We all experience times when the obstacles before us seem to be greater than our ability to overcome. Yet we know that God says to march forward. This message will remind us of why we can step out in faith and see God do what we thought was impossible.

Romans chapter eight is one of the richest passages in Scripture on life in the Spirit. The sermon focuses on promises for which we should be thankful. Some of them are so amazing they are hard to grasp. If we really take hold of them we would be living in a constant state of gratitude for what is and what is to come.

Is there such a thing as mere coincidence? Are the situations and circumstances in our lives planned by an all-knowing God? And what about the heathen who grow up in a culture that is pagan? Can God reach them? Is anyone too bad to be redeemed? The beautiful account in Joshua 2 addresses these issues and more. Enjoy!

"Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months and the harvest comes’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, that they are white for harvest already.'" John 4:35

As the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land, Joshua was challenged with his first test of faith as a new leader. The people were also being tested to see if they believed God's Word and were ready for a new life on the other side of the Jordan River.

The book of Joshua opens with God's commands and encouragement to Joshua. We find in the New Testament spiritual parallels to almost everything God spoke to him. When we understand Joshua is the name of Jesus, it makes perfect sense, as He is our example and model for a godly life.

The Israelites were finally entering the promised land, but not under Moses. God appointed and ordained Joshua to lead the people into their promise. A second "Joshua" leads us into the promises of God where the Law could never take us.

The Lord called his children to repent, but did they understand what he means by that? Do we? Discover what the Lord desires from us, what his heart earnestly seeks. Come, let us love mercy and justice and walk humbly before our God!

God had warned the Children of Israel over and over of where their path would lead if they persisted in idolatry. Now, the time for repentance was over, and the time of reaping what was sown was upon them. May we turn to the LORD while there is a window of opportunity and find forgiveness in the blood of his son.

The Gospel of Luke brings out Jesus' emphasis on women, prayer, the poor, the Word, and the Holy Spirit to a greater degree than any other Gospel. What Jesus said about those issues stuck in the minds of those people Luke interviewed. That tells us that if we had been there listening alongside them, we would have gone away with the same importance on these topics burning in our hearts. Hear these key issues again with a passion to let Jesus' mind be in you.