Aftermath of a Giant-Killing, Part 3

Today on Insight for living from Chuck Swindoll. No matter how hard the exaltation may be we never lose our teachability you will always find people who will be able to give you input about don't turn it off reaches the level where we are above criticism. Let's continue to learn some time our best lessons can be learned from outside the But often from within. Whether the office at home or even in church were surprised when the toughest relational conflict occurs between those we care about most. Well, today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll concludes a message introduced last week. Just off the heels of victory when David sloughed the giant Goliath.

We watch an ugly tension between David and his sister were in first Samuel chapter 18 Chuck titled this message. Aftermath of a giant God. David needed an adamant friend to go through the valley that was ahead of and that's true in our lives as well. And there's something about a friend that allows you to your soul with him or with her. See how it's rendered in verse 01. Heat the soul of Jonathan was knit. There is an interweaving of soul with soul is what I call a kindred spirit.

I want to share with you four characteristics of an intimate friend from the passage were looking at and a couple of chapters before us. Okay, here they are number one and intimate friend is characterized by a voluntary willingness to sacrifice. You don't have to beg her close friend for a favor. He is volatile or she is voluntarily willing to sacrifice. See verse four. Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David with his armor including his sword and his bow in his belt. He wanted to give David something that belonged to him and was meaningful to him.

Friends do that. Let me give you another one. Chapter 19 verses four and five and intimate friend is a loyal defense before others will talk against you when you're not around. See 19 for Jonathan spoke well of David to salt his father paying a lesson that was significant. Salt was not only his father Saul was the David and Jonathan's to his father and said to dad about David. It says he spoke well of David to Saul he said do not let the king same against his servant David since he has not sinned against you since his deeds have been very beneficial to you, for he took his life in his hand and struck the Philistine and the Lord brought about a great deliverance for all Israel, and you saw it and rejoice. Why then would you sin against innocent blood by putting David to death without a cause for the third 21st 41 were talking about an intimate friendship. Jonathan had with David we talked about how there's a voluntary willingness to sacrifice the loyal defense before others.

The third one is a complete freedom to be yourself when you got a friend. You don't have to explain why you do what you do you just do it when the land was gone David Rose from the south side and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times.

He wasn't worshiping.

He was in anguish he just fell over and he fell over and fell again and they kissed each other and wept together, but David Moore when you've got a friend in your heart is broken and bleeding all over that friend and that person will understand me and said that's fine.

You got a good friend is hurting, let him hurt good friend feels like weeping letting we let them complain a little. He knows it's wrong. You want somebody here in isn't it true that those kind of people are rare when you've got an intimate friend.

He hangs with you even when you to the point of cursing stage right there and there's 1/4 characteristic and that is he's a source of constant encouragement. 2023, 15, 16, David became aware that Saul would come out to seek his life.

Think of that and look at Jonathan. Verse 16 Jonathan Saul son arose and went to David and Harish and encouraged him and God. That's the kind of friend I want some friends come and tell you the seven bad things that could happen when he gets a hold but others come and say look me tell you what God can do is important when you have a friend like this and you see them in a low tide here there and forever you can you bring encouragement sometime in encouragement is nothing more than I understand how that feels.

You have every right to have those feelings. I support you. I stand with you. There will be a brighter day someday, but right now it seems like the end. Okay, that was affection. Now let's read on the plot thickens. In chapter 18 verse 518 five David went out wherever Saul sent in many prospered.

Here's our word. He prospered, not only before Saul, but it says Saul set him over the man-of-war many prospered their he had never served over troops, but he did and he did well, it was pleasing in the sight of all the people and also the side of Saul's servants. David knew how to conduct himself with the servants in the court one man young shepherd lad came into the court that when he was with the servants they like him when he served over the troops. He was fair when the service also presents. Saul loved him and says it verse six and happened as they were coming when David returned from killing the Philistines. But the women came out of all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines and joy, and musical instruments are about sort of an operetta in the street. They were singing and dancing and banging around those crazy tambourines and doing their Israeli dances and they were saying this, Saul has slain his thousands, and David is 10,000s.

What a great day. The champion really lives in our ranks. God is exalted himself in the life of David. Now you would think Saul stood there and thought maybe that young man get the honor and that's that's a rare rare response. Here is the was standing next to a nobody who is being exalted, and how great it would have been if that chain had said standalone day.

You deserve that honor man listen to him but he didn't is a matter of fact he hated David before I look at that relationship.

I want to show you something about the person who is wise when it says he prospered four times in this passage turn to Proverbs, I found three very insightful things about the person who is wise. Proverbs chapters chapter 10 verse 19 reveals the first thing it is revealing 1019 when there are many words transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. So what are the characteristics of being a person who is wise is you know how to restrain your lips. You know how to keep your mouth shut.

