Breath of Life
Ministries Presents
00:00:03.16\00:00:07.10
Sermon B582 "Let's Move Forward"
00:00:07.14\00:00:10.51
[Breath of Life Theme Music]
00:00:10.54\00:00:20.28
PB: The Bible says in
Numbers chapter 13, verse 30,
00:00:20.32\00:00:24.25
"And Caleb stilled the
people before Moses, and said,
00:00:24.29\00:00:28.76
Let us go up at
once, and possess it;
00:00:28.79\00:00:30.83
for we are well
able to overcome it.
00:00:30.86\00:00:33.96
But the men that
went up with him said,
00:00:34.00\00:00:35.60
We be not able to go
up against the people;
00:00:35.63\00:00:39.03
for they are stronger
than we. And they brought
00:00:39.07\00:00:42.60
up an evil report of
the land which they had
00:00:42.64\00:00:44.64
searched unto the
children of Israel, saying,
00:00:44.67\00:00:46.37
The land, through which
we have gone to search it,
00:00:46.41\00:00:48.94
is a land that eateth
up the inhabitants thereof;
00:00:48.98\00:00:51.85
and all the people
that we saw in it are men of
00:00:51.88\00:00:56.25
a great stature. And
there we saw the giants,
00:00:56.28\00:01:00.99
the sons of Anak,
which come of the giants:
00:01:01.02\00:01:05.76
and we were in our
own sight as grasshoppers,
00:01:05.79\00:01:10.83
and so we were in
their sight." Israel has just
00:01:10.87\00:01:20.01
experienced the great
escape. After living for
00:01:20.04\00:01:24.75
400 years in captivity
in Egypt, God has rescued
00:01:24.78\00:01:27.25
His people and now
they're on a journey to the
00:01:27.28\00:01:30.25
Promised Land. They
had been slaves one day,
00:01:30.29\00:01:34.56
but now they're free
the next day. They had seen
00:01:34.59\00:01:38.13
the mighty hand of
God defeat the fiery hand
00:01:38.16\00:01:41.00
of Pharaoh. They had
seen God release flies
00:01:41.03\00:01:44.90
and frogs and lice.
They had seen God make a
00:01:44.93\00:01:48.77
Red Sea a dry
highway. They had seen Pharaoh
00:01:48.80\00:01:53.44
and 600 chosen chariots
get drowned in the Red Sea.
00:01:53.48\00:01:58.61
The Bible says it was so
powerful that when Miriam
00:01:58.65\00:02:01.85
looked back and saw the
man who had oppressed them,
00:02:01.88\00:02:06.42
the man who had raped their
women and beaten their sons,
00:02:06.45\00:02:10.13
drowning in the Red
Sea, she grabbed a tambourine
00:02:10.16\00:02:14.46
and started beating it, dancing
before God. And God said,
00:02:14.50\00:02:18.67
Miriam, the enemies
that you see today, you shall
00:02:18.70\00:02:22.87
see them no more. They
had seen God heal through a
00:02:22.90\00:02:27.24
brazen serpent, that
all they had to do was look
00:02:27.28\00:02:30.41
at that serpent and they were
healed from all their diseases,
00:02:30.45\00:02:33.25
which is why today the
emblem for medicine is still
00:02:33.28\00:02:36.99
the serpent around the
rod, commemorating that
00:02:37.02\00:02:39.85
healing
ultimately comes from God.
00:02:39.89\00:02:41.99
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:02:42.02\00:02:44.06
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
They had seen God rain
00:02:44.09\00:02:47.00
down manna from
heaven. But not only that,
00:02:47.03\00:02:49.26
their clothes never wore
out. Even as they marched,
00:02:49.30\00:02:53.84
and they marched in
the wilderness, the tension
00:02:53.87\00:02:56.84
and the friction of
their marching never ate
00:02:56.87\00:02:59.04
through their clothes,
even though their clothes
00:02:59.07\00:03:01.18
were natural fabrics. In fact,
God, in my holy hypothesis,
00:03:01.21\00:03:06.78
set up a dry
cleaners in the desert.
00:03:06.82\00:03:10.92
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
That's right, a dry cleaners.
00:03:10.95\00:03:13.59
What are you
talking about, Pastor Byrd?
00:03:13.62\00:03:15.06
God kept them smelling
good and looking good at
00:03:15.09\00:03:18.46
the same time, because
there's no way you can be
00:03:18.49\00:03:21.40
around folks every day for
40 years, with limited water,
00:03:21.43\00:03:25.20
in the same clothes
unless God provided for you.
00:03:25.23\00:03:28.10
Are you hearing what
I'm saying? [Aud. reaction]
00:03:28.14\00:03:30.84
PB: Somebody knows
what I'm talking about,
00:03:30.87\00:03:33.68
because after all the
things you've been through,
00:03:33.71\00:03:35.61
God still has you
looking good; God still has you
00:03:35.64\00:03:39.11
smelling good; and
folk don't know what you're
00:03:39.15\00:03:42.35
going through. You
see, you're at church today,
00:03:42.38\00:03:43.95
but folk really don't
know how broke you are.
