Encourage yourself in God

24 Jan 2021 Recap:

Week 1 - ’s calling, Goliath, David’s faithfulness with sheep –

•Truths: How is our heart? (Heart audit) / What do we need to pray about more / are we being faithful with the little?

Week 2 – ’s attempts to kill Dave, Jonathan’s friendship, Cave living:

•Truths: Toxic People, qualities of true friendship and God’s preparation methods - desert En Gedi (near dead sea) Waiting On God 1 Sam 25: 1-3

Now Samuel died, and all Israel assembled and mourned for him; and they buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David moved down into the Desert of Paran. / Maon. 2 A certain man in Maon, who had property there at Carmel, was very wealthy. He had 1000 goats and 3000 sheep, which he was shearing in Carmel. 3His name was Nabal and his wife’s name was . She was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings, he was a Calebite. 1 Sam 25: 20-22

20 As she came riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, there were David and his men descending toward her, and she met them. 21 David had just said, “It’s been useless—all my watching over this fellow’s property in the wilderness so that nothing of his was missing. He has paid me back evil for good. 22 May God deal with David, be it ever so severely, if by morning I leave alive one male of all who belong to him!” 1 Sam 25: 36-39 36 When Abigail went to Nabal, he was in the house holding a banquet like that of a king. He was in high spirits (his heart was merry) and very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until daybreak. 37 Then in the morning, when Nabal was sober, his wife told him all these things, and his heart failed him and he became like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the LORD struck Nabal and he died. 1 Sam 25: 36-39 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the LORD, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.” Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife. Lesson: 1. Let God take revenge

2. Listen to Godly counsel.

3. A good wife is a gift from God! Attacked 1 Samuel 30 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2 and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. 3 When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 1 Samuel 30 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. Psalm 18

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

1 I love you, LORD, my strength. 2 The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies. Acts 16

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Recap: Life lessons:

1. Listen to Godly counsel 2. A good spouse is a gift from the Lord 3. In tough times, encourage yourself in the Lord.