Be the One: Embracing God's Call and Presence

Summary

The Lord is good, and the enemy is a liar—this is a truth we must hold onto, especially when the world tries to convince us that the best days are behind us or that the next generation is lost. But in Christ, there is always more ahead than behind. God has a high view of humanity, especially young people, and He delights in using those who are willing, regardless of age or background. The world may be quick to despair, but God calls us to hope, to optimism, and to faith that He is still at work.

The theme from youth camp, “Be the One,” is not just for the young; it’s a call for all of us. What does it mean to be the one? It means being willing to step up, to fill your pulpit—whatever that looks like in your life—and to swing the bat when God gives you the opportunity. Isaiah 6:8 gives us a model: when God asks, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah responds, “Here am I, send me.” But being the one starts with discerning the voice of the Lord. God speaks in many ways: through His Word, prayer, godly counsel, desires and circumstances, and even emotions. He also uses dreams, visions, past experiences, music, and nature. The key is to weigh everything against Scripture, which is always the final authority.

Once we discern God’s voice, the next step is to say yes. Sometimes, like Isaiah, we’re ready to jump in. Other times, like Moses and Gideon, we hesitate, feeling inadequate or unqualified. But God’s answer is always the same: “I will be with you.” He doesn’t call us because we’re strong or capable, but because He is with us. There’s room to wrestle with God, to count the cost, especially with big decisions. But ultimately, obedience is what matters.

Not everyone wants to be the one in the spotlight. God knows our personalities, our fears, and our histories. He doesn’t make us all Isaiahs; some of us are more like Moses or Gideon. The only way we fail is by saying no. Saying yes, even when it’s hard or uncomfortable, is how we make Jesus Lord—not just on the day of salvation, but every day as we grow in sanctification. Let’s listen for His voice, say yes, and follow through, trusting that God is with us and desires to make a difference through us in this generation.

Key Takeaways

- God’s Voice Is Multifaceted and Always Anchored in Scripture
God speaks in many ways—through His Word, prayer, godly counsel, circumstances, desires, emotions, and even nature. Yet, all these must be weighed against the authority of Scripture, which is the ultimate standard for truth. Learning to discern His voice is foundational for following Him faithfully. The more we immerse ourselves in His Word, the more clearly we recognize His leading. [21:19]

- Obedience Is Not About Confidence, but About God’s Presence
When God calls, our first response may be hesitation or self-doubt, as seen in Moses and Gideon. God does not reassure us by boosting our self-esteem, but by promising His presence: “I will be with you.” Our adequacy comes not from ourselves, but from the God who goes with us, making our obedience possible and fruitful. [41:55]

- There Is Room to Wrestle with God’s Call—But Don’t Delay in the Small Things
While it’s wise to count the cost and process big decisions with God, we should not overthink the small acts of obedience. Faithfulness in little things prepares us for greater assignments. Sometimes, God simply wants to see if we’ll be faithful in the mundane before entrusting us with more. [44:39]

- God Knows and Honors Our Unique Temperaments
Not everyone is called to be an Isaiah—some are more like Moses or Gideon, hesitant or introverted. God knows our personalities, histories, and fears, and He calls us accordingly. The call to “be the one” is not about personality type, but about willingness to say yes and trust God to work through us as we are. [51:36]

- Making Jesus Lord Is a Daily Act of Obedience
Salvation begins when we make Jesus Lord, but sanctification is the ongoing process of yielding to Him day by day. Each act of obedience is a fresh declaration that He is Lord of our lives. This daily surrender shapes us to become more like Christ and positions us to make a difference in our world. [53:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - The Enemy’s Lies and the Battle for the Mind
[03:30] - Youth Camp Recap and Encouragement
[07:42] - God’s View of the Next Generation
[08:49] - History Repeats: Generational Criticism
[13:00] - God’s High View of Humanity and Youth
[18:02] - Permission to Be Optimistic
[19:56] - “Be the One” – What Does It Mean?
[21:19] - Discerning the Voice of the Lord
[23:24] - God Speaks Through Counsel, Circumstances, and Emotions
[27:22] - God’s Emotions and Speaking Through Nature
[34:41] - Ignatian Discernment: Mind, Heart, and Gut
[36:47] - Saying Yes: Isaiah, Moses, and Gideon
[41:55] - God’s Response: “I Will Be With You”
[44:39] - Faithfulness in Small Things
[51:36] - God Knows Our Temperaments
[53:31] - Making Jesus Lord Daily
[55:12] - Closing Prayer and Sending Forth

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: “Be the One”

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### Bible Reading

Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)
> And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

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### Observation Questions

1. In Isaiah 6:8, what is Isaiah’s immediate response when God asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
2. According to the sermon, what are some of the different ways God speaks to us? Name at least three. [[21:19]]
3. What was the main theme from youth camp, and how did the pastor connect it to the whole church? [[19:56]]
4. How did Moses and Gideon respond differently than Isaiah when God called them? [[39:01]]

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### Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Isaiah was so quick to say, “Here am I, send me,” while Moses and Gideon hesitated? What does this say about how God works with different personalities? [[39:01]]
2. The sermon says God’s answer to our doubts is always, “I will be with you.” Why is God’s presence more important than our own confidence or abilities? [[41:55]]
3. The pastor mentioned that God speaks in many ways but that everything must be weighed against Scripture. Why is it important to use the Bible as the final authority when discerning God’s voice? [[21:19]]
4. The sermon talked about “filling your pulpit” and “swinging the bat.” What do these phrases mean in the context of everyday life? [[19:56]]

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### Application Questions

1. The world often says the best days are behind us or that the next generation is lost. Have you ever believed one of these lies? How can you remind yourself of God’s hope and optimism for the future? [[07:42]]
2. The pastor listed several ways God speaks—through His Word, prayer, godly counsel, desires, circumstances, emotions, and more. Which of these have you experienced most in your own life? Is there one you want to pay more attention to this week? [[21:19]]
3. When was the last time you sensed God asking you to do something, big or small? Did you say yes right away, or did you hesitate? What happened? [[44:39]]
4. The sermon said there’s room to wrestle with God’s call, especially with big decisions, but we shouldn’t delay in the small things. Is there a “small thing” God has been nudging you to do that you’ve been putting off? What’s stopping you? [[44:39]]
5. Not everyone wants to be in the spotlight or “the one.” How does it encourage you to know that God honors your unique temperament and still wants to use you? [[51:36]]
6. The pastor said that making Jesus Lord is a daily act, not just a one-time decision. What is one area of your life where you need to say “yes, Lord” this week? [[53:31]]
7. Think about your “pulpit”—the place or people God has given you influence with (family, friends, work, school, etc.). What is one practical way you can “be the one” and make a difference there this week? [[19:56]]

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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
“Lord, speak to us so that we can say yes and make a difference in our world. Help us to trust that you are with us, no matter our fears or weaknesses. Amen.” [[55:12]]

Devotional

Day 1: God Still Calls and Uses the Young

God has a high view of young people and desires to use them powerfully, regardless of what the world says about the next generation. Throughout history, there has always been skepticism and negativity about youth, but God’s perspective is different—He sees their potential, their strength, and their value. He chooses young people for significant purposes, as seen in the lives of Mary, the disciples, and countless others. Rather than looking down on youth or believing that the best days are behind us, we are called to be optimistic and to encourage the next generation to set an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity. God’s plans for the future are filled with hope, and He invites all ages to participate in His work. [07:42]

1 Timothy 4:12 (ESV)
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

Reflection: Who is a young person in your life you can encourage today to step into God’s calling for them, and how can you practically support or affirm them?

Day 2: Discern the Voice of the Lord

Learning to discern God’s voice is foundational for following Him and being “the one” He sends. God speaks in many ways—primarily through His Word, but also through prayer, godly counsel, desires and circumstances, emotions, dreams, visions, past experiences, music, and nature. However, all these must be weighed against Scripture, which is the ultimate authority. Discerning God’s voice requires intentional listening, seeking wisdom, and sometimes wrestling with questions in our mind, heart, and gut. God knows how to get our attention and guide us, but we must be willing to listen and test what we hear, always returning to the truth of His Word. [21:19]

Isaiah 6:8 (ESV)
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to better position yourself to hear and discern God’s voice—whether through Scripture, prayer, or seeking wise counsel?

Day 3: Say Yes—Even When You Feel Inadequate

God’s call often comes when we feel unqualified or weak, but His promise is not that we are enough, but that He will be with us. Like Moses and Gideon, we may hesitate, question, or feel inadequate, but God’s response is always, “I will be with you.” Our willingness to say yes, even with doubts or fears, opens the door for God to work through us in ways we could never accomplish on our own. It’s not about our strength or ability, but about God’s presence and power. When we step out in obedience, even if we wrestle with the call, God honors our faith and partners with us to accomplish His purposes. [41:55]

Exodus 3:10-12 (ESV)
“Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Reflection: Where do you feel most inadequate or hesitant to obey God’s call, and how can you invite His presence into that area today?

