Simplicity 6.9.10

God's been speaking one word to me in relation to the whole story of David and Goliath.  "Simplicity".  I've been meditating on that word for a couple of weeks.

As I research a shepherd's life in those days, I find that at first glance you'd think it was a simple life.  No home to keep up, just pick up and move to the next green pasture.  But when you start to realize all that went into shepherding, it wasn't that easy.  You had to help the new lambs, protect from danger, look ahead to where the next green pasture was and lead them all there.

But simplicity could have come in the sense that David used whatever resources he had with him.  The staff and the sling and stone.  The staff could lead and also keep prey away.  The sling and stone could do deadly damage to enemies of the sheep.

I think David must have had 2 main focus points in his life:  1) his sheep and 2) his music.  I don't know how much spare time he would have had out there in the fields, but we know he was a great musician, so he must have made time to practice while he was out there.

So I contemplate simplicity and how it applies to me.  You can hear more about that in the audio version of this blog and listen to a piano song that is simply - simple.

Listen here to the song "Simplicity".

God is God 6.8.10

Goliath had a pretty sophisticated armor to wear.  I Sam. 17:4-7 lists all that he wore, plus he had someone who carried a shield out in from of him.  Can you imagine the size of shield a 9' man would need?

As I pondered the detail of the armor, I realized that our enemy today is no different.  Eph. 6:11 says "Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil."  (NLT).  

I wanted to write something that captures the complication of what the devil plans, but I also wanted something that teaches us and reminds us that God is ALWAYS bigger than anything the devil comes up with.  

Listen to "God is God" here.

It's His Battle 6.7.10

Last week I took the week off from the studio and did some much needed spring cleaning.  I washed down all the outside window and door frames, washed all the windows inside and out, plus rearranged our bedroom and did some organizing to make life a bit more manageable.  Of course we got unusual thunderstorms and the rain came down in sheets and left nice water spots on my clean windows.

Though I shut down the studio and didn't do any devotional notes, I was still meditating on David and Saul all last week.  It was good to do something other than music for a change and gave me lots of time to think and listen for God's voice in a more focused way.

This morning I constructed a song to go with the passage I've been resting in for weeks now:  I Sam. 17:45-47.  Though I think I wrote a song out of this section earlier, I have a new one.  Just goes to show that we can spend days in one passage and get many different things out of it.

David saw that Goliath put his faith in his weapons and David didn't threaten Goliath back with his own natural weapons of a sling and stone.  He simply declared the power of the name of the Lord and the futility of weapons.  Saul should have been the one killing Goliath, but he was afraid.  A lot of good his weapons did him.  But it's not about our weapons. It's about our faith in God's ability!

I don't know what kind of battle you might be facing today, but be encouraged - if this is a battle that the enemy has brought your way, you need to attack him with God's weapons - not your own understanding! 

Hope this song brings you some encouragement:

It's His battle, It's His victory
It's His battle, It's His victory

The enemy comes with his spear and sword
But I'm coming out in the name of the Lord

It's His battle, It's His victory
It's His battle, It's His victory

No weapon formed against me can stand
No one can take me from my Father's hand

It's His battle, It's His victory
It's His battle, It's His victory

He doesn't need any fancy plans
He just wants an obedient lamb

It's His battle, It's His victory
It's His battle, It's His victory

Listen to "It's His Battle" here.

God is Big In The Little Things 5.25.10

I Sam. 17:37 - "The Lord who saved me from the claws of the lion and the bear will save me from this Philistine!"

The Lord who is mighty with the lion

is mighty when it comes to the giant

The Lord who is mighty with the bear

is mighty when I call on him anywhere

When I've proved him in the little things

I'll have faith when it comes to the giant schemes

My God is big in the little things

My God is big in everything that I need

So don't forget when you see his hand

that God is with you no matter when.

The Lord who is mighty with the bag of stones

is mighty no matter what the enemy throws

The Lord who is mighty in the meadow

is mighty in the darkness of the shadows

When I've proved him in the little things

I'll have faith when it comes to the giant schemes

My God is big in the little things

My God is big in everything that I need

So don't forget when you see his hand

that he'll be with no matter when.

Not much more to say than this.  If we prove God in the small areas of our lives, we are building muscles for the big things.

Listen to "God is With You" here.

Faithful

I wasn't going to write a song today.  I read Proverbs, meditated on I Samuel 17 again with the story of David and Saul, but I didn't sense any kind of song.

