In the your own thing well in the 29th chapter of Jeremiah he makes it very clear that he has a plan for a life and here's what he says in the 11th verse Brian know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord plans for welfare and not because limited they give you a future and a hope probably most people are going to live their lives they want to come to the end of their life and they're not even really going to realize why they were here they'll never think about the fact that God had a plan for them that he had the best possible plan anyone could even begin to imagine and yet they will have lived their life and all be over and they'll miss the whole point but which they were living well God has a very grand plan I mean an awesome grand plan he has a grand plan for every single person but there is one word that sums up God's great plan because of the different facets of that word and what it means that word is sanctification I want to clarify what we mean when the Bible says sanctification the word sanctification means holy or in a verb form it would mean to make holy or to separate. And so when we think in terms of sanctification we're thinking in terms of something being separated that is the term really means to separate something from a common use to a sacred use sanctification listen is God's grand plan for every single one of us now there are stages to God's ran plans I hope you'll listen carefully and you'll get these down because I want you to find out where you are in this plan God's grand plan is wrapped up in one word sanctification set up are by God for God listen to radiate the character of God and the person of Jesus Christ Now here's the 1st stage and God's grand plan the 1st stage is this is the sanctification stage of salvation that is God in one moment of time. Saves us from our sins through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and our trust in his shed blood of Calvary and at that moment at that moment that's the 1st step the 1st stage in our sanctifying process now what happened what happened was when when we took upon ourselves the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior something happened to that position what happen to position is the Bible says we were born again when we were born again our sins were forgiven clans we were then at that moment adopted into the family of God So now we have a personal relationship with him and that then trespasses and sins now we live in and of the grace of God not the wrath of God Now we're no longer enemies we are His children and we have been call we have been listening given the position of being a saint having been removed from that position to a new position listen dead in trespasses and sins under the wrath of God enemies of God Now the children of the Living God living in the canopy of the grace of God and the goodness of God in the love of God in the mercy of God what an awesome change in our position that's what sanctification does because the moment you were saved God took you listen made you a holy possession of his set you apart for himself under himself to live for the purpose of living a godly life now that's the 1st stage that is the 1st stage of the sanctified life is certainly a position but there's a 2nd stage now the 1st stage is something God does for Rose totally of God he convicted you of your sins he gave you that day he showed you the need to be say that he's the one who saved you that act is an act of God The 2nd stage is a different stage the 2nd stage is a stage of progress the 1st stage is a period is saved is the 2nd stage now is the line something that goes on and on. On and on for the rest of our lives here on this earth and that is that 2nd stage is their progressive walk in growth to the Lord Jesus Christ so today every single believer every single person is a believer is in the 2nd stage of sanctification stage one an act stage to align progress in something's going on and the truth is all of us should be progress being progresses in our Christ lightness in our attitude in our conduct in air behavior stage number 2 is that stage listen of being shaped and molded and conform to the likeness of his son we don't like his tools I don't but you know I didn't ask me if I like them he's gonna send us what he knows we need to shape us molders and makers in the likeness of his son why because listen what he says he predestined them a day something whatever God predestined to do is going to happen no matter what now he didn't say he predestined to save everybody he predestined to conform with the whiteness of his Son So let's think about it you think about all these scriptures that you know are in the Bible and you think about how many of them would imply what change in our life transformation are like God doing something else in the life so let's look at a few of them let's look if you will at 1st Peter chapter one for a moment. Peter chapter one and notice what he says Billy in verse 14 he says as obedient children do not be conformed to the formal last that is look he says as as obedient children don't let the world push you back into the mold God snatched you out when he changed your position don't let it happen. What does that mean now watch this carefully listen say him and he says beforehand you don't know how much he loved you in his it personal interest in you in the most to answer your prayers meets your needs and make you the person you want to be you don't understand all that he says in your ignorance. But like the Holy One who called you be holy yourselves also in all your