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