EZ Sermons Online

The Life of David - Ahithophel

2026-11-04T14:08:36.619-06:00

Gtcotr/ws101426

2 Samuel 11 NKJV

1 ¶ It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

In Part 1 we covered the first 5 verses of this account. We learned:

2 Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold.

3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?”

4 Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house.

5 And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”

· Satan is looking for an opportune time to tempt you.

· Nothing good happens after midnight.

· Sin can claim more of your life than you first imagined.

Let’s look back at verse 3 for a parenthetical pause for just a moment and identify the people in this story – some who are mentioned and one in particular who is not.

· Bathsheba – Daughter of seven or Daughter of an oath.

· Eliam – Bathsheba’s father, one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:34)

o This identifies Eliam as the son of Ahithophel, David’s most trusted counselor.

o Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather.

· Uriah – The husband of Bathsheba and also a member of the Elite Squad of 30 men called David’s Mighty Men (v.39).

We can easily imagine the close connection between Eliam, Bathsheba’s father, and Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband. As well, Ahithophel most likely felt the personal dishonor brought upon his family with his granddaughter being seduced by King David, and the subsequent conspiracy and murder of his grandson-in-law and close friend and companion of his son Eliam.

How does this figure into David’s life?

· Ahithophel was David’s top advisor.

· After David seduced Bathsheba and murdered Uriah and married Bathsheba, and continued as if nothing was wrong, Ahithophel played a big part in trying to destroy David’s reign and reputation.

· When Absalom, David’s son, killed his brother and staged a coup and David had to escape Jerusalem barefoot across the Judean desert, Ahithophel remained behind to become Absalom’s chief advisor.

o The rooftop comes up a second time …

o Ahithophel advised Absalom to take 10 of David’s wives up on the rooftop and have sex with them in the sight of all Israel. This was in accordance with the Prophet Nathan’s prophecy to David – basically, you reap what you sow … what you’ve done in secret will be repaid in public (2 Samuel 12:12;16:20ff).

o Ahithophel further advised Absalom to allow him to personally lead 12,000 soldiers against David immediately, catch him on the open plains and kill him (2 Samuel 17).

o When Absalom did not take Ahithophel’s advice, Ahithophel went to his home, put his affairs in order, and hung himself.

· Ahithophel, Bathsheba’s grandfather, committed suicide as a result of his despondency over this whole affair.

Ahithophel only saw David as he saw David and not as God saw David. As well, Ahithophel only saw his own life as he saw it and not through God’s eyes. Blessed is the person who sees themselves and others as God sees them.

As we said earlier: Sin can claim more of your life than you first imagined.

Sin divides and destroys families.

Unfortunately, we are going to leave David and Bathsheba in their sin for another week. It may not seem fair but remember, they left themselves in this sin without repentance for perhaps 2 or 3 years – we know it was at least 9 months plus. God did not leave David or Bathsheba in their sin.

How long will you remain in your sin before repenting?

6 ¶ Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David.

7 When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered.

8 And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him.

9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

10 So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”

11 And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”

12 Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next.

13 Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

14 ¶ In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”

16 So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men.

17 Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.

26 When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

27 And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

Years later, David wrote a song about this situation. We will read it from Psalms 51 before we finish this full account of David’s life.

Too Wonderful for Words The Benefits of Giving to the Poor

2026-10-31T19:13:57.751-05:00

Gtcotr/ss110126

As many of you know, I just returned from a mission trip to East Africa where our Church operates a spiritually motivated humanitarian relief effort, sharing the Gospel and providing food, education, and medical needs to hundreds of children who would not otherwise receive these essentials. Our missions and ministry outreach there during the past 5 years has been nothing less than transformational.

I want to personally thank each one who has prayed and especially those who have given and continue to give financial support to this work of our Church. This morning I want to give you a Biblical basis for what we do as a Church and share with you some of the benefits you personally receive as a result which are simply too wonderful for words.  

It seems when the Apostle Paul preached at Churches in various countries, he encouraged them to give money to foreign missions. One of the projects dear to Paul’s heart was the needs of the poor believers in the mother Church at Jerusalem. The Church there had exhausted its financial resources, were being persecuted, and could barely keep the doors open.

1 Corinthians 16 NLT

1 ¶  Now regarding your question about the money being collected for God’s people in Jerusalem. You should follow the same procedure I gave to the churches in Galatia. 

