Facing The Future with Confidence - How to Face the Future in Times of Uncertainty, Part 1

We are certainly living in uncertain times and uncertain times tend to produce certain predict the fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of abandonment, let me ask would you like to know how to face your future with confidence in these uncertain times. If so, state welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge Chip Ingram trips are Bible teacher of this international discipleship ministry in this program we begin a new series called facing the future with confidence.

Scriptures in these uncertain times when God says about how a Christian lives like a Christian list of really distressing circumstance of your looking for wisdom and direction come to the right place after the teaching chip will have some additional thoughts to wrap up today's RAM so be sure to stay with us for that. Well, it's join him for his message from Joshua chapter 1 how to face the future in times of uncertainty number of years ago my wife had routine tests like women having the bad part was we got a call back in the call center really see something that looks serious and I need to run another test and so we went out on a Thursday as best I can remember a single run the test results on Monday and I have four children at that time they were all living in her home and two or three more pretty young and then I know that you know what this is like in women. Many of you in this room of experience.

This, but I went through a time of the most powerful and certain he had ever experienced. And I went with her and we ran the tests, and that I had Thursday night Friday night Saturday night Sunday and then most of Monday before I heard the results and not about you but when you think there's something wrong with your wife and it could be serious and if that biopsy comes back different.

And if it's a cancer that grows very quickly, you can lose your wife. What I found was one I was afraid was really afraid first of the unknown.

Then I was afraid that somehow I would fail or God would fail me or something would happen and we would make it through this Robin feel my children and then third.

I guess most selfishly is because I love my wife, and the fear of abandonment, what will happen if we get some bad news. On Monday we spend the next six months or year and at the end of that. I find myself doing a funeral for my wife and having four kids and saying how the world like a one and I fasted and I prayed and I sought God in and at the time I was studying for the ministry and I realized I was telling a lot of people about how Jesus was strong in his word was true and you know a lot of the things are really really important and that I believed in God. Such applicable test for like you step up to the plate. I like to walk you through little personal private tutoring by me and God the Holy Spirit.

And I want to take those truths that you have in your head, and I like to make a little journey into your heart when when we get to Monday regardless of the test results. I want you to walk into this test. Knowing number one, you don't have to be afraid of the unknown number two you will not and cannot fail because I'll give you whatever you need and number three you'll never be abandoned. Whether you have Teresa or not because I will never leave you or forsake you were living in a world right now as you look at the front of this handout as you just scan that some of those things can make you afraid, and unless you want to total denial. We live in the most uncertain days I've ever seen in my life and left to ourselves, we can be very afraid. But here's what I would suggest those responses that you have there.

The fear of the unknown that we all experience the fear of failure and and just that the flat-out fear that will be abandoned. Somehow my family members work to lose people. I want you to know that this could be the greatest, most strategic opportunity for the body of Christ in decades. How we respond as a church how everyday believers like you and me in your home in your neighborhoods and at work.

How you respond to that list of things in the attitude you have could be the most fundamental strategic thing.

The body of Christ ever gets a chance to ever respond to in your lifetime. God placed you where you live in your neighborhood where you work with your kids with your background. At this time in history, and he's got a plan for you.

She's got a plan for the world's got a plan for countries based on a plan for you and I like to spend the next several minutes walking through God's word to teach you what he wanted to teach someone else who is in a time of uncertainty so that two or three or four months from now, you literally will have a fellow student or coworker, or someone a neighborhood walk up to you and say a couple coffee or grab a Coke because I don't know about you but I'm reading the papers watching CNN and I heard this thing on Fox and I'm scared to death and I got anxiety not to my stomach and you are so would you tell me what in the world you have and you will have an opportunity because the grace of God working in you to introduce them to the God of peace, but you can't do that if you're spray somebody else and you can't do that if under the guise of all. I go to church and I love God and I read the Bible a bit. If you live like everybody else. And the temptation is to think that you know in these desperate days. It's never been worse than this is terrible I is for you. Uncertain times are no so turn if you will. Joshua chapter 1. I put some notes in there and let's literally roll up our sleeves and let studying the text there is a man who went through a very uncertain time and God taught him something and what he taught him. He wants to teach you, and after we hear how God taught Joshua how to deal with his uncertain times. I want to move in principal Isaac because what you learn is the very thing God taught Joshua was the very thing that Jesus taught his disciples and what you your disciple origin. So Jesus wants to teach you and he wants to teach me how to respond in these uncertain times in such a way that not only we experience his peace and his love and his joy not your head in the sand, not denial, not pie-in-the-sky religiosity. I mean authentically in your in your heart to such a degree that those outside of Christ would say matter what you have but I like to get a taste of uncertain times are new.

Listen to the situation, not came about verse one that the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, but the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of nun, Moses servant saying Moses my servant is dead. He talks about the past, all these millions of people look to Moses.

Moses went out in the tent of meeting the cloud came down when Moses was here if you had a problem as Moses. Moses I get the answer when the cloud would move when the fire would know we all Packer tents. We went with him.

The paradigm has shifted.

Moses is gone. The leader is gone. The cloud is gone. No man is going to be gone, but what no water out of the rock, all the miracles that's past. There's a new paradigm in Joshua you're the man to New World and expect new things out of you. Joshua light has never been like this before and so after he talks about the past. Notice the present.

Now therefore arise cross this Jordan you and all this people before we get into her little Bible story mentality. Let's think of a real man in real life who watch Moses who saw his face glow.

Who remembers what it would put the veil over it and remember all those miracles and Moses is gone and now God says now you take all these people that have not been an easy group. The lead and you cross the Jordan.

Here's the promise notice the future which I am giving to them, the sons of Israel. Hey remember the promises on the God of history and sovereign good and powerful member Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, I made promises to them. Moses picked up the baton.

Now it's your turn to fulfill my purpose is for these people to use you. Can you imagine how adequate he felt kidney takes is no way I can make what you do when it gets so uncertain. Not sure listen to the words of assurance and don't listen to them, just like God speaking to Joshua the that's the context listen to how a God who cares for a regular person like you wants to literally put his arm around you. The way he did. Joshua and you get some words of assurance and notice the words of insurance have three specific promises. He says every place on which the sole of your foot treads I have given it to you just as I spoke to Moses in the wilderness and from Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites as far as the great sea for the setting of the sun will be your territory. Joshua scared there is uncertainty he doesn't know what's can happen what God say what you say your future is secure your future is a done deal. I said to Moses, I will fulfill it all the same parameters hey Joshua, you may be afraid, but on the God of the universe, and I created all this and I'm telling you it's a done deal redefined in a minute. That's the very thing that Jesus would say to his disciples and it was the source of their security gives them a promise about the future. Notice the no man will be able to stand you or before you all the days of your life. What's with that promise. One is promise about his his fear of the unknown. Now is addressing the fear failure hey look, Joshua, you bulletproof. Trust me step out the economy. Don't worry about the war you need to be prudent to make wise plans.

I'm with you the same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you as a believer, nothing will come your way in the next 30, 60 or 90 days, but the spirit of God using the word of God in the body of Christ will give you everything you need to be victorious. I'm with you bulletproof.

That's what he says to Joshua. That's what Jesus would say to his disciples and then noticed the final word of assurance. No man will be able to stand before you, that's great.

But just as I've been with Moses, I will be with you. You have the fear of being abandoned. I will not fail you or forsake you circle the word for sake in your notes will you and under it right the word drop you the literal Hebrew word it's like God taking Joshua or not taking you like a carton of eggs and walking down and there's all these stones, Euphrates, and a trip. He says I will drop you. I know about your 401(k) and where it's not where it is.

I know your fears about the future.

I know what you think about the economy understand where the relationships are I will trust you and for you. Love you. Did you notice how God spoke to this man during uncertain times to address his fear of the unknown, fear of failure and then that final fear that scares all of us. So what about you before we talk about Joshua list.just a second.

What you most afraid of. If I ask you to turn to the front page and you look at that list and you can even add to the list and you can add you to the fear of being single. The rest of your life or the fear that your marriage is not to get any better for the fear the one your kids that is wayward will never come back for the fear of a health issue that you just don't think you have and what what what your greatest fear if I took out you know one is low pins and and I had a whiteboard and you can walk over to the whiteboard and write down your top two fears, what would you like the white I want you to get that clear in your mind. We are not about an academic exercise were here to learn how God spoke to Joshua. We are here to learn how God spoke to Joshua as he wants to speak to you the spirit of God was to take the word of God to give you hope and encouragement so that you literally will live differently, not by your power the price price, giving of time. We must friend is now let's go to the text and find out how God specifically helps him work through his fears he gives him a call to confidence in verses six through nine. It's one thing to get these words of assurance, you know, hang in there can be okay I'm to be with you. Don't worry about it on for you.

I'll be with you, but the $64 question in my life and the one in your life I think is like how does this work about young to get up very early. I can go to work on Monday morning, but I need to figure out how to live a life that's characterized by the peace of God and the power of God and the assurance that Christ is real and that's not kinda theoretical. That's right here in the text, verses six through nine tells you how to do it. Notice as you scan it very quickly. There's a phrase it's repeated.

Be strong and courageous for six be strong and courageous. Verse eight. Be strong and courageous first nine that to be our responsibility. He's going to teach us how to be strong and courageous. Be strong and courageous first ex-wife for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give your afraid of the unknown. I want to know the future secure you. Be strong.

You be courageous and I'll take you through verse seven only be strong and courageous in case you didn't hear me let me repeat that. Be careful, or literally observe look into carefully to do according to all the law, or all the Torah which Moses my servant commanded you don't turn to it from the right to the left. Why so that you made have success wherever you go circle that little word success. Lest we come to get the idea that he's promising.

Josh will never have a problem is like the Hebrew word for success means to be prudent to seek God and thus be successful in following his intent and guidance for you success doesn't mean you're scripturally here that you know you have a bad day that you can be healthy that you to be wealthy to have you know a nice house in a condo in LA success means you will discern. Be strong and courageous.

Be careful to look into the Scriptures listen carefully to the truth Moses gave you so you do it on a day by day practical basis and as you do, you will learn what the Scripture calls wisdom and you will live in such a way that you will fulfill God's purposes for your life.

That's the promise no notice.

He goes on because the question is, in my mind where you get the strength we've all met people who have the right, where do you get the strength where you get the courage to live out this radical different kind of life when everyone else is shaking in their boots. Look at verse eight this book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth but you shall meditate on it day and night. Why so that you can be a very smart Christian no so you can impress people with how many verses you have memorized no so we can put a little star on the fridge writer for all your kids and say this is how many verses they know they been in Sunday school X weeks, no, this book of the law shall not come out of your mouth you should meditate and ruminate on it have a worldview that looks at the economy, your family, your health, your possessions and your time in such a way that you look at it biblically, through God's perspective so that you may what's the text say what the site so that you may do so. You may obey, so you might think all important believer of Yahweh so that you can live the kind of life that reflects him the Scripture will inform you. You take in the truth in such a way that you can obey and the notice, the promise for then visit say God will make your way prosperous, but the site then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. The word for prosperous hearers to be prudent to seek God in following his intent for your life has the idea of power or ability to live God's way in the notice. If we haven't got it yet.

Verse nine have I not commanded you.

Be strong and courageous.

Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go before we go on, let me just do a quick little definition work is pretty obvious that again. There's a promise about failure is a promise of God's presence and there's a promise that were not to be abandoned and whatever it revolves around in the midst of a fallen world. You be strong I be strong here in a revolutionary way. Let me ask you what you think it means to be strong and we said those words that got me really important. You are the best Bible study tools ready for this and just let you in on this Webster's dictionary, the word strong against the state or quality of being strong force power vigor. It's the power to resist strange stress means being tough and mean. Being durable is the power to resist attack in pregnant ability. God says what I want from you thought you be strong with strong me. It means you don't cave in like everyone else. You don't give in, like everyone else. You don't read the news and run scared doesn't mean you pulling your tent stakes in sight one can protect my money and protect my time and make sure my families okay.

It means that your strong you don't give up you don't get in and you say God in the midst of unbelievable resistance and pressure and stress and fear. I will choose to do what's right. That's what it means to be strong I get to young men spent a lot of years my house there twin boys and their my sons and over the years. They both ended up with the whites and so there's little robbery there. You know how I know which one is the strongest and they make sure the other one notices the strongest through easy is to get a benchpress out and one of them lays down at this one, and one was lays down at this one and put on 2 to 50 pounds in 216 and 272 80 and 300 and who ever can overcome the resistance of gravity push all the weight is the strongest and that's a good picture of what it means to be strong.

You live in a fallen world, where the media in the world is telling you look after you. You're living in a world that says when it gets hard to give up, find a new partner here live in a world where everyone at the high school said what the heck you not really into that whenever related stuff.

And God says you. Be strong, you endure. You walk with me when you feel like it. Sure.

But when you don't feel like it absolutely and by the way, not only do need to be strong but it's one thing to be strong to know the right thing to do.

He says be courageous the word courageous, ready for definition. Very simply, it's the attitude of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult or painful. Instead of withdrawing from it. It's the quality of being fearless brave one.

Having valor you God's looking for right now in this turbulent world is not a bunch of Christians who go to make sure all my monies in a safe place to make sure all my pumas and simply unlocking to travel unluckily did this on to do that. He's looking for a group of people who understand he saw her good. He's powerful is a purpose for your life and your life in my life to be difference makers change the world to be salt but does something to flavor how people think, to be like that exposes fear and anxiety and will not do it on our own by the power of his word empowered my spirit as we live in authentic community. Together we and is not easy and that's why God spoke to Joshua like this Joshua scared, just a quick reminder this message how to face the future in times of uncertainty is from his series facing the future with confidence. This reporter outlines how you can positively face life's most challenging circumstances even in the midst of overwhelming doubt and despair chip discusses the truth that God has a plan just for you to bring good out of evil. You sure so you can have complete trust that God is working out his good plan even when the odds seem against you and how you can begin enjoying life to the full resources for facing the future with confidence are discounted for a limited time, so now's the time to take advantage for complete ordering information, go to LivingontheEdge.org Current offers on the chip and remap or give us a call at AAA 333-6003 chip as we begin the series in a very simplistic nutshell were living in historic times I emotions are all anxieties off the charts. So really, the timing and wisdom of God's word in the series is perfect will. Dave, I think in America today, especially with the political issues COBIT 19 virus of the economy, the closing or opening of schools of the opening and/or closing of churches. I mean there are so many issues right now. It all rolls up into people very very fearful about the future. What's gonna happen when the going to happen how's it going to happen and then the big question, what is that going to mean to me and so this is an unusual, there have been God's people in very circumstances all throughout history, especially in Scripture, who had to face a very, very uncertain future.

Sometimes a fearful future. I confusing future in this little miniseries is going to be. This is what God says you can put your trust in this is how to process this is how to face the future with confidence and we just couldn't think of a better time to give this word from God to people than right now. Very helpful things. I hope you'll set a reminder and be sure to be with us through the entire series facing the future with confidence is the way the Lord would have us live knowing that he's sovereign and nothing happens that he doesn't allow her degree is not surprised or caught off guard or wondering what to do next. If you haven't already.

Why not take a second to share this program with a friend online at http://livingontheedge.org just click the broadcasts tab will chip let's get to your application for today as we close today's program. I just want to remind you that the most common commandment in all of Scripture. It comes through Jesus to his disciples.

It comes through angels to leaders. It's don't be afraid. And the reason that's the most common is because we all struggle with fear.

So as you were listening today and you were thinking about what you're afraid of it can be a personal relational issue could be a financial issue could be a health issue.

It could be you know maybe you just glance at the paper and you're looking at what's happening all around the world. Or it could be deep concerns you have for our country and elections and what they mean or what they don't mean it.

Here's what I want to remind you, God says to Joshua and he says to you, and he says to me don't be afraid.

But then he says be strong and courageous. That's your role, you can feel afraid, but you can't allow your fear to paralyze you from being strong and courageous encourages not being better and stronger in ways where you don't have any problems. Courage is choosing to step out and do what God shows you confronting issues facing issues moving forward even when your emotions are screaming you're afraid to do that and I think it's very instructive that God shows us where strength comes from. He said to Joshua, this book of the law might word. Don't let it depart out of your mouth and that was it. He break Fraser idea to say you need to internalize the truth in your heart you need to meditate on it you need to saturate your mind in it so that you respond to my promises.

Rather than responding to all the problems that you see out there. You know, here's what I want to tell you I know fears are very very common right now but the best thing that you can do is to pull out a 3 x 5 card or write it on the back of something that you can see, and in one sentence just write this down what I'm most afraid about today is in just own it, get it out of your head on a sheet of paper and then underneath that right, Josh. What one verses eight and nine and what I can tell you is get in God's word. The psalmist David when he was running for his life would say if your word had not been my delight, I would've perished in my affliction in the midst of the most difficult times what he found was getting into, the Scriptures were faith gets birthed and perspective gets renewed.

That's what we need to do can I encourage you get in the Bible so Gideon asked God for help. Face your fears. Meditate on the word watch God work as we wrap up I would say thanks to those who make this program possible through your generous financial support. Your gifts help us create programs purchase airtime and develop additional resources to help Christians live like Christians.

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You can call us at AAA 333-6003. The donate button or donate online at http://livingontheedge.org. Your support is greatly appreciated will be sure to join us next time. When she continues a series facing the future with Phil Davis saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge