Discipleship Tape Ministries

If we could rewrite history and see things from God’s perspective, how would the responses of David, Absalom and Joab be changed? What lessons do we learn from the terrible consequences of David’s sin and Absalom’s rebellion? All of history is written to teach and remind us of God’s principles. Let’s take a look at the previous lesson and learn how things could have been made right. Maybe then we...

As we continue in the study of the life of David, we see him begin to pay the consequences of his sins. God had said the sword would never depart from his house, and that what he did secretly, others would do to his own family before the whole world, and that the child born out of this immoral relationship would die. This lesson takes a look at one of those consequences that broke the heart of Dav...

David had fallen to a place so low, no doubt he never dreamed that restoration was possible. Then he looked in the eyes of His God. And once he repented, he saw in those eyes the soft, tender, look of love. He heard from those lips, not the harsh cry of condemnation; but the quiet, sensitive words of One whose love transcends man’s understanding of love itself. The words were “I forgive”. Read les...

God used Nathan in David’s life to expose his sin. He uses many means to expose our sins today, but they will be exposed. God does not shove them under a rug. Just as Nathan reminded David of his sin, and David repents before the Lord, so should we see our sins as a sin against the heart of a holy God. However, the consequences must go on. That’s part of the plan, but the fellowship, the relations...

After David’s encounter with Bathsheba, he began trying to cover up his sin. There is something about the cover up that is darker than the crime itself. David, instead of confessing his sin before God and man, chose instead to cover up his sin and hide it, but we cannot hide from God. In this lesson, we see the results of unconfessed sin in the death of Uriah the Hittite. We also see a mighty less...

King David broke the heart of God, as he allowed sin to have its way in his heart. He looked at Bathsheba, lingered and then lusted. Sin is a process. It is a progressive pattern where each compromise leads to a greater compromise. The only cure is to stop the process before it reaches the runaway stage. The good news is that God has made a way of escape. The moment we see the progressive conseque...

Our study on promises continues with two additional types of promises. They are restricted promises and reverse promises. A restricted promise depends on another’s free will, whereas a reverse promise guarantees us things we do not want that God knows we need. We do need to claim the promises of God, but we need to claim them correctly. Learn to examine the whole counsel of God, for God has not gi...

Not all promises are alike. As we claim or lay hold of promises, we need to make sure that the promise is for us. As our lesson will show us, thus far we have learned about four types of promises: consolidated, conditional, unconditional, and limited. Not all promises were designed for everyone. As we look at the promises through the whole of Scripture, we can find the very treasure that God has f...

We would all like to claim the promises of God. That’s the mind of God where the promises of God are concerned. They are designed to exalt Him, to confirm His word, to bring glory to His name, and to further His purposes. In the process, we will be blessed. The reason for the promises is to exalt His name and make us love Him, not to give us what we deserve or need. Find the true meaning of the pr...

Do you want to learn to claim the promises of God? Before you can lay hold of the promises of God, you must learn to bow before the awesomeness of God and worship. Only then, will you see Him as He is. Only when you see Him as He is, will you see yourself as you are, and will you be ready to lay hold of all of the heavenly treasures God has laid at your feet. David found how to possess the promise...

Saul was unmindful of pleasing God on a day to day basis. His heart was unrepentant and because of that the Lord answered him not. Saul needed some answers, so Saul turned to other sources for his solutions. He turns to the occult. Our lesson deals with the dangers of a rebellious heart and the extent to which one will go to have his way. He turns to the very thing he knows is wrong. With an unrep...

The quest for revenge; how sweet it is to so many! But the Word of God indicates there is a better way! It is not natural; therefore, it has to be supernatural. It is that “better” way that we address in this study as we continue our journey through the pages of Scripture seeking to unravel the mystery and validate the history of this living legend we’ve come to know as “David”. Read lesson: 953A

What happened after David defeated Goliath? Our story takes a familiar twist, for this is more often the case than not in our lives. After the triumph came the trials. That’s what happened. God allows us, like David, to taste the sweetness of victory early to prepare us for eternity. He allows some of life’s more bitter tests to prepare us for planet earth. God hasn’t forsaken us, God is just trai...

The story of David and Goliath exemplifies a most important quality, that of courage. The dictionary defines courage as “the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger with self possession, confidence, and resolution.” Biblically, we see courage with almost the identical meaning except that the strength can only come from one source to be valid. Biblical courage is the resu...

What is it that marks a man apart as a man after God’s own heart? David was such a man. In 1 Samuel, we will begin to take a look into the life and heart of David. In this lesson, we will look at five important characteristics of the life of David that evidence his heart. We need to begin this series of lessons and pray with David, “Search me O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious th...

To obey is better than sacrifice. God wants men and women of honesty, integrity and principle. He wants men and women who will simply take the Word for what it is, The Word of God, and refuse to bend it, twist it, avoid it, or ignore it in the name of faith. God is not fooled by our frenzied activity or our empty works. Teaching, serving, working, even witnessing doesn’t gloss over what God’s look...

Once again we will take a look at the Living Legend of Saul, King of Israel. Perhaps the greatest lesson this legend has to teach us is the importance of facing God and facing sin honestly. Saul wasn’t correctable. He had a suitcase full of excuses, just in case he ever got caught red-handed. When God through His Word or God through his people confronts us with an area of our lives that needs atte...

The Israelites wanted a king. It was not what God wanted, but it is what they asked for. They knew the will of God – they just didn’t like the will of God. They wanted to be like everyone else and have a king. God gave them Saul. They got their king and lost their power. Are we praying right? Are we praying for the will of God, regardless of the cost, and searching for that will as we pray? Or are...

God has a purpose in sharing these stories in Scripture. He wants us to look at the lives of these men and women and then look at Him and learn and live. That is what the Living Legends are for. If your faith is weak, remember Abraham. If you are tempted to unfaithfulness, remember Noah. If you are tempted to compromise, remember Lot. If you are tempted with besetting sins, remember Samson. Spend...

The people of Israel kept crying out for a king. They did not want to trust in God as their king, because they saw all of the other nations around them with a king. They wanted to be like everyone else. God decided to give them what they wanted, but was that what they really needed? Read lesson: 737A

We may go off on tangents. We may simply grow cold and indifferent. We may blatantly rebel and run as fast as we can from the God of glory, and like the prodigal son, thrust ourselves into a far country. But no matter how we got lost, what a joy it is to return home and to find the Father’s arms always outstretched, waiting for us. That is what this lesson is all about. Read lesson: 736B

Have you ever marched into a situation where you were simply sure that it was the will of God, only to find yourself fortunate to escape with your life? God may lead us into failure, even spiritual defeat, if that is what it takes to get our attention for ultimate spiritual victory. The key is how we handle it when the smoke begins to clear, and we have nothing to show for the conflict but the bat...

For the Christian, the ringing out of the old and the ringing in of the new symbolize another new beginning, another fresh start in your Christian walk. God divided life into segments to generate in the Christian, in particular, that inner drive to make life count. So what will God do with you in this new year? Let us be challenged as we look at what Jesus did in the last year of His earthly life,...

Have you ever thought of what life would be like had there been no Christmas? Russell Kelfer gives us a glimpse of the “twelve ways of Christmas”, or the twelve ways Christianity revolutionized life. For Christmas to have its truest meaning, we must find out what life would be like if there were no Christmas. For many, this situation exists because they have not accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. It...

Our lesson turns to the living legend, Samuel. We will see how God called Samuel, and how he calls us; but more importantly how Samuel responded to God’s call. How will we respond when God speaks to us? Read lesson: 734B