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 --> 00:00:11,800 Let's dive in. We're in. 5 00:00:11,800 --> 00:00:15,600 First Samuel, chapter 27. First Samuel, chapter 27. 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:20,760 If you have your Bible handy, literal Bible or maybe the 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,280 Bible's on your phone right now that you're being you're using 8 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:27,080 when you get there, can you just say Amen so I know when we can 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:32,759 start first Samuel chapter 27. When you get there, can you just 10 00:00:32,759 --> 00:00:37,280 say Amen, Amen, First Samuel chapter 27. 11 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,520 We're going to begin in verse one. 12 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:44,000 If you have your Bible ready and handy, we're just going to read 13 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,200 verse one, but we're going to cover the whole chapter 14 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:47,920 together. It's only 12 verses. 15 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:50,920 And I know that all of you can do this because you just went 16 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:53,960 through with me 40 verses last week and we. 17 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:55,120 Can we? Can we can. 18 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,520 Dissect 12 together. David the Bible says in chapter 19 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:05,239 27 verse one. And David said in his heart, Now 20 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:09,320 I shall perish someday by the hand of. 21 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:13,720 Saul, and there is. Nothing better for me than that 22 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:19,400 I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines, and 23 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:25,840 Saul will despair of me to seek me anymore in any part of 24 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:34,160 Israel. So David says I shall escape out 25 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,040 of his hand. I want to take you back to the 26 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:43,280 first portion of the verse in the first line and sentence 27 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:49,760 before the comma, The Bible says, and David said in his 28 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,760 heart, if you could just look at your neighbor and say neighbor, 29 00:01:53,760 --> 00:02:00,640 my neighbor, it's an inside job. Yep, it's an inside job. 30 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:07,520 The The Bible says that David said in his heart. 31 00:02:08,680 --> 00:02:14,400 Today's sermon, today's preaching centers around this 32 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:23,080 topic of it's an inside job. These two words inside job 33 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,000 contain one meaningful definition. 34 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:32,240 The definition of inside job means that it was done by the 35 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:39,560 help of someone in a position within an organization or a 36 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,000 group. And that is exactly what 37 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:47,480 happened in the year of 1997. And what they have entitled is 38 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:53,000 the Dunbar Armored Robbery. This remains, they say, the 39 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:58,400 largest cash heist in U.S. history and it was masterminded 40 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,400 by a guy by the name of Alan Pace. 41 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,440 He was a safety inspector for the Dunbar Armored Trucking 42 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:12,600 Company in Los Angeles, CA Pace used his insider knowledge to 43 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:19,480 time the security cameras and to recruit 5 childhood friends to 44 00:03:19,480 --> 00:03:23,440 help him rob the vault during a lunch break for the guards. 45 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:30,200 In this insider knowledge, the crew stole 18.9 million. 46 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,720 Dollars. With insider knowledge, they 47 00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:39,040 were eventually caught when one of the robbers lent some of the 48 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:44,120 stolen cash to a friend without removing the original cash 49 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:49,320 straps, which still had the original bank packaging. 50 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:55,280 I believe the inside job many times is not because of the 51 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:00,480 pressure that's on the outside, it's the people that are on the 52 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,880 inside. I believe that the problem 53 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:10,360 wasn't necessarily out there. The plan was in here. 54 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:16,079 I think for all of us there is an attack that is not 55 00:04:16,079 --> 00:04:21,240 necessarily peripheral, but it's because we have knowledge of 56 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:23,760 what's happening in the internal. 57 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,040 I want to talk to you this morning, not about a heist that 58 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:31,400 has happened instilling of cash, but that which has stolen the 59 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:36,200 strength out of your own heart. I want to talk to you today 60 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,760 about the security that has been breached. 61 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:44,960 I want to talk to you about the trust that has been broken. 62 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,600 I want to talk to you today about the vault of the vision 63 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:52,520 that has been robbed. I'm not talking to you today 64 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,120 about dollars. I want to talk to you today 65 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:58,880 about disappointments. I want to talk to you today 66 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:03,880 about the inside work of divine disappointments in our lives. 67 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:09,280 Normally what happens, humanly speaking, is disappointments 68 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:14,240 lead to discouragement and discouragement leads to despair. 69 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:20,160 Once again, this inside job is the disappointment has led to 70 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,480 discouragement and this discouragement has led to 71 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,080 despair. Now I know sitting in this room, 72 00:05:27,080 --> 00:05:31,240 many of us is not, we have not lost millions of dollars, but 73 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,280 all of us at some time and some place in our lives. 74 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:39,040 We've all lost hope. We've all lost hope in regards 75 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:41,880 to the marriage that we thought we would have. 76 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,960 You remember the day for me it was October 12th of 1996. 77 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,360 You remember that she walked down in that beautiful white 78 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:55,640 gown and he wore this black tux with a white shirt and a black 79 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:58,480 bow tie. Possibly you remember the day it 80 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,680 was on the beach or it was in the mountains, or it was at the 81 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,440 church and everything was just absolutely beautiful. 82 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:10,400 And you're wondering now years later, how something could be so 83 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:15,200 beautiful at one time and can go to brokenness in so many days. 84 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,000 You've not lost hope maybe in your marriage, but you've walked 85 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,400 in here losing hope about singleness. 86 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:26,080 I mean, you have walked with God, trusted God, prayed to God, 87 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:30,360 fasted towards God for a specific person, and this is not 88 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:35,000 yet just been fulfilled. Maybe for you, it's not the job 89 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:36,960 that you've had that you've lost hoping. 