THREE RESPONSES TO GOD’S CALL

JONAH: HERE I AM. I’M NOT GOING.

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord... Jonah 1:2-3

MOSES: HERE I AM. SEND SOMEONE ELSE.

So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:10-11

ISAIAH: HERE I AM. SEND ME.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

THREE RESPONSES TO GOD’S CALL

JONAH: HERE I AM. I’M NOT GOING.

“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord... Jonah 1:2-3

MOSES: HERE I AM. SEND SOMEONE ELSE.

So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:10-11

ISAIAH: HERE I AM. SEND ME.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

A COLLISION OF MY SIN AND GOD’S GRACE

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.” Isaiah 6:5

I am undone is not a bad place to be. "God will never do anything with us till he has first of all undone us."- Charles Spurgeon

“Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:6-7

A REAL EXPERIENCE IN GOD’S PRESENCE

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.” Isaiah 6:1

“Whom shall I send?... “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

1 Samuel 3:1-12

1Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And word from the LORD was rare in those days, visions were infrequent. 2And it happened at that time as Eli was lying down in his place (now his eyesight had begun to grow dim and he could not see well), 3and the lamp of God had not yet gone out,

THE LORD IS SILENT TO THOSE WHO DO NOT LISTEN.

3and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was, 4that the LORD called Samuel; and he said, “Here I am.” 5Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, lie down again.” So he went and lay down. 6And the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he answered, “I did not call, my son, lie down again.” 7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor had the word of the LORD yet been revealed to him. 8So the LORD called Samuel again for the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.”

THE LORD SPEAKS TO THOSE WHO LISTEN AND LOVE THE THINGS OF GOD.

SHOW UP

ASK FOR IT

LISTEN UP

BE STILL & WAIT

YOU DO YOU

HEAR & BE SET APART

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

LIVE UP

Then Eli discerned that the LORD was calling the boy. 9And Eli said to Samuel, “Go lie down, and it shall be if He calls you, that you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Thy servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Thy servant is listening.”

11And the LORD said to Samuel, “Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which both ears of everyone who hears it will tingle. 12“In that day I will carry out against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end.”

THE LORD WILL OPEN YOUR EARS TO DISCERN HIS VOICE WHEN YOU ASK.

Saturate Your Life With Scripture.

Set Aside Time To Ask And Listen In Prayer.

Seal Sacred Relationships With God's People, The Church.

“Speak, for Your servant is listening.”

1 Corinthians 11

23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread;

24and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

25In the same way He took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. 27Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

DANGEROUS PRAYERS — 2

BREAK ME, 10.15.17

While [Jesus] was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Mark 14:3

Her gift represented her past.

Her gift represented her future.

As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. Mark 14:22-24 NLT

And [Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

Luke 22:19

(Story Of Jay Video, Pastor Craig Groeschel’s Friend)

(Sweetly Broken Song)

We impress people with our strengths, but we connect people with our weaknesses.

Life’s greatest breakings often lead to God’s greatest blessings.

Those who God uses the greatest are often those who have been broken the deepest.

God never ever wastes a hurt.

TALK IT OVER:

Have you ever experienced the type of brokenness the Pastor talked about? What's your story?

Are you trying to stay strong in an area of weakness or hold on to something you need to pour out? What's keeping you from giving it to God?

Feeling risky? Start the Dangerous Prayers Bible Plan. go2.lc/dangerous

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

SEARCH MY HEART

~ REVEAL MY FEARS

~ UNCOVER MY SINS

~ LEAD ME

SEARCH MY HEART.

Search me, God, and know my heart… Psalm 139:23a

Good Heart?

The Heart Of The Human Problem Is The Problem Of The Human Heart.

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT

Some People Say...It’s Not A Lie, If You Believe It.

The Person We Lie To The Most Is Ourselves.

Where Am I Lying To Myself?

A Start: Sin List...

REVEAL MY FEARS.

Search me, God, and know my, heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Psalm 139:23

What we fear the most reveals where we trust God the least.

Give Examples: Job, Single, Married, Children, Money.

Failure.

Inadequate.

Alone.

Unwanted.

UNCOVER MY SINS.

Other People’s Sins

Accuse Others And Excuse Ourselves

See if there is any offensive way in me.... Psalm 139:24

What are others trying to tell me?

What have I rationalized for some time?

Where am I most defensive?

View From Outside Church.

Uncover Others Sins.

No Perfect People Allowed.

Imperfect People Being Transformed By A Perfect God.

LEAD ME.

See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139: 24

Psalm 139:23-24

1. Search me, God, and

know my heart; test me and

2. know my anxious thoughts.

3. See if there is any

offensive way in me, and

4. lead me in the way everlasting.

Hope is the confident,

joyful expectation that GOOD IS COMING.

Romans 15:13 ISV

Now may God, the source of hope,

fill you with all joy and peace as you believe,

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The question is not ‘Lord, tell me what to do?’

It’s ‘Lord, tell me what to believe?’

DO YOU BELIEVE IN HOPE?

1. There is always a solution. Mat. 7:7-8

2. I will always know what to do. Jas. 1:5-8

3. I will thrive no matter what happens. Phil. 4:11-13

4. I will always have the resources I need

to do what needs to be done. Phil. 4:19

5. My mistakes will always be turned to good. Rom. 8:28

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

There are no hopeless circumstances, only hopeless people.

Once someone gets true hope,

their circumstances cannot stay the same.

Where Do Tangible, Usable, Practical

Resources Come From?

Resources Come When I Learn How To Listen For Hope In The Story. Good Is Coming!

ACTS 28:7-10

7Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. 8As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 9Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. 10As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip.

Listening For Hope Is The Same As Listening For Resources.

God Provides Where God Guides.

My Resources Change My Goals Become His Purpose.

Listen For Hope! Good Is Coming Because God Is Coming.

Thy Kingdom Come. Thy Will Be Done.

My Resources Rise When My Cave-In Point Rises.

“If You Want To Get To The Gold, You Can’t Cave In.

“Don’t Cave In...Strengthen The Walls."

You’re Crazy If You DON’T Talk To Yourself.

“I Will Always Have The Resources To Do What Needs To Be Done.”

Believe In Hope! That It Matters. Will Make A Difference.

Every Other Road Is A Dead-End.

TWO TRACKS: The Give Up Track And The Keep Going Track.

TWO LESSONS:

Don’t Let What You Can’t Do Keep You From What You Can Do.

Stop Waiting For What You Want And Start Working With What You Have.

“If You Want To Get To The Gold, You Can’t Cave In.

“Don’t Cave In...Strengthen The Walls."

So, You’re Crazy If You DON’T Talk To Yourself.

What Do People Think Hope Looks Like?

Hope Really Looks Like A Bald Guy With Beard.

Acts 28 - 1And when they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called Malta.2And the natives showed us extraordinary kindness; for because of the rain that had set in and because of the cold, they kindled a fire and received us all. 3But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. 4And when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, justice has not allowed him to live.”

Fill In The Thought Bubble Over The Apostle Paul’s Head.

Pastor T.D. JAKES - Five Steps To Happiness.

Challenge Your Own Story: Change the way you talk to yourself about who you are and what happened to you in life.

You wrote the script. Change the Story.

Acts 28 - 5However he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6But they were expecting that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.

Believe In Hope! That It Matters. Will Make A Difference.

Is The Right Direction.

That Hope Is Enough. Enough For What?

Hope Enough For What?... To Change The Story!

What Do People Think Hope Looks Like?

What Does Hope Really Look Like?

The Opportunity Of A Storm - Believe In Hope Series, Part 3 - 09.10.17

Hope is the confident,

joyful expectation that GOOD IS COMING.

There are no hopeless circumstances, only hopeless people.

Once someone gets true hope, their circumstances cannot stay the same.

BELIEVE IN HOPE!

That It Matters.

Will Make A Difference.

Is The Right Direction.

Every Road Without The Signpost Of Hope Leads To A Dead-End.

DO YOU

BELIEVE IN HOPE?

CONSISTENT, TANGIBLE EVIDENCE in my WORDS, ACTIONS, and ATTITUDES that I truly BELIEVE...

1. There Is Always A Solution. Mat. 7:7-8

2. I Will Always Know What To Do. James. 1:5-8,12

3. I will Thrive No Matter What Happens. Phil. 4:11-13

4. I Will Always Have The Resources I Need To Do What Needs To Be Done. Phil. 4:19

5. My Mistakes Will Always Be Turned To Good. Rom. 8:28

Acts 27:22, 25 “And yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there shall be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 25Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly as

I have been told. 26But we must run aground on a certain island.”

Acts 27:27-37, 42-44 “But when the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that they were approaching some land. 28And they took soundings, and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29And fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak. 30And as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship, and had let down the ship's boat into the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, 31Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat, and let it fall away. 33And until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34“Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is your preservation; for not a hair from the head of any of you shall perish.” 35And having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he broke it and began to eat. 36And all of them were encouraged, and they themselves also took food. 37And all of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy six persons. 42And the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners, that none of them should swim away and escape; 43but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And thus it happened that they all were brought safely to land.

The Apostle Paul Is The Only Prisoner On The Ship,

But He Is Clearly In Charge.

Hope Turns Prisoners Into Heroes.

A Storm Is An Opportunity If I Know That I Will Know What To Do!

It’s Not Preparation, But Prayerperation

That Turns Storms Into Opportunities. (Beard, Adelie)

Telescope Hope:

Lord, What I Should Believe About The Outcome?

Microscope Hope:

Lord, What I Should Do Right Now?

Telescope Hope Is Point On A Map.

Microscope Hope Is Turn-By-Turn Directions. (Algoe, NY)

Don’t Go To Algoe! There’s Nothing There!

Hope Means I Will Always Know What To Do...

Before, During, & After The Storm. (BAND)

James 1:5-8, 12 (HCSB) Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should

ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. 6But let him ask in faith without doubting.

For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7That person should

Hope is the confident,

joyful expectation that GOOD IS COMING.

ACTS 27:23-26

“For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.' 25“Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly as I have been told.”

There are no hopeless circumstances,

only hopeless people.

Once someone gets true hope,

their circumstances cannot stay the same.

“If any area of my life is not glistening with hope,

then I am believing a lie.

That area of my life has become a

stronghold of the enemy.”

Romans 15:13 ISV

Now may God, the source of hope,

fill you with all joy and peace as you believe,

so that you may overflow with hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The question is not ‘Lord, tell me what to do?’

It’s ‘Lord, tell me what to believe?’

DO YOU BELIEVE IN HOPE?

CONSISTENT, TANGIBLE EVIDENCE in my WORDS, ACTIONS, and ATTITUDES that I truly BELIEVE...

1. There is always a solution. Mat. 7:7-8

2. I will always know what to do. Jas. 1:5-8

3. I will thrive no matter what happens. Phil. 4:11-13

4. I will always have the resources I need

to do what needs to be done. Phil. 4:19

5. My mistakes will always be turned to good. Rom. 8:28

HOPE FOR THE BEST, BUT PREPARE FOR THE WORST!

DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE? THERE IS ALWAYS A SOLUTION!

THEN IT’S TIME TO… STOP PREPARING FOR THE WORST!

“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. 8“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened. Matthew 7:7-8.

Stop Preparing For The Worst, Start Preparing For What You Are Actually Facing. Catastr

THE STOCKDALE PARADOX:

The Story Of Vietnam P.O.W. Admiral Jim Stockdale

“Who didn’t make it out? Oh, that’s easy, The optimists.”

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

“I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end

and turn the experience into the defining event of my life,

which in retrospect, I would not trade.”

“I never lost faith in the end of the story.”

There Were Two Thieves On Either Side Of Jesus.

One Hoped For The Best.

The Other Prepared For The Worst. Which one are you?

Believe In Hope! That It Matters. Will Make A Difference. Is The Right Direction.

Every Road Without The Signpost Of Hope Leads To A Dead-End.

Hope is the confident, joyful expectation that GOOD IS COMING.

ACTS 27:23-26

“For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24saying,

'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.' 25“Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God, that it will turn out exactly

as I have been told.”

There are no hopeless circumstances, only hopeless people.

Once someone gets true hope, their circumstances cannot stay the same.

“If any area of my life is not glistening with hope, then I am believing a lie. That area of my life has become a stronghold of the enemy.”

Romans 15:13 IS

Now may God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace

as you believe, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The question is not ‘Lord, tell me what to do?’

It’s ‘Lord, tell me what to believe?’

MY ROAD TO HOPE

CONSISTENT, TANGIBLE EVIDENCE in my WORDS, ACTIONS, and ATTITUDES that I truly BELIEVE...

There is always a solution. I Corinthians 10:13

I will always know what to do. James 1:5-8

I will thrive no matter what happens. Philippians 4:11-13

I will always have the resources I need to do what needs to be done. Philippians 4:19

My mistakes will always be turned to good. Romans 8:28

Hope Is Not Optimism. There Is A Big Difference.

THE STOCKDALE PARADOX:

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you can never afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

“I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which in retrospect, I would not trade.”

(1. Why-My Story)

Believe In Hope! That It Matters. Will Make A Difference. Is The Right Direction.

Every Road Without The Signpost Of Hope Leads To A Dead-End.

The Problem Is That Your Enemy Has Changed The Road Signs.

Isaiah 40:3 King James 2000 Bible

“The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare you the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”