2  On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.

While Paul was visiting Corinth, he wrote this to the Church in Rome:

Romans 15 NLT

26  For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.

27  They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. 

Everywhere Paul went he talked about how the Church in Corinth planned to give to the poor Believers in Jerusalem because they owed them a real debt. However, planning wasn’t enough. About a year later, Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church a second time. And he had a lot to say about it …

2 Corinthians 8 NLT
1 ¶  Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia.
Northern Greece: Philippi; Thessalonica; Berea
2  They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
3  For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.
4  They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.
5  They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
6  So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving.
7 ¶  Since you excel in so many ways — in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us — I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving.
8  I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.
9  You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
10  Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it.
11  Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have.
12  Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have.
13  Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality.
14  Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.
15  As the Scriptures say, “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough.”

16 ¶  But thank God! He has given Titus the same enthusiasm for you that I have.
17  Titus welcomed our request that he visit you again. In fact, he himself was very eager to go and see you.
18  We are also sending another brother with Titus. All the churches praise him as a preacher of the Good News.
19  He was appointed by the churches to accompany us as we take the offering to Jerusalem — a service that glorifies the Lord and shows our eagerness to help.
20  We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift.
This is why we encourage everyone: “Come with us and see what your money is doing.”
21  We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.
22  We are also sending with them another of our brothers who has proven himself many times and has shown on many occasions how eager he is. He is now even more enthusiastic because of his great confidence in you.
23  If anyone asks about Titus, say that he is my partner who works with me to help you. And the brothers with him have been sent by the churches, and they bring honor to Christ. 
24  So show them your love, and prove to all the churches that our boasting about you is justified.

2 Corinthians 9 NLT
1 ¶  I really don’t need to write to you about this ministry of giving for the believers in Jerusalem.
2  For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to the churches in Macedonia that you in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of the Macedonian believers to begin giving.
Your enthusiasm stirs up many other believers to begin giving.
3  But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you.
4  We would be embarrassed — not to mention your own embarrassment — if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them!
5  So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.

6 ¶  Remember this — a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
7  You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
8  And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
9  As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”
10  For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
11  Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God.
12  So two good things will result from this ministry of giving — the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.
13  As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.
14  And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you.
15  Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!

3 Benefits Too Wonderful for Words
The privilege of doing something for Jesus.
2 Corinthians 8:4 – They begged us for the privilege of sharing …
Matthew 25 – “I was hungry …”
They will pray for you with deep affection.
2 Corinthians 9:14 – for the grace God has given you.
V.9 – Your good deeds will be remembered forever …
God will generously provide all your needs. 
2 Corinthians 9:8 – everything and plenty left over to share …

Philippians 4:13 – My God will supply all your need …
Proverbs 19:17 – Give to the poor and the Lord will repay.

Again I thank you, but that pales in comparison to how much they and God appreciate you. You have a ministry of giving … just do it with joy!

Paul was not one bit embarrassed about receiving offerings to help continue spreading the Good News and meeting needs.

Romans 15 NLT
24  I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.

Jesus Is in the Boat

2026-10-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

Every one of us will experience storms in life. Sometimes those storms involve our finances, our marriages, our families, our health, or circumstances beyond our control. We all face situations that challenge our faith and cause us to wonder what God is doing.

One of the most difficult parts of experiencing a storm is not always the storm itself. Sometimes it’s the feeling that God isn’t doing anything about it. We pray, but nothing seems to change. We ask God for direction, but we don’t seem to receive an answer. We know that God is able, but we wonder why He hasn’t intervened.

In Mark 4, the disciples find themselves in a situation just like this. Jesus had been teaching all day to a large crowd of people beside the Sea of Galilee. The crowd was so large that Jesus had to get a boat and teach from the water while people listened from the shore. Here He talks about these parables:

• The Sower

• The Lamp Under a Basket

• The Growing Seed

• The Mustard Seed

V34 says that Jesus took time when He was alone with His disciples to explain all of these things. Right after, Jesus tells them that they were going to cross to the other side. Jesus had important business to take care of in that He had a God-ordained appointment with a demon-possessed man that He would later deliver and set free. He would later be found sitting, clothed, and in his right mind. Incredible! Jesus demonstrated his authority over demons and spiritual darkness. But before that, Jesus was going to demonstrate His authority over nature and the circumstances of life.

