Do You See What I See · A New Year’s Commitment

0:00 A devotional end to this year and set the stage for the new year. Now, on the 4th, isn't Sunday the 4th, I think? Anyway, it doesn't matter. This coming Sunday, we're not going to be in the Book of Romans. We're going to have a commissioning service where I'll kind of pick up on this. But it's found in Numbers chapter 13. And you're not going to see anything on the screens. There's no notes. I just want you to listen. I think this is important for us as we say goodbye to 2025 and we get ready for 2026. Numbers chapter 13, and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying to him, send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I will give to the children of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers, you shall send a man, everyone a leader among them. So in other words, go get the best from the best, Moses. One from each tribe. So Moses sent from there and from the wilderness to Paran, according to the commandment of the Lord, and all of the men were the heads of the children of Israel.

1:13 Now these were their names, and he goes through the names of all 12 of them. You can read them later, but down at verse 13, or verse 15, it says, they're from the tribe of Gad, and he names the last of the 12 tribes. And right at the end of verse 16, it says, these are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, as God had commanded, and Moses called Hoshia, the son of Nun,

1:45 Joshua. listen Hoshua that was his name until Moses calls him and says to him Joshua Moses gives him a new name Hoshua was his name prior to that moment Moses says before they go out to spy out the land your name is different and here's what's really cool about that the changing of the name the changing of an era, the changing of everything that Israel had experienced, what they were about to go into and what they were going to go through, everything was going to change. And it's remarkable to me that the one that is to lead the men also bears the name that we use in our Greek language and in English, Jesus.

2:41 And this gets exciting.

4:27 In other words, really freakishly pagan, dangerous, idol-worshipping tribes are throughout this promised land. Listen carefully. The promised land that Israel had arrived to. Now listen.

4:47 The sons of Anak, they were there. They had been there for a long time. The Malachites had been there for a long time. The Canaanites had been there for a long time. I'm going somewhere with this. And what you're about to learn, the United Nations, they don't know. Well, in the promised land, there were those pagan nations dwelling. All the while, God had made the promise. But wait, did God make the promise to Joshua and Moses? Or did God make the promise regarding the land by great detail to someone much earlier? Yeah, Abraham. Hundreds and hundreds of years earlier, God had made the promise to Abraham. and said, oh, by the way, with great detail, pin drop from this location to that location, all the way down south, all the way back up north, that's the promised land.

5:43 Folks, listen. The promised land has always been under debate and contention, and it will continue to be under debate and contention because it all comes down to this. Do you or do you not believe in the promises of God? Because if you don't, like the United Nations, the United Nations says Israel's got no right to the land because there were people there first. And that's true. It is true. Here's the thing. If you don't consult your Bible, then Israel has no right to the land. Are you with me? It's that simple. If you consult your Bible, it's Israel's land. Who says? Well, not you. not me. Who? God says. And this is the event. For 40 years, the children of Israel had wandered in the wilderness, not for the lack of God's leadership. 11 days journey from Egypt to Kadesh Barnea, 11 days journey. How long did it take them? 40 years. Because why? Disobedience.

6:53 they wouldn't believe God. They constantly frustrated themselves by disobeying God. They made their time miserable while God wanted to make it quick and direct if they just obeyed. They would not. They fought him. They resisted him. And the Bible tells us that as they now come to the Jordan River and they're crossing over into the Jordan River and going into the promised land. The spies are sent out, 12 spies total, and when they come back, they've even got evidence that it's an amazing land. They tell you later, read the chapter in its totality. I have to be careful of our time together tonight. The land was spectacular, well-watered, beautiful. They said everything's there and everything grows. It's perfect. The problem is there's other people there. And not only that, but the sons of Anak are there.

8:06 The giants are there. These Goliath types are there. and the out of the 12 10 of them say it's true the land is spectacular what was ahead of us was really something but after seeing what god has promised us we're going to get killed. The ten spies said we saw the giants in the land and we, listen to this, we were like grasshoppers. in our sight, we were like grasshoppers. Listen carefully.

8:58 In our sight, we were like grasshoppers to them. And in their sight, we were like grasshoppers to them. Wait. The land, you all bear witness that it's perfect just as God promised. Is that correct? That is correct. But the problem is there's giants in the land and pagan worshiping maniacs. Is that correct? That's correct. And they're really big, really big. How do you know this? Because we were like grasshoppers in their sight. Translation. When we saw them, I mean, we almost wet our armor. because they're so huge and terrifying.

9:50 I mean, we can only go so far on this God promised us stuff. Well, guess who heard this? A guy by the name of Caleb and a guy by the name of Joshua. And they said, the land is awesome. Look at the evidence. and the cities are spectacular, the fields are, it's amazing, and who are these people in the sight of God? 12 spies, 10 give a bad report, two trusting in the Lord say, let's do it, let's do what God says.

10:35 Hasn't our history been that when we do it our way, we don't make it? When we do it our way, we were out in the desert doing circles for 40 years? Listen, we're done with that. Did you know that it was only Joshua and Caleb that got to enter into the promised land to possess the land with the next generation of young people? Because those who refused to trust God and his promises, they saw the giants bigger than probably... Look, I'm not saying the giants were not giants. We know through all kinds of archaeological evidence that there's spears that have been found in Israel throughout the region that are thousands of years old, that are 135 pound spears. How do you throw a 135 pound spear? How do you go up to the region in the Golan Heights of Gamla?

11:29 And there at that archaeological site, there are sarcophagus that are 11, 12, 13 feet long for one body to lay in. Still there. They're there right now. It's an archaeological tourist site. There were giants in the land. that's the evidence. But the evidence also is the land's fruitful.

11:54 And Joshua and Caleb say, God's never let us down. We should move forward trusting God and go for it. And we're going to obey him. And listen, the 10 tried to influence all the others. Listen, people, in this case, 12 went out only two gave a good report that honored God. Listen, the other 10 looked at their version of reality and said, we're dust. These people, and I'm quoting, they will eat us alive. when you look at life situations this year and the year to come that is in a matter of a few hours from right now you're going to look at the year that's ahead of us and you're going to have to make a determination am i a christian is is the promise of god that he's given me true are the promises of god in the bible true am i living at this moment by God's design.

13:00 In other words, is God giving me breath? If he is, then I must obey him. Christian, you and I have no option in the year that's ahead of us to disobey. It's not an option. If we disobey, then we will literally draw back from his promises and the moment we draw back from his promises, we are vulnerable. We are out from under the covering. And what I want to encourage you about is Numbers 13 is a great, great chapter to maybe read tomorrow with your family about going into the promised land and listening to not the perceived reality of all that could go wrong. Let's be honest. Be honest now. There are people, I've already seen them like you have. Okay, this is all of that.

13:55 This is what could have been in 2025. In 2026, this may not be any better. This could fail. We don't know how it's going to go. And it's just like, wah, wah, wah. And look, what if the worst possible thing happens, whatever that is? Church, did God not get the note? Did it somehow escape him? Did he make a mistake? no matter what happens at the turning of the clock at midnight, you must not. Your faith, my faith will be tested in the year to come. It was tested this year, wasn't it? And our faith is going to be refined more again this year. He's getting us ready for heaven. Our faith has got to be tested. We've got to be refined. And that's going to come through difficulty. It's going to come through the things of life. And God is getting you ready for eternity.

14:55 And it all comes down to, do you believe his promises? Do you trust him when he says this, that that's what he's going to do? And listen, when we look at the enemy so huge that we seem like grasshoppers in the sight of the cancer or the problem or the issues or the pressures, then we crumble.

15:22 And God is saying, wait a minute. You're the one preaching to yourselves about the size of the giants. You said, notice, the giants in Numbers chapter 13, the giants never walked out and said, hey, you know what? From here, whoever you people are, the 12 of you, you guys look like grasshoppers to us. They never said that.

15:50 The 10 Israeli commando spies said it to themselves. Oh my gosh, look at the size of those problems. We must look like grasshoppers to those problems. They're going to eat us alive. They failed to see God. Joshua and Caleb, do you know what they said? Look at the size of these grapes.

16:13 Go read it. They also said this. Listen, they said one branch. One branch of grapes, it says, they had to put on a pole and two men had to carry them on their shoulders. It's kind of cool. When you go to Israel, and many of you are going to Israel pretty soon,

16:34 the logo for the Ministry of Tourism, guess who it is? Joshua and Caleb carrying the branch of grapes. but that's, listen, they brought back more evidence than the grapes. By the way, if you go to Sprouts or Trader Joe's right now or wherever, produce section, and get a branch of grapes, it's like this. It's like a little bell.

