Life's Most Subtle Temptation, Part 1

Good evening from trucks would never take your own revenge for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord in the flesh.

All I am waiting for him or her to be in a vulnerable spot. So in that vulnerability.

My depravity could go to work and I get back. It's the nature of the beast unless God takes charge massive arm, but the Bible paints a true portrait, warts and all. In first Samuel 24, we discover a flaw in David's character. He was tempted as we are to get even with his enemies today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll re-creates a volatile moment when David could've taken down the king. Maybe you're dealing with the villains offended you, and you're ready to fight. Let's listen as Chuck describes how to handle life's most subtle temptation ever given thought to life's most subtle temptation.

Have you thought about what that might be do that right now. I like to think about that question today as we continue our study in the life of David out of First Central. Chapter 24 is a read the chapter that describes another instance of David running for his life from the murderous hand of King Saul, take a moment and try to guess what life's most subtle temptation might be okay. Please turn with me to for several 24 beginning at verse one and continuing to the end of the chapter.

Don't let your mind drift. It's a narrative worth remembering for Samuel 24 one now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines. He was told, saying, behold, David is in the wilderness of an Getty.

Then Saul took 3000 chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the rock of the wild goats and he came to the sheepfold's on the way brother was a K and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the cave, the minute David said to him, behold this is the day of which the Lord said to you, behold, I'm about to give your enemy into your hand and you shall do to him as it seems good to you, then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul's robe secretly came about afterward.

David's conscience bothered him because he had cut off the edge of Saul's robe so he said to his men. Far be it from me because of the Lord, that I should do this thing to my Lord, the Lord's anointed to stretch out my hand against him since he is the Lord's anointed David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul, and Saul arose left the cave and went on his way now. Afterward, David arose, and went out of the cave and called after Saul saying my lord the king, and when Saul looked behind him. David bowed with his face to the ground and prostrated himself.

David said to Saul, why do you listen to the words of men saying, behold, David seeks to harm you, behold, this day, your eyes have seen that the Lord has given you today into my hand in the cave and some said to kill you, but my I had pity on you and I said I will not stretch out my hand against my Lord, for he is the Lord's anointed. Now my father see indeed see the edge of your robe in my hand, for in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands and I have not sinned against you. Though you are lying in wait for my life to take it. May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord avenge me on you, but my hand shall not be against you as the proverb of the ancients says out of the wicked comes forth wickedness, but my hand shall not be against you after whom is the king of Israel come out. Whom are you pursuing a dead dog a single flea. The Lord therefore be judge and decide between you and me, and may he see and plead my calls and deliver me from your hand. When David finished speaking these words to Saul.

Saul said, is this your voice. My son David. Then Saul lifted up his voice, and wept. He said to David, you are more righteous than I for you have dealt well with me while I have dealt wickedly with you. You have declared today that you have done good to me, that the Lord delivered me into your hand and yet you did not kill me for if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safely. May the Lord therefore reward you with good in return for what you have done to me this day. Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. So now swear to me by the Lord that you will not cut off my descendents after me and that you will not destroy my name after my father's household and David swore to Saul, and Saul went to his home. David and his men went on to the strong. This is insight for resources designed to help you dig deeper into today's topic go to insight.now let's continue Chuck Swindoll's message titled life's most subtle temptation. If I have the ability to do something miraculous. I think a scandal would quickly spread in this church. If I could flash on the wall behind me the picture of you this evening who entertain feelings of revenge. It would probably embarrass a number if I could show you on one side and a doll with the pins in it with the face of your enemy. On the other side, we probably would empty the church are at least almost as some would be running to the telephone others would be running out of embarrassment and maybe a few who have nothing to fear. By way of exposure would just enjoy staying right on through this time because you have learned the secret of vengeance. It's the most subtle temptation in all of life to get even.

It might be with an employer who promised you something and didn't come through. It might be with a mate who walked away when you needed him or her the most. It might be with your mom or dad who failed frankly and you live today in the in the backwash you have been, as it were done wrong and you're waiting for the moment to get even if it could be with a friend with whom you trusted some very intimate information, and the friend not only turned against you, and revealed it but is telling lies on you or maybe a coach who took you off the first ring and benched you with faulty information and you really are first ring material, or a teacher who refused to hear you out and graded you down. Shall I keep going or is that enough, we all have our own world now. We call this two different things. First of all, we call this my rights only. I have my rights. I'm not a doormat.

