Category: Bible studies

Several years ago, Reader’s Digest told of a young couple who had just bought a water bed. While assembling the bed, the couple realized they would need a hose to fill it with – and they didn’t own one. So, the husband went to the hardware store and bought one. They attached the hose to the bed, ran it through the apartment to the kitchen tap and – knowing it would take over an hour for the bed to fill – they left their apartment to run an errand. About an hour later they returned to check on its progress. And that’s when they discovered that the husband had bought a sprinkler hose.

Did you ever try to do the right thing for the right reason, but things went terribly wrong! It is possible to do the right thing, have the right heart, have the right parts, and still get it completely wrong!

There are four ways to do worship, and only one of them is the right way!

1)       The wrong God, the wrong way. I read not long ago about a spiritist in a Florida city that was bleeding himself and his followers as part of religious rituals, and was arrested for bloodletting in children.

2)       The wrong God, the right way. How many people do you know are giving and sacrificing to please an angry and vengeful god. I have lived and worked among Muslims that walked in fear of allah’s vengeance, yet they were loving and moral people.

3)       The right God, the wrong way. I just heard about a ministry in Tampa this week that had their two Pastors – Mr. Pastor and Mrs. Pastor – stand before their more than 20,000 member congregation and announce they were getting a divorce and each would be going on in Pastoral ministry, his with the Tampa congregation, and her with her own new ministry.

4)       The right God, the right way. This is the desire of God. He wants us to know His Word, follow His Word and walk in truth. He wants us to guard our hearts and do right to honor His name.

Today, David is our example of how to the right thing the WRONG way, then learn and try again. The initial mistakes cost a man his life, and David is set back on his heels. Today we will learn the missing element of success – doing it the WAY God says to do it!

Look at the Promising beginning of the story:

• Excellent Unity: On the back of several great solidifying victories in warfare and the establishment of a new capital, David got the people “on board” with a plan that he felt strongly about (6:1).

• Effective leadership: David didn’t “send” the people on a mission, he personally joined and led them (6:2a).

• Exciting Purpose: The crowd was set for celebration as David brought the 400 year old Ark of God to the new capital city (6:2b).

• Exultant Heart: David celebrated and had all the parade fanfare as he was excited and anticipating the Ark in the tent that he made on the threshing floor north of the new capital (6:5).

Sounds like a great story, right? David is doing the right things with the right heart, for the right reasons. But from this point the story goes off track:

• Followed the wrong preparations: Number 4:5 offers the instruction that the Kohathites were to cover the Ark with the cloth from the Tabernacle BEFORE it was moved, to hide it from onlookers (6:3a).

• Used the wrong means: Numbers 4:15 offers the further instruction that trained Kohathites were to place the poles in the ark and carry it while draped over with the cloth of the curtain by hand (6:3a)

David borrowed his idea from the Philistines. The Philistines were not familiar with God’s instructions for handling the ark. God did not punish them for transporting the ark on a cart. GOD WAS MERCIFUL TO THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR IGNORANCE! To the Philistines, the ark of the covenant was only part of the bounty they had captured. They had no cherished memories of the ark. To them the ark meant very little. They had defeated the Israelites and captured their God. The church today has borrowed from the world the vehicles of her ministry. We study techniques of this age… the gadgetry of the business, social and entertainment world,…
LOOKING FOR NEW CARTS ON WHICH TO CARRY OUR TESTIMONY. INSTEAD OF ASKING, “HOW DOES GOD DO IT?” WE ASK HOW DOES THE WORLD DO IT?

Churches have begun to copycat the world. We have to have entertainment, for we are not content to be in church. Ministers have begun to slant their messages to “tickle ears” for fear that the flock will go else where. We’ve begun to try methods and fads of the world within the church, just to try to add to our number. LIKE DAVID, OUR INTENTIONS ARE RIGHT…BUT OUR METHODS ARE WRONG!

• Relied on the wrong people: After 20 years of watching the Ark, they should have known who could move the Ark and how it was to be transported, but they were not even close (6:3b).

One Pastor wrote: “When Diana and I were first married, we bought a brand new push mower. It was still in the box and we had to put it together. I figured it couldn’t be that hard to assemble and before long it was standing in our back yard all nice and shiny. I pulled the starting rope and it purred to life… just like it was supposed to. However, I did have one small problem. I couldn’t shut if off. So, I finally relented and pulled out the manual… and there on the top of the first page were these words: “Now that you’ve decided to read the instructions…”

The outcome of the celebration was:

• God was angered and felt the men were irreverent rather than being glorified (6:6-7).

• Uzzah lost his life (6:7)

• David’s relationship with God was badly affected. He first became angry with God (6:8a) and was later estranged for a time from God because of fear (6:9). He realized he had done wrong (cp. 1 Chron. 15:26) and it created a negative guilt and an unwillingness in David to move forward with God (6:10)

In our society, we can understand David’s anger. We don’t like standards either, we think “trying” should get an award, even if not by the rules…

July issue of Reader’s Digest about a class in Piper, Ks. who is given an essay assignment by their teacher and warned not to cheat by plagiarizing off the internet. But 28 out of the 118 students in her classes did just that, and did it poorly, some copying entire sections from the same internet website. They got zero’s on their papers, but only temporarily. Soon, the parents of the 28 complained to the school board refusing to believe their child cheated and calling the teacher’s “zero’s” too harsh. Incredibly the school board gave in. They told the teacher to go back and give partial credit to the students. Teacher Christine Pelton said, “The next day I went to my class and tried to teach my kids, but they were whooping and hollering, ‘We don’t have to listen to you anymore, we don’t have to obey you!’” Her authority gone, she did the only thing she could. She quit. What did those kids learn? How to write properly? How to think for themselves? No, they learned how to disobey and get away with it. But please understand this.. God’s not going to quit. He’s not going grade on the curve. He has given His rules to us for our own good and expects us to obey them. You see, while God is a God of perfect love, He is also is a God of perfect justice.

• The place of the events became marked as a terrible place (6:8b). The place of the Ark didn’t come close to its new home, and ended up in a place not prepared for it (6:11).

What’s wrong with this picture?

If God didn’t care HOW we raised our children, would He have given so much instruction? Our business? Our community? Our churches? If we discount the value of God’s Word to direct us, and don’t take seriously our call to know what He has told us to do in these areas, we may lose the ability to bring glory to Him with these areas. It won’t be because we didn’t care about Him, it will be because we failed to take care concerning His instructions.

