1 Samuel Chapter 23:1-29

Look at the children of Israel came out of Egypt. They had the Red Sea at the back. They had mountains on both sides, and they have the Egyptian army were the most powerful military forces of the day in the world bearing down on him. They had nowhere to go for.

So they thought.

What happened what God did some very unusual God split the Red Sea so that they could walk through welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina three have one of David McGee's assisting pastors deal with this industrial talks about teaching today about peanut all through the Scriptures we see God coming through different people's lives. Remember the Bible itself is a record book, and so we see God coming through. Even in difficult circumstances. Wondering if we lived that way believing that God is going to keep his promises. And that is going to come forth. How do you know well I take what instead of me telling you how about we allow Pastor David T2 for same .3 and let the Scriptures show us how God comes through not just in this section of Scripture, but even in our lives is also McGee verse by verse.

Turn with me to first Samuel chapter 23, so we thought herself looking to line at the life of David and at this point David has been anointed as King, but Saul is still the acting King and Saul has continued to reveal serious flaws in his character, serious flaws in his leadership and he's trying to kill David and David has never done anything but serve sauce faithfully since interesting as we look at David's response to these things that are going on and last chapter, we saw that one of the towns that David hit out with and Saul found out about it. Went and killed all the trees that were in that town so Saul is really really beginning to lose it.

And that brings us to first Samuel chapter 23 verse one says they told David St. what the Philistines are fighting against keylock and they are robbing the threshing floors. Therefore David inquired of the Lord, saying, shall I go and attack these Philistines. I want you to notice and really see a pattern in this chapter starts with this verse, the Philistines are fighting against keylock others are Israelites and they are stealing their food. Now you would think that David would look at the situation okay was a no-brainer.

I need to go and mean my 600 guys and we need to attack the Philistines that ripping off the Israelites your keylock but that's not what he did since he inquired of the Lord. He stopped and asked didn't assume anything. I think the I think we need to be more like David think a lot of times we look at some situation.

No-brainer. Knowing that you still need applause and asked the Lord, Lord, what he want me do the situation.

Do you understand that God wants to be intricately and intimately involved in your life. Verse three David's men said to him, look, we are afraid here in Judah. How much more then we go to kill against the armies of the Philistines and David inquired of the Lord once again and the Lord answered him and said, arise, go down the clock for I will deliver the Philistines into your hand, and David and his men went to collage and follow the Philistines struck them with a mighty blow and took away their livestock to David saying the inhabitants of collage that happened when habits are the son of Ahimelech fled the David accolade that he went down with and e-filed in his hand when Saul was told that David had gone the collage so Saul said God has delivered him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering the town as gates, and bars. Then Saul called all the people together for to go down the collapse of the siege. David and his men would David knew that Saul plotted evil against him.

He said that before the priest bring the e-file here and then David said, oh Lord God of Israel, your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to collage to destroy the city for my sake will the men of God deliver me into his hand. Will Saul come down as your servant is heard the Lord God of Israel, pray tell, your servant, and the Lord said he will come down. Then David said, will the men of God delivered me and my man into the hands of Saul, the Lord said they will deliver you. Verse 13 to David and his men about 600 arose and departed from clock and went wherever they could go and was told Saul that David had escaped from glossary halted the expedition and David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness and remained in the mountains and the wilderness.

Is this Saul saw him every day.

But God did not deliver him into his hand, sees out in the desert now verse 15 to David Saul that Saul had come out to seek his life and David was in the wilderness is in a forest. Then Jonathan Saul son arose and went to David in the woods and strengthened his hand in God want you to notice that phrase strengthened his hand in God. Verse 17 and he said to him, do not fear for the hand of Saul. My father shall not find it.

You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you.

Even my Saul.

Even my father Saul knows that Jonathan is mostly right here in the David will be king Saul will not harm him. Although Jonathan will not be next to him in his room. Again we see this is the last time we'll see Jonathan and David speak but what an awesome man, Jonathan S.

You understand this man was in line to be king, but somehow because of his relationship with the Lord.

He was content with David being king. A lot of times we want this position or that position when we should ask the Lord, Lord, where do you want me Lord what he want me to be doing. Jonathan, who had every right to say no I'm there to be king David, this is you can't be king say no David, I recognize God want you to be king.

And I'm not understand the way of what God desires. See and it's interesting specially when you contrast Jonathan and Saul here Saul. Saul knows David is going to be king. And he's fighting God's will, with every fiber of his being and he is being made miserable in the process. Fought against the will of God no later it's a miserable thing I have in that when the silliest things you can do the coming short in the freight take out the will will the will of your fighting against God that you think you know when that one pretty things in the tire out first. Don't fight against the will of God. Jonathan finds them in this place. Notice what Jonathan dies he doesn't play in two sympathy David. That's important for ministries actually because there are times when you will be tempted to give somebody sympathy when you need to give them lovingly.

