Psalm 19: Glorifying God in Every Situation (Summer Playlist Series)

Glorifying God in Every Situation

As part of our Summer Playlist Series, our associate pastor delivered a sermon about glorifying God in every experience.  His text was Psalm 19, a Psalm of David.

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
 
² Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.
 
³ There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.
 
⁴ Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,
 
⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.
 
⁶ Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
 

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

 
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

 
⁹ The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

 
¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

 
¹¹ Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.

 
¹² Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

 
¹³ Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

 
¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. - Psalm 19

You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

 Glorifying God in Every Situation

When we have something wonderful to celebrate, we want the whole world to know about it.  Maybe you are celebrating the birth of a child, a new relationship, an award at work, a big birthday, etc.  When we celebrate milestones, it's difficult to keep the good news to ourselves.

David wasn't always positive in his psalms, but in Psalm 19, David expresses joy in knowing God and in being known by God. 

We can glorify God in EVERY experience, good or bad.

Creation proclaims God's power.

God's power is seen when we look at the heavens and the skies.  Creation never stops pointing to its creator.  Creation was meant to glorify God.  Creation doesn't use words yet it proclaims the power of the God who created it.

We know there is a God because of His creation and works.

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  Romans 1:20

We know God and His power when we see His creation.  Just look at it.  

Creation worships God.  God doesn't NEED us to worship Him so why did He create us?  He created us for relationship.  God doesn't need us.  He WANTS us.  Isn't that amazing?  

You are not an accident.  God is powerful enough to sustain creation.  He is powerful enough to sustain you.  

Scripture reveals God's perfection.

We can know God through His creation, but we can also know Him through His Word.  David describes God's Word as:

Perfect
Blameless
Sure
Firm
Faithful
Unchanging
Right
Correct
Level
Pure
Undefiled
Clean
True
Righteous

God's Word is a direct reflection of who God is.

God is perfect, blameless, sure, firm faithful, unchanging, right, correct, level, pure, undefiled, clean, true, and righteous.

David describes God's Word as more precious than anything else.  It is by God's Word that we are warned of sin and the dangers of it.  God's Word is an instruction manual about how to live and how to know God.

A perfect God can be trusted.  His Word is true and we can trust it.

Do you want to know God?  Then read His Word.

God is personal.

God is more than the God of creation or the author of the Bible.  God is personal.  

 God knows you and He wants you to know Him.

Our joy isn't dependent upon our circumstances.  Our joy comes from knowing God and glorifying Him in every situation.

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Glorifying God in Every Situation

Psalm 110: God is Enough (Summer Playlist Series)

When going through the worst days of your life, God is enough.

This Sunday, we are reading Psalm 110.  Psalm 110 was written by David who was no stranger to hard times and worst days.  However, David wrote many Psalms about God supremacy and authority over his life.  In Psalm 110, David declares that his God is more than enough in troublesome times.

God is Enough, Psalm 110

The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
² The Lord will stretch out Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
³ Your people will volunteer freely on the day of Your power;
In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn,
Your youth are to You as the dew.

⁴ The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind,
“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek.”
⁵ The Lord is at Your right hand;
He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath.
⁶ He will judge among the nations,
He will fill them with corpses,
He will shatter the chief men over a broad country.
⁷ He will drink from the brook by the wayside;
Therefore He will lift up His head. - Psalm 110

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon.  You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

God is enough when:

1.  Your enemies want to destroy you.

David had faced enemies.  As a young boy, he fought the giant, Goliath.  He constantly battled the Philistines.  He was always running from King Saul who wanted to kill him.  For years, David was an anointed king but he was running for his life.  However, even though others were constantly seeking to destroy or kill David, he exclaimed that his Lord was enough.

In Psalm 110:2, we see that God will rule with great power right in the middle of what seems to be the enemy's deadliest attack.  

In Psalm 110:3, we learn that people who are subject to the Great King (God) will follow Him gladly and freely.  God's people will constantly be refreshed.  

What enemies do you face?  Cancer?  Depression?  A broken relationship?  A struggling family situation?  

When you become discouraged under the enemy's attacks, go straight to your King God.  God will conquer your enemies and He will renew and refresh you.   