00:03:43.99\00:03:46.92
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
Somebody knows what I'm
00:03:46.96\00:03:49.62
talking about. You
can't afford napkins,
00:03:49.66\00:03:53.29
so you go to McDonald's and
get some. Come on, say amen.
00:03:53.33\00:03:56.00
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
You fix your haystacks,
00:03:56.03\00:03:58.80
but you need some
salt or some hot sauce,
00:03:58.83\00:04:00.74
so you go to your
Taco Bell. "I'd just like
00:04:00.77\00:04:02.74
a glass of water,"
and you sneak a few hot
00:04:02.77\00:04:05.11
sauce packets. Come
on, say amen. Folk don't
00:04:05.14\00:04:07.14
know how broke you
are. You've got one suit.
00:04:07.18\00:04:11.21
Praise God. But you
put a different shirt and
00:04:11.25\00:04:15.12
tie with it, and you
go on about your business.
00:04:15.15\00:04:18.09
Somebody comes to you at church,
00:04:18.12\00:04:19.19
"Is that a new
suit?" You just smile,
00:04:19.22\00:04:20.99
ha, ha ha ha ha. You
never say yes and no,
00:04:21.02\00:04:23.63
you just say "God
just takes care of me."
00:04:23.66\00:04:26.80
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
"Is that a new hairstyle?"
00:04:26.83\00:04:28.96
"Oh yes, it is."
"Well, what did you do?"
00:04:29.00\00:04:30.50
Just flip it to
this side today, flip it
00:04:30.53\00:04:32.83
to that side
tomorrow it's a new hairstyle.
00:04:32.87\00:04:35.24
Do I have a witness
in this place? God will
00:04:35.27\00:04:37.77
keep you looking
good. Folk won't even know
00:04:37.81\00:04:42.31
what you're going
through. God kept their
00:04:42.34\00:04:44.51
shoes from wearing
out. Forty years of walking
00:04:44.55\00:04:47.55
and they're shoes
still look brand new.
00:04:47.58\00:04:49.92
Is there anybody
that knows that we serve a
00:04:49.95\00:04:52.02
God who can keep old
stuff working for you. Ha.
00:04:52.05\00:04:54.92
God was careful for
his people, that as they
00:04:54.96\00:04:58.33
walked for 40 years,
not one of the thousands
00:04:58.36\00:05:00.36
of people walking for
40 years, not one of them
00:05:00.40\00:05:03.13
had their feet begin
to swell. God had freed
00:05:03.16\00:05:06.40
the Israelites from
slavery in Egypt and then
00:05:06.43\00:05:09.14
led them to the
borders of the Promised Land.
00:05:09.17\00:05:11.24
But then when they
get to the brink of the
00:05:11.27\00:05:13.27
Promised Land, God commands
Moses to tell His people,
00:05:13.31\00:05:16.64
"Tell us if the
Promised Land is everything God
00:05:16.68\00:05:19.65
said it would be." But
before they get an answer,
00:05:19.68\00:05:23.55
guess what they do.
They form a committee.
00:05:23.59\00:05:27.76
Tell the truth, shame
the devil. [Aud. reaction]
00:05:27.79\00:05:31.06
PB: That's how
the church works. Heh.
00:05:31.09\00:05:32.69
If we're gonna do
something, form a committee.
00:05:32.73\00:05:35.30
Somebody says that
the 11th commandment is
00:05:35.33\00:05:37.10
Thou shalt call a
committee. [Aud. reaction]
00:05:37.13\00:05:39.90
PB: So when God
says tell us about the
00:05:39.93\00:05:43.67
Promised Land,
they form a committee,
00:05:43.71\00:05:47.14
made up of 12 people
with one person representing
00:05:47.18\00:05:51.78
each one of Israel's
12 tribes. Moses tells
00:05:51.81\00:05:55.45
the committee, "Now, go
out and spy out the land.
00:05:55.48\00:05:58.49
Observe the
people; observe the cities.
00:05:58.52\00:06:01.42
Find out what the
land is like; find out
00:06:01.46\00:06:02.96
if it's a land of
milk and honey; find out
00:06:02.99\00:06:05.06
if the soil is
fertile or poor; find out if
00:06:05.09\00:06:07.83
they have trees or
not, and if they have trees
00:06:07.86\00:06:09.76
tell me what kind
of trees they are.
00:06:09.80\00:06:12.00
And when you finish,
come back. Give us a report.
00:06:12.03\00:06:15.94
Tell us if the
Promised Land is everything
00:06:15.97\00:06:18.27
that God said it
would be. The Bible teaches
00:06:18.31\00:06:20.41
that 12 men spent 40
days spying out the land.
00:06:20.44\00:06:25.65
Forty. Everybody
say "40." Aud.: Forty.
00:06:25.68\00:06:27.48
PB: Come on, say it
like you mean it, say "40."
00:06:27.52\00:06:29.72
Aud.: Forty.  PB:
There's something about the
00:06:29.75\00:06:31.32
number 40. Moses spent
40 years in the wilderness
00:06:31.35\00:06:35.32
before he was called to
lead Israel. For 40 days,
00:06:35.36\00:06:38.19
Ezekiel lay on his
right side to symbolize the
00:06:38.23\00:06:41.46
40 years of Judah's
transgression. Jonah prophesied
00:06:41.50\00:06:44.90
Nineveh's destruction
would take place in 40 days.
