1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,520 Praise the Lord, I got his worthy. 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:10,720 Glory Oak. Who is like the Lord, There is 3 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:14,320 no one. Who is like the Lord, He's 4 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:18,560 strong and mighty. Who is like the Lord? 5 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,720 There is no one. Stand up and give him some 6 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:26,440 praise. Give him some praise. 7 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:32,080 I love. Love you Jesus, Amen. 8 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:34,320 Glorify His. Name stand with us. 9 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,880 Tonight, Amen, at the House of the Lord. 10 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:39,760 Amen. Brother Alex Mason going to come 11 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:43,040 and minister to us this evening. We appreciate him and Sister 12 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:48,400 Grace and baby Piper. We've been to a spring 13 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,120 conference this weekend and that's not just like going on a 14 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:56,040 weekend vacation. They were working while they 15 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:00,960 were gone and the Masons and such had meetings after our 16 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,519 services required them to stay there longer and such. 17 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:09,640 And I just told him, I remember when I did that and I'm thankful 18 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:14,440 for him, even thankful for them. Amen. 19 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:16,680 That it involves work. Their hands are in a lot of 20 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,800 places, the work of the Kingdom, Amen, both here and in our 21 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,080 district and such. And so we love and appreciate, 22 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:27,080 Amen, the time, their energy, and the best that they give of 23 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:30,120 themselves. Amen to those various rose, 24 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:34,160 Amen, and places, Amen. Will you just, Amen, give a wave 25 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:36,760 of offering to the Lord? Right now I feel His presence 26 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:40,440 still here as a brother Mason comes just a wave of offering 27 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,480 into the Lord, Amen. Thanking him for His 28 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:45,880 graciousness and His goodness. I love you, Lord. 29 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:55,160 I love you, Lord. Hallelujah, oh Lord, your mighty 30 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:03,760 oh, we give you praise today. Hallelujah, Jesus, Hallelujah. 31 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,840 Jesus. He is good all the. 32 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,880 Time He is good. Amen. 33 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:15,160 Thank you for your faithfulness to the House of the Lord today. 34 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:25,880 Pastor is correct it it is a little tiring some days I coming 35 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,440 from me if you know me and many of you. 36 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:30,880 Do if I? Say I'm tired. 37 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:37,400 I'm tired. I woke up from a nap this 38 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,320 afternoon and I've been dealing with a headache. 39 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:45,640 So I don't know if that's just just nature or if that's 40 00:02:45,640 --> 00:02:47,720 spiritual. So we'll just deal with it and 41 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:54,240 go with it. But we're going to turn to First 42 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,120 Samuel 3. Thankful for pastor and his 43 00:02:57,120 --> 00:02:59,640 wife. Love and appreciate them, all of 44 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:03,320 their support and love. Very thankful. 45 00:03:03,960 --> 00:03:06,600 Thankful for my parents. I I have the pleasure of serving 46 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:12,720 with them in the Indiana district and I, I I. 47 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:18,000 Greatly enjoy that we. Have a good time and I also love 48 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:24,680 serving with my wife. She is, she is just a 49 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,200 powerhouse. She wouldn't say it, but I I'll 50 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,440 say it. I have the microphone most of 51 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:31,920 the time. I do have the microphone and 52 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:37,760 it's kind of nice. But I love and appreciate her 53 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,120 and all that she does and all that she endures, whether 54 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,360 through me or just the fact of being pregnant. 55 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,360 She does a fantastic job. I know she may not feel like, 56 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,040 oh, I'm not doing much. I'm not a mother yet, but I'm 57 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,240 like, you're you're yeah, you're growing a human. 58 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,240 You're doing a lot. You're doing a great job with 59 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,080 it. So, so I love and appreciate her 60 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:03,520 so much. I'm going to. 61 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:08,440 Read a a few verses and I'll have you seat seat be seated. 62 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:15,080 Lord help me and then I'll I'll keep I'll keep reading verse 63 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,760 one. Says in the child, Samuel 64 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,760 ministered unto the. Lord before Eli. 65 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,360 And the Lord, the word of the Lord was. 66 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:27,640 Precious In those days there was no open vision. 