Transcript
A (0:01)
Hello, this is Jensen Franklin and thank you so much for joining us for this week's podcast. Our goal is to provide you with biblically based teachings that will challenge, inspire, and equip you to live for Jesus. If you haven't already, I'd love for you to go ahead and subscribe today to this podcast so you can get the latest updates from us and you don't ever have to miss a new message. Let's go right into the service. Record it at Freechapel. I believe it's going to bless you today.
B (0:33)
If you have your Bibles, you can open up them with me to Psalms chapter 57 Psalms 57:57. And I'm going to start reading at verse one. But before I do, I want to take a moment and I know that we Our pastor is a man of honor and he honors and our church is. And we want to take a moment and let's honor Dr. Martin Luther King right now as we celebrate that holiday tomorrow for his amazing work and impact that he's had on society, our nation, and even the world. And we honor Dr. King. Tomorrow's Martin Luther King Day. Psalms chapter 57 and I'll begin reading at verse one. He said, Be merciful to me, O God. Be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee. Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take my refuge. Until these calamities be overpassed. I will cry unto the God most High. Unto God that performs all things for me, he shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would have swallowed me up. God shall send forth his mercy and truth. Verse 4 He said, My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire. Even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let thy glory be above all the earth. They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They have digged a pit before me into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Verse 7 David concludes with saying this, My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. I will sing and give you praise notice. He said, my heart is fixed, oh God, my heart is fixed. And you can tell by the context of this writing that David was in some pretty troubling times. He was in a time where the odds were stacked against him. But even in the midst of great adversities and challenges, David came to this conclusion and made this confession that despite all that may be Coming against me. My heart is fixed. Oh, God. My heart is fixed. I want to talk to you this morning for a few moments on the subject of fasting for a fix. Fasting for a fix. David, the scripture said, is in a cave during this time. And he's writing and he's reflecting back when Saul, he was running from his life. The scripture said he was fled from Saul and he's hiding in the cave. Notice where he's writing from this particular text. He's not writing from a throne. He's not writing from a sanctuary. He's not writing from a victory parade. He's not writing from a nice studio somewhere in a great city of music. But he is writing from a cave during this time. You have to understand that David had been anointed but not yet appointed. He was chosen, but he hadn't been crowned. He was promised a kingdom, but he was having to live like a criminal. He was innocent, yet he was being hunted. He was faithful, yet he had been betrayed. Why? The Bible said because of the jealousy of one man by the name of Saul. It all stemmed back when the scripture. When after David had taken down Goliath, the people began to shout, saul slay his thousands and David his ten thousands. Although David was fighting for Saul led Saul's army against this great giant enemy. There was something inside of him that gripped him. The Bible said he began to look at him with an evil eye of jealousy. From that day forth, the scripture said, Saul got so angry and jealous of David, he would begin to throw spears at him. The scripture teaches us that he even would set him up in battle, hoping that he would get killed. He turned the nation against him. His name was being slandered by everyone. His life was under great threat. He forced him to live in hiding in a cave like an animal. He's in a cave now. Understand something, that caves have a way of messing with our minds. David is in this cave not because of sin, but he's in this cave because of his calling. Hmm. Life can hand you and I some caves, unexpected caves. And caves come to isolate us. Caves come to mute your praise and echo your fears. Caves come to amplify your doubts and trap your thoughts. Caves will come to shrink your perspective and tempt you to quit. Caves will try to get you to change your theology, poison your attitude, rewrite your identity and break your worship. But David didn't allow. Listen to this. The cave to cave him in. He refused to be caved in by the cave.
