1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:03,800 You're listening to the Bridgetown Church Podcast with 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,840 Pastor Casey Kendall, where our vision is Jesus, our mission is 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:09,760 people, and our cause is love. Thanks for tuning in. 4 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:12,520 Let's dive in. We're in the book of First 5 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,400 Samuel. If you have your Bible handy, we 6 00:00:14,400 --> 00:00:17,640 just want to tell you we've been going through a series entitled 7 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,320 Heart, and as we've continued through the book of First 8 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,160 Samuel, we're in First Samuel chapter 25. 9 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,400 This morning we're in First Samuel chapter 25. 10 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:31,760 And what I want to look at with you is 43 verses. 11 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,760 That's a lot of mileage to cover on our journey. 12 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,800 And So what I want to just pinpoint with you as we begin 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:47,280 and as we read the Scripture is verse 32 and verse 33, the title 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:53,360 of the message is Dear Abby verse 32. 15 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:58,080 If you have your Bible handy, then David said to Abigail, 16 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,440 blessed be the Lord God of Israel who sent you this day to 17 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:10,400 meet me. And blessed is your advice, and 18 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,800 blessed are you because you have kept me from this day, from 19 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:20,360 coming to bloodshed, and from avenging myself with my own 20 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:22,640 hand. I want to just read this verse 21 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,720 to you again. Tucked it towards the end of 22 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:32,360 this chapter in verse 32, David said to Abigail, blessed be the 23 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,000 Lord God of Israel who sent you this day to meet me. 24 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:43,520 And blessed is your advice and blessed are you because you have 25 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:47,080 kept me from this day, from coming to bloodshed and from 26 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,600 avenging myself with my own hand. 27 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,480 If you could, as we always do here, just look at your neighbor 28 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:57,760 and say neighbor, my neighbor. This is full participation 29 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,040 church this morning. If you would just look at your 30 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:05,400 neighbor and say neighbor, my neighbor, I have the answer. 31 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,039 I have the answer. Husbands, look at your wife and 32 00:02:10,039 --> 00:02:13,840 tell them I have the answer. Wives, look at your husbands and 33 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,200 say I have the answer. Parents, look at your kids and 34 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:22,080 say I have the answer. Kids, don't look at your 35 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:27,240 parents. Do not say I have the answer, I 36 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:32,240 have the answer. I was reading recently of a 37 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:36,360 woman by the name of Pauline Friedman Phillips, better known 38 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,960 by her pin name Abigail Van Buren. 39 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:48,760 She died on January the 16th of 2003 at the age of 94 after a 40 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:53,480 decade long battle with a disease called Alzheimer's. 41 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:59,720 She was born 17 minutes after her identical twin sister Esther 42 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:07,720 Letterer and published her first Dear Abby column in 1956, three 43 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:14,320 months after Esther's debut. As and Landers Phillips chose 44 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,280 her pin name from the Bible where it reads. 45 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,480 Then David said to Abigail, blessed is your advice, and 46 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,400 blessed are you from the book of First Samuel. 47 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,840 She then took her last part of her pin name from the 8th 48 00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:36,360 President of the United States because she liked the old family 49 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:42,920 presidential ring of Van Buren. After charming her way into an 50 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,840 advice columnist job at San Francisco Chronicle, Abby 51 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:52,040 transformed the stayed prudish world of dishing out syndicated 52 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:58,560 advice along with her sister Dear Abby. 53 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:03,320 For some of you that are very familiar with that, Short Term 54 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:10,760 was again started in 1956 and it is the most widely syndicated 55 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:15,040 newspaper column in the world with a daily readership of more 56 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:23,160 than 110 million people. Abby receives more than 10,000 57 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:29,400 letters and emails per week seeking her advice. 58 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:34,920 Jean Phillips, now the face of Dear Abby, today began taking 59 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:39,840 over the writing column from her mother in 1987. 60 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:48,520 They asked her how it was to be the daughter of a woman that 61 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:52,880 people constantly referred to as Dear Abby. 62 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,680 She said this. My mother did not become Dear 63 00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:01,680 Abby until I was 14 years old, and so it wasn't like I grew up 64 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:07,720 with this person who had all the answers. 65 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,520 Maybe you remember some of the Dear Abby columns that you would 66 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,560 pin through. If you used to look at what we 67 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:22,960 would call a newspaper in this time, you would read things like 68 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:26,280 this. This was one of the best ones 69 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:31,520 I've ever read. Dear Abby seeking advice Our son 70 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,720 married a girl when he was in the service. 71 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:38,080 They were married in February and she had an 8 1/2 LB baby 72 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:43,040 girl in August. She said the baby was premature. 73 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:48,880 Question can an 8 1/2 LB baby be this premature? 74 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:55,960 Signed wanting to know her advice dear wanting the baby was 75 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,200 on time and the wedding was late. 76 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:02,480 Forget it. I think we live in a world and 77 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:07,360 in a time where everybody is looking for answers. 78 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:14,680 We have a world that is full of talking heads, but we through 79 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:19,280 the scripture are the only people that have the answer that 80 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:25,120 could change people's hearts. You have within you and what 81 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:29,840 you're holding on your phone or possibly in your lap today. 