2 Samuel Chapter 4:1-12

If you get freaked out a lot. It means you haven't really fully turned your life over to God and your trust in him with and depending on how big the issue is that it takes to freak you out. There's your barometer. It's a really small thing when you got a long ways to go and trusting God, but even in the big things like kids and family and job and stuff when those things go wrong and you get freaked out shows you not really trust the Lord shows that for the moment. You don't think that God knows what is new welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. We have the studio. One of the McGee's assistant pastor's meal. Welcome to the show Bob great to be here listeners. If you're out there get your Bibles open chapter will be ready to take some notes God speak to you have an expected part we give our life that God means that you're allowing him to direct our life is what pastor they are responsible for our own lives. We want to have got in there but we supposed to take her things ourselves what God works in our hearts we worked out but it started allowing him the correct sense. Listen listen continue sharing through second Samuel chapter 4. Turn with me to second Samuel chapter 4, review a little that were here in the transition time between the rule in the reign of King Saul and the rule in the reign of King David and during that transition.

There was a Civil War as the fourth and final son of Saul stepped up and said you know what I think I want to be king and and the other guy Abner that we learned about that was encouraging him this man.

Abner had been killed by one of David's leaders Joe and now the son of Saul Logan facilities a little bit worried sick Samuel chapter 4 verse one says when Saul son heard that Abner had died and have brought he lost heart and all Israel was trouble. Now Saul son had two men who were captains of troops.

The name of one was banned in the name of the other cop in the sons of remind the parasite of the children of Benjamin from our office was also part of Benjamin because the parasites fled to get him and have been sojourners there until this day. Verse four Jonathan Saul son had a son who was lame in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened that she made haste to flee that he fell and became Lane and his name was fibber Sheth verse five, then the sons of Vermont. The parasite cabin by set out came at about the heat of the day to the house of the shift was lying on his bed at noon. Now understand were in the Middle East.

He's not being sloppily or anything like that, there's generally especially normal areas, there's a siesta taken in the mail the day where you go when you go do something else because it's just so hot when you can't really do anything in the military. The sports United States are like that.

Like have a Sioux City is one of the places in Arizona and there they had a high last year before they had a hot five actually minister the 537 and you know what they say what's driving so you do not love them is a dry heat. You see me sticking my head that the pastor friend the pastor's family there. I doubt the answers that the pastor's family there in a you know what their backyard pet. What was in a dog or cat.

It was a desert tortoise if it's that hot. Well that's a whole God store because he got used to party. There's big party cities live in LA got their party about God called him to that area needs pastor Ms. Kunkel anyway, he's in bed at noon, so it's not black and diligent cities in bed at noon, but let's read over six and and there came there all the way into the house as though to get we and they stabbed him in the stomach and Rick cabin by not his brother escaped when they came in to the house he was lying on his bed in his bedroom.

Then they struck him and killed him beheaded him and took his head were all night escaping through the plane now.

