1 Samuel Chapter 29:1-11

Understand that you can actually pray about something, and God will answer the prayer you can ask you want me to take this other job God you want me to move here, God, you want me to move there, and God will answer that prayer is honors him free to go to. It honors the Lord and the Lord allegiant so whatever it takes to communicate God is willing to speak and let welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina were blessed to have one of David McGee's assisting pastors with us today on the program.

Welcome Pastor Neal blessed to be here with you, Bob. Looking forward to the closing of this chapter and all that God will speak to it today. Pastors talk about our minds.

The entrance I remember Scripture in acts chapter 4 where it talks about the disciples were untrained, they can recognize that they had spent time with Jesus and today in this section of Scripture. Pastors will be talk about how as we spent time with the Lord changes the way that we think action and the subtle change of times. Absolutely Bob that we continue pressing in seeing our lives.

Transfer was listening David as he finishes up Samuel chapter 29 with his first turn with me to first Samuel chapter 20 list of quick review. Saul is seeking to kill David.

David is been on the run for years now David as ran to the Philistines of all people and is hiding out there. I want you to remember that God did not tell David to go to the land of the Philistines, so I think we can assume a couple of things about David being in the land of the Philistines. Number one, it was not God who led them there and perhaps at this point David is either making real bad decisions. Or we might even be able to use the term backslidden Celeste jump in here.

First Samuel chapter 29 verse one says then the Philistines gathered together all their armies at a second Israelites and can't buy a fountain which is in Jezreel, in the words of the Philistines past and reviewed by hundreds about thousands, but David and his men Pastor review at the rear relationship, then the princes of the Philistines said what are these Hebrews doing here in Esher said to the princes of the Philistines. Is this not David the servant of Saul king of Israel who is been with me these days of these years, and to this day I have found no fault in him since he defected to me.

Verse four, but the princes of the Philistines were angry with the princes of the Philistines said to him make this fellow return that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him and do not let him go down with us. The battle less than the battle he become rabbits or for with what could he reconcile himself to his master of not with the heads of these men is not this David, of whom they saying to one another and danced the same. Saul has slain us thousands, and David is 10,000s, then nations called Dave and said to him, surely as the Lord lives you've been upright and you're going out you're coming and when we in the Army is good. My site for to this day have not found even on you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the Lord's do not favor you who is God using to direct David's path at this point, these other Philistines. Not sure you like this application. Who is God using in your life to direct your life, all Bible studies, pastors, radio, Christian radio, television, rallies and ungodly people to direct you in your life is got a bizarre but he'll do that when we promise you, he'll do that if God doesn't want you in a certain job anymore. You realize he'll make that atmosphere so miserable that you begin to look for the job that he had God will lead ungodly people to direct you and why you're looking around for only perfect people and people that know the Lord to direct you in your life. You could really miss some stuff and if you think they got only speaks through Bible studies and their devotions and through pastors, you've probably been missing the Lord in your life. Keep your ears open Watchung God will direct you. Because God is directing David at this point.

These unbelievers verse seven says HS continues and says therefore return now and go in peace that you may not displease the Lords of the Philistines. Just as you're not you're done. God is leading David here's the life lesson God is leading God.

God is a leading God. You understand that you can actually pray about something, and God will answer that prayer. You can ask God you want me take this other job God you want me to move here, God, you want me to move there, and God will answer that prayer is my fact honors him free to go to him and asking it honors the Lord and the Lord allegiant and you know what the Lord knows how okay we make this person the Lord knows how thickheaded I am something and he realizes how strongly he has to speak to me sometimes. And guess what he's willing to speak strongly to me.

So whatever it takes to communicate to you. God is willing to speak in that manner is willing to speak to the people that are presently in your life to lead you, and be careful that you don't arrogantly assume what God wants you do in your life because there's been times when I thought God wants me to do this and maybe it was something good, but it was not the Lord God is on me to do something else he wants to leisurely speak to speak to you tonight. Not just summon nebulas will life's purpose lives calling sent but I mean in a daily sense.

He wants to lead you, God, is a leading God and what happens over life as you can begin the trust that in the more you trust that the more God will lead you in the more you quit fighting that the more you walk in the blessings of God. Here we see David and backslidden state willing to go fight against Israel and God still evening look at verse eight. So David said they should. But what have I done and to this day, what have you found in your serving as long as I've been with you that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king. This verse is a very interesting verse I think is a very key verse in this chapter, and here's why I think it reveals David's heart. I think they would really was planning to go fight against as I could be wrong.

But there's another problem infused that you think will maybe he was going to still attack him from the back. He was called Asus as Lord and King that seems indicate all is not well with the me not only is he willing call Asus's king is also calling Ms. Lord that's a problem. Whenever we start to let other things direct our lives whenever time we put something ahead of God, and we make something else our Lord were engaged idolatry and it can be a lot of good things. It can even be good things, but God doesn't want anything above him.

