154- Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should (Sandy Adams)

[00:00:00] Welcome to Strength for Todays Pastor, Conversations with Current Senior Pastors and Leaders which will strengthen and help you in your pastoral ministry. And now, here's your host, Bill Holdridge of Pointe Ministers. Welcome to Punk House Number 154 of Strength for Todays Pastor.

[00:00:29] So today I'm going to do something I do occasionally. I'm going to replay a message that I recently heard. This one was powerful. It was from Sandy Adams at the Calvary Chapel Association International Pastors Conference in Southern California just last week, actually.

[00:00:46] In the message, Sandy posed the question or made the statement, just because you can, doesn't mean you should. It was a powerful lesson from the life of David so pertinent to pastures. And as typical, it was an epic message from Sandy Adams of Calvary Chapel Stone Mountain, Georgia.

[00:01:10] So without any further delay here is Pastor Sandy. This morning I'd like to talk about a transformative moment from the life of David that I believe teaches us much about power and authority.

[00:01:23] I want to read four verses to set the stage and then we'll go through the chapter verse by verse. Verse 9, you'll chapter 24, verse 3. So he came to the sheepfolds by the road where there was a cave and saw an end to it tend to his needs.

[00:01:44] David and his men were staying in the recesses of the cave. Then the minute of David said to him, this is the day of which the Lord said to you, behold I will deliver your enemy into your hand that you may do to him as it seems good

[00:02:00] to you. And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Now it happened afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe. And he said to his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord's annoying.

[00:02:21] To stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. Father in heaven, we thank you for your word. It is a lamp into our feet and a light into our path.

[00:02:37] In this morning Lord we pray that we could be the kind of leaders that our great God desires and that the blood bought body of Christ deserves. Lord help us now in the strong name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

[00:02:57] On April 15, 1947, an image filled in Brooklyn, the Dodgers squared off with the brave zone opening day. Playing first base for Brooklyn was the first black man to ever play a big league baseball game. Jackie Roosevelt Robinson went hitless that day, but Brooklyn won five to three.

[00:03:19] That same night, a Jewish family on 50th street in Brooklyn was celebrating the Passover Sator. When the youngest son asked the ancient Sator question, why is this night unlike every other night? Before his father could answer the little boy spoke up because today a black man is

[00:03:40] playing baseball in the major leagues. Though it seemed like just another opening day, April 15, 1947 proved to be a water shed event in our nation's history. So much so that when my eight-year-old grandson Theo chose his number this year for

[00:04:02] his little league team, he didn't choose number 14, his grandpa's old number like he had done before. No, he chose Jackie Robinson's 42. Imagine, 76 years after the fact a white kid from the south thought of a black player as his hero.

[00:04:23] My point is not all transformative moments appear as significant when they happen as they turn out to be. On the surface here, first Samuel 24 was just a chance encounter. David's men saw it as a missed opportunity to rid themselves of their tormentor soul.

[00:04:43] In their eyes, it was David's failure, not even to at best cowardice at worse. But in heavenly places and in the heart of God, what went on in that cave impacted God's kingdom forever, David exhibits real faith. He refuses to grab what only God can give.

[00:05:08] He shows keen insight into spiritual leadership and he proves that he can wield power for he knows where it comes from and he knows how to handle it. I'd like to start at the story's endpoint.

[00:05:24] In his little book, a tale of three kings, author Jean Edwards, he wraps up since a currents in the cave by drawing the following conclusion. That night, men went to bed on cold wet stone and muttered about their leaders distorted massacistic views of relationships to kings.

[00:05:44] But angels went to bed that night too, entrained in the afterglow of that rare rare day that God might yet be able to give his authority to a trustworthy vessel. And that cave David proved that he could be trusted with power and with authority.

