# God can use all things for good

Date: June 7, 2024

Pastor asked me to give my testimony, and as you know, a testimony is like a thumbnail sketch of your life’s journey. Well, I have a thumbnail sketch, but also I got a few hangnails in my thumbnail. So we’ll go over some of those, okay? Pastor Paul usually used a three-by-five card for his notes. Well, I got the five, but I don’t have the three. But I’m going to read most of it. Okay.

But like a hangnail, you know, sometimes things happen in your life that are aggravating and painful. And if you don’t have a place to turn, then you are really in trouble. And I just want to share a little bit about my life, okay? I’m from a steel mill town in Ohio. It’s on the Ohio River. It’s about 40 miles west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, right across the state line. You can see the Ohio River from my front porch. But you have to be careful. The name of the town is Stupid Bill. You have to be very careful how it’s pronounced when you’re telling somebody where you’re from. I’ve had so many people say, “Stupid Bill.” Really, I’m serious. I was born in February of the same year that there was an attack on Pearl Harbor. So you all do the math, okay?

Back then, for most of us at graduation high school, college was really out of the question. If you didn’t go to work in the steel mill, you might as well just leave town. So I left. I joined the Air Force, had just turned 19, and Vietnam had raised its ugly head. And not to slight the army, God bless him, but I had visions of marching through rice paddies. So I wanted to join the Air Force and have what they call three hots and a cot. Okay?

You know, when you’re in the military, you go to basic training or boot camp, and your big wish and dream and anxiety is about when you graduate boot camp, where are you going to be stationed?

Anybody in the military can relate to that. So when you graduate and you get your what they call permanent station orders, you wish for Germany, France, Spain, Hawaii. My orders come down: Samerna, Tennessee. So I thought, well, I know where Tennessee is, but what’s a Samarna? So after I graduated tech school, which is right outside of Chicago in January past it—cold—I came to Sore, and I was part of one of this. Sore was a troop carrier squadron. We had the C-130s. We carried a lot of troops, and we let one of the first people jump out of our airplane, Brother John Casey. Anytime you want to, we let you jump out of our planes. But we, my particular—well, there’s four squadrons. And the squadron, and of these four, we had to take turns if you were going what they call TDY to support air bases in other parts of the world, mostly Europe. And our squadron was lucky enough to be the one that would go to France. And here I am, 19, almost 20 years old. I’m going to go to Paris. But anyway, the other squadrons go to the Philippines. So I lucked out there.

A TDY is usually three to four months, and after you’re there, they might extend it another month or what have you. But I was very fortunate that my job was working with the air crew and did survival training and took care of their gear, their parachutes and helmets and all that stuff. So I got to know the air crew. So when I had a day off or a weekend off or something like that, I could go down at operations and say I’d check and see where the flight was going. A flight was someplace I hadn’t been. I’d sign up or I’d give them to let me go along. They’d sign me on as a cruise tree for something, and I would get to go to that country. I might only stay one day or one night, but I could say I was there. So now I got to see France, Germany, and Spain, and just about every country in Europe. And that was a blessing. It really was, but I was too young that really appreciated. Our base was in France when we were there; it was about 120 miles north of Paris. So I made a couple trips to Paris, and when I was off, like on a weekend, and I was so lucky, I got to climb the Eiffel Tower, see the Cathedral Notre Dame, walk under the Ark of Triumph. I really, really appreciated it. I really did. But I wanted to come home. France is nice, but France is old. France is tired, and they don’t really care that much about Americans. So about four months of that, and I was ready to come back to the wonderful U.S. Then we went back again in another year or so. We went back TDY again, this time for about three months. Same story, but once again, I was sure glad to come back home.

About two years after that, I got new permanent orders. I was going to be sent to Southeast Asia. I was going to be right on the Laotian border. You could throw a stone over and hit Vietnam because Vietnam was really getting hot. I was assigned permanently—well, permanently a year. And out of that year, my squadron lost 11 F-105 Thunderchief aircraft and nine pilots because of SAM missiles, surface-to-air missiles, kept shooting them down. That kind of a location is called remote. That means you don’t take anything except what you’re wearing. No family, no anything. You are remote. It’s just one step before a combat zone. So whenever you do, your term is up and you’ve got 12 months in. And like I said, 11 aircraft gone, nine young pilots. I knew them all personally. I have autographed pictures of every one of them. I took care of their oxygen. I took care of their G-suits. I took care of their parachutes. I took care of their survival vest. I took care of their weapons. I took care of the helmets. I knew each one of the persons. When we were working, it was major, colonel, whatever. And when I saw them off duty, it was Jim or Joe or whatever. But it really hurt because when they went down, when the squadron of four planes went out and only three planes come back, I had to pack up all the belongings of that person and get ready to be shipped back to the States. That was a rough part of it, it was.