67 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:31,000 And it came to pass that at that. 68 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,880 Time when? Eli was laid. 69 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:35,440 Down in his. Place and his eyes. 70 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:37,720 Began to wax dim that he could not. 71 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:41,480 See. And the air of the lamp of God 72 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,800 went out in the temple of the Lord. 73 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:49,080 Where the ark of God was. And Samuel was laid down to. 74 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,320 Sleep. I'll stop there. 75 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:57,920 For a moment and we will pray God I. 76 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,680 Ask you just to. Move in this place today, Lord, 77 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,720 Let your will be done, Lord Anointing Lord your servant 78 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:10,080 tonight, Lord that you. Were just to touch me whatever 79 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:13,320 needs to be spoken tonight God, I ask you just to move Lord, 80 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,440 that you would intervene Lord as a willing vessel. 81 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,960 Lord, I give myself unto you touch your people tonight Lord 82 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,000 prepare hearts and minds as a planting ground for your word 83 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:27,560 and we will not fail to thank you and praise you in Jesus 84 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,640 mighty name. I pray and everyone said. 85 00:05:30,680 --> 00:05:32,920 Amen. Amen. 86 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:35,840 You may. Be seated tonight I'm going to 87 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:41,080 preach on. This subject Don't sleep on the 88 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,560 lampstand, don't sleep on the lampstand. 89 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,880 I'm not saying don't sleep in the sense of I'm. 90 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,760 Sleeping on the lampstand? Don't sleep. 91 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:52,240 On it as in being a little bit numb A. 92 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:56,880 Little bit numb. So continuing on and our our 93 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:01,400 reading here, I'm going to continue with verse 4 and it 94 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:07,680 says that the Lord called Samuel and he answered here am I and he 95 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:12,720 ran to Eli and said, here am I for thou callest me and he said. 96 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,680 I called not. Lie down. 97 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:17,680 Again. And he went and lay down. 98 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:22,800 And the Lord called yet again Samuel, And Samuel rose and went 99 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,720 to Eli. And he said, Here am I, for thou 100 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:30,600 didst call me. And he answered, I called not my 101 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:36,160 son, lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the 102 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,560 Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him. 103 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:44,360 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. 104 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:50,120 And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I, for thou 105 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:54,160 didst call me. This is my own interpretation. 106 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:58,040 And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. 107 00:06:58,440 --> 00:07:02,120 Therefore Eli said unto. Samuel, go lie. 108 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,440 Down, and it shall be if he called thee, that thou shalt 109 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,360 say, Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. 110 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:16,000 So Samuel went and laid down in his place, and the Lord came and 111 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:21,400 stood and called at the other times, Samuel, Samuel. 112 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,040 Then Samuel answered, Speak for thy servant Heareth. 113 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:32,440 So we have Samuel here living, living here amongst the temple, 114 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,840 and we have Eli. And Eli I'm sure is like, man, 115 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,160 let me sleep. What is wrong with you? 116 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,160 Go back to bed. I didn't call you. 117 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,880 They did it 3. Times and then he's like. 118 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,240 Wait a minute. There's something going on here. 119 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,920 There is something beautiful about the story of Samuel and 120 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:55,880 understanding the that him growing up around the things of 121 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,360 God. He is growing up around this 122 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,520 special. He's he's knowing he he knows 123 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,200 how to find his way to the altar. 124 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:07,040 He knows the layout of things and and you know, it's even in 125 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,040 our own. It is beautiful to see to be 126 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,040 able to see a child be able to grow up in the church. 