1 Samuel Chapter 26:1-10

Why would it be important for follower of Jesus to keep their word.

What do we use the tell other people about Jesus. We use our words and if people have gotten to expect from us that we never follow through on our commitments and we never honor our word. Guess what they're going to think as we talk about Jesus was this one of those things that you don't really mean welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. On today's program. David McGee will begin teaching through first Samuel chapter 26 and we have with us of the program today. Pastor Neal, one of the remedies assisting pastors welcome the program. Thanks. Thanks for all the listeners out there. We are always grateful all those that listen in the ministry right today.

Pastor David talking about.

As followers of Christ, making sure the word my father's at Scripture that says let your yes be yes and your no be no. To say yes and that is exactly right. Sorry for years.

I prior listeners out there that may think that's the case has raised to be shared right into it by whose teaching first Samuel chapter 6 verse in chapter 26 is not as it fights came to Saul and give me a saying is David not hiding in the hill patch opposite gesture.

Then Saul arose and went down to the wilderness as having 3000 chosen men of Israel with them to seek David in the wilderness. We have seen it. If you been in this book for very long or been with us for very long Thursday night you seen that a couple times Saul has promised that is not gonna chase David Hayes promised is going to quit trying to kill David and he keeps going back on his promise to keep breaking his word and we see that in. That's one of the things that makes Saul such a poor and sorry leader to keep breaking his word as a matter fact you always wonder it when he gives his word if he ever has any intention of keeping his work because he never follows through on his commandments or first life lesson off the off the bat followers of Jesus should always keep their word followers of Jesus should always keep their word. You may look at how the world can we always keep our word will I give a couple to first of all obviously be plan on doing this. Guess what, you have to be careful what you give your word over and to be careful what you promise. I think a lot of us are guilty of sometimes making promises that we can deliver owner you make promises outside of your ability to keep like.

In other words, you know you've ordered something and you said all this, tomorrow, and I'll bring it to you and then the person that supposed to ship it to you doesn't get to your place will guess what you promise something that exceeded your capability of delivering so be careful about promising something. Now why would it be important for follower of Jesus to keep there were what do we use the tell other people about Jesus. We use our words and if people have gotten to expect from last that we never follow through on our commitments and we never honor our word and we never keep our word. Guess what they're going to think as we talk about Jesus was this one of those things that you don't really mean you're just talking about sin begins to sully our witness and so when we go to talk about Jesus getting it.

Whatever you just you making this all up as you go along. Parents of children be careful of this because when you give your word on something is something that I try to be very careful with my children is there gonna that. When I gave my word that I followed through. Sometimes is very inconvenient, but I wanted for them to trust my word.

Why because I wanted him to trust God's word and you see there's kind of a parallel if they can't trust their parents. They have a hard time trusting God. There's kind of a carryover there. So be careful what you promise. Now it seems that sounds like from these couple verses that Saul was, sitting around and these guys came and start them up again and he said. Did you not care about David. I was out there and well-dressed waiting on the there's like I'm going you realize there's people in your life. This star you up and I'm not sorry about a good way.

They stir you up.

There's people in your life every time you have a conversation with them you get finished and in your ear angry and some are you ready to leave the church again. Are you mad at this later. You're mad at that later. Know what is on healthy relationship is unhealthy and there some people and I like to refer to them as spoons in your life there. Don't stir you up.

Understand that and here's what you got to do one of two things.

Either have to help change that person allow the Lord to help you change that person you need to change friend is that simple. Some of the people give you some real practical stuff, some of the people that stir you up here either related to or married to so that, removes the option of changing trends. So what you have to do is you have to help this person and walk them through and say you know what you got me all stirred up about this. I don't think I'm there to talk to you about this anymore and there seems to be there seems to be a lot of this happening when we talk about a certain subject or the certain person or whatever you seem to want to stir me up because what can happen just like some people stir us up in a good way and encourages spiritually and those are people that we need to be attracted to those are people we need to spend time with.

As part of why we even come the church is to be stirred up and encourage spiritually need to be careful of those relationships where your startup in a bad way so we need to help each other through that verse three and selling camp in the hill patch which is opposite gesture month by the road, but David stayed in the wilderness and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness and David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul had indeed come.

David was a smart man. David was a deep thinker. He was also an incredible military strategist and actually you can read part of what he's thinking.

And Saul chapter 54 of you… Read it later when I read it tonight but Psalm 54 it talks about what David's thinking and going through at this time but David is planning here and I think I think the church needs people like David the day they need. We need to have deep thinkers and military strategist and and smart men when women to help us to accomplish the task we have before us and you know it almost sounds here now wonder the way this is worded.

I wonder if somebody came to Dave and said Saul and his army are out here again looking and David thought no not not Saul, not not again and it might be that David sent these men just to see if indeed it was Saul coming after him again because look at verse four with with that and then months.

David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul had indeed, was almost like he was going guys go out and tell me of Saul's leaving these guys and I'm hoping that it's not the came back and said yes Saul again.

