1 Samuel 16 (Part 1) Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Praise the Lord. Amen.

First, Samuel chapter 16. In our Bible study, You know,

there are people who have different concepts of what

worship should look like in the church.

And I know that there is criteria of what worship should

be like, but one of the criticisms is that we shouldn't

draw from the Old Testament, principles of how we should

Worship in the New Covenant, and I'm sure you can go back and

forth and there can be some theological sparring there.

But I just think very simply that I refuse to believe that

there is more extravagant passionate Worship in the old

Covenant, than in the new I think we should be whatever we

see in Psalms is wonderful, but in the New Covenant

understanding what we have in Christ.

Should we not be more explosive and passionate and deep and

serious about worship? Maybe you would disagree, but

that's not the point of the bible study tonight because

we're in first Samuel, chapter 16.

1 Samuel 16 · chapter mention

And at this point, We just covered in three different weeks

of the same chapter chapter 15. One of the major turning points

in the history of Israel's, monarchy in chapter 15.

It really serves as a landmark for how we understand, Israel

and its formation concerning God's purposes on the earth.

And one reason why it is a landmark is because the first

king of Israel who was anointed and chosen by God, I was told

that he would no longer occupy the throne in the prime of his

Rule and Reign. He was demoted, he was removed,

he was canceled if I can use that word today.

But for the right reason, because this man, this king who

was supposed to obey God and represent God performed a very

severe Act of Disobedience. That was a blatant rubbing of

rebellion and the face of a holy king, the real king.

And as a result of that, he would lose his purpose on the

earth and he would lose his calling, and the same man who

was commissioned by God to Highlights all, and to anoint

him as the King was the same man.

Would give the announcement that he lost the favor of God and he

would no longer be the man that he was initially set apart to

be. And it was an interesting

confrontation. Wasn't it between Samuel?

The prophet and saw the king. And it's in the last two verses

that we read. What happens to Samuel Samuel

and Saul? We are told, would never meet

again. After that until until death.

They would never see each other face to face.

But more than that, we are told that when Samuel departs from

Saul after, he tells them, this, this tragic news that he grieved

over, For Saul. And then we come to chapter 16

and that's where we are leaving up.

We're seeing now Saul continue to rather same who continue to

grieve and how God is going to lead him in that place to not

just deliver him from that condition.

But but move forward in the program that God has for his

people. And so, when we come to chapter

16, we are going to be introduced to a very well-known

character. A real person that existed in

history and his name is David, Son of Jesse.

It's amazing how much the scriptures dedicates to the men,

David. Consider the terrain consider

the chapters that are given to this man and his life and

because of that, we're going to learn much about God through his

life. We're going to learn a lot about

the person of Jesus Christ, considering that he came from

the line of David. We're also, as we always do week

after week are going to draw from practical principles of

Holiness because you and I serve the same God, that David loved.

so we read in chapter 16, verse 1, the Lord said to Samuel, How

long will you grieve over Saul since?

I have rejected him from being King over, Israel, fill your

horn with oil and go. I will send you to Jesse.

The bethlem, might five provided from myself.

A king, among his sons, and Samuel said, how can I go?

If saw hears it, he will kill me.

And the Lord said, take a heifer with you and say, I've come to

sacrifice to the Lord. And invite Jesse to the

sacrifice and I will show you what you shall do and you shall

anoint for me him, whom I declare to you.

Let's pray. Very briefly here.

Lord we thank you for the word of the Lord, give us the grace

and the wisdom. Now to receive in the power of

the Holy Spirit, take these truths and we do embed them,

would you stitch them on our hearts?

That they would not be able to be removed?

They would not be easily forgotten.

We long Oh God to be molded. We long to be formed and shaped

into the image of your son. Use this chapter to do just that

in our lives. In Jesus name.

We pray. Amen.

And amen. And amen.

Samuel is still grieving. Samuels.

Heartbroken, Samuel was a true leader of his people, you know,

why? Because even when a man like

Samuel, confront sin, and somebody likes all, who falls

greatly because of his sin. The man as we read in in a

couple weeks ago, we read that he was angry with Saul was also

heartbroken over it. There is a tenderness about this

man. There was a softness.

There was a great sensitivity to the failure is not just of his

own life but even over other people's lives in a way that

didn't Them them, but in a way in which he had some kind of

Grace to be broken over them. And that was certainly true

here. This man grieved over Psalm

because he realized that his sin had consequences in his life and

not just his life that his sins assaulted, the glory of God and

not just the glory of God, but his actions potentially would

affect the faith. And the formation of the people

that God had a plan for And so, here he is sitting perhaps at

home meditating being broken expressing his grief.

But interestingly enough, all for a sudden as this profit is

doing something that is commendable.

An exemplary is rebuked by the Lord.

The Lord said to Samuel, how long, will you grieve over Saul?

Notice God is not correcting, the fact that he was grieving

there's room for that. But the issue here with Samuel

is that there was a prolonged And there is an extensive sense.

Of pain. There was a sense in which he he

really had genuine reason to be this way but it reached a point

across the boundary. Where even God himself says

enough is enough, you got to get out of this.

You can't remain in this place. You can't stay in this

condition. Now, that would seem as, though,

God lack compassion, but it's not true.

It's because God possesses a wisdom.

And what you see here is that this excessive lamenting was now

borderline dangerous, concerning Samuel spiritual state, And I

want to ask the question tonight at what point does being

sorrowful or heavy or in pain or having heart ache at what point

does it cross the place of being righteous and holy and

appropriate to being inappropriate dangerous and even

wrong. Any ideas?

