WEBVTT - Takers, Part 11 0:00:00.260 --> 0:00:03.320 All I'm trying to tell you is God's word never 0:00:03.320 --> 0:00:08.690 has an expiration date. It's as relevant today as it 0:00:08.690 --> 0:00:12.230 was back in that day. And if God took 700 0:00:12.230 --> 0:00:15.470 years to fulfill a promise about his son. Why are 0:00:15.470 --> 0:00:18.110 you crying? Because it's been a few years. 0:00:24.710 --> 0:00:28.370 Welcome to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford Jr. 0:00:28.400 --> 0:00:31.400 Senior pastor of Christ Bible Church in Chicago. I'm Steve 0:00:31.400 --> 0:00:34.250 Hiller and glad that you're with us. And pastor, that 0:00:34.250 --> 0:00:36.980 is a convicting thought for some of us who tend 0:00:36.979 --> 0:00:41.330 to be very impatient. Um, but for others, as we 0:00:41.330 --> 0:00:44.809 try and patiently wait for the promises of God, I 0:00:44.810 --> 0:00:47.630 think one of the struggles is that while we wait, 0:00:47.630 --> 0:00:53.150 we may be experiencing pain. Whether that's physical or emotional, mental, 0:00:53.150 --> 0:00:57.380 whatever that pain may be. We tire in the waiting 0:00:57.380 --> 0:01:01.510 because of the circumstances that we have to wait in. 0:01:01.510 --> 0:01:03.220 So what would you say to the person who says, 0:01:03.220 --> 0:01:05.920 I'm trying to be faithful in my waiting, but it's 0:01:05.920 --> 0:01:07.720 so hard, it hurts. 0:01:08.050 --> 0:01:11.560 I would say Amen. Amen. 0:01:11.590 --> 0:01:12.100 So be it. 0:01:12.130 --> 0:01:12.759 Amen. 0:01:12.790 --> 0:01:13.060 Okay. 0:01:13.150 --> 0:01:19.630 That it's often difficult. It's often painful. We don't like it. 0:01:19.720 --> 0:01:23.470 We want to be out of it as quickly as possible. That's. 0:01:23.500 --> 0:01:26.740 That's just being human, right? I mean, you know, that's 0:01:26.740 --> 0:01:30.880 just being human. And the thing about it is that 0:01:30.880 --> 0:01:34.720 God even gives us a word for that. So to 0:01:34.750 --> 0:01:38.199 deal with the anxiety, to deal with, you know, he 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:41.530 says in Philippians four six and seven, be anxious for nothing, 0:01:41.530 --> 0:01:45.700 but in everything with prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let 0:01:45.700 --> 0:01:48.070 your requests be made known unto God. And the peace 0:01:48.070 --> 0:01:51.190 of God that passeth all understanding shall keep your heart 0:01:51.190 --> 0:01:54.820 and mind in Christ Jesus. So even our Lord in 0:01:54.820 --> 0:01:58.240 the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed, uh, let this cup 0:01:58.240 --> 0:02:02.590 pass from me. Nevertheless, if it be thy will. And 0:02:02.590 --> 0:02:05.530 so it was all about the will of God. Jesus 0:02:05.530 --> 0:02:09.640 was in pain. He. He had not vain repetition, but 0:02:09.639 --> 0:02:15.160 painful reiteration. Three times he prayed that. And then it 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:18.610 says this. He says to the disciples who had been sleeping, 0:02:18.639 --> 0:02:21.550 all right, you guys can wake up now it's time 0:02:21.550 --> 0:02:24.310 to go. Well, he had swept, as it were, great 0:02:24.310 --> 0:02:27.220 drops of blood, right. And he was in great agony 0:02:27.250 --> 0:02:30.040 about going to the cross. Well, well, the cross was 0:02:30.040 --> 0:02:36.460 still there. What made the difference? Conformity to the will 0:02:36.460 --> 0:02:40.570 of God. So Hebrews five eight, that even though he 0:02:40.600 --> 0:02:45.010 were the son. The Greek says he learned obedience by 0:02:45.010 --> 0:02:49.180 the things that he suffered. And so, yeah, suffering sometimes 0:02:49.180 --> 0:02:50.859 is redemptive for us. 0:02:50.889 --> 0:02:53.079 You think of the apostle Paul, the thorn in the flesh, 0:02:53.080 --> 0:02:55.420 repeatedly praying that God would take it away. And God says, no, 0:02:55.419 --> 0:02:58.899 my grace is sufficient for you. Even in the suffering. 0:02:58.900 --> 0:03:02.210 So hopefully that is just a quick word of encouragement 0:03:02.210 --> 0:03:05.720 as we begin today's program. We're in Joshua chapter. 