The Danger of Making Your Move Too Soon
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence, cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which make heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2
My brothers and sisters, I wonder if there’s anybody here who have played a game of checkers or chess and found that you had run out of moves or that you made your move too soon. It’s frustrating when your opponent has all of your board pieces and he has you cornered on all sides with no way out. Those are the times when you are outnumbered, your kings are gone and every place on the board will result in a tremendous loss. In chess, it’s the time when your opponent has placed you in a position of check. Your opponent has all of the knights, bishops, kings and queens and you find yourself as a defenseless pawn, surrounded on every side. That’s the time you hear those chilling words from your opponent, ”It’s your move!” Oh brothers and sisters, when there are no moves left, and defeat is sure, there are some folk who will throw in the towel to save time, but then they soon found out that they made their move too soon. When the doctor shakes his head and tell you some discouraging news, without consulting Dr. Jesus, you leave the doctor’s office with a hung down head, you’ve made you move too soon.
When the bills are due and you didn’t know where the money was coming from, so instead of you calling the Supplier of all of your needs, you go to your friends but you found out that they were having problems too, you made your move too soon. When the children won’t do right, when that husband or wife won’t do right, instead of you calling on the Wonderful Counselor, you call on Dr. Phil or Dr. Ruth, oh brothers and sisters, you made your move too soon. And I think I ought to tell you that there is a danger is making your move too soon. When you consult others before consulting God, you miss out on the blessings of God. Even the Bible tells us where to go first. It said seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. No matter what the situation or how hard the circumstance, we must act on it and face it. Oh brothers and sisters, it doesn’t matter whether it’s ping pong, checkers, football, tennis or the game of life, sooner or later the ball of life is going to be on our side of the court and you will find yourself in a situation where you will have to make a move, but what you do is don’t make your move too soon. You got to understand that life gives us some challenging plays.
Sometimes when we think we have made our best move it seems like things line up against us. We give some efforts on our best shot and there are times when they don’t succeed. There are times when we play our inspiring phrase in our minds “it’s your move!” And you got to understand that that principle even applies to our spiritual lives and our relationship to God. God gives to us and we slap Him in the face with disobedience. God makes big moves on our behalf and He gives us comfort, yet we turn our backs on Him. Oh brothers and sisters, there are times when we are at the point in our lives when the Lord has to put trouble in our way because we feel that we don’t need Him any more but it is in the midst of our struggle that we find God telling us, “It’s your move, but don't make your move too soon!” As Christians, we know that Christ lives in us, but the question is, are we living in Him. Everyday in this walk of life, we ought to move like God wants us to move all because it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. Oh brothers and sisters, our text focuses on the pilgrim song of Israel, which was usually sung by those on the move.
It was those who came to Zion to worship, pray and ask God for help. Many of them
journeyed for days just to sit in the presence of God to ask Him of divine blessings upon their actions and souls. They trusted God with all their hearts. So, as they moved closer to Zion, they sung of their anticipation to receive help from God once they reached Zion. These were the songs of hope and inspiration that inspired them to reach higher and trust God more as they made one move after another. Oh brothers and sisters, David, who wrote this Psalm, knew all about making moves and looking to God for help. David, as a young man, was constantly on the move. His life was filled with actions that placed him in one position or the other. Oh brothers and sisters, David moved from the safety of his father’s house to the darkness of a pasture where he kept watch over the sheep. It turned out to be a good move, because it was while David was in the pasture that he learned to trust God to help him fight lions and bears as he protected the sheep. Somebody here know what I’m talking about. I don’t know about you, but I can testify that have been times in my life when the Lord had to fight my battles.
Then David moved from the pastures to the battlefield, facing Goliath. That turned out to be a good move, because after killing the giant Goliath, he became extremely popular as the people sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, but David his ten thousands.” His victory elevated him in the eyes of the people but also drew the ridicule of King Saul. He moved from being a national hero to being a fugitive. When the king became jealous of the praise that David received, Saul sought to kill him personally. It was then that David made a move. Oh brothers and sisters, sometimes our trials seem monumental. Our tribulations sometimes appear unbearable. Our circumstances seem dismal. However, I come with words of encouragement to you. There is good news for those who believe and trust in the Lord. It is simply that Help is on the way. It may seem that it has been a long time coming but in order for God to move on our behalf, He don’t want us making our move too soon. God wants us to be still and allow Him to fight our battles. I need to tell somebody here today that it don’t matter what you’re going through. You may be faced with a problem at work. You may be dealing with a situation with a friend.
