Message Action PlanHeroes embracelife as it is.
Now Samuel died, and all Israel gathered for his funeral. They buried him at his house in Ramah. Then David moved down to the wilderness of Maon. There was a wealthy man from Maon who owned property near the town of Carmel. He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats, and it was sheep-shearing time. This man’s name was Nabal, and his wife, Abigail, was a sensible and beautiful woman. But Nabal, a descendant of Caleb, was crude and mean in all his dealings. 1 Samuel 25:1-3 (NLT)
“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33b (NLT)
God will not change my circumstances until I let God use my circumstances to CHANGE ME.
For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. Hebrews 12:6 (NLT)
Action Plan:Make a list of struggles you are going through. Look at those struggles and thank God for the challenges he has given you opportunities to grow. Next to each struggle write down how God is creating growth in you.
Heroes will always listen to the truth.
Meanwhile, one of Nabal’s servants went to Abigail and told her, “David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master, but he screamed insults at them. These men have been very good to us, and we never suffered any harm from them. Nothing was stolen from us the whole time they were with us. In fact, day and night they were like a wall of protection to us and the sheep. You need to know this and figure out what to do, for there is going to be trouble for our master and his whole family. He’s so ill-tempered that no one can even talk to him!” 1 Samuel 25:14-17 (NLT)
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.Proverbs 12:15 (NLT)
Action Plan:Evaluate the people you spend time with. Do they just tell you what you want to hear, or do they tell you the truth? Can you tell the difference? You can if you stop and really listen to what they are saying. Encourage those who tell you what you want to hear to speak honestly with you instead.
Heroes don’t wait to do what’s right
Abigail flew into action. She took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep dressed out and ready for cooking, a bushel of roasted grain, a hundred raisin cakes, and two hundred fig cakes, and she had it all loaded on some donkeys. Then she said to her young servants, “Go ahead and pave the way for me. I’m right behind you.” But she said nothing to her husband Nabal.1 Samuel 25:18-19 (Message)
There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right.Psalm 106:3 (NLT)
Heroes accept full responsibility.
As she was riding her donkey into a mountain ravine, she saw David and his men coming toward her. David had just been saying, “A lot of good it did to help this fellow. We protected his flocks in the wilderness, and nothing he owned was lost or stolen. But he has repaid me evil for good. May God strike me and kill me if even one man of his household is still alive tomorrow morning!” When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. 1 Samuel 25:20-24 (NLT)
Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.Galatians 6:5 (Message)
Heroes can be completely real with others.
I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests. But I never even saw the young men you sent. “Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, since the LORD has kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hands, let all your enemies and those who try to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is. 1 Samuel 25:25-26 (NLT)
No more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.Ephesians 4:25 (Message)
Action Plan:Make a list of lies you told over the last couple of days. Next to each one, right down the truth. Pray for the strength to make right each of those lies.
Heroes follow their faith over their feelings.
David replied to Abigail, “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands. For I swear by the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would still be alive tomorrow morning.” Then David accepted her present and told her, “Return home in peace. I have heard what you said. We will not kill your husband.” 1 Samuel 25:32-35 (NLT)
Action Plan:Take the next step in your spiritual growth by taking CLASS on Sunday, August 13, at a campus near you. For all CLASS infoclick here.
Doable Discipleship:Check out this week’s new episode of the Doable Discipleship podcast featuring an interview with Pastor Tom Holladay. Episodes are released every Tuesday. To watch or download,click here.
