Month: November 2014

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:17-18

 

David at Adullam

All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their commander. About four hundred men were with him.

1 Samuel 22:2

As Saul’s jealousy, anger and hatred against David increased, David was forced to flee for his life and took refuge at the cave of Adullam. His family and close supporters followed him and he soon became the commander of around four hundred men. His followers, however, consisted of three groups of people; those who were distressed, in debt or discontented.

 

What would our reaction be if we were asked to lead a group of such people? When the Lord calls us for a purpose, He will provide us with fellow workers who will support us in achieving His goal. In all circumstances, we must seek to know His will and thank the Lord for His provision, regardless of what is seen in the natural.

 

David’s followers came to him for protection and training, no longer wanting to live under Saul’s rule. All of them had to make a choice, to lay down their past and move on with their new identity.

Are we also able to make such a choice? Can we leave our past behind and follow the Lord, to trust that He will protect us and train us as soldiers, living for the Lord? The four hundred men were able to live together, sharing whatever they had. United, they became a strong team. This is a challenge for us to follow in our churches today.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day and for being my strength whenever I have been in a cave situation. I choose to lay down my past and follow You, as did the men of David. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

o do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced.
Isaiah 41:10-11

He is Our Protection

But an evil spirit from the Lord came on Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the lyre, Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.
1 Samuel 19:9-10

Saul’s jealousy affected his way of thinking and he became obsessed with seeking to kill David. When we keep dwelling on negative or impure thoughts, it will ultimately produce bad fruit. The word says that we have to “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5

There was once a general manager who, because of his jealousy, treated a newly recruited manager very badly. He removed the manager from his allocated office and put his own staff in the room. The manager gave the situation to the Lord and was soon returned to his rightful office by management who recognised the injustice. The general manager’s jealousy, however, soon turned to fear and he subsequently left the company, creating an opening for the new recruit to become the new general manager.
The Lord’s protection is always on His people and He will never let them down. If you are struggling with a difficult situation at your workplace or at home, give it to the Lord because He is faithful to release you from the manipulations of those who are bound by jealousy and bitterness in their hearts.

 

Dear Lord,
I thank You, Lord, that no weapon fashioned against me will stand and that You will refute every tongue that seeks to accuse me. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
James 4:6

Humility

 

Then Saul ordered his attendants: “Speak to David privately and say, ‘Look, the king likes you, and his attendants all love you; now become his son-in-law.’” They repeated these words to David. But David said, “Do you think it is a small matter to become the king’s son-in-law? I’m only a poor man and little known.”
1 Samuel 18:22-23

David was called by the Lord, anointed to be the future king and celebrated the victories that the Lord had given him; through all this he remained humble and considered himself little known and unworthy of being the king’s son-in-law.

King Saul had previously promised to give David his daughter, Merab, as his wife but the king went back on his word and gave her to another man, Adriel the Meholathite. Instead of becoming angry, David continued to profess his unworthiness to be the king’s son-in-law when Saul offered him Michal.

David’s humility kept him from manipulating the situation for his own benefit. Knowing that he was called to be a future king, he waited for God’s timing with patience, humility and endurance.

Have we also been blessed with talents from the Lord? Are we using them to honour God or are we striving to promote ourselves by misusing the gifts that He has given us? Has pride overtaken us? Let us take stock this morning and say to the Lord, “I surrender my gifts and talents to You. Use them for Your glory because I want to walk in humility, abiding by Your perfect will.”

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day. Let me not manipulate the systems of this world to my advantage but wait for You to lift me up so that Your name may be glorified. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. James 3:16

Jealousy

Whatever mission Saul sent him on, David was so successful that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the troops and Saul’s officers as well. When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels  and lyres. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Saul was very angry; this refrain displeased him greatly.
1 Samuel 18:5-8

After David’s victory over Goliath, he was recognised as a military hero and given a high rank in Saul’s army. However, when they returned from fighting the Philistines, the women who went out to greet the soldiers gave greater praise to David than to King Saul. Their words displeased the king and he became very jealous and angry.

Why did Saul get angry? Did he not understand that the victories of David were also victories for the king and the entire nation?

When we are led by the Spirit of God, we live by faith and trust the Lord for our victories. When Saul disobeyed the Lord and started to rely on his own strength, the Spirit of the Lord left him and his faith was replaced with fear.

When our hearts are gripped with fear, we resort to the natural and try to protect ourselves with what we can see, feel and touch. Fear can also create feelings of jealousy and anger, especially when our pride has been hurt.
In the story of Saul, we see how his fear of losing the kingdom caused his focus to shift from caring for the people, to defeating David. As jealousy and anger consumed him, he drifted further and further away from the Lord and the result was that he not only lost the kingdom to David but also met with a tragic end in battle.
Let us, therefore, place our anger and jealous thoughts on His altar today and ask Him to fill us with the love and grace of His Spirit so that we can live as overcomers.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day and place on Your altar every bitter and envious thought. Cleanse me with Your precious blood so that I may walk by faith and not in the wisdom of man. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
1 Corinthians 1:27

The Lord Appoints

As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, “Abner, whose son is that young man?” Abner replied, “As surely as you live, Your Majesty, I don’t know.” The king said, “Find out whose son this young man is.”

1 Samuel 17:55-56

Although David was not known by King Saul or the commander of the army, he was known by a much higher authority, the Lord in heaven, the King of all kings. Despite his anonymity amongst his earthly superiors, God appointed David to slay Goliath and thereby secure victory for the Israelites.