So when I got back from that, when you’re in remote, they try to let you be stationed wherever you want if there’s an opening for your career field. So now I had the opportunity to be stationed in any place in Europe, Hawaii, whatever I want. So I chose Sumerner, Tennessee, and came back. I wasn’t back very long. They told me not to unpack because my career field, the job I did, was considered critical. I said, “No, wrong answers.” So I took my discharge after eight years. I immediately went to college. I worked one way through college as a full-time police officer here in Lebanon.

And after graduation, I ventured out into the world. First time I didn’t have restraints from full-time school or full-time military. I was on my own. And to be honest, it got pretty shaky. I wasn’t living the life I should. I thought I was happy, but I wasn’t. I really wasn’t.

And then I visited a local Baptist church. A friend of mine invited me, and I went, and I visited maybe twice or so. Then there was a knock at my door, and I opened the door; it was the deacon from that church. He was there with his yoke fellow. A yoke fellow is like an assistant deacon. You can’t be a deacon, but you can support and help. So they came in, and I didn’t know it at the time, but they led me down the Roman Road. They explained to me the value of salvation. They told me how I could be saved. And long story short, I bowed my knees around my coffee table in the living room in June 1976 and asked God to be my savior. Now, the only problem with that was—well, let me get to my notes on the topic.

One other thing I want to tell you is whenever somebody comes back from a combat or remote zone, you’ve seen pictures on TV where they come home and they get off the plane, they kiss the ground. They get off their ship and they come over and kiss the ground. There’s a reason for that. Believe me, you don’t realize, and please don’t take for granted and fully appreciate what we have in this nation, this beautiful, beautiful nation, this free nation. I’ve seen third-world countries, and I’ve seen, quote, unquote, glamorous countries, but they weren’t that glamorous. But anyway, be thankful for what we’ve got in America.

You may have noticed thus far in my talk, I have very little mention of Jesus or God or the Holy Spirit or heaven or anything like that. When I was little, my mother said if I didn’t go to Sunday school, I didn’t go out and play all day. So for that reason, I went to Sunday school, but that was it. After I was saved, I—excuse me—I didn’t really follow a Christian life. I just didn’t have any; I didn’t feel close to God until, until I visited Rutherlander County Baptist Church. Still, my Christian growth was very limited and not really growing to where I felt, where I felt close to God until I found where God led me to Lover County Baptist Church. I claim Psalms 40, verse 2, where he says that he has brought me up also out of a dark pit and miry clay and placed my feet on a rock and established my going. I love that verse. It’s very good. Okay.

Because of that, because of joining Reverend County Baptist Church and serving the Lord as much as I can, but probably more I should, but I’ve—I’ve just been rewarded. God has blessed me with a beautiful, loving wife, a fantastic family, an awesome church, a precious pastor, and a caring church family. God bless you all. Great, great song there. I appreciate it so very much. This is our 10th Wednesday on the subject, “The Life of David.” The last week, of course, we had National Day of Prayer.

And the week before, I dealt with a subject dealing with injustice. And right in the middle of that, the Holy Spirit kind of put something on my mind, and I apologize, I did not follow. It was a verse that just kind of put it in my mind. And I know as the Lord, I wasn’t sure if I knew the reference or whatnot, so I didn’t follow the Holy Spirit. And I apologize for that, but I wanted to mention that verse to you. It’s Ecclesiastes 5, verse number 8.

And the funny thing, after service, I went to look it up, and I went right to it, so the Lord knew what he was doing; I just didn’t follow. And it’s a great verse. I wanted to mention it to you tonight before we get to the sermon of the night, and the Lord put it on my mind for a reason. I hope that person still here that he had it in mind, or maybe your own mind. It’s a great verse: Ecclesiastes 5, verse number 8.

When President Obama was in office, this verse was such a blessing to me. And I’d kind of forgotten about it. And then with things going on right now in our day and time, this verse has been a blessing to me again. And I thought I’d mention it tonight since I failed to mention it two weeks ago. Ecclesiastes 5, verse number…

You can say, “Man, pastor’s confessing sin on Wednesday night. What about that right there?” I’ll tell you for sure, you know. And Ecclesiastes 5, verse number 8: “If thou seest the oppression of the poor and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter.” Very interesting. It tells us three things to do. First of all, marvel not at the matter. Don’t get all bit out of whack. Marvel not at the matter, for he that is higher than the highest regardeth it. I like that. And then that last little statement is wonderful: “And there be a higher than they.” Well, that would be a good verse to memorize. I had memorized it several years back, and I’ve lost it, but I’m getting it back again. And what a good verse. I wanted to share that with you. The Lord wanted me to share it with you two weeks ago, but I wanted to share it with you tonight. I hope that’s a blessing for you.

Turn over in your Bibles, if you would, tonight, to 1 Samuel, chapter number 21 of God’s Word tonight.

1 Samuel 21. We’re going to read it down through verse number 9, a couple of verses, so would you kind of stick with me in that and keep your focus on the Bible if you would. Let’s stand, if you would, please, as I read from God’s Word together. I’ll get it out in a moment here too, I’ll tell you for sure.

But 1st Samuel chapter 21. Look in verse number 1: “Then came David to Nob to Himalek, the priest; and Himalek was afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone? and no man with thee?”

And David said unto Himalek, the priest, “The king hath commanded me a business, and said unto me, Let no man know anything of the business whereof I send thee, and what I have commanded thee; and I have appointed my servants to such and such a place.”

Of course, I believe David is just making that up.

Verse number three: “Now therefore, what is under thine hand? Give me five loaves of bread in mine hand, or what there is present.” He said, “Do you have any more food around?” basically what you’re trying to say.

And the priest answered David and said, “There’s no common bread in my hand, but there is hallowed bread, if the young men have kept themselves at least from women.”

And David answered the priest and said unto him, “Of a truth, women have been kept from us about these three days since I came out, and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a manner common; yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessels.”

So the priest gave him hallowed bread, for there was no bread there but the showbread that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. So you understand this is the bread that they had offered on the table of showbread, and they would take it off. The priests were allowed to eat that, but typically just a common person was not allowed to do that. Of course, the next chapter, verse number 10, it tells us that the priest did seek the Lord about that. And, of course, they didn’t have the completed Bible then. And so sometimes God would be given special revelation, and he did inquire of the Lord about it. God gave him permission, if you would, to do that. Of course, we have God’s divine revelation today.

But I want you to understand that. Then verse number seven: “Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doag, an Edomite, the chiefest of the herman that belonged to Saul.”

And David said to Himalek, “And is there not here under thine hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me because the king’s business required haste.”

And the priest said, “The sword of Goliath, the Philistine, whom thou slewest in the valley of Ila. Behold, it is here, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If thou wilt take that, take it, for there is no other save that here.”

And David said, “There’s none like it. Give it me.”

Would you go to the Lord in a word of prayer? Ask the Lord to speak to our hearts tonight. Would you do that as I ask the same? Lord, we sure need you tonight. These are great people, Lord. And those online, they’re gathered around and trying to learn and grow. And you just speak to the hearts of people here, Lord. They made special time, and they’re here. So, Lord, I pray, don’t let us go away hungry.

Father, would you give us what we need tonight? I know you will. And help us do it just to have that holy hunger for you from your word and for your word. Do it only you can, Lord. And help me to be sensitive to what you want. And it’s in Jesus’ name we pray these things. Amen. Thank you so much. You may be seated.

David was the youngest of eight boys. It seemed like he was really on the bottom of the totem pole. I mean, the prophet Samuel comes to anoint somebody king, and Dad didn’t even mention David. We’ve studied it out. It seemed like Samuel and Jesse, the dad, went around the room twice, and finally Samuel said, “Look, there’s got to be somebody else. This isn’t him.” He said, “Well, the youngest is out there with the sheep.” By this very lowly job, being a shepherd. But as a teenager, imagine, they brought David out, and David was anointed to be king. It just seemed like a very small or low start—the bottom of the rung, if you will.

Shepherd, youngest of the brothers. The family didn’t seem real good to David. Dad didn’t remember him. His oldest brother gave him a hard time later on, Eliab. But he was anointed king right in the presence of them all. Seemed like God wanted that, right? Where’s the middle of all of him?

And just a little while later on the story, you remember the evil spirit that God had allowed in Saul’s life. And, of course, the Spirit of God came on David. But that evil spirit would come on Saul, and he’d get in this rage, just an angry rage. And Saul had some wise servants. They said, “We need to find a man that can play well on the harp, get some good spirit-filled music,” and David was the one. They said, “We’ve seen him.”

