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2 Samuel 15 (Part 1) Bible Study | Pastor Daniel Batarseh · Bible Study with Pr. Daniel Batarseh | Verse by Verse Series | Maranatha Bible Church - Chicago

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  Second Samuel chapter 15. Tonight.
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  You and I are going to study something that God hates.
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  I'm not sure if that's the most exciting way to start a Bible
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  study, but I'm sure that it grabbed your attention on the
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  less. If the god that we love and sing
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  to, and testify about is a, god of love.
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  God is love, but his love does not.
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  There's not rather. Let me put it this way.
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  His love does discriminate. His love, doesn't spill over
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  into absolutely everything without condition or without
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  standard, God loves but because he loves so perfectly.
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  He also hates And in Proverbs chapter 6.
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  We are given seven things that the Lord hates and Proverbs 6.
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  16 to 19, we were told of six things that the Lord hates and
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  seven things that are an Abomination to him.
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  And Abomination is something that one holds with great,
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  disgust and abhorrence And God has those feelings about certain
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  things. And the Seven thing that God
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  abhors on that list of the data data, station is one who sews
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  Discord among Brothers. What that means is somebody who
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  intentionally plants seeds of Doubt or suspicion within a
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  group of people with the purpose of causing a severance.
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  And some kind of faction. And usually that is motivated by
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  Personal Agenda. This is something that God
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  absolutely despises and unfortunately what God tells us
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  and makes clear to us Of what he hates is.
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  What men tend to passionately pursue.
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  And such is the case with this man, Absalom Absalom in this
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  chapter is ready to orchestrate. A divisive campaign with
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  remarkable discipline and dedication.
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  And instead of the Holy Spirit, just giving us that as a general
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  observation or a general statement, what you're going to
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  discover as we read is that we actually have Absalom scheme in
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  great detail, leading up to that execution of division.
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  If the Holy Spirit did not think that this was important, he
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  would have generalized this moment in Israel's history under
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  David's reign with what we see here.
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  At the end of verse 6. Look at it very quickly with me.
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  It says here. So Absalom stole the hearts of
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  the men of Israel that would have been a sufficient way of
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  telling us why there will be a Civil War at this point and
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  David's life as the leader of this people.
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  But God goes beyond that again, he wants to show us what it was
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  that led to the people's hearts being stolen.
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  And what led to a division among a people that were enjoying
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  unity and prosperity in different ways.
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  And I thought to myself Lord, why is it important that in the
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  first six? Seven verses?
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  We see here exactly what Absalom would do.
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  Why spell out why draw out the drama of this conspiracy?
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  And I believe the reason is because the Lord wants to
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  instruct us and the Lord wants us to be benefited by something
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  such as this for the sake of making us a Discerning people.
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  A Discerning people who would be able to detect the early stages
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  of division and whatever sphere you find yourself in Division is
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  possible in any place where two people are gathered or committed
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  to one another. It can happen in marriage, you
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  can happen in families, it can happen in business, it can
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  happen in institutions and it can especially happen in the
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  Community of Faith. And so there is something here
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  for us. In order to be observant,
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  Discerning careful watchful first, with our own Hearts to
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  see if there is anything that we are unknowingly entertaining,
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  but even in what we see around us because you and I are
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  constantly as the people of God under under attack under attack.
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  And one of Satan's, favorite plots is to sow Discord among
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  the people of God. He enjoys it, it's one of the
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  oldest playbooks of sin. It's what happened in heaven.
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  It's, what happens throughout the Bible.
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  And we see it here before us in this example and it is greatly
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  beneficial for us as a people who strive to be in Partnership
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  for the glory of God. Now from experience, I've
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  learned that whenever the subject comes up, that those who
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  are already set on entertaining and harboring, a spirit of
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  division are very hard to convince To turn from such a way
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  of life. It returned from such a mindset.
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  Most people who are divisive are frightening, Lee committed to
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  that cause and so my primary aim here though, God can do miracles
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  in the most rebellious heart, my primary aim is to through this
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  Bible study, as we come together to equip and protect those which
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  is all of us who can be seduced by someone or some people that
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  would up to bring the vision in our lives.
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  And though these principles, apply to every sphere of
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  society, and any any area of life where you have
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  relationships with others, I want to focus on the local
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  church, the local church. And so allow me through this
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  Bible said it's going to be very unique because it's going to be
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  more of a study of a very uncomfortable subject.
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  But it's going to be important for us to see at least three
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  ways division occurs Even among the most spiritual where God is
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  moving, where God is blessing, where people have been brought
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  together, evidently by God's Providence.
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  I want you guys to see here very carefully through absalom's
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  example, the ingredients that are necessary to take to see
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  division, take place. Let's read the first few verses
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  together. After this Absalom verse 1,
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  after this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses.
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  And 50 Mentor run before him and Absalom used to rise early and
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  stand beside the way of the gate.
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  And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for
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  judgment, Absalom will call to him and say, from from what city
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  are you. And when he said, your servant
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  is of such and such a tribe in Israel, Absalom would say to
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  him. See, your claims are good and
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  right, but there is no, man, designated by the king to hear
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  you. Then Absalom would say, oh that,
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  I were a judge in the land, then every man with a dispute or
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  cause might come to me and I would give him Justice.
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  And whenever a man came near to pay, homage to him, he would put
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  out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
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  Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for
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  judgment. So, Absalom stole the hearts of
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  the men of Israel. The first ingredient that is
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  required. To see painful division,
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  possibly take place among the people of God, is that number
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  one division begins in the heart of Unholy men.
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  Division begins in the heart of Unholy men.
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  What are the first two words of verse 1 after this, after this,
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  if you were here last week, you know what happened, before this
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  what happened before? This was that King David
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  acquitted, his son Absalom for his murderous plot and forgave
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  him and restored him and gave him all his privileges back
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  though. There was no sign of confection.
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  There is no evidence of remorse. There was not a hint of
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  repentance Displayed. And David was wrong for doing
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  that. David was in error for allowing
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  someone like him to go free in this way.
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  Yes, we are. A faith of forgiveness and
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  restoration reconciliation, but we ought to forgive us Christ.
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  Forgave, and part of that forgiveness Pursuit is to
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  release them in our hearts and not take Vengeance.
