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[0:00] Well, I'll start by saying that it's a privilege for me to be here.

[0:17] It's an honor. And thank you for allowing me to be in this place, to be able to share the Word of God.

[0:29] And that is the most honoring thing a man could have, to be able to speak God's Word to other people.

[0:39] And we will see that in today's message, the title of the battle is the Lord's. Because we will be seeing a couple of points in David's life that God can use you for many things.

[0:59] For His glory, to bring Him honor and glory. And, well, we all can be privileged to serve our living God.

[1:09] So, we will go on 1 Samuel in the chapter 17 that we read this morning. And I would like for you to see on verse 19, how the story develops into something God was doing in David's life, but He can't do it in all our lives.

[1:33] And the very first thing I would like to know is, it's a very important word that we all need in our own lives. It's obedience. And nowadays, it's a word that is not too common, probably.

[1:47] It is not too common in Peru. And I would suppose it's not too common, probably, in Scotland, because it's not common in any other country in the world either. So, probably, Scotland is not a difference as well, because we have to always look up and be obedient to God.

[2:05] And the word says that now Saul, in verse 19, now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the valley of Elah fighting with the Philistines. And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with the keeper, left the sheep with the keeper, and took the provisions and went as Jesse had commanded him.

[2:24] And we can see a couple of things here that really, really show the obedience in David's life. For example, he got up early in the morning.

[2:36] Not only that, he left the flock with the shepherd. He left his flock not just running around. He left them with the shepherd. He loaded up and set out.

[2:47] He loaded up and set out. As Jesse, his father, had directed. Not the way he wanted. Not the way he wanted to have. Or not his own way.

[2:57] But the way God, in this case, sorry, his own father, asked him to do so. And he did. And he did that. So, I could ask you a question this morning. How are you in relationship with God?

[3:10] In your own relationship with God? Would you consider yourself, you're obeying God's word? Or sometimes we might be the type of people, the type of person that give excuses, that we have excuses for many things in all times as well.

[3:30] How about your own sons and daughters? I myself have two young boys. And what would you say? Would you say they are obedient?

[3:41] Would you say that they are good at submitting themselves to you as authority? We have a problem in Peru. You turn 18 and they say kids, or when in this case young teenagers are saying, well, I'm old now.

[3:59] I can vote. You shouldn't be telling me everything now. I'm on my own in a sense. But is that what the word of God say?

[4:10] Is that what really God is teaching us? What really says the Bible? And I believe he doesn't say that. On the contrary, he really says, honor your father and mother, so that you may have a long life.

[4:25] And he's not saying when you're 18 or 21. And he's not saying when you have a car and when you have a job. It's a calling to every single one of us who have our fathers, still living, but I would go even one step further.

[4:45] How about if your parents are not alive? Like my grandparents, for example. Do I still honor their name? Because Jews, they believed that their own life kept on going through their sons in a very particular way.

[5:07] It is true, it's very true in today's world. If you are a person who's done bad things in your life, a wicked man, our last names get, we would say, marked or dirty in a way to say like that.

[5:26] And so, when someone meets you and you're the son of this wicked man, what do they think? What would they think of you?

[5:38] They might relate to this wicked man. So, they will realize and they will make an automatic response that you are wicked as well.

[5:51] So, we are to honor our parents all the time. We are to honor who we are also. In the children's message, we were saying that we have our identity as God's children.

[6:09] But we also have an identity before our citizens, before our neighbors, before our government, and we do have that to keep that in mind.

[6:20] So, we're not supposed to only honor our father and mother and just go to university and that's it. I'm on my own. I don't need to honor my father and my mother anymore.

[6:31] And the Bible doesn't say that I have to honor my father and mother just because they are good Christians. By no means. We are to honor our father and mother although they are not Christians.

[6:43] And that is difficult, I know. But, who said to be a Christian was easy. On the contrary, we could actually even say that it's more difficult to be a Christian than a non-Christian.

[6:57] Because we are, we are to care for God's word. We are to care for people. And we are to love one another. And we are to love even our own enemies.

[7:09] And that is a really difficult challenge in all our lives. life. So, are my own children, something I have to ask myself all the time, are they spontaneous and active or are they in a sense naughty and wicked and bad behaved and misbehaved?

