September 29, 2025 • 24 mins
The call of God on our lives rarely aligns with our own expectations or perceived abilities. In this powerful exploration of Jeremiah chapter 1, Pastor Lee and Erica unpack the profound truth that God designs us for specific purposes before we even exist.
What happens when God disrupts your carefully planned life with an unexpected calling? Jeremiah faced this exact situation as a young man from a priestly family. Instead of following the predictable priestly path, God called him to the challenging, unpredictable role of a prophet. His immediate response? Excuses about his youth and inability to speak well – something many of us can relate to when facing divine disruption.
The heart of this episode centers on a transformative truth: "When God speaks to you about something, what you do next shows what you believe about God." Are you making excuses that reveal a lack of faith, or stepping out in obedience despite your fears? Pastor Lee and Erica examine how God responds to our hesitation with gentle reassurance and firm direction, promising His presence through every challenge.
Perhaps most encouraging is God's promise that He "watches over His word to perform it." When God speaks something over your life, He takes responsibility for bringing it to fulfillment. Your struggles haven't caught Him by surprise – He knew them before they arrived and has already prepared the way through them.
Whether you're questioning your purpose, resisting God's call, or seeking confirmation about a direction in your life, this episode offers biblical wisdom and practical encouragement to embrace God's divine appointment. Remember, if He called you to it, He will see you through it.
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_01 (00:07):
What's going on, everybody?
How are you doing?
Welcome back to another episodeof Beyond Sunday.
I am Pastor Lee, I pastor ChristFamily Outreach Church located
in Amelia, Virginia.
And as always, I want to welcomeyou on out.
Our service begins Thursdaynight at 7 p.m.
and Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.
Today at the table with me, I'vegot my bride yet again, Erica
(00:29):
Boo.
How are you doing today?
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
I'm doing great.
Thank you.
Such a privilege to be on here.
SPEAKER_01 (00:35):
Amen.
Yes.
And I'm thankful that you'rehere.
Today we're going to be talkingto the listeners about Jeremiah
chapter one.
And I can remember kind of whatsparked this whole thing was.
You were sitting in your chairin the living room.
I was sitting in the chair inthe living room.
And you were just kind ofreading through Jeremiah chapter
one and maybe some of chaptertwo.
But it was just, it was justsuch a blessing.
And I think we both knew rightaway that, okay, we've got to
(00:57):
share this with the people onthe next episode.
So why don't you kind of lay thegroundwork of what's going on
right here?
A little history piece of what'staking place with Jeremiah and
his call.
SPEAKER_00 (01:08):
Oh, so good, so good.
So here, Jeremiah um isestimated to be between the ages
of 17 and 22.
SPEAKER_01 (01:16):
So he's a young man.
SPEAKER_00 (01:18):
Yes.
And um, when God called himduring the 13th year of Josiah's
reign in around 626 BC, and hisfather was a priest, and you can
see that in verse one, and evenhis grandfather.
So Jeremiah was expected tofollow suit.
Priests' duties werepredictable, right?
(01:39):
They had to follow instructions.
Day after day they did thesacrifices, they had lepers to
examine, a sanctuary to carefor, and the list goes on.
SPEAKER_01 (01:49):
Busy job to do.
SPEAKER_00 (01:51):
Not necessarily easy, but predictable, right?
But the ministry of a prophetwas unpredictable.
Priest at that time dealt withthe external uncleanliness of
people and offering varioussacrifices, but a prophet dealt
with the reaching and changingof hearts of the people.
And actually in Jeremiah, theword heart is found 66 times.
(02:18):
Jeremiah would have had a mucheasier time serving as a priest.
So you can see, and we're goingto read about it, he actually
questions God's call when Godcalls him.
So I don't know if you want toread the first.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Yeah, we're going to jump right into it.
Jeremiah chapter one.
We're going to begin with thefourth verse, my friends.
Jeremiah 1, 4.
Jeremiah says, Now the word ofthe Lord came to me.
And I just want to apply thatright there, right off the bat,
to our personal lives right now.
Ask yourself, my friends, thisone question before we go any
further in Jeremiah chapter one.
(02:51):
What is God saying to you?
What has God Almighty beentrying to get across to you in
your life?
What is God saying?
If you're taking notes, I wantto write, I want you to write
that down.
What is God saying to me rightnow?
Erica, I'd like to bring up afew scenarios and just have the
listeners kind of figure outwhere they are in life right now
(03:12):
when it comes to God speaking tothem, just based off of what we
just touched on in Jeremiah 1:4.
So here's a few scenarios.
Just go throw three out there.
Someone out there may say,Pastor, I don't hear God or feel
God speaking to me or leading meat all.
And my thought to that, Erica,is well, get into God's word, go
deeper in your Bible, praying toHim, as well as getting involved
(03:33):
in a good, God-honoring,God-fearing, Bible teaching
growing church.
That's that's scenario numberone I want to think about.
Scenario number two, others knowwhat God is telling them to do.
They know what God is callingthem to do, but they just won't
commit to it because why?
It's it's a life change.
And what is everybody gonnathink?
(03:55):
Are people gonna think that thatthey've gone crazy or holy
rollers or they've jumped offthe deep end, right?
Or how are they gonna beaccepted?
Maybe, maybe they just don'twant to change like that.
And then the third scenario isthere are people who hear what
God is saying, they understandloud and clear what he wants
them to do, and they do it.
(04:15):
So let me just say this what ablessing it is that the creator
of heaven and earth loves us somuch that he has relationship
with us.
But the piece that I want toreally pull away here is as we
as we take off, as we kind ofpush away from the shore and we
we journey in Jeremiah chapterone, the word of God comes to
him.
