You Have What It Takes
Key Passage: Psalm 139:14
Date: June 7, 2024
I like that. Thank you so very, very much. Turn your minds to Psalms 139, if you would please. Psalms 139 in God’s Word. We have been studying the life of the kings, lessons from the kings. I had planned on preaching on a king named Ahab. And just…
Maybe Father’s Day, I just felt like I had to change directions a little bit. Ahab would not be a good father to look at, for sure. And so I’m not sure what the title. I think we’ll just call the title, “You Have What It Takes.” We’ll just call that the title this morning. And I felt like the Lord had read through this Psalm of my devotion. I felt like the Lord just said, “Hey, won’t you go there?” on Psalm 139 this morning. So a little change, but I want to be sensitive to the Lord and preach and say what He wants said and preach. So, Psalm 139. We’re going to start verse number 14. Psalm 139 and verse number 14 in God’s Word.
If you’re there, would you please stand out of respect for the Word of God, if you’re able to? We try to show God’s Word honor and respect the best we can.
Psalms 139. We’ll start in verse number 14 of God’s Word. And the Bible there says, “I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from Thee when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect—an imperfect, not complete, not mature, maybe not fully developed in the womb, maybe not born yet, not sure everything about it—but yet being imperfect, and in that all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God. How great is the sum of them. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake, I am still with Thee.”
Would you pray that the Lord would speak not just to our head, but to our heart? Would you ask the Lord to do that in your heart this morning? I ask the same. Father Lord, I sure want to follow your leadership. Lord, I realize if any good thing happens, it’ll be from you. So, Lord, I yield to you. Lord, if you want to change anything, I want to change what you won’t change. Lord, give me your direction clearly. Lord, I need that. Father, would you take these truths and drive them home to the hearts of these dear people? Please, Lord. And Father, we’re going to trust you for that because we’re asking, Father, in the name of Jesus, we’re praying and believing. Amen. Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.
Every boy and somewhat men, they have this question about them. Everybody, if you would, just pay attention here real close to the beginning here. Every young man and sometimes old men, they have this question. Some are answered more than others. But here’s a question they have just beating in their heart: Do I have what it takes?
I mean, when it comes to the heat of the battle, the man’s supposed to be the strong one, he’s supposed to be able to handle himself and defend and take care. When that time comes, do I have what it takes? Do I have what it takes to be the father I ought to be? Do I have what it takes to be the husband I ought to be? Do I have what it takes to provide for my family as I ought?
Ladies have a very similar question—girls and ladies even still. Their question is often this: Am I lovely? Am I accepted? Will I be chosen by someone? Am I special? Am I valuable? Am I wanted? Am I lovely? I’m going to do my best in just a brief amount of time to try to answer those questions from the Word of God.
I’m going to go out at two angles. First of all, from creation. Would you look back at verse number 14, we just read it there, where he says, this is, of course, David, God speaking through him. He says, “I will praise Thee.” Let me just say a word here: The end of this doesn’t equal you being big-headed and proud and think you’re somebody. The end of this, if you deal with it properly, ends up you praising the Lord. Our goal isn’t to go around thinking we’re somebody or something. Our goal is to go around praising the Lord. So it starts off, “I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Notice this next phrase: “Marvelous are,” what’s the next word? “Thy.” God, if you will, “Thy works.”
You ever buy something and purchase, or are you thinking about purchasing? And you look for that little sticker, that little tag. And sometimes it says, “Made in China.” And you think it’s not going to last real long if I buy that thing there. Come on now, you know. Or “Made in Vietnam,” or made here or there, or “Made in the good old U.S.A.” Somebody say amen out there. We need a lot of those. Friend, you have a tag on you if you heal, and this is what it says: Made by God. God Almighty took His hands and He formed you. He shaped you. That’s why I said, marvelous are Thy works. You’re made by God. You’re created by Him. Not an accident, not a coincidence you are like you are.
You say, “Preacher, I don’t know about all that. I got a freckle right on the end of my nose.” Better a freckle than a booger, amen, you know. I’m too short, I’m too tall, friend. God wanted someone just like you. He did not make a mistake. He did not accidentally slip when He was making you. He didn’t, oh, not designed like you like He intended to. You’re made by God Almighty. You’re a unique design.
