So new testament Christians are to draw on the experience of the Old Testament saints and learn from them.

You see, there is the promise of a life of victory as we live in this time zone. It is not pie in the sky by and by, but victory in the nasty now and now!

I believe what God is looking for today in His church are leaders who will vitalize His church. That is, they will give such leadership that is good, godly, gifted and gracious.

I believe God is looking today for a people who will respond to that vital, vibrant leadership and take His church seriously and understand the important role we are to play in this world today.

I believe the heart of God weeps today, not so much for a pagan society but for a church that has lost its way.

The blessing would come only to those in the land!

So the blessing comes only to those in the Lord!

Just as there was a land of blessing for the children of Israel to enter, a land of corn and wine, milk and honey, figs, grapes, pomegranates, a land with towering mountains, a land with beautiful valleys and streaming rivers.

So there is a life of victory blessing for the child of God today.

Yet still there are those who do not want to go all the way!

Like the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh.

Old John manned the railway gates at the level crossing in Armagh. One day as we were passing we thought we would have fun with old John. Why are the gates half open John? Oh, said john I'm half expecting a train.

So there is a need to keep on preparing your people to go all the way.

Its only as we keep on going and following God’s plan, God’s blue print, that the blessing and prosperity kicks in, and its only at the end of the venture does that eternal blessing, that eternal reward come.

So beloved, let me stress once again, that’s my task from the Lord, to keep on laying before you God’s plans and preparing you the only way I know how, though the Preaching of the Word.

Now that’s most interesting. God did not say to Joshua, go amongst the people and tell them to prepare a bridge to cross the Jordan. Nor did he instruct Joshua to command the people to prepare boats to get to the other side. Joshua was told to go in amongst the people and command them to prepare bread. The old adage stands true, and army marches on its stomach.

If soldiers are going to be fit for the battle, if they are going to be a match for the enemy they need to eat well. Why? That of course gives them the strength and stimulus needed.

Now there are two texts I want to lay along side this heading!

The idea is that these are God given gifts to the church!

For what purpose were these gifts given?

For the maturing of the saints!

For the ministry they were to engage in!

For the magnanimity of the body of Christ! (Greatness of Soul)

We are to grow up in the Lord! It is a fact that we are to be child like in our behaviour and attitude, that is obedient, dependent, submissive, ever learning and taking upon us the characteristics of our heavenly father. But we are never to be childish! Sadly so many of God’s dear people become childish and act like spoiled children. They easily go into tantrums, they walk away in a huff, and they don’t want to play unless by their rules, they fall out and in with others at a whim! Why? Because they are still babies and have never grown up!

Paul says, we are to grow up! And there's only one way to do that and it's by feeding on the Word!

Someone may say, well now wait a minute brother, I have been a Christian now for over twenty-five years, I have had all those years of Christian experience. What they really mean is, they have had one years-Christian experience in over twenty-five years.

The idea is that we become mature and complete! You like to see your children grow and mature don’t you? You most certainly would not want to see your son or daughter remain a child all their lives and talking nothing but baby talk. Why we delight to see that little family grow and mature and come to manhood or womanhood. Well, so does God, our Father likes to see us grow and mature. Of Jesus it was said, Luke 2v40+52.

It does not mean sinless perfection; we never reach such a state in this life. It is moving towards a goal, that goal is maturity. Remember Abraham? He was discovered, detached, developed and eventually on Moriah displayed.

You see beloved; the church to some extent today is covered with the scaffold of history, the tarpaulin of the present.

Passing our City Hall in Belfast I noticed it was covered in scaffold and tarpaulin, this of course was during a steam cleaning exercise. The next time I passed that way all the scaffold and tarpaulin was gone and the City Hall was revealed in all its pristine beauty.

Our task today is to pull away the scaffold of history and the tarpaulin of the present and reveal the church in all its pristine beauty. Let the church be the church! Be what it was meant to be!

The athlete trains to perfect manhood, he reaches his peak, and achieves his potential. It’s the same word used by the Lord Jesus in John 19v30.

"It is finished" not I am finished! The work is finished; the goal has been achieved. When my life's work is final, will my work of life be finished?

Will I have finished the task the Lord gave me to do?

So many never reach their potential! In Australia we have the tallest tree in the world! The eucalyptus tree grows to a height of 400 feet, but not all eucalyptus trees reach that potential. In U.S.A. we have the largest tree in the world, in circumference that is the 270 feet high sequoia tree, the General Sherman, but not all sequoia reach that potential. And beloved the great danger is that as Christians we never reach our potential. You have a great potential! Will you reach it?

