Sermon Note (4th svc)By Pastor Lawrence
Grace is the gospel and the truth and the power of God unto salvation. The unmerited favor of God is in my life! Amen!!
Sanctification is the fruit of the spirit. When i receive the love of God, there is a change of heart. He changes us inside out. Live life as His beloved. Know we r loved by Him. Don’t judge His love for me by the circumstances.
Having unanswered prayer does not mean God does not love us. The love is defined at the cross. His overwhelming love.
1 Samuel 30:1-19
1 Samuel 30:1-4
Chapter 30
David’s Conflict with the Amalekites
Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
David lost every single things, and his people too. This is a perfect time for David to be bitter with God. King Saul was hunting down his life. He lost everything at Ziklag.
David “supposed to be” bitter, he has every reason to complain and lose his faith in God. Every situation was against David.
1 Samuel 30:6
Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
Everyone was grieved. His brothers want David’s blood. Even his brothers whom he was fighting for, wanted to kill him. They were angry with him on the account their children were gone.
David strengthened himself in the Lord, His God. At the lowest point of my life when everyone is against me, what do i do, what can i do?
Instead of asking why, sometimes we may not get the answer we r searching for. The day will come when He will give us answer when we see Him face to face.
We do live in the fallen world. Realised we can find our strength and encouragement in the Lord. Look to the One who love me with everlasting love.
Strength is a Person. It is not a measurement of what we can do or cannot do.
1 Samuel 15:29
And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.”
When we are weak, we need to look to Jesus. He is our strength.
What do u do when u r down?
There is no strength within u, u r mere man.
The real strength come from Jesus. Look to Him! Only He can give me what i truly need.
God gives power to the weak. Do u feel weak and overwhelmed by the demands placed on u? God gives u His power. It is about Him, not about you!
Let Him be my strength! It is about Him, not about me.
Look to the Lord. He will give it to me. He is my strength!
To receive His strength, we must first know we are weak.
Realizing your weak is your first step, but not focus on it. The next step is to look to Him!
1 Samuel 21:10
David Flees to Gath
Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.
1 Samuel 21:11-15
And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying:
‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”
Now David took these words to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them, pretended madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me? Have I need of madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”
Have u come to a point in your life that u have to pretend to be mad? That is the lowest point of his life! He had to pretend to be mad to save his own skin.
Psalms 34:1-4
PSALM 34
The Happiness of Those Who Trust in God
A Psalm of David when he pretended madness before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
A psalm of David when he pretended madness. This beautiful psalm was not written when everything was well in David’s life.
Praise the Lord because He is good. He is the author of every good things in my life. We praise Him because He is the One who will turn our sorrow into joy! Have Revelation of who God is.
Remind myself how good God !!
We praise Him because He is good!!
In this world we have tribulation, but be of good cheers and look to the Lord. God is on our side! Strengthen ourselves and look to God.
He hears our every cry! When we search for Him, He is found. We are not the one who search for Him. He is the One who searched for us. He cares.
If we have lost the way, He said I am the Way.
If we are confused, He said I am the Truth.
If we face death, He said I am the Life. Jesus is here with u for u!!! He will never leave me nor forsake me
He fights the battle for me! Don’t be discouraged. Look to Him!
Hebrews 13:5
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Touch Jesus, touch the bible. There is supernatural power of God!!
1 Samuel 30:16
And when he had brought him down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
It is only for a moment the enemy seems to be rejoicing. We are one day closer to our breakthrough and miracle!!
1 Samuel 30:18-19
So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.
David recovered all! God has been to my future. He knows exactly how it will be!!
He wants to bless, am i ready to receive?
There is a law of restoration in the bible.
Something good is finding my way! We are being restored 7 times!!
Receive it!!!
Psalm 23
We fear no evil because Jesus is with me! A dark moment in my life, the Lord draws near to me!!
He knows we are hurting and He will be there for me! In the darkest moment of my life, He will come and will hug me!
Jesus carry me when i go thru the valley of shadow of death! In my darkest moment, God is the sweetest and love me like no one else. Know Him for who He truly is!
In my valley experience, the rose of Sharon is there. He wants me to know He will always be there for me! His abiding love with me.
He is so sweet and good, kind and gracious. He cares for me. Cast all my cares for Him. Tell the mountain how big and how loving my God is!!
He is there for me!!
Watch “He Will Carry You Song” on YouTube – https://youtu.be/J9KXuAVlBEU