[7:28] What are they? Because we say, oh yeah, children should be like that. Of course. Yes, they run. Yes, they play. Yes, they are full of joy and life.

[7:39] But are they obedient? And we shouldn't really, and we should really make a distinction with that and we should be very careful with all of us. Because in our school, in San Andres, we have sometimes trouble with parents in a sense because they say, well, I know my kid.

[7:58] Just your kid is always misbehaving in class and your kid is probably sometimes causing trouble. And they say, no, I know my kid. I know I raised him. He's a good boy.

[8:09] He never would do that. And sometimes we could be like that. And we shouldn't. We shouldn't. We should be obedient to the word of God and what he says.

[8:23] So in verse, I would like to keep reading a little bit on this passage. And it says that he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry.

[8:36] And verse 21 says, And Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle army, against army. And David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage and ran to the ranks and went and greeted his brothers.

[8:49] So here again, he goes to the place, he reaches the place where his father sent him to, and he's doing exactly again what his father told him. Not his own way, exactly as his father told him.

[9:02] Left he things with the keeper of supplies. hearts. And so I would like to mention just something a real life thing going on in our school with our last year's student.

[9:18] He's our head boy. This means one of the prefects. He's a leader, a natural leader. He's the leader of all the students in our school. And he's become a Christian.

[9:29] so he's starting to feel the pressure at home. And so one day he told me, he said, I really just want to leave on Sunday at 10 o'clock in the morning and just close the door behind me and go to church.

[9:46] And come back and they'll yell at me and they'll be mad at me, my parents, but I went, I went to the church and then I'll be okay because I already enjoyed the service, I already enjoyed the message and the fellowship with my brothers and sisters so I can come back home and they can yell at me or can be punished but at least I went to church.

[10:05] What can we answer to that? It's a very good attitude in a sense, you know, it's a very good idea, but it's biblical.

[10:18] Is it godly for him to do that? So answer him, well, you should honor your father and mother, but they don't believe in the Bible, they don't want me to go to church.

[10:32] And are we supposed to do God's will? Aren't we supposed to obey God first and God above all? And I told him, of course, always, and he wants you to honor your daddy and mommy.

[10:44] So, buy some Christian music, put your headphones on if you want, get your Bible, and have your own worship service at your house, and be thankful to God.

[10:58] That in college, we have every single day, from Monday to Friday, an assembly, and you hear God's word every day. And you can have a fellowship with other Christian students as well.

[11:10] So it's difficult sometimes, right? But we're supposed to obey our God and what the word says, and we're not supposed to go into contradictions because other people will notice that, and they will see that we really aren't obeying God's word, in a sense, and so we have to be very careful.

[11:26] And to finally, to just conclude this part of the obedience part, as a man, in Peru, there's a lot of, well, I don't know if this is the right word in English, but like machism, machismo, we call it, but it's like man is first, and man does his own way, and we are the rulers of everything.

[11:49] And the Bible does mention the authority inside the house, and we are not going to question that, but it also mentions in Ephesians chapter 5 and verses 21 and on, where it talks about these things, it also says submit to each other as well, both of you.

[12:09] So my wife has needs, and well, I'm a man, I don't have to submit, well, I'm going against God's word. Yes, I'm authority in my house, and that says God has placed me that responsibility.

[12:23] And by all means, I have to be very careful. But, on the other hand, it also says in verse 21, and we can't really forget that, that it also says, love your wife as Christ loved the church, and died for her.

[12:40] So, you know, it is such an amazing thing that what God does. In Philippians, it says that Jesus Christ himself became man and was obedient to death.

[12:55] And it says that all men, that in he was given, actually, the name that is above all names. And if you really think about it, it's not saying the name above a couple of names.

[13:08] It's saying the name above all names, Jesus. The name above all names. And that every tongue in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will proclaim that he is Lord.

[13:21] And the beautiful thing that says later on is to the glory of God the Father. So, God himself, God the Father, places on Jesus, the most supreme authority, the ruler of all, king of kings, and lord of all.

[13:40] And what does Jesus in return do to his father? It's all for your glory. And actually, a marriage should relate that.

[13:52] And we're having problems in Peru with that. One of my biggest challenges at a school is that. Because our teenagers are starting to question that.

[14:03] In our own churches, we're starting to struggle with that. Like in every country in the world. Because kids are starting to see that their parents are not really living godly lives.