127 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,600 It is beautiful to see them growing up around the things of 128 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:18,520 God. And not everyone has the 129 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:23,360 blessing of being able to have that opportunity, but they they 130 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:25,520 grow up and they grow up around the things that God they know 131 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,720 where the altar is. They know how to quote 132 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,800 scripture. They they know hearing songs and 133 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,720 feeling the atmosphere and being a part of a move of God. 134 00:08:35,159 --> 00:08:38,240 There is blessing in it and there is heritage in it. 135 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,640 And, and some of us, we were raised, we were raised around 136 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,360 the proverbial lampstand, if you will. 137 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,240 We, we learned the right words. We, we, we know when to clap. 138 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,800 We know when to lift our hands. We know when to say Amen. 139 00:08:53,800 --> 00:09:00,560 And we were taught how to serve, how to minister, how to be 140 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:04,920 faithful to the House of God. And I thank God for that. 141 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:09,080 I thank God for MyHeritage. I thank God that I was one of 142 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,960 those few that was able to experience that. 143 00:09:11,960 --> 00:09:15,760 And Samuel here is in the House of God and he's living amongst 144 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,800 all these things. And I thank God for every prayer 145 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:23,040 meeting that we were brought to. I thank God for the rallies and 146 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,680 the church camps and the NY CS and the fill in the blank. 147 00:09:26,880 --> 00:09:29,960 I thank God for that. I thank God for every altar 148 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:34,440 call, every tear that I have shed because I have been brought 149 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:40,400 up around the House of God. Now I don't want this to not 150 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:43,360 resonate with someone that hasn't grown up in church. 151 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,240 So let me let me clarify that that also comes around to the 152 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:53,040 sense of growing up as a child of God being or be be 153 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,680 reacquainting or acquainting yourself with the familiarity of 154 00:09:56,680 --> 00:09:58,920 the House of God. That is still applies. 155 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,760 It just so happened some of us were blessed enough to be here 156 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:05,760 as a young child and be brought up all right. 157 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,520 So I don't want to, I don't want to miss being misunderstood. 158 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:12,600 This all applies. But those things matter. 159 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:15,520 They they have shaped they, they shaped me. 160 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,320 They shape you. They they put something in your 161 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,040 spirit that the world cannot erase. 162 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:27,440 But if we are not careful, that once thing that amazed us can 163 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,960 become something that we sleep through. 164 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:38,240 What once had stirred us to tears, hands became a background 165 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,600 noise. What What once made our hearts 166 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:45,800 burn with desire has slowly become normal and routine and 167 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,960 common. Without even realizing it, we 168 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:54,640 can find ourselves lying to the very thing that could change our 169 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,280 lives. And we are asleep. 170 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,960 And that's exactly where Samuel was. 171 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:04,720 He was in the right place. He was in the right atmosphere, 172 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,800 in the right temple. But he had the wrong response. 173 00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:15,360 It is a dangerous thing to get so used to the presence of God 174 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,440 that we would start sleeping through it. 175 00:11:18,480 --> 00:11:22,560 It is a dangerous thing to be so close to the fire and yet be so 176 00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:28,080 cold. It is a dangerous thing when you 177 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:32,000 are near the altar but not tuned into the voice that's speaking 178 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:37,520 at the altar. And it happens, I think, very 179 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,240 well, it is happening in our generation that people are 180 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,680 asleep. We know the language, we know 181 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:47,840 the songs, we know the scriptures, we know how to 182 00:11:47,840 --> 00:11:51,160 shout, how to dance, how to lift our hands. 183 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:57,760 But sometimes we've been around it so long that we've start to 184 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,880 lose all, we've start to lose the weight of it. 185 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:06,120 We start to fall asleep right next to the lamp stand. 186 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,960 And that's where Samuel is right now. 187 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:16,560 And if we reread in I'm going to read it in the NSA B. 188 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:21,800 If we reread the first 3 verses, it helps describe in a in a good 189 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:26,320 light of verse 3. From where KJV you thinking just 190 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:28,320 like did it? Did the lamp go out? 191 00:12:29,560 --> 00:12:34,720 It says in verse 3 of NSA B it says and the lamp of God had not 192 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:35,920 yet. Gone out. 193 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,040 And Samuel was lying down in the tip of the Lord where the ark of 194 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,800 God was. So when we read the KJV, we 195 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:48,200 think the air of the lamp had gone out into unto, but that's 196 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:49,600 that's not saying that it had gone out. 197 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,240 It is not yet. It may be it's flickering, but 198 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,400 it's still, it's still there. The light is still there. 199 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:00,080 So don't be misunderstood by the KJV language that that's why 200 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:01,880 it's good to use other translations. 201 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:04,880 It's good to look at definition and find out because if you were 202 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,280 just to read down this you would have thought, well, mighty God, 203 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:10,880 the lamp has gone out. No, the lamp. 204 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:12,640 Is still burning. The lamp is still there. 205 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:16,520 And so during this time, though the word of the Lord was rare, 206 00:13:16,560 --> 00:13:19,520 the visions were few, and it was difficult. 207 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,320 The flame was flickering. It was flickering. 208 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,320 It was it was a darker time in the lampstand. 209 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,320 The golden Candlestick that had stood inside the temple. 210 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,400 It was a symbol. It was a symbol of God's active 211 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:35,000 presence. It was fueled by pure oil. 212 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,560 It was commanded to be burned continually. 213 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,800 It was a visible reminder that the fire of heaven had not gone 214 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:46,560 out, even when leadership may have failed, even when visions 215 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:49,120 were rare, even when people were blind to it. 216 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:53,560 The lamp still was lit, the fire was still there, the presence 217 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:56,680 was lingering, and a voice was still calling. 218 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:02,360 Samuel was lying right next. He was lying in the atmosphere 219 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:05,040 of the very thing that could change his life. 220 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,480 He wasn't sleeping in the streets, he wasn't running in 221 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,400 the roads, He wasn't even, he was sleeping in the temple. 222 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:17,520 And I have to imagine the glow of a lampstand as he's walking 223 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:21,120 back and forth, back and forth to Eli, passing the glow of the 224 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:23,120 lampstand. Or it's being somewhere you can 225 00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,720 see that little flicker. He is in the right place. 226 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,840 He's close enough maybe even to feel the warmth, but maybe he's 227 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:35,480 just numb enough at the moment that he's not hearing the voice. 228 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,760 Can I tell you tonight that you can be close to that presence 229 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:43,560 and still miss the voice? You can be at the altar and 230 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,800 still be absent in the spirit. You can be around the fire and 231 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:50,760 still have those cold hands in the frozen heart. 232 00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:57,960 Samuel wasn't a bad kid. He wasn't living in rebellion, 233 00:14:57,960 --> 00:15:02,000 he wasn't running, he wasn't doing anything wrong per SE. 234 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,000 He was ministering before the Lord. 235 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,240 He was faithful, he was consistent. 236 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,560 But he was asleep when he should have been listening. 237 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:14,400 Now, yes, he woke up, but again, he went somewhere else. 238 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,120 And that's where familiarity can kill our sensitivity. 239 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,520 Just because we've been around the lampstand doesn't mean we're 240 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:28,440 awake to what the lampstand. Just because we've been in the 241 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,600 house doesn't mean we're hearing the voice. 242 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,680 Paul even said it and that it would happen. 243 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,600 And he said in second Timothy 3 and five having a form of 244 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:41,600 godliness, but but denying the power thereof from such turn 245 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,120 away. They know the form, they know 246 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,920 the language and the motions, but they do not have the oil, 247 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,920 they do not have the power. They did not have the fire. 248 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:56,880 Jesus said it in Matthew 1115. He that have ears to hear, let 249 00:15:56,880 --> 00:16:00,120 him hear. Everybody's got ears, but not 250 00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:03,440 everyone is tuned in. Everybody. 251 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:07,440 Everybody's in the building maybe, but no one is receiving 252 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:11,680 the call. You can be sleeping under that 253 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,920 glow of that lamp and still miss our moment if we're not awake. 254 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:19,400 When the call comes, God says Samuel. 255 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,040 Samuel hears and he does not recognize it. 256 00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,920 He so he jumps up and the first thing he does is go to Eli. 257 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:33,760 Here am I Eli probably groggy, wakes up and he says I did not 258 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:38,200 call you go to bed, go back, go back to sleep. 259 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:45,000 And again Samuel and again Samuel runs here am I and Eli 260 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:51,720 says, boy, go back to bed. And it happens again, Samuel. 261 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,840 Here am I and Eli says son, I swear. 262 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:58,680 But then. But then Eli had a moment and 263 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,600 he's like, wait a minute, there's something going on. 264 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,000 There were 3 * 3 missed recognitions here. 265 00:17:05,599 --> 00:17:11,119 Samuel wasn't hearing correctly, and he was interpreting. 