Choices That Matter

I want you to look at 1st Samuel chapter 8. We are at the end of our series called King Me. And I'll be starting a new series after anniversary Sunday. And I'll tell you more about that later. But as we end this series, I want to kind of bring into focus the things that we need to learn. And uh when we started this series, I I start out with the Burger King hat, you know, and everything and and the king me crown. And in 1st Samuel chapter 8, look at verse number one. It says, "It came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his serv second Abi.

They were judges in Behiva and his sons walked not in the ways but turned aside in after Lucer and took bribes and perverted judgment. What's interesting is both of their names are are names that talk about trusting in God and following the Lord. But they didn't do that. And then all the elders verse number four of Israel gathered together themselves together and came to Samuel unto Rama and said unto him, "Behold, thou art old and thy sons walk not in thy ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations. But the thing displeased Samuel when they said,"Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.

And the Lord said unto Samuel, "Hearken to the voice of the people and all that they say unto thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them, according to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them out of Israel, out of Egypt, into this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods. So do they also unto thee. And so this was where the kings started at. And and the nation of Israel came to Samuel and said, "Listen, we don't want the prophets to rule anymore. Uh we want to have a king like all of the other nations."

And God gave them their kings, but it didn't always work out very well. As we've looked at, there was good kings, there was bad kings, and there were kings that were kind of good and bad depending on the time in their life. And I think there's a lot that we can learn from them. And so to help us to learn that, since we start out with the Burger King crowns, I'm going to use some uh illustrations from our fast food restaurants. All right? And and so when you think of Burger King, at least my generation, you think of the phrase, "Have it your way." And and so if you might remember this commercial they're going to play right now.

Have it your way. Have it your way. Y at Burger King. May I help you, sir? Two Whoppers, two Whopper juniors, and four Coca-Cola. And would I have to wait long if you made one Whopper with no pickle and no lettuce? No, sir. Hold the pickle. Hold the lettuce. Special orders don't upset us. All we ask is that you let us serve it your way. Oh, well, in that case, could I have the other Whopper with extra ketchup? Sure. Have it your way. Now that's the way to do things. Our way. You may be too young to remember that commercial, but that was their big theme. And they even kind of still go with that today a little bit as well to have it your way.

But the problem is we want to have it our way. The Israelites came to God and said, "We want it our way, not your way." In Psalms 106 and verse number 15, it says, "And they gave and he gave them their request, but sent leanness onto the soul." And whenever you demand your way over God's way, God will give it to you, but you'll get the leanness in your soul. You will not get the blessings of God. You see, you can't serve two masters. The Bible Bible, well, first of all, there's only one king. In 1st Samuel 8:7, it talks about God being the king. And and in Matthew 6:33, the Bible seek says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

And we need to have God be the king of our lives. In Matthew 6:24, it says, "No man can serve two masters. For either you hate the one and love the other, or else you hold the one, despise the other, you cannot serve God and mammon." And we've got to determine, is God going to be the king of my life? Is God going to be in control of my life, or am I going to want to have it my way? You see, God will not take his throne by force. In John chapter 6 and verse 15, it says, "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force to make him king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone."

You see, he doesn't he's not going to take the kingship by force. You've got to put him on the throne of your life. You got to decide, I want him to be the king of my life. And and you've got to let him rule in your life. And that means you need to humble yourself. In James chapter 4 and verse number 10, it says, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up." You need to bow down to him as king. You need to humble yourself. Say, "God, I want you in control of my life." You know the there's another saying that kind of goes along with the have it your way, and that's the one you've probably heard many times, and that is the customers overright, always right.

You ever heard that? You know, the fact is I don't know if the customers are always right. If the customers were always right, why do we have a return desk? You know, uh they're they're not always right. In Judges 21 25, it says, "In those days, there was no king in Israel. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes." And that phrase is repeated in chapter 17 verse number six. See, here were people that were right in their own eyes, but they weren't right in God. They weren't doing the right thing before the Lord. And we need to make sure that we're right before God. It may seem right to us.

