The David Spoon Experience

The David Spoon Experience 11-22-23 part 2

1) I've decided to change it up a little by doing something different from what I used to do. Since we're just before Thanksgiving, it seems appropriate to talk a little bit about the Thanksgiving principle and one of its cool dynamics. 2) We're going to examine the difference between being thankful and saying thank you. There's a difference between the attitude of the heart and the words that we use. We can say thank you repetitively and not have it really apply. We can also say thank you with the deepest and most profound and sincere appreciation. We have to maintain or make a distinction between saying thank you and being thankful. 3) I want to take you on a unique journey that has to do with before you were born, your birth, your present life, your death, and your eternal life, if indeed there is no calling up to meet the Lord in the sky before your time clock expires. What am I talking about? That's what everybody asks on this show anyway. I'm talking about the past, the present, and the future, and how we view them and how our hearts are connected to them. 4) It doesn't need to be complex to understand that in all times and in all ways and in all things, we should be a thankful people. Ephesians chapter 5, verse 20 states this very thing, but there is a reason for that thankfulness. And that thankfulness, based on the reason that God gives, is making sure that it's based on the truth. And the truth does not fail us, specifically because it's God's truth. 

The David Spoon Experience 11-22-23 part 1

A) Psalm 44:4 states, You are my King, oh God! Command victories for Jacob. I want to communicate this in such a way as NOT to encourage anyone to manipulate, attempt to manipulate, or subconsciously try to manipulate God. It will not work. He cannot be fooled. BUT, He is the king of the universe. He is the king of every verse. And because He is God who is in charge of the universe, known to us and unknown to us, His word rules. So, when God gives a command, it is so, which is why the psalmist asks Him to command victories.B) Through your name, we will trample. I will not trust in my bow. My sword shall not save me. I am very confident that every one of us can follow this sequence. Part one is “through” His name, His authority, and His power. Part two is understanding that our weapons, our own crutches, won't really do the job. Part three is that salvation will not be reached by one’s own self. We boast in God. This is the good kind of boasting because it is not about self but directed towards God. C) We will not forget our God. We will not break His covenant. Our hearts will not turn back to false gods. We will not jump off the path of righteousness. But the psalmist says, “You have severely broken us.” Psalm 51:17 says, My sacrifice, O God, is[fn] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. God likes brokenness. Not you and me being broke. But you and I being broken before Him.

The David Spoon Experience 11-21-23 part 2

1) Today, we're going to switch things up a bit. We're starting the first part of our show with the second 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. 2) Scott Phelps can narrate the story of their mission better than anyone else, including what they need in terms of support. If his words resonate with your heart and mind, we kindly ask you to respond and bless their ministry. 3) I have the privilege of teaching a lesson that is truly a blessing. It's titled "The Meaning, The Weenie, and Mr. Cool Dude". I taught this at a Christian elementary school, but don't be fooled, the story is potent. It's about the Good Samaritan, a lesson from Jesus about how to treat those He brings into our lives. Our engagement with this lesson is essential as followers of Christ. 4) Many of you will remember a classic movie called "City Slickers". While it wasn't spiritual, it did contain some brilliant theological points that we're going to review. The key isn't understanding how to drive the cattle - that part's a joke. The real key is understanding what the old man, Curly, said and applying that to our Christian lives. We're going to find out from Jesus what the answer is to Curly's question. So, giddy up, little cowboy and cowgirl! 

The David Spoon Experience 11-21-23 part 1

A) Back in Matthew 14:33, after Jesus rescues Peter from drowning in the water, they safely get back into the boat. So, the point of truth is that Jesus is so close to us that he can use his hands to pull us up and out of the water and get us back into the place of safety. After this mindblower, the Disciples start catching on to the deeper part of Jesus. He is God. And as God, He is to be worshipped as God. B) The reputation of Jesus was tightly bound up in His social media status and how many cool videos He could post. With all His Twitter followers and His Google websites, He was able to gain a decent following. Oops, that’s not right. Let’s see. God the Father was the marketing manager for Jesus. And in a snap of a finger, everyone was hungry for Jesus. Why? Because He was sharing the Good News, healing, and helping those around Him. It wasn’t manipulation. It was Love, Joy, and Hope. And the people couldn’t get enough.C) Now, we get to the same thing that happens in today’s society. The Pharisees, who were considered the “experts,” managed to get an opportunity to INTERVIEW Jesus. Remember that News, with an agenda is propaganda. By the nature of their questions, they were hostile to Jesus and not really interested in Jesus. Why do you do this? They asked. Justify Yourself and your disciples to our satisfaction. It’s the same spirit that’s in the Media now.D) Jesus answered the question with a question. Not only is it not rude, but it is prudent. The one who asks the questions controls the flow of the conversation. And Jesus puts the Word of God front and center in the conversation. Traditions, the way they’ve always been done, and accepted norms cannot stand up to the Truth, to the Word of God. The command is to honor your parents, but the Pharisees created a false loophole. And Jesus called them on the carpet over it.

