Haters Hate...but God - Part B

Paul the apostle you think of something bold and assertive for me down to get back up but he writes to the Corinthians, and he says we were burdened beyond measure and above strength so that we despaired quiet times like that you need friends like this every David needs his job every discouraged person needs his encourage. It's important to surround yourself with the right people will push closer to God instead of pulling you away from him today on connect with Skip Heitzig Scriptures why it's vital for you to have the right friends and bad times right now want to tell you about a resource that will help you build your knowledge of God is and inspire you to follow him more faith. Does God exist, and if he dies. Is it possible to know your answer to those two questions shapes how you see the world skip. I think once wrestled with those very questions himself, you know, I've been teaching the Bible for over three decades before I became a Christian and when I was new to the faith.

I studied science and philosophy alongside the Bible as I studied, I grew confident that God does exist. And yes, we can know in the biography of God.

The brand-new book by Skip I think you will learn to remove the limits you may have placed on your idea of who God is. Everything changes when you acknowledge and believe that God is who he says he hears biography of God is our way to thank you when you give $35 or more today to help expand this vital teaching outreach to more people request your copy when you give online securely connectwithskip.com/offer or call 800-922-1888 Joyce get high to put today's teaching first Samuel chapter 23 to make a confession for it to sound a little cruel but I'm so glad they've suffered and I bet you are to because out of that suffering was produced all of those magnificent songs, many of them that when we read bring encouragement to us and you read any good. David went from that right that very deep stuff and 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. Now I'm 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 true one-on-one sense is true. Your biggest problem goes away. You're not going to hell. That's the big problem that your biggest problem goes away. But you get a whole bunch of new problems.

You have a target on your back, and all the minions of Hell and Satan himself will targeted yes you still have victory. God gives you incredible promises to get through that to be over comers, but that does not mean life is a downhill slide from that point on. Good things happen to bad people 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't 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 pull back the curtain of God's providential care is James Montgomery. Boy said if you understand those two words.

But 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… When you have a supreme all-powerful universal ruler malicious plans won't succeed but may 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 caves. All because of this madman is crazy jealous came, God allow that to happen, but Saul was only allowed to go so far and no further. He was allowed to display that maniac whole crazy behavior only up to a point and then God stepped in and wended God stepped in when it served God's purpose. So all of 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 said 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.

If we would have testimony time and you wouldn't tell me your story or stories I got 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 that this is why I'm better because of Spurgeon. Once again he said so many good things is that the hardest hearted most unlovely Christians in all the world are those who have never had much trouble. And those are the most sympathizing, loving and Christlike are those that have suffered the most affliction. The worst thing that can happen to any of us 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 be read Saul sought an everyday but God did not deliver him in his hand so up to a point. This guy is crazy and maniac help but God wouldn't allow that damn that's the difference.

It's a profound truth member. The story of Job, the book we sort of love, but not really. So Joe, you know, he was godly.

He was the godliness guy on the earth. God even bragged that Satan but there's his conversation between Satan and God. In chapters 1 and two and God allows Satan to go against Job up to a point member. The thing is, don't touch his person. So things around him happen where his life caves in with his loved ones, second chapter, God's is okay you can go further. But don't take his life spared his life at each point Satan was under the parameters of a sovereign God under the permission of God, up to a point and no further.

Satan is on a league sometimes I think is a little too long, but that's God's business then you go to the New Testament March upgrade a demon possessed man.

There's not just one but several demons in this man and the demons say to Jesus permit us. Listen to the language permit us to go into that herd of swine they had to get permission. They only acted and reacted upon permission of a sovereign God, what is that mean it all means. This all of humanity.

