Introduction:

The Lord had told Samuel to anoint Saul as leader over his people Israel (9:16). Samuel now proceeded to fulfill that command, being careful to inform Saul that the anointing was from the Lord (v.1).

1.                  Samuel Anoints Saul (v.1).

a)                  Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head (v.1)

(1)                 This was a literal anointing of Saul. The word “anoint” means to rub or sprinkle on; ointment, or oily liquid to. When Samuel poured it on his head, Saul was anointed with oil. 

(2)                 But the idea of anointing is much bigger.  What happened to Saul’s head and body was simply a picture of what God was doing in him spiritually.

(a)                 The Holy Spirit was being poured out on him, equipping him for the job of being king over Israel.  We need the Holy Spirit poured out on us (Acts 1:8)

b)                  Priests were anointed for their special service to the LORD (Exodus 28:41).

Literal oil would be applied, but as a sign of the Holy Spirit upon their lives and service.  The oil on the head was only the outward representation of the real, spiritual work going on inside them.  There were “qualifications to minister to God as priest”. 

(1)                 You Shall Anoint Them (Ex.28:41)—

Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee (2Cor.1:21-22).

(2)                 Consecrate & Sanctify Them (Ex.28:41)—Daniel Purposed In His heart that he would not defile himself (v.8).  Defile carries the thought of polluting, contaminate, adulterate, corrupt, staining.  

(a)                 I want God to use my life, and today we are living in a time where God is looking for people that want to consecrate their lives unto God:

"So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one." (Ezekiel 22:30, NKJV)

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. ”" (2 Chronicles 16:9, NKJV)

(b)                Daniel Purposed in his heart…(v.8) – where does this begin?  Denying Yourself, & Consecrating Your life Unto God:

(i)                   Many people will sacrifice many things in order to become what they desire to be.  Athletes deny themselves many pleasures most of us take for granted.  Great scholars isolate themselves to study sacrificing their leisure time.  Musicians sacrifice their social life to practice and perfect their art.

(ii)                 1 Cor.9:24-27     

(c)                 The Purpose For The Vow Of A Nazirite (Numbers 6:1-2).

(i)                   To separate Oneself to the LORD: The vow of the Nazirite was to express one’s special desire to draw close to God and to separate one’s self from the comforts and pleasures of this world (“The English word Nazirite transliterates Hebrew nazir, meaning “set apart.” (Wenham)

"It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin." (Hebrews 11:24-25, John 17:19 NLT)

(d)                This vow could last for a few months or years (Num. 6:4–8). But only Samson (Judg. 13:7; 16:17), Samuel (1 Sam. 1:11), and John the Baptist took the vow for life.

(e)                 A Persons Lifelong, Voluntary, Self-Denial Is The Ultimate Act Of Devotion To God.

(f)                  We are to be so consumed by God’s calling that we not attracted to the world’s enticements. Our devotion to the Lord must completely superseded any personal interests and comforts Application (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 cf. Romans 12:1-2)

(g)                We Have To Make Up Our Minds That We Are Going To Consecrate Ourselves To The Lord.

(h)                 1 Peter 2:5 holy priesthood –1 Peter 2:9 royal priesthood

(3)                 Sometimes anointing oil would be poured (Exodus 29:7), sometimes it would be sprinkled (Exodus 29:21). This shows that the Holy Spirit’s equipping for service is poured out in different ways and in different measures at different times and on different persons. 

(4)                 Exodus 30:22-33 tells us about the special anointing oil. 

(a)                 It was regarded as a sacred compound that could not be imitated nor used as normal perfuming oil. 

(b)                Since oil is emblematic of the Holy Spirit, we see that the Holy Spirit is not poured out to enhance our flesh, but to glorify Himself. 

(c)                 Exodus 30:32 says specifically: it shall not be poured on man’s flesh. Also, the work of the Holy Spirit is never to be imitated: nor shall you make any other like it . . . it is holy, and it shall be holy to you (Exodus 30:32) it is holy oil (Ps.89:20).

(d)                There is to be no place for encouraging a fleshly imitation of the gifts or operations of the Holy Spirit; this denies the holiness of the Holy Spirit, regarding His work as something we can do just as well on our own.

(5)                 As Christians under the New Covenant, we also have an anointing:

(a)                 But you have an anointing from the Holy One (1 John 2:20). In the New Testament sense, anointing has the idea of being filled with, and blessed by, the Holy Spirit.  This is something that is the common property of all Christians, but something we can and should become more submitted and responsive to.

c)                  And kissed him:

(1)                 This was not only a greeting, but it was a sign of Samuel’s personal support of Saul. It was important that the first king of Israel feel the support of the man of God. 

d)                  Is it not because of the LORD has anointed you (v.1):

(1)                 God had anointed Saul, and there were many aspects to this anointing which were especially memorable to Saul. 

(a)                 It was a secret anointing, because it was not yet the time to reveal Saul as king to the nation. As Christians, our anointing often comes in just such a private way, not in a flashy, public ceremony. 

(b)                It was a memorable and evident anointing, because Saul’s head was drenched with oil. Psalm 133:2 describes how messy an anointing could be:

It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down the beard . . . running down on the edge of his garments.

As Christians, our filling and empowering of the Holy Spirit should be memorable and evident. Saul could look back on this day, and this event, and know that God had called him to something special as the king of Israel.

(c)                 It was a prophetic anointing, because just as Saul was anointed as king, so Jesus is anointed as the King of Kings.  Jesus is the Messiah (the same word as “Christ”), which means Anointed One.

e)                  Commander over His inheritance (v.1):

(1)                 Samuel reminds Saul that Israel belongs to the LORD, they are His inheritance. At the same time, Saul has an important job to do, because God has placed him as commander over His inheritance. Saul should have tried to be the best king he could be, because he was taking care of a people who belonged to the LORD God. 

2.                  Samuel Tells Saul A Sign To Confirm What God Has Done (v.2). 

a)                  The First Sign: You will find two men by Rachel’s tomb (v.2):

(1)                 Samuel gives Saul a specific, prophetic word from God, by which Saul can have confidence that his anointing by Samuel was really from God. If there were no men by Rachel’s tomb, or if there was only one man and not two, then Saul should know that Samuel was not really speaking from God. 

b)                  They will say to you (v.2):

(1)                 If the men by Rachel’s tomb do not tell Saul about the finding of the lost donkeys, Saul will know Samuel is not a true prophet. God gave Saul this sign to make him confident in what the LORD was doing. 

(2)                 We need to trust in God’s confirmation along the way. God did not want Saul to doubt his calling later, so he gave him a lot of confirmation.

3.                  Samuel Tells Saul Of Another Sign To Confirm What God Has Done (v.3-4).

a)                  The terebinth tree of Tabor . . . three men . . . three young goats . . . three loaves of bread . . . a skin of wine . . . they will greet you and give you (v.3-4).

(1)                 Again, Samuel is giving Saul such specific predictions that they can be exactly verified. God may have a place for vague, broad words (such as saying to an audience of five hundred people, “There is someone here with a headache . . .”), but they are not remarkable evidence of prophecy. 

b)                  Which you shall receive (v.4):

(1)                 It would be unusual for men to simply give a stranger like Saul loaves of bread. But as king, Saul will be often receiving gifts, so this was a good way to speak to confirm to him his position as king.

(2)                 Wasn’t two loaves of bread a strange present? “The more strange the present was, the more fit it was for a sign of God’s extraordinary providence in Saul’s affairs.” (Poole)

4.                  Samuel Tells Saul Of A Third Sign To Confirm What God Has Done (v.5-7).

a)                  A group of prophets (v.5):

(1)                 These prophets were apparently seeking the LORD and worshipping Him at the place of worship (the high place). They will be prophesying isn’t necessarily that they were all predicting the future, but that they were all speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

(2)                 Prophets may speak by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, yet their words may not be predicting the future. 1 Corinthians 14:3 says, he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. Also, people may speak to God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. 

b)                  Then the Spirit of the LORD will come upon you (v.6):

(1)                 This Reception Of The Holy Spirit Was The Real Anointing. The oil poured out on Saul’s head was just a picture of this. A gallon of oil could have been put on his head, but if the Spirit of the LORD did not come upon him, it would have meant nothing! 

(2)                 The literal Hebrew for will come upon you is “will leap or rush upon thee, to wit, for a season. So it may be opposed to the Spirit’s resting upon a man, as in Numbers 11:25; Isaiah 11:2.” .

(3)                 In Old Testament times only limited numbers received the gift of Spirit.

