“YOU HAVE BEEN GOING AROUND THIS MOUNTAIN LONG ENOUGH. Deut 2:1-7
IS. 57:1,2, 11-15
In our lives we need to be careful of going toward two extremes that have a devastating affect on us. 1.
Sitting at ease in our present comfortable position. In this I see that we like things the way they are and do
not want to change. Amos 6: “Woe to you who are complacent in Zion.” 2. The other is running to do things
without thinking it through. Both of these are contrary to the Bible which says, “Commit your way unto the
lord and He shall direct your paths.” Ps. 37: 5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
6He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Pr.
16:3 "Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
I. THE DELAY. God was saying to his people, “You have been circling this mountain for to long of a time.”
This mountain was not where God wanted them to be. He had much, much more. Some had commented
that it is a blessed thing to saved from the wrath to come, but one can not just stay there and remain
spiritually healthy. I have heard and seen some that only live in the past because that was a safe time. Our
first comfort zone that we were expelled from was one in which we lived for nine months. We were fed, we
were warm, we had not worries, we did not need to worry about clothes, we were carried about to every
place we went and we were not disturbed about the conditions of the world. So it happened when we were
born we cried for we had been taken out of that safe environment. It was a cold world and we needed
attention and were helpless except for our little voices. For some of us the next big shock was there was
another creature that looked somewhat like us and they wanted the attention of the ones that had been
providing us love so we had to share. About the age of five we were then thrown out of our house to a room
full of other little people and a big person we did not know who was to teach us. We can remember the past
but we can not stay there.
God wants His people to move on and these people had been wandering in the desert for 38 years. Now
He says it is time for you to take possession of the land that I promised you. Where are you spiritually? It is
up to you where you want to be. Col 3 1-10 set forth what has been described as standing and state
of the Christian. The indicative statements describe the believer’s position in Christ: He is dead to
the world, he has been raised with Christ, he is with Christ in heaven, he has "taken off the old self"
and he has "put on the new self" . The imperative statements indicate what the believer is to do as a
result: He is to set his heart (or mind) on things above, he is to put to death practices that belong to
his earthly nature and he is to rid himself of practices that characterized his unregenerate self. In
summary, he is called upon to become in daily experience what he is positionally in Christ.
12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances
you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on
love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since
as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and
spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Ph 3:14I press
on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
II. THE DIRECTIVE. "Turn." The good land lay north of them and they needed to start going that way. They
did not have to dwell in the wilderness anymore but in the blessings that God wanted them to have. God had
provided for them in the wilderness but he had much more for them in the promised land.
he does not want us to stay where we are but to go. To look up and expect God’s blessing on our lives every
day in a new and better way than the day before. He wants us to enjoy the riches of His grace and not settle
for the garbage of this earth.
A Word From Billy Graham
"We can resist the devil only when we submit ourselves to God. In relation to the world the Bible says, ’This is the
victory that overcometh the world, even our faith’ (1 Jn 5:4). In relation to the flesh the Bible says, ’Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh’ (Gal 5:16). There is glorious news to those of us who are fighting these battles
and temptations. We are not asked to fight the battle alone. Remember, Christ promised that He would never leave us
nor forsake us (Heb 13:5). Jesus promised that after He left the earth, the Father would send Another, the Third Person
of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who is called the Comforter, that He may abide with us and live in us forever (John
14:16). It is the Holy Spirit living within us who produces the peace of God in our hearts in the midst of the struggles of
life (Galatians 5:22). This is a peace that the world cannot know; it is known only to the child of God."
III. THE DEMAND. `You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of
Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful." God did not want his people to
mingle with these people for that was not His best. We are not to look at others with envy for God
has the best if we will but let Him give it to us. God blesses His people right in the front of those who are
unbelievers and His blessing is of much great worth than what the world would give. Distict champs, State
champs, Divisional champs, World Series, NBA Campions, Super Bowl Champs. The day it is over it is over
but you see what God gives lasts forever and can never be taken away.
