The David Spoon Experience

The David Spoon Experience 9-18-23 Part 1

A) In 1st Timothy, 5:17, the Apostle Paul addresses the Elders who serve well. It should be noted that not every elder “does” serve well. But most do. This is not Elders and Deacons en-mass, but Elders who are fully devoted to the ministry with their time, talent, and treasure. And there is a specific nod to those who teach truth and doctrines. This does indicate that the teachers should make an honorable salary. Yes, a salary. A workman is worthy of his wage.B) The scriptures teach that you can’t muzzle an ox while it’s working. How much more is this true for those who help their brothers and sisters in their Kingdom faith? A workman is worthy of his wage. A pastoral position of helping 100 people $150,000-ish would be for all positions and would be just north of $200,000 when factoring in motivational speeches, counseling, management, public relations, governmental liaison, and several other factors, including all common societal (Marriage/Funeral) servicesC) Do not “receive” an accusation against an elder. Just because someone says it doesn’t make it true. This applies more to government and media than it does to church people. It must be two or three witnesses. Under normal Jewish law, the same people from one family would not be enough because of conspiracy opportunities. For a biblical reference, please see Ananias and Saphira. Public rebuke for this who are, indeed, guilty is for the sake of the rest of the body; take heed.D) Do everything without prejudice or partiality. The church cannot operate with this spirit, even though governments and media do this with a vengeance. Even though those around us are operating with prejudice or partiality, we are NOT ALLOWED to be in the same spirit. That does not mean you and I are unaware of these worldly and demonic attributes. But it does mean that for a Christian, there should be a distinction. If there is no difference between the church and the world, we got a huge problem.

The David Spoon Experience 9-15-23 Part 2

1) I love Friday’s DDDs. They could be called DDDDD: Dr. Dave’s Devotional Diamonds of the Day. We can blame that on Don. Our first one looks at 1 John chapter 2, where it makes reference to us not being ashamed before Jesus when He returns. There is an understanding that the Lord is returning, either for us corporately or for us individually. But when He does come, the one thing we don’t want to happen is for us to be ashamed of where we are as his children and as kingdom builders.2) Next, we examine death - the good, the bad, and the indifferent. There are many people we have encountered that we think, “I certainly don’t want them to go to hell, but I certainly don’t want to hang out with them in heaven either.” Yeah, I get that. But here’s the reality: because God is who He is, He takes great pleasure in the death of the Saints. You may be thinking, “Why is that?” The answer is simple: because there is no more separation between God and those He loves. But He also has great sadness in the death of the wicked. You may be thinking, “Why is that?” And we will examine that very thing.3) In 2 Timothy chapter 4, Paul is closing out his last letter written in the New Testament. He talks about standing firm in the faith and how when he did that, nobody stood with him. That’s a very frustrating feeling when you take a stand on something, and nobody is with you, even those who are supposed to be. And what do you have left? The irony is that the answer to what you have left is the answer to how we should be living anyway.

The David Spoon Experience 9-15-23 Part 1

A) As we finish the book of Hebrews, the author in Hebrews, in 13:10, mentions that God is the God of peace. He makes reference that Jesus is the Great Shepherd, and it’s through His blood that we have the everlasting covenant. The blood of Jesus is not a short-term fix. It is our long-term agreement between God and us to spend eternity together. The highlight of this is that God is called the God of peace. He’s not looking to tear you up. He’s looking forward to spending eternity with you.B) The author then turns this introduction into an awareness prayer. The prayer is that we would be equipped with every good thing to do His will. The Lord wants us to be fully prepared and engaged to do what He has called us to do. And what we need to accomplish the things of God comes from God himself. This stands in opposition to us establishing our own anything. It all declares the eternal partnership with God.
C) I love this next portion because the author says he has given us a message of exhortation and that he has briefly written us. Briefly, ha ha ha. That’s like when the preacher says I’m winding down the message, and there’s still 20 minutes to go. This is 13 chapters and one of the longest books in the New Testament. But in the author’s mind, it just happens as quickly as can be. But he does say that it’s a word of encouragement. The scriptures are not there just to point fingers into your face. The scriptures are there to help you, and I be encouraged in our daily walk with the Lord and with one another.D) Finally, the message closes out with a requirement to be aware of what’s taking place with Timothy. He’s going to be released soon. Some people think this has to do with his current ministry, while the majority think that this has to do with imprisonment or some kind of restriction. That’s not the emphasis of the text. The emphasis is that we would be aware of what’s going on with Timothy, which is a nice way of saying we should be aware of what’s going on with one another. That’s what Christian Fellowship is all about.

The David Spoon Experience 9-14-23 Part 2

1) It’s always interesting to explore teachings that challenge our beliefs, as we all strive for a perfect and flawless understanding of theology. However, it’s important to remember that no one is perfect or flawless, except Christ Jesus. After being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the disciples at Ephesus received the Holy Spirit when Paul laid his hands on them. They spoke in tongues and prophesied. Not one, but both.2) To clarify the events described in this passage, the disciples would receive the full measure of the Gospel through Jesus, rather than through John. After being baptized, Paul laid his hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Some people believe that the Holy Spirit is always separate from the Gospel, while others believe that it only comes when people are saved. However, the truth is that it happens according to God’s will, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Get over it.3) The apostle Paul continued to do what he had always done: boldly preach the word of God and argue persuasively about the Kingdom of God. While arguing for argument’s sake is sinful, standing firm in the truth is not. Paul was not trying to persuade people that he was a great person or that all Christians are perfect. Instead, he was making a case for the Kingdom of God, where God is king and reigns over every aspect of every area of one’s life.4) Paul stayed in Ephesus for about two years, proclaiming the Gospel. This may seem like a long time for Paul, who usually speaks for a shorter time and then moves on. However, during this time, God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or clothing that had touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed, and evil spirits were cast out. Some may dismiss this as fantasy, but it is recorded in scripture. If God wants to do this now, who can stop him? The real question is: who will believe and have faith in him? Sadly, the answer is often “not very many.”

The David Spoon Experience 9-14-23 Part 1

A. 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 10 says, "He who supplies seed to the Sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed." This essentially means that the very God who supplies seed and bread will multiply our seed and bread, giving us enough to have our own store. That is simply if we are good stewards with that which is entrusted to us. I want you to catch this visual: God is saying, "I will give you seed and food and more and multiply your harvest if you are faithful with that which I give you." We need to remember that everything is His.B. Next up is a verse that we should all have in a plaque on our wall: "You will be enriched in every way to be generous and on every occasion." The Lord is making a commitment to us that if we are givers, He will give to us. If we are generous, He will be generous to us. This has nothing to do with salvation. This has to do with what a man sows, that he will also reap. If we sow with generosity, we reap with generosity.C. And here is the ticket to the whole process: if we are generous and God continues to bless us because of our generosity, this will produce thanksgiving to God. There is little that you and I can come up with that is better than people acknowledging and being thankful to God. And if our actions can help offer up praise and worship and thanksgiving to the Lord, then we have hit the jackpot!D. Paul then reminds us that this is a ministry of service. The ministry of service is supplying the needs of the saints. And the ministry of service is helping to increase the overflow of the expression of thanksgiving to God. This is our ministry of service to the Lord to bring glory and honor to His name. And every one of us should have this deep desire within us to produce this in order to express our love and gratitude to God.

The David Spoon Experience 9-13-23 Part 2

1) In today's show, Curtis calls in and shares the exciting news that he's getting baptized at the age of 61. How awesome is that? David then initiates a discussion about baptism, elaborating on its significance as obedience to Christ and a public proclamation. 2) The rest of the show centers around how Satan uses his lies. Here’s a reality check: A great deal of our spiritual warfare takes place in our minds. Scripture makes it clear that the enemy tries to establish strongholds or fortresses in our thoughts. He drops in a lie. If left unattended, it begins to build. If we continue to leave it unattended, it becomes a house. And if we continue to leave that unattended, it becomes a fortress that must be cast down.3) The ultimate answer is to counteract the lie with truth. However, this truth must be mixed with faith in order to be effective. In order to cast down these fortresses in our minds, we need weapons that are not carnal but mighty through God for pulling down strongholds. It’s clobbering time.

The David Spoon Experience 9-13-23 Part 1

A) There are many hidden gems in the Psalms. Chapter 40, verse 6, for example, is truly overwhelming. David says, “Sacrifice and offerings you did not desire; my ears you have opened.” This means that although the law had a prescription for dealing with certain things, what God was looking for more than the sacrifices was the person themselves. David recognized this and stated, “You know what? I have my ears open to you. Please speak.”B) We know from the New Testament that this psalm is involved in the fulfillment of the Ministry of Jesus Christ, providing further proof that prophecy never fails. But I want to examine how it applied to David directly as well. When David realized that burnt offerings and sin offerings were only one level of the relationship with God, he presented himself by saying, “I come. Lord, I am here. I am offering myself to do that which you desire.” This is the same spirit that God wants in you and me - to be more committed to our response to Him than to the letter of the law.C) Next, the psalmist mentions that he proclaims the good news of righteousness in the Great Assembly. I’ve mentioned this before, and I know it doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves. But the real early church evangelists were not people who held tent meetings to attract unbelievers, with just a few believers scattered among them. The early church evangelists spoke directly to the church, reminding them of the power of the good news. People who were not saved would also come and then get saved.D) The final element in this portion of David’s discourse is that he makes sure everyone knows that he has not hidden or concealed anything but has proclaimed the great things that God has done. Testifying is an important part of our walk with the Lord. We need to tell what God has done in our lives. It doesn’t always come out perfectly, and it doesn’t always sound sweet and simple, but that doesn’t matter. God did it, and He’ll back it up. If He did something in your life, share it.

The David Spoon Experience 9-12-23 Part 2

1) As we enter into Galatians 4, the Apostle Paul gives an excellent illustration to help us understand the difference between the law and the covenant of the law and grace and the covenant of Grace. He uses the illustration of a father who leaves great wealth for his young son. In reality, those riches are indeed in the ownership of the son that will receive them, but that child does not have access until they reach a certain stage or age. Until that time, there is a guardian appointed over them, and that guardian is in control until they reach that maturity level. That’s the same illustration between the New Covenant and the Old Covenant: the law was our guardian to lead us until we reach maturity in Christ.2) Verse three mentions that we were all slaves, whether people like that word or not is irrelevant. We were all slaves to the spiritual powers of this world until Jesus Christ came. What’s often missed in this text is that Jesus came at the right time. While each one of us might think that God could speed up his timing, we have to keep in mind that God’s timing, not just for us personally but for us corporately, is perfect. That includes the second coming of Jesus Christ.3) Several descriptions are now offered to help us understand the power of the incarnation of Jesus Christ: first, God sent His Son; second, He was born of a woman; third, He was subject to the law; fourth, He was sent to buy freedom for us who were slaves; fifth, so that God could adopt us; sixth, everybody - Jew and Gentile - has now become God’s children through Jesus Christ; seventh, God sent His Spirit to confirm all of this to be true.4) Now we call God our dear father. The whole relationship changed right here: we no longer approach with reverence but can also now approach with confidence. He is a majestic Father but also a Dad. And we are no longer slaves; we are actually His own children. And since we are His kids, everything that belongs to Him belongs to us. It does make a decent argument to say that we should stop thinking that we’re just beggars barely surviving - we’re much more than that. We are the children of the King.

The David Spoon Experience 9-12-23 Part 1

A) As we often say, Jesus didn’t come with Skittles and rainbows, giving the peace sign and telling everybody that everything was fine. His disciples gained an understanding of what was taking place while Jesus was teaching parables. It’s as straightforward as can be. The people see what Jesus did but don’t really see it. They hear what Jesus says, but they don’t really hear it.B) Of course, all of this is connected to prophecy, specifically the prophecy from Isaiah chapter six, verses 9 and 10. Three interesting elements emerge from this: The people’s eyes are in operation, but they do not see the truth. Their ears are in operation, but they do not hear the truth. Their hearts are in operation, but they do not understand the truth.C) It is sad that people reject Jesus, but there is another side to this coin: there is gladness for those of us who accept him. While Jesus wanted people to turn to him so he could heal them, those who don’t miss that healing. But those of us who do receive it and our eyes and ears are blessed. Many great people of faith from the past have wondered about what we are experiencing, but they did not get the opportunity to experience it themselves. But because we say yes to Jesus, we are blessed.D) At the end of this passage, Jesus gives a very interesting one-line hermeneutical lesson for all the brilliant Bible scholars out there. He says: “Here is the explanation of the story about the Sower sowing the seed.” Everybody, me included, looks at these stories and applies them as our limited brains suggest. But the truth of the matter is that when Jesus explains a parable, the explanation is the story, and nothing can or should be added.

The David Spoon Experience 9-11-23 Part 2

1) Buckle up, little campers, as we get ready to close out chapter 35 of the Book of Job. Again, I know people want me to go through some of this text in bigger chunks. But when the truth cries out, you have to look at it, examine it, handle it, process it, meditate on it and make it become a part of you. Because we shall know the truth, not know of the truth, and the truth will make us free.2) God makes us wiser than the animals. I had a discussion in philosophy class with a professor who said that animals and people are no different. Here’s the biggest difference, I told him. None of those people are paying money to an institution to try and get some kind of grade for discussing human beings. But here we are in an institution paying you money so that we can have a grade because we are discussing how animals aren’t any different from humans. There is one animal, however, that gives me pause and seems closer to way too many people. Of course, I’m talking about the donkey, but I’m talking about it from its more descriptive and slang name.3) But here’s a fascinating portion. In verse 12, it states that God does not answer people because of one simple reason: their pride. People expect God to answer them because they feel they’re entitled to an answer. Guess what? You’re not. God owes you and me nothing, and nobody else is owed anything either. And God does not answer people who are full of pride. We should all keep that in mind when we can’t hear the voice of the Lord.4) And a critical truth emerges between verses 13-14. Elihu says it’s wrong to say that God doesn’t listen, and it’s even more wrong to say He doesn’t know what’s going on. That’s an. That is a nice way of saying God is omniscient and He knows everything. But God does not have to respond to anybody their way. People get mad because God doesn’t get angry and join their side in things. This type of thinking is defined biblically as unintelligent.

The David Spoon Experience 9-11-23 Part 1

1) "Boy, howdy! Our dear brother Sergio calls in to ask another brilliant question: Does God hate or not? Politicians, preachers, and people often say that God never harbors hatred. But what does God Himself say? His word is clear in multiple places - in Proverbs, in Revelation, in prophecy, and in the concepts of election and predestination (Deuteronomy 12:31, Deuteronomy 16:22, Psalm 11:5, Proverbs 6:16, Amos 5:15, Malachi 1:3, Malachi 2:16, Romans 9:13, Revelation 2:6, and Revelation 2:15).2) The reality is that God is not beholden to any person or any human sentiment. How people feel about God is irrelevant. How people think God should be is irrelevant. How people want God to be is also irrelevant.3)People who don’t understand God often claim He would never allow anyone to go to Hell. However, these are the same people who refuse to submit to God, reject Him, and thereby set their eternal destination in motion. Regarding Hell, there are over 30 references in the New Testament alone. Anyone who claims that Hell doesn’t exist is a liar and is teaching the very spirit from Hell itself."

The David Spoon Experience 9-8-23 Part 2

1) First, this Friday, our show has a recurring theme related to kindergarten. In addition to the cultural world needing to learn the difference between a man and a woman by watching the movie Kindergarten Cop, the principle of being nice and sharing is also mentioned. These values are taught to children and need to be reinforced in adults, including Christians.2) Newsflash: It's not us. Tell everyone you know. We failed in our first covenant with the Lord, starting in the Garden of Eden. God establishes and solidifies the new covenant because He fulfills both sides of the covenant. Every time we are responsible for something, we fall short. So, God took extraordinary steps and became one of us through Jesus. He makes the new covenant alive and available for the rest of us.3) My good friend Pastor Ray passed away in January of 2022. I still receive daily devotionals from his book. Pastor Ray's devotionals are incredibly encouraging and insightful. I want to share one that has been a blessing for me, and I hope it will be for you too. It's a good sign when you get to dance on streets of gold in the presence of God, but the things you left behind on Earth are still teaching others to draw closer to Him.