Let’s try it again!

1)       Repentance: David became aware of his mistake. He understood that he did wrong (1 Chronicles 15) and repented before the Lord. He didn’t apologize for the wrong desire, he apologized for the wrong execution! He then saw that God was blessing again, and went ahead with the right plan the right way (6:12a).

2)       Renewal: David reinitiated the celebration, and led the way again! (6:12b).

3)       Obedience: David had the Ark carried by the right people, the right way (6:13).

4)       Worship: David offered a sacrifice to God after he saw that all was well. The sacrifice was presented by a humbled King in a simple garment. He danced with joy before God and brought musicians together to play (6:14-15). Eventually, he placed the Ark in its new home (6:17).

5)       Offerings: David gave to the people some public displays of affection and celebrations with gifts of food (6:18-19).

6)       Endurance: David withstood the attack of Michal who thought him to be un-regal and base. It began with her heart (6:16). The embarrassment and anger drove her out to the front step on his return as she tried to shame him (6:20-23).

In our story we must remember, when all looked right, something was critically wrong. When all was done to God’s glory, some people (even close ones) were dissatisfied and contentious.

We are to do exactly what God told us to do the way God told us to do, for the purposes God told us to do them. Anything else may look successful, and may even bring happiness to us and those around us, but ultimately will not honor and glorify God.

 David the King: “First Steps”

You’ve waited – it seems like forever – to get what was coming to you. You worked hard, fought hard, and finally got the position. Now what? How do you set patterns in your life that will bring fulfillment, honor God and help you to be everything you dreamed you could be? David’s example will help us nail down the first steps.

Benjamin Disraeli: The great secret of success in life is for a man to be ready when his opportunity comes.

1. Learn to wait and let others reward you with what God has promised, don’t take it by force or struggle (5:1a “all the tribes came”).

Thomas Kelly, “People nowadays take time far more seriously than eternity”

“Now notice that this waiting isn’t procrastination. We don’t get a picture here of someone who just can’t make the decision to go for it. In fact just the opposite. He’s quite decisive when it comes to the question of what to do with the earlier two assassins of Ish-Bosheth. Nor is he sitting around doing nothing. He continues to consolidate his position as king in Hebron to the point where the Philistines are so concerned about him becoming king over the whole country. But he is willing to wait for the people of the northern tribes to make up their mind. Eugene Petersen describes his waiting as poised submissiveness. It’s a not-doing that leaves adequate space and time for God to initiate actions through others.”

Ortberg’s book, “Not long after moving to Chicago, I called a wise friend to ask for some spiritual direction. I described the pace at which things tend to move in my current setting. I told him about the rhythms of our family life and about the present condition of my heart, as best I could discern it. What did I need to do, I asked him to be spiritually healthy? Long pause. ‘You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.’ He said at last, Another long pause. ‘Okay I have written that down,’ I told him, a little impatiently. ’That’s a good one. Now what else is there?’ I had many things to do, and this was a long distance conversation, so I was anxious to cram as many units of spiritual wisdom into the least amount of time possible. Another long pause. ’There is nothing else,’ he said’ (p. 81).

Sometimes people don’t wait on God. They want to marry someone and they think it’s obvious that this person is God’s will. Maybe they want to make a purchase or enter into a business agreement or make a major change and everything seems obvious to them. But, it may not look that way 6 months from now. We make mistakes when we rush into something without waiting on God first.

An old sailor got lost at sea, so his friends gave him a compass and urged him to use it. The next time he went out in his boat, he followed the advice and took the compass with him. But as usual he became hopelessly confused and was unable to find land. Finally he was rescued by his friends. Disgusted and impatient with him, they asked, “Why didn’t you use that compass we gave you? You could have saved us a lot of trouble!” The sailor responded, “I didn’t dare to! I wanted to go north, but as hard as I tried to make the needle aim in that direction, it just kept on pointing southeast.” That old sailor was so certain he knew which way was north that he stubbornly tried to force his own personal persuasion on reality – his compass. Unable to do so, he tossed it aside as worthless and failed to benefit from the guidance it offered.”

2. Stand upon your reputation as “one of them” and remember that is how they came to believe you are the one they should choose for this task (5:1b “bone and flesh”).

3. While you let them acknowledge your time of faithful service, remember that must continue to keep the trust you have earned (5:2a “you were the one who led Israel”).

While they were telling him what he haddone, it would be easy to think David got puffed up. Nothing is farther from the truth! Andrew Murray said, “We can never have more faith than we have humility.” He continues, “As long as we take glory from another, we do not seek and cannot receive the glory that comes from God.”

Murray states, “We need only think for a moment what faith is. Is not the confession of nothingness and helplessness, the surrender and the waiting to let God work? Is it not in itself the most humbling thing there can be-the acceptance of our place as dependents, who can claim or get or do nothing but what grace bestows? Humility is simply the disposition which prepares the soul for living on trust. And every, even the most secret, breathing of pride-in self seeking, self-will, self confidence, or self-exultation-is just the strengthening of that self which cannot enter the kingdom or possess the things of the kingdom, because it refuses to allow God to be what He is and must be-the all in all” (46).

Humility releases more of the Spirit of God because it gets the “self” out of the way..
Sittser notes, “If God is not in control, then we should abandon faith and find our own way through the hard times of life”(38).

4. When others see that you have been marked by God to do this work, celebrate that and don’t deny it (5:2b “you will shepherd”).

5. Be accountable before the Lord and people to live up to the task you are being given (5:3 “before the Lord”).

6. Note the tangible blessing of God and celebrate it daily (5:4-5 “thirty-three years; 2 for every year of prep!).

7. Take on the new assignment and its problems head on (5:6-7).

Vince Lombardi :”The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”

8. Reward those who work hard, just as God has rewarded you! (5:8; cp. 1 Chron. 11:6).

9. Build up systems that will make the work successful (5:9 and 13).

Though it was smart to have some alliances, when they got to be too many, it would become a problem. Remember Deut 17:17: “[The king] must not acquire many wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; also silver and gold he must not acquire in great quantity for himself.” But David ignored this instruction and the result was that he had many children – who later caused problems for him! But that’s for another day.