2.  Your sins consume you.

Not only was David constantly under physical attack.  He faced internal struggles as well.  David was plagued with his sin of adultery with the wife of Uriah.  That sin led to more sin including murder.  This all led to the death of David's son.

When sin consumed David's life, David still knew that his God was enough.

In Psalm 110:4, we learn about a truth that will last for all eternity.  Jesus is our King forever and our Priest forever.

You might be asking, "Who is Melchizedek anyway?"  At this point in his sermon, my pastor tells us what we know about Melchizedek.  Here is a brief summary.

In Genesis 14, we learn that Melchizedek is a minor character in the Bible.  God has promised to Abraham that He would multiply his descendants, make him the father of many nations, and make him wealthy and prosperous.  Abraham has a nephew named Lot.  Abraham and Lot were very close.  They were both wealthy and lived near each other.  Lot lived near Sodom.  Sodom went to war with other cities.  A king named Chedorlaomer takes over all the valley where Lot lived.  Lot becomes caught up in the battle.  He eventually becomes a prisoner of war along with his wife, his kids, his entire family including all of his flocks and possessions under King Chedorlaomer.  

This struck a nerve within Abraham.  In my pastor's words:

"This is not smart, because Abraham is like Liam Neeson.  He has a special set of skills.  If you take one of his family members, he is going to hunt you down.  He will find you and he will kill you."

Abraham goes after King Chedorlaomer.  God gives Abraham power so he wipes out King Chedorlaomer.  He takes back Lot and all his family and possessions.  The he takes all of Chedorlaomer's possessions.  Then, Melchizedek comes along.  Melchizedek is introduced without genealogy which is unusual for Old Testament characters. We know he was the king of Salem.  Salem has the root Hebrew word for peace.  Melchizedek's name means King of Righteousness.  Melchizedek is the  King of Righteousness whose kingdom is peace.  Who does this point to?  Maybe Jesus?

When Abraham sees Melchizedek, he bows and worships Him.  He immediately gives Melchizedek 10% of everything he took from Chedorlaomer.  Melchizedek doesn't show up again until Psalm 110 when David says his King is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.  David points to the ultimate King Priest, Jesus.  

We fast forward to Hebrews 7.  Melchizedek is mentioned in Genesis 14, Psalm 100, and then again in the New Testament in Hebrews 7.  

We sin.  We all sin.  Sin separates us from a Holy God.  Sin will condemn us to an eternal separation from God.  However, God, in His mercy, sent our King Jesus forever, our Priest forever, to pay the penalty for our sin once for all.  Jesus is the only one who can make sinful man right with a Holy God.

When you feel consumed by a sin or multiple sins in your life.  You might see no way out, but there is a way.  Jesus forgives.  Jesus heals.  David tells us in Psalm 100 that God is enough and He is, even when your enemies want to destroy you and even when your sin consumes you.

3.  When your future seems hopeless.

Have you watched the news lately?  If you watch, you'll probably feel overwhelmed with all the bad stuff going on in the world.  When I watch the news, I feel like our future seems hopeless.  The news media is flooded with reports of racial riots, protests, anarchy in the streets, lawlessness, political upheaval, bombings, etc.  King David's world felt hopeless too.  David's son would murder his other son to avenge his sister's rape.  Despite all of that, David loved Absalom, welcomed him home, and greeted him with a kiss.  How did Absalom respond?

Absalom conspired to overthrow the king, slandered his father's reputation, forced him to flee for his life, raped all of David's wives, and ultimately cost the lives of 20,000 men.  That certainly paints a portrait of a hopeless future for David and his family.  David must have wondered about God's faithfulness, but in the midst of all the ugly, David proclaimed that his King was more than enough.  

Be encouraged.  Jesus is near in seemingly hopeless situations.  In fact, in verse 6, we read that King Jesus will repay the godless and unbelievers that threaten you.  One day, He will destroy those who mean to harm you.

Regarding verse 7, if you look up the Hebrew word for "drink," it is used for the purpose of celebration such as a wedding feast.  The word for "brook" refers to a torrent of water that comes after a deluge of rain.

In the midst of hopelessness, we can remain hopeful because King Jesus preserves His people no matter the circumstances, leading them to a celebration that is coming sooner than you might expect.

