Recovering Our Family

Recovering Our Family

I Sam. 30:1-8

Theme: God leads David to recover his family from the enemy.

Welcome to Mountain View Baptist Church. We are honored to have you in attendance and we would love to connect with you if you are a first-guest. It is a pleasure to be with God’s people and worship the Lord together.

We are going through a study on book of Revelation On Sunday evenings. Let me encourage you to attend tonight at 5:00 PM As we dig into the first 8 verses of chapter one.

Also, a reminder that our annual Mission Conference is coming up starting September 26. Please clear your schedule to be here on those days. More information to follow.

In June of 2023, five people boarded the Titan submersible submarine with the plans of going down to view the Titanic wreckage. Unfortunately, the submarine imploded in its descent and all five passengers were killed. A rescue operation began immediately when the communications center first lost communication but it was determined a catastrophic event took place and they went into a recovery of the bodies.

What a horrible tragedy to lose the lives of these five people.

Here in this passage, we learn there are some things we can recover. The Amalekites had been Israel’s enemy for many years and now they have chosen the wrong person to deal with. David was not going to let the enemies destroy his family.

The Amalekites represent everything in life that is intent on taking your spiritual valuables away from you. Satan is trying to get our children, our Bible, our values, our morals, our dedication, and our obedience. He will use unsuspecting people times to accomplish his diabolical attack.

The current movements within our culture is totally against our families and we must be on guard to protect ourselves from those who would seek to take our families. It may be the schools which are indoctrinating our kids on their gender identity or sexual preference. It may be the corrupt media who has charted a course to teach Americans to hate our country. It might be the movies or the social media that is preying on the minds of our families. It might be drugs or alcohol which also is destroying our families. There are many enemies which are attacking and we have to decide what we must do if we are to recover our homes.

The reality is that there are some things we cannot recover. We cannot recover lost time or lost opportunities. We cannot recover “woulda or shoulda” events. Sometimes people will say if only I or I wished I would have.

There are three decisions David made and these three we need to make.

Decision 1. . .

Accept the reality of the situation

Nothing could be worse than have lost something and ignored you have lost it.

David had to decide what he would do to recover his family from the enemies. While we may not have lost our families, we must decide either to protect or recover them from the enemy. David and his men were out making raids on the Nomadic tribes in the negev and the Amalekites came into their homes and took their wives and children. David was given the area of Ziklag as a vassal king and he did not belong there. While he was in the wrong place being distracted when the attack happened.

Parents there can be times we find ourselves in the wrong place out of God’s will while our enemies are attacking our families.

Many children are being bombarded with adult problems they should never have to solve. The advent of social media has played havoc with their minds and movies are destroying their view of life. Today, we are asking our children to decide what gender they are, what person they want to become, and how do they feel about life’s biggest challenges without any understanding or life experience.

Years ago, there used to be a difference between families with Christ and families without Christ. Those families were not perfect by any means. Families with Christ went to church, witnessed in their community, desired to do right and make a difference. They were respectful to their neighbors and to their friends. They did not desire to have sinful practices in their life. There was not confusion on what is a marriage and home. When children grow up, they know the difference between right and wrong.

However, somewhere along the way, choices were made to ignore or disobey God. Paul warned us about this in Romans 1.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” (Romans 1:21–23)

God was removed from public events, prayer was removed from school events, Ten Commandments were taken out of court rooms and it became illegal to mention Jesus in many places we frequent.

The reality is we are living in a different society than we were living in 10 to 15 years or more ago. The country my parents and grandparents grew up was so much different. An enemy has stolen our families and have taken our valuables.

Valuables are important things that cannot be replaced. It has been said that when you lose your parents, you lose something of the past. When you a spouse, you lose something of the present, but when you lose your children, you lose something of the future.

There have been books written by very Godly pastors who had a huge voice and influenced our country for Godliness and righteousness. Not only are many of those pastors gone to heaven now, but many of their churches no longer exist.