10. Constantly keep in mind how you got where you are – GOD! (5:10 and 12).

It is NOT the man with a motive that wins, but the man with a purpose!

11. Stay close to God and talk with Him often about how to do what He has given you to do (5:17-21).

Erwin W. Lutzer : Many who are climbing the ladder of success have their ladders leaning against the wrong walls.

12. Timing is terribly important! (5:22-25). Do what you should do, when you should do it. Remember, Saul’s big downfall was to “jump the gun”. Laziness and impatience are BOTH from an untrusting heart that God will fulfill those who do what He says!

Getting the job is one thing. Doing it well and attaining what God intends is another!

 “Lessons from the Bench” (Part One)

 

Introduction: Though David was probably a very young man (a teen) when he was anointed king of Israel and told he would gain the crown, he did not actually receive that crown until age forty in 2 Samuel 5. On his best day he believed it was coming. During dark days he openly admitted that he lost hope. The first five chapters of this book find David learning the final lessons before God crowns him. The time between the promise of a great career and the first opportunity to live it – that is “BENCH TIME’.

By college, Michelle Akers had become an All-American soccer star, earning ESPN’s woman athlete of the year in 1985 – the same year the United States formed its first women’s national team, with Michelle a starter. In 1991 the U.S. team won the first-ever Women’s World Cup and Michelle scored 10 goals in five games, including the championship’s winner. She signed an endorsement deal and became the first woman soccer player to have a paid sponsor. She played professionally in Sweden. Michelle’s drive and tenacity were beginning to pay off. She even tried out as the place kicker for the Dallas Cowboys: her longest attempt reached 52 yards.

But just as her star was rising, Michelle’s health was declining. By 1993, the woman who used grit and determination to make life happen found her life unmanageable.
“Each day I felt like I had flown to Europe with no food or sleep, then flown right back and trained for hours,” Michelle says.She suffered from Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dystfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), a debilitating disease affecting more than a million adult Americans. “When it was really bad, I couldn’t sit up in a chair. The racking migraines stranded me at home, unable even to get up to brush my teeth or eat.”

For the first time, Michelle could no longer count on her old friends – strength and hard work. She had to find a new way to cope.”I couldn’t bear not to be the best in the world, not to be the one who could bounce back from an injury,” she says. “it was the only me I knew.” When her marriage of four years broke up in 1994, Michelle had reached the end of herself.
“I was so sick I couldn’t take a five-minute walk without needing two days on the couch to recover. I was forced to spend a lot of time thinking about who I was. I didn’t like what I saw.”

Michelle had put her trust in Christ as a high-school student, but ignored God in college and after graduation. Now sick and alone, Michelle, reluctantly accepted an invitation from a strength coach to attend his church, Northland Community Church in Longwood, Florida. Although she couldn’t atrticulate it at the time, in retrospect Michelle says she knew she “needed to get things right with God. Looking back,” she explains, “I think God was gently, patiently tapping me on the shoulder and calling my name for years. But I continously brushed him off, saying, ’Hey, I know what I am doing. I can make these decisions. Leave me alone.’ Then I think He finally said, ’Okay,’ crossed His arms and looked at me sadly – because He knew I was going to make a lot of mistakes by ignoring Him. He knew I would be hurting in the future. It took devastation before I would acquiesce and say, ’Okay, God. You can have my life. Please help me.’” (Christian Reader, March/April 2000)

There are seven lessons we will observe in today’s lesson:

1. Learn to deal with obedience to God’s commands (2 Samuel 1:1-12). This lesson was an observed lesson from Saul’s life. During the bench time, keep your eyes open and your heart keen to observe the people around you. What really brings happiness and holiness? Imitate that in your heart and life!

2. Stick to your truth principles, even when abandoning truth for a season appears to be a great advantage (1:14). The people you must live with the rest of your life are you and the Lord, and you will both be disappointed if you compromise now!

In the first season of the popular TV show “24,” Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) was a federal agent charged with protecting a presidential candidate from an assassination plot. He was given that responsibility because in the uncertain world of espionage he possessed that rare character trait of integrity. In the show’s first episode, Jack’s integrity was already put to the test. Because he turned in other federal agents for bribery, some of his own comrades turned against him. In particular, Jack’s immediate boss came down hard on him and tried to persuade Jack not to be so honest in his job. Jack has an explosive confrontation with his boss and would not budge on this point. Just after the confrontation, Jack bristles with intensity as he explains his actions to his closest partner.

“You can look the other way once, and it’s no big deal, except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time. And pretty soon, that’s all you’re doing—compromising—because that’s how you think things are done. You know those guys I blew the whistle on? You think they were the bad guys? They weren’t the bad guys. They were just like you and me, except they compromised once.”

3. Take time to acknowledge the good of the past before you forge ahead into the future with others (1:17-27). You are not more permanent than those who you follow, and it is wise to see yourself as part of the chain of life in your family, organization and community.

Most of us are much better at excusing our sins and failures than we are at confessing them. We’re quick to point out other peoples’ mistakes, but we have a hard time admitting when we’ve blown it. Here are some actual excerpts from insurance companies where individuals who had accidents explained what went wrong:  Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree that I don’t own. The other guy was all over the road and I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him. I had been driving my car for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident. The telephone pole approached my car at a rapid speed, as I swerved to get out of its way, it hit me. I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and drove over the embankment.

4. Truly seek God’s direction for your next steps (2:1-4). Don’t just simply follow the circumstances and “lean into them” even if it looks like things are going the way you expected they would. Why should God hear any less from you when things are going as anticipated?

John Piper in “Let the Nations Be Glad” said, “Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world. Prayer gives us the significance of front-line forces, and gives God the glory of a limitless Provider. The one who gives the power gets the glory. Thus prayer safeguards the supremacy of God in missions while linking us with endless grace for every need.”

5. As God opens doors and leads you, use every opportunity to spread HOPE and encourage others, especially if things are changing uncomfortably around them (2:5-7).

In the book Stories for the Heart, Catherine Marshall tells this story. “There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace. The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfect peace. Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why? “Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace.”

6. Don’t attempt to control loyalties of everyone around you, especially loyalty to you! (2:8-32). Do right before God and allow others to find you through that alone.

7. Watch God bless, and count that blessing daily. You may be on the bench, but there is a lot that God can be doing in your life to improve the coming days of service. (3:1-5). You should keep your focus on what God can do in you to help you become what He created you to be, nothing more and nothing less!

