Making decisions of faith in the clutch
Key Passage: Numbers 13
Date: June 7, 2024
Turn your Bibles, if you would, to Numbers chapter number 13 tonight. Numbers chapter number 13. We have just taken a couple Wednesday nights during the summertime. I’m talking about faith, and I just feel like it’s a key time for us to keep our faith strong in the Lord that he can work in our day and time.
And if we lose that, if we lose that, Mark 5:6, and he could there do no mighty works. Say that he saved a few sick folk and healed them. Just a few. Couldn’t do any mighty works. We don’t want that in our country, our church, our area. And so we cannot lose our faith that God can do great things in and through us and our day and time. Brother Tim, if you just take those cards and hold on to them, we’ll stop past until after the preaching time.
And Numbers chapter number 13 in God’s word. How many, how many, tired? Anybody a little tired out there tonight? I thought I could feel that a little bit coming in, you know. Some was a little late. I’m glad you hear it a little late coming in. I’m glad you’re a little late coming in. I have some people a little tired, been a busy day. But you’re here. God’s very, very pleased with that. And praise the Lord for it. And I’m thrilled about having you here Wednesday night also.
By the way, good to have Brother Darrell with us tonight. That’s a blessing. I like that. What a blessing that is. And good to see him. I still a little bitter against Brother Darrell something years and years ago he did to me. You know what I’m going to talk about Brother Darrell? Years ago we had a fellowship, I think of Brother Duane’s house, maybe years ago. And we had a championship, and I was doing pretty good in ping pong, and brother Darrell beat me. What about that? I’ll tell you what. He won it fair and square, amen. I’ll never forget it. Forget it. Did a great job on it.
Numbers 13. Would you please stand as we read God’s Word together? Just try to show us some respect here. The title tonight would be making decisions of faith in the clutch. Right in the clutch. Making decisions of faith during the clutch. We’re in Numbers 13, and we’re going to start verse number 30, if you would please. Numbers 13, verse number 30.
And Caleb stilled the people before Moses. Now let me just pause for a moment and kind of catch us up. So many of you know already, but the children of Israel, God had brought them out of Egypt. Remember the 10 plagues and then the Red Sea? They crossed over the peninsula there, the desert. We get that confused, not really that long, meaning, say, a little over 11 months, it took them to get to what’s the southern border, Kadesh-Barnea, or they were going to enter into what we call the promised land. That is the land that God had promised to them.
Now we often enter songs and will not compare that to heaven. And I don’t think it’s anything. We’ve got to come down with an axe over and chop somebody’s head off over, but technically that’s not accurate. Promised land or Canaan land, by the way, when you get to heaven, you don’t have to fight them anymore. And when they entered the promised land, they still had the Philistines and the Amalekites and the and all the other Ike brothers, you know, and Jebusites. You don’t have that. So the promised land really spiritually, the true representation of the victorious Christian life, where you kind of enter into the promises that he’s promised you of joy, of peace, of answers prayer, of fruit. It’s the land he has promised you and I.
And they were there. They were right there at that border. They were about to march in to the promised land. Israel and the victorious Christian living. And they sent in the 12 spies. And whether originally that was from Moses, the people, or the Lord, a little debate over that. Deuteronomy kind of looks like the people originated it. I’m not sure. I tend to think that, but it wasn’t debate about it. We’ll talk about that other times. But anyway, they sent the 12 spies, and you know the story. They came back, and 10 of them said, no way. There’s no way you can live like that if you know. There’s no way you can win those battles right there. Those are giants over there. There’s just no way we can do it.
But then two. Help me out. What’s the two? The two give? Yeah, Joshua and Caleb, they said, all we can do it. And that’s where we’re at right there. And, of course, you know the outcome that made the wrong decision. But it’s a clutch of the moment when they made this decision, and they made it, oh, in unbelief, Hebrews tells us very clear. And they wandered altogether for 40 years because of a horrible decision. They never entered into the victorious Christian living. So I want to look at this thing just briefly tonight about making a decision of faith in the clutch. At the clutch of the moment there.