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  But in order for reconciliation to happen, it requires
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  repentance from the offending party.
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  Christ, is he not wait for men to repent for us to be
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  reconciled to him? Absolutely.
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  And we don't see that here but instead of focusing on David
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  more, let's turn our attention to Absalom and consider his
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  attitude in this whole thing. Absalom based on what we heard
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  last week, believe that he was completely justified in what he
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  did to his, half-brother eminent completely Justified.
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  This man talked. He had no sense of personal
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  accountability God and he obviously had no touch of how
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  his sins affected others. And when you look at Absalom up
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  to this point, you realize that he was a man who was driven by
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  his own criteria. He had his own standard of,
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  right and wrong. He had his own concept of what
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  was permissible and what was not permissible.
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  And such a man who does not subject himself to the law of
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  God, and who elevates his own understanding, despite Divine
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  Law being violated or overstepping, people's rights.
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  That kind of a person is dangerous.
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  That kind of a person is dangerous for, many reasons, to
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  be driven. And to be determined, by your
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  own rules, is a scary world view and such people.
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  Despite any other rules that might challenge his own.
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  He believes that he is in the right that kind of mindset is
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  detrimental to any any kind of sphere of our lives and the
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  potential disruption of such a person.
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  Is so severe? That division is highly likely.
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  Such a person has no problems. Stepping over people.
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  Stepping on people dismissing any rule.
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  To get what they want. And usually this kind of a
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  person is an individual who can excuse any kind of sinful
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  Behavior. If they are offended. if their
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  feelings are so strong or if the object of their desire is so
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  strong, Such a person inevitably will bring about some kind of
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  Discord. In their world.
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  And you see this often with people who become become
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  offended by my others, whether Christians are especially by
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  Spiritual Authority, This is common disappointment and unmet
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  expectations can easily energize a divisive spirit.
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  Unless they are restrained, by the truth of God's word in the
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  Holy Spirit and that is who we are dealing with here.
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  Absalom's attitude is not excused by immaturity, he's not
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  somebody here who is stubborn or irrational because he lacks
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  experience in life. It's much deeper than that
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  significantly much deeper than that.
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  Look at verse 1. Again, what stands out to you.
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  After this Absalom got himself, a chariot and horses and fifty
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  men to run before him. Why do you think he's doing
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  that? Attention is this Absalom trying
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  to get somewhere quicker? Is this about faster Mobility?
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  Absolutely. Not why?
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  Because you got a cherry but you have 50, guys running in front
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  of you. This is not about
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  Transportation. This is not about Mobility.
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  This is about Showmanship. This is about performance.
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  This is about somebody who is walking around.
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  Now, drawing attention to himself.
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  We've already discovered that absent was a man who craved the
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  Praise of man. And if you are not convinced
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  that this is what he is up to go to his brother's account and
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  First Kings 1 and verse 5, adonijah.
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  When he wanted to be king, I want you to see something eerily
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  similar with Absalom here in second.
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  Samuel chapter 15, look at First Kings.
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  Chapter 1, verse 5 in your Bibles and notice what happens
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  here. Now, add the Niger that's
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  absalom's brother. The son of hag.
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  If exalted himself saying I will be king and he prepare for
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  himself chariots and Horsemen and fifty men to run before him.
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  It's clear, right? There's the connection exalting
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  oneself and parading oneself in the exact way that Absalom does
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  here in our subject and our study right now And here's the
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  point that you, and I have to understand individuals who live
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  for the admiration and the Applause of others are those who
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  are most capable of stirring problems.
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  In any setting that is organized by positions by platform or by
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  Authority. When you get, when you have a
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  guy like adonijah, when you have a guy like Absalom who survive
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  and thrive on the Applause and the recognition and the respect,
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  and all of the above, those are the people who are the
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  candidates for chaos and Eddie setting, which includes the
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  church where there are platforms positions or authoritative.
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  Titles and responsibilities. And I've mentioned this verse on
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  So Many occasions. Sometimes I hesitate to repeat
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  them but it's good. We're creatures of repetition.
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  Remember what James tells us in James 3:16?
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  What does he say there? He says, for where jealousy and
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  selfish ambition exist. There will be Disorder, there
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  will be disorder, and every vile practice.
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  Jealousy and selfish ambition. Is the simple recipe for
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  relational disaster? Jealousy and selfish.
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  Ambition is the simple recipe for relational disaster among
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  friends. Among couples among siblings
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  among congregants and elders and deacons!
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  And so if you're able to buy the truth of God's word subdue,
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  these two vices then you can most definitely secure Harmony
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  and peace. In a setting like this.
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  So, I told you about Proverbs 6, 16, to 19, where we were told
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  about the six things of the Lord hates and seven that are an
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  Abomination to him on that same chapter, we are told something
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  interesting about the one who continually shows Discord.
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  And it is this in verse 14. Proverbs 6, 14 tells us with
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  perverted heart devices. Evil continually sowing Discord
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  with perverted heart devices. Evil continually sowing Discord.
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  Do you see the association there?
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  Sowing Discord is connected to perversion of the heart.
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  Perversion of the heart. It is the perverted heart that
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  is capable of intentionally coming to a peaceful place where
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  there is fruit and there is an honor to God and to try to sever
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  it and separate it and to bring damage and harm to it.
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  And we see here that it is an evil thing.
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  It is absolutely evil. It's okay guys.
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  I know my throw gave out there. There's no need to panic or
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  worry. It's an evil thing.
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  And what's amazing here is that devising evil require strategy,
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  it requires planning, it requires.
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  Thank you. It requires thinking and
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  meditation. And so the first ingredient here
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  is that Division division begins in the heart of Unholy men and
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  women. When they are more consumed with
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  South than the glory of God, when they're more concerned
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  about their position than the presence of God, when they're
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  more concerned about how they feel than the good of others,
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  some kind of pain is going to come on a horizontal level.
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  It doesn't have to all the time but it's more likely.
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  And then we re here again that there is a there is a device
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  thing with this kind of a heart, this kind of a mindset, a person
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  who sews division, who plant seeds of Doubt brings us to our
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  second ingredient. Ingredient division requires and
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  utilizes deception, and accusation.
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  So it begins in the heart of an Unholy man on holy woman who
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  doesn't have God's word in mind as I'm God's standard and view.
