Right Attitude w/ Right Desire & be Prepared
INTRODUCTION:
Most individual are looking for other significant figures as inspirations. People of integrity whose lives inspires us to do better, to fly higher and to stand taller. As Christians, we also need Bible character to inspire us in our Spiritual journey. To encourage us and to comfort us. Although, God is our role model, He showed Himself to a human for us to see how He works. He showed Himself by sending His son Christ Jesus. He was the Word who became flesh. He became flesh for us to see the Truth. The Truth is the Word of God.
A thousand years before Jesus, there was a YOUNG PEOPLE named DAVID. He was NOTHING but a Shepherd Boy, compared to his older brothers. His brothers are soldiers who fight for their nation. He was an ORDINARY Man; often gripped by destructive passion, rocked by family chaos & personal tragedy and motivated by political expediency. How did this, ORDINARY YOUNG MAN, become a national hero of God’s chosen people? DAVID made big MISTAKES in his journey. He endured intense challenges and fiery trials. Yet, he proved to be Faithful to GOD and showed that LOVING GOD leaves us an ENDURING legacy of Faith.
DAVID captured the heart of God. David became one of the GREATEST Men of God. He was an EXTRAORDINARY Man; Intelligent, Handsome, Sufficiently Gifted (Singer, Writer, Poet, Speaker, e.t.c…), Musician, Warrior and Administrator. DAVID, in his time, has no Bible Character before him to be an inspiration. Yet, he became an inspiration to God’s people and strengthened his nation. Until now!
(USING NLT VERSION; Emphasis added.)
God CALLED David in his YOUTH.
He had the Passion to Worship the Lord.
1 Chronicles 16:29(David’s song of praise), “Give to the Lord the GLORY HE DESERVES! Bring your offering and come to WORSHIP Him. WORSHIP the Lord in ALL His holy splendor.”
A WORSHIPER: Meaning, giving Praise, Honor, and Glory to God in everything we do & whatever we do. Day and night!
Three Qualities of DAVID:
1. Right Attitude (A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART)
2. Right Desire (A MAN OF PASSION)
3. Always Ready/Prepared (A MAN OF DESTINY)
I. A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART.
Is it possible today?
YES WE CAN!
In Harmony w/ God’s Will.
What Grieves Him, Burdens you.
What Glorifies Him, gives you Joy.
How to be a man after God’s own heart.
1. CHRIST is the CENTER.
Psalm 48:9, “O God, we meditate on your unfailing love as we worship in Your TEMPLE.”
Christ lives in us! – Our body is a sacred TEMPLE of God. Holy unto the Lord.
Galatians 2:20, “I myself no longer live, but Christ LIVES IN ME."
2. OBEDIENCE/WILLINGNESS.
Acts 13:22, “David, son of Jesse is a man after my own heart, for HE WILL DO EVERYTHING I WANT HIM TO.”
He has a SERVANT’S HEART. When God saw David He said, “That’s my man!”
God found David to be Faithful in LITTLE WAYS.
God looks at the heart.
1 Samuel 16:1, “… Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my new king."
He was faithfully keeping his father’s sheep.
He was a man of Integrity
INTEGRITY: Determines who you are when nobody’s looking, nobody else around, when nobody else even notices).
Doesn’t care to get glory or applause from people.
Imagine that you are under surveillance. That God had set a hidden camera that follows you wherever you go and whatever you do.
1 Samuel 16:6-12;
Samuel chose David among His Brothers.
THE STORY:
Eliab(Oldest, Mature-looking, he was impressive); But God said “No, He’s not the one.”
THE PRINCIPLE: 1 Samuel 16:7, “People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at a person’s THOUGHTS & INTENTION.”
Next was Abinadab(looks impressive as Eliab); Shammah & the remaining four. They are Soldiers! Qualified to bew a King. Samuel used the same Principle.
Samuel asked Jesse, “Are all these your sons?” David was almost forgotten by His father. He was rejected!
WILLINGNESS to do God’s Great Purpose.
2 Samuel 2:1 David asked the LORD, "Should I move back to Judah?"And the LORD replied,"Yes."Then David asked, "Which town should I go to?" And the LORD replied,"Hebron."
Always ask for God’s guidance!
BE SPECIFIC IN PRAYER!
• Put God First!
• If it is God’s Will!
BE SENSITIVE!
God might saying you this:
“You are mine. I want to use you there. I want you to do this”. Or
“Go to the right, stop that in your life. This is wrong and I want you to change”
PRAYER of an OBEDIENT SERVANT of GOD.
Psalm 46:10, "Be silent, and know that I am God!... ”
• LET GO! : Surrender the things that hold you back from giving God complete control in your life.
• BE SILENT! : Serve faithfully and quietly! Stop murmuring and just obey. Do as you’re told. Don’t rebel/oppose.
• BE STILL! : Turn away from sins and rebellion against God.
3. WORD OF GOD:
Psalm 119:97, “Oh, how I love your law! I think about it all day long.”
The Bible is inspired WORD of God. It is the LAW, the COMMAND of God. It is our Foundation.
