Friends in Need, Part 2

Today on Insight for living from Chuck Swindoll sometime.

You are really in need will have a few friends who will say to you, I'll do whatever you wish.

I'm available the front lines were really pleasant, protecting you from the blast shielding and encouraging you in their presence by just a presence there. That's a friend. The day presents a unique set of challenges and sometimes those issues become unbearable. It's especially tough when you're facing those issues alone today on Insight for living. Chuck Swindoll continues the message he started on yesterday's program were looking at the life of David and we come to the tragic point in the story when the consequence of David's moral failure was catching up with in the middle of this crisis got provided a true friend. Chuck titled today's message friends in friendship is a sheltering tree. I think of a friend and a few friends that make up friendship is great trees, leafy lambs that come around us and spread themselves over us and bring your shade from the sun glass of adversity winters wind of loneliness. Great sheltering tree that's a friend we have really been taught the wrong thing with regard to independence in the family of God. I was taught it for years.

I was taught that if you are really mature. Anybody else just bear along through life and it's the weak person that needs somebody could get around the fact that Jesus had 12 three of them were my friends. Why do you friends if what I was being taught was true, while the fact is I was not being taught the truth and maybe you been taught that it's a sign of weakness and immaturity to have a friend or need a friend that is not true, it's a sign of immaturity to think you don't need a friend.

Frankly friends are like sheltering trees. There is there is no substitute at times in our lives for a friend someone to care to listen to feel the comfort and to reprove even friends are essential are not optional.

Friends must be cultivated.

They're not automatic. What is the Bible say he who has friends must show himself friendly to reach out never trade the tragedy some of you have no intimate friends, your loneliest people here in this study. At this time, not even one with whom you can be just out front and honest open with, and that's why life's tough now as we look at second Samuel chapter 15 find a man who had not only sheltering tree, but he had a grove of I'm sure the situation which David found himself three things just briefly. First of all personally. He was virtually destroyed by guilt, he had gone into Bathsheba and we study that he had killed Bathsheba's husband had lived like a hypocrite for a year, he lost his baby's whole world crumble so personally. He was really out of the gun second domestically.

His home was shattered, a son writes a sister aboard rebels and leads a conspiracy against the throne's name is Absalom Morgan read about in just a few minutes. And lo and behold, David is literally driven from the throne and he loses touch with family and that's the third's political career is destroyed personally and domestically and politically. He's hurting chapter 15. It came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and 50 men as runners before him you going to read about the beginning of a conspiracy. Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way to the gate and it happened that when any man had a suit to come to the king for judgment.

Absalom would call to him and say from what city are you and he would say, your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.

Absalom would say senior claims are good and right. But no man listens to you on the part of the king. Moreover, he would say oh that one would appoint me judge in the land then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice is running for office doesn't that's exactly what he's doing except his running is illegal this that is on the throne and he's down there at that peripheral area. When people come in with their suits and meeting counsel brings lawsuits with them and in the come to seek the counsel of the canyon and absences way but you know there's nobody up there that cares for what you got say, but I do all that someone would see the value of my wisdom and let me come into that office. I destroy what justice is all about verse five. It happened that when a man came near to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kissing and in this manner, Absalom dealt with all Israel who came to the king for judgment, so Absalom stole away the parts of the men of Israel were and little by little he etched away on it being rock granite until finally got a cave built because people together releases I am your man. Verse 10 so Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet than usual site is kind of a broad that's exactly what they did. The blast of the trumpet he was on his way. Verse 13 messenger came to David saying was must been hard to hear parts of the men of Israel with Absalom, David, and it's with a sigh that this good man broken fractured in the spirit feeling like is not a friend around said to all the servants who were with him in Jerusalem arise, let us flee. He knew his son for otherwise none of us shall escape from Absalom go in haste. Hurry up now, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down calamity on us strike the city with the edge of the sword. He set this place on fire. I know that boy get your things together. Let's go. Now picture the scene is this Kings done a super job in the last few months has been a breakdown in leadership good man and all of a sudden his son is moving in and the troops are surrounding that area and in their grabbing things out of the cupboards and putting them in bags lying on the backs of the horses and the dogs in their own way out of the city for their lives as a revolution led by the king's son now does David need a sheltering tree all man. If ever a man did he did. I want to happen. The king servants verse 15 said to the king.

Your your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses of the king went out all his household with him. Verse 17 the king went out all the people with them. They stopped at the last house is a lot of feeling and then came out of the second grade city of Zion and the came just to the look back on place David Singh got built all man. His heart was to been broken. He stood at the last house and there was kind of a pass in review few women, children of his belongings in the back of the beasts of burden and their running for their lives.

Maybe you're there.

The last house that would've been a good title for that meant for this message. They needed to tree to give them some shelter so you just somebody that will save David there with you. I don't have the answer but man my heart goes out to you when the chips are down and there's nobody to applaud and you your armor and is no more ammunition. The lights are out. God sends a sheltering tree onto the scene. Here are five of here we go that these names to blow you away. Verse 17 stop at the last house all the servants passed on beside them all the carrot fights all the pellet fights and all the get tights 600 man who would come with him from gap passed on before the king just going by. He just standing there alone. Then the king said to it time to get tight as our first friend. I saw you from hunger man were seabed. Well, he's a friend of the K but you'll never know it because he never gets in the limelight until the chips are down and is at the last house is no throne of glory suddenly comes out of the woodwork and this is how I'm with you I'm with you amazing thing to me. He's a get tight. Why would you go with us, says David Gotti by the shoulders, perhaps return and remain with king Absalom you're a foreigner and also an exile return to your own place to get tight, was a man from Gath is that ring any bells who was from Gath to buy the students here tonight. Goliath goes from Gath will 600 guys friend and a leader named anti-from dad, why are they there will remember David to champion. He swept into felicity and he's brought an exile so most people from from Gath.

But you know what's happened since he's brought up it is They fall in love with him and the leader anti-you live down there with Absalom. He's a friend. See, and he says to David. In effect, stand with you my friend. Life or death. I'm here.

Listen to his words.

You know David says take off.

This is your chance to run going back 20. David says you came only yesterday shall I do date make you wonder what this work while I go or I will return and take back your brother's mercy and truth be with shalom brother go on the way to the hardware. I'm going to try this friend answered and said, as the Lord lives as my lord the king lives wherever my lord the king may be Weatherford that are for life there. Also, your servant will be a friend. He's an intimate friend is David is a string you up and put my neck in the news with you. If they feed you the dogs I'm with you if the whole world turns against you on their I support you whether or not many friends like is this broken king, standing alone in Qatar they get tight walks up and says I am with you I support you will, that would be great if he were all alone, but is not, in fact, David says, verse 22 passing going Passover, so it's hard to get.

I Passover with all his men all the little consumer within the brought families, so that Isis can't get tights. Let's go so the goal the only leaves I am on the way with get with the king to someplace no man's land without any promise buddies with his friend when everything else fails, else is turned away there be precious few that would give you call and say I'm with you I'm there count on me. I will kick you when you're down. I understand sometime amazing. It might be a person from gap a person who some time ago had been an enemy but now had come full circle and realized you really are a person of integrity. Okay, second I did try to get tight isn't bad enough, look at verse 23 while the country was weeping with a loud voice all the people passed over the king passed over the brook Kidron all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness. Now, behold, there is always people just got a job in the Bible is God is God's name is Sadock.Bible study on Sadock, like a misprint. Sadock Sadock came in all the Levites carrying the ark of the, they set down the ark of God is the next rent Abby a thought these guys run together. By the way they follow the classification be your outline. It's hard to get tight as a Sadock and Abby a thought or second they came up with all until all the people to finish passing from the city so we got people passing leaving the city and in here come these two guys haul in the art.

This piece of furniture from Jerusalem and the carotid David set that thing down and look at David he looks at them as a where we go from here were with you, David Sadock, and navigate. Are we been with you all along. These are priests. These are representatives of God, who minister in the house of God not notice what David says to them, he doesn't say let's go together. He asks them a favor Mark that verse 25 the king said to them return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord and he will bring the people bring me back again and show me both it and his habitation to the next verse on sovereignty. But if God should say. Thus, I have no delight in you, behold, here I am living due to me as seems good to him.

That is a teachable spirit.

That's how to ride out the whirlwind of consequences. Lord, if you choose to finish me off. I'm available if you want to use me. I'm thrilled but I'm exposed to you and I abandoned my future into your hands and Sadock and Abby a thought or hear him say take that art back to the city seat. David knew that his son wasn't walking with God and probably would not begin and for all he knew the presence of that piece of furniture in the ministry of Sadock and Abby a fark would be enough to turn his heart around. At least it was worth a try. And so he says to those men want to go back to the city to minister their you're needed there. And that's exactly what they do. The king said, are you not to see her verse 27 onto a profit return to the city in peace with your two sons see him going away to the forge of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me so Sadock and Abby Thor return, the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. They had some things to lose. By the way, Raymond Brown is fine little book skillful hands. The biography of David writes this, their duty at that moment was to obey their friend and to trust his wisdom. It meant that they were going into a life of hardship and insecurity. Probation suffering, possibly death that they would do is their friend asks and that would be enough sometime when you are really in need, you will have a few friends who will say to you, I'll do whatever you wish. I'm available and there the Sadock's and navigate ours of your life. No one will ever know about, but they'll run interference for you will be down there in the front lines. Word isn't really pleasant protecting you from the blast and they got the next way out shielding and encouraging you in their presence by just a presence there. That's a friend, a different kind of role to fill, but they're willing to do it at verse 30 David went up the essence of the Mount of olives and wept as he went on. This is a broken man. His head was covered and he walked barefoot or picture that King barefooted had covered look like a look like a tramp and all the people who were with him, each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. Verse 32. Here's the third friend it happened. This David was coming to the summit where God was worshiped, that behold Kush I the archived who is Moshe who get that who is Cushite who shine well. Verse 37 says he's David's friend that's all it says you will read a sign of any significance. He's his body.