We’re in the midst of drawing up the plans for the new building over there. And it’s different because it’s not like a residential home where you’ve got all these patterns. Do you want this layout or do you want this layout or do you want this layout? It’s unique. It’s different. And every detail is being designed. Too many details. Amen? Too many. And all these things are uniquely designed and formed and formed to fit in. And that’s the way God made you. By the way, you’re not just, well, let’s make him like so and so. No, everyone, everyone is uniquely designed. That’s why it’s so vital you don’t compare yourself with someone else because God made you unique. That when God made you, He had something in mind.
Would you keep your finger there in Psalm 139? Throughout the message, we’ll go back to that. But would you look over in Jeremiah chapter number one, Jeremiah chapter number one, would you please? Wonderful verse over here. It’s a great verse against abortion, often used when speaking of murdering babies. And I said that the way I said it on purpose: murdering babies. Where in the world does it matter where someone gets killed? The location doesn’t matter; it’s murder, whether it’s outside the woman or inside of whom, it’s murder. The Bible calls it a child many, many times in Scripture; it’s murder. A great verse along that line: Proverbs, excuse me, Jeremiah in chapter 1, look at verse number 5. Jeremiah 1:5. God’s speaking to this young prophet here, Jeremiah, in verse number 5, he says, “Before I form thee.” Friend, God formed you. “Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee.” God already knew you. “And before thou cameest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee.” That means I set you apart for something. “I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee.” He put His hand on you. “I ordained thee to be a prophet unto the nations.” Friend, God’s saying, look, before you ever formed, I already had jobs or tasks down the road that I was making you to perform. And you’re uniquely designed and fit and made to do certain things for God. The Bible says it’s not wise when we compare ourselves with others because they’re running a different race than yours. God made you uniquely—this man to be a prophet to the nations, for you many different tasks God made you to do. And it’s not an accident you’re made the way you’re made that way to do certain things for God.
Here’s the amazing thing about it: there’s something you can give to God that nobody else in this universe can give to Him. Seven and a half billion people, and nobody can sing to God like you can sing to God. If you’re like me, that’s a good thing. Amen. I try over the years to teach about prayer and about us developing my prayer life. But, friend, you’re going to pray to God a little bit different than everybody else in the whole wide world. And God likes for you to pray to Him like only you can. You can love God a certain way. You can praise God a certain way. You can serve God a certain way. And nobody else in the universe can give to God what you give to God. You’re unique. And, friend, you were created by God. It wasn’t just on a whim.
You are formed by His very hands. He had a purpose in you being like you are. I remember Bruce Ford used to be in our church. I remember Brother Ford and a lot of their music. Bruce Ford, I remember he made that wash tub bass. You remember that? He took an old wash tub—I don’t know if it was the number two or number four, whatever it was—a wash tub, and he put a neck on that, and then he actually took weedier wire and he made that, made like a guitar, like a bass. And he brought it to church, and he would play that bass, wash tub bass, we call it. And it actually sounded pretty good. How many remember hearing that? I was shocked, man, that’s weedier wire, different size. Sounded pretty good. Bruce Ford liked that thing. I mean, that was kind of his baby. You know why that was his baby? Because he made it. It was formed by his hands. And, friend, every single person—don’t you think about your neighbor, don’t you think about yourself—God formed you. You’re, if you will, you’re His baby. You’re uniquely designed and made by Him, and you’re made for a task. God didn’t mess up what He made you. Amen, you have what it takes.
You say, “How do I know I have what it takes?” Because God made you to be that. God didn’t mess up. He didn’t slip up. He didn’t make you a failure. God made you. He wanted a man just like you. And you have what it takes to be the man He wants you to be. Why? How do I know that? Because God made you. He formed you. Ladies, you are lovely, you are chosen, you’re wanted. You say, “How do you know that?” Because God Almighty made you just like you are. God wanted a lady like you. God desired someone. He wanted a lady in this world to be just like you, and He made you to be it. Nobody else can be the lady you can be. You have what it takes to be a good, godly lady. You can be that. Why? Because God made you. That’s why you’re uniquely designed.
Now, can I say this? Satan puts this tag on you: “Created by God.” Made in the good old U.S.—I mean, made by God. And can I say this? Satan is always trying to put his tag on you, and he uses this old world to do it. And sometimes he uses people. They don’t even know that Satan’s using them, but Satan will use people to put his tag on you. I use an old illustration, but you’ve ever heard me tell this, but it just illustrates it so perfectly and so quickly, which is a good thing because, you know, all the men, you know, you’re going to take them out and get steak today, right? Amen. All the ladies, are you going to take the men out to get steak? I heard a couple of men say amen, you know. And I heard some ladies say, “Yes, if he pays for it,” amen.