We’re in verse number 30. I’m sorry. We want to get kind of the context here. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, we be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. They brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched under the children of Israel, saying the land through which we have gone to search it is the land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof on all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants. It’s a very interesting statement. I haven’t underlined in my Bible. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. So we were in their sight. If you will, I’m adding these words as grasshoppers.
But notice it started, we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. Let us pray, would you please? The Lord just encourage us all tonight. Lord, Father, I do ask, Father, more than I beg, would you take these truths? I believe you’ve led me to encourage and build the faith of your people, Lord. Father, help us in the clutch in the heat of the battle to remember these truths. And, Father, help us to learn from Israel at this moment. Lord, I pray that our people would just win for you during the clutch of the moment. And, Father, we’ll thank you and praise your gratitude for what you do. It’s in Jesus’ name we ask. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. Would you be seated?
They’re just going to mention a couple things that I believe they could have done to overcome this bad decision to make a right decision in the clutch of the moment. Number one, if they would have remembered what all God had just done for them. God even mentions this. Would you look over in chapter number 14, chapter 14? Would you look at verse number 11, chapter 14, verse number 11? And the Lord said unto Moses, how long will this people provoke me? And how long will it be ere they believe me for all the signs which I have showed among them? Did you notice God’s bringing it up? I’ve already done so much. Why won’t they believe in me after all I have done for them?
Look at verse number 22 of chapter number 14. Chapter 22, excuse me, chapter 14:22. Because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice. You realize what God’s saying? Look, I’ve done so much for you. How in the clutch of the moment, how is it you forget about what all I have done for you?
Now think about it. Back in Egypt, think about it. How many plagues was it that God sent on the Egyptians? Ten of them, right, right. I mean, and some of them were interesting plagues. I mean, turning the water to blood. You ever think about the frogs? I think when at least when I was a boy, we grew up mostly, born in Tennessee, mostly grew up in Florida, and they have a lot of frog gigging in Florida. How many has ever ate frog legs? Good, good, good, good. The rest of you need to get with the program, man, they’re pretty good stuff now, you know. They may be a little bit better than chicken. How many have ever fried any frog legs? I’ve got a couple, good, good, good. How many ever just put them in there quick and watched them move at first a little bit? A couple of you guys, yeah, yeah. Man, I think, I don’t know, I wasn’t there, of course, but I think maybe at first it’d be like, man, this is frog leg territory right here, man, let’s go frog gigging, you know. But maybe after, oh, three hours of that, you’re like, I can’t gig all these frogs, Brother Frank. They’re all over the place. And then Moses prays and boom, they’re gone.
I mean, the miracles that God had done. By the way, then the flies, I don’t think I’d ever enjoy all the flies around my house. I don’t know if they ever got to eat because my wife was always shooting those flies away, you know. I think my wife would be like, hey, hey, no, no, don’t eat that, you know. It’s just every wife in the world was like that. Going to picnic, my good, can’t keep the flies away, you know. And what about the death of the firstborn? That’s such a touchy thing with the mom and the dad, the firstborn. And can you imagine that? And they seen God when they had applied the blood and the death angel passed over them and the Passover.
I’m just talking about the miracles. And then they come over to the Red Sea. And the cloud that’s in front guiding them, they get stuck there if you will, and it goes behind them to protect them from Pharaoh and his army before God split. And then finally God splits the Red Sea and they cross over. It’s a debate, 2 million, 3 million Jews, somewhere on there. And they go through the Red Sea. Can you imagine? I always wonder what it was like. I mean, could you walk up to the walls of water? They walked over on dry ground. You ever think about it? Could you walk over and just kind of put your hand in the water? Maybe you see a bass and you try to catch it. I don’t know if it was like a wall. You could get your hand in the water. I don’t know. But they walked through, I mean, the miracles they saw.
And then they go to the wilderness wandering, and when Moses’ hands are up, they win; when Moses’ hands are down, they lose, and Aaron and Hur. I’m just about all the miracles. And then the rock that gave water, and what is it, Corinthians or Acts, it tells us that rock followed them. And just a miracle all the things that happened for them, just amazing. It’s incredible just to think about all the miracles that were done for them over and over again. And when it came to the clutch of the moment, they forgot them all.
