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Born again are you still going in the Christian life going nowhere with God is watching the brain go back and everything down once again welcome to living in the light within. Grandma and what better way to start than with Anne's challenge for each of us to experience everything God has for us, peers, and with today's message. Do you really know Christ or do you just not pouting now wonder if you are saved, but five your religious but do you have a relationship with God docs in your doctrine, but are you obedient your busy and service but are you fruitful.

You have fun but do you have joy you have friends, but do you have fellowship one with anyone but do you have peace. Your good but are you godly you have eternal life. But do you have a living hope you go to church but do you worship you sing hymns and choruses, but do you pray you believe in God but do you trust him. You pray, but do you communicate, you read your Bible, but do you hear God's voice your blast, but are you experiencing everything that he has for you to wonder if there is more to the Christian life and what your experience nothing for our series is from Joshua and I've entitled experiencing everything is a story of a little boy who heard that the circus is coming to town and he was so excited and he wanted to go so badly. But he didn't have enough money for a ticket. His parents said they couldn't afford to send him this year and so little boy would go he would stand before the posters and he would look at the posters in the pictures of the lines in the Tigers and Elvis in the trapeze artist long to go and then the circus is coming this weekend and time is running out the day before the circus came to town he received a letter in the mail you open the letter is from his grandmother and she included in her letter a ticket to the circus and he was so excited in the next morning we got up early and he put on his best closing slick back as Harry jumped on his bicycle and rode into town and already the people were gathering his bike and he worked his way through the crowd and the crown they're all lined up on either side of Main Street and he looked down Main Street and Main Street. He saw big train pulled in the doors of the trainer opening became the biggest elephant seen and they were draped in man sitting right behind her ears poking the mystics and moving them down the street.

He just while he'd never seen anything like that in back of Alvin's game is prancing horses with beautifully dressed girls on the dances and on the backs of the horses and they went by linking dogs in the address lecture. Closing addresses in the world on their hind legs and doing flips and in back of the loan dogs game changes filled with long lines and snarling Tigers thinking of big bear, who was walking on his feet would drink a Coca-Cola and if anybody would give him a Coke and crowd were these clowns just coming and going out walking on stilts and some of the writing on these big tricycles and one clown came over the little boy and he smiled and grinned his face and stuck out his hand and obligated in the crown I went on down working the crowd and the little boy was so excited he saw it all disappeared to straighten he went home and he told his never been anything as exciting as the circus for supper that night little boy was describing it in the dances, but what did you think of the trapeze artist you know the ones that fly through the air they swing and they do flips they catch each other the last moment and thing like that is what did you think about the Acrobat who walked across on the type of adjustment along Poland's Alliance anything like that in the Tigers and jump through the hoops of fire like that. Dad said son tell me again little boy described the data looked at the boy so sadly and he said Johnny you are just watching the circus program.

