Does unwavering faithfulness during the toughest of times truly shape our destiny? Join me, Pastor Brandon, as we journey through 1 Chronicles 11, where we witness David's steadfast loyalty in the face of adversity and how it paved the way for his anointing as king. We'll unpack the compelling narrative of his leadership and the incredible valor of his mighty warriors, including the three mightiest who epitomize bravery and strength. As we explore David's strategic maneuvers in capturing Jerusalem, then known as Jebus, we'll uncover the intricate fortifications of his reign and draw inspiration for fortifying our own lives in faith.
In the crucible of life's challenges, we often discover the silent power of our actions as role models, an epiphany that resonates deeply within this episode. Through the lens of David's path to kingship, we'll examine how our present hardships are crafting our future resilience. I'll offer a heartfelt prayer for steadfastness in the storm and remind you of the Almighty's vigilant presence, assuring you of His recognition of our integrity when times are tough. Be uplifted by the teachings from 1 Chronicles 29, as I share a profound message on the rewards that await those who hold fast to unwavering integrity, no matter the trials they face.
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The More You Dig. The More You Find.
Does unwavering faithfulness during the toughest of times truly shape our destiny? Join me, Pastor Brandon, as we journey through 1 Chronicles 11, where we witness David's steadfast loyalty in the face of adversity and how it paved the way for his anointing as king. We'll unpack the compelling narrative of his leadership and the incredible valor of his mighty warriors, including the three mightiest who epitomize bravery and strength. As we explore David's strategic maneuvers in capturing Jerusalem, then known as Jebus, we'll uncover the intricate fortifications of his reign and draw inspiration for fortifying our own lives in faith.
In the crucible of life's challenges, we often discover the silent power of our actions as role models, an epiphany that resonates deeply within this episode. Through the lens of David's path to kingship, we'll examine how our present hardships are crafting our future resilience. I'll offer a heartfelt prayer for steadfastness in the storm and remind you of the Almighty's vigilant presence, assuring you of His recognition of our integrity when times are tough. Be uplifted by the teachings from 1 Chronicles 29, as I share a profound message on the rewards that await those who hold fast to unwavering integrity, no matter the trials they face.
SOAP Bible Study Method- https://www.brandoncannon.com/soap/
Bible reading plan- http://www.experiencerlc.com/the-bible/
Free weekly newsletter- https://www.brandoncannon.com/
Social:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/thebrandoncannon
Instagram: https://instagram.com/brandoncannon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/brandoncannon
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theBrandonCannon
The More You Dig. The More You Find.
Well, hello everybody, welcome back to the Bible Breakdown podcast with your host, pastor Brandon, today. 1 Chronicles, chapter 11, and today's title is Faithfulness in Bad Times Pays Off. Faithfulness in Bad Times Pays Off and I've got some bad news that I've got to confess to you in just a moment. But before we get to that, make sure that you like, share, subscribe to the YouTube channel, make sure you leave us a five-star review on the podcast and, as always, gather with us at the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook. The more we dig, the more we find. And also, if you are just now joining us for the podcast or the YouTube channel, every week I send out like a Bible Breakdown Newsletter and what it is. It's just kind of my favorite devotion of the week Things I'm finding as I'm studying, different topics and different things, and if you're interested in such things, it's also where I try to give you some different resources. I've had people who have told me before they were like I love when, every once in a while, you give us a resource on the podcast. Well, that's one of the ways I do that is through the newsletter. I will put different things and constant resources that I come in contact with. So the best place to do that is to go to brandoncannoncom and there you can subscribe to my newsletter for free and you can get all of that every single week that comes out, and I think I send it out every Saturday morning. So I hope to see you there and it's going to be great. It comes right to your mailbox.
Speaker 1:That's what I was trying to think of, and I'm saying that because I just got to listen. I got to confess something to you. I'm sorry. I want you to let me know down in the comments how disappointed in me you are, but yesterday I told you we were done with all the names. I forgot about chapter 11. So when I was looking at this one to talk about today, I was like oh, we got some more names to do. So let me know down in the comments below on YouTube how disappointed are you that we've got more names? I'm not because I'm just over it. These are important people. This is our spiritual family, but there's more of them. Okay, we got a really big family, but what I want us to catch on to is faithfulness in bad times pays off. We're going to read how this happens in the life of David and then we're going to see how that can apply to us as well. So, if you have your Bibles, open up with me to 1 Chronicles 11. Let's dive into God's word together, because the very first part is the part that I want us to hold on to at the end. So if you're ready, here we go.