I can’t confess I’m there sometimes. In the clutch of the moment, all that God’s done for me, he’s done so much, so many different things. And my mind’s going from all that. Shame on me. Can I just challenge you for a second tonight in the heat of the moment, in the clutch, when you’re right there, keep your mind, keep your thoughts, that is so key. Your thought, bringing into captivity every thought. By the way, it doesn’t mean every thought comes in there, you’re responsible, but as soon as it comes in your mind, then you’re responsible, bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. As soon as it’s there, you’re responsible for it.
Now, look, in order to do that, to keep your thoughts right, so you make decisions of faith in the clutch of the moment, first of all, you have to be aware of what you’re thinking. Sometimes we just go for days, maybe dwelling or thinking, we don’t even realize. And there’s just a consciousness. Where am I going to? Sometimes you’re down, your spirit’s defeated and you’re entering in depression. Where’s your mind going to? Do you know your mind or what your mind is dwelling on? It is so crucial. Your thoughts. You know it, Philippians 4:8. What things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report. If there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Your mind, what are you thinking about? And if I’m going to make right decisions during the clutch, I have to be aware of where my mind and what my thoughts are going to, friend. Your mind will bring you down. It will destroy your faith. Your mind is so very, very key.
I always thought it was interesting. Paul over there in Acts when he stood before Agrippa, he makes this statement, I don’t want to do scripture injustice, but he says, I think myself happy. Now it goes on and says, because I’m standing before you. But I always thought about just those words, I think myself happy. But your thoughts, they’re so crucial for him. If we’re going to make the right decisions, can I say this, even before your thoughts, it’s part of your thoughts, but what are you talking about? See, here’s the temptation. You think it may be just a critical or negative or a down or thought, you know. And yes, sometimes you must deal with things and deal with them. But if a mind goes there and then I start talking to Brother Ted for three hours every day about this bad all the time, this negative, I’m talking to him about, oh, I’m looking, about Brother Frank, you know, and all Brother Frank’s problems. Okay, maybe it was four or five hours, you know, Brother Frank’s problems. Of course, Brother Frank knows we’re joking. But if we do that, the more we talk about it, the more we think about it. And the more we think about it, the greater the temptation to talk about it.
Remember there in James 3, and your tongue is that rudder that steers the ship? Remember that? And we think it, then we talk. By the way, be so careful what you and your spouse, and that’s the person you ought to be the closest to in the world. But if you’re not careful, you’re always talking to your spouse about all the bad. And then you’re like, why isn’t my wife on top side? Well, because I’ve been bringing her down with all these bad faults, negativity and critical things. So if I’m going to have the right thoughts, I must guard my tongue. And then let me say this, I must guard my eyes also. The light of the body is the eyes. If I’ve always got my eyes on critical, bad things, a lot of my body is going to be full of darkness. And I must watch. I must be very, very careful. I’m for keeping up on the news somewhat, and I’m very glad. I’m very glad we’re very involved in political things, and I’m for all that. But can I say, can I say if we’re not careful, some news will find the worst story in all the world. And that’s what they’ll focus on all the time. And some Christians, they’ll take it and focus on it for three years too. And it’s like, I think Brother Adam told someone this. He said, look, you know, if I believe like you did, why get involved in politics? Because it’s always negative. I’m involved in politics because I think we can make a difference here. And we can be light and salt like God told us to be. But I’m just saying, and I’m not saying deny, I live in denial about the bad and the wrong, but if I spend all my time on the bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, I’m probably not going to make decisions of faith in the clutch of the moment. So I must watch that. Where is my mind going to? Where am I dwelling on all the time?
I had the privilege going out to luncheon with the dumpers today, and one thing I like about with the dumpers, they’ve been in the ministry for years and years, and I like to hear old stories where God worked it a great way. I like to hear those. And they build my faith. And so God’s really talking to me. He says, hey, after all I’ve done for you and you doubt me in the clutch of the moment. So number one, I’ve got to have my thoughts right if I’m going to make faith decisions in the clutch of the moment.
Let’s look at another thing here. Chapter 13, we’ve already read it. But would you look in verse number 31, 13 and verse number 31. Oh, I’m sorry, we’ll start verse number 30. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses and said, let us go up at once and possess it, for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, we be not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we. They brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched into the children of Israel, saying the land through which we have gone to search it is the land that eat up the inhabitants of all the people that saw it. That we saw in it were men of great stature. And I won’t finish it. We’ve already read it. Look over in chapter number 14. Chapter 14, look at verse number 36. Chapter 14, verse number 36.
And the men which Moses sent to search the land who returned made all the, it was amazing, made all the congregation. Did you get that? Let’s go back. I want to make sure we got that. And the men which Moses sent to search the land who returned and made all the congregation to murmur against him by bringing up a slander upon the land. Now here’s what I’m getting at, this second point. If I’m going to make faith decisions in the clutch of the moment, I must be listening to the right voices. They listened to the majority, to the 10, and well the 10 just brought the whole congregation down. It is so critical who you’re listening to.
Moms, grandmas, whatever, there’s always going to be the wrong voices about how to raise children. There are always this. Men, there’s always going to be the wrong voices out there to how to be the man you ought to be, the husband you ought to be, the church members. There’s always wrong voices out there. There’s always wrong voices out there. There are always this. They’re a dime a dozen. They’re the majority typically, they’re going to be loud and proud. By the way, the media is going to give them attention in higher day and time, the mainstream media. But you just mark it, mark it down, whatever field it’s in, there’s going to be the wrong voices out there.
And the key part of this was the children of Israel listened to those 10. They listened to the wrong people. And that is crucial. It’s so crucial. Can I say this? Praise the Lord, the right voices were there. Oh, Joshua and Caleb were trying the best to speak up. And God saw that and God rewarded them for that, but the people didn’t listen to them. They listened to all the other loud mouths when there’s always loud mouths giving the wrong advice out. I guarantee you, friend, it doesn’t matter what subject we cover. You’re talking about the King James. The critics of the King James about a dime a dozen if they’re always out there. Like a little too old-fashioned. They’ve been saying that, and then they’ll keep on saying that. Don’t listen to them. Say, yes, I’m old-fashioned, and I’m glad I’m old-fashioned. But there’s always, there always has been, there always will be the wrong voices out there. Just get used to it. The vast majority of the time, the majority is wrong. It was in this case.
I remember old Curtis Hudson saying back in the day when he went to the Oral Roberts conference and God really just set him on fire and it came home. He was a, he was a post office worker, postman. And what time you mailman came? You don’t know him to hold that. And he went, God did a work in his heart and he came home and told his wife, look, I’m going to quit my job and I’m going to go full-time pastor. He’s pastoring a little church. I’m just going to go full. And she said, oh, man, that church can’t pay our bills. And we can’t do that. And he said, I know, but God can. And she said, well, what if we don’t have money? And he said, well, we’ll sell our furniture and pay for what we need. And she said, what are we going to do if we run out of furniture? And Curtis Hudson said, if I don’t have a God big enough to pay my bills, I really don’t want to serve him.
And I remember him talking about during that time. He said, man, it was like there was a cell on wet blankets. Because everywhere I went, there was a wet blanket to put out my fire. And any time you do something, I’m telling you, friend, that’s just part of it. Get ready for it. There’s always going to be that wrong voice just to squelch your faith. And more often than not, they’re going to be the majority. They’re going to be a lot of them. And they’re going to seem like they’re, by the way, typically they’re going to sing like they’re so wise. We’ve been there, we know. We saw the giants. They’re sons of Anak. Man, you know how big and mighty they are. They’re always going to be there. It’s just part of it. Be so very, very careful.
There’s always, always, can I say this about this point here? Can I just say this briefly? Y’all still out there tonight? Would you notice it wasn’t the outsider’s voice? It was the children of Israel. Can I put it this way? I think of some people that that really gotten right with God, on fire for God. I don’t know how many times of that, but I remember one specifically, and their friends that weren’t saved at the time started criticizing, well, man, you go to church all the time now. Started saying all that stuff. I bet you give money to that church. I bet you tithe and all these things. And that’s very typical, but these people, they knew that was the world. And that’s, you know, you’re not too surprised when that’s come. Here’s the problem. This does so much more damage than that when it’s Christians, church members sometimes, in our camp, when they start criticizing. Well, man, I can’t believe you gave that for the special offering, you know. Or you don’t have to dress like that. Or you don’t have to listen to that kind of news. You can do this. You can do that. What’s wrong with this? And all those, that’s where the damage comes. More often than not, I guarantee a friend over the history of Christianity, that’s where there’s been so much damage. It was from, it was from their camp. The 10 that led them the wrong way were leaders of Israel. That’s why they got picked to go in there. They weren’t, they weren’t not popular Christians. They were leaders of the church of you. And friend, I’m telling you, over history of Christianity, that’s done more damage to people not entering into the promised land and so many things. It’s so critical. So, so find the right voices to listen to. Find them. Look for them.
How many read your, well, I ain’t going to have you raise your hand. How many read your Proverbs today? Proverbs 13. Some of you said, yeah, yeah. And if you did, great, praise the Lord. Then I’m not trying to, and I don’t raise your hand. But inside that, there’s a verse, verse number 20. It’s what it said. Well, when I read it this morning, the Lord reminded me of it, and I needed, I still need it, but it says, he that walketh with wise men shall be wise. Wow. But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Now, here’s been my temptation in the past when I was a youth director, you know, I mean, I would try to stuff that down. The teenagers don’t know. You need a good friend. You need a good friend. Man, I need a good friend. It’s not just for teenagers, friends. It’s for, it’s for, it’s for 103-year-old people. And honestly this morning, I said, Lord, help me to walk with wise men. I want that, I need that. Praise the Lord, we’ve got wise people in our church. I think either one of souls is wise. Tomorrow night there be some wise people out. But look for it. A great way to walk with wise people in our day and time. Sometimes I do for sure because there’s so much blame that can be put on the devil using it. It’s a tool that can be used for good or bad, but the old cell phone. And it can be used for bad. Can I say this, friend, there’s a lot of wise voices on there. Now, typically, you’ve got to search them out. You go to YouTube, it’s not going to be on the front page. There’s a chance that’s been censored out, some of them too, nowadays, you know. But you can find some good preaching on there. There’s some good podcasts out there. Y’all know all the technical stuff a whole lot better than I do. There’s a lot of good. There’s apps galore for reading your Bible and sharing it with some couple and their couples or friends or whatever. And I’m not against that. But I’m just saying you have to search out the right voices. You’re going to have to look for those. They’re there. But there’s always that wrong voice. You can’t do it. But you listen closely and you ask for the Lord’s direction. Give me some wise people to listen to. They’re there. Joshua and Caleb.
Can I say this until the Lord comes back? I don’t know what it would get like. I haven’t gave up on America yet, but I don’t know. I don’t know what it would be like if the Lord tarries. I don’t know. I’m not trying to debate of all that. But I promise you, no matter where you’re at or how bad it gets, whatever country, wherever you’re at, there’ll be some right voices somewhere. Always the 7,000, always the remnant. You can bank on that. God will always have his voice. Even during the tribulation period, there’s two witnesses and 144,000 Jewish people evangelists. I mean, there’s always the right one. And that’s the ones you’re looking for. In the flood, in the flood, there was Noah and his family. There’s always there. You just check it out. That’s the crowd you’re looking for. That’s who you’re trying to find. That’s what you’re after. And look for it. You’ve got to look for the right voices.
I’ve mentioned this already, but be careful of following the majority. Be careful of that. Ten of them were wrong. Two of them are good. Often those that God’s working through, you realize God’s people typically often they work in minorities. Sometimes God’s men have to stand alone. Well, John the Baptist did. Elijah did. Now, he wasn’t totally alone. I said, no, there are 7,000. But we’re so prone to, well, everybody’s saying this, it must be right. Oh, boy, be careful with that one. If you’re going to hear the right voices, you must be looking for them. They won’t be in the spotlight. They won’t be. And you’ve got to look for them and find them.
