# With God

Category: Peace & Assurance
Key Passage: 1 Corinthians 3:9
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024

First Corinthians chapter number three, if you would please. First Corinthians chapter three. Praise the Lord for people getting involved and just doing their part. What a blessing. It’s awesome. Love it. And First Corinthians chapter number three.

The title is not just two words: With God. With God.

And we want to look at this in several different places real quickly. We won’t really cover the whole context here. We’re just looking for one truth here. I think we’ll be covered in just reading a couple of verses. First Corinthians chapter number three.

And if you’re there, would you please stand if you’re able to, as we read God’s word together, 1 Corinthians chapter 3.

You say, “When are you going to tell us what verse?” I don’t want to tell you the verse because you won’t listen to me anymore. And so I’m waiting for a moment there, you know. Verse number nine. First Corinthians, 3, verse number nine. Here it is. First Corinthians 3, verse number nine: “For we are laborers together—what’s the next two words?—with God. With God.”

You’re God’s husbandry, His farm, if you will, His garden. You’re God’s building. Look over in 2nd Corinthians chapter number 6, if you would. 2nd Corinthians chapter 6.

And would you look in verse number one, 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 and verse number 1, if you would please? “We,” she’s talking to the church, say, “Folks, we then as workers together—would you read the next two words please?—with Him. Beseech you”—that’s beg you—“beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”

Now think about that. We then, as workers together with Him. With Him. I hope those words just kind of sink in our hearts. With Him. With God. It’s just amazing truth. With Him. Would you pray that the Lord would just use this to encourage us, maybe give us boldness, give us faith.

But you pray along that lines: With God, do that in your heart as I pray the same.

Father, Lord, we all need Your encouragement, Your faith, the truth that will build our Christian lives. Father, I pray that this would be just another block in a great Christian life of these dear people. Lord, would You encourage it like only You can. And Lord, even tonight, I don’t want to preach a message for You; to do so would be foolish. Lord, if You let us work together, it would be wonderful. Would You work as only You can? And we’ll thank You, Lord, for what You do in Jesus’ name we ask. Amen.

Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

When I was in high school, I tried to play basketball. I was on the basketball team. I was never the best, never the worst, just kind of, you know, one of the guys out there.

And our coach, Coach Crosby, he was a good player. I mean, he could play ball. He was a great coach. And I love to me. He influenced me greatly at Christian school.

But sometimes in practice, of course, we had split up in scrimmage, you know, half the guys over here, half the guys over here. And every once in a while, coach would play with us. Now when coach played with us, I wanted him on my team. He was by far the best player out. I mean, he could play ball. He could really embarrass every one of us guys out there. And it was always a blessing when he would play with you.

And God here is saying, I don’t send you out. I don’t call you to do things for Me. God didn’t work like that. He calls you to do things with Him.

You say, “God never calls you to do something for Him. It’s always He’s calling you to do something with Him.” It’s a different mindset.

It’s always interesting. Jesus, when He called the 12 apostles, He called them to Himself first.

Let me read for you the calling in two different gospels: Matthew 10, verse number one: “And when He had called unto Him His 12 disciples.” Mark 3 in verse number 14: “And He ordained 12 that they should be with Him.”

The calling of God is always beginning to be with Him. That’s the ministry, by the way. All of us are in the ministry in some capacity, but it’s never a call for you to go off on your own and do something for God. It’s always a call to go and be and to do something with Him. Now, it works together with Him, with God.

Tonight, I think about Brother Bill. Brother Bill’s taking this third to sixth grade boys class on. That’s enough to make a pastor nervous. I mean, you know, these boys: third to sixth grade boys.

But God’s not calling Brother Bill to do that for the Lord. God’s calling Brother Bill to do that with Him. Brother Bill’s not going to go in that classroom alone. He’s not going there to represent himself and going on his own strength, his own power. He’s going in that classroom with Him. God is calling Brother Bill to work with Him in that classroom.

Whatever it may be in your life. Years ago, of course, the Lord called us to start a church, and there’s no way—I mean, I can start a church? No, it’s not in me. But God didn’t call us to go and do that work for Him. God called us to do that work with Him. You see, we’re getting the yoke with Christ. We’re not called to do something for God; we’re called to do something with God.

You say, “Pastor, I know it’s biblical to tithe. I understand that. It’s in the Bible; it’s before the law, during the law, and after the law. Abraham tithed; that’s way before the law was ever around for it. And then, of course, very clear, Malachi 3, there’s tithing during the law. Then Jesus said over there, Matthew 23:23, in the New Testament, ‘Hey, don’t leave that undone; watch that tithing.’ All right, it’s biblical, Pastor, all right. But man, you don’t know our finances. We don’t have 10% to give. And how in the world can we tithe?”

Friend, God doesn’t call you to go and do that word for Him, to tithe for Him. God calls you to tithe with Him.

It’s amazing when a young couple sometimes they ask, “Why don’t we tithe? Why? We want God’s blessing.” And you can’t always put it down on paper and understand it all, but when you just obey, and the first fruit is giving, and you obey God’s call to tithe, it’s amazing. End of the year, you’re saying, “I don’t know how it is, but this is one of our best years.” It doesn’t make sense on paper. But praise the Lord, look at all the things God’s given us, and we’re debt-free, and God’s taking care of us. Why? Because you’re working with God. It makes all the difference in the world, friend. You’re not called to do things for God; you’re called to do things with God.

God. What a difference. Satan lusts for us to give the mindset, “I want to do something for God.” And about the next step, we trip and fall. No, no, no. We’re called to do something; we get to work with God. What a privilege.

We just had mission conference, and one of the best we’ve ever had. And some of you say, “Man, I don’t know what got into me. My pen just wrote a larger number than I was planning on it writing, you know. I mean, man, what happened there, you know? I mean, duh, that was a mistake. How are we going to ever provide? How is this going to work this year?”

Friend, hey, God wants to do that with you. Faith promise, grace given, whatever you call it, but God, He wants to do these things with you. It’s a wonderful thing. God. He wants to do things. We’re workers together with Him. It’s wonderful to work with God. It’s the best thing in all the world. Coaches play with us, amen. We’re going to win some ball games. Why? Coach is with us, amen. With Him.

You say, “I want to be faithful to church.” I know it’s Sunday night, and this is a faithful crowd, but I want to be faithful. This is Super Bowl night, by the way, you’re here, amen.

“It’s not in me to be faithful. I didn’t grow up being faithful. How can I be faithful?” Hey, you’d be faithful with Him.

“I will read my Bible through this here. I’m not willing to read, and I’m not consistent. I’m just, I’m one of these scattered here. I’ll do this. I’m random, you know. I’m just one of these free nature people. I’ll do it. How can I read my Bible that consistently?”

How? You can do it with God. By the way, when you read that word, you’re not going to be reading it alone. You get up in the morning, you get that cup of coffee—somebody say amen right there, you know—and you get that kitchen table, wherever it is. Don’t sit in the living room chair; you’ll fall asleep. Don’t do it. Don’t do it.

I mean, instead of the hard chair, in the kitchen table, you know, wherever it may be. And you get that Bible out and you’re reading that thing.

I love Brother Howes. He used to give illustration. He said he was flying somewhere, and somewhere in his role, I believe it was there on the plane, he looked over and someone was reading one of his books. You know, he’s a—who, you know? “Do you like that book?” And, you know, he’s asking, “Well, you know, it’s a little bit hard to understand here there. You know, I wonder what the author means by this here, you know?”

And he said, “Well, I think I got a little sneaky suspicion. Let me explain that to you there, you know.” And I think he was just trying to get around to the fact, “I’m the author of that book,” you know. And hey, when you read the Bible, the author of the book is right there with you. And you say, “Hey, what did You mean here?” And the author of the Holy Spirit said, “Hey, this is what I meant by that right there.” And with Him, you read the book. Bible through with Him.

