Behaving Wisely, Part 1

Once your book to solve through dutiful occasions. Mr. David R could mean that he missed the first time and grabbed another spirit.once you come back to use the downward digression of a man is eaten alive within things well said by Francis Bacon. Envy is the worst of all passions because it never gives you a hollow begins with her which leads to hates leads the hostility can lead our one of the ways that he tried to drown out his problem was by having David play music for him.

In fact, many of Saul's problems had a direct impact on David.

David needed to respond carefully and wisely to solve. Have you ever been in a situation where someone else's actions were impacting your life.

This is wisdom for the heart.

Today Stephen Devi has a message for you called behaving wisely. The Celtic religions believe their goddess created this ancient Romans believed their goddess Minerva created it for several thousand years. Hindus believe that their goddess Saraswati created it. The Greeks believed it came from Zeus for generations not only as as mankind struggled with the idea of the origin of the human race course for those who follow the Scriptures a dancer along with everything else I struggled with what human beings are observably capable of doing acting thinking in a word, wisdom. Where did wisdom come from where did the ability that is uniquely human to rationally consider the past and the present and the future the ability to constructively create civilizations with justice and equity and grace and law.

The ability to apply knowledge with insights to relational, ethical, financial, moral, spiritual issues, the Greeks believed the Zeus found out his wife was expecting. He wasn't too happy about it begin so enraged he swallowed her all outside a careless book and is him as he remained alive, and when it came time to deliver the baby girl Zeus developed this intense headache and curative by taking an ax and hitting himself in the head. This makes a lot of sense.

I know would say with me anyway through that opening his head out, walked fully grown, developed Athena Athena would be the goddess of wisdom coming from the head of Zeus. Aspens would be named in her honor that they would build the Parthenon in her honor as most gods and goddesses of the Pantheon of the Greek and Roman world. They were they they would choose and be represented by an animal, Athena chosen was represented by the owl as her sacred bird that gave rise of the popular belief that owls are wise bird superstition exist to this day.

We talk about somebody being wiser than an owl back dual study is identical to all their wikipedia.com I get paid for this group of vowels is not referred to as a flock of owls, but as a parliament that were of course is used for that gathering of what we would hope to be wise parliamentarians. According to the Bible delivers to us the answer. Wisdom comes from two sources of the word wisdom simply refers to applying the knowledge you have, to your life and it can be positive or negative it can be wholly or it can be on holy listen to what James says he writes if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast. This is not the wisdom that comes from above, but this wisdom is earthly on spiritual demonic for where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice and then he contrasts file wisdom with another kind.

He said, but the wisdom from above is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. I can't think of a better more clearer flesh and blood illustration.

The contrasts file wisdom with pure peaceable holy heavenly wisdom than first Samuel chapter 18 you have your Bibles go back there and let's pick it up where we left off of the biography of the singer of Israel, David know this particular chapter can actually follow David's rise and the demonstration of godly wisdom and you watch the digression of Saul and his demonstration of earthly wisdom, and it is a good chapters really asking the question was a mean walk with wisdom, that word wisdom appears several times. It's never translated wisdom in my text may be in yours. It's translated successful or success, but it has to do with behaving wisely is going to appear several times. In fact, as we go through this chapter rather quickly. Were going to answer the question by showing three defining characteristics of heavenly or shore wisdom and money defining by giving the first of three now and then eventually get to the text. Walking wisely means first of all, responding to promotion with humility. Now he set the stage as you arrive.

In chapter 18. David has just gained instant popularity is kill the giant.

He is one author wrote an overnight celebrity he's the giant killer and is had must've been swimming anything about it. He left his father's little flock of sheep to take some cheese to his brothers and 48 hours later he's the giant killer. How's that for a change in life is like winning American Idol. The X factor was to be a millionaire on anymore but you get the point and in the jeopardy. You know all of the same time and in fact if you were living today, he would be a guest on Duck Dynasty he be wearing camo and you be teaching those guys that is a slingshot in a hot truth is everybody as David's name on their lips. He has lost into the stratospheric realm where he was and nobody and now he's is a national hero.

I agree with one author wrote the very few people would would be able to take all of this in stride, it would be easy to let all of this go to his head, but it did hard without with begin at verse one soon as David finished speaking to Saul answering his question about his family and client the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, Jonathan loved him as his own soul. You might wonder where was Jonathan when David went out to fight the life were not told, but from his reaction and it seems that Jonathan would've probably done it himself.

Not willing or wanting to embarrass his father he didn't do it.

We were three, then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David and his armor, and even his sword at his bow and built symbolic of a number of things but first and foremost, you grab the fact that there's a deep friendship that just takes off as well.

As David is being introduced to his father saw this young man who, without any training in war takes a slingshot goes in and marches against a giant and kills them. Jonathan is effectively saying this is my time guy this guy is so is my soul. This guy's heart is my heart's character. My desire, honor the God of Israel by only the foundation ready friendship any deep friendship is not compatibility or chemistry. It is shared character, its shared vision, its shared faith and trust in the living God. That's why you might not know much about the people that surround you that there is a tension because you share Christ in this common life you are planning to sit next to somebody and you find either a believer and immediately theirs can is the foundation of their friendship.

