Morningstar First Service - 2024/06/23

Star Family good morning how you doing uh Pastor Jack and Debbie have been on vacation all week and they're going to be uh heading back tomorrow so we pray that they had a a great time and are refreshed when to get back with us on Wednesday so uh but we look forward to what the Lord's going to do this morning so let's go ahead and pray and lift up this service father we thank you for all that you're doing here at Morning Star and uh pray that by your spirit you would do Great and Mighty things here this morning um may we as we lift up our words and song Up To You Lord may it just be a a Sweet Sweet Sound to your ear we love you Lord and we ask that you bless this time now in Jesus name amen amen well let's go ahead and stand and let's take some time to Worship the Lord [Music] [Music] together greting your faithfulness oh God you wrestle with a sinner's heart you lead us by Still Waters into mercy and nothing can keep us upart so remember your people remember your children remember your promise oh God your grace is enough your grace is enough your grace is enough for me Great Is Your Love And Justice God you use the weak to Le the strong you lead us in the song of your salvation and all your people sing along so remember your people remember your children remember your promise oh God your grace is enough your grace is enough Your Grace is Enough For Me Your Grace your grace is enough your grace is enough your grace is enough for me so remember so remember your people remember your children remember your promise so God your grace is enough your grace is enough Your Grace is Enough For Me Heaven Reaching Your Grace is Enough Heaven reaching down to us your grace is enough for me God I see your grace is enough I'm covered in your love your grace is enough not covered in your love your grace is enough for me for me [Music] amen you can be [Music] seated you choose a humble and raise them high you choose the weak and make them strong you heal our Brokenness inside and give us life the same love that set the captives free the same love that open eyes to S is calling us all by name you are calling us all by name the same God that spread the heavens wide the same God that was crucified is calling us all by name you are calling us all by [Music] name you take the V this one aside and speak the words you are M you call the cic and the pr [Music] come to me now same love that set the captives free the same love that open eyes to see is calling us all by name you are calling us all by name the same God that's spr the heavens wide the same God that was crucified is calling us all by name you are calling us all by name oh oh oh [Music] you're calling you're calling you're calling us to the Cross you're calling you're calling you're calling us to the Cross you're calling you're calling you're calling us to the Cross you're calling you're call in you're calling us to the cross the same love that set the cape the same love that open eyes to see is coming the Sol by name you are calling a all by name the sing God that sprad the heavens wide the sing God that was C II is calling us all by name you are calling us all by oh oh oh oh you're calling you're calling you're calling us to the Cross call call [Music] call all right let's uh turn to Psalm 40 this morning for our scripture reading Psalm 40 a Psalm about persevering Faith through trials and I'll read the odd numbered verses and you can follow along with Pastor Gerard the even numbered verses so let's go ahead and stand as we read Psalm 40 together this morning I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined to me and heard My Cry he also brought me out and set my feet on ack and establish my steps he has put a new song in my mouth praise to our God many will see it and fear and will trust in the Lord blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust and does not respect nor such is turn to many oh Lord my God are your wonderful Works which you have done and your thoughts towards us cannot be recounted you in order if I would declare and speak of them they are more than could be numbered sacrifice and offering he did not desire ears have burnt offering and sin offering you do not require then I said behold I come in the scroll of the book it is written of me I Delight to do your will oh my God and your law is written within my heart I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly indeed I do not restrain my lips oh Lord you yourself know I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation I have not concealed your loving kindness and your Truth for the great assembly do not withhold your Tender Mercies from me oh Lord let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me for innumerable evils have surrounded me my iniquities have overtaken me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart fails me be pleased oh Lord to deliver me oh Lord make haste to help me let them be ashamed and brought to Mutual confusion who seek to destroy my life let them be driven backward and brought to dishonor who wish me evil let them be confounded because of their shame who say to me aha aha let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you let such as love your salvation say continually the Lord be magnified but I am poor and needy yet the Lord thinks upon me you are my help and my deliverer do not Del lay oh my god oh father thank you for being our help even in this difficult world that we live in you're always there to help us truly Lord as a psalmist writes be magnified be magnified in our lives and this morning as we seek you we love you Lord thank you for your faithfulness we pray in Jesus name amen you may be seated and as you're sitting down if you want to take out your bulletins we'll look over our announcements for this morning as was mentioned Pastor Jack will be back this coming Wednesday we're also going to be