These are my sermon notes for Sunday morning, May 24. They’re not a full manuscript—just a listening guide to help our Tabernacle Church family to follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, our Prayer List, and more on our church website.

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1 Samuel 24:1-22

Intro

• David has already been anointed king, but Saul is still trying to kill him.
• David has been living under pressure in the wilderness while learning to trust the Lord.
• Now Saul unknowingly walks into the very cave where David is hiding.
• David suddenly has the opportunity to take matters into his own hands.
• The question is:
  • Will David trust God’s timing?
  • Or force the outcome himself?
• This chapter teaches us about: discernment, restraint, integrity, and trusting God in difficult moments.

Saul’s Pursuit – vv.1–3

Saul resumes his pursuit of David

• Saul goes right back to hunting David.
• Jealousy and fear now control Saul’s leadership.

God places Saul within David’s reach

• David is hiding in the caves of En-gedi.
• Saul unknowingly enters the very cave where David is hiding.

David’s Discernment – vv.4–7

David’s men see an opportunity

• They believe God has delivered Saul into David’s hand.
• Humanly speaking, the moment makes sense.
• The opportunity appears easy, logical, and justified.

David responds with conviction

• David cuts off part of Saul’s robe.
• Immediately, conviction strikes his heart.
• David refuses to dishonor the Lord’s anointed.
• David values obedience over ambition.
• David’s men saw an opportunity.
• David saw accountability before God.

(Spiritual discernment for today)

David’s Declaration – vv.8–15

David’s Humility

• David comes out of the cave respectfully.
• He bows before Saul.
• He speaks truth with humility and courage.

David’s Trust in God’s mercy and justice

• David shows him the piece of robe.
• David proves he never intended harm. David leaves justice with God
• David refuses personal revenge.
• David entrusts judgment to the Lord.
• God sees rightly and judges perfectly.

Saul’s Confession – vv.16–22

Saul is emotionally moved

• Saul weeps before David.
• He admits David is more righteous.
• He admits David will become king.
• Saul publicly acknowledges David’s character.

Saul professes truth…yet

• Saul shows emotion but not repentance.
• Conviction is not the same as transformation.

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THE WHAT NOW

• Stay close to the Lord when life feels uncertain.
• Trust God’s timing even when you cannot see the outcome.
• Passionately seek God’s will when making difficult decisions.
• Refuse to get ahead of God through fear, pressure, or compromise.

“Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”
— 2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV)

Life gets busy fast. It is easy to stay active and never really slow down long enough to evaluate where we are spiritually.

Paul tells believers to examine themselves.

Take a few minutes today and honestly ask:

• Am I spending time in God’s Word?
• Am I praying consistently?
• Am I growing spiritually?
• Am I pursuing Christ intentionally?
• Or am I just moving through routines?

Spiritual growth rarely happens by accident. Healthy habits, time in Scripture, prayer, repentance, and obedience all matter.

Christ not only saves us, He continues to shape and grow us over time.

Read 2 Corinthians 13:1-14 today and take time to examine your heart before the Lord.

Press on – Win the Day – Lead Well

My Bible study notes for Wednesday night, May 20. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

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Mark 4:21-25

Intro

• Verses 21–25 follow the Parable of the Soils.
• Jesus shifts from the condition of the heart to the responsibility of the hearer.
• The truth of the gospel is not meant to be hidden but revealed.
• Jesus warns His disciples to pay careful attention to how they hear.
• Those who receive truth rightly will grow in understanding.
• Those who reject or neglect truth grow spiritually dull.
• Main idea: God’s Word demands a response.

1. Truth Is Meant to Be Revealed – vv. 21–22

• A lamp is meant to shine.
• God’s truth is not meant to stay hidden.
• Jesus reveals the truth of the kingdom.
• True disciples are called to walk in the light.
• Truth received should become truth lived.

2. Truth Is Meant to Be Heard Carefully – v. 23

• “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
• Spiritual hearing requires humility and attentiveness.
• Hearing is more than listening.
• It involves receiving and responding.
• Careless hearing leads to spiritual dullness.

3. Truth Is Meant to Shape Our Lives – vv. 24–25

• “Pay attention to what you hear.”
• God holds people responsible for revealed truth.
• “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
• The way we receive truth affects our spiritual growth.
• Obedience leads to greater understanding.
• Neglect leads to greater hardness.
• What we do with truth impacts our walk with Christ.

