# Life lessons from Jonathan and David

Key Passage: 1 Samuel 17:57-58
Date: June 7, 2024

Turn your Bible, see if you will, to First Samuel, First Samuel chapter number 17 of God’s Word tonight. We’ve been studying the life of David, and we’re going to continue on with that tonight. So get your Bible out wherever you are. Get your Bible out. You say, “Man, I’m in my bedroom.” You can get your Bible out in your bedroom. Let’s get ready and let’s pray that God will work in the hearts tonight. We don’t want to make light of God’s house, being faithful to it and being fed from His Word.

I read over today the executive order of safer at home from our governor. I’m so pleased he said, you know, worship centers, worship services—he said that’s essential. And I praise God for a governor that sees it as that. I ask us to keep public safety as far as the health ordinances and whatnot, but I appreciate him doing that. And it’s good to have a Christian governor that’s wise enough to see that.

So we want to just try to gather something from God’s Word tonight. 1 Samuel, chapter number 17 of God’s Word. We’re at a portion where David just killed Goliath, and the Philistines took off running, and the Israelites chased them and got their spoil. All that’s over. The general of Israel’s army is bringing David before King Saul. That’s what we’re at tonight.

Would you please stand wherever you are, if you’re able to? Let’s stand just out of respect for the Word of God. That’s right. Let’s stand there. We’re going to be in verse number 17, 1 Samuel 17, verse number 57 of God’s Word.

And the Bible says, “And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.”

And Saul said to him, “Whose son art thou?” I believe he knew who David was. David had played the harp in his court already. I’m not asking, “Who are you?” He already asked Abner once, but now he says, “Who’s your dad? Who’s your dad?”

By the way, children, adult children, all of us—you have a reflection on your parents. Either you can make your parents look good or look bad. And just like a child of God can make their heavenly Father look good or look bad. Saul here, let’s just see it. Saul said to him, “Whose son art thou, young man?”

And David answered, “I am the son of thy servant, Jesse, the Bethlehemite.”

And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul—notice that, speaking to Saul—that the soul of Jonathan, that’s Saul’s son, the king’s son, the soul of Jonathan, was knit with the soul of David. And Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

And Saul took him that day, would let him go no more home to his father’s house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, a brotherhood covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.

And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe. Now, wait a second. Let’s just stop for a second. Wait a second. Saul was a king. Jonathan, his son, the king’s son, would be the rightful heir. And he’s taking his robe off—his old kingly or future kingly robe off—and he’s giving it to David.

And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle. Now, friend, he’s given him authority there. It’s kingly garments.

And what a friend Jonathan was to David. We’re going to try to just pull three things out of this tonight. I prayed about it and told the Lord. I believe this is what the Lord has focused on tonight. There is so much here. Would you pray that God would give you some lessons for life from Jonathan and David? Wherever you are, let’s pray. Ask God to do a work in our hearts. We just feel like we need it maybe more than ever. Would you pray that and ask God to speak to your heart as I do the same?

Now, Lord, it would be easy for our minds to be scattered, Lord. We just have a touch, a handful of people here tonight physically, and people gathered all around. Lord, it may be in their living room, wherever it’s kind of busy, people coming and going. Lord, would you help us all to focus in on your Word? Lord, you know this is the only Wednesday night we’ll have this week. Lord, don’t let it be in vain. Please, would you do a work? Maybe there’s somebody that needs something I’m not even mentioning tonight. Would you give them what they need? You can do so, Lord. I ask in the name of Jesus, would you do that? Lord, you know, I love these people. They need to be fed from your Word tonight. Would you do so? We’ll thank you for what you do, Lord. Father, I ask you for this in your Son’s name, Jesus. We pray. Amen.

Thank you so much wherever you are for standing. You may be seated.

Just three things. The first thing that I just felt like the Lord would want us to address, maybe briefly here: I love it that Jonathan—now take it—David had just had a great success. He had just gone and killed the Philistine champion, a huge giant. We’ve talked about it last week, about two and a half feet taller than Shaquille O’Neal. Imagine, he’s coming back from this victory; he has Goliath’s head in his hand. He is talking with the king. The king said, “Hey, who’s your dad?” And he said, “Jesse, thy servant, the Bethlehemite.”

