John K. Jenkins Sr - Did it Cost You?

I don't have a favorite Bible verse or character, but if I had to choose one, David would definitely be in the running. The reason he'd be in the running is because he's a man who had issues, problems, challenges, weaknesses, and shortcomings. He didn't dot every 'i' or cross every 't' - he had his flaws. But the Bible says something remarkable about David in the Book of Acts: David was a man after God's own heart.

Now that's an incredible thing! Here's a guy who committed some serious sins in his life - murder, adultery - I mean, this guy was a piece of work, just like you! Look at your neighbor and say, "He's just like you!" He had sins, he had stuff he tried to cover up, but God, in spite of his behavior, said David had a heart after God's own heart. That's what I admire about him. Despite all his shortcomings and issues, he was a man who genuinely wanted to do what was right before God and pursue Him.

So here's David, who has ascended to the kingship - he's the king of the land - and he does something he shouldn't have done. If you get a chance to read the whole story in chapters 23 and 24, you'll understand what I'm talking about. He decides to evaluate his strength by counting the number of soldiers in his army. He sends out instructions to his team to count the soldiers: 800,000 Israelite soldiers and 500,000 from the tribe of Judah. For some reason, he thinks these numbers give him strength.

Now, I'm bringing this up because what David did made somebody angry - and I mean ANGRY. Some of you might be doing the same thing David did right now, making God angry. David considered his strength to be in the number of soldiers he had in his army. You might say, "Well, I don't have an army," but listen - you put your confidence in the amount of money you've got in the bank. You put confidence in those strings of letters behind your name that represent your education. You put your strength and confidence in how long you've worked at a particular job, how high you've climbed up the corporate ladder, and how much you've achieved in life.

But here's what God wanted David to understand, and what we need to understand too: your strength isn't in the number of soldiers you have, or your education, or the money in your bank account, or where you work. Your strength - and my strength - must always reside in the presence of Almighty God living in our lives.

I thought I'd get a few more "amens" for that! I thought this congregation would understand that they've achieved what they have in life because God opened the doors to make it happen. But quiet as it's kept, some of you think it's your job that got you where you are, your skill sets, the fact that you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps. But the truth is, God is a jealous God, and if you keep thinking your education, skills, or money got you there, God might have to humble you.

How many of you know God is a jealous God? He doesn't want the credit that belongs to Him going to anybody else. By the way, all that money in your bank account can disappear quickly. That good job you've got can be gone with one pink slip. That nice house you've got could be gone. That nice ride you have could be gone. It's all by the mercy of God.

So there's David, walking around with confidence because he has all these soldiers. He's feeling good about it, but God sees what's in his heart. It makes God upset, and the next thing we know, God sends a plague.