celebrating communion together spending some time gathering around the Lord's table in remembrance of all that he has done on our behalf so plan on joining us the service starts at 7 o'clock right here in the main sanctuary and we'd love to have you join us as well as we celebrate communion uh we do want to let you know that with Independence Day coming up we do have some uh office and church closures that we want to let you know about we will be closed the church office will be closed from Wednesday which is actually the 3 all the way through till Friday the 5th uh and that's an observance of Independence Day as a result um everything will resume again Monday on July the 8th but the Wednesday night service will not be held as well as the young adult I'm sorry the young at heart Bible study the Watts Outreach and then the crosswalk young adult all of those meetings will not be H handled or well they'll be handled but they won't be meeting I don't know on those three days so just mark your calendars and know from Wednesday the 3D through the 5th uh will be closed you know so often Jesus took his disciples away away from from the crowds just to be off by themselves and to spend some time with him and our high schoolers are going to get opportunity to do that with their Retreat coming up they're going to be leaving on Sunday July the 7th at 2:00 in the afternoon and then they'll be on their Retreat from then through till the following Wednesday they'll be up at Camp Pendleton doing some camping there but really more importantly spending some time with the Lord and fellowship with each other as well so if you have a high schooler you want to get them signed up the last day to do so will be June the 30th so you want to make sure that you get them signed up and you can do so online we do have our vacation bible school coming up so if you haven't registered your kids for that yet we encourage you to do that if they're three years old and potty trained all the way up through sixth grade they can be part of our vacation bible school the theme this year is scuba I like that I used to do that actually it's wonderful to be underwater never mind but the kids are going to get to a chance to take a deep dive into their relationship with the Lord so again you can register them online uh for that and that's from again kids that are three years old all the way up through sixth grade and then finally uh speaking of VBS if you'd like to help volunteer during that week um that's going to be July the 22nd through the 26th uh you certainly can come and help and do that get yourself registered over in room three and uh we'll get you signed up to an an activity that will fit you best but it's a great time to spend time ministering to the kids well let's go ahead and pray Lord as we have gathered here it's our desire that we would just indeed continue in this place of worship as we lift up our voices to you and Lord acknowledge that these words that we sing uh through the inspiration of your Holy Spirit become Eternal because they are based on your word and we long and desire to draw closer to you through that time and may we also Worship You Lord through our giving of tithes and offerings Lord as they really now have that opportunity to worship you in that place and we ask humbly that you would receive them now in Jesus name amen from beginning to the end all my life is in your hands this whole world may hold me down but it can never drown you out I'm not merely Flesh and Bones I was made for something more you are God you're the great I Breath of Life I breathe you even in the FL I'm alive in you you are strong in my Brokenness Sovereign over every step even in the I'm alive I'm alive in [Music] you praise you Lord Jesus we have our life and our being through you through the dark I hear your voice rising up I will rejoice for I was lost but but now I'm found cuz even death can hold you down I'm not merely flesh and B I was made for something more you are God you're The Great I Am Breath of Life I breathe you in even in the fire I'm alive in you you are strong in my Brokenness Sovereign over every step even in the fire I'm alive I'm alive in you [Music] it's no longer I who live but Christ who lives Within Me Christ who lives Within Me from beginning to the end you deserve the glory you deserve the glory it's no longer it's no longer I who live Christ who lives Within Me Christ who lives Within Me from beginning to the end you deserve the glory you deserve the glory you are God you're The Great I Am Breath of Life I bre you in even in the fire I'm alive in you you are strong in my Brokenness Sovereign over every step even in the fire I'm alive in you you are God you're The Great I Am Breath of Life I breathe you in even in the fire I'm alive in you you are strong in my Brokenness Sovereign over every step even in the I'm alive I'm alive in you I'm alive in you [Music] I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not [Music] enough every single lie that tells me I will never measure [Music] up am I more than just a the sum of every high and every [Music] low remind me once again just who I am because I need to [Music] know you say I'm Lov I can't feel a thing you say I am strong I think I am we you say I am held and I am falling short when I don't belong you say I am yours and I believe oh I believe what you say of me I believe the only thing that matters now is everything you think of [Music] me in you I find my worth in you I find my idty oh you say I'm love I can feel the things you say I am strong I think I am weak you say I am hell when I am falling short when I don't belong you say I am yours and I believe oh I believe what you say of me I believe let's all stand taking all I have and now I'm laying it at your feet you have every fail your God and you have every [Music] Victory you say I'm love I can't feel the pain you say I am strong I think I am weak