The circus was in the 10 down the street you never even got inside and I think there are many Christians, maybe even the majority of people who are sitting in the church today who are on the sidelines of the Christian life, and there watching them go by and they think they've gotten into the real watching other people get answers to prayer watch other people study their Bibles and teach them get something from it that much other people, meeting friends to Christ they watch other people to join the Pisan and then watch the parade go by and they get close and as exciting and they go to church but they never even what God wants to give Mrs. wonderfully illustrated for us in the Old Testament by the Israelites to the Israelites when Abraham was living in the Chaldees and God called Abraham out of her to come live a life of faith is Abraham if you follow me in a life of faith. I'll give you more descendents, and the stars in the sky. I'll give you one nation there would be blast and I will give you the promised land and Abraham (the Chaldees any began following God in the life of faith and Abraham pass those promises down to his son Isaac, and I think that's his promises to his son Jacob. Jacob had 12 sons promises were received all 12 sons were 11 of them sold one of the slavery, not one was Joseph and he went down to Egypt as a slave for 13 years. He was there enslaved men, God miraculously elevated him until he was number two under Pharaoh, the Prime Minister of Egypt and God use Joseph in a supernatural way to save the world from famine but his own family, who needed food and he was reunited with his family. As a result his family. Jacob, his father and his brothers and their families moved down to Egypt to live in Egypt during the time of famine and then when the famine was over they stayed in Egypt because Joseph had given him the best landing provided for their needs and they just continued Egypt and when Joseph died in his brothers that their families continue to live in Egypt for 470 years they just enjoyed the wonderful fertile region of the now and they lived in Egypt and they multiply, and they prospered and recently became like a nation within a nation in the Roosevelt Pharaoh, Joseph done for each of the colonies Israelites were living inside of Egypt and he was threatened by and he was afraid that they might rise up and overthrow him. He put them all in the slavery and the Israelites were enslaved in bondage in Egypt until the day God sent Moses to deliver Moses burst on the scene and told Pharaoh he was let God's people going then in a titanic demonstration of God's power. God just pointed out and Pharaoh let his people go in a stream out of Egypt. Following this, and they went through the desert they came to the Red Sea, God parted the Red Sea and the lawn that he took them to the promised land. He took them to the land he promised Abraham and Jacob and they refused to go there. We know it's a good plan but were afraid of the giants is too much work, too much responsibility and they rebelled against God's purpose for them and so they wondered in the wilderness for 40 years for 40 years. Goals they when you know God knows Israelites are like Christians today will you deliver not from bondage to slavery, but bondage to sin. When you say when were you born again is it when you are not attending your church. Perhaps it was when you were in college system youth group made young adults. As you begin having short and they were asking you questions and you are serious about God. Maybe it was more in your midlife and you just wonder what life is all about me as an older person you born again.

How long ago was that and let me ask you left Egypt you've been saved but are you still wondering are you still going in circles in the Christian life going nowhere with God and discourage you on the sidelines watching the parade go by and everything God wants to give you best to experience everything that God has for you and open your Bibles to the book of Joshua chapter 1.

Our message is the challenge to get ready to experience everything that God has and Joshua discovers there are three ways to get ready. Three things he has to do.

One is to open his ears to God's word to open his life to God's will, thoroughly, to open his eyes to God's world and Joshua chapter 1 after these Israelites have been wondering for 40 years and all of the adult man who left Egypt to refuse to go on the promised land. Every single one, including Moses died in the experience. Everything that God had for them only two came out of Egypt went into the promised land. One was Caleb and one was Joshua two men who follow the Lord wholeheartedly and Joshua. Now God is tapping to be known as the successor in verse one it says after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua, son of man. Moses is aid not just stop right there because were looking that Joshua is getting ready to experience everything that God has for the first thing he has to do is open your ears to the word of God. Yes the lesson when God speaks and God is speaking to a very inconvenient time in his life. Moses is just God, so I can tell you is a time of turmoil and Josh was like he would be in emotional turmoil because Moses was Moses had been like his boss and works closely with Moses for 40 Joshua would be grieving you would sense the loss and I think he was in spiritual turmoil because Moses was also like his pastor or his parties, his mentor and Moses died suddenly, Joshua is cut off from that spiritual source of strength is contact God and I think it was a time of practical turmoil. Also, because when a man like Moses dies there a lot of decisions that have to be made near a lot of arrangements have to be made in so Joshua's life was just in time while is yours. You're experiencing emotional turmoil.

Perhaps because of a death also in your family or a friend Francis. Divorce or the doctors diagnosed USM disease. We are facing that maybe you been cut off from someone who's been your mentor maybe a pastor is just laughter.

Maybe there's been some trouble in your church and your and spiritual turmoil, practical turmoil just some decisions to make. So many things that every Christian I run into and talk to his business and they want to be well just so busy busy busy. And it was a time of turmoil and Josh was like it was a time of transition, because Moses said that Joshua knew he was going to be the successor God already commissioned him for that position.

Joshua was used to being number two. He was used to being behind-the-scenes and now God is. And Joshua I want you to change your position, you're going to lead these people.

I was a time of change and transition and are you experiencing a time of transition in your life changing jobs or changing.

