Haters Hate...but God - Part A

All that shows us a very self-evident truth that bad things happen to good people that suffering is not a measure of goodness or godliness that is not like some cosmic karma that happens a lot about 7-Eleven that family must be there bad thing is not always the case back Jesus put it this way, God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and he sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Many people struggle with the question, why do bad things happen to good people today on connect with Skip hides Skip looks at the lives of two people who had to deal with haters reminding you that God has a good plan for you when others work against. Now we want to share about an exciting resource that answers your questions about God as you explore truly is the best biographies make you feel like you personally and intimately know the person you've read about from Mozart to Mother Teresa Sojourner Truth to Steve Jobs.

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Biography of God hears the author skip. I think there's nothing more elevating to mankind than the study of God himself discovered the omnipotence paradox is an mystery central to God's being and remove the limits you may have placed on who God is. I've noticed that almost every problem that a person has in their life stems from an inadequate of God gifts new book is our thanks when you give $35 or more today to help keep this ministry on the air, call 800-922-1888, or get online securely@connectwithskip.com/offer first Samuel chapter 23 as we dive into the teaching with Skip hides. Imagine what it would be like to believe God called to the mission field.

Take your family there and then have happened. A series of events will undeleted to you. It's from a friend of mine who did just that. He moved to the Philippines with his family. He believed God called him to be missionaries. I believe God did call them to be missionaries there, but he says this dear Skip I penned this letter in the midst of turmoil, the Philippines right now is facing one of the most difficult times I've ever seen since being here, the inflation rate has just hit 13%. This is because great difficulty for all of us, but also been major problems with the electrical power that we and we are experiencing to our blackouts twice a day. This is expected to continue. Manila is also involved in a transportation crisis then this morning we were awoken by the gunfire of another coup attempt getting up. I watched for my daughter Anna's bedroom window as to the World War II era planes dropping bombs on Channel 4 TV even now as I write this I can hear the gunfire personally. We have also had major trials and attacks from the enemy. Diana and Anna both contracted in amoebic parasite and needed 10 days of treatment.

The landlord raised our rent.

Kayla, our dog was diagnosed with heart worms and a burglar got into our yard and try to steal the car. He did not succeed, but he caused some damage before he left. Now if you spend the money and the energy to go to a foreign field and then have one bad thing happened.

After another at some point he got a question do we make the right move right now. Listen to how he ends his letter yet, even when faced with an uncertain future. I am realizing the truth of Philippians 47 that says the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. In fact, he says. In fact, I feel guilty for feeling so peaceful when many of the people around her panic stricken. No matter what happens. There is no greater peace or joy than to be in God's will, even in the face of uncertainty. There is an excitement and an expectation of a God is going to do.

How's that for a letter of encouragement. Every time I read this I get convicted. Which leads me to a question. How do you view your life. How do you see the reality of things that unfold around you, good or bad.

How do you view them. The real question is what is your worldview, you know, everybody has a worldview, how you view the world and we put a lens on every time something happens around as we read a news story, we hear a report we experience good or bad, we are viewing those events through a lens of our worldview know the Bible when you read it has a very distinct worldview. It gives you a very unique lens and the biblical worldview. In a nutshell, is this that everything was created by God that mankind made really bad first choices that cause disastrous results that those results have lingered on in every generation, bringing death, physically, morally and spiritually that God's plan was to let those results play out for thousands of years, while at the same time staging a rescue operation that would take care of first of the sin problem then eventually he would return to rule over a restored creation with those that he was sent to say at the biblical worldview in an actual now. If you do not have that worldview. If that is not your perception of things than most of life is academic sense.

In fact, what happens around using the scene very haphazard, very random, very arbitrary and cruel and you'll be very lonely if that is your worldview life instilled in us staying still going to hurt will still be hard but it's going to be much clearer and more satisfying, and all that can be boiled down to two words that we are considering a series but God will be looking at how the Bible presents that reality. And every time because it puts that lens back on. This is how to view your life no matter what happens after that point, but God changes everything. So were looking at first Samuel 23 him to begin around verse 13 or 14 and want to do what I've done is come up with four statements for axiomatic statements or self evident statement self clarifying statements that emerge from the text that we are reading in the first one is a very simple one. I think we would all agree with bad things happen to good people in it be wonderful if it was like bad things only happen to bad people, good things only happen to good people, but it's not that cut and dried bad things happen to good people.

