Podcasts about Philistines

Gary had a hotel on the Jersey Shore. It's one of those big, old rambling hotels with a lot of style the East Coast is famous for; kind of a bed and breakfast place. Now, if you had just taken over a hotel, what would be your greatest need? Well, of course, fill the rooms! How do you get all these rooms filled to pay off all that you've just invested in the place? Well, a man stopped and offered to fill Gary's hotel for a week. That sounded pretty good. Gary was about to give in to the possibility, but he asked this important question, “Who'll be staying here?” The man said, “Oh, it's senior week! Our high school seniors will come down and take over your hotel for a week.” Gary thought about that, thought about the kind of damage and mayhem that those high school students could do with a week of senior partying. And he very wisely said, “No, thank you.” I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Cost of Compromise.” Our word for today from the Word of God comes from 1 Samuel 13. Let's get a little background. Saul is in a dilemma. He is the king of Israel, his enemy the Philistines are marching their troops. He is wanting to get to battle and stop this enemy. He's waited a week, and there's one thing they needed to do before they went. They had to present a burnt offering to the Lord. That was the way to seek God's favor to present that offering. That's a good thing to do. The problem was only a man of God could do that, like a priest. Samuel promised he'd be there in seven days. It is the seventh day, the troops are leaving, the enemy troops are amassing, the day is almost over, so Saul decides to do something. He invades holy ground and he himself - not a priest - offers the sacrifice. That's a good thing to do, right? It's the wrong way to do it. It's kind of like Gary who needed to fill his hotel. That was a good thing to do, but he knew there was a wrong way to meet that need. Saul knew that the end he was working toward was positive, but the means were wrong. He went ahead because he was in a jam. 1 Samuel 13:10 - “Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived.” Samuel asks, “What have you done?” Saul explains his predicament, and he says, “'I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.' ‘You acted foolishly,' Samuel said. ‘You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom.'” Listen to this, “Now your kingdom will not endure.'” There's a principle here: when you're in a jam, it's tempting to compromise, especially if the result would be something good. Don't do it! It will cost you what you need the most. It will cost you God's blessing. You have a need right now. You have a chance to meet that need if you just shave the truth a little bit, if you allow yourself to get into a romantic relationship with someone who doesn't know Christ or who doesn't love Him as much as you do, if you just give in to a temptation to get even a little bit, if you just take matters into your own hands because after all, God hasn't come through yet, right? Look at the price Saul paid. I've often thought impatience may cost us God's will more than any other thing we do. And the end does not justify the means. It is better to have your need unmet than to cross God's line to save the situation. That hotel owner knew it was better to fill it right or leave it empty because of the damage that would be left behind. When it comes to meeting your needs, don't panic because God is taking longer than you think He should. Let God fill that need the right way. Believe me, it's worth the wait.

The time came when, astonishingly, David believed that he must seek a place of refuge with one of the Philistine kings in order to escape from Saul. For Saul's whole rule, the Philistines were fierce enemies of Israel - but David, with his 600 men, considered that they were now safer in enemy territory than in their own land.The move came with a cost to David's integrity. During his 16 months in Philistia, David was deceiving King Achish about the raids he was carrying out against the tribes of desert robbers who attacked both Israel and Philistia. David pretended that he was himself a robber, attacking Israel's people. Achish believed him, and so convinced himself that David was no longer popular in Israel. However, David's firm plan was to be loyal to Achish while he continued to act in defence of Israel's people and to respect Saul.

In this episode we look at Eleazar, one of David's mighty men. We look at the heroic account of what he did when Israel was fleeing, under attack from the Philistines. We see how he stood his ground and fought them alone, saving Israel in the process and we see the significance of his sword that he refused to let go of even when he grew weary. We can learn a lot from him for our calling, our spiritual warfare, and our use and love for the sword of the Spirit! Let's rise up and be the Eleazar of our generation!

Mondo joined  @BeardedBibleBros  to discuss the ancient Philistine city of Gath and how excavators discovered enormous fortifications, unusually thick walls and pottery bearing a name linguistically similar to Goliath. The discussion then moves from the land of the Philistines to the mysterious megalithic structures of Peru, ancient reports of giants and the Nazca Lines.

Islington Baptist is a church for the Islington and wider Newcastle community sharing the life-changing message of Jesus. Our sermon / Bible teaching is a central part of our gatherings.1 Samuel 28:3-25Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.4 The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa. 5 When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. 6 He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. 7 Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”“There is one in Endor,” they said.8 So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”9 But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?”10 Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.”11 Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”“Bring up Samuel,” he said.12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, “Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!”13 The king said to her, “Don't be afraid. What do you see?”The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure[a] coming up out of the earth.”14 “What does he look like?” he asked.“An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said.Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”“I am in great distress,” Saul said. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has departed from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do.”16 Samuel said, “Why do you consult me, now that the Lord has departed from you and become your enemy? 17 The Lord has done what he predicted through me. The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. 18 Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today. 19 The Lord will deliver both Israel and you into the hands of the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The Lord will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.”20 Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel's words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.21 When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do. 22 Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”23 He refused and said, “I will not eat.”But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.24 The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast. 25 Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.

Zephaniah Series: Zephaniah 2:4-God Announces His Intention to Judge the Philistines Cities-Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron-Lesson # 36

Zephaniah Series: Zephaniah 2:4-God Announces His Intention to Judge the Philistines Cities-Gaza, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Ekron-Lesson # 36

Seven months after capturing the Ark of the Covenant, the Philistines are desperate to get rid of it. Ravaged by plagues of tumors and rodents, they devise an elaborate "acid test" to determine whether their suffering is divine retribution or pure coincidence: hitched to an untamed wagon, two nursing cows are separated from their calves to see if an unseen hand will steer them straight into Israelite territory.In this chapter of Shmuel I, Rabbi Sprung explores the bizarre penance of the Philistines, the miraculous (and musical) journey of the Ark to Beit Shemesh, and the tragic price of treating the presence of God like a casual curiosity.Key Topics Explored:• The Seven-Month Curse: How Avraham's ancient treaty with Avimelech echoes in the captivity of the Ark.• The "Anger Box": Unpacking the linguistic and spiritual significance of the Philistines' golden guilt offerings (asham).• The K'ri and K'tiv of Affliction: The textual shift between techorim and afolim.• The Acid Test: Why nursing cows walking uphill without a driver proved divine providence.• What Did the Cows Sing? The Gemara's debate on the songs of praise uttered on the road to Beit Shemesh.• The Fatal Welcome: Why the sudden return of the Ark turned deadly for the men of Beit Shemesh—and why awe must precede celebration.Learn Shmuel I, Chapter 6 with Rabbi Shlomo Sprung

(This podcast was previously published on, October 27, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   Judges 3   5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:   6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.   7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.   8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and HE sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.  

Saul, David, and Solomon are among the most influential—and most contested—figures in the Hebrew Bible. The biblical narratives portray them as rulers of an expanding Israelite polity that eventually divided into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Yet how much of these accounts reflects historical reality? Did the United Monarchy truly exist, and what can archaeology tell us about Israel's earliest kings?In The Bible's First Kings: Uncovering the Story of Saul, David, and Solomon (Cambridge UP, 2025), archaeologist Avraham Faust and biblical scholar Zev I. Farber enter one of the most vigorously debated areas of biblical scholarship. Against the growing skepticism surrounding the historicity of the United Monarchy, they argue that Saul, David, and Solomon were real rulers of consequence and that the early Israelite kingdom developed into a regional “mini-empire”—even if the biblical authors later reshaped the memories of these kings in order to glorify, criticize, or vilify them.Combining recent archaeological discoveries with close and critical readings of Samuel and Kings, Faust and Farber reconstruct the rise, development, and collapse of this short-lived ancient polity. Their study examines settlement patterns, fortifications, demographic change, relations between Israelites and Philistines, copper production in Edom and Timna, and the complex relationship between material evidence, historical memory, and biblical narrative.In this interview, Professor Avraham Faust discusses what archaeology can—and cannot—tell us about Saul, David, and Solomon; why the scholarly consensus concerning the United Monarchy has changed so dramatically; how biblical traditions preserve genuine historical memories while also reshaping the past; and why a kingdom that lasted for less than a century left such an extraordinary religious and cultural legacy.The interview was conducted by Željko Stanojević of the Institute for Hebrew Language and Literature, with invaluable assistance from his colleague Mila Lekić. The Institute publishes the Diamond Open Access European Hebrew Journal and organizes the EHJ International Scholarly Online Conference 2026, at which Professor Faust will present “The Archaeology of the Return to Zion and the Achaemenid Economic Revolution.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Saul, David, and Solomon are among the most influential—and most contested—figures in the Hebrew Bible. The biblical narratives portray them as rulers of an expanding Israelite polity that eventually divided into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Yet how much of these accounts reflects historical reality? Did the United Monarchy truly exist, and what can archaeology tell us about Israel's earliest kings?In The Bible's First Kings: Uncovering the Story of Saul, David, and Solomon (Cambridge UP, 2025), archaeologist Avraham Faust and biblical scholar Zev I. Farber enter one of the most vigorously debated areas of biblical scholarship. Against the growing skepticism surrounding the historicity of the United Monarchy, they argue that Saul, David, and Solomon were real rulers of consequence and that the early Israelite kingdom developed into a regional “mini-empire”—even if the biblical authors later reshaped the memories of these kings in order to glorify, criticize, or vilify them.Combining recent archaeological discoveries with close and critical readings of Samuel and Kings, Faust and Farber reconstruct the rise, development, and collapse of this short-lived ancient polity. Their study examines settlement patterns, fortifications, demographic change, relations between Israelites and Philistines, copper production in Edom and Timna, and the complex relationship between material evidence, historical memory, and biblical narrative.In this interview, Professor Avraham Faust discusses what archaeology can—and cannot—tell us about Saul, David, and Solomon; why the scholarly consensus concerning the United Monarchy has changed so dramatically; how biblical traditions preserve genuine historical memories while also reshaping the past; and why a kingdom that lasted for less than a century left such an extraordinary religious and cultural legacy.The interview was conducted by Željko Stanojević of the Institute for Hebrew Language and Literature, with invaluable assistance from his colleague Mila Lekić. The Institute publishes the Diamond Open Access European Hebrew Journal and organizes the EHJ International Scholarly Online Conference 2026, at which Professor Faust will present “The Archaeology of the Return to Zion and the Achaemenid Economic Revolution.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Exodus 13:17-22 Before they cross the Red Sea, the Israelites could have taken them on the road through the Philistine territory. But rather than taking that shorter route, God had a plan requiring them to take a much longer one. As we begin our celebration of TFRC's 50th anniversary, Pastors Chuck and Brett look at how God has brought us through our own extended journey to land where we are today. What was true for the Israelites, and what has been true for TFRC is also true for each of us - many times God leads us to a “longer route”. However, God's hand is at work in all the details of our lives - He is accomplishing His purposes through us.

Isaiah's polemic against the king of Babylon is, in our view, also a condemnation of the entity who led the rebellious sons of God in Genesis 6. We discuss the connections between “Lucifer” and the netherworld, especially the references to the “branch,” which is actually a loan word from Egyptian that means “dead god,” and the “dead body trampled underfoot” (Isaiah 14:9). We believe these refer to the entity called El, Enlil, Dagon, and Molech—i.e., Shemihazah, not Satan. We also discuss a potential reference to the Watchers in Isaiah 14:21, and the “flying fiery serpents” (dragons!) in Isaiah's oracle against the Philistines. Question of the week: Why will children have to die during the Day of the Lord? Here's the link we promised to TheSinging.Bible. Sharon's niece, Sarah Sachleben, has been battling stage 4 bowel cancer and the medical bills are piling up. If you are led to help, please go to GilbertHouse.org/hopeforsarah. Derek's new book War of the Watchers Book One: From Baal to Balfour is now available at Amazon in paperback and as a Kindle e-book! It's also a part of a special offer at the SkyWatchTV store: Get War of the Watchers, Derek's previous book The Second Coming of Saturn, and a 13-part teaching DVD based on The Second Coming of Saturn for your donation of just $45! Here's the link to the trailer for the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI-BfCJSGF0 If you are looking for a text of the Book of 1 Enoch to follow our monthly study, you can try these sources: Parallel translations by R. H. Charles (1917) and Richard Laurence (1821)Modern English translation by George W. E. Nickelsburg and James VanderKam (link to book at Amazon)Book of 1 Enoch - Standard English Version by Dr. Jay Winter (link opens free PDF)Book of 1 Enoch - R. H. Charles translation (link opens free PDF) The SkyWatchTV store has a special offer on Dr. Michael Heiser's two-volume set A Companion to the Book of Enoch. Get both books, the R. H. Charles translation of 1 Enoch, and a DVD interview with Mike and Steven Bancarz for a donation of $35 plus shipping and handling. Link: https://bit.ly/heiser-enoch JOIN US IN ISRAEL (NOTE NEW DATES)! We will tour the Holy Land Oct. 25–Nov. 6, 2027 with an optional three-day extension to Jordan. For more information, log on to GilbertHouse.org/travel. Follow us!• X: @gilberthouse_tv | @sharonkgilbert | @derekgilbert• Substack: GilbertHouse.substacdk.com | SharonKGilbert.substack.com• Telegram: t.me/gilberthouse | t.me/sharonsroom | t.me/viewfromthebunker• YouTube: @GilbertHouse | @UnravelingRevelation | @thebiblesgreatestmysteries• Facebook.com/GilbertHouseFellowship Thank you for making our Build Barn Better project a reality! We truly appreciate your support. If you are so led, you can help out at GilbertHouse.org/donate. Get our free app! It connects you to these studies plus our weekly video programs Unraveling Revelation and A View from the Bunker, and the podcast that started this journey in 2005, P.I.D. Radio. Best of all, it bypasses the gatekeepers of Big Tech! The app is available for iOS, Android, Roku, and Apple TV. Links to the app stores are at www.gilberthouse.org/app/. Gilbert House T-shirts and mugs! New to our store is a line of GHTV and Redwing Saga merch! Check it out at GilbertHouse.org/store! Think better, feel better! Our partners at Simply Clean Foods offer freeze-dried, 100% GMO-free food and delicious, vacuum-packed fair trade coffee from Honduras. Find out more at GilbertHouse.org/store. Our favorite Bible study tools! Check the links in the left-hand column at www.GilbertHouse.org.

In this sermon from Psalm 34, Pastor Rockhill draws the congregation to the goodness of the Lord as experienced by David when he fled from Saul and feigned madness before the Philistine king. Though God's people today do not face David's exact trials, Pastor Rockhill reminds them that every believer wages spiritual warfare against sin, Satan, and temptation, and so may still identify with the psalmist's fears and troubles. The central burden is a summons to taste and see that the Lord is good. Pastor Rockhill divides the psalm into the singing (verses 1-10), where David praises God at all times and invites others to magnify the Lord with him, and the sermon (verses 11-22), where practical instruction follows for those who have tasted the Lord's kindness. He stresses that deliverance came not by David's scheming but by the angel of the Lord who encamps around those who fear Him. Key doctrine is set forth in the character of God: He is near, righteous, faithful, compassionate, and sovereign over the many afflictions of the righteous, from which He delivers them all. Pastor Rockhill points to the unbroken bones of Christ as the fulfillment of this preserving grace. By way of application, he calls hearers to guard their tongues, depart from evil, do good, and pursue peace as the fruit of salvation rather than its cause. All rests on Christ, who bore God's wrath so that none who trust in Him shall be condemned. He urges every listener to lay down doubt and fear and taste the gospel's goodness by faith.

In this sermon from Psalm 34, Pastor Rockhill draws the congregation to the goodness of the Lord as experienced by David when he fled from Saul and feigned madness before the Philistine king. Though God's people today do not face David's exact trials, Pastor Rockhill reminds them that every believer wages spiritual warfare against sin, Satan, and temptation, and so may still identify with the psalmist's fears and troubles. The central burden is a summons to taste and see that the Lord is good. Pastor Rockhill divides the psalm into the singing (verses 1-10), where David praises God at all times and invites others to magnify the Lord with him, and the sermon (verses 11-22), where practical instruction follows for those who have tasted the Lord's kindness. He stresses that deliverance came not by David's scheming but by the angel of the Lord who encamps around those who fear Him. Key doctrine is set forth in the character of God: He is near, righteous, faithful, compassionate, and sovereign over the many afflictions of the righteous, from which He delivers them all. Pastor Rockhill points to the unbroken bones of Christ as the fulfillment of this preserving grace. By way of application, he calls hearers to guard their tongues, depart from evil, do good, and pursue peace as the fruit of salvation rather than its cause. All rests on Christ, who bore God's wrath so that none who trust in Him shall be condemned. He urges every listener to lay down doubt and fear and taste the gospel's goodness by faith.

(This podcast was previously published on, October 25, 2021)   Jesus Ministries, Joan Boney  ...   The children of Israel passed over river Jordan and fought the nations and took the land which God had promised to Abraham 400-years earlier.   Joshua grew old and died after he had divided the land and had given that land to the 12 tribes of the children of Israel.   The people began living on their inheritance.   But when they failed to drive out the nations around them, they began to take on the gods of those nations and sinned against God.   God sent HIS angel to them to deliver the following message.   Judges 2   1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break MY covenant with you.   2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed MY voice: why have ye done this?   3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.   4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.  

In this episode, we explore the story of Samson from the book of Judges 14 and the lessons it holds for Christians about strength, obedience, character and the consequences of compromise. Samson's encounter with the lion, the honey, and the Philistines' deceit reveal both God's supernatural power and Samson's human weakness. His life reminds us of the importance of honoring our commitments to God, resisting temptation, controlling our anger, and leaving vengeance in God's hands. When we play too closely with the enemy, our choices can lead to painful consequences. More importantly, Samson's story points to God's faithfulness even when people fail. Though Samson's disobedience brought great trouble, he ultimately called upon God, and God gave him strength one final time. His life leaves us with both a warning and an encouragement: if you play with the enemy, you will get burned—but God remains faithful when we turn back to Him. For more information about Bill Wiese and Soul Choice Ministries please visit us at: https://soulchoiceministries.org/  You can find more of Bill's teachings at: BillWieseTV-YouTube

In this lecture, the speaker reflects on 1 Samuel 17 and the confrontation between Israel and the Philistines at the valley of Elah. He begins by describing the military standoff and Goliath's challenge, emphasizing the scale of the Philistine champion and the fear his presence causes in Saul and the Israelite army.The message then focuses on how people often trust visible traits such as height, strength, and appearance as signs of leadership or security. The speaker connects this to Saul's selection as king and to God's words in 1 Samuel 16 that people look at outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.A central theme is fear and how it shapes interpretation over time. The speaker describes the Israelites' 40 days of fear as something that begins to control how they understand God and their situation. He says the real question in the valley is not only how large the giant is, but whether God is still present and trustworthy there.The lecture also presents David's response as a series of three battles: in the camp, in the tent, and in the valley. In the camp, David faces criticism from his brother Eliab and refuses to let that accusation define him. In the tent, Saul judges David by his age and experience, but David answers by recalling God's help against the lion and the bear.The speaker then discusses Saul's armor, which David refuses because it has not been tested in his own life with God. He argues that people cannot fight their battles with borrowed methods, borrowed identities, or another person's spiritual experience.In the final movement, David confronts Goliath by changing the terms of the conflict. The battle is framed not as a contest of weapons or size, but as a witness to God's power. The lecture ends by connecting this story to the larger biblical pattern of God's deliverance, including Jesus' death and resurrection as the ultimate victory over death.