0:03:05.750 --> 0:03:09.770 You know what? We grow in the pain, right? Tribulation 0:03:09.770 --> 0:03:13.400 worketh patience. Have you ever prayed for patience? Well, then 0:03:13.400 --> 0:03:17.570 you just ask for tribulation. Anybody ever prayed for love? 0:03:17.600 --> 0:03:21.320 I want to, I want more. Well, unconditional love means 0:03:21.320 --> 0:03:24.800 somebody has to in the colloquialism and the vernacular of 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:28.220 my young people. Hate on you real bad just so 0:03:28.220 --> 0:03:30.770 that you can demonstrate unconditional love. You say you want 0:03:30.800 --> 0:03:34.550 to be like Jesus, then you just ask to be crucified, 0:03:34.580 --> 0:03:39.680 you know? And so it's part and parcel of growth 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:40.940 in the Christian life. 0:03:41.540 --> 0:03:45.380 Well, we're in the book of Joshua today as we 0:03:45.470 --> 0:03:48.620 continue a message entitled takers. So if you can join 0:03:48.620 --> 0:03:52.040 us in Joshua chapter one, here's Pastor Ford. 0:03:52.430 --> 0:03:59.210 Rest on God's promises. Rest on God's promises. That is 0:03:59.210 --> 0:04:01.710 verses three and four. Look at verses three and four. 0:04:01.740 --> 0:04:04.140 Verses three and four. Every place that the sole of 0:04:04.140 --> 0:04:08.340 your foot shall tread upon, uh, that I have given 0:04:08.340 --> 0:04:12.600 unto you, as I said unto Moses, from this wilderness 0:04:12.630 --> 0:04:18.750 and this Lebanon, even until the great river, the river Euphrates, 0:04:18.779 --> 0:04:22.260 unto the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, 0:04:22.260 --> 0:04:27.210 shall be your coast. Now, God, what are you saying? 0:04:27.210 --> 0:04:30.719 What are you doing? God is letting them know. Listen, listen. 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:34.080 You've got to rest on the promises I gave you. Promises. 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:36.900 Now a lot of people make promises. Uh, you got 0:04:36.900 --> 0:04:40.650 some people who say, uh, loan me some money until 0:04:40.680 --> 0:04:45.000 payday Friday and somebody can testify. Don't raise your hand. 0:04:45.000 --> 0:04:46.710 You might be sitting next to him, or they may 0:04:46.740 --> 0:04:49.710 be in the sanctuary. Uh, but what did they do? 0:04:49.740 --> 0:04:54.870 They didn't tell you which Friday. And they didn't tell 0:04:54.870 --> 0:04:58.680 you which year? Some. Come on. Some of us know 0:04:58.710 --> 0:05:01.469 there's folk now trying to look away because they know 0:05:01.470 --> 0:05:03.870 they owe us money. And they look, they say, sitting 0:05:03.870 --> 0:05:06.120 over here and they and instead of looking at me, 0:05:06.120 --> 0:05:08.100 they're looking at the wall because they know you looking 0:05:08.100 --> 0:05:10.650 from over there, because you moved from over there, because 0:05:10.650 --> 0:05:13.560 they ain't paid you your money yet. And then walk 0:05:13.589 --> 0:05:15.390 up in here talking about praise the Lord, acting like 0:05:15.390 --> 0:05:19.469 they don't know they owe you money. Yeah, yeah. You 0:05:19.470 --> 0:05:21.990 saw us up here. Why do you think I said suppose? 0:05:21.990 --> 0:05:24.330 Because you never know what's going to happen? Because we 0:05:24.330 --> 0:05:27.390 made that promise. I so and so do take you 0:05:27.420 --> 0:05:30.270 so and so as my lawfully wedded spouse to have 0:05:30.300 --> 0:05:32.490 and to hold in sickness and in health, in poverty 0:05:32.730 --> 0:05:36.960 until death do us part. And I tell you all 0:05:36.960 --> 0:05:39.750 the time, some of us, it's just until death do 0:05:39.779 --> 0:05:43.260 us part. Yeah. People make promises. I'll call you back 0:05:43.260 --> 0:05:45.540 later on today. We going to hook up later on 0:05:45.540 --> 0:05:48.300 this week. Come on now. I mean, how many have 0:05:48.300 --> 0:05:50.580 been told that and and heard from the person yet? 0:05:50.580 --> 0:05:52.529 Come on, come on. Look, look look at the hands. 0:05:52.529 --> 0:05:55.470 Look at the hands. Yeah. And so what. Oh here's 0:05:55.500 --> 0:06:00.239 the here's one. I'll pray for you. Look at that. 