17:08 These are grapes that these dudes had to carry like this. And Joshua, listen, Joshua also says, you got to put some figs on there too because these figs are amazing. And wait, hold still. We got to load you guys up with some pomegranates because they're off the charts. Amazing. Did you know that? By the way, what a diet. Grapes, pomegranates, and figs. If we ate like that, we wouldn't eat vitamins.

17:40 We, well, no, well, we, we, no, now. We want to keep doctrinally accurate here. In and out, in and out is always approved by the Lord. That's just want you to know that. I'm sorry, you got me going here. Now In-N-Out's logo should be Joshua and Caleb carrying a double-double animal style. But you know what's beautiful? I got to tell you what is beautiful, though, in Numbers chapter 13, verse 16. Hosea, which was Joshua's previous name, Hosea's name means deliverer. He was named deliverer. So think about it. That's your name you're growing up. What's your name? My name is deliverer.

18:32 Wow. No, it's kind of, it kind of matters what you name your kid. If you name your kid Wimpy, he's probably, you know. Names matter. And in the Middle East, in the Middle East countries, names matter. And so apparently mom and dad named him deliverer. Maybe they saw a strength in him. But isn't it interesting that when Moses changes his name to Joshua, it goes away from him, Hosea, being the deliverer to his name Joshua, meaning Jehovah delivers. Jehovah saves. Not you. Not you, Joshua. It's Jehovah saves. Yehovah, Yahweh saves. That's what Jesus means. Yahweh saves.

19:31 that's a good name change. I think that's a statement saying, hey, by the way, just know this, that when all this comes to pass, Joshua, as wonderful as you are, you're not going to be the deliverer. God's going to be the deliverer. And God will be your deliverer in 2026. God will be your deliverer. he's not going to show up to be, he is already your deliverer. He's not trying to figure it out. Whatever comes our way, whatever comes our way, literally, from our perspective, because we have a tendency to view things like we're grasshoppers, that thing has shook our family to the core. It doesn't need to.

20:26 It doesn't have to. Oh, that situation devastated us. That didn't need to happen. Was it painful? Was it brutal? Was it disastrous? Yes, from our human perspective. But God says, I want you to look at it differently. Because, friends, the ratio is impossible. From the view of the ten spies to the giants, you're talking about, I'm making this up now, what these Israelis, six feet tall, to the giants being somewhere between nine to 11 feet tall, go to a Laker game.

21:09 If you're four feet, five feet tall, and a Laker runs by, it's like, what was that? Well, imagine a giant compared to God, compared to the Lord. there aren't listen there are no giants think about it there's no giants so wait a minute jack what are you talking about i see the giants you see problems you see people you see these things bigger than you but you are in christ you are you are in the lord's hand those giants would have to be bigger than God and that ain't going to happen. It's impossible. You must remember this in the year that's ahead of this. And then this. the scriptures tell us that the land was in its abundance ten refused two said let's go for it and that means that you and I must stop listening to the majority Stop listening to the majority.

22:25 Right? Think about it. Oh, but everybody's doing it. This is what everybody's saying. You know what? The date is overwhelming. Look, we're entering 2026. Huge, important year in all kinds of ways. in fact at midnight God will start testing us at midnight you want to know why at midnight unbelievable amount of new laws come into effect at midnight laws you don't even know about because there are nearly a thousand of them that this California legislature has put onto the books to go into law in a few hours that will affect your life and your children? and you're going to be tested.

23:21 But here's the deal. the crowd is going to say to you, and I'm talking about the, watch my fingers, the Christian crowd is going to say to you, listen, every time you try to do something good, it doesn't count. Why try?

23:44 We're like giant. I mean, we're like grasshoppers before these giants. What can we, how can we make a difference? I am not, listen, I don't know about you, but I'm going to be having violent reactions. I'm going to go through some sort of shock if somebody in 2026 says, oh, we can't shine our light.

