1 00:00:06,399 --> 00:00:09,840 Bless you, Lord. I don't want anything 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,915 else. I don't need anything else. 3 00:00:14,514 --> 00:00:18,355 He is our one thing. Amen? Amen. The beauty of that 4 00:00:18,355 --> 00:00:21,814 is when he tells us, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, 5 00:00:21,875 --> 00:00:25,314 and all of these things will be added unto 6 00:00:25,314 --> 00:00:29,119 you. It's all within him. It's, you know, if you get 7 00:00:29,119 --> 00:00:32,560 him, you really don't need anything else because he 8 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,320 encompasses all of it. What a good and faithful God 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,160 we serve. Amen? Amen. I'm so excited about what God 10 00:00:40,160 --> 00:00:43,915 is doing in this place. I was walking 11 00:00:43,915 --> 00:00:47,675 through earlier and there is a testimony wall out there 12 00:00:47,675 --> 00:00:51,515 right now that you can just stop by and jot, you know, two or 13 00:00:51,515 --> 00:00:54,975 three sentences, four paragraphs, whatever. You know, whatever's on your heart. 14 00:00:55,434 --> 00:00:59,190 I might erase the bottom two, but it'll be fine. But I walked past 15 00:00:59,190 --> 00:01:02,330 it and it said when somebody had written down, I am so 16 00:01:03,030 --> 00:01:04,810 thankful that God said no. 17 00:01:06,790 --> 00:01:10,550 And I went, wow, I wanna meet that person. Because 18 00:01:10,550 --> 00:01:14,155 we are so, I love the wisdom behind that to 19 00:01:14,155 --> 00:01:17,755 go, whatever God speaks, whatever he says, whatever he tells 20 00:01:17,755 --> 00:01:21,035 me, that's what I want. That's where I wanna go. And, 21 00:01:22,155 --> 00:01:25,515 tonight we are going to talk about one 22 00:01:25,515 --> 00:01:29,140 thing. It's 23 00:01:29,140 --> 00:01:32,840 so easy to just go there. But tonight, we are gonna talk about 24 00:01:32,900 --> 00:01:36,520 the one thing that he has called us to. 25 00:01:37,460 --> 00:01:41,165 The one thing that he has called us to. And I love that it's 26 00:01:41,165 --> 00:01:44,545 not entitled, The One Thing He Has Called Us to Do. 27 00:01:44,845 --> 00:01:48,284 It is, What He Has Called Us to. And that's 28 00:01:48,284 --> 00:01:51,805 exciting to me. So we are going to jump into the word 29 00:01:51,805 --> 00:01:55,650 tonight. You know what, guys? There 30 00:01:55,650 --> 00:01:59,250 are so many beautiful servant hearts in this 31 00:01:59,250 --> 00:02:03,010 house tonight. There there are people, you know, climbing 32 00:02:03,010 --> 00:02:06,370 through Styrofoam ball pits. There are people who 33 00:02:06,370 --> 00:02:10,085 are, you know, blowing up balloons. There are people who are chasing your 34 00:02:10,085 --> 00:02:13,925 babies right now with one ponytail over here and one 35 00:02:13,925 --> 00:02:17,045 eye that has mascara on it, but they're happy. And, 36 00:02:17,845 --> 00:02:21,465 you know, they're just serving so beautifully and I'm so grateful for that. 37 00:02:21,750 --> 00:02:25,590 So let's get into the word tonight and see if we can grow a 38 00:02:25,590 --> 00:02:29,110 little bit and look a bit a little bit more like that as we step 39 00:02:29,110 --> 00:02:32,790 into what God has for us, this morning or this 40 00:02:32,790 --> 00:02:36,569 evening. What what time is it? First Samuel, 41 00:02:40,745 --> 00:02:44,105 with me and let's read this together. And I just need you to shake your 42 00:02:44,105 --> 00:02:47,944 arms for just a second. That was a very worshipful song. And 43 00:02:47,944 --> 00:02:51,084 I saw a couple nod off right over here. And, 44 00:02:52,640 --> 00:02:56,160 so either that or we're gonna serve some coffee. Ready? Let's say it as 45 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,519 pastor Kevin says with gusto. The boy, 46 00:02:59,519 --> 00:03:00,980 Samuel New 47 00:03:50,530 --> 00:03:53,910 Is this reminding anybody of your toddlers at home? I'm just asking 48 00:03:54,450 --> 00:03:58,130 for a friend, go lay down, go lay down, go lay down. I actually 49 00:03:58,130 --> 00:04:01,955 love this next verse because he finally gets 50 00:04:01,955 --> 00:04:02,455 it. 51 00:04:36,405 --> 00:04:40,005 Now this first line should remind all of us that even 52 00:04:40,005 --> 00:04:43,143 leaders are not perfect, and it takes us a while to get there. Then Eli 53 00:04:43,143 --> 00:04:44,425 and Eli, said the Lord. Call you. 54 00:04:58,990 --> 00:05:02,565 Servant is listening. So Samuel went And lay 55 00:05:02,565 --> 00:05:06,245 down in his place. So that we're praying to 56 00:05:06,245 --> 00:05:08,985 their calling as to where all he has to live from us. 57 00:05:09,685 --> 00:05:12,825 Samuel. Samuel. And Samuel says, 58 00:05:15,530 --> 00:05:19,069 Can you even imagine? The Lord went and stood there. 59 00:05:19,530 --> 00:05:23,370 The Lord went and stood there. He was issuing a calling 60 00:05:23,370 --> 00:05:27,055 to Samuel, and it was taking a moment for it to get 61 00:05:27,055 --> 00:05:30,655 across. And I want you to understand that as the Lord begins to call us, 62 00:05:30,655 --> 00:05:34,014 sometimes it takes a little while for it to get across. But 63 00:05:34,014 --> 00:05:37,715 father, I am so grateful that you are persistent. 64 00:05:38,335 --> 00:05:41,990 I am so grateful for your faithfulness and the way that you 65 00:05:41,990 --> 00:05:45,670 pursue your people, Lord. I thank you, Father, that you 66 00:05:45,670 --> 00:05:49,210 never give up. I thank you that your gift and your call are irrevocable, 67 00:05:49,590 --> 00:05:53,370 and I thank you, Lord, for the way you love us enough to just wait 68 00:05:53,590 --> 00:05:57,245 and to clarify things with us over time. Lord, I ask 69 00:05:57,245 --> 00:06:01,085 that our hearts be teachable tonight. I pray, Father God, that anything that 70 00:06:01,085 --> 00:06:04,925 is of mine would just be forgotten, and yours would stand in Jesus' name. 71 00:06:04,925 --> 00:06:08,685 Amen. Amen. There was just something about 72 00:06:08,685 --> 00:06:11,840 that that I got tickled at when it said, and 73 00:06:12,300 --> 00:06:14,560 then then Eli realized. 74 00:06:17,580 --> 00:06:20,960 It's interesting to me that there are so many 75 00:06:22,460 --> 00:06:25,645 so many conferences on calling. 76 00:06:26,105 --> 00:06:29,885 There are so many books on calling. There are so many things. 77 00:06:30,025 --> 00:06:33,245 If you Google it, I don't advise it, but if you do, 78 00:06:33,865 --> 00:06:37,485 especially those of you who are supposed to be fasting social media, don't do it. 79 00:06:41,700 --> 00:06:45,240 Because it was like, you know, five steps to find your calling, 80 00:06:45,540 --> 00:06:49,139 three steps to know your calling, stop chasing your 81 00:06:49,139 --> 00:06:52,820 calling, and live your life. You know, it's just like this constant thing, 82 00:06:52,820 --> 00:06:56,645 book after book after book on purpose and and 83 00:06:56,645 --> 00:07:00,405 and leading and all of this and, you know, how to find that place in 84 00:07:00,405 --> 00:07:03,465 your life. And and I think the one that probably 85 00:07:04,085 --> 00:07:07,525 struck me most was the one that said, stop chasing your 86 00:07:07,525 --> 00:07:10,289 calling. Stop chasing your calling. 