Final Words - Joshua 23

Now, I would have posted on this message yesterday, but unfortunately I ran out of "Daylight". Not really, I could've posted this, but I think I was to lazy yesterday to get around to doing it. You have probably already started school, as have I. Actually, we started full force on Monday, but we started several weeks ago; doing one subject a day, and that was pretty easy. Well, you may want your Bibles handy. As you may know, I "Used" to put the scripture up where it is needed, but I haven't been doing that lately, for the fear of writing a too long post. You'll want to grab your bibles and read Joshua 23: 1-3, please. Okay, so, here's the position: Joshua is "Well advanced in years and is about to die". He's now talking to Isreal, and there are also concepts in here that you need to hear, which brings us to our first point:


I. How God's Grace Works

So Joshua reminds them that it is by God's grace and power that they have had all of these victories. It was the Lord's battle, and he gave them victory. Isn't that so gracious of him? Yes, it VERY much is. This is what I grab from verse 3: In the same way, the Lord provides for you, it is HIS power that saves and comforts you. Really, the definition of Grace = It is what our God does for us, and I believe his GRACE is good. So God will give you victory, BUT that does NOT mean you get to sit back and relax, which drives us to our SECOND point:

II. How Obedience Works

Obedience = To keep and to do ALL the LORD commands. Not what other people or gods command, but what the one TRUE GOD commands. So, look at verse 6 through, hmm, let's see...13. So read verses 6-13. Now Joshua is talking a lot about one thing: What will happen if you disobey God. If WE do not OBEY the Lord our God, and turn to other false gods and idols, We will have DEFEAT INSTEAD OF VICTORY! I want you to get and ponder that real hard. You will only have Victory if you obey God. Now I want you to read verse 14 through the end of the chapter, which ends at verse 16. That's pretty heavy. So, what does Obedience to God exactly look like? Well, look at the text. I know you're thinking Joshua doesn't really say this up front. However, if you DON'T go off and serve other gods and things, and you put all your trust and hope in God, What is that? Well, that's obedience, right? Si, it most certainly is. Si=Yes in spanish, if you don't know. Yes, that is obedience. That brings us to point three in this chapter:

III. How God's Covenant Works

So, there is definitely something wonderful in verse 14. But, there's also trouble in v. 16. Look, ALL GOD'S promises COME TO PASS. Remember though, he keeps his promise, but our promise is Full Obedience. Do we always keep our promises? No, not most of the time. Haven't you heard that the Old Testament is not the same as the New Testament, and how the testaments have different beliefs? A really interesting fact here: In the Heart of Joshua 23, He is foreshowing the Gospel. OUR HOPE IS IN JESUS CHRIST!

B.L.S. Out.
(Yes, I changed my name once again.)

Rambling

Unfortunately, I am not going to post a Sermon today...I'm going to "Ramble". Yes, sorry Joe, I did just steal your gig. Sorry. Everyone knows the JW (Jehovah's Witnesses) are crazy, but have they proved it? Well I am going to right now. John 1:1 in our bible says: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Now, the JW Bible says in this passage that the word was with god and he was a god. Note: I didn't say THE God, I said a god. I said that if they believe Jesus (The Word) to be a god, and not The God, that's breaking the first commandment...of OUR BIBLE, Not Theirs. You heard me. Their first commandment is completely different They say, "There shall be no God OVER me." Does that sound completely wrong, or what? You're most certainly right, it does sound crazy. So, tell me JW, Are you calling yourself a hypocrite? You just said that the Pharisees say that Jesus wasn't God, and, did i just hear that right? You're saying the same exact thing. Isn't there something wrong here? Definitely. Again, you may recall that the bible says if you cause a young one or really ANYONE to stumble, fall and lose the faith, there's going to be trouble. Isn't that what You're doing, JW? Do you realize the sin you're commiting? No, because I bet your bible doesn't say that either. Who wrote your bible? You should definitely sue. Okay, now I'm going to talk to my Audience.

(Not that I'm being proud or anything by saying that, just noting that I'm not saying anything bad about you). Aren't the JWs crazy? I bet if we wanted to find anything more in their bible that is CLEARLY wrong, I bet you we could. Of course, I can't take all the credit for myself, Charli, my "LIttle" Sister, (Yes CHar, I'm picking on you) was the one who found the difference in the Ten Commandments. I found the John 1:1 difference. I'm straying from my point, so let me get back on top of it. It is distressing that they're causing people to fall...isn't it? It should be. It would be so nice if the U.S. would stop holding anything dear other than the Lord. If all America gets this issue right, we'd be a mighty instrument for the Lord. Government, why are you so worried on your problems? America, why don't you notice that you have life better than any other country in the entire WORLD? If we don't have to worry about Government Spending, we'd definitely be able to do a lot of the world good. Joe, you're right I guess. It'd definitely be better to grow America first, and then since we are not really numbered, we'd be a better help. Lord, now I understand how much America could be a help. Make us an instrument for your will. Put a leader above America that is completely dependent on You.........

Conquest Inevitable...Joshua 11 & 12

So, needless to say the service on August 2, 2009 at Grace Church was really moving, unless you don't go to our church. I'm not exactly sure if that was the Cook's last Sunday here...if they were leaving early today or next Wednessday...I think it was today. I also think that we won't have another worship leader like Steve Cook. Ever. Of course, if you know God, he can turn that all around. Well, I'm just going to delve right in here...so read the text:



These are more than just military battles, and even though they are physical, they can still teach us about Spiritual Battles against and resisting sin. You might be a New Testament believer or doer, (You hopefully know what I mean) However, the Old Testament can still teach us vital information about spiritual battles. Romans 15: 4: "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." What is Paul really getting at? He is exactly meaning that we do not really partake in Old Testament rituals and things like that, BUT we can still take information and have learning from these books like Joshua, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, so forth and so on. When Wayne Brooks read this verse, here is how I interpreted it: Whatever was written in former days (Days of Joshua and Moses and Isaiah) is for our building up and instruction. So, He was preparing the way from the beginning of the bible. If these books were not important, God would not have put them in the Bible, why? Because it would take valuable space and time to read something that shouldn't be there. However, it is there, we need to study and learn from it just as much as Romans, Timothy, Hebrews, James (One of my favorites), so forth and so on.

Joshua did not win all of these battles by his military experience, but by his trust in the Lord. Therefore, we can pull this Spiritual lesson from this text: God never loses, so we want him on our side by obedience, faith, and by crying out to the Lord in times of trouble. If you've read Joshua before, remember the story in chapter 9? How the Gibeonites were spared because they surrendered? This is the way I look at it: Joshua and his army is God's judgement, and you are either the Gibeonites or the kings who resisted. Which are you? Do you surrender to God's purpose like the Gibeonites, or do you resist him? We should be like the Gibeonites, who cried for mercy. Like I said, God never fails: So why resist? It's a useless standing. Even though the enemy is greater than you, he is not greater than God. And we see this: The Lord's enemies tried to save themselves from this only real true God, but could they? Did they?

No. The Lord is All Powerful, even though the foes numbered like the grains of sand on the beach.