Taking a Long Time to Overheat
Teaching Notes
Patience: I take a long time to overheat and endure patiently under the unavoidable pressures of life
Macrothymeo – Thermometer
Upomone – To Remain Under
The Story
1 Samuel 22 – David, a full-time fugitive
1 Samuel 24 – The Cave of Ein Gedi
4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said[a] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
1 Samuel 24:4-7
1 Samuel 26 – The Hill of Hakilah
8 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”
9 But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”
1 Samuel 26:8-11
Application
1. Recognize that the Lord may be using another person or circumstance to develop you as a person or to take you to another level as a leader. (18:10, 19:9)
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
James 1:2-4, MSG
2. God does not want us to do wrong to relieve our pressure or crisis. (24:5-7; 2 Sam. 1:14-16)
3. We can take a long time to overheat when we trust God to work out his plan in his time. (26:9-12)
Who or what is the Saul in your life right now?
Going Deeper
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”
James 1:2-4, MSG
From Randy's message we see at times it is a person who is the test, challenge, and pressure the challenges our faith. We can call these "sandpaper people." At times God uses them to sand off the rough edges and reshape our character.
1. Who are the sandpaper people in your life? What is an example of how that person challenges your character?
2. Do you have a story of someone in your past who was a challenge to your character and possibly your faith? How did God use that person to mature and develop you?
3. When you interact with your "sandpaper person" and the temperature goes up for you emotionally, what do you think that reveals about your own character? What do you think God may be teaching you?
4. Spend some time as an individual or as a group to pray over a couple of things. Ask God to help you see this person as a gift in your life. Ask him to clearly reveal what needs to change in your own heart and character. And ask him to bless that person and matured them just as he is working in you.
Sunday Set List
WFC Lenexa + WFC Anywhere
Battle Belongs- Phil Wickham
Holy Spirit Come- Patrick Mayberry
Who You Say I Am- Hillsong
Forever (We Sing Hallelujah)- Kari Jobe
WFC Speedway
Battle Belongs- Phil Wickham
Worthy Is The Lamb- Passion
Rest On Us- Maverick City
Graves Into Gardens- Elevation Worship
Be sure to save our Spotify Worship Playlist, updated weekly with the upcoming Sunday’s set!