24:17 We're like grasshoppers. No grasshoppers. No, not us. No. You know, we just sang, we were all singing this, either not knowing we were singing it, because we were just singing it, because it's everywhere on the radio, it's on everything, Spotify, it's on the, do you see, do you hear, do you see what I see? Do you hear what I hear? Do you hear what I hear? I'm wondering, I pray, that God would be so gracious to us, and I believe he is, that tonight, God might grant us as a church, I'm just saying as a church, maybe us just here, or maybe the church in America right now, would decide in 2026, I refuse, I refuse to be a grasshopper before giants. What I will do is I will be a follower of Christ and I will follow my God and whatever comes into my line of sight, my experience of life as I'm following Christ.

25:30 that's God's business. Because church, listen, if we go into this year with God at the epicenter of our thinking, I think you need to get ready to pull out a pole and get ready to start carrying some awesome blessings that God is going to bring your way, which might be things that you've never even imagined because nobody back at Kadesh Barnea, nobody back in the wilderness sat there and said, you know, when we go into the promised land, you know, the grapes are massive. The pomegranates are incredible. You should taste the figs. And it's a land of milk and honey. They didn't know that until they went there. God told them, hey, when you go, it's very cute.

26:24 When you read Numbers 13, God is going to say to them, when you go over, I want you to tell me what you see. He's like, why? Do you not know? Of course, listen, God is saying this. Of course I know. You don't know. But you're so dull, you'll miss most of the stuff unless I put it to you this way. Tell me what you see. You don't have to talk to your kids like this. Go in there. Tell me what you see. Because as a parent, you know all things. You already know what's over there. So you send the kids. They think it's all new. You've already seen that rodeo before. They come back, they say, the grapes are huge. I knew that. I wanted you to see that. I wanted to hear the report. What about the land? The land is amazing. What about the cities?

27:16 They're huge. What about the people? Terrifying. We were like grasshoppers. Only Joshua and Caleb basically said the land is amazing. God kept his promise. It's all there. It's spectacular.

27:39 He didn't tell us that there were giants, but he did tell us that we will go in there and we will possess the land. Did you know that? and here's, I'll wrap this up like this. This is awesome. Why didn't God tell them in advance, hey, you know, I'm going to send you into a land of giants. They're huge. They got giants. I mean, just one tooth of these guys is like the size of your head. he didn't tell them that why would he tell them that because they would have lost heart before they got there see what he did he trick them he didn't trick them he said go into the land tell me what you see go in on my promise walk in on my promise take a look around and see if i did not make good on my promise. Even the 10 said, you kept your promise. And then there's a but, and it's a big but. The big but is the big, uh, nevertheless, or however.

28:55 There's always this in life. And it's hard to be around people like this, by the way. let's go forward and somebody there's always someone in the group who will say we could stub our toe Let's move on this.

29:18 Well, it could rain. together we're going into 26 here's the deal God has told us in advance there's going to be turbulence there's going to be rough times I'm with you I want you to share my name to all you come in contact with tell them about me live off of my promises. Watch this, watch.

30:00 And you're going to be fighting not against flesh and blood. you're going to be fighting, but you're going to be fighting against invisible forces, spirit forces, the Bible tells us. Translation. the things that you are going to be warring against in thought or in actual battle, wherever you're at in the world or even here in America, are the origins, the origins of them are spiritual demonic activity. Those giants in Numbers 13, they were animated by demon spirits. Remember this, everybody. When you go into 2026, we're getting closer to the finish line. We're getting closer to the target, which means there's more.

30:58 Do you know what the word flack is? Anybody? Be honest. You're in church. Who doesn't know what flack means? Raise your hand. Come on. Okay. When you get close to a target and you're flying an airplane to get close to the target, to destroy the target, you know you're close because the guys on the ground start shooting at you. Nobody's shooting at you when you're not near. But when you get near to the target that God wants you to be at, the enemy's going to attack. Here's the thing. What are you going to do about it? Oh, don't talk like that, Pastor. I don't want to get near any targets. Why? Because you'll be like a grasshopper. No grasshopper. No, because God is saying, this is the way that you should go. You follow me, this is the way that you should go.