[00:06:04] Here's my question for Calre Chapel pastors in these difficult days. Not can we trust God but can God trust us with the spiritual authority that he wants to give us? Of course, David was not the first king of Israel, that would be Saul and yet how quickly

[00:06:24] Saul's kingdom crumbled. God rejected Saul as king when he disobeyed him in his battle with the Amalachites. And in his place, God chose a most unlikely candidate. Saul was a physical specimen. The Bible tells us he was heading shoulders above all the men of Israel.

[00:06:45] But God doesn't see things as human-seize things. Saul looked the part of a king, but God looks at the heart. And God sent his prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse, to anoint his king the run of

[00:07:01] the litter, a rare red-headed Jew, a shepherd boy, fresh from the fields, a kid named David. And for the next 15 years those Saul settled on Israel's throne, God's bullpin was warm and ready, David waited in the wings. Did Saul like this arrangement? No way.

[00:07:24] For as Saul, without God's blessing, declined in stature and popularity, David with God's hand on his life, he prospered. Everything David touched, succeeded. As Saul's kingdom dissolved, David's star plumbed higher and grew brighter. Saul became jealous. His kingdom wasn't big enough for two kings.

[00:07:47] Three times Saul tried to spear David to death with a flying jablin. Even after David fled Saul's court and escaped to the wilderness, Saul wasn't content jealousy. My friends is a powerful motivator.

[00:08:02] David hid in the cave of a dueling while a craze saw a comb of the negative, chasing David like a wild animal. Saul's army five times the size of David's band of fugitives ignored their natural enemies of the Philistines to pursue one of their own countrymen.

[00:08:19] Saul almost caught David in the wilderness of Mayon, the God distracted the king with a pestering Philistine thread. Realize we call these years David's pre-keying days but that's not what David called them. When he and they were just David's days, long days, hard days, dark days, brutal days,

[00:08:45] days, David thought would never end. And that's where we begin Chapter 24 verse 1. Now it happened when Saul had returned from following the Philistines that it was told him saying, take note, David is in the wilderness of in getting.

[00:09:03] Saul took 3,000 chosen men from all Israel and went to seek David in his men on the rocks of the wild goats. And if you've been Israel, you've been here, the oasis of ingetty, the spring of the goats.

[00:09:20] Even today the eye backs, the mountain goats, still roam the limestone cliffs and eat the trash left into parking lot. I love visiting ingetty. Oh my, bull rushes twisting in the breeze, the streams me andering over the rocks.

[00:09:38] These really kids splashing in the refreshing pools ice cream sandwiches at the welcome center. I love the oasis of ingetty. And so did David. I'm sure many of his idioms of worship came from his times there as the deer pants for the water brooks.

[00:10:00] He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me on high places. Leave me to the rock that is higher than I. And it was in the cave ingetty that David in his men sought refuge from Saul.

[00:10:15] And so Saul came to the sheepfools by the road where there was a cave and Saul went into a tent to his knees. David in his men were staying in the recesses of the cave. General translations put it. He went in to relieve himself.

[00:10:33] It means Saul stopped for a party break. You know, in ancient times, constipation was known as the curse of kings. A monarch's rich food, coupled by the stress of his job made this a common ailment among the royalty.

[00:10:50] We'll give in his purpose the body guards would have been excused to solve duck into the cave to do his business. Becoming out of the bright sunshine of ingetty into that dark subterranean cave, I'm sure that he couldn't see much past his own nose.

[00:11:06] Quickly Saul threw off his outer garment, peeled back his underwear and he did his business. David may have been only a few yards away now. Saul's grunts probably drowned out the whispers he could have heard. I'm sure David's lookouts had seen Saul's caravan hoping to evade them.

[00:11:31] He had ordered everyone into the back recesses of the cave. Who would have imagined that Saul's entourage would have stopped right in front of the particular cave that David and his men occupied? Talk about drama. David's army is surprised.

[00:11:51] Surely God is now delivered their enemy who's making their lives miserable, into their hands. The man is just a few feet away now and he's absolutely defenseless. And that's when his men whisper to him, this is the day of which the Lord said to

[00:12:07] you, behold I will deliver your enemy into your hand and that you make due to him as it seems good to you. In other words, what an answer to prayer, David. God is defending the righteous. He's arranged an opportunity for you to kill Saul before Saul kills you.

