The David Spoon Experience

The David Spoon Experience 12-19-23 part 1

A) In Matthew 15:29, Jesus returns to the Sea of Galilee, climbs a hill, and sits down. This passage serves as a reminder that occasionally, we need to take a moment to rest. We often try to control everything, be in charge of everything, run everything, and do everything. But sometimes, we just need to climb a hill and sit down, resting on our blessed assurance.B) A multitude of people bring to Jesus those with various physical difficulties - the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and others. Jesus heals them all. This isn’t about one or two or three healings. This is about a crowd of people bringing many individuals, all of whom are healed. While modern-day evangelists may have mixed results, Jesus was the true healer of the people. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The ultimate result of all these healings is praise unto God.C) We now venture into another feeding ministry, similar but not identical to the feeding of the 5000. In this instance, Jesus begins by expressing his compassion for the people. They’ve been with Him for three days and have nothing left to eat. This doesn’t mean they didn’t bring food with them; it just means they’ve run out. Jesus doesn’t want to send them away hungry, as many could faint along the way. Jesus cares about the medical side of things, which is why He’s called the Great Physician, not the great doctor. But He also cares about their tummy hunger.D) The disciples’ response is understandable. They’re in the wilderness, wondering where they’re going to find food. There are no fast-food restaurants, no food court at the mall, no food out there. Ironically, it wasn’t that long ago that they had only five loaves and two fish. So, Jesus asks, “What do you have this time?” They reply, “Seven loaves and a few small fish.” They actually had more on hand than they did during the last miracle, and this crowd was smaller. But they’ve already forgotten the power of offering it up with thanksgiving to the Father so that He can multiply it. They forgot, just like we often forget, the powerful miracles God produces for our benefit.

The David Spoon Experience 12-18-23 part 2

1) Welcome to a special version of the show. Today, we will take a quick journey back to our youthful years long ago and consider a special cartoon movie that reminds us that having a heart is a good thing. Will we discuss the spirit of Christmas, Dave, with all its pomp and circumstance? No. Will we discuss the ridiculousness and absurdity of the commercialism of Christmas? No. Will we support anyone anywhere who tries to take the Christ out of Christmas? No. What then Doctor Dave? We will discuss that image of God that has captured too many. 2) First, let's be honest. God is not Santa. And no, Santa is not a special way to spell satan any more than a dog is directly connected to God. Take a legalistic break, Larry. But equally and even more disturbing is the connection that people make to the other side of the Christmas season. God is NOT the Grinch. The big issue is that either one of these sad images distorts and insults the King of the Universe.3) Here is a sad truth. If we don’t think that God will say yes when we pray and change the universe in response to our faith, then we operate with the false image that God is stingy. That image encourages doubt and double-mindedness when we pray. And James makes it clear: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let not that man think that he will receive ANYTHING from the Lord (James 1:7-8).4) The issue for too many of us Bible-believing Born Again Christians is that we are NOT very Bible-believing, even if we are born again. The truth is greater than our adolescent understanding of how God operates in the cosmos. He answers prayers in His way and at His time, and not according to our schedule. And because of His mercy, there are times when He says NO. There is where we are called to trust the Lord, even if we don’t get it. Our Father is a giver. Just consider the gift of Jesus. And that He gave you and me life in the first place.

The David Spoon Experience 12-18-23 part 1

A) Paul encourages Timothy to kindle the gift of God within him, a gift received through the laying on of hands. While this concept may not be popular in today’s church, it was embraced by the early church. It’s intriguing to hear people express a desire to emulate the early church yet hesitate to practice what the early church did. The act of laying on hands, while seemingly symbolic, is also an act of faith, a tangible manifestation of believing for God’s power.B) I incorporate this into my daily prayers. God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind. When we experience fear, it is not God instilling that sense of dread. Reverential fear of the Lord expresses awe and respect, whereas being afraid is akin to terror, the kind elicited by horror films. The issue with our struggle against fear is that it’s not merely cinematic.C) In place of fear, God has bestowed upon us power, love, and a sound mind. This power is the spirit of power or the Holy Spirit, the same force that resurrected Jesus Christ. Love is the foundation of the gospel, not as the world perceives it, but as biblical love. A sound mind implies safe thinking; possibly the greatest challenge Christians face is aligning our thoughts with God.D) Second Timothy, Chapter one, verse 8, advises us not to be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. It’s crucial for us to realize that we should never feel shame for the words, life, or testimony of Jesus Christ. Paul emphasizes this in Romans 1:16, declaring, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” If those who hear it take offense and attempt to shame you, disregard them and move on to the next person. They hold no power over your life.

