# Keeping your fire through the fire

March 12, 2026

This week’s missionary letter is from the Dietans to Switzerland. They were just here with us for missions conference. It says, “Hello friends and faithful supporters. What once felt like a distant finish line is now finally within reach. By the grace of God, we are at 95% of our support. Praise the Lord. After so many miles, prayers, meetings, and moments along the way, we can see the end of deputation drawing near. We are finishing strong and putting the last miles behind us.”

Since our last update, we have traveled from Kentucky down to Panama City and even out to Oklahoma City. The road has been long, but the Lord keeps reminding us that the journey is not just about the destination, but the people he places in our path. A couple weeks ago in Panama City, the boys were getting their haircuts at a Great Clips when I struck up a conversation with another customer. She was from Russia and had a thick accent, and it was fascinating hearing how she came to America.

Eventually, she asked me where I was from. When I told her Kentucky, she paused and said very seriously, “Oh, really, do you own a gun?” I almost lost it laughing. That makes the second time a foreigner has asked me that exact question after hearing I’m from Kentucky.

But today, today was different. This afternoon in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, after service, we were eating at a Mexican restaurant with a pastor and some other missionaries when a man named Kyle stopped me outside as we were leaving. He was sitting on the ground back against the brick exterior, and he asked if I could buy him some food. I told him I’d be glad to and asked what he wanted. Without hesitation, he said, “A number one from Sonic, with cheese and a Dr. Pepper.”

I sent Miss Ebony and the kids to pick it up while I sat down with him on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. For about 30 minutes, we talked about his life. Kyle is only in his 30s, but the years have not been kind to him. A decade of addiction to meth had taken its toll. His skin was weathered, sores scattered across his arms and legs, and his hands were rougher than sandpaper. Every decision he talked about seemed to carry the weight of another regret. We talked about God, about Jesus, about sin and consequences, and about grace. I kept sharing scripture with him as we sat there on the concrete.

People walked past us into the restaurant; cars pulled in and out of the parking lot. Distractions everywhere, and opportunity after opportunity for Satan to creep in, but not today. After nearly 40 minutes, Kyle suddenly broke down. Tears poured down his face as he began to sob and said through broken words, “I want to trust Jesus. I want to trust him. Will you show me?” Right there on the sidewalk, I shared the gospel with him clearly and simply. And then, with his head bowed and tears falling, Kyle placed his faith in Jesus Christ. I’m sure I looked ridiculous sitting there cross-legged on the sidewalk outside a Mexican restaurant. Cars coming and going, people looking awkwardly as they walked around us to go inside and eat lunch, and people staring as they left. But in that moment, none of that mattered. Heaven was rejoicing.

Dear God, we thank you for this dear family that we got to get to know them some when they were here just a few weeks ago. And Lord, even here in America, when they’re still gathering support, they’re not on the mission field yet, they’re winning souls. Thank you so much for that, for their faithfulness.

God, we thank you that they’re almost done with deputation and about to go onto the field. Lord, we pray that you’d help them to finish out deputation strong and swift and quick. If I remember correctly, their goal is to be leaving for Switzerland sometime this year in just a handful of months. Be with them as they do that. Help the transition to go smoothly. Help the kids to acclimate quickly. And God, provide for all of their needs.

I know that once they get over there, the political climate is going to be a little rough to navigate. I pray that you would be with them with everything that has to go on with that. God, provide for them financially, give them security. But, Lord, most importantly, use them to lead souls to you. We ask all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Neighbor Sunday, if you have invited anyone to Neighbor Sunday, how many have done that? Good, good, good, good, good. Not being honest with you, mine, I thought, well, he’s came to some of our special events. I don’t know if it come or not, but I invited him and kind of my lack of faith. And he texted me the other day and said, “I’m coming and bringing someone with me.” And so you just never know. I say that, just invite him.

You never know. I didn’t think he’d, I didn’t know if he’d come, but he’s bringing someone with him and maybe even someone else. So anyway, let’s just invite, leave the results up to the Lord. Let’s do our part.

And so let’s be involved in that. I’m excited. I’ve been telling everybody about this tonight, but I’m excited about Ms. Jennifer has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her savior, but she’s getting baptized Sunday. And praise her little for that. And I’m excited about that. And another lady from her church getting baptized, Lord William and her daughter.

