Follow the Ark! Part 1

Greetings friends and new listeners and welcome to the sound of a I'm Sharon not thanking you for joining us today because we know Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Today's message is a good word of encouragement and direction to follow the arc when you've been in the wilderness, and God is leading you out into a large place of fulfilled promises. It can be both exciting and uncertain because there may be a raging Jordan River between you and your promised land.

Its then you must be of good courage, and follow the arc how the young, the ancient of days, from everlasting to everlasting God.

Amen. And the changeless God.

He is the same. He's the same miracle working God brought the children out on this one out of Egypt and led them through the Red Sea and did all those mighty wonders and God has not changed and his arm is not become impotent. He is still able to deliver us and rescue us and we will have our Red Sea, they may not be (but we will have our Red Sea.

Amen. But our God is able to bring us out if you have your Bibles. I'd like you to join me this morning were going to be reading really mostly from the book of Joshua the first couple of chapters will read the whole thing below will read what I feel is pertinent that we need to refresh our minds on and not only that the wording is very important in these chapters, because whenever you are reading in the Bible about a great miracle that God is about to do really pay attention to the wording because it is significant because we can see the things that lead to a miracle. Amen. Because God sets the stage for miracles and you may be in a waiting time in your life you know our air travel in America becomes more and more congested. It is a little scary when you they show you on television.

What those are. A Trapani call control was up there in the tower seeing on their screen. I mean it's just common with all these little green dots look like they're on top of each other and everyone does represent a plane that is ready to take off or go out or something, and usually don't want them to overlap and you see on this and you think I mean how can they control whose common news going in and it is extremely important that they don't amen. And you know, sometimes they have to put some airplanes in a holding pattern. Sometimes the ones that are on the runway that need to take off. Begin the journey are told to wait and you're sitting there and sometimes you can wait 1/2 an hour before they even allow the plane to leave the tarmac because they're waiting for an open sky. Amen. And even though you may be a little fretful because you got places to go and things to do. You need to just sit there and be quiet and that is a double take as long as it takes so that when they finally take off. We got a clear pathway and when they come to land.

Sometimes when the plane is going to land again. The runways are congested so they'll put that plane that's coming in a holding pattern and they'll be kinda like just circling around a little bit and you're just hoping they have enough gas that's all you need to worry about the matter how long it takes does have enough gas and we finally get a runway will go to land and you may feel in your life like your stomach will not or you may feel like that you are not holding pattern, and you're anxious to move on to the next place you got to go, but you just need to trust the Lord. Amen.

Because he is in control and he doesn't make mistakes. The only time that mistakes happen is when people that had that as the job or for what ever reason that they are. Maybe they're having a bad day dating get enough sleep. They didn't get enough rest got a headache. Oh God, I hope they don't have a hangover. Amen. And when these things that encourage human error that someone wasn't communicating with the other person or another you know and they both gave the same directions that were this for the same Arab Elaine and you know we have to trust the Holy Spirit and know that our God is able to bring us through and out of every situation where we are and if you're in a holding pattern and if you're in a waiting time you need to trust in the Lord and wait on the Lord and be of good courage, and now were going to talk about the children of Israel. You talk about a waiting time they had been waiting for 40 long years to enter into the promised land and that will take up our story and Joshua the first chapter.

I'm not going to read everything, but some things are very special so will read the first nine verse now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord came to pass that the Lord spoke on the Joshua the son of non-Moses minister, saying Moses my servant is dead now therefore arise, go over this Jordan Valley and all this people under the land which I do give to them even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that. Have I given unto you, as I said on the Moses from the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your coast.

There shall not any man be able to stand before me all the days of thy life. Wow, what a promise as I was with Moses, so I will be with me I will not fail the door for safety.

Be strong and of good courage, for under this people shall not divide for an inheritance the land which I swear under their fathers to give them only be thou strong in very courageous, that thou may just observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded the turn not from it to the right hand nor to the left, that thou meas prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, and now that thou meas observe to do according to all that is written therein, then thou shall make the way prosperous, and then thou shall have good success had not commanded the third time, be strong and of good courage, be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed for the Lord… Is with the whithersoever ever thou goest you talk about a pep talk. I mean the Lord again knew that he had the right person he chose Joshua a while back, and Joshua had been Moses minister, you know, one of the times when Moses was up for 40 days in the mountain with God. Do you know that Joshua was stayed at the bottom of the mountain all by himself those same 40 days.

Think about a place of being in limbo.

He wasn't up on the mountain with Moses with God role the action and excitement was happening and he wasn't with the family and friends and the people of Israel having natural family fellowship is in the mail.

Have you ever been in that place you ever felt like you were not on the map right now and yet it seems like in the natural, you're not even enjoying the natural ties in the natural like that you had me feeling somehow another you're in limbo you're in that waiting like Joshua was faithful.

He stayed there. There is nowhere in Scripture that I had seen or read where he was told to stay there where he was commanded by God or Moses to stay there. My theory and observation. Is he.

He stayed there by his own choice because he wanted the things of God. Amen.

And even though he was not allowing was not ready to go up on the mountain with Moses. He had decided to separate himself unto God with no promise at this time and no future and know nothing at the Lord. Thou shall be a great man that will take the people and at this. None of that was in the picture that God had revealed but God saw that man he saw Josh was heart. He saw that he was willing to be underserved in the least and be alongside of God's servant Moses and so now God said Moses my servant is dead now. This was not new information. If you look at the last chapter of Deuteronomy the proceeds Joshua we find out that he'd been dead for 30 days at least. Because the children of Israel stopped and mourned for Moses for 30 days.

This was not a new splash my servant Moses is dead but what he was saying is, God was making a point to guys. Moses is dead. You got let go of the past.

It's time to rise up and cross over this Jordan into the language identity that is started on the journey 40 years ago.

What lease your parents did. They didn't because all those people were dead.

These are the children and grandchildren. Amen.

But he then you know what, there is a time to mourn, but there is a time to move on and some people get stuck in the mourning process getting more of what was what used to be.

Amen. Could be, but it's not because this happened, or that happened and you know sometimes things come in your life if you lose a loved one, you're gonna barn God expects you to mourn because he created you and that's part of the human breeding process to mourn when we lose someone close to us by give you more if you continue to mourn and Morgan used to place the morning then you're going to miss the blessings that God has for you and you're digging yourself in this loss as an ally when you and maybe your marriage ended in your morning or maybe you didn't get married but you thought you were there to marry somebody in the engagement written on the way your morning over that in your morning position and you don't know what got you around the corner. Amen.

Your dream job. You need a job you thought would be your dream job is something of great disappointment is coming your life. It's really not off your feet and you didn't you just feel discouraged about it. You can sit there and mourned for the next year or next two years and life is moving on and blessings of God are being forfeited to God what you see there's a time to mourn, but there's a time to move on. And God said everyplace every everyplace the sole of your foot shall tread upon. Had I given to you. Amen. God said, I've already given it to you that past you Angel back 40 years ago Moses, but you know you don't walk the land. Your land is measuring one of the minor problems I can't remember where it was one from you not going to give you one may want to give you a job to give you a ministry or whatever it may be holding on to that, but you're still the same… But beware sometimes God made the perfect wife or husband for you and your think. Praise God. One day magically the doorbell ring and open the door and she stands or there he stands my knight in armor and so what meantime I'm just I'm not going to go on any dates I'm not going to fellowship with with other Christian women or men of the opposite sex that are unmarried and eligible all the you know things okay got all that finger on the 20 let them get sinners forgotten that mistakes don't peoplesee what happened okay get all of our criteria together. Be not unequally help nonbelievers. Amen and make sure that they're not already married so you not to cooperate with God you get out there. Put your foot on that dating territory or whatever it may be, does it mean that the very first person you date is going to be the one. Probably not.

Probably not what how you will know who you like and what you like me you have to go out and serious serious serious date you can go out with groups of people. Amen.

And in the Holy Spirit is not someone for you. He's going to draw you together. He's not going to tell you Susie's the one for you and Susie cannot stand anything about you. I love you brother in the Lord and that part. Susie's the one Susie's going to like you. Amen MAC wouldn't say you got to get your foot out there.

You got it off, stop crying, documenting stock morning stop having a pity party.

Everybody but me on this one, but you've got to get all and get moving and God said, as I was with Moses, will be with the I will not fail the not for safety.

Now I think it's quite important that we take note of the fact that he said three times, be strong, be of good courage. In fact, one time he added very courageous, very courageous now and then to me in first big God is trying to prepare them for a big big deal. Remember name people have not crossed the Red Sea.

We understand that because when they disobeyed God and murmured after the 12 spies came back that Moses assented to the land in 10 of them had a bad report and only to Joshua and Caleb had a good report, and when they began to murmur and complain. Remember, God was so angry. He said he will not go in. You will not going to my land.

I will let you walk around this wilderness until you all die off and your offspring will go in the offspring had never been at the Red Sea miracle and God was getting ready to prepare this new generation of only two people, Joshua and Caleb had experienced to rely on all the rest go by the stories and had been living on 40 year old story you hear what I'm saying. We moved in this chart here at 2420 West Ave. in 1973. Tell me how long ago that was how long people are still living on the street on William Street… On William Street and yes he did those things on William Street and I were married different in the world. Marlene allegedly and we did not all digital things we have now social media know I mean those people you had to go get your timeout and go to the telephone call your boyfriend or girlfriend up and stand there in the cold shiver when you talk for hours. Amen. That's how was 40 years ago. So what I'm saying is they had been living off a 40-year-old story. And God knew that he had to prepare them for this great thing that was about to happen the product they had gone down.

They were now at the Jordan River and they could not go there until they got over that river.

Amen this was going to be a big thing to them.

How are we going to get over this river yeah heard what they said about you know how Moses he went up there with his son. He divided the Red Sea and walked over on dry ground and wow that was something but you know I don't know. I don't know if Baxter was do that for us and so the Lord said to be of good courage be very courageous to be strong and be ready.

Don't be dismayed. Don't be afraid and don't be afraid. Don't be dismayed because this is an ultimate state of fear you have fear and fright dismay means to be overwhelmed with fear, to the point that you cast away your hope to the point that you're losing it. Amen.

Ever been there. So what is the answer. What is you've got to St. Ingersoll. So take courage, be strong, be with you like I was with Moses that I will not leave the will not you will be. Amen there is a Scripture that I love my favorite verses there in actually in Your Pl. in Joshua but in Isaiah 41st chapter verse 10 in verse 13.

I like to get the Scripture to people when I know they're going through a battle. They helped me so much. Now, not for I am with the be not dismayed. Don't be overwhelmed with fear, for I am thy God will strengthen me.

Yeah, I will uphold them with the right hand of my righteousness. Verse 13 for I the Lord thy God will hold my right hand. Second, under the I will help the you know there's another verse in this chapter that I love and I just backup the verse six it says they helped everyone his neighbor, and everyone said to his brother, be of good courage, and look at somebody and say, brother, sister, whatever it may be a good courage to encourage one another to you in the mirror and you know all in one. When you courage. You witness and agree amen. So we got to be of good courage, and how we do that we go back to Joshua we have to speak the word of God. Verse eight this book of the law shall not depart out of thy what is so important because we believe what the heart, but we confess with the mouth. What ever the abundance of the heart going to be your phone and this may not want to talk you know what to do when you're be quiet be quiet. Don't say that negative thing. Don't say that doubtful thing that get in the word of God, get some Scripture get Isaiah 4110 and 13 now speak here. Trouble should not depart, but meditate therein day and night.

Now the word meditate means to monitor and UT TER. Another word it means to talk to yourself how many here ever talk to yourself. You know what you are very intelligent people. You are very intelligent people that crazy talk myself big and you are you you you by the word of God.

Amen. So you gotta meditate you literally gotta speak out loud the word of God and you know that's what my favorite messages the ball and I don't have time to go there but we know that the Bible tells us that as part of the whole armor of God, we must take the sword of the mirror, which is the word of God and we know that Hebrews tells us the word of God is alive and active alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, is able to do by the so which is very hard to divide and separate. Amen. That's what you can go to carnal unregenerate doctors and therapist and in all of those because they don't know how to separate soul and spirit.

They only know how to talk to the soul. They know only know how to help you with your emotional things going by their experience in their learning.

What did they know the spirit of God.

What did they know about the born-again spirit, amen. If they're still dead in your trespasses and they can't understand the things of the spirit man but all God's word is the best counselor. It's the best psychiatrist psychologist not diagnosed by the diagnosis and prognosis. Not going to be all right… Open your mouth because is like the start, I need somebody now knows the message that help me preach. Now the edge of that sort is created when when God speaks that word to you in the Greek it's Reimann, R.

H.

E. And freaking out. Hebrews 412. The work stored in the Greek is Reimann ramus, a spoken word you speak, it's Reimann, and in contrast to word is created when the Holy Spirit highlights in your spirit, a Scripture you know that Scripture but for some reason you know it in a different way. It's very personal, very customized Mary specified is what you need to do that moment when God your spirit creates the first, but in order to be created and then the second is created.

Amen. So he said you've got to let this word begin your mouth and you cannot let it depart if you will do this. We rented all you're not.

But have a problem with fear you won't have a problem with dismay and you're going to prosper and have good six and I'm going to be with you wherever you go. And so this was the work done, Joshua. Amen. And so now what has this promise, he's able to live and the worst step in the most issues and not be afraid he's not coming back. Amen. So now Jocelyn, you better get a move on you not only not want for yourself is 12 3 million people looking up to you. Amen. I hope you're encouraged by today's motivating message, follow the arc. Joshua was a fearless fighter and leader in the troops of Israel serving faithfully under Moses. But when Moses died the mantle of leadership fell upon him.

Now Moses had led them through the Red Sea. What a spectacular event, eternally etched in the minds of the Israelites, but now it was time to leave the 40 year trek in the wilderness and enter into the promised land.

But first they must cross the Jordan River. By comparison, the Jordan River was nothing like the Red Sea. But while God miraculously divided the Red Sea and they crossed over on dry ground. He instructed Joshua to send them through the waters of the Jordan and it's springtime. It was a raging torrent as the melted snow from the northern mountains overflowed its banks you see every generation must have its own Red Sea experience and these April Israelites were born in the wilderness and had not experienced the Red Sea, but God had a different plan. He told Joshua to send the priests bearing the ark of the covenant on their shoulders into the raging waters, and he told the people follow the ark follow the presence of God. They had to step out in faith. God said as soon as the soles of your feet rest in the waters.

The Jordan will rollback so if you're facing the Jordan River experience in your life. Don't fear.

Just follow the ark the emblem of the presence of God which contained the words of God. This message, follow the arc can be ordered on CD for a love gift of at least $10 for the radio ministry request offer S. K. 173. That's SEK 173 failed to sound the faith PO Box 1744, Baltimore, MD 21203 or go online to sound the faith at Archie Hardy.work for.

You may also order one MP3 that's Margie Hardy.org but to order by mail sent a minimum love gift of $10 to PO Box 174, Baltimore, MD 21203. Till next time. This is Sharon Nazi are not