Let's see what happened to David first Samuel 23 verse 13 is the end of a previous paragraph of this connect. So David and his men about 600 arose and departed from occasional little town on the border with the Philistines and went wherever they could go. Then I was told Saul that David had escaped from K law, so he halted the expedition and David stayed in the strongholds in the wilderness and remained in the mountains in the wilderness of Ziff Saul sought him every day but God did not deliver him and his hand.

So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. It is to kill him and David was in the wilderness of Ziff in a forest.

Then Jonathan Saul sought arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God and he said to him, do not fear, for the hand of Saul. My father shall not find you, you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Even my father Saul knows that.

So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his own house.

I this is David were talking about. This is the guy whom it is said he was a man after God's own heart, this is David this is the future King of Israel. This is the ancestor of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is David.

This is in cane.

This is an Saul. It's not Haman's, not Judas is not Herod the great.

It is David central figure in God's plan of redemptive history at this particular time in history, and yet he is suffering. He's being chased and hunted. His life is in danger and all that shows us a very self-evident truth that bad things happen to good people, but suffering is not a measure of goodness or godliness that is not like some cosmic karma that happens they broil out a bad set happen to that family must mean they're good and bad things. That's not always the case.

In fact, Jesus put it this way, God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good and he sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. We are seeing here play out is the effect of a very jealous cane name Saul jealous of David jealous of David's calling jealous of David's capabilities, forcing David to flee and live for years that some believe up to a decade as a refugee.

So the language here are the names that are mentioned, the places that are mentioned here in the text are somewhere in the region between the hill country of Judea and the Dead Sea region. There's a lot of ravines a lot of rocks and caves. Places to hide nuts were David is you probably know this, but some of the Psalms that are written in the book of Psalms written by David were written during this period of time this decade of time while he was fleeing he was suffering, thereby moving songs. One of them is Psalm 63 that we believe could have been written during this time and it's because the very top of the Psalm says this a Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah is probably this time. Now that's a Psalm you're familiar with. He says God you are my God, early will I seek you. My soul thirsts for you.

My flesh longs for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water so I have looked for you in the sanctuary to behold your power and your glory because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you. Thus I will bless you while I live I lift up my hands in your name. It's the story it's the Psalm of somebody longing to go back to the central sanctuary worshiping with his people, but is forced to be out on the dry desert areas. As a refugee.

Because his life is in danger? Let David do to invite this kind of mistreatment from King Saul answer absolutely nothing. He didn't do anything bad to Saul he didn't say bad things about him. He didn't try to stage a coup to take over. He was faithful he was diligent he was obedient he did everything became rotted and to do. He took care of some of Israel's enemies. And yet this in fact he brings this point up in another Saul Psalm 59 certainly written during this period when David writes the mighty data Saul and his armies, the mighty gather against me not for my transgressions, nor for my sin in our Lord. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. David is not saying that he is endlessly perfect is just saying I am not suffering because of my sin.

I didn't bring this on because of my center my disobedience so sometimes bad things happen and there is no direct cause and effect correlation.

Bad things happen to good people that you know when this all started this when David Justin just a kid just a shepherd boy goes to the front lines of the battle and sees this big log about Philistine and Goliath and he defeats him right.

David kills Goliath of the story well familiar with. While after that battle is done and everybody's going home. King Saul is going home with his army and as he's going back home. Saul leading his armies. After David got the victory. The people of Israel immediately armies and their singing and their dancing in the partying and the Bible says the women are singing a song and here's the lyrics. Saul has slain his thousands, and David has slain his tens of thousands of first of all the women were singing that song, which didn't go over well with the very egocentric King Saul and apparently everybody knew the lyrics to the songs. Everybody was singing it in hit the top of the charts, and his name is in the song, but it's compared to David was slightest tens of thousands, so he gets all in 1/2 and decides to get very jealous of David saying that what more can he have, but the kingdom so from that moment on, the Bible says I jealous. I was cast toward David couple chapters later when David is in Saul's presence. Saul grabs his spear and throws it, trying to play pin the spear on the musician buddy docs David leaves the room and so Saul comes up with another product to get rid of this kid. I'm jealous of and it says that he he said I know what I meant to do. I'm going to give David my enemy that I want to kill him to get David my daughter that she may become a snare to him. I would like to be the daughter of that tree became using he was upon to kill somebody. He doesn't want while long story short while they are together there married or in the same house.