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:03.339 Look at that, everybody. Everybody's saying, man, what a farce, 0:06:03.370 --> 0:06:06.400 you know. And so we make promises. But we need 0:06:06.400 --> 0:06:10.330 to understand here. God makes them a promise. And he says, listen, 0:06:10.330 --> 0:06:12.610 I want you to understand two things. You've got to 0:06:12.610 --> 0:06:15.460 personalize the promise. And I told you what I do. 0:06:15.490 --> 0:06:19.360 I put my name there. I put my name there. Uh, 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:22.419 pastor for can do all things through Christ who strengthens him. 0:06:22.420 --> 0:06:24.850 Pastor Ford has never seen the righteous forsaken nor his 0:06:24.850 --> 0:06:27.730 seed begging bread. Pastor Ford is the head and not 0:06:27.730 --> 0:06:31.450 the tail. Pastor Ford that knows the plans that God 0:06:31.450 --> 0:06:34.029 has for him. Plans for good and not for evil, 0:06:34.060 --> 0:06:37.750 to bring him to a desired end. Pastor Ford, pastor 0:06:37.750 --> 0:06:41.320 for I personalize it. But then. But then you got 0:06:41.320 --> 0:06:43.690 to participate. Notice what he told them. Walk in it. 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:46.870 Walk in it. It's yours, but you're not walking in it. 0:06:46.870 --> 0:06:50.110 You're not possessing your possession. God says you gotta walk 0:06:50.110 --> 0:06:52.300 in it. Oh, yeah, I know the tests are hard, 0:06:52.300 --> 0:06:54.609 but you got to go to school in order to 0:06:54.610 --> 0:06:57.190 get that degree. You ain't going to get it at home. 0:06:58.510 --> 0:07:01.339 And so we need to do that. This neighborhood is ours. 0:07:01.339 --> 0:07:06.260 He's giving it to us. We're a lighthouse, a beacon. Man, 0:07:06.260 --> 0:07:09.560 we got to do it. We've got to do it. Yeah, 0:07:09.590 --> 0:07:12.500 because the Bible tells us in second Corinthians 120, all 0:07:12.500 --> 0:07:15.260 the promises of God in him are yea and Amen. 0:07:15.410 --> 0:07:19.850 Numbers 2319 God is not a man that he should lie. 0:07:19.880 --> 0:07:23.090 Isaiah 5511 so shall it be. The word that goeth 0:07:23.090 --> 0:07:26.750 forth from my mouth, it shall never return unto me void. 0:07:26.780 --> 0:07:29.270 It will always accomplish that which I set for it 0:07:29.270 --> 0:07:30.650 to do. I want to share this with you real 0:07:30.650 --> 0:07:34.970 quick now. Now get this. Remember in Micah five two, 0:07:35.000 --> 0:07:39.559 God made a promise. He said, O thou, Bethlehem Ephrata. 0:07:39.710 --> 0:07:44.150 He says, you're going to have a baby born in you. 0:07:44.210 --> 0:07:46.250 Who's going to be the Ancient of Days? So he 0:07:46.250 --> 0:07:49.100 talked about the humanity and the deity of Christ in 0:07:49.100 --> 0:07:50.780 Micah five two. I ain't got time to talk about 0:07:50.780 --> 0:07:53.330 all that because I gotta move on. But here's my point. 0:07:53.720 --> 0:07:57.320 When did God fulfill that promise? Anybody know how many 0:07:57.350 --> 0:08:06.330 hundreds of years later? 700 years. That's right. 700 years later. 0:08:06.330 --> 0:08:09.870 Now get this. He. He said, I promised you my word. 0:08:09.870 --> 0:08:14.280 But here's the problem. Jesus was in Nazareth. He's supposed 0:08:14.280 --> 0:08:17.250 to be going to Bethlehem to be born. So, God, 0:08:17.250 --> 0:08:19.410 your promise is going to be null and void because 0:08:19.410 --> 0:08:23.040 they live in Nazareth. His carpenter shop is in Nazareth. Now, 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:26.910 all of a sudden, you know, she's pregnant and he 0:08:26.910 --> 0:08:31.440 needs to be born in Bethlehem. Luke two one and 0:08:31.440 --> 0:08:35.340 a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that everybody should 0:08:35.340 --> 0:08:39.600 be taxed in there. God used the greed of Caesar 0:08:39.600 --> 0:08:43.530 to fulfill a 700 year old promise. All I'm trying 0:08:43.530 --> 0:08:48.869 to tell you is God's word never has an expiration date. 0:08:49.110 --> 0:08:53.550 It's as relevant today as it was back in that day. 0:08:53.550 --> 0:08:57.390 And if God took 700 years to fulfill a promise 0:08:57.390 --> 0:09:00.359 about his son. Why are you crying? Because it's been 