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The CAVE SEASON (1 Sam 22:1 KJV) "David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam..." (Eccl 3:1 KJV) declares "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" David spent a season of his life in a cave. Just one year earlier, Samuel came to David's home to anoint him as King over Israel. Now we find him not living and enjoying the pleasure of a palace, but suffering through the discomforts of a cave. We who are born again with the blood of Jesus Christ are of royalty, but we're not living in a palace. Many are at a cave season. We have come to the place in our Christian walk where we have begun to experience dying to self. It is not by choice, but God has brought us to this place. The one thing that keeps a believer going today is HOPE. We don't understand our experience, but we keep hoping. During this cave season, a process of CHARACTER development was taking place to prepare David for the future responsibilities God was going to give to him. All God's people must experience such training and develop a Christlike character for what God is planning for them. (Romans 5:3-5) The word used for character is "EXPERIENCE." Character means experience by testing - as being approved or proven. Many Christians, born-again individuals, are seeking the fullness of God without the experience needed to pull through what the enemy throws in front of them. To rephrase an old adage, "Experience is the best teacher - but only if you learn from it." How can we stand invincible with Christ when we have not stood the test of the times? We think of this "I've got to do something with my Christianity, the troubles of my life are too great. So I'll try to serve God in another capacity or I won't serve Him at all" - instead of allowing experience to teach us. David did more than most people (I Samuel 16:18). He: --was a great musician --was a brave warrior --had good judgment --was handsome (red-headed) --was spirit-filled (vrs.l3) --was a chosen vessel And the Lord was with him. This was all before he hit the caves! We each have qualities that make us who we are. As chosen vessels filled with the Holy Spirit, the Lord is with us, according to His Word. Jesus has given us His power with the potential for greater works. Yet, the bride of Christ is weak, ineffective, and confused. During the last decade, the Church has been coming out of the closet. It is no longer a shame to be associated with "born-again" believers. We have a freedom to live our own lifestyle. But with that freedom, we lost something that builds character in our Christian walk. From the Holy Spirit comes the fear of God. How many times do we tempt God by some of the things we do? After the fall, man's conscience was used to restore a relationship with God -- That failed! God gave the law where everything was black and white -- That failed! So God Himself came in human flesh and gave us His grace so that all men could know Him!!! But we have taken advantage of that freedom. A Christian will never sin openly and on purpose if he knows he is going to get caught. So we hide in our caves and maybe not sin openly, but God still sees. DO WE REALLY FEAR GOD? The TV is the greatest invention of our century. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a TV. But there is with what we watch. There is with what we hear. Do we still flinch at the immorality we see or hear? If we don't, where is the fear of the Lord? [I went through a period where I wanted to get rid of my TVs. I prayed hard and fast. But I realized God could produce more character in me if I could just say no and turn off the bad. Don't ever let anything control your life except the Holy Spirit!!!] The fear of the Lord produces a holy way to live. The fear of the Lord changes what you say, how you act, and what you do. Colossians 3:5 says, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth..." It means "put to death whatever is of the earthly nature in you." The fear of the Lord is holiness. It has two distinct aspects: consecration & separation. In the law, you were separated from touching anything unclean. But if you did, there was a purification process - CONSECRATION. Israel was also commanded to be separate from all other nations - SEPARATION. In the New Testament, this was not so: (1 Cor 5:9-10 KJV) "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: {10} Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world." Paul said, in the physical realm we will be with the unclean, but our separation and consecration must be a moral act of the heart. In the last decade or so the church has become more like the world instead of the world becoming more like the church. Paul said in Colossians 3:8 that character is getting rid of anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language. When we eliminate this out of our lives, we can replace it with compassion and mercy to those who fail. When you see a brother living a different Christian standard than you live, you can show mercy and love that will break that hold over his life. Make people feel there is a better way. Let the world become more like Christ. Put on love which binds in the fear of God. During the cave seasons, we think we are losing everything we ever lived for. We feel lost, uncomfortable, defeated and confined. But during this season of life, God is at work. We must recognize it, embrace it, walk in it and be faithful through it. It is a time to let go of the areas God wants. Many feel hopelessly "locked into" their circumstances with no way out. But there is a way for Christ to release us in His timing. Then nothing will stop us. (Job 13:15 KJV) "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him." (Psa 7:1 KJV) "O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:" (Psa 16:1 KJV) "Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust." (Psa 31:1 KJV) "In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness." (Psa 26:1 KJV) "Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide." (Psa 37:3-5 KJV) "Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. {4} Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. {5} Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." (Psa 56:3 KJV) "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee." (Psa 115:11 KJV) "Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield." (Eccl 3:11 KJV) "He hath made every thing beautiful in his time." - Pastor Steve
April 1996 Newsletter | The Cave Season | Pastor's Journal April 1995 Integrity | Earthly Distractions | Preparing and Prepared part 4 of 4 Revised: June 25, 2008. |
Biblical Counseling for Leaders
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