From his days as a simple shepherd boy to the time he was a heroic ruler, David served God in many capacities. By looking at the various stages of his life, we can clearly see how his godly devotion allowed the Lord to use him mightily.
Shepherd. David was anointed as king long before commanding anything other than sheep (1 Samuel 16:1-13). Shepherding was a job he took so seriously that he even killed a lion and a bear to protect his flock. During those days, he learned to be strong and brave, and to take care of creatures weaker than himself. An early life of obedience to his earthly father taught him the humility he would later need in order to depend on his heavenly Father.
Psalmist. David’s writings reveal his hunger for God. He is open about issues such as fear, depression, defeat, loneliness, and sorrow. By describing valley experiences and communing with the Lord in the night watches, David provided us with intimate glimpses of the God he knew so well.
Leader. Following his encounter with Bathsheba, David’s life was plagued by heartache, suffering, and conflict. He’d sinned greatly, but God forgave him and continued to use him as king and military commander. He ruled Israel for 40 years, and his people called Jerusalem the “City of David.” His restoration teaches us about sin’s consequences and God’s limitlessness grace.
King David served God’s purpose when he lived, and his impact continues thousands of years later—every follower of Jesus Christ has been blessed by David’s obedience, service, and literary skill. He is a great example of what God can accomplish through us if we yield our lives to Him
The first-century church in Jerusalem was impoverished. Jews who became Christians were often ostracized, and their businesses suffered as a result. This affected local giving and increased the number of poor in the community. As the church grew, resources were spread thinner and thinner. So as he traveled, the apostle Paul asked his congregations to aid the mother church.
Many of these congregations were also in financial crisis, but they pledged to help Jerusalem anyway. The Corinthian church was among those that agreed to send support (2 Cor. 8:10). To inspire them to meet or exceed their goal, Paul described the Macedonians’ sacrificial giving as an example. He noted that despite being poor, that church managed to give beyond its ability—and did so with a heart of gratitude and joy. Like the widow whom Jesus praised for giving her last coins to the temple treasury, the Macedonians gave a gift that was liberal, compared to its resources (Mark 12:43). The congregation trusted that God would provide the gift and continue to meet their needs.
Modern believers have much to learn from the Macedonians’ example. The amount we donate towards God’s work isn’t as important as our feelings about giving. Generosity is a quality of the heart—an attitude that grows out of a believer’s thankfulness for the Father’s spiritual and material provisions.
God wants us to be givers because the act of charity spiritually enriches the benefactor. The Lord will respond to a generous heart by pouring out blessing, according to His promise in Luke 6:38: “By your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
Sometimes our prayers are filled more with doubt than with confidence. We know that for God to answer our requests, our prayers must be in line with His will. However, wondering if we are praying according to His will can trip us up, and faced with the uncertainty, we will occasionally fall silent.
God’s will is for each of us to have a healthy relationship with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. That means knowing the Father with increasing intimacy and progressively becoming more and more like Jesus. By focusing our prayers on having this type of relationship with the Lord, it becomes easier to know what to pray. Simply find a scripture that tells you something about God’s character, and pray that for others and for yourself. The results are:
- You can pray with confidence because God wants His children to be like Jesus Christ.
- You can pray expectantly because you know He will work out His will in our lives.
- You can cooperate with the Holy Spirit while He works to develop the same quality in you.
Prayer is not a game of “I Spy,” where we have to guess when to talk to the Lord or about what. Scripture is full of God’s attributes and His desires for our lives. Pick one and start praying. Then watch what God does in response. Prayer gains access to the proud spirit, to the hardened heart, to the unbelieving mind; there are no walls too high or thick for Him to breach. So pray God’s will and watch lives change—especially your own.
Christians sometimes misunderstand the gift of salvation. It is not given, as some believe, for the purpose of making our lives happy, easy, and “smooth-sailing” (in fact, verses such as James 1:2-4 indicate trouble can be expected in this life).
Instead, our heavenly Father has a number of other reasons for redeeming us. In addition to being able to express His great love, He also wants to be glorified through the lives of His children. This happens as His followers become increasingly conformed to the image of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:29), make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19), and do the good works He created us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 states, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” The Father blesses each of us with abilities and circumstances that enable us to do His work—He planned all this even before we were born. In addition, when we are saved, He gives us spiritual gifts that perfectly fit His purpose for our lives.
The Lord wants us to discover our unique talents and spiritual gifts so that we will be able to use them for His glory. That is the only way we will find genuine joy and fulfillment in this world.
Are you serving Christ in a way that utilizes the gifts you have been given? If you need guidance to discover your areas of strength, you might benefit from taking a spiritual giftedness inventory test. Inquire at your church or check online for an evaluation tool.
With hundreds of prophecies related to the Messiah, it shouldn’t surprise us that God used many people—believers, unbelievers, and even some unquestionably wicked individuals—to ensure the Savior’s earthly life would unfold according to plan. For example, a census ordered by Caesar Augustus brought Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, the city of Christ’s birth. (See Mic. 5:2; Luke 2:1-4.)
What’s more, God used some of the most powerful men of the day to bring about His Son’s sacrificial death on the cross. Trumped-up charges by the Pharisees and Sadducees helped turn the crowd against Jesus (Mark 15:9-11). Pilate condemned Him, and the Romans carried out the actual crucifixion. They even bartered for His clothes and chose not to break His legs, as predicted in Scripture. (See John 19:24, 36.)
During the dark days between Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples must have believed the messianic plan had been derailed. But God’s goal wasn’t to bring political revolution as some believed. He sent His Son to redeem mankind: Jesus paid the penalty of death for all our sins.
Before the foundation of the world, God had planned for the salvation of every tribe and nation. Throughout history, He orchestrated events to fulfill His purpose, using even the ungodly to move His plan forward.
Many have had a hand in advancing the Savior’s story, but the ultimate responsibility is the Father’s. He gave His only Son over to death on behalf of the world that He loved (John 3:16). Both the righteous and the wicked who took part in God’s story were following His script.