All the angels in heaven. All the demons of hell and Satan himself operate under the strict parameters of a sovereign God, so only by permission and only for God's purposes in these two words but God introduce us to that truth. Those two words introduce us to the truth that God's ways are behind-the-scenes, but he moves all the scenes that he is behind this what's happening in the natural world, but God is acting what this means to you personally is that if you are going through a fire retrial that God has his eye on you in his hand on the thermostat. He's watching. He knows how long you been in there. He knows how hot it's getting even walk away and forget Internet ADD. He never says whoops all that poor Christian crispy critter about them in an hour too long to really burn minor like to get about. He's got his eye on you. With his hand on the thermostat know what this means even further. If I boil it down is is a profound truth. You are invincible until God is done with you are invincible to God is done in Revelation 11. There's a story in the end times of two witnesses, the company or they have miraculous powers and the world knows about them.

The they see them.

There's a remarkable tax that says and when they had finished their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit came against him and killed. They died when did they die when they had finished their testimony.

So you are invincible until God's done with you, and once God's done with you. Can I just say who wants to be around here anyway. Several others have been waiting all take that when God's done with me, get me out of here. I'm out of town so bad things happen to good people, but bad people can stop a good God hears the third truth is self-evident, axiomatic truth from this passage a good God doesn't negate good sense.

Now look at verse 15 for a moment, God is just not delivered him into the hand of Saul was 14.

Look at verse 50. So David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life and David was in the wilderness of Ziff in a forest.

That means he was looking for cover amongst foliage so that he would be spotted of this amazing, why didn't David just throw caution to the enemy of God's sovereign God's God. God can deliver anybody.

Why did Dave Zola got me up at all. Saul here I am, you can touch me answer because David is not an idiot. He hit he made all the right choices. The fact that God is running the universe doesn't turn David into a fatalist use every means at his disposal to protect himself. He still using his mind. He still applying evasive strategies to get out of a predicament because David believes both in the sovereignty of God and in the responsibility of man. He believed that God did not deliver him in the Saul's hand. I could he deliver himself in the Saul's aunt. I bring this up because I find many people very passive in their view about God sovereign nature. When you talk to them. That sort of like they feel they're just passengers along for God's wild ride. They have absolutely no responsibility no duty whatever happens is what God wanted to happen.

So why should I think, or deliberate or plan or organize or strategy. David did not think this will David thought this was God may deliver but I have to duck I select to use my common sense and do everything I can, because this is what God might use to deliver me from Saul's aunt so he believed that God's sovereignty is in mashed in man's responsibility not in the New Testament, Jesus gives a parable so it's a very I've always found an interesting parable. It sort of out of left field. It throws a lot of people when they read it is in Luke chapter 16 I believe it's called the parable of the shrewd manager. It's a story of a manager whose works for the owner of the business the owner the business about the fire and he knows it. So he goes to all of the clients of the owner and cuts a deal with them how much you owe my master discussed the dead and half very illegally landed in jail the day it was illegal, self-serving, but he was using his present cloud to think of his future and it says the owner of the company finds out about the manager and actually commends him not because he stole from him, which he did, but he commends them for thinking far enough in advance to plan and hedges bets for his own future.

What's the point of the parable Jesus says this in closing it off is making a point about using our heads. He said for the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light that's an amazing statement using sometimes unbelievers are smarter than believers in thinking through and planning and strategizing their future is using a negative example to give a good point. There is a man in New York City walk into a bank and ask for a loan loan officer came out introduce themselves and how much you want because I want $5000. I'm going to Europe on business.

I'll be back in two weeks I'll pay back $5000 yes or as well for us to loan you $5000. We need some sort of collateral is some sort of security. What if you got the guy one of the long pulled out the keys to his Rolls-Royce and says it's part rather than the front with that be enough security and aggressive planning. So everything checked out the man got the loan walks out of the bank with a $5000. Meanwhile, an employee of the bank takes the keys gets in the Rolls-Royce drives it under the bank in the parking garage underneath and secure parking in two weeks. The businessman returns from Europe pays back the $5000 plus the interest which was $15.41. The loan officer approached the man said listen, thank you for your business. But while you were gone.

We did a little checking and we discovered your like a multimillionaire.

You don't need a $5000 loan.

So why would you come in here to get a loan for $5000 in your multimillionaire. The man smiled and he said where else in New York City. Can you park the car in a secured area for two weeks for only $15.41. That's why he was a multimillionaire that more wasn't playing checkers.

