It’s so easy to place our trust in something tangible like wealth, beauty, strength and talent instead of God and His promises. The challenge of living by faith is we can’t see God’s kingdom at work in the natural. We pin our hopes on human resources or pursue our pleasure by relying on them. It…
We often rely on human strategies to fight our battles in life. Trusting in skills or finances for success in family, church or business life will prove inadequate because of spiritual warfare. David learned how to defeat evil forces while Saul chased him before becoming king. ObedienceDavid spoke this song to the Lord when He…
America has a crisis of confidence in its government, its large businesses, its schools and its churches. For the last few decades Americans have been leaving existing organizations and not joining new ones. Robert Putnam discussed the decline in social capital the US has experienced in his book Bowling Alone. Part of our loss of leadership…
Leadership is not simply anymore because today’s problems are complex and interconnected. No one person can know what to do. To understand issues, all parts of a system must participate and contribute. Leadership must expand from isolated, role-based actions of individuals to innovative, contextual interactions that occur across an entire social system. David faced a…
Do you feel like you are walking in the wilderness not knowing where you are going? Do you feel hungry and thirsty spiritually? Do you feel vulnerable? Has a family member done something behind your back that was totally unexpected? Has a friend made you look bad? Has your boss yelled at you for no reason?…
Everyone encounters obstacles when they seek to fulfill God’s purposes for their lives. Lies, curses and bad decisions from others can get you off track. To get you back on track, pray for discernment, be humble and teachable, allow friends to support you and trust God’s sovereignty. Let’s examine how David dealt with these obstacles…
Those who nurse an unforgiving spirit risk their credibility and integrity. David refused to forgive and even see his son, Absalom, after he killed his half-brother, Amnon. You will see a case example of an offended and disrespected Absalom lie, seek revenge and rebel against David’s authority as king. Those who don’t forgive experience heartache like…
One ministry leader concluded that 90 percent of all health, marital, family and financial problems came from unforgiveness. In David’s family, unforgiveness destroyed relationships by causing isolation, distance, desperation and acting out. Like David, God brings people in your life to convict you of sin and provide wisdom so you can discern between good and evil…
Lust or strong sexual desire for someone transfers down from one generation to another. David’s lust of Bathsheba (2 Sam. 12) set up his son to also make a wrong decision, which resulted in the following chain act sinfully, refuse wise counsel, harm innocent people, cause offense, trigger revenge and reap family problems. Wrong DecisionDavid’s…
A person can’t make progress in living the Christian life unless he or she confesses their sin. Pride causes a person to despise God’s word. Severe consequences like family chaos and even death, will result from unconfessed sin. In addition, it gives occasion for the world to reject God. David shows both the negative and…
A 1996 Promise Keepers survey at one of their stadium events revealed that over 50% of the men in attendance were involved with pornography within one week of attending the event. More than 70% of men from 18 to 34 visit a pornographic site in a typical month (comScore Media Metrix). 51% of pastors say…
Having your motives misjudged is very hurtful. Jesus faced this constantly in his ministry. High achievers and those living on the cutting edge have people misjudging them constantly. The temptation is to be a man-pleaser instead of letting God defend your reputation and do what is good in His sight. David had his motives misjudged…