Connect 4Connect 4

Unflinching

Last Week:Last Week:

If you show If you show What God did not growWhat God did not grow

It won't lastIt won't last

(Connect to God 4 Fruit)(Connect to God 4 Fruit)

As we begin a new year…As we begin a new year…

- Changing weather patterns- Changing weather patterns

- Superbug- Superbug

- CDC- CDC

- Russia's Nuclear Material- Russia's Nuclear Material

- Collapsing Economy- Collapsing Economy

- No safe place…!- No safe place…!

- Lump…heart…mind- Lump…heart…mind

- Distracted Drivers and Lost Jobs- Distracted Drivers and Lost Jobs

- People will turn on us- People will turn on us

- Friends can stab us in the back- Friends can stab us in the back

- - Spouses cheatSpouses cheat

You have You have every reasonevery reason

To be anxious, fearfulTo be anxious, fearfulUpset, depressedUpset, depressed

As a believer:As a believer:

You should be the most realistic You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earthperson on the face of the earth

As a believer:As a believer:

You should be the most realistic You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earthperson on the face of the earth

AND…the most hopeful and AND…the most hopeful and Full of lifeFull of life

Dancing on the TitanicDancing on the Titanic

How?How?

David…David…

- A nobody sheep-keeper- A nobody sheep-keeper

David…David…

- Anointed, but not appointed- Anointed, but not appointed

David…David…

- Despised and laughed at- Despised and laughed at

David…David…

- A hated hero- A hated hero

David…David…

- On the run…and it - On the run…and it nevernever ends! ends!

David…David…

- A man of promise…living in exile- A man of promise…living in exile(Ziklag)(Ziklag)

David is a David is a HeroHero to his men to his men

Surrounded by misfitsSurrounded by misfitsAnd malcontentsAnd malcontents

Who become "Mighty Men"Who become "Mighty Men"Under his leadershipUnder his leadership

David and his Fighting Men…David and his Fighting Men…

Called to go to warCalled to go to warfor the Philistinesfor the Philistines

Then sent home…to ZiklagThen sent home…to Ziklag

David and his men reached Ziklag David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the on the third day. Now the

Amalekites had raided Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag.the Negev and Ziklag.

They had attacked Ziklag and They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive burned it, and had taken captive

the women and all who were in it, the women and all who were in it, both young and old. both young and old.

They killed none of them, but They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on carried them off as they went on

their way.their way.

When David and his men came to When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and fire and their wives and sons and

daughters taken captive.daughters taken captive.

So David and his men wept aloud So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength until they had no strength

left to weep.left to weep.

You've been here!You've been here!"It never ends!""It never ends!"

All of it all at onceAll of it all at onceComes flooding back…Comes flooding back…

David was David was greatly distressedgreatly distressed because the men were talking of because the men were talking of

stoning him; each one was bitter stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his in spirit because of his

sons and daughterssons and daughters

Lower than lowLower than lowSorrow upon sorrowSorrow upon sorrow

The very guys you'd turn toThe very guys you'd turn toHave turned on youHave turned on you

As a believer:As a believer:

You should be the most realistic You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earthperson on the face of the earth

AND…the most hopeful and AND…the most hopeful and Full of lifeFull of life

You were made to see clearlyYou were made to see clearlyExperience fullyExperience fully

Yet face unflinchingly andYet face unflinchingly andLive hopeful and freeLive hopeful and free

What could he do about it?What could he do about it?

- Walk away- Walk away

- Get toasted- Get toasted

- Become self-obsessed and- Become self-obsessed andRecount the unfairness of itRecount the unfairness of it

To anyone who'd listenTo anyone who'd listen

- Say to his guys, - Say to his guys, "It's not that "It's not that bad!"bad!"

When faced with ProblemsWhen faced with ProblemsPain, TroublePain, Trouble

- Distraction- Distraction- Deception- Deception

- Disagreement- Disagreement

DistractionDistraction

- Entertainment- Entertainment- Food and Drink- Food and Drink

- Drugs (legal and illegal)- Drugs (legal and illegal)- Hobbies- Hobbies

- Fitness- Fitness

What's the problem with this?What's the problem with this?

DeceptionDeception

Rationalize safety and Rationalize safety and Build bubbles of protectionBuild bubbles of protection

- Neighborhood- Neighborhood- Eating habits- Eating habits

- Workouts- Workouts

Deceiving ourselves/IdolatryDeceiving ourselves/Idolatry

DisagreementDisagreement

"They'd never cheat on me""They'd never cheat on me""Cancer doesn't run in my family…""Cancer doesn't run in my family…"

"My neighborhood is safe""My neighborhood is safe""America will always be strong""America will always be strong"

Doesn't change the truthDoesn't change the truth

For David…For David…The worst The worst hashas happened happened

For some of us…For some of us…

What do we do?What do we do?

……the men were talking of the men were talking of stoning him;stoning him;

ButBut David strengthened himself in David strengthened himself in the LORD his Godthe LORD his God

Where do you find Strength?Where do you find Strength?Direction?Direction?

Peace?Peace?Solace?Solace?

The Source is always GodThe Source is always God

- - People can help, but…People can help, but…People will fail youPeople will fail you

- You'll come to the end of- You'll come to the end ofYour own strengthYour own strength

- Only God heals your heart- Only God heals your heart

But you, O Lord, But you, O Lord, are a are a shieldshield about me, about me,

my my glory,glory, and and the lifter of my headthe lifter of my head

- Psalm 3:3- Psalm 3:3

But But nothingnothing has changed has changedFor DavidFor David

Except his directionExcept his directionAnd his strengthAnd his strength

Not Catharsis/Feel-GoodismNot Catharsis/Feel-Goodism

- David takes action- David takes action

- Seeks God for direction- Seeks God for direction

- Pursues and wins back- Pursues and wins backThe women and childrenThe women and children

As a believer:As a believer:

You should be the most realistic You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earthperson on the face of the earth

AND…the most hopeful and AND…the most hopeful and Full of lifeFull of life

Because he seeks God…Because he seeks God…His Heart is kept softHis Heart is kept soft

David and the six hundred men David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Ravine, with him came to the Besor Ravine, where some stayed behind, for two where some stayed behind, for two

hundred men were too exhausted hundred men were too exhausted to cross the ravine. to cross the ravine.

But David and four hundred men But David and four hundred men continued the pursuit.continued the pursuit.

David fought them from dusk until David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day…the evening of the next day…

David recovered everything the David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken…Nothing Amalekites had taken…Nothing

was missing: young or old, boy or was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they girl, plunder or anything else they

had takenhad taken

Then David came to the two Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too hundred men who had been too

exhausted to follow him and who exhausted to follow him and who were left behind were left behind

at the Besor Ravine.at the Besor Ravine.

They came out to meet David and They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and the people with him. As David and

his men approached, his men approached, he greeted them.he greeted them.

But all the evil men and But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s troublemakers among David’s

followers said, followers said,

“Because they did not go out with “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the us, we will not share with them the

plunder we recovered. However, plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and each man may take his wife and

children and go”children and go”

David replied,David replied,“No, my brothers, you must not do “No, my brothers, you must not do that with that with what the Lord has given what the Lord has given

us. us. He has protected us and handed He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that over to us the forces that

came against us…came against us…

It comes from GodIt comes from GodIt belongs to GodIt belongs to God

To do with itTo do with itWhat would honor GodWhat would honor God

The share of the man who stayed The share of the man who stayed with the supplies with the supplies is to be the sameis to be the same

as that of him who went down to as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” the battle. All will share alike.”

David made this a statute and David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from ordinance for Israel from

that day to thisthat day to this- 1 Samuel 30- 1 Samuel 30

When God is involvedWhen God is involvedThere is NO ROOM for bitternessThere is NO ROOM for bitterness

Or RetributionOr Retribution

Bitterness, Revenge, RetributionBitterness, Revenge, Retribution

Causes greater stressCauses greater stressClouds judgmentClouds judgment

Influences actionsInfluences actionsLeads to regretLeads to regret

Could it be…?Could it be…?

That we might refuse to seek GodThat we might refuse to seek God

Because we don't want to give upBecause we don't want to give upOur right to BitternessOur right to Bitterness

Anger and Victimhood?Anger and Victimhood?

I put myself hereI put myself hereAnd I like my anger And I like my anger And my victimhoodAnd my victimhood

Welcome to my Prison Welcome to my Prison

Forgive Forgive just asjust as God in Christ God in Christ forgave youforgave you

Believers ought to be Believers ought to be the most the most realistic people on earth: realistic people on earth:

Life is short- it won't lastLife is short- it won't last

It involves great triumphsIt involves great triumphsAndAnd terrible trouble terrible trouble

Believers ought to be Believers ought to be the most the most Free and Full of Life: Free and Full of Life:

NOTHING takes God by surpriseNOTHING takes God by surprise

Believers ought to be Believers ought to be the most the most Free and Full of Life: Free and Full of Life:

Because of Jesus…Because of Jesus…Victory is certainVictory is certain

All that's left are the daily battlesAll that's left are the daily battles

All that's left are the daily battlesAll that's left are the daily battles

And our Commander is PresentAnd our Commander is PresentFor every single one of themFor every single one of them

"Shield, Glory, Lifter of your Head""Shield, Glory, Lifter of your Head"

The Lie:The Lie:

You can protect yourselfYou can protect yourselfAgainst pain, hurt, trouble, trialAgainst pain, hurt, trouble, trial

The Truth:The Truth:

Bad things will happenBad things will happenBut God is greaterBut God is greater

The Lie:The Lie:

You can't start livingYou can't start livingUntil you get past/over "this"Until you get past/over "this"

The Truth:The Truth:

Today is all you haveToday is all you haveGod meant for you to live NOWGod meant for you to live NOW

David strengthened himselfDavid strengthened himselfIn the Lord his GodIn the Lord his God

The Lie:The Lie:

You can distract, rationalize, You can distract, rationalize, Disagree your way out of pain/hurtDisagree your way out of pain/hurt

The Truth:The Truth:

None of it changes lifeNone of it changes lifein the real worldin the real world

Connect to God 4:Connect to God 4:

- Strength- Strength - Wisdom - Wisdom

- Action- Action- Healing- Healing

Where am I struggling?Where am I struggling?

Have I attached blame?Have I attached blame?

Become bitter?Become bitter?

Told God what I wantTold God what I wantWithout hearing what he desires? Without hearing what he desires?

David strengthened himselfDavid strengthened himselfin the Lord in the Lord his Godhis God

Seek God in his WordSeek God in his Word

Pray with an attitude of surrenderPray with an attitude of surrender

Worship who he is- regardless of Worship who he is- regardless of What you're experiencingWhat you're experiencing

As a Church:As a Church:

40/7 Begins in February40/7 Begins in February