Boulevard of Broken Dreams: First Line of Defense Andy Stanley (04/15/12) Notes... 1.

Before Easter we concluded a series on the Path Principle that says: Your direction, not your intention, determines your destination. This means that the present consequences of our lives are based on the paths we chose years earlier. 2. When we find ourselves on paths we don't want, we realize we can't go back and change the paths we previously chose. As a result, these paths may very well leave us with dreams that can't come true. How should we react when our dreams can't ever come true? 3. In today's story, David suddenly realized that his dream was not going to happen, and he panicked. His thought was, "If I don't take control, nothing good will happen." 4. 1 Samuel 21. David was anointed king but was still nowhere near actually being king. Nevertheless, he found himself at least serving the King in the palace after his victory over Goliath. This was followed by the king giving his daughter to David in marriage. David's dreams were definitely coming true until, suddenly, Saul totally turned and tried to kill him. At that moment, David's dream burst. He found himself fleeing for his life from the king whom he formerly served. Where was God in all of this? Instead of trusting and waiting on God, David panicked. He lied to Ahimelech, the priest of Nob, about being on Saul's business in order to get food and weapons. 5. Through all of this, David should have clearly realized he was not in the Lord's will when he asked for and received bread that was only to be eaten by priests. He should have realized it even more when he was given Goliath's sword, the one that was the epitome of faith and trust in God when David was given victory over the giant by God's grace. 6. If God was faithful to David then, why was David so fearful now? In addition, after doing this, David fled to Philistine territory and pretended to be insane in order to escape from this enemy king. In every act of panic, David tried to maneuver his own way out of trouble instead of leaning on God. 7. After David's lies, Saul discovered what the priest did for David and, even though he was totally innocent, ordered him, his family, and all 79 other local priests and their families killed. Hundreds of people died because of David's panic and lies. 8. Like David, when we take matters into our own hands, we are saying, "If I don't, it won't." At some point, when we come to the conclusion that our way didn't work, we must decide whom we will trust: ourselves or God. 9. When it becomes apparent that your dreams can't come true, that's not the time to try to take control. That's the time to lean hard into the only One who has ever been in control. 10. When white water canoeing, and you feel as if you are tipping over, resist the urge to grab the sides of the canoe, or you WILL go over. Instead, place all your weight on your knees because it will re-center the boat. David changed the direction of his life by choosing to move "to his knees" and begin again inquiring of the Lord in everything he did. Thinking about today's message... Like Goliath's sword for David, what icons of faith from the past do you have that should remind you that He is still faithful in the midst of your broken dreams? Do you allow them to get you back on track, or do you retaliate and try to get even with God and others? Think about the last time your dreams failed, and you decided to take matters into your own hands. How did it work out? When dreams don't come true for you, do you tend to blame God and/or others? How does that work for you? Does trust and prayer seem like a viable alternative as it eventually did for David? What will you have to believe about God in order to take this step?