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Series Code: BOLS
Program Code: BOLS000150S
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00:06 #S078 - “If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It” (Part 1)
00:20 I want to invite you to go with me 00:21 to two places in your Bible. 00:22 First, Samuel, chapter seven. 00:25 First, Samuel, Chapter seven. 00:28 And we're going to begin together at verse number 13. 00:32 And just put your finger over in first. 00:34 Samuel, chapter eight, which is where we will be semantically 00:38 for the remainder of our time. 00:40 First Samuel, Chapter seven. 00:42 Just provide some context for our story today. 00:46 First, Samuel, Chapter seven. 00:48 When you get there, say, Pastor, I'm there 00:50 for Samuel, chapter seven and verse 00:53 number 13. 00:57 Hear the word of the Lord. 00:59 The Bible say so. 01:00 The Philistines were what 01:03 they were what? 01:05 So the Philistines are subdued. 01:08 I need you to get that. 01:11 And they did not come 01:14 any more into the territory of Israel. 01:18 Your kitchen, this church 01:20 and the 01:21 hand of the Lord was against the Philistines. 01:24 All the days of who? 01:27 All the days of Samuel. 01:29 Then the cities which the Philistines had taken 01:31 from Israel were restored to Israel from across to get. 01:36 And Israel 01:38 recovered its territory from the hands of the Philistines. 01:42 And also there was peace between Israel and the Emirates. 01:46 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of what his life. 01:53 Now go to chapter eight and verse number one 01:55 and be patient as we read a little bit today. 01:57 The Bible says now and it came to pass when Samuel 02:01 was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 02:05 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name 02:08 of his second Abidjan, 02:10 and they were judges in Beersheba, 02:13 but his sons did 02:14 not walk in his ways, and they turned aside 02:16 after dishonest gain. 02:18 They took bribes and perverted justice. 02:21 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together 02:23 and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, Look, 02:28 you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. 02:32 Now make us a king to judge us like the nations. 02:36 But the thing displeased Samuel 02:40 when they said, Give us a king to judge us. 02:42 So Samuel prayed to the Lord 02:46 and notice what the Lord says and the Lord said to Samuel, 02:49 He the voice of the people and all that. 02:51 They say to you, for they have not rejected you, 02:55 but they have rejected me, 02:58 that I should not reign over them 03:01 according to all the works which they have done 03:03 since the day I brought them up out of Egypt. 03:06 Even to this day with which they have forsaken 03:10 me and served other gods, so they are doing to you also. 03:15 Now therefore he their voice, 03:18 however you shall suddenly for one them and show them 03:21 the behavior of the King who will reign over them. 03:26 So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people 03:30 who asked him for a king, and he said, This 03:32 will be the behavior of the King who will reign over you. 03:36 He will take your sons and appoint them 03:38 for his own chariots and to be his horsemen. 03:42 And some will run before his chariots, 03:45 and he will appoint 03:46 captains over his thousands and captains over 50 03:50 and will set some to plow his ground 03:53 and to reap his harvest and to do make to make 03:58 some weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 04:02 And he will take of your daughters to be pitiful. 04:05 Few perfumers, cooks and bakers, 04:09 and he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, 04:12 and your olive groves, and will give them to his servants. 04:17 He will take a 10th of your grade and your vintage 04:21 and give it to his officers and servants. 04:26 And he will take your males, servants 04:28 and your female servants, your finest young men 04:31 and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 04:35 And he will 04:36 take a 10th of your sheep and you will be his servants. 04:40 And you will cry out in that day because of your king, 04:45 whom you have chosen for yourselves. 04:50 And the Lord will not hear you in that day. 04:55 Nevertheless, 04:57 the people refuse to obey the voice of Samuel, 05:01 and they said No, but we will have a king over us. 05:05 That we also may be like 05:09 the other nation, and that a king may judge us 05:14 and go out before us 05:17 and fight our battles. 05:21 Today's Saints for just a little while, with God's help, 05:24 I want to talk to you under the subject. 05:26 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 05:31 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 05:32 Let us pray together. 05:35 Father. 05:37 My prayer is simply this. 05:39 That your strength would be made perfect in my weakness. 05:44 Lord, would you give 05:45 a supernatural strength to preach the word? 05:49 But, Lord, would you even give a strong anointing 05:53 on the reception of the Word 05:55 and our daily application of its truth? 05:59 So, Lord, would you please hype me in the shadows of the cross 06:02 that Jesus alone might be seen, 06:05 that Christ alone might be heard? 06:08 And at the end of our time together, 06:10 let Jesus only be praised. 06:13 Blessings. 06:14 To this end, we ask in the wonderful name of Jesus. 06:17 Let them believe, say together. 06:19 Amen. And amen. 06:21 You may be seated in the House 06:22 of the Lord today, again talking to you on the subject. 06:33 If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 06:38 Now, you know, Church, our text today has principles 06:43 that are portable for the body of Christ in our time. 06:48 And the first thing we shall learn today 06:51 is that when God set something up 06:54 that if it is not broke, don't you try to fix it. 06:58 And what we will observe in Israel's behavior 07:03 is that sometimes different doesn't mean better. 07:07 You see, there are three trajectory changing moments 07:12 in the biblical narrative of the children of Israel. 07:15 First, it is in the land of Kadesh, 07:18 where they refuse to enter into the land of promise. 07:22 And as a result, they are sentenced to 40 years 07:24 of wondering as a result of their rebellion. 07:29 Most importantly, it is their national rejection 07:32 of Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah. 07:36 And the third is here, 07:37 where they reject the governance of God and they request a 07:42 the leadership of an earthly key. 07:45 Now, you may recall that as the children entered 07:48 into the land of promise, it became very involved 07:52 for foreign nations to embrace the leadership of a king. 07:57 And you note that God steered Israel away from this practice, 08:03 and he set judges over his people. 08:06 Now, these judges were to be interpreters of the law of God. 08:11 And through them, God would make His will known to the people. 08:15 And even though the folk would 08:16 get their immediate instruction from the judges, 08:21 the King of Israel was actually the Lord Jehovah. 08:26 And through their own confession, 08:29 they have grown weary of the governance of God. 08:32 And now they desire an earthly king 08:36 to be monarch and ruler over them. 08:39 Now, understand, Church, that the audacity of this 08:43 request has multiple layers. 08:46 One in a vacuum. It is foolish 08:50 to look for leadership outside of Jesus Christ. 08:54 But what makes it insane is the timing 08:58 and the context of their request. 09:01 Now remember that Samuel had multiple functions 09:04 for the nation. 09:05 Number one, Samuel was a prophet. 09:09 Number two, Samuel was a priest. 09:12 But most importantly, Samuel was the final judge of the nation. 09:17 And remember that because of Samuel's dedication 09:20 to the Lord, that the Lord had strengthened 09:24 their hands against all of their enemies, 09:27 so much so that God allowed them to repossess 09:32 the cities that were under Philistine control. 09:35 God had driven them out with such power 09:39 that the Bible says they wouldn't even dare 09:43 set foot in Israel like terrain. 09:46 And understand that through Samuel's leadership, 09:50 God had given them rest from all of their enemies all around. 09:55 And understand friends that they're in a point 09:59 where they're being invaded by their enemies. 10:03 But they're too busy envying their enemies. 10:07 Understand church that this should be a season of gratitude. 10:12 It ought to be a time of Thanksgiving. 10:15 There ought to be a national euphoria. 10:19 But the problem with God's people 10:21 is they're so busy looking at the other nations 10:26 that they're trying to fix something that is not broken. 10:30 And can I suggest today, friends, 10:33 that the only thing worse than not having it 10:36 good is when you have it good, but you can't recognize it. 10:41 In fact, 10:42 the only thing worse than being dealt a bad hand 10:46 is when you have a good hand and you don't know what to do 10:49 with it. 10:50 And see, sometimes the most foolish person 10:54 is someone that trades in good for a different. 10:58 Even if different is not better. 11:00 You are not with me today. 11:01 And let me be clear. Saints. 11:02 I am not suggesting 11:04 that your life is perfect and that everything is ideal. 11:09 But I believe that most of us, if we reflect over our lives, 11:12 a little bit, 11:13 we will come to the conclusion that our lives are blessed. 11:18 Am I preaching to anybody today? 11:19 In other words, you might not have the house of your dream, 11:24 but can you testify that I'm blessed to have a house? 11:27 You might not have the perfect job, 11:30 but you can say, I'm blessed to have a job. 11:33 I might not have the perfect marriage, 11:35 but God's blessing is on my marriage. 11:38 And what I want a prayer for a church 11:40 is that sometimes we can get so distant in it 11:44 through comparison that we will pick apart a life 11:48 that has already been blessed by the most high God. 11:52 And when I need somebody to get is that different? 11:54 Is not always better. 11:56 And sometimes it's better to be content than curious. 12:01 In other words, Israel is so busy 12:04 looking at how others have it 12:07 that they can't recognize how good they have it in God. 12:11 They are so busy in being the others that they don't 12:13 realize that they are the envy of other folk. 12:17 And see, let me suggest Oakwood, that sometimes we are so busy 12:21 looking at somebody else's life that we can't 12:24 recognize how blessed our lives actually are. 12:29 In fact, some of us are so busy looking 12:31 at somebody else's relationship that you can't recognize that 12:36 God is giving you a pretty good dude by your side. 12:40 Some of us are so busy looking at their wardrobe 12:44 that you can't thank God for what's in your own closet. 12:48 Some of us are so busy looking at somebody else's house 12:52 that you forgot to praise God for your house and church. 12:55 This is how stupid blessed we are 12:59 that we complain about 13:00 things that we ought to be praising for. 13:04 In fact, last night or this morning, 13:07 some of us looked in a closet that was overflowing 13:10 with clothes 13:11 and got mad and said, I still ain't got nothing to wear. 13:16 In fact, God is so good 13:20 that some had to blow edible food out of the fridge 13:25 to make room for the new food that God sent your way. 13:29 Some of us had the gall to complain about having to go 13:32 to work instead of thanking God that you got a job. 13:37 There are some students 13:38 that complained about having to go to class 13:41 when some of 13:42 your students went home and did not financially clear. 13:46 And sometimes the mercies of God are so constant 13:50 and his faithfulness is so consistent 13:53 that we get bored with the favor of God 13:56 and we get used to His faithfulness. 13:59 But I need somebody to know that no matter how bad you have it, 14:03 how many of you know 14:04 that somebody is willing to take trade places with you? 14:08 In other words, Philistines 14:10 would gladly trade places with the children of Israel. 14:15 In other words, I need somebody to know 14:17 that even when you think you have it bad, 14:20 there is somebody that would gladly trade places. 14:23 Y'all might be quiet today. 14:24 In other words, you might not love the house 14:27 you're in, but there is somebody that we're glad 14:31 Lee have the house that you are complaining about. 14:34 There is somebody that's willing to drive the car 14:37 that you feel like is taking away your swag. 14:41 In other words, Mary folk, there is some single person 14:45 that would gladly trade places with you and single folk. 14:48 There are some married folk 14:49 that would actually trade places with you 14:53 when you are tempted to complain about the pain in your body. 14:59 Remember, there are some that can't feel that pain 15:02 because they are six feet below 15:05 and you are to praise God that's just six feet above. 15:08 Do you realize students, that there is somebody 15:11 that would be glad for the opportunity to be in college? 15:16 There is somebody that's glad to be at an HBCU young person. 15:20 You ought to be glad 15:21 that you got parents that love you enough to care where you are 15:27 and wonder what you're up to and what I'm saying to somebody 15:30 today 15:31 is that your problem is not that you're in a bad situation. 15:35 The problem is 15:36 that you don't know how to make the most of your situation. 15:40 In other words, I've learned 15:42 is that when the grass looks greener on the other side, 15:46 you've just got to water your own grass. 15:48 All my required in here today. 15:49 In other words, when your house is not what you want it to be. 15:54 Just do some improvements to your own house 15:57 when financially you're not in the right place. 16:00 Be disciplined and build your own situation. 16:03 In other words, don't always pray 16:06 for a different circumstance. 16:08 You've just got to learn to make 16:09 the most of the circumstances that you're already in. 16:14 And say the word to somebody today 16:16 is that you've got to learn to be more content. 16:19 Then you are curious where the church sat today. 16:22 In other words, to be content doesn't mean 16:24 I don't want something better, but to be content means 16:28 I'm going to praise God until the better comes my way. 16:33 And do I have at least seven folks in this room 16:37 that can say, I'm not going to wait till that happens 16:39 to praise the Lord. 16:41 I'm going to praise 16:42 God for what He has already assigned to my life. 16:47 Oh, can there be a praise break in the house today? 16:51 Is there anybody that can say, Lord, I praise you from my life, 16:54 I praise your for my house. 16:57 I praise for the car. I drive. 17:01 I praise you for the clothes in my closet. 17:04 I praise you that I'm in my right mind. 17:08 I praise you that I've got health in my body. 17:11 Don't wait to see something else. 17:13 Come back in your praise and put what is right now. 17:18 Let those who have wrath 17:21 praise the name of the Lord. 17:25 Are y'all here in this today church? 17:27 The second thing that this story teaches us saints, 17:32 is that you can't have the covering of God 17:35 without God. 17:39 Okay, let me say it again. 17:41 See, the second thing is 17:42 teachers, young people hear me on this. 17:43 You can't have the covering of God without God, 17:47 not understanding that this request 17:50 is actually somewhat comical, because what they do 17:54 is they actually gaslight your boy Samuel 17:58 by blaming him for the problems they have brought 18:02 upon themselves. 18:03 They say, Samuel, the problem is that your sons are corrupt. 18:07 But the main issue is 18:08 that Samuel, you've gotten a little too old to do this job. 18:13 Now it's funny because most Bible scholars believe 18:17 that their express reasons are just a pretext to do 18:23 what they've already decided they're going to do. 18:26 In other words, I need you to get that. 18:28 Even though Samuel signs have began to strain, patriarchs 18:33 and prophets makes it clear that their corruption 18:37 has not reached the level of Eli's sons. 18:41 And the reason they just now bring it up is they know that 18:45 Samuel would have rebuked them or removed them, 18:50 and they save it as the trump card 18:53 in order to get Samuel out of office. 18:56 But notice, their major complaint is this. 18:59 They say, Samuel, you've gotten too old. 19:02 Now, you know this is crazy saints, because at this time, 19:05 Samuel is probably in his late forties or his early fifties. 19:11 In other words, you realize that even after Samuel 19:14 anoints Saul as king, he walks by Saul's side 19:19 for nearly 40 years before he dies. 19:23 And Samuel is gives way to David. 19:26 In other words, what they do is they exaggerate circumstances 19:32 to do what they made up in their minds to do. 19:36 In other words, he cannot win in this deliberation. 19:40 They're not going to hear what he's had to say, 19:43 because the truth is they don't come to him for counsel. 19:47 They came to him to cosign. 19:50 They didn't come to Samuel for direction. 19:53 They came to Samuel 19:54 to do what they've already made up in their minds to do. 19:59 And let me just pause to say this to somebody. 20:02 You can't help somebody 20:04 that's already decided what they going do. 20:07 Am I telling the truth today? 20:10 In other words, I have learned the hard way 20:13 that I'm going to 20:14 save my counsel for the curious and not be convinced. 20:17 Am I preaching to anybody today? 20:19 I'm only going to talk to those that have the posture of clay, 20:24 not those who have hearts like cement. 20:25 How you are hearing the pastor today? 20:27 Because one of the things I've learned 20:29 is that you can't talk somebody to remain in school 20:34 who doesn't really want to be in school. 20:36 You can't talk somebody out 20:37 of leaving the church who's already determined to leave. 20:42 You can't get somebody to remain married 20:45 whose heart is already set on divorce. 20:47 You can't tell somebody either relationship 20:51 that they've determined that they already want to be in. 20:54 And as the I've learned phrase, that sometimes you've got to 20:59 fall back and do the word fair in your prayer closet 21:03 so that God can do what you can't say. 21:07 See, because their 21:08 mind states when they come to Samuel, it's already made up. 21:11 And so they're not going to listen to Samuel. 21:14 They don't even listen to the response of God. 21:17 And if they won't listen to the word, 21:20 if they won't listen to their conscience, 21:22 they're not going to listen to you. 21:24 When you start talking. 21:26 And so I need to help 21:27 somebody that's interceding for somebody today, 21:29 because the truth is, you can't 21:30 want somebody to be saved more than they want to be saved. 21:34 You can't want somebody 21:35 to be sober more than they want to become sober. 21:39 You can't 21:40 want somebody to thrive more than they want to thrive. 21:44 And see, sometimes when you're dealing 21:46 with an obstinate person, 21:47 sometimes you've got to fall back so God can follow up. 21:53 And let me just say this. 21:54 You got to be a good 21:55 steward of your influence, because how many of us know 21:59 that good friends won't cosign stupid decisions? 22:04 Oh, y'all made it quiet today. 