1 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:10,240 Well, good morning Spring House, and good morning to those joining 2 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:14,080 us online. We're glad that you're joining us. You know I was saying in 3 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,595 the early gathering, I'm so grateful for a church who 4 00:00:17,595 --> 00:00:21,375 does, consider those in need. It's so wonderful 5 00:00:21,915 --> 00:00:25,455 and supernatural really to see how the Lord blesses and uses 6 00:00:25,835 --> 00:00:29,055 the dollars for a need, people in need and how he stretches 7 00:00:30,390 --> 00:00:34,070 those funds for people who really are indeed in 8 00:00:34,070 --> 00:00:37,830 need. And so I just wanna thank you guys for your generosity, your 9 00:00:37,830 --> 00:00:41,350 intentionality in remembering that. The word 10 00:00:41,350 --> 00:00:44,975 tells us that when we give to the poor, we lend 11 00:00:44,975 --> 00:00:48,195 to the Lord, and I believe God 12 00:00:48,415 --> 00:00:51,555 is, He just so knows how to use 13 00:00:52,655 --> 00:00:56,175 the resources coming in in such a powerful way, in a way better than we 14 00:00:56,175 --> 00:00:59,910 could even imagine. And so thank you guys for, being 15 00:00:59,910 --> 00:01:03,670 intentional with that. Before we get going here, just 16 00:01:03,670 --> 00:01:07,350 a couple of things. We are in summer, believe it or 17 00:01:07,350 --> 00:01:11,190 not. It's here. And, and so we are not going 18 00:01:11,190 --> 00:01:14,445 to have midweek gatherings in the summer. We typically take 19 00:01:15,245 --> 00:01:18,765 the summer off in our traditional, scheduling on 20 00:01:18,765 --> 00:01:22,445 Thursday night, so in the month of June and July we will not have our 21 00:01:22,445 --> 00:01:26,285 traditional midweek gathering, but I do encourage you to continue to be 22 00:01:26,285 --> 00:01:30,070 plugged in to the ministries at the church. Pursuit's got 23 00:01:30,070 --> 00:01:33,790 a homeroom derby coming up, Bloom is gonna continue to meet, 24 00:01:33,790 --> 00:01:37,470 the youth and the young adult groups are also meeting throughout the 25 00:01:37,470 --> 00:01:41,165 summer, Evergreen, Everlast. So get on the, app and 26 00:01:41,165 --> 00:01:44,925 find out their regimen schedule and plug in that way, but 27 00:01:44,925 --> 00:01:48,525 we will not have our regular Thursday night gatherings until 28 00:01:48,525 --> 00:01:52,205 August. Okay? And so, no midweek, gatherings, and that starts this 29 00:01:52,205 --> 00:01:56,010 week. Okay? So welcome, Summer, and, we're still 30 00:01:56,010 --> 00:01:59,770 gonna be plugged into the family, amen? Alright, today we 31 00:01:59,770 --> 00:02:03,470 are going to talk about the story where Samuel anoints 32 00:02:03,530 --> 00:02:07,305 David in First Samuel chapter 16, and we are gonna 33 00:02:07,305 --> 00:02:10,905 read the entire story. So would you 34 00:02:10,905 --> 00:02:12,525 stand with me this morning? 35 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,540 And we're gonna read it with some gusto. Are we are we ready? 36 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,160 Kelsey, you ready to read? Alright. Here we go. I'm glad 37 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,840 you're here today. The Lord said to 38 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,245 Samuel, how long will you mourn for Saul 39 00:02:32,465 --> 00:02:36,004 since I have rejected him as king over Israel? 40 00:02:36,545 --> 00:02:40,305 Fill your horn with oil and be on your way. I 41 00:02:40,305 --> 00:02:43,800 am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have 42 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,400 chosen one of his sons to be king. But 43 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:51,000 Samuel said, how can I go? If Saul hears 44 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,760 about it, he will kill me. The Lord said, take a 45 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,325 heifer with you and say, I have come to sacrifice 46 00:02:58,545 --> 00:03:01,925 to the Lord. Invite Jesse to the sacrifice 47 00:03:02,385 --> 00:03:06,065 and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint 48 00:03:06,065 --> 00:03:09,680 for me the one I indicate. Samuel did 49 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:13,280 what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the 50 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,120 elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, 51 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,880 do you come in peace? Samuel replied, yes 52 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,485 in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. 53 00:03:24,864 --> 00:03:28,644 Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me. 54 00:03:28,864 --> 00:03:32,625 Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to 55 00:03:32,625 --> 00:03:36,319 the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw 56 00:03:36,319 --> 00:03:40,000 Eliab and thought, surely the Lord's anointed stands 57 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:43,459 here before the Lord. But the Lord said to Samuel, 58 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,280 do not consider his appearance or his height, for I 59 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:48,660 have rejected him. 60 00:03:55,645 --> 00:03:59,245 Heart. Then Jesse called the Benedab and had him 61 00:03:59,245 --> 00:04:02,910 pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, the Lord 62 00:04:02,910 --> 00:04:06,590 has not chosen this one either. Jesse had 63 00:04:06,590 --> 00:04:10,430 Shema pass by and Samuel said, nor has the Lord 64 00:04:10,430 --> 00:04:14,130 chosen this one. Jesse had seven of his sons 65 00:04:14,190 --> 00:04:17,995 pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, the Lord 66 00:04:17,995 --> 00:04:21,675 has not chosen these. So he asked Jesse, are 67 00:04:21,675 --> 00:04:25,355 these all the sons you have? There is still the youngest, 68 00:04:25,355 --> 00:04:29,110 Jesse answered. He is tending the sheep. Samuel 69 00:04:29,250 --> 00:04:32,930 said, send for him, we will not sit down until he 70 00:04:32,930 --> 00:04:36,450 arrives. So he sent for them and had him brought 71 00:04:36,450 --> 00:04:40,150 in. He was glowing with health and had fine appearance 72 00:04:40,370 --> 00:04:43,995 and handsome features. Then the Lord said, rise 73 00:04:43,995 --> 00:04:47,755 and anoint him. This is the one. So Samuel took 74 00:04:47,755 --> 00:04:51,115 the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his 75 00:04:51,115 --> 00:04:54,830 brothers. And from that day, the spirit of the Lord 76 00:04:54,890 --> 00:04:58,570 came powerfully upon David. Father, I thank you for your word and it's 77 00:04:58,570 --> 00:05:02,410 transformed to truth. I pray Lord that you would anoint us today to 78 00:05:02,410 --> 00:05:06,010 be recipients of your truth and transform us for eternity 79 00:05:06,010 --> 00:05:08,750 today. In Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. 80 00:05:10,514 --> 00:05:14,275 Have you ever purchased something online on the 81 00:05:14,275 --> 00:05:17,735 internet and what you thought you were getting 82 00:05:18,115 --> 00:05:21,495 on the screen didn't quite pan out or look like 83 00:05:21,875 --> 00:05:25,680 what arrived on your porch? Has that ever 84 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:28,580 angered anybody? Anybody suffered any frustration? 