31:55 The greatest thing you can do for yourself, for your family, for your marriage, for your children, for your parents, is to follow him. And to stay with him this year to come, and to look at what God will do. will you expect great things from him? Because if you do, he shows up. If you don't expect, if you say, I'm not gonna move until he does something for me. You'll be right here in the same spot, covered in dust, 365 days from right now. Because you just sat there. And God is not gonna play your game. He is not gonna play your game. and nurse you along. He's going to say, let's get up and go.

32:46 And I'm scared. Everybody's scared. Let's go. But I don't have enough courage. Yeah, but together we're following him. He's got it. Let's go. And we go. And he does. He's going. Listen, we show up, he goes. We show up, he moves. But we got to go. and we're going to go into 2026 and you need to make a vow to the Lord in your own way. Lord, I'm going to show up. And even if there's giants, I refuse to be labeled a grasshopper. I am not going to do it. And I'm going to surround myself with people with the same passion. Lisa and I, a couple, I don't know where we, it doesn't matter, a couple of months ago, we were in someplace, and that there was a, you know, it was a giant Avery, or Avery, Avery, yeah, Avery, and Avery is a giant outdoor bird sanctuary, and you know what was really sad about it? It was America's largest bald eagle habitat. You know what the bummer was? You say, what's wrong with that? Here's the bummer. They were all bald eagles, but they were all there because they couldn't fly. They were either injured or born somehow hatched, deformed. Something was wrong.

34:27 and it was so sad in this beautiful location, and these massive, you know, those things are absolutely massive. You ever seen a bald eagle? It's no wonder why. Have you ever looked at a bald eagle? Tell me when a bald eagle, when you're looking at it, if it's happy or sad, if it's relaxed or not. Have you noticed, if you've ever looked at a bald eagle, you should look at a, Google it later. Look at a bald eagle looking straight at you. You'll like, it's terrifying how do you know if it's like nice you have no idea and it's just looking at you and it's like nice birdie nice birdie no no you have no idea you stay away the tragedy was they all were walking on the ground because they couldn't fly how many christians are walking on the ground they can't fly I think we go now into this new year saying, Lord, I am not going to be afraid any longer.

35:40 I'm not going to be terrified anymore. I see, Lord, what you see. My fear sees all of these horrific situations that are going to make things miserable. That's my fear. That's my view. That's from my perspective. I'm a grasshopper. But God, if I look at it based on your promises, you said, and you even put in your Bible, these real events that took place in the book of Numbers for me to learn from. And I'm going to learn from them. And so, Lord, I'm going to go forward with you.

36:19 And so what happens is, Joshua and Caleb enter the promised land. Fast forward. Years later. Caleb. Caleb, now he's an old man. and Israel now has the land by the way folks listen the flesh always comes first remember how he said the Amorites, the Amalekites the Canaanites, the sons of Anak they were all dwelling in the land before Israel showed up you know it has to be that way because the land was given by promise. It was occupied by the flesh. Who made the world?

37:13 Before all of those pagan groups showed up, was it not God's land in the first place? The whole world and the universe is his. But they were there first because, listen, after the fall, flesh always comes first. you were born but you must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven right the flesh has got to be circumcised out of our lives the land had to be circumcised why didn't God give them the promised land with no enemies in it think about it everybody if it was the promised land why didn't God just kill them all take their breath away or why didn't God just keep people from ever being there in the first place because life isn't like that in this fallen world the flesh happens first the flesh has got to be dealt with it's all done by promise and then the new life begins the experience of Joshua and the children of Israel going into the promised land is a picture of our walk with God.

38:35 Crossing over the Jordan is going into the new life. It's not heaven, thank God. You know, there's a lot of songs that are old, good old hymns that are really doctrinally messed up. When they talk about crossing over Jordan, that song, I wish I could sing that song. You have to be black to sing it right. I'm the wrong color to begin with. Plus, I can't sing. It sounds so great when it is sung correctly, but it's crossing over Jordan, and it's a song about heaven. No, no, no, no, no. In heaven, there's no enemies you have to battle. Crossing over Jordan is coming from the dead life without Christ into the new life with Christ. And guess what? Every day you wake up in the promised land with God to a battle.

39:29 Tomorrow morning will be January 1st. And you will have to battle. You will have to battle who knows what. But God knows what. And what if there's a at the front door? Were you expecting anybody? Are we expecting?

39:50 And there's a big voice. I am the giant of 2026. I am here to make your life miserable. What do you do? Yeah. You go open the door.