behavior because it is written you shall be whole if riot holy God has made us hold it as his saints and he is in the process of doing what working that out in our lives the holiness that is within us the superior the living God desiring holy conduct and holy conversation and holy character so many verses hundreds of verses in the scripture all apply to our progressive sanctification in verse 6 of chapter one of the Libyans he says for I am confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perfect it will completed until the day of the Lord Jesus Christ that is he got to keep it going look if you will in chapter 4 with Asians go back to fish in chapter 4 notice something he says here therefore based on everything else he just said about their position in Christ are the prison of the Lord writing is from a prison implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you've been gone what is he saying in this progressive sanctification he says urging you to walk in a manner that's in keeping with who you are who are you a saint in the living God walk in that man and so what he wants is he wants those who are living examples he wants us to be living examples of us sinless we said no we're not going to be sinless in this life as long as we live in the place we're not going to be seen as not Thomas being sent this we're talking about the spirit of the Living God doing what growing us up he said and he said in your days of ignorance this is the way you act well all of us have been ignorant about some very important spiritual principles because either we were not taught or we were so young we were saved nobody told us when on the sentiment some things you don't understand when you're a young person a child being saved I think about 789 year old children walking down the salad having trusted Jesus Christ as. Savior if I start talking about reconciliation and justification someone use those terms they will know what that means but I have a slip down to their level and say here's what this means so oftentimes children join churches nobody ever takes time to sit down and explain to them the very basic basic principles by which they're to live and so they struggle for life and get all kinds of trouble listen think about this why is it that so many children leave church in their teenage years why do they leave church they would leave if they had been anchored to the truth they would leave if they thought here is something I'm going to need the rest of my life and I'm going to grab it and I'm going to hold on to it and I'm going to work it in my life and I want an active in my life before I leave home among my parents so when I get out there and all hell breaks through in my life and the devil does everything he can get a strong way I'll have something to live by. That's the reason we must do our best to get the truth to them. Second Stage tough stage a man face a tough state sometimes and sometimes we just like to just move on with stage number 3 you know why it is the movies on a stage the mother is of quickly because he's got something in mind you know what isn't conforming shaping us molding us I think God takes great delight in that and I don't think us or takes great delight in seeing our suffering but you know what I think about this he loves you and me so much he's willing for us to hurt if it's necessary to get as shaped up into the image he wants us to be. Now think about living your entire life and missing out on the whole plan. All of us get mail somebody's got a plan. If you join this plan that plan the other and they get all kinds of promises and some of it's probably true and some of not always true you got all kinds of plans you know what plans come and plans go the time plan I'm talking about it's come and it will never go because it is God's divine plan for your best if you are wise enough to get in the plan and if you never trust the Jesus as your savior you're not even in the plan and so God's best is reserved and he can't give it to you he's not going to give his best the one who has denied him the rightful place in their life stage number 2 stuff stage because this is where God is doing his work now he says for example in 1st Peter the Thirds a 2nd be the 3rd chapter in the last verse Here's what he says he says in verse 18 grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ hero in our knowledge of grace I know that if you listen to enter if you listen to the message week after week and you take notes and you apply these notes and you are going to grow in your knowledge and understanding of the Word of God Your knowledge and understanding of who God is and your knowledge and understanding of how to live the Christian life that much ah no. But you can listen and forget it and you know what happens what happens is you take a cent bag Now the other word to set back is backslide because it listen if you don't apply the principles of scripture to your life you're not going live a godly life you don't live a godly life Listen you're missing God's purpose for which he created you and that is the lives that you got in life that you reflect something of the life of Christ when it always be the same thing no and as we progress in the sanctification the progressive sanctification know what's going to happen. There's going to be strengthen your life and joy in your life in peace in your life and happiness in your life in times when before any one of them you've got a thought This is it this is the end of everything why you made progress God's doing something then pass taken your life will there be trials