00:06:44.93\00:06:49.17
Jesus was in the
wilderness 40 days before He
00:06:49.20\00:06:52.57
was tempted by the
devil. In the great Flood,
00:06:52.61\00:06:54.94
it rained 40 days
and 40 nights. It's been
00:06:54.98\00:06:58.31
40 years since
this church was built.
00:06:58.35\00:07:02.38
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
There's something about the
00:07:02.42\00:07:05.12
number 40. The Bible says
in Numbers chapter 13 that
00:07:05.15\00:07:11.19
the 12 committee
members spent 40 days spying
00:07:11.23\00:07:15.70
out the land, and now
they come back to Moses to
00:07:15.73\00:07:19.53
give Moses a report.
They didn't say the land was
00:07:19.57\00:07:23.27
flowing with milk and
honey. They didn't say that
00:07:23.30\00:07:26.14
the land was fertile.
They said that there was
00:07:26.17\00:07:28.71
a cluster of grapes so
big that it took two men
00:07:28.74\00:07:32.18
to carry the large
pole with the grapes on it.
00:07:32.21\00:07:34.72
They said the land
was what God said it was.
00:07:34.75\00:07:38.62
The first part of
their report was positive,
00:07:38.65\00:07:42.92
but then all of a
sudden the Bible says their
00:07:42.96\00:07:45.23
report changed. Their
report was no longer positive.
00:07:45.26\00:07:49.73
Their report was no
longer unanimous. The committee
00:07:49.76\00:07:53.44
is divided 10 to 2. One
committee, two different
00:07:53.47\00:08:00.34
reports. Y'all don't hear what
I'm saying. The majority says
00:08:00.38\00:08:02.58
there are giants in the
land. The minority says,
00:08:02.61\00:08:06.48
but if God be for us,
who can be against us.
00:08:06.51\00:08:11.42
The majority
says, we can't do it.
00:08:11.45\00:08:14.79
The minority says, we can do it.
00:08:14.82\00:08:17.39
The majority saw
defeat; the minority
00:08:17.43\00:08:20.40
saw victory. One journey
but two different reports.
00:08:20.43\00:08:24.27
One mission but
two different opinions.
00:08:24.30\00:08:27.84
One report says go.
The other report says no.
00:08:27.87\00:08:32.87
It's amazing--I've
been pastoring 23 years now-
00:08:32.91\00:08:37.15
-how the same group
of people can look at
00:08:37.18\00:08:39.68
the same thing, but
yet they come out with
00:08:39.71\00:08:42.22
different interpretations
of the same thing they saw.
00:08:42.25\00:08:45.95
The sermon was good
to me. The sermon did
00:08:45.99\00:08:49.89
nothing for me.
The music blessed me.
00:08:49.92\00:08:54.10
The music didn't
do a thing for me.
00:08:54.10\00:08:57.20
I liked that suit. I
can't stand that suit.
00:08:57.23\00:09:02.24
People can look at the
same data, be confronted
00:09:02.27\00:09:05.64
with the same facts,
experience the same events
00:09:05.67\00:09:08.81
and draw totally
different conclusions.
00:09:08.84\00:09:11.55
Why do people have
different reactions to
00:09:11.58\00:09:15.35
the same reality?
It's probably because
00:09:15.38\00:09:18.49
we see things not as
they are but as we are.
00:09:18.52\00:09:21.66
I wish I had a
witness in this place.
00:09:21.69\00:09:23.63
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
The majority is motivated
00:09:23.66\00:09:26.09
by sight rather
than faith, but somebody
00:09:26.13\00:09:30.50
today knows: we walk
by faith, not by sight.
00:09:30.53\00:09:37.14
Praise God for the
minority! Praise God for
00:09:37.17\00:09:42.21
Joshua and Caleb.  So
what does Caleb do? Quickly.
00:09:42.24\00:09:46.11
Caleb tells the
people hush up. Be quiet.
00:09:46.15\00:09:48.52
Stop all that
negative, fearful talk.
00:09:48.55\00:09:51.12
Let's go up at once
and possess the land.
00:09:51.15\00:09:54.32
Now, my question when
I study the text is this:
00:09:54.36\00:09:57.19
How did Caleb know
they could overcome giants
00:09:57.23\00:10:00.60
in the land? Caleb
knew that they were able to
00:10:00.63\00:10:05.67
do it not so much
because they were able,
00:10:05.70\00:10:09.90
but because God is
able. Let me put a kickstand
00:10:09.94\00:10:16.44
right there for a
minute. Can I do that right now?
00:10:16.48\00:10:18.61
I know I gotta hurry
up, but I hear people
00:10:18.65\00:10:20.82
all the time, "God
is able. God is able.
00:10:20.85\00:10:22.75
Elder Phipps
sings "God is able."
00:10:22.78\00:10:24.35
Everybody jumps and
shouts. But we really
00:10:24.39\00:10:26.09
don't believe that.
