Renae Hayman Supporter

Quiet the opposite, prayer was the only answer. Unfortunatley, it too often happens that we use it when all other necessary means are exhusted. However, David learnt through all his affictions this "prayer" was as important as his next breath.

August 29 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Asabe Tahir Supporter

NO.... obviously, if one study the account of king David, one will see clearly the importance he attached to seeking God's direction/guidance in most of his life affairs. No wonder he was successful in his endeavors & enterprises.
Some e.g. are:

David said, “ Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me. Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? Lord, God of Israel, tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will.” Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will.” (1 Samuel 23:10-12 NIV)

and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” (1 Samuel 30:8 NIV)

In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered. (2 Samuel 2:1 NIV)

so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” (2 Samuel 5:19 NIV)

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human! For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. “How great you are, Sovereign Lord ! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God. “ Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. (2 Samuel 7:18, 19, 21-24, 27, 28 NIV)

David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.” David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate. His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:16-23 NIV)

David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped. (2 Samuel 24:25 NIV)

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men. “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, Lord. For the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises. “There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. (1 Chronicles 17:16-20 NIV)

David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand extended over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown. David said to God, “Was it not I who ordered the fighting men to be counted? I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Lord my God, let your hand fall on me and my family, but do not let this plague remain on your people.” Then the angel of the Lord ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the Lord. (1 Chronicles 21:16-19 NIV)

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. We are foreigners and strangers in your sight, as were all our ancestors. Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope. Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a temple for your Holy Name comes from your hand, and all of it belongs to you. I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you. Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you. (1 Chronicles 29:10-18 NIV)

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse. (Psalm 72:18-20 NIV)

August 29 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Charles Rothmund Supporter

I'm finding myself there now and I am dealing with the issues of conscience that come from this very failing 
I know I should take these things to him and leave them with him.
As a human, with the failings of a human, I try to stand on my own rather than yielding to his will above all else and trusting him to do what is best for us.  I find this to be one of the hardest  things to do.

August 29 2013 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Joshua Yap Supporter

Many people would think David would never have compromised, but the truth is he did!

Despite David being known as the man after God's own heart ( 1 Samuel 13:14), David had a season of compromise that most people neglect. The first time the Bible shows that David had the fear of man is in 1 Samuel 20:1 where he is in a state of confusion as he has been wronged by King Saul, a person who had at first treated David well to the extent that he let him stay at his palace and gave his wife into marriage with him. However, Saul was now trying to kill David! David, forgetting that God is still sovereign, fled and cried out to Jonathan, expressing his confusion. In this chapter we also see David creating his own plan with Jonathan to rescue himself or prove his innocence, momentarily forgetting God's ability to deliver and vindicate.

We go onto chapter 21 of 1 Samuel, where David lies to the priest Ahimelek that he was on a mission and took the consecrated bread (compromising because he did not remember his Provider) and asking the priest for a sword (Goliath's sword), despite mentioning in his battle against Goliath that "it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; but the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands." ( 1 Samuel 17:47 ) Here you see David has taken his eyes off God and focused on Saul, and in fear looked to his fighting skills and the best sword around for help.

Another place where you see David's fear of men is at the end of chapter 21 in verse 12. "David... was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath." This caused him to act like a fool so that Achish sent him away.

Next we see in 1 Samuel 22:5 that David deliberately disobeyed God in distrust. While God asked him to go to Judah, David chose to escape to the forest of Herath where it is harder for his enemies to find him. This shows a moment where David did not trust God for direction.

A few chapters later in 1 Samuel 30,  David has reached the lowest point of his life in Ziklag. The Amalekites had took away all of his and his men's women and children and burnt the place where they were staying down. This caused them to "wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep." (verse 4) David had lost EVERYTHING! He was in great distress from this as the men that were under him were talking about stoning him (verse 6). This is David in all his weakness.

But the story doesn't end here. At the end of verse 6, David starts to rise again. "But David found strength in the Lord his God." David inquired of God once again (despite his men being upset and all) and after hearing God, attacked and overtook the Amalekites! In probably one of the most powerful verses in this chapter, there is a description of what happened next.

"David recovered EVERYTHING..." (1 Samuel 30:18)

The thing is, David is a weak and broken man, just like all of us. BUT despite all of this he always turned to the Lord. Of course there were times where he had compromised (as shown above) but this was all God's plan to make David stronger, grooming him in all maturity and confidence in God.

So to answer your question: YES, he did! But after those times he repented and he never compromised again! And this sincerity and steadfast obedience that is found in David's heart, makes him the "Man after God's own heart."

September 15 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report