He’s just experienced a great victory, a great success David had. Jonathan was happy for him. I don’t find anywhere where Jonathan was a little bit jealous or put out by David’s victory.

Now, friend, let me just talk with you about this for a moment. We ought to be happy when other people succeed. It amazes me sometimes, and it’s a little bit sad sometimes, when maybe a church member or someone gets a new car, and, you know, the jokes—I understand—but sometimes all we do is just, “Well, I wish I had that kind of money. Well, I wish I had that job.” Friend, be happy for them. Congratulate them. Love on them a little bit.

The Bible says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Jonathan was—what a great Christian, I believe Jonathan was, a man of God. By the way, I believe Jonathan was a great picture of Jesus. Let’s just mention that briefly here. He was the son of a king; his dad was a king. He gave his robe to another. Praise the Lord, I can go to the throne of grace because I’m wearing a robe of righteousness. And one day, I’ll physically have that white robe because Jesus gave it to me. Jonathan, he’s a son of a king, and he gave his robe to another. He loved David greatly as his own soul.

Jesus is a good shepherd; He lays His life down for the sheep. Galatians 2:20—I’ve got to quote the whole verse, you get that last part, but notice the last part when I get to it: “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Jonathan loved David; Jesus loves us. He laid down His life for us. He gave his rightful place to be the king to another, Jonathan did to David. Oh, I’m so glad Jesus took my punishment, my place, my judgment, and He gave me His righteousness. And He placed me in His family. I’m a joint heir with Christ. Oh, what a wonderful picture Jonathan is of Jesus Christ.

Jonathan was rejoicing in David’s success. Too often, us preachers will do this: If we hear about maybe—every once in a while I hear about a millionaire, they usually call him—“Well, he gave so-and-so $50,000 on their building,” and they gave him this for this Bible, all these things. And if I’m not careful, I’ll say, “Well, why won’t you send me the address of that man? I’d like to get in contact with him,” instead of just rejoicing in their victory, their success.

Oh, friend, Jonathan was happy. I don’t detect anywhere in there that he had a problem with David’s success. In fact, he loved him, and God knit their hearts together. Hey, if your friend gets a promotion at work, you ought to rejoice in that. We ought to be happy when our brothers and sisters are succeeding. You say, “Well, they got so much.” Well, praise God, they got so much! I’d rejoice they got so much. Be thankful for that. What a shame if maybe we hear stories of their children doing good, whatever, and we have feelings of jealousy. What a shame.

Jonathan was rejoicing, and he was very happy for David. Wouldn’t it be a sad thing if somebody comes and they got a new outfit on and they look good and people are complimenting them? Wouldn’t it be a shame if it bothers us? I’d be happy, man. I’d have to rejoice when God’s blessing someone else.

I don’t find Jonathan bothered at all by David’s success. Now, can I say this? Can I be honest with you? Let’s take the facade off for a little bit here. There might be times that you’ve got to guide your heart in that. I think of Proverbs, Proverbs, I believe it is—oh, no, Proverbs 23:19. It says this: “Guide thine heart in the way.”

You say, “What do you mean by that?” Well, there’s going to be times that your heart goes the other way. I mean, these preacher fellowships are interesting. Just picture this scenario: Picture a pastor, maybe some of his good people left his church, and Sunday they left, they’re gone. And it goes to the preacher fellowship—they’re either on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays, sometimes. Well, I guess they can be any time, but Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday is pretty typical. Sometimes Friday, I believe there’s one in Friday in the fall. But this fellow just had some people leave his church. And it goes to this fellowship, and another preacher friend is not bragging, but he’s just saying, “Well, we had two families join. Now we had people join the church Sunday.”

Now this fellow just had families leave his church, and this fellow just had people join his church. This fellow right here, he might have to guide his heart a little bit. His heart, because it’s hurt, might want to say, “Wow, you know, thanks a lot for telling me that, brother. I mean, you know, I just had people leave.” Or he may have to work at it: “Well, just give him a year or two, they’ll be leaving your church too.” You might have to go through all that, but he’s going to have to guide his heart.

Now, friend, put that—I put that in the preacher’s scenario—put that in your life scenario. It may be at work. It may be your car broke down, and someone else just got a new car, and you’ve got to guide your heart. The heart is deceitful, desperately wicked above all things, and who can know it? You’re going to have—you don’t always follow the world’s philosophy about following your heart. Hey, the Bible says, “Guide thine heart in the way.” He said, “No, I love that brother. I love that preacher. I love that church.” Though I might be going through a tough time, I’m glad for them. I’m for them. I’m rejoicing. I’m happy. Yes, my heart wants to wander, but I’m thrilled for them. I’m so happy that God’s in control of all this. I’m going to trust Him about my life, but I’m thankful for God’s blessing in their life.

You know, it’s amazing. We’ll go out soul-winning on a Saturday, and we’ll load up on the bus, but it’s done. And someone, they had a bad day—I mean, just nothing, nothing, nothing—and maybe a rude person, and they’re a little discouraged. And somebody else gets on the bus, and it was a great day. Friend, don’t let your heart go there for you a little bit. Oh, my goodness. Sure they had a great day. Were their decisions real? Don’t go there and all that. Just stop your heart and guide it and say, “Praise the Lord! Man, somebody got saved today. God’s working.” Oh, it’s a blessing, even though I didn’t get to see someone saved, our group did, and rejoice in their success. Be thankful for them.

I heard a wise pastor years ago. He said our church had a soprano. You know, every church has the soprano in it. This lady’s got a good soprano voice, and she’s very talented. She doesn’t mind using her talents for the Lord, and not as a selfish thing, but it’s just a good thing. He said she was asked so often to sing special parts. She has a good spirit, a good thing. But he said I watched as we got a new family in the church, and she was a good soprano singer, and she had a great voice too, and she could sing the special parts and she could sing solos and whatnot. And the choir director asked her to do some different parts of it. He said, “I watched that first lady, and she wisely rejoiced in the success of this lady coming along.”

Oh, friend, oh, friend, you guide your heart in the way. Jonathan rejoiced in the success of David. He didn’t say, “Well, that should have been my dad that got the credit.” He didn’t go there. He was happy for the success of David. Friend, you ought to seek to be like that. Oh, when God blesses your neighbor, don’t get a jealous bone. Don’t get envious. Don’t talk about him. Don’t say, “Well, I wish we had their kind of money.” Don’t go there. Be happy for him. Jonathan, what a man of God. David comes back from a victory, and during that time, Jonathan’s heart is knit to David. Be happy for others’ success.

Now let’s look at something else here. There are just three things. That’s the first one. We’re already done. Let’s get the second thing here. Back over there in chapter 18, would you look back there, chapter 18? And let’s just read that first verse. Chapter 18, verse number one: “And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David. And Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”

Here’s the thing here: David is not even speaking to Jonathan. He’s speaking to Saul. But while he’s doing that, God is stirring the heart of Jonathan over here on the side. And God knits the heart of Jonathan to David. Now that’s very strategic. Jonathan was the king’s son, so later on when the king goes after David, not once, but more than once, Jonathan is able to protect or save the life of David. He’s able to warn; he knows where his dad the king is. There were times that Saul wanted to kind of lash out at David, and Jonathan would protect and defend David. I can even see God using Jonathan, his friend, to teach David about the kingly ways, how a king should withhold and act, the mannerisms of a king, and how to hold himself in the court.

Here’s what I’m saying: Jonathan was such a strategic friend, just the right person in the right spot. Now here’s what I’m after here: God can give you just who you need when you need it. God is the one that—David wasn’t even speaking to Jonathan, but God was working here, and God did a work, and God gave David who he needed when he needed him.

I think about Brother Richard Ellie over here. He fell last week. I believe he fell initially, and they took him to the hospital. And that first hospital, they ran tests, and they said, “Oh, you’re good.” They sent him back home. He fell again, got a big gash that time, went to another hospital, and they just happened to run the right test—just the right doctor to run the right test to find out, “Boy, this guy’s dehydrated. Well, he’s got some major issues.” And I’m simply saying that God gave Brother Richard just who and what he needed right then.

God was able to do that for you. You say, “I need the right boss.” God can give you the right boss. God can give you the right friend. God can even give your child the right friend. I’m simply saying God can give you who you need when you need them. God did that for David. David wasn’t out trying to gain popularity. He wasn’t trying to gain the favor of Jonathan. He was talking to Saul. Oh, He can give you what you need.

Hey, parent, you may ought to just spend some time saying, “God, would you give my child the right teacher?” Let me get back into sports, Lord, you know how influential coaches are. Would you give my child just the right coach? You see, God can work all that. You say, “I need him in a good, wholesome workplace.” God knows that. He can give the right place. God gave David just the right friend, just when he needed.

I think of this other day, years ago, I preached a funeral at Ellis Funeral Home up in Nashville, and I was up there preaching the funeral, and all of a sudden a man, right out—right in the middle of the congregation there—had just a full-blown seizure. I’m talking about just falling back. My children were little, and I think one of his arms hit John, I believe it was. Man, my kids, I’ll never forget. They just took off! They were up against the wall, scared out to death, you know. And this guy’s having a major grand mal seizure, and people are just frantic, and nobody’s listening to me, and I’m losing the attention of everybody. And I thought, “Man, how in the world can you preach a funeral in the midst of something like this?”

It’s amazing. But there was a medical doctor right behind. Basically, he fell back into that doctor’s hands and arms. People were so frantic—boy, it seemed like about a hundred people said, “No, not one,” all at the same time, you know. And God had that doctor. The doctor kept saying, “Everything’s all right. I’m a medical doctor. It’s okay. I know what’s going on. I can handle it. He’s going to be fine.” God gave us just the right man just at the right moment. And we had a prayer, and the funeral went on. God worked in hearts in that funeral.

And friend, I’m just saying God can give you who you need when you need Him. Oh, David here, he had no idea what God was doing. He just followed the will of God for his life. God, while this was going on, God knit the heart of the king’s son, strategic, to the soul of David. God gives you what you need.

I think about the land we just purchased. How many times God gave us just the right person at just the right time? Fingerprints all over it. He can do that for you, friend. I don’t know your situation. I don’t know that I’m applying it real well, but you apply it in your life, would you please? God gives you just who you need right when you need it. He’s a master at that.

I never forget when we moved 20-something years ago, moved from Indiana down here to start the church—it’s an old soul in the area here. Just, Lord, Lord moved us here. We loaded up everything, had a U-Haul and a car behind it, pulling it on a dolly there, and then my wife driving the minivan. We came down and stayed in one of those huge, fancy—oh, okay, small little motels that come into Murfreesboro, on Murfreesboro Road there. Just a small little motel that had been there forever. We stayed for a couple days, and we had to turn the U-Haul in by Saturday. I think by noon it had to be turned in. And so, of course, I began to look for a place. I had a couple days to do that. Couldn’t find anywhere to live in our budget.

I remember we could find some places way out in the country. Boy, we were so tempted by that. The Lord said, “Nope, nope.” We called you up, LaVergne, Smyrna, up towards Nashville. We said, “All right.” We couldn’t find anything in our range. Days were going by, and my wife got very sick during that time, and we just thought, “What are we going to do?” We had to have the U-Haul turned in by tomorrow, and we weren’t going to have a place to live. We were on Murfreesboro Road in LaVergne, at Stones River Road right there. It used to be that gas station—I think it was a Golden Gallon maybe back at the end. Back at the end, just an old little real estate sign, makeshift sign, but it had handwritten on there, and it just said something like, “Place for Rent,” and an arrow down there. We thought, “Well, we’ll ride down there.” A little trailer subdivision down there, Willa View Road. And we just happened to find it. It had a number on it. We called.

Betty Stahlcup, she came out, she showed us the property and the house, and we said, “Man, it’s perfect, a double-wide trailer, and we could afford it. Hey, we want it.” And she said, “I can’t give you—you have to be in this place when?” And we said, “Well, Saturday.” She said, “I’ve got three people in front of you. We’ve already told one guy he can move into it.” And she said, “But it’s Friday afternoon, evening. We can’t run any credit application before all the cell phones and quick things we have nowadays.” And she said, “I can’t do that.”

So I never forget my wife and I, we were just talking—she was standing there, and we were talking about what we were going to do. We had to have the U-Haul turned in by tomorrow and all that. We just kept talking. Betty Stahlcup was over there, and we’re just talking, me and my wife, to her. And while we’re talking, she spoke up and she just said, “You got it.” And we just kept talking for a couple seconds. “What did you just say?” She said, “I’ll just give it to you. You can move in.” She said, “Well, what about the credit application?” She said, “Don’t worry about it.” “What about the people?” In fact, the people did come in later on; they weren’t real happy about it. But God gave us just the right person at the right time. By the way, a year or two later, my wife got to lead her to the Lord. She got saved.

Friend, I’m just saying, I’m just saying, God can give you who you need when you need Him. Trust the hand of God. He’s never late; always on time. I thought He was running late about 10 million times. Never has, not one time. Always on time. He gives you what you need and who you need when you need Him.

Number one, we said: Be happy for others’ success. Number two: God can give you who you need when you need them.

Let’s look at this last thing. We’re done. Just want you to know, and you’ve already got the gist of it, but let’s read again. Let’s get verse number one again, chapter number 18, and then we’ll get verse number three. “And it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of God was knit.” God knit them together, wove them together. “That the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David. And Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” That’s a pretty strong statement.

Verse number three, look at this, verse number three: “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, a friend covenant, a brotherhood covenant, if you will, because he loved him as his own soul.”

Can I talk to you just for a moment here about having a friend, being a friend? How many out there say, “You know, Pastor, I’d like to have some true friends in my life”? That’s a great thing; I’m not against that. Can I just talk with you about that? I hope there are some young people. I hope some of our teenagers are listening in tonight. I love just talking with you about friends for just a moment here. All of us—it’s not just for teenagers. I think of a lot of ladies that say, “I’d like to have friends.” Nothing wrong with that. Men, you need to get friends. All of us do.

Let me just say this right off the bat as we talk about this subject for a moment about friends: Number one, let me say this: A true friend is from God. God is the one that gives true friends. David was not out looking for friends. God knit the soul of Jonathan. God gave David a true friend. God does that. God’s the one that does that.

Jonathan was an incredible friend to David, just amazing. He protected—I’ve already mentioned—he protected David. He went to bat for him, to his dad, openly disagreed with his dad for David’s sake. He laid down his position. Someone said this about a friend: “A friend is one that walks in when others walk out.” A friend like that comes from God.

A couple things about this: You can’t just go out and get a friend. Sure, in the world, you say, “I’m going to get me a friend.” You won’t find a friend like that. It’s amazing; the important things in life, you can’t just go out and find. Joy, all these things—it doesn’t work like that. If you want something, go get it. It doesn’t always work like that in the important things. You can’t just go get a friend like that. Many, many people have gotten hurt by seeking after a friend, “I’ve got to have a friend, got to have a friend.” Oh, be careful. Don’t get that mindset. Don’t get that. God’s the one that gives a friend.

And when God’s ready, you need—it may be that God says for right now you don’t need that friend. You trust God. By the way, if you have to do something to make a friend, you don’t have a true friend. No, let God give you the friend. If you get into the motive, “I have to have a friend,” then you realize that person can control you pretty easily because you have to have it. If you’re not careful, you’ll permit that person to control you. My friend, let God be God. God is the one that knit the soul of Jonathan. David was just following God’s will. David wasn’t saying, “I’ve got to have a friend. I’m about to go through these trials. I’ve got to have…” He wasn’t doing all that. He just would follow God, and God gave David a true friend. Oh, a true friend, yes, through and through, the best of friends. God did that. You can’t just go out and get a friend. God’s the one that gives a friend.

Can I give you a couple suggestions? What do you do when you feel like you just—and there’s nothing wrong with that, I understand those feelings—but you say, “I just feel like I need a friend. I got to have a friend.” I’m not saying that’s bad, but what do you do when you’re waiting for God to give you a true friend?

Three things, very briefly. Number one: While you’re waiting on God, if you’re married, let your spouse be your best friend. Now, I’m not saying you don’t need other friends out there; you do, and that’s healthy. But let your best friend be your spouse. Then you go out from there. I fear sometimes we can be so much about the outward, outside-the-home relationships that we don’t have as much or as strong relationships inside the home. Let’s start there. Make your spouse, while you’re waiting for God to give you more friends out there, just go ahead and make sure your spouse is your best friend.

Then number two, let me say this: While you’re waiting on God to give you a true friend, enjoy—and listen to this—enjoy being a friend. You know what the Bible says, Acts 20:35. You can quote it with me: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” So the biggest blessing is being a friend. Don’t get caught up in, “I got to have a friend.” Just go out and be a true friend. That’s your best chance to get friends: being a friend. God says He gives to givers. You know the passage in Luke 6:38: “Give, and it shall be given unto you.”

And I’d say this: Don’t go out saying, “I’m going to be a friend so I can get a friend.” That might not be giving; that may be kind of renting, if you will, because you’re expecting something in return. See? Just go and enjoy being a friend. That’s the biggest blessing. More blessed to give than receive.

“I’ve got a friend, got a friend, got a friend, got a friend.” Okay, just kind of say, “I’m going to leave that to God. I’m going to try to be a friend.” I like to be a friend to somebody. I like to be a true friend. I like to be one of those that are walking in when one another’s walking out. I like to be one of those they can just count on me. If they need some encouragement, I’m there. If they need some love, I’m there. If they need anything, I’m there. If they need someone to talk to, I’m there. I mean, just, I like to be a friend. And just say that’s the biggest blessing right there.

I’ve got to share—most of you probably heard it if you’ve been around here for a while. You’ve heard it. It’s story number 48. Remember that one? Those of you who have been around know that story. Three of us went out to eat—kept myself—praise the Lord, I’ve been in the younger preacher category on this story. Me and a younger preacher went out to eat with an older preacher. Chinese buffet. That’s another good thing right there. I mean, those cats and dogs are pretty good. No, it was a Chinese restaurant buffet.

We were there, and the older man was telling us some stories. He had been a businessman before he was in the ministry for years and years. And the Lord called him into the ministry. He said, “I had his money. I thought, you know, if I’d pastored a little church and never paid me, that’s all right.” I was kind of financially set. And he said, “Because of that, I was able to do a lot for a lot of people.” But he went to a stage where he said, “Well, I got a little bitter.” He said, “I had heard so many stories about people getting big things from God in prayer.” And he said, “I went to God. So God, I seem like I’m always giving people stuff. I’ve never had big things given to me.” He said, “Lord, so-and-so, they got a car.” He said, honestly, he wasn’t trying to brag. He said, “I’ve given people cars. I’ve never had anything like that.” And everybody told him about all these things that God gave them through prayer, and he kind of said, “Lord, you’ve never given me all these big things.”

And he said it seemed like the Spirit of God almost verbally, but in his heart, said, “Hey, I could turn the tables where you’re always the one in need and not able to give.” And he said, “Lord, I’m so sorry. I’ve been the one that’s blessed all these years. I’ve been able to give. You’ve put me on the best end of the deal. I’ve been able to give.” And he said, “Boy, I had to change my heart.” Hey, it is more blessed to give than receive.

Oh, if I’m not careful, I’ll get focused on how many friends, and if they’re a true friend, and what they’re doing, and what they’re saying about my back, all that other stuff. Hey, quit all that. Trust God. Yes, make your spouse your best friend and focus on being a friend. More blessed to give than receive.

Then the last thing, we’re done for the night. You don’t have to go home; you are home. Amen. Hopefully, you got some mint chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer right there. Amen. Somebody say amen right there. And got some hot fudge to put on top of maybe some butterscotch, maybe some caramel. I mean, now we’re talking there. Well, you know, come on now. We’re all going to leave church right now. We’re seeing about—oh, we’re going to go to McDonald’s. We’ll be back in 30 minutes, and we’ll get a hot fudge sundae, a caramel sundae, amen.

Here’s the last thing. Here’s the last thing. While you’re waiting on God: Lord, you’re the one that is a true friend. I’m just going to trust you about this. And I don’t take this as a trite statement. I mean this statement: Be content with the—be content with the friendship of Jesus.

Look, if you will, over in Hebrews 13. Hebrews 13 is very interesting. We quote often a little phrase: “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” But I want you to notice the context when God says this thing right here. Hebrews 13. Look in verse number five there. Hebrews, kind of way back in the Bible—Hebrews, James, First, Second, Third John, Jude, Revelation. Hebrews 13. Look in verse number five right there. Hebrews 13, verse number five. Look what he says. He says, “Let your conversation”—your manner of living, if you will—“let your conversation be without covetousness.” Notice that’s the context. Don’t have any covetousness. “And be content with such things as you have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

I had the privilege of sharing some time with Miss Judy. Her husband, 53 years, just passed. And we went down in the den, and they were preparing things. Hospice was coming in, funeral homecoming, and all those things. We just kind of went aside, and she had set her by us and all that. We were just talking a bit, and I was amazed. I said, “Ma’am, Miss Judy, you know, the Lord has a perfect will for you from today on.” And she said, “Oh, no. I’m going to seek after that,” and she said, “You know, as long as I got the Lord, it’s going to be all right.”