you say I am hell when I am falling short when I don't belong you say I'm yours cuz you say I'm love when I can't feel the thing you say I'm strong and I think I'm weak [Music] you say I am hell when I am falling short when I don't belong you say I am yours and from oh I believe what you say of me I believe I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not [Music] enough and Lord May the voice that we hear within our heart of hearts be that gentle Whisper Of Your Love be that reassurance of your mercy and be that overbounding and act of your grace Lord God in our lives that we can walk forward knowing that you're there with us every step of the way you'll never leave or forsake us you will see us through Lord as you promised to the End of the Age all authority given to you what need we fear so as we turn to your word now Lord we ask humbly that you would anoint Pastor Rich as he becomes your mouthpiece and may he speak that message you've laid upon his heart May our hearts receive it in Jesus name amen all right Morning Star Family Let's uh turn to the Book of Joshua chapter 1 this morning the Book of Joshua chapter 1 and we're going to take a look at verses 6- 18 let's go ahead and pray father we thank you for this time that we can gather in your name and for all that you've been doing in our lives all that you have done and all that you're going to do and I pray for each and every person here this morning that you'd speak to us that we truly would have ears to hear what you would have to say to us we love you Lord and thank you in Jesus name amen have you ever been discouraged sure you have we all have you know when we look at the news headlines when we uh see the way the world is headed it's discouraging when things just don't seem to be working out like we planned it can be discouraging and you know what's really discouraging is my golf game yeah any other golfers here why do we do it why do I do it that's what I should say you know there are days when I think I got it totally mastered and then the next time I play it's like I never played before I can you know be riding on the clouds thinking I'd mastered the game and then I could be wallowing in the abyss it's that's Golf and it can be so discouraging uh let me tell you a short gol golf story it was about 34 35 years I was thinking this morning around there and Pastor Jack and I were in our 30s I know that's hard to even picture but we were in our 30s the uh the church was kind of young we were kind of young and there was a brother in the body who was pretty well to do and he invited Jack and I to go play golf with him and he was going to treat and he was going to take us to a really nice golf course in Orange County we're like yeah let's do this and so we were down there and Pastor Jack and I were writing in one card and and the brother who invited us was in another cart and you know we're playing and and Jack and I we were doing pretty good not great but we're doing doing all right but the brother who invited us he was having a rough day he was getting discouraged and that kind of got the best of him and I forget exactly which hole it was it was round hole number 12 and uh Jack and I were already on the green and we're just standing there waiting for him to hit up and he was in the bunker right by the green and he's trying to hit out he's trying to hit out wouldn't get it out then he hits it go sailing over the green into the trees and he didn't say anything but he took his sand wedge and he threw it up in the air and I still remember it doing this thing and it landed in a palm tree right by the green it's one it's one of those palm trees with the flat leaves you know the round flat leaves it was just sitting there on that palm leaf and and that brother got into his golf cart and he just took off and went to the next hole and so Pastor Jack and I are looking at each other I mean we felt bad for I mean he invited us and paid for the round so all right let's get the sandwich so we walk up to the palm tree and it was I'm thinking about 20 feet high and so Pastor Jack said here grab the sand rig and give it to me and so for you non-golfers sand traps have at least one rake in the bunker and so so you can smooth it out after you've been in there so I give Pastor Jack the rake and he's trying to reach it but it's still too high so he throws sand break trying to knock it off and now there's a sand wedge and a sand rake on that leaf and I'm looking at him really I go let me try Okay so I go to another bunker and I grab a sand rake I'm going okay let me come and now there's two sand raes and a wedge on that leaf and we're just standing underneath we're like now what do we do and you know that feeling you get when you feel like somebody's staring at you so we're both looking up and I look back I go Jack the Marshall's behind us and he had been watching the he he had come up in his golf cart and he had been watching the whole thing and he was an older gentleman he's kind of heavy set he's like this we look back at him and he goes all these years of working on a golf course I've never seen anything like it you two get along go to the next hole I'll call maintenance and get a ladder and I'll get that sandwich so we go running off you know well this story has very little to do with the sermon this morning but I thought it was funny so I thought I'd start off with it by the way he did get the sand wedge so in case you're wondering about that but whether you play golf or not discouragement is something we all face from time to time and here Joshua in chapter one that's what he was facing God had called him to lead God's people into the promised land and he didn't know if he could do it he saw the the unknown in front of him he remembered the enemies in the land he he thought about his own weaknesses and he got discouraged in verse 9 which we're going to look at in just a couple of minutes