I refuse to lie down and let it run its tracks over me anymore. I have my rights for little more educated you say this is justified retaliation. That's the other thing we call it which is saying the same thing as the first arm justified in retaliating. I did why he's done me wrong get back. Not God calls it vengeance. Let's see what he says about for you look at first Samuel 24 check Romans 12 beginning in verse 17 it is nothing more than plain hard-core revenge. That's what it is and look at the word that God uses in Romans 1217 the very first word to describe the times you to get back never. Now he wrote this, I didn't. Had I written it. It wouldn't be never.

It would be usually when he says never, never pay back evil for evil to anyone.

God doesn't usually in his word.

Give us such extreme statements as never anyone, but he does here were not talking about national defense were not talking about defending our shores. When the enemy comes were not talking about standing up for what is right when such right is ours is a nation were talking about a personal offense or evil was done to us like it. He says respect what is right in the sight of all men and Paul being a realist puts it better.

In verse 18 it possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. In other words, you can't change the other person you can handle.

You, through God's power and he says if there's to be any blame leave it with him don't you live with it. You do all you can to be at peace now. Maybe you won't have a track without hurdles but as far as your path is concerned, nothing stands between you and that person in verse 19 says again. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. That is what God has written everything I have to offer from this message has to do with verses 17, 18 and 19 of Romans 12 and we have a classic case in point with an individual named David who had been wronged by his superior name Saul before we look at it and you can find your way back there to chapter 24, first Samuel to give you the process that we go through in doing revenge maybe three words to put down the, have a ring to them first injury.

Second, vulnerability third, depravity. When you mix the three together, you get revenge. If you run the if you're running the show.

I have had a personal offense. I have been hurt individually from another individual. I have personally been injured. All right, in the flesh.

All I am waiting for him or her to be in a vulnerable spot. So in that vulnerability. My depravity can go to work and I get back.

It's the nature of the beast you see it in traffic right so the most incredible thing this last week, a guy in a brand-new portion was right in front of me. I was behind them going. You know, a great big truck double trailer truck was tooling down along the left lane and cut in front to close admittedly of this portion and this guy driving a portion will showers down on it when he cuts in front of the truck about the dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life, sacrificing his beautiful car in front of this great big beast.

It's on the highway. Why do you do it because he is is rights. Now it goes all the way back to Keene who brought his offering to God and God says I will except that he looked over his brother's shoulder and he said, God said, able to accept that you like he was injured. So when his brother was in a vulnerable spot one on one with cane he killed in the Hebrew word is to cut the throat. He cut his brother's throat. He murdered. That's the nature of the beast that we consider this neat place tonight, well dressed and under control almost we can think while that's no problem. I got a handle on that and before your home.

It can happen. You suffer a personal injury and you wait in the place for him to be in a vulnerable spot and you're going to get in your licks unless God takes charge. Now that's what this passage is all about. I don't forget where we been with David.

What a great guy. Somebody did her homework with young David. He was promoted to a place as an officer in the Israeli army just before this poem of this promotion, he killed the giant remember Goliath. Certainly, we remember and the people began to sing his praises the women in the street saying Saul has slain his thousands, but David is 10,000s. Saul wasn't a big enough man to watch his man is Junior promoted above him in popularity so Saul viewed him with suspicion. Member will happen. He try to take his life more than once and finally he demoted from the Army. He stripped him of his rank and he became David became a fugitive in the wilderness of Judah.

He lost his home, lost his wife he lost his counselor friend. He lost his closest friend, Jonathan, and finally his own self-respect as he dribbled his beer like a madman in front of the king of Gath, and he crawled in a cave wanting to die just as soon as I finish this message this evening in the first service document to me and he says I just heard the story reminded me a little bit about what you're talking about tonight is that it was about this fellow who had this heavy heavy pack in life and he was trudging along with his heavy bag handle. The road was rough in the pack got heavy heavy heavier and finally just dropped it down and he said I read it die and suddenly the death Angel appeared and said did you call for me and the guys again would you help me get this pack back Obama back to the alternatives. It really is as bad as it met David came to the end. David had nothing to look forward to in the cave of Otello and of all things. God said to him, 400 malcontents and David began to give his life to the training of those fellows in a group 200 Lord deliver 600 and they became kind of a band of guerrillas, and run a Robin Hood fashion. They became the Mavericks is grimacing next time.

In chapter 25 they sort of maintain right away from the law of the land and God was preparing David for a new kind of role on the throne of Israel all the time. Over these years, not months, but years Saul has been dogging his steps waiting for his enemy to be vulnerable in killing. I doubt that there are many here probably safe to say none ever had a contract on their lives, but David and not just from Saul, but the army of Israel was committed to the death of David.

