What in the World Are You Waiting For?

This message was delivered by Jim Penner from the pulpit of the Crystal Cathedral. It was aired during the Hour of Power program on Hong Kong's ATV World Channel on 28 Mar 2010.

Oh good morning! Two thoughts as I was sitting here:

One was about Chariya (the music guest). When she was a little girl, a friend of hers brought her to Jesus and Chariya proceeded to bring her entire family to Christ... as a little girl! So if you don't think little kids have power, it's amazing what Christ can do with people of any age.

The other thing that's amazing this morning, as I was sitting here listening to Dr. Schuller read the scripture and do the interview, I was thinking how honored I am to share the pulpit with him. I was thinking that Dr. Schuller's greatest legacy is not a building and it's not a thing and it's not a piece of property. It is the millions of lives he has touched with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I think we ought to stand up and give him some applause for that. That's right.

If you're one of the people here in this church or you're watching around the world and you've been touched by Dr. Schuller, he's brought faith into your life, don't wait any longer. It's about time you send him an e-mail or write him a letter and say, "Dr. Schuller, you touched my life, you saved my life." Don't wait till he's gone, don't wait till he's dead, do it today. Take the time, write the letter, and say, "Dr. Schuller, you touched my life." You need to do that. That's very important. I love you.

I also love this series, "UP!" I love it because it's all about moving forward. It's becoming stronger, becoming better, becoming kindler or gentler. And it also implies that we're going to help others become better and stronger and kinder and gentler. But it's really interesting because that's not always the case.

I heard a story about a very, very old preacher in the Midwest. He was just hours from going to heaven, from dying. And this preacher, he sent message to his doctor and his lawyer to please join him by his bedside. The doctor and the lawyer knew there wasn't much time, so they rushed to the house where they were quickly ushered upstairs to his bedroom. When they walked in, the preacher's daughter was sitting in the corner in a rocking chair with a Bible in her lap. When the old minister saw them walk in, he quietly gestured for them to come closer. The doctor knelt on one side of the bed and the lawyer on the other side of the bed and they each took the ministers hand. The moment their hands touched, you could see a glow come over the minister's face. He looked so content and nobody said anything for a few moments. Then the doctor and the lawyer glanced at each other because they were a little bit puzzled. They'd never had any indication that this preacher really liked either one of them. They remembered these long negative sermons about greed and covetousness and avaricious behavior. Finally, the doctor very reverently and quietly said, "Pastor, why have you asked us to come?" And with that, the preacher closed his eyes as a large smile came to his face and he said, "Jesus died between two thieves and that's how I want to go out."

That man faced his future with humor and wonder. Not long ago at the church, but not on the Hour of Power, I spoke with the congregation about facing tomorrow with a sense of wonder. After that message, many decided to start facing tomorrow with a sense of wonder and that was terrific. Right after my message, Pastor Sheila taught us how to fly right side up in an upside down world. And I loved the cardboard testimonies, recently, of what God has done in people's lives, how he's changed their lives. Then Dr. Schuller taught us how to be an up person in a down world, which is a difficult thing because we live in a down world, and we need to face it with possibility thinking and a positive faith in Christ. Then Dan Chun taught us what to do when God says no and that's a difficult thing. In your prayer life, when God says no is His answer, that's a difficult thing to deal with and Dan Chun gave us a great illustration for that.

By the way, if you missed any of those messages, just go to hourofpower.org. They're on there 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That's the great thing about the internet; you can watch all of those messages any time you want.

After all of that inspiration, I started to think about the question, "What in the world are you waiting for?" What in the world am I waiting for? All of this inspiration, God has an amazing plan for your life. And all you have to do is tap into it and get moving, get moving already. But then the "buts" come in. Yes, but. I'm too old to start something new. I'm too young. Nobody's going to believe in me. I'm not pretty enough to do what I need to do. If only I were smarter, then I could do what I need to do. Do all of these sound familiar?

