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Amen. How are you glad to be at Men's Conference 2026? Amen. Aren't we having a wonderful time? And uh, thank the Lord. Brother Thornon brought such a rich word to us last night. And I love it because I feel like he gave us some homework. Amen. Some take-home. A lot of times we'll preach and try to get all the meat off the bones, but I feel like last night he left us with some homework to do to go and study and make sure I want to make sure I'm ready for the book of Acts upper room. And so I got to get that gospel upper room present in my life. Amen. Amen.
And I know uh brother Carney was here on Wednesday night and ministered to our church and I know we're in for a tremendous blessing tonight and tomorrow he's going to bless us. Brother Thornon is coming here in just a few minutes and he's going to bless us as well. Amen. But I want to take just a few minutes today and turn our attention to the book of 1st Samuel, chapter 30. And as you're turning there, give honor to our district superintendent, Brother Libby. He'll be greeting us tonight. Amen. Also, our district secretary, Brother Wright. Amen. All of our district board that is here. Amen. I give honor to my father who is the bishop of our church and my pastor. We give honor to him. Amen. And all the ministry that is here.
And I know that you all can tell that there was a lot of work that went into putting this conference on. And I didn't do all of it. I did some of it, but I want to thank all of those. And if I start naming people, I'll leave somebody out. But, uh, thank you to all of them that have been here. Uh, we just declared this is going to be a work week. And so we said, "Show up Monday and don't plan on being done until Sunday service is over." And so they've showed up and worked hard. And I want to say thank you to them for all of their work. They know who they are. Thank you for your work. Amen. Amen.
Just a couple of quick uh plugs that they've asked me to put in. Hope Coffee will be open after this service. So if your caffeine buzz is starting to wear off, you can go get it rejuvenated. Amen. Also, uh Trusy's will be, I believe, is going to be open after this service as well. She has if you didn't get to try the cinnamon roll slice. It's it's a mix between cinnamon roll and cake and it will be at the marriage supper of the lamb. I'm pretty confident. So, you'll want to try that out. She Everything she makes is great. Amen. Everything that you'll get back there is great. All of our vendors, thank you to our vendors for coming, taking time from work to be here.
All right, let me get into the word. 1st Samuel 30 beginning at verse one. It came to pass when David and his men were come to Ziglag on the third day that the Amalachites had invaded the south and Ziglag and they had smitten Ziglag and burned it with fire. They had taken the women captives that were therein. They slew not any either great or small, but carried them away and went on their way. So David and his men came to the city, and behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters were taken captive. Other scripture that we'll read could get into later would inform us. It wasn't just the wives and it wasn't just the children, but there was possessions taken as well. But I think we would all agree if my car was taken, but my children were taken, I wouldn't care much about my car. >> Amen. The most important things they're grieving over. So David and his men come to the city, again, we read that verse four. David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep. And David's two wives were taken captives. Hinam the Jezraelitis and Abigail the wife of Nabbal the Carmelite. And David was greatly distressed. Not just because of his wives being taken, but because the people spake of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. And David said to Abiar the priest, a Hima's son, I pray thee, bring me the hither the ephod. And Abiar brought thither the ephod to David. And David inquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? Shall I overtake them? And the Lord answered him, pursue, for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover. >> All. Everybody say, all. Not most, not some, but all. Amen. Amen.
The Lord bless you. I want to preach for a few minutes today on this thought. It's my turn now. Tell your neighbor, "It's my turn now." >> Amen. Thank you, brother Titus and the worship team as well. What a tremendous job they're doing. The Lord bless you. You can be seated for just a few minutes today. I want us to look at the significance. I want to preach from the significance of this city of Ziglag. Not just the importance of Ziglag in the context and the passage that we read as our text, but its greater significance. Ziglag is a very important city in the development of the life of David. Originally, if we begin to look into the history of Ziglag, and I'll be brief in doing so, but originally Ziglag was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon. But sim but Ziglag, this city that had been the promised inheritance of Simeon, would be assimilated into the territory of Judah. How many of you have heard at least one preacher get on Judah and talk about it being praise? Amen. Judah is a type of praise. And so Ziglag, if I could use that liberty today, that Ziglag would become assimilated into the territory of the tribe of praise. By the time that Saul is seated as the first king of Israel, Ziglag has switched possession and has now become the possession of the Philistines. And though it was a Philistine territory, Ziglag would serve as a place of refuge for David when he is running from Saul. The Bible tells us that as Saul has become uh possessed with the defeat and the demise of David that David elects to run rather than fighting and he finds refuge in this city of Ziglag. Soon thereafter we find that Akish who is the Philistine king of Gath gives David this town. He gives to him Ziglag. He is hoping and praying that in return for giving David Ziglag that David would pledge to him his loyalty.
