No Time For Hiding

Introduction

If you'll be honest and truthful tonight you would agree with me when i say..

All of us have some insecurities, we have some things that we wrestle with, some things that were not necessarily proud

of and the truth of the matter is God does not have a problem with us having insecurities the problem happens when our insecurities have us.

That's a challenge and if we are not careful one of the main things we'll

see that may happen to us is that our insecurities will develop in us what psychologists called an inferiority complex.

Some reason because of whatever we're dealing with, whatever we feel is causing

these insecure moments. we'll often times allow us to think that we're less than who God has called us to be.

Have you had moments like that?

Have you had times because of some issue because of some strain because of some insecurities you oftentimes have acted less than what you know God has called you to be if we're not careful we'll oftentimes be inferior act less then.

It can be matured or manifested on our job we'll sit back because average is easy it's easy to act less than it's

easy not to show your true gift set, it's easy not to be all that God wants us to be let's be honest that's the tension

Many of us know from personal experience how easy it is to stick in the crowd.

easy to be like everybody else, it's easy to allow your hurt to be your excuse, it's easy to say well no one in my

family ever did it, is easy to assume that because of certain things even though you know in your heart I'm better

than this its easy because somehow we get stifled, we get paralyzed by fear and

failure but I'm here to tell you my brothers and sisters no matter how comfortable even though we may go

through some things I'm here to share with you that where you are being inferior, thinking with that mindset is never

what God meant for us, God never intended for us to stay in a less-than position

God always wanted us to operate at optimal God wants us to be our best best

us and that's what we see in our text today it's in this moment matter of fact that

comes to us at a very important time samuel is getting ready to announce to all of israel who the new king shall be

then answered prayer God is getting ready to now put Saul in his prominent

place however when Samuel makes the declaration winner he calls Saul's name Saul is not there

can you hear as the applaud begins to go down Samuel calls God what's up where's this brother at and God tell Samuel

where Saul is. the one that's about to be the king is hiding behind the baggage

here's my question to raise for you today what baggage are you hiding behind baggage in itself how were you defining

it perhaps there's some emotional burden something that's easy what baggage do you find yourself when God is about to

do something but instead of walking into divine destiny you stay stuck behind baggage and my brothers and

sisters I'm here to deliver or help somebody today my chief aim is to tell you that where you are what baggage you're

holding on to what baggage you're hiding behind God said that is not what I've destined for your life you're gonna have

to make a decision are you gonna choose the

Baggage or the Blessing

and that's what happens my brother and

sisters stories told of a homeless woman who happened to be an area of this church she was kind of honoree sometimes

she would beg people for something but tragically this woman was found deceased authorities did not know who she was

they asked that neighboring Church will you please take care of her homegoing they honored the request day they

bury her in an unmarked grave but to their surprise a few weeks later they get a call some authorities had did some

research come to find out she was not some nameless woman that was out on the street begging with eggs come to find out she had inherited

a mass fortune she had great wealth she had land and houses but she chose the

baggage over her favored inheritance the question of day is this

are you gonna be like this woman are you gonna choose the baggage over the blessing

and that's what seems to be

followed by the central leader of our text it seemed and at this critical moment SAul chooses baggage but one thing I'm here

to tell you is why God sent me on assignment today why God press this word in my heart why some of you showed up

and didn't even realize why you showed up and because God's saying no longer can I allow you to stay behind baggage

I've got something that's so special about you I've got something so unique about you I got something so individual

about you you're robbing the world and the kingdom of who you are if you continue to hide behind some baggage I

come to let somebody to know today is your coming-out party God sent me on assignment to declare that I know the

baggage may seem comfortable and I don't know how long you've been there but just point to you and tell

You…. I got to move beyond this baggage this is the season God is simply sent me

on assignment to tell you you are too big for this baggage and I don't know what it is and I don't want to minimize

your misery I'm not simply trying to tell you the hurt wasnt real I'm not telling you the pain you didnt feel I'm not telling you the abuse didnt hurt I'm not saying none of it is real baggage is real but what I am saying is that with

the power of faith and the purpose of God you can move from the hurt of baggage into the promise of God's

blessing I'm here to tell you that no matter what baggage you're hiding behind that baggage is no place for royalty I'm

here to tell you that when you embrace who God wants you to be God has simply tell you the expiration date on hiding

behind baggage is upon you today is not tomorrow it's not next week God is simply telling me that today

somebody's gonna receive the delivers that today his clarion call to you is get from behind that baggage that's our

aim today my brothers and sisters that's the relevant question I want to raise for you today that's what I simply want to answer for someone today because

someone came in here downtrodden it and in despair God sent me to tell you I got so much in store for you but you've got

to make the decision today I've got to make my decision brother Hamilton that I'm gonna move beyond my baggage that's

my simple aim in this particularly pericope today allow me to share with you a in word is an alliterative

outlined just some principles I want to share for you this text is really pregnant I hope you roll with me today I've been trying my best all day to kind

of make this make sense but I believe that as we examine this narrative as we see what moves saul from baggage to

blessing it will expose not just what happened in Saul's life but also what can happen in our lives are you

interested today is there anyone in here need to hear this word anyone in here they said I'm tired of

being stuck behind baggage here God wants me to tell you that when you move from that baggage God highlights some

things in your life here it is my brothers and sister here principle I want you to write down that when we move and mature behind our

baggage God sent me to tell you that what that proves what that highlights is that we are

Chosen w/ Baggage

that when we make the decision to move beyond our baggage what God shows you is that

he chooses us without apology that's the text my brother says matter of fact in order for us to really get what's

happening in this passage you got to go back to the beginning portion of 1st Samuel chapter 10

the narrative between Samuel and saul while Saul was chasing lost donkeys God was

driving him to destiny and he gets right there to the Prophet the man of God by the name of Samuel Samuel had a dream

the night before that God had told him Saul was gonna be the new king and when we start 1st Samuel chapter 13 is an

intimate moment where we see Saul now kneeled in front of Samuel Samuel now pours out the anointing all of all over

Saul lifts him up kisses him on the cheek tells him that God is going to confirm at his assignment that show him

that God is a supplier of needs God is an answer of question and God will give you the power that you deserve that's what

we see in the beginning the first samuel chapter 10 and here in this private intimate moment he is reassured through

the Word of God that Saul will be the next king but that's what happens my brothers and sisters as we move on to

verse 16 17 and 18 it moves from a private encounter - now this public

Proclamation and that's what I love about God if I had I'm gonna poke somebody right there cuz I appreciate that about God that God

don't just give us private promises but he also gives us public proclamations I serve a God that he'll whisper destiny

in your heart and I know some of you are struggling because God has said some stuff to you and you say

Lord when you gonna tell everybody else let me help you just hang on in there God gave you a promise it ain't

gonna be sheltered or hidden but he's gonna let the world know he's gonna expose what he told you privately and put it on

public display somebody can testify if you just wait on God if you just trust in God God is able to take you from the

private promises to public proclamation and that's what we see

taking place in this passage Samuel now congregates the entire nation of Israel

can you imagine the place is called mitzvah and when you study it you'll note that this was an intriguing place this was the last place of spiritual

revitalization for the nation of Israel it was what many would consider the last place of their major victory over the

Philistines some have even suggested that it was the home base of the tabernacle this was a prominent place in

the spiritual walk of all of Israel and Samuel call everyone to this place cause everyone to come in because now

he's announcing to them God's answer to their prayer that God was now going to select out of all of them his new king

this is intriguing because remember the prayer they asked for was first of all the prayer that was disrespectful to God

God had been their king but because they wanted to be like everybody else they asked God for a king and even though God

didn't like it he honored to their requests and here's the powerful thing about God that even though he didn't

like their prayer he was not just gonna answer it with just seconds he was not just gonna answer me halfway he was

gonna give them the best of what he had to offer somebody ought to shout right there because I would admit to you that

there have been times I perhaps did not always ask the right thing but God always gives me the best of what he has

he is not gonna show us God it's not gonna skimp us God is gonna give us his best and here in this text what he

decides to do is he's gonna choose the new king from amongst all of Israel that's what Samuels called to do

and Samuel now is getting ready to cast lots I don't want you to think this is something gamble what LOX casting but

simply they would write names on sticks they will put it on a napkin on the lap of the person and they would shake it in

whichever stick came out they believe was the divine voice of God don't miss this that for them casting Lots was

synonymous with the voice of God this is God's process can you imagine if Samuel

has the twelve tribes leaning on a stick he shakes it and the tribe of Benjamin

comes out gets all the names of the families of Benjamin shakes it and the family of Metra comes out takes all the

family members from the family Metra and guess what the name Saul comes out in

essence when samuel lifts up the stick and Saul's name on it, it was a proclamation to the people that saul is your new

king here it is by casting locks Samuel was basically telling the people this is not my choice is God's choice and it's

God who is decided amongst all of us who hear that soul will be our new king

somebody ought to shout over that because in essence what we see in this passage is that God is saying to all of

Israel Saul is my choice Saul is the one that is gonna be your new king that

I'm giving you the best of what I have to offer but it's interesting he was

from the tribe of Benjamin.

what made Benjamin so special and so different

let me tell you when you look at Israel you know that it's basically in two sections the northern

which was the largest area with ephraim and manasseh but it had lasted long because of the the the enemies on the

boundaries and the South was Judah and Jerusalem but Benjamin was in that middle range Benjamin was unique because

it didn't really fit in the north and it didn't really fill in the south and it didn't really occupy the best land it

was outside as a matter of fact because of the hardness of his area the people of Benjamin grew

up hard they became great warriors their past experiences made them grizzled they

they became tough they they were really made to handle hard extreme stuff I want

to help somebody here in other words when God said I chose Saul is because I chose someone who didn't fit in

everywhere I chose someone who wasn't always in the clique I chose someone who didn't always

do what everybody else wanted them to do they they didn't really fit in the north and they didn't really fit in the south

but those are the people that God likes to use because he loves to call people that other people discount.

have you ever been there? you've been looking around and you're trying to figure out I

don't really fit in here you're trying your best but yet you're too holy for the club but you secular for the church

have you ever been there well you've been trying to navigate this tension of like come on let's be honest there you are in class you're looking

around and you're trying your best but I'm here to tell you God didn't call you to fit in God didn't call you to be like

somebody else God did not endow you with power and purpose so that you can fit in why because you sticking out is

what attracts God to you God is saying I want you to be comfortable uncomfortable and I want you to be able to stand out

and step out why because I want to use what you have grown up with the experiences that you have to show you

I'm a god that can take you from the uttermost to the gutter Mo's there's

someone I can testify and when you look at your life you sound like that that's your testimony that is what Saul brought to

the place and here is most powerful when you notice in this passage here is what gets me there's no other name on the

Nominating sheet in other words Saul didn't have to fight for this position

God just gave it to him I wish somebody would wake up and help the preacher preach because as you look over like

that someone was you coming in and yes there are other people that's gifted yes there's other people that seem to have it together but you ain't mad you won't

feel like you were no competition why because if God has it for you what God has for you it is for you I wish

somebody would help me preach look I surmise her neighbor you ain't my competition because I know whatever God

places me and wherever God leads me to ever God leads me I'm trusting because God is not

letting me be in competition with nobody God already knew what he has for me I

want to help somebody this is what I love …. nowhere in

this pericope do you see God apologizing for choosing saul so if God is not

apologizing why you keep apologizing oh I wish I had some people that can look

over like stop showing up on the job talk about I don't know how I got here / stop going telling people I don't

know how I'm still in school no baby you know why you still in school you you know why you owner the child is because if

it had not been.

you ought to be grateful who you sitting next to I'm trying to tell you it's only because the Grace and the goodness of

god/ can I be honest with you I don't deserve it but he gave it to me anyhow is there anybody that can thank god that

you've been chosen any chosen people in the house that can celebrate the fact I've been chosen…. And

here is the foolishness of God is God will take what you think disqualifies

you to make you be where God wants you to be.

when God has anointed you for greatness it really doesnt

matter where you are/ where you been/ it ain't where you came from

it's who's walking with you it's not the problems you persisted through but God when he has his hands on your life

he will choose you in spite of where you came from.

I'm here to tell you that when you move beyond your baggage it shows that you've been chosen

With baggage attached. but then there's something else also that tells us then when we move beyond our baggage it

also teaches us that we've been

Baggage will Confirm your Uniqueness

here's crazy watch this this is

the pinnacle moment Samuel lifts up the light and read the name

Saul son of Kish he imagined his people will start clapping

oh but after a while claps slowed down because they don't see

Saul so Samuel goes back to prayer say God we just do that God says he's here

he's in the pile of baggage he can hear

you but he's hiding he heard his name called but he's stuck with baggage I

want to paint this picture because you need to understand this was not the equipment stuff they use literally most

scholars would say that this pile of baggage was nothing more than trash it

was used equipment it was supplies they didn't need no more and can you imagine

as this pile of trash is their soul is now stooped behind it in what should be

the biggest moment of his life he's hiding amongst the trash what sheep with

the critical time the affirmation and confirmation that God was gonna do it but God said he was hiding behind the

trash Bible says they sent for him and when he comes from behind the trash

something that sounding happens that now we moves from stooping behind the trash

he's now standing and there's something unique about him the Bible says that when he stands up

he's head and shoulders above everybody else now while he was behind the trash

he didn't look tall he didn't look special matter of fact he

was shorter than everybody else he saw things at a low level but when he moved

from behind the trash it exposed how gifted he real I wish I had time Wow he

was behind the trash he only had a low-level sight he could only see things at a certain level but when he got

enough courage to get from behind the baggage he realized you know what I'm

stronger I'm taller than everybody I'm gonna help somebody here because maybe

that's why you keep attracting low level stuff it's because as long as you keep stooping behind the baggage you will

only connect with things at a lower level but will you get immature will you

get confident get bold enough to say I'm not stupid no more but this

is the season I'm gonna stand up stronger because by standing up strong it's gonna expose how different you

really are I make the argument that he

didn't just grow from the baggage to standing he's always been different but

because he could not measure his difference in an appropriate way what he

thought made him different and strange he didn't realize is what God was gonna use to take him to the next level

(basketbal player illustrations)

Tall 6’8 in middle school

Cut form the basketball team

Picked up by the varsity team.

(His rejection made room for a promotion)

He said all through high school he felt weird, to tall to big, so he would walk around slumped over, he would make him self shorter to fit in.

This same guy got a d-1 scholarship to the university of Duke to play basketball by this time he was 7 ft tall.

At Duke he broke records made all american team many accomplishments.

Said it was on the campus of Duke where he stood tall, walked with his chest out. Same guy who was ashamed of his frame

Is not the same frame that brought him fame. He is now using what he thought was a disadvantage to his advantage.

I wish I had time because I want to tell you that's what God will do God will let you

be head and shoulders above but he don't want you to shrink down he don't want you to be shorter than what you really

are matter of fact God said this is the season you want to say it with your chest touch him I tell him stand up

straight stand up strong stop trying to be small on your job and show how tall you really are stop trying to be small

in school and stand up as tall as you really are I'm trying to be small and sure and stand up strong look at somebody and

tell him stand up strong show everybody how different you really are because

here is the uniqueness maybe I'm talking to some graduate maybe I'm talking to some person stop shrinking to make

Yourself small / God makes you different be

head and shoulders above be be like that God didn't cause you to be ordinary stand up I won't tell you that's why the

Bible is clear that gifts come without repentance that's why you ought to shout because by not utilizing your gift

you're not just dishonoring you you dishonor in the gift giver in matter of fact you shouldn't have to apologize for

how tall you are you shouldnt have to apologize for how gifted you are you shouldnt have to apologize for how God

made you / God made you he didn't make no junk.

That why you should

Choose blessing over baggage

Because you were chosen with the baggage.

Once you come out you will see what god created… your uniqueness, can i tell you, you aint me and i aint you, you different. You weird, you strange and thats the way God would have it to be. You are perfect for the purpose God planned for you.

Saul is the man for the job. Crowd chants Long live the King. King live forever

say but watch what Samuel does Samuel

stops and says all right let me give you all some word he writes down he already

tells them how this thing is gonna work and be successful writes it down puts it on a scroll and puts it in front of God

in other words he's not just telling Israel but he also tell us all so don't just think you're gonna be successful alone.

The only way you're gonna be successful is you got to

understand it's only success when you got the help and hope of God I want to help somebody

cuz there's nothing worse than being a gifted failure.

there's nothing worse than being gifted but still a failure

see you a gifted failure when you think it's your gift that makes you successful but let

me tell you what honors God when you're gifted and know it ain't nobody but God and God sent me to tell you that let me

show you how much I want you to know that yes your head and shoulders above everybody else but don't forget you

still need me don't ever get to the place of arrogance to think that you can roll without me yes you look good yes

you're doing well yes you head and shoulders yes we know all that but please ma'am please sir do not make the

mistake of thinking that because you're gifted that you can go without God

Only way you gonna make it is you need the word / he gives the word give the and

sends everybody home that's what verse 26 comes in now so is on his way back

home to give you but notice the interesting footnote that occurs in verse 26 that even though Saul who was

by himself the text says on his way home God knits some warriors with him.

okay you gotta catch this that literally there were some people that so something in Saul and God gives saul

friends that before he starts his assignment God says I know you just

don't need word you're gonna need some warriors too because the only way you're

gonna be successful in this is you're gonna need some people that's gonna have your back let me help somebody in here tonight see

that's the difference between friends you choose and friends God choose okay

maybe I gotta have a few people that can be testable see that's the difference because you chose friends based on what

you thought you needed but god give you friends that you mean and you don't

even know that you need I wish I had time see you can tell the difference between a friend you chose and the friend that God chose cuz friends you

choose will walk away / hard to rely on your friends /your friends scandalize/ your friends

you choose get jealous/ but when God gives you friends when God places people in

your life they'll support you they'll pray for you.

i thank god for godly friends

I wish iI could close on that I wish / I could tell us the end of the narrative I

wish that saul goes back with the word and warriors that was it verse 27

This messes me up messes me up because the text says that amongst

all them people after seeing all God had done how he was the chosen one Bible

said there was some people that was still not convinced that the new king

has some detractors had some haters they

started saying saul delivering he ain't my king I know his daddy he ain't my king when

he just chasing lost donkeys he ain't my king her hair too natural she ain't my

king what school she graduate from she ain't my king how many kids they had before

they got married my king no I wrote him with them I know they family there's no

way that I would roll with them and here is what bad not only were they audibly disrespectful but the text also says

they did not bring the customary gifts to solve this is important because at that time whenever a new King was

coronated that it was customary to bring a gift to show honor a bit amazing my brothers and sisters

the main ones who always got something to say is the main ones that ain't invested nothing

main ones always got chirpin always something foul to say

main ones that ain't invested the main ones who always trying to tell you how bad you are are the main ones that didn't make an investment in any area be

like be careful taking words from people that ain't invested in you big hair

accepting opinions of people who have shown you time and time again that they're not trying to see you grow big

but here in our text I can tell why

saul was picked because if that would have been us you start being

Disrespectful.

text says so pays them know it

some translations say he says not one word I wish I had time and I want to

deliver somebody because God says you ain't gotta say nothing why are you wasting a response on people that don't

matter why are you wasting angry moments over people who have not invested in you the best thing to do is say nothing

because you can't quote silence

People gotta realize I ain't gonna say nothing because I'm with you I'm trying

to figure out why God chose me to/ but the one thing I can declare is all I know it may not make sense to me

but if God has put it in my life if God has called me to it if God has chosen me

for such a time as this it no matter what you say because I'm still believing God can bring that thing to pass I'm out

may the Lord bless you real good

I don't care if you like me or not you can hate me or not you can

believe in me or not I could care less because I've been around God

long enough to know that as long as God is with me as long as God has called me

as long as God has anointed me the best thing I'm gonna tell you is just keep on

watching because the Lord is not through with me do I got a witness in the house

huh I gotta get out of here but look at somebody

I got good news for you that when you trust in God you ain't gotta fight your own battles

the Biblel shows us that vengeance is mine says the Lord which means I

ain't gonna cuss you out I'm not gonna talk about you but I'm gonna let my life be my biggest witness huh

watch what God does huh when I keep my mouth shut and as I read this

began to be reminded of somebody else who they tried to get him to open his

mouth matter of fact they whipped him 39 times they tried to accuse him of being a

blasphemer when they asked him say who you really are this man refused to open his mouth he

allowed a cross to be placed on his shoulder and this man wind up going to

an old hill called Calvary but I got news for somebody they talked about him

they didn't think he was gonna be anything and I came to tell you that man died that prize but leaned over to

somebody and say name when you got God on your side you can let them talk just

This is little of mine i'm going to let in shine…