Man on the Run

Oh.

Read scripture from Psalms 142 say mask with David when he was in the cave. It was a prayer. I cry aloud to cry aloud to the Lord. I lift my voice to the Lord have mercy I pour out before him my complaint before him. I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me it is you who watch over my way in the path where I walk people have hitting a snare for me. Look and see there is no one at my right hand. No one is concerned for me. I have no refuge and no one cares for my life. I cry to you Lord. I say you are my refuge my portion in the land of the living. Listen to My Cry for I'm in desperate need rescue me from those who pursue me for they are too strong for me. Set Me Free from my prison that I may praise your name then the righteous will gather around me because of your goodness to me I'm in church. You may be seated.

It is book called Plan B. Pete Wilson Musa preacher Here's a story about his early days in Ministry when he was 21. He planted a church in Morgantown, Kentucky. And it was just a relatively small Church, even though it was growing but he still knew everybody he gave his able to get close to many of the families and some of his favorite people in the church and Dan and Jennifer Flowers. Dan and Jennifer, I'm sorry. I really didn't really matter. You don't know him anyway to you Dan and Kimberly flowers were just on fire for God you could tell they were passionate about the church. They supported their young preacher and they were willing to volunteer and get involved in anything that that needed to be done. They were just once he would just jump right in there. They were there are young pastors dream. He said that is until one day they just stopped coming they disappeared. After a few weeks of noticing that they were gone, they recognized something was wrong and he contacted them and ask them what was going on. They said that they would like to meet so that they can explain why they haven't been coming back to church and he went to their house for dinner one night. They sat nervously around their kitchen table and they explained that they didn't feel like they would be welcome back at church because they're 21 year old unwed daughter. was pregnant name is Kelly.

now when Pete heard this news

He said that he told him not only would they be welcome to come back to church? How do you love for Kelly to come and get involved at the church as well? And because of this response and because of the response of the church began what he calls a sweet season of Grace for their Church? One of his proudest moments was when he came to the church on a Saturday to get some work done to prepare for Sunday, and he saw many of the ladies at the church had thrown Kelly a baby shower. They saw her squeal with the lightest year unwrap this white dress with pink flowers on it. And she just said this is what I'm going to bring the baby home the hospital later. He asked what they were going to name. The baby was a girl. And she had decided to call her grace. That makes a pastor feel good. The day came for grits to be born. And Pete's at anxiously at the hospital next to Dan the grandfather. And then what? And I waited and I waited.

It wasn't long as I begin to notice a lot of people going into the the room. And Kimberly stuck her head out almost in tears and said, please pray something has gone horribly wrong.

a few minutes later the grandmother came out She said that baby Grace stillborn. That the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. And that despite all that the doctors tried to do. I couldn't resuscitator.

The young preacher says that I wish I could say that in that moment that I did something really pastoral. I wish I had to tell you that I called up some scripture that I a little prayer. I said some really comforting words at just the right time, but he said I had absolutely nothing I could say I was stunned I was shocked.

I said I wasn't as shocked as the next words that I heard because Kimberly said Kelly would like to see you now. So that moment I wanted to run I didn't have anything to say but I went in.

I saw Kelly sit at South Kelly sitting on the bed.

holding that baby talking to her as if she were alive.

There we sat in silence for a long time and after about an hour Kelly looked up at me says it with with tears in her eyes, and she just said said one word. He said Why?

Should I didn't have an answer? So just sat in silence.

He said it just doesn't make any sense. After everything that God has done to to draw me back to him and to restore my relationship with my parents and everything. Why would he allow this to happen now?

After he relates a story. Could ask a very good question. It's a question that we all have to answer at some point. This is this. What do you do? When God doesn't show up for you and the way you thought he was going to show up.

What do you do when God doesn't show up for you and the way that you thought he was going to show up?

When the diagnosis comes back and it's not what you were hoping for despite many people praying for you. when your marriage suddenly

when there are problems that you could not foresee when you don't know where your kids are when there are so many things as we know that can go wrong. What do you do?

When you placed all of your hope. And God to answer your prayer in a certain way and it does not happen.