In this episode of The History of the Bible, we enter 1 Samuel chapter 4 and one of the darkest moments in Israel's history. The Philistines once again go to war against Israel, leading us to examine the battlefield at Aphek and Ebenezer and what warfare looked like in the early Iron Age. We also explore the size of armies during this period and the Hebrew word 'eleph, normally translated “thousand,” and the possibility that it could refer to a military unit rather than a literal thousand soldiers. After suffering a devastating defeat, Israel's elders make a desperate decision: they bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh into battle, believing its presence will guarantee victory. Instead, Israel is defeated again. Hophni and Phinehas are killed, the Ark is captured, and Eli dies after hearing the news. Then comes the birth of Ichabod and the declaration, “The glory has departed from Israel.” But has God really been defeated? As the Ark leaves Israel and enters Philistine territory, the story takes an unexpected turn. Episode Highlights • The Philistines and their continued conflict with Israel • Aphek, Ebenezer, and the battlefield of 1 Samuel 4 • Early Iron Age armies and the meaning of 'eleph • Israel brings the Ark of the Covenant into battle • The capture of the Ark, the deaths of Eli's sons, and the birth of Ichabod Scripture Covered 1 Samuel 4 Numbers 10:33–36 Numbers 14:39–45 Joshua 6:1–20 1 Samuel 2:27–36 1 Samuel 3:10–14 1 Samuel 4:1–22 Support the Show If you've been enjoying The History of the Bible and would like to help support the podcast, consider becoming a patron. Your support helps cover the costs of producing the show and allows me to continue creating historically researched episodes. Patreon — The History of the Bible If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following the show, leaving a rating, and writing a review. It helps more people discover the podcast. Facebook Follow The History of the Bible on Facebook for updates, historical images, maps, and additional content related to each episode. The History of the Bible on Facebook Feedback I genuinely appreciate hearing from listeners. If you have general feedback about the podcast: General Feedback Form If the podcast has impacted your life, I'd love to hear your story: Share Your Story If you believe I've misstated or misunderstood something, I welcome thoughtful, well-supported corrections: Submit a Correction Sources ESV Study Bible ESV Archaeology Study Bible Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (NIV) New Spirit-Filled Life Bible (NLT) Rose Book of Bible Charts, Maps, and Timelines Satellite Bible Atlas — William Schlegel The Earth and Its Peoples: A Global History BlueLetterBible.com WorldHistory.org BiblicalArchaeology.org ArmstrongInstitute.org BibleHub.com BibleGateway.com Chabad.org EarlyJewishWritings.com #HistoryOfTheBible #BibleHistory #1Samuel #Samuel #ArkOfTheCovenant #Philistines #AncientIsrael #BiblicalHistory #BibleStudy #OldTestament #BiblicalArchaeology #AncientHistory #IronAge #IsraelHistory

Pastor Rick teaches that a biblical understanding of God is foundational for identity, direction, and purpose, as we continue through 1 Samuel 4. Rick contrasts Israel's flawed reliance on the Ark with the Philistines' fear of it, highlighting the dangers of idolatry and the importance of seeking the Lord. He calls men to embrace biblical masculinity rooted in obedience and devotion to God.

Samson is one of the most famous figures in the Bible, known for his supernatural strength and dramatic defeat of the Philistines. But his story is about much more than physical power. In this message, we explore how Samson's greatest weakness was actually his spiritual blindness. Despite being chosen, gifted, and empowered by God, Samson repeatedly followed his own desires and did what was right in his own eyes. Discover what Samson's life teaches us about spiritual blind spots, personal holiness, God's grace, repentance, and the power of true surrender. Learn why we should never mistake God's grace for God's approval—and why Samson's greatest moment came when he finally depended completely on God.

Tom Sheeley (1950-2021) performs "Amongst Them Philistines" at the 2003 Abbeville Institute Summer School.

Believers trust knowing the Lord fights for us. In this first part of the Red Sea narrative from Exodus 13:17–14:14, God leads Israel on a deliberate detour away from the shorter coastal route. He knows their faith is not yet ready for open warfare with the Philistines. Instead, He organizes them in martial array, has them carry Joseph's bones as a reminder of His promises, and positions them at the edge of the sea—where Pharaoh's army will soon appear. What looks like a trap is actually God's careful navigation and glory orchestration. When panic rises, the call remains the same: stand firm and watch the salvation of the Lord. The battle belongs to Him. Preached by Rodney Brown Jr. at Rhome Bible Church Website: https://www.rhomebible.org #Exodus #BibleTeaching #RhomeBibleChurch #Sermon #ChristianPodcast #BiblicalPreaching #GodsSovereignty #OldTestament #Faith #ImpartingTheWord #Reformed #ExpositionalPreaching #ExpositionalTeaching #RedSea #TheBattleIsTheLords

In this episode of The Leader's Notebook (Ep. 328), I begin a journey through the life of David, one of the most fascinating and complex people in Scripture. Before we ever get to Goliath, David's story is shaped by the world around him, from the era of the Judges and the rise of Saul to his unlikely family heritage through Rahab and Ruth. David was a shepherd boy from Bethlehem, yet God saw something in him that others could not see. We look at David's anointing by Samuel, his victory over Goliath, his rise as a military leader, and the growing jealousy of Saul. David's story reminds us that God's calling does not always make immediate sense, and that success, recognition, and even God's favor can create complicated seasons of testing. We also see the remarkable friendship of David and Jonathan and the supernatural moments that protected David when his life was in danger. As we begin this study, Psalm 23 gives us a beautiful glimpse of the heart of the man behind the history: “The Lord is my shepherd.” – Dr. Mark Rutland Chapters (00:00:03) - leaders notebook with Dr. Mark Rutland(00:02:48) - The Story of King David(00:12:07) - Samuel the Last Judge of Israel(00:19:29) - David the Lion in the King's Court(00:22:09) - Samuel: I'm Going to Take the Kingdom from Saul(00:26:18) - The Life of David(00:31:58) - In the Life of David(00:36:14) - The Battle of David vs Goliath(00:38:34) - Saul Says to David: Who Is That?(00:44:42) - David and the Philistines(00:46:47) - David's Decision to Kill Saul(00:53:44) - The Leader's Notebook

In this installment, we're going to see that David is going to be rejected by the Philistines. Now, in one sense, that is a very wise decision, because David has proved over and over that he is loyal to God. I can say that differently, that he demonstrates faithfulness to God, and therefore even at those times when David went out in order to wage war, he did not do so as he said against the children of Israel, but rather he did it in actuality against the Philistines, bringing God's judgment upon this wicked people, these people who engage in idolatry, who reject the biblical God, the God of Israel.https://get.theapp.co/yjjqTo donate please visit us at:https://loveisrael.org/donate/Checks may be sent to:LoveIsrael.org

In 1 Samuel 7:3–17, Israel turns back to the Lord, putting away their idols and learning that true repentance produces dependence on God. When the Philistines come against them, Israel doesn't try to rescue themselves—they cry out to the Lord, and He gives them victory. Samuel sets up a stone of remembrance, declaring, “Thus far the Lord has helped us,” reminding Israel that their rescue belongs to God alone. The story ultimately points us to Jesus, the greater Samuel, who not only stands in the gap for sinners but closes the gap between us and God through His life, death, and resurrection. Our hope isn't found in our ability to rescue ourselves, but in the God who has already rescued us.

In 2 Samuel 23:13–17, three of King David's chief warriors—known as the "Three Mighty Men"—demonstrated extraordinary loyalty during a campaign against the Philistines.This lesson is entitled so because of the valiant men who served King David and fought their way through the Philistine army to fulfill a desire of his heart: a drink of water from the well in Bethlehem. Their faithfulness and commitment to fulfill the very desire of their priest/king's heart reflect the longing of Brother Singh's heart.