He doesn't want us to read further to somebody else's. Our Lord let's take the flip-flop side perfect. What is David was wantonly going to this battle to attack the Philistines and protects all you got a kind of a different lesson but there's a lesson. Even then, what's that God and wanting to protect Saul God and wanting to help him go to say no and I got helps all the stuff you made help them out of a lot of jams may have thought a lot about us form #4 Nissen. For those of you in leadership or in ministry. Here's a tough there some fights.

God doesn't want you to fight our benevolence team is kind of one of those situations because they have a heart for the Lord. Everybody that ever comes in with a problem they want to blossom financially. Problem is, that's not what God wants to do. A lot of times, so I might come in from just years of making bad decisions and simply handed some money so money is not a fixed what we want to do and what we want to help them do was just to learn to make better decisions so they don't find themselves repeatedly back in the that's a difficult place to be because you know some people come in late, they get attitudes all go to Google your group known all this different stuff but you better believe that these people may God what he wants to do with the situation. It's not always the thing to do to jump in and rescue somebody David, I think might have been willing to jump in the rescue saw it were going that way but got to not rescue letting be maybe many situations in your life or you thought somebody else to the rescued. Maybe learn the wrong lesson maybe should be asking yourself how you wound up in a position to begin.

I'm not trying to be harsh or hard but were all living and learning a lot of times God puts us in a place where were supposed to learn through the hard lessons. And if you've been here more than what you know my heart. We've got closet place to give close to people we got a hold food pantry to give food we give literally thousands and thousands of dollars every year to help people make their expense, but obviously we have to prayerfully consider who we do that we don't so just like it may have been a David's heart. The rescue saw I was in God's point that was not God's plan and this is a tough one. I mean, it is a tough one in ministry. Verse nine, the nation's answered and said to David, I know that you are as good in my side as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the princes of the Philistines of said you shall not go up with us.

The battle now therefore arise early in the morning with your master servants who have come with you and as soon as you are up early in the morning and have light the part God's given name, and now David was in a very difficult situation here.

These guys have been hanging out. He's been hanging out with percent. What were going to fight the people that you actually belong with and David has a situation where he is being thrown into this battle and it would seem at first glance that either has to be fighting against his friends fighting for his friends against an army that is weighed out way outnumbering and destined for defeat. But God gives them a and and it looks like David is trying to not take God's out, mentally fight off light up in good guesses that no God gives them that he's got to take his out the understanding I will give you an out sometimes and sometimes I look at my life.

I realize that he gave me an outside intake and then I ended up doing some stupid and cause much brought why because I didn't take God's out when he provided how many times have you done something in your life right before you got ready to do that you thought I should do this and you did it anyway. Some bad happened God is giving you your out you didn't take life lesson here follow the leading of the Lord, follow the leading of the Lord. Obviously David didn't agree with the leading of the Lord in this chapter you want to stay on the fight either want to fight with Saul. He won the fight against all our against all but he will define guesses know you're not fighting this ref like I got something else really were to find out in the next chapter why God didn't want him to fight. David didn't understand that just now I was in for David understand I was trying to lead him. Thank you for listening to David McGee with cross the bridge ministries. David's heart is to help you beyond a radio program.

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During these difficult times. Now back to David McGee Street, verse 11 door to talk about this for a few minutes. Verse 11 says so Dave and his men rose early to depart in the morning to return to the land of the Philistines and the Philistines went up to Jezreel. The thing that we can all take away from this chapter is understand.

I was keeping God.

God is a leading God and God will lead us as we follow him.

God will give us an out situations and maybe sending a lot of how can God lead me. How can God speak to me speak to you in a lot of ways, but Romans chapter 12 verses one to tell us the plan God's plan for leading us and says this and so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will accept when you think of what he has done for you. Is this too much to ask. Verse two is very important.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world. Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

Then you will know what God wants you to do and you will know how good wheezing and perfect. This will really see the steps God says you know what change the way you think the Greek there for transform is metamorphosed where we get our word for metamorphosis letting change and here's the thing you sent in here tonight you think you don't need change yet from God wants to change and I know when you hear that some of you go.

I'm good unchanged change enough does not finish does not finish with, he's going to continue to change continue to change the way you think. Continue to change the way you act to change the way you even feel about people, about things I heard something last week. I love movies, especially old movies and yeah the amen they just they tug on your heartstrings delimits question do you cry over movies more than you cry over the loss people in the world, then God was a change what you think it was to change the way you feel about everything about loving about serving about giving, about God, about people.

He was a change at all. He wants to transform you is what this verse said CNN. I guess for us to grab a hold of this we have to recognize that were not completely changed already understand if you're in here tonight.

