Becoming a Man after God’s Own Heart

Written by

Becoming a Man After God’s Own Heart:

The life and legacy of David

Dr. Jim Denison

1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22

Scholars find some 1,181 different men named in the Bible. Of all these, only one is described by God as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22).

What an unusual choice! Consider what everyone knows about David:

•The youngest son of his father

•Overlooked by his father when the prophet came for a visit

•Ridiculed by Saul and Goliath

•Rejected by Saul, his life endangered

•Bathsheba

If this man could be “after God’s own heart,” there’s hope for us all. But we must do what he did. We must seek God as he sought him, and engage in the spiritual disciplines which forged his soul.

Do you want to know God better than you know him today? More intimately and personally? Do you want greater assurance that he hears and answers your prayers, and that you hear his Spirit’s voice in your soul? Do you want the Bible to be more alive in your life, its light more a guide for your decisions and future? Do you want to know that you are fulfilling God’s purpose for your life and work? In short, do you want to know God as David knew God? This study is for all of us who do.

Let’s get acquainted with the man who will be our guide for the study. Then we’ll follow where he leads us, until he leads us home.

Seven facts about David

“David” apparently comes from the Hebrew verbal root d-w-d, “to love.” So his name probably means “beloved,” apparently by God.

Attractive: “He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features” (1 Samuel 16:12). “Ruddy” apparently means red-haired.

Athletic and courageous: “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God” (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

“Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground” (1 Samuel 17:49).

A great soldier: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Survived as a guerrilla leader in the Judean wilderness before Saul’s death (1 Samuel 22-25).

“The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, ‘You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.’ They thought, ‘David cannot get in here.’ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the city of David” (2 Samuel 5:6-7). This action united the southern and northern tribes under his rule.

Because of his wartime success, “God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood'” (1 Chronicles 28:3).

Artistic: A harpist and musician of known reputation (1 Samuel 16:15). A great poet (cf. Psalms 8, 19, 23). A convincing actor (1 Samuel 21:10-15).

A spiritual man: Samuel told Saul, “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (1 Samuel 13:14). “David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life–except in the case of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5).

Sinned horribly: Speaking of the future king, Moses warned that “he must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold” (Deuteronomy 17:17). However, “after he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him” (2 Samuel 5:13).

The king was not where he should have been: “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 11:1).

Ease led to lust: “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her” (vs. 2-3a).

Lust led to adultery: “The man said, ‘Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home” (vs. 3b-4).

Adultery led to pregnancy: “The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, ‘I am pregnant'” (v. 5). Pregnancy led to deceit (vs. 6-13). Deceit led to murder (vs. 14-17). Murder led to further deceit (vs. 18-27). Deceit led to exposure by God and the death of their child (2 Samuel 12).

Repented with genuine contrition (Psalm 1).

His life before the throne

He grew up on his father’s farm at Bethlehem, the youngest of eight sons (1 Samuel 16:10-11). Their family was traced to Perez, Judah’s son by Tamar (Ruth 4:18-22; Genesis 38). Ruth was David’s great-grandmother and a Moabitess. Thus see the challenges in his background.

•He worked as a shepherd defending the flock (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

•He was chosen by the prophet Samuel to succeed King Saul, but his election was kept quiet (1 Samuel 16:12-13).

•He became the king’s harpist and court musician (1 Samuel 16:14-23), then returned to the farm (1 Samuel 17:15).

•He journeyed to the front lines in the war with the Philistines, and killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:25-53).

•His victory won the admiration of Jonathan and the people, but the jealousy of Saul (1 Samuel 18:1-9).

David was then compelled to flee for his life into the Judean wilderness (1 Samuel 19).

Jonathan aided his escape (1 Samuel 19:4-7). During their conflict, he spared Saul’s life twice (1 Samuel 24:1-15; 26:1-20).

His life on the throne

At Saul’s death, David’s tribe of Judah named him their king; he reigned seven years in Hebron (2 Samuel 5:1-5). At the death of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul, David became king of all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3).

Military exploits:

•He captured Jerusalem and made it his capitol (2 Samuel 5:7).

•He brought the Ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 15:1-29).

•He defeated the Philistines and enlarged the kingdom (2 Samuel 8, 10).

His sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51).

Family struggles, including Absalom’s rebellion against him (2 Samuel 15-18).

Last days:

•Prepared to build the Temple (1 Chronicles 22:5, 14; 29:2).

•Appointed Solomon as his successor (1 Kings 1:11-39; 2:1-9).

His death: “He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor” (1 Chronicles 29:28).

Conclusion: lessons for souls today

Where we’ve been is no indication of where we’ll go.

In the depths of the Great Depression, Charles Darrow found himself out of work and out of money. He was an engineer with years of experience but no job. He and his wife were barely surviving. One evening, they made up a little game to take their minds off their troubles. They drew a circle on a piece of cardboard, and, recalling a fun visit to Atlantic City, marked the circle with the names of its streets. Charles carved little houses and hotels out of pieces of wood, and they called their game “Monopoly®.” In 1935 they sold the game nationally and became millionaires.