The David Spoon Experience 12-15-23 part 2

1) Friday is “let’s see where the show goes” day. We start with the truth that God is omniscient. Psalm 147:5 states, Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite. So, what is it that God has no knowledge regarding? Nothing. And because God knows everything, He makes His plans accordingly. Does that mean that God, who knows everything, knows every good and bad decision we will make? YES! So…if he knows everything ahead of time, why bother? Because He commands us to bother and because He’s not telling anyone what these decisions are.2) Now, we step into the greatest wisdom of the universe. There are many things that we want to try. But, because of the fear of failure or the fear of success, we restrain ourselves. When we find ourselves in this conundrum, we should re-prioritize to make the right decisions. So how do we “re-prioritize”? We bring these decisions to the Lord. Think about how Peter, BEFORE he stepped out of the boat, asked Jesus if it was okey, dokey. Wow.3) This next lesson is about the what and the why of what we do. There is something that we should be doing, and there is a reason that we should be doing it. I know that sounds overly simplistic, but to understand why we do things helps us have the courage to do those things. So, we need to prioritize “the what” according to God’s desires for us. And we should know “the why” according to God’s wisdom. The WHAT involves making known the wonderful acts of God. The WHY involves what that motivation is based on. Hang on, little campers.4) There’s a reason that I’m closing with this encouragement. Everybody on this planet is going through quite a challenge. The world itself is having its difficulties as it spins out of control because of the sinfulness of mankind. There is false human reasoning, false wisdom, false prophets, and false activities that are all connected. We look around us, and we shake our heads. We say, “Please, Lord, I can hardly bear it anymore.” That’s when the Lord reminds us that if we think it’s hard for us to watch, how do you think the Creator of the universe feels?

The David Spoon Experience 12-15-23 part 1

A) James chapter two. Verse 13. It is one of those great verses that just launches our hearts into appreciation for God. Mercy triumphs over judgment. The Greek word for triumphs is to exalt or to reign over. If God’s mercy did not triumph over his judgment, we would all be toast. What’s necessary to understand is His mercy triumphed over judgment in the garden. You might say to yourself, how so since they were kicked out of the garden and introduced death and disease into humanity? The reason is that if God had used His full weight of judgment against Adam and Eve, there would be no Adam and Eve, and there would be no human race. That’s mercy.B) Then the apostle steps it up by saying “Hey, you can’t just say you have faith.” I know way too many people who tell me they have faith. In fact, I only know them as having faith only by what they tell me and never by what they do. If they were trying to communicate to me that they have faith by their actions, I would have missed it. It’s pretty simple. If we have faith, it has to be there. It has to be used. It has to be a part of the process. When the words and the actions don’t sink, there’s a whole other problem.C) One of the great challenges for Christians to be honest about is simply this: if they’re putting people in jail because they’re Christians…are we going to jail? Do we have enough evidence in our life that demonstrates we follow Jesus? Again, that’s gonna have to be more than words. It’s gonna have to be words made manifest into works. Abraham believed God, and it was counted as righteousness. And he proved that he believed God when he was put to the test.D) This next section is a deep indictment against the church and the people of church worlds. James says, “If somebody who is a brother or a sister, I repeat, a brother or a sister in the Lord does not have any clothing or any food, and we just say to them awesome sauce, smile, everything’s great, and do nothing to help them, we’re deceiving ourselves. Verbal faith is not actual faith. Faith that’s put into action is actual faith.

The David Spoon Experience 12-14-23 part 2

A) It's normally Expository Thursday when we travel into the Book of Acts as we learn to explore and apply God’s timeless truths to our lives. But that won’t be happening today. So, buckle up, little campers. B) First, Today, we're going to switch things up a bit again. We're starting the first part of our show with the third interview featuring Scott Phelps. Scott is a visionary and a missionary, part of a dedicated team committed to helping our children remain untouched and unblemished by the world's dark philosophies.C) Next, a vintage teaching, deeply rooted in the Divine, unravels the genuine path to self-discovery for all. In a world inundated with guidance on self-realization, where books like "What Color Is Your Parachute?" dominate a billion-dollar industry, the focus often remains on an individual's self-assessment rather than acknowledging God's perspective on their worth.D) Finally, this teaching resonates universally as it delves into navigating the battles, tribulations, and challenges besieging us from all directions. Have you ever felt the onslaught from both the front and the rear? Perhaps the cardinal points - N, S, E, and W - seemed to converge, encircling you. Rest assured; you are not alone in this struggle; even Jeroboam weathered similar storms. However, his remarkable solution, though familiar, often eludes our memory. It involves a two-fold strategy. Stay tuned to unravel the profound insight into what that entails.
 

