Ricochet, Rebound and Repentance

 

webstix.com Tony Herman - the coolest cat on the net

 

TDAgiantslayer@gmail.com 

 

Have you ever had a hero let you down?

You not only see him fail you, 

but you watch his slow demise…

 

 

**We see it all the time in sports… incredible talent, maybe even gives shout out to God… and you watch him become a baseless carnal human being. Selfish and a shell of who you thought he would be. 

WORSE YET… WHEN ITS A PASTOR.

A very big influence on my life… a pastor who I listened to all the time… THE MEGA CHURCH… and you find out and hear about the slow fall… the descending debacle. 

 

 

1 Sam. 10: 6 At that time the Spirit of the Lord will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.

  -  9 As Saul turned and started to leave, God gave him a new heart, and all Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day.

 -  27 But there were some scoundrels who complained, “How can this man save us?” And they scorned him and refused to bring him gifts. But Saul ignored them.

 

But he held his peace.--Literally, he was a deaf man, acting as though he had not heard the murmurs.

 

 

1 Samual 11

12 Then the people exclaimed to Samuel, “Now where are those men who said, ‘Why should Saul rule over us?’ Bring them here, and we will kill them!”

13 But Saul replied, “No one will be executed today, for today the Lord has rescued Israel!”

Saul gives God the credit…

 

 

*Later we see the insecurity in Saul - had to know what everyone was saying about him. 

 

 

The wheels fall off to the point where he disobeys god, lies to the prophet and builds his own statue! 

 

You want to talk about a rise and fall… it was more like a ricochet  than a curve. 2

 

Notice how Saul and David start out

Saul - head and shoulders above everyone

David - a boy, a runt

Saul - good looking

David - a Red head kid

Saul - humble quiet

David - Loud and brash

Saul - insecure at the core

David - empowered at the core

Saul - did not want the office

David - did want the office

Saul - Fought to keep the throne

David - waited on God to give him the throne. 

 

So How did Saul fall?

 

Being followers of X should be confirmed by our obedience to his word and voice.

 

SELF RELIANCE arrogance 

As Saul grows more desperate to hold on to power 

   *He takes things into his own hands (without Gods direction… that is the difference) 

 

Of all the human failings that can destroy a person 

or a business, 

OR A FAMILY

or a future

arrogance/self reliance is the deadliest. 

It is the most readily acquired, 

the easiest to justify 

and the hardest to recognize in ourselves. Arrogance can infect all FAMILY - 

company  and employees

A SPORTS TEAM

AND EVEN CHURCH - with the silent destructiveness of a computer virus.

 

WE HEAR STORIES ABOUT BLOCKBUSTER…

bankrupt - netflix 28 Billion

Arrogance….

 

But how many relationships are bankrupt because someone does not see their arrogance?

 

GODS WORK MUST BE GOVERNED 

 

Saul had been given a new heart… but it turned from a heart for God to a selfish Unbelief, self reliance, disobedience = his fatal flaw. 

 

Matt. 6:33 seek ye first the kingdom of God

 

SEEK YE

 

The man with the garden given to him…

“you are absolutely right… but just between you and me-you should have seen it when it was just Gods”.