To Do List for War (Part C)

Can you separate because the flesh separate from the spirit and that's where the war is just so happens, God put David's life out there in the open for all of us to see, not so that we can judge David and belittle him with that we could learn lessons on how to deal with them. How do you talk created me a clean heart all God take not your Holy Spirit from me. How do you top that who can write that from the from the bottom of your heart except the center that is forgiven.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching to do list for war is the title of Pastor Rick's message and today will be teaching in Joshua chapter 5, second Timothy chapter 2. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ is understood that verse is a Christian, just when it came to Christ okay does hardship but I forgot.

Somewhere along the calling that this was to a pastor had to step I don't adjust well. I find my groove and I want to stay there and in God is masterful in getting us out of our group because God sees a groove as a rut is a W toter said ruts along Ralph anyway.

Verse nine then Yahweh said to Joshua this day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you. Therefore, the name the place is called Gill gal. To this day. So Gill gal gets its name rolled away the shame. As the world watch the Jews come out of Egypt were traveled faster by camel.

In those days, what had happened to you is to the Pharaoh and his army, and then these people stalled right in the wilderness just stopped and wondered around in circles like this know all nowhere was there. Wherever they went. Was somebody else's land Gill gal the place of self judgment. Let's not lose sight of that with the circumcision painful act took place. That's where the shame rolled away with the pain took place. Maybe you have experienced personal guilt. Maybe you gone to something in this life that has brought shame to you in the eyes of others you become totally innocent. Joshua and Caleb were in this number they were innocent, yet they bore the shame. That's why so meaningful to Joshua. The shame is gone.

So you have this experience in your life. It lasts a long time where you live under shame, but God rolls away the shame when he is ready when it served the spec purpose Gill gal becomes a place of restoration. When God says I never lost sight of it. I never lost sight of you.

I never stopped caring for you. I have my Gill gals I have some that will be future ones. I said that right but I think you understood what I meant well. Again, from this place where they turn the knives on themselves. They would go out to conquer and the first battle will be an impregnable fortress. I mean Jericho is not this lesson in all gonna plant boards up and was just going to huff and puff and blow this thing down. This was going to be a serious first fight and Joshua doesn't know at what cost. How many of my braves will I lose wasn't something that he took lightly at all well verse 10 we continue. Now the children of Israel Capt. Gill gal and kept the Passover on the 14th day of the month at twilight on the plains of Jericho, well, you can bet twilight when the campfires were going Jericho. They were they were shaking in their sandals seeing the armies and armies of people camped out and I mean this is again not just an army. This is the nation over 2 million people. But the laws required from Exodus that the Passover be the participants, the men be circumcised so we come to another verse from Corinthians because it has something to do with the New Testament we going to come to the section later in Joshua we divides the land to the tribes by lot. This is your lot lot and sometimes you go out to see signs of said lots for sale and is nothing there if there's lots for sale.

How come there's nothing there anyway got it they going to divide the land and Joshua is going to assign boundaries.

That's life.

I don't like it either but there are things that restrict us the goddesses. This is your border you go no further than this, you will operate behind these lines and those who go over the line are trespassers in the world is full of who is got to say I think God is when you say I think God is you committing idolatry. It is the first commandment you have violated is the worst one of violate of all is you have told God, you are not who you say you are you will be who I say you walk because I think God is is your opinion not his. And you're wrong. Christian hopefully says I believe God is as he has revealed himself in his word and through his son. He who has seen the sun has seen the father is just a pause here from for my own devotion time and John and skid is used to be nice to be able fly through my devotions, you know three or four chapters a morning now I get a paragraph.

Maybe I think that's good but I am still not comfortable with it. Why am I telling you this point some reading in John's Gospel, but I don't know yesterday or today. Maybe I really reread it again today but John's gospel chapter 14, considering the love that that God has has for us to John's gospel 15 and and there in in that beautiful section of Scripture.

He says as the father loves me.

I also have loved you. I can't love you with the same love that the father loves the son.

In other words, the love God has for Jesus Christ is the love that Jesus Christ has for us. You and I can produce that kind of love we cannot say with the same love that the father has for me.

I can love you will have that much luck we can try.

We we what we ought to go after it. My point is you will never love your children, your spouse, your parents or anything else as much as God loves and there it is in Scripture with the same love that the father love me I love you. He did not say with the same love you have for me. I love you, that would've messed up everything that doesn't have very much to do with what I'm talking about, but I wanted to share back to this in verse 10 we look at Corinthians Legacy does in away because now we say were there, the Jews at the Passover table. They had to comply with the rite of circumcision. First Corinthians. Does this have anything to do with me. Yes, we come to the community.

We are to be compliant. Therefore whoever eats this bread and drink this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. That's why when we have communion. I say if you are not a believer of Jesus Christ of yours a Christian you claim to be a Christian and you are in flagrant sin and you're not dealing with the sin you need to pass and not take the communion.

If you are a Christian you are struggling that you are compliant when I say struggling army actively trying to get out of the mess that you've gotten yourself into.

Well, he says, but let a man examine himself sharp knives and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Of course associated with the communion with the Passover meal. That's when he was at wasn't the Passover meal but was the day of Passover, when he instituted this continues for you eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body other words guys are real to you. You don't understand what the cross is all about your center that he's a Savior and you can't just trample these things so it was for the Jews.

Having this Passover the first Passover in the promised land had to be compliant continues.

Paul does exist for this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep where we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

And when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord. We may not be condemned with the world time the Lord will come and say okay we got obnoxious up some. We gotta work this out very beautiful passage of Scripture there in Corinthians, coinciding with the events in Joshua chapter 5 now verse 11 and the aid of the progress of the land. On the day after the Passover, unleavened bread and parched grain in the very same day. Then, the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land and the children of Israel no longer had manner, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year courses summarizes the writers thing. After Jericho the they had the whole land of the year whole new life everything opened up's summary, built into the moment the manner of course was the wilderness food. It suited the wilderness journey. It was a constant reminder that God provided for them even though they weren't where they were supposed to be how many lessons are in that of the manna where it was found is very significant. God did not put the manner of high-end trees or up on a mountain or deep down in summary, Wien were only a few if any could get to it everywhere with the do was there was the man, sort of like we have Bibles everywhere don't poor have the gospel preached to them.

Jesus said when John was in prison he sent his disciples, some of them to Jesus to find out what is going on.

If you are the Messiah, and I know you are, I baptize you I saw the spirit.

I know what I saw.

What is going on.

Why am I in jail and you're just out baptizing people will disciples were Jesus ago and tell John the things you see the things you hear said the blind receive the site, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed of death here and the poor have the gospel preached to them when they took that message back to John. John knew what that meant. He said this is Messiah.

Nobody could do this, the blind see, the lame walk, the deaf ear in the gospel is preached, it is not doing miracles apart from God's word, and so the manner God feeding his people himself.

Their gold communion table Matthew again. 11 for the poor have the gospel preached, the manna ceased for them. What is everywhere for us. God's word is everywhere mention I live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

That means every body can come and get it. You do not have to be a pastor to come and get God's word. Well they condone very little in the wilderness. Now they were going to have to work hard with what they own. Verse 13. Now we get to perhaps the best part of the chapter, but I don't know if we can bewritten that taught.

Perhaps, he says, verse 13 and it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a man stood opposite him with his sword sworn in his hand and Joshua went to him and said to him, are you for us for our adversaries.

Jericho's gotta fall know? A habitat fortress in the back of the people of the marsh land. How how how my going to get them out so this is what he's looking at Jericho it came to pass that Joshua was by Jericho. God granted every place that the soul of their foot tread upon what he could not walk up to the doors of Jericho knock on the gates to his your eviction notice. Please be outta here by tomorrow.

Twilight he had to get them force them just like a flash, you become a Christian, God's is impossible your foot treads upon. But you cannot just serve your flesh and eviction orders and expect the flesh to honored by nature. It fights anything you give it that is come from God, he says, a man stood opposite with the sword drawn in his hand. Hammer cocked that's what that means is locked and loaded it. He is ready to go there's nothing holding him up.

That's the idea behind this and it's a it's a picture for Joshua to get in his head when he goes back to He's going to have a lot of conversation because of four. Stroller considers strategy and there is this man with the sword out speaks of so many things we don't have time to get into it all. One of them is that justice has been delayed on this promised land for these depraved people but it has not been stopped here it is. You are it is is a you for us or for our adversaries. It's a fair question and I don't think anybody else's around and think it's just these two verse 14 comes the answer.

So he said no but as commander of the Army of Yahweh.

I have come Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worship, and said to him what does my Lord say to his servant now. He said no I don't think it was said like I read it, we wouldn't of had the result. I don't think that we got Joshua fall back on his face before this man with the sword. I think it was more. He said no like that because know is this. It's a it's a it's, it can be a pool who heard most of us have a problem with no someone has a good idea, and in the person the decision-makers is no is not well received.

Many people in churches because know has visited them. Why did you leave that church know it's qualified.

If you want to know so the answer, what is it mean Richard Juan Moran in his book portrait for Christ in you, if you haven't read Richard Longbranch book tortured for Christ. I would suggest it. It's a it's high school level. You anyway.

Of course he was about a preacher he was arrested and is taken off to a Romanian prison and there he was years he was abused and he talks about this passage and he says I don't hate the Communists. If you were to ask me pieces. I hate communism I hate what it stands for.

I can't do anything I can to see it off the earth. He understood it was a religion pretending to be a political system.

He says about this passage, no one can save this kind of an answer, but a divine God and he applied it to his own life. He says if you asked me do you hate the communist people, his answer would be no because he's is a love for them that transcends the natural senses is not for or against peaceful God preaching the gospel and hear the commander of the Army is saying I'm not for you and I'm not for Jericho.

I am for God.

That's the answer and is much there's more to it. I just can't pull it all out but I know what I read, it is that word stops Joshua are you for us know what you for them.

No more you for look at me how how can I say that as he says I am the commander as commander of the Army of Yahweh. I have now come the voice, the look of it all. This responsive Joshua tells us everything. Let's take the words of Jesus because it's the same thing.

John chapter 15 verse four. He said abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me, there's no place else to go for life.

The commander says there is no other Army is no other causes soreness for the cause of God, and you are either with God.

You are not so.

But as commander of the Army of Yahweh. I have now come Joshua recognizing the supernatural character the tones away said it the way. Look at it than just words. I don't think he would've fallen down as he did before him as he says, and fell on his feet and he worshiped him. That would've been a violation of the first commandment had not this commander been worthy. Joshua knew this was what we know to be a Christophe and he it's an appearance in human form of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament, he says.

And what does my Lord say to his servant. He surrenders to his Lordship other words, God is commander and I submit, I don't resist those who resist run into problems.

Verse 15 then the commander of then the commander of Yahweh's army said to Joshua, take a sandal off your foot for the place where you stand is holy, and Joshua did so someone might struggle with why a sandal singular. Why is toothbrush singular to toothbrush. Anyhow that's that's considered fighting over these incidentals. Let's have a word from our sponsor's so Joshua knew the courses leadership depended on his submission and so because he does submit these words take the sandal of your footnote was reading from Exodus because his teacher first got it. This is so nice because remember when Elijah was taken up by the fire in a chariot and Elisha said Mike Mike Capt. my Capt. No, that's was worth but Africa anyway.

He was I forgot a complete blank of them still in the bathroom looking at my teeth brushed my master my master and he's just taken it. Was it it it it it explained my master well when it was time for Elisha to die. The king said the same thing of him and so there's something very beautiful and being able to be like your teacher and this is what is happening now to to Joshua he was, not the man in his own head that Moses was put to God.

He was every bit because God was the one that was making him so and so there was said, when Moses stood before the bush and he said God speaking to not draw near this place, take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground and here take your sandal off your foot for the place where you stand is holy. It's a sort of like asking the general where his headquarters in the general would respond wherever I am standing and God is saying wherever I stand is holy, the Lees given every place the sole of the foot will tread upon but yet God still owns it and when he shows up its holy. What about the New Testament, are we still to have the sense of holiness, purity, uncreated goodness, a sense of it. Yes, of first Thessalonians chapter 4 verse seven for God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness, be you holy, for your father's whole head is still King James B.

Holy Leviticus chapter 10. This is Moses talking to Aaron after Aaron's two eldest sons just lost sight of the whole thing won't go into the details, but of course lightning came out from God. Instruct them dead because they were priests and they did what they were not supposed to do and God dealt with them instantly and Moses said to Aaron, this is what Yahweh spoke saying by those who come near me.

I must be regarded as holy and before all the people I must be glorified. So we go back to the center of the Christian is struggling and we say how can that Kristi that is struggling dare approach a holy God, will the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sins. That's the standard answer and it is correct, but there's so much more is an illustration from the Old Testament. Again, the life of David Amanda Blewitt when it came to certain things with people but he never Blewitt with God's understanding of who God is. His holiness is a how can you separate the two because the flesh separates from the spirit and that's where the war is just so happens that God put David's life out there in the open for all of us to see, not so that we could judge David and belittle him, but that we could learn lessons on how to deal with them. How do you talk created me a clean heart all God take not your Holy Spirit from me. How do you top that you can write that from the from the bottom of their heart except the sinner that is forgiven and that's when he wrote didn't write that when his bones wax the holding he was resisting God. You wrote that when God dealt with him.

God gave Joshua rights to to this land is going to have to take it. It says here in the bottom of verse 15 and Joshua did so.

He was always doing so we recover that in the introduction to the man's life is a true type of Jesus. John chapter 8 verse 29 Jesus speaking I always do those things that please him. I can honestly say I sometimes do those things that please him and we are all that way.

Well, at the command of Joshua. They would go against Jericho and then all the nations that were in the land occupied. This promised land and they would prevail pick it up.

Chapter 6 fully next session. Jericho falls thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast.

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