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DAVID the WARRIOR

We all face giants in our lives—challenges that seem impossible to overcome. The ancient story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) offers timeless wisdom for confronting these obstacles. Beyond the Sunday school flannel board version we might remember from childhood lies a profound blueprint I call “The Warrior’s Code”—seven principles that guided a shepherd boy to an unlikely victory and can help us face our own battles today.

The Battlefield Context

The story unfolds in the Valley of Elah, where Israelites and Philistines face off across a ravine. When Goliath—a 9’9″ warrior covered in 125 pounds of bronze armor—challenges Israel to send a champion, even King Saul is terrified. The experienced soldiers freeze, but young David, delivering bread and cheese to his brothers (essentially a pizza delivery driver!), steps forward with confidence.

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DAVID the SHEPHERD

In the story of David, we find a powerful example of how God develops leadership through unexpected beginnings. While many of us focus on David’s victories as king, his formative years as a shepherd boy laid the foundation for everything that followed.

The Problem with King Saul

Before we meet David, we need to understand why God was looking for a new king in the first place. Israel’s first king, Saul, looked the part perfectly – tall, strong, and commanding. He stood “head and shoulders above everyone else.” But despite his impressive appearance, Saul had weak character. He repeatedly took matters into his own hands, disobeying God’s commands and relying on his own strength rather than trusting God.

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Mental Health & Faith: The Path to Healing (Part 3)

This is the final installment in our three-part series on mental health truths. If you haven’t read Part 1 and Part 2, I encourage you to start there. Today, we’ll explore the final six truths about mental health and faith that can lead us toward healing.

TRUTH #13: You don’t have to be “strong enough.”

Let’s bust a common myth right now: “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is not in the Bible. Scripture says God won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13), meaning there’s always a way to resist sin. But this has been twisted to suggest we should always be able to handle whatever life throws at us.

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Mental Health & Faith: Emotional Realities (Part 2)

This is the second post in our three-part series on mental health truths. If you haven’t read Part 1, I encourage you to start there. Today, we continue our exploration of mental health through a biblical lens.

TRUTH #7: Your emotions were created by God and serve a God-given purpose.

Emotions aren’t inherently bad. While they can lead to poor decisions if not properly regulated, the emotions themselves serve divine purposes. For instance, consider anger: Paul writes in Ephesians 4:26-27, “Be angry and do not sin. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity.”

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Mental Health & Faith: Understanding the Foundations (Part 1)

There is a lot of misinformation concerning mental health getting spread around social media. It works its way into conversations with friends, opinions shared through news outlets, and it can even be propagated from our pulpits and Bible studies. Misinformation, falsehoods, and lies keep us trapped and prevent true healing from taking place. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

All Truth is God’s truth. Christians should never fear, run from, or suppress the truth in any way. Only by facing the truth can we begin to experience true freedom and healing. In this series, I’ll share several truths, backed by Scripture, concerning mental illness. Together we can begin the journey of healing!

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SABOTAGING MY BEST INTENTIONS: a Biblical Look at ADHD

In my 37 years of church attendance, I’ve never heard a sermon about ADHD. When I was growing up in the 90s, ADHD was just “that one weird kid who couldn’t control himself.” The kid interrupting the teacher, making everyone lose focus. The “bad kid” on “that weird pill.” Thankfully, we are beginning to break those stereotypes!

But ADHD isn’t new, and it’s not rare. About 11% of children ages 3-17 have been diagnosed with it. It has a strong genetic component, being an inherited disorder. And like depression and anxiety, it’s caused by over- or under-activation of certain brain structures and a decrease in specific neurotransmitters. The science of it all is just a Google-search away.

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HOPE AND ASSURANCE: Dinner at Cleopas’ House

In the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion, two discouraged disciples left Jerusalem for the village of Emmaus. Their hopes had been crushed. The man they believed would redeem Israel had been executed by Roman authorities, and now they were making the seven-mile journey home, processing their grief and confusion.

