1 SAMUEL 31 MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR KING SAUL2018 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 1 Samuel 31 Memorial Service For King Saul

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2018. This evening, we're going to be doing service a little bit differently than usual. And I know it's just a few of us, but...

I need to do what the Lord put on my heart. So I'm going to keep on going and we're going to walk through a memorial service for Saul, son of Kish. And that is because we are in 1 Samuel chapter 31 and finishing up the book of 1 Samuel. And it records for us there the death of King Saul. And so we want to take some time to reflect on that and consider that. And so I would encourage you to, you know, just go along with me.

I'm trying not to be too silly, but at the same time, to just allow ourselves to stop and reflect and think about what it really meant that Saul has now died. And it causes us then, I would ask, or I would ask us to consider what that means for us and what that looks like for us and how that impacts us.

in our lives. And so I want to read to you 1 Samuel chapter 31, and then we'll continue on in the time of worship and continue on in the memorial service for Saul, the son of Kish. But starting out in 1 Samuel chapter 31, verse 1, it says, Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines and fell slain on Mount Gilboa.

Then the Philistines followed hard after Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, Malchishua, Saul's sons. The battle became fierce against Saul. The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers. Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.

But his armor-bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together that same day.

And when the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those who were on the other side of the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities and fled. And the Philistines came and dwelt in them. So it happened the next day when the Philistines came to strip the slain that they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa.

And they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent word throughout the land of the Philistines to proclaim it in the temple of their idols and among the people. Then they put his armor in the temple of the Asherahs and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul,

All the valiant men arose and traveled all night and took the body of Saul and the bones of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. And they came to Jabesh and burned them there. Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree at Jabesh and fasted seven days. Let's pray. Lord, as we are here this evening and are considering the life and the death of Saul, the son of Kish,

God, I pray that you would help us to see and to recognize, Lord, the value of considering and contemplating these things, Lord, that we would understand the things that are at stake for eternity. Lord, that we would learn the lessons from Saul's example. Lord, that we would learn to pursue you with all of our heart. And so, Lord, as we consider the reality of life and death,

As we consider these things, help us to trust in you. Help us, Lord, to rely upon you, to focus on you, to focus on the things of eternity. Lord, help us to pursue you with all of our heart. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Amen. Let's continue on in another worship song.

♪ Is your voice upon the wind ♪ ♪ Is everything I've known marked with my maker's fingerprints ♪ ♪ Breathe on me, let me see your face ♪ ♪ Ever I will see you ♪ ♪ Cause all you are is all I want ♪

Draw me close in your arms. Oh God, I want to be with you. I want to be with you. Can I feel you in the rain? Abandon all I am to have you capture me again.

Let the earth resound with praise. Can you hear us all? Creation lives to glorify one name. Breathe on me. Let me see your face. Ever I will seek you. Cause all you

is all I want always draw me close in your arms oh God I wanna be with you I wanna be with you breathe on me

Breathe on me. Let me see your face. Ever I will. Cause all you are is all I will. Draw me close in your arms. I want to be with you. I want to be with you. With you.

As we reflect on the life and the death of Saul, son of Kish, there is a obituary information inside the program that you were given this evening. And I would encourage you to take a moment and just read through that and reflect on the life and the death of Saul, the son of Kish.

Saul was born to a family. The father was named Kish, and they lived in the tribe of Benjamin in the central area of the nation of Israel. And Kish was, I'm sure, very proud of Saul. And as he got to see him grow up, it tells us that Saul was a handsome man. He had a handsome son, it says in 1 Samuel 9, verse 2.

that there was not anyone more handsome amongst all the children of Israel. And not only was he really handsome and stood out for that reason, but Saul also was impressive to behold because of his height, that he was heads and shoulders, it says, above everybody else.

