Joshua 1:1-9

If you want to turn, Joshua is where we're going to be this morning, the book of Joshua.

It is December 30th, 2012.

There's roughly 37 hours left in the year.

Now's the time to make those resolutions, right?

To make those changes.

To start the year off, turn the leaf over, however you want to say it.

It's that time where we start thinking, what are some areas that I can change?

What are some areas that I'm really disappointed in and I want to do better in?

Some big changes even, sometimes.

Examples like losing weight or decreasing debt or increasing retirement or saving for kids' college.

Not all our changes are physical or financial.

Some are even spiritual.

I want to be in the Word more.

I want to pray more.

I want to trust God more.

In all these resolutions that we make, and maybe not everybody in this room makes resolutions,

but I know some of us do.

In all these resolutions, what is it, what's your drive?

What's your reason for making those resolutions?

Because if the drive is right, if your reason is right for making these resolutions, then your succeeding increases substantially.

The chance of succeeding.

The chance of succeeding.

But let's be honest.

Most resolutions don't usually last, do they?

In fact, 80%, according to the New York Times, 80% fail or give up by Valentine's Day.

February 14th.

February 14th.

February 14th.

That's six weeks maybe?

Wow.

It's 80%.

Well, the question, of course, to that statement is why.

Why do these resolutions fail?

Why do we fail in not keeping our goals and our resolutions?

Well, I believe it has to do with that drive.

That reason why we do it.

Our will, we're going to act on what our heart loves.

So, and what our heart desires.

So what we love, what we desire, we're going to do.

So, if we love vanity, and that vanity is what's driving us to lose weight or eat healthier,

then chances are it's going to fail.

Well, and if we love financial security,

then our drive will be to save more or invest more.

And the counter to that is to not be generous as God wants us to be.

And the chances of that resolution succeeding will also be low.

The problem with all of us is our heart.

The things we love, the things we hold dear, the things we treasure, we act on.

Now, there's an assumption in making resolutions.

And that assumption is that I am strong enough.

That I can work harder and get, and see this to the end.

Well, the assumption is founded on your and my ability to do what is not in line with our hearts most of the time.

Because we're going to do what we love.

So, when we read in Matthew 22, verses 37-40, it says,

Matthew 22:37–40

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.

This is the great and first commandment.

And the second is like it.

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On those two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.

So, when we read those verses, and we hear those verses, it should rattle a little bit of emotion in us.

Rattle a little bit of conviction.

Because what we love, we will act on.

And Matthew 22 says,

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and love your neighbors.

So, if we go back to the drive analogy, if we go back to the reason why we make resolutions.

If we love vanity, if we love vanity, then it is that vanity that is driving us to lose weight, to eat better, to exercise more.

And if we love vanity in this way, then we are finding our identity in our appearance.

We're finding our identity in how people see us, and not in Jesus.

And if we are not loving God, loving Jesus with all our heart, soul, and mind, as in Matthew 22 says,

then in turn we are not loving our neighbors as ourselves.

And if we love security, then that will drive us to set goals and resolutions that will give us security, or so we think.

And if we find our security in our future finances, and not in Jesus,

then we are not loving God as we should, and not loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Now, in all this, I'm not saying that exercise is bad, or investments are bad.

The heart, though, is the issue here that I'm trying to pick at.

So, what if we made a resolution on the 30th of December, 2012,

that lined up our drive, our reason, and our heart with God's heart?

What if they came together?

Well, let's see if we can accomplish that.

Let's see if we can all together, looking at the book of Joshua, accomplish that.

Joshua chapter 1 is where we will be.

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

That was just the introduction, guys.

We're going to read verses 1 through 9.

The Word of God says,

After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord,

the Lord said to Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses' assistant,

Moses my servant is dead.

Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people,

into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.

Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon,

I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.

From the wilderness in this Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates,

all the land of the Hittites to the great sea,

toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.

No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.

Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

I will not leave you or forsake you.

Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land

that I swore to their fathers to give them.

Only be strong and very courageous,

being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you.

Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left,

that you may have good success wherever you go.

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth,

but you shall meditate on it day and night,

so that you may be careful 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.

Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous.

Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed,

for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Let's pray together.

Father, I ask for your mercy this morning and your grace that your word would be preached,

would be preached clear,

that nothing that is said would be in false teaching or not line up with your word.

That God, if there is something wrong that comes out of my mouth,

that it would fall from our ears and not be remembered.

Lord, we ask God that you would move this morning in our hearts,

move us to action as your children.

