Jan. 14, 2024

Series: AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART 1-14-24

OWNING OUR ACTIONS (1 Samuel 9-13) 

“________ Times create Strong Men… 

Strong Men create Good Times…

Good Times create Weak Men &… 

Weak Men create _________ Times”

Judges 21:25 (ESV) ²⁵ In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

1 Samuel 9:1-2 ¹ There was a Benjamite, a man of standing… ² He had a son named Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites--a head taller than any of the others.

SAUL’S QUALIFICATIONS:

1. ___________________ 

2. ___________________

3. ___________________

1 Samuel 10:8 ⁸ Go down ahead of me to Gilgal. I will surely come down to you to sacrifice burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, but you must wait seven days until I come to you and tell you what you are to do. 

1 Sam 13:8-10 ⁸ He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter. ⁹ So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings." And Saul offered up the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 

HOW DID SAUL DISOBEY?

1. He was Told to _____________ for Samuel, but he did not 

2. He offered ______________ to the Lord, in place of a Priest

A Timeless Question: 

 Is there an IMMOVABLE _____________ from which everyone 

can make _____________ DECISIONS in life?

Malachi 3:6 I the Lord do not change.

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Matthew 5:18 (ESV) ¹⁸ For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Revelation 22:18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.

Samuel’s Response:

1 Samuel 13:11–12 (ESV) ¹¹ Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the men were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had assembled at Michmash, ¹² I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.”

THREE HUMAN PROPENSITIES:

(when Caught Red-Handed with Wrong Actions)

       1. BLAME _____________ “the men were scattered” (v. 11) 

       2. BLAME _____________ “you did not come at the set time” (v. 11)

Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV) ¹¹ And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

- “Equip” = 

- “Work” = 

John 9:4 ⁴ As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 

    3. BLAME _____________ “the Philistines were assembled at

         Micmash” (v. 11)

• God always fought Israel’s battles against amazing _______!

• Moses = Red ________.
• Joshua = Walls of _________.
• Gideon = Fighting 115,000 Midianites with ____________.

“God is not wanting great men and women; He is wanting    

      average, ordinary people who will dare to prove 

                       the greatness of their God.”

A. B. Simpson

OUR RESPONSE to OUR FAILURES…

      1. Don’t Blame OTHERS, instead… OWN YOUR _____________!

  2. Don’t Blame LEADERS, instead… FOLLOW THEIR ________!

      3. Don’t Blame GOD, instead… TRUST HIS _______________!