The truth and encourage them in the Lord strengthen their hand in God.

Like it says in verse 16. Life lesson here. We should encourage one another in the Lord. We should encourage one another in the Lord lately. We talked about servant yet. Once you step on you begin to serve the Lord there.

There is opposition.

There also and you know, family members and people. While you go servant why got me what you got go early like daylight and people he there's resistance there and and you need to be encouraged in the Lord why because anytime you step out to do some for God there's going to be opposition is just spiritual battles right and what Jonathan is saying the David. It reminds me of John the Baptist and Jesus went to John the Baptist. They suggest, and John had this also ministries a lot of people coming to my people hear and speak baptize a lot of people. Also in the sky. Jesus comes on the same now also and more people are following him beliefs of all job following Jesus or someone John's followers came to John.

John going after this Jesus. John's answer to credit John 330.

He simply says he must increase but I must decrease.

He must increase, I must decrease. You realize that was atrocious to be doing with the Lord. The Lord is was to be increasing in our life as we are decreasing otherwise interesting when you come to the Lord and you ask him to forgive you of your sins, you begin a lifelong journey of letting God direct your life that no more 82 you are you to assume and you take control of your life. I thank you for saving. Thank you for forgiving me on data Vermeer guzzling man herein for truck is God wants to direct our life as well. Verse 18.

So the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David stayed in the woods and Jonathan went to his own house, then zip fights came up sought to be a saint is David not hiding with us in strongholds in the woods in the hills of Chowchilla which is on the South suggestion on most of the Judean wilderness was simply desert the words there were some forcing their during that time. In verse 20 now therefore can come down according to all the desire of your soul to come down in our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand and it is just he's got these enemies on every side. Now people are seeking out Saul underwear is alternate and they're doing this because they want to get on Saul's good side against problem is there serve in their own king. There serve in their own king. The understand Bible says that we've got a choice about who we serve.

Bob Dylan wrote a song years ago and said it, it might be the Lord, or it might be the devil but you gotta serve somebody. Everybody in here servant some ureter serving God or perhaps the devil or perhaps yourself. But there's a decision you have to make a few you're going to serve. We should serve the Lord, why because he's a wise and these are just king is King of Kings and is Lord of lords.

Review verse 20 now therefore can come down according all the desire of your soul to come down in our part shall be delivered him into the king's hand. Saul said blessed are you of the Lord, for you have compassion on me is a fearsome aerosol using the name of God again. Should he beat no oh, blessed are you of the Lord, you slot me betraying person. Bless God for the religious it sounds.

Many of us can talk the talk. Can we walk the walk. We speak our own language Christian these is what I call don't speak Christian age when you're on the world because the world got no idea what you talking about how you doing all I've been saying sanctified and washed by the blood of the Lamb. They have no idea what you just said they will walk away God. Yeah, that.

Be careful its use English when you're speaking this to my not the Christian reason. And Saul is hiring some notice he slipped it for you got compassion on me. Saul's barely but he's very self-centered and he you are thinking of me you had compassion on me. It's all about me. It sounds like he saying the right thing.

Blessed are you of the Lord. Her mother extort this just got gives us church and shows up in genes and issues to auction advice, looking at it you know and after the service of after goes you know Wernicke's army pestering the biosensor.even all the women were not so so you know what you really need to pray about any NASA Lord what he thinks you outerwear when you come and goes all okay guy shows up next week he's in genes and issues again. Patrick Outlook setting, thereby also the congregation looks at him just to get to speak in that week, but didn't actually think I should set jeans and tennis shoes T-shirt again because I told him I got asked to get this. Gotta get he's insert I ask you if you would ask the Lord what you should be wearing when you come to this house of the Lord, did you pray about that. Like I said, yeah, and he said what did the Lord say patient will the Lord told me he didn't know what to wear here because he never been married. She sounded good and what the guy was thing you need to have should wear here in the house of the Lord with it wasn't the real deal. Thank you for listening to David McGee with cross the bridge ministries.

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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 verse 22. Please go to find out for sure and see the place where his hideout is and who has seen them there for I am told he is very crafty. See, therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hasn't come back to me with certainty and I will go with you and it shall be if he is in the land that I will search for them throughout all the clans of Judah, so there arose and went to Ziff before Saul with David and his men were in the wilderness of Mayon and the plane on the South suggestion about so they keep moving the Movement when Saul and his men went to seeking they told David. Therefore, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Mayon when Saul heard that he pursued David in the wilderness of Mayon sentencing. Saul's army is pursuing David's band of men were 26 then Saul went on one side of the mountain. David and his men on the other side of the mountain should David made haste to get away from Saul for Saul and his men were encircling David and his men to take.

Saul had a lot of men thousands. They had David surrounded and yet knowing what we know about David at this point I don't think David ever got freaked out, even when he was surrounded.