The David Spoon Experience 12-14-23 part 1

A) In 2 Corinthians 11:21, The Apostle Paul takes on the role of being a fool on purpose. To make his point in this letter, he takes the side of a prideful boaster while acknowledging he is being moronic while doing it. He starts with his background by connecting himself to being Hebrew, an Israelite, and a descendant of Abraham. He then states that to use this form of logic is utterly ridiculous. But the truth is that the marks of his faith are impressive. B) He considers his encounters since taking on the faith that he once tried to destroy. There are 20 different items after he connects himself from his background. In labor, imprisonment, beatings, facing death, whipping, beatings, stoned (not recreationally), shipwrecked, and floating around on the water for 24 hours. I’m not sure many of us would still be preaching and teaching after these things. But wait, there’s more.C) These things are a form of defense for Paul, but he knows the truth. He survives nothing without the grace of God, he has no success apart from Jesus, and he doesn’t always know where he is going and what he is doing without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. For him, there are dangers on land and in water, from Jews and Gentiles, from cities and countryside, from false brothers, from sleepless nights and no food, and the bitter cold. This list is external, but again, he’s not done.D) Paul also struggles on the inside too. Remember that he is only making this comparison to show how useless it is for people to live by comparisons, as he mentioned in 10:12. But Paul’s honesty about relating to the burning of his britches is the internal stuff. He hates that his people (God’s people) are struggling. When we love the brethren, we get this. It’s not that our lives are perfect, but other people’s pain impacts us, too.
 

The David Spoon Experience 12-13-23 part 2

1) I reserve Wednesdays for revisiting some of the classic sermons that I've had the opportunity to preach, teach, listen to, connect with, share, and minister from. The reason is straightforward. Many of these truths are timeless, and even though we might hear them once a year or even once every two or three years, these truths need to be at the forefront of our thinking. Today's message, entitled "Wise Like a Child," is no exception. We don't typically view a child as wise, but Jesus did.2) So, when Jesus suggests that we need to be like a child, what characteristics is he highlighting? Is he pointing to the immaturity of a child? No. The reason is clear. Many adults are just as immature as many children. He's referring to two primary characteristics that a child possesses that we need to embody with our Father because we are His children. We need to exhibit humility, recognizing that we are not in charge, even if we're the eldest one in the room.3) The other significant characteristic is trust. A child goes to bed and wakes up. When the child is hungry, they don't put on hunting clothes. Instead, they ask their parents for food. Why? Because when the child is three or four, they need help getting food. That's the analogy Jesus used to connect us to our Father. We need to trust, just like when we read bedtime stories to our children and grandchildren, and they fall asleep with a sense of security because they trust us. We need to understand that God is a better parent than we could ever imagine, but we are still His children.4) What's even more astounding about this message is the direct challenge it poses to those of us who think we are wise, learned, and intelligent because of our experiences and education. I was chatting with Pastor Kurt from Stillwater Community Church a few weeks ago. I told him how amazing it is that the closer we get to the Lord and the more we understand Him, the more we realize how much sin and pollution we truly have. There is only one superstar, and it's not us.5) This will complicate things further. Unless we trust in the Lord and humble ourselves, all of our profound understanding of who God is, what He does for us, His kindness, mercy, grace, and every other element of compassion towards us can't be grasped. We can only understand these if God grants us the understanding. If He doesn't reveal it to us, we'll never comprehend it.

The David Spoon Experience 12-13-23 part 1

A) Once again, the Lord seems to direct the show in a different place than was originally planned, and Brother Sergio calls in with another brilliant question, asking about the level of sin of mankind simply from reading the book of Genesis. David makes the case that Genesis makes it clear that we are sinners. The New Testament makes the case that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. B) Dave takes time to hammer the truth that confession needs to be a part of that faith. If it's to be genuine. But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach). 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." C) Then prayers are offered for various people as well as praises, plus an in-depth prayer for people who don't know Jesus and confess him as their Lord and Savior.

