Bro Gary Kelly Sunday Morning 7/22/12

Bro Gary Kelly Sunday Morning 7/22/12

1Ch 29:10  Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

1Ch 29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

These were the words of King David when he was aged and getting ready to depart this world.  They bring to mind the question, “Who was he and what was his testimony; what was his dealing with God that lead him to such a beautiful ending of his journey?” 

All of us are on a journey and even the young may go into eternity way too soon.  My thought is not to try to scare anyone into anything.  My burden is recognizing what God did for David and for Samuel that allowed them to leave this testimony to speak to us today. 

1Sa 15:35  And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death: nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Saul utterly rebelled against the counsel God gave Samuel to give to him.  The quote from this time is, “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.”  Some of the examples left for us are of those that failed God. 

God regretted ever allowing Saul to become king.  It is sad to have known such goodness from God and then to turn away from God, for what?  They didn’t need the best that they saved that they were told to destroy.  God has always come through and provided for every need.  The risk of being lost is not worth any gain.

Samuel was grieving.  If you are sad in your heart this morning, you probably have a reason to be sad.  I would not think that your sorrow is not real or important.  It is important or you wouldn’t be sorrowful.  It was this way with Samuel.  He was a prophet that was heartbroken.

1Sa 16:1  And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

Right in the midst of heartache and deep sorrow, right in the midst of everything falling apart, God spoke to His man, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul?” 

There is a message for you and me in this message.  We need to be willing to let God speak to us in our sorrow and our heartache.  You can allow sorrow to change the course of your life so that you will never fulfill the plan of God in your life or you can choose as Samuel to obey God even when your heart is broken.

Samuel went as God had commanded.  I trust as we are praying, “God send me to some soul.”  Lead me to some soul today.  You know where you want me to go, where you want to lead me in your Spirit, your power, and your presence. 

Jesse had 8 sons,

1Sa 16:6  And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.

1Sa 16:7  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

You and I only see the outward unless God gives a divine revelation.  May God deliver us from judging by what we see and realize that there is a God in heaven that looks upon the heart.  They brought in seven of the sons of Jesse and God told Samuel for each one that “This is not the one.”

There remained yet the youngest.  If God burdens your heart for someone that seems the least likely and you think that they wouldn’t be interested, then you are looking on the outside.  Don’t let that hinder you from working with the soul that God would want you to work with.

1Sa 16:11  And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.

1Sa 16:12  And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

David was just a boy; he was ruddy and had the countenance of a youth.  God instructed Samuel and Samuel did what God told him to do.

1Sa 16:13  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

We serve a great God that has it within His jurisdiction to lay His hand upon a soul and cause that soul to realize that there are things that they should not go to, or involve themselves in because of the Spirit of God working on their heart. 

God allowed an evil spirit to trouble the king.  We live in a time of evil.  This text was written about 3000 years ago and we see that there were evil, seducing spirits in that day as well.  They are slimy, cunning and evil. 

There were those that saw that the king was vexed, troubled, mean, angry and probably lots of other things.  They told him that there was a boy gifted with the harp that may help the king.  When the king would listen to the music, the beautiful sound would drive the spirit away. 

You and I know that good music is of great value.  Good music greatly affects the redeemed, and I believe that good music greatly affects those that need to be saved. 

At first king Saul greatly loved David.  After a space of time, three of Jesse’s sons had become involved in Saul’s army in the battle against the Philistines.  David was sent by his father to carry them some food and to see how they were doing.

David was not welcomed by his brothers and there was a Philistine that was openly defying the army of the living God.  You and I meet people that are openly defying God and His principals.  They openly say that “If there is a God, I do not believe in Him.” 

Goliath’s challenge had an effect on the king and on the army.  They ran from him scared and dismayed.  They didn’t know what to do. 

If you are in this audience this morning, no one will find fault with you if you are shaking and trembling in the face of difficulty.  If you are dismayed this morning, then please let God speak to you to seek God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. 

I prepare the night before for the morning: I grind coffee, I find the press pot.  I like little cups of coffee because I like it hot.  I like the water boiling.  I line it all up and Karen helps me have toast lined up.  As I was doing this it came to me: You need to start praying that God will help you to be as careful to line up your soul in the morning as you are to line up your coffee. 

I wake in the morning with my adrenaline going, I am ready to get up and get started.  Oh that God would prepare my heart that I would wake up not just thinking of preparing things for my comfort but that I would wake up and say, “God prepare my heart that I would serve you today.” 

The most important meeting that I have for the day is the one that happens before I even leave my house.  The most important things that I have are there at home, my family, my children, my wife, and my devotions. 