[14:13] and we are, as parents, reflection. And we should reflect God's love to our own children as well. So, it's a really big challenge for all of us to be obedient to God's word.

[14:28] And as we keep going on in this incredible life, this challenge that David had to face, it says that in verse 24, all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid.

[14:43] And actually, there was a big promise to the one who would defeat this Philistine.

[14:54] They were given riches. This man will marry the princes and this man will have tax-free forever. They will be knighted in a sense in what will be Britain's world, they will be a sir.

[15:10] and no one wanted to fight this Philistine. On the contrary, they said that they were really, really much afraid. They didn't want to go on the battle.

[15:23] Now, we find something that is completely different here. In David, in verse 26, it says, And David said to the man who stood by him, What shall be done for the man who kills the Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?

[15:39] for who is this uncircumcised Philistine? That he should defy the armies of the living God. So, in today's world, I urge you that we need to have divine zeal.

[15:59] We really need divine zeal in today's world. In the 21st century, it has been lost in many countries of the world because there's a defiance. And David heard it.

[16:11] And I will ask you again, would you consider Scotland a godly country? In today's world, a Christian country? What about 50 years ago?

[16:23] What would you say 50 years ago? What would you say 100 years ago? And things change, right? Many things have changed. And we talk now a lot about politically correct issues.

[16:37] we talk about politically correct teaching, politically correct church, politically correct Bible in many cases. But 500 years ago, they had to struggle with politically correct issues as well.

[16:59] And the reformists had to struggle with politically correct issues. and they did have the same exact problem as today because they had to face politically correct issues.

[17:11] And on top of that, religious correct issues. Even worse than today probably. Because you will get killed. You will get hung or burned in the fire.

[17:27] And it's incredible how things change. And we become comfortable in our own lives. And I was in Edinburgh and in the Royal Mile, you could see, well, along with John Knox's, your own countryman house, and all they had to struggle St.

[17:49] Giles Church. But you also have such incredible history in the Free Church of Scotland. And I do, I love, I'm a historian by heart.

[17:59] I didn't study history finally in college, but I'm a historian by heart and I know in around 1843, a few pastors lost their houses, lost their jobs to start what it is, the Free Church of Scotland.

[18:21] Well, the Church of Scotland free. And there is a need today. And I really would like you to see that there is still a need today. And we could say, and I know, and I've heard it many times, that other countries are opening the gospel, that other countries are more open, that we should invest in missions everywhere in the world.

[18:42] And yes, please do so, because I am from that other country. I am from a country from far away, which is 85% non-Christian country. They don't know the Bible of God.

[18:53] They don't know the true Christ and His salvation that He has brought upon us. But also, don't forget about your own country.

[19:04] Don't forget about your own countrymen and this great heritage that has been going on for many years and years.

[19:15] And when you go to this royal mile, you see David Hume, Adam Smith. And if you notice on David Hume's feet, the color has changed.

[19:26] Have you noticed that? The statue is fairly dark and on that side it looks like bronze on the feet. Why? Because a lot of students, a lot of people from all over the world, they come and touch that feet.

[19:40] And there is actually a big thing, a big debate going on on the internet, in Google and YouTube. And there is actually videos saying on David Hume's own followers, asking others, other agnostics and people that come and pass by, please do not touch that statue.

[20:00] Because it goes all against superstition and it goes against all that David Hume stands for. But people can stop doing it. Because there is a need in the heart.

[20:10] And St. Augustine himself said that every single person is born with a hole in the heart, with the shape of God's love. And no one can feel that but God himself. And it's still today as true as it was 500 years ago.

[20:25] And it's still true today in Scotland as it is in any single other country in the world. And when you face persecution, the gospel grows.

[20:38] And you can tell that in the book of Acts. And every single time in history, if you study church history, always the church grew when there was persecution. And always the church just became stable when there was no persecution.

[20:51] In all times, it's not a contradiction is there in the Bible too. So it is important for us to be able to realize these things.

[21:02] Because yes, there is a part for tolerance. And yes, we are to love one another. And yes, we are to love... I'm the first Christian in almost 500 years history in my family. There's not a single Christian in my whole family.

[21:13] And I myself, in a free country, had to face mockings of my own family. And that's normal. That's the Christian way of living.