82 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:34,640 You have the correct response to any question in this world. 83 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:40,640 What you hold in your lap and on your phone today is the solution 84 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:45,360 to the problem. You have the right information 85 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:52,200 that could change any life at any time and in any given place 86 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,480 and situation. This is not something that you 87 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,960 conjured up. This is something that God has 88 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:03,720 sent down. This is not for us, a new idea. 89 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,880 These are old truths of the Bible. 90 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:14,280 Someone once said if it's new, it's not true and many times we 91 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:16,800 think we have a greater revelation, but this men and 92 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:20,080 women, is the greatest revelation ever given. 93 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,920 This for us in the scriptures that we hold in our hands today 94 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:30,240 is not something because we thought that we were smart, but 95 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,360 it's because we desire to live by what Jesus said. 96 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:39,920 This today for us is the Word of God and in it we have the 97 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:46,000 answers for humanity. The answer is in this book. 98 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,680 The answer is in the authority of Scripture. 99 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:59,160 The answer is for us. Found in 66 books, 1189 chapters 100 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:11,120 31,173 verses 773,692 words. Written over 1500 year period by 101 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:16,160 40 different authors in three different continents and three 102 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:20,600 different languages, all carrying one main theme, and 103 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:25,000 that is the person of Jesus Christ in the Scriptures that 104 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,160 you hold within your heart today. 105 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:32,720 It is filled with history and poetry, philosophy and prophecy. 106 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:38,679 It is our treasure, this is our testament, it is the truth of 107 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:42,720 God and it gives to us both doctrine and duty. 108 00:08:42,799 --> 00:08:47,320 And this tells us of the greatest of all, God's divine 109 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,360 love. This is the greatest book in 110 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:53,120 continuality. It is the greatest book in 111 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:55,840 circulation. It is the greatest book in 112 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:01,280 clarification and conviction, and it is here in this book that 113 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,000 is inspired by God. Paul would say to Timothy that 114 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,440 all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God. 115 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:12,360 It is here in this book that we will read from Peter that men 116 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:16,360 were moved by the Holy Spirit and they spoke from God. 117 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,480 It is here in this book that David would write himself in 118 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,920 Psalm 119. Revive us according to your 119 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:27,520 word. It is here in this book that 120 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:31,360 Martin Luther once said, give me a Bible that people can 121 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,720 understand and a hymnal that the people can sing from, and the 122 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:41,320 fire will spread on its own. It is the answer that God has 123 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:49,080 given to us is found in the book and today it is not Dear Abby, 124 00:09:51,560 --> 00:09:57,480 it's Dear Henry, it's dear Rudy, it's dear Lisa. 125 00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:01,120 And I think many times we reserve the answer to the 126 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,560 professionals when the answer in what God has given to us is 127 00:10:05,560 --> 00:10:09,680 pertaining all things to life and godliness from His Word. 128 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:14,520 And I think it's important that we understand that in this we 129 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,560 have the answers for what we're facing today in our world. 130 00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:21,800 We have the answers for crime here in the Word. 131 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,040 We have the answers of what mental health should look like. 132 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,520 We have the answers for transgenderism. 133 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,640 We have the answers for homosexuality. 134 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:33,680 We have the answers for money, the answers for marriage, the 135 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,680 answers for singleness, The answer for abortion, the answer 136 00:10:37,680 --> 00:10:42,360 for your work, the answer for your school is all found in the 137 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:44,800 Bible. And it's important that we come 138 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:48,640 under the authority of what God has said. 139 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:53,040 I love what the Scripture says because in regards to the life 140 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:56,760 of Abigail, that David looked at her and says, blessed is your 141 00:10:56,760 --> 00:11:00,920 advice to me, blessed is your advice. 142 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:05,920 We know the story of David, that David is on the run at this 143 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,400 point in time in his life. He's being pursued after by a 144 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:14,320 king by the name of Saul. And as he's being pursued after 145 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:17,040 by Saul, he finds himself in the wilderness. 146 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:23,520 There Samuel dies, and David then, after Samuel dies, finds 147 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:26,480 himself going back into the wilderness. 148 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,480 And I don't know if you've ever been hit by one thing after 149 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,040 another thing after another thing after another thing after 150 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:36,120 another thing. And here is David hiding in the 151 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,600 wilderness at this point in time in his life. 152 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:44,200 It's a season of shearing sheep, and we're going to learn all 153 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,360 about anger. And I'm sure this message won't 154 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,000 be for you, but you can send it to somebody else. 155 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:55,080 I was going to entitle this sermon, How to Deal with a Hard 156 00:11:55,080 --> 00:12:01,520 Spouse, but I thought I'd just get to the root of the issue. 157 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:05,360 And the root of the issue is anger. 158 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:11,280 How do we handle anger? How do we respond to anger? 159 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,800 How do I respond that when I stop at the stoplight and I 160 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,360 didn't realize that I cut someone off and I rolled down my 161 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:23,200 window to apologize to the man that I cut off and he took his 162 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,600 big gulp of Doctor Pepper and threw it through my window? 