1 Chronicles 15:16 (ESV) — 16 David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brothers as the singers who should play loudly on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise sounds of joy.

Steps to developing a good relationship w/God

1 Chronicles 16:8–13 (ESV) — 8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! 9 Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! 10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 11 Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered, 13 O offspring of Israel his servant, children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

1.    Give thanks

2.    Give testimony

3.    Sing praise (of deeds)

4.    Seek the Lord (his strength, His presence)

5.    Remember the works He has done (miracles)

David’s Timeline

992 BC     Conquers Jerusalem,

Brings Ark of the Covenant

980 BC     Sins with Bathsheba

Murders her husband

979 BC      Solomon Born

978 BC      Amon rapes Tamar

976 BC      Absalom murders Amnon

Absalom leads revolt, dies

969 BC      Another revolt put down

968 BC      Three-year famine

965 BC      Almost killed by Philistine giant

964 BC     Retires from battlefield (David, 67 yrs. Old)

964 BC      Pestilence kills 70,000

5.  DAVID FLEES JERUSALEM

PSALM 3 A psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom.

Psalm 3:3–5 (ESV) — 3 But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. 4 I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.

2 Samuel 15:26 (ESV) — 26 But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”

2 Samuel 15:14 (ESV) — 14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

2 Samuel 15:30 (ESV) — 30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered. And all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.

2 Samuel 15:31 (ESV) — 31 … And David said, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

2 Samuel 16:22 (ESV) — 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

David Flees Jerusalem – Does nothing

1 Chronicles 17:7–14 (ESV) — 7 Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, 8 and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, 10 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the Lord will build you a house. 11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’ ”

1 Chronicles 29:11-19

11 “To You, O God, belong the greatness and the might, the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor; everything in heaven, everything on earth; the kingdom all Yours! You’ve raised Yourself high over all. 12 Riches and glory come from You, You’re ruler over all; You hold strength and power in the palm of Your hand to build up and strengthen all.

13    And here we are, O God, our God, giving thanks to You, praising Your splendid Name.

14    But me…who am I, and who are these my people, that we should presume to be giving something to You? Everything comes from You; all we’re doing is giving back what we’ve been given from Your generous hand.

15   As far as You’re concerned, we’re homeless, shiftless wanderers like our ancestors, our lives mere shadows, hardly anything to us. 16 God, our God, all these materials, these piles of stuff for building a house of worship for You, honoring Your Holy Name, it all came from You! It was all Yours in the first place!

17  I know, dear God, that You care nothing for the surface…You want us, our true selves, and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily. And now see all these people doing the same, giving freely, willingly…what a joy!

18  O God, God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, keep this generous spirit alive forever in these people always, keep their hearts set firmly in You.

19   And give my son Solomon an uncluttered and focused heart so that he can obey what You command, live by Your directions and counsel, and carry through with building the Temple for which I have provided.”

1 Chronicles 29:1–5 (ESV) — 1 And David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God. 2 So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, colored stones, all sorts of precious stones and marble. 3 Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: 4 3,000 talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and 7,000 talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house, 5 and for all the work to be done by craftsmen, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating himself today to the Lord?”

Proverbs 21:5 — The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but

everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Romans 14:10,12 — We will all stand before God’s judgment seat…each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Luke 16:10,11 — “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”

What on Earth Am I Here For?

• Purpose #1: You Were Planned for God's Pleasure (Christian Worship)
• Purpose #2: You Were Formed for God's Family (Christian Church)
• Purpose #3: You Were Created to Become Like Christ (Discipleship)
• Purpose #4: You Were Shaped for Serving God (Christian Ministry)
• Purpose #5: You Were Made for a Mission (Christian Mission)

Philippians 4:6,11 — Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.

Matthew 6:19-21 — “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Revelation 22:12 — “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”

GOD REWARDS

•  Acts of Kindness (Matthew 10:42)
• Enduring Temptation (James 1:12)
• Good Works (Ephesians 6:8)
• Generous Giving (Luke 14:12-14)
• Help when they can’t give back
• Don’t just give to friends

BE A MANAGER

1.   Ask: “God, what do you want me to do with Your money today?”

2. Write it all down: Track your spending.

Tithe – to give a tenth of your income

Proverbs 3:9 — Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Generosity is the natural response of a heart flooded with God’s love.

Acts 13:36 — “David had served God’s purpose in his own generation.”