Obey the Voice of the Lord

In 1 Samuel 28:15, Saul was "sore distressed."
Also, the Lord wasn't answering him.

In v18, I saw that it was because he did not obey the voice of the Lord.
I learned that we better obey the voice of the Lord.

1 Year and 4 Months

1 Samuel 27:7 says,

And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

That time, David was waiting a whole year and 4 months. We should be patient, like David was.

My Favorite Bible Verse

This is my favorite Bible verse, because it's the reason I know for sure that my soul is saved from the lake of fire.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

(Romans 10:9)

Trust in the Living God

1. Salvation

   1 Timothy 4:10 ends,

   ...the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

   The thing that makes the difference between whether you're saved or not, is whether you believe.

   See John 3:36.

   I want to make sure that your soul is really saved. Salvation must be through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2. Hard Times

   1 Timothy 4:10 begins,

   For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach...

   There's a reason we have to work hard, and labor in the Lord's work. There's a reason for our suffering.

   See Acts 14:22.

   We must have much trouble in order to enter into the kingdom. Keep believing that Jesus is the Lord, and that He will reward you.

3. Trust

   1 Timothy 4:10 says, in the middle,

   ...trust in the living God...

   Trust in the Lord.

   See Proverbs 3:5.

You, Abide With Me

1 Samuel 22:1,2

David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard [it], they went down thither to him.

And every one [that was] in distress, and every one that [was] in debt, and every one [that was] discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.

Like when David's relatives, and all these other people, went down to where he was, the Lord Jesus Christ wants you to come to Him.

Are you:

• in distress?
• discontented?
• in debt?

Let's gather ourselves to Jesus, and let Him be the Captain over us.

v23

Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou [shalt be] in safeguard.

Just abide with Jesus. Then we won't have to be afraid of anything any more, even for our lives. Then we will be "in safeguard."

Turn Again to the LORD

2 Chronicles 30:7-9

And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, [who] therefore gave them up to desolation, as ye see.

(The Lord was speaking to His people Israel, through this man who was saying these things.)

v8a

Now be ye not stiffnecked...

(That means stubborn.)

v8b

...as your fathers [were, but] yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.

v9a

For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children [shall find] compassion before them that lead them captive...

(This was when the children of the people of Israel had been taken captive by their enemies.)

v9b

...so that they shall come again into this land...

And this is my favorite part:

v9c

...for

the LORD your God [is] gracious and merciful,

and

will not turn away [His] face from you,

if you

return unto Him.

The LORD Looks on the Heart

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for [the LORD seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

Exercise Yourself to Godliness

But refuse profane and old wives' fables,

and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.

For bodily exercise profiteth little:

but godliness is profitable unto all things,

having promise of the life that now is,

and of that which is to come.

1 Timothy 4:7,8

Notice that "...godliness is profitable...".

In order to get godliness, you have to refuse ungodliness.

1. Profanity and Old Wives Tales Are Ungodly

   1. Profanity

      v7 This verse uses the word, "profane." That made me think of profanity.

      Don't go out and look for things to think about, that have profanity in them. Don't spend your time on those things. Don't use profanity in your language.

      Don't let profane things be what you're exercised for. Don't even accept them. Profanity is ungodly. Refuse it.

   2. Old Wives Tales

      Verse 7 uses the phrase, "old wives fables," which makes me think of, "old wives' tales." There are a lot of old wives' tales about wellness, about getting rich, and even about godliness.

      Some say that you can get out of debt and make a lot of money without much hard work.

      There are outward practices, especially about the body. Old wives tales about "bodily exercise" are ungodly. Refuse those fables.

2. Refuse Fables and Bodily Exercise

   1. Fables

      Verse 7 says, "fables." Let's have a talk about fables.

      You could watch and talk about fables from movies. You could learn fables from preachers who preach fables instead of the truth.

      You could spread fables when you repeat what other people say. In order to be godly, beware of fables.

   2. Bodily Exercise

      v8 This verse mentions, "bodily exercise." An example of an old wives' tale, is,

      don't touch a frog or you'll get warts.

      That's an exercise of your body, to not touch a certain thing.

      Some old wives' tales say that certain products and practices will heal, strengthen, and improve your body.

      Some teach all different kinds of outward things that you have to do, or can't do, in order to please the Lord... But they're strange things that the Bible doesn't even teach!

      This verse says "bodily exercise profiteth little."

3. The Double Promise of Godliness

   Verse 7 says to, "...exercise thyself rather unto godliness." You can see that there's a reason to do that. Verse 8. This verse says, "...godliness is profitable unto all things..."

   1. A Promise For This Life Now

      Verse 8 says, "...having promise of the life that now is..." Remember this promise. Godliness does good in your life, for now, in this world. There's a reward.

   2. A Promise For The Life To Come.

      Verse 8 says, "...of that which is to come." The good that godliness will do isn't just a little. It will last forever.

In order to get godliness, you have to refuse ungodliness.

to obey is better than sacrifice

...to obey [is] better than sacrifice...

From 1 Samuel 15:22b.

no restraint to the LORD

...[there is] no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.

From 1 Samuel 14:6b.

1 Timothy 4:1-5 "the words of faith and of good doctrine"

"Doctrine" means things that people teach. Not all doctrine is good.

Remember to Receive Good Teaching, Not Bad Teaching.

1. Going Away From Believing

   (v1) some shall depart from the faith

   Remember that some people go away from believing. I'm concerned that some of you would go away from believing. Please don't.

   giving heed

   Don't pay attention to bad doctrine. People who go away from believing pay attention to bad teaching.

   (v2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy

   Don't listen to people who say things that aren't true, according to what the Bible says. Don't listen to people who are hypocrites.

   If you speak lies, this is about you. If you pretend to be good, like a hypocrite, this is about you. Don't speak lies in hypocrisy. These are things that people who go away from believing, do.

   (v3) believe and know the truth

   Believe and know the truth, instead of departing from the faith, and speaking lies.

2. Receive With Thanksgiving, Don't Refuse

   (v3) abstain from meats

   Watch out for people emphasizing exercises of the body, like not tasting certain things. That's a bad teaching.

   created to be received with thanksgiving

   God made good things so that we would receive them, and thank Him.

   (v4) every creature of God [is] good

   God is good, and He Loves us. That's why He made everything.

   nothing to be refused

   It's good for us to receive what the Lord wants us to receive, instead of refusing it.

   if it be received with thanksgiving

   Remember to thank the Lord for your food, and for everything.

3. The Word of God and Prayer

   (v1) Now the Spirit speaketh expressly

   These Words in the Bible are from the Spirit of God.

   Good doctrine, is what the Bible teaches.

   Remember these things- this is good doctrine.

   doctrines of devils

   Don't just go somewhere that people will teach you (doctrines.)

   Listen to people who teach you what the Bible says (good doctrine.)

   (v5) it is sanctified

   The reason it's OK for us to receive the things God made, is because of the Word and prayer. The Word and prayer are good things to hang on to.

   prayer

   Remember to pray (especially when you eat.)

   the Word of God

   Remember the Word of God. (It's our Spiritual food.)

   The Bible is how you can listen to the Spirit of God instead of to devils who will trick you. Paying attention to what the Bible says, is the way to tell what doctrine is good.

Remember to Receive Good Teaching, Not Bad Teaching.