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.
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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=The-Land-of-Promise-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Moses is preparing God's people to enter into the inheritance God had repeatedly promised. The land of promise lay before them. Full of blessings and opportunities. God had already given it, but they must possess it by faith. So, Moses provided them a template. The Lord your God will cross over before you. He will destroy these nations from before you and you will possess them.
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=Wait-for-it-by-Randy-Gladden&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
You think it will never happen to you, but the call seemed straight forward enough. By all appearances it was from management with a simple request. It even sounded like her boss and caller ID showed the correct number. In retrospect, the call was timed perfectly to coincide with the pressure of the morning rush. There was no time to contemplate the request, but to quickly login and confirm the information needed. The result was a $2,000 loss for the company.
http://www.identitynetwork.net/apps/articles/default.asp?blogid=0&url=10&view=post&articleid=The-Power-of-Application-by-Randy-Gladden-&link=1&fldKeywords=&fldAuthor=&fldTopic=0
Moses is preparing the people to finally appropriate what God had promised for so long. Ahead lay great blessings, but also intimidating challenges. In Deuteronomy 31.3 he gives them guidance for the journey with three aspects: God Himself goes before you. He will give you victory over every challenge. And you will possess it. The first two give the assurance of His leading and victory. But the last portion is a reminder of our responsibility to possess what God has provided.