There’s a man that grew up; he grew up at an alcoholic’s home. And he said, you know, he said, we were kind of used to it. Our dad, you know, some guys when they get drunk, they’re different types. He said, “Our dad was a mean drunk,” and our dad, he said, was physically abusive. They were used to that. And one day he was in his bedroom, this man when he was younger, sitting on the evidence of bed. And he said, “Dad came home drunk, and when he turned in the driveway, he didn’t stop. He literally drove into his bedroom.” He said, “I’m talking about when my dad got out of the car, he got out of the car into my bedroom.” And he was drunk. We knew that. He and his brother were there. But for some reason, his dad grabbed him. He said, “That wasn’t too bad. I was used to it.” And he said, “This time he got me, he got my head, and he pulled his gun out. And he put his gun to my head.” He said, “That wasn’t too shocked. We were kind of used to that.” But the next two words affected him greatly for the next 30 years. His dad put that gun to his head and he said, “You’re worthless.” Almost like you’re not worth the 37-cent bullet I got in the gun to blow your brains out. Of course, today it would be about $4 for that bullet. Thank you, as you’ll buy it, you know.
And that was Satan trying to put a tag on that boy. And for the next 30 years, he did everything according to his testimony—I wouldn’t say everything—but he just battled it for the next 30 years to prove those two words were not true because Satan was trying to put his tag on him: “You’re worthless, and you can’t be the man you ought to be, and you’ll never measure up.” And, friend, there’s always going to be the Lord’s voice, and there’s going to be the world and the flesh and the devil, and the devil trying to use people and things, often people very close to you, to put the wrong tag on you. It is very important that you understand that there are voices, different voices you can hear. And it’s very important that you work at hearing the voice of God. Amen.
Look at verse number 16, if you would please. Back over there, Psalm 139. Look at verse number 16. Let’s just very briefly get a couple thoughts here. Verse number 16: “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect.” And in that book, all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them. God’s saying, before you were ever made, there was none of your members. God said, I had, I kind of, if you will, I drop blueprints. I want somebody that looks like this and talks like this and walks like this and acts like this. I had a personality like this. And God said, look, I already had it. I already had a plan. Before any of your members were formed, I already had a plan what I wanted. God wanted you. God wanted someone like you. Not a coincidence, not an accident.
Look at the next thought right there, next truth, verse 17: “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God.” Watch this: “How great is the sum of them.” How much does God think about you? Verse 18: “If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.” “When I wake, I’m still with Thee.” Some of you just coming back from vacation and whatnot; some of you’ve been to Florida and sand all over Florida. I grew up in Florida. I mean, how many found some sand spurs when you were in Florida? Anybody find them with those feet? Yes, sir. And all that sand—more than the sand in Florida, there’s little grains or granules—that’s how much God thinks about you. And Satan will come along and say, “He’s thinking bad thoughts about you. He don’t like you. You’re so much of a disappointment to God.” And Satan will put all these thoughts in your mind. But the Bible says those thoughts are precious. They’re precious thoughts God thinks about you. More than the sand of the sea, God’s thinking about you, and He’s watching you, and they’re precious thoughts. So much God values you. Some of us God thinks about you. And I’m simply saying, me and you have what it takes because God formed you. Ladies, you are lovely. Why? Because God formed you. It’s so vital that you listen to the voice of God.