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:06.030 a few years. He says, I have given listen to 0:09:06.059 --> 0:09:10.319 this are not yet is God's right now because they're 0:09:10.320 --> 0:09:13.110 not standing in the land. They're looking at it. The 0:09:13.110 --> 0:09:17.010 Jordan is flooding over. It's the obstacle that's stopping them. 0:09:17.010 --> 0:09:19.650 And God says, I want to get you over there 0:09:19.650 --> 0:09:21.660 so you can walk up, but we can't get over there. God, 0:09:21.660 --> 0:09:24.480 don't worry about it. I got you, I got you 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:26.580 on this, and you'll get over there when you get 0:09:26.580 --> 0:09:29.340 over there. Walk. Because everywhere you walk. And it's a 0:09:29.340 --> 0:09:34.410 symbol of submission, of domination over this thing. It's submitting 0:09:34.440 --> 0:09:36.630 to you because you're walking on it. And this is 0:09:36.630 --> 0:09:39.630 what I really love. Because remember he said, he said 0:09:40.110 --> 0:09:43.470 that the seed of the woman will bruise the serpent's heel. 0:09:43.470 --> 0:09:47.040 And so what did he do? Jesus says this. He says, 0:09:47.309 --> 0:09:49.890 what I will do is this. He said, he has 0:09:49.890 --> 0:09:55.050 put Satan under our feet. Under our feet, man, don't 0:09:55.050 --> 0:09:58.170 you sell your future to Satan. You want to know 0:09:58.170 --> 0:10:03.850 why I say why? Because the check's gonna bounce. Amen. 0:10:04.059 --> 0:10:08.679 But don't let the devil put a question mark where 0:10:08.710 --> 0:10:11.650 God has put an exclamation point. And so he says, yeah, 0:10:11.650 --> 0:10:16.060 we we're working on this thing. Uh, we personalize it. 0:10:16.059 --> 0:10:21.309 We participate. Why? Because if you have both hands on 0:10:21.309 --> 0:10:25.959 the promises, you can't have any hands on the problem. 0:10:26.020 --> 0:10:27.670 Let's see if we can finish this today. I'm going 0:10:27.670 --> 0:10:30.610 to drop off. I'm not going to push him. Notice. Thirdly. 0:10:30.610 --> 0:10:35.170 Then we are to rest in God's protective power. Verse five. 0:10:35.200 --> 0:10:37.870 Listen to this. Listen to verse five. How do we 0:10:37.870 --> 0:10:40.089 get this? How do I possess my possessions? Glad you asked. 0:10:40.090 --> 0:10:43.929 You ask intelligent questions. Respond to God's plan. Uh. Rely 0:10:43.929 --> 0:10:48.040 on God's promises. Now, thirdly, rest in God's protective power. 0:10:48.070 --> 0:10:50.230 Verse five. Let me read it. There shall not any 0:10:50.230 --> 0:10:52.360 man be able to stand before thee all the days 0:10:52.360 --> 0:10:55.179 of thy life, as I was with Moses. So I 0:10:55.179 --> 0:10:58.540 will be with thee. I will not fail thee, nor 0:10:58.540 --> 0:11:02.690 forsake thee. Do you see that God is promising them 0:11:02.690 --> 0:11:04.850 protection in three areas? Let me give it to you. 0:11:04.880 --> 0:11:05.929 I'm just going to drop it. I'm not going to 0:11:05.929 --> 0:11:11.270 push them. Protection against foes. Protection against failure and protection 0:11:11.270 --> 0:11:16.370 against fear. What's he going to protect him against? Foes. 0:11:16.370 --> 0:11:19.760 Failure and fears. Now Moses's name keeps coming up all 0:11:19.760 --> 0:11:22.309 over the place, and it's coming up in every category. 0:11:22.340 --> 0:11:25.459 Have you noticed that? Why? Because I want you to 0:11:25.490 --> 0:11:29.240 be able to look back and say this. If God 0:11:29.240 --> 0:11:34.760 did it before, he can do it again. Hey, anybody 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:38.300 ever been healed? Okay. If he did it before, he 0:11:38.300 --> 0:11:41.870 can do it again. Anybody ever been broke and God provided. 0:11:42.140 --> 0:11:44.840 If he did it, then he could. He did it. 