I just want to read from Philippians 4 right before we pray. Philippians 4 says 4 and verse 6 be anxious for nothing. Should we read further or stop there only? It's just like love your enemies. This is also another equally I think something on those lines right. So it says be anxious for nothing but in everything which means everything, okay let's just read that verse, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. So it says be anxious for nothing which means all the circumstances, all the situations, all the conversations, all our possible you know things, challenges that have the potential to create anxiety. So all that so Paul is saying be anxious for nothing but in everything which means all these things which could potentially create anxiety or which have been creating anxiety. So in but in everything what does he say? By prayer and supplication. By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. So instead of responding with anxiety with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. So that's something that that's a switch we need to make. Every time it's a natural response to feel anxiety. It's a natural response when we see something that is not going our way, that is not happening according to plan, that's not happening according to the timeline we set, that's not happening according to the perfect way in which we imagined. The body's response is anxiety. We are physically we feel anxiety. Our heart rate goes up, our breathing increases and we start sweating maybe and you know blood pressure goes up and we feel anxiety. It's a physiological response to the circumstance. But Paul says but in everything in all those times with prayer and supplication. So just lift it up to God, make your request known to God and he says with thanksgiving make it known to God. And then he says in verse 7 and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. But this peace of God guarding our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus is dependent on what? Is dependent on our lifting up in supplication and prayer whenever we feel that anxiety, whenever we feel those anxious moments with thanksgiving to God. Okay, thanksgiving because he's able to solve, he's all able to change, he's able to transform for various reasons we can give thanksgiving that we can give thanks to God. So just want to remind us and myself that that's a switch that all of us need to make in order to experience this peace of God which is you know when we say a peace of God or love of God, we're talking about something that he has, something that he has within himself that sources from God and he is extending to us, the kind of peace that he has, unshakable in all circumstances, that kind of peace that he has and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, it goes beyond reason, logic or everything will guard our hearts and minds, it's like a watchman, a security guard will guard our hearts and minds but this needs to become something, something habitual, something of a lifetime. So let's pray and say Lord, I want to make that switch in my life, every time I sense anxiety, I want to lift it up as a supplication with thanksgiving.  So let's pray. Father, we just bring before you this morning, oh God, all those things that potentially create anxiety and everything that causes worry, Lord causes us to worry Lord, we bring that to you Father God and as you have instructed Lord, we with supplication and thanksgiving, we make that request known to you with supplication and thanksgiving. Yes, God, with thanksgiving because you're well able to take care of all our needs according to your riches and glory, with thanksgiving because you are the one who's all powerful, all knowing, with thanksgiving because you Lord, you promise and you know don't go back on your word and Lord with thanksgiving because oh God, Lord, you are good and in you Lord there is, you are light and in you there is no darkness at all and no shadow of Lord, even a variation of changing Father God. With thanksgiving because Lord, you are the one who was yesterday, today and forever the same of Father God. Yes, Lord, your word remains of Father God, heaven and earth will pass away, oh God, but your word remains Lord and so God, based on that foundation, on that rock which never moves, oh God, we come and we give thanks for Father God. We pray that each one of us, Lord, will be recipients of that peace, oh God, of that supernatural peace which goes beyond our human understanding, oh God, your peace of Father God, the peace of God, Lord, that it will guard our hearts and minds, Lord, guard our hearts and minds Father God. Yes, Lord, so that our imaginations, our thoughts, our actions and everything that flows from our thoughts and our hearts, Lord, will be Lord God honoring, oh God, will be righteous choices, righteous decisions Father God. Yes Master, we thank you Lord, we thank you, we give you all the praise at this time, we give you all