[00:12:27] These were David's loyal followers. They had tied their fate to David's plight. They were right to believe that God defends his people but they had jumped to some conclusions here. When had ever God, when had God ever promised that he would deliver Saul into David's hand.

[00:12:47] That may have been what they wanted God to say. We have no record of God ever saying that. I have a lot of empathy for David's men here. Look at what they're considering now. Unusually favorable circumstances, a perceived providence calls for justice.

[00:13:08] The prophet Samuel is a noining of David, the desire to end their own suffering, even the overwhelming agreement of each other. Given the same circumstances, when did you have interpreted this as an opportunity?

[00:13:24] When you have seen this as the will of God, there were 600 men in David's army. In 599 thought he was justified in ending Saul's life. Everyone assumed that God had delivered Saul into David's hands so that he could kill him

[00:13:41] only David figured that God had turned Saul over to him to see if he would bless him. What a huge test. Would David fear the Lord and honor God's anointed? In his book, Gene Edwards he imagines the conversation by the campfire later that night.

[00:14:04] Between David and his general Joe Ab, he writes of it. Joe Ab walked directly in front of David, looked down on him and began roaring his frustrations. Many times he almost speared you to death in his palace. I saw that with my own eyes. Finally, you ran away.

[00:14:24] Now for years you've been nothing but a rabbit for him to chase. Furthermore the whole world believes the lies he tells about you. He has come, the king himself, hunting every cave, pit and hole on earth to find you and kill you like a dog.

[00:14:39] But tonight you had him at the end of his own spear and you did nothing. Look at us. We're animals again. Less than an hour ago, you could have freed us all. Yes, you could have freed us right now, free and Israel too. She would be free.

[00:14:57] Why, David? Why didn't you end these years of mystery? There was a long silence. Men shifted again and easily. They weren't accustomed to seeing David rebuked because said David very slowly and gently now. He caused once, long ago, Saul was not mad. He was young. He was great.

[00:15:22] Great in the eyes of God and men. And it was God who made him king. God, not men, joy, I blaze back. But now he's mad. And God is no longer with him. And David, he will kill you yet.

[00:15:37] This time it was David's answer that blaze with fire. How dare he kill me than I learn his ways? Better he kill me than I become as he is. I shall not practice the ways that cause kings to go mad.

[00:15:52] I will not throw spears nor will I allow hatred to grow in my heart. I will not avenge. I will not destroy the Lord's anointed, not now, not ever. Here's a question for each of us. What do we do when someone throws a spirit us?

[00:16:13] Almost everyone else throws it back. Hey, once you've been targeted with a spear, you now have something to prove. We tend to bristle up. Oh, you're a tough guy and you can't be pushed around like that. You're not afraid of a fight.

[00:16:31] It's time for you to take a stand. See there are lots of reasons for us to wrench that spear from the wall and chunk it back in the direction it came from. Yet three times, David was Saul's target with that spear and not once did he throw

[00:16:47] that spirit's soul. In fact, here when David delivered Saul or when God delivered Saul into David's bloody hands, David refused us to even harm him. And this was David remember. There was nothing innocent or timid about David. He was a brutal and violent man.

[00:17:07] Peter God doesn't allow him to build a temple because he has too much blood on those hands. And yet in the cave, what actually seemed like an appropriate occasion, David backs down puts his sort away. Here's the ministry principle we need to remember.

[00:17:26] Just because you can, does it mean you should? Let me say it again. Must be because you can, doesn't mean you should. David had spiritual authority from God but that power wasn't given for David to use any way and for any reason.

[00:17:50] When David finds himself in a position to solve his soul problem, we discover he's committed to something greater than freedom from his problems. There's a principle that God deems vital, respect for God's annoying. And there's a process that needs to play out here.

[00:18:09] Exultation comes from God and both principle and process are more important to David than him escaping bothersome problems. And let me challenge you just because you can doesn't mean you should. See, we, Calre, Chapel pastors are a lot like David. We started out the run of the litter.

[00:18:33] We were the redheaded Jew so to speak. The pastoral anomaly. Pastor Chuck told us we didn't have to go to Bible College or seminary and he was right. We studied the scriptures and we leaned into and owned the Holy Spirit and we learned

[00:18:50] to love people and lo and be hold our church begin to grow. For some of us started out as an assistant pastor, our job was to be in the field, caring for our Father's Flocs.

[00:19:02] And yet we learned from firsthand experience that God wanted to use us to kill lions and bears and even giants like David. We weren't the most endowed or qualified or the natural candidate for the job. Our ordination, our anointing was a surprise.

[00:19:24] As the Psalmist says in Psalm 72 for exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south but God is the judge. He puts down one and exalts another. And God chose to exalt you, pastor. God has elevated you and your ministry.

[00:19:45] Today you have a church with means. You have staff in buildings and money. You may have bought yourself an education. You've added years of experience and lines to your resume. Perhaps you live in a small town. Now you have some cloud with the mayor in the school board.

[00:20:06] You can throw your way around. You can influence local policy. You certainly have power and authority in your own church. You do the teaching and you control the budget and the staff and the schedule and the salaries.

[00:20:22] You oversee the elders and dictate the vision and steer the course of the church but possessing authority and power in using it wisely are two different issues. My point is God has placed you in a position of power like David in the cave. You can now change things.

[00:20:45] You now have potential in your hands to make life easier for yourself and for the people around you but here's the warning before you act. Make sure your real desire is to please God at all costs. For perhaps God is doing something bigger than your immediate concerns.

[00:21:07] A.W. Pinkwood said we need to be exceedingly cautious how we interpret the events of providence. That God was steering the course that led Saul into that cave as undeniable but why? That was highly debatable and like David, God has positioned you today pastor in a place

[00:21:30] of power and opportunity. You can now take that big raise. You can go on that vacation and no one will question it. You can make that purchase or start that new ministry or travel at your leisure or even

[00:21:47] run off that detractor who's become a burr under your saddle. You can do it now but just because you can. Does that mean you should? For years, there was a Calre Chapel pastor I knew who caused me fits. This guy was uncooperative in contentious.

[00:22:05] I was convinced he wanted to Calre Chapel little. He wanted really a Calre Chapel. This felonated to go. And I can remember sitting there thinking man if I was the regional leader, I would hand this guy the pink slip.

[00:22:23] And then the day came when I was the regional leader. Like David and the cave I suddenly had the wear with all to take him out. But just because I could didn't mean I should. And though others wanted him to go too, God had me show grace.

[00:22:45] And today that brother is a friend in an ally. See David, new God has principles and processes that are more important than our convenience. David would be king. God had promised but at this moment more vital than David's destination was the process by which he would arrive.

[00:23:08] Would he let God raise him up or take matters into his own hands? Would he respect the king so that later those under his reign would respect him? Would David trust God to act on his behalf or violate the spirits inner witness to get his own way?

[00:23:26] I love the following prayer. Oh God, make me one of those rarest of souls who willingly waits for your time. My impatient will must be lost in your own and your will forever be mine. David waited on God. He understood just because you can. Doesn't mean you should.

[00:23:52] And yet David wasn't the perfect hero. He does use his advantage here to insult Saul. First four tells us and David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Today military rank is depicted on a uniform sleeve or collar or chest.

[00:24:13] But in ancient times it was revealed by the him of the robe. That revealed a soldier's status. The borders of a king or a priestly robe represented their authority. And to clip off even a corner of the robe was a serious insult. And here David cuts corners.

[00:24:37] He does. Literally he cuts corners when he sneaks up the Saul's robe and he defaces its him. But spiritually he cut corners by letting the king live while cleverly diminishing him and his God given authority in the eyes of his men.