So when you begin to now not trust the Lord because of the

pain that you're experiencing sure, anything else.

Very good, both answers are exactly the two points that I

had in mind. The second point was when it

comes to the point, not just when you, when you stop trusting

God, but it affects your service to the Lord.

And that's exactly the two dangers that are presented here.

Concerning Samuel notice here that though, he had reason to

grieve over sauce in. As Paul told the Thessalonians,

we do not grieve as the world. Grieves, there is an element of

Hope Even in our grief. And that hope is so powerful.

It's so imparted into us that it actually causes us to not just

be able to yes, have the freedom to shed tears and to take time

to consider and meditate. But to walk with God, still

trust God, still and even worship God through whatever you

are enduring. So the hope that we have does

not permit us to come to a place where we begin to question or

assault the character and the nature of Of God.

And that's important because I look at this verse here.

And I wonder if if at any point Samuel remembered how God called

him, Remember before King Saul was rejected, there was another

spiritual leader that was rejected.

What was his name? What was his name?

He was the high priest Eli, Eli was rejected and I want you to

go to chapter 3 very carefully and quickly to see the condition

in which the nation was in when Samuel was called and it makes

you think Samuel. Did you forget?

Did you forget how God moves at that time for you to not see

here and now 3:2? At that time Eli whose eyesight

had begun to grow dim so that he could not.

See was lying down in his own place.

Why would the scriptures tell us?

That Eli was borderline blind for the same reason.

We are being told about the lamp.

In verse 3, the lamp of God had not yet gone out and Samuel was

lying down to the Temple of the Lord where the Ark of God was

The reason why we are being told of the eyesight of Eli and the

lamp. If you remember in chapter 3,

many weeks ago, many months ago is because those things were the

reflection of the spiritual condition of the leadership.

At this time, the leaders did not have Vision.

The leaders did not have Clarity because of their sin because of

their lack of concern of God's holiness.

They could not see, right? Remember, Eli though.

This is speaking about a physical dimness when he saw

hand a Praying thought she was a drunkard.

And condemned her when she was broken in the presence of God

and the lamp of God, which was the only source of light in the

entire Tabernacle, if that lamp had gone out, there would be no

way to see and to perform service in the Tabernacle and

that lamp though, it was dimming and it was almost out speaks

again of the lack of light in the spiritual leadership, but it

wasn't completely out. And that's the point because

after we were told about Eli's, lack of sight and the lamp of

the Lord almost going out. God calls Samuel in that kind of

condition and that kind of atmosphere.

And I wonder if he thought to himself, now that we lost the

king. And that the nation will be the

same. It is going to be great

disappointment and great concern of where we're going to go.

For me. I wonder if he thought well

that's when God called me. We've been through this before,

I've seen this before, I was called in a very similar

predicament, but no, I don't think he did.

I don't think he did because he is prolonging his grief.

It's reached a point now where God has to step in and correct

him because there is a potential risk where he is now thinking to

himself. How is God going to deliver?

How is God going to actually lead us out of this pit?

Where we going to go from here and listen.

If our lament begins to Blind us from seeing the faithfulness of

God from seeing his power, his Sovereign authority over all

Affairs, concerning your life and the rest of the world's.

Then you know that you have reached a point with a grief

exact, she a worldly grief and not the one that Paul speaks

about with a hope. But secondly.

Grief becomes dangerous. When we lose our grip on our

service. To God.

See this flag is here. When you see that, your frame of

mine is being affected, where you, you can't see yourself,

even walking in the call that God has called you to, in

Walking In The Obedience that, you know that he's called you

to. That's when you know, that,

whatever you have experienced that's hurt, you is doing more

than it should in your life. This is very important because

what Samuel is experiencing is the pain from the failure of

another person. Somebody that he's invested so

much in somebody that he is instructed.

Remember that first time he was anointed, he stayed on the

rooftop to instruct him all the things that he poured into all

the chances that he's given and it just failure after failure

after failure. And this man is disappointed.

And I want to tell you this a lot of genuine good-hearted

Christians sabotage their callings because of other

people's failures. You see it all the time and you

see it happen all the time. And sometimes it happens when

there's just disappointment from people.

Whether you're in the leadership or you're in the congregation

this appointment, and you don't know why you would sign up for

Ministry. When people come in and just

make a mess out of it, instead of bringing blessing to it, this

is especially true for those who've experienced spiritual

abuse. That's a real thing, by the way.

And usually comes from leaders or those that have influence in

your life, and, and you collide with hypocritical behavior and a

knocks, the wind out of you, I'm telling you, I've seen people

where it knocks the wind out of them so much, that they can't

read their Bible ever the same way again.

Some of the don't even step foot in a church for decades.

And if they do show up to church, they don't sing with the

same passion again. They don't consider and praful

E, ask God with Zeal to be used by God again.

And so you have to be extremely careful when you experienced

failure from other people, there is room to process.

There is room to step back there is room to get counsel even but

when it comes to the point where it paralyzes, you you're

allowing Satan to influence you. This Devil is a very tricky

devil and you might think are you reading too much into this?

No, I'll tell you an example. Why did the disciples fall

asleep in the garden when there were supposed to be praying.

Why? Good job.

We think they were just tired. It was a long day.

They were sitting through a lot of teaching.

They just had supper. It was very late at night and

they just got sleepy and they fell asleep and then we use that

to condemn ourselves when we get tired.

