Being a Man...

After removing Saul, he made David their king. He testified concerning him: "I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do."
Acts 13:22

Gentlemen... we're going a tad old school today... but David is a man we should ALL learn from.

God said that David was "a man after my [God's] heart." What a powerful statement! To be seen in the eyes of the Lord of all creation as one who wishes only for the will of the Lord... wow. And David was exalted in many ways for his obedience. He was the boy who slew the giant, and the most powerful king that Israel had ever seen. He was the leader of the hose chosen to bring forth the Christ! What greater honor can there be?

I bet it surprised God when David murdered a man to have an affair... that must have been quite shocking. Oh wait; no it wasn't! God is omniscient, omnipresent and immutable... He knew what David would do, knew the outcome, and loved David the same all the way through it!

I believe that the single largest truth we can all take away from David is that he, although chosen by the Lord, was still a man just like you and me. What happened with his indiscretions is fairly simple to explain... he stopped looking up. He began to focus on circumstances, rather than the God who had lifted him up. And when he began to look at the world, he was drawn into the world.

Fellas, this is true for all of us, and there is nothing we can do to stop the world's attempted invasion of our hearts and minds. They will keep coming, no matter what. But what we can do, like David did, is realize our transgressions for what they were and are... ask forgiveness... let it go... and move forward with a song of joy! Hide the Scriptures in your hearts, so that you will have added protection against the devil and his schemes.

Take a moment today to pray with your wife. Tell her that you wish only for her to focus and aid you in lifting your request for forgiveness to God. And after your prayer is finished, know that the Spirit of God is filling you with the ability to turn away from the worldly "brass rings" that some grasp for so desperately! After all, if David could be forgiven... we can, too!

God bless you all!!!