God’s Way to Success

by Paul Tautges | July 24, 2018 10:49 am

The Bible is an intimidating book. Let’s not deny it. But it’s also a simple book—a book we receive by faith, and act upon in obedience. In his book entitled The Good Book, Deron Spoo says it this way,

The Bible is like the ocean…[it] is so deep in places that no person, however capable a swimmer, could survive its extremities. But at the same time, when the ocean touches the land, the water is so shallow and the ways lapping the beach are so gentle that even a toddler can safely play there. Anyone who has visited the beach has seen firsthand that the ocean is both intimidating and approachable.

The same is true of the Bible. Like the ocean, its depths can never be fathomed. Even after a lifetime of study, the most brilliant theologians admit they’ve only begun to plumb its depths. Centuries of Christian scholarship haven’t been able to chart its vast expanse. The Bible can be intimidating and yet approachable at the same time. Anyone can pick up a Bible and encounter simple truths that are nothing short of life changing. (The Good Book, pp. 16-17)

FOUR ACTION STEPS

God wants you to experience spiritual victory, but you must act upon biblical truth. Therefore, from last Sunday’s sermon, here are four action steps that you must take if you are going to victoriously walk by faith.

  1. Remember God’s promises and presence (vv. 1-5).
  2. Resolve to treasure God’s Word and obey it (vv. 6-9).
  3. Respond in faith toward God and humility toward leaders (vv. 10-18).
  4. Recognize you are part of the bigger story of redemption (24:1-13).

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then you are a spiritual child of Abraham. Therefore, you need to recognize that you are part of A BIGGER STORY. When God set His plan of redemption in motion, when He told Abraham to look at the stars and try to count the number of his spiritual children, God had you in mind. If you know Christ, then not only is your own redemption part of His plan, but God wants to use you to help carry out His plan to redeem some from every nation, tribe, and tongue.

JEHOVAH IS THE SAVIOR

Joshua’s name means Jehovah is the Savior. The New Testament equivalent of the name Joshua is Jesus. How fitting is that? It’s interesting to note that the book of Joshua opens and closes the same way—with a funeral. The death of Moses at the beginning, and the death of Joshua at the end. This reminds us that the sting of death is sin. But God has a redemptive plan. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death, and brings us victory. And one day, when He comes again, death will be abolished forever. Let us look to Jesus.

[You may listen to the sermon here[1].]

Endnotes:
  1. listen to the sermon here: http://cornerstonemayfield.org/church-sermons/message/412

Source URL: https://counselingoneanother.com/2018/07/24/gods-way-to-success/