Now the second text I want to lay along side this heading today is 2 Tim. 4v3-4.

There is a strange deterioration in our society today. Politically, economically, educationally, morally, ecclesiastically, and evangelically.

Its is no secret that our nation is in need of divine help, but few there are who seem to realize that the success of our nation spiritually lies firmly in the hands of the people of God. Righteousness alone exalteth a nation!

And my brothers and sisters we need food, God’s Wonderful Word that will draw his people, hungry and thirsty after Himself.

I need to put out milk and meat on the platter that at each may partake!

Now they were preparing to cross Jordan at its most turbulent time. You see about this time every year the Jordan would burst its banks or at least overflow. And what they needed was a power beyond anything they possessed, to make the crossing!

They are being told that within three days they would make this crossing of death, for in that fast flowing state that's what the Jordan was, a river of death. And how would they do in the swelling of Jordan? Jer 12:5.

"If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? (KJV)

That simply means, how will you do under such a test?

Well, how were they going to face this test and come through?

The phrase "For within three days you shall pass over this Jordan" gives us a little insight at least.

As God is instructing Joshua as to his plan and purpose and program, he says now Joshua this is going to happen within three days. So within three days, it was going to happen! The advertisement says, It does exactly as it says on the tin! And God does exactly as He says in His Word!

Now, that means they have three days to prepare for this first and amazing great test. And how were they to prepare for this test? Well like you would prepare for any test! Learn. What was it God told Joshua? Proclaim, ponder, and practice the word. But my,my, they have only three days!

Ah! Why they should have been in the Word of God all along, but for those who have not, three days in the Word is enough to ignite faith sufficient,

when they come to face the test of crossing the Jordan, as they set the foot of faith on the waters, as they see those waters back up all the way to the city of Adam on the one side and all the way to the Mediterranean on the

other side, they will know without a doubt that there is power, power, wonder working in their Mighty God. Could that three days represent Resurrection Power? Here’s the point, those who have His Word in their hearts will have a faith and trust that will see them through any test.

It’s the Word of God believed on in the heart that gives us faith to face any test, trial, tribulation, and trouble. Listen to it once again, we all know it so well! Rom. 10v17.

You see leadership is not a status symbol, biblical leadership is purely functional. Our status is sinners saved by grace, within the church each soul has a different gift to fulfill, a unique function to the glory of God.

Sometimes I hear folks complain, I never get opportunity for service in our church. My gifts are not being used! Listen, Listen, Prov. 18v16.

Oh, I know, as Scripture says, that a prophet is not without honour except in his own house! But beloved a man's, woman's, gift will make room for them. If they have been called of God and are exercising the Word of God in their own lives then God will make a way for them.

Its not that they will ramrod their way through everybody else, it's not that they will walk away because they don’t get asked to do anything. God will make a way! Have no doubts at all about that!

Now listen to me dear friends today! The reason many dear people who are gifted of God do not find an opening is, they themselves do not have a right conception of leadership, nor will they accept leadership from God’s servants.

Do you recall when the twelve spies went to spy out the land of Canaan; two different reports were brought back.

The ten came back saying, there is no way we can take the land, and it's too much. But Joshua and Caleb said, God being with us, we can take the land. And you know what? The majority report was accepted! Now here's the point, Joshua and Caleb did not go off in a huff and get all annoyed. No! No! You see they were men under authority and when a decision was made although they did not agree with it, they left it in the hands of the Lord and went on about their work, knowing that God’s way will always out. Always! And indeed, it was some forty plus years before the matter was talked about again.

The attitude today is so often, well if they won't have my suggestion then I will move on elsewhere. Or I don’t like him and never did and it's all based on feeling. Oh, dear folks, please allow me to say today, don’t let feeling spoil your faith.

It is true beloved, we have the very power of God within us, but where is it to be seen? In our every day living and witnessing for the Lord Jesus? Dear Christian friend that is where it should be seen and its high time it was, we have displayed a powerlessness, too long by far, it surely is time to display the power of God.

If you combined the flow of all the rivers in the world, you would have to multiply that power by 100 to equal the force of the Gulf Stream, that current of water that flows through the Atlantic at a rate of 150 million cubic meters per second! Despite its enormous volume and force, the Gulf Stream is invisible even to those who are sailing on it. In the same way, there is often unseen power in words, in ideas, and especially in the gospel.

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