90 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,240 Maybe it's not the disease that you carry in your body that you 91 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,120 have. Maybe it's not the relationship 92 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,920 that you've lost the hope in, But maybe for you, you've lost 93 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:53,160 hope that anything really can change about this condition. 94 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:57,240 And you find yourself this morning a lot like Henry Ward 95 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,680 said. He said these words 96 00:06:59,960 --> 00:07:03,680 discouragement. It is dissatisfaction with the 97 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:09,320 past, it's distaste for the present and distrust for the 98 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,320 future. It is in gratitude for the 99 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,680 blessings of yesterday, indifference to the 100 00:07:15,680 --> 00:07:19,440 opportunities of today, and insecurity regarding the 101 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:22,920 strength for tomorrow. It is unawareness of the 102 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,840 presence of beauty, the unconcerned for the needs of our 103 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:31,280 fellow man, and the unbelief in the promises of Olds 104 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,200 discouragement. It is the impatience with time. 105 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:41,520 It's the immaturity of our own thoughts, and eventually it's 106 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,280 impoliteness. He writes towards God. 107 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:48,000 Maybe you've come into this place and you have found 108 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:52,160 yourself in this specific predicament. 109 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:54,920 I want you to know in Glendora. California, that you're not 110 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:57,320 alone. There are people that are 111 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:00,600 sitting all around you right now, that we look OK on the 112 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,400 outside, but inside we're deeply discouraged. 113 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:08,480 We have not just been disappointed, but now it's moved 114 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,680 to discouragement. And that discouragement in this 115 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:16,920 room, even now there's despair. You're wondering, will this 116 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:21,480 really ever change? Just look at your neighbor and 117 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:26,000 say you're not alone. Do you know in the Bible Jonah 118 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,480 felt discouraged when he walked into Nineveh? 119 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,840 You're not alone. Do you know in the Bible that 120 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,880 not only Jonah, but Elijah when he met the prophets of the El 121 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,640 was discouraged? You're not alone. 122 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,760 Do you know that Ruth the Moabitest was discouraged? 123 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:47,160 In Moab, you're not alone. Do you know that Gideon, who was 124 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,560 the weakest of his clan? You ever felt like that in your 125 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:56,360 family was discouraged? Do you know that in the Bible, 126 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,360 Naomi was discouraged? Do you know that in Scripture, 127 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:03,520 Job was discouraged when he lost his children? 128 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:08,480 And he's sitting in this room with friends who just don't get 129 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:12,520 it. Did you know that today you were 130 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:14,800 not alone? And when we come to First Samuel 131 00:09:14,800 --> 00:09:20,240 Chapter 27, what we read in this story is this is the exact spot 132 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:25,160 that David finds himself in. He is disappointed and he is 133 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:27,640 discouraged. And this discouragement is 134 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,880 leading to despair. And here in this moment of 135 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:36,120 David's life, David, the man who was anointed, who was called, 136 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:40,160 who was victorious, who was obedient, the one who beat 137 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:44,480 giants, he walked through valleys, who experienced the oil 138 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:50,040 of gladness poured upon his life by Samuel is in deep despair and 139 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,160 sadness at this point of the story. 140 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,480 You, I might remember the story, but this is David's lowest 141 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,760 place. I would be safe to say about 142 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:03,600 David in his life right now that he is depleted and defeated. 143 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:08,560 And when we come into First Samuel chapter 27, we've 144 00:10:08,560 --> 00:10:12,760 realized the story that David is now walking in. 145 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,200 And this is what I want to submit to you before we jump 146 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:18,920 into the text. If the enemy cannot disqualify 147 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:24,160 you, he will discourage you. And this is exactly where David 148 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:27,560 finds himself at today. You know the story. 149 00:10:27,560 --> 00:10:32,120 It was in chapter 24 that David meets Saul in The Cave. 150 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:37,120 And Saul is so bent on murdering David that he relieves himself 151 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,640 in The Cave. And as he's there, the Bible 152 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:41,880 says that David sees him with his men. 153 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:45,960 David cuts off a piece of his robe, but yet he spares Saul's 154 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:47,880 life. The next chapter, in first 155 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:52,720 Samuel, chapter 25, David meets a Wildman by the name of Nabal 156 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:57,120 out in the field who won't give him what he should have given 157 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,400 him. This angry man dies, but David, 158 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:03,680 who has saved Saul, wants to murder Nabal. 159 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:09,720 And now we jump into chapter 26, and David meets Saul again, who 160 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:12,120 is seeking his life to murder him. 161 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:16,360 And it's at this point in time that in the darkness of night 162 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:22,040 that David spares Saul again. Each time David is obese, 163 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:26,840 obedient to the Lord, but your obedience is does not mean that 164 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:29,200 that makes you immune from discouragement. 165 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:32,880 And I think that's important because we set this expectation 166 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:36,280 in our lives and in our hearts and if we're really obedient 167 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,720 towards the Lord that we really will never be discouraged of 168 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:44,640 anything that is in life. Chapter 27 here of David's story 169 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:48,880 is only 1 chapter of his story, but it's not all the chapters of 170 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:54,600 his story. This chapter 27 is followed by 171 00:11:54,600 --> 00:12:03,720 chapter 2828, is followed by chapter 2929 is followed by 172 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:10,280 chapter 3030 is followed by chapter 31, and then we get a 173 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:13,360 whole nother story of David's life in Second Samuel. 