​1 Sam. 17:37-39 - And Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you." Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them."  NASU 

• You Have To Be Yourself 

David was not able to fight wearing Saul's equipment. David had to be himself. He could not be burdened with all of Saul's equipment. He was a shepherd. Their clothing was light, not heavy like the armor Saul was trying to place upon him.
 
Saul was a very tall man (I Sam.9:2). There was no way his armor was going to fit on David. David respectfully informs King Saul he cannot wear them for he has not had time to test or train in them and off they come.
 
Many times in life people will want us to be someone we are not. It is at times like this we need to be like David and be who we are. 

• David Was Comfortable In His Own Skin 

When David goes out to fight Goliath he went out the same way he did when a lion and a bear stole one of his father's sheep. 1 Sam. 17:40 - He took his stick in his hand and chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in his pouch, and his sling was in his hand; and he approached the Philistine.
 
He went as a shepherd who had FAITH in the God of Israel and he was going to be victorious.
 
This is what David says to Goliath, 1 Sam. 17:45-46 - Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. 46 "This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,.…
 
David informs Goliath the God of Israel is not only going to deliver him into his hands He is going to deliver the entire Philistine Army into his hands.
 
David was comfortable being a shepherd. David was comfortable sharing his faith in the God of Israel. David knew God was the One who was directing his steps in this life. 

• What About Us? 

Are we comfortable in our own skin? Are we as bold as David to share our faith in the God of all creation?

We really must learn to be ourselves in this world.
 
Think On This: 
 
You Can't Be The Best When You're Trying To Be Like The Rest. Be Yourself.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Daniel 3:16-18 -  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. "If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. "But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up."   NASU

• Know This About God  

The God you love and serve is also able to deliver you. But that doesn't mean He will deliver you the way you would like Him too, nor when you would like Him to deliver you.
 
In our text today Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar's made up gods nor would they bow to the golden image. So they are going to be cast into the fiery furnace because of their disobedience to man but obedience to God.
 
In life you may be following God's commands and then be punished because of it. This is what was happening to S, M, A. Their faith didn't waiver. They knew God could deliver them but if He didn't no big deal. He was still God and they were still faithful obedient servants of God. If they died physically they would graduate into the next life.

• Know This About Your Situation  

God may not remove you from your trial. He didn't remove S, M, A, from their trial. They were indeed cast into the fiery furnace, BUT God didn't forsake them. He didn't remove them from their ordeal, but He did go into the furnace with them.
 
God may not always remove us from our trials but you can be sure He is right there with us the entire way.
 
Daniel 3:23-25 - But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.  Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and  walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the  gods!" 
 
God knows all about our lives because He loves us. He will never leave us nor forsake us. Just because we might suffer for doing good doesn't mean God has abandoned us.
 
That my friends you can take to the bank.
 
Think On These:
 
God Calls for us to stand, though not always to understand.
 
God doesn't call us to be successful. He calls us to be faithful.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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Prov. 17:28 - Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. NASU 

• The Best Way 

The best way to keep your foot out of your mouth according to Solomon is to keep your mouth shut. In fact, you will not only keep your foot out of your mouth you will be considered wise by some.
 
I am sure we have all said something we wish we hadn't. If we could only get those words back into our mouth, but once they are out that is when the regrets begin. 

• Peter's Way 

When reading the New Testament we can discover Peter on more than one occasion opened his mouth and stuck his foot in it. In the passage below we have Peter rebuking Jesus.
 
Matt. 16:22-23 - Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never  happen to You." 23 But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." 
 
Jesus will not let Peter's rebuke of Him go without being addressed. Jesus is not saying Peter has the devil in him. The word "satan" means "adversary" and an adversary is one whose plans or goals are different from yours. (The word "satan" should have been translated instead of transliterated and this would eliminate a lot of confusion over this verse.)
 
Jesus had just informed His disciples He was going into Jerusalem where He would suffer, be killed, and raised on the third day. This was God's plan before the foundation of the world and now Peter is telling Jesus this will never happen.
 
In other words, Peter's plan is different from God's plan. Well, we all know Jesus was correct and Peter was wrong once again. 

• Make This Your Way 

If you are going to open your mouth and we all know we will occasionally then let me share this passage with you: Prov. 15:1 - A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. 
 
If you are going to talk then use gentle answers or soft tones. He goes on to say, "a harsh word stirs up anger." In other words, the way you speak can either diffuse a situation or exacerbate it.
 
So it all depends on you. Do you want to keep your foot out of your mouth? If yes, then learn how to give gentle answers or keep your mouth closed.
 
I would like to share one more proverb with you today.
 
Prov. 13:3 - The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. 
 
Think On These:
 
It's too bad more people are thoughtless than speechless.
 
Wisdom is knowing when to speak your mind and when to mind your speech.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
​

Matt 21:1-3 - "…then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. "If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." NASU 

• A Donkey and A Colt 

Yes, two disciples go into a village and come back with a donkey and her colt. Jesus will humbly enter Jerusalem as the King of Kings on a young donkey of which no one has ever sat. He also will be buried in a tomb of which no one had ever been buried in before Him.
 
One might say, "Why would anyone want a donkey?" or "All I have is a mother donkey and her colt, how could they be used by our Lord?"
 
What is it we possess the Lord is in need of? I would like to challenge us all to think outside of the box. 

• Ruth Baker Did 

Ruth was one of the true saints of God you get to meet every now and then on your journey to heaven. She fit her last name, Baker, perfectly because she could bake.
Whenever we had a church fellowship everyone watched to see what Ruth had brought in because that is what everyone wanted to taste.
 
We were never ever disappointed with what she baked or cooked for that matter.
 
I went to Ruth one day and told her the Lord needed her help. I explained my plan of how when visitors attended our worship service for the first time I wanted to give them a 1/2 dozen of her chocolate chip cookies.
 
Ruth was a widow so I told her the church would pay for all the ingredients and even add a little extra for her electric bill. Ruth agreed to use her ability to bake for the Lord.
 
Every time we would pass out some of her cookies Ruth knew she had used her baking skills to serve the Lord.
 
What skills or abilities do you have that could be used for the Lord?
 
Think On These:
 
You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving.
 
We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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