So, what is the hymn “Come Thou Fount” referring to with this obscure and unfamiliar phrase about raising an Ebenezer?  When you hear the word Ebenezer, you probably think of Scrooge from Dicken's Christmas Carol. Not too many people name their sons Ebenezer these days. But in Scripture we find this word in 1 Samuel 7:12:  Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.”  Literally the word Ebenezer means “Stone of Help.” Samuel set up—or raised—this stone as a memorial, a marker-stone, to commemorate the Israelite victory over the Philistines. This was not a stone to be worshiped; it was not to make a certain place holy, like a Mecca. But Samuel knew well that the Israelites were very prone to forget God's goodness and blessings. So, he raised this stone as an everlasting reminder of how God had helped them win this victory.  I'd like to talk about Ebenezer stones—or stones of remembrances—for our own lives, by looking at the life of Moses. There were some definite Ebenezer stones in his life—stones of remembrance, stones when God helped him. And these turning points in his life relate to ours as well. As we look at Moses' stones of remembrance, consider how your own life may have some similar ones.  The Stone of Salvation  You are no doubt familiar with the story of how Moses's life was saved as a baby by a very creative mother and sister. When Pharaoh's daughter saw baby Moses in the basket on the Nile, she took him into Pharaoh's home and raised him as one of her own. He was physically saved, so there would be a Stone of Salvation for Moses.  Do you have a Stone of Salvation? I'm talking about salvation from the penalty of your sins. Can you tell of a time when you were made aware of your sins, where you were convicted of your sinful condition, and you knew you could not save yourself?   If you have not yet set up your stone of salvation, here's all you have to do:   If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Romans 10:9-10).  The Stone of Shame  As Moses grew to manhood, he was educated as an Egyptian with all the privileges that came from being raised as Pharaoh's daughter. But he never forgot that he was one of God's chosen people, so he wanted to help his people. Pharaoh kept the Jewish people in bitter servitude, and they were sorely mistreated. One day when Moses saw an Egyptian beating one of his Hebrew brothers, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. He thought he was doing the right thing to defend his countryman, but the next day, when he saw two Hebrews fighting each other and tried to stop them, they turned on him and said, Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian? (Exodus 2:14).  Well, this just blew Moses away. He thought his murderous act was a secret, but now he realized it wasn't, and when Pharaoh heard about it, he tried to kill Moses. So, Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he became a lowly, humble shepherd. For forty years Moses lived in exile in Midian.  Here Moses would need to raise a Stone of Shame.  Overnight Moses went from the prestigious position as Pharaoh's grandson to that of a fugitive. He had disgraced himself by killing a man, and now he had lost his honor and position, and he was reduced to being a shepherd in a foreign land—for 40 long years.  Have you ever had a Stone of Shame in your life? I have. My period of shame lasted for about ten years. Ten years when I decided I could run my life better than God, and I walked away from my commitment to him and did my own thing. I told myself a lie and believed it—and the lie was that life would be intolerable as a single woman. There could be no happiness or fulfillment if I didn't get married! Now, I know I'm not the only person in the world to ever think like that, but that's the truth!   So, my legitimate need for love and acceptance became an addiction, as I determined to do it my way instead of trusting God. During those ten years, doing my own thing led to a sinful lifestyle, one that was not pleasing to God and one of shame.   Maybe some of you are in that place now. You know something is not right in your life. You're living in disobedience to God's plan, and you know it. Or there is a big dark cloud hanging over you from your past, and you're stuck at the Stone of Shame. God wants to help you put this Stone of Shame behind you so you can move forward to the good things he has for you.  Stone of Assurance  Moses figured he had blown it so badly that God would never use him again. But he was wrong. After 40 years, as Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock at Horeb, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.   As God spoke to him from the burning bush, he commissioned Moses to rescue his people from the hand of the Egyptians. Moses is now a humbled man, and he insists he cannot do it. But God says to him, “I will be with you. I am who I am, and you will tell the Israelites that ‘I am has sent me to you.'” (Exodus 3:14). Moses feared they would not believe him, so God gave him some signs to assure him that as long as God was with him, he could do what God called him to do.  So, here Moses would raise a Stone of Assurance.  Do you need a Stone of Assurance today? You need to know that God isn't through with you yet, and he has a plan for you. Like Moses, you may need reassurance that he will be with you, but you have to give him control of your life.  What is keeping you from doing what God has planned for you to do? Is it fear? Is it that you have your own plan, and you just want God to bless your plan? Is it laziness? Is it lack of trust in God's ability to do through you what you cannot do yourself? Is it a relationship? Until you submit it to God, you cannot go forward to the good things God has for you, the good works he put you here to do.  Stone of Deliverance  After forty long years Moses was finally ready to do what God had called him to do. And now begins the battle between Moses and Pharaoh to let God's people go! You know how God took them across the Red Sea, escaping Pharaoh's last attempt to catch them and bring them back. They crossed on dry ground, and Pharaoh and his army were drowned as the waters came rushing back over them.  There Moses could raise a Stone of Deliverance.  Maybe you need to raise a stone of deliverance, a memorial to God's faithfulness in your life. A testimony of his goodness to you in spite of all you've done and all your failures. Has he been faithful to you? Then raise your Stone of Deliverance.  Stone of Commitment  Many years later as Moses was presenting to the children of Israel the tablets with the Ten Commandments, he said to them:  The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. (Deuteronomy 26:16-18).  He challenged the people to set up a Stone of Commitment.  They were to declare before God and his servant Moses and before all the people that they were committed to obey the Lord, to walk in his ways, to keep his commands, to glorify their God all the days of their lives.  Today you may need to set up a Stone of Commitment, where you say to God, “I'm not playing around any longer. I am serious about walking with you, obeying you, living for you, spending time getting to know you.”   Yes, there are landmark times when we need to set some stones of remembrance: a Salvation Stone, a Stone of Shame, a Stone of Assurance, one of Deliverance, and a Stone of Commitment. What stones—what Ebenezers—do you need to raise even today? Could you reflect and let God's Spirit speak to you. This could be a good time for you to raise some stones of remembrance; stones to help you to go forward to the new thing God wants to do for you and through you in this year.    

The CEO was hurting employees with his sharp tongue. No one dared confront him. Everyone was afraid of him, including Gene. But one day the CEO berated a new employee, reducing her to tears. When Gene saw how everyone in the room stayed silent, he spoke up. “I told him the way he was treating people was wrong,” Gene recalls. “He was astonished; it was the first time someone stood up to him. He didn’t change, but I’m glad I spoke up.” Scripture tells us of another man who stood up to a challenge many were afraid of. Shammah, a military warrior of David, came from difficult circumstances (see 1 Samuel 22:1-2), but God used him to defeat the Philistines, a formidable enemy of the Israelites. “When the Philistines banded together at . . . a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them” (2 Samuel 23:11). Only Shammah had the courage to defend Israel’s food supply. Being the lone man against the Philistine army meant death, but Shammah “took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it” (v. 12). God helped Shammah defeat the Philistines (v. 12). He may have been the only Israelite in the field, but he wasn’t alone－God was with him, giving him great victory that day. There may be times when we’re called to stand up to a challenge that everyone else is avoiding. Like Shammah, let’s take our stand, relying on God’s presence and help.

This episode explores Judges 16, which recounts Samson's tragic downfall and final victory: after falling in love with the ill-intentioned and persistent Delilah, in a moment of weakness, he revealed the secret of his strength—his uncut hair as a Nazarite vow—allowing the Philistines to shave, capture, and blind him. At a great feast honoring their god, Dagon, the Philistines brought the blinded Samson out to entertain the crowd; he prayed for strength “only this once,” grasped the two central pillars, and collapsed the temple, killing more of Israel's enemies in his death than he had in his life. Samson's outstretched arms between the pillars and voluntary death picture the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was also slain in the moment of victory on the Cross, destroying our enemies of sin, death, and Satan through His finished work. https://bereanbiblesociety.org/tbg-episode/261-the-death-of-samson/ Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bs4MkFnP69I Buy episode on DVD: https://store.bereanbiblesociety.org/shop/dvd-transformed-by-grace-single-episode-1-dvd-251-252/?attribute_pa_episode=261-the-death-of-samson Buy series on DVD: https://store.bereanbiblesociety.org/shop/dvd-transformed-by-grace-series-the-cross-in-prophecy/

Pastor Rick teaches through 1 Samuel 4:1-3 about Israel's conflict with the Philistines, drawing parallels to modern spiritual struggles and the importance of daily reliance upon God. He emphasizes the dangers of a consumer mentality in our faith, explaining that we don't need "new," but we need to be "renewed" in our faith each day.

Share a commentOne person with the wrong theology and the right access can tilt a whole nation. We start with a surprising historical thread, Rasputin's shadow over the Russian monarchy, and use it to spotlight a timeless pattern: when a culture gets “all aflutter” with mysticism and the occult, deception doesn't stay on the fringe. It moves inward, shaping decisions, weakening trust, and leaving real damage behind. Then we open to one of the darkest scenes in the Bible, the Witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28. King Saul is terrified as the Philistines mass for war, and when he asks God for direction, heaven is silent. We talk honestly about why that silence happens, how unrepentant sin cuts off fellowship, and why blaming God misses the real issue. Saul's next move is the turning point: he disguises himself, seeks a medium, and tries to force guidance from the dead after rejecting the guidance God already provided. We also tackle the big question head-on: was it really Samuel who appeared? Walking through the details in the text, we explain why this moment reads like a sober act of God's judgment, not a party trick, and why the occult remains spiritually dangerous even when it seems to deliver “legitimate” information. If you care about biblical teaching, spiritual warfare, and learning to hear God without chasing shortcuts, this conversation will challenge you. If this helped you think clearly, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review. What do you reach for when God feels silent?Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Share a commentOne person with the wrong theology and the right access can tilt a whole nation. We start with a surprising historical thread, Rasputin's shadow over the Russian monarchy, and use it to spotlight a timeless pattern: when a culture gets “all aflutter” with mysticism and the occult, deception doesn't stay on the fringe. It moves inward, shaping decisions, weakening trust, and leaving real damage behind. Then we open to one of the darkest scenes in the Bible, the Witch of Endor in 1 Samuel 28. King Saul is terrified as the Philistines mass for war, and when he asks God for direction, heaven is silent. We talk honestly about why that silence happens, how unrepentant sin cuts off fellowship, and why blaming God misses the real issue. Saul's next move is the turning point: he disguises himself, seeks a medium, and tries to force guidance from the dead after rejecting the guidance God already provided. We also tackle the big question head-on: was it really Samuel who appeared? Walking through the details in the text, we explain why this moment reads like a sober act of God's judgment, not a party trick, and why the occult remains spiritually dangerous even when it seems to deliver “legitimate” information. If you care about biblical teaching, spiritual warfare, and learning to hear God without chasing shortcuts, this conversation will challenge you. If this helped you think clearly, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review. What do you reach for when God feels silent?Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

On today's episode, James and Pastor Jimmy treat the 40 years in the wilderness as boot camp. God would not take Israel up the Philistine road until they had been trained to trust, obey, and fight, and the golden calf looks a lot like a unit going back to old instincts the minute the leader leaves the mountain. They connect manna, MREs, and a generation that never had to own the provision, then ask what happens to a church, or a family, when only one man knows the job. The second half turns to parenting: correction instead of friendship, enough leash to fail, and why a relatively bad dad still beats no dad at all. Don't miss it!

