2023

As we continue with the Gospel story we are reminded that that no matter how great a man or woman of God is they are still human. 1 Kings 19 shows us that Elijah is tired, he’s dejected, he feels all alone, and he is ready to give up and ultimately it is in this place that God visits him.  Though we are sometimes tempted to give up in difficult circumstances, God has not left us alone. There may have been times where we’ve been disheartened due to unforeseen circumstances, temporarily losing our confidence. Our expectations haven’t been met, leading us to a low point. We experience a sense of gloom overshadowing our mood, and we find ourselves in the throes of this discouraging outlook. This is typically the direct, outward trigger for feelings of despondency, letdowns, and unforeseen outcomes. Sometimes God works through huge miracles, and other times He comes in a small whisper. Despite God’s immense power, His presence frequently manifests in a tender, affectionate manner. Just as He did with Elijah, He desires to connect with you in your individual sphere. The profound meaning lies in God choosing to meet with Elijah privately, symbolized by His appearance in a gentle whisper. Elijah’s story also displays God’s consistent mercy and grace, even in the midst of rebellion. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and how he had slain all the prophets [of Baal] with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow. 3 Then he was afraid and arose and went for his life and came to Beersheba of Judah [over eighty miles, and out of Jezebel’s realm] and left his servant there. 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a lone broom or juniper tree and asked that he might die. He said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers. 5 As he lay asleep under the broom or juniper tree, behold, an angel touched him and said to him, Arise and eat. 6 He looked, and behold, there was a cake baked on the coals, and a bottle of water at his head. And he ate and drank and lay down again. 7 The angel of the Lord came the second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you. 8 So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and nights to Horeb, the mount of God. 1 King 19:1-8 AMPC Sometimes the most spiritual thing a person can do is get enough rest and replenishment. A significant portion of Elijah’s struggle stemmed from his sheer physical exhaustion. He required a restful night’s sleep and a hearty meal. Often, when we grapple with feelings of despondency and gloom, the initial remedy is precisely this – ensuring we get a proper night’s rest. 9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? 10 He replied, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 1 Kings 19:9-10 AMPC Discouraging times make God’s servants feel more isolated and alone than they actually are. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 1 King 19:13 NLT We often look for God in the spectacular, but most often He is in the simple. God’s message to Elijah is His message to you. He is in the quiet moments of change, the waiting, and yes, even the disappointment. Our breakthroughs are not always spectacular, but they are always supernatural. Elijah’s experience encourages us to be attentive to the subtle signs and quiet promptings that may lead us towards our own breakthroughs. It reminds us that God’s hand is constantly at work in our lives, orchestrating events and providing guidance, even when we may not immediately recognise it. 14 He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 15 Then the Lord told him, “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. 1 Kings 19:14-15 NLT 3 Principles to overcoming difficulty Pause, rest, eat – Elijah, weary and disheartened, paused under a broom tree. In our battles, it’s essential to recognize the power of self-care. Take a moment to rest, refuel, and nourish your soul. Draw close to God and list for His voice – Elijah found solace in a gentle whisper of God’s voice. Draw near to Him through prayer, meditation, and reflection. Listen for His guidance, for in His whispers, you’ll find wisdom and direction. Get up and do what He tells you to do – Elijah’s obedience to God’s instructions led to miracles. When you hear His call, have faith, and take action. God equips us for every challenge; it’s up to us to step out in faith and make a difference.