Everything in the ministry with Him, with Him, with Him. Hey, don’t get stuck in the rut: “I’m doing something for God.” No, no, no. We’ll fall flat on our face without Him. We can do nothing. We do it with Him. What a privilege. We get to work with God. Wonderful.

I was so proud of Emily Casey. She’s got to do a report in her school. And her school, they use the Bibles and whatnot, but they don’t use the King James and all and whatnot. And so she’s got to give it—I don’t know, four, five, six, seven, ten pages, I don’t know what it is—and she’s got to get a verbal report. And there’s one point where they can ask questions, kind of debate a little bit. And she’s going to give it on the King James Bible. Boy, I like that.

Man, I’ve got a book for it, and I want to load her up, amen. I mean, I’m going to give her all, everything I can, give her all the ammunition, you know. I’m so proud of her for standing. And by the way, it’s one thing to stand when they don’t use the Bible, but when they know some of this Christian jargon and whatnot, it’s going to be a—I said, “Well, you know, you’re going to ruffle feathers.” And she said, “That’s all right,” you know, “and she wants to stand.” And I love it. She’s standing. But she won’t stand alone, friend. God will be standing with her.

That’s the ministry. Whether it be soul winning, whether it be your Sunday school class, whether it be in your work, at your workplace—that’s a great ministry, by the way—at your workplace, wherever it may be. You don’t go in there to work and do something for God. You go in there to do something with God. It’s wonderful. I get to work with God. Man, what a privilege. It just makes all the difference. All the difference.

Let me just read it for you again. Maybe you want to go back. First Corinthians 3, verse number nine. I just want to read just that portion again. Just want you to see it. God’s plan, not pastor’s plan, God’s plan.

First Corinthians 3, verse number nine, would you just look at it? Grasp it, if you will. First Corinthians 3, verse number nine: “For we are laborers together with God.” Laboring. It’s not for God; it’s with God.

I love our soulwinners sometimes getting off the bus. And some of our soulwinners sometimes, man, they get bold. I’ve seen Ms. Brenda chase down a six-foot fellow and tackle him and got her high heel on his head. No, pretty close to it, but not quite like that. But I have seen our ladies, literally ladies, hopping off that bus to go soulwinning and going over this house, and men are out there and they got a can of beer. And boy, you see those cans of beers getting put up. I mean, wow, those Baptists are coming, you know, and they’re putting it up everywhere. And I love it. Why? They’re not going alone out of that bus; they’re going with Him.

2 Corinthians 6, verse number 1, right there. 2 Corinthians 6, verse number 1: “We then as workers together with Him.”

When you sing a special in church, you’re not singing for Him; hey, sing with Him. So it’s all the difference in the world, whatever it may be.

Bible College, I can remember specifically one person. He was a good man. I’m not trying to be critical, but, hey, I want you to get out of here and go do something for God. Boy, all of us young people—you know, a lot of us young people—tripped and fell left and right. I mean, all of our elbows and knees, everything else skin up while we’re falling all the time. Oh, what a great—hey, let’s go do something for God. Let’s go do something with God. Got all the power. He’s the one that can play ball. He can make baskets.

At church we were at in Alabama for a while, youth director. And there was a great children’s home about an hour, maybe an hour and a half south of us. I think it was over in Florida. We were down at the corner; we were about 15 minutes from Georgia and Alabama. And there was a children’s home in Florida where we get some of our pamphlets from, that ministry—the green one about the tackle the Bible comes to that—and some of our flyer information pamphlets we get from that ministry, great ministry.

But they had invited many supporting churches down there to the children’s homes, way out in the middle of the country in the woods. I mean, and went out there, and they had just a big grand picnic, all these supporting churches there. And they had competition: churches against churches. It was a lot of fun, great spirit. And everybody just brought food and had a fellowship. And then they had one of the games they wanted to play; they had Tug-of-War.

Now, the thing with Tug-of-War: they had a long rope spooled out over a creek. I’m talking about the creek. It was like in a ditch; I mean, it had a steep embankment. So once you got that, if they pull you in, you’re going in, you know. And we’re like, “Man, we don’t want to lose it. Just me and men only, you know. And we don’t want to lose in this thing because, you know, we’re going to get wet. We’ve got to spend the rest of the day out here. And mosquitoes are bad in Florida and so on, and mud and all that rest of that.”

