" 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?
BECAUSE EVERYBODY THOUGHT THEY COULD MAKE DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT THE COUNSEL OF GOD. I KNEW A MAN ONE TIME WHO TOLD ME THAT WITH HIS GOD GIVEN MIND HE COULD MAKE DAILY DECISIONS WITHOUT PRAYING. THEN HE WOULD WONDER WHY THINGS SEEMED TO BE RIGHT BUT TURNED OUT WRONG…
A. LOOK AT THE FAILURES IN YOUR LIFE, LOOK AT THE TIMES IT SEEMED LIKE YOUR WHOLE WORLD WAS FALLING APART BECAUSE OF A FOOLISH DECISION YOU MADE AND I PROMISE YOU IF YOU LOOK DEEP ENOUGH AND ARE HONEST ENOUGH TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH….
GOD DIDN’T GUIDE YOU THERE.
B. NOT SAYING HE CAN’T RESCUE YOU FROM THERE OR THAT IT WASN’T THE RIGHT THING TO DO… BUT SHOW ME WHERE GOD TOLD YOU TO DO IT!
TIMES HAVEN’T REALLY CHANGED THAT MUCH HAVE THEY? WE’LL TRY TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING OR HAVE A JOB IN FRONT OF US AND ASK EVERYBODY TO PRAY AND WE MAY TACKLE THE PROJECT BUT HAVE WE REALLY SOUGHT THE WILL OF GOD IN PRAYER? PEOPLE ARE STILL THE SAME… TOO BUSY…. TOO STUBBORN… OR JUST TOO LOST TO EVER THINK GOD HAS AN ANSWER.
A. WORLDWIDE OPINION SHOULDN’T SWAY US FROM THE WORD OF GOD
B. GOD ISN’T WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE LATEST POLLS SAY
HE’S LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO STAND IN THE GAP OF THE HEDGE TO FILL THE VOID IN THE WALL SO THAT THE INNOCENT MAY BE PROTECTED. GOD IS LOOKING FOR THE MAN OR THE WOMAN OR THE CHILD THAT WILL POINT HIS FINGER AT THE FACE OF THE DEVIL AND SAY NOT ME BECAUSE I FOLLOW JESUS AND ACCORDING TO HIS WORD IT IS WRONG. TIME AFTER TIME AFTER TIME GOD HAS REQUIRED SOMEONE TO STAND STRONG AND IRREGARDLESS OF POPULAR OPINION SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE…
BUT NOBODY ELSE IS DOING THAT BROTHER MIKE, WHO TOLD YOU
THAT YOU WERE A NOBODY? YOU’RE A SOMEBODY BECAUSE THE
BLOOD OF THE KING OF KINGS HAS BEEN APPLIED TO YOUR LIFE. YOU
ARE A CHILD OF GOD AND YOU NEED TO START LIVING LIKE ONE.
SECOND MISTAKE A CHAMPION OF THE FAITH MAKES WHEN HE STOPS EARNESTLY SEEKING THE MIND OF GOD IN PRAYER IS THAT HE JUDGES HIS RELATIONSHIP BY HOW GOOD HE FEELS.
VERSES 6-8 MAN I MEAN THEY WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME FOLKS. SINGING… DANCING… SHOUTING… WORHISPING… AND IF YOU WERE TO ASK THEM AT THAT MOMENT HOW EFFECTIVE AND MEANINGFUL THEIR WORSHIP EXPERIENCE WAS THEY WOULD HAVE SMILED AND TOLD YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE THEY BAPTIZED AND WHO HAD BEEN GETTING THEIR LIFE RIGHT AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE SAVED IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. COME ON IN AND TRY IT BROTHER MAYBE YOU CAN FEEL GOOD TOO!!!
1. FAITH IS MORE THAN A FEELING FOLKS. YOU MAY NOT AGREE WITH THAT BUT YOU MUST KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE GOD EVEN WHEN WE DON’T FEEL ANYTHING. WE WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT OR FEELING OR SMELLING OR TASTING. THAT IS THE TRUTH AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT. CAN’T ALWAYS BE ON THE MOUNTAINTOP BECAUSE NOTHING GROWS ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN NOW DOES IT? WE GROW IN THE VALLEY AND EVEN THOUGH THE DEVIL MAY TELL ME IT’S HOPELESS, I CAN SAY I KNOW IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED AND BELIEVE THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP WHAT I HAVE COMMITTED UNTO HIM AGAINST THAT DAY.
2. SUFFERING IS ALSO A PART OF SERVING GOD FRIENDS. IF YOU CAN’T ACCEPT THAT
THEN YOU’LL HAVE TO EXPLAIN AWAY THE LIFE OF CHRIST, THE APOSTLES, AND EVERY CHRISTIAN WHO HAS EVER DIED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST.
SUFFERING THROUGH TRIALS AND AFFLICTIONS IS WHAT TRANSFORMS US INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST. I WOULDN’T WANT A PREACHER TO PREACH TO ME WHO HASN’T SUFFERED THROUGH SOME THINGS HIMSELF HOW I NEED TO KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP AND TRUST THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL.