Proverbs 14:12, there's a way which seemth right unto man, but the end thereof of the ways of death. And again, that was repeated in chapter 16 and verse 25. When God repeats himself, that means it's important. But the point is you you want God what's right before the Lord. Remember, we talked about the kings that had that did that which was good and right. and you want to make sure that you're not right, but you're doing what's right before God. And uh and look at 2 Chronicles chapter 31. Put a marker in 1 Samuel. We'll come back there, but 2 Chronicles chapter 31 and look at verses 20 and 21.

2 Chronicles 31 and:es 20 and 21. And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And every work that that he began in the service of the house of God and the law and his commandments to seek God, he did it with his all his heart and was pro and prospered. You see folks, it's not enough just to be good. You can do all the right things and not be the right person, but you cannot be the right person and not do the right things. You need to do what? That which is good and right. There were kings that did good things, but they weren't right with God.

And we need to make sure that we are right with the Lord and that we're doing that which is right before God. Things may seem right in your own eyes, but you need to make sure, is this the right thing that God wants? Is this what God wants in my life? You see, we need to make the right choices in that way. And and another thing is also we need to be servers, not customers. The Bible says in Galatians chapter 5 and verse number 13, for brethren, you've been called unto liberty. Only use not your liberty for an occasion of flesh, but by love serve one another. Uh I love my wife, but one of the things I get kind of frustrated with her is she's the kind of person that just can't pass by anything that's not right.

And so we'll go to the store and there's something that's not not hanging right, she'll fix it. Or if there's something's not the right place, she'll move it to the right place. And and I keep trying to tell you, you're you're a customer. you're not being paid by these folks to do this, you know, and and and yet that's just her personality. She cannot walk by something that is not right. And so, she's got to make it right. But you know what? You and I, we're not customers of God. We're called to be servants of the Lord. We're called to serve one another as well. You see, most people, they get mad and upset because they're they they come to church as customers and not servants.

And if you come as a customer, that's going to frustrate you if you don't get everything you want. You don't have it your way. But if you come to serve, you understand I'm here to serve others. And that's so important that we remember that we are called to be servants of the king. You see, it's our choice whether we who we choose to be king in our lives. In 1st Samuel chapter 8 and verse number 19, it says, "Nevertheless, the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, "Nay, but we will have a king over us." Samuel warned them. He told them what's going to happen if they get a king and how rough it's going to be, how tough it's going to be, and it's not going to be everything they think it's going to be.

But they didn't want to hear. They didn't want to listen. And decided, I want to make I want to make my own choice here. Look at Romans chapter 6 and look at verses number 12-4. Romans chapter 6 and beginning with verse number 12. It says, "Let not, excuse me, let not sin therefore reign or rule in your mortal body that you should obey it in the lust thereof. Neither yield your members as instruments unrighteous un sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. for sin shall not have dominion or again rule over you for you're not under law but under grace.

You should need a choice. Are you gonna are you going to let the flesh and the world rule in your life or are you going to let God rule in your life? You have to make that choice who you're going to yield to. Who you're going to make king in your life. Don't yield to depression. Don't yield to temptation. Don't yield to frustrations and pride. You see the problem is we allow those things to control us rather than allow God and his holy spirit to control our lives. You you have to make that choice. And the first and most important choice is the choice to be saved. In Romans chap 10:es 9 and 10 it says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God has raised from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. In Romans 10:13 it says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." And you need to make that choice to call upon him as your savior to ask him to come into your heart and your life and and take away your sins and give you eternal life. You need to choose the right way. In John 14:6, it says Jesus saith unto him, I'm the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the father but by me. And he is the right way and he is the way that you need to choose because there is a wrong way.

