We Need An Anchor

We Need An Anchor

11/8/2014

Gathering Service

Joshua 1:6-9 (NIV)

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

7 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.

8 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.

9 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."

1. When I Was A Boy Sunday Morning Fishing?

2. We went to where the fish were?

3. No Matter How Peaceful The Water Looked- We Dropped An Anchor

4. The Anchor kept us from drifting away?

5. No boat is ever completely still when its on the water—its moving the direction of the current or the wind however small.

6. We like to think we are walking on solid ground, but we are not. The culture around us is always shifting, moving, and dragging us forward

7. When the big cruise ships come in, they tie them to the pier, because they know they will drift.

8. Have you considered the possibility of drifting

1. not intentional, simply swept along, current,

2. Anchor Too Light,

3. Anchor wrong properties

4. Anchor With The Right Length To Hit The Bottom

Most of Us Are Not Going To Run After A Big Sin?

1. Don’t Wake Up Thinking What Good Sin Will I Do To day?

2. Most Will Pray The Opposite. Lord help me to be faithful?

3. What we really have to fight, is the drift. We have to carry the anchor with us.

4. The anchor needs to be heavy enough to keep us from moving, and deep enough to reach the bottom

a. Know where you are to better prepare your anchor

Jesus offered us a hope for living in this life that is to be like an anchor for us as we travel this journey. He said, John 16:33 (NIV) 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Our hope in Christ is to provide us an anchor for our soul, to avoid the trap of drifting.

Nobody drifts into a closer relationship with God. Our very nature is to walk away from God, to walk away from Jesus—That’s why Jesus says come follow me. Jesus goes even further and says, you must make a decision everyday, to come follow me.

One of my favorite hymns is come thou fount of every blessing. It has a line in it that describes me and I’m still wrestling with it after all these years of following God. “It goes, prone to wonder, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love, take my heart Lord take and seal it, seal it to thy courts above.”

Have you ever heard a message, been to a workshop, or had an experience that just set you on fire for God and you make these changes in your life, you see the benefits of the change, but somehow, you drift away from doing the things, that made the difference. Before long you are almost right back where you were when you started. Your anchor was somehow pulled up and you didn’t notice it.

Moses leading People out of Egypt. Got To The Promised Land in two years.

Spent 40 years waiting to go in, because they quickly drifted from the Lord.

Moses sent in 12 Spies—Joshua one of the 12- Came Back With Good Report

Joshua and Caleb only men left over age 62.—Moses has died.

God tells Joshua be strong and very courageous----Now the people in the land had been described as giants, as powerful, and fierce, but God knew that Joshua was not going to be afraid of them—Joshua was convinced they could have whipped them years ago. Joshua has since seen how they have wiped out powerful kingdoms.

God knew the nations of Canaan were not going to be the greatest threat to Joshua’s leadership and walk with God.

It was going to be Joshua’s willingness to stand by and obey the word of God.

Joshua 1:6-9 (NIV)

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

7 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.