the glory in Jesus' matchless name, we pray, amen. Okay, good morning again to those who joined us right now online. Okay, so today we are looking at the call of the preacher, right? I think that's where we stop, last class, the call of the preacher. We saw that, well, we are, each one of us is called, so there's no one without the call of God because we are called as disciples to go share the gospel, to preach to every creature, every nation, we are called to do that, right? So the challenge for us is to really find out what is our metron or the sphere of influence that God has called us to, okay? So that is what we are looking at. So it's important, we know that, especially in evangelical circles, if you're someone who has come through, okay, children church, youth and then youth camp and all that, the most often repeated question or heard question is, how do I know God's will? Okay, and it could be mostly, it could be on the, you know, maybe about career and those big things, right, big decisions. So maybe people have reached that point in life and then everybody's asking like, okay, how do I know God's will, how do I know God's will?  Because I remember, for me, the first time I asked, how do I know God's will was about that, you know, nothing after, before that, I never, even bothered about God's will. I just, you know, I was just happy doing what I wanted to do. But then when it came to this, I was like, oh, I need to find out God's will. So yeah, so God's will, and we are talking about, you know, about our call of God and the will of God for us to serve in whatever area, etc., right? So the thing is this, that, yes, we need to take time and it's not just one event, right? It is, it is a lifestyle, right? And knowing God's will, it's not like once we know, okay, God, this is what you've called me to do. And then we step in and then we forget about it. No, that various points in life, at various crossroads in life, we need to know, you know, and I think on a day-to-day basis, right? We need to know the will of God, the heart of God. So rather than, you know, all the formula combinations, you know, X plus Y is equal to Z and then doing that, we know that it's a walk of intimacy with God, like we know that we will find ourselves walking in the will of God as we hear God's voice on a daily basis and as we obey or fulfill, you know, his instructions on a daily basis. And we will find ourselves walking in the plan, in the will, in the purposes of God, okay? So is it complicated? Is it complex?  It becomes complicated when, you know, when we have our own will, or maybe we are walking in rebellion, and maybe we are, you know, we just give in to the things of the flesh and we're holding on to that and not willing to die to the flesh, it becomes a struggle, right? Otherwise, knowing and hearing God's voice and fulfilling God's plan and purpose is natural for the believer, okay? So I just wanted us to, you know, look at a few things that we have maybe considered, we've looked at maybe in the first semester, you know? So I just want to share from fulfilling God's purpose. Anyone remember us? Yeah, from fulfilling God's purpose. If you recall, you know, we looked at some nine guideposts, yeah?  Okay, so first of all, we recognize the general teaching and instruction of God's Word, okay? That goes without saying because Second Timothy 3, 1617, all scripture is God-breathed or given by inspiration of God and is profitable for what? For doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction and righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work, okay? So the general instruction, the general principles of God, you know, we need to be aware of and we need to be aware, agree, walk, general principles, okay? It could be on various aspects, right? So I'm not just going to the details of it, but the general principles of God which look at, you know, which touch upon every aspect of our lives, okay? What about the second one? Recognizing the, recognizing the seeds. So what does that mean? Sorry? You want to use the mic? The talents what God has kept in us. Okay, it could be the talents when you say the talents is the natural abilities that you might have, okay? Then gifts, okay? Talking about spiritual gifts, okay? What else? Okay, maybe a prophetic word, okay? Okay? What else? Maybe certain, you know, the certain desires and thoughts that God put in your heart at an early stage, right? And we're saying, we're calling it seed because it keeps growing, right? From a seed stage it keeps growing. So these have been sown in our hearts maybe at a, you know, very young age and it's growing, okay? So what are we talking about? We're talking about the call of God, the will of God and specifically with regard to, you know, when you say preaching, we're talking about communicating the gospel. So what's fear of influence, you know, where and what, the specifics of it? So God puts these seeds, you know, in our hearts and I remember once, like, I never felt, I think that was the first time I just felt so strongly that I needed to do something, okay? That was, I was probably 10 years or even less than that and I was at a wedding and this was at a wedding and I saw this boy with a small guitar on baby guitar, you know, at a wedding. So he had actually played at the reception and I saw him with that and the minute I saw that, I just felt this very strong desire, I need to learn, okay? And I don't know, I just looked, I think I must have looked at my mother with so much conviction, you know, I said, I want to learn, okay?  