10/27/2019
A Heart After The Heart of God-Pt 7
I Have Found David son of Jesse a Man After My Own Heart…
God Tests Our Hearts
1 Samuel 24:1-4 Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines and was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheep pens; a cave was there and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when He said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
To Respect Authority Is To Respect God
1 Samuel 24:5-6 David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.”
Romans 13:1-2
Fear Of Men’s Opinion Can Be Fatal
1 Samuel 24:7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. Saul left the cave & went his way.
The Fear Of Man Is A Snare
1 Samuel 15:24 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I violated the LORD’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the people so I gave in to them.
Proverbs 29:25 Fear of Man is a TRAP!
Psalm 118:8 Trust in the Lord not Man
Isaiah 51:12 Fear of men instead of God
John 12:42-43 Love praise of men over God
John 19:12-13 Fear of political consequence
Galatians 2:11-13 Fear of social rejection
2 Timothy 4:16-17 Fear of association
Matthew 10:28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell!
Defend Yourself With Reason Not Retaliation
1 Samuel 24:8-9 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’?
Real Leaders Respect Leaders
1 Samuel 24:10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’
Trust That The Lord Will Judge Rightly
1 Samuel 24:11-13 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me. May the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.
1 Peter 2:18-23 …submit yourselves to those who are over you and show them complete respect, not only to those who are kind and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. God will bless you for this, if you endure the pain of undeserved suffering because you are conscious of His will. For what credit is there if you endure difficult treatment for having done wrong? …but if you endure suffering even when you have done right, God will bless you for it. It was to this that God called you, for Christ himself suffered for you and left you an example, so that you would follow in his steps. He committed no sin, nor was any lie on His lips. When He was insulted, He did not answer back with insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the Righteous Judge.