The David Spoon Experience 11-20-23 part 2

1) Congratulations, Crime Stoppers! You have persevered to the very last teaching of Job. This doesn't mean we won't revisit portions of Job's teachings. We are now completing the 42 chapters, one of the longest teachings I've ever been involved with, for over two years. We close out with a bang. At the very end, God bestows blessings through all the people whom Job has interacted with, and they all bring him gifts of money and jewelry. In one fell swoop, God brings full restoration to Job from a financial point of view.2) In addition, the Lord blesses all that Job lost, redeeming everything that went in the wrong direction by giving him twice as much as he had before. It was so powerful that the second half of Job's life was more blessed than the first. The first half was pretty darn good, so the second half must have been outstanding.3) God even redeems the losses of the children by blessing Job with seven more sons and three more daughters. The daughters were the loveliest in the land. He took care of them, provided for them, and protected them financially. Yes, this is a nod to people preparing for their families ahead of time. It's been done since the very beginning, and it's a noble thing to do now if you're able to.4) We close out the teaching with Job living 140 years after that. So, if the first half of his life was blessed for 140 years, the second half of his life was even more blessed. This also suggests he probably lived to be about 280 - a ripe old age indeed. The scripture closes the story simply: he died an old man who lived a long, good life. There is not one of us on this planet who would not love to have that testimony for ourselves. We look forward to meeting you, Job, sooner rather than later.

The David Spoon Experience 11-20-23 part 1

A) Titus Chapter 2, Verse 12 instructs us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age. Interestingly, the Greek word for ‘soberly’ is “soz-phron-os”, which has ‘sozo’ as its root and translates to ‘safe’ and “phren” which means thinking. This implies that living ‘soberly’ means thinking safely and sensibly and exhibiting prudence and self-control. It involves directing our intellect and emotions appropriately. Being excessively intoxicated likely hinders this.B) The subsequent scripture in Titus anticipates the Blessed Hope and the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. This passage not only identifies Jesus as God but also proclaims His appearance as our blessed hope. Some interpret this hope as our future presence with Him, from which we will never part. Others perceive it as The Rapture or eternity. The safest interpretation is that we will ultimately and always be with Jesus.C) Jesus sacrificed Himself for us to redeem us from our harmful, lawless deeds. He did this to create His own special people. It might sound odd to say that we’re special, but Jesus declared us as such. He affirmed that we are His special people, which is incredibly wonderful for all of us. Despite our sins and other issues, we remain His chosen ones.D) Titus is instructed to speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority without letting anyone belittle his youth. The way to prevent someone from despising you is simply not to let their contempt affect you. Ignore it as a duck does with water rolling off its back. To exhort and rebuke means acknowledging both the good and the bad, and we’re supposed to do it with authority - the authority that God grants each of us, and in Titus’s case, most specifically for his ecclesiastical position.

The David Spoon Experience 11-17-23 part 2

1) The first thing we're going to discuss is how God is in charge and shows mercy to whom He chooses. He hardens whom He wishes to harden. Many people will rise and say it seems so unfair, which is amusing when someone stands before the awesome God of the universe to tell Him He's doing poorly. Especially when that person needed help learning how to go to the bathroom as a baby. Let's get it straight. God owes no person anything, most specifically, any sense of accountability.2) What's the difference between you, me, and the world around us? It's simpler than you think. Jesus said, "If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments. And I will give you the Spirit of truth.” The world can’t receive the Spirit of truth, which is the Holy Spirit. But we can because we love Jesus and desire to keep His commandments. What makes us different from the world is that they don’t even know who the Holy Spirit is.3) Here’s the second part to that very same question: What makes us different from those in the world, Part Two? Anyone who loves Jesus and keeps His word does not quit loving Jesus and keeping His word. In other words, having His word inside of us makes a difference. When we use faith and activate the word of God, we are setting ourselves apart from the world and worldly things. God’s truth sets us apart.4) We close out this week with a challenging teaching on unity. The reason that it’s challenging is because, as Paul wrote it, people were already picking sides on what he was talking about. When Paul mentioned that people at the Church of Corinth say, "I’m of Paul," "I’m of Apollos," "I’m of Cephas," and "I’m of Christ," every brilliant Christian says, "That’s me. I’m of Christ". The problem is that’s the wrong answer. Paul explains why it’s the wrong answer and why we need to be interdependent on one another and equally dependent upon the Lord while demonstrating faith, hope and love, which pleases Him.

