The resurrection of Christ changes things permanently and it brings a Joy that cannot be removed by the World's assaults.
Quite often prayer requests come through on "Everyone at Trinity" and often then, we get encouraging responses of-- 'God really does...' --when things go or get answered in a way that pleases us or seems to be in line with what we have asked. But what about those times when God seems to say "NO" or "NOT YET" or "MY WAYS ARE NOT YOUR WAYS" ? Or what if it seems that God is silent? What do we say when we are disappointed in outcomes?
Today in a place of disappointment I share my declarations to our Holy Father:
"God, in every circumstance you are good. You really are a loving God. You are more than enough. Thank you that regardless of "outcomes," in prayer I get to come close to you and exchange thoughts/feelings and experience intimacy of relationship with you. I thank you that you want me at your feet. You want to spend time with me. Time spent with you is never wasted time.
How marvelous! How wonderful is my Saviour's love for me!
I cry out HOLY! HOLY! HOLY! is the Lamb of God who was slain but lives forevermore!
I cannot always change my circumstances, but like Moses, when I 'come into your presence' I am changed.
PEACE that passes understanding--you really do give it!
News of great JOY--I find it in you and in your word; you fill me with Joy in the Spirit.
I will Praise you among the nations--The only Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. EMMANUEL!
I am 'the disciple that Jesus loves' and even in earthly trials I testify to these truths.
To 'Everyone@Trinity', I encourage you in every circumstance, Seek His face. In every outcome, God is Good.
Lois.
Saturday, 3 December 2011
Monday, 21 November 2011
made in God's image
For over a year now, there's been a passage in the Bible that has been constantly in the back of my mind. I have regularly found myself going back to read the passage of scripture that these verses are contained in.
The passage is easy to find, it's in the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, and the verses are 26 and 27:
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all[b] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. NKJV
God made mankind in His own image. What's the significance of this?
You are the pinnacle of God's creation. You were created to rule over the earth, to be an ambassador of God to the planet, to display Him and model what He is like. Only after mankind was created;
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. NKJV
God Himself said that mankind was very good. He didn't say this about any of the other parts of creation. The sun, the trees, whales, elephants, lions, eagles, Saturn, the Milky Way, none of these were deemed by God to be as good as His creation of man. How could they? They weren't created to contain the nature of God inside them.
What does it mean that man was created in God's image? I believe this means that man was created to exist in a similar relationship to the one that God exists in.
When Adam was first created, he had a fantastic relationship with God. He opened his eyes for the first time to look directly into the face of his Creator. He was involved in the creation process- God allowed man to name all the animals and creatures. When Adam spoke, a lion became a lion and a lamb was named a lamb. (Ch2 v 19,20)
Adam got to walk in the garden of Eden with God in the evenings. What an amazing time it must have been!
Then God makes a statement:
18 And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” NKJV
God saw that Adam was alone. There was something missing from Adam's relationship.
How or why could this be? Adam had a great relationship with God so surely he couldn't have been alone?
Adam was made in God's image. This is why God saw that he was alone. Adam was existing in a Father-Son relationship, yet he was created to be like God.
So God saw what was missing and created a helper for Adam. Eve was created and Adam now existed in a full, trinity relationship with God.
The word for Eve is "Helper"(an equal, a companion), just like the word Jesus used when He said He was going to send a Helper to the disciples.
When Eve arrived, Adam was able to exist in a Father, Son and Helper relationship, similar to the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Ecclesiastes 4v12, it says:
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.NIV
Man was created to be in God's image, so when Eve arrived, it allowed Adam to fulfill what God had proclaimed over him.
God saw a need Adam had, one that Adam knew nothing about, and gave him more. God is in the business of upgrades, of giving more than we ask for or even imagine.
What does this mean for us? We know from Genesis 3 that the relationship went sour- Adam and Eve wanted what they weren't supposed to have, and that Adam and Eve rejected what God had for them, yet there is fantastic news. We are in a better position than Adam and Eve were before they sinned. Adam and Eve existed in a world without sin, everything was innocent. They got to see God and walk with Him, fellowship with Him and spend time with Him.
However, they never got to experience all that God had for them. They never saw God's redemption power, they never got to witness and perform miracles. They never saw illness healed or people saved. They never knew death defeated, they never got to experience all the good stuff that God has for us right now.
When Adam and Eve sinned, God's plans for the earth took off. It's almost like He said "Because the enemy has tried to ruin my work, I'm going to give even more to my people. I'm going to upgrade their relationship with me, I'm going to bless them in ways they never would have experienced, I'm going to show them how good I am."
God is in the business of upgrades. He is the only one who can give you everything and still have everything to give you. He has so much more for you. Ask Him today to bring you into a place of upgrade. Ask Him to give you the gifts He is desiring to give to you. Ask Him to give you the relationship that He knows you can have with Him. You are made in God's image, everything that is within Him is available for you.
Adam was probably quite satisfied with the relationship he had with God before Eve was created, yet God wanted to give him more. That's God's nature. He wants you to have more than you ask for, He is incredibly generous. Don't settle for the relationship you have with God, He has so much more to give you than you will ever know!
And when you've done that, ask Him for an upgrade!
Roger C.
The passage is easy to find, it's in the first chapter of the first book of the Bible, and the verses are 26 and 27:
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all[b] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. NKJV
God made mankind in His own image. What's the significance of this?
You are the pinnacle of God's creation. You were created to rule over the earth, to be an ambassador of God to the planet, to display Him and model what He is like. Only after mankind was created;
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. NKJV
God Himself said that mankind was very good. He didn't say this about any of the other parts of creation. The sun, the trees, whales, elephants, lions, eagles, Saturn, the Milky Way, none of these were deemed by God to be as good as His creation of man. How could they? They weren't created to contain the nature of God inside them.
What does it mean that man was created in God's image? I believe this means that man was created to exist in a similar relationship to the one that God exists in.
When Adam was first created, he had a fantastic relationship with God. He opened his eyes for the first time to look directly into the face of his Creator. He was involved in the creation process- God allowed man to name all the animals and creatures. When Adam spoke, a lion became a lion and a lamb was named a lamb. (Ch2 v 19,20)
Adam got to walk in the garden of Eden with God in the evenings. What an amazing time it must have been!
Then God makes a statement:
18 And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” NKJV
God saw that Adam was alone. There was something missing from Adam's relationship.
How or why could this be? Adam had a great relationship with God so surely he couldn't have been alone?
Adam was made in God's image. This is why God saw that he was alone. Adam was existing in a Father-Son relationship, yet he was created to be like God.
So God saw what was missing and created a helper for Adam. Eve was created and Adam now existed in a full, trinity relationship with God.
The word for Eve is "Helper"(an equal, a companion), just like the word Jesus used when He said He was going to send a Helper to the disciples.
When Eve arrived, Adam was able to exist in a Father, Son and Helper relationship, similar to the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Ecclesiastes 4v12, it says:
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.NIV
Man was created to be in God's image, so when Eve arrived, it allowed Adam to fulfill what God had proclaimed over him.
God saw a need Adam had, one that Adam knew nothing about, and gave him more. God is in the business of upgrades, of giving more than we ask for or even imagine.
What does this mean for us? We know from Genesis 3 that the relationship went sour- Adam and Eve wanted what they weren't supposed to have, and that Adam and Eve rejected what God had for them, yet there is fantastic news. We are in a better position than Adam and Eve were before they sinned. Adam and Eve existed in a world without sin, everything was innocent. They got to see God and walk with Him, fellowship with Him and spend time with Him.
However, they never got to experience all that God had for them. They never saw God's redemption power, they never got to witness and perform miracles. They never saw illness healed or people saved. They never knew death defeated, they never got to experience all the good stuff that God has for us right now.
When Adam and Eve sinned, God's plans for the earth took off. It's almost like He said "Because the enemy has tried to ruin my work, I'm going to give even more to my people. I'm going to upgrade their relationship with me, I'm going to bless them in ways they never would have experienced, I'm going to show them how good I am."
God is in the business of upgrades. He is the only one who can give you everything and still have everything to give you. He has so much more for you. Ask Him today to bring you into a place of upgrade. Ask Him to give you the gifts He is desiring to give to you. Ask Him to give you the relationship that He knows you can have with Him. You are made in God's image, everything that is within Him is available for you.
Adam was probably quite satisfied with the relationship he had with God before Eve was created, yet God wanted to give him more. That's God's nature. He wants you to have more than you ask for, He is incredibly generous. Don't settle for the relationship you have with God, He has so much more to give you than you will ever know!
And when you've done that, ask Him for an upgrade!
Roger C.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Sunday Morning Worship Pictures
Lionel has sent out the pictures that he shared on Sunday morning during the worship time.
During worship time I saw a series of pictures.
Firstly of a large square building with a roof prominent in the picture, with a type of red Spanish roll tile. At the corners of the building were large down-pipes, and at the foot of each were large water butts, to capture the rainwater.
I then saw in the distance large dark clouds of a type recognisable pregnant/heavy with rain.
I then saw a huge rainfall pouring on to the roof, quickly filling the 4 empty water butts, and that then there were many other water butts being filled at the house corners by extension from the foot of the down-pipe (not from the other main butt).
I felt that the water clouds represented a visiting rainfall from heaven of the presence of the Holy Spirit at a time during this season, which flowed over the roof and into the 4 corner butts, and such was the downfall that there was a filling for many other butts. There was not a clamouring to get to the corner positioning, but there was an eagerness to be there and to be in position.
I was shaken after I had seen this event, and spoke it out into the silence of worship. It causes me to be expectant.
Lionel Mackey
During worship time I saw a series of pictures.
Firstly of a large square building with a roof prominent in the picture, with a type of red Spanish roll tile. At the corners of the building were large down-pipes, and at the foot of each were large water butts, to capture the rainwater.
I then saw in the distance large dark clouds of a type recognisable pregnant/heavy with rain.
I then saw a huge rainfall pouring on to the roof, quickly filling the 4 empty water butts, and that then there were many other water butts being filled at the house corners by extension from the foot of the down-pipe (not from the other main butt).
I felt that the water clouds represented a visiting rainfall from heaven of the presence of the Holy Spirit at a time during this season, which flowed over the roof and into the 4 corner butts, and such was the downfall that there was a filling for many other butts. There was not a clamouring to get to the corner positioning, but there was an eagerness to be there and to be in position.
I was shaken after I had seen this event, and spoke it out into the silence of worship. It causes me to be expectant.
Lionel Mackey
Friday, 30 September 2011
Paul knew what he was saying.....
...... When he wrote to the Thessalonians
"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. " 1 Thess 5v18, (NKJV).
This is not a random statement that Paul made, hoping that the Thessalonians and eventually, all who read his letter, would read and think that it's a nice concept.
Giving thanks is what is at the core of our relationships with God. If we want to experience what it's like to have a deep, intimate relationship with God, we have to learn to give thanks. We have to learn to thank Him in every aspect of our lives.
Giving thanks to God is the most basic form of worship. We don't even have to sing to give thanks, we only have to say the words.
It's a difficult verse to fulfil as often, we don't want to give thanks. There are many times when we have a desire to thank God, yet there are times when it's the last thing we want to do. This is when giving thanks is the most important thing we can do. Why? because God is glorified whenever we give thanks to Him.
Psalm 22v3,(NKJV) says :
"But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel."
When we give thanks, we release praise to God. God dwells in our praise of Him, so when we praise God, it releases activity in the heavenly realms that allows Him to come into our situation. God becomes more glorified as we praise Him. His light grows stronger, His glory becomes more intense and the darkness flees.
There are circumstances that may make us think things are so bleak that there is nothing to thank God for. When times are tough, we delve into our testimony, we give thanks to God for what He has done before. We give thanks that He is providing every breath we breathe. We give thanks to Him because He is God. He is I Am. We give thanks to Him because He is God. We don't need a reason, it should become quite easy too.
We were created in God's image so therefore, the very nature of God exists in us. We were made to worship Him, so giving thanks to Him is something we are good at.
Have you ever stopped to think that you are better at giving thanks, at praising and worshipping God than you are at sinning?
Being made to Worship God is what we were made for.
Imagine you are a carpenter's saw. You are made with a purpose, cutting wood cleanly and accurately. If you are then used to bang nails into the same piece of wood, you aren't going to be very good at it.
Thanking God is what we were made for. Being in a close, intimate relationship with God is where it's at. That's fulfilling the purpose God set out for us. It's what God's will was when He created Adam all those years ago. Adam lived, for a time, in perfect relationship with the Father, that was what God intended for mankind. It's the relationship Jesus modelled when He walked the earth, absolute, perfect deep intimate relationship with the Father. It's the relationship that God desires to have with each of us.
God is abundantly glorified when we fulfil our potential in Him. Doing this on it's own is giving glory to God. Jesus set the example of giving thanks when He prayed over the 5 loaves and 2 fish (you can read it here). He gave thanks and the blessing occurred.
He gave thanks and God was glorified. He gave thanks and God's will was released into the situation. He gave thanks and the miracle happened. He gave thanks, because He loved His Father and wanted Him to be the one who got the glory, the honour and the majesty.
So try to give thanks to God. Then when you've tried, try harder. Then keep doing it and you will find that you are suddenly giving thanks to God and your perception of your circumstances changes. Your worries, your concerns and your qualms will all seem to matter a bit less. Your experience of God will become more and you will realise that there is nothing, that God cannot change, there is no situation that He can't turn around and be glorified in. You will realise that you are actually praising Him, despite your circumstances.
You are giving thanks in all circumstances.
Roger C.
"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. " 1 Thess 5v18, (NKJV).
This is not a random statement that Paul made, hoping that the Thessalonians and eventually, all who read his letter, would read and think that it's a nice concept.
Giving thanks is what is at the core of our relationships with God. If we want to experience what it's like to have a deep, intimate relationship with God, we have to learn to give thanks. We have to learn to thank Him in every aspect of our lives.
Giving thanks to God is the most basic form of worship. We don't even have to sing to give thanks, we only have to say the words.
It's a difficult verse to fulfil as often, we don't want to give thanks. There are many times when we have a desire to thank God, yet there are times when it's the last thing we want to do. This is when giving thanks is the most important thing we can do. Why? because God is glorified whenever we give thanks to Him.
Psalm 22v3,(NKJV) says :
"But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel."
When we give thanks, we release praise to God. God dwells in our praise of Him, so when we praise God, it releases activity in the heavenly realms that allows Him to come into our situation. God becomes more glorified as we praise Him. His light grows stronger, His glory becomes more intense and the darkness flees.
There are circumstances that may make us think things are so bleak that there is nothing to thank God for. When times are tough, we delve into our testimony, we give thanks to God for what He has done before. We give thanks that He is providing every breath we breathe. We give thanks to Him because He is God. He is I Am. We give thanks to Him because He is God. We don't need a reason, it should become quite easy too.
We were created in God's image so therefore, the very nature of God exists in us. We were made to worship Him, so giving thanks to Him is something we are good at.
Have you ever stopped to think that you are better at giving thanks, at praising and worshipping God than you are at sinning?
Being made to Worship God is what we were made for.
Imagine you are a carpenter's saw. You are made with a purpose, cutting wood cleanly and accurately. If you are then used to bang nails into the same piece of wood, you aren't going to be very good at it.
Thanking God is what we were made for. Being in a close, intimate relationship with God is where it's at. That's fulfilling the purpose God set out for us. It's what God's will was when He created Adam all those years ago. Adam lived, for a time, in perfect relationship with the Father, that was what God intended for mankind. It's the relationship Jesus modelled when He walked the earth, absolute, perfect deep intimate relationship with the Father. It's the relationship that God desires to have with each of us.
God is abundantly glorified when we fulfil our potential in Him. Doing this on it's own is giving glory to God. Jesus set the example of giving thanks when He prayed over the 5 loaves and 2 fish (you can read it here). He gave thanks and the blessing occurred.
He gave thanks and God was glorified. He gave thanks and God's will was released into the situation. He gave thanks and the miracle happened. He gave thanks, because He loved His Father and wanted Him to be the one who got the glory, the honour and the majesty.
So try to give thanks to God. Then when you've tried, try harder. Then keep doing it and you will find that you are suddenly giving thanks to God and your perception of your circumstances changes. Your worries, your concerns and your qualms will all seem to matter a bit less. Your experience of God will become more and you will realise that there is nothing, that God cannot change, there is no situation that He can't turn around and be glorified in. You will realise that you are actually praising Him, despite your circumstances.
You are giving thanks in all circumstances.
Roger C.
Saturday, 17 September 2011
When Giants Are Standing In Front Of You
Last month, I posted a blog about the A Heart like David and the Heart of God, and it's been on my heart to write another blog about David.
David is a character that I've long admired because of the heart he had for his God. When David was still a young lad, only in his teens, he was holding down two jobs. One of these was holding the responsibility of looking after the flock of sheep that his father owned, the other was holding the responsibility of looking after the wellbeing of the king of Israel, ministering to the heart of Saul 1 Sam 16v14ff (NIV).
So for such a young man, there was a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. David had to juggle both of these tasks while not letting either of his masters down, he also knew at this stage that he was going to be the next king of Israel, even if nobody outside his family knew this yet.
You can read about it in 1 Sam 17. His 3 eldest brothers- Eliab (The tall one who looked kingly), Abinadab and Shammah had all joined the Israelite army, to fight for Saul and David had been given the job of bringing their food out to them, while they sat on the frontline, facing the Philistines.
David's dad, Jesse, called him in one day and gave him a bag of grain, 10 loaves of bread and 10 cheeses to take to the battlefield. The grain and bread was for his brothers, the cheese was for the commander of the unit. I'm not sure why Jesse wanted David to bring food to the commander, but I suspect it had something to do with the commander 'looking after' Jesse's eldest sons.
When David arrived at the battleground, he saw that there was no fighting, yet this man (if that's what you could call him!) stood, taunting the Israelites morning and evening. Goliath was massive. The head of his spear weighed the same as 7 bags of sugar. His armour weighed more than most men. He stood almost 10 feet tall. He was big, he was mean and he was taunting the army of Israel, morning and evening. When they prayed to their God.
David, as we know, had a very special relationship with God. He loved Him dearly, he wrote many songs of worship and praise to his God. He had spent many days and nights in God's Presence, writing, singing and worshipping Him. So when he found out that Goliath had been taunting the Israelites for 40 days, morning and evening, David was angry.
When I say angry, I mean that David had a righteous anger burning inside of him. Goliath was interrupting the time that was sacred to the Israelites. They prayed morning and evening to God and this man was disturbing the time they had set aside to be with God.
Goliath was interrupting the time that David loved.
Goliath was proposing that Israel send a champion out to fight for them, to prevent any further bloodshed. Israel needed a champion and it's champion wasn't coming out into the open. Why?
Israel had a champion who was terrified of men. He was very tall and very handsome. He was the king of Israel, he was Saul. If you go back to 1 Samuel 9 (NIV), you will see that even though Saul was a very tall and kingly looking man, he was hiding from the people when Samuel tried to find him.
When Goliath challenged Israel, Saul was afraid and didn't stand up for his people. Of course, this could have been because he was the king and didn't want to fight as that was his prerogative. But when it came down to it, the biggest man in Israel was afraid to fight the biggest man in Philistine. So there was a stand off for 40 days.
