1 Samuel Chapter 27:1-12

Sometimes circumstances in your life will look like. They contradict your faith, it will look like you're not going to get through it will look like you're in the midst of the trial for this tribulation and you think you know what, there's just no way there's no way I'm getting it. There's no way that God is going to come through. There's no way the guys get intervening in the situation in this relation.

In this financial think in this job. Think I just can't see you believe in your third Understand your circumstances and some Galati welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina today. McGee begins teaching through first Samuel chapter 27 and we have Mr. go with this one of his assisting pastors program. Pastor Neal right to be here with you today. Bob and I know that we can all get in places in our life. Now the hand of God are doubt what's around the corner and we gotta be careful of not allowing those doubts are decisions led by faith in Pastor Dave it's good to be talking about that day to be careful about what Bob not allowing our doubts to lead faith right to teach English by first Samuel 72 for sale. Chapter 27. And David said in his heart. Now I shall perish Sunday by the hand of Saul. For there is nothing better for me than that, that I should speedily escape to the land of the Philistines and Saul of the spirit of me seeing me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand. That's really interesting you look at the life of David. David has been through several events in the last few chapters you know with the ball and trusting God with the ball and trusting God with Saul and have an opportunity take Saul out a couple times and he bit and even trusting God and then we get to this one verse. Things are going very well with David is also in David's afraid and don't ask a question, is the fear justified while so Salazar tried killing several times so it is on one hand, a reasonable rational concern. That's all. But here's the thing, in the midst of that reasonable rational concern. God has promised David that Hill became how can David be King Saul, who is King kills him more so either Saul killing and God is a liar or God's own truth in Saul's noggin killing and David has a decision to make and write at this point David is believing the circumstances, you understand that sometimes circumstances in your life will look like. They contradict your faith, it will look like you're not going to get through it. It will look like you're in the midst of this trial or this tribulation and you think you know what, there's just no way there's no way I'm getting it through. There's no way that God is going to come through. There's no way they got to get intervening in this situation and this relationship in this financial think in this job. Think I just can't see you believe in your circumstances. Understand your circumstances. Sometimes the lot to let me rephrase that your perception of your circumstances will be inaccurate.

How many times have you felt like God wouldn't come through that you work to make it through this thing, this relationship was going to go a certain way and it ended up. You were wrong was a valid option menu looked at it and said well you know the euro on my life that's happened many times. Here's the thing for David to think this is one thing but look at verse two.

Then David Rosen went over with the 600 men who were with him to a shish the Son of Man, the king of gas dollars brought you see it's one thing the half fear to have doubt it's another thing to be controlled by those fears are those doubts. A lot of people think that brave men are men brave women are women or men that don't have any fear is not true. It's men and women who are willing not to act on their fear, but to act on their courage and act on their bravery. All soldiers feel fear all athletes feel anxiety but they don't let that controller lives a life lesson here. Do not act on your doubts do not act on your doubts if you're in the time of his life where you're unsure what God's going to do. You're not sure got to do anything. Don't do anything wait on the Lord because when you're thinking like that if you begin to act and you begin to do you're going to be acting in doing according to your doubts. According to your fears and friends imitate your mess up just sit still works is, be still and know that I am God. I like to be transparent here like to be transparent as pastor because it encourages y'all to be transparent and I'm up here and I'm wearing religious masking I'm saying I never have any problems. I used to before became a pastor when I was like do you know that that's not encouraging. I'm being a religious hypocrite, but I'm transparent that I still struggle then hopefully you can be transparent and and share with somebody and admit to God you're still struggle. David is struggle is struggling with this all I think everybody in this room with their honest will admit it in some way and some area struggle with her thoughts, whether that's fears or doubts are sexual stuff materialism in judgmental drugs, alcohol, whatever. But you don't act on their stalls to the money begin to dwell on assaults and you start to act out their stalls. That's where you can drop, that's where you get in trouble and this is something that we see David this is happening now. Here's part of the problem in those first few words of verse one is David said in his heart. David said in his heart. David was talking to himself. Basically it's a great way to get in trouble. That is a great way to get in trouble you take a situation you take an occurrence, and you begin the cannot talk to yourself about Willis. Think about this when they said this when what they really meant that they were being nice.

