1 Samuel Chapter 22:1-23

While you're blaming somebody else you can refit I was alcoholic because of this happen or I was involved with drugs because of that you're still not taken responsibility for your actions not taken responsibly for action.

You can't ask God to forgive you. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee Senior Pastor of the bridge in Kernersville.

Most lineup today. David McGee is teaching verse by verse through first Samuel chapter 22. We also have an studio with us is assisting pastors you welcome hi Bob, it is good to be here with you today as were closing out first Samuel chapter 22. Pastor David really just challenge us to, you know what Bob just apologized if you're wrong, I know we can sometimes get into a situation where we don't think it's our fault. We have a hard time apologizing and I heard someone say if you're just one person.

The fall still wrong still should apologize.

A lot of times that opens it up for the other person to accept responsibility when we focus on what is good. Take responsibility for own actions only mess up, apologized, and continued moving in a relationship with others. That sounds almost like a lifeless Christmas and as the shares verse by verse finishing up first Samuel chapter 20. So tonight we are in first Samuel chapter 22 what's going on here is David has been anointed as King, but Saul has not yet been removed as King Saul is still kind of a usurper that's in charge and David at this point is on the run. He is a well King kind of been hiding that at some point in the future will reign and rule and weakness, even in that picture of Jesus to right now is a a king who is he's in the picture.

He is active on planet Earth, but right now, obviously Satan has a lot of stuff going on on the planet. But at some point in the future. Praise God, we can look forward to the fact that Jesus Christ will be ruling and reigning Celeste pray Lord we thank you, thank you for this book is so much more words written on the page. Gordon, we ask that you take these words in these letters and that you would write on our hearts tonight.

Lord, you know where each and every person here is with her relationship with you. I just ask that you would do a work in and amongst us tonight.

Lord, we know that you desire to teach us lovingly, patiently, kindly we just asked the you would make us willing to learn from you or Nancy would open our hearts to your word and open your words our hearts in Jesus name, amen. First Samuel chapter 22 verse one David and their four departed from there and escape to the cave of Abdul so when his brothers and all his father's house or they went down there to and everyone who was in distress.

Everyone who was in that everyone who was discontented gathered to say he became captain over them and there were about 400 men with them and David went from there to Mizpah of Moab and he said to the king of Moab. Please let my father and mother come here with you till I know what God will do for me. So he brought them before the king of Moab and they dwelt with them all the time. The David was in the stronghold.

Now the prophet dad said the David, do not stay in the stronghold department go to the land of Judah.

So David departed and went to the forest of her wrath. When Saul heard the David and the men who were with them had been discovered. Now Saul was standing give you under a tamarisk tree in her mom with his spear in his hand in all his servants standing about him.

Then Saul said to his servants who stood about him here now you Benjamite's son of Jesse. Give everyone of you fields and vineyards make you all captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, all of you have conspired against me, and there is no one who reveals to me that my son is made a covenant with the son of Jesse, and there's not one of you who is sorry for me or reveals to me that my son is stirred up my servant against me to lie in wait as it is this day then answered doing the Edomite was set over the servants of Saul and said I Saul the son of Jesse going to mom to Ahimelech, the son of a hit to and he inquired of the Lord for him, gave him provisions and gave him the sword of Goliath, the Philistines no way why he lied. He says three things here. He said they gave him provisions, and they gave him the sword that much is true. Whitman the really treacherous thing. He lay out. He inquired of the Lord for him. Didn't happen didn't happen is doing report reporting the fact some of them see that's that's what happened sometimes in conversations in it and that's why gossip is so malicious, it is rare in gossip that some I simply present the fact they have their unique little twist or their interpretation of the facts that they combined with the facts and then it all seems much more sinister and certainly in our lives we've been in positions where we saw some well looks bad.

I looks weird and then later we find out it was not bad it wasn't that weird hopefully didn't tell anybody else how bad or how weird you thought it was you felt really sheepish. Later doings being a liar and that's that's what happens when a gossip.

There's a lot of times there's half-truths and sometimes outright lies mixed in with Ursula, so the king sent if I ever skip a verse in just reading through your your deputize and authorized to bring my attention to.

I don't ever intend to, but if I do, do it while in the meeting okay verse 11 so the king sent to Ahimelech the priest, the son of a hit to and all his father's house.

The priest touring and they all came to the king and Saul said here now son of a hit to he answered here I am award and then Saul said to him you conspired against me. You and the son of Jesse, and that you have given them bread and a sword and have inquired of God for him that he should rise against me to lie in wait as it is this day.

