Sermon Central
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God, Prayer, And Hard Work
Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Jul 18, 2017 (message contributor)
Summary: We serve a big God. whatever your image of God... Go bigger. Joshua was given a task that was God sized and with God's help He was able to do extra-ordinary things.
God, Prayer and hard work
Joshua chapter 10:6-15
This sermon was gleamed out of many SermonCentral contributors and any part of it can be used because it is for God’s glory that we preach His Word.
Prayer-
Introduction-
Good morning everyone, let me get your mind thinking-
How big is your God?
How big is your faith?
How big is the biggest prayer you ever prayed?
How big your God is depends on how much you allow him to be God. Whatever you think… Go bigger!
We put God in a box and then live our lives within that box of God. He is so much bigger than that!
J.B. Phillips wrote a classic book titled “Your God is too small.”
We are always told that hard work pays off.
We are told to hang in there, never give up, to keep going.
Truth be told, most people stop way short of what God wants for their life and most never reach their goals.
Why? Because most are quitters in the face of obstacles.
We don’t look long range but for immediate gratification.
I do not think most realize that their dream was close and they never saw it to completion.
Our text this morning is a God size accomplishment fulfilled by a human being listening to God and God hearing his prayer.
Joshua’s accomplishments did not come to him because of who’s son he was, it came to him for believing God and hearing God’s voice and actively responding to the challenge.
Let me set this up
It was Moses who brought Israel out of Egypt and right to the edge of the promised land.
Moses sends 12 spies into the Promised land, 10 of the 12 spies came back and said that the land cannot be taken by Israel.
It was only Joshua and Caleb that saw what God intended them to see.
They were not sent to see if Israel was big enough to take them, but see what God was giving them.
Because of Moses decision, he was not allowed into the Promised land. Moses made heaven, but he was not included on what God was doing at the time.
Grab this-
Moses lead Israelites around in a circle for 40 years in the wilderness after his disobedience.
Anyone over 20 years old died and never saw the Promised land of God.
Only Joshua and Caleb were spared.
Joshua was appointed to take Moses leadership spot and take them into the promised land.
FUNNY how those that saw God provide a miracle in the escape from Egypt and the great crossing of the Red Sea didn’t believe God BIG ENOUGH to take them to the promised land.
A whole generation died off before another generation rose and saw his promises come to pass.
Think about that as we read the text this morning-
That is a powerful text.
It gives us a picture of God who gives us what we need when we need it.
It is an example of a God that listens.
It proofs that God is still in the miracle business.
Picture what God wants you to do.
Communicate with God to make sure you are on his page
Understand that the same miracle God recorded in the Old Testament is the same God we serve today.
Write this down
Every generation thinks they are closer to God than the younger generation.
Think their music was better
Thinks that they experienced God and the younger generation is not.
We have the mindset that the cemeteries are filling up with the last of the spiritual giants and the next generation will lose what has been gained.
BE CARFUL- Every person that takes a stand for truth will be called a bigot, hate monger, old fashioned, out of touch, ignorant. NOT JUST THE LAST GENERATION.
Moses people forgot what God had done- They forgot the miracle God had done for them in the escape of Egypt and the miracle at the Red Sea.
Joshua dared to believed God at His Word and took a stand.
EVERY GENERATION NEEDS THEIR OWN AWAKENING OF GOD AND TO EXPERIENCE IT FIRST HAND NOT SECOND HAND.
God has been kicked out of many places in every generation.
Every generation has it hot button that caused controversy.
Every generation looks down on the younger and wants them to experience God the way they did. God is fresh and new everyday and He is able to reach a new generation in a new and fresh way! Amen.
When I read a text like this- I ask myself two questions.
1. What is God trying to tell me in the scripture.
2. What does God want me to do with what He has shown me.
Observation of the text-
Joshua and the army of Israel are mowing down nations and conquering cities.