174 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,800 Now the reason why I share that with you is because sometimes in 175 00:12:16,800 --> 00:12:20,800 despair and in our darkest days that we feel discouraged, we 176 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:22,920 feel like that's the end of our story. 177 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:27,360 But this is just one chapter of the story, that this is just one 178 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:31,320 place in David's life where the story is being told. 179 00:12:31,560 --> 00:12:34,680 And that does not mean that that this is the end of your story. 180 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:41,000 This is maybe just the chapter of your story. 181 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:43,920 And what I want you to hear today is 28 is coming. 182 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:49,360 Chapter 28 is coming. Chapter 28 is coming right 183 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:51,520 behind us. And David will rule and lead for 184 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,720 40 more years. We learned last week that the 185 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:59,360 number 40 is a number in scripture of testing and 186 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:03,720 transformation. And Ryan Pavich told us that 41 187 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:08,480 was coming. And we here today notice that in 188 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:13,960 our lives that David will rule for 40 more years and you have 189 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,360 40 more years. To serve the Lord. 190 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:19,880 This is not ending. For you right now, this. 191 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,080 Is maybe just the bend in the road, but it is not the end of. 192 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:26,360 The road. And David now finds himself in 193 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,960 this place in the story of testing, but also 194 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,000 transformation. And look at what happens. 195 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:36,360 What happens in this place of testing David. 196 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:40,760 The Bible says these words in verse one of for Samuel 27 that 197 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:46,880 David said in his hearts, the I want you to circle the word in 198 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:50,600 because the word in there, I know it's a very small word in 199 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:55,160 the text, but it's the expression that's enclosed or 200 00:13:55,160 --> 00:14:00,320 surrounded by something. David comes to a place in his 201 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,000 life that when he is discouraged. 202 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:09,200 It became an inside job for him. Now what happens? 203 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:14,000 So when you walk through these moments, you're aware of these 204 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:18,560 issues in your life that when you're discouraged, a lot like 205 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:22,840 David, you can find yourself aware that you can keep moving 206 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,200 forward. Now, notice if you would, the 207 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,120 number one thing I think that happens, it happened to David, 208 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:30,480 is that David loses his conviction. 209 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:34,920 David loses his conviction when you were discouraged. 210 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:39,200 Often times we begin to lose our conviction. 211 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:45,280 Notice David said in his heart and then notice that in the text 212 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,400 David did not bring up God once in verse one. 213 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:52,640 David did not write a Psalm out of first Samuel 27. 214 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:57,920 David right now in this place, David is not leading worship. 215 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:04,160 He just begins to speak to himself and he speaks things 216 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:10,880 over his life that aren't really true because God had never said 217 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,560 this to David. No notice, if you would, what 218 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,560 David says over his life. Verse one. 219 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:23,280 Now I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. 220 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:28,040 And then he says in verse one, there's nothing better for me 221 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:34,920 than that I should speedily escape to the land of the 222 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,200 Philistines. Now look at this. 223 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:43,240 He then says, And Saul will despair of me to seek me anymore 224 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:51,240 in any part of Israel, so I shall escape out of his hand. 225 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,440 Notice not once did David mention the. 226 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:59,080 Lord in verse 1 he. Speaks to himself and notice all 227 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,800 the personal pronouns David uses. 228 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:06,360 I shall perish someday by the hand of Saul. 229 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:10,800 Notice this personal pronoun. There is nothing better for me. 230 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:15,640 No, no, notice this if you would also I need to escape. 231 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:22,400 No, notice it in this verse. He he says I shall and should 232 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:27,640 speedily escape. Saul will no longer seek me. 233 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:34,120 Now notice this if you would. This is the same David who 234 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:39,800 defeated Goliath. This is the same David that 235 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,640 would say to Goliath, you come to me with swords and Spears, 236 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,680 but I come to you in the name of the Lord. 237 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:54,040 The battle is the Lord's. This is the same David who would 238 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:59,680 write Psalm 23. The Lord is my shepherd. 239 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:04,680 He makes me lie down. He leads me besides still 240 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,520 waters. He restores my soul. 241 00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:10,920 You are with me. Notice if you would. 242 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:17,040 David's focus in First Samuel 27 turns back to the situation that 243 00:17:17,079 --> 00:17:22,960 only deals with himself, and he doesn't bring it back to the 244 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:28,560 Lord, and he loses the conviction that he once had in 245 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:32,920 Psalm 23 when his eyes are on the Lord. 246 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:37,680 When my eyes are off the Lord, I lose the conviction of the. 247 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,800 Lord, in my heart. And I begin to say things and do 248 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:46,360 things I should have never said and I should have never done. 249 00:17:46,480 --> 00:17:50,400 Now notice this, if you would the word conviction, if you're 250 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:55,720 taking note, it literally means a firmly held belief. 251 00:17:55,760 --> 00:18:00,280 And I want you to hear me today. Discouragement will always cloud 252 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:03,160 conviction. I'm going to say that again. 253 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:09,240 Discouragement in my life will always cloud the conviction of 254 00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:13,000 Jesus in my life. And what is dangerous about 255 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,160 discouragement is that we don't even notice. 