So just excited. You pray to all three of those get baptized Sunday. And that will be a wonderful, wonderful thing.

Friday night, ladies, game night, 6 to 8 right here at the church. And Ms. Angela says bring any certain thing you would like to eat, Ms. Angela. Oh, no. Oh, no. Bring it on. Bring it on. Bring some appetizers. That would be great. Ladies, you’ll enjoy the fellowship. Sign up sheet on the back table back there if you had not signed up. Good amount of ladies signed up already. Anyone need that sign up sheet? Our usher’s brother Bill will bring it to you. Anyone need that? All right. Look like we’re good on that. Ladies, you’ll enjoy that.

If we could have, I’ll forget at the end of the service, just those last three rows. We want them to be pushed up at last. Maybe we’ll just, since we’re pushing them, we’ll step. Maybe we’ll do four, since we’re just pushing them up. It shouldn’t be hard to do, but we’ll forget. We want to make sure we take care of that for the ladies. And I hope they have a great, great time on Friday night. That’d be a great thing.

If you’ve got your prayer request cards, fill that, pass them down the aisle, and our ushers will get those. And let’s, don’t forget, soul winning Saturday. God gave us a great, great start last Saturday. And folks bowed in their head and asked Jesus Christ to be the Savior. By the way, that’s so very, very vital. God blesses a soul-winning church. If you’re out there trying to win souls, God, I just believe the Lord take care of church like that. And so let’s stay after that.

And last weekend, God was so good to us, several souls. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and just God working and people getting saved. So praise Lord for that. Let’s stay after that. Saturday, 9.30, we’ll meet here. If you’ve never been, you come on out, we’ll pray you up with someone that has. We’ll have a good time, breakfast. And then just a short class time, and then we go out canvassing neighborhoods. Just exciting.

Brother Richard went Saturday. I had the privilege to go with him. And praise the Lord for Spanish-speaking soul winners. And the first guy we got was Spanish. And, of course, I said my three or four Spanish words, you know. And they give him a laugh saying this country pumpkin, he can’t speak Spanish, you know. And Brother Richard stepped in there, witnessed to him and did a great job and gave him the gospel. He said, “I already was saved, a missionary back in Venezuela, I believe it was,” and just a great job. Praise Lord for new people out, soul, and what a blessing that is. So we love to have it to come out Saturday and God use you in a great, great way. That would be wonderful thing.

All right, the first one is from Ms. Daniel, and the prayer request is for Anna to heal quickly after a C-section and for the baby’s immune system to get better. Brother Patterson praises we have a great God who hears and answers our prayers and prayer requests for the church property to sell. This is from Ms. Jennifer. Praises God’s blessings and prayer request healing prayers for Jimmy and all who are sick.

It’s from Bill Senior. There’s Bill Senior. There he is. Bill Senior, praises awesome time in Texas and God’s goodness. Prayer request, need more workers in the jail ministry. Praise God for souls saved. Ms. Risha, prayer request for Buddy Adam going to his cardiologist tomorrow. Last week, he was in shock three times.

It’s from Brother Allen. Praises that Jesus died for me. Amen. This was from me and Stacy. Praises is God’s love. I have several prayer requests here. The first one is for Stasha Spurlock. She goes back to the doctor. They think the cancer has come back and spread to her brain. So pray for Stasha Spurlock.

Pray for Ms. Deserate’s family. They are sick. Continue praying for the Gates family. And pray for those that we’re in church to get back into church. And this is from Bill and Tabitha. Praises door-to-door salesman, sir. Asked Jesus to save him. Amen. Amen. And prayer request from the Kents. Brother Tom has low blood pressure, and Ms. Kent for strength.

All right, so let’s take these to the Lord in prayer. Lord, Father, thank you, Lord, so much for your goodness, Lord. Thank you for your love and your mercy and your grace, Lord. And Lord, Father, all these prayer requests, Lord, Father, we lift up to you from all these praises for just coming down here and taking on our sin, Lord, Father, and going to that cross for us, Lord. That we can just know that we have a prepared place for us in heaven, Lord, and just thank you so much for that. And thank you for your love sending your Son, all your blessings. And Lord, thank you that you hear us, you answer our prayers, Lord, and so thankful for that, Lord.