Because if we really
00:10:26.12\00:10:29.46
believe that God is
able, we would spend
00:10:29.49\00:10:32.29
less time setting
folks straight and telling
00:10:32.33\00:10:35.26
folk off if we
believed God was able.
00:10:35.30\00:10:37.80
We'd spend less time
worrying and staying up
00:10:37.83\00:10:40.04
all night if we
believe God is able. Let me
00:10:40.07\00:10:42.07
tell you something. In the
name of Jesus, God is able.
00:10:42.10\00:10:47.14
[Aud. reaction]  PB: Cancer.
God is able. Unemployment.
00:10:47.18\00:10:52.91
God is able. Death of
a loved one. God is able.
00:10:52.95\00:10:57.99
Marriage in
trouble. God is able.
00:10:58.02\00:11:01.89
A strung-out son;
a wayward daughter.
00:11:01.92\00:11:06.46
God is able. Hurricane Irma.
00:11:06.49\00:11:09.16
[Aud. reaction]
 PB: God is able.
00:11:09.20\00:11:11.57
North Korea. God is
able. President Trump, ha.
00:11:11.60\00:11:17.97
God is able!  [Aud. reaction]
00:11:18.01\00:11:22.91
PB: A habit you can't
break; a sin you can't shake;
00:11:22.94\00:11:29.48
a stronghold you
can't overcome. You'd better
00:11:29.52\00:11:32.69
believe that God is
able to do exceeding,
00:11:32.72\00:11:34.39
abundant and above all
we could ever ask or think.
00:11:34.42\00:11:38.66
Caleb knew it; Joshua
knew it. But the majority
00:11:38.69\00:11:42.63
of the committee
disagreed with Caleb and Joshua.
00:11:42.66\00:11:48.87
So what did they say?
Verse 31 in our Scripture text.
00:11:48.90\00:11:52.37
"We're not able to go
up against the people;
00:11:52.41\00:11:54.18
they're stronger than
we are. . . . The land,
00:11:54.21\00:11:56.08
through which we
have gone to search it,
00:11:56.11\00:11:58.68
is a land that eateth
up the inhabitants thereof;
00:11:58.71\00:12:00.15
and all the people that
we saw in it are"--giants.
00:12:00.18\00:12:02.28
We saw giants, and we in
our own sight--I can preach
00:12:02.32\00:12:07.66
a whole sermon right
there--we in our own sight are
00:12:07.69\00:12:12.86
as grasshoppers. And so because
we saw ourselves as that,
00:12:12.89\00:12:17.50
so we were in their
sight.  Now you would think
00:12:17.53\00:12:22.70
that after all
God had done for them,
00:12:22.74\00:12:24.64
after all God had
shown the children of Israel,
00:12:24.67\00:12:27.84
that they would have
more faith than that.
00:12:27.88\00:12:30.21
He opened up the
Red Sea for them;
00:12:30.25\00:12:32.28
He closed the same
waters against the Egyptians.
00:12:32.31\00:12:35.15
He'd given them
water in the desert when
00:12:35.18\00:12:37.19
they were thirsty
and food in the desert
00:12:37.22\00:12:38.72
when they were
hungry. And now they have
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.36
amnesia about how
God delivered them.
00:12:40.39\00:12:44.66
But let's be real
today--I gotta keep
00:12:44.69\00:12:47.50
it moving--but
let's not be too hard on
00:12:47.56\00:12:48.96
the Israelites,
because we don't live in
00:12:49.00\00:12:51.60
a glass house. Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:12:51.63\00:12:53.47
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
After all God has done
00:12:53.50\00:12:55.27
for some of us,
we still doubt Him.
00:12:55.30\00:12:59.61
We see the
enemies of God as giants.
00:12:59.64\00:13:03.61
We see
ourselves as grasshoppers.
00:13:03.65\00:13:07.35
You see, the majority
of the committee members
00:13:07.38\00:13:10.25
were defeated
before they even started,
00:13:10.29\00:13:12.42
because they embraced
grasshopper mentality.
00:13:12.45\00:13:15.52
You see, their
grasshopper mentality was
00:13:15.56\00:13:18.83
rooted in their
Egyptian experience.
00:13:18.86\00:13:21.23
You see, it's one
thing to be delivered
00:13:21.26\00:13:22.86
from Egypt but it's
another thing to get
00:13:22.90\00:13:24.43
the Egypt out of
you.  [Aud. reaction]
00:13:24.47\00:13:27.27
PB: I think somebody
missed that, let me try
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.10
it one more time. It's
one thing to get out of Egypt,
00:13:29.14\00:13:32.54
but it's another thing
to get the Egypt out of you.
00:13:32.57\00:13:36.34
You see, what they're
dealing with was grasshopper
00:13:36.38\00:13:39.85
mentality because of
what they remember in Egypt.
00:13:39.88\00:13:42.15
Listen to me:
Pharaoh told them when;
00:13:42.18\00:13:44.25
Pharaoh told them
where; Pharaoh told them how,
00:13:44.29\00:13:48.09
and Pharaoh
represents a system. A system
00:13:48.12\00:13:51.99
that controls and a
system that manipulates.
00:13:52.03\00:13:54.50
And if you've been in
bondage to the system,
00:13:54.56\00:13:56.60
it creates a mind-set
that becomes institutionalized
00:13:56.63\00:14:00.27
to the system, and
before long you begin to think
00:14:00.30\00:14:03.61
that you can never be
anything; never do anything;
00:14:03.64\00:14:06.98
never amount anything
because Pharaoh has you thinking
00:14:07.01\00:14:09.18
like a grasshopper.
Remember, the enemy didn't
00:14:09.21\00:14:13.21
call them grasshoppers.
They called themselves
00:14:13.25\00:14:17.32
grasshoppers, and when
you act like a grasshopper
00:14:17.35\00:14:21.92
in your own eyes, you
will ultimately be seen as
00:14:21.96\00:14:25.59
a grasshopper in
other people's eyes, because
00:14:25.63\00:14:28.16
I've learned people
treat you the way you let 'em.
00:14:28.20\00:14:30.83
[Aud. reaction]  PB: But
when you realize who you are;
00:14:30.87\00:14:37.87
when you realize whose
you are, then you will seek
00:14:37.91\00:14:43.68
deliverance from
grasshopper mentality that tries
00:14:43.71\00:14:47.28
to stop you from
experiencing a living God's
00:14:47.32\00:14:50.09
purpose for your life.
Somebody's not getting this,
00:14:50.12\00:14:53.19
but let me help you.
Grasshopper mentality is
00:14:53.22\00:14:56.12
small-mindedness.
Grasshopper mentality is myopic
00:14:56.16\00:15:00.16
thinking. Grasshopper
mentality relies on excuses.
00:15:00.20\00:15:03.33
You're still not getting
it. Let me try it this way.
00:15:03.37\00:15:06.17
[Aud. reaction]  PB: Grasshopper
mentality says go out
00:15:06.20\00:15:09.14
and buy an expensive car.
Buy a Mercedes; buy a Tesla;
00:15:09.17\00:15:14.08
buy a, buy a Beemer. Buy a
Cadillac, put some rims on it.
00:15:14.11\00:15:18.65
Put some spinners on it.
Get a sound system in it.
00:15:18.68\00:15:21.95
But live with your mama
and don't even try to buy
00:15:21.98\00:15:24.45
a house.
Everybody say "grasshopper."
00:15:24.49\00:15:26.35
Aud.:
Grasshopper.  [Aud. reaction]
00:15:26.39\00:15:28.92
PB: Grasshopper
mentality says go ahead,
00:15:28.96\00:15:31.63
listen to me, young
people, get every credit
00:15:31.66\00:15:34.20
card you can. Max
them out. Dress nicely;
00:15:34.23\00:15:37.33
look good on alumni
weekend. Put all those
00:15:37.37\00:15:40.37
clothes on your
back--Hugo Boss, Prada, Versace;
00:15:40.40\00:15:44.07
Luis Vuitton. You name
it, you get it. Don't worry
00:15:44.11\00:15:46.24
about paying the balance
off. As a matter of fact,
00:15:46.27\00:15:48.11
Pharaoh says, I'll
give you a loan to buy a car
00:15:48.14\00:15:51.11
but I won't give you
a loan to buy a house.
00:15:51.15\00:15:53.55
Look good but stay broke.
Somebody say "Grasshopper."
00:15:53.58\00:15:57.72
Aud.: Grasshopper.  PB:
Grasshopper mentality says
00:15:57.75\00:16:01.49
go ahead, get a big
flat-screen TV, even if it means
00:16:01.52\00:16:06.73
you have Rent-A-Center
$50 for 50 years to do it.
00:16:06.76\00:16:10.27
[Aud. reaction]  PB: And
when it's all said and done,
00:16:10.30\00:16:14.47
you've b ought 50 flat-screen
TVs for the price of one.
00:16:14.50\00:16:18.31
Somebody say
grasshopper.  Aud.: Grasshopper.
00:16:18.34\00:16:21.78
PB: But I'm gonna
needle this a little bit more.
00:16:21.81\00:16:24.61
'Cause I gotta be
intergenerational, young, old,
00:16:24.65\00:16:26.98
everybody. Grasshopper
mentality says go ahead
00:16:27.02\00:16:29.28
and make as many
babies as you want.
00:16:29.32\00:16:32.12
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
You don't have to work.
00:16:32.15\00:16:33.86
Let Pharaoh take care of
them. Don't worry about it,
00:16:33.89\00:16:37.93
Pharaoh will raise your
children, and when Pharaoh
00:16:37.96\00:16:40.80
gets through raising
your children, don't get mad
00:16:40.83\00:16:43.00
at Pharaoh. You didn't
pay them any attention when
00:16:43.03\00:16:45.70
you saw their pants
hanging off their waist,
00:16:45.73\00:16:48.07
you didn't pay any attention.
Well, don't worry about it.
00:16:48.10\00:16:51.84
Pharaoh won't give them
30,000 a year for college,
00:16:51.87\00:16:55.08
but he'll pay 30,000 a
year to put 'em in jail.