[21:24] That's the Christian life. Jesus himself went through that and he said, you will too, at work or anywhere else. So why should we be afraid for that? And tolerance really, what only brings is just problems for Christians.

[21:38] Because you're a Muslim, you can say whatever you want. You're from Buddhists, you can say whatever you want. You're from our religion, you can say whatever you want. And you can even have your own religion well-planted. But always with Christians a problem.

[21:51] With Christianity itself, that's a really big problem. So there is a need today and so we have to be very open for that. Paul was in Athens and he had these divine zealos like David.

[22:04] He was walking around and said, well, there's an unknown God. And he went to Athens and he speaks to this man and says, well, I'm here to say about this man. And so you should be open and see what are the opportunities around us all the time.

[22:18] We should be open and see what links do we have and how we can actually bring the gospel of God to other people. And we really got to be careful with our children in that sense.

[22:30] And we got to train them because things will not always be like that. As it has changed, it will change eventually again, for better or worse. And we have to be always prepared to give, like 1 Peter says, a good response to everything who asks us about the faith that we hold to everyone.

[22:50] So, David couldn't stand it. And I love that in the Church of Scotland, you sing a lot of the Psalms because they're so theologically profound.

[23:02] There's so much good, good doctrine in them. And not just songs only, but great theology. And in Psalm 69, 9, it says, for zeal of your house consume me and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.

[23:23] Okay, so, really important to be obedient, really important to have divine zeal. And these points that I'm making, if you have one or two, we all need all, but one, two, that you take home and you leave in your house.

[23:36] And then, well, okay, the other one is really important. It's a short one, actually. It's very simple to apply in these passages. If you read in verse 28, it says, now Eli, his oldest brother, heard when he spoke to the men.

[23:54] And Eli's anger was kindled against David, and he said, why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.

[24:10] Wow, this is a great accusation, a very rough accusation. You are mean. You don't care about our father, you don't care about our possessions, you don't care about our sheep, you don't care about anything but watching the battle.

[24:24] He's actually really saying you want to see how people get killed. You want, you are come here to enjoy the battle. That's a great accusation for someone who had no clue who his brother was.

[24:38] And even now, in the midst of our own family, we can face these accusations sometimes and we can face these difficult things. So his brother burned at him with anger.

[24:49] How do we react to these issues? How do we react? And this is a good question that we should ask each other. How do we react to false accusations? It's a false accusation.

[25:00] How do we react? How do you react in your own workplace if this would happen? It just would happen to you. My dad has on top, right next to his computer, his screen, he has a little piece of paper.

[25:18] He's a businessman and he puts a little white post-it, you know, piece of paper there and he says, do not reply messages with anger.

[25:30] He says, right there in yellow. It's the only message that he always has. Do not reply messages with anger. It's very interesting. I think it's a very wise thing for him to put there.

[25:42] And there is actually study on communication amongst couples. And usually, for example, if you say, please, honey, could you give me a glass of water or could you pass me that glass of water?

[25:56] But, when things start going bad and communication starts breaking up, I say, please, can you pass me that glass of water? I don't say, please, anymore sometimes.

[26:09] And my tone of voice changes. And eventually, there's actually this number from 1 to 10. And when couples are really stressed out or really are not really getting along well, it's from 8 till 10.

[26:21] They are really, really raising their voices a lot. Just to talk for anything. And you're driving the car and say, where should I turn? I don't know, you should turn, well, make up your mind and it starts going up.

[26:35] And then when you miss the turn, for example, you are really, really upset. And all you do is just talk really out loud for the rest of, I don't know, the next minutes or sometimes it gets worse and worse.

[26:48] Now, one thing that I was able to learn in school, but actually taught by children. Children are really incredible to teach us many things.

[27:01] Patience for all, but on the other hand, many incredible things. And it's no wonder that Jesus himself said that we are to enter the kingdom of heaven like children.

[27:12] No, not that we are supposed to go back again and be little kids, but like them. Why? Because you know they can fight with each other. Oh, it's my ball. No, it's my ball. It's my ball. Ah, they fight and then five minutes later they're playing together again, right?

[27:25] And brothers and sisters the same. Ah, they close their doors and again they open their doors and go for dinner and they're talking like nothing happened. But we adults don't talk to each other anymore.

[27:39] So many things you can learn. And one thing that it was incredible that I learned from these children is that every single discussion we usually say to the children we're just discussing.