SPEAKER_00 (04:35):
And you know, when God calls us, he isn't making a
mistake.
And so many times I think wethink, is he making a mistake
when he's calling me?
Or I thought my life was plannedthis way, it's more predictable,
it's still a good life, but it'sA, B, C, and D.
And um he he couldn't be askingme to do this.
(04:58):
But Second Corinthians 3 5 says,not that we are competent in
ourselves to claim anything forourselves, but our competence
comes from God.
And listeners, if the Lord'scalling you to do something, he
does not make mistakes, he willmake you competent in whatever
he is calling you to do.
SPEAKER_01 (05:19):
Yeah, so you touched on the fact that he he's young,
they think between the age of 17to 22.
Yeah.
Okay, so 1 Timothy 4 12 says,Let no one despise you for your
youth, but set the believers anexample in speech, in conduct,
in love, in faith, and inpurity.
The good news is for Jeremiah isthat the word of God does come
(05:42):
to him, and God has a messagefor him to give to the people.
So God is gonna speak throughJeremiah to warn the nation.
God addresses Jeremiah with apersonal message before God
speaks to him about the message.
And I see great beauty in that.
But before God's gonna lay outthis message about the nation,
God is conversing, he's got thismessage for the man, for the
(06:05):
man, Jeremiah.
So Jeremiah 1:5, God tellsJeremiah this here's the message
from God to the heart of man,Jeremiah.
Before I formed you in the womb,I knew you.
And before you were born, Iconsecrated you.
I appointed you a prophet to thenations.
(06:26):
To me, that's Erica, that's likesuch an icebreaker.
You know, it's such a beautifulmoment before God just gives
this message that Jeremiah isgonna go out there and and warn
the people.
It's as if God is saying,Jeremiah, I want to calm you.
I want you to know that I'm incontrol, that that, yeah, you
(06:47):
you may not be qualified forthis position, but I am because
I'm God.
And since I'm calling you, thatthat call alone makes you now
qualified.
This is not a mistake.
I haven't accidentally chosenthe wrong man here.
He says, Before I formed you inthe womb, I knew you.
So so there's no doubt God's gotthe right man.
He says, and before you wereborn, I consecrated you.
(07:08):
So in other words, I've set youapart for such a time as this.
There's no accident that I'meven calling you now.
Because I'm sure there's somepeople out there that are like,
well, I feel God's calling me,but is this the right time?
I don't feel ready.
I don't feel prepared.
If God said go, then it is theright time.
You know, if God says go, it'sthe right time.
And then God says, I appointedyou a prophet to the nations.
(07:33):
So what I'm gonna tell you, Iexpect you to go speak.
SPEAKER_00 (07:37):
Yeah.
You can't out outrun God'scalling in your life.
No, you can't outrun it.
SPEAKER_01 (07:41):
No, you can you can try, but you're not gonna be
successful at it.
SPEAKER_00 (07:44):
Yeah.
Most of the listeners haveprobably heard this, but I I
want to read it because it goeswith that.
Psalm 139, 13 through 16.
For you created my inmost being,you knit me together in my
mother's womb.
I praise you because I amfearfully and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful.
(08:04):
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from youwhen I was made in a secret
place.
SPEAKER_01 (08:10):
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (08:11):
When I was woven together in the depths of the
earth, your eyes saw my unfirmedbody.
All the days ordained for mewere written in your book before
one of them came to be.
That is a scripture for everysingle one of us.
SPEAKER_01 (08:26):
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (08:27):
The Lord created us and and just knit us together in
our mother's womb.
And so, just like Jeremiah, hehas a plan for your life.
What is it?
And are you gonna follow theplan and the calling he has for
you?
SPEAKER_01 (08:41):
Yeah, again, it's like I said, the question to
write down is what is Godspeaking to me?
What is God trying to getthrough to my heart for my life?
Consecrated, because this iswhat God says to Jeremiah.
He says, Before I formed you inthe womb, I knew you, and before
you were born, I consecratedyou.
The word consecrate means to beset apart.
(09:01):
He is saying, Jeremiah, I setyou apart.
Before you, Jeremiah, even knewwho you were, before you,
Jeremiah, even knew who I am, Iset you apart.
So, so God is reassuringJeremiah here that God is the
one in control and that Godwants to use Jeremiah for such a
(09:22):
time as this right now.
So this this moment may be maybenew for Jeremiah.
Think about this.
This moment may be new forJeremiah, but but this is no
surprise on God.
SPEAKER_00 (09:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (09:33):
God has He has ordained this moment, He has
planned this moment, God istelling Jeremiah, hey, this
doesn't surprise me at all.
God knew the entire time thatit's gonna come down to this.
And Jeremiah was the man thatGod was gonna work through.
And so could I just encouragethe listeners out there that no
matter where you are, no matterwhat you're going through in
(09:53):
life right now and what you'reexperiencing, no, no, no matter
where you're listening from orwhat you're going through, your
struggle, your battle, it's notcaught God by surprise.
Again, I'm telling you, whatyou're going through in life, it
has not caught God by surprise.
So, so how do you know that youjust so haven't been placed
(10:13):
right where you are, goingexactly through what you're
going through for such a time asthis to be a representative of
God, a representative of hispower, a representative of his
strength, his mercy, his grace,his forgiveness, and all that
God wants to do.
SPEAKER_00 (10:30):
It excites me because I believe that we're
created in the exact time thatthe Lord wanted us for such this
time.
And so many people say, it's sohard raising children, it's such
a dark time, there's so muchdarkness around, um, or even for
themselves.
But God had us here at thismoment of time for a reason.