And here’s a wonderful thing about it. We had a man on our team. He was a Vietnam vet guy—of course, now we think of years, but this is years ago, 25 years ago or so, maybe farther back than that. And he was still stout. He was a big man. He drove the bus. I had a bus ride, and he drove my bus for me.

This is cheating. Don’t tell anybody I’d do this. But if he ever got a hold of me, man, he’d get me. But he had gotten shot, friendly fire in Vietnam, in his shoulder. And if I had to, I’d get his shoulder because he’d get me, you know. If I could get a shoulder, though, he’d hurt him a little bit. He’d let me go. That was a good thing. Amen. It’s cheating, I know. Sometimes you’ve got to play dirty to win, you know. I mean, he was going to get me, you know. And my brother Dennis Jones was huge. He’s a big fellow, big old fellow.

And praise the Lord, Dennis Jones, he was our anchor on that rope. And praise the Lord, our anchor holds, amen. I mean, they’d pull us little fellows all around, but Dennis Jones wasn’t moving, amen. And he pulled—I mean, praise the Lord, we were just kind of assisting Dennis Jones in this thing. And praise the Lord, he pulled that rope, pulled all those other fellows in the ditch. Amen for Dennis Jones, you know what I’m saying?

Praise the Lord, we got a better anchor than that on our side. Man, we’re not going out into the war and the combat; we’re going out there with God. It’s a wonderful thing. He’s on our rope. He’s holding it, friend. He’s got it. Even during trials, sometimes that’s when He’s in a special way with us.

Think about those three Hebrew boys over there in the book of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar built that big old statue. That statue is massive. I cannot remember the dimensions on it. I remember one time I studied it out, and it was, I think St. Thomas Rutherford is about seven floors high if I remember right. And if I remember that image is about that high. You’re talking about a massive image, I think of himself. I don’t know.

But this huge image, and man, he got all these people from all the provinces, and it was kind of world power, and got them all in there. And he said, “Oh, hey, fellas, when you hear the music start playing—I think rock and roll music, probably very satanic”—and, boy, this blaring of this music. I think demons were very involved in all that. And boy, all of a sudden, everybody starts bowing.

With those three boys. By the way, you stick out more and more. The more they bow, the more we stick out. No way. Oh, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, knee won’t go. He’s not going to do it, you know. I’m just not going to do it, you know. And I said, “No, we’re not bowing.” And you remember? Old tattle-tales are always around, you know. I mean, just there’s a diamond of—well, look at those three boys. Let’s go tell the king about it.

And Nebuchadnezzar called him in and said, “Boys, I can give you another chance.” And he said, “King, hey, we’re not going to bow. Our God is able to deliver us. But if not, we ain’t bowed.” Amen. Don’t matter what happens. We’re just—we’re going to bow only to Jehovah.

Boil King, you know the story, he got mad. I mean, you know, his old nostrils started flaring out and started snorting like an old bull or something. He’s mad. Vision’s changed. Heat that furnace up seven times hotter than it’s supposed to be. And, hey, call out the special forces and let them—and they threw them in there. And even the special forces got killed just by the heat coming out of there.

I always wonder how it was they got killed. I thought him in there. But then Nebuchadnezzar somehow he looked in there. I don’t know if he had a special window or what, some kind of protection. I’m not sure. Maybe put a fireman’s suit on. I don’t know. But he looks down there. Oh, Nebuchadnezzar, he looks down there. “Hey, whoa, what’s going on here? Hey, come around here. Didn’t we throw three of them down there?” And they said, “Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Okay. Whatever you say, king.” He said, “Man, I see there’s four of them down there, and the fourth is like the Son of God.”

You say, “What was that?” God was with them. With them. God doesn’t call you to stand at work alone. He’ll be with you.

