Battling Discouragement | March 11, 2012 | Pastor Nathan Breneman

[SPEAKER_01]: So, as you're there in Proverbs, this is a wonderful text, and we're not going to be here, just kind of wanted to start out the service in this way.

[SPEAKER_01]: I titled the message battling discouragement.

[SPEAKER_01]: Any of you ever been discouraged in your life?

[SPEAKER_01]: Okay, we're all on the same boat.

[SPEAKER_01]: Discouragement happens, but I think the discouragement that hurts the most is when the kind of discouragement

[SPEAKER_01]: when you've been hurt by somebody else, that you didn't expect to be hurt from.

[SPEAKER_01]: I've been teaching and doing a series with the young people about answering God's call in their life, about fulfilling their call.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I ask the teenagers many times, do you believe that the God is calling you specifically to somewhere, and sometimes I'll have him stand up,

[SPEAKER_01]: say I believe that God calling me here or calling me to do this and it's just such a overwhelming thing to know what God has planned for you and to be able to do it with all of your might.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you know God's calling never deviate His word never changes and when He plants something into your heart it's for a purpose.

[SPEAKER_01]: But a lot of times we can use discouragement to

[SPEAKER_01]: Causes us to deviate or get away from what his call is.

[SPEAKER_01]: We can use it as an excuse to not fulfill his calling in our life.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm going to share with you, I mean, in this text, he that turns his ear from hearing the wall, even his prayers and the abomination, I think that's a wonderful text.

[SPEAKER_01]: But it says, who's so Causes the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall follow

[SPEAKER_01]: But the upright shall have good things in his possession.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think that the balance to this is when we're getting into and dealing with the discouragement is not being a discouragement either.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think we have to balance this text out and what we're going into.

[SPEAKER_01]: We've got to, and God's calling in a Christian's life, we must.

[SPEAKER_01]: We must not be a stumbling block to someone else.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think that probably most in this room have been on that side as well.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I know I have.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I want to propose to you a solution.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the solution on this, I think is going to be found in the book of Joshua.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I want you to turn there, the book of Joshua.

[SPEAKER_01]: I think we're going to have a word of prayer, and I want you to look at Joshua chapter number seven.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's have a word of prayer.

[SPEAKER_01]: Our father, we thank you for the time that you are allowing us to spend in your word.

[SPEAKER_01]: I ask Lord that you would speak through me.

[SPEAKER_01]: Please take me out of this place, and Lord allow your spirit to have free course here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I pray, Lord, that you would,

[SPEAKER_01]: teach us from your word or many of us have been discouraged.

[SPEAKER_01]: Some may be discouraged even now and maybe even some here are being the being the ones that are discouraging.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know any one's heart except for my own.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I asked Lord that your spirit again would have free course.

[SPEAKER_01]: Father would you teach us in Jesus name we pray.

[SPEAKER_01]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want to start off this way.

[SPEAKER_01]: about, oh, nine years ago, nine years ago, I was asked to be kind of an assistant coach in a soccer league, and I did play soccer.

[SPEAKER_01]: I was able to do that in high school on a little bit in college, and just love to be the goalkeeper, and that was the only place where you could actually have physical contact and get away with it, you know, throw the shoulders, I'm just teasing.

[SPEAKER_01]: Anyway, I don't, I'm not like that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I got an opportunity to work with these young guys.

[SPEAKER_01]: And on the team, it was a very good team, a very, the team was jelled together pretty well, but there was this one that was a stand-out athlete.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was a wonderful soccer player.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, the problem is he knew it.

[SPEAKER_01]: That was the problem.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he expected the ball every time.

[SPEAKER_01]: And his exact words were, if you want to win, give me the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: people like that on my team, whether I'm playing or coaching.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't really like that attitude anywhere, but if you want to score, if you want to win the game, you give me the ball with his mentality.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I saw that he had great talent, he would score, but many times he would do it, try to do it alone, and he would be going up against through a three guys, and he would try to fake them all out, and then he'd have the goalie to get in many times he failed, and missed the opportunity to pass the ball,

[SPEAKER_01]: And unlike wrestling or anything else, soccer, basketball, these type of things are a team sport.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not just about an individual.

[SPEAKER_01]: You win as a team, you lose as a team.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I think we all know that.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so I tried to speak with him.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I said, listen, I want you the next time you go down there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want you to pass the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't want you to shoot.

[SPEAKER_01]: And immediately, anger was in his face.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was ticked.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I said, I want you to pass the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he passed the ball.

[SPEAKER_01]: The right wing got it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he kicked and he hit it over the goal.

[SPEAKER_01]: He kicked it over the goal, missed it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he turds around.