So, you know, she got in touch with people and, you know, it's not like we had a lot of money and all, but then she made sure there's a new guitar bought and then checked to the school and, you know, put me in guitar class and all that. And after one year, I got a little bored, you know, the same things, you know, same chords and all that. Then I was like, there's a little bored. But then I remember, distinctly remember that moment because it was, for me, I've never felt that strongly before.  So simple things like that. And I remember also, once just talking to, and also meeting with one, you know, one friend who was into ministry, right? He used to preach and share the word and all that. So when I heard him share the word, I don't know, suddenly I just felt that, hey, I want to do the same thing. I want to do the same thing. I want to share the word. And I would say, oh, yes, I didn't know, you know, I was not a believer, first of all. But in my heart, there's a desire, I want to do what he's doing. Okay. And there's, you know, going back, I remember my mother sharing that when I was a, when I was an infant, okay, so I must have been maybe a few months old, maybe two months old or something. And they used to take me to a chapel. This was in a place called Madurai. So they used to take me to a chapel. And my mother prayed saying, you know, she looked at someone who came and shared the word or read the word. Okay. And my mother prayed, Lord, one day, my son should be doing that. Okay. So she saw that and it was a simple prayer, you know, so I don't know, these were seeds in my life, okay, which at certain points in my life, it was like, there was a drawing, there was a pull towards that. So it's good to identify what are the seeds that are shown in our lives? What are those dreams that you had? What were those defining moments?  And it was actually, we didn't even realize it, but it was God actually drawing, pulling us into his planet purpose. Okay. So, biblical examples, we see Joseph, Moses, David, you know, the anointing that they had at the early age. Okay. So third one, recognizing the stirring within. I think it's in line with the seed, you know, that so you feel a desire, you feel a stirring within to do something. And the thing is, at that age, maybe we compare with others.  You know, no. And then we just ditch it. Right. Because at that age, we want that peer approval. Right.   Okay, which group are you taking? Maths and Science. Okay, I'll also take Maths and Science. We make our decision based on that. Right. So we want that peer approval and whatever everybody is doing, etc. But then, you know, recognize that, okay, what is that stirring, especially when we look at Nehama's life, not everybody was feeling that same way. Not everybody was feeling that burden. But when he heard the news that the gates and the walls of Jerusalem were broken down, he, it was an intense reaction. He wept. He fasted. He prayed for many, he mourned. It says he's mourned for many days. Right. So because of those seeds that are placed in us, there could be a stirring within us when we encounter certain things, when we see certain things, you know, that's, that is again, you know, the stirring that God puts in our heart, the spirit of God draws. Okay, recognize the grace, fourth one, recognize the grace of God given to you. Okay. So what is the grace, when we look at the grace of God, of course, divine favor, it's about divine character and also divine enablement. Right. So what is the grace that is given in, in your life? Some things to consider the gifts in our life point to the grace that is given to us. Right. That is a divine enablement that is given to us, the gifts that God has placed in our lives. And the gifts that given to us are also in line with the function. Okay. I think you can just, you can check the screen if you're sharing that. Then also, yes, it could be the gifts of God, which, which need not be all spiritual gifts. Right. It could be certain things that are, it could be, you know, what we don't consider spiritual, you know, I know one contains 12. We are familiar with that list and we know these are the gifts of the Spirit. But we look at Romans 12. Right. We see that, that also is a list and which has compassion, which has generosity, which has leadership also. Right. So we may not really