256 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,000 That we're losing our conviction. 257 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:25,640 Because discouragement weighs so much, we begin to live by what 258 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:34,160 we tell ourselves rather than what God has already said to us. 259 00:18:34,880 --> 00:18:38,120 We begin to tell ourselves present lies. 260 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:43,560 That will negate, we think, past and powerful truths. 261 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:46,720 Now, I'm not opposed to you speaking the. 262 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,200 Truth of God's Word over your life. 263 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:53,960 What I am opposed? To is the negative belief you 264 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,080 have. Because of the situation that 265 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:59,320 you're in and because of that, we no. 266 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,000 Longer filter. Our lens through what the. 267 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:07,920 Lord has said, We begin to allow discouragement to determine 268 00:19:08,120 --> 00:19:13,280 where and how we see things. And where and how we step into 269 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,720 the next thing. And so because of that, in our 270 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:23,120 lives, I think we need people that help us see where we need 271 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:28,720 to step next, because sometimes discouragement blinds the 272 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:34,200 ability to recognize the. Path that God's calling you on. 273 00:19:35,360 --> 00:19:37,560 I just had this. Happen I was with my wife on an 274 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:42,040 airplane this past week and and they moved our flight because of 275 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,880 the government shutdown from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM at LAX. 276 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:52,960 We were tired and my feet began to swell. 2 things are happening 277 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:56,880 in my life as I'm getting older. I'm losing my eyesight and when 278 00:19:56,880 --> 00:19:58,920 I hop on a plane now my feet swell. 279 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:03,440 And so I thought, man, I'm going to right now I'm I'm, I'm going 280 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:08,920 to take my shoes off. I committed the airplane crime. 281 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,120 Don't ever take your shoes off when you're on the airplane. 282 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:19,520 And my wife, she put her chest up on my chest, her head up on 283 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,040 my chest, and I'm holding her and she fell asleep. 284 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:28,840 I'm thinking, oh, man, I I'm just so focused on my cheese. 285 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,680 It's on the airplane. And I'm focused on Fox News 286 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,040 because the government shutdown was about to end. 287 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:39,880 And I'm like, yes, Lord. And then at the end of the 288 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:42,880 flight, I reached down and I put on my shoes and my wife said, 289 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,360 man, I kept smelling something very familiar. 290 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:52,880 I was so focused on my cheese that's in Fox News. 291 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,720 I'm like, oh, it's probably like someone in the plane had like 292 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,400 did I said, did someone have like a certain Cologne on that 293 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:02,880 you that you didn't like or did you smell something coming out 294 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,880 of the bathroom of the plane or did someone burp on the plane 295 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:12,880 with their Jersey Mikes or she's all No, I realized, she said. 296 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:20,640 I realized when you put on your shoes, I realized what it was, 297 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,280 she said. I've smelled those stinky feet 298 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:33,600 before. I didn't even smell it. 299 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:39,360 I'm super conscious of that. I couldn't even smell it. 300 00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:42,160 I was so focused on cheese. It's in the Fox News. 301 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,840 I couldn't even smell what was my wife called it out on me. 302 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,520 And I, I wonder how many other people on that plane ride 303 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:58,200 smelled the I think sometimes we don't have stinky feet. 304 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:03,560 We have stinking thinking. We have in our lives this this 305 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:07,600 thought pattern that's so negative that it begins to allow 306 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,560 the aroma on the plane ride to impact everybody else that's on 307 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:15,160 the journey. And because of that, what often 308 00:22:15,160 --> 00:22:20,040 times happens is we allow in our discouragement and we decide to 309 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:22,200 begin to think about things about our lives. 310 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:26,560 That aren't actually true and so I want to give you some things 311 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,040 that would help. Casey in this process. 312 00:22:29,040 --> 00:22:32,360 That would help David in this process of. 313 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,000 Of discouragement and losing conviction. 314 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:37,880 Can you just write some things down if you feel discouraged 315 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:40,800 today? Would you write this down? 316 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,040 For me, if you're taking note and that is this, when you're 317 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:48,520 discouraged, pray and be honest. When you're discouraged, let's 318 00:22:48,520 --> 00:22:50,400 pray. And let's be honest. 319 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:52,960 If there's people up. Front at our church. 320 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:56,320 After this gathering and. We're we're asking you to. 321 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:57,720 Come up for prayer. Come up for. 322 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,280 Prayer and just be honest. Let's just be. 323 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,760 Honest about what God is doing let's be honest where we're. 324 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:05,520 Sad or where we're. Hurting where we're. 325 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:09,040 Where we're maybe. Needing a bit of encouragement. 326 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,320 #2 would you write this down? Not just pray and be honest, but 327 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,280 would you shift your focus? Would you shift? 328 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:16,680 Your focus into what? God. 329 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:21,800 Has said shift your focus and I want to encourage you to do 330 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,480 this. Number three, stop talking to 331 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:26,600 yourself and start. Believing what God has said 332 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:30,040 about yourself. Stop talking to yourself in the 333 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,400 moment and start believing what God has said about yourself. 334 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:39,080 Can I encourage you to do this? Give thanks give. 335 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:41,360 Thanks. Someone once said that gratitude 336 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:43,320 is a. Powerful antidote to despair. 