Saul’s Servants
Category: Integrity & Godly Character
Key Passage: 1 Samuel 16:14-23
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024
Life of David. The first Wednesday night we talked about, we talked about he was a shepherd boy, him getting anointed as king. Last week we talked about the spirit of the Lord came upon him. And then tonight, we’re going to talk about Saul’s servants. Saul’s servants. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anybody kind of focus on him. Just briefly tonight, that would be a part of it.
First Samuel chapter number 16, we’ll start in verse number 14 of God’s word. Would you please stand as we read the word of God together, just in respect to it, if you’re able to? And if you’re there, would you say amen?
Good. And I don’t even hear any more pages turning, so you’re actually there. That’s a good sign. Verse number 14. The Bible says, “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul. An evil spirit from the Lord troubled him. And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now an evil spirit from God trouble thee. Let our Lord now command thy servants which are before thee to seek out a man who is a cunning player on a harp. And it should come to pass when the evil spirit from God is upon thee that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt be well.”
“And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well and bring him to me.”
Then answered one of the servants and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite that is a cunning in playing, a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in manners, and a comely person. And the Lord is with him.”
“Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse and said, Send me David, thy son, which is with the sheep.”
Jesse took an ass laden with bread and a bottle of wine and a kid and sent them by David, his son, into Saul. David came to Saul and stood before him, and he loved him greatly. He became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse saying, “Let now, let David, I pray thee, stand before me, for he hath found favor in my sight.”
“And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul that David took in harp and played with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well. And the evil spirit departed from him.”
Let’s go to the Lord in prayer as we get started tonight. Dear Father, Lord, as we try to just glean some truths from what we just read. Lord, I pray that you would take it and apply it to every individual. Lord, I don’t ask to preach a good message. Lord, help me just lay all that aside, forget about it. Lord, I pray that somebody would be helped tonight. And Lord, would you do that? Give us what we need from you and your word, your Spirit. And Father, we’ll brag with you and thank you for what you do, Lord. And we ask for these things in the name of Jesus, we pray and believe. Amen.
Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
Saul had some wonderful servants. He really did. Look at a couple things about it. Look back at verse number 15, if you would please, verse number 15. And I want you to notice these men here. “And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.”
Now the verse prior had told us, “But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.” Now when it says from the Lord, it’s like God allowed that evil spirit there, if you will. All right. But these men were wise enough. They had enough discernment in them to realize that God was involved in this and God was allowing it. Saul had got so wicked that God was lifting his hand, if you will, of protection from these evil spirits and just allowing these evil spirits in there. But these men were wise enough. They knew what was going on.
I was speaking with a man, the man we often buy our buses from, just a country boy. His name is… Well, I don’t know what his real name is. Everybody calls him Moose. And he works with a wonderful—we’re about to buy a bus from him. And many of you know about it. And I called Moose today and found out if our new bus is about ready. By the way, he got us six brand new ten-ply tires for free. Somebody say amen right there. Yeah. That’s why I like Moose so much, amen.
I try not to forget the name in my cell phone, so I have Moose and I got bused by it, you know. I don’t know if bus is first or last name, but I know Moose and the bus go together, amen, you know. But Moose, but Moose was telling me a story, and he said, I don’t know, he said, I just feel like, Lord, maybe it’s a gift from the Lord, I have some discernment. And someone was lying about a situation. He knew it. And he said, I pray for it every day. And I thought, maybe that’s why he got the gift. Maybe it’s not so much a gift. Maybe God gave it to you because you’ve been earning it, if you will, in prayer.
But discernment, these guys were discerning. They knew, man, Saul, I don’t know what happened to him, if it started shaking all over, just got to become a major grouch. And later on, we’re going to read when he threw the javelin at David. I don’t know at this point exactly what it looked like. But they had enough discernment about them to say, hey, that’s the evil spirit that God’s allowing in Saul’s life. There are some wise servants here. They know what’s going on.
Look at verse number 16. Something else about these servants of Saul here, if you will. Verse number 16, “Let our Lord now command thy servants…” Now that’s not capital L. Let’s talk about their master, their king, Saul. “Let our Lord now command thy servants which are before thee to seek out a man who is a cunning player on a harp. And it should come to pass when the evil spirit from God is upon thee that he shall play with his hand and thou shalt be well.”
Now here’s something interesting. They said, “We want you to command us.” They weren’t trying to take charge. It would be a good opportunity for them to take charge. Saul’s got one of these weird things, you got an evil spirit coming. They could have kind of took charge. That happened often in the Bible. It happens often. These guys didn’t do it. They knew what to do. We’ll talk about that in a minute here. They knew what to do. Man, you need to get somebody that can play on the harp well. In fact, they knew which instrument—wise men. But they didn’t take charge of it. They said, “Hey, Saul, this is what you’re going to do.” They said, “Hey, Saul, this is what y’all do. You command us. You’re the leader.”
We want to stay underneath the leaders God has in our life. Well, Saul, right? Saul was far from being a godly man at this point. Had an evil spirit on him. And they knew that from the Lord. The Lord allowed it. But they still said, “You command us.” That’s pretty good servants. The Bible is for authority and loyalty to authority. And these servants, they knew that. They’re pretty wise fellows and good fellas.
Let’s keep reading here. It’s about these servants here. Verse number 17, “And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well and bring him to me.” Look at verse number 23. “And it should come to pass when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul that David took in harp and played with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well. And the evil spirit departed from him.”
Here’s what I’m saying. By the way, by the way, these fellas, verse number 16, they’re the ones that said, “Somebody can play the harp.” Did you notice in verse number 16? “Let our Lord now command thy servants which are before thee to seek out a man who is a cunning player on a harp.”
These guys, they had this sermon about them. They knew what was going on, this weird rage or fit, but come on, Saul, whatever, exactly. They knew God’s allowing this in his life. They didn’t try to take charge when that was going on. They had ample opportunity at that moment. They said, “No, you command us.” But there’s what you need to get a fellow. They even knew somebody that can play the harp well. They knew, if you will, the type music. They were wise enough to know that if the right kind of music is played—now, can I say this? It doesn’t say anything about words. Nobody’s singing here. It’s talking about music. And it worked. He would play on the harp and he was refreshed and the evil spirit would depart.
Now, friend, let me just talk for just briefly—I’ve done it so many times down through the years—but just a brief moment about this saying of music. It is so very, very important what kind of music you listen to. I’m not even talking necessarily right now about words, though that’s important also.
Can I say, last Wednesday night we were talking about being spirit-filled? You’re not going to be Holy Spirit-filled when you’re listening to the world’s music. Did you notice I put it in there? It’s biblical. The Holy Spirit is holy. So when I have hockey talk music or I have rock and roll—who was the guy, David Bowie, David Bowie, never get his name right—some rock and roll singer years ago. I believe he said in Rolling Stone magazine, he said, “Rock and roll music has always been the devil’s music.” That’s what they said about themselves.
So when I get hockey talk music or I get the devil’s music, both the same thing, and I put it in a church setting or in a Christian’s ear and mind, the Holy Spirit’s going to say, “Whoa. I’m holy.” I love it in the book of Daniel. Look at Daniel sometime. And a lot of religion there in Babylon, and said, “Hey, he’s got the spirit of the holy gods in him.” That’s the difference.
If I’m going to take the world’s music and put Christian words—wait a second. There’s a spirit about it, just the music. It’s amazing how much the Bible, in the spirit realm, uses music. I’m sorry, the Bible uses the spirit realm and music kind of going hand in hand.
Look over to Ezekiel. I think there’s a little part of the reason. Look at Ezekiel chapter number 28, if you would, real quickly here. Ezekiel chapter number 28. And it talks about the devil here. Gives us a little glimpse at Satan. I want you to notice something about the devil. Ezekiel 28. And look down in verse number 13, if you would please. We’ll start in verse number 12. We’ll just get a little background here and just talk about the devil for a moment here. Ezekiel 28. And he’s our adversary, we know that. He’s walking about seeking whom he may devour. He’s trying to get—he’s trying to see who he can get. This is one of his—he’s good at this one. This is one of his weapons here.
In Ezekiel 28, look in verse number 12. “Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus.” Earlier, talking about a prince, we believe that was an earthly leader. This is a king of Tyrus, we believe it’s the devil himself. “And say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God, Thou sillest up the sum full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” Beauty? Look how good he is. He is full of wisdom. The Bible says…
Just too much Satan here. A little bit of some of this in the beginning. Verse number 13, “Thou hast been in Eden.” We were there when he tempted Eve and Adam. “Thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was thy covering: the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, the pearl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, and the emerald, carbuncle, and gold.” Look at this here: “The workmanship of thy tablets and of thy pipes was prepared in the day that thou wast created.”
So God, when he created—by the way, Satan was created. God, Jesus never was, always were. But when he was created, he was created with musical instruments built into him. He knows music for it. I actually believe from this and from the next verse, even he says that in verse number 14, “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth.” Some said, “Well, there’s not an angel who’s a cherub,” and I don’t get to that too much, but this is anointed cherub. I actually believe he led singing in heaven in praise to the Lord. He’s very gifted at that. And man, he was just so good at it. He had built into him the ability to play music. He had pipes and tablets built into him. Man, he knows music like nobody else. And so he is so good at using music to pull people his way. Oh, he’s good. He is crafty at it. He is good at it. See?
Look over to Ephesians chapter 5. We quoted, I believe, that last week. We’ve quoted this verse when we were talking about being spirit-filled last Wednesday night. Look at Ephesians 5. Look at Ephesians 5 in verse number 18. Just—it’s amazing how much the Bible, when it talks about the spirit realm, it’ll talk about music. The evil spirit would come while they do. Play some good music, the evil spirit departed. Satan, when he was created, he was created with the ability to play music. He was very good at it.
Then look over here to Ephesians chapter 5. Ephesians chapter 5. Look at verse number 18. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” Not a period, semicolon. I understand man added that, but very wise men. What’s the next thing? The next thought? Verse 19: “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
Now, friend, there’s not a coincidence. He’s talking about being spirit-filled. He’s talking about music. That’s not a coincidence. We won’t take a whole lot of time, but friend, you just check it out in the Bible how much God honors music in the spirit realm. This evil spirit would come. Yes, the evil spirit would come. These guys were wise enough: just get somebody that can play some good, wholesome music, and he was refreshed, and the evil spirit got out of there.
You ought to work at having good music in your home. Now that my wife is in nursing school, she leaves the house before I leave the house. And while I’m getting ready, I’ll go to my old cell phone and I’ll put on some good music. I listen to good music. I like that. I’m usually in the restroom while I’m shaving, brushing my teeth, all the rest of that. By the way, aren’t you thankful I brushed my teeth? Amen, you know. I’ve been there doing all that stuff, you know, and I’ll be eating breakfast. I try to eat before I brush, all right now, you know. And an old little dog will be in there begging for food. Yep, yep. And I have some good music playing. And you ought to work. You ought to work at just, I need good music, good spirit-filled. Not the world’s music. No, no. “The Lord has put a new song in my heart,” the Bible says. And get the Lord’s music in there. And boy, it’s amazing how it’ll chase away.
You know, it’s interesting. They did an experiment, and they played rock and roll music, and they played it to a plant, and the plant died. They played good, wholesome music, and the plant grew that way towards the music where it was coming to speaker. Music. Yes, words, but even more than words, just the music. He just played on the harp. See?
It’s funny, we went to the State Capitol last Tuesday, and we went—it was, it was—I’ve heard, I don’t know, this is what I was told, that it’s the first gospel church service they had in the State Capitol in 60 years where we were at. That’s what I heard. But we went in there, myself, Brother Anthony, Brother Bill, Brother Frank, went up there that night time. And they had that evening service in a large hallway. And they had the pulpit kind of, and there was a hallway here, and it went both ways, and they had chairs set up all both ways. And here’s the thing: here’s the thing that was super high ceilings. Big old, beautiful chandeliers coming down. I was trying to figure out how to steal one of those so we can put in our new building, you know. Don’t take me too serious.
But I was looking at that, and then they had marble walls. All the walls were marble and the floor was marble. Now, here’s the thing, so the acoustics were amazing. They, you know, sometimes preachers, we just like to speak in, you know, but they had the preacher stand and introduce yourself, so I stood, you know, and introduced, you know, and where you’re from. And that was a pretty good distance from the pulpit where they were, so I was going to try to speak up, be respectful. So, man, I spoke up. And what about the time I got Chisgar? Paul Chisgar. Man, it was super loud, and so I quietened down, you know. You didn’t have to be loud in there. Just acoustics were amazing. And I’ll be honest with you, the one thing that was disappointing about it, and they’ve said that somebody told me that they’re already working on it for next year, there’s so much echo and everything, I couldn’t understand anything. Maybe I catch a word here or there, but just very hard.
Brother Bill, I was hoping Brother Frank, some other guys would be, Brother Franklin, but he’s sick. But that’s just hard to understand. Now, here’s the thing. They had some great music. And I think of one special they had: a man and a lady, and kind of started off with the soul of the guy and then the lady, and it was one of those that built. I believe it started off without music, if I remember right. They had an orchestra over there, South Haven Baptist Church. They got the orchestra was there. So he starts singing and then the orchestra—maybe he started singing, and then the orchestra chimed in. And man, it’s just building the whole time. And then all of a sudden they had a choir, a full adult choir behind the choir joined him. Man, it’s just, and by the time it really got going, it’s just building. I’m telling you, the vast majority of people in there had their hands up, praising the Lord. A lot of them, a lot of them were standing. And it wasn’t wild, crazy. It was good, wholesome music. It was right. It was just awesome. It did a great job of the music. Paul, you just feel it, you know, and just really the majority of people had their hands up. Not anything speaking in tongues, anything crazy like that, but just right, wholesome, good. It was right, it was amen.
Here’s the amazing thing about it. For the most part, you can’t even understand the words. Now, I’d heard the song, I knew some of the words, don’t know them all. But if you didn’t know the words, but the music—I mean, the majority of the people in there were raising their hands in a proper, right way. The Psalm speaks of that. A lot of them standing up. I asked some people, Brother Bill and these other guys who I said, “Man, can you understand the words?” I’m talking about later on.
But there’s power in music for it. It’s good music. It’s good. Nothing wrong with it. And we couldn’t understand the preaching later on. But I’m just saying the power of music. We’ve got to hurry along. We’ve got to hurry along just in this thing here. Back over here in Samuel. And these servants were some wise men. They had some discernment. The Lord is allowing this thing in his life. They didn’t try to take charge. They were loyal. They were right. And then they were right about to get some good music in here, and that evil spirit departed, and it did.
Let’s look at something else about this thing here. I want you to see this. Let me kind of get a background before we get this. We’re going to be—I don’t want to tell you the verse because if we won’t be listening to me when I talk for the next minute or two here. But let me kind of set this. If you were here two weeks ago, you already heard this. But remember, God said, “Now we’re going to make somebody the new king, Samuel, so go over there. One of Jesse’s boys are going to be it.”
And remember he went in the sacrifice, then they’re going to eat afterwards, and he told Jesse, “Come on over here, you know, and one of your boys are going to be king, going to know somebody king.” Remember, Jesse was the one. He got the oldest one, Eliab, that big old tall, strapping fella, and God said, “No, that’s not it.” And then, oh, I can’t remember—I’ve been in that, maybe the second one I can’t remember. And Shammah, I can see it in my mind, but I can’t pronounce it, you know, it’s the third boy. But he brought all seven boys by. And God said, “No. Nope, nope, nope, nope.” Remember we read that? Then Jesse, he did it again. And he brought him by again. Remember that two weeks ago? We studied that.
And finally it got to the point that Samuel—now, he did this for a reason. Samuel had to say, “We’re not going to sit down. You got any more? You got any more?” Finally said, “Yeah, I got one out in the woods. He’s the youngest. He’s out there with the sheep, you know.” For some reason, Samuel, the prophet, fought—had to say this. He said, “We’re not going to eat till you get him.”
Now, I’m just saying, Jesse was bringing all the other boys by. But finally the preacher said, “Look, you said you got another one. We’re not going to eat till you go get that boy.” Now, just put yourself in David’s shoes. Thanks a lot, Dad. When somebody’s going to be anointed king, for whatever reason, you didn’t even get me. Whether you didn’t believe in me enough, or you thought, well, I’m the youngest or whatever, you just didn’t give me an opportunity, whatever, he didn’t get him.
Now how would you feel if that just a crowning moment your dad wouldn’t even go out there and get you and the preacher had to say, “We’re not going to eat till you go get that boy?”
Now just put yourself in that shoes. Now, that mindset, look back in verse number 18. Verse number 18. We’re going to run out of time tonight. Look in verse number 18. “Then answered one of the servants…” Well, these servants are some… “Then answered one of the servants and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite that is a cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man.” I think he already killed the lion and the bear at this point. “And a man of war.” That’s interesting. I don’t know that David had fought in any battles yet. But this guy said, “He’s a man of war, and prudent in manners.” We talked about that last two weeks ago, how prudity was in manners. “And a comely person, just like a good-looking guy. And the Lord is with him.”
Now think about this. Think about this. David needed someone that believed in him. Man, when it came down to it, Dad wouldn’t even go out there and get him. The preacher had to stand up and say, “We’re not eating till he gets him.” David needed something. Sometimes, sometimes you just need some flesh and bone to believe in you to help you at crucial times. God—God had this servant, this servant there. God had that man, and man, he believed in David. Man, he just spent about a whole verse, a good size of us, just bragging on David. Man, he can play. I mean, he’s a valiant man, and he’s prudent in manners, a man of war, and he’s a likable fellow, and the Lord’s with him.
Now, don’t you know David heard about that, especially when they’ll go pick him up and bring him there, and David, well, how did I get here? Well, that servant over there, you know what all he said about you. I’m just saying, friend, this point here, God gives you what you need when you need it. It’s amazing how God works, and when you need something, you need somebody, God’s already got them there. God had that servant there. David needed someone that believed him and kind of on his side. God always gives you what you need.
In the darkest of nights when you feel like you’re all alone, God will be—God’s got you. He’s got you. He gave you what you need. Boy, like that old song he used to sing him, “God will take care of you through every day or all the way. He will take care of you.” God will take care of you. He will take care of you. He will. He’s always got what you need. I mean, David, out in the woods. Remember, they anointed him king, went back out there in the woods. God had a man right there in the palace. I don’t know how he’d seen him, but God worked it out. He believed in David.
Let’s change a little bit. Let’s talk about Apostle Paul for a second. Just on this point. Let’s talk about Apostle Paul for a second. Apostle Paul later on in life, he just determined he is going to go to Jerusalem. Not a lot to talk about it, but I believe it is directly against God’s will. Look over in Acts chapter number 21, if you will. And we’re just going to look at it for a second here, and just want you to see. Paul, Apostle Paul, a great, great Christian. Oh, yes, one of the greatest in the Bible, but not perfect. And maybe one of the lowest times in his life when I believe he’d went against the will of God, and I’ll show you why I believe that. And tragedy happened. God still took care of him.
Acts 21. Look at this. Paul’s just determined, “I’m going to go to Jerusalem.” People had warned him, and he said, “Oh, I’m ready to die.” These things moving—good statements. We use them in a good way. But he’s using that all against God’s will. Look at it. Look at Acts 21. Acts 21. Look in verse number four.
And he’s heading over to Jerusalem. And he’s heading that way. Verse number four, Acts 21, verse number four: “And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days who said to Paul through the Spirit”—that’s the capital S—“that he should not go up to Jerusalem.” Now, is that pretty clear or not, folks? That’s Bible.
Look down a little bit more. Same chapter. Look in verse number 10. Verse number 10, Acts 21, verse number 10: “And as we tarried there many days in another place, there came down from Judea a certain prophet.” That’s what the Bible calls him, a prophet named Agabus. Fellas, wouldn’t you hate that to be your name, Agabus? “How you doing, Agabus?” It has his name. “And when he was come unto us, he took Paul’s girdle,” and that’s like a belt, if you will, “and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”
“And when we heard these sayings, both we and they of that place besought him.” They begged him. “They besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.” Then Paul answered, “What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Kind of reminds me of Peter, by the way, when he’s talking like that. “I’m ready to die for you, Lord.” He didn’t do so good. Denied the Lord thrice, you know. And then I’m not trying to be against Paul, but I’m just saying it’s pretty clear from Scripture. It is clear from Scripture. It wasn’t God’s will. In fact, the final of it, he said, “Well, let him go. We’ll just take it’s God’s will.” It wasn’t God’s will. We know.
So let me kind of fill in the story here, and we’re going to get to something about it. I want to show you. Keep your finger over there in Acts. So he goes to Jerusalem, talks to James the pastor, whatnot, and goes into the temple. And in the temple, they laid hands on—what the Bible says—they dragged him out of the temple. They’re going to kill him, the Jewish people going to kill him, just like they’ve been warned. And they’re out there just—just a mob. I mean, about to kill him, and the chief captain, the military, and horses, whatnot—in my mind, I have a vision of the horse—they had to come right in the middle of that, and they, and they rescued Paul.
And they’re going to take him to the castle as a prisoner. And they’re on these stairs. And Paul said, “Let me just talk to him for a little bit.” And they said, “All right.” And so Paul begins to speak in the Hebrew tongue. And that’s kind of like the national language of the Israel people. So they thought, you know, Paul kind of—and they did start listening to him. But Paul kept going. And he started talking about getting the gospel to the Gentiles. And boy, they turned on him. And they’re going to—I mean, they’re just going to get him. And it didn’t turn out real good. Finally, the military had to take him to the castle, and he’s inside there. And they’re going to scourge him. But Paul said, “Now hang on, fellas, I’m a Roman.” So they said, “Well, we better think about this thing.”
So the next day they brought him before the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin, basically. And he’s there, not going good there. In fact, Paul got into it with the chief priest. In fact, Paul apologized basically for it because, man, you know, I didn’t realize that chief priest. It wasn’t going good. So Paul kind of finally figured out, “All right, this is the Pharisees on one side, the Sadducees on the other side.” And he said, “Well, I can get out of it this way because they’re going to kill him.”
So Paul had to start a diversion, if you will. Here it always helps me remember the Sadducees. They didn’t believe in the resurrection, you know. And if you didn’t believe in a resurrection, you would be sad, you see. That helps remember it. All right, for us hillbillies out there, you need some help. All right. And so Paul started talking about the resurrection and started a division. And they’re about to pull him apart, the Bible says. And the soldiers had to go in there rescue him again. And he ends up back in prison in the castle there.
Now, imagine if you were Paul. God warned me more than once. But I would just so headstrong, I want to go to Jerusalem. I’d rather die there, you know. Well, you’re about to die there, buddy. And it didn’t turn out real good. I mean, he tried his Hebrew tongue language, and then that didn’t work, and then he had to say he was a Roman. Then he had to basically—he had to say he was a Pharisee when they were arguing. That wasn’t the best thing in the world, but he said, “I’m calling hope for the resurrection,” Pharisee and all that. But he’s in prison now. It didn’t go real good. Basically, he’s not got anybody to blame but himself. Don’t you know that the devil, man, he jumps on that? I mean, I mean, just—just Paul, he’s in a bad way in prison. All the people loving it really couldn’t help him there. And his error is his own account, it’s his fault. He’s there. Can you imagine how I’d feel?