And so there was always, you know, it was always apparent whenever Saul was in the crowd. You know, when he was sitting there next to you, he would be, you know, a head above you. You know, you would be looking up to him in that way. And he was handsome to behold. He was tall and stood out amongst the crowd. And there was occasions where, well, Saul loved to make kids fall over.

and what we know is that he would, because of his height, he would kind of sneak up on the kids and just kind of like go right in front of them and say, hey, and the kid, you know, just kind of surprised and then would look up, and he would have to look so high to see Saul that the kid would fall over on his back, and he just loved to do that. He would laugh and laugh and make the kids fall over from looking up at him because he was so tall, and you might remember when

God first called Saul. He was a faithful son who served his father, and his father had lost some donkeys. And so he sent his son Saul after them, and Saul searched around far and wide in order to try to find his father's donkeys, but they came up empty everywhere they went. And it was through that set of circumstances that Saul connected with the prophet Samuel. And there is Saul connected with Samuel that

He had a private anointing, that is, that God had spoken to Samuel before Saul ever met him and said, this is the one that I've chosen. He's the one who's going to be king over the nation of Israel. And so in the privacy of just the two of them, Samuel shared this plan of God to Saul. And he anointed him king right there and then in 1 Samuel 9.

Later on, he would have a public ceremony and it would be revealed to the nation. But first he had this private event that took place. And Samuel gave him some

confirmations to look for as well. And one of those things, it becomes a noteworthy part of Saul's life is that the Holy Spirit came upon him and he prophesied and he, it tells us, became another man. That he had a real work of God take place in his life as he continued on this journey and was really working towards the throne in obedience to what God had spoken to him through Samuel.

And there were some noteworthy things of Saul's life as he started out in obscurity, not really being well-known, not the prominent person of the family, but God chose him, and God selected him, and God anointed him, and God gave him the Holy Spirit and raised him up. And when he was anointed king a little bit later on,

He didn't immediately build the castle and make everybody kiss his ring, but he really started out in the same way, in obscurity and in humility. And he was anointed king and he went home and he began to work in the fields once again. And he was reigning from the fields as it were, as he would just do what was necessary and would seek to serve the Lord in that way. But things began to change once

when the men of Jabesh Gilead were attacked by the Ammonites. And boy, Saul could really inspire men to fight. And he sent a message throughout all of Israel and said, guys, now it's time to mount up for battle. And so all of Israel gathered together with Saul and went and defended their brothers and sisters there in Jabesh Gilead and saved them.

And there it became apparent that Saul really was called by God and chosen by God, anointed by God to be king. He had some high notes for sure in his life and was called by God and chosen by God to be the king of Israel. But as we consider the life and now the death of Saul, we also have to consider the low points of Saul's life and

Saul was not without problems. He had some issues. And as painful as it can be at a time of memorial for King Saul to reflect on those things, we find it necessary and important to consider some of the things that Saul had issues with in his life. We find it kind of early in Saul's reign in 1 Samuel chapter 13 where Saul is waiting for Samuel before the battle.

And his impatience gets the better of him. And because of his impatience, he decides he's going to offer a sacrifice. And he's not from the tribe of Levi. And so it presented a real problem that he didn't wait for Samuel to sacrifice to the Lord, that he took things into his own hand. And the Lord corrected him sternly there in 1 Samuel chapter 13.

We also see in chapter 14 him make a wrath oath with a rash oath, which Jonathan broke on accident because he didn't hear it when Saul made the oath. But when Saul found out about it, he was pretty upset and he was even willing to put to death his own son. And so we see there was some issues there with impatience, with pride as it comes to Saul.

Then we also see his encounter with the Amalekites, and he pretty much just ignored what God had told him to do. He obeyed most of what God said, but decided to spare King Agag and some of the animals, and he didn't do a good job in following through with what God had told him to do. And of course, this began to develop more and more and got worse in his later years.

I'm sure you've heard about his attempts to kill the young man named David. He threw spears many times and chased around and

And although he knew it was not what God wanted, he was trying to put David to death and prevent him from ever becoming king. He even got so worked up one time that he threw a spear at his own son because Jonathan, his son, was really defending David. And Saul was so upset and wanted Jonathan to be king so bad that he even threw a spear at Jonathan because he was upset that he was defending David.

