Divine Rescue: Embracing God's Love Amidst Struggles

Devotional

Day 1: Trusting in God's Timing for Rescue

Despite the pervasive nature of sin in our lives, we are called to trust in God's timing and His power to rescue us from our deepest troubles. Our struggles and sins are not just personal but are also reflected in societal issues like domestic violence and substance abuse. The Bible teaches that sin is the root cause of the world's darkness and messiness. However, it also offers a solution that goes beyond human effort: waiting for God's rescue and renewal. This is a call to trust in God's timing and His power to save us from our deepest troubles. [32:56]

Isaiah 30:18 (ESV): "Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him."

Reflection: Think of a current struggle or sin in your life. How can you actively wait for God's rescue and renewal in this situation, trusting in His timing and power?

Day 2: The Spirit's Empowerment in Our Daily Lives

The Spirit of God is the true hero in our lives, not our own efforts or even the leaders we look up to. Just as the Spirit empowered Saul to rescue Israel, the Spirit empowers us to live out our faith and renew our commitment to God. This empowerment is not just for miraculous acts but for the daily renewal of our relationship with God. The Spirit's role in our lives is to bring us into a deeper relationship with God, which is the greatest miracle of all. [40:23]

Zechariah 4:6 (ESV): "Then he said to me, 'This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.'"

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you rely on your own strength rather than the Spirit's empowerment? How can you invite the Holy Spirit to renew and guide you daily?

Day 3: Turning to God in Desperation

In our hardships, we often forget to cry out to God, thinking we can handle things on our own. The story of Jabesh Gilead shows the importance of turning to God in our most desperate times. God is not just a distant king but a loving Father who cares deeply for us and wants us to seek Him in our struggles. This narrative serves as a reminder that true deliverance comes from God alone, and we are called to cry out to Him in our times of need. [51:19]

Psalm 34:17-18 (ESV): "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Reflection: Think of a recent hardship you faced. Did you turn to God in that moment? How can you make it a habit to cry out to God in your times of need?

Day 4: Celebrating God's Presence in Our Joys

Just as we are to cry out to God in our hardships, we are also called to celebrate with Him in our joys. This dual practice of lament and celebration helps us maintain a balanced and healthy relationship with God, recognizing His presence in all aspects of our lives. Celebrating with God in our joys acknowledges His role in our blessings and deepens our relationship with Him. [52:23]

Nehemiah 8:10 (ESV): "Then he said to them, 'Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.'"

Reflection: Reflect on a recent joy or blessing in your life. How can you intentionally celebrate this with God, acknowledging His presence and role in your happiness?

Day 5: Assurance of God's Love Through the Spirit

The Spirit's greatest work is to assure us of God's love and our relationship with Him. Even when we feel unsure or distant from God, the Spirit reminds us that we are His beloved children. This assurance helps us to live confidently and joyfully, knowing that we are always held in God's loving hands. The Spirit's role is to bring us into a deeper relationship with God, which is the greatest miracle of all. [50:56]

Romans 8:16 (ESV): "The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."

Reflection: When have you felt distant from God? How can you seek the Spirit's assurance of God's love and your relationship with Him today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the profound truth that despite our constant failures and the messiness of our lives, God remains our ultimate rescuer. We began by acknowledging the struggles and sins that plague our daily lives, from personal failures to societal issues like domestic violence and substance abuse. These issues are not just isolated incidents but are deeply rooted in the pervasive nature of sin. The Bible doesn't just diagnose the problem; it offers a solution that is far beyond human effort or positive thinking. It calls us to wait for divine rescue and renewal.

We delved into the story of Israel, who repeatedly found themselves in dire situations due to their own actions and the oppression of enemies like Nahash the Ammonite. Despite their cries for a human king, it was ultimately the Spirit of God who brought about their rescue through Saul. This narrative serves as a mirror to our own lives, showing that while we may seek solutions in worldly things, true deliverance comes from God alone.