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  But from there it is nurtured and it is strengthened through
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  deception and accusation. Look back here in our Bible
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  study. Look at verse 2.
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  It says, you're an Absalom used to rise early and stand beside
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  the way of the gate. That disturbs me.
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  He got up early. I mean this is a man who was
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  driven. This is a man who was like set
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  on making this happen and what sowing Discord makes it
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  especially detestable in the sight of God is just that it
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  requires great effort and it requires here an accompanying of
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  each other evils in order to see it come about.
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  And we see here that this man here is doing, just that.
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  Now, let me say this before hand, we all know that if you do
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  life with people long enough that there will be some level
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  and episodes of irritation caused by others, right?
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  Either by ignorance or by moments getting into the flesh
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  but those instances can be easily.
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  Resolved through loving rebuke and honest.
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  Repentance look, brother, I got out of hand during that meeting.
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  I was I was I'm very passionate about subject and they just came
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  out and it wasn't christ-like. Will you forgive me done deal?
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  That is not the same as what I am speaking about here.
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  What we're seeing here with Absalom.
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  Is this? Conniving sophisticated.
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  And manipulative scheme to sow Discord is to strategically
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  arouse and heighten conflict. For what purpose to pin Brothers
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  and Sisters in Christ against one another, for the sake of a
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  hidden agenda. That's what it means to sow
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  Discord. You are exciting emotions, you
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  are playing with people's minds. You are suddenly making
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  accusations and charges and claims not because you care, but
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  because you have something in you, that you want to see come
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  to pass, and that is exactly what Absalom is doing.
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  He's not loving people. He's using people and this kind
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  of diabolical plot is usually entertain again.
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  When someone is offended and wants retaliation wants payback,
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  or this is something that we don't consider, because that
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  makes sense, right? People tend to bite back when
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  they're bitten hit back when they're a hit, right?
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  But there's another side to this and the other side is this that
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  such a plot is employed when there is a goal in mind, but
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  there are obstacles in the way of that goal.
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  And usually those obstacles are people who are Authority.
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  Or people who might be opponents to that drive, that you have.
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  And that is exactly what we see here.
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  The platform for kingdoms dividing.
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  And for church splits is really the same, it involves the
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  implementation of deception and accusation.
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  To see it come to pass that is the qualities of Absalom here.
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  These are the characteristics of such a man I want you to just in
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  a very brief moment, see very quickly, the characteristics of
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  a sower of Discord. Okay, because it's not obvious
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  all the time. And, you know, in preparation of
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  this, I was praying Lord, my desire is not through this Bible
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  study for people to become cynical or for people to become
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  overly suspicious, My encouragement to you is just to
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  be Discerning and prayerful and careful.
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  So look at these things here with me.
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  The first thing about Absalom, as already mentioned Is that
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  people who tend to give rise to disunity tend to predict project
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  themselves in a certain way. And the way that they project
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  themselves is positively Charmingly.
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  With great attraction and Trust. Why does he go about in a
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  chariot with 50 men before him? What kind of image is he trying
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  to portray of himself? What's that about leader of a
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  king, right? He's not a king, but he wants to
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  make it seem like he is a king and he wants to condition the
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  people to see him. As a potential leader, you
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  already has the looks, he has the Luscious Hair, we're going
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  to see in a moment that he has the Charisma and he knows how to
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  he knows how to play politics and he knows how to be the man's
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  people. Write the people's man, we see
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  that here but what's interesting is the tactic is no different
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  for troublemakers today. They Tried to portray themselves
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  in a certain Manner and destroy this arm people from Ever
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  thinking to themselves that such a person is up to no good or
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  such a person would never bring about harm.
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  And so, what you have with those who are swords of this court, is
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  that they tend to immediately and constantly seems spiritual
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  Seem wise compassionate people, loving Bible educated Servants
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  of God. And they can do a lot of good
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  things on the surface, but here's the reality, they're not
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  glorifying Christ. Again, is just a means to
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  another and a selfish end and to win people's trust and to win
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  their allegiance. And again to try to discourage
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  them from ever thinking them, as a potential suspect to something
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  that is brewing, something that's coming ahead.
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  If you don't think that Absalom is this kind of man in that what
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  you see, is what you get? Then just scroll down quickly to
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  verse 8 of this chapter. Look how he speaks to his father
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  for your servant vowed a vow, while I lived in Kishore.
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  And I Ram saying, if the Lord will indeed bring me back to
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  Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.
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  Are you kidding me? Hey Dad.
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  You know, while I was away in Exile?
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  I thought to myself ever come back here.
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  I wanted like fast and pray, and just give give this wonderful
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  dedication to the Lord. Would you let me go?
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  It's a bold-faced lie. This is absolute dishonesty and
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  it gets even weirder. When you go to verse 12, look at
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  verse 12 and while Absalom was offering the sacrifices, So,
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  this guy is making these claims, he's making these vows
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  apparently, and he's even, he's even participating in the
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  sacrificial system. All the while he is brewing, a
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  Civil War in his heart, So the first thing to understand about
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  A sower of this court, is that they intentionally and
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  strategically and deceivingly, try to decorate themselves in a
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  certain way to ultimately deceive people.
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  And the second observation, the second characters in is very
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  closely tied to the first one people who sow Discord Heavily
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  rely. Coming off as being.
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  Loving. And caring about the well-being
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  of others. Look here, again, in verse 3,
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  Absalom would say to him. See your claims are good and
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  right, but there is no men designated by the king to hear
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  him before that. He asked from what city are you?
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  And when he said, your servant is of such and such a tribe in
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  Israel. So here's Absalom waking up,
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  very early. Going to the gate of the city
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  knowing that people travel from all parts of Israel to come to
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  the Supreme Court of their day to receive some kind of counsel,
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  some kind of closure, with particular Grievances and It
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  meet them from the beginning. He would position himself in a
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  way where he would have contact with people and while he would
• 26:22
  do this, she would ask. Where are you from?
• 26:25
  Oh, no way. You're from you from, okay?
• 26:28
  It's okay. Wow.
• 26:29
  From Zebulon came on from. So that's incredible.
• 26:32
  Where'd you where'd you study? Oh, what's your last name?
• 26:35
  I think I know your cousin. Yeah, yeah.