[00:24:55] And I'm afraid some of us may be cutting corners. God's never forget more important to God than what we do is how we do it. More important to God than where we go is how we get there. We all know the principle. God's will done God's way.

[00:25:15] Never lacks God's blessing. Some of our younger pastors want it all now. They long for big ministry, big crowds, big budgets. Yet God told Zechariah not to despise the day of small things. Be careful not to shortcut lessons that will be vital to you later on.

[00:25:37] Some of us think, oh, why bother with bylaws are consult the elders. I'm the pastor of this church. I call the shots here and we make decisions without getting the wisdom of the people around us, other leaders that God has raised up.

[00:25:56] Some of us need to slow down, stop cutting corners. Don't cut corners by buying yourself out of trials you need to endure. Don't forego hardships that teach you to trust God just because your position to rid yourself of the Saul in your life.

[00:26:14] It doesn't mean you should learn to tolerate him until God moves him on. Honoring God's principle and process builds character. Psalm 57 is entitled, a victim of David when he fled from Saul into the cave. Could it have been written on this occasion?

[00:26:35] In verse 2 he says, I will cry out to God most high to God who performs all things for me. David knew he became God had promised it but God's promise comes at the end of God's process.

[00:26:52] And that's why David left it up to the God who performs all things for me. His ambition was not just to be king but to be the type of king God desired, not the type of king Saul became.

[00:27:06] And realize our commitment to the principle and the process is tested until suddenly we're put in a position of power where our particular Saul is in our hands when we can do something about our Saul. That's when our heart is revealed. Will we wait on God?

[00:27:28] Will we do it his way in his time? Will we wait on the God to perform all things for me while I cut corners and do what's easy? When David cut corners with Saul, it was a slap in the face of the king.

[00:27:45] He dishonored him, be little to king and he felt guilty about it afterwards. We're told in verse 5, not happen afterward that David's heart troubled him because he had cut Saul's robe and he said to his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing

[00:28:01] to my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord. David knew that Saul might be a mad man but he was still God's man and until God removed Saul, David's job was to respect the king.

[00:28:20] Rather than be governed by convenience or be moved by opportunity, David's top goal in his life was to please God. This made David in the true sense a man after God's own heart.

[00:28:37] For seven wraps up the action in the cave, so David restrained his servants with these words and he did not allow them to rise against Saul and Saul got up from the cave and went on his way.

[00:28:51] The Hebrew word translated, restrained he's used in Judges 14 verse 6 for Samson when he tore or when he restrained the lion as when tears apart a young goat. Samson shredded that lion with his bare hands and here David must have shredded his men with his words.

[00:29:10] He dresses them down. David restrained their hatred of Saul and this is a vital aspect of leadership. David could have stayed silent here, just made it a personal conviction not to harm Saul but left the actions of his men to their own conscience. Yet that's not exercising authority.

[00:29:31] That's not real leadership. How the king is treated as a principle either he's God's anointed or he's not. Saul is God's anointed until God himself takes him out of the way and David's men should act accordingly.

[00:29:46] And you would think that God, immediately rewarded David stellar attitude here with instra promotion but not so actually David was given 10 more years of exile. He would spend another decade confused and on the run as one author puts it.

[00:30:07] Do you find it strange that this remarkable event led the young man not to the throne but to a decade of hellish agony and suffering on that day David was enrolled not into the lineage of royalty but into the school of brokenness.

[00:30:25] And if you're to be a man after God's own heart you too have a seat in that school only fit to rule once we've learned to surrender. Verse 8 tells us what occurred next outside the cave and it too was Hydrama.

[00:30:41] We're told David also arose afterward when out of the cave and called out to Saul saying my Lord the king. Imagine the reaction of David's men their leader had been safe and undetected in the cave why venture out into the open and make yourself vulnerable.

[00:31:01] David don't forget he's got 3,000 men that won't you dead and yet David long for reconciliation that was his heart. He didn't hate Saul. Saul hated David but David didn't hate Saul. David loved the king and he hoped their relationship could be repaired.