Perhaps churches maybe have moved out of your city action you've changed, where you live, maybe have an emptiness maybe of experiencing change like that. My point is when you're going to a time of turmoil and transition. You tend to say when God speaks not now, Lord, you know, I'm too busy.

Can't you see I'm upset just got decisions to make. Interesting.

This is a time of change. I got to get my life in order.

God just don't have time to listen.

I don't want to listen. I'm afraid you might tell me something to do and you can tell I don't have time to do one more thing Gordon, Joshua opened his ears to God's word. When God spoke at that time of turmoil and transition in his life.

Sometimes I think God let us have turmoil and transition is trying to get our attention. Lesson and I can tell you from experience, if we'll listen up at those times and maybe will make a wrong decision will go for the wrong direction.

Some of those changes will not be according to God's will and were going to be sorry we didn't listen when he spoke to us whenever he speaks. We need to listen to what he has to say is very relevant to that turmoil and that transition in your life. So Joshua listen readily when God spoke, he listened reverently when God spoke after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord Joshua how much you get the drama of this because Joshua had been a slave in this land of Egypt, and he had been treated ruthlessly by the taskmasters are pressed mercilessly for years and years and years and Moses had burst on the scene and gone to Pharaoh and said God says let my people go, God is God which are you talking about, found out it was a joke and Joshua was thinking God. Now that's a God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, I've heard about it. God many begin to see what kind of God. He was when God sent the blogging the ball frogs and the flies and the locus forms in the hailstorms and the death of the disease and finally the angel of death looking for the land took the firstborn of everyone. Joshua was saved because he smeared the doorpost of his house with the blood of the Lamb. All he went out with about 2 million other Israelites and feral families and feral the strongest, most powerful man in the whole world finally said to his full labor force.

You can grow good. Get out your God is more powerful than your God is God, and Josh was beginning to learn about the power of his God and he goes out of Egypt it comes to the red ones on the desert. On the other, and the red arrows changed in God's opens up the red sea and Joshua crosses on dry ground and he looks back he sees the Red Sea phone destroyed feral and is Joshua starting to get impress. You know this is some kind of God. Then they got on the sunny Topamax on ice covered with snow and earned lightning, earthquake, and the people are terrified they can approach them out and accept the sacrifice and Moses is Joshua want your company up on the mountain, Joshua goes up on and he's there when Moses receives the law. They come back down Moses sets up temporary tabernacle, tent of meeting, where he would go and meet with God face-to-face In the 70s is that Joshua never left the tent of meeting dinner meeting.

He was there and he saw God speaking with masses face-to-face. All he knew something of the power of God in the presence of God in the provision of God is God began to see them every morning when he complained they wanted me probably quail in 3 feet in the meat for supper that night and issues never were on their clothes never wore out. He brought water from a rock 11 in the day with a clown at night with Ari Pellerin. Joshua knew something about what he knew was through Moses. Moses and most of Joshua's dealings with God have been second hand and now God speaks to Joshua and you better believe Joshua listen when you open your Bible what your attitude you know that this is God's word, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Moses daughter told Pharaoh to let his people go when he did the God. Joshua, this is God's word and you open it expectantly and reverently listening for the voice of God to speak to you through it. I'm a member being in Moscow for school of evangelism for pastors and church leaders before the walls that come down before communism had broken up. It was quite an experience. About 5000 pastors and church leaders that I was sitting in the audience listening to a speaker with my son sitting beside me and we stop listening to him and my son just took his Bible and put it on the floor so you have room to stand up and sing and the pastor sitting next to him looked at my son and he reached down and picked up his Bible and he dusted it like this, and he kissed it and handed it to my son and you have to speak Russian to know what he was saying this is God's.

And you put it on the floor and don't treat it lightly and you don't let it collect dust.

God speaks through his words.

When I discovered that God speaks personally directly to me through his word and revolutionized my Christian life had been raised in a Christian home, I knew that this was the Bible, God's word and told me about Jesus, no matter be saved on how to live the Christian life.

