WEBVTT 00:00:24.459 --> 00:00:25.739 God bless you, New Life Church. 00:00:25.820 --> 00:00:26.619 How are you feeling? 00:00:28.059 --> 00:00:28.619 Great. 00:00:28.699 --> 00:00:29.739 It's great to see you. 00:00:29.899 --> 00:00:32.939 And even if you're not doing good, it's still great to see you. 00:00:33.500 --> 00:00:38.219 I know that life happens during the week, but I'm so glad that you're here. 00:00:38.379 --> 00:00:45.420 I know that God has a special word for you, and He's brought you to this place for a reason. 00:00:45.579 --> 00:00:46.539 Now, watch this. 00:00:46.619 --> 00:01:01.659 Um, all throughout uh the Bible, and especially in the book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, the Bible speaks that in in the coming days, in the end times, that the earth will shake, the earth will groan. 00:01:01.819 --> 00:01:03.739 Uh and and it's very specific. 00:01:03.900 --> 00:01:11.340 The Bible says that the earth will groan as as a woman in labor, about to give birth. 00:01:11.659 --> 00:01:19.980 And so uh the Bible tells us that there will be there will be signs and wonders and miracles that are going to happen on the last days. 00:01:20.060 --> 00:01:23.659 And so I just want to tell you that we are living those times right now. 00:01:23.819 --> 00:01:27.819 Uh, and God is moving in our church with signs, miracles, and wonders. 00:01:27.980 --> 00:01:35.979 Uh, just this week we got a testimony uh of a lady that uh she she had a hard time walking and a lot of pain walking. 00:01:36.060 --> 00:01:43.899 She she had a cane that she walked with, and I had the chance, the opportunity, the blessing of being able to pray with her. 00:01:44.060 --> 00:01:50.379 And so we prayed together and we prayed that God would restore her and and and give her her health. 00:01:50.539 --> 00:01:54.780 And she says that on on the Sunday last week, she didn't feel absolutely anything. 00:01:54.859 --> 00:01:56.699 Uh, she says, Okay, that was a prayer. 00:01:56.859 --> 00:01:57.819 Thank you for praying. 00:01:57.979 --> 00:01:59.420 She didn't no, no, no, I'm sorry. 00:01:59.579 --> 00:02:03.500 She didn't feel anything in her in her heart, like nothing happened. 00:02:03.659 --> 00:02:06.459 And and so she was like, Okay, so she went back home with the cane. 00:02:06.619 --> 00:02:09.580 I know that was that was a preemptive, preemptive. 00:02:09.740 --> 00:02:18.460 She went home, uh, and then Monday morning, the first thing she does when she wakes up is she reaches for her cane uh to get up and start walking. 00:02:18.620 --> 00:02:25.099 And and and that Monday, last Monday, she reached out and she was like, hold on a second. 00:02:25.180 --> 00:02:29.340 She put her feet down, she couldn't feel no more pain, that the pain was gone. 00:02:29.580 --> 00:02:34.379 She got up, she started walking around her house without the cane, and she was just like, What's going on? 00:02:34.539 --> 00:02:35.419 What's going on? 00:02:35.579 --> 00:02:40.620 And then she was just so excited that Monday she was walking around without a cane, no pain. 00:02:40.859 --> 00:02:43.979 Tuesday she was walking around without a cane and no pain. 00:02:44.139 --> 00:02:55.419 And Wednesday, as Jonathan was saying, as we were handing out the the backpacks for for all these children, it wasn't just backpacks, we were giving out shoes to every child. 00:02:55.579 --> 00:02:59.979 We were giving out food, hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy, everything. 00:03:00.219 --> 00:03:04.379 She was serving the whole day on her feet. 00:03:06.139 --> 00:03:07.419 God is good. 00:03:08.060 --> 00:03:09.259 God is good. 00:03:09.659 --> 00:03:20.539 And in the goodness of God, in the miracles that He's making and the miracles that He's doing, it's just a question, it's it's not because, guys, it's not because Pastor Selvin prayed. 00:03:20.780 --> 00:03:23.099 No, I'll tell you what the secret is. 00:03:23.340 --> 00:03:29.099 It's Pastor Selvin was available, and that's you. 00:03:29.259 --> 00:03:37.900 And if you're available to pray for somebody, your prayer goes so far, and your prayer can do so much. 00:03:38.139 --> 00:03:42.939 It's all just a question of being available. 00:03:43.180 --> 00:03:47.819 Am I available to hear God's word, to hear what he wants me to say? 00:03:47.979 --> 00:03:53.099 Am I available to pray for somebody, even though I don't got it all together? 00:03:53.259 --> 00:03:59.579 But but I can pray for you and we can pray together and see God move in wonders. 00:03:59.740 --> 00:04:01.500 That's what's happening right now. 00:04:01.659 --> 00:04:09.019 And so the earth is trembling, the earth is shaking, and we see, we see this all throughout the news. 00:04:09.259 --> 00:04:16.139 We saw that uh a c a month ago, Venezuela was shaken by an earthquake. 00:04:16.300 --> 00:04:21.100 Well, several weeks ago, Colombia as well is shaken by an earthquake. 00:04:21.180 --> 00:04:33.819 And we're gonna join together and pray for our brothers and sisters, the churches that are in these places that are receiving these massive earthquakes that are happening throughout the world. 00:04:33.980 --> 00:04:38.699 Right now, crazy, crazy things are happening, but God prophesied it. 00:04:38.860 --> 00:04:47.259 The Bible says that the time is near, the time is coming, and I want to tell you, we're gonna do a series on the end times. 00:04:47.339 --> 00:04:54.939 And I want you to bring as many friends as you can, as many people as you know, because they need to hear this message. 00:04:55.100 --> 00:05:01.579 They need to know that Jesus Christ is coming back for his church, and that's you and that's me. 00:05:01.740 --> 00:05:04.939 He's coming back, and the earth is shaking. 00:05:05.100 --> 00:05:12.379 The earth is giving us these hints, these clues as to the timing of that. 00:05:13.259 --> 00:05:18.219 But it's not just in Venezuela and Colombia and South America. 00:05:18.939 --> 00:05:26.379 Two weeks ago we were we were rocked in Van in British Columbia, we were rocked by wildfires. 00:05:27.100 --> 00:05:41.180 And the wildfires just devastating, just taking so much property, so many, so much going on that that CTV News, uh, I'm sorry, uh City News, City News, uh, I say CTV because I'm just used to it. 00:05:41.259 --> 00:05:41.819 Sorry, Lori. 00:05:42.139 --> 00:05:46.060 Uh, this was the affiliate, um the competition. 00:05:46.139 --> 00:05:49.180 Uh City News published this article. 00:05:49.259 --> 00:05:51.100 Uh listen to this, listen to this. 00:05:51.259 --> 00:05:54.779 Look at look at how they know something is coming. 00:05:54.860 --> 00:05:57.420 Where does that word apocalyptic come from? 00:05:58.060 --> 00:06:03.100 The book of Revelation, the apocalypse, the last, the end time, the last thing. 00:06:03.339 --> 00:06:11.500 Apocalyptic BC family escapes Pear Lake Wildfire, but loses nearly everything. 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:16.779 And this family, this is this is Steve Larrabee and Crystal Smith. 00:06:16.939 --> 00:06:23.019 They're they're in their home, and and next to their home, their daughter lives as well. 00:06:23.100 --> 00:06:30.779 And they've got a company, a towing company, and and they see the wildfire coming, and and and him, he thinks, I've got enough time. 00:06:30.860 --> 00:06:36.459 So he calls his neighbors and he calls all the people around him and they start trying to move all the tow trucks. 00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:47.899 He's got a massive towing company, and they start to try to move all the tow trucks, and then as they're as they're getting ready to move the tow trucks, he remembers he forgot the cat in the house. 00:06:48.139 --> 00:06:57.420 So he goes back to the house to grab the cat because he forgot it there, and then and then as he's got the cat in his hands, he's looking out the fire. 00:06:57.659 --> 00:06:59.100 He didn't even have time. 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:00.620 He just jumped in his car. 00:07:00.779 --> 00:07:03.420 The fire was at his doorstep. 00:07:03.819 --> 00:07:08.139 Like he thought he had enough time to move everything. 00:07:08.540 --> 00:07:09.980 He had no more time. 00:07:10.219 --> 00:07:19.819 The fire was at his doorstep, and at the doorstep, he just grabbed his keys, jumped into his car, him, his wife, and his daughter, and they drove off. 00:07:19.899 --> 00:07:22.139 They left everything behind. 00:07:23.100 --> 00:07:27.899 It's estimated that it's gonna be about$10 million in damages. 00:07:28.139 --> 00:07:31.980 His house, his daughter's house, and all of the trucks. 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:38.540 And as I'm reading this article, it's so crazy. 00:07:39.579 --> 00:07:51.819 Well, Crystal Smith said, she said, after all of this, she says, you can't hang your head when there's so many people trying to hold it up. 00:07:53.980 --> 00:07:57.420 She had just lost everything. 00:07:58.300 --> 00:08:04.139 And she says, you can't hang your head when there are so many people trying to hold it up. 00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:07.819 I immediately went to Psalm 3. 00:08:08.060 --> 00:08:15.339 Psalm 3, David says this, but you, O Lord, are a shield about me. 00:08:15.500 --> 00:08:25.659 You are a shield around me, you are a shield for me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. 00:08:26.699 --> 00:08:29.180 The one who lifts up my head. 00:08:29.339 --> 00:08:35.820 And so we're gonna get into Psalm 3 today, and we're gonna go just the first five verses of chapter three of Psalms. 00:08:36.060 --> 00:08:37.019 But check this out. 00:08:37.180 --> 00:08:44.940 Um, if you're in an awesome season in your life, like like things are just going great. 00:08:45.340 --> 00:08:54.779 Like you walk out the door, there's a$20 bill on the ground, and you're just like awesome, and you pick it up, you turn around, there's another 10 somewhere close by. 00:08:55.100 --> 00:08:56.779 I dropped it, I dropped it. 00:08:56.860 --> 00:08:58.700 So if you could just turn it back. 00:08:58.939 --> 00:09:09.019 Um, but if if that's the type of season that you're in where you just have a thought and it happens, awesome. 00:09:09.340 --> 00:09:11.259 This message is for you. 00:09:11.419 --> 00:09:21.820 This message is for you to strengthen your faith, to strengthen what God has founded you on, because you're living in this miracle season. 00:09:21.980 --> 00:09:29.899 You're living in a season where God is answering your prayer, where God is being faithful and true to your prayers. 00:09:30.139 --> 00:09:31.100 Amen to that. 00:09:31.259 --> 00:09:36.700 And if that's the season you're living, let's go out for coffee. 00:09:36.939 --> 00:09:41.500 I mean, somebody invite me for a coffee because I want some of that to rub off on me. 00:09:41.659 --> 00:09:43.580 All right, so just invite me. 00:09:43.659 --> 00:09:50.460 We'll go to a coffee, we'll rub shoulders and pray that your anointing come upon me because that's the season that I want. 00:09:50.620 --> 00:09:53.500 And I think that's the season that we all want. 00:09:53.980 --> 00:09:57.659 And if you are living that, that's great, that's fantastic. 00:09:57.899 --> 00:10:06.220 I just want you to know that in a moment's time, and I don't want you to be uh uh like all weirded out about this, but but life happens. 00:10:06.460 --> 00:10:07.419 Life happens. 00:10:08.460 --> 00:10:12.299 The Larrabee family, they weren't expecting the fire. 00:10:12.539 --> 00:10:25.340 But life happens, and and when life happens, what you do in this season of your life, this miracle season of your life, what you do right now is going to is going to fortify you. 00:10:25.419 --> 00:10:29.019 It's going to strengthen you in the seasons to come. 00:10:29.340 --> 00:10:39.580 And so just like we have four seasons, there are seasons in your life that that maybe things are gonna start falling apart, maybe things are gonna be a little bit colder. 00:10:39.740 --> 00:10:42.379 Now, now I don't want you to get all pessimistic on me. 00:10:42.539 --> 00:10:45.259 Like life is good, life is awesome. 00:10:45.419 --> 00:10:47.820 In Christ, life is beautiful. 00:10:47.980 --> 00:10:56.539 What I'm saying is that life happens to us, and when life happens, what about that season makes it beautiful? 00:10:56.700 --> 00:10:58.379 And that's where we are right now. 00:10:58.539 --> 00:11:03.259 We're we're in a season where if if that's that's you, strengthen yourself. 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:05.659 But but seasons change and can change. 00:11:05.899 --> 00:11:07.740 Hurt happens to everyone. 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:10.620 Eventually, hurt visits every life. 00:11:10.700 --> 00:11:18.059 And if you're in a difficult season right now, this message is also for you. 00:11:18.620 --> 00:11:23.980 And it's a season, this message is to strengthen what you believe. 00:11:24.700 --> 00:11:26.299 Strengthen what you believe. 00:11:26.460 --> 00:11:28.620 Is God still good? 00:11:29.899 --> 00:11:31.419 Can I trust him? 00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:34.059 Is he still enough? 00:11:34.620 --> 00:11:36.460 And that's Psalm 3. 00:11:36.779 --> 00:11:40.939 Now, the Psalms are not written in chronological order. 00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:46.059 Okay, so just because it's Psalm 3 doesn't mean that David wrote this when he was 17 years old. 00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:51.899 In fact, David writes Psalm 3 after everything in his life have has happened. 00:11:52.059 --> 00:12:01.259 And if you've got a Bible, um usually on the on the header of each chapter, it'll say something about that chapter. 00:12:01.340 --> 00:12:10.700 And it says, uh Psalm 3, it says, a psalm of David when he fled from his son Absalom. 00:12:11.659 --> 00:12:16.299 A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalon his son. 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:21.740 And so I just want to give you a little bit of context of this psalm. 00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:29.419 This psalm actually is written throughout 2 Samuel 15 to uh to chapter 18. 00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:43.899 So if you want to know the context and the heart behind Psalm 3, read 2 Samuel 15 to 18, and you're gonna see the context, the heart behind David writing this psalm. 00:12:44.059 --> 00:12:48.299 And in that psalm, we get to see what's happening in his life. 00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:52.139 He's about to lose everything. 00:12:52.939 --> 00:12:54.700 This is King David. 00:12:54.939 --> 00:12:57.580 He's about to lose everything to his son. 00:12:57.899 --> 00:13:05.100 His son is is has rebelled against him, and his son is saying, You're no longer king, I am the king. 00:13:05.259 --> 00:13:15.580 And he starts murmuring and he starts gossiping and he starts leading the people's hearts to himself instead of to the king. 00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:28.539 And in that moment, David is aware of what's going on, and the Bible says in 2 Samuel 15, 13, the Bible says that the hearts of Israel had gone after Absalom. 00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:36.139 The hearts of Israel went after Absalom instead of staying with their King David. 00:13:36.700 --> 00:13:41.500 And so today's message title is Still After You. 00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:43.899 Still After You. 00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:51.259 And in this moment, David is cast out of his kingdom. 00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:54.299 He's got a best friend, he's got a buddy. 00:13:54.460 --> 00:14:00.860 And and I'm looking right at you, and I'm sorry I'm using you as an example, but you're right there, you're right there, Meg. 00:14:01.019 --> 00:14:03.980 His buddy's name is Ahithophel. 00:14:04.299 --> 00:14:09.100 Ahithophel, his buddy, he's a counselor, and he's a wise old man. 00:14:09.259 --> 00:14:11.019 So you're wise old man today. 00:14:11.100 --> 00:14:14.379 Uh he's a wise old man, his buddy, Ahithophel. 00:14:14.460 --> 00:14:25.500 He's been with David throughout his entire kingdom, and his buddy gets up and leaves and betrays David and goes after Absalom. 00:14:25.580 --> 00:14:28.939 And he says, I'm gonna follow Absalom instead of following you. 00:14:29.100 --> 00:14:34.860 So David is now in this moment where he just feels like everything is falling apart. 00:14:35.100 --> 00:14:39.740 There is, can I say this, a wildfire happening in his heart. 00:14:39.899 --> 00:14:48.939 There's a wildfire that's happening in his kingdom, and it's not fire necessarily, it's its relationships are being broken. 00:14:49.179 --> 00:15:03.899 His relationship to his son, his relationship to his counselor, his relationship to the people is being all broken apart, and David has no idea what's going on, so he leaves Jerusalem. 00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:08.460 And that's what happens sometimes in our own lives. 00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:11.740 And in our own lives, we feel like what is going on? 00:15:11.820 --> 00:15:13.580 Is is this God's doing? 00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:15.259 Is this an act of God? 00:15:15.419 --> 00:15:16.939 Is this a miracle of God? 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:19.179 Is this is this a doing of God? 00:15:19.340 --> 00:15:21.179 What's going on in my life? 00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:27.659 And and I think David is also asking himself the same question, but he is he is down to earth. 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:35.419 He he sees that you know his fingerprints are on this season that he's going through. 00:15:36.700 --> 00:15:48.139 You see, for all David did, and as great as David was, one thing that he he failed at in the early stages of his life was being a father. 00:15:48.939 --> 00:15:50.539 He's a great shepherd. 00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:56.379 But being a father, that's why Absalom's heart rebelled against him. 00:15:56.620 --> 00:16:04.059 And so David is looking back at his life and he sees his fingerprints all over the season that he's living. 00:16:04.139 --> 00:16:07.340 And sometimes we think, you know, what's going on in my life? 00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:10.620 And could it be that our fingerprints are there as well? 00:16:10.700 --> 00:16:17.740 That I'm living this season as a consequence to what I happened last week or what happened last month or what happened last year? 00:16:17.899 --> 00:16:22.779 Are my fingerprints over the season that I'm living in right now? 00:16:22.939 --> 00:16:25.019 And that's where David finds himself. 00:16:25.179 --> 00:16:32.059 Sometimes the season finds us, and sometimes our own decisions contribute to that season. 00:16:32.860 --> 00:16:35.980 So when we look at Psalm 3, it starts off like this. 00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:36.939 Ready, ready? 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:39.740 Like, like, how do you how would you start the Psalms? 00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:44.860 A book of poetry and love and passion and and and praise and worship. 00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:45.899 How would you start it? 00:16:46.059 --> 00:16:51.820 Psalm 3 starts like this Lord, how many are my foes? 00:16:52.139 --> 00:16:54.620 How many rise up against me? 00:16:54.939 --> 00:16:59.019 Many are saying to me, God will deliver him. 00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:06.700 But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory and the one who lifts up my head. 00:17:06.860 --> 00:17:12.140 I call out to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy mountain. 00:17:12.299 --> 00:17:13.980 I lie down and sleep. 00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:18.700 I wake again because the Lord sustains me. 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:20.620 That's how it starts. 00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:24.940 You're like, uh, it's not very poetic, but uh he's complaining. 00:17:25.100 --> 00:17:35.020 It sounds like there is a lot of complaining going on, and in this moment, David is saying, How many are my foes? 00:17:35.260 --> 00:17:37.820 How many have risen up against me? 00:17:38.060 --> 00:17:42.060 Many are saying of me, God will not deliver. 00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:59.820 David has just lost his kingdom, and everyone is saying, instead of watch this, instead of saying, You've lost it all, you you don't have a kingdom anymore, you lost your cars, you lost your house, you lost your family, you lost, you lost it all. 00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:05.820 What they're saying is God will not deliver you. 00:18:07.740 --> 00:18:12.540 And that's the that's the charge that's coming up against David. 00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:28.300 And and the heart of David is that even though you see, you see, the the the accusation that's happening to David, what they're pointing at at David is your God, it's theological, it's not material anymore. 00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:36.460 It's not you've lost your kingdom, it's not you've lost your your your chariots and your horsemen and your army, it's none of that. 00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:45.340 What people are attacking, and what the enemy attacks in you is your trust and your belief that God is still with you. 00:18:45.580 --> 00:18:51.180 That's what the enemy is attacking, and that's the charge that is coming up against David. 00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:54.700 God will not deliver him. 00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:58.140 It becomes a theological argument. 00:18:58.380 --> 00:19:02.460 Where is God when I'm at my most need? 00:19:02.860 --> 00:19:06.300 When I'm in the most need that I have, where is he? 00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:11.180 And the people around David are saying, God will not deliver you. 00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:20.140 But what we know of David is that God chose him, and that David is a man after God's own heart. 00:19:20.300 --> 00:19:25.020 So, what makes David a man after God's own heart? 00:19:25.260 --> 00:19:29.980 And it's this that he is still after God. 00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:34.700 Through it all, he's still after God. 00:19:34.860 --> 00:19:41.260 And so in this moment, David leaves the city and and he goes into a valley. 00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:48.540 And that valley, you may have heard it before, but that valley is called the valley, the Kindra, the Kidron Valley. 00:19:48.860 --> 00:19:51.660 And that's just outside of Jerusalem. 00:19:51.740 --> 00:20:01.420 So so if if the stage up here is the city of Jerusalem, David exits the city through the east gate. 00:20:01.820 --> 00:20:07.900 He exits through the east gate and goes into the valley, the Kidron Valley. 00:20:08.060 --> 00:20:14.380 And and in this moment right here, this is where he starts to pen Psalm 3. 00:20:14.860 --> 00:20:17.420 While he's in the Kidron Valley. 00:20:17.660 --> 00:20:32.060 And the Bible says this, that in that moment, in the moment that he's there, he writes these words, but you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head. 00:20:32.620 --> 00:20:35.900 Doesn't that just beg the question, though? 00:20:36.940 --> 00:20:42.860 Like, like, but you, Lord, are a shield around me. 00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:44.620 What is a shield good for? 00:20:46.380 --> 00:20:47.260 Protection. 00:20:47.820 --> 00:20:55.100 And usually, if you've ever watched Captain America, uh, usually he carries it right here. 00:20:55.580 --> 00:21:02.300 I mean, he throws it and it breaks the laws of physics, I know, but but he usually carries it right here. 00:21:02.460 --> 00:21:03.900 And so it's protecting. 00:21:04.060 --> 00:21:05.500 What is it protecting? 00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:07.820 His heart. 00:21:08.220 --> 00:21:22.220 And so when David says, You are a shield about me, what he's saying is, you're not only a shield in front of me, but you're a shield beside me, you're a shield behind me, above me, all around me. 00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:25.100 You are a shield about me. 00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:29.020 And what is this shield protecting from? 00:21:29.820 --> 00:21:36.700 It's not protecting from it's not protecting from his son that is going to kill him. 00:21:37.980 --> 00:21:49.900 He has no idea the intentions and the ability of his son, and he knows that his son, as soon as he sees him, he's gonna kill him and usurp, take over the kingdom. 00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:54.460 But yet David says, You are a shield around me. 00:21:54.700 --> 00:21:56.380 You are a shield around me. 00:21:56.540 --> 00:21:58.140 What is that shield protecting? 00:21:58.300 --> 00:22:07.580 Well, the verse just before it tells us, so verse two says, Many are saying, God will not deliver him. 00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:16.220 The shield that God is placing over your heart is a protection so that you would know that God is with you. 00:22:17.020 --> 00:22:21.500 He is with you no matter what season of life you're going through. 00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:24.140 God is with you, he will protect your heart. 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:27.820 Heart from thinking that he is not with you. 00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:33.100 He will protect your heart from believing that God has abandoned me. 00:22:33.260 --> 00:22:34.220 There is no God. 00:22:35.580 --> 00:22:36.380 Where are you? 00:22:36.620 --> 00:22:39.980 He's going to protect your heart from that moment. 00:22:40.300 --> 00:22:47.980 Because if that moment comes into your heart, then doubt starts to settle in. 00:22:50.140 --> 00:22:52.460 Questioning starts to settle in. 00:22:52.780 --> 00:22:56.140 And you start to think, yeah, maybe. 00:22:57.340 --> 00:22:59.100 Maybe there is no God. 00:23:01.020 --> 00:23:06.140 Maybe, maybe it's my fault that I'm living all of this. 00:23:06.300 --> 00:23:10.620 It's the consequence of my sin. 00:23:12.060 --> 00:23:14.300 And that's where God is saying, No. 00:23:14.780 --> 00:23:16.700 Let me protect your heart. 00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:17.980 Let me guide you. 00:23:18.140 --> 00:23:19.500 Let me let me cover you. 00:23:19.660 --> 00:23:22.460 Let me let me show you that that's not the case. 00:23:23.020 --> 00:23:24.780 You're going through this season. 00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:25.900 You don't know why. 00:23:26.140 --> 00:23:27.020 God knows why. 00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:28.140 You don't know why. 00:23:28.300 --> 00:23:32.780 But you will find out today why it is you're going through that season. 00:23:32.940 --> 00:23:39.900 The specific details of your life, I don't know, but I do know why you're going through this season in your life. 00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:44.060 And I'm going to show you today through the Bible what that means for you. 00:23:44.300 --> 00:23:48.140 And so God is showing him, he's going through this moment. 00:23:48.300 --> 00:23:50.380 He has no idea what's going on. 00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:53.740 And yet he says, You are a shield about me. 00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:59.980 You will protect my heart from the words that people are saying, that you are no longer with me. 00:24:00.140 --> 00:24:04.620 And that is the word of the enemy over your life. 00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:07.020 He's saying, Where is your God? 00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:09.660 You're you're a Christian? 00:24:09.900 --> 00:24:12.700 Weren't you just at church like last week? 00:24:12.860 --> 00:24:15.740 And you're still going through this, you're still living this. 00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:19.340 Those are the words and the dialogue of the enemy. 00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:22.700 And God is protecting your heart from those words. 00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:24.860 He's saying, Don't listen to that. 00:24:25.020 --> 00:24:26.220 That's garbage. 00:24:26.460 --> 00:24:27.740 I am with you. 00:24:28.620 --> 00:24:34.700 I will be with you, and I will surround you in this season. 00:24:35.020 --> 00:24:37.420 And so that's what God is protecting us from. 00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:41.980 And then what's interesting, if we go back to the verse, my glory. 00:24:44.380 --> 00:24:49.100 But you, oh God, but you, Lord, are my glory. 00:24:50.140 --> 00:24:54.940 If there is a man that knew glory, it's David. 00:24:55.660 --> 00:25:04.300 Now, I don't know about you, but uh if I ever slay a giant, like I don't, I think I'd want like some sort of monument or something. 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:06.460 I'd be like, yeah, that was me. 00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:09.660 Um and and and we see this all over the place. 00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:20.380 And and I I had the privilege of of being um in Chicago with with my Fred, uh my Fred, my friend Fred, and and and and look, my he's my Fred. 00:25:20.460 --> 00:25:21.340 He's my Fred. 00:25:21.500 --> 00:25:23.420 Uh with my friend Fred and Lori. 00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:37.020 We were in Chicago, and and for all uh that that that I love, I love basketball, and we were in Chicago, and and there was one gift that that I wanted, and it was just to go to the United Center. 00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:40.380 Uh I'm a huge Michael Jordan fan, the greatest player of all time. 00:25:40.540 --> 00:25:52.780 Uh and uh and and we got a chance to be at the United Center, and I saw the statue, the monument that they made for Michael Jordan, the jump man, uh, for all his accolades and everything he did. 00:25:52.940 --> 00:25:56.780 I'm thinking David was greater than that. 00:25:57.660 --> 00:26:04.700 And he could have built a huge monument in his own honor because he slayed the giants. 00:26:05.020 --> 00:26:08.060 He built, he, the city was named after him. 00:26:08.140 --> 00:26:10.620 It's called the city of David, Jerusalem. 00:26:10.780 --> 00:26:14.140 And he he didn't only just build a city, he built a nation. 00:26:14.300 --> 00:26:27.020 He united 12 tribes, he extended the land of Israel, he brought the presence of God back into Israel and saw much success through the wars, through through all of the enemies that came up against him. 00:26:27.260 --> 00:26:29.340 He would rise up and defeat them all. 00:26:29.580 --> 00:26:30.380 All of them. 00:26:30.620 --> 00:26:32.140 This man knew glory. 00:26:32.300 --> 00:26:42.140 They in his early stages of his life, they would sing, they would sing, Saul killed a thousand men, and David killed ten thousand. 00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:59.580 So even when he wasn't king, he knew what it was to receive glory, and yet all of that he puts it to the side and he says, God, you are my glory. 00:27:01.100 --> 00:27:20.940 And the lifter of my head, anxiety, pain, suffering, hurt, lack of forgiveness, that those are all things that make our heads bow down, make our heads weigh heavy, rejection, disappointment, grief bows our heads down. 00:27:21.100 --> 00:27:25.180 And yet David says, But you, God, you lift mine up. 00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:31.820 And so in that moment, David is writing this, and he's now outside in the Kidron Valley. 00:27:32.060 --> 00:27:36.300 He's out here in the Kidron Valley, and one of his buddies, I like this guy. 00:27:36.380 --> 00:27:37.660 This guy's this guy's cool. 00:27:37.820 --> 00:27:41.100 And and you know, we have baby dedications coming up, right? 00:27:41.260 --> 00:27:48.140 And so um I want you to know that that if you're pregnant, let us know so we can count you as two people for the report. 00:27:48.380 --> 00:27:55.580 Um uh but but we are we are having baby dedications, and and and this guy, this guy's cool. 00:27:55.660 --> 00:28:00.620 If you're gonna name your child, if you have a boy, Zadok. 00:28:01.820 --> 00:28:02.460 Yeah. 00:28:02.860 --> 00:28:15.420 Zadok is a high priest in in the kingdom of David, and uh, and and Zadok sees that David is outside of the city, and Zadok, fast on his feet, he says, I got you, David. 00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:16.860 Don't worry, I'm with you. 00:28:17.020 --> 00:28:20.060 Don't worry, nothing bad is gonna happen because I'm gonna do something. 00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:21.260 I'm gonna do something for you. 00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:33.420 I'm gonna, I'm gonna grab the ark, I'm gonna grab the ark of the covenant, and I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna steal the ark of the covenant, and I'm gonna take the ark of the covenant with a bunch of friends, with a bunch of the Levites. 00:28:33.580 --> 00:28:36.540 We're gonna take the Ark of the Covenant and we're gonna bring it to you. 00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:41.740 So Zadok, this awesome dude, brings the Ark of the Covenant to David. 00:28:41.900 --> 00:28:50.060 And this Ark of the Covenant represents the presence of God, represents the favor of God, represents that God is with them. 00:28:50.220 --> 00:29:02.700 In fact, in some of the wars, in some of the wars, when they were losing, they would bring the Ark of the Covenant, and all of a sudden, with the Ark of the Covenant there at the front of the war, they would start to win. 00:29:03.820 --> 00:29:11.580 And so the people started to see the Ark of the Covenant as a lucky charm. 00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:18.780 And so Zadog brings the Ark of the Covenant to David and he says, David, I brought you the ark, you're gonna be okay. 00:29:19.260 --> 00:29:21.100 You're gonna be okay, don't worry. 00:29:21.260 --> 00:29:23.740 This is this is what God has called you to do. 00:29:23.900 --> 00:29:28.700 Here is the ark, and in that moment, David says, Whoa, stop. 00:29:30.300 --> 00:29:36.060 No, take it back, take it back. 00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:42.940 And I mean, if I were David, I don't know if I if I would have taken it back. 00:29:43.740 --> 00:29:51.900 But David said, take it back, because he doesn't want to use the ark, the presence of God, as a lucky charm. 00:29:52.300 --> 00:29:55.020 David says this, he says this to Zadok. 00:29:55.100 --> 00:30:06.140 He says, he says in in uh 2 Samuel 15, uh 26, 25 to 26, let there be light. 00:30:07.100 --> 00:30:12.460 Then the king said to Zadok, Take the ark of God back into the city. 00:30:12.780 --> 00:30:13.740 Watch this. 00:30:14.060 --> 00:30:23.180 If I find favor in the Lord's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it in his dwelling place again. 00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:31.660 But if he says, I am not pleased with you, then I am ready. 00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:38.460 Let him do to me whatever seems good to him. 00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:46.060 Talk about maturity, talk about focus. 00:30:46.300 --> 00:30:54.220 He could have taken the Ark of the Covenant and shown Absalom and said, Hey, Absalom, I am the king, I've got the presence of God with me. 00:30:54.380 --> 00:31:06.300 But he didn't do that, he returned the ark back to its rightful place, and he says this that may God do with me as he pleases. 00:31:07.100 --> 00:31:12.060 Let him do to me whatever seems good to him. 00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:15.900 And so in that moment, David knows what he wants. 00:31:16.060 --> 00:31:27.500 He wants his family back, he wants his kingdom back, he wants restoration back, he wants all of that back, but more than that, he wants God. 00:31:30.220 --> 00:31:39.420 He places the outcome of his life into God's hands, not into his own. 00:31:39.900 --> 00:31:42.540 He doesn't take a lucky charm with him. 00:31:43.260 --> 00:31:54.540 He says, Let God do what he wills, and if I have found favor in his sight, then he will let me see the ark again. 00:31:55.580 --> 00:32:06.220 Listen, the Ark of the Covenant was David's most precious holding, his most precious treasure. 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:10.860 He went and fought so many people just to get it back. 00:32:11.020 --> 00:32:21.660 And in this moment, this was going to be the last time he would ever see the Ark of the Covenant. 00:32:22.300 --> 00:32:25.900 And so he could have held on to it and said, I'm not letting go of this. 00:32:26.060 --> 00:32:27.020 This is mine. 00:32:27.340 --> 00:32:31.020 But he released it, he let it go, and he said, Let it go. 00:32:31.180 --> 00:32:35.500 Even if this should be the last time I see it, let it go. 00:32:35.660 --> 00:32:45.820 And I imagine as he's he's watching the presence, the Ark of the Covenant go out of sight, down past the mountain, he starts to see it and his heart starts to break. 00:32:47.260 --> 00:32:53.180 Because that could be the last time he sees or is in the presence of God. 00:32:53.340 --> 00:32:54.300 He doesn't know. 00:32:54.460 --> 00:32:59.420 But what he does know is that his fate is in his hands, in God's hands. 00:32:59.580 --> 00:33:03.260 His fate is in God's hands, and that's where his faith is. 00:33:03.500 --> 00:33:07.180 Let him do to me whatever seems good to him. 00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:11.820 That speaks to us of surrender, complete surrender. 00:33:12.140 --> 00:33:14.700 And that's a word that we don't use often. 00:33:14.860 --> 00:33:16.540 We don't talk about surrender. 00:33:16.700 --> 00:33:18.700 We don't talk enough about surrender. 00:33:18.860 --> 00:33:20.460 What does it mean to surrender? 00:33:20.620 --> 00:33:22.140 What does it mean to give up? 00:33:22.300 --> 00:33:31.180 It means to give up that one thing, the treasure that you most hold on to and to give it to God and say, you take it, you take it. 00:33:31.420 --> 00:33:34.060 I would rather be in your presence. 00:33:34.220 --> 00:33:42.460 I would rather have your presence with me in my heart than hold on to something that just gonna, I think is going to bring me luck. 00:33:42.620 --> 00:33:43.900 I want your presence. 00:33:44.140 --> 00:33:45.740 I need your presence. 00:33:46.060 --> 00:33:52.060 There was a song that said uh many years ago, I need you, Lord, more than yesterday. 00:33:52.300 --> 00:33:55.420 I need you, Lord, more than words can say. 00:33:55.580 --> 00:34:03.900 And Lord, as time goes by, I will be by your side because I never want to go back to that old life. 00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:06.460 I need you more. 00:34:07.100 --> 00:34:09.019 And is that our prayer? 00:34:11.340 --> 00:34:28.300 You know, David goes on to write another psalm, and he says, This as the deer panteth for the waters, so my soul longeth after thee. 00:34:28.940 --> 00:34:34.940 You alone are my heart's desire, and I long to worship thee. 00:34:37.260 --> 00:34:48.140 So I wonder if in those moments, if that's what comes out, in the valley, what is happening? 00:34:48.300 --> 00:34:55.900 And so the question then becomes do you believe in God or do you believe God? 00:34:57.900 --> 00:35:01.500 Two little letters make a whole difference. 00:35:02.380 --> 00:35:05.180 One little word, do you believe in God? 00:35:05.340 --> 00:35:09.900 You see, believing in God is acknowledging that he exists. 00:35:10.059 --> 00:35:10.940 Everybody does that. 00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:16.300 Even the demons do that, even the evil spirits acknowledge that God exists. 00:35:16.700 --> 00:35:22.700 What they don't do is they don't believe God, they don't trust him with their lives. 00:35:22.780 --> 00:35:31.180 And so believing God means to trust God with my entire life, with everything that I have and everything that I don't have. 00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:37.019 I am trusting him, and I need to know that the outcome is in his hands. 00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:42.539 I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds my future. 00:35:43.900 --> 00:35:48.140 And so the outcome of this season is in his hands. 00:35:48.380 --> 00:35:56.220 So pray boldly, ask, believe, hope, and then surrender the outcome to him. 00:35:56.780 --> 00:36:08.780 Let him do with your prayer, with your asking, with your belief, with your hope, what he wills, what he knows that is good for him, for your heart. 00:36:09.019 --> 00:36:12.860 May my heart belong to him forever. 00:36:13.660 --> 00:36:15.260 That's our prayer. 00:36:16.059 --> 00:36:18.460 And so David keeps on walking. 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:24.860 And in that moment, we see David walking. 00:36:25.099 --> 00:36:26.300 I like that. 00:36:27.740 --> 00:36:29.579 Guys, you gotta take a picture of this. 00:36:29.660 --> 00:36:30.940 This is this is awesome. 00:36:31.180 --> 00:36:33.019 Hold on, hold on a second. 00:36:34.780 --> 00:36:35.420 You got it? 00:36:35.579 --> 00:36:36.140