Stewardship means to manage something on someone’s behalf. When they give it to you, it does not mean that you own it, you just manage it on their behalf. As a result of exercising our God-given dominion over His creation, reflecting the image of our creator God in His care, responsibility, maintenance, protection, and beautification of His creation.  6 principles of stewardship Everything was created by God  This is the founding principle of our walk with God. Everything is a result of Him. God created everything and by grace gives it to us. Colossians 1:16 – 17 AMPC | 16 For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. 17 And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere, are held together). Everything belongs to God Everything that we do must be in conjunction with Him and give glory to Him. Psalm 24:1 AMPC | THE EARTH is the Lord’s, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it. [I Cor. 10:26.] Psalm 89:11 AMPC | The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; the world and all that is in it, You have founded them. God calls us to be faithful stewards God gives multidimensional grace to each part of our lives. 1 Peter 4:10 AMPC | As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God’s many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor]. Stewardship results in growth  If you steward something well, more will be given to you. [Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings. 2 Corinthians 9:6 AMPC We will be held accountable for our stewardship  God will hold us accountable for what he gives us, both in the natural and the spiritual. His master said to him, Well done, you upright (honorable, admirable) and faithful servant! You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little; I will put you in charge of much. Enter into and share the joy (the delight, the blessedness) which your master enjoys. Matthew 25:23 AMPC Good stewardship will be rewarded Our reward and source is God. Once we understand that, the proper response should be to give back to Him. 23 Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, 24 Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah). Colossians 3:23-24 AMPC Reflection: How good of a steward are you with what God has given you?

Continuing on the journey of putting God first and handling our finances, God’s way, we need to remember that will provide us with resources to carry out His vision and mission. In order to grow His kingdom, he will provide the resources to His chosen ones. Remember, to be a resource, you need to be on a mission. We don’t have to give to God, we get to give to Him. Giving is our response of worship to Him for what He has and is doing in our lives.  The system of the kingdom If you learn the system and how it functions and utilise it, you will prosper. Living generously is an integral part of our worship to God. You cannot serve both God and mammon because both kingdoms have a system. If you learn the system and how it functions and utilise it, you will prosper. When you decrease your giving and serving, it shows the misalignment of your relationship with God.  5 systems of generosity of the kingdom Returning – tithe Remember that our tithe is not ours, it is the Lord’s. The tithe is Holy set apart, sacred. Holy things are not to be touched – they are to be revered. The purpose of the tithe is for us to keep God at the center of our lives. Understanding the system of God’s economy we can overcome the limitations of lack. Tithing alone will not cause us to prosper. Tithing creates an environment for growth.  And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord. Leviticus 27:30 AMPC Sowing – offering Sowing should be regular, purposeful, and proportional. You should be sowing what you want a harvest of. The land produced vegetation—all sorts of seed-bearing plants, and trees with seed-bearing fruit. Their seeds produced plants and trees of the same kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:12 NLT On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. 1 Corinthians 16: 2 NLT Giving – to the needy Giving with no desire to receive in turn. We should not want to give because of what we might get from it—like others thinking more highly of us or paying us compliments, or to receive some special treatment because of our giving. “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 3 But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Matthew 6:1-4 NKJV Lending If you loan your fellow Israelites money or food or anything else, don’t make them pay back more than you loaned them. Deuteronomy 23:19 NCV When you are extending a helping hand when needed, set the terms of the agreement – do not be an enabler of poor stewardship. Working Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich. Proverbs 10:4 NLT We need to understand the value of our labor for God’s purpose. It’s all about Him. He is our source.  Some food for thought: ask yourself, ‘Is everything you have all yours to do with it as you please?’ or, ‘Is it all God’s to do with what He pleases?’