We can't fault him for laying down in the middle the day but there is an issue here in that the head of his military had just betrayed him trying to join the other side and was murdered and this guy lays down in his bedroom in the middle of the day and apparently doesn't have the foresight to have a guard or anybody stationed in his room. I mean it just seems like poor planning and I mean so he should have some people there. He didn't have anybody there and see is these guys think all of a sudden that they become David's friend Percy and they brought the head of this per shift to David had brought inside of the king. Here is the head of this bishop, the son of Saul. Your enemy who saw your life and the Lord has avenged my lord the king this day of Saul and his descendents. They did something for David. David and Wanda do emergency. David's reaction is very similar to the Amalekite that brought Saul's bracelet and crown him and said look I took Saul out. David was grieved at that point, and here's the amazing thing David never considered Saul and his family, his enemy, Saul was trying to kill David for a long time. David never declared Saul as enemy friend you have enemies in your life shouldn't I mean we do we'll talk in a minute. What you should do those enemies but but why are they your enemy and there's people in your life. You've decided that they are your enemy wire that your enemy because she hears something that happens sometimes semi-challengingtoyouandallsuddenthey'renotyourfriendanymore.Theycanbereallyinnocent.YouknowheyGlancyandchurch,wemeanglitzymanageryoutellmethatmanyarenotjustsaying.GladtoseeyouinchurchismuchasyoulaterbuddyandImeanwecanwecancopanattitudesoquickandsomewhatsomethingwasreallysickandIcareenoughtonoticethatyouhadbeenhereandImissedyouandwhatsettlesandcangetthegoatlessersgotogetsnowcountrysamemeaningyouknowifsomebodyaskedwhereyoubeen,you'renotgoingtobeoffendedandifyouhadmanynowthere'saverseinGalatianschapter4versesixPaulaskingthis,hesays,haveIthereforebecomeyourenemybecauseItellyouthetruthalotoftimesandsomebodycaresenoughaboutustosharethetruthwithusweautomaticallydecide.ThereareenemyiftheysayheyyouknowbroughtthisseemstobeanissueinyourlifeandIjustwantletyouknowisyouryouknowisneed,talkorneedwepraywithyoulovetodoandhowoftenwedecidethosepeopleareinnowelltonighteighthugepilesofgarlicatdinner.Okay.AndwhenIwentintomyoffice,InoticedthebreathmintsaresaidhenextgotoffendedenoughorIcouldrealizeyouknowwhatthey'recaringformetherecare.They'renotmyenemythereexpressintheircareforme.Weneedtoweneedtounderstandthatversenot,butDavidansweredRickcabindenieshisbrother,thesonsofVermont.Theparasiteandsaidtothem,astheLordlives,whoseredeemmylifefromalladversity.Lovethisversebecauselook,lookatwhatDavidsayingtheseguyssayyeahgotamends.YoudidGodamendyou.TheseguysmurderedthisGartnertoblameitonGodbecausesomebodysaidGodledhimtodosomethatandmeanGodledthepeopleonTVallthetimeisaGodledmetodothis.Godledmetodothatyoubeenaroundforverylong.RememberyearsagoOralRobertssaidwasthatthinghesaw600footJesusandsaidthatifhedidn'traiseXnumbermillionsofdollarstobuildthishospital.JesuswillkillitandIcringedwhenIheardthatone.SojustbecausesomebodysayslessthattheLordGodtowedothisorIdidthisbecausehegotdoesn'tmeanthisorbuthere'sDavidthanksasyouknow,astheLordlives.He'sRedeemerlikeit'sgotGodistheonelookingafterme.NotyouguysusernameDavidgotwasatthePhilistineswhobattledSaulandsonsnotasGod,wasenjoyablytookAbneroutknowwho'sgotwiththeguyswhotookhisnosegotitwasinthisispartofwhatmakesDavid.Davidishe'swillingtotrusttheLordandlettheLordleadhimandoverandoverweseeDavidseekingtheLordanddoingwhattheLordwantshimtodoandIthinkthere'sagreatlessoninthisifeverytimesomethinglittleorsomethingbiggoesoninyourlifeyougetfreakedoutfriendthatcanbeaspiritualbarometer.Asyouwill.Ifyougetfreakedoutalot.Itmeansyouhaven'treallyfullyturnedyourlifeovertoGodandyourtrustinhimwithanddependingonhowbigtheissueisthatittakestofreakyouout.There'syourbarometer.It'sareallysmallthingfromyougotalongwaystogoandtrustingGod,buteveninthebigthingslikekidsandfamilyandjobandstuffwhenthosethingsgowrongandyougetfreakedoutshowsyounotreallytrusttheLordshowsthatforthemoment.Youdon'tthinkyouguyknowswhathe'sdoing.That'swhatyou'resayingtoGodIdon'tIknowyoudon'tmeantobutthatiswhatyou'resayingtoandDavidDavidrestintheLordandtothepointwhenAbsalomtriestotakeoverthekingdom.DavidleavesJerusalembasis.OkaywhateverGodwantsonethingMeltonthrownI'mdone.WewanttogiveitthatAbsalomI'mokayandmostofuswouldlookatthatandthat'sasorryleader.TherenotwillingtofightsomeofthegreatestleadersthateverlivethelifelessonherewhenyougiveyourlifetoGodinmeansyoulethimdirect.WhenyougiveyourlifetoGodandmeansyoulethimdirectyou.That'seasytorememberwhenthingsaregoingwellandthingsaregoingwell.Youmaybegetbiggerrefundinthemailyougetaraiseorsomegoeswellforyou.Praiseguysjustsogoodhereallyknowswhathe'sdoingblessedlylikethis.Whathappenswhenthingsgowrongwhenyoudon'twhatIdonetodeservethisalsoandeverythingchangesourtrustisarrestnotesoften,tellingprayerprayers,talkingtoGod.That'swhatprayeristalkingtoGod.It'salsolisteningandalotofusthinkofprayerasbysayingsomethingandthenexityousaymuchstuffandthenhangup.HowbizarrewouldthatbeifsomeeverytimesomebodycalledyouanothercalledonyourselfandDavid'scallallandthenandthenthemomentIpickitup.Itseemsthereissomeofyougoingthat'swhattheyweretalkingafterwhilewhentheygetoldmovieapproachprayer.ThelaserprayersocketandlistensitandbequietbeforetheLordandlistentotheLord,lethimdirectuniversesandreminduniversesmaybespeakinginthatstillsmallvoice.BesurethatyourpartofyourprayerlifeislisteningtotheLordbecausehere'sthethingyouunderstandmostofusthink.PrayeristhewaywechangeGod'smind,wedowegetthesuddenwegetwegetintrouble.Reganiswhenwegetreallyearnestinprayerandsowethink.PrayeristhewaythatwechangegotBiblesaysGodthanJake.YourprayersreallywereGodchangesourheartchangesareprayershouldalwaysinvolvelisteningverse10Davidcontinues,hesaid,whensomeonetoldmetheylook.Saulisdead.Thinkingthatbroughtgoodnews.IrestedandhadthemexecutedandCycladic.TheonewhothoughtIwouldgivethemarewardforhisnews.Verse11howmuchmorewhenwickedmenofcoldrighteouspersoninhisownhouseonhisbed.ThereforeshallInotnowrequirehisbloodatyourhandandremoveyoufromtheearth.Davidcallsthispershift.Therighteousmanscaninterestingbecausewerehemayhavenot.Idon'tthinkhewasagoodleader.Saulleftthembehindatthebattlehadhisotherthreesonswithyou.Wasitinhisbed.DuringtheCivilWar,withbetrayalsgoingonunguarded.IjustIdon'tthinkthemanwasastrongleader,butunderstandthewholereasonIbelievethathesteppedintotryingtobekingisbecauseAbnerwasencouraging.Afterwantedpower.David,causingarighteousmanyou'relisteningtoPastorDavidMcGeeoncrossthebridgewillbebackwithmorethanjustamomentbutfirst,ifyouhaven'tbeentoourwebsite@crossthebridge.com yet what are you waiting for go to cross the bridge.com to learn more about how listeners like you are helping get the life-changing truth of God's word to more people to the radio, Internet and mobile technologies across the bridge.com you can also check out our broadcast schedule. Listen to more teaching from Pastor David and sign up for pastor David's free daily devotional and there's more thereto, so visit cross the bridge.com today. Now here's Pastor David as he continue showing verse by verse, verse 12, so David commanded his young men, and they executed them cut off their hands and feet and hang them by the pool and have brought, but they took the head of this per shift and buried it in the tomb of Abner and Habre. David makes a mistake. He's got 70 wives RAC's got some problems he sees done some things.

