1 Samuel Chapter 30:1-31

David and I had promises from God that he was normal in Israel. Could he see the promises from where he was.

It was hard and maybe tonight it's kind of hard for you to believe the promises of God.

David in the book is one chapter away from ending his wandering will no longer be this man wandering around the desert is about to be installed as a leader later as King. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. Today, one of David Mickey's assisting pastors is with us to help us as we continue going through first Samuel chapter 30 welcome Bob, great to be here with you today. Looking forward to the close of this chapter and all that God will say to each other's think about that stone way maker promise keeper light in the darkness. Our God is an awesome God's promise keeper Pastor David to be sharing about that today about knowing that God is going to his promise and sometimes deal with were going through a tough time. That's all we can hold onto just knowing God said something sponsor.

He is faithful even when were fatalistic. Let's hear from Pastor David today closes out first Samuel chapter 30 teaching verse by verse. First Samuel is to a large part about David and Saul, but not in that order. Saul and David. Saul was a king who continued not to trust God continue not to be really obedient to God over a long period of time began to suffer from those bad decisions and we seen David and David made his share of bad decisions, but we see a heart that soft towards God willing to come back to God that when we were looking at chapter 29 what we saw is David who had made his camp.

When the enemy of you. It was now live in and staying with the Philistines and fool them into thinking he was on their side. He was planning on joining their battle with the Israelites and as we saw in chapter 29 the Philistines that will, we don't want you in this battle and so they said you can't be in this battle. And so David is left out of that battle we talked about how that was the hand of the Lord. And so David, after being rejected by the Philistines of going in the battle against the Israelites.

Now he's getting ready to turn back to his home and that's where we pick it up in first Samuel chapter 30 start with verse one.

Now it happened when David and his men came as a clack on the third day that the Amalekites had invaded the South and sick like ataxic lag and burned it with fire and taken captive.

The women and those who were there from smaller great. They did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came to the city and there was burned with fire, and their wives are sons and daughters have been taken captive.

Then Dave and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to week and David's two wives and a non-adjuster lightest and Abigail the widow of Nepal, the Carmelite had been taken captive that David was greatly distressed for the people spoke of stoning because the soul of all the people was grieved every man for his sons and his daughters, but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God. Then David said that before the priest Ahimelech son. Please bring the e-file here to me before broadleaf on to David so David inquired of the Lord same shall not pursue this troop shall overtake them and answered him pursue for you shall surely overtake him without fail. Recover all verse nine. So David went he and the 600 men who were with them and came to the brook. The sore were those state who were left behind, but David pursue. He and 400 men for 200 staying behind who were so worried that they could not cross the brook.

The sore then they found in Egyptian in the field and brought them to Dave and they gave them bread and the eight men let them drink water in the game a piece of cake of fags into clusters of raisins. So when he and Eaton history came back to free no bread nor drink water for three days and three nights in verse 13.

Then David said them.

To whom do you belong and where you from and he said I am a young man from Egypt servant of an Amalekite in the master left me behind because three days ago I fell sick. Verse 14, we made an invasion of the southern area of the parasites in the territory which belongs to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb and we burn is a clack with fire. And David said to him, can you take me down to this troop so he said swear to me by God that you will neither kill me nor deliver me in the hands of my master now will take you down of this troop and when you brought them down there. They were spread out all over the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spool which they taken from the land of the Philistines, and from the land of Judah then noticed something. Look at who the Amalekites were attacking talked about the distraction thing they were attacking the land of Judah. The men of Israel who were engaged getting ready and then this battle they were attacking in the land of the Philistines.

The Philistines also engaged in this battle against the Israelites and they hit zinc lag where David and his men were because they were also preoccupied with this battle yet understand something here. The enemy will attack the home front. He will attack the home front. And if you're thinking that if you servant for you know are actually maybe when called in the ministry at some point. There's this holy halo and hedge becomes about your home.

That's not exactly true. God will always always protect you but what I've learned is that there is a expectation from God to look after the home front and the enemy is starlight and up as you serve God more. The enemy doesn't why not. He comes on heavier and heavier because now you're more and more of a threat you see is only here are a few potato you not really do anything you come in here you hear the teaching you leave may give a little bit. Maybe you don't. You're not really a threat to the enemy line because your friends and your families and your coworkers will be honest they probably don't take your faith really seriously because you're not living out what you say you believe, but the moment you begin to live out what you say you believe you become a threat to the enemy and lo and behold as you serve people and give your life away you become more and more of a threat to the enemy in your life will make a huge difference in reality is enemy will be upset to be sure again that you're fighting on the right fronts in your directing your energies in the right battles over 17 says, then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day and not a man of them escaped except for hundred young men who rode on camels and fled as is interesting once you listen only people escaping 400 young men how many people were there were a bunch of people. How many people today would have 400 but this fighting force of David was so powerful and it was like an army now. They started out as a bunch of ragtag rejects, but now God was using him an incredible way and he's going to continue doing using an incredible way and see this is the thing God's spirit can take a group of people and through his spirit and through training, turn them into incredible fighting force and this is what you see in this verse now in this verse is also what you see in the New Testament. There's a beautiful verse Zechariah chapter 4 verse six says so he answered and said to me this is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, says the Lord of host. She wanted to look as well. I can't. Maybe you can't. But God can maybe look at a situation while I'm not able maybe you're not able. But God is always a will maybe look a situation will that's impossible, what with you.

