Sheryl Brady - He's Been Shaping Me In the Spin

I want you to go with me in your Bibles. First of all, I want to say thank you to the Lord for this opportunity to stand before you. I never take it for granted. Whenever many of you became members and gathered around this altar, I told you I would pray for you, I would try to hear God for you, and I would feed you. I mentioned at the beginning of this year that this would be our year of great growth. Let me tell you something about growth: we can feed you, we can worship around this sanctuary together, we can invite the presence of God in, and He has come into this room these last seven months in a great way. We can do all of that; we could worship until He walks among us, we can take the Word and lay it out before you. However, growth does not depend solely on me; it doesn’t depend on this stage. Oh, thank you to whoever said «right» because I said growth does not just depend on this stage. You have to take what you’ve heard. You have to go home and take a new look at the book. Look at somebody and say, «Take a new look in the book.» Go home, read it, study it, and apply what you’ve heard, and I’m telling you, if you do that before this year is out, you will be able to measure growth in your life because God said— I didn’t say it—God said this was our year of great growth. I said it’s our year of great growth. It may look like a year of great deficit for you, but I want you to hold on to the fact that it’s going to be a year of great growth. It’s not over yet! I said it’s not over yet! It’s not over yet! It’s going to be our year of great growth. I want you to take your Bible to Isaiah chapter 29. I see you, chapter XXIX. I want to just read from a couple of verses. If you’re watching online, we’re grateful that you’ve joined us today. Get your Bibles out, and let’s read together from the Word of God: Isaiah chapter 29, verse 16. The Bible says, «Surely you have things turned around. Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay? For shall the thing made say of Him who made it, ‘He did not make me’? Or shall the thing formed say of Him who formed it, ‘He has no understanding’? Is it not yet a very little while? Look at somebody and say, ‘It’s just a little while longer’. Is it not yet a very little while till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field will be esteemed as a forest? Let me read that again: Is it not yet a little while till Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest? In that day, the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.» I don’t have a title yet, but who knows what it will be by the time we get to the end of this message? Father, bless this word today. Just talk here; talk big, talk loud—just talk, God! Talk to us! Speak to our hearts. Let the witness of the wind blow in this room, Lord. Let people hear, let them identify, and let them be able to understand that you are speaking, God, today and that you talk to us through everything that we go through in life. Have your way today, and we’ll give you thanks in the name of Jesus. Somebody shout, «Amen!» Before you sit down, look at somebody and say, «Neighbor, I’ve been spinning, but He’s been shaping me in the spin.» Okay, there’s your title. Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. I’ve been spinning, but He’s shaping me in the spin. Last week, we talked about the expense of moving when you are emotionally empty. Does anybody remember that from last week? Did you take any notes? How many of you did that? Thank you for all 15 of you; that’s what I’m talking about right there. Okay, so I talked about being emotionally empty and gave you at least 10 warning signs that let you know that your emotional tank is running low. If you haven’t heard that message, you should pick it up. Because what happens when your emotional tank begins to run low is that you slip into a state called burnout. If you’ve ever been in a state called burnout, you know that it is not a great place to be. I recognize the warning signs that I gave you because I have experienced many of them over the years. When the Lord touched me and called me to preach and speak, He built a fire under the feet of my life. I’m glad He did it then, as I was much younger at the time and could run at a pace. You know, He’s amazing; He does all things well. All of my children were…