And Lord, these prayer requests, I want to lift up Buddy Adams to you, Lord Father, going to the cardiologist tomorrow. I pray, Lord, that you please just guide there, work there in a great way, Lord, and guide the doctors. And Lord, with the jail ministry, Lord, I want to pray, Lord, for more workers. And Lord, I pray that when they do act up, Lord, that they don’t take you away. That’s when they need you the most, Lord, Father. Please continue working there.

And I also want to lift up the nursing home to you, Lord, Father, please. Just pray for that. Pray for workers in there, Lord, Father. And, Lord, thank you for just having a soul-winning church that we do, that we have people here that tell people about you during the week, Lord, Father, and not just on Saturday when we’re going out knocking on the doors. Thank you so much for the boldness around here, Lord. And please continue working there, Lord.

Do you want to lift up the Spurlock family to you, Lord. I know Brother Spurlock and his whole family there, Lord Father, going through some health issues. Lord Father, I lift them up to you, and Miss Desiree and her family with strep throat. I pray that you just please heal them up. Please continue giving the Gates family the strength that they need, Lord Father, to get through these trying times right now with Brother Raymond going home. And Lord Father, those that are backslidden, Lord. Lord, I pray, Lord, that they just come on back to church and, Lord, we just put our arms around them and love on them and say where they need to be, Lord.

Lord, I do ask you please just give the Kent strength, Brother Tom, Lord. I pray that with his low blood pressure, that that gets straightened out, Lord, and strength for Miss Kent, Lord, Father. And, Lord, I know that there’s so many more to pray for: the prayers for Jimmy and his sickness, Lord Father, please bless there, and the selling of our church property, Lord, I pray that you please continue blessing there. Um, and Lord for Anna, please give her and the baby strength, Lord Father, give them the strength that only you can, Lord. And Jesus, I’m so thankful that I’m here tonight, Lord. Thank you for your saving grace and just thank you for loving me, Lord Father.

And I do ask you please just guide our pastor tonight, Lord, give him boldness behind his pulpit, say exactly what you need him to. And Lord, I do ask you please bless these tithes and offerings. And I press in your name, Jesus. Amen.

Turn your Bible, as if we would, to Acts 28, Acts chapter number 28. We’ve been in the book of Acts for over a year now, and we’re going to wind that down. We’ve kind of sped up how quickly we’re going through it the last couple Wednesdays, unless the Lord changes it, we’ll just kind of wind it down here tonight as far as the book of Acts. We’re in the last chapter, Acts chapter 28 and one. You find that, would you say Hallelujah? Good, good.

We’re going to get that map up here, Brother Joshua. We’ll get that map up there, and we’re just going to rehearse just a bit. This is Paul’s voyage, and you remember he was just dead set on going to Jerusalem. And God had showed him, “Not my will,” but Paul said, “I’m going. I don’t care. I’m willing to die, whatnot.” And he went to Jerusalem; did not turn out real good. And the Jewish people almost killed him. And then the Roman soldiers had to grab him out of that. And then eventually he stood two different trials, and in some ways, three.

And he proclaimed the name of Jesus, but two years he was in prison. And during some of those trials, he had to appeal to Caesar. And they said, “All right, you’re going to go to Caesar’s.” That’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to go to Caesar’s. And then the voyage.

We started over here in Caesarea. Isn’t it interesting? That’s where he said, “I don’t care if I’m willing to die for Jesus Christ,” and they’re telling him not to go through the Holy Spirit. And that’s where he made that statement. And that’s kind of interesting. That’s where his voyage to Rome started out right there.

And then on up around here, then in Myra, it looked like they changed ships and got on a grain ship. Remember later on they cast a weed out. Probably a very large ship at that point. And they began to sail over here. And then they got this bad storm and the wind going. It’s not really blowing the way they wanted or needed it to. And they went down underneath the island of Crete. And he told them they finally were landing there. They said, “Hey, we don’t need to sail in the wintertime.” And the owner and the captain said, “Uh-uh. Well, you don’t want a winter here. They don’t have the fancy fixings here.” And we’re not going to stay here also. They set sail against Paul’s word.

And boy, things turned quick right around here, really bad. And then they eventually just put the sails up and they tossed some tackle out, and they just let the wind drive for two weeks. They couldn’t see the sun or the stars. And so they didn’t know where in the world they were. That’s the way they guided themselves back then. Two weeks just wondering, just drifting. And they thought they were going to die; about all of it’s over.

