1 Samuel 17:1-18:4 + John 8:21-30 + Psalm 111:1-10 + Proverbs 15:11
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Old Testament - We are beginning the story of David, which is always a blessing to read. As you know, David wrote many of the Psalms, so we’ve been reading some of David’s writings already this year. Now we begin his story! Hang on! This is a wonderful part of the Bible – reading about David and reading the Gospel of John at the same time. . . great stuff! Bob Deffinbaugh with Bible.org has a terrific overview of David becoming Israel’s King at this link.
Today in 1 Samuel chapter 17 read about David & Goliath. In verse 45 we read – “David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty.” How often in our lives today are we like Goliath, where we try to make things work or do things with our own strength or our latest technology? Goliath relied on his strength and sword and spear and javelin – and perhaps we today rely on our intellectual pride and Blackberry and career and money. David simply relied on God. David moved in the name of God. How often do you move in the name of God today? How often do you completely rely on only God today? Can you move beyond relying solely on your “strengths” and “technologies” and instead move and breathe and rely on God in every circumstance in your life? Below is "David Slaying Goliath" by Peter Paul Rubens from the year 1620:
Bible.org's commentary on today's readings titled "David and Goliath" is at this link.
Recommendation: I highly recommend the TV series "House of David" on Amazon Prime!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrGfIHBIVL4
New Testament - I love John 8 verse 29 where Jesus says - "And the one who sent me is with me--he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him." If Jesus always did those things that are pleasing to God, do you think that you and I should do those things that are pleasing to Jesus and to God? Meaning, it seems to me that Jesus was clearly very intentional with how he spent his time. He only did those things that are pleasing to God. How intentional are you and I in how we spend our time? Do we make sure we are only doing those things that are pleasing to Jesus (who is God) and God the Father? I know I don't. I wish I did. I pray that I will spend more and more of my time doing those things that are pleasing to God. Let us pray that Jesus' personality permeates our personality and all that we do!
Psalms - Psalm 111 is a wonderful Psalm of praise! I love the way it ends in verse 10: "Reverence for the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever!" Do you believe that reverence for God is the foundation of true wisdom? Do you believe that there are rewards of wisdom if you obey God? Will you praise his name forever?
Proverbs - Proverbs 15:11 today teaches us: "Even the depths of Death and Destruction are known by the LORD. How much more does he know the human heart!"
Worship God: Today's readings remind me of Phil Wickham's fantastic song "This is our God:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNts1BTMhJQ
Do you believe God can defeat "Goliaths" in your life? Click here for Victory!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on two verses of Scripture today: "David said to the Philistine (Goliath), "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied... All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."" 1 Samuel 17:45,47 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you will not attempt battles against "Goliaths" in your life on your own, but that you will realize the battle is always the LORD's. Pray that you will never trust your technologies over the LORD.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Today's Proverb is a wonderful reminder that God not only knows us, he knows our very hearts! How is the state of your heart today? Does your heart belong to God? Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!
God bless,
Mike
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BLOG READERS HISTORICAL COMMUNITY COMMENTS:
1 Samuel 17:1-18:4
Goliath was one big guy and a very boisterous one. But because God was no longer with Saul, this one man’s braggadocio sent the entire Israeli army to flight. They had forgotten the Words of God given to Moses, which Moses then placed in a song (Deut 31:30-32:43),
30 How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
The Lord had “given them up” because they failed to follow Him.
I love the story of David and Goliath because it takes an ordinary boy and pits him against an extraordinary man, Goliath. David knew Goliath could be defeated, and defeated by him because he had other experiences to draw from, the taking out of the lion and the bear. David knew how to rely on God because he gained practice while hanging out with the sheep, alone in the sheep fields. Today at church my pastor warned about substituting the joy and power of corporate worship for the intimacy that only private worship and devotion will bring. Corporate worship is needed; however, corporate worship with out private intimacy defeats the purpose of private prayer time. Our intimacy with God can only be built one on one and not inside the church with a crowd. It is only in that one on one relationship with God where we learn to recognize His voice when we hear it, and learn to trust Him as well as discerning His will for our lives.
David’s exchange with his brother, or should I say Eliab’s rebuke of David gives us another clue into David’s place in his family.
