Facing The Future With Faith Not Fear BIC 2-13-2022

SEEING YOUR FUTURE WITH FAITH, NOT FEAR Sunday February 13, 2022 Scripture Reference: Numbers 13: 17-23, 25,25 (NLT) Intro. A. Good Morning everyone. 1. When we ended 2020, I think a lot of us had a sigh of relief because we had just endured the year of COVID in 2020 and we had hoped that things would be much more normal for us in 2021, and while things did change a little, 2021 didn't bring the changes many of us had hoped for and if we were honest, we would say that we had some reservations about 2022. We entered this year with more restrictions because of fears over the Omicron variant of the virus and honestly who knows when or if this will end. 2. It is very easy to move through this year with fear instead of faith. So, my purpose and desire today is to help each of us to not do that. I want to show you how we can in fact live through 2022 with faith and not fear. B. In the book of Acts the Apostle Paul is standing trial for his faith and in chapter 26 he is standing before a Roman ruler named King Herod Agrippa. Paul is telling this king about the transformation that had taken place in his life. How he had literally turned from being a murder of Christians to a Christian missionary. In his testimony before this king Paul talks about a vision for his life that God had given him. Now I want you to hear what he said towards the end of his testimony. In Acts 26:19 Paul said this, 19 "So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven." Acts 26:19 (NIV) I like the way the Message bible paraphrases this verse, here is what it says. "What could I do, King Agrippa? I couldn't just walk away from a vision like that! I became an obedient believer on the spot." Acts 26:19 (MS) 1. In 2021 we have talked about lot about vision at Cornerstone Church. But here is the question I want you to consider as I go through this message. "What is God's vision for YOUR life?" I believe that God has a vision for YOUR life. God has a specific and particular way that He wants to use you to help us fulfill that vision. He has a vision for me as your pastor and he has a vision for you and you getting this vision is critical. The bible says, "If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed." Proverbs 29:18 (MS) I think three things will happen if we do not have God's vision for our lives. Let's quickly talk about them. a) Not haven't a vision or an unclear vision leads to Indecision. In the book of James, it talks about the person who is double-minded and here it what is says about that person, "Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do." James 1:8 (NLT) Without a vision you are just drifting along with no real purpose or direction. As we enter 2022 with all its unknowns, I do not want you to waste the time God has given you. I want you to be able to make the most of this year and if you are going to do that you need God's vision for your life. b) The second thing that will happen to you without vision is Division. We just read where James said the double minded man is unstable. Because that person doesn't have a vision, they have no clear direction and that will always lead to division. One thing I shared with you this year as we talked about vision is that it helps people decide if they want to be a part of what you are doing. The reality is that some people will not want to be a part of this vision God has given us. That is OK. Our vision gives us clarity of purpose. c) Thirdly without a vision there will be Collision. Without a vision for our church or ourselves a crash is inevitable. If you do not have clear direction for your life you are headed for a crash. I have seen this over and over again in the 36 years that have been a pastor. I have seen relational collisions. People continue to crash in their relationships because they do not have God's vision. The bible warns us against being unequally yoked together with unbelievers. I have seen financial crisis because people would not get God's vision for their finances. Then there has been personal crisis of many kinds. We are headed for danger and destruction if we do not heed God's vision for our lives. Here is what the Bible says, "Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked." 1 Timothy 1:19 (NLT) C. I do not want you or us as a church, moving through 2022 with indecision, division and headed for a collision. We need to see with eyes of faith and not fear. We need to open our eyes to what Jesus wants of us. The bible talks a lot about blindness and usually it is not about physical blindness but spiritual blindness. An unwillingness to see what God is showing us. Here is what James said, "But don't just listen to God's word. "You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." James 1:22-25 (NLT) Look at these words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. "Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. 23 But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! Matthew 6:22-23 (NLT) Trans. So how do we move through 2022 with faith and not fear? Well, I want to take you back to one of my favorite bible stories. I have preached from this passage a number of times. In fact, I have a message, the first one I ever shared from this passage called "Never Say Egypt" and it was my daughter Sherry's favorite message. It comes from Number 13. This is where God has made this promise to the children of Israel that He had a Promise land for them. After they had exited Egypt, they had gotten to the boarder of this Promise land in just a few months. Moses sends out a group of twelve, one from each of the twelve tribes on a fact-finding mission. He wanted them to find out all they could about this land God had promised them. Let's look at what Moses told them. 17 Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: "Go north through the Negev into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? 