Certainly faith in the living living God.

By the way, I do need to address is just for a moment there are those who would shamefully twist this text and something sexual.

Homosexual is told. Jonathan loved David those who hold of you only need to do is read the rest of the Bible rest of this chapter, even in English same word for love short four times in this text often the same Hebrew verb effective or 60 were told all Israel and Judah love David something sexual never in verse 20 and also 28 were told that Michael, the daughter saw love David and that's before they consummated their marriage back in verse 22 never shows up again worry that all the sermons of the key lot. David, I mean, the point is obvious in every body love David.

Furthermore, this particular Hebrew verb for love and there are several. This one has political overtones interesting to discover my recent, you can use the word to talk about conspiring together in some alliance, that's the idea.

You need to understand when Jonathan office. Robin gave to David when the servants of Saul and the daughter saw love David they are effectively transferring even in a sense, prophetically or appreciably.

Their their loyalty to this one who we know is the heir apparent later on in chapter 20. Saul is going to condemn Jonathan for as much as handing the kingdom over to David easy to say Jonathan your mind because of his love is political overtones that what we really doing is to be sort of amazed that Jonathan his humility.

If anybody ought to be given the cold shoulder today with Jonathan.

If anybody only threatened with somebody else. It might take the throne.

It would be Jonathan and it isn't in any way intimidated. He loves the heart of David's faith. I'm an old book in my library well in print by Puritan offer by the name of Blakey who commented on this moment when these two young men are introduced, and he says this no shadow of jealousy darkens Jonathan's brow self seekers and self pleasers look at him and be ashamed never were hands more cordially grass never work.

Congratulations. More warmly shared.

David went out and here it is again, and was successful wherever Saul sent him that is from this Hebrew verb somehow. It's often translated in fact the Old Testament wisdom or wives.

It simply is saying that Samuel is telling us that that the David wisely success I think is an unfortunate translation to success has nothing to do with money or promotion of prestige or family connections has to do with walking with wisdom. That's what David was at the same window shopping in verse 14, David behaved wisely rendered in all his undertakings for the Lord was with someone Saul do with Alliance prudent young man who is exercise such faith in the living God out to do you promote that cutting and so David verse five tells us this is promoted by Saul. He is sent over the men of war amazing to me that a practice swing the sword but now he sees the generally would-be certainly second in command Abner Soros to the top of the and everybody is okay with that. Even all soldiers as we see and nowhere in this chapter do you find David admiring his own reflection. Nowhere in these early days of the send a message home to his brothers especially liable I have told David when he came out of the cheese when you do it.

I just want to be a hotshot.

Go back to those few sheep. I mean came to see David sending a postcard from the palace back to ally in 196999 that whatever the look at me now little brother's and walking wisely means you are able to discern what moment is the perfect time to keep your mouth shut as everybody else is talking with verse six is a coming home. When David returned from striking down the Philistine women came out all the cities of Israel singing and dancing to meet King Saul with tambourines with songs of joy in musical instruments for coming back getting me a later campaign Philistine could be a general usage of one more campaign against the Philistine, but this is common in ancient times, victory celebrations are led by the women who meet the returning troops with dancing, singing, singing Hebrew text informs as its antiphonal that is a group of women would say one thing and another group would sing back to the see how the lyrics are shared between them. In just a minute, but according to his storage also need to understand that this is rather dancing or not some random shuffle. This is in some unrehearsed to step twirler whatever this is actually very well organized effectively. Think in your minds of the parade and in their dancing. The war dance, the victory war dance of Israel details which have not survived the centuries. Raleigh told her doing, but typical of every culture, there are symbolic, culturally rich songs and dances the kind of embody the heart and the soul of that nation in our Western world we drop the choreographed dance and we have the national anthem that alone stirs our hearts. Whenever we hear it some where we sing along.

By the way, as a side note to be really quick about this or this was the issue in Judges chapter 16 with the Philistines and captured Sampson put out his eyes need given away his secret Delilah. They have not captured the King James translators and they brought him out when they were celebrating this banquet in this temple supported by these columns, the ESV says they brought about to entertain them. King James translators to make sport same verb found here in first Samuel 18 what they did effectively was a brought Sampson out of the courtyard near supporting pillars and then made him to mock him dance the victory dance of Israel and sing the national anthem of this nation that have been defeated and more importantly the God that had been defeated, so they make this man dance and sing their victory dance and song of a town arrival of the fact that that he's been in his nation. It is God defeated, and they laugh and they jeered until seven. Of course, brings the house down. God is not vindicating Sampson's sinful stupidity.

God is effectively judging. The Philistines author blasphemy about the Samuel you have this victory parade. The victory dance in the chant and it's going back and forth and they have some lyrics that they've added, and these are the lyrics given to his mother, singing verse seven.