1 PETER 4:13 "… BE YE PARTAKERS OF CHRISTS SUFFERINGS
2 TIM 2:12 "… IF WE SUFFER LIKE HIM WE SHALL ALSO REIGN WITH HIM"
GOD IS LOOKING FOR CHAMPIONS WILLING TO SUFFER FOR THE THINGS OF GOD SO THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD CAN BE ADVANCED. DON’T BELIEVE THAT DO YOU? THEN TELL ME WHY IN THE MIDST OF ALL THAT GOOD FEELING AND CELEBRATION FOR THE GOOD THING THESE PEOPLE WERE DOING FOR GOD…
UZZA DIED!?
2. UZZA WAS A GOOD MAN DOING A GOOD JOB OF PAYING ATTENTION TO HIS AREA OF SERVICE.
3. UZZA WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TRUE DEACON THEY LOOKED FOR IN THE BOOK OF ACTS BECAUSE YOU SEE HE HAD THE SERVANT’S SPIRIT IN HIM
4. EVERYBODY ELSE WAS JUST HAVING A GOOD OLE TIME BUT NOT UZZA HE WAS MAKING SURE THE ARK DIDN’T FALL OFF THE CART ONTO THE GROUND
GOD STRUCK HIM DEAD THE MOMENT HIS HAND TOUCHED THE ARK AND I KNOW THAT OVER THE YEARS EVERYBODY HAS TOLD YOU IT WAS BECAUSE HIS HAND TOUCHED THE ARK AND NOONE WAS ALLOWED TO DO THAT. THAT IS TRUE AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHY HE DIED BUT I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK DEEPER THAN THAT.
A. GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO NOT SPENDING TIME IN PRAYER SEEKING THE WILL OF GOD BEFORE DECIDING TO DO SOMETHING FOR GOD
B. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PRAYER LIFE OF A NATION?
C. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PRAYER LIFE OF A CHURCH?
D. HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PRAYER LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN?
GOD HAS A PLAN OF HOW HIS WILL IS TO BE CARRIED OUT AND HOW EVERYTHING IS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT? DID YOU FORGET THAT THERE WERE GOLD RINGS ATTACHED TO THE SIDE OF THE ARK? DID YOU FORGET THAT GOD HAD GIVEN SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS IN EXODUS OF HOW THE ARK WAS TO BE CARRIED ON THE SHOULDERS OF LEVITE PRIESTS WITH RODS OF SHITTIM WOOD ENCASED IN SOLID GOLD?
IF THEY HAD ASKED GOD ABOUT IT, UZZA WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE POSITION HE WAS IN. I OFTEN WONDER HOW DAVID FELT WHEN HE KNEW HIS FRIEND HAD TO DIE BECAUSE HE WAS TOO BUSY TO ASK GOD FOR DIRECTIONS IN PRAYER. I WONDER HOW THE LEVITES FELT, THEY WERE THERE, WHEN UZZA DIED BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T HAVE THE COURAGE TO SPEAK UP AND GO AGAINST POPULAR OPINION AND SHARE THE PROVISIONS OF GOD FOR MOVING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT.
A GOOD MAN DIED BECAUSE NO ONE PRAYED! YOU KNOW WE’LL JUDGE HOW EFFECTIVE OUR CHURCH AND OUR PASTOR IS BY HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY MORNING BUT NOBODY WOULD DREAM OF JUDGING OURSELVES BY HOW MUCH WE PRAY…
IF WE DID WEDNESDAY NIGHTS WOULD BE OUR MOST POWERFUL AND
ATTENDED SERVICE, WOULDN’T IT?
DAVID AND ALL THE PEOPLE WENT HOME WITHOUT THE ARK AND THEY WEREN’T CELEBRATING OR DANCING OR SINGING ANYMORE. HARD THING TO REALIZE WE CAN’T JUST DO THINGS THE WAY WE DECIDE TO AND THEN ASK GOD TO BLESS IT.
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE LOST PERSON AND HE HAS PROVIDED THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR SALVATION IN HIS SON JESUS CHRIST…
CHRISTIAN YOU ONCE KNEW THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION BUT YOU HAVE EXCHANGED YOUR JOY FOR A LIE AND NOW YOU’RE JUST MISERABLE BECAUSE NOTHING CAN SATISFY YOU LIKE JESUS… COME HOME!
SOME OF YOU HAVE JUST SEEN THE WORD OF GOD COME ALIVE IN YOUR HEART AND REALIZED GOD SPOKE TO YOU TODAY THROUGHT THIS MESSAGE. STAND UP AGAINST THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY AND MAKE A FIRM COMMITMENT TO STAND UP FOR CHRIST. NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCES, NO MATTER THE COST DECIDE TO FOLLOW HIM IN THE AREA HE HAS CALLED YOU TO.
INVITATION….