85 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,280 I get sucked in sometimes to these schemes, especially when I'm scrolling 86 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:37,120 through social media, Justin, that say, hey, buy this for $9. And 87 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:40,285 it comes in and it's a medium, you know, and I thought it was a 88 00:05:40,285 --> 00:05:44,045 large or extra large and, you know, and you know, 89 00:05:44,045 --> 00:05:47,805 sometimes when we're we're looking at things on the outside, it doesn't 90 00:05:47,805 --> 00:05:51,565 necessarily match what's on the inside. You know, sometimes you might go to the store 91 00:05:51,565 --> 00:05:55,160 and buy a can of Pringles hoping to pop till you can't stop 92 00:05:55,460 --> 00:05:59,220 and, you open them up looking to enjoy a Pringle, 93 00:05:59,220 --> 00:06:02,900 but whenever you dig in, all of a sudden you got a lucky charms. 94 00:06:02,900 --> 00:06:06,675 And you're like, what is this? Lucky charms? Lucky charm. Now 95 00:06:06,675 --> 00:06:08,775 Ruby would be very excited about this. 96 00:06:10,915 --> 00:06:14,615 Sometimes what's happening on the outside 97 00:06:15,395 --> 00:06:18,935 isn't indicative of what reality is on the inside. 98 00:06:21,020 --> 00:06:23,600 And we blindly go through life often 99 00:06:24,380 --> 00:06:27,920 making sacrifices, purchases, giving ourselves 100 00:06:28,460 --> 00:06:32,300 to people, things, entities, what be it, that has 101 00:06:32,300 --> 00:06:32,745 an 102 00:06:37,544 --> 00:06:41,385 marketed or cracked up to be. Is that true? Is that 103 00:06:41,385 --> 00:06:45,225 true? We're talking about the greatest 104 00:06:45,225 --> 00:06:49,009 stories ever told. And part of the part of the the 105 00:06:49,009 --> 00:06:52,690 greatest story ever told as we are a part of the greatest story ever told 106 00:06:52,690 --> 00:06:56,449 is that we have this human element in us, within 107 00:06:56,449 --> 00:07:00,210 us that says, hey we are growing from the 108 00:07:00,210 --> 00:07:03,865 inside out. But also often especially for 109 00:07:03,865 --> 00:07:07,544 those who struggle with any type of pride or anything like that we 110 00:07:07,544 --> 00:07:11,225 like to try to manifest on the outside things that don't really 111 00:07:11,225 --> 00:07:15,065 aren't really happening on the inside. See here's the thing, what we see on 112 00:07:15,065 --> 00:07:18,780 the outside should match what's on the inside. What 113 00:07:18,780 --> 00:07:22,460 we see on the outside should match what's on the inside and if we're honest 114 00:07:22,460 --> 00:07:26,080 with ourselves sometimes what we portray on the outside isn't 115 00:07:26,780 --> 00:07:30,139 what's really happening on the inside. Perhaps you've met met 116 00:07:30,139 --> 00:07:33,835 someone, gotten in connection or relationship with someone and 117 00:07:33,835 --> 00:07:37,675 if you're really close to someone you get a chance to really see 118 00:07:37,675 --> 00:07:41,515 who they are. Today, this morning, we're gonna talk about something real 119 00:07:41,515 --> 00:07:44,735 important. It's we're gonna talk about character this morning. Character. 120 00:07:46,630 --> 00:07:49,610 I like to portray different characters 121 00:07:49,990 --> 00:07:53,690 from the stage. Anybody ever been in a show before? 122 00:07:53,830 --> 00:07:56,870 Okay. Been in a theater or a show or a play? You know one of 123 00:07:56,870 --> 00:08:00,630 the neat things about that is you get to take on the persona of a 124 00:08:00,630 --> 00:08:04,044 character that's not you And you get to display 125 00:08:04,044 --> 00:08:07,805 attributes, you get to study the character, you get to pretend 126 00:08:07,805 --> 00:08:11,185 as if you are somebody that you're not. But here's the problem, 127 00:08:11,485 --> 00:08:15,324 many times we take up characters and we use those characters 128 00:08:15,324 --> 00:08:19,060 and manifest those characters in our everyday life. And we 129 00:08:19,060 --> 00:08:22,740 think that we're fooling the people around us, but we ain't really 130 00:08:22,740 --> 00:08:26,419 fooling anybody. I love that the 131 00:08:26,419 --> 00:08:30,259 Lord gives us examples of figures in scripture who 132 00:08:30,259 --> 00:08:33,815 are human. Can you imagine if scripture was full of 133 00:08:33,815 --> 00:08:37,495 perfection? It was here is one person after the other 134 00:08:37,495 --> 00:08:41,255 doing the right thing all of the time. Boy, I think 135 00:08:41,255 --> 00:08:44,935 a lot of us would probably run, wouldn't want anything to do with Jesus because 136 00:08:44,935 --> 00:08:47,575 we just couldn't measure up. Well the truth of the matter is we can't measure 137 00:08:47,575 --> 00:08:51,269 up. We can't measure up nor could any of these predominant figures 138 00:08:51,269 --> 00:08:54,709 in scripture. They couldn't measure up either. They needed a 139 00:08:54,709 --> 00:08:58,389 sovereign God. We need a Jesus in his blood. We need a 140 00:08:58,389 --> 00:09:02,170 Jesus in his blood. We're gonna work with this simple definition of character. Character 141 00:09:02,645 --> 00:09:05,145 is who you really are. 142 00:09:08,165 --> 00:09:10,745 Character is who you really 143 00:09:11,925 --> 00:09:15,685 really are. The closer you get to people, the more you 144 00:09:15,685 --> 00:09:19,480 see who they really are. The people people closest 145 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,160 to you should be able to defend your 146 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:26,600 character. I think probably for most of us in the room the 147 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:30,325 closest relationship we have is that one with our spouse. And 148 00:09:30,325 --> 00:09:34,005 maybe, maybe, just maybe, the person that walked down the aisle and 149 00:09:34,005 --> 00:09:37,125 gave you their vows, you found out some things about them in the first few 150 00:09:37,125 --> 00:09:40,964 weeks. Like they left their their cap off of the toothpaste or they 151 00:09:40,964 --> 00:09:44,580 weren't as clean as you thought they were gonna be or they handle situations 152 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,480 because it's different whenever you're spending chosen time with somebody as opposed 153 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,160 to spending all your time with somebody. They get to see the good, 154 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,755 bad, and the ugly. When you're in that courtship relationship, you're bringing out the best. 155 00:09:55,755 --> 00:09:58,475 You're putting on the best labels, you're putting on the best things and all of 156 00:09:58,475 --> 00:10:01,935 that stuff, but boy when you start living with somebody you really really 157 00:10:02,155 --> 00:10:05,775 get to get to know them. But character 158 00:10:05,915 --> 00:10:09,535 should be something in our life that could be easily defended 159 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:14,560 in the in the in in the right circles. You see, sometimes we 160 00:10:14,560 --> 00:10:18,400 get in circles of people and people get to talking and all of 161 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:22,160 a sudden you start to hear some things about somebody who's not present in the 162 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,795 circle, but you've got the insight and the data 163 00:10:25,795 --> 00:10:29,415 to the care as to the character of that person. And might I suggest 164 00:10:29,714 --> 00:10:33,475 that God has placed you in that environment to open your 165 00:10:33,475 --> 00:10:36,935 mouth and defend the character of the person that you know. 166 00:10:38,270 --> 00:10:42,030 We have often said here that love is my name protected in 167 00:10:42,030 --> 00:10:45,870 your mouth. Well, love is being able to recognize somebody's character and 168 00:10:45,870 --> 00:10:48,930 speak to it and defend it. Not that people are perfect. 