87 00:07:14,350 --> 00:07:17,330 Calling. It is a divine 88 00:07:18,030 --> 00:07:21,789 interdrawing. You know, I've heard this all of my life. You know, you 89 00:07:21,789 --> 00:07:25,615 gotta find your calling. You gotta find what God has called you to do because 90 00:07:25,755 --> 00:07:29,194 once you know what God has called you to do, then everything is just 91 00:07:29,275 --> 00:07:33,095 everything is gonna just fall into place and it's gonna fall into a lie. And 92 00:07:33,095 --> 00:07:36,634 it's gonna fall into a lie. And anybody who ever found their calling. Is that 93 00:07:36,634 --> 00:07:39,980 true? Was your life easier before? 94 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:44,200 No answer to that. It's probably a whole lot less 95 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,880 peaceful though because there's something on the inside of each of us that 96 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:51,560 needs to know that God is calling us. But here's the 97 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:53,100 interesting thing to me. 98 00:07:56,175 --> 00:07:59,935 This is what I get asked more than anything. What has God called me to 99 00:07:59,935 --> 00:08:02,835 do? I got stopped in the lobby one day and 100 00:08:04,895 --> 00:08:08,409 if I had if I had been, you know, having one of my mean streaks 101 00:08:08,409 --> 00:08:11,370 that day, it probably would have worked out a little bit better because somebody said, 102 00:08:11,370 --> 00:08:14,270 I know that God has told you what I'm supposed to do. 103 00:08:16,169 --> 00:08:19,530 And I should have said, I hear maintenance in your 104 00:08:21,985 --> 00:08:25,585 But I'm like, Lord, please speak to them. You know, 105 00:08:25,585 --> 00:08:29,264 God does use, spiritual authorities to speak into 106 00:08:29,264 --> 00:08:33,024 your life. But when he does, nine times out of 10, it's 107 00:08:33,024 --> 00:08:36,690 because they're just gonna confirm what God's already told you Because 108 00:08:36,690 --> 00:08:40,530 you hear from God, you hear from him. And so this is 109 00:08:40,530 --> 00:08:44,310 what I hear so much. What am I called to do? Well, there 110 00:08:45,330 --> 00:08:49,090 are a thousand verses in the word that give us direction and they 111 00:08:49,090 --> 00:08:52,454 give us insight and that give us a little bit of leading, but 112 00:08:52,995 --> 00:08:56,675 here's the thing. We're not instructed to seek our 113 00:08:56,675 --> 00:09:00,355 calling. I can't find that anywhere. We're instructed to 114 00:09:00,355 --> 00:09:04,130 seek him with all of our hearts. Now scripture does tell us 115 00:09:04,130 --> 00:09:07,810 that we are to make our calling secure and that 116 00:09:07,810 --> 00:09:11,329 we are to, be worthy of the high 117 00:09:11,329 --> 00:09:15,089 calling of Jesus Christ, that we are supposed to, you 118 00:09:15,089 --> 00:09:17,510 know, be solid in that foundation. 119 00:09:19,225 --> 00:09:22,524 But when he's addressing that, he is literally 120 00:09:22,584 --> 00:09:26,264 saying, make sure that you're saved. Make sure that 121 00:09:26,264 --> 00:09:29,785 your relationship with Christ Jesus' whole. Make sure that you're 122 00:09:29,785 --> 00:09:33,545 pursuing the right things. And so it's interesting to 123 00:09:33,545 --> 00:09:37,360 me, kind of weird to teach on calling 124 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:41,040 and then throw up, don't do that. Anyway, but we're 125 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,660 not called to pursue it. We are called to pursue him because 126 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,945 everything about that ties into what we just say. If we will 127 00:09:48,945 --> 00:09:52,625 pursue him, if we will pursue him with our 128 00:09:52,625 --> 00:09:56,305 whole hearts, what happens is that that he just begins to 129 00:09:56,305 --> 00:09:59,665 unfold these things in our life that we hadn't seen 130 00:09:59,665 --> 00:10:02,964 before or that we hadn't paid attention to before. 131 00:10:04,830 --> 00:10:07,630 A lot of what I feel like I'm supposed to share with you today has 132 00:10:07,630 --> 00:10:11,390 to do with personal testimony, because listen, I 133 00:10:11,390 --> 00:10:15,230 can give you the five steps to find your calling or the four 134 00:10:15,230 --> 00:10:18,850 steps to find your calling or the don't chase your calling, 135 00:10:19,524 --> 00:10:22,904 but all I can tell you is how God did it in my life. 136 00:10:23,445 --> 00:10:26,165 And then I can tell you some of the steps and some of the things 137 00:10:26,165 --> 00:10:29,925 that he used in my life. And yours may look very different, but 138 00:10:29,925 --> 00:10:33,685 my hope would be that the Holy Spirit would minister to you just as 139 00:10:33,685 --> 00:10:37,210 he ministered to me in trying to bring me to the 140 00:10:37,210 --> 00:10:41,050 place in my life where I would actually submit to what 141 00:10:41,050 --> 00:10:44,350 he had designed me to do. 142 00:10:44,890 --> 00:10:48,405 And, you know, that fancy definition 143 00:10:48,465 --> 00:10:52,225 earlier, really all it boils down to is what my mama would say. This is 144 00:10:52,225 --> 00:10:55,985 what God created you to do. This is what God created you for, 145 00:10:55,985 --> 00:10:59,825 and ultimately, it's to worship him, and ultimately, it's to follow him. 146 00:10:59,825 --> 00:11:03,300 But we gotta busy ourselves on the planet too and do the 147 00:11:03,300 --> 00:11:07,079 things that he has designed, those works that he foreordained 148 00:11:07,540 --> 00:11:11,379 for us to do in the earth. So as I 149 00:11:11,379 --> 00:11:15,214 was praying about it, I thought, Lord, when was the first 150 00:11:15,214 --> 00:11:18,975 time you began to direct me? When was the first time that I could 151 00:11:18,975 --> 00:11:22,515 honestly say you were tugging me in a specific 152 00:11:22,654 --> 00:11:26,334 direction? And I was about 11 years 153 00:11:26,334 --> 00:11:29,839 old. And for those that don't know, my parents are pastors, 154 00:11:30,060 --> 00:11:33,259 which that in and of itself makes you never want to be a pastor ever 155 00:11:33,259 --> 00:11:36,699 in your life. And, because when you're a child and you're 156 00:11:36,699 --> 00:11:39,440 immature, understanding that 157 00:11:40,075 --> 00:11:43,375 shepherding a flock costs your parents something, 158 00:11:43,915 --> 00:11:47,274 that their resources do have to be spread out about more than 159 00:11:47,274 --> 00:11:50,955 you. But so that I I I really wanted 160 00:11:50,955 --> 00:11:54,050 nothing to do with that, but I I was about 11 years old and we 161 00:11:54,050 --> 00:11:57,670 were at a church and we had a traveling youth evangelist. 162 00:11:58,450 --> 00:12:01,890 Those those three things scare you in and of itself. A 163 00:12:01,890 --> 00:12:05,650 traveling youth evangelist can mess up our youth group and then leave 164 00:12:05,650 --> 00:12:09,415 the mess to us. But, he came, 165 00:12:09,415 --> 00:12:12,714 his name was Hank Davis. Hope he's not watching. Anyway, 166 00:12:13,415 --> 00:12:16,295 he gathered us all together, and it was a weekend and we had had a 167 00:12:16,295 --> 00:12:20,135 lock in. And, he gathered us 168 00:12:20,135 --> 00:12:23,890 all together and he said, okay, guys, I believe you can hear 169 00:12:23,890 --> 00:12:27,650 from the Lord. I believe you can hear from the Lord. I know you 170 00:12:27,650 --> 00:12:30,690 trust your parents to hear from the Lord for you, but I believe you can 171 00:12:30,690 --> 00:12:34,050 hear from the Lord. So this is what I'm gonna ask you to do. I'm 172 00:12:34,050 --> 00:12:37,725 gonna ask you to take an hour by yourself and go 173 00:12:37,964 --> 00:12:41,345 that's like seven years in a teen life to 174 00:12:41,805 --> 00:12:45,565 have to go off by yourself with nobody to talk to, nothing 175 00:12:45,565 --> 00:12:49,325 for an hour. You know? But we did, and we went 176 00:12:49,325 --> 00:12:53,100 and we gathered. You know, some went downstairs, some went over here, and people 177 00:12:53,100 --> 00:12:56,940 found corners or or whatever, and we prayed as best 178 00:12:56,940 --> 00:13:00,400 we knew to pray. And he had specifically 179 00:13:00,620 --> 00:13:04,300 said, ask the Lord to show you what he has planned 180 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:08,135 for your life. Ask the Lord to show you what your calling might be, what 181 00:13:08,135 --> 00:13:11,894 you might be destined to do. And, and so 182 00:13:11,894 --> 00:13:15,595 we all did. And in about an hour, we all he called us back together, 183 00:13:16,375 --> 00:13:19,334 and he started around the circle. And he said, you know, what are you called 184 00:13:19,334 --> 00:13:23,010 to do, Steven? And, of course, Steven, who played the piano 185 00:13:23,070 --> 00:13:26,830 like Mozart, said I'm called to be a worship minister. That made 186 00:13:26,830 --> 00:13:30,350 total sense. You know? Isn't it funny how when you are in a 187 00:13:30,350 --> 00:13:33,950 religious setting that somebody asked you about your calling and it 188 00:13:33,950 --> 00:13:37,475 always has to do with the church? Does that mean everybody 189 00:13:37,694 --> 00:13:41,535 out there is missing their calling? Because I am really 190 00:13:41,535 --> 00:13:45,375 glad there are plumbers and electricians and that there 191 00:13:45,375 --> 00:13:49,214 are craftsmen and people who can fix my car and, 192 00:13:49,214 --> 00:13:52,860 you know, people who walk in their 193 00:13:52,860 --> 00:13:56,620 callings just as we walk in hours. And so we're going 194 00:13:56,620 --> 00:14:00,399 around the circle and one's gonna be a missionary. And I'm thinking, girl, 195 00:14:00,460 --> 00:14:03,660 you don't even like to be outside. If you see a bug, you are out 196 00:14:03,660 --> 00:14:07,394 of here. You are not gonna be a missionary. I 197 00:14:07,394 --> 00:14:11,235 was a little cynical as an 11 year old. Anyway and so 198 00:14:11,235 --> 00:14:14,435 he gets to me and he says, Barbie, what did you see? And I said, 199 00:14:14,435 --> 00:14:18,134 I saw a platform and a pulpit. 200 00:14:18,755 --> 00:14:21,255 He said, really? I said, yeah. I'm gonna marry a pastor. 201 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,860 And so that set me on a journey to date 202 00:14:33,079 --> 00:14:36,440 no one who would ever be a pastor in their whole 203 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:38,055 life, And then I 204 00:14:42,435 --> 00:14:43,185 met Hal. 205 00:14:50,540 --> 00:14:54,300 I met him, and God began to do what only God 206 00:14:54,300 --> 00:14:54,960 can do. 207 00:14:59,420 --> 00:15:02,960 See, eternity is written on the hearts of men. Eternity 208 00:15:03,420 --> 00:15:06,805 is written on the hearts of men. That's what 209 00:15:06,805 --> 00:15:10,644 scripture says. And all of these things that start taking place in 210 00:15:10,644 --> 00:15:14,425 our life is just literally the eternity, 211 00:15:14,485 --> 00:15:18,324 the thing that you are designed and called to do, the thing that 212 00:15:18,324 --> 00:15:22,150 God etched on your soul that says there's more to this life 213 00:15:22,150 --> 00:15:25,830 than the life that I am living now that that causes you to 214 00:15:25,830 --> 00:15:29,590 go, God, I need you to show me. Well, when the 215 00:15:29,590 --> 00:15:33,110 Lord is trying to reveal something to you, you know, it's funny to me because 216 00:15:33,110 --> 00:15:36,654 I think, God was trying to show me something when I was 11 years old, 217 00:15:36,714 --> 00:15:40,555 but I didn't have the wisdom or the understanding to understand that he might 218 00:15:40,555 --> 00:15:44,015 be doing something different than what I expected him to do 219 00:15:44,235 --> 00:15:47,970 or what I wanted him to do. But as time goes on and the 220 00:15:47,970 --> 00:15:51,490 Lord increases our wisdom and increases our knowledge, we begin to 221 00:15:51,490 --> 00:15:55,170 understand the things that the Lord had maybe shown us when we were young or 222 00:15:55,170 --> 00:15:58,949 when we were whatever. But I'm telling you guys, 223 00:15:59,195 --> 00:16:03,035 from that point forward, it's like I was so hesitant in 224 00:16:03,035 --> 00:16:06,815 anything that had to do with teaching or calling or 225 00:16:07,035 --> 00:16:10,015 pastors or anything like that because 226 00:16:10,875 --> 00:16:14,350 I had a different plan. I had a different plan. 227 00:16:14,650 --> 00:16:18,490 And, I'm so glad that I listened to his plan, but it 228 00:16:18,490 --> 00:16:21,370 it took a while to get there. And I want you to know if God 229 00:16:21,370 --> 00:16:25,210 has called you to something and has set things in motion, it 230 00:16:25,210 --> 00:16:28,935 might not happen in the timing that you think it should happen, 231 00:16:29,154 --> 00:16:32,915 but God doesn't change his mind. God doesn't 232 00:16:32,915 --> 00:16:36,595 change his mind, and he always finishes what 233 00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:40,274 he starts. He always finishes what he starts. We don't, 234 00:16:40,274 --> 00:16:44,010 but he does, and I'm so grateful for that. So what he did is he 235 00:16:44,010 --> 00:16:47,790 set this thing in motion in my life where everything, 236 00:16:48,410 --> 00:16:52,029 man, everything started to touch that eternity. Everything. 237 00:16:53,610 --> 00:16:57,305 I remember sitting and watching a video of a 238 00:16:57,305 --> 00:17:01,065 pastor of a teacher, and I just remember crying and 239 00:17:01,065 --> 00:17:04,825 thinking, why does that hurt? Why does that hurt? This 240 00:17:04,825 --> 00:17:08,425 isn't even a sin message. But I found myself sitting there 241 00:17:08,425 --> 00:17:12,160 going, how did how did he 242 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:14,900 come up with that? How did he get there? 243 00:17:15,919 --> 00:17:19,359 God, what did you do? I've studied that same passage of 244 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:23,204 scripture before and that is not at all what I got. And I would 245 00:17:23,204 --> 00:17:25,785 just be challenged and I would think, 246 00:17:26,804 --> 00:17:30,325 God, that it was it was as if they were 247 00:17:30,325 --> 00:17:34,164 running their fingernails down the the eternity that was 248 00:17:34,164 --> 00:17:37,970 written in my soul, leaving gouge marks that 249 00:17:37,970 --> 00:17:41,810 weren't gonna go away, fully awakening that thing. And let me tell 250 00:17:41,810 --> 00:17:45,650 you something. When God has called you to something, that's gonna happen to 251 00:17:45,650 --> 00:17:49,365 you over and over and over again to the point that it 252 00:17:49,365 --> 00:17:53,205 will frustrate you. If you are called to be a teacher and you are listening 253 00:17:53,205 --> 00:17:56,965 to somebody teach you, it will frustrate you because there's something in 254 00:17:56,965 --> 00:17:59,545 you that knows that's what you're supposed to be doing. 255 00:18:00,805 --> 00:18:04,185 And you're like, Lord Jesus. And so that eternity 256 00:18:04,990 --> 00:18:08,590 on my heart begin to get, challenged. It 257 00:18:08,590 --> 00:18:11,890 begin to do that. And to me, that's that is the equivalent 258 00:18:11,950 --> 00:18:15,789 of deep calling to deep. You ever just get 259 00:18:15,789 --> 00:18:19,570 around somebody and everything in you testifies? 260 00:18:20,305 --> 00:18:24,065 It's like this wavelength that you get on together in the 261 00:18:24,065 --> 00:18:27,685 spirit, and it's the the eternity in their hearts and the calling, 262 00:18:27,745 --> 00:18:31,185 and it's touching yours, and everything in you is waking up 263 00:18:31,185 --> 00:18:34,325 and and whether you want it to or not. 264 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:39,140 And I love that God uses things in that way. 265 00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:42,180 I can't remember what I put up here. 266 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:48,240 God uses God 267 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:51,835 uses familiar voices to speak to the eternity 268 00:18:52,455 --> 00:18:56,135 on your heart. Now, I found it 269 00:18:56,135 --> 00:18:59,015 interesting that every time God called, 270 00:18:59,495 --> 00:19:03,255 Samuel, he went to Eli because that was the voice of 271 00:19:03,255 --> 00:19:06,760 authority. That was the spiritual covering that he had. 272 00:19:06,820 --> 00:19:10,500 And let me tell you something, guys. I don't think it is a stretch 273 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:14,100 by any means to go. A lot of times, the voice of 274 00:19:14,100 --> 00:19:17,720 authority in your life that God uses is the one that's very familiar, 275 00:19:18,455 --> 00:19:22,075 very familiar. For me, there were two 276 00:19:22,375 --> 00:19:26,135 that really changed my world, and that was Jeannie Gibson and 277 00:19:26,135 --> 00:19:29,975 Ronnie Mink. And, they were 278 00:19:29,975 --> 00:19:33,820 both just such strong voices in my 279 00:19:33,820 --> 00:19:36,640 life. And and the first time I remember, 280 00:19:40,940 --> 00:19:44,555 I was fine with serving in the church. I 281 00:19:44,555 --> 00:19:48,395 was fine with organizing events. I 282 00:19:48,395 --> 00:19:52,095 was fine with doing women's ministry or playing piano. 283 00:19:52,555 --> 00:19:56,235 I was fine with all of those things. I just didn't wanna go 284 00:19:56,235 --> 00:20:00,060 any deeper. I wanted to attend and I didn't wanna go 285 00:20:00,060 --> 00:20:03,840 any deeper, but somehow I went somehow. Somehow, 286 00:20:04,380 --> 00:20:07,900 I wound up with me and Jeannie Gibson and another woman that were and we 287 00:20:07,900 --> 00:20:11,445 were leading women's ministries. And can I tell you something? When you are 288 00:20:11,445 --> 00:20:15,205 being disobedient to the Lord, everything makes you mad. When 289 00:20:15,205 --> 00:20:18,725 you are being disobedient to the Lord, everything steps on your 290 00:20:18,725 --> 00:20:22,180 toes and you step on everybody's toes. You get 291 00:20:22,180 --> 00:20:25,940 offended. You get angry. You think they should be doing that this way, 292 00:20:25,940 --> 00:20:29,700 and really, you're the one that God is trying to deal with. At 293 00:20:29,700 --> 00:20:31,560 least that's what I've heard. Anyway 294 00:20:33,460 --> 00:20:37,255 and so we were the three of us were having a little bit 295 00:20:37,255 --> 00:20:41,095 of a conflict because I wanted to run things my way. I 296 00:20:41,095 --> 00:20:44,615 know that's a shock. I wanted to run things my way, and they were had 297 00:20:44,615 --> 00:20:48,375 the other things. And pastor Ronnie called us into his office. Do you remember 298 00:20:48,375 --> 00:20:51,900 this? Did you? 299 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,340 Confirmation. Anyway, he said 300 00:20:55,640 --> 00:20:59,020 he he called us into his office. It's like getting called into the principal's 301 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,840 office, you know? And he scoots three chairs over in 302 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,255 front of himself, and he's sitting here, and he was like, 303 00:21:07,215 --> 00:21:09,715 Okay, ladies. And I'm like, Oh. 304 00:21:11,055 --> 00:21:14,895 He said, I wanna he said, You are not in competition with each 305 00:21:14,895 --> 00:21:18,415 other. And he shared a little bit more, and then he looked at 306 00:21:18,415 --> 00:21:21,520 Mary, and he said, Mary, your gift 307 00:21:21,820 --> 00:21:25,580 is encouragement. Your gift is encouragement, so 308 00:21:25,580 --> 00:21:29,260 you need to encourage. And then he looked at Jeannie, and he said, 309 00:21:29,260 --> 00:21:33,044 Jeannie, your gift is hospitality, and 310 00:21:33,044 --> 00:21:36,745 you need to use that gift to serve the ladies in this body. 311 00:21:36,804 --> 00:21:39,865 And he said, And, Barbie, you are a teacher. 312 00:21:41,044 --> 00:21:43,544 And, man, 313 00:21:44,965 --> 00:21:48,740 it was like somebody gut punched me. I mean, 314 00:21:48,740 --> 00:21:52,179 it it just was, and because 315 00:21:52,179 --> 00:21:55,960 sometimes when truth hits, truth hits. Emphasis 316 00:21:56,019 --> 00:21:59,320 on the word hits. When truth hits, it hits. 317 00:21:59,779 --> 00:22:03,625 And, you know, I I thought about that, and he I remember him 318 00:22:03,625 --> 00:22:07,304 saying, listen. Your gifts are supposed to work 319 00:22:07,304 --> 00:22:10,765 in tandem. They're supposed to work in tandem. 320 00:22:11,065 --> 00:22:14,820 And if you will do that, the ministry will flourish. Quit 321 00:22:14,820 --> 00:22:18,260 competing with each other. But all I heard was, you are a 322 00:22:18,260 --> 00:22:20,340 teacher. Anyway, and, 323 00:22:22,580 --> 00:22:25,940 I am very sure that Mary and Jeannie left that 324 00:22:25,940 --> 00:22:29,684 building, left his office with so much peace. And I had 325 00:22:29,684 --> 00:22:32,985 to go find a corner somewhere and cry for a little bit. 326 00:22:33,765 --> 00:22:37,524 But it was okay. It was good, and it confirmed in my spirit all 327 00:22:37,524 --> 00:22:41,365 the things that I didn't want confirmed. And so I 328 00:22:41,365 --> 00:22:43,625 rushed immediately. No, I didn't. 329 00:22:45,809 --> 00:22:49,410 So about it was probably a year later, and we're in that other 330 00:22:49,410 --> 00:22:53,169 sanctuary, and we're having a women's meeting. And, you know, it's 331 00:22:53,169 --> 00:22:56,289 been a good day. I've led a women's meeting. It's been a good day. And 332 00:22:56,289 --> 00:22:59,669 I start to leave, and Jeannie Gibson gives it one of these 333 00:23:00,274 --> 00:23:03,955 right into the aisle way where I'm going. And she looks at me and she 334 00:23:03,955 --> 00:23:07,315 says, how long will you reject the 335 00:23:07,315 --> 00:23:07,815 mantle? 336 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:16,200 How long will you reject the mantle? And the smart, elegant me 337 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:18,620 went, how long have I got? But I didn't 338 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,100 but I didn't say it, and that was two. 339 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:27,565 That was two. And I was like, okay, God. I 340 00:23:27,565 --> 00:23:31,185 hear you. I hear you, Lord. 341 00:23:35,805 --> 00:23:37,985 I heard him, but I didn't obey him. 342 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:42,880 And sometimes when the natural is not 343 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,720 working, God can go supernatural. He can do something in 344 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:50,400 your life that can go, oh, really? Now she's asleep. Let's talk to 345 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,995 her here. And, that's exactly what 346 00:23:53,995 --> 00:23:57,535 happened, exactly what happened to me. 347 00:23:57,915 --> 00:24:01,295 And, I went to sleep one night, and 348 00:24:02,315 --> 00:24:06,015 I had this dream. And it and in this dream, 349 00:24:06,310 --> 00:24:09,690 I was running down the hallways at this church, which was not unusual 350 00:24:09,830 --> 00:24:13,670 because we do that a lot here. And I was running down the 351 00:24:13,670 --> 00:24:17,430 hallways in this church, and I had an armful of clothes, and 352 00:24:17,430 --> 00:24:20,630 I knew that I was supposed to change clothes. And, 353 00:24:22,635 --> 00:24:25,515 as I was running, trying to get where I needed to be, I didn't know 354 00:24:25,515 --> 00:24:27,835 where I needed to be, but I knew I was going somewhere and that there 355 00:24:27,835 --> 00:24:31,355 was a time limit. And as I ran down this 356 00:24:31,355 --> 00:24:34,970 hallway with his clothes in my hand, I saw pastor 357 00:24:35,030 --> 00:24:38,710 Ronnie, and he was standing in the doorway of 358 00:24:38,710 --> 00:24:42,309 what we now call the mail room. And he was 359 00:24:42,309 --> 00:24:45,370 standing in the doorway, and there was this large, 360 00:24:45,750 --> 00:24:49,375 tall man standing in that doorway, and pastor 361 00:24:49,375 --> 00:24:52,895 Ronnie was on the outside of it, and he had his arms hooked under that 362 00:24:52,895 --> 00:24:56,515 man. And the man was just kinda bending over, 363 00:24:56,655 --> 00:24:59,315 and as I was trying to run past, 364 00:25:00,415 --> 00:25:04,110 pastor Ronnie turned and he said, can you be 365 00:25:04,110 --> 00:25:07,630 instant in season? Can you be instant in 366 00:25:07,630 --> 00:25:11,250 season? And I said, yes, sir. Yes, sir. I can. 367 00:25:11,790 --> 00:25:15,630 And he said, get over here. I need you to help me take this 368 00:25:15,630 --> 00:25:19,145 weight. And I went under the man's arm into the 369 00:25:19,305 --> 00:25:22,605 what's the mail room now, and I got behind him, 370 00:25:22,985 --> 00:25:26,665 and, pastor Ronnie was still holding him, and I and I put 371 00:25:26,665 --> 00:25:29,645 my arms there to try and hold him. And 372 00:25:31,300 --> 00:25:35,060 pastor Ronnie said, Can you take that weight? And I said, Yes, 373 00:25:35,060 --> 00:25:38,820 sir. And he started to let a little bit go, and when he did, man, 374 00:25:38,820 --> 00:25:42,500 my feet started sliding. They just started sliding, and 375 00:25:42,500 --> 00:25:45,975 he looked across that shoulder and in one of his stern voices and if any 376 00:25:45,975 --> 00:25:49,435 of you have ever experienced one of his stern voices, 377 00:25:49,735 --> 00:25:53,255 you do pay attention when he does that. They're very, 378 00:25:53,255 --> 00:25:57,015 very rare, and you know that he means business. And he looked across 379 00:25:57,015 --> 00:26:00,820 it, and he said, I need you to take this weight. And 380 00:26:00,820 --> 00:26:04,660 I said, let me plant my feet. And I planted my feet, and 381 00:26:04,660 --> 00:26:08,260 I changed my position, and I tucked into the to the 382 00:26:08,260 --> 00:26:11,880 back of that man. And when pastor, Ronnie 383 00:26:11,940 --> 00:26:15,720 started, pushing or starting to release some of the weight, 384 00:26:16,515 --> 00:26:20,195 I could carry it. I could carry it, but the man 385 00:26:20,195 --> 00:26:24,035 just started to slump a little bit. And this time in the dream, I 386 00:26:24,035 --> 00:26:27,235 looked across the shoulder of the man and I looked at Pastor Ronnie and I 387 00:26:27,235 --> 00:26:29,735 said, will you release me? 388 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:38,520 You, man, a prayer language hit me. And when this prayer 389 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:42,280 language hit me and I put my hands on that man's 390 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:45,945 back and that man stood upright and the 391 00:26:45,945 --> 00:26:49,705 Holy Spirit just began to minister to this man, 392 00:26:49,705 --> 00:26:53,385 and just strength came. And I 393 00:26:53,385 --> 00:26:57,065 turned around and I looked. I stuck my head through, and I could see 394 00:26:57,065 --> 00:27:00,505 pastor Ronnie. He was down the hallway, and he was ministering to 395 00:27:00,505 --> 00:27:04,250 people, and he was loving on them and he was hugging them 396 00:27:04,250 --> 00:27:08,010 and he was praying with them and he was encouraging them. He was 397 00:27:08,010 --> 00:27:11,850 shepherding them. He was shepherding them. And the 398 00:27:11,850 --> 00:27:15,565 Holy Spirit spoke to me and it became so clear 399 00:27:15,784 --> 00:27:19,465 that the man he was holding up in the doorway was the 400 00:27:19,465 --> 00:27:22,845 body. The man he was holding up and trying to support 401 00:27:23,144 --> 00:27:26,809 was the body of Christ that he was given charge to. 402 00:27:27,030 --> 00:27:30,630 And there was something about that, guys. I'm telling you. Something 403 00:27:30,630 --> 00:27:33,850 clicked on the inside of me when I thought, Lord, 404 00:27:34,710 --> 00:27:38,470 I need to do this so that he can do what he has been called 405 00:27:38,470 --> 00:27:42,215 to do. And then all of a sudden in my spirit, I 406 00:27:42,215 --> 00:27:46,055 understood calling for the first time. It was never 407 00:27:46,055 --> 00:27:49,895 about me. It was never about what I could do. It was 408 00:27:49,895 --> 00:27:53,655 never about any of that. It was about ministering to the body of 409 00:27:53,655 --> 00:27:57,380 Christ and supporting one another so that everybody else can go and do what 410 00:27:57,380 --> 00:28:00,740 they have been called to do. See, your calling is not 411 00:28:00,740 --> 00:28:03,640 about you. I missed that somehow. 412 00:28:04,820 --> 00:28:08,580 But in that moment, to watch the joy on 413 00:28:08,580 --> 00:28:12,115 his face as he was doing what God called him to 414 00:28:12,115 --> 00:28:15,015 do gave me the most tremendous 415 00:28:15,555 --> 00:28:18,455 peace to go, God, this is absolutely 416 00:28:19,555 --> 00:28:23,250 what I want to do, whatever it looks like, whatever it feels like, 417 00:28:23,250 --> 00:28:27,010 whatever it sounds like, whatever is required in it, God. I 418 00:28:27,010 --> 00:28:30,770 wanna do this so he can do that. And if we 419 00:28:30,770 --> 00:28:34,610 can get in that mindset and begin to understand that our gifts 420 00:28:34,610 --> 00:28:38,285 and our callings and the things that God has designed us to do 421 00:28:38,285 --> 00:28:41,965 have everything to do with everybody else. And God's just 422 00:28:41,965 --> 00:28:44,545 going, can you be that support? 423 00:28:45,405 --> 00:28:49,085 And every position from the top 424 00:28:49,085 --> 00:28:52,470 to the bottom is a support position, 425 00:28:53,330 --> 00:28:57,170 every position, because that's what we do in the body 426 00:28:57,170 --> 00:29:00,550 of Christ. It changed everything for me. 427 00:29:00,850 --> 00:29:04,355 And twenty two years later, is still changing 428 00:29:04,355 --> 00:29:05,495 things for me. 429 00:29:08,835 --> 00:29:12,674 He will use supernatural means if he wants to. Now here's the 430 00:29:12,674 --> 00:29:16,514 kicker on this, guys. I walked out of that space and out 431 00:29:16,514 --> 00:29:20,280 of that place, and I went, God, I hear you. I 432 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,820 get it. Absolutely, Lord. I wanna do that, 433 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,520 but I'm not gonna talk to him. Lord, if you really 434 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,355 want me to do that, you're gonna have to talk to pastor Ronnie, and 435 00:29:32,355 --> 00:29:35,795 I'm not gonna approach it. Because let me tell you something, the moment you seek 436 00:29:35,795 --> 00:29:37,495 a position, you lose it. 437 00:29:39,635 --> 00:29:43,175 Most of the time when you don't want one, that's when you get it. Anyway, 438 00:29:45,210 --> 00:29:48,330 but I did. I said, lord, I'm not I'm not going to him with this. 439 00:29:48,330 --> 00:29:51,850 I'm not gonna do that. That just lord, I know what you've done in my 440 00:29:51,850 --> 00:29:55,530 spirit. Now if you do something else here, lord, I'm I'm 441 00:29:55,530 --> 00:29:58,970 with you, whatever you wanna do. Well, he 442 00:29:58,970 --> 00:30:01,735 listened. And literally 443 00:30:02,914 --> 00:30:06,514 forty eight hours later, forty eight hours later, I 444 00:30:06,514 --> 00:30:10,195 didn't even have time to get all of the, are you sure Jesus is 445 00:30:10,195 --> 00:30:13,850 out of my system? But anyway, forty eight hours later, I'm 446 00:30:13,850 --> 00:30:17,690 down here in the church office and pastor Ronnie steps out of his 447 00:30:17,690 --> 00:30:21,370 office and he says, hey, Barbie, can I see you for a minute? No. And, 448 00:30:22,730 --> 00:30:25,929 and I and I walk in and I'm telling you guys, I had not told 449 00:30:25,929 --> 00:30:29,565 anybody any of this. None of it. Nobody knew. I hadn't even told 450 00:30:29,565 --> 00:30:33,325 Hal, and I tell him everything. Hadn't told him 451 00:30:33,325 --> 00:30:36,365 anything, and pastor Ronnie, I go in and I sit down in his office, and 452 00:30:36,365 --> 00:30:38,465 he says, Barbie, what's God been telling you? 453 00:30:41,710 --> 00:30:43,409 I don't know. What have you heard? 454 00:30:48,590 --> 00:30:52,190 Oh, nothing. What's God been 455 00:30:52,190 --> 00:30:55,169 telling you? What's God been telling you? 456 00:30:57,855 --> 00:31:01,695 And I told him part of it, but 457 00:31:01,695 --> 00:31:05,055 not all of it. And what was interesting to 458 00:31:05,055 --> 00:31:08,895 me is that, like, the week prior, the elders had 459 00:31:08,895 --> 00:31:12,500 met, and they had decided that pastor Roni needed help, and 460 00:31:12,500 --> 00:31:16,260 nobody told me that. And, and then he had walked in his 461 00:31:16,260 --> 00:31:20,100 garden, and while he was walking going, God, I don't know who this person 462 00:31:20,100 --> 00:31:23,815 is that the elders think that I need, and the Lord 463 00:31:23,815 --> 00:31:27,575 gave him my name. Nobody told me that either. Otherwise, I might 464 00:31:27,575 --> 00:31:31,095 not have stepped so easily into his office. But here's the 465 00:31:31,095 --> 00:31:34,855 thing, guys, God is so able to put you 466 00:31:34,855 --> 00:31:38,430 where you need to be. You don't have to pursue a 467 00:31:38,430 --> 00:31:41,650 calling. You don't have to pursue a destination. 468 00:31:42,430 --> 00:31:46,130 You pursue him. If you delight yourself 469 00:31:46,190 --> 00:31:49,330 in him, he will give you the desires 470 00:31:49,975 --> 00:31:53,654 of your heart. And that doesn't mean, you know, I'm 471 00:31:53,654 --> 00:31:57,014 gonna get that roller coaster in my backyard. It just 472 00:31:57,014 --> 00:32:00,855 means he changes and shifts the desires of 473 00:32:00,855 --> 00:32:04,695 your heart if you will delight yourself in him. So yes, the 474 00:32:04,695 --> 00:32:08,490 one thing you need is him. The one 475 00:32:08,490 --> 00:32:10,429 thing you need is him. 476 00:32:12,090 --> 00:32:15,549 I'm struck by the fact that he spoke to me in the night watches, 477 00:32:16,010 --> 00:32:19,605 and I'm struck by the fact that he speaks when 478 00:32:19,605 --> 00:32:23,305 you get still and set your heart to listen. 