And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?
And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he.
And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.
And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar.
Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? ..... 2 Samuel 9:1-8.
MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN A STATE OF LONELINESS. PEOPLE
WHO ARE BY THEMSELVES, OUT OF THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIETY WITH NO SOCIAL ACTIVITY
OR FRIENDSHIPS OUTSIDE THEMSELVES. THERE ARE A GREAT MANY OTHERS WHO LIVE RIGHT
IN THE MIDDLE OF LIFE’S HUSTLE & BUSTLE THAT FIND THEMSELVES ALONE,
DISLOCATED & MISUNDERSTOOD. BOTH PHYSICALLY & PSYCHOLOGICALLY PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN, ARE AND WILL BE ALONE! FROM THE THOUSANDS OF ORPHANS TO THE
MEGA-STAR SURROUNDED BY THOUSANDS; FROM THE HOMELESS TO THE STRUGGLING SINGLE
MOTHER, PEOPLE ARE ALONE, DISTRESSED, DEPRESSED, FORGOTTEN, …. ALONE!
LODEBAR WAS SUCH A PLACE. ITS VERY MEANING IS “NOT HAVING”
OR PASTURELESS. IT WAS A TOWN FULL OF FORGOTTEN PEOPLE INCLUDING MEPHIBOSHETH,
SON OF DAVID’S BEST FRIEND JONATHAN WHO WAS THE SON OF KING SAUL. IN LODEBAR WE
WOULD FIND THE LOST, UNSKILLED, UNEDUCATED CAST OUTS FROM SOCIETY. THOSE WHOM
PEOPLE WOULD SCORN AT; THOSE THAT WE WOULD PASS BY AND PAY NO ATTENTION TO;
THOSE WHO WOULD BE JUST ANOTHER STATISTIC ON A GOVERNMENT REPORT; THOSE WHO
WOULD BE SOME PHD CANDIDATE’S DISSERTATION STUDY.
LODEBAR WAS FULL OF ESTRANGED FOLK WITH NO FAMILY, NO JOBS,
POVERTY STRICKEN & BARELY GETTING BY DAY TO DAY. LODEBARE WAS FULL OF
RUNAWAYS, STREET PEOPLE, ALL WITH A STORY, ALL WITH A BROKEN PAST, SUCH AS
MODERN DAY L.A. WITH ITS OVERPOPULATED STREETS THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED BY SOME
AS “A MILLION STORIES IN THE NAKED CITY”. LIKEN TO MODERN DAY NEW YORK, WITH
ITS MILLIONS LIVING ON THE STREETS, THOUSANDS BELOW POVERTY LEVEL. LIKEN TO
MODERN DAY MIAMI, WHERE THOUSANDS ARE DRUG ADDICTS, DRUG DEALERS, CARTEL MEMBERS.
LIKEN TO MODERN DAY PITTSBURGH, WITH IT HUNDREDS OF
HOMELESS, THOUSANDS OF ADDICTS, THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN WITH NO HOME, MURDER,
CRIME, DISEASE.
LIKEN TO MODERN DAY WASHINGTON & GREEN COUNTY WITH ITS
CROWDED WOMEN’S SHELTERS, ABANDONED YOUTH, POOR EDUCATION, LOW JOB
ESTABLISHMENTS, RACIAL PROBLEMS, WHERE EVERYBODY HAS A BROKEN STORY TO TELL,
SOME MISFORTUNE TO OVERCOME, WE LIVE IN LODEBAR, WE KNOW SOMEBODY IN LODEBAR,
WE WALK AROUND, DRIVE AROUND, & IGNORE LODEBAR!!!
INHABITANTS OF LODEBAR ARE NOT THERE OF THEIR OWN FAULT!
MEPHIBOSHETH WAS NOT IN LODEBAR BECAUSE OF HIMSELF, OR
SOMETHING HE HAD DONE. WE ARE TOLD THAT HE WAS CRIPPLED IN BOTH FEET. HIS
CRIPPLED SITUATION WAS A RESULT OF A DEBILITATING CONSEQUENCE PLACED UPON HIM
IN HIS YOUTH AND NOT BY HIMSELF OR VIRTUE OF HIS BIRTH. HE WAS NOT BORN
CRIPPLED! II SAMUEL 4:4 TELLS US THAT MEPHIBOSHETH WAS UNDER THE CARE OF A
NURSE WHILE HIS FATHER JONATHAN WAS IN BATTLE & WHEN THE WORD CAME THAT
JONATHAN & SAUL WERE KILLED, THE NURSE GRABBED MEPHIBOSHETH TO RUN, BUT
DROPPED HIM THUS INJURING BOTH OF HIS FEET FOR LIFE. HE WAS ONLY ABOUT FIVE
YEARS OLD WHEN THIS HAPPENED & THEN HAD TO SPEND HIS DAYS BEING CARED FOR
FROM TIME TO TIME BY SOMEBODY ELSE, OR LIVING OFF OF THE HANDOUTS OF A FEW IN A
DETESTABLE, FORGOTTEN PLACE CALLED LODEBAR.