The Lord said:
Joshua 1:8, “Study this Book of the Law CONTINUALLY. Meditate on it DAY AND NIGHT so you may be sure to OBEY ALL THAT IS WRITTEN in it. Only then WILL YOU SUCCEED."
It’s a Command w/ a Promise.
4. QUIET TIME.
Remember, our Body is a TEMPLE of God; let us establish an Altar of Incense.
Our heart is an altar itself.
Ingredients of Incense:
Psalm 5:1-3, “O Lord, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my GROANING. Listen to my cry for help, MY KING & MY GOD, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. EACH MORNING I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly… Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; with DEEPEST AWEI will worship at your TEMPLE.”
THE INGREDIENTS ARE FREE! You don’’t need to buy incense or candles to burn. If you do buy, it’s not different from burning a cigarette. The ingredients can be found in you! Anytime! Anywhere!
Verse 1, “GROANING” : To sigh. Crying while praying.
STACTE: Free flowing. It is a gum w/c comes from tree. Meaning, “To Drop or to Distill.” It means that the tree wasn’t cut but the gum flowed out freely.
Tears are flowing freely. It simply means: God is embracing you!
Verse 2, “MY KING & MY GOD”. Humility in prayer.
ONYCHA: It is a fragrant thing. Made from a shellfish w/c was broken into small pieces.
Being Humble before God. Being broken. "Like a brokenhearted lover!"
Verse 3, “EACH MORNING”. Put God First and He will put everything unto you.
GALBANUM: It is very sweet. A gum that comes from a shrub. The stem had to be BROKEN before the gum flowed out. Next, it was BITTEN small. Then, it was DRIED up.
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There’s a price to pay (Availability, Discipline & Commitment).
Think about the PASSION of Jesus! Is this too much to ask?
I suggest; watch the movie. “THE PASSION OF CHRIST”
Verse 7, “ENTER… DEEPEST AWE… AT YOUR TEMPLE”. Our body is a TEMPLE of God.
AWE: An overwhelming feeling of reverence & admiration.
FRANKINCENSE: Taken from a tree. From a VERY, VERY DEEP incision. It was done to extract the frankincense.
You’ve got to feel what God feels. Remember, You are now "After God’s own heart”.
All of these ingredients picture faith.
Hebrews 11:6, “So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”
5. FELLOWSHIP:
Psalm 133:1, “How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony!”
Remember, a Man after God’s own heart means, in Harmony w/ God’s Will!
Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them."
“THEY ARE MINE”: A Fellowship that Worships the Lord. That gives glory to God!
Hebrews 10:24-25, “Think of WAYS to ENCOURAGE one another to outbursts of love and good deeds. And let us not neglect our MEETING together, as some people do, but ENCOURAGE and WARN each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.”
WAYS OF MEETING TOGETHER:
a. Young People & Young Adults Fellowship.
b. Prayer Meetings.
c. Bible Studies.
6. WITNESSING:
1 Samuel 18:7, This was their song: "Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!"
The People witnessed how David conquered “the giant”.
He defeated the enemy!
1 Samuel 16:18, “One of the servants said to Saul, "The son of Jesse is a TALENTED harp player. Not only that; he is BRAVE and STRONG and has GOOD JUDGEMENT. He is also a Fine-LOOKING YOUNG MAN, and the LORD IS W/ HIM."
Be a Living Testimony. Testify your Transformation.
A Salt & Light to your Family, School, Workplace, Community and to your Brothers & Sisters in Christ.
Show that you are a TEMPLE of God. That Christ lives in you!
Benefit of Declaring God’s Glorious Works.
1 Samuel 18:14, “David continued to SUCCEED in EVERYTHING HE DID, for the LORD WAS W/ HIM.”
You will become valuable to God.
He will bless you & your ministry in serving Him.
He will provide all you need and desires.
The Lord says in Jeremiah 15:19, “If you SPEAK WORDS that are WORHTY, you will be My spokesman. You are to influence them; do not let them influence you!”
II. A MAN OF PASSION.
Passion: An intense, extreme, strong & overpowering emotion & feeling. The object of such enthusiasm.
What is the object of your enthusiasm? It must be to Glorify God. Amen!]
You need to have the HUNGER and the DESIRE so that you will be on FIRE!
The C’s(COMMITMENT, COURAGE & CRAVING):
1. COMMITMENT:
Psalm 17:15, “But David WENT BACK & FORT between WORKING FOR SAUL & HELPING HIS FATHER with the sheep in Bethlehem.”
He’s working in the palace! What’s he doing? Still tending his father’s flock?
If we have a HEART like David’s. That’s what we do. Even in a little ways!
Fix & clean the Worship Service hall.
Wipe & arrange the chairs.
Sweep the floor.
Wash cups and plates.
Refill drinking water.
E.T.C…
2. COURAGE:
1 Samuel 17:32-33,35, "DON’T WORRY ABOUT A THING," David told Saul. "I’ll go fight this Philistine!" "Don’t be ridiculous!" Saul replied. "There is no way you can go against this Philistine. You are only a boy, and he has been in the army since he was a boy!"
THINK POSITIVE! TRUST IN GOD.
David was saying, “Not by might nor by power but by the Spirit of God!”
