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And I am sure glad that each one of you are here. And if you want to, if you would like to open your Bibles along with me to Numbers, chapter 10 Numbers chapter 10. And I do have a few announcements to make. One thing we need volunteers for VBS Vacation Bible School, Vacation Bible School is such an awesome ministry because it not only ministers to the, to the children in our own fellowship, but children in the community. And it’s a beautiful opportunity to encourage them in the Lord. And many of these young children come to faith. But the fact is in order for VBS to operate, we need volunteers is the signup sheet on the board out there and we have it in the evening so people don’t have to take off from work in this net. But there’s a sign up sheet in the bulletin board. And right now the only name on it is mine. And Nikki actually starts preparing for VBS at the end of this month, it’s not something you can just do overnight. So please sign up volunteer for bbbs It’s a beautiful way to serve the Lord. Also, there’s a shyness I sign up sheet at canopy. Also there’s a sign up sheet for our adult dinner night out and it’s that vidoes restaurant 6pm and tomorrow night, Monday night, and I know not everyone can come but it’s a wonderful opportunity to gather together to fellowship with one another. And when I say adult dinner night out, it doesn’t exclude all young people is anyone who’s out of high school is welcome to come. So anyone can sign up for it. It’s a it’s a great opportunity to hang out together. And also, we’re going to be having on the 28th of February. That’s this month, obviously. And a Friday night we’re going to be having just a time of discussion, question answer discussion about things of the Bible and There’s a sign up sheet for that as well. You can bring something to share if you’d like, we’ll meet downstairs around tables. And we’re going to be answering questions and talking about the things of God, maybe there’s a question you have. And so write it out. So you can read it off or put it in your head, whatever. But take advantage of it. It’s going to be a wonderful time. And I think that’s all. Oh, and next week is our cover dish dinner, one of my favorites. And I really encourage you to come it’s just a great opportunity, opportunity to be with other believers with your church family, share a meal together. So consider that as well. Let’s pray. Father, we come before you in Jesus name and how thankful we are for your love that was so freely bestowed upon us. And as we look at the Old Testament, as we look at the moving of your tabernacle and the moving of the tribes of Israel, it’s such a witness and encouragement to us to do to flee walk with you and to follow you decently and in order, and to do the things that you command us to, because there’s nothing in this life that can even compare to what we have an eternal life. So Father, I pray that you would take what we study this morning, and encourage it to our hearts and souls that we might follow you with all of our heart, with all of our life with all of our strength, all of our soul, with all of our being, help us to be truly yours, I pray in Jesus name, Amen. And Amen. You know, we’re going to look at this portion of Scripture in Numbers chapter 10, I pick up in verse 11. And it’s all about following the Lord walking with the Lord. And you know, sometimes, I don’t know if we really take time to realize what God has done for us.
You know, in scripture where it says, and he took all of our sins upon himself. I think sometimes we just think of that as some kind of a ritualistic thing. He cooks All of our sin upon himself, every filthy, rotten scummy sins that has ever been committed everything you’ve ever committed, he took upon himself. And that’s the only time through all the suffering that he did. The only time Jesus cried out in the cross was at the time that our sin was placed upon him. And he said, he lied, he lied, and I must have blocked me which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? It was the first time that Jesus was separated from God because of our sin. And because all of a sin all the filthy sin of this world was laid upon him. There’s only one sacrifice his death. And right after he said that, he breathed his last. And he sacrificed himself for us. Because he was not only the Son of Man, but also the Son of God. Death could not hold him and on the third day, after He was laid in the tomb. He was in there three days and three nights. Jesus rose from the dead. And he rose from the dead, bringing victory, because your sin and my sin was paid for completely. And now in Jesus Christ, we have victory. And we can walk with Him. Even in all of our imperfections. We can walk with Him, we can march with him, as the children of Israel. When he says, rise up, O Israel and follow, we can do it. Because our sins have been forgiven. We’re purified in him. Such a beautiful portion that we’re going to be looking at this morning in Numbers chapter 10. Now I’m not going to read the entire portion because I go all the way to verse 36. Because a lot of it is just who was the head of this tribe and what order this tribe was, and I’ll give you