David Knott's Blog, page 3

I'm excited to have completed my study guide to:
The Psalm 23 Life: Experiencing the Love of God Every Day

The study guide includes questions to stimulate thought and discussion, plus a bonus chapter on the life of David to give additional context to the Psalm.

I hope that this resource will help both individuals and small groups get the most out of the book, and thereby increasingly experience the love of God every day. I've been amazed and encouraged by how many people have said that they want to read the book again with the study guide at their side.

To receive this free resource as PDF, whether you have already bought the book or not, please just email me at:

[email protected]

People keep telling me how helpful they have found my chapter on guidance in The Psalm 23 Life: Experiencing the Love of God Every Day (http://viewbook.at/thepsalm23life), so here’s a snippet from Chapter 3, HE GUIDES ME…

“How are you when it comes to making decisions? Do you make them quickly, confident in the right path to take, or do decisions stress you out for fear of making a mistake? Well I’m definitely towards the stressed-out end of the spectrum. It’s not that I can’t make decisions, I do it all the time, I can even make decisions quickly when I’m on familiar ground, but I know that if I had the choice, I’d sooner put a decision off, and do some more research and analysis, rather than actually decide.

What I find so hard about making a decision is that there seems no place to hide. I have to make it, it’s down to me, and my thinking becomes focused on me. Have I considered all the options? Have I heard God properly? Am I open to what God wants? But thanks to Psalm 23, I’ve realised quite recently that it doesn’t have to be like that. Psalm 23:3 says, ‘He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.’

One of the wonderful things about Psalm 23, is that it doesn’t focus on what I need to do, it concentrates on what God does, and the language is all in the present moment: The Lord is my shepherd; He makes me lie down; He leads me; He restores my soul. These things are wonderful and amazing enough, but in a way they lay the foundation for what comes next, “He guides me”. He, the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth, my saviour who is my shepherd guides me. Every time I think of this, I can feel the stress of decision-making melting away.”

... provoking you towards love.

Some friends and I recently did a Bible study, on 1 Corinthians 13, that spoke to me. This article is the result, and it contains material out of the new book I have started to write.

I hope it will encourage you to choose the most excellent way:

https://medium.com/pelos-press/learni...

Your value; your significance; your crowning glory is this –

God has chosen to love you.

Open the door to experiencing the amazing love of God every day, by reading:

"THE PSALM 23 LIFE"

... available on Amazon here:

http://viewbook.at/thepsalm23life

Here's the latest 5 Star Amazon review:

TRANSFORMING

Daily bread for the soul. An absolute must read as the author takes you on a journey of discovery into the power of God’s love through the truths of Psalm 23.

I hope my latest article will help you become all you are meant to be in 2021. Wishing you a joyful, peaceful and fruitful new year.

You are a unique creation, designed for a purpose that calls you towards a life of joy and meaning. What greater meaning can there be than serving the creator of all things with a life and character shaped by him, just as he planned it to be before the creation of the world...

https://medium.com/pelos-press/shapin...

HE CAME to be my shepherd, I lack nothing.
HE CAME to make me lie down in green pastures,
HE CAME to lead me beside quiet waters,
HE CAME to refresh my soul.
HE CAME to guide me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
YOU CAME to be with me,
so that even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil;
YOU CAME that your rod and your staff,
might comfort me.

YOU CAME to prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
YOU CAME to anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
YOU CAME to make sure your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and because YOU CAME, I will dwell in the house of the Lord
for ever.

We never outgrow the need to trust God.

In fact, as Jesus said, 'From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded...'

Here's my latest article looking at what we can learn from Moses on this subject:

https://medium.com/pelos-press/is-tru...

As we remember the coming of the Prince of Peace, do you remember what he said?
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ (Matthew 5:9 NIV)
Being a peacemaker does not make you a child of God, but peace-making is one of the things children of God do. If you want to be a peacemaker, I hope you find this article helpful.
https://medium.com/pelos-press/hierar...

Jesus said:

‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.’ (Matthew 13:44-46 NIV)

What is it about the kingdom of heaven that makes it like hidden treasure and a pearl of great value? Well, even though they were far from the Promised Land, and understood little about the nature of God, I think that Moses and the Israelites knew.

In Exodus 33 God said that he would give them the Promised Land, he would even send an angel before them to drive out their enemies. But Moses and the people we devastated. Why? They were devastated because the Lord said that he would not go with them. He would not go with them because they were a “stiff-necked people”, and he might destroy them. They had shown the hardness of their hearts though their sin with the golden calf. Even a people such as this were devastated by the thought of losing the presence of God. We often do not realise the treasure that we have until we lose it. Moses and the people understood that the Promised Land would be nothing without the presence of the Lord with them. They show us that: it is the presence of the Lord that is the true hidden treasure; it is the Lord himself who is the "pearl of great value", his love and his nature that we can experience in the kingdom of heaven.

I love the way that Moses says to God:

'You have said, “I know you by name and you have found favour with me.” If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favour with you.' … ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’ (Exodus 33:12,13,15,16 NIV)

Following Moses’ prayer, the Lord does indeed promise to go with them, but I love the way Moses says "What else will distinguish me..." How true that is. What a blessing and privilege we in Christ have, to know that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, "Christ in us". He is the one who distinguishes us; he is the one who empowers us. He is the treasure that lives within our jars of clay. Let's rejoice, let’s keep asking God to fill us with his Spirit, let’s be prepared to do whatever it takes to know him more and to please him.

Going Deep: Becoming A Person of Influence by Gordon MacDonald

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I loved this book on a number of levels:

1) The need for the Church to nurture what the book calls "deep people" - disciples of Jesus committed to growing more like him in character and fulfilling their calling, is a topic close to my heart.
2) It provides a model and encouragement for how older Christians (which now I reluctantly admit includes me) can help nurture and mentor younger people
3) The story format used, not only shows how to do this practically, but naturally illustrates the ideas.
4) The story format also illustrates servant leadership in the Church and how a godly team can actually work.

I was in two minds about the story telling format early on, it does make the book longer than it would otherwise be. However by the end, I wanted to know what would happen to the characters involved, and I'm fairly certain that I've retained more of the ideas, because they have been presented in a story.



View all my reviews