Do you know why “Formula 409®” is so named? The developers experienced 408 failed attempts before their final product was created.

Edmund McIlhenny operated a sugar plantation and saltworks in Louisiana before the Civil War. When Yankee troops invaded his area in 1863, he fled. Two years later he returned to find his plantation in ruins. McIlhenny fell into deep despair. Surveying his once-prosperous plantation, the only undamaged part he could find was a small plot of hot peppers to add to his meager dinner, thus inventing Tabasco® Sauce. One hundred years later the McIlhenny family still produces it.

Material power is no assurance of spiritual strength. We can find many instances of people who had it all and lost it all in Scripture and life today.

Staying close to God is the key to a life lived well. One of the greatest creeds of a life committed to God was written by an African martyr:

I am part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed.” I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I’ve stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by his presence, lean by faith, love by patience, live by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, or slow up ’til I’ve preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go ’til He comes, give ’til I drop, preach ’til all know, and work ’til He stops.

And when He comes to get His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me—my colors will be clear.

Becoming a Man after God’s Own Heart

Written by

Becoming a Man After God’s Own Heart:

The life and legacy of David

Dr. Jim Denison

1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22

Scholars find some 1,181 different men named in the Bible. Of all these, only one is described by God as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22).

What an unusual choice! Consider what everyone knows about David:

•The youngest son of his father

•Overlooked by his father when the prophet came for a visit

•Ridiculed by Saul and Goliath

•Rejected by Saul, his life endangered

•Bathsheba

If this man could be “after God’s own heart,” there’s hope for us all. But we must do what he did. We must seek God as he sought him, and engage in the spiritual disciplines which forged his soul.

Do you want to know God better than you know him today? More intimately and personally? Do you want greater assurance that he hears and answers your prayers, and that you hear his Spirit’s voice in your soul? Do you want the Bible to be more alive in your life, its light more a guide for your decisions and future? Do you want to know that you are fulfilling God’s purpose for your life and work? In short, do you want to know God as David knew God? This study is for all of us who do.

Let’s get acquainted with the man who will be our guide for the study. Then we’ll follow where he leads us, until he leads us home.

Seven facts about David

“David” apparently comes from the Hebrew verbal root d-w-d, “to love.” So his name probably means “beloved,” apparently by God.

Attractive: “He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features” (1 Samuel 16:12). “Ruddy” apparently means red-haired.

Athletic and courageous: “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God” (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

“Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground” (1 Samuel 17:49).

A great soldier: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Survived as a guerrilla leader in the Judean wilderness before Saul’s death (1 Samuel 22-25).

“The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, ‘You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.’ They thought, ‘David cannot get in here.’ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, the city of David” (2 Samuel 5:6-7). This action united the southern and northern tribes under his rule.

Because of his wartime success, “God said to me, ‘You are not to build a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood'” (1 Chronicles 28:3).

Artistic: A harpist and musician of known reputation (1 Samuel 16:15). A great poet (cf. Psalms 8, 19, 23). A convincing actor (1 Samuel 21:10-15).

A spiritual man: Samuel told Saul, “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (1 Samuel 13:14). “David had done what was right in the eyes of the Lord and had not failed to keep any of the Lord’s commands all the days of his life–except in the case of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5).

Sinned horribly: Speaking of the future king, Moses warned that “he must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold” (Deuteronomy 17:17). However, “after he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him” (2 Samuel 5:13).

The king was not where he should have been: “In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem” (2 Samuel 11:1).

Ease led to lust: “One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her” (vs. 2-3a).

Lust led to adultery: “The man said, ‘Isn’t this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?’ Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home” (vs. 3b-4).

Adultery led to pregnancy: “The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, ‘I am pregnant'” (v. 5). Pregnancy led to deceit (vs. 6-13). Deceit led to murder (vs. 14-17). Murder led to further deceit (vs. 18-27). Deceit led to exposure by God and the death of their child (2 Samuel 12).

Repented with genuine contrition (Psalm 1).

His life before the throne

He grew up on his father’s farm at Bethlehem, the youngest of eight sons (1 Samuel 16:10-11). Their family was traced to Perez, Judah’s son by Tamar (Ruth 4:18-22; Genesis 38). Ruth was David’s great-grandmother and a Moabitess. Thus see the challenges in his background.

•He worked as a shepherd defending the flock (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

•He was chosen by the prophet Samuel to succeed King Saul, but his election was kept quiet (1 Samuel 16:12-13).

•He became the king’s harpist and court musician (1 Samuel 16:14-23), then returned to the farm (1 Samuel 17:15).

•He journeyed to the front lines in the war with the Philistines, and killed Goliath (1 Samuel 17:25-53).

