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The Case Of The Big Bad Bully

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We live in a day when bullies seem to grow larger by the hour. They mock the people of God. They defy the living God Himself. They strut across the cultural battlefield with weapons of intimidation, media, academia, and government power, demanding that we bow or be crushed. But the infallible, inerrant Word of God in 1 Samuel 17:1-54 gives us the clear, timeless answer: **the big bad bully always falls before a heart that trusts the living God.** The scene is set in the Valley of Elah. The Philistines have gathered their armies against Israel. Their champion is Goliath of Gath — nearly ten feet tall, clad in 125 pounds of bronze armor, with a spear like a weaver’s beam and a voice like thunder. For forty days this giant taunted the armies of Israel: “Choose you a man, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.” (v. 8-9) Not one man in...

How God Builds A King

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We return again to the infallible, inerrant Word of God — the Authorized King James Bible — and continue the story the Lord began in 1 Samuel 16. Last week we saw how God *chooses* a king according to the heart. Today we see how the same sovereign God *builds* that king. Turn with me to 1 Samuel 16:14-23. The Scripture declares: “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.” (v. 14) Saul had rejected the clear command of God. Now God rejected him. The Holy Spirit that once empowered Saul for kingship was gone. In its place came an evil spirit sent by the Lord Himself — not as the author of evil, but as the righteous Judge allowing judgment to fall on a disobedient king. Saul’s servants saw the torment and wisely suggested a solution: “Let our lord now command thy servants… to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and tho...

How God Chooses: A Powerful Lesson from 1 Samuel 16:1-13

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We live in a world obsessed with outward appearances. Churches pick leaders by résumés. Believers size each other up by social status, education, or charisma. But the living God does not choose as man chooses. The infallible Word of God in 1 Samuel 16:1-13 shows us exactly how the Lord selects His servants — and the truth will challenge every one of us. The Lord told Samuel, “How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? … for I have provided me a king among [Jesse’s] sons” (v. 1). Saul had looked like the perfect king — tall, commanding, the people’s choice. Yet he had disobeyed God’s clear commands. God rejected him. Samuel went to Bethlehem with fear, but the Lord provided the way. Jesse presented his seven older sons before the prophet. Each one looked impressive. Samuel thought the oldest, Eliab, must surely be the one. But God declared: “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LOR...

Lending to the LORD: A Detailed Exegesis of Proverbs 19:17

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In a world obsessed with ROI—return on investment—Proverbs 19:17 delivers a shocking financial truth straight from the mouth of the Holy Spirit: when a believer shows pity to the poor, he is not throwing money away. He is making a secured loan directly to Jehovah Himself. And the repayment is guaranteed. This is not prosperity theology or sentimentalism. This is the inerrant, preserved Word of God. Let us open our King James Bibles and dig deep into this divine promise. The Text (KJV) “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.” (Proverbs 19:17) Hebrew Word-by-Word Exegesis  The original Hebrew (Westminster Leningrad Codex) reads:   **מַלְוֵ֣ה יְ֭הוָה חֹ֣ונֵֽן דָּ֑ל וּ֝גְמֻלֹ֗ו יְשַׁלֶּם־לֹֽו׃** - **חֹונֵֽן (ḥōwēn)** – Qal active participle of חָנַן (*chanan*, Strong’s H2603). It means “to be gracious, to show favor, to have pity or compassion.” This is not mere emotion; it is active, merciful concern that mo...

Biblical Generosity: The Wisdom of God for His People

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In an age of tax-deductible foundations, celebrity “giving” campaigns, and virtue-signaling social media posts, the word *philanthropy* has been hijacked by the world. But the Bible—specifically the book of Proverbs—reveals the true meaning of philanthropy: a heart of generous love for others that flows from the fear of the Lord. This is not optional charity for the “socially conscious.” This is commanded obedience for every Bible-believing Christian. The Proverbs are not suggestions from a distant philosopher; they are the inerrant, Spirit-breathed wisdom of the living God. Let us open our preserved King James Bibles and hear what the Lord declares about true philanthropy. “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD” (Proverbs 19:17) This single verse turns all worldly philanthropy upside down. When you give to the needy, you are not merely helping a fellow human—you are making a loan to the Creator Himself. And Scripture promises: “that which he hath given will he pay him ...