(10:54):
And are we gonna stand up inthis moment of time?
And are we gonna raise ourchildren to be warriors of the
faith?
We shouldn't be sorry that theywere born in this time.
They were here.
We are to raise them as warriorsfor the faith.
Um, and I see that happeningright now with our young people.
And it gets me so excited.
I just believe that a greatrevival is about to happen.
SPEAKER_01 (11:18):
Amen.
I know the darker something is,the lighter and the brighter the
light is when it shines in andthrough it.
The brighter that light's gonnaappear, right?
So it could be daytime and youcould turn a flashlight on, and
that flashlight is not gonnalook that great.
You can turn all the lights out,get it as black as dark as you
can get it, turn the flashlighton, right?
And that all of a sudden thatflashlight just looks so, so
(11:41):
bright, so extraordinary.
And this is the time that we'reliving in.
This is the opportunity thatwe've been given by God to truly
be salt and light to a very darkworld.
And so, yes, it it is a lot ofevil out there, but we serve a
holy and a righteous God whogives us the opportunity to go
minister to lost souls.
So, so here we go.
(12:02):
God has just told Jeremiah thathe has appointed him a prophet
to the nations.
And Jeremiah's response isactually found in the sixth
verse.
He's it says, and then I said,Oh, Lord God, behold, I do not
know how to speak, for I am onlya youth.
Jeremiah goes right into makingan excuse.
(12:22):
He goes right into the excusebusiness, looking at what he
sees rather than what God sees.
And how many times are we guiltyof that?
We we we look at what we see inthe mirror when God looks on the
inside of a person.
So, so so we're too busy seeingour flaws.
And of course, God sees theflaws, but he sees beyond that
because he's focusing on howhe's gonna be able to use us.
(12:45):
And so, how powerful and howbeautiful it would be if we
could look into a mirror andactually see what God sees
rather than what we see.
And and in last week's sermon, Imentioned the topic of making
excuses and not doing what Godcalls his people to do.
And I said the followingstatement: listen closely.
When God speaks to you aboutsomething, what you do next with
(13:09):
it will show what you believeabout God.
All right, I'm gonna say thatone more time.
When God speaks to you aboutsomething, what you do next with
it will show what you believeabout God.
In other words, you're eithergonna believe God can do
whatever He wants to do throughyour life, even though if it
seems unpossible for you, and inyour eyes, you're gonna step out
and you're gonna do it becauseGod said you could, or you're
(13:30):
gonna come up with some type ofexcuse and not step out in
faith.
And some people believe that Godcan do miracles, right?
I mean, we we we can agree withthat as Christians.
Of course God can do miracles,uh, but maybe just for other
people.
Some people so lower the bar onwhat God can do for their life
that they believe God can healothers, but but not them.
And so again, when God gives youa word, when God gives you a
(13:53):
call, when God prompts you to dosomething, what you do next is
gonna really, really show whatyou believe about God.
So, Erica, kind of before I handit over to you right here, I've
got a question for thelisteners.
Are you making excuses?
Are you making excuses whichshow a lack of faith that are
hindering God from workingsomething out in your life?
SPEAKER_00 (14:13):
I want to read Hebrews 13, 5, 6.
It says, Never will I leave you,never will I forsake you.
So we say with confidence, theLord is my helper, I will not be
afraid.
What can man do to me?
And so here Jeremiah is saying,I don't know how to speak.
(14:33):
I'm only a child.
So he gives two reasons of whyhe shouldn't do this.
And one of them was his speech,and one of them was his age.
And Jeremiah ends up answeringthe call.
And it's kind of like with us,right?
Are we gonna choose to becourageous or not?
Are we gonna choose to trust Godor not?
(14:56):
Um, and I have a quote here fromCharlie Kirk.
He says, if you believe insomething, you need to have the
courage to fight for thoseideas.
Conviction without courage isjust noise.
SPEAKER_01 (15:10):
That's good.
SPEAKER_00 (15:11):
And so, so how many of us have the conviction of
different things, but we don'thave the courage to act on
those?
And right here, all throughoutGod's word, he tells us that
he's gonna be with us.
He is our helper.
We are to not be afraid.
What can man do to us?
And so when he calls you, he'llequip you and he'll he'll give
(15:32):
you what you need.
Just follow the call.
SPEAKER_01 (15:35):
Yeah.
God's response to Jeremiah'sexcuse, we find that in Jeremiah
1, 7 through 8.
But the Lord God said to me, Donot say, I am only a youth, for
to all to whom I send you, youshall go.
And whatever I command you, youshall speak.
Do not be afraid of them, for Iam with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.
(15:56):
So he never leaves us norforsakes us, right?
We know that as Christians.
So when we realize that his HolySpirit is living and working on
the inside of us as hischildren, when we realize that
we are walking in step with hisHoly Spirit and doing what he
has asked us to do, there'sabsolutely no reason to fear.
There's absolutely zero reasonto doubt, wondering if God is
(16:16):
gonna work all this out or notfor us.
Of course he is.
Of course he is.
If he called you to it, he'sgonna see you through it.
So, so God told Jeremiah, do notbe afraid of them.
Do not be afraid of thesepeople.
I am with you, God says, I amwith you to deliver you.
SPEAKER_00 (16:34):
Yeah, so good.
And you can, as you read throughJeremiah, you're gonna see where
there are times that he'spersecuted, there are hard
trials that he goes through.
Just because the Lord says righthere, I am with you and will
rescue you, doesn't mean thathis life is easy.
It actually later on in thechapter of Jeremiah, the Lord
even tells him, Don't even getmarried and have children
(16:56):
because it it's gonna be tough.
You know, calamity is gonna becoming and it's gonna be tough.
But he's saying, even thoughthings are gonna be hard, I will
be with you, I will rescue you.
SPEAKER_01 (17:08):
The fact that God tells him, I will rescue you,
just proves the point thatJeremiah is gonna go through
something.
SPEAKER_00 (17:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (17:17):
If we as Christians don't go through anything, then
we don't need rescuing.
We don't need rescuing.
And so this is the beauty, thisis the beauty of it all, that
God is there and God says, Son,I've called you, I've set you
apart, I knew you before youeven knew you.
I knew you before you even knewwho I was.
Jeremiah 1, 9 through 12 saysthis.
(17:38):
Then the Lord put out his handand touched my mouth.
And the Lord said to me, Behold,I have put my words in your
mouth.
See, I have set you this dayover nations and over kingdoms
to pluck up and to break down,to destroy and to overthrow, to
build and to plant.
And the word of the Lord came tome saying, Jeremiah, what do you
(18:02):
see?
And I said, I see an almondbranch.
And then the Lord said to me,You have seen well, for I am
watching over my word to performit.
SPEAKER_00 (18:14):
I love that verse.
So good.
SPEAKER_01 (18:16):
One of my favorites that God watches over his word
to perform it.
SPEAKER_00 (18:21):
It says right here in verse nine, the Lord reached
out his hand and it touched mymouth.
And then the Lord, it was likeHe was just putting his hands
over him and just praying thislike this prayer over him.
And when he touched Jeremiah'smouth, it at that moment it gave
Jeremiah power and authority.
(18:42):
And all of us that have acceptedChrist as our Lord and Savior
and have the Holy Spirit livinginside of us, Jesus says he's
given us that power andauthority.
Yes.
We have that living inside ofus.
Yes, absolutely.
And not only did God giveJeremiah the words to speak, he
also promised to watch overthose words until they were
(19:02):
fulfilled.
How awesome is that?
The Lord's saying, I'm gonnagive you the words to speak.
And once you speak them, I amwatching over those words until
they're fulfilled.
What power and authority is overthat?
There is power in our words.
There are power in everythingthat you say.
So, listeners, be careful whatyou say.
(19:22):
Do not speak death, but speaklife.
Speak scripture because we knowscripture to be truth.
SPEAKER_01 (19:28):
God watches over his people.
God watches over his word.
So if we walk in obedience towhat God has spoken over our
lives, here's the good news,friends.
God is the one who's gonna seeit through to completion.
I don't have to figure out theformula to make this verse and
this work work in my life towalk in victory.
No, no, no.
(19:49):
That's God's job.
What God speaks, he's gonna seeit through to happen.
Okay.
I've just got to have the faithto believe that God's word is
truth.
It is the one absolute truth.
And I've got to believe that Godis going to perform this word in
my life.
He is watching over it to makesure that it does what it says
it's gonna do.
Philippians 1, 6 says, and I amsure of this, that he who began
(20:13):
a good work in you will bring itto completion at the day of
Jesus Christ.
So, friends, I just want to say,be encouraged.
Stay strong, remain steadfast,stand strong in your faith and
in God through Jesus Christ.
Listen for what God is callingyou to do in your life because
you're never gonna go wrong.
You will never ever go wrongwalking in obedience to what God
(20:38):
tells you to do.
SPEAKER_00 (20:40):
I I just want to talk about the word of God one
last time as we're kind ofending in the power of it.
The word of God created theuniverse, the word of God, the
word of God we have access toevery day.
Do we utilize it?
And I want to read Isaiah 55, 10through 11.
(21:04):
It says, as the rain and thesnow come down from heaven and
do not return to it withoutwatering the earth and making it
bud and flourish, so that ityields seed for the sower and
bread for the eater.
So is my word that goes out frommy mouth, it will not return to
(21:25):
me empty, but will accomplishwhat I desire and achieve the
purpose for which I sent it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:31):
That's good.
SPEAKER_00 (21:32):
That's a promise.
SPEAKER_01 (21:33):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:33):
That is a promise.
So declare the word, declare itover your family, declare it
over your life, declare the wordover your business, any and
everything.
Declare that word, pray theword, speak the word.
It says right here in his wordthat it will not return to him
empty.
It will accomplish what hedesires and will achieve the
purpose for which he sent it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:55):
That's so good.
His word brings life.
And my friends, that's what wehope that this episode of Beyond
Sunday has done for you.
That it has encouraged you, thatthe word of God that we've
shared with you today hasbrought life into your heart and
your mind, that you have thatyou have received some joy
(22:16):
today, knowing that God's gotall this in control.
No matter what you're goingthrough, God knows exactly who
you are.
He knew you before you were evenin the womb of your mother.
God's got this.
And nothing, absolutely nothingthat you're struggling with,
absolutely no test, trial, ortemptation that you're faced
with right now, none of that hascaught God by surprise.
(22:39):
Let's pray.
Father, I thank you so much.
I thank you, God, that you loveus the way that you do.
That you love us so much thatyou sent your only begotten Son
for every one of us, thatwhosoever shall believe it in
you would not perish, but haveeverlasting life.
Father, I pray in the name ofthe blood of Jesus for all those
(23:00):
that are listening that arebattling right now.
Lord, that they would beencouraged, knowing that this
battle, even if it may havecaught them by surprise, you
knew it was coming.
You seen the storm brewing offin the distance.
Father, you were not surprised.
So, Lord, I pray that we wouldjust stay plugged into you, that
we would press into you, that wewould not lean on our own
(23:22):
understanding, and that we wouldtrust you for all things.