God, that we would love you, that we would treasure you,

and that we would act on that love.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

So, just a little bit of background here,

and these verses kind of give us most of it,

but the people of Israel have been in the wilderness for 40 years.

Moses had led them from Egypt.

They've wandered in the wilderness for 40 years.

They're sitting on the bank of the Jordan River,

and Moses passes away,

and God tells Joshua,

you're next in line.

You're my guy.

Lead these people to the promised land as I had promised.

Now, they were wandering in the wilderness

because of their disbelief and their idol worship and their sin,

and God promised that Moses would not see the promised land,

and so now, Joshua is the guy to lead them into the promised land.

So, that kind of sets us up a little bit where we started reading.

I want all of us here to be courageous Christians,

courageous men and women who love Jesus

and love our neighbors and one another.

It will take courage, and it takes courage,

to be men and women of God.

Even here in the United States, where we're pretty comfortable,

it takes a little bit of courage,

a little bit of drive,

a little bit of oomph to truly walk out the Word.

If our resolution this morning is to be courageous,

courageous men and women for the Lord,

then I believe by God's power and His provision

that we will succeed far past Valentine's Day.

Far past February 14, 2013.

Because to be courageous, as here in Joshua,

it's going to take a heart change.

To be what God commands Joshua to be and to do,

it's going to take our hearts being changed by God

to do and to will what He has commanded us to do.

So, starting off, I want you to be courageous,

I want all of us to be courageous in believing the promises of God

and not believing in our own promises.

So, the first question I want to pose to you this morning is,

do you believe the promises of God?

Do you truly believe those promises?

Do you believe that He is provider?

Do you believe that He is faithful?

Do you believe that He will never forsake you or leave you?

Do you believe that He works everything by His mercy and grace

for our good children of God, Christians?

Do you believe that He loves you and that He cares for you?

Because if you do, you'll act on those beliefs.

Because what we love, what we believe, we will act on.

So, if you believe the promises of God,

then you will live according to those promises.

Always mindful of those promises.

Now, look in Joshua 1.

We see a few promises.

Verse 3 says,

That every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon,

I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.

Verse 6,

Be strong and courageous,

for you shall cause this people to inherit the land

that I swore, that I promised to your fathers to give them.

And in verse 9,

Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous,

do not be frightened and do not be dismayed,

for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

I point these out to you just to say,

God is going to do what He says He's going to do.

If God promises something, He's going to accomplish it.

And so, we can truly,

with everything in us,

believe the promises of God

because they're going to happen

or they have already happened.

So, here's the rubber meets the road.

In order to believe something,

and not just as a gullible mark,

not just as somebody who just believes everything,

and, you know, you hear it on the internet that it's true,

like that State Farm commercial.

I don't know if you've seen that.

It's really funny.

In order to believe something, though,

you truly,

you have to know it.

If you want to believe with every fiber of your being,

you have to know it.

And here, it's the promises of God.

So, do you know the promises of God?

Do you take your energy and time

to be strong and courageous

in learning the promises of God?

Are you able to,

in your life right now,

December 30th,

are you able to courageously trust

and believe the promises of God

based on what you know right now?

Are you able to do that?

What about,

for example,

what about when things don't go your way?

The way things are.

The way that you've planned them out

to happen, to occur.

Do you trust?

Do you believe?

Do you know God's promises?

Joshua.

Was Moses' assistant for 40 years.

Now, we don't have a lot of background

to Joshua and his relationship with Moses,

but 40 years seems like a really long time

to be number two in charge.

It took him 40 years.

God's timing was perfect

and Moses passed away

and Joshua was elevated to be the leader

and to lead them into the promised land.

Those 40 years were caused by sin.

God punished them

by making them wander in the wilderness

because of their idol worship

and their disbelief

and their sin.

So the timing there

was even long for Joshua.

And then a lot of Jewish scholars

say that Joshua chapter 1 here

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

was actually written 30 days

after Moses' death

because,

in tradition,

there was a 30 days of mourning

mourning for death of patriarchs

and leaders

and that kind of stuff.

So,

we don't have evidence of that,

but let's just say that's the case.

So there's another 30 days

of Joshua having to wait.

So things weren't really,

maybe things weren't happening

as he had planned,

as he had hoped for.

But God's timing,

God's call

was there on Joshua.

It was by God's hand

that he was put in the position

that he was in.

So for you and I,

can we look at the book of Joshua?

Can we look at Joshua's story

and can we say,

I believe the promises of God.

