Latest / Meadows Baptist Church Podcast / On the Wrong Side of the Battle - 5/31/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch

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On the Wrong Side of the Battle - 5/31/26 - Meadows Baptist Church - Pastor Charlie Branch · Meadows Baptist Church Podcast

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  Welcome to the podcast of Meadows
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  Baptist Church of Walnut Cove, North
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  Carolina. We're so glad you joined us
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  today. If you enjoy today's message, be
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  sure to subscribe, follow, and share
• 0:15
  with your friends. Now, let's join
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  Pastor Charlie Branch with a word from
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  God.
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  I love that song. Every time Gayen sings
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  that, that helps me. And uh, man, I
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  appreciate you. Thank you for singing
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  that this morning, brother. And I
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  appreciate the Lord's blessings. Amen.
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  Boy, he's been good to us. Amen.
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  >> I thank him so much for allowing us to
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  be here uh in the service today. If you
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  have a Bible, I invite you to turn with
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  me to the book of 1st Samuel, 1st
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  Samuel, chapter number 29. And I know
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  you all just stood up, but one more
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  time, I'm going to ask you to stand.
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  Amen. And uh it's all right to do things
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  a little different every now and again.
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  And uh but it's also all right to do
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  some things the same. Amen. And I
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  appreciate God's blessing. Appreciate
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  you being your visitors. Thank you for
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  being with us today. We're so glad
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  you're here and make yourself right at
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  church today. And always I never heard a
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  complaint from the visitors saying that
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  they didn't feel welcome here. And that
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  means so much. That means so much as
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  your pastor. And I hope you do. I hope
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  you feel welcome this morning. and I
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  pray that God would touch and help you
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  this morning as a result of this
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  service. 1st Samuel 29. I'm going begin
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  reading verse number one. 1st Samuel 29
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  verse number one. The Bible says, "Now
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  the Philistines gathered together all
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  their armies to Aphek. And the
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  Israelites pitched by a fountain which
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  is in Jezrael. And the lords of the
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  Philistines passed on by hundreds and by
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  thousands. But David and his men passed
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  on in the re-reward with Akish.
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  Verse three says, "Then said the princes
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  of the Philistines, say that phrase with
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  me, church, what do these Hebrews hear?
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  And Akus said unto the princes of the
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  Philistines, "Is not this David, the
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  servant of Saul, the king of us, which
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  hath been with us with with me these
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  days or these years? And I have found no
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  fault in him since he fell unto me unto
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  this day." And the princes of the
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  Philistines were wroth with him. And the
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  princes of the Philistines said unto
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  him, Make this fellow return, that he
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  may go again to his place which thou
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  hast appointed him, and let him not go
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  with us to battle, lest in the battle he
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  be an adversary to us. For wherewith
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  should he reconcile himself unto his
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  master? Should it not be with the heads
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  of these men? Is not this David of whom
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  they sang one to another in dances,
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  saying, Saul slew his thousands and
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  David his 10 thousands? Then Akus called
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  David and said unto him, Surely as the
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  Lord liveth, thou hast been upright, and
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  thy going out, and thy coming in with
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  me, and the host is good in my sight.
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  For I've not found evil in thee since
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  the day of thy coming unto me unto this
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  day. Nevertheless, the Lord's favor thee
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  not. Wherefore now return, and go in
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  peace, that thou displeased not the
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  lords of the Philistines. And David said
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  unto Akish, But what have I done? And
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  what hast thou found in thy servant, so
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  long as I have been with thee unto this
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  day, that I may not go fight against the
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  enemies of my Lord the King. Now, I hope
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  you realize just how weighty those last
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  words that I read are. You see, we have
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  David, the king of Israel, is in a very
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  confused place. I don't know where
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  you're at this morning, child of God,
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  but I'll tell you this. You have one
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  Lord. That's
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  >> right.
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  >> His name is Jesus.
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  He is our one Lord. Amen. And I want to
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  preach this morning out of this text,
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  out of verse number three on that
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  phrase. I ask you to read with me this
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  morning. Then said the princes of the
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  Philistines, what do these Hebrews hear?
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  What do these Hebrews hear? I want to
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  preach on this thought. David, what are
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  you doing here?
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  David, what are you doing here? You see,
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  the king here in the text found him in a
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  place he should have never been.
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  >> You're right. I want to preach on that
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  thought this morning for just a little
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  while. Let's pray. Father, thank you so
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  much for allowing us to be in the house
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  of God today. For the privilege that we
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  have to pray, for the privilege that we
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  have to gather and worship and glorify
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  and honor our great savior. And Lord, I
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  pray, Father, today, God, that you would
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  help us as we've gathered here to hear
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  from your word. I pray you would hide
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  the ignorance of my youth and give me
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  the tongue of the learn today to speak,
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  Father, with wisdom, Lord, in uncction
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  and power, God. I pray, Father, that you
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  would be glorified and honored today. I
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  pray, Father, that every heart would be
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  touched and challenged by the word of
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  God. But not just challenged, but
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  changed this morning as a result of this
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  sermon. I pray that we'd see no man save
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  Jesus only in our midst. Help us to
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  receive with meekness the engrafted
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  word. And save every soul, Father,
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  that's on their way to hell this
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  morning. For what you do, we give you
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  thanks for it because we ask you in
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  Jesus name. And for his sake we pray.
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  Amen. You can be seated. Thank you for
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  standing this morning. This text here
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  marks to us a moment in the history of
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  Israel that looks very dark. We studied
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  this morning concerning the life of Saul
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  and some of his last days in Sunday
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  school according to chapter number 28.
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  And I want to deal this morning with
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  David in this text. Now David in this
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  text is not king of Israel yet. He has
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  not yet allowed himself to that place.
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  He's already been anointed king by
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  Samuel in the text. According to chapter
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  28, we are reminded again that David has
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  been anointed to be the next king in
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  this text. But I find David has been on
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  this path of fear. And what we realize
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  all the way back to chapter number 20 of
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  this chapter, David has been running
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  from Saul for fear of his life because
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  Saul has wanted to take his life because
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  he's realized that his throne is in
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  danger because of this man David. And
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  what we see and understand that David is
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  in fear in this time and his decisions
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  are not being made rationally. And I
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  want to say this to you this morning.
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  Decisions made in fear often times will
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  bring destruction. And that is what we
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  find in this text. And you say,
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  "Preacher, well, what's the setting
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  here?" Well, we realize according to
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  verse number one that the Philistines
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  are gathered together. They've gathered
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  all their armies, those that have linked
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  up with them, uh, to come and fight
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  against the Israelites. The Israelites
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  there are pitched in a mountain, but by
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  a fountain which is in Jezrael,
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  according to verse number one. and the
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  Philistine army, thousands of them have
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  passed on. And the Bible says that David
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  and his men have passed on in this
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  re-reward with Akish. Now, Akish, this
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  man that's mentioned in this text is the
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  king of Gath. Now, you you might know
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  that word Gath, that name Gath in
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  familiarity by the name of the man that
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  David once slew just several chapters
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  prior, chapter 17, I believe it is.
