Call of the Wild - Lesson 11 - Quiet Creatures

What is holding us back?
Things that have been told to us?
Things we have heard?
Things we have thought?

Past experiences.
Have they strengthened us?
Or have they crippled us?

Do those experiences make us stay up late, afraid to start a new day?
Do they keep us in bed afraid to start what we need to?
It is safer to not attempt something great,
Then there is no chance at failure.

However if we do not attempt anything great
We can never accomplish anything worthwhile.

We need to learn from our past experiences.
We need to incorporate them into our personalities for strength.
Not as a reminder of what will happen again.

Winston Churchill said,
‘Great success always comes at the risk of enormous failure.’
And I will tell you,
‘We were created for more than mediocrity.’

Let’s press ahead and commit to do what the Lord has created us for.
Something more than simply existing.

What are your opening thoughts?

Where do you hope to grow in your Christian life?

Where do you want to be in one year?

What do you want to gain from this class?





We used to be in the wilderness of ignorance
Led by our own sin,
Wanting what we want,
When we want it.

Are we better now?
Do we trust the Lord to help us when we are wanting?
Or do we scheme to get that little moment of pleasure?

I Peter 2:25, ‘For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.’

‘… For ye were as sheep …’
What does that say for us now?





So we used to be as sheep,
Docile, quite, polite respectful …
Not to bright but not too harmful either.
So if we used to be like that how are we now?

Acts 8:32, ‘The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:’

We can’t wait to open our mouth.
We can’t wait to tell you what we think.
So I think we used to be like the less attractive qualities of sheep.
And I believe we are now to be like their more attractive qualities.

What sheep like qualities are we to resemble?





We cannot become like sheep on our own.
Having said that, the Lord is continually helping us to grow in this area.
So I say to you if we are not growing it is not the Lord’s fault.

II Samuel 22:33-34, ‘God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places.’

I believe God wants us to have sure footing and be upon high places.
So if our footing is unstable or we are in the dumps,
It is probably because of us.

Possibly chastisement.
Possibly for a heart issue.
Possibly for an unlearned lesson,

He has something so great planned for us
that we cannot comprehend it as why He would use us
to be the vehicle to give Him glory.

Please give us a testimony or comment on your thoughts here …





Psalm 42:1, ‘As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.’

How often can we say this?
Is it only after a month of pain?
Is it only when a thread is holding our marriage together?
Is it only after a tragedy has happened to our child?

How often can we wake up in the morning and say this?

How often are going to start saying this?





John 15:5, ‘I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.’

We all know this verse.
We hear it at least once a month.
Some of you probably have it memorized.

Why are we like a two-year-old child
That wants to do everything themselves?
And then cries when their father tries to help?

Please give us some advice here …





II Corinthians 12:9, ‘And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’

This doesn’t mean glorying in our sin,
Or our chastisement of it.
It is a good feeling to totally trust Jesus for the outcome.

Can you give us a testimony here to help us understand how to rest in Him?





That means trusting Him.
People say the Lord told me to do this,
The Lord told me to do that.
I say to that person, ‘The Lord speaks through His Word,’
‘So which verse did you find that in?’

The Lord has given us enough to do in the Bible,
Rather than waiting for some private, job specific revelation.
We can do what ever we want as long as it does not violate His Word.
And the outcome will bring Him all the glory
And none for ourselves.

Philippians 4:13, ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’

Please give us a practical application of this verse …





Closing thoughts …

I believe we are our own worse enemies.
We old ourselves back.
We make excuses.
And we look for secret messages from the Lord
Rather than doing what He has already revealed to us.

We need to learn from the past rather than being held back by it.

We used to be like sheep.
Ignorant, following the crowd.
Running away for no reason.
Getting stuck in pricker bushes.

We are now also to be as sheep.
Following our Master.
Looking for His staff
And being comforted by His voice.

We need to remain huddled together with other sheep
as there is safety in numbers.
And continually rest in the fact that our master
Would never lead us astray
And would never let harm come to us.

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