1 Samuel 30:24-25
“’…But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.’ So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.”
As David and his men pursued the Amalekites, some of them grew weary. It is not difficult to understand why. Not only were they pursuing at a rapid pace, but they were doing so with broken hearts. Amelek had plundered their goods and kidnapped their families. For days, these men had been grieving, many, perhaps, unable to eat, due to the deep sorrow they were feeling. As a result, two hundred men were unable to press on, and the company split into two groups. Two hundred men stayed behind, and four hundred went to battle.
After a decisive victory, David’s men returned with all their goods, their families and the spoils of wars. As the two groups came together, the men who went to battle thought they should receive a larger portion than those who stayed behind. This seems to be reasonable, after all they were the ones who risked their lives to do the work and defeat the enemy. David, however, intervened and declared that equal portions would be given to those who go to battle and to those who remain behind. Obviously, David saw things differently. All they could see was the hard work they had put in, David saw that the victory was the Lord’s.
Whenever we are involved in ministry, of any kind, we must realize we have been chosen, equipped, strengthened, and will be directed by the Lord. When the ministry has been accomplished, it is because of the work of God. We no more lead someone to Christ, than David’s men won the battle. It is the Lord who does the work, and we are involved in the process so we can grow in Christ. It is folly to exalt ourselves above another, because of the way God has chosen to use us.
Whether you are called to go to the mission field, serve in children’s ministry, lead a home fellowship, be on the prayer team, invite friends to church, or serve in any other capacity, it is critical we realize, the rewards are the same. There is no greater reward for teaching than there is for inviting. The key is, understanding we are rewarded for faithfulness.
Whatever God has called you to, do it heartily as unto the Lord. If you are struggling to determine how God wants to use you, keep a few things in mind. First, He loves souls, so invite friends to Christ, or to church where they can hear about Him. Second, He wants to make disciples, so invest in the lives of others to help them grow in Christ.
Pastor Jim
Did you ever have that daydream, as a kid, where you found the magic lamp, and the genie promised to grant your wish, no matter how outlandish it may be? Imagine what it would be like if God appeared to you, declaring He would give you whatever you asked for. How would you respond? What would you ask from the King of Kings.
The Philistine lords gathered together to prepare an attack on Israel. Since David had been living among them, and was a tremendously talented soldier, King Achish included him and his men in the battle plans. When the remaining Philistine leaders saw David and his men, they immediately objected. David was an Israelite who had been responsible for defeating the Philistines in countless battles. These men knew that to include him in their campaign would prove to be a big mistake, as David would no doubt turn on them when the battle grew hot.
As I child, I remember watching a movie where a group of people were trying to escape a town. Whatever direction they took, or road they chose, they always arrived at the same destination. They continued trying until they found the one way out. According to Jesus, life is like that. He stated that life really only consists of two roads. One is wide and crowded, but leads away from God. The other is narrow and difficult, and sadly, often ignored, but results in eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14).
This passage gives some very interesting insight into leadership. David searched for men of faith who would be willing to take risks for the kingdom. Abishai rose to the challenge and joined David on a dangerous mission to infiltrate the camp of the king. Under the cover of darkness, they made their way past the guards, and all the way to Saul. It was at this point that Abishai suggest they take the opportunity to kill the king, and bring an end to the difficulties he has caused. The exchange between David and Abishai is priceless in the lessons it illustrates. 
In this Psalm, David uses the illustration of a shepherd to speak of God’s care for those who belong to Him. This Psalm speaks of the benefits true to all who are in a covenant relationship with God. He speaks of God’s provision, comfort, protection and care. Jesus used the same illustration in John 10 when He said, 
Webster’s dictionary defines heritage as, “something possessed as a result of one’s natural situation or birth.” While many things may be passed from one generation to the next, the most valuable commodity we can leave for the following generations, is a godly testimony. 
If it were not for the revealing nature of the word of God, we might have missed the real folly of this man. On the outside, he may have seemed quite wise; he was married to a beautiful woman and he had a successful and thriving business. However, his wealth and the honor that came with it, were a mere cover up of his actual folly. We read that he ignored the warnings, and perhaps even died unprepared to face eternity. Jesus spoke of a rich fool who had achieved much in this life, but was ill prepared for that which follows (Luke 12:16-20). 
Life is filled with obstacles. We face constant trials that make this journey difficult. Yet, it seems we can handle almost anything except a troubled heart. When we are overwhelmed from within, it makes even the lightest burdens seem too great to bear. Our hearts are often troubled by loss, disappointment, fear or anxiety. David found there was another cause for a troubled heart – sin.
Jim Gallagher 