Years ago, Orel Hershiser was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They had just won the World Series. And Orel had been named the MVP. A clip during the series showed him in the dugout just before the 9th inning started. He was leaning against the wall. And his lips were moving.

When he was a guest on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson asked him what he had been saying. “I wasn’t saying anything,” Orel responded. “Well, then, tell us what you were doing.” Finally Orel replied, “I was singing.” Johnny said, “You were singing? I didn’t know you were a singer. Come on, let’s here it!” And Orel said, “Nah. I don’t want to.” And the audience clapped and said, “Yeah! Let’s hear it! Wooooh!!!!” Finally, Orel Hershiser started to sing: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise him above Ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost! Amen!” And Johnny Carson was speechless. The whole audience was dead silent. Then one person stood up and started clapping. And soon, the whole audience joined in applause.

This was Orel’s way of saying, “Lord, the only reason I’m a Most Valuable Player is because you’re a Most Valuable God. You’re the one who gave me my ability. You’re the reason why my life has been so blessed. And I respect you. And I love you.

The Portrait Hall: Happily Ever After?

Did you ever watch a movie and feel robbed at the end because of the unhappy and unsatisfying end to their story? We all want ever story to end well. Why would God give us the last moments of Saul’s life in detail, rather than just telling us he died? What is the purpose to sharing the unhappy ending? Saul, like all of us, made choices during his life that grossly affected the outcome of his life. His legacy reflects what he was, not what he wished he could be. It gives us a moment to pause, and consider what we are, and what we will be remembered as being.

Most of us can sympathize with comedian Woody Allen, who once said::
I’m not afraid to die. I just don’t want to be there when it happens. But you will be there. Ready or not, expected or unexpected, death comes. Try to ignore it, some things in life remind you that today could be the day you die: a close call, like these airplane passengers; the funeral of a friend; a celebrity obituary; maybe even a scene taken from the pages of the Bible. EVERYBODY WHO LIVES WILL DIE. Many of us seem to unconsciously believe dying is what happens to other people, not me, not now, not today. But when you read these verses, they remind us that all kinds of people die every day.

Take a moment and gave at Saul’s life. Here we see three statements that all of us will have to confront in our own lives:

Gross Realization of the “Sin sore” left open (1 Samuel 31:1-10)

1. He created defenselessness in the lives of those he was called to protect (31:1a)
2. He caused the retreat of God’s people and their positive influence on the people they were to reach. (31:1b).
3. His disobedience closed off avenues of testimony in his children who were not guilty, but were loyal to him (31:2).

First of all, let’s notice that bad people die. Saul is a good example. Saul was like most bad people- he didn’t start off as an evil person. In fact, he was probably a pretty good person. He was handsome, and eager, and seemed willing to serve his country and his Lord. But Saul let his crown go to his head. Instead of obeying God, he takes a wrong turn, and ends up doing all kinds of wicked things, from trying to murder David to turning to the occult instead of God for guidance. It doesn’t shock us when bad person like Saul dies.

What shocks us is when good like Jonathan die. Here is a prince of a man: loyal to God, a faithful soldier, loyal to his wicked father, but also loyal to his friend David. He is a man who trusted God, and who could be trusted by others. And yet he dies on the same day, in the same battle as his evil father Saul. It doesn’t seem fair that good people like Jonathan die because of bad people’s sin.

1. He “bled out” the jealousy he would not deal with in life, and slowly watched all that he loved wither away. The graphic consequences of his sin were evident to him, but he would not change his ways (31:3). What do think would have been the epitaph on the tombstone of King Saul?
2. His help evaporates and close companions fade away (31:4).
3. Despair sets in, as others around Saul see no reason to carry on (31:5-6).
4. His disobedience causes the loss of all his life fought for. He unraveled every accomplishment! (31:7).
5. Shame set in on God’s people (31:8-9).
6. The appearance of a victory for the enemy and his wicked system (31:10).

Saul was a leader! Our part in life is a passing opportunity that will never come our way again. What we do with the opportunities God gives us is up to us. We can make the most of them or we can squander them away.

Grand Recognition of Grace (1 Samuel 31:11-13)

1. People heard of the humiliation and recalled Saul’s life (31:11).
2. God tugged the hearts of some that remembered better days and stepped out to cut off the continued humiliation (31:12).
3. After a time for chastening, Saul’s humiliation was ended and the people could heal (31:13). “There appears to be a kind of poetic justice here, in that Saul is buried under “the tamarisk tree” (verse 13). It seems that Saul spent much of his time under a tree, some of which should have been spent doing battle with his enemies (see 14:2; 22:6).”

Godly Recognition of the Need to Act (2 Samuel 1:8)

The big lesson: “The sinful practice you don’t kill in your life will kill you and your testimony for your Lord!” (2 Samuel 1:8 cp. 1 Samuel 15:3). HOW YOU LIVE AFFECTS HOW YOU DIE!

According to an old fable, a man made an unusual agreement with Death. He told the Grim Reaper he would willingly accompany him when it came his time to die, but only on one condition—that Death would warn him well in advance before he came for him. Death agreed, and time went on: weeks turned into months, and months into years. One bitter winter evening, as the man sat worrying about all his possessions, Death suddenly enters the room and taps him on the shoulder. Startled, the man cries out, “You’re here so soon and without warning! I thought you agreed to warn me before you came.” Death replied, “I’ve more than kept my part. I’ve sent you many reminders of my coming. Every morning you saw the sun rise, and then every night you saw the sun set. Every time you said goodbye to someone at a funeral, I reminded you this day was coming. Every time you looked into the mirror, your own face reminded you that you were getting older, and closer to this day. You sat in church many Sundays, listening to the preacher tell you over and over that you would one day have to leave this world. I’m sorry you’re not ready, but today is the day when your time is up. You must come with me right now.”

 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

“The solution to your problem is not to die in sin; it is to die to sin. The only way you can do this is by faith in Christ — as you acknowledge your sin and guilt and trust in Him who has died in your place, who has suffered the eternal pain for your sins. It is in Christ that you die to sin, and enter into eternal life. If you have never done this, I urge you to do it now. As God’s promise of salvation is sure, so is His promise of judgment and eternal death. Let us learn from Saul’s death.“ (Robert Deffinbaugh)

The Portrait Hall: “Pictures From the Party”

Most of us have pictures of a party or celebration. It is a time when the cameras come out and flashes go off. Whether a family celebration, a graduation, a wedding or a reunion – these kinds of snapshots make up the bulk of the family album. Not every shot is posed and form perfect in a studio, life isn’t like that. As will our lives, so with this story of David, we have less a portrait but more a snapshot of a time of great celebration. This joyous moment came after a very dark time, when David’s inner response was to meet and share with a God of light and good gifts.