And so David—he’s taken from out in the woods watching the sheep—and now he’s brought into the palace. And David does pretty good in the palace. Saul’s servants, they like David, and they spoke well of him. But David’s kind of back and forth in the palace back and watching the sheep. And then Israel’s in a battle. And Dad says, “Hey, David, go down there and take some food to your brothers. I mean, go feed them some, you know.” And he goes down there. And of course, that’s when Goliath comes out. And old David said, “Oh, big mouth. Somebody needs to go take care of big mouth over there,” you know, “and is there not a cause?” And you know the story. God used David in his sling to kill big old Goliath, almost as tall as our sidewalls, six inches. That’s about 10 feet over there. It is about 9 feet, 6 inches. And a big old giant, and David kills him. Boy, that just throws David from a shepherd boy that sometimes was playing a harp in the palace. Now he’s on top, man. I mean, they eventually make him the leader of some of the military forces. He’d go out and fight battles, and he’d win battles. And before long, they started chanting when the ladies would come back, “Hey, Saul has slain his thousands, but David is tens of thousands.” And boy, David’s flying high. I mean, just down there, and now he’s up here, and kind of back and forth a little bit.

And now Saul gets real jealous of David. And Saul tries to kill him. He tries to throw the javelin at him several times. And then through Jonathan, Saul’s son, David realizes this guy’s not going to let up. He’s going to kill me. And so David has to flee. For years—it’s debatable how many years. Some will say around a decade, at least five—but years and years, David’s hiding. He hides in caves, and he twice goes over to the enemy’s camp, the Philistine camp, one time just very briefly, one time longer. But he’s to the point now, he’s to the point now where even a priest will see David, and the priest is a little bit afraid. “Oh no, should I be associated with this man or not? Why are you alone?” And there’s just fear in being associated with David.

Now, here’s what I just want to—just a brief—it’s like the Lord would want us to talk about here. God was making David into a well-rounded Christian. Now, I’m not talking about how I’m getting becoming well-rounded, or I’m not talking about that. All right? Now, you know, don’t point the finger, you know, those others are pointing back at you. But anyway, but did you notice how David really just starts on the bottom? Then God really moves him up to the top. Then he’s moved back down to the bottom. Now eventually he’s going to be anointed king again, and he’ll be king over Judah 40 years, over all of Israel 33. I mean, the greatest king Israel had, most would say before. But God was allowing these things into David’s life to let him be well-rounded.

Just a couple thoughts along this line. Can I just say this? Learn to be content wherever you are.

David had years. I think it took David a good long time just to—hey, I’m running from Saul and I’ve got to hide out in the wilderness and caves. And I believe it took David years just to learn, “It’s where God has been.” I know what it’s like to be in the palace. I know what it’s like to be the national hero where everybody’s chanting about you. And I’m learning to be content where God has me.

It’s interesting. Look over in Philippians chapter number four, if you would, please. Philippians chapter four. And this truth: God sometimes puts us in places where it’s just no fun to be, but God often just says, “Hey, I want you to learn to be content there.” I use that—we’re content for a reason because of this passage right here, really.

And verse number 11, Philippians 4, verse number 11. If y’all are there, would you say amen? Good deal. We started not Sunday, but the Sunday before, getting people back in. It seemed like we were just kind of quiet Sunday. Y’all opened back up. Amen is a good thing. We’ve got to keep it going there, you know.

Verse number 11, Philippians 4, verse number 11: “Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content.” I know both how to be abased—to where David was at right now in his life—and I know how to abound. He had been there too. Everywhere in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. This is one of the verses which is often quoted—a wonderful verse. It’s a universal truth, but the context adds a little bit to it. He said, “Both to abound and to suffer need, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

The reason why I want you to read all those verses from the very beginning is because I want you to notice this: David was at the point where he needed food—just the basics. I mean, he’s to the point where he sees the priest, and he’s saying, “Hey, what’s in your hand? We need some food. Just give me five loaves. Got any other food around here?” That’s how desperate, if you will, how low David was. He said, “I’m to the point I just need some bread for me and my men.”

Now, I’m saying David had been way up here. David now is to this point where he says, “Hey, that food there, I understand it’s just showbread, but could you—could you maybe just share some of this with us?” And the priest had to go seek God. And God said, “All right, go ahead and do it.” We shared about that verse, chapter number 22, verse number 10. But that’s where David’s at.

David is a warrior. He doesn’t even have a gun with him, if you will. He said, “We don’t have any kind of weapons.” Some of you fellas, and some of you may be even a lady or two around here—I mean, it would be a very rare day for you to be called out, you know, with a weapon. I mean, and I’m not going to call any names. There are several of them. I always say if a guy were to walk in our church and try to do it, he’d go down in the middle aisle, you know. I mean, all of our people shooting at him. When blabble to miss him, all of us be dead, and he’ll walk out fine, you know, because of all the crossfire here, you know. And it’s not quite so much with right now the COVID-19 going on, and Sunday morning, we get our safety team back up and going.

But David’s a warrior, a military man. He didn’t have a weapon with him.

And I’m talking about, that’s how low he was, if you will—just the basic needs of life. He said, “I’ll take the bread, the showbread, just give me some food.” But God was teaching David, “Hey, whether you’re abounding or you’re suffering need, I want you to be content.” Apostle Paul said, “I had to learn that one.”

It’s amazing to me. I think Apostle Paul learned it so well. Sunday night we shared 2nd Timothy over there and just nearing the end of his life. By the way, very similar with Paul. Paul was born, if you will, a little bit—everything we understand—a little bit with a silver spoon in his mouth. He was raised at the feet of Gamaliel. That would be like, man, he went to Harvard. He’s a Harvard or Princeton graduate. I mean, it’s the elite of the day. I mean, that’s where Paul was. He was born a Roman. You realize the Romans, they ruled the world at that time, you know, their empire. And to be a Roman, you’re somebody. You’ve heard their stories about, you know, they could say, “Hey, I want you to carry my…” A Roman soldier could tell the Jews, “Carry my stuff,” and they have to carry it for a mile, and they say, “Go twice.” You’ve heard that. You know that.

Paul was a Roman, and he went to the elite college of the day. He was a Pharisee. He had very much influence, a very influential man as a young man. Paul, a little bit, he knew what it was to abound. Had the world by the tail, if you will. And yet he got saved, and he had to let him down outside Damascus in a basket. Spent three years in Arabia in the desert there and getting to know the Lord a little bit. Then he went to Jerusalem, and the other apostles, they didn’t want to—oh, that guy, we ain’t going to talk to him, you know. And he had to have a friend, Barnabas, I believe it is, that big friend had him and took him. I’m just talking, he had to learn to. He had been beaten, shipwrecked, meeting with rods, what, five times, I believe it was. He spent much of his older years in prison. I mean, his last years of his life, he spent it in prison. But yet Paul said, “I’ve learned this thing. I’ve learned how to abound. I’ve learned how to be abased. And I’ve learned to be content, whatever state I’m in.”

And sometimes God allows us to kind of go through adversity and hard times. And David there is running in the wilderness, and a priest was just afraid to be associated with him. And why? God sometimes allows these things. We learn to be content wherever I am.

I thought about the apostles—six of them fishermen. That wasn’t the most prestigious job. Not all of them, but half of them. And God said before, “I’ll use them greatly.” I just learned to do this job here.

I thought about Jesus Christ. Man, you talk abounding. I mean, he’s the God of the universe, and he’s got all the angels adoring him, and he’s a Creator, and he’s God. And yet he left all that and was born, laid in a manger. He could have—he could have been, and he deserved to be in the best palace of the world. But he was born and laid in a manger, and a poor couple, Mary and Joseph, and grew up in Nazareth and had to—even as a baby, they had to move before we got to Nazareth, just kind of fleeing because his life was being threatened. And he was in poverty. That’s what Corinthians says, yeah, poverty. Can you imagine poverty? That means Jesus, that you through his poverty might be rich. You know the verse over there in 2 Corinthians 8:9, I believe it is.

But here’s the thing: That means Jesus, he wore hand-me-downs. He knew what it was to not have the best. He knew what it was to go shopping at the Goodwill all the time. We used to have—you’ve heard me talk about—we used to have a term. We went to some of the Christian schools. We moved around a lot, but some of them were pretty nice and pretty elite, if you will, financially. And so we’d get our clothes from the Goodwill. We didn’t want to tell them. They said, “Where’d you get that from? That looks nice.” And so we made our own term up. We got it from the GNW fashion shop. That’s what we tell them. And where’s that at? “Oh, it’s in town there,” you know. And we knew what we were talking about. They didn’t. Praise the Lord, you know.

But Jesus understood all that. And he grew up in poverty, living on the other side of the tracks, if you will. “Can any good thing come out of that town?” I mean, it’s Jesus. It’s God. And yet he grew up there. And then he was a carpenter for 18 years, just a carpenter—a lowly job again. And then he started his public ministry. And during that time, he said, “Hey, the foxes have holes and the birds have nests, but I don’t have any—I don’t have a bed, a place to…” I don’t have a secret getaway college somewhere. I imagine, if you will, sometimes Jesus maybe slept on the park bench, if you will.

I’m talking about Jesus. He’s a perfect example. He knew how to abound. By the way, praise the Lord, he’s sitting on the right hand of the Father right now. One day he’s going to sit on the throne of this old world and earth and Jerusalem. Praise the Lord, that’s going to be the D.C. of the world one day. Jesus is going to be the ruling and reigning. And he knows how to abound. But Jesus also knows how to be abased. He humbled himself, became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. And sometimes God allows that in their life.

