Christian Dating

The Young man poured out his heart’s devotion on paper to the girl of his dreams:

Darling,

I would climb the highest mountain for your love.  I would swim the widest stream for a chance to see your smile.  I would cross the burning desert just to gaze into your eyes.  I would die at the stake to hold your hand for a single moment.

P.S.  I will see you Saturday…if it doesn't rain.

Today, I’m going to do something I’ve never done.  I’m going to post on dating and marriage.  The reason I’ve never done this is because I’ve never preached on dating and marriage, until now.  I’ve never had a congregation that had young adults who were dating or who were becoming the age where they would want to date, before this.  For the married couples who may be reading this, please bear in mind that if you have young children, they will date one day.  You need to instill the right values in them, now.  There are things people decide while dating that will have an affect on the rest of their lives. 

1 Timothy 5:1-2 (NKJV)
^5:1 Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, younger as sisters, with all purity.

Treat Women as Sisters

I realize that this is written to Timothy as a pastor, but it is important in what it tells us about how to treat people.  Unfortunately, the Bible doesn’t have “rules for dating.” Why not, you ask.  The reason is simple; in those days marriages were arranged between parents, for their own reasons. I know this will be a huge blow to young women but “He’s so cute” was never a reason a young man was considered for marriage to a young woman. 

This scripture is telling us that we should treat women with respect like sisters. Think about your sisters, men, how would you want other men to treat them?  What expectations would you have for a guy who’s dating your sister?  Would you want your sister treated with the respect with which you treat women?  That question is really asking, “Do you treat women with respect”?

I came across this document on the Internet a while back:

8 Simple Rules for Dating my Teenage Daughter

1. Use your hands on my daughter and you’ll lose them after.
2. You make her cry; I make you cry.
3. Safe sex is a myth; anything you try will be hazardous to your health.
4. Bring her home late, there’s no next date.
5. If you pull into my driveway and honk you better be dropping off a package, because you’re sure not picking anything up.  (Alternate:  Only deliverymen honk, dates ring the doorbell…Once!
6. No complaining while you’re waiting for her, if you’re bored you can change my oil.
7. If your pants hang off your hips, I’ll gladly secure them with my staple gun.
8. Dates must be in crowded public places.  You want romance?  Read a book.(1)

Now, this is meant to be humorous, but if you look beyond the attitude it’s really a father’s desire that his daughter be treated with respect.  We have become a society, though, that doesn’t value treating others with respect.  We expect to be treated with respect, but feel that we’re exempt from treating others respectfully. 

The Bible gives us a clue as to what it means to treat women with respect in the last phrase of our text “with all purity.”  What is purity?

According to Mirriam-Webster Dictionary purity can be defined as:  Free from moral fault:  Innocent.

When we treat women without regard for their purity; when we have a physical relationship with them without marriage, we take something that doesn't belong to us.

Dating with no intention of marriage, is like clothes shopping with no money.  You’ll leave frustrated or take something that doesn't belong to you. (2)

The Bible defines for us when it is proper to come together:

Hebrews 13:4 (NKJV)
^13:4 Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

So, a sexual relationship after marriage is honorable, but not before.  Fornication is a sexual relationship outside of marriage; God will judge that.  This ties into sexual purity, sexual purity is abstinence from sexual intercourse prior to marriage.  Maintaining sexual purity in your dating relationship is acting with respect for women.  It shows a concern for their relationship with God, their well-being and their future.  Look at this:

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV)
^6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Or her own body, as the case may be.

When we have sex outside of marriage we sin against God, remember God will judge, but we also sin against ourselves.  This scripture says it’s a sin against our own bodies.  Now let me show you some statistics:

Men who marry as virgins are 36% less likely to divorce.  Women who marry as virgins are 24% less likely to divorce. (3)

Those who wait to until marriage to have sex and remain faithful in marriage report higher levels of life satisfaction compared to adults who engage in premarital or adulterous sex.  Those who wait until marriage and are faithful to their spouse also report notably higher happiness scores. (4)

So what do these statistics tell us?  That young people who abstain from sex before marriage are happier, more satisfied with life, and less likely to divorce.  God isn’t trying to spoil your fun, He’s trying to insure that your life be the best it can be.

John 10:10 (NKJV)
^10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

This tells us that Jesus has come to give us a more abundant life, a happier, fuller life, but it also tells us that the devil wants to destroy it. 

Why Remain Pure?

Someone once said, “Why buy the cow when you can have the milk for free?”

The meaning of that is why make the commitment to marriage, when you can enjoy the benefits of the marriage bed without making commitments.  In simpler and perhaps cruder terms, why get married when you can have sex without it?

You know, marriage is a lot of work; two selfish people come together and have to figure out how to live with each other and maintain a relationship.  I want what I want – She wants what she wants.  Unfortunately, the two wants aren't always the same.  It takes compromise and commitment to be married, so that means sometimes you have to give up what you want so the other can have what they want. 

Sometimes men look at marriage and say, “It’s easier to stay single.  I can do what I want.  I don’t have to share my stuff.  I can check out a lot of women.  Being single is great.”  So, if women are going to let them have sex, in addition to all these other things, some men are not going to get married.  They don’t see a benefit to them.  If you’re dating a guy with that attitude, you don’t need him, he’s selfish and immature, which, by the way aren't good prospects for a healthy, happy marriage.  Look at this statement about the first marriage:

Genesis 2:24-25 (NKJV)
^2:24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. ²⁵ And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

What do we see here?  A MAN leaves his parents:  He’s grown up; he’s matured.  He’s not dependent on his parents anymore; he can make his own way in the world.  He has some resources of his own.

THEN he’s joined to a wife.  He’s united with her.  Then they become one (that’s a Bible euphemism for sex.)  They become one flesh.  They’re naked and there’s no shame.  There’s nothing to be ashamed of to be naked in front of your spouse, you’re one flesh. 

Do you know why sex is intended for marriage?  Sexual intimacy is intended to draw couples together.  There is a bond that is built between couples that are intimate that joins them together. 

Matthew 19:4-6 (NKJV)
^19:4 And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' ⁵ and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? ⁶ So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate."

This bond remains until one or the other dies.  Think about this for a moment.  A woman sleeps with her boyfriend and gets pregnant.  That couple is linked for life; even if they break up, even if they marry other people.  They still have that child between them.  There will always be that link.  They will have to work out taking care of the child.