Saul seeks to kill them. David escaped once again now. From that moment on for all of these years. David is suffering is a refugee, hunted by the king and it's probably the lowest moment in David's life, as expressed in some of the Psalms that I mentioned by Dante Solomon to make a confession to using the sound a little cruel but I'm so glad the David suffered and I bet you are to because out of that suffering was produced all of those magnificent Psalms. Many of them that when we read bring encouragement to us and you read any good. David went through that right that very deep stuff that still ministers to millions of hearts around the world. The music of the sanctuary is often forged in the trials of the saints. We benefit from. Spurgeon said God gets his best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction. Nine bringing this up as a first major point because sometimes if you listen to some believers.

You get the idea that there saying once you come to Christ all your problems go away.

I was a troop while nonsense is true.

Your biggest problem goes away.

You're not going to hell. That's at the big problem that your biggest problem goes away. But you get a whole bunch of new problems. You now have a target on your back, and all the minions of Hell and Satan himself will target you yes you still have victory.

God gives you incredible promises to get through that of the over comers, but that does not mean life is a downhill slide from that point on.

Good things happen to bad people are lead you to a second truth that is self-evident in our story not only bad things happen to good people, but bad people can stop a good God that people can't stop a good God. Now we come to the very crux of this passage in verse 14, second sentence, second part of verse 14, Saul sought him every day. But God did not deliver him into his hands of those two words change the story. Those two words pulled back the curtain of God's providential care is James Montgomery. Boy said if you understand those two words about God.

They will save your soul. If you recall them daily and live by them. They will transform your life completely. Verse 14. These two words introduce us to the truth that there is a divine sovereign hand ruling the universe so that even though bad things happen to good speak good people. Even though bad things happen to God's good people sought the end of the story. The story continues. But God when you have a supreme all-powerful universal ruler malicious plans won't succeed. Let me restate that when you have a supreme all-powerful universal ruler malicious plans won't always succeed. Sometimes they do succeed. In fact, in this case they did succeed for a while. How long did I say David was running from Saul 10 years 10 years, suffering 10 years as a refugee 10 years living away from his home 10 years. In case all because of this madman, this crazy jealous King God allow that to happen, but Saul was only allowed to go so far and no further. He was allowed to display that maniac Carl crazy behavior only up to a point and then God stepped in and when did God stepped in when it served God's purpose. So all this was allowed to happen, but when it didn't serve God's purpose stopped. Maybe your wheels are spinning you're going to need serve God's purpose.

Are you telling me that it served God's purpose for David to suffer 10 years.

Sad to say but yes it served God's purpose for David to suffer 10 years. Why well I think you know the answer to that question. I think you know that suffering can sometimes be beneficial. In fact, very beneficial to the life of a believer in food at testimony time and you wouldn't tell me your story or stories.

I bet several of you would say something like was a dark time was a very dismal time. I was so discouraged I didn't see any way out. But then this is what happened is what I learned. This is why I'm better because of Spurgeon. Once again he said so many good things. He said the hardest hearted most unlovely Christians in all the world are those who have never had much trouble. And those were the most sympathizing, loving and Christlike are those that have suffered the most affliction. The worst thing that can happen to anybody's is to have our path made to smooth that's amazing. The worst thing that can happen to any of us is to have our path made to smooth but there's good news. There is a limit. There is a limit and the limit is when it violates God's purpose know what's God's purpose for David. He's gonna be the next what King suffering to be the next king. He has to live… That's why we read Saul sought them every day. But God did not deliver him in his hand so up to a point. This guys crazy and maniac of but God wouldn't allow that is a different that's good price message from the series but now we want to share about a special opportunity you have knowledge of the Bible to a deeper level, every college is now open for which history should Calvary College is offering select online classes as an opportunity for individuals to take their lives calling to a whole new level with an educational emphasis in biblical studies with our unique partnership with Veritas international University and Calvary Chapel University. You will have the opportunity to obtain your bachelors or Masters degree with complete online program. Whether you're looking to obtain an accredited online degree or take individual courses to become better equipped and your knowledge of God's unchangeable truth. Calvary College has you covered with a range of opportunities for updates on classes and registration information for Calvary College's visit Calvary ABQ.college that's Calvary ABQ.com for Calvary College, Calvary, ABQ.college here and connect with the power think we get to hear incredible stories about how God is encouraging people not just around the block, but around the world thanks to you when you give generously to this ministry here helping connect so many listeners to the gospel of Jesus.

And you keep these messages you live on yet, consider getting a gift without difficulty hundred 90 8F 892 or visit connect with.com/Downey back connect with.com/Downey thank you. Tune in tomorrow.

Skip hi six years. Why is vital for you to have the right friends. Bad times. That's why at times like that friends like this every day beneath his job every discouraged person needs is a castle may Skip presentation of connection communications to go through