We ask all of this in the nameof the blood of Jesus.
And Father, I pray that youwould refresh, recharge, and
encourage your people in Jesus'name and blood.
Everybody, my friend, saidtogether.
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (23:40):
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (23:41):
And amen.
I just want to say, make sureyou guys tune in to Beyond
Sunday next week.
We have a very special guestcoming into the studio.
Erica will be with me, but wewill be interviewing somebody uh
who is very special in ourministry.
So until next time on BeyondSunday, keep studying the word
(24:01):
of God and keep going to theFather in prayer.
God bless.
What's going on, everybody?
How are you doing?
Welcome back to another episodeof Beyond Sunday.
I am Pastor Lee, I pastor ChristFamily Outreach Church located
in Amelia, Virginia.
And as always, I want to welcomeyou on out.
Our service begins Thursdaynight at 7 p.m.
and Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.
Today at the table with me, I'vegot my bride yet again, Erica
(00:29):
Boo.
How are you doing today?
SPEAKER_00 (00:31):
I'm doing great.
Thank you.
Such a privilege to be on here.
SPEAKER_01 (00:35):
Amen.
Yes.
And I'm thankful that you'rehere.
Today we're going to be talkingto the listeners about Jeremiah
chapter one.
And I can remember kind of whatsparked this whole thing was.
You were sitting in your chairin the living room.
I was sitting in the chair inthe living room.
And you were just kind ofreading through Jeremiah chapter
one and maybe some of chaptertwo.
But it was just, it was justsuch a blessing.
And I think we both knew rightaway that, okay, we've got to
(00:57):
share this with the people onthe next episode.
So why don't you kind of lay thegroundwork of what's going on
right here?
A little history piece of what'staking place with Jeremiah and
his call.
SPEAKER_00 (01:08):
Oh, so good, so good.
So here, Jeremiah um isestimated to be between the ages
of 17 and 22.
SPEAKER_01 (01:16):
So he's a young man.
SPEAKER_00 (01:18):
Yes.
And um, when God called himduring the 13th year of Josiah's
reign in around 626 BC, and hisfather was a priest, and you can
see that in verse one, and evenhis grandfather.
So Jeremiah was expected tofollow suit.
Priests' duties werepredictable, right?
(01:39):
They had to follow instructions.
Day after day they did thesacrifices, they had lepers to
examine, a sanctuary to carefor, and the list goes on.
SPEAKER_01 (01:49):
Busy job to do.
SPEAKER_00 (01:51):
Not necessarily easy, but predictable, right?
But the ministry of a prophetwas unpredictable.
Priest at that time dealt withthe external uncleanliness of
people and offering varioussacrifices, but a prophet dealt
with the reaching and changingof hearts of the people.
And actually in Jeremiah, theword heart is found 66 times.
(02:18):
Jeremiah would have had a mucheasier time serving as a priest.
So you can see, and we're goingto read about it, he actually
questions God's call when Godcalls him.
So I don't know if you want toread the first.
SPEAKER_01 (02:30):
Yeah, we're going to jump right into it.
Jeremiah chapter one.
We're going to begin with thefourth verse, my friends.
Jeremiah 1, 4.
Jeremiah says, Now the word ofthe Lord came to me.
And I just want to apply thatright there, right off the bat,
to our personal lives right now.
Ask yourself, my friends, thisone question before we go any
further in Jeremiah chapter one.
(02:51):
What is God saying to you?
What has God Almighty beentrying to get across to you in
your life?
What is God saying?
If you're taking notes, I wantto write, I want you to write
that down.
What is God saying to me rightnow?
Erica, I'd like to bring up afew scenarios and just have the
listeners kind of figure outwhere they are in life right now
(03:12):
when it comes to God speaking tothem, just based off of what we
just touched on in Jeremiah 1:4.
So here's a few scenarios.
Just go throw three out there.
Someone out there may say,Pastor, I don't hear God or feel
God speaking to me or leading meat all.
And my thought to that, Erica,is well, get into God's word, go
deeper in your Bible, praying toHim, as well as getting involved
(03:33):
in a good, God-honoring,God-fearing, Bible teaching
growing church.
That's that's scenario numberone I want to think about.
Scenario number two, others knowwhat God is telling them to do.
They know what God is callingthem to do, but they just won't
commit to it because why?
It's it's a life change.
And what is everybody gonnathink?
(03:55):
Are people gonna think that thatthey've gone crazy or holy
rollers or they've jumped offthe deep end, right?
Or how are they gonna beaccepted?
Maybe, maybe they just don'twant to change like that.
And then the third scenario isthere are people who hear what
God is saying, they understandloud and clear what he wants
them to do, and they do it.
(04:15):
So let me just say this what ablessing it is that the creator
of heaven and earth loves us somuch that he has relationship
with us.
But the piece that I want toreally pull away here is as we
as we take off, as we kind ofpush away from the shore and we
we journey in Jeremiah chapterone, the word of God comes to
him.
SPEAKER_00 (04:35):
And you know, when God calls us, he isn't making a
mistake.
And so many times I think wethink, is he making a mistake
when he's calling me?
Or I thought my life was plannedthis way, it's more predictable,
it's still a good life, but it'sA, B, C, and D.
And um he he couldn't be askingme to do this.
(04:58):
But Second Corinthians 3 5 says,not that we are competent in
ourselves to claim anything forourselves, but our competence
comes from God.
And listeners, if the Lord'scalling you to do something, he
does not make mistakes, he willmake you competent in whatever
he is calling you to do.
SPEAKER_01 (05:19):
Yeah, so you touched on the fact that he he's young,
they think between the age of 17to 22.
