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When the proper time came for the promise made to David to be fulfilled, no efforts were needed to secure the throne. One difficulty after another faded away. One section after another of the people came to offer their allegiance. And the signs of God's gracious moving of men's hearts towards David in due time were seen, in the devotion of themselves and their wealth and property to his service. The men of might came, and offered him their weapons, their skill, and their lives. The men of understanding came, and offered him their counsel and powers of rule and magistracy. The men of wealth came, and offered abundant provisions for the host thus gathering round David (ver. 40). Compare the consecration of property in the early Pentecostal days. Often in life we are made to feel that the circumstances of life are in God's hands, and we recognize his wonder-working in the removal of our difficulties and the opening of our path; but even when we seem to be hindered by the action of our fellow-men, we do not see that their hearts are in God's hands, and that, in answer to our prayer and in fulfilment of his purposes, he can move men's feelings and sway them as he may please. Yet this is the fuller and truer view of life; until we can worthily realize this we do not truly say, "Our times are in thy hands." "He maketh the wrath of man praise him, and the remainder of wrath he can restrain."

I. A MAN'S HEART CONTROLS HIS USE OF HIS THINGS. TO the Divine view, "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." By the term "heart" is included a man's plans, purposes, and feelings. It may stand for his disposition. Then illustrate how all conduct, relations, and uses of property, etc., are toned by the heart of the covetous, the selfish, the prejudiced, the envious, the suspicious, or the unforgiving man. It is hopeless work to try and change the fixed habits of any man's life. Our hope lies in change of heart, and that will ensure the needed change in the outward relations. Therefore our Lord proposes, in his redemptive work, to recover and set fight the very heart of men. His law is thus expressed: "Ye must be born again."

II. A MAN'S HEART IS OPEN TO DIVINE INFLUENCES. We often feel how difficult it is, as we say, to get at a man. Do what we will, we seem to be outride him. Now, the heart is just the sphere that is always open to Divine influence. It may please God to withdraw and hold himself aloof from a man; but if he pleases to enter, no man can shut his heart's door against him. He may enter for conviction and for judgment, as well as for persuasion and guidance. If men's attitude towards us is a cause of trouble, we may be comforted by the assurance that the Master of all human hearts, who is our God, permits it only as long as he pleases, and will change it when he thinks best. With this assurance, no wrong-doing of our fellow-men need unduly distress us.

III. A MAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS DEALING WITH GOD'S INWARD LEADINGS. This, indeed, is his deepest responsibility. He has an inward voice; he is hound to heed it above all. He has Divine impulses; does he crush them or follow them? Heart-hardening chiefly comes in one way, by resisting the Divine lead; or, in New Testament phraseology, "quenching the Spirit;" "resisting the Holy ("host." Divine impulses may be

(1) resisted;

(2) covered over with self-interests;

(3) neglected; or

(4) watched for; and

(5) followed.

IV. HEART-IMPULSES, DULY FOLLOWED, FIND EXPRESSION IN CONDUCT; as all these men came, bringing themselves and all they had to David, when they were under Divine constrainings. So we shall be ready to give self and wealth to all holy uses, if we are inwardly moved of God. Illustrate from the Lord Jesus: "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." St. Paul's "The love of Christ constraineth us." Learn what is the sphere of our prayer for others - viz, that God would move their hearts; and what is our hope in doing Christian work, it is "touched hearts." - R.T.

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KJV: And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.

WEB: These are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Yahweh.