Playing the Fool-Part A

You might want to look at this is King Saul's excited utterance words he probably wouldn't say otherwise, or admit to anyone but here he says. Indeed, I have played the fool and aired exceeding the tragic admission. It's a banner statement of anyone who would squander the call of God on that person's life. It's the admission of a person who would've said I could have been used powerfully by God, but I wasn't this the admission of a leader who went wrong. Headstones were usually engraved with today's date of arrival and the date of departure – between those dates is the journey of a lifetime you do with your – today on connect with Skip Heitzig Skip shares how you could take hold of the gifts and opportunities God is given at the end of today's program Skip and his wife Linda share more about how you can live intentionally for the Lord. We talk about living your life before God always do, you may not be aware of it but you always do microphones always on cameras always on God sees God hears about member that New Testament how Jesus knew people what they were thinking and knowing their thoughts, he said to them, what things haven't changed is the same yesterday today and forever. If he could read their thoughts knows your thoughts. Thank you, Skip a lagniappe if you want to hear more. Please stay tuned after the teacher know we want to tell you about an encouraging resource that can help you become more familiar with the Holy Spirit and how he helps you live in victory. The Holy Spirit is mysterious in the Bible. Jesus even said moves like the self Christians are instructed to know how counsel and comfort. I think reminds us, you can't neglect the Holy Spirit is the Scripture is the Holy Spirit from beginning to end, from Genesis to Revelation.

Not only is the Bible.

The Holy Spirit candy to the Holy Spirit is a divine person who helps us think you need all the help you can get to live your Christian life you I'm we need help discover the Holy Spirit is the study expound Holy Spirit and for a limited time you can also get a copy of millennia in power discover your spiritual gifts. Both resources are everything your gift of $25 or more dances, teaching, outreach to get online securely connect.com/or call 800-922-1888 okay first Samuel chapter 26 is Skip Heitzig starts to this every year on April 1 is a thing called April Fools' Day and you know how that began, but in the 1500s, 1582, the French decided to change the calendar back to celebrating New Year's on January 1.

Up till that time New Year's was the end of March they celebrated it on the vernal equinox, so they decided let's make it back to January 1 that'll be the New Year's day. Well, not everyone wanted to do that. They didn't agree to do it. They didn't hear about it or they just stubbornly refused to celebrated so they were called foolish and chokes were played on them as they would celebrate the new year. At the end of March beginning of April so this every year. Practical jokes were done to those people who stubbornly refused to adhere to the calendar was April Fools' Day three years people have been very creative on April Fools' Day self included and up playing jokes on folks, but some are more famous than others.

For example, in 2005. The media announced that NASA discovered water on Mars and they told people they have even photographs to prove it.

So when you would go to the website masses website. They showed a picture of a glass of water on a Mars candy bar that was there. April fools joke. We discovered water on Mars.

Of course, to call someone a fool is serious business. Jesus warned against that in the sermon on the Mount.

He said whoever says you fool will be in danger of hell fire. But it's quite another matter. When someone refers to himself or herself that way, such as the case here.

We have King Saul in first Samuel chapter 26 and verse 21.

Saul said no.

This is his admission to David. I have sin return my son David for I will harm you no more because my life was precious in your eyes this day, listen to this last sentence.

Indeed, I have played the fool and aired exceedingly nine words in that final sentence of the verse nine words that form an autobiographical statement. Words that were sad perhaps off-the-cuff in a moment of truth. I have a friend who is an attorney told me there's this thing called an excited utterance that is a statement made in an unusual time or a stressful situation.

For example, look outward in a crash or I think he's crazy. Those kind of statements that may be made under duress or under stress, but they betray a person's true impressions you might want to look at this is King Saul's excited utterance words he probably wouldn't say otherwise, or admit to anyone but here he says.

Indeed, I am playing the fool and aired exceedingly to tragic admission. It's a banner statement of anyone who would squander the call of God on that person's life. It's the admission of a person who would've said I could have been used powerfully by God, but I was it's the admission of a leader who went wrong. A king who went wrong but dad who went wrong. The father-in-law who went wrong. A man who went wrong. All of those were Saul now being the first king of Israel, King Saul occupies a lot of the Bible 23 chapters in this book are devoted to King Saul is rain his mistakes. 23 chapters one chapter in the next book. Second Samuel chapter 1 is devoted to Saul as well because so much of it is there about this one man, I'm just going to give you highlights on a greatly condensed this and working to get an overview of our anchor text is the one we just read first Samuel 26 verse 21 what I want to do with you though is kind of go through his life. In this crash and burn segment. I want to talk about how he began, then what went wrong, then how he should've changed so to begin where he began Simon to read to you. You don't need to turn their almond and need you go to have ready on in your Bibles first Samuel chapter 13 in just a moment to tell you how he began he started out so well because he had such advantages at his disposal. Both naturally as well as supernatural. He had natural advantages afforded any leader that if you have natural advantages for leadership as well as supernatural advantages to winning combo you have one of the other and their great when you have them both together. It's amazing.