Day 4: Obedience Looks Different for Everyone

God knows your personality, your history, and your unique wiring—He doesn’t call everyone to serve in the same way. Whether you are an extrovert, introvert, or somewhere in between, God’s call to “be the one” will look different for you than for someone else. The important thing is not to compare your calling or style to others, but to say “yes, Lord” in the way He has designed you. Sometimes, God will stretch you beyond your comfort zone, but He always knows you intimately and equips you for what He asks. Your obedience, in both big and small things, is what matters most, and God delights in using all kinds of people to accomplish His will. [51:36]

Judges 6:14-16 (ESV)
And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

Reflection: In what area of your life do you sense God calling you to step out in obedience, even if it looks different from how others serve, and what is one step you can take this week?

Day 5: Make Jesus Lord Every Day Through Obedience

Making Jesus Lord is not a one-time event but a daily choice to say yes to Him and follow through in obedience. On the day of salvation, we surrender to His lordship, but every day after, we continue to make Him Lord through our actions, decisions, and willingness to be led by Him. This ongoing process is called sanctification—becoming more like Jesus as we consistently choose His way over our own. Each act of obedience, no matter how small, is a declaration that He is Lord of our lives. As we listen for His voice, say yes, and follow through, we partner with God to make a difference in our world and generation. [53:31]

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Reflection: What is one area where you need to renew your commitment to making Jesus Lord today, and what specific act of obedience can you offer Him as a living sacrifice?

Quotes

You can, like, be positive about what's coming. You can believe that better days are ahead because, again, the enemy is a liar, and the enemy would tell you, the world would tell you, just our natural tendency would tell us that, you know what? The glory days are behind us. Yeah, I'd say it was better back then, but the reality is, in Christ, there's always more ahead of us than behind us. There's always more ahead of us than behind us in Christ, and that is what the Lord would say. [00:07:42]

But God would say, The glory of young men is their strength. God would say, Children are a gift from the Lord. Amen? God would say, I'll use that 14 -year -old Mary. I'll use her. To be the mother of Jesus who comes to save the world. He'd say, I'll use those late teenagers and early 20 -something disciples to turn this world upside down and spread the gospel throughout the world. That's what God would say. [00:08:39]

But god would say don't let anybody look down on you because you're young don't set go out and set an example for the believers in speech and in conduct and in love and in faith and in purity that's what god would say god has a very high view of humanity he understands our weaknesses he but he has a high view of humanity and he has a high view of young people so go out and change the world but just like us old people even you young people we all gotta choose between god's way and the world's way god's ideas god's way of the thinkings and the world's [00:10:45]

So my question to you guys starting out with, be the one to what? Be the one to what? And don't worry if I'm not speaking the same message that I did at camp. There's a couple rhyming moments, but it's not the same message. I wanted to contextualize it for us. And I would answer that question, and you could probably answer it in several other ways, but I would say, be the one to fill your pulpit. Be the one to swing the bat. I mean, this is what we've been encouraged to do. This is what we're learning about, and we're trying for. And so I hope that, as I'm talking today, that you would build up the courage, build up the wherewithal to say, you know what, I want to be the one. [00:20:09]

If we want to be the one, we have to, number one, discern the voice of the Lord. And I want to just break it down real quick. I did do this at camp for the youth, and I think that you guys are seasoned. Many of you are seasoned in your faith. You're going to be like, Yep, I know that. Yep, I know that. And then some of you are like, Ooh, I needed to hear that. And some of you...you guys are like, I had no idea. But I want to tell you guys, number one, we've got to hear the voice of the Lord if we want to be the one. [00:21:39]

The word is a light and a lamp to my feet, right? It's a lamp to my feet, a light to my path. The word is, I wish it was a spotlight. I truly do. It's usually not. It's usually just enough to get me to the next step. But the word is a lamp to our feet. [00:22:16]

So the Bible is the number one, and it trumps all the others. So everything I say, two, three, four, five, and I'll even give you some others just real rapid fire, the Bible trumps them all. [00:22:53]

God works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purposes. That means God has good purposes that he wants to be fulfilled, and he'll actually put things in your will and your desires, and he'll put things so that you'll act out on them to accomplish his purposes. He does that. [00:26:05]

The Holy Spirit lives in us, right? So some of the emotions that I feel often that really help me make decisions, that I can discern God's voice, is peace and conviction. And those are emotional things. There's been situations where, like, I'm having peace, and I shouldn't be having peace. There's nothing here that's peaceful, but I'm totally at peace. And I'm like, okay, Lord, that could be you. That could be you. Peace surpasses understanding. [00:27:07]

God is a jealous God now when he in his jealousy he's not junior high girl jealous he's not petty he's jealous in pureness and holiness and perfection he's perfectly jealous like he loves you so whenever we're off distracted by something he's jealous for us it absolutely does not lead him to sin or anything like that it's not a bad jealousy it's a proper jealousy [00:28:04]