I think about years when we kind of were all out of the ministry—and you don’t understand what I mean, the full-time ministry—and we kind of went through that. Not fun time, but I think it grew us. We learned so much from it. God allows that sometimes.

Just a couple of thoughts. First of all, God sometimes just tries to teach us to be content wherever we’re at. Do I agree with everything about COVID-19 right now? No, I don’t necessarily agree with it, to be honest with you. But I’m to be content. Am I exercised by religious liberty and my liberty as an American citizen? Yes, I think I ought to. I think I ought to. And that’s constitutional rights. But I’m to be content where I’m at. And whatever state I am, there would be content. Whatever God allowed in your life.

Let’s get a second thing because time’s flying by. My goodness, I tell you what, point number two. And here we go, here we go. We’re going to keep going here. God sometimes uses our different experiences of life for others.

David—David’s a king for 40 years a little bit later on. Can you imagine David dealing with shepherds as a king? Well, man, he understood a shepherd. He was there. He is one, you know. Can you imagine? Can you imagine David? He had all those mighty men and those military men, and they would often sleep out in the woods and the wilderness in battle there. David understood that. He’d been there many a night.

Can you imagine maybe someone very poor coming in and they just need food? And they think, “Well, David’s a king. He doesn’t know what I’m going through.” And David gets to say, “Oh, I do know what you’re going through. I’ve been there. Remember back of the day I had to eat the showbread? I had to beg, if you will, from the priest.”

I’m saying sometimes God allows us through these things. So somewhere down the road, God sees someone down there and he says, “I have to use you in their life, but you need to go through this to be able to help them when you get there.”

Look over, if you will, in 2nd Corinthians, chapter number one. You’ll know the truth, probably the verse, but it’s a great one. 2nd Corinthians, chapter number one. And would you look at verse number four? 2 Corinthians chapter number one and verse number four. Once you find that, would you say, “Glory”? Good deal. Good deal. Amen. I was going to say, I didn’t hear any. I was trying to find somebody who was still turning their pages. Brother Anthony did it just so I could find somebody.

2nd Corinthians chapter one. Look at verse number four: “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, here it is, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” Oh, yeah. God sometimes allows these things in your life. One of the reasons for that, God says, “I’m going to give you the help you need during that time, and I want you to take that help that I give you and later on give it to this person.” By the way, God doesn’t necessarily—he’s not so concerned about giving to us; he’s concerned about giving through us. And David, for years and years, all these things that God allowed in his life, David would be able to use them to help a whole lot of people. Yeah.

I enjoyed seeing all the videos on Mother’s Day Sunday. And I thought about Cali. Cali Cooper. It was a blessing to just see Kyle and Tina and Cali. But I thought about Cali grew up in a military home. Brother Kevin being in the Air Force, 21 years. And they moved here and there and gone. And Cali knew the military life. And now God has her and her husband ministering at a church right by Fort Hood. And it’s basically a military church. And maybe those girls, teenage girls or whatnot, or maybe the wives, they’re struggling because their husbands or their dads are in the military. And Cali’s been through that.

And sometimes God allows these things because somewhere down the road he sees someone he wants you to minister to. I was amazed. I was amazed. Brother Glenn—and Brother Glenn’s such a good man, such a good man. Can you imagine what Brother Glenn’s going through? I mean, Ms. Rietha, just a godly, sweet lady. You know they’d be sitting over there tonight if she was well. And just have no idea, just so quickly, this brain tumor, and it just boom—just seemed like she went downhill so quick. And at the time this happened, he could not go in and see her. Eventually, in Sarah Cannon Cancer Center, they said, “Hang all that, come spend time with her.” Now it’s back where he can’t, but…

But can you imagine what all was going through? And Brother Glenn, we have a good relationship, and I’ve talked to him a lot on the phone during this time, whatnot. And he shares, and I share, and we’ve had a great conversation many a time. We’ve eaten together since then, and all that’s been good. But I was amazed. I was amazed. Most of you know, Easter Sunday, Miss Tammy had just severe pain. We couldn’t figure it out. I had to take her to Vanderbilt that morning, and they wouldn’t let me in. And she’s in there for a day or two with a big kidney stone. She’s good now, praise the Lord.

But here’s the thing: I say all that and say this: Brother Glenn and I had many conversations. I think I’d already been over there and eaten with him and eaten lunch with him and all that. But we were talking on the phone—I don’t know if it was Easter afternoon or when it was, somewhere maybe Monday. And we were talking, and somehow it came up. And we had talked, good conversation, but when he found out my wife was in the hospital, and I couldn’t visit her, I was really shocked, literally shocked. It’s like somebody had flipped a switch. Brother Glenn’s just a great guy, but he’s a little reserved. Man, when he heard my wife was in the hospital, I couldn’t visit her, it just opened him up. I mean, he just started talking. I thought, “Wow.” I was shocked. I just kind of… and boy, he just started talking, talking, talking. He said, “Brother Glenn talking, talking.” Yeah, I was like, “Wow.” He just—it was like a switch got flicked.

But I’m saying, that’s not the whole thing. That’s part of the reason why my wife was there. By the way, I’ve told my wife about it, and she said, “Well, praise the Lord, because that sure was painful. I’m glad to hear something good came out of you.” That’s what God works. And he allows things in our life. Somewhere down the road, he wants you to help somebody.

Oh, can you imagine? I mean, David is going to be king for 40 years. And God said, “Yeah, David, I’m going to be a great king, but I want you to be a well-rounded Christian. A lot of different facets to your life and anguish to your life. I want you to have all that so you help a whole lot of people.”

Let’s get the third thing in here. Number one, we said, learn to be content where you’re at. I believe God was teaching David that. Number two, God can use our different experiences to help others. And then number three, and we’re going to go home, amen. And number three, number three: Different experiences of life help us to treat all types of people the same.

Look over in James chapter number two, if you would, please. James chapter number two in God’s Word. And you’ll know these verses, I’m sure also. James chapter number two. And look in verse number one. James 2, verse number 1 of God’s Word. James 2, verse number 1. When you find that, would you say, “Hallelujah”? Good deal. Good deal.

James 2, verse number 1. He says, “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord of glory, with respect of persons.” Don’t be a Christian that favors people, is what he’s trying to say. For if there come unto you, excuse me, under your assembly, a man with a gold ring in goodly apparel, and there comes also a poor man in vile raiment, and you have respect to him that wears the gay clothing—by the way, “gay” didn’t mean what our day in time says; “gay” means happy in the Bible—and say to him, “Sir, sit thou here in a good place,” and say to the poor, “Stand thou there or sit here under my footstool.” Are you not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

Oh, friend, it’s a shame when we treat people differently, whether it be their money status, how much money, or maybe their social standing. Or maybe they’re in the “in crowd,” so we treat them a little bit better than somebody else. Oh, no. And sometimes God allows us to experience a lot of different things where we learn to treat everybody the same, if you will.

You know, it’s a sad thing in churches. And it sometimes happens. By the way, praise the Lord, we’ve got a great church family. I love our church family. And it’s a very—and I mean that—a great church family. We go on vacation or something. We enjoy getting away a little bit, but we love our church. We’re ready to get back to our church family. It’s the best. But it’s a sad thing when cliques move into church families. And I think we have a good church, and I think we’re pretty good. Are we perfect? No, not a perfect one. But it’s a sad thing when just, oh, little sects and little groups, and no, man, it ought to be one church family. Now, I think our church is very good on it, but we can always improve, and preventative maintenance is the best maintenance.

Oh, it’s a sad thing when you get into church politics, if you will. It’s amazing. You can have a church of 20 people, and there’ll be church politics. You say, “In a small church?” Yeah. Same thing in big churches. And it’s a sad thing. And we’re good about that, but I want to always be good about that. I mean, it doesn’t matter if they come in very socially adept and good with people and very friendly and all that. A lot of treating them wonderful. Well, they come in and they’re just so shy and timid, and they sit over in the corner—well, I’ll be wonderful then too. I like someone. They said when they go to a gathering of anything, they walk in a room, they always look for someone that’s sitting alone, and they go shake their hand first, try to befriend them first. I hope that’s pretty good.

That matters to the very wealthy. And by the way, in our society, it’s a shame sometimes that many will look down on somebody because they’ve got money. That’s also prejudice, by the way. It may be they just worked very hard, and God bless them. And they’re not selfish and stingy, and God can trust them with some money. Money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is the root of all evil. But whether they come in with a lot of money or why they come in as a bus kid, maybe not dressed very good—both ways you ought to treat them the same. I love them. Be good to them.

David was experiencing some things. I imagine David would remember for the rest of his life. And maybe when someone would come in and everybody’s kind of a little bit afraid, a little standoffish, maybe David would remember back when he went to the priest, or Himalek, and he was a little bit afraid. Maybe David said, “I’m not going to do that. I’m just going to treat them the same.”