We find in Saul's final days that he wasn't hearing from the Lord. He had tried to seek the Lord through the priests, but it would come back with no message from the Lord. He would try to seek the Lord in prayer, and he would not receive any word from the Lord in that way. And he called out to the prophets, but the prophets were not receiving any message from the Lord for him. And so tragically, we find in 1 Samuel chapter 28 that

Saul seeks out a medium and tries to contact Samuel, who has died, through this medium in order to find out what the Lord says and what the Lord wants from him. As you look at the life of Saul, he did have some great highlights. He had some great high notes, and he started out really well. He was definitely called by God and anointed by God, and he was

And yet we also are forced to wrestle with the reality that he fell short in a lot of ways. And at the end, well, tragedy is really the best word to describe the death of Saul here in 1 Samuel chapter 31. Tragedy is the best word to describe how his life concluded and where he was at the end as he died there with his sons in rebellion against God.

It's a tragedy. In fact, your Bible might even say that at the heading of the chapter, the tragic end of Saul and his sons. To consider the life and the death of Saul, it would be nice and typically at a memorial service, you know, we wouldn't dwell on the negative things. But here as we are face to face with eternity along with Saul, as we're looking at his life and what took place,

It's appropriate and important for us to consider. He ended tragically, completely far and away from what God had for him. He had some real problems, some real issues. And it's hard for us to wrestle with, but it is the reality of life. And as we consider these things, I would encourage you to consider your own life and where are you? You know, well, it probably isn't going to be very much longer now in history,

I'll be doing your memorial service. And what kind of tales will be told? What kind of eulogy will be shared? Now in the midst of this, I think it's appropriate for us to consider the poem that

David wrote regarding the death of Saul and his sons. And it's found there in your program, or you can see it also in 2 Samuel 1. But I'd like to read to you this poem that David wrote in regards to the death of Saul and his son and his lamenting and mourning over this occasion. It tells us in 2 Samuel 1, verse 19, "'The beauty of Israel is slain on your high places. "'How the mighty have fallen!'

Tell it not in Gath. Proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings, for the shield of the mighty is cast away there, the shield of Saul, not anointed with oil. From the blood of the slain,

From the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not return empty. Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided. They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions. O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with luxury, who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

how the mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle. Jonathan was slain in your high places. I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan. You have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women. How the mighty have fallen and the weapons of war perished. The worship team is going to continue to lead us in worship. And I would encourage you to reflect on these words of David.

Reflect on the life and the death of Saul, the tragedy that it was, the highs and the lows that are part of the reality of life as we consider the reality of eternity. Let's worship. It is so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word.

Just to rest upon His promise Just to know Let's say it, the Lord is so sweet

Just so sweet to trust in Jesus. Just to take Him at His word. Just to rest upon His promise. Just to know

Let's say it, the Lord and Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, how I've proved Him over and over. Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, oh, for grace to trust Him more.

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word.

Just to rest upon His promise. Just to know the saith the Lord. And Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him. How I've proved.

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, oh for grace to trust Him more. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, how I've proved

Him over and over Jesus, Jesus Precious Jesus Oh, for grace To trust Him more

Just to know

Sing Jesus, Jesus.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, how I've proved Him over and over. Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, oh, for grace to trust Him more.

On behalf of the family, I'd like to thank you for being here to show your support for Saul's family and those who were around him. I'd also like to just extend a special word of gratitude and thanks to the men of Jabesh Gilead who heard about the things done to the body of Saul and how he was pinned to the wall of Beth-Shan and

They went and risked their own lives and broke into Philistine territory to take down the body of Saul and his sons and to bring them and give them a proper burial. And so much gratitude towards the men of Jabesh Gilead for doing that, for risking their lives and for honoring Saul and his sons in the time of their death. As we consider the death of Saul,

There is a question that Will is asked about the life of Saul and particularly the death of Saul. And it's one of the difficulties we have with this type of memorial service, this type of event, and particularly with the life and the death of Saul, the son of Kish. It was a tragic death, but maybe the biggest tragedy for us is that we really don't know what happened to Saul when he died.

The question is asked, where is Saul now? Is he in eternity with the Lord? Or will he be forever apart from the Lord? And it contributes to the tragedy, not just of the weaknesses or failures in his life, but the question presents a big challenge for the family, for loved ones, for people around, and for those of us who read this account years later.

Where is Saul? Is he with the Lord? And as you consider the life of Saul, there's a case to be made that he is with the Lord. Just a few chapters back in 1 Samuel chapter 28, when Samuel was speaking to Saul, he told Saul, tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. And so there's a possibility that Saul is with Samuel, who of course is with the Lord.