But I want you to see this. Look at Acts 23. Flip over just a page, look over in Acts 23. And look down verse number 10. Acts 23, and verse number 10: “And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the castle.” And we covered that. Notice this, verse number 11: “And the night following…”
I think he spent a whole lot of time repenting. “Lord, I’m so sorry. I’ve made a mess of this thing.” But the night following, and the night following, it took some time, I believe. And the night following, “the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good cheer, Paul. You’re in the mullet groves. Your own heart’s condemning you. You’re just down about it and you messed up.” The Lord stood with you. “Cheer up, Paul. Put the smile back on your face. Stop having a pity party. Be of good cheer, Paul. For as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness also at Rome.”
Now, I said, “Paul, I’m going to stand with you. Even though you messed up, you’re here on your own account. I’m going to stand with you. Cheer up. I got a new plan for you. I knew you’re going to mess up, if you will. I’m going to use you over in Rome. You’re going to go to Rome. You’re going to testify of me in Rome, Paul.”
Now, friend, I’m just saying, God always gives you what you need. Even when we’ve messed up, we’re in the mud because of our own flaws and problems, God will give you a way out there. Here’s childhood: listen, as long as you’re breathing, God will give you what you need. God’s got a plan, God’s got a purpose, God wants to use you. Right there in that prison, safe in the castle, the Lord stood with you. So Paul, I’m going to make some sense out of this. You’re going to go over there to Rome. We’re going to preach the gospel alone. Hey, Lord, always gives you what you need. David, you’re out there watching the sheep, but I give you what you need. I got a man in the palace there.
We don’t have time to cover it, but maybe we’ll save it for next week. But God, God took David from the woods to the palace. A friend, it doesn’t matter where you’re at. God knows where you’re at. God’s got all the bases covered. God knows what’s going on in your life. Time in the middle of the woods, nobody knows about me. All that servant knew about him. God gave what he needed it. And God took him right from the woods to the palace.
Would you bow your heads, close your eyes, please?
Our heads are bowed, our eyes are closed. I don’t know what it might be. It may be the music. It may be learning from Saul’s servants. It may just be trusting in God during the dark hour, looking to the Lord. “I messed up. It’s all my fault.” “The Lord is with you.” Say, “Pray to your God, spoke to my heart somewhere along the line.” Batts you with their heads bowed and eyes closed. Just preacher, God spoke to my heart. Would you just lift your head and preach that’s me. God spoke to my heart. God bless you. God bless you.
Oh, he’s so good. He always gives us what we need, right where we need. God bless you. Thank you so very much. Would you please stand? Would you please stand? We won’t be long. We’re going to have word of prayer. Just our piano will play and our brother Gleon will play. Let’s just spend some time with the Lord. Come down an old-fashioned altar. It’ll be a great place. There you see, you’d just be obedient to the Lord, but draw nigh unto him. Let’s just take a few minutes and draw nigh unto him. See, “I’m going to trust you through this. You know where I’m at, and you’ll give me what I need when I need it, won’t you? Right. We’ll get my music, whatever it may be.” Would you spend some time with the Lord?
Father, thank you for your word. Lord, help us to learn and grow from David. Thank you how you did give him what he needed when he needed it. Lord, help us to trust you. I have to get our music right. Father, I pray that you do drive the evil spirit out and bring your Spirit in. Even use music to that. Bless our people tonight, Jesus. And we pray. Amen.
Would you come as our instruments play? We won’t be long. Just come spend some time with the Lord.
Amen. It’s interesting just studying the men of the Bible. We’re going to be studying through the life of David. Now, next Wednesday we’ll take a week off, and Brother Ron Platt will be with us, missionary to Israel. I’m looking forward to that, how to witness to a Jewish person, and our mission conference. We’ll get back to the life of David real soon. But I’ve enjoyed studying about David, and it’s been a blessing. So glad to have everyone here tonight. Good to have Brother Chip and Ms. Tammy with us tonight. That’s great. Glad to have them. That’s wonderful. Appreciate them coming to worship with us tonight. And good to have Brother Josh back again, too. That’s great. And amen. Just good to see everybody out tonight. That’s a blessing. Brother Bush, would you dismiss us with a word of prayer, please?
Original File: Saul’s Servants - Pastor Paul Chisgar 3420