Saul has struck down as thousands. David is 10,000. They go back and forth. Saul has struck down his thousands and David, his 10,000s thought about raining on Saul's parade that did it. Verse eight Saul was very angry and this saying these lyrics displeased and he said to himself. By the then described David 10,000s in the meeting described thousands and what more can he have ears. The but the kingdom and Saul I David from that day on the weather not David picked up on suspicion of Saul were not told I would doubt it because of the way the chapter bears out at least until near the end of the chapter, but we do know from this chapter is that David isn't saying anything is not poking Saul in the eye. He's not going around house hunting. The new lyrics to this song. I love that new chorus singing for your none of that behaving wisely means responding to promotion humility. Second, behaving wisely means tolerating the weaknesses of others with grace, we show you what I mean. First, the next day and evil or harmful spirit from God rushed upon the soul and he raved within his house while David was playing the liars. He did day by day or whatever he was called stuffer moment business need to better understand God is in doing evil. He doesn't or is attempting he's not worked out a deal with some demon. The word spirit. It might help you write in the margin. Your Bible can be translated breath, breath.

This is the breath of God. The question is, it says evil or harmful and gives better translation to be translated unpleasant you nicely translated as well. Miserable effect.

The words rushed upon Saul Warfel upon Saul is from a word that means to literally overwhelm he's overwhelmed by this miserable breath from God was that sound like sound like conviction to me exactly. In fact, Joan will use the same verb to talk about his despair and will be translated terrified what's happening this all is the deep despairing terrifying miserable depressing conviction over his sin. Not to mention the crumbling of his self-made plans in a self-made kingdom, and his cellmate thrown in the promise of Samuel where he's been told it will be dynasty.

Your throat is going to go to your neighbor name. Now he's contending with the rise of this young man may very well be the man to take his place and did you notice were told. This takes place the day after the parade. With this new song ringing in his ears tearing away his pride.

The convicting work of God in his heart because he refuses to repent eating him alive. So what you do when you try to silence a guilty conscience. What you do when you refuse to repent. I'll tell you what you don't do.

You don't get all quiet you turn up the music you get distracted you want to drive to work in silence.

You think the moment it's quiet around you becomes even more miserable. So find something to distract you to forget. To help you forget just about anything will do a never forget hearing Howard Hendricks in class talk about his neighbor who on the boat. He spent every spare minute on the boat, he would spend his day off waxing waxing and polishing his his boat. Many would come over to Hendricks. He came over him what time he said I got 37 coats of wax on my boat Hendricks would look at us so you know I never disparaged like I didn't say anything negative to him because I knew that my neighbors boat was his only form of anesthesia to deaden the pain of an empty line I find something to distract my not be bad in and of itself wrongly, but if you convicting what you may great to me after the service I got the point.

The point is we gotta do something with her hands. We we gotta turn up the music. We gotta get distracted. We gotta be entertain you something because we cannot be quiet under the breath of a convicting God so land uses as shown. Only now he recognizes verse 10 was raving in his house. David's playing the lyre of small hand held harp, the forerunner of a guitar. Saul had his spear in his hand and Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, I will pin David. David invaded him. This is most shocking word of all planks twice in our David didn't dodge one spear, but to more than likely this phrase summarizes the affected Saul through two different occasions. Two different times spear David R could mean that he missed the first time and grabbed another spirit.one Saturday and come back later.

Saul, throw spirit, his own son Jonathan to use the downward digression of a man is eaten alive with envy things well said by Francis Bacon. Envy is the worst of all passions because it never gives you a hollow begins with her your hurts, which leads to hate which leads to hostility which can lead to harm her hate hostility harm, but again no word from David no angry retaliation.

David doesn't whistled outlier back and Saul's head.

I don't know what you docs by the way, what do you do when somebody throws a spirit. You talk and second of all, and more importantly, don't pick it up throat is when you do lose, you join in the digression are plenty of people out there skilled at spear throwing don't learn the art don't join them in that downward spiral. It will never give you a day off. Don't rush to the wrong interpretation here. I think David is unaware of Saul's true intention. I think the chapter bears that which is why the lies. The second observation of the way I did. Evidently in the lives of the people of the court and in David's own mind. This spear throwing is categorized as well. Saul's raving again.

What brings it on to talk to move or maybe it's the pressure maybe can help. It doesn't really mean anything by one author said that everyone at this point in time would believe the King Saul was dangerous but not malicious again were the ones that are let in on the inside scoop.

We know that they don't think it Saul is overwhelmed by something he can't control is overwhelmed by some dangerous, some difficult Psalm depressing episode, but this means that especially for David to get back on my little stall within spear reach is the David is making allowances for Saul as well.

Even though he's the one used for target practice day that I think you be if you are a part of our assembly or if you were in your family or where you were, he would probably be the kind of person who is insulted and then he says they really didn't you know there's something else going.

I'm sure they didn't intend giving the benefit of the doubt, by the way, is an evidence of true love is not my heavenly oil of relationships. This is what's sad relationship. David is a great example to us of how we can best respond. This is wisdom for the hearts Stephen baby is calling this lesson behaving wisely. It's from his series on the life of David called the singer this message is not complete, working to bring you the conclusion on Monday. In the meantime, we'd like to hear from you can send us a note if you address it to wisdom international PO Box 37297, Raleigh, NC 27627.

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