Sermon Central
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"How To Be Ready When God Calls You Series
Contributed by Michael Cassara on Sep 8, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: Learn from King David how to be ready when God calls you to do something special.
SEEKING GOD FAITHFULLY-
A LOOK AT THE LIFE OF DAVID
"How To Be Ready When God Calls You
For Something Special"
INTRODUCTION
There have been a number of times in my own life where I have said to God, "Whatever it is you want to do with my life, God, I am yours. Use me as you will."
I remember praying this as a senior in high school when the challenge to go to Bible College and prepare for the ministry was presented to me. I remember praying this as I neared graduation from Kentucky Christian College. I remember praying this after my ministry ended in Ohio in 1996, not sure where I would be headed next. And then came the call to come to New York and minister here. Today marks the start of my fifth year as your pastor.
No doubt many of you have had similar experiences. You’ve also said to God, "God, I want to do something significant with my life, something that makes a difference."
One thing I have learned is this: God calls people to do something special for him who are ready to do something special for him. Many of us want to do something special for God, we just aren’t prepared.
What can you do to be ready when God calls you for something special?
In order to answer the question I’ve posed, I would like to take you to a portion of the life story of a young man who was called to do something for God that was very special - so special that it blessed the whole world. I refer to David, and the portion of his life I want you to see is found in I Samuel 16:1-13.
As mentioned last week, Saul was the king of Israel. He was not a man of God, and was not the choice of God to lead the people. The people of Israel were paying a dear price because of Saul.
God determined that Saul, the people’s choice, must be replaced. Sort of like when a sports team isn’t going well and the owner determines that the manager or coach needs to be replaced.
God’s word to Saul through Samuel the prophet was final: "The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you." (I Samuel 15:28).
David, a young shepherd boy of Bethlehem, the son of Jesse was that neighbor who would be the next king.
Read 1 Sam 16:1-13
Keep in mind that Saul was never God’s choice in the first place. It was Israel who demanded a king so they could be like the nations around them. Saul was man’s choice, not God’s choice.
David, though, was chosen by God not by men. As a matter of fact, as this account unfolds, you are going to see that man would never have chosen David. David was a nobody in man’s eyes. He didn’t even impress Samuel! David was God’s choice and was used in many ways by God
What can you do to be ready when God calls you for something special?
YOU MUST DETERMINE TO BE GOD’S CHOICE, NOT MAN’S CHOICE
Recently, many of us have been in tune with Survivor II. On Thursday, the original 16 gathered to choose the one person who would win the million dollars. If you watched the show, especially toward the end, there was a lot of strategizing and jockeying by the players to put themself in the best position to be chosen by the rest of the group to win the million dollars.
Most of us are much more concerned with impressing other people than we are with pleasing God. Determining to be God’s choice is a whole different ball game than trying to be man’s choice.
When we determine that we want to be man’s choice, we will do things that please and impress others. When we determine to be God’s choice, then we will set our hearts on pleasing God.
If you are looking for others to choose you and notice you and promote you, you are going to do things that please men and ignore things that please God. You’re going to be competitive with others. You’re going to at times be jealous when it seems that others are being used and you are not, that others are promoted over you.
But when you determine to be God’s choice, then you are able to wait on the Lord with peace until God opens up the doors of ministry that you have your heart set on.
A person who wants to be God’s choice won’t try to open up doors on their own. They are content with waiting on God, and only going through the doors that God opens up for them.