consider them to be spiritual gifts. But, but the fact is this, that these are gifts or membership gifts that God has given us. And so that also indicates to the grace that is upon our life. Okay. Then fifth one, recognize the leading of God's Spirit. Okay. So how is God's Holy Spirit, how is the Holy Spirit leading us? Okay. Romans 8 verse 14, for as many as led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God or sons and daughters of God. So to be led by Him. Right. Am I led by the Spirit of God? So, which means that I need to understand or sharpen my spirit, sharpen my hearing to, to hear the voice of God. Okay. I need to do whatever it takes to build myself in the inner man. Right. And put to death the things of the flesh. Because it's interfering with me hearing clearly from God. Okay. So, you know, it's, of course, when we give into the things of the flesh, we are, you know, we are displeasing God, Holy Spirit is grieved, etc. But the greater damage is that all these fleshly wars against the things of the soul, what we see in first Peter. And also it interferes or blocks our destiny or sometimes delays us stepping into certain things that God has for us. Because it's again a struggle. It creates a lot of confusion in hearing clearly what God has for us. Right. So in wanting to recognize or in walking with recognition of God's Spirit, we need to really sharpen our hearing. Okay. Okay. 1 Corinthians 2, verse 9, verses 9 and 10. I has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. Okay. And the Holy Spirit, of course, He is sovereign. He reveals them first and primary, primary through His Word to our hearts, to our Spirit. Right. And of course, He will use circumstances if you're not, you know, if you're not really receiving it in our Spirit. He will use circumstances. He will use other means as well to confirm those things that He puts in our hearts, like sovereign things, like even dreams and visions and so on. Right. Okay. So, yeah.  So for us to intentionally, you know, focus on this, you know, how can I sharpen my hearing? How can I really grow strong spiritually, you know, praying in the Spirit, praying in tongues and not only that, but also obeying the voice of God. Okay. Because if you're not obeying, if you're not following through, then what's the point? Right. God shows us, God reveals his heart, but we are still in that same place. Right. So we need to step into obeying as well. Okay. Sixth one, recognize the circumstances. Recognize the circumstances, which means that when God organizes divinely or orchestrates the circumstances, let's be quick to recognize it or let's be sensitive to recognize it. Okay. Maybe people, places, things around us, events around us, God just shifts things, orchestrates, but we need to be careful to recognize it, you know.  Right.  So it kind of delayed me stepping into a level of fullness that he wanted me to step into. Right. So God does orchestrate circumstances, events, positions, people, places, so we need to discern and respond. Okay. What else? Recognize, God be counsel and wisdom. Okay. God speaks through people, sometimes through, through our very, you know, people whom we don't even consider. Right.  Right. So recognize that. Counsel, wisdom. Okay. So again, not getting in details. Recognize the times and the seasons, very important. Right. God speaks ahead of time. God speaks well ahead of time and say, okay, this is what I've called you to do. This is what I'm called you to be. Right. But don't step in ahead of time or don't continue to, you know, wait, but step in at the right time. Recognize the time. Recognize the seasons. And as we walk with God, God will shift the season. We know that. Right. God, as we walk with God, God will ensure. And many times we think, okay, God, I, I don't know, you know, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know what I'm, you know, whether I'm in the right place doing the right thing. But as we walk with God, God will ensure that we step into seasons and he will also, you know, take us into the next season. He will remind us, okay, or, you know, talk to us and show us what we need for the next season. Right. As he did with Joshua. Right. Joshua knew that he was entering into a next season when Moses, Moses' life came to an end. Right. And he was entering into a next season of, in terms of serving, in terms of responsibility, everything was shifting. Everything had, you know, dramatically shifted. And so God gave him those instructions saying that I will be with you. Do not fear. Don't be afraid. And then all those instructions of, you know, this book of law shall not depart from your mouth. You'll meditate on it and be careful to observe everything that is written out. And then you will have good success. Right. But don't, don't be fearful. Don't be afraid. Be bold. Be courageous and so on. And he says, right, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you, you know, as you saw, you know, in the previous season, how I function, how I interact, I will be with you. So God really gives the reassurance and the instructions and the equipping, you know, as we step into the next season. Right. Okay. Okay. And recognize, again, God's pattern of working. Right. So in our lives, God does certain things. He leads us in certain ways. That doesn't mean that he will not surprise us or he will not, you know, lead us in different ways. But you know, right, he has dealt with you in a certain way and he continues to do that. So recognize that. Okay. So, so that's something that we, just a refresher for us about being sure, certain of the call of God. Okay.  What is your response? Most of the time you say, I don't know. I really don't know. I'm still waiting. Okay. So let it be a positive faith response. God is leading me. He's showing me, I'm waiting on him, if that is the case. Or you're very sure, okay, he's called me to be an evangelist and this is what, you know, I'm preparing and this is what he is. Or you just say, you know, I'm just enjoying God. Good response.  He's opening the door or the doors that he wants me to open, pick open certain doors, you know, yeah, I'm just going with God. But let it be a faith response. Many times, sorry. So when this question is asked, like, what, what is your purpose or what, and we say if the responses are like waiting, but the response waiting will be like forever, for a long time because the maybe the magnitude or the bigger picture of what God has for us, we might not be able to see at this point of time. But we also have these small milestones that we, you know, reach that are ordained by like God. And my question was, I mean, my thing was, when, how do you exactly, yeah, not that find the purpose of God, but, you know, be like that persistent. That's, I feel a big challenge for me at least at times, you know, the bigger picture, at least a part of the bigger picture, not the entire picture of how God is seeing from the top view, at least a part, maybe the desire shows you the, okay, this is might be my calling and I walk towards it. Then suddenly it takes a turn and something else comes into the picture and we might be inclined to some other things. So there this confusion, I'm okay, I thought I, for example, I thought I'll become a pastor, but now I'm doing, I'm becoming one evangelist. Then it comes to another kind of a thing. So being open to it, or like, how do we channel ourselves, however God works, not restricting us into this box of, okay, I'll only become that. Right, right, right. I think that, see, that's the challenge, right? Sometimes we put ourselves in a box, put ourselves, like we say, label ourselves and then kind of find ourselves in, you know, difficult situations, right?  So the best thing, you know, the best thing I would say is to say, Lord, you called me to serve you in whatever way, you know, in whatever function, maybe it is a five-fold, maybe it is in any other, God, you called me to serve you. And you also know that there are times and seasons, in the sense there is a season of equipping, there is a season of commissioning, okay, or gradually stepping into the, you know, the call of God. So as long as you are, you know, you're mindful of both this, both of these things, right? So just joyfully enjoy the journey with God. Yeah, one more thing is, so when, for example, somebody thought they'll become an evangelist, I mean, we say that where you are anointed, there will be grace in that area, like you will be flourishing in that area, so somebody thought they'll become an evangelist and then eventually it turned out to be they are not, they felt that they heard from God, they're becoming an evangelist, so some circumstances lead to that kind of a thing, but eventually it turned out to be they recognized they are not, you know, some. No, no, the thing is, okay, so, okay, just two things, you know, one is also, one is also the fact that, okay, evangelists, you know, we have in our minds a picture of an evangelist, okay? We have in our picture, mind a picture of evangelist, which is like, maybe speaking in Crusades or, you know, there's big gatherings or whatever. Evangelist is someone who shares, goes around, proclaims the Gospel of the Kingdom and, of course, we know the gifts that go with this is accompanied with the science one does in miracles and so, you know, the supernatural and everything is part of it. So, in what capacity, on what environment God wants to use us as an evangelist, wants to use a person as an evangelist, that we can leave it to God and that is something that we can grow into, okay, that and that also keeps changing as we journey through, you know, from what we see, right? The God expands the scope of our ministry, okay? So now, so the person felt, okay, one feels that I'm called to be an evangelist, then question mark is how, how did the person feel? Maybe others said, but the thing is, main thing is, they