So what he have all first of all, he had family. He had a good family first Samuel chapter 9 tells us he is the son of Kish, a Benjamite, a mighty man or a man of power. So Kish was from a notable family making Saul from good stock from a good tribe, a small tribe but a very notable tribe tribe of Benjamin, named after the favored son of Jacob born by Rachel so Mark that in the advantage list. He had family also in the natural advantages he had physique the guy look good.

He looked Royal.

This is first Samuel chapter 9 verse two describes in his choice handsome. There was not a more handsome person. Then he among all the children of Israel.

The girl swooned when he came.

It even says it from his shoulders upwards. He was taller than any of the people in the East height and beauty were greatly admired and it was thought if we can have a king that looks good, makes us look good. This is why Samuel went looking for the second King he comes to Jesse's house before he picks David. He notices Ely at the eldest, and he notices him because he's tall and he's handsome and that's why God says I've rejected him.

Man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart but he noticed the height of his stature.

So Saul had bad Saul had family he had physique both going form get something else in the natural advantage list not only family not only physique but focus. He was focused on the right thing. He was not focused on himself. He was focus on the task given to me tell you the task.

His dad lost some documents solution to send Saul out to find the documents and this kid was focused on that task. He was a donkey chaser and he was happy to be one is out finding his dad's donkeys when suddenly the prophet Samuel comes up to him.

This is all in chapter 9 and says you're the one that all of Israel is looking to as the next king listen to Saul's response. Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin.

What is that tell us, tells us he was humble. He was not focused on himself. He was focus on the task and when someone suggested you're a leader.

He kind of bowed low. He was humble because of it. Very next chapter. Chapter 10 coronation day he's going to be coordinated. King they can't find him and they finally find them hidden behind the equipment we did he want to show up on coronation day so he had a low view of himself. He has his family. He has physique and he has focus, and yet he says I played the fool and I've aired exceedingly.

I have played the fool and aired exceedingly. Now that's not all that he had going for. He had those natural advantages, but now just think for a moment the supernatural advantages what he had supernaturally well he had God's power. God promised this next king. All of the spiritual power needed to execute the office of being king of his people. This is first Samuel chapter 10 verse six. Then the spirit of the Lord will come upon you, the prophet says and you will be turned into another man has that for a promise to make you a different person. And it goes on to say he had a new heart. He was given a whole new parts of the Holy Spirit is all over this guy is God's power. He also has God's presence in the very next verse of chapter 10, I'm just writing this to you again the prophet says God is with you.

God is with you Saul me just tell you when God is with you. You don't need anything else, you got it all, God is with you. Jesus said to his disciples low.

I am with you always, even to the end of the age so you need go. So you need Sophia's family physique focus. He's got God's power.

He's got God's presence near something else. He is God's people were told in chapter 10. Again Saul went home to give you and listen to this valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched so besides God's power in God's presence. He has a staff of God's people soldiers he has every advantage to be successful, and yet he says I played the fool and aired exceedingly. How does a person crash and burn with those advantages naturally and supernatural. I was reading an article this week by the Department of Transportation.

That said, the number one cause of accidents in America what he think it is running a red light running out enough it's texting somebody mentioned that could be that texting cause you to run the red light wouldn't doubt that, but that's a whole another sermon.

This is just red lights running red lights is the highest cause of accidents in America and you know how much time you save if you run the red light average 45 to 50 seconds at the most.

That's all you say but the annual cost burden to our society is $7 billion a year in damages just from people running red lights Saul's whole life was running red lights.

Let's look at a few we looked at how we began. Let's consider what went wrong, what with the snags. What would cause a man to be so remorseful at the end of his life. I asked that because it interests me. Some people start well, but then poorly when I first moved to this town, I met a man who had been a minister for years I was fresh to the ministry. I was fresh to the area and it was a shocking meeting because he told me he used to be in the ministry, but because of moral indiscretion. Some moral failure. He was, not doing that any longer and will never forget his words.

He said gone, as were his words. Gone are the opportunities I once had. Gone is the joy of serving in the capacity I once enjoyed and he said in the Skip thing is, it didn't have to be this way made an impact on FB Meyer once said this and I quote this is the bitterest of all to know that suffering need not have been that it has resulted from indiscretion and inconsistency that it is the harvest of one's own sewing but the vulture which feeds on the vitals is a nestling of one's own rearing me this is pain" Saul could have written that on me. This is pain, so, so, what red lights did Saul run out and he play the fool. Well first off, you play the fool by arrogance. It was a prideful man. I want you to look at one verse in chapter 13 members that have that ready first Samuel chapter 13 verse three gives you insight and thought of Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba and the Philistines heard of it.

Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, let the Hebrews here know that person sound like much. Let me tell you the whole chapter King Saul as the new king of the land has a standing army of 3000 soldiers, 2000. He maintains 1000 he puts in the charge of his son Jonathan.

