Antioch Bible Church - Hutch's Weekly

Hutch's Weekly

Week 17

Hurry up and wait
Joshua 1:10-18
Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan.

“Three more days? We’ve wondered in the desert for 40 years; we’re ready to move into the land now.” I can just hear the Israelites grumbling. In verse 11, God tells Joshua that it’s time for the People to move into their new home, but He says, “You have to wait 3 more days, and during that time, I have something for you to think about.”

Now, if you’ve lived for forty years in a tent, without a permanent place to call home, three more days would seem like an age. And if you spend that three days staring into the face of an impossible situation, it would become unbearable. You see, the Jordan is at flood stage. The place at which God wants the Israelites to cross is completely impassable during this time of the year. So for three days they’ve got to sit there and they’ve got to look at that swollen Jordan River knowing that God said, “You’re going to cross this thing in three days.” He brings them to the banks of the river and then has them sit and contemplate the seemingly impossible task ahead of them.

Now what do you think is going through their minds? Maybe God has gotten a little mixed up in His timing?
I’ve learned throughout my life that God is never late; He’s just never on my time. He doesn’t do things according to my agenda. God has never asked to consult my daily planner. Corrie ten Boom said it the best; she said, “Lord, I know You’re never late, but You sure give up a lot of opportunities to be early!” I love that.

For three days they’re sitting there and they’re looking at that Jordan. I bet that there are two types of people in the Israelite’s camp. The first group looks at the situation and says, “Well, this certainly is a bust. We’re wasting our time here. Someone messed up big, because we’re not going anywhere.” The other group looks at the same circumstances and recognizes that this is just another opportunity to trust God and watch Him work. “I don’t know how this could ever work out, God, but I’m excited to see how you are going to come through.”

Are you sitting on the east side of the Jordan in your life, facing an overwhelming flood of difficult circumstances? God knows just how long you have to stay there. 3 days, 3 years or 30 years! Until you can look at your impossible situation and know that if you’re going to get through it, you’re going to have to learn that it’s totally up to God.

Wait for the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes; wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14

Week 16

Knock Down the Gates
Joshua 1:10-18
It’s amazing to me how well this book serves as an example to us of what the church should be like and what the church should be doing. The book of Joshua illustrates an Old Testament truth that is a New Testament reality. Joshua is all about victory.

But can we really characterize the present day Church as victorious? Can you characterize your own spiritual walk as victorious? Why not? The Bible says that the enemies of God can’t stand against us. In the Gospel of Matthew it says, “Upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Is this a promise from God to the church, or is it not? If the Bible says it, why do we not act like we believe it?

I’ve done a little reading about the history of warfare, and gates are a defensive installation. No one uses gates as a weapon to attack an enemy – well, unless you’re Samson. Gates are shut to defend a place against an advancing army. The army in this verse is the church. This means that the church is supposed to be the one on the move, taking territory from the enemy, and experiencing victory. Everywhere that there are walls and gates put up against us, they will not stand. Boom! We bust right on through. This is the way Joshua and the Israelites did it, and they were successful as long as they were obedient to God’s commandments. God has given us the same assurance of victory as individuals and as a church, and we’ve got to learn to live it.

Where are the strongholds of Hell today? Hollywood? Politics? Internet? Popular music? The Arts? City streets? And where is the church today? Cowering behind the four walls of the church building? That’s not what the Lord intended when He sent the church into all the world.

Where are the strongholds of Hell in your life? Anger? Immorality? Worry? Your past? That’s not what the Lord intended for you when He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in you. Now, I know this is hard to believe, but God says, “As I have given Joshua promises, I have given the church even more promises.” And if you and I truly believe in the power of God, and being controlled by His Holy Spirit, our lives should be full of victory. You and I have a whole bunch of things going on in our lives every day, but our lives should be victorious. We win. We win!

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Week 15

Prosperity and Success 6
Philippians 4

It’s the kind of life that I desire most to live. I’m not talking about a successful life the way the world defines it, according to the size of the house I have and the type of car I drive. But one that is lived according to God’s definition of success. A life, at the end of which, I stand before the Lord and hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” That kind of success and prosperity only comes through obedience to the Word of God. Let’s look at another verse in God’s recipe for success.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

This is a command from God to which He fully expects us to be obedient. Let me ask you something, what’s your thought-life like? Is it characterized more by positive, righteous, uplifting thoughts or by negative, nasty, even perverse thoughts? God says that He’s not only going to tell you what you should do and what you should say, but also what you should think! Now that’s pushy, isn’t it? Isn’t God pushy? Come on, you can say it! Yes, He is! There is no one else, if he has any sense, who is going to tell you what you can or can’t think about, because he can’t read your mind. But God, Who knows everything that goes on up there between your ears, says, “Even your thinking pattern has to be brought in to obedience with My Word for you to fully experience the prosperous and successful life that I have for you.”

