Faulty Memory/Lack of Faith
We must know that “God is a Big God” July 25, 1999
Exodus 16:1-4
Is it just me or are these Israelites, these people that God has rescued from slavery,
saved from a charging army by parting the Red Sea, and has protected and provided for at
every turn, YET, THESE PEOPLE THEY SEEM TO HAVE NO FAITH.
I don’t know, maybe they all suffer from some Jewish Faulty Memory Curse? God
is forever making them stop, build an alter, give it a name, and do you know Why? So
they will remember what He did for them.
These Israelites, in our passage, at the end of Chapter 15 they are grumbling
because they are getting thirsty, so Moses calls upon God, as if he didn’t know what was
going on, and God in His Goodness, provides water for them.
Those people, how could they doubt God after all that He has done for them? It’s
not like they don’t have a history with Him, ???????
Boy, AREN’T YOU GLAD WERE NOT LIKE THOSE ISRAELITES?
HOW MANY TIMES DOES GOD HAVE TO PROVE HIMSELF TO ‘SOME’
PEOPLE BEFORE THEY REALLY TRUST HIM?
Church, aren’t you glad that we don’t allow the lack of WATER or FOOD to ever
make us grumble at God, or your leader? Those Israelites, so immature.
Now to be fair, Food and Water is abundant in Clarksville, AR. these Israelites
were in the middle of the desert, so those things were major concerns for them.
Surely there’s nothing so BIG that we would find ourselves grumbling to God
about, or to your friendly Pastor/leader is there?
Because I know, and you will remember that One of the first things you ever
learned at your first VBS or SS class as a child was that God is AllPowerful, He’s Bigger
than any problem, in fact I have a little song my kids play almost every night as they go to
sleep, let me just play a few lines for you, and you will hear about God is bigger than
Anything we might face, even the Boogyman.
(PLAY TAPE)
God’s Word is full of Promises that tell us About a God who loves to give in
abundance, our part is to have Faith, and Trust in His Word.
He gives Abundant Life: “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10
He gives Abundant Grace: “And God is able to make all Grace abound to you, so
that in all things at all times, having all you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2
Cor. 9:8
He gives Abundant Power: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more
than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians
3:20
He will give Abundant Supplies: “And my God will meet all your needs according
to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 4:19
I believe God’s Word with everything I have, Don’t You?
I believe you do.
Is your God big enough to take a church of Forty people, not just any Forty people, but
Forty people who are Passionate about Christ, not forty people who don’t think about
church until it’s time to set the alarm on Sat. night, I’m talking about Forty disciples of
Jesus Christ, is your God big enough to turn those Forty into Eighty disciples in one year?
If you can’t imagine God doing that here at our church, then your God is way too small,
and he’s not the God of the Bible.
Is your God big enough to help you live on 90% of your income because you give back
the first 10% back to him in tithe? In fact, 10% is just the minimum tithe, if your God
can’t stretch 90% or 80% of your income to meet your needs, then He’s too small for the
Bible.
How big is your God?
In our passage, the God of the Bible not only provides water, but gives these
doubting, grumbling bunch food from heaven every day for the next forty years. That’s a
Big God, one who always provides for His people.
This morning I want to challenge you in your Faith. You say you believe in a Big
God, I want to challenge you to live life as if you not only believe that in your head, but
also in your heart where it’s lived out.
Pastor Hector, that’s his first name, I can’t pronounce his last name, Pastor Hector
has a Big God. He is the pastor of the 2nd largest church in the world, in Buenos Aires,
Argentina. He has a Mighty God. His church grew from 0-500 in one year; then it grew
from 500 to 5,000; 5,000 to 50,000; 50,000 to 150,000; 150,000 to 250,000 in less than
10 years.
Let me ask you this, and be honest, as I was reading that astounding growth, how
many were thinking, there’s no way that can happen here!? You know so many times
when we hear how God is blessing and great things are happening, we defeat ourselves
before we have a chance by thinking it will never happen here. As long as we think that
way, it will be true. Someone has said, “Your Altitude is determined by your Attitude”.
Now is 250,000 people possible in Clarksville, obviously not, but What is possible
with God? The answer is ANYTHING HE WANTS!
Pastor Hector was asked why he thought this amazing growth took place, and still
is? Here’s what he said:’
1. Think Big! For as big as you can think----GOD WILL DO IT!
2. Plan long term! For as long term as you can plan----GOD WILL
ACCOMPLISH IT!
GOD’S SIZE, HIS POWER, HIS WILL, NONE OF THESE THINGS CHANGE,
HE IS AN UNCHANGING GOD, THE GOD OF MIRACLES IN THE OLD
TESTAMENT IS THE SAME ONE WHO CAME IN THE FORM OF MAN AS JESUS
AND PERFORMED MIRACLES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, AND FRIENDS THE
HOLY SPIRIT THAT RESIDES WITH US TODAY IS OF THE SAME NATURE,
AND WANTS TO DO GREAT MIRACLES IN OUR MIDST TODAY. AMEN? DO
YOU BELIEVE THAT?
God see’s you bigger than you see yourself.
God see’s the church bigger than you see it.
I think it’s time we started thinking like God. Having the mind of God.
I guess a question that needs to be answered in your life, and for our church is this,
“Do you believe God wants to do something Big...
...in the city of Clarksville?