And finally the Lord stood by Paul, said, “No, no, I told you you’re going to go to Rome. You’re going to go to Rome, and I’m going to give you all the souls of the people on the ship.” Y’all with me? Y’all with me? Okay, Brother Tray’s awake back there. Good deal, man. Goodness. No, he’s always awake. But anyway, they end up over here at this island.

Now, we’re not going to cover this, but that’s where they’re putting some wood on the fire. And by the way, I like that. Paul didn’t stand around and say, “Well, I’ll let everybody else do the work.” Paul was over there sticking up, picking up sticks. He was working. Praise the Lord for workers. I sometimes think about over there, and I’m getting off on the book of Nehemiah—the nobles put not their neck to the work. Shame on them. Oh, Paul, he’s willing to work. I mean, just picking up wood, putting it on the fire. Come on now.

And yet while they did it, the old snake grabbed a hold of him. And he prayed, Lord, he shook it off. And then they said, “Well, this guy, he escaped the sea, storming the sea, but he must be a murderer because that snake got him.” Remember that? And he should have swollen up and died, but he didn’t. It’s funny how fickle people are. If you’re living for people, oh, that’s a long road to go because people change like that. Man, they said he’s a murderer, then it didn’t swell up and die, you know? Well, he’s a great, he’s a god, you know? That’s people; they’ll change. They’ll change so quickly. Be careful trying to just please people. You know, we all somewhat want to do that, but if it just gets wrapped up in it, you’re going to be on a roller coaster ride, friend, I’d tell you for sure. You know, and anyway…

They wintered there for a bit. When it got a little bit better, spring weather, they took off on another ship on up here and eventually on up into Rome. And he’s under house arrest for two years. He’s able to have the people in. He couldn’t go to them, but they’re coming to him, and he witnesses and proclaims the name of Jesus there at Rome. I think a little bit after this he got out for a brief time and then was imprisoned again, and that’s when he was murdered or martyred by Nero. A little debate about that; we won’t get to that.

But I want you to just notice after all he’s been—I went through that for a reason. He went through all that and much, much more. And I want you to notice the last two verses of the last chapter of the book of Acts. Would you do that? Let’s stand, if you would, please. Acts 28. And look at these last two. This man’s been through everything. His own countrymen tried to kill him, and he’s been through the storms and the sea, and he’s been beaten. And we could read his resume; it’s amazing. Look what he says here, verse number 30: “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”

Now here, I’m just going to use this as a springboard. I felt like the Lord would have me go this way. After all Paul went through, he hadn’t lost his fire for the Lord. Now, you know, in this old, sin-messed-up, sin-cursed world, it’s easy to lose your fire for the Lord. Just going to call it keeping your fire through the fire, just for a bit tonight. Paul kept his fire. And he’s been through all that, and he’s still preaching and teaching Jesus with confidence, and nobody’s stopping him. He just keeps going for the Lord.

Wouldn’t it be good? I mean, I’ve heard—and this is more preacher talk, not layman talk, but you’ll get it—but I’ve heard of preachers that die in the pulpit. And it’s a pretty good way to go out. I mean, they just continue on for the Lord. I mean, however it is, isn’t it just good when someone goes out serving the Lord? That’d be the way to do it. But just keeping your fire through the fire for just a bit tonight. We’re going to use this as a springboard. We’ll turn pages in just a minute here.

There’s so much more that can be said on this subject than what I’ll say tonight, but I’m going to just try to go to this passage right here and really spend most of our time here. Matthew chapter 11, very familiar passage. But I want to remind us of some things about this. Matthew 11 and verse number 28. Matthew 11 and verse number 28 in scripture right there. Are you there tonight? Amen?

Let’s look at this. Don’t say, “Well, I’ve heard this in time.” Let’s focus on it for a bit here. Try to get everything, get a little bit more out of this passage. Just look at this. He says, “Coming to me,” Jesus talking, “coming to me, all you that labor and heavy laden.” I mean, you’re just burdened down with life. You know, it’s a busy day, and just the busyness of our day and time gets you.

“Jesus, coming to me, all you that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you…” What’s the next word? Ooh, I like that. Now notice he’s not talking about sitting around and doing nothing because look at the next verse. The next verse, he says, “Take my yoke upon you.” I’ve got a yoke right here. Brother Frank looked for a yoke for me for over a year, from what I understand. And he—I don’t know where he found it from—but he found me a yoke. So I’m going to use it, amen. Brother Frank’s watching from heaven tonight, amen. He’d probably listen a whole lot better preacher Jesus Christ up there, though, you know. But we got us a yoke here.

And Jesus says, “Take my yoke.” Notice “my” Jesus yoke, okay? That’s what he’s saying. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls. For my”—there’s again, “my”—that’s a personal Jesus, “this is my yoke,” Jesus says—“for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Now, so we’re to be in the yoke with Jesus. All right? Yeah, of course, Jesus is the heavy puller. A lot of times in a yoke, they’ll have a bigger and a smaller, or maybe an older, more experienced ox and a younger one that’s just kind of learning. Brother Joshua, could you pull up that picture there? You’ll notice this picture here; it’s got the one… I don’t want to drop that thing on my toe. I’m missing fingers; I don’t want them missing toes, you know. But, yeah, of course, a big old fellow there, and that would, of course, represent Jesus Christ. We’re in the yoke with him, and that’d be me or you right there, you know.

And now here’s the thing. Just a couple things about it. If I’m going to keep my fire for the Lord over the long haul, there’s some things that I do want to do and things I don’t want to do. All right. Point number one, just look at this thing here: Trying to get ahead of the Lord will be kind of like putting water on your fire. It’ll wear you. It’ll exhaust you.

See, if this little ox here, he says, “Well, that big old ox not fast enough,” and he says, “I’m going to go quicker.” By the way, have you figured it out? I think I figured it up. I still backslide on this thing. You ever try to hurry the Lord up? Has it ever worked for you? Has it worked for me one time?

But the thing that it will do, it’ll take your fire from you because it’ll wear. It’s like that little ox trying to go faster. See, the thing is, Jesus, he pulls the weight. Now, we have some weight to pull. We’re co-laborers with him. I like that, 1 Corinthians 3:9, “For we are laborers together with God.” And so he wants us over there, pulling our, carrying our cross, but he carries the big weight. But when I try to get ahead of the Lord and I try to make him go faster, man, you talk about losing your fire real quick.

Because the honest truth is, without him, we can’t do—we can do nothing. And so when I’m just, I’m just in that yoke saying, “Lord, you’re too slow about this thing. I want to go faster,” and I try to carry the weight, friend, you’re not going to be in there the long haul like that. You’re going to be wore slap out.

You know, they say—I’ve watched videos and heard; I’ve never plowed with a yoke of ox before, you know—but I’ve heard them talk about, you know, you get that older, more experienced ox, stronger and stout. He’s got that steady pace. And at the end of the day, he’s all right. But that little ox, man, just wanting to go fast, fast, fast—at the end of the day, that little ox is wore out. In some ways, they say that the big ox wore him out. And they’ll pair those young ox with the older, because that older ox, if that younger ox will learn, he’ll learn the steadiness of that more powerful, stronger ox.

But if I’m the Christian life, if I’m just, man, I’m trying to get ahead of the Lord, I want to get it done today, I want to do it my way—friend, you’ll lose your fire for the Lord. You just, you just kind of, your light gets dim.

Think about old Moses. Moses, I believe he knew—and we showed before in scripture—but Moses believed knew that he was to deliver the children of Israel out of bondage of Egypt. And he’s 40 years old, but God said, “I’m not ready.” But Moses said, “No, I’m going to carry the weight.” He killed that Egyptian. Remember that? How’d that go? It seemed like he lost some fire for about 40 years, you know. And 40 years later, when he’s 80, God said, “Let me give you some fire from a bush,” if you will. Friend, and it’s just crucial that we patiently wait on the Lord. We learn to go in stride with the Lord.

“Come unto me, all you that labor and heavy laden, and I will give you; take my yoke.”

Now, here’s something else. Sometimes we’re just trying to get ahead of the Lord. By the way, the only way you can get ahead of the Lord—you’re not going to carry the weight, you’re not going to do that for him. You know, we’re fooling ourselves, but we think, “Well, I can go faster than the Lord.” The only way you can get ahead of the Lord is to get out of the yoke. That’s the only way you do it. You’re not going to hurry the Lord up; you’re just not going to do it.

And stuff really just being on getting ahead of the Lord, I’m going to have to get out of the yoke. You don’t want to do that because you’re not going to find that rest unto your soul. You’re not going to do it. So I just want to get in pace with the Lord.

Now, talking about trying to get ahead of the Lord. Now let me just mention something else that will drain us of our fire. We’re talking about let’s keep our fire for the Lord over the long haul. All right. That’s what we’re talking about here. If I’m trying to get ahead of the Lord, it’s not going to work in the yoke. If I’m trying to go slower, I just don’t want to go do the work. I mean, you know, he’s a…

All the G’s and the yas and yos, and I don’t understand all that ox talk. How about y’all out there? You know, I don’t got it out. It seemed like they all got their own wording to their ox. I was watching some videos about it today. But anyway, I mean, the owner says, “Oh, let’s go,” you know. And that little ox don’t want to go. And that big old ox, he’s obedient. He just, if you will, almost drags that little ox. And at the end of the day, they say that little ox is just wore or slap out. He had had a whole lot more energy, more fire left you at the end of the day if he just went in stride. You see, that’s what Jesus is talking about.

Here’s some things sometimes that keeps us, for we just don’t want to—we don’t want to go forward in the work for the Lord, whatever it may be. It may be Neighbor Day. You know, you’re inviting your neighbor; you just don’t want to do it. And the Lord’s—he’s wanting you in the yoke with him, whatever it may be for you. But here’s the thing: here’s some things that keep us from going in stride with the Lord. Sometimes it’s just fear.

Fear. Look over, if you will, in First Thessalonians. First Thessalonians chapter 5. It’s a short but great, great verse. You can memorize this thing and look at it—split, man, you have it memorized before the night’s out. Some of you probably already got it memorized with a great verse. First Thessalonians 5 and look in verse number 24. First Thessalonians 5 and verse number 24.

I like this verse. The fear is the thing that just kind of you’re dismayed. You’ve heard me talk about the word dismayed. What does it mean? You know, when you get dismayed? It’s like that squirrel that keeps going back and forth and it freezes. It gets right over by the truck, you know. And that’s when the Lord tells me to do something. I get dismayed out. I’m going to go forward, and fear gets me. What does the Bible say right there? First sentence is 5:24: “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

If he’s called you to it, he does it. Now, he works through you, and he doesn’t. Don’t let fear cripple you. You’re going to end up with no fire and wore out and weary. Hey, look, if he’s leading you a certain way, hey, call that way. I love to hear tonight about—about, I take it was Brother Bill, Miss Tabitha—I’m not sure—but a door-to-door salesman came by, and you got to lead him to the Lord. Man, I love that. I mean, it sounds like to me the Lord kind of nudged him. Let’s go forward. And if Bill would have been the ox, no, I’m not moving. The Lord just dragged him along. Now, a person wouldn’t have got saved, or maybe the Lord could use somebody else, but Bill wouldn’t have been part of it. But he had lost his fire. Don’t let fear. “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

Sometimes it’s not fear—this is the honest truth. It’s, it’s, it’s a shame it sometimes, you know. It sometimes it’s just our old flesh, just laziness. Come on now, my hand and a half’s up there too—just plain old laziness, you know. And now here’s the thing about that: sometimes doing nothing is the worst thing in the world. You know, sometimes the most tired is when you’re doing nothing. You know? And the Lord’s leading you to move, move. You don’t want to become a scorner. Look over in Psalm 1, if you would please. Psalm 1.

You don’t want to become one of these right here. Psalm 1. And many of you got it memorized. Psalm 1 and verse number 1. Look at this. Look at the progression of this saying in Psalm 1 and verse number 1. And we’re going a little different angle. He’s talking about a blessed man. But let’s look at the way he describes these people. Don’t get advice or hang around these people. Watch how he words in the progression of it. Psalm 1:1. You there tonight? Amen?

“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.” So you don’t walk there by the way they’re walking. “Blessed is the man, he’s walking not in the council of Godly.” By the way, the ungodly just means the absence of God. They just won’t bring God anywhere in there. “Blessed is the man that walking not in the council of ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners.” So he’s walking, now he’s standing. It was ungodly, now it’s a sinner.

But notice this last thing: “Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Now the scornful is the severe critic. They critique, they criticize everybody, anybody, anybody. And here’s the thing: they’re sitting. They’re just sitting around critiquing, criticizing. If I’m not doing anything, I’m not willing to go forward with the Lord. If I’m not careful, I’ll turn into someone that’s just a scorner. I just spend my days and my life and my minutes criticizing someone. What do they say? Those that roll the boat are typically the ones that are not rocking the boat, you know?

And friend, we don’t want to be. Look, don’t let fear cripple you, don’t let laziness stop you from going forward with the Lord and the yoke. You said, “Well, that’s work.” Yeah, yeah, but you take his yoke. He said, “I’ll give you a rest unto your soul.”

Sometimes it’s fear. Sometimes it’s just plain old laziness. Sometimes it’s a lack of faith. A little bit similar to this fear, fear and faith. Boy, Jesus over in Matthew 17:20, he said, “Look, if you have faith as a grain of a mustard seed, you say this mountain be removed hence to yonder, and it shall be removed, for nothing shall be impossible to you.” Look, it’s just a grain of a mustard seed.

Someone gave me—I’ve used, I’ve used okra seed before, and I think mustard seed before as illustration. I’ve been told by the experts that’s not the real mustard seed they use in the Bible. And so someone’s brought me a mustard seed, and it’s in a little plastic bag, and I’m glad because I’d have lost that thing about 20 times over. I still forgot it, still set my dresser at home, you know, tonight. But man, that thing’s so little. And you say, “I don’t have a great amount of faith.” That’s all right. Just take your little bit of faith and put it to use in Jesus. And when he says, “Go,” all right, don’t go.

Just about having fire over the long haul. Because if you’re just going by your own strength and your own might, you’re going to get weary pretty quick. I mean, Paul, I believe Paul, he wasn’t perfect. We’ve talked about it, but he’s learned it. He’s kind of, “I’m going to get back in sync with the Lord. Let him pull the weight.” When he says to go, I’m going to go. When he says, “I’m going to turn,” I’m just going to be obedient to the Lord.

Notice what he says back over here, Matthew 11. Back over here, Matthew 11. And notice what he says in verse number 29: He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and…” learn of me. He said, “Let me be the stronger, the more powerful ox. I got a whole lot more wisdom. Learn of me.” I say, pair that younger, younger, just inexperienced ox with the older one, and he’s going to learn from that older ox.

And he says, “Learn of me.” What else does he say there? He says, “For I”—that’s Jesus—“I am meek.” Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is strength under control for him. And big old oxen—I was watching those videos today—man, powerful, but those big old ox, they’re under control. And when the owner says, “Go forward,” I watched one; they pulled a big old chicken coop. I mean, there’s 2,500 chickens inside that coop. No, I don’t know about that. I don’t think there’s any chickens there. Just a big old chicken coop, yeah, you know. And then hooked that yoke up on the chain, and those oxen, and he gave the signal. And boy, that big old ox, and the other one just found a long, boom, he’s gone.

And Jesus said, “I’ve got strength.” But my strength, I’m not chaotic here, there, and yonder; I’m under control. And if you watch me, you learn from me, I’ll teach you how to have strength under control. He said, “Learn of me, for I am meek.” And what’s the next thing? He said, “I’m meek and…” what? “And he’s not proud.”

Can I say this? And this is pretty amazing. But when we get proud, we’ve got to have everything our way. And Jesus, Jesus, he always does the will of the Father. He’s lowly in heart. I’m willing to do, “Father, whatever you want, not my will, but thine be done.” And, you know, here’s the thing about it: that you get those ox, and if that big old ox wants to go a certain way, that little ox has to learn to follow, or else he’s going to get dragged around all day long. And, boy, it’s a good day when we learn just to follow.

I liked what Rick Carter—did you notice what Rick Carter—I don’t know if it was Friday, Saturday, and Sunday he preached, you know, the Valentine Banquet on that Saturday morning, and then he preached Saturday morning—but he said this: He said, “You can’t submit, or you don’t know if you’re submitting or not until you disagree. Then you figure out if you’re truly submitted or not.” And the same thing with the Lord. When the Lord says, “I’m going to go this way,” and you don’t want to go that way, that’s when we’ll find out if we’re submitted to the Lord or not. And he said, “Hey, watch me. I’m lowly in heart. I don’t have to have my way or always do the will of my…”

Now, real quickly, one more thing. We’re done. Look over in Isaiah, Isaiah 40. You’ll know this passage, very familiar passage, and we’re done for the night. I just want to encourage it: Hey, let’s keep our fire even when we’re going through the fire. How do you do that? Get in the yoke with Jesus. Let him lead. Stand and strive with him. Don’t get ahead of him. Don’t get behind him. Don’t try to pull this way or the other. He said, “Don’t watch that. Don’t go there.” Just obey him. Just obey him. And it’s easy. His yoke is easy. His burden is light.