[SPEAKER_01]: He goes, see.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I said the next time, I said, I want you to pass it again.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he came off the field.

[SPEAKER_01]: And literally, this kid, this young kid came up to my face

[SPEAKER_01]: Do you want to win this game or not?

[SPEAKER_01]: And I said, yes, you're off the team.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I kicked him off the team.

[SPEAKER_00]: The other coach that was there said, what are you doing?

[SPEAKER_00]: What are you doing?

[SPEAKER_00]: You're blowing every chance we have the win and the season with this game.

[SPEAKER_01]: And it is amazing what happened when this fellow get off the team.

[SPEAKER_01]: he was person and swearing and all this stuff and he left his parents were cursing swearing at me I mean it was just the way it was and he got off the team he left and we had to kids come over and I said now just play play like you know how to play and all of a sudden wouldn't you know it we win the game we were able to gel together and you know as a church body as a team whatever

[SPEAKER_01]: It is a team effort.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's a principle and discouragement that I think that I miss a lot.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we need other people when we're down.

[SPEAKER_01]: We need people to sharpen us, don't we?

[SPEAKER_01]: We need individuals to be able to be friend us and be there for us.

[SPEAKER_01]: But when we are discouraged, a lot of time it seems like we're alone.

[SPEAKER_01]: We ostracize ourselves from the rest of the group.

[SPEAKER_01]: In those times, and if you're going through that time, to be knit together, I want to encourage you to gel together, and like this individual that had to have it his way, and he was not teachable, I don't deny his talent, I don't deny what the gift that he had, but he was actually hurting the team, he was being a discouragement, because he was not listening

[SPEAKER_01]: He's not listening to authority.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's why in that first part of the text that was read, is that if we turn our ears away from hearing the law, even our prayer is an abomination to God.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you are a Christian here today, your ears should be open to God's Word and His instruction.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that's what the duty of all believers in Jesus Christ.

[SPEAKER_01]: You are to not.

[SPEAKER_01]: forsake his word.

[SPEAKER_01]: And in Joshua chapter seven, this story begins, you know, as, I'm, I'm sorry, we're going to be in seven, and it talks about, you know, the battle of AI and aches in.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I want to go back, keep your finger there and go back just to the very first chapter.

[SPEAKER_01]: Moses dies, and Josh was got to stand up, and he's got to lead, and one of the things that is probably the most difficult in his life was to lead after such a man as Moses.

[SPEAKER_01]: But God said to him, in verse number five,

[SPEAKER_01]: all the days of thy life, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

[SPEAKER_01]: God is teaching him something, you know, first of all, Joshua is humble.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's chosen servant of God.

[SPEAKER_01]: God is calling him to go and take the promised land, take it.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's yours.

[SPEAKER_01]: Don't worry, Joshua.

[SPEAKER_01]: I am going to be there for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: and he's calling him out.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the next part, there in verse number seven and eight, I want you to drop down there.

[SPEAKER_01]: It says, only be thou strong and very courageous that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses, my servant, commanded the turn not from it, to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper with or so ever thou goest.

[SPEAKER_01]: This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth.

[SPEAKER_01]: without shout, meditate there in day and night, and thou shout, thou mayest, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein.

[SPEAKER_01]: For then, thou shout, make thy way prosperous, and then thou shout, have good success or wisdom.

[SPEAKER_01]: Joshua is getting the call from God and now he's getting his orders.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's saying the very first thing, don't you dare,

[SPEAKER_01]: let my word go unread and unheard.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you want to win these battles in your wife, I'm going to give you the victory.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to give you strength to defeat your enemies.

[SPEAKER_01]: By the way, that's what Jesus Christ has given to us, isn't it?

[SPEAKER_01]: When we have been married to Jesus Christ, we are not to go back

[SPEAKER_01]: Jesus Christ back into sin that we've been saved from, or to be dead.

[SPEAKER_01]: And God says, listen, my word is foremost, it's important.

[SPEAKER_01]: So we see the encouragement that he gets.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not, and many times through this text, I'm not gonna leave you.

[SPEAKER_01]: Be courageous.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not gonna be there.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm gonna be there for you.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm never gonna leave you or forsake you.

[SPEAKER_01]: You see this.

[SPEAKER_01]: Verse 16, it says, and they answered Joshua saying, all that thou commandest us, we will do and whether so ever thou send us us, we will go.

[SPEAKER_01]: According, as we harkened unto Moses and all things, so will we harkened unto the only, the Lord, thy God, be with thee, as he was with Moses.

[SPEAKER_01]: Who's so ever, he be that Duffer and Bell

[SPEAKER_01]: Thy commandment, and he's talking about Joshua commandment, and will not harken unto thy words, and all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death only be strong and of good courage.

