Posts from May 2022 (Page 2)

  DISCUSSION                          Batman had the Joker, Superman had Lex Luthor and Peter Pan had Captain Hook.  In every situation, this person would be a thorn in the side of the hero.  David was no different; he also had his own nemesis.  One might think it was Goliath, but that was too easy for David to defeat because he was always the bad guy.  Then one might think it was Saul, who constantly sought David’s life, but that too…

                                                                Psalm 86 is known as A Prayer of David.  Within the first ten words of this psalm, we read words written by David that express a sentiment often felt by many of us.  David writes, “Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.”   When you read that line, you can almost envision David stomping his foot and yelling “ANSWER ME!”   Don’t many of us feel that way…

  DISCUSSION                                                  I have a confession to make.   I am not a very good swimmer, although the thought of being in a pool on a hot summer day is relaxing and refreshing.  The thought of being dropped off in the middle of the river terrifies me.  One of the reasons that swimming is not my “thing”, is that I panic! The moment the waters begin to rise above my neck and my feet are…

  DISCUSSION                 During David’s rule the Israelites faced many different enemies.  In almost every battle the Israelites were out manned and out resourced, yet they continued to succeed.  In Psalm 20 David writes a song that offers an explanation on how they continued to thrive in battle against their enemies.  “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.  They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.”…

  DISCUSSION                                                    In 1966, Time Magazine produced a cover story entitled, “Is God Dead?”  Their thinking was that the discoveries of science were on pace to rule out the fact that there was a God in existence that created everything.  In that same year, Carl Sagan, a famous astronomer, hypothesized that there were 2 criteria needed for a planet to support life: 1. The right kind of star and 2. A planet the right distance from that…

  DISCUSSION                                       Mephibosheth was the son of Saul, that was made crippled by the fall of Saul’s kingdom after his death.  In the process of time, David hears of Mephibosheth’s condition and seeks him out to bring him into the kingdom.  In those days, for political reasons, they would kill any offspring of the former king to ensure no one would rise to claim the throne.  However, David doesn’t seek Mephibosheth out to kill him; he…

  DISCUSSION                                                           It is easy to admire Walt Disney World for the level of customer service they provide.  Whether you are a fan of the place, or the company, or not, it is amazing how well they know customer service.  In fact, they have training seminars where they can train other businesses how to perform well…

  DISCUSSION                               Almost every morning you can stop by McDonalds in Killen to find a group of older gentlemen that are enjoying their coffee, solving the world’s problems and bragging on their kids and grandkids.  You can almost hear them, “My son was just promoted to President of his company.” “Really my grandson is fighting for our country in Afghanistan.”  Well, my son has just finished up his PHD and is opening up his own practice.” …

  DISCUSSION               As with the case of Uzzah, being an example of someone who did not respect the law of the Lord, in Psalms 1-2, we have a description of someone who does.  The first of the recorded Psalms is one that describes someone who “delights in the Law of the Lord”.  The word “delight” refers to something that is considered “pleasurable, desired and valued” (Vines).  When one feels that way about God’s laws, they desire to know…

  DISCUSSION There is an old saying that says “no good deed goes unpunished”.  The meaning of this ancient proverb is that under many circumstances a good deed often goes under appreciated or is met with a degree of hostility. In 2 Samuel 6, Uzzah reaches out his hand to stabilize the ark and keep it from falling and being damaged and then is struck down dead by God for an act of disobedience.  On the surface it looks as…

  DISCUSSION                                                        As Jesus preaches, what we refer to as the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, there has always been a part within the beatitude section that intrigued me.  As a child, when I would read aloud the Beatitudes, I was never able to quite understand what it meant to be “pure in heart” or “merciful”…

  DISCUSSION                I hate conflict, especially when the conflict is over something small and petty.  Regardless of my hatred for it, I still have to deal with it.  Paul, in Romans 7, explains the conflict that exists within the life of a believer.  He says that the very thing he wishes to do, is the very thing that he finds himself not doing.  Not only is there that, but the thing he despises is the…