God doesn’t call you at a family reunion and everybody else to drink, and you say, “No, I’m sorry, I don’t drink.” God’s not calling you to stand in that family reunion alone. God calls you to stand with Him. Always with Him. Especially during the trials. It’s almost like it’s just—it’s with Him on steroids, if you will, in a special way. He’s with you.

I think about old Joseph over there, and his 11—excuse me, 10 brothers hated him. Youngest one, not a part of it. You know the story, they sold him. Put him in the pit, and eventually the Ishmaelites came along. Let’s sell him. And they sold him. They took him over there to Egypt, and he ended up being in slavery. And he got sold into one of the generals’ houses, Potiphar’s house.

And what a sad time. Would you turn over to Genesis chapter number 39, though? And don’t you see while Joseph is going through just such a tough time? Would you just look at this, Genesis 39, if you would please?

And Joseph is being tested. Imagine his family not with him, and his brothers hated him, and Dad’s not there anymore, and Mom’s gone, and he’s alone—seemingly alone. And he’s in this house working in slavery. And let’s see what the Bible says about it. Look in Genesis 39. Would you look in verse number two there? Genesis 39, verse number two: “And the Lord was with Joseph. And he was a prosperous man, and he was in the house of his master, of his master of the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”

Oh, he wasn’t alone over there. God didn’t call you to stand alone. He never does. He’s always with you.

You know the story. Oh, Potiphar’s wife, she desired to be with that young man. And he said, “No, no, no, no, no.” And she was a liar, probably very manipulative, and she began to lie about him. “Well, they tried to force me.” And I don’t know—I don’t know that Potiphar believed at all, but nonetheless he ended up in prison. A political-type prison.

And I can imagine old Joseph said, “Haven’t done anything wrong, but I’m sold into slavery and I’m in prison.” And maybe the devil would come and whisper there, “Hey, Joseph, you’re all alone.”

But would you look a couple chapters—excuse me—in the same chapter in Genesis 39. Would you look in verse number 21? Genesis 39, verse number 21, if it would, please. Verse number 21: “But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison. And whatsoever they did there, he was a doer of it. And the keeper of the prison looked not to anything that was under his hand because the Lord was with him, and that what you did, the Lord made it to prosper.”

You say, “I don’t know if I can make it through this trial.” Friend, you won’t make it alone, but you’ll make it with Him. You say, “It’s just hard to put one foot in front of the other,” and I understand, but God will be there putting His foot in front of the other with you. Always with you. It never calls us to do a work for Him; it’s always with Him.

I like this, oh, Elijah. You know, Elijah is one of these guys in the Bible. We really don’t know the whole lot about his past. Just all of a sudden in First Kings, chapter 17, he just appears on the scene, and he’s pointing his finger at Ahab. And I love it. I want you to notice something he says. He says it twice. Would you look over there, First Kings 17? Would you do that, please?

First Kings 17, where in the world did Elijah get his boldness? He went before this king and points his long, bony finger right in the king’s nose and says, “You’re the problem here. And because he was not going to rain.” And I want you to know what Elijah says. Notice what he says here. Would you please? First Kings, chapter number 17, excuse me. Look at verse number one, verse number one: “And Elijah the Tishbite, who is of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”

Oh, king, everybody thinks a big deal right now as I’m standing before you. Hey, hey, let me tell you something: I’m standing before the king, amen. The Lord God before whom I stand. How can it be so bold? Because the Lord was with him. He said, “I’m standing before the king, the king right now, king.” And they gave boldness. He knew the Lord didn’t call him to go do work for Him; He knew the Lord called him to work with Him.

Would you look down next chapter, chapter 18? And Elijah already went to the Brook Cherith, and then he went to the widow woman, and God’s provided for him. And God said, “All right, go show yourself to the king.” Time now—three years up, three and a half years was up. And he goes there. Obadiah, one of the king’s servants—he was a good man, though—but he finds Elijah. And Obadiah says, “Don’t make me go tell the king. The king, he’ll kill me for sure.”