And those are the archived was he do all was he important, he met David with his coat torn and dust on his head he had been in a fight, that's what men did in those days to express total bankruptcy. That's what Job for his garments and set in this pilot through dust on his head. It was as if to say I have I have nothing else I am bankrupt in this push.

I was so touched with David's feelings he met David and bore the marks of this compassionate feeling, and David spotted you know you can spot a friend that understands just in their presence was with a individual just this weekend who had lost a daughter he's a he's a pastor and he was ministering to Simon that Saturday in that city were he is several of them have lost children and I said to him about what you do, tell me what you do when you minister to those who suffered such losses when you say this is all Chuck I'm say anything. I just embrace I'm just there, I said that's exactly my philosophy sometime when the pain is so great and you have come to the last house and there is no one to understand that person that who shy comes in with his presence wraps himself or herself around you that says all that needs to be said there is there.

So David gave him a very significant task.

Verse 33 says if you pass over with me you will be a burden. Now you see he would've been offended that he been an acquaintance, but when you got a closer intimate friend.

They don't not offended that he says no you don't come with me that'll be a burden if you return to the city and say to Absalom. I'll be your servant okaying as I've been your father servant time passed, so I'll now be your servant and you can thwart the counsel of a Hitler fell for me. Who in the world as a hit.

The fellow will is a counselor of Absalom and police saying he is, is this set up a strategy of spying and who shy the best thing you can become his turncoat. You can look like you're a friend of Absalom, but you will be the checkpoint you will be the supply line of communication from the from the very central headquarters of Absalom's military establishment. All the work will be bivouacked not in the hillside and will set up a chain of command so that that information that comes from the heart of the king, Absalom would pass through messengers one by one, first with your lips and then all the way to my ears and then we will find a way to turn the throne against the what could be more painful than having a son who's on a rampage to destroy your family, or in this case to sabotage David's rule over Israel you're listening to inside for living in the Bible teaching of pastor and author Chuck Swindoll.

He titled today's message friends in need and were just getting started and what is proving to be a fascinating study of human conflict. To learn more about this ministry, we invite you to visit us online@insideworld.org God never promises his children that the journey of life will be easy, but he does promise to help us and even to strengthen us so we can survive whatever trials come our way. Even the painful ones like dealing with family conflict or trying to survive an aggressor like Absalom in this partnership with God is our responsibility to prepare for the unexpected. And that's the purpose of Chuck Swindoll's classic book called strengthening your grip. The subtitle is how to be grounded in a chaotic world. In this book Chuck addresses 16 relevant topics such as managing your money. Coping with the aging process making time for leisure and setting proper priorities.

Each chapter is designed to help you strengthen your grip on the things that matter most to purchase a copy of Chuck's book strengthening your grip call us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 for more details visit us online@insight.board/offer bear in mind that while you're listening to Chuck's teaching today.

Your joined with fellow listeners around the world inside for living is translated into eight additional languages other than English and were hearing from grateful listeners from all points on the map. This extension of our ministry is made possible through the voluntary and needed contributions of friends like you to give a gift today. Call us if you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888 or go online to insight.board/you've heard him teach about the holy land using word pictures to make us feel like were actually strolling through the old city learning about Jerusalem is fascinating for sure but see the land of Israel with your own is his life-changing. In fact, is absolutely magnificent. And now you can see Israel with Chuck Swindoll and the gracious hosts and experts assembled by Insight for living ministries. Join us on an unforgettable 12 day tour March 5 through the 16th 2023 at special sites along the way, I will teach from God's word will worship at the Mount of Beatitudes and share the Lord's table at the garden tomb. In fact, we were sailing the Sea of Galilee together and will visit places where Jesus walked and talked to learn more, call 1-888-447-0444. Just imagine walking along those sacred sites and seeing the Bible come to life before your very mark your calendar for March 5 through the 16th 2023 and make your reservation by calling 1-888-447-0444 or go to insight.org/events inside for living ministries toward Israel is paid for and made possible by only those who choose to attend. I Bill Meyer join us. When Chuck Swindoll continues his message called friends in need. That's our topic again tomorrow on insight for living. The preceding message friends in me was copyrighted in 1978, 1988, 1997 and 2009 and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. all rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited