The Price You Pay When…!

actor Stewart Granger

(1) Can the children of God sin?… Yes!

(2) Can the children of God commit sin and get away with it?… No!

Did you know the children of God are just as capable of sinning as they were before they were saved? We have an excellent example of that in the life of King David.

WHO WAS KING DAVID?

If all the men living were in a long line of greatness King David would be on the top of the list.

• There is none more noble Him.

• He was a gifted musician.

• He was a humble man of God.

• He was a great administrator.

• He was a man that loved the Lord.

• He was a man of courage… taking on Goliath.

The Bible describes him as a man who was after God’s own heart.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN, THAT HE WAS A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART?

The apostle Paul speaks of God’s feelings about King David in Acts 13:22: After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.

The answer to why David was considered a man after God’s own heart is found in this verse: David did whatever God wanted him to do even if it meant fighting a giant almost ten feet tall.

When I think of the words that David was a man after God’s own heart I think of a young man who meets a very special girl in his life. He does everything he can do to win her heart.

This is exactly what the Bible tells us about David. The bible tells us He will do everything God wants him to do’”

When we think of this great man of God we can not help but ask, “How could God still call David a man after His own heart when David committed such horrible sins as lust, adultery, and murder?”

Every child of God is subject to falling into sin if we began to drift from the Lord.

You might say, “But that could never happen to me.” …Yes it could!!!

Unless you think perhaps you are greater than the servant King David whom the Bible tells us was a man after God’s own heart.

BUT HOW CAN SUCH A MAN FALL INTO SIN?

It has happened to ministers, missionaries, deacons, choir members, and Sunday school teachers.

This great man of God, whom we all look up to, committed the sins of lust, adultery with a married woman, and murder.

You might say, “Yes, I agree David was a great man of God that fell into sin!”

BUT YOU ASK… “WHY ARE YOU WRITING THIS MESSAGE TO ME?”

I am writing this message to ALL of us because the same thing that happened to David can happen to anyone of us.

People play around with sin… but remember…, Satan is not playing.

A good illustration is remembering what happened to Samson; he played around with Delilah… but Delilah was not playing.

Once sin gets a hold on people Satan will drag them into sin as far as he can drag them.

I’ve talked to people who are living in sin and they tell me, “I once was a preacher, deacon, Sunday school teacher, and/or sang in the choir, or “I used to be married and had a nice family but now I have lost my family and respect.”

If a great man like David can fall into deep sin we need to know how it happened to him so that it won’t happen to us. The Bible tells us exactly how it happened to David.

I. HE COMMITTED THE SIN OF IDLENESS.

2 Samuel 11:1-3 Then it happened in the spring, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel, and they brought destruction on the sons of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David stayed in Jerusalem. Now in the evening time David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof, he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance. So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

David was home when he should have been with his compatriots in war. It sounds to me like he lay in bed all day and then in the evening he woke up and saw what the Bible tells us was a beautiful woman, bathing herself.

David became a PEEPING TOM!

Why Bathsheba was exposing herself like this we do not know, but, we do know the Bible tells us that she was beautiful. David liked what he saw and began to lust after her.

One of the most dangerous things that can happen to Christians is to live a life of idleness. IF DAVID HAD BEEN WITH HIS MEN IN THE BATTLE THIS WOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED!!!

I am sure you have heard it said, “An Idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” The Bible tells us we are to OCCUPY till He comes.

The phrase comes from a parable in Luke 19:12-27 called “The Parable of the Pounds”, 12 So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then to return. 13 And he called ten of his own slaves and gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with this money until I come back.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be summoned to him so that he would learn how much they had made by the business they had done. 16 The first slave appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave; since you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to have authority over ten cities.’ 18 The second one came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 And then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept tucked away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He *said to him, ‘From your own lips I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 And so why did you not put my money in the bank, and when I came back, I would have collected it with interest?’ 24 And then he said to the other slaves who were present, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas.’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.’” Jesus told this story because the people thought He was on earth to set up His kingdom right then. Jesus wanted them to understand that He would leave and come back a second time.

In this story, a nobleman was going away to a far country to receive his kingdom but would one day come again. Then the nobleman says the line: “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, ‘Occupy till I come.’”

Occupy here comes from the word OCCUPATION. What the Lord is telling these men in this parable is, “I AM GOING AWAY BUT YOU STAY BUSY UNTIL I RETURN!!!”

If we do not stay busy for the Lord the devil will see to it that we are busy for him!!!

The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

The devil roams across this country looking for people who have a lot of idle time. Since they are not using their time to serve the Lord he gives them some idle they can serve. IDLENESS LEADS TO IDOLS!

You see the reason that the devil can not enter into the life of a busy saint of God is that there is no room there for the devil.

