https://youtu.be/Rk3zyysL93Q

In or out- 1 Sam 14:15-23

The philistines are a continual perpetual enemy against Israel. They serve false Gods, they attack Israel. They need to be destroyed and removed from the land that belongs to Israel.We are not Israel Thousands of Years ago fighting against the philistines- but we are in a Battle in this day and age. There are things that we must fight for and against as ChristiansHere’s a fewWe must fight against false Gospels- 2 Tim 4:4, 1 Tim 6:3, Gal 1:6, Gal 1:8,Jesus said- Matthew 24:24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.What is the true Gospel? 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.God did it all in Christ Jesus forgiving our sin, we must repent (turn from sin towards Christ) to receive forgiveness. This does not take anything from Christ, but I must grab the rope.We must fight for the true Gospel of HIS grace 100% HIM not of US, not FOR US. For HIM

We must fight against false teachers– 2 Tim 4:3, Rom 16:17, 2 Peter 2:1,Jesus said- Mathew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits.They teach a Crossless Christianity that requires nothing, costs nothing and does nothingWe had a SIN problem that needed to be fixed and ONLY through Christ and his BLOODWe must fight against SIN Rom 6:12, Eph 4:22, Rom 13:14

Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.Sin is a destroyer! It wants to destroy you, your life, your walk, your future in Christthings that we need to fight for- Our families, our friends, our church, our witness, our livesYou’re either in the Battle or you’re not- GET IN THE BATTLE2 Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,In this story- in the Battle that Israel is in with the Phlistines we see three different types of people- actually four-

The HOLD BACK-

V 20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion.Saul eventually goes into the battle with the philistines, but he was more than comfortable with waiting to see what was going to happen- more than engaging in the fight2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men.They didn’t enter into the battle until the odds were in their favor- They saw the earthquake God was causing- they saw jonathan winning in battle- and figured- Now we’ll do it!Psalm 119:60 I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.This is the exact opposite of David- David didn’t delay to do what God had asked him to do.Saul on the other hand- sees the Battle of the philistines and he and 600 hold back-A leader shows initiative. A leader leads. A leader steps up. (maj tom- LEAD please)Who wants to follow a leader who doesn’t get in there with the troops?

Who has ever heard of Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr.? Father was a confederate General in the Civil war, he fought in WWI and was 3 star General in WWII. Died in Okinawa from enemy fireWhy? He was with his soldiers. They are in a war- he’s in a war. Not sitting in some office in DC.What does it mean to you?Are you guilty of being a HOLD BACK? Not just in your spiritual life,

https://youtu.be/wIMAQtvh_4Q

Hand Raising Extroverts and Introverts poll – My People

I’m a card carrying introvert.  I come from a family of introverts.  I remember multiple family vacations where we would go to book stores – purchase books and come back and all read … on vacation.  My family sits around and turns the 2000 piece puzzle set upside down because they need more of a challenge.   There was a running joke that I was a mute when I first attended Faith and Victory Church.  It was only mostly joking.  I am more comfortable listening than I am talking.

I have ALWAYS struggled with sharing the gospel and sharing my faith, even today as I’m called to preach this message I struggle with it.  Being an introvert means unless God miraculously changes me I’ll continue to struggle with sharing the gospel for the rest of my life.  Sometimes I’m jealous of Pastor Matt.  Why wasn’t I given the ability to just talk with people?  He has the gift of gab.  It looks SOOO natural.   When I share my faith it feels like I’m a robot or reading straight from some kind of pamphlet.

The truth is that it doesn’t matter that I’m an introvert,  it doesn’t matter that I struggle, it doesn’t even matter that I sound like a robot.  God wants ME and you to share the gospel.  Being an extrovert or “good” at it has nothing to do with it.  God has called each and every one of us to share the gospel regardless of how we feel about it.

1 Corinthians 1:17 – For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

That’s me without wisdom and eloquence.  Give a few weeks to plan I can do anything.  I can even stand up here and give a sermon.  You put me on the spot without preparation though and I’m a mess.  I don’t reference the greek, I don’t know the Bible verses, I may even forget whole Bible stories, I’ll probably struggle to find the words I want to say, I’ll probably sway side to side and you’ll probably get a lot of umms and uhhs.  None of that matters though … the power is what happened on the cross.  The power is from Christ Jesus’s sacrifice.

Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

I struggle not with being ashamed of the gospel message but being ashamed of myself sharing the gospel message.  I think things like there is no possible way people could leave a conversation with me and think that Jesus is real.  It’s not about me.  My ego and my fear of rejection get in the way of doing what God commanded me to do.  It says the Power of God that brings salvation.  It doesn’t say the power of Todd … even though it rhymes.  I have to get over myself.

Matthew 9:37-38 – Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Our church is located in the city of Auburn population of roughly 80,000 people.  Currently we are the second largest Bible believing Christian church in Auburn with a Sunday attendance of about 500 people.  Meaning our church represents a little more than half of one percent of the population of Auburn.  I did the rough guestimate math (I rounded up and counted any church close to Christianity) for the population of all the churches in Auburn and around 4000 people or 5% of the population of Auburn attending any type of Christian Church.   The statistics also tell us that a BUNCH of those people in those churches are filled with old people that won’t be around in 20 years.  The harvest is plentiful.

https://youtu.be/0uJO9ZZTHYY

As Christians we are supposed to live disciplined lives that should challenge others to discover who the God is that we serve

We are supposed to be self controlled and disciplined as Christians.

In the Past, our church has done a Daniel fast for 21 Days and this year we’re not doing it

Complaints about length, about food, about cost, about weight gain, about the Biblical nature

Very easy fix- this year we’re going to do a Biblical fast and consume only water. (how at the end)

But first let me talk about something we don’t talk about in the church enough

One of the areas that Christians don’t talk about is gluttony

Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.

Gluttony isn’t an event, it is a lifestyle. In the Christian world, we have to abstain from every manner of flesh, so food becomes the acceptable sin that isn’t talked about

It produces guilt, shame and cyclical bingeing like any other sin in our lives.

I’m not body shaming. I’m not saying you need to be a super model. I’m saying that being gluttonous is a lack of self control and we are supposed to live self controlled lifestyles.

I can’t preach about sin and not touch on a lifestyle of overindulgence of the flesh

Proverbs 23:2 And put a knife to your throat If you are a man given to appetite.

This is the thing that Christians don’t talk about .its what we do every day and its something most of us have struggled with and I want to help you overcome it

We must serve the God of the Bible in all that we do- and if we can’t control our stomachs, we will lose. If we can control our stomachs, we can overcome many sins through the HS

Ezekiel 16:49 Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

1Tim 3:1-5 READ

The Original sin in the Bible had to do with food-Adam and Eve ate the fruit

We need to be people with self control- in all areas- and that includes FOOD. WE need to MASTER IT

And the KEY to the breaking of the Glutton and the lack of self control is found in Fasting.

It brings you closer to God- and it teaches you self control.

ABOUT FASTING

the word fast in the Bible is from the Hebrew word sum, meaning “to cover” the mouth, or from the Greek word nesteuo , meaning “to abstain.” For spiritual purposes,

•The Bible gives examples of God’s people occasionally combining fasting with their prayers so as to stir up their zeal and renew their dedication and commitment to Him.

King David wrote that Psalm 35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart.

David saw fasting as a way to reignite zeal for prayer. It humbled him.

Fasting is primarily an act of willing abstinence or reduction from certain or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.

An absolute fast is normally defined as abstinence from all food and liquid for a defined period, usually a single day (24 hours), or several days.

Fasting is the pushing away of the plate.

Abstaining from food for the purpose of spiritual growth and clarity of God’s Word and PRAYER

Let me make this clear… Fasting has to do with food.

If you stop watching TV or going to the movies or not using your microwave is not Fasting.

We don’t fast to move God, we fast to move us closer to God.

2 Samuel 12:21-23 READ

What had happened was, David fasted when he needed to hear from God,

https://youtu.be/2cFMhSelya0

This is How I Fight My Battles           (1 Samuel 14:1-14)

Current situation:

– Saul had an army of 3000. Johnathan, Saul’s son, took 1,000 soldiers and attacked and defeated a Philistine garrison. Saul took the credit for it before all of Israel, he wasn’t even there.

– The Philistines got angry and sent a large army of soldiers “as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude.” (This is the overwhelming power of the enemy, fighting against God’s people.)

– “When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger… they fled and hid in caves, thickets, rocks, holes, and pits.” (This is the humiliating retreat of God’s people, hiding in fear.)

– Pressed-in on all sides, only 600 of Saul’s soldiers remained with Saul. Everyone else bailed!

– As we heard in Pastor Matt’s sermon, instead of trusting God’s plan, Saul “felt compelled” to trust his own judgement, further dooming his people’s future. (Saul bailed on God.)

– The Philistines now have control, and don’t allow Israel to have blacksmiths, meaning they can’t make weapons for battle, or even sharpen the tools they need for farming. (They’re neutralized.)

– Only Saul and Jonathan had swords or weapons, or the means to lead the people into battle. If Saul won’t obey the Lord and carry out His plan, God will choose someone else to lead the people.

– Now in Chapter 14, Jonathan shows courage in overcoming great obstacles, and with God as his guide, and his armor bearer by his side, he takes the fight to the enemy.

– Read 1 Samuel 14:1-6

– Jonathan knows the power of the God he serves, even after the setback under Saul’s command.

– God made a promise to his people in ch. 12, “For the Lord will not forsake his people…”

– And 1 Samuel 12:24, Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.

– Jonathan does not know for sure yet what the outcome will be of his current battle, but he knows that by the Lord’s strength that the victory is possible. “It may be… Nothing restrains the Lord!”

– Exodus 15:2, The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

A leader is only a leader if they have someone willing to follow them.

– Verse 7, So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”

– Jonathan’s armor bearer gives him blanket permission to lead him, even into battle, for 2 reasons:

Positional authority. Jonathan is his boss. It’s his job to follow. It’s also biblical to do so.

– Romans 13:1-2, Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.

– You can’t honestly say that you are serving and following God if you are rejecting the leaders that He has appointed over you. Your rebellion is against Jesus himself.

– But, Rank only gets you 100% of the minimum.

Relationship. He trusts Jonathan because he knows his heart and has seen his example.

https://youtu.be/LwlEHvWgnDE

Far from the KingdomMark 12:28-341.Love the Lord your GodThis is quite possibly the most important verse in the whole entire bible. You can spend the rest of your life working on this if you’d unpack it as much as it needs to be unpackedIf you get your heart, mind, and soul right, you get your relationship with God rightIf you learn to love your neighbor as yourself- you’ll get your relationship with the world rightIts easy to say- its hard to live outThe entire exercise of Christianity is getting where you need to be spiritually. Its where you have made God your number one focus and yourself NOT the number one focus.Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Either you are living for Jesus or you are living for the Devil. It’s an all or nothing proposition. There is no middle ground.Rev 3:16 Jesus said that he spits lukewarm things out of his mouth. He want hot or cold. Not warmGet this right- get the sin out of life, get your relationships where they need to be, fix your finances, fix your health, fix your living situation. EVERYTHING flows from having the correct focus and standard with God.Today is Christmas eve! Today is “God and sinners reconciled” and “in sin and error pining, til he appeared and the soul felt its worth” and “to save us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray” and “Let earth receive her king”Christmas eve service is tonight- I encourage you to come out tonight. Its going to be amazingYou might ask, ‘why aren’t we preaching on Christmas on Christmas eve?’Folks- The most exciting part of Christmas is that the savior of the world came to save you from your sin, and because of that you should love God with all your heart, mind and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself.2.So what does it mean to love With all your heart.

Its your affections! What you love/emotionWhat we love with our heart shows what we hold the most dear in our heart.I can stand here and talk about the sins of the world that you shouldn’t partake of- drinking, cussing, fighting, stealing etc etc That’s the easy stuff to get rid of.I want you to reflect on the stuff that you really hold higher in your heart that God. Your kids. Your spouse. Your career. Your money. Your house. Your status. Your comfort. Your hope.Many of you don’t even hope in God. You’ve got more hope in your employer or your own ability to produce your own results than you do in God.Deuteronomy 6:5 love the lord your God with all your heartBut how can we test that? Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.The only treasure you have is your energy and your time. Wherever you put the bulk of your energy and time is where your treasure is.Deuteronomy 13:3 tested to see if you love the lordDeuteronomy 4:39-40

What it means to youGod will test you to see where your heart is at- according to Deuteronomy 13:3You can lie to yourself, spouse, friends, and me. But no lying to God. He knows what you lvoeYou can be at work 40 hours a week and be doing it unto the Lord- there is no getting out of thatDeuteronomy 7:9-10 READ Love God or he will destroy those who hate himYou want to be on the love side! You want to be on the mercy side!Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.If you don’t love God, don’t expect that all things will work together for Good in your life. That’s not a promise of Scripture.But how do you change your heart? BY CHANGING YOUR MIND3.Jesus said- With all your mind- your mind means what you desire.

https://youtu.be/QBBz_34rD-Q

If there is no Christmas, I am still dead in my sin

Matthew 1:18-21 READ

Matthew 1:21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

The greatest need we had was our need for our sin to be satisfied

Jesus arrival is an announcement of our forgiveness. To be released from the penalty of sin and to be in a right relationship with God- His birth is the precursor to his death

Eph 2: 4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

We were spiritual DEAD and we needed a savior!

This is why the Christmas songs sing

Angels From the Realms of Glory -Sinners, wrung with true repentance, Doomed for guilt to endless pains, Justice now revokes the sentence,Mercy calls you; break your chains.

Holy Night- With sin and error pining

God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen- To save us all from Satans Power when we had gone astray

Hark the Herald Angels Sing- God and Sinners Reconciled

The red of Christmas should always remind you of the Blood of Christ which has covered our sin! And you’ve been forgiven. But with no Christmas- no FREEDOM from SIN

Read a story about Joe Bunn. A young man who was convicted of Murder at 14. Corrections officer murdered, car stolen. 27 years later- set free. Tears, joy, Can you imagine?

Now- Can you imagine if you WERE guilty of the crime? You DID it? And THEN you were set free?

You are ALIVE in Christ! I have been set free from the law of sin and death and made NEW

My sins have been forgiven. My past has been erased. My name has been written in the book of life and I have a right relationship with God

This means if you have accepted Christs free gift of grace youI can be excited about Christmas- you can be overjoyed with my inheritance you can be FREE.

But How do we know that DEC 25 is Christmas anyway?

(Adapted from http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/cri/cri-nwsl/crn0056a.txt)

People will argue- Winter Soltice and other Pagan Holidays were on DEC 25- why do we do it?

Christians redeem pagan things- We, in this culture, and in ancient cultures, are surrounded by pagan rituals and practices, and we either take part in them, or we redeem them and make them Christian

Acts 17:22-31 Paul did this when he addressed the Areopagus. These guys were worshipping A god but not THE God of the universe.

Paul used their words against them “in him we live and move and have our being” that they were using from their poets to draw them to “the unknown god” to draw them to worship GOD

He didn’t see a problem with redeeming a bunch of pagans with their words and eventually saying to them

Acts 17: 30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Romans 14:5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

Col 2:16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

https://youtu.be/3To9WM3XIrM

Identity & Prayers

Acts 9: 36-42

36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived, he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up. “She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up.41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive.42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.

Recap

Peter, a couple of days ago healed a man who was bed ridden for 8yrs, he tells Him that Jesus Christ heals him.

Joppa was near Lydda(where Peter healed the man)

These two men must have heard about Peter because in Lydda, a man is healed and many turned to the Lord

Peter left immediately – Excited. Maybe he was like, this is what I have been waiting for

Peter finds the widows crying and showing off the good work Tabitha had done

Kicks them out and prays over Tabitha, Tabitha wakes up and Peter present her to the people and many people turn to God

This is epic- This is all from a guy who denied Jesus – BUT GOD!

There are a few characters in these verses.  And I want us to look at some and by the end of this sermon, see who we can identify ourselves as.

Tabitha – Also known as Dorcas in Greek – a female antelope, or gazelle

She lived her life in a good way. She was rich in acts of kindness and charity which she continually did

“vs ..39, they are showing Peter the robes that she used to make for them

Makes me wonder what is said of me when I am dead. The bible says she was rich!

1 Timothy 6:17-21 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. 18 Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

How are you using your resources?

The disciples

They are thinking. We know a guy. He healed- maybe he can raise the dead.

They clearly knew what to do. They had seen or heard from the nearby town that Peter had healed and they did what most of us will do – Go get the miracle maker.

Most of us are like these disciples, we have heard the truth, we have seen miracles, yet for some reason, we only believe that they can only be performed by certain people.

Why would these disciples not believe that the same Spirit that was in Peter, would be in them?

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with asking for prayers …it’s just that we need to walk to the altar ourselves…. the curtain was torn.

https://youtu.be/37i4OUyqF-s?list=UUAbBBfmYJMUuNaRIjXlqtoA

I Samuel 13:16-23 Weapons For War

Do you know why America wins wars? We have the best weapons and we use them!

Israel is in a huge fight with the philistines. Saul has shown his disobedience, and now he’s showing his lack of leadership. Israel is retreating from the philistines instead of fighting them. They’ve lost the ability to forge their own weapons, so they go to the Philistines to sharpen their tools, so when the day of battle came, no weapons were found with the IsraelitesNow they can’t fight the enemy because the have lost the ability to defend themselvesHow do you end up going into battle without any weapons?Now- Today we are not Israel going up against the philistines. But we are the Church and we do have modern day enemies that come against the church and its people- This is YOUR enemy

False teaching is your enemy

2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.If you can get the church or a person in the church to believe something not true about itself, you can destroy it from the inside out. – False doctrine, false agape love, heresy, etcMany Christians lack basic knowledge of God’s word and listen to false teachers that make them feel good and allow heretical teaching in their heads that lead them astray

Worldliness is your enemy

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.There are many people who have taken up residence in the church who love the world more than they love God or his church. Their priorities are of this world, their comfort and their life on this planetThey do not prioritize the things of God and mock those who do- they preach love of the worldMixing love of the world with love of God produces fleshly Christians who don’t love God above all. Worldliness? Living like the devil at work ‘oh, they go to your church’?

Formalism is your enemy

Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.Same is true for a Christian- you can act like a Christian on the outside. Do the Christian thing- carry your bible, wear your cross, post scripture on Facebook- but not really converted or repented. – YOU MUST BE CONVERTED OR NONE OF IT MATTERS- (I’m on TDY- Not in love)Wolves among the sheep- acting like they are saved when they are NOT

Diversion is your enemy

Mark 16:15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.These orders from Jesus are plain and clear. We are to preach the Gospel and make disciples. According to Matthew 28, but many churches and Christian organizations lose their way

Works are good, but without a message, its not what we were called to doMany Christian organizations in America start out with the purpose of preaching the Gospel, and eventually, they just end up doing good works and leaving out the GospelMany churches fall into this trap as well and Satan loves it- a church without the Gospel

Coldness is your enemy-

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.Coldness produces losing the love of the Savior and allowing sin wit...

https://youtu.be/e3_bFr9tKMY

The Red Badge of Courage

The Red Badge of Courage is a war novel by American author Stephen Crane (1871–1900). Taking place during the American Civil War, the story is about a young private of the Union Army, Henry Fleming, who flees from the field of battle. Overcome with shame, he longs for a wound, a “red badge of courage,” to counteract his cowardice. When his regiment once again faces the enemy, Henry acts as standard-bearer, who carries a flag.

Acts 9:26-31

Paul spoke boldly in the name of Jesus and it was a testimony to the other disciples that he was really a born again believer in Jesus Christ.

This word “bold” is translated in the Greek- “all out spokenness, frankness, bluntness, publicity; to be frank in utterance, or confident in demeanor, confidence-freely-openly-plainly

This kind of boldness requires a knowledge of God’s and His Word.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6 NKJV

“Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]–blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.” Proverbs 29:18 AMPC

Acts 20:26-27 New King James Version (NKJV)

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent[a] of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not [b]shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.

