RECAP: CHOOSE SUCCESS based on Joshua 1:6-9
In general human beings want to be successful in what they do. However, many people never find success. People have big dreams, but never see them come to fulfillment. What is the difference between those who are successful and those who are not? It starts with the mindset and what one chooses to focus on! One can choose to focus on every obstacle that stands in the way of achieving one’s dream, as well as focus on various degrees of fear (the unknown, failure, making a mistake, being alone, etc.). Or one can choose to focus on what things can be and drown out everything that can pull one down!
This same reality is seen in the life of Joshua. He was one of the twelve spies who explored the land of Canaan and came back with a report (see Numbers 12-13). Joshua and his friend Caleb shared a positive mindset, believing they should take the land of Canaan because God is with them and told them that it was theirs. But the other ten spies focused on the obstacles and the fear, and their negative report swayed an entire nation. The consequence of choosing fear and obstacles over trust in God? The whole nation wandered in the desert outside of the promised land for forty years! The only ones who heard the report of the spies who left the desert and entered the promised land were Joshua and Caleb!
Success in God’s eyes is not material. We have no guarantee that if we follow God, we will prosper financially in the eyes of the world. But success spiritually comes from our mindset. What were the keys to Joshua’s mindset? And how can we become the Joshua generation today?
- Be strong and courageous (1:6-7, 9). God repeated this encouragement to Joshua three times in this short passage. It takes great courage and strength to lead a nation, let alone a nation that had a history of rejecting God and pushing back against its leader. But Joshua learned to be strong because he had a relationship with God and knew the source of strength that comes from time with God. Joshua was courageous because he was willing to do what God asked, even if he stood alone. He understood that God would never leave him or forsake him (1:5) and would be with him wherever he went (1:9).
- Lead with faith (1:6). Joshua led his nation. He didn’t sit on the sidelines; rather, he was out in front of the nation, serving as an example of what it meant to follow God. He led by faith, moving out of the desert and into the unknown. We all have our desert places and seasons, where it feels like we are stuck and not growing spiritually at all. But we will not miraculously just leave the desert or happen on an oasis if we are not moving! Rather, we need to push out of the desert and strive after God, and he will bring us from the desert place into the promised land. Joshua understood that it was time to leave what has become comfortable and move into what God designed for his people.
- Refuse to compromise (1:7). Joshua understood that he needed to faithfully keep the Word of God and not sway to the right or the left. That meant that God’s Word and instruction were the only thing that matters. Even if counsel sounded good, if it did not align with the Word of God, it should be ignored. He refused to turn to the right or the left, choosing to follow the narrow path of obedience. Joshua understood that partial obedience is still disobedience! Even when Achan had sinned, taking some of the banned goods of Jericho, Joshua did not allow sin to remain in the camp but removed all presence of sin from the midst of the nation. He would not allow willful sin and disobedience to endure, nor did he make excuses for it.
- Keep the Word central (1:8). The Word never departed from his lips and he meditated upon the Word day and night. Joshua was so committed to God that what came out of his mouth was fully aligned with God. Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matt 12:34). And he constantly sought the Word of God for guidance.
- Refuse to give in to fear (1:9). Joshua was encouraged to cast out all fear and be strengthened in his faith. Fear holds us back and is one of the tools Satan uses to keep us in the desert. But Joshua drew the line in the sand, declaring he would serve God no matter what. He even challenged the nation to do so at the end of his life (Josh 24:15).
Just as God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous, he promised spiritual success multiple times to those who listened. We live in a day and age where very few are standing up for God. Will we be strong and courageous? Can we dream of what God can do at Beaver Creek? Let us be the Joshua generation, strong and courageous, and watch God work!
Questions for Reflection
1) Where do you need to be strong and courageous for God? How can we as Beaver Creek be strong and courageous?
2) What is the spiritual desert that holds us back? Can we release those things and move into the promised land God has for us?
3) In what areas do we settle and compromise?
4) Can people tell we are people of faith by what we speak? Can people clearly see Jesus based on what comes out of our mouths?
5) In what areas does fear hold you captive? What about the church?
6) What is our Jericho as a church? What can we do for God if we are fully obedient to him? What is our dream for Beaver Creek?
Upcoming Service
This Sunday, Pastor Ryan will continue the study in the discipline of meditation with the sermon titled, “Choose Wisdom”, based on Proverbs 4. How do our choices affect our future reality? And how does meditation upon the Word of God help us find the way of wisdom? Come or tune in Sunday to find out!
Daily Bible Readings for July 11 – 17
July 11: Romans 4:1-25 How can we look to Abraham as an example of faith?
July 12: Romans 5:1-11 How has Jesus brought us peace with God?
July 13: Romans 5:12-21 What was the impact of Adam’s original sin?
July 14: Romans 6:1-14 What should our attitude be about sin as a Christian?
July 15: Romans 6:15-23 Why should we be devoted to a life of righteousness?
July 16: Romans 7:1-6 Why is a marriage a good picture of our relationship with Christ?
July 17: Romans 7:7-14 How does the Bible help us in our spiritual journey?
This Week’s Events:
Sunday, July 16–Get Out Of Your Head Bible Study Resumes, 4 pm @ TBD
Upcoming Events:
Thursday, July 20–Leadership Team Meeting
Saturday, July 29–Men’s Fellowship Breakfast, 7:15 am @ Thomas House
Sunday, July 30–Vespers @ 6 pm
Friday, August 11 – Sunday, August 13–Church Retreat @ Natural Chimney’s
Sunday, August 13–Children’s Church begins
Announcements:
Meditation– Spiritual Discipline Challenge
Remember, meditation comes from intentionally setting your mind on something and repeatedly thinking about it. In the book Get Out of Your Head by Jennie Allen (the book used for the Bible study led by Lynne and Bill this summer), there is a pattern that all of us as human beings follow when it comes to our minds:
Emotion –> Thought –> Behavior –> Relationships –> Consequence
Our emotions, what we feel in the moment, produce thoughts. Our thoughts influence our decisions, which we act out in behavior. Our behaviors and choices influence our relationships with God, family, friends, and neighbors. The end result of these choices and their influence on relationships leads to long-term consequences. A toxic spiral ultimately will lead to destruction, loss of purpose, and loss of fruitfulness–just like David described in Psalm 1!
But we have a choice! That choice is where meditation comes in. When we choose to delight in the law of the Lord and meditate upon the things of God and the Scriptures, we can interrupt the toxic spiral and turn it around for good (again, just like Psalm 1!).
This week, we are going to tackle the spiral of anxiety. You need to carve out an uninterrupted fifteen minutes for this exercise each day. Each day write down on a piece of paper everything that makes you anxious in your life. Divide the anxiety into three columns. In the first column, write down all that makes you anxious about those you love. In the middle column, write down all that makes you anxious in your spheres of life. In the final column, write down what makes you anxious that you have no control over in the world. Then, take what is on your paper and confess these things to God and release these things in trust to God. Then, finish each day with a reading of Psalm 23.
The goal is to work toward replacing the anxiety which can lead to toxic thoughts with the presence and peace of God that comes from trust!
VESPERS
We will have our next Vespers of the summer this Sunday, July 30, at 6 pm. We will have a simple meal together, sing some camp-song favorites, have a fellowship activity, and share together in God’s Word. These have been very enjoyable in the past, so I encourage you to come attend!
BIRTHDAYS NEEDED!
If you are a newer attendee at Beaver Creek, please call the office or leave in the offering plate your birth date so we do not miss anyone!
Call for Worship Leaders and Children’s Story
We are in need of both worship leaders and children’s storytellers. If you would like to serve, contact Alice Over (worship leading) or Phyllis Simmons (children’s story).
Call to Prayer
Let us continue to pray for our nation in the following ways:
1) National return to God
2) Repentance of personal sin
3) Repentance of corporate sin
4) Healing for the brokenness of relationships
5) Our leaders
6) Revival
7) Guidance for our congregation in the days ahead
Idea Box!
What do you want to see at Beaver Creek? What are some ideas you have for the long-term growth of our congregation? Any outrageous outreach ideas? Please either email Pastor Ryan or write them down and place them in the brown suggestion box in the narthex. Dream big!
Nursery
The Christian Education Team is looking for six to eight volunteers for the nursery during the Sunday School hour and church hour. There will be a signup sheet in the back. If you would be willing to volunteer to allow our families to be able to participate in worship, please let one of the members of Christian Education know (Theresa Eckard, Scott McAvoy, Becky Whitmore), or sign up on the signup sheet!
Sight & Sound Interest
The Fidelis class is looking at sponsoring a church-wide trip to Sight & Sound in 2024. But before the class can investigate bus prices and total cost, we want to gauge the true interest in the church. We have had several express interest and are trying to the best package for us as a church body. If you are interested and would like to be considered for this one-day event next year, please contact the office or let Pastor Ryan know in the next few weeks.
Four Ways to Give!
1) Mail your tithe into the church office
2) Drop it by the church office on Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, 9 am – 1 pm
3) Our online giving platform: https://beavercreekchurchva.churchcenter.com/giving
4) Drop off in the offering plate on Sunday!
Prayer Needs
Continue to Keep in Prayer our members in Skilled Care Facilities: Mary G Miller, Shirley Miller & Carolyn Wine
Keep Evy Kaye’s friend Mary Beth and Tami Plaugher’s friend Vicki in prayer (cancer)
Eddie Baker (health)
Terri Burkholder (health)
Deanne Dastoli (health)
Patsy Dastoli (health)
Elijah Tucker Dean (health)
Natalie Dodge (health)
Bill Eckard (health)
Emma Eckard (safe travels)
John Fix (addiction)
Cindy Heatwole (health)
Bob Hess (health)
Alma Long (recovery)
Mark Martin (health)
Barbara Meadows (health)
Betty Miller (health)
Norlen Miller (health)
Mary G Miller (health)
Mary M Miller (health)
Savannah Miller (health)
Tami Plaugher (health)
Norma Samalot (health)
Ann Simmons (health)
Crystal Smith (health)
Whitmore family (house)
Mary Whitmore (health)
Cindy Wittig (health)
Shelvy Wittig (health)
Pastor Ryan Cooper
Beaver Creek Church