163 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:33,400 How do you respond when someone is angry with you on the 164 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,280 freeway? How do you respond when 165 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:38,800 someone's angry with you in your house? 166 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:43,480 How do you respond when someone's angry with you in the 167 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:46,280 church? How do you respond when someone 168 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,680 is angry with you at your school? 169 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:53,760 How do you respond in the office when someone chooses to 170 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,720 disrespect you? How do you respond when you are 171 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,920 going to Thanksgiving with people that you know are 172 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:05,560 offended by you and you're offended with them? 173 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:08,240 How do we approach this situation? 174 00:13:08,240 --> 00:13:10,920 The Bible talks to us about anger. 175 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:23,520 Over 800 verses in the Bible deal with anger, wrath, outrage, 176 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:31,320 and malice. 800 verses. And this story that we looked at 177 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:39,520 in First Samuel 25 gives to us three beautiful pictures of how 178 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:45,000 people respond to anger, two negative and 1 positive. 179 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:51,160 The hero of our story is a woman by the name of Abigail. 180 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:58,760 The villains in our story, if we would are from a man by the name 181 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:02,200 of Nabal and another man by the name of David. 182 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,920 These are men who respond wrong in this situation. 183 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,600 But here is this woman who comes to David in the midst of a very 184 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:14,840 tense situation, and David looks at her and says these words. 185 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:22,640 Blessed is your advice. Blessed is your advice, so how 186 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:27,080 could I be that person where I would realize that the answer is 187 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:31,520 coming from the Word of God and I will be the person that will 188 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:35,880 share what God has said in His Word. 189 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:40,360 How do I not respond out of anger in this moment? 190 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,040 Well, I want to give you the first picture if I would, the 191 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:47,840 pictures of a rich man. The Bible says in verse 2 there 192 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:51,760 was a man in Mayon whose business was in Carmel. 193 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:58,440 He had 3000 sheep and 1000 goats and he was shearing his sheep in 194 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:02,360 Carmel. This man was very wealthy. 195 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:07,280 When you read that someone had multiple livestock, that is a 196 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:11,240 proof of somebody's wealth. It's like if you pulled up to a 197 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:16,040 someone's house and their garage is filled with all types of 198 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:24,000 fancy vintage and new cars. That's why like have what having 199 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,520 livestock was like during this time. 200 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:30,920 He had Ferrari goats, he had Corvette sheep. 201 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,360 I mean, this guy was rich. He was rich. 202 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:39,280 He had it all that he could have ever wanted. 203 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,360 And verse 3 says the name of the man was Nabal. 204 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,360 Nabal, if you're taking note, literally means fool. 205 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:48,240 Just tell your neighbor. Don't be a fool. 206 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,280 And here in this moment, notice this. 207 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:55,480 Nabal in the name of his wife was Abigail. 208 00:15:55,480 --> 00:16:02,440 Abigail's name means Joy. Joy is living with a fool. 209 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:09,440 You ever felt like that ladies? Joy is living with a what made 210 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:13,240 Nabal so foolish? Well it gives to us the picture 211 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:17,400 of Abigail 1st and she was a woman of good understanding. 212 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:21,120 She understood her times, she understood the truth. 213 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:26,040 But the man noticed this was harsh and evil in his doings and 214 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:30,840 he was of the House of Caleb. Remember Caleb, Caleb and 215 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:35,720 Joshua. Caleb was the man who would take 216 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,880 the mountain even at 80 years old and seek to live throughout 217 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,880 the promised land. Can you just side note this, 218 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,760 Just because you leave a good heritage doesn't mean that 219 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:50,080 people are going to live holy. You still have to do what Christ 220 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:52,440 has called you to do in the midst that Christ is calling you 221 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,840 to live in. Listen and understand this. 222 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:57,240 Abigail was of good understanding and she was 223 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:03,960 beautiful in appearance. This was a wise woman with 224 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:08,240 beautiful appearance. Reminds me of my wife in verse 225 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,240 4. That was a good spot for me to 226 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,200 say Amen. When David heard in the 227 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:18,000 wilderness that Nibal was shearing his sheep, David sent 228 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,160 10 young men. And David said to the young men, 229 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,680 go up to Carmel, go to Nibal and greet him in my name. 230 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:27,280 And thus she shall say to him who lives in prosperity, peace 231 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:30,720 be to you, peace to your house, and peace to all that you have. 232 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:32,960 Now I've heard that you have shears. 233 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,680 Your shepherds were with us, and we did not hurt them, nor was 234 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:40,480 there anything missing from them all the while they were in 235 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,280 Carmel. Ask your young men and they will 236 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,760 tell you. Therefore, let my young men find 237 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,880 favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. 238 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:53,320 Please give whatever comes to your hand to your servants and 239 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:57,760 to your son David. So when David's young men came, 240 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,560 they spoke to Nabal, according to all these words, in the name 241 00:18:01,560 --> 00:18:05,160 of David, and they waited. And then Nabal answered David's 242 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:07,400 servants and said I would love to help David. 243 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,600 He's such a great man, he's so influential. 