We Can Trust God - Joshua 1:1-9
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Introduction
Introduction
I know we were all expecting to go into the next section of 1 Corinthians.
Don’t worry, we will get there.
However, before we do, there are some things we need to address.
We need to address the fact that 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 are very controversial verses.
Because that is true, there are some things I want us to remember before we go there.
We need to be reminded of who our God is.
To do that we are going to be in Joshua chapter 1.
As you get there this morning I want to revisit an illustration we have used before and you may have seen and heard others use it as well.
CHAIR ILLUSTRATION
Here we have a chair.
All of us know what chairs are for.
We sit in them.
What we don’t often think about is the faith that is required to sit in a chair.
For me to entrust my weight to this chair requires that I believe it is going to hold me up.
Now, if I wanted to, I could test the chair. I could read reviews, and safety reports, I could inspect the chair and do everything I can to be sure it will hold me.
However, at some point, I am going to have to take a leap of faith and sit in the chair.
SIT
When it comes to spiritual things, the same rules apply.
We can read God’s Word and learn of His faithfulness to others. This is something we should do.
We can talk to others in the body of Christ and find that He has been faithful all the time!
We can gather all the facts and correlate all the data, but at some point, we have to take that leap of faith and trust the Lord!
When we take a step of faith, there is something we learn.
Let me go back to this chair again.
How many of you spend time inspecting and checking out chairs before you sit in them?
Anyone?
I have to confess that I have never inspected a chair before sitting in it.
In fact, the other day I went somewhere I had never been and sat in a chair I had never seen!
I mean, I just sat in it! Talk about risky, right?
We laugh because our experience with chairs has demonstrated that we can trust them.
It doesn’t matter if we are in a new place or looking at a chair we have never sat in before, we know we can trust them because they have never let us down!
Brothers and sisters, our God is the same way!
He may lead us to places we have never gone, He may call us to do something we have never done, He may ask us to challenge a belief we have always held, but He has never let us down!
We can trust God because over and over and over again He has proved Himself worthy of our trust.
This is really, really important.
God’s past faithfulness means we can trust Him both in the present and in the future.
We are going to face things that are difficult, but we can trust our God.
Our passage in 1 Corinthians, when we get back to it, may challenge something you have believed. It does conflict with our society and culture.
What we need to remember is that…
We can trust God in difficult circumstances.
We can trust God with uncertainty.
We can trust God when our beliefs are challenged by His Word.
Principle:
We trust God because He has proved Himself trustworthy.
He has never let us down and He never will!
In addition to that reality, we are given Biblical reasons we can trust the Lord.
Guidance:
This passage presents two reasons we can trust God.
We trust God because of our experience, we also trust God because of what Scripture reveals.
Outcome:
Because we trust God, we accept difficult truths and take difficult actions.
We know Who our God is, and we trust Him even in difficult times and with difficult truths.
2 Reasons we can trust God.
We can trust God because of…
1. The Calling Of God vv. 1-4
1. The Calling Of God vv. 1-4
Every single believer has been called by God!
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
This is a general call.
We also have a specific calling that is coupled with our gifting and equipping.
In Romans and Corinthians Paul declares that He has been called to be an apostle.
You have been called by God to be a saint, you have also been gifted by God and called to use those gifts in His service.
As we have seen in 1 Corinthians, there are limitations in the use of our gifts.
For now, let’s focus on this reality.
We can trust God because He has called us.
We trust Him in our calling because of what He knows.
What does God know?
First…
a. God knows our qualifications vv. 1-2
a. God knows our qualifications vv. 1-2
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:
2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.
Have you ever put yourself in Joshua’s place?
Think for just a moment of the shoes he had to fill.
Moses.
The friend of God, leader of Israel.
The guy who God spoke to from a burning bush!
Raised in Egypt, used to bring plagues to deliver Israel, given the ten commandments, and repeatedly defended by God.
Talk about a hard act to follow.
It is possible, maybe even probable, that Joshua felt inadequate to the task.
After all, he was only Moses’ assistant!