will there be setbacks will there be those dips in life absolutely But here's the problem and this is why growth is so important you learn what to do with those downtimes you learn what makes you go down you learn what to do when you get down and you to learn how to get up and keep moving because you say you're not going to be senseless in this life so because we're not sinless we're going to have those times when we either say or do or our attitude is such that we are not what we ought to be not doing what we ought to be doing with a selfish egotistical proper whatever it might be and what happens is we suffer the consequences but what happens when Jesus Christ went to the cross lay down his life at Calvary and shed his blood for our sin dead. He paid for ever and his atoning down our sin that he paid it in full sold that you anon now a walking in the light every once in a while we may step over here into some dark conduct or attitude or whatever it might be what does he do he brings his bag and my forgiven this in the grace of God is our cure for sand that is his shed blood at Calvary when we confess and repent of our sins we experience His forgiveness and move on this is the stage in which our and you we must cooperate with God to make this stage successful. Salvation something he did the last stage something he does this middle stage is something that he and I that is I have to cooperate with him in the process or we get ourselves in deep trouble now. Let's come to the 3rd stage 1st day of our center vacation is our salvation moment when he sets us apart at that moment as a saint 2nd stage is our trip from sainthood as we would call it all the way to death because in the 3rd stage is what happens the 3rd stage is our oath I'm a perfectionist Altham of perfection now what are we talking I'm talking about our ultimate perfection even when he said this 5th chapter he said never the God of peace himself sanctify you in Tarlac completely ultimately and now your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete without blame at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ now. We said this day is like the 1st day this what God does when you and I die something happens and that is our soul our spirit purrfect did forever. At death in the presence of God These bodies of ours are perfected at the great resurrection so when you and I die and we we walk in the presence of God absolutely spotless absolutely perfect these imperfect bodies of ours at the resurrection they're going to be resurrected transform like the Body of Christ absolutely perfected so that the final stage of sanctification comes at death and at the resurrection at which time we are absolutely conformed to the perfect likeness of the Son of God in character conversation conduct at total being that's the work of the Holy Spirit and that is the work of sanctification God knows exactly what he said was This is God's grand plan he knows exactly what he's doing Step number one that plan salvation Step number 2 progressions that number 3 finality. Absolutely conformed to the likeness of his son ultimately sanctified So we have we have a position of sanctification and celebration of progressiveness of sanctification throughout our lives and then ultimately they pose as shame of absolute sanctification perfect when it comes to this issue of death now measure a couple of questions. Are you ready to meet the Lord Jesus Christ just like you are. Will it not maybe you should look at what kind of progress you're making in your walk with God because you see here's what it's all about it's walking in the light walking in the truth walking in love walking enjoy all the way to we take the final step and easy of all no difficulty hardship pain troubled that the Yes forgiveness a 1000 times yes. But is it possible to have joy and peace and contentment and an intimate relationship with the Lord through all those times yes is it worth the walk yes if you knock it only get a glimpse. Of what the 3rd stage is like we would never complain or moan our grown or act in such a way it would bring our heavenly Father grief and displeasure. And so I simply want to ask you to consider this sanctification being made whole is set apart for God His purposes is God's grey and plan for you there are 3 stages. You never stepped in the 1st stage of salvation I want to plead with you to do it. If you're in that 2nd stage I want to ask you to check out your life and say Ask yourself this question where's the proof that I'm making progress and stage number 3 you want to be ready for it because it's coming one of these days at some point some time nobody knows when it's coming we want to be ready we want to so live that when it comes we will have to regret stepping out of this slide into the next one because that's what he's been doing all these years shaping us or getting us ready to meet him face to face a man. Father in Jesus name. We pray the Holy Spirit. Was sent this message so deep that not a single person could escape it. So penetrating that we all. They willing to evaluate our lives afresh in a new and see what kind of progress we're making. And we tried this in Jesus' name amen. Thanks for joining us on in touch with Dr Charles Stanley the process of sanctification begins with a personal relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ Dr Stanley urged you to accept Christ sacrifice on your behalf and become part of God's family today if you're already a believer ask God to show you the next step in your journey with Christ. Jesus said I came to set the captives free if you want real freedom from attitudes like fear guilt resentment or legalism you'll find help on our website in touch Dato argy learn to experience the Liberty Christ promises and to order a copy of Dr Stanley's complete message sanctification God's grand plan visit our online bookstore this message is also included in the teaching set sanctification set apart for God sacred purpose again log on to In Touch dot au r g or call 1800 in touch to write to us address your letter to In Touch post office box 7900 Atlanta Georgia 30357. Don't give up God is honored by every believer is humble prayer today's moment with Charles Stanley is coming up it's time for worship join Dr Charles Stanley on the 2800. Alaska cruise experienced the grandeur of God's creation and was to it in praise enjoy spiritual renewal with uplifting sermons by Dr Stanley and Stanley praise God through powerful worship experiences join us on the 2018 in touch Alaska cruise visit in Touched slash Alaska together. As your children and grandchildren grow up how will you help them learn about Jesus Dr Charles Daley's 1st devotional for children every day with Jesus is fun and colorful filled with devotion scriptures prayers and more based on Dr Stanley's bestselling devotional every day in his presence this children's version is written to help kids know Jesus better to order every day with Jesus call 1800 in touch or visit in touch. Colossians chapter one contains a powerful prayer it's the foundation of a moment with Charles Stanley. I know when I come to this prayer and pray for someone that God is going to answer my prayer because I don't have anything personal in the motivation that it's not something for me it's something for someone else and God is honored when we pray with all of our heart and behalf of someone else Father how grateful we are when we think about that us so willing to answer and prayed to give us wisdom to know how to walk every day and to make those decisions and how to relate to one another and add a life and how we had to grow old in our Christian life in all of these areas I pray that each one of these specific requests that the Apostle Paul makes with a collage in charge they we would learn how to pray these very specific requests for each other and I do pray that you would take all of his request right now and that whoever and whatever those people might be facing the day that they would recognize that they will pray this prayer you are more than willing to answer it and it is these requests we lift up to you and that half of every person who is listening but this day in Jesus' name amen. You'll find the prayer Dr Stanley referred to in the 1st chapter of Colossians and stop by in touch. To learn more about prayer if you'd like to hear today's message again you can find it in the radio section of our website plus an entire library of messages in our audio archives you can also download a podcast of our program to your m p 3 player and take it along with our web address again is them touch. Does your outlook on things seem to be up one minute down the next on tomorrow's broadcast Dr Stanley teaches you how to develop a sense of inner stability I hope you'll join us Wednesday. Untucked with Dr Charles staying. Busy is a presentation of In Touch ministries Atlanta Georgia and remains on station through the grace of God and your think Oprah's And. Am 1090 k. a Y. Hear the word. 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The more I play football for the Philadelphia Eagles but what I do off the field with United Way might be more important I'm a volunteer tutor and mentor why because over a 1000000 kids a year drop out of school and that's not Ok it takes 12 years to create a graduate but it takes about the same time to create a drop them in the difference between a child becoming one of the other could be me or it could be you studies show that if we get to these kids earlier their chances are better and kids who read well by 3rd grade are more likely to graduate so join me in United Way Sudha in take the pledge become a volunteer reader tutor or mentor because when the child succeeds we all succeed. Give advocate volunteer leave united and take the pledge the United Way that org brought to you by United Way be Ad Council in the National Football League. Has now . Scared St. I start to Earth so you taking paid staff to catering to the past the love today one out of 13 children suffer from some form of asthma accounting for nearly one 3rd of all emergency room visits. Chill kind of like at this age 11 this comes out when they please but while your child may suffer from asthma asthma doesn't have to make your child suffer there are simple ways you can prevent your child's next attack to learn more log on to double. Org or call your doctor because even want to is one too many. Shows no odds are brought to you by the e.p.a. The council and the station. You're listening to. a special message getting ready and I want to thank you for joining us today in this 2nd bro. Cast of 2018 we're starting off with some reminders of how we prepare ourselves for the privilege of a new year I wake every new year with a real sense of excitement I always look back and review both the failures and successes of the year past but I don't spend too much time in the past because I always want my dreams to be greater than my memories and starting the new year is a way God gives us I believe as he's organized his world to have a clean slate and start again to serve him all the things that you tried and didn't do you can restructure