A Heart After God | DAVID | Pastor Steve Andres

New City Church

A Heart After God | DAVID | Pastor Steve Andres

July 7, 2024 • Pastor Steve Andres • 1 Samuel 13:14

You can have a heart after God! This weekend Pastor Steve started our DAVID series with a message about the contrast between kings Saul and David.

1 Samuel 13:14

Samuel said to Saul, "The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Saul lost the blessing and favor of God over his life, and God chose David because he was a man after God’s heart. What happens in our lives when we have a heart after God?

1) We move from fear to trust.

When God didn’t meet Saul’s expectations, Saul acted out of fear and pride. What do you do when your expectations aren’t met by God? Do you still trust him?

2) We move from expediency to integrity.

Expediency is about valuing convenience over what is right. Are you prepared to remain faithful to God even when it seems impractical?

3) We move from accolades to obedience.

Saul wanted the approval of his people more than the approval of God. Compared to David’s sins, Saul’s sins might seem small. But what made David special was the deep sadness he felt when he sinned. This tenderness and repentance was what marked David as having a heart after God. David only points us to the one who models and gives us a true heart for God - Jesus!

The Making Of | DAVID | Pastor Steve Andres

July 21, 2024 • Pastor Steve Andres • 1 Samuel 17:40, Ephesians 2:10

God’s promises come with a process! This weekend Pastor Steve Andres continued our DAVID series with a message about the making of a man or woman of God. 1 Samuel 17:40 Then David took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. Before David ever found victory on the battlefield against Goliath, he had to learn some important lessons that we can learn as well. 1) Destiny comes wrapped in the ordinary. David was not planning to face off against the giant, he was simply following through on his assignment to deliver some cheese. It was faithfulness in the ordinary that brought him to a moment of great importance. 2) Private victories protect against public failure. David had confidence in this moment of public testing because of the private victories he had experienced over the lion and the bear. Take care of your bears and lions! 3) God equips you with gifts custom-fit for your assignment. When Saul gave David his armor, David was wise enough to know that if we can’t walk in something, we can’t war in it either. Make sure you understand and steward the gifts God has given you. 4) Trust and availability go hand in hand. David knew that Goliath was not the only giant in the Philistine army. When he chose five stones from the river, he was making himself available for the next fight as well. 5) God prepares the worker AND the work. God wasn’t just working to prepare young David. He had already prepared the battle for victory. Long before we reach our moments of testing, God has been preparing the work to be done. Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. God has given you a promise, now be faithful in the process!

God Has A Plan | DAVID | Pastor Joaquin Pardo

July 14, 2024 • Pastor Joaquin Pardo • 1 Samuel 16:13

He knows what He is doing! This weekend Pastor Joaquin continued our DAVID series with a message on embracing God's plan. 1 Samuel 16:13 "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward.." 1. Stop mourning what didn't work When God rejected Saul, Samuel grieved over what was. But when our hope and trust is solely in God, we avoid getting stuck in the past, and can embrace the new things God is doing. 2. God uses unexpected things and people Our plans are built on what we see and know, but God sees beyond our limitations. When it was time to anoint a new king, everyone focused on Jesse's seven sons, but God chose the one everyone overlooked. Unlike Samuel, God can see beyond what is in the physical and will use the unexpected things and people to achieve his plans and purposes. 3. Accept God's strategy and timing God didn't reveal the entire plan to Samuel all at once; instead, He provided just enough direction for the next step. Even after being anointed, David didn't become king until 15 years later. The time in between is formative. The time it takes and the limited information you have are what God has prescribed for the perfecting of your faith so that you might know the fullness of God.