244 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,080 I would love to help with anything that I have. 245 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,640 No, no, no, he didn't say that. Notice what he said. 246 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:21,360 Who is David with? With a little bit of sarcasm. 247 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,320 Who's David? Then read it like this. 248 00:18:25,360 --> 00:18:30,520 And who's the son of Jesse? And then he says there are many 249 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:36,280 servants nowadays who break away each from his master. 250 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:40,320 Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat and I, I 251 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:44,240 have killed for my shears and give it to men when I do not 252 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,960 know where they are from? Can you just write this down if 253 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,800 you're taking note? If you want to respond to anger 254 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,400 and ruin your life, this is what I want you to do. 255 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:58,240 If you want to ruin your life, be quick to speak and slow to 256 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:01,240 listen. If you like to ruin your life 257 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:06,600 because of your anger, be quick to speak and be slow to listen. 258 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,760 Nabal is the fool. This is the time where the 259 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,200 shepherds were out shearing the sheep. 260 00:19:16,360 --> 00:19:18,760 You could hear. I don't think they had power 261 00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,040 tools back then, but you can just hear the buzz. 262 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:26,120 And this was a festive time. This was a time where people 263 00:19:26,120 --> 00:19:29,280 were partying. This was the celebration of all 264 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:33,840 the years hard work and at this moment in time as all of these 265 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:37,160 shepherds are out, normally the shepherds would be attacked by 266 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,520 the enemy or thieves. And David sent men around these 267 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,720 shepherds and he became a wall to them. 268 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,040 He actually protected them the whole time. 269 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:52,280 So David says, hey, can you go to Nabal and just ask because 270 00:19:52,280 --> 00:19:56,480 it's the sheep shearing time. They would be so hospitable for 271 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,800 anyone that would come into their village or into their 272 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:02,240 area. It was at that time that they 273 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,080 would resource them with everything they had. 274 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:09,720 This was a common practice of this day. 275 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:15,440 So there's a party and they have lots of overflowing goodness. 276 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,440 Then David says we've protected you now because we've protected 277 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,720 you. We want you to give us. 278 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:25,000 Something to eat. And so here's David in this 279 00:20:25,000 --> 00:20:27,960 moment, sends his men, asks for this. 280 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:31,600 But listen, you cannot have closed hands without a cold 281 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,640 heart. If I'm unwilling to hear and 282 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:41,200 help people in this moment, I'll often find myself as a fool. 283 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:45,960 And here it is in this moment that David comes to the ball. 284 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:51,480 And the ball says, who's David, who is the son of Jesse? 285 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:55,680 Lots of guys are breaking away from their master. 286 00:20:56,120 --> 00:21:00,400 Why should I even give them from my meat, my water? 287 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:02,600 Notice how many personal pronouns there are. 288 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:12,960 Shall I then take my bread and my water and my meat that I have 289 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:18,560 killed from my shears and give it to men that when I do not 290 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:23,080 know where they are from? Should I open up my house? 291 00:21:24,040 --> 00:21:26,880 Should I allow you to drive my car? 292 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,960 Should I use my gas to constantly pick you up? 293 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,440 Ring a bell? No, none of you have ever faced 294 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:38,000 that. Wow, you probably don't have 8 295 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:42,480 kids like me. Listen, David finds himself in a 296 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:48,360 place of asking and Nabal becomes the fool and constantly 297 00:21:48,360 --> 00:21:53,360 notice this being a person that is evil and harsh. 298 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:58,960 I want you to circle those words in the Bible because Nabal being 299 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:05,880 evil, he found himself being active in his evil. 300 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:15,000 And the word harsh there in the Bible means that he was 301 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:24,280 unpleasant, he was hard to work with, he was intolerable. 302 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:28,040 So here's the ball in this situation. 303 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:32,160 And he's unwilling to listen to the men. 304 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:36,520 And he speaks over the men and says, who's David? 305 00:22:37,680 --> 00:22:42,920 How and why should I ever help this guy at all? 306 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:44,680 I just want to submit this to you this morning. 307 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,840 When people are fixed on themselves, consumed with 308 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,080 themselves, constantly talking about themselves, they are 309 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:57,240 easily frustrated, easily bothered, easily triggered and 310 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:00,920 easily offended. And they see helping people as a 311 00:23:00,920 --> 00:23:06,480 problem rather than a privilege. And in that moment, this is what 312 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,760 happens. We say things that we later 313 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:18,560 deeply regret in our lives. I'm sure none of you have walked 314 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,440 into this place. They've ever been quick to speak 315 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,800 and slow to listen. I'm sure that none of you have 316 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:26,840 ever thought bad thoughts towards a person. 317 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:33,240 But if you have, if I could just speak to you for a moment, this 318 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:38,440 is where we begin to shoot arrows at kings. 319 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:43,720 It doesn't come necessarily from a physical arrow being shot from 320 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:47,400 a bow. It comes from the mouth of a 321 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:52,520 father towards their child. It comes from the mouth of the 322 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:58,240 wife towards their husband. It comes from the friend or it 323 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:02,160 comes from the brother or it comes from the sister where now 324 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:06,080 it's just simply flowing out of their mouth. 325 00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:12,440 How about arrows like you never you always. 