There is a profound contrast in Scripture between Saul and David, and it is not merely the difference between two kings, but between two kinds of men, two kinds of callings, and two kinds of authority. Saul is chosen by men. He fits the visible criteria. He is tall, impressive, outwardly commanding. He looks like a king. Yet when the moment comes for him to step into what God has spoken, he is found hiding among the equipment. The one selected to lead is crouched among baggage.
He has already spoken of his small tribe, his insignificant family, and while those words sound humble, they reveal a man measuring himself by human categories and shrinking beneath the weight of them. His humility is not rooted in trust, but in fear. When pressure comes, he preserves himself.
David is altogether different.
David’s story does not begin on a battlefield or in a palace, but in obscurity. He is the youngest. He is forgotten by his own father when Samuel comes to anoint a king. Yet long before any man sees him, the eye of the Lord is already upon him.
Scripture reminds us that God knows His own before they ever draw breath, that He forms them and calls them while they are yet in the womb. David is such a man. The hand of God, the presence of God, and the purpose of God are upon him from the beginning.
This is no man hiding among the equipment. While Saul hides, David fights. While Saul shrinks from visibility, David embraces responsibility. Alone in the fields, with no audience and no reward, David lays his life on the line for the sheep.
When the lion comes, when the bear comes, David does not calculate his odds. He does not preserve himself. He runs toward danger, because something in him already understands what it means to be a shepherd. The sheep matter more than his own safety.
This is the true shepherd, contrasted with the king men choose.
Men look for height, strength, charisma, and persuasive speech. God looks for the heart. Men crown what impresses them outwardly. God entrusts authority to those who are faithful inwardly. Saul is anointed first, but David is formed first.
David’s courage does not begin after anointing, it precedes it. His confidence is not in himself, but in the Lord who has already delivered him before anyone was watching.
This distinction is not confined to ancient Israel. It is painfully relevant today.
In every generation, men continue to choose leaders who are tall, handsome, articulate, and compelling. They gather crowds, build platforms, and command loyalty. Yet many have never been touched or shaped by the Spirit of God in secret. They are appointed by men, affirmed by numbers, and sustained by applause.
When the crux of the matter comes, when the cost is high and the wolves are near, they preserve themselves. They protect the institution, the reputation, the platform, rather than laying down their lives for the sheep.
David stands as God’s rebuke to this pattern. God is not impressed by appearance. He is not moved by charisma. He does not entrust His flock to those who hide when the cost becomes personal. He looks for shepherds who have already proven, in hidden places, that they will bleed for what is His. He looks for hearts that run toward danger when others retreat, for men who fear God more than visibility, and obedience more than survival.
The tragedy of Saul is not that he was small. The glory of David is not that he was strong. The difference is this: Saul belonged to himself.David belonged to God.
The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. A certain amount of social fellowship will of course be his as he mingles with religious persons in regular activities of the church, but true spiritual fellowship will be hard to find. Read the rest of this entry »
In a dark hole I have found pleasure; in a place of bitterness and death, rest and hope of salvation; in the abyss or depths of hell, joy; where others weep, I have laughed; where others fear, I have found strength; who will believe this? In a state of misery I have had very great delight; in a lonely corner I have had most glorious company, and in the severest bond, great rest. All these things, my fellow brethren in Jesus Christ, the gracious hand of God has given me. Behold, He that at first was far from me, is now with me, and Him whom I knew but a little, I now see clearly; to whom I once looked from afar, Him I now behold as present; He for whom I longed, now offers me His hand; He comforts me; He fills me with joy; He drives from me bitterness, and renews within me strength and sweetness; He makes me well; He sustains me; He helps me up; He strengthens me. Oh, how good is the Lord, who does not suffer His servants to be tempted above that they are able I Oh, how easy, pleasant and sweet is His yoke I Is there any like God the Most High, who sustains and refreshes those that are tempted? He heals them that are bruised and wounded, and restores them altogether. Isa. 41; 43:20. None is like Him. Learn, most beloved brethren, how sweet the Lord is, how faithful and merciful; who visits His servants in trial (Isa. 43:2); who humbles Himself and condescends to be with us in our huts and humble abodes. He gives us a cheerful mind and peacef ul heart.
The world will indeed embrace nuclear dis-armament, as counterintuitive as that may seem right now. It will probably be accelerated by a nuclear strike , albeit it a relatively small one(still tens of thousands of casualties) by terrorists. There will be a coalition of the willing, led by America to have an outright ban on these weapons. Read the rest of this entry »
Only eye-witnesses to His glory will suffice as the days of history draw to a close. To tell others a story that you have been told is not good enough. Can you say, with the prophet “My eyes have seen the King?” Have you experienced the fullness of God? Has your whole “house,” been shaken by His majesty and His splendor? Is your feet beautiful? Read the rest of this entry »
Eze 19:10 Your mother is like a vine in your blood, planted by the waters; she was fruitful and full of branches because of many waters. And she had strong rods for the scepters of those who bore rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches; and it was seen in her height, with the multitude of her branches. But she was plucked up in fury; she was thrown down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit. Her strong rods were broken and withered; the fire burned them up. And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground. And fire has gone out from a rod of her branches, which has licked up her fruit so that there is no strong rod in her to be a scepter to rule. This is a mourning and shall be for a mourning.
This word is an accurate representation of what has happened to the visible Church. In the story of Ezekiel, Israel has already been judged. Now it was time for Judah to be judged. In our modern day world, Israel undoubtedly represents the dead denominations that were replaced by Pentecostal churches and community churches across the land and around the world. These were vibrant places of worship where new life was found and the presence of God resided.
Ezekiel 17 starts out with a riddle from God. This , to the modern reader , may seem like a light-hearted thing. In the reality of the day that it was written, it was no such thing. Many times in the ancient world, a riddle would represent a mental competition between two kings in which the loser submitted to the winner and was killed. So, when God poses a riddle to King Zedekiah, we know that the King is in deep trouble. So what was the political situation in Zedekiah’s day and how does it parallel our own times?
King Zedekiah was placed on the throne By Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. He had invaded Judah, just as Ezekiel prophesied. He took King Jeconiah, only 18 years old and ruler for a mere three months, and replaced him with Zedekiah. So, Jeconiah was the young tender branch in the riddle. Zedekiah is the seed that is planted in a fruitful field. The fruitful field is Jerusalem. This is represented by a willow tree, which is not a stately tree, but it does grow fast in wet soil. Jeconiah makes a covenant with Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar is his protector. Judah no longer has mighty men, they have been defeated by Babylon. Judah was now in an impotent state. It could not threaten or terrorize it neighbors, nor could it defend itself against other countries, it relied upon Babylon. Judah now paid tribute to Babylon. This was a great reversal of fortunes for the country that used to take tribute from others, it now pays tribute to Babylon and is completely dependent upon Babylon for its very survival. Sin has certainly changed the fortunes of Judah and one could draw many personal parallels from that story.
So , Zedekiah was the low vine in the riddle but he was still a blessing to Judah even although his branches were necessarily turned towards Babylon. Even in this lowly state, God was giving Judah an opportunity to rebuild itself in humility because Nebuchadnezzar could have easily completely crushed Judah. This was a window of opportunity to repent and rebuild. Yet, Jeconiah’s pride got the better of him, and he reached out to Egypt to make a secret alliance against Babylon. Egypt was the second eagle of the riddle. This would prove disastrous for Judah and for Jeconiah. Jeconiah is destroyed and his “roots,” pulled up.
Psa 107:4They wandered in the wilderness, in a desert by the way; they found no city to dwell in. Psa 107:5Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Psa 107:6Then they cried to Jehovah in their distress, and He delivered them out of their troubles. Psa 107:7And He guided them by the right way, so as to go to a city to live in. Psa 107:8Oh that men would praise Jehovah for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the sons of man! Psa 107:9For He satisfies the thirsty soul, and fills the hungry soul with good.
Yes, indeed the Lord satisfies the hungry and thirsty souls. Yet, it would do well for all who have been fed and watered by the Lord to remain thankful and not to become discontent, for what happens to the man who is not thankful, or the church that is not thankful and becomes discontent?
Psa 107:10Those who sit in the darkness and in the shadow of death, being chained in affliction and iron; Psa 107:11because they rebelled against the Words of God, and despised the advice of the Most High. Psa 107:12and He humbled their heart with labor; they fell down, and none was helping. Psa 107:13Then they cried to Jehovah in their distress, and He saved them out of their troubles. Psa 107:14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bands in two. Psa 107:15Let them praise Jehovah for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the sons of man!
Do you see the pattern of foolish man? Can you see the pattern of a foolish church who grow tired of seeking the living God, who grow discontent with their lot in life, who reach out to the world to gain that which God decided in His wisdom that they should not have, and they should not have it because of their very discontentment and lack of gratitude. Who impatiently and arrogantly seek to discover their own way in life at their own pace, forgetting that they are servants of the most High who has commanded us to wait upon His word. To only move when the cloud moves, to always follow His Presence.
Psa 107:17Fools are afflicted because of their rebellion, and because of their iniquities. Psa 107:18Their soul hates all kinds of food; and they draw near the gates of death. Psa 107:19Then they cry to Jehovah in their distress, and He saves them out of their troubles. Psa 107:20He sent His Word and heals them, and delivers them from their pitfalls. Psa 107:21Let them praise Jehovah for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the sons of man! Psa 107:22And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing!
How longsuffering is our Lord with His stiff-necked children? Time and time again He has mercy upon them and hears their cries and reaches out to them. Time and time again His heart is broken and He is compelled to withdraw from them in order that they may see the error of their ways and that they may become like the deer who panteth after the waterbrooks, that their souls may long after Him and not after the things of the world. Whether it is from Babylon or Egypt, it matters not for they both represent the world and oppression. Has the modern day church been invaded by Babylon? Is it now impotent and without power? Does it pay tribute to the world, does the world influence the church rather than the church influence the world? Has the Lord withdrawn His presence once again from a stiff-necked people?
Psa 107:25For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up its waves. Psa 107:26They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble. Psa 107:27They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and all their wisdom is swallowed up. Psa 107:28And they cry to Jehovah in their trouble, and He brings them out of their troubles. Psa 107:29He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still. Psa 107:30And they are glad because they are quiet; so He brings them to their desired haven. Psa 107:31Let them praise Jehovah for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the sons of man!
Brothers and sisters, it is time to come out of the world, to come out of the storm into the haven of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this haven we will find that He has calmed the storm and that the waves are still. We will praise Him for His presence and the peace that comes with it. We will know that in the world there is no good thing. Our strong desire will only be for Him and His presence.
Psa 107:32And let them exalt Him in the congregation of the people, and praise Him in the gathering of the elders. Psa 107:33He sets rivers to a wilderness and water-springs to thirsty ground; Psa 107:34 afruitful land to a salty desert, because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it. Psa 107:35 He turns the wilderness into water-ponds, and dry ground into water-springs. Psa 107:36And He makes the hungry dwell there, so that they may prepare a city to live in; Psa 107:37and sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. Psa 107:38He also blesses them, so that they are multiplied greatly; and does not allow their cattle to become few. Psa 107:39Again, they have become few, and humbled through harshness, affliction, and sorrow.
Yes, those who allow themselves to be humbled through harshness will surely find water-ponds in the wilderness.” He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”
Lord, Lord may those who continue on the narrow path that leads to life be broken by you and raised up again.
Eze 17:22So says the Lord Jehovah: I, even I, will also take of the top of the highest cedar and will set it; I will crop off from the first of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. Eze 17:23In a mountain, in a high place of Israel, I will plant it. And it shall bear boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. And under it shall dwell every bird of every wing; in the shadow of its branches they shall dwell. Eze 17:24And all the trees of the field shall know that I Jehovah have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish. I Jehovah have spoken and acted.
God is, even as we speak, preparing rain for the “dry tree.” From the very top of the established tree, He will pluck a tender young twig and He will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. When one views a tall tree, it cannot see the very top branches, let alone a tender twig . Does God not always keep His chosen hidden? Can we even imagine what the Lord will do with what would be considered insignificant by the world at large. When the prophet came to choose a King, was he tall and significant? Was he even considered by others? No, but God knows. God takes the tenderest of twigs, that which is considered insignificant by that which is established and He raises it up.He pulls down the proud and the arrogant, in fact, He plucks it up by the roots. The east wind spoils all of its fruits, the east wind being the influence of the world.
Gen 1:11And God said, Let the earth bring forth tender sprouts (the herb seeding seed and the fruit tree producing fruit after its kind, whose seed is in itself) upon the earth; and it was so.
Gen 1:12And the earth brought forth tender sprouts, the herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree producing fruit after its kind, whose seed was in itself. And God saw that it was good.
2Ch 34:27Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before your God when you heard His words against this place and against its people, and humbled yourself before Me, and tore your garments and wept before Me, I have even heard also, says Jehovah
Job 14:7For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and its tender branch will not cease.
Isa 53:2For He comes up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground; He has no form nor majesty that we should see Him, nor an appearance that we should desire Him.
There is no doubt the church in the West is defiled. We worship other gods, we just do not call them by name because this would be offensive. We trust in the work of our own hands and we trust in military power and we trust in our leaders for our security. This Northern Kingdom represents all professing Christians, the vast majority, the ten tribes so to speak. Now Judah represents the genuine Church, the true believers and we also will be judged, for surely all judgement begins at the house of the Lord. When we refuse to serve God in the abundance of all things, then God will make us serve our enemies when we are hungry and thirsty, for a time.
We Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. Ironically, the billions of dollars we’ve spent on youth ministers, Christian music, publishing, and media has produced a culture of young Christians who know next to nothing about their own faith except how they feel about it. Our young people have deep beliefs about the culture war, but do not know why they should obey scripture, the essentials of theology, or the experience of spiritual discipline and community. Coming generations of Christians are going to be monumentally ignorant and unprepared for culture-wide pressures. Read the rest of this entry »
Below is a post from David Wilkerson. He shared this prophetic word on hs blog a couple of days ago. I very rarely publish other people on my blog, yet this is a man that I greatly respect as a true man of God. This post is not designed to scare anyone, in fact I am sure that we all believe that “perfect love casts out all fear.” This post is more in the Agabus tradition. If there is something coming, and it is just around the corner, now is the time to draw near to God if that is not where you dwell. In His presence there is fullness of joy despite circumstances. “He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies.” Even in the very depths of tribulation, we can feast on the presence of God. Consider brother Stephen as he was being stoned to death. Consider the countless martyrs down through the corridors of time who sang hymns as flames consumed their mortal bodies, releasing their spirits into His hand. Rejoice, for perhaps our groom is at the door, our betrothal period may be coming to an end, this is a matter for great joy.
I am bombarded with talk or letters about the coming shortages in our national life: bread, fuel, energy. I read between the lines from people not practiced in scaring folk. They feel that the “seven years of plenty” are over for us. The “seven years of famine” are ahead. But the greatest famine of all in this nation at this given moment is a FAMINE OF THE HEARING OF THE WORDS OF GOD (Amos 8:11).
This peace which surpasses all understanding comes within the circumstances themselves, and not when we are alleviated from them. It can only come in the midst of the fire. The question is, do we really want to be more like Christ? Do we really want this peace? Or, do we simply wish an escape from our circumstances, most of which are of our own making. God is a God of perfect justice and the scope of that perfect justice is a frightful thing indeed, but only to those who seek to justify themselves.
And the oil that dwells within your chest is set aflame by this light, this fire from the throne itself. “Did not our hearts burn within us as we walked with Him?” Yet we are not walking now, we are in the throne room itself, God has come down. Our whole body burns with a beautiful warmth. All things are possible, eternity stretches out before us and we never want to leave this place, we never want to leave this place. The candlestick burns. God speaks, sin melts like wax, refining, yes refining. We offer ourselves and the dross that lies within and the Lord says “Come.”
Each human is a vast unexplored universe. Only I have the ability to navigate the human heart and map it. Without the navigator, without the map all is chaos and darkness. Without the ship of God and Jesus the Captain, you will only ever stare at the horizon of your souls and be fearful of what lies beyond.”
This intimacy, this presence is the key to all aspects of our Christianity. There is no difficulty in Christendom today that could not be resolved by the presence of God. That is why it all comes back to Calvary. Calvary is the expression of absolute Love, absolute surrender, absolute victory. It is the totality of the expression of God’s love for the world. Read the rest of this entry »
A single tear falls from the Fathers face as He sees His Son return victorious. As the Father stands, Jesus, riding His majestic white stallion with a two-edged sword at His side, sees His Father. He lifts His head up towards the light and the glory. His horse majestically walks the path avoiding the golden crowns that lie beneath its feet, undisturbed by the cheers of the thousands, no the millions. And they sing “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty.” Read the rest of this entry »
Oh what a glorious freedom. Free indeed, free indeed , free indeed. Free indeed to stand and fight. To battle even unto death, with my fellow freed men. I pray today that those whom the Son has set free will push the doors of their captivity of wretchedness, that they would realize their freedom, that they would reckon their freedom and walk out of their cells into the glorious sunlight of no condemnation and join the Lord’s army in these the final days of the battle, one more battle in the war that is already won. Read the rest of this entry »
I have just returned from Greenock so I apologize for those who check this site regularly. We held a revival conference there and had about 500 Christians there from over 20 different countries. I believe that this is the beginning of a movement of God’s people. The best of the Evangelicals, combined with the best of the “Pentecostals.” This was no easy task and was covered in prayer. The enemy was violently apposed to even the concept of this because for centuries he has divided and conquered. Below is one man’s take on what happened in Greenock. I will be writing my own thoughts and stories of how the Lord moved. The day of the “Bapticostal,” is coming. ……………………….
They walked down the rest of the stairs and into the Citadel, my mum said to Mrs Mapes that she was “coming home.” As they walked in, the band and the choir were singing “Jesus is calling, Tenderly calling, Calling for you and for me.” My mother was already weeping.Read the rest of this entry »
I wrote the piece below last February. Perhaps this election has taught the American Christians something, I hope so. When all is said and done, this world needs hope. In a world of ever increasing darkness, there is a more desparate need for light. Like a moth to a flame, people will reach out in time of need. And if the Church, the Royal Priesthood ,is not shining the light of Christ, which represents true hope, a blessed hope, then the world will look to itself to find it. Unfortunately, no man can give the world or America what it needs, unless it is the Man, Christ Jesus. So when the glory of the election victory fades for the majority, and as the coming years progress and the world goes deepr into trouble, let us pray that the Body of Christ is ready to reach out and offer the world true hope, a hope that conquers fear, a hope that triumphs despite adversity, a hope that replaces mundane living and merely exsiting with a joy and a purpose in life. This is all to be found in our Lord Jesus. We as Christians must live that before we can share that. This is an historic day for the country of America, whatever side you voted for. Only in this land could Barack Obama do what he just did. A balm has just been placed on a 400 year old wound. Long may the healing continue.
Inside my heart, like a might river, grace and love and mercy flowed changing everything, healing everything. I opened my eyes and knew that Jesus was my Lord and Saviour, the battle was over and I have never again had a battle like that. It was after this Sunday that every Sunday after that, for about six months, I knelt at the alter and the Lord “worked,” on me. Every sermon was for me. Every tear was for Him. A lifetime of sin and pain and hurts and the Lord was dealing with it all. Oh the Love of God. As I write this I am thinking of that Old Hymn “Just as I am.” Indeed……………..”Oh Lamb of God I come, I come.”
A Call To The Remnant 