In Matthew chapter 7, there was people who came to Jesus said, 'Look at all these things that we've done in your name. And Jesus said to them, I never knew you. Depart from me. And and because they they were trying to get to heaven through their own good works and through their own rituals and religion. And the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 2 and verses 8 and N, for by grace are you saved through faith. Then not of yourselves. It's the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. And if you're trying to get to heaven through your good works, through your religion or your rituals like baptism or catechism or church membership or your own righteousness is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy, he has saved us.

And so we need to realize that we've got to get the right way and make that choice to call upon him as our savior. Don't reject him. In John 12 and verse number 48, he that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words hath one that judges him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in that last day. If you reject Jesus Christ, one day you'll stand before the king and he will say, "There's no place in my kingdom and my heaven for you because you have rejected me." But if you accept him as your savior, when you stand before him, he will invite you. He say, "I've already prepared a place for you.

I'm ready to receive you into eternal life. And you need to make sure that you choose to get saved. But you also need to choose who you're going to serve. In Joshua 24:15, Joshua said, "If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you shall serve, whether it will be the gods which your fathers serve that are the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites and the lands you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." And as we've gone through the book of Kings, you've seen over and over again, there were kings that said, "No, I'm going to do it my way and not God's way."

There was teens that chose that I'm the one that's going to make decisions rather than let God make the decisions for them. And you need to make sure that you are choosing to let God rule in your life, that you are choosing to make him king of your life, and that he is going to control your life as well. So, we have uh Burger King, have thine away. But then there's another place. By the way, how many of you like Burger King? That's one of your favorite places to go. All right. How many of you like Wendy's? That's your favorite place to go. All right. Uh but Wendy's is uh got another one. So, let's hear their commercial.

It certainly is a big bun. It's a very big bun. Big fluffy bun. It's a very big fluffy bun. Where's the beef? Some hamburger places give you a lot less beef on a lot of bun. Where's the beef? At Wendy's, we serve a hamburger we modestly call a single. And Wendy's single has more beef than the Whopper or Big Mac. At Wendy's, you get more beef and less bum. Hey, where's the beef? I don't think there's anybody back there. You want something better? You're Wendy's kind of people. All right. So, where's the beef? I want you to look at 1st Samuel chapter 15, if you would, please. 1st Samuel chapter 15.

Look at verses 13 and 14. 1st Samuel 15 and:es 13 and 14. The Bible says, "And Samuel came to Saul. And Saul said to him, "Blessed be the thou of the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord." And Samuel said, "What meanest then this bleeding of the sheep in mine ears and a loing of the ox which I hear?" Samuel Saul had been told by God to destroy all of the animals, everything in that kingdom. And he did not obey God completely. and and and sometimes we need to ask question where's the beef. He said in this case Samuel said there's the beef. You did not obey the Lord and we need to obey the Lord.

It's all about obeying God. Look at chapter 15. Look at verses 22 and 23. And Samuel said unto him, uh hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hear to hearken than the fat of the rams. For rebellion is as a sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. You see, it's all about obeying God. And and where's the beef? You need to obey the Lord in Hosea chapter 6 and verse number 6.

For I desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. And and we need to obey. And we see as we go through these different kings, there were some that obeyed and some that did not obey. And we need to obey. And and what God desires from us is mercy. In Micah 6:8, it says he has showed thee, oh man, what is good and what does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to humb walk humbly with thy God. You see, it's not just enough just to come to church or put your money in the offering basket or or do all the the right things, but you got to do it with mercy and love.

You got to do it because you love God and you love others as well. And God also desires knowledge from us. He says that desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. Hebrews 5:14 says, "But strong meat belong to them to full age, even to those who by recent of use have their senses exercised discern both good and evil." Here's a question that I would ask you is this. Where's the beef in your Bible study? Where's the beef in your devotions? You see, are you just you are you just still at the bread of the word? The Bible talks about the milk of the word and the bread of the word.

