Jan. 28, 2024

Series: AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART 1-28-24

Don’t Judge a Book by the Cover (1 Samuel 16) 

- TWO WEEKS AGO…

1 Samuel 13:14 ¹⁴ But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command."

- LAST WEEK…

1 Samuel 15:23 ²³ Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.

• Samuel Experiences: PARALYZING _                                                  !

1 Samuel 16:1 ¹ Now the Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons." 

• Samuel Experiences: PARALYZING _                                                    !

1 Samuel 16:2 ² But Samuel said, "How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me." The Lord said, "Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.' ”

• Samuel Experiences: PARALYZING _                                                        !

1 Samuel 16:6–7 ⁶ When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.” ⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

THE CINDERELLA STORY:

1 Samuel 16:10-13 ¹⁰ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The Lord has not chosen these." ¹¹ So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep." Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."

2 Chron 16:8–9 (NASB) ⁹ For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. 

John 7:37–38 (ESV) ³⁷Jesus stood up and cried out… ^38 “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 

• Samuel Experiences: The PRESENCE _                     _                       !

1 Samuel 16:12-13 ¹² So he sent and had him (David) brought in. He was ruddy with a fine appearance and handsome features. Then the Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." ¹³ So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. 

1 Chronicles 4:9–10 ⁹ Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

THE LORD’S TRAINING METHODS:

1. SOLITUDE                                                                             

2. OBSCURITY                                                                            

John 10:11–13 ¹¹ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. 

1 Samuel 17:34–36 ³⁴ But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵ I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; 

3. MONOTONY                                                                       

“What we do while we’re                                                 is just as important to God as that for which we                                                           .”

Psalm 78:70-72 ⁷⁰ He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; ⁷¹ from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people… ⁷² And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. 

• “TRANSFERANCE” - A sport Skill learned in one sport can be transferred & utilized in a different sport!

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THOSE IN PROCESS:

1. Never be afraid to trust an ____________ future to a ________ God.

2. When God measures a person, He puts the tape around the ______________ and not the ____________.

3. If you ____________ with loneliness, recognition, or insignificance, take heart because you may be enrolled in the University of the ________________.