Can I say this? When you wake up in the morning, you said He’s still with you. When you wake up in the morning and you see the sun rising, that’s God saying, “I love you.” God made this whole creation, and He said, “Hey, I’ll give man dominion. Let me give you the keys of the earth. I made the earth, this creation, for you,” and He gave it to mankind. You wake up in the morning and you hear the birds singing; that’s God saying, “I love you so much. I gave you some beautiful birds to sing for you.” You see the squirrels coming—hopefully they’re not getting in your attic, amen, you know—the beautiful creatures, and that’s God saying, “Hey, I want you to have a beautiful creation around you. I made the creation, I put you in it, and I’m saying I love you.” God is love, the Bible says. Maybe no greater message I ever say across this pulpit, anyone else says, back to God loves you. Praise the Lord. We’re saying, “Well, how we love Jesus.” And, friend, that’s wonderful. But can I say it starts with God loves you? We love Him because He first loved us. And every morning Satan’s going to come and say, “Well, God’s not happy, but you don’t have what it takes. You can’t be the lady you ought to be.” And yet God’s voice is saying, “Hey, I love you, I made you, I want you. I desire to be close to you.” It’s the voice of God. I hope you tune into it. I hope Satan’s voice, the people who uses, doesn’t drown out the voice of God. Satan’s so sneaky, so sly. He’ll bring up something you did 10 years ago trying to drown out the voice of God in your heart. You’re saved and confessed it; it’s under the blood of Jesus Christ anyway. Satan’s good at bringing those things up. Creation. God’s His voice saying, “I love you.” Every blessing you ever have or ever will have is from God. The Bible says every good and every perfect gift is from above. All the blessings you have—praise the Lord for her condition, that’s a good blessing right now—is from God. Every good thing. The air you breathe, the lungs you breathe with, all of it is from God Almighty. And God’s saying, “Hey, I love you.” You’re His crowning creation. He did not make other things in His creation say, “Hey, I’ll give you the meaning over the world.” He gave that to mankind. You’re His crowning creation. He thought you were so valuable that He gave His Son for you.
Friend, can I say this? It’s one thing to think about God laying down His life for us, and that’s true. God’s covered so much, but it’s even more than that: God gave His Son. I think—I don’t know, I haven’t ever faced the situation—but I think I would give my life for people in this room. Many of them, I don’t know, never faced it, but I think I—I don’t know—I’d choose, I would choose, I hope I would, that’s my choice now, I don’t know when I face it, but I think I would choose to lay down my life for people in this room here. But to give my son? Praise the Lord, John, my son’s in Illinois. When he’s here in church, he’d say, “Dad, I don’t like it when you talk about that.” I understand. I can’t imagine giving my son. Wow. And God loves you, every person. Young people right here in this row. God loves every person in this row. God loves you enough that He gave His Son for you. Think about that. That’s how valuable you are to God. God says that person, that lady, that man, that boy—God says, “I think they’re so valuable and so precious to me that I’m willing to give My Son.” Wow. He sure values you a lot. He sure thinks you’re something special. How much God loves you, friend. And it’s amazing in the midst of all that, Satan loves to convince us, “You can’t be the man. You can’t be the lady you ought to be.” Satan is the liar and the father of it, Jesus said. He’s been a murderer, he’s been a liar from day one. That’s what he’s talking about over John 8:44. He’s a liar, father of it, so far from the truth.
How do you know I have what it takes, preacher? How do you know I’m lovely? Because God made you. You’re His creation. And then number two, very quickly here: Because when you are saved, if you’re a born-again Christian, you’re a child of God. When you are saved, you are what the Bible calls regenerated. Would you look over in Titus chapter 3? Titus chapter 3. Keep your finger there, a marker there in Psalm 139; we’ll go back there to the very end. Very briefly, we’ve got to hurry along. Look over in Titus 3. Would you look in verse number 5? By the way, some of you, maybe if you had a bad past or issues in your past, maybe you need to really work at thinking on these things every day, every morning. And you got to work at it. It’s vital you do. We love Him because He first loved us. And if you don’t understand, comprehend His love, you’re not going to love Him back like you want to. I want you just briefly look at this saying here, Titus 3, verse number 5, if you would please. First, 2nd Timothy, Titus. Titus 3, look at verse number 5. Titus 3, verse number 5. In His Word there, He says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Titus 3, verse number 5. Watch this: “According to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.”
It’s not going to be your good works. It saves you. You’ll never be good enough. There’s not going to be any work you’ve done. Can I say even baptism? I’m for baptizing. Praise the Lord, going to have a young man get baptized today. I’m so thankful. That’s wonderful. After you say, you ought to get baptized, but baptism is a righteous act or deed. Matthew 3 tells us that. It doesn’t save you. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy. It’s mercy, as grace, is what saves. “For by grace are ye saved through faith.” It’s mercy and grace. But if you’re like me, I have questioned many times, “Why did you say right there, ‘by the washing of regeneration’?”
