Participants: C.A. Murray
Series Code: AOT
Program Code: AOT000043
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00:22 Good evening friends and welcome to the 3ABN
00:25 Worship Center here in the smallest big city in the world - 00:28 at least I believe that, that's why I live here - 00:31 in Thompsonville, Illinois. And we welcome you once again 00:34 to the third in our series of "The Winds of War" 00:38 presented each night by Pastor C.A. Murray. 00:40 And tonight's title is: What War... Why? 00:44 or When War... Who? more specifically. 00:48 And the titles have been very unique... 00:50 not ones that you'll easily forget 00:52 but ones hard to put together because there's an 00:55 oxymoron behind some of them. 00:57 And the messages are very unique in that they are really not 01:00 about military wars as they are about the wars 01:04 that are taking place in our hearts. 01:06 I remember when the world was shaken up by the Orson Welles 01:09 enactment of a war that really did not exist. 01:12 Well, this war is very real 01:15 and so we invite you to stay tuned tonight as the Lord 01:17 speaks to your heart... speaks to our hearts 01:20 about the war that is raging within us: 01:22 the war fighting against the Spirit of Christ 01:25 waiting to develop us. But before we invite our speaker 01:29 Pastor C.A. Murray to bless us once again 01:31 I invite you to join us as we go to the Lord in prayer. 01:35 Our gracious Father in heaven, 01:37 we thank you so much. Truly, the Word of Life is in fact 01:40 just that... it knows our needs. 01:44 It knows where we are in the process and in the progress 01:47 of becoming more like Jesus. 01:49 It sees us at intervals in our growth 01:52 and thank you, Lord, that the work that You have started 01:55 You have committed Yourself to complete it before Your return. 01:58 So tonight, Lord, speak to our need. 02:01 There are some watching this program whose tempers right now 02:04 may be raging... their day went very badly. 02:07 Some families may be split and hearts may be offended, 02:11 lives broken. 02:13 And Lord tonight speak to us so that we can find healing 02:16 and recovery in Jesus. 02:18 Bless Your manservant, Pastor Murray, 02:20 to bring to us that which You conduct through him 02:24 we do pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 02:27 And now our speaker for this evening: Pastor C.A. Murray. 02:37 We bid you good evening 02:38 and happy Sabbath. 02:41 Been waiting all week to say that. 02:43 Seems like when you stand up here you should just say 02:45 happy Sabbath. I can't blame Pastor John too 02:48 much... the titles are a bit tricky. 02:52 What War... When? 02:54 And the last of the first is always the first of the next. 02:56 When War... Why? 02:58 Why War... Who? 03:01 When War... How? 03:03 War No More. 03:04 So tonight is Why War... Who? 03:07 I almost... I almost tricked myself. It's Why War... Who? 03:11 And I'm going to ask you to turn if you will 03:15 to II Samuel chapter 21. 03:20 II Samuel 21. 03:24 Before we read and pray, I rather suspect that 03:28 any study of the wars of Israel 03:32 if we are to learn lessons 03:34 somewhere during that time we must talk about 03:37 the life and times of King David. 03:40 And we will do so this very night. 03:44 So just a couple of verses in II Samuel chapter 21... 03:51 verses 15 through 17. 03:55 That is 15 through 17. 04:00 Shall we pray? Father God, 04:03 again we thank you for so many, many things. 04:07 We are thankful for the sacred Sabbath hours. 04:11 We are thankful for rest, 04:14 for an opportunity to meet with You 04:19 to cast aside the cares of the world 04:23 and the work of the world for even a little while 04:26 and to spend some time in Your presence. 04:31 And so we ask, dear Lord, that You would be the honored guest. 04:34 Again we ask for open ears, 04:39 receptive hearts, 04:41 that we may know the truth and walk in that truth 04:48 and seek to learn from the mistakes 04:52 of our forefathers and to benefit 04:57 from their successes. 04:59 Help us, dear Lord. Walk with us again this night. 05:03 And we thank you in Jesus' name, Amen. 05:07 I'm in II Samuel chapter 21 05:10 beginning our reading at verse 15. 05:15 The Bible says, and I'm reading from the New King James: 05:36 Some Bibles simply say he "fainted. " 06:16 You know, when I read that text 06:18 the first thing that came to my mind when the Bible says 06:21 the Philistines were "at war again... " 06:24 obviously God's people had slipped again. 06:27 How patient is the God that we serve! 06:31 Isn't He? Again and again and again and again. 06:37 And yet we serve a patient, longsuffering God. 06:44 So Israel had slipped from the path yet again 06:49 and God again allowed war to serve as the rod 06:54 of His chastisement. 06:56 On this particular occasion 06:59 the rod was their age-old foe... the Philistines... 07:03 who ruled from the Philistine pentapolis: 07:07 the five cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, 07:11 Ashdod, Ekron, and Gath. 07:14 From these cities they struck out to conquer. 07:17 They were a people of the sea, and their origins are somewhat 07:20 shrouded in history. But they were Israel's most consistent, 07:24 persistent, and dangerous enemy Ellen White says. 07:28 The Philistines were always there, always around, 07:32 always lurking, and always dangerous. 07:36 This incident takes place well into David's 07:39 40-year reign. 07:42 And the sad truth of the matter is 07:45 that David's reign is compromised. 07:49 There is a shadow that is never lifted 07:53 and he is never able to get out from under it. 07:57 God forgave him his time with Bathsheba 08:04 but the truth is there was no peace in his hands, 08:10 no peace in his kingdom, 08:13 no peace in his family, 08:16 no trust among David's friends and relatives, 08:20 and endless torment in David's own heart. 08:26 He was king of a nation 08:28 and yet a moral misfit until the day he died. 08:35 His life was a continual reproach 08:37 to the God he claimed to serve. 08:41 He was called to rule a country but he is 08:44 incapable of ruling his own family. 08:49 Though the Bible gives us clear indication 08:51 that he repented of his act with Bathsheba, 08:55 the fact is that he never left her. 08:59 In fact, he could not. 09:04 David was trapped by his own actions. 09:08 He committed an act that was so heinous 09:13 that even God's forgiveness 09:18 could not undo the consequences 09:21 of the web that he spun for himself. 09:25 Make no mistake about it: God forgave him 09:29 and yet he was trapped in his own web 09:33 and he could never get free... not ever. 09:39 And as bad and as demonic 09:43 as it was to take another man's wife, 09:46 sleep with her, murder her husband, 09:52 he couldn't leave her. 09:55 For how scandalous, 09:57 how scurrilous, 09:59 how dishonorable, how socially reprehensible 10:03 would it have been to do that to Bathsheba 10:08 and then toss her away. 10:12 It would have opened up David AND Bathsheba 10:15 to public disgrace that his kingship could not have 10:19 withstood. He HAD to stay with her. 10:23 And so war never left David's house. 10:28 War and intrigue. 10:31 War and incest. 10:34 War and assassination. 10:36 War and espionage. 10:39 War and cabal. 10:41 War and treachery. 10:43 War and treason. 10:46 War and murder. 10:48 War and rape, and war and revenge. 10:54 He could not leave her. 10:56 You know, it is interesting 10:59 search though you will you will never find a record 11:03 that says "David loved her. " 11:06 Nowhere. 11:09 In the Spirit of Prophecy, in the Bible... 11:12 there's no record that David ever loved Bathsheba. 11:16 Now surely he had two sons at least with her, 11:20 but David had children with all of his wives except for Michal 11:23 and that was because of a little stunt that Michal pulled 11:27 that God chose not to forgive on that wise. 11:32 But there's no record that he ever loved Bathsheba 11:35 and yet he could not leave her 11:38 and add sin to sin. 11:43 Bathsheba's presence in the palace 11:46 was an affront to decency 11:50 that filtered its way into every aspect 11:54 of Israeli life and Israeli living. 11:58 The lady Bathsheba outlived her husband 12:02 and the pall of shame never left the king or his kingdom, 12:09 and so David's son, Amnon, 12:14 raped his half sister Tamar. 12:18 And David's response? 12:21 Do nothing. 12:27 Absalom and Tamar are full brother and sister. 12:32 Their father is David, their mother: Maacah. 12:36 Amnon and Tamar are half brother and sister. 12:41 Their father David, their mother: Ahinoam. 12:46 And commentary affirms that Absolom was a very 12:52 handsome young man 12:54 and Tamar an exceptionally beautiful and lovely young lady. 13:01 And a plot is cooked up 13:04 with David's brother's son Jonadab, 13:09 who II Samuel 13:3 says is a very crafty guy, 13:15 and his cousin Amnon 13:19 to get Tamar alone with Amnon in the house. 13:25 You see the intrigue in the family 13:27 occasioned by David's sin? 13:32 And it is Jonadab who tells Amnon 13:37 "fake illness" and then when David comes to see you 13:43 ask him to send Tamar to feed you hand to mouth. 13:48 And so the order that sent Tamar to Amnon's house 13:53 is given by David. 13:57 Then Amnon assaults her and throws her into the street. 14:02 And look at the impact of that act. 14:07 I read now II Samuel 13:16. 14:10 II Samuel 13:16. 14:13 Tamar speaking: 14:31 That goes back to David and Bathsheba. 