I think with the really meant when they said such and such is they really meant this you know what they don't like many, and you begin the swirl and swirl and swirl and pretty soon you end up in a place of your own invention. Somebody says something somebody does something fear, anxiety, and all said and what are you doing your rapine yourself around and is currently new in a downward spiral and this can lead you to a bad place in your talking, if you will to your self when you're in this moment of fear when you're in this moment of doubt, this moment, that of anxiety. Who should you be talking to God talk to God.

God sees God knows what if you had two stopwatches and you walked around the two stopwatches and every time you got ready to talk to yourself. You click the stopwatch every time you got to tell a friend.

Your problem or email somebody or get on the phone you click the stopwatch. But then every time that you want to talk to God about what was going on and what's wrong you click the other stopwatch under at the end of a few days, which would have more time on convicting it is amazing sometimes were talking to people who can do absolutely not being about her situation. That's the bad news.

The good news is I serve a God, hopefully you know a God and serve a God that can fix anything they can fix anything. So the solution is, go to him, go to him and see this is the thing is a pastor. This is one thing that I'm very careful of is is to try not to get in the way of you and got some of the ways this happens may become frustrating to in the sense that I got us I got a get out of the way and if I teach you, and some ministries due to some churches do this they teach a dependence upon the pastor. That's a problem because here's the problem sooner or later I'm knocking to be able to be there for. That's just reality. I'm sorry, but sooner or later, and that one moment I may not be available. That's the bad news.

The good news is you don't exactly need me, you need God. So what I want to keep doing is putting people's hands in the hands of God and keep removing myself from the situation and pointing you got now. Damon said it says he said in his heart, we need understand something people say there's there's an interesting phrase people use. I went to find myself that that's one always. It's hard for me to not take that on you because we will go with the fund must okay will will live because you were you want to find her so could you fill aloft. We still lost. The fund must okay help me with this. You were lost, and you went to find yourself, but if you were lost, how can you help yourself find yourself if you're the one that's lost to begin with. That's a conundrum there's no solution.

You need a Compass outside of yourself. The point you in the right direction and so often we I'm seemingly endless and you we arrogantly think we can solve our own problems without the counsel without the truth of God.

Verse three. So David dwelt relationship gas in his men, each man with his household and David with his two wives, honeycomb and a Jezreel -itis and Abigail.

The Carmelite us.

They balls with a and was told Saul that David fled the gap so I sought him no more.

Here's the thing. At first glance, not going okay will stalls not looking for Dave anymore. Looks like life is got little bit smoother little bit better. David is in the camp of his enemy what he is doing is running from one problem to another friend when you run from one problem you generally run into users two or three problems don't solve anything by running off the verse five then David said they should is I have now found favor in your eyes.

Let them give me a place in some town in the country that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the Royal city with you. David is smooth, even if town is got 600 people. There's probably strain on the water strain on the food supply, but he really wants to get out of this guys site so this guy doesn't know everything is doing well these smart got six erasures gave them sick like that day therefore sick leg has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day to the day that this book was written for seven now the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months 16 months and David and his men went up and rated the gas rights the girders lights in the Amalekites for those nations were the inhabitants of the land from of old as you go to assure even as far as the land of Egypt. So you know what Dave is doing is Dave is attacking these guys. These are people who are allied with the Philistines against Israel.