You can keep confidences when people say look, don't share that that's a characteristic of a good friend. By the way knows enough to ruin your buddy never tells you let your life be open and vulnerable before. But you trust him with the dirty details because you gotta share with somebody and he keeps his mouth closed. Furthermore, when he opens his mouth.

He opens it with discretion.

The living Bible says don't talk so much. You keep putting your foot in your mouth. Be sensible. Turn off the flow. That's excitable, wise person when he talks of sensible and he keeps the flow down low doesn't tell everything he knows you always know there's more behind the counter than he is displaying that was David look at another one in chapter of Proverbs 1621. The wise in heart will be called discerning sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness 1621 tells us that the person who is wise is discerning isn't gullible he sees through the phony.

He sees the situation for what it really has any acts accordingly.

He is not irresponsible in his behavior wise. David had that ability. One more 2111 oh amazed this will never be forgotten when the scoffer is punished.

The naïve becomes wise, but when the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge. He's teachable, no matter how high the exaltation may be we never are to lose our teachability you will always find people who will be able to give you input that's valuable, don't turn it off. None of us reaches the level where we are above criticism. Let's continue to learn sometime our best lessons can be learned from our enemies. That's the kind of man David was. He was discerning he guarded his lips and he's A teachable spirit. All may his tribe increase factor 18, and will wrap it up with this fourth relationship which is opposition. It's unfair now want you to realize it. David has done nothing to deserve the treatment. Saul gave him just like some of you have done nothing to deserve the treatment you're getting at work or at school or in your home or from another member of the family of God.

Your motive was right. Your action was right, but it's been misunderstood or just sheer jealousy, the person is making it hard for you. Stuart Briscoe writes in his book.

What works when life doesn't chapter on when being good doesn't seem to pay listen to his first comments. Few things are more infuriating than seeing rogues that go free while honest men suffer. There is nothing more disturbing than knowing that the hard-hit will get hit harder.

While the protected will get more protection. This is particularly true if you're trying to do the right thing. It goes sour. While people around you are not even trying to do right.

Life is sweet for them. The unfairness and injustice of life is one of the hardest things to take. We may even get so envious of the people who go their merry way of irresponsibility and illegitimacy that we feel our struggle for right and justice is full is futile. Other seem to get away with murder and you can even get away with thinking about you try to do an honest days work you endeavor to be honest and frugal.

The more you try to do the things right. The more you find you are not appreciated. You may even be ridiculed, while the other people get all the gravy.

When you look at some of the people in high places. You know they got there by shady means, and they are thereby they stay, thereby even shadier tactics, and nothing can be done about it. You know your boss is adjusting quote unquote his tax returns. When he gets away with it. He has a plush office and a pleasure secretary while your office is so small you have to go outside to turn the page and you answer your own phone. This is true is this just change a few details and that life until your life is not fair it's not just the wicked prosper and a good and righteous are crushed and afflicted. God knows what he's doing that she gets the great grades this remarkable, studious, often wind up with the sea and are grateful for that and all the people said they not, here's David standing with Saul is done nothing more than kill a giant you don't do that very often in his walk back in the city and all the women are doing their dance and singing their songs and suddenly it hit Saul wrong just like it hit your boss wrong when you did the right thing and he took it the wrong way or your prof or your mate or your mom or your child.

Verse eight Saul became very angry. The Hebrew is vivid. Colorado means to burn with than he did a slow burn. He didn't like that for the saying, displeased him. The Hebrew word means inner turmoil in his stomach turned. He did a slow burn in his stomach. Sort of gripped notice how fear and worry stepped in. He said they prescribed to David 10,000s, but to me they prescribed thousands now. What more can he have kingdom he's paranoid see it and I got a problem on my hands.

I got a giant killer it's going to become a king killer. What am I going to do about that. All of a sudden he it says in verse verse nine he looked at David with suspicion. From that day on David is are you always done to deserve it, treatment subserve God kill giants behave properly.

In fact, verse 15 says when Saul saw that he was prospering greatly. He dreaded him eloquent what he dreaded him.

He saw that God was on his side. He saw that he didn't have the kind of power and what he could handle.

The Bible is practical is you rub shoulders with a jealous individual he could be a roommate. He could be a boss, he could be a friend, he could be a maid you got a hell on earth to live with, so jealous, the younger years of our marriage I Can't believe it and I kept my wife in a box. Why did that you do dumb things when you newly married only difference I did a lot of dumb things most people do a few I did a lot of and it hasn't been until just rather recently that I've seen the value of releasing her to a lot of people get the benefits that have been mined to enjoy all the studies all these years. Got a lot to offer, but I've held her in heaven released her do I talk to a jealous mate tonight. You know your your mate has a lot of things to offer a lot of people. You keep what you release, you lose what you try to hang onto. He's no fool to guess what he cannot keep to gain what he can use letter go letter. Bless the whole world of people. That's kind at the exit, generosity, God will honor. Who knows, he may have a plan for her. The doesn't completely include you know he's infallible, you're not. He's a replaceable you're not he's going to be glorified.