The same thing for sinners! You can ask them to come to church and they will not come because their lives are so jam-packed with the idols of this world that there is no room in their life for church or for the Lord.

For instance, do you know why it is believed during the weekend there is more sin committed than any other time during the week? Because during the week people are busy! In fact, some refer to Saturday night as the devil’s night, and do you know why many times we are shocked when retired people seek a divorce? We might think by then the marriage is solid, but no. Often it is BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO MUCH IDLE TIME IN RETIREMENT. Retirement should be MORE TIME FOR THE LORD NOT MORE TIME FOR IDLENESS!!!

The devil roams the earth looking for people who have idle time in their lives. God’s Word tells us to WORK SIX AND REST ONE!

Why?… Because when people have the idle time they will soon have time for idols.

As we drive around town we see healthy-looking men and women holding up signs for free handouts.

Some of us say, “I stop and give to them because I feel sorry for them.”

Listen, I do not feel sorry for someone who is healthy enough to stand on the roadside in the hot sunshine or freezing weather waiting for some idiots to come along and take their hard-earned money and give it to them because they are too lazy to work.

The apostle Paul felt the way I do, look at 2 Thessalonians 3:5-15, May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the perseverance of Christ. Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother or sister who leads a disorderly life and not one in accordance with the tradition which ]you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example because we did not act in an undisciplined way among you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a role model for you, so that you would follow our example. 10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. 11 For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. 12 Now we command and exhort such persons in the Lord Jesus Christ to work peacefully and eat their own bread. 13 But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary of doing good. 14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person so as not to associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 And yet do not regard that person as an enemy, but admonish that one as a brother or sister.

Paul tells us those who have idle time on their hands often have nothing to do but become BUSY BODIES.

People think they are helping people by giving to them when they will not work! They are not helping them…THEY ARE HURTING THEM! (I am  not referring to legitimate handicapped folks.)

When their bellies start to growl they will go to work!

This is why we are called to the harvest field or the battlefield, to stay occupied, lest we commit the sin of IDLENESS.

David committed the SIN OF IDLENESS but also HE COMMITTED THE…

II SIN OF CARELESSNESS.

2 Samuel 11:3-5 So David sent servants and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” Then David sent messengers and [a]had her brought, and when she came to him, he slept with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, “I am pregnant.

When David sent for her he was playing with fire. When you play with fire eventually you are going to get burnt!!!

David began to take his many victories for granted. The reason God blessed him was that he was a man of God and God had blessed him. But listen when he became CARELESS and allowed sin in his life the blessings of God immediately CEASED!!!

• He started LUSTING

• Lust led to adultery

• Adultery led to murder

He presumed God would keep blessing him.

David wasn’t planning to sin that day. But sin will always take us deeper into sin than we planned.

Ask the alcoholic if he planned to become an alcoholic, and ask the dope addict, “Did you plan to become a dope addict?” Ask the prostitute, “Did you plan to become a prostitute?”. Ask the gambler, “Did you plan to become a gambler?” and ask the pornographer, “Did you plan to be addicted to pornography?”  Ask the liar, “Did you plan to become a liar?” and last, ask the adulterer, “Did you plan to become an adulterer?” I hope you get the point…

People do not plan to be addicted to these sins, but if we start to live an idle life the devil will see to it that idle time will be filled with IDOLS.

People are going to be surprised when they stand before the Lord and realize the life they could have had, had they only lived a life wanting to please the Lord.

God’s Word tells us in Ephesians 4:27 and do not give the devil an opportunity

 Listen the devil is the best salesman that ever existed. He has had thousands of years to learn how to make sin look attractive. You don’t believe me? Look what shape the country and the world are in!

WHAT MAKES A GOOD SALESMAN?

A good salesman knows how to sell!!!

Here’s a little story to illustrate salesmanship; Dr. Odell Belger was invited to a neighbor’s home for a free meal and a company that sold pots and pans were providing the free meal. About a dozen neighbors showed up.

The salesman introduced himself and a short time later he brought out a delicious meal as he had promised.

After the meal, he began his sales talk. By the time he got through with his sales talk, he convinced us that the pots and pans we had been cooking with were going to kill us.

Listen, when he got through selling his pots and pans he was such a good salesman that meal was not free… it cost us six hundred dollars for that set of his pots and pans.

The devil is the best salesman that ever existed. He has had thousands of years of experience and he knows his job is to sell you on sin.

No one had the slightest idea of going to that neighbor’s home to buy six hundred dollars worth of pots and pans.

Also, once we give Satan an inch he will not stop until he can take us down to the bottom of the sin barrel.

Here’s another good Illustration; A certain man wanted to sell his house for $200,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn’t afford the full price. After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house for half the original price with just one stipulation: He would retain ownership of one small nail protruding from just over the door.