[SPEAKER_01]: The people were behind Joshua.

[SPEAKER_01]: Joshua had the hand of the Lord on him, and you know, one of the worries is where the people follow.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the people said, I, we are going to follow you.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're making a commitment to this man.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're going to follow you wherever you go.

[SPEAKER_01]: Any of you ever been in the military, raise your hand.

[SPEAKER_01]: Is the military about you, no?

[SPEAKER_01]: Do you have to trust people that you haven't even grown up with?

[SPEAKER_01]: That you don't even know.

[SPEAKER_01]: You are made to trust and you're in your contract.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're made to trust him or her.

[SPEAKER_01]: Is that hard?

[SPEAKER_01]: When your life is on the line, is that hard?

[SPEAKER_01]: Military men and women, anybody?

[SPEAKER_01]: Yes.

[SPEAKER_01]: This is extremely difficult to do that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But you are trusting.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, there's a principle in first Timothy, as Paul is teaching Timothy this young creature.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he says there, and you don't have to turn there, but you can, if you want.

[SPEAKER_01]: But first Timothy chapter four, verse one, he is going through with Timothy, here, here's what a deep in the supposed to be.

[SPEAKER_01]: Here's what, here's what a preacher's supposed to be like.

[SPEAKER_01]: this and this and this and he is lying at all up and then you know what he says in chapter number four he says in the last days Timothy you're a young person here's what's going to happen there are going to be individuals that that are going to leave the faith Timothy they're going to be people that are going to try to destroy you and what you are preaching against and what you are preaching the doctor and they're going to go and

[SPEAKER_01]: want to receive doctrines of devils and things that are a sinful and they're going to be people that you trusted.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're going to be people that have that you have literally spent time with and they're going to be leaving you the faith.

[SPEAKER_01]: We have all been there.

[SPEAKER_01]: We have all been hurt.

[SPEAKER_01]: It is not a cause to quit.

[SPEAKER_01]: be an example of a believer, be an example.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let no man despise your youth, in word, deed, whatever.

[SPEAKER_01]: Timothy, people are going to leave you that you've trusted.

[SPEAKER_01]: Are you still going to follow Jesus Christ?

[SPEAKER_01]: Just because somebody else chooses something else other than Jesus Christ or Christianity.

[SPEAKER_01]: Does his will stop when somebody says, I don't want any part of this anymore.

[SPEAKER_01]: No, it doesn't.

[SPEAKER_01]: His ministry is still going on.

[SPEAKER_01]: There are individuals that have gone out from among us that want nothing to do with the gospel.

[SPEAKER_01]: They don't want anything to do with the love of Jesus Christ.

[SPEAKER_01]: We are not to quit Christians.

[SPEAKER_01]: We are not to lose heart.

[SPEAKER_01]: We are to continue God's will.

[SPEAKER_01]: Isn't it great?

[SPEAKER_01]: We don't serve man.

[SPEAKER_01]: Isn't it great?

[SPEAKER_01]: We serve a God, a leader that never changes.

[SPEAKER_01]: You can wake up tomorrow morning in the Bible, never changes.

[SPEAKER_01]: So you see the commitment now in chapter one to Joshua.

[SPEAKER_01]: Joshua was committed to God.

[SPEAKER_01]: The people are committed to him.

[SPEAKER_01]: Things are looking great.

[SPEAKER_01]: Things are looking great.

[SPEAKER_01]: Chapter two, he sends out two spies.

[SPEAKER_01]: And they go and they spy the land out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, of course, Ray had the harlot.

[SPEAKER_01]: Who is the genealogy of Jesus Christ and Matthew chapter one?

[SPEAKER_01]: an awesome thing she hides the spies, she saves them from being killed and they go back and tell Joshua we can do this.

[SPEAKER_01]: And so you have Ray have the harlot and how chapter 3 Josh was ready to go and he's ready to go through the Jordan.

[SPEAKER_01]: He is God is starting to fight the battles for them before they even touch anybody.

[SPEAKER_01]: He splits the Jordan so they can walk across on dry land.

[SPEAKER_01]: Even set up 12 stones in the middle so that they will be remembered.

[SPEAKER_01]: And they walk across on dry land and the text teaches us that the enemies of Joshua, their hearts melted.

[SPEAKER_01]: They were scared to death and God was fighting their battles already.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, okay, sportsmanship, do you hear the news or on the radio, sportsmanship and gamesmanship, you know, the difference?

[SPEAKER_01]: Tell me what war that we've battled that we haven't used gamesmanship to be able to outsmart or outwit an opponent.

[SPEAKER_01]: Telling, I mean, listen, I have been in battles.