He ran out of his room when he should have ran out of Israel is going to have some other problems that many of us are familiar with those stories and will be with those in a few chapters but one thing about David is the way that he treated Saul's family the way he treated his would-be enemies see how you treat your friends that's important.

But as Jesus points out most people have the wisdom in a self-serving Conaway to treat their friends with a certain regard in a certain care and concern because they want to keep that relationship. That really doesn't say a lot about your character only usual basis. It can when you go above and beyond to mycology for Anzac outlets are you get by the bed that's is something, but in the normal occurrence of religion. But what the way you treat your enemies's is even more Howdy teacher enemies. Those that you perceive to be your enemies. Hatred, Jesus told us our supposed to treat them.

Matthew chapter 5 verse 43 says you heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and only good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have do not even the tax collectors do the same. And if you greet your brethren only what you do more than others do not even the tax collectors do so, but is into the nitty-gritty and is probably everybody in this room has at least one or two people that you consider your enemies and you can even get to the disturbing perverted place where you begin the play out in your mind bad things happening to these people may be at your aunt God's is a net he done say just to pray for them. He didn't even say just to love them, he says the last to understand that the way this word is occurring. Wish them well here we come to one of those things that's impossible. How do you humanly speaking wish your enemy well with friend, there's a problem you can't humanly wish your enemy well you need the power of God, you need to spirit of God to wish your enemy well. But God is here tonight to give me that power to give you the strength to with an act of the will wish your enemy well. Now some legal while filling you don't know what they said you don't know what they did and what doesn't matter. We talked about that for that and crucify that until you you're here tonight your breathing so they did more to Jesus maybe go. I don't feel like do you really think Jesus felt like carrying that cross up the hill. He did it anyway and sometimes I've been in the situation where I've been so deeply wounded. I really didn't feel like doing but with an act of my will.