326 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:20,480 I can't stand you anymore. I'm sure no couple in here has 327 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,880 ever thought, why did I even marry them? 328 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:28,560 I'm sure you've never said things like I have where I just 329 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:32,120 sit my kids down on the bed and ask them this question. 330 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,160 Have I ever done anything to offend you? 331 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:49,080 And they sobbed as they began to tell me my sin, my cutting 332 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:55,360 remarks, my hurt that I've caused them, the pain that I, 333 00:24:55,360 --> 00:25:02,560 through quick speak speech, have now cost them confidence. 334 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:05,520 And I think that's a good question. 335 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,320 If you're vulnerable enough with your wife or your husband to ask 336 00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:13,680 them in the moment, have I done anything to offend you? 337 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,560 And if I have, I'm not going to defend myself in this moment. 338 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:23,240 I'm actually going to just listen and in listening, what I 339 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:27,760 want to do is I want to make sure that you can speak into 340 00:25:27,760 --> 00:25:31,960 this situation. And as you speak, I'm willing to 341 00:25:32,440 --> 00:25:35,600 confess. How can we be a people that 342 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:39,120 would listen better? How can we be a people that 343 00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:42,400 listen better? We live within 7 seconds of 344 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:45,760 listening to people. I believe right now there is a 345 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:52,160 great calling and there's a great honor for people to 346 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:53,480 listen. They want to listen to 347 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,080 something. They want to listen to someone. 348 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,880 So much so Senator Josh Hally was telling us the the suicide 349 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,360 rate that is desperately increasing because young men are 350 00:26:04,360 --> 00:26:08,160 looking to chat bots to fulfill a friendship in their life. 351 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:13,480 And he said the pain in which is happening in these young men and 352 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:17,680 women's lives as as parents were holding a picture of their child 353 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,360 because the child thought that AI could birth with them a 354 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:25,240 relationship that would satisfy them and it left them more 355 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,120 lonely. I think people want to listen. 356 00:26:27,120 --> 00:26:30,760 People are are are wanting to hear, but they need to hear the 357 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:37,160 truth and AI and this is a counterfeit to what God wants to 358 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:42,560 say. And in this moment, Josh, 359 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:46,760 Senator Josh Hawley told us his pastors, he said this, he said, 360 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:53,280 why do I have to defend things that you pastors are afraid to 361 00:26:53,280 --> 00:26:59,440 speak about? And I want to encourage you to 362 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,840 understand that we could be greater listeners of the truth 363 00:27:02,840 --> 00:27:05,480 of what God has given to us in His Word. 364 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:07,920 And how could this actually happen? 365 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:11,280 That is by this, I just want you to write some things down. 366 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,480 I want to encourage you wait with your words. 367 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,080 Maybe wait with your words. Now, we're not always perfect in 368 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,640 this situation, but I want to just encourage you wait with 369 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,520 your words. Wait with your words, Nabal, 370 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:28,240 wait with your words. The second thing I want to 371 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,400 encourage you to do is when someone's talking to you, don't 372 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,320 go numb. They're people too. 373 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,840 Don't go numb so you disengage that they actually have a heart 374 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:42,800 in the situation #3 show that you care as you listen. 375 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:46,160 Show them that you care by keeping eye contact with them. 376 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:51,200 And this is what I really believe in listening is, is your 377 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,920 irritation could be the divine interruption of your life to 378 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,360 really listen and live by what God is showing you. 379 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:01,720 I believe in our communication with people as we listen. 380 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:05,520 Stop chasing rabbits around. Let's cut to the source of 381 00:28:05,520 --> 00:28:10,160 what's going on. Let's ask some good questions. 382 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:15,120 Let's listen to and look through some of the things people might 383 00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:21,520 be saying and listen to hear. Not to correct, not to judge, 384 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:26,120 and not to coach someone in the midst of what they're saying. 385 00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:31,160 You will never regret having said nothing in a moment of 386 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:36,000 tension that you are about to send with your speech. 387 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:41,360 Listen, it's hard to sin verbally with your mouth closed. 388 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,520 So if I could just encourage you, if you can, well, I know 389 00:28:45,520 --> 00:28:47,800 you can because you're filled with the Holy Spirit of God. 390 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,080 Be quick to listen. Be slow to speak. 391 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,880 This is a second way. I believe we often seek to deal 392 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:59,400 with anger and that is this. We seek justice in our own way 393 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,920 and in our own time. We seek justice in our own way 394 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:05,520 and in our own time. Here is the ball. 395 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:09,280 He's unwilling to listen. And then David, here's what he 396 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:12,040 says. And David's young man, verse 12, 397 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,320 turned on their heels and went back and they came and told him 398 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,760 all these words. And then David said to his men, 399 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:22,600 every man, gird on your sword. David says, I'm ready for the 400 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,440 fight and the ball. So every man girded on his 401 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,160 sword, and David also girded on his sword. 402 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,680 And about 400 men went with David and 200 stayed with the 403 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,600 supplies. Now one of the young men told 404 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,040 Abigail and Nabal's wife, saying, look, David sent 405 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,040 messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, and he 406 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,960 reviled them. But the men were very good to us 407 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:46,480 and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we 408 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:49,120 accompanied them when we were in the fields. 