Gys and reprogram yourself and start again and God will put some new things on your list is that wonderful that we have a place where we can start over where we can get ready where we can put 1st things 1st and allow the power of God's Word to take over in our life well I've been telling you about David Greene not just yesterday but during the last weeks of 2017 he participated with us in kind of a panel discussion about the characteristics of a life beyond amazing his insights were incredible and he is one of the most successful businessmen in the world and certainly a wonderful man of God who as many of you know has just finished an incredible project along with his family the Museum of the Bible in Washington d.c. We saw it a few days ago and it's overwhelming and his vision for leaving a legacy in this country of godliness and goodness is unparalleled he talks about it in a brand new book that we have just acquired with his permission and we're making it available during the month of January to everyone who will send a gift a turning point the book is called giving it all away and getting it all back again it's a hard back 180 page book and you'll be so excited as you read through this book and. See all the ways that are open to you and to me to reflect the spirit of generosity in our lives be sure and ask for this book it will be a great read and a great addition to your library right now let's jump back into the story from Joshua chapter 3 Joshua is being made ready by God for a credible assignment it's his new year it's our New Year message from Joshua 3. Some time ago I clipped an article out of a magazine that was written by an army general who was interested in this episode in the children of Israel in the wilderness. The general tried to figure out what it would be like to take care of 3000000 people in a wilderness for 40 years according to the u.s. Army's Quartermaster General Moses needed 1500 tons of food per day that would fill 2 freight trains each a mile long and $1.00 per meal per person the cost of food alone would have been $9000000.00 each day for those standards and since they were out in the desert they would need firewood to cook the food this would take $400.00 tons of wood and a few more freight trains each a mile long just for one day and they were 40 years in the desert and you would have to have water as well if they only had enough water to drink and wash a few dishes it would take around 11000000 gallons every day and a freight train with tank cars around 2 miles just to bring their daily water. But God in using the freight trains. Every day he dropped their food right in front of their tent. God faithfully supplied every single day for these people he supplied their water in a miraculous way in fact the basic needs of the Israelites did not fail one time during a period of 4 decades every single day in their wilderness wondering God met their need. So now they are standing at the bank of the Jordan River and their hearts are filled it with fear its flood time the rivers overflowing there are $3000000.00 of them what are we going to do. But behind them was the memory of the provision of God that he had made for them for 40 years some time over this next week write down 10 things God provided for you last year keep that list in a place where you can get it when you need it when you get a little discouraged or you wonder if God is involved in your life go back and see what he's already done for you he hasn't changed and he's not going to change you can count on it. The provision of God behind this then this the presence of God beside us read with me the 1st 3 verses of Joshua chapter 3 then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan he had all the children of Israel and lodge there before they crossed over so it was after 3 days that the officers went through the camp and they commanded the people saying when you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God and the priests the Levites bearing it then you shall set out from your place and go after it now. The central focus in Joshua chapter $3.00 and $4.00 is the Ark of the covered it. Now what's the big deal about the Ark of the Covenant in the desert the pillar of cloud and fire were visible signs of God's leading his people they were not to move until the sign was evident but the presence of God with his people was always symbolized by the Ark of the covenant the Ark of the Covenant was a box of about 45 inches long and 27 inches deep and wide it was made out of a case you would and it had a lid on it and there were gold rings on each of the 4 corners of the box they were in place so that coals could be inserted into those rings and the Ark of the covenant could be carried on the shoulders of the Israelites. Inside the Ark of the Covenant was a copy of the law of God that had been given to Moses on Mount Sinai also in the ark was a portion of manna from the desert and the rod of air and that butted those were the contents of the Ark of the covenant the ark was associated with the light and glory and direction and presence of God If you know the story of the Old Testament you know that when the Ark of the Covenant was removed from the people of God as it was once by the Philistines defeat was experienced but when the ark was brought back victory returned now you will see this referenced in verses 1011 of Chapter 3 watch carefully as I read these verses and Joshua said by this you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites in the Hittites in the high bites in the parasites in the Shi'ites in the