Now David takes over this city of Ziglag that had one time been a possession of the tribe of praise, the territory of Judah. And David begins to not just transform people, but David begins to transform this place. There's something about the anointing of God upon his people that we don't just transform people, we transform places. Amen. >> The Bible says in the book of Acts of a group of believers that they didn't JUST TURN PEOPLE UPSIDE DOWN, THEY TURNED their world upside down. Amen. How many of you are claiming your city for the name of Jesus Christ? David would transform Ziglag into a military stronghold. And so we SEE THE TRANSFORMATION. WHAT STARTED AS a tribe belonging to praise would now become a posture of power. I believe that today that IF YOU WANT POWER IN your life, then you've got to START WITH PRAISE. IF YOU WANT VICTORY IN YOUR LIFE, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO BE A WORSHIPPER. If you WANT TO GET VICTORY OVER STRONGHOLDS IN YOUR LIFE, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO ESTABLISH SOME THINGS IN YOUR LIFE THAT WHEN I'M IN UP SEASONS, I'M GOING TO PRAISE HIM. WHEN I'M IN DOWN SEASONS, I'M GOING TO PRAISE HIM ON THE MOUNTAIN OR IN THE VALLEY. AMEN. WHETHER IT BE HIGH OR WHETHER IT BE LOW, I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES. AMEN. And what starts belonging to praise becomes the base camp, if I could say it that way. It is David's base for military operations against the Philistines. Amen. The Bible tells us that it is here that distressed warriors began to flock and find their way to David. Amen. They began to make their way to David. And Ziglag is this city where David begins to take these distressed warriors, these men that have been marginalized by society, the Bible tells us and defines them as being men that are distressed and they are men that are debtors and they're men that are greatly discouraged. But they begin to come to David and David begins to take them from being debtors and distressed and HE BEGINS TO CHALLENGE THEM AND CHANGE them and turn them into warriors. It's from this unlikely company that one of the most powerful and loyal fighting forces in human history would rise right here in Ziglag. Ziglag would serve as the launchpad from which David's reign as king would begin. 2 Samuel chapter 1 tells us that it was here at Ziglag that news comes to David of Saul's demise. And after one chapter of lamentation and grieving about Israel's first anointed king, the Bible tells us David leaves from Ziglag and he goes up to Hebrin and there he becomes the king of Judah. Ziglag and all that I've just presented to you represents a crucible in which David's life is transformed. Amen. It's here at Ziglag that that David is transformed from a fugitive to a king. IT'S HERE THAT DAVID IS TRANSFORMED FROM A BAG VAGABOND TO A CAPTAIN OF A MIGHTY ARMY. Can I tell you there are SOME SEASONS IN LIFE THAT GOD'S GOING TO LEAD YOU TO A ZIGLAG BECAUSE HE'S GOT GREATER THINGS IN STORE FOR YOU. GOD'S GOING TO PUT YOU IN SOME PRESSURE COOKERSH BECAUSE HE'S GOT A DESIRE AND HE'S GOT A DESTINY FOR YOUR LIFE. IT'S IT'S AT ZIGLAG THAT GOD BEGINS TO TRANSFORM DAVID'S REPUTATION. WHEN DAVID GETS TO ZIGLAG, THEY KNOW HIM AS A GIANT KILLER. HE'S A ONE-H HIT WONDER. OH, WE KNOW HOW HE HE KNOWS HOW TO KILL DAVID, BUT BY THE TIME HE LEAVES THERE, HE'S NO LONGER A ONE-HIT WONDER. HE'S QUALIFIED TO BE A KING. COME ON. I KNOW HOW TO SHOW UP AND WORSHIP ON SUNDAY, BUT ZIGLAG WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO WORSHIP ON MONDAY. ZIGLAG WILL TAKE YOU FROM BEING ABLE TO WORSHIP AT A CONFERENCE AND IT WILL LEAD YOU INTO KNOWING HOW TO WORSHIP NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
