The heart of God is to engage with the lost to offer forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with Him. The book of Revelation states that in heaven “every tribe and tongue and people and nation” will be worshiping God. This means that the gospel needs to go out to every people group and culture. Even in the darkest circumstances the gospel has brought about salvation, hope, social change and transformation. Yet, there are few laborers before a great harvest. What can we do to meet this challenge and keep ourselves engaged in the work of cross-cultural missions?

Jesus’ final words to His disciples were, “Go into all the world and make disciples...” More than just a statement to those present at the time, His words commission every believer throughout the ages. At Crossway we take this commissioning very seriously. Jesus left His mission in the hands of ordinary people so that every one of us gets to play a part. This is something we are each called to do, and for which we will one day need to give an account.

Time and time again we see biblical figures showing their imperfection. For example, in the story of David, although there is conquest and success (David and Goliath), there is also failure, self-sabotage and regret (David and Bathsheba; Amnon, Tamar and Absalom). However, no one is called by God because they are perfect. We all face the challenge of how to love well the people we love most, in spite of our imperfections.

Despite David’s personal failures, he left an incredible legacy that matched the calling of God upon his life. David rose to become an accomplished poet, musician, warrior, military leader and ultimately king. But it wasn’t just about what he accomplished, God referred to David as a “man after God’s own heart” – i.e. he was remembered for his integrity, godliness and faithfulness towards God. The biblical account states several times that “for the sake of David” and despite the mishaps of his decedents, God continue to bless them and they continued to rule for another 350 years. His name is mentioned 990 times in the Bible, more so that anyone person apart from Jesus. In fact Jesus himself was referred to as “the Root and Offspring of David” (Rev 22:16).
How can we live our lives and make the right decisions to leave a good legacy?

On any given day, we all spend time in two or more of the following: listening to news, hearing an idea conveyed through music, reacting to social media, receive and send emails or texts, and conversation with colleagues, friends and family. Life is full of these types of voices, and it is not limited to verbal communications. It could be a message conveyed through an action, or our own interpretation of unfolding events. Both individually and accumulatively, these moments produce the voices we listen to and can frame the context of how we make choices. “Life is a reflection of the voices we listen to; past and present”. The voices we listen to will significantly sway the self-talk and the filter through which we interpret life and make choices.

Throughout the Old Testament David was known as a man after God’s own heart. From humble shepherd to noble king, he was a man of God’s own choosing, and yet, he was mortal and prone to temptation. As king, David made some ungodly decisions, starting with remaining in Jerusalem when kings would go off to war. Layer upon layer of temptations and poor choices lead David deeper and deeper into sin, until all he had done displeased the Lord. We are no different to David. No matter how far we are in our faith journey with God, facing temptation is inevitable, and there are things we can do to help us make good choices.

We all face circumstances that may lead to a sense of disappointment with God. From a sudden illness to an unexpected death, relationship breakdown, career disappointment or family challenge, difficult or hurtful circumstances test us, and can leave us with a sense of anger, frustration and despair.
When confronted by these moments, we are called to trust God’s plan even in our pain, to be willing to be obedient, and to submit to His plan to enable us to move forward.

Fill in the blanks: My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to _____________; slow to ______________ and slow to become ___________________. (James 1:19)
David and his army were in need of food and refreshment. He approached Nabal, a wealthy pasturer, for assistance. David reminded Nabal that his army did not take advantage of his shepherds and had in fact protected them. Nabal rudely reviled David, who reacted angrily and was about to attack his household. Abigail, Nabal’s wife, intervened and interceded for her husband to prevent this.

Saul was anointed by the Lord to lead His people, Israel. However, when Saul decided not to listen and to obey God’s instructions, the Lord rejected Saul as king (1 Samuel 15). The Lord then instructed Samuel to anoint David to become the new king. After David defeated Goliath, Saul became afraid of David and David remained as Saul enemy for the rest of his days. Saul, who was once anointed and filled by the Spirit of the Lord, was blinded by the power and influence given to him. What is it that we can learn from the difference between Saul and David?