As we're going to see this is not a new question. Because we've been looking at the life of David over the past few weeks. We see that David is Russell with many things that you and I still tend to wrestle with today. And this question is just one in a long line 3000 years ago a young man named David had to answer this question.

Let's think about David Stewart from a minute for his perspective.

One day he's a young Shepherd boy. Keeping his father sheep. Minding his own business when he gets a messenger coming to him out in the field to say that there is a prophet of God here at your dad's house and he is asking to see you profits coming that can be kind of an ominous thing. But he goes to the house cuz when a property got summons, you know where you can hide. So he goes and as soon as the prophet Samuel sees David he does something that nobody expects. Not not David's father not David's brother's not anybody. He takes a flask of oil and he anoints David's head and he prays over him and he says to David that you are going to be the king of Israel. Now. This is troubling news for many reasons. Wow, that's exciting for I'm going to be king. That's great. But this kind of came out of the blue for David and not only that there was already a king on the throne name Saul and is we've seen in these stories. He's not a very stand-up guy. That's not a really really good a good prognosis for somebody who's going to have to go against somebody like that. and yet I wonder at this point because it says it after say no praise from Anna and anoint him but the spirit of God comes powerfully on David nothing else changes for a long time David goes back out to the field. He continues to keep a sheet for we don't know how long but it could been years and I wonder if this point that David probably started thinking I wonder if Samuel really knew what he was talking about. I wonder if I am going to be the next king of Israel. but one day When the Israelites were at war with the Philistines David's father sends him from keeping the Sheep. He's not even a warrior and send him to the battle lines to check on his brothers to make sure that they're doing okay to bring them some food. Make sure they've got everything that they need. David Goes to the battle lines and while he's checking on his brother's he overhears the Philistine Champion Goliath come out from the ranks. And begin to defy not only his army and his King but is God as well. And he looks around and nobody is doing anything about it in the spirit of the Lord comes powerfully on David and he says I will go and fight that Philistine and he defeats Goliath and in that moment David, it's just transform from this no name Shepherd boy out in the countryside to the most famous warrior in the nation of Israel. He gets even more popular than the king. And here he is taken out of his father's household living in the Kings household. He's made a general and Saul's Army. He leads all of these battles and he is successful and he is easily the most popular person at this point. Everything is going great for David. You makes best friends with the King son Jonathan. He marries Saul's daughter. It's looking at this point things are going great for David at this point. Maybe he's like maybe Samuel didn't know what he's talking about. Maybe I will be the king of Israel after all he's in a good place for it. the guy that brought them to but then crisis Rears its ugly head. Saul becomes jealous of David and all of a sudden even though David is Faithfully serve soul. David unwittingly becomes Public Enemy Number One, and if you find yourself on the wrong end of the Kings ref. When you're just one person and he's got an entire Army looking for you. There's really only one thing that you can do. You can run. And that's exactly what David did his life everything good that it happened to him. It was completely taken away. It was gone. Your Snapchat Swindoll but said I like how he works if he says this David had a position and he lost it. He had a wife and he lost her. He had a wise counselor and Samuel and he lost him. He had a friend and Jonathan and he lost him. He had self-respect and he lost it not unlike Joe it hit him with such a back-to-back force that his head must have spun for hours and I'll remind you of that question. What do you do? When God doesn't show up for you and the way that you thought he would.

What do you do?

It can be easy for us to expect that if we are Christian and if we are walking Faithfully with God.

But everything's going to turn out, okay?

But it first Samuel chapter 22. It says this the David left gas and escaped to the cave of adullam. Now. This is one of those sentences that you can just tend to read past. Okay, let's get to the action. Let's get to the good stuff. But let's just stop on this for a moment. This is not even a verse it's half of a verse but it's represents a very significant point in David's life here this man who was at the top of the world almost literally at the time or the most powerful men in Israel one of the most well-respected and well life. He married the King's Daughter best friends with the King son. He was in And he finds himself all of a sudden living. as a caveman in a dark dreary cave

anybody ever been in a cave before?

Not fun. Not at not a place. It may be a place it be fun to visit and see but not somewhere that you'd want to live. Yeah, that's where David is.

Why?