The Spirit's role in our lives is not just to perform miraculous acts but to bring us into a deeper relationship with God. This relationship is the greatest miracle of all, sealed by the Spirit and evidenced by our ongoing renewal and repentance. We are called to cry out to God in our hardships and celebrate with Him in our joys, recognizing that He is our loving Father who delights in rescuing us.

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Key Takeaways

1. The Pervasiveness of Sin and the Need for Divine Rescue: Our lives are filled with struggles and sins that we cannot overcome on our own. The Bible teaches that sin is the root cause of the world's darkness and messiness. However, it also offers a solution that goes beyond human effort: waiting for God's rescue and renewal. This is a call to trust in God's timing and His power to save us from our deepest troubles. [32:56]
2. The Role of the Spirit in Our Lives: The Spirit of God is the true hero in our lives, not our own efforts or even the leaders we look up to. Just as the Spirit empowered Saul to rescue Israel, the Spirit empowers us to live out our faith and renew our commitment to God. This empowerment is not just for miraculous acts but for the daily renewal of our relationship with God. [40:23]
3. The Importance of Crying Out to God: In our hardships, we often forget to cry out to God, thinking we can handle things on our own. The story of Jabesh Gilead shows the importance of turning to God in our most desperate times. God is not just a distant king but a loving Father who cares deeply for us and wants us to seek Him in our struggles. [51:19]
4. Celebrating with God in Our Joys: Just as we are to cry out to God in our hardships, we are also called to celebrate with Him in our joys. This dual practice of lament and celebration helps us maintain a balanced and healthy relationship with God, recognizing His presence in all aspects of our lives. [52:23]
5. The Assurance of God's Love: The Spirit's greatest work is to assure us of God's love and our relationship with Him. Even when we feel unsure or distant from God, the Spirit reminds us that we are His beloved children. This assurance helps us to live confidently and joyfully, knowing that we are always held in God's loving hands. [50:56]
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Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[28:13] - Introduction: The Struggles We Face
[29:12] - The Story of the Young Boy
[30:28] - The Reality of Our Messy Lives
[32:19] - The Root Cause: Sin
[32:56] - Waiting for Divine Rescue
[33:32] - Israel's Repeated Failures
[34:41] - Nahash the Ammonite: A Vicious Enemy
[36:01] - The Spirit's Role in Rescue
[40:23] - The Spirit Empowers Saul
[45:07] - The Ultimate Rescue in Christ
[45:58] - Renewing Our Commitment to God
[47:41] - The Spirit's Assurance of God's Love
[51:19] - Crying Out to God in Hardships
[52:23] - Celebrating with God in Joys
[56:02] - Communion: A Celebration of God's Love
[60:45] - Closing Prayer and Song

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was the dire situation that the people of Jabesh Gilead faced, and how did they initially respond to Nahash the Ammonite's threat? ([34:41])
How did the Spirit of God empower Saul to rescue the people of Jabesh Gilead? ([40:08])
What was the significance of the renewal ceremony at Gilgal, and what did it symbolize for the people of Israel? ([45:58])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the people of Jabesh Gilead did not initially cry out to God for help when faced with Nahash's threat? ([37:27])
How does the story of Saul's empowerment by the Spirit reflect the broader theme of divine rescue in the Bible? ([40:23])
What does the renewal of commitment at Gilgal teach us about the importance of continually renewing our relationship with God? ([45:58])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you faced a difficult situation. Did you cry out to God for help, or did you try to handle it on your own? How might you approach similar situations differently in the future? ([51:19])
The sermon emphasized the role of the Spirit in empowering us for daily renewal and repentance. How can you be more aware of the Spirit's presence and guidance in your daily life? ([40:23])
In what ways can you celebrate with God in your joys, just as you cry out to Him in your hardships? Share a recent joy and how you can celebrate it with God. ([52:23])
The assurance of God's love is a key takeaway from the sermon. How can you remind yourself of this assurance when you feel distant from God? ([50:56])
Identify one area of your life where you feel you need divine rescue and renewal. What steps can you take to trust in God's timing and power in this area? ([32:56])
How can you support others in your small group or community who are struggling with personal failures or societal issues like substance abuse or domestic violence? ([28:13])
The sermon mentioned the importance of renewing our commitment to God. What practical steps can you take this week to renew your commitment to God and deepen your relationship with Him? ([45:58])