409 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:51,880 They were a wall to us both day and night. 410 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:54,640 All the time we were with them, keeping the sheep. 411 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,840 Now therefore know and consider that you, what you will do for 412 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:02,880 harm is determined against our master and against all his 413 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:08,120 household. For he is such a scoundrel that 414 00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:12,360 one cannot notice this. Speak to him. 415 00:30:14,040 --> 00:30:17,960 We can't even speak to him. He's a scoundrel. 416 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:22,200 He's harsh, he's evil. Abigail, you got to do something 417 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:24,440 now. Nabal is one man. 418 00:30:24,680 --> 00:30:30,880 David brings 400 men. The same David who would be 419 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:35,680 patient with King Saul is the same David who would be 420 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:40,520 impatient with Nabal. Just because you have a past 421 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:44,960 victory with a person doesn't mean you can rest on those 422 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:46,880 laurels for your present victory. 423 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:54,240 In that moment, David straps on his sword, possibly the same 424 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:58,800 sword that he used to kill Goliath, and in that moment, he 425 00:30:58,800 --> 00:31:01,600 finds himself ready to take out Nabal. 426 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:06,560 I think if we want to respond to anger in a bad way, here's what 427 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:09,680 I would encourage you to do. If you want to ruin your life, 428 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:13,520 seek justice in your own way with your own time. 429 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:18,800 David's about to kill a man, but he's convicted in the past in 430 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:22,040 The Cave of cutting off a man's robe. 431 00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:27,600 So now in this moment, all the helpers and shepherds come to 432 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:32,560 Abigail and say, hey, David's coming with 400 now, 400 against 433 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:34,160 one. The odds are against you. 434 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:40,920 And in this moment, David is seeking to get revenge. 435 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:44,320 And maybe throughout your whole life in what you have faced 436 00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:45,960 recently, you just want to get revenge. 437 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:49,200 You want to show them this is what revenge means. 438 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:53,600 If you're taking note, you want to settle the score, you're 439 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:57,720 reloading and you're finally ready to get even with them. 440 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:02,920 You are the person where you have heard the warning of the 441 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:06,640 word of God and pay no one evil for evil. 442 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:10,160 Have regards for good things in the sight of all men. 443 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,720 And notice this. You've heard the word to say, Do 444 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,040 not say, I will do to him as he has done to me. 445 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,160 I will render to the man according to his work. 446 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:21,280 You've already heard the word, beloved. 447 00:32:21,280 --> 00:32:24,000 Do not avenge yourself, but rather give place to wrath. 448 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:26,360 Vengeance is mine, says the Lord. 449 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:30,920 But because you were so hurt, you think that your healing will 450 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:36,160 come through revenge. Maybe a lot like that woman who 451 00:32:36,160 --> 00:32:39,320 sold her wedding dress for a 38 caliber pistol. 452 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:44,680 You're ready to get revenge. Revenge is not something that is 453 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:46,960 old. It's very present in our time 454 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:51,760 and age that there is all types of websites that deal with 455 00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,280 revenge. Make him pay.com. 456 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:01,560 All of these things come to us in a place and maybe, maybe for 457 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,320 you, you're ready to see someone ruined rather than restored. 458 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:09,200 Maybe for you, you've come into this place and because of the 459 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,400 hurt where it's now harbored, it's turned into hatred. 460 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:16,080 And now because of that hatred, you just want to see harm befall 461 00:33:16,160 --> 00:33:18,400 on a person. Maybe for them you're not 462 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:20,840 seeking revival, you're just seeking revenge. 463 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:25,920 Maybe you're thinking, I will pray what David prayed in Psalm 464 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:29,120 58, verse 6. Lord, smash their teeth within 465 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:32,560 their mouth. I want to ask you a question, 466 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:40,400 who are you waiting in line for? I was reading the story that 467 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:44,440 there was a guy that could not get along with his wife and on 468 00:33:44,440 --> 00:33:46,720 top of that he couldn't get along with his mother-in-law. 469 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:51,720 And in frustration one day he finally took a long walk and as 470 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:55,360 he was about to return home he got to the street corner and saw 471 00:33:55,360 --> 00:33:57,480 a hearse pull up to the stop sign. 472 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:01,520 It had a dog in it, and behind that was another hearse. 473 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,440 And then behind the second hearse about 50 men were 474 00:34:04,440 --> 00:34:07,680 walking. He was seized with curiosity and 475 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:11,040 walked up to the first hearse, knocked on the glass and a guy 476 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:15,520 inside rolled his window down. Yes, he asked, what is all of 477 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:17,000 this? Asked the man. 478 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:21,159 Well, in this casket is my wife, and in that casket and the other 479 00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:25,440 hearse is my mother-in-law. The dog had killed both of them. 480 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:33,719 The man said, Can I borrow that dog and the guy and said to him, 481 00:34:33,920 --> 00:34:43,040 get in line. I wonder in your life who you 482 00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:49,360 are waiting in line for? David gathers all of his men and 483 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:57,920 he's waiting in line for Nabal. And you fill in the blank, who 484 00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:03,760 is that woman, that man that you're actually ready to see 485 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:11,320 them revenge and justice in your own way and in your own time. 486 00:35:11,320 --> 00:35:14,800 I love what one pastor said. He said that the tree of revenge 487 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:16,560 never bears any good fruit at all. 488 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:20,880 And here is David in this moment, and he's ready to take 489 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:26,560 out the ball. But then in comes Abigail. 