Month: January 2025

The Kitchen Table Devotional

King David Day 37

When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. ²⁵ The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.”

 1 Samuel 17:24-25

There is fear in what we see and faith in what we hear.  Faith comes by hearing… (Romans 10:17).  What they saw made them dart but what they heard made them dream.  Your spirit lives on what it hears.  David measured life by what he had heard but the men of Israel measured life by what they saw.  The enemy loves to distract us by what we see.  God determines us through what we hear.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David Day 36

As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them.

 1 Samuel 17:23 You won’t know your real enemy by what you see but by what you hear.  You could say the same thing about your leader.  Jesus said that out of the mouth, the heart speaks.  A man isn’t an enemy because he is big, boastful, or bad, he’s becomes an enemy when he threatens what you know and believe to be true.  It might be that the person who is close to you is really the enemy of you.  Listen to their words but believe God’s word.  Words open a window to the heart.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David Day 35

Again the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day; give me a man that we may fight together.” ¹¹ When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

 1 Samuel 17:10-11

There’s only one reason to be afraid.  There may be other reasons to be wise but only one reason to be afraid.  Never go by yourself.  Your enemy is at his best when you are by yourself.  And we so quickly agree with our enemies’ demands.  Saul, and every man in his army, were afraid because they accepted the terms of the tyrant.  David would go out there, but not by himself.  He’d take the Holy Spirit with him.  You can too! 

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David  Day 34

He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel and said to them, “Why do you come out to draw up in battle array? Am I not the Philistine and you servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me.

 1 Samuel 17:8

Your enemy is so predictable.  He works to keep the fight physical only by addressing and appealing to your human senses.  Look at me, listen to me, lose to me, or die.  The enemy wants you to look down, look out, and even look in but he doesn’t want you looking up.  Keeping this fight horizontal is critical to his plan.  We’re not just servants of the king, we’re servants of the King of kings.  Never forget, that God gives us a vertical option in this horizontal world. 

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David Day 33

The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the head of his spear weighed six hundred shekels of iron; his shield-carrier also walked before him.

 1 Samuel 17:7

When we stand for what is God, and right and true, we’re going to have enemies by their choice, not ours.  We don’t have to be evil to have enemies, evil just creates enemies of what is God, and right and true.  Don’t fear the size of their weapon.  How big of a weapon do you need to kill?  Maybe it’s not about killing the person but rather about killing the passion.  You can’t control a dead man, but you can control a person whose passion is dead.  Let God give you His perspective on your problem.  It changes everything.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David Day 32

Then a champion came out from the armies of the Philistines named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. ⁵ He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was clothed with scale-armor which weighed five thousand shekels of bronze.

 1 Samuel 17:4-5

When you know and serve the God of all the universe, it really doesn’t matter how big or scary your enemy is.  All that armor, it merely covers up all his fears while he tries to stir up your fears..  He might have the title, the tie, the time in the moment to share but he isn’t God.  Remember this, the enemy wants to intimidate you and manipulate you to dominate you.  He doesn’t want to fight any more than you do. That big man, he just wants you to give up.   Trust God!

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David Day 29

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.”

 1 Samuel 16:22

You know something special is happening when you get invited into the palace.  God opens the door for those who surrender to His will.  David wasn’t trying to get his chance to meet the right people or trying to climb his way into the corner office on the main floor.  David gave his best to whatever he was doing and let God open the doors in his life.  Remember, David already had the anointing but he let God do the appointing.  God loves you!  His plans for you are good.  Resist the urge to make your plans, God’s plans.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David Day 28

Then David came to Saul and attended him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer.

 1 Samuel 16:21 There’s something to learn from those who don’t make it all about themselves but others.  David was anointed but he attended to Saul.  David obviously had learned growing up that it wasn’t all about him.  What a great lesson to learn.  We’re born with it being all about ourselves and those who yell and rebel keep it all about themselves.  The key to selfishness is surrender.  David became a good leader because he learned young that it wasn’t all just about him.

The Kitchen Table Devotional

David Day 27

So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” ²⁰ Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son.

 1 Samuel 16:19-20

There’s nothing quite like the affirmation of a parent or a mentor.  David would prove to have all the aptitudes needed to lead but his dad made sure he had the attitude to be a leader.  Jesse passed that on by just being a man with a great attitude.  Being precedes doing and everyone needs someone who will help them be who they need to be before they have to do what they have to do.  Find that person to affirm you honestly or be that person whose affirmation matters.