Let’s take a look at Mark 4 as there are several things that we can learn from their experience:

1. Following Jesus Doesn’t Mean You Won’t Face Storms

Mark 4:35–37
“35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.”

• The disciples didn’t end up in the storm because they were disobeying Jesus. In fact, they were in the boat because Jesus had instructed them to cross over to the other side.

• That’s important because sometimes we assume that if we’re doing God’s will, everything should go smoothly. We believe that obedience should produce comfortable circumstances.

• But the disciples were exactly where Jesus had told them to be, and they still encountered a storm.

Being in God’s will does not make us exempt from life’s difficulties.

• You can love God, obey His Word, faithfully serve Him, and still experience hardship. Storms are not necessarily evidence that you’ve done something wrong.

• Sometimes the greatest tests of our faith occur while we’re faithfully following Jesus.

• Don’t automatically interpret the presence of difficulty as the absence of God’s direction.

2. God’s Silence Doesn’t Mean He Doesn’t Care

Mark 4:38–39
38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

• One of the most interesting details in this story is that Jesus was asleep while the disciples were terrified.

• The disciples woke Jesus and asked, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

• Notice what they questioned. They didn’t ask whether Jesus was capable of helping them. They questioned whether He cared about what was happening to them.

And sometimes we do the same thing.

• When God doesn’t respond the way we expect, or when circumstances don’t change as quickly as we’d like, we begin questioning His concern for us.

Be careful not to interpret God’s silence for a lack of concern.

• Jesus stood up, rebuked the wind, and commanded the sea to be still. The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

• The disciples discovered that the storm was never beyond Jesus’ authority.

• Don’t allow what God hasn’t done yet to make you forget what His Word has already revealed about His character.

• We may not understand God’s timing, but we can trust His heart.

3. The Storm Reveals What We Believe About Jesus

Mark 4:40–41
40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

• After calming the storm, Jesus asked His disciples two important questions: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

• Jesus wasn’t simply addressing their circumstances. He was addressing their faith.

• They had already witnessed Jesus perform miracles. They had seen His power demonstrated in extraordinary ways. Yet when they faced a storm themselves, fear overwhelmed their confidence in Him.

• And then the disciples asked one of the most important questions in the passage: “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

The greatest revelation in this passage is not that Jesus can calm the storms. It’s that Jesus has authority over the storm.

• The disciples were learning more about who Jesus truly was.

• Sometimes difficult circumstances reveal where our faith is strong and where it still needs to grow.

• When storms come, remind yourself of who Jesus is rather than allowing your circumstances to determine what you believe about Him.

• We don’t always know what Jesus is going to do about our circumstances. But we can trust who He is in the middle of them.

4. Remember Who Is in Your Boat

• The disciples began their journey terrified of the storm. They ended their journey in awe of Jesus. Although their circumstances had changed, it gave them an opportunity to receive a greater revelation of the One they were following.

And that is what I want to encourage you with today…

• You may be walking through something difficult You may be praying about a situation that hasn’t changed. You may be wondering where God is in the middle of everything you’re facing.

Don’t allow your circumstances to cause you to forget who Jesus is.

• He is faithful.
He is powerful.
He is present.
He is worthy of your trust.

• He doesn’t promise that every storm will disappear immediately, but we can trust Him regardless of what we’re facing.

THREE TAKEAWAYS

I. Following Jesus doesn’t mean you won’t go through storms

II. God’s silence doesn’t mean He doesn’t care

III. The storm reveals what we believe about Jesus

Roll It Onto the Lord

2026-10-25T09:03:41.972-05:00

Proverbs 16:3 | Genesis 24

INTRODUCTION:
We all have plans for our own life. We have desires and goals that we want to accomplish. However, we also recognize that God has a plan for our life as well. As born-again believers, we have a desire and a responsibility to discern what it is that God desires for us to do. Consequently, we all face moments in our life where we are asking the question, “what should I do?” That question applies to every area of our life. It may be about your family, finances, career, relationships, marriage, the future, etc. We find ourselves wanting and needing answers, especially when the decision carries major consequences.
This is a normal part of life! The question becomes, where or whom am I turning to for the answers? Sometimes we go to
Friend’s opinions
Mentors
Cultural norms
Search engines
Social media
AI (ChatGPT)
Feelings
Reasoning
None of these are necessarily bad. However, sometimes we can gather so much information and so many different opinions that we can become confused and second guess our decisions. The question I want to ask you today is, “Where do you turn to first when you don’t know what to do?” According to God’s Word, His desire is that we trust Him and go to Him for the answer when we don’t know what to do.
Proverbs 16:3 — “Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.”
Commit (Gālal) = To roll; to trust.
That word “commit” means “to roll” onto something. 
It is used figuratively as to roll your trust over onto something or someone else, to entrust your plans to God. 
The picture is transferring a weight you cannot carry on your own over to the Lord. To roll or transfer a heavy load onto someone else who is stronger. 
It is about dependence (surrender). 
It is taking the situation out of my own hands and placing it in the hands of God and under His authority. 
You are depending on God for the outcome. 
Established (Kun) = To make firm, secure, or successful.
When we commit our ways to the Lord, we are depending on Him to establish our plans. 
Our thoughts become established in the process as well. 
When we rely on other avenues around us to help us make a decision on what to do, we can become split in our thinking and second guess on what we should do. 
However, when we trust in the Lord and commit our ways to Him, our thoughts will be established as our attention and dependence is on Him.
As Christians, we should have a regular practice of going to God to determine the next step in whatever decision we are making. When we commit our life to Him, we regularly will commit our plans to Him as well. God expects us to go to Him for direction. We too should have an expectation of going to God and depending on Him for the outcome of what we should do.
We are going to turn to the book of Genesis and look at the life of a man named Abraham. He is a prominent figure in the Bible, and is central to the story He is telling throughout scripture. Abraham:
God called Abraham to go to the land that He had given to Him
God promised that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars
Abraham trusted God’s promise in faith
God established a covenant with Abraham in faith
Abraham is considered as the father of our faith
In Genesis chapter 24, Abraham is near the end of his life and he wants to ensure he finds a wife for his son Isaac (the process of marriage in their culture was/is much different than in ours). The process would involve going back to his homeland, which would have been a very difficult journey for him in his old age. Therefore, he calls on his head servant to go in his place.
Genesis 24:2-4
“2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please, put your hand under my thigh, 3 and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; 4 but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac.””
Look at how the servant responds:
v5 — “Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?”
Now the servant raised a reasonable question: what if she doesn’t come? He wants to know what he should do if the assignment doesn’t unfold the way he and Abraham had discussed. What if things don’t go the way he expected? What should he do? He is asking Abraham because he doesn’t know what to do.
You see, we too ask the very same questions as well. What do I do if it doesn’t work? What if they say no? How should I respond? What if I take this step and things don’t happen the way I hoped? We too have been in this very same place. Today, we are going to take a look at how Abraham responds and where he turns to find the answer to challenges life gives.
Abraham trusted what God had promised

 “6 But Abraham said to him, “Beware that you do not take my son back there.”

 Abraham was resolute in his decision here. He was very adamant that the servant would not take his son Isaac back to his homeland of Mesopotamia. But why? Why was he so resolute in this decision?

 “7 The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.”

 He was adamant about this decision because of what the Lord had spoke to Him in the past. God had brought Abraham out of his father’s household and promised the land he was living in to his descendants. Therefore, because God had told him that this land is where his descendants would be, he did not want to risk sending Isaac back home. The promise God had given Abraham guided his decision in that Isaac must not go back.

This was a conviction that Abraham had. The foundation of his conviction was based on what God had promised him. He was adamant about making a decision that was in agreement to what God had said.

 The compass of Abraham’s life was the promises of God.

 A compass provides direction. It helps you determine which way to go when the right path is not obvious. When you are unsure of what direction to go, a compass is what you have to depend on in order to know which direction to go. Abraham depended on the words of God.

That is exactly what God’s Word is to us, a compass. It gives us direction when we don’t know what to do. Often times our feelings change, opinions conflict, circumstances become uncertain. In those times, we must depend on His Word as our compass to determine which direction we are to go.

 Before we ask what makes the most sense or what everyone else thinks, we should ask ourselves:
What has God said?
What does His Word teach?
Would this decision require me to compromise what He has commanded?
What is the Holy Spirit leading me to do?
Later, when the servant recounts this conversation, he describes Abraham as a man who walked before the Lord (Genesis 24:40). Abraham’s expectation of God’s guidance grew out of an ongoing relationship with God. It is through that relationship with God that he developed that compass.

 We too will find that through a consistent effort of developing our relationship with God, we will grow to expect God to show up in our life as well. Our trust in God is found more in who He is than what He can do.

 When we make walking with Him a regular part of our lives, we too will have a sense of God’s direction in our life as well.
Abraham’s trust influenced his servant

 Notice that when the servant raised a concerning question about the situation, Abraham did not stop and think “you know you may be right.” He didn’t reconsider his decision based on what his servant said. Why? Because he was anchored in His trust in God by His promises, not in what other people thought. Imagine all the people who told him he was crazy when he chose to leave the home of his father to go to a land that was promised to him. However, his decision to leave was not based in the thoughts and opinions of others, but in God’s Word.

 Instead, Abraham responded in faith. He expected for God to show up and lead his servant in the direction he should go. He told him that the Lord would send an angel before his servant to help him accomplish his task. Well, apparently this impacted the servant. He made a promise to Abraham that he would do as he said. Look at what happens next:

 Genesis 24:10-12
 “10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, for all his master’s goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water.

 12 Then he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day”

What does the servant do? He seeks the Lord. Wow! Why is he seeking the Lord? Because that is what Abraham did. Abraham’s conviction influenced him to the point where he did the same thing. Abraham practiced dependence on God, and now the servant begins practicing that same dependence in the assignment that was given to Him.

There is an application here for every one of us:
People are learning where they should turn to by watching what we turn to. Whether it be your kids, your friends, co-workers, family members, etc, the people you lead notice what governs your decisions.
Do they see you pray?
Do they hear you consider what the Bible says?
Do they see you acknowledge your need of God’s help?
That is what Abraham did. He remembered what the Lord said out loud and confirmed that it was for that reason he chose to make the decision that he made. It was a moment of discipleship. Discipleship is more than just teaching. While it does involve us teaching the scriptures and what it says, there is more to it.

 There are some things that are taught and some things that are caught.

 What is taught takes time to process, at times. The things that are caught are immediate downloads to our heart. The things that they catch you doing when it comes to your trust and convictions in God, those are the things people will catch. When they see us take His Word seriously and depend on Him, we give them an example of how to approach their own decisions.

 Notice that when he seeks the Lord, he calls out to the “God of my master.” Abraham knew the Lord, trusted the Lord, and was completely dependent on Him. While we do not know exactly where the servant was in his faith in the Lord, we do know that he did not have the same level of faith and experience that Abraham did. However, even though that was true, he still reached out to God. He did that because he saw that his master Abraham had done it.

 We must trust in the Lord and commit our ways to Him as a conviction. It will lead others to do the same.
The Servant sought the Lord

 Genesis 24:12-14
 “12 Then he said, “O Lord God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 Now let it be that the young woman to whom I say, ‘Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,’ and she says, ‘Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink’—let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master.””

 The servant was at a point where he didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know much about where he was and didn’t know where to go. He needed direction. So what did he do? He sought the Lord.

 Notice what the servant didn't do. He didn't go back to Abraham with more questions. He didn't panic or make something happen in his own strength. He stopped at the well and committed his way to the Lord. He rolled the weight of the assignment onto God.

 There are times in our life when we don’t know what to do. Whether it is something with our family, our marriage, workplace, finances, future, etc. We find ourselves facing a problem and we need direction. Seeking counsel is a good thing, your feelings are useful senses, technology and search engines are good resources. However, none of that can replace seeking God for the answer.

The Servant’s thoughts/ plans were established

 What happened after is that the Lord brought to past all that the servant prayed. Rebekah gave him water and drew water for his camels. The Lord proved to be faithful in the instance. Once all that had happened, the servant knelt down and began to praise God.

 Genesis 24:26-27
 26 Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord. 27 And he said, “Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master’s brethren.”

 He worshipped God because He knew the Lord had answered his prayer. He knew God was in this work. Once he saw that God was working, his thoughts became established. At one point the servant was questioning whether this thing could take place. Now he was praising the God of his master and knew that he was the Lord. He had committed his plans to the Lord and He established his thoughts and plans.

 When we commit our ways to the Lord, He promises to establish our thoughts and establish our ways. Instead of being split in our thinking and second guessing on what we should do, God will establish your thoughts as you trust only in Him.

 The servant told the whole household that he would not eat until he shared his testimony of what had happened. He went from questioning the God of his master to trusting himself in God and Him alone. His thoughts became established in the Lord. The servant went to that well uncertain. He left established. His thinking wasn't split between opinions and what-ifs, because his attention was on the Lord.

 Remember where this servant started. He stood at the edge of that city with ten camels, a long list of unknowns, and a question he had already asked out loud: “What if she won’t come?” His thinking was split. What if, what if, what if. Now fast forward a few verses. Same man, same well, same unknowns. But something has changed. The questions haven’t all been answered, but his mind is no longer divided. That’s what Proverbs 16:3 promises. Not that every question gets answered immediately, but that our thoughts get established, made firm, settled, anchored.
TAKEAWAYS
Allow God’s Word to guide you

Seek the Lord first when you don’t know what to do

Remember that your trust in God influences others

Expect God to establish your thinking
PRAYER PARTNERS

He Is My God!

2026-10-18T09:40:32.147-05:00

Gtcotr/ss101826

This morning we are going to discover and discuss 3 powerful truths spoken by a young man and recorded in the book of Job. Most people are somewhat familiar with Job and his terrible misfortunes.

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.

· BTW - blameless does not mean without fault but rather it indicates sincerity, honesty, benevolence, uprightness, and to be without guile.

The story of Job is not a fictious account. Ezekiel named Job along with Noah and Daniel in Ezekiel 14. As well, the New Testament quotes the book of Job (1Corinthians 3:19 - Job 5:13 & Job 5:17 – Hebrews 12:5).

In chapters 1 and 2, Job suffered the loss of everything from family to his farm, and from his wealth to his health. Afterwards he found himself sitting with friends in the dust for 7 days and 7 nights, bemoaning his life. Job complained and declared his innocence while his 3 old friends reasoned with him about his evident guilt. They went on and on for 29 chapters … chapter 3 to chapter 31. These 4 old men continued to argue until finally a young man who was also sitting and listening had enough and decided to speak up. This young man’s name was Elihu. Elihu means: He is my God!

When we read the Bible, it is important that we know who is speaking. You don’t want to do anything or say anything just because it is in the Bible. What Satan has to say is recorded in the Bible. Demons spoke to Jesus and you can find that recorded in the Bible. Pharisees and false prophets, liars and thieves said things that are written in the Bible; enemies of God spoke words that are recorded in the Bible. Just because something is written in the Bible does not make it true and does not make it good advice.

Just because something is written in the Bible does not make it the Word of God. And the converse is true – Just because the words are not coming from Jesus or the Apostle Paul, does not make the information false. God speaks through whomever He wills, and He can even speak through a donkey if He likes.

The best way to know if what you are reading is The Word, the Will, and the Way of God is to make sure it lines up in support of the One-Story God is telling. The One-Story God is telling is the story of redemption. Unless and until the words in question line up with the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith, we do not have the right interpretation. And when it does, we can trust it.

I believe Elihu spoke a lot of truth to those old men that day. In fact, there were only 5 men who spoke during those 7 days and Elihu was the only one of them that God did not correct or rebuke. Let’s look at 3 simple truths spoken by this young man.

1. There is a spirit in man.

Job 32 NKJV

6 ¶ So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said: “I am young in years, and you are very old; Therefore I was afraid, And dared not declare my opinion to you.

7 I said, ‘Age should speak, And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

9 Great men are not always wise, Nor do the aged always understand justice.”

· Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the LORD, Searching all the inner depths of his heart.

· Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

· We can’t always wait for someone else to do it.

· 1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one despise your youth …

2. Dreams and visions are the language of the spirit.

Job 33 NKJV

14 ¶ For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,

16 Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.

· Acts 2:17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.

· Joel 2:28 … (young and old, sons and daughters)

3. We cannot live without His Spirit.

Job 34 NKJV

14 If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,

15 All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

· 1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

· John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

· 1 John 5:12 If you have the Son, you have life; If you do not have the Son, you do not have life.

Elihu spoke these truths while Job was still suffering. We cannot allow our experiences or the experiences of others to dictate the truth or invalidate God’s Word. The fact of the matter is, God did rescue Job. One of the last things Elihu said to Job and his friends just before God spoke was:

Job 38: 14 Listen to this, O Job; Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God.

Immediately after Elihu finished, God Himself began to speak for Himself. Sometimes it takes a bold friend who will speak the truth in love to open our ears so that we can hear what God wants to say directly to us. I want to encourage you this morning to speak the truth in love to your friends when they face trouble, disappointment, hardship, or loss. Point them to Jesus. Tell them about His love and how much He cares for them even when they are hurting.

Additional Points to Ponder from Elihu

· God will never do wickedly.

Job 34 NKJV

12 Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

13 Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world?

· God is watching.

Job 34:21 For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps.

· God has a plan for your life.

Job 36 NKJV

11 If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.

12 But if they do not obey, They shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.

· God is great!

Job 36:26 Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered.

Don’t Take the Bait

2026-10-18T09:37:24.410-05:00

2 Timothy 2:23–26

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever talked with someone who just wanted to argue? No matter what you said or what evidence you gave, they were determined to prove their point. We've all met people like this, whether that be in our family, at our workplace, or even our friend group. But if we're honest, at times we have been that person.

We live in a culture that often cares more about winning arguments than finding truth. People love being right, and we don't like being told we're wrong. But there's a difference between healthy debate and an argumentative spirit. Asking questions and challenging ideas is fine. The problem is when someone isn't listening to learn, only waiting for a chance to respond.

The greater danger is letting an argumentative person stir up an argumentative spirit in us. We can get so focused on proving a point or getting the last word that we forgetting that we are called to be a light and represent Christ. You can win an argument and still lose an opportunity to be a witness for Jesus.

This is what Paul is addressing with Timothy in 2 Timothy chapter two.

BACKGROUND OF 2 TIMOTHY

Paul is writing to Timothy, a young pastor who was called by God to lead and establish the church in Ephesus. Throughout this letter, Paul warns Timothy about false teachers, foolish controversies, and people who were creating problems within the church. Earlier in chapter 2, Paul mentions two men, Hymenaeus and Philetus. These were people who wandered away from the truth and were frustrating the faith of others through their teaching.

Paul knew that Timothy was dealing with a real problems and yet he was still tasked with protecting the truth and helping people grow in their faith. However, Paul also understood that Timothy could not allow himself to be influenced when dealing with quarrelsome people.

We are going to look at four points listed in Paul’s letter to Timothy about dealing with argumentative people.

1. Avoid Arguments That Produce Nothing Good

2 Timothy 2:23 — “ But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.”

The first instruction Paul gives Timothy is to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes because they produce quarrels. Notice that Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to avoid every disagreement. He doesn’t tell Timothy that he should never correct someone or challenge false teaching. In fact, just a few verses later, Paul tells him to correct those who oppose the truth. So what’s the difference? The difference is that some conversations are productive, while others are not.

There are conversations where people genuinely want to understand something. They may disagree with us, but they’re willing to listen, willing to ask questions, and willing to consider another perspective. Those conversations can be very healthy. But there are other conversations where someone has already made up their mind. They’re not interested in understanding what you have to say. They just want to argue. Paul says we need to learn to recognize the difference.

Argumentative quarrels rarely accomplish anything good. Instead of producing understanding, they produce frustration, anger, resentment, and division. Proverbs 20:3 — “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” In other words, there’s something honorable about a person who doesn’t feel the need to argue about everything.

In the gospels, there were numerous occasions when the religious leaders tried to trap Jesus with their questions. They weren’t seeking understanding. They were trying to catch Him saying something they could use against Him. In Matthew 22, they asked Jesus whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar. The question was asked to trap Him, but Jesus recognized their intentions and responded with truth and wisdom.

You see, just because someone invites you into an argument doesn’t mean you have to accept the invitation. We don’t have to respond to every accusation. We don’t have to correct every opinion. We don’t have to defend ourselves against every criticism. Sometimes the wisest thing we can do is refuse to participate in a conversation that’s going nowhere.

2. Don’t Become What You’re Trying to Avoid

2 Timothy 2:24 — “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient.”

Think about that for a moment— Timothy was responsible for correcting people who were teaching things that weren’t true. He was dealing with people who were creating disputes within the church. Yet Paul tells him that he must not become quarrelsome himself. Just because someone else is acting foolishly doesn’t give us permission to act foolishly too.

I think this is where many of us struggle. Have you ever been having a perfectly good day until you encountered someone with a bad attitude? Maybe they said something disrespectful to you. Maybe they accused you of something that wasn’t true. Maybe they challenged something you said. And before you knew it, you were frustrated too! You started responding with the same attitude they had. Your voice got a little louder. Your words became a little sharper. And suddenly, you were acting just like the person who frustrated you in the first place.