But I did not know that God speaks personally and directly through his word to me until I was a young adult and it was the most exciting discovery ever made a little bit like the time I was in a circle with some friends and my parents and my daddy was talking to everybody who is gathered in that circle and I knew he was talking to me because I was standing in a circle. He was talking everybody in the circle and I daddy turned and he looked right at me and he said and he said something directly to me. You daddy was speaking to me personally and directly open the Bible, God is speaking to me because this is God's word and when I read it. He speaking to me, but there are times when a verse or phrase or passage just leap off the page. I know God is directly and personally to me, and when he states listen respectfully and listen rightly, praying with all my heart not believe I can almost promise you that if you just open up your ears to God's word.

God will speak to you in person and directly through his words if you just listen. Listen readily and listen reverently and listen receptively to what God has to say God said to Joshua in verse two Moses my servant is dead now that you and all these people get ready to cross the Jordan River in the land. I'm about to give to them and it does Joshua basically three things he says Joshua you need to be strong in your walk just your daily walk just your daily Christian life and you do and I do we need to be strong in our daily walk of obedience. Our daily walk of discipleship when I'm back home, I walk about 3 miles with two friends every morning and we have two rows together or we don't walk in the two roles are when we have to walk at the same pace and others that we have to walk in the same direction we don't walk together.

And when you're walking in the Christian life when you're walking with God the same to supply you walk in God space which is step-by-step obedience to his word and you walk in God's direction kick off the direction of your own you surrender your will to him and so God Josh will be strong in your walk.

Moses is and I wonder why we say Moses is dead.

You know that's obvious, unwisely stating the obvious is he rubbing salt in the wound are and I think he is saying Joshua Moses is dead and were not going to do things the way we were doing things and ideas Moses to get my children out of Egypt into the wilderness. But I'm going to use you Joshua to get them out of the wilderness and the promised land. And Moses is dead because the gate closed the door on the past. If you leave these people are always looking over your shoulder to see him Moses that Entrada leader like Moses been a disaster. I mean Moses was like a shepherd. He was a lawgiver. Joshua was a warrior. He was a military general.

It would've been disaster had Joshua trying to lead like Moses led and so God is saying Joshua, be strong in your walking before you can be strong in your walk. You have to close the door in the past is a firm called Phillips Farman when I was growing up. I kept horses at Phillips farming wood rot before school and after school every day and there was one thing we all had to do when we came when into Phillips farming as we left Phillips mom. We went to a horse pasture. You drove your car through the pastor, they became defense of the gate and you open the gate you went through the gate and you had to get out and close the gate very carefully, because then you're going to Dr. Kornfield and if you didn't close the gate the horses in back of you would get through the gate and ruining the corn that was in front you had to close the gate and you were going to be strong in our walk we have to close the gate on the past past memories past failures past ways of doing things, past comparison. What is there in your path you keep looking over your shoulder was a failure as a just been in the past you've been wandering in the modernist can be comfortable very familiar. You just going in circles.

No big responsibility. When God says he will go with the flow. Everybody else is doing it in.

Now here's a man with this final word. Are you thinking well that sounds fun for you and but I'm not so sure. Are you hesitating because you're not sure that shutting the gate on the past is possible or that it's worth it. Are you wondering what you get out of it and let me share what I've gotten out of closing the gate on the past and embracing all God has for me. At present, and for the future God has given me deep joy that doesn't depend on my circumstances, peace that passes all understanding, and overcomes all misunderstandings. A release from resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness that can mar me down in a vengeful attitude, freedom to love people who have been unlovely, abusive, or unkind in anticipation of the blessings God has for me, confident that they will be greater than anything I could've grabbed for myself and expectancy that the best is yet to come in the confident hope that one day I will not only shut the gate to the past but all walk through the pearly gates into my heavenly home gates that have been flung wide open for me by God's Joshua Jesus, the ultimate Savior and deliverer. You and I can't go forward by looking in the rearview mirror, it's time to shut the gate on the past and look ahead and embrace all God has for you. You been listening to living in the light with and Graham was if you'd like to share today's message go to and Graham wants.org where you'll find much to assist you in getting into the word of God and praying and sharing Christ with others join us again here next week for living in the life