Those things are good, but sooner or later, you got to get into the meat of the word. And I wonder, where's the beef in your personal devotions? Where's the beef in your personal Bible study? Are you in the word of God and studying it, applying your life? Look at Deuteronomy chapter 17 and verses 18- 20. Deuteronomy chapter 17 and beginning with verse number 18, he says, "And it shall come, it shall be when he siteth upon the throne throne of his kingdom, and excuse me, he shall then co she write him a copy of this this law and a book out of that which is before the priests of the Levites, and it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, should to do them.

That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandments to the right hand or to the left or to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom. He and his children midst of the Israel. This is God saying this is what a king should do. I I want you to write your own copy of scriptures and I want you to read it every day. Now I don't know that we need to write our own copy of scriptures. If I wrote the scriptures, you could not read it. I don't think I could even read my handwriting. But but the thing is he wants us to read it every day. You as we see the kings, you know, there were some of the kings, they even lost the word of God.

It it was gone completely. And and and and some of you, your Bibles might as well be lost as much as you pick them up. And you know, some of you, the only time you pick up your Bible is when you come to church on Sunday and then you put it right back wherever it was and and don't think about it again till next Sunday. If if we're going to do what's right, we've got to be in the word of God. We need to get into the meat. Where's the beef in your devotions? Where's the beef in your in your uh Bible study time? But also another uh popular restaurant. How many you like Chick-fil-A? How was one of your favorites?

All right. Uh that's another popular one. And I don't have a we have a commercial for them. I think we don't have a commercial. We have a a picture for them they'll put up. And that's eat more eat more chicken. you know, uh, these guys were willing to sacrifice, but they're willing to sacrifice the chickens, you know, not not the not themselves. And that's the way a lot of Christians are. Go over to Psalms chapter 80. Psalms chapter 80 and look at verses 8-15. Psalms chapter 80, beginning with verse number eight. Psalms ch I'm sorry, Psalms chapter 50. I I read that wrong. Psalms chapter 50 and verses um 8-15.

Psalms chapter 50 beginning verse number eight. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or I burnt offerings to have been continually before me. I will take no bullock out of thine house nor hegoats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee, for the world is mine, the fullness thereof, while I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the the blood of goats. Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the most high, and call upon me in the day of trouble.

I will deliver thee, and thou thou shall glorify me. You see, folks, God says, listen, I want you I want you to sacrifice yourselves. The cows, they want the chickens to sacrifice themselves. But God says, "I want you to make that sacrifice. I want you to give yourself to the Lord." And that's the challenge. Romans 12:1 and2, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is a good and acceptable, perfect will of God."

As we went through the life of kings, there was some of the kings that said, "God, here's my life." Even from a child, they made that decision and they gave their life to the Lord. And that's the challenge that we need to take with us as well. In Hebrews 13:15, it says, "By him, therefore, let's offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name." And that's what God wants. He wants your praise. He wants your worship. He wants your thanksgiving. That's what we need to give to the Lord. And when you do that, that's when God gives the victory.

You remember one of the kings when they were being attacked by an overwhelming army, he said, "I can't fight this battle." And God said, "Just go in there and and praise me for the victory." And before they ever won the battle, they were already praising God for the victory. And and that's what the challenge of the kings is to you and I as well. Whatever battle you're going through, start praising God that he's in control, that he is God, he is king, he is Lord, God is always God, and God is always good. And to remember that in everything that we do. And then there's another restaurant which we don't have here in Hawaii.

How many of you are fans of In-N-Out? Raise your hand. Okay. Yeah, there's a growing there because we don't have here in Hawaii yet. But let's watch their commercial. Everything fresh. Nothing frozen. That's no lie. That's what goes in it. [singing and music] In and out. That's what it's all about. In and out. In and out. That's what All right. All right, I think a lot of you are going out for a hamburger after the service today. But Galatians 4:9, the Bible says, "But now after that you've known God, or rather known of God, how turn you again to the weak and beggarly ailments where unto you desire again to be in bondage."

