent? What is repentance?
We are going to take some time today to sit and think about repentance in light of I Kings.
When you look at repentance in the dictionary this is what you get
–verb (used without object)
1.to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often fol. by of ): He repented after his thoughtless act.
2. to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better; be penitent.
–verb (used with object)
3.to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition: to repent one's injustice to another.
4.to feel sorry for; regret: to repent an imprudent act.
Is this different from God’s understanding of repentance?
What occurred in I Kings Chapter 2?
Was Adonijah done in his grab for power?
Why did he go for it again?
Was he unaware that Solomon was supposed to be king?
Read I Chronicles 22:6-10
Why do we repeat the same sin?
Are we repentant if in the back of our hearts we are still striving to get whatever ‘power’ prize etc we want and the only thing that is stopping us is a lack of opportunity?
So then what is repentance?
II Corinthians 7:8-13
Acts 26:20
Look again at definition number 2... do you think that is repentance?
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Power Plays
Who will be King?
Chapter One of I Kings opens up with a power play between two brothers, Adonijah and Solomon. But before we tackle that power play lets look back at the life of David to give a point of comparison to Adonijah’s power play and David’s power play.
Background to I Sam 24: 1-15
Saul, Israel’s current king, was seeking to kill David. This was quite a change from the way life used to be for David. Before Saul turned on David, David had married Saul’s daughter and was best friends with Saul son… the son that typically would be the next ruler. However, God had spoken and said that David was going to be the next king. It was this word of God that made Saul begin to fear David. It was the love of the people who David that made Saul hate the young man he once viewed as a son.
When we open up in Chapter 24 David and his band of men were living in the wilderness hiding from Saul. Living in the wilderness had become normal for those who supported David. Running for your life was also normal for those following David. Because of Saul’s fear/hate/jealous of David, David had to move his parents to another country. His parents end up dying in this country and not in their own home. The power struggle between David and Saul was disrupting their own personal lives and also the lives of their loved ones and countrymen.
Read Samuel 24:1-15
Why didn’t David kill Saul?
What do you think it cost David to not kill Saul?
What you think David’s obedience cost
• His men
• His wife
• His family
• Israel
Growing up my pastor used to say that it is easier to obey when our obedience only costly us… but what about when it costs our loved ones something? Will we still obey?
So what was worth all this to him?
Psalm 15:1-5
And in the middle of all this turmoil David believed this: Psalm 20:6-9
Who is God? What did David believe about God?
So now let’s switch gears to I Kings
Read I Kings Chapter One
When faced with the chance to grab power what did David do? He did not kill Saul, he did not grasp for power.
How is this different from what we see taking place in Chapter One?
Did Adonijah perform all that was required to become King?
So why did he not prevail?
Do you think Adonijah might have been taking a shortcut?
Do we ever take shortcuts in our lives: be it professional or otherwise that do not honor God?
Why do we do that?
What does it say about our view of God?
Is this as accurate view of God?
Food for thought later on in the week…
How much of this battle is a result of Israel asking for a King?
Do you think they imagined this result when they asked for a king?
What does that mean for us?
Why did they want a King? (They wanted something tangible… they wanted to look like other nations and be lead as other nations.)
What did God do? He gave them what they wanted but warned them of what this desire will do. We will return to this theme later on in the study.
Where are the areas in our life were we are not content with being lead by God but instead want someone tangible to guide us?
What could this cause in our own lives?
Chapter One of I Kings opens up with a power play between two brothers, Adonijah and Solomon. But before we tackle that power play lets look back at the life of David to give a point of comparison to Adonijah’s power play and David’s power play.
Background to I Sam 24: 1-15
Saul, Israel’s current king, was seeking to kill David. This was quite a change from the way life used to be for David. Before Saul turned on David, David had married Saul’s daughter and was best friends with Saul son… the son that typically would be the next ruler. However, God had spoken and said that David was going to be the next king. It was this word of God that made Saul begin to fear David. It was the love of the people who David that made Saul hate the young man he once viewed as a son.
When we open up in Chapter 24 David and his band of men were living in the wilderness hiding from Saul. Living in the wilderness had become normal for those who supported David. Running for your life was also normal for those following David. Because of Saul’s fear/hate/jealous of David, David had to move his parents to another country. His parents end up dying in this country and not in their own home. The power struggle between David and Saul was disrupting their own personal lives and also the lives of their loved ones and countrymen.
Read Samuel 24:1-15
Why didn’t David kill Saul?
What do you think it cost David to not kill Saul?
What you think David’s obedience cost
• His men
• His wife
• His family
• Israel
Growing up my pastor used to say that it is easier to obey when our obedience only costly us… but what about when it costs our loved ones something? Will we still obey?
So what was worth all this to him?
Psalm 15:1-5
And in the middle of all this turmoil David believed this: Psalm 20:6-9
Who is God? What did David believe about God?
