 Amen. Alright, go ahead and keep your place in 2 Samuel chapter 15. We're going to be going all over the Bible this morning, but we're going to always be coming back to this story. So I want to tell you a story this morning of a man and some lessons that we can learn from a man in the Bible. And you know, I was thinking about the announcements and that we say every morning that we are a family-integrated church and that the kids are not going to be sent off to Sunday school here. And I just want to point out before I even start the sermon that when you're reading the Bible, you have to remember that these stories in the Bible are real. These are real events that happen to real people. And real men and real women in the Bible actually did these things. It's documented for us. This is why, you know, I don't like Sunday school. I grew up in Sunday school where it turned these stories into cartoons. These are not cartoons. These are real men that did real things in the Bible. And this morning, I want to talk to you about one of my most favorite people in the Bible that's in this story. And you know, I'm sure that you have overlooked him when you have read this story yourself or maybe you've never even heard of him before this morning. But I want to tell you, he's only mentioned a couple of times in the Bible. I want to look at this man, what he did and what lessons we can take from him this morning. So in 2 Samuel, just to give you, you know, we just heard the story. Basically what's happening in 2 Samuel is King David, his oldest son, Absalom, has just basically performed a coup d'etat on his dad. He was, he was, you know, getting the hearts, winning the hearts of Israel behind his dad's back. He wanted to be in charge. You know, the Bible said, oh, that I would be judge over. He just had this desire to be in charge. He sat at the gates. He, he, he subverted his father. And we see this story here where he actually won the hearts and minds of the entire nation and was coming to Jerusalem. And the Bible says David, you know, David is fleeing here and David flees to protect Jerusalem. David is a mighty man of war. You know, that's another thing that Sunday schools will teach. They'll show, you know, the story of David and he's this little cartoon character and, you know, David was a mighty man of war. David was no one to be messed with even when he was a young man. And he was a mighty man of war. But the Bible says here that he left Jerusalem to keep Jerusalem from being smited with the sword. He was leaving so there wouldn't be a fight to protect the people. Okay, so this begins our story. And I want you to focus down on 2 Samuel, verse, chapter 15 and verse number 18. And let's look at who we're talking about this morning. And in verse number 18, let me reread for you. The Bible says, and all his servants passed on beside him. So as they were leaving and these hundreds of people were following David out of the city, David stopped to watch people pass by. And all the charathites and all the pelothites and all the Gittites, 600 men, these 600 Gittites, which came after him from Gath passed on before the king. And now we see the man we're going to talk about this morning. Then said the king to Itai, the Gittite, and we'll stop there. But I want to tell you this morning the story of Itai is who we're going to talk about this morning. So who were these Gittites, first of all? So there was these 600 men, which were just the Gittites here, that were following David. Who were these people? Who were the Gittites? And why would 600 men come from there, under the leadership of this man called Itai, turn to Joshua chapter 13 to follow David in his worst time of his life? I mean, talk about a time to come follow somebody when everything's going wrong. Turn to Joshua chapter 13. First I want to look at who the Gittites are. The Gittites are people from this city called Gath. There's a city of Gath in the Bible. In Joshua 13, if you look down at verse number one, we get kind of a clue on who these people are. The Bible says, now Joshua was old and stricken in years. And the Lord said unto him, this is the story of the end of Joshua's life. Joshua has come into the Promised Land. He's taken over leadership from Moses. And he's conquered much of the Promised Land. He's conquered a lot of the heathen people in the land of Canaan that God gave to the children of Israel. And the Lord said unto him, thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed. This is the land that yet remaineth, land that they have not conquered yet. All the borders of the Philistines and all of Geshurai from Seahor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron Northward, which is counted to the Canaanite, five lords of the Philistines, the Gazethites, the Ashtathites, the Escalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites, also the Avites. So these Gittites are people from the city of Gath. Now, actually, if you go back to 1 Samuel and read the story of David when he's running from Saul, the first king of Israel, David went to Gath twice. So David fled the nation of Israel to get away from Saul. He was running for his life because Saul knew that he was the anointed and the kingdom had been taken from him. He was trying to kill David. Much of the stories of 1 Samuel is Saul after David. And twice, David goes to Gath to escape, a land of the Philistines, their enemies. So it was one of the five main cities of the Philistines, turned to 1 Samuel, chapter 27. 