August 22nd, 2004, Sunday Morning

"Meditation Leads to Carefulness"
Carefully responding vs. fearfully reacting to life's circumstances


OPENING: Joshua 1:1-8

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• THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE ALWAYS VERY CLEAR
  
  
  • Joshua 1:1-8: Notice the promises given Joshua, successor to Moses
    
    
    • God continues His promise of Israel inheriting the Promised Land (v.3-4)
      
      
    • No man shall be able to stand against Israel (v.5)
      
      
    • ON THE CONDITION that Joshua and Israel obey God and "meditate therein day and night" upon His book of laws (v.7-8)
    
    
  • God the Father is always faithful to His Word
    
    
    • Genesis 17:5-6: God's promise (covenant) began with Abraham
      
      
    • Exodus 3:8: And that promise was extended to Moses, on Mount Sinai, at the burning bush
      
      
    • God--proving his faithfulness lasts beyond the generations of men--now extends this promise to Joshua
      
      
    • Joshua, although with the Israelites 40 years, was an unproven leader; However, all he needs--and now has--is God and His promise
      
      
      • 1 Corinthians 1:27: If you find yourself in a leadership/management position you feel unqualified/unworthy to control, you're probably the right person for the job because God uses "the weak things of the world"
        
        
      • Exodus 3:11 and 4:1,10,13: Even Moses questioned his own abilities several times AFTER God assigned and assured success as Israel's liberator (which displeased God)
        
        
      • Joshua 1:8: If you are saved and know the Bible, you know God's promises to YOU; If you know God's promises and obey His Word (Bible) then you will be "prosperous" and "have good success", no matter the type of person you are
    
    
  • The great successes that followed Israel was just a result of the greatness of Joshua but the promises of God's Word being fulfilled
    
    
  • God's promise of success spans the simplest to the greatest difficulty
    
    
    • On Pastor Branson's trip to Oxford University in England last week, he prayed for directions from the hotel to the bus station, because he was lost
      
      
      • His prayer was answered by three educated men who approached and asked to join him to his destination
  
  
• THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE SIMPLE TO KNOW, DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW
  
  
  • There are no easy walks in this world
    
    
    • Acts 14:22: Being saved doesn't mean an easy life; You will encounter many trials/tribulations--just as Jesus and the saints before you did
      
      
    • Revelation 1:9: The Apostle John, who was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the book of Revelation, dealt with tribulation
    
    
  • Joshua 1:6: The Lord says Joshua will have to be "strong and of a good courage"
    
    
    • STRONG: To prevail against the situation
    • COURAGEOUS: Stout, bold, alert, forceful
      
      
    • When you act this way, you will not see common characteristics of the unknown
      
      
      • You will not be afraid
      • You will not tremble
      • You will not be dismayed
    
    
  • 1 Chronicles 28:20: King David told his son, Solomon, to do three important things: be strong, be courageous and "do it" (act)
    
    
    • Be strong and courageous because God is with you and will not ever forsake or fail you
    • "Do it" meaning to not be afraid; To take the initiative and act and/or react to world events based on what God's Word says to do
      
      
    • Joshua 6: Joshua demonstrated this; By having the strength and courage to act on God's command, Joshua led Israel in successfully razing the enemy city of Jericho
    
    
  • APPLICATION:
    
    
    • There is no place in God's will for fear
      
      
    • Fear means you don't have full confidence in God's promises
      
      
    • To do nothing means you do not believe ("faith without works is dead" per James 2:26)
      
      
    • Most people today are running from the world; God's people stand and face the hostile and unknown, using strength and courage to impart and execute God's Word, in which they have 100% confidence in
  
  
• IT'S CRITICAL WE ACT CORRECTLY IN OUR BOLDNESS
  
  
  • Joshua 1:8: God's Word (Bible) shall not depart from your mind or lips
    
    
    • It's part of your conversation--BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF CHURCH
      
      
    • Why talk about it? Because what you talk about reflects your character/identity/HEART to others
    
    
  • You meditate on God's Word daily/nightly
    
    
    • MEDITATE: Not only read but think about it until you fully understand it
      
      
      • The outside circumstances of life do not cloud your meditation
      
      
    • You're thinking of ways to act in a manner that brings glory/recognition to God; for others to see Jesus working within you
    
    
  • You're careful to do the right thing--weighing God's promises to your circumstances and then making a decision
    
    
    • CAREFUL: Not instantly REACTING, but carefully RESPONDING
      
      
    • Proverbs 15:18: Those who are short-tempered only create trouble; they are not dictated by the promises of God
    
    
  • Those who don't get involved in telling the Gospel to others and helping their fellow neighbor (community, co-worker, the hurting) are like the man who did nothing with his one talent (money) in Jesus' parable
    
    
    • Matthew 25:14-30: In the parable, a master gave his servant one talent to go multiply it through trading/labor; The servant, OUT OF FEAR, did nothing with the given talent; The master then gave the money to those who did make profit with it and tossed the unprofitable servant away
    
    
  • APPLICATION:
    
    
    • How knowledgeable are you of the Bible (God's law)?
    • How much time--out of church--do you meditate on God's laws, how they work in your life, and how you can apply them to others?
    • Some want success without putting in effort--that will never happen
  
  
  CLOSER

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• We are to act outside of church the way we act inside--but fear prevents that
  
  
  • Fear of being labeled a bigot, homophobe, Jesus freak, religious zealot, etc.
    
    
  • Fear of being an outcast, an outsider, unwanted by the world
    
    
  • John 15:18: Jesus comforts by reassuring you the world hated Him before it hated you
  
  
• Those who truly believe in Christ will meditate and impart His Word
  
  
  • God's Biblical truths are simple--practicing them in the world is difficult
    
    
  • The greater the difficulty you overcome, the greater the reward/success and proof of responsibility you can shoulder