266 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,720 He wasn't. He was interpreting this 267 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,160 incorrectly. He mistook the voice of God for 268 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:22,319 the voice of man. We hear conviction, but we blame 269 00:17:22,319 --> 00:17:26,640 it on emotion. We feel the pulling of the 270 00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:29,880 Spirit, but we chalk it to atmosphere. 271 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:35,720 We since the nudging of God calling our name, but we run to 272 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,520 human solution instead of heavenly answer. 273 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:46,800 I thank God that He is merciful enough to call again. 274 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:52,120 Psalm 103 and eight says the Lord is merciful and gracious, 275 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,840 slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 276 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:59,880 Even when Samuel had missed it the first time, God did not stop 277 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:02,280 calling. Even when Samuel ran to the 278 00:18:02,280 --> 00:18:05,080 wrong voice, God did not stop calling. 279 00:18:05,360 --> 00:18:08,760 Even when Samuel didn't know what was happening, God did not 280 00:18:08,760 --> 00:18:12,520 stop calling. God did not quit on Samuel after 281 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:16,440 the first mistake, after the second mistake, after the third 282 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,480 mistake, and He's not going to quit on you either. 283 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,600 He has been knocking, He has been calling, He has been 284 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:30,840 stirring your spirit in the late hours, and yet you still are 285 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:38,480 asleep. I think of that, and I think of 286 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:42,360 Revelation 320 of Behold, I stand at the door and knock. 287 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:48,680 If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come into 288 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:51,480 him, and I will Sup with him, and he with me. 289 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,720 He was knocking, He was knocking. 290 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:00,800 He was he was desiring some relationship with Samuel and 291 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,680 Samuel did not recognize it. He is knocking when you're 292 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:07,120 distracted. He is knocking when you're busy. 293 00:19:07,120 --> 00:19:09,880 He is knocking when you have become numb. 294 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:15,760 The question is, are we going to take the time to be sensitive to 295 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,520 it? We're all busy. 296 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,120 We're all distracted. We have plenty of things to do, 297 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:28,960 but the question is, is are we taking the time to allow Him to 298 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:34,120 speak? Isaiah 3021 says thy ears shall 299 00:19:34,120 --> 00:19:39,000 hear a word behind these saying this is the way walkie in it. 300 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:45,200 Even when you don't recognize his voice, he still recognizes 301 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:48,040 you. He has not forgotten you. 302 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:50,920 The question is, is have you forgotten him? 303 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:54,200 Because the call is too important. 304 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:57,440 The call is too important for him to forget. 305 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,520 He is not going to forget you. The purpose is too great. 306 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,560 The time is too urgent and he is going to bring, he's going to 307 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:07,960 keep coming to you. The question is, is, are you 308 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:12,480 going to meet him? You're in the atmosphere, you're 309 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,200 in the right place at the right time, and yet you're still not 310 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:22,200 meeting him truly. But the lamp won't burn forever. 311 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:29,640 Samuel heard the call. The fire was flickering, the oil 312 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:35,240 was still burning, but it wasn't going to last forever if if 313 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,480 there was not going to be a successor, if there was not 314 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:42,040 going to be someone that continued on in this fire, this 315 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:45,640 flame, so to speak. The lamp stand was still 316 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,920 shining, but maybe only for a little while longer. 317 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:52,320 If it's if it is, if it's flickering, you have to imagine 318 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,720 that something's going to change quickly. 319 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:58,440 Something's going to happen. And if Aunt Samuel had stayed 320 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,920 asleep just to lingle longer, I have to imagine what if the 321 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:04,160 flame ended up going. Out. 322 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,560 What if it, What if? What if the Spirit had departed 323 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:12,240 from that place? The moment would have passed and 324 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:19,240 the time would have been over. Leviticus 24 and 2 even 325 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:23,960 commanded the priests to bring pure oil so the lamps would burn 326 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,600 continually. Continually. 327 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:28,720 It was. It was the priest job to tend 328 00:21:28,720 --> 00:21:31,320 the fire, to check it, to fuel it, to keep it alive. 329 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:34,600 But in Eli's day, that fire was dying. 