The Eyes of God

Announce:

NEXT WEEK: ORDER of SERVICE is going to CHANGE SLIGHTLY…HEADS UP!

Picnic will be inside/outside depending on your preference, we’ll have tables set up in both locations

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Turn with me to 1 Samuel 16

Introduction

We’ve all heard… “DON’T JUDGE a BOOK by its cover”

SOME BOOKS = GREAT COVER…BAD BOOK

SOME BOOKS = BAD COVER… BUT GREAT BOOK.

(Q) Haven’t you FOUND this is a HARD WAY to LIVE??

HUMAN FIRST IMPRESSIONS = VISUAL…DON’T HAVE X-RAY VISION… &&& EVEN X-RAYS DON’T SHOW the CONDITION of the HEART...

CAN’T GET to KNOW SOMEONE W.O. SPENDING TIME TOGETHER...

HOW MANY of YOU HAVE MET SOMEONE BEAUTIFUL/HANDSOME & FOUND OUT THAT THEY AREN’T AS “BEAUTIFUL” AS YOU THOUGHT??

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AS HUMANS…WE’RE LIMITED... FORCED to LOOK EXTERNALLY...

BUT NOT SO W/ GOD...

THE EYES of GOD LOOK INSIDE a PERSON @ HEART..

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

IF THIS is HOW GOD LOOKS…SHOULDN’T WE DEVOTE MORE TIME to THE INWARD…RATHER THAN the OUTWARD in OUR LIVES?

(T) KEEP THESE THINGS in MIND TODAY...

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Recap:

Last week:

FINAL REJECTION of KING SAUL....

SAUL APPOINTED KING....PEOPLE WANTED KING LIKE REST of THE WORLD...

SAUL = LOOKED GOOD

SAUL COMPROMISED

SAUL NEVER TRULY REPENTED.

LAST WK: SAUL’S PARTIAL OBEDIENCE + LACK of GENUINE REPENTANCE DISQUALIFIED HIM as KING...

COMMANDED…UTTERLY DESTROY AMALEKITES...

BUT SAUL & PEOPLE SPARED KING & NICE ANIMALS

CONCLUSION: OBEDIENCE > SACRIFICE...

GOD DOESN’T WANT SUNDAY IF HE DOESN’T HAVE MONDAY-SATURDAY...

NOW: COMES BIGGEST TURN in 1 SAMUEL…SEARCH for NEW KING...

(T) Now, if you’d please BEGIN by LOOKING with me at CH. 16 VS. 1 this morning, the text says,

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Text

1 Samuel 16:1–23 (ESV)

1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.”

TEXT LAST WEEK ENDED W/ GOD & SAMUEL GRIEVING

GOD “REGRETTING” HAVING REMORSE OVER SAUL.

SAMUEL GRIEVING…PROB: HE’D ANOINTED SAUL + CONCERN OVER ISRAEL.

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HARD to SEE GREAT BEGINNING TURN to FAILURE...

SAUL’S REIGN BEGAN W/ GREAT VICTORY OVER AMMONITES! & GLORY to GOD!

STEADILY DETERIORATED:

SAUL COMPROMISED & NEVER REPENTED...

GOD NOT TAKEN BY SURPRISE… TELLS SAMUEL “GET OVER IT”…NEW KING is COMING.

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(Q) IN SAMUEL’S SHOES…WOULD YOU GRIEVE TOO??

CAN BE VERY EASY to JUMP to JUDGMENT RATHER THAN EMPATHY...

SINS of OTHERS SHOULD CAUSE US GRIEF RATHER THAN PRIDE...

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GOD NOT TAKEN BY SURPRISE… TELLS SAMUEL “GET OVER IT”…

GOD NOT REGRETTING/CHANGING MIND. + NEW KING is COMING.

***GOD PROVIDED NEW KING FOR HIMSELF FROM JESSE’S HOUSE

“SAMUEL, GET YOUR OIL, WE’RE GOING to ANOINT NEW KING”

(T) And then the text says,

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Rising Action (v2-3)

2 And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.”

BIG SURPRISE…FIRST TIME SAMUEL DELAYS OBEDIENCE

GOING to BETHLEHEM (JESSE’S) FROM RAMAH (SAMUEL’S) MEANT to PASS BY GIBEAH (SAUL’S)

SAUL’S REJECTION PROB. MADE MORE RASH…SAMUEL = CONCERNED FOR HIS LIFE!!