How can he lead these people?
This is where faith comes in.
God is calling Joshua to lead these people.
God knows full well the qualifications of Joshua!
Joshua must trust that God is not going to call him to something He will not equip and prepare him to do.
The same is true for us.
The gifts God has given us must be used in His service.
He will equip and prepare us to use them.
As we read these verses, I love what God tells Joshua.
He gives him 3 responsibilities here.
Arise
We cannot do things for the Lord if there is no motion.
The classic illustration is of a car that is neither turned on nor in gear.
It cannot be directed because it is not in motion.
To follow the Lord’s leading, we must move.
Cross the Jordan (leading the people)
When God gives us a direction, we need to follow it.
We also need to bear in mind those who will be going with us.
Joshua is going to take the people across the Jordan.
To follow the Lord’s leading, we must go where He directs.
Enter the land
God knows exactly where He is taking Joshua and the people.
God usually calls us to things we feel inadequate to handle.
Yet He is calling us to go to something He has prepared.
The land which I am giving them.
God has already decided what He is going to do!
We must trust Him and follow His leading!
In 1 Timothy 1:12-13 Paul writes this
1 Timothy 1:12-13
12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
Paul did not feel qualified to be in ministry!
Paul felt that he was inadequate!
Yet God knew his qualifications.
God placed him into the ministry.
Joshua may not have felt ready or adequate; God placed him into leadership over Israel.
God knows our qualifications.
He is placing us where He wants us, to do what He has planned.
When called by God, we trust Him to guide and prepare.
Repeat - Read Aloud
Do we trust Him?
Even in difficult circumstances?
Even in trials and disappointments?
Do we trust Him?
God is worthy of our trust.
We can trust God because of His calling.
We can trust that He knows our qualifications.
Secondly, we can trust that…
b. God knows our destination vv. 3-4
b. God knows our destination vv. 3-4
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.
God tells Joshua that he is going to take Moses’ place as the leader of Israel.
He tells him that he will take Israel into the promised land.
Here in these two verses He reminds Joshua of what He has promised.
God has given to Israel all of this land.
Everything they walk on has been given by God.
What I love here is how specific God is.
He gives the precise boarders of the land He has promised.
Here is what we learn from this.
God knows exactly where He is calling us and what He is calling us to.
This is something we need to be reminded of.
Joshua needed to be reminded that God had called them to this land!
The destination he was leading the people to had been determined by God!
God knows the destination of my life and yours!
He calls us to go places and to do things.
He calls us to believe His Word.
He knows exactly what He is calling us to.
We can be confident that when God leads us to a place He will sustain us both on the journey, and when we reach the destination.
It is our responsibility to trust Him.
To depend on His calling.
One of the greatest examples of this is found in Hebrews 11. Go there with me.
Hebrews 11:8-10
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;
10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Abraham followed God’s leading, and he didn’t even know where he was going!
At least Joshua got to know the destination!
Abraham walked by faith.
That is exactly what all of us are called to do.
Abraham waited for God to keep his promises.
He believed what God had said.
He trusted that God knew the destination.
When God calls us we must follow, trusting Him with the details.
When called by God believe that He will keep His promises.
Repeat - Read Aloud
We can trust Him!
He knows the destination!
He knows what He is calling us to.
He knows who He is forming us to be.
We can trust God.
We can trust Him because of His calling.
He knows our qualification and our destination.
Secondly, we can trust God because of…
2. The Provision Of God vv. 5-9
2. The Provision Of God vv. 5-9
God always provides.
David gives us an awesome testimony to this fact in Psalm 37:23-25.
Psalm 37:23-25
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
God, through the blood of Jesus Christ, has made each of us righteous.
He delights in us!
He holds us up with His hand!
He does not forsake us!
That is a promise we are about to read and that is repeated for us in Hebrews.
In Philippians 4:19 Paul reminds us that God will supply all our need!
God always provides.
He provides because He knows us.
What does God know?
First…
a. God knows our limitations vv. 5-7
a. God knows our limitations vv. 5-7
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
God knows our limitations.
We trust Him, but our faith is often weak.
We want to follow Him, but we are fearful.
God is going to be with us.
When He calls us to something difficult, He is right there in the middle of it.
He has called us to hold to difficult beliefs.
We have looked at some of those and will look at more in 1 Corinthians.
He will support us as we believe His Word.
He has called us to difficult decisions, and difficult tasks.
Our God is with us every step of our journey.
He will not leave. He will not forsake.
He calls us to be courageous.
Why do we need courage?
God prepares the way, but we still face opposition, trial, difficulty, and fear.
We need courage to stand firm on Biblical truth in a culture that denies God’s very existence!
Our own strength is insufficient, we need the presence of the Lord and His strength to do what He calls us to do.
It is our responsibility to remain focused on the task we have been given.
God tells Joshua, in no uncertain terms, what is going to take place.
You will divide the land!
Joshua, be strong and courageous because you have a job to do!
Be obedient, don’t waver, and you will prosper.
God says the same to each of us.
Be strong and courageous, I am with you.
This reminds me of Moses in Exodus 4.
God has called him to go release Israel, and Moses is offering excuses.
Exodus 4:10-12
10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord?
12 Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”
God acknowledges the limitations of Moses, and promises to provide.
Do we trust Him?
When God calls us, do we really believe that He is with us?
Be strong and courageous!
Be obedient and I will be with you every step of the way!
God is more than able to use our limitations for His glory.
Repeat - Read Aloud
He did with Paul.
When we are weak, He is strong.
Be strong and courageous.
The Lord is with us, He will work all things for good.
He provides because He knows us.
What does God know?
God knows our limitations.
Second…
b. God knows our requirements vv. 8-9
b. God knows our requirements vv. 8-9
He knows what we need.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
What do we need? We need the Word of God.
This is our foundation.
This is what we submit ourselves to.
When it says something difficult, something counter-cultural, we must submit ourselves to the Word!
We must believe in the goodness, kindness, and mercy of God!
The same thing is true when, like Abraham, like Moses, like Joshua, we are called to do something that we feel inadequate to do!
He is with us!
When we saturate ourselves with His Word and walk in obedience to it, He prospers us and gives us success.
Prosperity depends on our focus.
God blesses as we follow His Word.
He is with us wherever we go.
We must be strong and courageous.
He knows exactly what we need.
We need His Word.
Here at Grace Church we have a reading plan.
There are so many resources available to us that there is no excuse.
We can be in the Word.
We need courage.
The opposition of our culture gives ample reason for fear and dismay.
If we focus on the world, we will lose heart.
We must focus on the Lord.
We need His presence.
That is exactly what He gives us.
He is with us wherever we go!
The God of eternity is with us!
Isaiah 41:10
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
Psalm 27:1
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 46:1-2
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Romans 8:31
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
God knows what we need!
We need His Word.
We need courage.
We need His presence.
There is nothing we will ever face that we cannot endure with God’s Word in our heart and God’s presence within us.
God will always provide our every need.
Do we believe that?
He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness!
He is always with us.
We must trust Him.
Conclusion
Conclusion
God is calling us to believe His Word.
This means that there are things we must hold to that our society and culture will reject.
We must be strong and courageous.
God is calling us to serve Him, to follow Him, to go with Him into battle.
He is going to be with us, He is going to sustain us.
We must walk in obedience to Him.
Here is the commitment I want us all to make today.
COMMITMENT:
No matter the difficulty, I will trust and obey.
God has prepared each of us for service.
God knows exactly where He is equipping us to serve.
God will always be with us.
God calls us to be strong and courageous.
The Word of God is our most important tool.
Have the men come up.
There is one more thing we need to address.
I have two reasons for preaching this message today.
The first is that we are going to be looking at a very controversial section of Scripture.
The roles of men and women in the church is a hot-button topic that, if handled incorrectly, can do immense damage and harm to the body of Christ.
We need to trust God!
We need to trust that His will and plan is perfect!
We need to trust that He is in control working all things together for His glory and our good.
Even when we don’t understand exactly why He is doing something.
The second reason for preaching this message is because the calling and provision of God has been felt in my life and in the life of my family.
Over this last year you have heard me preach several messages in which God has called each of us to use our gifts and talents in His service and for His glory.
Part of that is being willing to go anywhere He leads and do anything He requires.
After 11 and a half years of having the privileged of serving as Senior Pastor of Grace Church of Lockeford, God has made it clear that He is calling us to serve Him in a different capacity.
Over the past several years my bride and I have felt a growing sense that our time here was almost done. We have felt the still small voice of our heavenly Father whispering that His plan for our future is going to take us away from Grace Church, away from Lockeford, away from California altogether. We have spent a lot of time in prayer over this. We have sought Godly council and have immersed ourselves in God’s Word to make certain this is His leading. Oddly enough, the healthier Grace Church has become, the greater we have felt God’s leading to move on. On our getaway in January, we spent a lot of the time in prayer about this. God has made it very clear to us that this is the year for us to move. That being said, we are not planning to leave right away. We will remain here until the first Sunday in June. At which time we will be moving to Lincoln, NE. I will not be taking a ministry position. We will spend a year adjusting and reconnecting as a family and a married couple. After that it is my plan to pursue schooling as full time as possible.
Grace Church has been a part of our lives for a long time. All 4 of our children were born in the parsonage. When we arrived here there were 15 faithful people who just wanted to see the church survive. There are more of us now and we have been able to do some pretty awesome things. We’ve supported missionaries, sent shoeboxes, and helped many in our community and beyond with practical needs. We have grown in our knowledge of Christ and of His Word. Over the years we have seen people come to Christ, leave behind worldly ideologies and beliefs and embrace a Biblical worldview. We have studied whole books of the Bible and the teaching here has impacted people across the globe. God has used this little church and the faithful saints who come here to make a difference in the body of Christ. The light here has shone and is shining bright.
Because of all that God has done, is doing, and all we believe He will do in the future; this has been an incredibly difficult decision. We do not make it lightly. We have spent years in prayer, seeking God’s face, seeking God’s will. Over and over again He has confirmed to us that our work here is almost done. We have done what He sent us here to accomplish. We only have one more task. We want to transition well. I know that for some of you there is hurt and pain in regards to pastoral transition and the seeking of a new pastor. My burden, my passion, and desire is to care for you in this process. We love you and we want this to be as painless as possible. I want to show you that pastoral transition can be done differently. That it can be done well.
God is going to walk us through this. This is His church; He loves all of us desperately and He has a plan that will lead this church to thrive. He has someone that He has been preparing for this role. I am fully confident that God is more than able to lead Grace Church to that person.
With that in mind, the board and I have decided to bring in some outside help. Next week we will be meeting with the Institute of Biblical Leadership who will provide support and direction in putting together a transition plan and helping to give guidance to a search committee. Next Sunday Dr. Dave Deets, who is a part of that ministry, will be giving the message. We are bringing them here because we want all of you to know we are taking this seriously.
I know this is coming as a shock, and I know there may be difficult days ahead, but I also know that this is the Lord’s leading. Know that we love you all. We thank God for each and every one of you. We rejoice that God has brought you here. We thank God for your love for Him and for Grace Church. I have full confidence in our boards ability to walk through this process.
I do want to ask that we move forward with unity. We have an enemy who is going to try and use this to tear Grace Church apart. Don’t let him do it. You may be tempted to drift away, to disconnect. Don’t do it. Be excited! God is at work! He is on the move! He has great things in store for all of us.
God is still on the throne. He is going to lead. He is going to guide. He is going to work all things together for His glory and our good.
Okay.
We are going to pray, we are going to sing our final song, and then we will turn off the livestream and I want to give you all a few minutes to ask questions.
This is not a one time conversation, please reach out whenever you need to.
My family and I will be at our Wednesday Bible Study and during our luncheon next Sunday you are welcome to ask questions as well.
Let’s pray.