Computer programmers use the saying, “Garbage in, garbage out” to describe the bad results that you get if you input bad data. Our minds work the same way. Is it any wonder that you struggle with your thought-life considering the stuff you read, watch on TV, listen to and, (nowadays) browse to? How can you expect to experience God’s blessings when you spend your time filling your mind with garbage? Let me encourage you today to turn off the daytime TV shows and the primetime sitcoms, put away the smutty romance novels, burn the magazines, and buy internet filtering software. You will not consistently experience the blessings of a prosperous Christian walk until you begin to bring your thought-life into obedience to the Word of God.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Rom 12:2

Week 14

Prosperity and Success 5

Philippians 4
We’ve been talking about what it means to lead a successful and prosperous life. We established that prosperity comes through obedience to the Word of God. This is a truth that is revealed in the book of Joshua. Joshua and the Israelites know that if they want to experience all the blessing that God promised them through Moses, they will have to remain obedient to His commandments. You and I live in the same reality, but under the New Testament. One of God’s commandments to Christians is found in Philippians 4:6-7. It begins, "Be anxious for nothing."

This is not just a helpful, well-meaning suggestion from God. It’s a commandment that requires your obedience. Do you know what nothing is? Picture a zero, and then kick the rim off. That’s nothing! Be anxious for nothing, zilch, el zippo! That’s what God is saying in this verse.

Now is this the way you live each day? Do you get up in the morning without worry, face each challenge without fear, and go to bed that night without anxiety, trusting in God that you can do it again tomorrow? You’re probably thinking, “How can I learn to be like that?” The verse goes on to tell us how.

"...but in every thing..."

(Is there anything outside of everything? That sounds real inclusive to me.)

"...by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

That’s pretty much all of you right there, your heart and your mind. So the key to not worrying and not being anxious in every situation that you face every day is to pray about it with thankfulness.

You’re saying to God, “Lord, thank You for this situation. I don’t like it; I don’t like this person; I don’t like what I’m going through. But I just want to say thank you for it and I trust you.” When you are obedient to this command, you will experience the peace of God in your heart and in your mind.

That, my friend, is the definition of a prosperous and successful life! I can’t think of a better way to live than without worry, totally trusting God in every situation. Are there things happening in your life right now that you need to offer to the Lord in an attitude of thankfulness?

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

Week 13

Prosperity and Success 4
1 Thessalonians 5
“…for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” We’ve been discussing how to be prosperous and successful in our lives, not according to the world’s standards, but in the sight of God. What does it take to become a success as a Christian? Joshua learns that it comes proportionate to his willingness to be obedient to the Word of God. And it works the same for us today. But you might be wondering, “I don’t know what to do to be obedient.” Well, try this:
Rejoice always.

Do you understand that this is a commandment -- not a suggestion? Many believers walk around like they have absolutely nothing to be joyful about, like they don’t realize that they are more than conquerors, like they don’t know that they have victory. “My life is a mess! What in the world am I going to rejoice about?” Even if you can’t think of anything in the good news of the Gospel to rejoice in, God commands, “Rejoice!” He doesn’t ask your opinion about how you’re supposed to act. Neither does He ask you when. He says, rejoice always. Successful living through obedience. Here’s another:
Pray without ceasing.

If you want a prosperous and successful life, pray without ceasing. Now, the meaning of this verse has been debated a lot. What does it mean to pray without ceasing? I know what it doesn’t mean. It doesn’t mean sitting around all day talking about what it means to pray without ceasing – a convenient excuse not to do it. In the end, I don’t care what your interpretation of this verse is. I just want to know, are you obeying it; are you living it according to your interpretation? One thing is absolutely sure: it becomes very difficult for me, if I’m praying without ceasing, to have a negative, cursing mouth. Successful living through obedience. Look at another verse:
"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

In everything you do, give thanks. Look, God didn’t say, “Be thankful.” Being thankful is not your responsibility. God asks us to give thanks. Giving thanks means saying, “God, I trust You, I believe You, and I know You can take what is bad and make it good.” And then it’s God’s responsibility to make you thankful! Feelings always come after the commitment to be obedient. Successful living through obedience.
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say it, Rejoice! Phil 4:4
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end. Ps 119:33

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