But when nature is speaking to you you will never look at that mountain and say wow there must be a God and he must have sent his son to be born of a virgin to live a perfect life to be wrongly accused to be killed to shed his blood on a cross so that that blood could cleanse me if I put my trust and faith in him then I'll be saved and live eternity with him you'll never look at that mountain and make that connection that's natural revelation that is divine revelation [00:33:05]

So if you want to be the one, number one, we've got to discern the Lord. Now, if I was Pastor Wayman, I would have said it more catchy. I would have said we have to learn to discern. It's good, but I couldn't make two and three work so well, so I just said we have to discern the voice of the Lord. Now, number two, we have to say yes. We have to say yes. This is a really big deal. Isaiah said, here I am, send me, and I can see it. He hears the voice of the Lord, and he's like that kid in elementary school. I was that kid in elementary school. The teacher finally asked the question that you know the answer to, and you're like, pick me, pick me, pick me, pick me, me, me, me, me. [00:36:47]

But here's God's response. Here, let me start with Moses. God did not say, so Moses says, who am I? Send Aaron. God didn't say, bro. Bro, you're better than you think. You got this, bro. You got it. You can do it. If you put your mind to it, you can do it. God didn't say that. And with Gideon, and Gideon says, I can't do that. I'm weak. He didn't say, oh, Gideon, you're stronger than you think. You got this. Believe in yourself. He didn't say that. You know what he said? You can look at both those passages. The very next verse. And these, there's a lot of pages, a lot of pages between Exodus and Judges. Same God, a lot of pages. And Jesus, or excuse me, God, his very next verse, the very, his response to both of their proclamations was, I will be with you. Five words. I will be with you. [00:41:14]

He wants us to, if you have a two -year -old, you want them to be a part of your life. You want to train them up and do things, and so they carry this ladder all the way, and they put it wherever they're taking it, and then they go to mama, and the little boy says, me and dad carry the ladder. [00:43:11]

But can I just offer the option? There's a little room for conversation with the Lord. You can wrestle with it. God's calling you to do something. If it's little, well, let me just be honest with you real quick. If it's a little thing, just do it. Don't wrestle with God over little things. [00:43:57]

But there's still room for some conversation. When you're driving in the car and he's putting something on your heart, you can wrestle a little bit. You can work it out. In fact, it's actually called counting the cost. Sometimes when the Lord calls us to stuff, not the little stuff. My other theory is if you can do it in two minutes, just do it. If you can make that phone call in two minutes, don't wait. Don't put it on your to -do list. Just do it. Just knock it out of the way. Just get it done. [00:45:27]

But whether we want to or not to be the one we got to say yes lord we got to say yes lord and so realize this this is where i get to hopefully bring you some encouragement it's where we get to say yes lord Especially you non -extroverts. God knows you. He knows you. He knows your personality. He knows your preferences. He knows your fears. God knows your heart. And God knows your history. He knows you. He knew Gideon. He knew Moses. He knew Isaiah. [00:51:10]

But we only fail if we say no. We only fail if we say no. So be encouraged today. God is still at work. And God is with us. God is with us. [00:52:13]

Sometimes, even though you're an introvert, sometimes you've just got to do extrovert stuff because God called you to it. Sometimes you've just got to roll down the window and call the soccer kids over, even though you don't want. I mean, it's like, I'm not saying that just because you have a personality that he always wins. I mean, if the Lord is the Lord of your life, then his ways win. His will wins. His timing wins. It's his, he's the Lord. That's the point of being Lord. As soon as you say no, Lord, he's not your Lord. You're the Lord. You asked him to leave the throne and you got on it for a second. [00:52:49]

So in the little stuff and the big stuff, let's say yes to the Lord. So let's just recap real quick. Let's listen for his voice. Listen to discern his voice. Let's say yes. And let's follow through. Let's be known by our ability to follow through. Number three, know that by your obedience, you are once again making God the Lord of your life. [00:53:31]

On day one, you make him Lord unto salvation. But on day two and beyond, you make him Lord unto sanctification. Now you got to think about it for a second. But on day one, when you made him Lord, it was so that you could be saved. Because you were Lord before you got saved. You were in charge. You're the boss. It's your way. But then all of a sudden, you said, God, you be the Lord. It's your way. And so on day one, you got saved. But every other day after that, saying yes to the Lord, being obedient to the Lord's call is making him Lord of your life, which is sanctification. We become more like him. We begin to think more like him. We act more like him. We just become more like Jesus over and over and over. [00:54:02]

Chatbot

What are the primary ways God speaks to believers?

How should Christians respond when called to serve?

Why is saying yes crucial in following God's call?