How many marriages do you know where the wife got pregnant before the marriage, and so they “did the right thing and got married.”  Now they’re unhappy.  They’re struggling with the marriage and their feelings for each other.  They’re always fighting.  The problem is that they formed this tie before they cleaved together. 

     “She trapped me into marriage. 

     “He’s here, but he doesn't love me.”

They didn't treat each other with "all purity."  He didn't treat her with respect before marriage.  She allowed him to take what didn't belong to him and now they’re struggling with the consequences.  Even if there’s no child there’s still a tie, in a spiritual sense. 

1 Corinthians 6:16 (NKJV)
^6:16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh."

The Bible uses the word “harlot,” but the implication is just that there’s no marriage.  They’re not married to each other but the two become one flesh.  There is still that link that binds them together. 

Why buy the cow when the milk is free?  Why give the milk away in the first place?  That milk is intended to nourish your marriage.

How to Date like a Christian

I said this post was about Christian dating, but so far I haven’t said anything about how we’re supposed to date.  What is Christian dating like?

I think it would be simpler to first discuss non-Christian dating.  Non-Christian dating – The way everyone else is doing it.  The word dating in the 1920s was another word for prostitution.  Media; television, movies and music create an image of what a hip, modern dating relationship looks like.  It does nothing to promote Godliness. 

Non-Christians are waiting longer to get married, and sleeping and living together.  50% of adults are not married.  33% of all births are to unmarried women.  The myth is that if you’re living together or sleeping together you’ll have a better marriage.  That’s a lie.  The odds of your marriage failing are higher than those who don’t engage in that type of behavior. (5)

Christian dating is not like the world’s dating.  The following are MY recommendations:

1. Date in groups or in public restaurants:  Places where there are a lot of people around.
2. Don’t spend the night together.  When my wife and I were dating we separated by 10:30.  I WENT HOME.
3. Avoid being physical.  Keep your hands to yourself.  I kissed my wife for the first time at the end of our wedding ceremony.  We weren't hanging all over each other and acting all lovey-dovey, either.
4. Don’t be alone in private places.  The devil’s probably not going to be able to tempt you to get naked in the middle of Wal-Mart, but he might in a nice, romantic bedroom.
5. Make God a part of your romance.  Let Him guide and direct you.  After all, God brought Eve to Adam. 

A good rule of thumb is don’t do anything you wouldn't want your pastor to see you doing.  If you can’t do it while your pastor is there…DON’T DO IT.  This will help you to avoid the dangers of dating, and it may help you to have a happy marriage. 

I’m not naive and I know that some people may have already engaged in fornication.  But the wonderful thing is that you can repent.  “God, I messed up and violated myself and my partner.”  God is faithful to forgive, but remember that repentance requires change.  Without change there is no repentance.  If you've done that, I would recommend separating for a while and being honest with your pastor.  Then prayerfully and with counsel, evaluate your relationship. 

When you begin to date, do so with the idea that you’re courting.  Courting means there is a seriousness about marriage, and do it the right way. 

Sex is a wonderful thing.  It’s a gift to marriage.  Waiting until the right time makes your wedding night a wonderful and joyous occasion.  It makes it special; the excitement and anticipation.  What a wonderful gift.  So value yourself and the gift God has given you.  Use it for its proper purpose, to create a closeness and intimacy in your MARRIAGE:  To make your marriage a lasting and happy one.

(1)  8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter: And other tips for a beleaguered Father (Not that any of them work.  W, Bruce Cameron , 2001, Workman

(2)  Twitter Feed:  Calvary Tweets:  Sept. 24, 2013

(3)  Pastor Mark Driscoll, Dating, Relating and Fornicating, October 26, 2011

http://pastormark.tv/2011/10/26/dating-relating-and-fornicating 

(4)  Cohabitation Vs. Marriage:  26 Research Findings, Physicians for Life.org,

http://www.physiciansforlife.org/content/view/242/27/

(5)  Pastor Mark Driscoll, Dating, Relating and Fornicating, October 26, 2011

http://pastormark.tv/2011/10/26/dating-relating-and-fornicating

Live in Excellence

These days we hear a lot about excellence, but the question for today is, “Are you living excellence in your day-to-day life?”  Even more importantly, “Are you living excellence in your walk with God?”  An excellent person is someone who’s willing to go above and beyond what we consider the normal standard.  Look at this quote:

Someone once said, “It’s a sad commentary on society that the new standard of good service is, “everything went the way it’s supposed to.”

That’s the usual standard of “It’s good enough.”  I’m doing the minimum work required to make it okay…to keep from trouble.  Is that what we want do?  Is the minimum what you’re boss is looking for from you, or is he looking for excellence?  Today I want to examine excellence in life and excellence in your walk with God.

Daniel 6:1-5 (NKJV)
^6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; ² and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. ³ Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. ⁴ So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. ⁵ Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

Excellence

Daniel’s life is an amazing story of excellence.  He’s risen above the others, “because an excellent spirit was in him.”  So the king looks to make him chief of all the governors. Everyone will answer to him.  He was the one who distinguished himself.  That means he went above and beyond the norm.  He made himself indispensable; he was the “Go To guy.”

There is a book by Malcolm Gladwell called Outliers, It’s the story of people who have risen “distinguished themselves” by virtue of their success.  The Beatles are used as an example.  They are arguably the best Rock and Roll group ever.  They have been enormously successful but what has raised them above all the others?  According to this book they played their music as a group for more than 10,000 hours. 

In their early days they played in Munich Germany at small clubs.  They played almost every night.  They practiced for 8 hours a day and played for about 4 hours every night.  Because of this they played together for more than 10,000 hours and rose above everyone else.

Think about it for a moment.  Their music became their whole lives. They lived out their commitment to their craft.  They didn't blow off practice; they played together, between practice and concerts twelve hours a day.  They were committed to improvement.  They rose to distinction…just like Daniel.  Do you remember his story?

He was taken as a slave as a young man and he refused to compromise God’s standards about food:

Daniel 1:8 (NKJV)
^1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

He’s refusing to compromise.  He’s refusing to lower his standards.  He’s standing firm in what God has asked of him.  Do you know what that really is?  It’s faithfulness.  He’s faithful to God’s standards.  He’s faithful to do what God expects.

You do what our bosses expect of you, don’t you?  You’re on time for work.  You’re not always on coffee breaks. You’re diligent. You do what your boss tells you.  But what about what you do for God?  Are you on time?  Are you diligent?  Are you responsive to authority?  Do you want to be excellent? 

Excellence is a better teacher than mediocrity. The lessons of the ordinary are everywhere. Truly profound and original insights are to be found only in studying the exemplary.

Warren G. Bennis, Founder of the Leadership Institute at USC

Do you think it’s interesting that because of Daniel’s excellence his enemies couldn’t attack and destroy him?  They had to look for a way to defeat him that used his unwillingness to compromise his standards and adherence to God’s standards. 

Daniel 6:7 (NKJV)
^6:7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

So they made it illegal to pray, knowing Daniel would continue to pray and worship.

Daniel 6:10 (NKJV)
^6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

So, even though Daniel knew of the consequences – He knew what would happen:  He prayed anyway.

This is excellence.  Even when it would be easier and safer to compromise, you continue to hold to your standards.  Daniel set the standards for himself, and they were higher standards than everyone else’s.  That’s how he “distinguished himself.”

What do your standards look like?  Are your standards bold, do they stand out?  Are they limiting you or causing you to excel?  Do you think beyond the moment?  Do you just focus on what you’re being pressured to do or are you looking to the future?  Do you have a handle on the vision?  Are you striving to see the vision accomplished or do you only care about the individual task you’ve been assigned?  Do you commit yourself to being the best you can be or is good enough…good enough? The way you answer those questions will tell you something about you commitment to personal excellence.

Look at the things your involved in at church.  First, are you even involved at all?  Are you looking for ways to improve YOUR ministry?  Are you willing to invest, your finances and your time, in YOUR ministry?  Are you self-motivated or do you constantly need encouragement and reminders to complete YOUR ministry?  Do you follow up on things that need to be done?  Do you reach out and offer help to other people in ministry?  Do you want to have an EXCELLENT spirit? 

Examples of Excellence

I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection.   Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business.

Michael J. Fox Actor

Colossians 3:22-24 (NKJV)
^3:22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

We are called to examples of excellence.  That word “heartily” speaks of having an abundant spirit; Diligently.  This scripture is written to those who were slaves; people who had to work with no expectation of reward.  The scripture says to do the work as id your doing it for the Lord, not because you HAVE to.  

This is interesting, because how do we look at ministry?  That word minister mean to serve; we serve in ministry.  So, then why do we look at our ministry as if we’re doing the church a favor? 

You know what I find interesting is that we hold volunteers to a lesser standard than we do workers.  I understand that a volunteer could be doing something else.  I understand that they’re giving of their time to do what they’re doing but why should it be inferior just because they volunteered.

There was a woman in the Riverside church, who would volunteer to help clean when there was a church event.  So she’d come over and basically did nothing.  The things she did do we would have to go back and do again because they weren't done properly.  She was a volunteer

She was a volunteer, but she wasn't a minister.  We have ministry.  This is a gift from God.  It’s a privilege.  We should do it heartily.  We should be an example of the excellence of Christ. 

Jesus was the only one of us who was perfect.  He was the only man who lived without sin.  He is the epitome of excellence.  We are His representatives on earth.  We should be trying to live up to who He is.  Do you realize that people form opinions about Jesus by the way we live and act? 

I had a General manager one time who did something that stood out in my mind.  There was a young man on our sales staff, who was a great salesman.  He could sell ice cubes to an Eskimo.  But one night he got involved with a girl and ended up with hickeys on his neck.  Bite marks.  When he came to work this general manager fired him on the spot.  When I asked him why he said, “He represents me and this company.  I don’t want people to associate that behavior with me.  It doesn't represent my moral character.” 

It didn't reflect his lifestyle.  As Christians we represent Jesus.  How we live reflects who Jesus is.  If Jesus is excellent then we must strive for excellence, as well.

How do we strive for excellence?  We can start by being on time for church.  We can be involved in the worship service.  We can do our best in our ministries, always looking for ways to improve it.  We can come to ministry practices prepared and ready.  We can care about the details, making sure that what is needed is ready and available.  We can be there to pray.  We can be there a little early so that visitors won’t feel awkward.  We can be friendly and outgoing.  These are the details and it is the details that separate adequate from excellent.

2 Corinthians 8:7 (NKJV)
^8:7 But as you abound in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us--see that you abound in this grace also.

Taking care of the details is how you abound in diligence.

In Daniel 6, they looked for a way to get rid of Daniel.

Daniel 6:4 (NKJV)
^6:4 So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.

They couldn't find anything wrong because he was FAITHFUL.  A faithful man takes care of the details.  Getting the job done is what’s expected.  Taking care of the details, too, that’s doing it excellently.

 I read a story of a man whose car was broken into.  They smashed his window and stole something out of his car.  So he called a company to come and replace the window.  The guy who came and replaced the window put in the new one…Then he vacuumed up all the broken glass in the car.  Then he made notes of scratches and dings and al, the problems with the car as a result of the break-in, with diagrams, so the man who have it for his insurance agent.  All of this was done outside in the bitter cold.

He was only expected to change the window, but he took care of the details, too – that’s excellence.

I read another story of a soldier who was in Afghanistan.  For his wife’s birthday he wanted to do something that he knew would make her happy.  She loved Pizza from a certain Pizza place.  So he called that place, from Afghanistan, and told them what he wanted to do.  He just ordered a pizza.  So this pizza place made a pizza for her in the shape of a heart.  On the way to the delivery of the pizza they stopped and bought flowers and balloons for her and delivered them all at NO charge.

All that was required was that they deliver a pizza, but they took it upon themselves to go the extra mile and take care of the details – that’s excellence.

One final story.  There is a town of 6,000 people in a remote part of Alaska.  Some joker played a prank on the entire town by convincing them that Taco Bell would open a fast-food restaurant in their little town.  Taco Bell found out.  They had no plans for opening a restaurant in that place.  But, they purchased enough meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and hot sauce for 10,000 tacos.  Then they used a helicopter to airlift a catering truck, all the food and a few employees so they could feed tacos to the people of Benton, Alaska…at no charge.

There was no action required on Taco Bell’s part, but they did something anyway – that’s excellence.

Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.

Edward Simmons   Artist

Just be Excellent

"If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today.  As of this second, quit doing less than excellent work."

Thomas J. Watson  Chairman of IBM in the 40s

Think about people you admire.  What is it that makes them so admirable?  Is it the courage to do the right thing even when it’s not to their advantage?  Is it their willingness to suffer so someone else doesn’t have to?  Is it the way they made their business successful while being concerned about their employees and their customer’s needs?  What is it that lifts them up in your eyes?  What is it that makes them excellent? 

I don’t want you to think that this is about business or about doing things.  This is really about our walk with God.  Daniel had an excellent spirit.  His excellence caused him to “distinguish himself.”  We should aspire to excellence as well to distinguish ourselves as Christians, so that people will see Jesus favorably because of our actions and lives.  When we lift Him up He will draw all men.

Daniel 5:11 (NKJV)
^5:11 There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father--your father the king--made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers.

That same Spirit dwells in you.  Show it to be an excellent Spirit.

Spiritual Leadership 101: For Men

I want to start today’s post with a few quotes on leadership:

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something that you want done because he wants to do it.—Dwight D. Eisenhower

I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.-Ralph Nader

In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. - Thomas Jefferson 

You don't lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership. - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Some of what I write here today may get me in a little trouble.  I’m sure there are those who won’t like some of the things I touch on in this post, but Richard Nixon once said, “If an individual wants to be a leader and isn't controversial, He never stood for anything.”  So this post will be on the topic of Spiritual Leadership:

Joshua 24:15 (NKJV)
^24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Leadership Begins in the Home

This is Joshua, he’s declaring to all of Israel that his entire household will serve God.  He’s not saying as for me, I will serve the Lord.  He’s making the decision for his family. 

This takes place after the Promised Land has been conquered.  The Bible says they have been given rest from their enemies all around.   This is a time of peace, a time when they can take stock of the way they’re living their lives.

Joshua is like a true leader trying to move them into the Will of God here.  He’s trying to bring them all into the same understanding about God’s desire for Israel.  To do that he declares, “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.” 

There can really only be one leader.  It never works when there is more than one leader.  A committee can never get anything done quickly.  Even on the Board of Directors there is the chairman.  There can only be one leader, especially when it comes to spiritual leaders.  There can only be one leader.

In my house my wife and I are a united front when it comes to raising our children.  We work together, we discuss things, and we take the same stand.  If we disagree we discuss it in private away from the children, but there is only one leader in my house. Especially when it comes to spiritual matters.  Men, we are called to be spiritual leaders in our homes.  Someone once said, “Leadership is not making all the decisions; it’s seeing to it that the right person making the right decisions.”[i]

Look at this scripture:

Ephesians 5:22-25 (NKJV)
^5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. ²³ For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. ²⁴ Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Wives submit to your husbands, but first we must be submitted to Christ.  Jesus is the head of the church.  Our submission to each other comes out of our submission to Him.  We think of Jesus as our savior, and He is, but He’s more than just a savior.  He is also Lord; that means He is to be obeyed.  He commands us.  We are first submitted to the Lord, and secondly to each other.  Husbands love your wives; give yourself for her.  Wives submit to your husbands.  The Bible tells us why it is to be this way.

1 Timothy 2:12-14 (NKJV)
^2:12 And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴ And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

God brought Eve to Adam, He said, “It is not good that man should be alone.  I will make a helper for him.”  A helper is not the leader.  That doesn't mean that men can give orders and demand responses.  It says, “Husbands love your wives.”  Love is not dictatorship.  This is what Love is:

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NKJV)
^13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

That’s the Biblical description of love.  This is how we love our wives.  So, men we’re leaders in a Christian home and as leaders WE will be held accountable for the spiritual direction of our homes.  We will be accountable for our children’s grounding in the word of God.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)
^22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

We will be accountable, and if we’re accountable then we need to be sure that our kids are where they can be grounded in the word of God and that’s in church. My children have been in church since they were born.  They were born on a Wednesday night and were in church the following Sunday.  They aren’t allowed excuses from church.  Church attendance is not negotiable in our house, because I know they won’t be sitting around reading their Bibles if left to themselves.

The idea is to impress upon them that church isn’t a social function; church is about worshipping God – Our LORD.  We will be accountable for our families’ spiritual well being; we are called to lead them into the will of God.  Our families are our greatest ministries.  It’s up to us to LEAD them in the right direction, to teach them to put God before anything else.

It’s easy for us to get caught up in al, the things we have to do.  Life is busy.  There are many, many things to do all the time.  It is also easy to listen to our friends and family members who aren’t saved and all their advice.  “You’re trying to do too much.  You’re kids need their sleep.  You’ll make yourself sick.  You’re spending too much time at that church.” 

When I was working and pastoring at the same time, my co-workers were always telling me that I was burning the candle at both ends.  “You’re out late every night and at work early every morning.  You’re going to burn yourself out.  You’re going to die.”  Guess what, I did that for eight years as a pastor and nine years before that as a disciple and I’m still here. 

Joshua, in making this declaration is saying he doesn’t care what other people think, he’s going to do what he thinks is right.  Joshua will lead his family.  He’s the spiritual leader in HIS house.

One last thing I’ll say to young unmarried people.  Young man if you’re in a courting relationship, you need to be willing to lead there, too.  You need to hold yourself to God’s standards in a love relationship.  You must stand for purity before marriage.  Don’t pressure her to sleep with you and don’t allow yourself to be seduced.  The Bible tells us to flee sexual immorality.  In sin, the blessing of God is removed from your relationship.  Give your marriage the best opportunity to succeed by saving the blessing of sex for after the marriage, as God intended.

It is absurd that a man rule others, who cannot rule himself. – Latin proverb.

Spiritual leadership in Ministry

This is another side of spiritual leadership:

1 Timothy 3:8-13 (NKJV)
^3:8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, ⁹ holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. ¹⁰ But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. ¹¹ Likewise their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. ¹² Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. ¹³ For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

These are the qualifications for ministry in the church. Let’s break down what this says:

Reverent means to honor God – Do you fear God?

Not double-tongued; practice what you preach. – Say what you mean and mean what you say.

No drinking; not greedy.

Let them be tested.  I don’t just turn over ministry to anyone who hasn’t proven how he lives.  There is a waiting period for ministry in our church.  This is the time of testing.  “Let them be tested.”  We want to see how you live,.

1 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV)
^3:12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.

