Trusting God's Sufficiency

This morning as we continue on in our series here looking about faith that triumphs, talking about trust and what does trust look like?

! How does trust apply in our lives?

Go ahead and take your Bible and turn over to 2 Corinthians chapter 12.

2 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

2 Corinthians chapter 12 this morning.

2 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

We're going to look here at trusting His sufficiency.

You know, this is one of the areas I think that we struggle with because we can say it intellectually,

I trust God for this, or that I know God can supply all my needs,

but now today we're going to be looking at trusting His sufficiency.

That's the practical dynamic of it.

Moving it from thought and intellectual argument to practicality.

Because, you know, life doesn't deal in intellectual stuff.

You know, there's things we need to know, but you know, the practical and how we play it out makes a difference.

And it's critical.

You know, look here in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 this morning.

2 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

Look down at verse 9.

And we'll talk about this passage here a little bit.

But we'll just start out here.

And He said unto me, this is Paul, talk about what God said unto him.

And he says,

Let's pray.

Heavenly Fathers, we just come before you this morning.

Lord, we just thank you for your word.

Lord, thankful that we can confidently trust you.

Lord, that you are the one that meets the needs.

Lord, that you're the one that brings us through.

Lord, help us just to draw close to you even here this morning as we look and think about this principle,

this reality of trusting what you have is sufficient to meet the need.

Lord, we pray we just might grab a hold of that truth in our lives.

And Lord, we ask it all in your precious name.

Amen.

You know, as we learn about the early moments of the church and the spreading of the gospel in the book of Acts,

you know, we come across the reality of all these things, of what's taking place.

You know, Acts chapter 14, Paul says,

Acts 14 · chapter mention

And when they had preached the gospel to that city and it taught me,

they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,

confirming the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

You know, that tribulation that's going to come.

And why would one mention of tribulation of all things be to new Christians?

You know, how would that be encouraging?

You know, you'd think telling them, hey, you're going to have problems would be discouraging.

You know, but he wants us to be encouraged in the reality, not because of the problem,

but because who we have with us in the midst of the problem.

That's the encouragement, because the reason is very simple.

You know, the tribulation, you know, tribulation in our life, not the tribulation,

but tribulation and troubles in our life is just part of life.

You know, we don't get an exemption card, you know.

Over Christmas, I was playing Monopoly with my grandkids,

and, you know, you get the get out of jail free card.

You know, nobody in life gets to draw the card that says, I get trouble free.

You know, where you turn your card in and say, hey, I drew the card.

Hey, this problem's not mine.

You know what?

None of us get that, do we?

All of us have to face the realities, the problems, the struggles of this life and sin that is there.

And, you know, and God allows not only bad things, you know, struggles to come,

but he also blesses us with many good things.

You know, the blessings that God gives to us and comes into our life,

for a purpose.

Because not only the struggles, but the blessings are there for a purpose, too.

You know, think about Romans chapter 8, when Paul's writing there in verse 28,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

and he tells us this, he says,

For we know that all things work together for good to them that, what?

Love God and are called according to his purpose.

All things.

That doesn't just include the good things,

it includes the struggles and the trials,

and the not so good things,

but I want you to understand it does include the good things, the blessings.

God says when he blesses,

and when he allows trouble and trials,

both of them are working together

for our good,

for our benefit.

You know, we don't always see that dynamic,

but the reality is,

that's what it is.

And one of the reasons God allows difficulties

and even failures into our lives,

so that we can learn

his sufficiency.

It's helping us to know

him.

When God takes care of us,

walks with us through things,

we realize what God

means to us.

helps us realize

who he is.

You know,

knowing

very importantly,

though,

that there's nothing,

you know,

like we looked last week at Job,

to realize God allows

nothing into your life

that he hasn't first filtered.

That no matter what takes place

in your life,

God has said,

I will allow it.

Because this is the purpose

or the outcome.

We find that our natural tendency,

though,

is we don't like those

and we want to run away

from the problems.

But we look at Paul today,

Paul said,

you know,

I came to the conclusion

I can't run away.

And there's certain things

that God's not just going to

absolve me of having to deal with.

There's going to be situations

and things happen

that I have to rely upon him

as we walk through.

Trials and infirmities

can lead us to a greater

understanding of God's sufficiency.

You know what?

You learn more about

somebody supplying your need

when the need is met

than you do if it's a blessing.

You know,

we really don't learn much

through excess.

We learn through necessity

when we need those things.