If you look at verse 28 of chapter 23, you'll see that they returned from pursuing David the whole army, 20, 23, 28 and went to meet the Philistines. Therefore they call the place the rock of escape, so they came to a place in the realize I gotta go back and do battle because the Philistines were moving in. Saul said leave off this job will come back to it later, he would to do the felicity number. Verse 29.

David went up from there and stayed in the strongholds of in Getty means nothing to us.

Tonight was to build a geographical homework you find it in Getty is 600 feet above sea level far above the Dead Sea, and there is what is called a fountain of the goats that pours over his beautiful stream that sort of falls 600 feet and splashes off the rocks and down into the region we know today. It did today is the Dead Sea and get up to that area.

You have to take it very gingerly because the rocks are quite threatening and only the surefooted animals could make it. David and his men got up into in Getty and the strongholds. That's why in the next chapter we read verse two of the rock of the wild goats laced in the hillside of in Getty are these caves. I read that they are limestone hillsides mixed with flint and there are cool caves in this upper area.

Perfect place for camouflage.

You know anything about battle of the higher location is far superior to the lower and that's where he was so we could watch out for the army that was looking for him. Here is David safe and secure in one of the caves and in Getty, just checking from day-to-day with a bountiful water supply they could eat the animals they kill so they are supplied with what they need, just safe and secure. Remember, David has been injured by a madman named Saul who is hunting for him. So much for the situation.

Verse one. It came about when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines. He was told. Behold, David is in the wilderness of in Getty Saul mine. The skull getting verse three and he that Saul came to the sheepfold on the way, for there was a cave hang on and Saul went into relieve himself by what would you say if you were in my shoes tonight. The Bible is a real good friends. I read this to one of the staff members and the response was a bit David said to him smile, you're on candid camera. Okay, the answer the call of nature. Saul found the cave but not just any cave. Talk about vulnerability verse three not David and his men were sitting in the inner recesses of the wall. No bad enough to be seen, but to be in the cave of the enemy all man you want to test the carnality of man, ask your close friends. What you should do when your enemy is vulnerable.

All they'll tell you to go for it. Every time less than minimum. More women. It was an awkward moment for both David and Saul, but God would use this encounter in the cave to determine David's destiny. Be sure to be listening when Chuck Swindoll tells the rest of the story and please stay with us because we save the closing moments of today's insight for living to hear closing illustration from Chuck but first, if you'd like to learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insightworld.org in this series on David Chuck presented a message called every crutch removed. He showed us how God sometimes takes away the things we lean on, such as people, or even our personal freedom in order to teach us how to rely fully on him. Along those lines, we received an encouraging note from one of your fellow listeners.

He said Chuck I'm 51 years old and spent nearly half of my life in the prison system for the last two years of my incarceration. I was a faithful listener to insight for living. I couldn't wait for the broadcast daily at 8 AM and would usually listen again in the evening. God put a hunger for his word in my heart and I'm so grateful for this ministry and still listen today.

I am a life that was changed well.

We love hearing stories of redemption like that it bolsters our confidence in the power of God's word and let me add, thank you for supporting inside for living as well. This former inmate heard the truth of God's word because friends like you gave voluntary contributions. Here's Chuck. Thanks, Bill okay for a moment. Picture this. Imagine walking a pair of crutches down an open sidewalk.

All of a sudden someone kicks your crutches making you follow the ground somewhat miffed you look back at the perpetrator and to your surprise is none other than God chloride all right realize it's an unpleasant picture. Nevertheless, that's really how God works at times almost rely on crutches. We are leaders by design, but in reality, only one crutch can give us the true support we need.

So what does God remove our crutches. Well, David gives us a clue. Remember one by one, God kicked his crutches away good position going. His wife gone homeland gone, his friend Jonathan gone. Here's the point David needed to feel the pain of leaning on anything other than God, so he could then feel the stability of leaning on nothing other than God.

It saddens me that so many of us lean on shaky crutches and for that reason, day after day insight for living invites our global audience to take God's hand and lean holy on him. So as we approach the end of another ministry year. Will you join me in helping others depend on the stabilizing support of Jesus Christ alone.

The Lord is been generous to us this year and we believe he will continue to bless our efforts through the generosity of people just like you so let me hear from you today okay together.

This help others lean on Jesus is all sufficient. Jesus Christ is all thanks John. And here's how to respond. You can give your donation by calling us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 or it may be quicker and more efficient to simply give a gift online@insight.board/life's most subtle temptation Tuesday on insight for living. The preceding message. Life's most subtle temptation was copyrighted in 1977, 1988, 1997 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll. All rights are reserved worldwide.

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