Bible Study May 6, 2013

Hey Everyone,

We begin a new series on May 6th entitled "The Person God Uses." Have you ever wanted to be used by God? I believe it is a God-given desire to want to serve the Lord. But maybe you've wondered what qualifications the Lord looks for in the life of a man or woman that He would use. By using selected incidents in the life of Jeremiah, the prophet, this study will focus on how to be the kind of person through whom God works to carry out His purposes in the world. The challenge for all believers is to answer the call to serve God, to understand both the costs involved and the divine resources available, and to resolve to be faithful to Him regardless of the costs or outcomes. Below are the lesson outlines from this series:

1. May   6:  Make No Excuses - Jeremiah 1
2. May 20:  Let Your Heart Be Broken - Jeremiah 8, 9
3. June  3:  Rise Above Discouragement - Jeremiah 20
4. June 17: Persevere In Obedience - Jeremiah 37, 38

Jeremiah was a person with a distinctive call; each believer is called to serve God, but each is called to serve in a distinctive way.

• When the New Testament speaks of a Christian being “called,” it usually means called to obey the gospel. On the other hand, when Jesus calls James and John to follow him (Matt. 4:21), they are being called to “be fishers of men,” a very specific task.
• Although we have many examples of God calling an individual to a very particular task–Abraham, Moses, Gideon, the Apostles, among many others–I can find no doctrine that Christians are, as a body, each called to a very specific task.
• · On the other hand, there’s no reason to suppose that God no longer wishes particular people to take on particular tasks. For example, we know that the Spirit gives particular spiritual gifts to us, and we are called to use those gifts in God’s service. If my gift is encouraging, then I’m called to be an encourager. In this very real sense, as everyone has at least one gift, everyone has at least one calling.

Video: Noah’s Calling (Bill Cosby) 



Our series is from the life of Jeremiah and we open with his call from God.

• Jeremiah’s 40 year ministry spanned the reign of Judah’s last five kings. The Southern Kingdom was on the path to destruction, which ended with its fall to Babylon in 586 B.C. (2 Kings 21-25). Jeremiah preached repentance and warned of sure judgment, with God using the Babylonians as His instruments of judgment. For this Jeremiah was accused of being a traitor. He suffered poverty and extreme opposition. He was imprisoned, thrown into a cistern, deported to Egypt against his will, and rejected by neighbors, family members, false priest and prophets, friends, his audience, and kings. He was charged with treason. He has become known as “the weeping prophet.”
• Following God brings fewer problems than ignoring Him. God will help us through challenges as we obey Him. When we rebel we go it alone, and that’s a lose-lose situation.

Have you ever thought about what it was like for Noah to be called by God?

Jeremiah had every excuse ready when God called him to be a prophet. His excuses are often our excuses for not heeding God's voice when He calls.

I. GOD CALLS – JEREMIAH 1:4-8

The Call of Jeremiah

4 The word of the Lord came to me: 5 I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. 6 But I protested, “Oh no, Lord, God! Look, I don’t know how to speak since I am only a youth.” 7 Then the Lord said to me: Do not say, “I am only a youth,” for you will go to everyone I send you to and speak whatever I tell you. 8 Do not be afraid of anyone, for I will be with you to deliver you. This is the Lord’s declaration. 

What was Jeremiah’s initial response to God’s call? What were his excuses?

• Jeremiah’s initial response to God’s call was to make excuses. He said that he was too young and could not speak in public. Who does this sound like? (Moses)

How did God respond to Jeremiah’s excuses?

• The Lord told Jeremiah not to say such things He would be with him.

How do you suppose his responses changed over time?