22:05 In other words, a good friend won't tell you 22:08 what you want to hear. 22:10 A good friend will tell you what you need to hear. 22:13 And let me just say this. 22:14 Be careful about cosigning bad loans. 22:19 Oh, y'all mighty quiet. 22:21 See? See 22:21 how many of us know that 22:22 when you cosign for somebody to get a car or house, 22:26 what you're essentially doing 22:27 is you're saying, I'll make myself responsible 22:31 if they actually go into default. 22:34 In other words, you're 22:35 saying I'll be responsible for whatever actions they take. 22:39 And this is why you've got to manage the gift of influence. 22:43 Because when you cosign bad decisions, 22:47 you make yourself accountable to God when they default. 22:51 And God hold you responsible 22:55 for the way you wrongly counsel those 22:58 because you'd rather be liked than respected 23:03 and noticed friends. 23:05 What the Bible says in verse 19, 23:09 they say, Samuel, give us a king 23:13 so that the king can go out, Bobby, 23:16 and fight for us. 23:19 Okay, y'all, y'all not here? 23:21 No, no. I'm not sure if you're getting the absurdity. 23:23 They say, give us somebody 23:26 who's going to go and fight the battles on our behalf. 23:31 Now, on its face, it looks like what they're asking for is 23:34 a military, a fleet of chariots and an armory of weapons. 23:41 It looks like they are asking for a military protocol 23:44 and response for when the enemy show up. 23:47 And on its face, it actually looks like Dr. 23:50 Hill. It's a very benign request. 23:54 But then the question should be when they say 23:57 we need somebody to fight for us. 24:01 The question should be, who's been fighting for you 24:07 at this time until this day? 24:11 Because remember, saints 24:13 that God fights for the children of Israel. 24:17 And supernatural fashion. 24:18 Are y'all here in the past to today? 24:20 Remember that it was God that sent tin crushing plagues 24:25 on the land of Egypt and broke the bow of Pharaoh 24:29 so that he went let the people go. 24:31 It was God that opened up the Red Sea 24:35 and allowed them to pass through on dry ground. 24:38 And it was God that drowned Pharaoh and his army 24:42 in the Red Sea, that it was God that fought for them 24:46 and their years of 40, 40 years of wandering. 24:49 And there was God 24:50 that allowed them to overwhelm the King of all. 24:53 It was God in the promised land that allowed them to knock 24:57 down the walls of Jericho after seven days and a shout. 25:02 It was God that caused the sun to stand still. 25:06 So that can overthrow the land of giving. 25:09 It was God that drove out the Ammonites 25:12 and the Arab Emirates and the parasites. 25:15 It was God during the time of judges 25:18 that canceled Cicero and gave him into Deborah's hand. 25:22 It was God that deliver them from the Midian Heights 25:26 under the weekend of Gideon. 25:29 It was God that overthrew their enemies under the hand of JP. 25:33 It was God that put Supernatural strength and Samson 25:37 so that he could fight off the Philistines. 25:40 It was God 25:41 and the Samuel that gave them rest from all of their enemies 25:46 so that they wouldn't even come near. 25:48 And if God had been fighting 25:51 all of their battles and 25:56 why do they need a 25:58 king to come and fight for them now? 26:03 Now, the answer to that question shows you 26:06 how wretched and rackety they are, 26:10 because friends of mine remember that God protects 26:16 and was covenant shall end nature, 26:19 so that as long as they remained in covenant, 26:22 God would fight for them. 26:24 But when they left the covenant, they were on their own. 26:28 Y'all not hear me as long as they were faithful to God. 26:32 They could not lose. 26:33 But when they chase idols, they could not win. 26:39 And see, the reason, Alby, they now request a king is 26:43 they don't want protection that is based upon covenant. 26:49 They want a king to fight as his civil responsibility. 26:53 In other words, 26:54 they don't want to be in a posture 26:56 where they have to be faithful to God 26:59 in order to be under the cover rank. 27:02 They want a king that is going to fight 27:04 regardless of how they act. 27:06 In other words, they want to be able to chase bails. 27:10 They want to be able to lay with the prostitutes of God. 27:13 They want to be able to turn up with Jezebel 27:16 and still know that they are covered in some way. 27:20 Essentially, they create a contingency, a failsafe, 27:24 so they can be sent to and secure. 27:28 Thank you for joining us for The Breath of Life 27:30 Television Ministries broadcast with Pastor Debleaire Snell. 27:34 We hope and pray 27:35 that you have been blessed by this powerful message. 27:39 Join us next week for part two of the message. 27:44 “If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It.” You don't want to miss it! |
Revised 2024-12-10