Continuing Thought for the Week [5.21.21]

I Samuel 17:50: So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck Goliath and killed him. – I Samuel 17:50  

As  I said yesterday, the story of David is probably a very familiar story to most of you reading this email. However, I want us to look at this story and it’s scenes this week in a different light in regard to how they apply to us in our everyday lives.

This week we are taking a look at these 4 simple scenarios:

1. David was chosen by God to be anointed as King.

2. David developed in obscurity what was eventually displayed publicly.

3. David had faith, confidence and courage.

4. David was a prophet, a king and a priest.

 

Today let’s look at scenario number four: 4. David was a prophet, king and priest. Yesterday we talked about how I believe that courage is the missing ingredient in most scenarios. I said that you can have faith. You can have skill, but if you don’t have the courage to act, your skill won’t be demonstrated and your faith won’t be activated. David knew that the giant had to fall because he was keeping the people of God from the promised things of God- the giants in your life have to fall as well. The giants of fear, doubt, hopelessness and unworthiness must fall, because they are keeping you from the promised things of God. You have the power and you are victorious through Christ Jesus. Jesus is the messiah, the savior of the world. He was born of a virgin and comes from the lineage that traces from the root of Jesse and from the House of David. Jesus was a prophet, king and priest. David was a prophet, king and priest. Jesus has made us prophets, kings and priests. A King has dominion and authority in the Kingdom. A Priest has access to God. And a Prophet has a voice to declare a future and a hope. You have been made a prophet, king and priest. Therefore, you have the ability as a prophet to use your voice to speak to those giants in your life. You have been made a king, therefore you have dominion and authority in the earth. You have been made a priest, therefore you have access to God- where you may cry, “Abba Father.” Therefore, giants have to fall if they are blocking the promised things of God- you have dominion and authority in the kingdom and in the earth, you have access to God and you have a voice to declare the truth and victory over your life. You must exercise your faith, stand in confidence and move in courage in the name of the Lord!

There are no giants in the wilderness, only in the Promised Land. Resistance only comes when you are close to the promise!!!  -Bishop Tony Miller

Continuing Thought for the Week [5.20.21]

I Samuel 17:50: So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck Goliath and killed him. – I Samuel 17:50  

As  I said yesterday, the story of David is probably a very familiar story to most of you reading this email. However, I want us to look at this story and it’s scenes this week in a different light in regard to how they apply to us in our everyday lives.

This week we are taking a look at these 4 simple scenarios:

1. David was chosen by God to be anointed as King.

2. David developed in obscurity what was eventually displayed publicly.

3. David had faith, confidence and courage.

4. David was a prophet, a king and a priest.

 

Today let’s look at scenario number three: 3. David had faith, confidence and courage. Yesterday we talked about how David was unknowingly developing his faith, courage and skill on the back side of a mountain, tending to his father’s sheep. David had faith in God, he had confidence in his skill and he had the courage to act upon what he knew had to be done. Nonetheless, I believe that courage is the missing ingredient in most scenarios. You can have faith. You can have skill, but if you don’t have the courage to act, your skill won’t be demonstrated and your faith won’t be activated. David knew what the reward was for killing Goliath and he knew that here was a cause. The cause was this: Goliath was defying his God and blocking the people of God from the promised things of God. Therefore, he had to respond in courage and do what needed to be done! He did it for the benefit of people and for the glory of God. What’s the reward? And, Is there not a cause? These are two good questions that need to be answered when trying to develop the courage that is needed- to do what needs to be done. David Possessed Faith! David Displayed Courage! David Manifested Confidence! David said: “You come to me with a sword and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord!” David said: “The Lord does not save with a sword and a spear, for the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you into our hands, so that all the earth will know that there is a God in Israel!” David didn’t say: “I have a slingshot and 5 smooth stones, but I’m only going to need one!” There is a difference between confidence and arrogance. Confidence is in assurance in God. Arrogance is an assurance in ones self. You have to have the faith, courage and confidence to know that God is fighting for you. And, as the giants in your life fall, it’s so that everyone will know that there is a God- a God who is alive! A God who saves! A God who heals! A God who helps! And a God who delivers! Allow your confidence in God to be strengthened today! And, may that new found faith produce a courage that empowers you to do what needs to be done, in Jesus name, amen!

