1 00:00:01,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdik. 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,840 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 2: Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 6 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 2: in your life. 7 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. 8 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:22,079 Speaker 2: There is a passage of scripture that has always fascinated me, 9 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 2: and I knew it was the one to start this 10 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 2: series with because most of my sermon ideas come from 11 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,639 Speaker 2: a text, usually a text in the Bible. But this 12 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:34,559 Speaker 2: whole series came to me through a text on my 13 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 2: phone and somebody texted me, but I didn't have their 14 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 2: number in my contacts, but they had texted me before 15 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 2: and their name was in the text. So you know, 16 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 2: Steve Jobs is so smart, even from beyond the grave. 17 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,839 Speaker 2: He made a suggestion on my iPhone and he said maybe, 18 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: and then it said it could be this person. And 19 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 2: when I saw it on my phone, I realized that 20 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: that would make an amazing way to spend several weeks 21 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 2: in the Word of God talking about those times where 22 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:06,040 Speaker 2: we don't know if it's God or not, and so 23 00:01:06,080 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 2: we're trying to lead our families some of us, or 24 00:01:08,560 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 2: we're trying to get our education, or we're trying to 25 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,839 Speaker 2: decide about jobs or dates, or trying to decide about 26 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 2: moving to a new house or new apartment, or just 27 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:21,560 Speaker 2: trying to figure out what it is that we were 28 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 2: put here on earth for. But the series is called 29 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 2: Maybe God, Maybe God. We worship a God who can 30 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 2: be best explained as mystery, and yet we live in 31 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 2: a culture that worships certainty. And so I want to 32 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 2: talk about that for several weeks with you. And I'm 33 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 2: so glad you're here. Touch somebody and say he's so 34 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 2: happy you're here. That preacher, That preacher is happy you're here. 35 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: That's true. I'm so glad you're here. 36 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: And what I need you to do right now is 37 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 2: give you attention just to this text in First Samuel, 38 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: chapter three, where we will encounter a young man who's 39 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: encountering God. And I pray that we will encounter God 40 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 2: in the process today. First Samuel three, verse one. The 41 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 2: boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days, 42 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,760 Speaker 2: the word of the Lord was rare. There were not 43 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 2: many visions. One night, Eli, whose eyes were becoming so 44 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 2: weak that he could barely see was lying down in 45 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 2: his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet 46 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 2: gone out touch somebody say, there's still time, There's still time. 47 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 2: I know you might have got off track in your life, 48 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: but there's still time. I know there might be some 49 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 2: things out of order in your house, but there's still time. 50 00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 2: I know you might have wasted some years chasing your 51 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 2: own ways, but God brought you here because there's still time. 52 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:45,519 Speaker 2: God left you here because there's still time. If you're 53 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 2: still breathing, there's still time. I got a friend named 54 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 2: Perry Noble. His favorite quote is, if you're not dead, 55 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:54,919 Speaker 2: God's not done. 56 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: And I just believe that. I believe it. 57 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 2: So the light had not yet gone out out, and 58 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 2: Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, 59 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,800 Speaker 2: where the ark of God, which symbolized the presence of 60 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 2: God was, And then the Lord called Samuel, and Samuel answered, 61 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 2: here I am. And he ran to Eli and said, 62 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 2: here I am. You called me, but Eli said I 63 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 2: didn't call go back to sleep, man, wake me up 64 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 2: in the middle of the night. I didn't call you. 65 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 2: Go back and lie down. So he went and lay 66 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 2: down again. The Lord called Samuel, and Samuel got up 67 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,320 Speaker 2: and went to Eli and said, here, I am. This 68 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: is really strange, right like, because you expect when God 69 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 2: calls it'll sound so deep. So baritone Samuel apparently it sounded. 70 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: It sounded so much like what he was used to 71 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 2: being that he ran to the place where he normally 72 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 2: went and he was like, here, I am, you called me, 73 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 2: my son. Eli said, I did not call, go back. 74 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,919 Speaker 1: And lie down, but you need an ambient, a weighted. 75 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 2: Blanket, some milk, a cookie. 76 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord. 77 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 2: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed 78 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 2: to him. A third time, the Lord called Samuel, and 79 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 2: Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, here, 80 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 2: I am, you call me. I know you're messing with me. 81 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 2: Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 82 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,479 Speaker 2: So Eli told Samuel go and lie down. If he calls, 83 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 2: you say speak Lord, for your servant is listening. The 84 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 2: title of this message is something that I have heard 85 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 2: people say to me of all ages, of all ethnicities, 86 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 2: of all econom status positions. And I want you to 87 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 2: look at the screen for the title of my message. 88 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 2: It goes like this, I'm confused about my calling. I'm 89 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 2: confused about my calling. I love God and I love 90 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 2: my family and I want to make a difference. But 91 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 2: look at somebody next to you and say you look confused. 92 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 2: Tell them I am, I'm confused about my call. Lord 93 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,679 Speaker 2: have your way, speak your word. We're listening in Jesus' name. Amen, 94 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: Now be seated. You are forgiven. If when I say 95 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 2: calling you roll your eyes a little bit. It is 96 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: one of these terms that is so popular in culture 97 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 2: that it almost means nothing anymore, and it can be 98 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 2: frustrating the older you get when people talk about lofty 99 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: ideals like finding your calling. You need to find your calling, 100 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:11,799 Speaker 2: and you know, well, for most of us, that's way 101 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 2: outside of the realm of our everyday life where we're 102 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 2: trying to pay bills. It's like, you know, you need 103 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,720 Speaker 2: to find your calling, and you're like, well, I'm doing 104 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 2: good to find my keys in the morning, and you 105 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 2: want to talk about finding your calling. And as much 106 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 2: as I understand that, I also understand that there's a 107 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,600 Speaker 2: reason that the majority of questions that I have been 108 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 2: asked as a pastor in these thirteen years going on 109 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 2: fourteen years, the reason for it is that there is 110 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 2: something inside of you that wants to find the thing 111 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 2: that you were made to do, and you will never 112 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: be satisfied with anything else. And no matter how much 113 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 2: sex you have, money you make, friends you meet, no 114 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 2: matter how big the house is that you build, no 115 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 2: matter how many cars you park in the driveway, there 116 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 2: will always be something unsatisfied in you until you find 117 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 2: that thing that we call a calling. 118 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: And yet, and yet, so much damage. 119 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 2: Has been done in popular culture by the concept of 120 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 2: calling that it actually makes us discontent with our lives 121 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 2: because rather than understand the real nature of a calling, 122 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 2: we have a concept of a calling, and often we 123 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 2: spend our lives wishing that we were doing something that 124 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 2: God did not tell us to do. 125 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: So to break this first sermon down. 126 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 2: Today, and there will be several in this series, I'm 127 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: praying that you come. 128 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: To all of them. 129 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 2: And I'm praying if you can't come to all of them, 130 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 2: you'll watch them all because they're all online for free. 131 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 2: And I can't figure out a reason in the world 132 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 2: why you couldn't spend forty minutes with me on YouTube 133 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 2: each week, even if you have to do it while 134 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 2: you're walking the dog, even if you have to do 135 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 2: it while you're falling. 136 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: Asleep, I'll put you to sleep. I don't mind whatever 137 00:07:58,200 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: I can get. 138 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: I'll help you run on the treadmill, whatever you have 139 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,480 Speaker 2: to do to get these messages. The Bible says in 140 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 2: verse one that in those days, while Samuel, the twelve 141 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: year old who was apprenticing in the tabernacle because his 142 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 2: mother Hannah, prayed that she could have a son, and 143 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 2: she had trouble conceiving. And when she finally had the son, 144 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 2: she dedicated him to the Lord, and she dropped him 145 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 2: off at age four and only saw him once a year, 146 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 2: and she put him under Eli, who wasn't doing a 147 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 2: very good job. He was letting his sons run around 148 00:08:28,760 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 2: in the tabernacle and have sex with women at the 149 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 2: entrance to the tabernacle, and he knew about it, but 150 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:37,079 Speaker 2: he wouldn't do anything about it. And he was letting 151 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,199 Speaker 2: his sons beat people up who had brought their sacrifice 152 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 2: to the temple, and they brought their sacrifice to God, 153 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 2: but the priests took it for themselves. Hofney and phineas 154 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 2: Eli's sons, would send their messenger out to the tent 155 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 2: and say, hey, Hoffney said, you got to give him 156 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 2: the fat portion, And the people who came would be like, well, 157 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: that's for the Lord. They can get the portion after 158 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 2: it burns off, that's the priest portion. But they had 159 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:02,400 Speaker 2: gotten confused about what it meant to honor God, and 160 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,600 Speaker 2: they had started honoring themselves and their opinions and their desires, 161 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 2: and they started treating God as common. And so the 162 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,679 Speaker 2: Bible says something interesting in verse one. It says, in 163 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 2: those days, with all of that going on, the word 164 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 2: of the Lord was rare because they treated the Lord 165 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:23,319 Speaker 2: as common. 166 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 1: The word of the Lord was rare. 167 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 2: Because we live in a day where it is so 168 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: easy to get information but so difficult to get truth. 169 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 2: I figured this verse would apply to us. Would you 170 00:09:40,920 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 2: agree with me that we are drowning in information, drowning 171 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 2: in opinion, drowning in agenda, drowning in projections, but starving 172 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 2: for truth. 173 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: You know I'm right about it. 174 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 2: It's such a crazy time. You don't know who to 175 00:09:57,200 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 2: trust anymore. You don't know if it's real, know if 176 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 2: it's fake. You don't know if it's inflated. You don't 177 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 2: know if it's a statistic. And let me give you 178 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,559 Speaker 2: a statistic. Eighty three percent of statistics are made up. 179 00:10:07,760 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 2: That's a statistic. I made it up. It's a time 180 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 2: where truth is hard to find. And it doesn't mean 181 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 2: that there wasn't access to the Bible. God knows we 182 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 2: have access to the Word of God. You could pull 183 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 2: out your phone right now and a British person will 184 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,679 Speaker 2: read you the Bible on the Bible at That made 185 00:10:27,720 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 2: me think of something real funny. One time, Graham asked 186 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 2: me do British people find American accents soothing? 187 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: Probably not. 188 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 2: But here's the thing about it. It's not access to 189 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:46,440 Speaker 2: the Word of God. It's our attitude to the Word 190 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 2: of God. 191 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 1: It's our attitude. 192 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 2: It's why some people can come into church and look 193 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 2: narcoleptic in church. That's why some people can come into 194 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: church and leave during the invitation. God forbid it takes 195 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 2: you seven minutes to get the cracker barrel. It's why 196 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 2: some people can click around to different sermons and be like, Ah, 197 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: I don't know Fredi's not on today. 198 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go over here to this one and that one. 199 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 2: And that's what See, when the Word of God becomes 200 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 2: common to us, we will have access to the Word 201 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,240 Speaker 2: of God, but it will not have impact on our life. 202 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 2: And so the first thing I wanted to mention is 203 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:30,560 Speaker 2: the culture. The culture in Eli's time was a culture 204 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 2: of neglect, a culture where the value of who God 205 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: was and what he. 206 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: Said was negotiable. 207 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 2: Therefore there was an absence of that special presence of God. 208 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 2: The word of the Lord was rare because the Lord 209 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:52,079 Speaker 2: of the Word had become common. And I just want 210 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 2: to say to you today that many of our cultural 211 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 2: concepts of calling are really just self help, individualistic, ambition 212 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 2: oriented delusions dressed up in Christian cliches. And because you 213 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 2: got a trophy when you were seven does not mean 214 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:26,120 Speaker 2: you get to play Major League Baseball. And the culture 215 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,840 Speaker 2: of our day is kind of like, instead of worshiping God, 216 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:35,319 Speaker 2: we worship our idea of God's will, And rather than 217 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 2: being in relationship with God, we want God to be 218 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 2: a resource. 219 00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: Who is more like Siri than he is like a savior. 220 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:51,200 Speaker 2: I don't know if you come back next week the 221 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,720 Speaker 2: way I'm starting to sermon, but we need to get 222 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 2: something straight right off the bat that until I treasure 223 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 2: the voice of God, tell you the voice of God, 224 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 2: hearken to the voice of God, make time for the 225 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 2: voice of God, consecrate myself, I can't get it by skimming. 226 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 2: I can't get it by just you know, running around 227 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 2: to this person and that person. 228 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: It is the revealed will of God that we're after. 229 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: It is the revealed will of God. 230 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 2: Now, when I was in my twenties, I did all 231 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 2: this teaching and preaching. And now you know, now that 232 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 2: I'm wiser, I turned forty next year, you'll better start 233 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 2: working on my gift now, because it's a big one. 234 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 2: It's kind of cringey for me to look back on 235 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 2: the way I spoke about calling in my twenties that 236 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 2: probably left people feeling at the very least confused, at 237 00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:03,880 Speaker 2: worse frustrated, and maybe even full of resentment because the 238 00:14:03,920 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 2: way it happened in my life is different for all 239 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 2: of us. Here's Samuel, who is receiving a revelation of God, 240 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: And in my life, I never heard anything audible that 241 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 2: God said to me. I never, you know, the Lord 242 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,920 Speaker 2: never said Fardich Steve, what God called you by your 243 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 2: last name for someone don't know, but he said. He 244 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 2: never said, you know, preach to me out loud. There 245 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:33,720 Speaker 2: were desires, there were opportunities. I noticed some effectiveness. It's 246 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,280 Speaker 2: the weirdest thing. When I first got up to pray 247 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 2: for Pastor Mickey, who asked me to pray at a 248 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 2: Lions Club meeting. I noticed that people seem to be 249 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 2: blessed as I prayed, and they connected him. And it 250 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 2: took Pastor Mickey to explain to me that that was 251 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 2: the hand of God. 252 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,400 Speaker 1: All my life I didn't know that. 253 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 2: If he hadn't been there to guide me, I would 254 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 2: have maybe thought I was just a charismatic speaker. He 255 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 2: helped me to see that there was something supernatural involved. 256 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:09,320 Speaker 2: And I was sixteen years old, and I had someone 257 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 2: who had been around long enough to see some things 258 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 2: to tell me it was special. Otherwise I wouldn't have 259 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 2: known him. Now here's what I did with that knowledge. 260 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 2: I preached in my twenties that just like God called 261 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 2: me to preach, God has called each Christian. 262 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: To do something. 263 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 2: You agree with that, But here's the part that I 264 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,280 Speaker 2: think was incomplete. While I'd be up there saying to people, 265 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 2: you need to find your calling. You need to find 266 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 2: your calling. You need to find your calling. You need 267 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 2: to find your calling. You need to find your calling. 268 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:42,720 Speaker 2: You find your calling. You need to find your calling. 269 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 2: You need to find your calling. You need to find 270 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 2: your calling. You need to find your calling. You need 271 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 2: to find a calling, because he gets annoying after a while. Right, 272 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 2: It's like I'm just trying to like I need a job, man, 273 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 2: I don't know about a calling. 274 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: I've need a raise right now. 275 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 2: Is that it makes it sound as if it's something 276 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: that you can just get and just know. And yet 277 00:16:05,440 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 2: did you notice in the passage that even Samuel, who 278 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 2: was the link between the period of the Judges and 279 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,640 Speaker 2: the monarchy of Israel a thousand years before Jesus, that 280 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 2: even Samuel, who none of his words fell to the ground, 281 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 2: even Samuel didn't get it right the first time. I 282 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:29,960 Speaker 2: don't know why, but that encourages me just reading this 283 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 2: little story, to know that there's someone that God used 284 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 2: to do something great. 285 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: And he called him and he chose him. 286 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 2: But even this great prophet didn't get it right the 287 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 2: first time. I want to set you free today from 288 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 2: the feeling that you have to find your calling. That's 289 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 2: a cultural concept, it's not a biblical one. You don't 290 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 2: have to find your calling. In fact, if the tech 291 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 2: this correct, if Samuel is an illustration, then I don't 292 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 2: have to find my calling, because if I will serve 293 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 2: the purpose of the season that I'm in in my 294 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 2: life right now, watch this, get ready to shout. 295 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 1: My calling will find. 296 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:27,640 Speaker 2: Me in that good news, Christian soldiers, aren't you glad 297 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 2: to know that? 298 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: When Samuel heard a voice and he didn't even know 299 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:32,520 Speaker 1: whose voice it was. 300 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 2: And here's the thing about it, I want to talk 301 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 2: about the culture, and then I want to talk about 302 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 2: the contact, the contact, because when he first heard the voice, 303 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,199 Speaker 2: it sounded like something he had heard before. Have you 304 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 2: ever noticed is hard to know the difference between when 305 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 2: you're speaking to you and when God is speaking to you. 306 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 1: And watch out for the Christians. 307 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,160 Speaker 2: Who are running around so sure that it's God speaking 308 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 2: to them. Those are the weird ones. These are the 309 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,160 Speaker 2: crazy ones. I mean, I'm serious. You gotta watch out 310 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 2: for him. And they're here at Elevation, just like they're 311 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 2: at every church. And they'll find you in the bathroom 312 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 2: and they'll have a word from the Lord for you, 313 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,200 Speaker 2: and they don't even know you. And it's weird because 314 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:11,880 Speaker 2: it's the bathroom. 315 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:12,959 Speaker 1: Can I wash my hands? 316 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 2: If God spoke to you, he'll do it in the lobby. 317 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:17,160 Speaker 1: Now, let me finish using the bathroom. 318 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:19,479 Speaker 2: I'm serious, because I'm a preacher and people always think 319 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:21,119 Speaker 2: I want to be spiritual, and people will stop me 320 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 2: in the bathroom sometimes at a restaurant and give me 321 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 2: a word from the Lord. But if it was really 322 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 2: the Lord, he would have told you it's weird to 323 00:18:25,840 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 2: talk to people in the bathroom and wait till a 324 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 2: man gets outside, because there is such a thing as germs, 325 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:31,879 Speaker 2: and God doesn't cancel out germs. I don't want your 326 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 2: pphetic word. Well, I'm trying to so, but because he 327 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 2: gets weird, because he gets weird, we still have to 328 00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:47,920 Speaker 2: realize that the only way that the will of God, 329 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 2: or the word of God or the voice of God 330 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:57,680 Speaker 2: can be recognized. That's what the Bible said that Eli 331 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:01,879 Speaker 2: who was old, who couldn't see fys. I've been on 332 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 2: this thing lightly that we really need people in our 333 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,399 Speaker 2: life who are older than us, who have been along 334 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 2: the journey and to respect the price that they paid, 335 00:19:09,600 --> 00:19:11,720 Speaker 2: and to not just think that because they don't go 336 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 2: on SoundCloud or because they don't have a lot of 337 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 2: Instagram followers, that they have nothing to teach us. I'm 338 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 2: really seeing the value and people who they may not 339 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 2: have the physical vision that they used to have, but 340 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 2: they can discern spiritual things. And Eli wasn't even a 341 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 2: perfect priest. In fact, God was in the process of 342 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 2: moving him out of the way. And even in that transition, 343 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 2: because the whole passage is about transition. It's Samuel transitioning 344 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 2: from a boy to a man, from boys to men. 345 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,080 Speaker 2: I was just thinking, you know, it's hard to say goodbye. 346 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:53,439 Speaker 2: But when Eli is transitioning out, and when Samuel is 347 00:19:53,440 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 2: transitioning up and he's ultimately stepping into the thing God 348 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 2: created him for. God deals with Samuel, but he does 349 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 2: it through Eli. And whatever God is going to speak 350 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 2: in your life is going to come in the context 351 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 2: of relationships. And I chose the word contact to describe 352 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 2: it because whoever you put around you the most will 353 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 2: start to affect the voice inside. 354 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: Of you that speaks to you. And have you ever. 355 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 2: Noticed that God's voice sometimes in your life sounds like 356 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 2: your wife. Sometimes for me, it sounds like my kids. 357 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:40,640 Speaker 2: Sometimes in my life I've noticed that if I am 358 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:46,919 Speaker 2: not selective about my contacts, I will start hearing I 359 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 2: don't mean like out loud voices. I don't want you 360 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:50,879 Speaker 2: to send me off after I've preached today or anything 361 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 2: like that. 362 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: I mean the voice in my mind a lot of times. 363 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 2: When I was going through a counseling session to try 364 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 2: to understand myself better. The one thing that the therapist 365 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 2: would keep saying, is whose voice is that? You know 366 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 2: these things you say to yourself, You go like, uh, 367 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 2: you know, I'm so stupid and you never get anything right, 368 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:12,880 Speaker 2: and well, of course you screwed it up, you screw 369 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 2: everything up, you know all that. 370 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: And she keeps saying, whose voice is that? Whose voice 371 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:16,479 Speaker 1: is that? 372 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 2: And I didn't know if she was just trying to 373 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 2: get me to say, you know, it was my dad. 374 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 1: You know. Oh, like the point of all therapy. My 375 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,080 Speaker 1: diapers were too tight. I dit it. 376 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:32,160 Speaker 2: But what I realized is that most of us who 377 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 2: are not clinically insane don't actually hear voices. We process thoughts, right, 378 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 2: so we say the voice of God? How does the 379 00:21:40,640 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 2: voice of God come into your life? 380 00:21:42,359 --> 00:21:44,439 Speaker 1: Through thoughts? Through thoughts? 381 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:48,679 Speaker 2: And that's why Samuel was confused, right because he heard something, 382 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 2: so he went where he knew to go. And I 383 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 2: want to point out something about this. He did the 384 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,679 Speaker 2: right thing, He did the right thing. He ran. I 385 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 2: noticed the Bible said that when he heard his name 386 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 2: called Samuel first of all. It didn't sound it didn't 387 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 2: sound strange to him. It sounded like what he was 388 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 2: used to. So he ran because that's what he did, 389 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 2: because he had the right passion. 390 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 1: But he ran to the wrong person. 391 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:24,880 Speaker 2: Some of you right now, you had the right passion, 392 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 2: but you're running to the wrong person or the wrong place. 393 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 2: Now this is not only true in the case of Samuel. 394 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 2: It was true of Moses. God called him to deliver 395 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 2: his people from the Egyptians. Moses had the right passion, 396 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 2: but where he messed up. Listen to this, U see 397 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 2: when he killed the Egyptian. It was the right passion, 398 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,640 Speaker 2: but it was misplaced. He tried to do it his way. 399 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 2: He didn't get it right the first time. And some 400 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,200 Speaker 2: of the things that you've gotten wrong in your life, 401 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 2: some of the mistakes that you've made, it was God's 402 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,679 Speaker 2: stirley you up. But it was Eli that you ran to. 403 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:06,119 Speaker 2: You ran to the thing that God was trying to 404 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:08,880 Speaker 2: remove out of your life because that's what you were 405 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 2: used to. You ran to the thing that you were 406 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 2: familiar with because it's all your mind could understand. And 407 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:17,359 Speaker 2: so God gave you a gift, but you used that 408 00:23:17,440 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 2: gift for you for a little while. 409 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:20,360 Speaker 1: Until you found out. 410 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 2: Unless I offer the gift back to the giver, it's 411 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 2: going to come back empty. But God brought you here 412 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 2: today to let you know. That was my voice calling you. 413 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 2: That was me that gave you that talent. That was 414 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 2: me that made you good at that. That was me 415 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:38,639 Speaker 2: that opened the door for you. That was me that 416 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 2: gave you that responsibility. That was me that gave you health. 417 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 2: That was me that gave you strength. That was Me 418 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 2: that gave you that connection. It was him the whole time. 419 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 2: It was It was the Lord that called Samuel, but 420 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,119 Speaker 2: it was Eli that Samuel ran to. 421 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,440 Speaker 1: What are you running to? If you're run if you're. 422 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:06,840 Speaker 2: Running to something that is not your purpose, you feel it. 423 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:08,879 Speaker 2: You feel it in several ways. But one of the 424 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 2: things I want to mention is I'm trying to surround 425 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 2: myself in this stage. 426 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 1: Of my life with people who bring out the God 427 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: in me. And that's just me. 428 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 2: Now. 429 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: I don't mean I'm going to be mean to people 430 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 1: who don't know the Lord, or I'm going to go 431 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: out and. 432 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 2: Live in a monastery or something like that. 433 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:29,600 Speaker 1: But you know, there are some there are some texts. 434 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 2: That I don't return in this stage of my life 435 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 2: because I feel like I'm in a season where I'm 436 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 2: trying to do important things and my calling is valuable, 437 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 2: and so my contacts are very important because certain stuff 438 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 2: is contagious, and I know there are certain people. When 439 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 2: I get around them, I feel something rising me that 440 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,360 Speaker 2: lets me know I can overcome. And I need them 441 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 2: around me. I need them to rub off on me. 442 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,520 Speaker 2: I need them to speak into my life. I need 443 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 2: them to encourage me. I don't need people who are 444 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:07,199 Speaker 2: laying back on the last thing God did in this 445 00:25:07,359 --> 00:25:08,439 Speaker 2: season of my life. 446 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: I need people to push me forward. Yes I do, Yes, 447 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:16,200 Speaker 1: I do. 448 00:25:17,520 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 2: I gotta be careful reading the comments on my Instagram 449 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 2: in this season because whatever I may contact with I 450 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 2: catch and see. 451 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: I need the word of the Lord. 452 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 2: I need vision, I need hope, I need purpose, I 453 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:31,720 Speaker 2: need security. 454 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 1: And so. 455 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 2: He runs to Eli, but Eli tells him is God 456 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 2: you need to speak to and the right contact in 457 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,440 Speaker 2: your life will always point you back to the only 458 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 2: one who has real power. 459 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: Thank you God for this word. I feel your spirit 460 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: on this one. 461 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 2: This is gonna help you because one the concept of 462 00:25:57,640 --> 00:25:59,639 Speaker 2: calling that most of us have is that you're going 463 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 2: to go on a forty day fast in the Holy Land, 464 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 2: and God's gonna speak to you when you walk where 465 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 2: Jesus walked and the Sea of Galilee. But the Lord 466 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 2: is not going to speak to you on the Sea 467 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 2: of Galilee from a voice on the water. 468 00:26:11,200 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: He's gonna speak to you. 469 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 2: And I know you don't want to hear it because 470 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,159 Speaker 2: it's sexy to thing that someday there's going to be 471 00:26:17,200 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 2: a voice that speaks from heaven. It's not going to 472 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 2: be like that. It's gonna sound like Eli. It's gonna 473 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:31,320 Speaker 2: sound like Eli. And it is through Eli that God 474 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:38,200 Speaker 2: calls Samuel Eli. This isn't Billy Graham. This is the 475 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:41,199 Speaker 2: dude who blew it. And this is how bad he 476 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 2: blew it. Watch what ultimately happens when Samuel laughter three times? 477 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:49,719 Speaker 2: Everybody say three times? How many times do I have 478 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 2: to tell you? One time, Holly, she loses her temper 479 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 2: with our kids a lot. Y'all pray for her. It's kiddy. 480 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:58,199 Speaker 2: It's a very patient mom. But one time she was 481 00:26:58,200 --> 00:26:59,960 Speaker 2: so mad at Elijah. He was only about four. 482 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,399 Speaker 1: She said, how many times do I have to tell you? You? 483 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 2: Got this real fear look in his eyes? He goes 484 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 2: three times. Look at the verse eight again a third time. 485 00:27:15,640 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 2: How many are glad that God has called, waiting that 486 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:23,720 Speaker 2: God will call you again? Ask Jonah. Jonah wasn't even 487 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,520 Speaker 2: a talented preacher. He didn't have funny stories, he didn't 488 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 2: have good charisma, he didn't even like people. But God 489 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,000 Speaker 2: used him because when God calls you, he will call back. 490 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 2: You know how there are some people when you call them, 491 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 2: you have to call them, and so you're secretly hoping 492 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 2: you get their voicemail because you really don't want to 493 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 2: talk to them anyway. Some of you think God is 494 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 2: like that, like he really wants someone else and he's 495 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:50,320 Speaker 2: really glad that he doesn't have to deal with you. 496 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 2: But God wants you. God wants you. God shows you. 497 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:57,359 Speaker 2: God put the genetics in you, the DNA in you, 498 00:27:57,800 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 2: the passion in you, the opportunity is for you. What 499 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 2: God has for you, it is for you. That's why 500 00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,919 Speaker 2: you don't have to be jealous, insecure, bitter, resentful. 501 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:09,520 Speaker 1: That's why you don't have to get back. 502 00:28:09,680 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 2: That's why you don't have to take revenge, because what 503 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 2: God has for you is for you. 504 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 1: Y'all awake, Somebody shout here. 505 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:29,200 Speaker 2: I am and that was really the answer, because it's 506 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:32,639 Speaker 2: not only the culture that confuses us in our calling. 507 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 2: It's not only our contacts sometimes, but it's the conflict 508 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 2: of calling. The conflict of calling is great on an 509 00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 2: internal and an external level. Now what Samuel did next, 510 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 2: What a beautiful little story right to show us that 511 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:02,080 Speaker 2: God repeats things. 512 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: Way I know he's speaking. 513 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 2: You ever notice this when God is trying to get 514 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:05,880 Speaker 2: your attention. It's kind of like when you're shopping for 515 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 2: a certain car and you start seeing them everywhere. When 516 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:12,320 Speaker 2: God wants to get a message across to you, he'll 517 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 2: he'll put you in the market for it, and you 518 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 2: never even looked at anybody else's beats. But now you're like, well, 519 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:20,880 Speaker 2: what's that one? How's that one different than that one? 520 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 2: And this one and the other one? Because I'm in 521 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 2: the market for God. When you get in the market 522 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 2: for God, you start noticing that He's He's been speaking 523 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:34,280 Speaker 2: all along, just like just like there was there was confirmation. 524 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:36,760 Speaker 2: I didn't have time to put this word in the sermon. 525 00:29:36,800 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 2: It starts with the letter see, so it could be 526 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 2: a bonus point confirmation God. God will speak something over here, 527 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:44,200 Speaker 2: over here, over here, and you'll start noticing it. You'll 528 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 2: start noticing little things, and then it'll you hear it 529 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:48,760 Speaker 2: in the sermon, and then you hear it in a movie, 530 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 2: and then you hear it in a song, and then 531 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 2: you hear it you see it on somebody's the back 532 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,360 Speaker 2: of their window, and then you hear it through your husband, 533 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 2: and then you hear it through and you just see 534 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 2: it and just hear it, and you start seeing it 535 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 2: and you start hear and then you have to discern, 536 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:04,200 Speaker 2: which is to separate. That's what Eli did. He discerned. 537 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 2: The Hebrew word is being. He discerned, he separated. He 538 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 2: made a distinction. He had a discernment to know. This 539 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 2: is the Lord calling the boy. So he said, when 540 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,600 Speaker 2: it happens again, and this is the word of the 541 00:30:17,600 --> 00:30:20,920 Speaker 2: Lord for you when it happens again. When it happens again, 542 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,240 Speaker 2: if it happens again, just say speak Lord. 543 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 1: Your servant is listening, and I want to show you 544 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:29,000 Speaker 1: something that the Lord. 545 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 2: Just show me. His greatest revelation happened in rest. Eli 546 00:30:39,160 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 2: didn't say, Oh, that may be God. 547 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: You better run out and catch him before he leaves. Well, 548 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:48,760 Speaker 1: if God spoke to you, better chase him now. No. 549 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 2: If it was God's speaking, he'll come back. All you 550 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:55,120 Speaker 2: got to do is be in position for it. That's 551 00:30:55,200 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 2: all you've got to do. You don't have to find it, 552 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 2: it'll find you, trust me. God is not playing hide 553 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 2: and seek in the Tabernacle. God is not running around 554 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 2: the tent. 555 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: Haha. 556 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 2: If I hide behind this table of chowbred, Samuel will 557 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:19,320 Speaker 2: never find me back here. God's not hiding behind the 558 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 2: labor you know, He's not hiding. And even though God 559 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:28,160 Speaker 2: is always moving, he's never hiding. That's what the Tabernacle 560 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:29,760 Speaker 2: was was a portable structure, and they set it up 561 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 2: in the wilderness because they never knew when God was 562 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 2: going to say stop and when God was going to 563 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:36,280 Speaker 2: stay go. Why Because God does not want you to 564 00:31:36,360 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 2: depend on his will. He wants you to depend on him. 565 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 2: There's a difference. One is God, just show. 566 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:43,840 Speaker 1: Me what to do. That way I won't need you. 567 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:47,480 Speaker 2: The other one is God, I want you wherever you 568 00:31:47,600 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 2: lead me, wherever you take me, whatever it means, whatever 569 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:57,640 Speaker 2: it costs, and whatever it looks like. But here's the conflict. 570 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:04,480 Speaker 2: Because Samuel goes in and he lays down Bible says 571 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,320 Speaker 2: he didn't know the Lord yet he knew. He knew 572 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 2: how to bake the bread in the tabernacle, that was 573 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,320 Speaker 2: his job. He knew how to open the doors so 574 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 2: people could come worship. He knew how to follow Eli 575 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 2: around and get me this and get me that. But 576 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 2: there's a big difference between the rituals of religion and 577 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 2: a relationship with God. And if you're going through the motions, 578 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:34,920 Speaker 2: like you know, singing songs, not really thinking about the words, 579 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:37,560 Speaker 2: just kind of singing them, or just kind of like 580 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,360 Speaker 2: hearing little forgettable things that I say in my sermon, 581 00:32:41,280 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 2: you know, you won't even remember what it was about 582 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:51,160 Speaker 2: fifteen minutes after I'm done. It's possible that you don't 583 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 2: know the Lord yet. I don't mean you're not a Christian, 584 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 2: not necessarily. I don't mean you don't believe in God. 585 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 2: Don't mean not necessarily. But to know him is to 586 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 2: know his voice. And when you know him like that, 587 00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 2: you can hear things that are hard to hear. But 588 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:14,520 Speaker 2: you can know that even when he says things that 589 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:17,520 Speaker 2: are hard for you to hear, he says them from 590 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 2: a spirit of love, grace purpose. One of my friends 591 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:31,160 Speaker 2: is a real overtext. I can't keep up with him 592 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 2: and I love him, but my thumb's hurt and I 593 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,800 Speaker 2: can't do it. And I don't voice text because it's 594 00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 2: annoying because it corrects the wrong words the wrong way, 595 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:42,760 Speaker 2: and you can get in trouble that way and say 596 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 2: something you didn't mean to say, end up firing somebody 597 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 2: you meant to hire. But it changes. It doesn't know 598 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 2: because your voice anyway. One time he texted me, he said, 599 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 2: how come our conversation is all gray on iPhone when 600 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 2: they text you, it's gray when you text back blue. 601 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 2: When he said that, I wondered if sometimes my relationship 602 00:34:05,080 --> 00:34:10,280 Speaker 2: with God is all gray to where he is speaking 603 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:17,160 Speaker 2: and he is prompting and he is provoking. But God 604 00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 2: can speak, speak speak. Three times he did it. God 605 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:24,520 Speaker 2: didn't say anything different the third time except this when 606 00:34:24,560 --> 00:34:28,440 Speaker 2: he said, speak Lord, your servant is listening, and he 607 00:34:28,600 --> 00:34:30,000 Speaker 2: laid down in his place. 608 00:34:30,400 --> 00:34:32,040 Speaker 1: I got to hit that real quick. I know we're 609 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:32,680 Speaker 1: running out. 610 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 2: Of time, but it says Samuel went and laid down 611 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 2: in his place. 612 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:39,279 Speaker 1: That's first nine. Put it up. 613 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 2: Samuel went and lay down in his place, in his place, 614 00:34:44,719 --> 00:34:48,520 Speaker 2: in his place. You will realize God's purpose when you 615 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:51,759 Speaker 2: get in your place, touch somebody next to you and say, 616 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 2: get in your place, because if God is dropping off 617 00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:57,399 Speaker 2: the mail but you're not home, you won't get it, 618 00:34:57,760 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 2: and you'll think he didn't send it, and you'll think 619 00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,680 Speaker 2: he didn't. But I learned something with my friend. It 620 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:05,760 Speaker 2: was it was not just the conflict of the calling. 621 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:09,279 Speaker 2: It was the color. It was all gray. But the 622 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:14,040 Speaker 2: breakthrough is in the blue. It's not just when God speaks. 