David // David's Anointing // Pastor Josh Evans

Amen. If you're thankful for the goodness of God, say Amen this morning.

And man, he has been so, so good. I'm finding out that the reason a lot of people don't like to sit up front is because I sing really loud up front and I can't carry a tune. So I apologize to all of you who, when we're packed in here, it moves people up.

I'm eventually going to have to like have a seat out, you know, out here behind the stage or something. But no, man, I love the message of our songs today and he's been so, so good to all of you. Every single one of you.

You say, man, you don't know my story. I might not, but you need to get to know my God today. And I'm telling you, he's good and he has been good to each one of you. How's everybody doing today?

Is everybody doing pretty good today? Guys awake, alert. And some of you, man, this is really packed because we just came out of a marriage series.

Yeah. And so some of you are just excited that you don't have to maybe get beat up each week. And no, we've had a good time. I do want to say if this is your first time, I know each and every week we have people slipping in possibly for the first time or the first time in a long time. My name is Josh. I'm the pastor here and I would love to get the opportunity to meet you after the service.

And so make sure that you stick around if you have a few moments and I would enjoy that. Well, we just came through a marriage series and we are going to begin a brand new series on one of my favorite Bible characters on the life of David. The life of David. We're going to journey through his life. And I want you to know this upfront before we jump into the scripture is every single person in this room can relate to David in some way.

Now you might be thinking, if you know a little bit about David, you might be thinking, how in the world can I relate to David? I mean, he was a king. He was, you know, he beat up a lion. He was, you know, this great mighty warrior. And he was a man after God's own heart. And we know of a lot of different things about David. But I want you to know that today, here's why you can relate to him. He was a few things that came to my mind when I was studying this. He was unqualified, which we're going to see here in a few moments. Have you ever been put in a position where you feel unqualified for it?

I stand before you every week unqualified. And I understand that. And so I can relate to David.

Also, he was prone to make mistakes. You read throughout the book of Psalms, and you can find that David, you know, he struggled in life. Any of you struggle? Any of you? Or is that just me, my hand raised? Everybody in here struggles.

And if you didn't just raise your hand, you struggle with lying. Okay. Just saying. All right. He was prone to make mistakes.

We're going to learn throughout this series. He was a murderer. He was an adulterer.

I mean, but in the midst of all that, here's what's cool. He meant well. His heart meant well. And I believe in our church, you know, I believe everybody in here, I believe you want to be used by God.

I believe that you want God to use you and you want to live your life for him. So over the next several weeks, we are going to look at the life of David. So we're going to kick this off in First Samuel. So if you have your Bible today, it'll be up on the screen.

So if you left it, it'll be up on the screens here for you. First Samuel, chapter number 16. And we're going to read some verses about David and his call here today. So I'm always like, I like a little bit of background, you know, as I'm kind of jumping into a message, a little bit of a refresh of what's happening here and in chapter 16. So I wanted to give you briefly like a cliff notes version that gets us all the way to chapter 16. So we're going to go way back for just a moment.

So if you guys can just bear with me. Moses, you remember Moses, right? He led the Israelites out of Egypt. And after Moses came, came, who was it?

Joshua, okay, Joshua, and he led, you know, the Israelites after they came out of Egypt, he led them into the into the Promised Land. And, and the Bible says at the beginning of the book of Judges, I believe chapter two, you remember when Joshua died, it said that the knowledge of God and Israel died as well. And so they went through this, this period, the Israelites, where the Lord really handed them over to, to their enemies. And, and during that time, he raised up judges. All right, God raised up these 12 judges to kind of lead and, and here's what's interesting, you can go all the way back into the Egypt, days of the children of Israel, and, and you remember how they lived their life, they would do well, and, and then they would mess up, and then they would repent, and then they would, you know, get God's blessing, and then they would kind of make this cycle all over again. Well, when God raised up the judges, it was the same thing, they kept going astray.

And so in First Samuel, chapter eight, we find that the Israelites, they're like, man, these judges, they're not working out. So they begged God for a, a king. In fact, their argument to God was, hey, everybody else has a king, why can't, why can't we have a king? And so they had this and so they begged God and God, you know, he's sitting there, he's like, I'm supposed to be your king. You don't need a king, if you would but trust, trust him.