The background information, David went to this list place called law and the preset hey what are you doing out by yourself in and David live. David said why I'm on a mission from the king and you know Ahimelech didn't have the details we didn't understand what was going on. David should not have done that really come back to that just a moment, but had David told Ahimelech. Ahimelech could've made the decision either to go ahead and give David provisions and give David safety, or to any would've been prepared for this meeting with Saul, but you know it's really interesting watch Ahimelech's response because it's not what you would think it was we would be in verse 14. So Ahimelech answered the king and said and who among all your servants is as faithful as David who is the king's son in law who goes at your bidding and is honorable in your house first thing Ahimelech does is defends David he then defend himself. He defends David when awesome man. This is, I mean it is the natural fleshly inclination to defend yourself in a situation like that, but Ahimelech does is more faithful and David and he points out the fact solid. You know what David has been has been faithful to you for shifting did. I then began to inquire of God for him.

Far be it from me. Let not the king imputes anything to his servant to any in the house of my father for your certainly nothing of all this, little or much. See, here's the deal in some of the commenters he said well you know maybe maybe did inquire you got no wagon you got Ahimelech Ahimelech said he didn't do it in the same breath he St. David's faithful.

I believe Abimelech more than I believe. No way.

What happens were 16 the king said, you shall surely die. Amalek, you and all your father's house. See death seems to follow those who carry spirit around looking for what's wrong with the other person people get hurt, sad thing is, a lot of times the people get hurt the worst of the people that are carrying the spears and the people around their loved ones and friends, brothers and sisters in the Lord in their fellowship. A lot of innocent bystanders get hurt.

We need to practice partner spears down. Verse 17 then the king speak of Saul said to the guards who stood about him turning kill the priest of the Lord because there hand also is with David because they knew when he fled and did not tell it to me. But the servants of the king would not lift their hands to strike the priest of the Lord what Saul was doing was was totally acceptable. He was condemning these people without any sort of court without any sort of trial and he's condemning them to death for something that was not laid out Levitical law as being a capital since a capital crime, and these guys that were not known were not doing it was an active civil disobedience is what this it's when there is a an obvious decision that needs to make be made between what the laws of the land say are the rulers and what God's word says now. At times we may be in a position in this land but I think that's a rare exception to me.

Be very careful about this is been people that have said will be in civilly disobedient. I'm not going to pay my taxes because following the Lord, but wait a minute. Jesus himself said rendered under Caesar's what is Caesar's, given the gods, what is God held up a coin and the image of Caesar said get on the Caesar what is Caesar's elimination.

Are we made an image of God is given to God what is God's.

Incidentally, one of those one of the lost Gospels in a here this. It's just this regurgitated garbage but you know I've read some of them most of the one of them when they retell that story. They have Jesus say give to Caesar what is Caesar's give the gods what is God, give me what is my coming this just not something Jesus would say you're not going to do it. I chose not to obey. 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.

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. Maybe you're not able to attend services at your local church right now and 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 again, these are free resources to help you anytime day or night.

During these difficult times. David wants to offer you peace. Where could be lacking help in your time of need and build you up with these free resources that you are loved.org. Now back to David McGee for Saul as follows is just a few chapters ago that he was unwilling to wipe out the amount the Amalekite when willing to the big thing because Sandra shows up and there's always guys a resource to be wiped out, still alive and yet now he's willing to do to the house of God, but he was not willing to do the Amalekite's you know why because sin snowballs within the find yourself doing things they don't want to do you find yourself staying longer in that state than you ever wanted to stay. It's interesting in my personal devotions and go to the book of Revelation and you see all these things going on in the in the tribulation statement that keeps coming up is in. They did not repent of their deeds.

All these horrible things are going on in their hardening.

There are more against God friend, don't do that when you go through hard times soften your heart partner you got a decision I've seen people getting positions and they begin to harden your heart towards God. They wind up in a place I don't want to be and we see people walking around the earth is an amazing thing is that God even after this guy will still leave Saul in authority when it's amazing to me. Still not he still not going to take him out to be a while after this guy still leaves them in position of power and authority shows the grace and mercy of God, it doesn't mean that God is not watching and God doesn't care what people are mistakenly making that judgment call the day when Wood second Peter chapter 3 verse three says this knowing this person scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own license and where is the promise of his coming since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. Second Peter chapter 3 verse tells us why he's waiting for the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some counseling but is long-suffering toward just not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. That's why he's waiting. And while I would wish you would come back tonight. I realize that had he come back a year ago. Some of you would not be caught up again five years ago. Many here not because so glad he's waiting. Never think that is because he's been slack towards his promise.

Verse 18 the king said to do acute turning kill the priest, so don't even like turned and struck the piece priest and killed on that date. 85 men who wore a linen e-file.

They were priest run our doings.

A real winner in verse 19.

