of life. My power is sweet and my joy is prayer. Father, thank you for this wonderful and beautiful
day that you've given us. Thank you for the chance to be in your house again, Lord, and
may we never take that for granted, be able to hear their preaching and having the freedom
to do so, Lord, at least for now. And Father, I just pray for your Holy Spirit to be upon
the preacher and may our saying glorify you. In Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated.
Song number 96, God leads us along. Song number 96, 96, song number 96. On that first verse.
In shady green pasture, so rich and so sweet, God leads his dear children of-
Song which would be song number 13, it'd be song number 15, 315, excuse me. We'd like
to welcome you back to our Thursday night Bible study at 7 p.m. We're going
through the book of John and then also soul winning times and teams are here
below continue to pray for the expecting mothers. Our soul winning numbers for
October is great 524 keep up the great work we're right there on hitting our
goal just for some church announcements we have we had our pie baking contest
today all the pies look great all the pies were very delicious and apple cider
fellowship will be Sunday November 16th our Thanksgiving banquet will be Friday
November 21st just some announcements here we're looking forward to having a
wonderful Thanksgiving banquet in the couple in the next couple of weeks but
we need some help to make it a success and the way you can help is won by RSVP
at the guest center just letting us know giving us a head count on who's who
will attend there's no limit on who can come and who can't come but just we just
need to know how many people are going to be there sign up to bring a dish if
you're able and also we need two to three ladies for decorating and two to
three ladies for making ham please reach out to miss Sarah to sign up and and to
allow us to be able to help make the banquet a success this year again that's
it for that for that for that announcement science meetup on Sunday
November 23rd after the p.m. service silence your phone so not be a
disturbance to the service open up your him knows the song number 315 take my
life and let it be 315 number 315 take my life and let it be for 315 on that
first verse hey good evening tonight we're in Exodus chapter 17 Exodus
chapter 17 the Bible reads and all the congregation of the children of Israel
journeyed from the wilderness of sin after their journeys according to the
commandment of the Lord and pitched in refidim and there was no water for the
people to drink wherefore the people did chide with Moses and said give us water
that we may drink Moses said unto them why chide you with me wherefore do you
tempt the Lord people thirsted there for water and the people murmured against
Moses and said wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt to
kill us and our children with our cattle with thirst and Moses cried unto the
Lord saying what shall I do unto this people they be already almost ready to
stone me and the Lord said unto Moses go on before the people and take with
thee of the elders of Israel and I rod who with thou smote us the river take in
thine hand and go behold I will stand before thee there upon the rock in
Horeb thou shalt smite the rock and there shall come a water out of it that
the people may drink and Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel and he
called and named the place Massa and Maraba because of the chiding of the
children of Israel and because they tempted the Lord saying is not is the
Lord among us or not then came Amalek and fought with Israel and Rephidim and
Moses said unto Joshua choose us out men and go out fight with Amalek
tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand so
Joshua did as Moses had said to him and fought with Amalek and Moses Aaron and
her went up to the top of the hill and it came to pass when Moses held up his
hand that Israel prevailed and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed but
Moses's hands were heavy and they took a stone and put it under him and he sat
there on and Aaron and her stayed up his hands the one on the one side and the
other on the other side and his hands were steady until the going down of the
Sun and Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword and
the Lord said unto Moses write this for a memorial in a book and rehearse it in
the ears of Joshua for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from
under heaven and Moses built an altar and called the name of it Jehovah-Nissi
for he said because the Lord hath sworn that the Lord will have war with Amalek
from generation to generation let's pray dear Lord God just thank you for this
time we have Lord to hear the preaching of your word Lord thank you for the
Bible thank you for pastor please bless him right now as he preaches your word
and that your spirit would be upon him tonight Lord and just bless the service
in every aspect I pray this all in Jesus name amen amen okay we're in Exodus
chapter 17 this evening hold your place there and go to number chapter 13 if you
would number 13 we're gonna come back to Exodus 17 in just a bit the time I
sermon this evening is Joshua the son of none Joshua the son of none I want to
give a synopsis on the Bible character Joshua Joshua of course is a great
character in the Old Testament and in fact just a couple introductory
statements regarding Joshua the name Joshua and Jesus are actually the same
exact name the difference is is the language that is being stated in right
you have Joshua which is essentially the Hebrew rendition and then you have Jesus
that is the Greek rendition of Joshua so you actually see this in the New
Testament in Acts chapter 7 also in Hebrew chapter 4 when talking about
Joshua it actually says Jesus so don't get that confused when you see that in
those two passages it's actually referring to Joshua now I do believe that
regardless of these two names are the same we should still call Jesus Jesus
right and not go through this Yahushua Yeshua type of pronunciation even though
some could say that's an accurate rendition that's the Hebrew name but let
me just say this most people who are advocating for Yahushua Yeshua are not
doing it out of conviction meaning they're not doing it because they want
to bring people to the knowledge of what the Bible says they actually have a
agenda behind it and often it's a heat it's a essentially bringing people back
to like a Hebrew roots undermining the New Testament and often try to
Judaize Christians and churches to bring them back under the law essentially and so
I'm not necessarily against the name I'm against the ideology that's often
promoted when people try to tell you oh Jesus isn't his name it's Yahushua well
once you go ahead and pick up a Greek New Testament go get yourself a Greek
New Testament and tell me if you find Yahushua in there you won't because the
Greek name there is Jesus which obviously in the English would be rendered
as Jesus and so you know just want to make that very clear you know sometimes
Christians get carried away with this especially online you know well-meaning
Christians often say well you know oh it's great that you're promoting
Yahushua and Yahushua's teachings and I get smart with them I'm like who I'm
promoting Jesus here okay and I'm completely against the Hebrew roots
movement I believe it's a Judaizing movement and agenda and so I think as
Christians we should use Jesus in English and of course the equivalent in
other languages so Joshua in the Old Testament is an important character in
fact he's a type and even a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ aside from
the fact that their names mean exactly the same that Jehovah saves they
actually have a lot of similarities together you know for example Moses who
is the man who was in charge prior to Joshua he couldn't lead the children of
Israel into the promised land it actually took Joshua to bring them in to
Canaan and Canaan and also known as the promised land and likewise you know the
law cannot save Jesus is the only one who brings us into that rest right we
see that according to Hebrews chapter 4 so let's get into some of the details
regarding Joshua and some of the principles that we can learn from his
life let's look at him as a man first and foremost let me start up by saying
that Joshua was actually born in Egypt and that's a that's a detail that a lot
of people oversee they don't you know recognize or you know they kind of don't
see within the Old Testament but he was actually born in Egypt because of the
fact that he comes from the lineage of Ephraim now look at number chapter 13 and
verse number 4 it says here and these were their names of the tribe of Reuben
Shamua the son of Zakor of the tribe of Simeon Shaphat the son of Horai of the
tribe of Judah Caleb the son of Jephuna of the tribe of Issachar-Igal the son
of Joseph of the tribe of Ephraim Oshia the son of Nun. Now Oshia is referring to
Joshua and we'll see later on that Moses actually changes his name from Oshia to
Joshua and I'm not exactly sure why but there's obviously some sort of
transition there that he wanted and began to address them as Joshua and so
we see there that Joshua also referred to as Oshia comes from the tribe of
Ephraim now Ephraim and Manasseh were not direct sons of Jacob if you remember
they're actually grandsons of Jacob right we see this in Genesis 48 in verse
number five it says now thy two sons Ephraim and Manasseh were born unto thee
in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt are mine he says as
Reuben and Simeon they shall be mine and thy issue which shall beget us after
them shall be thine and shall be called after the name of their brethren in
their inheritance so Jacob actually ends up elevating Ephraim and Manasseh to the
status of full tribal heads if you actually look at the history there of
those 12 tribes granting Joseph essentially a double portion amongst
Israel all right one through Ephraim and the other one through Manasseh which was
collectively referred to as the house of Joseph now this actually plays an
important role in the New Testament because in Revelation chapter 7 you have
the numbering of the hundred and forty four thousand right these are of the
tribes of Israel save the tribe of Dan who's not mentioned because possibly of
their apostasy in the Old Testament but Manasseh is mentioned so when you think
about Ephraim and Manasseh they actually end up getting divided Manasseh
representing the southern kingdom of Judah Ephraim often representing the
northern kingdom of Israel and you know when you actually look at the northern
kingdom it's often just referred to sometimes as Ephraim right Ephraim is a
cake not turned it's a silly dove it's referring to that northern kingdom
representing those ten tribes that were eventually lost and so Manasseh
represents that oh I'm sorry I'm gonna never reverse Manasseh is representing
the southern kingdom Ephraim is representing the northern kingdom I
might have said that but I don't remember so Manasseh is that southern
kingdom representing the 144,000 but Ephraim is actually not mentioned in the
144,000 they're omitted so Manasseh is representing 144,000 Ephraim is not
no why is that well because of the fact that Ephraim along with the northern
kingdom went apostate right they were mixed in with the heathen they were
omitted and therefore therefore they're not mentioned so these two tribes that
originally were the sons of Joseph these were essentially the sons of Joseph who
he begat with the wife named Astonath who is the daughter of Potiphar the
priest of on he said what's the point of all this information well I'm trying to
show you here that Ephraim essentially has Egyptian roots okay they got
Egyptian genetics so to speak okay and so you know even though they have these
Egyptian roots these pagan roots they have these Egyptian genetics you know
God still used Joshua and Ephraim and Manasseh thereafter despite their
genetics and the point that I want to make there is that it doesn't really
matter what kind of genetics you have today if you're a Christian God can use
you okay we don't want to fall into this stupid trap or it's just like well
genetically you're just predisposed to be this way yeah but we have the spirit
of God that transcends our genetics though okay and so maybe you have
genetics that's predisposed some spiritual Egypt genetics you're
predisposed to fornication to adultery to drunkenness to gluttony well hold on
a second you have the spirit of God that can transcend that you can still be used
greatly of God don't try to use your upbringing or your genetics as a reason
why you fail or the reason why you succeed either right a lot of people are
out there like that too if you ain't white you ain't right the white people
just got the best genetics well I know a lot of wicked white people and I'll tell
you why they're wicked because they're not saved because at the end of the day
the most superior genetics are the spiritual genetics that we receive
through the regeneration of the Holy Ghost okay and so that's important to
know look at verse 16 says these are the names of the men which Moses sent to
spy out of the land and Moses called Oshia the son of Nun Jehoshua it says so
thereby making Joshua somewhat of a symbolic representation of the Lord
Jesus Christ and of course as I mentioned the principle there is that
your genetics don't matter to God and you know what I feel like I got to
constantly repeat that because in the day and age in which we live social
media promotes that a lot they promote you know genetics and man if you're
black you're just predisposed to just being an absolute criminal you're gonna
become the usual suspect you are predisposed to just crime you are gonna
go get milk and never come back and just you know all these things and you know
obviously statistically it would kind of prove that but hold on a second if
you're saved though you can be a faithful father if you're saved you can
stay with your wife and have children all from the same woman amen if you're
saved guess what you could be a righteous godly person because Joshua
his descendants are from Egypt a very wicked pagan land that practiced
infanticide that worshiped false gods they did wickedly in the eyes of the
Lord yet Joshua was one of some of the most superior Israelites within Israel
during this particular time he was chosen to lead the children of Israel
into the promised land and you know his genetics didn't hold them back from that
and so it's important to know now go back to Exodus chapter 17 Exodus chapter 17
so I don't care if you come from Mexico I don't care if you come from Africa I
don't care if you come from China what I care about is it have you believed on
Lord Jesus Christ and you know don't use oh man I only grew up with my mom or I
only grew up with my dad or I didn't have any parents as an excuse as to why
you know I can't really put in the effort to be a good Christian from here
on out that's a stupid excuse we have the Word of God we have the Spirit of
God dwelling within us and so that's important to know you know sometimes
people will often use things like this it's like oh man you know I'm predisposed
to diabetes no no it's because you eat a lot you don't put the spoon down amen
I'm predisposed to alcohol because my daddy was an alcoholic no you just you
just grew up in an environment where alcoholism was normalized you were
introduced to alcohol early on and yeah is there some form of genetics that
might play a role in that yeah but you're not a slave to that though okay
you're not subject to that you're not being forced to do that you know I come
from a family of fornicators adulterers and even alcoholics but I'm not one of
them okay so it's up to you you know to break that generational curse and by the
way you need to identify your generational curse right you need to
figure out what's that curse that you're carrying generation from the
generations prior to you that your mom and dad had whether that be you know
maybe you come from a household that's just used to quitting a lot right they
quit on their marriage maybe they quit their jobs they don't hold down a job
they're just quitters well you need to break that generational curse maybe you
come from a generation a family of just potheads that needs to be broken and
that uses an excuse as to why you maybe you come from a generation of just lazy
people okay and you know what if that's you then you need to learn how to have a
good work ethic you need to learn how to acquire skills and be a hard worker and
get a job and and get away from that stigma that your family has as much as
possible and thank God you have the Bible to do so you know I can look at my
family who's unsaved and you know actually I kind of did this this week
and I was thinking to myself like man my family has a lot of problems you know my
family on my dad's side has a lot of issues a lot of vices a lot of problems
but you know what I'm not gonna sit here and say well because of this I can't
succeed as a father or as a husband I can't succeed as an employee you know
I'm gonna succeed because at the end of the day God is my father I have the Word
of God I've been regenerated and so make sure you understand that and be like a
Joshua look at Exodus chapter 17 we also see that Joshua was a warrior and this
is important look at verse 8 where we began here it says then came Amalek and
fought with Israel and in Brephadim and Moses said unto Joshua so this is
literally the first time Joshua is ever mentioned in the Bible and it's kind of
like throwing him in there as if we already know who he is but it says Moses
said unto Joshua choose us out men and go out and fight with Amalek and tomorrow
I will stand on top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand so Joshua did as
Moses had said to him and fought with Amalek and Moses and Aaron and her went
up to the top of the hill look at verse 13 and Joshua discomfitted Amalek what
does that mean it means he whooped them that's a nice way of saying he just put
a shellacking on them he says he discomfitted Amalek and his people with
the edge of the sword and the Lord said unto Moses I want you to notice this
write this for a memorial in a book and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua for I
will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven so the first
thing I want to mention here is the fact that the first time that Joshua was
mentioned is in battle right so this is a young man who's already in the fight
he's in the battle he's fighting the wars of God okay and once he wins God
commands Moses to write these events down and remind Joshua in the future of
these particular events now what is the principle that we can learn from that
well here's the thing folks is that we should not live in the past right so
boring that we don't live in the past we don't live you know reliving past hurts
okay you know reliving resentment and bitterness how people have hurt us in
the past or whatever and the failures that maybe happened in 2025 we can't
relive those things and just live in the past and quite frankly on the other side
we can't live in the past of successes either just thinking about all look at
all the great things we've done in the past because that can often hinder you
in the future and although we shouldn't know in the past you know we should
always use the past as an example of what can happen in the future so the
past is important right don't live in the past blaming your present failures
for what happened in the past don't use the successes of the past to just not do
anything at all today what you should do is use the past as a reminder to you of
what God can do tomorrow because here's the thing you say why is this important
for Joshua to hear these things later on well this is a great victory and quite
frankly it's probably Joshua's first victory against Amalek right now is
this gonna be his last battle no because obviously God has the foreknowledge that
Joshua is gonna take the children of Israel into the promised land and there's
gonna be a ton of warfare there and then what's gonna happen AI is gonna happen I
don't mean artificial intelligence okay so about AI the second city after Jericho
and somebody tell me did they win AI no they didn't they lost really bad and you
know what when you lose a battle like that could be very discouraging they can
become disillusioned Joshua was discouraged right he was feeling bad
about it he was feeling like a failure and you know what sometimes we just