1 Samuel, chapter 27, look at verse number one. This is where Saul is hunting David. And the Bible says, and David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines. And Saul shall despair of me to seek me any more in the coast of Israel, so I shall escape out of his hand. He didn't think that Saul would chase him into the land of the Philistines because it wasn't conquered, it wasn't safe. So why would David go there and think that it was safe for himself? And David arose, and he passed over with the 600 men that were with him into Akish, the son of Maach, king of Gath. And David dwelt with Akish at Gath. He and his men, every man with his household, even David and his two wives, Aeanom and the Jezreolites and Abigail, the Carmelites, Nabels, wives. So David took his whole family, all these men took their whole families to Gath, assuming that they would be safe there. So why Gath? Turn to 1 Samuel chapter 17. The reason that David went to Gath, 1 Samuel chapter 17, is because David's history largely began with the Gittites. This is where David's story in the Bible begins. And if you look down at 1 Samuel chapter 17, look at verse number two, and Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together and pitched by the Valley of Elah and set the battle in array against the Philistines. The Philistines, you know, when you read Joshua 13 about the Philistines and that it wasn't conquered and then you read the rest of the Bible, I mean the Philistines are just constantly warring with Israel and they're taking them over and then Israel takes over the Philistines, they're a constant pain in the neck for Israel, for God's people. Look at verse number three, and the Philistines, so now the Philistines are at war against Saul, and the Philistines stood on a mountain on one side and Israel stood on a mountain on the other side and there was a valley between them. And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. So Goliath, the fiercest warrior that the Philistines had in their history, who was nine and a half feet tall and his armor weighed over 100 pounds, the head of his spear was 15 pounds. I mean, David killed the fiercest warrior in the history of the Gittites. That's where his history in the Bible began. And that's why David went to Gath because you think that that gained him a little bit of respect in that area, especially David being a man who talks about preaching to the heathen and converting the heathen throughout the book of Psalms and throughout many of the other parts of the Bible. David killed the fiercest warrior in the history of the Philistine army. And he was a Gittite from Gath. So now, he was well known among these people. When David marched into Gath with his 600 men fleeing Saul, it's not like they were like, who are you? They knew who he was, okay? Now, back to Gittite. There's many lessons that can be taken from Gittite's life and that's the point of the sermon this morning, but I want to explain to you where Gittite came from. First, so the first thing about Gittite that you need to remember if you look down at 2 Samuel chapter 15, you're still there, right? Look at verse number 19. The Bible reads, then said the king to Itai the Gittite, wherefore goest thou also with us, return to thy place and abide with the king, for thou art a stranger and also an exile. Itai was an exile. He was a Philistine. What was he doing there? David says, you're a Philistine. You don't belong here. This fight isn't yours. Go home is what he tells Itai. They were 600 men of the tribe, of the same tribe as Goliath, these men. So they were probably not small men, another thing, okay? You see Itai, he didn't care how many people were against him. He knew that he was an exile and he might've thought they were all gonna die for all he knew, but he was an exile from his people. Look at verse number 20, verse number 20. The Bible reads, where is thou camest but yesterday? Should I this day make thee go up and down with us? Seeing I go hither, I may return thou and take back my brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee. And Itai answered the king and said, as the Lord liveth, and as my Lord the king liveth, surely in what place my Lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. This wording is very familiar, where Itai says, as the Lord liveth. You know, that sounds a lot like David, when he said, who is this uncircumcised Philistine that should defy the armies of the living God? These two men sound the same. It sounds like they have the same faith. These two men. You see, Itai was an exile from his home of death. He was a Philistine who saw David in the most trouble that he had ever been in in his life. David was older, he was like 60 now. The most powerful king that had ever ruled the nation of Israel in the most trouble, and it's not looking good for him. And David and Itai and his 600 men came from Gath to go to David at that time. And he said, as the Lord liveth, I am with you. Just like David said, who is this, David was offended at