[SPEAKER_01]: Not battles, one of my talk about, I'm thinking of Joshua.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not doing it in the battle.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have been in these, how many here have their daughters or sons in a basketball program that are like little kids?

[SPEAKER_01]: Anybody like that?

[SPEAKER_01]: Anybody ever had that?

[SPEAKER_01]: It's okay.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not trying to, I'm not trying to set you up or anything.

[SPEAKER_01]: But you know what, I started coaching, I had to coach for Mark Campbell one time.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he coaches these little girl,

[SPEAKER_01]: and he's like, just coach for me and I get there and I'm like, okay, here's how we're going to score, we're going to do this and all that and we get out there and one of my girls stole the ball away from the other team because she was holding it and she grabbed it and she started running back and the other coach goes, no, no, no, no, no, we don't do that.

[SPEAKER_01]: We don't do that here.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm like, are you?

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm having a hard attack in the middle of the day because in a video of you know, I'm a little bit competitive and I'm like, no,

[SPEAKER_01]: I told her to do it, she was a standard, no, we don't steal the ball away from anybody, and we don't count the point, either.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like, I'm going after the game, I'm calling Mark, I'm like, I don't ever ask me because I just about had a heart attack on the middle of the court.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, don't ever ask me to coach this, I mean, I, and of course I go on with this, what are we teaching our children today, teaches them that everybody wins, this is not true.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not true.

[SPEAKER_01]: Man, we are telling our children lies, you know, people lose.

[SPEAKER_01]: Some of my best, the best games I've ever played or whatever, it has been when I lost because I learned from it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Nobody learns when there's no loser.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, please forgive me about talk, that's just two weeks in a row because Pastor said this last week about a hunting illustration, please forgive me.

[SPEAKER_01]: But you know what, a couple of years ago, I had an opportunity at a buck of a lifetime.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was big, I mean, he was huge.

[SPEAKER_01]: 10 point, big white antlers, 150 inch, 160 inch deer, if any of you know what hunting is, that's a big deer.

[SPEAKER_01]: Had an opportunity at him, I like to think of myself as able to call any deer end any time.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I was able to call this deer end 15 yards away.

[SPEAKER_01]: That literally means he was close to the end of the wall

[SPEAKER_01]: And the only shot I had was, it is middle.

[SPEAKER_01]: And that's not an ethical shot and I won't take it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I saw a drone back and I temptation was to kill that deer.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I had to let it go.

[SPEAKER_01]: I called him in three times that morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: And each time he was within 15 yards and I couldn't kill him.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I had to let him walk.

[SPEAKER_01]: You can ask my wife when I called her.

[SPEAKER_01]: I almost threw up because I was so nervous.

[SPEAKER_01]: about how nervous I am right now.

[SPEAKER_01]: But anyway, I was so nervous when I watched that deer walk away and all I could see with his antlers walking away and I'm like, I'm like, oh, I can't believe this and I can't believe it.

[SPEAKER_01]: But as I look at that hunt and think about that, I learned so much about how deer react to different types of calls and I learned so much about that and I lost.

[SPEAKER_01]: I didn't get them and then they ever got them at all.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's a long

[SPEAKER_01]: the landowner, I actually helped him shoot the deer.

[SPEAKER_01]: That was great because he gave me the deer.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was pretty cool.

[SPEAKER_01]: But anyway, I lost.

[SPEAKER_01]: I lost.

[SPEAKER_01]: But I would replay that hunt a hundred times because I learned so much.

[SPEAKER_01]: Losing is important.

[SPEAKER_01]: It helps us to know and solidify in our mind the goals that we have, that we are going to continue on, no matter what.

[SPEAKER_01]: bumps in the road discouragement are important for us as Christians.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's real life.

[SPEAKER_01]: I was talking with my son this school this morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: Don't be afraid to take your kids out in public because you know what we're afraid of that they're going to mess up, but they're going to keep talking or they're going to say what's a matter with that person or what's the, you know, and they're going to point you this out.

[SPEAKER_01]: Listen, our kids are human, we're human and people need to know how you react to that and how you teach your kids in public.

[SPEAKER_01]: Don't be afraid of failure, but use it for a better goal.

[SPEAKER_01]: You see, if you don't take care of it, it will never happen.

[SPEAKER_01]: It will continue to get worse.

[SPEAKER_01]: So if you learn anything today, don't take your kid, make sure your kids make sure that they learn what it is to lose and to win.

[SPEAKER_01]: Learn that.

[SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes the discouragement is exactly what we need.

[SPEAKER_01]: But Joshua was getting ready to cross the Jordan.

[SPEAKER_01]: He's getting ready to take Jericho, which is the very first battle.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he's saying, OK, everything, the people lined up.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm lined up with God.