You know what the problem is for a lot of Christians? They're in and they're out. They're in and they're out. uh you know that that consistency for a church for example Hebrews 10:23-25 it says let us hold fast the profession of our faith without waving for he that is faithful that promise and let's consider one another to provoke and to love unto good works not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more approaching. There are some of you you're here this week you're not here next week. You come for a week or two and you're gone for three or four weeks and you're so in and out of church.

There's no chance to really grow. There's no accountability. There's no relationships that are being built because you're just in and out of church so much. And and some of us sometimes we're in and out of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, it says, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ is new creature, old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new." And and it's like it's like we one moment we want God to control our lives and the next moment we don't. And one moment we say God I want your will and the next moment it's like I want my way. And we're so in and out of our spiritual walk with the Lord.

And we're in and out of sin in Romans chapter 6 verses 1 and two. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace be may abound? God forbid. How should we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? God wants us to have victory over sin. But some of you, you you have victory this week and you're right back into it next week. And we're just constantly in this cycle with sin over and over again. Chapter Romans chapter 5 verse 20 says, "Moreover, the law entered that the offense may abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." And I'm thankful for the grace of God. And I'm thankful that God forgives me when I sin.

He's faithful and just to forgive me. It tells me in 1 John 1:9. But you know what? In 1 John chapter 2, he says that his whole goal is that we sin not. But if we sin, we have an advocate with the father. But he says, listen, you don't need the advocate if you don't sin. And and that's the goal is not to sin. And some of you, there's sin that you're in and out of. Some of the kings, you know, they would do good and then they would do bad and they would do good and they would do bad. And that's the way some of you are in your walk with the Lord. You're in and out, in and out. And we need to make a decision.

I'm in. I'm committed. I'm all the way here with the Lord. [clears throat] In Ezekiel chapter 20 and verse 16, it talks about the idols of the heart because they despised my judgments and walked not in my statutes but polluted my Sabbaths for their heart went after their idols. You see, they were they were following the idols. And you need to get the idols out of your life. And and idols are things that we give our time and our money and our everything to. And it's things that we have put as a priority over God. And and it says that they break down the images. And we need to break down those idols.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 5, it says, "Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing to captivity every uh every thought to the obedience of Christ." And you know, this king struggled about getting rid of the idols and getting rid of the images and and and getting rid of the groves and and and the groves were a place of uh of sexual corruption and uh and and covetous and pride and and we see that today. Some of you got groves in your life. It's called the internet or it's called videos that you watch or or other things that you're allowing in your life.

And listen folks, you're never going to have true victory until you just say, "I'm going to get rid of all of these." Some of the kings would get rid of some of them, but not all of them. And they left the high places so often in 2 Chronicles 14:5. Also, he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images, and the kingdom was quiet before him. And he got rid of the high places. And some of you, you got high places in your life. In Ephesians chapter 4 27, it says, "Neither give place to the devil." And you've got a part of your life that you you've not gotten rid of. And the devil's got control over that area.

And what he's doing is he's using as a stronghold. In 2 Corinthians chapter 10:es 3 and 4, it says, "For the though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." And some of you are never going to get the victory until that one little part of your life that you're holding on to. It might be bitterness. It might be uh depression or some other problem. It might be you're you're angry at somebody. It it might be just some something that you're holding on to uh that you don't want to give up.

You don't want to let go. And it doesn't always have to be something bad, but it's become a high place. It's a place that the devil has got control of and he's using it to attack every other area of your life. And with the kings that didn't get rid of the high places, they didn't have the victories. They did well. It was good. They got rid of the idols. It was good. They got rid of the images and the groves and and those are things we ought to get out of our life. But don't leave those things in your life that allow the devil to still have control over. And then there's uh one other one I want to look at and that's probably not maybe How many are McDonald's fans?

Raise your hand. Uh, not as many people McDonald's, but McDonald's is a kind of a uh, you know, it's always there. And I want you to look at their commercial right now. McDonald's Big Mac. It's more than just another hamburger. There are two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun. Seven great ingredients working together to make one great taste. Two all beef patties, special sauce, cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun. Get the idea? Two old beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and a sesame seed bun. It's your McDonald's Big Mac.