14:35 That's why David could never send Bathsheba away. 14:39 Once he committed the act with Bathsheba 14:42 he had to stay with her till the day he died. 14:45 He could not leave. 14:47 And Tamar realizes that to assault someone and then 14:52 toss them out is a heinous crime. 14:55 Amnon could have had Tamar as his wife 14:59 had he chosen to, but that was not his intent. 15:04 So Tamar is telling him: "to do this to me 15:08 and toss me aside is worse than the original act. " 15:16 And then the next verse he tells his servants 15:20 "throw this woman out and bolt the door. " 15:25 A calculated, presumptuous, pernicious, evil act. 15:33 The Bible says in verse 21 when David heard about it 15:36 he was VERY angry! 15:39 But what did he do? 15:41 Nothing. 15:44 He did nothing. 15:49 Nowhere does the Bible say he ever responded 15:53 to this assault of brother on sister. 15:59 And so Absalom chooses to become 16:03 judge, jury, executioner, 16:07 and ersatz demigod. 16:10 He waits fully two years. 16:13 Invites Amnon to a harvest feast. 16:16 Gets Amnon drunk and then has his servants 16:20 murder Amnon in retribution. 16:24 And David does nothing. 16:30 In fact, we find that David forgives Absalom, 16:36 reinstates Absalom, 16:39 but Joab does not. 16:43 And what is interesting is that Absalom 16:47 never really forgives David. 16:51 He holds in his heart the idea 16:56 that David's daughter and his sister 17:00 was assaulted, disgraced in public, 17:04 and my dad never did anything. 17:11 And so later on Absalom attempts a coup. 17:15 He wants to take the kingdom from his dad. 17:18 David has so much turmoil in his life and family 17:25 that he has become an indecisive, impotent, insipid 17:29 family leader. He can't make moral decisions 17:33 because he has no moral platform to stand on. 17:39 And Absalom takes advantage of David's indecisiveness. 17:45 He stations himself outside the gate 17:48 and he begins to sway people's minds. 17:52 So when someone comes for judgment 17:55 and they can't get a hearing 17:57 Absalom says: 18:00 "Come here... come over here. 18:05 If I were the king, I'd take care of you. " 18:12 "If I were the king, you wouldn't have to wait in line. " 18:19 "If I were the king, I'd solve your case 18:22 just like you wanted. " 18:25 "Now I know that guy in the palace is my father, 18:28 but he can't handle it any more. 18:32 You need to come to my side. " 18:36 And he begins to foment rebellion. 18:42 He begins to sway the hearts of the people. 18:48 Let's look at something: II Samuel chapter 12 verse 11. 18:52 II Samuel chapter 12 and verse 11. 18:55 Reading from the NIV. 19:00 This is God's response to the Bathsheba affair 19:05 and little parenthetical insertion right here. 19:08 II Samuel 12:11: 19:33 Now that's part of God's response to the Bathsheba 19:36 affair. Verse 12: 19:39 "You did it in secret, but I will do this thing 19:45 in broad daylight before all Israel. " 19:51 Absalom wants to take the kingdom from his dad 19:58 but he also wants to disgrace and humiliate David. 20:02 There's something more than just insurrection. 20:05 There's something more than just a political coup. 20:08 Absalom wants to disgrace his father. 20:12 I say it again: he never got over the fact 20:14 that David did nothing when his sister was attacked. 20:18 And so in an absolute carcinogenic conspiracy 20:26 that Ellen White herself says is a "hellish plan, " 20:32 formed and fashioned in hell 20:34 by two men who in II Samuel chapter 12 20:39 God predicts that something is going to happen 20:44 and He chose not to stop it. 20:47 And so Satan enters the heads and hearts of two men 20:52 who were both wounded by David. 20:54 Bathsheba, Ahithophel's granddaughter: 20:59 impregnated by David, 21:01 her husband murdered at David's order. 21:04 Absalom: his sister ordered to the bedroom of a man 21:10 who sexually assaulted her and never punished by him. 21:15 And so Absalom, David's son, 21:19 turns to Ahithophel, David's best friend, 21:24 and says: "What can I do to destroy my father? 21:30 I don't want to just take his kingdom. 21:33 I want his reputation destroyed 21:36 and I want his heart ripped out. " 21:39 And so Satan tells Ahithophel 21:43 say this to Absalom: 21:46 "Remember Bathsheba? 21:49 Remember Tamar? 21:51 Let's give him a taste of his own medicine. " 21:54 And so in II Samuel chapter 16 verses 21 and 22 21:59 this is the solution that they had. 22:02 " 'Lie with your father's concubines 22:07 whom he has left to take care of the palace. ' 22:10 And so they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof 22:16 and he lay with his father's concubines 22:19 in the sight of all Israel. " In fulfillment of that prophecy. 22:22 God told David: "You thought you were doing something in secret 22:27 but your punishment is going to be open. " 22:31 And so Absalom, in an attempt to disgrace his own father, 22:37 sleeps on the palace roof 22:39 with all of his father's wives. 22:49 Joab... 22:53 the instrument of David's murder... 22:56 also has a long memory, 22:58 and Absalom's rebellion is short-lived. 23:03 You know the story. 23:05 A battle ensues. Absalom tries to run away. 23:09 He is caught by his hair, 23:12 and Joab puts three javelins in his heart 23:15 and then dares David to cry. 23:18 Ahithophel commits suicide. 23:23 This then is the backdrop 23:26 for II Samuel chapter 21 verse 15. 23:36 I need to say something parenthetically. 23:44 We need always to keep our hand 23:48 in the hand of Jesus 23:51 because Satan studies us. 23:56 Satan knew David. 24:00 God knew David. 24:04 It seems the only one who didn't really know David 24:07 was David. 24:09 Ellen White says this about King David... 24:13 She says in his early years 24:17 there was never a finer man to sit on any throne 24:22 in any country anywhere in the world. 24:27 David, she says, stood head and shoulders with any king 24:32 anywhere. Name the king: 24:34 David was his equal if not his superior. 24:37 He was young; handsome; 24:41 he was God fearing; he was God led. 24:45 He was surrendered to God. 24:48 He was wise; he was fair. 24:51 He was honest; he was caring. 24:55 And she also said he was a pretty good man in a fight, too. 25:00 David went out with the army. Could handle a sword. 25:03 He could negotiate if negotiation was what was needed. 25:09 And when it was time to fight he could pull out his sword 25:12 and handle that too. And... 25:14 he played a pretty good harp. 25:19 One of the finest ever to sit on the throne of any kingdom 25:24 and God knew it and so did the devil. 25:31 Before Bathsheba, 25:34 David's record was spotless. 25:40 But the devil knew David's... David's habits 25:46 better than David did. 25:48 Want to do a little homework assignment? 25:50 Go back just a few chapters and be introduced to a man 25:54 named Nabal. 25:58 Now given Nabal's indiscretions and some of the things 26:04 Nabal said and did, but the truth is 26:09 when David met Nabal 26:13 Nabal was alive. 26:18 By the time David leaves Nabal 26:22 Nabal is dead and Nabal's wife, 26:27 Abigail, is now David's wife. 26:32 That sound familiar? 26:34 Husband dead... wife belonging to David. 26:38 So Bathsheba wasn't the first. 26:44 Interesting history. 26:47 And Satan was aware of who and what David is and was. 26:53 That is why... That is why we cannot hope to serve the Lord 26:57 without the help of the Lord. 27:00 We cannot hope to be righteous 27:05 unless One who is righteous lives in us. 27:08 We cannot hope to follow Christ 27:12 unless Christ has a hold of our hand 27:15 because God never sleeps and never slumbers 27:19 and neither does the devil. 27:24 David had a fine and sterling record until he met Bathsheba. 27:34 So now in II Samuel 21:15 we see a David 27:38 who is physically spent but more importantly 27:42 spiritually beat up. 27:45 He is no baby. He has been fighting most of his life 27:49 battling self-created foes in self-induced wars. 27:54 And this life of turmoil has taken its toll 27:58 on the once proud king. 28:02 And the war that James speaks about that we spoke about 28:05 that first night - the war inside - 28:10 is turning itself in David's heart and turning itself 28:15 in David's family. And that war becomes a communal war. 28:18 And it becomes a societal war. 28:21 And it becomes a national war. 28:23 And it becomes an international war simply because 28:26 a once almost invincible king 28:30 let Satan get in and push God out. 28:36 Now when faced with this new giant 28:39 the Bible record is clear: 28:42 David waxed faint. 28:47 Is this David's first war? No. 28:51 Is this David's first giant? No. 28:55 Is this David's biggest giant? No... Goliath was bigger. 29:01 So what happened? 29:04 What kind of warrior is David? 29:09 Well, Hushai, Absalom's adviser, makes a very strong statement 29:14 in II Samuel chapter 17 and verse 6. 29:16 He says: "For all Israel knows that your father 29:20 is a mighty man. " You see, Absalom was trying to decide 29:23 "How am I going to fight my dad? " 29:25 Ahithophel said "Let's go in for a frontal assault. 29:27 Let's go just get the army and head right in. " 29:30 And Hushai said "Better not do it. " 29:32 Said: "Your father is a mighty man. 29:35 That will be your first and last battle. 29:38 Don't do that because he fights like a mother bear 29:42 robbed of her cubs. You don't want to do that. 29:44 You don't want to do a frontal assault with David. " 29:47 He said: "Ahithophel's counsel is bad. 29:50 You don't want to go in with your swords flashing 29:54 because you won't come out. " 29:57 He said: "David and his men are smart, valiant, fearless. 30:02 Your guys will get slaughtered. " 30:05 Now that's the kind of fighter David was, 30:07 the reputation that David had. 30:10 David was revered as a soldier and a leader of men. 30:14 Before he was even king... you know the story. 30:17 They sang: "Saul has killed his thousands; 30:20 David has killed his ten thousands. " 30:25 So what's different? 30:28 Why did he faint before Ishbi-Benob 30:32 when he was so valiant before Goliath? 30:37 Did he have what he needed? 30:40 Did he know who he was fighting? 30:44 Why War... and Who? 30:49 Was it the ferocity of the enemy 30:52 or did David just not know what he was doing? 30:58 What are the concrete lessons that we have to learn 31:01 and that we can draw for ourselves today? 31:11 And I mean what I say. 31:21 Don't be fooled. Each day the battle rages 31:26 for that day. And just because you were successful on yesterday 31:32 does not guarantee you'll be successful today 31:35 unless you start and end your day with Jesus. 31:39 Paul wrote in I Corinthians chapter 1 31:43 I Corinthians, rather, chapter 15 verse 31... 31:46 I like this: "I die daily. " Amen. 31:51 "I die every day. " 31:53 He says: "I mean that, brothers. Just as surely as I glory 31:57 over you in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. " 32:02 And so the secret to life is daily death. 32:06 Amen. 32:09 Start today by dying... death to self. 32:14 I like this statement that Ellen White... 32:16 And I hope I can get to it before my time gets away. 32:18 I've got... I want to show you something in just a little bit 32:19 that... You know, I've cried three times writing this stuff. 32:22 I cried again when I saw something... 32:25 Let me stop talking about it and get to it. 32:28 This is My Life Today, page 10. 32:31 Um, Ellen White says: 32:42 Surrendering your power to God simplifies the problems of life. 32:46 Now I'm going to throw you guys a curve, so I want to stop there 32:48 for just a second then come back to it. 32:51 Giving yourself to the Lord makes things easy. 32:55 Amen! It does! 32:59 Should we go out and drink? No. 33:03 Amen. 33:06 There's a pretty girl but she's not Christian. 33:10 She doesn't love the Lord. 33:12 Should I date her? No. 33:18 Simple. 33:20 Somebody left some money on the ground. 33:27 I saw it fall out of their pocket but I need some money. 33:32 Should I take it? No. 33:37 Ellen White says: "Giving yourself to the Lord 33:40 simplifies things. " Doesn't it? 33:42 I've got my tithe - 33:47 um-hmm - 33:49 and I need to spend it 'cause I'm broke. 33:54 Should I spend my tithe? 33:59 No. 34:02 Giving yourself to the Lord makes life very simple: 34:06 it's yes or no. 34:10 Amen? That's what she says. Now let's go back to it. 34:13 Let's go back to it. 34:30 Had David thought about this? 34:33 Who's that on the roof? 34:35 That's Bathsheba... Uriah's wife. 34:38 So what do you do now? 34:40 Do the same thing you were doing 34:42 when your children got in trouble: nothing. 34:45 Amen? 34:46 Somebody else's wife... very simple. 34:49 You don't do anything because you're trying to serve the Lord. 34:52 Christ's Object Lessons page 403. 35:12 You know this is actually something that I struggled with 35:14 and worried about. Let me read a little further: 36:13 And you ought to say "Amen. " 36:15 Now let me walk through that because that's a lot. 36:19 This is something I've thought about often in my life 36:21 and that's why I am so thankful that we serve a God 36:25 who's got every base covered. 36:29 I can't go to the jungles of Africa 36:36 and face death. There was a missionary back in the 60's. 36:41 Peter Konaffer, went to Papua, New Guinea... 36:44 one of the first Adventist missionaries. 36:46 Killed and eaten by highland natives. 36:53 His record is in the kingdom. 36:56 He made the ultimate sacrifice. 36:58 I can't do that so how do I get any "points" with God? 37:04 I use that terminology. 37:06 What she says here is when you're home 37:12 and when you're in your family and you stand up for Jesus 37:18 amid provocation 37:21 and you hold the banner of Prince Emmanuel high 37:26 in your little sphere, as far as God is concerned 37:31 you get the same - I'll use this term - "points" 37:35 as that missionary who went thousands of miles away 37:40 and gave his life for the cause of Christ. 37:42 So when somebody steals something from you 37:45 or lies on you or cheats you 37:48 or assassinates your character 37:50 and you don't fight back and you don't go and beat them up 37:54 and you don't put nails in their tires. You just 37:56 stand there and take it like a good soldier of the cross 38:00 God says: "I've got that written down 38:02 and in My book you're just as valiant a soldier 38:06 a missionary, as Mother Teresa or anybody else 38:10 who gets the credit and the kudos for going to Africa 38:14 or India or China or anyplace else. 38:17 You right here in the states holding on and standing up 38:20 for Jesus same in my book. " 38:25 Was talking to somebody last night 38:30 and they said: "You know, I had one item of value: 38:35 a pair of sunglasses. 38:38 And a family member stole my one item of value. 38:43 Stole my sunglasses... 38:47 and I called him on it. 38:49 And I said: 'Did you take my sunglasses? ' 38:52 And he cursed and slammed the phone down. 38:54 He said: 'I knew by that response that he had them 38:57 'cause if you don't have them there's no need to get 38:59 crazy. ' " 39:01 And so he said: "You know, I planned what I was going to do 39:04 when next we met. 39:07 I was going to knock him out. 39:16 But I'm a Christian now. 39:18 I love Jesus now 39:21 and if I let that thing brew in my heart it will consume me 39:26 so every time I think about it I think about Jesus. " 39:31 Now according to this reading 39:33 God wrote that down in heaven 39:38 and He said: "You may never get to a mission field. 39:41 You may never get to some far-away place. 39:45 But you, swallowing your pride and standing up for Jesus, 39:51 in the annals of heaven you get the same credit. " 39:54 Amen? 39:56 Thinking about my in-laws down in Panama. 40:01 Wife so mean and so hateful to the Lord that her husband 40:07 had to come home on Sabbath afternoon and lock himself in 40:09 his own bedroom to keep from the assaults of his wife. 40:16 But he took it for Jesus. 40:20 He took it. 40:22 The cursing, the swearing, the abuse... took it. 40:27 Never fought back; never screamed... just took it. 40:32 Do you think that kind of sacrifice goes unnoticed by God? 40:38 Every tear... written down. 40:41 Now that wife is a member of the church of God 40:48 because "a soft answer turns away wrath. " 40:52 So you may never get to China. 40:54 You may never get to darkest Africa. 40:56 You may never get to Papua, New Guinea, 40:58 or the highlands of the outback in Australia. 41:01 Just let your light shine where you are. 41:05 God says: "I see your suffering 41:10 and I see you standing up for Jesus. " 41:14 Amen? That's why God is so good! 41:17 God is so very, very good 41:21 and we love Him so much. 41:27 David made a mistake 41:34 that stayed with him throughout his life. 41:41 That is why, ladies and gentlemen, 41:44 we need to train our children from their earliest days 41:50 because you can make mistakes in your youth 41:52 that you never get free of. 41:55 And the consequences for David were there till the day he died. 42:00 Let me just... I just saw something real quick 42:02 that I just... Let me go back to something. 42:04 Um, Christ's Object Lessons. 42:08 It's called "Pity and pray for oppressive leader. " 42:11 This goes back to what we were talking about before. 42:13 I just want to get this in. 42:15 Ellen White says: "Because of the wrongdoing of those 42:18 in positions of trust don't be envious 42:21 and don't let bad feelings fill your heart. " 42:25 If you're working for somebody or with somebody 42:28 that's just giving you the devil, Ellen White says 42:33 "pray for them and pity them. " 42:37 Don't retaliate; don't fight back... 42:40 because God's going to take care of that. 42:43 So you don't have to lie awake nights thinking of ways 42:46 to get even with somebody who's dogging you. 42:51 Just pray for them and pity them 42:54 because unless they repent of those sins 42:56 they will never have eternal life. 42:59 So you don't want to lose your salvation 43:01 thinking of ways to get back at someone. 43:04 Let God do that. Amen? 43:07 Just stand strong for Jesus and God knows your battle. 43:12 Give it to Jesus and God will take care of it. 43:16 Just a couple things. She says: "Consecrate yourself to God 43:19 in the morning. Make this your first work. " 43:38 So then, yesterday is not today. 43:42 The Ishbi-Benob of today is not the Goliath of yesterday. 43:45 The Bible says Ishbi-Benob had a new sword. 43:51 We are living in a brand new day. 43:56 There are more ways to be distracted. 44:01 Kindles, iPods, 44:04 iPads, Droids, 44:07 computers, BlackBerrys, 44:10 smart devices, MP3 players, 44:14 laptop computer, GPS systems. 44:18 There are more ways to get sick, more ways to get injured, 44:22 and more ways to die. We live in a dangerous world 44:29 and so you've got to have Christ every day. 44:31 There is a cute commercial in New York City. 44:33 I don't know if they still run it, but years ago 44:37 they used to have it. It was a lady driving down 44:40 a New York City freeway very, very fast. 44:44 She's got the visor down, 44:46 and she's looking in the mirror. 44:49 She's got lipstick in one hand. 44:52 She's got the eyebrow pencil in the other hand. 44:55 She's got her head cocked as she's talking on her cell phone 44:58 and she's steering the car with her elbows 45:02 and she's flying down the highway. 45:04 And then the words come out: "She's out there... 45:08 want to meet her? " 45:11 And it's a commercial for insurance. 45:15 But the truth is there are more ways to get hurt, 45:18 to get sick, and to die. It's a dangerous world! 45:23 You cannot afford to leave your house without Jesus 45:26 because you never know what you will meet in the world. 45:32 You know, this may sound strange: 45:37 I wouldn't mind being a few years younger. 45:44 Amen. Amen. 45:49 But I would never want to be a child again. 45:53 I say that seriously. 45:55 Tough being a child in this day and age. 45:59 As we're preaching the big college scandal. 46:05 Young men, little boys. Tough being a child. 46:10 There are so many predators in the world. 46:13 Predators online; predators in the Internet. 46:18 Predators in the shopping mall; 46:20 children disappearing all the time. 46:22 By the thousands slavery in these modern days. 46:26 Looking at something just the other day. 46:28 It's tough being a child today. Tough growing up today. 46:32 I wouldn't mind having a few years back. 46:34 I would never want to be a child again 46:36 'cause there are more ways to get sick, 46:40 more ways to get injured, and more ways to die. 46:44 You can make one wrong move... 46:49 ladies and gentlemen... one wrong move 46:54 and your life forever be destroyed. 46:58 II Samuel chapter 11 and verse 1. It says: 47:03 "It happened in the spring of the year 47:06 at the time when kings go off to battle 47:10 that David remained in Jerusalem. " 47:15 Now why is that there? It's not an idle statement. 47:19 Things were going well. 47:21 The Syrians had already surrendered 47:25 and the Ammonites were about to surrender 47:28 and so David said: "No use me going to the battle. 47:32 I'll let Joab handle it. I think I'll just hang around 47:34 here and find something to do. " 47:39 And we know what he did. 47:42 David remained in Jerusalem. 47:44 He neglected to do what he should have been doing 47:49 and ended up doing what he had no business doing. 47:55 And he made a decision that defined the rest of his life. 48:01 This, then, is a message for young people. 48:05 This, then, is a message of utmost urgency. 48:11 Get God. Get Him early and don't ever let go! 48:16 The wise man said in Ecclesiastes 12:1 New King James 48:21 "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy - your - youth 48:25 before the difficult days come and the years draw near 48:29 when you say 'I have no pleasure in them. ' " 48:34 You know, the only regret you have when you give your life 48:36 to Jesus is that you didn't have enough sense 48:38 to do it earlier. You know what I mean? 48:41 That's the only regret you have: why didn't I do this years ago? 48:45 I was talking with my step daughter, Becky, the other day. 48:48 We were sitting around the table just talking. 48:50 And she made that statement: "You know, I didn't want to 48:53 hear it back then. Didn't want to be bothered. 48:56 Didn't want to hear that. Mother always wo-wo-wo-wo... 48:59 Always in my ear: come to Jesus, come to Jesus, come to Jesus. 49:03 I didn't want to hear that stuff. " 49:04 Now that I'm in, I'm wondering "what was wrong with me? " 49:10 Anybody? Your only regret is that it took so long 49:14 that the skull was so thick that I had to break my ankle 49:17 two times before I got it through my head 49:22 that God comes first. 49:25 Your life, your peace in later years, is in many ways 49:29 a consequence of the wars you fought or didn't fight 49:34 as a youth. 49:38 Number three: God is not a talisman. 49:47 Amen. 49:48 Now what's he talking about? 49:50 God is not a talisman. A talisman is an amulet 49:53 or something you put around your neck 49:54 to keep you out of trouble or get you out of trouble. 49:57 That's not God. Amen? 50:00 God is not a talisman; He's not a good luck charm. 50:05 He really can't be just your Savior 50:10 if you don't let Him be your Lord. 50:13 Amen! He's got to be Savior AND Lord. 50:17 As Savior He gets you out of trouble; 50:21 as Lord He keeps you from getting into trouble. 50:26 God is not the kind of person you just call on 50:29 when you get in hot water. That's a talisman. 50:32 That's an amulet. They tried that back in Bible days. 50:37 They were losing to the Philistines. 50:40 Someone got the bright idea: "Let's take the ark of the 50:44 covenant into battle. Yeah, that'll save us. " 50:47 That's a talisman. "Let's take it in... " 50:50 Never asked God; never consulted with the Lord. 50:54 "This ought to work: let's take it into battle with us. " 50:57 And on that day the ark was taken by the Philistines. 51:01 Hophni and Phineas were slain. 51:03 The high priest, Eli, got the news, fell over backwards, 51:07 broke his neck, and died. 51:09 God's not a talisman. 51:12 You've got to surrender to Him. 51:14 Don't just call on Him when you're in trouble. 51:16 Anybody got any friends 51:18 every time they get in hot water 51:19 that's when they're on the phone to you? 51:21 When you see that number on your cell phone, what do you do? 51:24 I think I'll let it ring. 51:26 You don't do that with the Lord. 51:29 Call on Him every day so when trouble comes He's there. 51:36 God is not a talisman. 51:40 Finally: perhaps the greatest sin is the statement 51:45 that was never made at Ishbi-Benob... 51:50 or with Ishbi-Benob. 51:52 David said to Goliath: "You come to me with the sword. " 52:05 You don't find that statement in the fight with Ishbi-Benob 52:08 because people were fighting by then in their own strength. 52:13 And the truth is: in the spiritual battle 52:16 you have no strength. 52:19 All your strength comes from the Lord. 52:22 And if you try to fight in your own strength, 52:25 you are defeated before you even get started. 52:31 There's a cute little saying in the New Testament. 52:37 The disciple are arguing about who's going to be greatest 52:41 in the kingdom. They're really going at it. 52:44 Along comes a fellow with a demon-possessed son 52:48 tries to get the disciples to cast the devil out. 52:53 Not going to happen. 52:55 Ellen White says "they didn't even know that in their arguing 53:00 the Spirit of God had stepped back. " 53:04 But Satan knew... and they were on their own. 53:09 And so later on when Christ answered their question: 53:13 "How come we couldn't cast them out? " 53:15 He said: "This one only goes out by fasting and prayer. " 53:18 But the implication was "you lost the presence and power 53:23 of the Spirit. " 53:25 You may not know it, but Satan does know. 53:30 Righteous living is the response 53:34 to righteous living. 53:37 Do nothing of your own. 53:40 Do nothing that will lessen your power. 53:42 Do nothing that will separate you from the Lord. 53:46 Trust God in every decision. 53:49 And if you bring Him into the little decisions 53:51 He will be there for the big ones. 53:53 Trust Him in all things. 53:55 Do not trust in yourself. Make no decisions without Him, 53:59 and submit every decision to the mind of God. 54:04 For just when you think you've got it all together, 54:07 just when you think life is easy, 54:10 just when you think there are no more battles, 54:13 no more hurdles, 54:15 Satan will show you that he has not given up on you 54:20 and he still claims you as his own. 54:25 You must fight on manfully 54:30 and never let go of the glorious hand of Jesus Christ. 54:36 And so in his old age 54:39 David, the mighty king, faints and falls 54:45 before this new foe. 54:49 And the brethren said: 54:52 "I don't think we're going to take you out any more 54:56 because you're going to destroy the lamp of Israel. " 55:00 But the one thing I want you to notice in closing. 55:03 The Bible says in verse 17 55:09 II Samuel 21: 55:11 "Abishai struck the Philistine 55:16 and killed him. " 55:20 I think one of the greatest blessings 55:23 for the church is brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen. 55:28 To have somebody to stand by you. 55:30 To have somebody to stand with you. 55:33 To have somebody to get your back when it's necessary. 55:38 To have somebody who believes like you believe. 55:42 Our strength is in our numbers. 55:46 And I say this... I've said this to every church 55:49 I've ever pastored. I've told them 55:52 "Like it or not, all I've got is you 55:59 and all you've got is me. " Amen? 56:04 "So we'd better love each other 56:06 and care for each other 56:08 and protect each other 56:10 and hold onto each other in Jesus' name 56:15 because they'll know we are Christians by our love 56:21 one for another. " 56:24 Hold onto Jesus. 56:26 Make every decision in the light of His Word. 56:30 Then you'll be strong. 56:33 Then you'll be faithful. 56:35 But more than that you'll be victorious 56:40 in Christ Jesus. 56:43 Shall we pray? Father God, 56:45 we thank you, dear Lord, 56:48 for the promise that we have 56:51 of victory in You. 56:55 Father, we look at the life of people like David 56:57 and we see where he fell. 57:01 But help us, Lord, to look to our own work 57:07 so that we will not stumble and fall. 57:10 So that we will be strong in Jesus. 57:13 So that we will fight, indeed, the good fight of faith 57:18 and gain victory through our Lord and Savior 57:23 Jesus Christ. We love You; we praise You. 57:27 We thank you and re-commit ourselves to You 57:31 in Jesus' name. Amen. |
Revised 2014-12-17