the order, you know, in a little bit, but just follow along with me first in chapter 10, verse 11. Now came to pass The 20th day of the second month, notice what day it is a 20th days second month. Take note of that there’s a reason for it. You know, it’s so important for us to study the Scriptures study to show yourself approved workman correctly handling the word of truth needing not be ashamed. It doesn’t say, give it a cursory reading. It doesn’t say just read it says, study. Because there are things we miss, if we don’t study. You know, I don’t think there’s anything better when you’re doing your Bible readings and have a notebook. And you might even have a page that you you have questions in maybe another page resolution because a lot, a lot of times as we read through, our questions are answered but take note. It was the 20th day of the second month, verse 12. Okay, and the cloud, the cloud was taken up from above the tabernacle, the testimony and the children of Israel set out from the wilderness to Sinai on their journey. Didn’t clouds settle down in the wilderness of Pran. You know, it’s interesting where they were leaving from Sinai. They had only crossed the river, the Jordan River, and not to Jordan, the Red Sea. And he only traveled 18 miles after they passed through the waters of the Red Sea, fleeing from the Egyptians, they don’t have gone in 80 miles to Sinai. But now God is telling him to pick up the move, they only go three miles. But you want to know something. Every step of our journey counts. They had one step closer to the promised land. First 13. So they started out for the first time according to the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses, the standard of the camp of the children of Judah was set out first, according to their armies. Now move down to verse 17. Then the tabernacle, this right here, okay, we have a model of the tabernacle was taken down and Sons of Gershon, the sons of Mary I set out carrying the tabernacle. Now understand that this tabernacle was like a temporary dwelling, it was set up like a tent, it was set up to be taken down. And I love what pastor Frank was saying in the first service, did he he’s more impressed with the tabernacle, then with Solomon’s temple, because the tabernacle is the only dwelling that we take God gave specific commands, how to build Solomon’s temple, he was doing it for the glory of God. But he It doesn’t say God told him to do this or that he just kind of built what he thought would be a glorious temple. But the tabernacle was so beautiful. It could be taken down piece by piece. And one of the things that’s interesting about tabernacle is on the exterior, it’s very plain. You know, these would be actual linen curtains, just curtains used to be post and even if you look at the holy place as you look the tabernacle itself, very plain looking. But once you went inside the glory of God shown, the boards on the inside were covered with pure gold, fresh varnish, pure gold like mirrors. And then you had the menorah, which is if you’ve ever seen them in our, in Israel, we’ve been to the temple museum. And they’re actually they actually have all the articles for the Third Temple prepared. And Temple Institute, it’s called, but the menorah is actually like this huge. And so when that menorah was lit, and the light reflected off the golden, the inside, that whole place would be bright. And you had the table show bread, you had the altar of incense. And then when you pass through the inner curtain, you walked into the very presence of God at the Ark of the Covenant. The point is, on the outside, it seemed very plain. But on the inside, it was glorious. And it can be the same with us. Maybe in the outside we look very plain, but on the inside in our heart and our cardio and our inner man where the very spirit of God dwells. It’s beautiful. Because your soul has been redeemed by God have no cost of your own. All you had to do is accept it. Isn’t that amazing? Guys, so good. Okay, now move down to verse 21. So anyway, we had Mary and Gershon are the ones that carry the tabernacle itself. Then in verse 21, then the cost is set out carrying the holy things. And the holy things of course, it’s not talking about the ark, we’re going to find in a moment the ark itself led the procession, but all the holy things, you know, all the things that were necessary for sacrifice in the outside, and when the menorah, the table, show bread, the altar of incense, all of those holds things then were carried by gursha by the CO sites me carrying the holy things. And listen, look at what it says right here in your Bible. the tabernacle would be, be prepared for their arrival. So you see in this long procession, all the articles of the tabernacle is temporary dwelling, went ahead of them. So by the time they came there with the articles of the holy place, the tabernacle is already set up, and they could just place them in their spot. God does everything perfect, decently and within in order. First 25, then the standard of the camp of the children of Dan, the rear guard of the camps set out. Now what’s interesting, here you have Dan, they’re giving this responsibility given this responsibility to be the rear guard, one of the most important ways of protecting the children of Israel. And yet it was Dan. That was the first tribe reject your inheritance from the Lord. Because they wanted to find this land in the north. And so they rejected their inheritance. And they moved the whole tribe of Dan, to the top part of the northern kingdom. And because it was so long, and they didn’t want all the people coming back to Jerusalem, they set up their own gods. And they were the first to set up idolatrous worship against Almighty God. So it’s a lesson, even though you might have a great calling from the Lord. Keep that calling, make your calling and elections or walk strong with the Lord. He’ll never forsake you. Go down to verse 29. Now Moses said to Habad, the son of Rachel the midianite, Moses, father in law, we are setting up for the place which the Lord said, I will give to you come with us, and we will treat you well. For the Lord has promised Things to Israel great things to Israel good things to Israel. And he said to him, I will not go. In other words just was. Po Bab was saying, I don’t want to go, I want to go back to my own land, I will depart to my own land, and to my relatives. So Moses said, Please do not leave in as much as you know how we are to camp in the wilderness. And you can be our eyes. And we’re going to talk about that in a moment is very important, why Moses was encouraging hope I have to go with him. And it shall be if you go with us, indeed, it shall be that whatever good the Lord will do to us, the same we will do to you. And we’re going to find out in a moment that’s exactly what did happen first 33 so they departed from the mountain of the Lord on a journey for three days, and the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord went before them for the three days journey to search out a resting place for them. The cloud of the Lord was above them by day, when they went from when they went out from the camp. So it was, whenever the ark set out, listen, that Moses said, rise up, O Lord, let your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate you flee before you. And when it rested, Moses, he said, return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel. Wow. At this point, the children of Israel received their first order from God to depart from the camp and to move towards the promised land. It was only three miles that they went, but it was three miles closest, closer to the promised land. And when God calls us to rise up and to follow Him, we might only go three miles. Three miles closer to the promised land. Do you know your I have a promised land. Every one of us is called heaven. It’s not a figment of someone’s imagination. It’s not some religious expression. It is a place that tells us in Scripture that God inhabits eternity. And where are we going to be with God? in eternity? We call that heaven. Where, nothing, nothing of this life. As far as the sin and pride and just the evilness of this life will find his place in heaven. And you and I will be made perfect when we get there. How awesome is that? And so we’re on that journey as well. Now, they were at the base of bounced signing for nearly a year after their their encampment, and when he asked him to leave, which was the 20th day of the second month, it was after they had celebrated their second Passover. Remember last week, we talked talks about the Passover. And why the 20th day the second month, because if if you recall from last week, there were there were those who had defiled themselves, either by touching a dead body or some other form of sin. They defiled themselves, and they were not able to partake in the, you know, the Passover, which was the first month of the year, they couldn’t partake of it. And so they went to Moses and said, you know, we don’t want to be excluded because we accidentally touched a dead body or a relative died in our presence. What are we going to do? And so Moses went to the Lord. And he said, tell them, they can celebrate the Passover, on the in the second month, on the 14th day, and they left the 20th day, so that those who are clean and those who are unclean, were able to celebrate the Passover of the Lord before they left. Do you see God’s mercy in that? I mean, if he said, Hey, we’re gonna go for it. After the Passover, all those guys would have been left behind. The Lord doesn’t want anyone to be left behind. The Lord wants every one of us to repent. They came to Moses and they repented. And Moses went before God and another day was set aside that they might partake in the Passover. And then it was six days after that, that they actually left. God is so great. Everything he does is so perfect. Now, we must keep in mind, that this encampment that we’re talking about here, listen, was over 2 million people. But it wasn’t that many. Yeah, it was. If you go through and you list all the, the 12 tribes of Israel and how many fighting men there were and so forth. We’re going to find a next chapter talks about the fact that there were 600,000 fighting men in Israel. Well, there’s a certain age limit, you know, 22 to 5055 I think it is So you had men younger than it men? Oh, isn’t it that weren’t counted in that 600,000 the women weren’t counted in that 600,000 the children weren’t counted in that 600,000. So to say there were 2 million people. That’s a very, very, very conservative number. Have you ever thought of just the the difficulty of 2 million people camping? Have you ever gone camping with your family? I don’t know if you ever have. We don’t anymore, but when we used to go camping with our family, you know, now, can you imagine if you said, Hey, we’re going to go to a campground where there’s 2 million people, and our kids are going to be right next to one another. Yeah, I don’t want that. But you had two to 2 million people camping in the desert. So many things. I mean, Israel had a lot of sanitary rules and regulations. I mean, how does that carried out? I don’t even want to think about it. But they camped Because God called them to camp there, and now it was time for them to get up and moved towards the promised land. They received their first order from God was only three miles. But it was a start. Now, as I said, we must keep in mind that this encampment was huge, okay, keep that in mind. And so when they had this specific order to get up and leave, to take this March, in fact, I love what it says in First Corinthians 1440 it says, Let all things be done decently in order. So when they receive disorder from God, the cloud lifted up, and the Lord spoke to Moses, rise up O Israel, and, and go forth. The thing is beautiful, is everything was done in order. How was that done that many people? Well, Pastor Frank talked about the trumpets this morning, which is the first part of chapter 14. And I agree with him, I think there’s some kind of supernatural compet. You know, that constant was blown? Well, here’s what you have to understand the column of Israel. It’s not like we saw in the 10 commandments, okay? The column of Israel would have been about 195 miles long. We don’t think of that we think of like little gasping. It was huge 2 million people in a tom is about 195 miles long. You have to realize you’re carrying your cancer carrying all their utensils are carrying everything they need it. And so if you just took four square feet, and it’d be more than that, but if you just took that it’s 195 miles long. You also have to realize that the glory of God, which shown over the Ark of the Covenant was a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night. I don’t think that pillar of cloud was just like 20 feet above the tabernacle. I think it went up into the stratosphere because you have to understand there’s the curtain mature of the earth. If you’re standing on flat ground, you can’t even see more than a half mile because of the curvature of the earth. Right. So how could they see it? I think it went up to the stratosphere. You know, how is it that I can stand here out my backyard in Syracuse, and someone else can stand out in their backyard in Virginia, and look at the same moon as me. Because of how high it is. I think that cloud was way up there. So the trumpet sounded, and that clouds started moving and the children of Israel knew and they were prepared. They live in temporary dwellings a packed up and they started their journey. Now the order that is given here if you take notes, you might want to write this down. This is the order that we read about in this portion of Scripture. First was Judah. Then it’s a car, then sebelum and then the gursha night and Mary IDEs. They carried the taverner Echo, and then Reuben, then Simeon, then gab, Gad, then the cursor, which carried the sanctuary materials, and then ephrem them and acid and Benjamin, then Dan, the Nasher. That was the order in which they left. God had an order and then left to live. We don’t want to forget enough to live. God had an order for these people to go out. And we’re not talking about a small group. We’re talking about too many people we’re talking about, did I say 195 miles long? It’s 295 miles one, this column would have been and it would have been, if you were walking 40 miles a day between the first group and the last group. You probably were talking about two weeks in order for them to finally catch up with one another, but how could they all get up and leave at once then? Pastor Frank talked about it. This trumpet they were ready. They knew the orders. God, this trumpet sounded, and somehow everyone heard it. And of course, everyone could see the pillar of clouds moving. And they were ready. They packed up. They didn’t need days to get ready. They were ready. Now, it talks about how bad the son of three all who was Moses father in law, right? Well, a lot of people say, Well, how is Reuel Moses father in law? I thought his father in law’s name was Jethro. Jethro was priest of the Midianites Jethro was a title. His name was Reuel, Jethro Reuel, just like you might say, Pastor Frank. And so a lot of people when they read that they get confused as well wait, where’s Jethro? That is Jethro, the same person, his father in law. Now Moses brother in law was with him then during this time in the wilderness. And at this point, he wanted to go back to Midian and Moses talking out of it. And why did he talk him out of it? He said, We need you to be your eyes. You know why? Because Hobab lived in the desert his whole life. He knew where to camp. He knew how to