David immediately volunteered to do the job. He had found out that Saul's daughter would be given in marriage to the man who killed Goliath and the thought may have crossed his mind that this was his way into his anointing, but the reward didn't affect David's decision. He didn't like what he saw and he was going to do something about it.
Just think for a minute. The well being of the nation of Israel rested on the result of this battle and Saul decided to send a teenager out to represent him.
Maybe this was his madness kicking in, maybe it was the 40 days of taunting. Maybe God was stepping in after 40 days, something He does all through the bible. Whatever the reason, God arrived on the battlefield when David turned up and the odds were suddenly overturned drastically in Israel's favour.
There are a number of significant things about how David fought Goliath.
Firstly, David wasn't afraid. He had fought and killed bears and lions while he tended his flock, so a tall man (who didn't have claws or sharp teeth) wouldn't be any challenge. He was building on the testimony that he had. God had given him the ability to slay beasts before, so David knew He would be with him as he fought this next beast.
David stood on the word of his testimony.
Secondly, David fought Goliath on his terms. Saul offered his own weapons and armour but David decided he wasn't going to use them. David wasn't going to try and defeat Goliath by fighting him with the weapons he was given by another man.
David was going to fight Goliath by fighting him with the weapons God gave him. He was going into a fight on his terms and he knew he would win.
Thirdly, David didn't take any of the usual weapons of war with him. He took his sling and his staff and went to the stream, where he picked up 5 smooth stones. The stones were around the size of a baseball, and someone like David, would have been able to aim accurately at a target with his sling and hit it with a stone, traveling at around 100mph. (Imagine if you were standing on the baseline at Wimbledon with Rafael Nadal serving stones at you, they wouldn't be as fast as what David could do).
David didn't take 5 stones because he thought he was going to miss, he knew that God would be with him, and God never misses! Apparently Goliath had 4 brothers, so I'm assuming that this is where the 4 stones were readied for.
A notable thing is that he took his staff. The one thing that a shepherd carried when he was tending his flock was his staff, and as David stood in front of the Philistines, defending his flock, he was doing so as one who knew what it was like to face a fierce enemy, who was willing to stand up to one who wanted to harm his flock. He wasn't going to let him hurt even one.
Finally, David told Goliath in no uncertain terms that Goliath was not fighting a boy, but he was going to be defeated because God was on his side. Despite his size and apparent military advantage over David, David knew that when God is on your side, you are automatically stronger than anything the enemy throws at you.
David knew that Goliath was outnumbered because when God is on your side, it's the biggest advantage of all.
David ran into battle. His brothers (specifically Eliab, the one whose heart was not right before God- coincidence? No!)tried to put him off fighting Goliath. Saul tried to tell him how to fight Goliath. His God enabled him to fight Goliath. His God enabled him to defeat Goliath. His God was glorified because David stood on the testimony he had, the love he had for his God and the love he had for his flock.
There are times in life when we come up against a monster, something that seems way beyond what we can cope with. Circumstances look too big to deal with and the outcome seems to be set out in front of us. These are the times when we step into where God wants us to be. These are the times where we move into the anointing that God has given us. These are opportunities for us to say "I've been in a similar situation before. I know God can help me now too".
These are the times to step into our inheritance, to be the anointed royalty that God has made us. To defeat the enemy that stands in front of us, taunting us that he's too big, trying to come between us and our relationship with our God. These are the times that prepare us to be warriors.
Stand on the Word of God. Believe Him and trust Him to come through for you when there's a giant in front of you. God + you outnumbers and is greater than anything the enemy can throw against you. Use the gifts He's given you. Stand on the word of your testimony and go into the battle, knowing you are victorious.
Roger C.
David is a character that I've long admired because of the heart he had for his God. When David was still a young lad, only in his teens, he was holding down two jobs. One of these was holding the responsibility of looking after the flock of sheep that his father owned, the other was holding the responsibility of looking after the wellbeing of the king of Israel, ministering to the heart of Saul 1 Sam 16v14ff (NIV).
So for such a young man, there was a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. David had to juggle both of these tasks while not letting either of his masters down, he also knew at this stage that he was going to be the next king of Israel, even if nobody outside his family knew this yet.
You can read about it in 1 Sam 17. His 3 eldest brothers- Eliab (The tall one who looked kingly), Abinadab and Shammah had all joined the Israelite army, to fight for Saul and David had been given the job of bringing their food out to them, while they sat on the frontline, facing the Philistines.
David's dad, Jesse, called him in one day and gave him a bag of grain, 10 loaves of bread and 10 cheeses to take to the battlefield. The grain and bread was for his brothers, the cheese was for the commander of the unit. I'm not sure why Jesse wanted David to bring food to the commander, but I suspect it had something to do with the commander 'looking after' Jesse's eldest sons.
When David arrived at the battleground, he saw that there was no fighting, yet this man (if that's what you could call him!) stood, taunting the Israelites morning and evening. Goliath was massive. The head of his spear weighed the same as 7 bags of sugar. His armour weighed more than most men. He stood almost 10 feet tall. He was big, he was mean and he was taunting the army of Israel, morning and evening. When they prayed to their God.
David, as we know, had a very special relationship with God. He loved Him dearly, he wrote many songs of worship and praise to his God. He had spent many days and nights in God's Presence, writing, singing and worshipping Him. So when he found out that Goliath had been taunting the Israelites for 40 days, morning and evening, David was angry.
When I say angry, I mean that David had a righteous anger burning inside of him. Goliath was interrupting the time that was sacred to the Israelites. They prayed morning and evening to God and this man was disturbing the time they had set aside to be with God.
Goliath was interrupting the time that David loved.
Goliath was proposing that Israel send a champion out to fight for them, to prevent any further bloodshed. Israel needed a champion and it's champion wasn't coming out into the open. Why?
Israel had a champion who was terrified of men. He was very tall and very handsome. He was the king of Israel, he was Saul. If you go back to 1 Samuel 9 (NIV), you will see that even though Saul was a very tall and kingly looking man, he was hiding from the people when Samuel tried to find him.
When Goliath challenged Israel, Saul was afraid and didn't stand up for his people. Of course, this could have been because he was the king and didn't want to fight as that was his prerogative. But when it came down to it, the biggest man in Israel was afraid to fight the biggest man in Philistine. So there was a stand off for 40 days.
David immediately volunteered to do the job. He had found out that Saul's daughter would be given in marriage to the man who killed Goliath and the thought may have crossed his mind that this was his way into his anointing, but the reward didn't affect David's decision. He didn't like what he saw and he was going to do something about it.
Just think for a minute. The well being of the nation of Israel rested on the result of this battle and Saul decided to send a teenager out to represent him.
Maybe this was his madness kicking in, maybe it was the 40 days of taunting. Maybe God was stepping in after 40 days, something He does all through the bible. Whatever the reason, God arrived on the battlefield when David turned up and the odds were suddenly overturned drastically in Israel's favour.
There are a number of significant things about how David fought Goliath.
Firstly, David wasn't afraid. He had fought and killed bears and lions while he tended his flock, so a tall man (who didn't have claws or sharp teeth) wouldn't be any challenge. He was building on the testimony that he had. God had given him the ability to slay beasts before, so David knew He would be with him as he fought this next beast.
David stood on the word of his testimony.
Secondly, David fought Goliath on his terms. Saul offered his own weapons and armour but David decided he wasn't going to use them. David wasn't going to try and defeat Goliath by fighting him with the weapons he was given by another man.
David was going to fight Goliath by fighting him with the weapons God gave him. He was going into a fight on his terms and he knew he would win.
Thirdly, David didn't take any of the usual weapons of war with him. He took his sling and his staff and went to the stream, where he picked up 5 smooth stones. The stones were around the size of a baseball, and someone like David, would have been able to aim accurately at a target with his sling and hit it with a stone, traveling at around 100mph. (Imagine if you were standing on the baseline at Wimbledon with Rafael Nadal serving stones at you, they wouldn't be as fast as what David could do).
David didn't take 5 stones because he thought he was going to miss, he knew that God would be with him, and God never misses! Apparently Goliath had 4 brothers, so I'm assuming that this is where the 4 stones were readied for.
A notable thing is that he took his staff. The one thing that a shepherd carried when he was tending his flock was his staff, and as David stood in front of the Philistines, defending his flock, he was doing so as one who knew what it was like to face a fierce enemy, who was willing to stand up to one who wanted to harm his flock. He wasn't going to let him hurt even one.
Finally, David told Goliath in no uncertain terms that Goliath was not fighting a boy, but he was going to be defeated because God was on his side. Despite his size and apparent military advantage over David, David knew that when God is on your side, you are automatically stronger than anything the enemy throws at you.
David knew that Goliath was outnumbered because when God is on your side, it's the biggest advantage of all.
David ran into battle. His brothers (specifically Eliab, the one whose heart was not right before God- coincidence? No!)tried to put him off fighting Goliath. Saul tried to tell him how to fight Goliath. His God enabled him to fight Goliath. His God enabled him to defeat Goliath. His God was glorified because David stood on the testimony he had, the love he had for his God and the love he had for his flock.
There are times in life when we come up against a monster, something that seems way beyond what we can cope with. Circumstances look too big to deal with and the outcome seems to be set out in front of us. These are the times when we step into where God wants us to be. These are the times where we move into the anointing that God has given us. These are opportunities for us to say "I've been in a similar situation before. I know God can help me now too".
These are the times to step into our inheritance, to be the anointed royalty that God has made us. To defeat the enemy that stands in front of us, taunting us that he's too big, trying to come between us and our relationship with our God. These are the times that prepare us to be warriors.
Stand on the Word of God. Believe Him and trust Him to come through for you when there's a giant in front of you. God + you outnumbers and is greater than anything the enemy can throw against you. Use the gifts He's given you. Stand on the word of your testimony and go into the battle, knowing you are victorious.