Can you imagine 53 years? Oh, she cried, and she had her moments, but just—I mean, just—she sat in there. Her husband just took his last breath probably 15 minutes earlier. And she says, “When we’ve got the Lord, I’ll be all right. We’ll make it.” We started talking about the song, “Christ Is All I Need.” All, all I need. She’s a wise lady. She said, “I’ll be all right.”

Friend, I’m not saying a friend’s a bad thing. It’s a good thing. It’s a blessing. God gave David a prize possession: a true friend. And what a wonderful blessing when God does that. But friend, you say, “You know what? I got my best friend, the Lord.” I mean, Jesus had to be alone. He stood alone. I was reading this morning about when they took Him to the high priest Caiaphas’s house, and they tortured Him and mocked Him. He was alone. Even Peter denied Him.

Oh, friend, there might be times you have to be alone. But say, “You know what? I got the Lord. He’ll never leave me, never forsake me.” I’m just going to be content. I’m going to try to be a friend. Lord, you know my heart. I’d love to have a true friend; that’s up to you, Lord. You seek to be a friend. Make your spouse your friend. And whatever happens, say, “Hey, Lord, you’re a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”

Would you bow your heads wherever you are? Would you bow your head? Would you make a little altar right there? Wherever you are, would you get along with the Lord? Just right there, your head bowed, your eyes closed. You’re there, and you say, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart. I need to be happy when others succeed. I don’t need to get envious or jealous or make my comments. I just need to rejoice in their success.” God spoke to my heart. I want to work at that. I want to guide my heart to be thankful. Oh, we ought to rejoice. God spoke to my heart about that. That’s you right wherever you are. Just lift your head just right there in your heart and your mind. Wherever you are, just lift it up. Maybe you can’t lift it physically, just in your heart, would you lift it up? God bless you. We all have to work at that from time to time, me too.

You’re there and you say, “Preacher, I need to trust God. He can give me who I need when I need it. I’m just going to trust Him. I’m going to trust the Lord to give me who I need when I need Him.” God spoke to my heart. I need to rest and trust in Him. He’ll give me the boss and the friend and the teacher, whatever may be, maybe for my child. I’m going to pray and I’m going to trust God to give me who I need when I need it. God spoke to my heart about that. That’s you. Not just lift your hand at the preacher. God spoke to my heart about that. That’s right. God bless you. God bless you.

You hear and you say, “Preacher, now while I’m waiting on God for a friend—a true friend, not a friend that leads you into sin, oh no, a good friend, a true friend—while I’m waiting on God to give me a true friend, I’m going to enjoy my spouse, making my best friend, and I’m going to try to be a friend, and I’m going to make Jesus my best friend. I’m going to be content with Christ.” God spoke to my heart about that. If that’s you, lift your hand at the preacher. That’s me. That’s me. Oh, it’s me. God bless you. God bless you.

Oh, it’s amazing how God gave David a true friend, a wonderful friend in Jonathan. Wherever you are, we’re going to have a word of prayer. And as soon as I finish prayer, would you just make an altar there? If you’d be in your living room, your bedroom, wherever it may be, would you just make an altar with the Lord? Our Miss Cotora, play our piano. You just get along with the Lord right there and spend some time thanking Him and trusting Him and loving Him and tell Him, “I’m going to make You my best friend in the meantime, and I will be content.” And you just talk with the Lord. Would you do so?

Father, thank you so much for loving us. Lord, help us to learn, help us to glean from Jonathan and David. Thank you, Lord, how You gave David what a wonderful friend in Jonathan. Help us to learn from the example. And Father, we’ll thank You and praise You for what You do. Bless this time wherever our people are. In Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Original File: Life lessons from Jonathan & David - Pastor Paul Chisgar 4120