Speaker 1:1 Chronicles 11, verse 1, says this Then all Israel gathered before David at Hebron and told him we are your own flesh and blood. In the past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the Lord, your God, told you you will be the shepherd of my people, israel, you will be the leader of my people, israel. So there at Hebron, david made a covenant before the Lord with all the elders of Israel, and they anointed him king of Israel, just as the Lord had promised through Samuel. Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, or Jebus as it was used to be called, where the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were living. The people of Jebus taunted David, saying you'll never get in here. But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the city of David. Now pause, if you had a guy who, when he was a teenager killed a giant. Maybe you don't taunt him, just going to throw that out there. Let's move on.
Speaker 1:Verse 6,. David said to his troops Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies. So Joab, son of David's sister Zeriah, was the first to attack, so he became the commander of David's armies. David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the city of David. Then he extended the city from the supporting terraces to the surrounding area while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem and David became more and more powerful because the Lord of heaven's armies was with him. These are the leaders of David's mighty warriors. Together with all Israel, they decided to make David their king, just as the Lord had promised concerning Israel.
Speaker 1:Here is the record of David's mightiest warriors. The first was Jeshabim the Hakamanite, who was the leader of the three, the three mightiest warriors among David's men. He used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. I joke it all mess around. The next in the rank among the three was Eleazar, son of Dodai, and I'm going to tell you something. Nobody ever made fun of his dad's name. Okay, his dad's name might have been Dodai, but nobody said a word about it. Right, and he was a descendant of Ehoah. Then he and David excuse me, he was with David when the Philistines gathered for the battle of Pasdamim and attacked the Israelites in a field full of barley. The Israelite army fled, but David and Eleazar held their ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the Lord saved them by giving them a great victory.
Speaker 1:Once, when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The three, who were among the thirty an elite group of David's fighting men, went down to meet him there. David was staying in the stronghold at the time and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. David remarked longingly to his men oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. So the three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. God forbid I should drink this, he exclaimed. This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to Now. Pause. Now, that was a sign of great respect that he considered it too sacred to drink. But I'm going to tell you something. If I fought to bring you that water, can I just ask you to do me a favor? Drink it. I didn't do it so you could pour it on the ground. I poured it so you would drink that water. But David was the mightiest of all these men, so he gets to do whatever he wants. Verse 20, abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the 30. He once used a spear to kill 300 warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the three. Abishai was the most famous of the 30 and was their commander, though he was not one of the three, so he was number four.
Speaker 1:I guess there was also Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabaziel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. Now, wait a minute, think about that for a moment. He didn't get chased by a lion, he chased a lion. No-transcript, that's why he's awesome.
Speaker 1:Verse 23, once armed only with a club. He killed an Egyptian warrior who was seven and a half feet tall which means he could have played for the NBA today and who was armed with a spear as thick as a weaver's beam. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with it. Lord help. Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the three mightiest warriors. He was more honored than the other members of the 30, though he was not among the three, and David made him captain of his bodyguard. Bet you he did, and to which every time he would say remember the Egyptian, back up and they would All right. 26. David's mighty warriors, also included. Here we go. 26, david's mighty warriors, also included. Here we go Ezahel, joab's brother.
Speaker 1:Elhanah, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem. Shammah from Herod. Helez, son of Pilon. Eri. Son of Ikesh from Tekoa. Abizer. Son of Anathoth. Shebekiah from Hushah. Zalman from Eho. Ehoriah, son of Netaphothath, heled.
Speaker 1:Son of Benaiah from Hanutah. Etiah. Son of Reba from Gilead in the land of Benjamin. Benahiah from Parathon. Huriah near Nehalgash.
Speaker 1:Benahaladan, arabiah. Azahiah from Berim. Elabah. Son of Shaban. Isaiah from Berim. Elabah. Son of Shaban. Son of Jashan from Gizan.
Speaker 1:Jonathan. Son of Shaggy from Harar. Elahiam, son of Sharar from Harar. Halifiah. Son of Ur Hefer. Son of Mikar Hashai. Son of Pilon Hezro from Carmel Pahari. Son of Bezbai Joel. Brother of Nathan Ab Abhir. Son of Hagri Zalek from Ammon.
Speaker 1:Nahari, from Beroth and the armor bearer of Joab. The son of Zariah Uriah. Son of Jatir Gareb. Son of Jatir Uriah, the Hittite, zabab. Son of Hal Adina. Son of Shiza, the Reubenite, leader of the 30 men with him, hanan. Son of Micaiah Josaphat. Son of Matina Uzzah. Son of Eshteroth Shammah of Jehiel. Son of Hunath Eor Jadid. Son of Zimri Johah, son of his brother from wait wait Hurah, his brother from Tiz. Elel, from Huzahiah Jerobiah. Son of Josheviah. Son of Elnim Ithamah from Moab. Ethel of Obad Jazil from Zobah.