Problems pour out on us sometimes, feeling like a pummeling of wet cement being poured over us to defeat us. Yet, the key to cement is working it before it becomes hardened and unworkable. The key is not the amount of cement, nor the weight of the cement, it is our response to the pouring!

Key Principle: Our prompt and proper response to trouble is the key to an outcome that pleases God.

How problems come: (30:1-2).

1. Starts with being in the wrong place (29:11).
2. When not where we belong, we can easily neglect our real God-given responsibilities (30:1-2).

What the problems look like: (30:3-6)

1. Sometimes you appear to lose your things (3a).
2. Sometimes you appear to lose your dearest love (3b).
3. Sometimes you appear to lose you future (3b).
4. Sometimes you appear to lose your emotional footing (4-5).
5. Sometimes you appear to lose your friends (6a).

Ten Proper Responses to the Troubles: (30:6b-31).

Depending on how it is handled, a crisis can either make us or break us: The Chinese do not have an alphabet as we know it. Rather than letters, words are represented by symbols. They have an interesting word-symbol for “crisis.” It is a combination of the symbols for “danger” and “opportunity.”

1. Deal with God in your heart promptly and directly (6b). Remember, things are not as they seem, they are as God says they are!

Pastor Brian Atwood writes: “PUT WORSHIP BEFORE WARFARE. David is well known as a mighty man of warfare. His legendary entry into armed combat takes place against a giant named Goliath. With a sling, and the experience of protecting his father’s flocks against predators like lions and bears, David defeats the monster of a man in front of him. After that David joins Saul’s army and becomes so well known as a warrior that they sing songs about him. But don’t miss the point of David’s entire life. Before anything else – David was a first rate worshipper.

2. Bring on a godly friend to help offer counsel and direction (7). Wounds cause us to see things in an unclear way, and another set of eyes on the problem can help dramatically!

3. Seek God’s guidance for help solving all the symptoms beyond what your heart dealt with in step one. (8). Beside settling the past with him (#1), there is the issue of the future…

4. Obey the direction that God reveals (9a). It seems funny to even mention it, but we will be tempted to go back to our “natural way” of dealing with the problems.
5. If you led others in the wrong direction, lead them back in the right one (9b-10). Part of taking responsibility is looking at who else was hurt by your bad choices and making it right with them and for them.

6. Keep the plan adjustable as God reveals more facts (11-16). Don’t set every new decision in stone. It is unwise to make judgments when some facts are not yet clear.

7. Stand up and fight with all you have for what you believe in (17-20). Things that are important will need to be fought for. The good is the foe of the best!

8. Walk with integrity even when exhausted (21-22). Don’t get too weary of the right direction. We cannot make the goal by quitting.

9. Keep acknowledging to yourself and others the source of every victory (23-25). God gives victory. When my choices are right and things work out, it is still because of the Lord and not me!

10. Share all the accolades of victory with those who need it! (26-31). Look around. Your good fortunes have been bestowed on you to share with others!

(Psalm 50:15) The Lord says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

Remember, depending on how it is handled, a crisis can either make us or break us. Our prompt and proper response to trouble is the key to an outcome that pleases God.

The finish line of a race often yields an interesting and heavily scrutinized picture of the participants of the race. The final frame of choices in the life of King Saul offered the same kind of picture to us. Saul had one last opportunity to show his heart for God. What he showed was the same self will that brought the former prophecy of the kingdom being ripped from his hands. He finished the “choices race” the way he ran much of it – a self reliant, impetuous and inconsistent man. The end was near and he still couldn’t make peace with God.

Key Principle: Eventually the bill comes due for our continued hardness toward God’s truth.

The Conditions (28:3-5):

1. Loss: The great influence of a positive spiritual leader was removed and people felt the loss (28:3a).
2. Memory: There was still the overflow of the positive period of influence, as people benefited from godly choices of that time (28:3b).
3. External Pressure: Powerful external and potentially devastating new problems were facing the leadership of the nation (28:4).
4. Self-Doubt: Internally, the leader was plunged into fear and doubt about the future (28:5).

The Decisions (28:6-12):

1. Cloaked Piety: Having experienced a walk with God some time in the past, the fear-filled leader turned to God as a bail out plan, but God delayed an answer (28:6). Why? Note that God knows our hearts, and knows if we are asking for US or for HIS WILL. Saul’s past showed his heart, and this new test would as well.

2. Disobedience: When turning to the Lord did not work the way Saul wanted in the time Saul allotted, he turned from the Scriptures to “plan b” – solving the problem in an unbiblical way (28:7; cp. Lev. 20; Dt. 18). Note how helpful it was to have friends that were so comfortable with ungodly helps!

3. Deception: Saul knew he was doing wrong, and decided it would somehow work out to deceive others and hide his identity, while asking for help from “spiritual sources” (28:8-9). It is impossible to argue innocence when caught with a mask on!

4. God Talk: Even in the middle of doing the wrong thing the wrong way, Saul casually invoked his “faith talk” as though there was some reality behind his adherence to God and God’s Word! Note how easily he refers to a God he isn’t following at all! (28:10-11).

5. Contradiction: The woman didn’t know Saul personally, but new his public testimony by the laws of the past. She was unable to understand why the same king that outlawed her craft was now secretly acting inconsistently with the command. When we act differently than we preach, we confuse and dishearten people (28:12).

Getting to the Truth (28:13-19):

1. Recognition of the Place of Truth: When Saul perceived that Samuel was before him, he felt responsible to show honor to the prophet in order to get direction (28:13-14). Understanding of where truth is found precedes hearing it as truth. Look in the wrong place, and you will not get the needed answer!

2. Wise Counsel: Samuel (or this one who spoke as Samuel) asked the right questions and directed Saul to the right answer. The first question was “Why call on me?” (15). The second was “Why me if NOT God?” Wise counsel directs us back to facing what God is doing, not using God talk to justify what WE want to do. (28:15-16).

