Unlikely

I'm not ignoring them and I'm not saying they're not green I'm just saying that we serve a big guy that is able to turn this thing around in an instant, Jonathan Evans says it's easy for us to become discouraged negative circumstances. God is showing that if you just submit part and you can open so much of what he wants to, celebrating 40 years of faithfulness. This is the alternative Dr. Tony author, speaker, senior pastor of Oakland Bible Fellowship Dallas, Texas, president of the alternative were often eager for God to change her circumstance. As long as we don't have to do too much changing of the process. But today, Jonathan Evans will explain why it usually doesn't work that way making us the biggest obstacle in the way of our own deliverance.

Let's join him in first Samuel chapter 16 as he explains, I want to give you a power punch Bible study and encouragement can I do that right here you have Samuel the prophet of God who was going to the house of Jesse because God told them that I want you to go to the king for myself. I want you to choose a king for anybody else. So what you choose a king for me the last time you had a king, y'all chosen a work out too well let me do it.

So God said no to go to the house of Jesse, so that you can choose the king for me and and so Samuel said okay I got you, and he went to the house of Jesse and what Jesse did want Samuel told Jesse what was about to happen.

Jesse presented seven of his sons and he left his youngest child outside tending the sheep. Now I would like to submit first and foremost that Jesse did that on purpose if someone comes to your house to all colonial kids a max contract max contract is at the checking account was. I see some of these guys get max contract just fine for 90 million that is called a max contract. Somebody's MBA guys to get hundred and 50 or 200. That means they ran into their max offer okay the king of Israel is a max contract. Everything changes in Samuel's coming into the house of Jesse anything and I have a max contract by God put on the table right now and it's going to come to want your son don't know which one it is God's goal. Choose the most valuable player out of your son. So I need you to present your sons to me. Jesse presents seven of the eight of his sons for the max contract now know about you, but if anybody comes to my house and offers me my kids a max contract.

On the one amount letter back if there's kids to spend the night all the time you come over to just in case they call you out because somebody's been to get this when not when I leave and anybody else out when there is a max offer on the table and so what I'm let you know is that Jesse knew what he was doing there was something about David that made him more unlikely than everybody else. Jesse saw that there was a legitimacy with his seven sons that he didn't have with his eighth that there was something going on that made the father reject one of his sons, Psalm 51 says this is David is doing a sinners prayer to God. Kind of a sinner's prayer. This is what he says in Psalm 51 he says behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me, so let me tell you how his parents treated him based on the fact of how he was conceived in Psalm 2710 Psalm 2710 reads this way you can highlight it on your own on your own time we start of verse nine. The get verse 10 is talking to God and he says do not hide your face from me, Lord. Do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my help, do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. Why, why is he asking God. This verse 10 for my father and my mother have forsaken me in sin. I was conceived I was even marginalized and ostracized by my parents because of how I was conceived and why in the world when his parents treat them that way.

Why in the world would Jesse marginalized him just because he was conceived in sin.

Certainly there is forgiveness there. Certainly we can overcome this.

Why is this such such a grandiose problem that it seems to be a continual rejection that David gets to experience in his life. When I got turn to Deuteronomy 23 verse two no one of illegitimate birth, shall enter the assembly of the Lord. None of his descendents, even to the 10th generation, shall enter the assembly of the Lord.

I would like to suggest to you that the reason why Jesse left him outside is because David had a different mother than his brothers and Jesse was looking at the rules and Jesse said it can be. David, because when I was doing my own thing after the seven brothers. He was the mistake child.

He's the one that goes against the rules. He's illegitimate.

I got my legitimate sons that are in position to be chosen as King. These are the ones that you have to choose from because certainly God won't overrule himself to go get the illegitimate one that that's not possible. I mean we can't expect that God would choose the one who's been marginalized and ostracizing, and can't be recognized. Certainly he can't be the one. So Jesse left his illegitimate son outside on purpose because it just came be Dave and so Jesse presented his seven sons and Samuel said no you got no more kids, Jesse Salo. I got one outside and I can in his mind, but he's illegitimate. The reason why I didn't bring him we will not sit down until you bring him here because you gotta understand something about God. God loves to go to the back of the line to bring those in the back to the front. People may view you as illegitimate and God says I can change that title. Matter fact I can even overrule my own rule in order to give you grace that you don't deserve. David was the one that could not be chosen. David was the one who was marginalized by his father. People didn't see him as someone that was to be in the fold, but should have been an outcast.

David was never supposed to have a life. David was never supposed to come up. David was never supposed to have a call on his life by God, it could not be David and we will not sit down into you bring that boy in here because we serve a God who doesn't grade on the same grading scale. That man does. God doesn't look at you the way your dad looked at you.

Your dad may have viewed you as illegitimate. But God sees a very legitimate way that he can use the ones that man thinks or illegitimate because God gives greater glory when he overrules himself a people who don't deserve it. God goes up.

I'm not in our eyes. We understand that his grace is sufficient even for those who don't deserve it. You can use your circumstance as a barrier for God not to come to you.

We got people grumbling grown and whining and complaining about what they go through where there from. They just got fired. My dad didn't love me. My mom put me on somebody's doorstep. I have somebody steal something from you. Have somebody take people try to get overwhelmed. All of those different things and you continue to say that I am unlikely and what I'm telling you is, the more you say your unlikely as the more I say perfect.

God knows how to go to. Once you messed it up and give them a makeup drama teacher give you a makeup the changes that the curb on the grading scale because God is able to change things around he did with Moses from murder to deliver he's wandering around in Midian just hanging out feeling sorry for himself, but the joker ran into a burning bush and I'm hoping today that the bush will burn and you will realize I cannot use my circumstance to allow my feelings to control my faith. We are a people who are more emotional than we are. Biblical know that you're just trying to make ends meet. I know that it is a struggle. I know that you've been marginalizing you still have daddy issues. I know that there is been some fracture and some things that have happened in your marriage. I know that you've made mistakes. I understand all that. What I'm saying is, God is greater than anything that you can bring to the table that you think makes you able to build a wall to block him out because it it could not be David you know it wasn't supposed to be Tony Evans.

He was raised in Baltimore Maryland were the worst statistic, derived with meaning you would ever go and visit my grandparents back in the day you live what is horrible out there. Every house is boarded up. I remember my wife what we read. Therefore to dad's funeral. She was looking at houses on the market that were into daddy's neighborhood.

There was a fully renovated 2500 ft.², three bed four bath rowhouse wood floors paint baseboards all done nice crown molding all that it was on the market for 30 grand that's just the picture of the neighborhood and my dad grew up in. He stuttered as a child, couldn't even speak.

Had to go to lessons raised by high school dropouts all know the story, but God can turn that thing around because he goes to places. I'm just trying to encourage you by David's selection. It was supposed to be doing so.

If you are just a bit discouraged in the room because you're looking at your circumstance. I'm not ignoring them and I'm not saying they're not real, I'm just saying that we serve a big God that is able to turn that thing around in an instant, Jonathan Evans will come back to take a look at how God sometimes surprises us in the most unlikely ways. But first I want to let you know that today is the last message in Jonathan's powerful series forever starts now. And that means two things. First, Dr. Evans will be back here with us tomorrow and check in today is the last day to take advantage of receiving the special double offer that includes Jonathan's book and complementary audio collection. The book is your time is now.

Get what God has given you, and it expands on what we been learning about discovering and fulfilling our God-given purpose and the complete nine message audio collection forever starts now on both CD and digital download includes the full-length versions of the lessons we been hearing each day. God has something special. He intends for you to do these resources will help you find what it is and take action toward doing it and doing it now unlock the satisfaction of discovering your purpose for now and for eternity. We like to send you forever starts now and your time is now is our thank you gift when you make a donation toward the ministry of the alternative. Contact us today for more information on this powerful package of resources.

All the details are waiting for you online that Tony Evans.org or call us at 1-800-800-3222 and like one of our team members help you. Those contact details for you again after part two of today's message. Here's Jonathan. Why is it that God chose David.

Even in the most unlikely position and left out those that were right in front of the preacher's face because God's calling came under one condition. Samuel went in there and in verse six of chapter 16 of first Samuel and this is what he said surely it's Ohio. It's gotta be him. He's tall got the stature would look like a king. There's no other way to go other than a lighter. Surely God would choose the one who outwardly looks like he should be the one. Certainly it would be the one that looks like they have it all together. Don't you see how they live.

Don't you see what they drive. Don't you see out a dress when they come to church. Don't you see them all holding hands and saying Kumbaya as a family as they walk on in.

Don't you see how together. It is for my boy lives. Surely that's the one God was the pedestal to the next level for his kingdom.

Nope, I don't grade on the outward appearance. I'm not looking at which all looking at. I see things a little bit different.

Samuel even the pastor got it wrong or he was about to elevate somebody that God was in elevating it was a different scale. You know what was man you see the outer appearance, but I'm looking at the heart. It is not your outer circumstances that are the block.

It is not what you done what you've gone through what somebody else did to you or how somebody is marginalized you are even thought that you were illegitimate. God is looking at your heart all those outer things. Yes they hurt. And yes, they make you feel.

And yes Europe makes you unsure all of those different things, but God is looking at your the man is staring at the outside and got a Stanton. I'm just looking at the inside if I can get the right heart they can get the call.

What's the purpose of getting applauded by me in getting booed by God when I travel with the cowboys.

The red carpet is rolled out. Even with mediocre seasons is still gets rolled out because it just is what it is that it makes you puff your chest out there's cameras everywhere.

Even we went to Washington people on every level, waving flags and is just all of these people who were applauding the outward ability that be put on the field physically and I say to them all the time and I'll say it to you and say it to myself don't get it twisted because just because man sees you as having it together and you're able to put on a show physically and let everybody else, at least believe on the outward set onset of things that everything is together.

But even if it's allowed on earth. It can be silent and have, because God is looking at something totally different and we have people who were falling apart marriages that are falling apart.

Churches that are falling apart God's people.

The society is falling apart because you got a whole lot of people who stand and sit in front of the preacher who got bad heart. They look good. No, I want them because out of the eight of them, only one has the heart that I can use. That's why acts 1322 says David was a man after God's own heart. How do you know that your man or woman after God's own heart. It tells you in that same verse because he loved to do his will. I just want to take a moment to just ask you to check your heart I'll say it plain. Check your heart might my wife and I we bought iPhones 3G first came out was exciting news will be in the plan. In heaven, but we got home needed to charge him up. I plugged in bank you know I was excited to be still and let sit for seconds on your airplane would got to have some fun and then my wife when it and she plugged in and nothing happened just the dark screen and I was think it would. We bought a good run have to take it back.

Nobody wants to make an appointment at the Apple Store and sit in the line will feel like doing all that we just came from the Apple Store so I asked my wife.

I sent Missy behold it holding down the buttons to see if the screen would light up. Maybe she didn't hold it down long enough you like babe I held on long enough you know, some just checking them just checking. Let me help you. Let me help you in such a direct work in the civil did you plug it in when I see that it's in. But I wonder if it's in. She said Anna plugged in is a him let me just make sure it's initially sick kids who don't clap to have the right heart.

I'll need your plan will so he went around the corner and I just had to.

I went lo and behold, it jumped in. You see, it was in their but it wasn't in their I see that you're in here. That's not my question my question is are you in because the condition of his calling was not based on the condition of the circumstances. His experience was not based on the fact that his father didn't love him like he loved his other children wasn't about him being marginalized in underutilized and ostracized.

They found out real quick that the boy just had a good heart but that would often statement we got all these churches in all these corners. All these members with all these programs and all these youth programs and all these conferences and artists serving opportunities and we still got all this mess. There must be a dead monkey on the line somewhere that you have people who line up and show up in front of the preacher. God is looking at him and say nope because they're in it for the human Trinity.

Me myself and I want to make sure that you're encouraged by simplicity of David's selection and how he was called don't think that your circumstances are too big for God because you know that even if you go through something bad and you use that to allow you not to move forward in submission and the heart for God's using in choosing that your prideful to most people think pride is I think too highly of myself. No pride is even when you think too lowly of yourself. The problem with pride is your thinking about yourself whether is high or low you are the object and the subject of your thought, which makes you prideful and to think that God can't overcome what you've gone through is to be prideful to say that what I've gone through is bigger than what he can do. God is showing us that we can hit a bulls eye with a crooked stick. He is showing us that if you just submit and give your heart to him and you can be open for so much more of what he wants to do. Not comparing from one person to the next. Just saying that I want to be a servant of the king right where I and I'll let him decide what happens next. Jonathan Evan wrapping up his final message from forever starts now. Don't forget all nine full-length messages in this collection can be yours with our thanks feel help us keep bringing this teaching here each day with your generous contribution. You receive a complete series on CD and downloadable MP3s and as a special bonus when we hear from you today will also receive Jonathan's brand-new book, your time is now.

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1-800-800-3222 resource team members are on hand 24 seven to help you. That's 1-800-800-3222 or you can make the arrangements online@tonyevans.org again Tony Evans.org for too many people. Faith is the last resort, when all other solutions fail. What tomorrow. Dr. Evans will be back to explain why the opposite should be true as he begins a series called the kingdom life. But before we go. Today we want to share this quick shout out. We recently received in celebration of 40 years of God's faithfulness to the ministry of the urban alternative hey Dr. Evans, OS Hawkins and Tony Jack Graham here just thanking God for you and your 40 years of ministry we've been in the city together with Dr. Evans and his wonderful church all these years, 30-year-old was for me and you 25 years and we just seen God do incredible things in your life, not only in this community where you are loved and appreciated by through the urban alternative in the ministry of your church around the world. I love you I respect you. I thank God for you, Dr. Kelly Evans and Tony, let me just add that today is Jack and I sit here just wish you happy 40th anniversary of ministry as a subset of King David. You lead your people with the integrity of your heart and the skillful use of your hands just want you know you love and appreciate the alternative with Dr. Tony have brought to you by the urban alternative celebrating 40 years of faithful thanks for the generous contributions of listeners like you