But it's also possible, and it remains a question, that Samuel simply meant that he would be in the grave, not necessarily with Samuel in the sense of being with the Lord. We also find in 1 Chronicles 10 that it tells us that Saul died for his unfaithfulness, which he had committed against the Lord, because he did not keep the word of the Lord and also because he consulted a medium for guidance. His death was...

Well, it was really, you know, more bitter because of the state of his heart. He died in a condition of unfaithfulness. And that doesn't necessarily mean that he is not with the Lord. But as you look at these things, again, it brings us to this very uncomfortable position of not being able to say for sure. Not being able to have a clear and concise and easy answer

statement that Saul is in a better place. We don't actually know if Saul is in a better place. It's a hard truth for us to consider, but one that we must consider as we are considering the things of eternity and face to face with the reality. There is the opportunity for us to have great assurance that

Paul very clearly said to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And we can have that confidence. We don't have to have the question mark like Saul had. And the reality of having that be a statement, having it be a clear declaration as opposed to a question, really comes down to the things that we've been considering in the life of Saul and Samuel and David today.

And that is the pursuit of God's heart. The way to have that clear statement at the end. The Lord knows it's clear to him. There's no ambiguity as far as he is concerned. But on this side, it is very difficult for us to know where is Saul. And sometimes in regards to others around us, as they enter into eternity, it is hard for us to know for sure where are they. But there is the opportunity for us to have a clear statement

without question, unmistakable position and standing before God. And it is in the pursuit of God's heart. It's not a casual, occasional walk with God, not a casual, occasional obedience to God, not a every once in a while, not a wishy-washy, but a heart that is seeking after the Lord.

seeking to know what is God's will and what pleases him. And as we've seen in Saul and Samuel and David, it doesn't mean a life of perfection, but it does mean a life of repentance. It means a life of turning to God and turning to God and turning to God and turning to God. Pastor Chuck would often share the illustration of being in the bed of a truck. And if you're worried about falling out in the bed of a truck, then don't sit on the tailgate.

Because then if there's any bump, you know, you are likely to fall out. But if you want to have that assurance, if you want to have that clear statement of safety, then stay near the cab. Scoot yourself up. Don't camp out there at the end and be right on the verge of falling off.

And don't be somewhere in between where, you know, a good bump, you might be in danger. There is a risk. But instead, put yourself, scoot yourself up and move yourself near the cab so that you stay as close as you can to that place of safety. And it's a good picture for us of pursuing God's heart. As you look at Saul's death, you can see that he was not near the cab. He was on the tailgate.

And we don't know where he ended up. But it's appropriate because it is eternity that we're talking about for us to consider. Where am I? And am I following in the footsteps of Saul? Or am I following in the footsteps of one who pursues the heart of God? One day soon, I may be doing your funeral. But what will be the clear statement that is made? Or will there not be a clear statement that is made about your condition and your situation?

position with the Lord. One day soon, Harvey may be doing my funeral service. I only pick on Harvey because he's the only one amongst you who might be willing to do a funeral service for Jerry. But will there be that clear statement shared with certainty about where I am? It will really depend upon my life and the reflection of the heart of God and the pursuit of God's will.

Are you a man? Are you a woman who pursues God's heart? We all have to make the choice about eternity, but in some ways it's a one-time choice in the sense that we need to make the decision to believe in Jesus Christ and to walk with him. But also we see that it is an ongoing choice at the same time that we choose to believe in Jesus and follow him as Lord moment by moment and day by day.

And as you look at the life of Saul, you see that he started off well and he had so much going for him. God set him up for success and victory, but his life ended in tragedy because of the choices that he made. And God sets us up for victory. He doesn't set us up to fail. He sets us up for victory, for success, for an abundant entrance into eternity. He sets each and every one of us up for that.

but he also leaves in our hands the choice of how we will walk. The decisions that we make day to day have eternal impact and make a difference in the course of our life and the course of eternity. If we choose to follow Jesus Christ, then there needs to be a change in our lives that goes along with it. It includes the confession of sin, the returning to the Lord over and over again, again as we see demonstrated in the life of David.