You've got to taste it to believe it. You know what I mean? Two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and a sesame seed bun. Two all beef patties. Let me say a few words about McDonald's Big Mac. It's a It's two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and a sesame seed bun. Two What was that word again? to O patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and a sesame seed bun. Lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, lettuce, cheese, pickles. Oh, what am I saying? You deserve a break today at McDonald's where your dollar gets a break every day.

All right, these all commercials all date me for my generation. All right, but you know, uh it's not the two all beef patty part I want you to focus on. It's that last phrase in there. And that is that McDonald's is uh the whole idea of of not just having your way, but you deserve a break today. That that was one of their big themes for many years. Uh you deserve a break today. Folks, the only thing you and I deserve is to go to hell. It's only by the grace of God that we can have salvation. It's only by the grace of God that we can have his blessings. And and we live, we go through life thinking we deserve so much.

We deserve nothing. It's only by the grace of God we have what we have. Now, when I think about McDonald's, I don't think about their fine cuisine. You know, uh this is not what I think about. There's three reasons why I'll go to McDonald's. And the first one is because they're convenient. You know, they're they're they're everywhere and they're just easy to get in and out of and get your food. In Acts 24 25, it says, "As he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled and answered, go thy way for this time. When I have a convenient season, I will call thee. You see, we want to live our Christian life out of convenience.

It's not convenient to come back to church on Sunday night. It's not convenient to spend time in prayer. It's not convenient. We want to We want to live our Christian life on convenience, but God is not about convenience. He's about what's right. And and the other reason I go to McDonald's is because they're fast. It's fast food. Uh not as fast as it used to be, but it's still fast food. In Psalms 37:34, it says, "Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land. When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it." You see, we need to learn to wait on the Lord. Uh we don't like waiting.

You go in McDonald's, you want to walk in there, there's my food, and get out of there. Uh you don't want to wait for it. Wendy's down here, uh I like Wendy's, but I I don't like standing in the line. The Wendy's has got they've always got a drive-thru at lunchtime. their drive-thru. People must sit in that drive-thru for about 20 or 30 minutes to get their fast food. Uh that's not fast to me. And um and and I don't want to wait. I want it right now. But you know what? God is not always about fast. God is about waiting on him, trusting in him, having faith in him. And the third reason I go to McDonald's is because they're cheap.

You know, uh they're cheap. Now, they're not as cheap as they used to be. Here's McDonald's prices when I was in my 20s. That's the prices of McDonald's. Can you believe that? A hamburger for 15 cents. I remember as a child, we used to get 10 hamburgers for a dollar. And uh you're not going to do that today, are you? You know what? I figured it out. Hamburgers at McDonald's in the since this was done in back in the 70s, I think it was early 70s menu. Hamburgers and McDonald's are now they're 2,560% higher in cost. That's how much has gone up. 2560%. Now, if I can encourage you, those of you that are in your 20s or so, 50 years from now, when you're my age, at that rate, your hamburger will be $106.

That's how much it's going to go up if it continues that rate. Now, you say it won't do that. I used to hear my parents talk about food prices. I thought it'll never go up that much in my lifetime. Uh it's gone up a lot more. And uh and we go to McDonald's because they're supposedly cheap. Not not as cheap as they used to be. But in 2 Samuel 24:4, the Bible says, "And the king said to Aruna, "Nay, but I will surely buy it of thee at a price, neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which does cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the auction for 50 shekels of gold of silver.

You see uh the Aruna had said you could have this land to build an altar to God. But David said no, I will buy it because it's I I I'm not going to take something free to give the Lord. I'm going to I'm want I want to pay for it. I want to give for that. See, I'm not going to give the Lord anything that doesn't cost me. And here's the problem, folks. A lot of us are never going to make it if we don't decide we're willing to pay the cost. There's a price to pay to live for the Lord. It's a price of time. People say to me all the time, "Well, why do you go to church three times a week? What are you doing?"

