Preparing for Future Challenges

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Preparing for Future Challenges</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id133.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Things to Remember About God"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Miracles and Regulars"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Ministry Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Joshua 3.1-17, “Preparing for Future Challenges,” Berean Bible, Nov 19, 2000pm</B></div> <bR> <div>      Exercising faith in today’s challenges prepares us for tomorrow’s. Israel was facing the immediate challenge of crossing a flooded river, but their faith here would prepare them for the challenge of battle at Jericho and throughout the land. Preparing for tomorrow’s challenges demands exercising faith now, as a habit, in big and little things alike.</div> <div> Here are three characteristics of the life of faith:</div> <div> <B>1.  The life of faith </B><B><U>demands direction</U></B><B>, vss. 1-4</B></div> <div> Israel's first task was crossing the river, and they had to follow the ark of the covenant, vs. 3</div> <div> A.  We need God's direction for our lives, vs. 1</div> <div> God had given Israel the vision of Jericho and the promised land (1.11).</div> <div> 1. God's vision for us includes basic spiritual provisions for all believers — holiness, heaven, peace, etc.</div> <div> 2. It also includes specific tasks and challenges for individuals (based on personality, spiritual gifts, life situation, opportunities, etc.)</div> <div> B.  Getting God's direction demands reverence for God, vss. 2-4</div> <div> The Ark of the Covenant symbolized the presence of the Lord. They were to maintain a distance of 1000 yards, signifying holiness, separation. We need to recognize who is in charge. God demands our respect, so that we will follow him faithfully. Israel need to follow so they would know the way to go, since they had never gone there before. We, as well, need to follow faithfully.</div> <bR> <div> <B>2.  The life of faith </B><B><U>demands action</U></B><B>, vss. 5-13</B></div> <div> A.  We must get prepared for action by being holy, vss. 5-6. We can't expect to see God work mightily in our lives if we are not willing to deal seriously with our sin, using his power.</div> <div> B.  Step forward in faith, vss. 7-13 (vs. 13). To the people, Joshua said, You will know God is among you and that he will dispossess the people (vs. 10). God was about to do something big,<I> but they had to move, act, go forward!</I> The waters would not recede for the people to cross until the priests carrying the ark stepped into the water. That is what a step of faith is about.</div> <bR> <div> <B>3.  The life of faith </B><B><U>results in accomplishment</U></B><B>, vss. 14-17</B></div> <div> God will get us there, where he wants us. He will accomplish his will in us when we follow his direction and step out in faith.</div> <div> A. Dangers exist, vss. 14-15a. There was the danger of an overflowing, flood-stage river; and they were carrying the ark of the covenant, no less!</div> <div> B.  But in spite of the danger, miracles can abound, vss. 15b-17. The water was held up (vs. 16), and the people crossed on dry ground (vs. 17, mentioned twice for emphasis). This was the first of many miraculous events in Joshua and history of Israel in the land God gave them.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Make faith a habit by exercising it in the day to day challenges of life.</B></div> <div> Something is missing from the text - a way back (just in case things didn't work out!). The fact is, by crossing the river in faith, they were making a commitment to move ahead into the promises of God. Are  you willing to make a commitment to the life of faith, with no going back to the way it was before?</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>