If you are in Christ today, be hopeful!  Our King is coming!

In the darkest of days, God is enough.  Jesus is our King.  Jesus is our Priest.  Jesus is our Hope.

How will you respond to Psalm 110?  

If you have not bowed to King Jesus - if you have not repented of your sin and given your life to Jesus, then I want to challenge you to wait no longer.  Surrender your life to Jesus today.  He will overcome your enemy, forgive your sin, and give you a future and a hope.

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. - Jeremiah 29:11

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Psalm 110:  God is Enough (Summer Playlist Series) 

Psalm 15: Characteristics of the Believer in Jesus (Summer Playlist Series)

Characteristics of the Believer

Today, we continue our Summer Playlist Series in the Psalms as we read Psalm 15.  The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon.  You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

Have you ever had someone ask you a question and then immediately answer it before you do?  Have you ever done that yourself?  I'm guessing that we have all done that at some point in time.  This is what David did in Psalm 15. David asked a question in Psalm 15:1 and then answers it in Psalm 15:2-5.  

My pastor informs us that many Bible scholars believe that Psalm 15 was written to commemorate the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem.

David's first attempt to bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem failed because he failed to follow God's clear instructions.  Only the assigned Levites were to move the ark using poles carried on their shoulders.  Instead, the Ark was carried on a cart pulled by oxen.  When the oxen stumbled, a man named Uzzah reached to steady it.  Uzzah was immediately struck dead.  The fear of God caused David to postpone his trip to Jerusalem and he left the Ark in the home of Obed-Edom who was a Godly man.

While the Ark was in the home of Obed-Edom, God blessed him and his family.  When David made his second attempt to return the Ark to its rightful place in Jerusalem, he carefully followed Moses' instructions.

This is where David asks his critical question:

What sort of man qualifies for such a holy task to be admitted into the presence of Holy  God?

This prayer of David was a poem set to a song.  He and those with him may have sang this song as they moved the Ark back to Jerusalem.

Let's recap David's two questions.

1.  Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?

Today, we might consider the question this way.  Lord, who qualifies to even temporarily gather together with other worshipers to have fellowship with You? 

The word "abide," in this context, means to gather with others for a temporary time.  In this case, in the tabernacle which was constructed by Moses to the exact specifications given by God.  It represented the presence of the Holy God in the midst of His people.  As they moved from place to place in the wilderness, the Tabernacle went with them.  This symbolizes today's church, having no continuing city, sojourning on earth, preparing for our home in Heaven.

2.  Lord, who may dwell on Your holy hill?

In this question, David uses the word "dwelling."  In this context, the word "dwelling" means to reside or permanently stay in one place.  This could be literally or figuratively.  In this question, David is using the "holy hill" or Jerusalem where the Temple was built as a permanent place of worship.  

What do these questions mean for us?  Another way of asking these two questions might be:

Dear God, how can we qualify to even fellowship with You here on Earth temporarily, much less to enjoy eternal fellowship with you in Heaven?

That question is answered in Psalm 15 of God's Holy Word.  Let's read Psalm 15.

Lord, who may reside in Your tent?
Who may settle on Your holy hill?
² One who walks with integrity, practices righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
³ He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor do evil to his neighbor,
Nor bring shame on his friend;
⁴ A despicable person is despised in his eyes,
But he honors those who fear the Lord;
He takes an oath to his own detriment, and does not change;
⁵ He does not lend his money at interest,
Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.
One who does these things will never be shaken. - Psalm 15

Psalm 15:2 summarizes the answer to these questions.   Psalm 15:2-5 illustrates what this looks like in the daily lives of Christ followers.

Verse 2 tells us three characteristics of one who qualifies to fellowship with God on Earth and in Heaven.

1.  One who walks in God's ways.

2.  One who works in God's ways.

3.  One who speaks in God's ways.

Let's ask a few other questions based on the three qualifications above.  

1.  Is there anyone who perfectly walks in God's ways?

2.  Is there anyone who perfectly works in God's ways?

3.  Is there anyone who perfectly speaks in God's ways?

The answer to all of those question is "No."  None of us, not even one of us, can qualify to have fellowship with God on our on strength.