•His victory won the admiration of Jonathan and the people, but the jealousy of Saul (1 Samuel 18:1-9).

David was then compelled to flee for his life into the Judean wilderness (1 Samuel 19).

Jonathan aided his escape (1 Samuel 19:4-7). During their conflict, he spared Saul’s life twice (1 Samuel 24:1-15; 26:1-20).

His life on the throne

At Saul’s death, David’s tribe of Judah named him their king; he reigned seven years in Hebron (2 Samuel 5:1-5). At the death of Ish-Bosheth, the son of Saul, David became king of all Israel (2 Samuel 5:3).

Military exploits:

•He captured Jerusalem and made it his capitol (2 Samuel 5:7).

•He brought the Ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 15:1-29).

•He defeated the Philistines and enlarged the kingdom (2 Samuel 8, 10).

His sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51).

Family struggles, including Absalom’s rebellion against him (2 Samuel 15-18).

Last days:

•Prepared to build the Temple (1 Chronicles 22:5, 14; 29:2).

•Appointed Solomon as his successor (1 Kings 1:11-39; 2:1-9).

His death: “He died at a good old age, having enjoyed long life, wealth and honor” (1 Chronicles 29:28).

Conclusion: lessons for souls today

Where we’ve been is no indication of where we’ll go.

In the depths of the Great Depression, Charles Darrow found himself out of work and out of money. He was an engineer with years of experience but no job. He and his wife were barely surviving. One evening, they made up a little game to take their minds off their troubles. They drew a circle on a piece of cardboard, and, recalling a fun visit to Atlantic City, marked the circle with the names of its streets. Charles carved little houses and hotels out of pieces of wood, and they called their game “Monopoly®.” In 1935 they sold the game nationally and became millionaires.

Do you know why “Formula 409®” is so named? The developers experienced 408 failed attempts before their final product was created.

Edmund McIlhenny operated a sugar plantation and saltworks in Louisiana before the Civil War. When Yankee troops invaded his area in 1863, he fled. Two years later he returned to find his plantation in ruins. McIlhenny fell into deep despair. Surveying his once-prosperous plantation, the only undamaged part he could find was a small plot of hot peppers to add to his meager dinner, thus inventing Tabasco® Sauce. One hundred years later the McIlhenny family still produces it.

Material power is no assurance of spiritual strength. We can find many instances of people who had it all and lost it all in Scripture and life today.

Staying close to God is the key to a life lived well. One of the greatest creeds of a life committed to God was written by an African martyr:

I am part of the “Fellowship of the Unashamed.” I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I’ve stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by his presence, lean by faith, love by patience, live by prayer, and labor by power.

My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won’t give up, shut up, let up, or slow up ’til I’ve preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ.

I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go ’til He comes, give ’til I drop, preach ’til all know, and work ’til He stops.

And when He comes to get His own, He’ll have no problems recognizing me—my colors will be clear.

Get Rid of Guilt

Written by

Get Rid of Guilt

Genesis 6:1-8

Dr. Jim Denison

My brother was the kickoff speaker for this fall’s Men’s Bible Study. Mark began with a mind trick I want to try on you today. It worked when he did it–let’s see if it works this morning.

Pick a number between one and ten. Double it. Add eight. Now divide that number in half. Subtract your original number. Do you have your final number?

Now match that number to the alphabet. If it is one, your letter is A; if it is two, your letter is B; and so on. Do you have your letter? Now think of a country which begins with that letter. Then think of an animal which begins with the second letter of that country’s name. Then think of a color which describes that animal.

The only problem is, there are no gray elephants in Denmark.

Our minds are God’s greatest gifts to us. Our intellectual capacity is the only attribute which enables our superiority on this planet. Other animals have far better eyesight, hearing, strength, stamina, and so on. Our minds are our best friends, or our worst enemies. “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV). What we think is what we become.

How do we keep our minds holy? What do we do when we don’t? No subject is more crucial to living in a way God can bless today. This morning we’ll investigate one of the most perplexing texts in the Bible, and find that it is actually one of the most urgent, practical, and relevant passages in all of God’s word.

Admit your need of grace

Our passage begins with one of the more confusing sentences in all the Bible: “When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose” (Genesis 6:1-2). Who were these “sons of God” and “daughters of men”?

Some interpreters believe that the “sons of God” were angels (cf. Job 1:6; Psalm 29:1). But Jesus told us that angels “neither marry nor are given in marriage” (Mark 12:25).

Some believe the “sons of God” were kings, but the Bible never makes this connection.

An interesting approach suggests that the “sons of God” were descendants of Seth, the godly child of Adam and Eve, and the “daughters of men” were descendants of the evil Cain. But the text doesn’t say this.

I think the clues we need are found in the text immediately surrounding our passage. Scripture intends to be clear, and was very clear to its original audience. So we must ask ourselves, what did they understand these words to mean?

Genesis 2 says that God formed man from the ground, and woman from man (vs. 7, 23). So calling men the “sons of God” and women the “daughters of men” was simply repeating what the readers of Genesis already knew, and what the rest of the Bible teaches as well.

The Bible refers to men as “sons of God” in nine different places (Deuteronomy 14:1, 32:5, Psalm 73:15, Isaiah 43:6-7, Hosea 1:10, 11:1, Luke 3:38, 1 John 3:1-2, 10). The text here seems simply to refer to men and women. And nothing in these verses ties these “sons of God and daughters of men” specifically to the flood which follows. They were simply populating the earth as God had commanded them (Genesis 1:28).

Now we come to another confusing reference: “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown” (v. 4).

They are among the children produced by the “sons of God and daughters of men,” but nothing in the text ties them specifically to the coming Flood. They are simply figures in the biblical narrative.

So we have “sons of God and daughters of men,” probably men and women who are marrying and having children. Among them were mighty warriors and heroes in the ancient Near East. Perhaps you’re wondering how any of this could be urgent, practical, and relevant, how it could apply to our lives today. Let’s read on.

As our text proceeds, we move quickly from confusion to clarity, from ancient history to life today. Verse 5 comes home: “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.”

God reads our minds and knows our thoughts. He knows how sinful they can be. He knows that we don’t put our thoughts into action because of legal restraints and fear of being caught. But he knows what we would do if we could. Think about your thoughts for a moment, and you’ll see what God sees every moment of every day.

When Mark spoke to the Men’s Bible Study on the subject of our thoughts, he asked this sobering question: if you could project on a screen what has been in your mind the last 24 hours, what would we see? How embarrassed and ashamed would you be? That’s what God sees every moment of every day.

Such sin “grieves” the Lord and fills his heart with pain (v. 6). He is holy and cannot countenance or condone our sin. He must bring it to judgment, as he did with the Flood.

But now the good news dawns on the black horizon: “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord” (v. 8).

He “found” it–he didn’t earn it. He found “favor”–the Hebrew word means “to bend or stoop,” and describes the condescending and unmerited favor of a superior for an inferior. This is the Old Testament’s primary word for grace; this text is its first use in all of Scripture.

Through Noah, God extended this favor to the rest of mankind, as Noah warned the race of the coming judgment and Flood. Finally God had to judge humanity, after mankind refused his grace and salvation. But only after he had given them every chance to be saved.

We are all in this passage, each of us a “son of God” or “daughter of men.” No matter how much “renown” we have earned in the eyes of others, each of us is guilty of sinful thoughts and hearts before the only Judge of the universe. Will you admit that this text describes you? That you are as much in need of God’s “favor” as those who died in the Flood? That apart from God’s mercy you have no chance at heaven, no claim to salvation, no right to forgiveness? That your thoughts require God’s grace today?

Find his grace for your need

Since our thoughts determine our lives, it’s vital that we learn how to control them so that God can bless them. How? First, seek the mind of Christ:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5, KJV).

“Holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess” (Hebrews 3:1).

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Colossians 3:1-2). Make it your goal to think as Jesus thinks, to have his thoughts in your mind and heart. How?

Admit what is impure. When we see ourselves in his light, we see all that is wrong in our minds and hearts. What next?

“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Colossians 3:5-10).

Do a mental inventory this morning. Do you find sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, lies? Get rid of the impure, so you can replace it with the pure. It doesn’t take much poison to pollute a bottle of drinking water.

Conduct this mental inventory every day before the Father. Ask the Spirit to show you the thoughts which must be removed. Spit out the poison before you swallow it into your soul.

Give your guilt to his grace. When you find sin in your mind and life, and you confess it, the residual which remains behind is guilt. Guilt is not of God.

Jesus condemned sin, never sinners. Guilt is how the enemy punishes us when we fall into the temptation he lays before us. And it is the way we punish ourselves when God forgives us. We don’t want to be in debt to anyone, not even the Lord. If he won’t punish our sin, we’ll do it for him. We’ll carry guilt in our souls until we finally think we’ve paid their price. Some of us never finish paying that debt.

So confess your sinful mind and life to God, and claim his forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Rejoice in the fact that he has separated your sin from you as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), throwing it into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19). Trust his promise: “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more” (Isaiah 43:25).

If he doesn’t remember our sins, why should we? The next time guilt attacks you, fight back. Claim the forgiveness you received when you confessed that sin, and say that the sin is gone, its debt paid, its guilt gone. The next time the guilt attacks, say it again. And again and again, until the guilt finally leaves. Give your guilt to his grace, and find his favor today.

And fill your thoughts with God. The Bible commands us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Spend time each morning and through the day in prayer and Bible study. Think about God often, and practice his presence through the day. Stay connected to the source of your life, and you will have his pure and holy thoughts in your mind.

