'This Is Too Good To Keep To Myself': 2 Samuel 23:16 (Goodness)

Read Galatians 5:22-23:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Are you ready to make an investment in the Fruit of Goodness?

What are the most precious gifts you have received in your life?

Write your answer in the space provided.

Read 2 Samuel 23:13-17:

"During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it."

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

Why do you believe David poured out the water that he has been desperately longing for?

Go to 'DOCUMENTS' and read Oswald Chambers' comments on 2 Samuel.

Select 'Successful' when you are finished.

Oswald states:

"If you try to satisfy yourself with a blessing from God, it will corrupt you. You must sacrifice it, pouring it out to God— something that your common sense says is an absurd waste."

How contrary to your current way of thinking is this statement?

Oswald continues:

"As soon as I realize that something is too wonderful for me, that I am not worthy to receive it, and that it is not meant for a human being at all, I must pour it out “to the Lord."

How important is it to discipline your mind and will to pour your blessings out to the Lord?

Oswald observes:

"Then these very things that have come to me will be poured out as “rivers of living water” all around me. And until I pour these things out to God, they actually endanger those I love, as well as myself, because they will be turned into lust. Yes, we can be lustful in things that are not sordid and vile. Even love must be transformed by being poured out “to the Lord.”"

Are there any blessings that you would like to pour out to the Lord right now?

If you answered 'Yes', take time now to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a blessing that you have been holding onto to.

If you wish, you can write down what you receive in the space provided.

If the Holy Spirit revealed a specific blessing, would you like to pour it out to the Lord right now?

If 'Yes', then take the time to give it back to Him.

To help you with this, imagine David's circumstances. He is in a cave, hiding from his enemies. His mouth and throat are parched with thirst. More than anything in this world, he wants a simple drink of water.

Suddenly, the gift he has been longing for is presented to him free and clear.

Now watch him, overwhelmed by the beauty and majesty of this blessing, pour out the water back to the Lord.

Select 'Successful' when you have this image firmly established in your mind.

Now, when you are ready, imagine pouring out your blessing to the Lord.

You can do this by making 'a determination in your mind' to give your blessing back to God.

If you have been hoarding the blessing, consider expressing your sorrow to the Lord for doing so.

Continue with this until you experience yourself no longer possessing or holding onto the blessing.

If you like, you can write out this transaction in the space provided.

Oswald concludes:

"If you have become bitter and sour, it is because when God gave you a blessing you hoarded it. Yet if you had poured it out to Him, you would have been the sweetest person on earth. If you are always keeping blessings to yourself and never learning to pour out anything “to the Lord,” other people will never have their vision of God expanded through you."

Keep in mind that pouring our your blessings to the Lord is not a one time event, but an on-going process. For that reason this task is in your library for you to schedule whenever, or as often, as you wish.

Are you interested in doing this task again in the future?

How much has this task increased the Fruit of Goodness in your present disposition?