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "We do mess up. And there is only one place to look. It is as though the passage here is screaming, yes, that is a belief situation, but there is a reason for that. The passage is almost as though to say, sin is the only thing that can explain how dark the world can be and how messy things are. But it is the Bible that only gives us a solution of how to engage with that. It is not pull up your bootstraps and try harder. It is not have positive thoughts. It is not look on the bright. It is not to smile and grin at the barriers. It is to wait for a rescue. It is to wait for renewal." [32:19] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The enemy who is Satan is not able to win. Because this side of the cross, we already know what's happening. This great rescue that we see in this passage is just a mirror. It's just a favorite to what we have seen in Christ. He has already rescued us. He has already drawn us into the relationship with him. Because our great king is the one who burned the cross for us. So we have a relationship with God. That is all great and that is all wonderful." [45:07] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Cry out to God in your hardships. Celebrate to God. With God. In the joys of your faith. Number one. Cry out to God in your hardships. What did we see here in this passage? Jabesh Gilead faced probably the worst situation ever. All hope was gone. But there was no cry out towards God. There was no calling for Him to help. It is as though there was no relationship to begin with. They did not believe that God was their Father." [51:19] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Do you know what scripture reveals? That God is not just our king who defeats the serpent. He is our Father. He loves you. He loves us. It is a good thing for us to cry out towards Him. He is not forsaken by us. But the second thing we see at the end of this passage. Don't we? Is that we should celebrate with God in your joy. Some of you in this room will have had a horrible week. Some of you in this room will have wonderful things to celebrate. And we need to keep those. Because God is in us." [52:23] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We are called to remember. To believe. And to lean on Him. So how does this change things for us? How do we have hope in these situations? Two quick practices. Cry out to God in your hardships. Celebrate to God. With God. In the joys of your faith." [51:19] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "The spirit rescues if you read from verses 4 over to verse 14 you'll see that Saul brings about a great and wonderful rescue but let's not get lost here Saul is that very same person who in chapter 10 they said can this fellow save us and he noticed that no one has cried out to Saul he is the new king who is established but no one is thinking that he can save the dead he is the new king who should be in control and no other stuff that should be going on but he's not even at central command he's out mowing the fields." [38:46] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "The spirit refused. If you look at verse 14 of this passage, Samuel calls Israel to a settlement at Gilgal. Israel is led by the spirit to renew its commitment to God and to the king. Gilgal is a place of rich history. Joshua chapter 4. This is the place where Joshua raised up the stone and had them all remember how the God was. It's not just a place to renew their faith in the king. This is a place for them to renew their faith in God who is faithful." [45:58] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Do you notice that the Spirit is the one who rushes and causes great saving work in this passage? And it can be tempting for us to go, I wish the Spirit would rush in this same way to us. And bring about revival and help us in all these wonderful ways. And we believe that the Spirit does do great and wonderful and miraculous things. But the greatest thing that He does is to bring us into a relationship with God. Is to help us to see how Christ has died on the cross for us. Is to engage with Him and to love and to trust Him above all things. That is the greatest miracle that can exist." [47:41] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We are called to remember. To believe. And to lean on Him. So how does this change things for us? How do we have hope in these situations? Two quick practices. Cry out to God in your hardships. Celebrate to God. With God. In the joys of your faith." [51:19] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Israel is not rescued because they have a great king. They are rescued because the king has the spirit of God worshipped upon him. This is a telling of some kingship, my friends. It is telling us that the spirit of God is the one who rescues us, delivers us, that we are to be leaned on. He is to remind us and help us to renew our relationship with God. And to remind us that from eternity past to now, we can go into that relationship with God. The Father has poured out His blood on the Son and tells us that we can go into that and join Him in the same way. We are brought into that relationship. He is God with us. He is Savior. He is Resurrector." [53:44] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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