It was good. Someone texted me Saturday, I believe it was, and they said, “I got a friend trying to get her in church, and she doesn’t like to go to Baptist churches. She thinks they’re judgmental, but I told her this church isn’t like that, and you ought to come. They’ll love you.” And other things she said. And she said, “All right, my friend’s going to come.” Now, her friend didn’t come. But I was glad her church had that reputation. My church is friendly. They won’t be judgmental. They’ll just accept you like you are. That’s what it ought to be. I don’t believe in “come as you are, leave as you are.” Come as you are, though, leave different—changed by the Word of God and the Spirit of God. But acceptance is the optimum environment for growth. Let’s take them where they are. Try to grow them in the Lord.

David—God had allowed so many things in David’s life. And David will learn, “Hey, listen, it doesn’t matter where they’re at. They can be the one maybe on the lowest part of the totem pole in their family.” And David—I think it’s sad. I’ve been there before. I’m not going to—just because everybody else is kind of talking about them, I’m not going to do that. David, see someone hungry, say, “I’ve been there. I want to treat them the same.” Old David knew how to abound, too. By the way, I’m not saying I’m always there, but I like it if I could just be comfortable around people, whether they’re very wealthy. By the way, that’d be right, too. By the way, sometimes that affects you because we have a love of money. But when I’m just comfortable around the wealthy, or I’m comfortable around the very poorest, and just be comfortable and be able to minister in love and reach out to them. God was making David a well-rounded Christian.

Oh, God allows these things in their life so often, and he’s teaching us and growing us to be content, whatever state you’re in, just be content. And then sometimes God says, “I see someone down the road, and I want you to minister to their life. And I’ve got to take you through a valley.” Then God wants to learn to treat everybody the same.

I preached with a friend, a good guy, good guy. He used to pastor in Michigan. He told their story. He said he had someone come to the office, and they just had amazing trials in their life and just problem after problem. And they said, “Pastor, why? Why have all these things happened?” And he said, “Well, let me ask you.” I think it was a husband and wife in his office. He said, "Let me ask you, do you have some expensive special tools? He said, “It might be a tool you don’t use very often, but when you need that job done, you’ve got to have that tool.” Mechanic, it would be a torque wrench or something, you know. If it’s line of equipment, I don’t know what it would be. Brother Frank will tell you what it would be. He’s all about that, you know. But a special tool, usually expensive, you don’t use them very often, but when you’ve got a certain job to be done, you’ve got to have that tool. And the husband said, “Yeah, I know what you’re talking about those tools.” He said, “That’s what God’s doing in your life. He’s making you a special tool. And he’s got a job that he needs done down there. And it’s expensive. Those tools cost a lot. When that job needs to be done down the road, he’s got to have that special tool to do the job.” Yeah. God allows these things in their life for reasons.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? Heads are bowed, eyes are closed. You say, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart. I need to learn to be content where I’m at. What God’s allowing in my life, and I’m going to work at this thing. I want to learn it.” God spoke to my heart about that. That’s you, and that’s me. God bless you. God bless you. Me too. Me too. God bless you. Me too. Thank you so much. You can put your hands down.

Maybe you’re there tonight. You say, “Preacher, I sure want the Lord to use what I’m going through to help someone down the road. Lord, I’m asking you, what I’m going through, would you use that to help somebody? I sure would like to be helped with somebody down the road and God to use this in someone else’s life, what I’m going through.” God spoke to my heart about that tonight. That’s you tonight. That’s you, if you had that, preacher, that’s me. That’s me. God bless you. God bless you. That’s wonderful. That’s wonderful for me, too. God bless you. Thank you so very much.

You hear tonight and you say, “Preacher, I want to treat others the same. I just want to work at it. I don’t want to—I want to be the same. I’m going to love them all.” Maybe you want to put into practice fighting the one that has an old friend and go after them to befriend them. God spoke to my heart about that third point. God spoke to me about that. That’s you. I’m not—I like that. Let me hear the church. God spoke to my heart about that. God bless you. God bless you. Me too, me too. Thank you so very, very much.

Would you please stand tonight? We’re going to have a word of prayer. We won’t be long, but it’d be great just come and maybe just need to pray for someone. And let’s just spend some time with the Lord. Wherever you be, wherever you’re at, and you be in your bedroom, wherever you’re at on YouTube or Facebook, would you get along with the Lord? We’ll pray, and would you spend some time with the Lord? Would you do that? The altar be open. You’d love to have you come.

Father, thank you so much for these men that you showed us how you worked in their life and the end of their lives and how you used them. Father, help me to be content. Lord, use what we’re going through to help somebody else. And, Father, help us just to love people where they’re at, all different types of people. Father, bless our people tonight. Would you meet with them during this time in a special way, Lord, please? Well, thank you, Lord, for what you do. In Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Original File: God can use all things for Good - Pastor Chisgar