So now let’s switch gears to I Kings
Read I Kings Chapter One
When faced with the chance to grab power what did David do? He did not kill Saul, he did not grasp for power.
How is this different from what we see taking place in Chapter One?
Did Adonijah perform all that was required to become King?
So why did he not prevail?
Do you think Adonijah might have been taking a shortcut?
Do we ever take shortcuts in our lives: be it professional or otherwise that do not honor God?
Why do we do that?
What does it say about our view of God?
Is this as accurate view of God?
Food for thought later on in the week…
How much of this battle is a result of Israel asking for a King?
Do you think they imagined this result when they asked for a king?
What does that mean for us?
Why did they want a King? (They wanted something tangible… they wanted to look like other nations and be lead as other nations.)
What did God do? He gave them what they wanted but warned them of what this desire will do. We will return to this theme later on in the study.
Where are the areas in our life were we are not content with being lead by God but instead want someone tangible to guide us?
What could this cause in our own lives?
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
History behind I Kings
So First Kings… what is the background you need to know? Well, the chapter opens up with a the changing of a guard. So let me give you some background to help you understand what is going on.
Fun facts (and slightly juicy) to keep in the forefront of your mind as we study.
History of the Kingdom:
The Children of Israel were relatively young in regards to having a king. The chapter opens up with King David who was Israel’s 2nd King being ill and needing help. (We will examine this more in detail later on) Previous to David and Saul, Israel was guided by prophets who God spoke to. Israel did not necessarily have a central human leadership rather God spoke to them(through the prophets) and they acted. However as time went on they did not want to be lead by a religious leader they wanted a king they could see and touch to lead them. They wanted to be as the other nations.(1) God answered their demand but He also warned them what a King would bring.(2) Keep this warning in mind as you read through I Kings. Saul was their first king and from all appearances he seemed to be a good king. He was handsome and strong… but he had one flaw he did not love God with all his heart… and like we so easily can, he fell in love with power and the rest of his reign is a picture of what a life that grasps at staying in power can look like.
David was Israel’s next King. He was not perfect as evidenced in the fact that he killed a loyal servant to hide the affair he was having with that servant’s wife.(3) (not awesome) Yet something in his heart was still turned towards God.(4) It is his heart that we will examine first so that we can understand what God means when He says the different kings in I Kings either had a heart for God like David or not like David’s heart.
David’s Heart
The Book of Psalms was written mainly by David. We are going to take some time to look at various sections of the Psalms to get insight into David’s relationship with God.
Psalm 63, Psalm 62:5-8, Psalm 55: 1-8, 16-18, 22-23
What do you observe about David’s heart in these passages?
Who did he turn to for salvation?
What did he want from God?
Who did He know God to be?
What about his heart did God love?
Did any of this resonate in you?
************************************************************************************
(1) I Samuel 8:4-9
(2) I Samuel 8:10-18. The important things to remember from this section is that the Israelities were warned that a king will take their sons for war, he will take from them their best, and the people will become his servant.
(3) II Samuel 11:1-27
(4) Acts 13:22
Fun facts (and slightly juicy) to keep in the forefront of your mind as we study.
History of the Kingdom:
The Children of Israel were relatively young in regards to having a king. The chapter opens up with King David who was Israel’s 2nd King being ill and needing help. (We will examine this more in detail later on) Previous to David and Saul, Israel was guided by prophets who God spoke to. Israel did not necessarily have a central human leadership rather God spoke to them(through the prophets) and they acted. However as time went on they did not want to be lead by a religious leader they wanted a king they could see and touch to lead them. They wanted to be as the other nations.(1) God answered their demand but He also warned them what a King would bring.(2) Keep this warning in mind as you read through I Kings. Saul was their first king and from all appearances he seemed to be a good king. He was handsome and strong… but he had one flaw he did not love God with all his heart… and like we so easily can, he fell in love with power and the rest of his reign is a picture of what a life that grasps at staying in power can look like.
David was Israel’s next King. He was not perfect as evidenced in the fact that he killed a loyal servant to hide the affair he was having with that servant’s wife.(3) (not awesome) Yet something in his heart was still turned towards God.(4) It is his heart that we will examine first so that we can understand what God means when He says the different kings in I Kings either had a heart for God like David or not like David’s heart.
David’s Heart
The Book of Psalms was written mainly by David. We are going to take some time to look at various sections of the Psalms to get insight into David’s relationship with God.
Psalm 63, Psalm 62:5-8, Psalm 55: 1-8, 16-18, 22-23
What do you observe about David’s heart in these passages?
Who did he turn to for salvation?
What did he want from God?
Who did He know God to be?
What about his heart did God love?
Did any of this resonate in you?
************************************************************************************
(1) I Samuel 8:4-9
(2) I Samuel 8:10-18. The important things to remember from this section is that the Israelities were warned that a king will take their sons for war, he will take from them their best, and the people will become his servant.
(3) II Samuel 11:1-27
(4) Acts 13:22
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)