But if we choose to do what we want, instead of pursuing God's heart, we pursue our own way. And we live according to what we think and what we want and what we desire. Well, it has an impact. And it changes the course of our life and it impacts us for all of eternity. And there comes a point where that choice is our final choice. Our friend Saul, who

we are gathered together to honor today has made his choice we just don't know exactly what it was now god is just and merciful and he knows the choice that saul made here's one thing that i can say with absolute certainty if saul were able to speak to you today if he were able to somehow get a message to you if he were able to bring forth a message to you right now this evening

He would say, pursue God's heart. Whether he is with the Lord or apart from the Lord, he would tell you, he would say, pursue God's heart. That's absolutely certain. It is the most important thing. And it's what we're faced with this evening. As we consider the life and the death of Saul, I would ask you, what choice will you make? Will you live in pursuit of God's heart?

Will you live in a way that doesn't leave room for questions, that doesn't leave room for speculation, that doesn't leave room for, well, we're not really sure. Will you live your life in a way that is sold out to the Lord, to give ourselves completely to the Lord in the pursuit of God's heart? Or will you choose to live your life a different way, away from the cab, on the tailgate, somewhere in between, or maybe just jumping out of the truck altogether? Well, we know where that ends up.

That can be a clear statement as well, but will there be that clarity for you? I want to finish up with the words of Jesus in Matthew chapter 16. If you have your Bible, you can turn there. Matthew chapter 16. We find Jesus here with his disciples after he has taken them up to Caesarea Philippi. And Peter has just made that radical confession that Jesus is the Savior, the one that God had promised. And

Jesus tells him, well done, Peter, that the flesh and blood haven't revealed that to you, but God has revealed that to you. But then Jesus goes on to talk about his own life, and he says, you know, I'm going to be betrayed, and I'm going to be put to death. And of course, we know that Peter, you know, interrupts and tries to correct the Lord and say, no, that's not going to happen, Lord. And Jesus rebukes Peter from there at that point. But then after that, Jesus speaks to his disciples in Matthew chapter 16, verse 24, and he says,

And he says,

and then he will reward each according to his works. Here in Matthew chapter 16, Jesus gives us a strong exhortation and a kind of a formula for staying close to the cab. If you want to come after me, Jesus says, here's how you do it. Deny yourself. Set yourself aside. Now, that is pursuing the heart of God. Because in pursuing the heart of God, you are laying down yourself

your own heart. That is your own desires, your own will. That is putting what God wants above what you want. And Jesus says, if you want to come after me, if you want to be with Jesus for all of eternity, he calls us to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and that is to be willing even to the point of death to follow Jesus, to put the will of God above

to put the desires of God, the heart of God above our own lives. But as we wrestle with that thought, he goes on to say, because if you desire to save your life, you're going to lose it. If you try to hold on to your wants and your desires and your plans and you pursue your heart instead of God's heart, you're going to lose your heart. You're not going to experience all the things that you're striving and working so hard for.

You're not going to find the peace and the joy. You're not going to find the life that you think is there in those things that you're pursuing. But Jesus says, if you will lay down those pursuits, if you will instead pursue God's heart, he says, lose your life for my sake. That is, give yourself over to me completely. Then you will find it. Then you will have

The joy that you are wanting and the peace that you are searching for, that thirst that you have within will finally be quenched in Christ when you lay down your wants, your desires, your pursuits, and you take up the pursuit of God's heart and you seek to live a life that pleases God. And you seek to please God in every decision and in every step that

you will find the life of abundance that God has for you. And Jesus challenges us in the next verse saying, what profit is it if you gain the whole world and lose your own soul? If you pursue your heart and you accomplish what it is you think that you need and you think that you desire and you get the whole world, but it's at the expense of your own soul. And in the end, you know, Saul could say he was king.

He could say he had power. He could say he had authority. He had, you know, highlights and victories and he had great things. But did he lose his own soul? We don't know, but it wouldn't be worth it if he did. There is nothing that's worth exchanging for what God has in store for us in eternity. What will a man give in exchange for his soul? And we wouldn't consciously make that decision, but as we discussed on Sunday,

It's not a one-time decision way back 20 years ago. It's the day-to-day, the moment-by-moment, the decision to pursue the heart of God, to put his plans, his will, his desire first. Jesus says, the Son of Man will come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and he will reward each according to his works. For those who do take up their cross and deny themselves and follow Jesus, there is great reward.