• 26:38
  And then I had to that verse 5. Look at verse 5, it says here,
• 26:43
  and whenever a man came near to pay, homage to him, he would put
• 26:46
  out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.
• 26:51
  So, when people try to show, but he would just like, no, no, no,
• 26:55
  don't do that. And he would embrace them and he
• 26:57
  would, he would kiss them. And he would just give this
• 27:00
  excessive show of affection. And to the simple, this would
• 27:10
  seem genuine. This was in order to prepare
• 27:15
  them in order to win them again. So that when Absalom would make
• 27:20
  certain statements, And certain claims in certain judgments,
• 27:25
  there are more likely to believe him.
• 27:29
  At the even be on his side. This is what some troublemakers
• 27:32
  do they? So lavish people with
• 27:34
  compliments and attention that when it comes to an issue that
• 27:37
  they usually prepared in advance to cause they are confident that
• 27:43
  people will side with the Troublemaker more than the
• 27:45
  truth. And that is precisely what this
• 27:50
  man is doing. It sounds awful, it sounds sick
• 27:53
  but it is absolutely the reality that our agitators who actively
• 27:56
  seek to draw people's affections so that when something emerges
• 28:03
  they'll be prepared to partner with the one who is in the
• 28:06
  wrong, is this genuine? No, it's manipulative
• 28:09
  preparation. That's what it is.
• 28:13
  And this is usually a tactic that is implemented before
• 28:15
  criticism and before accusation are Arises.
• 28:21
  So he's priming them up, he's marinating their minds.
• 28:27
  And now we come to the third characteristic of a sort of
• 28:29
  Discord, right? The first two might be difficult
• 28:31
  to decipher. You have somebody here, who
• 28:34
  presents himself as spiritual? You have somebody here, who
• 28:37
  heavily relies on just overwhelming people.
• 28:44
  With their words and their actions and gifts and
• 28:46
  Hospitality you name it. But this is the most important
• 28:50
  thing that I can say about, is sort of this court, and it's,
• 28:53
  it's this, and we must consider it.
• 28:56
  They find Liberty, they find Liberty to make consistent
• 29:01
  suggestive accusations. So we read in verse 3, Absalom
• 29:06
  would say to him. See your claims are good and
• 29:08
  right. But there is no man designated
• 29:10
  by the king to hear you verse 4. Then, Absalom would say, oh that
• 29:16
  I were judge in the land, then every man would a dispute or
• 29:20
  cause might come to me and I would give him Justice.
• 29:26
  This is hear me carefully. This is not the same as
• 29:29
  identifying legitimate, concerns and issues within a Ministry or
• 29:34
  with a minister or anybody else for that matter.
• 29:37
  That is not what I am talking about because those things can
• 29:40
  be issues that need to be dealt with verbally and need to be
• 29:43
  dealt with with genuine concern. Expressed the goal of these kind
• 29:49
  of remarks pay, very close attention.
• 29:53
  Now. The goal of these kind of
• 29:57
  remarks is to stir up dissatisfaction.
• 30:03
  In the hearts of the people. That's the goal. to stir up
• 30:09
  dissatisfaction and people usually by saying something
• 30:12
  completely untrue or by potentially exaggerating things
• 30:18
  that are not worth becoming Serious issues.
• 30:23
  We saw that in verse 3. We saw the inverse for.
• 30:26
  And what Absalom and here is doing is that he is attempting
• 30:31
  to point people to the administration and say they are
• 30:36
  inefficient and they are weak. They're inefficient and they are
• 30:42
  weak. Is it possible for many things
• 30:46
  to be imperfect many things? Not being completely in line.
• 30:48
  Many things not be developed, many things to not be completely
• 30:50
  mature. Absolutely.
• 30:52
  We should strive about that we should look to that.
• 30:54
  We should say yes we need to move forward on that.
• 30:56
  But again that is not the goal that Absalom has in mind.
• 30:59
  It is to completely destroy that which God tries to nurture and
• 31:04
  build up at the Sea Life come through.
• 31:07
  And so this is what he's doing here.
• 31:09
  The question to ask ourselves with the closest context in mind
• 31:12
  is what Absalom saying. True, when Absalom said, there's
• 31:16
  no men designated by the king to hear you.
• 31:20
  Is that true? Think about our recent studies?
• 31:28
  Did the king have trouble hearing people's problems.
• 31:34
  Did he know how do you know? Thank you very much.
• 31:39
  We see here in Chapter 14 verse 4.
• 31:42
  When the moment of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face
• 31:45
  to the ground, and paid homage and said save me.
• 31:48
  Okay. Okay.
• 31:50
  Obviously the King was available to hear these people's problems
• 31:54
  and for them to bring their problems to him.
• 31:55
  So what is Absalom trying to convey here?
• 32:00
  An outright blatant lie. That's what he's essentially
• 32:04
  saying. He's creating a problem that's
• 32:07
  not really there and close to that is to, again, magnify
• 32:11
  things that are minor that are not sincere enough for severing
• 32:16
  to happen. now someone might object and say, well are you
• 32:21
  suggesting that people who are in Authority, are immune to any
• 32:25
  kind of Correction, any kind of suggestion, any kind of
• 32:30
  criticism, Absolutely not. Then you have another problem,
• 32:35
  then you got a dictatorship, you have tyranny, you have we have
• 32:38
  you have a whole different Bible study to convey when you can
• 32:41
  identify those who who know how to abuse their positions of
• 32:44
  power. That is not what I'm trying to
• 32:45
  say. What I am trying to say that is
• 32:48
  though, is that there are claims that we might all have in our
• 32:50
  hearts. There might be concerns that we
• 32:52
  all might have and expressing those concerns do not make as
• 32:56
  divisive people. That would that would be a
• 32:58
  terrible way of manipulating people and trying to keep their
• 33:01
  mouths shut and to just dismiss any kind of accountability from
• 33:04
  the leadership side, that's evil and itself.
• 33:07
  But at the same time we have to understand that the way people
• 33:10
  Express their concerns makes all the difference.
• 33:13
  They can either build things up or tear things down.
• 33:16
  You know what I would do if I won one sunny afternoon during
• 33:19
  Fellowship, had Absalom come up to me.
• 33:22
  And say the things that he said to me.
