Cutting Corners (Elevation)

Psalm 57:2 (Context 1 Sam 24:1-8)

• David wrote this in a circumstance which completely contradicts the calling that he believes he is walking in.

• Don’t go around trying to fulfill the calling of others. Don’t feel bad about the gifts God didn’t give me if i am fully maximizing the ones that He gave me. We have a purpose when we’re serving other purposes we realize it will not work and we get stressed out.

1. Serve the Purpose

• Purpose vs Position. Many parts one body, the parts that we can’t see sustain the life function of the body. “Serve” the purpose of his current assignment. God will give the promotion.

• David was a shepherd boy, serving his purpose. When you serve purpose, you don’t have to search for it, it will find you. Psalm 78.

1. Guard the Promise

• Don’t take certain concepts or parts from the Bible that i like and call it a promise. It’s only a partial promise. (eg. My God shall supply all of your needs according to his glorious riches in christ - partial. The context was that Paul was teaching the church to be generous. When you live with open hands, you live under an open heaven.)

• In order for God to release His provisions, you have to live under His priorities.

• Saul represented David’s purpose. He became vulnerable to them in the cave and David’s men wanted to kill him because then they can stop running. “I will give your enemy into your hands to deal with as you wish.” Only partially true.

• David was free to do whatever he wanted with Saul but he did something he had never done before - cutting a corner. Whatever David did he did with his whole heart. He won’t do God’s thing his own way. You won’t know what is in your heart, your theology until you have an opportunity. David was conscience stricken for cutting off that corner (v5)

• Why would David feel bad about killing someone who was trying to kill him or for avenging the king who was dangerous to the entire nation. David was between his past (sheep pens) and his future (king) and he didn't want to be that kind of king. The way we get there is more important than where we eventually be at.

• I will not cut corners. I will not become something I’m not in the pursuit of what I want. If i cut corners I will be responsible for it. But leave it up to God. David knew God can’t honor the promise if I don’t honour the process. The way I get it will determine who I am when I get there. Am I doing God’s will my way?

• Don’t fight hate with hate, there’s a higher level called love. I don’t have to sink to the same level. Every opportunity is not God. I want God what wants me to have when He wants me to get, How He wants to get it.

• I can be the loudest in the argument and win it, I can pout and get what I want. But when I got what I wanted i’ll be guilty and lonely. I will get a corner of the robe when God wanted to give me the whole thing.

• Am I going to let God do His job or am I going to manipulate my situation to resemble something that looks like God’s will but is really not.

• It took 5 more years before Saul died. But when he died, David was ready.