Introduction- When the world trade center was bombed in 2001 President Bush used a phrase that is commonly used by politicians, “stay the course.” He said we would “stay the course” in our fight against terror. To stay the course is “to stand firm in pursuing a goal or course of action, to persevere in the face of whatever challenges or obstacles one may encounter. “ I was curious as to the origin of this term so I looked it up on the internet. The first use of the phrase in print, in 1885, comes from another sort of “course,” the racetrack. “To stay the course” in this sense referred to the ability of a horse to endure the race and reach the finish line, preferably in a winning position. Politicians have adopted this phrase and often use it to encourage their constituents. (www.word-detective.com)
I want to use this phrase as the title for this message. I want my message to be an encouragement for you to stay the course.
-in serving the Lord
-in your battle against discouragement
-in your battle against disease
-in your struggles at home
-in your struggles with other people
All of us need help staying the course from time to time.
Ill- It seems that one day a kindergarten teacher was helping one of her students put on his cowboy boots? He asked for help and she could see why. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn’t want to go on. They got one boot on. Finally, when the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat. She almost cried when the little boy said, "Teacher, they’re on the wrong feet." She looked down and sure enough, they were.
It wasn’t any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. But she managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on - this time on the right feet. And it was only then that he announced, "These aren’t my boots."
She bit her tongue rather than scream, "Why didn’t you say so?" like she wanted to. And, once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet. No sooner had they got the boots off than he said, "They’re my brother’s boots. My Mom made me wear ’em today."
Stifling a scream, she mustered up the grace and courage she had left to wrestle the ill-fitting boots on his feet again. Helping him into his coat, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens?"
To which he replied, "I stuffed ’em in the toes of my boots."(Contributed to Sermon Central by: Ken Kersten)
That teacher had a challenging day! She needed to stay the course.
For a text I want you to follow along as I read several passages. These passages are all found in the book of Joshua. (Joshua 13:1; 23:14-16; 24:14-16) Joshua was a man who “stayed the course.” I want to share some lessons we learn from a study of Joshua’s life. All of us need help in staying the course.
I. Lesson one is to Be Courageous.
When Joshua began his ministry career he faced a huge task. God knew he faced a huge task. In fact we find recorded (three different times in Joshua 1:6,7,9) where God encouraged Joshua to be courageous. Joshua displayed his courage in a number of ways. He faced a number of trials but I just want to mention three of them.
A. He had big shoes to fill. How would you feel if you had to fill the shoes of Moses? Each of us have mountains that we must climb. I cannot imagine a greater challenge than having to fill the shoes of a legend
Ill- Ray Perkins did this when he came to coach the University of Alabama after Paul Bryant retired.
B. He walked alone through much of his ministry.
(Refer to Num. 32:12)
Ill- When I was in college there was a song entitled “One is the Loneliest Number.” One is a lonely number. Joshua walked alone much of the time.
C. He faced much opposition..
Refer to Joshua 11:1-4)
If you are going to stay the course it will be necessary for you to stay the course in your spiritual life.
Ill- A man in Dundee, Scotland, was confined to bed for forty years, having broken his neck in a fall at age fifteen. But his spirit remained unbroken, and his cheer and courage so inspired people that he enjoyed a constant stream of guests.
One day a visitor asked him, “Doesn’t Satan ever tempt you to doubt God?”
“Oh, yes,” replied the man. “He does try to tempt me. I lie here and see my old schoolmates driving along in their carriages and Satan whispers, ‘If God is so good, why does He keep you here all these years? Why did he permit your neck to be broken?’”
“What do you do when Satan whispers those things?” asked the guest.
“Ah,” replied the invalid, “I take him to Calvary, show him Christ, and point to those deep wounds, and say, ‘You see, he does love me’. And Satan has no answer to that. He flees every time.”
(Contributed to Sermon Central by: A. Todd Coget)
Ill- If you want to see a person who displayed courage in the midst of trials read II Cor. 6:3-6.
II. Lesson two is Be Dependable.
There are some things in life you can always depend on to be constant. They will always be there.
-The sun will rise in the morning.
-The sun will set in the afternoon.
-Gravity will continue its pull.
-The republicans and democrats will continue
to argue.
-Water will continue to be wet.
-Wives will tell their husbands how to drive.
-Husbands will not listen to their wives
Ill- Some years ago Howard Hendricks (a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary) taught his son, Bob, a valuable lesson on dependability. He said “Be so dependable that if you say you will be somewhere and don’t show up, they will send flowers.” (Illustration number 205 in Something to Think About...McHenry)
Joshua was dependable in at least two ways.
A. He continued to serve faithfully even in old age.
Ill- The apostle Paul said "I have kept the faith." He served and was depenable until the very end.
B. He was a prayer warrior for Moses.
(Refer to Exo. 33:11)
FOREVER FAITHFUL
Some of us can remember the Sunday morning terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, in which hundreds of Americans were killed or wounded as they slept. Many of us can still recall the terrible scenes as the dazed survivors worked to dig out their trapped brothers from beneath the rubble. A few days after the tragedy, Marine Corps Commandant Paul X Kelly, visited some of the wounded survivors then in a Frankfurt, Germany, hospital. Among them was Corporal Jeffrey Lee Nashton, severely wounded in the incident. Nashton had so many tubes running in and out of his body that a witness said he looked more like a machine than a man; yet he survived. As Kelly neared him, Nashton, struggling to move and racked with pain, motioned for a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote a brief note and passed it back to the Commandant. On the slip of paper were but two words -- "Semper Fi" the Latin motto of the Marines meaning "forever faithful." With those two simple words Nashton spoke for the millions of Americans who have sacrificed body and limb and their lives for their country -- those who have remained faithful.
(SOURCE: J. Dobson & Gary Bauer, Children at Risk, Word, 1990, pp. 187-188. 0
III. Lesson three is, Be Optimistic Because of your faith in God.
A. Joshua was always trusting God for what He could do.
(Refer to Num. 14:6-10)
B. He was an eternal optimist.
Ill- In Larry Olsen’s Outdoor Survival Skills, he tells of a guy who has been lost in the desert for days. His water and food have long since run out. His lips are parched, and his tongue is swollen. His legs are bruised and bleeding from dragging himself across the desert floor. His body is scorched from the sun and covered with insect bites and cactus pricks. As he props himself up on his bleeding elbow to look over a knoll, he sees nothing but wasteland through his sand-peppered eyes, and comments, “You know, a few more days like this and I might get discouraged.” (Illustration number 1025 in Something to Think About… McHenry)
IV. Lesson four is, Be an Encourager.
Ill- Mary Lincoln, the granddaughter of Abraham Lincoln, was the owner of a small box that contained the contents of her grandfather’s pockets from the night he was assassinated. These effects were not publicly known unti they came into possession of the Library of Congress. One of the items in the pocket of Abraham Lincoln on the occasion of his death was a letter to the editor praising Lincoln for his singleness of purpose. Everyone needs encouragement, even presidents as great as Lincoln.
(Illustration number 249 in Something to Think About… McHenry…taken from Leadership, June 8 1994. P. 1-2)
How did Joshua encourage those around him?
A. He was a spiritual cheer leader.
(Refer to Deut. 1:38; 3:28; 31:23)
B. He encouraged them by setting an example.