Somedays I just need to have it be just me and God if you know what I mean.  Sometimes I can feel the self-imposed pressure to get a song out of my devotions so you will hear it and enjoy it.  Today I fought that feeling (like I do other days) and felt victorious to spend time with God without having a song.

I know - I'm complicated.  Just letting you see inside me.

I started to go about my day and a song began to come to me, however.  Though I have flower beds to tend, a song of love to write, a concert to rehearse for, etc.  I knew if I'd sit down and begin playing the song, more would come - it usually does.

So here it is - my thoughts about the kind of guy David must have been since God chose him to be king.

Faithful to the sheep
faithful to the palace
faithful to the king
not a trace of malice

This is the heart of a worshipper
This is the heart of a follower
To love the Lord in all your ways
to seek His Kingdom every day.

Faithful to his friends
Faithful in the battle
Faithful in his trust
nothing could dismantle

This is the heart of a worshipper

This is the heart of a follower

To love the Lord in all your ways

to seek His Kingdom every day.

Faithful in his heart
Faithful in his music
Faithful when he sinned
not afraid to say it

This is the heart of a worshipper

This is the heart of a follower

To love the Lord in all your ways

to seek His Kingdom every day.

Listen to "Faithful" here.

The Name of the Lord 5.18.10

"The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe."  Prov. 18:10

This is the verse that stuck out to me today in my reading.  I've contemplated the name of Jesus quite frequently.  The scripture has so much to say about the name of Jesus.  I know there is much more available to me just in that name alone.

I also turned to I Samuel 17 again to continue focusing on what God has been trying to say to me through the story of Saul, David and Goliath.  Last week I felt as if He was speaking to me about trying to put on 'Saul's armor' in my own life.  I've been trying to discern what He's saying to me through that.

David said 2 things in this passage that spoke to me this morning:

1) "David shouted in reply, "You come to me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty - the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."  I Sam. 17:45

2)  "Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head....and everyone will know that the Lord does not need weapons to rescue his people.  It is his battle, not ours."  I Sam. 17:47

Once again, there is the pattern of the power of the name of Jesus.  David had full confidence in the name of His God.  David had proven God's dependability in the small things.

I want to have that kind of confidence in the name of Jesus - starting with the small things.
Listen to "The Name of The Lord" here.

What are you afraid of?

I just got back last night from visiting 4 radio stations in Ohio.  Visiting stations helps to build relationships between the artist and the radio programmers.

I love doing that and was sad to see it come to an end for this trip.

I had plenty of down time as I covered over 1,000 miles.  Normally I listen to music, podcasts, stories, radio, etc., but for the most part I craved quiet time, so I turned it all off for a good portion of the trip.

In those quiet moments I think I heard my Abba Father speak to me.  My next few blogs might focus on fleshing that out as I share what I think He said.

It seemed quite simple at the time, but I think it's a nugget that I must begin to pray over and search out.

King Saul wanted David to wear his armor when David went out to fight Goliath.  David tried it on, but it didn't fit right.  He was used to facing enemies and saw Goliath to be no different than the bear and the lion.

Sure - no problem - just walk right up to that bear and lion and snatch the little lamb from its jaws - no big deal!  I wish!  But David must have spent lots of time out in the fields alone with his God and his sheep.

Taking a little lamb from the jaws of a lion was no problem for him.  He had seen God work many times in the 'little' things (if you can call a lion little).  I'd prefer to start with taking a cricket from the jaws of my house cat.

All he had to do was apply the principles he learned in the field to the battle facing him now.  King Saul didn't see it that way.  But David stood his ground and said let me do this the way I've always done things before.

The Spirit of God began to speak to me about wearing someone else's armor.  Uh oh.

I'm not even sure what all this means yet, but I know this - I want to search out why Saul couldn't kill Goliath (technically he should have) and why David was so confident to fight Goliath with just a staff and a sling.

The first clue I've discovered this morning is that Saul seemed prone to fear of man and David was not. But that's another blog.

"What are you afraid of, who is holding you back?
Who are you trying to be like, do you wanna live like that?
Listen to the Spirit, listen to Him calling your name
He will bring direction, there's no need to strain

Put away their pressure, put away their armor
Do what He made you to do,
Rise up
and be the way He made you to be!"

Listen to the song "What Are You Afraid Of" here.