490 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,720 How can I respond to anger in a really healthy way? 491 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:36,840 Can I just submit this to you #3 from the life of Abigail De 492 00:35:36,840 --> 00:35:42,240 escalate the situation with wisdom and discernment to check 493 00:35:42,240 --> 00:35:44,240 out our story. And I just think if we just read 494 00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:47,520 the story, it's really going to inspire you to do what's right. 495 00:35:48,160 --> 00:35:53,360 Then Abigail made haste and she took 200 loaves of bread, 2 496 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:58,440 skins of wine, 5 sheep already dressed, 5 seias of roasted 497 00:35:58,440 --> 00:36:03,000 grain, 100 clusters of raisins, and 200 cakes of figs, and she 498 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,480 loaded them on the donkey. She, she, she gets all of the 499 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:10,040 gifts together, Wisdom. And she said to her servants, go 500 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:11,760 on before me, so I'm coming after you. 501 00:36:11,760 --> 00:36:14,400 But she said not to tell her husband the ball. 502 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,280 So it was as she rode on the donkey that she went down 503 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:21,640 undercover of the heel hill, and there were David and his men 504 00:36:21,640 --> 00:36:23,760 coming down toward her, and she met them. 505 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:25,840 Now David had said, surely in vain. 506 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,000 I've protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so 507 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:32,280 that nothing was missed of all that belongs to him, and he has 508 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:36,800 repaid me evil for good. May God do so, and more also to 509 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:40,040 the enemies of David. If I leave 1 male of all who 510 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:42,920 belong to him. By morning light David is going 511 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:46,880 to wipe out in the ball and everyone connected to him. 512 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:50,440 But here comes Abigail to just tell your neighbor, here comes 513 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:54,680 Abigail, here comes Abigail. Now when Abigail saw David, she 514 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,040 hastened to dismount from the donkey. 515 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,120 That that we don't use the word hastened a lot in Glendora. 516 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:04,080 You don't hear like hasten out of the car, my young lad. 517 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:05,720 You don't hear that type of stuff. 518 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:08,480 Hasten means she moved quickly off of her donkey. 519 00:37:09,040 --> 00:37:12,400 She fell on her face before David, and she bowed down to the 520 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:13,320 ground. Why? 521 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:19,080 Because that was Abigail's character, not because of 522 00:37:19,080 --> 00:37:22,920 David's position, but because of Abigail's character. 523 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:26,440 And so she fell at his feet and said on me, my Lord, on me, let 524 00:37:26,440 --> 00:37:29,840 this iniquity be, and please let your maidservant speak in your 525 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,520 ears and hear the words of your maidservant. 526 00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:35,760 Please verse 25. Let not, my Lord, regard the 527 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,600 scoundrel. She calls her husband a 528 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:43,960 scoundrel, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. 529 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:46,400 Nabal is his name, and folly is with him. 530 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:50,000 But I, your maidservant, did not see the young men of my Lord 531 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,560 whom you sent. Now therefore, my Lord, as the 532 00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:56,200 Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held 533 00:37:56,200 --> 00:37:59,200 you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging 534 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:04,080 yourself with your own hand, Now then, let your enemies and those 535 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,400 who seek harm for my Lord be as Nepal. 536 00:38:07,720 --> 00:38:11,320 And now this present which your maidservant has brought to my 537 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:14,040 Lord, let it be given to the young men who follow. 538 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:19,320 My Lord, please forgive the trespass of your maidservant, 539 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:23,960 for the Lord will certainly make for my Lord an enduring house. 540 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:28,720 Because my Lord fights the battles of the Lord, and evil is 541 00:38:28,720 --> 00:38:30,680 not found in you throughout your days. 542 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:34,320 Let's listen. She, she brings the gifts with 543 00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:39,600 wisdom and discernment. She brings her words with wisdom 544 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:44,560 and discernment. I want you to think before you 545 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:47,680 speak. I want you to ask yourself this 546 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:51,480 question as you're about to say that statement. 547 00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:56,640 Is this true? Is this true? 548 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:02,040 Secondly, is this helpful? Thirdly, will this inspire them 549 00:39:02,040 --> 00:39:06,200 to follow after Jesus? 4th Is this necessary? 550 00:39:06,520 --> 00:39:09,560 5th Is this going to be kind? Yet? 551 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:12,520 A man, she says, is risen to pursue you and seek your life. 552 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:15,440 But the life of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of the 553 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:18,400 living with the Lord your God. Verse 29 And the lives of your 554 00:39:18,400 --> 00:39:22,040 enemy shall sling out as from the pocket of a sling. 555 00:39:22,040 --> 00:39:26,640 What do you think she's referring to David and Goliath. 556 00:39:27,320 --> 00:39:31,120 David, we know who you are, and it shall come to pass when the 557 00:39:31,120 --> 00:39:34,800 Lord is done for My Lord, according to all the good that 558 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:38,480 he has spoken concerning you, has appointed you ruler over 559 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:42,360 Israel, that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of 560 00:39:42,360 --> 00:39:45,760 heart to my Lord, either that you have shed blood without 561 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:48,480 cause, or that my Lord has avenged himself. 562 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:52,520 But when the Lord has dealt well with my Lord David, you then 563 00:39:52,520 --> 00:39:57,760 remember your maidservant. She brings gifts with wisdom and 564 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:01,080 discernment. She uses words with wisdom and 565 00:40:01,080 --> 00:40:04,080 discernment. She takes the penalty of her 566 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:07,720 husband upon herself and she says, count it to me. 567 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:12,960 And then she says to David, remember your maidservant. 568 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:15,760 Then David said to Abigail, Blessed be the Lord God of 569 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:21,120 Israel, who sent you this day to me, and blessed is your advice. 570 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:29,640 God used a woman to change the course of David's life. 571 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:37,520 God will use you to change the course of David's in your life, 572 00:40:38,160 --> 00:40:40,760 their lives and how their future goes. 573 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:48,360 God will bless his advice as it comes from his word. 574 00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:52,040 Notice in verse 34 for indeed is the Lord God of Israel lives. 