337 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:47,760 Ron told us today in team huddle that negative thinking and 338 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:50,800 Thanksgiving and positive thinking in your mind cannot 339 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:54,880 coexist. You'll do one or the other in 340 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:57,520 your life. Can I? 341 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,520 Encourage you also with this feel. 342 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:06,440 Discouragement. But resist the pool to fear so I 343 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,200 can feel discouragement. OK, that's really real. 344 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:14,200 But I can resist this pool. In my life to fear. 345 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:16,400 Can I just encourage you to this? 346 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:21,560 Stop expecting the worst. Stop expecting the. 347 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,200 Worst thing to happen, I do that all the time. 348 00:24:26,400 --> 00:24:29,680 God will if you're. Taking note, write this down. 349 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:34,880 God will do it. Because God finishes what He 350 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:38,920 starts, God will do it and He will take care of you. 351 00:24:39,360 --> 00:24:41,760 Can you write? This down that your work is not 352 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:45,480 was not in vain. It's an inside job. 353 00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,600 It's an inside job, David says to himself. 354 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,600 All of these things that aren't necessarily true in that moment. 355 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:56,800 And this is what it leads to. A loss of conviction for David 356 00:24:56,800 --> 00:25:00,440 leads to #2A step towards compromise. 357 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,000 A step towards compromise. And then notice what happened. 358 00:25:04,360 --> 00:25:07,720 In verse 2, then David. Arose notice he gets up from 359 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:14,720 thinking this and went. Over with 600 men who were with 360 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:19,160 him to Achish, the son of Mayo, the king of Gath. 361 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:22,320 Now notice what David did. He's thinking this. 362 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:25,440 You sow a thought, you reap an action. 363 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:31,480 He reaps the action. Now he gets up with 600 men, and 364 00:25:31,480 --> 00:25:34,880 he goes to Akash, the son of Mayoch, the king of Gath. 365 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:41,400 Now understand this, David goes to the same king where Goliath 366 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:42,160 would. Come out. 367 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:49,640 Of he goes to enemy territory and he finds himself in this 368 00:25:49,640 --> 00:25:51,800 spot. The Bible says in verse three 369 00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:55,040 that David dwelt with a kish at Gath. 370 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,600 So he arose and he went there. And then the Bible says that he 371 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:02,680 begins to dwell there, each man with his own household. 372 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,440 So now notice this, that not only David gets up from this 373 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:13,480 spot, but now he takes 600 men with him, and these 600 men take 374 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:18,800 their 600 families with him. And notice where they end up. 375 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:22,680 They go with David, with his two wives, which was another 376 00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:25,240 problem. Ah, I know him, the Jezreelite 377 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,280 and Abigail the Carmelitis, Nabal's widow. 378 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,720 And it was told Saul that David had fled to Gath, so he sought 379 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,600 him no more. And then David said to Akish, If 380 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:38,800 I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place 381 00:26:38,800 --> 00:26:43,520 in some town in the country. Notice he arose, he dwelt, and 382 00:26:43,520 --> 00:26:47,880 then he asked for a city notice. He says that I, I may dwell 383 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,760 there. Notice the the the consequences 384 00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:53,080 of his actions, the pattern of it. 385 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:59,520 He arose, he went, he dwells. For why should your servant 386 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:01,200 dwell in the royal city with you? 387 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,760 So a cash gave David a city called Ziklag. 388 00:27:07,400 --> 00:27:10,200 Ziklag. Therefore Ziklag has belonged to 389 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,080 the kings of Judah to this day. Now, the time that David dwelt 390 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:19,320 in the country of the Philistines was one full year 391 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:21,640 and four months. No notice. 392 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:25,600 David's compromise. He goes to the land of the 393 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:29,920 Philistines. The Philistines are the enemy to 394 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:34,200 God. Israel's name means governed. 395 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,520 By God. He leaves the place where he's 396 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:43,400 no longer governed by God, but now he sits and lives, breaks 397 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:47,400 bread, eat meals with the enemies. 398 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:52,920 Of God. This is what we call compromise. 399 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:57,040 This is not one big step that you take away from God. 400 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:01,480 It is the small steps that has now LED you to live in a place 401 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:04,200 for. One year and four months. 402 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:07,160 In a place that you should. Not have been. 403 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:12,040 I love what Alan Redpath says in his book called The Making of a 404 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,360 Man of God. He writes these words. 405 00:28:14,360 --> 00:28:19,160 He traded the smile of God for the grin of the devil, he 406 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,160 writes. At one moment we find David 407 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:25,400 facing circumstances calculated to tempt him to blazing anger 408 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,920 and immediate retaliation. At the next moment he is 409 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:32,840 surrounded by such constant and overwhelming attacks from his 410 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,360 lifelong enemy that he is discouraged and almost ready to 411 00:28:36,360 --> 00:28:39,080 give up. Here is the anvil, he writes, 412 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,640 upon which the character of a man of God is hammered out, the 413 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:46,760 fiery furnace through which he is melted and poured as steel 414 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,400 for the glory of his God. Notice he writes in this last 415 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:55,120 sentence of this chapter. Thus the iron gets into a man's 416 00:28:55,120 --> 00:28:58,520 soul. The language of David at this 417 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:03,040 point in his life is in the minor key of depression and 418 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:08,520 sadness. And this is where David now goes 419 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:14,200 in the area of compromise. And this is what happens to us 420 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:16,560 when we've been fighting for something. 421 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:19,680 For a long. Time when you've been fighting 422 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:23,240 for your marriage for a long time you think Oh well my wife 423 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:27,160 he no longer wants to respect me so I'm going to now find. 424 00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:30,680 Another woman who respects me. And I'm not fully going to break 425 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:33,600 off my relationship. With my wife, but I'm going to 426 00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:37,320 flirt with other women because. The validation that I expected 427 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:40,200 from my wife. Is not the is the validation I 428 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:43,960 get at my job. Or it might be reversed. 