need to remember what God did in the past in order to motivate us to keep
going forward in the future because sometimes you know you can have a great
successful year day or week but then the next week is just completely trashed you
just fail miserably and you think to yourself it's all over well don't you
remember what God did last year don't you remember what God did last week God
can do it again and so it's important for us to remember the successes of the
past not so we can just rest on our laurels and not do anything but we need
to use it when we are discouraged okay we need to use it when we feel like oh
man I can't succeed this time or I failed or man I just didn't have a good
week a good year I didn't read my Bible as much as I could have I didn't win as
many souls as I could have I didn't do X Y & Z well did you have a good year
last year that God used you greatly last year well yeah well then he can do it
again this coming year as well okay so it's pretty interesting that God tells
Moses hey write these things down and rehearse them before Joshua because
obviously God understands that Joshua is gonna need this message later on okay go
to Exodus 24 Exodus chapter 24 so Joshua steps on the scene the very first thing
that we see is that he's just fighting the enemies of God he's not a leader he
doesn't necessarily hold a position of spiritual authority he just there
fighting right he's taking care of business doing what the leaders telling
him to do which by the way leads us into our second point Joshua was a servant
look at verse 12 of Exodus 24 it says and the Lord said into Moses come up to
me into the mount and be there and I will give the tables of stone and a law
and commandments which I've written that thou mayest teach them and Moses rose up
and his minister Joshua Moses went up into the mount of God what do we see
here Joshua is serving Moses Joshua has been a servant to the man of God is it
any surprise that later on he ends up being the one in charge no because you
know what you got to be a servant before you become a leader you got to be
someone who serves you got to be you got to serve Moses before you become a
Joshua before you're magnified in the eyes of people you need to make sure
that you become a minister you become a servant that's exactly how God exalts
you okay look at Joshua chapter 4 if you would Joshua chapter 4 actually now
you don't have to turn go to Luke 14 Luke 14 Luke 14 if you would now why is
this important well you know sometimes people try to force being exalted they
kind of put themselves in a position to be exalted they're trying to give
themselves exposure they try to put themselves on a pedestal they want to
put themselves out there but you know what what people need to do is just let
God exalt you let God magnify you don't try to force it right and how do you do
that by being a servant okay oh no I got to start a podcast and I got to do this
and I got to put myself there no why don't you just serve God right why don't
you just serve faithfully well how am I gonna get exposure if I just do that
I'll tell you how cuz God does it why don't you just let God exalt you and do
season in due time instead of you exalting yourself right be a Joshua
Joshua wasn't there looking to get recognized he wasn't there to try to
make himself important in the eyes of the people he was just there to serve
and you know what often the person that God exalts the most are those who are
just quietly serving the Lord just taking care of business taking care of
the needs of others not necessarily trying to put themselves out there give
themselves exposure just serve and God will magnify you inside of the people
you're in Luke 14 let me read to you from Joshua chapter 4 verse 14 on that day
the Lord the Lord magnified Joshua doesn't say Joshua magnified Joshua right
the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel and they feared him as
they feared Moses all the days of his life this is what the Bible saying you
know Joshua wasn't the one putting himself on a pedestal he's just
allowing this to happen organically and how does it happen organically by you
just taking a servant's position and look there's nothing wrong with wanting
to be a leader there's nothing wrong with wanting a little bit of exposure
with wanting to be recognized for the works that you do what's wrong is they
when you try to force yourself into that position because the formula that God
has is that you just serve God faithfully be a blessing to others and
just let it happen organically look at Luke 14 verse 7 he says and he put forth
a parable to those which were bitten when he marked how they chose out the
chief room saying unto them when are bitten of any man to a wedding sit not
down in the highest room lest a more honorable man than thou be bitten of him
and he that bathe thee and him excuse me and he that bathe and him come and say
to thee give this man place and I'll begin with shame to take the lowest room
so what is Jesus saying you know the Pharisees obviously were the ones who
liked clout they like the position they like to be greeted in the marketplaces
they like the fame they enjoyed the popularity of people knowing who they
were and when they would be bit into a wedding they were the first ones to
kind of take the best seats and the Lord is telling his disciples like don't be
like these guys because what's gonna happen is you're gonna exalt yourself
and then someone who's better than you is gonna take your place right it's
just like you know I'm gonna go to this baseball game and hey these these these
seats down there these really expensive seats no one's using them you know I'm
gonna go ahead and put myself down there since no one's using them you go down
there and then the person actually comes like this is my seat and you with shame
begin to take the highest seat which obviously in the baseball because you
have to go higher right the nosebleed seat you know because you essentially
exalted yourself to that position and that's a raw example but it's but it
illustrates the point and the point is this is that you know often people who
exalt themselves end up getting ashamed and embarrassed in the long run why
because that's it's prideful it's arrogant you know it's not the way it's
not God's formula on how to be recognized and or exalted look at verse
nine or verse ten it says but when thou are bidding go and sit down in the
lowest room so why is it saying the lowest room because the lowest room is
where the humble people are it's basically saying like humble yourself
okay that when he that bathe cometh he may say to thee friend go up higher then
shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meet with thee why
because for whosoever exalted himself shall be abased and he that humbled
himself shall be exalted you know I hope this is a philosophy that the young men
in our church adopt and that is don't look for opportunities to be exalted
look for opportunities to serve look for opportunities to be a blessing let
leadership let recognition happen organically you don't have to put
yourself in that position let someone else do it for you don't boast of your
own gifts let someone else let someone else boast on your behalf that's
important my friends Joshua wasn't there just thinking like how can I take over
after Moses how can I just get recognized by the children of Israel how
could no he just serving Moses he's just fighting the battles and he's serving
Moses right and look I'm sure when it says there in the passage that you know
Joshua his minister is there Joshua didn't know that that was gonna happen
he's just there faithfully serving and you know what faithfully serve in your
church you're like but what kind of servant can I do that can give me the
most recognition though you know what here's one for you clean the toilets
I'll recognize you for that well I don't want that kind of recognition what kind
of recognition you want right how about you just clean the toilets and I tell
you hey so-and-so just want to thank so-and-so because he cleaned those
toilets someone bombed it and he cleaned all the the residue this guy did a
fantastic job but you wouldn't really want that type of recognition see
because at the end of the day it's not necessary that you want to be
recognized as being someone honorable but you know that only happens organically
my friends win souls to Christ humble yourselves in the side of the Lord and
let me say this serve quietly circle what I mean by that you don't have to
tell everyone how great of a Christian you are because apparently we already
know what you need to do is let is walk the walk instead of talking to talk okay
it's important Joshua's awesome he's a great guy and in the Bible literally
says that God ends up magnified just magnifies him in the eyes of the people
to the point where Israel feared Joshua as much as they feared Moses they had
the same amount of respect for Joshua as they respected Moses and Moses was a
very fearful and respectable man right I mean that's I mean it's Moses that we're
talking about and so God ended up using Joshua in a great way but he had humble
beginnings serving Moses you know Joshua wasn't there like well can I just stand
on the mount with you and also hold my hands up and be there alongside you are
you okay with that like I can definitely do that and Moses like go fight you go
fight you go get the people you go fight you'll get a verse in the Bible
there and be happy with where you're at amen look folks you know I know this for
sure because of the fact that for years I served my pastor and I didn't serve my
pastor because I wanted to be exalted either I served my pastor out of love
out of principle out of conviction because I was happy to serve my pastor
I was happy to serve my leaders at any given time and you know what I wasn't
doing it because I wanted to be recognized or wanted to be exalted but
you know that was the byproduct of it organically that would happen I would
get praise for that and I appreciated that but at the end of the day I was
doing it as unto the Lord all right and so you know and now I am a pastor okay
and obviously it's a lofty position but I didn't force myself into this position
and I know people who have forced themselves into a pastoral position and