The David Spoon Experience 11-17-23 part 1

A) To open the show with our phenomenal brother, Sergio calls in and asks a brilliant question about how we handle the warfare of the mind on a regular basis. David gives a six-part answer in order to start the process. That is not the only solution, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.B) The world defines religion as beliefs that are guided by tradition, rules, and culture. The Bible defines religion as not being a hypocrite and doing more than giving lip service. It means having a heart that bleeds for those less fortunate. It means caring (actually caring about orphans and widows and keeping oneself away from being polluted, contaminated, or soiled by the world). Not all uses of the word religion are bad. And not all are good.

The David Spoon Experience 11-16-23 part 2

1)Paul then shares a fascinating insight. He feels irresistibly drawn by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem despite knowing that he is heading into potentially hostile territory. However, he believes his life holds no value unless he fulfills his divine assignment given by Jesus: to spread the good news about God’s wonderful kindness and love. This, my friends, is our highest calling.2) It’s lights out crazy as Paul in Acts 20:24 continues his message to the Ephesian elders. And it’s tough to deny the wisdom, grace, mercy, and power of God that’s upon him when he says, “My life is worth nothing unless I do it for the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus Christ.” Oh my gosh, Paul, that is the height of honoring Jesus. What is your assignment? Paul finishes his thought; “ The work of telling others the good news about God’s wonderful kindness and love.” What’s really funny is that Paul’s assignment is the same assignment as ours.

The David Spoon Experience 11-16-23 part 1

A) This is one of the key texts in the New Testament that we need to be aware of; it is also referenced in Galatians Chapter 1. Paul’s concern is that they would ultimately receive a different spirit or even a different gospel than the one they originally accepted. The struggle here is our human tendency to add more to the fantastic belief that God would grant us eternal life through Jesus Christ’s redeeming work. We often mistake this for our attempt to be righteous when it’s actually Satan trying to alter or change the gospel - the good news that comes from God through Jesus Christ by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.B) Oh, by the way, there are people that claim to know Jesus, but it’s a FALSE Jesus. There are also false spirits, and false Gospels. Only by the Word of God, the plumbline of our faith, can we know for sure. God created the universe; the Dude can write a book. 

The David Spoon Experience 11-15-23 part 2

1) This Wednesday, we’re doing something a little different as we delve into Dr. Dave’s devotional diamonds of the day. First up, we want to discuss a concept that we often know but perhaps don’t reflect on or certainly don’t hold at the forefront of our thoughts. As we navigate various trials and struggles, we mature by understanding that there is a purpose. However, where we often fail is in understanding just how closely God pays attention to every nuance of our experiences.2) Let’s take a few moments to examine this. When God called Moses to his task, He was informing Moses that He was leading people out of bondage. These are things that bind people, whether they are psychological, emotional, physical or spiritual, creating a form of slavery in different realms of our lives. God offers to bring us OUT of bondages.3) As Moses was contemplating his task and God being our deliverer, he asked the Lord an honest question: “Who am I going to say has sent me? Who am I going to say told me to tell you these things?” The better part is that you are an ambassador, a vessel, a spokesperson for He who rules the universe. So if they want to know whether it’s just our opinion or not when we’re sharing God’s word - it’s not our opinion. It’s God’s word.4) As you know, I aim to make Fridays more uplifting as we head into the weekend. There are enough challenges all around us to make our heads swirl, but that’s no excuse for not teaching the word of God. We’re going to look at obedience - not the kind of obedience a dog shows when given treats - but obedience that communicates our adoration for God. If we reject our willingness to obey, we pay the price.5) There are so many scriptures that are simply fantastic. Not least among them is this portion in Ephesians that we’re going to examine. The whole purpose of Apostle Paul’s encouragement is for us to truly know the Love of Christ. It’s not enough just to hear about it or think about it and feel it’s cool. We need to know it inside and out. We need to rely on the love that God has for us and understand the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. There isn’t a day that we can afford to live on this earth without contemplating and acknowledging it.

The David Spoon Experience 11-15-23 part 1

A) Now we briefly enter into Psalm 44, another Psalm by the Sons of Korah. “We have heard with our ears; our fathers have told us about the deeds you have done in days of old.” It’s amazing how powerful stories can be when they are passed down from parents to children and from grandparents to grandchildren. They have a sticking power that most people cannot understand. When we tell our family, both young and old, about the great things that God has done, not only written in the book of the Lord but also inscribed on the hearts of those who have been told.B) Then the psalmist gives credit where credit is due. He states that Israel did not take possession of the land by their sword nor did they save themselves. It was the right hand of God and the light of His countenance that gave them the victory they needed. The reason was simple: it wasn’t because the people were righteous but because God favored Israel. Israel was His chosen people and has NOT now become unchosen. The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable. The Lord has added to the population by pouring out His favor on those who believe in Jesus.C) Prayers for peace, anxiety, and healings.