This is statement that goes back to the last point, we must be leaders in our own home.  We need to rule our children well.  They need to be obedient.  We need to teach them to obey.

I’ve seen children in church that are a huge distraction:  Running up and down the aisles, screaming and throwing things.  I’ve even seen kids standing during worship service reading comic books.  We’re not teaching them reverence.

If they’re in song service they need to be a part of the worship.  If you allow them to do other things, you’re not teaching them to worship God.  You’re not teaching them to give God priority in their lives.  They will grow up and downplay the need to worship and the priority of worship and may even retreat from serving God altogether; and if they do, woe to you.

Luke 17:2 (NKJV)
^17:2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

The Greek word in this scripture that is translated as offend means to cause to stumble: To cause to fall into sin.  We’re not teaching them reverence.  Some parents even want to leave their children with relatives because they’re disruptive, but that doesn’t teach them to reverent.  We have to teach our children self-control.

My father died when my children were two years old. (They’re twins.) My children were present at my father’s funeral.  After the service when we were greeting people, people marveled because they didn’t realize that the kids were there.  They sat quietly throughout the one and half hour service.  They were used to being in church.  They were used to sitting quietly, because they knew what would happen if they were disruptive in church.  They learned that…we taught them that.  We enforced right behavior, and this is the key – we were consistent.

This will make me real popular:  I see the wives in my congregation.  They’re exhausted and they’re frustrated because the kids are too much for them.  Sometimes I have asked the men, “Do you stand up for your wives when the kid’s misbehave, or do you make them the bad guy all the time? ‘Woman, teach your children. Can’t you teach your kids, right?’”  It’s not husband and parent; it’s parents.  You are just as responsible for your children’s teaching as she is.  Give your wives a break.  It’s not babysitting when they’re your own children…it’s parenting.  The Bible doesn’t say, “Let Deacons be the wives of one husband ruling her house well.”  According to the Bible MEN are accountable for their children’s behavior.

My kids weren’t perfect little angels, in fact, they still aren’t.  We were rebuked for things our children did and so we’d have to deal with it.  It only took a few discipline sessions, then they’d behave, but sometimes after a while they’d backslide.  So we would have to be consistent and do it again.  Children will always test limits.  So, you constantly have to enforce the limits.

Joshua’s Declaration

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  This is Joshua showing us the will of God.  This is Joshua showing men how to live.  You know, it’s funny:  Men always want to be in charge.  We always want to be the ones who do the thinking and get others to do the work…except when it comes to leading at home.  At home we want to go off and do work and let our wives deal with all the issues and enforce all the rules. 

Leadership is example.  I want my kids in church so I go to church EVERY TIME.  I want my children to learn to give so I give my tithes and offerings.  I want my family to know how important it is to be a part of God’s will so I’m involved in what our church is doing. 

The question is, “Do you think it’s important that your family serve God?  Are you concerned about their eternal souls?  Do you believe what we’re preaching and teaching?  If you do how can you not want them to grasp it?  God has a plan for you and your wife and your kids, and you are accountable to God for whether or not they live up to that plan.  You can stand there in joy when he asks about your children.  Or you can stand there and mourn, because you missed your opportunity to lead them into God’s plan. 

They will have to answer to God for their choices, but you will answer for whether or not the choices they made were informed choices. 

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE…WE WILL SERVE THE LORD!

---

[i] Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations

Weiji 危機: Danger and Opportunity

The Chinese word translated in English as crisis is weiji 危機 (way gee).  The word is made up of two distinct characters wei (危 = danger) and ji (機 = opportunity).  So, in the minds of the ancient Chinese, all crises are made up of two components, danger and opportunity.  As we face a crisis, many times, our reaction to that crisis will determine whether we see catastrophe, which is the result of the danger, or victory, which is the result of opportunity.

Today, I want to post on crisis and our response to it.  Let’s look at our text:

1 Samuel 13:1-7 (NKJV)
^13:1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, ² Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent. ³ And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, "Let the Hebrews hear!" ⁴ Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal. ⁵ Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. ⁶ When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. ⁷ And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

The Crisis

  

In order to begin we need to define the word crisis in English.  The word crisis according to Funk and Wagnall’s Standard Dictionary can be defined as a crucial turning point in an affair or in a series of events:  A critical moment, favorable or unfavorable.  In simple terms this is the moment when the outcome of a particular circumstance or a set of circumstances is dependent on the action that you take at the moment.

An example of a simple crisis might be that you are driving down a road at a high rate of speed.  You’re heading toward a fork in the road, where you must make a decision to turn either right or left.  Turning one way will take you to a beautiful resort hotel, and turning the other way will take you to an unpleasant swamp.  You have no idea which place is in which direction.  You must make a decision to turn either right or left.  When you have reached that point where you MUST take action and turn the wheel one way or the other you have reached a crisis.  The way you turn the wheel will determine the outcome of events that takes place after that time of crisis.

In our text we see the unfolding of a crisis in the lives of two men, Saul and Jonathan.  Both of them have reached a moment of crisis, where action must be taken.  In this situation they had very different responses to that crisis and because of their responses they had very different outcomes.

Saul has taken three thousand men, two thousand he kept with him and one thousand he sent with Jonathan.  Jonathan attacked a garrison of the Philistines.  This was a declaration of war.  It was as if Saul was saying to the Philistines that he was willing to make war on them; that he would no longer remain under rule by them.  The Philistines, for their part responded to this declaration by coming to Michmash prepared or all out war with Israel.

Look at their responses:

Thirty thousand chariots

Six thousand horsemen

And so many foot soldiers they couldn't be numbered

This mighty army, armed to the teeth was sent to face three thousand Israeli soldiers, none of which was prepared for war, especially to face an assault of this magnitude. 

1 Samuel 13:22 (NKJV)
^13:22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.

The Bible tells us that as a result the men of Israel were frightened and began to melt away, hiding in caves and trembling.  We see their reaction in verses six and seven of our text.  The number of men following Saul had deteriorated from two thousand men to about six hundred. 

So here is Saul’s moment of crisis.  The Philistines have gathered to face him with an army vastly larger than the force he commands.  His people have become frightened; they’ve begun to desert and hide themselves.  He’s left with about six hundred men to face all of these enemy troops and his response will determine the future of his kingdom and his rule of Israel.