And would you look in verse number 15? 1 Kings 18, verse number 15: “And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth—here it is—before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.” Hey, Elijah knew he wasn’t doing a work for God; he was doing the work with God. No matter where he was, he said, “Hey, I’m standing before the Lord. He’s right here. I’m standing before Him.”

Here’s what I love it: Elisha, his second-hand man for years. He was his mentor, if you will. Would you look over a couple of books or two later? Look over in 2 Kings, 2 Kings chapter number three. Elijah’s gone, but Elisha, that washed the hands of Elijah, Elisha now. And there’s a wicked king up north named Jehoram, and he’s trying to get the king of Judah—the southern king, he’s a pretty good guy, Jehoshaphat—but the wicked king’s trying to get the good king to join up with him. And they call Elisha. Well, Elisha, what do you think about it? And Elisha’s standing before these kings.

And they’re about to go to battle, and I want you to notice what Elisha says. I love it. 2 Kings 3:14: “And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth—here it is—for whom I stand.” Boy, he picked up something from Elijah. He had learned, I think God used Elijah: “Hey, I’m not going to work for God; I’m going to work with God. I’m standing before Him right now.”

He says, “before whom I stand.” “Surely, were it not that I regarded the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, when I look toward thee, nor see thee.” And he said, “Oh, buddy, wicked king, the only reason why I’m here talking is because there’s a good king over here.” But he understood—where did he get that boldness from? He understood, “I’m standing before God. Not working for Him. I’m working with Him.”

Would you look over a little bit? 2 Kings chapter 5. 2 Kings chapter 5. Naaman. You remember the leper, Syria? The colonel, if you will, the general in the army, excuse me, and he comes over to be healed. And remember Elisha said, “Go down there, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River.” Remember that? Boy, God heals him. He comes back. Elisha, “Hey, let me give you some money. Let me give you this out of others”—all these saints. Look what Elisha said. 2 Kings 5, verse number 16: “But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I received none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

Oh, Elisha got it. Hey, I’m not working for God; I’m working with God. He’s right here. I’m standing before Him. Nobody else will know about it. Just go ahead and take it. You can have this, you can have all these things. Hey, I’m standing before God. He’s right here. He knows all about it.

Friend, whatever God’s called you to do, you’re standing before Him. You’re not going alone. Elisha understood that. Elisha understood that, “Hey, before whom I stand, He’s right here.” Joseph, God’s with him. He’ll never go alone.

You see, when you’re working with God, even the trials become special life because God is with you. That’s the important thing of it all. That’s the big thing with all: God with Him.

I mentioned this before when I was in, oh, I don’t know, maybe eighth grade, so I was learning to stand. And it’s a Christian school, but you’ve got to stand anywhere you’re at. And a girl in her class, Linda was her name, was having a party. And I knew it was the kind of party I ought not to go to. And she asked me—some of the classmates asked me. And I said, “No, I can’t go to that.” And, you know, they called me names. I was trying to think today; it’s funny. I used to remember the names so clearly. And, you know, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words would never hurt me.” Well, that’s not true. Man, that hurt. I was just an eighth-grade boy, but man, for years, I remember those names so clearly they called me. And it bothered me.

And I went home that night. I wasn’t reading my Bible like I ought to every night. I wasn’t doing all that. But for some reason, I got my Bible out that night, and I opened the Bible up. And it was the first time I remember in all my life—I don’t know that I’ve had it quite the same since then—but man, I opened the Bible up, and it just seemed like God Almighty, God was right there with me talking to me through His Word. I never experienced anything like that. That’s 40-something years ago, friend, and I still remember it. It was a sacred moment. God says, “You’re standing, but you’re not standing alone, Paul. I’m standing with you.” Even trials can become special. You’re standing with Him. You’re laboring together with God.

It’s such a different thing. Just a couple more thoughts and we’ll be done. But when you work with God, with God, there’s bonuses. Let me just mention them very quickly here. Some bonuses.