He's is coming after you and I think that was probably ever present in David the whole, then at some point Saul was going to get a clue, Saul is going to get a grin. But as we see it as we'll see in the comer coming weeks.

Saul never did this.

Now it's easy to look at the words on the written page and we can see how Saul didn't do this and we can see the contrast that David did tonight, look at this and see who are we more like a remodeling. Saul, or more like David J.

Even as I say that you know it. Probably everybody on more like David Marley named well, perhaps less so. But the fact is probably every one of us has acted like Saul and his acted like David tonight will have in front of us once again the opportunity to choose whether to act like Saul, or whether to act like David says verse five. So David Rosen came to the place where Saul had and can and David saw the place were Salt Lake and Abner the son of an early commander was army also lay within the camp with the people and camped all around is interesting when you think through this verse apparently so I placed himself in somewhat of a Valley heat. I don't think he knew the area and I don't think is commander knew the area but David knew there because it says that David came to the place and could see down exactly where Saul is now you know anything about military strategy that that's poor planning. Somebody wasn't thinking.

I think part of it was because I just didn't they didn't know the area, but David knew the area why because it's been a lot of time in desert.

What possible practical application. Could that have for us because I think were tempted to look at our lines and kinda categorizing in those times well. For instance, at this point, you know, Saul is he has access to the priest he has access to. Probably the tabernacle and you could say what life was good with Saul in a manner speaking, it wasn't really, but from appearances you can say and you can say will David is wandering the desert is going through a hard time but is that really what was going up know God is doing a deep work in David and Saul is refusing the work of God. Why do I say that because there is the assumption, often times in our lives more going through a desert. We think something is wrong. We've been bad sums messed up. We got wheat we come up with all these reasons, some of which are true.

Now here in the desert friend you should ask yourself, am I done something to put myself in the desert. Why am I here in the desert. That's a good question asked but don't always assume that you've done something bad or wrong to put you in another one because that sometimes that's a place where God is as deep work in your life. God doesn't waste anything. God was a way to waste in this time of David and the desert.

David got to know the desert got to know the area as he fought his future battles. He knew the area and we talked about Moses. Moses wandering the desert for 40 years he was in Egypt left Egypt was wandering the desert for about 40 years and went back was used to deliver the children of Israel, and he took them back, where through the desert which desert the exact desert that he'd been hanging out so he knew Wethersfield's work in newer. The water phlox and water.

The herds John is able to redeem everything in our life. It's an amazing thing. I look back at my license sometimes and I thought I was in charge know some land and I was backslidden God was doing work in my life and he's actually come a place where he is redeemed, those things. It's amazing thing. Thank you for listening to David McGee with cross the bridge ministries.

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Now back to David McGee verse six says.

Then David answered and said to have Alexa hit Titan to abaci the son of zero brother of Joe absent who will go down with me to Saul and the camp and I wish I said I will go down with you. So David Nava shy came of the people by nightmare Saul lay sleeping within the camp and the spirit stuck in the ground by said and Abner and the people lay all around now. I wish I and Joab were David's nephews there there going to be major players. Time goes on in David's reign and so do well to note these guys know I want you to notice something. David's a real leader because notice what he said he didn't say all right is going to go down the Saul in the camp so he set a true leader will do that true leader says who's going with me. I'm going who's going to go with and it's awesome that advertises all go I'll go with you. Now this this nation must be honest, it looks like certain, but I wish I was like I'm with you think at that point I wish I had any idea what God is going to know what I think he had a clue. I'm not sure David knew much less. I wish I but usually say on the I'm with you, David, God's doing something you like. I trust God falling that's an awesome trait verse eight. Then abaci said the David God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please let me strike them at once with the spirit right to the earth and I will not have to strike in the second so that was really going his young nephew and you know you anything to David here.

I take them out. I take them out quick to you will have to hitting again. You start to think a couple things at this point abaci seems a little zealous than he is also at this point I'm kind of wondering about Saul's army. This is the second time that they been able to just come upon the king why he sleep you two different events, we covered the mean another few chapters ago. The two distinctly different events are some similarities with a lot of differences in income right upon Saul got dendrites what you think. David thought at this point he's human, he is human and I guarantee you for a moment when abaci said that David thought that that sounds like a pretty good plan therein coming in a Saul was out here I'm king in an instant, and NAV went really and deftly could you note, then he could say all abaci what a good, I got a project. Saul can't believe you did that. He probably thought of those things misunderstands him to think something is not sin. You can have a passing thought about doing some and it's amazing sometimes you can have a passing thought and just be harm, but if you don't act on that salt. It's not a sin. But here's here's what happens. Here's where we stumble, we start to think on that salt over and over and over they could do that we could do and it seems like a viable option and then you find yourself acting.

There's a saying I'm not sure who said it, that's okay for the bird of temptation to fly over your head, but don't allow them to build a nest in your head so I don't think David considered it for very long if he considered lessee. David's responsive responses, but David said they have a shot do not destroy them for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord's anointed, and be guiltless.

Verse 10 David said furthermore, as the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish.

David was not wishing this on. They would was saying you know what guys can take care. God is going to take care of quick review.

