1 Samuel 30:6 – “David was very upset, for the men were thinking of stoning him; each man grieved bitterly over his sons and daughters. But David drew strength from the Lord his God.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, the rubber met the road in my heart and mind.   I began in 1 Samuel 30:6, where in a difficult time, “David drew strength from the LORD His God.”   

That was his key and our pathway to becoming who God designed us to be.    We try and try and try and fail because our strength, wisdom, ability, or position can never prevail over the forces of darkness and life’s challenges.   But we try!  We keep trying to be by doing.   We eat from the wrong tree!

In Hebrews 11:1, we have a simple definition or explanation of faith.   We make it mystical or magical and succumb to the pride of self-producing.  Faith IS!

Faith is what?   Faith is being sure (certain) of what we hope for.  The question is, what do we hope for?  What do we long for?  What do we crave?   What is God’s Promise?  

Faith is being convinced (unshakably certain and confident) of what we do not see.  It is a matter of: God said that it’s not visible, but because God said it, we see it, believe it, expect it, and receive it.   Convinced!   Unshakably certain. 

Hebrews 11 is a record or reminder of God’s faithfulness and the fruit of trust and obedience even when you can’t see it!   Consider the power, purpose, and benefit of discipline.    What does that have to do with faith?  Everything!   Discipline molds us into His image, and in that relationship, faith is the air we breathe.   Hebrews 12:7 – “Endure your suffering as discipline.”   No, every trial is not chastisement, but there is a lesson in every trial.

Hebrews 13 begins with Paul’s final instructions on how to live and live in faith.  Love one another and be hospitable (opens the door to divine encounters).  Focus on others, not just our needs, for that is the heart of Jesus.   Then, out of the blue, he inserts the sanctity of marriage and marital intimacy.  Why?   To remind us that human marriage is a type of our relationship with Christ and to defile that is to trample Christ’s blood underfoot. 

Hebrews 13:8 is not a standalone verse.  Jesus is the same eternally; therefore, we must live in purity because He is eternally pure and our example.   He is our pattern. 

Hebrews 13:20-21 – Through Christ Be!   Take all your sins, baggage, doubts, and fears outside the camp and nail them to the Cross.  

Don’t be an Esau and sell out for anything.   What will we sell out for?  A drink, a drug, a fling, a dollar?  What?   Nothing is worth our eternal soul.  Therefore, no discipline is too harsh.  Only Jesus!

LORD, You are our strength; help us to learn to draw strength from You!

1 Samuel 11:6 – “The Spirit of God rushed upon Saul when he heard these words, and he became very angry.”

1 Samuel 15:10-11 – “Then the Lord’s message came to Samuel: ¹¹ “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from me and has not done what I told him to do.” Samuel became angry, and he cried out to the Lord all that night.”

As I read, prayed, and mused on the Word of God today, my heart overflowed. Many things tugged at my heart as reminders and challenges.  Uncontrolled anger is destructive, but Holy Spirit-induced anger is constructive. 1 Samuel 11:6 & 15:11.

Explicit Obedience is the only acceptable response to God.  In 1 Samuel 15:22-23, this is made glaringly clear. God equates ignoring or disobeying His commands with rebellion and compares it to divination and witchcraft. It is rejected. It cost Saul the kingdom.

The Anointing brings empowerment to serve!  1 Samuel 16:12-13, “The Spirit of the LORD rushed on David from that day forward.”   The word rushed means to be empowered!

The focus is the foundation of faith.   Faith enables us to perform the purposes of God.  1 Samuel 17:32-42, David & Goliath operated with two opposing focuses. Goliath viewed things in the natural; David viewed things in the supernatural. Goliath focused on his ability; David on God’s.

The key is what we focus on. David’s focus gave him faith, which enabled him to declare the finish from the start. (1 Samuel 17:45-47.)   We can’t have the faith needed to fulfill God’s purposes if we focus incorrectly or divide our focus. David declared the end before the battle began. He went into battle victorious. How do we go in? Most go hopeful and even wishful, not assured!

Focus is the seedbed for faith.  Faith is the fuel for the fight.  Hebrews 10:35-36 reminds us that we have to finish the race to receive the prize. Focus enables and inspires us to persevere to the end!

LORD, help us to become inspired to be angry at the things we should be angry at and focus on the task at hand!

1 Samuel 7:3 – “Samuel said to all the people of Israel, “If you are really turning to the Lord with all your hearts, remove from among you the foreign gods and the images of Ashtoreth. Give your hearts to the Lord and serve only him. Then he will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was challenged with the thought of responsibility and perseverance. Accepting responsibility for our actions is not always easy. To keep on moving forward and trusting when the goal appears impossible, or the delay is lengthy, is extremely hard.

Samuel told Israel (1 Samuel 7:3), IF you are really turning to God with your whole heart THEN…  Personal responsibility demands perseverance.  Here’s what you do, not what God does, what you do (with God’s help, of course). It is up to you and me!

• First, remove all foreign gods (we have them). We don’t call them gods and don’t give them status as idols, but we serve them, or they control us. (Attitude, greed, covetousness, anger, bitterness, pleasure, position, etc.). Remove Them!
• Give your hearts to God and serve Him only.   It is a twofold action on our part: Remove something and put on something.

What we must grasp is who Jesus is, the resources available, and our responsibility. Hebrews 1:3-4 reveals that Jesus is the very essence of God. Hebrews 2:17 reveals that He was fully man (made like humans in every respect). He was fully man while fully God.   He is our example. He did it as man for man!