479 00:32:24,165 --> 00:32:28,005 That's what he did. Every time Eli told Samuel, go back and lay down. 480 00:32:28,005 --> 00:32:31,445 Go back and lay down. Go back and lay down. And then when the lord 481 00:32:31,445 --> 00:32:34,345 speaks, just say, speak, lord, your servant's listening. 482 00:32:35,260 --> 00:32:38,860 Sometimes we are not still enough to listen. We are so 483 00:32:38,860 --> 00:32:42,620 busy and we are so caught up and and we just don't get still 484 00:32:42,620 --> 00:32:46,380 enough to listen, and that's actually why I'm excited about the women's retreat 485 00:32:46,380 --> 00:32:50,095 this year because it has everything to do about getting still and 486 00:32:50,095 --> 00:32:53,875 being quiet before the Lord and trusting him to speak to us. 487 00:32:54,815 --> 00:32:58,255 But if you will get silent and you will spend some 488 00:32:58,255 --> 00:33:01,750 time with him, He will speak to you. 489 00:33:02,130 --> 00:33:03,429 He will give you clarity. 490 00:33:08,049 --> 00:33:11,730 Here's where I got hung up. Sometimes the Lord will speak through 491 00:33:11,730 --> 00:33:15,575 gifts and talents and specific 492 00:33:15,575 --> 00:33:19,415 anointings, but not always. But not 493 00:33:19,415 --> 00:33:23,035 always. See, when I moved here, I was a songwriter in Nashville, 494 00:33:23,815 --> 00:33:27,335 and I thought, this is what I'm supposed to do, even though I didn't like 495 00:33:27,335 --> 00:33:30,970 it. This is what I'm supposed to do, but I 496 00:33:30,970 --> 00:33:34,570 think sometimes God uses your gifts and your talents and your abilities to 497 00:33:34,570 --> 00:33:38,170 move you to the place where he is actually going to use 498 00:33:38,170 --> 00:33:41,850 other gifts and abilities and talents that you don't even know you have 499 00:33:41,850 --> 00:33:45,685 yet. You know what? And it's not that he did away with the 500 00:33:45,685 --> 00:33:49,365 things that brought me here. He's been he's incorporated those into the 501 00:33:49,365 --> 00:33:52,885 things that he's actually called me to, and the reason I say 502 00:33:52,885 --> 00:33:56,450 that is don't make assumptions about what your 503 00:33:56,450 --> 00:33:59,990 calling is based on how well you sing, how well you teach, 504 00:34:00,210 --> 00:34:04,050 how well you dance, how how well you write poetry. Don't 505 00:34:04,050 --> 00:34:07,830 make assumptions on that. You have a God who is much bigger than your abilities. 506 00:34:08,355 --> 00:34:12,034 He is much bigger than your abilities. And living in Nashville, there's, 507 00:34:12,034 --> 00:34:15,815 like, I think the latest statistic was 2,400,000,000 508 00:34:16,034 --> 00:34:17,815 songwriters and singers. 509 00:34:20,930 --> 00:34:24,310 But you know what, guys? That may not be the thing he chooses to use, 510 00:34:24,690 --> 00:34:28,530 and I'm so glad that it wasn't. That is not the world that 511 00:34:28,530 --> 00:34:32,150 he wanted me in, and I'm so grateful that it wasn't. 512 00:34:32,290 --> 00:34:35,815 And I'm so glad I didn't pursue it beyond where God said 513 00:34:35,815 --> 00:34:39,495 no. Thank you, Lord, for the no. I'm gonna go 514 00:34:39,495 --> 00:34:43,255 write that right under her words. Thank you for the times that 515 00:34:43,255 --> 00:34:45,755 you said no. And here's the thing, guys. 516 00:34:47,255 --> 00:34:51,080 Until that time comes when you know for sure, 517 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:54,760 for sure, for sure this exact thing that you were supposed to do with your 518 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:57,560 life, the thing that you were gonna go to, can I give you a couple 519 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:00,460 of ideas? What about this? 520 00:35:04,855 --> 00:35:08,535 You shall love one another. You shall love one 521 00:35:08,535 --> 00:35:12,375 another. You shall love your God with all of your heart and your 522 00:35:12,375 --> 00:35:15,035 soul and your mind and your strength. 523 00:35:16,100 --> 00:35:19,480 That's what you're called to do right now. Love him. 524 00:35:20,020 --> 00:35:22,440 Love him. Love him. 525 00:35:23,940 --> 00:35:26,600 Do justly. Love mercy. 526 00:35:27,780 --> 00:35:31,625 Walk humbly with your God. You can do that today. And 527 00:35:31,625 --> 00:35:34,825 every time you do it, you're gonna grow. And every time you do it, you're 528 00:35:34,825 --> 00:35:38,265 gonna mature in your faith. Do these things that the Lord has 529 00:35:38,265 --> 00:35:40,925 already made clear to everyone. 530 00:35:43,430 --> 00:35:46,230 Read this one 531 00:35:47,710 --> 00:35:50,190 to me. 532 00:35:51,670 --> 00:35:55,210 Love one another. Love one another. Love one another. Let's do one more. 533 00:36:06,155 --> 00:36:09,690 That's a whole list of stuff you can do right now until you find out 534 00:36:09,690 --> 00:36:13,290 if you're gonna be a plumber or a teacher or an orator or a 535 00:36:13,290 --> 00:36:17,130 veterinarian or a pastor or a teacher. Until he 536 00:36:17,130 --> 00:36:20,970 reveals those things to you, you got a whole lot of things you 537 00:36:20,970 --> 00:36:24,625 can pour into and allow God to grow you. Just to allow God 538 00:36:24,625 --> 00:36:28,404 to grow you, I'm so grateful that he does this. 539 00:36:29,345 --> 00:36:32,464 Here's one of the things that struck me, and I'm getting ready to close this 540 00:36:32,464 --> 00:36:36,224 out. One of the things that struck me is 541 00:36:36,224 --> 00:36:39,780 when you talk about calling, the word 542 00:36:39,780 --> 00:36:43,480 vocation always comes up. Right? This is what I'm gonna do. 543 00:36:43,780 --> 00:36:47,300 This is gonna be my vocation, and I'm it's gonna 544 00:36:47,300 --> 00:36:50,840 encompass, you know, the people that I live with. It's gonna involve 545 00:36:50,900 --> 00:36:53,880 community. It's gonna be all this, and it's gonna be my vocation. 546 00:36:54,340 --> 00:36:57,934 And it literally, vocare 547 00:36:58,234 --> 00:37:01,914 literally means calling, vocation, but the 548 00:37:01,914 --> 00:37:04,974 root comes from the word voice. 549 00:37:06,075 --> 00:37:09,710 Voice, to vocalize, could mean to sing, 550 00:37:09,930 --> 00:37:13,450 could mean to say, could mean to preach. But here's the thing. It 551 00:37:13,450 --> 00:37:17,290 literally means when you step into 552 00:37:17,290 --> 00:37:20,925 that thing that God has designed you for, those places 553 00:37:20,925 --> 00:37:24,525 that he has called you to be, the things that he has called you to 554 00:37:24,525 --> 00:37:28,145 do, you finally find your voice. 555 00:37:28,925 --> 00:37:32,285 You finally write your song. You 556 00:37:32,285 --> 00:37:35,830 begin to speak. Your life begins to speak, 557 00:37:36,210 --> 00:37:39,750 and you begin to grab hold of the voice 558 00:37:40,050 --> 00:37:43,810 that he's given you. And I just have this thing in my spirit, man, 559 00:37:43,810 --> 00:37:47,505 that I can just see every single person walking along here on 560 00:37:47,505 --> 00:37:51,205 this little planet with their voice, 561 00:37:51,665 --> 00:37:55,285 with their song being lifted. It's a symphony. 562 00:37:55,585 --> 00:37:58,940 And I have to tell you that it lifts toward the father 563 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:02,760 as you begin to walk in his path for 564 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:06,440 you. So often I know that my voice in 565 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:10,280 that symphony was the one that was singing off key. I know that 566 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:14,055 I was the one playing in the wrong key, because I didn't 567 00:38:14,055 --> 00:38:17,595 want to take this path that God had laid 568 00:38:17,735 --> 00:38:21,335 for this voice. But when you 569 00:38:21,335 --> 00:38:24,235 do, guys, you join a symphony 570 00:38:24,855 --> 00:38:28,630 unlike anything that you could ever encounter. There's camaraderie and 571 00:38:28,630 --> 00:38:32,010 there's peace and there's Holy Ghost and there's leading 572 00:38:32,390 --> 00:38:35,990 and there is direction and there is 573 00:38:35,990 --> 00:38:39,610 purpose. When he calls you, 574 00:38:40,070 --> 00:38:43,454 whether it's through familiar voices or whether it's through the 575 00:38:43,454 --> 00:38:47,234 supernatural, or whether it's through a dream, or what whatever, 576 00:38:48,734 --> 00:38:51,474 say yes. Say yes, 577 00:38:52,414 --> 00:38:54,035 and let the song begin. 578 00:38:56,250 --> 00:38:59,770 The Lord reminded me when he called 579 00:38:59,770 --> 00:39:02,510 me, after I stopped fighting, 580 00:39:03,770 --> 00:39:05,150 he gave me this poem. 581 00:39:07,745 --> 00:39:11,425 And it says my hope, and I remember this, I 582 00:39:11,425 --> 00:39:15,185 remember feeling like this because I wouldn't let go. 583 00:39:15,185 --> 00:39:18,545 And he said, my hope is fading swift my Lord, how can 584 00:39:18,545 --> 00:39:22,370 I, the standard meet? Just not too far 585 00:39:22,370 --> 00:39:25,830 to climb my child, when you're sitting at my feet. 586 00:39:26,850 --> 00:39:30,210 Lofty thoughts soon come to heal and troubled minds find 587 00:39:30,210 --> 00:39:33,590 rest. When lying close to hear your heart resound, 588 00:39:34,365 --> 00:39:37,965 just do your best. But Lord, my best has 589 00:39:37,965 --> 00:39:41,725 never been acceptable this far. And he said, you've you've sought the wrong 590 00:39:41,725 --> 00:39:45,185 opinions, child. You are fine just as you are. 591 00:39:46,285 --> 00:39:49,960 More than I have created, child do not strive to be. The anointing 592 00:39:51,059 --> 00:39:54,359 flows easily. It is a gift from me. 593 00:39:55,059 --> 00:39:58,359 If what you do seems difficult beyond this peace of mind, 594 00:39:58,740 --> 00:40:02,420 search your heart for motives true and your answers that you 595 00:40:02,420 --> 00:40:06,225 will find. For what I've placed within you flows directly from my 596 00:40:06,225 --> 00:40:10,065 throne, the ease with which you translate, tells if the source 597 00:40:10,065 --> 00:40:13,665 is me alone. So dear 598 00:40:13,665 --> 00:40:17,220 child, let rivers run and let my spirit be swift 599 00:40:17,220 --> 00:40:21,060 spread upon the wounded crying soul that you will touch in 600 00:40:21,060 --> 00:40:24,500 my stead. Be tendered by emotions that at times will 601 00:40:24,500 --> 00:40:27,940 overwhelm. Listen to the spirit's heart and discern the 602 00:40:27,940 --> 00:40:31,715 soulish realm. Call white as white and black as black, no 603 00:40:31,715 --> 00:40:35,315 grays your eyes will see, for quite distinctive is the 604 00:40:35,315 --> 00:40:39,155 difference between this world and me. There's a 605 00:40:39,155 --> 00:40:42,690 counterfeit to meet each circumstance and you're sure to face. 606 00:40:43,230 --> 00:40:46,910 Look to me, to wisdom grant, and depend 607 00:40:46,910 --> 00:40:50,750 upon my grace. Speak what you hear and 608 00:40:50,750 --> 00:40:54,190 see of me. No words from others speak. Be 609 00:40:54,190 --> 00:40:57,865 careful of the sinful pride, and make sure that it's me you 610 00:40:57,865 --> 00:41:01,645 seek. For much I give into your hands. 611 00:41:02,424 --> 00:41:06,265 This call a price will pay. But with it comes 612 00:41:06,265 --> 00:41:09,865 greatest reward, and it will all be yours someday. For now 613 00:41:09,865 --> 00:41:13,260 though, heart be quite content to seek my face and grow. 614 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:17,400 Patience learn and peace do plant, and mind all seeds you 615 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:20,920 sow. Expect the least expected, for you 616 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:24,599 know not this place. You've cried for it, fought hard for it, but 617 00:41:24,599 --> 00:41:28,395 you've never seen it twice. Surprised my child, surprise 618 00:41:28,395 --> 00:41:31,755 I bring your heart once more, it's true. But you cannot even 619 00:41:31,755 --> 00:41:35,355 fathom the plans I have for you. My 620 00:41:35,355 --> 00:41:39,055 thoughts are so much higher than what you could yet perceive. 621 00:41:39,755 --> 00:41:43,580 I ask but one concession, child. You must 622 00:41:43,580 --> 00:41:46,800 just believe. Believe me when the circumstance 623 00:41:47,180 --> 00:41:50,700 just says this cannot be true. Believe me, 624 00:41:50,700 --> 00:41:54,380 child. Then stand back and see what your 625 00:41:54,380 --> 00:41:57,964 God can do. For you have been 626 00:41:58,665 --> 00:42:02,045 commissioned. You have been called. 627 00:42:11,210 --> 00:42:15,050 Samuel is told we find this passage. It 628 00:42:15,050 --> 00:42:18,570 just tells us that Samuel grew. It just tells us that 629 00:42:18,570 --> 00:42:22,085 Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and not one of his words was 630 00:42:22,085 --> 00:42:25,684 allowed to fall to the ground. And then I love the last 631 00:42:25,684 --> 00:42:29,444 portion. It says that God continued to reveal 632 00:42:29,444 --> 00:42:33,045 himself to Samuel and Shiloh. He continued to 633 00:42:33,045 --> 00:42:35,070 reveal himself through his 634 00:42:37,150 --> 00:42:38,770 word. Until you know what? 635 00:42:41,310 --> 00:42:44,530 Until you know, just grow. 636 00:42:45,470 --> 00:42:48,770 Just grow. Allow him to reveal himself 637 00:42:49,615 --> 00:42:52,035 to you in a place of peace. 638 00:42:53,375 --> 00:42:57,055 Just grow. Father God, I thank you so 639 00:42:57,055 --> 00:43:00,115 much. I thank you so much 640 00:43:00,895 --> 00:43:04,530 again, Lord, for your persistence, for your 641 00:43:04,690 --> 00:43:08,290 faithfulness, the way you love, the way you 642 00:43:08,290 --> 00:43:12,050 never give up. May we all know 643 00:43:12,050 --> 00:43:15,730 your voice. May we listen, and may we 644 00:43:15,730 --> 00:43:18,550 obey father. In Jesus name, 645 00:43:19,250 --> 00:43:19,750 amen. 646 00:43:24,112 --> 00:43:24,612 Amen.