And as we consider the death of Saul and are face to face with the reality of eternity, it's appropriate for us to consider what we will experience. What will we face as we enter into eternity? And what we face and as we enter into eternity, what we experience is dependent upon, it's determined by the pursuit of God's heart here in this life. So again, I would ask, will you live your life

in pursuit of God's heart. Don't leave room for any questions. Don't leave room for any doubt or speculation. But will you live your life in such a way that you are secure and square right in the middle of God's plan for you because you are diligently seeking the heart of God and seeking to please God, to know God, and to walk with God each and every day. As we consider the tragic death of Saul, I would encourage you

to learn from his example. As we wrestle with the hardship of not knowing for sure and not having a clear statement, I would encourage you to not live under a similar question mark, but to have the confidence that comes from faith in Jesus Christ and a life that is lived in fellowship with him, in relationship with him, in absolute pedal to the metal, sirens blaring like we've just been hearing, like you are all out to know Jesus, to walk with him,

and to be pleasing to God by faith in him. The worship team is gonna come up and close this in a final song. And as they do, I would encourage you to invite the Lord to speak to your heart about where you're at. How much are you pursuing the heart of God? How much are you denying yourself and taking up the cross to follow Jesus? Is there room for any questions in your life? Is there room for you to end up at the tragic end like Saul?

Or will you end up in a position of glory, not necessarily physically or financially or emotionally, but a position of glory spiritually because you have known the Lord and you have walked with the Lord and you have sought his heart. Let's be men and women who pursue the heart of God and remove from our lives, to lay aside and cast away those things that keep us, that are not part of what God wants for us and that hold us back.

from an all-out, full-on pursuit of what it is that's pleasing to God and what He desires from us. And so let's worship the Lord together. ♪ Holy fire, burn away my desire ♪ ♪ For anything that is not of you but is of me ♪ ♪ I want more of you and less of you ♪ Sing holy fire.

Holy fire, burn away my desire for anything that is not of you, that is of me. I want more of you and less of me. Empty me, won't you empty me?

and fill me with you with you with you with you holy fire burn away my desire for anything of you but is of me

I want more of you and less of me. Empty me. Won't you empty me and fill me with you, with you, with you, with you.

Holy fire, burn away my desires.

For anything that is not of you, but is of me. I want more of you and less of me. Empty me. Won't you empty me? And fill me with you.

with you, with you, with you. Lord, as we consider these things this evening, I pray for each one of us, Lord, that you would help us to see clearly, Lord, the enemy is so good at disguising the things that we're involved in, the motivations and the heart behind it and our flesh. Lord, it's so clever at rephrasing and renaming and recategorizing things so that

Lord, we can be in a state of deception and so confused about what's really going on even in our own minds and hearts. But Lord, you search the heart. You know the mind. You see it clearly. And so, Lord, I pray that you would reveal it to us, that we would know where we stand and what's really happening within, Lord, that we would be able to look to you, to turn even as

David did over and over again in the midst of his failures. He turned back to you. He turned away from the waywardness of his heart to seek you and to put you first. And so, Lord, I pray that you would continue that same work in us. Help us, Lord, to learn to walk with you in the way that you desire. Help us, Lord, to develop in our relationship with you that, Lord, it would be clear and abundant, Lord, that we

are those who pursue your heart, that our main desire in life, that our main goal for each day would be to know you, to please you, and to walk with you. Lord, our spirit is willing and our flesh is weak, so we need your help. To pursue your heart, God, we need your help. Would you help us? I pray, God, that you would pour out your Holy Spirit upon us. Lord, that we would be washed and cleansed

of those things that hold us back. Lord, that we'd be able to lay aside the weights, the doubts, the struggles. Lord, even those struggles that remain and persist, that we'd be able to trust you in the midst of them and to put our hearts in a place of pursuing you. Lord, I pray that you would reveal yourself to each one of us. Lord, that we might know you, that we might see you, or that we might love you with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength. Would you help us do that, Lord?

We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.