[27:51] We're arguing only. We're not fighting, we're just arguing. Well, a key thing for all us parents they don't make a distinction between discussions or arguments and fights.

[28:03] For them it's the same. It is the same. So we have to be very careful how we communicate and our self-control our self-discipline and in 2 Timothy 1.7 it says that we have not been given a spirit of fear of cowards of fear but a spirit of power love and self-discipline and that to me I tell you that is really important.

[28:35] So if you are like me then this point is very important. I know obedience is important, divine zeal is important. I need this self-control self-discipline. It's not always easy but look how David reacted.

[28:50] Verse 29 and 31 up to 31 says and David said what have I done now? Was it not but a word?

[29:02] And he turned away from him towards another and spoke in the same way and the people answered him again as before. That's it.

[29:13] that's not what I said that's not what I came here for and he just walked away. But listen this is a warrior.

[29:24] He killed bears. He killed lions. He could easily have grabbed his brother by the neck and put him down from his horse or whatever he was on.

[29:37] He killed bears and lions. And this man was self-disciplined. It's incredible. He turned away. So it's a great challenge for us.

[29:50] And we'll go on to the end of this message. And these two last points I would like to read to follow with me in verse 32. It says David said to Saul, let no man's heart fail because of him.

[30:06] Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine. And Saul said to David, you are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him for you are but a youth and he has been a man of war from his youth.

[30:17] But David said to Saul, your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion or a bear and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth.

[30:34] And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.

[30:52] And David said, the Lord who has delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said to David, go and the Lord be with you.

[31:07] So faith. Faith. It's a key issue in our own lives and really look at marriage. Look at your own life.

[31:19] You are well and alive. You are living. Yes, I'm sure there have been struggles in each person's life, probably. Many ways. Economically, socially, why not?

[31:33] Family, sickness, you know, health. Of course. Of course. But God provides, doesn't he? He does deliver.

[31:48] He never fails. So, where are you putting your faith in? Actually, we should ask, on whom are we placing our faith?

[32:01] Today, many people places their faith on work, in their own working stability. recession, for example. Well, I tell you, I come from a country, we had 1,000% inflation.

[32:16] It's impossible for any European to actually realize that. You can experience that. 1,000% inflation. One day, you have $1,000, and the other day, it's only $100.

[32:32] You saved $10,000, and the next day, you have $1,000. $1,000. Next day, almost. The banks had to pay interest on a daily basis.

[32:43] On a daily basis, they had to switch the tax interest, the rates actually of the interest. And so, but God provides, really does.

[32:55] And yes, the country was completely torn down. And on top of that, we had to face the shining path in terrorism. And it's incredible, the church grew, like never before in Peru's history, in those particularly times, rough times.

[33:14] The Peruvian church left this area, red zone, we call, really dangerous zone, called Ayacucho, and they flew. And the Christians stood, the Protestant church, stayed, and actually the government, three, four years ago, they did a really big study of what happened to let the people of Peru know what was happening and to make sure that this won't happen anymore.

[33:39] And they thanked the Presbyterian church in Ayacucho, because they were the only ones that were staying. Among other, few other Christian churches, the local church left, the Peruvian, our Peruvian church left, they fled, they were scared to fight.

[33:57] And these Christians had to fight. And these Christians had to go to really difficult things, really difficult struggles. Pastors were killed, really common.

[34:09] But many things happened, and the church became stronger. And the gates of hell could not prevail against God's church.

[34:24] They can't really prevail. And they won't prevail. I guarantee you that. So we have two choices, two options, sorry. Two options. Either we stand, imagine a castle, like in old times, and what would do the enemy?

[34:42] What they did is did a seal on the castle, right? On the people. And what would you do is that you go in and in and in because you couldn't, let's say, you couldn't defend yourself anymore.

[34:57] tore down the walls. So you had to always go further and further in the castle and protect yourself and just wait for whatever happens. On the other hand, you could be in the front lines.

[35:10] Where would you be? What would you rather be as a Christian in today's world? So we should ask that. And David said, no, I'm going there.

[35:21] I'm going there. And why? Because he had faith and he knew who he had trusted. He knew where he put his faith, on whom he put his faith.