3. Context: Truth must be understood in the context it is given. Saul needed to be reminded lest he charge God with injustice, that his past choices led to his present troubles (28:17-19).

Response to Hard Truth (28:20-25):

1. Shock: When the cost of our sin is clear to us, we are surprised, shocked and even broken. All that we had been doing breaks down, and we feel inadequate to keep going (28:20).

2. Accepting Help: Others around us cannot take away the inner pain of our realization that we have caused our own failure. They can feel for us and offer help, but they cannot make the pain go away (28:21-25)

A Note of Real Hope

The only hope we have in the pain of paying the consequences of our own actions is finding a substitute to pay the penalty for us! The Bible calls Jesus a “satisfying substitute”:

Ro 3:25 God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

Heb 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

1Jo 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

1Jo 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Eventually the bill comes due for our continued hardness toward God’s truth. The good news is YOU don’t have to pay it!

Have you ever seen a photo that was printed as a negative? The white is black and the black white. The color spectrum is opposite of the reality. For many of us, we live times in our lives dissatisfied with our soul condition – and things that are morally wrong and emotionally harmful begin to look more appealing or more potentially fulfilling. We buy into the deception that something on the outside can solve the problem that we have on the inside, a nagging dissatisfaction with the state of our walk with God, and our soul’s health. When left in that state, we are destined to follow wrong assumptions to wrong actions.

David struggled through this negative image time several times in his life. One of the profound times of inner dissatisfaction is captured in our story today, when David made a series of wrong moves in his life. Can you identify? What did David do to get out of the problem?

Key Principle: When I seek to solve my problems apart from seeking God Himself, I end up at a dead end.

Verse 1 is one of the most tragic moments in David’s life.

Watch out for the wrong time! The text begins with the word “then” (27:1). If you listen hard, you can hear the exhaustion in the word…”then”. David was promised a throne ten chapters of the story before. Saul had chased him and been humbled by him repeatedly. David thought it would never end, and was WORN OUT. It was the wrong time to draw conclusions about life and make changes that would have devastating consequences. It is not the time to make decisions that will draw you to God, but a terrible time to decide the problems outweigh God’s ability to heal your wounds!

Don’t seek the wrong person! The tragic words, “David said to himself”, reflect that David sought the wrong person to solve his exhaustion and discontent inside. (27:1b). You aren’t designed to fix all your own problems! David was consistently strong when he turned to God in pain, but consistently wrong when he turned to his own solutions! (Compare 1 Samuel 21 and the time he ate the bread, and fled to Achish acting insane. The end of the story was death to many who David loved!)

Don’t surrender to wrong beliefs! The verse moves on to say, “I will perish one day by the hand of Saul.” The substance of the claim negated what God’s Word on the subject said, in essence David was reversing God’s promises of 16:1 and 16:12. He was making the claim that God wouldn’t deliver and he needed to solve his own situation. He disagreed with God’s revealed truth.

Don’t decide based on wrong assumptions!  David said, “there is nothing better for me than to escape” (27:1b). How tragic! Because David figured out a way to ease his discomfort, he saw no value to drawing close to God and discerning His will. He knew what to do, or at least he thought he did. Yet, if you asked him that evening how he was in his walk with God, he knew in his heart he was walking on his own…

Question: What if what God was teaching him on the run was the best way for him to learn? What if the greatest blessing to the kingdom and to his Master would come through his temporary discomfort? Is ease always the best thing?

Don’t surrender to wrong actions! David used the “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” philosophy when he “arose and crossed over” (27:2). He had been there before, and he knew it would solve one problem only to cause many others (chapter 21). Yet, in a deluded and worn out state, he gave in and crossed over.

Don’t become the wrong example! David not only crossed over, he took men who were not with him in his previous foray into sinful crossing over. The passage says “six hundred men who were with him” (27:2b). Even when you won’t make the right decision, remember the tragedy only grows when you lead others into the pit with you!

Don’t become comfortable in the wrong fulfillment! David surrounded himself with the comforts of home while out in the world. “Each with his household” (27:3) speaks of the comfort of the men as they settled in to a life accommodating to the world! People do it every Sunday. They come in saying the same words they used when they were on fire for God, knowing the fire has long since been doused with the water of worldly pleasures, fulfillments and thinking.

Don’t enlist in the wrong service! David and his men began to work to make the world happy with them (27:4-7). They served the objectives of another God rather than their own. The short term was they found a greater ease of life. The long term was they became virtually unusable to the Lord for His greater purposes. They became swallowed by the world’s objectives and soon the fruit would show!

Don’t succumb to wrong values! David and his men surrendered even the most basic sense of integrity to become deceivers of the first order (27:8-28:2). They had many justifications inside of why they couldn’t be honest with God in their situation, but they placed themselves in the situation to begin with.

Many unclear and gray choices arrive in the lives of believers who have consistently put themselves in wrong service positions! Remember that when you surrender the high ground of the service you place yourself in, you create the value dilemmas you must then live with!

What can I do when all these things are true of me? (30:1-8)

1. Understand that when trouble comes, it will overtake you and those you have led into it (30:1-2).
2. Recognize the sore trouble that is coming is a direct result of your choices, and the pain is God’s way of bringing you to your senses (30:3-5).
3. Face the fact that you can only be changed by a heart change that you must desire. When we find other things as the center of our fulfillment, sometimes God must remove them to help us understand the deception. He alone is our peace. He is our Master. Every other service that is not for Him is essentially idolatry. It is slowly killing the truth in us! (30:6).
4. Seek God’s answers as to how to step back to Him. He WILL answer. He wants you. That is what this whole exercise has been about! (30:7-8)

How do I know what to do? The answer is not in the magazine rack or the brochures, it must be found by first settling the important things on your knees. Remember, when I seek to solve my problems apart from seeking God Himself, I end up at a dead end.

Part way through the more than a dozen years from the promise of his throne to the delivery of it, David could have become impatient and “made things happen”. He was encouraged to do so, but God did not want that from him, and he knew it. David was learning the skills he would later need, even if he was gaining them through a monotonous daily grind. How many times does it take doing right to win the fight? Did you ever feel like it just never ends? David did! Yet the key to pleasing the Master was the consistent and steady walk in truth! Today we will see the pain of David’s exile met by a steady hand that pleased God.