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:47.780 Then he could do it again. Anybody ever have haters 0:11:47.780 --> 0:11:49.699 and you thought that they were going to overcome you, 0:11:49.700 --> 0:11:52.070 but God got you out of it. If he did it, 0:11:52.070 --> 0:11:56.570 then he can do it now. See, whatever God has done, 0:11:56.600 --> 0:12:00.240 God can do. And all we got to do is 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:03.569 believe that he protects us. So he wants you to 0:12:03.600 --> 0:12:09.000 know it's different leader. Same power, different church, same power, 0:12:09.000 --> 0:12:14.069 different everything. Same power. It's the same protective power that 0:12:14.070 --> 0:12:17.400 protected Moses and brought him through the Red sea. It's 0:12:17.400 --> 0:12:19.950 going to be the same power that take you through 0:12:20.100 --> 0:12:25.380 the Jordan River. It's a it's like a a young 0:12:25.380 --> 0:12:29.309 Navy lieutenant who's first time. And he said, uh, uh, 0:12:29.309 --> 0:12:31.380 the captain said, I got an interview. He said, okay. 0:12:31.410 --> 0:12:35.340 He said, there is a storm coming up on the 0:12:35.340 --> 0:12:38.040 starboard bow. What would you do? He said, I throw 0:12:38.040 --> 0:12:41.580 out an anchor. He said, okay, there's a storm coming 0:12:41.580 --> 0:12:44.849 out in the aft bow. What would you do? I 0:12:44.880 --> 0:12:48.720 throw out an anchor. He said, there's a storm coming 0:12:48.720 --> 0:12:50.910 in the forward bow. What would you do? He said, 0:12:50.910 --> 0:12:53.940 I throw out an anchor. He said there is a 0:12:53.940 --> 0:12:56.340 storm coming at the end of the ship. What would you. 0:12:56.370 --> 0:12:59.130 He said, I thought anchor captain said, where are you 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:02.620 getting all these anchors? He said the same place. You're 0:13:02.620 --> 0:13:06.670 getting all them storms. Same place you're getting all them storms. 0:13:06.670 --> 0:13:10.689 It's the same power that you and I understand that. 0:13:10.690 --> 0:13:13.420 The same power that protected Moses and brought the children 0:13:13.450 --> 0:13:16.390 of Israel where they had to go to possess their possession. 0:13:16.420 --> 0:13:18.430 If he could do it back then with Pharaoh, he 0:13:18.429 --> 0:13:20.440 could do it with the gangbangers. He can do it 0:13:20.440 --> 0:13:23.500 with all the other obstacles that face us. I want 0:13:23.500 --> 0:13:26.260 some people who will be willing to say, God, I 0:13:26.260 --> 0:13:29.650 understand that I am invincible as long as I am 0:13:29.650 --> 0:13:32.590 in your will that nobody can take me out, take 0:13:32.590 --> 0:13:37.060 me over, turn me in unless you allow it. I 0:13:37.090 --> 0:13:39.610 am the peculiar people of God, that is. I have 0:13:39.610 --> 0:13:42.850 been circled about and nothing and no one can get 0:13:42.850 --> 0:13:47.920 in unless you say so. I am invincible until God 0:13:47.920 --> 0:13:51.250 is finished with me. And Warren Wiersbe said he was 0:13:51.250 --> 0:13:53.410 preaching that, and a guy walked up to him and said, 0:13:53.440 --> 0:13:56.200 doctor Wesby, I got it, I got it. He said, 0:13:56.200 --> 0:13:59.530 I realize I'm invincible, that I could walk in the 0:13:59.540 --> 0:14:04.189 busiest intersection in this city, and nothing will happen to 0:14:04.220 --> 0:14:07.280 me if it's not my time. Doctor Warren Wiersbe said, 0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:09.800 I said to him, sir, if you walk in the 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:12.890 busiest intersection in this city, it is your time. 0:14:14.840 --> 0:14:18.530 You're listening to Treasure Truth, a message entitled takers, and 0:14:18.530 --> 0:14:21.080 we're going to get back to this teaching in just 0:14:21.080 --> 0:14:23.810 one moment. Hey, if you're listening in another part of 0:14:23.810 --> 0:14:26.000 the world, we would love to hear from you. That's 0:14:26.000 --> 0:14:28.730 one of the cool things about being online is we 0:14:28.730 --> 0:14:32.030 get responses literally from around the globe. So let us 0:14:32.030 --> 0:14:35.030 know where you're listening, why you're listening, and why. Pastor 0:14:35.030 --> 0:14:37.190 Ford's teaching is making a difference in your life. Give 0:14:37.190 --> 0:14:40.790 us your feedback by coming to Treasure Truth radio.org and 0:14:40.790 --> 0:14:43.880 clicking on the contact link. Let's get back to the 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:46.550 message takers again. Here's Pastor Ford. 0:14:46.610 --> 0:14:50.150 And so here it is. We understand that God has 0:14:50.150 --> 0:14:54.890 an anchor for our every storm. You see, they need protection. 