Matthew 28:19 and 20 is probably the most common one, the five scriptures give the Great Commission. And it’s one of the special ones we mentioned. But let me just read it for you. He says, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations.” You want to look it up? Look it up if you would. Some of you are going to look it up. Matthew 28:19 and 20. There are some bonuses when you’re working with God. Just want to hit them real quickly here.

Some bonuses of working with God. Matthew 28:19 and 20: He says, “Go ye therefore teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” By the way, wasn’t it special, the ones getting baptized this morning? Praise the Lord. “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am—what’s the next two words?—with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Amen.

Now notice it starts off: “Go.” No, preacher, I don’t even know if he’s living anymore. He used to say, “No go, no low.” Excuse me, “No go, no low.” What He’s trying to get at is when you go with Him and you’re working with God, trying to get the gospel out, God says, “I’ll be with you in a special way.” Well, “I am with you always.”

I mean, there’s one of the bonuses when you work with God. You have a special closeness. You work with somebody; it’s special. Praise the Lord, I’ve been able to work with Brother Anthony five years in February now. And he’s a worker. And I’m so glad for that. And it’s like I know him. Why? We’ve worked together for years now.

And I remember as a little boy, my dad, he worked in a place, and he didn’t do this—he worked in the factory typically, but sometimes he’d drive a truck for them. And he was going to drive a truck maybe a state or two away, and me and my older brother—my younger brother wasn’t born yet—but we got to go with Dad. And we sat in the cab of this truck before all the, you know, safety seatbelts and car seats and all that, you know. But I remember, man, we thought we were somebody. “We are riding in a truck with my dad! Get out of my way!” you know. Or somebody coming through here. And we felt like we were close to Dad that day. And when you work with God, you get close to Him. Just when you labor together with God, there’s a special bonus. You get close to Him. It’s a wonderful bonus. Nothing like it in all the world.

A couple of the things. Ephesians 4:13. Let me just read it. These men were on trial, these apostles. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

When you get working with God, He gives you a special boldness.

Wow, those ladies over there, they’re bold. Man, they’re just—they got their sorting New Testament out, they’re preaching at them over there. When you’re with God, it brings a boldness.

Man, she’s here. She’s not just standing at work, you know, against this or for God. I mean, they’re getting bold over there. They’re pointing their finger saying, “Abortion is murder!” Man, where did that boldness come from? They’re working with Him. It brings a special boldness. Boldness comes when you work with God. Bonuses.

God gives you special influence. Real quickly, we’ll just get this in here. We’ll be done. First Samuel, if you would, please. First Samuel, chapter number 16. We’ll look at a couple—about three verses here—and we’ll wind it down. We’re circling the airport. I’m not saying we’re landing, but we’re circling the airport, okay? Amen. We found the landing strip. We’re just still circling there, all right?

Remember Saul and the evil spirit would come upon him? Remember that? And they said, “Tell you what, let’s find a spirit-filled musician, and they can play.” Didn’t even sing, you just played. And those evil spirits will depart. Music, by the way, not just words, but music is very important for him. And let’s play that spirit-filled—the spirit-filled musician we play him. And I said, “All right, sounds like a good play.” Where are we going to get this guy from?

Look at 1st Samuel 16. Would you look at verse number 18, please? First Samuel 16, verse number 18: “Then answered one of the servants”—by the way, Saul had some, I think they’re pretty wise servants—“Then answered one of the servants and said, Behold, I have seen the son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person. And the Lord is—what’s the next two words?—with him.”

May this special bonus: God gives you influence. Each of the servants of Saul said, “There’s something special about that young man; the Lord’s with him.” Boy, your workplace. You’re with those people sometimes eight, ten hours a day. It’s such a great place to influence people for the Lord. But if you’re working with God, they’ll say, “Hey, the Lord’s with Him. Something different about him.” And heard—you don’t force it down their throat. No, it never works like that. But they want to talk because they know something’s different. The Lord’s with Him. One of the bonuses working with God: God gives you a special influence by “the Lord’s with him.”