Conclusion

This week I experienced the American legal system up close and personal.

Back in May I was given a traffic ticket for what the Dallas police officer considered an illegal turn. I didn’t think it was then, and don’t think it is now. I thought about appealing the ticket to a judge, but decided not to take the time. I tried to pay the fine and do defensive driving to keep the ticket off my record, but the Dallas automated system had no record of my ticket. I tried to speak to someone, but could never get through. I thought the back of the ticket said I had 24 days, so finally, on the 24th day, I took my day off to deal with the ticket.

Turns out I had 21 days; a bar code on the front of the ticket made the 1 look like a 4. When I finally spoke to someone, I learned I was in “warrant status.” I would have to pay the fine plus $60 for being overdue, and ask a judge for permission to take defensive driving.

So I got the cash, plus the fine for being overdue, drove downtown, paid the fine, and was assigned a court date for September 13. The documents then said I would have a “jury trial.” At this point I admitted that I was beyond my own legal resources, and called my neighbor and friend Brian Fant. Last Tuesday he drove down to the courthouse with me and stood with me before the judge. As a result of his persuasion, I was given “deferred adjudication.” If I don’t get another ticket in six months, all is forgiven.

Now I had a choice to make. I could have pleaded the case myself and tried to persuade the judge of my innocence. I could refuse his leniency and insist on being punished to the full extent of the law. Or I could accept the grace he offered me at the urging of my attorney. Which would you do?

Let us pray.

Prospering in All We Do

Written by

Prospering in all we do:

How to start the day with God’s word

Dr. Jim Denison

Psalm 1

My first Bible was a red New Testament distributed by the Gideons at James Butler Bonham Elementary in Houston, Texas on March 27, 1969. I know because I wrote that information in its flyleaf. When I received it, I began carrying it in the hip pocket of my jeans, accounting for its tattered condition today.

While I was pleased to have my own Bible, I couldn’t do much with it. Like most first-time Bible students, I opened to the first page. And found the “begats.” After three or four, I gave up. Clearly I didn’t know enough to understand this book, I thought.

I was both right and wrong. There are principles and practices which guide all effective Bible study. But these tools are intended for every person who wants to meet God in his word. Even a fifth-grader in blue jeans.

As we begin our study of a specific passage, first we will ask important background questions. Then we will read the text in question, preferably in several translations. Note what seems to be the major idea of the passage, and its relation to the author’s intended purpose for the book.

Now ask basic questions of the text:

Who is speaking, writing, and/or acting?

What is the subject of the text?

Where is it happening?

Why and/or how?

With this information in mind, we are ready to proceed. We will follow the “four-fold” approach to Bible study:

Grammar: what do the words mean?

History: what are the circumstances behind the text?

Theology: what spiritual and theological truth does the text intend to communicate?

Practical: what applications does the text intend to make in my life?

Grammatical principles

Word study (“lexicography”)

Begin with the words themselves. We want to know that the author intended them to say, not just what they seem to say to us today. Word which survive long in any language acquire added meanings and implications. We want to know that meaning which the author intended.

For instance, Jesus told us of a man who entrusted his servants with “talents” (Matthew 25:14-30). Today the word refers to gifts or abilities. In Jesus’ day it was a measure of money (worth more than a thousand dollars in our currency). We misinterpret the parable if we think it relates to our God-given abilities and spiritual gifts.

The King James Version tells us that Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus “and could not for the press, because he was little of stature” (Luke 19:3). We picture this short man trying to see around the reporters who are interviewing Jesus on his way into Jericho. Of course, “press” in the 17th century means “crowd”. Luke is not condemning the media.

How do we do a word study? Ask these five questions.

First, how was the word defined? With the help of a Bible dictionary, look up all unclear words in the passage. Be careful to confine your work to the definition of the word as it was intended by its original author.

Second, what is the context of the word? Often the sentences surrounding the term will explain its meaning. For example, Jesus referred to the Kingdom of God in the Model Prayer (Mt 6:10). What was this “kingdom”? Our Lord defined it himself: “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus used parallelism, a kind of Hebrew expression where the second line repeats or defines the first. The “kingdom” is where God’s will is done. The context defines the term.

Third, what is the history of the word? A dictionary or encyclopedia will provide its background and root meanings. But again, be careful to confine your interpretation to the intended meaning of the author. And work with the word in its original languages, as the commentaries enable such study.

Note that the history of the translated word may have little to do with the author’s intended meaning. Consider “blessed,” the word with which Jesus begins each of his Beatitudes. The English word may come from the Old English “bliss,” meaning “joy.” It could come from “blod,” referencing “blood sacrifice”–someone is “blessed” if they have been atoned for by sacrifice. It may come from “benedicere,” a Latin word meaning “to wish well.” When I first preached on the Beatitudes as a college student, I used each of these definitions in my explanation of the word.