Paul’s boldness to preach the whole council of God cost him his life- his red badge of courage

John told King Herod his sin and it cost him his head

All apostles were martyred accept John who was exiled to Patmos

Fear God- show courage with men

Everyone wants to give Grace, but no truth

Everyone wants to be the Light and but not the salt

The HS spoke this to me: “IF in your compassion you leave someone in the same wretched state of sin you found them in without showing them a way out; your compassion is in vain.”

His compassion was shown on the cross when HE provided a way for us to be free from our sin

Romans 12:9 New King James Version (NKJV)

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

Love suffers long, is kind, doesn’t parade itself, is not arrogant or rude, does not seek its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity (sin), but rejoices in the truth.

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

Luke 9:26 NKJV

““Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33 NKJV

You cannot separate Jesus from His Word

““I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.”

Revelation 3:8 NKJV

“I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magni...

https://youtu.be/GDd7_aEv3zA

I felt compelled 1 Sam 13:1-15

That’s such a strong statement- “I felt compelled” This is pretty much the feeling of the modern day American. As long as you feel like it- do it. Doesn’t matter who you hurt, what you destroy. As long as you feel like it. This isn’t something that is taught directly , but it how people actDon’t like your job-quit. Spouse-divorce. Event- don’t go. What the bible says- ignore it.When people fall into sin- when their lives are in a mess- typically you can find the root of feeling attached somewhere in the mix. It’s a danger. Driven by FEELINGS “I feel this way”Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.There is this guy King Saul who feel into the feeling trap. He had just become King- He was out on his own without his Priest Samuel, and started doing stuff. It all fell apart. It didn’t go well. Things go very wrong- and Samuel calls him out on it-The big issue is that Saul offered a sacrifice to God that Samuel was supposed to offer.It wasn’t Sauls job. It wasn’t his place. He’s the King, he’s not the priest. Samuel is the Priest. Its his job and Saul is supposed to follow Samuel’s lead.

Wait to offer the sacrifice until Samuel says. Seems easy- right? FOLLOW THE RULESBut It wasn’t- He took matters into his own hands- did it his way- READ V8-10Interesting part? If he would have just WAITED Samuel would have showed up 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came;If you would have just waited a few more minutes, Samuel would have been there and you would have honored God.What did it produce in him? This act of defiance and self service? Spiritual arrogance! V10 and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.Saul was disobedient, he did what he wanted, not the way that God wanted and then the Man of God shows up and he goes out to greet HIM!This greet isn’t like a welcome- it’s a blessing! It’s a “hey Samuel, you weren’t here, so I handled the religious stuff even though it wasn’t my job, and now I can bless you!” Im the MAN!ARROGANCE! I’m going to do it my way, without God or you and then have the audacity to bless you! Saul had NO RIGHT to bless Samuel. He’s the KING he’s not the PRIESTWhen he was questioned? EXCUSES!

“when I saw that the people were scattered, and that you did not come”IT WASN”T MY FAULT- IT WAS THE PEOPLE AND YOU. If they woud have stayed and you came11 And Samuel said, “What have you done?” Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash,THE RESULTS? It destroyed his kingdom! READ V 13-14God was looking for a man after his heart, but it didn’t take long for Saul to show that he wasn’t the one. Barely had become king and now acting in defianceHe disobeyed God and Samuel called him out and said that his kingdom would not reign forever

It destroyed his influence! Saul went from 2000 men at the beginning of the story- to 600 at the end. Why? He wasn’t walking in the precepts of God. In the process, He led his own people astray!And where did this all come from? READ V 11-12 “Therefore I felt compelled”You felt compelled. Compelled to ruin your kingdom and your life? Ruin it all?You were just led by your feelings as the king of Israel and you messed it up really good.Self Serving, spiritually Arrogant, excuse making, kingdom destroying Man without a heart for God and the sole justification was your FEELINGS.

So what do we do with that?

We must not be driven by our feelings

Us, like Saul will become Self Serving,