0:14:54.950 --> 0:14:57.560 They were slaves, but the people in the land, they 0:14:57.590 --> 0:15:01.020 were warriors. And so now this was called the central Campaign, 0:15:01.050 --> 0:15:03.540 that he didn't give them the southern campaign first or 0:15:03.540 --> 0:15:06.960 the northern campaign. He gave him the central campaign first. Now, now, 0:15:06.960 --> 0:15:09.840 here's what got me. Why give them the central campaign? 0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:13.500 Because it's Jericho. Well, what's so significant about Jericho? Because 0:15:13.500 --> 0:15:16.110 of all the bangers in the land. These were the 0:15:16.110 --> 0:15:18.270 number one bangers. I don't know what the toughest gang 0:15:18.270 --> 0:15:20.820 is in Chicago, but whatever it is, that's who they 0:15:20.820 --> 0:15:24.300 would be. Everybody else was afraid of the Jericho ites. Why? 0:15:24.330 --> 0:15:28.410 Because of their wall. How high was it? That's right. 60ft. 0:15:28.440 --> 0:15:31.500 How wide was it? That's right, 30ft. Now, how many 0:15:31.500 --> 0:15:35.250 chariots could ride side by side? Two. That's right. And 0:15:35.250 --> 0:15:38.730 they were bad. These guys were slaves. They were farmers. 0:15:38.730 --> 0:15:45.120 And they didn't have weapons between them. And now he says, 0:15:45.120 --> 0:15:47.490 I want you to go in there and deal with them. 0:15:47.490 --> 0:15:52.200 You have inadequate resources and inadequate people don't have enough money, 0:15:52.230 --> 0:15:54.150 don't have enough people. I want you to go in 0:15:54.180 --> 0:16:00.990 there anyway because I have protective power. This is a 0:16:00.990 --> 0:16:05.160 true story. Let me tell you what happened in Beatrice, Nebraska. 0:16:05.190 --> 0:16:08.010 Listen to this. This. I saw this, and I said, 0:16:08.010 --> 0:16:11.910 I've got to share this with them about God's protective power. 0:16:12.210 --> 0:16:15.690 The pastor went to church Saturday afternoon to prepare for 0:16:15.690 --> 0:16:22.140 the evening choir practice. Most members arrived between 715 and 730. However, 0:16:22.140 --> 0:16:27.390 a few members get there at 7:00 for a 730 rehearsal. 0:16:27.390 --> 0:16:30.690 So here it is. He went home, had a quick supper, 0:16:30.690 --> 0:16:33.180 was ready to leave, but it was discovered that his 0:16:33.180 --> 0:16:37.080 daughter's dress was soiled, which required a change of dress 0:16:37.110 --> 0:16:41.730 which required ironing. So they were late. High school sophomore 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:45.600 LaDonna had problems with geometry and had to stay until 0:16:45.600 --> 0:16:49.260 she had it cleared up. She usually always early for rehearsal, 0:16:49.260 --> 0:16:53.100 but that day she was late. Two sisters car wouldn't start. 0:16:53.100 --> 0:16:56.160 They were the ones that arrived at seven, but they 0:16:56.160 --> 0:16:58.530 had to call someone to pick them up and they 0:16:58.530 --> 0:17:01.870 were late. Mr. Schuster and her small daughter usually arrived 0:17:01.870 --> 0:17:06.250 about 720. But that night her her mother needed her 0:17:06.250 --> 0:17:08.860 to drop by and she went by. Her mother's house 0:17:08.859 --> 0:17:12.129 and she was late. A lathe operator wanted to stop to. 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:15.310 Put an important letter in the mailbox and he doesn't 0:17:15.310 --> 0:17:19.120 know why, but he was late. Stenographer Joyce Black was 0:17:19.119 --> 0:17:24.310 just feeling lazy. She actually told the truth. Stayed until 0:17:24.310 --> 0:17:26.530 the last possible moment. She was all ready to go 0:17:26.560 --> 0:17:29.590 when it happened. Machinist Harry was going to take his 0:17:29.590 --> 0:17:31.960 two boys to choir rehearsal since his wife was away, 0:17:31.960 --> 0:17:34.000 but started talking to someone, and when he looked at 0:17:34.000 --> 0:17:37.419 his watch, it was already too late. The pianist Marilyn Paul, 0:17:37.450 --> 0:17:41.290 who had never been late in the 19 year history 0:17:41.290 --> 0:17:45.429 of her being a musician. Wow. Uh, but