Thank you for listening to David McGee with cross the bridge ministries. David's heart is to help you beyond a radio program. We will continue teaching the word of God in bringing hope to the power of the Scriptures we know that these are unusual times so we want to share with you many of our online tools. Please check out. You are loved.org to take advantage of these free resources. Our daily devotional has a helpful reading plan thoughts from the Scripture and practical life lessons to help encourage you on. You are loved.org you can find full-length teachings from Pastor David and his assistant pastor's baby, you're not able to attend services at your local church right now visit you are loved.org so you can join us live on Sunday mornings at 10 AM Eastern and Thursday evenings at 7 PM Eastern time. Now back to David McGee first learned whenever they would attack the land he left neither man or woman that took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys and camels in the apparel and returning came nations going on with David mean he's in a bad place in the ME. He's basically abandoned is going to widen these people out and taken her stuff and you read go wow this is a man after God's own heart and when I look at this and I think that David's been on the run for long time is been beaten up for a long time and and I just wonder as a man if he wasn't reaching some kind of break and point I'm not saying the EP was responsible for his actions. Think David was beginning to be a little bit more wary in the sense of running from Saul that God is not abandoned. David David is making bad decisions is following up one bad decision with another bad decision, God will relieve the pressure and his timing is working to see verse 10, the nations would say. Where have you made a raid today and David would say against the southern area of Judah against the southern area German lights or against the southern area of the Kenite and David would save neither man or woman alive to bring news the ghastly and Leslie should inform Anna saying less. David did and this was his behavior all the time. He dwelt the country of the Philistines salacious believed David saying he has made his people Israel utterly abhor him.

Therefore he will be my servant forever. He may ask yourself how did David get to be friends with the Philistines, especially from gap now for the territory. Goliath was from.

Well, that was part of David killed Goliath and there was probably a mutual respect for David as a warrior is got to sit down Goliath and also this guy probably thought that it would be good to have you on our side. As you look at this chapter.

There's really nothing in this chapter. The point to the fact that David is a godly man. I mean if you look at this you go is losing me. He's not walking in that assurance that we've seen before is not walking and that confidence in the Lord that we seen before in his actions are just not good mean, it doesn't look like a godly man, much less a godly leader my flashlight. It was good to be king. We all have our moments. We all have our moments. God uses imperfect people to build his kingdom. Your Eliza God uses imperfect people to build his kingdom statements when we hear it in here we go.

The practical applications a little bit harder than when it when somebody sits in front of you may be a leader in this church, maybe Deacon may be an elder someone else that sits in front of you to brother this is a problem I see that you really need to address in your life interest in the first thing that comes your mind is what's wrong with them. At that moment. That's the first thing it's like a defense mechanism to lure you to be telling me that I saw you you you were late for church like six months ago. A beat-up, that's what we do. Somehow it we can accuse them of something we've deflected off of what the real issues and you know what everyone of us are masters of deflection we got really good at math fact, the older you are, the better you are at this in your always looking for somebody that's perfect to speak into your life. Interest and nobody will ever speak in nearly you will always be able English and this is a complete stranger you'll always be able to find something is wrong with that person its sureness with always people even if there's a complete stranger. You can say why didn't like the way they said that they were very nice and the way they said that that you know they were very nice thing that I know you know I'd only been to church once in the last two years that wasn't very nice the way they put that off you no longer sit there going cheap been once in the last two years I probably will be here a little more off. No, I can't believe they said that like we need to understand as we look at the life of David who has these moment and we David was such a awesome leader. Such a godly leader we all must romanticize and think what would have been awesome to be in David's army we would've been really really killer but understand being in is army unit been thinking this guy.

He cries too much. He seems too much.

He wouldn't take Saul out when he had the chance. He walked around I heard the stories of Audra blubber like that it would with drool coming up as well.

It's in their and you want me to follow this guy got to be become one of the mighty men. I'm sure there were people that said I'm following him on the phone. David and because David wasn't perfect what's going on. I think in the heart of David.

Right now it is becoming more preoccupied about her safety. He's preoccupied about his well-being and his own comfort and any time somebody begins the thing and be preoccupied with that stop there losing their priorities and we see David get to this point God is will comfort you, but your spiritual life is not about you being cough trouble can affect what they say pastors and teachers, our role is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

He's trying to solve his problems in his ways.

Since none of us ever tried to do that was try to step outside ourselves for moment and imagine what that might be like being facetious. Proverbs is Proverbs chapter 3 verse 56 to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths.