429 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:45,520 Now you look at your husband saying. 430 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:48,240 He was once warm and. Cuddly and like a bear. 431 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:49,880 And now he's like a. Porcupine. 432 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:54,160 To me, everything he does pokes me in the wrong way. 433 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:59,160 It is just bothers me day after day how he sleeps, how he eats, 434 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:03,560 how he chews, how he watches news, how he turns. 435 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,760 Up the music. And now this is in your life an. 436 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:10,280 Area now that you've. Turned in the opposite direction 437 00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,960 to seek another man. 'S worth in your life. 438 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,400 This happens to singles all the time, especially born again 439 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:19,520 Christian single young men and young women. 440 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,680 Oh, we have sought the Lord, We have sought the Lord. 441 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:24,640 And now you're facing. So much pressure. 442 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:27,200 Well, now, now because of that pressure, I'm going to start. 443 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:30,600 Dating someone who says they go to church but they won't tell me 444 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:34,320 what. Church they go to if your 445 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:36,960 boyfriend or girlfriend. Can't tell you their pastor 446 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:40,600 that's teaching and. Where they go to church, be 447 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:43,760 aware. Stop asking single. 448 00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,240 Stop asking the person around you if they're a Christian. 449 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:50,880 Start asking them if they're born again and filled with the 450 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:53,320 Spirit of God. Because this is what? 451 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:56,880 Happens we wait and we wait and we wait and we wait and some guy 452 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:08,400 comes along on upward or eHarmony and they, they, they 453 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:13,480 tell you in their profile, I'm spiritual, they're spiritual. 454 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:18,400 Does that mean demonic, like a spirit of demons or is that a 455 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:24,640 spirit of the Holy Spirit or Well, well there I'm at high 456 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,720 school right now and there's just this cute guy. 457 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:36,040 He, he's even homeschooled. Not all homeschool young men 458 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:40,200 love Jesus. You have to be careful. 459 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,880 Listen to your parents. They know a little bit about 460 00:31:43,880 --> 00:31:46,800 this aspect called relationships. 461 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:49,400 No, they don't. They're just so old and old 462 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:51,040 fashioned. They're like that old fashioned 463 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:52,480 doughnut. Whoever picks an old fashioned 464 00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:55,920 doughnut right now, Like who? Whoever follows that pattern. 465 00:31:56,120 --> 00:31:58,840 Who would ever think that my parents have wisdom to actually 466 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:00,240 help direct? And this is what? 467 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:02,000 We do. We enter into things that that 468 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:04,800 we should never have entered. Into We do this at our job. 469 00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:05,440 You. We do. 470 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:07,080 This with with our. Job because of the. 471 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:10,280 Pressure at our job. We begin to cut corners at our 472 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:13,720 job and things that we should actually be thoroughly doing and 473 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:17,440 paying attention to detail because of the pressure of the 474 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:21,400 job and the finances. We we begin to move our life in 475 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:23,480 this direction. It's not this big thing where 476 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,720 we're saying I never hear David in this chapter go I hate you. 477 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:30,760 God never, but he begins to compromise. 478 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:33,360 And he begins to compromise. And Dietrich. 479 00:32:33,360 --> 00:32:36,360 Bonhoeffer put it this way in the moment of. 480 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:39,360 Sexual temptation, he writes. Satan. 481 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:41,040 Does not. Fill you with a hatred. 482 00:32:41,040 --> 00:32:42,600 Of God. He fills you with a 483 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,840 forgetfulness of God. And we? 484 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:47,560 Begin to you could clap for that. 485 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:51,720 Thank you, Henry. You, you, you begin to, and I 486 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:56,960 begin to live a life that is simply directed by the pressure 487 00:32:56,960 --> 00:33:00,920 we're under rather than the proclamation we've already. 488 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:04,760 Been given and we begin to compromise. 489 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:08,120 I've seen this young men and young women begin to lie to 490 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:15,600 their parents because of the pressure that I now in my life, 491 00:33:15,600 --> 00:33:21,400 I begin to in David's case, and we'll see this stay in a place 492 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,160 for one year and four months. I should never have entered into 493 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:29,880 how does all of this happen because we are all susceptible 494 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:33,800 to this in our lives. How did this happen? 495 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:37,120 Well, this is what happens. It subtly begins in your heart. 496 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,240 It subtly begins in your heart, a lot like David. 497 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:46,640 This subtly begins in your heart, and then it leads to. 498 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:51,400 Rationalizing it, you begin to rationalize it in your life. 499 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:55,280 Rationalizing means this well, because I'm under so much 500 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:58,280 pressure, this is the only thing that will actually. 501 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:02,560 Help me calm down. Really, that's the only thing 502 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:05,440 David says. I'm better in the land of the. 503 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:10,400 Philistines, I should escape. From Saul. 504 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:16,639 I wonder what you escape into. Is it the food that you're 505 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:19,960 eating? I feel depressed so I need a 506 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:23,600 chocolate cake right now. I'm so depressed. 507 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:28,440 I'm going to eat extra pizza. Is it the drinks that you drink? 508 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:34,120 I'm so depressed. I need this to actually calm my 509 00:34:34,120 --> 00:34:38,040 nerves. Is it the marijuana you smoke? 