Goliath, you remember? How could this uncircumcised Philistine defy the armies of the living God? And then Itai says, as the Lord liveth. Well, that basically means I'm here, no matter what is what that means. So he was with his spiritual family. Is what Itai was doing. So there's two applications I want to make here. Turn to Proverbs chapter 18. Proverbs chapter 18. Right in the center of your Bible, you'll find the book of Psalms, and one book over is the book of Proverbs. The first thing I want to show you this morning, and stay with me, because this is the Bible that I'm going to talk to you about this morning. Even though some of these sayings are, you know, they're not the easiest things to hear. The Bible teaches that our spiritual family is to take precedent over our physical family. Period. Now hopefully they're the same, but in many cases they will not be. Let me ask you a question. Where were David's brothers in this story? We don't know, but you certainly don't hear him mentioned here. At David's darkest hour, who was brought up is a Philistine who comes to him. Look at Proverbs 18 and verse number 24. Let's see what the Bible says, not just me. A man that hath friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. It ties a perfect example of that. Where were David's brothers? I mean, David, in his worst time of his life, is running around with a bunch of Philistines. Turn to Luke 14. Look, now one of the goals of this Christian life should be that your spiritual family and your actual family are the same. And there's things that you can do to help that situation. But look, Jesus himself knew that this would be the case in your life. And he talked about it over and over and over again. Turn to Luke chapter 14 in the New Testament. And look down at verse number 26. This is why Jesus brought it up so much, because it's a hard thing to hear, but it's something that you're gonna face in your life. Luke chapter 14, look at verse number 26. If any man come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters, yay, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you intending to build a tower, siteth down not first and counteth the cost, whether he hath sufficient to finish it. So what he's saying is if you wanna get going in this Christian life and you wanna live this Christian life like the Bible says you should live it, you better count the cost. He's not talking about just hating your mother and father, he's talking about if those things are gonna derail you, you can't be my disciple. If those people will stand in your way and cause you to get off the track of your Christian life, you can't be my disciple. You didn't count the cost. You don't have enough to finish the tower. If things like that will derail you, Jesus is preparing us for the fact that people in this life, even our own families, might be against us is what he's saying. Turn to Luke chapter nine and say, I don't believe you. Hey, this isn't hard saying who can hear it. That's what they said to Jesus when he's preaching hard things. This isn't hard saying who can hear it and then many of them left. Luke chapter nine, look at verse number 57. Luke chapter nine, verse number 57. And it came to pass that as they were in the way a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whither so ever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. And Jesus said unto him, let the dead bury their dead. But go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me go and bid them farewell, which are at my home, at my house. And Jesus said unto him, no man having put his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Meaning if you're constantly looking back, wondering what you're supposed to be doing, you're not gonna make it. Is what Jesus is saying. He said, let the dead bury the dead. It's a hard saying. But Jesus talked about it again and again Now look, once again, one of the main goals of my life. You say, what are the goals? One of the main goals of my life is that these two families would be the same. These two families. This has driven many of the decisions I've made over the last decade of my life. I want my kids to be saved. I want them to live for the Lord. I got a checklist. Kids saved, check. Live it for the Lord, check. I want them to marry saved people. That one's not checked yet, but it's on the list. I want them to have children that get saved and live for the Lord. Another checkbox, another few checkboxes there. And guess what? Pretty soon, this whole, my spiritual family and my actual family are gonna be the same. That's the ideal situation. But look to the first generation Christian. You will go through this. If you are a first generation Christian, you will go through this. So don't be offended. That's why Jesus is talking about this. So you're not offended when these things actually happen to you. You say, you know, I don't like hearing this. Well, you know, the Bible will do that to you. You know, if you don't like hearing the Bible, you can go to ceiling fan church or the carpet church or rap concert church because they won't read the Bible to you there. You starting to understand why people go to those churches though? Because, you know, these are hard sayings. Turn to Luke chapter 12. If you go to our new website, it says we are independent. We are fundamental and we are separated. It says we are separated. And when you separate from the things of the world, people aren't gonna like it. People aren't gonna like it. When you separate from the public school, when you separate from the TV and Hollywood, when you separate from liberal Christianity, from false Christianity, from all this garbage that's pretty much everywhere out there, people are not going to like that. And some of those people might be related to you. Turn to Luke chapter 12, verse number 51. You say, this doesn't sound very loving. Look at Luke chapter 12, verse number 51. Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth. I tell you nay, but rather division. This is Jesus talking. If you have a red letter Bible, these words are red. For from henceforth shall there be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son and the son against the father. The mother against the daughter and the daughter against the mother. The mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law. And the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Do you need any more detail than this? People will divide against you in your own family because of Jesus. That's, it's a sign of true Christianity, division. Jesus said, I came to divide. You don't hear that at Wrapped Concert Church. But that's what the Bible actually says. The Bible says in Romans chapter 12 that we just studied. Be not conformed to this world. But when you go to the ceiling fan church, you can conform to the world. You don't have to separate from anything. That's the beauty of that church, I guess. If you meet those people, they're just like everybody else. They haven't separated from anything. Look, ultimately Jesus said, I came to bring division. I mean, that's a very clear statement right there in the Bible. If you start to continue, if you start and continue to live a separated life, people aren't gonna like it. It's that simple. They're just not gonna like it. And these are hard decisions ahead in your life, but you need to be ready for it. You need to be prepared for it so you're not offended. Itai was in exile. Let's go back to our story. Itai was in exile. Look at 2 Samuel 15 in verse number 21. Look, I mean, hopefully you're able to share the gospel with your family and make as many of them as are willing to become your spiritual family as well. It's free to anyone who wants it. But you need to be ready for this because the Bible tells you this is gonna happen. Okay? Look at 2 Samuel, back to Itai. 2 Samuel chapter 15, verse number 21. Let's start at verse number 20, where David says, where's thou came but yesterday? Should I this day make thee go up and down with us? Seeing I go wither, I may return thou. He's telling him, go home and take back thy brethren. Mercy and truth be with thee. He's not even mad at him, just go home. And Itai answered the king and said, as the Lord liveth, and as my Lord the king liveth, surely in what place my Lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. He didn't care if he was on the losing side as long as it was the Lord's side. Is the second thing I wanna point out about Itai. I mean, he was in it to the end because as the Lord liveth, the Lord's not going anywhere. He had the same faith as David and as long as the Lord was in it, so was he, is what he's saying. Turn to Psalm 18, this also showed the witnessing power of David, by the way. David wasn't just all talk. We can read stories about David and witnessing about David for a long time, but I just wanna show you one verse in verse number 18. Psalm 18 in verse number 49. David had transferred his, he had some respect amongst these people because of his history with the people of Gath. And he had obviously at some point shared his faith with these people because Itai and David serve the same Lord here. Psalm 18, look at verse number 49. The Bible says, therefore will I give thanks unto thee, oh Lord, among the heathen and sing praises unto thy name. David was a great witness unto the Gentiles. The heathen, as the Bible calls it here. And he had not only killed Goliath, but he had converted these men who were there to help him serve the Lord. And it all Itai cared about was that he was on the Lord's side. Look, these were 600 men. The entire nation of Israel was behind Absalom and they were coming after them. I mean, think about that. I mean, things were not looking good as far as like, are we going to actually win this fight? So the application I wanna make for you on this point is that we are the few. Turn to Luke chapter 13. I will often ask people when we are out soul winning, I will often ask people this question. I don't know why I ask it so much. I just like to hear the answer from people. It gives me a gauge on what the population out there thinks. But I will often ask people in the midst of the gospel presentation, do you think that most people are going to heaven? And a lot of people that go to liberal churches and all this type of thing, they think that most people are gonna go to heaven. But this once again is something that Jesus directly addressed, directly. He almost, it's almost like God knew what was gonna happen. He directly addressed it. Look at