Number one, we said, hey, if I’m going to make decisions of faith during the clutch of the moment, remember what all God’s done for. They didn’t do that. Number two, listen to the right voices. And then number three, very, very quickly here. Number three, chapter number 13. Look in verse number 33. Verse number 33, 13:33. 13:33 right there. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers. And so we were in their sight.
Now here’s what I’m getting at. They started comparing themselves with the people that were there. Now, Joshua and Caleb do it a little bit, but every time they do it, we don’t have time to read it, but every time they do it, they’ll go back to God. Well, God’s going to give us a victory anyway. But if I get into this comparison thing, I say it so often, I feel like I’ve broken record over that thing, 20 years. But if I get comparing, by the way, what does Corinthians say? Not wise when I start comparing. When I start comparing, I lack wisdom. What is that? First Corinthians 10:12, believe it is? I’ve got to wrote down somewhere. Second Corinthians 10:12. You’re not wise. But it always leads to either one of the things, either it leads to pride. Boy, I’m doing good. Or it leads to pity. That’s what was going on here. My goodness, we’re nothing but grasshoppers. Man, look at us. We’re so minute and so small and so little. We’re like grasshoppers, and they started thinking that about themselves. Pretty soon they started thinking that about them. But it started with them and they started just comparing so much.
A friend, the Bible says, can I say this as far as our church? If I start comparing our church to LifePoint or World Outreach, first of all, we’re in two totally different camps. We’re not trying to compete with them. But even if I compare us with Franklin Road, praise the Lord for Franklin Road. They’re not many enemies. I’m not against them. They’re much bigger than us, and I’m fine with that. But we’re doing what God called us to do in Smyrna. And God has a niche and a notch and a job for us to do something here. And we’re not trying to compare with everybody else. We’re trying to do what God’s called us to do. I’m going to get in this comparison mode about, you know, I might say, good as so-and-so, I look as good as so-and-so, have an ice car, and I, forget all that stuff, that’ll lead to pride or pity. What has God called you to do? Are you doing what God’s called you to do? That’s the key. Be so careful. They really got caught up in this thing of comparison. Man, we’re just like grasshoppers compared to this. That’s all right. God can use grasshoppers to win battles of the Lord’s in it.
Then let’s look at this last thing very, very briefly. Did I say last thing on the last point? I’m sorry if I did. You know, pastors usually have at least three last or finals in there, you know. Last thing, it’s got ten sub-points underneath it, something like that. Chapter 14, chapter 14. Look in verse number eight, chapter 14. And chapter 14, look in verse number eight, if you would please. If the Lord delight. This is Joshua and Caleb speaking. If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land. Give it us. A land which floweth with milk and honey. By the way, that means ice cream if you didn’t know that. You guys study that. That’s what it means.
But he said, the Lord, the Lord will give it to him. A friend, and this can be tough. It’s easy. Sometimes what they say, it’s easy preaching, hard living, you know. But right in the clutch of the moment, whenever things are there’s pressure and there’s problems galore, the temptation, just a natural pull is me to get my eyes and my heart and my mind on all the problems. And I forget how mighty God is. Joshua and Caleb did a wonderful job. Hey, the Lord. Yes, there are giants over there, but the Lord! Yes, there’s going to be battles, but the Lord, he’s promised this to us. I say making right decisions or decisions faced in the clutch of the moment, really, it was just a matter of them obeying because God had already promised the land to them. He shouldn’t even be making a decision. It should have been already made, but often at the clutch we go back and rehearse the decisions we’ve made. But friend, I must keep God in view.
Can I be honest just for a moment here? In this land that God has led us to buy and praise the Lord we’re almost got it paid off. And then the new building and all these things, man, if I just see all that, I’m thinking, it’s the grasshopper right here. But if I start remembering what all he’s done, he’s done so many miracles to get us here. So many. And I don’t have time. And you know them. I mean, just miracle after miracle. There’s so many, and I’m not as good as ought to be at this, but I’m trying to write these down, journal them a little bit because I don’t want to forget them. There’s just so many miracles God’s done to get us to this point. Prime real estate commercial land in Smyrna, Tennessee, and it’s almost paid for by a church our size. I mean, the only way I can explain that is God. That’s it. And, friend, I have to say, Paul, get your eyes off the problems and the numbers and all the rest of saying, get your eyes on how mighty and how great your God is. There’s nothing for him.