28 But when David's oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you're supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and dishonesty. You just want to see the battle!"
David’s response to his oldest brother, the one Samuel thought looked like a king before God told him, “No,” should resound in the hearts of all siblings who were picked on by the older brother or sister, “What have I done now?” God uses the scrawny ones, the ones people think, family members especially, have no future, or a limited one at best. That fact should set a lot of people who come to this site heart’s soaring.
David killed Goliath with what he was familiar with he didn’t use the weapons of the experts; in fact he couldn’t handle those weapons. Folks we need to use the “weapons” that God has equipped up to use and not the weapons of the world’s system. When Moses complained to God that he neither had the aptitude nor the speech to convince a nation that God would use him to deliver then from bondage, God asked, “What’s that in your hand?” Moses’ rod, a shepherd’s rod was the simple instrument God worked through to bring his people out of Egypt. What is that in your hands? Be it a slingshot, or shepherd’s rod God can use it to not only deliver you but also deliver your family. Hallelujah! But be forewarned, self-confident people in God will always intimidate those who don’t know their God. Daniel 11:32 “ …but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”
John 8:21-30
Jesus lays out two Kingdoms separated by the word “not.” Unbelievers will die in their sins, believers will “not.” The location of theses two Kingdoms are diametrically opposed, one is above and the other below, one is of this world the other is not.
For the unbelievers the “other” Kingdom where the “not” dying in “their sins” will occur in difficult and impossible to understand. Believers have access not only to a coded book, but a voice, the voice of the Father, and the only way to break that code is by way of the Father though Jesus Christ.
Psalm 111:1-10
This Psalm proclaims the wonderful and amazing ways of the Lord, and for me verses 7-8 hooks into one of the reasons why I love the Book of John and that is Jesus’ numerous use of the word true, truth, and truly, at least in the King James Version.
7 All he does is just and good,
and all his commandments are trustworthy.
8 They are forever true,
to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
Jesus uses those three words over 90 times in the Book of John, and most he is using it about his own character, words and the essence of His being. Apart from Jesus there is no truth.
Proverbs 15:11
Death and Destruction are capitalized to indicate they are a person, place or thing, hmmm, something to think about.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
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David's brother's had a grudge:he was annointed before them and they like Joseph's brothers hated him for it.When David set out to get Goliath,his brothers must have hoped that would be the end of him,they didn't try to talk him out of it.
Saul it seems has a bit of trouble with his memory.When he had a demon disturb him he was told about David and who's son he was.David sang for him on his harp,could it be that Saul didn't even care to look at the face of the one whom with the help of the Holy Spirit chased his demons away.He really was conceited if so.
Jonathan and David had the same beliefs:God was the one who gave victory to Israel...not the number of fighting men,not the sophisticated weapons.He saw in David,a brother who shared his faith and loved him like he loved himself.If all the church of Christ was drawn together by the common faith and love....the kingdom of darkness would never prevail..David kept the two most important commandments:He loved God so much that he was ready to lay all aside and do his will(inspite of "encouragement"from his brothers)and he did have love for others(he didn't mind that Saul didn't remember who he was or that his brothers hated him cos I'm sure they showed him their "appreciation"whenever they could yet even in the heat of battle,David went to the front lines to greet his brothers).
I have to admit that I'm really not that sure I love God with all my heart and my mind....I certainly don't love my brothers and sisters in Christ like I do myself...I'm not sure I'd jump up with joy if I had to go preach in Iran,neither do I love my brethren when I see them try to put me down.
I'm asking God to show me my heart and put true repentance where all the dirt is...I pray we all truly learn to love God and each other.
God bless you all
Anka
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I love young David's faith: "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty".
Found it kinda funny that David seemed to be walking around all day with Goliath's head in his hand. haha.
I love the friendship between David n Jonathan, he "became as one spirit with him and he loved him as himself."
In our John readings, v 29 "for I always do what pleases Him." I wish I could say the same, but I dont. I strive to, but I will never be there until I put on incorruption and am finally completed in Him when i leave this earth.