(a)                 Moses wished all the Lord's people could be so blessed (Num.11:25-30). 

(b)                Joel invisioned and prophesied of such a day.

And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions (Joel 2:28).      

c)                  And you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man (v.6):

Saul, before this time, never seems to have been a particularly spiritual man. So for him to prophesy - that is, speak as inspired from the LORD, whether predicting the future, exhorting others, or speaking unto God - was real evidence that he had been turned into another man. 

(1)                 God picked Saul just as he was, even though he was not a particularly spiritual man. Yet, God did not want to leave Saul just as he was. Nor Does God want to leave us the way we are. 

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29).  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (Rom.12:2).

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2Cor.3:18).

Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able (Phil.3:21).

(2)                 For God to use Saul to the fullest, he had to be turned into another man by the filling of the Spirit of the LORD. 

(3)                 The Spirit Is Given To Effect A Change In Us. 

(a)                 "The Spirit also helps in our weaknesses” (Rom.8:26)

(b)                "The Spirit helps to put to death the deeds of the flesh” (Rom.8:13) 

(c)                 "You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:8)

(d)                All of this to conform us into the image of Christ (Rom.8:29). 

(e)                 God's desire for us is revealed in Jesus Christ. He lived as God wants us to live. 

(4)                 God says His work will be done, not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). When we let the Spirit of the LORD fill us and change us, then we can see the work of God really done. 

d)                  When these signs come to you (v.7).

God arranged for each one of these three events to be a sign to Saul. God always confirms His anointing! 

(1)                 It was after these other signs were fulfilled that Saul was to know that Samuels' words of the Kingdom were true and God was with him. 

(2)                 The receiving of the Spirit brings assurance (1John 3:24).

(3)                 Satan may challenge many things. 

(a)                 God's Word. 

(b)                Your conversion. 

(c)                 Cannot challenge the fact of the indwelling Spirit.

(4)                 The Spirit is God's pledge to us (Eph.1:13-14; Eph.4:30-32).

(5)                 The Lord Knows Those Who are His (2Tim.2:19).

(6)                 Has the Spirit reached the ultimate in your life, by a ministry outward?

e)                  Do as the occasion demands (v.7)… do whatever you think is best (NLT)… , do whatever your hand finds to do (NIV)

(1)                 Solomon had said this (Eccl.9:10)

5.                  Saul Is Commanded To Wait For Samuel At Gilgal (v.8). 

a)                  Seven days you shall wait (v.8)

(1)                 This is an important command. By the nature of their office, kings do not wait for anybody. Others wait for them. But Samuel commands Saul to wait for him, because the prophet of God had more real authority than this king over Israel!  Saul had to show that even though he was a king, he was submitted to the LORD, and the LORD’s prophet.

(2)                 Failing to wait for Samuel will get Saul into trouble on a future occasion (1 Sam.13:8-14). 

6.                  The Signs Come To Pass (v.9-13). 

a)                  God gave him another heart (v.9).

(1)                 Samuel Could Not Give Saul Another Heart. Only the Spirit of the LORD could do that. To demonstrate this, God did not grant this change of heart to Saul until he left the presence of Samuel.  God wanted Saul to honor and respect Samuel, but to never look to Samuel in the place of the LORD. 

(2)                 God gave him another heart: literally “changed his heart”

(a)                 God changed Saul’s heart not Samuel.  Saul himself could not even change it. The new heart was a gift from God.

(b)                We can have another heart from the LORD also, but we must receive it from him. We can’t receive a new heart from anyone but God, and we can never make a new heart in anyone else, only God can. 

The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes (Prov.21:1).

b)                  When your heart has been touched by God, no sacrifice is too great. 

(1)                 Jesus surrounded Himself with a group of men whose hearts He had touched.

(a)                 These men, though from simple backgrounds, went out and turned the world upside down for Jesus. 

(b)                The results of the ministry of these men has effected the history of mankind. 

(c)                 Our whole western civilization has been molded and influenced as the result of the ministry of these men.

B.                  What does it mean to have your heart touched by God?

1.                  Totally Surrendered Your Life To God.

a)                  The Heart Is The Main Issue.

(1)                 The heart being the throne of man's will, it means that you have surrendered the totality of your life to Him. 

(2)                 You recognize that God's claim on your life is valid you are not your own, He has bought you with a price.

2.                  It means that the one burning compassion of your life is to please God.

a)                  No longer living for self, but for Him (Gal.2:20). 

b)                  He has become the heart, the core, and the circumference of your life. 

c)                  I do not care the cost, sacrifice, or pain, as long as He is pleased with me.

C.                  God touches our hearts through His word.

1.                  It takes the combination of the Holy Spirit revealing the truth through the word to our hearts.

a)                  Reading and praying daily.

(1)                 Many people read the Bible and have absolutely no comprehension of what they are reading. "The natural mind does not understand the things of the Spirit, neither can it know them for they are Spiritually discerned."

(2)                 I must pray that the Holy Spirit will open my heart to receive and understand the truth.

(3)                 Remember the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? After Jesus left them they said, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He spake with us on the way?" What was He sharing with them? The scriptures.

(4)                 I through the word realize that the most rational thing I could ever do is to place my life, and destiny totally into God's hands. As Paul said, "I plead with you, because of the mercy of God that you present your bodies holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service." It's the most reasonable and sensible thing a person can do.

D.                  What will happen when God touches your heart?

1.                  A New Creation In Christ (2Cor.5:17)

a)                  You will become a new person.         

b)                  All of those old habits and vices that were destroying you will drop off

c)                  Things you once loved, you will begin to detest.

d)                  Things you once despised you will now cherish.  

e)                  God will never take from you anything that is worth while.

f)                   God will only remove those things that if they were not removed, would destroy you. 

g)                  Your life is filled with love. 

h)                  This new love for God will give you a new love and appreciation for life and others.

i)                    With this love a joy.  

j)                    You will have a peace that passes human understanding.

k)                  You will receive a whole new perspective on life, no longer living for just today, and tomorrow, but living for eternity.   Therefore, a new set of values.

l)                    Is Saul also among the prophets (v.11)?

(1)                 This phrase became a proverb describing astonishment that someone had become a religious fanatic. As some used to say of someone who was not a religious person who became very religious, “He got religion?” Saul was an unspiritual man who became very spiritual at the time when the Spirit of the LORD came upon him. 

m)               But who is their father (v.12)?

(1)                 This question asks, “Who is the source of the inspiration upon the prophets?” If God is their inspiration, then why should it be strange that God could inspire an unlikely man such as Saul? “Who is the father of all these prophets of whom you speak, and among whom Saul is now one? who is it that instructs and inspires them with this holy art, but God?

n)                  When he had finished prophesying (13):

(1)                 Saul prophesied without ever really being called as a prophet. This shows us that someone can receive prophecy as a gift from the Holy Spirit without really being a “prophet” in the sense of having that office or title. 

E.                  saul is annointed as king over israel.

1.                  Saul hides his experience from his family (v.14-16).

a)                  Where did you go? This may have been a simple, logical question. Or, Saul’s uncle may be asking because he noticed that Saul had very, very oily hair! 

b)                  About the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him: Of course, it seems strange that Saul would not tell of what he had experienced. Didn’t he have a lot to tell about? 

(1)                 Perhaps Saul was wise, knowing that the LORD had to reveal him as king over Israel. What point was there in saying, “I’m the king now!” until the LORD had declared him to be king?

(2)                 Or, perhaps Saul is just experiencing what many experience after a powerful encounter with the LORD: an attack from the enemy, making us fearful and cowardly to tell others what God has done in our lives. 

B. Saul proclaimed as king.

1. (17-19) Samuel’s speech to the nation before the appointment of a king.

a. I brought Israel out of Egypt: Before God appoints a king for Israel, God reminds Israel of all He has done for them. In a sense, God is reminding Israel that He was still more than qualified to be their king, and their rejection of Him was all because of them, and not because of the LORD.  b. But you have rejected your God, who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations: The LORD, speaking through Samuel, is showing Israel how their rejection of Him made so little sense. Why would anyone reject the one who Himself saved you out of all your adversities and your tribulations? 

i. It is easy for us to think, “Wow, those Israelites were really stupid. How foolish to reject God like that!” But are we

much different? Whenever we, even in the smallest way, reject God, we show the same lack of sense. 

(20-21a) Saul is selected by lot.

a. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen: Why did God do it this way, when He had already anointed Saul as king over Israel?  Because this would show the whole nation that Saul was the right man. It would show that God had chosen Saul, not that any man had chosen him.  i. They inquired of the LORD: “Either by Urim or Thummin, which was the usual way of inquiry . . . or by Samuel, who by his prayer procured an answer.” (Poole)

ii. “It appears that, in order to find out the proper person who should be made their king, they must determine by lot: 1.

The tribe. 2. The thousands or grand divisions by families.  3. The smaller divisions by families. And, 4. The individual.

When the lot was cast for the tribe, Benjamin was taken; when for the thousand, the division of Matri was taken; when

for the family, the family of Kish was taken; when for the individual, Saul, the son of Kish, was taken.” (Clarke) b. It is important to say that Saul did not become king because he was chosen by lot. Instead, he was chosen king because of God’s word to the prophet Samuel. The choosing by lot simply confirmed the word of the LORD through Samuel.

(21b-24) Saul is revealed to be the king. 

a. Hidden among the equipment: In fact, here Saul shows a healthy embarrassment and humility. He was not looking forward to being “center stage” in front of the nation; he seems to be dreading it. Saul was not made king because of his own personal ambition, or to gratify a desire for the limelight.  i. Spurgeon, in his sermon Hiding Among the Stuff, shows how both believers and unbelievers can be hidden among the equipment, avoiding the crown God has for them.  “There may be some of you here present, who may be doing precisely what Saul did, only you are doing it more foolishly than he did. He did but hide away from an earthly crown, but you hide from a heavenly one.” (Spurgeon)

b. He was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward: The physical description of Saul shows he is exactly what the people wanted. Israel a king that would look good to the other nations, and God gave them “the king from central casting”!  c. Long live the king! The people of Israel, in their desire for the image and pageantry of a human king had been longing to shout these words for a long time. They knew all the other nations got see royal ceremonies and functions. Now they get to also!  d. Do you see him . . . there is no one like him among all the people: What did Samuel mean by this? Probably, there was a note of sarcasm in his voice when he said this. He wanted the nation to see the king, and according to what they could see, he was a great king. But Samuel, from his long conversations with Saul (1 Samuel 9:25-26), probably knew him well enough to mean something else when he said, there is no one like him among all the people. 

4. (25-27) The monarchy established.

Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty: Samuel taught them God’s guidelines for both rulers and subjects, probably using Deuteronomy 17:14-20. 

i. When it says the behavior of royalty, we can guess that Samuel was not explaining how a king should hold a teacup.  Instead, Samuel was probably warning them about the wickedness and selfishness kings have, just as Jesus said: You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise

authority over them. But Jesus added this word of instruction: Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:42-45).  According to the way the kings of this world live, God never wants us to imitate the behavior of royalty.  b. Wrote it in a book and laid it up before the LORD: It doesn’t seem that this book Samuel wrote is any of the books of the Bible we have. This doesn’t mean that there is something missing from our Bibles, it simply means that God did not want this book preserved in His eternal word.  c. Saul also went home to Gibeah: At the time, there was no palace or capital. So, Saul simply walked home with his future leaders, the valiant men who went with him. 

i. God called Saul to be king and lead the nation. Yet, this was not something he could do himself. He needed valiant

men around him, men whose hearts God had touched.  d. So they despised him . . . But he held his peace: Not all of Israel was supportive of Saul yet. It was probable that because they had never had a king before, that it was unlikely they could choose any one man the whole nation could get behind. Yet, Saul should be recognized for his wise reaction (he held his peace). An insecure or unwise leader, at this point, might feel the need to “crush” anyone that opposed him, or simply regard them as enemies. Saul did neither, understanding that it might take him some time to win over the doubters. 

i. “The Hebrew, as suggested by the margin, is still more striking. ‘He was as though he had been deaf’ – he pretended not to hear. He did hear; every word had struck deep into his soul, but he made as though he were deaf. It is a great power when a man can act as though he were deaf to slander, deaf to detraction, deaf to unkind and uncharitable speeches, and treat them as though they had not been spoken, turning from man to God, leaving with God his vindication, believing God that sooner or later will give him a chance . . . of vindicating the true prowess and temper of his soul.” (Meyer)

ii. From this, we see that Saul started out with so much promise. He was chosen and anointed by God. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He had the support of a man of God like Samuel. He had been given gifts appropriate to royalty. He had the enthusiastic support and goodwill of most all the nation. He had valiant men around him, men whose hearts God had touched to support him. And, he had the wisdom to not regard every doubter, or every critic, as an enemy. But despite all these great advantages, Saul can still blow it. Will he walk in the advantages God had given him so far, or will he go his own way? The rest of the book of 1 Samuel gives the answer to that question.

I SAMUEL 10: 6,7

"THE SPIRIT FILLED LIFE"

I  How exciting is the potential of this verse.

 A. I know of no other scripture that is more expectant with possibilities.

 1. When you are surrounded with a group of people whose hearts have been touched by God, you are in an atmosphere where anything can happen.

 2. When you heart has been touched by God, no sacrifice is too great.

 B. Jesus surrounded Himself with a group of men whose hearts He had touched.

 1. These men, though from simple backgrounds, went out and turned the world upside down for Jesus.

 2. The results of the ministry of these men has effected the history of mankind.

 3. Our whole western civilization has been moulded and influenced as the result of the ministry of these men.

 II. What does it mean to have your heart touched by God?

 A. The heart being the throne of man's will, it means that you have surrendered the totality of your life to Him.

 1. You recognize that God's claim on your life is valid you are not your own, He has bought you with a price.

 2. You can declare with true meaning. Not what I wish to do, Nor where I wish to go, For who am I, that I should chose my way, The Lord shall choose for me, Tis better far I know, So let Him bid me go, or stay.

 B. It means that the one burning compassion of your life is to please God.

 1. No longer living for self, but for Him.

 2. He has become the heart, the core, and the circumference of your life.

 3. I do not care the cost, sacrifice, or pain, as long as He is pleased with me.

 III. How does God touch the heart of a man?

 A. Never through force.

 1. God created man a free moral agent, and He will never violate that free moral agency of man.

 2. God will never force you to surrender your life or will to Him.

 B. By the gentle influence of the Holy Spirit.

 1. The Holy Spirit will begin to reveal God to a man.

 a. He will begin in nature.

 b. Watching a storm, feeling an earthquake, seeing a volcano erupt, you are brought into awe as you experience the force and power of nature.

 c. Seeing the flowers and trees, you are awed by the marvelous design and beauty in nature. (1) The capacity of the flowers to produce seeds in order to reproduce themselves. (2) The fast variance in color, shape and fragrance of the various flowers.

 d. To the rational mind, all of these things suggest a infinately wise creator.

 e. It is only because the fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." That that fool has to try to explain the vast complexities of the Universe and the life forms within it, with such absurdities as the evolutionary theory.

 d. Paul well describes them in Romans one, "Because they would not glorify God as God, they turned to their vain imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened, and professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And they changed the glory of the uncorruptible God, and began to worship man as god and  worshipped the creature rather than the creator."

 2. The Holy Spirit begins in nature, but soon leads us to the clearer revelation in the Bible.

 C. God touches our hearts through His word.

 1. It takes the combination of the Holy Spirit revealing the truth through the word to our hearts.

 2. Many people read the Bible and have absolutely no comprehension of what they are reading. "The natural mind does not understand the things of the Spirit, neither can it know them for they are Spiritually discerned."

 3. I must pray that the Holy Spirit will open my heart to receive and understand the truth.

 4. Remember the two disciples on the road to Emmaus? After Jesus left them they said, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He spake with us on the way?" What was He sharing with them? The scriptures.

 5. I through the word realize that the most rational thing I could ever do is to place my life, and destiny totally into God's hands. As Paul said, "I plead with you, because of the mercy of God that you present your bodies holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service." It's the most reasonable and sensible thing a person can do.

 IV. What will happen when God touches your heart?

 A. You will become a new person. "If any man be in Christ he is a new person, the old things will pass away and all things will become new."

 1. All of those old habits and vices that were destroying you will drop off.

 2. Things you once loved, you will begin to detest.

 3. Things you once despised you will now cherish.

 4. God will never take from you anything that is worth while.

 5. God will only remove those things that if they were not removed, would destroy you.

 B. Your life is filled with love.

 1. This new love for God will give you a new love and appreciation for life and others.

 2. With this love a joy. Joy is love's consciousness.

 C. You will have a peace that passes human understanding.

 D. You will receive a whole new perspective on live, no longer living for just today, and tomorrow, but living for eternity.

 1. Thus a new set of values.