That’s exactly what we have to guard against. We cannot allow another person’s attitude to determine our character.

James 1:19–20 — “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, because human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires.”

Notice that James doesn’t say we should be quick to respond. He says we should be quick to listen. Sometimes we become so focused on what we’re going to say next that we stop listening to what the other person is saying. And once we become angry, our focus can shift from helping the person to defeating the person. We may still be right about the issue, but our attitude is no longer reflecting Christ.

It’s possible to be right about what you’re saying and wrong in how you’re saying it. This is why Paul shares with Timothy the character he should demonstrate: kind, patient, and able to teach. And these qualities should be present even when someone is opposing him. Proverbs 15:1 reminds us that a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Our response can either calm a difficult situation or make it significantly worse.

3. Seek Restoration, Not Defeat

2 Timothy 2:25 — “In humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth…”

Paul goes on to tell Timothy that those who oppose the truth should be corrected with gentleness, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Paul isn’t telling Timothy to avoid correcting people altogether. He makes it clear that our attitude and our motives matter. When we correct someone, our goal should never be to humiliate them, embarrass them, or prove how much smarter we are. Our goal should be to help them.

This is one of the biggest differences between someone who wants to argue and someone who genuinely wants to help. An argumentative person is focused on winning. A person who loves others is focused on helping. Think about how differently we approach conversations when our goal is restoration rather than victory. When we’re trying to win an argument, we may become defensive. We may interrupt. We may become impatient. We may say things we wouldn’t normally say. But when we’re genuinely trying to help someone, we’re more willing to listen, more patient, and more careful with our words. We recognize that the person we’re speaking with matters more than our desire to prove a point.

Galatians 6:1 — “When someone is caught in wrongdoing, those who are spiritual should restore that person with a spirit of gentleness, while watching themselves so they aren’t tempted.”

That sounds very similar to what Paul tells Timothy. Correction should come from a heart that genuinely wants to see someone restored.

Paul also says in verse 25 that God may grant them repentance. That reminds us that we cannot force someone to believe the truth. We can communicate the truth. We can explain Scripture. We can answer questions. We can lovingly correct someone. But ultimately, we cannot change someone’s heart. That’s God’s work. Sometimes we become frustrated because we feel like we have to convince someone that we’re right, but that’s not our responsibility. Our responsibility is to faithfully communicate truth with love and allow God to work in the other person’s heart.

4. Recognize the Real Enemy Behind the Trap

2 Timothy 2:26 — “And that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”

This is where I think the passage becomes especially powerful. Paul says that through repentance and coming to their senses, these people may escape from the devil’s snare, having been taken captive to do his will. These people were caught up in opposition to the truth. They needed to come to their senses and escape from the trap of the enemy. That’s a serious warning. The devil desires to deceive people, to turn them away from the truth, and to create division and destruction. One of the ways he can accomplish those purposes is through pride, anger, foolish disputes, and an unwillingness to receive correction.

This doesn’t mean that every person who gets into an argument is somehow being controlled by the devil. But Scripture does teach that the enemy can take advantage of our sinful attitudes and behaviors. Think about how many relationships have been damaged because two people simply couldn’t agree. Think about how many friendships have ended because someone had to have the last word. Think about how many churches have experienced division because people became more committed to their own opinions than to loving one another. Sometimes what started as a simple disagreement becomes something much bigger. That’s exactly why we need to be careful.

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our ultimate battle is not against flesh and blood. We have to remember that the person we’re arguing with is not our ultimate enemy. That’s what Paul is teaching Timothy. These people were caught in a spiritual trap, and Timothy’s responsibility was to correct them with gentleness so that, by God’s grace, they might be set free.

• Be careful that while you’re trying to win an argument, you don’t get caught in a trap the enemy set for you.

• The enemy would love for us to become bitter.

• He would love for us to become angry.

• He would love for us to damage relationships and create division.

• If we’re not careful, we can allow our pride and our desire to be right to become tools that work against the very things God wants to accomplish.

We must remember: We are called to fight for people, not simply fight with people.

TAKEAWAYS

I. Not every disagreement deserves your participation.

II. Don’t allow someone else’s attitude to determine yours.

III. We are called to fight for people not fight with people.

IV. Recognize who is really behind the argument.

The Life of David - Practical Life Lessons

2026-10-14T15:11:54.559-05:00