This is an all out assault on the people of God.  The Philistines are holding nothing back; it’s an overwhelming assault by the forces of Hell.  The enemies of Israel represent the forces of Hell in the Bible.  These are the enemies of God.

Today, as God’s people we face an almost daily assault by the forces f Hell.  We’re in a position that’s not unlike that of the people of Israel.  We, as the church, are also facing an assault as we all face crises in our own lives.  What made Saul’s situation so dire is that the men of Israel began to desert and hide under the pressure of the confrontation.  They were unwilling to face the forces of Hell, individually in their own lives.  This is the pressure point that led to Saul’s response to the crisis.  Our individual responses to crises will affect and determine the response of the church.

That response will either bring the realization of the danger or the realization of the opportunity.  We will all face crises throughout our Christian walk because we will all face tribulation or spiritual persecution throughout our lives.

Acts 14:21-22 (NKJV)
^14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, ²² strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."

So we must be prepared to endure tribulations and in enduring them be ready to respond to crises.

The problem for the people of Israel at this time is that they were under bondage to the Philistines.  The Philistines had rule over them.

1 Samuel 13:19 (NKJV)
^13:19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, "Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears."

So as a result the Israelis were unprepared for war.

1 Samuel 13:22 (NKJV)
^13:22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.

They didn't have weapons of warfare.  They couldn't have effectively fought even a force that didn't outnumber them, little less this overwhelming army that they faced.  This lack of preparation also influenced Saul’s response to this crisis.

As you face crises are you prepared for the battle that will ensue if you stand and fight, or are you so unprepared for battle that your only recourse is to withdraw.  These men who deserted weren't cowards, they knew that they were unprepared to fight and face certain death.  So their response to the crises that they faced was to desert their positions, but what if they had been prepared for battle, would their response be different.  I believe that preparation for crisis will help us to respond in a manner that will bring victory rather than defeat.  We can prepare for spiritual battles and crises in our lives with the proper equipment.

Ephesians 6:14-18 (NKJV)
^6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; ¹⁶ above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ¹⁷ And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; ¹⁸ praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints--

Our Weapons:

     Truth – Jesus Christ ther way the truth and the Life

     Righteousness – We are made righteous through Christ

     Preparation of the Gospel – That we are ready with the Gospel.  This is what got Jesus through the      assault on him by Satan in Luke 4 – “It is written;” He knew the scriptures.

    Faith – Small faith can move mountains

    Salvation – our minds are renewed in the will of God

    Prayer – What you ask in my name will be given

This is our weaponry; this is what we’re given to fight battles with.  Are you pared to fight or are you allowing yourself to be ruled over by the forces of hell?  Not having the liberty of the Gospel at hand is bondage, isn’t it?  Not having the weapons of our warfare at hand, not being prepared to repel the enemy is bondage to that enemy.

During he cold war, people called Ronald Reagan a warmonger because he refused to negotiate with the enemy on the Strategic Defense Initiative.  This was a system of satellites that would destroy incoming missiles.  He always said that peace came through might.  He called America’s nuclear weapons “the Peace Keepers.”  SDI and an aresenal of nuclear missiles meant that we had the weapons to protect ourselves from our enemies aggression.  We were prepared to meet that enemy in battle.

The real problem is that a lack of preparedness will force you into a response that will be fraught with danger because you’re not able to seize the opportunity.

In 1967, the enemies of Israel attacked.  Israel is a small nation surrounded by enemies on all sides.  Those enemies are larger countries with much larger population, but Israel was prepared for war.  They knew that their enemies wanted to destroy them and they responded and not only defeated their enemies but increased the land of Israel.

They seized opportunity out of crisis because they were prepared.  Our response to crisis will be made out of whether or not each of us is prepared for all out war.  If we’re prepared for war we can see the realization of the opportunity presented by the crisis.  If we are unprepared we will see the danger realized.

Two Responses

In our story Israel is faced with a real crisis, and there are two leaders during this time, Saul and Jonathan.  We see here two different responses to the same crisis.  Let’s examine each of them

Saul’s Response

1 Samuel 13:8-12 (NKJV)
^13:8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. ⁹ So Saul said, "Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me." And he offered the burnt offering. ¹⁰ Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him. ¹¹ And Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, ¹² then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering."

Saul’s men had scattered, he was facing an enormous army with a small force, and the men were beginning to desert and scatter.  We can see the outline of his response in his explanation to Samuel in verses 11 and 12:

“And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, ¹² then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.’”

First he tells Samuel, “I saw the people scattering from me.”  He’s thinking that it’s up to him, that he has to do something to keep it all together; that he had to do it on his own. I can see his thought process here, “I’ve got to do something to keep these people from leaving, it’s all up to me.”  This is not a response of faith this is panic.  So, what he does he do?  He takes it upon himself to offer the burnt offering, but he should have waited for Samuel.

Who does Samuel represent?  He represents God, he’s the man of God.  So Saul is not waiting on God’s plans or purposes.  Samuel told him to wait  seven days at Gilgal and I will come and make the offering.  Look at this verse:

1 Samuel 10:8 (NKJV)
^10:8 You shall go down before me to Gilgal; and surely I will come down to you to offer burnt offerings and make sacrifices of peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, till I come to you and show you what you should do."

Samuel told him, “I will make the burnt offerings,” but what else did he tell him?  “I will show you what you should do.”  In other words God has already given him a plan.  God already had a purpose for what was taking place. “I will come and show you what to do to end this crisis according to the will of God.”  So, Saul isn’t looking for God’s counsel, either.  He’s thinking, “Samuel’s late. God’s not here when I need him, so I’ve got to suck it up and do what I think has to be done.” 

1 Samuel 13:12-14 (NKJV)
^13:12 then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering." ¹³ And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. ¹⁴ But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."

The Kingdom is taken from Saul.  His response to the crisis resulted in the danger being fully realized.  He’s lost the kingdom, he’s lost it all and that was hwhat he was afraid would happen if he didn’t act on his own anyway, wasn’t it.  That’s what drove him to make the decisions he did.  “I can’t fight without the men, so I have to act to keep it all together.  It was the action that he took to keep the kingdom together that cost him the kingdom. 

Contrast this with Jonathan’s response:

Jonathan’s Response

1 Samuel 14:6-12 (NKJV)
^14:6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few." ⁷ So his armorbearer said to him, "Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart." ⁸ Then Jonathan said, "Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. ⁹ If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say thus, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up. For the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us." ¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, "Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden." ¹² Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, "Come up to us, and we will show you something." Jonathan said to his armorbearer, "Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel."

