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1 Samuel 16 (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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Praise the Lord. Amen.
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First, Samuel chapter 16. In our Bible study, You know,
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there are people who have different concepts of what
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worship should look like in the church.
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And I know that there is criteria of what worship should
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be like, but one of the criticisms is that we shouldn't
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draw from the Old Testament, principles of how we should
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Worship in the New Covenant, and I'm sure you can go back and
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forth and there can be some theological sparring there.
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But I just think very simply that I refuse to believe that
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there is more extravagant passionate Worship in the old
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Covenant, than in the new I think we should be whatever we
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see in Psalms is wonderful, but in the New Covenant
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understanding what we have in Christ.
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Should we not be more explosive and passionate and deep and
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serious about worship? Maybe you would disagree, but
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that's not the point of the bible study tonight because
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we're in first Samuel, chapter 16.
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And at this point, We just covered in three different weeks
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of the same chapter chapter 15. One of the major turning points
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in the history of Israel's, monarchy in chapter 15.
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It really serves as a landmark for how we understand, Israel
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and its formation concerning God's purposes on the earth.
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And one reason why it is a landmark is because the first
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king of Israel who was anointed and chosen by God, I was told
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that he would no longer occupy the throne in the prime of his
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Rule and Reign. He was demoted, he was removed,
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he was canceled if I can use that word today.
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But for the right reason, because this man, this king who
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was supposed to obey God and represent God performed a very
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severe Act of Disobedience. That was a blatant rubbing of
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rebellion and the face of a holy king, the real king.
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And as a result of that, he would lose his purpose on the
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earth and he would lose his calling, and the same man who
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was commissioned by God to Highlights all, and to anoint
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him as the King was the same man.
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Would give the announcement that he lost the favor of God and he
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would no longer be the man that he was initially set apart to
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be. And it was an interesting
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confrontation. Wasn't it between Samuel?
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The prophet and saw the king. And it's in the last two verses
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that we read. What happens to Samuel Samuel
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and Saul? We are told, would never meet
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again. After that until until death.
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They would never see each other face to face.
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But more than that, we are told that when Samuel departs from
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Saul after, he tells them, this, this tragic news that he grieved
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over, For Saul. And then we come to chapter 16
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and that's where we are leaving up.
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We're seeing now Saul continue to rather same who continue to
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grieve and how God is going to lead him in that place to not
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just deliver him from that condition.
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But but move forward in the program that God has for his
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people. And so, when we come to chapter
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16, we are going to be introduced to a very well-known
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character. A real person that existed in
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history and his name is David, Son of Jesse.
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It's amazing how much the scriptures dedicates to the men,
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David. Consider the terrain consider
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the chapters that are given to this man and his life and
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because of that, we're going to learn much about God through his
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life. We're going to learn a lot about
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the person of Jesus Christ, considering that he came from
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the line of David. We're also, as we always do week
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after week are going to draw from practical principles of
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Holiness because you and I serve the same God, that David loved.
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so we read in chapter 16, verse 1, the Lord said to Samuel, How
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long will you grieve over Saul since?
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I have rejected him from being King over, Israel, fill your
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horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse.
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The bethlem, might five provided from myself.
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A king, among his sons, and Samuel said, how can I go?
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If saw hears it, he will kill me.
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And the Lord said, take a heifer with you and say, I've come to
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sacrifice to the Lord. And invite Jesse to the
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sacrifice and I will show you what you shall do and you shall
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anoint for me him, whom I declare to you.
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Let's pray. Very briefly here.
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Lord we thank you for the word of the Lord, give us the grace
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and the wisdom. Now to receive in the power of
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the Holy Spirit, take these truths and we do embed them,
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would you stitch them on our hearts?
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That they would not be able to be removed?
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They would not be easily forgotten.
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We long Oh God to be molded. We long to be formed and shaped
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into the image of your son. Use this chapter to do just that
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in our lives. In Jesus name.
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We pray. Amen.
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And amen. And amen.
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Samuel is still grieving. Samuels.
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Heartbroken, Samuel was a true leader of his people, you know,
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why? Because even when a man like
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Samuel, confront sin, and somebody likes all, who falls
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greatly because of his sin. The man as we read in in a
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couple weeks ago, we read that he was angry with Saul was also
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heartbroken over it. There is a tenderness about this
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man. There was a softness.
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There was a great sensitivity to the failure is not just of his
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own life but even over other people's lives in a way that
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didn't Them them, but in a way in which he had some kind of
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Grace to be broken over them. And that was certainly true
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here. This man grieved over Psalm
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because he realized that his sin had consequences in his life and
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not just his life that his sins assaulted, the glory of God and
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not just the glory of God, but his actions potentially would
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affect the faith. And the formation of the people
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that God had a plan for And so, here he is sitting perhaps at
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home meditating being broken expressing his grief.
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But interestingly enough, all for a sudden as this profit is
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doing something that is commendable.
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An exemplary is rebuked by the Lord.
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The Lord said to Samuel, how long, will you grieve over Saul?
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Notice God is not correcting, the fact that he was grieving
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there's room for that. But the issue here with Samuel
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is that there was a prolonged And there is an extensive sense.
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Of pain. There was a sense in which he he
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really had genuine reason to be this way but it reached a point
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across the boundary. Where even God himself says
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enough is enough, you got to get out of this.
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You can't remain in this place. You can't stay in this
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condition. Now, that would seem as, though,
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God lack compassion, but it's not true.
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It's because God possesses a wisdom.
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And what you see here is that this excessive lamenting was now
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borderline dangerous, concerning Samuel spiritual state, And I
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want to ask the question tonight at what point does being
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sorrowful or heavy or in pain or having heart ache at what point
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does it cross the place of being righteous and holy and
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appropriate to being inappropriate dangerous and even
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wrong. Any ideas?
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So when you begin to now not trust the Lord because of the
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pain that you're experiencing sure, anything else.
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Very good, both answers are exactly the two points that I
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had in mind. The second point was when it
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comes to the point, not just when you, when you stop trusting
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God, but it affects your service to the Lord.
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And that's exactly the two dangers that are presented here.
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Concerning Samuel notice here that though, he had reason to
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grieve over sauce in. As Paul told the Thessalonians,
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we do not grieve as the world. Grieves, there is an element of
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Hope Even in our grief. And that hope is so powerful.
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It's so imparted into us that it actually causes us to not just
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be able to yes, have the freedom to shed tears and to take time
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to consider and meditate. But to walk with God, still
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trust God, still and even worship God through whatever you
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are enduring. So the hope that we have does
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not permit us to come to a place where we begin to question or
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assault the character and the nature of Of God.
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And that's important because I look at this verse here.
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And I wonder if if at any point Samuel remembered how God called
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him, Remember before King Saul was rejected, there was another
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spiritual leader that was rejected.
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What was his name? What was his name?
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He was the high priest Eli, Eli was rejected and I want you to
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go to chapter 3 very carefully and quickly to see the condition
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in which the nation was in when Samuel was called and it makes
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you think Samuel. Did you forget?
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Did you forget how God moves at that time for you to not see
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here and now 3:2? At that time Eli whose eyesight
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had begun to grow dim so that he could not.
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See was lying down in his own place.
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Why would the scriptures tell us?
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That Eli was borderline blind for the same reason.
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We are being told about the lamp.
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In verse 3, the lamp of God had not yet gone out and Samuel was
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lying down to the Temple of the Lord where the Ark of God was
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The reason why we are being told of the eyesight of Eli and the
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lamp. If you remember in chapter 3,
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many weeks ago, many months ago is because those things were the
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reflection of the spiritual condition of the leadership.
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At this time, the leaders did not have Vision.
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The leaders did not have Clarity because of their sin because of
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their lack of concern of God's holiness.
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They could not see, right? Remember, Eli though.
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This is speaking about a physical dimness when he saw
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hand a Praying thought she was a drunkard.
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And condemned her when she was broken in the presence of God
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and the lamp of God, which was the only source of light in the
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entire Tabernacle, if that lamp had gone out, there would be no
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way to see and to perform service in the Tabernacle and
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that lamp though, it was dimming and it was almost out speaks
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again of the lack of light in the spiritual leadership, but it
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wasn't completely out. And that's the point because
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after we were told about Eli's, lack of sight and the lamp of
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the Lord almost going out. God calls Samuel in that kind of
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condition and that kind of atmosphere.
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And I wonder if he thought to himself, now that we lost the
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king. And that the nation will be the
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same. It is going to be great
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disappointment and great concern of where we're going to go.
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For me. I wonder if he thought well
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that's when God called me. We've been through this before,
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I've seen this before, I was called in a very similar
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predicament, but no, I don't think he did.
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I don't think he did because he is prolonging his grief.
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It's reached a point now where God has to step in and correct
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him because there is a potential risk where he is now thinking to
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himself. How is God going to deliver?
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How is God going to actually lead us out of this pit?
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Where we going to go from here and listen.
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If our lament begins to Blind us from seeing the faithfulness of
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God from seeing his power, his Sovereign authority over all
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Affairs, concerning your life and the rest of the world's.
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Then you know that you have reached a point with a grief
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exact, she a worldly grief and not the one that Paul speaks
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about with a hope. But secondly.
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Grief becomes dangerous. When we lose our grip on our
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service. To God.
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See this flag is here. When you see that, your frame of
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mine is being affected, where you, you can't see yourself,
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even walking in the call that God has called you to, in
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Walking In The Obedience that, you know that he's called you
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to. That's when you know, that,
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whatever you have experienced that's hurt, you is doing more
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than it should in your life. This is very important because
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what Samuel is experiencing is the pain from the failure of
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another person. Somebody that he's invested so
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much in somebody that he is instructed.
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Remember that first time he was anointed, he stayed on the
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rooftop to instruct him all the things that he poured into all
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the chances that he's given and it just failure after failure
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after failure. And this man is disappointed.
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And I want to tell you this a lot of genuine good-hearted
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Christians sabotage their callings because of other
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people's failures. You see it all the time and you
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see it happen all the time. And sometimes it happens when
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there's just disappointment from people.
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Whether you're in the leadership or you're in the congregation
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this appointment, and you don't know why you would sign up for
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Ministry. When people come in and just
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make a mess out of it, instead of bringing blessing to it, this
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is especially true for those who've experienced spiritual
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abuse. That's a real thing, by the way.
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And usually comes from leaders or those that have influence in
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your life, and, and you collide with hypocritical behavior and a
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knocks, the wind out of you, I'm telling you, I've seen people
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where it knocks the wind out of them so much, that they can't
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read their Bible ever the same way again.
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Some of the don't even step foot in a church for decades.
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And if they do show up to church, they don't sing with the
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same passion again. They don't consider and praful
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E, ask God with Zeal to be used by God again.
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And so you have to be extremely careful when you experienced
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failure from other people, there is room to process.
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There is room to step back there is room to get counsel even but
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when it comes to the point where it paralyzes, you you're
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allowing Satan to influence you. This Devil is a very tricky
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devil and you might think are you reading too much into this?
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No, I'll tell you an example. Why did the disciples fall
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asleep in the garden when there were supposed to be praying.
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Why? Good job.
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We think they were just tired. It was a long day.
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They were sitting through a lot of teaching.
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They just had supper. It was very late at night and
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they just got sleepy and they fell asleep and then we use that
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to condemn ourselves when we get tired.
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When we pray, it wasn't because of that.
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The reason why they fell asleep is found in the Gospel of Luke.
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Would you like to see it and 22:45?
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Luke 2245 tells us the main reason why these disciples could
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not pray. And when he being our Lord rose
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from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them
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sleeping. For what what is this a sorrow?
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Sorrow. Why are were they sorrowful
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because just a few verses ago Jesus sat with him and said you
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know, you guys are going to deny me, right?
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And Peter can have fathom and the disciples joined them in
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that self-confidence. No, we will not, they just heard
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according to John's gospel lesson after lesson, in which
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Jesus even had to console them because they're now hearing and
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it's becoming clear, you're going to leave us.
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We, we thought you were the Messiah, aren't you?
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Assuring your kingdom, what all the Miracles now?
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You're going to just depart and we can't come.
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And so they were just overcome by what you can say is a
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misguided disappointment. Disappointment in themselves and
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disappointment in the news of where this is all leading to.
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And because of the sorrow that overwhelmed them, what happened?
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It's sabotage, their praying. And Jesus says, and he said to
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them in verse 46, he didn't say, oh, look there softly said, no,
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why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not
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enter into temptation. So even though they had genuine
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sorrow, even the Lord himself. Saw that it's reached a point
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where now it's affecting their holiness.
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You cannot afford not to pray in this moment though you're
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overwhelmed because Satan will take advantage of the fact that
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you are sorrowful to keep you from praying and if you can keep
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you from praying you can't stand against Temptation.
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Do you see how tricky this is? Do you see how Discerning we
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need to be? Do you see that?
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Just because we feel something and it's a very real feeling.
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It doesn't justify certain actions.
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Now, you're saying does that mean that I can't grieve at?
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All know, you know that, I hope I don't have to explain that
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tonight. But there comes a point where
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even the Lord himself says, enough is enough.
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You can't stay like this. And there's some people who stay
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like that because of trauma in the church, there's some people
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who stay like that because of different different sources of
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grief, the loss of a loved one because of death because of a
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trial, that is unexplainable, they just overcome.
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And what you need to understand is though you there is room to
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be able to express your heart. Be careful that Satan would use
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that to sabotage your ministry. To keep you from exercising,
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your gifts. To have you stay in that place
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as long as possible and keep you in effective because feelings
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are very real but there's something more real Beyond this
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flesh. You have a calling, you have a
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purpose, you have a mission and many people don't realize what
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sorrow can lead them to whether it's self-inflicted or caused by
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someone else. But if it can move you away from
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serving God, then there needs to be an alertness even in our
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sorrow. In fact, look at this seems like
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God gives an insight to one of the cures of overcoming this.
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What does he say? Fill your horn with oil and go I
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will send you to Jesse. he's like, Okay, the way out of this
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is you obeying the way out of this is you getting up, it
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doesn't help you to stay in that place.
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It doesn't help you to remain in your house and the dark and just
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rehearse these things. Idleness is very dangerous and
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sorrow can lead to idleness and David, the man that we're going
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to study for the rest of this Bible study, David himself knows
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what kind of Temptations can creep up when you stay at home
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when you're supposed to be out on the battlefield serving the
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way God's called you to serve. Could be that Samuel was so
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paralyzed. That he couldn't even move
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forward in his ministry as a prophet.
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God steps and says, Hey listen, it's not over yet.
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It's as though we can safely translate these words in the
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following way. Why are you still sorrowful?
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Listen sauce, failure didn't affect my plans for Israel, and
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you still have a mission to accomplish.
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Go get up. And the thing that will help you
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and I Endure and push forward and move forward.
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All those same two truths. God is still on his throne.
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And two, as long as you have breath, you still have something
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to do. And it worked.
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This prophet got up. And he move forward and the same
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truth applies to all of us. Be careful how the enemy can
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tempt. You he can do it through sin.
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Listen, he can even do it through sorrow.
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And so, he hears this news. And it's the cure for his
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morning and I love the prophetic, hint about this, I
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can see it. You can you can sense it that
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this news that there is a new king.
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That would be found in. Where Bethlehem, from who the
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line of Jesse? I wonder if there was a jolt of
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excitement. I wonder if there was a jolt of,
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there's a sobriety test Spirit, there's someone else that you
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have in mind. And now this time it's not the
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people, it's not the people who are choosing the king God
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himself is Choosing the king. I wonder what kind of confidence
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was surgeon to this prophet. And like us today the cure to
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not just this kind of morning but all morning is the news.
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That there is a king who has come from the line of Jesse born
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in Bethlehem. And it's not David.
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It's a son of David, Jesus Christ.
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And so we see here that Samuel is excited, maybe we can't read
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into it, but whatever exciting might have had or matter
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strength. He might have discovered in this
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moment was quickly met by fear verse 2 and Samuel said, how can
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I go? If saw hears it, he will kill
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me. Doesn't that say something about
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how did generate saw, has become up to this point.
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The King has become so reckless, so unhinged.
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So unpredictable, that that this profit was convinced.
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Hey, Lord, look, I told them what you told me in chapter 15
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and he was willing to rip my coat.
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If you're going to send me now and news goes to him, that I'm
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anointing his successor, I'm a dead man.
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You're setting me up to die. Now, I read this and you're
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going to discover something. If you haven't already chapter,
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16 reveals the humanity of this prophet, In verse 1, we see the
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prolonged morning in verse 2, we see a fear that's actually
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causing him to be hesitant to obey God and later on, he
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actually cause somebody the king and his heart when God said
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you've missed it, the prophet missed it of who was supposed to
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be the king, among Jesse Sons. Goes to show that even the
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greatest men of God of still sons of Adam.
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They still make mistakes. They still have shortcomings,
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they get dressed the same way, you get dressed.
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They eat certain amount of meals, the same day that you do.
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They have to do normal things like laundry and cut their hair.
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Be careful of elevating men who are used by God to the point
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where you think they're invincible?
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I love that the Holy Spirit here, shows the transparency of
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this man's shortcomings. He got sad, too long.
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He got scared when God told him to do something and a prophet
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who hears God, senses, the voice of got, unlike any of us can
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experience actually missed it when he was trying to find God's
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next king. How can I go, how is this the
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same Samuel that we've been studying up to this point?
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How is this the same Prophet? The man that was willing to
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stand before Eli as a young kid. Say, you know, you're going to
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be judged. The one who removed his own sons
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from leadership positions. When they were compromised, the
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one who rebuked the whole nation and the one who even corrected
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and pointed out the sin of King Saul is now afraid.
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Now you're scared when God assured you that you were going
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to go and you're going to find this King, he assured you.
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Now you're actually worried for your life.
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How did this happen? Because of verse 1, the fruit of
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prolonged morning, What do you mean?
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I mean this man came to the point where he was so focused on
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the issue and didn't include God in it or consider God's ways in
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it that a now made him impaired to seeing God in other things.
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see, when we have faith in God, we have faith in all things, and
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for all things, If we just have faith for some things, it won't
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take very long before that lack of faith, seeps into other
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things. And this man that couldn't see
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God. And fixing this problem of this
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King being dethroned. Now couldn't see how God can
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protect him. From the same King.
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And so we're called to have faith in all things and trust,
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God, for all things. And he didn't have it, he had
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the snap out of it. He was he was in the flesh for a
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little bit. It's quite amazing.
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It's quite amazing. What can happen to even profits?
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Do you think God had mercy on him?
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I think so, and God has much more merciful than people are
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because he brings us concern. And God gives them a solution.
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Here's a solution, take a cow with you.
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If you're scared, take a cow with you and tell people when
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you arrive there, They here to make a sacrifice.
26:15
Interesting. Interesting.
26:20
How does that come off? and in the immediate sense, some
26:26
might even say hey that sounds like that sounds like being
26:30
duplicity that sounds. Like a lie.
26:34
You're going to anoint the king and God is telling you go and
26:38
tell them that you're actually going to make a sacrifice.
26:43
You can't argue God out of this. God said it let's just set that
26:50
straight God said it. This isn't reading into
26:53
something God commanded this as a solution.
26:56
So let's put that aside. Secondly we know that our God
27:00
does not lie. He's not a deceiving God, he's
27:04
not a God. That's afraid of man.
27:08
So what's going on here? What's going on here?
27:12
Why are you saying this? When in reality, the core of the
27:15
matter is that you are sending him to anoint, a son of Jesse?
27:20
Well. If he said go and make the
27:24
sacrifice and tell people along the way, if they're saying
27:27
Samuel, where are you going? Well, I'm going to Bethlehem to
27:29
make a sacrifice. That's what I want you to tell
27:32
people if he went, and he told people this and he didn't make a
27:36
sacrifice. That is what that's a lie,
27:40
that's wrong, that's evil, that's wicked, that's deceiving,
27:43
but God did Issue it, he says go, it's a legitimate ordinance
27:47
that I want you to perform and in that.
27:49
What's going to happen is it's going to lessen the Shouldn't of
27:52
why you were actually there. So, if he performs a sacrifice,
27:59
it's not a lie. It's true.
28:02
But what God is asking of Samuel, is that he does not
28:07
imprudence. Need to share the whole story.
28:10
You don't need to tell you don't need to tell everybody why?
28:13
Exactly you're here. You don't have to tell everybody
28:15
the details. You don't have to go and
28:17
announce it to everybody, why? Because that would produce more
28:21
evil than good. Why?
28:24
Because King Saul, if he was willing to kill the prophet for
28:28
anointing, the man, then surely he would be willing to kill the
28:32
successor to his throne. And so, this is not a matter of
28:37
dishonesty. This is a matter of Wisdom.
28:43
It's a matter of wisdom. And for Samuel to be, open about
28:48
David's anointing would not only put his life in danger, but the
28:53
future of God's program and plan.
28:56
And we might not be convinced that this I'm going to show you
28:59
another example in a moment, but here's the point.
29:00
I want to make concealment of a matter is not the same as
29:04
falsehood concealment of a matter is not the same as
29:07
falsehood, and the secret was not to protect a sinful or
29:11
selfish ambition. It's not like I'm hiding this
29:14
because there's something that I don't want people to know
29:16
because I know it's wrong. That's not what's being done
29:18
here. The secrecy here is actually a
29:21
form of protection and guarding from the wrong people.
29:25
Of discovering, something that would only introduce more Havoc
29:29
than Harmony. And so God in his wisdom says
29:34
Samuel, go perform a sacrifice and when people ask tell them
29:37
that you're going to do this but you know, the real reason why
29:41
you're going do we see this anywhere else?
29:50
Rahab potentially. Some would say that there is a
29:54
Justified kind of, when we talked about this in Exodus,
29:58
it's in the same book and I would point to it and maybe you
30:01
guys don't remember, but Rahab might be an example in Joshua's
30:05
leadership. He did this in a certain way.
30:07
Would you like to see it? Go to Joshua?
30:09
Chapter 2, I want you to see it for yourself.
30:12
Because why are we doing this? Were defending God's integrity
30:15
and his holiness? And a lot of Believers think,
30:22
black and white. They'll realize there are
30:26
nuances. And Joshua to look at this in
30:30
verse 1 and Joshua, the son of nun.
30:34
Sent to men. What's that word?
30:36
There secretly. He sent two spies secretly.
30:43
Why would the Holy Spirit? Tell us that he sent to spy
30:45
secretly. The whole essence of sending
30:47
spies is that they're going secretly.
30:51
You going as a spy implies that you're not making your identity
30:55
known, you are concealing your identity, your coming in and you
31:00
are merging amongst those that you are trying to find
31:04
information from. So why go out of the way to say
31:07
secretly because Joshua didn't keep it a secret to the
31:11
Canaanites. He kept it a secret from the
31:14
Israelites. Do you guys remember this?
31:20
Joshua made sure that no one from Israel knew that he was
31:26
sending to spies into the land of Canaan.
31:29
Why? Because the man learn from
31:33
experience, that's why? Because in his generation when
31:38
there were spies sent out and he was a part of that group. 12 of
31:41
them, 10 came back with a bad report and it brought the, the
31:47
deflation to their faith and introduced unbelief among the
31:52
Israelites and it cost them the promised land and Joshua.
31:56
As a leader new, I'm not going to risk it again.
31:59
I'm going to send to this time. Remember the testimony of two or
32:02
three. I'm going to send to and just in
32:06
case they come back with a bad report.
32:09
Nobody will know that they went even in the first place, the
32:13
deal with me directly. Is that deception?
32:19
Is that lying? No, it's something called
32:23
wisdom. In fact, look at the description
32:27
of Joshua in the last chapter of the book before Joshua before,
32:31
Joshua's leadership, is manifested and Deuteronomy. 30
32:34
49. Look at this.
32:35
This is the fruit chapter 2 Joshua is the fruit of
32:38
Deuteronomy 30 49 and Joshua. The son of nun, was full of the
32:42
spirit of wisdom. Oh here wisdom.
32:46
And you know what? Wisdom does brothers and sisters
32:48
wisdom doesn't just know what to say.
32:50
It knows what not to say. Wisdom knows who should have
32:55
access to certain information, and who can handle that
32:58
information. Wisdom knows how to lighten the
33:02
burden on other people, especially as a leader and not
33:06
overly burden people with what you may know.
33:11
What may be happening behind the scenes?
33:14
so, Joshua here, is exercising, wisdom, wisdom, not just from
33:18
learning from the past, because that's the essence of a lot of
33:20
wisdom, but wisdom in knowing who his people were I know my
33:26
people, I know what's happened, I know what they're susceptible
33:29
to. And so I need to protect them.
33:32
This is a righteous thing. I need to protect them.
33:35
We have a mission to fulfill, and if this goes crazy, we might
33:38
have to go through this Wilderness Journey once more and
33:41
I'm not willing to do that. So he conceals he hides it not
33:46
he's hiding don't take this and say I'm not going to tell people
33:49
what I'm doing in secret. My sin that's wrong and you
33:51
learn from I believe last week or two weeks ago that you can't
33:54
conceal your transgression. That's not what it's talking
33:57
about here. Sorry to disappoint you.
34:01
There is an application here of prudence and that's what's
34:05
happening. In first, Samuel 16, God here
34:09
knows his people. God here knows the circumstance
34:12
under this particular circumstance.
34:13
This was necessary. And Samuel had to trust that.
34:20
And so, he obeys. And look at the element here of
34:24
obedience, another instruction to obedience verse 3 and invite
34:28
Jesse to the sacrifice. And I will show you what you
34:31
shall, do. I love that.
34:36
Invite Jesse. And from there, I'll tell you
34:39
what you need to do. Well, well well, I look at a man
34:44
like Samuel, the prophet. And I'm encouraged because even
34:49
Samuel, the prophet did not have the full picture all at once.
34:53
Even Samuel, the prophet was led by God step-by-step.
34:59
You know why that's so sobering to me, not just because he was a
35:02
prophet but because he is considered one of the greatest
35:04
men of prayer and all of Biblical history and this man
35:08
who prayed and cried all night, even this man could say, I don't
35:13
know. Even this man could say, all I
35:17
know is what I'm supposed to do now but I have no idea what I'm
35:20
supposed to do tomorrow. Oh, really, why?
35:24
Because God chooses to do that with his children, that's an
35:28
intentional thing. So, if Samuel the Prophet The
35:31
Prayer Warrior, the man who heard God's voice heard God's
35:35
voice in the moment, as though, you can hear my voice on this
35:37
microphone. If such a man did not have the
35:41
full blueprint of his ministry and his life and his future.
35:44
Why are you so frustrated with yourself?
35:48
Why are you beating your head against the wall?
35:50
Why are you questioning of God is leading you, you know, many
35:53
people ask brother. I don't know when how, where God
35:55
is leading me where I'm supposed to do.
35:57
That's okay. I have those questions, too.
36:01
But this is the initial answer that I give I try to give to
36:03
myself, and I try to give the others.
36:05
Number one, ask and wait on the Lord, continually asking, wait
36:08
on the Lord, continually, and don't make it a burden, make it
36:12
a thing of invitation Lord, I'm doing this.
36:16
This is where I'm at. Do you have something else in
36:18
mind? Lord, if you want me to do
36:20
anything other than what I'm doing.
36:22
Now, just let me know and I'll obey you talk like that.
36:26
And then secondly serve God to the capacity in which he has
36:30
given you and reveal to you now, until he makes the next step
36:33
known, God knows how to speak and when God speaks it's not
36:38
muffled with confusion. Was that God?
36:40
Was that me? That's not how God talks when
36:43
God reveals. It is loud and clear and if you
36:46
ever question God's Clarity of where he wants you to go trust
36:49
me he wants you to serve him more than you do.
36:54
So, what was he supposed to do with, whatever Revelation has
36:57
been given for the moment, you go, perform the sacrifice
37:01
invite, Jesse. And then, what, I'll tell you
37:03
when it comes, When it comes, I'll let I'll let you know.
37:09
And so if you ever felt for a moment, I don't know what God's
37:11
10-year plan for me is and I don't know where we're supposed
37:13
to go next and maybe I'm not as spiritual as that person.
37:16
That's why that person knows. Everything Samuel.
37:18
The prophet didn't know Comfort yourself with that truth.
37:22
He didn't know, but what he needed to know is what you and I
37:26
need to know that every step of obedience, no matter.
37:29
How long we're in that season, we have no idea how God will
37:32
providentially use that step of obedience to affect Generations,
37:36
even See trusting God at this point.
37:42
Not knowing, who God could have said, go invite, Jesse and
37:45
listen, he's not going to bring this this one kid, his youngest
37:48
named David. That's the one though.
37:50
So when you go just ask for David, asked for David, get it
37:53
over with, we have no time to waste.
37:55
We need to get the next king online.
37:57
He doesn't do that. Why does he do that?
38:01
I can come up with maybe some reasons.
38:02
But one reason I'm about to find out is that through that
38:05
silence, Sam is going to learn something about himself.
38:10
Do not revealing the identity of David to be the King.
38:14
Samuel would make a choice in his heart, that was wrong and he
38:17
would be further Sanctified. You see why God doesn't tell you
38:20
everything all the time. Because it's in that silence
38:24
that he wants to do a work in. You that only that silence can
38:27
bring about And so he found out well, okay?
38:33
I'll go. I'll invite him and I'll see
38:36
what Lord, you have next verse 4.
38:39
Samuel did what the Lord commanded.
38:43
You know, I love that. I don't know if he still felt
38:44
the fewer not but he still obey. God Samuel did what the Lord
38:49
commanded. He trusted God that this plan
38:52
would work. And what happens though?
38:56
And came to Bethlehem the Elders of the city, came to meet him
39:00
trembling and said, do you come peaceably?
39:05
So maybe the fear was evaded from him but now as he comes to
39:08
Bethlehem, the Elders of the city realize, here's the prophet
39:12
and he's probably hunched over with his staff as an old man
39:15
walking towards them and they're looking at each other.
39:17
Like did anybody invite Samuel here for a conference because I
39:20
don't know why he's walking in our Direction.
39:24
And they're trembling, why do you think they were trembling?
39:28
He's the prophet. He's the man of God.
39:32
He speaks the word of the Lord. Doesn't tell us why it would be
39:36
a fun discussion. Why do you think they were
39:39
trembling? I read that.
39:40
I said, why were they so scared? Any ideas?
39:47
Ah, maybe the fear was legitimate.
39:52
Why would you be afraid of a man of God stepping in?
39:56
Close proximity where God tells him things?
39:59
Unless you had something worthy of being fearful, of
40:02
interesting. I wonder if that is that is the
40:06
case. Guilt produces fear.
40:10
Guilt produces fear and many different things.
40:13
Could be that some would say it's because what they learn
40:17
perhaps from chapter 15? What did this old man?
40:19
Do to a name? A king named a gag.
40:22
He hacked them to pieces. He brutally slaughtered this,
40:28
unrighteous leader for all the wickedness that he did as a
40:31
command by God. And imagine that's the last
40:34
thing you heard of Samuel and he's coming into your
40:36
neighborhood. But I think the heart of the
40:41
matter is, is he coming to bring judgment, whether it's something
40:45
that they knew of their own citizens?
40:46
Bethlehem, we're not the best of saints in this town, so they
40:49
asked him. Do you come peaceably?
40:52
You come peaceably, and Samuel says verse 5 peaceably.
40:56
I've come to sacrifice to the Lord peaceably.
40:59
I've come in Our Gospel. When we go places, we come with
41:03
the message of peace. We come to bring good news, the
41:07
gospel is not bad news, it's wonderful news and it's so
41:11
wonderful that the mountains on which the feet step on, with the
41:14
gospel are blessed and called Beautiful.
41:18
Along with the feet of those who carry the gospel.
41:22
And so if you ever hesitant to preach the gospel, Realize, in
41:29
that moment, sober yourself up. I have the best news that any
41:33
human can hear, right? I heard I read somewhere forgot
41:38
who said it, but they said I refuse to let The Greatest
41:44
Story, Ever Told become The Greatest Secret, that people
41:50
will not hear. I will declare it to people.
41:53
I'm not ashamed of the Gospel. What's there to be ashamed with
41:57
the gospel that you're a sinner that you're bound for judgment?
42:00
But God took care of all your judgment not because you did
42:03
anything but because he exercised, your righteousness
42:06
and died on the cross for your sins, like what can be better
42:09
than that? I come peaceably consecrate
42:13
yourselves, come with me to the sacrifice because a peace
42:16
offering had an element of fellowship and eating after the
42:19
sacrifice and he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited
42:23
them to the sacrifice. Now look at verse 6.
42:26
When they came, he looked on Elia band thought, surely the
42:32
Lord's anointed is before him. Like in 7 verses you see Samuel
42:41
the human very clearly, don't you?
42:47
and then, The Lord speaks verse 7, but the Lord said to Samuel
42:53
do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature
42:56
because I have rejected him for the Lord.
43:00
Sees not as man sees man looks on the outward appearance, but
43:03
the Lord looks on the heart. The Lord looks on the heart.
43:08
One of the most popular well-known scriptures
43:11
unfortunately butchered by some to justify some kind of
43:13
behavior. God knows my heart.
43:16
God knows my heart. That's why I dress like this
43:20
because God knows my heart. Right.
43:23
That's why I do this because God knows my heart.
43:25
He knows why We won't need to go there tonight, do we?
43:31
I hope not. There's a lot of things that we
43:34
can pull out of this and maybe we'll touch on more next week
43:36
because there's no way we can cover this in one sitting this
43:38
chapter. It's too dense. but I learn at
43:42
least two things concerning Samuel, maybe you have something
43:44
to add to that, but I learn at least two things concerning this
43:46
man of God In This Moment, where he falls short, Number one, it
43:52
shows that we are capable of not learning from the past.
43:56
It shows that we are capable of not learning from the past.
44:01
This man made a judgment. Surely this.
44:03
The eldest of Jesse says shirt. Look at him.
44:05
Look how tall he is. Look how broadest shoulders
44:07
that. I heard his voice.
44:08
He's a commanding voice. He's handsome.
44:13
Surely this is the king. Does that sound familiar?
44:19
It does sound familiar and if you forgot go to chapter 9 verse
44:24
2, Concerning Saul when we were introduced them.
44:30
And he had a son whose name was Saul.
44:32
A handsome young men? there was not a man among the
44:37
people of Israel more handsome than he from his shoulders
44:40
upward, he was taller than any of the people and you would
44:44
think Then after learning from this, you just spent a season of
44:51
grief over a man who had the looks the charm, the
44:55
personality, the gifting, but didn't have the character to
44:59
carry him. In his calling, you saw the
45:01
flaws, you saw the disasters from such an individual and you
45:04
would think that you would calculate in your estimation of
45:08
whose before you just because he has the outward appearance
45:11
doesn't make him King Lee Worthy.
45:16
But he didn't learn, he decided for this King.
45:21
The same way, Israel decided for the first king, he was no
45:25
different. He was no different in choosing
45:28
than the people who are now apostate condition.
45:32
How do you make sense of this? It's a very, very wonderful
45:35
illustration. How most people today treat
45:38
their sin. They never learn.
45:42
And they commit the same sin that cause them grief.
45:46
Just a week ago. Just a month ago, just three
45:50
months ago. They go back to it over and over
45:54
and over again and somehow they're convinced that it won't
45:58
be like last time or the pleasure in my sin.
46:02
See the thing with temptation is listen, whenever Temptation,
46:05
Whispers In Your Ear they will never bring to remembrance The
46:10
Sting of that sin. Never Temptation cunningly only
46:15
shows you whatever Sensation that brought you pleasure in
46:19
that moment every single time. It will never bring to your
46:24
memory. Remember the pain, and the
46:26
shame, and the guilt, and the vows that you made that you
46:29
would never do it again. Never ever, ever, ever, remember
46:32
how good it felt remember how much profit you made, remember
46:35
how you got away with it? Never will tell you of the
46:39
things that rent your heart or cause you to lose sleep at
46:43
night. And it's amazing here that
46:47
Samuel the prophet we just read a few verses ago that God has
46:52
said, get out of this. You're grieving too much.
46:56
He didn't even consider that when he looked at this King and
46:59
said, maybe he's the one. In fact, he didn't say maybe he
47:02
said, surely this is the one. A great deterrent to Temptation.
47:10
And I'm not saying that what the same is doing here is outright
47:12
sin, but it's a wonderful parallel.
47:15
A great deterrent to any Temptation, having a grip on
47:18
your mind that would lead to you making decisions. it's the ever
47:22
keep before you this things that those sins Afflicted, you with
47:28
You want temptation to lose its power.
47:30
Do one of many things and rehearsing your mind.
47:34
This thing lied to me. Last time.
47:39
This thing deceived me last time and maybe it's something that
47:42
you've never been introduced with.
47:46
So consider the feelings of others who have fallen that same
47:48
sin. This destroy them.
47:51
That's why we have these things in the Bible.
47:53
Just in case your circle of friends, isn't two grand, you
47:56
have a Saul, you have a David As Heroes.
48:04
As examples of both good and The Ugly.
48:09
And this man amazingly. Didn't consider that.
48:14
This can be a colossal failure. And he said, in his heart,
48:18
surely, this is the guy, You didn't learn that outward
48:22
appearance. Does it make somebody
48:24
justifiable for position of leadership?
48:27
Did you? But secondly, it shows us that
48:30
we are capable of being influenced by the world.
48:35
Who thought like this Israel, that and they weren't in the
48:38
best spiritual condition. When they made that decision.
48:43
I looked at this and I thought to myself even Samuel was
48:47
magnetized by the power of outward appearance.
48:52
Even Samuel was drawn in. To the point where he began to
48:58
esteem and consider the worth and value, and make his
49:03
decisions the same way that an apostate people did.
49:10
Why? Because he's exemplifying to us
49:14
just how strong the pull of Attraction is when the eye of
49:18
the flesh is entertained. Samuel shows just how quick you
49:23
can go from thinking in the spirit, the thinking, In the
49:25
Flesh, he's demonstrating here. That even at important moments
49:31
in your life, you can make decisions that would alter it if
49:34
you're not careful. And it's amazing because what
49:39
Samuel showing here, the utter Importance of Being in tune with
49:42
God's heart and mind always, You and I can't afford a moment to
49:48
slip you, and I must walk in the spirit.
49:50
Not 90% of the day, all the day. And God made it very easy for us
49:56
and we'll get to that in a moment.
49:57
But think about this, if you don't, if you're not convinced
49:59
of how powerful this is, then consider this thought that the
50:04
man that Samuel was told by God, to choose David.
50:09
Not because of his appearance, but because of his heart, right?
50:13
David's heart, not his appearance, was what Drew God to
50:17
choose him, to be the shepherd over Israel that same man when
50:21
he became king What happened? Let me just read it to you and
50:25
second Samuel, 11 verse 2. It happened late one afternoon
50:30
when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of
50:32
the King's house that he saw from the roof, a woman bathing
50:38
and the woman was very beautiful He asked for her name, he called
50:42
her into his room, he slept with her, she was married, he got her
50:46
pregnant. He killed the husband, and he
50:48
tried to cover his sin. Where did it all start?
50:51
He saw Samuel, he saw. And what did he see?
50:57
What God's correction tells us. Don't look at his appearance.
51:02
Don't look at his stature. Where did this whole thing even
51:08
begin from the garden? And Eve saw that the tree was
51:13
pleasant to the eyes? So, our perception, our flesh,
51:21
the things that cause our hearts to flutter and our minds to go
51:25
into imaginations that pull is very strong.
51:30
It happened to a prophet It happened to a man who got
51:35
selected because his heart was so enthralled and consumed with
51:38
loving him, be careful. And here we are, and we think
51:43
that we can just go on through a day without spending time with
51:45
God. How do I protect myself from
51:49
this song? I don't want to be like that.
51:50
I see it there. Why is it there?
51:52
It's to tell me that it's possible.
51:53
So how do I protect myself? That I wake up a couple.
52:03
The Bible gives you a prescription if you would just
52:04
listen to it. The scripture tells us exactly
52:08
and it's one of the most common verses that we all know, perhaps
52:11
we know it, but we don't understand the power behind it
52:13
and I'm ending it with this verse in Romans 12:2.
52:17
Did I be conformed to this world?
52:21
But be transformed by the renewal of your mind.
52:25
That by testing you may do, What discern that you may discern,
52:29
what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
52:35
I want to tell you something. This world has a gospel.
52:39
And they come with different faces and different tunes and
52:42
different different lures. But the same goal, this world
52:46
longs to every single day. Doesn't give up, doesn't doesn't
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rest every single day. Has one ambition to conform you
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to itself. You're thinking your convictions
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your plans, every single thing about you, what the world longs
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to do is squeeze you into its mold.
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This verse is not given to worldly people, it's given to
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the church. Do not be conformed and the
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consequences of being conformed to the world.
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Some of you really need to hear this.
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So listen, very carefully. Do not be conformed to this
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world because the consequences are many.
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And here's one of the consequences that it has the
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ability to blur, your discernment from understanding,
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the will of God. It clouds your thinking to the
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point where you don't walk out and make decisions that are good
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acceptable and perfect. I'm sure.
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And I hope there's not one person in here that doesn't long
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to live their life in a way that they make decisions that are
53:58
good acceptable and perfect. But the world wants to conform
54:06
you. We're in the arena of the mind
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so that you can't discern that. And based on that, lack of
54:14
discernment. You begin to make decisions and
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frame your convictions in a way. That's tears you apart from the
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path of God's perfect will for your existence.
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And you don't even know it. Because you think that this
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world is neutral concerning your spirituality.
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When in fact, it has an evil plot for your mind.
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So then, what is the antidote? What is the protection?
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What is the remedy? What is The Shield while he
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tells us be transformed how by the renewing of your mind?
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This is where it needs to change the mind, not your emotions,
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your thinking the collection of your thoughts.
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Your thought patterns the thing that you open the drawer and
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then you pull out that envelope that says, what I believe Who Am
55:12
I? Who is God, what is life?
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And God out of all. The means, I remember sitting
55:20
when I was in advertising, and I'm sure this guy was,
55:23
obviously, he was saying it mockingly.
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He says, out of all the ways, this atheist got out of all the
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ways that God could have revealed himself.
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He did it with a book. He did it with a book.
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He couldn't just appear in the sky, he couldn't just, and he
55:36
was saying, I'm not even going to tell you what he said,
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mockingly, but yeah, God chose to reveal himself through a
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book. And it's through his word.
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And my exposure to it. That has the power to begin to
55:54
rewire realign and renew my mind.
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That's where it is. It's very simple.
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Told you, it wasn't complicated. Here's what begins to happen.