they end up being just wicked rotten people that's just the fact okay and so
Joshua was a great warrior but he was also a great servant and you need you
need both you need someone who's able to serve but you also need someone who
knows how to fight I'm not talking about physically but that won't hurt
either okay I mean he knows how to fight the Lord's battles he knows how to win
souls to Christ he knows how to recover people from the snare of the devil he
knows how to participate in spiritual warfare but he also knows how to serve
go to Exodus 33 if you would Exodus chapter 33 Exodus chapter 33 and let me
just be real transparent with you when it comes to this particular point you
know that's why I'm not necessarily really big on like congregants having
their own like YouTube channel talking about stuff of the church because at the
end of the day it's just you know it's it almost seems as though they're just
trying to exalt themselves okay and I'm not even saying that all of them are bad
because there's a lot of good channels out there that do promote good stuff or
whatever but I just think sometimes it's done because they they want the
spotlight in a lot of ways a lot of areas they just want the spotlight they
want to be recognized they want to be famous in the new IFP you understand
what I'm saying and so you know just serve in your church serve your pastor
serve in your ministry and if you want that fame you know by the way Jesus is
not against you wanting the fame really he's not against people wanting to be
recognized it's just the formula that you use how to get it that's the
difference right there right he doesn't want you to be as the Gentiles which
exercise lordship you right over their benefactors he wants you to earn it
through serving and being a minister to others okay the next thing I want you to
notice regarding Joshua is that he was zealous for the house of God look at
Exodus 33 in verse number 9 it says and it came to pass as Moses entered into
the tabernacle the cloudy cloudy pillar descended and stood at the door of the
tabernacle and the Lord talked with Moses and all the people saw the cloudy
pillars stand at the tabernacle door and all the people rose up and worshiped
every man in his tent door and the Lord spake unto Moses face to face as a man
speaketh unto his friend and he turned again into the camp but his servant
Joshua the son of Nun a young man I want you to notice this departed not out of
the tabernacle I feel like that phrase was put there on purpose to kind of
signify that Joshua loved to be in the house of God right he didn't depart out
of the tabernacle meaning he loved being in the presence of God in God's house
That's where he wanted to abide Psalm 23 verse 6 says surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever go to Psalm 27 if you would Psalm 27
Let me say this is that every successful Christian has made the house of God a priority reading the Bible makes it makes you
successful praying makes you successful
Winning souls makes you successful, but I'm telling you one element
you can't be successful without and that is being in the house of God every successful Christian has made the house of God a priority and
You know, I'm obviously preaching to the choir here
Because you're here on a Sunday night, amen
But you know we need to make God's house a priority and the best way to turn someone for being in Oceania
To a Joshua who is leaving the children of Israel is to make God's house a priority
Don't fit church into your schedule fit everything else into your church schedule
That's how it should be man look at psalm 27 verse 4 one thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after?
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life
To behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple for in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me
He shall set me up upon a rock Joshua became a great man because even though
Moses would depart out of the tabernacle. He stayed there and obviously he's worshipping God in the tabernacle
He is experiencing the presence of God in the tabernacle
He's essentially building up his own convictions to be in the house of God
And you know what you're gonna have people follow open on you in our church
Texting you whether you miss or not
But at the end of the day you just need to have the conviction to be in the house of God
You know you need to be in the house of God whether I'm preaching whether brother more
He's preaching brother brother Cody's preaching whether brother Ulysses is preaching. Well, that's an except. No, I'm just kidding, you know, brother Marcos is free
You know whoever's preaching shouldn't matter. We should not have this this atmosphere in our church is just like yeah
But who's preaching tonight though and based whether we're going to church off of well, if it's not pastor, then I'm not gonna go
Why it's the Word of God that's being thundered forth. No, I get it. I'm the best preacher here. I get it
You know, I'm totally understandable. I get it for sure. I get it. But regardless of that though, you know
You should just want to be in the house of God
Why because you love the Bible because God commanded you to do it
why because you as Joshua should not depart from the tabernacle should want to be in the house of God all the days of
Your life and support the man of God who's preaching behind his pulpit regardless of who it is
It's just like well, you know, I just don't agree with Maury
I just don't agree with brother Cody and his strict driving whatever
You know, I just don't think you know, I just kind of take it with the grain of salt
Well, that's probably why you won't be exalted. Okay, that's probably why you won't you know
If you don't humble yourself for the preaching what makes you think that God's gonna exalt you in other areas
And look, I'm not saying you have to agree with everything these guys preach because I don't
Who agrees with everything that everyone preaches right but you know what I remember being in an old IV church and there's preachers
they came that I definitely did not agree with in a lot of in a lot of ways and
But no matter what I always went to that church service with the heart that said like I'm gonna get something from this preaching
I know I'm gonna be blessed from this preaching this little 30-minute sermon that this guy's gonna preach
There's a little 20-minute sermon this guy to preach. I'm gonna get something from it because it's the King James Bible
It's the Word of God is gonna be thundered forth. And if he has ten points
I know I can apply at least one of them because it's the Bible
All right, and I distinctly remember hearing preachers that I didn't necessarily admire or like or I disagree with in many areas
But I remember hearing them preach and thinking to myself like I need to apply that to my life Lord
Help me in that particular area. Thank you for blessing me with that point why because I just love the Bible and you know
What I like Joshua wanted to be someone who didn't depart from the tabernacle and you know, it's just like oh someone's no
Obviously if it's a false prophet preaching I would not attend. Okay, but there's no false prophets preaching here
Okay, and so it's just yeah, I mean sometimes it may sound like it. No, I'm just kidding
I think these guys are great preachers
I think they do a fantastic job, you know, and if they didn't then I wouldn't ask him to preach
Okay, but the point that I'm making here is the fact that you know
Have the conviction not to depart out of the house of God all the days of your life be like Joshua
Go to numbers 11 if you would numbers 11 numbers 11. So Joshua the son of Noah was a great man
He starts off he he comes into the story just in a straight battle worn against Amalek right beating Amalek
I mean this guy came in with guns blazing successful story. We see that he's a minister to Moses
He's serving the man of God we see also that in number chapter 13 that even though he's a great leader
Every great leader every potential leader should I say has weaknesses
So even though he's someone who didn't depart from the tabernacle. He's someone who you know loved his leader
He's fighting great battles. He's not perfect and you know what no one expects for you to be perfect
Okay, and let me just say this
you know one of the greatest strengths that you can acquire as someone who wants to be a leader is just transparency meaning there's just like
Just I mean don't be too transparent. Okay, but be transparent enough that people see that you're not perfect because people already know it anyways
You know they already know you're not perfect
But it's it's okay to kind of be transparent people say like I'm not perfect in a lot of ways and you know
I fall short. I'm a sinner and you know what Joshua as great as he was had a lot of weaknesses
Okay, but here's one of them that the Bible particular highlights look at verse 24
it says that Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord and
Gathered the 70 men of the elders of the people and set them round about the tabernacle and the Lord came down in the cloud and
Spake unto him and took of the spirit that was upon him and gave it unto the 70 elders and it came to pass that when
The spirit rested on them they prophesied and did not cease now obviously what's taking place here Moses is kind of burned out
He's having a hard time because he's leaving the entire nation and of course his father-in-law gives them some really good advice
To kind of essentially spread the leadership a little bit to kind of help them with the load
You know and God ends up providing these 70 men who are able to have the Spirit of God upon them
They're able to prophesy and communicate the laws of God to kind of relieve Moses of some of the pressure here of leaving that nation
It says in verse 26 and there remained two of the men in the camp
the name of the one was L dad and the name of the other was me dad and the spirit rested upon them and
They were of them that were written but went not out unto the tabernacle and they prophesied in the camp
So these 70 elders are prophesying. They're preaching. They're talking about the laws of God
But then there's other two men in the camp who are still preaching, right?
