LETS TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.....
Deut. 1:6-8 6 The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:
7 Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.
8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after the
Background of Text: Israel has been delivered out of Egypt. They have been camped out at Mount Horeb for about a year. However, this was not the promised Land. Now it was time to move on . Dt. 6:23).
And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
LETS TAKE A LOOK INTO THE CAMP AND SEE WHAT WE CAN LEARN.
#1 THEY WERE CAMPING IN THERE CONFORT ZONE.
A. THERE IS Danger in any business or ministry to become self-satisfied. Instead of advancing to new levels, people become content with the status quo and staying within their ?comfort zone.?
QUESTION?
„h We have nice cars, nice homes, nice kids, nice neighborhood, nice jobs, nice clothes, nice church?why change anything?
„h Christians often fall into this trap: I?m saved and going to heaven, I?ve been baptized, I have a nice church, nice friends, I read three or four chapters in my Bible everyday, why change anything? Aren?t I doing enough?
A.. God never intended for the Christian or the church to stand still!
WHY ?
1. We are soldiers, NOT SQUATTERS! As the song says,
2. ?Like a mighty army MOVES THE CHURCH OF GOD!?
2. We need to be advancing not camping out around the mountain. God says, ?Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount!? Or, to put it another way??It?s time crack it up a notch?It?s time to move up to the next level!?
C. Yes, our church has come a long way.
.
#2 THERE IS A COMMAND to take it to the next level. God commanded them to MOVE ON! VERSE 7
CONSIDER THESE THOUGHTS.
„h A stagnant river breeds mosquitoes, diseases, and death.
„h An unmoved vehicle is destroyed by rust.
„h A person who only lays in bed develops bedsores.
A. WE NEED TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL!
1. I?m not talking about changing our message?I?m talking about improving the quality and effectiveness of our methods.
2. We still haven?t knocked on every door within a five mile radius of our church.
Joshua 13:1?Even after Israel entered the promised land and defeated 31 different kings, God reminded an aged Joshua (90 years old), ?There remaineth YET very much land to be possessed.?
#3 THERE IS A Challenge to overcome the obstacles. VERSE 7B
Between where Israel was camped and the possessing the Promised Land, there were several obstacles.
#1 Enemies to confront / GIANTS in the land (Dt. 1:28)
#2 Battles to be fought? IT WON?T BE EASY! (Josh. 17:15-18 - Iron chariots)
#3 Stumbling blocks of unbelief!
Likewise, there are some obstacles that stand between where we are now and takin? it to the next level.
LETS evaluation SOME obstacle? We need to honestly look where we are at. What?s working and what?s not
LETS CONSIDER
The vision OF THE obstacle?What is our vision for the future of OUR CHURCH.?
„h Improvement of facilities / paving parking lot / landscaping;
„h Equipping our new building
„h Enlarging our outreach;
„h Upgrading our educational ministries
„h Raising the quality of music ministry / choir;
„h Beginning a Homeless ministry & Ministry to the addicted.
LETS CONSIDER The cost OF THE obstacle? Funds needed.
. The commitment obstacle?Are we committed to do what is necessary to take it to the next level?
The faith obstacle? Will we step out in faith, trusting God to bless and meet our needs.
General Douglas MacArthur once said that a man is old when he begins to look backwards more than he looks forward. We have a choice: We can look forward and enjoy God?s blessings in the days ahead, or we can live in the past and forfeit what God wants for us today.
As a church we need to take it to the next level.
As a Christian, YOU need to take your spiritual life to the next level (Phil. 3:10-14):
„h Some of you don?t know any more Bible than you knew a year ago.
„h Some of you still have never won a soul to Christ.
„h Some of you haven?t read your Bible through cover to cover. Some of you are still reading the Bible at the same rate you did last year.
„h Some of you are still giving what you gave last year (maybe less).
„h Some of you still only come to church on Sunday morning.
„h Some of you have still not taken on any responsibility of ministry. You are content to camp-out in your pew and let everyone else shoulder the work.
„h Some of you are don?t pray any more than you did in June of 2005.
„h Some of you have not memorized verse of Scripture in months.
There is still much land that needs to be possessed! Will you join me in takin? it to the next level?
AMEN¡ LETS PRAY........