I would love to say my heart is right with God, but we dont even know our own hearts. My pastor once said if God fully revealed our heart to us, we wouldnt be able to handle it! so He reveals things little by little if we ask Him to. The Bible doesnt teach us our heart is pure.
"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately wicked; who can understand it?"(Jer.17:9)
"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Mark 7:21-23
Here we see it is not things from outside sources that defiles us, but what is within us already! very sobering!
Thank God for His endless patience, mercy, compassion, and love!
Jenny
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Isn't Davids faith wonderful? That's what it's all about: walk in faith! 17:45 "You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied". When Jaden had his first day of school I bought him a little book from David & Goliath ... I thought of Jaden as my own brave David! He seemed so small and big at the same time ...
John had some great verses, as usual.
verse 24 "That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins.”
verse 29 "And the One who sent Mis with me—He has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases Him.”
Psalm 111:5 "He gives food to those who fear him;
he always remembers his covenant". ~ I think this sais it all: if we fear Him, if we love and obey Him, turn to Him, live how He wants it (through His Word). He'll make sure we'll be allright. I do believe that, I have faith ... I walk in faith!
Mae
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From the reading: "And the one who sent me is with me--he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to him."
We can also deduct the opposite. If we ALWAYS do those things that please the Father, he will ALWAYS be with us and not desert us"
I pray that Jesus/God shows us how to do the things that please him. Is funny the "Our Father" prayer says "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" :-)
Anna
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The Holy Spirit highlighted a great connection for me this morning in today's readings between Psalm 111:7 - "...all his precepts are trustworthy" and John 8:26 - "...he who sent me is reliable". Bottom line: God *always* keeps his promises. His truth is the truth that trumps all other things that masquerade as 'truth'.
How humble was David! Once serving in the court of his king, he returned home to graciously tend his father's sheep. Not many men who at one time have been exalted can return to a humble existance!
"Before honor is humility". A lesson from David in this chapter of Holy Scripture.
Art
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Silly question.
Why did Saul not know who David's father was after David killed Goliath? Hadn't David been playing the harp for Saul? Didn't Saul send to his father and request that David stay with him? I know this is an off the wall questions, but I remember the servant who went to fetch David telling Saul about David's lineage. Why would they write that Saul did not know who David's father was? Did David stop playing the harp for Saul and return to his sheep in the interim? The older brothers went to fight and so David had to go back to his family? Therefore Saul did not connect the boy who played the harp with this young man.
I don't know.
Jen
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Re: Jen
My guess is that the events described in 1 Samuel might not be in chronological order. This is not uncommon, e.g. in Judges 17 onward, the descriptions of the Israeli situation might not strictly after Samson. Another example, in 2 Samauel 21 and 22 might not strictly followed 2 Samuel 20. Also, in the New Testament, the Book of Matthew and Mark are also not chronological, but Luke is.
Frederick
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1Samuel 17:26-45. In line with Scazzero’s book “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality”, the Goliath story prompts us to examine our ability to be true to ourselves in the midst of great trials. This is called DIFFERENTIATION. It is related to our relationship to God. Augustine (500 AD) prayed, “Grant Lord that I may know myself that I may know thee.” John Calvin (1530) wrote, “Our wisdom…consists almost entirely of two parts: the knowledge of God and ourselves. But as these are connected together by many ties, it is not easy to determine which of the two precedes and gives birth to the other.” J. I. Packer (today) says, “Knowing God is more than knowing about Him; it is a matter of dealing with Him as He opens up to you, and being dealt with by Him as He takes knowledge of you. Knowing about Him is a necessary precondition of trusting in Him, but the width of our knowledge about Him is no gauge of our knowledge of Him.” David knew God. As we read more of David’s stories, I like to put my perspective on watching his “lifestyle evangelism” and reflecting on my own life. After all he did spend a lot of time search for the heart of God.
Bob
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1Samuel 17:40
David and Goliath.