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The What Now

• Truth is not merely information to hear and agree with.
• Truth must be received into both the mind and the heart.
• God’s truth is meant to shape how we think, live, and follow Christ.
• A person can hear truth regularly and still remain spiritually unchanged.
• Jesus calls us to listen carefully, receive truth humbly, and obey truth faithfully.

Hear it – Receive it – Obey it – Live it.

These are my sermon notes for Sunday morning, May 17. They’re not a full manuscript—just a listening guide to help our Tabernacle Church family to follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, our Prayer List, and more on our church website.

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1 Samuel 23:15–29

Intro

• David has obeyed the Lord, but the pressure has not disappeared.
• Saul is still pursuing him. David is still in the wilderness.
• Betrayal is increasing, fear is rising, and isolation is growing. Yet God is still sustaining His servant.
• The Christian life is not simply about starting faithfully. It is about remaining steady under pressure.

Strengthen Yourself in the Lord – vv. 15-18

• David is in the wilderness, but he is not outside God’s care.
• Jonathan comes to David and strengthens him in God by reminding him of God’s promise.
• Saul is not sovereign. God is. God’s Word is greater than present danger.
• Strengthen yourself with what God has already said. Stay in the Word and surround yourself with people who point you back to the Lord.

Strengthening Yourself in the Lord Today

1. Strengthened by God’s Word

• Jonathan reminded David of what God had promised.
• Today, we strengthen ourselves through Scripture.
• Read it. Write it down. Meditate on it. Preach it to yourself.
• Romans 15:4; Psalm 119:105; Joshua 1:8

2. Strengthened by Godly People

• David needed Jonathan.
• We need people who speak truth and point us back to God.
• We also need to be that kind of friend to others.
• Hebrews 3:13; Proverbs 27:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:11

3. Strengthened by Christ’s Presence

• Jonathan could only stay for a moment.
• Christ is with us always, in us by His Spirit, and interceding for us.
• He never leaves or forsakes His people.
• Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5; Romans 8:34; Colossians 1:27

Trust God’s Sovereign Hand – vv. 19-28

• The Ziphites betray David to Saul, and Saul uses spiritual language while resisting God’s will.
• David is pushed deeper into the wilderness, yet God’s hand is still ruling over every detail.
• God preserves David through ordinary circumstances when Saul is called away by the Philistine raid.
• Trust God’s sovereign hand when people disappoint you, circumstances tighten, and the way forward feels unclear.

Keep Moving Forward by Faith – v. 29

• David is preserved by the providence of God.
• The wilderness journey continues, but David keeps going.
• God’s will will be done. His hand will guide. His people can keep pressing on in faith.
• Keep walking by faith. Keep obeying. Keep pressing on.

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The What Now

• Do not drift from the Lord when pressure mounts.
• Strengthen yourself with what God has already said.
• Trust His sovereign hand when people disappoint you and circumstances tighten.
• Keep walking by faith, even when the wilderness continues.
• God may not remove the pressure right away, but He will sustain His people.

Nobody drifts into holiness.

We naturally drift toward comfort, distraction, compromise, and spiritual complacency. Spiritual maturity does not happen accidentally. Godliness requires intentional pursuit.

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”
— 1 Timothy 4:7 (ESV)

The Christian life is not sustained by occasional motivation, but by consistent faithfulness.

This discipline is not about earning God’s favor. In Christ, believers are already accepted by grace through faith. But grace does not cause spiritual laziness. Grace produces pursuit. Because we belong to Christ, we now seek to grow in holiness and obedience.

Daily Faithfulness Matters

Daily habits matter more than we often realize.

• Daily time in the Word matters.
• Daily prayer matters.
• Daily repentance matters.
• Daily obedience matters.

What we repeatedly give ourselves to will eventually shape our hearts, minds, desires, and direction. Spiritual drift rarely happens all at once. It usually happens gradually and quietly over time.

The Danger of Spiritual Drift

Hebrews warns about “the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).

Sin lies to us. It convinces us that compromise is harmless and spiritual neglect is temporary. But unchecked sin dulls conviction, weakens spiritual desire, and pulls the heart away from close fellowship with God.