...in the New Hope Church of the Nazarene?
...in YOU?
Listen to this, grasp it, ONLY WHEN YOU BELIEVE GOD WANTS TO DO
SOMETHING BIG WILL HE BE RELEASED TO DO IT, YOU SEE IT’S BY FAITH
THAT MOUNTAINS ARE MOVED.
Last week I talked to you about how this year is our year of Breakthrough, God
has promised me that, and I need you to believe with me that God will give us this
Breakthrough. Last week we talked about being willing to face our fears, just as the
Israelites did as they had to walk through the Red Sea with those great walls of water on
each side, it time for us to breakthrough our fears and conquer the barriers that have kept
us captive for too long. Listen to this verse that I found this week that tells us that we
Serve the Master of the Breakthrough.
2 Samuel 5:19-20 “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into
my hand? And the LORD Almighty said to David, “go up for surely I will give the
Philistines into your hands.’ So David went up to Baal Perazim, and defeated them there,
and said, “The Lord has broken through my enemies before me like the breakthrough of
mighty waters. Therefore, the place is called Baal Perazim” which means “Master of
Breakthrough” Isn’t that Awesome! We serve the Master of Breakthrough, and He has
promised us just that this year. Believe it.
God is going to take us to a higher level, a higher level of ministry, a higher level
of effectiveness in our community.
In our personal lives, the Master of Breakthrough, wants to break through in your
life so He can lift you to a higher level.
How does this happen, It’s by the Grace of God, and it’s through our Faith in the
God of Breakthrough.
Friends, if this breakthrough is going to happen in your life two things will have to
take place:
1. you must make THE CHOICE OF FAITH: You must choose to believe and
allow God to take you where you’ve never been. Or you can be satisfied with less than
what God created you to be. Like always, it’s your choice.
2. Make the DECISION OF FAITH; Decide today that “I am going to do
something I have never done before. And then allow God to shape you into a great man
or woman of Faith.
There are Four acts of Faith:
a. SEE by faith: have a vision not of what we are, but of what we are going to be
and do.
b. RECEIVE by faith: Faith is the title deed of things not seen.
c. SPEAK by faith: agree with the Word of God, what God is going to do
d. WALK by faith: “for we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor.
I want you to honest with me this morning, We Are in Church you Know.
How many people came to church today expecting basically the same thing to happen
today that happens every Sunday?
A person of Faith, knowing God is the God of Miracles and blessings, comes
expecting God to do something Great! You don’t have to know what it is, in fact you
won’t, but Faith says, “I can’t wait to see what God will do this week, maybe even in me!”
Church, we need a Spirit of Expectancy: EXPECT THAT THE UNEXPECTED
IS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THE LORD IS AT WORK IN OUR LIVES.
AND I BELIEVE WITH THIS SPIRIT OF EXPECTANCY, COMES
BOLDNESS, WERE BOLD WHY? BECAUSE WE KNOW GOD IS GOING TO DO
SOMETHING SPECIAL, AND I DON’T WANT TO MISS IT. IF WE ARE GOING
TO SEE GOD MOVE, THEN WE MUST BE A PEOPLE WHO ARE BOLD IN OUR
FAITH.
FOLKS, IF WE ARE GOING TO A HIGHER LEVEL AS A CHURCH, THEN
WE MUST EXPECT GOD TO DO SOMETHING THAT HAS NEVER BEEN DONE
BEFORE. IF WE ARE GOING TO A HIGHER LEVEL WE CANNOT CONTINUE
TO EXPECT OUR LIFE TO BE WHAT IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.
TWO WEEKS AGO, PRACTICALLY THIS WHOLE CHURCH CAME
FORWARD AND RESPONDED TO THE QUESTION OF “ARE YOU READY”
READY TO MARCH THROUGH OUR FEARS TO WHERE GOD WANTS TO TAKE
US. YOU SAID YES. I KNOW GOD HEARD HIS CHURCH THAT DAY. AND
NOW WE NEED TO BE EXPECTING HIS BREAKTHROUGH.
I WANT TO BE READY, I WANT MY HEART TO BE IN TUNE WITH HIS, I
DON’T WANT TO WAIT ONE MORE SECOND LONGER BECAUSE OF MY OWN
UNAVAILABILITY.
STARTING THIS WEEK, I’M GOING TO FAST EVERY TUESDAY UNTIL
GOD GIVES US THIS BREAKTHROUGH. I BELIEVE THAT FASTING
PREPARES OUR HEARTS FOR WHAT THE LORD IS GOING TO DO.
YOU SEE, HERE’S WHAT I BELIEVE. GOD IS GOING TO DO A
MIRACLE THROUGH ME. NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING IN ME, BUT
BECAUSE I BELIEVE HE CAN AND HE WANTS TO.
FRIENDS, IT’S TIME FOR US TO BELIEVE AND LIVE WHAT WE’VE
BEEN TAUGHT FROM CHILDHOOD. NO MORE BRINGING GOD DOWN TO
OUR LEVEL, WERE GOING TO MOVE UP TO HIS AND BELIEVE AND TRUST.
Will you trust Him? For your Water, Food/
How about your finances? Enough to tithe?
How far will you go with God, to the next level? Let’s do it, let’s decide and
move out of God’s way so he can be all that He wants to be in us and through us.