He's playing chess. He strategizing his mood back to a Jesus at the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of like this while God is being sovereign. Make sure you're being sensible is the truth of this that things happen to good people, bad things can't stop a good God and a good God doesn't negate good sense that brings us to the fourth and final truth that emerges self authenticating trade from this passage and that is bad times call for a good friend.

Verse 16 introduces such a friend. Then Jonathan, Saul's son 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 it's pretty remarkable statement because Jonathan is the son of King Saul, which means in that day and age the way kingdoms work when the father dies is the next king son. So the next king after Saul would've been Jonathan Jonathan says you're the man after God's own heart. You're the next king, not me. I'll just be next to you. Even dad knows that, so verse 18. The two of them made a covenant before God before the Lord and David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his own house. David's hiding trusting in a sovereign God, but but even though his trusting in a sovereign God who did deliver him.

He's discouraged. He's weak he's fearful that's what his buddy says don't fear you to walk up to somebody the big smiles and go fear you and say such a somebody's very confident. Don't fear the nonstarter makes no sense. You say that to somebody was fearful. We know David was fearful and discouraged because many of the songs we have written during that period express that fear that discouragement pouring out his heart weeping before the Lord and are Jonathan. It says he strengthened his hand in God. He encouraged him to be strong in the Lord listen you might be a strong believer, but all believers experience discouragement. All believers experience setbacks. All believers experience low moments of wondering off of second-guessing their faith goes back and forth.

All of us, even the greatest when you think of Elijah the prophet you think a somebody's bowl right unafraid right keeps going right. That was chapter 18 the first Kings where the prophet stands with great power of God and calls fire down from heaven very next chapter. He's running thinking Ahab and Queen Jezebel gets out of the Sinai desert purchase had a port heaven goes God gets enough take my life, because from victory to suicidal and one chapter at Elijah that's discouraged when you think of Paul the apostle you think of some be bold, assertive, for me, down to get back up but he writes to the Corinthians, and he says we were burdened beyond measure and above strength so that we despaired even of life. That's why at times like that you need friends like this every David needs his Jonathan every discouraged person needs his encourager, but you love it.

The Jonathan comes to encouraging you and say hey come on in your David Hume after God's own heart, your Mr. songwriter. What's up with your discouragement know he meets them there.

He knows David loves the Lord, but he turns his thoughts back to God best friend you can never have somebody who turns your thoughts back to the God you love Jonathan does. By the way, their friendship was forged over their mutual love for God. When Jonathan saw David's zeal for the Lord as he stood before King Saul and he said about Goliath. He's defied the armies of the living God as he stood before Goliath and he said you come to me with a sword or spear and javelin. I come to you in the name of the God of Israel, whose armies you up to five.

Jonathan, here's this little kid talking about his trust in God and every time he heard it.

He said amen. I like the sky and from that moment on, they formed the covenant it says their hearts were knit together and they became friends so the long and short of it is this David was being chased and attacked by Saul, but God kept him safe.

David was feeling weak and discouraged. But God sent them. Jonathan David was being hated by the king but God would one day make him the king so back to those two words but God you can live your life with the truth of those two words.

Then you can live like my friend who went to the mission field in the Philippines and said all this bad stuff is coming down but I am living with the peace of God in anticipation and expectation of what God might want to do. I'm praying that all of us will learn to look for the black God in our lives.

You may not see it right away may take years and then you look back on a situation go out and was in that I hated that car accident. I was.

I saw no point of that.

But then I watched how the Lord used that I'm praying that you learn to live in expectation and anticipation that God inserted in your life change if reps of Skip Heitzigs message from the series but God right now to Skip to tell you how your support helps keep these messages coming your way and connects more people to the good news of Jesus as believers were called to be the hands and the feet of Jesus to go into all the world to touch those who need his healing we can share his message of love and hope with those who desperately need it. So would you consider partnering with this ministry to do just that. Your gift today will help others find a new life in Jesus.

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