fell asleep 0:17:45.430 --> 0:17:48.070 after dinner and woke up and was late for the 0:17:48.070 --> 0:17:51.640 first time in all those years. The choir director was 0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:54.550 late because of her daughter. She had tried unsuccessfully to 0:17:54.580 --> 0:17:58.060 wake her daughter, but she wouldn't wake up. Two high 0:17:58.090 --> 0:18:00.330 school girls went together, but one was listening to a 0:18:00.330 --> 0:18:04.500 program that was 7 to 730 and usually would break off. 0:18:04.500 --> 0:18:07.290 But the message was so good to them. They said, 0:18:07.290 --> 0:18:12.330 we gotta listen to this. At 725, the West Side 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:18.000 Baptist Church blew up. The roof caved in, the walls 0:18:18.000 --> 0:18:24.450 fell in. It was totally obliterated because of leaking gas. 0:18:24.480 --> 0:18:31.620 None of the members of the choir were there. All 0:18:31.619 --> 0:18:37.380 were late, which had never occurred before. You know what 0:18:37.380 --> 0:18:42.660 it reminded me of? Isaiah 5417 no weapon formed against 0:18:42.660 --> 0:18:48.240 you shall prosper. And God tells them, listen, I'm going 0:18:48.240 --> 0:18:53.160 to protect you. Notice, notice with me. Notice because then 0:18:53.220 --> 0:19:00.690 not just God's protective power, God's plan and God's promise. 0:19:00.690 --> 0:19:04.440 But then notice. Then the text tells us that God 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:09.119 also wants us to realize that he will allow us 0:19:09.119 --> 0:19:12.930 to possess our God given possessions. When we readily obey 0:19:12.960 --> 0:19:17.760 God's precepts, when we readily obey God's precepts. Just look 0:19:17.790 --> 0:19:20.040 at verses six and seven. Be strong and of a 0:19:20.040 --> 0:19:23.850 good courage, for unto this people thou shalt divide for 0:19:23.850 --> 0:19:26.669 an inheritance the land which I sware unto their fathers 0:19:26.670 --> 0:19:29.580 to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, 0:19:29.580 --> 0:19:32.729 that thou may observe to do according to all the 0:19:32.730 --> 0:19:36.600 law which Moses my servant commanded thee. Turn not from 0:19:36.600 --> 0:19:38.610 it to the right hand to the left, that thou 0:19:38.640 --> 0:19:41.760 mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. Now get this. Get this 0:19:41.790 --> 0:19:43.170 with me. Let me let me do a couple of things. 0:19:43.170 --> 0:19:45.630 Let me show you some things. Three times he says 0:19:45.630 --> 0:19:50.220 to him, be strong and of good courage. Three times. 0:19:50.250 --> 0:19:52.770 Now notice he says it in verse six. He says 0:19:52.770 --> 0:19:54.629 it in verse seven, and he says it in verse nine. 0:19:54.630 --> 0:19:57.389 Here's all I want you to see. Every time he 0:19:57.390 --> 0:19:59.619 tells him to be strong and of a good courage. 0:19:59.619 --> 0:20:04.030 It's about something different. It's not the same thing. Look 0:20:04.060 --> 0:20:06.310 at what he says. Be strong and of a good 0:20:06.310 --> 0:20:09.250 courage that has to do with his provision. You see that? 0:20:09.250 --> 0:20:11.379 Be strong when it comes to your provision. But wait 0:20:11.380 --> 0:20:14.500 a minute. Look at verse seven. Only be strong and 0:20:14.500 --> 0:20:18.640 courageous about my precepts, obeying my precepts. So be strong 0:20:18.670 --> 0:20:23.110 about obtaining your possession. Be strong about obeying my precepts. 0:20:23.109 --> 0:20:25.330 Then look at verse nine, have I not commanded thee? 0:20:25.359 --> 0:20:27.550 Be strong and of good courage. Be not afraid, neither 0:20:27.580 --> 0:20:29.980 be thou dismayed. For the Lord is with you. So 0:20:30.010 --> 0:20:35.350 be strong against persecution. So, so, so. He's trying to 0:20:35.350 --> 0:20:37.720 cover all the bases. What? Why is he telling Joshua that? 0:20:37.720 --> 0:20:43.360 Because he knows that Joshua is feeling the fear. God 0:20:43.359 --> 0:20:45.970 says you don't have to be afraid. And that's what's 0:20:45.970 --> 0:20:48.580 stopping us. What is fear? Come on, everybody say it together. 