Teague Bible Church

Cleaning:  Week Sept. 8—Bev.

Nursery: Sept. 15—Nancy.

5th Quarter Volunteers Needed: Friday, Sept. 20 at First Methodist Church, Teague. Meet there during 4th quarter of game (@ 8:30pm) to help set up. Wear your TBC shirt!

Teague Rotary Run. Saturday, Sept. 28th @ Teague City Park. Forms in the foyer.

Follow us on Facebook or at teaguebiblechurch.org. Podcasts are now available!

 

I Samuel 30:1-31                                                                   9/30/13

 

Summary of Chapter 27 through 29:

 

( Ch. 21)   Before David chose his ragtag group of 600 fighting men,

                      he went to a Philistine king, Achish of Gath, to escape Saul.

                          He barely escapes from Achish the first time they meet.

 

Ch. 27   Now, David comes with 600 men; the political advantage for Achish is obvious.

                 David fights battles for Achish, attacking only enemies of the Philistines

                     and Israel. Achish assumes David will fight against Israel when the time

                        comes. He would be wrong in that assumption.

 

 Ch. 28   King Saul seeks to talk to the dead Samuel, but gets same message as when

               Samuel was living. He is given the additional info that he would soon die.

 

   Ch 29   The other Philistine kings join up with Achish to battle Israel.

                    They make David and his men go back to Zizlag, against the wishes of the

                        fooled Achish, because they are afraid David will turn on

                           them in battle, since he would be fighting his own people.

                              So God provided this way of escape for David.

                                   Ck. I Corinthians 10:13

 

                 *****          CRISIS MANAGEMENT          ****

 

TODAY’S TEXT: I Samuel 30   David’s Victory over the Amalekite Raiders

 

David’s secret thought life is revealed in a crisis!

   David runs to God and not away from Him in a crisis.

 

     * What we learn today is how we should act in a crisis.*

 

Key verse:

 READ   30:6   “But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”

 

We do not have to guess how he did this. The Psalms are like the secret diary

    of David’s thoughts.

 

What are your, predominate secret thoughts?

            Under pressure they will be revealed.

 

Example: (Samuel Smiles/poet)

              “ Sow a thought, reap an act;

                   Sow an act, reap a habit.

                     Sow a habit, reap a character,

                       Sow a character, reap a destiny.”

 

 READ   Psalms 42:1-5 and Psalms 62:5-6

 

He reflected on the character of God. He remembered God’s faithful acts to the

    people of Israel and to himself. He petitioned God concerning the current crisis.

      He applied faith to the current situation.

 

READ 30:10   “But David pursued, he and the 400 men, for 200 who were too

                                exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.”

 

David recovers all that was lost. They come back greeted by the 200 and all are happy except a few worthless men who had not been transformed by David’s kindness when he had picked them up and made something out of them when they had nothing! Ck. 22:2

 

The 200 were not lazy slackers!

 

Final points to consider:

 

1.  It was David’s spoil to do with as he pleased!

 

2.  Our application:  I Thessalonians 5:14-15

     “ We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted,

          help the weak, be patient with everyone. See that no one repays another

              with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one

                   another and for all people.”

 

3.  God does more than help the weak but willing.

          He actually loves and seeks -to -save His enemies!

             God can be gracious to whom He will!

 

Example:  Some of the Corinthians had grown arrogant toward other Christians.

 

   I Corinthians 4: 6-7

          “ ,,, in order that no one of you might become arrogant in behalf of one against

                  the other. For who regards you as superior? And what do you have

                      ( this new life in Christ given by God’s grace, not something you

                            earned or deserved) that you did not receive? But if you did receive it,

                                   why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

 

Matthew 5: 43-47   You can “go natural” or you can be “spiritual,” allowing the

                                     Holy Spirit of God to take control of the situations you encounter.

                                         What is it going to be? John 6:63

 

Romans 5: 6-9   “Helpless/ungodly/sinners”

 

 

                       

 

Podcast – Men’s Breakfast with speaker Coach Anthony Branch

 

TEAGUEBIBLECHURCH          Jimmy Petty            

Do I love myself?                                                                          

   Should I love myself?

     Should I beat myself up?

       Should I put myself down?   

         Should I always defend myself?

           Should I put myself first?

 

  “SELF- ESTEEM”   :  There is such a thing as a healthy self-image that is based on being at peace with God through Jesus Christ.

 

My view of myself must be His (God’s) view. Every other view is an illusion.

 

Other people in your life have a limited view of you; so if you go to them to establish your self-esteem, they cannot fulfill you.

 

Logic dictates that God has the final say about us, since He created us for Himself and for

His purposes.