330 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:39,440 And if Samuel had stayed, that stayed there longer and he had 331 00:21:39,440 --> 00:21:42,880 just decided to stay asleep, no matter how many times it's after 332 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,640 the fact, no matter how many times if he just decided to stay 333 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,680 asleep. Cuz you hear when you're in a 334 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:49,480 house. And around here, we got a lot of 335 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,000 old houses, right? If you hear the creaking in the 336 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:54,560 blah, blah, blah, if you got up every single time you heard a 337 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,200 Creek in your house, you would not sleep. 338 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:02,680 And so we would be none to it. And that's probably the same. 339 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,240 What could have happened with Samuel? 340 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:06,840 Samuel could have just kept hearing it like, whatever, 341 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,520 whatever. If he's he says, he's not 342 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:12,600 calling. OK, Eli, you're not calling me. 343 00:22:12,600 --> 00:22:15,000 Good joke. All right? 344 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:18,280 I'm not falling for it this time, Right. 345 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:20,000 He could have. He could have. 346 00:22:20,200 --> 00:22:23,160 The lamp would have gone out. Presents would have lifted. 347 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:25,920 And a moment passed, right? Right. 348 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,360 We cannot assume that the lamp. We cannot assume that the 349 00:22:29,360 --> 00:22:34,800 opportunity will always be there because there will be a day 350 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:38,720 where we will no longer have that opportunity. 351 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,320 We will no longer have that opportunity to come to the horns 352 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,680 of the altar and and grab a hold of heaven. 353 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:50,280 We will no longer have that opportunity, and it may be too 354 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:55,000 late. We cannot assume that we can lie 355 00:22:55,000 --> 00:23:00,080 back down one more time and still have time to respond. 356 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:07,640 Paul said it in Ephesians 514. Awake thou that sleepest, and 357 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:11,760 arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. 358 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,920 Wake up while the flame is still burning. 359 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:20,520 Wake up while you have a chance, while the oil is still flowing, 360 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,720 because time is over the essence. 361 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:28,840 You don't have time to fall asleep one more time. 362 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,400 There is not enough time to do that. 363 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,360 Proverbs 6 and verse 9 through 11 says, How long wilt thou 364 00:23:38,360 --> 00:23:42,560 sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy 365 00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,040 sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little 366 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:48,000 slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep. 367 00:23:48,520 --> 00:23:54,520 So shall thy poverty come as one that travaileth, and thy want as 368 00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:58,080 an armed man. A little more sleep, a little 369 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:02,000 more delay, a little more postponing of the call of God 370 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,240 may just be to your your detriment. 371 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,320 And you wake up and you find that the lamp has gone out. 372 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:14,920 What if, what if Samuel had woke up and realized that the lamp 373 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:20,160 had gone out? And then Eli, he was waxing old? 374 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:27,600 What if that was the day you wake up and find the whole world 375 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:32,960 has changed, the window has closed, voice has moved on. 376 00:24:33,360 --> 00:24:36,200 Do not risk it. Do not gamble it. 377 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:40,160 Do not gamble the call of God on your life on. 378 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:43,400 I will do it when it is most convenient for me. 379 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,720 Yeah, so many, you know, you have the the classic trope. 380 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:49,640 And I try to tell students all the time. 381 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:53,080 Do not wait until oh, I'll wait till I have a job and blah, 382 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:54,920 blah. Or I'll, I'll wait till I'm 18, 383 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:56,560 I'm an adult. Then I'll start, you know, 384 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,240 serving God correctly and and doing all that. 385 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:03,440 It's too late by that point and you haven't created a habit of, 386 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,560 of, of anything. You haven't created a habit of, 387 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:08,520 of reading your Bible. You haven't created a habit of 388 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,760 coming to church consistently. You haven't created a habit of 389 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:13,800 fasting. You haven't created a habit of 390 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,920 having a relationship with God at all in any assemblance. 391 00:25:17,120 --> 00:25:20,640 And you allow different external factors to affect you. 392 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,000 You are too far gone by the time you're an adult. 393 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:27,760 It's too gone. It's too it's too late. 394 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:32,200 The question is, are you going to turn around and go back to 395 00:25:32,200 --> 00:25:38,320 what you have known, go back to what you even grew up around, or 396 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:44,120 are you going to let the light? Run out when Eli. 397 00:25:44,120 --> 00:25:47,480 Realizes it. If you hear it again, don't run 398 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:49,920 to me. Say right where you are. 399 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:52,400 Speak. Lord, thy servant heareth. 400 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,160 The next time Samuel hears that voice, he doesn't run the 401 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:01,680 comfort or familiarity. He doesn't run to a man. 402 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,840 He stays still and he positions his heart and he says, speak 403 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:12,560 Lord, your servant is listening. And from that day on, Samuel 404 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,640 didn't just serve the temple, he served the voice. 405 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:21,280 He didn't just minister before men, he ministered before God, 406 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:26,760 the Bible says in First Samuel 319 it says and Samuel grew and 407 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:32,040 the Lord was with him and did let none of his words fall to 408 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,480 the ground. Everything God put in Samuel's 409 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:39,640 mouth came to pass because Samuel didn't just hear the 410 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:43,080 word, he obeyed the word. He didn't just encounter the 411 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:47,240 presence, he was shaped by it. He didn't just get close to the 412 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:50,480 fire, he he carried it inside of him. 413 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:59,920 The lamp is still burning, but will we wake up or will we stay 414 00:26:59,920 --> 00:27:01,560 asleep? At the lampstand. 415 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:05,520 It's here. We know that it's a semblance of 416 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:08,720 of His spirit. We know that when we come here 417 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,520 that He is present. We're in the right place at the 418 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:14,440 right time, in the right atmosphere, and yet we still let 419 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:19,360 moments pass us by for familiarity purposes, for the 420 00:27:19,360 --> 00:27:23,640 purpose that we think that oh, I still have however many years 421 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,680 XYZI still have tomorrow. We're not promised tomorrow, but 422 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:29,280 somehow we still think I still have tomorrow. 423 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:37,440 We postpone call, We postpone getting right because we think I 424 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:42,920 still have time. But do you? 425 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:48,400 But do you, John One and Five says in the light shineth in the 426 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:53,080 darkness, His light and the darkness comprehended it not. 427 00:27:54,640 --> 00:28:02,120 The light is there, the light is here, but are we not 428 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:07,520 comprehending it? Are we not understanding it? 429 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:13,400 Are we not taking the time? Because we are a Society of 430 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:16,720 people that everything has to be instant. 431 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,600 Microwaves weren't fast enough, So what did we make? 432 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:25,720 Instant cookers, Air fryers. I love my air fryer though. 433 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,240 But we did. We made those because it wasn't 434 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,080 quick enough. How can I make this faster? 435 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:39,520 I need it now. And yet we have done that. 436 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:47,440 We try to instant cook a with a move of God to the point that we 437 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:51,960 have conferences and and we have all of these great revivals and 438 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,120 all this stuff. That's that's all good. 439 00:28:55,160 --> 00:29:01,400 But we we stick to that schedule so tightly that if anything 440 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:13,330 happens, Lord forbid there be a move of God, we do not enough. 441 00:29:13,410 --> 00:29:15,450 In my opinion. I am guilty of it. 442 00:29:15,890 --> 00:29:21,970 I found myself more often lately being more just present in 443 00:29:21,970 --> 00:29:29,570 prayer than even talking. We we get so we get so caught up 444 00:29:29,810 --> 00:29:34,330 in I have to say this or I have to do this. 445 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:39,840 And sometimes by the end of the prayer, we give all of the we we 446 00:29:40,400 --> 00:29:45,720 blurred everything out and there may just be the voice over here 447 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:51,800 wanting to actually speak, but we have just decided, all right, 448 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,640 I need this, this, this, this, this, or bless, bless these 449 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:56,320 people here, these people, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 450 00:29:56,560 --> 00:30:01,080 Thanks guys, bye. If prayer is supposed to be a 451 00:30:01,080 --> 00:30:05,600 two way St. just like a relationship, then maybe 452 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:10,960 sometimes we need just shut up, be quiet, stop. 453 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:15,040 Because I think sometimes, even if I'm not hearing. 454 00:30:15,360 --> 00:30:18,600 Thus sayeth the Lord, this is what you need to do. 455 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:24,480 I may not hear that Lord bless you if you do, but sometimes he 456 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,560 may just put something in your heart, put something in your 457 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:30,520 spirit and print something on your mind. 458 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,160 Maybe, maybe there just may be something that you're missing 459 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:36,680 because you're deciding to rush through all of it. 460 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:41,160 I got to get all this done. And here's all my To Do List of 461 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:45,040 what you can do for me. God, and I'm going to move on. 462 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:50,680 And he's just over here. He's speaking, but we've already 463 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:54,480 left. And the question is, is, are you 464 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:58,200 going to wait? Are you going to wait till the 465 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:01,880 opportunity is right for you? Or is he going to have to stop 466 00:31:01,880 --> 00:31:05,480 you? Is he going to have to stop you 467 00:31:05,480 --> 00:31:08,680 in your tracks? Is something in your life going 468 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:12,160 to have to change in order for him to get your attention? 