IV. THE REMINDER. In verse seven "The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your
hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast desert. These forty years the LORD your
God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything". we find four things that God gives;
A. His Favor. He has more blessings than we can contain. Our trip to Harlo in two trucks. He knew we
needed a truck and there was one there in a small town in Iowa. We traveled safely and our son came to
help us drive. We had a break down right in front of person who wanted to help us. He gave us the water
we needed for the radiator. Asked us to have a can of pop for the rest of the drive. We had many help us
unpack. The second truck was taken back with no questions about mileage. it causes me to wonder
sometimes why we think we are so poor when we have a heavenly Father that has wealth untold and gives
it to us freely just because we are His children. The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all
men.
B. His Wisdom. He knew all about them while they walked through that wilderness. Shoes did not wear
out. He is always mindful about us. He knows the way we are taking. Jesus was tempted in all points just as
we are and has the same feelings for our infirmities. He is over all and gives us what is best.
C. His Presence. "He has been with you." Do you know anyone who has been with you all your life? There
are some we would like to have with us but things have brought separation. I thank God He was with me
even before I was with Him. He kept me from some things that could have ruined my health, my reputation,
my relationships and my life. Dart that hit me right above my eye. What can you think of where God has
been there and protected you from ruin? If He is everlasting and you have learned His trust in the past can
we not trust Him for the future? One writer in the NT wrote, "We might deny him, but he cannot deny
Himself." Long for His presence, seek for it, believe it is yours and live like it.
D. His Abundance. "You have lacked nothing." he sent them bread every day, gave them water out of a
rock and gave them more mat than they could eat for forty years in a desert with over one Million people
plus the animals. The writer said, "No good thing will he withhold from those who love him." "He will neve
leave you nor forsake you." Phil 4:11-13 "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of
being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in
want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Only four people survived above the 78th floor on that awful September 11, when a hijacked jetliner struck the south
tower of the World Trade Center. Two of those were in a group of six that were on the 84th floor, right in the middle of
where the plane crashed into the building. The six men ran to the stairwell and started that long trip down. At the 81st
floor, they met a woman who said, "You can’t go down. The floors below are in flames. We have to get above the
smoke and fire." The six coworkers debated whether to go up or down. Four decided to climb up, hoping for a
helicopter to rescue them from the roof. They could not have known that the rooftop doors were locked, and the roof
was smothered in smoke. Their other two colleagues continued down, heading right into the dense smoke that had made
others turn back. They struggled to breathe, but thankfully that smoke lasted only a floor or two. They were the last
people who got out of the south tower alive. Their friends didn’t make it.You can see where people would turn back
because of the smoke in between them and safety. Tragically, that was a fatal choice.
It’s a mistake that far too many people have made spiritually - going the wrong way because of all the smoke between
them and Jesus. It could be that even you have been holding back from what Jesus offers because of the spiritual
"smoke" that’s kept you from moving His direction.
Many honest people have held back on committing to Jesus because "Hey, I’ve just known way too many Christians
who were hypocrites." Maybe you’ve even known those who were supposed to be Christian leaders who have messed
up. That’s heavy smoke, blocking your view of Jesus.
Hurts can do the same thing - painful things that have happened to you. You have doubts, unanswered questions, even
anger - so you won’t accept Jesus’ invitation to "Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavily burdened."
Some people never make it to Jesus because of their pride, their self-reliance - "Hey, I’ve made my way this far on my
own - I’ll take my chances with God." Our own pride can be the smoke that keeps us from the One who died for us
because there’s no way we could make it with God on our own.
And, strangely, sometimes your religious background can even be the "smoke" that keeps you from Jesus. You’ve got a
lot of religion, maybe even a lot of Christianity - and it’s easy to mistake having Christianity for having Christ - to depend
on your own Christianness rather than depending on Jesus. The Word of God clears away the smoke. Two words:
"Follow Me," Jesus said. That’s it. Jesus’ invitation to you couldn’t be plainer - "Follow Me." Not My followers, not My
leaders, not My religion, not My rules - "Follow Me." It’s all about Jesus. "What did you do with My Son?" Since it’s
all about Him, there’s really no reason not to give yourself to the Man who died for you. Don’t let the smoke make you
turn away from the only way out - the only One who can give you heaven. Tell Him, "Jesus, I now realize that all that
other stuff really doesn’t matter. It’s all about you. And beginning today, I’m yours." from Ron Hutchcraft