There is only one man who perfectly qualified for fellowship with God.  That was and is Jesus Christ.  BUT, when a person comes to Jesus in humility and brokenness, turning away from sin and trusting Him as his or her Savior, he or she can enjoy fellowship with God.

What are the characteristics of someone who has fellowship with God?

Characteristics of the Believer in Jesus

1.  The Walk of the Believer

The believer in Jesus demonstrates a consistent walk in integrity, truthfulness, and sincerity.  The believer has a backbone of integrity, walking upright consistently.

Think of a tightrope walker.  The tightrope walker must walk directly upright, never leaning to the right or to the left.  The tightrope walker must keep his or her focus directly ahead.  Likewise, we must be consistently looking ahead to Jesus.  When we walk upright in Jesus, we will regard vile behavior as nasty and despicable.  We will want to turn away from such behavior.  We will stick to the Word in Truth even when it hurts.

2,  The Works of the Believer

The word "works" refers to the habitual works you practice from day to day.  These works are to be done in righteousness. God requires of believers what is right and just. 

The believer will not do evil to our neighbor.

The believer will not take up a reproach against our friend (such as gossip).

The believer will honor those who fear the Lord.

The believer will not take advantage of others through unreasonable interest on loans or receive bribes under the table.

3.  The Words of the Believer

The speech of the believer is consistently stable, trustworthy, courageous, and sensitive.

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil person out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. - Luke 6:45

 The believer doesn't slander others.  

The tongue is not steel, but it cuts, and its wounds are very hard to bear; its worst wounds are not with its edge to our face, but with its edge to our back when our head is turned . . . All slanderers are the devil's bellows to blow up contention, but those are the worst which blow at the back of the fire. - C.H. Spurgeon

In Psalm 15, David is stating that the person whose walk, works, and words consistently demonstrate this pattern will never be overthrown or drawn off course.  He or she will fellowship in Heaven with God eternally.

When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more,
But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. - Proverbs 10:25

The apostle John had a Heavenly vision as described in Revelation 21:1-4

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, ⁴ and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. - Revelation 21:1-4

No one can achieve sinless perfection in his or her walk, works, and words but Jesus lived a perfect life and died on a cross as a substitute for us.  After He paid the ultimate price for our sins, He was buried and rose from the grave.  Jesus made it possible for any person who trusts in Him to experience fellowship with Him in this life and in eternal life to come.

Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior?  Learn more about how to do that here. 

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Characteristics of the Believer in Jesus, Psalm 15

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Psalm 13 (Summer Playlist Series)

Today we are looking at Psalm 13.  My pastor is leading us through what he is calling our summer playlist series.  The book of Psalms is a collection of poetry and music, thus the summer playlist title.

The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's message.

You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

We are all fellow strugglers.  We all need God and we need each other for encouragement.  Psalm 13 was written by King David during one of his lowest points in life.  David had been on the run from King Saul for 12 years.  David loved God but hated his circumstances.  Four times within the first few verses, David cried to to God, asking God how long he would have to endure his circumstances.

In 6 short verses, David transitioned from deep despair into a spirit of worship.  Let's take a look at the full chapter.

A Prayer for Help in Trouble

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
 

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,

And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

In the first 2 verses, David is complaining..

In verses 3 and 4, David is praying.

In verses 5 and 6, David is praising.

What is your posture before God right now?  Are you complaining, praying, or praising?

This wall art featuring Psalm 13:5 is available here.

Let's look back at verses 1 and 2.  David feels abandoned, as if God has forgotten him.  Do you sometimes feel like David does in these first two verses?  I think there are times in our lives when we all feel like this, but the Bible tells us that God numbers every hair on our heads and that we are more valuable to Him than sparrows.  He keeps track of all our sorrows, collects our tears in a bottle, and records each one in His book.  He writes our names on the palms of His hands.

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows. - Luke 12:7

You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book. - Psalm 56:8 

Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;  Your walls are continually before Me. - Isaiah 49:16

This wall art featuring Psalm 49:16 is available here.

Do you suppose David felt resentful because of his harsh circumstances?  Do you sometimes feel resentful.  I know I sometimes do, but let's take courage as we move on to verse 3.