I don’t do it like I should, but sometimes I come home at nighttime, especially after church, and I’ll get out of the car. Of course, Dixie’s barking. And she can’t come out to where I am because of her collar. That’s a good thing sometimes. You ever have like a, Dixie’s white, and she’s got great Pyrenees lab mix, and I’m telling you, just one swipe against your pants, and you’ve got fur all over there, man. And she likes to put her mark on you. You don’t want to talk about it. She won’t jump. She’s better than that. She’s trained on that. But man, just one swipe. So a lot of times I’ll have my laptop bag, you know, and I’ll make sure it’s down there. That laptop bag a lot of times has white fur all over for him. I’m telling you all. It’s the truth. But anyway, before I get to Dixie, I’m getting off track there, you know. Before I get to Dixie sometimes, especially at nighttime, I’ll try to just look up, see the moon up there, the stars. We’re supposed to have a super moon. Maybe tonight it is. Tonight, sounds like. Man, I just try. Man, God, you’re so magnificent. Your world’s amazing. I mean, six literal days. Don’t give me this, every day was a thousand years. No, the evening and the morning were the first day, the evening and the morning the second day. Six literal days he created all. Do you believe in the Big Bang theory? You better believe I do. He said it and bang it happened. And it’s good for me just to look up and say, wow, it’s amazing. Thank you, God. Why am I so worried about my little bitty puny problems compared to you? There are nothing to you. I mean, you just, boom, you made it all. And why am I worried about this little bitty problem? It’s crazy, but I do. But it helps me so much to just get my mind and my heart set on the Lord.
By the way, his promises, that’s his promises. In my prayer time, in the morning time, typically, and I have to work at it. There’s all these details and all these problems going through your mind and all these different situations go through your mind. And I have to work. I don’t know if you’re like me or not, but I have to work. Lord, I don’t want to go into my prayer time complaining about all my problems to you. I want to go to my prayer time telling my problems how big my God is. So I have to really work at first just getting focused. What does the Bible say? If your mindset on him, what do you have? Perfect peace. And I have to work at getting my mind on him. And sometimes that takes work. And it’s a very, all kind of different ways I try to do. And it’s probably going to be different for you. Everyone’s prayer time is going to be a little bit different. You pray to God is a little bit different than everybody does. That’s why you can give God something nobody else can give to God. But then I have to work, and sometimes it’s a matter of just going through the last 24 hours, and I thank God for everything. And sometimes it helps me get my heart and my mind on you. Sometimes I’ll go through the names of God, you know. Hallowed be thy name, and I’ll go through the names of God and that will happen to get my mind set on him. But how have I worked at it? Maybe it’s just, I go through my life and think about the great miracles he’s done for me. But if I can get my mind on him, it changes my outlook on everything. That’s the way Joshua and Caleb was. Yes, there’s giants. Yes, we’re a little bitty tiny compared to them. But who cares? God’s going to bring the victory for us. If I get my mind on, oh, friend, there’s everything in the world to pull your thoughts and everything away from God and everything. And I have to work at it. I want my mind to be stayed on him. I want my mind.
I’ll be done with this. And okay, ladies, you can put your shoes on. I’m really going to be done after this illustration. Brother Bobby Robertson. I mean, Brother Bobby Robertson, know Walker Town, North Carolina. Mr. Gray, he’s in heaven now, a great man of God for years and years and years. I remember him telling this story. He said he was at a preacher’s fellowship, and Brother Howes had just moved from Texas. He’d been, he grew up in Texas and all just Texas boy, you know, Brother Anthony’s a Texas boy. And amen, there he goes. And he moved to Indiana, northwest Indiana. A friend, sometimes the Texas in Indiana, that doesn’t go together sometimes. I mean, you’re talking Texas. You know, I’m not coming up, Brother Anthony, but everything’s bigger and better there in Texas. You understand that. And you do that up in Yankee land, that doesn’t always go real good. You understand what I’m saying? They shoot back there, you know. And they’re right there by Chicago, and I know the strictest gun law state, you know, and all that other stuff, but they got guns, friend. Been proven here recently, you know.