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GOD SAYS: TAKE SACRIFICE & INVITE JESSE… (HALF TRUTH APPROACH)

***GOD TOLD SAMUEL HE’D TELL HIM WHAT to DO… & MAKE NEW KING CLEAR TO HIM.

(T) So, now WILL GOD’S PLAN be ENOUGH CONVINCING FOR SAMUEL that he won’t die by Saul’s hand? For the first time we see Samuel hesitant, so we’re now going to SEE HOW HE RESPONDS, look with me at VS. 4. The text says,

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Further Action (v4-5)

4 Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?” 5 And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

SAMUEL AGAIN PROVES HIMSELF to BE OBEDIENT!

COMES to BETHLEHEM & PEOPLE = AFRAID

REPUTATION as GOD’S PROPHET PRECEDED HIM...

COMING to ADDRESS SIN?? OFFER JUDGMENT??

NO REASON FOR FEAR…COME PEACEABLY…JUST to OFFER SACRIFICE!

FINDS JESSE & SONS…

CONSECRATES: PROCESS of BATHING & PUTTING on CLEAN CLOTHES AMONGST OTHER THINGS...

& INVITES to SACRIFICIAL MEAL.

(T) So, so far things are going according to plan. God told Samuel to go to Bethlehem and find this guy named Jesse, for one of his sons is going to be the future king. So, which one is going to be chosen? The text goes on to say in verse six,

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Partial Climax (v6-7)

6 When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

(Q) Isn’t it amazing HOW LESSONS ARE HARD to LEARN at times?

REMEMBER SAUL?? = TALL & HANDSOME…MUST BE GOOD LEADERSHIP MATERIAL!!

SAME PROBLEM! SAMUEL JUMPS to WORLDLY CONCLUSION & SAME TRAP...

DALE DAVIS: DESCRIBES ELIAB,

“Around 6’ 2” perhaps, about 225 pounds, met people well, all man but with social grace, excellent taste in after-shave lotion, and so on. Perhaps he’d starred as wide receiver for Bethlehem High School football. Probably made the All-Judean All-Star team. Samuel was not alone in his estimate of Eliab. Many thought “Future” was Eliab’s middle name” (p. 170).

REMEMBER, IT’S EASY to JUDGE a BOOK BY IT’S COVER...

POWERFUL TRUTH: GOD DOESN’T JUDGE the BOOK BY ITS COVER!!

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&& AT the END of the DAY…GOD HAS MADE the COVER ANYWAYS!

HE KNITS US TOGETHER in OUR MOTHER’S WOMB...

OUTWARD = LARGELY FIXED.

YOU CAN EXERCISE/GAIN WEIGHT

YOU CAN WEAR MAKEUP/ TRIM BEARD…

BUT OUR APPEARANCE is LARGELY FIXED.

WHAT ISN’T FIXED = INTERNAL…THE HEART…WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE…

While GOD HAS ESTABLISHED the OUTWARD, GOD HAS ENTRUSTED US WITH THE INWARD...

WHO ARE YOU GOING to BE?

HOW ARE YOU GOING to LIVE?

WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION in LIFE?

WILL YOU LIVE for GOD’S GLORY?

**GOD DOES DESIRE US to BE GOOD STEWARDS of OUR BODIES AS TEMPLE of HOLY SPIRIT…BUT ABOVE ALL ELSE GOD CARES ABOUT the HEART.

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SAMUEL LOOKED @ JESSE’S SONS as MAN DOES...

ELIAB LOOKS GREAT,, BUT GOD HAD REJECTED HIM!!

THE PEOPLE ALREADY HAD A KING ACCORDING to WORLDLY (EXTERNAL) STANDARDS: SAUL.

NOW THEY WERE GOING to GET the KING of GOD’S CHOOSING ACCORDING to GOD’S STANDARDS (INTERNAL)

(T) And so the SEARCH for a KING CONTINUES. We know it’s a son of Jesse, but Samuel’s choice isn’t God’s choice. Eliab has been rejected, so WHO WILL IT BE? The text goes on to say in VS 8,

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Rising Action (v8-10a)

8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel.

START GOING THROUGH RANKS...7 SONS PASS BEFORE SAMUEL… SO FAR NO GOOD...

(T) And SURELY BOTH SAMUEL and JESSE are starting to WONDER if there’s BEEN SOME MISTAKE. Samuel has gone through the ranks and perhaps he’s wondering that they might have to double check and be sure. So, let’s see what they do next, LOOK @ VS 10. The text says,

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More Tension (v10b-11)

And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.”

#1-7 GOD HADN’T CHOSEN…SEARCH CONTINUES...

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING in SAMUEL’S SHOES?

ASKING HIMSELF:

SHOULD WE TRY AGAIN & DOUBLE CHECK

IS THERE ANOTHER JESSE in BETHLEHEM??

PERHAPS THERE’S SOMEONE ELSE...

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CAN YOU IMAGINE ASKING the GUY W/ 7 SONS PRESENT, “IS THIS ALL YOU GOT??”

THEN WE FIND OUT THERE’S ONE MORE...&& HE WASN’T INVITED to SPECIAL SACRIFICIAL MEAL!! CAN YOU IMAGINE!

(Q) YOU EVER BEEN HERE? NOT INVITED to a PARTY or SOMETHING? CAN BE EASY CAUSE FOR OFFENSE…

IMAGINE in OWN FAMILY…SPECIAL MEAL W/ GOD’S PROPHET && YOU’RE LEFT W/ SHEEP ALL ALONE!

SAMUEL SAYS, “WE AREN’T EATING TILL HE COMES”

&& W/ GROUP of MEN, YOU KNOW THEY’RE GETTING ON IT.

(T) And then the text says,

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Climax (v12)

12 And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.”

YOUNG, HANDSOME GUY KEEPING SHEEP = CHOSEN by GOD...

7/8 SONS = REJECTED…ONLY ONE HAD INWARD HEART AFTER GOD.

THIS ONE, REJECTED BY FAMILY = ACCEPTED BY GOD...

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AREN’T YOU THANKFUL THAT REJECTION in WORLD’S EYES DOESN’T EQUAL REJECTION in GOD’S EYES?

ANYONE in GYM CLASS EVER OVERLOOKED & ENDED UP BEING FREEBEE? THE LAST PERSON NO ONE WANTED THAT WASN’T PICKED??

GOD LOVES to USE THOSE the WORLD REJECTS.

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THE WORLD DEMANDS SAULS & ELIABS...

THE WORLD DESIRES THOSE WHO LOOK GOOD on COVER of a MAGAZINE...

BUT GOD DESIRES THOSE WHO HAVE a HEART of WORSHIP…A HEART DEVOTED to HIM...

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YOUNG MAN = HANDSOME, BEAUTIFUL EYES && RUDDY (RED SKIN or HAIR?)

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE IF YOU WERE WORRIED…BE ENCOURAGED, GOD CAN STILL USE YOU!

OUTWARD LOOKS DON’T DISQUALIFY or QUALIFY. THEY’RE LARGELY IRRELEVANT…GOD CARES ABOUT the HEART.

BEAUTIFUL/HANDSOME + HEART AFTER GOD IS GREAT…

BUT IF YOU’RE GOING to HAVE ONE or THE OTHER…GOD DESIRES a BEAUTIFUL HEART.

(T) So, the CHOSEN ONE has BEEN FOUND, and then SAMUEL goes on to OBEY GOD’S COMMAND in verse 13,

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Resolution & Conclusion (v13)

13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

SAMUEL COMPLETES MISSION....&& FINALLY INTRODUCED to DAVID BY NAME…

WHILE SAUL REMAINS KING OUTWARDLY TEMPORARILY, DAVID = NEW KING in GOD’S EYES

WE DON’T KNOW IF DAVID & FAMILY KNEW WHY HE WAS ANOINTED..BUT THEY KNOW HE’S SET APART FOR GOD’S SERVICE (SOMEHOW)

W/ ANOINTING COMES SPIRIT of GOD to EMPOWER FOR TASK/SERVICE...

IN O.T. SPIRIT CAME UPON PEOPLE @ CERTAIN TIMES… IN NT SPIRIT ABIDES WITH US CONSTANTLY! BETTER COVENANT!! EMPOWERING US to OBEY

(T) And now our TEXT is GOING to TAKE a TURN this morning, it goes on to say in VS 14,

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Setting B/Inciting Incident (v14)

14 Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him.

IN COMING to DAVID…HOLY SPIRIT LEFT SAUL...

CH. 13—SAUL’S DYNASTY REJECTED...

CH. 15— SAUL HIMSELF = REJECTED...

NOW, in GOD’S EYES…DAVID = KING.

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GOD HAD BEEN GRACIOUS DESPITE SAUL’S DISOBEDIENCE…ALLOWED THINGS OUTWARDLY to REMAIN GOOD, BUT NOW JUDGMENT = COMING…OUTWARD NO LONGER LOOKING GOOD.

(T) And so THINGS ARE GOING DOWNHILL CONSISTENTLY for KING SAUL since his rejection by God, and so what will they do about this? Well the text says in verse 15,

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Rising Action B (v15-16)

15 And Saul’s servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. 16 Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.”

SAUL ENDURING TORMENT/ANXIETY...

SERVANTS CONCLUDE “WORSHIP MUSIC SHOULD HELP”

SAUL’S PROBLEM: LACK of GENUINE REPENTANCE… & THEY PRESCRIBE WRONG SOLUTION...

LIKE BAND-AIDING an AMPUTEE!…MIGHT STOP a LITTLE BLEEDING…BUT WON’T SAVE THEM...

(T) And so WHO will they FIND that is QUALIFIED in this RESPECT? The text says in verse 17,

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More Tension (v17-18)

17 So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” 18 One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.”

SAUL: PROVIDE a MAN WHO CAN PLAY…&& DAVID = QUALIFIED!

GOD PROVIDED HIMSELF a KING—DAVID

SAUL PROVIDED HIMSELF a LYRE-PLAYER—DAVID.

IRONY in GOD’S PROVIDENCE! SAUL BRINGS HIS OWN REPLACEMENT INTO ROYAL COURT!

(Q) ISN’T IT AMAZING to SEE HOW GOD WORKS in OUR LIVES in WAYS WE COULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED??

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NOTE DAVID’S RESUME:

SKILLED W/ LYRE

VALIANT—KILLED LIONS & BEARS to PROTECT SHEEP

POTENTIAL MAN of WAR

PRUDENT in SPEECH/ GOOD PRESENCE

MOST IMPORTANT: YAHWEH is WITH HIM...

MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY on LIFE’S RESUME: GOD W/ YOU.

B4 LIST of ACCOMPLISHMENTS,

DEGREES,

WORK EXPERIENCE,

SKILLS,

ANY OTHER ACCOLADES…

DO YOU HAVE A HEART AFTER GOD & GOD’S PRESENCE W/ YOU???

(T) And then the text says,

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Climax (v19-22)

19 Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20 And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul.

21 And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.”

SAUL CONTINUES W/ IDEA & GOD USES DAVID’S MUSICAL ABILITY to HELP SAUL...

TAKEN FROM FIELD & FORGOTTEN BY FAMILY to BEING KING’S ARMOR-BEARER in HIS SERVICE...

(T) And now our TEXT is GOING TO CLOSE in verse 23, it says,

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Resolution (v23)

23 And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

STORY ENDS: DAVID in SAUL’S SERVICE...

SAUL’S REPLACEMENT = A MEANS of GRACE…BRINGING RELIEF FROM TORMENT…SAME TORMENT WOULD LATER CAUSE SAUL to TRY & KILL DAVID...

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(T) And so we can learn from this passage today, the idea that,

Homiletical Idea:

God doesn’t judge a book by its cover, for God looks at the heart and who a person is internally, rather than who they are externally.

Gospel:

MOST PROFOUND INSTANCE of PRINCIPLE COMES HUNDREDS of YEARS LATER:

GOD PROVIDED HIMSELF a KING FROM BETHLEHEM—DAVID...

LATER,, GOD PROVIDED HIMSELF A KING FROM BETHLEHEM—JESUS CHRIST.

DAVID = CLEAREST TYPE of JESUS in O.T.

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Isaiah 53,

CONCERNING MESSIAH:

2 he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

JESUS LIVING in NAZARETH…EARLY DISCIPLES ASKED, "CAN ANYTHING GOOD COME FROM NAZARETH??”

IN HOMETOWN JESUS COULDN’T DO MANY MIRACLES...

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YET, HE WAS GOD in FLESH…IMMANUEL…WHO HAD CREATED the WORLD W/ FATHER...

GOD USES WEAK THINGS to CONFOUND STRONG & FOOLISH THINGS to CONFOUND the WISE...

JESUS CHRIST = STONE the BUILDERS REJECTED…BUT HE’S NOW the CORNERSTONE!!

Acts 4:12 ESV

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

HIS REJECTION CULMINATED @ CALVARY…WHERE HE DIED FOR OUR SINS

***BUT HIS VINDICATION CAME W/ RESURRECTION!!

THOSE REJECTED BY WORLD AREN’T REJECTED BY GOD...

WILL YOU REJECT the MESSIAH? CORNERSTONE WHOM GOD HAS APPOINTED?

IF YOU PLACE YOUR FAITH in SAVIOR & BELIEVE HE DIED FOR YOU & WAS RAISED…YOU CAN BE SAVED....

EVEN IF YOU’RE REJECTED BY the WORLD…IF YOU’RE IN CHRIST, GOD WILL NEVER REJECT YOU.

THOSE WHO BELIEVE in CORNERSTONE WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME (DISAPPOINTED).

YOU CAN BE SAVED BY GRACE TODAY…NOT BASED OFF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS…BUT BY GRACE...

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Takeaways:

Learn about God?

THE EYES of GOD LOOK @ THINGS DIFFERENTLY THAN WORLD...

ACCEPTANCE BY GOD DOESN’T COME BY WORLD’S CRITERIA.

GOD WORKS OFF GRACE,, BUT HE’S SEARCHING FOR THOSE W/ HEARTS AFTER HIM to USE THEM FOR HIS KINGDOM PURPOSES!

Learn about Us?

BE ENCOURAGED IF WORLD HAS REJECTED YOU…GOD WILL USE THOSE WHOM the WORLD HAS REJECTED. GOD WILL QUALIFY THE CALLED.

WE SHOULD JUDGE BY GOD’S STANDARDS & NOT the WORLD’S, ESP. WHEN CHOOSING LEADERS in CHURCH...

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Application:

While GOD HAS ESTABLISHED the OUTWARD, GOD HAS ENTRUSTED US WITH THE INWARD...

WHAT DO YOU PUT ON YOUR “RESUME”??

WHAT DO YOU FOCUS ON IN YOUR LIFE??

MEN, BEFORE WORKING OUT...TRIMMING YOUR BEARD/SHAVING…GELLING YOUR HAIR…WHO ARE YOU INTERNALLY?

LADIES, BEFORE YOU PUT ON MAKEUP…DO YOUR HAIR…PUT ON NICE CLOTHES…WHO ARE YOU INTERNALLY?

SURELY IT’S NOT SINFUL to FRESHEN UP THE EXTERIOR THAT GOD’S GIVEN US, BUT GOD CARES MORE ABOUT the HEART...

IS YOUR AIM in LIFE to IMPRESS the EYES of GOD W/ YOUR INTERNAL QUALITIES...

OR TO IMPRESS the EYES of WORLD W/ YOUR EXTERNAL QUALITIES?

BOTH SAUL & DAVID WERE HANDSOME…BUT ONE WAS CHOSEN BY the WORLD… AND ONE WAS CHOSEN BY GOD…

WHO ARE WE LIVING to IMPRESS THIS DAY?

Close in Prayer