SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 26 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble. [1 Samuel 26:24] David knows that everyone needs God’s mercy. As he values Saul’s life enough to spare him, he knows that God needs to value his own life enough to be spared….
remember me
November 18, 2009 SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 25 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: And when the LORD has brought my master success, remember your servant.” [1 Samuel 25:31] These words from Abigail remind me of the words of the criminal on the cross: Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. [Luke 23:42] In both cases, the person speaking (Abigail and…
overcome evil with good
SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 24 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. [1 Samuel 24:16-17] Here we see how goodness overcomes evil. David sees even his enemy as someone…
church planting congress
For those interested in knowing where I am, you can check the link here. Though I am not really a church planter, these nice church planting people let me into their club for the week. Of course, you have to be a certain kind of person to be a real church planter; I could probably…
circular (un)reasoning
God’s hand behind mine
SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 23 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: David stayed in the desert strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands. [1 Samuel 23:14] David is being protected by the Lord; Saul is being hindered by the Lord. Both are making free choices, but…
alternative expressions of church
The following video from 100 Huntley Street explores the question “what is the church” and looks at some new and emerging forms of the church. I am especially interested in the section on the FRWY (“free way”), a Salvation Army Church Plant in downtown Hamilton which is built around a Cafe. This kind of ministry appeals…
following Jesus
SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 22 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him. [1 Samuel 22:2] I see two reflections of Jesus in this passage. One is how it was society’s rejects that gathered around David; the same happened with Jesus,…
heart of the Law
SCRIPTURE: 1 Samuel 21 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: So the priest gave him the consecrated bread, since there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence that had been removed from before the LORD and replaced by hot bread on the day it was taken away. [1 Samuel 21:6] Jesus uses this story to shed light on His perspective on…
more church in action
I love the part where he reflects on the idea that maybe the rich are not so rich afterall, and the poor are not so poor afterall. What we can learn from each other, if only we would break down the man-made barriers that divide us, and discover our roots in God that unite us!