IT WASN’T HIS FAULT HIS FATHER DIED, IT WASN’T HIS FAULT THE
NURSE DROPPED HIM; IT WASN’T HIS FAULT THAT THERE WAS NO DOCTOR WHO COULD
REPAIR HIS SITUATION; IT WAS NOT HIS FAULT!
IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT YOU WERE MOLESTED AS A CHILD; IT IS NOT
YOUR FAULT THAT YOU WERE RAPED; ABUSED-VERBALLY OR PHYSICALLY; IT IS NOT YOUR
FAULT YOU HAD NO FATHER, NO MOTHER; IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT THAT YOU HAD TO RAISE
YOURSELF, RAISE YOUR PARENTS INSTEAD OF THEM RAISING YOU;
IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT YOUR WERE RAISED IN POVERTY, ON WELFARE
& HANDOUTS; IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT NO ONE EVERY GAVE YOU GUIDANCE, PROVIDED
YOU WITH A GOOD EDUCATION; INSPIRED YOU; POURED LIFE INTO YOU; BUILT UP SOME
CONFIDENCE IN YOU, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!!!
IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT THEY CLOSED THE BUSINESS DOWN, OR CUT
BACK; IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT HOW YOU WERE RAISED; HOW YOU WERE TALKED TO; HOW YOU
WERE PREJUDICED AGAINST, IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT THAT YOU HAVE LIVED AND NOW LIVE
IN A LODEBAR!!!
WE ARE ALWAYS QUICK TO ASSUME THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SITUATIONS
WORSE THAN OUR OWN HAVE HAD TO DO SOMETHING WRONG TO GET THAT WAY! I HAVE HEARD
PREACHERS SAY THAT THEY DON’T HAVE ENOUGH FAITH, THEY HAVE SINNED & ARE
BEING PUNISHED BY GOD---PLEASE! THEY HAVE, WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME UNEXPECTED
TURMOIL THAT AT THE TIME THERE SEEMED TO BE NO WAY OUT OF & NO ONE TO HELP
& LODEBAR WAS ALL THERE WAS!!! A PLACE TO WALLOW, A PLACE TO SHARE IN
EVERYONE ELSE’S PAIN, A PLACE YOU WOULDN’T BE JUDGED, A LODEBAR!!
A PLACE THAT NO ONE WANTS TO ENTER, THAT NO ONE WANTS TO
HELP US OUT OF, A PLACE THAT IS OVERLOOKED, SHUNNED OFF AND IGNORED! NOBODY
WANTS TO GO THE GHETTO, UNLESS ITS TO GET SOME DRUGS. NO BODY WANT TO GO TO THE
HOMELESS SHELTER, UNLESS ITS TO MAKE THEMSELVES FEEL BETTER DOING THEIR LITTLE
PART TO HELP OUT; NO BODY WANTS TO GO OUT TO THE POVERTY STRICKEN COUNTRY
AREAS, UNLESS ITS TO BUY SOME VEG. ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, NOBODY COMES TO
LODEBAR!
ITS LIKE THAT PERSON WHO ASKS YOU HOW ARE YOU DOING, &
WHEN YOU START TO TELL THEM ABOUT YOUR TROUBLES, THEY TUNE YOU OUT AND WALK
AWAY! THEY AREN’T CONCERNED ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL, OR WHAT YOUR GOING THROUGH,
BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE JUST DON’T CARE!!!
BUT I HEARD JESUS SAY Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
I WISH I HAD SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THAT YOU CAN CAST ALL YOUR
CARES UPON JESUS BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU! SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS THAT JESUS IS
ABLE TO PICK YOU UP FROM WHERE YOU ARE AND SET YOU HIGH UPON A SOLID ROCK! I
WISH I HAD SOMEBODY IN THIS PLACE THAT KNOWS: THAT IF YOU, Trust in the LORD
with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy
ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
JOSEPH KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO FROM THE PIT TO THE
PALACE, FROM THE PALACE TO PRISON, FROM THE PRISON TO THE CASTLE!
THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL KNEW WHAT IT WAS TO GO FROM BONDAGE
OF SLAVERY TO THE SPLENDOR OF THE PROMISED LAND!
WORLD RENOWNED PREACHER, TEACHER, LEADER, AND SENATOR, DR.