And by the way, that's true in your life today. That's true that God should be your, your king. And so he's saying that, but he ended up giving them a king anyway. And so he told Samuel to go choose.

And so we know who he chose. First king of Israel was Saul. And Saul was tall, he was charismatic, he was, he was tough, he was a warrior. And there was all this good stuff. And, and he started out really, really good. But then God rejected him in chapter 15.

And here's why. Because God told him to go and destroy the Amalekites. And the Amalekites, he said, destroy them all, every single one of them, wipe them out and take and destroy all of their stuff.

So Saul goes in, he begins to wipe them all out. And he let Agag, the king of the Amalekites, he let him live. And he saw all this stuff.

And he said, you know what, I could use some of this stuff. So he ended up taking back all their cattle. So he did exactly what God told him not to do.

God wanted him to destroy it all. So God told Samuel that we need to, we need to find a new king. And so he told Samuel, Samuel goes, he ends up killing Agag. And then Samuel's upset and mourning over Saul's life.

And that's where we come to chapter 16. And, and so Saul is still on his throne. But God has now rejected him. And in verse one, it says this of chapter 16, it says, and the Lord said unto Samuel, how long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over, over Israel, fill thine horn with oil and go. And I will send thee to Jesse, the Bethlehemite, Bethlehemite, and for I have provided me a king among his sons. Now Jesse was the grandson of Ruth and, and Boaz. And verse two, and Samuel said, how can I go? So God is telling him, hey, go find a new king. And you're going to find him at Jesse's house.

Now here's what you got to think about. I mean, Samuel's sitting there. He's a prophet. He's a man, you know, that wanted, you know, he was close to the Lord and God would tell him what to do.

And, and so Samuel can imagine he's like a little bit nervous, right? Because Saul's still the, the king. So his response is, God, how can I go? If Saul hear it, he will kill me.

I mean, because this would be like a, an act of treason and betrayal, disloyalty of, of who is, who is the king. And the Lord said, take a heifer with thee and say, I'm come to sacrifice to the Lord. So he tells him to, to go and, and you're going to make a sacrifice. And that's the reason that you're, you're coming verse three and, and call Jesse to the sacrifice. And I will show thee what thou shalt do. And I will show thee what thou shall do unto me.

And thou shalt annoy unto me, him whom I name unto, unto thee. And Samuel did that, which the Lord spake, by the way, not really knowing which son of Jesse it was going to be kind of just blindly obeyed God. If you're like me, when God gives me an instruction or a command or something to do, I tend to ask a lot of questions, right? Kind of like, Hey God, I need to know how much I need to know timing.

I need to know, I need to know everything. And, and, and Samuel, he just pretty much knew, all right, I'm going to the house of Jesse and God's going to tell me exactly what I need to do. So he, he obeyed, he did that, which the Lord spake and he came to Bethlehem and the elders of the town, they trembled at his coming. Now, remember the reason why they would tremble is he, he just a chapter later destroyed Agag.

Samuel was not only a prophet, he could, he could kill. And so they were kind of like, Hey, do you come peaceably? And he said, verse five, peaceably, I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord, sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.

And he sanctified, Jesse and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice. So I've asked, and I'm going to ask them to come on down. I've asked a few people in the audience to help me out today. So we're going to have some fun. So if I asked you to come down, you guys can make your way down. One thing that I've learned is anytime that I appreciate these guys, because they set up front, you know, anytime you ask people to help, they're like, I'm going to sit in the balcony the furthest way possible. So it'll take them forever to get up here. And you guys can come right over here.

And thank you guys for helping me. But we're gonna, we're gonna choose, we're gonna choose the king here today. And Jesse, you're gonna stay right here. Everybody say hey, Jesse. There you go. And you guys can stand right over here.

And so I got, I got this amazing group of guys. So here, I want I want you to see this. Okay, so this does make sense for you. So we have this story where the Prophet Samuel, he's told to go to the house of house of Jesse. So he comes and, and Jesse's obviously nervous because of what Samuel had just had just done.

And, and let's pick it up in verse six, it says this and, and it came to pass. So Samuel's at the house, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab. Okay, so this is going to be Eliab. Everybody say, hey, Eliab.

Okay. And, and so he looked upon Eliab. And he said this, look at look at Samuel. Now, this is a prophet. This is, this is a guy getting instruction from the Lord.

Okay. And he said this, surely, the Lord's anointed is before him. Isn't that interesting? Did Samuel know him? No.

But what he could see, he would, he would say this has got to be the next king. Surely this has got to be. Here's why. Because man, we naturally look on what? The outside. This is a good looking man, right?

Okay, help me out here. And they probably could tell he's like this guy, he probably is a good athlete, maybe even scored 1000 points. By the way, Josh just scored 1000 points this past week here at Union Grove, we can clap it up for him. And he could see he's like, this is the this is the guy. But look at how the Lord the Lord said into Samuel, look not on his countenance, or on the high countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him, for the Lord seeeth, not as man seeeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart. You see, with us, we naturally look on on the outside, right? We're like, man, whoever's the most talented, they're going to be used by God, whoever looks the best, they're going to be used by God, whoever's the best athlete, they're going to be used by God, whoever has the best personality, they're going to be used by God.

And we look at all of these exterior things to determine who can be used by by God. And the Lord, the Lord rejects him, he says, No, this is not the guy. So he tells him to go over here. So he looks at Jesse, and he's starting to get a little discouraged. He's like, man, you have not done what you should do with your kids. He goes to the next guy. This is Abinadab.

Everybody say hey, Abinadab. He says, Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord even chosen this. He didn't even give him the time of day.

Okay. He said, he just passed him, passed him right by. Then Jesse made Shammah, the best, trendiest dresser in all of Israel. Jesse made Shammah to pass by and he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this. Passes right by. He didn't give him much time as well.

Samuel starting to get get worried. Okay. Then verse 10. He made the rest of his sons. He doesn't even hardly name them.

He just passes them on by. You guys keep going. All right. That's all you guys got to do. That's it.

You guys go over here. Jesse, you come over here with me, sir. So he had all seven of them. He passed them by and Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these. Samuel, he started to get concerned.

So he asked Jesse this somewhat silly question. Verse 11. Are here all of thy children?

How many parents are in the room? Raise your hand. Okay. Have you ever forgotten about any of your kids before? It's not the one over here, has it?

Okay. It's been the other ones. Parents, have you ever forgotten your kids at some point? Sometimes I, you know, forget, you know, like from time to time.

And have you ever left the house or left somewhere and you remembered you were supposed to go back and get one of them or something, you know? Me either. Well, here's the thing is he looks at him. He's like, Is this all your kids? Now, can you imagine being in the house that day?

Okay. Imagine how low Jesse's already starting to feel. I mean, you got the prophet of God has come all the way to your house in Bethlehem. And he, I mean, these guys, they look good. And, and I mean, it's got to be what the king has to be in this house.

I mean, God's, God said it. And, and he's passing all these guys by. And Jesse's thinking, man, something's not right. Samuel, you, you probably, you must have had the wrong house or something. He says, Don't you have more, more kids? And then he says, thou, Jesse says, there remaineth yet the youngest. He, oh, yeah, there's one more.

There's one more. And behold, he keepeth the sheep. Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him, for we will not sit down till he come hither.

So he tells Jesse, Go get, he's in kids ministry, I think. And, and so he says, Go and get, get his last son. And we're going to sit here and we're not going to move.

These guys are ready to eat. And, and Samuel says, we are not moving until we get, get the other son. We're not going to sit down till we come, come hither.

Hopefully they won't take too long because this is going to be extremely awkward. So hopefully David should be on his way out. And so he sent for him. And Jesse, are you back there? Was David not in his place?

Can I see if there? Is David not over here? Oh, he's over here. Jesse must have went, he must have took me seriously when I said he went to kids ministry. He was supposed to, listen, when you, when you do stuff like this, you really do plan better than it looks.

And, and so he went out that door and he didn't realize David was right over there. All right. So somebody find Jesse later.

Okay. So he said, and this is the guy. So he comes back and, and, and, and, and David, he's been in the field. He's the youngest. He's the youngest. And he brought him in and says that he was ruddy and with all of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look unto. You guys agree?

All right. And so he says, he, he's, he looks good. And the Lord said to Samuel, arise, anoint him for this is he, this is he. Here's what's, what's interesting about the story is that all of these guys, they looked the part. They, they were the ones that if you were going to think, Hey, God's going to use, it'd be, it'd be one of, one of these guys. They looked good. They were tall. They looked like warriors. They could handle it and that they could do.

Well, some of them look like warriors and they could, they were the guys that you would have picked, that you would have picked to be used. Isn't that how we look at just life in general sometimes? Have you ever felt like, man, God could never use me. Surely he's going to use these other ones. You ever sat in a class and said, man, there's no way God's going to use me.

He's got to use them. You're sitting in Bible fellowship class, maybe, and God could never use me. I'm not near as gifted as, as that person. I don't look as good as that person. I don't have the personality of that person.

I don't have the giftedness of this guy. And slowly we begin to blend in and God wants to use us. Let's give it up for these guys. You guys could go find a seat.

Guys are awesome. Listen, Samuel, he took the horn of oil and he anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up and he went to, went to Rama. Here's the thing about this story.

There is a process. God had a purpose for David's life. God had a purpose for David's life. And let me tell you this. God has a purpose for every one of your lives. Every single one of you.

From the youngest in the room to the very oldest. I want you to know this today. God has a purpose for your life. But here's what's interesting about his purpose. God's purpose always has a process. There is a process to your purpose. There's a process to my purpose. There was a process for David's purpose. You see, he was anointed king on that day. What an incredible moment. And then Samuel leaves and David just goes back to doing what he was doing in the field.

I want to briefly look at the process. And I want you to know that God can use you, but there is a process to your purpose. A few thoughts about this story that I love. Number one, God cares about your heart more than your ability.

God cares about your heart more than your ability. When I was growing up, I loved to get together and play pickup basketball. And when we would play pickup basketball, it was always, you know, whether I was the one picking the team, and if I was playing with people that I never played with, a lot of times you can only judge a person by how they look. Have you ever played pickup basketball or maybe you're picking teams for softball or whatever sport you're doing, and you got the one guy or girl who looks the part? You know what I'm talking about? You know the one that is dressed to the nines? You know, maybe they have the long tights on underneath their shorts for basketball, maybe even a wristband, and they look the part.

Maybe they're tall and muscular, and you're like, I got that guy. A few summers ago, we were playing in Florida, and we did this outreach thing, so we would go to the local. We rented a local gymnasium, and we would invite the community to come, and we would play basketball. And so I was one of the captains, and so I got asked to pick. And there was this six-foot-seven guy that I was watching as we were warming up and just goofing off before we picked teams, and he could jump up and just easily grab the rim and everything, and I was like, man, there was all these shorter guys out there. And so we got ready to pick the teams, and you had to shoot to who gets to pick first. So I get up there, and I shoot, and I hit my shot, and the other guy missed, and so I'm like, sweet, I got picked up. And so the other guy missed, and so I'm like, sweet, I got first pick.

I got my boy back here, and I mean, everybody knew. It's like, well, they're going to win, you know, because he's tall. And then it didn't matter who else I had on my team because we were going to win because we had this six-foot-seven guy on our team. So we get to playing, and I was always like the point guard, so I didn't do a lot of scoring. I liked to pass, and so I'd bring the ball up, and he decided that he was going to be around the perimeter, which if you're not into basketball, that's kind of not where a six-foot-seven guy in pickup basketball needs to be, right? And so he's out there, so I was like, man, he must be able to just drive to the basket, and he's going to be good. So I remember I dribbled up past half-court, and I was like, man, this is over.

These guys aren't going to stand a chance. I passed the ball, an easy chest pass, and the guy, it went right off his hands out of bounds. I was like, okay, a little rusty, you know, and we come back down the next time, and he rebounds the ball, and he dribbles down the court, and he starts to go by somebody, and he traveled. Two turnovers right away, and I'm thinking, he looked the part, but he was terrible, okay?

He was terrible. You see, a lot of times we judge everything about God's purpose in us based on how we look. We look at who's going to be used by God by who speaks the most, who's the most popular, who looks the best, who's the most talented, and in Scripture, here's what I want you to understand, and this is true about David's life, in Scripture, we find that God tends to use the ones that wouldn't be our first pick. If you're in here today, and you say, man, I'm not the first pick, God wants to use you. God wants to use you. You say, what is that?

Prove that. Remember Gideon? Remember Gideon in the Old Testament? He lacked courage.

You remember where they found Gideon? He was threshing wheat in this wine press, which is an awful place. It was down in this valley, and it was just not a good place to be threshing wheat. You say, why was he there? He was scared. He was scared. He lacked courage.

You see, he ran from opportunity, and God would eventually use Gideon to save the Israelites from the Midianites. How about Moses? When God spoke to Moses in the burning bush, you remember, what was Moses' first response? Well, first of all, he hesitated, and then he responded that I'm not a... I can't speak.

I'm not a man of good speech. How could I ever be used of God? Moses ended up being used by God to lead God's people out of Egypt. And then we see David. He was overlooked.

He wasn't even thought about by his own father. Samuel comes to the house here in our story, and it's a big deal. Anytime the prophet of God is coming to your house, hey, let's get all the family together, and David was even forgotten. Let's get all the sons together, and David's left out in a field tending to the sheep, while the rest of his brothers came in to meet with the prophet. Noah, if you look back in the Old Testament, he was a drunk.

He made mistakes. Abraham, he was old. Jacob, he was a liar.

Rahab was a prostitute. Jonah, when Jonah was called by God, Jonah ran. Leah, God bless her, she just wasn't as pretty as her sister. Peter denied Jesus. Zacchaeus was small. John the Baptist, he ate bugs.

Some of you are like, there's hope for my first grader. You see, all throughout Scripture, all throughout Scripture, we find that God uses people that were not the likely first pick by the rest of everybody else. And here's why. Because if you look at Abraham, you see, God uses people that were not the likely first pick by the rest of everybody else.

Why? Because he cares way more about your heart than your ability. God doesn't look at what you and I see.

He cares about the heart. You see, man, we look at what people think of us, and God looks at our character, who we truly are. Let me say this, if you want to be used by God, which I believe is the person of integrity, work on that more than anything else. It's not about your ability, it's about where your heart is set upon.

That's going to determine how much God can use you. It's all about the inside, not about what the outside. You see, in modern day church, we're really good about conforming our outside, aren't we?

We're really good about looking good on the outside. Walking into church, acting like, man, we got it all together. And here's what I'm telling you today. If that's you and you walk into church and you can fool everybody here, and you can, because we look on the outward. But there's one person you cannot fool, and that is our heavenly Father God, because he sees the real you. When you strip aside all the exterior and the outward can see the heart. God can see the heart.

Luke 6 45, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. You see, if your heart is right, your words, your exterior will be right. You see, we focus on the exterior and we're doing it all wrong. If you have an anger problem, it's because there's anger in your heart.

If you have a temper problem, don't just work really hard at controlling it. No, work on your heart and fix it on the interior, and that will affect the exterior. You see, that's the entire message of what we're seeing in this story. Man, we always look at the outward and God looks at the inward. In fact, in Proverbs 4 verse 23, he tells us to guard our heart, because out of it are the issues of life. Everything that you do is a result of what is inside of you. You see, God cares about your heart more than your ability.

More than your ability. We work really hard on our ability, don't we? We try to get better exterior, don't we?

In the outward. We try to improve and in as many ways as we can. You want to really be used by God? Work on what's in here more than anything else.

Young person, let me tell you this. If you want to be used by God, work on your heart. Be the only one. If nobody else is standing with you, be the one with integrity and character, because that's what God is looking at. You don't have to be.

You say, man, I can't be used. I'm not near as talented as everybody in here. Well, neither was David and neither was any of the ones that I mentioned. God looks on the heart. The second thing, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things through them. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things through them. Say, how was David ordinary? He was just a hard-working teenager at the time. David was the youngest and in this day and age, the youngest was like the the runt of the family.

Didn't even get invited to the big special day. He was the baby of the family. For some of you that have kids, you know what I'm talking about when we say baby of the family. I only have two kids, but there's no question if you come into our house who the baby of the family is. Like, my son, he's seven years old.

If we're walking to the car and he has a water bottle with him, he will say, dad, can you carry my water bottle to the car? I'm tired. Like, he's seven years old.

I'll be resting or doing something. He'll drop in on the Alexa app or something in my room. Dad, can you make me a couple of apple juice? You're seven years old, Cameron, right? You see, this was the, David was the baby of the family. I mean, he was the last one picked. His brothers, when Jesse went, Jesse's somewhere, we still don't know where Jesse is, but when Jesse went, and that's totally my fault, by the way, and but when Jesse went, when Jesse went, I mean, he was gone an entire lengthy sermons worth of time. And then here comes, his brothers, Eliab and Abinadab and all of them, they were probably like, really? Him over us? We could destroy this kid.

He's the youngest. You see, God, he uses ordinary people to do amazing things through them. And by the way, you're an ordinary person. If you are in here and you think, man, I'm special, I'm God's gift to this world, there's your first mistake. You see, it's not about how good you are, it's about how much you can trust how good he is and what he can do through you.

It's not about your ability, it's about the one that lives inside of us and what he can do through us. David was the youngest, he was a shepherd. Shepherding was considered a lowly job in Israel.

Many slaves would shepherd. It wasn't a glamorous thing. You see, David would have not been the first one picked.

His father didn't even consider him. But God can do great things through somebody who is fully surrendered to him. Let me say this, that being used by God, it's not about your ability, it's all about your availability. You see, it's all about saying, hey, God, wherever you want me, God, whatever you want me to do, here am I, I'll do it. Hey, send me.

I don't have a whole lot to offer, but I trust you. God, I'm really not that good at anything, but I believe you can show yourself good in a lot of ways through me. You see, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things through them. The third thing, and some of you are right here today, God sometimes uses the pasture to prepare us. God sometimes has to use the pasture to prepare us.

If you think about this moment, Samuel was the greatest prophet in Israel, comes to David's house, he anoints David in front of his brothers, in front of his older macho, tough brothers, he anointed David with oil, and then Samuel's like, see you later, and David's left in the field. If you think about this moment in 2022, okay, so think if you're a parent, and you have all your kids, and the prophet of God comes to your house, I know if this was our house, we would be like, hey, clear the table, clear the living room, kids pick up the toys, hey, Abby, get on Facebook live. This is a big deal. Hey, we need a photographer to get there, to take some glamorous shots. I mean, you realize how many followers we're about to get on Instagram after this, right? Because this was a big, a big deal.

They didn't have all of that, but if you can think, we would have thought, man, this is a huge deal. I'd be like, as Samuel was about to leave, I'd be like, as the dad, I would think, man, I was like, hey, Samuel, just tell me, what do we need to do now? Do we need a new house? Do I need to send my son to, you know, king training school?

I don't know if that's a thing, but is that the next step for us as parents? You know, there is a place down the street that sells robes and crowns. Do I need to go get them fitted?

Do I need to go get them fitted for things like that? I don't really know. Nope. Samuel leaves. David heads back to the pastor. You see, God uses the pastor to prepare the king. God used the pastor to prepare the king. Here's some interesting things about the pastor. David was alone in the pastor.

He was out there by himself just with a bunch of sheep, and he stayed faithful. Let me say this, some of you are in a pastor kind of moment today. You're experiencing maybe grief or loss, and you're just stuck. You ever felt that way?

You're just stuck, like, man, I can't move forward. I got these things going on in my life, and I need God to help me to move forward. You're in a pastor experience, and sometimes God wants to use our pastor experiences to prepare us for the purpose that he has for us. And by the way, I don't like the pastor experiences.

They're not a lot of fun. The pastor's not glamorous, but sometimes he wants to use it to prepare us. You see, that's what was true of David's life.

He's out there, and we're going to learn. I mean, you know, there was a lion and a bear, and he had to learn all of these things in the pastor. Some of the things that he had to learn all of these things in the pastor, some pretty traumatic experiences, you know? You ever been attacked by a bear? I haven't either.

I was just curious if you had been. Listen, those things are traumatic experiences, and David's alone in the pastor. Let me say this, that the big things that everyone wants usually result from doing the things that nobody else sees. Great Christians, or really I would better say it this way, holy followers of Jesus are born in private. They're born in private. A lot of times that's where when you see some of these incredible theologians and these incredible followers of Jesus that have gone on before us, we would call them like heroes of the faith. When you talk to them, and we all want that, we're like, man, I would love to, you know, I've been married 60 years one day, and to be preaching for a bunch of years, and just to be serving God for decade after decade, and all of this kind of stuff. You see, a lot of the things that make them get to that point, it's because of some things behind the scenes when they're alone and nobody's watching. They made some good decisions in the life in private that resulted in some of those things that you and I see on the outside. You see, David was alone in the pasture, and God prepared David while in the in the pasture.

Think about it. He picked up a slingshot. I bet he practiced a lot.

He was by himself. He learned to play the harp, became one of the best songwriters ever. He developed David's courage when he saw the bear and the lion. He learned patience. Could you imagine being anointed as king in front of everybody and then going to do the lowly work of a shepherd out in the field for years after this? Like, you're being sent out there and you're like, man, when is my moment going to happen? He learned patience and trust. He learned humility. You see, I think sometimes we miss out on God's preparation in our current position because we're always looking at what's next.

We're looking, man, what I'm going to be doing in 20 years. And I think what God wants us to remember is he wants to use us now. He wants to use the situation that we're in right now.

Let me ask you this. Think about your story right now. Think about where you're at in your life. You say, I'm in a season of my life where I don't feel like I'm being used by God. I don't feel like I'm accomplishing what God wants me to do. And I'm not seeing my purpose like David.

I'm not seeing that lived out in my story right now. Let me remind you that God wants to use whatever you're in now to prepare you for what he has for you. Because here's the thing, when God wants to use us, this isn't fun, but when God wants to use us, he often starts by weakening us.

You ever noticed that? Anytime God wants to use us greatly, sometimes he has to hurt us deeply to get us fully surrendered, fully reliant upon him. You see, that's the beauty of our God-given life.

Of our God. Are you to that point? So I want to ask you in closing, where are you at in the process?

David was anointed as the next king of Israel, but there was a process before he could fulfill the purpose that God had for him. Where are you at in the process? You say, are you, man, I need to work on my heart. And that's okay. Some of you need to admit that, which is the first step. Some of you would say, man, I've been working crazy hard on the exterior, trying to live up to all the rules that everybody else wants me to see. And I'm trying my best to, you know, dot the I's and cross the T's of my relationship with God.

I'm trying to be here and trying to put on a good front or whatever. Here's the thing, God is looking at your heart. Work on your character, work on who you are on the inside, because that is what matters more than anything. You say, where I'm at in the process is my heart. My heart's not where it needed to be. I'm not guarding my heart, like Proverbs 4 tells me to do.

And I'm working on all the wrong things. My heart needs to be cleansed and purified and sanctified today. If you're in a moment, we're going to have a response time. Hey, I would encourage you to respond, to ask God to purify your heart.

You say, that's not where I'm at. Number two, are you surrendered and available? Are you surrendered and available? If God was to speak to you today and say, I need you to go to the uttermost part of the earth. Think about it.

Think about it. Would you go? Are you surrendered and available fully? By the way, parents, are you? Parents, if God spoke to your kid and said, I need him to move across the country or across the world, don't be the one that holds your kid back from the purpose that God has for him. Not saying anybody's doing that.

I'm just saying, don't be that person. You see, are you available? Are you fully surrendered to what God wants to do in your life? And then the third thing, are you being used now? Say, no, I'm in a pastor right now. Well, aren't you thankful, David? He didn't just waste his pastor experiences.

No, he allowed, hey, in this pastor, I'm going to let God use me. I don't know what he wants me to do. I'm not a leader over anybody except for the sheep that you see in front of me. And so I'm just going to work on my craft. I'm going to get really good with this slingshot that I invented. I'm going to learn to play some music. I'm out here by myself, so I don't even know if I'm any good, but I mean, I'm going to learn.

I'm going to destroy the bear and the lion when they come. God's going to work in my pastor experience to prepare me for the process that he has for me. Some of you are in a pastor right now, and let me just say this, don't waste that. Sometimes it's the pastor experiences of life that we get closer to God than even the mountaintop experiences. Trust me, I know that. Use the moment that you have right now to allow God to use you. Would you bow your heads with me?