Why 5 smooth stones? If David was so sure of God being with him would he not have just needed one stone? Scholars have dug into the past and it looks like Goliath had 4 brothers who may have come after David as well, so it is only reasonable that David prepare for their attack. (2 Samuel 21: 22). I guess what this makes me ask myself is if I am about to go into a battle or a situation I should think about it a bit. Prepare my rocks so to speak. I know David trusted the Lord and I have to make that my first priority. David had confidence in God and I believe we receive that confidence with our relationship with God.
https://www.gotquestions.org/five-smooth-stones.html
A book I liked by Eugene H. Peterson called, “Five Smooth stones for Pastoral Work”. (1980). It doesn’t speak directly to this story but relates 5 Biblical stories from Ruth to Ester to give us tools ready to do the job. Eugene quotes the Norwegian poet Gunnar Thorkildsson: (Discipleship)
Odd shaped pebbles roll
And tumble round the Rock which
Smooths them into five smooth
Stones
One of which will kill a giant.
Robert
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Don't you just love David's courage and humility? No. I don't think those are opposite traits, but they certainly require a close walk with the Lord.
Saul dresses David up with all this armor, but David's doesn't even seem to realize what an honor it is to be wearing the "KING's" very own protection!
Is that because David has on the whole armor of God described in Ephesians?
Are his loins gird about with TRUTH--
Does he have on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS--
Are his feet shod with the GOSPEL OF PEACE--
The helmet of SALVATION--
And above all, has he taken the shield of FAITH--(wherewith he can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked?)
And is he wearing the helmet of SALVATION--
Armed with the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT (which is the word of God).
You know, we all are giant slayers! What a privilege to be part of the Army of God.
Sue
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I Samuel 17:1-18:4
Interesting reading today indeed. It is fun and invigorating to see things in the text that I haven’t seen before. I had already observed in previous readings that David was not well liked by his family much less esteemed. After all, when Samuel came to his family’s home to anoint someone as king, David wasn’t even considered. He was only an afterthought after Samuel went through all the sons that were present only to discover that none were appointed by God. The rebuke to David by his older bother, Eliab, the one Samuel thought was the king because of his appearance, more than suggests that David was an embarrassment to them and bullied. “What have I done now?” is a response from someone who has been accused all of their life of doing something wrong. David was the butt of their “blame games.”
All of David’s time with his sheep shaped his character. His concern for the sheep would come to translate into concern for God’s people. His protection of those sheep would build him up to be a great warrior. No, there was not boot camp training in the building up of his body to handle the armor and all the weapons of war. He had no training in tactical warfare, no marching drills, no long hikes to build up stamina by carrying all his gear on his back. David had been trained by God and thus trusted God. David above all the men on that battlefield who were interestingly enough not in battle, though they carried the accoutrements of battle, had a relationship with God. God had his back.
Though Saul had David in his employ, he knew nothing about this young man. Yes, he may have known in his head David’s parentage and David by sight, but he didn’t know in his knowing who David was nor what David was about. I don’t think his family knew either. David’s defeat of Goliath shattered everyone’s perception of who David was. Like Jesus, David’s hometown reputation undercut his true value. Bad reputation, bad location etc, can cause us to be boxed into a role that everyone expects us to play; however, a relationship and fellowship with God will blow you out of that box. And let’s face it most will not like it. When our expectations of others are changed, we must do some things: change our perceptions and possibly apologize or keep trying to put that person back in the box we have created. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Can anything good come out of Brooklyn? Can anything good come out of Detroit, or South Central LA (California), or any place man has stated is useless, corrupted and defiled. Absolutely, YES! Our challenge is too see past our mental hang-ups and prejudgments and get to the true heart of the matter. Is God in the midst?
The story of David should empower everyone who was ever looked upon with contempt and called a failure. With God you can do anything, despised and rejected, yet Jesus was the light of the World. Will we close our eyes to that light either by rejecting to acknowledge there is light or look for another?
Grace and peace,
Ramona
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I love the story of David and Goliath! The redemption of the Lord on the spirit of David and the Israelites. Goliath was no match for the Lord.
Johns verses was short and sweet today..Jesus being an obedient son and whatever God the Father said He obeyed..David was a representation of that in 1 Samuel..
Psalm 111 Reverence to the Lord is true wisdom. That is the sweet spot..revering him and nothing else.
Proverbs 15..I often wonder..what does the Lord know of my heart? I often wonder if I dwell on things I need not..and need to just let it happen when it happens..no biggee to not get offended. Big deal. Things will come when it is time
Dee
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