" The International Ministries Of Last Call "
|
" Reaching The Harvest One Person At A Time "
International Ministries of Last Call, Inc
8311 N E Zac Lentz Parkway Unit
Victoria, TX 77904
ph: 601 324 1240
30 Three days later, when David and his men arrived home at their town of Ziklag, they found that the Amalekites had made a raid into the Negev and Ziklag; they had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. 2 They had carried off the women and children and everyone else but without killing anyone.
3 When David and his men saw the ruins and realized what had happened to their families, 4 they wept until they could weep no more. 5 David’s two wives, Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel, were among those captured. 6 David was now in great danger because all his men were very bitter about losing their sons and daughters, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God.
7 Then he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring me the ephod!” So Abiathar brought it. 8 Then David asked the Lord, “Should I chase after this band of raiders? Will I catch them?”
And the Lord told him, “Yes, go after them. You will surely recover everything that was taken from you!”
9 So David and his 600 men set out, and they came to the brook Besor. 10 But 200 of the men were too exhausted to cross the brook, so David continued the pursuit with 400 men.
There are two great talking points in this message:
One Message previously focuses on the battle weary 200 men who were not able to go to battle, you can read this message entitled " Tarry By The Stuff "on this site.
But today I want to focus on the Faith, Determination, and Obedience of David to follow God's instructions to continue in persuance of all that rightfully belonged to him.
As we read this passage of scripture we understand that the enemy came and literally stole all that David and his men had, every possession, all their families, wives and children.....Now I want you to fully understand where David truly found himself on that day...Here was a man God had sent the prophet Samuel to anoint as King over Israel, already every situation in David's life looked as if that would never come to pass, but David still put all his faith and trust in God, He was still staying in the battle and fighting for all God had promised him, only to find when he returned home that the enemy had come in (while he was out doing the work of the Lord mind you) and stolen everything he was fighting for, there was nothing left.
Sometimes the greatest of believers, the most faithful, find ourselves in this place, where we are doing all we can to do the work of the Lord and be obedient to all He ask us to do, we are a people with purpose and destiny who are walking with all of our trust in God to bring to pass all that He has spoken in our lives, and right at the moment we feel like we are making progress, we come home to find the enemy has snuck in and stolen it all away.
But when God has spoken His word over you, even when the enemy thinks he has brought defeat God always has a plan.
Samuel 30
11 Along the way they found an Egyptian man in a field and brought him to David. They gave him some bread to eat and water to drink. 12 They also gave him part of a fig cake and two clusters of raisins, for he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for three days and nights. Before long his strength returned.
13 “To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?” David asked him.
“I am an Egyptian—the slave of an Amalekite,” he replied. “My master abandoned me three days ago because I was sick. 14 We were on our way back from raiding the Kerethites in the Negev, the territory of Judah, and the land of Caleb, and we had just burned Ziklag.”
15 “Will you lead me to this band of raiders?” David asked.
The young man replied, “If you take an oath in God’s name that you will not kill me or give me back to my master, then I will guide you to them.”
16 So he led David to them, and they found the Amalekites spread out across the fields, eating and drinking and dancing with joy because of the vast amount of plunder they had taken from the Philistines and the land of Judah. 17 David and his men rushed in among them and slaughtered them throughout that night and the entire next day until evening. None of the Amalekites escaped except 400 young men who fled on camels. 18 David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives. 19 Nothing was missing: small or great, son or daughter, nor anything else that had been taken. David brought everything back. 20 He also recovered all the flocks and herds, and his men drove them ahead of the other livestock.
Oh Lord; teach us the have the faith and the heart of thy servant David, that in our times of testing we will ever more firmly hold on to you.
2 Samuel 22
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
He is my refuge, my savior,
the one who saves me from violence.
4 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.
5 “The waves of death overwhelmed me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
6 The grave wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
7 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I cried to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry reached his ears.
8 “Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the heavens shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
9 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
10 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
11 Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
12 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dense rain clouds.
13 A great brightness shone around him,
and burning coals blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were confused.