Hebrews 2:10 is fascinating.  God made Jesus (the pioneer-trailblazer of Salvation) perfect through (by or in) sufferings. Jesus’ completeness as a man was developed through trials. He is our example!  Then in Hebrews 2:14-15, through death, Jesus destroyed death and the devil. He set us free from the fear of death. He removed uncertainty!

Hebrews 4:14-16, we discover the amazing and liberating truth that Jesus was tempted in every way as we are! Yet, He did it without succumbing to it – NO SIN! He persevered. He accepted His personal responsibility.

We have Jesus IN us to live THROUGH us, which enables us to live the life He lived.  Additionally, we have something else He had – the ministry of angels and the fullness of the Holy Spirit!

Hebrews 4:12-13 gives an understanding of why the Word of God is so valuable. It is God-breathed, alive, and active. Its light reveals the heart, and it surgically exposes and removes the damaged parts.

Our hope of success is to acknowledge our responsibility for our actions, thoughts, and lives. Our hope is total surrender whereby we receive the help of the angels and the Holy Spirit AND refuse to give up. We persevere. Endure to the end and win!

LORD, inspire us to accept our responsibility and follow You!

Judges 16:4-5 – “After this Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the Sorek Valley. ⁵ The rulers of the Philistines went up to visit her and said to her, “Trick him! Find out what makes him so strong and how we can subdue him and humiliate him. Each one of us will give you 1,100 silver pieces.”

As I read, prayed, and pondered the Word of God today, the revelation of the true heart filled my thoughts. Before we address that, remember this: the devil will send people into your life whose singular purpose is to find the weak link to defeat you.  Judges 16:4-5 is an example with Samson and Delilah. She was a hired destroyer.

In Titus 1:15-16, this truth of exposing the true heart is revealed.  To the pure, all is pure. To the corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure.  A corrupted mind and conscience may profess God, but the deeds reveal the heart.  The walk speaks louder than the talk. The acts don’t lie, but the mouth may!

In Titus 2:11-13, we have a powerful revelation of the work of grace in life. It brings salvation (wholeness) to all.  All who will accept and receive it. It trains us to do several things: reject godless ways and worldly desires. It trains us to live self-controlled and godly in this world. It trains us to wait for Jesus!

If our hearts are pure and Grace trains us, the Faith of Grace works in us powerfully. Philemon 6 is powerful. “I pray that the faith you share with us may deepen your understanding of Every Blessing that Belongs to You in Christ.” Grace Faith reveals the Work of the Cross!  That revelation transforms the heart, and through that transformation, we are justified and become heirs of God. What does an heir have? Everything that belongs to the testator of the will.

We need to examine our hearts by evaluating our actions. Our walk is more powerful than our talk. We examine our hearts by honestly examining our actions and intent. It’s not just what we do but why we do it.

LORD, help us to be aware of potential hired assassins sent by hell to shipwreck our call and commission.

Judges 6:1-6 – “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, so the Lord turned them over to Midian for seven years. ² The Midianites overwhelmed Israel. Because of Midian, the Israelites made shelters for themselves in the hills, caves, and strongholds. ³ Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites, and the people from the east would attack them. ⁴ They invaded the land and devoured its crops all the way to Gaza. They left nothing for the Israelites to eat, and they took away the sheep, oxen, and donkeys. ⁵ When they invaded with their cattle and tents, they were as thick as locusts. Neither they nor their camels could be counted. They came to devour the land. ⁶ Israel was so severely weakened by Midian that the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.”

As I read, prayed, and meditated on the Word of God today, I was both challenged and encouraged, and I gained insight and enlightenment. A ray of hope broke forth in my heart.

In the account of Gideon in Judges 6, we see something interesting, and even in the negative, there is encouragement. Gideon was “hiding.” He saw himself as small and insignificant. That’s one of the reasons God chose him; he wasn’t full of himself.

The angel came and declared him to me a valiant warrior! That literally made Gideon laugh. He knew the condition of Israel and his own timidity. It sounded like a joke! The angel told him to deliver Israel and said, “You have the strength.” Gideon did not immediately surrender and commit; rather, he doubted and hesitated.

Then Jephthah’s story is one revealing that God can bypass our doubt if we are obedient. Faith is required to please God, but the Kingdom is of utmost importance. Jephthah made a stupid vow out of his doubt that cost him his only daughter. Doubt is costly.

Then, in 2 Timothy, something challenged me that I had not previously considered. In 2 Timothy 1:5-6, we love to quote “No Fear but Power!” Consider the context. Paul focused on the heritage of faith and said in verse 6, Because of your faith heritage, “rekindle” (stir up) the gift you possess through the laying on of my hands. In that context, he gives verse 7 – “For God has not given us a Spirit of Fear…” Don’t be afraid to use your gift! Stir up your gift and take action. Be a good soldier! Soldiers have a singular focus and purpose.

Let our confidence in God, our hope in Christ, and our faith in the Truth motivate us to act. Remember what is ahead as is revealed in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. Don’t become like those who “maintain the outward appearance (words, not deeds).”

Don’t let doubt that you are usable steal your dream or call. No Fear, God is near! Stir up and refresh your gift, then reject fear and step out! Look at Gideon. Defeated over 120,000 with 300. Impossible, naturally, but if Christ is in us, we don’t operate only on the natural.

No Fear! LORD, help us to live emptied of self and without fear!