Philistines come together at Aphek, Israel is there, There is a military review, Philistines ask what they are doing there. Achish wonders, ‘isn’t this David’? defends him. Princes get angry and say that chances are David is going to turn on them in battle, so he aint going. Achish tries to make it right with David and says that he cant go to battle. David defends like “what? Ive been so good since I turned on my own people”. Achish says sorry- but you got to go bro. David says Ok and leaves.
- “But what have I done”? v8
- You camped with the enemy v1, You wanted their approval v2, You defected to the enemy v3, You were willing to fight against your own people v4, You treated the enemy well v 6 “I have not found evil in you” , You wanted to please the enemy leader v7 “that you may not please the lords of the philistines”
- What have you done? Just about everything wrong possible. You used to say “touch not God’s anointed” and now you’re willing to fight your own people. You’re blaming the people for the indiscretions of a man and refusing to go to God.
- David should have just repented and went off to a cave again, but instead, he goes and camps up with the enemy again. What the heck David?
- But maybe you find yourself in the same cycle. You find yourself in the same rut. You wake up and find you’re in the enemies camp and you don’t know how you got there or how to get out
- So what do you do? Don’t Ask “what have I done?” “Ask what have I done!”
- What have you done? Have you Examined yourself?
- David hadn’t been looking at his actions and desires
- Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; 24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.
- That’s the correct heart- it just wasn’t the heart that David had right at this moment
- No, camp w the enemy, want their approval, defected, willing to fight against Israel, etc
- Had David examined himself in this moment- he would have found that there were some things that he needed to work on-
- Many people struggle with this-
- People overestimate their abilities and they think they are better than they are
- They lack self awareness- They can’t see their blind-spots- think they are farther along
- And that’s not even their spiritual walk- No one else I know goes to church- I do!
- Instead of laying bare before the Lord asking him to reveal anything in you that needs change
- Lamentations 3:40 Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord;
- But David isn’t doing this. He’s resisting- “what have I done”- but not reflective
- Missing the opportunity to grow from his failures.
- What does it mean to you?
- Are you reflecting? Are examining who you are and what you are doing?
- Many people struggle with this- they can’t face the reality of who they are and what they do
- Broken relationships, haughty attitudes, inconsistencies, hypocrisy, destruction, doubt
- 2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
- A Christian should be spending time before God asking- Lord, what is it in me that you do no like that you want to change about me?
- Attitude. Disposition. Actions. Thoughts. Desires. Intentions. Thoughts. Actions.
- Lord, why do I do this and what can you do in me to fix it? How am I contributing to it?
- 1 Cor 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
- We’re supposed to be doing this before communion! It’s the opportunity to reflect
- People will not go to the doctor because they are afraid to know what is up- heart even worse
- I am inconsistent with my habits. I sometimes think evil thoughts. Lack empathy, cut people off to protect my heart, explode in anger. Expect from others what I don’t expect of myself. Lack of faith. Lazy at times. Hide from conflict. Purposefully pretend I didn’t see or hear something.
- 2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
- Man- I want to make heaven! I want to honor God with my life! This is why sermons here hurt
- Gym- Working on core- most important- I want big arms and chest- center weak spiritually?
- What have you done? Have you been honest with yourself?
- Be honest with yourself David was telling himself lies. I haven’t done anything!
- Not only was he not examining himself- he wasn’t being honest with himself.
- This is the guy who wrote many psalms, future king, killed goliath, led thousands
- And now- he’s unwilling to even admit what he has done and is doing is wrong
- UCMJ- furinishing arms, protecting, passing on intel, communicating, punishable by death
- Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.
- He’s not doing that now! Not being honest- looking past his sin
- Job 13:23 How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my transgression and my sin.
- Job was the first book written in the bible- Its primary! We have to be honest with ourselves
- After you’ve examined yourself- if you’re not honest with yourself, you’re never going to grow into who God needs you to be for the kingdom.
- Your relationships are struggling because of your lack of honesty. People are avoiding you. You are not getting promoted. You are not having influence. You are not experiencing life
- Its painful to see your flaws! Its embarrassing. But like bad breath- everyone else knows but you
- What does it mean to you
- BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT YOUR SIN AND SHORTCOMINGS
- Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
- Are you professing to know God and then denying him in your works? I get it- people think I’m hard, but I have watching people sit in church, pray, clap, amen and kiss my spiritual backside and then it turns out they are in sin. Grievous- molestation, adultery, drunkenness, drug addiction, thievery, gossip, lying, worshipping other Gods, all forms of debauchery and sexual immorality available.
- The path to dishonesty- Comparing yourself to others sin, Minimizing sin,Telling yourself half-truths- and covering up your transgressions before God and others.
- wide is the road that leads to destruction- narrow is the road that leads to life!
- Matthew 7:21-23 People lying to themselves about where they are with God
- READ Ezekiel 33:30-33 God was honest with Ezekiel about where he was with the people, is that you? Do you just see Preaching as entertainment?
- When there are things that are wrong with my life- I don’t hide them- I expose them- I find a friend that I can talk to about it- and talk to God about it-
- What have you done? Where is your allegiance?
- David had an allegiance problem. al·le·giance- loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause.
- Had David maintained his allegiance to God he wouldn’t have found himself in this predicament
- Here’s the question David- Who are you trying to please? To whom do you give glory? Who do you have your allegiance to? Yourself? Man? Or God?
- Because it seems like when things get hard in your life, you run into the arms of the enemy and start to attack your own people. You don’t repent. You don’t examine you aren’t honest.
- Psa 79:5 AMP How long, O Lord? Will You be angry forever? Shall Your jealousy [which cannot endure a divided allegiance] burn like fire?
- God does not allow or desire any allegiance to anything or anyone other than him
- READ YOUR BIBLES! God DEMANDS our ALLEGIANCE in EVERYTHING. He wants ALL
- David knew to not associate with the enemy- these are the enemies of God and Israel.
- Prov 24:21 AMP My son, [reverently] fear the Lord and the king, and do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],
- What does it mean to you?
- Examine and be honest- Who are you trying to please?
- Yourself- your own desires, wants, needs and plans? Your parents? What they want for you? If they want Godliness then HONOR them- I’m talking more about your Christianity if you are Christian and your parents aren’t.
- Trying to please your kids? Afraid to tell them no? Afraid to set financial limits, screen time, friends, places they go, clothes, ideas? Have some GRIT
- Afraid of what strangers think?
- Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
- Not pleasing God is not trusting God- It says I want the trust of my enemies not God
- Matthew 22:16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men.
- 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 READ
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