169 00:10:49,630 --> 00:10:53,464 Not that people are perfect, but being able to stand up and say, I 170 00:10:53,464 --> 00:10:57,305 don't know that what you're saying or trying to say here is absolutely true. Let's 171 00:10:57,305 --> 00:11:00,845 get that person involved. Let's get that person 172 00:11:01,065 --> 00:11:04,444 involved in in the mix. I want to have a reputable 173 00:11:04,745 --> 00:11:08,410 character that can be defended and that should be a desire of all of ours. 174 00:11:08,630 --> 00:11:12,470 That we would have a character not a perfection but man, I sure do believe 175 00:11:12,470 --> 00:11:16,150 that when he makes a mistake he admits it and he apologizes or he asks 176 00:11:16,150 --> 00:11:19,830 for forgiveness or I have seen consistency and change in 177 00:11:19,830 --> 00:11:23,475 his life. Whenever somebody accuses him of something he 178 00:11:23,475 --> 00:11:26,355 actually leans in and says I want to try to dig in and figure out 179 00:11:26,355 --> 00:11:29,495 whether or not this is true or not true or how I can grow from 180 00:11:29,634 --> 00:11:33,254 that. That should be the story of every growing Christian 181 00:11:33,555 --> 00:11:37,330 in the room. And I believe that this is the number one 182 00:11:37,330 --> 00:11:40,950 reason people in leadership don't get close to people. 183 00:11:41,410 --> 00:11:44,450 One of the things that was told of me when I was getting into this 184 00:11:44,450 --> 00:11:48,130 role as pastor is somebody said to me you're not allowed to have any close 185 00:11:48,130 --> 00:11:51,725 friends. And I kind of scratched my head about that 186 00:11:52,105 --> 00:11:55,945 and getting being in it now for a while I understand why people 187 00:11:55,945 --> 00:11:59,405 would think that, why people would get in that, that mindset 188 00:11:59,545 --> 00:12:03,320 as as leaders because if you're a leader of any sort you sometimes, 189 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,000 especially if you're on the platform, you live in a glass house. You live where 190 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,520 everybody gets to see everything and they get to form opinions about what you're saying, 191 00:12:10,520 --> 00:12:13,995 what you're doing, how you're living, all of the different things. But my 192 00:12:13,995 --> 00:12:17,195 hope and my prayer for my life and for the leaders here at this church 193 00:12:17,195 --> 00:12:20,875 and the leaders that you follow out in the world is that their character, what's 194 00:12:20,875 --> 00:12:24,655 happening on the inside matches what's happening on the inside 195 00:12:25,275 --> 00:12:29,080 and the outside. We we tend to judge character or what's on the 196 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:30,940 inside based on the packaging. 197 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:36,600 Or what's protected on the outside. Sometimes we'll even judge 198 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,360 the character of a person based on someone's description of the 199 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,175 outside as opposed to really getting to 200 00:12:44,175 --> 00:12:47,535 know the person at all, inside or out. And 201 00:12:47,535 --> 00:12:51,135 so this guy named Samuel, he didn't just 202 00:12:51,135 --> 00:12:54,915 arrive on the scene. Pastor Ronnie talked about Samuel last week and Saul, 203 00:12:55,100 --> 00:12:58,540 And this is the part of the story where Saul's kingdom has been taken from 204 00:12:58,540 --> 00:13:02,060 him. Because of choices that Saul made, because of 205 00:13:02,060 --> 00:13:05,360 his character, the Lord had to 206 00:13:05,580 --> 00:13:09,015 remove the kingdom from Saul and 207 00:13:09,015 --> 00:13:12,695 Samuel, we're introduced to Samuel and how we're introduced in this chapter it 208 00:13:12,695 --> 00:13:16,155 says that Samuel is mourning. He is grieving 209 00:13:16,935 --> 00:13:20,615 over the loss of the kingdom out of Saul's hands. He's grieving. He's 210 00:13:20,615 --> 00:13:24,460 mourning Saul. Now this tells me something very 211 00:13:24,460 --> 00:13:27,980 interesting. This tells me that if Samuel is mourning or 212 00:13:27,980 --> 00:13:31,740 grieving Saul, it tells me how it ended with Saul was not how it began 213 00:13:31,740 --> 00:13:35,580 with Saul. How it ended with Saul is not how it 214 00:13:35,580 --> 00:13:39,415 began with Saul. God did choose Saul to be king. 215 00:13:39,875 --> 00:13:43,655 Samuel recognized Saul as the king 216 00:13:44,035 --> 00:13:47,335 of the Israelites, but Saul 217 00:13:47,555 --> 00:13:51,260 began to make some other choices. You see here's the thing, 218 00:13:51,260 --> 00:13:54,700 sometimes position and title is the genesis of a 219 00:13:54,700 --> 00:13:58,060 downfall. Sometimes position and 220 00:13:58,060 --> 00:14:01,580 title is the genesis of a downfall. I've seen a 221 00:14:01,580 --> 00:14:04,805 number of people change and evolve 222 00:14:05,185 --> 00:14:08,945 with their position and end up somebody totally different by the end 223 00:14:08,945 --> 00:14:12,625 of their tenure. This is why it 224 00:14:12,625 --> 00:14:16,465 is paramount in any position of leadership or anything God has given 225 00:14:16,465 --> 00:14:18,885 you to do that you hold it like this. 226 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,480 Sometimes our fingers start to coral in just a little bit, just a little bit. 227 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:28,100 We start to we start to form an identity 228 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,160 around the positions and the things that we have. And all of 229 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,580 a sudden what happens, the reason our character 230 00:14:35,865 --> 00:14:39,705 is called into question is because our identity is coming from 231 00:14:39,705 --> 00:14:43,065 a position and a title as opposed to the one who created 232 00:14:43,065 --> 00:14:46,825 us. And when that becomes the case, the Lord begins to say 233 00:14:46,825 --> 00:14:50,445 it's time for you to move on. Saul, you no longer can have the kingdom. 234 00:14:51,410 --> 00:14:54,850 You can no longer have the kingdom because what I say, says the 235 00:14:54,850 --> 00:14:58,210 Lord, is of less importance than what you think and what you're 236 00:14:58,210 --> 00:15:00,710 doing. And so Saul had to render 237 00:15:01,970 --> 00:15:05,805 render the kingdom. Even when something is taken away from 238 00:15:05,805 --> 00:15:09,325 you, have you ever been in a situation where you felt like a position or 239 00:15:09,325 --> 00:15:13,105 a title or something you've been given was unjustly 240 00:15:13,565 --> 00:15:17,399 taken from you? It was removed from you. Have Have you ever been 241 00:15:17,399 --> 00:15:21,240 in a situation where you thought this situation is not just, it's 242 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:24,920 not right, and it makes you feel a certain sort of way. 243 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,519 Can I tell you? Even in those circumstances your 244 00:15:28,519 --> 00:15:31,100 actions and your reactions are your responsibility. 245 00:15:33,085 --> 00:15:36,305 Your actions and your reactions in those unjust 246 00:15:36,445 --> 00:15:39,885 moments are your responsibility and have everything to 247 00:15:39,885 --> 00:15:43,645 do with your character. Because see here's the thing 248 00:15:43,645 --> 00:15:47,390 while some of us wreak havoc in the midst of 249 00:15:47,390 --> 00:15:50,829 an unjust situation all you're doing is really 250 00:15:50,829 --> 00:15:54,209 illuminating the fact that you shouldn't be in the position in the first place. 251 00:15:56,750 --> 00:16:00,365 We had a situation a little while back at our school 252 00:16:00,425 --> 00:16:04,265 where we discovered something about someone, that wasn't in 253 00:16:04,265 --> 00:16:07,565 keeping with our values at the school and that person had to be terminated. 