Saul is trying to kill David.

David knows this. Saul is asleep at David's feet with one of his soldiers right there with the spear willing to take them out and David says not going to trust God. I would trust God to deal with this matter. You have to ask yourself as you look at the story and and again there was similar story few chapters ago. Why are there two stories like this in the book of Samuel that have so many parallels whenever you see this in the word of God. What it means is it's very very important in their something that we need to grab hold and remember when this book was written roughly 3000 years ago they copied it by hand. The scroll for first Samuel one was would've been 3540 feet long. Probably, was to scrolls action.

And yet God wanted to record two very similar stories while because God wants us to learn a lesson about our enemies like listener trust God with your enemies.

Trust God with your enemy is one thing to trust God with your friends.

It's a little bit harder to trust God with your children, but trusting with your enemies, that's a real litmus test of our faith in God.

That's a real challenge, and it here's part of the challenge. Do you understand sometimes you don't know who your enemies are. I don't mean to make you paranoid or anything, but there are some people in your life right now that you think they're your friends friends probably some people in your life right now that you think they're your enemies are not your enemies. Trust God. In either situation, and we have the model of Jesus. This is very convicting because as you look at the interaction Jesus had with Judas and you realize something in that upper room when Jesus announced that somebody was going to betray. They didn't know it was. Now we read that with how could they not know who it was, obviously was due this and we think that way because we have this we get this picture that you know Judas was this guy with the yellow black cape and dark sunglasses that you know whenever you laugh you like or you know, and so when we read that sir everything Jesus is probably the guy with aware life just like print, but he was he was one of the more religious people in that group and it was obvious to the group who was betrayed and what is Jesus didn't treat Judas any different than the but Jesus knew Judas was going to betray. And Jesus still didn't treat him any different man is challenging in utilizing when I sometimes treat people different from what we think they might do. But Jesus knew what Judas would do and then training many that see here's here's the thing somewhere along the line the last 2000 years Christianity has begun to think that we got a search out and destroy the enemies of the faith part of our job. I was enemies of the faith are take about have tickets of protest boycotts. Those sorts of things think that selling short.

Our purpose and what were supposed to be doing. See, I think far too often we try to identify the enemies of Christianity, and in doing so we alienate a bunch of people were supposed to be ministered to. I like what Chuck Pastor Chuck Smith says his vision of the church. If you think of a traffic accident and you get to a traffic accident, the church, the people of the church are supposed to be like the EMTs. This was to be the guys that like in the ambulance to show up to to care for the wounded but to also show up to the same likely going to give you pitch. Follow me on this. Can you imagine an ambulance worker coming to a traffic accident and you know comes up in man's land on the ground bleeding in the emergency worker comes up goes is going faster with anybody. They have her seatbelt on. I guess been drinking a lot of what we do is the same man happen. You made a mess of yourself helping be there for you when helping.

That's what the church is supposed to be that you're sitting there going to pastor actually going to forest now you need to reread the parable of the tares and the we that it talks about in Matthew 13 when Jesus himself says don't we try to separate you you you can't tell the wheat from the tares and if you try to tear the we the tears out of the week will mess up the week I did a recent study of that parable just got all freshly convicted because a lot of times we think that's her job and look at this chapter, you realize David never talks about how messed up Saul with not one time was Saul messed up colleague you could you could write a book on that will there is a book actually thought, but David never talks about man that is so convicting David never speaks ill of this met why can Saul still was leader songs try to killing you and talk about good reasons to talk about your leadership, but he still not doing what no mention that because it amazes me the way that people who say they follow Jesus was built for speed speak ill of their boss. They speak ill of their pastor. They speak ill of their spouse. They speak ill of their parents should be should be what you don't know what you know. I don't know but were looking at a story where this man was John Kelly, I still didn't say anything bad about love because David trusted God with his enemies is God's going to tell you I don't have to throw a spear through you now last chapter. David realizes once again when he was dealing with the ball and he was going to deal with the ball and he ended up not kneeling with the ball and guess it didn't deal with the ball. God yes you question the enemies that are in your life and some of us have enemy do you want to know are you and I got do friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness.

Those who were sick, not the righteous. So congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit crossed the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. You can also write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life before we go. Have you been listening to the teachings to the book of first Samuel we can pick some of these teachings, it will encourage your prayer life. Pastor Neal can you tell us more about we all hunger for a deeper connection with the Lord and pastor David shares through past living examples how to have that deeper connection. So when you give a gift today we are going to send you for your generosity praying through first Samuel. It's a four CD series that will encourage you in a deeper relationship with the Lord.

And as you step out on faith and give a gift to cross the bridge today. We will send this in appreciation for your generosity. Again, please visit crossed the bridge.com to give today and get your copy of praying through first Samuel we would also like to encourage you to grab Pastor David's daily devotional. Each day you wake up perfectly past world of God's life lessons to consider a daily reading plant in a fault, to meditate on your day heart. And it's easy. It's free to sign up today on crossed the bridge.com folks. Thanks for listening into the next time. As David McKee continues teaching verse by verse. First Samuel