I trust God is working.

I believe that He does not forsake us.

He will not leave us.

He is faithful.

Can we do that?

Even when things aren't going our way.

So,

2013 can be

a year of courage

for you and for me

in believing God and His promises

and trusting

not our own knowledge

of what we think we know

or what's the most wisest thing to do,

but the trust in God

and His leadership

and His guiding

and understanding.

So not only be courageous

in believing the promises of God,

but be courageous

in acting on the promises of God

and not ignoring the promises

until you need something

like a Santa Claus

or a grocery list

that you hand to God.

God gives Joshua

four main commands in this text.

In verse 2,

He tells him to arise and go,

lead the people out.

Or in 6 and 7,

He tells them to be strong and courageous.

In 7 and 8,

He says,

do all according to the law.

And in verse 9,

He tells them,

do not be frightened

and dismayed.

Now,

the reason I

give those to you

is not just to point them out

so that you can kind of see

the commands of God,

but I want you to see

that God also gives Him

four promises

in these nine verses.

In verses 3 and 6,

God says,

I have given you the land

just as I promised Moses.

In verses 5 and 9,

God says,

I will be with you.

In verse 5,

He says,

I will not leave you

or forsake you.

And in verse 7 and 8,

He says,

if you do not turn from the law,

if you keep the law,

you will have good success

and be prosperous.

Now see,

the reason I point

these two out to you

is that here,

God is gracious

and merciful to Joshua.

He gives him the directions

and He also gives him promises

that I've already accomplished.

He puts them together

and says,

now go.

Makes it easy for Joshua.

It's like,

it's like,

it's like God gave the directions

and the map.

You've got to lay them out

step for step

and then gave them the map too

and said,

this is what you're going to encounter

and just go.

Made it simple.

He could trust,

not in his own accomplishments

and not in his own training,

but he can trust in God

and God's promises.

I don't know if you guys know,

but the new,

I'm sure you do,

a lot of you in here,

if you have iPhones,

you know this,

that the iPhone map app

is like horrible.

I haven't experienced

really bad things with it,

but some people

put in an address

and it takes them

15 miles

in the wrong place.

And Apple has apologized

and they've,

if I gave you direction somewhere

and I gave you 15 minutes

off the way,

that doesn't help you

and it doesn't,

makes me look like an idiot.

And God gives us his promises,

he gives us the direction

and they're always right.

They're always to where he wants us to be.

There's no mistake,

there's no questioning.

I'm sure Joshua,

after hearing this from the Lord,

these nine verses,

and then God speaks with him

more and more

like he did with Moses.

Joshua didn't say,

man,

I don't know,

what do you guys think?

Should we go?

It says,

it says that Joshua,

in fact,

look at Joshua chapter 3,

Joshua 3:5

verse 5.

Flip over one page.

Joshua chapter 3,

Joshua 3:5

verse 5.

They're getting ready to go.

He hasn't hemmed and hawed,

he hasn't doubted,

he believed the promises of God

because God gave him directions

and he gave him promises.

He made it clear to him.

He says,

then Joshua said to the people,

consecrate yourselves,

for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.

That's good stuff.

He tells the people,

God is going to do wonders among you.

In other words,

we're going into the promised land

and God is going to work

because God is faithful

and we believe his promises.

So,

what's the rest of the story for Joshua?

Well,

he leads them into the promised land.

They defeat several armies

and several people.

They lose a battle,

one battle because of sin,

of one man,

one guy.

And Joshua is forced to discipline him

by killing him and his entire family.

And during his 110 years on earth,

he never forgets

and constantly reminds his people

what God has done

and is doing for them.

Constantly bringing people back

to the promises of God

because he is faithful

and God is going to do

what he says he's going to do.

So,

it isn't just good enough,

that was horrible,

it isn't good enough

to just believe.

We can believe,

but we must act

on what we believe.

See,

knowledge is nothing

without action.

James says that faith

without works is dead.

There's got to be action

to our lives.

And your neighbors

and your friends

and your family,

they're not going to care

how much you know

or how many verses

you memorized in 2012.

Just be honest.

They're not.

What they're going to care about

is how you treat them,

how you love them.

So,

do you love

your neighbors,

your friends,

your family

because

and out of the love

that God has shown you,

and because

and out of the love

that you have

for His Word.

Be courageous

in acting

on the promises of God.

Now,

for some of you,

this may be like

the whetstones

going to Afghanistan

to minister.

It may be

leaving everything

and everyone you know

and moving your family

to a new city.