Amorites and the job you sites behold the Ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan the people of Israel looked at the ark of a covenant and it was to them. The presence of God when they saw the ark they were reminded of God's presence with them and don't miss this the people of Israel were getting ready to cross the Jordan River they were given very specific instructions about the distance they should keep between themselves and the Ark of the Covenant look at verse 4 yet show there not be a space between you and it and 2000 cubits by measure do not come near it that you may know the way by which you must go for you have not passed this way before man just imagine with all of us that that's a good phrase for us we have not passed this way before how do we walk into an area where we have never been how do we look at a time that we've never experienced Well the people we're told by God and by Joshua that they were to keep the Ark a certain space away from them now let's unpack that for a moment 2000 Cuba is a distance of about 3000 feet or one half mile in other words the Ark of the covered it was to stay far enough out in front of this hoard of people so that all of them could see it if the ark was too close to the people at the front end of the March it would be hidden from the people at the rear end of the March the ark had to be seen by everyone not just by the leaders at the front Almighty God was teaching a lesson leaders are important but each of us individually needs to keep our eyes on God it's not enough for us to see God through the eyes of others we need to see God through our own eyes especially when we're going into the unknown. If we don't do that. The raging waters of the Jordan River in our lives will fill our hearts with fear and discouragement. Like Peter walking on the water when we take our eyes off of him we begin to look at the waves and we sink into our own circumstances. I want to show you 3 more things about God's presence with us in these times of transition and the best way to do it is just to read 3 passages in a row and then comment on them Joshua 36 then Joshua spoke to the priest saying take up the ark of the Covenant and cross over before the people so they took up the ark of the Covenant and went before the people Joshua 317 and then the priest who bore the Ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan and all Israel crossed over on dry ground until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan and Joshua 411 And it came to pass when all the people had completely crossed over that the Ark of the Lord and the priest crossed over in the presence of the people now watch. As the Israelites were preparing to take this journey through the Jordan River the priests who carried the ark of the Covenant representing the presence of God were told to go ahead of the people but they weren't to go all the way through the riverbed to the other side. The scripture says that they went to the middle of the riverbed and they stood in the middle of the Jordan River while all the people all 3000000 of the people of Israel passed before them and the Ark of the Covenant came in behind them and followed them up on to the banks of the promised land God through His ark was going before them God was staying with them in the middle of their journey and he was following up behind them when the journey was over and that is how God works my friends he goes before us he's the captain of our salvation he goes with us he's our Emmanuel God with us and he follows after us protecting us from behind what a wonderful picture of the presence of almighty God in your life and in mine I think Isaiah was thinking of this when he wrote these wonderful words but now this says the Lord who created you fear not for I have redeemed you I have called you by your name you are mine and when you pass through the waters I'll be with you and through the rivers they show not overflow you when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned nor shall the flame scorch you for I am the Lord your God and I have loved you fear not for I am with you. When you face the uncertainty of a new year you not only have what God has done for you in the past you have the promise that he's going to be with you in the experience. Let's add the 3rd promise and that's the promise of God before us. As soon as the priest bearing the ark put their feet into the river the scripture tells us that the water stopped flowing in stood like a wall a like 20 miles away upstream the wall of water was probably in place for an entire day so that the soft bottom of the river could become dry the Israelites walked through the Jordan River on dry land and they didn't have to clean their shoes off when they arrived on the other side. The crossing of the Jordan River mirrors what happened to the Israelites on their way into the wilderness as they came through the Red Sea God was sending a message to them by making these 2 experiences very similar the God who had begun this journey with them 40 years ago was the same God who was going to deliver them at the end of their wilderness experience. So how do we take this teaching ourselves and apply it to our own lives Well let me describe for you what the people of Israel were told to do at this particular time. First of all it was to be a time of consecration a time of transition is a time for consecration notice verse 5 and Joshua said to the people sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you let me pause for a moment and say if you want to have a great New Year listen