It is impossible but with God all things are possible. I think the New Testament think the 12 disciples of Jesus 11 after juice left and he told them he was going to use them to tell the whole world not be told in this in the day where there was no Internet.

There was no radio, no television, there were no cars there were no planes. There were no trains any city or interracial for an incredible thing and yet God using those 11 misfits and outcast.

We know that because the other religious people or had rabbis that they were following Jesus told them to follow him. They were following anybody else really. Maybe a couple of John the Baptist, but look what Jesus did with them. He gave them this challenge. Matthew 2816. This is then the 11 disciples went away in the Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. Even at this moment. Interesting. Verse 18 and Jesus came and spoke to them sent all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. What a challenge baptizing in the name of father and of the son of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you in law with you always, even to the end of the agent men while anything about.

They looked around they saw a doubter denier couple brothers were very interested in the power structure in attaining power, former tax collector probably lied and cheated people in Jesus with drums on Army people to change the world. Jesus looked at those 11 people. I wonder what God's going to do.

The people that are here now God desires to use us to turn the world right side up. The only thing that can stop us well as you if you refuse to engage. If you refuse to follow the Lord of you won't step up and allow the Lord to lead in your life and you can actually prevent the power of God for making a part of what's going on in your sins can't your past can't your imperfections can't only her unwillingness to follow him and to engage and be a part of David was willing to follow any had victories and he made some mistakes and what an incredible line file. Why because he was willing to engage in follow the Lord's will encourage you to do the same. Thank you for listening to David McGee with cross the bridge ministries.

David's heart is to help you beyond our radio program 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.

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Now back to David McGee verse 18 said David recovered all that the Amalekites occurred away and David rescued us to life's to wife for its interesting let's look back at verse eight.

When others are speaking to David that second part of her status is pursue for you shall surely overtake them, and without fail. Recover all else, reverse 18 to get to David recovered all got told God promised God delivered in Truscott gives us a lot of promises inherent I'm parsing the fruition of a lot of, but he gives us another promises to Joe chapter 2 verse 25 says this and I will restore to you the years at the Locust has eaten the canker worm in the Caterpillar and the Palmer were my great army which I sent among you.

I will restore to you the years is an interesting concept, and I've seen God do healings and people's bodies and in their minds any is burned out and spun out on drugs and yet God restores their mind and it tells us we should be heavenly minded. We should be heavenly minded because the thing that David heard from God. He says okay I'm going to go do that. And God did exactly what he said because David did what God told him to do as we do the things that God tells us to do. Guess what God will do exactly as he's told us to do some other things. Matthew chapter 6 verse 19 he says it. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal the land for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Store up the treasures in heaven, saying, you know that's frequently quoted is you can't take it with you when when you go will, according to this verse you can send it on ahead of me that's what it say, and as God tells you to do something and you do it, guess what God always keeps his promises. In this verse. He says don't start treasures here lay up treasures in heaven, and rust will destroy we need to remember that we need to remember to trust God in this when were prioritized on what God has told us to do. There's really no way that we can lose because even when we lose we went in, and here's what I mean by that, if God tells you to do something and you do it to the best of your ability and it doesn't work out, the results are up to God and so you still have reward in heaven. But if you don't do it then you don't have reward now you do it because awesome.

Guess what you are blessed and and though the Lord is is pouring out himself upon it. Here's a life lesson. If you are heavenly minded, you cannot lose.

If you are heavenly minded, you cannot lose.

I read the whole book, and we we win in the in Seaview. Still, if you serve God, your startup rewards if you give the God store up treasures. If you're not given to God and serving God one day you'll lose everything that you think you will go what the Bible says even if there is one in 10 chance that what I just told her is true, it would be unwise for you… But here's a reality.

You know what everyone else at some point will say goodbye to this life. Are you ready you really thought about heaven and serving the Lord given to the Lord storing up the stressors or do you try not to think about this something you need to consider because this day is coming, the life lesson here from trusting God. Looking at verse eight. God says you're going to get it all back. He gets it all back.

Life lesson God keeps his promises. God keeps his promises was look at verse 19 says nothing of theirs was lacking either small or great sons or daughters or anything which they taken from them.

David recovered all recovered all just like had been predicted. Verse 20 then David took all the flocks and herds that are driven before those other livestock is that this is David's full lose David's reward door and see what he does with verse 21 that David came to the 200 men who had been so weary that they could not follow David and they also had made to stay at the Brooks resort so they went out to meet David to meet the people who were with them when David came near the people he greeted them. Verse 22. Then all the wicked, worthless men, but those who went with David answered and said, because they did not go with us.

We will not give them any other small that we have recovered except for Everyman's wife and children that they may lead them away in the park so these guys are saying you don't get anything they're willing to give their wife and their kids back now. I guess there is very tenderhearted left with but that's it.