[SPEAKER_01]: The people are lined up with God.

[SPEAKER_01]: I got to trust them that they're going to do what they're supposed to do in an chapter number five.

[SPEAKER_01]: And specifically, in verse number two, the first kind of test

[SPEAKER_01]: The circumcision, again, in verse number two, is that time the Lord said unto Joshua right before the battle, right before they cross, right before everything, I'm not before they cross, but after they cross, here's what's gonna happen.

[SPEAKER_01]: Lord said unto Joshua, make the sharp knives and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

[SPEAKER_01]: And in verse number nine, it says this, and the Lord said unto Joshua this day,

[SPEAKER_01]: I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off of you, wherefore, the name of this place is called Gilgal onto this day.

[SPEAKER_01]: That cutting away of the flesh was a symbolic thing for us, even today.

[SPEAKER_01]: It has to happen for us to be victorious in the battles that God is calling us to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: How can we share the gospel of Jesus Christ with anyone when we're living in sin?

[SPEAKER_01]: When we wish we were back into sin, oh, I wish I was back into Egypt.

[SPEAKER_01]: How many times did Moses hear that?

[SPEAKER_01]: Like a thousand.

[SPEAKER_01]: I wish we were back in, did you bring us out here to starve?

[SPEAKER_01]: First of all, what was even me?

[SPEAKER_01]: It was God that brought us here, okay?

[SPEAKER_01]: And you messed up.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's so what he's saying is listen now, the cutting away of the flesh, that has been so important.

[SPEAKER_01]: So after they heal, now they're ready to go out pure, because they have a focus now.

[SPEAKER_01]: on the Lord Jesus Christ, and they have a focus on what God has in store for them.

[SPEAKER_01]: So chapter five is an important text.

[SPEAKER_01]: But then you go to chapter six, chapter six, a Jericho, and that is a really interesting text.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we don't have a whole lot of time because I wanted to develop this, but in verse number 18 and chapter six, it says this.

[SPEAKER_01]: Before they were getting ready to go into battle, it said,

[SPEAKER_01]: In verse 18, and ye, and any wise, keep yourselves from the accursed thing, unless ye make yourselves accursed when you take of the accursed thing and make the camp of Israel curse and trouble it.

[SPEAKER_01]: The warning goes again, listen, this, these things, the good things that are in there, the valuable things are for God.

[SPEAKER_01]: They're not for you this time.

[SPEAKER_01]: So you may not touch them.

[SPEAKER_01]: You may not take them.

[SPEAKER_01]: And here comes the temptation.

[SPEAKER_01]: God gives them a miraculous victory of Jericho.

[SPEAKER_01]: The walls fall down.

[SPEAKER_01]: And they go and take the city.

[SPEAKER_01]: Ray Habis saved her and her family, everyone in the house.

[SPEAKER_01]: And everything is looking great.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now, we come to chapter seven.

[SPEAKER_01]: Now is when the discouragement is going to happen.

[SPEAKER_01]: In chapter seven, we pick up in verse number one.

[SPEAKER_01]: Excuse me.

[SPEAKER_01]: It says, but the children of Israel committed a trust pass in the cursing thing.

[SPEAKER_01]: For Aiken, the son of Karma, the son of Zabadi, the son of Zara,

[SPEAKER_01]: of the tribe of Judah took the accursed thing, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel, and Joshua sent men from Jericho to AI, which was beside Beth Haven, and the east side of Bethel and spake unto them saying, go up and view the country, and the men went up and viewed AI, and a return to Joshua and set unto him,

[SPEAKER_01]: Let not all the people go up.

[SPEAKER_01]: But let about two or 3,000 men go up and smite.

[SPEAKER_01]: AI make, it's my AI, and make not all the people to labor-fither for they are but few.

[SPEAKER_01]: So there went up, fither the people about 3,000 men.

[SPEAKER_01]: And they fled before the men of AI.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the men of AI smoked of them about 36 men

[SPEAKER_01]: Uh, it's smoked them in the going down where for the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

[SPEAKER_01]: Somebody didn't tell A.I.

[SPEAKER_01]: to be afraid, okay?

[SPEAKER_01]: A.I.

[SPEAKER_01]: fought back.

[SPEAKER_01]: I believe that in going into this battle, other than A.K.'

[SPEAKER_01]: 's problem in his sin, another

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's not let all the people labor.

[SPEAKER_01]: Let's only make a part of our army.

[SPEAKER_01]: We can take them.

[SPEAKER_01]: We can take them.

[SPEAKER_01]: Being knit together.

[SPEAKER_01]: Joshua and his army forgot the importance of being together.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I believe that was part of the problem.

[SPEAKER_01]: We know that A can send.