When we pray, it wasn't because of that.

The reason why they fell asleep is found in the Gospel of Luke.

Would you like to see it and 22:45?

Luke 2245 tells us the main reason why these disciples could

not pray. And when he being our Lord rose

from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them

sleeping. For what what is this a sorrow?

Sorrow. Why are were they sorrowful

because just a few verses ago Jesus sat with him and said you

know, you guys are going to deny me, right?

And Peter can have fathom and the disciples joined them in

that self-confidence. No, we will not, they just heard

according to John's gospel lesson after lesson, in which

Jesus even had to console them because they're now hearing and

it's becoming clear, you're going to leave us.

We, we thought you were the Messiah, aren't you?

Assuring your kingdom, what all the Miracles now?

You're going to just depart and we can't come.

And so they were just overcome by what you can say is a

misguided disappointment. Disappointment in themselves and

disappointment in the news of where this is all leading to.

And because of the sorrow that overwhelmed them, what happened?

It's sabotage, their praying. And Jesus says, and he said to

them in verse 46, he didn't say, oh, look there softly said, no,

why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not

enter into temptation. So even though they had genuine

sorrow, even the Lord himself. Saw that it's reached a point

where now it's affecting their holiness.

You cannot afford not to pray in this moment though you're

overwhelmed because Satan will take advantage of the fact that

you are sorrowful to keep you from praying and if you can keep

you from praying you can't stand against Temptation.

Do you see how tricky this is? Do you see how Discerning we

need to be? Do you see that?

Just because we feel something and it's a very real feeling.

It doesn't justify certain actions.

Now, you're saying does that mean that I can't grieve at?

All know, you know that, I hope I don't have to explain that

tonight. But there comes a point where

even the Lord himself says, enough is enough.

You can't stay like this. And there's some people who stay

like that because of trauma in the church, there's some people

who stay like that because of different different sources of

grief, the loss of a loved one because of death because of a

trial, that is unexplainable, they just overcome.

And what you need to understand is though you there is room to

be able to express your heart. Be careful that Satan would use

that to sabotage your ministry. To keep you from exercising,

your gifts. To have you stay in that place

as long as possible and keep you in effective because feelings

are very real but there's something more real Beyond this

flesh. You have a calling, you have a

purpose, you have a mission and many people don't realize what

sorrow can lead them to whether it's self-inflicted or caused by

someone else. But if it can move you away from

serving God, then there needs to be an alertness even in our

sorrow. In fact, look at this seems like

God gives an insight to one of the cures of overcoming this.

What does he say? Fill your horn with oil and go I

will send you to Jesse. he's like, Okay, the way out of this

is you obeying the way out of this is you getting up, it

doesn't help you to stay in that place.

It doesn't help you to remain in your house and the dark and just

rehearse these things. Idleness is very dangerous and

sorrow can lead to idleness and David, the man that we're going

to study for the rest of this Bible study, David himself knows

what kind of Temptations can creep up when you stay at home

when you're supposed to be out on the battlefield serving the

way God's called you to serve. Could be that Samuel was so

paralyzed. That he couldn't even move

forward in his ministry as a prophet.

God steps and says, Hey listen, it's not over yet.

It's as though we can safely translate these words in the

following way. Why are you still sorrowful?

Listen sauce, failure didn't affect my plans for Israel, and

you still have a mission to accomplish.

Go get up. And the thing that will help you

and I Endure and push forward and move forward.

All those same two truths. God is still on his throne.

And two, as long as you have breath, you still have something

to do. And it worked.

This prophet got up. And he move forward and the same

truth applies to all of us. Be careful how the enemy can

tempt. You he can do it through sin.

Listen, he can even do it through sorrow.

And so, he hears this news. And it's the cure for his

morning and I love the prophetic, hint about this, I

can see it. You can you can sense it that

this news that there is a new king.

That would be found in. Where Bethlehem, from who the

line of Jesse? I wonder if there was a jolt of

excitement. I wonder if there was a jolt of,

there's a sobriety test Spirit, there's someone else that you

have in mind. And now this time it's not the

people, it's not the people who are choosing the king God

himself is Choosing the king. I wonder what kind of confidence

was surgeon to this prophet. And like us today the cure to

not just this kind of morning but all morning is the news.

That there is a king who has come from the line of Jesse born

in Bethlehem. And it's not David.

It's a son of David, Jesus Christ.

And so we see here that Samuel is excited, maybe we can't read

into it, but whatever exciting might have had or matter

strength. He might have discovered in this

moment was quickly met by fear verse 2 and Samuel said, how can

I go? If saw hears it, he will kill

me. Doesn't that say something about

how did generate saw, has become up to this point.

The King has become so reckless, so unhinged.

So unpredictable, that that this profit was convinced.

Hey, Lord, look, I told them what you told me in chapter 15

and he was willing to rip my coat.

If you're going to send me now and news goes to him, that I'm

anointing his successor, I'm a dead man.

You're setting me up to die. Now, I read this and you're

going to discover something. If you haven't already chapter,

16 reveals the humanity of this prophet, In verse 1, we see the

prolonged morning in verse 2, we see a fear that's actually

causing him to be hesitant to obey God and later on, he

actually cause somebody the king and his heart when God said

you've missed it, the prophet missed it of who was supposed to

be the king, among Jesse Sons. Goes to show that even the

greatest men of God of still sons of Adam.