• 33:24
  See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man
• 33:25
  designated by the king to hear. You know, that this is what I
• 33:28
  would say. And this is what I imagined.
• 33:30
  If I was coming from the north and I need to meet with the King
• 33:34
  and Absalom, is there with a crowd of people and he stops me
• 33:37
  says, hey, I never seen you before and he begins to say
• 33:39
  these kind of things I would say well Absalom.
• 33:44
  Seems like you clearly have concerns about the way the
• 33:46
  kingdom operates have. You brought it to the king, When
• 33:51
  that be a good thing to say, hey, did you bring it to your
• 33:54
  father? David did you express these
• 33:57
  concerns to David? And here's the thing, I want to
• 34:01
  say whenever an individual expresses, grievance or
• 34:06
  frustration or even actual offense, whether it's perceived
• 34:11
  in a certain way or it's legitimate, if you bring up, The
• 34:19
  proposition that they should go to the person who has offended
• 34:25
  or who is connected to this issue and they refused to do.
• 34:28
  So that's very telling that is very revealing actually such a
• 34:35
  person is in my estimation not interested in a solution.
• 34:42
  Now, there might be hesitation because they're fearful of how
• 34:45
  that would go about. I don't know anybody that enjoys
• 34:48
  confrontation me included. So sometimes there was
• 34:52
  hesitation because it's not easy to do that and I get it.
• 34:55
  But I'm not speaking about that. I'm speaking about a person who
• 34:57
  just will not open themselves up to the biblical model of how we
• 35:01
  should approach a brother or sister, who is offended when
• 35:04
  such a person is so headstrong and unwilling to do that.
• 35:09
  Not only, are they not interested in a solution.
• 35:11
  They are potentially in that very moment as they are
• 35:15
  expressing, their thoughts started cause a new problem.
• 35:23
  You saying brother you're reading too much into it.
• 35:25
  No it Jesus told you and I how to approach a brother or sister
• 35:28
  in the area of a fence and we refuse to do that is not not
• 35:31
  Disobedience. Okay does this would be the?
• 35:33
  It's produced good things. No, that's it.
• 35:39
  And so I look at Absalom and I think to myself that was an
• 35:42
  Israel at this time. I would look them straight in
• 35:44
  the eye. Say Absalom.
• 35:46
  Did you talk to your dad about this?
• 35:50
  I would have loved to seen his face.
• 35:51
  I would love to see how he would have politicize his way out of
• 35:53
  it. But there is no such thing.
• 35:56
  People were just enamored. They were just captivated one by
• 36:00
  his looks. And then on top of that, his
• 36:02
  words and the Chariots, and the site of his importance, and his
• 36:07
  extravagance, and his eloquence ah Yeah, so there's deception at
• 36:14
  work here. There's accusation at work here
• 36:17
  and now the sewing is taking place, and it's so subtle.
• 36:20
  It's not outright, it's not obvious, it's very subtle,
• 36:22
  right? And you and I have to be
• 36:26
  careful. God has given us principles to
• 36:31
  protect the unity of the church. He has given us instructions of
• 36:37
  how to close potential doors. Less Satan have a foothold in
• 36:42
  get in and so you and I have to trust Jesus.
• 36:48
  As uncomfortable at his, obedience is not always easy,
• 36:51
  but as I'm comfortable as it is, we have to believe that the way
• 36:55
  the Lord prescribed relational rules is for the benefit and the
• 37:00
  longevity of our blessings towards one another and God's
• 37:04
  blessing over us. So deception is at work.
• 37:07
  Here, activation is now thrown into the pot.
• 37:12
  The vision begins in the heart of Unholy men division, utilizes
• 37:15
  deception, and accusation and lastly division.
• 37:21
  Is strengthened by naive hearts. Division is strengthened by
• 37:27
  naive hearts. We see here in verse five and
• 37:31
  six, what? Whenever a man came near to pay,
• 37:34
  homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him
• 37:36
  and kiss him. This Absalom did to all of
• 37:41
  Israel who came to the king for judgment.
• 37:45
  So, Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
• 37:49
  Who's here to blame, Is Absalom to blame.
• 37:55
  Yes. Is he the only one to blame?
• 37:57
  Who would say? Yes.
• 37:59
  So, he stole the hearts of the people.
• 38:04
  Sometimes things get stolen from us and it just Catches Us
• 38:07
  off-guard, no matter what kind of prevention's we've made.
• 38:10
  It just happens. And sometimes things are stolen
• 38:13
  from us, because we were irresponsible, And we were not
• 38:17
  careful and we were not alert. And we give an opportunity where
• 38:23
  an opportunity could have been avoided.
• 38:26
  Correct. And so we see here that the
• 38:29
  people I know you had your hand about come to you.
• 38:30
  In a moment, we see here with the people that they have a part
• 38:34
  in all of this Absalom is a, he's a, he's a Salesman.
• 38:40
  He's presentable, he's persuasive.
• 38:42
  He's powerful and appearance and with his presentation, but
• 38:46
  listen. Absalom would not have been as
• 38:50
  successful if he did not have so many customers.
• 38:57
  No matter how Absalom did his thing if nobody believed the
• 39:01
  more people were much more reserved and skeptical in a holy
• 39:05
  way, then he would not have been as successful.
• 39:07
  But unfortunately, as much as division begins in the heart of
• 39:12
  Unholy men, it is solidified and strengthened, by simple hearts.
• 39:19
  By simple hearts. I'll pause here and ask you.
• 39:24
  You had your hand up, you have a question or remark.
• 39:36
  Yes, his position in the family. Yes.
• 40:02
  Right. So then you have the family
• 40:04
  element in this whole thing which makes it even more
• 40:07
  complicated. Despite the fact that he was
• 40:08
  already strikingly beautiful and he had the popularity, the fact
• 40:13
  that there is the blood relational component, made it
• 40:18
  much more complex and I agree with you there. there is a lot
• 40:20
  of ingredients to this that are unique but still noteworthy,
• 40:26
  here's the thing that I want to say, when there are Sowers of
• 40:30
  Discord, And they enter into a place.
• 40:34
  What tends to happen is they prey on, they prey on the
• 40:39
  unsuspecting, right, to your point.
• 40:41
  They prey on the unsuspecting and they prey on those who might
• 40:45
  be naive. Innocent More willing to believe
• 40:51
  than to test and to be careful to examine before making a
• 40:54
  judgment. But that's not the only thing
• 40:57
  that they do. Do that is that one of their
• 40:59
  primary plans at the same time? They will.
• 41:08
  Sniff out. Potential endorsements.
• 41:13
  Partners. Those who will come alongside
• 41:17
  them knowing very much, what is about to happen?
• 41:22
  And usually, they're able to do this by looking for others and
• 41:24
  discovering, if they have personal offense or if they are
• 41:29
  harboring jealousy or they are entertaining selfish ambition
• 41:35
  and the same way you and I can can if we're walking with the
• 41:39
  Lord discern, when somebody is a genuine, believer walking with
• 41:42
  the Lord I'm telling you. So hours of Discord can find
• 41:44
  people like them. They could find people like
• 41:48
  them. And they actually magnetized to
• 41:51
  them, isn't it amazing? How gossipers attract gossipers,
• 41:55
  right? I heard of a brother where he
• 41:59
  was hearing about all this stuff that was happening.
• 42:01
  This isn't a different context. Different place, altogether,
• 42:03
  many, many years ago. He was hearing about all these
• 42:05
  things that were happening and he asked somebody else, he goes,
• 42:08
  why am I not hearing about this? And that person who is updating
• 42:12
  him with certain things as it's probably a good thing.
• 42:15
  It's probably a good thing that nobody feels safe to tell you
• 42:18
  things that are troubling and I have no value.
• 42:21
  And I bring problems more than anything else and that person
• 42:24
  left with a crown he's like that's a badge of honor to me.
• 42:26
  Nobody calls me or text me. Hey, did you hear about
• 42:28
  whatever? And whatever, praise God.
• 42:32
  Not a lot of Demands on that one, but amen.
• 42:39
  And so, we see here that Absalom is doing two things.
• 42:41
  At the same time, he is Recruiting naive people by
• 42:47
  seducing him and yet he is also searching out for others.
• 42:53
  Who because of their own position, their own reputation,
• 42:56
  their own resources like you said, would only make their case
• 43:01
  more believable. Right.
• 43:07
  Who do you think that person was for Absalom?
• 43:12
  Who do you think that person was?
• 43:17
  Good. Guess not joab.
• 43:19
  Yes. Would you look at that?
• 43:25
  Did you hear the answer? Bathsheba's granddaddy.
• 43:29
  What's his name? I, he thought fell.
• 43:35
  I remember reading this today and I thought to myself.
• 43:38
  Yeah, that is a common trait, right?
• 43:41
  There's strength in numbers that Absalom do this, and I kept
• 43:44
  reading and I realized there he is, and verse 12.
• 43:48
  Look at verse 12 quickly and while Absalom was offering the
• 43:51
  sacrifice he sent for, who Heath offal agila night, David's
• 43:57
  counselor, from his City Helo and the conspiracy grew strong
• 44:01
  in the people with Absalom kept increasing.
• 44:05
  Why do you think Why do you think Absalom would fetch her?
• 44:10
  I hate thoughtful. Did I he fell for?
• 44:22
  Have bitterness. Let me ask you this way.
• 44:25
  Was, I he thoughtful hurt by David?
• 44:28
  He was her by David. He was heard by David Wright,
• 44:30
  Josh? Yeah.
• 44:32
  Do you have something else to say?
• 44:41
  That's right. He did have a grudge against
• 44:43
  David because of what David did with his granddaughter and her
• 44:47
  husband I would have loved to see what the conversation
• 44:53
  between Absalom, and I fulfilled would be like, or was like How
• 44:58
  did he figure that out? Was it common knowledge?
• 45:01
  And I began to just sit there this afternoon and think about
• 45:03
  what that might have looked like as Absalom was trying to figure
• 45:07
  out who it is that would partner with him and I noticed That he
• 45:12
  was drawn to somebody who had his own history of pain from the
• 45:15
  same individual. That he wanted to overthrow.
• 45:23
  Hey, I felt full. You know, I've been noticing
• 45:27
  some about my dad. Things are kind of sketchy.
• 45:32
  Things are a little off, you happen to notice anything.
• 45:34
  I know you work with him closely and you see things, you're very
• 45:37
  wise men, your counselor Oh, no way you too.
• 45:44
  He did that to Bathsheba. What a scoundrel.
• 45:50
  You know why? That makes sense?
• 45:50
  Actually, you remember what happened to my sister to mod?
• 45:54
  Right? You see how we just?
• 45:55
  Let em and go. I wonder if that had to play.
• 45:57
  This guy is bad news, man. He's bad news.
• 46:03
  You know, I think we have to protect others from him.
• 46:06
  I think we have a duty. I think we need to we need to
• 46:11
  see this guy. Pay for his slip-ups.
• 46:18
  We need this guy to learn a lesson. you know, if I if I
• 46:23
  gotta tell you something, If I Were King, I wouldn't let things
• 46:29
  get away with that so easily. If I Were King, I would not.
• 46:34
  I will not allow family relations to get involved with
• 46:36
  how I execute God's law. You might be thinking, brother.
• 46:41
  I think you're reading too much into it and I would say no
• 46:46
  because look, what, look what he says here.
• 46:50
  And verse 40 that I were the judge in the land and every man
• 46:54
  with the disputer cause might come to me and I would give him
• 46:58
  Justice, you hypocrite. You have no right to speak about
• 47:03
  justice justice. I would give him Justice and I
• 47:09
  wonder if he said that the I-5 wonder if he he just swept him
• 47:12
  off his feet with this kind of speech.
• 47:16
  And I thought full agreed and a devilish team was born.
• 47:24
  A team that would. Unfortunately be very successful
• 47:29
  and making an impression on the weak-minded.
• 47:33
  Not, we're going to, in the following weeks, we're going to
• 47:35
  talk about just the absolute poison that bitterness is and
• 47:39
  how its cues. So much of our thinking and what
• 47:42
  we allow and what we absorb and what we're willing to entertain.
• 47:45
  But for now let's go back to that thought of the naive,
• 47:46
  right? Turn very quickly as we close
• 47:49
  our Bible study very soon. In Romans chapter 16, I want you
• 47:52
  to see what Paul says about this subject because it's not an Old
• 47:55
  Testament thing to new. Testament reality.
• 47:59
  In Romans 16 look here at verse 17.
• 48:11
  I appeal to you Brothers to watch out for those who cause
• 48:15
  divisions and create obstacles, contrary to the doctrine that
• 48:19
  you have been taught. Avoid them for such persons, do
• 48:23
  not serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, Our Lord Christ, but
• 48:26
  their own appetites is not go back to point number one.
• 48:30
  That the Visions begin in the heart of Unholy men.
• 48:35
  Men who don't serve Christ men who are serving their own
• 48:38
  appetites in your appetites can be any ambition that conflicts
• 48:43
  with humility and trusting in God's Providence in his dealing
• 48:48
  in your life but they serve their own appetites.
• 48:51
  And by here it is, this is point number two, by smooth, talk and
• 48:56
  flattery. So there we covered two points
• 48:58
  and New Testament commentary on our Old Testament.
• 49:00
  Study number one divisions, begin the heart of on holy men.
• 49:03
  Number two divisions. Utilize deception and
• 49:08
  accusation. And number three divisions are
• 49:10
  strengthened by naive Hearts. What does Paul?
• 49:12
  And with and flattery they deceive.
• 49:14
  The hearts of, who the knife. So right there isn't that it's
• 49:21
  not wonderful. That in our Old Testament study.
• 49:23
  We have new testament confirmation.
• 49:26
  The Old Testament is the best illustration book for New
• 49:28
  Testament, Truth by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the
• 49:33
  hearts of the naive. Hello Absalom.
• 49:37
  What polishing your spirit is that dividers, don't succeed
• 49:43
  over everyone not. Everyone is influenced by sower
• 49:48
  of Discord but there are some And the category of the, some
• 49:54
  are the simple. Proverbs 14:15 says that the
• 49:58
  simple believes everything, the simple believes everything, but
• 50:11
  the prudent give thoughts to his steps, The Prudent gives
• 50:15
  thoughts to his steps. In other words, it doesn't jump
• 50:17
  to conclusions, he doesn't rush into a door, he waits and thinks
• 50:21
  and calculates before any kind of judgment is made.
• 50:26
  That is not the simple. And the truth of the matter is
• 50:30
  that in the church, the beautiful, glorious blood-bought
• 50:34
  Church of Jesus Christ. You have those Within who are
• 50:39
  more simple than others. And who are much more willing to
• 50:46
  think with their feelings, who are in experience and because of
• 50:49
  their inexperience or more vulnerable, just like the
• 50:52
  Christians in Rome, this is what Paul is saying.
• 50:55
  And here's the thing that we have to ask ourselves, is that a
• 50:58
  fate that is inescapable for some meaning if you have some in
• 51:03
  the church who are simple, does that mean that they're just
• 51:06
  sitting ducks ready to be devoured at any time?
• 51:11
  And the answer thankfully is no, no, that doesn't have to be the
• 51:16
  future of any poor soul. Now, after healing all this,
• 51:23
  again, this is not the most uplifting Bible study on a
• 51:26
  Friday night after a long work week but it is important and
• 51:32
  here's the encouraging part. As we land, this Bible study,
• 51:35
  there is something that you and I can do to limit the damage
• 51:39
  that a person who is determined to bring Discord can do And I
• 51:44
  think what we see here in Romans 16 gives us the blueprint.
• 51:48
  And one of the things that you and I are called to do, if the
• 51:51
  naive are the target of such individuals who are in God's
• 51:56
  sight and Abomination. We are called to watch over our
• 52:00
  brothers and sisters, who might be naive.
• 52:04
  Who might be young in the faith, right?
• 52:08
  Who might be just have a different upbringing and
• 52:11
  different discipleship, different kind of experience
• 52:13
  growing up. And so, they just view the world
• 52:17
  with a different lens. Such individuals are called to
• 52:20
  be watched over by primarily the under Shepherds.
• 52:23
  Leaders of the church are called to have a watchful eye on how
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  people are responding to certain things and and where they're
• 52:32
  being pulled and where they're being pushed.
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  And when there is danger, an alarm it is the under Shepherds
• 52:37
  who are called, Discernment to come in and to warn and to
• 52:41
  rescue and to pull away, but it's not just the pastor's
• 52:45
  because the passengers are not omniscient.
• 52:47
  And omnipresent, Now, we have a mutual responsibility to watch
• 52:52
  each other's back and to ensure that if there are people who
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  might again be more impressed by certain things that can lead to
• 53:03
  Danger than you. And I have to be able to step in
• 53:06
  and say, hey man, look I've noticed, are you sure you doing
• 53:10
  here? Are you sure?
• 53:11
  You, you're you're thinking rightly about this.
• 53:17
  Listen. That is the bare minimum that
• 53:19
  you and I can do right, but there's something higher than
• 53:22
  that. There's something greater than
• 53:24
  that. If Paul here is warning that
• 53:26
  they deceive the hearts of the naive, then I say that there is
• 53:31
  a charge and an exhortation for the naive, not just for the
• 53:33
  people who are related to the naive and it is this Escape your
• 53:38
  simplicity. Grow.
• 53:44
  But God, stretch you. Proverbs tells us in the first
• 53:48
  chapter. Oh, how long will you love being
• 53:50
  simple? In other words, the naive here
• 53:53
  is not just limited to people who are innocent because they're
• 53:56
  inexperienced or because they haven't seen enough or because
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  years haven't been added to them, so they lack experiential
• 54:02
  wisdom. That is not the case.
• 54:05
  There comes a point where being naive is a choice.
• 54:10
  It's a choice that you consciously make, or you don't
• 54:13
  care to think about and just allow yourself to Coast through
• 54:16
  life. And the Bible says, oh, how long
• 54:18
  will you love being simple? In other words, it's time to
• 54:21
  grow. It's time to see God.
• 54:24
  Do something in the way. You perceive things that will
• 54:27
  protect you and protect your family, protect your finances
• 54:30
  and protect your church, protect your church, If you don't
• 54:34
  believe that, that is the case. Well, Proverbs 8 5 says, oh
• 54:38
  simple ones, learn prudence. Proverbs 850 simple ones.
• 54:44
  Learn prudence. That encourages me, if somebody
• 54:50
  is simple, they don't have to stay simple.
• 54:53
  They can Excel and they can mature and they can know The
• 54:57
  Graces and the blessings and the treasures that come from them.
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  So when I look at a simple person, if I know a simple
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  person if I know an innocent vulnerable person, I don't just
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  see them as a responsibility. I see them as a potential.
• 55:17
  Advocate for truth and someone who can no discernment that
• 55:21
  doesn't require constant supervision.
• 55:26
  And that is what these people needed.
• 55:28
  Unfortunately, this this group of Israelites were a gullible
• 55:31
  Folk. And they just ate whatever was
• 55:35
  presented to them at the hand of a gorgeous man.
• 55:37
  Name Absalom And so, these kind of people had a choice to
• 55:43
  graduate from their infancy and to develop skills and to grow in
• 55:47
  their character. And all of us have that decision
• 55:50
  to make how do you go from simple to prudence?
• 55:55
  And you know what this means is anybody know what the word
• 55:56
  Prudence means. Anybody know what Prudence
• 56:01
  means? It means to exercise judgment in
• 56:06
  a way where you limit risks and dangers.
• 56:13
  So, you develop a discernment and a discipline.
• 56:18
  To explore and to examine a certain thing and to find the
• 56:24
  best option out of them all. To prevent so much harm that
• 56:29
  could have been avoided. That's what we all need.
• 56:33
  Simple. People need to learn prudence
• 56:37
  and we can spend the next 30 minutes talking about how simple
• 56:40
  person can become wise. But I would just say this.
• 56:45
  That if there's something you can constantly do Anna, sure
• 56:47
  results. It's James 1:5, if any of you
• 56:49
  lack wisdom, What is he supposed to do?
• 56:54
  Let him ask God, let him ask God.
• 56:59
  You know what that tells me that God can directly deposit a set
• 57:04
  and a wiring in your being. When a matter what your
• 57:08
  upbringing was no matter what your lack of experience was, you
• 57:11
  can prevent risks and dangers in your life because heaven is on
• 57:16
  your side. and God's work is in you And something is there
• 57:25
  constantly and has been developed that even when you
• 57:28
  were surprised by instances or by people, or by situations, you
• 57:33
  are ready. I'll be transferring with you.
• 57:37
  One of the things that I pray for for myself every single day
• 57:41
  is discernment. Every single day.
• 57:46
  God give me discernment, help me not trust in my senses alone,
• 57:53
  you have put the holy spirit in me, you have given the word of
• 57:56
  God before me, Lord, I pray that as I indulge in your word and
• 58:00
  walk in the spirit, you allow me to live this life and navigate
• 58:05
  through it in a way, where I limit unnecessary harm of or
• 58:10
  others. And God has been faithful.
• 58:15
  James 1:5, true. He's willing to help us and not
• 58:20
  just people in leadership positions where they're example,
• 58:23
  our decisions can affect much more than just their own lives.
• 58:26
  But anybody, who desires it, anybody who desires it?
• 58:31
  How did divisions occur they begin in the hearts of Unholy
• 58:34
  men. Divisions, utilize deception and
• 58:41
  accusation. The Visions are strengthened by
• 58:46
  the hearts of the naive. May God protect this church may
• 58:51
  God protect your marriage may God protect your ministry. he is
• 58:57
  faithful and just and he is good.
• 59:02
  And in the coming weeks, Even men after God's heart can
• 59:06
  experience betrayal and when something as painful like that
• 59:11
  happens, what should our response be?
• 59:15
  We'll stay tuned to find out. But we do.
• 59:18
  Thank you for this Bible study. There may be some here who know
• 59:25
  what it's like to be. In a situation where division
• 59:33
  took place and it left scars. And put a sour taste in their
• 59:37
  mouth. Lori hate what you hate.
• 59:44
  What breaks your heart breaks our heart.
• 59:48
  We just ask Lord that you would give us discernment.
• 59:53
  We also ask God that you would not make us overly suspecting or
• 59:57
  suspicious fearful. Protect us from not having hope
• 1:00:03
  or not. Putting trust and faith in
• 1:00:05
  potential awesome relationships. Help us be quick to forgive when
• 1:00:10
  we do get in the flesh. Help us to identify our own
• 1:00:16
  selfishness and to crucify it when it tries to get off the
• 1:00:19
  cross. The Lord, we just pray that you
• 1:00:24
  would protect the Purity and the love of this place.
• 1:00:29
  And Lord. If it is true that jealousy and
• 1:00:32
  selfish ambition is the cause for every kind of disorder and
• 1:00:37
  vile practice, then let there be humility.
• 1:00:41
  And it god-glorifying mandate. Pumping in every single heart of
• 1:00:48
  those who represent this church and those who represent their
• 1:00:50
  own churches. Oh Lord, if it is true.
• 1:00:56
  That in humility. And in seeking the greater goal
• 1:01:00
  of the Gospel being proclaimed and loved, and cherished, and
• 1:01:02
  believed on, by those outside of this place.
• 1:01:04
  Then God help us be people who live in such a way where we want
• 1:01:09
  to worship you tonight because your word is, it is just amazing
• 1:01:14
  and profound to us. And we pray O Lord that we would
• 1:01:18
  trust in your instructions and your blueprint went offense,
• 1:01:22
  does arise in our hearts and when things do happen, That we
• 1:01:26
  would not allow ourselves to be a foothold for Satan to work.
• 1:01:30
  Like a, he thought full us who was who is calm and collected
• 1:01:34
  until an opportunity cane, oh, Lord, we wonder what would have
• 1:01:39
  become of him, if he sought forgiveness.
• 1:01:42
  If he, if he confronted David 121 and expressed his pain, we
• 1:01:49
  wonder if absalom's attempts would have been weakened and so
• 1:01:53
  low, we don't want to be footholds for the enemy to use
• 1:01:56
  us. Unknowingly we want to be free
• 1:01:59
  and we want to be your servants and we want to glorify you in
• 1:02:02
  every aspect of life. Lord, we worship you tonight and
• 1:02:04
  give you all honor and praise and recognition for your
• 1:02:07
  goodness. Even with a study like this, in
• 1:02:10
  Jesus name, we pray. Amen.
• 1:02:12
  Amen. Shall We Stand?
• 1:02:13
  And let's worship God together.