The David Spoon Experience The David Spoon Experience

A) Sergio calls in to ask David a question about "sports" in his growing up in Detroit youth.
B) We resume at James Chapter 5:9, where we discover that a commandment from God in the Old Testament remains valid in the New Testament. This commandment is straightforward: Do not complain about one another. Indeed, many people make mistakes, and we are likely among them. However, the admonition is not to judge, as the true judge is standing at the door.
C) James then shifts our thought process to understand how we should abstain from complaining. The key is recognizing the need for patience in our afflictions. When we exercise patience, we tend to complain less. A useful method to gauge our progress is to observe the words we utter during our trials.

1) David lights up the show by being the only person who didn't hear about how the Dallas Stars did in the Western Conference Championship game. He depends on Jake's Take for the information, and Jacob delivers!
2) Dave talks about the promises and providences that come from the Lord. Often, the Lord encourages us to write down His promises, so we know they are forthcoming. However, He also urges us not to be discouraged if we perceive a delay, as our timing and God's timing rarely align.
3) Jay calls in to share his appreciation and prayer needs as he thanks and blesses the audience and offers a unique financial challenge to the listeners. 
4) I always appreciate texts that discuss the concepts of something and nothing, then nothing and something. It demonstrates that only through God's agency can something come from nothing. There is no other capacity for this to occur. Even if we see no buds, fruit, crops, food, sheep, or cattle, there is still something we can do. It's something we should do because we trust in God's quality. Remember, we walk by faith, not by sight.

1) As we approach the concluding sections of the Book of Acts, we find ourselves in Chapter 25, Verse 23. Here, Festus has orchestrated a grand ceremony for King Agrippa and Bernice. He has made it clear that he intends to send Paul to Caesar, despite having nothing substantial to write about him. In Festus's opinion, Paul has done nothing deserving of death, but he must send some information along with the prisoner. Otherwise, Festus could become less festive.
2) In Chapter 26, Verse 1, Agrippa tells Paul that he may speak. Over the past 45 years, I've interacted with numerous Christians who are deeply concerned that they won't know what to say when given the opportunity. However, this is where the Holy Spirit takes control. Believers don't need to worry about how or what they say when they are placed in a divine appointment to speak on behalf of the Lord. In fact, Luke Chapter 12, Verse 12 teaches us that the Holy Spirit will guide us in what to say.
3) I find it both iconic and ironic that Paul begins his defense with a gesture of his hand. While I'm uncertain about the specific gesture, being Jewish, it could be one of the 10,000 gestures we use. Paul opens his defense by letting Agrippa know that he appreciates the opportunity to speak, especially since Agrippa is an expert in Jewish customs. Even Paul, who knows exactly what to say and when to say it, asks Agrippa for patience. This is a good hint for all Christians.
4) Paul takes the story back to his early childhood and tells Agrippa about his training and membership in the Pharisees, the strictest sect of the Jewish faith. He states that he is on trial simply for looking forward to the fulfillment of God's promises made to our ancestors. With the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, Paul asserts that his trial is because he believes that God will fulfill His promises. Here's a challenge: Do you believe God will fulfill His promises to His church and to you? You might have to take a stand for that belief. But fear not, because the Lord will always stand with you, forevermore.

A) The most profound issue with these scriptural passages is that these individuals are described as blemishes or hidden reefs in your love feasts. This means they are present in the church, and we are not even aware. They shepherd only themselves. They are unstable, like clouds without water, carried about by the wind. They are fruitless trees that grow and produce nothing, and they are twice dead, both emotionally and spiritually.
B) These individuals are likened to wild waves of the sea, continuously pounding their iniquity, foaming up shame upon shame. They are compared to wandering stars, for whom God has reserved eternal darkness. Anyone who doesn’t believe that hell is a place of everlasting fire and darkness does not fully understand the situation.

1) I often say this, but this message is a classic one that I thoroughly enjoyed both assembling and teaching. You may not realize this, but sometimes the process of crafting a message or a teaching can be more valuable for the teacher than the act of sharing it. This is primarily due to the deeper insights gained from the Lord that aid us in drawing closer to Him. This message is a prime example of such a process in my life.
2) We examine a message titled "Saving Our Brains." While the title may not be flashy, the content is essential. The first step is to distinguish between setting our hearts on things and seeking things. We explore what it means in Scripture to "seek first the Kingdom of God." What does seeking entail? How do we interpret that? How do we actively seek the Kingdom? What actions demonstrate that we are seeking the kingdom?
3) We discover that there's a crucial element that occurs between our left and right ears. As always, we're commanded to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. However, we often focus solely on the heart, neglecting the other three. We will scrutinize one of the other three aspects with which we're supposed to love the Lord our God, as without it, our love is incomplete.
4) We will uncover a key principle within our Christian faith that sets us apart from the rest of the world. Naturally, this principle is rooted in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and the application of that redemption. But the critical question is, what happens after we're set apart? How do we progress? We know we're supposed to fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. But what kind of engagement can we participate in that will help make all of this a reality here and now? That's what we'll investigate.

A) We continue with Psalm 51, verse 7, the second half of the verse where David proclaims, “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” This is the crux. Whenever we believe we can purify ourselves, we operate in sheer folly. Only God can cleanse us thoroughly. Only the blood of Jesus can make us whole. Only the empowerment of the Holy Spirit can guide us to live in a way that honors the Lord daily. We require the Lord’s cleansing, His grace, mercy, and kindness to be truly clean.
B) David then expresses something challenging for many of us to comprehend. He says, “Make me hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.” What does this mean? It signifies that David acknowledged the crushing power of God in his life as a source of joy and gladness. The very bones that God metaphorically breaks within us are the ones we should be grateful for because they help us become more like Jesus. This concept is the central theme of my book, “Broken for His Glory.” You can find more information about the book on the website.
C) David implores the Lord to hide His face from his sins and blot out all his iniquities. There are times when we strive to improve and seek the Lord’s assistance. However, there are moments when we need to simply say, “God, please forgive me. I have failed You. I need Your help and restoration to move forward.”