I did it anyway. I'm not sure even my mind and my heart agreed with the statement that came out of my mouth when I said you know what I'm going to forgive them.

I'm going to pray for them and I'm going to wish them well.

But over time of continuing this.

I really begin the wish them well.

So much to the point with some of these similes folks bad things have happened to. I've been grieved the way David was great for Saul.

You can be set free from your enemies tonight. By doing this is an act of your will now maybe say what I don't know.

I do this I don't know I have the strength you don't have the strength God give you the strength to do but we have a model in Jesus.

I know what you think in your thinking all the others that beat him and those that spit on him and plucked his beard out piercing hung them on a cross. Jesus love them. Yes he did and yes, they were enemies, but friend, God also had an enemy that's in here tonight. Sit in your seat you were an enemy of God.

Some of you still may be I don't know but it one time every person in this room was an enemy of God.

That's what the Bible says in Romans chapter 5 verse 10 says for him when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Paul in Colossians chapter 1 verse 21 says a new who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now he is reconciled final lifelessness. Jesus said the love and pray for our enemies. Jesus said to love and pray for our enemies. The understand we were we were enemies of God. We were Romans, the book of Romans talks about. We were at war with God. Some of us fight God every step of the way alienating family and friends who would say there praying for us in had anything to do with God.

When we talk. We were truly enemies of God and yet in that moment. What was Jesus was his heart towards he loved us.

He looked at us and thought boy he sure hates me right now.

One day, one day because of my love because of my care because of my sacrifices is going to come into the kingdom. She's been coming to.

Could it be, then in our love for our enemies and in our prayer for our enemies in our care for our enemies and wishing them well. They might be one of the Lord friend when somebody treats you spitefully what you expect back from you expect someone to be spiteful towards you would be to God that the Holy Spirit would so invade our lives that when somebody is spiteful or hateful to us were loving and kind and return some everything that's just impossible. Right. It is humanly speaking were desperate for God on this but he's willing to empower us do this.

Let go.

Don't care your enemies around anymore. Pray for love them and bless them, wish them well. Even as Jesus even as you were an enemy of God and now Jesus has accepted you and wishes you well. Not because you've been good enough turn but because he loves you that much.

That's that's the message of salvation. If you're here tonight. You've never asked Jesus to forgive you of your sin friend here you're an enemy of God, that you may not think of yourself as that. But Jesus said this. If you're not for me.

You're against me, and if you're foreign what you've already done in your life as you ask him to forgive you of your sins and your following them and if you have a minute, there's a wedge there's a division in there between you and him. All you have to do is ask him to forgive you and he will turn them in quick try to run your own life.

Lord, I realize that it one time I was a enemy of yours. I was working against you. I was mad a lot at those who were following in Lord, you still love me still died for me still reached out to me you still call to me.

Thank you for that. She never gave up. Never quit loving me Lord I pray for those who haven't yet been declared. Friends of yours. There still at war. Even right now there there's a battle going on in her mind whether they will come forward at the end of the service, Lord, may you win that battle. May they give themselves to you and become a friend of God or distill others in here that the moment I said enemy faces came in Iran's Lord you didn't give any exception.

She didn't say one less. I do this to then you don't have to love them or preform a wishing well bless. They said the people who use us who are mean to us.

Even abuses we pray for. We wish them well. We wish for them the joy that we have found in you. And the peace and the comfort is Lord we were enemies of years of one's and your loved us.

He loved us with every molecule of your being, and you demonstrated it sacrificially. Lord help us to remember that the way you treated us when we were your enemy. Help us to treat our enemies in the same way to love, pray for, to wish him well. We need your strengths to do this, Lord. This is beyond what we are able or capable of doing more.

This is part of the reason you came not only to forgive us, but so that we could forgive others learn that so we wouldn't need to be keeping a list of who your enemies are Lord of any of us have those list tonight.

May we nail him to the cross Jesus name 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. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. 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.

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