Also in the city of priest. He struck with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and nursing infant oxen and donkeys and sheep with the edge of the sword world is a coldhearted place. Verse 20 now one of the sons of Ahimelech, the son of a name after Thorpe escaped and fled after David Navistar told David that sought killed the Lord's priest to David said the Abbey of art. I knew that day when doing the Edomite was there that he would surely tell Saul read carefully. His next sentence I have caused the death of all the persons of your father's great principle David doesn't blame doing blame himself so we have a decision work were confronted with wrongdoing with arena blame somebody else would understand that we did wrong to blame somebody else's easy actually comes very naturally doesn't happen a long time member in the garden when God said what you do and it didn't and and insisting I messed up Adam blame two people. God need it was that woman you gave me to blame the woman and he blame God. We that's what we knew and that we perfected into this art form where you read in the paper written in in the ring. People do these black single in the schools are postoperative businesses and they kill all these people nicely. Why did you do that makes it will bump my mama didn't love me enough as a child at separation anxiety. You can always find an excuse, but it takes a lot of strength so you know I'm wrong, I was wrong. I calls that I did that and see the thing is that the key why this is so important is why you're blaming somebody else. You can't repent what you going to love this person calls the problem and and you know I was alcoholic because of this happen or I was involved with drugs because of that, or I was sexually promiscuous because of this, you're still not taken responsibility for your actions and do not taken responsibly for action. You can't ask God to forgive you.

You can't say will God forgive that other person for what they did to me ye can't confess the sins of others.

That's not the way there were to be willing to confess your sins. And David does that life lesson we should take responsibility for actions. When we mess up. We should take responsibility for actions. When we mess up when when I'm talking to somebody and I'm bringing something to their attention and they immediately begin to explain why they did what they did. I know they're not getting another not taken responsibility for the accident.

What is their explaining what outside influences happen that they did that wrong you know what does that really matter.

It really does is a key principle when you're talking to somebody in and when you're being confronted was wrong or or somebody or your confronting somebody see when you start in any of heard this many different versions. You know you should you should should've yelled at me and said those things is my cousin Juan. Sorry, but you made me angry. That's not an apology. God in your slip and then there why you did it and that is that person. One of the noun than you would have done this, you really still not taking responsibility for your actions thing is to say, I am sorry I was wrong and that you know for some reason, human nature that's with ours thing in the world and doing it just to leave it at. I'm sorry I was wrong. Interesting. When you use the word but it's a verbal racer. In other words, everything you said up to that point really doesn't matter. I'm really sorry I did that. You should've said that wasn't really that statement is really sent you should've said is very convicting verse 23.

Stay with me. Do not fear, for he who seeks my life seeks your life with me.

You shall be saved or will end up to be a priest in David's court in the temple and he's a godly man and noticed what David is doing and if you take notes when I got to step Psalm 52 Psalm 57 Psalm 142 are all tied to this time in David's life. Psalm 52, 57, 142. You can read them later. They all kind of this time in David's life, David has every reason in the world to be mad and to be better here, but he makes a decision he makes a decision not to do any of those things. But the focus on God and will see in the lives of other people, including Saul, what happens when they get self-centered and in this root of bitterness starts to occur in their life and how tragic their lines and is one of the reasons we talk about serving so much because serving is being there is centered spring other center and so as we help people become others centered, they become more and more of a disciple and less focused on themselves. What is inconvenient, the servant yet miss reality show up early stay late.

All that's inconvenient. You have to understand you're doing it, as unto the Lord, you're doing it for other brothers and what you start to get a hold of that you're acting more and more like Jesus. And that is being a disciple. In Hebrews 1215 warns us. This is look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of God.

Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you. Whenever it springs up many are corrupted by its poison phrase bitter root of unbelief, bitterness and unbelief wanted to tied together so often in Scripture because he here's the thing.

If you're bitter about your circumstances, you're forgetting that this circumstance or were filtered through the hand of God, and you look up against the God you know you you you don't know what you're doing. I'm upset because you put me in this position and I don't think you know what you don't knows what's best for you.

Psalm 57 seven says my heart is steadfast. Oh God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and give praise. It's a decision. Sometimes we need to make the decision to praise the Lord sometimes is a difficult sometimes we need to make the decision not to pick up spears in our lives.

What about you, are you carrying around spears tonight put them down bitter about something or somebody you haven't forgiven in your life. Is there some action that you're really responsible for that you been blaming other people don't do that anymore. The understand you're getting trapped in that because why you're blaming other people. You still have not taken responsibility for your actions and your wrapped up in all this bondage and friend that's no way to live in is certainly no way to die, but you have to make that decision. David decided not to focus on himself, but the focus on the Lord. My hope and my prayer is the night you will make the same decision each and every one of us has a decision to make. If you've been convicted tonight if you've been convinced that you've done these things. That's a great start, but now what needs to happen is you need to follow through with that great start. You need to follow through on that conviction of the Holy Spirit and asked God to forgive you and ask God to help you with whatever situation is going on in your life and he's willing to do that you don't have to get cleaned up and get everything straightened up in your life nice and tidy. Before you come to God you come to God and God begins to change your life is what God does in and for many of us to go to work through this and will work through this approach God about this night you got no call back with Jesus and I feel healthy came hills so we can come to Jesus just the way we are 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 want 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. 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 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, one of God's life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought 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