Spiritual Authority and Dominion (1) (audio) David Eells, 8/26/26 I want to remind you and encourage you about the difference between using carnal and spiritual dominion. The Bride is maturing and overcoming the flesh, and she's using her dominion over the spiritual host of wickedness and doing warfare against the DS satanists. The Lord says, If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: If any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed … (Rev.13:10). Jesus exercised dominion in His kingdom; not the kind of dominion that some want and false religious leaders have, which glorifies man. Jesus rejected the offer by Satan to be a worldly king with carnal dominion. The Pharisees and Sadducees had a carnal dominion over the people of God. Jesus commanded the people not to do what they did but to obey them because they sat in the seat of Moses. They were given governmental authority much the same way they are today in the church. Jesus exercised dominion over the curse and over Satan's kingdom. He was destroying the works of Satan in the lives of His people. Jesus had spiritual authority, and the people followed Him willingly because they were drawn of the Father, not because they were under the condemnation of the Law. Spiritual authority was necessary to be spiritually and physically fed, healed, and delivered. The apostate religious leaders had no authority like that then, nor do they now. Even though the disciples did not resist their carnal authority, they did resist their attempt to exercise spiritual authority when it was important. They said, “We must obey God rather than men.” When Peter tried to enforce his carnal authority with the sword, Jesus said, … All they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (Mat.26:52). Then, to show that His spiritual authority can, when necessary, dominate the carnal realm, Jesus said, (Mat.26:53) Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? Anyone who has an angel, much less twelve legions, would not need a puny sword for defense. One angel killed 185,000 men to defend Zion. Jesus then makes the point that if He calls the angels to defend His flesh, how would it be crucified? (54) How then should the scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be? This is a good principle for us who also must be crucified. According to type, crucifixion does not necessitate the physical death of the body, but the old nature. (Rom.12:1) … Present your bodies a living sacrifice … The body is dead, meaning that it no longer has a will and rights of its own but is devoted to the service of God. In type, just as Jesus sacrificed His literal flesh, we sacrifice the flesh of the old man while we live. We are told that those who try to defend the body by physical force will be killed for their lack of faith. (Rev.13:10) If any man [is] for captivity, into captivity he goeth: if any man shall kill with the sword, with the sword must he be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. It is also clear here that if a person needs captivity to fulfill in some way their own crucifixion, the sword will not save them. In fact, it will be judgment to them. (Joh.18:36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews …. Those who wrestle with flesh and blood in disobedience to the Word are not fighting for God's kingdom but the world and the flesh. They are attempting to exercise carnal dominion. Jesus exercised dominion to save God's creation. He did not exercise dominion over people who wanted to put to death His flesh. As He did a few times, we also have permission to flee, for it was not yet His time. That is a type for us. We must go through many things in order to put to death our flesh. That is what the world was created for: to bring us into sanctification through the death of the old man, the flesh. Even while the world around us is spiritually putting us on our cross by insults, injuries, persecutions, slander, etc., we have to cooperate with them by turning the other cheek. We have authority to save, heal, deliver, provide, and die to self. Exercising our dominion is God exercising His sovereignty through us. Jesus exercised dominion, but He personally resisted not the evil by turning the other cheek. While the world was crucifying Him, even before He came to the natural cross, His spiritual man was exercising dominion and delivering His people from the curse.  Sometimes we can get mixed up about when to exercise this dominion and when not. We do not have authority to save the old man. We do not want to keep our old life; we want our new life. Jesus said that unless we lose our life, we would not gain our life. So this authority to exercise dominion that God has given us is the same as Jesus had. This dominion is not to get rich in the world, but it is to have all we need to do God's Will. God gave me my last two houses and cars free, in order for me to do His Will. (Php.4:19) … My God shall supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Dominion is not to live after the lusts of the flesh, as they do in a false, worldly prosperity that encourages and empowers the flesh to live. (1Ti.6:8) But having food and covering we shall be therewith content. (9) But they that are minded to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and hurtful lusts, such as drown men in destruction and perdition. Here is a promise to those who are not content but love the things of the world. They will be overcome by lusts, and it will be as impossible for them to enter the Kingdom as it would be for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (Mat.19:24‑26).  Jesus exercised dominion over His flesh when He was going to the cross. He said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” He gave them authority to crucify His flesh. In the garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus spoke to those who came to take Him, “they went backward, and fell to the ground,” showing that He could stop them if He wanted to save His life, or until it was time to go to the cross. He said in John 10:18, “No one taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself.” A couple of times, He passed through their midst, apparently translated, because it was not His time to die (Luk.4:30). He had been given authority to save God's people, who believed, and to destroy Satan's kingdom. Our flesh (the carnal man) is part of Satan's kingdom (Rom.8:7). The book of Esther is not only literally true but also a prophetic parable. Haman (the beast) had been given authority by the king (the Lord) to destroy the people of God, while Esther (the bride) had been given authority to save the people of God. The beast and the bride were given opposing authority at the same time by the same king. In type, the beast was given authority to crucify the old man, the carnal nature, and the bride was given authority to bring to life the spiritual man. The king's authority could not be annulled in anything, just as our Lord's authority. Ultimately, the house of the beast was given unto the bride to have authority over it (Est.8:1).  The time will come when God will no longer offer grace to the Gentiles but will return it to Israel. He will permit Christians, at that time, to exercise authority over the people who are trying to kill them. Fire from the Witnesses' mouths destroying their enemies, smiting the earth with every plague, and stopping the rain for 3 ½ years, are examples (Rev.11:5-6). From there to the end, authority will be manifested to destroy the beast's kingdom until this world becomes God's kingdom and He takes control (Rev.11:15). Personal control differs from control by proxy. God runs everything, but He must use vessels of dishonor now (Rom.9:21‑24). The time is coming when He will take control in and through His saints who believe. This dominion is ours as spiritual children of Jesus Christ, but we will grow into it by grace. Dominion starts here in the training grounds but continues for eternity. Here, the Lord teaches us how to be rulers under Him over His creation. (1Co.6:1) Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? (2) Or know ye not that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world is judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? (3) Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? (4) If then ye have to judge things pertaining to this life, do ye set them to judge who are of no account in the church? (5) I say [this] to move you to shame …. If we have authority to judge fallen angels, how much more do we have authority to judge things in this life? Jesus taught His disciples to pray like this: “Thy kingdom come thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The Lord pointed out to me that this is a command that God is putting in our mouth. Some would object that this puts us in the place of commanding God. Look what God said in (Isa.45:11) Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me. In effect, what we command when led by the Spirit, He carries out. In Acts 3:6, Peter commands the lame beggar, “What I have, that give I thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” See, we represent Christ. Peter had authority to represent Jesus and to command the curse. When the lame man walked and bystanders were tempted to credit Peter, he said, “Why fasten ye your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him to walk?” (Act.3:12) God's power fulfills what we command in obedience to Him. Our work here is to manifest God's kingdom here on the earth. At the last trump, it will be said in (Rev.11:15) … The kingdom of the world is become [the kingdom] of our Lord, and of his Christ …. Through whom did God bring this to pass? The Bible gives credit to the saints. (Dan.7:26) … The judgment shall be set, and they (the saints) shall take away his (the beast) dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end. (27) And the kingdom and the dominion, and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High …. The saints, by God's grace, shall exercise dominion to end the beast's dominion. God gave dominion unto Samson even in his ignorance. What was the secret of Samson's power? Judges tells us that the secret was his long hair, and as soon as he lost his long hair, he lost his power. Samson was not a big, muscle‑bound man. In Judges 16:17, he told Delilah, “If I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.” His enemies wanted to know the secret of his power. They were not asking, “How did you get such big muscles?” That did not occur to them. It is not because of our great ability, or power, or wisdom, or even sinlessness, but through what Jesus did at the cross that we have this authority to reign over sin and its curse. Samson reigned over the enemies of God's people. When Samson lost his submission to God, he lost his dominion. In 1 Corinthians 11:3‑16, the long hair was given unto the woman as a sign of submission to her husband. The Bride submits to the Lord, Who is our husband. The one who took the Nazarite vow, as Samson did, could not cut his hair as a sign of submission. The point is that this great dominion was given to Samson, and he lost it because he lost his hair, a sign of his submission to the Lord.  Nazarites were separated from the world by their submission unto the Lord, signified by their long hair. (Num.6:5) All the days of his vow of separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy; he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long. This separation by submission is the meaning of holiness. How did Samson lose his holiness and power? (Jdg.16:19) And she (Delilah) made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and shaved off the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength went from him. Samson went to sleep, spiritually meaning he no longer had his eyes open to the light of the truth. He submitted his head, or mind in the lap of the harlot Delilah and lost his hair (submission, separation, holiness) and consequently his power or dominion. The moral of that story is that we should not let the harlot have our mind, for then we will have no power of dominion. The religious systems of man, the harlot, have deprived God's people of their power because they are not submitted to the Word of God. (2Ti.3:5) Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. The “bride” in the Song of Solomon was a prophetic parable of the sojourning of the Bride today, who temporarily lost her submission. (Son.5:7) The watchmen (or ministers) that go about the city found me, They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls (denominations or sects) took away my mantle (Hebrew: “veil”) from me. The watchmen are identified by the Lord as shepherds (Hebrew: “pastors”) in Isaiah 56:10‑12. These pastors, in trying to keep the Bride within their sectarian walls, smote her and took away her veil, which is also a sign of submission to her husband, the Lord. (1Co.11:3) … The head of the woman is the man … (5) But every woman praying or prophesying with her head unveiled dishonoreth her head … (10) for this cause ought the woman to have [a sign of] authority on her head … (13) Judge ye in yourselves: is it seemly that a woman pray unto God unveiled? False shepherds have made the people of God submissive to religions rather than Christ as it was in Jesus' day.  In a true type to our day, the Bride in vain sought her beloved first in the broad ways of Babylonish religion. (Son.3:2) [I said], I will rise now, and go about the city (Babylon); In the streets and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. (She sought Him from the false shepherds whose loyalty was to themselves and their own kingdom.) (3) The watchmen that go about the city found me; [To whom I said], Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? (It was not until she was delivered from them that she found the one whom her soul sought.) (4) It was but a little that I passed from them, When I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, (In her excitement she wanted to share Him with those among whom she was first conceived and birthed.) Until I had brought him into my mother's house, And into the chamber of her that conceived me. The other daughters of that corporate mother did not share her excitement for her peculiar beloved. (5:9) What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, O thou fairest among women? What is thy beloved more than [another] beloved, That thou dost so adjure us? Because of her not being content with “another Jesus,” she was not defiled with the religions of these other daughters and was chosen by her Lord. (6:9) My dove, my undefiled, is [but] one; She is the only one of her mother; She is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and called her blessed …. She regained her dominion when she became undefiled with the women representing the false religious systems. Those who bear fruit will walk in the holiness of her steps, not being defiled with the seed (word) of men, for they are spiritual virgins. (Rev.14:4) These are they that were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These [are] they that follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were purchased from among men, [to be] the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb. The sects of Christianity have become defiled with what Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:4, “Another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or [if] ye receive a different spirit, which ye did not receive, or a different Gospel, which ye did not accept.” (2Co.6:17) Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. Only the Word is the truth that sets free. (2Co.7:1) Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Jesus calls His sheep out of the fold of apostate religion to “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.” (Joh.10:3) … He calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (4) When he hath put forth all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This little flock that follows the Lord in rest is what the bride sought for. (Son.1:7) Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, Where thou feedest [thy flock], Where thou makest [it] to rest at noon: For why should I be as one that is veiled Beside the flocks of thy companions? The veil in this case represents the blindness and bondage of submission to religion. (2Co.3:15) But unto this day, whensoever Moses is read, a veil lieth upon their heart. (16) But whensoever it shall turn to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (17) Now the Lord is the Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, [there] is liberty. (18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory …. As we can see, those who are unveiled of the legalism of religion see the Lord and come into His likeness. The beloved Lord's answer to “Where thou feedest [thy flock]?” was (Son.1:8) If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. In Jesus' day, it was not possible to feed His Church, meaning “called-out ones,” in the apostate sects of Judaism, so He fed them “beside the shepherds' tents.” Likewise, because the Church has greatly apostatized in our day, Jesus is feeding the flock of freedom, rest, and truth, outside the shepherds' tents. This brought reproach to the bride and Jesus. (6) … My mother's sons were incensed against me …. Those who take up their cross to follow Jesus are commanded to accept this same reproach. (Heb.13:11) For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest [as an offering] for sin, are burned without the camp. (12) Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered without the gate. (13) Let us therefore go forth unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.  Moses, in a true type of Christ, led his people out of the camp of the rebellious apostates. (Exo.33:7) Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it without the camp, afar off from the camp; and he called it, The tent of meeting. And it came to pass, that every one that sought the Lord went out unto the tent of meeting, which was without the camp. It is in these days that thundering judgments will put the fear of God in those in the camp to come out and meet with the “called‑out ones” on the true mountain of God's Kingdom. (Exo. 19:15) And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not near a woman (apostate sect). (16) And it came to pass on the third day, when it was morning (the beginning of the third day millennium since the last Adam – where we are now [2 Pet.3:8]), that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of a trumpet exceeding loud; and all the people that were in the camp trembled. (17) And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. If you have discovered that you have been following man's religions and decide to repent, God will restore your dominion. While in bondage to the Philistines, Samson repented, and his hair began to grow. His dominion returned and he brought down their false temple upon their heads. (Jdg.16:30) And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead that he slew at his death were more than they that he slew in his life. Likewise, as we die to self, we increase in dominion over our enemies. Few who ever exercised dominion in the earth for God were manifestly perfect, including Samson. He refused the dominion of the Lord over himself, and he ultimately lost the dominion that he had over the earth. It is not necessary for God to take away the promises of dominion from the rebellious. Their own heart will not have the faith to partake of it. (1Jn.3:21) Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, we have boldness toward God; and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight. If we do not serve God, our own heart will condemn us, and we will have no faith to exercise dominion. He is still not speaking of manifestly perfect people here, but He does expect us to be disciples, walking in the light that we have. In this way, we are perfect by faith until we manifest perfection. The baby Christian has little knowledge of good and evil, but he is innocent in God's eyes if he is doing what he knows to do. Baby Christians have dominion over sin and the curse, but not over God's people. I have shared this revelation before, but years ago, I had a dream instructing me about the way in which God promotes some to leadership positions over His people. I am making no claims for myself with this dream, merely pointing out principles. In this dream, there were two mountains. (The first mountain represents the kingdom of the world, Babylon, and the second mountain represents the Kingdom of God, Mount Zion.) I was driving a car down the first steep mountain. (This represents humbling ourselves to the Word [Isa.40:4], becoming as a child [Mat.18:4], and losing our carnal life in this world [Mat.16:25-26].) The road that descended this mountain had a trench going down the center of it to the bottom. My car had one set of tires on one side of the trench while the other set was on the other side. I could not turn right or left without falling into the trench and, of course, halting my progress. (Joshua received instructions similar to this for taking the Promised Land. (Jos.1:7) Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. Turning to the right or to the left symbolizes getting off the narrow road of Scripture. It will stop us from exercising authority to take our promised land, which symbolizes living on the promises.) At the bottom of this hill, I got out of the car. I sensed that I had many enemies. (The more we humble ourselves to God's Word, the more enemies we will have, both in the carnal church and the world, just as our Lord.) Then I found, hidden under a bush, some tools like hammers, screwdrivers, and wrenches, which were drenched in oil. (The burning bush is where Moses received authority to deliver God's people from bondage. These tools all bind and loose, as does God's authority given to His disciples (Mat.18:18). The promises of the Word are the binding and loosing keys to the Kingdom of God that were given to disciples. The oil signifies the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, if we stay in the straight and narrow way, we will receive authority to bind and loose for God.) From there, I turned to the right (The sheep are set on the right [Mat.25:33].) and went up a steep mountain. (Going down the first mountain entitles us to go up the next. Being humbled in the estimation of the world makes us great in the estimation of the Kingdom. The last shall be first, and the least shall be greatest. (Isa.40:3) … Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of the Lord … (4) Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low …. The way of the Lord is that those who are humble in the world shall be promoted on God's mountain, but those who are exalted on the worldly mountain will have to come down.) (Jas.4:10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.) Reaching the top of the mountain, I went through the door of an immense palace. (Joh.10:2) But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (7) Jesus therefore said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (Jesus is the only Shepherd of the sheep. He uses vessels that come to the sheep only through Him, the Door. This palace represents the New Jerusalem on Mount Zion, the city that rules over God's people.) Old Jerusalem ruled over God's physical letter people just as New Jerusalem rules over God's spiritual New Testament people. Paul declared that we have come to this spiritual city. He showed us that it is not a physical city that can be touched. (Heb.12:18) For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched … (22) but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem … (23) to the general assembly and church of the firstborn …. (Jesus' called-out ones come to this mountain. Our journey is to come to this mountain, climb it, and enter the throne room through the Door.)  Then I saw Jesus, the Son of David, sitting on the throne of David. I walked over and sat down next to Him, and we talked. (The throne is the place of dominion that the bride has next to her King.) (Rev.3:21) He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne. All who overcome the stubbornness of their evil heart, to abide in the Name of Jesus, will come to this throne. (Jer.3:17) At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations (of the mostly Gentile Church) shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart. (All who overcome the first mountain of the world will live on the second mountain of the Kingdom of God. These act in “the name of the Lord” because they are seated in the throne of authority with Jesus.  This position has been given to all who are born again, but many have turned to the right or left and do not take their rightful position by abiding in Christ.) (Eph.2:5) Even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace have ye been saved), (6) and raised us up with him, and made us to sit with him in the heavenly [places], in Christ Jesus. As I talked with Jesus, I heard a noise behind me and turned to see some men trying to climb up into the throne room through a rear window. Jesus said, “Don't worry about them; they can't come in here.” (Obviously, the position of authority may be usurped in Babylon but not in Zion, God's mountain and kingdom.) (Joh.10:1) … He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. Jesus, speaking of the apostate ministers of His day, said, “All that came before me are thieves and robbers” (Joh.10:8); and so it is today. Many have stolen the position of authority by not going down the road of humbling themselves to the Word and entering through the Door of Christ. They have robbed the sheep of gifted mentors. They have robbed the sheep of Christ, for ministers can only pass on what they are. Religion has historically made the same mistake. They mistake education in a sect of Christianity to be God's authority and commission. The disciples were perceived to be unlearned and ignorant by the religious leaders (Act. 4:13). However, the religious leaders knew that the disciples had been with Jesus by their gifts. Faith, fruit, maturity, submission to the Lord, and personal knowledge of the Lord and His ways must be passed on to the sheep. Ministers cannot pass on what they do not possess themselves. The daughter harlots (Rev.17:5) are still mass producing hirelings (Joh.10:12-13; Isa.56:9-12); but Jesus comes to lead His sheep out of the Babylonish sheepfolds of men (Joh.10:3-4) so that, unhindered by the traditions of men, they may run after Him. A man must be an elder in experience and maturity in the Word to be promoted as a bishop (overseer) over God's people (1Ti.3:1-7; Tit.1:5-9). A friend dreamed about Christians as babies with beards, showing they had been with the Lord for many years but were still immature. God's people have loved the world, so He has given them immature apostate leaders to tell them what they want to hear. (Isa.3:4) And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. (5) And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the old man, and the base against the honorable. (Choose the man with the gift over the man with the title.) (2Ti.4:3) For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; (4) and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables.

I remember the time that my son got in real late. And I remember because that really wasn't his usual style. And, of course, I was waiting calmly and patiently for him to get home and, you know, waiting to hear his explanation; except for the hand cuffs and the bright light that I greeted him with. Now, he had good reasons. There were car problems, and there were people who really did have to be dropped off before he was, and, oh yeah, they got lost. It all checked out, but I was still an unhappy father for one important thing that he missed. Can you guess what it is? Uh-huh, "You didn't call!" Every parent knows, and most teenagers learn that you're making a big mistake when you don't call home. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Neglecting to Call Home." I'm going to read our word for today from the Word of God from 1 Chronicles 14. David is in his unstoppable years; everything he does works, and there are secrets here to being unstoppable. Verse 10 says, "David inquired of God, 'Shall I go and attack the Philistines?' And the Lord answered him, 'Go and I will hand them over to you.'" In verse 14, it says, "David inquired of God again." And in this case he happens to be asking Him about a strategy for defeating the Philistines. You see, David checked with the Lord apparently on everything...well, almost everything. One day he did a great thing. He had the ark of the covenant moved from the suburbs so to speak, the outer country, to where it would be in the center of things. But it was only to be handled by the Levites. That's the law of God! And they didn't do it God's way and a man died while transporting that ark. Now we read in chapter 15 of 1 Chronicles, "You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your fellow Levites are to consecrate yourselves and bring up the ark of the Lord to the place I have prepared for it. It was because you, the Levites, did not bring it up the first time that the Lord our God broke out in anger against us." Now listen to this. "We did not inquire of Him about how to do it in the prescribed way." In other words, David is saying, "We messed up because we didn't call our Father; we didn't check to see how God wanted this done." Our tendency is to pray about something, and then check in, same time, same station maybe tomorrow. Or pray when we're losing the battle. Can we learn a lesson from David when he was in his unstoppable years? Pray first about which battles to fight. Not every battle is one God wants you to be involved in. Get His orders before you get involved. Then ask the Lord about how to fight the battle. Pray until you start to feel His plan for that battle unfolding. The ark incident teaches us that you can do a good thing in a way God doesn't want it done. Good thing, wrong way, and it won't work. Too often, this guy's got to confess to you, I will pray about something in the morning, and then I'll put myself on cruise control and just kind of go ahead and not check in again until I hit a crisis. I'm a victim of my own momentum. Our Father expects us to check with Him frequently, regularly, all through the day, before a call, before an email, before a text, before a signature, before we drive, before we park, before we make a decision about where we're going to go next. "What do You want me to do, Lord?" "How do You want me to do it?" You can be unstoppable if you move through all your day's choices in consultation with your Heavenly Father. Like earthly kids, we tend to get in a mess, and then come into the Father's presence with our head hanging. And our Father says, "You didn't call."

In 1 Samuel 4:1–22, Israel goes into battle against the Philistines and suffers a devastating defeat. Instead of asking what has gone wrong in their relationship with God, they bring the Ark of the Covenant into battle, believing that having the symbol of God's presence with them will guarantee victory. But God cannot be reduced to a formula, ritual, or good-luck charm. Pastor David Maestas explores what happens when we want God's blessing without obedience, God's protection without surrender, and God's presence without a genuine relationship with Him. Why did God allow Israel to lose the Ark of the Covenant? Why wasn't simply having the Ark with them enough? Can Christians fall into the same trap today by trusting religious practices, church attendance, prayer routines, or outward appearances more than God Himself?

Share a commentDiscouragement isn't just a feeling, it's a lever. When it gets under the edge of your heart, it can pry you open and start rewriting what you believe about God, yourself, and the future. We start with a stark reminder from Scripture: even when we are faithless, God is faithful. That truth doesn't erase consequences or discipline, but it does give us a solid floor when fear tells us we're finished.Then we walk through David's nearly fatal slide in 1 Samuel 27 to 29. Under real pressure, David stops bringing his fears to God and starts holding private conversations “in his heart” until he talks himself into a plan that seems wise: run to the Philistines. For a moment it feels like it works. Saul stops chasing him, the pressure lifts, and David finds a new home base in Ziklag. But we tease out why relief is not the same as guidance, and how a false sense of peace can be one of the most convincing traps.Finally, the story turns when David's compromise boxes him into the unthinkable: marching with the enemy against Israel. This is where the episode gets painfully practical about self-talk, panic decisions, and the lies we feed our souls. And it's also where God shows up quietly, moving pieces behind the scenes to rescue David from a disaster of his own making. If you've ever made a “perfect plan” that later unraveled, you'll feel this one.Subscribe for more Bible teaching that connects to real life, share this with a friend who's discouraged, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What's one decision you're tempted to make out of panic right now?Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

Share a commentDiscouragement isn't just a feeling, it's a lever. When it gets under the edge of your heart, it can pry you open and start rewriting what you believe about God, yourself, and the future. We start with a stark reminder from Scripture: even when we are faithless, God is faithful. That truth doesn't erase consequences or discipline, but it does give us a solid floor when fear tells us we're finished.Then we walk through David's nearly fatal slide in 1 Samuel 27 to 29. Under real pressure, David stops bringing his fears to God and starts holding private conversations “in his heart” until he talks himself into a plan that seems wise: run to the Philistines. For a moment it feels like it works. Saul stops chasing him, the pressure lifts, and David finds a new home base in Ziklag. But we tease out why relief is not the same as guidance, and how a false sense of peace can be one of the most convincing traps.Finally, the story turns when David's compromise boxes him into the unthinkable: marching with the enemy against Israel. This is where the episode gets painfully practical about self-talk, panic decisions, and the lies we feed our souls. And it's also where God shows up quietly, moving pieces behind the scenes to rescue David from a disaster of his own making. If you've ever made a “perfect plan” that later unraveled, you'll feel this one.Subscribe for more Bible teaching that connects to real life, share this with a friend who's discouraged, and leave a review to help more people find the show. What's one decision you're tempted to make out of panic right now?Learn more about twenty-five years of global impact, and reserve tickets to our gala. https://www.wisdomonline.org/mp/25 Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

In this sermon, Pastor Steven follows David through his final confrontation with Saul and into the land of the Philistines. After years of exile, David has learned that trusting God means more than waiting for deliverance—it means obeying Him even when obedience involves risk, uncertainty, or damage to his own reputation. David's willingness to entrust his life and future to God ultimately points us to Jesus, the greater King who endured rejection, slander, and suffering to save the very people who rejected Him and secure for them an everlasting kingdom.

Ephesians 6:10-17a NIV   10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation … Proverbs 23:7a KJV  for as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. Ephesians 6:17a NIV   17 Take the helmet of salvation ... Philippians 2:12b NIV  Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, Reverence - Am I in awe of how much God loves me? Philippians 2:12b-13 NIV 12…Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Romans 12:2 NIV  2 Do not conform 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. 1 Samuel 16:11-13 NIV  11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.” Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.” 12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” 13 So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Reverence - Am I in awe of how much God loves me? Repositioning - What opportunity is in this opposition? 1 Samuel 17:22-27 NIV 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. 25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” 26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 1 Samuel 17:30-32 NIV 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” Reverence - Am I in awe of how much God loves me? Repositioning - What opportunity is in this opposition ? Resourcing - How might the Lord want to use this? Romans 8:28 NIV  28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 1 Samuel 21:8-9 NIV  8 David asked Ahimelek, “Don't you have a spear or a sword here? I haven't brought my sword or any other weapon, because the king's mission was urgent.” 9 The priest replied, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you want it, take it; there is no sword here but that one.” David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” Reverence - Am I in awe of how much God loves me? Repositioning - What opportunity is in this opposition ? Resourcing - How might the Lord want to use this?