There may be someone who has a problem at home or even in the church. These trials may appear to be of a magnitude that we cannot bear, but what you got to understand is that God is a Mighty God and can do anything but fail. Even if you are not experiencing a problem, it is comforting to know that you are kept! Kept meaning, everything is provided, all things given, no worries, no doubts, no fears. Oh brothers and sisters, in times of adversity, we must follow the counsel of the Psalmist and look to the Lord for our aid, our help, and our refuge. We must put our trust in Him for our assistance, our provisions, and our peace. When troubles come we must look to the Lord. David wants us to conceive that when afflictions comes we must not look to anything or anyone for ultimate protection but the Lord. You got to understand that our God will not allow our foot to be moved all because He watches over us and He never slumber nor sleep. And not only that, but the Lord is our shade at our right hand; the sun will not harm you by day or the moon by night. Our God is not like us, who slumbers and sleep which allows us to be unaware of our surroundings.
God knows about everything that comes to pass. He knows our going out and our coming in. He does not call in sick or require vacation days or personal time. I don’t how you feel about it, but I’m glad that that God of mine don’t move like that. In other words, He’s an "On Time" and a "Full Time" God. He puts in more than forty hours a week. His hours extend past the nine to five structure. He is aware of every footstep we make and He’s able to order our steps. Oh brothers and sisters, He’s the One who is able to keep us from falling. You got to understand that those who God saves, He sustains. I realize that there are times when it seems that nothing is going
right. I know that sometimes it seems like the world is against you. But what you got to do is get out of the doubting mix and allow let Jesus fix it. David wrote in the 23rd Psalm that "The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want." Oh brothers and sisters, I’m glad that David didn’t put anything after want. I’m glad David stopped at I shall not want. That tells me that I can put whatever I want behind it. Oh brothers and sisters, everyday we are faced with dangers in the same way David faced dangers. The dangers that are before us may not be the same as the ones David faced, but we do face dangers and our unchanging God still protects us from danger.
Oh don’t you know that if God put us over all of His creation that He will watch over and protect us from all hurt harm and danger. Don’t you know He will feed us when we are hunger? Don’t you know He will quench our thirst with eternal living water. Don’t you know He will heal your sick bodies and mend your broken spirits. He will work things out for you if you love Him with all your whole heart mind body and soul. And we need to realize and look up into the loving eyes of God and tell Him, "Lord I Put My Trust In Thee." Even though I don’t know why troubles has come upon me. I’m going to trust Him. Even though I don’t know what tomorrow may bring, I’m going to put my trust in Him. And oh brothers and sisters, I need to tell somebody here that you can do that. But what you need to understand is that when you make a move, you need to make sure that you don’t make it too soon. Before we make a move on our situations, we need to learn to talk to God first. Families should talk to God first. Churches and communities should talk to God first. As believers we should never make a move without God!
Oh brothers and sisters, we must consider that while some folk take long periods of time to make their moves, there is one truth that cannot be ignored, when God gets ready for you, “you’ve got to move!” There are many who simply put it off. They put off doing what they know they should do, until a more convenient season. They put off what needs to be done today until tomorrow. In other words they made their moves too soon. But when God get’s ready, you got to move! Is it alright if I call on some witnesses who know that all about moving when God tells you? Abraham was satisfied living in his homeland, but God showed him a land of promise and pointed him in the direction of his future, despite his old age, Abraham found out that it’s only when God get’s ready, that you got to move! Elijah hid from his enemies in caves, and was fed daily by ravens by a brook. He resisted efforts to come forth and show himself. But when God got ready, the brook ran dry and the raven powered room service he enjoyed stopped, then he returned to his mission. He learned that it’s only when God gets ready, that you got to move! Saul persecuted the church and put many of its believers in jail.
He resisted following Christ himself and traveled in a different direction, but oh brothers and sisters, Saul found out that when God got ready, the Lord caught him out on the Damascus Road and gave him a new direction. When God gets ready, you got to move! You got to be careful and not make you move too soon. Somebody here, has been trying to move away from God! Somebody here, has been trying to move without God! Somebody here, has been trying to move with God! No matter who we are, there comes a time when we have to make a move! If you put your trust in God He’s able to change your: defeats into victories, don’t make your move too soon. God is able to turn failures into successes, it’s your move, but don’t make your move too soon. He will make your enemies your footstool, it’s your move, but don’t make your move too soon. He’s able I tell you. When stumbling blocks are in your way, He’ll turn them into your stepping stones, it’s your move, but don’t make your move too soon. Oh brothers and sisters, lest I hold you too long, we are pilgrims, traveling through this barren land. We’re moving on a different path than the world and a different way from those who live for self.