Speaker 1:So that was the 30.
Speaker 1:Then you got all these other guys over them and so these were the guys who David had ran with and he fought with and were just amazing. And so, as we get ready to get into the life of David, these are the guys he had around him. But what I love is, at the very beginning, the Bible said that after Saul died, they came to David and they said in the past, even when Saul was king, you were really the one who led all of us. So, in other words, what they're saying is is during that difficult time, because, if you remember, for a while, saul was after David. He's trying to kill him, and before he was trying to kill David, he was jealous of David. And so what? The time? What David was doing is, though, king Saul was against him, though he was being negative toward him, always. All this different stuff, even all that bad stuff, is going on, even though David was continuing to be faithful. And you got to wonder if, every once in a while, david was like man, is it really worth it? I'm doing the best I can, I'm trying to serve, but man, it just seems like everything I do, saul's constantly after me, saul's constantly trying to destroy me. Is it really worth it? Is anybody even noticing all the effort I'm putting in? I'm not doing it for them, I'm doing it to serve God, but man, this is just a thankless job. And then, after a while, saul starts to chase David and he's running from him and all of this. And we find out that, even while he's running from Saul, he's still defending the nation of Israel. All this stuff is going on, and if he's human, which he is, I wonder if at any point he's sitting there going man, why am I doing all this? Is it really making a difference? Nobody's noticing, but he finds out when it's all over with the whole time. A lot of people were noticing, and it even says in the past they told him even when Saul was king, you were really the one leading the forces of Israel. And with that I want to encourage somebody today Faithfulness in bad times, difficult seasons, pays off. Do you know? When my girls weren't born yet we were pregnant with our first daughter?
Speaker 1:I watched so many parents because I wasn't really around a lot of kids when I was younger, so I didn't know what being a parent of a young kid really looked like. I didn't really know exactly what to do. I'd watched in some way, but when you're not having a kid and you're not really around kids, you really just don't notice that much, right? Well, I started watching and I started noticing and I noticed a lot more things than people probably realized I did, because I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what was going on. I was a student. They just didn't know that they were teaching class, right, and I was able to learn so much just by watching people, and I got to watch and see what I thought a good parent probably looked like because of how they related to their kids and all this kind of stuff.
Speaker 1:And I remember one day thinking about that. I remember thinking, man, just like I watched parents, I bet there's people who've been watching me. I bet there's people who's watching other people. And it just helped me to realize that, man, people see when you're faithful. People see when you could give up and you don't. People could see that, but you know who sees and who really, really matters. It's God.
Speaker 1:God sees when you're a stay-at-home mom and it just gets hard and nobody's looking. You could cut a corner here or there, but you don't. You're faithful. People see, but you know who really sees. It's the Lord. He sees when you're at work, when you could skim off the top or you could leave earlier, you could cheat here, you could do that but you don't. It's your person of integrity.
Speaker 1:God sees when you're a student and you could take the easy way out, but you don't Take the easy way out. But you don't when you do the right thing, when it's not always easy, when you stay in a difficult marriage, when you try one more time to invest in that difficult child, when you try one more time to reconnect with your parents, even though they don't really want it from you, when all these different things, every time, when you think does anybody notice? Does anybody care? You know more people notice than you realize, but the one who matters most sees, and faithfulness in bad times or difficult times pays off. I promise they do, because you know what God was doing during the time that they're talking about, when David was all alone and all this stuff. You know what God was doing. God was shaping and molding David.
Speaker 1:I guarantee you many of the things that David did after he became king. He didn't learn them while he was king. He learned them while he was watching Saul, while he was running from Saul. He was learning that, truly, the one who holds me and keeps me and all this, that's God. And the things that he learned while he was king. He learned while on the run, he learned on the battlefield. And can I tell you the things that he learned while he was king? He learned while on the run, he learned on the battlefield. And can I tell you, the things that you're learning now are the things that will sustain you later and that God sees you more than you realize.
Speaker 1:So don't give up One more time. Invest in that child One more time. Have that hard conversation One more time. Step back into that difficult moment One more time. Be faithful, because you never know when, one day, the right door will open and God will reward you. And if not in this life, when you pass from this moment into eternity. God makes all things new and everything is worth it when we see him face to face. Let's pray God. Thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that faithfulness in bad or difficult times pays off. I'm thankful, god, that you are worth every struggle. You're worth every difficult moment. I'm thankful for you today. In Jesus' name, we pray Amen. And when God's word says in 1 Chronicles 29, I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. God is with you more than you realize. He's for you more than you can imagine. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow for 1 Chronicles, chapter 12.