Introduction
Background
This week we as a church are beginning The Essential 100 bible reading plan
A new exciting way to read through the Bible.
The bible reading plan is based on 100 carefully selected short Bible passages- 50 from the Old Testament and 50 from the New Testament-
¦s designed to help us get the big picture of the Bible without getting bogged down.
There are 5 Bible passages listed for each week.
You will notice that the scripture readings for each week are based around a theme.
If you read the 5 Bible passages each week you will finish the Bible reading plan in 20 weeks.
Why should I participate in this bible reading challenge?
¦’m just too busy
I don’t like to read.
The Bible is to hard to understand
20 weeks is a long time
Come to think of it - Why should I study the Bible?
Let me say first
We are not doing this in order to try and make a deal with God.
It¡¦s not like - If I sign up to do this - then God in return promises me a nice easy life
It¡¦s not like - As long as I¡¦m reading my Bible there will be no problems in my life.
Actually reading through the Bible passages will probably have the opposite effect
Reading through the Bible may very well expose problems that are already in my life.
If I have wrongful attitudes, if I have wrongful thinking, wrongful priorities, then reading through the Bible will expose all this.
People who tell you they have no problems- that everything is fine- that things couldn¡¦t be better - are people who don’t read the Bible
Summary: If you want a nice easy life don’t read through the Bible!
But on the positive side- reading through the Bible will also help to fix those problems.
2 Timothy 3:16
"The Bible was given to us so that the man of God could be fully equipped for every good work."
Reading through the Bible will help to give us the answers we need to help fix our problems.
Why should I participate in this Bible reading Challenge?
I want to identify 2 truths that are common to all of us
- and show how participating in this Bible reading challenge can help us in these 2 areas
Text: Joshua 1:1-11
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them, to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates, all the Hittite country, to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: Go through the camp and tell the people, Get your supplies ready. Three days from know you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own.¨
Truth #1 We all want to be successful.
We all want everyday to be a successful day
We all want everything we do to be successful
I don’t think anyone of us woke up this morning and wished for an unsuccessful day.
I don’t think anyone of us drove here today hoping we got lost getting here
We all want our lives to be successful
Here’s the problem. How do you define success?
If someone asked you if you consider yourself a successful person how would you respond?
Announcement: We want all the people who consider themselves a success to stay after church, would you stay?
Then we hear it said all the time
That this person or that person is successful
Why are they considered successful?
Are they considered successful because they have achieving a certain salary or are they considered successful because of something else they did?
The world defines success in many different ways
But the Bible gives us the proper definition of success
Here is how the Bible defines success
"Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the
right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (v7-8)
The Bible defines success as - obedience to God¡¦s word
The only person who can be called a success is someone who is living a life of obedience to God¡¦s word.
But what about the big house, the big salary?
There is a scripture that says "Obedience is better than sacrifice."¨
Application
Do they have the big house, the big salary, because they are living a life of obedience to God ?
Or do they have the big house, the big salary because they are sacrificing quality time with God? If so they are a failure and not a success
So if Success is obedience to God¡¦s word
Then -The Bible must have been given to us so that you and I could be a success in God’s eyes.
If that is true then this 20 week reading plan is designed to help make us a success in God’s eyes.
Warning: Just reading the bible passages is not enough to make me a success in God’s eyes
According to Joshua 1 - 2 things must happen as we read the Bible passages
First we have to meditate on the Bible passages that we read
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night
To meditate just means to " think about it"
So we already spend our day and night meditating
But we usually meditate on the wrong things
We meditate on our problems, our worries..
This Bible reading challenge will help to change what we meditate upon
God would prefer we Meditate on the bible reading for that day.
To think about what we read
To ask questions about the bible passage
To engage our minds
Application: The Bible is a love letter from God
If you ever received a love letter in your life- you analysis every word in that letter
What did she mean when she wrote that word?
That is how we are to read the Bible!
Then secondly we have to be careful to do what it says.
We think about it first so that we can do what it says.
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
As we read through the bible reading plan it’s going to turn into a "To do¨ list from God.
In face it may also turn into a "To do not¨ list as well
Do not turn from it to the right or to the left,
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth;
Do not be terrified;
Do not be discouraged
Review those Excuses
I’m too busy I don’t have time..
I don’t have time to be - a success in God’s eyes
Why? If we think of it it’s because
I’m too busy trying to be a success in the eyes of the world
Truth #1 We all want to be successful
God¡¦s definition of success is obedience to His word
Truth #2 We all want to be strong and courageous
All of us want to be strong and courageous because it is far better than being ¡V
afraid and living in fear.
3 times in our passage God commands Joshua - Be strong and Courageous.¨
Notice God’s timing
God doesn’¦t tell Joshua to be strong and courageous until after He first tells him the plan!
God’s plan (v1-4)
Moses is dead so Joshua you are now the leader.
Joshua since you are now the leader you are going to take this people into the promised land
So you better be strong and courageous!
Here is the problem
So many Christian’s have no reason to be strong and courageous!
Why? They don’t know God’s plan for their lives!
They have nothing to be strong and courageous about!
To them the Christian life is a breeze!
Their mentality : Just show up on Sunday for 1 hour and try to stay out of trouble the rest of the week!
This bible reading plan is meant to give us something to be strong and courageous about!
To help us to step out into the deep water!
To try to obey scriptures we never obeyed before!
To take risks!
When was the last time any of us did something courageous for God?
But I’m not the strong and courageous type?
God never asks us to do anything alone
He promised Joshua He would be with him and he gives the same promise to us!
And surely I am with you always to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
He promised Joshua He would make him strong and courageous and He promises to do the same for us.
For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure."
Philippians 2:12
Conclusion
Why should we study the Bible?
So we can become a success in God¡¦s eyes
So we can have something to be courageous and strong about.
