How Do You Position Yourself To Succeed

How do you position yourself to succeed?

PBC, Vancouver, BC

Dec.31, 2000

Deuteronomy 31:1-8

Here we are in December 31, 2000. Time to change to a new calendar, just when I got used to writing 2000 in cheque book and now gotta change again. For many of us, new challenges await us. Some of us make new resolutions as we reflect upon the past year. For others, already new projects are lined up, datelines ahead, appointments to keep, bills to pay, school to prepare for. How do you stay ahead of the game and not be swamped, seems like we were barely getting our head above water in 2000? How to do you forge ahead knowing obstacles will be there ahead of you? Feel intimidated already, feel defeated before u can tackle next project? So, How does one position him/herself to succeed in 2001?

In our text in Deut. We find people of Israel on the edge of something new. About to enter the Promised Land, Canaan, and there is a change in leadership, as in Joshua taking charge now (v.1,2). Put self in his shoes, intimidating, succeed such a popular and charismatic leader as Moses. How can anyone top what Moses has done? Most would expect the coach who led you to the finals to be there in the finals and not just let the assistant coach take over. But that’s what happened. Here at the threshold of Promised Land, reins of leadership are handed over to Josh. Listen to instructions left by Moses to pave the way for his people and his successor to succeed in the years to come. And I think we can all learn from this how to position ourselves to succeed. So come and eavesdrop and hear what would be the secret of success. This is how he positions his people and his successor to succeed. He tells them:

1. God is before you. “The Lord himself will cross over ahead of you.”

God will not sit back and watch, He is active in your life. Vested interest in his people. When they succeed, then the mission goes on. Back in Genesis 12:3 God’s intention was to bless, not curse, by it will done through this people. Heb.4:14-16,

Christmas story reveals God chose to identify with humanity, not ashamed to call us family, even though it has all sorts of black sheep, rotten apples, and in Heb.4 the word of God informs us that Jesus is already way ahead of the game, experienced temptation. Therefore he is qualified to help us, to coach us through. Advice from one who just studied the game and never played it is useless, that’s why armchair quarterbacks are never ever given the big bucks to lead a pro sports team. Only those who have gone through the vigorous schedules, the trenches, the training, the disappointments and ups and downs of sports, learning from the best in the game and all the tough experiences that make a player a good player, will be given a look when it comes to hiring a coach. It is a mistake to believe that God is unaware of pressure points in our lives, frozen without sympathy, powerless to act, no He acted, we see in Jesus, who arrived on Christmas night to tell us, He is God with us, not a dry academic in some ivory tower.

2. God battles for you. “He will destroy these nations b4 u”

Review his record v.4. Does he not have the power to do what He says?

What he did to Sihon and Og? Note that these people groups do not exist. But Israel still exist.

It is impossible to go through the Bible and see how God always seem to ask his people to review His past actions, his record and find if he has been unfaithful. Review His record through person of Jesus. Case closed.

3. God never abandons you.

One of the biggest sports stories of the year 2000 is the comeback of Mario Lemieux.

Confess did not watch the entire game. Too busy trying to recover from cold. Headache and so getting a nap more important. But Millions tuned in and watched the game on their tvs.

However, I did catch next day’s Tor Star coverage of this exciting news and it begins with this:

“THIS IS Mario Lemieux in Never-Never-Land.

Never . . . would he play the game again.

Never . . . would he return to the National Hockey League.

Never . . . would he willingly put his tortured body through such torment and abuse.

Never is not so long a time after all. For Lemieux, never lasted 1,336 days.

Retired: April 26, 1997. Resurrected: Dec. 27, 2000.

First point: 33 seconds into the game against Toronto.

First goal: 10:33 of the second period.