The David Spoon Experience 12-12-23 part 2

1) The Book of Romans is a letter written by Paul, who was converted to Christianity about 23 years before he wrote it and about 10 years before he was martyred. The letter has been called the Constitution of the Bible because it explains the core doctrines of Christianity. The main theme of the book is that God judges sin and shows his saving mercy through the cross of Jesus Christ. The secondary theme is that Paul wants to unite the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome so that they can share the gospel and glorify Jesus with one mind and one accord.2) Another important theme of the letter is that all people are sinners and need God's righteousness, which is revealed and offered through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ. With the coming of Jesus Christ, the new age of redemption began. Justification is by faith alone, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we become the people God wants us to be.3) In Romans 1:1, Paul identifies himself as the author of the letter and as a slave of Jesus Christ. This is the highest title he can have, as he knows that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also says that he is chosen by God to be an apostle, to share the good news that was promised long ago by the prophets in the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. This good news is based on Jesus Christ and his redeeming work.4) To verify this truth, Paul makes sure that everyone knows that God powerfully raised Jesus Christ from the dead by the Holy Spirit. If we do not acknowledge the Trinity in this verse, we are deliberately denying the plain and clear truth. Paul concludes this introduction by saying that we have been given the privilege and the authority to tell people about the gospel everywhere and that those who believe in Jesus bring glory to his name by their faith in Jesus.

The David Spoon Experience 12-12-23 part 1

A) We introduce the woman from Canaan; hence, she is referred to as the Canaanite. She pleads to Jesus, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David.” It’s crucial to emphasize that she recognizes Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Although she is a Gentile, it’s evident that Gentiles, too, were moved by God. She knew that her only solace was to be found in Jesus.B) Jesus is not an ordinary teacher; he doesn’t respond to people as they might expect. Regardless, Jesus is aware that every response, action, word, and interaction aligns with the Father’s will. His desire is to express and enact the Father’s wishes. Initially, Jesus doesn’t respond to her, not uttering a single word. While many might criticize this, God’s intentions are far deeper than human misunderstanding and instability.C) The story doesn’t end there. This woman is relentless. She’s so persistent that she’s driving the disciples to distraction with her incessant pleading. It’s certain that she didn’t beg just once or twice. There were 12 disciples, and she was driving them all to their wits’ end. She was desperate for relief and wouldn’t stop until she found it.D) Jesus then informs her that He has come to aid the people of Israel, not the Gentiles. Some might perceive this as harsh, but Jesus was drawing out the authenticity of her faith. We can’t know what it takes for individuals to reach that level of trust, but God does. She then worships Jesus. Instead of getting angry, she becomes even more determined.E) Jesus pushes the boundaries by stating that the children are fed before the dogs. This isn’t a derogatory term for dogs, like referenced in The Three Amigos, but refers to pet dogs. The woman’s faith and confidence shine through brilliantly. She asserts that even the dogs get the scraps that fall from the table. She pleads with Jesus, “Give me the scraps.” Jesus commends her, acknowledging her exceptional faith. He tells her, “It’s done. Your daughter is well. Nice job.”

The David Spoon Experience 12-11-23 part 2

1) It’s Monday, which means it’s time for Genesis. In Genesis 1:20,  the scene unfolds as God brings forth fish and other life forms in the sea. It’s worth noting that “other life” refers to the myriad of unique creatures in the ocean. He is also creating all the birds of the sky. We’ve all seen images of some of the most bizarre marine and sky animals imaginable, and sometimes, I suspect we haven’t seen them all.2) The Lord then surveys His work and declares it good. It’s important to remember that when God does something, it’s inherently good. We may not always understand His actions or why sea creatures and birds look the way they do, but according to God’s judgment, it’s good. God doesn’t create anything without value, and that includes you.3) A new command is issued by God on this 5th day. He blesses the fish and the birds and commands them to multiply. This blessing from God grants them the ability to reproduce. God is a deity of life, and His earthly creations have the capacity to perpetuate the grace He has bestowed by creating more life.4) As we move into the 6th day, a lot happens. It’s astounding. I want to highlight that sometimes God’s work is so extensive that we need rest, which is why I believe He instituted the Sabbath, not for His benefit, but for ours. Because sometimes His actions are so numerous we just need to pause and breathe.5) We won’t cover everything today, but let’s examine what God does on the 6th day. He creates every kind of animal - livestock, small animals, and wildlife - each endowed with life and the ability to reproduce. This is a testament from God. Those who try to halt the extension of life by terminating pregnancies are in direct opposition to God. He grants life with the ability to create more life. To extinguish that is to contradict God.