20 Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see." Numbers 13;17-20 (NLT) 1. Now why did Moses do this? Afterall this was the Promise land so why not just enter it and take it? Well, I think the reason was because as a good leader Moses knew he needed to give the people a vision of what the future held for them. The task before them would have seemed impossible for this band of people, but we can only accomplish the impossible when we first see it in our minds. Every great thing or invention down through history has begun first in someone's mind. Someone saw what was possible and then was able to communicate that vision to others so that it could be accomplished. You can't accomplish something if you can't see it in your mind, or in this case through the eyes of faith. 2. Now let's further at what happened on this fact-finding trip. "So they went up and explored the land from the wilderness of Zin as far as Rehob, near Lebo-hamath... 23 When they came to the valley of Eshcol, they cut down a branch with a single cluster of grapes so large that it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them! They also brought back samples of the pomegranates and figs." Number 13:21, 23 (NLT) Now notice that the grapes were so large they had to be carried back on a pole. Those don't sound like the kind of grapes we buy in the grocery store. Maybe the bible is exaggerating a bit. Well, here is a photo of the grapes of Eshol. (Show photo) 3. OK here is what happens next. "After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned 26 to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. Number 13:25,26 (NLT) These twelve spies saw the land, they saw that everything was just as God promised with would be. In fact, here are their own words. This was their report to Moses: "We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country-a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces." Numbers 13:27 (NLT) It all sounds great, right? I mean this land is exactly as God promised them. They even have evidence. It's not hearsay, they have the actual fruit, so you would think that the next words would be, "Let's go Moses. God has fulfilled His promise to us. Let's take the land." Of course, that is not what happens, and I think it all boils down to this thing called vision. Ten of the twelve spies looked with eyes of fear and not faith. Let me show you what will happen to us if we decide to look at 2022 with eyes of fear instead of faith. I. LOOKING AT THE FUTURE WITH FEAR, NOT FAITH. There are five things that happen according to this story, and I want to share what they are with you. Here is the first thing that happen when we look to the future with fear not faith. A. I Will Overemphasis The Negative. 1. Look at some more verses. 27 "This was their report to Moses: "We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country-a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. 28 But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!" Numbers 13:27-28 (NLT) 2. Here is another one of those important "buts" in the bible. They saw that the land what was God promised them, but! Friends our world is filled with negative stuff. It is a whole lot easier to be the one who sees what's wrong than the one who sees what is right. Now there is a reason for all the negative in this world and that is because the world is broken. It is broken by sin and disobedience to God's vision, but we still have a choice. We can choose to see the negative, all that is wrong. Or we can choose to see what is right and what we are blessed with. 3. Ten of these twelve spies came back with a bad report. Ten of the twelve saw with eyes of fear not eyes of faith. Folks listen to me because this is very important. You might even want to write this down. "The majority may rule, but that doesn't mean they are right." The majority of Americans may say that the killing of innocent babies in the womb is a person's right, but it is still wrong. The majority may say that you can be born a man and call yourself a woman, but it is still wrong and always will be. Friends you might be in the minority sometimes because you choose to believe what the Bible says, but just because more people want to say "No" to God does not make you wrong. Now here is the second thing that happens when we see with eyes of fear and not faith. B. I Pay To Much Attention To What Other People Are Doing. 1. Listen, 29 "The Amalekites live in the Negev, and the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the hill country. The Canaanites live along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and along the Jordan Valley." Numbers 13:29 (NLT) What were they saying? They were saying, "There will not be enough for us." It is what we call a scarcity mentality. We saw a lot of this back in 2020, right? Remember lining up outside the stores to buy toilet paper and paper towels? Then the stores had to say, "Only two per customer". Why? Because there are a lot of people who live with this idea that there will not be enough, so I need t0 make sure I get mine. 2. You know I hear people sometimes talk about there being a lot of churches in Chino and here we are right in-between two very large Calvary chapels. So, we can't hope to build a great church with all this so called "competition". Folks that's a scarcity mentality. How many times have I said to you, if everyone who lives in Chino wanted to go to church there would not be enough room? Folks we could have ten Chino Nazarene churches in Chino and still need more. We just need to see God's vision! Ok here is number three. C. I Underestimate The Abilities God Has Given Me. 1. Look at V.31. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" Numbers 13:31 (NLT) If you are taking notes circle the words, "We can't". I am sure you have heard this before but the person who says, "I can" and the person who says "I can't" are both right. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. As my mom always said, "Can't never could" and she was absolutely right. Listen to what Job once said, 25 "What I always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true." Job 3:25 (NLT) Folks sometimes we just set ourselves up for failure. What we fear becomes the reality because it is all we think about. 