Ziglag is the place where his eventual kingship would takes take shape before his formal ascent to Israel's throne. If you do a study on the meaning of the name of Ziklag and in the day of the internet, you can do that right now while I'm speaking. Some of you could Google it right now and you'll find hopefully you go further than Google to do your study, but you'll find there's a lot of different meanings with the name of Ziglag. What does Ziglag mean? One popular meaning ascribed to Ziglag is winding as in a winding path. But another is a pressing. A place of the press is what Ziglag is called by some interpretations is a place of oppress. One commentary dives deep into the Hebrew roots of this place and this word ziglag. AND IT GIVES US THIS DEFINITION of ziglag. It it's it's a verb THAT MEANS TO PRESS SOMEONE MENTALLY to reveal what is inside of them. AMEN. IT'S A PLACE WHERE THERE'S PRESSURE AND THERE'S STRESS AND THERE'S STRAIN AND THEIR STRUGGLE. BUT IT'S NOT WITHOUT PURPOSE. IT'S BECAUSE GOD IS WORKING TO REVEAL WHAT IS ON THE INSIDE OF MY LIFE. The place ziglag is the place where we are pressed in such a way with such force and with such precision that it begins to reveal what is inside. When I was a child, we used to play a game called mercy. Now they have more sophisticated games now. They've got iPad game, but we we were kind of rough when when I was younger. We didn't have all that. We would play a game called Mercy. How many of you played Mercy? I'm not sure who came up with that game and I'm not sure who thought the name mercy was a good name for it was anything but mercy. I think the object of the other guy that had my hand was to take every bone in my hand and disfigure it and name it. The name of the game should have been mutilation, not mercy. But basically the object was to twist and crush the other person's fingers until what was in them would be revealed. THEY WOULD CRY. THEY LOOK LIKE A TOUGH GUY UNTIL YOU START TWISTING AND disfiguring and THEN YOU WOULD CRY OUT, "AMEN. THAT'S ENOUGH MERCY. I GIVE UP." >> Th this is the essence of ziglag. It's pressure until it reveals what is on the inside. And of all of the transformative moments MANUFACTURED BY THIS PLACE OF THE PRESS, none is more revealing and reveals more about what is going on of the inside of David than 1st Samuel chapter 30.
In chapter 29, we read that David and his men had traveled north with the Philistine army to Aphek. That's around 70 miles from Ziglag to a Aphek as the crow flies. In actuality, if we were to follow the trail that they had to take, it was likely a journey of 85 miles or more. But the other Philistines, when they got there, the Philistines objected to David helping them. And so now those men that have marched for three days or probably longer, preparing to go into battle, they they've got their mindset. They got their game face on. They're ready. It's time TO GO INTO BATTLE. BUT NOW THEY get there and the king says, "No, we don't want you." And so they turn back around and they have to make the same journey back home. Took them, the Bible tells us it took them three days to make that trip. Now I know in your BMW and in your Lexus and in your vehicle, whatever you got here today, maybe your Tesla, that's not a long trip. When you're a marching army, the average army, they say, would travel at a somewhere between 15 to 20 miles a day. That was a good day's journey for an army. But but according to this, the Bible tells that these men were traveling at a pace that they traveled double that. At 30 miles a day, they were traveling. What does that tell me? They were anxious to get back home. THEY WERE EXCITED TO GET BACK TO THEIR WIVES. They were anxious to get back to their children. Amen. That the pace THAT THEY WERE TRAVELING AT WAS A FAST WALK OR PERHAPS EVEN A SLOW JOG. THEY TRAVELED FROM THE TIME THE SUN CAME UP UNTIL THE SUN WENT DOWN. THEY'RE WEARY. THEY'RE BY THE TIME THEY GET TO ZIGLAG, THEY'RE WEARY. THEY'RE WORN OUT, BUT THEY'RE looking forward to a good home-cooked meal. Have you agree there's nothing like a good home-cooked meal. I can't wait to get home. My children are going to be waiting. I can't wait to get home. My wife is going to be waiting on me. I can't wait to get home. THAT THAT HOME-COOKED MEAL, THE SMELL OF that roast in the in the oven is going to greet me. THAT SMELL OF THE CHICKEN FRYING IS going to MEET MY NOSTRILS. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME AND EAT THAT HOME-COOKED MEAL. They're tired. They're weary. They've got expectations.
I recently read a survey that was conducted by the Progressive Insurance Company reporting that about 52% of all automobile accidents occur within 5 miles of a driver's home. 77% of the accidents happen within 15 miles. Only 1% of all accidents are reported to take place over 50 miles from your home. And research goes in to tell us that the reason for this IS COMPLACENCY. WE START LETTING our guard down when we get home. We start letting our guard. WE WE ANTICIPATING THE MOMENT THAT WE'LL ARRIVE HOME. And all the way on the journey, WE'VE BEEN INTENTIONAL. WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED. AMEN. THERE'S BEEN INTENT in every decision WE MAKE. BUT NOW WE'RE ALMOST HOME. AND WE BEGIN TO LET OUR GUARD DOWN. AND I BELIEVE THAT AS DAVID AND HIS MEN GET CLOSE TO ZIGLAG, EMOTIONALLY THEY LET THEIR GUARD DOWN. AMEN. THEY BEGIN TO ANTICIPATE GETTING HOME. AND THESE WARRIORS LET THEIR GUARD DOWN. >> When they find when they get back to Ziglag is devastating. Instead of being met with home-cooked meals, they find their houses have burned down. Instead of being greeted with cheering children and waiting wives, Ziklag has been burned with fire. AND THE AMALACHITES HAVE TAKEN THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN AND PLUNDERED their city. They're expecting rest and reunion, but instead they're confronted with destruction and disappointment. The Bible says that David's mighty men, all the people, the Bible says all the people start speaking of stoning David. Isn't it quick how people can turn are not. Isn't it quick? Isn't it interesting how quickly people can turn? Amen. I'm not trying to come at anybody. I'm just saying it's it's human nature that the people that one day can be standing behind you saying, "Pastor, I got your back." Or, "Brother, I got your back." And you feel something sharp and they do have your back. It's not in the way you thought they were going to have it. >> Amen. All the people THEY THEY THEY ARRIVE AT SICKLAG, THEY'RE EXPECTING A HOME-COOKED MEAL. THEY'RE EXPECTING THEIR CHILDREN TO GREET THEM. THEY'RE EXPECTING THEIR WIVES TO GREET THEM. AND INSTEAD OF THAT, THEY'RE GREED. THEY'RE GREETED BY THE ABDUCTION OF THEIR FAMILIES AND THE BURNING OF THEIR CITY. AND THEY'RE SO DISTRAUGHT. AMEN. THEY'RE SO DISTRACTED BY WHAT HAS HAPPENED THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOST LOYAL TO DAVID START TALKING ABOUT STONING DAVID. Let us consider who these people are. At least 400 of them are people that David had believed in when nobody else believed in them. marginalized men that EVERYBODY ELSE IN SOCIETY SAID, "THESE men are debtors. THESE MEN ARE DISTRESS. THESE ARE PEOPLE YOU CAN'T TRUST IN. THESE ARE PEOPLE YOU CAN'T COUNT IN." AND DAVID HAD BELIEVED IN THEM WHEN NOBODY ELSE DID. THESE ARE MEN THAT FOUGHT WITH DAVID RIGHT ALONGSIDE HIM IN BATTLE. >> I think it's got to be in the ma back of the mind of David. Here we go again. I spent years of my life investing in a king. I spent years in my life serving Saul. I was loyal to him. I would have done anything to serve Saul.