No believer becomes spiritually strong by accident.

Godliness is cultivated through ordinary faithfulness over long periods of time.

Much of the Christian life is built in the quiet places nobody else sees:

• Opening your Bible when you feel tired
• Praying when you feel distracted
• Confessing sin quickly instead of excusing it
• Remaining faithful in church life
• Choosing obedience when compromise would be easier

Most Spiritual Growth Is Slow Growth

We often want immediate change and visible results, but God frequently grows His people through steady, daily obedience.

A believer may not notice dramatic change week to week, but over time spiritual maturity deepens. God uses ordinary faithfulness to shape His people into the image of Christ.

This matters even more in a distracted culture. Entertainment, busyness, and endless distractions can slowly weaken spiritual focus. Discipline helps reorient our hearts toward what matters most.

The goal is not perfection. Believers still battle the flesh and struggle with sin. But true believers continue pursuing Christ with repentance, dependence, and perseverance.

Final Encouragement

• Fight spiritual drift early.
• Guard your heart carefully.
• Pursue holiness intentionally.
• Stay faithful in the ordinary days.

God often does His deepest work through quiet, consistent obedience long before visible fruit appears.

Press on.

Faithfulness matters.

My Bible study notes for Wednesday night, May 13. Remember, these are my personal study notes and not a manuscript of the sermon. They are provided as an outline each week for our Tabernacle Church family. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, Prayer List, and other resources at our Church Website.

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In the Parable of the Soils, Jesus teaches that the condition of the heart determines how people respond to God’s Word.

• Is my heart soft and responsive to God’s Word?
• Have I become comfortable with tolerated sin?
• Is there ongoing fruit of repentance in my life?
• Am I fighting sin or excusing it?

Tolerated Sin Is Dangerous

Sin deceives, hardens, and grows when it is excused.

• Hebrews 3:13; Mark 4:18–19; Ephesians 4:18–19
• Sin rarely appears dangerous at first.
• The danger is not only committing sin, but becoming comfortable with it.
• What we tolerate today can harden our heart tomorrow.
• “Respectable sins” are still offensive before a holy God.
• A tender conscience is a gift from God.

What sins are easiest for people to excuse today?

Confession Brings Sin into the Light

Confession agrees with God and runs to grace.

• 1 John 1:9; Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13
• Confession is not informing God.
• Confession means honestly agreeing with God about sin.
• Confession refuses excuses and blame shifting.
• The gospel gives believers confidence to come honestly before God.
• Hidden sin grows in darkness.

Repentance Turns from Sin to God

Repentance is not regret only. It is turning back to Christ.

• 2 Corinthians 7:10; Acts 3:19; Luke 15:17–20
• Regret hates consequences. Repentance hates sin itself.
• Repentance involves a change of direction.
• Repentance is evidence of God’s ongoing work in the heart.
• Fruitful soil produces ongoing repentance.

What is the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow?

Sanctification Requires Spirit-Filled Effort

We fight sin by grace, through the Spirit, with real obedience.

• Philippians 2:12–13; Romans 8:13; Galatians 5:16
• Sanctification is not passive. WORK AT IT
• Believers are called to pursue holiness actively.
• God works in us as we walk in obedience.
• The Spirit empowers believers to fight sin.
• Christian growth requires devotion, dependence, discipline, and diligence

Sanctification is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to self-reliance.

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The What Now

• Do not tolerate sin.
• Confess sin honestly and quickly.
• Repent daily and turn to Christ.
• Walk dependently upon the Spirit.
• Keep your heart tender before God’s Word.
• Faithful/Receptive hearts receive the Word, repent quickly, and bear lasting fruit.

These are my sermon notes for Sunday morning, May 3. They’re not a full manuscript—just a listening guide to help our Tabernacle Church family to follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, our Prayer List, and more on our church website.

