Was That What He Really Said?

So I grew up in the Midwest and it was round the St. Louis area I was saved when I was 11 in a little town, you might have heard of it Cape Girardeau Missouri, right off the river. And I went to a fairly decent sized church, but it's Pastor really brought it that day and it just touched my heart so much to move me that point on to change my life forever. So I went forward at 11 ask Christ into my life and will shortly be baptized there after so, but got tied to use me and shake me a few times. In high school, he brought a great student, Pastor to me, and you wonder where I get my student Pastor leaning while they're the student. Pastor invested a lot of time in me. And that's where I Able to learn a lot about the ministry and that's by the time I was out and getting to be in my senior year of high school, I decided to devote my life to Ministry. I actually made a decision to disobey God, I'm I'm going to serve you, but I did have to get shaken another time while I was in college. I graduated from Southwest Baptist University. I thought of, you know, where that's at. And he Bolivar Missouri, little town, but some great folks there, but I didn't start off in Ministry. So that's the little bit of shaking part that I had to get done to my life and the god wakes you up really quick and certain situations and he did that. So I graduated with a youth ministry degree and also a minor in church Recreation that's really useful today, right? So but I did do that. I graduated and I also picked up a wife there and everybody knows. My, my wife Tabitha and I have two lovely. Kids, one is about to go back to school this next weekend, and the other one is, figuring out what she wants to do in the music industry in Branson Missouri. So, a lot to be said there, but this is our one year anniversary. And Idaho, it was this month that we moved up here last year, and I know things move quick. So I did want to actually offer my testimony because I know several of you haven't heard that. So but enough on my history, let's jump into the word. You should know. Before we do that, that I'm a big proponent of application. I'm also a big proponent of examples and illustrations in my youth know this, that I like to bring things in, I am personally official. Turner myself always have been and you know, I look at it from the standpoint Jesus use Parables you know to explain to the people some of the biblical principles that we we know and we love today. So that's what this illustration is going to be in. We'll get into that in just a minute but I assure you that it does apply to what we're going to be talking about in the word today. So we're going to be in 1st Samuel chapter 15. But before we do that, let's go to the Lord in prayer and then we'll get started. Father, we just thank you for this time. Lord that we have to share in your word to the other Lord. I just thank you for each and every person in life represented in this congregation today, Lord, I pray that you speak through my words today. Lord, let it not be me but you that's giving this a message today, Lord, and just allow my What's the touch? The hearts and minds of people, Lord, and Logan. Just, thank you that you watch over us. We thank you for your salvation. We thank you can take a person, a dirty person like me and just use them for your glory. And Lord, we just can't thank you enough for all the talents and things that we see gifted people with that, they're using throughout the Lord. And we just pray that we continue to do that and continue to search what you would have for us as a church and Lord in the days ahead be with us than our decision. And you are just allow the pastor and Pastor Jared and his family. Lord to find the right place that you want them to be more and we'll be just give you all the praise and glory in Jesus name. Amen. Is that really what he said? Now that some of you might be wondering what that is. You stand for God. So is that really what God Said? You know, we get our word and our message from God and our instructions from God, and of several different ways, one of them is in the actual scripture and they're the others are times where we get it through the holy spirit. So God gives us messages and should be giving us regular instructions on what he wants us to do and how he wants us to live. I don't know if anybody's have problem with this before. I must just seem to be me, but it. Whatever. I bought some technology products, sometimes I get them home and I look at these to get it open. Get it plugged up in stuff in it supposed to be automatic supposed to work. Great for you and inevitably something goes wrong. And I'm looking at this and then I'm trying to figure this out. Scratching my head banging my head against things and it says to call this one eight hundred number. So, what do I do? Okay, I'll I'll call that one. Eight hundred number. Alright, cutting. Call that 1-800 number, somebody answers and I go what? I got some problems. Troubleshooting, do you know? This is, I can't get my AC to work in that type of thing and then go

