What we can see and what we can touch seem the most real to us. Warnings and promises may seem less tangible, and only the few have believed God or His prophets in these matters. Setting an example for us, Jesus Christ looked forward in faith to the future Kingdom of God.

Due to God’s intervention, by sending Abigail, David had spared Nabal’s life and refused to avenge himself. Subsequently, David was tested to show whether he would spare King Saul, without God’s direct intervention, although circumstances seemed to be compelling, humanly speaking, to kill his enemy. When David acted peacefully, Saul ceased to pursue David any further. However, David had not learned yet that fighting in war is wrong. Through his deceitful conduct, while staying with Achish, king of Gath, he was almost forced to fight King Saul, and his own household was captured by the enemy. In addition, David engaged in polygamy, which was not according to God’s will and intent.

In this fourth part in the series of sermons covering the Book of Genesis, Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob becomes the central figure in the story of God’s blessings promised to Abraham which were determined by the Almighty. This story is filled with intrigue and with hope!

This life is a gift from God, and we are accountable to God for it. This life–this physical existence will end, but we have been given the promise of eternal life. Many servants of God struggled with discouragement in their own lifetimes. Their record and the unbreakable promises of God can help us to successfully face our own trials.

David grew up in a society, which was used to fighting in war. He never questioned whether war, in general, was right or wrong, until much later in his life. God showed him, through experience, why war is wrong. He showed him that the wars of men only produce suffering and pain, without bringing lasting solutions. Whenever David practiced the way of peace, God delivered him and even influenced his enemies to become friendly toward him. When David refused to kill Saul, God helped David. When David was about to kill Nabal, God prevented that by sending Nabal’s wife, Abigail, to him. David relented, and God took care of the situation. We, too, have to learn to become peacemakers and to live peaceably with all men, as much as depends on us. If we do, the God of peace will be with us.

In this sermon we continue to examine the lives of men and women God first began dealing with on an intimate basis. It picks up with God’s dealings with Isaac and continues as God chooses Jacob through whom He would pass the blessings of Abraham and as He reveals even more of Himself and His Way to Jacob.

Jesus Christ was utterly unique in that He never sinned! Though He never disobeyed, He did learn obedience.

We, as Christians, are to grow through learning to choose to obey God and Jesus Christ and to resist the temptation to disobey in times of testing.

David was a human being, like you and me. David made mistakes. He sinned — not only in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah. But David was a man after God’s own heart — he repented, once he came to the realization of his sins. Sometimes, though, it took him a while to understand. When studying David’s life, which was written down for our admonition, learning, and example, we will see a cause and effect relationship. When David did right, he reaped blessings, but when he did wrong, bad consequences were the result.

We are to read the life of David with New Testament eyes and in light of other Old Testament Scripture, explaining how God looked at David’s actions. David is not to be followed in every respect — the only human who has never sinned, and who is to be followed by all of us, is Jesus Christ.

Psalm 23 is one of the most beautiful, encouraging, and inspiring in all the Bible, especially during trials, and often in history at imminent death. This message covers: overview, background, and each of the 6-verses: amplified, expounded, and interpreted, with emphasis on real shepherds perspectives–“A shepherd looks at Psalm 23.” Includes fascinating sheep’s perspective. Scripturally shows Jesus as our shepherd and we being sheep. The Conclusion: “23rd Psalm Made Simple!” includes what may be one of the greatest interpretations of Psalm 23 ever heard.

We noted in Part 1 of this series, that once a person is called of God, there is a special relationship established between that person and God. As we examine the lives of men God established such relationships with, as inspired to be written in His Holy Word, we can learn much from the information recorded relative to those relationships. This second part of this series is a continuation of this examination.