00:16:55.11\00:16:57.48
Everybody say
hey--[Aud. reaction]
00:16:57.51\00:17:00.05
PB: Who has [indiscernible].
Let's go to the Oakwood Church.
00:17:00.08\00:17:05.32
Grasshopper mentality
told Elder Ward, we can't
00:17:05.35\00:17:10.46
built a church at
Oakwood. It won't happen.
00:17:10.49\00:17:14.36
And see, I'm in the
office, I'm in his old office
00:17:14.36\00:17:16.43
and I'm in the
closet, and I'm looking at the
00:17:16.46\00:17:18.10
plans for the church
he really wanted to build.
00:17:18.13\00:17:20.64
It was twice the size of
this one. But grasshopper
00:17:20.67\00:17:25.74
mentality told
him, if you do built it,
00:17:25.77\00:17:28.34
don't make it too
big. Grasshopper mentality
00:17:28.38\00:17:34.08
continued 20 years
later. You can't build an
00:17:34.12\00:17:37.22
elementary school. It
continued 20 years after that.
00:17:37.25\00:17:40.59
You can't build a middle
school. You can't build a gym.
00:17:40.62\00:17:44.23
You can't build a school
cafeteria. Oakwood Church,
00:17:44.26\00:17:48.86
you can't build a family
life center. We can't do this,
00:17:48.90\00:17:54.37
we can't do that. We've
always done it like this.
00:17:54.40\00:17:58.97
We've never done it
like that. We've never tried
00:17:59.01\00:18:01.31
new things. We never
had a praise team. We can't
00:18:01.34\00:18:05.88
evangelize Huntsville.
We won't baptize new people.
00:18:05.91\00:18:09.85
We'll never grow. Our doctrine,
our message is too hard.
00:18:09.88\00:18:13.56
We can't. But in
the name of Jesus--
00:18:13.59\00:18:16.66
[Aud. reaction]  PB: --I am
tired of grasshopper mentality.
00:18:16.69\00:18:22.13
I'm tired of visionless
folk. I know what God says.
00:18:22.16\00:18:28.34
If you can't see it, get up
out of my way. His Word says,
00:18:28.37\00:18:33.64
"But my God shall supply
all of my needs according to
00:18:33.68\00:18:39.35
his riches in glory." 
Let me tell you something.
00:18:39.38\00:18:41.65
You don't need
grasshoppers in your house--
00:18:41.68\00:18:43.45
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
--You don't need grasshoppers
00:18:43.49\00:18:47.12
in your car. You don't
need grasshoppers around you
00:18:47.16\00:18:51.63
because if they can't
see what God has for you,
00:18:51.66\00:18:53.29
they don't have any
business around ya. Let me tell
00:18:53.33\00:18:57.00
you something: You will
never get to the Promised
00:18:57.03\00:18:58.77
Land if you keep
going back in the wilderness
00:18:58.80\00:19:00.54
because you have
grasshopper mentality.
00:19:00.57\00:19:02.40
Caleb didn't subscribe
to grasshopper mentality.
00:19:02.44\00:19:05.67
Caleb wasn't intimidated
by the enemy. Caleb knew
00:19:05.71\00:19:08.41
he was a child of the
Most High God. Caleb wasn't
00:19:08.44\00:19:11.38
a grasshopper. Listen to
me: Caleb wasn't claiming
00:19:11.41\00:19:14.95
the Promised Land
because he wanted it. Caleb was
00:19:14.98\00:19:19.52
claiming the Promised
Land because God had already
00:19:19.55\00:19:23.86
given it to
them.  [Aud. reaction]
00:19:23.89\00:19:28.23
PB: Caleb was not some
prosperity-gospel preacher.
00:19:28.26\00:19:31.40
Name it, claim
it; blab it, grab it.
00:19:31.43\00:19:35.97
Caleb knew that the
power of believing in
00:19:36.00\00:19:38.77
the promises of God,
and acting on those promises
00:19:38.81\00:19:41.68
in obedience--but
let me get ready to end.
00:19:41.71\00:19:45.45
But the tragic thing
of this story is that
00:19:45.48\00:19:48.42
the majority report of
the committee prevailed.
00:19:48.45\00:19:51.75
Ten of them saw barriers;
but only two saw blessings.
00:19:51.79\00:19:57.96
Ten saw giants; only
two saw God. Ten said,
00:19:57.99\00:20:05.40
the best is behind us.
But only two said the best
00:20:05.43\00:20:09.77
is yet to come. But
negative voices grumbled their
00:20:09.80\00:20:15.98
way into plans to do nothing.
That's why I've learned,
00:20:16.01\00:20:20.15
when people come to me
criticizing me, talking about
00:20:20.18\00:20:22.82
what I'm doing, I tell
'em, I like what I'm doing
00:20:22.85\00:20:25.75
better than what you're
not doing. [Aud. reaction]
00:20:25.79\00:20:29.79
PB: So what happens?
Israel wanders in the wilderness
00:20:29.82\00:20:38.17
for the next 40 years,
doing nothing. Nothing.
00:20:38.20\00:20:42.74
Caleb was willing to honor
God, but he was outnumbered.
00:20:42.77\00:20:45.97
And so, the Bible
teaches that everyone in that
00:20:46.01\00:20:48.18
generation, except
Caleb and Joshua, died without
00:20:48.21\00:20:53.88
seeing--somebody's
with me--the Promised Land.
00:20:53.92\00:20:56.72
It wasn't the size of
Israel's army that kept
00:20:56.75\00:21:00.72
Israel back. It was
not the size, it was the
00:21:00.76\00:21:05.43
size of Israel's faith.
 A grasshopper is little.
00:21:05.46\00:21:11.43
It will always be
little. God has not called you,
00:21:11.47\00:21:17.21
He has not called me,
this church, this university,
00:21:17.24\00:21:22.51
this conference, to be
little. I don't know about you,
00:21:22.54\00:21:27.58
but I'm fearfully and
wonderfully made. I am not
00:21:27.62\00:21:33.25
a grasshopper. Ellen
White said, "We have nothing
00:21:33.29\00:21:37.26
to fear for the future
less we forget how God has
00:21:37.29\00:21:41.76
led us in the past."
Church of the living God,
00:21:41.80\00:21:45.73
you're a child of God.
Walk like it; talk like it;
00:21:45.77\00:21:51.94
act like it; think like
it. You are not a grasshopper.
00:21:51.97\00:21:57.08
Let me tell you something.
You've got some folks scared.
00:21:57.11\00:22:01.55
You've got some folk
intimidated. It's not your
00:22:01.58\00:22:04.65
fault, you're just God's chosen.
You're just God's blessed.
00:22:04.69\00:22:08.29
That's why some folk
look at you like they do.
00:22:08.32\00:22:10.36
That's why they treat
you like they do, because
00:22:10.39\00:22:12.29
you've got them
intimidated. But let me give
00:22:12.33\00:22:14.13
them some help today.
Don't hate the player,
00:22:14.20\00:22:16.56
hate the game. Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:22:16.60\00:22:18.83
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
None of those majority
00:22:18.87\00:22:22.47
committee members
with the bad report ever
00:22:22.50\00:22:26.37
got to the Promised
Land. In fact, the Bible
00:22:26.41\00:22:30.71
says most of them
died in the wilderness.
00:22:30.75\00:22:35.05
And when you look
back over your life, and
00:22:35.08\00:22:39.95
you look at where
you've come from, many of
00:22:39.99\00:22:45.63
the people you used
to run with, they're not
00:22:45.66\00:22:47.66
here anymore. Many
of the people that used
00:22:47.73\00:22:49.90
to be friends with you,
they're not here anymore.
00:22:49.93\00:22:51.67
Many of your schoolmates
are not here anymore.
00:22:51.70\00:22:54.87
They died in the
wilderness. God has had to
00:22:54.90\00:23:00.81
lay some people to
sleep just before His coming.
00:23:00.84\00:23:05.71
But you know what?
There's a reason why you're
00:23:05.75\00:23:09.35
still here. Here we
are in 2017, on the brink
00:23:09.38\00:23:15.46
of the Promised Land.
We've got rumors of war
00:23:15.49\00:23:20.36
with North Korea,
hurricanes happening every day:
00:23:20.40\00:23:24.17
Hurricane Harvey,
Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Jose,
00:23:24.20\00:23:28.57
Hurricane Katya. We hear
about an earthquake in Mexico,
00:23:28.60\00:23:32.44
a possible tsunami that's
developing. Friends of mine,
00:23:32.47\00:23:36.95
God is speaking. God is
trying to tell us something.
00:23:36.98\00:23:42.02
And God wants to use
this church, this ministry,
00:23:42.05\00:23:46.65
the Oakwood
University Church, the Breath of
00:23:46.69\00:23:50.33
Life Ministry, to serve
as a catalyst to prepare men,
00:23:50.36\00:23:55.73
women, boys and girls
for His soon return. He wants
00:23:55.76\00:23:58.57
to use this church as a
model to show that public
00:23:58.60\00:24:01.54
evangelism still works;
that Christian education is
00:24:01.57\00:24:07.11
still one of the greatest
evangelistic tools our church
00:24:07.14\00:24:11.01
has. [Aud. reaction]  PB:
But we're not in Egypt anymore.
00:24:11.05\00:24:13.78
So that means we can't
have Egyptian mentality.
00:24:13.82\00:24:17.62
Eight-track ministry in
a DVD society won't work.
00:24:17.65\00:24:22.59
We gotta go forward.
Just coming to church,
00:24:22.62\00:24:26.03
seeing each other,
shaking each hand, eating
00:24:26.06\00:24:27.86
just with us, singing
a few songs, hearing a
00:24:27.93\00:24:29.90
couple of sermons
wont' work anymore. Having
00:24:29.93\00:24:32.83
conventional
ministry won't work anymore.
00:24:32.87\00:24:35.44
Having conventional church
school won't work anymore.
00:24:35.47\00:24:38.31
We've got to go forward.
Praise God for our history.
00:24:38.34\00:24:43.14
We honor it today.
Praise God for the paths that
00:24:43.18\00:24:47.08
have been laid before
us, but we must go forward.