Only later did I realize that Jesus did not use our English word “blessed,” but the Greek word makarios. And it has none of this background in its history. “Makarios” describes a happiness which transcends circumstances, a joy beyond words or the world. By importing definitions from the English translation, I missed the meaning of the original word. Don’t do that.

Fourth, what are other biblical uses of the word? A concordance or dictionary will help here. Since Scripture interprets Scripture, other passages can often help clarify the meaning of the words of the text.

For instance, remember that Jesus warns us that one who calls someone a “fool” is in danger of the “fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22). Why? Because “fool” in the Bible describes a person of the worst moral deficiency, someone who rejects God for a life of terrible corruption. This is the person who “says in his heart, ‘There is no God'” (Psalm 14:1). To call someone a “fool” was to malign their character and value, the worst form of insult. Other texts make clear Jesus’ intention.

Fifth, what is the cultural background behind the word? What practices current in the author’s day affect his use of the term?

Jesus told us, “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:41). Was he talking about joggers out for a run, or bikers on a trail?

Actually, he referred to a Persian custom taken over by the Romans, by which a subject could be forced to carry a soldier’s pack for one mile. This was done not to help the soldier so much as to remind the subject that he serves the Empire. Jesus is saying, If someone humiliates you, allow him to humiliate you even further. Don’t return slander for slander, insult for insult. Treat even your enemies with humble service. The cultural background clarifies the intention of the phrase.

To summarize, begin your study of the biblical text with the words. Define and clarify their meaning, with the help of a dictionary, concordance, encyclopedia, and/or commentary. We must know the meaning of the words of God if we would interpret the word of God.

Sentence structure

Often the grammar of the Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek text will affect its translated meaning for us. Here the sentence structure employed by the author is vital. A good commentary will help in this regard.

For an example of the importance of Hebrew sentence structure, consider Genesis 3:12: “The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me–she gave me some of the fruit from the tree, and I ate it.'” Who is Adam blaming for his sin–the woman or the One who made her? The grammar answers the question.

The Hebrew words translate literally, “the woman / the man / and he said / with me / you gave / whom / the tree from / to me she gave / she / and I / ate.” The use of “she” in the Hebrew subjective case before the verb places focus on the one performing the action. Adam is directly and emphatically blaming Eve for his sin. Don’t be concerned–you don’t need to know Hebrew to understand such a point. But you should consult a commentary written by someone who does.

An example of the significance of sentence structure in the Greek New Testament is 1 John 3:9. The King James Version translates the verse, “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.” This rendering has caused many people to question their salvation when they sin. If we are “born of God,” we “cannot sin.” Or so the text seems to say.

Here’s good news for all of us who are God’s children but still disappoint our Father. The Greek verbs are in the “imperfect tense,” which mean continued action. Thus the NIV translates, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” The syntax makes the intended meaning clear.

Literary type

It is crucial that we know the kind of literature used in the book we’re studying. And the specific text must also be considered in the same way. For instance, Matthew’s Gospel contains symbols, teaching discourses, and apocalyptic sections. We will interpret a parable differently than we will an historical narrative.

“Figures of speech” are an important topic within the subject of literary type. One is the “metaphor,” an illustration using a direct comparison which is not intended to be understood literally. For instance, when Jesus calls himself the “true vine” (Jn 15:1) he is clearly using metaphor.

Another figure of speech is the “simile,” a comparison which employs “like” or “as.” For example, “the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire” (Ex 24:17, KJV) is a simile.

A third figure is the “hyperbole,” a statement which uses exaggeration to make a point. Like the metaphor and simile, it is not intended to be interpreted literally. When we read Jesus’ admonition, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away” (Mt 5:29), it is vital that we interpret the text as Jesus intends!

Context

As we consider the grammatical dimensions of the passage we’re studying, we want to study the larger context of the text. Ask three questions.

What is the general idea of the larger passage where the text is found?

How does the text contribute to the flow of the author’s thought and intention?

Is this passage teaching “prescriptive” or “descriptive” truth? This is a crucial issue in biblical hermeneutics.

Prescriptive statements are intended as commands for the reader. When Jesus warns us, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged” (Matthew 7:1), he prescribes behavior for all believers. On the other hand, descriptive statements simply disclose the event, without endorsing it as proper behavior. 1 Kings 11:3 states that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. The description does not prescribe such behavior for us.

Many of the wrong ideas which have been blamed on Scripture have originated in this area. Polygamists claim that “the Bible says Solomon had 700 wives,” so why can’t we have several? The Bible also says that the crowd wanted Jesus to be crucified, that Ananias and Sapphira tried to cheat the church, and that the town of Lystra stoned Paul and left him for dead. None of this behavior is prescribed for us today. Much of what we find in Scripture is there to warn us of what not to do.

As you study the text itself, think in contextual circles. Move from the text in question, to its chapter, to its section in the biblical book, to the book, to the Testament, to the rest of Scripture. As you understand the words in their intended meaning, you have made the most important single step to effective Bible study.

Historical principles

The second major part of our “four-fold” approach concerns the historical background and context of the text. You will have already learned some of the history behind the text when you studied the individual words and their circumstances. Now you’ll ask questions about the larger context and culture in which the text is found.

Geography

Locate the biblical event in its proper geographic circumstances. The more you know about the land where the event took place, the more you’ll understand its text. It’s a good investment of time to familiarize yourself with the basic layout of the Bible lands. A good atlas or map at the back of your Bible is all you need.

In addition, you’ll need to know the geography behind any specific text you are studying. Two examples are often cited by hermeneutics textbooks in this regard.

Jeremiah 13:1-5: “This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist. Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time: “Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath and hide it there ina crevice in the rocks.” So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.”

This seems a rather routine narrative, until we discover that Perath lay 430 miles from where Jeremiah received this command. The long, arduous trip described points up the sacrifice often necessary to obedience. The setting and intention of the text would not be clear unless we understood the geography as well as those who first read the passage.

Luke 2:4: “Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David.”

This was a journey of some 90 miles, made on a donkey’s back by a woman who was great with child. Fulfilling God’s promise that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) required great sacrifice for his mother. The geography of the text makes it alive and relevant.

In addition, Judea was “up” in elevation from Galilee, explaining the reference in the text. We typically think of “up” as north and “down” as south, and are puzzled to learn that Joseph and Mary went “up” but “south.” The geographic context explains the text.

Social context

Knowing the customs or general historical situation often illuminates the biblical text. First, consider material objects.

In Matthew 27:34 we read, “There [on the cross] they offered [Jesus] wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.” However John 19:28-30 describes Jesus’ requesting and drinking wine on the cross. Do the accounts contradict each other?

Not at all. The drink to which Matthew refers was a kind of narcotic often given to crucifixion victims to dull their senses. Jesus refused this anesthetic, choosing to be fully awake and alert. John’s reference occurred six hours later, when Jesus needed a mild vinegar-wine to moisten his lips and make possible his final words from the cross. Knowing the objects in question clears up the confusion.

Second, study social customs. Rites or practices which society observed in biblical times can be crucial to understanding the biblical text.

For example, Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at Sychar shocked even her. She said, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (John 4:9). Her question makes sense when we learn that Jews hated Samaritans, and that Jewish rabbis would typically refuse to speak to any woman in public during the day, even their own wives.

Jesus broke with this popular prejudice in winning the woman to himself. Often we must do the same today.

Third, investigate historical facts. Basic facts of everyday life are often presupposed by the writer but unknown to readers today.

For example, Jesus’ parable in Luke 11 describes a man whose friend awakens him at midnight to ask bread for a guest who has just come. The man is frustrated: “Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything” (v. 7).

Every detail of the story made sense to Jesus’ hearers. Typical homes in his culture were one room. The back one-third was an elevated wooden platform where the family slept. The front two-thirds was a dirt floor where the animals were kept for the night. The door was locked only when the residents were asleep and wished not to be disturbed. The man without bread has committed a major social mistake, as keeping bread for hospitality was a sacred responsibility in their culture.

Now he makes his problem his neighbor’s. His pounding on the locked door will awaken the family and animals, ensuring that none slept again that night. Nonetheless, the man got up and gave his neighbor the bread he needed. Here is Jesus’ point: if the man would answer such a request, how much more will God answer our prayers. Knowing the historical culture makes the parable live again.

As you investigate historical context, be especially alert to changes between the first century and ours.

For instance, calling someone a “Good Samaritan” today is a compliment. In Jesus’ day, the term was an oxymoron. For a Samaritan to help a wounded Jew after his priest and Levite had refused him would be akin to a black man in the 1960s helping an injured white man after his pastor and deacon chairman left him for dead.

When we understand and communicate the historical situation behind the text, its meaning is still as relevant as when the biblical writers first recorded it.

Once you are familiar with the author’s purpose for his book and the particular text you’re studying, you know the meaning of his words and phrases, and you understand the historical and social background of the passage, you are ready to interpret the text theologically and practically. You have laid an excellent foundation for the application of God’s word to your life today.

Theological principles

Scripture interprets Scripture

Now that you have developed the grammatical/historical meaning of the text, relate this meaning to the rest of God’s word. Use a topical Bible or concordance to find other passages on the subject. But be careful–never take any other passage out of its context to make it fit your study. Only relate those texts which are intended by their author for this application.

Last year at Men’s Bible Study we were discussing James 3 and the warning against sins of speech. One of the men asked, “Which kinds of speech does he mean?” James doesn’t specify. But I had looked for other scriptures on the subject, and listed them in my notes: lies (Exodus 20:16), false appearances (Psalm 62:4), withholding the truth (Leviticus 5:1), and slander (Ephesians 4:31; Titus 3:1-2; 1 Peter 2:1). God’s word was its own best commentary, and made the passage in James more specific and relevant.