510 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,120 Is it the relationship that you keep entering into? 511 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:50,400 Back and forth, back and forth, thinking that it's rationalizing 512 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:53,000 away the situation that you're in. 513 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:57,360 And this is what happens is it begins suddenly in your. 514 00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,720 Heart we begin to rationalize it, and then we fail to submit 515 00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:03,360 to God's way. We fail to. 516 00:35:03,360 --> 00:35:05,400 Submit to God's way, and this is. 517 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,120 The last thing that happens? Is we give. 518 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:15,000 Our desires the preference over God, and that's exactly what. 519 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:19,240 Happened to David. Despair leads to fear. 520 00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:23,680 About his life. And he goes to the land of the 521 00:35:23,680 --> 00:35:29,120 Philistines, and he thinks that he will escape his 522 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:37,800 discouragement in a brand new. Place and 600 men and their 523 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,600 families are impacted by David's compromise. 524 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:44,440 Can I just speak to you men just for a minute? 525 00:35:46,280 --> 00:35:48,360 Your family's impacted by your compromise. 526 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:54,320 Your family is impacted by how you cuss. 527 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,200 Your family's impacted how you lead them towards Jesus. 528 00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:01,600 Can I just speak to you men, just for a little bit? 529 00:36:01,600 --> 00:36:05,160 Your family is impacted by the times that you think it's OK to 530 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:09,400 get drunk or go get high. Your family's impacted by what 531 00:36:09,400 --> 00:36:11,520 you're doing in your life and the shows that you're watching 532 00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:12,760 and the music that you're listening to. 533 00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:16,720 It's not just about you, it's about everybody else that's 534 00:36:16,720 --> 00:36:21,720 surrounding you. And now David is leading these 535 00:36:21,720 --> 00:36:26,080 folks astray. Not just 600 men, but think of 536 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:30,360 their wives and their children down to the land of the 537 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:32,520 Philistines. Can you imagine? 538 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:37,680 Teenagers, if your parents were were were just like, hey, we're 539 00:36:37,680 --> 00:36:40,920 following David and we're we're where, where? 540 00:36:40,920 --> 00:36:42,640 Well, where, where's he leading us? 541 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:45,040 We're going to go down to the Philistines. 542 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:48,760 What? Where are we? 543 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:50,560 Going. Yeah, we're going to. 544 00:36:50,560 --> 00:36:52,680 We're going to put you at Philistine High School now. 545 00:36:55,360 --> 00:36:59,160 But, but isn't that mom and dad? Isn't that who David beat? 546 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:02,560 And fought against and won. Yeah. 547 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:04,560 Yeah. But but we're going to follow 548 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:06,680 David. And in David's discouragement, 549 00:37:06,680 --> 00:37:09,160 he makes a decision. And in that decision, he leads 550 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:13,440 him to the enemies of Israel. And notice what happens is. 551 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:17,320 When you lose your conviction and you begin to compromise, now 552 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:20,360 you live a life of cover up. Cover up. 553 00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:24,080 You live a life of cover up. Check this out about David. 554 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,240 The Bible says in verse 8 and David and his men went up and 555 00:37:27,240 --> 00:37:28,880 raided. The Gesherites. 556 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:32,000 The Gurzites, the Amalekites, for those nations were the 557 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:33,840 inhabitants of the land from the old. 558 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:37,160 As you go to shore, even as far as the land of Egypt, you 559 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:40,440 remember this is the place where God told Joshua to rid 560 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:44,240 themselves of every person in this land, because God has 561 00:37:44,240 --> 00:37:47,720 claimed it as his own. Now David is finishing the work. 562 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:53,000 So yes, David's doing something that might seem to be good, but 563 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:56,200 he's still living in what is bad. 564 00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:59,680 Whenever David attacked the land, he left neither man nor 565 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:01,720 woman alive, but took. Away the. 566 00:38:01,720 --> 00:38:05,440 Sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels and the apparel and 567 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:09,120 returned and came to a kish. Now that that's a whole verse 568 00:38:09,400 --> 00:38:12,760 that will take a whole three-week series. 569 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:16,240 Check this out. Then Akash would say, where have 570 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:19,160 you made a raid today? And David would say against the 571 00:38:19,160 --> 00:38:23,640 southern area of Judah, or against the southern area of 572 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:28,360 Jeremy Lights or against the southern area of the Kenites. 573 00:38:28,560 --> 00:38:32,400 David would save neither man nor woman alive to bring news to. 574 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,480 Gath. Don't say anything. 575 00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:38,400 To the people back at gaffe lest they should inform on us saying 576 00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:43,240 thus David did and so his behavior all the time he. 577 00:38:43,240 --> 00:38:45,720 Dwelt in the country of the Philistines so. 578 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:49,960 Akesh believed David, saying he has made his people Israeli, 579 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:55,080 utterly abhor him, therefore he will be my servant forever. 580 00:38:55,800 --> 00:39:00,920 David begins to. Lie and cover his steps. 581 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:03,560 And this is what happens. Check out chapter 28. 582 00:39:04,040 --> 00:39:06,600 Now it happened in those days that the Philistines gathered 583 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:10,000 their armies together for war to fight with Israel and. 584 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:13,480 Akash said to David you. Assuredly know that you will go 585 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:15,480 out with me to battle you and your men. 586 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:18,960 So now, because you're with me, David, now we're going to go 587 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:20,480 fight against Israel all together. 588 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:27,760 Isn't that interesting? The same guy who brought victory 589 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:32,440 to Israel is now called upon due to his compromise and cover up 590 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:38,040 to go fight against Israel. And David said to Akash, surely 591 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:40,360 you know that what your. Servant can do and. 592 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:42,760 Akash said to David. Therefore I will make you. 593 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:44,880 One of my chief guardians forever. 594 00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:49,000 Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had lamented for him and 595 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:50,960 buried him in Rama in his own city. 596 00:39:50,960 --> 00:39:54,440 And Saul had put the mediums and the spiritist out of the land. 597 00:39:54,440 --> 00:39:57,200 And then the Philistines gathered together and came and 598 00:39:57,200 --> 00:40:00,360 encamped to shoot him. So Saul gathered all of Israel 599 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:04,160 together, and they encamped. And when Saul saw the army of 600 00:40:04,160 --> 00:40:06,960 the Philistines, he was what? Afraid. 