Friend, it goes back, it goes back all the way to the beginning. Remember Adam and Eve, and Satan brought sin, and Adam and Eve fell, and all of us have also. But when Adam took of that fruit and the fall came to mankind, the Bible says death passed upon all men for the law of sin. If you will, when the human race fell, it fell into dirt, if you will. And we get that dirty race, that dirty lineage. I mean, we’re all sinners. It all goes back all the way to Adam. But we get that dirty or that endemic nature. Sometimes it’s called Adam, the sin nature. It goes—well, that’s why a little baby, you don’t have to teach a baby how to do wrong. They’re just born with that. I don’t know about your kids, but every once in a while, my kids—I’ve got to be careful for my daughters here today, you know. Good to have Sarah with us—but some of my kids, I say, “Man, did they go to school to learn how to lie?” They’re good in it. If they did, they got a master’s degree in it. It was just born in them because they’re born in a dirty, sin-cursed world, and they got that sinful or dirty nature, if you will. But here’s the wonderful name. When you’re saved, you put your faith fully in Jesus Christ to pay for your sin, to save you, then you’re born again. You’re no longer just a member of the human race, Adam’s race; you’re a creation of God. Now you become a son, a daughter of God. You’re born into the family of God. And God, He regenerates. What does that mean? He regains you.
You ever see a child or parents? How many parents, especially when your children are little, somebody comes along and says, “Oh, they just—they look just like you, Dad.” I mean, they don’t look anything like you, Mom. And the dad’s like, “Nah, nah, nah,” and Mom’s not happy about it. And then the next person, the very next person comes along, and they say, “Oh, it looks just like you, Mom.” “Not a bit in the world like you, Dad.” And then she’s like, “Yeah, what do you got to say now, buddy?” And how many have had something like that happen to you? Oh, yeah, yeah, all of us been there. Why is that? Because they got Mom and Dad’s genes. And see, when you get saved, you’re born into the family of God, you get God’s genes, His divine nature, the New Testament says. The Holy Spirit of God, He brings new life. That’s why the Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Actually, the word is creation; he is a new creation. “All things are passed away; behold, all things become new.” You’re regenerated. That’s why I ought to, if I’m a born-again Christian, every once in a while somebody ought to see Jesus Christ in you. Because you have His genes in you, you’re regenerated. And that new nature is regenerated. It washes away some of that dirt and filth. You have the old man, but now you have the new man. You’re regenerated by God.
So let’s take it, apply it to our message this morning. How do I know you have what it takes, man? To be the good, godly man? Our nation is dying for good, godly men that will stand up—not just good old boys, but men that have a purpose: “I want to live for the Lord. I want to raise my kids for God. I want to be a good, godly, loving husband.” Men like that—how can I be that? How do you know I have what it takes to be that? Because you’re regenerated by God. Because if you’re a boy of the family of God, when you’re a boy of the family of God, God Almighty said, “That’s My son right there. He has My Spirit, My genes flowing through him.” That’s why I know that.
You say, “How on the world can I be the lady? I wasn’t raised to be a good, godly lady. I was raised to be the opposite of that. I mean, there’s no way this girl can be that right there.” How can I be that? You can be that because when you were saved, your Father put His genes; He regenerated your—His daughter, you, He did. You can be the lady He wants you to be. You are valuable. You are chosen by God Almighty. He’s given you His genes, if you will. You have what it takes.
Now let’s briefly just kind of draw it home a little bit here because somebody’s going to pay for some lunch somewhere, amen. Men are going to eat somewhere. I know I is one, amen. You won’t believe it might—I’ll lose some of you on this one here—but I like liver and onions. I got about three people on my side, four, five. I got a couple on my side here, you know. You won’t believe this: there’s actually a Mexican restaurant in Smyrna that serves liver and onions. That’s hard to find. What’s the name? Over behind, by Side Bargain? I don’t know that. I’m promoting Mexican restaurants here. It’s got good liver and onions. And my wife and daughter said, “We’ll go to the Mexican restaurant.” That’s because they can buy something else, and I still get my liver and onions on Father’s Day, you know. They’re like, “Yep, that’s it right there.” Now, wherever we had—if you’re saved, you’re a born-again Christian, you’re regenerated, you’re His son, His daughter.
We have a little Yorkie. She’s about like this, and she’s pretty old. She’s had many puppies—I mentioned out too long over the years—and she’s been spayed for years now. But she loved being a mother. She really liked it. She really just—right now, she really enjoyed it. And when my wife and I are in a goofball mood—probably not the best thing we do—but every once in a while, Belle’s—she’s spoiled rotten. She’s over there laying on her pillow. You know how they are nowadays. I call it our foo-foo dog, you know, in the air condition. She’s laying on a pillow, wow, you know. But she laid over there to pillow. They never smiled for one of those moods, and we just—we just—we never plan it. But sometimes, unfortunately, it’s probably me that starts it. But I’ll say, “Belle.” Her name’s Belle. I said, “Belle, where’s your puppies at?” She knows puppies. Over the years when she’d have puppies, “Go get your puppies.” She’d run, always in one closet where she’d have her litter, you know. We had it all ready for—Tammy had it already for. And so even now, it’s been years, but I said, “Hey, Belle, where’s your puppies at?” According to what mood Bella’s in, how far you have to go to get her into it. But even now, if she’s in the mood and we work hard at it, “Belle, where’s your puppies at?” And I’ll go over to the closet where she always had a litter. And I said, “Belle, your puppies are in there.” I’ll try to make the little whimpering, whining of the puppies. I can’t do it. Don’t work. But Tammy can make that. And if Tammy’s following her husband like she ought to—I’m teasing, she does—but she’ll make that, you know, that little bit of noise it’s like those puppies always made. And I said, “Belle, wait, get your puppies.” And Belle will hop up, and she’ll go around the house, start looking for her puppies. She admits that she likes puppies.
Friend, if you’re saved, you’re God’s child. And every morning you wake up, Satan’s going to say, “God’s mad at you, He don’t like you.” But if you will, God’s going to go around looking for you. His compassion is new every morning, never fail. “Great is Thy faithfulness.” You’re His son. You’re His daughter. You’re precious. The sum of His thoughts are more than the sand, the precious thoughts. Every morning, He’s looking for you. He loves you. He’s created you, He’s formed you, and He’s regenerated you. You have what it takes, man. Lady, you have what it takes. You’re lovely, you’re precious to God.
One last thought, we’re done. Back over in Psalm 139, would you please? And we’re done. Did you notice that verse number 14, the very end of that verse? Psalm 139, verse number 14. When you find that, would you say amen? Amen. Verse number 14, Psalm 139: “I will praise Thee, if I am fearfully, wonderfully made, marvelous are Thy works.” Here it is: “And that my soul knoweth right well.” Can I give you just my thoughts? You can disagree. You can be wrong if you want to. This is my thought, and this is Pastor Paul’s apology, okay? God used David to pin those words. I personally think David had a rough family life. You say, “How on the world do you get that about David?” You don’t hear that much. A couple faults about it. Remember when David was young and Samuel, the preacher, came, and Samuel told the dad, Jesse, said, “Look, one of your boys is going to be the next king. I want to anoint one of your boys to be king.” And so they started coming by. They came by the oldest, Eliab. He must have been tall and big and strong because later on God said, “Don’t look on the height of thy stature and all that; I’m looking at the heart.” But he had them pass by there, all seven of them. And God kept telling Samuel, “No, nope, nope, nope.” And Samuel said, “Now, Jesse, none of these are right.” You know, you got any more? And if you’re reading that, we’ve studied it always tonight; we’re studying through the life of David. It seems, all appearances, if you read it, it seems like the dad, Jesse, made his voice pass by twice. You sure know these are it? Finally, the preacher Samuel said, “Hey, look, Jesse, these aren’t it. You sure you don’t have any other boy?” He said, “Well, I got one. He’s out there in the woods watching the sheep.” It came to the point that the preacher Samuel said, “Look, we’re not going to sit down and eat that fried chicken unless you go get that boy.” The fried chicken, that’s in Hebrew; you have to stay that out very closely. And he said, “We’re not eating until you get that boy.” Now just stop and think about that for a minute. How would you feel if somebody said, “Hey, one of your boys is going to be the next president,” and your dad said, “Well, let me all these other boys pass by”? Your dad didn’t even think of getting you, or maybe thought it for some reason he didn’t do it. I don’t know the motives, but he didn’t do it. They passed by twice before they went and got David.