It may be

being more generous

in supporting

and providing

for others

within this congregation.

And you can

fill it in.

It may be

a whole plethora

of things

that God is calling you

to be courageous

and acting

on the promises of God.

Because God

doesn't change.

So,

for Joshua

in this verse,

God gave him promises

along with commands.

So,

he said,

go and do this

and here's what

I've already promised.

Here's what I've done,

I'm accomplishing,

I have accomplished,

now go and do it.

So,

what happens

in our life

when God

doesn't give

the promises?

When he just

gives us a command?

Do we shrink?

Does our faith

shrink and shrivel

and disappear

and we just lose

all gumption?

we have been given

his word.

The word of God,

the Bible

that you hold

in your lap,

that you read

on your phone.

We've been given

his word

not only to guide us

but to educate us

and the world

around us

who God is

and to remind us

and to know

his promises

to us,

his children.

So,

our faith

acting on what

we believe

should be strengthened

in the unknown

because his word

says he will do

what he says

he's going to do.

He's going to provide.

He's known.

His name

is God's provider.

He's working out

by his grace

and mercy

for our good

even in the circumstances

where it doesn't

seem like that.

He will never leave

his children

nor forsake them.

He's the everlasting

Father.

He is who

he says he is.

He is the Savior.

And in him

we find

our identity.

Not in our

circumstances.

Not in what

we've accomplished.

We find our identity

in him

alone.

And in our

identity in Christ

we can trust

and act

on his

promises.

And that's because

he is God

and he does

what he says

he's going to do.

In his word

for us to read

today

in Joshua's time

where he gave him

action

told him what to do

and gave him promises

to go alongside those.

We can read these

and we can know

the promises of God

and we can act

on them.

But not only

we need to be

courageous in

believing

the promises

of God

and in acting

on the promises

of God

but also be

courageous in

treasuring God's

word

and not just

absorbing it

as knowledge.

Look at verse

7 and 8

in Joshua

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1.

Only be strong

and very courageous

being careful

to do

according to

all the law

that Moses

my servant

commanded you.

Do not turn

from it

to the right hand

or to the left

that you may have

good success

wherever you go.

This book of the law

shall not depart

from your mouth

but you shall

meditate on it

day and night

so that you may

be careful 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.

Now

this is a dumb

statement I know

very elementary

but there is a

difference between

knowing and

treasuring.

I know

that my fridge

is white

and the inside

of it is cold.

I know that

because it's a fridge

and the outside

looks white.

I treasure

my wife.

Now things

would get really

awkward and really

tough if I mixed

those two up.

Just honest.

It would be horrible.

My life would be

horrible.

Treasuring means

that you value it.

You protect it.

You care for it.

You revisit it

time and time

again.

Now there are

times in the evening

when I get home

from work

that I just follow

Jamie around

in the building.

She's doing laundry

down the hall

I just follow her.

She's folding clothes

I just follow her.

She's punishing a child

while I join in

but I follow her

just because

I treasure her

and I want to be

with her

and I want to

spend time with her.

It is the same

with God's word.

Do you look forward

to times reading it?

Or do you avoid

or ignore

such things

in such times?

Do you just read it

to gain knowledge

or do you truly

believe it is

the word

of God

from God

to you?

Knowledge is good

but when it hinders

or disrupts

the proper relationship

it ceases to be good.

It's great for me

to know that my fridge

is white.

Matches other appliances.

It's great for me

to know that the inside

is cold

that I can put milk

and eggs in there

and it will be okay.

But the moment

I treasure it

that knowledge

becomes my downfall

and breaks

the relationship.

See there's power

in a healthy marriage.

There's power

in the fact

that it can display

the gospel

to the world.

Husband and wife.

The way the husband

loves the wife.

Christ and the church.

It can show people

what love

really looks like.

But the same is true

with God's word.

Like there's power

in God's word.

There's direction in it

and it too

can display the gospel

as we treasure it

and it becomes part

of our everyday life.

People around us

will see differences

when God's word

has infiltrated

our life.

Now verse 7

in Joshua chapter 1

Joshua 1 · chapter mention

says do according

to all the law

that Moses my servant

commanded you.

Do not turn from it

to the right hand

or to the left.

In other words

when it is treasured

it will not leave you

and you will not leave it.

It will always

be on your mind.

Verse 8 says

this book of the law

shall not depart

from your mouth

but you shall meditate

on it day and night

so that you may be careful

to do according

to all that is written

in it.

In your comings

and goings

it shall be on your lips

treasuring it.

Now that does not mean

that you are constantly

reciting scripture

or singing through songs

or scripture to songs

although it could

but that doesn't

necessarily mean that.

It means that

that like ingredients

that simmer on the stove

for stew

carrots

beef

onions

potatoes

you put it all in there

you mix it up

and you just let it

simmer on the stove.

Many ingredients

they mold together

and they become

one great flavor.

The word of God

simmers in you.

It changes your heart

and your desires

to match his desires.

The many ingredients

of you

of your life

your struggles

your world view

your culture

the culture around you

and the word of God

all simmer.

And it is the word of God

instead of

like the stew

all the ingredients

become one

it is the word of God

that rises out

that prevails

over the other flavors

that takes over

the other ingredients

in our life.

When we treasure

the word of God

we allow the word of God

to change us

by believing it

by living it

and by loving it.

So 2013

36 and a half hours

from now

can be the year

that you treasure

God's word

more than you have

in the previous years.

If you treasure

God's word

your life will be different.

You will act different

you will live different

you will talk different

you will love different.

When we treasure it

we don't try

to hoard it.

We don't try

to keep it for ourselves

and store it away.

That's what we do

with knowledge.

Some knowledge

we share

but when we treasure

something

we share it.

We give it out.

We let people know.

We will want to share

with anyone

and everyone

when we treasure

something.

So

be courageous

in believing

the promises of God.

Be courageous

in acting

on the promises

of God.

Be courageous

in treasuring

God's word.

And be courageous

in living out

the word of God.

Very similar

to the last one

or the second one

acting on the promises

of God

but a little different.

in our text

Joshua 1

1-9

God tells Joshua

twice to

be courageous

and strong.

Two separate times

reminds him

be courageous

and strong.

Now he does so

because he's telling

him to do something

right?

He's telling him

something that

that is new

something that

is dangerous

something that is

that is life

changing.

Now when we

believe the gospel

when we treasure

God's word

we will do things

that are new

to those around us.

We will do things

that are

different

maybe awkward

maybe

they can't

understand why

and I believe

as Christians

there will come

a moment

or moments

that God

will ask you

to do something

to the world

that may not

make any sense.

Are you willing

to do so?

Are you willing

to do something

that just seems

a little awkward

seems a little

different

and they just

don't get it?

For example

Jamie and I

went to see

Les Miserables

on the day

after Christmas

and we were

super happy

to do so

believe it or not

I was happy

to go see it.

The whole thing

is a musical

by the way

if you haven't

seen it

even in normal

conversations

are sung

so prepare yourself

if you're going

to see that.

There's probably

ten words

that aren't sung

in the whole

thing

but in the

story

in the story

of Les Mis

there's two

main characters

there's three

or four

but two

main characters

guys

Jean Valjean

is the one

main character

and he is

the criminal

he is the

bad guy

and then

there's

Javert

who is the

inspector

who has

been over

seeing

Jean Valjean

from in

prison

and then

trying to

catch him

because he

missed parole

throughout the

years of the

story

at the

beginning of

the story

Jean Valjean

gains his

freedom

and he

tries to find

work

and of course

he's a criminal

and nobody's

going to give him

work

and he finds

this church

and he falls

asleep on the

front porch

and in this

church

is a bishop

and the bishop

comes and he

wakes him up

in the middle

of the night

and of course

Jean Valjean

thinks

this guy's

going to run

me off

you know

I'm done

and the bishop

says come in

and he invites

him into the

into the house

and he feeds

him

lets him sit

by the fire

warms himself

gives him a bed

to sleep in

and in the middle

of the night

Jean Valjean

decides that

this isn't for me

I'm going to

steal what I

can

I'm going to

grab what I

can of the

bishops

the silver

and whatever

else I can

grab

and I'm

going to

run

well he gets

caught

he gets

caught

not by the

main inspector

but by some

other police

or whatever

and they

bring him

back

and they

confront

they put him

before the

bishop

and says

this man

has stolen

your stuff

and we want

you to just

claim your

stuff so that

we can put

him back in

prison forever

because he's

a criminal

and he's

nothing

and the

bishop says

well I

was trying

to get

him

but I

wanted to

get him

because he

had forgot

two of the

greatest

treasures I

have

which are

these

candle

stands

big huge

pieces of

silver

and he

said I

wanted him

to have

these too

so he

gives him

his greatest

treasure

forgives him

and shows him

mercy

well this

story

carries

throughout the

whole

rest of the

story

this is the

beginning of

the movie

and Jean

Valjean

decides to

because this

bishop had

shown him

mercy that

he was going

to live

differently

that he was

going to show

mercy when he

could that he

was going to

show grace to

people when he

could that he

was going to

give to the

poor and he

was no matter

how successful

in business he

was going to

be he was

going to provide

for people in

need and show

them mercy

comes to the

end towards the

end of the

movie and he

has an opportunity

Jean Valjean has

an opportunity to

kill the man

who has been

chasing him

the man who

had put him

in prison

the man who

tormented him

and he doesn't

kill him

he shows him

mercy

even in that

moment

drives Javert

crazy to the

point of suicide

the point is

I gave you

that whole thing

for this point

the grace

and the mercy

that you have

been shown

in Christ

Jesus

that grace

and that mercy

that Jean Valjean

had been shown

pales in

comparison to

the mercy

and the grace

that you have

been shown

in Christ

and that grace

and that mercy

should dictate

how we live

and how we love

one another

and how we love

others

and how we share

our lives

and how generous

we are

we can

forgive

when everything

around us

says to repay

hate

place judgment

on

we can be

courageous

in how we

live

because of the

grace and the

mercy that we

have been shown

there will also

be moments

in our lives

as Christians

that there will

be danger

involved

some level

of danger

it may not

be physical

but it will be

dangerous

are you willing

to submit

to God's

leading

and do

something

dangerous

for him

are you

willing to

in those

moments

decide now

that you're

going to

follow

no matter

what

wherever

that takes

you

wherever

that leads

Joshua

in our

text

a couple

chapters

later

he leads

chapter 3

he leads

the people

in the

promised

land

it says

in

can't find

it now

it says

that he

had caused

he'll cause

his people

to walk

and gain

the promised

land

he was

Jesus

like

in the

old

testament

there were

battles

there were

judgments

there was

danger

there was

sin

and there

was victory

Jesus

Christ

died

so that

he could

lead

his

people

into

the

eternal

promised

land

like

Joshua

did

here

Jesus

lived

a

sinless

life

died

with

the

sin

of

the

world

on

his

shoulders

he

died

in order

that

we

could

live

and he

leads

us

to

the

promised

land

if we

follow

him

until

that

until

that

time

when we

reach

the

promised

land

there

will

be

battles

we

will

fight

here

on

earth

there

will

be

struggles

there

will

be

sadness

and

sorrow

there

will

be

judgments

there

will

be

danger

there

will

be

victory

are

you

willing

to

trust

him

are

you

willing

to

believe

his

promises

and

to

repent

of

your

sins

and

follow

Jesus

it

will

be

the

most

courageous

thing

that

you

can

do

and

the

most

dangerous

and

the

most

rewarding

did

you

know

that

that

70%

of

patients

who

had

coronary

bypass

surgery

major

life

threatening

surgeries

they

may die

if

they

don't

have

the

surgery

70%

return

to

their

old

habits

within

two

years

70%

now

I'm

probably

one

of

those

I

haven't

had

coronary

surgery

or

anything

but

I

would

probably

be

one

of

those

it's

because

we

are

corrupt

it's

because

we

are

not

as

strong

as

we

think

we

are

we

need

pun

intended

a

heart

change

we

need

a

life

change

and

Jesus

is

strong

enough

he

is

!

victorious

over

sin

and

death

and

the

very

problems

we

face

he

has

beaten

so

let's

trust

him

today

let's

trust

him

December

30th

2012

we

can

be

courageous

in

believing

the

promises

of

God

we

can

be

courageous

in

acting

on

the

promises

of

God

we

can

be

courageous

in

treasuring

God's

word

and

we

can

be

courageous

in

living

out

the

word

of

God

now

I

started

by

talking

about

resolutions

and

how

the

reason

behind

resolutions

is

why

they

fail

God

can

change

a

heart

God

can

take

a

heart

of

stone

and

make

it

a

heart

of

flesh

he

can

change

your

desires

and

your

love

he

has

in

me

he

has

in

several

in

here

the

problem

isn't

if

God

can

because

he

can

the

problem

is

will

you

let

him

will

you

invite

him

to

change

your

!

will

you

ask

God

for

that

new

heart

so

that

your

resolution

can

see it

to the

end

that

you

can

be

a

man

or

woman

of

courage

not

for

your

name

not

for

your

glory

but

for

his

name

and

his

glory

let's

pray

together

!