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You don't just have the ability to reference certain scriptures
56:06
and you know how to be more in tune with Bible.
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Study know, there is a transformation that word in the
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Greek is the same word used when Jesus was on the Mount of
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transfiguration and he transformed There is an actual
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powerful thing that's taking place in your mind, and what it
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does is, it begins to now give you a sense of discernment, this
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is so powerful in which you are now able to navigate through
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life and make decisions that are good acceptable and perfect.
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So what happens is when you come to this word and you allowed to
56:43
wash over you and listen as powerful as memorization, is
56:49
just read it. Just re just expose yourself to
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it and watch what will happen to your brain to your thinking, to
56:58
your emotional capacity and state and Condition.
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It's a mate. There's a supernatural thing
57:05
that begins to take place in you.
57:08
And, you know, at least in part, that one of the ways in which
57:11
somebody has been. So consumed with this process is
57:14
that, whatever situation is thrown at them in their minds,
57:17
they can respond biblically, It's like they the mind just
57:22
it's able to go to a scripture. It's able to go to a scenario.
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It's able to go to so many places because their minds have
57:28
been so convinced and consumed with the word of God.
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So what begins to happen? You don't see beauty the same
57:36
way the world sees Beauty. You elevate Beauty at a
57:41
different standard than the world does.
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You don't see trials, the same way, you don't cease in the same
57:49
way, you don't see the things that bring people Joy the same
57:53
way and it's effortless. Why?
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Because all you've been doing is coming to the word and the word
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is Renewing, Your Mind and things begin to happen in you.
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And then from that place, you're able to have a discernment that
58:09
is incalculable in value. It's a Wonderful confidence that
58:14
you have that in this season of my, with the decisions that
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needed me. I know that I will be closer to
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the will of God than anybody else.
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That's why in my life, I don't take advice from people.
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That do not renew their minds with the word of God.
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How am I going to trust in their discernment?
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How am I going to trust in the discernment of a Christian that
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doesn't look any different than the world?
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I need to discern the will of God in my life and not just for
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me. I'm going to go to those who
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know, the will of God because they have been renewing their
58:53
minds and they've been transformed.
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I would suggest the same for you. and so you look at
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Temptation differently, you look at qualifications in somebody
59:05
differently. And that is something you and I
59:09
all have access to and it is the great protection.
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Samuel was learning this and got his patient.
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He teaches us through experience as well, but Samuel was
59:21
learning. As you are seeing this, the way
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that I don't see. I see it differently than you.
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and you and I, we acquire a sensitivity to the wisdom and
59:35
the knowledge of God, as we expose ourselves to his word
59:38
which renews us and then transforms us, So you saying,
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brother, why should I read the Bible every day for many
59:45
reasons? And here's one, you inherited
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discernment. That will protect you and guide
59:51
you in this life in a way. Like nothing can God will honor
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you as you honor his word. All there are many things to
59:58
learn from this chapter, but we will reserve it for next week.
1:00:02
and so if you are in a place today, where you like I don't
1:00:06
know where I'm at right now. I don't know the next step take
1:00:08
comfort to know that Samuel didn't know either, but also be
1:00:12
challenged to know that discernment only comes with a
1:00:15
renewal of the mind. You want the will of God for
1:00:18
your life. It comes from the transformation
1:00:21
that is surging from this book. This is a supernatural book.
1:00:27
That's why even when I go through Old Testament books,
1:00:30
like Ezekiel or Leviticus, I believe that I'm going to get a
1:00:34
discernment. I'm going to know something
1:00:37
about God. I'm going to know something
1:00:39
about life because the scripture promises me promises you the
1:00:43
same. Let's pray.
1:01:02
Louis, thank you. That you give hope for those who
1:01:09
have fallen. whether it's a Great Falls, like David, What we
1:01:15
would consider minor Falls like Samuel.
1:01:19
We didn't know how to manage his emotions, who didn't know how to
1:01:24
believe you when it came to a call to obey you and who even
1:01:28
didn't think like you in a brief moment.
1:01:32
When you called him. To be a vessel that would
1:01:36
represent him. Lord, thank you.
1:01:40
That I know point. Which Samuel do you condemn him
1:01:44
or shun him or remove him because you knew that he loved
1:01:48
you. Any desire to be your servant
1:01:52
that he gave up so much to be the man that he was, and thank
1:01:56
you, Lord, and our own lives that we can take comfort that
1:01:59
when we make hiccups, and we might even sin or we think in a
1:02:03
way that we shouldn't have thought we were deceived for a
1:02:06
moment or we weren't as mature as we needed to be spiritually.
1:02:10
You do not disqualify us. You teach us as you taught
1:02:14
Samuel, you disciple us. Your patience is so great
1:02:19
greater than our patients, even for ourselves.
1:02:22
Lord. In this moment, we are stirred a
1:02:24
fresh about one of the aspects of the power of your word that
1:02:29
it grants us a discernment to see as you see, which is the
1:02:34
best way to see and we pray Lord that there would be a renewed
1:02:39
passion for personal Devotion, to the word of the Living God,
1:02:44
we ask Lord that. There's anybody in here, who's
1:02:47
fearful fearful? Because they don't know the next
1:02:50
step and there's silence, help them know that just as you were
1:02:53
silent with the choice of a king through that silence you taught
1:02:57
Samuel something about himself. Help us believe that there is
1:03:02
not one season, not one day wasted with you.
1:03:05
Every single season, every single moment you use.
1:03:11
The scripture says that you test the righteous even when they
1:03:14
wake up, you test the righteous and then is placed, or we feel
1:03:18
rich. To know that we have the Living
1:03:19
God, on our side and that we have the Living Word at our
1:03:24
disposal, forgive us for our laziness.
1:03:27
Forgive us for our lack of faith.
1:03:29
Forgive us for not seeing the word as we ought to see it but
1:03:32
Lord as gracious as you were to Samuel.
1:03:35
So you are to us. Help us think like you feel like
1:03:39
you move when you want us to move, stay you.
1:03:42
When you want us to stay, We Worship You, Lord, and we are
1:03:45
excited to see how you see. Men, the heart, the heart.
1:03:51
Your name, we pray. Amen.
1:03:54
Can we stand and worship God together?
1:03:55
Please.