[00:31:21] Here David proves to be like the son of David our Lord Jesus made himself vulnerable to attack and suffering to reconcile Saul's like you and me. And when David looked behind him David stooped with his face to the earth and bowed down.

[00:31:38] David said to Saul why do you listen to the words of men who say indeed David seek your harm. Rather than condemn Saul for his hatred David graciously. Blames his egregious actions on bad counselors. He wants to give Saul less to confess here.

[00:32:01] Oh king you just getting bad counsel bad advice. David is trying every way possible to make a men's with Saul to make repentance for him easier. His heart is for reconciliation. Reminds me of Abraham Lincoln the American president during the most divided period in our nation's history.

[00:32:24] You think we're fractured now? Well from 1861 to 1865 over half a million Americans died at the hands of other Americans. For four long years it was citizens against citizens at times brother against brother. And during those years southerners hated Lincoln they cursed him and railed against him and

[00:32:47] burned the man in effigy. And yet at the end of the war when Lincoln was told a Robert E. Lisa Render rather than further humiliate the Confederate troops he turned to the White House band and he graciously ordered them to play the southern anthem, Dixie.

[00:33:06] Even when polarization was severest in the fractures deepest Lincoln was that rare leader who could look across the divide and believe in a new day. Rather than strike the southerners with a big stick he offered an out branch like Dixie he said.

[00:33:24] David did the same here in hopes of reconciling his enemy. And then he says look this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave and someone urged me to kill you.

[00:33:37] But my eyes spared you and I said I will not stretch out my hand against my Lord for he is the Lord's anointed. More over my father see, notice he even refers to Saul as Father, a Father figure.

[00:33:52] How's that for making every effort possible to build a bridge? He says yes see the corner of your robe in my hand and why do moment that must have been when David held up the fabric in his hand and showed it to Saul?

[00:34:06] For in that out cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you. No one see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand and I have not sinned against you. You can imagine Saul yanking at his robe checking to see the missing corner.

[00:34:23] He finds it and he realizes that David had saved his life unbeknownst to him David had spared him in the cave. It has been said to affect a change David had to be better than his enemy and this is

[00:34:38] how God wants all his people to fight their battles. Romans 12 verse 21 instructs us to overcome evil with good. David could have slayed Saul but he allowed him to live and he respected him as his king. Earlier I mentioned Jackie Robinson.

[00:35:01] Jackie broke baseball's color barrier but it was the Dodgers general manager, Branch Ricky who's schooling what it would require. Ricky said to Robinson what do you think Jackie do you got guts enough to play the game no matter what happens? They'll shout insults at you.

[00:35:22] They'll come into you spikes first. They'll throw at your head. Suppose I'm a player on the eve of an important game. Suppose I collide with you at second base and when I get up I say you dirty black so and so what do you do?

[00:35:38] Jackie answered inquisitively he said Mr. Ricky do you want a ball player who's afraid to fight back? Ricky replied I want a ball player with guts enough not to fight back. You've got to do the job with base hits and stolen bases in building and nothing else.

[00:35:59] Ricky poses another scenario he says now I'm playing you in the world series and I'm hot headed. I want to win the game so I go into you spikes first you jab the ball in my ribs and

[00:36:09] the Empire cries out all I can see is your black face right over me. So I haul off and punch you right in the cheek. What do you do now Jackie? This time Jackie Robinson thought for a moment and he replied Mr. Ricky I've got two cheeks

[00:36:30] and it was that moment that Branch Ricky knew that he had the right man for the job. And as they departed Ricky warned Jackie remember one thing no matter what happens on the field you can't fight back that's going to be the hard part you can't fight back.

[00:36:51] Jackie had to realize more was at stake than just his pride and his ego and his sense of justice and his convenience. He was pioneering a path for other black players what he was doing was bigger than himself. And that was David's conclusion.

[00:37:10] He says to Saul yet you hunt my life to take it let the Lord judge between you and me and let the Lord avenge me on you notice but my hand shall not be against you. David is confident God will do his part.