They're prophesying in the camp the Spirit of God is upon them and there ran verse 27 a young man and
told Moses and said L dad and me dad do prophesy in the camp and
Joshua the son of none the servant of Moses one of his young men answered and said my lord Moses forbid them now
Here's the thing is like why why right he like for some whatever reason?
Joshua's upset and it might be that it's because of these guys. They're being recognized for their exploits
And so or Joshua comes and he's petitioning Moses to stop them from doing so
Moses said unto him envious thou for my sake
Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord will put his spirit upon them
So what is the potential weakness of Joshua? What's possible? He had some envy. Okay, and you know
Sometimes people who are envious the way they exalt themselves the way they magnify themselves is by putting other people down
Okay
And so the way they make it up to hop is by pushing other people down
I try to make other people look bad, right and this is what he's doing, but you know
Preaching the Word of God is not bad and Moses responsive is like is this bothering me because of me because they're helping me out
right
They're helping me out and you know Moses is a picture of Jesus Christ to a certain degree, right?
And you know if if there's people out there who are preaching the Word of God
They're catching attention for what they're preaching. Even if they don't run on our circles. We should be happy about now
I obviously I believe that the best kind of church you should attend is a fundamental Baptist Church and more specifically a new IFP church
But I promise you there's probably churches out there that are not IFP who are preaching great sermons winning people to Christ
I don't have this mentality of like oh
We're like the only ones that are doing a great work for God only our network of churches are doing great works for God
I'm sure there's plenty of them all around the world that are and we should never have this attitude is like well forbid them or
Something like that, you know call them out or something, you know, let me just say this
You know, there's people out there even on the internet who are wrong on Israel, but they're right on everything else, right?
You know, I've seen some guys online and they teach great. This is one
Account that calls out Catholics all the time and he has good stuff. He's wrong on Israel though
Like he's very wrong on Israel
But you know, I don't I'm not really interested in calling him out because of the fact that he's right on everything else
He's right on salvation. He's right about the Catholics for sure
So, you know, I'm not gonna try to forbid him because of the fact that he's doing a great work, you know
And quite frankly this may shock some people but I agree with him more than most of the people
You know online that are against Jews because a lot of people who are against Jews online aren't even saved
Namely the Catholics and I definitely don't rub shoulders with Catholics
You know, you could listen to my sermon on Friday that I preach a favor about the church entitled
Catholicism's reign of error. Okay. I'm not a Catholic fan by any stretch of the imagination
And so, you know, you're like, oh man, you know, but who's the first church, you know, it doesn't really matter
You know, yeah Catholicism is old for sure. So is Satan. So, you know, you're not really making a point there
Okay, you know if we're basing success off of that, which is old faith is literally called that old serpent
So, you know point that I'm making here is that Joshua obviously struggled with a little bit of envy
Maybe he was a little self-righteous here. Maybe he had he was a little hyper spiritual
Because of the fact that he's just like well, this isn't the group that we run with, you know
You should forbid them from preaching. It's just like why they're preaching the Word of God if they're getting a little bit of attention
You shouldn't be a hater. You should be happy about that. Go to Exodus 13 if you would Exodus chapter 13
Every potential leader has weaknesses now if you are if you would consider yourself to be a potential leader if you want to be a leader
Work on your weaknesses. Okay, and one of the best ways to work on your weakness
Let me just tell you the most effective way to work on your weaknesses
But it's the most uncomfortable way to work on your weaknesses. You guys ready for this?
here's the most effective way to work on the areas that you suck in and
But it'll help you like crazy, but it's super uncomfortable though
You have to ask people like you have you have to go someone and don't go someone who just you know
It's gonna flatter you or something. Just go to someone who's gonna tell you the truth and just say hey if you were to assess me
I know this is super uncomfortable for you to do you're gonna be embarrassed, but it'll help you a ton though
It'll help you a lot. Okay now like I never did this and I'll tell you why because I just had people just come tell me
What my weaknesses are without me asking?
They just get digits fly out told me so I didn't have to ask anybody
Hey, I'm him brother more alright, you know a personal testimony here apparently
But one of the best ways to work on your weaknesses is like go to someone say
You know, what do you think?
What would you say is something that I personally need to work on?
I need to work on with my family or just as a Christian. What is it one area?
Do you feel like I really need to like that? I'm weak on that. I need to fix
Okay, and this is I'm telling you just tell them this say and don't like don't hold back
Just just tell me what needs to be said and quite frankly, they will offend you though
It's gonna be offensive because no one likes to be told their weaknesses
You know what I mean?
But you know if you want to improve
you're gonna have to do that at one point or another because if you're not having people tell you what your weaknesses are then you
Have then it's probably because people feel like they have to walk on eggshells around because maybe you're too easily offended
You're just not a person who could be corrected
But if you don't want to portray yourself as such then you have to go to a person and tell them like hey
What is one area if you were to assess me, you know
What's one area that I need to work on because we all have weaknesses
We all have things we have to work on now if you're sitting there thinking like I have any
Well, that's your weakness you're just blind arrogant prideful, you know, so, you know fix that but you know, don't be delusional
We all have weaknesses. We all weaknesses maybe in our marriage. Maybe with our kids maybe with our spouse
Maybe as a servant there's an area that we have to work on and if we want to improve we need to welcome
Correction because faithful are the wounds of a friend. Amen, brother Adrian. Amen, you know
Faithful are the wounds of brother Maury. Amen church is crazy. And
So every potential leader has weaknesses and you know what Moses corrected Joshua by saying that, you know
And he corrected him and he and he fixed it and you know again, I'm not saying this is a pleasant thing
I remember being a brand new Christian and you know, my pastor was a good leader
He was a great leader and I'll tell you how I know he was a great leader because he constantly preached against us
You know and so I consider that great leadership
I consider that to be a good pastor because if he wasn't a good pastor
He just want to say all nice things and never address any controversial things in church and never correct this congregation
But he was constantly he was he was correcting me like a big behind the pulpit in person
like we would meet in like his office and he's just like you need to fix this and I'm just like
Right, but you know I looking back I'm like thankful he did that because it made me the man I am today
rude and and hard preacher, you know that that's what y'all need amen is what the world needs today and
So I'm thankful that he was willing to do so, you know faithful are the wounds of a friend
But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful the Bible says what that means is that if you only have someone telling you what you
Want to hear flattering you nothing's wrong with you. You're just gonna suck as a Christian. You're just gonna be a weak
Limpristed Christian who thinks he's just all that in the bag of chips
You need someone to just correct you sharply sometimes and you know what we need to raise this society of Christians
Who are not just easily offended all the time?
You can't be corrected be someone who can be corrected be someone who welcomes correction
And and this is especially true with the young people
You know in our church because young people have a tendency to think that there's just nothing ever wrong with them
There's just like nothing needs to be corrected. They just because you know, they know everything of course
They've been around the block for so long. They've been in line for so long. They just know everything
No, you don't know everything. Okay, and you know when people correct you in our church, they're not doing it to just make your life miserable
They're not doing it because they're just trying to just one-up you or something like that
they do it because they love you and it's best for you to give heed to some of that correction because you know what you may
Not have the maturity or the experience to know how valuable that correction is
But you will later on and you know
I'd be lying to you if I didn't say that you know when I was back at my old church and my father-in-law would correct
Me, you know, I was I was a little mad at him. Sometimes I get a little bitter at him sometimes
We don't looking back. I'm just super thankful that he did that because it was extremely valuable and he was right
About some stuff that he said, okay, so the point that I'm making here is that Joshua was a great man
But just because he's a great man doesn't mean he didn't have any weaknesses
But what's another thing we could say about Joshua?
Well, he was a man of faith and this is one of the reasons why he ended up becoming
highly exalted in
Israel is because of his great faith look at verse 16 of Exodus 13
it says these are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land and
Moses called Oshia the son of Nun Jehoshua and Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and sent into them
Get you up this way southward and go up into this mountain go to verse 25
it says and they returned from searching of the land after 40 days and
They went and came to Moses and to Aaron and to all the congregation of the children of Israel
Until the wilderness of Payeran to Kadesh and brought back word into them
And so all the congregation showed them the fruit of the land and they told him and said we came into the land whether thou sent
Us and surely it flowed with milk and honey and this is the fruit of it
Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land and the cities are walled and very great
Moreover we saw the children of Anak there the Amalekites dwell in the land of the south the Hittites Jebusites and the Amorites dwell in the mountains
What's going on here? So they're they're taught they're given this report of what's taking place in the land
But then there it's it's an evil report though because then they start complaining about everything that they see right they're just like oh man
It's just so hard here. It's so difficult and the only ones who bring up a good report are the two spies
Which is referring to Joshua and Caleb so they recognize like oh, yeah ain't act is there there are giants there
Yeah, it is like a great wall city, but we can take them we can do it now
What do we see when it comes to Joshua and Caleb and specifically tonight?
We're addressing Joshua is that they wrecked they have a good report of the work of God
They're not gonna just speak evil of the ministry
Okay, meaning that when a task is being put forth, they're not gonna focus on what our deficiencies why we can do it
They're just like let's do it. Let's do it. Oh, man. We got to hit 2,000 souls by the end of the year
Let's do it and I'm just gonna say right now next year. We're shooting for 4,000 souls
Let's do it don't be the person with an evil report
Just don't think sit down
Let us the two spies, you know calm the people and say let's do it
We were able to do it
We can reach 4,000 people to Christ and quite frankly that number might change
Because we might be halfway through the year and be like 4,000. We're almost there
We might as well shoot for 6,000. You just never know go to numbers 14 numbers 14
You see Joshua had faith and unfortunately a lot of people were against the report and Joshua's like no no no no like we can do
This we should do this like we are able to see the size of those graves and the cities
You know he didn't see like he didn't see like a hindrance
He saw an opportunity and look throughout the years. I'm gonna be you know giving forth these challenges
Putting forth what we're gonna do for soul winning putting forward what we're gonna do for the building putting forth how we're gonna grow the congregation
Don't be coming at me with your evil report. I don't know about how though. How's that gonna like happen?
I don't want to hear your evil report
Okay, and how the how you are in the side of this task as grasshoppers be someone and look
You know be a person who has faith. I'm trying to increase your faith
I'm trying to increase your faith your family's faith
You know, I want to be able to succeed as a church and keep continuing to go forward
But it's not gonna happen if we have a bunch of people with evil reports if we don't have that in our church
I'm just saying it unless you should become a person of that persuasion. Okay, because what's an evil report?
It's a person who doesn't have faith, you know Compton. How are we gonna go to Compton?
We've had people like that in the past. We're going to Compton and people are like
We are in the sight of those black people as brasshoppers just all scared and weenies and pussyfooters
They're just afraid of the task be a person of faith and say let's do it. Let's conquer the promised land
Let's take these anachems down. Let's win more souls to Christ. Let's increase the attendance what we should do
He's a man of faith
The guy was such a solid member of the congregation of Israel and this is what we need to produce
Okay, and I'm not saying let's not be realistic because obviously we got to be realistic
But don't be don't be a negative realistic person. Oh realistically we can't really do that
realistically speaking
actually
Realistically speaking that can't really be done. Shut up. Go go take pictures at the Star Wars little thing
Grown folk are talking right now. Okay, we want to we want good reports in our church
Amen, make sure you're someone of faith who verbalizes faith because you know, you know doubt easily spreads
Okay, look at numbers 14 verse 4 says they said one to another. Let us make a captain
Let's return into Egypt bunch of pussyfooters. They're just like I can't do this. I'm gonna go back to Egypt
You probably would want to go back to Elamani - huh?
You would want to go back to that fag infested place and just be in that little building
I like the better when our church was smaller. I didn't I like the fact that our church is getting bigger
More people are coming. Well, you know the bigger the church gets, you know, how are we gonna have I'll tell you how you got
Friends go talk to someone or better yet. Go join a team. How about that?
Go join a team make some friends
You get to go to restaurants on Sundays and be on miss Kelly's documentary dinner with the brethren part 156
No one is safe. That was happening in Arizona. Like my greatest fear is to be on that video
I'm just telling right now cuz you know me I'm just gonna be stuffing my face and she's just gonna shine that thing right there
Go make friends go have a good time, you know be a part of what's going on
You should be happy that you are in an increasing successful church that's doing something for God
Be a person of good report. Don't be let us return into Egypt Egypt sucks
Egypt is filled with paganism. It's filled with melons and leeks and garlics, you know, we're getting quail here. Amen
We're getting manna here
Amen
then Moses verse 5 and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel and
Joshua the son of nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh which were of them that searched the land rent their clothes and
They spake into all the company of the children of Israel saying the land which we pass through to search it is an exceeding good land
Hey, it's just like four thousand is in a great plan
Tripling the attendance is a great plan getting a building is a great plan
Reaching more people for Christ is a great plan. Don't be this person
I like the better when it was just us and we were just not that many people
It was just such a little community
Then go join some some cell at some lib church where they have these lame
Bible studies and you can go get that atmosphere over there
You're gonna be a part of a growing church. You got to be a part you got to be like Joshua and Caleb
You know Joshua's like nah, I want that over there, you know, that's let's cross over. It's an exceeding good lamb
So they're so great by this they rent their clothes and they're just like man
Why are we taking advantage of this? We should be following this vision
We should be going into the promised land. And so look at your numbers 14
Look at verse 29 says your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness
So who's he talking to you talk about the people who had an evil report
So by the way complaining gets you nowhere, but you know, just your carcass is falling in the desert
It's just like oh, is that what you want? Then that's where you'll die because God's not like, okay go back
He's not even gonna let him go back. He's like, okay, we're just gonna die in the wilderness then that's your only option
and I like that he says like your carcasses your carcasses shall fall into this wilderness and
All that were numbered of you according to your whole number from 20 years old and upward which have murmured against me
Doubtless she shall not come into this land
concerning which I swear to make you dwell therein save Caleb the son of Jephunna and
Joshua the son of none so we got like a Noah and his ark type of a thing
It's like everyone's gonna die except for these guys right here and 20 years old and upward, you know
Or 21 years old and upward which have murmured against me. You guys are all gonna die
I want to be Caleb and Joshua and you know what God hates a murmur. He hates when people complain
He hates when people murmur
He hates when people are just constantly on the down and down when you come to church
Be filled with the spirit. Hey, like have some vitality about you folks. I'm 40 years old
Why do I have more vitality than you? I'm an old man. I'm an unk. I'm an unk and I got more vitality than you
Why is that? You better get more some vitality about yourself. I'm an I'm an unk
I got more vitality without the Red Bull because I'm filled with the Spirit
You know and stay awake during the sermon by the way why because you know what?
This is the house of God the Word of God is being preached
You know and if the Red Bull didn't help you start plucking the hairs off your leg if you got any you know
Be the carcass that falls in the in the wilderness
Because I lack vision. I lack vitality. I don't want to fight. I just I just got no
Testosterone I want to be with the other group and said let's do it
Let's get this done Joshua and Caleb were permitted to go into the promised land because they have faith
Okay, and you know what throughout the lifespan of our church. We're gonna cast vision. We're gonna we're gonna stretch our faith
We're gonna go far and you better hop on board
You better get on board and you better have a good report you better you better verbalize some positivity up in this church
Because you know what the popular?
Exposition in this church will be this is an exceeding good land. Let's take it go to numbers 27 if you would numbers 27
Oh, the point that I was making don't be a murmur. I almost forgot. Let me get back on that. Don't be a complainer
Don't be a murmur. Don't complain about the building that we're in don't complain about the vision that we have don't complain about the AC
Oh, it's so cold. Do you remember when we had no AC back at back in El Monte? Oh, man
That was a that was murmuring. That was acceptable. It was so flaming hot in
El Monte, but now it's just so cold. Oh, it's so hot. Okay Goldilocks
Do you want you know don't complain about the mission don't complain about Belize don't complain about the soul winning times
Don't complain about the food. Don't complain about my
Decorations for my birthday out there. Don't complain about the music. Don't complain about the Christmas program
Discipline yourself to speak positively about the things of God and force that smile on your face. Amen. Thank you, brother
Damien, I like that. That's good. Why are you just having a bad week? I don't know. You're in church
It sounds like a good week to me. Sounds like you're starting off pretty good here
And you know what if you're just well, I'm just depressed. Okay, then, you know what? I get it
But maybe we just need to get you in the gym get you some reps get some endorphins going
Maybe we need to get some some food in your stomach or maybe you just need to read the Bible
Maybe you just need to pray for God to fill you with the Spirit because you know as a Bible-believing Christian
There's so much to be thankful for we're going into the Thanksgiving season
Amen, which is a preview of Christmas is a Thanksgiving season be thankful
I just can't stand murmuring, you know
I try to teach my kids not to murmur not to complain to be grateful to have gratitude and you know
Anyways, well, we'll I'll preach on that next week or something like that. So what's so we saw Joshua the man
Let me just briefly cover these points and I'm almost done
Joshua's mission he was appointed to bring Israel into the promised land look at verse
15 numbers 27 and Moses speaking to the Lord saying let the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh
Set a man over the congregation which may go out before them which may go in before them
Which may lead them out and which may bring them in that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep
Which have no shepherd and the Lord said unto Moses take thee Joshua the son of none a man in whom is the spirit and lay
Thy hand upon him and set him before Eliezer the priest and before the congregation and give him a charge in their sight
So this is what we would commonly refer to as the ordination of Joshua
This is why you know when I was ordained or other pastors or evangelists or deacons are ordained
the pastor who sends him out often lays hands on them as a symbolic representation of a
Transmission of authority there. This is what happened with Moses
He laid his hands on Joshua because he was gonna take over after him and you know
We that's where we get our concept from of laying hands suddenly on no man
Right meaning that we should not ordain people just flippantly why because you know, some people are just they're not proven
Okay, and you know you say why aren't you starting a church anytime soon?
Because I don't want to lay hands lay hands suddenly on no man
understand and so, you know, sometimes we were like prevented from starting churches in the past and I'm glad because
Looking back if I would have laid hands on some of these people, you know
They would have just ran that church to the ground, you know, it would have been bad, right?
So it's important for us to recognize that we don't want to just jump into some church planning project too soon
Because sometimes wicked people are in position to like seize power from churches like this
They're looking for that opportunity. So they want to just get ordained
I mean one of the churches literally said like, you know, I wasn't even telling them we're gonna start the church
We're just kind of filling out the people and the guy says so when you ordain me
When I heard it wouldn't ever say
Yeah, when you ordain when we go independent, she's like, okay, I kind of know where this guy's going
He just wants to be ordained. He just wants to be sent out. He's like a self-willed individual
So the idea here is that you're our transmitting authority to an able spiritual mature
Elder in the Lord who knows what he's doing. He's proven himself
Okay, look at verse 22 says Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua said him before Eliezer the priest and before the
Congregation and he laid his hands upon him and gave him charge as the Lord
Commanded by the hand of Moses. I don't have time to develop this but you'll see this in the New Testament in the book of Acts
When people are laid hands on they're commended unto the Lord basically means like they're being put into the Lord's hands
Okay, you know when I got ordained as the pastor this church sees being faithful word Baptist Church
And it became first works Baptist Church pastor Anderson was no longer the pastor here. I was the pastor here
Okay, and that's why I think it's important that when a church goes independent and changes its name. Okay
I don't think you should
Maintain the name of your previous church. I think you should just be completely separate do your own thing
God is with you now
God's hand is on you and your institution that you're working for that needs to be like a separate thing point that I'm making here
Is that Joshua proved himself before the congregation? He was a fighter. He was a warrior. He was a servant
Yeah, he had some weaknesses, but he took rebuke
He took correction and he was a man of great faith as noted by the fact that he gave a good report
Go to Joshua 24 Joshua chapter 24. I'm skipping a lot of stuff here because I'm almost out of time
We also see that Joshua was commanded to be strong
So in Joshua chapter 1 over and over again God tells him be strong and of good courage
be strong and of good courage be strong and of good courage and
You think yourself like yeah, but he was already strong though. Wasn't he like didn't he take on the Amalekites?
Didn't he fight in the wars? Didn't he have a good report?
Why is God just reinforcing him to be strong and courageous?
Well, it was because of the fact that he was telling him to be courageous to obey the word of God
That's what he was telling him to do. He was telling him to be strong and courageous to obey the law of the Lord
and let me just say this it takes courage and obedience to just obey the laws of God and you know
you're basically he doesn't want Joshua to be a little compromiser when he goes into the promised land and
Start becoming lenient as a leader because that can be a destructive thing for the nation of Israel
Okay, so it takes courage, you know, it takes courage to be a leader today
Why because you know, you don't want to be a leader who's persuaded by his congregation in the in the essentials of church and doctrine
Right, but you know, you have churches like that. You'll have churches
They'll make decisions based upon a couple based upon one family. That's wrong wrong
A leader is supposed to be based in principle
Conviction be courageous and strong to obey the word of the Lord regardless of the entire congregation is against him
Why because a leader should not be persuaded by the congregation. He's persuaded by the Lord. It's persuaded by the scriptures
He's led of the scriptures not by his congregation
It should have and this is why Aaron which was like a really bad leader, right? Like Aaron was just like, oh, okay
Yeah, let's just make gods. Okay, you know and he's making false gods
They're like dancing like pagans or whatever and then Moses comes down and Aaron's like oh
They just threw that in and this calf came out, you know
He made them naked to their shame. The guy was just a horrible leader. And you know what? I don't care how
Organized you may be what kind of talents you have in order to be a good leader
You actually have to just obey what the Bible says
Okay, because a good leader from a scriptural perspective is someone who enforces the laws of God regardless of the consequences
That's what a good leader is. Okay, and you know a good leader tells you the truth
Even if you don't want to hear it a good leader runs the risk at offending you
Runs the risk at offending you by what he preaches
I run the risk at offending you and you know what as a pastor of a growing church
You know the temptation to not want to say certain things because you don't want to lose people
But you know a great leader will say no matter what and just say you know what if they leave they leave it
So be it cuz that's just that's how it is
But you know a bad leader is a person who will abstain from certain truths because he wants to continue to grow his church
But often the opposite ends up happening. Okay, it's important for us to be strong and of good courage and quite frankly
Look if I preach something and I offend have to I preach on divorce and just defend half of the church
Then you know what you have me to get out of here
Anyways, then because we can't walk in a court if I lose half the church because of some biblical stance that I take
I'm not gonna be sad about that because it just means like oh you guys are all wrong. Wow. All right
Well, the doors right? Oh, I'm not saying you guys are wrong
But if you were I would say there's the door so either, you know change your opinion
Change what you believe and believe the Bible or don't let the door hit you where the Lord split you
You know, I want God's hand to remain on this church. I want God's hand to remain on me
I want God's hand to remain on my preaching
But if I'm gonna do so I have to be strong and of good courage to obey the laws of God
Okay, and so, you know Joshua passed that test when he goes into the promised land
He had a great victory right Jericho was an awesome victory
But then he had a setback which is AI and what happened to him?
He bounced back and let me just say this as a Christian as a potential leader
You will have setbacks you will have failures got to bounce back got to bounce back and you know what?
I'm sure AI was discouraging to him
And I'm sure he ended up rehearsing the things that took place with Amalek and rehearsed the things that happened with Jericho
And then that caused him to move forward again
All right, and so and of course we end up seeing that later on he makes his son stand still he accomplishes a great
Supernatural feat there in Joshua chapter 10 and so forth
And so here's the last part and let me just say this about Joshua. He was pretty much successful all the way through
He had some weaknesses like anybody else does but in general
He like succeeded at the task that was set before him and in fact, it literally says he left nothing undone
All that Moses commanded him that is like an awesome thing to say there like nothing undone
Like the checklist was just all checked off. This is like I'm done
I accomplished it and look may it be said of us that we leave nothing undone all that the Lord commanded us
Alright, here's the last thing is Joshua's message
So we saw the man we saw the mission and here's the message look at Joshua 24 verse 14 before he dies
He says in verse 14 now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in truth and put away the gods
Which are fathers served on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serve you the Lord and if it seemed evil
Unto you to serve the Lord
Choose you this day whom ye will serve
Whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the flood or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell
But as for me and my house
We will serve the Lord and I love that resolve because he's saying like you guys need to choose here
You're gonna serve if you want to be pagans then have at it, but I'm serving God
you know what that shows me of Joshua, he doesn't care if you end up turning out of the way and
Wreck your life and backslide get out of church. He's saying you know what I'm gonna keep serving God no matter what and I'm
Not gonna go with the crowd. I'm not gonna go with the popular thing that's going on
I'm gonna stay right with God that conviction about yourself
You know what if your favorite Christian in this church falls by the wayside you keep serving God if your favorite person your favorite pastor
You know goes by the wayside or whatever you keep serving God why because that's for me in my house
We will serve the Lord don't be the type of Christian is just like I just can't believe my favorite souls
I'm just disappointed who cares you serve God
How does that affect you you serve God your family should serve God?
You know what we're here because of the Lord Jesus Christ doesn't mean we shouldn't love people admire people pray for people
But you know what if people who you admire and love failed you in your eyes
Why should that hinder you why should you get out of church? Why should you stop reading about why should you you know?
If that if that that's all it takes then you're just a weak Christian
you're a weak Christian if that's all it takes to get you out of church and that kind of shows how
Superficial you are as a Christian because that's all it takes is from someone else to stumble in order to get you to stumble
You know throughout my life as a Christian. I've seen leaders fall
Get involved in sin fall by the wayside
Become false prophets. You know what I witness people. I remember years ago
You know Jack Scott was like a big thing in the old IFB and I used to listen a lot of Jack Scott
I listened to a ton of his sermons because he was just really popular in the old IFB
And I remember one time like I heard a sermon and he said something really weird
I was just like this makes me feel icky inside
So I'm just gonna go ahead and turn this off like I was a brand new Christian
So I just didn't know anything like I didn't know enough Bible
But I had the spirit of God's willing within me and it was probably it was probably just grieving my spirit
But I remember just thinking like I feel this makes me feel like nasty inside like I don't I can't really listen to this
he was saying some blasphemous stuff or whatever and
You know, there's a lot of people around in my circle who really love Jack Scott and he ended up
You know being this pedophile this wicked person is false prophet this guy's super evil and wicked and you know
Just a straight false prophet and I know some people say he's not a pedophile
I think he's a straight pedophile the guy's super wicked and the guy's gonna split whole wide open for sure
Okay, you know just campaigning against the King James Bible
I mean, bro, like so, you know, but I remember like when he fell or whatever
Really? It's when the when the sheep's clothing came off
There's people who I admire who were like my leaders and people who are my friends. They're called me just in tears
They're like, I can't believe I don't even know how I'm gonna continue. I mean, what do you what do you mean?
How are you gonna continue? Is that your dad or something will happen like I just couldn't understand it
There's people that got out of church because of that
There's people they would just it just caused them to just fall by the wayside because they just couldn't understand how someone's so
That they loved and admire so much can just do such a thing and they're just like I don't know
I got to rethink that what we think what and I was so confused because I was thinking to myself like is
Jackscott Jesus or something or what and I remember thinking to myself like I will I never want to be like that person
Where my Christian life hangs on?
Whether another Christian succeeds or fails not gonna happen. Why cuz Joshua said that's for me before his family
By the way, he's it asked for me. I will serve the Lord and you know, I be I got disappointed a lot of people
Because people who I admired and esteemed as being great Christians
Apparently they weren't they were placing all their eggs in this jackscott basket
And then once he fell by the wayside, it's just like oh man. I just can't do it anymore or whatever
I just I just can't serve God. Well, first of all, why are you so sad about a pedophile being found out?
You know, I mean, but secondly, even if you thought that he was innocent or whatever that should just should change nothing in your life
You should keep serving God no matter what and you know what?
This is one of the reasons why Joshua was just a great man because I'm sure he loved Moses, right?
He loved Moses, but Moses stayed on the other side
Moses died. He didn't even get to see the promised land like Moses led Joshua up into that point and the guy died
And you know what Joshua was just like if Moses can't make it. How are we gonna make it Moses need to make?
He's just he didn't he's just like alright, let's keep moving forward. Let's keep moving forward
Why cuz at the end of the day, it's a different prophet, but the same God
You know God never fails us and so be a Joshua the son of none, right? Be the kind of person that
Serves fights the Lord's battles. You have faith you recognize your weaknesses
You are willing to recognize like hey, I love Moses, but if Moses stays behind on the other side
I'm gonna keep moving forward and look hopefully our church is around for like decades on end
I believe it will be but one day I'm gonna die and you're gonna miss me
You will miss me, but you better keep serving God after and whoever takes over after me. It's just like well
He's no passion here
Yeah, he's not cuz I'm dead. I'm just in the ground gone. I'm rotting in the floor
I was just I'm with the Lord, you know, but you should be able to continue to serve God thereafter no matter what let's pray
Father we thank you so much for your word. Thank you for Joshua
The son of Noah, what a great example and often a very underrated Bible character not many people really talk about him
But man, he did so many great things just an incredible young man from start to finish
And I pray that you'd help us to learn from his example help us to be
Christians Lord who fight the Lord's battles are willing to minister and serve and exercise faith Lord and recognize that in
spite of maybe maybe the many successes that we have it doesn't mean that we are completely absent of weaknesses help us to recognize those as
well and to fix them and
Help us Lord as your people to humble ourselves so that you can exalt us Lord and not force ourselves into a position of the spotlight
May we seek you magnifying us as we serve your people and I pray Lord that you would help us to have that same
Resolve that Joshua had that as for us and our family we will serve the Lord
No matter what takes place in the future and Lord we love you. We thank you pray this thing's in Jesus name
328 I want that mountain
This pastor pre song Joshua and Kayla the song is actually inspired from what Caleb instead. I want that mountain song number 328 on that first verse
The prayerless dish upon the mountain high he laughed so hard at my amended knee