Look over two chapters, chapter 18. 1st Samuel chapter 18. God’s used David in a great way. Saul’s beginning—Saul’s jealous at this point. I think Saul’s a narcissist big time, man. Saul’s already thrown the javelin at David, and God caused it to miss David, and David fled out. And look what he says over there in 1st Samuel 18. Look at verse number 12, if you would. First Samuel 18, verse number 12: “And Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was—would you say—with him, and was departed from Saul.”

Look down verse number 14, if you would please. “And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was—would you say—with him.” Sometimes God just puts it, if you will, a little sacred fear. Better be careful messing with him; the Lord’s with him. It is very obvious to Saul: “Hey, God’s not called you to work for Him; He’s called you to work with Him.”

One last truth. I told you, we’re not landing, but we’re getting there. Let me just read it for you. Psalm 100, verse number three: “Now know ye that the Lord He is God; it is He that made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.”

A good shepherd never drives sheep. The good shepherd doesn’t get behind the sheep, saying, “Get out there! Go! Yeah! Yeah!” No, they don’t. The good shepherd didn’t do that. That shepherd always leads his sheep. “He leadeth me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

God doesn’t get behind you and say, “Well, you get out there and go do this for Me.” God never does that. God always steps out. He says, “Come on. Let’s go out in the harvest fields together. Let’s go to this workplace and make a difference together.” He always goes in front and calls you to Him. “It’s all the world’s messed up and hurting. Boy, would you come with Me into the world and help these hurting people?” He never drives us; He always leads us. “Hey, here am I. Come on. Let’s go to work together.” What a difference. What a privilege. We are laborers together with God. He says, “With Him.” God has called us to work with Him.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please?

Would you please stand? We’re going to have a word of prayer. And I’m just to ask you tonight: Would you say, “Hey, Lord, I’d like to work with You. I know You’re calling me. I don’t want to try to work for You. I know that’s failure.” Would you let me work with You? I’m excited. Dad, can I be with You? Can I take some trips with You? I want to let Him know that. Be a great night just comes. Lord, I want to work with You. Lord, I want to work with You. It’s a privilege.

Privilege we get to work with God. Would you let Him know that tonight?

Father, thank You for the privilege, the honor. It’s amazing. I mess it up a million times, but You still want me to work with You. Thank You, Lord, for that privilege. Thank You for You calling every individual here tonight in some ways, some fashion to work with You. We’re honored. Help us to step out and follow. Lord, encourage our people tonight. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Would you come spend some time with the Lord? I want to work with You. Would you let Him know that as we sing? Would you spend some time tonight thanking Him? What a privilege I get to work with You. Satan likes us to get this: “Oh, pity me. I got to do this. I got to do this for the Lord.” No, no, no, no. That’s not God’s attitude. I get to work with Him. It’s awesome. It’s wonderful. It’s a privilege. Wow. Man, I get to go with Dad on a trip. I get to work with Him. That’s the attitude God wants His dad. Would you just love on Him, thank You. Thank You, Lord. I get to work with You. It’s an honor. It’s a privilege. I love to see Your work. Would you let Him know that as we sing?

We’re privileged. I mean, we get to work with Him. What an honor, privilege it is. And He’d do a better job without me, that’s for sure. But He wants us a part of it. What an honor it is. And praise the Lord for it. We get to work with Him. What an awesome truth from God’s wonderful word. Glad you’re here tonight. Be praying for the Cooper family on Tuesday, if you would. And just pray God be with them, and it’d be a comforting time and a healing time, and God just be there in a special way with them. Would you do that? That’d be a blessing. And I appreciate your faithfulness.

Some of you men, I don’t know—I don’t know you’re into it. Praise the Lord, we got good godly men. But some of you might be saying, “Would you dismiss so we can find out the score?” You know, somebody like, “I don’t know who’s playing tonight,” you know. I don’t know. But, amen, for those who are saying, “Come on, Pastor, come on, Pastor,” you know. Good to have Kyle and Tina with us. Glad to have them with us. What a blessing that is. And praise the Lord for Brother Kyle, would you dismiss us in a word of prayer, please?

Original File: With God - Pastor Paul Chisgar PM 21322