Yeah.
Okay, so 1 Timothy 4 12 says,Let no one despise you for your
youth, but set the believers anexample in speech, in conduct,
in love, in faith, and inpurity.
The good news is for Jeremiah isthat the word of God does come
(05:42):
to him, and God has a messagefor him to give to the people.
So God is gonna speak throughJeremiah to warn the nation.
God addresses Jeremiah with apersonal message before God
speaks to him about the message.
And I see great beauty in that.
But before God's gonna lay outthis message about the nation,
God is conversing, he's got thismessage for the man, for the
(06:05):
man, Jeremiah.
So Jeremiah 1:5, God tellsJeremiah this here's the message
from God to the heart of man,Jeremiah.
Before I formed you in the womb,I knew you.
And before you were born, Iconsecrated you.
I appointed you a prophet to thenations.
(06:26):
To me, that's Erica, that's likesuch an icebreaker.
You know, it's such a beautifulmoment before God just gives
this message that Jeremiah isgonna go out there and and warn
the people.
It's as if God is saying,Jeremiah, I want to calm you.
I want you to know that I'm incontrol, that that, yeah, you
(06:47):
you may not be qualified forthis position, but I am because
I'm God.
And since I'm calling you, thatthat call alone makes you now
qualified.
This is not a mistake.
I haven't accidentally chosenthe wrong man here.
He says, Before I formed you inthe womb, I knew you.
So so there's no doubt God's gotthe right man.
He says, and before you wereborn, I consecrated you.
(07:08):
So in other words, I've set youapart for such a time as this.
There's no accident that I'meven calling you now.
Because I'm sure there's somepeople out there that are like,
well, I feel God's calling me,but is this the right time?
I don't feel ready.
I don't feel prepared.
If God said go, then it is theright time.
You know, if God says go, it'sthe right time.
And then God says, I appointedyou a prophet to the nations.
(07:33):
So what I'm gonna tell you, Iexpect you to go speak.
SPEAKER_00 (07:37):
Yeah.
You can't out outrun God'scalling in your life.
No, you can't outrun it.
SPEAKER_01 (07:41):
No, you can you can try, but you're not gonna be
successful at it.
SPEAKER_00 (07:44):
Yeah.
Most of the listeners haveprobably heard this, but I I
want to read it because it goeswith that.
Psalm 139, 13 through 16.
For you created my inmost being,you knit me together in my
mother's womb.
I praise you because I amfearfully and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful.
(08:04):
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from youwhen I was made in a secret
place.
SPEAKER_01 (08:10):
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (08:11):
When I was woven together in the depths of the
earth, your eyes saw my unfirmedbody.
All the days ordained for mewere written in your book before
one of them came to be.
That is a scripture for everysingle one of us.
SPEAKER_01 (08:26):
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (08:27):
The Lord created us and and just knit us together in
our mother's womb.
And so, just like Jeremiah, hehas a plan for your life.
What is it?
And are you gonna follow theplan and the calling he has for
you?
SPEAKER_01 (08:41):
Yeah, again, it's like I said, the question to
write down is what is Godspeaking to me?
What is God trying to getthrough to my heart for my life?
Consecrated, because this iswhat God says to Jeremiah.
He says, Before I formed you inthe womb, I knew you, and before
you were born, I consecratedyou.
The word consecrate means to beset apart.
(09:01):
He is saying, Jeremiah, I setyou apart.
Before you, Jeremiah, even knewwho you were, before you,
Jeremiah, even knew who I am, Iset you apart.
So, so God is reassuringJeremiah here that God is the
one in control and that Godwants to use Jeremiah for such a
(09:22):
time as this right now.
So this this moment may be maybenew for Jeremiah.
Think about this.
This moment may be new forJeremiah, but but this is no
surprise on God.
SPEAKER_00 (09:32):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (09:33):
God has He has ordained this moment, He has
planned this moment, God istelling Jeremiah, hey, this
doesn't surprise me at all.
God knew the entire time thatit's gonna come down to this.
And Jeremiah was the man thatGod was gonna work through.
And so could I just encouragethe listeners out there that no
matter where you are, no matterwhat you're going through in
(09:53):
life right now and what you'reexperiencing, no, no, no matter
where you're listening from orwhat you're going through, your
struggle, your battle, it's notcaught God by surprise.
Again, I'm telling you, whatyou're going through in life, it
has not caught God by surprise.
So, so how do you know that youjust so haven't been placed
(10:13):
right where you are, goingexactly through what you're
going through for such a time asthis to be a representative of
God, a representative of hispower, a representative of his
strength, his mercy, his grace,his forgiveness, and all that
God wants to do.
SPEAKER_00 (10:30):
It excites me because I believe that we're
created in the exact time thatthe Lord wanted us for such this
time.
And so many people say, it's sohard raising children, it's such
a dark time, there's so muchdarkness around, um, or even for
themselves.
But God had us here at thismoment of time for a reason.
(10:54):
And are we gonna stand up inthis moment of time?
And are we gonna raise ourchildren to be warriors of the
faith?
We shouldn't be sorry that theywere born in this time.
They were here.
We are to raise them as warriorsfor the faith.
Um, and I see that happeningright now with our young people.
And it gets me so excited.
I just believe that a greatrevival is about to happen.
SPEAKER_01 (11:18):
Amen.
I know the darker something is,the lighter and the brighter the
light is when it shines in andthrough it.
The brighter that light's gonnaappear, right?
So it could be daytime and youcould turn a flashlight on, and
that flashlight is not gonnalook that great.
You can turn all the lights out,get it as black as dark as you
can get it, turn the flashlighton, right?