Continuing Thought for the Week [5.19.21]

I Samuel 17:50: So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck Goliath and killed him. – I Samuel 17:50  

As  I said yesterday, the story of David is probably a very familiar story to most of you reading this email. However, I want us to look at this story and it’s scenes this week in a different light in regard to how they apply to us in our everyday lives.

This week we are taking a look at these 4 simple scenarios:

1. David was chosen by God to be anointed as King.

2. David developed in obscurity what was eventually displayed publicly.

3. David had faith, confidence and courage.

4. David was a prophet, a king and a priest.

Today let’s look at scenario number two: 2. David developed in obscurity what was eventually displayed publicly. The story of David and Goliath may be one of the most popular bible stories of all time, or at least it is one of the most well known. What’s amazing about this story is, David unknowingly was developing his faith, courage and skill on the back side of a mountain, not knowing that one day he would use that faith, courage and skill to ultimately defeat the giant, Goliath and eventually become king of Israel. David fought lions and bears with his bare hands. And, when it came to conquering the giant, David gives all of the credit and all of the glory to God, concerning the triumphal defeats of these stray animals that were trying to attack and kill the sheep that he was attending to for his father. David was an example of a good shepherd. Anyway, David was developing in private what was about to be displayed in public. When he took out his slingshot and took down the giant, I’m sure it wasn’t the first time that he had ever used it. How many starry nights do you think David looked up at the sky and prayed to God? How many times do you think David practiced the skill of using his slingshot? Don’t underestimate what you are doing right now.  Don’t underestimate where you are right now. God doesn’t waste anything! He is using it all to develop your faith, your courage and your skill. He has a plan and a purpose. A time for everything under the sun. Don’t despise what you are doing. Develop your faith, courage and skill. You don’t know what giant may be lying ahead for you to defeat and conquer. God may be developing you in private to display His glory in public… be faithful!       

Here are 4 things to consider:

1. David tended to his fathers sheep faithfully and God was faithful to him.
2. David developed a relationship with God, that ultimately developed him.
3. David was faithful to take cheese and bread to the battlefield where the Israelites were battling the Philistines and fearing Goliath. And, because of that, he ultimately ended up defeating the giant.
4. David displayed faith and responded with courage. David had developed his faith, courage and skill. He had faith in God and confidence in his ability, but it took courage to release the stone in faith towards the giant.

You can have all of the faith in the world, but if you don’t have the courage to act upon what you believe, you will never see the result you are looking for!

Continuing Thought for the Week [5.18.21]

I Samuel 17:50: So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck Goliath and killed him. – I Samuel 17:50  

As  I said yesterday, the story of David is probably a very familiar story to most of you reading this email. However, I want us to look at this story and it’s scenes this week in a different light in regard to how they apply to us in our everyday lives.

This week I want to take a look at these 4 simple scenarios:

1. David was chosen by God to be anointed as King.

2. David developed in obscurity what was eventually displayed publicly.

3. David had faith, confidence and courage.

4. David was a prophet, a king and a priest.

So today let’s look at scenario number one: 1. David was chosen by God to be King. First of all, I want you to know that you have been chosen by God in Christ Jesus! Therefore, it doesn’t matter what rejection you may face, you have already been chosen by God. David was overlooked by his father when Samuel came to the house of Jesse to anoint a king. However, David was still anointed king. His dad chose his brothers over him, but the Lord said to Samuel, ask Jesse if he has anymore sons. And Jesse said, “Yes, as a matter of fact I do. He is out back tending to my sheep.” And the Lord said, “He is the one!” Remember, what someone else may overlook- God has in mind. If you feel like you are being overlooked, I want you to know that God sees and God knows. He is for you, not against you and He has plans to use you and to prosper you in all of your ways. Notice that David wasn’t standing idly by, he was tending to his fathers sheep- he was doing something and God saw him! He went on to tell Samuel that man looks at the outward appearance, but I look at the heart. David was a man after God’s own heart and the lineage of Jesus came through the house of Jesse and the seed of David. Don’t underestimate what God wants to do through you! Be faithful and watch God move in faithfulness towards you. Samuel Anointed David as King. The Davidic covenant promises the messiah- Jesus Christ would come from the house and lineage of King David. David Was Chosen by God to Be Anointed. David was not chosen by his father as being first choice, his other brothers were chosen first, but then David was brought in and anointed in front of them. In light of this, here are 4 things that I want us to consider today:

1. Sometimes God will take you from the back of the line to the front of the line all in the same day!
2. Sometimes God will take you from being last choice to being first choice! 
3. Sometimes God will take you from being looked over to being sought after!
4. Sometimes God will anoint you in front of those who didn’t think you were worthy or able, just to prove that you are able and that you are worthy and to prove He is God and that He has the final say!