They still make mistakes. They still have shortcomings,

they get dressed the same way, you get dressed.

They eat certain amount of meals, the same day that you do.

They have to do normal things like laundry and cut their hair.

Be careful of elevating men who are used by God to the point

where you think they're invincible?

I love that the Holy Spirit here, shows the transparency of

this man's shortcomings. He got sad, too long.

He got scared when God told him to do something and a prophet

who hears God, senses, the voice of got, unlike any of us can

experience actually missed it when he was trying to find God's

next king. How can I go, how is this the

same Samuel that we've been studying up to this point?

How is this the same Prophet? The man that was willing to

stand before Eli as a young kid. Say, you know, you're going to

be judged. The one who removed his own sons

from leadership positions. When they were compromised, the

one who rebuked the whole nation and the one who even corrected

and pointed out the sin of King Saul is now afraid.

Now you're scared when God assured you that you were going

to go and you're going to find this King, he assured you.

Now you're actually worried for your life.

How did this happen? Because of verse 1, the fruit of

prolonged morning, What do you mean?

I mean this man came to the point where he was so focused on

the issue and didn't include God in it or consider God's ways in

it that a now made him impaired to seeing God in other things.

see, when we have faith in God, we have faith in all things, and

for all things, If we just have faith for some things, it won't

take very long before that lack of faith, seeps into other

things. And this man that couldn't see

God. And fixing this problem of this

King being dethroned. Now couldn't see how God can

protect him. From the same King.

And so we're called to have faith in all things and trust,

God, for all things. And he didn't have it, he had

the snap out of it. He was he was in the flesh for a

little bit. It's quite amazing.

It's quite amazing. What can happen to even profits?

Do you think God had mercy on him?

I think so, and God has much more merciful than people are

because he brings us concern. And God gives them a solution.

Here's a solution, take a cow with you.

If you're scared, take a cow with you and tell people when

you arrive there, They here to make a sacrifice.

Interesting. Interesting.

How does that come off? and in the immediate sense, some

might even say hey that sounds like that sounds like being

duplicity that sounds. Like a lie.

You're going to anoint the king and God is telling you go and

tell them that you're actually going to make a sacrifice.

You can't argue God out of this. God said it let's just set that

straight God said it. This isn't reading into

something God commanded this as a solution.

So let's put that aside. Secondly we know that our God

does not lie. He's not a deceiving God, he's

not a God. That's afraid of man.

So what's going on here? What's going on here?

Why are you saying this? When in reality, the core of the

matter is that you are sending him to anoint, a son of Jesse?

Well. If he said go and make the

sacrifice and tell people along the way, if they're saying

Samuel, where are you going? Well, I'm going to Bethlehem to

make a sacrifice. That's what I want you to tell

people if he went, and he told people this and he didn't make a

sacrifice. That is what that's a lie,

that's wrong, that's evil, that's wicked, that's deceiving,

but God did Issue it, he says go, it's a legitimate ordinance

that I want you to perform and in that.

What's going to happen is it's going to lessen the Shouldn't of

why you were actually there. So, if he performs a sacrifice,

it's not a lie. It's true.

But what God is asking of Samuel, is that he does not

imprudence. Need to share the whole story.

You don't need to tell you don't need to tell everybody why?

Exactly you're here. You don't have to tell everybody

the details. You don't have to go and

announce it to everybody, why? Because that would produce more

evil than good. Why?

Because King Saul, if he was willing to kill the prophet for

anointing, the man, then surely he would be willing to kill the

successor to his throne. And so, this is not a matter of

dishonesty. This is a matter of Wisdom.

It's a matter of wisdom. And for Samuel to be, open about

David's anointing would not only put his life in danger, but the

future of God's program and plan.

And we might not be convinced that this I'm going to show you

another example in a moment, but here's the point.

I want to make concealment of a matter is not the same as

falsehood concealment of a matter is not the same as

falsehood, and the secret was not to protect a sinful or

selfish ambition. It's not like I'm hiding this

because there's something that I don't want people to know

because I know it's wrong. That's not what's being done

here. The secrecy here is actually a

form of protection and guarding from the wrong people.

Of discovering, something that would only introduce more Havoc

than Harmony. And so God in his wisdom says

Samuel, go perform a sacrifice and when people ask tell them

that you're going to do this but you know, the real reason why

you're going do we see this anywhere else?

Rahab potentially. Some would say that there is a

Justified kind of, when we talked about this in Exodus,

it's in the same book and I would point to it and maybe you

guys don't remember, but Rahab might be an example in Joshua's

leadership. He did this in a certain way.

Would you like to see it? Go to Joshua?

Chapter 2, I want you to see it for yourself.

Because why are we doing this? Were defending God's integrity

and his holiness? And a lot of Believers think,

black and white. They'll realize there are

nuances. And Joshua to look at this in

verse 1 and Joshua, the son of nun.

Sent to men. What's that word?

There secretly. He sent two spies secretly.

Why would the Holy Spirit? Tell us that he sent to spy

secretly. The whole essence of sending

spies is that they're going secretly.

You going as a spy implies that you're not making your identity

known, you are concealing your identity, your coming in and you

are merging amongst those that you are trying to find

information from. So why go out of the way to say

secretly because Joshua didn't keep it a secret to the

Canaanites. He kept it a secret from the

Israelites. Do you guys remember this?

Joshua made sure that no one from Israel knew that he was

sending to spies into the land of Canaan.

Why? Because the man learn from

experience, that's why? Because in his generation when

there were spies sent out and he was a part of that group. 12 of

them, 10 came back with a bad report and it brought the, the

deflation to their faith and introduced unbelief among the

Israelites and it cost them the promised land and Joshua.

As a leader new, I'm not going to risk it again.

I'm going to send to this time. Remember the testimony of two or

three. I'm going to send to and just in

case they come back with a bad report.

Nobody will know that they went even in the first place, the

deal with me directly. Is that deception?

Is that lying? No, it's something called

wisdom. In fact, look at the description

of Joshua in the last chapter of the book before Joshua before,

Joshua's leadership, is manifested and Deuteronomy. 30

49. Look at this.

This is the fruit chapter 2 Joshua is the fruit of

Deuteronomy 30 49 and Joshua. The son of nun, was full of the

spirit of wisdom. Oh here wisdom.

And you know what? Wisdom does brothers and sisters

wisdom doesn't just know what to say.

It knows what not to say. Wisdom knows who should have

access to certain information, and who can handle that

information. Wisdom knows how to lighten the

burden on other people, especially as a leader and not

overly burden people with what you may know.

What may be happening behind the scenes?

so, Joshua here, is exercising, wisdom, wisdom, not just from

learning from the past, because that's the essence of a lot of

wisdom, but wisdom in knowing who his people were I know my

people, I know what's happened, I know what they're susceptible

to. And so I need to protect them.

This is a righteous thing. I need to protect them.

We have a mission to fulfill, and if this goes crazy, we might

have to go through this Wilderness Journey once more and

I'm not willing to do that. So he conceals he hides it not

he's hiding don't take this and say I'm not going to tell people

what I'm doing in secret. My sin that's wrong and you

learn from I believe last week or two weeks ago that you can't

conceal your transgression. That's not what it's talking

about here. Sorry to disappoint you.

There is an application here of prudence and that's what's

happening. In first, Samuel 16, God here

knows his people. God here knows the circumstance

under this particular circumstance.

This was necessary. And Samuel had to trust that.

And so, he obeys. And look at the element here of

obedience, another instruction to obedience verse 3 and invite

Jesse to the sacrifice. And I will show you what you

shall, do. I love that.

Invite Jesse. And from there, I'll tell you

what you need to do. Well, well well, I look at a man

like Samuel, the prophet. And I'm encouraged because even

Samuel, the prophet did not have the full picture all at once.

Even Samuel, the prophet was led by God step-by-step.

You know why that's so sobering to me, not just because he was a

prophet but because he is considered one of the greatest

men of prayer and all of Biblical history and this man

who prayed and cried all night, even this man could say, I don't

know. Even this man could say, all I

know is what I'm supposed to do now but I have no idea what I'm

supposed to do tomorrow. Oh, really, why?

Because God chooses to do that with his children, that's an

intentional thing. So, if Samuel the Prophet The

Prayer Warrior, the man who heard God's voice heard God's

voice in the moment, as though, you can hear my voice on this

microphone. If such a man did not have the

full blueprint of his ministry and his life and his future.

Why are you so frustrated with yourself?

Why are you beating your head against the wall?

Why are you questioning of God is leading you, you know, many

people ask brother. I don't know when how, where God

is leading me where I'm supposed to do.

That's okay. I have those questions, too.

But this is the initial answer that I give I try to give to

myself, and I try to give the others.

Number one, ask and wait on the Lord, continually asking, wait

on the Lord, continually, and don't make it a burden, make it

a thing of invitation Lord, I'm doing this.

This is where I'm at. Do you have something else in

mind? Lord, if you want me to do

anything other than what I'm doing.

Now, just let me know and I'll obey you talk like that.

And then secondly serve God to the capacity in which he has

given you and reveal to you now, until he makes the next step

known, God knows how to speak and when God speaks it's not

muffled with confusion. Was that God?

Was that me? That's not how God talks when

God reveals. It is loud and clear and if you

ever question God's Clarity of where he wants you to go trust

me he wants you to serve him more than you do.

So, what was he supposed to do with, whatever Revelation has

been given for the moment, you go, perform the sacrifice

invite, Jesse. And then, what, I'll tell you

when it comes, When it comes, I'll let I'll let you know.

And so if you ever felt for a moment, I don't know what God's

10-year plan for me is and I don't know where we're supposed

to go next and maybe I'm not as spiritual as that person.

That's why that person knows. Everything Samuel.

The prophet didn't know Comfort yourself with that truth.

He didn't know, but what he needed to know is what you and I

need to know that every step of obedience, no matter.

How long we're in that season, we have no idea how God will

providentially use that step of obedience to affect Generations,

even See trusting God at this point.

Not knowing, who God could have said, go invite, Jesse and

listen, he's not going to bring this this one kid, his youngest

named David. That's the one though.

So when you go just ask for David, asked for David, get it

over with, we have no time to waste.

We need to get the next king online.

He doesn't do that. Why does he do that?

I can come up with maybe some reasons.

But one reason I'm about to find out is that through that

silence, Sam is going to learn something about himself.

Do not revealing the identity of David to be the King.

Samuel would make a choice in his heart, that was wrong and he

would be further Sanctified. You see why God doesn't tell you

everything all the time. Because it's in that silence

that he wants to do a work in. You that only that silence can

bring about And so he found out well, okay?

I'll go. I'll invite him and I'll see

what Lord, you have next verse 4.

Samuel did what the Lord commanded.

You know, I love that. I don't know if he still felt

the fewer not but he still obey. God Samuel did what the Lord

commanded. He trusted God that this plan

would work. And what happens though?

And came to Bethlehem the Elders of the city, came to meet him

trembling and said, do you come peaceably?

So maybe the fear was evaded from him but now as he comes to

Bethlehem, the Elders of the city realize, here's the prophet

and he's probably hunched over with his staff as an old man

walking towards them and they're looking at each other.

Like did anybody invite Samuel here for a conference because I

don't know why he's walking in our Direction.

And they're trembling, why do you think they were trembling?

He's the prophet. He's the man of God.

He speaks the word of the Lord. Doesn't tell us why it would be

a fun discussion. Why do you think they were

trembling? I read that.

I said, why were they so scared? Any ideas?

Ah, maybe the fear was legitimate.

Why would you be afraid of a man of God stepping in?

Close proximity where God tells him things?

Unless you had something worthy of being fearful, of

interesting. I wonder if that is that is the

case. Guilt produces fear.

Guilt produces fear and many different things.

Could be that some would say it's because what they learn

perhaps from chapter 15? What did this old man?

Do to a name? A king named a gag.

He hacked them to pieces. He brutally slaughtered this,

unrighteous leader for all the wickedness that he did as a

command by God. And imagine that's the last

thing you heard of Samuel and he's coming into your

neighborhood. But I think the heart of the

matter is, is he coming to bring judgment, whether it's something

that they knew of their own citizens?

Bethlehem, we're not the best of saints in this town, so they

asked him. Do you come peaceably?

You come peaceably, and Samuel says verse 5 peaceably.

I've come to sacrifice to the Lord peaceably.

I've come in Our Gospel. When we go places, we come with

the message of peace. We come to bring good news, the

gospel is not bad news, it's wonderful news and it's so

wonderful that the mountains on which the feet step on, with the

gospel are blessed and called Beautiful.

Along with the feet of those who carry the gospel.

And so if you ever hesitant to preach the gospel, Realize, in

that moment, sober yourself up. I have the best news that any

human can hear, right? I heard I read somewhere forgot

who said it, but they said I refuse to let The Greatest

Story, Ever Told become The Greatest Secret, that people

will not hear. I will declare it to people.

I'm not ashamed of the Gospel. What's there to be ashamed with

the gospel that you're a sinner that you're bound for judgment?

But God took care of all your judgment not because you did

anything but because he exercised, your righteousness

and died on the cross for your sins, like what can be better

than that? I come peaceably consecrate

yourselves, come with me to the sacrifice because a peace

offering had an element of fellowship and eating after the

sacrifice and he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited

them to the sacrifice. Now look at verse 6.

When they came, he looked on Elia band thought, surely the

Lord's anointed is before him. Like in 7 verses you see Samuel

the human very clearly, don't you?

and then, The Lord speaks verse 7, but the Lord said to Samuel

do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature

because I have rejected him for the Lord.

Sees not as man sees man looks on the outward appearance, but

the Lord looks on the heart. The Lord looks on the heart.

One of the most popular well-known scriptures

unfortunately butchered by some to justify some kind of

behavior. God knows my heart.

God knows my heart. That's why I dress like this

because God knows my heart. Right.

That's why I do this because God knows my heart.

He knows why We won't need to go there tonight, do we?

I hope not. There's a lot of things that we

can pull out of this and maybe we'll touch on more next week

because there's no way we can cover this in one sitting this

chapter. It's too dense. but I learn at

least two things concerning Samuel, maybe you have something

to add to that, but I learn at least two things concerning this

man of God In This Moment, where he falls short, Number one, it

shows that we are capable of not learning from the past.

It shows that we are capable of not learning from the past.

This man made a judgment. Surely this.

The eldest of Jesse says shirt. Look at him.

Look how tall he is. Look how broadest shoulders

that. I heard his voice.

He's a commanding voice. He's handsome.

Surely this is the king. Does that sound familiar?

It does sound familiar and if you forgot go to chapter 9 verse

2, Concerning Saul when we were introduced them.

And he had a son whose name was Saul.

A handsome young men? there was not a man among the

people of Israel more handsome than he from his shoulders

upward, he was taller than any of the people and you would

think Then after learning from this, you just spent a season of

grief over a man who had the looks the charm, the

personality, the gifting, but didn't have the character to

carry him. In his calling, you saw the

flaws, you saw the disasters from such an individual and you

would think that you would calculate in your estimation of

whose before you just because he has the outward appearance

doesn't make him King Lee Worthy.

But he didn't learn, he decided for this King.

The same way, Israel decided for the first king, he was no

different. He was no different in choosing

than the people who are now apostate condition.

How do you make sense of this? It's a very, very wonderful

illustration. How most people today treat

their sin. They never learn.

And they commit the same sin that cause them grief.

Just a week ago. Just a month ago, just three

months ago. They go back to it over and over

and over again and somehow they're convinced that it won't

be like last time or the pleasure in my sin.

See the thing with temptation is listen, whenever Temptation,

Whispers In Your Ear they will never bring to remembrance The

Sting of that sin. Never Temptation cunningly only

shows you whatever Sensation that brought you pleasure in

that moment every single time. It will never bring to your

memory. Remember the pain, and the

shame, and the guilt, and the vows that you made that you

would never do it again. Never ever, ever, ever, remember

how good it felt remember how much profit you made, remember

how you got away with it? Never will tell you of the

things that rent your heart or cause you to lose sleep at

night. And it's amazing here that

Samuel the prophet we just read a few verses ago that God has

said, get out of this. You're grieving too much.