Jonathan is facing the same crisis.  He’s hopelessly outnumbered; his men are just as unprepared.  In fact, as we saw, only Jonathan and Saul had any weapons.  But look at his response in verses 8-11:

1 Samuel 14:8-11 (NKJV)
^14:8 Then Jonathan said, "Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. ⁹ If they say thus to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. ¹⁰ But if they say thus, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up. For the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us." ¹¹ So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, "Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden."

The first thing he does is look for the will of God.  “What’s God trying to do in all this?  What’s God’s purpose.”  It’s an attitude of faith that God can use to bring His plan to fruition. 

Before he did anything he looked for God’s counsel.  “Let’s show ourselves to the Philistines and how they respond will be a sign from God as to what we should do.”  They’re standing on the promise that God has answered and will deliver them according to his word.  He knows that God can deliver despite the circumstances, if he will act according to God’s will.  In his response Jonathan sees the opportunity part of the crisis fully realized as the Philistines’ great army is destroyed not by Jonathan’s action but by God’s action.

Facing Crises in our Lives

When a church is facing a crisis, like trying to increase the presence of the church in the community by doing new and different things to reach people.  There is an opportunity to move forward and to cause the church to grow.  There are also risks.  There will be more pressure placed on us as individuals.  There will be more assaults from Hell on us as individuals; financial pressures, health pressures, marriage pressures to name just a few.  The devil will assault both the church and the individuals that make up the church.  There are two possible responses to crisis.  As in the scenario of our illustration, we can 1) put on the brakes and stop all forward momentum, or 2) we can press on turning either to the right or the left.  Turning either in panic or in faith. We can either wind up in a stinking pit of despair or in the will of God.

James 4:7 (NKJV)
^4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

This is the appropriate response to crisis.  Submit yourself to the will of God, like Jonathan as he faced the garrison of the Philistines.  “God I know you have a purpose in this, and I’m looking for your purpose and will.”  That’s Jonathan’s response.  That’s the response that wills ee opportunity realized. 

What happens if we see the danger realized?  We lose dominion, we become like Israel hiding in our holes.  We miss out on the promise of God.  There’s no deliverance, there’s no fruitfulness.  Fear doesn’t win battles, so the church struggles to stay together, forget about moving forward.

What happens, though, if the opportunity is realized?  1) We continue to gain power and dominion over the spirits that rule our city and 2) Opportunity will result in more visitors, growth in the church and revival.

Much of how the church responds is dependent on the response of the individuals who make up the church’s response to individual crises.  After all, the overall assault on the church will be made up of smaller assaults on individuals in the church. 

How are you going to react?  Like Saul, in panic, or like Jonathan in faith?  Are you prepared for battle or dominated by the enemy? 

We need to react like Jonathan.  Look for God’s will.  Look for what God is trying to do.  Desire to be a part of what God’s doing.  Be the fuse that ignites deliverance.  God can deliver by many or by few.  Either way it is by individuals responding to individual crises in faith that ignites the movement of God.  Jonathan’s action brought about God’s deliverance.  Our actions will bring about God’s promise.

Flattening the Walls of Opposition

A missionary in 1815 traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, but the government was hostile to missionaries.  This man was in the will of God, wasn't he?  Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creatures.  That’s what Christians are called to do, right?  But he was resisted and had to leave that place and find another place to preach.

So he got some oxen and a cart took his wife and left to find another place.  Think about how he felt, for a moment.  He was sure he was in the will of God.  He had gone to a lot of expense and effort to get to Cape Town and now he’s turned away.

But 27 days after they left Cape Town he met a group of Khoikhoi tribes-people who had camped near them.  He began to speak with them and discovered that the tribe was on the way to Cape Town to find a missionary who would preach the Gospel to them.

This is an amazing story.  This missionary faced obstacle after obstacle that seemed insurmountable and God broke through all of those obstacles to see His will done:  For the missionary to preach the Gospel and for the tribe to hear the Word of God and be converted.

God can overcome obstacles

There will always be opposition to the will of God for our lives and today I want to post on flattening the walls of that opposition.

Joshua 6:1-5 (NKJV)
^6:1 Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. ² And the Lord said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. ³ You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. ⁴ And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵ It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him."

Obstacles to the Will of God

We sometimes forget the fact that the devil’s not afraid of us.  But I want you to know, right now, the devil’s not afraid of you.  I've seen the t-shirts that say things like, “When I wake up in the morning the devil says, “Oh no…he’s awake!”  But that’s really kind of presumptuous, because the devil isn’t afraid of you.  I saw a twitter post recently, though, that put it all in perspective that post said, “Satan’s not afraid of me, he’s afraid of who’s in me.”  That’s the truth, right there.  The devil doesn't fear you he fears Jesus.  That’s why we need God’s power:  To overcome the devil’s obstacles.

Look at the position in which Joshua and his men find themselves.  They’re looking at the city of Jericho.  Jericho is the first step to God’s promise.  It’s the first obstacle that has to be overcome to see the promise of God for Israel come to pass.  The problem is that the walls of Jericho were huge obstacles:

Excavations at Jericho indicate that the city covered perhaps eight acres and was protected by two high parallel walls, which stood about fifteen feet apart and surrounded the city. It was the sight of cities like Jericho that convinced ten of the Jewish spies that Israel could never conquer the land—Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament

Five meters separated these massive walls, so after one was breached the second one was still there and had to be overcome as well.  The walls were obstacles to God’s will.  In order for Israel to see the promise of God fulfilled, they would have to overcome these obstacles. 

Do you face any obstacles in finding the will of God for your life?  We’re all trying to press through to God’s will, aren't we?  That’s what Christians should be doing…the will of God.  If you've ever tried to do that, then you know it’s not always easy.  There are always obstacles to God’s will.  

A friend of mine is trying to get his visa to stay in Taiwan.  He came here as a missionary.  He came in answer to a call to preach in Taiwan.  He tried to get a work visa but he was turned down.  So now he’s trying to get a visa as a volunteer worker, just to stay in the country, but there are difficulties, and obstacles; roadblocks.  The devil doesn't want this to happen.  He wants to frustrate the will of God. 

The problem for us is the same as the problem facing Israel.  We don’t always have the capacity to overcome in our own strength.  Look at Samson for a moment, he was so strong, so powerful…when he was in the Spirit.   

Do you remember the story?  Samson was a Nazarite.  There was a prophecy about him prior to his birth saying that he would begin the deliverance from the Philistines.  When he faced an obstacle the Spirit of God would come upon him and he became incredibly strong. 

He tore a lion apart with his bare hands.

He killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey.

At the end of his life he tore down the temple and killed many, many Philistines.

So when God was there to help him he was incredibly strong.  He was able to overcome anything through his sheer strength.  But what happened when the Spirit of God departed from him. 

Judges 16:20-21 (NKJV)
^16:20 And she said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" So he awoke from his sleep, and said, "I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!" But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. ²¹ Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.

When God’s spirit departed from him and he had to depend on his own strength, he was unable to free himself and was blinded and made a slave. 

In the Book of Numbers when the twelve spies went into the Promised Land they saw cities like Jericho and were so dismayed that they came back and gave a bad report. 

Numbers 13:28-29 (NKJV)
^13:28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹ The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan."

One of those fortified cities was Jericho and they felt like they couldn't overcome the obstacles of those huge walls.  They lost faith in God’s power to deliver them. 

Numbers 13:33 (NKJV)
^13:33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

They thought themselves small, they thought themselves weak:  They had forgotten that God had the power to overcome.  They had forgotten that God had promised them this land and that he would overcome all of the obstacles to give it to them.  He kept that promise.  God used His supernatural power to destroy Jericho’s walls.  He has the power to destroy the obstacles to His will and He will do that for us, just like He did for in Jericho for Israel.

Joshua Prepared for God’s Power

God used His power to destroy the walls of Jericho.  God brought about the victory, but Joshua didn’t just sit on his hands.  He played a role in this deliverance.  He had a responsibility to this deliverance.  In fact, he did three things that made it possible for God’s power to deliver them. 

First, he listened:  God gave him a plan, He sent an angel to deliver the plan to Joshua.  That’s what our text is; it’s God’s plan for the destruction of Jericho’s walls.  What is amazing is that Joshua heard that plan and didn't balk.  Listen to the plan.  Walk around the city one time a day for six days.  On the seventh day walk around the city seven times, blow some trumpets and yell really loud.  Then I’ll knock down the walls and you can take the city.

What would you do if I came to you one Sunday with that plan?

“Okay, I prayed and here’s the plan.  We’re going to walk around the city once a day for six days.  Next Sunday, we’ll walk around the city seven times and blow some horns and yell really loud and then we’ll be able to have revival.  Okay…Who’s with me?” 

A couple of people might follow me, but most people would say, “He’s lost it!  Don’t make any sudden moves around him, who knows what he’ll do.”  Do you know how I know that?  I know that because only a few think outreaches are effective.  Everyone else is like the ten spies; they have lost faith that God can bring about a victory.  Here’s Joshua, he hears this plan and responds by getting people ready to do exactly what the angel told him to do.

Second he obeyed:  He took the word seriously and went out and immediately began to put the plan into place. 

Joshua 6:6-7 (NKJV)
^6:6 Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord." ⁷ And he said to the people, "Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord."

He heard from God and just obeyed.  This is important – God’s promise requires our obedience.  Often God’s promises are conditional.  IF you will; THEN I will…

IF you will pray THEN I will heal your land.

IF you believe THEN you will have everlasting life.

IF you will give, THEN I will give, pressed down shaken together and running over.

Each promise has a condition and more often than not that condition is obedience.  If Joshua had never obeyed and never marched; never blew trumpets and never yelled then the walls would never have fallen and the promise would have been lost.

Third, he had faith:  Joshua was a man of faith.  Remember, in Numbers 14, he and Caleb were the only spies who believed that they could take the Promised Land.

Numbers 14:6-8 (NKJV)
^14:6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; ⁷ and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.'

This is the same Joshua.  He took God at His word when they spied out the land in Numbers 14 and he’s taking God at His word here.  Because of his faith that God would do what God had promised, he was willing to follow God’s instructions to defeat the city.  In other words, he took the action of his faith. 

The Bible tells us that faith without works is dead.  We can have all the faith in the world, but if we sit on our hands and don’t take the action of our faith…nothing happens.    When we got saved we took the actions of faith and repented.  The faith part was that we believed the works part was repentance. 

When Joshua listened and believed; then acted on that belief he opened a door for God to act out on His promise.  GOD KNOCKED DOWN THE WALLS!

God will Knock Down the Walls in Your Life

Finally, I want to encourage you.  I know that some of you are facing obstacles to God’s promises and I want to clarify a couple of things that I believe will help you to see God’s deliverance.

Is it God’s will or your will?  Is it God’s promise or what you want God to do?  Sometimes, God’s will and your will are not the same things.  God promised the land to Israel; so defeating Jericho was God’s will.  God flattened the walls to see His will done.

How can you tell the difference between God’s will and your will?  If it’s God’s will it will have something to do with what God’s doing in the world; God’s purposes for the earth.  It probably won’t be something that would benefit just you and not further the Gospel in some way.  If you want to receive the desires of your heart then make the desires of your heart the desires of God’s heart. 

I've had people come to me and tell me that they can’t get a breakthrough in something they want to do.  “I want to do this thing or that thing and I’m praying but I can’t overcome some obstacle.”  The real problem is that it’s counter to what God is doing.   You’re struggling against God.  God has a plan for your life.  Are you trying to make God’s plan happen or are you trying to make God follow your plan?   

READ THE BIBLE – You can know God’s desires and character by praying and reading your Bible.  Many people only read their Bibles during Sunday’s service…and then it’s only the scriptures used in the sermon.  Read it every day.  Make Time.  It’s important to know God and understand His will for your life. 

PRAY – We all really need to pray.  It worries me sometimes when I ask for prayer requests at church and nobody has any.  If you’re praying for something let us pray with you.  If you’re not praying there won’t be any prayer requests.  How can you hear from God if you don’t pray?  We need God to move in our lives.  We need to hear from God.  We need to be able to lay our petitions before God so He can move in them.

We read in our text that God spoke to Joshua.  Do you think Joshua was kicking back and playing video games, when God spoke to him?  God spoke to him while he prayed.  God spoke to him through the scriptures.