As they walked and discussed recent events, a stranger joined them – Jesus himself, though they were prevented from recognizing him. When he asked what they were discussing, they stopped in their tracks, astonished that anyone in Jerusalem could be unaware of what had transpired.

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SALVATION AND BELONGING: Dinner at Zacchaeus’ House

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus was known for sharing meals with people – so much so that his critics labeled him a “drunkard and a glutton” and “a friend of all the wrong people.” Luke’s Gospel, in particular, records numerous instances of Jesus eating with others, showing how breaking bread together was central to his ministry.

In Luke 19:1-10, we encounter one of the most memorable meal-sharing stories: Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus. As Jesus was passing through Jericho (yes, that Jericho from Joshua’s famous battle), he met a man who would forever be remembered for two things: being short and climbing a tree. Poor guy – immortalized in a children’s song as “a wee little man,” Zacchaeus’s physical stature has overshadowed his bigger story of transformation.

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Characteristics of Christ | COMPASSION

A 40 Day Journey to Becoming Like the One We Follow

Day 24: Compassion (Matthew 9:36)

When was the last time you felt compassion for someone? I would venture to guess it’s not a feeling we experience very often. Maybe we should bring it back.

The word literally means “to suffer with/together” (com = with/together; passion = suffering). It’s closely related to pity, sympathy, or empathy. But it’s more than just pity.

Our word for compassion is translated from a really fun Greek word. Are you ready? It’s “splagchnizomai.” That’s the verb form, i.e. “to have pity/sympathy/compassion for.” The noun is “splagchnon.” This is the really interesting one because it literally means “intestines/entrails” – the inward parts of one’s body.

Have you ever been so emotionally moved you feel it in your gut? Have you ever had a sinking feeling in your stomach when you see injustice, poverty, or broken relationships? Have you ever felt love so deeply from someone that you feel a fire in your chest or butterflies in your stomach?

That’s the idea.

We’re told “The LORD is a gracious and compassionate God.” Jesus embodied that in his ministry. He felt compassion for the crowds because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He felt love for the rich young ruler because he knows what it’s like to give up everything. We’re told several times he was “moved with compassion.” Jesus felt these emotions deeply within himself.

But those deep feelings always moved him to action. We cannot truly experience compassion without acting on it. John says this very thing in 1 John 3:16-18. If we see someone in need, we shouldn’t withhold compassion (lit. close off our splangchnon). Love shouldn’t just be in words or speech, but in action.

God is gracious and compassionate. Jesus was moved with compassion. What stirs up feelings of compassion within you? How can you act on those feelings today or this week?

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Characteristics of Christ | FRUIT-BEARING

A 40 Day Journey to Becoming Like the One We Follow

Day 24: Fruit-Bearing (John 15:5)

We’ve already seen how Jesus exemplified all the “Fruit of the Spirit” that Paul mentions in Galatians 5. But the idea of bearing fruit goes further than that.

How do we know if someone is a good person or not? How do we discern whether or not to trust them? or to confide in them? or if they would make a good leader? or a good spouse?

We look at the fruit of their lives.

This isn’t the same as being judgmental. Just a few sentences after telling us not to judge others, Jesus warns us about certain types of people to avoid – “You will know them by their fruit,” he says. This isn’t judging. It’s observing.

There are some people who bear the fruit of broken relationships in their lives. Some bear the fruit of burnt bridges, traumatic conflicts, or a line of bodies they’ve thrown under the bus.

But they aren’t able to see their own fruit. They can’t confidently say, “It’s me. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s me.”

The fruit Jesus bears is a 2000 year legacy of world-change. During his ministry he left healing and transformation in his wake. He welcomed the outcast, fed the hungry, preached to the poor, healed the sick, and spoke truth to power.

Now he calls his followers to do the same. He’s the Vine, we’re the branches. If we remain in him we’ll bear all this good fruit in our lives, too.

Take a moment and reflect on the fruit of your life. Or on the fruit of your church. Or your marriage. Or your business. What kind of fruit (if any) are you bearing? How do people see you and recognize you as a follower of Christ?