You know when you get to really apply that version is when you don't understand something is going on in your life and see how comfortable or uncomfortable you are when you're uncomfortable in your own understanding that the time friend that you can lean on the Lord, and you can develop that deeper relationship is David David's he's abandoned. I mean he's a I'm sure he's fallen. At this point he's probably going one am I doing in this place, but is falling further than he thought it would an end. I gave Saul a hard time. I'm gonna give David a hard time okay David also was a liar he didn't. I just want to twice. He lied whenever it was convenient a lot. He sat with Jonathan and convince Jonathan a lot to his father.

He lied to Ahimelech when he said I'm on a mission from Saul, the king and ended up a lot of people lost their lives or later he lies to you why about that Sheba belied a ship before when he acted like he was was crazy.

David live. What's interesting and I will take the time to go through the Psalms, but there it's interesting because in some Psalms you read think it was early on. David said God preserve me from all these people who they heard later he said Lord help me not to lie made lying lips depart from me as he realized that the problem that he was seen on and other people within his heart.

This is the guy let me run this is the God of the Bible says is a man after God's own heart. Amazing thing a man after God's own heart. Many people in here have heard God has his perfect will. And then God has his permissive will you been around for very long. You've heard that I kind of agree with that and I kinda don't, here's my logic, number one, you really don't find a solid biblical foundation for that where God says okay will lose my permissive will and that is perfect will. You really don't see that in the Bible so it's not actually a biblical concept. It's something that man came up with C and here's the problem. When you start believing that there's a nurse be. You've just introduced a pretty serious theological conundrum and that maybe God didn't know you were about to make the decision you make.

So now God's and Plan B sureness permissive will he really thought you were going to be in his perfect will guides never and Plan B ever. He knows everything is good happen for half an somehow God is able to use everything even when were making bad decisions even when we choose to go in the Philistine and ends sleep of the enemy, God still can be glorified. See this in a couple chapters of you not familiar with the story. David's actually preserved through these bad decisions is life is saved because of it were not for what's work will what were reading now. David would have been on that battlefield were Sauget skill, but he doesn't end up there. What is he may horrible decisions and he's over with the Philistines, so how can this be Plan B if you getting that progressive perfect will you look back on your life and you go OLC. I was in Plan B. There is a plan, a there is Plan B.

There you think you can see that I'm just not sure I buy that whole Plan B permissive will thing my saying that God led David to Philistine. I know I will what we could go off the deep end with this. I don't say that I'm just I believe that God is never in Plan B. He always knows what he's doing. He always knows in advance. The decision you're gonna make any always knows how he can be glorified and you can somehow be brought closer to him. If you really get this in your heart instantly assurances that can bring generous and I think can be glorified through your failures. That doesn't mean that you sit here tonight and go God can be glorified. My failures, that's awesome. I'm going liquor store I'm going to glorify God. None test now with us.

But when you do well you glorify God because it's God who is working in you and through when you stumble when you fall. Also in you realize how desperate independent you are on the grace of God friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen it friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you prayed that prayer was David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit crossed the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. You can also write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life before we go. Have you been listening to the teachings to the book of first Samuel we can pick some of these teachings, it will encourage your prayer life. Pastor Neal can you tell us more about we all hunger for a deeper connection with the Lord and pastor David shares through past living examples how to have that deeper connection. So when you give a gift today we are going to send you for your generosity praying through first Samuel. It's a four CD series that will encourage you in a deeper relationship with the Lord as you step out on faith and give a gift to cross the bridge today. We will send this in appreciation for your generosity.

Again, please visit crossed the bridge.com to give today and get your copy of praying through first Samuel we would also like to encourage you to grab Pastor David daily devotional. Each day you could wake up perfectly past work of God's life lessons to consider a daily reading plant in the fault to meditate on your day heart. And it's easy. It's free to sign up today crossed the bridge.com folks.

Thanks for listening into the next time. As David McKee continues teaching verse by verse. First Samuel