623 00:35:14,440 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 2: It's when you get in your place and say, God, 624 00:35:17,520 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 2: here I am the real me, the honest me, the 625 00:35:20,719 --> 00:35:23,920 Speaker 2: open me, the ready me, the humble me, the broken 626 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 2: down me. 627 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:26,399 Speaker 1: The meat that is ready to do your will. 628 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:28,480 Speaker 2: Because I've done my will and I saw how that 629 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:31,399 Speaker 2: worked out, and I'm ready to do your will. That's 630 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:34,480 Speaker 2: what Isaiah said. He said, I'm an unclean man with 631 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 2: unclean lips. But if you'll take that coal and touch 632 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 2: my lips, I'll speak for you. Because Holy, Holy, Holy 633 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:42,880 Speaker 2: is the Lord God Almighty. 634 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:46,600 Speaker 1: So here I am. I'll go. Moses stood at a bush. 635 00:35:46,840 --> 00:35:49,279 Speaker 2: He turned aside, took off his shoes and said, God, 636 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:52,439 Speaker 2: I'm slow of speech, I'm not eloquent, and you saw 637 00:35:52,480 --> 00:35:54,640 Speaker 2: the things I did that put me in this predicament. 638 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:57,799 Speaker 2: But if it's you calling here, I am somebody shout here. 639 00:35:57,840 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 1: I am. 640 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:02,080 Speaker 2: Jeremiah said, I'm too young for this, and your people 641 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:04,600 Speaker 2: are stubborn and you know they're not gonna listen. But 642 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:07,839 Speaker 2: if this's you calling me here, I am somebody shout here. 643 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:09,279 Speaker 1: I am. 644 00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 2: And the reason I'm confused about my calling is because 645 00:36:12,400 --> 00:36:18,880 Speaker 2: I don't just have one. This is what I didn't 646 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:23,080 Speaker 2: know in my twenties, because I felt like God called 647 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:25,080 Speaker 2: me to preach. You felt like God called you to 648 00:36:25,120 --> 00:36:27,479 Speaker 2: do something, put you somewhere. I mean, maybe it wasn't 649 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:30,640 Speaker 2: something big spectacular. Maybe you're not gonna do a halftime 650 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:33,360 Speaker 2: show at the super Bowl with it, but God called 651 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:35,480 Speaker 2: you to do something. I just saw your Patriots gear 652 00:36:35,520 --> 00:36:37,440 Speaker 2: made me think of the super Bowl. God bless you man. 653 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:39,239 Speaker 2: Congratulations on that. I hope you're happy. Now. 654 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:40,719 Speaker 1: How many is a it gonna take for you guys to. 655 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:43,160 Speaker 2: Shut up about it? But there's a there's a blessing 656 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:46,359 Speaker 2: in it. There's a blessing in it, even if it's 657 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 2: a small thing. And you say, okay, God called me 658 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:49,839 Speaker 2: to do this. But then what happens is, look, I 659 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:51,719 Speaker 2: was called to preach, right, so I start preaching. I 660 00:36:51,719 --> 00:36:54,080 Speaker 2: start going on preaching. I'm preaching everywhere, preaching everywhere. They 661 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 2: asked me to come preaching. I'm preaching at the lock 662 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:57,719 Speaker 2: in I appreach. So I preached some one time, so 663 00:36:57,800 --> 00:36:59,680 Speaker 2: late at the night. It was three am, and I 664 00:36:59,719 --> 00:37:01,920 Speaker 2: had this sermon illustration where I would take a mirror 665 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:04,160 Speaker 2: and I'd break the mirror, and I preach Genesis one 666 00:37:04,280 --> 00:37:06,799 Speaker 2: twenty six about the image of God. And Holly can 667 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,200 Speaker 2: tell you we knew where the mirrors were in every 668 00:37:09,239 --> 00:37:11,919 Speaker 2: walmart in the state of South Carolina, because every time 669 00:37:11,920 --> 00:37:13,520 Speaker 2: we get to a new little town to preach the 670 00:37:13,560 --> 00:37:15,520 Speaker 2: fifteen kids, I'd go in and get a mirror and 671 00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:17,200 Speaker 2: then I'd break it with a hammer, and I say, 672 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:19,399 Speaker 2: this is what send us to you, you know, put 673 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:21,200 Speaker 2: the condemnation on the young people. 674 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:23,640 Speaker 1: Just put it on them. Are breaking mirrors. 675 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 2: And one boy went to the emergency room because the 676 00:37:26,040 --> 00:37:27,880 Speaker 2: glass flew up and hit him in the eye, and 677 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:29,840 Speaker 2: I had to call his parents and tell him not 678 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:30,320 Speaker 2: to sue me. 679 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:32,040 Speaker 1: I'm a man of God and I got a. 680 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:34,240 Speaker 2: Ministry, and if you assume me, God's going to curse 681 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:36,279 Speaker 2: you and make you. But I didn't say that, But 682 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:39,880 Speaker 2: I was running around preaching right but then I married Holly, 683 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:42,080 Speaker 2: and I realized I'm called to be her husband too. 684 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:49,440 Speaker 2: Come on, it's the conflict of calling. It's complicated. You 685 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:53,160 Speaker 2: can make it sound sump. We find your calling which one? 686 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 2: Because then I was called to be a preacher and 687 00:37:56,040 --> 00:38:00,880 Speaker 2: a husband, and sometimes they needed different techniques. What if 688 00:38:00,920 --> 00:38:03,319 Speaker 2: I walked home, I said, Holly, give him a seal 689 00:38:03,360 --> 00:38:12,960 Speaker 2: of praise. It's different callings. That's three people, just I guess, 690 00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 2: just does. And then by the time I'm getting these callings, 691 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:23,560 Speaker 2: you know, I got how many? You got at least 692 00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:25,279 Speaker 2: two callings in your life, at least two things that 693 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:28,520 Speaker 2: you're responsible for, and they're in conflict. Sometimes Here she 694 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:31,920 Speaker 2: comes pregnant four years into marriage. 695 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:34,840 Speaker 1: Here she turns up pregnant. Now I'm called to be 696 00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:38,640 Speaker 1: a parent. Now I'm called to. 697 00:38:40,160 --> 00:38:42,160 Speaker 2: You feel like you're not just putting on different hats, 698 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:48,120 Speaker 2: but you actually have like different heads. I read that 699 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 2: in that Sitser book, The Will of God is a 700 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:51,920 Speaker 2: way of life. He said, I felt like I didn't 701 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:56,000 Speaker 2: just have different hats. I had different heads. And this 702 00:38:56,080 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 2: is the conflict of calling. But the answer is always availability, presence, access. 703 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:10,680 Speaker 1: When he said, speak Lord, your servant is listening. 704 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 2: It created access not only for God's word to come 705 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:19,560 Speaker 2: to him, but for God's work to come through him. 706 00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:25,239 Speaker 2: And what God said was difficult. He said, I'm transitioning. 707 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 2: Not only am I transitioning you from an apprentice to 708 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:31,600 Speaker 2: a priest, from a priest to a prophet, but I'm 709 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:34,719 Speaker 2: transitioning Eli and his Son's out of the earth so 710 00:39:34,760 --> 00:39:36,239 Speaker 2: that my purpose can be fulfilled. 711 00:39:37,640 --> 00:39:38,560 Speaker 1: I'm transitioning. 712 00:39:38,719 --> 00:39:40,680 Speaker 2: I'm transitioning, and you're going to have to go through 713 00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:43,560 Speaker 2: a difficult transition right now. But by the time we 714 00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:49,160 Speaker 2: get to First Samuel four, verse one, the Bible says 715 00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 2: that Samuelil's word came to all Israel. I was curious 716 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:58,719 Speaker 2: why I didn't say God's word through Samuel. But by 717 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:03,960 Speaker 2: this point in First Samuel four, because Samuel said, here 718 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,680 Speaker 2: I am speak Lord, we have now gone from the 719 00:40:07,719 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 2: word of the Lord was rare. To the word of 720 00:40:11,480 --> 00:40:15,719 Speaker 2: Samuel came to all Israel because he had gotten to 721 00:40:15,760 --> 00:40:19,000 Speaker 2: a point where he heard God's voice on the level 722 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:24,560 Speaker 2: that when he spoke, what he spoke came directly from 723 00:40:24,560 --> 00:40:28,160 Speaker 2: the throne of God. God wants to get us to 724 00:40:28,239 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 2: the place where we are not running around all the 725 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 2: time talking about what we're gonna do one day. Some 726 00:40:35,680 --> 00:40:39,640 Speaker 2: of you are using the concept of a calling as 727 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:43,479 Speaker 2: a crutch to not fully embrace the season of life 728 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 2: that you're in, and that is not the will of 729 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:48,480 Speaker 2: God for you. And you may be called to be 730 00:40:48,520 --> 00:40:50,239 Speaker 2: a mom one day, but if you're not a mom 731 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 2: right now, can you say, here I am to this season. 732 00:40:53,640 --> 00:40:55,760 Speaker 2: And you may be called to own your own business 733 00:40:55,760 --> 00:40:58,200 Speaker 2: one day, but can I just say that in the meantime, 734 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:02,000 Speaker 2: the only thing that God has ever wanted from you 735 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,239 Speaker 2: was all of you. The only thing that God has 736 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:08,560 Speaker 2: ever asked of you is here I am. It's what 737 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:13,080 Speaker 2: Jeremiah said, It's what Moses said, it's what Isaiah. 738 00:41:12,600 --> 00:41:14,680 Speaker 1: Said, It's what Samuel said. 739 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:19,399 Speaker 2: And when he made himself available, the word of God 740 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:24,080 Speaker 2: became abundant. I want you to stand to your feet, 741 00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:29,120 Speaker 2: because God has been speaking your whole life. He's been 742 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:35,240 Speaker 2: speaking through hard things. He's been speaking through painful things. 743 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:41,400 Speaker 2: He's been speaking through pleasure, passion, he's been speaking through rejection, 744 00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:47,719 Speaker 2: he's been speaking through restlessness. It wasn't that God wasn't speaking, 745 00:41:48,760 --> 00:41:52,000 Speaker 2: is that the people had lost their ability to listen. 746 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:56,240 Speaker 2: And so God said to Samuel, before you can speak 747 00:41:56,280 --> 00:42:00,719 Speaker 2: for me. I need you to learn to listen. This 748 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:03,200 Speaker 2: is what God wants to find tune in our lives 749 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:06,719 Speaker 2: over the next few weeks. This is what God wants 750 00:42:06,760 --> 00:42:09,080 Speaker 2: to do in your heart over the next few weeks, 751 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:12,360 Speaker 2: because honestly, some of you are still running to Eli 752 00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:18,000 Speaker 2: when it's really God. Some of you are running trying 753 00:42:18,040 --> 00:42:21,160 Speaker 2: to find something out there when God is trying. 754 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:23,320 Speaker 1: To speak to you in your place. 755 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:27,080 Speaker 2: That's what got me this time, because I didn't preach 756 00:42:27,120 --> 00:42:30,160 Speaker 2: that last night, but when I was speaking to you, 757 00:42:30,239 --> 00:42:32,400 Speaker 2: God was speaking to me, and I try to listen, 758 00:42:33,160 --> 00:42:36,640 Speaker 2: and he said, tell him stay in your place. Samuel 759 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:39,799 Speaker 2: didn't wake up that morning looking for a calling. And 760 00:42:39,840 --> 00:42:43,600 Speaker 2: maybe that's the problem with us, Maybe that we've made 761 00:42:43,600 --> 00:42:46,680 Speaker 2: this thing about calling and what God has for my life. 762 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:49,319 Speaker 2: What if what God has called you to first and 763 00:42:49,360 --> 00:42:50,680 Speaker 2: foremost is himself. 764 00:42:56,080 --> 00:43:00,160 Speaker 1: Wouldn't that set you free? 765 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:05,840 Speaker 2: That the will of God is not which job, The 766 00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:07,520 Speaker 2: will of God is not which school you. 767 00:43:07,480 --> 00:43:09,759 Speaker 1: Put your kids in. My God. 768 00:43:09,800 --> 00:43:11,279 Speaker 2: I was talking to Buck the other day. One thing 769 00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:13,480 Speaker 2: I love about Monk's Corner better than Charlotte. 770 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:17,560 Speaker 1: There was two schools you could go to. There was 771 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:18,000 Speaker 1: just two. 772 00:43:19,280 --> 00:43:21,560 Speaker 2: It was the public one and the one that everybody 773 00:43:21,560 --> 00:43:23,960 Speaker 2: that smoked weed at the public one got. 774 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:32,399 Speaker 1: Sent to the Christian school. But listen to me. We've 775 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:34,880 Speaker 1: made the will of God a resource. It's not a resource. 776 00:43:34,920 --> 00:43:39,360 Speaker 1: It's a relationship. It's a relationship. It's a relationship. 777 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:46,720 Speaker 2: So I want us to go through this next several 778 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:51,279 Speaker 2: weeks not looking for clarity, certainty, but confidence to know 779 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:55,720 Speaker 2: that if I will make myself available to this calling 780 00:43:55,760 --> 00:44:03,840 Speaker 2: in this moment, his speak, he will speak. Question is 781 00:44:03,920 --> 00:44:09,239 Speaker 2: will you respond? What I've learned to do now is 782 00:44:09,280 --> 00:44:12,959 Speaker 2: not necessarily say this is God or this isn't God. 783 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:17,360 Speaker 1: I got this new thing. It may be God. I 784 00:44:17,360 --> 00:44:17,680 Speaker 1: don't know. 785 00:44:18,760 --> 00:44:21,799 Speaker 2: Only way for me to find out. The only way 786 00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:24,800 Speaker 2: I can experience the breakthrough is in the blue. 787 00:44:25,320 --> 00:44:27,640 Speaker 1: So speak, Lord. I'm listening. 788 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:30,520 Speaker 2: Say that to your life, say that to your pain, 789 00:44:31,840 --> 00:44:33,960 Speaker 2: Say that to what you think was your mistake. You 790 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:38,880 Speaker 2: know what your mistake may be, God, he may, I'm 791 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:40,840 Speaker 2: gonna show you that next week. That's my sermon. 792 00:44:40,880 --> 00:44:41,279 Speaker 1: Next week. 793 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:44,640 Speaker 2: I am gonna show you next week how your mistakes 794 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:50,880 Speaker 2: are miracles in disguise. In disguise, the presence of the 795 00:44:50,880 --> 00:44:53,560 Speaker 2: Lord is in this place. Would you lift your hands 796 00:44:53,560 --> 00:44:54,160 Speaker 2: God is here. 797 00:44:54,480 --> 00:44:57,160 Speaker 1: Father. I thank you for the word that came forth today. 798 00:44:57,640 --> 00:45:00,440 Speaker 1: We receive it. Somebody, say see that. 799 00:45:01,600 --> 00:45:04,000 Speaker 2: Quit sitting there with your lips just puckered up, just 800 00:45:04,040 --> 00:45:06,400 Speaker 2: stressed out, open your mouth and say, I receive it. 801 00:45:06,480 --> 00:45:06,800 Speaker 1: Lord. 802 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:11,000 Speaker 2: Everything that you're doing in my life, everything that you're 803 00:45:11,000 --> 00:45:13,000 Speaker 2: calling me to be, all the things that you're doing 804 00:45:13,000 --> 00:45:15,480 Speaker 2: that aren't really about me. Lord, I don't want to 805 00:45:15,520 --> 00:45:19,799 Speaker 2: be self centered and just self consumed. I thank you 806 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:22,880 Speaker 2: that the wind of your spirit is blowing, so I 807 00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:26,640 Speaker 2: set my sales on this new series. God, I'm not 808 00:45:26,719 --> 00:45:29,160 Speaker 2: asking you just to speak to me. I'm asking you 809 00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:31,600 Speaker 2: to open my eyes, to see you in my ears, 810 00:45:31,680 --> 00:45:35,040 Speaker 2: to hear you. Open the eyes of my heart, open 811 00:45:35,120 --> 00:45:39,480 Speaker 2: my understanding, open my will to your will, and your 812 00:45:39,640 --> 00:45:46,280 Speaker 2: will be done in my life. Thank you for your presence, 813 00:45:47,520 --> 00:45:52,960 Speaker 2: Thank you for your purpose, Thank you for your provision. 814 00:45:54,719 --> 00:45:58,680 Speaker 1: Lift your hands high as you can say, speak Lord, 815 00:46:00,600 --> 00:46:02,040 Speaker 1: say it out loud, to speak Lord. 816 00:46:03,600 --> 00:46:07,200 Speaker 2: I'm listening. I'm gonna listen to my life this week. 817 00:46:07,719 --> 00:46:11,160 Speaker 2: I'm gonna listen to I'm gonna listen to the still 818 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:14,640 Speaker 2: small voice this week. Too much noise, too much noise. 819 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:16,440 Speaker 2: Word of the Lord is rare when the Lord of 820 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:19,560 Speaker 2: the word becomes common. I'm gonna look for you this week. 821 00:46:19,560 --> 00:46:26,320 Speaker 2: I'm gonna find you. I'm gonna seek you, seeking you fine. 822 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:29,200 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. 823 00:46:29,520 --> 00:46:31,960 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 824 00:46:32,040 --> 00:46:35,520 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 825 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:38,160 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give 826 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:42,200 Speaker 2: now or visit Elevation Church dot org slash podcast for 827 00:46:42,280 --> 00:46:46,240 Speaker 2: more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 828 00:46:46,520 --> 00:46:47,840 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 829 00:46:48,120 --> 00:46:50,400 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 830 00:46:50,440 --> 00:46:52,560 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 831 00:46:52,600 --> 00:46:53,439 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. 832 00:46:53,520 --> 00:47:00,000 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening. God bless you.