FLOYD FLAKE, AUTHOR OF WAY OF THE BOOTSTRAPPER & PASTOR OF ONE OF THE
COUNTRIES LARGEST A.M.E. CHURCHES KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GROW UP DIRT POOR,
ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS, OF THE WRONG COLOR, SUFFERED THROUGH
DEGENERATING PREJUDICE, TOLD HE WOULD NEVER AMOUNT OT NOTHING, DECIDED HE WOULD
HOLD ON TO GOD’S UNCHANGING HAND, SHUN THE LIES OF THE DEVIL AND LET GOD LEAD
HIM INTO A NEW LIFE!
BUT, MOST PEOPLE WOULD RATHER STAY WHERE THEY HAVE BECOME
COMFORTABLE! IN LODEBAR.
LODEBAR DOESN’T ALWAYS INHABIT JUST THE POOR. IT IS NOT
ALWAYS A PHYSICAL PLACE, BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE DISENFRANCHISED
RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF MIDDLE & UPPER CLASS USA.
MORE THAN WE MIGHT THINK, PEOPLE ARE MESSED UP ON THE INSIDE
& LOOKING LIKE EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT ON THE SURFACE & THE ONE SITTING
NEXT TO YOU JUST MIGHT FIT THAT MOLD!
*ASK YOUR NEIGHBOR ARE THEY ALRIGHT TODAY?!
BECAUSE YOU SEE: SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABUSED AS A CHILD,
OR MOLESTED, SOMEBODY MIGHT BE: BATTLING HOMOSEXUALITY, DRUG ADDICTION, ALCOHOL
ADDICTION, ADULTERY, ACUTE DEPRESSION, SOMETHING THAT HAS AFFECTED THE MIND,
SOMETHING THAT CAUSES THEM TO NOT SLEEP AT NIGHT, SOMETHING THAT HAS CRIPPLED
THEM FROM BEING WHO GOD INTENDED THEM TO BE, SOMETHING THAT KEEPS THEM
MISERABLE, UNHAPPY, FRUSTRATED, ALWAYS MOODY, FULL OF ANGER, JEALOUSY,
SOMETHING THAT HAS THEM LIVING IN A PSYCHOLOGICAL PRISON THAT SEEMS TO HAVE NO
WAY OF ESCAPE!
THEY CAN’T TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THEY ARE ASHAMED,
EMBARRASSED & WORRIED THAT YOU MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND & TALK ABOUT THEM.
CHURCH FOLK LIKE TO PUT EACH OTHER DOWN, AS IF EVERYBODY IN
THE CHURCH IS PERFECT & IS SUPPOSE TO BE PERFECT. WHEREAS THE CHURCH IS
SUPPOSE TO BE THE HOSPITAL WHERE PEOPLE COME TO GET FIXED UP, NOT BEAT UP!!!
DID YOU KNOW THAT WORLD RENOWNED GOSPEL SINGING SENSATION
DONNIE McKURKLIN HAS SUFFERED THROUGH HOMOSEXUALITY? DID YOU KNOW THAT I KNOW
PASTORS THAT USE TO BE DRUG DEALERS, ADULTEROUS, PIMPS, ETC.
HAVE YOU EVER REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE PROBABLY SAT NEXT TO
SOMEBODY THAT GOT BEAT UP BEFORE THEY CAME TO CHURCH, SOMEBODY THAT IS AFRAID
OF THEIR OWN CHILD WHEN THEY GO HOME, SOMEBODY THAT CAN’T GET OVER BEING ABUSED
AS A CHILD, SOMEBODY THAT IS ABUSING THEIR CHILD, SOMEBODY THAT IS ON PAXEL, REDILIN,
ETC. DON’T YOU KNOW THAT THE CHURCH IS FULL OF PEOPLE FROM LODEBAR, LIVING IN
LODEBAR! I HEARD PAUL SAY: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to
shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He
chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things
that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before
him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us
wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 1Corientians
1:27 -30. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the
Lord." 2Corintians 10:17
WE ARE AFRAID!
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO COME UP OUT OF LODEBAR & AFRAID TO
ASK FOR SOME HELP. PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT THEY WILL GET PUT DOWN, TALKED
ABOUT, & INSULTED! FEAR, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE KEEPS US DOWN!
ISN’T IT STRANGE WHAT WE ARE AFRAID OF? I MEAN WE FEAR
REJECTION, FEAR FAILURE, FEAR OTHER PEOPLE, BUT WE DON’T FEAR GOD! EVEN THOUGH
JESUS SAID Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the
soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
WE’LL HIDE OUR FAITH SO WE DON’T OFFEND PEOPLE; STEAL
BECAUSE WE ARE TOO ASHAMED TO ASK; WE’LL LIE TO SAVE EMBARRASSMENT; WE’LL KING
DAVID SAYS, DON’T BE AFRAID!