[00:37:27] Vengeance is God's business but like Jackie David will do the hard part and not fight back. And the same should be true of every pastor your ministry is not about your ego or your popularity or your one upmanship or your welfare or your fairness.

[00:37:49] It's about the cause of Christ. It's about the blood that Jesus shed for sinners and the ministry that will come after you in Jesus' name. David next quote some familiar wisdom he says in verse 13, as the proverb of the ancient says,

[00:38:08] wickedness proceeds from the wicked but my hands shall not be against you. Saul had put his wickedness on display by his violent actions but David would do the right thing. David cries out after whom as the king of Israel come out whom do you pursue a dead dog

[00:38:25] a flee? And as it's I'm not a threat to the king. Saul had 3,000 troops to David 600 men he shouldn't feel intimidated. Therefore let the Lord be judged. In judge between you and me and see and plead my case and deliver me out of your hand.

[00:38:45] David is saying to Saul, let the Lord be judged and guys he is a better judge than we are. Only God knows all the facts. In the end God takes care. He takes vengeance on the wicked and he vindicates the righteous.

[00:39:01] Right now do we have faith to leave it in his hands? Well verse 16 wraps it up he says, so it was when David had finished speaking these words to Saul that Saul said, is this your voice my son David and David lifted up his voice in web?

[00:39:21] Then he said to David, you're more righteous than I for you have rewarded me with good. Whereas I have rewarded you with evil. You have shown this day how you have dealt well with me. For when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me.

[00:39:37] For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him get away safely? Therefore may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. And now I know indeed that you shall surely be king and that the kingdom of this real shall

[00:39:52] be established in your hand. Isn't it interesting that the choices David made in the darkness and in the prophecy of that cave eventually impacted his public usefulness? And you see it's how we handle power and authority in private,

[00:40:12] whether we cut corners that usually determines and ultimately determines our promotion in God's kingdom. And this is why the angels marveled that day that God might yet be able to give his authority to a trustworthy vessel.

[00:40:30] David was that rare leader who realized authority and power is a gift from God from beginning to end. It originates from God, God oversees its use. And to God will give it back one day thus any power you obtain,

[00:40:46] hold it loosely friend, hold it loosely and be careful how you use it. So I wanted power at all costs. David wanted nothing that God didn't give him. David knew any power he would have belonged to God. Spiritual authority is a sacred trust.

[00:41:05] And David understood he would be held accountable to God for how he well did that power. And today it's vitally important that we understand the same truth. Pastor, perhaps you're in a place now. We're finally you can. Humility, meatiness, restraint, we're easier when you could it.

[00:41:26] But now you can. At one time you had to trust God daily. There was nothing within your reach. But now you have the resources and the abilities to cut corners. And yet just because you have the means, doesn't mean it's of God.

[00:41:44] Providence puts Saul in God in David's hands. But don't mistake it as God's permission to kill him. All David's men believed he had the right to kill Saul, only David saw an opportunity to bless Saul. And David was right. So here's my closing question. Pastor, think it over.

[00:42:06] Just because you can, does it really mean you should? Father, we thank you for your word to us this morning. Lord, you have given us a sacred trust. Lord, you have put your power in our hands. You have given us position in your kingdom. You've given us authority.

[00:42:32] And Lord, help us not be. Cavalier in how we use it. Certainly help us not be selfish or self-serving in how we use it. But help us, Lord, to seek your glory. And may our heart be to please you at all costs. Help us to fear you, Lord.

[00:42:54] This is the beginning of wisdom. Working our hearts this day, we love you and thank you. In Jesus' name. Amen. God bless you. Our thanks to San Diego's for allowing us to use this audio message.

[00:43:10] And he is also graciously given to us the entire transcript of this message. And so we have that in PDF format as a download in the show notes. And if you have any kind of needs that we can come alongside of you and help you as senior pastors.

[00:43:27] Please reach out to us. The program announcer will tell you how to get in touch with us right now. Goplashew. him his pastors and his church.