A Victorious Future
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Anniversaries are special events. We take the time to appreciate and celebrate the past, and we consider the future in that context. But this one is different. You know that much better than I do. There are extra griefs and heartaches and fears and discouragements. Thinking of the past brings these things to the surface. Considering the future magnifies the uncertainty.
You feel these things personally, because to varying degrees, your personal lives have been overturned. You feel these things as a church, because your pastor is gone. These things remind us of the temporary and uncertain existence that temporal life is; it is disturbing.
There are many responses that we could have to these things…most of them are negative. And in the middle of the turmoil, God wants us to look to Him.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
When things are hard, and life’s trials tower over us, God wants us to look at Him instead! Life changes, but God never does. His promises are sure.
Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Sara “judged” God to be faithful to keep His promises. (Judge: to esteem; to suppose; to rule over her thoughts about God)
“The future is as bright as the promises of God.” — Adoniram Judson
This afternoon, I would like us to consider the character of God. He was faithful, He is faithful, and He will forever be faithful. Life changes and brings unforeseen difficulties, but God never changes. His promises are still just as reliable as they ever were. In our text today, we’re going to see how God stayed faithful to a group of people in a similar situation, and brought them to “A Victorious Future.” That is His desire for CIBC as well.
I. A Time of Pain
I. A Time of Pain
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
What was painful about this time?
They had experienced much individual pain
And the Lord’s anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.
A whole generation died in the wilderness. All the Israelites were affected. They all felt this pain personally.
They were experiencing “corporate” pain
So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, In all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.
Moses was 120 years old, but he still had much left to give, physically speaking! In that way, he died “too soon.” But God took him, according to His will. We don’t understand God’s ways, but we can still trust Him. He is faithful.
II. A Time of Peril
II. A Time of Peril
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
A new leader
Joshua was Moses’ minister. He had led the Hebrews in battles (Ex. 17:13), and he had helped Moses with many things. But helping Moses and leading Israel are very different. Would Joshua be up to the task? Many productive employees flounder after being given a promotion and extra responsibilities. If that happened with Joshua, many people would die! How would Joshua know what to do?
A hostile land
But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Perhaps this younger generation was remembering the spies’ evil report with some trepidation. Giants or not, the land’s inhabitants were not going to give up and run away! The Promised Land was full of enemies. How could they defeat them all?
III. God’s Promises
III. God’s Promises
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
Even though EVERYTHING had changed with Israel since God had given these promises, God had not changed. And neither had His promises.
IV. God’s Protection
IV. God’s Protection
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Even though everything had changed for Israel, they STILL were not capable of defeating their enemies by themselves. But God still was. He hadn’t changed.
V. God’s Prescription
V. God’s Prescription
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
This is the key! This is how God’s unchanging character and promises can bring about their intended purpose. We always have the option of refusing God’s way and goodness in our lives. The Word of God is the key to keeping us in a place of submission and obedience.
Observe to do: to keep close watch/to guard, for the purpose of doing/obeying ALL that God wants.
This requires:
Commitment — it must be our highest priority
Vigilance — we so easily slip into fleshly/carnal habits (“turn not from it”)
Hunger — “How can I do more for Christ?” (“according to all the law”)
God identifies two main areas of Joshua’s life that need to be saturated in God’s Word: his words and thoughts. This saturation would bring right actions.
Words
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
May God’s Word change how we talk, and what we talk about! But that’s only possible when our thoughts change first.
Thoughts
“Meditate” has this idea of constant activity around God’s Word. Scripture isn’t something to be considered for 30 minutes before going to work; it must always be on our mind. When our minds relax from an absorbing task, our thoughts revert to God and His Word. When we’re considering a problem, we do it in the context of Scripture. While enjoying good things, we remember that they are God’s blessings.
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on thee:
Because he trusteth in thee.
VI. God’s Proclamation
VI. God’s Proclamation
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
How could Israel be confident that a victorious future lay in front of them? They had been enduring great pain and sorrow. They were experiencing a time of peril. But God took the time to remind Joshua of His promises and protection. There was no question about the character of God. The question was, would Israel follow Him?
And so it is with us. God promises success within His Will; the question is, will we follow it? We may desire to, but it can be hard to follow through. However, if we will saturate our thoughts and words with the Word of God and let Him lead us, we will always be successful within His will. No matter what happens along the way, we can rest in His promises! This confidence in God brings peace.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Psa 37:3-6 “Trust in the Lord, and do good; So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, And thy judgment as the noonday.”
Prov. 3:1-7 “My son, forget not my law; But let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, And peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: Bind them about thy neck; Write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding In the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil.”
This Anniversary Sunday for CIBC is difficult in many ways. It’s not the kind of day you were anticipating just a few weeks ago. But I’m thankful to say that God hasn’t changed! He is still good, He is still omnipotent, and He still wants to use and bless this church. He has a victorious future in mind for you all.
So how can you—how can any of us—realize the victorious, successful future that God intends for His people? We must be in the Book. We must read, and hide it in our heart. We must meditate on it; we must study it to learn from it, we must cling to it in storms of doubt and fear, and we must rejoice in it and praise God for it. We must speak it, both for our sakes, and for those around us. And we must obey it…but if the Word of God has saturated our thoughts and permeated our words, then our actions will naturally follow suit! It is when our thought life is wrong, that right actions become daunting.
On this difficult day, focus on God. Remember His character. Trust His goodness. And keep your mind stayed on Him.
MEM.
O how love I thy law!
It is my meditation all the day.