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  David takes down a man by the name of
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  Goliath. How many of you heard of that
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  Goliath? A man and David wrought victory
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  for the children of Israel that day in
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  the Philistine army by taking down
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  Goliath of Gath. But literally just less
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  than 15 chapters later, we find David
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  instead of fighting against the
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  Philistines, he has now linked up and
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  joined himself in affinity with the
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  Philistines. And all of this has come
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  about because of the fear of David. And
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  you say, "Preacher, how is that?" Well,
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  notice chapter number 27 of 1st Samuel
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  and verse number one, the Bible says in
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  verse one, David said in his heart, "I
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  shall now perish one day by the hand of
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  Saul. There is nothing better for me
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  than that I should speedily escape into
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  the land of the Philistines, and Saul
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  shall despair of me to seek me anymore
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  in any coast of Israel. So shall I
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  escape out of his hand." Notice verse
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  two. And David arose, and he passed over
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  with the 600 men that were with him unto
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  Akis, the son of Mayaok, king of Gath.
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  And you say, "Preacher, what are you
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  trying to emphasize this morning?" Well,
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  firstly, I want to emphasize this
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  morning, just remember when you decide
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  to walk out of the place God's put you,
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  you're not going to go alone.
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  >> You're right.
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  >> Amen. David took 600 men with him in the
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  text, the Bible tells us, and out of
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  that there is their families that are
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  represented. And I'll say more about
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  that here in just a little while. But
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  I'll say this, Saul represents the enemy
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  here. He represents the devil. And you
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  say, "Preacher, how do you know that
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  David was out of the will of God?" Well,
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  the Bible says in verse four, it says it
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  was told Saul that David was fled to
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  Gath. Notice this. And he sought no more
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  again for him. You say, "Preacher, what
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  does that represent?" Well, you see,
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  David had gotten to a place where the
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  enemy was no longer after him anymore.
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  You understand? Sometimes you and I will
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  get out of the will of God, walking in
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  our own desires and our own fleshly
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  lust. And what we find, it's not the
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  enemy that's caused us to sin, but it's
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  by our own choice that we are sinning.
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  He's no longer having to pursue us
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  because we're not in conflict with him,
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  but we are ACTUALLY GOING ALONG WITH
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  HIM. You're
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  >> right.
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  >> And so Saul is no longer pursuing David
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  in this text. And I notice out of this
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  David goes and the Bible says that for a
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  year and four months he lives with the
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  Philistines. He dwells there in the text
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  with Akish in a city called Ziklag
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  that's mentioned here in the text. Akish
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  the Philistine there gives him this city
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  and David pretty much dwells there and
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  is king or little ruler over this little
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  realm where him and his men are
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  dwelling. Verse seven, he dwells there
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  for a full year and four months. And the
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  Bible says in verse number eight that
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  David begins to make advances within the
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  land and to take out some of the
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  Philistines. And I want to lay five
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  things on your heart this morning if I
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  could concerning this thought on David.
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  What are you doing here? You say,
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  "Preacher, what are you trying to say
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  this morning?" Well, you see, David had
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  to do some things in order to keep
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  himself hidden when he was in the place
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  that he shouldn't have been. And let me
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  say this to you this morning, child of
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  God. If you're going to go out in this
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  world, what you're going to find is is
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  that the world is going to pick you out
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  from a crowd just from the very
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  beginning. And I'll remind you, amen, it
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  was just like Peter when he denied the
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  Lord. Amen. They were standing around
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  that fire and Peter was warming himself
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  and he denied the Lord three times. And
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  that third time they asked him said,
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  "You surely you were with one of them."
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  AND YOU REMEMBER WHAT THEY SAID? THEY
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  SAID, "YOUR SPEECH betrayeth you.
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  >> You talk like them."
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  >> Right? You're one of them disciples. And
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  let me say this, it ought to give you
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  great assurance to know that the world
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  can say that about you.
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  >> Amen.
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  >> But I'll say this, what it should remind
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  you is that you're somewhere you do not
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  belong.
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  >> I notice in this text, I want to give
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  you just a few things here and I'll be
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  done this morning. We consider David's
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  placement in chapter 29. David mentions
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  here in the text. The Philistines
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  question first his placement. They are
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  going to battle Akish. Here the king has
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  brought David along here in the text
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  with his 600 men and they are going to
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  fight here in the text with Israel and
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  you understand that creates a conflict
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  because Israel is David's people. Amen.
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  He was supposed to be reigning over them
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  even at this present time. But what we
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  find out is David is here with Akish.
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  Akus has got him to go with him to
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  battle. And the Philistines see David in
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  verse number three. The Bible said,
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  "Then said the princes of the
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  Philistines, what do these Hebrews
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  hear?" And so they're questioning the
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  placement. What are these boys doing
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  here in this battle when we are fighting
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  against their people?
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  >> You know, that's what it looks like when
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  the children of God go to the world and
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  begin to bash the church.
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  >> You're right.
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  >> Amen. What are you doing here? Why are
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  you saying that?
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  >> Why you acting that way?
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  >> You're not one of us. Let me say this.
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  If you're saved by the grace of God,
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  you'll never fit in in this world.
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  >> Amen. They'll pick you out every time.
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  They'll wonder, "Why are you here? What
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  are you doing with us?" Amen. And Akis
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  says to him, "Hey, this is David, the
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  servant of Saul, which hath been with me
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  these days or these years." He said, I
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  found no fault in him. And you notice
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  this last phrase, since he fell unto me
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  this day. That phrase, he fell unto me,
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  literally means that David was running
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  in fear from Saul. And David has told
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  the enemy, told the Philistines that he
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  was afraid of his own people.
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  >> You're right.
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  >> And Akus says, "He's fell unto me."
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  Basically, Achus says, "I've took him in
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  for protection." You know what I'm
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  seeing a whole lot of in this day and
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  time? People are leaving the church and
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  running to the world for protection from
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  the church.
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  >> This ain't going to be a shout message.
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  Amen. I'm going to preach it anyway.
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  Amen. aches. Here in the text, he says,
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  "He fell unto me for protection. He is
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  seeking protection." You say, "How is
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  that, preacher?" Well, I want you to
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  understand Saul. You You got to realize
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  Saul was not an enemy that could hurt
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  David,
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  >> right?
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  >> God had his hand on David.
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  >> And Saul couldn't do nothing with David.
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  It didn't matter how hard he tried. And
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  David, the reason that he ran in fear is
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  because he was operating in his flesh.
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  God could have would have protected
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  David every time. And he did protect
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  David all the way through his mistakes.
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  But you got to realize David never had
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  to do what David did. You're
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  >> right.
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  >> But what I find in this text, David has
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  to do some things here to allow his
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  presence to stay. They question his
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  placement. They question his purpose. In
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  verse number four, the Bible says he
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  there in verse four, the prince of the
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  Philistines were wroth with him. That's
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  Akish. The prince of the Philistine said
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  unto him, "Make this fellow return, that
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  he may go again to his place which thou
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  hast appointed him, and let him not go
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  down with us to the battle, lest in the
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  battle he be an adversary to us. For
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  wherewith should he reconcile himself
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  unto his master, should it not be with
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  the heads of these men?" Basically, the
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  Philistines are playing it smart.
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  They're using common sense and saying,
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  "Hey, David's going to ambush us from
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  behind while Saul's ambushing us from
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  the front." What he's saying is is,
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  "Hey, we got to get this man out of here
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  because he's a liability to us."
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  >> You're right.
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  >> Amen. They're questioning his placement.
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  They're questioning his purpose. They
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  also question his past in verse 5, look
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  what he says. Is not this David of whom
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  they sang one to another and dances,
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  saying, "Saul slew his thousands and
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  David is 10 thousands." You see, the
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  greatness of this man David has preceded
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  him.
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  >> You're right.
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  >> The work that he has done for God and
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  for the people of God has preceded him.
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  And so they've got a right to question
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  him. And what I notice in this text
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  number one in the message tonight is
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  David has to tell some degrading lies
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  to stay with these people. You say, "How
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  is that?" Well, now turn back back with
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  me just a chapter this morning to
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  chapter 27. The Bible says in verse 8
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  that David and his men went up and
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  invaded the Jesherites and the Gazarites
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  and the Amalachites, for those nations
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  were of old, the inhabitants of the
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  land, as thou goest to shure, even unto
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  the land of Egypt. And David smoked the
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  land, and left neither man nor woman
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  alive, and took away the sheep, and the
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  oxen, and the asses, and the camel
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  camels, and the apparel, and returned,
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  and came to Akish. And the Bible said in
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  verse 10 that Akish asked him,
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  "Wherether have you made a road today?"
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  or David, where have you been fighting?
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  And in verse 10, David, look what he
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  says. Against the south of Judah and
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  against the south of the Germalites and
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  against the south of the Kennites. You
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  say, "Preacher, what does that mean?"
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  Well, David in essence says he was
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  fighting against his own people.
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  >> You're right.
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  He calls out the people that's living in
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  his own land, the Kenna, the Jeremites,
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  those people that were his own people,
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  the south of Judah. What is he revealing
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  here? He's saying that he himself is
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  fighting against his own people. But
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  that was a lie. Who was he fighting
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  against? He was fighting against the
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  Philistines. But you know what this did
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  to Akus? This degraded his character
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  because David was supposed to be king.
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  David was supposed to be the one that
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  was next in line. And he has to tell
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  this lie. Let me say this to you. If you
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  going to stay in the world as a child of
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  God, you going to have to tell some
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  lies.
• 16:37
  >> You're right.
• 16:38
  >> Amen. Cuz they going to find you out.
• 16:41
  >> You're right.
• 16:41
  >> Amen. They're going to pick you out.
• 16:44
  Amen. And they're going to reveal to
• 16:45
  you. They're going to show to you, Amen,
• 16:47
  who you really are. And what you're
• 16:48
  going to find is you can't yoke up with
• 16:50
  them because what's on the inside ain't
• 16:52
  going to let you. But also, THEY DON'T
• 16:54
  WANT WHAT YOU GOT.
• 16:56
  >> RIGHT.
• 16:56
  >> AMEN.
• 16:57
  >> David had to lie about what he was
• 16:59
  doing. And let me say this, IF YOU'RE
• 17:01
  GOING TO STAY OUT IN THE WORLD AS A
• 17:03
  CHILD OF GOD, you'll have to tell lies.
• 17:05
  Amen. And I've seen it. You've heard the
• 17:07
  stories of those boys and young ladies
• 17:10
  that's grown up in church. Amen.
• 17:12
  Preachers kids and deacons kids. Amen.
• 17:14
  And Sunday school teachers kids. And
• 17:16
  they go out in the world and yoke up
• 17:18
  with the world's crowd. And you've heard
• 17:20
  the stories. THE WORLD'S CROWD LOOKS AT
• 17:22
  them says, "Well, you're part of that
• 17:23
  church going bunch,
• 17:25
  >> right?
• 17:25
  >> You know what it does? Just stirs up
• 17:27
  anger on the inside,
• 17:28
  >> right?
• 17:28
  >> It just makes them mad." So, you know
• 17:30
  what they do? They lie. That's
• 17:32
  >> right.
• 17:33
  >> Amen.
• 17:35
  >> People will go to the world. Listen to
• 17:36
  me young people this morning. It's a
• 17:38
  young people message. I know we postpone
• 17:40
  you Sunday, but I'm going to preach it
• 17:41
  just like the Lord give it to me. Amen.
• 17:43
  But I'm saying to you this morning, you
• 17:45
  can go to this world. Amen. And they'll
• 17:47
  somebody hands you a drink and you
• 17:49
  they'll ask you, "Have you ever drunk
• 17:50
  before?" And you'd be ashamed to tell
• 17:52
  them no.
• 17:52
  >> You're right.
• 17:53
  >> So, you know what you do? You waste your
• 17:56
  sobriety.
• 17:57
  >> You're right.
• 17:58
  >> You waste your purity.
• 18:00
  Some girl, some boy asks you if you've
• 18:03
  lost your virginity and you tell them
• 18:05
  yes, but you lied about it when you know
• 18:07
  all along that you're still pure, that
• 18:09
  you've never done anything WICKED LIKE
• 18:11
  THAT. HEY, SOMEBODY HELP THE PREACHER
• 18:13
  THIS MORNING. YOU'LL TELL SOME LIES
• 18:15
  that'll degrade your character cuz
• 18:17
  here's what's going to happen to you.
• 18:19
  You'll end up staying there.
• 18:21
  >> And you'll end up losing what you said
• 18:22
  you'd already lost. That's
• 18:23
  >> right.
• 18:24
  >> Amen. That's exactly right. He told some
• 18:27
  degrading lies to stay in the world. And
• 18:29
  why did he do this? Because he was
• 18:31
  afraid.
• 18:32
  >> He wanted to fit in in the world. You
• 18:35
  say, "Preacher, well, I'm not going to
• 18:37
  do that." This is David. You remember
• 18:38
  who we talking about here?
• 18:40
  >> This is David.
• 18:42
  >> He's lying to these men so he can
• 18:44
  protect himself.
• 18:46
  Notice this. Not only I see there's
• 18:48
  degrading lies that are told, but
• 18:50
  there's a divided loyalty that's
• 18:52
  mentioned in the text. Verse three.
• 18:54
  Notice it again. What do these Hebrews
• 18:56
  hear?
• 18:58
  Why are these boys here? We're going to
• 19:01
  fight against them. Why are they behind
• 19:03
  us?
• 19:04
  >> Furthermore, Akish, why have you got
• 19:06
  these men protecting you? I MEAN, THINK
• 19:08
  ABOUT HOW THIS LOOKED in the Philistines
• 19:11
  mind. Those princes, those lords looked
• 19:13
  at Akish, king of Gath, and they see all
• 19:16
  these Hebrews surrounding and they're
• 19:17
  like, we're going to FIGHT AGAINST THEM.
• 19:20
  WHAT IN THE WORLD'S GOING ON? YOU SAY
• 19:22
  WHAT IT WAS in their heart. They were
• 19:24
  trying to protect themselves. They were
• 19:25
  just hanging WITH DAVID. BUT THE TRUTH
• 19:28
  IS THEIR LOYALTY WAS STILL TO ISRAEL.
• 19:31
  >> RIGHT?
• 19:31
  >> But you know what they were about to do?
• 19:34
  They were about to go fight against
• 19:35
  Israel. And you know what I believe from
• 19:37
  this text? According to what it tells
• 19:39
  me, David would have fought with his own
• 19:40
  people.
• 19:42
  I'm going somewhere. Stay with me.
• 19:44
  >> David would have fought with his own
• 19:46
  people. You say, "Preacher, how do you
• 19:47
  see that there was divided loyalty?"
• 19:49
  Well, notice verse eight. They
• 19:51
  questioned his placement. Why are they
• 19:53
  here? They questioned his purpose. Is he
• 19:55
  going to reconcile with King Saul? They
• 19:57
  question his past. Remember that song,
• 19:59
  those dances that they talked about how
• 20:01
  he slew his thousands and David slew his
• 20:03
  10 thousands? And then David, as if
• 20:05
  that's not enough in the text, the Bible
• 20:07
  says that Akish comes to him and says,
• 20:09
  "Look, David, you got to get out of
• 20:10
  here. You got to leave. You can't be
• 20:13
  here. These men are not happy with you."
• 20:15
  And listen to what David says in verse
• 20:17
  eight. What have I done? And what hast
• 20:20
  thou found in thy servant so long as I
• 20:22
  have been with thee unto this day that I
• 20:23
  may not go fight against the enemies?
• 20:25
  Notice it again. Of my lord the king.
• 20:30
  You say, "Preacher, why is that so big?"
• 20:33
  Well, this king is the king of the
• 20:34
  Philistines. You're
• 20:35
  >> right.
• 20:36
  >> This is David's sworn enemy.
• 20:38
  >> Y
• 20:39
  >> these are Goliath's people. The one that
• 20:42
  he just took down a few chapters before
• 20:44
  in the power of God. He's now bowing
• 20:46
  down to him as king. That's
• 20:47
  >> right. He himself is a king.
• 20:50
  >> Oh friend, did you hear what I just
• 20:52
  said?
• 20:53
  >> David's a king. You know what he's
• 20:54
  doing? He's bowing down to the world.
• 20:56
  You're
• 20:56
  >> right.
• 20:57
  >> You realize what you are this morning,
• 20:59
  child of God.
• 21:00
  >> Amen.
• 21:00
  >> You are a joint heir
• 21:02
  >> with Jesus Christ.
• 21:04
  >> Right.
• 21:04
  >> You have an inheritance. Peter said,
• 21:06
  "You have an inheritance incorruptible,
• 21:08
  undefiled, reserved in heaven for you."
• 21:11
  >> That's right.
• 21:12
  >> And you know what? This morning, why are
• 21:14
  you bowing down to the world?
• 21:15
  >> Go ahead.
• 21:16
  >> You know what that is? That's divided
• 21:17
  loyalty.
• 21:18
  >> Yes, sir.
• 21:19
  >> David called him king, but his people
• 21:21
  was Israel.
• 21:22
  >> Amen.
• 21:23
  >> Hey, don't follow this world and its
• 21:25
  fads and its trends and its fashion and
• 21:28
  its music and all the THINGS THAT IT HAS
• 21:30
  TO OFFER. IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, YOU
• 21:33
  OUGHT TO FOLLOW THE THINGS THAT BELONG
• 21:34
  TO GOD. YOU OUGHT TO STAY WITH THE
• 21:36
  PEOPLE OF GOD. YOU OUGHT TO STAY WITH
• 21:38
  THE HOUSE OF GOD. YOU OUGHT TO FIGHT ON
• 21:41
  THE WINNING SIDE. AMEN. BECAUSE IF YOU
• 21:43
  GO TO THE OTHER SIDE, YOU'LL DIE THE
• 21:46
  SAME WAY THAT they will.
• 21:47
  >> You're right.
• 21:49
  >> There's divided loyalty. He said, "Why
• 21:52
  can I not go fight against the enemies
• 21:54
  of my Lord McKeen?" Do you realize who
• 21:56
  he's calling the enemy here?
• 21:58
  >> His own people.
• 21:59
  >> You're right.
• 22:00
  >> Hey folks, this church is not your
• 22:02
  enemy. That's
• 22:03
  >> right.
• 22:04
  >> These people are not your enemy. The
• 22:05
  devil would have you believe. LISTEN TO
• 22:07
  ME, CHURCH. LISTEN TO ME. LOOK AT YOUR
• 22:09
  PREACHER THIS MORNING. THE DEVIL WOULD
• 22:11
  HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY ELSE IN
• 22:13
  THIS BUILDING IS YOUR ENEMY. BUT LET ME
• 22:16
  SAY THIS TO YOU. THE DEVIL IS YOUR
• 22:18
  ENEMY.
• 22:19
  >> HEY, THAT OTHER PERSON THAT YOU'VE GOT A
• 22:21
  SCHISM OR A PROBLEM WITH, YOU CAN GET
• 22:23
  THAT SETTLED BECAUSE THAT PERSON IS NOT
• 22:26
  YOUR ENEMY. HE SAID, "WE WRESTLE NOT
• 22:29
  AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST
• 22:31
  PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST
• 22:34
  RULERS OF DARKNESS AND SPIRITUAL
• 22:36
  WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES. THAT IS THE
• 22:39
  DEVIL HIMSELF. YOUR BATTLE IS NOT WITH
• 22:42
  YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER THIS MORNING.
• 22:44
  You're
• 22:44
  >> right.
• 22:46
  >> If the devil could separate you and get
• 22:48
  you on his side, just like in the text,
• 22:50
  he would do it every time.
• 22:52
  >> Come on.
• 22:53
  >> Notice not only
• 22:55
  >> the lies, the divided loyalty, but
• 22:58
  notice the defeat.
• 23:00
  You see, this story doesn't end in
• 23:02
  chapter 29. David leaves, but all the
• 23:06
  while David's busy with his loyalty to
• 23:08
  this Philistine king. Look what happens
• 23:10
  in chapter 30.
• 23:13
  Chapter 30 and verse number one. And it
• 23:16
  came to pass when David and his men were
• 23:17
  come to Ziglag. That was a place he was
• 23:19
  living. Remember who was there? He had
• 23:22
  600 men with him, all their wives and
• 23:24
  children. Look what happens in the text.
• 23:27
  On the third day that the Amalachites
• 23:29
  had invaded the south and Ziglag and
• 23:32
  smitten Ziglag and burned it with fire
• 23:34
  and had taken the women captives that
• 23:36
  were therein, they slew not any, either
• 23:38
  great or small, but carried them away
• 23:40
  and went on their way.
• 23:42
  You see, David's lies,
• 23:46
  his degrading lies, and his divided
• 23:48
  loyalty. You know what it led to? It led
• 23:49
  to defeat. You're
• 23:50
  >> right.
• 23:51
  >> With the real enemy.
• 23:53
  You see, all the while he's pledging his
• 23:55
  loyalty to the Philistines, the
• 23:57
  Amalachites. You say, "Preacher, where
• 23:59
  did the Amalachites come into play?"
• 24:01
  Well, notice what had happened just a
• 24:03
  chapter prior in chapter 27:E8.
• 24:06
  David and his men went up and invaded
• 24:08
  the Jesus and the Gazites and the
• 24:11
  Amalachites.
• 24:12
  Well, the Bible says that they smelt all
• 24:14
  of them. They didn't leave any of them.
• 24:17
  But isn't it interesting that chapter 30
• 24:19
  shows up three days later?
• 24:21
  Look what the Bible says. as the
• 24:23
  Amalachites invaded them, took their
• 24:26
  house,
• 24:27
  took their land, took their wives, took
• 24:29
  their children, took all their cattle
• 24:31
  and herds and left with it. And you know
• 24:34
  why they got it? Because David was in a
• 24:37
  was was pledging his allegiance to a
• 24:38
  king he didn't have no business bow down
• 24:40
  to.
• 24:40
  >> Right?
• 24:42
  >> You know what you going to do, daddy?
• 24:43
  While you're pledging your allegiance to
• 24:46
  this world,
• 24:47
  >> come on.
• 24:47
  >> Fighting with the church, your wife and
• 24:50
  children's going to be left behind.
• 24:51
  >> You're right. And you know what'll
• 24:53
  happen to them? They'll be taken away.
• 24:54
  That's
• 24:55
  >> right.
• 24:57
  >> Go ahead.
• 24:57
  >> Same for you, mama.
• 25:00
  >> What you're doing while you're fighting
• 25:01
  with your brother or sister or down at
• 25:02
  the church house fighting over
• 25:04
  something, what you're fighting with,
• 25:06
  what you're going to look around is
• 25:07
  you're going to find all those fallen
• 25:09
  behind you is going to be gone one day.
• 25:10
  >> Right?
• 25:11
  >> Cuz you were too busy fighting a battle
• 25:13
  you didn't have no business being in.
• 25:14
  >> Or matter of fact, you had a business
• 25:16
  being in it, but you were on the wrong
• 25:17
  side of it.
• 25:18
  >> You're right.
• 25:21
  There was defeat and loss. David lost
• 25:24
  his wives. He lost his children. The
• 25:27
  Bible says in the text, not only there
• 25:29
  was defeat and loss, but there was
• 25:30
  division. And David was loathed in the
• 25:33
  text. Look what the Bible said in verse
• 25:35
  six of chapter 30. And David was greatly
• 25:37
  distressed. For the people spake of
• 25:39
  stoning him because the soul of all the
• 25:42
  people was grieved, every man for his
• 25:44
  sons and for his daughters. You see,
• 25:46
  this reveals to us here in the text that
• 25:48
  David because of his mistake, because of
• 25:51
  his failure, he had led these men to
• 25:53
  lose their wives and their children.
• 25:55
  >> And I can I say this again, you never go
• 25:57
  alone. You're
• 25:58
  >> right.
• 25:59
  >> It never happens alone.
• 26:03
  Why? Why are you going out there?
• 26:06
  You say, "Preacher, well, I'm not out
• 26:07
  there." Well, let me just say where out
• 26:09
  there is right now. All right. Let me
• 26:10
  tell you where out there is. It's
• 26:12
  Facebook's where it is.
• 26:14
  >> It's social media. and you get on there
• 26:16
  and you talk about things
• 26:18
  >> that really you shouldn't even be
• 26:20
  talking about behind closed doors.
• 26:22
  >> Things that you shouldn't even be
• 26:23
  discussing.
• 26:24
  >> Things that really you shouldn't even
• 26:26
  know about because of the gossip line.
• 26:28
  Amen.
• 26:28
  >> Amen.
• 26:29
  >> You say, "Preacher, you think this
• 26:30
  church has got some?" Every church has
• 26:32
  some.
• 26:32
  >> You're right.
• 26:34
  >> And you know why? It's perpetrated by
• 26:36
  people who are instigators.
• 26:38
  >> You're right.
• 26:39
  >> People who desire to stir up strife. And
• 26:41
  you know what that is? That's a battle
• 26:42
  that you don't need to be. You need to
• 26:44
  be on the battle that's shutting that
• 26:45
  stuff down.
• 26:46
  >> Hey, when somebody brings you something,
• 26:48
  it ought to die with you. You listen to
• 26:50
  me this morning. If they tell you
• 26:52
  something, Amen. And you got, if you
• 26:54
  going to listen to it, you got to tell
• 26:55
  them, Amen. this ain't going nowhere.
• 26:57
  And really, I don't know if what you're
• 26:58
  telling me is true. Cuz there's three
• 27:00
  sides to every story. And you need to
• 27:02
  realize this morning, hey, there's some
• 27:04
  things that's in your mind, you just
• 27:06
  need to let go to the trash bin. And
• 27:07
  they just need to burn there. Somebody
• 27:09
  say, amen. It just needs to burn there.
• 27:12
  You need to let it out and quit giving
• 27:13
  it to other people for them to THINK
• 27:15
  ABOUT IT. AMEN. Let your life BE THE ONE
• 27:18
  THAT GOSSIP DIES WITH. AMEN.
• 27:22
  >> That's the fight we're dealing with.
• 27:24
  >> That's why people walk away. WELL,
• 27:26
  THERE'S NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF
• 27:27
  HYPOCRITES down there. Well, here's the
• 27:29
  problem with it. All right. There's
• 27:31
  hypocrites down at the Walmart. But
• 27:32
  here's the difference. You don't have no
• 27:34
  fellowship with them people at Walmart.
• 27:37
  >> This is a place of fellowship. This is a
• 27:39
  place where there's supposed to be
• 27:40
  unity. And the reason why people will go
• 27:43
  back to Walmarts cuz they it ain't a
• 27:45
  place OF FELLOWSHIP. IT'S A PLACE OF
• 27:47
  BUSINESS. But when we're in a place of
• 27:48
  fellowship, the relationships have got
• 27:51
  to be right. AND YOU NEED TO BE ON THE
• 27:53
  RIGHT SIDE OF THE BATTLE. AMEN.
• 27:56
  >> You say, "Preacher, what does that look
• 27:57
  like?" WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE
• 27:59
  PREACHER PREACHES a standard or gives
• 28:01
  you something that you need to do to
• 28:03
  help YOUR CHILDREN AND PROTECT YOUR
• 28:04
  FAMILY, YOU DON'T GO HOME AND IN FRONT
• 28:06
  OF YOUR CHILDREN, TALK ABOUT THE
• 28:08
  PREACHER AND TALK ABOUT HIS FAMILY.
• 28:10
  AMEN. AND SAY, "WELL, WE JUST DON'T
• 28:12
  really believe that. He's just too TIGHT
• 28:14
  ON THAT." NO. WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND
• 28:16
  IS IS WHILE YOU'RE CONVERSATING about
• 28:18
  how tight I am or how wrong I am, you're
• 28:21
  going to look around and your children's
• 28:23
  GOING TO BE IN A MESS.
• 28:24
  >> YOU'RE RIGHT.
• 28:26
  Go ahead.
• 28:28
  >> Look, friend, I love you this morning. I
• 28:30
  don't know a thing. If I did, I'd still
• 28:32
  preach it anyway,
• 28:34
  >> but I don't know a thing.
• 28:36
  >> Here's the truth this morning. You got
• 28:37
  to realize what I'm doing is trying to
• 28:40
  protect you,
• 28:41
  >> right?
• 28:41
  >> What I'm doing is trying to protect you
• 28:43
  and your children. You see, David, if he
• 28:45
  had only listened to his leadership,
• 28:48
  >> say, who was his leadership? Well, it
• 28:49
  was God,
• 28:50
  >> right?
• 28:50
  >> You see, David has had no conversation
• 28:52
  with God
• 28:54
  >> in this time. None whatsoever. He's not
• 28:56
  talked to God. You know, when David
• 28:58
  starts to talk to God is in verse number
• 29:01
  six. When the people's divided, they're
• 29:03
  distressed, they're about to kill him.
• 29:05
  Then the Bible says, "Then David
• 29:06
  encouraged himself in the Lord." And we
• 29:08
  get strength from that. I draw strength
• 29:10
  from that. Man, you ought to encourage
• 29:11
  yourself in the Lord. But you realize
• 29:13
  what it took David to get to that point.
• 29:15
  >> Go ahead.
• 29:16
  >> They was ready to kill him,
• 29:18
  >> right?
• 29:19
  >> Why is it that people let their family
• 29:21
  get on the verge of busting in a million
• 29:23
  pieces? Yeah.