YOU SEE IN THOSE DAYS IT WAS CUSTOMARY & NECESSARY THAT
WHEN ONE KING WAS OVERTHROWN HIS ENTIRE FAMILY WAS KILLED OFF TO KEEP FROM A
FUTURE UPRISING OCCURRING. NOW, MEPHIBOSHETH HAD BEEN HIDING OUT FOR WHO KNOWS
HOW LONG AND HE WAS DISCOVERED & THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO DIE. BUT TO HIS
DISMAY, HE WAS BEING OFFERED A PLACE AT THE KINGS TABLE, A NEW HOME, NEW LAND,
& A NEW LIFE.
BUT HE DIDN’T THINK HE DESERVED WHAT HE WAS BEING OFFERED!
WHY A DEAD DOG LIKE ME?
MEPHIBOSHETH’S REPLY TO THE KING’S OFFER WAS JUST LIKE MOST
PEOPLE. WHY SOMEBODY LIKE ME? I AM NOTHING, COME FROM NOTHING AT LEAST THAT IS
WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TELLING ME ALL MY LIFE. I WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO NOTHING, I’M
CRIPPLED, CAN’T WORK, CAN’T EVEN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF LET ALONE SOMEBODY ELSE.
NOBODY HAS EVER CARED ABOUT ME, MOST PEOPLE DON’T EVEN KNOW I EXIST….. WHY DO
YOU WANT TO DO ANYTHING FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME, A DEAD DOG!!!
AND TRUTH BE TOLD NONE OF US DESERVE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US
OR ANYTHING THAT HE WANTS TO GIVE US! WE SHOULD HAVE DIED A LONG TIME AGO! CAR
CRASH; DRUGS; LUSTS; CRIME; ANGER;
BUT, WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW TODAY IS THAT THE KING, NOT DAVID,
JESUS WANTS TO BRING EVERYBODY UP OUT OF LODEBAR AND HAVE US EATING AS HIS
TABLE! HE WANTS TO HEAL THE BROKEN, LIFT UP THE DOWN TRODDEN, SET FREE THE
ADDICT, GIVE HOPE TO THE HOPELESS, GIVE JOY TO THE JOYLESS, GIVE LIFE TO THE LIFELESS,
ELEVATE THE DEPRESSED, BUILD UP THE ONE WITH NO CONFIDENCE, OPEN DOORS FOR THE
JOBLESS, PROVIDE SHELTER FOR THE SHELTER LESS….. BE A HUSBAND TO THE ONE WHO
HAS NO MAN, A WIFE TO THE ONE WHO HAS NO WOMAN….
HE WANTS EVERYBODY TO COME UP OUT OF WHAT EVER IS HOLDING
THEM DOWN & WALK IN THE NEWNESS OF LIFE THAT CAN ONLY COME THROUGH HIM!
COME WITH ALL YOUR DYSFUNCTIONS, DISABILITIES, INADEQUACIES,
HEARTACHES, BURDENS & PAINS AND I WILL BEAR THEM ALL!
ROMANS 5:6-10: You
see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the
ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man
someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in
this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more
shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, when we were God’s
enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more,
having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this
so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we
have now received reconciliation.
YOU MAY FEEL LIKE YOU DON’T HAVE THE STRENGTH AND THE
COURAGE BUT...He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he
increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young
men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be
weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:29-31.
DON’T YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS A BALM IN GILEAD THAT CAN SOOTH
YOUR HURTING SOUL! FIGHTS PAIN BETTER THAN TYLENOL; CLEANSES BETTER THAN
METAMUCIL; HIS NAME IS JESUS!! JESUS!! THE KING OF KINGS, THE LORD OF LORDS!
HE WANTS TO RESTORE TO YOU THE YEARS THAT THE LOCUST HAVE
EATEN!
HE WILL ENABLE YOU TO GO INTO THE ENEMY’S CAMP & TAKE
BACK WHAT HE STOLE FROM YOU!
GOD HAS SAID: Forget the former things; do not dwell on the
past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I
am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18-19.
AND HE HAS MADE A WAY FOR YOU IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ACCEPT
WHAT CHRIST HAS ALREADY DONE FOR YOU!
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.
JESUS PROCLAMED:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the
prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to
proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." JESUS’ MINISTRY WAS ABOUT BRINGING
PEOPLE OUT OF LODEBAR! HEALING, SETTING FREE, GIVING SIGHT, OPENING DOORS,
LIFTING UP, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY WERE, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN,
REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD, REGARDLESS OF
HOW MUCH THEY HAVE DONE WRONG, REGARDLESS OF ANY STIPULATION THAT SOCIETY WOULD
CONSIDER HOPELESS AND HELPLESS, JESUS SAID COME UNTO ME!
