First Church of God in Harvey
New Years's Sunday - January 3rd, 2010
Let us pray
Welcome...including those who went to the combined convention in Washington, DC....
This is the day, the first Sunday of the New Year 2010, which the Lord hath made, we
will rejoice and be glad in it. This is a year we have never seen before, but on this day we
can rejoice and be glad in it. Many of us have gone through our dangers, our toils and our
snares, but on this day we can rejoice and be glad in it. Many of us did not know we
would make it through 2009, but here we are on this day, the first Sunday of 2010, and so
we can rejoice and be glad in it. So magnify the Lord with me; glorify the Lord with me;
praise the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together..(take time to praise the Lord)
Happy New Year to everyone. The year 2010 is a year we have never seen before, and a
year that we know nothing about. This New Year is all in God's hands, and all we have to
do is place our hands in his hands, and ask the Lord to lead us. Even though we know
nothing about this year, I believe something wonderful is going to happen to us this year.
I am not predicting, I am just believing God that something good is going to happen to us.
I am believing God that lives will be changed. I am believing God that bodies will be
healed. I am believing God for that which to us is impossible will be made possible, for
with God all things are possible. ......can you believe God with me? .....elaborate....
For the past two years our theme was, "Say It In Love," and I do trust we all know how to
say it in love. This year our theme will be, "We have come this far by faith." This year
we are celebrating our thirty fifth year of existence, 1975 through 2010. I am going to ask
at least 35 persons to be a witness to at least 1 person this year, unsaved family member,
unsaved friend etc. Our motto this year will be, each one win one. With God's help we
would like to see at least 35 persons through our witness being added to the family of
God.........elaborate...will you partner with me to be a witness for our Lord?.......
Our Scripture reading will be taken from Joshua 3 verses 1 through 4. Let's all stand and
read together from the screen. Please tell someone, God will work it out.
My subject for today is, We have not passed this way before. Last Sunday we talked
about, Letting Go, and you might ask the question, how do I let go of the past? There
is nothing you can do about what happened yesterday, because it is all in the past, but you
can trust in the Lord that you have learned from the past as you face the days ahead. So if
there is nothing you can do about yesterday, why hold on to your yesterdays? Why not
just simple let go, and trust in the Lord?
As we look at our topic for today, it is said that, "In 1519 the Spanish explorer Hernando
Cortes led an expedition of 600 men to conquer southern Mexico. One by one he had his
eleven ships scuttled and sunk, till only one was left. When his men found out, they
loudly scolded Cortes. He asked his men what kind of man would need the ships, except
cowards. He said if any man was so cowardly, he could board the last ship and leave.
Cheers drowned the complaints, and he then suggested that they sink the last ship. By that
single action he committed himself and his force to either succeed or die trying, for they
had nothing to go back to." end of quote.
The year 2009 is behind us, there is nothing for us to go back to. We cannot undo a single
action or take back a single word. Before us lies a new year, the year 2010, let's strive to
do the very best for the Lord in this new year.
The great leader Moses had died, the days of mourning had passed, and Joshua is now in
charge. Joshua and the people of God has come to Jordan, and they have to make a
choice, they can cross over into the promise land, or settle down on this side of Jordan.
Let's look at verse 1 of our text (read) It is said that "Jordan is a place that is God
ordained, it is a place of impossibility, it is a place of weakness, helplessness, it is a place
where all effort dies, it is where we come face to face with our carnal lives." The Bible
says that they moved from Shittim, and came to Jordan and they lodged there or stayed
there before they passed over. . In order to obtain the best that God has for us, we have to
move from where we are.....elaborate...
On this first Sunday of the year 2010, what might be the Jordan that you are faced with.
We said earlier on that Jordan is a place of weakness, helplessness, a place where all
effort dies. It might be the place where a person might want to give up. It is possible you
may face your Jordan in a time of sickness, in a time of family problems, in a time of
finacial crisis, and as these things come, we are not sure what to do. Someone has said
that "Jordan is a dividing line, it's the place where we are forced to decide are we going to
trust in the living God? or are we going to trust in the arm of flesh and self efforts.
As God's child have you ever found yourself at a place where you just don't know what to
do. It seems as you are going through your Jordan experience, nothing seems to help. You
call on friends, and they can't help you. You call on God, and you wonder is God hearing
you. It seems everything and everyone has turned against you, and there you are
wondering what is going to happen next.
Jacob went through his Jordan experience, and came to realize the type of person he
really was. In order to obtain our blessing from God we have to realize who we really are.
It is said that "Jacob wrestled all night with the angel of the Lord, during that wrestling
Jacob came face to face with his carnal self, he was forced to face himself, he saw himself
as he was ( a deceiver, a supplanter, a manipulator, a usurper) Jacob cried out to be
delivered from the power of the self life ( I won't let you go till you bless me). Don't leave
me like this, I can't live like this anymore, I'm sick of my carnal self. And the angel smote
him in the thigh and the sinew or muscle of his self life dried up." It's time for us to cry
out to God, and let God know that we can't help ourselves, we need his help......elaborate..
What does it take to get across Jordan? Let's look at verses 2 and 3 our text (read) Here
the people were lodging at Jordan, but it's now time to move from where they were, it is
now time for the crossing. I believe God wants to get us ready, and to move us from
where we are. It's no time to continue lodging there at Jordan, but it is time to get across
Jordan. It is said that, "anything that would offend the spirit of God in our lives can keep
us from crossing Jordan." Let us today examine ourselves and see what could be
hindering us to get across Jordan, that place of impossibility, that place of weakness, that
place of helplessness. As we prayed in our Watch Night Service last Thursday night, we
asked God for guidance for this New Year, and fir us not to bring over negative things
from the old year. It is so very easy to carry forward those negative things year after year,
and never get any better. At New Year so many make resolutions, or promises as to what
they are going to do in the New Year, but many times fail to keep that promise. Let's
today make a promise to God to be at our best in the year 2010...elaborate...
I noticed in our text that the people were told by their leaders that when you see the ark of
the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall,
remove from your place, and go after it. No one questioned their leaders, but they simple
obeyed the command given to them. It's time to move out. They were not sure how the
crossing of the Jordan was going to take place, but all they did was simple obey the
command. In Joshau 3 verse 13 we read these words, And it shall come to pass, as soon
as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the
earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off
from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
One of the biggest problem we have in the church is failing to obey the command of God.
We like to ask questions, but if God says it, I believe it, and that settles it for me. Yes, it
might seem foolish, but if God says it I am going to believe it. Noah must have seem
foolish building an ark, he was laughed at, but he knew God said it, and he simple
believed God......elaborate....
Another problem we have in the church is wanting to see victory without getting into the
fight. The waters of Jordan did not start to divide until the priests feet were dipped into
the water; "nothing happened until they stepped in and got their feet wet." Many times
we want to see the end before we even start. It is said that, God operates on a need to
know basis, he only gives you what you need to know, just enough to get you started. All
we need to know is that a brother or sister is sick, or that a brother or sister is in need of
help, and based on what we know, we can now intercede on their behalf, and simple
believe God. Sometimes in the church we want too much detail, and all we have to do is
simple obey God and seek His face.
Let's look at verse 4 of our text (read) Trusting God's timing, waiting on God is one of
the hardest things for Christians to do. There should be a space of more that half a mile
between the ark and the people. That 2000 cubits, that space of more than half a mile
sometimes feel lilke a hundred years, and sometimes we have to cry out to God, how long
Lord? How much longer should I wait? It is said that :God's timing is critical, in God's
timing we have the full measure of God's power working for us, in God's timing, things
and people are perfectly positioned." Many times, God's timing does not make sense to
us. Lord I have been waiting for a long time for a husband or a wife, how much longer
should I wait? Lord, I was expecting to get that job, but it did not work out, how much
longer should I wait? Lord, what must I do?
In order to get to Jericho, we have to pass through Jordan, because Jericho is on the other
side, and we have not passed this way before. It is true, we have not passed this way
before, but God knows about the future. All we can see is January 3rd. 2010, but God
knows about December 31st, 2010. All we can see is what is on this side, but God knows
what is on the other side. All we can see is no job, no money, bills piling up, but God sees
you in a good job, money in your pocket, and bills being paid. All we can see is sickness,
and disease, but God sees our healing. Yes, we have not passed this way before, but God
has, he knows the beginning from the end, he knows about yesterday, he knows about
today, and he also knows about tomorrow. Saints of God we don't have to worry, the God
whom we serve has everything under control. Man may go backrupt, but God's resources
are always overflowing. He has everything that we need. Put a smile on your face, it is
going to be alright. Put some pep in your step it is going to be alright......elaborate..
Can you say with the songwriter, I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to
day, I don't borrow from its sunshine, For its skies may turn to gray. I don't worry o'er the
future, For I know what Jesus said, And today I'll walk beside him, For he knows what is
ahead. It is true God knows what is ahead. We might make plans to go to work
tomorrow. We might make plans to retire at a certain age. We might make plans to do
many things, but only God knows if all our plans will take place.
Just about a year ago, my EKG showed that I had suffered an heart attack, but on further
testing this could not be confirmed. I went to the doctor a few days ago, and he has
released me for follow up with my regular doctor. You see saints, God changes things
that appear impossible to man, and makes it possible.
As we face this New Year 2008, let us resolve to make this a happy year as we do our
best for the Lord. Let us resolve to take the time to read and study God's Word. Let us
resolve to resist the devil, knowing that if we resist him he will flee from us. Let us
resolve to draw nigh to God knowing that he will draw nigh to us.(James 4: 7 & 8) Let
us resolve to be more faithful in attendance because the Bible says in Hebrews 10 verse
25, not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.....Let us resolve to follow the
things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Romans 14:
19) Let us resolve not be a lazy christian, but always involve in doing the work of the
Lord. Let us resolve not to say I could not help myself in doing wrong, when God is our
helper. The bible says in Hebrews 13 verse 6, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear
what man shall do unto me.
As we close this service, let us resolve that even though we have not passed this way
before, we can look to a bright future that wherever God leads us we will follow. As a
church that is willing to follow the Lord all the way, let us resolve to say like the apostle
Paul, as he writes in Romans 8 verse 35 through 39, Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ? (What can ever part us?) shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy
sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay
in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am
persuaded, (I have become absolutely convinced) that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul truly love the Lord. If you are here today and you are not a Christian the best way to
start the New Year is by accepting Je-sus Christ as your personal Savior. Putting your life
into his hands because he knows what the future holds for you........elaborate...
If you are a Christian, and you have made up in your mind to be the best for God, wont
you come right now and talk to God about it. Let's put our selves in the position to
receive the blessings from God. Your blessing is on the other side of Jordan, but in order
to get to Jericho, that place that God has for us, we have to pass through
Jordan.........elaborate......
Let us stand
Closing song/prayer