Key Principle: The Key to a walk with God is the ability to remain consistent and steady in daily choices, especially when under fire!

Two Cautions for the Warrior (26:1-3a)

1. When you walk with God, there will always be an ample supply of provokers to cause you trouble! (26:1).
2. The enemy will look for a vulnerability in your patterns that will give him opportunity. (I.e. after a couple of beers I get a bit brash, I work well except when I am paired with this one co-worker, I never experience temptation sexually except when we study together, I don’t usually gossip, but whenever we get together…)

Ten Truths to Bring Victory (26:3b-25)

1. Avoid the traps – David did the hard thing but kept himself from the easy accessibility of the enemy (26:3b).
2. Keep a watchful eye – the enemy must be detected and his movements noted (26:4).
3. Look for the enemy’s weaknesses – he will leave people with felt and unfelt needs that you can care for (26:5)!
4. Grab a friend – do not war alone unless forced to do so! (26:6-7).
5. Know God’s heart – don’t take advice that contradicts God’s stated purposes for the fight! (26:8; cp. 24:22).
6. Watch God at work- keep your eyes on what God is doing in the situation, and hear what He says! (26:9-11).
7. Don’t do it all – do what you can do to stem the attack, but let God do what you cannot do! (26:12).
8. Take a stand – publicly stand for what God has told you to be and do! (26:13-17).
9. See the truth – challenge ungodly thinking and ways where they are – i.e. “The men around you are provoking this!” Show it is against God’s Word when it is (26:18-20).
10. Respond gently – if repentance comes, allow it with dignity and gentleness! (26:21-25).

The Key to a walk with God is the ability to remain consistent and steady in daily choices, especially when under fire!

Today our series will show the incredible portrait of a heroic mother named Abigail. Remember, David has learned a lesson in safety and a lesson on allowing God to reward or avenge. This text is a lesson on being God’s compensation when being cheated. David had an agreement with a wealthy man named Nabal. Nabal felt he could accept the benefits of the agreement and not pay his bill when the time came due. This slap to David could not go unanswered, because David’s band survived on their governmental agreements of protection, it was there livelihood. Enter at stage right Abigail, the mother that protected the whole clan!

A Quick Outline of the Story:

1. David’s Contract of Protection Explained (25:1-9)
2. Nabal’s Breach of the Contract Explained (25:10-12)
3. David’s Response to the Insult Explained (25:13)
4. Abigail Informed of the Insult (25:14-17)
5. Abigail Responded to the Peril (25:18-35)
6. Abigail Loses Nabal (25:36-38)
7. Abigail Marries David (25:39-44)

The Lesson to David was this: God compensated David when he was cheated, and guarded David from making terrible mistakes by revealing truth to Him! David is saying, “Praise the LORD! Nabal insulted me, but the LORD has supported me! He has kept me from doing wrong.” What an interesting statement! Recall the story line of our text. Do you remember any mention of God speaking to David? Did God in a dream, or a vision warn David against an attack on the household of Nabal? Did God send heavenly beings to David advising him against his current course of action? Did David pray to God, seeking council regarding how to deal with Nabal No, God used Abigail!

This text tells us that God revealed truth by offering us a portrait of a woman that pleased God in a miserable situation!

Key Principle: A “woman of rescue” is a godly woman that recognizes her situation and deliberately seeks ways to creatively care for those in her charge.

14 Characteristics of the “Woman of Rescue”

1. 25:3 Intelligent (sekhel- discerning). She was a woman of substance in her character and mind. This allowed her to see clearly what was happening in her home. Are you taking advantage of ways to build your character and discernment?

2. 25:3 beautiful in appearance (yafe b’toar – beautiful in shape and form) She looked like she had everything going for her, but the situation was not as it appeared. She was gorgeous and rich! Yet, she was trapped in a bad marriage to a man who was harsh (25:3 lit. kawsheh) and “evil in his dealings” (25:3 lit. mahal-awl underhanded practices) that was in all likeliness arranged by her parents. Are you able to see who and where you really are in life?

Note: Differences Between a Husband and Wife Don’t Mean That a Marriage Can’t Continue. (from Pastor Ricky Shrive, Tomkinsville Church of Christ, Kentucky)

”If any women ever had a good reason not to support her husband, one could make an argument for Abigail. After all, he certainly wasn’t meeting her halfway in their marriage. He wasn’t meeting her at all. There was no give and take here, only take. There was no compromise in this marriage, it was all one way, his way!

How many couples today rush blindly into a marriage only to dissolve it a few months or years later due to irreconcilable differences? Our world today is full of them! Sadly, many marriages today are dissolved due to situations far less disquieting than Abigail’s. A study of divorced couples shows that after a year of divorce, 60% of men and 73% of women feel they made a mistake and should have tried harder to make their marriage work.

Do you think Abigail had to try hard to make her marriage work? Do you think there were many days in her marriage that she had to think hard for reasons why she should stay? Let me share some statistics with you. I realize they are a bit dated; nonetheless, they will suffice in proving the enormity of this problem within our society.

I believe several myths have become prevalent mindsets in many couples who are struggling in a marriage:

Myth #1: The grass is greener outside my marriage. The conflict you are in may give that impression. That is seldom the case after the divorce. The truth: what appears so green is usually the weeds.

Myth #2: The kids will be better off. The truth: Divorce, even under the best of circumstances, has a devastating effect on children. Most kids truly want their mother and father to stay together.

Myth #3: Divorce is justified in my case because I’m not in love anymore. The truth: The same God who commanded people to love their enemies will gladly help couples who want to learn to love each other again.

Myth #4: Divorce will make me happy. The truth: Happiness is determined by a person’s attitude and security in relationship to God, not by circumstances. While some people subsequently come to experience happiness, most experience guilt, loneliness, and anxiety.

Myth #5: Divorce will set me free. The truth: There are all kinds of prisons. Divorce doesn’t really free you; it shackles you in a different way.

If anyone was ever in a situation, outside of unfaithfulness, that certainly warranted a divorce, it would have to be Abigail. I would admonish any couple who are contemplating separation to take time and study Abigail.”

3. 25:14 She had a listening ear to the troubles of her household. When presented with the situation, she did not seek to block what was unflattering and become defensive. Are you slow to react and careful to seek facts before jumping to conclusions?