 

The Lord’s ways are higher than man’s ways, far beyond our understanding. For example, Moses was chosen by the Lord, brought up in Pharaoh’s palace and well known by all but the Lord sent him away for forty years to train and prepare him for the task of setting His children free. On the other hand, David, an unknown shepherd boy, was plucked from the fields as a youth and given the task of defeating Goliath, without so much as a sword in his hand. The Lord honoured young David for his faith and desire to see God’s name glorified in defeating the Philistines.
God has called each one of us to a specific task and the Lord is the one who will prepare us for that role. Sometimes we may have to go through a wilderness period and other times we will see a fast result but through it all, He will train us. We need to persevere through all circumstances and be patient in waiting for His right timing.

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day. I know that promotions do not come from the east or west but from You who appoints us to our individual calling. Help me to persevere day by day, as I seek to fulfil Your purpose for me. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. James 2:17

Work And Prepare For Victory

Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

1 Samuel 17:49-50

When it comes to competitive sports, the teams that are focused and train hard will have an advantage over those who do not train and prepare for the competition; the result is victory for those who have prepared well.

 

Similarly, our faith needs to be exercised, kept alive and active if we desire to see the Lord move on our behalf. We cannot assume that God will give us the victory if our faith is inactive; it would be pure foolishness to stand before the enemy without arming ourselves with the shield of faith.

 

When David confronted Goliath, he was fully prepared because his faith in God assured him of victory. He also had to prepare himself with the armour that he was comfortable with; instead of trying to wear Saul’s armour, he chose five smooth stones from the brook and used his sling to defeat the giant.

 

The enemy may belittle our faith and our talents just as Goliath ridiculed David, but if we move on and persevere, the Lord will give us the victory. He will not want us to use another person’s talents or armour but as we exercise the faith and the gifts that He has bestowed upon us, we will find that His grace is sufficient for what He has called us to do.

Dear Lord, 

I thank You for this day; help me to be prepared for the battle so that I will be equipped to defeat the enemy with the talents that You have given me. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

That your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:5

We Have To Move By Faith

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

1 Samuel 17:48-49

Application of our faith does not stop with our confession – we have to also follow through with action. As we become sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, He will guide us along the path we should follow and direct us in all of our activities.
In the life of David, we can see that he had experienced God’s faithfulness when the Lord protected him while he was tending his father’s sheep. David had experienced a personal encounter with God and trusted that, when he called on the Lord, He would be there for him. Are we able to say the same of our own walk with God? Do we trust Him implicitly to believe that He will meet our every need if we walk in faith and obedience to His Word?

If you are in the wilderness this morning, He is willing to meet with you, to reignite your faith. Let your faith not be based on your own strength and effort but seek an encounter with the One who is able to transform your spirit, soul and body so that you may know His faith which is alive and active, enabling you to glorify the Lord as you walk according to His will.

 

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day. I desire a personal encounter with You so that I will be able to feel Your heart beat and move by it. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

“We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, “I believed, and therefore have I spoken,” we also believe, and therefore speak.” 2 Corinthians 4:13

Faith Has To Be Applied

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, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”
1 Samuel 17:45-46

 

Our faith is applied when it is declared or proclaimed. The Word says “I believed and therefore I spoke.”  When we believe with our hearts, the faith within us needs to be confessed through the words that we speak with our mouth; our hearts and mouths are connected. It is important for us to vocalize our faith because there is power when we proclaim and testify in accordance with God’s Word.
When Goliath cursed David, he felt no fear because his faith in God was greater than the words that the giant threw at him. David applied his faith by confessing with his mouth, the victory that he believed the Lord would give to His people, saying, “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands.”

David understood the importance of right confession, by confirming with his mouth the faith that the Lord had placed in his heart, he was able to see the victory that God had planned for him.

 

God’s Word and His principles have not changed and so we, also, will be able to see the mighty hand of God move in our lives if we believe with our heart and confess with our mouth, the promises that God has made for His children. As we apply the faith that He has graciously placed in our hearts, let us stand firm before the giants and boldly proclaim His victory, giving Him the glory, that others may know that God is alive in our world today.
Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day and the many things that You have done in my life. Help me to hold fast the confession of my hope without wavering, for You are faithful. Amen.

 

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

When you become an instrument in God’s hands as He transfers someone from the realm of darkness into the kingdom of His Son, you make a difference in the person’s eternal destiny. Not only that, but Satan also receives a devastating blow.
– Charles Stanley

The Lord is our Judge

See, “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.
1 Samuel 24:14-16

David did not want to kill Saul because he was appointed by God. He did not fear Saul and only feared God, so he boldly pointed out to Saul his wrongs. David made it clear to Saul that God was judge and can see all things, and nothing can be hidden from Him.
We should not be afraid to correct those whom God has appointed, because if they are humble they can learn from their mistakes and become more effective in building God’s kingdom.

The Lord is not only our judge, but will also vindicate us from the enemy. Can we learn from these truths and be like David when we encounter similar situations?

Dear Lord,
You are the Alpha and the Omega and I take cover under Your wings. Help me not to fear man but speak out the truth and encourage others to abide in You. Amen.

God bless you
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have. Dwight L Moody

May He Go With You

“The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”
1 Samuel 17:37

In today’s passage, King Saul sends David out to fight Goliath with an assurance, saying “Go, and the Lord be with you.” David was not alone, the Lord was with Him.

When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, He did not send them out alone but sent them in two’s. We may wonder why Jesus did that; one reason may be that when two or three are gathered in His name, the Word says that He will be present. His presence is what all of us need. Moses did not want to leave the mountain of God without His presence.

It is important to know that the Lord is with us and therefore, we are not alone. When we live our lives with this assurance, we will not be afraid; the Lord will give us victory over our enemies and we will live as overcomers.

We may encounter many a challenge throughout the day but remember that He is with you and abides in you.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day. May Your presence abide within me, giving me peace and rest to my spirit. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju