2. Unflinching

3. Last Week: If you show What God did not grow It won't last (Connect to God 4 Fruit)

4. As we begin a new year…

5. - Changing weather patterns

6. - Superbug

7. - CDC

8. - Russia's Nuclear Material

9. - Collapsing Economy

10. - No safe place…!

11. - Lump…heart…mind

12. - Distracted Drivers and Lost Jobs

13. - People will turn on us

14. - Friends can stab us in the back

15. - Spouses cheat

16. You have every reason To be anxious, fearful Upset, depressed

17. As a believer: You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earth

18. As a believer: You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earth AND…the most hopeful and Full of life

19. Dancing on the Titanic

20. How?

21. David… - A nobody sheep-keeper

22. David… - Anointed, but not appointed

23. David… - Despised and laughed at

24. David… - A hated hero

25. David… - On the run…and it never ends!

26. David… - A man of promise…living in exile (Ziklag)

27. David is a Hero to his men Surrounded by misfits And malcontents Who become "Mighty Men" Under his leadership

28. David and his Fighting Men… Called to go to war for the Philistines Then sent home…to Ziklag

29. David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag.

30. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old.

31. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.

32. When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive.

33. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

34. You've been here! "It never ends!" All of it all at once Comes flooding back…

35. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters

36. Lower than low Sorrow upon sorrow The very guys you'd turn to Have turned on you

37. As a believer: You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earth AND…the most hopeful and Full of life

38. You were made to see clearly Experience fully Yet face unflinchingly and Live hopeful and free

39. What could he do about it?

40. - Walk away

41. - Get toasted

42. - Become self-obsessed and Recount the unfairness of it To anyone who'd listen

43. - Say to his guys, "It's not that bad!"

44. When faced with Problems Pain, Trouble - Distraction - Deception - Disagreement

45. Distraction - Entertainment - Food and Drink - Drugs (legal and illegal) - Hobbies - Fitness What's the problem with this?

46. Deception Rationalize safety and Build bubbles of protection - Neighborhood - Eating habits - Workouts Deceiving ourselves/Idolatry

47. Disagreement "They'd never cheat on me" "Cancer doesn't run in my family…" "My neighborhood is safe" "America will always be strong" Doesn't change the truth

48. For David… The worst has happened For some of us… What do we do?

49. …the men were talking of stoning him; But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God

50. Where do you find Strength? Direction? Peace? Solace?

51. The Source is always God - People can help, but… People will fail you - You'll come to the end of Your own strength - Only God heals your heart

52. But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head - Psalm 3:3

53. But nothing has changed For David Except his direction And his strength

54. Not Catharsis/Feel-Goodism - David takes action - Seeks God for direction - Pursues and wins back The women and children

55. As a believer: You should be the most realistic person on the face of the earth AND…the most hopeful and Full of life

56. Because he seeks God… His Heart is kept soft

57. David and the six hundred men with him came to the Besor Ravine, where some stayed behind, for two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the ravine. But David and four hundred men continued the pursuit.

58. David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day… David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken…Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken

59. Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine.

60. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them.

61. But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go”

62. David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us…

63. It comes from God It belongs to God To do with it What would honor God

64. The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.”

65. David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this - 1 Samuel 30

66. When God is involved There is NO ROOM for bitterness Or Retribution

67. Bitterness, Revenge, Retribution Causes greater stress Clouds judgment Influences actions Leads to regret

68. Could it be…? That we might refuse to seek God Because we don't want to give up Our right to Bitterness Anger and Victimhood?

69. I put myself here And I like my anger And my victimhood Welcome to my Prison

70. Forgive just as God in Christ forgave you

71. Believers ought to be the most realistic people on earth: Life is short- it won't last It involves great triumphs And terrible trouble

72. Believers ought to be the most Free and Full of Life: NOTHING takes God by surprise

73. Believers ought to be the most Free and Full of Life: Because of Jesus… Victory is certain All that's left are the daily battles

74. All that's left are the daily battles And our Commander is Present For every single one of them "Shield, Glory, Lifter of your Head"

75. The Lie: You can protect yourself Against pain, hurt, trouble, trial The Truth: Bad things will happen But God is greater

76. The Lie: You can't start living Until you get past/over "this" The Truth: Today is all you have God meant for you to live NOW

77. David strengthened himself In the Lord his God

78. The Lie: You can distract, rationalize, Disagree your way out of pain/hurt The Truth: None of it changes life in the real world

79. Connect to God 4: - Strength - Wisdom - Action - Healing

80. Where am I struggling? Have I attached blame? Become bitter? Told God what I want Without hearing what he desires?

81. David strengthened himself in the Lord his God

82. Seek God in his Word Pray with an attitude of surrender Worship who he is- regardless of What you're experiencing

83. As a Church: 40/7 Begins in February