254 00:16:08,505 --> 00:16:12,200 And so in that termination, which is never 255 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:15,800 an easy thing, that termination, but that termination happened and 256 00:16:15,800 --> 00:16:19,240 months later months later the leader who terminated that 257 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:21,820 person received this text message. 258 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:26,725 Good morning. I Just want to let you know that I really appreciate you 259 00:16:26,725 --> 00:16:30,404 for sitting me down and talking to me. I have quit 260 00:16:30,404 --> 00:16:33,925 smoking and it's forced me to deal with things that I've been avoiding for 261 00:16:33,925 --> 00:16:37,510 years. I honestly didn't think that I would ever could 262 00:16:37,510 --> 00:16:41,190 never not depend on marijuana, but I've recently decided that 263 00:16:41,190 --> 00:16:44,470 I've got to give it to the most high and heal one day at a 264 00:16:44,470 --> 00:16:48,310 time. I love you so much for your kindness. This 265 00:16:48,310 --> 00:16:51,925 is to the person who fired her. Thank you for 266 00:16:51,925 --> 00:16:55,605 your kindness. I pray that the creator blesses you so much. Thank you 267 00:16:55,605 --> 00:16:59,445 again for not condemning me but helping me realize I had 268 00:16:59,445 --> 00:17:01,865 a problem. I love you. 269 00:17:04,869 --> 00:17:08,470 I love you. Can I tell you how you leave a 270 00:17:08,470 --> 00:17:11,829 thing is probably more important than the way that you started the 271 00:17:11,829 --> 00:17:15,210 thing? You can redefine 272 00:17:15,750 --> 00:17:19,235 your entire whatever it is, organization, ministry, 273 00:17:19,295 --> 00:17:23,135 timeline in the last few months by what you say and what you do. You 274 00:17:23,135 --> 00:17:26,815 can redefine and overshadow any of the good things you do based 275 00:17:26,815 --> 00:17:28,995 on how you leave, how you exit. 276 00:17:31,010 --> 00:17:34,770 You want to leave the seasons God's placed you in better than 277 00:17:34,770 --> 00:17:38,149 you started. It is a test of character. 278 00:17:38,690 --> 00:17:42,390 It is a test of your pride. It is your test of laying down 279 00:17:42,450 --> 00:17:46,070 the things that you want, your selfishness because the enemy wants 280 00:17:46,665 --> 00:17:50,265 to cause division, the enemy wants to cause confusion, the enemy 281 00:17:50,265 --> 00:17:54,105 wants you to react out of your flesh. Can I tell you the world cares 282 00:17:54,105 --> 00:17:57,945 less about character? The world is a dog eat dog world 283 00:17:57,945 --> 00:18:00,905 and wants you to climb a ladder and it doesn't matter who you hit on 284 00:18:00,905 --> 00:18:04,220 the way up as long as you get there. 285 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,440 But in the kingdom, the kingdom will say I want you to sacrifice the 286 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:12,040 position that the world is dangling in front of you and operate with 287 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:15,100 integrity and character and then God comes in and he does something 288 00:18:15,505 --> 00:18:19,345 supernatural, exceptional, extraordinary beyond your wildest dreams with 289 00:18:19,345 --> 00:18:19,845 you. 290 00:18:22,785 --> 00:18:26,544 Samuel could have lived in the state of grief. He could have 291 00:18:26,544 --> 00:18:30,240 stayed there. He actually could have operated out of insecurity. Why is that? 292 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,160 Samuel was the mouthpiece in the face of in the face of the Lord. He 293 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,840 was the one that went to all of Israel and said Saul is your 294 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:41,679 king. And then Saul did what he 295 00:18:41,679 --> 00:18:45,295 did and now he's not. Why do you think that made Samuel feel? 296 00:18:46,155 --> 00:18:49,995 Man, what are they thinking about me? What is Israel thinking about? 297 00:18:49,995 --> 00:18:52,795 What what are the what are the people I've gotta go back and Lord you 298 00:18:52,795 --> 00:18:56,640 wanna use me? He could have lived in the place of grief but 299 00:18:56,640 --> 00:19:00,480 he chose to listen to the Lord instead. Can I tell 300 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,140 you this? God's plan is bigger than our disappointments. 301 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,420 God's plan is always bigger than our greatest 302 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:12,505 disappointments. I remember I have been a part 303 00:19:14,085 --> 00:19:17,765 of three youth transitions here at the church. And I'm one of 304 00:19:17,765 --> 00:19:21,205 them, and I'm not gonna go into the story, but I'm one of the youth 305 00:19:21,205 --> 00:19:25,045 transitions in this church. It was one of the greatest joys for 306 00:19:25,045 --> 00:19:28,400 me to step into the youth and it also launched my deepest 307 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,060 pain because overnight I lost my best friend. 308 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:36,080 Have you ever lost a best friend? Ever suffered a 309 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:39,920 hurt, a deep hurt of somebody one day being there 310 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:43,655 and the next day it's like they're gone? There's 311 00:19:43,655 --> 00:19:47,495 very few pains especially if you're actually heart connected to a person 312 00:19:47,495 --> 00:19:48,795 than to lose a relationship. 313 00:19:51,255 --> 00:19:54,695 And as I look back on that season many many years ago, as I look 314 00:19:54,695 --> 00:19:58,500 back on that season and I evaluate my choices and the 315 00:19:58,500 --> 00:20:02,280 decisions and why I chose, it emphatically 100% 316 00:20:02,419 --> 00:20:06,179 was the Lord. But it would have been so easy 317 00:20:06,179 --> 00:20:09,565 in that moment for me to lean into how I felt. It would have been 318 00:20:09,565 --> 00:20:13,005 so easy for me to look at what I was losing and not pay any 319 00:20:13,005 --> 00:20:15,805 attention to the God in the moment even though I couldn't see what was going 320 00:20:15,805 --> 00:20:19,645 to be down the pike that I would gain. There was an 321 00:20:19,645 --> 00:20:23,310 authority in my life, somebody that I looked at and I said to them I 322 00:20:23,390 --> 00:20:27,230 trust the God inside you. Can I tell you if you are 323 00:20:27,230 --> 00:20:30,770 in a confusing season, God is not the author of confusion? 324 00:20:31,070 --> 00:20:34,670 He will bring along people in your life who hold authority in your life and 325 00:20:34,670 --> 00:20:37,090 they may say something to you that you don't like, 326 00:20:40,035 --> 00:20:43,495 But as they render that truth it will give you direction, 327 00:20:43,715 --> 00:20:47,475 sound direction and I remember that moment telling the person in my 328 00:20:47,475 --> 00:20:51,075 life that said I want you to do this transition saying I trust the 329 00:20:51,075 --> 00:20:54,520 God inside you. And it meant me 330 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,880 sacrificing my best friend. Didn't know it at the moment, but it's what 331 00:20:57,880 --> 00:20:58,380 happened. 332 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,605 God's plan is bigger than our disappointments. Saul goes out 333 00:21:06,605 --> 00:21:09,784 and meets with Jesse and invites he and his sons 334 00:21:10,245 --> 00:21:13,924 to this sacrifice and they're all there and he invites the 335 00:21:13,924 --> 00:21:16,825 sons and here comes Eliab. Now, 336 00:21:17,845 --> 00:21:20,950 Eliab's got that thousand watt smile. He's 337 00:21:21,490 --> 00:21:25,330 tall, he's handsome, he's rugged, and he's I mean he's the deal. He's 338 00:21:25,330 --> 00:21:28,050 the person that he walks in the room and goes, I'm a follow that person. 