God is Faithful

Psalm 119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

According to vs. 89, God has settled His Word forever in heaven. Now vs. 90 informs us that His faithfulness to His Word extends to all generations. The same God who spoke the universe into existence, and settled His Word for ever in heaven, is faithful to preserve His Word unto all generations.

Many Christians use the expression, “I believe in the inerrant inspiration of the original Scriptures.” Although this is a true statement, God did not promise us His perfect, inerrant Word just in the originals.

Paul said to Timothy in II Timothy 3:15-17 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scripture, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

I would like to show three interesting points in these verses. First, Timothy had the Scriptures. The verse does not say he had a “reliable facsimile.” Second, Timothy did not have the “original autographs.” In his day, the Scriptures were from between 1,500 and 450 years old. The Scriptures available to Timothy would have been copies of copies of copies. Third, these Scriptures (copies of copies, etc.) to which Paul refers were said to be “inspired.” This passage makes nonsense out of any reference to the “inspired originals.” The original autographs were indeed inspired, but so are the preserved copies. The originals do not exist, but God’s faithfulness does.

Much of the money at stake has been invested in slick advertising campaigns to convince us of the gross errors in the bible of the Reformation. They would have us believe that the old King James Bible, besides being ridiculously antiquated, is riddled with serious mistakes.

Multitudes of Christians have blindly bought into this old “Yea, hath God said?” strategy, which has been in practice since the Serpent in Genesis 3 caused Eve to quesion what god had said in the Garden of Eden. The Reformation Bible, which resulted in a wave of missionaries fanning out across the world, in scores of genuine revivals, in incredible awakenings and in forming the heartbeat of the Philadelphian church age, has now been replaced by what can be called a Bible “Babel.” It is a Bible Babel that has resulted in confusion, spiritual superficiality, and a luke-warm church. (Rev. 3:16)

Depending on God

Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

God has commanded Joshua to believe him, then to obey him; now He commands Joshua to depend on Him.

Conquering the promised land could only be accomplished through great certainty. Depending on God is just as important as believing Him and obeying Him. Joshua will face many situations that will not be immediately resolved, and he must rest in the promise of God.

We need to learn to trust God; believe Him, obey Him, and rest in Him. This is the Christian formula of success and maturity. How many times has God failed us?

The Christian who manages to truly rest in the Lord will reflect a consecrated life.  Many times we believe what God says and we obey Him, but when we do not see the expected results we become disheartened.

Abraham was promised that his seed would be great, so he believed and obeyed, but when he could have proven his dependence on God by resting in His Word, he failed.

We need to be prepare to rest in the Lord by just depending on Him.

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him...

Obeying God

Joshua 1:7 Only to be strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law...

Joshua has the certainty that God keeps His promises, but now his new challenge is to obey what God says. It would seem like a natural process to believe and obey, but it’s not that way, or at least for the majority of us it is not.  Obedience is another dimension of Christian growth.  God separated these two instructions: first, He asks Joshua to believe, and second, He asks him to obey.

God promises Joshua that his obedience would bring him prosperity. For Israel, the promise is material, the land of milk and honey; for us, it is spiritual. Spiritual maturity is achieved by our obedience.

There are two very important aspects.

First, our obedience cannot be partial; it must be complete. God gives Joshua the whole law. As children, we tend to obey that which is easy, or that which is convenient. Our Heavenly Father is perfect and His Word guides us to do what is best even when we don’t know it is for our best.

Second, we will obey something. We are either obeying God or we are obeying sin. Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

God asks us to have courage to obey Him, so that we might be a light to a wicked and godless society.

Living by Faith

Joshua 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I swear unto their fathers to give them.

God had been faithful to watch over the nation of Israel while they lived in the wilderness and now He promises to continue to watch over them as they conquer Canaan. He even promises Joshua that he would be involved in dividing the land.

By accepting the redemptive work of Christ on the cross we have been made a child of God. Now He asks us to have the courage to believe the promises that He makes to His children. Although the Bible is not difficult to understand it is difficult to believe.  God speaks simply and clearly to man, but we complicate His word by not believing it. Did Noah build an ark?  Was Jonah in a fish? God made man from the dust of the earth? It may be that you do not question these, but to a great number of “Christians” these are only allegories.

For example, many claim that hell is only a mental state; a state of anguish caused by being separated from the presence of God. They arrive at this conclusion through a lack of believing the Word of God. The devil loves this teaching since the gospel is not effective without a correct understanding of hell.

Just as it was of utmost importance for Joshua to believe the Word of God, we must put our trust in God or our lives will be full of questions and uncertainty. If Joshua did not lean on God and His Word he could not have stood before his enemies. Without an understanding of what God said, he would have fail at his mission.

The church of the 21st century is mutilating Christianity and it is because of a lack of understanding God’s Word.  Satan, from the beginning, attacks the Word of God, and has mined the minds of man with many translations of the “Bible” to confuse and remove the power of belief.  Let us have the courage to believe what God says!

Standing with God

Joshua 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so shall I be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Although the nation of Israel already had a great deal of history by the time Joshua became its leader, that history revealed a stiff-necked (stubborn & rebellious) people. There is no sign that their attitudes are going to change. In fact, after the death of Moses there seems to be even more resistance to follow the new leader, so God strengthens the confidence of Joshua. 

Consider this promise that God gives to Joshua. God confirms that He is constantly present. It doesn’t matter how great the adversity Joshua will face, God is with him. 

In just a few days Joshua will be leading the nation of Israel as they cross the Jordan River. This crossing is a foreshadow (a type) of things to come. For example, it is a type of our salvation, when we pass from death to life and from the realm of darkness to the kingdom of light.

The old man (Moses) has died and there is now a new man (Joshua) who is in control. When we get saved, Jesus, the Captain of our salvation, wants to have control in our lives, but like the nation of Israel, we have learned to trust the old man, we do things like the old man, and we understand things like the old man. This is why God gives us this promise as we begin our new journey.

John 1:12 But as many received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name...

Sermon 10.11 - "Our New Life"

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Our New Life
Ephesians 4:25-32
    •    Stop Lying - vs. 25
    •    Be Angry at Sin - vs. 26-27
    •    Stop Stealing - vs. 28
    •    Stop Speaking Foolishly - vs. 29-30
    •    Stop Submitting to Sin - vs. 31-32

To Bring All People to Christ
    •    Be Kind
    •    Be Tenderhearted
    •    Be Forgiving

Learning from History

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

After the death of Moses, God desired that Joshua’s ministry be a new beginning for Israel. When Israel departed from Egypt they could have walked across the desert in just a few days, but because of their unbelief and idolatry they spent forty years in the wilderness waiting for an entire generation to die. Moses (through whom the law was given) was the instrument God used to show His people the one and only God, and now Joshua (a type of Jesus Christ) will be the new leader to take them into the promised land.

It is hard to comprehend how this nation, in spite of the many manifestations, miracles, and wonders they had seen, could continued to live in rebellion. Although we are quick to judge them and we wonder why they never seemed to have the faith they needed, we must ask ourselves if we have learned from their example? Do we live by faith? Do we continue to doubt? Are we inclined to rebel? There was a time when we were without hope in this world, but now we have been freed from the oppression of Satan. We have been freed from the tyranny of sin, but are we still living in the wilderness of unbelief and rebellion, or are we now walking through the Promised Land.

George Santayana’s aphorism, ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,’ applies to this situation. We need to learn from the history of Israel so that we do not squander our lives away in the uselessness of the desert.

God’s Word is Settled

Psalm 119:89 For ever, O LORD, Thy word is settled in heaven.

The Word of God is settled in heaven. Since He is the final authority, then His Word can never be reversed, called back or overruled. His Word is settled forever.

Peter quotes from Isaiah 40:6-8 in I Peter 1:24-25 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus revealed His opinion concerning God’s Word. He stated in Matthew 5:18 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

There is no room for discussion and it doesn’t matter what the scoffers and mockers may say, God’s Word has forever been settled. God has spoken, and His Word is final.

We have an absolute standard. It should be the measurement by which we measure everything and everybody in life. Life is either built on the Word of God or it is built on human opinion, there is no in between.

Since God’s Word is settled forever, your good works carry no influence. Your opinion is not taken into account, nor is it requested. Your sincerity, your beliefs, your ideas, and what you feel will not change God’s Word.

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

God’s Quickening Power

Psalm 119:88 Quicken me after Thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of Thy mouth.

God’s grace will strengthen you through every trial you face.  When you truly recognize it was God’s grace that brought you through the trial you will desire to express your gratefulness to Him. God is pleased when you are thankful to Him while going through trials. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, In every things give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. When you are thankful to Him in the midst of trials you are revealing your trust in His decisions for your life.

God’s power will enable you to accomplish His will despite your frailties. According to Philippians 4:13, you are able to do anything God desires you to do through Jesus Christ. God will not ask you to do something that He does not provide the ability to do it.

It is through God’s quickening power that you are able to keep the testimony of His mouth. Ephesians 2:1, 5 And you hath He quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins... Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ... You cannot be made alive because you were obedient to the testimonies of God, but you are able to be obedient to God because He has made you alive.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

God's Precepts Will Stand

Psalm 119:87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not Thy precepts.

Since the unregenerate are unrelenting when it comes to getting their own way it seems as if the battle they wage is all-consuming. They will not stop until prayer and the Bible are no longer allowed in our schools and the Ten Commandments are not seen in public. They will not stop until we cannot sing Christmas carols, or ‘In God We Trust’ is no longer on our money, or ‘under God’ is no longer in the pledge of allegiance. They wear you down until you feel consumed.

The phrase, upon earth, puts this constant badgering in perspective. Jesus gives us encouragement in Matthew 10:28 where He says to ...fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. OK, Satan’s forces are relentless, but they have already lost the war.

When you truly understand that this battle is just temporary you should be able to stand without wavering. The enemy would love to see you destroyed and your life all used up, but I John 4:4 states that ye are of God... and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. The enemy cannot rage any further than God allows. 

When you stick to the precepts of God you will be rescued by His promises. It is illogical that the wicked, through persistent depravity, can discourage you to stop serving God. If they were able to do this they would consider it a mark of true success.