carefully to this part of the message God wants to do wonders among us but it is not unconditional. This promise in terms of his blessing is conditioned upon our willingness to sanctify ourselves. Now I know that's not a word we use in our language today I remember growing up as a boy in the church the little old lady used to get up and give a testimony about every Sunday night when we had testimony time and she would stand up and say I'm so thankful I am saved I'm satisfied now I'm sanctified she sit down I don't know what she meant I don't think anybody else did but she felt better when it was over what does it mean to be sanctified what did Joshua mean when he told the people through his leaders sanctify yourselves for tomorrow God is going to do wonders among you well the word sanctify is a very interesting word it means to set apart. The word means to set something apart like the 7th day of the Sabbath the day was sanctified and to God it was set apart and to God He belonged to him exclusively or a certain kind of people among the Israelites were sanctified to God like the Levites were sanctified to lead worship so to sent defy means to set something apart to set it apart uniquely for the Lord to dedicate it to him and to make it his completely when Joshua told people to sanctify themselves he was commanding them to prepare their hearts to get ready spiritually he was telling them to confess their sins to put away their foreign gods to get out of the bad habits that they may have a cultivated while they were in the wilderness and to begin walking with God in purity of heart and as we stand at the beginning of this new year what better thing could we do than to take some time to examine our own lives and make sure that everything is right between us and God God wants to do great things in our lives but he will not pour out His blessing if we are not prepared to receive it. If you want God to honor everything you do in the new year if you do want this to be the best year you've ever had and to see his blessing poured on on you I can't promise that that will happen but I can promise this if you don't get ready it will not happen. You can't determine if this is the year that God is determined to totally bless you but you can determine that you will be ready if such a time comes. On the night of his graduation from medical school Dr Howard Kelly a world famous surgeon wrote this in his diary I dedicate myself my time my capabilities my ambition my everything to God Bless it Lord sanctify me to your uses give me no worldly success that will not lead me nearer to my savior. Dr Kelly prayed that God would protect him from any success that would draw his heart away from Jesus Christ you don't hear prayers like that much anymore do you we pray for the success we pray for the blessing we pray for the honor we pray for the prestige we pray for the wealth. But he understood that if God is going to bless us we have to be bless worthy. By sanctifying ourselves before him. Not only was this a time of consecration but it was also to be a time of courage. Before God piled up the waters of the Jordan River in great heaps and left a path wide enough for 3000000 people to cross over he gave the Israelites these instructions and it shall come to pass as soon as the souls of the feet of the priests who bear the Ark of the Lord the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of the Jordan that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off the waters that you'll come down from upstream and they should stand as a heap. Now if you don't read that carefully you miss the giant. Condition in that text but I can't allow you to miss it because I couldn't miss it and since I couldn't miss it I don't want you to miss it either because it's very troubling and frustrating here it is the priests were to rest the soles of their feet in the waters of the Jordan before God would part them. That would have been a day when you would have wished you were not a priest. Almighty God was not going to do what he promised to do and to the people obeyed him their obedience probably didn't make a whole lot of sense to them at the time but the Bible says they walked down to the river and when the priests put their feet in the swelling Jordan at the moment they exercised their faith God performed his miracle. Many people hit a dead end in their faith journey because they are waiting for God to go 1st if they had waited for God to part the Jordan River the Israelites would still be standing their faith is taking the 1st step before God parks the river. Someone was once asked what they did with the promises of God in the Bible and they answered I underlined them in blue Well if God is going to bless your life you have to do more than underline his promises in blue you have to believe them and when you believe them you act on them that's how you get the blessing of God You take his word at face value and whatever he says for you to do you do it and you do it before you see the evidence that will support your having done it. Once you get God's promises are not for underlining God's promises are for obeying and when we obey God's promises he works wonders in our lives you want this to be a great year sanctify yourself before God. And determined to do whatever he tells you to do. I became quite aware of something because I finished this message I don't think I've ever heard this I know I've never said it but listen carefully our God is a start over God. He created his world so that every 24 hours we get to start over with a new day. And every 7 