Church Notes: Fight 1
I used to post church notes here but I have not done it for a long time. I'm still attending church and still keep taking down notes from the preaching (like a classroom because that's what church is to me), but I have not transferred them from the notebook, phone or handouts. For my own reference, I will make the effort to blog the notes here because they would be easier to find and review here. I hope it would be useful for others, too.
Fight Part 1
VCF Fort, January 12, 2014
The current series is entitled Fight, based on the verse in Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith.” Pastor Joey’s preaching focused on Joshua 1:1-5.
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
The book of Joshua takes off after the death of Moses and the Israelites were without a leader. Usually when a leader dies, there is turmoil and uncertainty, that maybe plans will not push through but in this case, God told Joshua to get ready and continue on to the Promised Land. There are fortresses, armies and people they have to fight and overcome and no doubt this was a time of fear and doubt because Moses, the guy who talks directly to God and parted the Red Sea, was no longer with them. And God knew this because He commanded them repeatedly to be strong and courageous. And God gave them the assurance that even though Moses died, God is still with them which is the most important thing. He promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
In verse 7, God reminded the Isrealites to be careful to obey the laws, to meditate on it, not to turn from the right or the left. Then they will be prosperous and successful. It's a promise with a condition. God told them what to do and if they just obey, then they are assured that the promises will be fulfilled. And the rest of the story tells us that the Israelites did indeed conquer the Promised Land, although not without challenges.
Fight Part 1
VCF Fort, January 12, 2014
The current series is entitled Fight, based on the verse in Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith.” Pastor Joey’s preaching focused on Joshua 1:1-5.
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
The book of Joshua takes off after the death of Moses and the Israelites were without a leader. Usually when a leader dies, there is turmoil and uncertainty, that maybe plans will not push through but in this case, God told Joshua to get ready and continue on to the Promised Land. There are fortresses, armies and people they have to fight and overcome and no doubt this was a time of fear and doubt because Moses, the guy who talks directly to God and parted the Red Sea, was no longer with them. And God knew this because He commanded them repeatedly to be strong and courageous. And God gave them the assurance that even though Moses died, God is still with them which is the most important thing. He promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
In verse 7, God reminded the Isrealites to be careful to obey the laws, to meditate on it, not to turn from the right or the left. Then they will be prosperous and successful. It's a promise with a condition. God told them what to do and if they just obey, then they are assured that the promises will be fulfilled. And the rest of the story tells us that the Israelites did indeed conquer the Promised Land, although not without challenges.
Most of the time, I read the Bible and see these as stories of God's faithfulness to the Isrealites, how he delivered them, saved them and fulfilled His promises to them. But a better way to read it is to also imagine the verses being said to me. The circumstances may be different but I take encouragement from the same words. And that is valid because God does not change. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Comments
Post a Comment