00:24:47.12\00:24:52.22
[Aud. reaction]  PB: So
if you have come today to
00:24:52.25\00:24:54.82
Anniversary Sabbath just
to hear a feel-good sermon,
00:24:54.86\00:24:58.36
jumping on your feet,
clapping your hands, saying
00:24:58.39\00:25:04.03
amen in your voice--you
came to the wrong place today.
00:25:04.07\00:25:07.57
Oakwood Church. I
want us to break loose from
00:25:07.60\00:25:13.27
worshipping our
history so much, so we can step
00:25:13.31\00:25:16.34
into our
destiny.  [Aud. reaction]
00:25:16.38\00:25:19.18
PB: Eyes haven't
seen; ears haven't heard,
00:25:19.21\00:25:25.29
neither has it entered
into the mind of man the
00:25:25.32\00:25:28.56
things that God has
prepared for them that love Him.
00:25:28.59\00:25:32.33
We're living in a different
world today. People are
00:25:32.36\00:25:37.67
different now. People are
tired of centralized structures.
00:25:37.70\00:25:42.90
People are tired of
revelation without relevance.
00:25:42.94\00:25:46.04
People are tired of
religion without relationship.
00:25:46.07\00:25:50.21
People are tired of fake, phony,
plastic comatose ministry.
00:25:50.25\00:25:55.02
People are tired of
coming to church getting beat up
00:25:55.05\00:25:58.75
in the pulpit, talking
about what you have on and what
00:25:58.79\00:26:01.32
you're not. People are
tired of getting all of that.
00:26:01.36\00:26:03.46
People are tired
of coming to church,
00:26:03.49\00:26:04.63
in an Adventist church, and
not knowing what we believe.
00:26:04.66\00:26:07.30
People are tired of emphasis
placed on policy more than
00:26:07.36\00:26:11.63
it is on people. People
are tired of coming to a church
00:26:11.67\00:26:15.64
where they can't share their
burdens and problems simply
00:26:15.67\00:26:17.54
because they're afraid of what
other folk might say about 'em
00:26:17.57\00:26:19.81
after they come
clean.  [Aud. reaction]
00:26:19.84\00:26:22.41
PB: So at Oakwood, are we
gonna be like the majority
00:26:22.44\00:26:27.55
and see ourselves as
grasshoppers? Or are we gonna do
00:26:27.58\00:26:33.19
big things for God? But
as I close, the call is not
00:26:33.22\00:26:38.99
just a collective call.
The call is an individual call,
00:26:39.03\00:26:43.13
because someone needs to
go forward individually, as a
00:26:43.16\00:26:48.10
person. The man you used to
be, the woman you used to be,
00:26:48.14\00:26:52.47
is not what God is
calling you today to be. Many
00:26:52.51\00:26:56.75
people give up on their
future, they give up on the
00:26:56.78\00:27:00.38
Promised Land so they
can have the camaraderie
00:27:00.42\00:27:02.42
of their colleagues.
They step back into their
00:27:02.45\00:27:06.42
past so they can hang
around their old friends,
00:27:06.45\00:27:08.86
so they will accept
you, because how they think
00:27:08.89\00:27:11.19
about you is more
important than how you think
00:27:11.23\00:27:13.50
about yourself.  But
in the name of Jesus,
00:27:13.53\00:27:18.43
I refuse to go back. I
refuse to go back to Egypt.
00:27:18.47\00:27:24.34
I refuse to go back in
the wilderness. I refuse to
00:27:24.37\00:27:28.48
go back into slavery. I'm
going to the Promised Land.
00:27:28.51\00:27:32.68
I'm going to make it to
God's great heaven. I say
00:27:32.71\00:27:36.52
it all the time, I ain't
going to hell for anybody.
00:27:36.55\00:27:39.45
[Aud. reaction]  PB:
If any man be in Christ,
00:27:39.49\00:27:42.52
he's a new creature.
Old things are passed away,
00:27:42.56\00:27:47.36
all things become
new. Somebody today,
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.73
look at where you
were 40 years ago.
00:27:50.77\00:27:53.00
Look at where you
were 20 years ago,
00:27:53.03\00:27:55.87
2 years ago, 1 year
ago, and look at where
00:27:55.90\00:27:58.14
you are right now. Some
of you used to have one suit,
00:27:58.17\00:28:02.58
one dress, one pair of
shoes. But tell me now,
00:28:02.61\00:28:08.75
how does it feel when you
come up out of the wilderness,
00:28:08.78\00:28:14.42
leaning on the Lord.
Some of you used to have a
00:28:14.46\00:28:16.76
>:  Thank you for
joining us for another exciting
00:28:16.79\00:28:18.76
Breath of Life
television broadcast.
00:28:18.79\00:28:21.16
Tune in next week
at the same time, as
00:28:21.20\00:28:23.57
Dr. Byrd will deliver
another dynamic message
00:28:23.60\00:28:26.13
from the Lord, just for you.
00:28:26.17\00:28:27.94
Until next time,
may God bless you.
00:28:27.97\00:28:30.31
[END]
00:28:30.34\00:28:45.35