He looked around he thought was okay. Not sure what happened but sums he knew God would deliver verse 27, but a messenger came to Saul saying her income for the Philistines of invaded the land. You have to understand something God will allow you to get positions in your life that you can't get out of that may rock the boat of some your theology, but that's okay. Look at the children of Israel came out of Egypt. They had the Red Sea at the back. They had mountains on both sides, and they have the Egyptian army were the most powerful military forces of the day in the world bearing down on they had nowhere to go. Or so they thought. What happened what God did some very unusual God split the Red Sea so that they could walk through Adam heard the liberal theologians go well the Red Sea at that where they were. It was just the wind that blew in and and that the Red Sea was only about 2 inches deep where they were well then I guess the miracle is that the whole Egyptian army grounded 2 inches of water there is a miracle in there somewhere, but God gave them a way out. You have to understand God will always give you a way out even when you look around and you can't see something about the change. Life lesson here. The Lord will always come through. The Lord will all ways come through. I learned to what I learned so much in on the road traveling and doing music and teaching is one of the things it would. We were booked way in advance with it was things will we just trusted God and even as the minister grew and was working with a Christian music labeled all the sick week. We still it was about faith thing in the world were usually contracts got exchanged in. You know people and and some of the larger churches in late all okay, what's the feet, well it we don't will have okay what your expectations will will we need a number will and you pray about God giving them will know we need you to give us a number.

While I'm not to give you but God gave you number just asking. I had a couple people got get frustrated when they had to go back to that ministering to the pray about. But what I learned is that I could trust God.

Now here's the thing only be honest in doing that and Pastor Chuck told me he said you mean that you understand people take advantage of. So yeah not doing it for them doing for God. And whenever they do little, just remind me of doing for God enough.

There were times when I have to be honest out on the road stuff I would get freaked out because I needed to plus to be five and sometimes I would get anxious and every time God would come through every time not mostly every time limitation of what happened over time as I would get anxious and then God would come through and I would feel so silly when God came through bill will go because all you come through and got be automated was open was a week open-air David never forget story. Pastor Chuck tells he was by vocationally working occurs during the ministry really having a hard time and he was moping around the house one day. Think about walking away from ministry friend has called you Pastor Chuck that God was just laying on my heart to send you some in the mail was a certain amount that was exact amount they needed phonies like all praise the Lord thank you Jesus, thank you. He's dancing Allison Lord that still small voice away not all praise God this brother colonies. They don't meet my need Lord said Pastor Chuck will pay no you don't send Lord, don't say that. He said he was known as rabbit okay so Jack what I promise to meet your major walking around the house morning and got get out the ministry, but a man cautious and he's going to meet your need and also in your dancing mixing in it and take good care of us. Sometimes the circumstances that don't look like that. But God will always come through.

God will always take good care of us and wanted to see something verse 28 therefore Saul returned from pursuing David and went against the Philistines, so they call that place the rock of escape.

David was delivered without ever thrown a spirit Saul. He could've thrown the spear.

What happens when you throw spears us sometime ginger people around you probably the worst thing that can happen is you can become like those who were chasing can end up like them in verse 29 then David went up from there and welcome strongholds adding Getty Ellen Gandy is an interesting place and I'm been there we've taken some of the trips we go buying get. It's a place right on the Dead Sea's incredible place freshwater springs want to set the pictures for David had been in the Judean wilderness hard for us in North Carolina without in 45, 50, 55 inches of rain a year less vegetation. It's hard for us to understand what a Judean wilderness looks like in many places in all these nooks and crannies. The desert, but David was being brought through a process and healing in the desert. Even in these places.

He was trusting God as a matter fact it was in those desert where his faith was built to be strong faith to know even in those moments that God was going to come why my saying this because I know some of you are in a desert and I know that's a hard place, but it can also be a place where your faith really grows and you can trust God in spite of their circumstances because friend of theirs. One thing that I've learned. You can always trust God much more than you can trust your circumstance but you have to make a decision to God wants to bring you to that place and create a thirst for him in your life.

And then when he brings you to that place liking Gandy you'll be blessed and you'll know how much your blessed his ears and getting that's in the middle of the desert.

It's an incredible place to come apart because there's all this lush vegetation and all these animals in the stream flows down the hill towards the Dead Sea and there's all these animals in vegetation and there's all these caves around their is a beautiful place and is probably in this place that David wrote the Psalm where he says you know what my heart and soul first. After you Lord is in in a desert and a dry place those times in the desert make you thirsty, they make you thirsty for the Lord friend that's a good thing.

I've been in the desert. It's a hard place, but God wants to do work in your life, and he wants to bring you to the Gatti's of your life in and see here's the thing.

Don't bail out the desert. I wish I could stand up here and get well. There's never going to be any deserts for any of us another.

There will be deserts for each and every one of us.

I know that's hard to hear but I can promise each and every person in here that there will also be in Gatti's the stream is found in May God leads you to the in Gatti's in your life as you follow him to the desert 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.

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 bring 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 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.

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