Luke 13 in verse number 23. The disciples actually asked him this very question to Jesus and then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? Meaning are there a lot of people going to heaven or a few people going to heaven? And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the straight gate. The straight, S-T-R-A-I-T, meaning narrow, like the straights of Hermes or the straight of Gibraltar. You know these narrow passageways where few, he said, enter in at the straight gate for many I say to you, we'll seek to enter in and shall not be able. In Matthew 7.13, I'll just read it for you. He goes into more detail on this and he says enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction. And many, many there be which go in there at because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it. He doesn't say this is another important application where you need a King James Bible because you get new Bible versions and it will say difficult is the way. It will say hard is the way. It's not difficult, but it's narrow. He's just saying that few will find it. He's predicting the future. He's telling them the reality of the situation on the ground on planet earth is what he's doing. It's not hard to receive a free gift. It's not difficult to have somebody give you something where they've done everything, but few there be will find it. And part of it is because there's not enough people going out and telling people, but back to the point I'm trying to make is that we are severely outnumbered today and you need spoiler alert. It's always going to be this way. We will always be the few. Itai and the men that were with David, they didn't care. I mean, the first sentence out of his mouth was as the Lord liveth, was the first sentence out of his mouth. Whether in death or life, there will I be thy servant. There will thy servant be, he says. You know, it wasn't even a decision for Itai. You see? It wasn't even a decision for him. He's just as the Lord lived it, whatever. Let's go. You know, let's get it done. You know, I think we misunderstand, you know, as we read the Bible as Americans, especially American men, I'm gonna pick on the guys for a minute here, but I think we misunderstand, I think we fundamentally misunderstand the type of men that these were. I mean, are you kidding me? I mean, it's hard to even wrap your head around the type of men that these must have been. You know, I mean, we're living these soft American lives. I mean, think about it. Everything is at our fingertips, whatever we need, Amazon, oh, hardship, right? I mean, yet, well, and this isn't really the point of the sermon, we'll take all these things and we'll actually use those things against the Lord. We'll actually let this soft life overtake us and not serve the Lord because of that soft life. But look, an easy life is not a good thing. Hardship, you know, the problem with this is that any little hardship or any little tribulation in your life will derail people today from serving the Lord. Any little tiny hardship, because we all have these, we can't look hardship toughens you up. I mean, it wasn't even a consideration to Itai if they would win or not. Like physically, it wasn't even a consideration. Hard times are actually good for you. You know, they make you stronger. Turn to 2 Timothy, chapter three. So remember that, first of all, when you're going through hard times, this is good for you. It'll build your character. Second Timothy, chapter three. You know, Jesus also talks about persecution. Hard times that will come as you separate and start living a godly life. You know, the Bible says in Second Timothy, chapter three, verse 12, yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. It doesn't say might. It says you will, but it's good for you. I mean, look at these men, what they're going through. But guess what? If you don't live godly, it says all that will live godly will suffer persecution. If you don't live godly, you know, you're not gonna suffer persecution. There's your answer. I mean, it's when you start living differently than everybody else, that, you know, that's where the trouble starts for you in your life. You know, so you say, you know, why do people care? I don't know what they do. What they do. And the Bible says that they're going to. So just, you know, be ready for it. Look, you could be, look, here's the thing. You could be saved today. You could go to rap concert church, ceiling fan church, door church, carpet church, vent church, wire church, speaker church. You could go to these churches and suffer no persecution. So, I mean, your salvation has nothing to do with what church you go to. You go into heaven doesn't have to do with you coming to this church. You know, I probably shouldn't say that, but that's what the Bible says. Your works have nothing to do with whether or not you go to heaven or what church you go to. But here's the thing. You could go have that easy life, but you'll waste your whole life. You'll benefit no one. Like I said, Thursday night, you'll benefit no one. You'll be a fruitless tree. And here's the big one. Your spiritual heritage will die with you. Think of the ramifications for people other than yourself, please. You won't be a first generation Christian. You'll be an only generation Christian. Good job. You got yourself to heaven. You did nothing for anybody else. You'd be this shooting star. There you went. You did nothing for anybody else. So there's consequences. There's consequences. You could do anything you want, but you could destroy a lot of people and you will benefit nobody else. And your life will have no eternal value except for your own personal self. Here's the last thing I wanna bring up on Itai this morning. Go back to 2 Samuel chapter 15. 