• 29:24
  >> Wife's about to leave. Husband's going
• 29:26
  to lose his job. And the babies are in
• 29:27
  all types of sin down at the
• 29:29
  schoolhouse. And then we run TO THE
• 29:31
  PREACHER. PREACHER, WOULD YOU HELP US?
• 29:33
  >> Go ahead.
• 29:35
  >> Come on.
• 29:36
  >> No. You need to deal with it when it
• 29:37
  just starts. You need to get IN THE
• 29:39
  RIGHT PLACE. YOU NEED TO FIX IT BEFORE
• 29:41
  IT GETS TOO BIG TO FIX.
• 29:44
  >> People wait till they get to the divorce
• 29:46
  court, THEN THEY START PRAYING. FRIEND,
• 29:48
  YOU OUGHT TO BE PRAYING FOR YOUR
• 29:49
  MARRIAGE EVERY DAY. EVERY DAY OF YOUR
• 29:51
  LIFE. YOU OUGHT TO BE PRAYING FOR YOUR
• 29:53
  WIFE. YOU OUGHT TO BE PRAYING FOR YOUR
• 29:54
  HUSBAND. CUZ YOU REALIZE, FRIEND, THIS
• 29:57
  LIFE IS BUT A VAPOR. AND IF YOU'RE NOT
• 29:59
  CAREFUL, IT'LL SLIP THROUGH YOUR FINGERS
• 30:01
  THIS MORNING.
• 30:04
  >> Cuz there's things you don't know about.
• 30:06
  >> There's things I don't know about. And
• 30:09
  if God don't help us, friend, we can't
• 30:11
  hold a marriage down.
• 30:12
  >> Right.
• 30:13
  >> I've told my wife this. I told it from
• 30:14
  the start. I said, "If this if this is
• 30:16
  going to work, it's going to have to be
• 30:18
  him."
• 30:18
  >> That's right. And anytime I get out of
• 30:20
  fellowship with him, my spiritual litmus
• 30:22
  test is my relationship with her.
• 30:24
  >> That's right.
• 30:25
  >> If we get out of sorts, you know why?
• 30:27
  It's cuz I ain't right with him.
• 30:28
  >> Go ahead.
• 30:29
  >> Cuz I'm not right with him. ARE YOU
• 30:31
  HEARING ME, MEN? LISTEN TO ME.
• 30:33
  >> When we get OUT OF SORTS, IT'S CUZ I'm
• 30:37
  not right with him.
• 30:38
  >> Go ahead. Come on. Good.
• 30:42
  >> There's been a lot of good women bashed
• 30:44
  and thrown under the bus by a man that
• 30:46
  was never right with God. Probably not
• 30:48
  even saved. and dispute and destroyed
• 30:50
  his own family because he thought that
• 30:52
  everybody else OWED HIM SOMETHING. I
• 30:54
  DON'T KNOW WHY I'M PREACHING THIS THIS
• 30:55
  MORNING, BUT I'M GOING TO PREACH IT.
• 30:57
  AMEN. YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND AND BETTER
• 30:59
  REALIZE, DADDY, HUSBAND, YOUR
• 31:01
  RESPONSIBILITY, YOUR FAMILY IS TO BE THE
• 31:03
  SPIRITUAL LEADER OF YOUR HOME. AND IF
• 31:05
  IT'S GOING TO FAIL, IT'LL FAIL ON YOUR
• 31:08
  TERMS.
• 31:11
  >> SAY, PREACHER, WELL, my wife walked out
• 31:13
  on me, but why?
• 31:16
  >> Come on.
• 31:19
  I know we don't like it.
• 31:20
  >> Come on.
• 31:21
  >> I'm telling you the truth this morning.
• 31:23
  If you refuse to love your spouse, you
• 31:26
  got to remember something, friend. God
• 31:27
  told you first.
• 31:29
  >> You're right.
• 31:30
  >> Husbands love your wives.
• 31:32
  >> Even as Christ also loved the church and
• 31:35
  gave himself for it. You understand?
• 31:37
  God, he loved us. The Bible says, "But
• 31:39
  God commendeth his love toward us in
• 31:41
  that while WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST
• 31:43
  DIED FOR US." I'M SAYING TO YOU THIS
• 31:46
  MORNING, FRIEND, YOU BETTER GET ON THE
• 31:47
  RIGHT SIDE OF THIS THING, OR IF YOU'RE
• 31:49
  ON THE WRONG SIDE OF IT, YOU'LL BE
• 31:51
  SEEING A LOT OF DESTRUCTION SHORTLY come
• 31:53
  to pass.
• 31:57
  >> You say, "Preacher, you putting all the
• 31:58
  responsibility on the man?" No, I'm not.
• 32:01
  >> I'm just telling you, he's first.
• 32:03
  >> Amen.
• 32:05
  >> And I've never seen a divorce happen.
• 32:08
  You mark my words. I've never seen
• 32:10
  divorce happen. I don't know why. I
• 32:11
  don't even know why I'm preaching on
• 32:12
  this, Miss Betty Jean.
• 32:14
  But I've never seen a divorce happen
• 32:15
  where the man did not have some fault in
• 32:17
  it. You're
• 32:18
  >> right. Go ahead.
• 32:19
  >> He may not have been all at fault, but
• 32:21
  he had some fault.
• 32:23
  >> Matter of fact, he had he was most at
• 32:25
  fault.
• 32:26
  >> Go ahead.
• 32:29
  >> Come on.
• 32:30
  >> I know it's quiet, and I'm going to
• 32:31
  preach it anyway.
• 32:34
  >> Love your wife the way you're supposed
• 32:36
  to. Amen.
• 32:39
  >> What does that look like, preacher?
• 32:40
  Well, it's staying in the right place.
• 32:43
  See, here's what happens. All right,
• 32:46
  David, if he would have been in the land
• 32:48
  of Israel, we've been talking about
• 32:49
  Abraham on Wednesday nights, and I made
• 32:51
  this statement Wednesday night. I said,
• 32:53
  "Anytime Abraham got out of the city,
• 32:56
  >> out of the land, you know what happened?
• 32:58
  Bad things took place."
• 32:59
  >> You're right.
• 33:00
  >> Every time Abram stepped foot out of the
• 33:02
  land of promise, you know what?
• 33:03
  Something happened.
• 33:05
  >> Anytime David, where's he at? He's
• 33:07
  outside. He's in the land of the
• 33:09
  Philistines.
• 33:10
  >> What's happened? and he's lost his
• 33:12
  wives. He's lost his children. He's lost
• 33:15
  these families. But I tell you this, it
• 33:17
  gets worse. Say, "Preacher, how does it
• 33:19
  get worse?" You say, "Preacher, I know
• 33:20
  the story." And that matter of fact, it
• 33:22
  gets better. And you would be right
• 33:23
  partially. David recovers all. Amen. We
• 33:26
  know the story. This chapter, chapter
• 33:29
  30, David goes and they fight. They take
• 33:31
  the Amalachites out and they bring their
• 33:34
  wives back and they're all rejoicing.
• 33:36
  Everything's good. But you know what?
• 33:38
  There's another chapter after that.
• 33:40
  >> Yeah. Yeah. Come on.
• 33:42
  >> Say, "What do you mean?" Well, David's
• 33:44
  degrading lives and his divided loyalty
• 33:46
  led to a defeat and a loss. It led to
• 33:47
  division and loathing. Yes, they
• 33:49
  recovered all, but you know what? There
• 33:51
  was some that were lost.
• 33:54
  The Bible tells us in chapter 31, notice
• 33:57
  verse one of 1st Samuel 31.
• 34:00
  Now the Philistines fought against
• 34:02
  Israel, and the men of Israel fled from
• 34:04
  before the Philistines and fell down
• 34:06
  slain in Mount Gilboa. Verse two. And
• 34:09
  the Philistines followed hard upon Saul
• 34:11
  and upon his sons. And the Philistines
• 34:14
  slew Jonathan and Abinadab and Melisua.
• 34:19
  Saul's sons. You say, "Preacher, I
• 34:22
  thought Saul was the enemy." You're
• 34:24
  right. Saul was the enemy. But Saul had
• 34:26
  a son who was David's best friend.
• 34:28
  >> You're right.
• 34:29
  >> His name was Jonathan. And David loved
• 34:32
  Jonathan as he loved his own soul.
• 34:35
  David got his wives back. He got his
• 34:38
  children back. But you know, because he
• 34:40
  was on the wrong side of the fight. Go
• 34:42
  ahead.
• 34:46
  >> He lost his best friend.
• 34:51
  You say, "What is it, preacher? It's
• 34:52
  death."
• 34:56
  David, what are you doing here?
• 35:00
  Because he was on the wrong side of the
• 35:01
  battle. His best friend died,
• 35:03
  >> right? You say, "Preacher, you really
• 35:05
  think David could have saved him?" I
• 35:06
  know it could have.
• 35:07
  >> You're right.
• 35:09
  >> David and those 600 men alone could have
• 35:11
  took out the Philistine army because God
• 35:13
  was on the
• 35:14
  >> You're right.
• 35:14
  >> Amen. Amen.
• 35:16
  >> But you know what? Jonathan died because
• 35:19
  David was on the wrong side of the
• 35:20
  battle.
• 35:21
  >> You're right.
• 35:22
  >> You say, "Preacher, but David recovered
• 35:24
  his family." And you're right. He did.
• 35:27
  But you know who he lost? He lost his
• 35:30
  friend.
• 35:31
  >> That's right. You say, "Preacher, what
• 35:33
  do you mean?"
• 35:35
  I can tell you for a fact this morning.
• 35:39
  Reason why this hits hard is because I
• 35:40
  I've lived this. Okay?
• 35:45
  When you when you go to a fight, you may
• 35:48
  walk out victorious.
• 35:50
  Dave would come out unscathed, but what
• 35:53
  you'll find is he got his wives back and
• 35:55
  all those men rejoiced.
• 35:58
  And there's a lot we could say about
• 36:00
  Saul. There's a lot we could say about
• 36:01
  Jonathan at this point. This is the
• 36:03
  point I want to make to you. David was
• 36:05
  supposed to be king,
• 36:06
  >> right?
• 36:08
  >> We know that he honored Saul. I I know
• 36:10
  every bit of that. But David still could
• 36:12
  have went to battle.
• 36:15
  David still could have went to war with
• 36:16
  the Philistines, with Jonathan, and with
• 36:20
  Saul. He still could have done it. And
• 36:23
  you know what? They could have had
• 36:24
  victory.
• 36:24
  >> You're right.
• 36:26
  >> But David wasn't there.
• 36:28
  You ever not been there when somebody
• 36:30
  needed you?
• 36:31
  >> Amen.
• 36:32
  >> Matter of fact, have you ever been on
• 36:34
  the wrong side of an issue
• 36:37
  and realize it too late? That's
• 36:39
  >> right.
• 36:42
  >> You better believe you've been there.
• 36:45
  >> Every one of us have.
• 36:48
  >> And here's what I want to want you to
• 36:50
  get out of this today.
• 36:52
  I guess I should title the message on
• 36:54
  the wrong side of the battle.
• 36:58
  When you're on the wrong side,
• 36:59
  inevitably there's going to be somebody
• 37:02
  that dies.
• 37:02
  >> You're right.
• 37:06
  >> I I looked up illustrations and I
• 37:08
  couldn't find none that satisfied me.
• 37:09
  And so I I just thought about, you know,
• 37:12
  there's a lot of times that soldiers and
• 37:14
  fires sometimes different throughout the
• 37:17
  years, different types of warfare. I
• 37:19
  think particularly about guerilla
• 37:21
  warfare, the trench warfare that went on
• 37:23
  early on in the 20th century.
• 37:27
  And men would find themselves in the
• 37:29
  wrong trench.
• 37:32
  >> You know what would happen out of that?
• 37:34
  A lot of times it would be something
• 37:36
  called friendly fire that would bring
• 37:38
  somebody else's death to pass.
• 37:40
  >> You're right.
• 37:41
  >> Because they found themselves on the
• 37:43
  wrong side of the fight. You say,
• 37:46
  "Preacher, how does this apply to me?"
• 37:47
  Well, I wonder what what what fight
• 37:50
  you're fighting. Number one. But number
• 37:51
  two, I'll say this. I wonder which side
• 37:53
  of it that you're on.
• 37:55
  Because there's a whole lot of talking
• 37:57
  goes on. There's a whole lot of problems
• 37:59
  that people have. Because wouldn't we
• 38:01
  all agree this morning where there's
• 38:02
  people, there's what?
• 38:04
  >> Problems.
• 38:05
  >> Right.
• 38:06
  >> And here's the thing about it. You can't
• 38:08
  escape the battle. But you can be on the
• 38:11
  right side.
• 38:11
  >> You're right.
• 38:14
  >> You say, "Preacher, what if I don't
• 38:15
  know?" You stay where you're supposed to
• 38:17
  be with God.
• 38:18
  >> That's right.
• 38:19
  >> And he'll put you on the right side.
• 38:21
  >> Yes, sir.
• 38:22
  >> You know where David got out of sorts?
• 38:24
  It's when he stopped talking to God.
• 38:26
  >> Right?
• 38:26
  >> And when he stopped talking to God, he
• 38:28
  got on the wrong side of the Bible.
• 38:30
  >> Right?
• 38:31
  >> I'm just going to leave it at that. You
• 38:32
  know what God God needs from you this
• 38:34
  morning. Every head bowed and every eye
• 38:36
  closed this morning. She's going to
• 38:38
  begin to play.
• 38:43
  I wonder where you at this morning.
• 38:46
  Say, "Preacher,
• 38:49
  preacher, I don't know." Well, I don't
• 38:50
  tell you this. David didn't either. You
• 38:53
  see, chapter 31, Jonathan slain. It's
• 38:56
  not until 2 Samuel chapter 1 that David
• 38:59
  finds out that Jonathan's dead.
• 39:04
  And that discovery
• 39:06
  shakes David to his core.
• 39:11
  It rips his heart out.
• 39:14
  You say, "Preacher, well, I don't know
• 39:16
  where I'm at." Well, I tell you this,
• 39:18
  God does.
• 39:21
  You say, "Preacher, what's the cure?"
• 39:23
  Well, you need to talk to him. You see,
• 39:25
  because, and I've said this a lot here
• 39:27
  lately, I feel like my sermons have been
• 39:29
  somewhat redundant. Some of you need
• 39:31
  some help. Obviously, I think that I
• 39:33
  need some help with it, too. You need to
• 39:36
  get on the right side.
• 39:38
  You say, "Preacher, how do I do that?"
• 39:40
  Well, you get on the Lord's side.
• 39:43
  You know where you find him? You find
• 39:46
  him in his word.
• 39:48
  You find him in that time of prayer.
• 39:52
  you find him in that sweet fellowship
• 39:56
  because when you don't know what side to
• 39:58
  be on cuz here's what I'm going to tell
• 40:00
  you. The enemy's he'll pick sides for
• 40:02
  you if you allow him to.
• 40:06
  But if you'll stay in the right place,
• 40:09
  you won't end up on the wrong side of
• 40:11
  the battle.
• 40:13
  If you'll stay in prayer,
• 40:16
  if you'll stay in your Bible,
• 40:20
  if you'll stay at church and be
• 40:22
  faithful.
• 40:24
  Faithful.
• 40:33
  You might end up on the wrong side, but
• 40:35
  God will deliver you from it.
• 40:39
  And you see, David got brought out, but
• 40:40
  it wasn't without somebody else's death.
• 40:45
  Say, "Preacher, would you pray for me?"
• 40:48
  There's nobody looking around but me.
• 40:51
  How many of you be honest? You say,
• 40:52
  "Preacher, I I've been on the wrong side
• 40:55
  of the battle before."
• 40:59
  Every hand in this building
• 41:02
  could go up on that. Let me tell you
• 41:04
  this this morning. Say, "Preacher, how
• 41:06
  how can I really practically apply
• 41:08
  that?" You want to know how to really
• 41:10
  practically apply it? Husband, your
• 41:13
  battle's not with your wife.
• 41:17
  Wife, your battle's not with your
• 41:18
  husband.
• 41:22
  Do you know what you battle in your
• 41:23
  marriage? It's yourself.
• 41:28
  When you start fighting against you,
• 41:31
  getting you straightened out.
• 41:35
  You say, "Preacher, what if it doesn't
• 41:36
  work out?" that wall that really matters
• 41:38
  is if you get straightened out. Cuz your
• 41:41
  battle ain't with that other person.
• 41:42
  They got to fight their battle for
• 41:44
  theirel and you can't fix them.
• 41:46
  But I'll tell you this, you can fix you.
• 41:51
  Hey children, your battle's not with
• 41:53
  your parents.
• 41:56
  You need to listen to them.
• 42:00
  Battle's with yourself.
• 42:03
  Hey mom and dad, your battle's not with
• 42:04
  that weward child.
• 42:08
  You just need to stay right with God so
• 42:09
  when they do come home, you're not
• 42:11
  bitter at them when they get back.
• 42:14
  So,
• 42:14
  >> here's what you'll do. You'll sit at
• 42:16
  home. You'll be mad at them for leaving
• 42:18
  you, not doing you right. And you know
• 42:20
  what? All of that may be true.
• 42:23
  But what a shame it would be for one day
• 42:24
  for that prodal to come home and you'd
• 42:26
  be mad at them when they get there.
• 42:29
  Job when he went and preached to Nineveh
• 42:31
  or Jonah when he went and preached to
• 42:33
  Nineveh, the Bible says he preached and
• 42:35
  they had a great revival. But you know
• 42:38
  what? After that great revival, he went
• 42:40
  and sat under that tree. And you know
• 42:41
  what? He won't wish that he might die
• 42:44
  because of all those peoples whose sin
• 42:46
  were forgiven. He was bitter at them.
• 42:49
  But you know what? His problem wasn't
• 42:50
  them people. His problem was himself.
• 42:55
  May each one of us take this to heart
• 42:57
  this morning. And you say, "Preacher,
• 43:00
  I'm here today and I I don't know that
• 43:01
  I'm saved.
• 43:05
  I I know God's big enough he could have
• 43:07
  give you something out of that message."
• 43:10
  I'll tell you this. If you're always
• 43:13
  going in step with the world,
• 43:16
  if you can do whatever the world does
• 43:17
  and get by with it, if there's never any
• 43:20
  remorse, if there's never any conviction
• 43:23
  over that,
• 43:27
  the Bible says, "If you be without
• 43:28
  chastisement, whereof all our partakers,
• 43:32
  says a hard word, but it's true. Then
• 43:34
  are you bastards and not sons? You don't
• 43:37
  belong to Jesus. You say, "Preacher,
• 43:40
  would you pray for me? I don't know that
• 43:41
  I'm saved." There's nobody looking
• 43:44
  around but me. I'll pray for you this
• 43:45
  morning. You slip your hand up and I'll
• 43:47
  pray for you today. Say, "Preacher, I
• 43:49
  don't know that I'm saved.
• 43:51
  If you can't take me to a place in your
• 43:53
  life where you ask Jesus to save you and
• 43:55
  forgive you of your sins,
• 43:57
  you need to be saved.
• 44:01
  But I'll say this for the rest of us.
• 44:05
  Whatever bitterness or burden you're
• 44:07
  bearing this morning, you need to
• 44:08
  forgive. You need to roll that thing in
• 44:11
  faith over on the Lord.
• 44:13
  He's bigger than that.
• 44:16
  He'll give you comfort through it. Know
• 44:18
  it won't be fixed overnight, but he'll
• 44:20
  help you get there if you just trust
• 44:23
  him. Father,
• 44:25
  Lord, thank you.
• 44:28
  Thank you, God, for being merciful to
• 44:31
  me.
• 44:33
  Lord, we know David went on to be king.
• 44:35
  You blessed him abundantly. You said he
• 44:37
  was the man after your own heart.
• 44:40
  Lord, even though he failed and found
• 44:42
  him in a self in a place where he should
• 44:43
  have never been,
• 44:47
  God, would you help us,
• 44:50
  Lord? We find oursel in places we
• 44:52
  shouldn't be, on the wrong side of the
• 44:55
  battle.
• 44:56
  God, forgive me, Lord, because I know my
• 44:59
  battle is not with man.
• 45:04
  Lord, pastoring has really given me a
• 45:06
  glimpse, Lord. I don't even know the
• 45:09
  half.
• 45:10
  I don't even know the half, Lord, of
• 45:12
  what you experience in dealing with me.
• 45:15
  Cuz Lord, I know you speak to my heart
• 45:17
  all the time. And Lord, I I fail. I fail
• 45:20
  you.
• 45:24
  Lord, pastoring reminded me, Father,
• 45:26
  just because I tell people the truth
• 45:27
  doesn't mean they're going to do it.
• 45:30
  Because Lord, you've told me the truth
• 45:31
  time and time again and I've failed you.
• 45:35
  Lord, you help me to be who I'm supposed
• 45:37
  to be first.
• 45:39
  God, maybe it won't be so hard on me
• 45:41
  when others don't listen to me cuz Lord,
• 45:44
  I know I'm not the final authority,
• 45:47
  but Lord, your word is.
• 45:51
  Help me to be who I'm supposed to be.
• 45:53
  And God, for every heart in here, I pray
• 45:54
  they'd make that their resolve today.
• 45:58
  We ask it all in Jesus name. Amen.
• 46:02
  >> Thank you for joining our service today.
• 46:04
  We'd love it if you'd join us in person
• 46:06
  the next time you are able at Meadows
• 46:09
  Baptist Church. Our physical address is
• 46:12
  2988 Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
• 46:15
  Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
• 46:18
  school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
• 46:21
  worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
• 46:23
  worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
• 46:25
  evening Bible study at 700 p.m. For more
• 46:29
  information, visit us at
• 46:30
  meadowsbaptisturch.com.
• 46:33
  Thanks again for tuning in.