I'm going, okay, let your little heart that's why I'm getting transferred around. And finally, I end up somewhere overseas, where bless their souls, they're trying to speak English to me, and give me the instructions that I need to get this thing operating, but it just doesn't resonate with me. And I'm sitting there asking them to repeat themselves, several times before I can get the instructions to actually get my product online and working the way it's supposed to. Well, that's not the way. God speaks very clearly in a way that we can understand. So you can know that if God is talking to you, you're going to understand what he wants you to do understand those instructions. And that's going to be what we're going to be talking about in 1st Samuel, today, 1st, Samuel, 15. But I said, I promise that I got up here and I'm Sorry for so many Hoops, but I know that it's it's going to tie into this lesson. Well, I don't know if there's a lot of people that like to cook in here. Now, my wife and I are notoriously. We don't like to cook. All right. Just lay it out there. We don't like to cook. All right. Now, we will dabble in baking every once in a while when we have a craving and you know, occasionally I get the craving for one of my favorite recipes so I brought that in today and I started making it last night. So one of my favorite recipes is the Nestle Toll House. Chocolate chip recipe, OK Google. Most everybody in here has either made tasted or or at least knows what the Nestle Toll House. Chocolate chip recipe is okay. Well I started making it last night and I got it mixed up here on this table here. So I started doing this number Mixing all the ingredients and you see it looks pretty good in here. In fact, it looks almost edible and here, but I didn't decide last night. It was my great idea that I could possibly make something a little better than, Nestle, Toll House and that time that tested recipe. So what I did is I will let you know what I think I'm going to do is I'm going to leave out one of the key ingredients. So I left out the key ingredient of brown sugar. So, there is no brown sugar in there. This is all the rest of the recipe but there's no brown sugar in that recipe at all. Now you guys are laughing. Probably because one of them couple things can happen. Why you make that nothing can be the ultimate disaster on the pan as it spreads out and tries to bake and the second thing is it might be edible but it made I'll be very tasty. It definitely isn't the Nestle Toll House. Chocolate chip recipe, right? Why? Because I left out the key ingredient. I left out some of the instructions to make that particular recipe the way. We know it and love it so it is just not the same. So to kind of put this in another way, as we're kind of wrapping this around, spiritually getting prepared for the scripture whenever we change modified correct. Add to God's instructions for us. It is not the same. You know, you know, I may have made something like I said, that's edible here. But without the brown sugar in it. It is not going to be the same recipe as we know and love.

Nope, and God is expecting us when he gives us Specific Instructions. God is expecting us to do those Specific Instructions, the way he asked us to do it. Another way to put it. Partial obedience in this one, might hurt a little bit more. Partial obedience to God's instructions is not obedience.

Now I think we're set up and finally ready to get dive into the work. So if you want to turn with me we're in 1st Samuel. I'm just lost my glasses. So all right on my head right where I can't find them. Okay so let's turned over its first Samuel and dive into the word, okay? So, this is starting and the first of the chapter and yes, I used a story today. I think we get sometimes a little glassy-eyed with stories of the Bible because we've learned them as a young age. But then we weren't kind of old enough to grasp all the the meaning and depth out of them. So this is a good way to get back into that. So this is having to do you salt coarse? So, we're going to read the first three verses here. Samuel told Saul the Lord sent me to anoint you as king over his people Israel. Now, listen to the words of the Lord, this is what the lord of army says eyewitness. What the amalekites did to the Israelites when they opposed them along the way as they were coming out of Egypt. Now, go and attack the amalekites and completely destroy everything they have do not spare them kill men women infants, nursing babies, oxygen cheap camels and All right, so here we got to set up. We've got our characters, we got our instructions God since the sific instructions, which is my first point. By the way. God sends us, specific instructions and God sent Specific Instructions to Samuel to give to Saul K. Now, our main characters saw our Samuel will start with Samuel, K Samuel was. The last judge of Israel. All right. He was the last judge of Israel and it was given to him because of some complaints made by the nation of Israel. Oh we want a king. We want to be like everybody else. We want the prestige. We want somebody to represent us. We want that, and God tried to dissuade them, but they still pressed forward. So God says Samuel. I want you to anoint, this man named Saul, so Samuel finds Saul Saul is a common man. Never noticed that. God uses just common people more than often than not to do his work because have anything outstanding about him. In fact, there's only one thing that I saw stand out about Saul in the Bible was that he was a head and shoulders above his other fellow Israelite. But otherwise he's coming from a farming family. And that's wanting to use him. God shows saw and so Samuel. Anoints saw as the first king of Israel, now saw was trying to set up his throne, set up his kingdom. He's got a lot of work ahead of him as the first king. Write. A lot of things to do. No pressure, right? All right. Well, he's got instructions that have been from way back. When because you might be thinking, okay, why does God want the amalekites completely destroyed? That does not seem like it all. Will you have to understand who the amalekites were and you have to understand who God is. God is also as much loving as he is just And God took a look at the malachite took. A look at their hearts took a look at what they did to Israel. And he said, no, this can't happen. So I want you to completely wipe them out. So take a look and do a jump back by the way, but we are going to jump a little bit back in the story. So you get the little bit of the history behind this actual request. and it goes back to Deuteronomy 25, if you want to follow along first 17, Let's remember what the amalekites did to you on the journey after you left Egypt. They met you on the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind. When you were tired and weary, oh, look at this next statement, they did not fear God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from the enemies around you in the land, the Lord, your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance blocked out the memory of amalek under Heaven, do not forget. So here we got the Israel, just generation after generation passing, this down that God had promised to get rid of these nuisances because amalek had had no mercy, they were a thorn in the side to Israel. And they settled down in the southern part, this is where, where they're from. But anyways, going back to the story. So, receives the message now, It's all going to get the message and we're going to see what he does with it. But one thing to note, is that solving have any questions. There was nothing in response that said saw misunderstood what he was giving an instructions. So let's move on, we're going to jump back to our scripture and starting verse for

Does them fall summon the troops and counted them until M, two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men from Judah. Pokemon the series city of animal that can set up an ambush in the Wadi, he warned the kenites since you showed kindness to all the Israelites, when they came out of Egypt, go on and leave get away from me or I'll sweep you away with them. So the kenites withdrew from the malachite then salt struck down the amalekites from havilah all way too sure. Which this which is next to Egypt and both. Those are in southern region of the Promised Land. He captured king agag of amalek alive but he completely destroyed all the rest of the people with the sword Saul. And the truth Spirit a guide, the best of the sheep goats, cattle and choice animals, as well as the young Rams and the best of everything else, they were not willing to destroy them, but they just did destroy all the worthless and unwanted things. All right, well I'm outside of things. If you take a look back, anybody looking from the outside-in, you say saw them pretty good job. Then he came in he got most of the instructions, right?

What about that? King that you saved? And you're probably wondering why, why didn't you just kill the king? Well, in that time? Kings and Nations that conquered other nations, it was kind of common for them to save the king as an example, and it would stand out as their Victory and they could parade them around, they could do different things, but they saved the king back. You note for that, that example and showing their Victorious time in battle that they had against this other nation. That could be the reason here, but that's just speculation. So, there's that's not the important thing to hold on to hear. But you didn't notice that, he did Save the King back, and he did save the choice cattle back, where those a part of God's instructions? No. Well, in a way they were because they destroy everything. Okay? You didn't say to stay then ething and it was also common in that time when you got and you were the Victorious Nation, you got the plunder out of it, you got to say the best of everything. So here we see saws probably had a lot of influence from his people, wanting to save back. Some of the choice things for their hard work in the battle but Here, you got to understand that. It's all did not carry out. God's instruction. Believe me, 2.2. God expects us to be the part of his ultimate plan. Hey. Expected Saul to carry through his instruction. He's been waiting to this point in history and we came to the point in history, where God said, now it is time. I want you Saul to destroy the amalekites. He's inviting us all to be a part of this ultimate plan that God has, you know, for us today. God gives us instructions and God gives us instructions pacifically to do to carry out, and he expects us to follow those instructions, but it's kind of should be our pleasure pleasure and privilege to be a part of God's expectations in God's history. He's getting together history, and he's asking us to join him. On this particular plan to get this accomplished.

Install was the man for the job. Cuz they were settling in as a nation. Now, they got a king and God called on stall and he expect him to carry out his plan. But Fall didn't do it so now we're going to see what God's response is so moving on 10 through 15. That's been the word came to Samuel. I regret that. I made Saul King fries, turned away from following me, and is not carried out my instructions. So Samuel became angry and cried out to the Lord all night. Early in the morning, Samuel got up to confront Saul but it was reported to Samuel that salt, went down to Carmel where he did, what he set up a monument for himself. Then he turned around and went down to gilgal when Samuel came to him. So said, the Lord bless you, I have carried out the Lord's instructions.

Samuel replied. Then what is the sound of sheep goats and cattle that I hear? Saul answered the troops, brought those them from the amalekites and spared the best sheep, goats and cattle in order to offer a sacrifice to the Lord your God. But the rest we destroy. I don't know about you, but I see a few problems here with salt logic. And you know, we take a look at this and we got it back up to God's response because God responds to disappearance, which is my third Point, God response, Disobedience. And this this was what it opened up with, is the word of the Lord came to Samuel. I regret. I made Saul. King, let means God made a mistake in putting Saul's. King, no. God does not make mistakes God appointed Saul for a specific time, and a purpose. And that was the man for the job. The problem is we can be the man or the woman for the job, but still not get God's instructions. Done and done correctly. Why? Because we have free, will we have free choice? We don't always listen. Very well, do we? Sometimes we see things through our own lenses. Salt was seeing things through his online that he's interpreting God's instructions to his own own lenses because he was a people pleaser.

He wanted everybody to praise him to look on him fairly.

But he got God's instructions and he looked on him and said, well, there's got to be a way I can, please everybody. So I'll give a little bit to God. I'll give a little bit to the people. And everybody will be happy.

Well. God's, not really happy here. And you can tell cuz he said he regretted making Saul King. In fact, Samuel got angry and he cried out to the Lord all night. You noticed that why would Samuel be mad and upset?

Well. If you just kind of imagined in, Reverse it in my place or in any pastors place as we've invested in his vested and put time into our congregation are a people and then we go out and we see them totally mess up their lives.

We're going.

That is very upsetting. Is it brains you? Takes a hit on you.

And Samuels feeling that right now. Samuels apart, he was a spiritual leader for saw He felt invested install. Should I spend time with self? I anointed him as king. Now, he takes God's instructions and does this.

Yelp. I wonder sometimes if we see things through our own lenses, We take God's instructions and it's very clear what God is trying to say to us. It's very clear what our mission and task is. But we see things through our lenses and we do, oh my gosh. I got this, this on the calendar, this on the calendar, I just can't do it. I don't have time.

Really you're putting putting. On hold.

you know, sometimes we make modifications

To God's instructions on what we're supposed to be doing.

And a good example of this is what if God's telling you, you know, I want you to go down to that hospital over there and I want you to visit this person's been in the hospital while I want you to go to the nursing home. This person that's been in there a while.

And we kind of pull us all here. And we go, you know, I got this. You know what? My calendar is booked right now, but I'll send them a card. I'll care enough to send the very best with the Hallmark.

Or how about that person? That needs a hand on the street? You know, you've seen them out of the corner of your eye. You've seen them. They need help. Or maybe they were going to ask for help.

And you go, you know what, I got this guy. I'll call my Deacon or the pastor that way if that get into spiritual conversation, that would be better off to handle that.

Or how about this? The church needs help serving with the children serving on a committee.

You're going. I don't know about that. That requires that big c word called commitment. I don't understand the definite commitment. I don't think I can do that. You know what? God I got this. How about? I throw an extra 20 in the offering plate.

Maybe that'll make up for it. Friends. There's no substitute for obedience. You know, 10% obedience to God's instructions is not acceptable. 50%. Of doing what God Said, and his instructions is not acceptable. 90% of following the instructions is not acceptable and 99%. I'm following God's. Instructions is not acceptable. God requires 100% obedience to his instructions. There is no substitute. There's nothing you can offer in as a substitute. Well, we seen what salted? Saul chose to not follow, all of God's instructions and we see what kind of character is. As he gets set up a monument for himself in Carmel. Whose victory was this and saw you pulled it out? Or was it God's Victory and you set up a monument for yourself? Can you see the arrogance and saw? Then you see the, the self-righteousness and saw and the self-centeredness

This is who we saw was. But you know what? We can tend to have those same characteristics at times, can't we? Let's move on to last one. 16 through 23 let's see what Samuel did when he caught up with saw. Stop streaming on Samuel explained. Let me tell you what? The Lord said to me last night, tell me you replied. You can almost see the arrogance in that reply. Family continued, although you once considered yourself unimportant, have you not become the leader of the tribes of Israel. The Lord anointed you as king over Israel and then sent you on a mission and said, going completely, destroy the sinful amount of kites fight against them until you and I laid in them. So why didn't you obey the Lord? Why did you rush on the plunder and do what was evil in the Lord's Side? Sol's response but I did obey the Lord that's seeing through your lenses. I went on a mission, the lord it's giving me. I brought back king agag of ambulance and I completely destroy the amalekites. The troops took the troops took the Sheep goats and cattle from the plunder. The best of what was set apart for Destruction to sacrifice the Lord, your God to gilgal. Then Samuel said does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as obeying the Lord look to obey is better than sacrifice. Pay attention is better than the fat of Rams for Rebellion is the sin of divination and Defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king You know, that statement from Samuel that probably stripped Saul's Pride all off. You can see that hitting him Square in the eyes as Samuel says this to him, you just lost your kingdom.

Oh, and did he? Well, it doesn't seem like it came very quick. But if you remember Saul's rain, it got really tormented with after this for him. And by the way, was any of his family on the throne? After this? No.

Saw lost a lot. Because of this pride is self-centeredness his arrogance and his failure to follow God's instructions.

You know, we may see this as something that, you know, what, this is just a character from the Old Testament. Now, this doesn't really happen. I guarantee you really happens. Good Deeds back in his face.

But I I didn't do all of this guy but I'll I'll throw in something that I can give you. That's what's all they did.

So did that said the troops? They've these back and we're saved the best to sacrifice to the Lord your God.

That didn't make up for the fact that God said, completely destroy everything.

and if you remember history correctly, malachite's weren't completely done here. Even David had to deal with him. you know, when we don't do our job, At work.

we get yelled at There's sometimes there's a lot more consequences than we want.

And you don't get God's instructions correctly, there's a lot more consequences than we can match it. In the nation of Israel, paid for that. for several years down after that,

The good deed. You know. Maybe God's not calling you overseas some mission service. Maybe he's not calling you up here as a pastor. Maybe he's doesn't want you to do that particular sort of service, but maybe he's just simply wanting you to come alongside Maybe he's got instructions for you for your own neighborhood, your own community. Maybe he's just saying I want you to come with me and join with this church because you'll be able to free you up to do a lot more things within the church. It allow you to get involved, get invested in God's Ministry. Maybe membership is the thing that you need may be praying for the church. You haven't been praying for the church. The church needs prayer and the church needs prayer for this church now more than ever.

Maybe it's hiding hard to give. How is God gifted you? With the things that he's giving you and how have you using it? Used it. I think many people around that have used their talents and gifts for the Lord and praise the Lord for that.

That's a blessing. But the church cannot function without people kicking in and doing what God called them to do. Using those gifts and talents for God's glory.

You're a child of God today. You may not be rejected but maybe your unusable by God.

maybe you've been modifying God's instructions, so long or not paying attention to God's instructions so long that you're just completely unusable

That doesn't mean you're not safe, but it does mean to me, doesn't mean that you need to get right with him.

I'm going to close.

Some of us need to get right with God. Some of us need to start doing exactly what God instructed us to do.

Now, for those of you that don't know Christ, as your personal savior, this wasn't really targeted at you message. Wasn't really one for you but this can be very applicable to you today. You can enjoy God's blessings today. You can walk away and have a changed life forever by giving your heart and Life to him today. This could be a very different day for you.

Maybe you just need to pray and get your heart right with him today. But I can tell you this will open the altar open, but I'm going to tell you if you need to ask Christ in your life, walking this isle is not going to save you. Getting dunked in that tank over there, is not going to save you. Saving saying some words that have you repeat is not necessarily going to save you. What's going to stay to use? When it comes to your two here and your heart changes and you ask Christ in your life and it shows your life is going to be different.

And you know, which one I I see the most that hurts. Your Mama and Daddy's faith is not going to carry you.

You are responsible for you only, you can make a decision. Christ.

I'm going to ask Tanner if you. Would come. We're going to pray. I'm going to leave the altar open. You can come make a decision. You'll have to make it up here. You can make it right where you're at. You can come come, pray. You can come speak with me. You know, the options are open.

But I tell you this, don't leave this those doors today. If you're in a wrong situation with God, maybe you're you're fine. Not all this does not apply to you and you're the saying I follow God's instructions perfectly and we're on. Good terms, hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Keep on.

But if you're not today, don't leave those doors without doing business with him. The prank father. I just thank you for the day. I thank you for your word Lord. I Thank you for this example that we have and saw and we can see it. And in his life Lord and you provide these examples to show us the wrong way and you show us your heart through these examples. Bored. You wanted us all to follow those instructions but he didn't do it. Or do you want to ask to follow those instructions? But only we can determine whether we've done that.

Today, if there's somebody in here that doesn't know you personally as their savior. I pray that they do business with you today. Lord guide our hearts and God.