469 00:31:13,480 --> 00:31:17,360 Don't think it's by accident. That's things happen when you 470 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:21,040 were you're going about your day and and everything you just 471 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:25,080 start to why did that happen? Aggravate me and you blame it on 472 00:31:25,080 --> 00:31:29,360 you blame it on the devil, right We always classic oh slew fight. 473 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:35,840 But could it be that the Lord may just be trying to get your 474 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,840 attention? Could it be that you're trying 475 00:31:38,840 --> 00:31:42,200 to go throughout and just go through the motions and do 476 00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:45,800 everything the the right way and the way that you, you know it to 477 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:50,080 be and you're not taking time to entertain. 478 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:53,840 You're not taking time to entertain his presence so much 479 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:57,720 so that he starts to try to get your attentions with some of 480 00:31:57,720 --> 00:32:01,920 these things that you start to blame on Satan and Satan's over 481 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:02,880 there. Like, are you serious? 482 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:06,480 I could do it, but that's not me. 483 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,600 Now he, he deserves everything he gets, but it's still funny. 484 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:17,320 But God may want to get your attention. 485 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:20,160 The question is, is are you going to allow him to speak it 486 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:25,160 or is he going to have to change your life in order to get your 487 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:28,440 attention When he speaks, don't run to man. 488 00:32:30,080 --> 00:32:32,120 Don't go back to your comfort zone. 489 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:37,640 Stay still, lift your hands, lift your head. 490 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,560 Speak. Lord, Your servant is listening. 491 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:49,080 I wonder if we could stand tonight as music comes. 492 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,280 Have you gone through the motions? 493 00:32:53,280 --> 00:32:56,280 Has it gotten, has it gotten stale for you? 494 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:03,960 Then maybe you need to come back, come back to familiarity 495 00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:08,920 with him and relationship. Have you, have you gone so far 496 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:12,480 as to the point of it? It's just, it's just the usual. 497 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:17,040 Have we allowed ourselves to become numb when the we're 498 00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,560 literally? In the right place at the right 499 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:23,280 time. In the right atmosphere, we are 500 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:25,840 all guilty from it, from of it from time to time. 501 00:33:25,840 --> 00:33:30,160 The question is, is will we wake up and realize it or will we 502 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,920 miss the moment? Will we miss the time frame? 503 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:40,720 Will we miss the opportunity? So much so that we have gone. 504 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:44,440 It has gone away from us and it is turned. 505 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:49,560 We have been turned away from God so much that he's no longer 506 00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:52,840 there, that the moment has then passed. 507 00:33:54,240 --> 00:34:01,360 God, I wonder, I wonder what I can do to take moments and 508 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:06,240 listen to your voice. You're speaking, but am I 509 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:11,159 listening? God, convict us today that you 510 00:34:11,159 --> 00:34:14,760 would speak and we would take the time to listen. 511 00:34:15,560 --> 00:34:20,239 These altars are open tonight. Lord, if you feel, if you feel a 512 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:25,560 longing to come back, maybe it just so happens that you've been 513 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:30,440 going through the motions, come back to familiarity. 514 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:35,440 The the lamp stand is still lit. The moment's still here. 515 00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:39,679 The opportunity's still here. Are you going to answer and say 516 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:44,280 Lord, speak. Your servant is listening. 517 00:34:45,159 --> 00:34:48,679 God, I have gone through seasons in my life where I have gone 518 00:34:48,679 --> 00:34:51,440 through the motions and I have not taken the time. 519 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:58,040 I have not taken the opportunity and I have missed you speaking. 520 00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:02,200 I have missed it because I was so caught up in what I needed to 521 00:35:02,200 --> 00:35:05,040 do, so caught up in all of the day-to-day. 522 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:09,920 God, have I missed things that I could have. 523 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:12,800 I could have gotten closer to you. 524 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:18,520 I could have gotten answer from you, but I was too focused on 525 00:35:18,520 --> 00:35:20,760 what I need. I was too focused on what needed 526 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:24,760 to be done. Oh Lord, help us not to fall 527 00:35:24,760 --> 00:35:27,000 asleep. Not fall asleep. 528 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:31,440 Fall none to the lampstand and to your voice. 529 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:34,640 Oh Hallelujah.