Life of David | Intro

Follow Along with the Message

Date: June 23, 2024                  Speaker: Phil Carnuccio

Series: David (Psalm 23)           Sermon: 1 Samuel 16 – God shaping the heart and soul of a king

1. As king, Saul consistently compromised and disobeyed God, drifting from God and losing God’s anointing and blessing on his life. How does disobedience affect believers, the church, and your walk with God? (Proverbs 28:13-14; Jeremiah 17:9; Ezekiel 36:26; Matthew 13:15; 1 Corinthians 1:27-29; Ephesians 4:18-32; Hebrews 3:12-15; 1 John 3:9)
2. How do you (personally and as the church) measure success? How does this measure dictate your priorities, where you spend your time, money, and resources?
3. Are you able to be attuned to God’s leading, listening and discerning? What are you filling your life with that makes it hard to be in silence with God (i.e., noise, podcasts, teachings, music)?
4. God looks at the heart and not the outward appearance. What is your next step of obedience? Do you know what is going on inside of you? Can you be honest with God about fear, sadness, depression, or anxiety and invite Him to work in your heart?
5. Power and influence does not equal spiritual maturity and does not make a person spiritually mature. Emotionally unhealthy people refuse to look deep within and allow and invite God to work, which sabotages their influence, even if a person walks intimately and passionately with God and has power, success, and talents. How have you sabotaged influence? How are you working on emotional health to prevent a drift from God and hurting people?
6. Are you able to pray Psalm 139:23-24 (Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting)? What is needed for you to pray this verse (i.e., vulnerability, community, relationships, slowing down, solitude, silence to listen, confession, repentance)?
7. What prevents you from slowing down and being quiet enough to hear and be searched?
8. Is your heart resting upon Jesus? (Do you have a believing heart? Does it meditate upon God’s Word and find comfort in the scriptures? Does your heart desire and seek after holiness? Is it a grateful and humble heart, ever thankful to Him? Is it eternally fixed upon God, or is it a fickle heart, flirting with the things of this world?)
9. How can you take steps to pour into the next generation?
10. How can you be compelled by the love of Jesus and not by fear of people?
11. Do you find your security and identity in God rather than titles, power, or money?
12. David was a poet, warrior, musician, king, theologian, shepherd, father, and friend but also a sinner, committing adultery and murder among other things. Samuel was a priest, prophet, and judge. Each person is uniquely made by God with many dimensions. Consider the roles, talents, gifts, and callings that make up your identity. Are you secure in that identity and the work God has prepared for you personally or do you find yourself jealous of others?
13. David was set apart through the anointing by Samuel and led from a place of consecration. As a leader, do you lead from this same place with the anointing of the Holy Spirit?
14. Wisdom and knowing more in your head does not lead to heart transformation, going deeper with God and being filled with God’s will and generosity. What changes in your life would allow you to slow down to allow transformation in your life, going deeper with humility, honesty, and vulnerability and not allowing shame and defensiveness to cause you to hide?