Even Champions Can Stumble

" EVEN CHAMPIONS STUMBLE "

1 CHRONICLES 13:1-4

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE MEANING OF A CHAMPION, WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND?

1. MOST OF US THINK OF PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES CHASING THE RECORD BOOKS

A. MARK MCGUIRE AND SAMMY SOSA

B. FLORENCE GRIFFITH JOYNER, OLYMPIC MEDALISTS

C. JOHN ELWAY AND THE DENVER BRONCOS

MOST OF US WOULD CONSIDER A CHAMPION TO BE SOMEONE WHO HAS TOTALLY DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION IN THEIR CHOSEN FIELD OF TALENT. WOULD THAT BE AN ACCURATE DEFINITION OF A CHAMPION?

HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE CHAMPIONS OF THE FAITH? DO YOU KNOW THAT EVEN A CHAMPION CAN STUMBLE AND FALL? EVEN A CHAMPION CAN MAKE A WRONG DECISION THAT EFFECTS THE OUTCOME OF A DECISION.

DAVID HAS ALWAYS BEEN OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO ME BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT HE DID INDEED LOVE THE LORD GOD WITH HIS WHOLE HEART BUT HE ALSO MAKE A FEW MISTAKES IN HIS LIFETIME.

A CHAMPION OF THE FAITH IS ONLY EFFECTIVE AS

LONG AS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS INTACT.

TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO 1 CHRONICLES 13: 1-4 ( PRAYER )

OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THE DEVIL HAS CONVINCED US OF SOME PRETTY BIG LIES MY FRIENDS, HASN’T HE? IN 1973 IN A LANDMARK DECISION BY THE SUPREME COURT SATAN CONVINCED US THAT IT WASN’ T A BABY IN THEIR MOTHER’S WOMB BUT INSTEAD IT WAS JUST A CHOICE. SINCE THAT LIE WE HAVE SACRIFICED 35 MILLION BABIES ON AN ALTER PREPARED BY THE DEVIL. AND WE ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT HUMAN SACRIFICE ENDED IN THE DARK AGES. IT’S STILL HERE FOLKS, WE JUST CALL IT BY A DIFFERENT NAME – ABORTION.

IN THE EARLY SIXTIES A GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WERE LED ASTRAY BY THE LIES OF SATAN THAT GOD WAS DEAD AND THERE WERE NO CONSEQUENCES TO OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE HIGHEST FORM OF IDOL WORSHIP – SELF GRATIFICATION AND SELF PLEASURE. SINCE THAT IS WHAT WE DESIRED TO HEAR WE NO LONGER LIVE IN THE SANCTITY OF HOLY MARRIAGES BUT INSTEAD WE JUST STAY TOGETHER AS LONG AS IT FEELS GOOD. HALF OF ALL MARRIAGES NOW END IN DIVORCE, HOMOSEXUALITY AND LESBIANISM ARE RISING IN EPIC PROPORTIONS, WE CAN NO LONGER LET OUR CHILDREN WATCH TELEVISION BECAUSE OF THE SEXUAL EXPLOITS OF OUR PRESIDENT LAID OUT IN GRAPHIC DETAIL. WHILE I’M ON THAT SUBJECT I WANT TO ADDRESS IT…

BILL CLINTON WAS PUT IN POWER BY THE WISDOM OF GOD FOR PURPOSES WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND AND YOU AS A CHRISTIAN ARE TO SUBMIT TO HIS OFFICE AS IF YOU WERE SUBMITTING TO GOD HIMSELF. THE MAN HAS ASKED FOR FORGIVENESS AND WE SHOULD GIVE IT TO HIM WITH THESE WORDS RINGING IN OUR EARS, THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I. READ ROMANS 13 IF YOU THINK I’M LYING TO YOU.

WE ALMOST DESERVE THE SOCIETY WE NOW LIVE IN WITH THE VIOLENCE AND DRUGS AND PORNOGRAPHY AND SEXUAL ADDICTIONS AND DISEASE THAT FLOOD OUR STREETS SO WE ARE NO LONGER EVEN SAFE IN OUR OWN HOMES. ONE DAY WE WILL NO LONGER EVEN BE SAFE IN OUR CHURCHES AND I DON’T FEEL IT WILL BE LONG. WE HAVE FALLEN INTO A PIT WE DUG FOR OURSELVES BY THINKING WE CAN LIVE OUR LIVES ANY WAY WE WANT TO AND THAT GOD IS NO LONGER USEFUL TO US. WE HAVE LISTENED TO THE VOICE OF POPULAR OPINION AND THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF LISTENING TO THE STILL SMALL VOICE OF GOD. WIDE IS THE ROAD AND BROAD IS THE PATH THAT LEADETH TO OUR DESTRUCTION.

1. GOD’S HEARTCRY TODAY IS FOR HIS PEOPLE TO REPENT AND TURN BACK UNTO HIM

2. GOD’S HEARTCRY IS THAT TIME IS SHORT AND THERE IS STILL A LOST WORLD TO WITNESS TO ABOUT THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST

3. UNLESS THERE IS REPENTANCE OUR NATION WILL FALL AND NEVER RISE FROM THE ASHES

FIRST MISTAKE THAT CHAMPIONS OF THE FAITH MAKE IS IN LISTENING TO VOICES OF MEN INSTEAD OF SEEKING OUT THE COUNSEL OF GOD…

1. IN VERSE ONE THAT’S WHAT DAVID DID

A. WENT TO THE GREAT LEADERS IN THE LAND

B. WENT TO SMALLER LEADERS IN THE LAND

C. WENT TO THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND

" FOR THE THING WAS RIGHT IN THE EYES OF THE PEOPLE" SOMETHING MAY SEEM RIGHT TO THE PEOPLE AND EVERYBODY MAY FEEL SOMETHING IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT SO.

QUESTION????????

WHERE DID DAVID OR ANY OF THE PEOPLE SEEK OUT THE COUNSEL OF GOD? CAN YOU SHOW IT TO ME? HEY YOU’VE HAD ALL WEEK TO STUDY ON THIS AND PRAY ABOUT IT. IT’S NOT THERE BECAUSE IT DIDN’T HAPPEN. THERE WEREN’T ANY COTTAGE PRAYER MEETINGS TO FIND OUT WHAT GOD HAD TO SAY, THERE WASN’T A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AT THE ORDER OF THE KING TO SEE IF THIS IS WHAT GOD WANTED… WHY?