My God My Everything

How approachable are you? It’s not a question that we often ask ourselves but it is one that will cause you to take a deeper look into your personality. Abigail was approachable; which by definition is friendly and easy to talk to. That characteristic was necessary to deal with the pending disaster that was headed her way. One of the servants told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them.  Yet these men were very good to us. They did not mistreat us, and the whole time we were out in the fields near them nothing was missing.  Night and day…

There are many ways to view King David, but boring isn’t one of them. He was a complicated character described as being both a psalmist and a warrior. He showed tremendous faith at times but he had his character flaws as we all do. Throughout his life there were a number of critical moments where if he made a different decision, his journey could have ended up without a crown. One of those was his response to Nabal’s rejection and insult. David’s men turned around and went back. When they arrived, they reported every word.  David said to his men, “Each of you strap on your sword!” So they did,…

In the Bible sheep shearing was a time of celebration and feasting with friends and family. The sheep owners would take their flock to cities where they would be sheared and the wool sold in the markets. It must have taken a great deal of time to shear the sheep with scissors or knife blades unlike the electric razors that are used today. Once they were sheared the owners would sell the wool and make an abundance of money. Imagine how much wool Nabal received from three thousand sheep! Prior to this season the sheep would wander the hills and valleys while shepherd watched over them. David and his men…

Abigail’s story begins in 1 Samuel 25: 1-3. She was the wife of a man named Nabal who was very wealthy. He had a thousand goats and three thousand sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. The Bible describes her as being intelligent and beautiful, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings. The Bible also tells us that the name Abigail means source of joy and Nabal means fool. Both lived up to their names. To say she married into a toxic situation would likely be an understatement, but often in life, it’s not the easiest of times, but the hardest that can bring out the best…

For the month of January we will discover some of the many lessons that can be learned from studying the life of Abigail. Overview – Intercessor and Peacemaker Although the name Abigail means source of joy, she had several life experiences that were anything but joyful. She was married to a wealthy man named Nabal who was described as being surly and mean in his dealings. The servants in their household were even hesitant to approach him because he could not be reasoned with. Because of Nabal’s foolish actions, his life and the lives of all the males in his household were threatened by David which opened the door of…

The Bible is full of stories about women who through their experiences, became Women of Influence. Each one is mentioned in His word by His design to teach us and remind us that God is ever present and always active in our lives. Let their stories renew your faith in the power and love of God. We can connect with their stories because they were women just like us who collectively experienced all that this world threw at them. They were women who also, and more importantly, experienced the many different characteristics of God and their lives were forever changed. We have the privilege of learning from them. God made…

A Journey of Discovery As you grow in your relationship with God your journey will provide abundant opportunities for you to discover some of the many names, titles and descriptions of God. Ask yourself if this is the God you know then check each one you know to be true and write in others that are not listed as you experience them on your journey. ___   My Lord        ___  My Savior           ___  My Redeemer           ___  My Father ___   My Refuge      ___ My Strong Tower     ___ My Teacher     ___  My Healer…

Psalm 100:4-5 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through the generations. Gratitude can instantly change your attitude because it shifts your focus from all that is wrong to a heart that is thankful for all that is right.  Everyday we have a reason to be grateful regardless of what is going on in our lives.   That reason is The Cross.  Because of Jesus’ selfless obedience to take on our sins and die for us, we have a hope and a future.  His resurrection conquered…

What does it mean to be intentional?  By definition it means to do something on purpose. On our daily journey we have endless opportunities to be intentional.  We can choose to be intentional about:   what and who we worship   how we pray   how we study the Bible   our gratitude    our relationships with God and others.  Being mindful of the many choices we have each day gives us a road map that through the guidance of the Holy Spirit will lead us in discovering God’s purpose for our lives. Being intentional about praying continually will not only connect us more deeply to God, but it will open the pathway of communication…