For many, this may be hard to believe, but God actually expects us to prosper. He needs us to be prosperous because the kingdom needs provision. The kingdom depends on it and we can trust that God will give us the resources to do so. Let those who favor my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, Who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Psalm 35: 27 AMPC The power of the seed God wants us to be in a place where we have more than enough because when we do, we will be able to contribute to the kingdom. Picture a cedar tree – God is calling us to be cedar trees because they have longevity and resistance to being withered away. Just like a seed was planted for a cedar tree to be grown, it is important for us to also sow seeds in the beginning of our prosperity. Remember, your finances are seeds. God’s plan for everything is multiplication.The reality is that the world functions on a system of receiving and consuming. The good news is that God’s kingdom functions on a system of receiving and sowing. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22 AMPC It’s clear here that the concept of sowing will be around for a long time! We cannot run away from the concept of reaping and sowing. Scarcity Mindset Lack is rooted in a scarcity mindset. It leads us to believe that if we let go of what we have, then there won’t be enough. The scarcity mindset says; “there is only so much to go around for everyone,” and “the more I give the more it costs me”. Looking at the bigger picture, the abundance mindset says “the more I give, the more I receive.” Breaking the scarcity cycle We need to give generously. Generosity is a picture of our heart and love. God multiplies 6 [Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.7 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving] 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 AMPC 10 And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]. 11 Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-11 AMPC The key point is that godly giving is a Christlike act of grace. Giving should not be done out of duty or in the shadow of legalism, according to God. Instead, it ought to be motivated and inspired by a willing heart. Giving gives Christians the chance to work alongside God to satisfy the needs of the underprivileged. When Christians contribute abundantly, God enables them to give even more. This causes thanksgiving to gush towards Him and increases His righteousness on earth. Those who receive the gift and pray for the giver will bring glory to God. 16 And he brought back all the goods and also brought back his kinsman Lot and his possessions, the women also and the people. 17 After his [Abram’s] return from the defeat and slaying of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh, that is, the King’s Valley. 18 Melchizedek king of Salem [later called Jerusalem] brought out bread and wine [for their nourishment]; he was the priest of God Most High, 19 And he blessed him and said, Blessed (favored with blessings, made blissful, joyful) be Abram by God Most High, Possessor and Maker of heaven and earth, 20 And blessed, praised, and glorified be God Most High, Who has given your foes into your hand! And [Abram] gave him a tenth of all [he had taken]. Genesis 14:16-20 AMPC For reference, know that tithing breaks the cycle of scarcity and starts a cycle of supply. Scarcity is bondage. Remember that you can get to a place of having more than enough. Trust God to show you what He wants you to give.

Psalm 23 is such a powerful chapter that speaks to God’s character in just six verses. The Lord is our shepherd. God guides us spiritually, offering us grace, forgiveness, and hope; He sustains us and offers us peace in difficulties; and cares for our needs. The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1 NLT Regardless of your circumstance, God remains the same and His Word is still true. He doesn’t change just because your circumstance has. God will still provide. He is a Shepherd to us; he cares for us, watches over us, preserves us and cares for our needs. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:2 NKJV We, like sheep, don’t always know what we need and what is best for ourselves, and so we need help from the shepherd.  flies, and famine.The shepherd knows when the sheep needs green pastures, and knows when the sheep needs the still waters. These images are rich with the sense of comfort, care, and rest. The shepherd also knew the good places to make his sheep rest. He faithfully guides the sheep to green pastures. Rest comes because our shepherd deals with our fear, friction, flies, and famine. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness, For His name’s sake. Psalm 23:3 NLT In the midst of following the shepherd, our strength is renewed, why? Because we get nourished in the process. God’s motives of goodness towards us come from the perfections and goodness of His own nature.  Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. Psalm 23:4 NLT A valley suggests being hedged in and surrounded. Despite every dark association with the idea of the valley of the shadow of death, David could resolutely say this because he was under the care of the LORD his shepherd. The shepherd’s presence does not eliminate the presence of evil, but does eliminate the fear of evil. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Psalm 23:5 NLT Though we might be surrounded by enemies, we sit down to this table with confidence, knowing that we shall feast in perfect security. The goodness and care suggested by the prepared table is set right in the midst of the presence of our enemies.  -The table suggest provision -’Prepare’ suggests foresight and care -’Before me’ suggests a personal connection Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever Psalm 23:6 NKJV To be in God’s house is to be more than an acquaintance, invited for a day. It is to be with Him forever. This is a calm assurance that we would enjoy the presence of the LORD forever – both in our days on this earth and beyond.

