In March of 1927 God sent a young named Peter Marshall to the U.S. He had a purpose, a plan of God a calling from on high to come to America and become a minister. Listen to Dr. Marshall’s words, “I was coming to the United States to enter the ministry, because I believed, with all my heart, that those were the orders from my Chief. But I did not know how or when or where. I could not foresee the wonderful way in which God would open doors of opportunity. I could never imagine the romantic, thrilling way in which God was to arrange my life.” A Man Called Peter, (pg.34)
In 2 Samuel 7 King David gets a call from God. The heavenly hotline has caused his heart to burn brightly. He, like Peter Marshall knew that God had a plan for him, a purpose, a calling that he had to do because God had flipped the light on in his heart.
We see cartoons that when someone has a bright idea a light bulb is shown over their head and it is a bright idea indeed. But think for a moment. How does God’s idea come into our hearts?
How can we know what to do and if that is what God would have us do? First in introduction let me say that being faithful in the little things is how God assigns bigger things. If we can’t be kind, loving, faithful, obedient in the little things God certainly won’t trust us with a bigger purpose in his Divine plan.
But when we are faithful in the little then God desires and Designs a God-sized task. Many Christians know this but never truly see it happen in their own lives. Why?
Doesn’t God truly desire to flip the light on in all our hearts? Doesn’t He really want “all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of the truth?” (1 Timothy 2:4)
Let’s see how God turns the light on and the way we can know it’s His will for us…..2 Samuel 7:1-9
By the time we reach 2 Samuel 7 David is 30 years old and finally king over all of Israel. He had been chosen by God to be the king several years before. Some say David was as young as 17 or early twenties when he killed Goliath. Whatever the age the point is clear God will use us greatly for Him but we also have to show ourselves faithful in the little to be anointed for the big.
Let’s look at two tremendous truths that show us how to know, and trust God’s purpose and promise in our lives when He turns the light on.
I. God’s Purpose for our lives (v.1-2, 4-8)
King David had been on the run for years because King Saul was jealous of David and wanted him dead. David even had opportunities to kill Saul. Temptations to do what is wrong to promote ourselves are always available. What do we do with those opportunities?
Those are the times we have to see are the most valuable. God will show his purpose to us but we have to then allow God to work through us. When God calls you, tells you to do something even if it’s speak rightly to someone, show kindness, grant mercy, express His love, it’s not for His benefit, it’s for ours.
Here in v.8 God through the prophet Nathan reminds David of where he was when God first turned the light on. David you were just a young man watching sheep, dreaming big but didn’t know if you would ever leave your wooly ways.
Would he have to spend the rest of his life counting sheep to get to sleep and maybe turn out playing his harp with the Bah…back up singers?
Peter Marshall came to America on April 5th, 1927. All he knew was that God had called him from his home in Scotland to a new land.
He knew God turned on a purpose but didn’t know where that purpose might lead. It led him first working a job in New Jersey and eventually to Birmingham Alabama.
There he started teaching a men’s Bible class. Finally he was accepted to a Presbyterian Seminary named Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur Ga.
He knew God would provide but he didn’t know how. The men’s Bible class wrote him a letter, They said, that knew God had called him and wanted him to realize his dreams. They also knew ministry was discouraging and that the enemy would constantly harass him. They wanted to help. They paid for his entire first year. (pg.44)
It’s in those times when you are faithful in whatever small thing God has before you that God speaks in such a powerful way.
God helped young Peter Marshall get through Seminary and get ready for what was to be next. Here is where we must make our decision to go on. You’ll notice in v.4 God spoke to the prophet Nathan and told him to tell David, that while David’s living in his new palace and God has reveled his purpose that God had no temple to call His home.
In other words David there’s more to do. What in your life can you say is next for God? You may have seen Him move and work in your life but what’s next?
For Peter Marshall it was a small town church in Covington GA. Three years of faithful ministry and then he was called to
Atlanta. It was there he met his wife. In the movie A Man Called Peter, His future wife a student of Agnes Scott College started attending church there. Soon droves of college students began attending. The church in Atlanta at one time was going to close it’s doors, now people would line up and stand outside just to
listen to God speak over loud speakers through this young man.
v.7
Here’s God saying to Nathan, have I ever once asked about what you would do for me? That’s how God’s purpose is. He wants to build us up not for our glory, or even His benefit.
Please if you hear nothing else, God’s purpose is for His glory and our benefit. Our benefit is not like the world. Our benefit our greatest good we can do or joy we can possess is does the thing I feel called to do, the dream I have does it benefit others?
That’s how you can know when God turns the light on. Does this bring Him glory and benefit His kingdom? And if it does then it is God’s purpose for your life.
I. God’s purpose for our lives
II. God’s Promise for our lives (v.3,9)
V.3 is the key. However, if you never trust His purpose then you’ll never trust His promise. See if we live to bring us glory and for us to get the benefit then it’s the light bulb over our heads.
But that’s not what shines the light in our hearts. If Nathan came to you today and said, “Go and do what is in your heart, for the Lord is with you,” What would you do?
See a promise is only a promise if it’s spoken then acted on. Let me say it this way Jesus promised to never leave us or forsake us. Shouldn’t we live like that is a promise that will always come true?
That’s what God said to David in v.9. Son I have always been there and always will be and because you have done what I said you now live in peace and I will bless you even more.
That’s why Nathan could say, go and do what’s in your heart because it’s obvious God is with you.
Dr. Peter Marshall was called of God to become the pastor of New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington D.C. The church had a rich history it was called “the church of presidents.”
Abraham Lincoln had gone to church there. Now here is a Scottish immigrant in 1937 becoming it’s pastor. They had long standing traditions that had them in a place of steady decline for some years and this new preacher was called there by God to shake up a church and ultimately a nation.
As someone said, “God never calls the qualified, He qualifies the called.”
Dr. Marshall became the pastor, the leader of one of the most prestigious churches in our country. He said he lacked, “the poise, the balance the preparation, the academic standing, the confidence and the grace to be bridled in the pulpit.” (pg. 94)
However, Peter Marshall thrived there. He went on to become the Chaplain of the U.S. Senate until his untimely death at the age of 46. He knew God would keep His promise but He never knew how far God’s promise would take Him.
That’s the way it is with the promises of God. He was told to marry his wife Catherine. God spoke to him clearly. The romance side of the promise is one of the reasons I’m so drawn to this wonderful story of such a Godly couple.
God promised me I was getting married and after a thirty day courtship, to a young women I went to high school with but never dated I proposed. That was 27 years ago.
When I was in high school God told me I was going to be a pastor and now I have had that honor for over 16 years.
God has promised other things in my life that are still, even now coming to pass.
Conclusion: You can trust God’s purpose and promise for your lives. By the way I didn’t tell you about Peter Marshall’s wife, Catherine. She had taught school before they were married and years later after Peter went to heaven, God gave her another assignment.
She became an author. She started by writing her husband’s biography which became a best seller then a movie. After that she wrote more than 20 books selling 16 million copies (wikipedia?)
He best know work is the novel Christy. Which also became a movie.
I’ll give you Catherine Marshall’s words in the biography of her husband to better explain and wrap up this message.
“Dreams carried around in one’s hearts for years, if they are dreams that have God’s approval, have a way suddenly of materializing.” A Man Called Peter, (pg.86)
When people saw a shepherd boy God saw a king.
When people saw a light hearted, unpolished preacher, God saw the chaplain to the U.S. Senate.
When people saw a school teacher, preacher’s wife, God saw an accomplished author.
Are you still waiting for God to turn the light on?
PRAY