God says to Joshua Joshua do not be afraid or dismayed this word dismayed chath in the Hebrew is can be literally translated shattered or discouraged and like Joshua we can get dismayed we can get discouraged when the plans that we've made for our lives just don't seem to be working out the way we thought when people in our lives continually let us down um when we look at our own failures and weaknesses as husbands and as wives as as parents as Christians it can be discouraging and on top of that as Believers we have an enemy that wants to keep us there I'd like to read to you a short illustration I read a while back it's fictional but I think it makes a point that's relevant to our study this morning a long time ago there was a rumor that the devil was going out of business and he was selling his tools to whomever bid the most for them one night he opened the doors to his customers and showcased all his tools hate jealousy fear deceit and many more but somewhere in a dark corner of the room was a very old harmless and worn out object looking as if it had been used throughout eternity it had the highest price of all somebody asked the devil what that instrument was and why it was so expensive discouragement answered the devil it's the most expensive tool because it's the one use the most on people when nothing else works I can enter slowly into their minds and hearts and nobody notices once I'm there and get them discouraged I can do whatever I want with them this this tool is so worn out because I've been using it since the dawn of humanity and it works with everybody very few people know this tool belongs to me when they get discouraged and lose hope they think it's them to blame other people or the world around them laugh the devil people hit obstacles in life they encounter problems but when they get discouraged when they lose hope that's just me doing my job discouragement is something we all face from time to time and God's word reminds us this morning that it's so often because of what we are looking at a couple of months ago I had the opportunity to fil in for pastor jack on a Sunday morning and I taught a study on the first five verses of this chapter and there God had called Joshua to lead his people into the promised land and and uh he he heard the call and he he remembered that there were enemies in the land he he he he remembered that Moses was now gone and he had big shoes to fill so the wheels started turning in Joshua's head and he started thinking I don't know if I can do this no I can't do this and he got that look on his face right the kind of look we get so often and that's when the Lord assured him in verse 5 Joshua Joshua you'll be okay I will be with you I will be with you and now three times in verses 6 and verses 7 and verses 9 which we're going to look at this morning God calls Joshua to be strong and of good courage Joshua I'll be with you you can do this be strong and of good courage what's the opposite of Courage discourage if you don't have courage you're discouraged don't be discouraged Joshua be strong and of good courage this word courage here in verses 6 and verses 7 and verses 9 is a matz in the Hebrew and it literally means to be strong and to be bold Joshua remembered seeing the enemy in the land and as he thought about them and his own weaknesses yeah he got he got discouraged and I think we can all relate to how Joshua felt that day I know I can so often when God calls us out of our comfort zones instead of being strong we feel weak instead of having courage we get discouraged yet God is calling us to enter into that promised land to to grab hold of that inheritance that he's given us to be strong and of good courage so so how do we do that how do we do that when we find ourselves discouraged how do we snap out of it and sometimes that's just what we need to do we just need to snap out of it so how do how do we do that well God showed Joshua that day that it all depends on what you're looking at which is the title of my message this morning you see God didn't say just dig deep and be tough Joshua just just have courage now that's not what he was saying at all instead the Lord pointed Joshua in the right direction that day so the next time you guys get discouraged remember where the Lord pointed his servant to look at that day Joshua you'll be okay look at this look at my promise verse 6 Joshua you'll be okay look at my promises verse 6 and then look and meditate on my word verses 7 and 8 meditate on my word and then look to my people verses 16-8 look to my people so let's take a look starting here in verse 6 he says be strong and of good courage for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them God had called Joshua to lead his people into the promised land and here in verse six Joshua is instructed to enter in to to divide up as an inheritance the the land that God had given them and as Joshua thought about it thought about what God was asking him to do and all the reasons why he was not qualified God encourages Joshua he's basically saying you got this I'm going to be with you and look at this look at my promise the promise I made to your fathers God reminds him here that he swore and it was back in Genesis 13 that he had given them the land as an inheritance this word swore here towards the end of verse six literally means to promise to promise with an oath Joshua you got this be strong and of good courage look I've already given you the land I promised it to the fathers of Israel to to Abram I I promised it to him and all you need to do is to go in and possess it God promised them the land and they could count on it Joshua could count on it and you know like God promised Abram that day back in Genesis God has given you and me promises throughout the Bible he's promised to never leave us nor forsake us he's promised to provide for all of our needs he's promis to lead us and to guide us