Purpose (July Series)
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But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.
Instrument: body ⇔ vessel n. — the human body understood as an object used as a container.
The human body understood as an object used as a “Container”
The question is, what am I containing?
God said that Saul/Paul was a “chosen instrument of mine”
#1 This means that God is the owner of the container…
#2 He is also the controller of what should go inside of the container
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;
Paul said… God set me apart
to exclude (separate) v. — to separate or isolate something and place in a group apart from others (as for a purpose).
#3 God has set us apart for a purpose…
The question is, Is my purpose driven by me or God?
The Story of Saul and David
The people wanted a king…
Samuel was Old
His two sons were judges who were taking bribes and perverted justice.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
Frustration: The feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something.
Frustration can lead to mis-directed decision making.
Only if we would Stop / Breath / Acknowledge
Why would Isreal want to be like all the nations…
When God chose them to be His Only Holy Nation…
Stop trying to be like “them” when “they not like us”
And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
“Obey the voice of the people”
Their request is not a rejection of you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
It’s a dangerous place for your request to reflect your desires but reject God’s guidance…
Saul was disobedient and His disobedience caused him to be rejected by God.
Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’ ”
“I have noted what Amalek did”
Noted: Visit, inspect; look at, see, command, summon, appoint, avenge, afflict.
Around 400 years went by from the attack by the Amalekites to when God commanded Saul to punish them.
God has not forgotten…
But! Saul did the opposite….
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.”
We must remember that Saul was the people’s choice not His!
Samuel was grieving over Saul…
Grieve: to mourn (grieve) v. — to feel sadness and express it through vocalizations, tears, and ritual expressions of sadness and grief.
God asked him a question… “How long will you grieve over Saul, Since I have rejected him from being king over Isreal?”
Samuel don’t you remember… Your grieving over a choice that rejected me in the first place!
My rejection should change your emotional condition…
Only if God is still the center of attention…
Get up Samuel…
Fill your horn with oil, and go…
“I have provided for myself a King among his sons.”
Purpose is about God’s plan…
God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse
When Samuel saw… Eliab
When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.”
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.”
Can I minister to those who are struggling with insecurities of the outward appearance…
Man looks at the outward container…
I am trying to get approval from a person that does not have the ability to approve or reject me!
God looks at what is inside the container…. The Heart!
Remember! God is the owner and the controller of the contain…..
And everything you need to fulfill His assignment is in you…….
Samuel said to Jesse is there one more…
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.”
Someone is still standing waiting for you…….