King David's Keystone Habit:Hearing Father's voice!

The Jewish people are often called the "People of the Journey," and their greatest king, David, embodies this legacy. In this captivating episode, Andy delves into the life of King David, exploring the timeless principles woven into his remarkable story. What lessons can we glean from this extraordinary king and man?

Through trials and triumphs, David discovered a keystone habit that shaped every chapter of his life, guiding him through diverse contexts and challenges. This pivotal habit, orchestrated by his Father-Screenwriter—the divine author of his story—was learning to hear and follow God’s voice.

This discipline of listening to the Father-Screenwriter’s voice lies at the heart of this podcast’s purpose. It’s a transformative practice that David mastered, and one we can cultivate in our own lives.

Join Andy as he journeys back to 1 Samuel 21 and 30, retracing the steps of Israel’s iconic hero-protagonist, King David. Discover how David developed this keystone habit, why it’s essential for our own journeys, and how we can intentionally choose and nurture it in our lives today.

Transcript

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Welcome to Dad's Lads and Screenplays. I'm your host Andy. Pod title Travelling Light and the core thought essentials for the journey bread and a blade. This thought is taken from 1 Samuel 21 and we're looking at another chapter in the life of the hero protagonist David. Many years ago A father with his three children entered a railway carriage and he sat down and slumped and put his head to the ground. The kids just used all the energy they got and they were running up and down, jumping on seats, dancing on the poles and generally just being a bit of a nuisance. Eventually someone said what probably most people were thinking, Sir, would you get hold of your kids and control them because they're disrupting everyone. and everything. He looked up and he said, I guess they're struggling like I am, having left their mother and my wife in the mortuary. That revelation changed the mood of the carriage and the attitude of all the people in it. People began to get up, get drinks and food for the kids and began to comfort the kids and comfort the man as best they could. Last time in our podcast, we redefined this old adage, no pain, no gain. It's simply not true. Just being in pressure does not give us muscle, literal or figurative muscle. But we looked last time, please go back and have a listen, to the two pressures that God uses found in the Word of God. Romans 5, the first three verses, the pressure he uses to grow our character, our inner world of our heart. And the second verse, pressure he uses is to develop that which can change context and facts that's faith James chapter 1 and the first three verses so we're picking up our story the hero protagonist is David it's 1 Samuel 21 three words that describe our hero he's a fugitive he's on the run he's famished he's looking for food and he's fearful why is he fearful? David has just met up in the previous chapter with Jonathan. He is the son of Saul, who is the king. Jonathan tells David, my dad's literally just tried to kill me with a spear. My dad's lost the plot. This news strikes fear and brings pressure to the heart and the mind of David. Where should he go? Who can I trust? Where do you go when your context is as hot as a cauldron? Because this is what it was like for David. Surprisingly, David goes to the house of God, the temple, as we would call it, the church, and to see the priest. Let me paint a picture of David. He's panting and he's pressurized. He has two thoughts as he enters the sanctuary. I need these essential things for the next part of my journey story. And he read. I need a blade. In his desperation, David forgets the essential for every part of our journey, revelation. Hearing from the father screenwriter for ourselves, and that's the core goal of this podcast, is to help men to hear the voice of our father screenwriter for ourselves so we can edit our story and therein bring great energy and purpose and passion to our destiny. David asks the priest for bread and a blade. David here is literally flying by the seat of his pants. He's living by his wits. He's suspended temporarily. Wisdom. He lies like a dog to the priest's face. The priest asks him, what are you doing here on your own? David says this, I'm on a top secret mission from Saul the king. Uh-uh, that's a lie. No one knows or can know about this visit. David then pushes the agenda, give me five loaves for me and my men. Well, the priest says, the only bread I've got is the show bread. It's a special bread that's put before the presence of God in the temple back then. And there was 12 portions of it representing every tribe, every Jewish tribe and every Jewish man in the nation. So the priest asked David a question, have your men kept themselves from women? Lie number two. David, who's desperate, says, of course, they always do on a normal mission. But I've told you, this one's a special one on behalf of the king. So even more so. That's a bare-faced lie, David. Well, David gets his bread. It's the bread, the bread in the presence of God. It's the show bread, to use the official title for it. But here's the fact. David is so emotional, he fails to see its symbolism. all grasp it's significant it's desperate it's pressurized i would put him at this level liquid emotion he suspended the wisdom we knew the all oral history that had been brought up with man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the father deuteronomy 8 verse 3 this is the show bread this bread's been in the presence of the father it's a portion for every tribe Wherever you are, however it is, can I encourage you to stop and hear the voice of the Father today? Even in your desperate days, I am with you. I am speaking above the white noise of the context that you're in. My heart is pounding just like yours, but not with fear, but with love and faith. Stop and listen for me and listen to me. Only I can see what could be. I am with you, always. I'll never leave you. But hear this, I am always ahead of you. So stop, look, listen. Desperate Dave continues with his felt needs. He asks, The priest another question, do you have a spear or a sword? Well, here comes lie number three. The priest asked Dave, why don't you have a sword? You're the greatest warrior in the nation. David lies again. I don't have a sword because I told you it was a top secret mission and very urgent, so I left without a blade. So listen to this, 1 Samuel 21 verse 9. the priest said well there's a sword of goliath he's the philistine whom you killed in the valley of elah there it is and he points to it wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod and the priest says if you will take that then take it for there is no other sword here but that one david says there's none like it give it to me desperate dave as two things he believes are essential for the journey and the next part of the story. I need bread and a blade. I need sustenance to sustain me and a sword to protect me. These are essential for the journey of every era the Father's chosen. And every house of God and every leader of that house should supply every son on their journey each time they meet with bread and a blade. However, In his desperation, David missed the vital supply he needed throughout every page of the story that he had to hear from the father screenwriter for himself, especially when the pressure was this hot. Let me take a portion of the verse we just read, and this is what it says. Priest is speaking to David. There it is, the sword of Goliath, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. So desperate, so emotional was David, he didn't see the obvious. He missed the special bread, and now he picks up Goliath's sword, which is wrapped behind the ephod. He's so emotional, completely irrational. He's reacting, not responding. The symbol of his greatest victory to date, the sword of Goliath, was wrapped behind the ephod. What's that important, Andy? Well, let me tell you this. He missed the opportunity to use the ephod. The ephod is what they use to hear from the father screenwriter back them for themselves. If it had used the ephod in this pressurized moment, he would have got the greatest perspective, the father's, and a clear directive from the one who's already ahead on the next page. And he wants you to get to that page. David could have used the ephod to inquire of the one who had led him to defeat his greatest enemy to date, his own in the sword of Goliath. Yes. We need bread. You need bread, David. I need bread every day. Yes, we need a sword. We need to be ready to defend ourselves. But listen carefully, listener. Bread alone is not sufficient. We need to have every word that's proceeding out of the mouth of the Father, especially when it's pressurized. Many years later... paul a jewish man who had loads and loads of pressure would write that the armory of god included the sword of the spirit which is the word of god and that word for word is ramah in other words we need to hear the singing word the freshly baked word of bread that's coming out of the father's mouth especially especially when it's really pressurized wherever you are however it is hear the voice of the father today The bombardment on your thoughts and emotions is not me. It's the father of lies. Step back, stop, and listen for my still and peaceful voice. It's still because I know the script. It's peaceful because I know the desired outcome and how to get you there. I do know the plans I have for you, and they're good plans. And nothing or no one can separate you from my love. You have my promise. All things, yes, including this cauldron-hot, pressurized moment, I will use for good. So stop, look, listen. David, the hero-prodaconist, has just missed the opportunity of his timeline to hear. from the father screenwriter for himself, David would have many more opportunities to acquire this essential keystone habit, hearing the father for himself. And eventually, at a place called Gilgal, he would get it. So let's join David nine chapters later and to see if he's learnt the habit yet. 1 Samuel 30, verse 6. Moreover, David was greatly distressed, things aren't getting better for him, because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. The bread of chapter 1 is gone. He's still got Goliath's sword, but here, in immense pressure, David remembers the keystone habit, the habit that will serve him very well indeed. David said to the priest, Bring me the ephod. Verses 7 and 9, 1 Samuel 30. David said to Abba for the priest, Bring me the ephod. So the priest brought the ephod to David. David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake him? And the father screenwriter said to him, Pursue, David. You will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all. He's encircled, is David, by his hardest, strongest men, his greatest warriors. They're gripped by the strongest of emotions, grief. They've got rocks in their hands. Their minds and their emotions are bombarded by the thoughts of what's happened or happening to their daughters and their sons. David comes to his senses in this pressurised moment. Bring me the ephod. He asks two questions. Shall I go? Will I be successful? And his father's screenwriter says, yes to both days. Welcome back. Wherever you are, however it is, hear the voice of the father today. Hear my heart. Many are the thoughts of your heart today. I give you permission to have many thoughts and numerous questions. I also give you this promise. I will answer you. I will reply to you. Ask me to help you ask the right questions because I deeply want and deeply desire to give you my perspective and my directive. So stop, look, listen. Some closing thoughts. Revelation and speculation rhyme for a reason. The father screenwriter desires we live and regulate our lives by revelation, not speculation. Revelation flows to and flows from our spirit. Speculation flows from and to our emotions, in our soul, mind, will and emotions. Satan, the father of lies, loves speculation and he hates revelation. Revelation simply means to uncover what's already there. The next page is written. The next chapter is already headed. Speculation pushes these questions. The what and the why. What's going on? Why is it going on? What's coming next? Nothing, I'm learning, becomes dynamic until it is specific. David eventually learns the keystone habit and so am I. hearing every day the voice of the Father's screenwriter. So too, listener, must you. To paraphrase that great prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray, simply put, give me the bread I need today. That freshly baked kind that comes out of your presence, Papa. Speculation may be flooding you with many questions and painting many scenarios. Questions always come in the pressure. It's inevitable. However, marvellous Holy Spirit will help us to ask the right question of the right person, our Papa, so we can get the right perspective and a clear directive. Father Screenwriter is with you and is for you, but he's also in front of you and in front of me. It makes Google Earth look like a kid's toy. Thank you for taking the time to listen. Please like this podcast, subscribe to it, that would help us out greatly. And above the description, there's a hyperlinked blue opportunity to leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you. God bless. See you in two weeks.