camp. He knew how to find water where the water was. He knew everything that they needed to know for desert journey for a desert journey. That’s why Moses wanted him to go along. And Moses said to him, our God is going to give us exceedingly great land. Come with us and we’ll share it with you. Well, a lot of people might not realize that it was shared with Hobab. Judges if you take notes. And remember, Hobabs family wasn’t just how’s the average family of four? No, no, no, it would have been like one of the times it was his whole family that was with him his servants and all his sheep and cattle and everything else. You had a huge group in Judges 1:16 And in Judges 4:11 we find Hobabs family were given land among the tribes of Judah, when they settled in the promised land, and received equal status, received equal status. What we learned from this? Is it God invites others to come along with us in our walk with the Lord. And sometimes those God brings into our life are those that can help us those that can guide us those that can encourage us in the Lord. How many times in our fellowship has the Lord brought someone in that was so helpful and encouraged and became part of our family? Because we’re all one in Christ. God’s family isn’t divided, you understand that? It’s not divided. We are the church, where a particular part of the church as a body is made up of many parts, right? And so we’re part of The church but the Church of Jesus Christ are all believers, all who have committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and have accepted his free gift of salvation, that salvation and have been washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. There’s no stain on any one of you or me. That can’t be completely washed clean by the blood of the Lamb completely washed clean. It’s such a wonderful thing with Jesus Christ that you can have a new beginning a new start a new day. How many times have you sat at the end of the day? You just contemplating you know, as far as past your Frank calls that you know all this cell flow that you contemplate me how fall far short you fall, and why don’t I do this way. Then the next day, it’s a new day. His mercies are new every morning. And the next day you’re walking in his grace once again, and you’re filled with his love. It’s just absolutely amazing. God is so good. God is so great.
Now, what we learn through this is that God desires us to bring others along with us, to become part of our family, to be brought into our fellowship or to be brought into other fellowships, but to become part of the family of God. And this is what we call evangelism. God has given every one of us the work of evangelism, there are some that he calls to be evangelists, where it seems to be their lifetime work, but every one of us are called to evangelism. You know, we have a group of people that go downtown and Syracuse every Friday night, their only purpose for going down there to share Christ. That’s called evangelism. So every Friday night, when you think about you should be praying for them. That the Lord strengthens them, gives them the words to speak, and the people would be saved. It’s an amazing thing. Now the Lord’s way of showing his personal involvement in our lives is to lead us and to encourage us, and to direct us. We all have different jobs. Not everyone’s called to this God, not everyone’s called to that job. But we’re all called to serve. And we’re all called to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s amazing. It’s an amazing thing to be his. Now. Notice, whenever the ark was move, Moses would say, rise up, Lord, and let your enemies be scattered. And when, when, when it was time to rest again, Moses, Moses would say, recount, return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel. So Moses offered a prayer both at their commencement when they started off and also when they ended their journey for the day, or whenever it was. Now, David offered the same Prayer. Did you know that if you take notes in Psalm 68, verse 68, verse one, and David is speaking, he says, Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered. Let those also who hate him flee before him. It’s amazing. Another time that we have Moses talking about the need of the Lord leading, we find it in Exodus chapter 33. If you want to go back there, I’m going to read verses 15 and 16. Exodus 33, verses 15 and 16. Starting with first 15 of Exodus 33. Then he said to him, God speaking to Moses or Moses speaking to God, if your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. For how then will it be known that your people and I have found grace in your sight, listen, except you’d with us. And so when they moved, the grace of God went with them we have to understand this was one of the in Exodus right here is one of the first times did it talks about God’s grace going before them, talked about God’s grace as far as forgiveness and so forth going before them. And it’s so important for us to understand that God’s grace has to go before us. God’s grace is upon us God’s grace goes before us. Because we’re going to be walking with the Lord and fall into a pothole we’re going to be walking with the Lord and fall into a you know, some kind of pile of dirt or, or a mud hole or whatever. God’s grace has to be there in our walk that we can be continually washed clean. You know, his cleanliness is brought to us very simply by confession. If we confess our sin, He’s faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness just cry out, forgive me Jesus is great. Moses said, if your grace doesn’t go before us, then don’t even move us from this place because we’re going to mess up. And then we’re going to be a bad name for the Lord, to let your grace go before us so that when we do fall, we can get picked back up and follow you. Now, God’s grace was with him. It rose up as a pillar of cloud by day. Now understand that this pillar not only lead them but gave them shade in the hot desert. And then when they rested at night, the pillar of cloud became a pillar of fire, which gave them light and warmth. God’s grace followed them every where they went, and God’s grace will still be a pillar of cloud for you by day. When you need shade, when you need direction, and also a pillar of fire by night To give you illumination and to give you the warmth of the Spirit, God’s amazing. He’s absolutely amazing. Now, God’s timing, as we mentioned, we mentioned this earlier, is so perfect, that they were able to get there and set up the tabernacle before the articles of the tabernacle arrived. And then amazing. God is amazing. The same way we are led by the Lord, to follow His Spirit, as we also travel to the wilderness of this life. I don’t know how many of you think about this at all, but despise the wilderness. In this world, you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. Jesus said I’ve overcome the world. I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention to realize it. But this world is falling apart. It is unraveling, like an old ball. think we’re told in Scripture. That’s what happened to the world is just unraveling. Everything around us is so amazing things that we’re seeing happening. It’s absolutely amazing. And yet, so many Christians are more involved in politics than they are in their walk with the Lord. I’m not saying as human beings and in our human nature, we don’t have political views in this, then I have definite political views. But the fact is, that doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is my walk with the Lord. The only thing that matters is whose I am. My citizenship is in heaven. That’s what Scripture says. It’s not what I’m saying, well, you’re not my, my citizenship is in heaven, I belong to God. His ways are higher than our ways, and his calling is higher than any of the columns on this earth. I served in the army, and I was proud to serve in the army, but you want to know something. I belong to Jesus, I part of the army of God, that’s the greatest time to be part of the fact. I’m just Special Forces. But you understand what I’m saying. The stronger we are with the Lord, the more effective we are in serving him. That’s why we need to really be in the Word of God. Now, all of us would agree with this. This life brings many challenges. Have you ever noticed that this life brings many challenges, it really, really does. And even hardship, but if we follow the Lord, we’re still heading in the right direction. You know, I don’t know about you, but sometimes when you get older, you start realizing I’m really getting older. And via and I like to when the weather’s nice enough, we don’t have ice and stuff from the driveway. One of the things we’d like to do before we go to bed at night when we take a walk, and we started our, our house, and we walk out to the end of the road here, the end of the driveway, you know where the sign is, and we walk back three Lane says a mile I mentioned it in my car. And we would take this walk the evening walk. Well, we had to start taking flashlights with us when we walked at night. You know why? They’re potholes? And I blacked up here. And when you get older, it’s different. Like if you’re a young person you walk lockstep and pothole he got when you’re an old person you stepped in potholes. Oh, my knees just twisted wrong way, you know. So, the point is, life has potholes. For every one of us. There’s none of us that. Well, you know, from the moment I got saved, everything’s been wonderful. I’ve never had a difficulty in my life. Everything’s been perfect. The only problem I have is mine. You understand the point I’m making. Life is difficult. Life is full of potholes. But the Lord will illuminate our path. He’s right on to our path and lamp to our feet. Scripture tells us this because here’s the thing we have to understand brothers Sisters, the obvious. We’re not a body, this body functions through mechanics, you know, biomechanics. I mean, this body gets old, it doesn’t regenerate as quickly as it did when we’re young. You know what I’m saying? Any of you who are getting a little bit older, you know that probably, you know, you talked about bad dreams. You know that one of the most horrifying experiences that there is in this life when you get old is getting out of the bathtub and seeing yourself in the mirror. Like that. Where’s where’s me? Where’s the old? You know? Who’s that? But the reality is, so outwardly. We’re growing old what a scripture