All of that, but a little while later on, David’s older brothers are down here in a battle, and Dad says, “David, I want you to go down there and take some food to your brothers.” And so David goes down there and brings some food to the brothers in the battle. And when they bring the food down, David brings the food down there. Remember, that’s when big old Goliath came out. Man, he just came out cussing, defying Jehovah, the God of Israel. And remember David? David said, “Somebody needs to shut that guy’s mouth up.” Remember what his oldest brother said? “You little brat!” That’s in the Hebrew also, all right. But he did. He said, “I know the naughtiness of thy heart.” Sounds like to be they didn’t have the best relationship. Old brother, he said, “Man, I know what kind of fellow you are.” Praise the Lord, David was wise enough to turn away from his brother. He said, “Is there not a cause?” That’s not the real fight. The real fight is over their life. Looks like they didn’t have the best relationship. We’ve been studying through the life of David on Wednesday nights, and someone has said this recently: they said, “Man, it would have been great to be in David’s kingdom. He’s a great king. But I wouldn’t want to be a part of his family.” Honestly, as we studied, David wasn’t a good father. I think he learned, and Solomon, his son, of old age seemed like he’s a better son to him, but not a good father at all. Typically, you know, in our home life, if we’re not trained or taught better and we don’t follow the leadership of God, a lot of times we go into default mode, whatever we’re used to from our past. I dare say David didn’t have a good example; maybe that’s part of the reason why he wasn’t a good dad. You follow me?
And this is the man that God used to pin this verse. And David said, “Man, I’m going to praise You because I’m fearfully, wonderfully, and marvelous all that works.” And he says, “You know what? I’ve thought about that a lot. My soul knows that right well.” This is my fault. I think David had to work at that thing. I think David didn’t grow up in the best home. There is no perfect home, by the way. And I think David said, “Man, I had some issues with all these things.” That’s why those thoughts right there about how God is for me, and maybe my soul knows them right well. Maybe every morning you get up, you’re going to have to work at it. Maybe every morning you’re going to wake up. Maybe you have to tell yourself about 10,000 times a day, “I can be the man God wants to be. I am valuable. I can be the lady. I am lovely. I can be the lady God wants me to be.” And maybe you’ll have to on purpose say that, “My soul knoweth right well,” because you go on purpose.
Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? Heads are bowed, eyes closed. You say, “Preacher, I need to work at that. Satan’s so crafty, and he’s always trying to divide us from God. He tries to divide and conquer.” And you said, “Preacher, I need to think about it. I need to dwell on: ‘Hey, He made me. I can be the man, lady. He’s regenerated me. I am lovely.’” “Preacher, God spoke to my heart. I’m going to work at this thing.” “I don’t have to be able to say like David said there, ‘This, my soul, knoweth right well.’” “God spoke to my heart about that. I’m going to work at this thing.” “God spoke to my heart about that. I’m going to work at this thing.” If that’s you, you slip your hand at the preacher. I’m going to work at that. Just slip it up. God bless you. Many hands, many hands. God bless you. God bless you. “Preacher, I’m going to work at this thing.” Friend, it’s so important you understand God’s love for you because we love Him because He first loved us. It’s so important. “Preacher, that’s why Jude says, ‘Keep yourselves in the love of God.’” And, “Preacher, I’m going to work at this thing. I’m not going to let the doubts conquer me. I can be the man. I can be the lady that God…” And God spoke to my heart. Maybe there’s one more person. “Preacher, God spoke to my heart about those things right there.” If that’s you this morning, you slip it up. God bless you. God bless you. Vital. God bless you. God bless you. Anybody else? God spoke to my heart. Anybody else? Thank you so very much for letting the Lord work in your hearts. Thank you so very much. You can put your hands down.
Maybe you hear this morning, you say, “Preacher, there was a time in my life when I went to Jesus Christ for my salvation. I am a child of God. I have been born again. I’m regenerated. I’ve been saved. I know that.” I know I’m a child of God. I know I’m a child of God. I know I’m a child of God. I know I’m a child of God. I know I’m a child of God. Thank you so very, very much. Thank you so very much. You can put your hands down. Thank you so very much. Thank you so very much.