When you look at the story of King Solomon, he is considered the wisest man. Why, you ask? Because he asked God for one thing – wisdom. He did this because he knew he could not lead God’s people on his own strength. Solomon was seeking God’s kingdom first, so God helped him build his own. We can spend our lives building the church and God’s kingdom, but if we don’t surrender our desires to God, we’ll end up turning from Him. When Solomon finished the building of the Lord’s house and the king’s house, and all he desired and was pleased to do, 2 The Lord appeared to Solomon the second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord told him, I have heard your prayer and supplication which you have made before Me; I have hallowed this house which you have built, and I have put My Name [and My Presence] there forever. My eyes and My heart shall be there perpetually. 4 And if you will walk before Me, as David your father walked, in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, keeping My statutes and My precepts, 5 Then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, There shall not fail you [to have] a man upon the throne of Israel. 6 But if you turn away from following Me, you or your children, and will not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have set before you but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 Then I will cut off Israel from the land I have given them, and this house I have hallowed for My Name (renown) I will cast from My sight. And Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all the peoples. 8 This house shall become a heap of ruins; every passerby shall be astonished and shall hiss [with surprise] and say, Why has the Lord done this to this land and to this house? 9 Then they will answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, Who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have laid hold of other gods and have worshiped and served them; therefore the Lord has brought on them all this evil. 1 Kings 9:1-9 AMPC King Solomon was obsessed with women. Pharaoh’s daughter was only the first of the many foreign women he loved—Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite. He took them from the surrounding pagan nations of which God had clearly warned Israel, “You must not marry them; they’ll seduce you into infatuations with their gods.” Solomon fell in love with them anyway, refusing to give them up. He had seven hundred royal wives and three hundred concubines—a thousand women in all! And they did seduce him away from God. As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful—he didn’t stay true to his God as his father David had done. Solomon took up with Ashtoreth, the whore goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites. 1 Kings 11:1-5 MSG These excerpts show us that as human beings we are not immune to sin and temptation. The whole purpose of sin and temptation is to take us away from what God has called us to. Solomon’s love for God crumbled because his lust for power and pleasure caused him to place other things above his creator. Once under the power of this attraction, he clung to these in love instead of giving them up to the Lord. 4 As Solomon grew older, his wives beguiled him with their alien gods and he became unfaithful – he didn’t stay true to his God as his father David had done. 5 Solomon took up with Ashtoreth, the whore goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon openly defied God; he did not follow in his father David’s footsteps. 7 He went on to build a sacred shrine to Chemosh, the horrible god of Moab, and to Molech, the horrible god of the Ammonites, on a hill just east of Jerusalem. 8 He built similar shrines for all his foreign wives, who then polluted the countryside with the smoke and stench of their sacrifices. 1 Kings 11:4-8 MSG This is a tragic example of the power of the lust of the flesh. Because of lust, Solomon found himself in a place where he never thought he would find himself. He found himself burning incense at the altars of depraved pagan gods. This is the power of lust – it can capture us in a spell, in a fog of spiritual confusion until we do things we never thought we would do. 9 God was furious with Solomon for abandoning the God of Israel, the God who had twice appeared to him 10 and had so clearly commanded him not to fool around with other gods. Solomon faithlessly disobeyed God’s orders. 1 Kings 11:9-10 MSG Remember that encounters are starting and check points on our faith journey’s. It’s not meant to be the thing that sustains you. We sometimes think that great spiritual experiences will keep us from sin and will keep us faithful to God. This was not the case with the wisest man who ever lived, and it will not be the case with us also. Only surrendering our will and desires to Jesus will suffice. Solomon, as we often do, forgot his security rested in the blessing of God and in his obedience and faithfulness. Solomon’s kingdom was an outstanding example of wealth, military power, and prestige. Yet the true security of Israel did not rest in any of those things. It rested in the blessing of God and in the obedience and faithfulness of their king. Then I took a good look at everything I’d done, looked at all