4. 25:17 She was circumspect (yadah: know) and carefully observed the whole before planning a response. Are you constantly watching those in your charge and keeping things in order to help them sort out truth from error?
5. 25:17 She saw the situation and was looking for a creative (lit. rawaw or “envision” what you shall do) way to honor the parties involved. Do you take the time to find creative ways to keep your family walking in truth?

6. 25:17 She was trusted by those she watched over. In the extreme circumstance of the family’s impending peril, the servant could tell her even the unflattering truth. She did not seek ways to denigrate her husband, but when he broke an agreement, she could be trusted to hear it. Can people trust you with sensitive information concerning those who you love (or should love)?

7. 25:18 She was proactive in problem solving, recognizing that it would take time to explain her moves later. Remember, she fully intended to tell her husband (cp. 25:19 to 25:37) when the time was right, and she was doing what was both morally correct and physically necessary. An example would be the wife that destroyed files on a computer that were harming her husband and arranging accountability for him before consulting him. Do you proactively seek a way to help the people in your care stay on their moral path? One Pastor wrote:

“A wife’s primary role is to support her husband. Ladies, when you said, “I do” to the man to whom you are married, you at that moment accepted a role that called for you to help him, to lift him up, and to support him. Now don’t misunderstand, he has all sorts of responsibilities to you too and those are outside of the time limitations of our lesson today. But, God made woman to be, “A helper fitted for her husband” (cf. Gen. 2:18). The word “helper” comes from a Hebrew that has the connotation of a jigsaw puzzle. It’s like every man is made with pieces missing, but when the, right woman comes along, she puts in those pieces and she makes him whole. Thus, she supports that man, she makes the two of them the one flesh.” Review a few key verses in Proverbs: An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life (Prov. 31:10-12). Abigail stands as a extremely strong example for wives today. She did her husband good, although he didn’t deserve it, all the days of his life.

8. 25:19,24,28 She took personal responsibility for her household and stepped personally in the gap when things were going wrong. Do you take responsibility (in a healthy way) for things that weren’t even your fault in the family?

“It would have been easy and even understandable for Abigail to have met David on the road and simply said, “David, I don’t agree with anything that terrible husband of mine does, please, don’t hold any of this against me. Look, I’ve brought food and supplies. Spare my life and do as you wish with him. Be my guest to put me out of my misery!”

9. 25:23 She know how to prioritize her life, and knew her personal pride was less important than saving the family. She did the hard thing and dropped to the ground to save her family. Are you willing to take time, energy and surrender pride to deal with the struggles of your family?

To say that Abigail was in a bad situation (regarding her marriage to Nabal) is an understatement! It would have been easy for her to have become withdrawn, depressed, timid… she could have easily slipped into a “place blame somewhere” mode. I could see her perhaps blaming herself, or blaming her parents, or even blaming God. She could have allowed the circumstances of this marriage to “drag” her down such that her faith in God is diminished. She did not!

10. 25:25 She was truthful and did not try to hide the responsibility for her home. Telling a lie would have ended in disaster. Opening honestly offered David the chance to see her heart and have compassion. Are you covering for your family and making excuses that aren’t true? Are you an enabler?

11. 25:28 She is encouraging to David in ways that are not “apple polishing” but that acknowledge God’s work in him, and his right to be treated differently! Do you see what God is doing in the lives of others and openly share that?

I believe Abigail used her relationship with God as a means of support in helping her survive day-to-day in this awful marriage. Like Abigail, we too should lean on God, using Him to help us survive our daily struggles. Paul said, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also my be manifested in our body” (2 Cor. 4:7-10). What is Paul really saying here? Simply that, we have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us. We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. At times, we may not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. We carry the death of Jesus in our own bodies so that the life of Jesus can also be seen in our bodies.

12. 25:29-31 She reasoned fairly for the good of all parties, not just her own! Are you so busy getting the advantage for your family that you don’t see what is good for the other guy?

13. 25:33 She was fruitful in her labors and produced both a testimony for the Lord (33), and peace for her family (35).

14. 25:36-37 She had a sense of timing. She knew when to tell her husband, and when not to share something!

Conclusion: Abigail stands as a strong example for the world today. Her situation in marriage, her struggles, her disappointments along with her wisdom, her faith and commitment are valuable lessons for us all – especially anyone who might be struggling today in a marriage. A “woman of rescue” is a godly woman that recognizes her situation and deliberately seeks ways to creatively care for those in her charge.

In the last lesson, we were reminded that for the believer security is not a matter of what you withdraw from – but Who you withdraw to! David learned to measure his safety not in terms of distance from danger; but in terms of the nearness of God. David learned another lesson that we will investigate:

Key Principle: Revenge is NOT your job! God alone has that right! No matter how angry we get, the revenge instinct is a fallen one, and has no place in God’s people.

Six Observations About Revenge:

1. Opportunities are Inevitable (1 Samuel 24:1-2). When you are taken advantage of, there may well be an opportune time to strike back, because the attacker leaves themselves open.

2. Most expect you to take revenge (1 Samuel 24:3-4). David’s men counseled him to take revenge. One of them may have been Abiathar, who watched the execution of his family. The pressure will be there from even friends.

3. It will feel wrong (1 Samuel 24:4b-5). Even as David reached out to hurt Saul, he felt a twinge of guilt!

4. If you choose to soften, you will need to explain your decision (1 Samuel 24:6). Note that David needed to help the men see the position, not the man. Wisely, David showed respect for the office he one day would hold!

5. You cannot allow others to fight for you (1 Samuel 24:7). Grace is given to the wounded, but not those next to the wounded.

6. Your soft answer may create an opportunity for a testimony (1 Samuel 24:8-10). Saul was probably startled and perhaps embarrassed, but David’s point was made.

Six Steps to Reconciliation:

1. Openly share your desire to be at peace with the other party (1 Samuel 24:11).

2. Commend the person and the situation to God’s all knowing nature, and do not feel that it all must be made right in your eyes (1 Samuel 24:12-13).

3. Set aside pride and show the other person THEY are more important (1 Samuel 24:14-15).

4. Trust that God may move the heart of the adversary (1 Samuel 24:16).

5. If they are softended by God, you will begin to hear truth from their mouth as the deception lifts! (1 Samuel 24:17-20).

6. See if you can get to the heart of their fear or dispute! (1 Samuel 24:21-22).

We are people of reconciliation, not revenge. God has called us to peace!