David Strengthened Himself by Randy Gladden
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&view=post&articleid=David-Strengthened-Himself-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
By Randy Gladden
David is on the cusp of the fulfillment of his destiny; but he doesn't know that yet. First, he will face one of the greatest challenges of his life. The Amalekites have raided and carried away their wives, children and all their possessions. What they couldn't carry away, they burned. David and his men return to find their lives reduced to ashes. Anguish turns to anger and David fears for his very life. He has lost everything and even his men have turned against him.
Ebook PDF Download
By Jeremy Lopez
Price: $20.00
David is on the cusp of the fulfillment of his destiny; but he doesn’t know that yet. First, he will face one of the greatest challenges of his life.
The Amalekites have raided and carried away their wives, children and all their possessions. What they couldn’t carry away, they burned.
David and his men return to find their lives reduced to ashes. Anguish turns to anger and David fears for his very life. He has lost everything and even his men have turned against him.
In his distress, he doesn’t immediately seek God’s direction but rather before anything else, David strengthened himself in the Lord.
Interestingly we aren’t told how David did it. And maybe that is a good thing. Rather than focusing on a process or checklist, grace means that it is an individual approach.
Jehoshaphat was facing an overwhelming army. He recounted to God how He brought His people into the promised land through great miracles. And His promise that in any crisis that if they called to Him, He would hear and save.
Ultimately, he wasn’t reminding God, he was reminding himself.
As David prepared to face Goliath, Saul tried to discourage him because of his youth. But David described how God had given him previous victories over the lion and the bear. He was confident that just as God had delivered him before, He would do so again.
Essential Life Skill
Whatever the challenge, great or small, the necessary but overlooked response should be to strengthen ourselves in God before attempting anything else. To build ourselves up in our most holy faith.
Only after strengthening himself in the Lord did David inquire of God. God confirms he is to pursue and recover. He does recover all. Nothing was lost either great or small.
There was even a reward. They captured spoil, livestock and herds. So much that they were blessed and had enough to share with all the communities He and his men had roamed.
Shortly after their return, David learns of Saul’s death and begins the process of becoming king. The crisis threatened to overwhelm him when he was so close to his destiny.
We continually face challenges that would attempt to derail us. Our first response should always be to strengthen ourselves in the Lord. Then get direction for the victory.
Randy Gladden
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Worship-as-Warfare-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
David stood on the edge of everything God had promised but couldn't see it. Everything was about to shift. He was closer than ever to the throne. But first – a crisis that could destroy everything. Returning to Ziklag, David and his men find devastation. Homes burned. Families taken. Everything gone. Even his seasoned warriors collapsed under the weight of loss. They wept until no strength remained. Then grief turned to blame – and they talked of stoning David.
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Foundations-of-Kingdom-Wealth-I-The-Mandate-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
"And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant." Kingdom wealth isn't about chasing riches. It's about empowerment—the strength to fulfill your assignment, fund your calling, overflow in generosity, and make a transformational impact on the world. The moment we reduce wealth to a selfish pursuit; we forfeit its power. But when we align with God's intention, we discover that wealth is a mandate—an assignment to build, influence, and advance the Kingdom of God.
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=The-Kingdom-Call-to-Rise-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
We live in a time of global shaking. What once felt secure is now cracking beneath our feet. The middle class—long seen as the backbone of economic stability—is being stretched to its limits. Wages are stagnant. Inflation has risen. Investments are volatile. And the old formulas for success no longer hold. For many, the dream is slipping away, and it feels like the floor is falling out. Some commentators have sounded the alarm: "The middle class is becoming the new poor." And it's not just a dramatic soundbite. It's the lived reality for many.