601 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:10,520 And they encamped at Gilboa. And when Saul saw the army of 602 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:14,680 the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. 603 00:40:15,000 --> 00:40:17,120 And Saul. And when Saul inquired of the 604 00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:20,040 Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by 605 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:25,280 Urim, or by the prophets. David is now, because of his 606 00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:32,640 cover up, about to fight against the people he is called to lead. 607 00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:38,520 Now notice this if you would, what happens in the midst of 608 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:42,560 cover up and making a decision, possibly out of discouragement. 609 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:47,680 You will have immediate relief. There will be immediately 610 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:51,400 relief. Verse 4 tells us that Saul no 611 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:54,720 longer sought David. There was immediate relief. 612 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,880 And when you choose to sin, there is something about sin 613 00:40:57,880 --> 00:41:01,280 that brings an element of pleasure and relief for the 614 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:07,840 moment, but pain for a lifetime. What else happens is you begin 615 00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:12,640 to be willing to associate with the unrighteous Now you begin to 616 00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:16,320 now join hands with people who say they are not going to follow 617 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,920 God. And I believe this happened in 618 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:20,840 David's life. That happens in ours. 619 00:41:20,840 --> 00:41:24,160 This makes you stay longer than you want to stay, and it makes 620 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:25,760 you pay more than you've ever wanted to pay. 621 00:41:27,720 --> 00:41:31,800 Then this happens. You begin to like David, quiet 622 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:33,600 your conscience by busy activity. 623 00:41:35,480 --> 00:41:38,040 You know that you're in the wrong and you begin to get busy. 624 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:42,680 And then you quiet that busyness or that busyness in your mind 625 00:41:42,920 --> 00:41:45,880 with busy activity. Listen, being busy for the Lord 626 00:41:46,400 --> 00:41:50,760 does not mean in my life that it takes away a guilty conscience 627 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:55,080 before the Lord. Then we try to balance 628 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:57,480 consecration and compromise together. 629 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:05,160 And then David lies. And then what we read about 630 00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:09,120 David is that a little trip turns into total allegiance on 631 00:42:09,120 --> 00:42:14,960 the wrong side. What I encourage you to do today 632 00:42:15,880 --> 00:42:20,400 is to allow the Lord to speak to your heart and bring what He has 633 00:42:20,400 --> 00:42:26,040 said on the inside and hold it and believe it and ground 634 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:32,560 yourself in the Word of God. I was talking to a pastor who 635 00:42:32,560 --> 00:42:36,680 started a Bible study with a Christian music artist. 636 00:42:38,160 --> 00:42:41,280 And So what I found fascinating was is that none of the 637 00:42:41,280 --> 00:42:43,720 Christian music artists that I was talking to knew their 638 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:46,640 Bibles. They didn't tell the difference. 639 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:48,560 They couldn't tell the difference between Joseph and 640 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:52,560 Noah. And we live right now on a very 641 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:57,720 biblical illiterate society. And I want to encourage you to 642 00:42:57,720 --> 00:43:01,560 come back to the Bible. Now, with that being said, 643 00:43:01,640 --> 00:43:03,120 here's what I want to encourage you to do. 644 00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:06,640 This is not the end of David's story. 645 00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:11,000 This is just the bend In David's story. 646 00:43:11,640 --> 00:43:16,200 God actually redeems David and delivers David. 647 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:19,280 And brings him in a. Restorative form back to the 648 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:23,520 place to lead. And I've seen that happen over 649 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:28,600 and over again as we as men and women submit ourselves to God. 650 00:43:30,360 --> 00:43:34,240 I just saw that this. I was thinking of individual 651 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:38,640 that used to sit in the back of church, not this church, but 652 00:43:38,640 --> 00:43:41,760 another church I pastored at with long hair. 653 00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:45,280 And he would come in the back and then he would leave really 654 00:43:45,280 --> 00:43:47,800 quick. Then he would come in the back, 655 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:49,080 Then he would leave really quick. 656 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:52,000 Then he would come in the back again during service and leave 657 00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:56,240 really quick. And then I saw him in our 658 00:43:56,240 --> 00:44:01,200 baptism, not Bridgetown Church, but at Calvary Chapel where I 659 00:44:01,200 --> 00:44:04,320 was serving, and I played volleyball against him. 660 00:44:07,400 --> 00:44:10,880 And I began to see in this guy's life this radical change 661 00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:13,560 happening. He was no longer coming late to 662 00:44:13,560 --> 00:44:17,760 service and leaving early. He'd actually sit there and 663 00:44:17,760 --> 00:44:22,520 learn and grow and be transformed. 664 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:26,400 And I saw him give his life to Jesus. 665 00:44:27,760 --> 00:44:29,360 I saw him give his life to Jesus. 666 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:32,800 And I've seen this transformation of redemption in 667 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:35,680 his life in a very powerful and mighty way. 668 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:39,960 And you might know him. His name is Rudy Martinez. 669 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:51,640 I've watched God work in men and women's lives and he redeems 670 00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:54,240 your situation. And you might have made a 671 00:44:54,240 --> 00:44:57,160 decision out of discouragement. You might be fighting against 672 00:44:57,160 --> 00:45:01,880 God in despair even now. But I know this about God is 673 00:45:01,880 --> 00:45:07,760 that He redeems to the uttermost and as Billy Sunday used to say, 674 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:14,280 the old time preacher to the guttermost God redeems. 675 00:45:15,320 --> 00:45:18,720 And I want you to be left with this as you leave this place. 676 00:45:18,720 --> 00:45:22,200 Is it in the name of Jesus? And because of the work of 677 00:45:22,400 --> 00:45:27,520 Jesus, He is the only person that could bring everlasting 678 00:45:27,520 --> 00:45:32,800 change and hope to your heart. He is the only one that can free 679 00:45:32,800 --> 00:45:35,920 you. So I just want to encourage you 680 00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:37,520 today is it? Is it? 681 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:40,440 You don't see it right now. Some of you don't see it. 682 00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:45,280 It's dark, it's ugly, it's muddy, it's messy, it's dirty. 683 00:45:45,520 --> 00:45:48,160 You don't see it at all. But I want you to hear me as 684 00:45:48,160 --> 00:45:50,680 your pastor today. God is redeeming you. 685 00:45:52,240 --> 00:45:55,400 He's redeeming you right now. He's redeeming your marriages. 686 00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:57,880 He's redeeming the pain of divorce. 687 00:45:57,880 --> 00:46:01,440 He's he's redeeming the choices that you made that were against 688 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:04,600 him. This is just part of your story, 689 00:46:04,600 --> 00:46:07,880 but God's redeeming you. He is in the person of Jesus. 690 00:46:09,320 --> 00:46:11,880 We hope you enjoyed this message and we'd love for you to join us 691 00:46:11,880 --> 00:46:14,040 in person every Sunday at 10:30 AM. 692 00:46:14,440 --> 00:46:16,440 For more information and updates, visit 693 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,080 wearebridgetown.com. Thanks for tuning in and we'll 694 00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:19,920 see you next week.