So I'll ask it again: What in the world are you waiting for? Are you waiting for somebody else to give you permission to live your life? You need to stop listening to the world and start listening to God because God has an amazing plan for you. Jesus himself said it: "I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly." So then the question becomes are you ready to move from mediocrity to excellence? Are you ready to climb that mountain of financial hardship? Are you ready to climb that mountain of relationship problems? Are you ready to climb that mountain of health challenges and start facing them with faith rather than fear? Are ready to embrace the abundant life that Jesus was talking about?

You need to start climbing mountains hand in hand with Jesus. But I'm going to warn you, mountain climbing is not easy. Mountain climbing is not easy. It's treacherous, it can be exhausting, it can be taxing, and it's never easy. But I'm also going to warn you that the view from the top is magnificent. The view from the top is magnificent!

When I was a young boy, I used to go to a little camp in Colorado called Deer Creek. I grew up in the Mennonite church and they had a little camp called Deer Creek Christian Camp. And at this camp, there was a long meadow about the size of a football field, maybe a little smaller, and at the edge of this meadow, the mountain went up pretty steep. So what they had done over the years, very inventive, they had cut out smaller trees and removed some rocks and they had carved out a toboggan run up this mountain. And those of you who don't go to the mountains, a toboggan run is basically a plume of snow or ice. What they would do is hand you a great big truck tire inner tube, a great big black rubber donut that you'd sit in to race down this mountain and land up in the meadow. Now, from the meadow, this looked like fun.

So they handed me, this little 5th grade boy, this truck tire inner tube, and I was instructed to follow the older kids up the hill. At the beginning of the climb, it's not too bad, but about a quarter of the way up, I started to realize that the mountain was pretty steep. This isn't a set of stairs walking up the mountain; it's icy and slippery and wet and it's rocks and tree stumps that you're climbing over. But you have to climb up this mountain to get to the top.

About half way up the mountain, I made the mistake of looking back. Looking down, I realized how steep it was, and the treachery that we were on this makeshift, slippery staircase to the top of this ice plume. About the time I looked back, I slipped and fell, face down in the snow to the amusement of all of my friends behind me. Now, I was going to be tough. I got up and didn't even brush the snow off my clothes. I was going to be like one of those major league batters who gets thrown down by the pitcher into the dirt and then gets up and, because he's tough, doesn't even brush off his uniform. That's how I was going to be. I looked back up at that mountain facing me, and if Dr. Schuller had been in line with me, he would have looked at me and said, "When faced with a mountain, I will not quit." That's what he would have said, right?

So I started climbing that mountain. And when I got to the top, I had to walk between a set of two big trees. When I looked through the two trees, that's the first time I got a look straight down this ice shoot that you're supposed to go down on this big inner tube. And I looked at that and thought, I don't think I can do this. The counselor is right there helping everybody get into their inner tubes. And he looked at me and he said, "What in the world are you waiting for?" And I wanted to say, for my life to stop flashing before my eyes. That's what I wanted to say because I was scared to death.

And then he said something very interesting. He said, "The first time is always the worst. If you make this run once, you'll never stop climbing this mountain." If you make this run once, you'll never stop climbing this mountain! So I climbed into that inner tube, I raced down that shoot, and I had so much fun I climbed that mountain ten times that day. That counselor was absolutely right. Every time I climbed the mountain, the view became more magnificent because my fears were evaporating away and I was seeing the glory of nature all around me and the glory of this mountain all around me. So I scaled that mountain.

Now the question I have for you is, what's your mountain? Everybody has a mountain. You have a financial problem? You have a relationship problem? A job problem? Family problem? A health problem? What's your mountain? Everybody has a mountain.

So this morning I want you to picture your mountain in your mind. What mountain do you want to climb? Then we're going to go through five simple points to help you climb your mountain. And we're going to do it spelling out the word climb: C-L-I-M-B.