General theological concepts

Now you are ready to look for intended theological principles within the passage and larger word of God. See what the text has to say about:

God

Humanity

Creation and the world

Sin

Salvation

Missions

The future

What other theological significance is found within the text? What key theological contributions does the passage make to our lives today?

Let’s say you’re studying Romans 12:1-2:

“Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

What is “therefore” there for? It takes us back to the mercies of God for which Paul expresses gratitude in Romans 11:33-36. In light of all he has done for us, this is what we are to do in response: “offer your bodies as living sacrifices.” In the Greek culture of the first century, the body and the spirit were separated. The spiritual is good, the physical demeaning. The point of life is to free the soul from its physical prison.

Now Paul wants us to offer our “bodies” to God, our entire lives. Not just Sunday but Monday. Not just our salvation but our service. Not just our religion but the rest of our lives, money, abilities, and opportunities. Knowing the theological context of Paul’s statement helps us understand its application to our lives.

And asking theological questions brings the text into relevance. What does Paul say about God? That he loves and wants us. About ourselves? We can and should give ourselves fully to him. About this world? That we must refuse its pattern and priorities. About spiritual growth? That we must be transformed daily as we make our minds new in God’s presence. About his will? That it is good, pleasing, and perfect, but available most fully to those who are most fully his.

The theological principles discovered in a biblical text are especially important to the passage’s relevance today. However, these principles must be grounded in the author’s intended meaning, as discovered by grammatical-historical study. That is why our “four-fold” method builds theological application upon textual investigation. We should never reverse the order.

Practical principles

The last area in our “four-fold” approach deals with practical applications of the text. Since human nature does not change, the Bible is always relevant and applies personally and practically to our lives.

The Scriptures were given to us to help us find and follow Jesus. If we do not seek the practical applications of the text, we have not completed its study and interpretation. Our objective should be to reproduce the original meaning of the text in today’s culture.

There are five steps to take in applying the Bible practically.

Write out the intended meaning of the text. On the basis of your grammatical-historical study, define the meaning and purpose of the passage for its author and original readers.

Note differences in setting and context. In your historical investigation, you will have observed changes in culture and context from the text to our day, some of which will significantly affect its contemporary application.

Make direct applications where intended by the author. Where the writer’s intended meaning and purpose transfers directly to our culture and needs, make this application as practically as possible. For instance, Paul’s call to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices” calls us to complete surrender and obedience. Is there a part of your life not on the altar? Make this practical and personal application of the passage.

Seek principles within the passage when the text does not apply directly to our day. Sometimes we will study an Old Testament passage not renewed in the New Testament (such as a dietary code), or a historical event which does not prescribe a specific application (such as the Battle of Jericho).

In this case, do not apply the text as directly as if it were prescriptive. Otherwise, all Christians would be required to obey kosher dietary laws and warfare would be reduced to marching around enemy walls.

Instead, seek principles within the text which might apply to today’s situation and needs, keeping these principles consistent with the author’s intended meaning. Dietary laws reveal the practical principle that God cares deeply about our bodies and health. The Battle of Jericho shows us that God’s will, when obeyed, always leads to the victory which is his will and intention for our lives. Find such general principles within the author’s intended purpose, and apply them practically.

The use of principles is often the best way to approach culture-bound biblical statements. For example, “Greet one another with a holy kiss” is a common command in Paul’s letters (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26). The meaning of the words and grammar are just as Paul indicates.

But in Paul’s society, unlike ours, people often greeted each other publicly with a kiss. In our context, these verses suggest the principle that Christians should greet one another with great kindness and love, whether this is by word, hand, or other physical expression. We are commanded to obey the principle of the text.

In the same way, commands to individuals in Scripture are not always commands to us today. Abraham was commanded to offer Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22); this prescription is not incumbent on fathers today. We need to apply the principle of the text–as a father, even my sons must be dedicated to God and his will.

When we discover practical principles within the author’s intended meaning, we find that every passage in the Bible possesses personal relevance today.

Define at least one action which the text suggests today. When you have finished your study of the text, you should be able to describe at least one practical action you will take as a result of the author’s intended purpose. Then you can determine ways to communicate this application to others.

Mark Twain speaks for most of us: “When I read the Bible, the parts that trouble the most are not the ones I don’t understand, but the ones I do understand.” We should have a sense of conviction and direction every time we interpret God’s word.

Psalm 1

Grammatical/historical

Theological

Practical

Conclusion

The principles we have discussed this week apply to every part of God’s word. As we use them, we discover the meaning and application of Scripture in a way which brings its truth to life. Then we can say with the writer of Hebrews, “the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

We don’t break the word of God–we break ourselves on it. When last did the truth of Scripture change your life?