He didn't even consider that when he looked at this King and

said, maybe he's the one. In fact, he didn't say maybe he

said, surely this is the one. A great deterrent to Temptation.

And I'm not saying that what the same is doing here is outright

sin, but it's a wonderful parallel.

A great deterrent to any Temptation, having a grip on

your mind that would lead to you making decisions. it's the ever

keep before you this things that those sins Afflicted, you with

You want temptation to lose its power.

Do one of many things and rehearsing your mind.

This thing lied to me. Last time.

This thing deceived me last time and maybe it's something that

you've never been introduced with.

So consider the feelings of others who have fallen that same

sin. This destroy them.

That's why we have these things in the Bible.

Just in case your circle of friends, isn't two grand, you

have a Saul, you have a David As Heroes.

As examples of both good and The Ugly.

And this man amazingly. Didn't consider that.

This can be a colossal failure. And he said, in his heart,

surely, this is the guy, You didn't learn that outward

appearance. Does it make somebody

justifiable for position of leadership?

Did you? But secondly, it shows us that

we are capable of being influenced by the world.

Who thought like this Israel, that and they weren't in the

best spiritual condition. When they made that decision.

I looked at this and I thought to myself even Samuel was

magnetized by the power of outward appearance.

Even Samuel was drawn in. To the point where he began to

esteem and consider the worth and value, and make his

decisions the same way that an apostate people did.

Why? Because he's exemplifying to us

just how strong the pull of Attraction is when the eye of

the flesh is entertained. Samuel shows just how quick you

can go from thinking in the spirit, the thinking, In the

Flesh, he's demonstrating here. That even at important moments

in your life, you can make decisions that would alter it if

you're not careful. And it's amazing because what

Samuel showing here, the utter Importance of Being in tune with

God's heart and mind always, You and I can't afford a moment to

slip you, and I must walk in the spirit.

Not 90% of the day, all the day. And God made it very easy for us

and we'll get to that in a moment.

But think about this, if you don't, if you're not convinced

of how powerful this is, then consider this thought that the

man that Samuel was told by God, to choose David.

Not because of his appearance, but because of his heart, right?

David's heart, not his appearance, was what Drew God to

choose him, to be the shepherd over Israel that same man when

he became king What happened? Let me just read it to you and

second Samuel, 11 verse 2. It happened late one afternoon

2 Samuel 11:2

when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of

the King's house that he saw from the roof, a woman bathing

and the woman was very beautiful He asked for her name, he called

her into his room, he slept with her, she was married, he got her

pregnant. He killed the husband, and he

tried to cover his sin. Where did it all start?

He saw Samuel, he saw. And what did he see?

What God's correction tells us. Don't look at his appearance.

Don't look at his stature. Where did this whole thing even

begin from the garden? And Eve saw that the tree was

pleasant to the eyes? So, our perception, our flesh,

the things that cause our hearts to flutter and our minds to go

into imaginations that pull is very strong.

It happened to a prophet It happened to a man who got

selected because his heart was so enthralled and consumed with

loving him, be careful. And here we are, and we think

that we can just go on through a day without spending time with

God. How do I protect myself from

this song? I don't want to be like that.

I see it there. Why is it there?

It's to tell me that it's possible.

So how do I protect myself? That I wake up a couple.

The Bible gives you a prescription if you would just

listen to it. The scripture tells us exactly

and it's one of the most common verses that we all know, perhaps

we know it, but we don't understand the power behind it

and I'm ending it with this verse in Romans 12:2.

Romans 12:2

Did I be conformed to this world?

But be transformed by the renewal of your mind.

That by testing you may do, What discern that you may discern,

what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I want to tell you something. This world has a gospel.

And they come with different faces and different tunes and

different different lures. But the same goal, this world

longs to every single day. Doesn't give up, doesn't doesn't

rest every single day. Has one ambition to conform you

to itself. You're thinking your convictions

your plans, every single thing about you, what the world longs

to do is squeeze you into its mold.

This verse is not given to worldly people, it's given to

the church. Do not be conformed and the

consequences of being conformed to the world.

Some of you really need to hear this.

So listen, very carefully. Do not be conformed to this

world because the consequences are many.

And here's one of the consequences that it has the

ability to blur, your discernment from understanding,

the will of God. It clouds your thinking to the

point where you don't walk out and make decisions that are good

acceptable and perfect. I'm sure.

And I hope there's not one person in here that doesn't long

to live their life in a way that they make decisions that are

good acceptable and perfect. But the world wants to conform

you. We're in the arena of the mind

so that you can't discern that. And based on that, lack of

discernment. You begin to make decisions and

frame your convictions in a way. That's tears you apart from the

path of God's perfect will for your existence.

And you don't even know it. Because you think that this

world is neutral concerning your spirituality.

When in fact, it has an evil plot for your mind.

So then, what is the antidote? What is the protection?

What is the remedy? What is The Shield while he

tells us be transformed how by the renewing of your mind?

This is where it needs to change the mind, not your emotions,

your thinking the collection of your thoughts.

Your thought patterns the thing that you open the drawer and

then you pull out that envelope that says, what I believe Who Am

I? Who is God, what is life?

And God out of all. The means, I remember sitting

when I was in advertising, and I'm sure this guy was,

obviously, he was saying it mockingly.

He says, out of all the ways, this atheist got out of all the

ways that God could have revealed himself.

He did it with a book. He did it with a book.

He couldn't just appear in the sky, he couldn't just, and he

was saying, I'm not even going to tell you what he said,

mockingly, but yeah, God chose to reveal himself through a

book. And it's through his word.

And my exposure to it. That has the power to begin to

rewire realign and renew my mind.

That's where it is. It's very simple.

Told you, it wasn't complicated. Here's what begins to happen.

You don't just have the ability to reference certain scriptures

and you know how to be more in tune with Bible.

Study know, there is a transformation that word in the

Greek is the same word used when Jesus was on the Mount of

transfiguration and he transformed There is an actual

powerful thing that's taking place in your mind, and what it

does is, it begins to now give you a sense of discernment, this

is so powerful in which you are now able to navigate through

life and make decisions that are good acceptable and perfect.

So what happens is when you come to this word and you allowed to

wash over you and listen as powerful as memorization, is

just read it. Just re just expose yourself to

it and watch what will happen to your brain to your thinking, to

your emotional capacity and state and Condition.

It's a mate. There's a supernatural thing

that begins to take place in you.

And, you know, at least in part, that one of the ways in which

somebody has been. So consumed with this process is

that, whatever situation is thrown at them in their minds,

they can respond biblically, It's like they the mind just

it's able to go to a scripture. It's able to go to a scenario.

It's able to go to so many places because their minds have

been so convinced and consumed with the word of God.

So what begins to happen? You don't see beauty the same

way the world sees Beauty. You elevate Beauty at a

different standard than the world does.

You don't see trials, the same way, you don't cease in the same

way, you don't see the things that bring people Joy the same

way and it's effortless. Why?

Because all you've been doing is coming to the word and the word

is Renewing, Your Mind and things begin to happen in you.

And then from that place, you're able to have a discernment that

is incalculable in value. It's a Wonderful confidence that

you have that in this season of my, with the decisions that

needed me. I know that I will be closer to

the will of God than anybody else.

That's why in my life, I don't take advice from people.

That do not renew their minds with the word of God.

How am I going to trust in their discernment?

How am I going to trust in the discernment of a Christian that

doesn't look any different than the world?

I need to discern the will of God in my life and not just for

me. I'm going to go to those who

know, the will of God because they have been renewing their

minds and they've been transformed.

I would suggest the same for you. and so you look at

Temptation differently, you look at qualifications in somebody

differently. And that is something you and I

all have access to and it is the great protection.

Samuel was learning this and got his patient.

He teaches us through experience as well, but Samuel was

learning. As you are seeing this, the way

that I don't see. I see it differently than you.

and you and I, we acquire a sensitivity to the wisdom and

the knowledge of God, as we expose ourselves to his word

which renews us and then transforms us, So you saying,

brother, why should I read the Bible every day for many

reasons? And here's one, you inherited

discernment. That will protect you and guide

you in this life in a way. Like nothing can God will honor

you as you honor his word. All there are many things to

learn from this chapter, but we will reserve it for next week.

and so if you are in a place today, where you like I don't

know where I'm at right now. I don't know the next step take

comfort to know that Samuel didn't know either, but also be

challenged to know that discernment only comes with a

renewal of the mind. You want the will of God for

your life. It comes from the transformation

that is surging from this book. This is a supernatural book.

That's why even when I go through Old Testament books,

like Ezekiel or Leviticus, I believe that I'm going to get a

discernment. I'm going to know something

about God. I'm going to know something

about life because the scripture promises me promises you the

same. Let's pray.

Louis, thank you. That you give hope for those who

have fallen. whether it's a Great Falls, like David, What we

would consider minor Falls like Samuel.

We didn't know how to manage his emotions, who didn't know how to

believe you when it came to a call to obey you and who even

didn't think like you in a brief moment.

When you called him. To be a vessel that would

represent him. Lord, thank you.

That I know point. Which Samuel do you condemn him

or shun him or remove him because you knew that he loved

you. Any desire to be your servant

that he gave up so much to be the man that he was, and thank

you, Lord, and our own lives that we can take comfort that

when we make hiccups, and we might even sin or we think in a

way that we shouldn't have thought we were deceived for a

moment or we weren't as mature as we needed to be spiritually.

You do not disqualify us. You teach us as you taught

Samuel, you disciple us. Your patience is so great

greater than our patients, even for ourselves.

Lord. In this moment, we are stirred a

fresh about one of the aspects of the power of your word that

it grants us a discernment to see as you see, which is the

best way to see and we pray Lord that there would be a renewed

passion for personal Devotion, to the word of the Living God,

we ask Lord that. There's anybody in here, who's

fearful fearful? Because they don't know the next

step and there's silence, help them know that just as you were

silent with the choice of a king through that silence you taught

Samuel something about himself. Help us believe that there is

not one season, not one day wasted with you.

Every single season, every single moment you use.

The scripture says that you test the righteous even when they

wake up, you test the righteous and then is placed, or we feel

rich. To know that we have the Living

God, on our side and that we have the Living Word at our

disposal, forgive us for our laziness.

Forgive us for our lack of faith.

Forgive us for not seeing the word as we ought to see it but

Lord as gracious as you were to Samuel.

So you are to us. Help us think like you feel like

you move when you want us to move, stay you.

When you want us to stay, We Worship You, Lord, and we are

excited to see how you see. Men, the heart, the heart.

Your name, we pray. Amen.

Can we stand and worship God together?

Please.