Main Thought for the Week [5.17.21]

I Samuel 17:4-11: There went out a champion from the camp of the Philistines, Goliath was his name, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail. Now the weight of the bronze coat was five thousand shekels. He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam. His iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels. And a shield-bearer was walking before him. He stood and called out to the ranks of Israel, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am not I the Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose for yourselves a man and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and to strike me down, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, then you will be our servants and will serve us.” The Philistine said, “I defy the battle lines of Israel this day. Give me a man, and let us fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were filled with terror and were greatly afraid.

The story of David and Goliath is probably a very familiar story to most of you reading this email right now. However, I want us to look at this story  and it’s scenes this week in a different light in regard to how they apply to us in our everyday lives. And, here’s what I mean- I don’t have a literal giant in my life and chances are, you probably don’t either. But, I do however, have things in my life that appear insurmountable. I do have things in my life that intimidate me. And, I do have things in my life that taunt me in my my mind and produce fear and cause turmoil. Now, we know that Goliath had been a warrior since he was a young man, however this passage in I Samuel doesn’t talk about his battle spoils or the numbers that he may have slaughtered in war. It just talks about his size and his stature and in some translations it even tells us that he came out daily and taunted the people of Israel. Now remember, Israel was God’s chosen people and they had been promised the promised land earlier, nonetheless, the only keeping them from inhabiting the land and receiving the promised things of God were the giants that were inhabiting the land. Do you remember when the 12 spies came back from spying the promised land? They carried grape clusters so big that two men had to carry them between themselves! Yet, when asked to give a repot about what they had seen, they said, “Surely it is a land that flows with milk and honey, but they’re are giants inhabiting the land and we are like grasshoppers in our own sight and in their eyes as well.” I want you to know today, for you to experience the promised things of God- giants have to be defeated! Giants of fear. Giants of doubt. Giants of unworthiness. Giants of uncertainty. Giants of lack. It is time for you to stand up in faith and confidence. It is time for you to see the giants in your life that are blocking the promised things of God defeated today! David said, “You come to me with a sword and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord!” David didn’t come against Goliath in his own might and strength,  he came against him in the name of the Lord. You have the power and authority to see those giants in your life defeated. David said to the uncircumcised Philistine, “When God delivers you into my hands, everyone will know that my God is the One true and living God!” I want you to know today that your giants are no match for your God. As a matter of fact, most things are bigger in our minds than they are in reality. However, when you come against these giants of fear, doubt, unworthiness, uncertainty and lack, in the name of the Lord, they can be defeated and you can be victorious and than everyone will know that you serve a true and faithful God! 

WEEKLY WORD

Continuing Thought for the WEEK – [5.14.21]

James 1:19-20: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

CONTINUING THOUGHT for the Week:

To do something slowly means one thing and to do something quickly means another thing. However, there may be times where we need to be quick about being slow, especially when it concerns talking and listening. As we look at the passage in James chapter one for the last time this week, I want to remind you one more time that it tells us to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to get angry. In one of my bibles the subheading of this section says, “Qualities needed in trials.” Now that gives a whole new perspective to this passage! In other words, James is saying, “When you are really going through it, really feeling the fire, really feeling pressured, really feeling tested, really feeling the strain… BE QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK and SLOW TO GET ANGRY! Wow! What a great reminder! Now lets look at these the words quick and slow, individually. First of all, James tells us to be quick to listen. Some translations even use the word swift. The Greek word here is taxus– which actually means to be prompt or to be ready. The word prompt carries with it the sense of being timely or moving to action in a quick and timely manner. It would mean that when you listen it should be in a manner that starts quickly at the beginning, with sole intention to hear what someone is trying to say. Secondly, James tells us to be slow to speak and slow to become angry. The word slow in the Greek is: Bpadus. It means dull in the sense of apprehension and slow when it comes to believing something.  It means to be deliberately slow or to be slow on purpose. So, here’s my closing thought on this passage in James chapter 1: When you feel strained, pressured or you fee like your faith is being tested… 1. Be quick (deliberately prompt and attentive) to listen. 2. Be slow (be sluggishly unwilling on purpose) to speak. 3. Be slow (lacking in readiness to participate) to become angry. Remember, human anger doesn’t produce the righteousness that God desires!