339 00:21:28,050 --> 00:21:31,650 I don't even know their name. I'm following that guy. Right? He is I mean 340 00:21:31,650 --> 00:21:34,930 he is all that and a bag of potato chips. He has got it going 341 00:21:34,930 --> 00:21:38,485 on, and he walks up and he struts in there and Samuel 342 00:21:38,785 --> 00:21:42,385 even, the the one who is hearing from the Lord, he even says 343 00:21:42,385 --> 00:21:45,845 this surely the Lord's anointed stands here 344 00:21:45,985 --> 00:21:49,700 before the Lord. Surely the Lord's anointed 345 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,920 stands here before the Lord. Can I tell you just because you look like 346 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,880 a king on the outside doesn't mean you carry the heart of a king on 347 00:21:56,880 --> 00:22:00,640 the inside? And if you read the 348 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:04,465 story later about Eliab, you'll find out that he is arrogant 349 00:22:04,465 --> 00:22:08,225 and does not trust the Lord. He might look the part but his 350 00:22:08,225 --> 00:22:10,725 heart wasn't in it. It's not the one God chose. 351 00:22:11,825 --> 00:22:15,445 See we send this We tend to see Eliabs in our life 352 00:22:15,529 --> 00:22:19,370 and we make rushed and rash decisions based on what we see on the 353 00:22:19,370 --> 00:22:22,510 surface. We sometimes vote this way. 354 00:22:23,929 --> 00:22:27,610 We will follow leaders and celebrities this way. We 355 00:22:27,610 --> 00:22:29,950 sometimes will even marry this way. 356 00:22:33,725 --> 00:22:37,485 This must be the obvious choice. Look 357 00:22:37,485 --> 00:22:41,245 at all the external reasons. This must be the obvious 358 00:22:41,245 --> 00:22:44,850 choice. When the elders were gathering together to select the 359 00:22:44,850 --> 00:22:48,690 pastor after Ronnie whenever I was in the queue or whatnot, you know, the eldership, 360 00:22:48,690 --> 00:22:51,830 they were looking for a strong, mighty, 361 00:22:52,450 --> 00:22:55,809 warrior, valiant person that could come in and 362 00:22:55,809 --> 00:22:59,555 just really lead with strength and and so 363 00:22:59,555 --> 00:23:03,235 I sent them my resume and my picture and they saw this and said 364 00:23:03,235 --> 00:23:06,935 surely the Lord's anointed stands 365 00:23:07,475 --> 00:23:08,455 before the Lord. 366 00:23:11,570 --> 00:23:15,410 The minute they saw that photo, it was a shoo in yes. This is 367 00:23:15,410 --> 00:23:16,470 our next pastor. 368 00:23:22,130 --> 00:23:25,965 Mighty, warrior, strong. I mean, just look at that. We 369 00:23:25,965 --> 00:23:28,545 don't need to see anything else. He's strong and mighty. 370 00:23:33,085 --> 00:23:36,780 You don't wanna really see what's under here. The 371 00:23:36,780 --> 00:23:40,300 Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward 372 00:23:40,300 --> 00:23:42,720 appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. 373 00:23:44,540 --> 00:23:47,200 The Lord looks at the heart. The heart. 374 00:23:49,155 --> 00:23:52,695 I wish I could stand before you and say my heart's so pure. 375 00:23:53,955 --> 00:23:57,015 I wish I could stand before you and say my heart is just, it's great. 376 00:23:58,355 --> 00:24:01,895 That's what Jeremiah tells us. The heart is deceitful 377 00:24:01,955 --> 00:24:05,290 above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? 378 00:24:05,590 --> 00:24:09,030 I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind to reward each person according 379 00:24:09,030 --> 00:24:12,650 to their conduct according to what their deeds deserve. 380 00:24:12,870 --> 00:24:16,525 My goodness. I wish I 381 00:24:16,525 --> 00:24:20,365 could say I have a heart as your pastor who's totally pure, 382 00:24:20,365 --> 00:24:23,505 but even in my best days I'm fearful, 383 00:24:24,365 --> 00:24:27,585 judgmental, unkind, selfish, 384 00:24:27,885 --> 00:24:31,509 unforgiving, willing to bend the rules to get out of a 385 00:24:31,509 --> 00:24:32,009 jam. 386 00:24:36,710 --> 00:24:40,470 The heart is deceitful above all things. And this is 387 00:24:40,470 --> 00:24:43,850 why we need the blood of Jesus Christ. 388 00:24:45,085 --> 00:24:48,605 Because every single morning when we wake up, we are 389 00:24:48,605 --> 00:24:52,365 nothing more than a filthy rag. Even 390 00:24:52,365 --> 00:24:56,205 in our best days, a filthy rag. But 391 00:24:56,205 --> 00:24:59,345 here's the thing, the blood of Jesus Christ 392 00:24:59,565 --> 00:25:02,360 covers every single misstep. 393 00:25:03,220 --> 00:25:06,660 Every single sin, every single thing that we do that's not in 394 00:25:06,660 --> 00:25:10,280 keeping with the will of God, the blood of Jesus covers. 395 00:25:10,980 --> 00:25:14,660 And we keep coming back over and over and over 396 00:25:14,660 --> 00:25:18,485 and over again. And can I tell you don't let anybody fool you 397 00:25:18,485 --> 00:25:22,165 that they're not coming back over and over and over again? The minute somebody 398 00:25:22,165 --> 00:25:26,005 says I've been there enough, I don't gotta do that anymore is the moment that 399 00:25:26,005 --> 00:25:28,985 they feel like the blood is not sufficient enough for them. 400 00:25:29,845 --> 00:25:33,580 The blood of Christ is sufficient and you can go 401 00:25:33,580 --> 00:25:36,799 daily. You must go daily. You must go daily. 402 00:25:37,100 --> 00:25:40,159 His his blood must cover us 403 00:25:40,940 --> 00:25:44,539 so that we can take the next step of righteousness, so that we can 404 00:25:44,539 --> 00:25:48,375 take the next step of faith, so that we can be in good standing with 405 00:25:48,375 --> 00:25:52,055 the Lord and so that our character is not compromised to a 406 00:25:52,055 --> 00:25:55,835 dying world who needs to see a Jesus, who needs to see authentic 407 00:25:56,055 --> 00:25:59,575 real Jesus living out in our life. You see here's the 408 00:25:59,575 --> 00:26:02,640 thing, it doesn't always feel good. 409 00:26:04,540 --> 00:26:08,080 It doesn't always feel good. 410 00:26:11,180 --> 00:26:14,875 A heart that's being transformed is a heart that's 411 00:26:14,875 --> 00:26:18,415 in constant connection with God. In other words, God prioritizes 412 00:26:18,875 --> 00:26:22,315 relationship over resume. He 413 00:26:22,315 --> 00:26:25,775 prioritizes the relationship over 414 00:26:26,155 --> 00:26:29,640 resume. Are you connected to this king? What is your 415 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,320 relationship with the God of the universe? Let me tell you 416 00:26:33,320 --> 00:26:37,000 some of you don't have an active relationship with God because you 417 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,640 feel like you've messed up and fouled up so much that the God of the 418 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,175 universe you can't get close to him. And so you come in here on 419 00:26:43,175 --> 00:26:47,015 Sunday to get your temporary fix and praise on feeling worse than 420 00:26:47,015 --> 00:26:50,135 you did when you came in because you own, you're walking in shame and guilt 421 00:26:50,135 --> 00:26:52,855 and then you leave here and you just keep doing the same things over and 422 00:26:52,855 --> 00:26:56,350 over and over again. Can I tell you the grace of God can meet you 423 00:26:56,350 --> 00:27:00,110 this morning and change everything? Can I tell you that there are 424 00:27:00,110 --> 00:27:03,870 testimonies in this house where last week I was a druggie, but this 425 00:27:03,870 --> 00:27:07,550 week the Lord set me free? There's testimonies in this house where 426 00:27:07,550 --> 00:27:11,045 this week we were not reconciled, but this week supernatural divine 427 00:27:11,045 --> 00:27:14,805 forgiveness walked into the picture. The God of the universe will step 428 00:27:14,805 --> 00:27:18,165 right into your situation and change everything. That's why he's not split the sky 429 00:27:18,165 --> 00:27:21,925 yet. The blood of Christ is sufficient. He wants 430 00:27:21,925 --> 00:27:25,450 to reconcile first us to him, but then us to each other. There are 431 00:27:25,450 --> 00:27:29,050 things in our lives that we need to get cleaned up because our 432 00:27:29,050 --> 00:27:32,650 character is at stake. Why is our character important? Because a dying 433 00:27:32,650 --> 00:27:34,750 world's looking at us and they need to see Jesus. 434 00:27:36,330 --> 00:27:40,010 They need to see Jesus and guys can I tell you the outpouring of Kevin 435 00:27:40,010 --> 00:27:43,745 is not Jesus? If I can give you, I can give you about 436 00:27:43,745 --> 00:27:46,145 this much of me and it will be kind and it will be loving, it 437 00:27:46,145 --> 00:27:48,945 will be all this, but there comes a point where that line and it's got 438 00:27:48,945 --> 00:27:52,725 to default into the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit in my life 439 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:57,040 or you're just gonna get filthy rags. And it's gonna smell like filthy rags. 440 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,680 I can parade it. I can put a slap of Christian on my shirt. I 441 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,820 can look like it all day long, but it's not gonna be anything of Him. 442 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:07,755 I need the Holy Spirit. He prioritizes relationship. 443 00:28:08,135 --> 00:28:11,655 How do I how am I able to render forgiveness in a 444 00:28:11,655 --> 00:28:15,015 situation where I don't feel like they should be forgiven? How do I render these 445 00:28:15,015 --> 00:28:18,554 types of things? I've got to be in relationship, daily constant relationship 446 00:28:18,934 --> 00:28:22,669 with the Lord. With the Lord. 447 00:28:22,970 --> 00:28:26,809 Yesterday's yesterday's covering isn't enough. I need a new one 448 00:28:26,809 --> 00:28:30,650 today. Yesterday's drink, you know sometimes I wake up in the morning I'm 449 00:28:30,650 --> 00:28:33,850 parched and I'm thirsty and I've got yesterday's cup of water sitting on my on 450 00:28:33,850 --> 00:28:36,330 my thing and I take a drink. It just doesn't taste the same. It's not 451 00:28:36,330 --> 00:28:39,975 fresh. I need a fresh touch from the Lord every day. 452 00:28:41,235 --> 00:28:44,915 Well, I wait until 9PM at night to do my devotional reading. Well, I hate 453 00:28:44,915 --> 00:28:48,275 to see what's going on from eight in the morning to 9PM with you. I 454 00:28:48,275 --> 00:28:50,850 gotta wake up in the morning because I'm stubbing my toe on the way to 455 00:28:50,850 --> 00:28:53,430 the bathroom and there are things that fly out of my mouth. 456 00:28:55,170 --> 00:28:57,190 And I want it to be thank you Jesus. 457 00:29:03,685 --> 00:29:07,445 And so Samuel asked this question. He goes through all Eliab comes, 458 00:29:07,445 --> 00:29:11,125 all the other kids all the other kids come and they walk through and none 459 00:29:11,125 --> 00:29:14,885 of them are chosen and Samuel asked this question, are these 460 00:29:14,885 --> 00:29:18,610 all the sons you have? Are these all this I I think 461 00:29:18,610 --> 00:29:21,410 this is a this is a funny question to me, but first before I go 462 00:29:21,410 --> 00:29:24,770 to the funny, let me tell you what's happening here. Characters being 463 00:29:24,770 --> 00:29:27,990 tested in Samuel and in Jesse. 464 00:29:28,450 --> 00:29:31,990 Number one, Samuel. He has seven sons in front of him. 465 00:29:32,155 --> 00:29:35,695 He's been tasked to identify the one who's gonna be king 466 00:29:35,835 --> 00:29:39,515 and the op the options are the seven in front of him. It would have 467 00:29:39,515 --> 00:29:43,035 been so easy for Samuel to say well, I guess I've missed it. I've gotta 468 00:29:43,035 --> 00:29:46,820 pick one of these. Eliab, you must be the one. But 469 00:29:46,820 --> 00:29:50,200 can I tell you, Samuel had a relationship 470 00:29:50,500 --> 00:29:54,340 with the God of the universe? He knew what his voice 471 00:29:54,340 --> 00:29:58,100 sounded like and knew that none of these seven, even though he said 472 00:29:58,100 --> 00:30:01,784 it's gonna be a son of Jesse, none of these were it. And it caused 473 00:30:01,784 --> 00:30:04,764 him to ask the question, are you sure all of the sons are here? 474 00:30:06,105 --> 00:30:09,804 Jesse, proud dad, marches his kids, Eliab's 475 00:30:09,945 --> 00:30:13,705 right out of the gate. He just said, no, I don't got 476 00:30:13,705 --> 00:30:17,540 any other sons. These these are the ones you 477 00:30:17,540 --> 00:30:21,320 need to choose from. But he said, yes. There is 478 00:30:21,380 --> 00:30:25,060 one more. He's out in the field tending 479 00:30:25,060 --> 00:30:28,900 sheep. I find this question to be funny 480 00:30:28,900 --> 00:30:32,715 because Samuel then says, alright. You didn't bring him here the first 481 00:30:32,715 --> 00:30:36,555 time. We're gonna stand until he comes. I think that that's 482 00:30:36,555 --> 00:30:39,115 funny. A few weeks ago, we had a service and I don't know if you 483 00:30:39,115 --> 00:30:42,235 noticed, it was like the aerobic service with everybody stand and sit and stand and 484 00:30:42,235 --> 00:30:44,555 sit and stand and sit. Have you ever been a part of a service like 485 00:30:44,555 --> 00:30:47,519 that? Yes, pastor. It happens quite frequently here. Yes, I understand. 486 00:30:48,700 --> 00:30:52,539 They're standing. He said we're not gonna sit until he comes. 487 00:30:52,539 --> 00:30:56,220 In other words, hasten. Let's go. Let's bring 488 00:30:56,220 --> 00:30:57,039 him on. 489 00:31:01,155 --> 00:31:04,935 And so David comes and he is anointed. 490 00:31:06,115 --> 00:31:09,895 He is anointed to be king. He is told you are 491 00:31:09,955 --> 00:31:13,715 the next king of Israel. He knows it. It's not something 492 00:31:13,715 --> 00:31:17,530 that has to be mystically discerned. He knows. 493 00:31:17,530 --> 00:31:20,190 You are it. You are God's chosen man. 494 00:31:22,090 --> 00:31:23,470 And then the story stops. 495 00:31:27,210 --> 00:31:29,610 They grabbed David and put a crown on him and row him and put him 496 00:31:29,610 --> 00:31:33,355 on the seat and just start worshiping. No. The story stops. You are the 497 00:31:33,355 --> 00:31:37,035 king. Now get back to the field. You are 498 00:31:37,035 --> 00:31:39,695 the king. Now continue doing what you've been doing. 499 00:31:41,035 --> 00:31:44,475 Can I tell you anointing is like the 500 00:31:44,475 --> 00:31:46,735 seed, character is the soil? 501 00:31:48,610 --> 00:31:52,290 If the seeds not nurtured in good soil, it does not produce good 502 00:31:52,290 --> 00:31:55,890 fruit. Let me give you another analogy. Anointing is your wedding 503 00:31:55,890 --> 00:31:59,270 day. Character is your marriage. 504 00:32:01,664 --> 00:32:03,044 Character is your marriage. 505 00:32:05,985 --> 00:32:09,284 I want you to understand that what happens 506 00:32:09,345 --> 00:32:12,784 next is everything. The story 507 00:32:12,784 --> 00:32:16,005 stops at verse 13 but life doesn't stop. 508 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:19,780 This extraordinary moment is met following 509 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:24,020 fifteen years of a lot of ordinary moments. 510 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,480 Lots of ordinary days. Character development is 511 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:32,295 happening. Character development is happening 512 00:32:32,295 --> 00:32:35,895 in David before he gets the position for fifteen 513 00:32:35,895 --> 00:32:38,715 years. Guys, we can't wait thirty seconds on a cup of coffee. 514 00:32:40,935 --> 00:32:44,550 And some of you are willing to throw in the towel because you feel you 515 00:32:44,710 --> 00:32:47,990 you you feel you deserve a position, you feel like you deserve the title, you 516 00:32:47,990 --> 00:32:51,590 feel like you're supposed to be moving in there, somebody has usurped it and you 517 00:32:51,590 --> 00:32:54,790 go God I've been waiting for I've been waiting for three days God, I don't 518 00:32:54,790 --> 00:32:58,070 understand why you're doing that. I've been waiting for three years God. I've been waiting 519 00:32:58,070 --> 00:32:59,770 for thirteen years God. 520 00:33:01,885 --> 00:33:05,725 Can I tell you the most important season that you will be in is 521 00:33:05,725 --> 00:33:09,405 in that waiting room season? Because 522 00:33:09,405 --> 00:33:12,765 when you get into the position and you have to start putting that into action 523 00:33:12,765 --> 00:33:15,825 it needs to be the outflow of the Holy Spirit not you at all anyway. 524 00:33:16,250 --> 00:33:20,010 You are wrestling with the Lord. I've I've gone to recently have had to 525 00:33:20,010 --> 00:33:23,450 go to doctor's appointments. Can I tell you? I don't understand why they schedule you 526 00:33:23,450 --> 00:33:27,210 at the doctor's office for 11:30, make you come in at 09:00 and sit 527 00:33:27,210 --> 00:33:29,710 there two and a half hours in the waiting room looking at magazines. 528 00:33:31,315 --> 00:33:33,575 It's a test of my character. I'm a tell you right now. 529 00:33:34,995 --> 00:33:38,835 Patience. Patience. And then when somebody else comes in after you and they get 530 00:33:38,835 --> 00:33:40,535 seen before you. Oh, Jesus. 531 00:33:50,900 --> 00:33:54,100 The word says that the spirit of the Lord fell on David. Who else did 532 00:33:54,100 --> 00:33:57,000 the spirit of the Lord fall on in the new testament? It fell on Jesus 533 00:33:57,220 --> 00:34:00,980 and what happens immediately following? He gets tested in the 534 00:34:00,980 --> 00:34:04,285 wilderness. He gets tested 535 00:34:04,845 --> 00:34:08,205 Landon, you're starting a new thing. Is that what I understand? Start a new business? 536 00:34:08,205 --> 00:34:11,585 Is that what you said today? Okay, guess what? You're you're being tested. 537 00:34:12,364 --> 00:34:15,885 And guess what? Here's here's the thing. You said I know I was supposed to 538 00:34:15,885 --> 00:34:19,440 do it. Well guess what? If God chooses not to give you the check, 539 00:34:19,500 --> 00:34:22,940 chooses not to bless you in the next season, chooses not to do that, do 540 00:34:22,940 --> 00:34:26,719 you know that you're still called? That's the test. That's the real truth. 541 00:34:27,019 --> 00:34:30,699 And guess what? He's putting you all through this. Why? Because he you are 542 00:34:30,699 --> 00:34:34,324 not a doubter. You call yourself a doubter. That's not what he calls you. And 543 00:34:34,324 --> 00:34:37,125 the more you keep confessing that out of your life, you're gonna get to get 544 00:34:37,125 --> 00:34:40,484 tested in over and over and over again. That's not who you 545 00:34:40,484 --> 00:34:44,244 are. I know that's not who you are. You begin to own that truth as 546 00:34:44,244 --> 00:34:48,059 as well. He's testing you. He's testing you. You're 547 00:34:48,059 --> 00:34:51,739 in the waiting room. Get ready. And he's gonna bust the doors open. He's 548 00:34:51,739 --> 00:34:53,119 gonna bust the doors open. 549 00:34:57,260 --> 00:35:00,665 When Margaret Meek passed away many years ago, 550 00:35:00,665 --> 00:35:04,185 Arwen Jones got up and she did a speech, and one of the things she 551 00:35:04,185 --> 00:35:08,025 said that always stuck with me was enjoy the gift of ordinary days. And within 552 00:35:08,025 --> 00:35:11,225 that week, I was mourning, I was grieving, and I went to a store and 553 00:35:11,225 --> 00:35:14,270 I saw this planter here, and I had to pick it up. I thought the 554 00:35:14,270 --> 00:35:17,150 Holy Spirit led me right to it, and I had it for a while in 555 00:35:17,150 --> 00:35:20,850 my face every day. Enjoy the gift of ordinary days. Guys, 556 00:35:21,870 --> 00:35:25,330 God rarely, rarely is looking to 557 00:35:25,785 --> 00:35:29,385 curb your character in those extraordinary moments. It is in 558 00:35:29,385 --> 00:35:32,984 that ordinary, mundane, stubbing 559 00:35:32,984 --> 00:35:36,665 your toe moment, getting cut off the road moment of 560 00:35:36,665 --> 00:35:40,230 your life, going into work, going to bed, eating, all of 561 00:35:40,230 --> 00:35:43,850 these relationship, he is cultivating your character 562 00:35:43,910 --> 00:35:47,750 in these ordinary moments. And in these 563 00:35:47,750 --> 00:35:51,130 ordinary moments, and this is a misperception when it comes to Christianity, 564 00:35:51,815 --> 00:35:54,875 in those ordinary moments there is going to be suffering. 565 00:35:56,375 --> 00:35:59,595 There is going to be suffering in these ordinary moments. 566 00:36:00,695 --> 00:36:04,359 For those who I'm so sorry that you were introduced to a Christ that 567 00:36:04,359 --> 00:36:07,640 you thought went to the cross so that you can have the best life here 568 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:11,240 on earth. Guess what? He gives us the most important things 569 00:36:11,240 --> 00:36:15,000 such as peace, passing, understanding. He does some things to 570 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:17,880 it for us that are excellent, but let me tell you he did not die 571 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:20,485 on the cross so that you could climb the corporate ladder and become the big 572 00:36:20,485 --> 00:36:20,985 CEO. 573 00:36:24,885 --> 00:36:28,405 We suffer for him. We rejoice in our suffering, Paul says, because we know that 574 00:36:28,405 --> 00:36:31,465 suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character, and character, 575 00:36:31,925 --> 00:36:35,460 hope. I hate this phrase or 576 00:36:35,460 --> 00:36:39,300 this quote that I learned from AW Tozer this week because it's so true, 577 00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:43,140 but I just can't stand it. When God wants 578 00:36:43,140 --> 00:36:46,120 to use someone greatly, he first hurts them deeply. 579 00:36:48,535 --> 00:36:52,135 God, break me. Because in order for you to use me, I 580 00:36:52,135 --> 00:36:55,515 gotta look like you and I don't look like you right now. 581 00:36:57,655 --> 00:37:01,335 Can I tell you that what we cultivate in private will eventually manifest 582 00:37:01,335 --> 00:37:04,920 itself in public? Come on out worship 583 00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:08,700 team. What we cultivate in private will eventually manifest 584 00:37:08,760 --> 00:37:12,520 itself in public. And this is why 585 00:37:12,520 --> 00:37:16,280 character is so important. I went to Alabama this 586 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:19,565 week with my family. My kids love the beach. I don't really like the beach, 587 00:37:19,565 --> 00:37:23,405 but I went. And, have you ever been in a car ride with your 588 00:37:23,405 --> 00:37:25,744 kids and your kids are telling you how to drive? 589 00:37:29,799 --> 00:37:31,960 Have you ever been in a car ride and your spouse is telling you how 590 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:35,579 to drive? Have you ever been frustrated 591 00:37:35,799 --> 00:37:38,700 by these comments of back seat and side seat drivers? 592 00:37:39,799 --> 00:37:43,495 Well, this happens, you know, I'm the I'm the world's greatest driver and this 593 00:37:43,495 --> 00:37:46,395 happens quite frequently 594 00:37:47,175 --> 00:37:50,635 in in my car where my people 595 00:37:50,775 --> 00:37:54,555 are sharing their opinions about 596 00:37:54,900 --> 00:37:58,119 my driving. Well, 597 00:37:59,940 --> 00:38:03,480 on the way back from Alabama, I was ready to get home. 598 00:38:05,059 --> 00:38:08,205 And I had a little blue light 599 00:38:10,285 --> 00:38:13,965 special. I got pulled over and, I got a 600 00:38:13,965 --> 00:38:16,865 ticket on the way home. And, 601 00:38:18,045 --> 00:38:21,565 the police officer, you know, puts his head in the window and we talked for 602 00:38:21,565 --> 00:38:24,750 a minute and he says, man, I would hate for something to happen to those 603 00:38:24,750 --> 00:38:28,350 four precious girls back there. I go, 604 00:38:28,350 --> 00:38:32,190 Yeah. I drive to the gas station right after 605 00:38:32,190 --> 00:38:36,030 that, and we get to the gas station and I 606 00:38:36,030 --> 00:38:39,015 look in the rear view mirror and I see see Adasa, and she is just 607 00:38:39,015 --> 00:38:42,454 weeping. And so I say, Come here, 608 00:38:42,454 --> 00:38:45,355 Adasa. And I pull her up in the front seat, 609 00:38:46,454 --> 00:38:49,494 and I look at her, she's weeping, and she looks at me with her glass 610 00:38:49,494 --> 00:38:53,175 eyes, and she looks at me, and I say, What's wrong? And she 611 00:38:53,175 --> 00:38:56,830 says, I just don't understand why you don't have to follow the 612 00:38:56,830 --> 00:38:57,330 rules. 613 00:39:01,310 --> 00:39:02,610 And I just broke. 614 00:39:06,395 --> 00:39:09,775 I don't want my kids to see something different 615 00:39:11,115 --> 00:39:14,494 than what I want to manifest on the outside to everybody 616 00:39:14,635 --> 00:39:18,474 else. You see, she heard loud 617 00:39:18,474 --> 00:39:21,960 and clear the police officer say, I would hate for you to lose one of 618 00:39:21,960 --> 00:39:25,560 these precious girls. And I looked at Edessa and I 619 00:39:25,560 --> 00:39:27,580 said, I am so sorry. 620 00:39:29,240 --> 00:39:32,840 Please forgive me for not listening to you, when you were telling me I 621 00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:36,375 needed to slow down. All the times you're telling me to slow down. 622 00:39:38,775 --> 00:39:42,615 And in that moment with humility, I believe that my child was 623 00:39:42,615 --> 00:39:46,215 able to see me chip away at my pride, my 624 00:39:46,215 --> 00:39:49,655 arrogance, my need to be right, and to 625 00:39:49,655 --> 00:39:51,915 say, I hear you. 626 00:39:53,390 --> 00:39:56,770 Because what we cultivate in private is gonna manifest itself 627 00:39:57,790 --> 00:39:58,530 in public. 628 00:40:02,510 --> 00:40:06,350 The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, gentleness 629 00:40:06,350 --> 00:40:10,155 and self control. These are some benchmarks of what 630 00:40:10,375 --> 00:40:13,734 our life with Christ looks like if we're walking with the 631 00:40:13,734 --> 00:40:17,255 Spirit. These are indicators of what our 632 00:40:17,255 --> 00:40:21,069 character truly looks like. But it's not just for 633 00:40:21,069 --> 00:40:24,910 the grandiose population. It's in those one 634 00:40:24,910 --> 00:40:28,349 on one moments with your closest friends, with your spouse, with your 635 00:40:28,349 --> 00:40:32,190 family. What 636 00:40:32,190 --> 00:40:35,089 you're projecting on the outside isn't happening on the inside. 637 00:40:35,790 --> 00:40:39,565 Jesus, can I tell you, we would have not chosen Jesus to be our King? 638 00:40:40,185 --> 00:40:43,865 This is what the word says in Isaiah about Jesus. Who has 639 00:40:43,865 --> 00:40:47,484 believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 640 00:40:47,785 --> 00:40:47,984 He grew up before Him like a tender shoot and like a root out of 641 00:40:47,984 --> 00:40:51,740 dry ground. He had no root out of dry 642 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:55,720 ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him. Nothing in 643 00:40:55,720 --> 00:40:59,480 his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and 644 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:03,260 rejected by mankind. A man of suffering and familiar with pain. 645 00:41:03,555 --> 00:41:07,234 Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised and we held 646 00:41:07,234 --> 00:41:10,994 him in low esteem. We would have not chosen Jesus to be 647 00:41:10,994 --> 00:41:14,355 our king. But despite that 648 00:41:14,355 --> 00:41:15,494 truth, he 649 00:41:24,170 --> 00:41:27,770 believed. Guys we want to be like 650 00:41:27,770 --> 00:41:31,425 Jesus. We wanna be like Jesus, our character 651 00:41:31,485 --> 00:41:35,244 needs to emulate Jesus, but in order for us to look like Jesus, 652 00:41:35,244 --> 00:41:38,925 you see that hand there with that nail? That's what we're supposed to look 653 00:41:38,925 --> 00:41:42,390 like. Dying to our selves every single 654 00:41:42,390 --> 00:41:46,150 day. Looking at people who have wronged us and saying I'm 655 00:41:46,150 --> 00:41:49,990 gonna give you the upper hand. I'm gonna love you so much more 656 00:41:49,990 --> 00:41:53,505 even though you're unlovable right now, I'm gonna love you so far high, much higher 657 00:41:53,664 --> 00:41:57,424 above that. I'm gonna sacrifice. I'm gonna sacrifice. I'm gonna lay down my 658 00:41:57,424 --> 00:42:01,265 life. That is looking like the Lord Jesus Christ, the one whom 659 00:42:01,265 --> 00:42:04,724 we say, we love. Do you look like Christ? 660 00:42:06,625 --> 00:42:09,319 If you'll stand with me and we're gonna end with this poem, 661 00:42:10,260 --> 00:42:12,119 and I'm gonna release you this morning. 662 00:42:15,619 --> 00:42:19,140 In fields unseen where sheep once grazed, a heart was 663 00:42:19,140 --> 00:42:22,819 shaped through simple ways. Not crowned with gold nor 664 00:42:22,819 --> 00:42:26,285 clothed in quiet 665 00:42:26,285 --> 00:42:29,964 night. The world may chase the grand and bright, the 666 00:42:29,964 --> 00:42:33,724 dazzling stage, the fleeting light, but God, he looks 667 00:42:33,724 --> 00:42:37,085 beneath the praise to hearts refined in hidden 668 00:42:37,085 --> 00:42:40,660 ways. Character whispers when no one 669 00:42:40,660 --> 00:42:44,200 sees. It holds the line with humble ease. 670 00:42:44,580 --> 00:42:48,100 It stands in truth, it loves through pain. It 671 00:42:48,100 --> 00:42:51,940 bears the cross and shuns the game. Oh Lord, may 672 00:42:51,940 --> 00:42:55,665 I in every place enjoy the gift of ordinary 673 00:42:55,885 --> 00:42:59,325 days. For there you mold and there you 674 00:42:59,325 --> 00:43:02,305 mend. In simple tasks, your truth 675 00:43:02,685 --> 00:43:06,510 descends. A heart that waits and walks by grace 676 00:43:06,590 --> 00:43:10,270 that trust your hand through every space. For crowns will fade and 677 00:43:10,270 --> 00:43:14,110 fain depart, but character remains the heart. So 678 00:43:14,110 --> 00:43:17,630 build me strong in quiet ways through 679 00:43:17,630 --> 00:43:21,244 unseen nights and waiting days. Let Christ 680 00:43:21,244 --> 00:43:24,944 be formed in every part. A life that beats 681 00:43:25,404 --> 00:43:29,085 with your own heart. May we be a 682 00:43:29,085 --> 00:43:32,605 people who look like Christ, not in our 683 00:43:32,605 --> 00:43:36,400 shirts and what we manifest on the outside. But may our 684 00:43:36,400 --> 00:43:40,100 hearts and our presence and our character 685 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,860 be reflective of Jesus Christ in those intimate 686 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:47,675 moments when nobody else is looking. So that when the 687 00:43:47,675 --> 00:43:50,655 dying world is looking at us, they get a true picture 688 00:43:51,595 --> 00:43:55,355 of Jesus, the hope of the world. Raise 689 00:43:55,355 --> 00:43:59,195 your hand, let me give you a blessing. May the God of 690 00:43:59,195 --> 00:44:02,095 the universe, the God who breathes stars continue 691 00:44:03,730 --> 00:44:07,030 to help us grow in character that is becoming 692 00:44:07,730 --> 00:44:11,250 of the kingdom. Whether we are serving in a 693 00:44:11,250 --> 00:44:14,790 season we're serving in or we're in that waiting room. 694 00:44:15,545 --> 00:44:19,305 And may it all be to glorify him and that we would look 695 00:44:19,305 --> 00:44:22,665 more like Jesus. In Christ's name we 696 00:44:22,665 --> 00:44:25,805 pray, Amen. Be blessed Spring House. I love you today.