After several years, the original owner wanted the house back, but the new owner was unwilling to sell. So the first owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog, and hung it from the single nail he still owned. Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to sell the house to the owner of the nail.

“If we leave the Devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it, making it unfit for Christ’s habitation.”

We can’t afford with Christ to have one “nail” as an idol… we have to let Christ take full possession of our house.

David, this great man of God who was a man after God’s own heart, Lusted, plotted, committed adultery, and later committed murder.

David, before he fell into sin he committed…

I. HE COMMITTED THE SIN OF IDLENESS.

II He committed the SIN OF CARELESSNESS.

But also the…

III. Sin of callousness.

Look at 2 Samuel 11:5-17, But the woman conceived; so she sent word and informed David, and said, “I am pregnant.” Then David sent word to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked about Joab’s well-being and that of the people, and the condition of the war. Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the king’s house, and a gift from the king was sent after him. But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10 Now when they informed David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11 And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in temporary shelters, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Should I then go to my house to eat and drink and to sleep with my wife? By your life and the life of your soul, I will not do this thing.” 12 Then David said to Uriah, “Stay here today also, and tomorrow I will let you go back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the day after. 13 Now David summoned Uriah, and he ate and drank in his presence, and he made Uriah drunk, and in the evening Uriah went out to lie on his bed with his lord’s servants, and he still did not go down to his house.14 So in the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15 He had written in the letter the following: “Station Uriah on the front line of the [h]fiercest battle and pull back from him, so that he may be struck and killed.” 16 So it was as Joab kept watch on the city, that he stationed Uriah at the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17 And the men of the city went out and fought against Joab, and some of the people among David’s servants fell; and Uriah the Hittite also died.

This man who had a tender heart became a man with a calloused heart.

Today more than ever before we see Christians who one time were dedicated to God’s church have now drifted from serving God. They can miss church services and it does not bother them in the slightest now. Their hearts have become calloused.

Notice how calloused this great man of God, who had been a man after God’s own heart…became!!!

David had become so calloused that he came up with a scheme that was so horrendous that it is hard to believe a man of God can fall so deep into sin. He ordered Uriah to come home. He thought that if he brought him home he would be romantic with his wife and when the child was born he could make everyone think the reason she was pregnant was from when he came home.  But Uriah was a great soldier and he felt it was not right for him to be with his wife when the other men were not able to be with their wives. He went back to the battlefield.

Since that plan fell through, King David ordered Uriah to be put in the heat of the battle so that he would be killed… He was killed and David married his wife.

CAN A CHILD OF GOD SIN AND GET AWAY WITH IT…No! No! No!

The Bible tells us the SWORD OF THE LORD NEVER DEPARTED FROM HIS HOUSE!

God forgives SIN but the SCAR of sin will remain!!!

IV. SIN OF STUBBORNNESS

2 Samuel 12:1-12  Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And he came to him and said, “There were two men in a city, the one wealthy and the other poor. The wealthy man had a great many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing at all except one little ewe lamb which he bought and nurtured; And it grew up together with him and his children. It would eat scraps from him and drink from his cup and lie in his lap, and was like a daughter to him. Now a visitor came to the wealthy man, and he could not bring himself to take any animal from his own flock or his own herd, to prepare for the traveler who had come to him; So he took the poor man’s ewe lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this certainly deserves to die! So he must make restitution for the lamb four times over since he did this thing and had no compassion.” Nathan then said to David, “You yourself are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘It is I who anointed you as king over Israel, and it is I who rescued you from the hand of Saul. I also gave you your master’s house and put your master’s wives into your care, and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added to you many more things like these! Why have you despised the word of the Lord, by doing evil in His sight? You have struck and killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, you have taken his wife as your wife, and you have slaughtered him with the sword of the sons of Ammon. 10 Now then, the sword shall never leave your house, because you have despised Me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 This is what the Lord says: ‘Behold, I am going to raise up evil against you from your own household; I will even take your wives before your eyes and give them to your companion, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. 12 Indeed, you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and in open daylight.’

David was willing to condemn others but not himself. The Bible tells us a whole year went by. David had covered up his sin. If you met David on the street after he committed this horrible sin no one would have ever known that this man who ONCE WAS A MAN after God’s own heart had committed such sin. No one would have known this man with a smile on his face…

• Lusted after another man’s wife,

• Committed adultery,

• Murdered the woman’s husband.

There are those today in God’s church who have committed horrible sins. No one knows except God! Perhaps years have gone by and they think they have gotten away with it.

However, the Bible tells us in Numbers 32:23,  But if you do not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure that your sin will find you out.

Moses implies that their sin would eventually bring its own punishment along with it.

 Satan makes sin look attractive but the fine print tells us to BE SURE YOUR SINS WILL FIND YOU OUT!