2. Look at something else these ten spies said. "So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. 33 We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!" Numbers 13:32-33 (NLT) Now circle the words "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there." Now I want you to think about those words for a minute. This land "devours" anyone who goes to live there. OK, so a bit of critical thinking says, "Well then why are all the people living there not dead?" Then they said this, "Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!" Again, a bit of critical thinking has to ask, "Did someone overhear this in a conversation? How did they know this?" Now in case you didn't know this I will tell you that this was a flat out lie and here is how I know. After they end up wandering in the desert so that this generation of unbelievers could die off, they finally get back to the board of the Promise land again and this time Joshua sends in some spies. They meet up with a prostitute named Rehab and here is what she told them. 8 Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. 9 "I know the LORD has given you this land," she told them. "We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. 10 For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below. Joshua 2:8-11 (NLT) OH, I have some much more to share, but I will hurry along to the last two points. Here is number four. D. I Infect Others With My Negativity. 1. Let's go back to V. 32, "So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites:" V.32 You know some people worry about the spread of the COVID virus, but I am here to tell you that the spread of fear is far worse and much easier, but this is what happens when fear rules in your life. You are not content to be fearful alone you need followers and sadly you can normally find them. The fact is it a lot easier to believe what can't be done than what can be done. Now here is why some many seem to prefer living in fear instead of faith. It lowers the bar. I do not have to stretch myself. I do not have to use the gifts and talents God has given me, because I have already decided I can't do what I am being called to do. Here is the bibles answer, "Don't say that everything these people call a conspiracy is a conspiracy. Don't fear what they fear. Don't let it terrify you." Isaiah 8:12 (GW) OK here is the fifth and final way living by fear not faith affects us. E. I Make Myself Miserable. 1. Is here anyone here who wants to miserable through out 2022? I sure hope not, but if you do then just go ahead and enter this new year in fear and you will succeed. Look at these verses. "Then the whole community began weeping aloud, and they cried all night. 2 Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. "If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!" they complained." Numbers 14:1-2 (NLT) Oh I wish I had more time to talk about this but here are a few things to notice. First the WHOLE community begin to cry. Now remember there are about a million or so people and it seems that only two of them were not crying. Secondly, they cried all night. [] Coming home on the plane with a crying child. Thirdly the bible says a great chorus arose against the God appointed leadership. Folks I am not suggesting that you blindly follow your leader, but if it is me or whomever will come after me, is not acting in contrary to God's word then be must be very careful about our complaining. Then notice that they want to go backwards. They want to go back to Egypt. Oh, how soon we can forget the problems of the past. Trans. Let me finish this message with what I call the antidote to fear. Actually, it is quite simple. Here it is: II. THE ANTIDOTE FOR FEAR: DEVELOP A LIFE OF FAITH If you are going to overcome your fears, you need to get God's vision for your life and that will require faith. Remember I told you earlier that the majority may rule but they are not always right and that was proven in this case. The whole community cries and wants to reverse course. The result of course was that that whole generation except for two guys, Joshua and Caleb got to enter this land of promise. Look at what Caleb said, 30 But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. "Let's go at once to take the land," he said. "We can certainly conquer it!" Numbers 13:30 (NLT) I love what Caleb said. Let's go at once. Let's not hesitate, let's not get caught in the paralysis of analysis. Caleb as Joshua knew this was of God and because it was there was no need to wait and in fact waiting would end the battle before it ever began. Friends I am not against planning at all. In fact, the bible instructs us to plan, but the time comes when you have to stop planning and start doing. Look at what Joshua and Caleb said, 7 They said to all the people of Israel, "The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! 8 And if the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. 9 Do not rebel against the LORD, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don't be afraid of them!" Numbers 14:7-9 (NLT) Here is one of the saddest verses in all the bible. 19 "So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief." Hebrews 3:19 (NIV) Conclusion A. Friends if you are going to get God's vision for your life the first step is to stop listening to your feelings and stop looking with eyes of fear and start living by faith. Friends I will say to you today with absolute confidence as Joshua and Caleb did so many years ago. Do not rebel against the LORD, and don't be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the LORD is with us! Don't be afraid of them!" 1. Friends, God has a vision for you and your life. Will you seek the Lord through His word and in prayer in these coming days and ask God to reveal His vision for your life as you help us filling the great vision God has for BIC and this community? 2