• Just as Jeremiah asked questions about his adequacy to fulfill his calling, so do we sometimes offer excuses based on our feelings of inadequacy.
• The task is demanding – a prophet is more demanding than a priest. Jeremiah was called to be "a prophet to the nations" (Jer. 1:5), not a priest like his father and his grandfather. A prophet was a chosen and authorized spokesman for God who declared God's Word to the people. We often think of prophets as people who can tell the future. But a prophet spoke messages to the present that had future ramifications. They were forth tellers more than they were foretellers, exposing the people's sins and calling them back to their covenant responsibilities before God. Being a prophet was more demanding than serving as a priest. The priests' duties were predictable. Everything was written down in the law. The prophet never knew from one day to the next what the Lord would call him to say or to do. The priest worked primarily to preserve the past. The prophet labored to change the present so the nation would have a future. Priests dealt with externals - rituals, sacrifices, offerings, services - whereas the prophet tried to reach and change hearts. Priests ministered primarily to individuals with various needs. Prophets, on the other hand, addressed whole nations, and usually the people they addressed didn't want to hear the message. Priests belonged to a special tribe and therefore had authority and respect, but a prophet could come from any tribe and had to prove his divine call. Priests were supported from the sacrifices and offerings of the people, but prophets had no guaranteed income. Jesus, too, was called to be a prophet. He traveled from place to place challenging the people to change so that their future in heaven would be guaranteed. Jesus spoke to the hearts of people. Most did not accept his message of repentance, for they did not want to change.
• God’s promise – is His purpose for your life. God may assign you a demanding task, but His call keeps us going when we don't want to go and are ready to quit. We have the promise of God's purpose. "I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born'" (Jer. 1:5). The verb know has much more meaning than simply being aware of. It carries the idea of recognition of the worth and purpose of him who is known. God knew Jeremiah, chose Jeremiah, and appointed Jeremiah. He was known by name, hand-picked by God, and commissioned to serve. Those acts give one a great sense of purpose. The promise of God's purpose allows us to let go of our own plans and to receive God's plan without fear. Like Jeremiah and Jesus, we need to accept that our future is not our own. We are God's. He has a distinct plan and purpose for our lives.

Do you believe that God set you a part before you were born for a special purpose?

• Before Jeremiah’s birth, God set him apart to be a prophet.
• Just as God had a plan for Jeremiah’s life, He has a plan for every child of His.
• Does God choose, form, and set apart every believer for service before they are even born, or is Jeremiah’s type of calling just for him? (Ephesians 2:10 For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.)

How can we know if a call to service is a genuine word from the Lord?

You Were Set Apart from Birth - Jeremiah 1:4-10: Galatians 1:13-17


I read a statement from John Eldridge’s book, Waking the Dead that struck home with me. I am sure it will hit home with you also. Eldridge ask, “So, who did God mean when He meant you?” Eldridge then says, “We know that we are not what were meant to be.” Sin has hidden our true identity.

• We spend our lives hiding from what God meant when he made us. We are not much different from Adam and Eve who sewed fig leaves together to hide. But we need to stop and ask ourselves an all important question. What did God mean when He made you?
• God has a purpose for you existing—what is it? Christ’s purpose was to save us from our sins. Jesus’ purpose was planned in eternity before creation. John the Baptist purpose was to be a herald proclaiming Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Believe it or not His purpose was planned in eternity. You may not be Jesus Christ, or John the Baptist, but God had a purpose for you before you were born. You may hear people say, “I believe that person has discovered their calling.” By this we mean a person has discovered what they were cut out for—what they were created for.
• The Lord spoke to Jeremiah saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5). God did not want Jeremiah to make light of His purpose for him—God said to Jeremiah, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ Declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:7-8). For Jeremiah to say, “I am only a child” was to minimize what God meant when he was formed in the womb.
• After God spoke to Jeremiah he had a much different view about his mission in life. Jeremiah said, “Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." (NIV) Now Jeremiah accepts God’s mission for his life—he sees that God meant him to be over kingdoms as he spoke God’s word. Now he understands that God will use him to uproot, tear down, overthrow, and build and plant the kingdom of God. God wants to use you to build His kingdom also.
• “By the Grace of God I am what I am . . .” You may not be a child, but it is not too late for you to discover what God meant when He meant you. Zachariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist didn’t learn their purpose until they were old—too old to have children. Luke 1:11-17 - 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous-to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." NIV He had a plan for them even in their old age—again, you also see God’s purpose for John before he was born. We are God’s chosen vessels, and we just must discover the purpose for which He chose to bring us into existence.
• You will never have a correct view of your life until you understand what God meant when He created you. Paul understood his mission the moment he realized what God meant when He created him. Galatians 1:13-17 - 13 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus. NIV 1 Corinthians 15:10-11 - 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them-yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. NIV Acts 9:10-19 - 10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. 11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." 13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." 15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord-Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here-has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. NIV
• Saul was the last man on earth that Ananias wanted to trust. He had been making havoc of the church—plundering and pillaging homes of the Christians—dragging them into prison—even killing them. He didn’t see anything right about God calling Saul, but Saul became the apostle Paul—because he was God’s chosen vessel from birth. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 - 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. NIV God’s grace doesn’t call us because of our standing or accomplishments. He doesn’t call us because we possess great strength. He calls us to be what He intended for us to be so that we can experience God’s greatness and power for our lives. The moment we accept our calling from God we begin to live in the glory of eternity. 1 Peter 5:10-11 - 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. NIV God calls us to live in His glory so that we can tap into His strength. We often speak of glorifying God, but the Bible has just as much to say about us sharing in His glory. You can’t glorify God without sharing in His glory yourself. Understanding that you were called before birth to share in God’s glory will help you discover God’s calling for your life.
• God didn’t choose the Israelites because they were good, wise or powerful. They had absolutely no standing in the world’s scheme of things. They were little more than animals to their slave drivers, but they were the ones through whom God chose to reveal himself through the stories of their lives. God chose their stories as His salvation story. Deuteronomy 7:7-11 - 7 The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. 10 But those who hate him he will repay to their face by destruction; he will not be slow to repay to their face those who hate him. 11 Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today. NIV
• Our calling and its possibilities rest in the promises and power of God—not in ourselves. When you accept God’s promise you experience God’s calling, and you experience the power of God. 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 - 4:1 Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. NIV
• Paul accepted God’s calling through personal repentance—he renounced the ways of the world. Now notice how he experiences the all surpassing power of God. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 - 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. NIV
• Paul got sidetracked with religion, but he finally saw his calling from birth. Many in this audience are endanger of being sidetracked with religion. Jeremiah was a sinful man, but God told him that was not what He created him for. He was born to preach to the nations. God doesn’t call us because of our achievements or greatness; He calls us because He has a great calling for our lives—we were created for it. When Isaiah was called he simply said, “Here am I send me.” Isaiah 49:1-4 Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. 2 He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. 3 He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor." 4 But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the LORD's hand, and my reward is with my God." NIV
• We go through life playing roles people expect us to play—while being afraid to accept our calling from God. We have played the roles so long that we have lost our true identity. We are afraid to reveal who we really are. We fear people won’t like us for who we are. God didn’t create us for role playing. He created to be who we are. Our children need to understand this.

Do you know why it is so hard to hear God’s call? It is hard to awaken to His call because we are afraid to face those temptations that rob us of God’s dream for our lives. We think those temptations are too powerful to overcome. We are afraid that we can’t quit sinning. We are afraid that we can’t change.


Before refrigerators, people used ice houses to preserve their food. Ice houses had thick walls, no windows, and a tightly fitted door: In winter, when streams and lakes were frozen, large blocks of ice were cut, hauled to the ice houses, and covered with sawdust. Often the ice would last well into the summer. One man lost a valuable watch while working in an ice house. He searched diligently for it, carefully raking through the sawdust, but did not find it. His fellow workers also looked, but their efforts, too, proved futile. A small boy who heard about the fruitless search slipped into the ice house during the noon hour and soon emerged with the watch. Amazed, the men asked him how he found it. “I closed the door,” the boy replied, “lay down in the sawdust, and kept very still. Soon I heard the watch ticking” Often the question is not whether God is speaking, but whether we are being still enough, and quiet enough, to hear.


Christ wants to be the light of your life. The only way He can do this is for you to accept Him as your Lord and Savior. You must die with Christ so that you can experience His resurrection.


What’s My Mission? We’ve talked a lot about what God created you to be, and all of our talk has been preparing us for action. We were created to be God’s joy, His family and His Likeness, but all of that fails to put us on task. We are called by God to join Him in His mission. We are called to act and accept an important assignment. When I was a kid, I used to watch mission impossible all the time. It was one of my very favorite shows. I used to love all the gadgets, but I also used to love the very first part of the show, because that was when Mr. Phelps would get his assignment on a small tape that would self destruct after the assignment was described. The tape always started the same way. “Mr. Phelps, your mission, should you choose to accept it….” And then the assignment was described. I love that part because it seemed to imply that there was a choice here. The assignment was in some way optional.

In many ways, our Christian life is very similar. God is holding out our assignment and He has clearly defined it in scripture. Yet the choice is ours. Do we join the adventure or simply watch from the sidelines? And what exactly is the mission? What are we called to do? What is our assignment? We are called to SERVE GOD! And how do we do that?

You Were Created to Serve God - First we’ve got to realize that we were created for service! We were given inherent tools to be used to serve our Lord and it is the very reason why we were created. My grandfather was a carpenter and he built his own sawhorses. They were simply functional tools that had absolutely no purpose except to prop up some project he was working on. And when they were too broken down to serve him; he would simply break them into firewood. Well, God is so much kinder toward us than that, but we too were created for service! Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; Before your mom even thought about having you, God designed you for what? For a special WORK!!!! She might even have considered you to be an accident, but God had already designed you to serve! You Were Saved to Serve God


But not only was the original plan for you to serve God, but he actually set you apart for salvation so that you could do this work. My grandfather had several kinds of saws, and many of them were simply trash saws that he would use to accomplish quick disposable jobs. If the saw broke, it was really no big deal! But he had one special saw for over 50 years. It was set apart, true and straight and strong. He saved this saw to cut the projects that were really important to him. You were set apart by God for a very similar reason.

2 Timothy 1:9 God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity

We have been saved and set aside for a special purpose, we are his prized tool. His favorite tool, his precious tool. You Are Called to Serve God - Beyond that, God is calling you to serve him. Haven’t you felt that tug on your heart? Haven’t you wanted to experience God in a deeper way? Well that desire comes from God. It is his voice calling you to something more. Sometimes we think that missionaries and nuns and mother Teresa are the only ones who are called by God to serve. We have to realize that God calls ALL of us to this kind of service. Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we might bear fruit for God.


You are part of the “Body of Christ” we call the “Church”! Recently my back has been giving me a ton of problems, and it wasn’t long before my leg also started to hurt because I was favoring one side over the other! One injury and weakness leads to another! All of us are part of this body and when some of us aren’t working, it isn’t long before other things are broken as well. We all need to serve and do our part if our family here is going to be healthy. That’s why we design in opportunities for all of you to serve.

You Are Commanded to Serve God - God knows that we sometimes need a kick in the butt. Sometimes, even though we may understand that service is a necessary part of the Christian life, we still may not act and serve as we should! So he has taken the time to DEMAND it! Matthew 20:26-28 “It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Most of the time when we think of service in our culture, we are really thinking of SERVE US! We are surrounded by people who serve us almost invisibly. Waiters and Waitresses, Postal workers, Garbage collectors, the server at Starbucks. Let’s face it, we are usually the person being served. Think about it for a minute. Today you will be served by any number of people in our community. How many will YOU serve? Especially if you are not working today. There is a very good chance you will go through the entire day without serving AT ALL!


Remember that we are not to confuse God’s Desire for us to serve, with his desire for us to be saved. Remember that we can do NOTHING to save ourselves or earn our way to heaven. That is VERY clear in God’s Word. We can do NOTHING to earn our way INTO heaven, but Scripture does say that we will be rewarded based on what we do here on this planet. Your life will be very different once you step out and realize that you are called to serve and live a life of significance


I really don’t believe there will be gates in heaven, but if there were, God would certainly be standing there with two important questions for you, because these two questions are critically important.

1. First, He is going to want to know what you did with His Son. Did you accept Him as Lord and Savior. That is the question that determines your salvation.
2. Next He is going to ask you who you brought with you into the kingdom. That question could really be re-phrased. He is going to want to know what you did with the gifts and talents He gave you. Did you use them to grow the Kingdom? This question has nothing to do with your salvation, but it has everything to do with your reward!

Make no mistake about it, when God calls a person to serve, don’t you think He knows what He is doing? We all have inadequacies, things we think we can’t do. Do we really believe that God doesn’t know what we can do and can’t do – Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The real call is to be obedient to the call. Make no excuses!

II. GOD EQUIPS – JEREMIAH 1:9-10

9 Then the Lord reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me: I have now filled your mouth with My words. 10 See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and demolish, to build and plant.

God’s call to Jeremiah shows us that God equips those He calls. The journey may not be easy, but that may mean you persist in doing rightly.



What are ways God equips people for service besides providing words to speak?

• God provides attitudes, wise family and friends, talents, spiritual gifts, abilities, skills, wisdom, learning, leadership, guidance, and other believers to work alongside us. God’s equipping and empowering continues over time. It comes in many forms.

Does God equip believers instantly, or is the equipping more often a lifetime process? Do we have a role in this equipping process? If so, what would that be?

• We need to follow God’s direction day by day. When Saul of Tarsus encountered the risen Lord, he prayed, “What should I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). This is a prayer for all seasons, and it should be our prayer for each day.

So What Is My Assignment? Understand that you are here for a reason, and nothing else you do will ever satisfy you. You were created and saved and called and commanded to join God in His Mission here on earth. You are here to serve those around you so that they can come to know God. All service should point back to God. We are called to serve so that we can be an example to the world, a light, and so that they lost will someday see and know God for themselves. So if all of us are called to be engaged in the work of God, even if we are not professional fulltime pastors and missionaries, how are we supposed to do that? What are we capable of? What abilities do we have that can be used by God? Well it all starts by looking at your own life carefully and beginning to examine the things that light your fire, the things you are interested in, the things you are passionate about. Then we can do our best to see how God has already equipped us to serve Him.



SHAPE
God will use our passion to help direct us toward the work of building His kingdom, but it is only a small part of what He has already given us to serve Him! A simple way to look at your own life and understand what you have to offer is to remember the simple word, “shape.” Each letter represents something that God has already given you to use in building the Kingdom and serving Him.

Spiritual Gifts - First, recognize the fact that God has given you specific gifts which are particularly designed for ministry and to bless the church and help grow the kingdom. These are called Spiritual Gifts, and all of us have been given something. Look at what Paul says about Spiritual Gifts: Ephesians 4:7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. So what are we talking about here? Well, Paul says that these gifts include, “the message of wisdom”, the “message of knowledge”, “faith”, the “gift of healing”, “miraculous powers”, “prophecy”, the ability to “distinguish between spirits”, “speaking in different kinds of tongues”, and “the interpretation of tongues”. But it’s safe to say that anything that has a specific role in blessing the church or building the Kingdom is a spiritual gift. The ability to lead worship, for example.



Heart - But in addition to Spiritual Gifts, God also gives us something else that helps us to serve him. He calls it “heart”. Look at what God says about heart: Proverbs 27:19 As in water face reflects face, So the heart of man reflects man. So what is ‘heart’? It is what you are interested in, what motivates you, what gets you up in the morning, what makes you excited and energized, and it’s different for everyone. It is as individual and specific as you own fingerprint or eye scan or voiceprint. It belongs to you and may not be shared by anyone else in quite the same way. We’ve already talked about this a bit, because ‘heart’ is all about passion! And God gave you the gift of passion, not so you can chase love or sex, but so that you could direct it toward your relationship with HIM! Throughout Scripture, God is calling us to give Him our heart Romans 1:9 / Ephesians 6:6 “Serve the Lord with all your heart”



Abilities - But if you still wondering what God has given you to serve Him, just take a look at some of your natural abilities. These we not given to you by NATURE, they were given to you by God! Look at what He says: Romans 12:6 And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly 1 Corinthians 10:31
Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Sometimes we take some of our inherent God given ability for granted and we can’t seem to figure out how we can use it for God. Well last weekend when we were in Mexico, we met a missionary who told us that he would like to have us come back and play a soccer tournament with the local community as an outreach to those who have never heard the Gospel! Even your athletic ability has been given to you to be used in ministry to reach a lost world and grow the Kingdom of God!



Personality - Beyond our abilities, God has also shaped us with a specific personality and he will use our peculiarities, our weaknesses and our strengths to serve Him as well! Look at what He says about this: 1 Corinthians 12:6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. God uses all of us, in spite of our differences! He used the prophet Jeremiah, and he was a very melancholy kind of guy! He used Peter, and he was an impetuous, impulsive kind of guy! He used Paul, and he was an analytical, logical theologian! He even used Thomas, who was a doubter and a tester! No matter who you are, and what you may think of your personality, God has given it to you to help you find the perfect role in serving Him and growing the Kingdom!



Experiences - Finally, let’s add the last piece to this puzzle as we try to understand what God has already given us to help us serve Him. In addition to the Spiritual Gifts, and Heart and Abilities and Personality, God has given us experiences! God has given us the journey of life to help prepare us for service! I can certainly see that in my own life. So many experiences were given to me in Law Enforcement that really made no sense at all until I realized that God gave them to me so that I could help someone else later on down the road. Even the worst of time have been given to us so that we can serve others. Look at what He says in Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.



All of these things have been given to us by God. Our Spiritual Gifts, Our Heart, our Abilities, our Personalities and our Experiences! They were given to us so that even when we are out and about in our everyday lives, we can touch a lost world for Jesus Christ. You know, you don’t have to go on a ministry event to be involved in ministry. It can happen every day, even when you are at school or work. God simply wants us to use all that we are to serve Him and join Him on His Mission to serve and reach a lost world for Jesus Christ!



God wants you to know that every experience, ability and personal characteristic was given to you to share the love of God

What if I don’t feel that God has given me anything to say?

• We should know, use and rely on Scripture in speaking for God. Hasn’t He said enough?
• Just as God reassured Jeremiah, so He reassures us of His abiding presence and adequate help in doing what He wants us to do.
• Jeremiah’s excuse: My talent is inadequate "But I protested, ‘Oh no, Lord, GOD! Look, I don't know how to speak since I am only a youth'" (Jer. 1:6). Jeremiah felt inadequate as a public speaker. By the way, this excuse was shared by Moses (Ex. 4:10). God has a way to overcome weakness and our insufficiencies, doesn't he? I have learned over the years, however, that the person most aware of his own inadequacy is usually the person most dependent on God's all-sufficiency. My inadequacy has caused me to rely upon God. His strength is made perfect in my weakness. His glory is manifested through my flaws.
• God’s promise – I have filled your mouth with My words. Our talent may appear inadequate, but God always equips those He calls. We have the promise of God's provision. "Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and told me: I have now filled your mouth with My words" (Jer. 1:9). The touch was not so much to purify as it was to inspire and empower. It was symbolic of the gift of prophecy bestowed on Jeremiah. Jesus experienced this touch in a visible, yet profound way. Following His baptism, immediately coming out of the water, the heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove. And God spoke, "This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him" (Matt. 3:17). God blesses not the silver-tongued orator, but the one whose tongue has been touched with coals from the altar. God uses not the most gifted and talented person, but the one touched by the hand of God. God uses the most unlikely persons to shake a church or a community or a nation. Never underestimate the power of the touch; especially when God does the touching.

III. GOD AFFIRMS – JEREMIAH 1:11-14, 17-19

Two Visions

11 Then the word of the Lord came to me, asking, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I replied, “I see a branch of an almond tree.” 12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I watch over My word to accomplish it.” 13 Again the word of the Lord came to me inquiring, “What do you see?” And I replied, “I see a boiling pot, its lip tilted from the north to the south.” 14 Then the Lord said to me, “Disaster will be poured out from the north on all who live in the land.

17 “Now, get ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them or I will cause you to cower before them. 18 Today, I am the One who has made you a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the population. 19 They will fight against you but never prevail over you, since I am with you to rescue you.” This is the Lord’s declaration. 

How did God affirm Jeremiah’s calling?

• He gave him two visions for reassurance and challenge.

What was the meaning of the branch of an almond tree? What was the meaning of the boiling pot? Who were the enemies from the north? For what sins was Judah punished?

• God concluded His call of Jeremiah with a challenge for courageous action. He assured Jeremiah of strength to withstand enemies.
• God caused Jeremiah to see a branch of an almond tree as a sign of God’s watchfulness.
• He saw a boiling pot as a symbol of invading from the north.
• Judgment was coming on Judah because of its idolatry.

How does God affirm those whom He calls?

• The Lord gives His servants all they need to do His will.
• God never calls anyone without equipping them to fulfill His calling.
• He promises to give us all that we need to do what He called us to do.

Why do Christians need to get busy serving God? How would you answer, “I’ve already served, it’s someone else’s turn now.”

• The result of hearing God’s call should be to get busy serving.
• We should not let the opposition of others intimidate us.
• We should go to all those to whom God sends us.
• God’s word encourages saints, but judge’s sinners.
• God moves in the affairs of nations and individuals to bring in His kingdom. If we are sincere about following God as Lord of our lives. He will show us what to do and how to do it. We need to keep listening until we grasp God’s good answers.

The focus of this lesson has been on the folly of making excuses to avoid doing what God is calling us to do.

• God will not keep secret what He wants you to do. He will move your interest in an area He is calling you to. Your feeling for this area of service will grow.
• If your hearts right, He will make it known. It is the will of God for you to know His will.

1. Have a clean heart.

2. Surrender your will to His.

 

Prayer of Commitment

Lord, thank You for calling me to opportunities of service to You. Help me not to fail You. Amen

Has God called you? Then He will fulfill His purpose in you, He will equip you, He will enable you, He will protect you, He will accompany you. Are you obeying His commands? Then He is with you to protect you. Are you sharing the word? Then He will accomplish His purposes no matter how people respond.

Be in prayer this week as we begin this new series on The Person God Uses and how God might be calling you.

Have a blessed week and we'll see you Monday evening May 6th!

God Bless,

David