[35:33] And he knew he put his faith on the rock. And if you read Psalm 2, 2, and he's talking about the anointed of the Lord. He's talking about the Messiah, the coming Christ.

[35:45] And he's also in Psalm 110 says, the Lord said to my Lord. He's actually making sure people know and even sing that there was coming one.

[35:57] He was coming the one. The war was coming to the earth. And he believed that. And he believed that his God will never fail him. And that his God that has saved him from the paw of the bear and the lion will save him from the hands of this Philistine.

[36:14] And this is true for us all today. And I know we could be facing, in a sense, in a certain way, certain giants, economically, physically, family-wise.

[36:27] We could be facing many things in our own jobs. But God is in charge. And it's the Lord's battle. And so we need to think about that.

[36:40] And about faith. Those were one of the main issues, right? Faith changed literally Christian history forever. I'll give you an example of that.

[36:52] sola fide, sola escritura, sola gracia, solide, o gloria. Only the scripture, only faith, right? Only grace, only God the glory.

[37:05] And one of our students, this is a couple years ago, the head boy of this last year's students, the older ones, most respected student of all our school.

[37:17] school. He's doing his work on salvation by works alone. And he starts shaking in the middle of religion class.

[37:29] And then he's starting almost crying. He says, well, if it's by works, and then he just started mumbling. But you could hear what he was saying. And he said, well, then, what did Christ do?

[37:40] And what am I doing? I can't do anything. And he started crying. Only Christ could do everything. And he throws his paper and says, only Christ can save me now.

[37:53] It's incredible. He led his whole family to Christ, eventually. All of them. And it was incredible, because in one particular time of his life, five years later or so, he was struggling in his own faith, probably as young adult in university, and his family backed him up.

[38:09] His family, kept him close to God. Incredible, right? So, trust the Lord alone, and who is Jesus to you? Think about it.

[38:20] Yes, we believe in God. Yes, we believe the Bible. Who is Jesus? Your own life. And we usually are on automatic pilot, and we don't see God's work.

[38:30] Sometimes we don't see God at work, because we are on automatic pilot. We don't realize what he's doing in our lives. But please, like God says, be silent and keep still, and know that I am your God.

[38:44] So, we're in a fast-paced life. We're in a fast-paced life. So, down, and look around, and see that he is the Lord of all.

[38:56] And lastly, well, this is beautiful, and we'll skip, and you know the story. verse 50.

[39:07] So, David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David. That's why it was called the Lord's battle, because he doesn't save with a spear.

[39:20] He doesn't save with all these swords, spears. He saves by his mighty hand. And struck the Philistine and killed him.

[39:32] There was no sword in the hand of David. Verse 51. David ran and stood over Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistine saw that their champion was dead, they fled.

[39:46] And the men of Israel and Judah rose with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shadim as far as Gath and Ekron.

[39:59] And the people of Israel came back from chasing the Philistines and they planted their camp and David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem. But he put his armor on his tent. As soon as Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, Abner, whose son is this youth?

[40:16] And Abner said, as your soul lives, O king, I do not know. And the king said, inquire whose son the boy is. And as soon as David returned from the striking down of the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand.

[40:33] And Saul said to him, whose son are you, young man? And David answered, I am the son of your servant, Jesse the Bethlehemite. So humility, humility, we are called to be humble.

[40:48] Love is not boastful, says 1 Corinthians 13. Love does not boast. And David could boast, he had just killed the champion.

[41:01] He had delivered the suffering of Israel. He could call the army of Israel and they would answer him and he could say, we have a wicked king, Saul is a wicked man, I will be your king now.

[41:17] And I guarantee you they will follow him. Because they were afraid of fighting in this Philistine, they were afraid of fighting the Philistines and this one young man is killing him. he could have boasted and he didn't.

[41:30] And he really didn't. He was humble and meek like the Bible says. And God loves the meek, God loves the humble, but he looks from afar, the boastful, right?

[41:43] He really does. So I encourage you, all of you, to keep in mind these things. We've talked about obedience and maybe some of them you don't need. Probably you are obedient in your life.

[41:54] You probably have a very strong divine zeal in your life or self-control or faith or humility. But we are to learn from God's word and we are to put this in practice because if we don't put in practice the word, we're just a hearer and not a doer.

[42:13] So this is what the Lord really wants from us. He really wants to encourage us with this word. And may he bless you greatly. Let us pray.