 

The world likes to talk about “self-esteem.”  I think they mean well, but I think they start in the wrong place. They say to start with the knowledge of yourself and work out from that point. You might have noticed that the process does not work, though it sells a lot of books.

 

* Simply put, you cannot “find yourself” by starting with yourself . That is like trying to look at the back of your own head.

* Every cause has an effect. You did not create yourself, so there is no way to tell yourself what you were created for. Psalms 100:3

*God has placed “eternity in our hearts” (Ecclesiastes 3:11), therefore nothing on this earth can completely satisfy you. You were created for something greater.

 

* Just getting this world’s goods or the approval of the people of this world cannot satisfy you.

 

Why not?  Because we are eternal beings, so how could earthly things and earthly relationships totally satisfy us? Starting from ourselves, as a source, to fulfill our own idea of happiness, will never supply what we need.

(Read  Philippians 2: 3-4.)

 

The Fall of man makes it such that we have such a fragile self-image we feel

     threatened when asked to do what we consider “too much” for others.

 

(Side point):  Can you get used and abused by others?   Yes, but even then, we allow that to happen because we do not feel complete, and hope by being a “doormat” for someone they will return the things we seek. It is still an attempt to repair a fragile self-image through people.

 

Example:   Jesus washed the disciple’s feet; not because He could do nothing greater, or be anything but a servant, but because His identity was not in question, He knew exactly who He was, so He was free to give with no feeling of threat to Himself, or any selfish need to get others to make His identity for Him. Really think about this one!   (Good resource book, “Boundaries” )

 

If we love God first, we feel good about ourselves; but if “self-centered”, it is just

selfishness,  even if one calls it “self-esteem.” Since it misses what we really need, it leaves

us unsatisfied.

 

     A forgiven person acts as a free person; free from the constant hunger to get more, more, more. That is, more things, or more acknowledgements from people. The forgiven person knows God has accepted them because of what Christ has done for them.

(Colossians 2:10. ”For in Him you have been made complete.”)

They do not need to constantly pamper themselves and be narcissistic (self-absorbed, self-glorifying, self-loving) to the point of distraction. If you are not sure of your identity with God then  others become a threat to “your” time and “your” fulfillment. Add to that the constant need of their approval and you enter into real misery. (This is classic “Hostile/Dependent” behavior)

 

When Christ said to   “love others as yourself,” (Matthew 19:19)   He was not saying, as some say, “Well, you have to love yourself, before you can love others.” No, that would be the wrong place to start!

The point of the verse is that He knew we are naturally self- centered, because of the Fall. He wants us to have the real freedom that was intended, before the Fall. He wants us to be so sure of our relationship to Him, therefore, giving to others and loving others is no longer a threat.

 

                                                                                                                                  

The goal is to be “God-centered”

 

Our worst enemy is being self-absorbed, and self- centered.

 

Check out II Tim.3:2   “lovers of self.”

 

Also Check out Galatians 5:13-26

 

 

Good passages on how to see yourself.          

 

You belong to God. He is creator and redeemer         I Cor.  6; 19-20

 

 He Cares      Mt. 6: 30-33    Mt. 23:37

 

   He Values Us        Mt. 10:29-31

 

These verses alone, (and there are many others), should help anybody realize how loved we are and how much God is actively caring for us. The whole Bible is the story of His pursuit of us!

 

The Result?     =    A right and healthy view of ourselves.

 

We are accepted by God, through the work of Christ on the

cross.  He loved us so much that He died on the cross for us.

This took care of the eternal damage done by sin. Now we can progressively recover a right view of ourselves and others while in this life.

Even though Christians are not perfect now, we can enjoy our

new life in Christ which makes it possible to love others for the right reasons, and give to others without feeling threatened by a false self-image, that usually demands more attention than is really needed, resulting in self-centeredness. We can stop being afraid that we will not be accepted by people we feel can make our identity for us. We have a sure identity in Christ!

 

“ It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

That is only felt deeply if you know you identity in Christ.

 

 

Note what He calls us!  Col. 3:12-17

 

This is the true fulfilling we need and the right kind of self- image.

This is the permanent identity we have; the one we grow into.

 

 

ROMANS 8:16     Comfort and assurance      

 

This means He continually assures us that He loves us. He enjoys telling

         us He loves us and helping us sense it all the time.

 

Romans 8:28  The ultimate “good” is to be like Christ in character and completeness

                         

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Romans 8:31-39  

 

  This is the great passage on how He feels about us.  People are too

           undependable to always rely upon them to keep us feeling the love we

              need at all times.  Only God can do this for us.