days we get to start over with a new week and every 4 or 5 weeks we get to start over with a new month did you know the God could have just run all those times together in one package with no breaks and no places to start over. But in his great wisdom God placed us on a planet that orbits the Sun one time every $365.00 days so once a year we come back to the starting place and we start over. And that's why the 1st of the years always kind of a start over place even for people who don't understand anything of what we've talked about today and I always have wondered Is that right is that that's what we should do should every day be a no no God knew what he was doing he put this world into sections because God is a start over God. Jesus Christ came into this world so that you and I could start over. The Bible says If any man be in Christ he's a new creation when we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts we call it being born again and when we follow Jesus Christ in our lives oh things pass away and behold all things become new what an opportunity we face as we stand at the edge of a new year doesn't matter what we started out to do last year and failed to accomplish we can start again. So you meant to get right with God Last year in the days slipped away and here you are in the same place and you still need to start over. God is waiting for you Jesus loves you on this New Year's Day You can begin again with the Lord you can began for the 1st time with the 2nd time or however many times it is because your God and My God is a start over God. Jesus is calling you he wants to bless you he wants to use you and fill you with a sense of purpose enjoy. The Bible is filled with promises he wants to fulfill in your life. But promises are not for underlining. Promises are for believing and obey. So I'm going to ask you as we all gather in we're ready to cross over. Are you really willing to start over you know that's really the interesting question isn't it we want to go into the future and sometimes we get caught in the past and we can't get free you have to leave it behind you have to draw a line in the sand and say maybe it wasn't the way I wanted it to be in the past but here we go again God has given me a new chance a new opportunity it's a new year and I'm getting ready during this early time in 2800 you may be looking at your year schedule let me give you something to pray about July the 14th through the 21st of this year Don and I are leading a conference cruise to Canada and New England it's one of the most beautiful tours we've ever taken we've only done it a couple of times where as we've been going to Alaska almost every year for over 30 years periodical we take a year off from Alaska and we go to Canada and New England will be happy to send you the information about this but you can go to our website and download it and get it all right now be among the 1st to join up and register for that event I know will have a great time together and then don't forget to ask for your copy of the book giving it all away and getting it all back again during the month of January this book by my friend David Greene will be sent to you as a way of saying thank you for your investment in the ministry of turning point is because of your giving and your investment that we're able to do what we do we just finished an incredible year but that's tries it recruiter for free just go to zip recruiter dot com slash 3 that zip recruiter dot com slash 3 individuals and businesses with tax problems listen carefully if you over 10000 dollars in back taxes or have on file tax returns u.s. Tax shield can help you take back control the i.r.s. Can seize your bank accounts garnish your paycheck close your business and file criminal charges our team of tax attorneys can stop collections and get you protected us tech shield offers a price protection guaranteed quote to get you protected Today us to actually hold is a plus rated with the b.b.b. So call 804-669-6254 us to actually 800. $669625.00 a promise was made a promise that hit the beaches of Normandy . You're listening to am to 90 k. a Way. You're 50001 gospel voice of the sun am in the game a y. 1090 k. a Y. . Ou seem to 90 k. a Y. Little Rock is streaming on line at 1019 in the line. Cumulus station Oh Bowl the areas slowed the welcome to reliable and you made a great decision to start your year off in God's word and we'll be continuing our study in Romans Chapter 14 today but 1st let's visit with through the Bibles president Greg Harris Greg Happy New Year 1st of all thank you Steve Happy New Year to you too and you know I can just feel it is I think it's going to be a really great year to take God's Holy Word to the whole world what do you think I think you're right because we say that pretty much every Yeah we hear and God Every year when we look back at the end of the year God just does amazing things many things that we didn't even see coming or imagine kind of in a fees ins $320.00 experience beyond what we ask or imagine but we are looking forward to some great things I know we're going to be studying some great books definitely we're going to be in some of the Old Testament books the historical books of Ezra and Nehemia and they're going to be going into the wisdom books job so much to learn there about suffering yes and then songs everybody loves everybody love songs and how to praise the Lord affirmatively and then proverbs so much wisdom in that yes and then going on in the New Testament going to we're going to be doing 1st and 2nd Corinthians any fees ins which is.