As we unpack the book of second Samuel let us be reminded that despite our sin, God continues to work moving forward His redemptive purposes. Essentially, when walking in obedience and the light, David represents a rich type of Jesus, the King. For context we begin with one of the most effusive displays of worship recorded in the Bible, when King David danced “before the Lord with all his might”. The occasion was the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. This showed David’s true nature as a worshiper and one where God’s glory is more important than His own. 2 Samuel 7 This chapter connects God’s initial intent with us, with the story of Jesus – the promise that will ultimately be fulfilled. Now it came to pass when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains.” 3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” 2 Samuel 7: 1-3 NKJV Nathan said this to David because it seemed good and reasonable. What could be wrong with David building a temple. “What can I do for God?” – David was so filled with gratitude and concern for God’s glory that he wanted to do something special for God. David’s intention was always after God’s own heart. He always wanted to do something he wasn’t asked to do. But that night, the word of God came to Nathan saying, “Go and tell my servant David: This is God’s word on the matter: You’re going to build a ‘house’ for me to live in? Why, I haven’t lived in a ‘house’ from the time I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt till now. All that time I’ve moved about with nothing but a tent. And in all my travels with Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’ 2 Samuel 7:4-7 MSG David wanted to do more than what God commanded. Again, this points to David’s intention. He was a man after God’s own heart. Being at this position in our connection with God is fantastic because most of us are so stuck in the thinking, “how little can I do and still please the Lord?” That we never really want to do more than God commands. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house. 12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” 17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. 2 Samuel 7:10-17 NKJV The family of Saul became totally extinct; the family of David remained till the incarnation.  David vs Saul: -David repented from his sin whereas Saul tried to justify his sin. -God opposed Saul and David’s arrogance but he exalted David when he humbled himself. God still works in our lives even in our sin. David is an example for us to be quick to repent and ask God’s forgiveness.  God was faithful to His covenant promise and the hope of a future king. God looked far beyond David’s life and his kingdom that will bring God’s blessing to all nations. Jesus Christ fully satisfies God’s promise to David of a home. Jesus does rule and will continue to rule forever on David’s throne. Even though Jesus was made sin for us, the Father’s mercies did not cease for Him. Jesus is constructing a wonderful home for the Father.

God’s course of action against sin and evil continues in The Gospel Story. God used David because God’s glory was more important to him than his own. This is why God chose David, because he has a heart after God. David is the least likely to become king. God looks at people differently than we as humans look at people.  Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.” 1 Samuel 16:1 NKJV We find Samuel, the king maker, in deep mourning as our story opens. But,  Saul had a fatal flaw—he had a big head. He thought he knew what to do as King even better than God did. God was so displeased that he rejected Saul as King, because if God’s representative on earth would not obey completely, how could he lead God’s kingdom. God will never allow His work to die with the death or failure of a man If it is God’s work it goes beyond any man. God’s purposes are eternal and birthed in the heavenlies. 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:5-7 NKJV Even in our own situations, we look at them with an earthly perspective. But we are called to look at our own situations with a heavenly perspective. If we are going to go on this faith journey we need to realise that it’s not about bringing glory to ourselves but to God. Saul looked the part, but he didn’t have the heart a king of God’s people should have. Saul’s natural inclination was to judge from an outward experience but he didn’t have to give into it. We are to seek the Lord and seek God’s heart and mind when looking at people. 8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 1 Samuel 16:8-11 NKJV God often chooses unlikely people to do His work, so that everyone knows the work is God’s work, not man’s work. When one of his chosen Ones failed, God did not quit. Instead, He kept moving through history, determined to use even the weak and lowly and despised to accomplish His great purpose of saving the world! 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:12-13 NKJV God had always been working in David’s heart. The public anointing was the outcome of what had taken place in private between David and God long before. God does things in our lives long before there’s a public declaration for our lives. Why? Because He must build our character and equip us for something more. The question for us is – are we willing to be a people with a heart after God?