0:20:48.580 --> 0:20:53.740 False evidence appearing real. That's all it is. And how 0:20:53.740 --> 0:20:58.060 many fear knots are there in the Bible? Somebody said 0:20:58.060 --> 0:21:05.080 a lot. How many? 365. Somebody counted them. 300. Now, 0:21:05.109 --> 0:21:08.379 what does that tell you? One for every day of 0:21:08.380 --> 0:21:10.149 the year. God said, you know, my people are going 0:21:10.180 --> 0:21:12.070 to be afraid. They have a tendency to do that. 0:21:12.070 --> 0:21:15.100 But we know perfect love casts out fear because fear, 0:21:15.280 --> 0:21:18.340 fear and faith are like oil and water. They cannot coexist. 0:21:18.369 --> 0:21:20.800 If you fear, you rule out faith. If you have faith, 0:21:20.800 --> 0:21:24.460 you rule out fear. And so fear knocked on the door. 0:21:24.490 --> 0:21:27.550 Faith answered, nobody was there. That's what Doctor King said. 0:21:27.550 --> 0:21:30.520 And so we have to launch out and step out 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:33.580 in faith. And he says, I don't want you to 0:21:33.609 --> 0:21:39.040 be afraid. And the word be strong and courageous literally 0:21:39.040 --> 0:21:44.170 speaks of not allowing other things to stop you from 0:21:44.170 --> 0:21:46.270 the things that God. And let me put it this way. 0:21:46.300 --> 0:21:51.129 Don't let the little things stop you from the everything 0:21:51.130 --> 0:21:55.659 that God has for you. Amen. And so he says, listen, 0:21:55.660 --> 0:21:59.209 here's what I want you to do. I want you 0:21:59.210 --> 0:22:05.270 to readily obey my precepts. Mm. I had two dogs. 0:22:05.270 --> 0:22:10.700 They were pitbulls, Angel and Toby. And Angel was white. 0:22:10.730 --> 0:22:16.850 Toby was brown. And I had them trained to nonverbal commands. 0:22:17.600 --> 0:22:19.970 I did like that. No matter where they were, that 0:22:20.090 --> 0:22:23.420 Angel would come and heal at my left. Toby would 0:22:23.420 --> 0:22:25.400 come and heal at my right, and they would look 0:22:25.400 --> 0:22:28.490 up in my face to await my next command. I 0:22:28.490 --> 0:22:30.619 go like this. They roll over. I go like this. 0:22:30.619 --> 0:22:35.210 They sit. If I ever point it at you better run. 0:22:35.750 --> 0:22:37.520 That's all I have to do to have them. I 0:22:37.520 --> 0:22:40.189 don't have to say sic em, just point. And they 0:22:40.190 --> 0:22:42.770 would attack. I often thought, boy, it would be nice 0:22:42.770 --> 0:22:45.050 if I could get my wife and children to respond 0:22:45.050 --> 0:22:47.870 like that. That would really be a great thing, you say. 0:22:47.900 --> 0:22:54.470 What's your point? My point is that these dogs waited 0:22:54.470 --> 0:22:58.970 on their master's command, that they didn't do anything. Like, 0:22:58.970 --> 0:23:01.740 for example, if they were hungry and my children or 0:23:01.740 --> 0:23:03.240 my wife said, here, come and get to eat. And 0:23:03.240 --> 0:23:05.250 I had told them to come in and I had 0:23:05.250 --> 0:23:07.950 done this, they would not move. They keep looking at me. 0:23:07.980 --> 0:23:09.960 Don't look at them. Come here, come here, come here. 0:23:09.960 --> 0:23:12.300 And they look at me. And if I didn't release them, 0:23:12.300 --> 0:23:15.150 they wouldn't go. I said, man, wouldn't it be something 0:23:15.150 --> 0:23:17.160 if we treated our master like that? 0:23:18.630 --> 0:23:21.449 That's quite the visual image of the picture. Isn't it 0:23:21.480 --> 0:23:24.090 a great point as well. You're listening to Treasure Truth 0:23:24.090 --> 0:23:27.540 with Pastor Ford, a message entitled takers. It's a longer 0:23:27.540 --> 0:23:30.000 series from Joshua chapter one that we're in, and if 0:23:30.000 --> 0:23:32.580 you've missed any of the previous broadcasts, you can always 0:23:32.580 --> 0:23:36.030 listen online. Come to Treasure Truth radio.org, and I do 0:23:36.060 --> 0:23:37.470 hope you make it a point to tune in next 0:23:37.470 --> 0:23:41.520 time as we continue this teaching. Well, thanks for listening today. 0:23:41.520 --> 0:23:44.369 Thanks also to our producer, Amy Rios for Pastor Ford, 0:23:44.369 --> 0:23:48.060 I'm Steve Hiller. Treasure truth is a production of Moody Radio, 0:23:48.090 --> 0:23:50.940 a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.