David also lost reputation as a leader. When a person loses their reputation, it is very hard to rebuild the trust back from people. David was being blamed for the loss and they were talking about stoning him. This broke his spirit because the passage said he was distressed.

When you think of loss, there are some things you can recover. There are some things you cannot recover. However, the things you can recover are worth the effort.

Decision 2. . .

Made a commitment to recover them

It starts with seeking the Lord. David sought the Lord notice in vv. 7-8 he encouraged himself in the Lord. One commitment you can make today, is to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Jesus came to die on the cross for us and paid for our sins. When you accept Him as your Savior, He is the starting place of a brand-new personal life. You will have a purpose and meaning in life.

One person said to me, I don’t make commitments. You don’t. Do you have a house? Yes. You made a commitment. Do you have a car? Yes. You made a commitment. Do you have children? Yes. You made a commitment. Do you have a job? Yes. You made a commitment. There is no more important commitment you can make than to commit your life to Jesus Christ.

The best thing you can do for your family is to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior. This will have a huge impact on your life, your family, and even the places you go.

And if you have received Him, seek Him for wisdom to recover and restore your family. What will God have you to do to restore what your enemy has taken away? For some of you, it may mean you become more involved in your children’s life. Attending PTA meetings, or being a baseball coach or gymnastic helper. You may even want to run on the school board. Next week a school board member who is a personal friend will be here who can assist you in your consideration. It is time we commit to recover back what was taken away from us by the enemy.

In verses 9-10 David led the charge to get the families back. David did not stay back and wait for someone else to go first. Many times, we get analysis paralysis. He pursued after those who had taken them and brought them back to the places where they belong. He was concerned for the whole army’s families. Remember, other families are equally concerned for their families. It might be when you recover your family’s valuables, you will help others to do the same also. The enemies Christ has taken away many our valuables. We need to mind our spiritual matters.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5)

You can start family devotions in your home by turning off the TV. It doesn’t need to be long but take 20 minutes to read the Bible and pray with your family. You can make sure that you attend activities that do not conflict with church.

I had a family start attending church right after Easter and they came for March through May. He was having problems with his teens so he and his wife asked me to help him. I talked with his two boys and was trying to see how I could help them. Come Memorial Day in May, the family didn’t come. They did not come the next week and so I stopped by to see if they were ok. The dad said to me, “Pastor, you won’t see us for the next three months because it is Nascar summer season and we will be busy.” Now I know why his boys were having problems coming to church.

You can decide today to live for the Lord each day, make sure your video and internet viewing is pleasing to God. You can make sure where you go with your family, there will not be the enemy working on your family.

This will be challenge. David faced the challenge here in verses 11-16. He found a lone straggler and cared after him. He used wisdom to recover his family. When you are tired and want to quit, face the challenge and ask God’ to give you strength.

David went after what was valuable to him and took every opportunity to recover them.

Decision 3. . .

He asked for God’s power v. 8

“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” (Ephesians 5:18)

David pursued after those lost valuables. You might need to pursue some things you have lost in your home—recover prayer back in your home, church priority back in your home, service for God back in your home, soul winning back in your home. For those who have not been soul winning or quit, why not get back to it. See Bryan about how.

Besor mentioned here is a place of difficulty and struggle, where you are tired and wanting to quit. The place of spiritual victory is always purchased at the price of battling the enemies. We will need God’s help to recover all.

vv. 18-21, God gave him all that he lost. Not only did God give him what he lost but more than what he lost.

It is only by God’s power that we will recover all. Today, will you decide to “recover all.” Today you may need decide to receive Jesus as your Savior. The longer you delay, the longer you put off what you know is right, the more difficult doing right becomes. Will you call upon Jesus right now? This is phase 1 of recovering your family.

Perhaps you are here to day and you have lost your testimony to your family or you have allowed things to go in your home, you know it isn’t right. Will you come ask God for His power to help you to recover your family? God wants you to recover your family. By your coming to this altar in prayer, seeking God’s help, you are committing to recover your family.