40:12 Open the door. And there's a scene in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf in his glory is fighting the great red dragon and he takes his sword and he says, you shall not pass. Listen, Christian. When pornography tempts you in the mind,

40:37 you shall not pass. Listen, when fear knocks on the door, your response is, you shall not pass. When the issues of life, when temptation, when timidity, whatever it is, comes knocking on your door, the answer that you're going to give it is, you shall not pass. I have given my life to the Lord. 2026 is his, I'm his, and there are no giants compared to my God. And I would expect, I'm going to expect, I don't know what this means. I just expect God in my life, however he does this, I don't even care. Why would I limit God? I don't care. I expect to be carrying a pole laden with, I don't know.

41:38 Yeah, did you say grace? you know my favorite thing when people ask me how can i pray for you you guys think i'm kidding i'm not joking you mentioned the word grace it's this you know i always ask you the same pray for god's favor in my life pastor how can we pray for you that's simple it's a three second prayer lord give him your favor amen that's it i expect in 2026 no matter what, if you see me here just days or months into 2026, tattered, bruised, broken, right, thrashed, just know this. That's me on the outside.

42:20 That's just me on the outside. Because Paul the Apostle looked like that, but that guy carried the pomegranates and the figs and the grapes of God's promises. I am going to, we are going to, together, believe in God's promises into this new year. We are going to trust him. We are going to make that commitment to him tonight. And we are going to expect him to do great things because the book of Daniel 11, 32, chapter 11, verse 32 says, And those who know their God shall carry out great exploits. Are you excited about that? I am excited about that. Let's all stand. We're going to pray. We're going to lift our hands. Now, I know there's some little people in here, so you can stand on a chair.

43:14 Yeah, it's okay. You can stand on that chair. we're going to lift our hands and we're going to pray I'm telling you maybe some of you are in here right now and you're not following Jesus start now stop goofing off it's too hard why would you do this to you it's a self inflicted wound to not follow Jesus I wish you could see what I'm seeing from here you see this look at this look at this right here come here right there's a little guy listen, God is looking down from heaven and he sees that little guy over there with his hands up, standing on the chair listen folks that moves the heart of God no wonder why Jesus said we must become like little kids to enter the kingdom so Heavenly Father, we come before you tonight Lord God, we put to rest the year 2025 all of its blessings, all of its dynamics. Lord, all of the things that we thought were going to happen and that didn't happen, the things that we thought would never happen did happen.

44:36 Lord, there are things that caught us by surprise. Lord, it is obvious, it is very obvious that we leave 2025 into your hands because you alone are the only one who can make sense of it all because you're God and we're not, thank God. And Lord, we give ourselves to you now for 2026. We're asking you to baptize us afresh in the power of your Holy Spirit. Father, for any man or woman or boy or girl in this room right here, right now, who doesn't really know you personally would say to you right now, Jesus, come into my life and make me a brand new person. I want to live this year and forever for you. I want to know what it is to be a real believer, not a pretend believer, not a social believer, not a Sunday believer, a moment-by-moment believer and follower of the Lord Jesus. I receive you into my life. I thank you for dying for me on the cross for my sins. And by that great atonement that you offered up to be resurrected from the dead to leave an empty tomb in Jerusalem because you rose from the dead is the grand and awesome witness and evidence that I too will live with you forever. And I thank you, Jesus. We move forward, Lord, into this year. Make us strong. We know it's your will that we be strong, strong like a Caleb, strong like a Joshua because they found their strength in you.

46:11 And so, Lord, right now, we shout grace to the year that's ahead. Like Zerubbabel, we shout grace, grace, grace unto the mountains that are before us. And Lord, we pray that this year to come would be the most fruitful, spiritually dynamic, and the most thrilling year of our Christianity so far. So far. And Lord, I might just throw in, we also think that 2026 would be a really good year, Jesus, for you to come back.

46:54 If you're open to suggestions, Lord, we would love to see you. We would love to see you. And we know that we will. At exactly the right time. So Lord, we love you and we thank you. And we close in the song of worship and praise as we dedicate now. Church, pray this prayer. Dear Lord God, we give you this year. We give you our lives. Keep us faithful to the end. To God be the glory. In Jesus' name.