Now look over here in Isaiah 40. Talk about having fire over the long haul. Isaiah 40. And look at verse number 28. Isaiah 40 and verse number 28. You’re there tonight? Amen? We’re working on… we’re getting there. Amen. Come on now, yes, sir. At least he was honest, amen. Isaiah 40 in verse number 28. You there? Praise the Lord. Good. Here we go: “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding.”

I like this. “He giveth power to the faint.” That has to do with those that are exhausted, just wore slap out. “He giveth power to the faint, and to them that have no might.” It just has to do a little bit with those that can’t get the job done. When I’ve been trying to get a job done for years, you can’t get a job—those that have no might, he increases strength. “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint.”

Now just a couple things we’ll go home that. There’s, there’s a lot of different types of waiting in the Bible. “Waiting for”—those two words together—is mentioned 34 times. “Wait on” is mentioned 13 times. Only 10 times does the Bible say, “wait upon.” All 10 of those in the Old Testament, all 10 of those are talking about waiting upon the Lord or in the tabernacle service for the Lord. Every one of them: wait upon the Lord.

The closest quick illustration I can use is my wife and I went Saturday. After funerals, a lot of times I like to go just chillax somewhere, and I preached a funeral, and then we met at Cheddar’s. Somebody say, “Amen,” right there. And my wife had beat me there. I was going to be good—this is TMI, too much ever been—I was going to get a water, but she had me a Diet Dr. Pepper waiting there. Somebody say, “Amen.” I said, “Come on now. Praise Lord for my wife helping me to fall off the bandwagon. There’s no sugar in there, you know.”

And that waiter—it was a guy. That waiter came up, and he said, “Sir, you need anything else? Can I get you anything? And can I get your appetizer?” And we said, “Yes, you can.” And then we just got one and split it. It’s a good deal, by the way, and plenty of food. And, but anyway, and he came back, “Don’t eat anything else. You want some more rolls? You want this? Want that?” you know. “And you want dessert?” Get thee behind me! You know, I don’t need that dessert, you know. And, but he was waiting upon us.

But they that wait upon the Lord. Sometimes I go to the Lord and I don’t remember it like, “Oh, do I?” Sometimes I’m tired and I say, “Lord, I haven’t been waiting upon you. Can I get you something, Lord?” You know, I can’t, I can’t sing, but I feel like sometimes the Lord says, “Yeah, I want you to sing for me a little bit.” And I’ll sing to the Lord a little bit.

Sometimes I feel like the Lord says, “Yeah, you can wait upon me. Won’t you call or text so-and-so and try to encourage him today?” And it’s amazing as I wait upon him. A little while later on, like, and I got some strength. Didn’t have much before, wore slap out. Got some strength now. I got some, got some. He’s renewing. But they that wait upon…

Isn’t it interesting how words? The last part of that. It seems like the stages of life. “They shall mount up with wings as eagles.” When you’re young, man, you’re just ready to take on life, you know. You mount up with wings. Then he shall run, and kind of like middle age, you got a little strength, got a little stamina. And then you get a little wiser—notice I didn’t say older now—you get a bit wiser. And he says, “You shall walk,” not running them up, but you shall walk and not faint. You keep going to the very end. Even you shall faint. Young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord…

And you go to the Lord, “I want to get in the yoke with you. What can I do for you today? You get to learn from you.” By the way, the best part about being in the yoke, you get to be with the Lord. We’re laborers together with him.

What a privilege we get to be in the yoke with Jesus. That’s just awesome. And good to see you out tonight. And if you can help us with those chairs, we’ll push four rows up at the back there. And then Friday, Friday night, that’s 6 to 8. And then Saturday, soul winning. And then Sunday, looking forward to a good day in the household. Good to have every single person here tonight. Pray Lord for you.

Original File: 2026-03-12 - Pastor Paul Chisgar ＂Keeping your fire through the fire＂ - Wednesday 03⧸11⧸2026