If you’re there and you say, “Preacher, to be honest, me, I really don’t know.” Can I just say God loves you so very much? He longs for you to be saved. He wants you to know it. He don’t want you to live in fear. And I’d love for you to be saved and for you to know it. I’d like to pray for you in just a moment. Be the greatest thing ever happened to you if you get saved and you know it. If you hear this morning, you say, “Preacher, honestly, I really don’t know it.” Would you at least let me pray for you? Be here and you say, “I’m not sure that I’m a child of God.” It’s so vital to overcome these voices from the devil. “I know I’m a child of God.” I long for you to have that, long for you to have it. If that’s you this morning, say, “I don’t know. I don’t know that I’m a child of God. I don’t know that I’m saved.” I’d love to pray for you. If that’s you, would you slip your hand up? Anybody like it? Did you slip it up? “I don’t know that I’m a child of God. Don’t know that I’m saved.” If that’s you, you’d just slip it up. I’d love to pray for you, but I like that. He longs to save you. It’s a free gift. It’s available for you. Let me just do this: right there where you said, if you say, “Hey, you know, I admit it, I’m a sinner. I understand there’s a penalty on my sin, death and hell, but I believe Jesus died on the cross for me and rose again, and I want to receive Him. I want to put my faith in Jesus to pay for my sins.” If that’s you, right there where you said, would you call on Him? I see that hand. Would you call Him right there? Right there yet, would you call on Him? Would you tell Him, “Dear Jesus, I am a sinner. I understand that. I understand the penalty, death and hell. Jesus, I believe You died for me. Right now, would You pay for every one of my sins, past, present, and future? Would You come to my heart? Would You regenerate me? Would You save me? Thank You for making me Your child, Your son, Your daughter. Thank You.” You said, “Preacher, I just prayed that. I just put my full faith in Jesus Christ. I meant it. I asked Him to save me. I’ve never done that, but I just asked Christ to save me.” If that’s you, with heads bowed and eyes closed, just lift your hand at the preacher. Just ask me to do that. Anybody like that? God bless you. God bless you.
Would you please stand? We’re going to have a word of prayer as soon as I say amen. We’ll sing the invitation song. Brother Anthony will lead us in that. It may be a great time to come down to an old-fashioned altar and say, “Thank You for being my Dad. Thank You for regenerating me. Thank You for forming me.” He made us. Let’s love on Him. He loves you so very much. Would you just love on Him? Be grateful to Him. Would you do that? We’re going to pray. Would you come? If you’re going to get baptized now, be the time to come. It’ll be great. Just as soon as we say, amen, we’ll come. Would you come spend some time? He loves you so very much. Would you draw an eye to Him? Father, thank You that we do have what it takes. We are lovely because You formed us, and because of Your salvation, You regenerate us. Lord, please work in our hearts through these truths. Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness to us. We love You, Lord, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Would you come as we sing? Don’t wait for anybody else. Would you step out and come if God spoke to your heart? Just as I am.
Would you bow your heads for just a moment right there where you stand? Would you bow your heads? I want you to think about this. I want you to think about God looking down on you right now saying, “I love you.” I want you to just kind of single yourself out, be alone right there. You stand just you and God. What you think about God looking down saying, “I love you. I made you. I wanted someone just like you.” Think about that. He did. He formed you. If you’re saved, you’re His child. Maybe raise your hand saying that. Would you think about Him saying, “That’s My son. That’s My daughter. They bear My image, and more than physically, spiritually also. They’re My creation. They’re My child.” He says, “You’re—you got My genes. You’re special to Me.” Would you think about God thinking about you like that? Would you do that? We’ll sing another verse. You take this verse and you just think about that as we sing. Would you do so? Just as I am.
This is Dominique. A couple weeks ago on one of our buses, Dominique asked Jesus Christ to be his Savior. And when Dominique did that, God moved inside his heart. He regenerated him. But here’s the thing: you can’t see God at his heart. Jesus Christ is his heart. So he’s representing Jesus now, and he’s representing His death and His burial and His resurrection. And Dominique gets to represent Jesus Christ right now. That’s an honor. Great honor. And Dominique, I’m very proud of you. Dominic, did you ask Jesus Christ to save you that Sunday on the bus? Did you do that? Good deal, good deal. I like that. He’s even seven. Yes, sir. That’s a good deal right there. And so Dominic, you’re a child of God. His earthly dad’s right there, and his heavenly Dad’s up there, and that’s great. And both dads are proud of him right now. He’s going to get baptized.
So here we go. In obedience to the command of our Lord, Master, and upon your public profession of faith in Jesus, I baptize you, my brother, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Buried in the likeness of His death. Here we go. Raised in the likeness of His resurrection. You did it, man. You did it. You just pictured His death, burial, and resurrection. Yes, sir, yes, sir. Good job. Good job. That’s great.
Original File: Do You Have What It Takes - Pastor Paul Chisgar PM 62021