Scripture
3 But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!”
4 Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” 1 Samuel 23

11 Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant.”
And the LORD said, “He will.”
12 Again David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?
And the LORD said, “They will.” 1 Samuel 23

16 And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.
1 Samuel 23

But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me. Psalm 31:14-15

Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:1 & 7

Observation
Here is a mechanical drawing of how the Lord enables us to make good decisions.

• Good decisions start with inquiring of the Lord.
• Inquiry is based on asking questions and waiting for answers.
• The second question cannot be asked until the answer is given to the first question.
• Don’t ask more than one question at a time.
• God won’t answer jumbled questions with multiple fears.
• Jumbled questions reveal our distrust in the capacity of God to be prepared for every contingency.
• Ask just one question at a time.
• God isn’t interested in answer giving but in forming a relationship with us through problem solving.
• The best answers come when we look calmly with the Lord deep into the problems others fear.
• The solutions he will offer will lie in the heart of what we fear.
• The solutions for one season do not continue into the next one.
• When conditions change the questions must improve.
• God tests the mettle of a man by the appropriateness of his questions for the season.
• When we get the question correct, the Lord’s answer will come.
• Reading the times, telling the time, knowing the time are all the marks of an alert man.
• Quality friends will seek and find the man who inquires of the Lord.
• Quality friends will not allow their friendship to supplant a man’s inquiry of the Lord.
• The best friend is not one who brings the answers, but pushes us into the place where the answer can be found.
• The promise of reward to those who “ask, seek and knock” is given to those who specifically seek good judgment.

Prayer
Father, help me to hear the questions this day so that I may find good answers. Amen.