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1 Samuel 23:1–14

Introduction

• David is  on the run from Saul
• Pressure, uncertainty, real danger
• Keilah under attack
• How did God’s chosen King respond… step back or step forward?
• God’s called, do not drift in difficulty
• We embrace our calling, seek the Lord, and follow His Word

Embrace Your Calling – vv. 1–2a

• David hears of Keilah’s distress
• He is aware of needs around him
• Does not withdraw in hardship
• Steps toward responsibility

Even in pressure, you don’t step back—you step into what God has called you to

Seek the Lord – vv. 2b–5

• David inquires of the Lord
• Does not act on impulse
• Faces fear and hesitation from his men
• Seeks the Lord again for clarity
• Receives clear direction from God

Before you move, you seek the Lord—because calling without dependence leads to failure

Follow His Word – vv. 6–14

• David obeys and goes to Keilah
• God gives victory over the Philistines
• Saul continues to pursue… God continues to guide
• Obedience does not remove difficulty

And when God speaks, you follow—completely, even when it costs you

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The What Now

• Do not withdraw when life gets hard.
• Look for the need in front of you… REMEMBER YOUR CALLING
• Seek the Lord before you move.
• Obey God even when the pressure remains.

These are my sermon notes for Sunday morning, April 26. They’re not a full manuscript—just a listening guide to help our Tabernacle Church family to follow along. I encourage you to add your own notes as you listen each week. The service will be available on YouTube by Sunday afternoon. You can find Sermon Notes, Family Devotional Guides, our Prayer List, and more on our church website.

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1 Samuel 22:6-23

Intro

• Saul’s jealousy turns to bitterness, paranoia, and violence.
• He no longer acts like a king, but an enemy of God’s people.
• Yet God is still preserving His purposes.
• This passage matters because the same sins that ruined Saul still threaten our hearts today—jealousy, pride, and unchecked anger

The Troubled Heart of Man – vv. 6–10

• Saul sits with a spear in hand—his heart reflects it.
• Fear, insecurity, and jealousy control him.
• He accuses others and imagines enemies everywhere.
• Doeg reports David’s visit.
• Jealousy distorts reality and resists God’s plan.
• What fills the heart shapes the life.

The Wicked Heart of Man – vv. 11–19

• Saul summons the priests; Ahimelech explains the truth.
• Saul refuses to listen and orders their death.
• His servants refuse, but Doeg carries it out.
• The priests are killed and Nob is destroyed.
• Saul, who spared Amalek, now attacks God’s people.
• A sinful heart produces sinful actions.
• Jealousy leads to destruction.
• God’s judgment on Eli’s house is fulfilled.
• Saul is responsible, yet God’s purposes stand.

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The Seriousness and Progression of Sin

• Sin starts in the heart and moves into actions.
• Saul’s jealousy progressed to suspicion, anger, hatred, and destruction.

The Danger of Sin

• James 1:14–15 — sin grows and brings death.
• Galatians 6:7–8 — we reap what we sow.
• Ephesians 4:26–27 — unresolved anger gives opportunity to the devil
  • Distract – Deceive – Discourage – Divide
• Hebrews 3:12–13 — sin deceives and hardens the heart.

Unconfessed Sin: Two Paths

Unbeliever

• Unconfessed sin reflects a heart unchanged and separated from God.
• Sin is practiced, defended, and ignored.
• The heart grows harder and more deceived.
• Romans 6:23 — sin leads to death; judgment awaits.
• The pattern is ongoing rebellion, not repentance.
• The need is salvation—a new heart in Christ.

Believer

• Unconfessed sin does not break union with Christ, but it disrupts communion.
• It dulls sensitivity, robs joy, and weakens usefulness.
• Ephesians 4:30 — sin grieves the Holy Spirit.
• 1 John 1:6–9 — fellowship is restored through confession.
• If ignored, sin leads to loving discipline from the Lord.

Do not ignore sin—deal with it quickly.

• Confess it, turn from it, and put it to death by the Spirit.
• Unbeliever: repent and trust Christ.
• Believer: walk in the light and pursue ongoing repentance.

The Gracious Heart of God – vv. 20–23

• Abiathar escapes and comes to David.
• David grieves and takes responsibility.
• David becomes a refuge.
• Saul destroys, but David protects.
• God preserves His people and His purposes.
• Saul cannot stop God’s plan—God preserves a remnant.
• Man’s sin is never greater than God’s grace.

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The What Now

• Guard your heart against sin (jealousy, anger).
• Deal with sin early. Do not let anger or pride take root.
• What fills your heart shapes your life.
• Confess and repent quickly.
• Stay close to Christ and put sin to death.
• Trust God in difficult seasons.
• Run to Christ, your refuge and King.