And that all of a sudden thatflashlight just looks so, so
(11:41):
bright, so extraordinary.
And this is the time that we'reliving in.
This is the opportunity thatwe've been given by God to truly
be salt and light to a very darkworld.
And so, yes, it it is a lot ofevil out there, but we serve a
holy and a righteous God whogives us the opportunity to go
minister to lost souls.
So, so here we go.
(12:02):
God has just told Jeremiah thathe has appointed him a prophet
to the nations.
And Jeremiah's response isactually found in the sixth
verse.
He's it says, and then I said,Oh, Lord God, behold, I do not
know how to speak, for I am onlya youth.
Jeremiah goes right into makingan excuse.
(12:22):
He goes right into the excusebusiness, looking at what he
sees rather than what God sees.
And how many times are we guiltyof that?
We we we look at what we see inthe mirror when God looks on the
inside of a person.
So, so so we're too busy seeingour flaws.
And of course, God sees theflaws, but he sees beyond that
because he's focusing on howhe's gonna be able to use us.
(12:45):
And so, how powerful and howbeautiful it would be if we
could look into a mirror andactually see what God sees
rather than what we see.
And and in last week's sermon, Imentioned the topic of making
excuses and not doing what Godcalls his people to do.
And I said the followingstatement: listen closely.
When God speaks to you aboutsomething, what you do next with
(13:09):
it will show what you believeabout God.
All right, I'm gonna say thatone more time.
When God speaks to you aboutsomething, what you do next with
it will show what you believeabout God.
In other words, you're eithergonna believe God can do
whatever He wants to do throughyour life, even though if it
seems unpossible for you, and inyour eyes, you're gonna step out
and you're gonna do it becauseGod said you could, or you're
(13:30):
gonna come up with some type ofexcuse and not step out in
faith.
And some people believe that Godcan do miracles, right?
I mean, we we we can agree withthat as Christians.
Of course God can do miracles,uh, but maybe just for other
people.
Some people so lower the bar onwhat God can do for their life
that they believe God can healothers, but but not them.
And so again, when God gives youa word, when God gives you a
(13:53):
call, when God prompts you to dosomething, what you do next is
gonna really, really show whatyou believe about God.
So, Erica, kind of before I handit over to you right here, I've
got a question for thelisteners.
Are you making excuses?
Are you making excuses whichshow a lack of faith that are
hindering God from workingsomething out in your life?
SPEAKER_00 (14:13):
I want to read Hebrews 13, 5, 6.
It says, Never will I leave you,never will I forsake you.
So we say with confidence, theLord is my helper, I will not be
afraid.
What can man do to me?
And so here Jeremiah is saying,I don't know how to speak.
(14:33):
I'm only a child.
So he gives two reasons of whyhe shouldn't do this.
And one of them was his speech,and one of them was his age.
And Jeremiah ends up answeringthe call.
And it's kind of like with us,right?
Are we gonna choose to becourageous or not?
Are we gonna choose to trust Godor not?
(14:56):
Um, and I have a quote here fromCharlie Kirk.
He says, if you believe insomething, you need to have the
courage to fight for thoseideas.
Conviction without courage isjust noise.
SPEAKER_01 (15:10):
That's good.
SPEAKER_00 (15:11):
And so, so how many of us have the conviction of
different things, but we don'thave the courage to act on
those?
And right here, all throughoutGod's word, he tells us that
he's gonna be with us.
He is our helper.
We are to not be afraid.
What can man do to us?
And so when he calls you, he'llequip you and he'll he'll give
(15:32):
you what you need.
Just follow the call.
SPEAKER_01 (15:35):
Yeah.
God's response to Jeremiah'sexcuse, we find that in Jeremiah
1, 7 through 8.
But the Lord God said to me, Donot say, I am only a youth, for
to all to whom I send you, youshall go.
And whatever I command you, youshall speak.
Do not be afraid of them, for Iam with you to deliver you,
declares the Lord.
(15:56):
So he never leaves us norforsakes us, right?
We know that as Christians.
So when we realize that his HolySpirit is living and working on
the inside of us as hischildren, when we realize that
we are walking in step with hisHoly Spirit and doing what he
has asked us to do, there'sabsolutely no reason to fear.
There's absolutely zero reasonto doubt, wondering if God is
(16:16):
gonna work all this out or notfor us.
Of course he is.
Of course he is.
If he called you to it, he'sgonna see you through it.
So, so God told Jeremiah, do notbe afraid of them.
Do not be afraid of thesepeople.
I am with you, God says, I amwith you to deliver you.
SPEAKER_00 (16:34):
Yeah, so good.
And you can, as you read throughJeremiah, you're gonna see where
there are times that he'spersecuted, there are hard
trials that he goes through.
Just because the Lord says righthere, I am with you and will
rescue you, doesn't mean thathis life is easy.
It actually later on in thechapter of Jeremiah, the Lord
even tells him, Don't even getmarried and have children
(16:56):
because it it's gonna be tough.
You know, calamity is gonna becoming and it's gonna be tough.
But he's saying, even thoughthings are gonna be hard, I will
be with you, I will rescue you.
SPEAKER_01 (17:08):
The fact that God tells him, I will rescue you,
just proves the point thatJeremiah is gonna go through
something.
SPEAKER_00 (17:16):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_01 (17:17):
If we as Christians don't go through anything, then
we don't need rescuing.
We don't need rescuing.
And so this is the beauty, thisis the beauty of it all, that
God is there and God says, Son,I've called you, I've set you
apart, I knew you before youeven knew you.
I knew you before you even knewwho I was.
Jeremiah 1, 9 through 12 saysthis.
(17:38):
Then the Lord put out his handand touched my mouth.
And the Lord said to me, Behold,I have put my words in your
mouth.
See, I have set you this dayover nations and over kingdoms
to pluck up and to break down,to destroy and to overthrow, to
build and to plant.
And the word of the Lord came tome saying, Jeremiah, what do you
(18:02):
see?
And I said, I see an almondbranch.
And then the Lord said to me,You have seen well, for I am
watching over my word to performit.
SPEAKER_00 (18:14):
I love that verse.
So good.
SPEAKER_01 (18:16):
One of my favorites that God watches over his word
to perform it.
SPEAKER_00 (18:21):
It says right here in verse nine, the Lord reached
out his hand and it touched mymouth.
And then the Lord, it was likeHe was just putting his hands
over him and just praying thislike this prayer over him.
And when he touched Jeremiah'smouth, it at that moment it gave
Jeremiah power and authority.
(18:42):
And all of us that have acceptedChrist as our Lord and Savior
and have the Holy Spirit livinginside of us, Jesus says he's
given us that power andauthority.
Yes.
We have that living inside ofus.
Yes, absolutely.
And not only did God giveJeremiah the words to speak, he
also promised to watch overthose words until they were
(19:02):
fulfilled.
How awesome is that?
The Lord's saying, I'm gonnagive you the words to speak.
And once you speak them, I amwatching over those words until
they're fulfilled.
What power and authority is overthat?
There is power in our words.
There are power in everythingthat you say.
So, listeners, be careful whatyou say.
(19:22):
Do not speak death, but speaklife.
Speak scripture because we knowscripture to be truth.
SPEAKER_01 (19:28):
God watches over his people.
God watches over his word.
So if we walk in obedience towhat God has spoken over our
lives, here's the good news,friends.
God is the one who's gonna seeit through to completion.
I don't have to figure out theformula to make this verse and
this work work in my life towalk in victory.
No, no, no.
(19:49):
That's God's job.
What God speaks, he's gonna seeit through to happen.
Okay.
I've just got to have the faithto believe that God's word is
truth.
It is the one absolute truth.
And I've got to believe that Godis going to perform this word in
my life.
He is watching over it to makesure that it does what it says
it's gonna do.
Philippians 1, 6 says, and I amsure of this, that he who began
(20:13):
a good work in you will bring itto completion at the day of
Jesus Christ.
So, friends, I just want to say,be encouraged.
Stay strong, remain steadfast,stand strong in your faith and
in God through Jesus Christ.
Listen for what God is callingyou to do in your life because
you're never gonna go wrong.
You will never ever go wrongwalking in obedience to what God
(20:38):
tells you to do.
SPEAKER_00 (20:40):
I I just want to talk about the word of God one
last time as we're kind ofending in the power of it.
The word of God created theuniverse, the word of God, the
word of God we have access toevery day.
Do we utilize it?
And I want to read Isaiah 55, 10through 11.
(21:04):
It says, as the rain and thesnow come down from heaven and
do not return to it withoutwatering the earth and making it
bud and flourish, so that ityields seed for the sower and
bread for the eater.
So is my word that goes out frommy mouth, it will not return to
(21:25):
me empty, but will accomplishwhat I desire and achieve the
purpose for which I sent it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:31):
That's good.
SPEAKER_00 (21:32):
That's a promise.
SPEAKER_01 (21:33):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (21:33):
That is a promise.
So declare the word, declare itover your family, declare it
over your life, declare the wordover your business, any and
everything.
Declare that word, pray theword, speak the word.
It says right here in his wordthat it will not return to him
empty.
It will accomplish what hedesires and will achieve the
purpose for which he sent it.
SPEAKER_01 (21:55):
That's so good.
His word brings life.
And my friends, that's what wehope that this episode of Beyond
Sunday has done for you.
That it has encouraged you, thatthe word of God that we've
shared with you today hasbrought life into your heart and
your mind, that you have thatyou have received some joy
(22:16):
today, knowing that God's gotall this in control.
No matter what you're goingthrough, God knows exactly who
you are.
He knew you before you were evenin the womb of your mother.
God's got this.
And nothing, absolutely nothingthat you're struggling with,
absolutely no test, trial, ortemptation that you're faced
with right now, none of that hascaught God by surprise.
(22:39):
Let's pray.
Father, I thank you so much.
I thank you, God, that you loveus the way that you do.
That you love us so much thatyou sent your only begotten Son
for every one of us, thatwhosoever shall believe it in
you would not perish, but haveeverlasting life.
Father, I pray in the name ofthe blood of Jesus for all those
(23:00):
that are listening that arebattling right now.
Lord, that they would beencouraged, knowing that this
battle, even if it may havecaught them by surprise, you
knew it was coming.
You seen the storm brewing offin the distance.
Father, you were not surprised.
So, Lord, I pray that we wouldjust stay plugged into you, that
we would press into you, that wewould not lean on our own
(23:22):
understanding, and that we wouldtrust you for all things.
We ask all of this in the nameof the blood of Jesus.
And Father, I pray that youwould refresh, recharge, and
encourage your people in Jesus'name and blood.
Everybody, my friend, saidtogether.
Amen.
SPEAKER_00 (23:40):
Amen.
SPEAKER_01 (23:41):
And amen.
I just want to say, make sureyou guys tune in to Beyond
Sunday next week.
We have a very special guestcoming into the studio.
Erica will be with me, but wewill be interviewing somebody uh
who is very special in ourministry.
So until next time on BeyondSunday, keep studying the word
(24:01):
of God and keep going to theFather in prayer.
God bless.
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