Sermon Central
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Crossing Jordan! Bringing It Home!
Contributed by Victor Ramlall on Apr 2, 2013 (message contributor)
Summary: There comes a time in our lives when we have to step out and step up in our faith at life's challenges but we can succeed as we move in obedience to His Word and Spirit
Joshua 1:1-9 KJV Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto 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. 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Deuteronomy 1:1-8 KJV These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab. 2 (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.) 3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them; 4 After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: 5 On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying, 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 them.
It was a land promised hundreds of years before, to Abraham, Isaac and then Jacob. The Children of Israel stood on the verge of fulfilling their call, yet failed because of an evil report. It is an all too tragic fact that many have drawn back at the very moment when they should have pushed on.
It makes no sense to swim halfway across the river then turn back because you are afraid you will not make it fully across!
It seemed the logical thing to do in enlightening Israel concerning the obstacles ahead and it was! It's always good to know what you have to face! The follow up speech however served to create a nation of craven cowards who were afraid to proceed, but rather wanted to go backwards. We will always be confronted with new challenges and the accompanying dangers as we move forward. But remember the old saying: Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 KJV
Like I said before, It's always good to know what you have to face! But it is much more vital to know Who is on your side when you are facing the enemy! Crossing Jordan requires fortitude, focus and faith in God.
People who fail to move into new territory are condemned to spend the rest of their lives moving in endless non productive circles. They usually get the faithful entangled in their barren wasted years of wandering in circles until the cycle is broken.
