Topic: Distress And Strength

Theme: Lessons From The Life of David

Brethren,

David is quite a school all by himself. And this time, he asks us another crucial question: What would you do if you found your world turned upside down – all that you and all your kinsmen might have worked for all your lives, including family scooped up by some marauders; your entire village burnt and looted? And as if that were not enough, your kinsmen turn around to blame you for their misfortune, as if you did not suffer similar misfortune as they? Would curse God? Would you look for whom to blame? What would you do? Or how does one prepare for such a calamity? David has answers for all these and more as we continue on our study series on Lessons from the Life of David – Distress and Strength 

Key Learning Points:

1. David experienced a time of intense distress, even to the point that his key men, out of grief, contemplated stoning him. Instead of being swept away by the enormity of the situation and the response of his men, David chose to strengthen himself in the Lord. And like David we too can choose to strengthen ourselves in the Lord when in distressing situations.
2. The first key step David took was to seek the face of God and ask for His directions. And when he got the direction, he followed through with obedience. In times of distress, like David, our default setting should be to anchor ourselves in God who is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
3. Jesus told us that we shall experience tribulation and trials and distress and frustration in this world. It is our choice and responsibility to strengthen ourselves in God by His word, trusting His word, that He has overcome the world for us and that whatever we face does not have the power to harm us.  God’s goal is that we are increasingly conformed more and more in the likeness of Jesus. And He uses every experience and situation we encounter, good and bad, as His tools to conform us and to develop the fruit of the Spirit in us.

See outline attached for your further study and preparation. See you at 8am in Church on Sunday.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17