Fight or Flight?

Grace Bible Church

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Fight or Flight?

February 20, 2022 • Mike Burt • 1 Samuel 24

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“To love means loving the unlovable. To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable. Faith means believing the unbelievable. Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” G.K. Chesterton

David was pursued and now hopelessly trapped in a cave with Saul at the enterance and 3000 soldiers just outside. There seemed only one solution – revenge! Yet God has a different plan – kindness and forgiveness. Sunday we will see what David did, what David heard, what David received. Romans tells us that it is God’s kindness that leads us to repentance – but how easy is it to show that kindness? How do we forgive? How do we forget? I love the story told by D.L. Moody about the guy who was willing to ‘bury the hatchet’ but he left the handle sticking up from the dirt so he could grab it again if he needed it. This is not forgive and forget!

Join us Sunday as we will see God working in David’s life to be kind, patient and trusting! All of these seem difficult at times and even impossible! Yet that is what God desires and David demonstrates. It is not just about what happened to David, it is what faces us! Like C.S. Lewis says: “Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.” We will read this ‘lovely idea’ and learn some practical applications regarding forgiveness and being forgiving. See you Sunday!

Pastor Mike

Kings of Judah - Southern Kingdom

May 22, 2022 • Mike Burt • 2 Kings, 2 Chronicles

Sunday will be the last in a series that began with Samuel anointing the first King of Israel, Saul. We wandered in and out of the life of Saul and encountered the shepherd boy David. David was used of God to serve the nation of Israel as the first King of Judah – a key figure in the linage of Messiah. Following David was the wisdom of Solomon that was followed by division and sin in the people. Last Sunday we covered the Kings of the North whose capital was Samaria. This Sunday we move on to the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the several Kings who served on the throne. Kings of the North were by far mostly bad and evil while a few Kings of the South loved the Lord and followed God’s Word. I will mention 5 and focus on 3 who best reflect the goodness of God in the lives of men. First will be the account of Jehoshaphat and his interactions with the wicked King Ahab. Then a better known story told of Hezekiah and his cleansing of the Temple and restoring the true worship of the Lord. Finally we will visit the life of Josiah who made the Delight of God the Desire of his heart. Three Biblical examples of listening to the Word of God above all the din of earthly voices! God’s work will only be done God’s Way according to God’s Word! Please join us this week for a last chapter in the saga of Kings – this week seeing a few good ones! I will have another chart of the Kings of the North and if you missed it a few still Kings of the South. See you Sunday! Pastor Mike

Kings of Samaria (Israel)

May 15, 2022 • Pastor Mike • 1 Kings, 2 Kings

“Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!” Judges 10:14 (LORD to Israel convicting them of idolatry) Idols can only make promises. They cannot keep them. But we too often foolishly believe they might. We may believe that money can buy our happiness or joy. We can believe that pleasures will be our refuge and comfort. We believe success in business or investments will prove our worth. We know some who believe successful children will equate with our success. Proverbs 13:12 says, "Delayed hope makes the heart sick." This means that if our hope is in something that can fail, our hearts will fall with it. Our spiritual life and life of faith will decay. This is what idols do - they fail. Trusting in these things should be as foolish to us as worshipping Baal was to Elijah. Sunday I will begin with Elijah and take us though the 19 Kings of the Northern Kingdom. I will only touch on a few highlights but each time showing the emptiness of idols. I want us to leave with a clear understanding of God’s view of idols and the dangers of idols in our life. Idols are frequently very subtle – they take on form only in our minds and imaginations. The key to resisting idols is a supreme love for the true and living ONLY God! Sunday we will sing of that, pray in praise of that and spend our time in God’s Word hearing that.

Will the real….

May 1, 2022 • Mike Burt • 1 Kings 3

There is an older TV show that was titled 'To Tell The Truth'. In this show a celebrity panel would have opportunity to question 3 contestants to discover who had the real occupation or hobby. The contestants were 2 imposters who could improvise answers and 1 honest guest who must answer truthfully to all questions. The entertainment was often in the absurdity of the imposters or the oddity of the truth – the celebrity panel would vote and the genuine guest would be revealed by them being compelled To Tell The Truth. The famous line is, “will the real ‘character’ please stand up.” Sunday we will look in on the first test of Solomon’s wisdom. Two women, 1 deceased child and 1 surviving child – who belongs to whom? Both claim to be the mother of the living child but one is lying – how to know? Since Solomon is blessed with the wisdom of God - the test is one of deepest and most genuine love – just like God would do! Please invite others to this well known but often misunderstood account of Solomon. I will do my best to share it and draw eternal conclusions – I need for you to bring those who most need to hear this kind of love expressed by our loving God. See you Sunday! Pastor Mike