Eve asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins positionally you are completely forgive K, but in your life you have to grow along and walk in the these things that I'm talking about to be changed. Even Paul incredible godly spiritual leader that he was.

He said these things in Philippians chapter 3 pieces I don't mean to say that I'm very achieve those things. These things are that I've already reached perfection but I keep working towards that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus save me for and wants me to be no dear brothers and sisters. I'm still not all not all. I should be, but I'm focusing all my energies on this one thing forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I strained to reach the end of the race receive the prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us up to heaven. God wants to change the good news. The good news is he's willing to change. He's willing to make this transaction with you where he takes your life and he gives you his life who ends up on the short end of the stick without God does, but he's willing to do it you will and take our lives it all wrapped about ourselves and wrapped about materialism wrapped about these things.

He's willing to change us into loving him in love and other people more but he got me will that's all he asked it and ask that you come with credentials or credits are doing this or doing that, he says just come to me and I'll do it. You gotta come to me.

The last lifeless, allow the Lord to change you in the way you think, allow the Lord to change you in the way thing. There's no there's people in here that are going to things I don't understand right. Some of you are going to things that possibly very painful.

Maybe some of you are thinking that God is not leading you guys not speaking to you, but you're wrong. God love God wants to lead you and God will keep even friends even of right now you're in a messed up place of your own choosing God still wants the Legion he still will protect you from yourself even of your from your own decisions sometimes from the consequences of your actions. See why you're churning and why you're anxious you're not honoring God you're not trusting God is somehow you think it's all up to you friends not all up to you. You got heavenly father. He wants to lead you. He wants to speak to and if you're churning and if you're anxious you know what I know, I know you not trusting even in the middle of bad circumstances, you can trust.

You can trust that somehow God is orchestrate and organizing this whole thing was going to be for your spiritual benefit. Your spiritual good and you can trust, not just when you understand what's going on but never circumstance in every relationship are you trust some of you will you know the answer right Lord, you tell us in the book of Proverbs, which is a book that has a lot of wisdom with you tell us in that book that we need to trust in you, with all our heart, and more than you give us a second part of it and you tell us not to lean, to our own understanding our own perception of events where there's people in here tonight that are wondering where you are in their life there thinking that you're not leading them. Lord, give us ears to hear.

More importantly, give us hearts to listen and help us to trust you learning good times. It's really easy to trust.

But in difficult times and bad times and painful times is when it really shows whether we trust you, or whether we don't Lord you lead us Lord even as you lead David when he was in the camp of the enemy probably running from. You probably backslid you still lead him and you still protected them from himself. Lord I know that there's people in this room have not been trust in you and they can make the decision to begin trust in you. Now, Lord Lake there walking around with the weight of the world on their shoulders, thinking they've got six situations and circumstances and people in their life. Lord you're trying to speak to them going, you're telling on the night that you want to lead them through this that you want to guide them gently through these tough times when I'm so thankful that when tough times come you don't turn your back on us when we make bad decisions. You don't walk away from. Thank you for that Lord want you to ask yourself the hard questions. Are you really trust in the Lord, or perhaps tonight you come face-to-face with the fact that you're not manufacturer anxiety or your depression nor these things are indicators that you're not trust you can make the decision trust in tonight and let me promise you he is trust worthy out of everything in your life, your life experiences a book or dock or medications or anything like that thing that is the most trustworthy is God. Tonight I ask you to put your hand in his hand in the trust that he knows what he's doing and he's going to lead you daily. Ultimately he's going to lead you home. Thank you Lord, thank you that we can trust you, Lord, we may have been disappointed and hurt by people buy things by circumstances we may have been deceived by our own emotion or what we thought to be true Lord tonight. We can trust you.

We can place our wounded hand, wounded hearts in your hand. Lord we can bring you are messed up lives are shattered during we can trust you Lord and you will direct you will guide you will heal. You will show yourself strong on our behalf Lord and I know that for some men here, you've been waiting for this moment, God, you have been waiting for them to look you that you would lead them and lead them you will. Lord help us to trust in you in good times and bad times lean times enriched, may we learn to trust in you more than our circumstances more than our situation, may we trust in May we trust in you for salvation. May we trust in you for forgiveness. May you. May we trust in you to intervene in our life. We must like a good daddy. Thank you Lord help us to trust without reservation and not leaning to her own understand friend, you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. 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. Jesus said he would not turn anybody away who comes to him and he came for those people who knew they needed forgiveness. Those who were sick, not the righteous to 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.

And as you step out on faith and give a gift to cross the bridge today 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 wake up perfectly past world of God's life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a fault to meditate on your day heart. And it's easy. It's free to sign up today on crossed the bridge.com folks. Thanks for listening into the next time. As David McKee continues teaching verse by verse. First Samuel