Six Ways To Get Back On Track With God
(Adapted from a message preached by Dr. Dave Hartson)
Joshua 7:11, 8:1-8,30
June 8, 2002 Chester FBC, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
While driving in a remote camping area, the father of a vacationing family came across a large sign that read, "Road Closed. Do Not Enter." The man proceeded around the sign because he was confident it would save them time on their journey. His wife was resistant to the adventure but there was no turning back for this persistent road warrior. After a few miles of successful navigation, he began to boast about his gift of discernment. His proud smile was quickly replaced with humble sweat when the road led to a washed-out bridge. He turned the car around and retraced his tracks to the main road. When they arrived at the original warning sign he was greeted by large block letters on the back side of the sign. His wife and three children all read the hand-painted message out loud, "Welcome back, stupid!"
A There are no short cuts to getting back on track with God. Today’s message is "Six Ways To Get Back On Track With God."
a Joshua 8 (List appropriate text with their corresponding points on the listening guide)
b Joshua took a wayward nation back to a healthy relationship with God.(ETS)
B We can get right with God after we’ve wandered away. (ETS)
a I hope you’ll take the appropriate steps that will lead you back to an awesome God. (Objective)
b What steps are you going to take that will lead you back to an awesome God? (Probing Question)
T.S.: Let’s look at six steps we can take that will lead us back to an awesome God.
Conclusion:
A We’ve looked at six steps that we can take that will lead us back to an..
Trust God Again....Get Busy Serving Him Again...Revisit Yesterday’s Victories...Resolve not to the make same mistakes Again..Let God Lead Again..Participate in Wor. Again.
B I hope you’ll take the appropriate steps that will lead you back to an awesome G.
*Stay off the track..depressed, miserable OR get back on track!
C What steps are you going to take that will get you back on track w/ God.
The distance of the Olympic marathon was standardized in 1908 when the games were held in London. The Royal Family wanted to watch the start of the race from their home. The distance from this vantage point in Windsor Castle to the finish line in the Olympic stadium was 26 miles, 385 yards. From this point on, the marathon distance was fixed. The first winner of this newly defined marathon should have been an Italian candy maker named Dorando Pietri. He was the first to enter the stadium, but turned the wrong way. Rather than going right, he went left. When the mistake was realized, Pietri staggered and fell. Anxiety from his error triggered an onslaught of fatigue. He turned around and continued staggering toward the finish line. With just a few yards remaining, Pietri fell one final time. Sympathetic spectators and trackside officials assisted him to his feet and the tiny runner wobbled to the finish. Meanwhile, Johnny Hayes, running for the United States, was racing down the homestretch of the stadium. After a lengthy discussion by the officials, Hayes was given the gold medal because Pietri had been unfairly aided near the finish line. A wonderfully run race was ruined by a wrong turn at the end. Finishing well is as important as running well.
*Some of you started on track and have gotten off. It’s just as important finish your race well as it is to start it well.
I The first step I’ve got to make to get back on track with God is I must. . .
Trust God Again.
A Joshua was leading a group of people who had disobeyed God, slipped in their walk and had gotten off track with Him.
a Joshua got depressed because his people got off track.
JOS 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. [7] And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why....?"
b God knew that Josh was discouraged, depressed, his confidence had been shaken and his trust in God had been shaken.
JOS 8:1a Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (The Lord is saying, "Trust me, Josh."
B When I sin, get off track...the devil begins to convince me that God is so disappointed with me that He doesn’t want me back.
a When I’m off track I feel discouraged, disgruntled, and disappointed.
b God is tell me, "Mike, Don’t be afraid. Don’t be discouraged. Trust me."
*Heb. 8:12 "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
*I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
II The second step I’ve got to make to get back on track with God is I must. . .
Get Busy Serving God Again.
A In order for Joshua to get back on track with God, he had to get busy serving God again.
a Josh. 8:1b
.....Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.
b God is telling an off track Joshua, "Take the whole army and attack...get busy doing something for me"
B If your waiting for God to reassure you about your trust in Him, you may be waiting for a long time.
a To renew your trust in God, get busy doing something for/serving God.
b (IL.) Jim was weary of the bedtime struggle with his five-year-old son, Paulie. To eliminate the cat-and-mouse game of repeated trips back to Paulie’s bedroom, one evening Jim lay down the law. He told Paulie there would be no more talk after they had said their prayers together, had the last glass of water, told each other "good-night," and turned off the light. Jim was certain his parental authority had corrected the problem when he left Paulie’s bedside. In five minutes, though, Paulie was calling out for another glass of water. Jim went in, reviewed the rules, and told Paulie he’d better go to sleep. Within five minutes Paulie was requesting more water. Jim increased his intensity this time and told Paulie he would get a spanking if he asked for water once more. This time Jim was convinced the issue was resolved. His confidence was shattered about five minutes later when little Paulie said, "Daddy, when you come in here to spank me would you bring me a glass of water, please?"
*That’s the attitude! Lord, I’m going to keep it up even if I fall!!!
III The third step I’ve got to make to get back on track with God is I must. . .
Revisit yesterday’s victories again.
[2] You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city." [3] So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai.
A Joshua was reminded of what God had done for him in the past.
a Josh, I know your upset, but remember Jericho? Remember how the ground shock and walls fell down?
b I’m still that same God that brought you victory yesterday!
B I’m convinced that the Christian life is lived with one eye on the tomorrow and the other on yesterday.
a We don’t need to forget what God has blessed us with! What He has delivered us from! Where He has lifted us out of!
b Look all the way back to Calvary. If Jesus didn’t do another thing for you and me. . .He’s already given us enough reason to keep on track!
IV The fourth step I’ve got to make to get back on track with God is I must. . .
Resolve not to make the same mistake again.
[2] You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves.
A The problem that Joshua’s first defeat was they he and Israel had only "partially" listened to God about Jericho.
a They listened to part of what God wanted them to do. They won the victory, but He told them NOT to take any of treasures from the city.
(They disobeyed. It cost men their life!!)
b Joshua and Israel were partially obedient.
"Partial obedience is no obedience at all from God’s point of view."
*Joshua and his people weren’t going to get caught making the same mistake twice.
B In 1989, Marla Maples gained celebrity status through her relationship with Donald Trump.
*Of her affair she said, "I was never embarrassed because I never felt I did anything wrong." Such words are a far cry from the ones she used to read every night as a teenager.
*She called the Bible her favorite book and loved to read the Ten Commandments.
*Before Trump divorced Ivana to marry her, Maples told an interviewer, "As a girl I picked up the Bible and read ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not fornicate.’ But after my parents’ divorce, I learned you can’t take the Bible literally and be happy."
*The former Mrs. Trump embraced a commonly held myth that denies any connection between Biblical obedience and true happiness.
a Jesus said in John 15:9/11
JN 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. [10] If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. [11] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
b Read the Word, Renewed by the Word, Re-worked by the Word. Don’t make the same mistake twice. Here are the answers!!!!
V The fifth step I’ve got to make to get back on track with God is I must. . .
Let God Lead Again!
4] with these orders: "Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. [5] I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. [6] They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, `They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them, [7] you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The LORD your God will give it into your hand. [8] When you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do what the LORD has commanded. See to it; you have my orders."
A God changed the directions he was giving to Joshua.
a Jericho: Kick tail and leave stuff alone.
Ai: Kick tail and take everything not nailed down.
b God had the freedom and the right to lead Joshua any why he wanted to!
B You will never get back on track with God if you will only God to lead you in one direction, one way, or one area of your life.
a So many of us expect God to work the same way or lead us always in the same way. (Wake up folks!!!)
b Unless God leads our way we’ll never get on track and stay on track.
(If he’s not leading your steps. . .who is?)
VI The sixth step I’ve got to make to get back on track with God is I must. . .
Participate In Worship Again!
JOS 8:30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel,
A Josh was not only reminded of yesterday’s victories, he had to celebrate the victory that God had given him today! (WORSHIP)
a He built and alter and he had church!!!
b Joshua was back on track!!!
B Being ungrateful, unthankful, unworshipful will get you off and keep you off track.
a You can not be on track and not worship God!! It’s That Big Of A Deal!
b (IL.)An elderly saint had lost the bulk of his hearing and his eyes had grown dim with age. Even though he could not experience the worship as he once had, he never stopped attending church. One intrigued individual finally asked the obvious, "Why do you continue attending church when you cannot hear or see what’s going on?" The old man replied, "I want to show everybody whose side I’m on!" Whether or not you like the music or care for the preaching, your presence in church affirms whose side you’re on.
***Notice: I have used Sermon Central sermons for a VERY long time. If this or any of my sermons are similar to a sermon that is already on Sermon Central by another pastor or teacher....chances are I have used it. Actually, there is probably absolutely nothing in this sermon that hasn’t been preached before! If I used your sermon and haven’t given you credit, please write me and I’ll give you credit by name. I have in no way intentionally withheld credit to any work I’ve used/borrowed from. PLEASE NOTE THAT IF I HAVE "USED" YOUR WORK IT WAS BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU HAD A SUPER SERMON! I prefer to preach with an outline and just rearranged your sermon. My intent is to make sermons relevant and easy for outline guys to use. If you use MY work, feel free to claim it. I do not care!! Simply realize that I have borrowed from other preachers, too.
Mike Fogerson, Pastor, Chester’s First Baptist Church