Sin is basically telling God, “I do not have to listen to you. I AM GOD AND I CAN DO AS I PLEASE!!!”

God the Creator tells the rebellious sinner, “NO YOU ARE NOT GOD AND I WILL SHOW YOU!!!”

HOW WILL SIN FIND YOU OUT?

• In your Health

• In your Wealth

• In your Reputation

• In your family

But be sure your sins will find you out… God tells us this.

I need to remind you… THE SWORD OF THE LORD “NEVER” DEPARTED FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID.

God forgives the sin but the scars remain.

But have you ever thought about this… Jesus, on the cross, bore the scars of sin so that in heaven we will not have to live with those scars of sin. The reason we know that the Lord will bear the scars of the crucifixion is that after his resurrection he had scars.

Despite the conviction he felt, David went a whole year without repenting. But God did not forget David’s sin, and He wouldn’t let David forget it either.

The most miserable person on the earth is not the sinner… it is the Christian who is living a life of un-repentance.

 I don’t know how many of you have ever been a CARETAKER of a disabled loved one, but it is a very difficult life. The reason it is a difficult life is that you have to live your life and their life. Your energy is divided between you and them, your time is divided between you and them. It is a very difficult life to live!

One of the hardest life is for the backslider. He is trying to live his life for the Lord and the devil’s life.

David was finally confronted by the prophet, Nathan, and was convicted and chastised. He had to pay for the consequences of his sin. But God was faithful to forgive him; He is faithful to forgive us, too.

Now before I close I want you to pay very close attention.

DID YOU KNOW THAT GOD WAS GETTING READY TO KILL DAVID FOR THESE SINS HE HAD COMMITTED?

There comes a point when God can no longer allow a believer to continue in unrepentant sin. When that point is reached, God may decide to take the life of the stubbornly sinful believer. The “death” is physical death.

The apostle John makes a distinction between the “sin that leads to death” and the “sin that does not lead to death.” Not all sin in the church is dealt with the same way because not all sin rises to the level of the “sin that leads to death.”

However, there is a sin UNTO DEATH!!!

The best interpretation may be found by comparing this verse to what happened to Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1–10  But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the proceeds for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God.” And as he heard these words, Ananias collapsed and died; and great fear came over all who heard about it. The young men got up and covered him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him.

Now an interval of about three hours elapsed, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for this price?” And she said, “Yes, for that price.” Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she collapsed at his feet and died; and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. (also 1 Corinthians 11:30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number are asleep.).

The “sin unto death” is a willful, continuous, unrepentant sin. God has called His children to holiness (1 Peter 1:16  because it is written: “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” ), and God corrects them when they sin. We are not “punished” for our sin in the sense of losing salvation or being eternally separated from God, yet we are disciplined.

The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and He chastens everyone he accepts as his son”. Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He punishes every son whom He accepts.”

Now let me show you from the scriptures that David came close to committing the sin unto death. Look at 2 Samuel 12:13, Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has allowed your sin to pass; you shall not die.

God was going to kill David but after he repented the Bible tells us that Nathan the prophet said “Thou shalt not die.”

Perhaps it’s time for you to be lovingly confronted, too. If you have muddled through or glossed over your sin, thinking God has forgotten, He has not. Repent of your sins and ask God for forgiveness.

Have you ever looked at something you wanted to buy and the price tag told you how much it cost? You had just enough to buy the merchandise you wanted. But when the cashier told you the cost it was more than the price tag. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM?

The problem is this …you forgot the hidden charge of tax that is added. Sin is that way it comes with a hidden charge!

David’s sin was the…

I. SIN OF IDLENESS

II. SIN OF CARELESSNESS

III. SIN OF CALLOUSNESS

IV. SIN OF STUBBORNNESS

We all screw up, that’s a fact, but we don’t have to let it drag us down. If we are committed Christians we know as a child of God through His grace and mercy we can ask for forgiveness and start a new day fresh. The catch is forgiveness requires asking, without asking there’s no forgiveness. Your daily prayers should always start with praise, repentance, and seeking forgiveness. This doesn’t mean it will go perfectly smooth… but it will sure help.

We sure love ya all and pray this has helped you in your walk with our precious Lord and Savior, Jesus. Until we get together next time… Many blessings and KEEP LOOKING UP!

Semper Fidelis

        Dusty

 (You can always contact me at; prospectorsforgod@gmail.com)

 

My prayer for you;

Heavenly Father, We come before you this day with repentance in our hearts and ask Your forgiveness for our sins and strength to do better. Lord, we need Your help, we need Your divine touch on the hearts of evil in this country and this world. We need healing throughout this land, wars to stop, and a worldwide revival. Lord, we pray for peace and joy for our hurting loved ones, and we give You all the praise and glory in Your Son’s precious name, Jesus Christ,

                   AMEN

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