David's Mighty Men! The Lord's Mighty Chosen!

   

I used to let people who ignored me or treated me as an after thought really impact my life and emotions. Now I honestly feel bad for them. I know The Lord will still bless them abundantly and I pray He does. But, they just don't know what they missed by choosing degrees, boards and pedigrees over covenant relationship with people who would have been like David's Mighty Men of Valor to them. Maybe those men were not "safe people" as much as others, but They were Gods Chosen to stand with David. They were anointed and called out from among the people for a purpose they wouldn't fully understand until Gods Plan began to unfold. Imagine if David would have had an HR Rep and Board at the door of the cave checking the men's pedigrees and degrees. making them prove themselves first before entering with David.

Reminds me of those who Jesus called to walk with Him and whom He sat and ate with. Those who He called out from among the world that left all to join Him. They to did not know what it all meant until Gods Plan began to unfold. Not many mighty men, distinguished men or women. They were fisherman, tax collectors, some with tempers and bad mouths. Prostitutes, drinkers of wine. Men he had to correct for thier outburst but never cast away or kept down because they were not safe and would tarnish His reputation.

If you look at the story of those who gathered in Cave of Adullam with David and those who gathered around Jesus, you will see some parallels. Not only in the personalities and backgrounds, but the exploits they would do as they went forth and battled for their King.

1 Samuel 22 New King James Version

1 David therefore departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. So when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 2 And everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him. So he became captain over them. And there were about four hundred men with him.

2 Samuel 23:8-17 New King James Version

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of [c]Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 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. 11 And after him was 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. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.   These things were done by the three mighty men.

   

                         

Notice who began to gather around Jesus and who Jesus said He came to seek 

Luke 15:1-7 New King James Version

15 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.

Even when He did sit down and eat with the religious hierarchy of the day. There was this lesson....... 

Luke 7:36-50 New King James Version

36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”

So he said, “Teacher, say it.”

41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”

And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

And Jesus demonstrated His Might then sent His Mighty Men out to battle in the same way. 

Matthew 10:7-8 New King James Version

7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.

Acts 10:34-41 New King James Version

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead.

Matthew 11:1-6 New King James Version

11 Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.

2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he [a]sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”

4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Luke 17:11-14 New King James Version

11 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

Matthew 9 New King James Version

9 So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. 2 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.”

3 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!”

4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house.

8 Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.

Matthew the Tax Collector

9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting

14 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast [c]often, but Your disciples do not fast?”

15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for [e]the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed

18 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live.” 19 So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.

20 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. 21 For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.” 22 But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And the woman was made well from that hour.

23 When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, 24 He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. 25 But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went out into all that land.

Two Blind Men Healed

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But when they had departed, they [g]spread the news about Him in all that country.

A Mute Man Speaks

32 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. 33 And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, “It was never seen like this in Israel!”

34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons.”

The Compassion of Jesus

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Acts 5:12-20 New Living Translation

12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly.

14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”

Acts 19:11-20 New King James Version

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. 13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.” 14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

15 And the evil spirit answered and said, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”

16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against [d]them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. 18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. 19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.

Many were faithful unto death. They will receive a Glorious Resurrection!

Are You Raising a False Christ Flag?

                                     

                                

Acts 10:34-48 New Living Translation

34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. 38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

39 “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, 41 not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God.

Then Peter asked, 47 “Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 48 So he gave orders for them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Afterward Cornelius asked him to stay with them

 

1 Corinthians 2

New King James Version

2 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of  human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Spiritual Wisdom

6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Proving Jesus Is Alive-God Is With Us

 

 Recently I was pondering on the struggles and confusion of the past couple years. I, like the old testament saint, have been looking up to God and saying: "If all is well, and you are with me, then why am I like this"?  Friends haven't been much help, thier perspective is not mine and I am thankful for them it is not.  As much as she loves me and is a gift from God, I find it hard to explain the struggles in me to even my amazing wife. 

 I think at times, this is The Lords way of steering us to Him. I can explain in word the battles, struggles and wrestling that is going on in my heart and mind, but really you are limited in your response and empathy to what you have known. Even if we share very common experiences, I can not expect you to fully understand me, and that is okay.  

 The Lord sees all and knows all. He has been there through it all. I think that is part of my struggle at times. I dont see that as helpful in my thinking. I was walking yesterday and praying about the past, and how I knew I had to release it, but just wish I had answers from Him. I heard in my heart, as I have so many times, "I was with you through it all. I was right there".  I usually answer with a thank you, but sometimes, like yesterday, I was in a real, real mindset. 

You know what I mean? I was not in for any pleasantries and faith talk, or Christian speak.  So I looked up to God and said, "That isn't really helpful to know right now".  Now I know this isn't an accurate depiction of God, but lets be real, faith is a struggle sometimes isn't it? Especially if you dont walk in a fluffy blind faith , where you act like nothing is real and everything is just peachy.

