God’s Mighty Men

2 Samuel 23:8-39

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. … Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three might men with David when they defiled the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. … Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite.  The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. Then the people fled from the Philistines. But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the LORD brought about a great victory. … [v. 13-39a | remaining list of the name of David’s mighty men] [v. 39b] … thirty seven in all. [NKJV]

 

I. David’s Mighty Men

In Israel | Judea – to be known as one of David’s mighty men was one of the greatest honors a man of that time era could have. Just the mention of their names brought accolades concerning their mighty exploits of courage.

These men would have the same standing as our heroes of today who we reward with the prestigious Medal of Honor.

When time permits examine their deeds: Adino – Eleazar – Shammah, etc.

The common thread – Of these mighty men of David were found to be:

1. Courageous

2. Ready and Prepared

3. Willing to do the Impossible

 

Courageous

No matter what the odds, they were going to engage in battle despite the consequences.

 

Ready and Prepared 

Constantly in Training, skilled in the tenets of warfare, they knew it took all to win.

 

Willing to do the Impossible

Determined the Principle at Stake – whether alone or with others, God would be honored.  

 

II. Christ’s Mighty Men

Just as in the OT past there were mighty men of God – so too today in the NT times does Christ have mighty men/women to be found –

YOU MAY BE ONE OF THEM – what a privilege today for us to be called the sons/daughters of God. You too as a man/woman of Christ can become like these mighty men of old:

1. Courageous

2. Ready and Prepared

3. Willing to do the Impossible

 

Courageous

Face the battles that God allows to come into your life –

No matter what the odds, engage in battle despite the consequences.

 

Ready and Prepared 

Pray | Study | Submit

 

Be constantly in Training – become a Prayer-Warrior

Be skilled in the tenets of warfare – Study God’s Word

Know what it takes to win – Give Yourself over to Him

 

Willing to do the Impossible

Walk in Faith

Determined the Principle at Stake – whether alone or with others: God is to get the glory

 

How do you dear Christian become like one of the Mighty Men of David –

Simple:  Imitate | Imitate | Imitate:

Loved the king – Love him more than your own life – Love serving no matter the cost.

 

Then you will become a Mighty Man/Woman in the Lord – a person that stands out – a person that is different than the rest – a person  that truly knows – it is all about Christ, our Savior, not us!

 

ba

So what’s the worry?

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing …  

 

Banks are failing. Companies are going bankrupt. Thousands are losing their employment. All politicians appear to be corrupt, blind, or deaf. Nothing seems to make sense anymore – what’s right is wrong and what’s wrong is right. No wonder we are a worrying a lot.

 

I am of the opinion that we should be aware of what is happening around us. We should be astute as individuals and as a nation. Our nation’s problems will not go away over night. Quick fixes in the short term ease some of the pain. But, the problem with quick fixes is that they do not last long, thus the definition of quick. So, unless a well thought out solution is adapted – our problems will eventually come back time and time again.

 

Worry is like that. Worry or being anxious over problems whether they are big or small is a natural for us. We worry about health, we worry about all of our accumulated stuff, and we worry about each other. Our responses are often immediate resulting often in making matters worse or at least to keep our problems at bay until they have gone away (or at least are masked over). I wonder if this is how the phrase, “Out of sight-out of mind,” originated.

 

It seems that the only thing many do not worry about is their relationship with God. Now for the natural man this lack of worry is understandable because he is dead in his trespasses and sins and thus has no desire to please God in any form or fashion. The natural man will continue in this condition for all eternity unless God in His sovereign grace intervenes and grants repentance and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

However, for the born again believer worrying should not be a natural practice. Since God is aware of our each and every need – whether it is of a physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual nature – the believer can be comforted knowing that his heavenly Father will provide what is best for him or her (cf. Matt. 6:25-34; Rom. 8:28).

 

Thus in this passage we are encouraged not to be anxious (or worrying about) today’s concerns. Instead, we as believers in Christ are to be found in everything to be in … prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, [to] let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

So what’s the worry?

Sadness of a nation.

We marked a sad day for our nation this week – the anniversary of Roe vs Wade. Currently over 43,000,000 abortions and counting. One day justice will prevail for all of the precious little ones who were not able to exercise their right to live. —– Abraham said to the Lord, “Shall not the judge of all the earth deal justly.”

Problem Solved …

Oh my! This is a great quote!

The problem with America is stupidity.
I’m not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don’t we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

My lovely fiery side-kick Cindy sent this to me.
It just had to be posted.

Bruce

God has created. God has spoken. God has acted.

John W. Stouts

“In the beginning God.” The first four words of the Bible are more than an introduction to the creation story or to the book of Genesis. They supply the key which opens our understanding to the Bible as a whole. They tell us that the religion of the Bible is a religion of the initiative of God.

You can never take God by surprise. You can never anticipate him. He always makes the first move. He is always there “in the beginning.” Before man existed, God acted. Before man stirs himself to seek God, God has sought man. In the Bible we do not see man groping after God; we see God reaching after man.

Many people visualize a God who sits comfortably on a distant throne, remote, aloof, uninterested, and indifferent to the needs of mortals, until, it may be, they can badger him into taking action on their behalf. Such a view is wholly false. The Bible reveals a God who, long before it even occurs to man to turn to him, while man is still lost in darkness and sunk in sin, takes the initiative, rises from his throne, lays aside his glory, and stoops to seek until he finds him.

The sovereign anticipating activity of God is seen in many ways.

[1.] He has taken the initiative in creation, bringing the universe and its contents into existence: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

[2.] He has taken the initiative in revelation, making known to mankind both his nature and his will: “In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by [His] Son …”

[3.] He has taken the initiative in salvation, coming in Jesus Christ to set men and women free from their sins: “God … has visited and redeemed his people.”
God has created. God has spoken. God has acted. These statements of God’s initiative in three different spheres form a summary of the religion of the Bible.

—– [Basic Christianity, Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1971 (Original edition - 1958, Leicester, England: Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship), p. 11-12 (adapted)] —–

ba

Can you believe that happened?

Luke 13:1-5
There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

Christ here contrasts two different sets of people who met tragedy. One tragedy was purposefully done through Pilate’s efforts. The other tragedy was by being in the wrong place at the wrong time scenaro.

Christ’s message – be prepared to die. Except a person repent of his sinful nature and trust in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ – he/she too will likewise perish.

ba

Meditating on the Truth

J.I. Packer

How are we to do this? How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is simple but demanding. It is that we turn each truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.

We have some idea, perhaps, what prayer is, but what is meditation? Well we may ask, for meditation is a lost art today, and Christian people suffer grievously from their ignorance of the practice.

Meditation is the activitiy of calling to mind, and thinking over, and dwelling on, and applying to oneself, the various things that one knows about the works and ways and purposes and promises of God. It is an activity of holy thought, consciously performed in the presence of God, under the eye of God, by the help of God, as a means of communion with God.

Its purpose is to clear one’s mental and spiritual vision of God, and to let his truth make its full and proper impact on one’s mind and heart. It is a matter of talking to oneself about God and oneself; it is, indeed, often a matter of arguing with oneself, reasoning oneself out of moods of doubt and unbelief into a clear apprehension of God’s power and grace.

Its effect is ever to humble us, as we contemplate God’s greatness and glory and our own littleness and sinfulness, and to encourage and reassure us – “comfort” us, in the old, strong, Bible sense of the word – as we contemplate the unsearchable riches of divine mercy displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ.

—– [Knowing God, Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993 (20th Anniversary ed.), (Original edition - 1973), p. 23] —–

Knowing & Acting on the Truth – A Christian’s Duty

John MacArthur

Paul and Christ both consistently made the case that it is every Christian’s duty to study and interpret Scripture rightly (2 Timothy 2:15). “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 11:15; 13:9, 16; Mark 4:9). … Protestant Christianity has always affirmed the perspicuity of Scripture. That means we believe God has spoken distinctly in His Word. Not everything in the Bible is equally clear, of course (2 Peter 3:16). But God’s Word is plain enough for the average reader to know and understand everything necessary for a saving knowledge of Christ. Scripture is also sufficently clear to enable us to obey the Great Commission, which expressly requires us to teach others “all things” that Christ has commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). —–[The Truth War: Fighting for Certainty in an Age of Deception - p. 157]

ba

Inquiring in Bias

2 Tim 2:15
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Now I realize in the reformed circles that I have already started this out on the wrong foot by using the KJV – yet you know the old saying: “If it was good enough for Paul it was good enough for me!” still seemingly applies to many today. Actually, you may be one who is really glad that I used this particular translation though you personally prefer less thees and thous – so out comes your trust worthy NKJ and since it is based on those same AV manuscripts – all is cool.

Now I know some of you may be as the seminarians of my not so soon-by-passed era and are advocating using the NAS. Then there are, of course, the SBC’rs who desperately would have wanted to use the HCS (which has not caught on as well as they would like), and surely here last but not least – the elitist of the elite – the Reformed class – would have opted to use the ESV.

Whichever translation works for you – go for it, I will wait until you come back. Ok, I am beginning to digress here. My point – why are you studying God’s written, infallible, inerrant, and absolute truth? Are you studying God’s word to prove your position or are you studying it to see what it actually says? All too often we approach the word of God with bias. Being a Five Point Calvinist I am a firm believer in the acronym – T.U.L.I.P. Thus in a very bias way I can and would be glad to point out the many places in the Scriptures that I have found to support my doctrinal position concerning these Doctrines of Grace. However, this is not the way to study God’s word – i.e., Just pick a doctrine and find its proof! That way we learn only what we need to know!

The Greek here for “study” is a second person, imperative verb. This type of verb here commands “You study!” (1) to be approved unto God (2) not ashamed (3) rightly dividing the word of truth. We are to seek what God’s word actually says and then apply it to our lives and if our positions must change because of its teachings – then change accordingly for this brings glory to God. Later …

Bruce

Purposeful Prayer

Matthew 6:5-15 And when you pray …

Can you picture in your mind a Christian never praying? Christianity and praying go together. It is natural for the Christian. If you are a Christian and you do not pray you may want to ask yourself why is it that I am not doing one of the most natural traits of being a child of God?

Here in this portion of the section we call “The Sermon on the Mount” we learn that praying is demanded – “When you pray …”

Don’t put on a show! Don’t go public! Don’t babble on! No – instead: Be Personal! Be Private! Be Forgiving!

John MacArthur
“None of us can comprehend exactly how prayer functions within the infinite mind of God. … The Bible is unequivocal about God’s sovereignty. But it is equally unequivocal in declaring that within His sovereignty God calls on His people to beseech Him in prayer – to implore His help in guidance, provision, protection, mercy, forgiveness, and countless other needs.

It is neither required nor possible to fathom the divine working that makes prayer effective. God simply commands us to obey [”When you pray”] the principles of prayer that His Word gives”

(The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Matthew 1-7, Moody Press, 198, p. 362).

Purposeful prayer realizes that our prayers are to bring glory to God. We are to be concerned with the exaltation of the name, kingdom, and will of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then as it pleases the Father, He will answer accordingly.

ba