say. inwardly we’re being renewed, because who we are a soul and spirit. And one day this body is going to be discarded, either in death. The Rapture and death, this body is discarded, and we go to be with the Lord, soul and spirit. If the rapture comes, this body is going to be discarded and we’re going to be given a glorified body. The dead in Christ will rise first they’ll receive their glorified body together, will meet the Lord in the air and there we shall be with him forevermore. That’s the promise. That’s the hope we have. It’s not in this life. And yet, so often we make everything in this life, about this life. But life is not about this life. We have a promised land. It’s called heaven. We have a journey that we’re taking to get to that Promised Land. Some will get there faster than others, but we’re on that journey. Those who died before us as believers and those who die his children are with the Lord right now. experiencing all the glories of heaven. We just haven’t arrived yet. So we have to realize that God has laid out a path a walk for us, just like he called the children of Israel to journey towards their Promised Land. He’s called you and I as believers to journey towards our Promised Land. And as we take that journey, we have to walk in faith, we have to walk by the grace of God because of our stumbling and falling. But we also need to walk by the love of God grabbing a hold of anyone we can say, Come on with us. It’s a free gift.
If you’ve ever read pilgrims progress by john Bunyan, I encourage you to get to new English version because the original version is such Old English you wouldn’t know some of these words don’t even exist. They don’t use them anymore. But read pilgrims progress by john Bunyan. He was in jail in London, and the Tower of London for his face when he wrote Pilgrim’s Progress. Read it. So now allegory, it’s really good. Another one is Hinds feet in high places by Hannah hundred. Another allegory, beautiful account of our walk with the Lord until we’re, we reached the promised land. read those great books, old books. I’ve read them many, many times. Because we have to understand that no matter how difficult the times become, no matter how difficult the road might seem, no matter how steep it might seem to climb up. Jesus is right with us. Did you ever see that poem? footprints in the sand usually just has to has footprints in the sand. And the poem I don’t know the poem. I’m just going to tell you the meaning of it. whoever wrote the poem was saying, gee, Lord, I always see two footprints. I always see your footprints walking with me. But it seems whenever times get difficult. All I see is one set of footprints. Why did you leave me The Lord said, there’s one set of footprints not because I left you because that’s when I was carrying you. Wow. That’s the God, the God that we serve. What a precious God we serve. You know, we’re going to come to that place. When we get up and take our final journey to the Promised Land of heaven. And we have to travel that part alone. Our spouse can come with us, our family can come with us, your pastor can come with you. You travel that alone, with God, being led by the Holy Spirit, and you cross over euphemistically the Jordan, into the Promised Land of heaven. So we need to be prepared, because one day is going to come time for each one of us to make that final journey alone with the Lord and leave behind all the worries and all the stuff in this world and enter into the promised land. The wonderful thing is, want to know why we should be evangelist especially with those we love. So they’ll be there with us. Scripture tells us that in heaven we shall know and be known. In other words, your self identity as an individual is never lost. When you’re in heaven. You’re not going to be like, Oh, am I? Where am I? Who am I? You’re going to be, hey, I’m Frank, and I’m in heaven. And there’s Jesus hallelujah. And I don’t care who else is around me hallelujah. And knowing one day, that all those who love Jesus will follow behind me. in this direction comes we’re all going to go together. Amazing. I mean, you understand who we are our soul and spirit is immaterial. This body is a biological, you know, everybody is all concerned about the coronavirus sister. It’s a real thing. Cronus Spanish for crown and the, the virus has like crown like inside. But anyway, everybody’s worried about coronavirus but you want to know something that affects the body. If you’re saved, it’s not going to kill you spiritually, you’re still going to be with the Lord. So with all the dangers and fears and problems we have in this world, understand there’s eternal life with Jesus Christ. And it’s free to anyone who calls upon his name. You know why? God is love. God is love.
Father, we can be for you in Jesus name. And we thank you for this portion of Scripture for the encouragement that it brings to our heart. And I pray, Lord, that we would make this journey and face as we follow you, knowing you are the way you are the truth you are life and help us father to always keep that at the very front of our thinking and our being I pray in Jesus name, Amen. And amen. God bless you, my friends.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai