The David Spoon Experience

The David Spoon Experience 9-8-23 Part 1

A) Hebrews chapter 13, starting at verse 16. Keep in mind that we are only two teaching days away from finishing the book of Hebrews. The first thing the author of Hebrews says is, “Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share.” It sounds like the simple rules of kindergarten; be good and share. The reason is simple: God is pleased when people offer their lives as sacrifices by doing good and sharing when they have the opportunity.B) The next instruction is to obey our leaders and submit to them since they keep watch over your souls. This does not tell leaders to make their followers obey or demand submission. Instead, it tells us to respond obediently to our leaders in our Christian walk and to submit to their biblical counsel. It does not give leaders the authority to make personal decisions in our lives, but if our leader is good, we should be able to seek their counsel to help us make the best possible choices. Remember, this is voluntary submission, and if the leader is no longer walking like Jesus, then you are no longer required to respond in obedience or submission.C) Next, the author asks for prayer. “Pray for us.” He simply says that they are trying to do everything with the right spirit and attitude to the best of their ability. They hope that all they have said and done is honorable before the Lord, but they ask for prayer because everyone - every leader and believer - needs help.D) Then he gets more specific: “And I urge you all the more to pray that I may be restored to you soon.” So, in the first request, the prayers are general and spread out like a shotgun blast. In the next request, the prayer is very specific: “Pray that I will be restored to you.” Both forms of prayer are acceptable and normal in the Christian walk.

The David Spoon Experience 9-7-23 Part 2

1) In chapter 19 of the book of Acts, we see Paul on his third missionary journey. He arrives in Ephesus and finds several believers, who are also referred to as disciples. It is important to note that nobody’s theology on the Holy Spirit, regarding how and when it comes upon people, is perfect. People tend to forget that the wind blows where it will.2) Paul asks these disciples if they received the Holy Spirit when they believed. This is a unique question, considering that this event takes place 24 years after Pentecost in Acts chapter two. Why is Paul asking if their understanding has enabled them to embrace the empowerment of the Spirit? Several authors have given their perspectives, but there is a great variety of interpretations.3) What we do know from this text is that these disciples did not know about the Holy Spirit. This is unique because John did preach that Jesus would baptize people in the Holy Spirit. However, we do understand that they were functioning under the ministry initiated by John the Baptist. Some scholars do not believe they were saved, but I do not believe that this is what the text teaches. Their hearts were responsive to the call to repentance, but they did not have the equipping of the Spirit.4) Paul makes it clear that John’s baptism was about turning from sin and turning to God, which these disciples did. It is not as though God rejected them - that would be absurd. As soon as they heard that there was a deeper way to get more of God into their lives through the revelation of Jesus Christ, they were immediately baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. This is not meant to change the formula at the end of Matthew 28; it simply states that these disciples went from John’s baptism to Jesus’s baptism.

The David Spoon Experience 9-7-23 Part 1

A) Paul has great confidence in the church at Corinth, but everyone seems to need some checking in on now and then. What he’s saying is that I stuck my neck out in my boasting of you, and I don’t want egg in my face or in your face either. This is more along the lines of “Trust but verify.” This strongly encourages us that if we commit to something, we should be diligent in carrying out that commitment.B) But again, as if it were written for me personally, Paul stresses what we know and need to be reminded of constantly. We need to offer our gifts and sacrifices with five distinct attributes. The first one is to be generous. Being stingy when we are engaging in Kingdom Giving is an oxymoron and a sin. That offering will not be received. How can we say this? God looks at Cain’s offering with no respect.C) The second attribute is for us to offer our gifts and sacrifices without a begrudging spirit. To give begrudgingly is to give with the feeling of extracting the funds. It is a gift that betrays the giver's covetousness, 2 Corinthians 9:5 (here R. V. text extortion).D) The third and fourth attribute is for us to offer our gifts and sacrifices not sparingly but bountifully. This one is easy; we can’t be “cheap” with God by giving Him less than our best. We must offer “whatever we offer” with a spirit of generosity and a desire to share and bless.E) The fifth attribute is to offer our gifts and sacrifices based on our hearts and not necessarily on a formula. And the sixth attribute is the key. Smile when we give. Or keep it. If we can't be glad and rejoice when we offer it up to God, then He doesn’t want it. The truth is that WE people need it. But God DOES NOT need it.

The David Spoon Experience 9-6-23 Part 2

1) More than 25 years ago, our forefathers, whoops, wrong thing. More than 25 years ago, I had the privilege of preaching this message. I want to share it with you. There’s nothing revelatory or illuminating in it. It is a strong reminder for us to get it together from the divine perspective. Here's the truth of the matter. When we look at things, we look at things from our point of view. That’s cute, but hardly ever right. What we need to do is have a change of mind, a repentance of sorts, in order to see it the right way.2) We examine four different stories that will help us understand that when we see things, we need t use the right coordinates, or we will be off track and off the path. It’s very simple. Go up to an elephant from the north. Go up to an elephant from the South. Go up to an elephant from the east. Go up to an elephant from the West. Three out of the four will be completely out of whack with the others.3) What we’re going to examine is how you and I reach the divine perspective. How do we walk in what it is that God is seeing versus what it is that we see? How do we switch our mindset so that we can see it more from heaven’s point of view? The answer will completely surprise you. Primarily because it has less to do with us than we think.4) As we close this message out, I have to say that this might be one of the most important points for Christians to understand Many people will say I got saved, I guess those first so many years were a complete waste of time. That is incorrect. It took those prior years to get you to the place where you could be saved. 

The David Spoon Experience 9-6-23 Part 1

A) Psalm 40 is a song written by David that emphasizes using our faith to persevere through trials. David begins by saying that he waited patiently for the Lord. As we have discussed before, waiting patiently for the Lord means that we are not anxious while we wait. If we truly trust in God, then our trust supersedes our feelings about the situation we are facing. B) When God delivers us from trials, whether big or small, we should recognize that He brought us out of the pit and the miry clay (mud). He sets our feet upon a rock and puts a new song in our hearts. However, many people do not sing this new song. God delivers us, sets us on a different foundation, and enables us to sing praises. But some of us just stand on the rock and ask, "What's next?" Let's give God His due.C) Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. He does not look to others to answer his prayers or fulfill his needs; he looks to the Lord. This is an important point: while we turn our eyes to the Lord, we should not secretly think about which person will bring the Lord's answer. We must keep our focus on the Lord and let Him bring the answer as He sees fit.D) We are encouraged not to focus on those who have pride and act like nothing ever bothers them (which is, of course, a lie). Instead, our focus should be on the fact that God's thoughts towards us are wonderful, awesome, and numerous beyond measure. These thoughts are all from a loving Father to His beloved child. God has so many wonderful thoughts about us; it's no wonder that the enemy tries to make us think that God thinks little of us.

The David Spoon Experience 9-5-23 Part 2

1) In the book of Galatians, as we reflect on the teachings of Paul, I begin to understand why God made this the first book that I ever read, even when I wasn’t fully where I needed to be in His kingdom. Statements like Galatians, chapter three, verse 26 help me get a better grasp of faith and its power. Paul straightforwardly says, “You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” He does not say you are all children of God. He says you are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. That’s the difference. That’s the justification part.2) The very next verse is the sanctification part. It clearly states that everyone united with Christ in baptism has been made like Jesus. The whole process of being made like Jesus is the sanctification process. This is the part where God pronounces you righteous, and now he’s making you look righteous. Baptism is the entry point into that sanctification process because baptism is the death of us as the old man and the beginning of the new man. It is symbolic in the context that it connects us to Jesus, and it helps us let go of the past and move forward in God. That’s what the purpose of the baptism experience is. NEW.3) However, we must take exceedingly high levels of exception to the idea of universal salvation when it says, “No, there is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female.” Some people use this passage to say that everyone is saved. That is absolutely a lie from the pit of Hell. It says we are all one, and there is no longer any difference if we are in Christ Jesus. Everyone who tries to claim that everyone is equal and the same without being in Christ Jesus is exactly what the Galatians were being …foolish and unintelligent about it.4) But today, we get to end this on a happy note because, through our faith, we are heirs of all the promises that God made to Abraham. So how cool is this? By your faith in Jesus Christ, by my faith in Jesus Christ, we are all heirs of the promises that God made to Abraham. Those promises are ours; those promises are steadfast and sure as long as we maintain our faith. Amen.

The David Spoon Experience 9-5-23 Part 1

A) This teaching will be challenging because we will not provide a full explanation. The reason for this is that the full explanation and its meaning are given later in the text. However, we will review and acknowledge that this is the chapter of parables in Matthew, starting with the parable of the Sower. B) A parable is something “cast alongside” something else. Jesus’ parables were stories that were “cast alongside” a truth to illustrate that truth. They were teaching aids and can be thought of as extended analogies or inspired comparisons. A common description of a parable is that it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.C) Jesus explained that His use of parables had a two-fold purpose: to reveal the truth to those who wanted to know it and to conceal it from those who were indifferent.D) The parable of the Sower: There are multiple interpretations as to whether these four different grounds for receiving the seed equate to salvation or not. In one sense, they do, and in another sense, they don’t. This is because someone can have hard soil the first few times they hear the word of God and the gospel, but that soil can become softer at different times.E) In our text, the disciples ask an amazing question: Why do you always talk to people about Kingdom truths in a story fashion? Jesus’s answer is even more remarkable: To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but this is not the case for everyone.
 

The David Spoon Experience 9=1-23 Part 2

Our great friend Sergio calls in with a massively brilliant question about what happens between the left and right receptors on our head, our ears. In other words, how come when we're praying, sometimes there are so many distractions, and it seems like we have to bring every thought into captivity? Dave goes on a rant to explain what's taking place. Why do we believe it is important for God to receive honor and glory in everything that happens? Yes, we were created for His glory, and every breath we take comes from Him. But here’s something to consider: without His help, grace, mercy, love, and compassion, none of us would ever be saved. Our hearts are able to respond because He placed His Holy Spirit within us when we accepted Jesus Christ by faith. It’s all because of Him.A second time, we come to wonderful statements and promises in verses 28-30 of Matthew Chapter 11. Jesus offers His grace and mercy to everyone who will come to Him. He identifies those who are weary and carry heavy burdens. And He promises them to find rest. Then He allows them this privileged truth. I am humble, I am. I am gentle. So let me teach you. And you will find out that what I have for your life is a perfect fit. It’s the very thing that people are looking for. To find fulfillment in life. The answer is to come to Jesus. Now and every day. Yes, Lord Jesus.

The David Spoon Experience 9=1=23 Part 1

A) When the passage says, “Let us also go outside the camp,” it means that we too might have to suffer separations, sacrifices, and differences from other people, just like those who were Christians had to do in the very beginning when they separated from trying to follow just the law. Instead of following a relationship with Jesus, which then helps us fulfill the law by our natural process of connection to him.B) And as you know, there’s always a biggie in these teachings, and here it is: We do not have an enduring city here on Earth. We are looking for the one to come, and its builder and maker is God. Even on my own LinkedIn profile, I put my location as Earth, but only temporarily.C) It’s impossible to miss this: The conclusion of all of this is that we offer a sacrifice of praise that confesses his name.
 

The David Spoon Experience 8-31-23 Part 2

There is no way to explain this next 60 minutes that would adequately communicate what takes place. Dynamite D asks a great question. And Dr. Dave goes off into oblivion, answering it from all angles, including personal, ministerial, and church corporate. He then brings in a devotional from Pastor Ray Bentley that is lights-out fantastic. It talks about reconciliation and redemption. The show closes out with a prayer for all of us to find healing on the inside for mistakes or decisions we've made that we keep hanging on to and allowing to fester into frustration, bitterness and resentment.

The David Spoon Experience 8-31-23 Part 1

A) “And we are sending along with them “our” brother.” Two weeks ago, we mentioned that God chose not to disclose his name in the Scriptures. Instead, we can enjoy the mystery, but we should also recognize that this acknowledgment could be anyone among us. The unnamed person's commendable efforts remind us that God values and honors every individual's service. It is another unnamed brother.B) This brother has been proven or tested. It is worth noting that in our current age, if someone makes one mistake, they are thrown out from a church perspective. Of course, that is not biblical, as Peter messed up several different times, even denying Jesus, but was still placed in the position of the early church leadership.C) Titus and these other two brothers earn high praise from Paul. They are doing their best. But they are doing their best because they seek to bring glory to Jesus. It’s not about recognition or fame. It’s about purpose.
 

The David Spoon Experience 8-30-23 Part 2

We need to be more aware of the warfare involved in fear. For years, humanity was enslaved by the fear of death, but Jesus broke that power. So, the enemy decided to use a different tactic and create fear in every possible realm of life. The Devil attacks with fear, from everything as small as a splinter to our relationship with God. Fear is one of his favorite tactics, but it is just a tactic. And a lie.
Not recognizing what fear does to faith is bad, Mkay. It reduces faith’s effectiveness. If we have a mustard seed of faith, fear can make it a molecule. The difficulty is that if fear chips away at faith, just like doubt chips away at faith, it reduces the power and effectiveness of faith. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but the fear of anything else is the beginning of the opposite of wisdom. When we let fear rule the day, we do not please the Lord.