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Gospel Baptist Tabernacle781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

Where the Love of God abounds, everyone is

welcome.

Children’s Church taught by Paul and Marsha

Davis during preaching.

www.rossvillechurch.com

August 11, 2013

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Absalom rebelled

David left Jerusalem

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2 Samuel 18 1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite (citizen of Gath – a philistine city).

Getting organized; ready for battle.

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When we have a job to do, we need to be organized, so that our efforts will be effective.

A church needs to be well-organized according to the Will of God.

The pastor and deacons and teachers must lead the way in godliness, praying to know God’s Will.

And leading in accordance with God’s Will, as it is taught in the Bible.

And the congregation needs to follow godly leadership.

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Ephesians 4 11 And He gave some (churches), apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting (complete furnishing) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying (building up) of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the know-ledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man (of full age; mature), unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

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14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. It takes all of

usworking together.

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2b And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. 3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succor us out of the city. 4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

A wise man will take good advice.

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If David had gone with them, he would have protected Absalom.

God’s Plan and Purpose would have been hindered.

Sometimes we intervene in the lives of stubborn, rebellious people, protecting them from trouble,

When God would use that trouble to bring them to their knees in repentance.

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5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

They are going out to put down a revolution, and David wants them to be gentle with the leader.

David still loves Absalom in spite of all he’s done.

We should never stop loving, but we should not let that love cause us to hinder the Hand of God.

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6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim; 7 Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

God turned the forest and the terrain into a weapon against those who were against God’s man.

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David had not nearly as many men as Absalom,

But God made up the difference!

Don’t worry about circumstances; God is over all.

God can use even a small congregation like ours to

do exploits.

We can change lives if we will work.

Willing and obedient!

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9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. Caught by his hair.

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Absalom was proud of that hair; he thought it made him

real purty.

He even weighed it for bragging purposes.

God used it to bring him down; or string

him up.

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Proverbs 8 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

Psalm 18:27 (NIV) You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

Psalm 147:6 (NIV) 6 The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.

Whatever we take pride in, pride is sin.Learn to hate pride in yourself.

Pride makes one think he can sin and get by.

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10 And a certain man saw it (Absalom hanging by his hair), and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. 11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.

Joab was a warrior first, last, and always.Kill the enemy!

We are warriors in the army of the Lord.

We need to have one thought: defeat the enemy.

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12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom. 13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.

There was too much risk for this man.

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14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts (daggers) in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

They were going to make sure he was dead.

This fulfilled God’s Plan and Purpose.

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The devil wants to destroy your life.He hates even his own best servants.

Don’t cooperate with him in that destruction.Jesus came that we might have abundantly blessed

life both in this world and the next.

Walk with the Lord in the Light of His

Word.