 However, I continued my retort: "How is that helpful Daddy? I mean I cant imagine sitting there watching my little boy go through that and not stopping it."  Imagine me telling a cop, well I didn't stop my kid from being abused, attacked, and harmed by an evil man, because well, that is the world we live in. I imagine the cop saying, "Sir could you have stopped it? Yes officer. "Could you have prevented it before it started?" Yes officer. "Well then you are going to jail for child neglect and endangering the welfare of a child."

 This is one reason I hated the movie "The Shack" . It gave me a pit in my stomach. It triggered a combination of a raging anger and righteous indignation that they would portray God as a neglectful Father who could have stopped the little girl from being raped and murdered, but cared more for the rapist and murderer. That there were no real wicked people, no matter what horrific act they committed.  That movie just pissed me off.  

 It left me angry at sin, wickedness, the writers, and I must admit God. I think I actually gave Him the cold shoulder for a few days after.  Please dont message me or comment with your grand revelations of Gods Grace and such. I know, I know, I know. Please dont give me a "WORD" about how you can see there is unhealed bitterness and anger in me and that is why  I was triggered. Yeah, no duh, that is the point of this article as I bring it to a close. 

 You see, the fact is that God was there the whole time. The fact also is, and disagree if you like, there are some things he cant stop, or else He would. Angels do have a powerful ministry of protection, but for whatever reason thier hands are tied in many instances. Again every reason you can come up with why that is so, there is just as valid a counter to say why it shouldn't be so. 

 So we can either come to the conclusion as any police officer or court would that The Lord is a neglectful Father that has no problem watching His Children suffer at the hands of evil, while He sits by and does nothing. Or we look deeper and see that we are indeed in a battle, on foreign land, poorly equipped, poorly funded and poorly trained to dominate in this battle. That, for reasons we will Not understand this side of Glory, Gods hand is limited in what He can do on earth, by what His People declare about Him, believe about Him and have Faith IN Him for. 

 We are living in an earth that is hopelessly broken, forever cursed in its current state, and filled with an unredeemable evil. We must come to the final conclusion that mankind is indeed cursed and part of the kingdom of darkness. We must have a revelation that there is no hope for man, in man. That there is no government, NGO or Non-Profit that can redeem mankind from this curse and renew their hearts of stone. We must embrace the truth of why Christ came, suffered so horribly both naturally and spiritually, in order to save us from the pure wickedness and evil that covers the world. 

 Jesus came to reveal, to conquer and to undo all The Works of The Devil. I am not sure we can fully understand who our Lord is without understanding who our enemy is. We cant fully embrace the Great Commission without fully understanding why we were commissioned , what we have been equipped with, and why that commission and equipment is crucial to Our Father showing just how loving He is.

 We can show the crying world, the broken child, the grieving mother, the distraught father, that God is here NOW. We can show them in action and demonstration that He is a Strong, Powerful and Loving Father.  That Jesus IS ALIVE NOW.

 But, He provided ONE WAY, ONE MESSAGE AND ONE BODY , to do that. He legally invaded the Kingdom of Darkness with The LIGHT and paid the price of mans Freedom with ONE BLOOD. The Blood of Jesus. All this gave man the ability and right through that blood to become sons and daughters of God.  

 We must engage fully The Great Commission. We must allow The Lord to remove the dross from our lives and churches. We must take The Light of Jesus and shine ii right in the face of every demon, evil spirit and dark hole Gods enemy is keeping people bound in. 

Oh it will be messy. Scary for some. It will cause the demons to cry out and beg not to be cast out. It will cause our nice churches to be filled with the sick and crippled looking to be healed. It will cause the drug addict's, prostitutes, gang members and sexually immoral to come begging at the Throne of Grace for Mercy.  It will cause the rich and well cleaned up to see just how poor and filthy they are. 

Oh, but it will be so glorious every time we show the little ones, the broken ones, the bound ones and the dying ones that Jesus is ALIVE and He is with them, with them, with them. 

 

 Oh Lord forgive us for not following your Command and Commission. Forgive us for trusting in mans efforts and futile methods. Forgive us for playacting to an evil so filthy it hides in plain sight as it destroys life after life. Strip us of all hope in the weak and impotent things of entertainment and comfort. 

Build us into an Army FULLY EQUIPPED WITH YOUR POWER, MIGHT, STRENGTH, ABILITIES and Gifts, all operating in your Great Commission, motivated by Your Great Love and Compassion. 

You are a Good, Good Father. Now empower us Lord. Reach through us to heal, to perform signs and wonders ALL IN THE NAME AND COMMISSION OF YOUR HOLY SON JESUS! You are good and your mercy endures forever.