Roger C.
Wednesday, 24 August 2011
Love Never Fails
This is a word that was shared with us this week by Kay. There is nothing added to it or taken away from it, so read on and be blessed:
Grace and peace to all the genuine true brothers,
In Jesus Christ....
You know to whom I am speaking.
I love you my little children...with an everlasting love.....
Fear not....
Because you know you are redeemed...
Your lives are hid in me...the great I am...
I know the hurt....and disappointment.. you are feeling at this time..
But don’t you remember
I am the one that is in control....
and i will bring my purposes to fruition.
I am the healer of hearts and binder of wounds,
and everything hidden in the darkness...I will bring into the light.
I have talked to you on many occasions....
Reminding you, that all quarrelling.....bitterness......and......anger....
Rise from your own selfish ambition that hides within you..........
I know the secrets of every heart.......
You have all made mistakes.....
Otherwise I would not have had to die upon a filthy cross.....
and become a curse for.....you
Yes.....you
There is nothing more I can give you....
I gave you myself.....
Jesus crucified naked.
As this world looks on.....and laughs...at the love and respect and repentance of the church,
I plead with you my beloved children......
Don’t give the devil one more step into the church.
Be strong,
Don’t be afraid to humble yourselves,
There is great freedom comes when you admit you have made a mistake.
Please don’t stand for anyone else’s cause except mine..
Let the tears flow...
and reach out the hand of forgiveness to those who may have hurt you.
I have entrusted myself to you,....
Will you trust yourself to me ....
Your heavenly Father...
Dad
Word from Kay Dockery 22/08/2011
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
A Heart like David and the Heart of God
If you decide to read the Bible from the beginning to the end, almost a quarter of the way into it, a young boy is introduced to us. He is David and he is the most famous king that Israel ever had.
Samuel, the prophet has been told by God that the king God put in place, is no longer the man to rule over His people and that he has to find this family in Bethlehem, and anoint one of the sons. I'll let Samuel tell you the story as it happened:
1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. NIV
When Samuel knew that Saul was to be replaced as king, he did what many leaders would do. He looked back at previous experience of anointing a king and decided to do the same. After all, Saul looked like a king, he looked like a champion;
2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. 1 Sam 9 v2 (NIV)
So the obvious thing was to pick the man with the same characteristics and follow the same route.
So he arrived in Bethlehem, a small town where the arrival of "The Prophet" would have been front page news on the Bethlehem Times, and he went to the house of Jesse. Panic broke out as the towns people worried why this man of God had decided to move in for a few days, but God told Samuel to take a heifer and tell the people they were making a sacrifice.
There was a collective sigh of relief among the local elders, and maybe a hint of apprehension in Jesse when he discovered it was his family that Samuel wanted to sacrifice with.
So Samuel told Jesse to get the family ready, to consecrate and to clean themselves up, to make themselves presentable before the Lord, and they did so.
That evening, Samuel started the process, and thinking back to his last ordination, He saw Eliab and realised that this tall man looked kingly, and must be the man for the job. No sooner had he thought this than God spoke to him clearly:
"Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart." 1 Sam 16v7 MSG
Eliab wasn't the one for the job as God knew his heart wasn't right before Him. We see this in ch 17, Eliab is the one to verbally attack David as he goes to fight Goliath. Eliab didn't know God's heart, and as a result, his heart wasn't like God's.
Samuel went through the 7 sons that Jesse had presented to him and none of them were the one God wanted. Knowing that God is never wrong, Samuel wanted to know if that was it. Jesse replied that there was his youngest, minding the sheep. Samuel refused to go any further unless the son was brought before him.
Now at this stage, David is estimated to be between 10 and 13 years old. He spent every day minding the sheep, being on his own and writing songs. He learned in this time that his God was there with him. He learned that his God was interested in him and he learned that he could sing, write songs, worship and praise Him. He was learning what it was like to have a quiet time with God.
Getting back to the story then, David was obviously not invited to the sacrifice with Samuel. He wasn't presented to Samuel in the beginning because Samuel would have known when he came to David that he was to be king. David wasn't considered to be important enough to be there. He wasn't considered to be part of the family.
The argument here is that somebody had to mind the sheep. That's true, but David himself hints at why this may have been the case:
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me." Psalm 51v5 NKJV
David says he was conceived in sin, was he only a half brother? Did he have an different mother? Was he not considered to be part of the family because of this?
Jesse himself refers to David as "....the runt. But he's out tending the sheep." 1 Sam 16v7 MSG
Whatever the reason is, David wasn't invited to the party, yet the party wasn't going to happen until he arrived.
Psalm 118 v 22-23 says:
"The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes." NIV
This verse was used to refer to Jesus in the new testament, yet could have easily been written about David.
Yet when he arrived, Samuel knew immediately that this young man was to be king. He was accepted by God, anointed by Samuel and filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
Have you noticed that something's missing?