You know, it's a price of time. It's a price of money. It's a price of talent, but it's also a price of commitment. You got to be willing to pay the cost of serving the Lord. And that's important for us to remember. So, as we end this series on the kings of Israel, let me challenge you. Don't say to God, I want it my way. That never works. Every king that did it his way is a king that failed. But the kings that succeeded, those were kings that said, God, what do you want me to do? And I'll do it. And you need to ask God to help you to do it his way and not your way. But not only that, we also need to remember that God wants us to have the beef.

Now, we need to make sure that we are doing it the way the Lord is doing it. We need to make sure that we are willing to make that sacrifice like with Chick-fil-A and not just say everybody else can give, but I will give of myself. There's a sacrifice to pay. But don't be in and out. One of the things that challenged me the most about studying the book of the Kings is this is so many of them went back to where they were. I I don't understand people who get saved out of the world and then at some point they decide, well, I can go back in the world and I can handle it. You got saved out of that. Why are you going back to that?

Why would you even consider that? But that's what happened with so many of the kings. Why? Because they didn't get rid of the high places. They didn't get rid of the attitude thinking I can handle it. I'm different. It won't happen to me. We need to realize that God wants us to enjoy the blessings of God. But there's nothing fast about the blessings of God. We've got to trust in him and be faithful to him. Let's bow prayer. Every head bowed and every eye closed. No one looking around. I wonder how many of you today can say, "Pastor, one thing I do know is I know I'm a child of the King because I have called upon the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords to be my savior.

I have asked him in my heart and my life and to take away my sins. And I know if I died today, I would go to heaven. I know there's a place being prepared for me." If you know that for sure without a doubt in your heart or your mind, raise your hand right now and hold this moment. I know that for sure. I know that for sure. All right. Thank you. There was some that could not raise their hand. I appreciate your honesty. I respect that. I will not embarrass you in any way, but I would like to pray for you if I could. Would you give me that privilege? Is there someone here to say, "Pastor, I don't know for sure I'm going to heaven."

I think so. I hope so. I want to, but the honest truth is I'm just not sure. Would you please pray for me? Raise your hand right now. Hold just a moment. If I like that, pray for me. I'm not sure. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else with these say pray for me I'm not sure and ask the Lord I would like to trust in the Lord pray for me anybody else then I want there's Christians here that say pastor the choice I need to make is to give my life as a living sacrifice I need to make the choice to let him be the king of my life and to rule and not have my own way but have God's way and pastor that's what God has challenged me with today.

Would you pray for me as a Christian that I would give my life to the Lord and let him be king in my life? Raise your hand right now to hold just a moment. That's where God's challenged me. All right. Thank you. Then I want there's some that say, "Pastor, I don't want to be in and out anymore. And there's some high places in my life. There's some idols in my life that I need to tear down and get rid of. And I'm not gonna I know I'm not going to have what God wants me to have without doing that. And would you pray for me as I take these things out of my life and give them to the Lord and destroy them completely?

Raise your hand right now over this moment. That's where God's challenged me. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Father, we pray for each one here today. for those that are not saved. Lord, I pray that you help them to see their need and that the only answer to that need is to call on you to choose you as their savior. Then, Father, I pray for Christians that you'd help us to choose to let you rule in our lives. That we would decide, I don't want to have my own way. I want to have God's way. I want you to rule and control me. that we would give our lives as a living sacrifice to you. Then, Father, I pray for Christians.

There's some here that need to get rid of the high places. There's some that get need rid idols and things that they've allowed to take priority over you. And there's some that need to get rid of images and their imagination and things they're looking at and things they're listening to. There's others that need to get rid of the groves and maybe they're caught up in sexual sin and immorality. But many here, the problem is the high places. That one thing they're not willing to give up. The one thing that just keeps that door open for Satan. Pray that you help us to give it all to you. For it's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. Let's stand together with heads bowed and eyes closed.