Jonathan attacks Jonathan gets the victory, but dad blows the trumpet you see he toot his own horn literally. He takes the credit for, and it just gives you a little bit of insight right at the beginning what kind of a man.

We are dealing with. Reminds me of the woodpecker I told you before about was packing packing packing up at a dead tree in a storm was brewing and lightning came out of the sky. Instruct and splintered the tree and that bird just barely got out alive went and joined all his friends and then said, look what I did was Saul look when I did what you didn't do it.

Jonathan did your just taking the credit for.

Saul started out humble, but the more elevated he became the greater, he declined inwardly and privately that pride will destroy everything. Pride destroys families ministries friendships, you name it did pride in their and there will be destruction. Pride goes before destruction the Bible tells us know in the same chapter don't have to look at it all the time, same chapter Saul builds an altar after the battle and sacrifices an animal on the altar. What's wrong with that only priests can do that job but he decides I'm the king I can do whatever I want. He sacrifices on it. Samuel shows up and said what do you think you're doing arrogance. That's what he's doing couple chapters later chapter 15. We are told, Saul built himself a monument, a monument to himself in Carmel, so he thought he was so cool that he needed a statues of people to check it out as a going back-and-forth on the road. Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the person who has this boy was sick he was running red lights. He was playing the fool by arrogance, not only by arrogance may give you a second red light Saul played the fool by indifference, indifference to explain that I need you now to look at chapter 14 first Samuel and before you jump into it.

Let me tell you what is happening in chapter 14 Jonathan, Saul's son takes action. The enemies of the Philistines. Listen to what Jonathan does. He had a thousand men, but he's looking at his armor bearer just to do. He looks at one got his armor bearer, and you know what, how about we do some crazy let's you and I go against the garrison of the Philistines, just you and I because maybe the Lord will give us the victory. Listen to his rationale for what restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few minutes, the Lord, he can use a thousand or two, or 5000 men, but he could also defuse you and me armor bearer said I'm game they went in and God miraculously gave them the victory. What Jonathan didn't know is that his dad Saul had given in order to his men saying no. One can eat anything until after the war is over and I've gained the victory on my enemies and anyone who eats anything be killed. Now how stupid is that that Skip the message from the series question. Now, let's head into the studio with Skip as they share more about how you can live intentionally for the Lord in today's methods we, stockings, crash and burn time and that he did it by playing the and he was thoughtless because it is arrogant and different.

If the median is preeminent. He just thought he was the man you mentioned that one of the things Saul should have done is live his life before God's gift. If we want God to real in our lives.

We have to practice the conscious awareness of him.

How do we do not well once you just begin your day. First of all, your eyes open up first thing you do is talk to your father. You know good morning Lord before I even get my feet out of bed and put them on the floor, walk around, do anything more. Get involved in anything just want you to know that I want to honor Yelena love you I want you to speak through me. Speak to me I'm I'm dedicating the day indexing for your quiet time in a whenever you have that you have that but just begin the day by acknowledging him and them you know we talk about living your life before God. You always do, you may not be aware of it but you always do microphones always on cameras always on God sees a God hears it all member of the New Testament how Jesus knew people what they were thinking and knowing their thoughts, he said to them well, things haven't changed is the same yesterday today and forever. If you can read their thoughts. He knows your thoughts to you are living your life always before God. The question is your awareness of that. So what you want to do is kind of develop a muscle and that muscle is call your awareness mostly and he go to the gym and you develop certain immuno posture core muscles part of your core muscle spiritually speaking, is your awareness of God's presence.

That's good. You know I brother Lawrence and that's some like it's on the likable skull practicing the presence of God. I love the idea, whether I like his book or not is another thing. But I love the idea that were practicing the presence of God and at some point in your day you have to get a loan and get quiet and and you can have to meditate on nothing else but God and his plan. The best place to do that is a time of prayer and then the word and you know you never get too sophisticated for that and you should never get too busy for that and that's not like the ABC. That's what young Christians do.

That's how seasoned Christians maintain their clarity on how you finish well you know that feeling when you driving down the street. Now the study for like someone's looking at you.

And sure enough someone in the car next to you are eating out and have fun and you can tell that yeah are you caught looking in the mirror and seven see you looking in the mirror, you know that feeling, and it would just be good to develop that kind of awareness that God is watching.

He is looking. He is seeing and I love it when he surprises us and tells us you know you go God is not just like you wrote a book called holy moments. It kinda captures the idea of God making himself known in a few different beautiful ways that are to supernatural Providence yes I love that aspect of God. He really is here. He's now he's present itself. Thank you, Skip and my goal is to connect listeners thank you to God's word to Mike on the strong foundation of history is available online.

If this message is impacted to you in your relationship with the Lord. Please consider today to blast on the same way, just call 800-9800 92 to connectwithskip.com/donate connectwithskip.com/donate to them again tomorrow.

Skip types of shares about the lessons you can learn from King Saul's life so you can grow in your next with Skip presentation of connection communications to go through ever-changing time