David wasn't consecrated, and hadn't gone through any necessary rituals before coming to the sacrifice. The reason for this is because his heart was right with God.
David was used to being in the Presence of God and so was able to walk straight in to the place of anointing. Once this happened,
"The Spirit of God entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life." 1 Sam 16v13 MSG
His heart was right, he was anointed and he was empowered for the rest of his life. He was to become king. He was to become the greatest of all his brothers, a champion of his country, yet he was to remain a man whose heart was like God's.
David went on to become a great king because he grew up in the presence of the King of Kings. He learned how to be a king from the One who led by perfect example. Spending time in Gods presence has an infectious way of rubbing off on us. It improves us, it challenges us, it makes us aware of the places we haven't invited Him into. It creates a hunger for more of Him, a hunger that only He can satisfy.
David knew this. David tried this and David applied this to his life. Are you hungry for the heart of God?
Roger C
Samuel, the prophet has been told by God that the king God put in place, is no longer the man to rule over His people and that he has to find this family in Bethlehem, and anoint one of the sons. I'll let Samuel tell you the story as it happened:
1 The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.”
2 But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
4 Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
5 Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah. NIV
When Samuel knew that Saul was to be replaced as king, he did what many leaders would do. He looked back at previous experience of anointing a king and decided to do the same. After all, Saul looked like a king, he looked like a champion;
2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. 1 Sam 9 v2 (NIV)
So the obvious thing was to pick the man with the same characteristics and follow the same route.
So he arrived in Bethlehem, a small town where the arrival of "The Prophet" would have been front page news on the Bethlehem Times, and he went to the house of Jesse. Panic broke out as the towns people worried why this man of God had decided to move in for a few days, but God told Samuel to take a heifer and tell the people they were making a sacrifice.
There was a collective sigh of relief among the local elders, and maybe a hint of apprehension in Jesse when he discovered it was his family that Samuel wanted to sacrifice with.
So Samuel told Jesse to get the family ready, to consecrate and to clean themselves up, to make themselves presentable before the Lord, and they did so.
That evening, Samuel started the process, and thinking back to his last ordination, He saw Eliab and realised that this tall man looked kingly, and must be the man for the job. No sooner had he thought this than God spoke to him clearly:
"Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart." 1 Sam 16v7 MSG
Eliab wasn't the one for the job as God knew his heart wasn't right before Him. We see this in ch 17, Eliab is the one to verbally attack David as he goes to fight Goliath. Eliab didn't know God's heart, and as a result, his heart wasn't like God's.
Samuel went through the 7 sons that Jesse had presented to him and none of them were the one God wanted. Knowing that God is never wrong, Samuel wanted to know if that was it. Jesse replied that there was his youngest, minding the sheep. Samuel refused to go any further unless the son was brought before him.
Now at this stage, David is estimated to be between 10 and 13 years old. He spent every day minding the sheep, being on his own and writing songs. He learned in this time that his God was there with him. He learned that his God was interested in him and he learned that he could sing, write songs, worship and praise Him. He was learning what it was like to have a quiet time with God.
Getting back to the story then, David was obviously not invited to the sacrifice with Samuel. He wasn't presented to Samuel in the beginning because Samuel would have known when he came to David that he was to be king. David wasn't considered to be important enough to be there. He wasn't considered to be part of the family.
The argument here is that somebody had to mind the sheep. That's true, but David himself hints at why this may have been the case:
"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me." Psalm 51v5 NKJV
David says he was conceived in sin, was he only a half brother? Did he have an different mother? Was he not considered to be part of the family because of this?
Jesse himself refers to David as "....the runt. But he's out tending the sheep." 1 Sam 16v7 MSG
Whatever the reason is, David wasn't invited to the party, yet the party wasn't going to happen until he arrived.
Psalm 118 v 22-23 says:
"The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes." NIV
This verse was used to refer to Jesus in the new testament, yet could have easily been written about David.
Yet when he arrived, Samuel knew immediately that this young man was to be king. He was accepted by God, anointed by Samuel and filled with the Spirit of the Lord.
Have you noticed that something's missing?
David wasn't consecrated, and hadn't gone through any necessary rituals before coming to the sacrifice. The reason for this is because his heart was right with God.
David was used to being in the Presence of God and so was able to walk straight in to the place of anointing. Once this happened,
"The Spirit of God entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life." 1 Sam 16v13 MSG
His heart was right, he was anointed and he was empowered for the rest of his life. He was to become king. He was to become the greatest of all his brothers, a champion of his country, yet he was to remain a man whose heart was like God's.
David went on to become a great king because he grew up in the presence of the King of Kings. He learned how to be a king from the One who led by perfect example. Spending time in Gods presence has an infectious way of rubbing off on us. It improves us, it challenges us, it makes us aware of the places we haven't invited Him into. It creates a hunger for more of Him, a hunger that only He can satisfy.
David knew this. David tried this and David applied this to his life. Are you hungry for the heart of God?
Roger C
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)