and dozens upon dozens of other promises he has given us in his word and and we can count on all of them everyone the thing is since we were kids we've had people make us promises and many times they didn't keep those promises they may have had good intentions but sometimes they forget for got or they changed their minds or they just weren't able to do it they weren't able to keep their promise and we remember those times don't we we remember those broken promises yet when our God makes a promise our God doesn't forget when our God makes a promise our God doesn't change his mind when our God makes a promise he is able to keep it he keeps his promises and Paul knew this and writes in first Thessalonians 524 the one who called you is faithful and will do what he promised you know when our God makes a promise he does he keeps it and we can count on them every one of them when finances are tight remember that God has promised to provide for all your needs Philippian Philippians 4:19 and my God Will Supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus when your kids are not walking with the Lord and is eating you up remember that the Lord has promised to have his hands on them Proverbs 22 says train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it when you've been praying for something or or someone it just doesn't seem like anything's happening uh remember that God has promised to answer you to answer your prayers Jeremiah 333 says call to me and I will answer you and show you Great and Mighty things that you do not know if you're like me though rather than go to and stand upon on the Promises of God I can so easily just go with my feelings you know the feelings I have as I'm looking at the circumstances around my life but you know feelings go they go up and they go down like like a roller coaster which is not good which is why I don't go on roller coasters anymore the last time I went or one of the last times I went on a roller coaster was on that cork screw ride at at notb Farm ever been on that I think they don't have that anymore but I remember when my oldest daughter she was around 6 years old and we were walking through there and she goes Daddy Let's can we go on that ride and she kept on wanting to be on it and I didn't want her to think that her dad was a wimp so I go okay let's let's go and I was kind of dragging my feet but you know those of you who have been on it it's over fast right but it was over and she jumps out and she's happy and she's running to my wife oh it was so great and I'm just kind of basically just you know staggering off of it and I remember Ruth saying are you okay and I said I think I need to just lay down for a minute you guys go ahead I'm going to lay down on this bench right here and I remember them going off just skipping away and I just I just need to lay on this bench for just a little bit and it was like one of those wood benches and I laid down and put my head on it and I'm going I I remember this like it was yesterday oh this is great somebody had spilled Coke on it just recently it was all sticky and my face was stuck to the bench and I'm going really and the Lord's reminded me of that event a few times over the years that is not to go it's not good to go with your feelings remember that sticky bench you know our feelings go up and down like a roller coaster but God and His word they stay the same God's promises are sure we can stand upon them Psalm 33:9 says for he spoke and it was done he commanded and it stood fast have you been discouraged lately I'm sure there's some some of you that are dealing with that this morning what have you been looking at the circumstances the enemy yourself look to the promises of God stand on those write them down memorize them God keeps his promises he does we can count on it secondly we see here in verse 7-9 only be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left that you may Prosper wherever you go this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate in it it day and night that you may observe 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 be of good courage do not be afraid nor dismay for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go you know so as the wheels were turning in Joshua's head and and his hands and his and his his knees felt weak the Lord say the Lord says to him here in verses 7 and verses 8 Joshua you're going to be okay and here's what you need to do look to my word look to and meditate on my word you're looking around at the unknown in the land you're looking at the enemy you're looking at yourself don't do that look to my word the law which I gave Moses and meditate on it day and night meditate on the word of God and then you will prosper and then you will have good success this word meditate is an interesting word it it means literally to to Muse over it it describes that sound that that you make you know kind of like deep in your gut when you're contemplating something when you when you when you hear about something when you see something when you when you're thinking about something it kind of fills your heart and your mind you're kind of going h the thing is throughout the day we are all meditating on something most people and even some Christians they're meditating on the things that they see going on in the world they're meditating on how people have treated them they're meditating on themselves and on their own Nables which is weird don't do not do that but as God's kids we are called to meditate on God's word you want to know how to get discouraged fast just meditate on things in this world meditate on what people are are talking about in social media just turn on the local news for an hour that'll do it that's discouraging you know and not that I'm saying we should bury our heads in the sand but if you want to walk this life strong and with courage uh don't meditate on those things look to and meditate on God's word day and night you know it's a principle that we've learned at Calvary Chapel and it started even on with Joshua Joshua stand upon my word and meditate on it so have you been discouraged lately has the enemy stolen your peace maybe you've been looking in the wrong direction you know the world looks around and meditates on the things they see going on in the world and that'll make you weak that'll make you cynical that'll make you afraid that'll make you discouraged do you want peace in your life and joy meditate on God's word in Philippians 4: 8-9 Paul writes finally Brethren whatever things are true whatever things are noble whatever things are just whatever things are pure whatever things are lovely whatever things are of good report if there is any virtue if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things the things which you learn and received and heard and saw in me these do and the God of Peace will be with you we all meditate on something and it's either what we see in the world around us or what we see in God's word I love Psalm one favorite Psalm blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly nor stands in the path of Sinners nor sits in the seat of the scornful but his Delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law he does meditate day and night he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in due season his Leaf shall not wither and he shall prosper in all that he does it's the same thing that the Lord's telling Joshua here the very same thing do you want the peace of God do do you want to be strong and have good courage in this life meditate on God's word choose to meditate on God's word so as Joshua was filled with all all kinds of emotions probably feeling like he just got off that roller coaster that Corkscrew ride God encourages Joshua to look to and meditate on his word now lastly we see here starting in verse 10 and let's go through the end of the chapter um then verse 10 Joshua commanded the officers of the people saying pass through the camp and command the people saying prepare Provisions for yourself for within 3 days you will cross over this Jordan to go into to possess the land which the Lord your God has given you to possess and to the reubenites the gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke saying remember the word which Moses the servant of Lord of the Lord commanded you saying the Lord your God is giving you rest and giving you this land your wives your little ones your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan but you shall pass before your brethren armed all your Mighty Men of Valor and help them until the Lord has given your brethren rest as he gave you and they also have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side of the Jordan towards the sunrise so they answered Joshua saying all that you command us we will do and wherever you send us we will go just as we heeded Moses and all things so we're going to heed you only the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses whoever Rebels against your command and does not heed your words and all that you command him shall be put to death only be strong and of good courage I love verse 10 I love the first word in verse 10 then you see God encouraged Joshua to remember to look at his promises God encouraged Joshua to look at and meditate on his word and and as he did it's like a it's like a switch flipped then we are told in verse 10 then Joshua he basically just snapped out of it and commanded the officers of the people to move out to get ready to cross over the Jordan into the promise land he went from discouraged and weak to strong and of good courage and I can just kind of picture him saying to himself you're right Lord you did promise this land to our fathers you're right Lord your word is alive and I can stand upon it and so as he gets his people ready to cross over the Jordan into the promised land first in verse 12 he speaks specifically uh to the reubenites the gadites and the halft tribe of Manasseh and reminds them of their agreement that they made with Moses back in numbers 32 the two and a half tribes of Israel in return from for some rich pasture land on the east side of the Jordan basically they agreed to be on call they were on call and ready to help when the rest of the children of Israel decided to cross over the Jordan on the west side um to enter the promised land and among the two and a half tribes of Israel were some Mighty Men of Valor 40,000 of them were told in Joshua 4:13 remember your promise to Moses he was saying we're about to go in Joshua he knew what God had called him to and as he stepped out in faith it must have been encouraging though when he heard God's people saying here in verse 16 all that you command we will do and wherever you send us we will go just as we listen to Moses we will listen to you they were on team Joshua now it was so good and and the last thing they said here at the end of Verse 18 must have really hit home Joshua only be strong and of good courage that's so cool the Lord had been encouraging Joshua to be strong and of good courage in verses 6 and verses 7 and verses 9 and now now God's people were saying the very same thing to him what a blessing it is when God speaks to us through his word there's nothing like it and what a blessing it is when God speaks and encourages us through his people and that's a third thing I think we can take away from these verses this morning it's to look to what God is is saying to us through his people ear earlier in verse 9 Joshua he listened is probably shaking a bit as the Lord told him to be strong and of good courage and then here in verse 18 as he moves out in faith God's people confirmed they confirmed what God had already told him and told Joshua exactly what he needed to hear be strong and be of good Courage the Lord used Joshua's Brothers to encourage him that day and God does that so often he speaks to us through his people you know over the years I've had many uh just a casual conversation with brothers and sisters here in the sanctuary back in the foa you know you name it and we're just having a casual conversation then they'll say one thing just one thing and it's like boom I know the Lord spoke to me it may have been even just one word that they said but it's what I needed to hear it confirmed what God had already been speaking to me about in my heart and I knew that God was speaking to me King David realized this recognized it in his own life and writes in 2 Samuel 23:2 the spirit of the Lord spoke by me and his word was on my tongue you you know I might might have been dealing with something in my heart uh maybe needed to be encouraged maybe needed to be in convicted even and then through a conversation with her brother or sister God spoke to me and he confirmed to me what he had already spoke to me about in his word Joshua needed encouragement and God encouraged Joshua through these men of God that day and I'm thinking it put a smile on his face you know all of us need encouragement from time to time God knows that and so he uses us to build each other up to encourage one another that's a church that's that's the body of Christ that's what we're doing here on a Sunday morning on a Wednesday night you know I hear Christians saying sometimes oh I don't need to go to church you know I watch online I I pray I pray all I can say is you're missing out you're missing out being here and being encouraged by your brothers and sister and you're missing out being an encourager to your brothers and sisters Paul would write in Hebrews 1024 and let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and Good Deeds not give giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day approaching he would also write in Romans 1:11 i' long to see you that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong that is that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other by each other's faith our God is a God of encouragement and he encourages us not only through his word but through the words and lives of his people around us so as Joshua gave instructions to his guys to move out in three days as he as he walked through the camp I I can picture him being just kind of walking strong and of good courage and I can picture him also saying to himself thank you Lord when these men of God were say saying to him We're with you be strong and of good courage because he knew it was from the Lord he knew it was from the Lord because it was exactly what he needed to hear you know as we live our lives each day as as we walk this walk of faith we need the Lord like nothing else we need God's word like nothing else we need God's spirit like nothing else but you know what we need each other too we really do so have you been discouraged lately maybe things have just not been going the way you had planned um the way you had hoped they would maybe you're facing something that you're not sure you can do or keep doing well as the Lord encouraged Joshua that day uh he reminds us through his word this morning to look to his promise memorize those promises grab hold of them write them down look to his promises look to and meditate on his word choose to meditate on his word and look to what he is saying to you through his people let's pray father we thank you for your word and we thank you Lord how it truly is alive and and it speaks to us and there's no greater encourager than you Lord we thank you for the promises that you've given us we thank you Lord as we meditate on it we can we can grow strong and we thank you thank you Lord for the brothers and the sisters around us in your body in this church and I pray Lord for anyone here this morning who's really struggling with discouragement Lord that you would uh grab hold of them that you speak to them clearly that they would cling to your promises that they would make it a point to meditate on your word each and every day and seek encouragement Fellowship be with their brothers and sisters lord it's a it's a simple formula but also powerful it's what we need to do each and every day and maybe this morning as we've been talking about these these truths that that God has laid out for his children Maybe You' never made a commitment to the Lord and maybe today's the day you've been discouraged you've been wondering what this life is all about Jesus came to this earth to die for you to show you the way to heaven and to give you life it's as simple as thanking him and asking him into your heart if you do not know the Lord this morning or maybe you've know him but you've strayed maybe you haven't been walking the way you should have been come forward this morning pray with what with one of the pastors we're this is the family of God We're All in This Together We need each other to encourage one another so come on forward and I pray that uh as we live our lives as we go out this week that we would keep our eyes on you Lord that we would hold on to you your promises that you would work mightily through us we thank you Lord let's go ahead and stand as we sing this last [Music] song you are my Hiding Place you always feel my heart with songs of Deliverance whenever I feel afraid I will trust in [Music] you I will trust in you let the weak say I am strong in the strength of the Lord you are my Hiding Place you always fill my heart with songs of deliverer us whenever I feel afraid I will trust in you I will trust in you let the we say I am strong in the strength of the Lord I will trust in [Music] you God bless you all this morning and let's let's walk in God's promises this week amen amen have a great day

Channel: morningstarcc

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Id: HwIjw7MYKxc

Length: 65min 42sec (3942 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 24 2024