And so we're going to look here

this morning

and the first thing

we're going to see here

that Paul's pointing out here

is sufficiency of God's purpose.

You know,

God has a purpose

for what goes on in our life.

We don't always understand it.

We're not given all the answers.

Our difficulties,

though,

aren't meaningless.

The situations in our lives

we need to understand

God has put there

for us to grow

and to mature.

To understand,

understand in Paul's case,

Paul talks about here

in 1 Corinthians chapter 12,

1 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

he talks about,

he says,

the thorn in the flesh.

Now that sounds enjoyable,

doesn't it?

You know,

the thorn in the flesh.

You know,

it's like

nobody looks forward to it.

You know,

have you ever grabbed

a hold of a rose

and had that thorn get you?

Or everybody's favorite

on the farm,

you know,

the old cockaburl,

stick to you

and everything get to you.

Needles that get you,

you know,

cactus.

You know,

you walk through

and the cactus gets you.

Or if you like critters,

you know,

that porcupine.

Those thorns in the flesh

that you remember.

Excuse me.

But Paul talks about this

as a thorn

in the flesh.

But the apostle Paul

had been given much

and he had received

a direct revelation

from God.

You know,

oftentimes we forget

that Paul talks about

the thorn in the flesh,

but Paul talks about,

he says,

all the blessings

I've had,

all the things

I've seen,

God still allowed

this in my life.

Because if you thought

about how Paul

had been exalted

above others

of his day,

God lifted up

Paul for a purpose.

Paul was the apostle

to the Gentiles.

Paul had been exalted,

you might say.

The apostle Paul

had been given much.

He had received

direct revelation

from God.

He had heard

and seen things

that others had not.

You know,

look up here

in our chapter here

in chapter 12.

Notice what he tells

him here.

Now it tells us

in verse 2,

he says,

I knew a man

in Christ

above 14 years ago.

Whether in the body

I cannot tell

or whether out of the body

I cannot tell,

God knoweth.

Such is one

caught up to the

third heaven.

And I knew such a man,

whether in the body

or out of the body

I cannot tell,

God knoweth.

How he was caught up

into paradise

and heard unspeakable words

which were not lawful

for man to utter.

Of such a one

will I glory,

yet of myself

I will not glory

but in mine infirmities.

Now I want you

to understand,

Paul said,

I'm not going to boast

and part of the infirmities

was to actually keep

Paul in the right mindset

in his life.

You know,

sometimes God allows things

to keep our mind

focused on the right things.

I want you to understand,

you know,

there's a lot of people

who write books

about going to heaven.

You know what Paul said?

I firmly believe

the scripture teaches us

when Paul was stoned,

he went up to heaven.

This 14 years brings it back

to when Paul was stoned.

You know,

the Jews were pretty efficient

at stoning people.

When they drug him

out of the city,

they were pretty sure

he was dead.

That's the reason

I think you find Paul

here rephrasing this.

He says,

whether in the body

or out of the body,

I don't know.

Because I don't think

he fully understood

the reality of everything

that took place right there.

But it tells us

that after they drug him

out of the city,

after he was stoned,

you say,

preacher,

how do you know

he was almost like resurrected

because it says

he just stood up

and walked back in the city.

Then he gets loaded up

the next day

and walks miles and miles

to the next town.

I tell you what,

if somebody beats you

to death with stones,

you're not going to stand up

the next day.

The older you get,

the more you realize

that's true.

You know,

when you're young,

one stone,

you'll hobble along,

but when they pile it on,

it's like,

no,

that ain't going to work.

We're camping out

for a few weeks here

to get the body

functioning again.

But you know what,

God did something miraculous.

But Paul talks about

this event here.

He says he was caught up

in the paradise,

into the third heaven.

Paul was exalted

to a point that we

have a hard time

understanding that Paul

says that I heard

and saw things

that ought not to be uttered.

In other words,

he says I understand

some things about heaven.

He had a glimpse

into glory.

And he just comes back

and says,

hey,

be ready.

Because the maturity

of Paul's faith

is seen in his ability

to experience

both great blessing

and great loss

and find God's

sufficiency in both.

You know,

when Paul had

the right perspective

of those things,

it changed what he did.

Even though he had

been lifted up

by the Lord,

Paul said,

I appreciate

and understand

even when I'm abased.

You know,

look over to Philippians 4.

Philippians 4

and verse 12

says this,

it says,

I know both

how to be abased

and I know

how to abound.

You know what Paul said?

My life is filled

full of things

that went well

and things

that didn't go well.

My life is filled

with things

that went the way

I thought they were

going to go

and filled with things

the way I didn't

think they were

going to go.

Now notice this,

it says,

everywhere and in all things

I am instructed

both to be full

and to be hungry,

both to abound

and to suffer need.

Paul said,

you know,

sometimes you're

going to have needs.

Things you don't know

how to deal with.

I want you to understand

Paul had been exalted

but Paul was also humbled.

You know,

Satan,

Paul could have

barely easy,

boasted about all

the things God

did for him.

I mean,

you think about it,

he saw the resurrected

Savior on the road

to Damascus.

Jesus spoke personally

to him after he resurrected.

Here we find he was

caught up into heaven

and God gave him revelation

and he heard things

and saw things

to understand beyond

and Paul yet was humble.

You know,

we like to boast

of the victories

but think that we are

something or to take credit

of what God has done.

But you know what?

Pride always gets us

in trouble.

Proverbs 16 tells us this

in verse 18,

Pride goeth before destruction

and a haughty spirit

before a fall.

Better it to be

of a humble spirit

with the lowly

than to divide the spoil

with the proud.

You know,

Paul understood

and God made it clear

to Paul here

that the thorn in the flesh

was in part

allowed to help Paul live

with a humble dependence

upon God.

No matter how much

God blessed him

he understood

that he still needed

the Lord.

You know what happens

sometimes in our life

if everything keeps going

just hunky-dory

and smooth

we have a tendency

to forget God.

We have a tendency

to be prideful

about things

but when we struggle

or have needs

it really brings back

reality, doesn't it?

It brings back

the reality

of what God

of who God is.

You know,

look at our text here

notice what Paul tells me

look at verse 7

here in chapter 12

and it says

lest I should be exalted

above measure

through the abundance

of revelations

there was given unto me

a thorn in the flesh

the messenger of Satan

to buffet me

lest I should be exalted

above measure.

You know,

sometimes God

develops humility

in us by allowing trials

into our life.

God permitted him

notice here

God permitted

this is very similar

and runs parallel

because notice

who buffeted him?

God allowed who

to do it?

Satan.

That's very similar

to what we talked about

with Job last week

wasn't it?

In other words

God allowed some things

for Paul

to experience

that would

keep things

in perspective.

perspective.

You know,

this is one of those areas

you hear a lot of people

talk a lot of things

about Paul's thorn

in the flesh.

What was this

or it was that

or something else.

You know what?

No place in Scripture

is it directly spoken of

of exactly what it was.

I think there's a reason

for that.

I think it's important

because Paul said

you know what my thorn

in the flesh was

wasn't a critical thing

it's the fact

that it was there.

The fact that it was needed.

The fact that God

allowed it.

You know

it might have been

physical

it might have been

just issues

with people.

You know

Galatians chapter 4

Galatians 4 · chapter mention

talks about

an affinity

of the flesh

and it's a context

that goes on

to describe

how the Galatian believers

would be gladly given

even his own eyes

to him.

You know

I think Paul

had a lot of problems

but I think

you know

think about it

he got stoned

beat with rocks.

beaten with rods.

He was shipwrecked.

I mean

you look through

the trials

that Paul lists

he says

I'm thinking to myself

man you're going

to be a pretty

decrepit person.

I imagine

Paul woke up

in the morning

to the

snap, crackle, and pop.

Why?

Because of the things

that had happened

to his physical body.

He had issues

that went on

but notice

in Galatians 4

in verse 13

it says this

you know

how through

infirmity of the flesh

I preached the gospel

unto you at the first

and my temptation

was that in my flesh

you despised not

nor rejected

but received me

as an angel of God

even as Christ Jesus

which then

the blessedness

you spake of

for I bear you record

that if it had been possible

you would have

plucked out your own eyes

and had given them

to me.

You know

when we realize

what's happening here

the possibility

of Paul's thorn

might have been

something that was there

it might have been

the Jews that hounded him

you know

you think over

in Acts chapter 20

Acts 20 · chapter mention

it talks about

Paul here

and it tells in verse 29

for I know this

that after I am departing

shall grievous wolves

enter in among you

not sparing the flock.

Paul understood

that the trials

and even the thorn

in the flesh

can come from

multiple sources.

A multi-pronged attack.

You know

the longer I live

I realize

that usually

you don't have

one problem

you have many.

You ever notice

that problems

seem to multiply?