We've all seen what happens when panic takes the wheel. When pressure mounts and our usual safety nets fail, desperation can make us do things we once swore we'd never do.In 1 Samuel 28:5–19, we catch King Saul at his absolute breaking point. A massive Philistine army is knocking at the door, and when he reaches out to God for guidance, he's met with dead silence. Instead of turning inward to repent, Saul spirals. He strips off his royal robes, slips into the shadows under cover of night, and sneaks into a medium's hut in Endor to consult the dead. Let's dive into the story and see how things turn out.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence.” ~Georg Simmel (1858-1918), German sociologist, philosopher, and critic “Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.”~Elizabeth Elliot (1926-2015), missionary, author, and speaker “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”~Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983), Dutch survivor of a Nazi death camp “The condition of the Psalmist's mind was complex—he feared, but that fear did not fill the whole area of his mind.... It is possible, then, for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same moment. We are strange beings, and our experience in the divine life is stranger still. We are often in a twilight, where light and darkness are both present and it is hard to tell which predominates. It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God, gracious fear drives to him.”~Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), famed London pastor “Stand fast in the faith, and love one another, all of you, and be not offended at my sufferings.”~Reported to be the last words of Perpetua (c.182-c.203), a 22-year-old noblewoman and new mother, killed for her Christian faith in Carthage (modern-day Tunisia) “Loving God—really loving Him—means living out His commands no matter what the cost.”~Charles Colson (1931-2012), attorney, political advisor, convicted felon, advocate for prison reform, and midlife convert to Christ “…reason is not king in human beings, the heart is. Therefore, to change your actions, you must change your desires. But your desires will change, only if the Holy Spirit who wrote the Bible also writes his laws on your heart.”~John Ashley Null, theologian at Humboldt University Berlin and North African Bishop “The faith of the church must be tried by God's word, and not God's word by the church; neither yet my faith.”~Jane Grey (1537-1554), English noblewoman and very brief de facto monarch of EnglandSERMON PASSAGEPsalm 56 (ESV)To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;  all day long an attacker oppresses me;2 my enemies trample on me all day long,   for many attack me proudly.3 When I am afraid,   I put my trust in you.4 In God, whose word I praise,   in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.   What can flesh do to me? 5 All day long they injure my cause;   all their thoughts are against me for evil.6 They stir up strife, they lurk;   they watch my steps,   as they have waited for my life.7 For their crime will they escape?   In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossings;   put my tears in your bottle.   Are they not in your book?9 Then my enemies will turn back    in the day when I call.   This I know, that God is for me.10 In God, whose word I praise,   in the Lord, whose word I praise,11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.   What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;   I will render thank offerings to you.13 For you have delivered my soul from death,   yes, my feet from falling,  that I may walk before God   in the light of life.1 Samuel 21 10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,         ‘Saul has struck down his thousands,          and David his ten thousands'?” 12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

After the Ark of the Covenant remains at Kiriath-Jearim for twenty years, Samuel calls the people to turn from their foreign gods, direct their hearts toward the Lord, and serve Him alone. Israel gathers at Mizpah, confesses its sin, and asks Samuel to continue praying. When the Philistines move against them, Samuel offers a sacrifice and cries out to God. The Lord answers with a mighty thunder, throws the enemy into confusion, and gives Israel the victory. Samuel then raises a memorial stone called Ebenezer, declaring, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” God has helped us, saved us, sustained us, and brought us into His presence. We must not forget what He has done. Sermon Notes 1 Samuel 7:1 & 2 The Ark was placed in the house of Abinadab and Eleazer was tasked to care for the Ark and it remained there 20 years 1 Samuel 7:3 - 6 Samuel spoke and prayed and the people repented 1 Samuel 7:7 & 8 After hearing that Israel had gathered the Philistines moved to fight them and Israel was afraid 1 Samuel 7:9 & 10 Samuel offered a sacrifice and prayed for the people and the Lord answered 1 Samuel 7:11 Israel defeats the Philistines 1 Samuel 7:12 - 14 Samuel places a memorial stone and Israel's borders are restored and they have peace 1 Corinthians 11:23 – 26 Our act of remembrance of what the Lord has done

We explore the tumultuous events surrounding the end of King Saul's reign and the rise of David. As David navigates his complex relationship with the Philistines, he faces the aftermath of an Amalekite raid on Ziklag, leading to a daring rescue mission. Meanwhile, Saul's tragic downfall unfolds as he battles the Philistines, resulting in his death and the fulfillment of Samuel's prophecy. Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...

(This previously omitted chapter is now restored to the How to Win series. Listen to this episode before continuing to Part 4.)What is the “secret sauce” to winning by faith?Use the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, the Word of God, covenant, and the power of the Holy Spirit—and then do it again. And again. And again, until you win.In Part 3 of How to Win, Dr. Terry Mize explains why faith must be more than familiar words, religious clichés, or Scripture spoken only from the head. God's Word must become established in your spirit so that it rises up when fear, danger, and crisis arrive.Drawing from David's confrontation with Goliath and Dr. Terry's own life-threatening encounter with an armed hitchhiker, this message reveals how to confront fear immediately, stand on God's covenant, and refuse to surrender to the enemy's threats.David never honored Goliath by calling him a giant. He saw him as an uncircumcised Philistine—a man without a covenant. David understood: “This man cannot win, and I cannot lose.”In this episode, you'll discover:• Why fear and faith cannot live in the same house• The difference between speaking from your head and speaking from your spirit• How life's pressures can choke the Word• Why you must confront fear before confronting the problem• How to use the Name, Blood, Word, covenant, and power of the Holy Spirit• The “secret sauce” of persistent faith• Why covenant changes how you see every battle• How to keep standing until victory comesKey Scriptures: 1 Samuel 17; Luke 10:19; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:18; Mark 4:14–20; Romans 8:11.Website: https://terrymize.comPartner: https://terrymize.com/giveYouTube: https://youtube.com/user/terrymizeministriesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/terrylmize/Podcast: https://terrymize.com/podcast#terrymize #morethanconquerors #terrymizeministries #faith #spiritualwarfare

We delve into the turmoil of King Saul as he faces a massive Philistine army at his doorstep. Desperate for divine guidance, Saul finds himself in a dark place, seeking help from a medium at Endor, despite having banned such practices. This act of desperation marks a turning point as he attempts to summon the spirit of the deceased prophet Samuel. Samuel's spirit delivers a grim prophecy, foretelling the fall of Israel and Saul's demise, alongside his sons, in the upcoming battle. Meanwhile, David navigates his complex relationship with the Philistine king Achish, who believes David to be a loyal ally.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...

Daily Dose of Hope August 19, 2026   Scripture: Genesis 10   Prayer: Almighty God, As we move into a new day, we pray that today will be a day that we see glimpses of your glory.  We need you, we yearn for you.  Lord, help us set aside our distractions and settle our scattered thoughts so we can focus on you and you alone.  In the next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers... In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We are currently doing a deep dive into the book of Genesis, which will be followed by a deep dive into Exodus.  I think you have already realized there is a lot of substance in these chapters!  Today, our reading is Genesis 10.    Let's start out by stating that this isn't the most interesting chapter.  It's the list of the clans of Noah's sons.  But if we look a little closer, we realize there is much to learn in this chapter.   In the previous chapter, we learned about Ham and his curse.  His sons are listed here is verse 6.  They are Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan.  You probably immediately notice Egypt and Canaan, and we notice that for generations, they were the enemies of God's people.  But there is more.  In verse 8, we read that Ham's son, Cush, is the father of Nimrod.  Nimrod was a tremendous warrior and his kingdom was centered in Babylon (who eventually conquered the Southern Kingdom of Judah) and Shinar, where the tower of Babel was built (we will read about that tomorrow).  Nimrod's territory also extends into Assyria (who conquered the Northern Kingdom) and he builds the famous city of Ninevah.    In verse 13, we read that Ham's son, Egypt, is the father of the Kasluhites.  That is the group from which the Philistines were descended.  In verse 14, we read that Ham's son, Canaan is the father of Sidon.  From Sidon came the Hittites, Jebusites, Amorites, Girgashites, and Hivites – all of whom were removed from the Promised Land by Joshua and the Hebrew army.   It is fascinating to see how many of the cities, nations, and tribes, descended from Ham, become outright enemies of God's people.  That curse was real, my friends.   I know that genealogies can be boring, but they are included for a reason.  If we look deeper, what we realize is that these genealogies can unlock so much of the Old Testament.  Often, they even pave the way for the New Testament, and explain nuances that we just don't get unless we look beneath the surface.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Send us Fan MailKing Saul is troubled, and David is called to the palace to play his harp and help calm the king. But when the Philistines gather for battle, a giant named Goliath steps into the valley and challenges Israel's army every morning and evening for forty days. Everyone is afraid, until David arrives with food for his brothers and hears Goliath mocking God's people.David is only a shepherd boy, but he remembers how God helped him protect his sheep from a lion and a bear. Refusing Saul's heavy armor, David walks toward Goliath with his sling, his staff, and five smooth stones. Goliath comes with a sword and spear, but David comes in the name of the God of Israel. This exciting story reminds kids that the battle belongs to God, and when He is with us, we can be brave.Talk about it:Why were Saul and the Israelite soldiers afraid of Goliath?What helped David believe God would be with him in the battle?Why did David choose not to wear Saul's armor?What does it mean that “the battle belongs to God”?What is one scary or hard thing you can trust God with this week?Visit our website: kathyskidsstorytime.orgWe'd love to hear from you.To reach us quickly, click the “Send us a text” link at the top of the episode description.Or write to us by mail:Kathy's Kids StorytimePO Box 44270Charlotte, NC 28215-0043

We dive into the iconic story of David and Goliath. Facing the taunts and threats of the Philistine giant Goliath, the Israelite army is paralyzed by fear. Young David, a shepherd from Bethlehem, arrives on the scene and, confident in God's power, volunteers to fight the seemingly unbeatable warrior. Rejecting Saul's armor, David approaches Goliath with only a staff, a sling, and five smooth stones. Declaring that the battle belongs to the Lord, David uses a single stone to begin a day of victory for Israel.Support the showRead along with us in the Bible Brief App! Try the Bible Brief book for an offline experience!Get your free Bible Timeline with the 10 Steps: Timeline LinkSupport the show: Tap here to become a monthly supporter!Review the show: Tap here!Want to go deeper?...Download the Bible Brief App!iPhone: App Store LinkAndroid: Play Store LinkWant a physical book? Check out "Bible Brief" by our founder!Amazon: Amazon LinkWebsite: biblebrief.orgInstagram: @realbiblebriefX: @biblebriefFacebook: @realbiblebriefEmail the Show: biblebrief@biblelit.orgWant to learn the Bible languages (Greek & Hebrew)? Check out our partner Biblingo (and use our link/code for a discount!): https://biblin...