The C stands for climb. I'm going to make C climb because this is a very special step. You have to be willing to climb. Are you willing to climb? Are you even willing to climb your mountain? This is where most people get stuck. They're not even willing to climb their mountain. They're not willing to get out of bed and try. So you need to be willing to climb your mountain and I have some reassurance for you today. You do not have to climb your mountain alone. That's the greatest thing about our faith. You do not have to climb your mountain alone.

And if you ever need encouragement, go to Psalm 18 right here in your Bible. Psalm 18:28, "You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning. My God turns my darkness into light. With Your help, I can advance against a troop. With my God, I can scale a wall." That's what our faith gives to us. You do not have to face your mountains alone. Or in Philippians 2, it says, "It is God at work giving you the will and the power to achieve His purpose." His purpose. You do not have to climb your mountains alone. And the great thing is God believes you can climb your mountain. Did you hear that? God believes you can climb your mountain. So its time to take God's hand and say okay God I'm ready. Let's start climbing. Are you willing to do that this morning?

So C stands for being willing to climb.

L stands for live today. Live today.

I know some of you may be thinking, well, what about tomorrow? What about goal setting? Absolutely. Plan your tomorrow. But don't live there. How do I know a lot of you are living in tomorrow? It's because I talk to so many of you and the same themes come up over and over again. I'm worried about money tomorrow. I'm worried about my job tomorrow. I'm worried about the economy tomorrow. What's my health going to be tomorrow? We could write a song with the lyrics, "Tomorrow, tomorrow, I'm worried about tomorrow." Right? So the thing is, that's not what Jesus taught us to do. That's not what Jesus taught us to do.

Jesus taught us," "Give us this day our daily bread." Jesus did not say to give us this day tomorrow's bread. He didn't say to give us next month's bread. He didn't say to give us 2011's bread. He said, "Give us this day our daily bread." Live today. Plan for tomorrow, set goals, but don't forget to live today. Climb your mountain one day at a time. You can do amazing things. God has some mountains that He wants you to scale that you cannot believe. But you have to scale them one day at a time. One day at a time.

Think of a graduating mountain climber. A mountain climber starts locally in the hills, right around here, to build up his endurance, to build up his heart and his strength, and then he may graduate to the mountains around Lake Tahoe. And then he may graduate to Mt. McKinley. And eventually he'll graduate to Everest. But he didn't take on Everest day one. He had to build up his endurance. Climb your mountain one day at a time, but be willing to climb. Live today.

I is for inspire.

Now inspire means to not get so wrapped up in climbing your mountain that you forget to help somebody up their mountain. Inspire somebody to go up their mountain. If that counselor had not said to me, "if you make this run once you'll never stop climbing mountains," I'd have never made it down that day. I would have never made that run. So don't forget to inspire somebody up their mountain.

So be willing to climb. Live today, plan for tomorrow, but live today. And inspire someone along the way.

Then M stands for motivate. Motivate.

What do you need to do to motivate? Grab your Bible. Soak in God's word. The greatest mountain climbing guide ever created is right here. It's right here. The greatest possibility-thinking guide you could ever get is right here. For most, it's gathering dust on bookshelves because we don't pick it up and dust it off and see the amazing life God wants us to have. Pick up your Bible. If you want power over your circumstances, if you want victory in your life, pick this book up. Pick up the Holy Bible and get into God's word.

Be willing to climb. Live today. Plan for tomorrow but live today. Inspire someone along the way. And get your motivation from God's word.

The last letter in climb is B and B stands for believe.

You need the kind of belief that says, with God's help, I can scale my mountain. It's a belief to live by. II Corinthians says that we are to walk by faith and not by sight. If you remember nothing else from today, memorize that Bible verse. You need to walk by faith and not by sight. And why do we need to do that? Because I guarantee your mountain is going to look pretty intimidating. You're not going to want to climb it. That's where you have to take God's hand, take Jesus' hand and say, I'm going to live by faith and not by sight, and I'm going to take His hand, and I'm going to start climbing this mountain.

Now I know what many of you are thinking: Jim you don't know my life. You do not know what I'm going through. I've tried to climb my mountain and failed. I've made it halfway and burned out. I made it three quarters of the way and I fell off a cliff. I made it almost all the way, I almost touched my dream, and then I slipped down that mountain into some rocky thorn bushes at the bottom of that meadow. I don't think I can handle one more disappointment. I hear that from so many people. You know what; every one of us has that story.

Some of you know that I come from a broken home. When I was a kid, I went to six elementary schools between grades kindergarten through 5th grade. That's a lot of change. That's a lot of change. Six elementary schools in five grades. That's an amazing story because we were constantly running from creditors. Constantly having difficulty. And, as I grew into a young man, I never really lost all of that anger. I went through college angry at God. How could He have given me the childhood that He gave me? How could He do some of the things that He was doing in the world? All that stuff that we question when we're young, when we say, I'm angry at God.

I'll never forget the drive to California after I graduated from college. When driving along that beautiful road in Utah where you see these absolutely glorious mountain peaks, it hit me that God is real. God is real! Those mountains were not there by mistake. That beauty was not there by mistake. My life has never been the same. I was touched by God on that road. Anybody can be touched no matter where you've come from. No matter what you've gone through, God can touch your life. He can overcome any circumstance.

So here's the thing. You need to start climbing your mountain. And how do you do that? You need to have the faith to do it. For most of you, you know the Bible stories, you believe the word of God is real, but it's all up here in your head. It's never really penetrated in here in your heart. It's never really gotten in here, in your soul. You can go to the greatest mountain climbing schools in the world and you can learn how to place every handhold, every foothold, and every rope. But if it's all up here in your head, you're never going to make it up that mountain because the minute you start climbing, it will be hard. And if you don't believe it in your heart that you can do it, you're not going to make it up that mountain. So you have to believe from your heart.

And this morning you're going to do that. This morning, somebody here, maybe many of you here, need to stand up and say, in the name of Jesus, I do believe. Are you willing to stand up this morning, put your hand up, say silently, say it aloud, "In the name of Jesus, I do believe." "In the name of Jesus, I will climb my mountain." Is somebody willing to stand up right now in the audience? Are you ready to stand up? Stand up! You have your hand in the air. Stand up and say, "I'm willing to climb my mountain. I've got challenges, I've got problems, I'm willing to climb my mountain."

You need to stand up. "In the name of Jesus, my mountain will move." You need to say that, "in the name of Jesus, my mountain will move." "In the name of Jesus, my financial problems can be solved." "In the name of Jesus, my illness can be conquered." Don't listen to me; listen to the Holy Spirit talking to your mind right now. "In the name of Jesus, my illness can be conquered." Jesus came to set you free. "In the name of Jesus, I will make my marriage work." "In the name of Jesus, I will love my kids more." "In the name of Jesus, I will love my wife more, my husband more."

Are you willing to stand up and say that? And if you're watching at home, you're not off the hook. You need to stand up in your living room and say the same thing. "In the name of Jesus, I will make my relationships work." "In the name of Jesus I will overcome my financial problems." "In the name of Jesus I'm going to put that bottle down." "I'm going to put the pills down." "I'm going to put the alcohol down and in the name of Jesus, I can conquer it." "In the name of Jesus," as Dr. Schuller would say, "Tough times never last, tough people do." "In the name of Jesus, what in the world are you waiting for?" "In the name of Jesus, all things are possible."

Lord Jesus, today we give You our hearts, the belief is pouring in, and we praise Your holy name today, Jesus. We believe that, in the name of Jesus, all things are possible. Hallelujah. Everybody say, Amen.

© Copyright Hour of Power 2010. This message was delivered by Jim Penner from the pulpit of the Crystal Cathedral and aired on the Hour of Power, February 14, 2010.