And so they were talking to this preacher fellowship, and a lot of the preachers were saying, it ain’t going to work. This Texas boy up in Indiana, those two, it don’t mix. It’s not going to work. And Brother Bobby, he was a younger preacher, he said, I just kind of listened to everybody talking about. An old Harold Seidler. How many know Harold Seidler? So you do, he’s just like an old, he’s a great preacher. He’s in heaven. A lot of these are older, great men. But he had this old rustic, you know, God used to. He just is a great guy. An old Harold Seidler was just eating. Brother Bobby said, he just kept eating. And they’re talking about, and I go work and all this. You know, they’re back and forth and he’s going to work or not, you know. Harold Seidler, he just over there eating. He was the smart one. Amen. Let them argue. I’m going to eat that banana pudding. How do you know banana pudding? Every fellowship, there’s a banana pudding. That’s a good thing, brother. That’s part of the marriage supper of the Lamb, right, Brother Tim? That’s good preaching right there. Come on now, yes, sir. And it’s M-A-R-Y, by the way, too, for you that last thing you know. I don’t know where that came from, but anyway.
So Harold Seidler’s there eating. He’s there eating his food, and they’re arguing off. And I can’t remember the story. Somebody asked Harold Seidler. He just spoke up. Somebody asked him. Brother, he was kind of like the senior pastor. And God used to greatly there in Greenville for years and years. And I think so man, what do you think? He said, he just kind of kept eating finally. He said, if God’s in it, and he went back to eating in there and pudding. And friend, it doesn’t matter what your problem is. If God’s in it. Joshua and Caleb had their eyes on the Lord. And they kept their eyes on the Lord. And they knew if God’s in it, it’s going to work.
Would you bow your heads very briefly tonight? Our heads are bowed, our eyes are closed. Just briefly, I want us, maybe the Lord would like for us to make some decisions. You say maybe during the clutch of the moment, I need to work. I need to work at remembering what all God’s done. God spoke to my heart about that. Just trying to help us make some decisions. That’s you tonight. You slip your hand in, preacher, that’s me right there. I need to remember what all God’s done. God bless you. God bless you. Me too, me too. Go quickly here. You say I need to work at listening to the right crowd. I need to be discerning about the right voices. I need to pray about it. I need to on purpose look for the two. God spoke to my heart. I need to be listening to the right voices. That’s you tonight. That’s me right there. God bless you. Trying to help us make some decisions. I say, I have something, I just got a battle comparing myself. I’m always comparing myself and I’m going to work at this thing not to compare myself. God spoke to me about that. That should be just going to work at it. God bless you. God bless you. It’s a good thing. Trying to help us make decisions. All of us battle these things from time to time. Last thing, preacher, I’m going to work at keeping my eyes on how mighty God is. I’m going to just try to get my eyes on the Lord in the clutch of the moment and the battle. I’m going to try to look up and just see how mighty, powerful God is and look straight in the face of our wonderful Lord. God’s spoken to my heart. I’m going to try to see Him. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. Me too. Me too. God bless you.
Would you please stand tonight? Friend, would you stand? We won’t be long. We’ll have a word of prayer. If you’d like to come, you’d just be obedient to the Lord. I invite you to come. You’d be obedient to the Lord. Father, thank you for your goodness. Lord, help us to learn from the children of Israel, Lord. Help us to make decisions of faith in the clutch. Lord, may be one of these points, would you bring them to our remembrance when we need them? Bless these next few minutes in Jesus, and we pray. Amen. Would you come as our instrument plays? Would you come? Would you come? Obedient to the Lord. Follow the Lord. I may have to look for them, but they’re always there. Praise the Lord for that. What a wonderful truth that is. By the way, there’s always the right voice right there. And glad you’re here on a Wednesday night. Honored to have every person here. Thank you for being with us as a guest. We’re honored to have you tonight. Thank you for coming. We appreciate it very, very much. And good to have Brother [Unclear name] back with us, too. Amen for that. Amen. Good to see everybody back in church on a Wednesday night.
Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar - - Making Decisions of Faith in The Clutch - Wednesday PM 07132022