In verse 3, David stopped complaining and really began to pray to God.  This is when the mood of this chapter changes.  David prays for God to take notice of his circumstances.  David acknowledges his personal connection with God when he calls him, "MY God."

David was alone.  Isolation robs us of our right perspective.

In verses 5 and 5, David is trusting, rejoicing, and singing.  His circumstances have not changed, but His heart has changed.  David is still alone and he is still hiding from King Saul, but instead of complaining and crying out in despair, David has chosen to trust, rejoice, and sing in praise to God.  David decides to glorify God in his circumstances.

We are not victims in this life.  We are victorious in Christ Jesus.

How do we apply Psalm 13 to our lives?

1.  Recognize that pain in life is unavoidable, but don't miss the purpose.  Pain will drive you to something.  Does your pain drive you to Netflix binges, pills, alcohol, pornography, isolation?

Pain should drive you straight to God.  God can use pain to grow us spiritually and to prepare us for future assignments.  God can turn our pain into a platform for service.

It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply. - A.W. Tozer

2.  In our worst of times, believe that God is always good.  God will never separate us from his love.  We can't avoid pain, but we also can't run out of God's grace.

Jesus experienced hardship and endured separation from God so that we don't have to.  There is a day coming when Jesus will redeem everything.

And He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. - Revelation 21:4

God changed David's heart.  Is God changing your heart today?  

How long until you trust God?

How long will you live in rebellion?

How long until you surrender to Him?

Learn more about how to fully surrender to God through Jesus Christ here.

Read all posts in this series here. 

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Psalm 13 (Summer Playlist Series)

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Abigail (Ordinary Heroes of the Bible Series)

Abigail (Ordinary Heroes of the Bible Series)

Our second installment in our Ordinary Heroes of the Bible Series is about a woman named Abigail.  My pastor led this series at my church.  The following are my Bible study notes based on my pastor's sermon titled "Abigail."  You are invited to watch, listen, and worship with us here.

Abigail | November 11, 2019 | Pastor Jeff Crook from Christ Place Church on Vimeo.

Our Scripture passage for learning about Abigail is found in 1 Samuel 25.  Samuel was an important prophet and judge in the land of Israel.  He was highly respected by everyone.  His death could be compared to the death of a US President today.  Samuel was the one who had anointed David as the future king of Israel.

Then Samuel died; and all Israel gathered together and mourned for him, and buried him at his house in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the wilderness of Paran.  Now there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel; and the man was very rich, and he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. And it came about while he was shearing his sheep in Carmel (now the man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name was Abigail. And the woman was intelligent and beautiful in appearance, but the man was harsh and evil in his dealings, and he was a Calebite). - 1 Samuel 25:1-3

Nabal means "fool."  Nabal was a terrible person.  However, his wife, Abigail, was a wise and discerning  woman. 

David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, visit Nabal and greet him in my name; and thus you shall say, ‘Have a long life, peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. Now I have heard that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us and we have not insulted them, nor have they missed anything all the days they were in Carmel. Ask your young men and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we have come on a festive day. Please give whatever you find at hand to your servants and to your son David.’”
 
When David’s young men came, they spoke to Nabal according to all these words in David’s name; then they waited. - 1 Samuel 25:4-9

David sent 10 men to Nabal. David was gracious.  He didn't ask for a specific amount.  He asked for whatever Nabal could give to David's men.

But Nabal answered David’s servants and said, “Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are each breaking away from his master. Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give it to men whose origin I do not know?” So David’s young men retraced their way and went back; and they came and told him according to all these words. David said to his men, “Each of you gird on his sword.” So each man girded on his sword. And David also girded on his sword, and about four hundred men went up behind David while two hundred stayed with the baggage. - 1 Samuel 25:10-13

400 men went with David.  David had practiced self-control but now he is about to blow it.  He has had enough.  Anger can bring danger to your life and family.

But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Behold, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, and he scorned them. Yet the men were very good to us, and we were not insulted, nor did we miss anything as long as we went about with them, while we were in the fields. They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the time we were with them tending the sheep. Now therefore, know and consider what you should do, for evil is plotted against our master and against all his household; and he is such a worthless man that no one can speak to him.” - 1 Samuel 25:14-17

One of Nabal's employees went to Abigail to tell her that Nabal had done wrongly.  The employee went so far as to call her husband a worthless man.  He warned Abigail of David's plot to kill her husband and all the male members of his household.  Abigail wasn't lazy.  She acted quickly.  Abigail was a leader who knew what to do.

Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread and two jugs of wine and five sheep already prepared and five measures of roasted grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. She said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal. It came about as she was riding on her donkey and coming down by the hidden part of the mountain, that behold, David and his men were coming down toward her; so she met them. Now David had said, “Surely in vain I have guarded all that this man has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; and he has returned me evil for good. May God do so to the enemies of David, and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of any who belong to him.” - 1 Samuel 25:18-22

David was furious.

Abigail knew that if Nabal died, she would be left with nothing.  David would kill Nabal and her sons.

When Abigail saw David, she hurried and dismounted from her donkey, and fell on her face before David and bowed herself to the ground. She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the blame. And please let your maidservant speak to you, and listen to the words of your maidservant. Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; but I your maidservant did not see the young men of my lord whom you sent.
 
“Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, since the Lord has restrained you from shedding blood, and from avenging yourself by your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek evil against my lord, be as Nabal. Now let this gift which your maidservant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who accompany my lord. Please forgive the transgression of your maidservant; for the Lord will certainly make for my lord an enduring house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil will not be found in you all your days. Should anyone rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, then the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living with the Lord your God; but the lives of your enemies He will sling out as from the hollow of a sling. And when the Lord does for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and appoints you ruler over Israel, this will not cause grief or a troubled heart to my lord, both by having shed blood without cause and by my lord having avenged himself. When the Lord deals well with my lord, then remember your maidservant.” - 1 Samuel 25:23-31

Abigail maintained a posture of humility.  She spoke with wisdom and honesty.  She mad no excuses.  God used Abigail to speak into David's life.

Then, David thanked God for sending Abigail.  David listened to Abigail.  David had a teachable spirit.

Then David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me." - 1 Samuel 25:32

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel. - Proverbs 12:15

What can we learn from Abigail?

1.  We need courage to fight for the right things.

Fight for your families.  Fight with the Word of God and with prayer.  

2.  A calm, humble spirit is our most powerful weapon.

God used Abigail's calm spirit and humble nature.  She wasn't weak.  She was strong and brave, but humble.  God gave the words to Abigail.  God used Abigail's calm and gentle spirit to turn the heart of the future king.  

3.  A continual trust in God is non-negotiable.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight. - Proverbs 3:5-6

God will direct your path.  Let God go before you.

Back to the Bible story.  How does this story end?

Then Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; so she did not tell him anything at all until the morning light. But in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him so that he became as a stone. About ten days later, the Lord struck Nabal and he died. - 1 Samuel 25:36-38

Nabal died.

David married Abigail.

God does amazing things when we remain calm and humble and let God work.  God is a miracle worker.

God loves to use ordinary people to accomplish His purposes.

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Abigail (Ordinary Heroes of the Bible Series)

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Go Into All the World (from the Jonah Series by Priscilla Shirer)

We are now in our 5th Week of our ladies' Bible study series called Jonah:  Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer.  This week, we have been introduced to Jonah.  We've discussed the fact that sometimes life interruptions don't always make sense. We've talked about the consequences of running away from God's calling.  We've learned to admit our mistakes and turning back to God.  We've been encouraged by the truth that God is a God of second chances.  Now, that we have all that behind us, we are free to boldly go into all the world as the Lord tells us to do in what is known as the Great Commission.  We find the Great Commission in the book of Matthew.

Image Credit:  WikiImages - CCO Public Domain Image via Pixabay

 Go Into All the World

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:16-20

This week I was reminded of something I already knew but needed a refresher.  The Great Commission is not something we do once and then we're done.  It's not something we can check off of a list after going on a mission trip or even several mission trips.  The Great Commission is something we live.  

We must remember that sharing Jesus is supposed to be a way we live, not just something we do. - Priscilla Shirer

When we are placed in situations we feel are beyond our control, we are forced to rely on God and God alone to sustain us.  When we have no choice, we have no choice.  

