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You arewelcome

StoneCreek

www.rossvillechurch.com

781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

December 2, 2012

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The Bowmans will be here Saturday, December 29, 2012

at 6:00 PM

Pure Heart will be here Sunday morning, January 13, 2013 to lead worship.

Fifth Sunday dinner and fellowship

Sunday, December 30, 2013

Soup and chili dinner

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David has again spared Saul’s life in Ziph, when it would have been so easy to kill him in his sleep.

1 Samuel 26 25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

But David didn’t trust Saul’s assurances.

The trial had been too long and too hard.

David is getting worn down and discouraged.

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1 Samuel 27 1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I escape out of his hand.

God has delivered David time and again, but now for some reason his faith is weak.

We see that David just decided to move.

He didn’t ask God what to do.

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We all get tired in the battle between right and wrong.

Who among us can say in truth, “I have never doubted, no matter how hard the trial.”?

Who can say, “I have never tried my own way.”When we get tired and our faith is weak, we must

not make the same mistakes David did.

Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.

Pray more, not less; seek God’s Will.Stay in church; don’t forsake the assembly.

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2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath. 3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

Seeking refuge among the heathen.

Taking his family, his men and their families with him.

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When we go down the wrong road, we always take others with us.

Yes, King Saul and many of David’s friends had failed him, but God had not failed him.

Sometimes some of God’s people will let us down.

We are just people with human weakness.

But we must strive to be that friend who sticks closer than a brother in times of adversity.

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4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought no more again for him.

Saul would likely have continued to hound David, although he had promised not to.

But he would not chase David into Philistine territory.

So David’s decision was a logical one, and has worked.

But, whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Romans 14:23

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Whether a method or a plan works or not is not the test of whether it is right or wrong.

People say --

“Whatever works.”We should say and practice:

“Whatever God says is right.”Whether it seems to work or not.

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5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with thee?

David is getting out from under the control of Achish.

He wants freedom to do his own thing.

Even though David has made some mistakes,He has not forsaken God.

He will not fight against God’s people Israel.

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6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day. 7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was a full year and four months.

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8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt. 9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

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10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

David had to lie to cover his betrayal of Achish.

The sin of doubt is leading

to other sins.First he doubted God, and feared Saul.Then he went to live among the ungodly.Now he is practicing deceit; telling lies.

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11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.

An awful slaughter, not at God’s command,but to cover his own deceit.

As many politicians have discovered to their hurt,

The cover-up is often worse than the deed.

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12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant forever.

It worked, but that is not the test of right or wrong.

David should have trusted God; God had promised to protect him and establish him as king of Israel.

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We can stand firm upon the Promises of God.

We need not take it upon ourselves to solve problems or to make a plan.

Walk confidently in the steps

That God orders for our lives.

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Proverbs 28 13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Joy and peace are the results of living a willing and obedient life according to the Plan of God.

When we find ourselves wrong,

Admit it and turn from wrong unto right.

God will grant us mercy and finish His plans for

good in our lives.

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Good news!David’s time of doubting and living among the pagans did not disqualify him for serving God.

The blessing of repentance and forgiveness,and living in the Grace of God --

Is our greatest blessing of all.