want, they had this intense desire to share with whomever they met, right? Correct. No, that is whomever they met, they shared and that is when the initial stirring and the initial experience, hey, this is something that I'm called to do, this is something that I want to do, you know, I've shared and I'm able to do this and, yes, when I keep sharing, God gives me this word of knowledge and I'm, you know, I'm just praying and then, you know, there is this, you know, God, maybe there's a work of healing and everything that's happening and I feel that I'm called for this, okay? And then, you know, you continue on and then you're saying the person later finds out that they're called for something else, maybe not the five-fold evangelist, maybe something else. No problem. I mean, they'll be disappointed. I mean, I'm not, I'm just saying an exam. Yeah, they'll be disappointed because if they had a picture, this is how evangelists should be, okay? Or, yeah, so they were so convinced that this is, you know, this is how an evangelist would function and then this is how I should be, you know, then there is a sense of disappointment. That's one last question. So when, because you're, you're working in the ministry of a pastoral role, have you ever, during this journey of your pastoral role, have you ever felt, okay, sometimes I don't know if it's making sense? I mean, have you ever felt that, okay, what am I doing? Like, okay, how long I'm going to do this? For how long?  I'm being attacked now. What persecution Lord? Okay, yeah, yeah. So I get to your point. I get your point. Okay, fine. Next word. You know, next word. Okay, I'm preaching and we're impacting, but have you ever felt that, okay, God, next word. Is there something more? Is there something more? Is there something more that I should desire or seek? What is more? Yeah, what is that more? It will vary, of course, that more, because you're talking about the scope of ministry, etc., you know. So, but to answer your question, when I stepped into quote-unquote full-time ministry as a pastor, it was like stepping into, it was like a breath of fresh air. Okay, so never did I regret, you know, not once, except for one face, one very difficult face, you know, never did I regret stepping into fast stillness. Okay, so there, which means that every morning I'll get up excited for what the day holds, what I can do every morning and every day till today. If there will be challenges, there'll be things. What I'll just get up saying, wow, today is the day the Lord has made and that's it, you know, what can I do today? So that's the thing that I wake up with. I know it could be different for different people, but temperamentally, that's how I am. Okay, now do I have questions of God, you know, or let's say, do we have time? Yeah, do I have questions like God, you know, I need to grow, do I hit plateaus, you know, like certain, I'm feeling like, I think, you know, I've hit a place where I'm not, yeah, definitely. And or I feel, you know, I'm stepping into something and this is not my comfort zone. Oh, God, you know, am I called to do this? Oh, God, I'm sitting with this Excel sheet and, you know, people are perishing outside. I have those moments that I think everybody goes through those moments, right?  And there are certain things that you need to do that comes with the responsibility, which you're not comfortable doing, and which is not your area of comfort, you know, those always challenge you. Okay. So these questions like, am I in the right place? Am I doing what I'm doing, you know, what I'm supposed to be doing?   There are certain things which could be, which come to you naturally you're passionate about, but there are certain other things, certain other responsibilities, certain other, what I would say, duties that come with, which you, which actually shape you, you don't realize it, which actually shape you sharpen you. But, and because you need to do those things, you begin to question, you know, am I actually called in this, you have those questions. But the thing is to rest in God, whatever it is, see, God speaks, we forget that, we forget that God leads, we forget that God, you know, shapes us, God takes us through, we give so little credit to that, we think that, okay, you know, it's all about me, no, God will, God will, the way He has conveyed, the way He has led, He will, He will continue to do that, right.  But then, the minute you spend time in His presence, the minute you are refreshed in His presence, you realize, God, I know, you know, you're taking me through, I'm in the right place, and I'm, you know, if you're in the right place, right? So, yeah, so hope that answers. Okay. Okay, so I think we'll stop here. And next class, we look at what are the qualifications? No, these are the things that we've already know, okay, but these are very basic things, which, just a reiteration of that, okay, before we step in, okay. Okay, thank you. We'll stop here.