Now I want you to notice what doesn't happen. David doesn't go okay guys, let's take a vote to see how you want to do this the David's of a godly leader and God has granted David the authority over the group and David is to hear from God on what to do and how to do it and so rather than take a vote which probably would've gone well. David did what he felt God would have them to do.

Let's see what happens. Verse 23, but David said my brother you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us who has preserved us and delivered into our hand.

The troop became against us for who will heed you in this matter, but as his part is he who goes down to the battle so show his part B who stays by the supplies they shall share alike.

The rewards were shared between the people. Now that's not to say those people who did nothing shared in the rewards, but those who did something and perhaps is a little bit different.

I hope that you never look at the ministry and thought as people come forward. People get saved and people rededicate their life.

Hope you never thought today means really store up a lot of rewards of their hope you haven't thought that because there's a reality.

If you serve here. If you give him. If you put yourself on prayer for the church for me for the teaching you will share in all of the rewards that happen.

This is, it's a team effort it takes a lot of people to pull off a servicer and so all the people that are working together get to save in the reward will share in the fruit and that's awesome. Every time somebody gets say that's not just win for Jesus, that's a win for us as a team, because the reality of the parking lot guys had not done their job, never got up the back and the greeters had not greeted well, they will they will not had a listening heart in this place is you know the media team had mistakes and miscues of people be so distracted they can even here when I got to limitation, the children's ministry acted like they didn't care about the kids than they wouldst be set in their people be sent in your word about the consultant but when we all work together. People come the Lord we all share in the reward we all help to bring somebody to the Lord weathers the given Sharon serving a print will surely gather verse 25. So it was from that day forward he made a statute and ordinance for Israel to this day. Now when David came to zig Lackey since some of the small to the elders of Judah to his friend sent here is a present for you from the small, the enemies of the Lord. And so here we see that the leaders in the elders of surrounding comp countries or cities also shared the blessings and then it talks about who those are verse 27 to those who were in Bethel.

Those were who were in room off of the cell. Those who were injured here. Those who were in Aurora.

Those who were in ship moth.

Those who were in Estonia. Those who were in help those who were in the cities of Durham believe this me like those who were in the cities of the Kenite's those who were in her father's who were in Korsh.

Those who were and talk. Those who were and he brought into all the places were David himself and his men were custom to row sauce in chapter David and I had promises from God that he was going to rule in his room. Could he see the promises from where he was. It was hard it was hard he had to believe the promises and maybe tonight it's kinda hard for you to believe the promises of God.

Maybe it's hard for you to think you're going to make it through all this and wind up in heaven.

Maybe it's hard to see from where you are right now friend, but I asked that you would see it.

David in the book is one chapter away from ending his wanderings will no longer be this man wandering around the desert. He's about to be installed as a leader later as King and I think part of David. At this moment could see that they, friend, that's important that you see that they, it's important that you understand that one day according to this book. If you believe in Jesus you will receive a heavenly reward and the days on the earth get to decide exactly what that reward is. So I suggest that you live for him and understand that that they really is coming you ever been camping and roughing it in a 10 you know you're out there and you don't get the baby like you should. You don't have your different hygiene products like your use to your coffee maker or whatever you know then you're you're sleeping on the ground and it's Rawson.

All these things will you know what that's what life really is now to certain degree, but at some point in the camping trip. Everything all that is over and he gets back up he had to go home and your comfortable bed when they were packing up camping trip. So our wilderness wanderings will come to an end between now and then were going to have our enemies were going to have a child would have our fears but we should have our faith and a sense of much friend. What happens to, but how you handle what happens to your tragedies. Sorry to say that you have tribulations. Jesus told us, but even been overcome, or are you let these things derail you and preoccupy you and receive an incredible amount of focus in your life. You see at the end of all this. I know some people that they look like they live. These charmed lives. This charmed life coming to an end and for similars people out. I'm concerned what happens on that day because at some point. This life does end and our wilderness pilgrimage through this time and these days and these laces are over, and in that moment will be either forgiven of all and rewarded for what we've done you will be trying to explain why you didn't do that much or worse, why he never asked the Lord to forgive you of your sin. We have in this book the lives of David and Saul to men to tragedies to see two very different endings. Next chapter were going to be actually ending. The story of Saul Masco question went to the ending of David, but let me assure you, it's a far better and glorious one Saul or David. Seems we read these. Honestly, I see part of myself and Saul as he part myself and David all my heart wants to be David but sometimes I'm not sometimes more like Saul friend. No wonder in this moment. If you be honest enough to admit that say I want to be more like David and not David. In the beginning of the chapter where his ear is running his wife with Dave in the last part of that chapter worse thing is overriding is fear. Romans chapter 8 tells us this. All things are more than conquerors. There's nothing that can separate us from the love of God, who shall I fear God before me who can be against friend take the step of faith. Friend, you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own 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 if 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 with 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've handpicked 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 Staley's day wake up perfectly past work of God's life lessons to consider a daily reading plant in the fall to meditate on your day heart.

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

First Samuel