2 Samuel chapter 15. 2 Samuel chapter 15. Look at verse number 22. And David said to Itai, now Itai has already told David we're coming, no matter what, but it gets even better because look at this. And David said to Itai, go and pass over. He said, okay, you convinced me. And Itai the Getite passed over and all his men and all the little ones that were with him, he brought his whole family with him. Even his kids and all the Philistines, all these Philistines brought their whole families. He acted on his faith, this man. Let's see how it worked out for him. You say how to work out for him. Turn to 2 Samuel chapter 18. Look, it musta looked, can you imagine the people in Gath? Itai's no slouch. There's these 600 men, he's in charge of them. I mean, he's from Gath. The guy's probably like a monster, warrior. And he's from this country that's known for these fierce warriors. And he's like, I'm going to serve. He got saved at some point. He got these 600 guys and they're going to help David in the worst position ever and they're probably all gonna die from the eyes of everybody who's looking at this from a secular point of view. And then he brings all his kids and all his family with him. They're probably like the man's thrown his life away. Can you imagine? They're probably like, oh, he had such a great career. He could've been like this huge general of the Philistine army of Gath and he just, he's thrown it all away. He's just gonna go get killed. And all his kids are gonna get killed too. Can you imagine what they were saying? You can about imagine. I can totally imagine. I mean, that's what these people, he was in exile. He was a stranger from David's people. He was in exile from his own people. Look at 2 Samuel 18. Verse number one, and David numbered the people, this is when they're getting ready to get their people together and they're gonna go fight Absalom. And they're gonna take care of business. And David numbered the people that were with him and said captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab and a third part of the people under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zariah, Joab's brother and a third part under the hand of Itai, the Getite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also. Then of course, they told David, hey, you know, you die and none of this has any meaning. Please stay here. David was 60 probably at that point. But David, David made him captain, one of the three captains, one of the three main generals over his entire army. And of course they defeated Absalom. This extreme minority defeated this huge army. So here's a side note, by the way. You wanna be a great leader, learn to follow. I'm dead serious. Huge books have been written about that. That's what the Bible talks about. You wanna be a great leader in your life for your family, for your church, for anywhere in your life, learn to follow. Look at Itai. He said, wherever you go, there will thy servant be. And he became one of the top three commanders of David's army. So that's just a side note. That's a sermon series in itself. Look, Joshua served Moses for like decades. He was a faithful servant to Moses. And then he became one of the greatest military commanders in the entire Bible, in the entire world. I mean, the Bible has the biggest battles that are documented anywhere. There's battles in the Bible where 500,000 men are killed in one day with swords. Wrap your head around that. I mean, Gettysburg, there was like 60,000 casualties, only like less than 10,000 people died. Think about it, five, a half a million people in World War II, 480,000 some soldiers from the United States died in the whole war. 500,000 men in these battles in the Bible, one day. Think about it. It's not a cartoon. These are serious characters. Compare the Itai's leadership and his character to Absalom. Here's Absalom. He just wanted to be in charge, right? He went and he subverted David. He made this big coup. Things were looking pretty good. He had the whole nation behind him. How did it work out for him? Just a couple of weeks later, he's dead. All right, that's not the point of the sermon. But Itai became captains. It says captains of hundreds and captains of thousands. Itai was captain of thousands, the Bible says. And look, turn to Hebrews chapter 11. He's a man who acted, please don't miss this. He's a man who acted completely on his faith. Back to the point I'm trying to make. But guess what? There are many other men and women in the Bible that did this same thing. Hebrews chapter 11 gives us kind of a summary of some of these types of people. Hebrews chapter 11, I'm gonna turn there myself. Look at verse, look at verse number 13. The Bible's talking about a number of different men, famous men in the Bible. We'll mention their names in a minute. But in Hebrews 13, it kind of wraps it up and it says, these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. So all these other men that are listed here in the verses prior, they and women were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They were exiles too, just like you. Just talking about different people throughout history who actually knew they were exiles and they were pilgrims and they were strangers. It's not just Itai, it's not just these men. It's you. You need to come to terms with the fact that you're a pilgrim on this earth. We're just passing through. We're strangers. You know, we're exiles, just like Itai was. And we'll always be in the minority. Look back at Hebrews 11. These men and women in Hebrews 11, they took action on their faith. If you look at the verses before, it says Abel offered, that's the action he took. Noah was moved to build the ark, the Bible says. Abraham, he went to the promised land. That's the action he took on his faith. Sarah received strength from her faith. To conceive, it says. And you see in the same sense that nothing mattered to Itai but his faith. As the Lord liveth. And then all these other things. See? As the Lord liveth all these things. I mean, look, how many people and how many examples in the Bible of people who completely acted on their faith, do you need to understand that all you have to do is act on your faith and the Lord will take care of the rest. Amen. I mean, yet you still see people wrapped up in the cares of this world. I mean, this is the biggest, if I can think of the biggest single thing that keeps people from doing great things for the Lord in their life. It's this, it's that they just, they won't act on their faith. They have the faith, but they won't act on it. Itai took his whole family with him. Imagine all his little kids, they're like, oh, they're probably all, you know, you didn't even think about it. Wasn't even a thought. As the Lord liveth, this is where we're going. That's why he's such a great man in the Bible. You know, I don't know, like as someone who gets up here and preaches, I don't know what more I can say than just you just, you know what your faith is, you just need to act on it. If you wanna do great things, there's nothing in the Bible that says that there's no more great things that will be done for God. I mean, if we wanna do great things in this church, in the coming year, in the coming years, we're gonna need people like this that have just, whatever, we're gonna act on our faith, and we're gonna go, no matter what. We're exiles, we're in the minority, where people are against us. Who cares? As the Lord liveth, this is the direction that we're going. And that's why, look, Itai, he was just a man unwavering. It's such a great story in the Bible, even though he's not mentioned that much, but he's a man of total faith and action. You know, the Bible is this infinitely deep book. You know what I mean? When you read a story like this, and you see this man brought up, and then you start looking into where he came from. I remember I used to have these books, these Choose Your Own Adventure books when I was a little kid, and I would ruin the books right away, because basically, I'd have all my fingers in all the different spots in the book, and I'd be like, all right, go down underneath the waterfall. Nope, I'm not gonna go that way. And I'd go there like this, and then I'd find like, within like 15 minutes, I'd find out which was the best path through the book, and I'm like, yeah, this book's garbage. But the Bible, you will never stop finding stories like this in the Bible. As you read the Bible again, and again, and again, and again, nothing in the Bible is mentioned on accident. And this story of Itai is a perfect example of this. So don't just gloss over things. You might miss stories like this man. So think about it, is one of the greatest leaders of the Bible. And as we head into the new year, we would do well to just understand the type of men that the Bible is telling us about, in this case, Itai, the type of faith that they had, the actual things that they did. Think about those stories when you're reading the Bible and what it must have been like for them to be in those positions. But then, you know, when you think about the fact that this man, it wasn't a decision. It was just, he's just going. There wasn't any debate that you hear in this story. When we think about that, you know, it will give us strength moving forward to all the undertakings that we have to do here at this church. All right? So Itai, a man of total faith and action. Let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for these stories in the Bible, Lord. We thank you for these great examples, these great men in the Bible, Lord. You know, help us to strengthen ourselves from these stories and to understand the gravity of the situations that these men were in and help us to also understand, you know, just the type of people that these were, Lord. And we thank you for all these examples that you've given us. And we thank you for your word. Lord, we thank you for the King James Bible. We love you. Please bless the rest of our day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.