575 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:56,040 He has kept me back from hurting you unless you would hasten and 576 00:40:56,040 --> 00:41:00,320 come to meet me. Surely by morning light no males 577 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:01,920 would have been left in the ball. 578 00:41:01,920 --> 00:41:05,080 So David received from her hand what she had brought him and 579 00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:07,240 said to her go up in peace to your house. 580 00:41:07,440 --> 00:41:13,240 See, I've heeded your voice and respected your person. 581 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:18,080 I have heeded your voice, and I've respected your person. 582 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:24,400 Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there was he was holding a feast 583 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,800 in his house, like the feast of a king, and Nabal's heart was 584 00:41:27,800 --> 00:41:31,640 merry within him. He was drunk, for he was very 585 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,480 drunk. Therefore she told him nothing, 586 00:41:34,720 --> 00:41:36,520 little or much until morning light. 587 00:41:36,520 --> 00:41:39,640 And so it was in the morning when the wine had gone from 588 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:42,480 Nibal and his wife had told him these things, that his heart 589 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:46,120 died within him and he became like a stone. 590 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:48,640 Some versions read he had a stroke. 591 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:52,960 And then it happened after about 10 days that the Lord struck 592 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:57,360 Nibal and he died. So when David heard that Nibal 593 00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:04,160 was dead, he said, blessed be the Lord God, blessed be the 594 00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:07,400 Lord who has pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of 595 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,160 Nabal, and he's kept his servant from evil. 596 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:14,600 For the Lord has returned the wickedness of Nabal on his own 597 00:42:14,920 --> 00:42:20,200 head and noticed this. And David sent and noticed what 598 00:42:20,200 --> 00:42:25,480 he does. He proposed to Abigail to take 599 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:31,480 her as his wife. Scripture is so full of messy 600 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:36,520 situations. This is like watching an episode 601 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:40,560 of of your favorite show. You're just binge watching First 602 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:44,160 Samuel and the House of David and you're like, Oh my word, I 603 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:49,520 can't believe this episode last time on the House of David and 604 00:42:49,520 --> 00:42:51,360 you're just watching it. You're just like this. 605 00:42:52,440 --> 00:42:55,240 The husband dies, and David's like Abigail. 606 00:42:56,920 --> 00:42:59,480 Will you be my wife? This is just so messy. 607 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:01,520 Just check this out. And when the servants of David 608 00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:05,080 had come to Abigail at Carmel, they spoke to her, saying, David 609 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:08,280 sent us to you to ask you to become his wife. 610 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:20,120 And then she arose quickly, bowed her face to the earth and 611 00:43:20,120 --> 00:43:22,880 said, here's your maidservant, A servant to wash the feet of the 612 00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:26,240 servants of my Lord. It's her character. 613 00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:33,280 So Abigail Rosen Hasten rode on a donkey with David, attended by 614 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:35,840 the five of her maidens, and she followed the messengers of David 615 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:42,360 and became his wife. David also took David. 616 00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:50,400 David a high noem of Jezreel, and so both of them were his 617 00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:51,360 wives. David. 618 00:43:56,880 --> 00:44:06,220 One is enough, David, one is enough. 619 00:44:07,820 --> 00:44:09,220 This is a good spot for the church to go. 620 00:44:09,300 --> 00:44:12,180 Amen. One said, no, you don't need two 621 00:44:12,180 --> 00:44:16,700 women at a time. Come on, David, mess with God's 622 00:44:16,700 --> 00:44:20,380 plan, man. Come on, David's like, oh, 623 00:44:20,700 --> 00:44:24,180 Abigail, you're pretty. And that girl from Jezreel, I'll 624 00:44:25,180 --> 00:44:27,960 also take her. But notice this. 625 00:44:27,960 --> 00:44:33,040 Saul had given Mikhail his daughter, David's wife, to 626 00:44:33,040 --> 00:44:35,800 Polti, the son of Liege, who was from Gallum. 627 00:44:35,800 --> 00:44:40,480 It's like as the world turns, it's like watching General 628 00:44:40,480 --> 00:44:43,400 Hospital. It's like watching your favorite 629 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:46,320 soap opera. Don't watch soap operas. 630 00:44:48,280 --> 00:44:55,480 This is so messy. It's so messy, but this is where 631 00:44:55,480 --> 00:45:00,120 the grace of God invades. And aren't you glad that the 632 00:45:00,120 --> 00:45:03,920 Scripture is honest enough to show you the mess? 633 00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:09,040 Because in Glendora, when you came today, your life might be 634 00:45:09,040 --> 00:45:15,520 just as messy. Like I don't have two wives. 635 00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:16,800 Casey, what are you talking about? 636 00:45:18,160 --> 00:45:20,240 I didn't take a woman from Jezreel or. 637 00:45:21,440 --> 00:45:27,240 But your life might be filled with pain, hurt, agony, victory, 638 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:33,440 depression, anxiety, pain, agony, and consequences of your 639 00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:36,760 decisions. And it's still in that moment 640 00:45:37,200 --> 00:45:40,840 that God is still writing His story in your life. 641 00:45:41,880 --> 00:45:44,760 Is it amazing to think that he who began a good work in you 642 00:45:44,760 --> 00:45:47,520 will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus? 643 00:45:48,280 --> 00:45:50,880 Isn't it amazing to think that the decision that they made 644 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:53,000 against you will not be the end of your story? 645 00:45:53,160 --> 00:45:57,200 It's just a turn in your story? Isn't it amazing to see that the 646 00:45:57,200 --> 00:46:01,320 way that you can respond to this in this situation can be a place 647 00:46:01,320 --> 00:46:03,800 of surrender in your life? It could be a place where you 648 00:46:03,800 --> 00:46:08,000 are willing to say to the Lord, Lord, I'm going to trust you in 649 00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:11,520 this because I think sometimes we're not just angry at people, 650 00:46:11,520 --> 00:46:19,520 we're angry at God. We're angry that God actually 651 00:46:19,520 --> 00:46:24,920 allowed this to happen this way. And because of that anger, what 652 00:46:24,920 --> 00:46:27,560 now it bleeds into is bitterness. 653 00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:33,560 And now the bitterness is going to be responded by breaking 654 00:46:33,800 --> 00:46:40,080 other things that are good for you because they're going to 655 00:46:40,080 --> 00:46:42,000 fall apart just like that fell apart. 656 00:46:43,120 --> 00:46:47,360 And I just want to encourage us to today to come to a place in 657 00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:51,760 our lives to understand that we might be the Nabal, we might be 658 00:46:51,760 --> 00:46:58,640 the David, but I want to inspire you to be, to respond like 659 00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:04,160 Abigail with wisdom and discernment to de escalate 660 00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:09,080 situations. De escalation means this, that 661 00:47:09,080 --> 00:47:16,160 I'm willing to trust God with the outcome, I'm willing to 662 00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:19,760 trust God with the outcome, and I want us to do that today. 663 00:47:21,400 --> 00:47:24,000 We hope you enjoyed this message and we'd love for you to join us 664 00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:26,160 in person every Sunday at 10:30 AM. 665 00:47:26,560 --> 00:47:28,560 For more information and updates, visit 666 00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:31,200 wearebridgetown.com. Thanks for tuning in and we'll 667 00:47:31,200 --> 00:47:32,040 see you next week.