This is the staff that will hold you steady no matter what winds or waters may come to our life.  This staff comes from you and I having our hearts prepared to meet with God. 

The king and the Children of Israel were dismayed.  I am not lessening the difficulty that you and I live in today.  I am not lessening the battle that is going on in America, Gog and Magog are gathered to destroy the church.  We are no exception in Paradise Montana.

The king and the army were fearful, running scared of Goliath.  The giant was showing himself and calling to the Children of Israel.  He said, “Come fight with me, if you kill me then we will be your servants but if I kill you then you and all your army will serve us.” 

The army was shaking and trembling.  Yet there was a shepherd boy that had come to check on his brothers and his brothers were not even happy to see him. 

1Sa 17:32  And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

1Sa 17:33  And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

1Sa 17:34  And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:

1Sa 17:35  And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.

1Sa 17:36  Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

1Sa 17:37  David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

David asked to go and fight Goliath for he had killed a lion and a bear.  Verse 37, “The Lord delivered me from… and He will deliver me out the hand of this Philistine.” 

Saul wanted to help David by giving him his armor.  David had never tested the armor before and wanted to only use what he had used before.  He took his staff and his sling and picked five smooth stones from the brook to prepare to go to Goliath.

1Sa 17:40  And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

1Sa 17:41  And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.

1Sa 17:42  And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

1Sa 17:43  And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

1Sa 17:44  And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

Goliath had confidence in his flesh. 

1Sa 17:45  Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.

1Sa 17:46  This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.

1Sa 17:47  And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.

1Sa 17:48  And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.

1Sa 17:49  And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

You and I know that it was a smooth stone taken from the brook; he had a promise.  David knew God and had confidence in God.  He came in the name of the Lord God of Israel. 

We will face giants; we will face lions, and bears.  There will be a lot of mean paws that slap you alongside the head.  Don’t try to face anything without going in the name of the Lord.  You can rest assured that if He goes with you then you will be delivered. 

God will deliver us; the battle is the Lords.  If you are saved then you belong to God.  If you are not saved then you need to get right with God.  If you are saved then you can rest in the thought, “This battle is not mine; this battle is the Lords.”  You can rest assured if you are saved, sold out, and with everything given to the Lord.  The future is the Lord’s.  You can rest assured in the Lord. 

David hasted toward beating the giant because he knew His God.  He knew the God that had delivered him from the paw of the lion and of the bear.  If you are saved this morning it is because you have been delivered from the paw of the lion and the bear.  There will be no paw that can come against you that you cannot be delivered from. 

This battle is the Lord’s.  David hasted to use that smooth stone that he got from the brook.  There are a lot of promises for what you face.  Get into the Word of God, David took five stones but he only needed one.  God has not failed, He will not fail. 

Make sure that you have a time that you come before God to prepare you for whatever you may face.  Make sure when you get off of your knees that you have a promise that you can face your day with.  It doesn’t matter what paw slaps you around, you can face the giant and win the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. 

David hasted to use the promises and his faith in God.  He had taken that staff through various situations.  He had rescued the lambs when they got in bad places.  David knew how to be steady in unsteady situations.

We must have that staff, when the enemy hears that thumping of the staff coming he knows that there is a servant of God coming with a promise and in the strength of God.

God visited David as a boy.  We cannot go back to being a child; we cannot change our age.  Visit God today. 

God visited Samuel in mourning; he was heartbroken.  We each will know heartache; it is a part of life.  Samuel obeyed God in heartbreak.  God has something better for you than heartache over yesterday.  Right in the heartbreak, Samuel obeyed God.

Samuel left us the wisdom from above that “God looks upon the heart.”  Samuel poured on the oil and God poured on the Spirit.  God knows how to pour on the Spirit. 

There is sin out there that is beyond our mind.  I’ve never heard of such things.  Don’t think that it won’t happen to yours.  There is a devil and he is destroying lives.  We need to be anointed with the Spirit of God.

God chose to pour His Spirit on David.  David escaped the paws of the lion, the paws of the bear, the paws of jealous brothers, and the paws of the Philistine. 

If you have something that is putting its hands on you, inferiority complex and pride, oppressing spirits, or anything else, deal with them.  Deal with those things that trouble you in your mind and distort your vision or leave you numb for a while.  Deal with your paws. 

God designed for you to come out sweet.  David used the tools that God had provided him and God provided the Lord of Hosts.  David had a literal staff and a staff from within that was the living God. 

God will deliver you from all the paws of 2012.  The paws of the lions, the bears, the paws of people, failure, heartache, disappointment, affliction, and trial… our God will deliver us.