So I got the word. My premarital counseling a talk directly with couples about helping that individual reach complete fulfillment and they'll adore you for it. You will lose them absolutely adore you. That's real.

God saves us to see boxes in he unlocks the cage and says you're free to be all that you could have been but you had no power before not give it to you news David shackled with the suspicion of Saul will emulate three things on you will go home number one not knowing the future forces us to take one day at a time. He gave David one day at a time and that's how David lived his life. When you don't know the future. That's how you live. That's a beautiful way to live.

Not knowing the future forces us to live a day at a time.

Moses wrote sufficient unto each day is its own evil.

Jesus reiterated in them. In the Gospel of Matthew. Second, having a friend helps us face whatever comes our way. You don't have a friend I really pity you.

I would ask you to make that a regular prayer that God would give you an intimate friend so you can really know what it is to relate to cultivate that part of you that needs it. Make a better you.

Okay, here's the third being positive and wise is the best reaction to an enemy not careful when you see your enemy, you'll start rolling up your mental sleeves thinking which jabs are going to throw in David is a beautiful illustration of how to handle an enemy, he just kept prospering just kept behaving himself wisely and I'm convinced that God is said one thing the one person something altogether different to somebody sitting right next to it is a beautiful way of call of communicating truth so that it's just a beautiful pattern that strikes one person in an area another person and another narrow area altogether different and often he says he says the most that is never even been stated from the pulpit.

He shared something within the word itself or between the lines that says to you this is what I want you to hear. I think we could learn one great truth from every message and put it into action.

We would be remarkable in our maturity very brief period of time.

One thing that God is said to you tonight. It's worth it all is the need to live for Christ is the most exciting adventure in the world but his heart is GK Chesterfield is said Chesterton has said Christianity is not been tried and found wanting. It's been found difficult and not try.

It is tough. It's a lot easier to punch your enemies lights out it's a lot easier to get even that satisfies your flesh slot easier to keep as it comes natural heart again slot easier to work up your own suspicion. And when he's not looking good in your stroke, but that's not godly and that's not best Lord to begin to show us in our study of the Scriptures. The difference between what pleases us and what pleases you start developing within us, our father, such as sheer desire for obedience that will less and less even consider the option of disobedience lesson a very special way those David's that hear this message both here and be on here encouraging to stand fast, do what is right without tiring in Jesus name that you've been listening to Chuck Swindoll talk about David and your among those who are running out of strength and energy. We hope today's message is provided just the motivation you need to stay the course and keep doing what's right. You're listening to Insight for living learn more about this ministry. Be sure to visit us online@insideworld.org in this teaching series on David, we perch up remind us that when we become a Christian were entering a battleground not a playground plus the real battles we face aren't only physical ones but spiritual ones to we were reminded of this truth we received a comment from one of your fellow listeners.

She's a schoolteacher who described the gut wrenching spiritual battle her son at age 20, fell into a deep depression. He lost his will to live. She said Chuck although we've never met your voice and words have brought me comfort and some of my darkest days through your sermons. I've learned ways to handle so many life issues with grace and dignity, including the mental health of my son.

Gratefully, her son is on the road to recovery. She added Chuck I hope you see these words and realize what a blessing inside for living is to so many will. I can assure you we see every comment and every letter. In fact you are the reason that insight for living exists. Our mission is to help you understand how the Bible applies to every aspect of your life.

Here's Chuck. Whenever I have the privilege of meeting a radio listener. I hear the most amazing stories. Stories of life change and dramatic transformation. When a man or woman begins to embrace the truth of God's word when he or she has a genuine encounter with Christ. Life is never the same as you listen to Insight for living. Over the years.

I would suspect you have your own story, God is done a magnificent work through inside for living. To his credit and his glory alone intertwined in this work is your story and also my story. Most importantly, it's his story, God is use the proclamation of his word on insight from living to encourage and equip to convert and transform lives.

It's happened one year at a time. In fact, one life at a time. So with June 30 coming. Let's make sure we keep this critical work of God moving ahead into the future with strength yes insight for living is my story.

It's your story and it's his store. Let's make sure it's someone else's story to. Thanks so much. Thanks, Chuck. Here's how to respond to the if you're listening in the United States you can give your donation by calling this number 807 seven 288 or it may be quicker and more efficient to simply give a gift online@insight.org/donate once again that insight.org/donate and thank you for your generous support of insight for living ministries. Join us when Chuck Swindoll describes what to do when we run out of options.

That's our topic Tuesday on insight for living. The preceding message aftermath of a giant killing was copyrighted in 1977, 1988, 1997 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted 2009 by Charles Moore Swindoll.

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