He was strong & courageous to face “the giant”, fear.
He will never forsake those who LOVE & OBEY Him. It was promise. It was spoken many times!
3. CRAVING/DESIRE:
Psalm 17:28-19, But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. "What are you doing around here anyway?" he demanded. "What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I KNOW ABOUT YOUR PRIDE AND DISHONESTY! You just want to see the battle!" "What have I done now?" David replied. "I was only asking a question!"
Imagine a boy who was scolded by an older man.
Keep going in spite of Discouragements, Temptations, Challenges or Trials.
Don’t Worry! As long as you have RIGHT MOTIVE. As long as you are Obeying God’s Will.
Never mind those people who stops you. They may criticize you!
Remain Faithful to God. He will lift you higher!
Psalm 34:35, But David PERSISTED, "I have been taking care of my father’s sheep," he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I catch it by the jaw and club it to death.”
PERSIST: Keep going! Look forward!
Prove that you are worthy. WILLINGNESS!
III. A MAN OF DESTINY:
Destiny: the future destined for a person or thing; fate; fortune; the predetermined event.
DAVID IS GOD’S CHOSEN KING
a. He was NOTHING but a Shepherd Boy. But God hides GREAT things in NOTHING.
b. David has a Great Potential. He had Courage, Strength & Ability.
c The Favor of God surrounded him wherever He went.
d. He was Victorious.
1. THE CALLING:
1 Samuel 16:1, Finally, the LORD said to Samuel… “Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons TO BE MY NEW KING.
This was His CALLING!.
1 Samuel 13:13-14 "How foolish!" Samuel exclaimed. "You have disobeyed the command of the Lord your God. Had you obeyed, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your dynasty must end, for the Lord has sought out A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART. The LORD has ALREADY CHOSEN HIM A KING TO RULE OVER HIS PEOPLE, for you have not obeyed the Lord’s command."
He was CALLED to Rule and to Govern God’s People
2. PREPARATION:
1 Samuel 17:34-36, But David persisted. "I have been taking care of my father’s sheep,"he said. "When a lion or a bear comes to steal a lamb from the flock, I go after it with a club and take the lamb from its mouth. If the animal turns on me, I CATCH IT BY THE JAW and CLUB IT TO DEATH. I have done this to BOTH LIONS AND BEARS, and I’ll do it to this pagan Philistine, too, for he has defied the armies of the living God!”
ESTABLISH IN ADVANCE:
No one noticed! God has been preparing Him, in the first place.
He’s a man who remained responsible when nobody was looking.
He was already PREPARED. The “giant” has no big deal!
David was saying “I’m not worried about these uncircumcised Philistine anyway! That he is allowed to mock the living God.”
Imagine if the Israelites caught a LION and release it towards Goliath. He might be running away!
David knew that Goliath is NO MATCH compared to the Lions and Bears that he wrestled.
He had a fellowship with God alone, when he was tending the flock of his father.
He meditated the Word of God that no one noticed. Psalms prove that He loves the Word of God.
DAVID’S HEART WAS ALREADY PREPARED!!!
CONCLUSION:
Psalm 1:1-3, “Oh, the joys of those who DON’T FOLLOW the ADVICE OF THE WICKED, or stand AROUND w/ SINNERS, or join w/ SCOFFERS. But they DELIGHT in DOING EVERYTHING THE LORD WANTS; DAY & NIGHT, THEY THINK ABOUT HIS LAW. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season w/o fail. Their leaves never wither, & IN ALL THEY DO, they PROSPERS.
WE ARE A GENERATION OF DAVID!: We can conquer “d’ giant”. Amen!
Read this as a prayer: Read it aloud! (There’s a power in Confession)
“Father God, indeed, you are wonderful! I am so much thankful, for out of millions, You have Called me. I’m sorry for being disobedient. I keep on doing things that is not pleasing unto You. Yet, You love me so much. Oh God! Forgive me. Now Father God, I am willing to obey you. I will go where You want me to go. I will do what You want me to do. Oh God! Give me Discernment to know Your Will. Give me Wisdom in accomplishing Your Will. You are my Teacher oh God. Thank You for providing the Bible for me to know Your ways. I lift up my soul to You, oh God. Show me Your ways & teach me Your path. Lead me by the Truth & Guide me. I put my hope in You. I want to know more about You. Give me the desire to read & hear Your Words. Give me the Hunger to seek You. My Soul longs for You. I need You Lord. Oh God, You are my refuge. You are my strength and comfort. Thank You for giving me trials and temptations. Thank You for trusting me. Because You know that I can handle all these challenges. Please encourage me to keep going despite of my everyday trials. Teach me to use my experiences to glorify You. Oh God, give me a CLEAN HEART w/ RIGHT DESIRES. So that I can accomplish your Great Purpose. I am willing to do Your Will oh God. Thank You Father God for Your unfailing love to me. All these I pray in the name of Jesus my Lord, Amen!”
“I pray that God will give you Wisdom so that you will understand that having a Bible Character is encouraging, not only in our Spiritual journey but also in our daily lives. So that WHATEVER YOU WILL DO, PROSPERS!” Amen!!!
