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, struck by family chaos & personal tragedy and motivated by political conflicts. 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’slooking, 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.
\
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 WORTHY, you will be My spokesman. You are to influence them; do not let them influence you!”
