Living With Things You Cannot Change
2 Sam. 12:13-20, 23; 2 Cor. 12:7-9a
Sept. 18, 2005 FBC, Chester Mike Fogerson, Pastor
Introduction:
A Diann Beck testimony
B Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 14 "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die." 15 So Nathan went to his house.Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. 16 David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. 18 Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!" 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead." 20 So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. 23 "But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Sam 12:13-20, 23 (NASB)
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." 2 Cor 12:7-9 (NASB)
1 (ETS) Godly people have dealt with things they couldn’t change throughout the pages of Scripture.
2 (ESS) Godly people encounter painful things that will not change this side of eternity.
C (OBJ) I hope my listener will be encouraged by some of the principles of how to live with things you cannot change.
1 (PQ) What principal are you going to take home today to help live with the things you cannot change?
2 (TS) Let’s look at two principles that can help us live with things we cannot change.
D Pray
I God’s people have been struggling with things the couldn’t change throughout the pages of Scripture. Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 14 "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die." 15 So Nathan went to his house.Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick. 16 David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them. 18 Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Behold, while the child was still alive, we spoke to him and he did not listen to our voice. How then can we tell him that the child is dead, since he might do himself harm!" 19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead." 20 So David arose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he came into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he came to his own house, and when he requested, they set food before him and he ate. 23 "But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Sam 12:13-20, 23 (NASB)
A David prayed and fasted for seven days to see if a divine door would open.
1 David had an affair with Bathsheba, had Bathsheba’s husband killed, & now his mistress was pregnant.
a Nathan confronts David with his sin (you’re going to die)
b David repents in v. 13 & is forgiven
aa The baby is still going to die (v. 14)
bb Why does David get forgiven and the baby die?
2 David was beside himself for the seven days leading up to his boy’s death.
a Prayed, didn’t eat, read scripture, talked to the priests, doctors,,,EVERYTHING
b The boy dies and David does two things:
aa David went to worship (v. 20)
bb David kept his faith (v.23)
B Paul begged Jesus to take away his disease. Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." 2 Cor 12:7-9 (NASB)
1 Paul was a super hero of faith (visions, wrote, preached, planted churches, sought to bring unevangelized groups tp Christ)
a God had allowed the devil to give Paul a physical affliction (thorn).
aa There are so many theories on what the thorn was (epilepsy, speech impediment, malaria, eyes, migraines, depressions, hysteria, or some other ailment), but we do not know for sure what it was.
bb We know it pained Paul so much he asked the Lord to take it away.
b Paul prayed for healing that didn’t come.
aa Perfectly natural to pray for healing, but God was not obligated to heal the super hero of the faith.
bb Paul didn’t know if the thorn was temporary or permanent...but he took it to Jesus!
c God wanted Paul to bring his needs/burdens to Him.
2 God had apparently allowed the devil to put this thorn in place in Paul’s life.
a The devil intended it to destroy Paul, God intended it to keep Paul relying on the power of the Holy Spirit in his ministry.
b Paul asked for healing, but instead he got something better (v.9)... "My grace..."
C (IL) Jesus in the Garden
II We can live with things we cannot change.
A Some heartaches in our life are a direct result of our own sin.
1 A life principle is Punishment vs. Consequence
a God takes away our punishment for sin when we confess & repent, but the consequences may very well (& often does) remain.
b David’s son (innocent) died while David was forgiven.
aa God didn’t punish David by taking the child, the death of the baby was a consequence of David’s sin.
bb (IL) Crack baby may die, mom lives. The baby dies as a consequence of Mom’s sin, not as a punishment (her’s will come later).
2 God forgives & forgets my sin of overeating, but I may very well suffer the consequences (the aftermath remains).
a Heart disease, stroke, diabetes...consequence.
b Not all heartache is punishment, sometimes it’s a consequence of our sin (a scar from a wound that’s healed).
B There are some things in life that are not going to chnage.
1 (IL) Randolph County (Oak Ridge): some of the rocks in the corners are sharp & jagged. Where the water has run, the rocks are smooth & polished.
a God can use storms, floods, even thorns, in our life to polish us, if we’ll let Him.
b Sometimes these floods/storms/thorns will come (& be allowed) from the enemy.
aa God allowed the enemy to afflict Job, Paul
bb God is so fully in control of the universe that He can even steer evil to bring Him glory.
cc The devil cannot lift a finger against a believer without God’s permission.
c Some people get bitter/blame God, give up, grin & bear it.
aa God wants us to go to Him.
bb He welcomes us, our petitions
2 God’s message will always give us grace.
a Grace is God’s providing for our need when we need it.
aa God’s grace gives us what we don’t deserve. God’s mercy shows that He doesn’t give us what we deserve.
bb G.R.A.C.E. (God’s Riches Available at Christ’s Expense).
b God may not heal you of cancer, epilepsy, ADD, diabetes, marriage, job...He’ll always give us His grace & "My grace is sufficient for you..." 2 Cor. 12:9a
3 Lessons from David & Paul
a Both men faced pain (son/thorn)
aa Both prayed during the crisis
bb Their crisis didn’t leave
cc They didn’t leave God, either
b Pray about your pain, but stay with God.
aa Worship, serve, minister, & be faithful
bb God will give you something even greater.
Conclusion: (ETS) Godly people have dealt with things they couldn’t change throughout the pages of Scripture.(ESS) Godly people encounter painful things that will not change this side of eternity.
A We’ve looked at two principles:
1 God’s people have been struggling with things they couldn’t change throughout the pages of Scripture.
2 We can live with things we cannot change.
B (OBJ) I hope my listener will be encouraged by some of the principles of how to live with things you cannot change.
C (PQ) What principal are you going to take home today to help live with the things you cannot change?
a (IL) Horatio G. Spafford, a 43-year-old Chicago businessman, suffered financial disaster in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. He and his wife were still grieving over the death of their son shortly before the fire, and he realized that they needed to get away for a vacation. Knowing that their friend Dwight L. Moody was going to be preaching in evangelistic campaigns in England that fall, Spafford decided to take the entire family to England. His wife and 4 daughters went ahead on the SS Ville du Havre, and he planned to follow in a few days.
But on the Atlantic Ocean the ship was struck by an iron sailing vessel and sank within twelve minutes. 226 lives were lost-including all of his daughters. When the survivors were brought to shore at Cardiff, Wales, Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband, "Saved alone."
Spafford booked passage on the next ship. As they were crossing the Atlantic, the captain pointed out the place where he thought the Ville du Havre had gone down. That night, Spafford penned the words "When sorrows like sea billows roll...it is well, it is well, with my soul." (The One Year Book of Hymns).