Prayer: Lord, help me to be quick to listen and to be slow to speak. May I glorify you by what I say and through what I listen to. In Jesus name, Amen.   

MAIN THOUGHT for the Week:

• The words silent and listen are spelled with the same letters, just in a different order.
• It is difficult to hear what someone else is saying when you are talking!
• You can be silent and not listen and you can talk without thinking!
• You can’t take back what you have said- after it has been spoken!

WEEKLY WORD

Continuing Thought for the WEEK – [5.13.21]

James 1:19-20: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

CONTINUING THOUGHT for the Week:

Yesterday we talked about how the 3 admonishments is James chapter 1 are somewhat connected. Today I want to primarily deal with the last admonishment: be slow to become angry. Anger solves very little. As a matter of fact, in most cases anger probably makes things worse. And, James tells us as much when he finishes the passage by saying, “Be slow to become angry, because human anger doesn’t produce the righteousness that God desires.” In other words, me getting angry usually doesn’t make things better or set the record straight or make things right, in most cases it just makes things worse. In light of these thoughts- here’s an acronym that Rick Warren uses in regard to thinking before you speak, especially when you are angry:

Use the acronym T.H.I.N.K. to remember these five important questions to ask before you react in anger.

• T: Is it truthful? Is what I’m about to say the truth?
• H: Is it helpful? Or will it simply harm the other person?
• I: Is it inspirational? Does it build up, or does it tear down?
• N: Is it necessary? If it’s not necessary, why do I need to say it?
• K: Is it kind? Will it encourage or discourage?

Scriptures to reflect upon: 

• Proverbs 14:29: “Patient people have great understanding, but people with quick tempers show their foolishness”(NCV).
• Proverbs 15:28: “Good people think before they answer. Evil people have a quick reply, but it causes trouble”(GNT).
• Proverbs 15:18: “Losing your temper causes a lot of trouble, but staying calm settles arguments” (CEV).

MAIN THOUGHT for the Week:

• The words silent and listen are spelled with the same letters, just in a different order.
• It is difficult to hear what someone else is saying when you are talking!
• You can be silent and not listen and you can talk without thinking!
• You can’t take back what you have said- after it has been spoken!

WEEKLY WORD

Continuing Thought for the WEEK – [5.12.21]

James 1:19-20: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

CONTINUING THOUGHT for the Week:

There is something I had never noticed in this  passage In James 1 until the other day and that is this- there are 3 different admonishments and it seems like these admonishments may be connected. Here they are: 1. be quick to listen. 2. be slow to speak. 3. be slow to become angry. It appears to me that James may be giving us a hint to dealing with conflict.  It seems to me that when you are not angry you are more apt to listen than you are to speak, but when you are angry you are usually more apt to speak. And, if you would take time to listen you would have less of an opportunity to become angry. Listening deals with reasoning and rationalizing. Talking deals with communicating your thoughts and/or feelings. When you’re talking you don’t have time to process what is being heard. When you are angry it causes you too speed up what you would normally take the time to process, so slow down and process your thoughts before you have regrettable actions of recourse. Be quick to listen. Be slow to speak. And be slow to become angry. When you’re angry you will say things that you will regret. Slow down and listen. Give your self time to process before you speak something that you may regret and that you can’t take back.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to be quick to listen and to be slow to speak. May I glorify you by what I say and through what I listen to. In Jesus name, Amen.   

MAIN THOUGHT for the Week:

• The words silent and listen are spelled with the same letters, just in a different order.
• It is difficult to hear what someone else is saying when you are talking!
• You can be silent and not listen and you can talk without thinking!
• You can’t take back what you have said- after it has been spoken!