The David Spoon Experience

The David Spoon Experience 10-4-23 part 1

A) Without being morbid, this is one of the most difficult texts in the Old Testament that I can understand. David says, “Even my own familiar friend whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” From my perspective, just as a human being, this could be the most tragic of all moments. When David communicates that the person closest to him has hurt him. I know that feeling, and I know that many of you know that feeling too. But it is important to understand that even the greatest men and women of God also know that feeling.B) It’s amazing how David then says, “Lord, please don’t let my enemy triumph over me.” Understanding the context, David is trying to protect Israel and the people of God. But from a personalization point of view, we are looking for God to deliver us from Satan’s evil plans. And he is asking God not to let the enemies of Israel triumph, just like we are asking God not to let Satan’s plans work against us.C) And David says, “You set me before your face forever.” There’s nothing more poetic or important than this moment in the Psalms. We were closing out on what many would call the first book. David closes book one by saying everything in the universe revolves around this one thing: that you are before me forever, and nothing else matters.D) David gives an incredible acknowledgment to God as he closes out one of five books in the Psalms. In Book 1 he says, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel.” Of all the stuff you can say and all the stuff you can be frustrated about, the truest answer is to say, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. From everlasting to everlasting,” which is a simple way of saying from the start to the end, the beginning and the finish, Alpha and Omega. Blessed be the Lord God forever. Amen. Amen.
 

The David Spoon Experience 10-3-23 part 2

1) Going back to the illustration of the two women (by the way, God does not “look down” on women,” one is from Mount Sinia, which represents the law, and the other is from the Heavenly Jerusalem (the reference point is Revelation 21:2). The difference is that God compares one offspring to bondage and the other offspring to freedom. Then, God connects the heavenly offspring to the fulfillment of prophecy. Hey, by the way, that's you. You are the fulfillment of prophecy.2) Can you imagine someone saying, “You have had NO children, but in reality, you have more children than the people who “appear to have many children.” That is NO joke. There are thousands of women who have never given birth and are ten thousand times better mothers to others than people who have. This, of course, is not to diminish child birthing but to understand that a mother appears to God in several fashions.3) Here it is. Laugh, joke, or try to ignore it, but the reality is that those who seek to be led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14, “for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God), are persecuted by those who know NOTHING of God. The truth is that those who are LEGALISTIC extremely dislike those who are seeking to walk in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Why? Because they have no clue as to what that even means.4) The closure of this theology is simple. We are acceptable to God because of our faith. This is why we are connected to Abraham. It was by his faith that he was accepted by God. And through JESUS CHRIST and His redemptive work, this is why we are acceptable to God.
 

The David Spoon Experience 10-3-23 part 1

A) Here comes another parable. Remember, a parable is a story used to communicate a point or an objective. This parable is about yeast. Wait, Dave, are you saying Jesus directed his teachings towards women? Yes, yes, and yes. Jesus was the first teacher to direct his truths toward every class and gender. In truth, Jesus was the one who brought the greatest sense of commonality to humanity.B) 13:33 Jesus uses the metaphor of leaven, which usually has a negative connotation in Scripture (cf. 16:6; 1 Cor. 5:6–7), to symbolize the positive, hidden permeation of the kingdom of heaven in this world. The kingdom is indeed active though not fully visible to the world, because it begins with an inner transformation of the heart. Three measures was probably about 50 pounds (39 liters) and would have produced enough bread to feed a hundred people.[1]C) Now, we move into the explanation of the parable of the wheat and the tares. It’s a parable, so can it stand up against the narrative of a pretribulation rapture? Nope. Not entirely. But it does help others understand that not every theological system is perfect. Yep. And the reality is that if one were arguing for the events of the “End Times,” this could not quickly be dismissed. But Dave, it’s a parable. So is "one will remain, and one will be taken". Ouch.D) This is key, as far as this Jewish Christian is concerned. God has made it clear that there will be an inevitable distinction between the sheep and the goats. Let’s make this clear: Animals will grow more discontent. And the division between people will increase. And there will be more separation between the people of God and the people of the world. This will not be political. It will be between the children of God and those who are not children of God.
 
[1] Crossway Bibles. 2008. The ESV Study Bible. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
 

The David Spoon Experience 10-2-23 part 2

1) As we go through Job 37, we come to the conclusion of Elihu's discourse regarding Job's words. It's amazing to think that Job has listened to all of this from this young man, but when truth speaks, those who love truth listen.2) Elihu expresses something that we should all desire to have. He is overwhelmed and impressed at the power and the majesty of the voice of God. He loves to hear God's voice. It's a fearful voice; it makes people tremble, but the voice of God is the voice of love and the voice of wisdom. The voice of God is the voice of life. 3) I have to laugh at the world that Job 37:6 clearly states that only One is in charge of the weather. It's not Mother Nature, it's not mankind's pollution, it's not the stupidity of human prophesying. It is simply God. God is in charge of the weather now and forevermore. He's in charge of the seasons. He's in charge of all moments, whether we perceive them as good, bad or indifferent. 4) One of the great gems in Job, and one of the reasons I'm ripping this apart section by section, is Elihu, who tells Job to consider the wonderful miracles of God. If we consider how absolutely outrageously cool the miracles of God are if we consider that God breaches the natural universe to throw in His power. He moves those miracles on our behalf because He loves us. 5) Then Elihu closes with a real zinger. He says, "You know so much, Job! Teach us what to say to God, as though any man has a right to say anything to God at any time." How hilarious! He points out that we can't even look at the sun without squinting, let alone talk to God without shriveling. Get real!

The David Spoon Experience 10-2-23 part 1

A) In 1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 3, Paul returns to the topic of sound doctrine, as he mentioned in chapter one, verse three. Sound doctrine and wholesome words must be in accordance with godliness and in agreement with the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Everything we do is based on the primary communication of the Gospels. In fact, in another part of this letter, Paul mentions that doctrine must be according to the Gospels (1:10-11).B) The Apostle then goes on to say that anyone who is not teaching according to the words of Jesus and with godliness is simply a person who is proud, doesn’t know anything, and is obsessed with winning arguments, creating strife, and devoid of truth as put forth in the word. This person is doing their entire teaching for the purpose of financial gain. The instruction is straightforward: withdraw from that kind of person. In fact, it doesn’t say condemn; it just says withdraw. It’s a nice way to say walk away.C) And here comes a zinger from the Lord: “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” We should point out that in this context, godliness has more to do with the truth or genuineness of a person’s faith system, and in this case, one that connects directly to God. But the comment cannot be missed: we were born with nothing except identifying features that make us either a man or a woman and nothing else. We will die the same way; we brought nothing in, and we’ll take nothing out.D) Now we come to the course of the great truth that people who make their life about making money, having things, having toys, are foolish and shortsighted. He who dies with the most toys, still dies. In verse 10, the most misquoted passage of all: “For it is the love of money,(not money itself) that is the root of evil.” Some people have made money their pursuit and pierced their lives through with many sorrows because money doesn’t answer the deepest need within.
 

The David Spoon Experience 9-29-23 part 2

1) Happy Friday, everybody! We dive into Dave's Devotional Diamonds of the Day, or DDDDDS. The first step in our adventure is understanding that Scripture commands us to examine everything carefully. What that means is to examine everything carefully. It's not a thought. It's a command. It's something we need to do in order to make sure we understand the difference between what is true and what is false, what is real and what is fake, what is God and what is not.2) Next, we take a jump into the book of Daniel, but only for a brief time as we look at the extreme wisdom with which Daniel operated. It should not escape any of us that he operated under the command of Nebuchadnezzar, who didn't think highly, at least initially, of the God of Israel. So, Daniel had to operate under an administration with an oppressive spirit. Guess what? He was more than just successful. He was phenomenal.3) We now come to a very challenging DDD, which lays it on the line for us as Christians. If we think Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and we believe He's coming again and that His resurrection verifies everything He taught, then we have to be aware of how we let outside pressures affect our decisions, which would be contrary to what Jesus would have us do.4) Finally, we go back into Daniel to get a bit of a handle on why God answers our prayers. For God to answer our prayers, He has to hear our prayers. For God to hear our prayers, we have to offer our prayers in word or thought. For us to offer our prayers, we have to pray. Gee, that sounds silly, but if we don't do it, it doesn't happen. The ace in our pocket is understanding why God would answer our prayers in the first place. It's an absolute heart thriller to “get it.”

The David Spoon Experience 9-29-23 part 1

A) Welcome to the world of JAMES. Wow. We just finished Hebrews, so the next book in canonical order is James. No, this in Not Peter, James, and John, the trio of the early Gospels. This is James, the Lord’s brother. Yep…keep it all in the family. How do we know that it is not the early James and it’s the later James in Acts 15? Because the early James was killed before this letter was written (Acts 12). O.K., that's pretty straightforward.B) The key to this epistle is the theme: believers MUST live out their faith, not just bat their eyes and say, “We love Jesus.” The main thesis of this epistle (not the wife of an apostle) is that the readers were suffering persecution and poverty. Because of this tension, too many believers were living in a worldly manner. The reality is that they, like us, need to work out these issues.C) James opens up the letter stating that he understands his readers our pushed to the outer ends of their faith. It is NOT necessarily an Israeli reference as it is a point of faith reference. The idea is that it applies to all of us, and not just to a select few.D) Oh my. Consider it “pure joy” that we win the lottery. Oh wait, that’s not what it says. How about this for a barn burner: “Consider it pure joy when we encounter TRIALS. Wait a second, James…are you trying to say to me that when we as in me encounter trials, I should consider it pure joy. Yes! What? That’s crazy. Yep. And that’s faith in Jesus. So, either say amen or oh me.
 

The David Spoon Experience 9-28-23 part 2

1) In Acts 19:21, we have an amazing element with Paul. He felt impelled, or purposed, or determined, or resolved in the Holy Spirit. In other translations, it interprets this as happening within his own spirit. Both ideas are equally plausible. He could have internally decided about something that MUST happen, from his perspective. Something within him said, “Eventually, I need to go to Rome.” Or he did this in compliance or in partnership with the Holy Spirit It speaks of the best nature of the Spirit being our Counselor. Either way, a definitive direction was in play.2) Our precious sister Joyanne calls in with a praise report and a prayer request. We ask everybody to pray that the Lord's graciousness would protect her in all things. This shows how we carry one another's burdens, by praying for one another.3) As usual (or as not unusual) Dave goes off script and teaches from Jude Verse 5 about the necessity of being reminded of things we already know. People don't consider that to be important, but when we don't keep things fresh in our mind and fresh in our hearts, they lose their power in our lives. So, keeping them at the forefront of our thoughts is critical when it comes to kingdom principles and truths. Remember, the Gospel saves us, AND keeps us (1 Corinthians 15:1-3).

The David Spoon Experience 9-28-23 part 1

a) In 2 Corinthians chapter 10, starting with verse 1, Paul refers to Jesus, who is mild and gentle. This is how Paul is appealing to the church at Corinth. Being mild and gentle does not mean being weak; it means controlling one’s emotional state and being soft toward others, not just hard.b) In a certain sense, Paul is warning the church at Corinth that he doesn’t want to have to be bold when he sees them face to face. It’s an excellent way of saying, “Please get this right because when I see you, it won’t be happy times, especially for those who are walking contrary.”c) And now the classic portion of scripture which every Bible-believing, born-again Christian should know: we live in the flesh, but we do not wage war according to the flesh. By “flesh,” it doesn’t mean the old man; it means the natural man. And by “the weapons of our warfare,” it’s not talking about natural weapons like knives, guns, or bombs. We’re in a spiritual warfare, and our weapons are spiritual.d) We may make this a two-parter because of the intensity that’s involved here, but the weapons that we work with are not worldly connected. They are, in fact, weapons with divine power. Think of this: We’re in spiritual warfare, but we’ve been equipped with weapons from God himself. e) As a final note, keep in mind as we get into this that the weapons we have can demolish. That is the most excellent way in the world to say that a weapon from God can absolutely destroy anything in its path. That’s the kind of weapons we have.

The David Spoon Experience 9-27-23 part 2

TDSE welcomes Jammin Jacob. 1) Who is Faithful …to the End? God is. But it doesn’t always “appear” that way. Primarily because now, we see dimly. Later on, we will see it all clear. 1 Corinthians 13:12 states, For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. So who, besides our good friend Job, would be an excellent example for us to study in the Scriptures of someone who, by appearance, had tons of life yuck? That would have to be Naomi. She has one of the best cases of “what happened” that is holy writ. Joseph has an excellent case to make, but Naomi must be crowned queen.2) Her trials were so difficult that Naomi changed her name to reflect her circumstances. Now, that is being focused on your situation. She changed her name to Mara, which means bitter. If you think that you are close to where Naomi was, then you can relate to these statements: 1) She had been up, but now she was down. 2) She had high hopes, but Hope deferred makes the heart sick. 3) She was broke and at the bottom.3) But something entered into Naomi’s life that changed her. It wasn’t that she won a jackpot. It wasn’t that everything changed in a moment. It only takes a moment for a miracle, but that is not what happened for her. It wasn’t a vision, a dream, or an angel from God that brought her any relief. It was a sliver. Various words for a sliver are flake, fragment, shaving, shred, slice, and snippet. And then it all changed for Naomi.4) God can take the impossible and make it possible because nothing is impossible for God. He can do it in a nanosecond, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a month, a year, or a thousand years. His timing is perfect; our timing loses its mind when we watch a pot boiling. But when the Lord cracks the door, and that sliver of light and hope emerges, it changes the entire game. And a fresh attitude becomes possible because we can see redemption. And we can see restoration.

The David Spoon Experience 9-27-23 part 1

TDSE welcomes Jammin Jacob. A) In Psalm 41, David writes about the poor and the multitude of blessings that God grants when people actually care. The problem in today’s society is that the government tends to think of itself as God (hence cradle-to-grave thinking). This determines who is poor, how much the poor get, and how much has to be taken from others (not from themselves) to help the poor.B) This is also connected to David’s Psalms 55 and 109, where David describes the betrayal of close friends. These psalms are used to describe the actions of Judas Iscariot in the New Testament. When friends and family hurt us, the wounds are incredibly deep. That’s because we believe that these people are for us and not against us. When it turns the other way, it’s often brutal. C) But hold on; Look at ALL the blessings from God when caring for the poor. Not because we have to but because we want to. It is more blessed to give than receive. There is deliverance from trouble. That’s good. There’s preservation and life. That’s good. There are blessings on earth. That’s good. And there’s general protection. Remember Daniel’s advice to the King before he became a cow: be nice to the poor and needy. D) Lord, be merciful me; heal my soul. That is the deep seed of our being. David needed some inward healing for his failings. There is forgiveness in redemption. But there is often a need for a form of healing, too. As Bible Believing Born Again Christians, we don’t have to bring our sins to the Judge. But we do need to send them to our Father. We need His help to “Remain Steady” in the freedom that Jesus bought for us.

The David Spoon Experience 9-26-23 part 2

1) In the middle of chapter 4 of Galatians, Paul picks up the ferocious pace. He states that the false teachers, who are just anxious to win your favor, are not doing it to help you. Instead, they’re doing it so that you’ll pay attention to them. Essentially, this means that these false teachers are the center. They’re not trying to push or pull anybody towards the Lord. They’re trying to push and pull people towards themselves and themselves alone. Large personalities are not bad, but large personalities that gather unto themselves, for themselves to glorify themselves, is another matter altogether.2) The apostle quickly acknowledges that it’s good to be eager to do good. That’s not a bad thing. Eagerness is good, especially if it’s directed in the right place. But Paul has a concern. He wants these people that he labors for and labors over to continue in their development of being Christ-like until Jesus is fully developed. That’s our target while we’re on earth: to fully develop Jesus Christ in our lives. However, the Apostle is concerned that he’s going to have to do the initial labor pains all over again.3) What I love about the scriptures is how God crafted the personality of the authors into the framework of the text. In case you’re wondering, Paul expresses a pretty decent level of frustration when he tells the believers how he wishes he could be there with them right now but doesn’t know what else to do. That’s expressing genuine concern for their spiritual well-being. Not everything in the Kingdom of God is rainbows and roses.4) Paul steps up his arguments to make sure they understand that they are saved by grace and not by reconverting themselves under a baptism of the law. He makes an illustration of two women who have two children: Sarah and Hagar. The one woman had a child by promise, while the other woman had a child because they were trying to force the hand of God in fulfillment. From a human perspective, guess which turned out to be the problem? Guess what happens when we try to fulfill something by human effort that God has promised to do? Yep, it’s the same mess.