16 Then at the command of the Lord,
at the blast of his breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.
17 “He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
19 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
20 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.
21 The Lord rewarded me for doing right;
he restored me because of my innocence.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
23 I have followed all his regulations;
I have never abandoned his decrees.
24 I am blameless before God;
I have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord rewarded me for doing right.
He has seen my innocence.
26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful;
to those with integrity you show integrity.
27 To the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the wicked you show yourself hostile.
28 You rescue the humble,
but your eyes watch the proud and humiliate them.
29 O Lord, you are my lamp.
The Lord lights up my darkness.
30 In your strength I can crush an army;
with my God I can scale any wall.
31 “God’s way is perfect.
All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
32 For who is God except the Lord?
Who but our God is a solid rock?
33 God is my strong fortress,
and he makes my way perfect.
34 He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
enabling me to stand on mountain heights.
35 He trains my hands for battle;
he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow.
36 You have given me your shield of victory;
your help has made me great.
37 You have made a wide path for my feet
to keep them from slipping.
38 “I chased my enemies and destroyed them;
I did not stop until they were conquered.
39 I consumed them;
I struck them down so they did not get up;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You have armed me with strength for the battle;
you have subdued my enemies under my feet.
41 You placed my foot on their necks.
I have destroyed all who hated me.
42 They looked for help, but no one came to their rescue.
They even cried to the Lord, but he refused to answer.
43 I ground them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trampled them in the gutter like dirt.
44 “You gave me victory over my accusers.
You preserved me as the ruler over nations;
people I don’t even know now serve me.
45 Foreign nations cringe before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they submit.
46 They all lose their courage
and come trembling from their strongholds.
47 “The Lord lives! Praise to my Rock!
May God, the Rock of my salvation, be exalted!
48 He is the God who pays back those who harm me;
he brings down the nations under me
49 and delivers me from my enemies.
You hold me safe beyond the reach of my enemies;
you save me from violent opponents.
50 For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
51 You give great victories to your king;
you show unfailing love to your anointed,
to David and all his descendants forever.”
I hear the voice of the Lord speaking to us today:
Colossians 3
12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
Oh my child, your life is like weaving a beautiful basket,
true beauty will not come to you by joy alone. Sometimes the path you must walk may be tortuous and the torraine may be rocky, and whether I choose to fashion you from a lovely silk or from strong cords not easily broken, I will fashion you that I may use you as a vessel that will bring glory unto me.
You may never know or understand why certain experiences you've had to endure, just know that it has been my hand that has brought you to them all.
My grace and power is not limited to or by the sorrow or difficulty you may be facing.
But be assured my hand moves with all power and love to create a pattern of beauty that will shine to the world.
Do not be dismayed or downhearted for my promise to you is that the end will bring rejoicing for both you and me, for you are the work of my hand, created in Christ,
Even before the worlds existed I called you by name.
You belong to me and I will uphold you and keep you close until we have stormed the camp of the enemy and brought back the spoils and blessings of every promise I have given unto you.
And when you have come into your time of receiving
please remember to share your blessings with others.
See the example of David as in reaping the blessings
of the promise he never forgot to bless others:
See also: ( " Tarry By The Stuff ")
Samuel 30:20
“This plunder belongs to David!” they said.
21 Then David returned to the brook Besor and met up with the 200 men who had been left behind because they were too exhausted to go with him. They went out to meet David and his men, and David greeted them joyfully. 22 But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.”
23 But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us. 24 Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.” 25 From then on David made this a decree and regulation for Israel, and it is still followed today.
In closing:
Stand strong in the faith, continue to fight and never give up, God has promised us victory if we will be obedient and
DO NOT BE AFRAID!!!
BUT GO TO THE ENEMIES CAMP
AND
" TAKE IT BACK "
Song: " I'm Taking it Back " |
Joseph Larson
Excerpts taken from:
Frances J Roberts
International Ministries of Last Call, Inc
8311 N E Zac Lentz Parkway Unit
Victoria, TX 77904
ph: 601 324 1240