That is why we need to be sure and very sure about the moves we make. We need to make sure that we make the right decision in everything that we do.
* My brothers and my sisters, as I hurry on to a close, when you make you move and when you make it at the right time, every thing falls into its proper and divine place. Somebody here today has made a bad move or two and now they think that the game is over! But the word of God tells me that there was another move made in heaven 2000 years ago! Jesus, the son of God, came down and died for our sins! He moved up to Calvary! He moved into a borrowed tomb! And early Sunday morning he arose up from the grave! Since the Lord got up salvation is complete! Since the Lord got up opportunity for eternal life is available! Since the Lord got up, we have a chance to live a spirit filled life! This old world is in great turmoil. But, My brothers and sisters, the collective troubles of the world will work out together for the good. Yes, God will work it out all because our help is on the way.
Conclusion:
It may mean the moving out of this old world and to glory land, but you don’t have to worry, because God has it all worked out and right now our help is on the way. Be not in despair because of the condition of the world. God has it all worked out and our help is on the way. Don’t make your move too soon, because "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall run and not be weary; They shall walk and not faint. Oh my brothers and My sisters it may seem as though your hope is gone, don’t make your move too soon, because there’s hope. That Christ of ours is hope for tomorrow. You know my brothers and my sisters, I love watching an old western movie on television and recall how the wagon train would sometime be surrounded by hostile Indians. And it seemed as if all hope was gone for the wagon train. Then they would look off to the distant hills and see a cloud of dust rising in the sky and they knew then that there was help on the way. They didn’t make their move too soon and try to out run the Indians, all because they knew from the distant dust cloud that the calvary was on their way to rescue them.
My brothers and sisters, I’m going home when I tell you “Let not your heart be troubled”, your help is on its way. David said, "I will lift my eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. Oh my help cometh from the Lord". In the times of your trouble don’t make your move too soon. In desperate times and in times of suffering, don’t make your move too soon. In sickness and pain and in misuse and abuse and even in time of loneliness don’t make your move too soon. All you got to do is lift your eyes unto the hills. I don’t know about you my brothers and my sisters, but I tried Him for myself and I found out for myself that there is help and strength in the hills of the Lord. One day when I was troubled and my heart was heavy laden. My soul was heavy burden and I was in trouble and did not know which way to turn. I didn’t throw a pity party, but oh my brothers and my sisters, I remembered in the Psalms how David cried out unto the Lord in the times of his troubles. And I then heard the voice of David saying unto me, "Lift your eyes unto the hills, for your help is on the way". Oh my brothers and my sisters, when I look to the hills, I can see clearly now. I began to see a vision of a distant hill.
And as the vision began to get clearer, I could see that the hill was shaped like a man’s skull. I knew then that I was looking at Golgotha's Hill, better known as Mount Calvary. When I looked at Mount Calvary I knew that help was on its way. I want you to be reassured that God is a keeper! I want you to be confident that Jesus is a provider. If you don’t make your move too soon, you’re find out Jesus the Christ is a sustainer. If you don’t make your move too soon, you can be soothed in the knowledge that He’s a bridge over troubled waters. If you don’t make your
move too soon, you can stand upon His promise that the battles are not yours they are His. If you don’t make your move too soon, you can cling to the fact that He’s a Rock in weary land. Not only that but He’s a shelter in time of a storm. Oh my brothers and my sisters, you need to hold on to the provision that God is a battle ax in the time of war. Be comforted in knowing that He is joy in times of sorrow, He is hope for tomorrow. Rest upon the fact that that Christ of mine can do anything but fail If you want a keeper and you are tired of trying to figure out what God has already worked out, don’t make your move too soon!
If you want a keeper and you are tired of the mess and now are willing to allow God to stir up the Gift, I challenge you don’t to make your move too soon! If you want a keeper because you want peace and sweet rest and feel complete and blessed, don't’ make your move too soon! When you have tried it on your own, have become weary, and want rest, I dare you to try him. When you have called upon your friends and found upon them you cannot depend, I dare you to try God! If you want a new walk and a new talk, I dare you to try God. If you want to be to blessed and not to be stressed, I dare you to try God! If you have fallen down and now you’re ready to get back up, I dare you to try God!
Oh my brothers and my sisters, don’t make your move too soon. Ain't’ the Lord good? Ain’t the Lord alright? Won’t the Lord make a way for you. Say yeah. Say yeah. Say yeah. Oh yea
