FINISHING DEUTERONOMY AND GETTING INTO JOSHUA

My what a great day we had yesterday.  The weather was wet, but the day was exciting.  We ended our six week campaign with a great blessing knowing that we averaged almost 900 for Sunday School throughout the six weeks and realized that we are running almost 900 without pushing for a special day.  That is almost double what we had in Sunday School almost 6 months ago.  God has been so good.  I had 27 in my class for brand new people to our church called "The Grand View Connection".  It is a 11 week course to familiarize new people to Grand View Baptist Church.  They will understand our past, present, future, beliefs, operations, programs, staff, and facilities all within this short 11 week study.  We also had four families join the church last week and people baptized morning and evening.  We are over all of our goals as a church for 2008 which included seeing over 2,500 saved, 250 baptized, and 50 families join the church.  Next year, our goals will be larger! I've read the end of Deuteronomy and well into Joshua this morning, here are a few brief highlights: 1) BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE- This is first mentioned in Deut. 31:6, and then for about ten more times it is mentioned throughout the end of Deut. and well into Joshua.  You see, we lack courage, and we must constantly be reminded that we are to have courage when we trust in the LORD.  Several times it is also said: "for the LORD thy God, he it is that doeth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."  For these reasons, we can be strong and have courage!  God is with us, and God will not fail us, and God will not forsake us!!  Praise God!!  I think with this promise, I can make it through today; how about you? 2) IT IS YOUR LIFE!  In Deut. 32:46, it says to "set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law."  And then, verse 47 says: "For it is not a vain thing for you:  because it is your life:"  Keeping God's Word is our life!  It is not a vain thing, it is our life!  The Bible says that in God, we live, and move, and have our being!  He is our life and to obey Him is to have the blessed life! 3) SHE CARED!  In Joshua 2:13, Rahab the harlot makes a deal to protect the two spies of Israel, and the deal is "that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death."  She was a harlot, but she cared for her family!!  BUT... she also changed her lifestyle.... married one of Caleb's boys named Salmon, from the tribe of Judah, and later gave birth to Boaz who married Ruth, who had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David... King of Israel, and in the direct lineage of Jesus Christ!!  Why??  She cared!!  We are in the lineage of Christ through our salvation.... do we care??  Lord, help us to care even more! 4) Allies- In Joshua 10, we have Gibeon that faked their long journey to get into good graces with Israel and then they are attacked by five kings of the Amorites.  Joshua runs all night to their defense, and they battle last so long, the Sun and Moon stand still, all for the allies of Israel!  Maybe this is why we believe in Allies as a nation... we were taught it by the Word of God.  Let us stand up for each other, or we will all fall together. 5) HE DID IT ALL- In Joshua 11:15 it says: "he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses."  Joshua did what he was told to do, and God greatly blessed him!  God will bless us too IF we do His will.  Today, walk in the Spirit... talk to God throughout the day.... rest upon His promises.... delight in Him.   Pastor Mike Mutchler