You have this problem

over here

and this problem

over here

and this problem

over here

and this problem

over here

but we understand

they come in

different sources

and different natures

sometimes it's physical

sometimes it's spiritual

but no matter

what the case is

God can use them

to humble us

because it teaches us

we need to rely

upon him.

You know

notice what Paul says

he says about this

he says

that I should be

exalted above measure.

You know

think about that

Paul recognizes

he says

hey you know

God's blessed me

and given me so much

he says people need

to see that I do

have real problems

because

there's a benefit there

not only for myself

but for others.

You know

when it's easy

to talk about

your faith

it's another thing

to talk about

your faith

in the midst of trials.

The testimony

you have

is given more

in trials

and tribulations

than it is

in blessing.

when we walk

through those things

and notice what

look over to

James chapter 4

James 4 · chapter mention

because when we're

humbled

God tells us

something here

in James 4

in verse 6

he tells us this

but he giveth

more grace

wherefore he saith

God resisteth

the proud

and giveth grace

unto the humble.

God gives grace

to the humble.

When we're proud

and self-sufficient

we resist

God's grace

and the one thing

that we need

is for God's grace

to sustain us

through

our trials.

You know

have you ever

stopped to consider

why do

sometimes we find

it hard to trust

that even in the midst

of struggles

God is still good

and God is still working.

I'm not going to ask

for a show of hands

but I think most of us

could say there's moments

in life when we ask

that question

isn't it?

How is this

something good?

How is this

something wise

in purpose for us?

You know

how can we be

encouraging each other

in developing a spirit

of trusting God?

You know what

we learn to trust God

because it humbles us

when problems

and trials

and tribulations come.

So when it comes

to a trial

remember

the gift

that God

gives

to us

through humility

because we receive

God's grace

when we humble

ourselves

before Him.

You know

part of the problem

is that we

overdo our problems

because we hold

on to them

trying to solve

them ourselves.

In pride

we say

I can handle

this

and God

says

you need

to humble

be humble

before me

because my

grace

is sufficient

because not only

the sufficiency

of God's purpose

but the sufficiency

of God's promise.

You know

Paul reveals

to us here

some very

important elements

because God

not only had a purpose

for the thorn

in His flesh

that He allowed

in Paul's life

but He responded

to Paul's need

with an amazing promise.

You know

look at verse 8

here back in

1st and 2nd

Corinthians

chapter 12

For this thing

I besought

the Lord

thrice

that it might

depart

from me.

Now this

particular item

Paul's talking

about here

he said what

I didn't just

ask the Lord

to help me

deal with it

once

he says

three times

I went to the Lord

in other words

he didn't get

an answer right away.

You know

have you ever

been frustrated

when you don't

get an answer

right away?

You know

and I want you

to understand

that as Paul

continues to go

and to plead

Paul's plea

before the Lord

there in verse 8

this reality

this was of course

nothing inherently

wrong with Paul

asking God

to remove the thorn

I want you

to understand

notice his reply

the promise

that was given

to him

was this

he said unto me

now notice

who said this

to Paul?

The Lord

he said

my grace

is sufficient

for thee

my grace

is sufficient

for my strength

is made perfect

in weakness

into Paul's request

for this release

from suffering

God

instead of removing it

offered his

grace

to walk through it

that God said

I'm going to walk

through it

because why?

because all things

work together

for good

to them that love God

and are called

according to his purpose

you know what God's

telling Paul

he says

God I'm going to get

he said Paul

I'm going to give you

the grace

to walk through this

because there's

a greater purpose

in it

there's a greater purpose

to understand

this reality

this grace

that describes

God's undeserved

favor

towards us

it's a dynamic

force

it totally

transforms our lives

when you think about

God's grace

for salvation

but God's grace

to sustain us

as God walks through

and when we understand

that the principle

is this

what God does not

remove

he sustains us

through by his grace

there's a reason

sometimes God

doesn't remove things

for our benefit

and even the benefit

of others

but he gives us

the grace

to walk through

to speak of grace

that's sufficient

is to speak

of a continual store

of God's grace

you know

every day

that we face

problems

and we understand

that we might face

problems every day

but every day

we have God's grace

God says

I'm sufficient

it's sufficient

to do that

you know

Paul not only

recognized

that God's grace

was sufficient

but he realized

that he was made

complete

in God's grace

in other words

he matured

that practical

sanctification

he became

more Christ-like

by understanding

and trusting

and knowing

the Lord

better through it

you know

when we realize

that the

dynamic here

of made perfect

means to carry

through completely

to accomplish

to finish

to bring it

into

or add to

what is yet

wanting

in order to

render a thing

full

in other words

God says

I'm going to

provide what's

needed to complete

what I'm going

to accomplish

because without

think about

without problems

without weakness

we tend to think

of ourselves

what

more highly

than we ought

you know

look at what I did

but you know what

problems remind us

that we're not as great

as we think we are

if you want one benefit

that's one right there

we realize that

we're not God

we're not masters

of our own universe

it helps us realize

who God is

and when we understand

that God uses

weakness

and needs

in our life

but the reality

is that God

is not

attracted to our

strengths

but to our

weaknesses

there's nothing

in us

that God needs

Paul says

in my weakness

you know

God reveals

to us

that we're weak

and we need

Him

God doesn't

need us

we need Him

the reality is this

I'll give you a little clue

God's already complete

He doesn't need anything

He has everything

knows everything

has the power

to do anything

but He loved us

enough to say

I'm going to use

what I have

to be a blessing

have grace

in your weakness

to be sufficient

you know

it's only when we

recognize our need

for Him

through our weakness

that He can use

us

you know

look over to

1 Corinthians chapter 1

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

for a moment

you know

I want you to understand

even in our lives

God calls us

to do things

and we use a term

today

and I'll use the term

it's called

our comfort zone

you know what

God calls us

to do things

outside of what

we're comfortable

oh I could never

do that

you know what

if God calls you

to do something

God will give you

what's needed

to do it

you know

because I guarantee

you there's

two in here

this morning

that would say

they never thought

they'd see me

up here preaching

but you know what

when God calls us

to do something

God equips us

God's grace

is sufficient

we don't understand

how things

come together

sometimes

but notice here

in 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1

look down at

verse 26

it says

for you see

your calling

brethren

how not many

wise men

after the flesh

not many

mighty

not many

noble

are called

but God

hath chosen

the foolish

things of the

world

to confound

the wise

and God

hath chosen

the weak

things of the

world

to confound

the things

that are mighty

the base

things of the

world

and the things

which are

despised

God hath

chosen

the things

which are

not

to bring

to naught

the things

that are

that no

flesh

should glory

in his

presence

you know

simply this

if you want

to serve

God

God's

looking for

people

to give

him glory

and not

themselves

you know

what you got

plenty of

people looking

for their

own glory

you don't

have to look

very far

especially

in the day

of social

media

you know

one of the

whole themes

of social

media

is look

at me

that's really

the context

of social

media

look at

me

that's

natural

for us

to want

but you

know what

God wants

he doesn't

want somebody

that says

look at

me

God wants

somebody

that says

look at

him

look what

God's

doing

look what

God has

accomplished

because

when we

understand

it's such

a case

he took

his greatest

servants

you think

about that

Job

we talked

about last

week

he was a

faithful servant

of God

that God

had blessed

he was enjoying

all the things

God had blessed

him with

we have the

Apostle Paul

you know

and others

that he allowed

them to

experience

infirmities

problems

that he might

receive glory

and that's

exactly what

he does

in our lives

you know

think about

what Job

said

look back

in Job

Job 23 · chapter mention

chapter 23

for a moment

Job 23

in verse 10

God says

this

for he

knoweth

the way

that I

take

when he

hath

tried me

I shall

come

forth

as

gold

you know

Job

understood

that it

wasn't

about him

what God

was doing

you know

God deals

with us

the same

way

that he

tried

Job

always

for our

benefit

and for

his

glory

you know

look at

the New

Testament

look over

to 1

Peter

for a

moment

1

1 Peter 2 · chapter mention

Peter

chapter

2

or

excuse me

1

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

Peter

chapter

1

in

verse

7

notice

what it

tells us

here

it says

what

that the

trial

of your

faith

being

much

more

precious

than

of gold

that

perisheth

let that

sink in

from what

the trial

of your

faith

in other

words

your

problem

your issue

your thorn

in the

flesh

though

it be

tried

with

fire

might

be

found

under

the

praise

and

honor

and

glory

at

the

appearing

of

Jesus

Christ

you know

what he

said

it's going to bring

glory to

God because

how God brought

you through

those things

we benefit

and God

is glorified

as we

grow

in spiritual

maturity

you know

when we

understand

the importance

that sometimes

to mature

life has to

get rough

we don't

like that

you know

there's a

story told

about a

zoo

keeper

wrote a

book

by name

of

Gary

Richmond

and the

book is

a jungle

out there

and he

told about

the time

he watched

an Angola

giraffe

giving birth

I stood

next to

the zoo

animal keeper

he said

to watch

and she

was standing

up and the

calves front

hooves and

head were

already visible

and he

asked you

know

when is she

going to

lie down

the zoo

keeper said

she won't

but her

hindquarters

are almost

ten feet

off the ground

as the

young

giraffe

comes

out

anybody

going to

catch

the

giraffe

they said

the zoo

keeper

looked at

him and

says go

catch him

if you

want

but he

said keep

in mind

his mother

has enough

strength in

her hind

legs to

knock your

head clean

off

soon the

calf hurled

forth

landing on

its back

the mother

looking over

at waiting

a few minutes

and kicks

her baby

sending it

sprawling

head over

heels

the guy

said I

asked him

why did

she do

that

and he

said simply

she wants

him to

get up

whenever

the baby

ceased

struggling

to rise

the mother

prodded it

with a

hearty

kick

finally the

calf stood

wobbly

but upright

and the

mother kicked

it off

its feet

again

the reality

is she

wanted him

to remember

how to

get up

because you

know in

the wild

if you

don't

quickly

follow

the

herd

you're

going to

quickly

get

picked

off

you know

he said

this in

his book

he says

it's a

good reminder

for us

all

it's easy

to view

trials

as

unwelcome

intruders

in our

lives

but they

do have

a way

of prompting

us to

get up

and seek

the protection

of the

heavenly

father

you know

the reality

is sometimes

life is

rough

because it

needs to

be

because it's

what's needed

to prepare

us for

what is

there

that mother

giraffe

we might

look at

as saying

well that's

harsh

but you

know what

she's

preparing

that little

baby

to survive

of what

was needed

we have

sufficiency

in God's

purpose

sufficiently

in God's

promise

but most

importantly

sufficient

in God's

power

when God

assured

Paul

that his

grace

would always

be sufficient

Paul

responded

with the

confidence

in God's

power

he understood

what God

was giving

to him

notice what

he tells

us here

in the

verse 9

here in

2nd

Corinthians

12

he says

for most

gladly

therefore I

would rather

glory in

my infirmities

that what

the power

of Christ

may rest

upon me

wherefore I

take pleasure

in infirmities

and reproaches

and necessities

in persecutions

and distresses

for Christ's

sake for when

I am weak

then I am

strong

you know

why in the

world would

Paul glory

in his

weakness

you know what

he said

I know that

when I'm

weak

God's

going to

step in

that God's

going to

make up

more than

the difference

that's needed

to accomplish

what's there

because of

his abiding

power

God's

power is

going to

be there

the word

power here

is dynamos

it's the

same word

we use

today for

dynamite

you know

it's that

same dynamic

of a

building

power

and strength

and agility

you know

we need

that from

the Lord

you know

the rest

upon me

paints a

picture of

the power

of Christ

descending on

one

and working

within

and giving

help

you know

often times

we have

an idea

that God

only uses

strong people

or gifted

people

you know

a lot of

times

God speaks

to somebody

about serving

or doing

or stepping

out by

faith

and they

say

Lord

I can't

do that

you know

what

you're

exactly

the right

person

if the

Lord

speaks

to you

and you

say

I can't

you know

what

God

says

I know

you can't

but I

want you

to do

it

anyways

he said

because

I've

already

got it

handled

I'm

the one

that's

going to

fill in

what's

needed

God

says

you have

to

trust

me

you have

to

trust

what it

is

trust

in

his

abiding

power

because

remember

God

doesn't

pick

the cream

of the

crop

just

because

everybody

else

looks

at

him

let's

use

a good

biblical

illustration

of this

you go

back to

the Old

Testament

and

Israel

it always

kind of

makes me

chuckle

when I

read that

because

it's

so

true

but

Israel

wanted

to be

like

everybody

else

instead

of being

distinct

everybody

else

who

were they

excited

about

they were

excited

about

a man

by the

name

of

Saul

Saul

was

big

he was

powerful

he was

bold

Saul

was a mighty

warrior

Israel

said

yeah

he's

the

one

you know

the

reality

they

looked

on

the

outward

appearance

and said

hey

he's

the

one

we

need

but

the

next

king

Saul

was

removed

because

he

didn't

trust

God

he

thought

he

was

sufficient

of