Why? The question week. We always ask if the situations isn't is a question that Kelly flowers asked ever young preacher. Why in the world would God allow this? the Hat

we don't know the answer.

but you see there's something interesting that you notice and it's settling David story. But if you read it, you might start to see. how David ended up

You remember I told you the story about David and Goliath. When you look at David's life. when things start to go bad David previously had been that guy who was full of Faith. Listen to how he talks before he kills Goliath in first Samuel chapter 17 just it to compare David said to the Philistine you come against me with sword and Spear and Javelin but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty the god of the armies of Israel whom you have defied he continues he said this day the Lord will deliver you into my hands and I'll strike you down and cut off your head this very day. I will give the carcasses of the Philistine Army to the birds in the wild animals. The whole world will know that there is a God in Israel and he says again all those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord says for the battle is the Lord and He will give all of you into our hand Furious David standing before a giant all the soldiers behind him knocking their knees and he is confident he is bold. He is saying full of faith in God that God is going to give me the victory. Today yet when Saul turns his back on David and when he begins to threaten him and begin to kill him and things don't happen the way that David expect. We don't see the same kind of David using the same rhetoric and the same kind of words. In fact, we see a David who is scared who is on the Run? We see a David who is trying to manipulate things. Just in order to survive David does the same thing that you and I tend to do when things go badly in our life. We begin to question whether or not we can trust God after all. We begin to question. Oh, I don't know is God really going to deliver me? Is he really going to fulfill his promises is God really somebody I can trust David is not only running for his life. But he is running from the source of his life. He's running from the author of life. And how do I know that? There's a story in first Samuel chapter 21 where David goes. He's trying to find some help some support from somewhere because he's on the run from Saul and he goes to the Tabernacle of the Lord and he goes to the priest a guy by the name of a hemolytic and when he goes to Malik, he goes to him and he lies he lies several times to the priest. He says Hey soul is actually sent me on an urgent Mission and it was so urgent that I forgot my sword and I forgot to pack food and I forgot to do all of these things. Is there anything you have here that you can give me before I go out. realize animal like has no idea that there's anything going on between David and Saul is that a said David was saws General. He was trusted everybody like David if I thought saw like David, it's almost as well. Yeah, I mean it's kind of unorthodox. But yeah, I've got a sword here. It's actually Goliath's sword that for the Philistine that you killed so you can have that one and you can take some of this this bread and I'll provide for you as best. I can thought that he was doing so and serving the Lord's army. He said he's doing a favor.

But David is he?

They did live. David send against the Emily and sin always has consequences sin never produces the kind of righteousness that God desires. He was scared in that moment. And maybe you and I would have acted the same way. But what happens later? Is that Saul gets wind that the priest demilec help David out when he was on the run in fat one of Saul's attendance was there and saw him to let do this. So what it's called it saw in his paranoia thinks that there's a conspiracy going on at the whole priesthood decided with David. So he has them come before him. He accuses them of conspiracy and he kills every single member of the Priestly household and their families and destroys their City only one person survives and comes to David and tells him what's all has done. You know what David says he says. Thinking back to this time. He says, you know what i'm responsible. For the death of those priests. Sure Solace crazy ensure saw shouldn't have done what he had done, but I had a role to play because I lied and I deceived a trick. You see if you're trusting and got you don't have to lie. If you're trusting in God, you don't have to deceive you don't have to try to work things out towards your own in, but David was just reaching for anything because he wasn't sure that he could trust God anymore.

So he goes to the priest he goes to his friend. He goes to Samuel. He goes to the Philistines for crying out loud. He goes anywhere that he can trying to reach out for something to grab onto.

You see we do the same things. When we're not sure that we can trust God anymore.

The world in the devil will give us plenty of other things that we can reach out to. Plenty of things that we can live for.

Kelly flowers from our story earlier sadly she turned the drugs and alcohol.

But there are many other things that we could turn to. We can turn to the Comforts of this world. We can turn to our own relationships we can turn to food we can turn to money. We can hide ourselves in our work. We can live doing all of these things that aren't necessarily bad things on their own, but the problem is outwardly we can still look like a Christian we can still look like we are faithful person, but inwardly are arrow is pointing completely away from God. Do you know that it's possible for me to stand before you and preach sermons and be running from God. It's possible for me to write sermons during the week to to lead prayer and be running from God.

Where is your arrow pointing inwards? Are you are you living for him? Are you running from him resenting him? Because he did not answer your prayers or do things the way that you thought he should

in his book Pete Wilson writes this he says whatever you want for your life. If you're Christian, you may well have assumed God wanted it for you as well. You might not admit it even to yourself. But you were pretty sure God was going to sweep down and provide for you is only God could do the problem is what you assumed was not necessarily what happened. The question that we all have to wrestle with his who's in control. Of our lives and what happens we know what we would like to happen and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that our God is able to say the word. And make that happen.

But what happens when he doesn't? And when we resent him and when we run from him eventually the things that we run to are all going to run out. And that's the reason why David found himself in this cave. He had hit rock bottom.

But it's when he got to this point. That's when David realized something.

That's when he realized. That there was only one place. We could go. and in the cave David Price

in the cave David stops running from God And ask you praise he writes this prayer down. It becomes Psalm 142 with Seth Red 4s earlier. But I just want to read it again in the context of everything that we said because many of us know what it's like to be in that cave. This is this a mascot of David when he was in the cave a prayer. David says I cry aloud to the Lord. I lift up my voice to the Lord for Mercy. I pour out before him my complaint before him. I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me it is God who watch over my way. David says even though I was running from God. You were still watching over me protecting me Susan the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. Look and see no one is at my right hand. No one is concerned for me. David is by himself. He says I have no refuge. No one cares for my life. I cry to you Lord. I say you are my refuge my portion in the land of the living. Listen to My Cry for I am in desperate need rescue me from those who pursue me for they are too strong for me. Set Me Free from my prison That I may praise your name, then the right is will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

The after David is in this cave and he prays this prayer. I want to look back at first Samuel chapter 22 and see what happened because here's the cool thing David hits rock bottom, but he realizes something in that moment. God reminds him that he is not alone that not only is god with them. But there are other people who are going through very similar things that David is facing look at what it says in David left calf and escape to the cave of adullam when his brothers and his father's household heard about it. They went down to him there looks up there for second. These are the same brothers and father who didn't make much of David before the same older brother who said to David when he came out to the fact Goliath. Look at you. I know how Wicked your heart is your only coming down here to watch the battle. Detective Three Brothers who were at one time jealous with David the father who didn't think that David would ever amount to much but here they are because they are associated with David. They are in the same boat. Saul's not going I'll just go after David but he's going to go after his family. So they are in it with David and all of a sudden David is not alone anymore, but it doesn't just stop there. Look at what it says in verse to all those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him and he became their Commander about four hundred men or with him in this moment in this cave. David suddenly looks around because of God's grace and goodness and says, you know what? I'm not the only one who's having trouble with Saul. All these people my family all these people who were in debt. In discontented who were disillusioned with how saw was running the kingdom all of these people who were having problems with the current King came and surrounded David and all of a sudden no longer. Is he alone he is surrounded. a group of people 400 men strong

Now all the people that you might want gathered around you these are these may not be the ones. These are the people in debt. These are the people who were discontinued. This is probably a ragtag group at the very beginning, but do you know what's going to happen to these people? David's going to work with him and God by his spirit is going to work through them. And these are going to become the same people who won they would be David's Mighty Men.

All of them many of them Giants layers in their own, right?

What does that have to do with you and me?

Whenever we are in our cave experiences, whatever that might be for you.

We are tempted to isolate ourselves. Not only from God.

But especially if you belong to the church to isolate yourself from one another as well. Instead of sharing your struggles and your difficulties what we tend to do is we shouldn't to put on this mask. This is kind of Fake Plastic smile and come in and say oh Lord. I'm blessed today brother. How are you doing? When everything in reality is falling apart. And we isolate ourselves from people who are probably going through the same kind of struggles that we are that we could reach out and find straight to if only we would have the courage to admit and be open with the things that we struggle with. I think one of the reasons why God has given us the church. Its to remind us that even when we're going to the darkest seasons of our life that we are not alone. Have you lost someone who is dear to you? There are people here who have who are walking on that path and can walk along with you have you lost a job or financial? There are people who have struggled with those things. Have you gone through a divorce? There are people who have gone through that you going through any number of struggles of Hell struggle different there people who can love you and pray for you people who will not gossip about you and talk about you behind your back people who are not going to call each other after the service and say all can you believe that they said that or they did that or how can you those things kill the community in the church and we should not be a part of that. We should come together to talk to each other to encourage one another to build each other up because the reality is we all have the same problem. And we all recognize that God is our only solution.

And God can use us. To remind us that we aren't alone in this fight.

Why come here? But just cuz it's my job I could do other things if I want it.

But I get encouragement from you. I get strength from you. I know that you pray for me and I'll pray for you and there's there's nothing better that we can do for one another. and to come together as the body it support each other through these difficult times.

What's the lesson for us in this?

It's simply this and if you're taking notes, you can write this down your Bulletin. When running for your life run towards the author of life.

Those times when it gets hard or not the times to run away from him. Where else are you going to go? Who else has a solution for you? Who else is going to fix your problem? Nobody?

nobody when running for your life run towards the author of life.

and those things May be difficult though. They may be hard for a season.

I hope is that just like in David story that God will fulfill his promises to us that he will see us through.

Maybe there is some of you who are disappointed. the sermon today because I didn't answer the why question. Maybe you were thinking that this young preacher would have a better answer if he were sitting beside a young woman who just lost her baby in the hospital, but I'm not sure that I would.

But just because we don't know why God did something.

There are many reasons that are biblically accurate to say.

That God didn't allow this for certain reasons. Mr. A different way. Just because we don't know why God did something. It doesn't mean that we can find not find reasons that he didn't do it. You see those lies begin to tell her that that God is angry at us for something God is punishing us because we did so and so or this and that of the other Our God must be just disappointed with us. That's not why God allowed this to happen in David's life.

Looking at David's story. You're not suffering because God is punishing you. That's not necessarily the case. Maybe you sent it may be the reason you're in the situation is a direct relation to the consequences of your own actions. That is true. But that is not always the case. God doesn't work on this tit-for-tat system where you do good and he does good. Bible says that everything that he does everything that he allows in. Our life is designed to produce good for us to make us more like Jesus.

He hasn't forgotten about you. He hasn't abandon you he hasn't turned his back on you. If you look around this room, you can see just like David did.

You're not alone.

If you look at the cross of Jesus. Which is where I always Point people to end their suffering where I always am encouraged to go to. There was nobody in this earth who is better than Jesus. Nobody could live the perfect sinless life.

Jesus didn't deserve what he got. But the cross reminds us for those who are following in Jesus footsteps that God has not promised to save us from all trouble. in this lifetime

He's promised to save us through it.

So whether you're in the cave or on the Mountaintop keep walking the road that God has set out before you.

Because no matter whether you're in the Mountaintop for the valley no matter whether you're in the spotlight or in the cave.

That road is going to lead you home.

Would you play with me?

Father I thank you for the encouragement of your word. I thank you for stories like that of David. that encourages

That we're not alone in this.

There's anybody here who is running for me.

And I pray that you would encourage us to turn around. If there's anyone. who's here are not here who is running from this community running from the church running from this, rotary got a spray that you would help them to turn around as well.

Because there's there's nowhere else for us to go.

We can try to medicate we can try the Comfort ourselves and try to ease our problems, but you're the only solution. Father Dale don't we don't understand why. Help us to trust you. Give us that Faith the size of a mustard seed that faith that can move mountains. Give us the strength just to take another step each day towards you. Give us the strength to crawl if that's all we can do. But help us to hold on. Trust you. And to continue walking down this road. Ask all this in Jesus name. You staying with me Church? Max going to come up. He's going to lead us in one more song. If you're here today, and you need prayer for anything, maybe you find yourself in the cave. Maybe it has absolutely nothing to do with what we've talked about if you need prayer Damon and I will be up front will be happy to pray with you. Invite you to stay for the potluck. We're going to be eating some good food next door in just a few minutes. There's a leadership meeting after the potluck. So you're welcome to stay for that as well. I just want to continue to encourage you keep coming back. Keep keep trusting and God keep reaching out to people that you can trust don't go through this alone because you don't have to met the Lord bless and keep you Church.