God purposefully put Paul in a situation beyond his control.  He gave the apostle a constant reminder of his need to rely on and connect with Him.  Without this thorn, Paul might have slipped into arrogance, but this pressing need continually reminded him of his frailty. - Priscilla Shirer

God doesn't send us into strange and dangerous territories alone and He doesn't send us without first preparing hearts for our arrival.   God goes before us.

God has been at work in the situation long before we are scheduled to arrive and He is preparing a way for our obedience to make a difference.  - Priscilla Shirer

Simple obedience can have a powerful effect.  Responding in obedience can have an eternal effect on one person which will result in a "triple effect" scenario.  Your one act of simple obedience can have an effect on someone down the road that you don't even know.  Consider the following acts of simple obedience.

Esther's act of bravely going to the king to save her people resulted in the salvation of her entire race.  Consider Ruth choosing to leave Moab behind to follow her mother-in-law to Bethlehem.  She met Boaz and became part of the lineage of the Messiah.  Joshua just walked around Jericho's walls and they came crashing down.  Peter just kept his eyes on Jesus and was able to walk on water.  Each of these scenarios provides a gripping reminder of the impact choices we make can have, even when they seem inconsequential. - Priscilla Shirer

Once again, I learned something new inside the pages of the Jonah story.  The message God told Jonah to proclaim is this:  Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.  (Jonah 3:4)

The part I never stopped to ponder before were those first three words - Yet forty days.

Why did God give Nineveh 40 days after Jonah's proclamation?  Why didn't he respond immediately after Jonah had arrived?

Much faster than Jonah probably imagined, Nineveh responded favorably to his message which resulted in a great revival in the land.  Then, God did something amazing.  He changed His mind about the calamity He had planned to pour out over the land of Nineveh.

I'll ask again, "Why did God give them 40 days?"  It was because God didn't want to punish the people of Nineveh.  He wanted them to respond favorably and worship Him - and they did.

If God had planned to punish Nineveh no matter how they responded, then there would be no need to give them 40 days.  Jonah could have preached one day and God could have brought calamity on them the next.

God is just, but He is also merciful and eager to extend grace to us.

God doesn't always change His mind.  Sometimes a child still dies as in the case of King David (and also in my own personal case a long time ago).  Sometimes God responds in a way that is not in line with the way we had hoped He would, but His ways and His purpose for our lives are always best even if we can't see the full picture.  We simply have to trust Him.

How do we respond to God when He works in a way that is not in line with what we ask or perhaps the outcome is directly the opposite of what we ask?

We can follow the example of King David.

¹⁶ David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. ¹⁷ The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. ¹⁸ Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!” ¹⁹ But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” And they said, “He is dead.” ²⁰ So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. - 2 Samuel 12:16-20

 You'll find all my posts about this Bible study here.

This has been only a short summary of what Priscilla Shirer's Bible study has to offer.  I recommend that you complete the entire study either at home or at your church with a group.  You'll find the complete leader kit here.

This item is available here.

I failed to write down the name of the name of the pastor who preached it, but the following are my Bible study notes from a sermon titled "Being a Difference Maker."

The scripture passage for this sermon is 2 Samuel 11:6-17.

Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked concerning the welfare of Joab and the people and the state of the war. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” And Uriah went out of the king’s house, and a present from the king was sent out after him.  But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.  Now when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”  Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.”  Then David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.  Now David called him, and he ate and drank before him, and he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his bed with his lord’s servants, but he did not go down to his house. - 2 Samuel 11:6-17

  Faithful men on a mission from God will make a difference in the Kingdom of God.

Image Credit - Jeremy Yap - CCO Public Domain Image - via Freely Photos

Be A Difference Maker

1.  Fight.  Faith (or a mission) is something worth fighting for.  David should have been on a mission but he wasn't.

2.  Focus.  David was leisurely enjoying his comforts.  He chose pleasure over mission.  Uriah chose mission over pleasure.  David became sidetracked and lost his joy.  He lost greatly because of his sin.

Sin is costly.

3.  Finish well.  Uriah understood that the mission was worth his life.

Note for older believers.  Don't think you're done because you're in the 3rd or 4th quarter of your life.  This period of time is what the "game" is all about.  If we don't play now, we lose.

We can become grumpy old men and women . . . or we can become difference makers.