[SPEAKER_01]: But we don't even see here where Joshua went to prayer.

[SPEAKER_01]: He does next, he went right into it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And when the battle was over at AI, it said that their hearts melted like water.

[SPEAKER_01]: The unbelievable confidence that they had in going into this Jericho and now AI was unbelievable.

[SPEAKER_01]: Have you seen any basketball games lately?

[SPEAKER_01]: It's some of the confident individuals and they're playing and they're not expected.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, there's a lot of people in the basketball fan or basketball teams that didn't think some of these teams are still gonna be in it and some of these big teams have lost.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not saying it's all because of their pride or whatever, but I'm just saying I'm real when I love a comeback story though.

[SPEAKER_01]: I love it when but I don't like this story.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't like it when AI showed them what for.

[SPEAKER_01]: Because of the sin of one individual and his family, 36 men died, 36.

[SPEAKER_01]: 3,000 went into battle 36.

[SPEAKER_01]: Some of us would say, well, that's not a big deal.

[SPEAKER_01]: Somebody's going to die.

[SPEAKER_01]: One person's a big deal.

[SPEAKER_01]: One person is a huge deal.

[SPEAKER_01]: And Aiken didn't even, he didn't even could kill.

[SPEAKER_01]: He probably wasn't even in there.

[SPEAKER_01]: You look at this and their hearts melted

[SPEAKER_01]: It's his, and Joshua rent his clothes and fell on the earth upon his face before the arc of the Lord until the even tide and he and the elders of Israel and put dust on their heads.

[SPEAKER_01]: And Joshua said, Alas, a Lord God, wherefore has thou had all brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hand of the Amarites and destroy us?

[SPEAKER_01]: What to God we had been content and dwell on the other side of Jordan?

[SPEAKER_01]: You see the discouragement.

[SPEAKER_01]: breathes a lack of confidence in what God is planning for us.

[SPEAKER_01]: You see how one man sin has affected the general of the army?

[SPEAKER_01]: One man sin affected the general who said, listen, I'm calling God said, I'm calling you out to lead these people because of this, it caused him to lose confidence in what God's calling was and his life have you been there right now in your life or you

[SPEAKER_01]: Are you losing the focus of ministry and other people because of something or some sin somebody else has done?

[SPEAKER_01]: Listen, sin affects more people than you and it hurts.

[SPEAKER_01]: I have been hurt and more ways than one this past year.

[SPEAKER_01]: Hurts, we cannot allow that and I cannot allow that to make me lose focus on the ministry

[SPEAKER_01]: How are you?

[SPEAKER_01]: I've already said in verse 8, I'm sorry, verse number nine, well, I forgot to do a, it says, oh Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns their backs for their enemies?

[SPEAKER_01]: And that's the big thing, you know, you think of Ephesians where the armor of the Lord does not cover the back and only covers the front of the individual because there's no place for turning back.

[SPEAKER_01]: and what am I going to say for the canonites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear it and shall and viron us around and cut off our name from the earth and what will how do unto thy great name and the Lord said unto Joshua get the up wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face Israel has sinned and you know what they do they find out who it is and they take care of it

[SPEAKER_01]: they take care of it, you know, my son, Micah, when he was four years old or in that area, he was running around the house and he climbed up on a chair and say he was chasing him and he fell backwards, putting his elbow behind his back as he fell and he broke

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, I knew they were broke instantly because of his sad, I mean, like he wasn't hardly crying.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was just you could tell.

[SPEAKER_01]: He was at so much pain.

[SPEAKER_01]: Of course, I mean, die.

[SPEAKER_01]: She handles everything real well.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm like freaking out.

[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if any of you husbands like that, but I'll tell you what.

[SPEAKER_01]: I just, I can't, I can, you know, I'm a hunter.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can do all the things that need to be happened with, but when somebody gets hurt, I just melt.

[SPEAKER_01]: I can't, I mean, I can't stand that at all.

[SPEAKER_01]: his life's over.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, he broke his arm.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, all the plans I had for him are gone now.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I've taken, and here's Micah, and he's holding his arm, and he goes, he comes back, and he gets, he has this cast on for a few weeks, and he only can't tell how his arms healing yet, and we take him in to get the cast cut off, and the doctor has a fee.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, this day to cut it off, it doesn't even cut

[SPEAKER_01]: Mike is just, I mean, just ball, I can say it's not a good idea, it's not a good idea.

[SPEAKER_01]: I mean, he wanted that cast on there, but what he didn't know was his arm, where it broke, was stronger than what it was even before at that place where it broke.

[SPEAKER_01]: And he had nothing to worry about, because it was stronger.

[SPEAKER_01]: It was knit together all back the right way.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he was holding on to

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I just want that security of that cast.

[SPEAKER_01]: And yet he didn't realize that when it was cut off, he would have a lot of freedom, even enjoy right back to where he was before.

[SPEAKER_01]: And yet in doing that and that bone being reconstructed, I want you to look at at collossions.

[SPEAKER_01]: And as you're looking there, oh, I cannot forget this.

[SPEAKER_01]: You can look at Colossians, but I have gotta go back to Joshua to show you at the end of the story.

[SPEAKER_01]: What a silly, silly.

[SPEAKER_01]: That's why I'm the assistant pastor.

[SPEAKER_01]: Not the pastor, you know.

[SPEAKER_01]: And Joshua, after eight, divorce is one and two, I gotta tell you this, man.

[SPEAKER_01]: It says this.

[SPEAKER_01]: And the Lord said unto Joshua, fear not, neither be thou just made, take what's the next word, all.

[SPEAKER_01]: take all the people of war with thee and arise and go up to AI and he got says I'm giving you that glance.

[SPEAKER_01]: What a contrast.

[SPEAKER_01]: They get things right, they get things taken care of.

[SPEAKER_01]: And God says, listen, I want you to be knit together.

[SPEAKER_01]: Joshua, I want all of you to go to battle together, not just some.

[SPEAKER_01]: Northside Baptist exists because

[SPEAKER_01]: all are asked to be involved.

[SPEAKER_01]: All are important.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not just the pastors, it's not just the deacons, it's not just the trustees, this church functions that lives and dies by the involvement of the people.

[SPEAKER_01]: All these ministries that have been shown to you are opportunities for you to be involved.

[SPEAKER_01]: We need all of us together to reach our community.

[SPEAKER_01]: We want our community to be

[SPEAKER_01]: But you know what, we think of who, what are we doing to change that?

[SPEAKER_01]: What are you doing to affect Elcart?

[SPEAKER_01]: Or are you just coming, living your own life, doing what you want to do, and coming to church?

[SPEAKER_01]: It's real easy.

[SPEAKER_01]: Really easy to do that.

[SPEAKER_01]: But God has a plan for us, because He loves us and He wants to see us excel in what He is called us to do.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we need each other to fulfill his calling.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I'm going to go to Colossians now, since I told you the rest of the story, Colossians, and chapter number two, if you'll turn there, I love Colossians.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's much to learn about it.

[SPEAKER_01]: And we don't have time to go through everything, but I'm going to go to chapter two, verse one.

[SPEAKER_01]: It says, for I would that you knew

[SPEAKER_01]: I had for you in that interesting, and for them at Leidicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together

[SPEAKER_01]: to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and the Father and of Christ.

[SPEAKER_01]: And verse six says, as you have therefore received Christ, Jesus, the Lord, so walk ye in him.

[SPEAKER_01]: The Bible speaks many times about unity.

[SPEAKER_01]: Unity in the churches, unity in the faith.

[SPEAKER_01]: Why does it spend so much time in the Book of 1 Corinthians, talking about, or second Corinthians, talking about,

[SPEAKER_01]: how we need to abstain or be separate from unbelievers, if you will, because we're weak without each other.

[SPEAKER_01]: We need to be reminded what we are and who we are about and what our focus is.

[SPEAKER_01]: Please be encouraged Christian today to remember that God has a plan for you and that you

[SPEAKER_01]: to take up the cross, follow Jesus Christ.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, in closing Hebrews chapter 12, I've mentioned this quite a bit, but in Hebrews chapter 12, it says, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and was set down at the right hand, the throne of God.

Hebrews 12 · chapter mention Hebrews 12 · chapter mention

[SPEAKER_01]: Jesus Christ, joyfully went through, you want to talk about discouragement, where was Peter, where were the rest of the disciples, people spitting on him because he had done nothing wrong.

[SPEAKER_01]: But he says, who for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross for you?

[SPEAKER_01]: Do you see how Jesus Christ looks at discouragement?

[SPEAKER_01]: And when other people let him down, he looks on us.

[SPEAKER_01]: I love Romans after eight.

[SPEAKER_01]: It says, but he commended his love toward us and while we were yet sinners, Romans 5, eight, Christ died for us.

[SPEAKER_01]: And while we were yet sinners, do you know how he looked at the people putting him on the cross?

[SPEAKER_01]: He loved them.

[SPEAKER_01]: That is 100% true.

[SPEAKER_01]: He loved them.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, that's long to be a Delorosa.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, I play the soldier in that part for a couple of years and, man, I mean, we're just acting like we're beating up Jesus.

[SPEAKER_01]: We're acting like we're putting nails in his feet and hands.

[SPEAKER_01]: And I feel guilty then, but God's love set any, and it will set any individual because on him free.

[SPEAKER_01]: He looks at you, he has a purpose for you, and he loves you.

[SPEAKER_01]: He did it for you, and if you're here, my friend, and you are not a Christian, maybe all this stuff that I've been talking about has been foreign to you.

[SPEAKER_01]: that Jesus Christ, if you are the only individual in this world, would have gladly died for you to save your soul.

[SPEAKER_01]: He died and he rose again, the Bible teaches us that because He loves you.

[SPEAKER_01]: The Bible also teaches anyone that calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want to encourage you, listen to my friend, if you are here and you say, Pastor Nathan,

[SPEAKER_01]: Nothing in my life, nothing represents Jesus Christ in my life.

[SPEAKER_01]: I've hated to live, maybe you are a teenager and just grew up in a Christian home and it's la la la la, you don't even care about Jesus Christ.

[SPEAKER_01]: You're only here because you're paying, listen, God still loves you, even though you're a moron, okay?

[SPEAKER_01]: No, I'm serious, God still loves you.

[SPEAKER_01]: He looks past the filth.

[SPEAKER_01]: He looks past the heart, and he says, I still love you.

[SPEAKER_01]: No matter what, God still loves you.

[SPEAKER_01]: And He made an opportunity in a way for us to know Him, do not reject it this morning.

[SPEAKER_01]: Bible teaches us that He was beaten for our transgressions, beyond recognition.

[SPEAKER_01]: He wore a crown of thorns, he was nailed to a tree, he died, he rose again to conquer death.

[SPEAKER_01]: You know, it's really interesting because I don't care where you are here, what you're believing, I'm going to tell you the truth, are you ready for it?

[SPEAKER_01]: Whatever happens in this lifetime has eternal results.

[SPEAKER_01]: You are an eternal being.

[SPEAKER_01]: and a being that is internal, eternal.

[SPEAKER_01]: You because of your sin, you've got to die.

[SPEAKER_01]: 10 out of 10, like Pastor Carl said, 10 out of 10 people, they die.

[SPEAKER_01]: There's a reason for that.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's not because of the cancer, it's not because of disease, it's because of sin.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you will die for the only cause of this, it's just sin.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you know what, but your soul will not die.

[SPEAKER_01]: It will live forever and you will get a brand new body someday have it Christians unsaved unsafe people they're all going to get brand new bodies when they die they're able to feel and to see they're able to experience but that perfect body is never going to ever be able to die the reality the truth is that if you die

[SPEAKER_01]: And this lifetime without the Lord Jesus Christ, you will get a new body and you will be punished for your sin.

[SPEAKER_01]: Instead of allowing Jesus Christ to take it for you, like I have.

[SPEAKER_01]: And you will live eternal death for eternity.

[SPEAKER_01]: Never to escape.

[SPEAKER_01]: We see the difference between that and me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to have him because I placed my trust in Jesus Christ who died for the sin of the whole world.

[SPEAKER_01]: I want to invite you if you're here and you've never trusted Jesus Christ in your life.

[SPEAKER_01]: You've never called upon God so God, please save me.

[SPEAKER_01]: I am a sinner and I know that now, I need it.

[SPEAKER_01]: Don't wait.

[SPEAKER_01]: Christian, if you're here today and you say, you know what, I've been discouraged and it's causing me to lose focus on my Savior.

[SPEAKER_01]: It's causing me to lose focus on my calling.

[SPEAKER_01]: I've got call me to do this and I'm not doing it because I'm discouraged about all these other people, all these other people, listen, don't be discouraged.

[SPEAKER_01]: Get yourself up, it starts serving the Lord.

[SPEAKER_01]: We don't trust in people around here.

[SPEAKER_01]: We trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you all please stand,

[SPEAKER_01]: It had bells, it had bells, and I close.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you hear this morning and you say, I know that I'm not saved.

[SPEAKER_01]: I know what's a big deal for you to come forward.

[SPEAKER_01]: I know that's a big deal for you to say, I need to get this right, but listen.

[SPEAKER_01]: I'm asking you, I'm inviting you to come forward today so that we can get things right.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you're a man, we'll have a man take you to show you how to be saved.

[SPEAKER_01]: If you're a young lady or an old lady, it doesn't even matter.

[SPEAKER_01]: Come and receive Jesus Christ.

[SPEAKER_01]: Do not leave here today without knowing Him personally.

[SPEAKER_01]: Christian, it's time to stand.

[SPEAKER_01]: You are our pillars, this week, two pillars in our church, when home to be what Jesus

[SPEAKER_01]: We've got to be knit together, and it's time to put away childless things and be knit together.

[SPEAKER_01]: Take care of sin right now, as for amplaced.