Gospel

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Sunday 11/10/13 Pastor Michael sermon I’m Next! The Process of Spiritual Promotion! I Samuel 16:1-13
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God has not forgotten about you. You are next in line! Those of us made in God’s image, were made to want to do better. God’s goal is for us to become what He has ordained us to become. There is something greater for us to do, so don’t give up. We are in the process to enter into our next level of promotion. Many of us feel we are stuck in the same place and cannot seem to get over the hump. We thought we would be farther along then we are. We must remember we are in process. Being promoted has nothing to do with our intellect or our good looks or whatever. Promotion comes from the Lord. If we are not promoted yet, it is because we are still in process. God is still processing us to get us ready for our next level promotion.

In our text, the people were looking at the external appearance of man to pick their king. God doesn’t judge this way, but He looks at a person’s heart. The one thing we do have is a relationship with God and it doesn’t matter how short or unattractive we may be. If we want to be spiritually promoted, we will be rejected by man. In our text, Jesse invites only seven of his eight sons to the dinner and he doesn’t even consider David to possibly be king. David was rejected by his father. Samuel had to ask Jesse if he had anymore sons because David was out working, doing his job. He didn’t even know about the dinner with Samuel or the coronation of a king. David was the only brother not invited to the party. But…David kept doing his job, tending sheep because it was the job God had assigned him to. David kept on because God did not reject him and so he kept obeying God, his father.

When we are rejected by man and God blesses us anyway, we know who to praise. We thank the Lord! It’s a no pain, no gain situation. The pain of rejection leads to our gain. Pain leads us to prayer and into the presence of the Lord. Praise God Anyhow! It has been hard and difficult but we are still here! Praise God! We are in pain but in the process for a promotion! God will never leave us. God is processing us for our next level of promotion. We are not ready if we don’t have a history of pain. After some pain, God will promote us because we won’t get a big head. We paid the price thru our painful places. We can now enjoy the blessings.

Some of us didn’t have a prayer life until we got some pain! Pain in life has us praying “Father, I stretch my hand unto thee from whence cometh my help!” We stop praying those cute little prayers once we go thru some pain! Sometimes we just moan instead of forming words to God. God anointed David. When David was in his pain, he never left his post. David would not have qualified for his promotion to be king unless he went thru some pain. God was his Daddy, his Father. God is our Daddy, our Father. Whatever God gives us, no man can take it away! When our natural fathers forsake us, God is our Father, our Daddy! Praise the Lord! Whatever God gives us, no man can take it away! We are Next! Praise the Lord! I’m Next!!

AMEN

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