Joshua Chapter 19:1-51

God gave them something, and in return, He expected them to serve Him with it.

Oh, come on. Now God doesn't expect us to do that. God doesn't expect us to take the things He's given us and use them for His glory.

You bet He does. If you have any doubts about that, you should. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina. What we are is God's gift to us.

What we do with it is our gift back to God. Today, Pastor David encourages us to be an active believer, as he continues in the book of Joshua chapter 19. But first, when you're in trouble, where do you turn most often?

Do you look to yourself or the advice of your friends, or do you go straight to God? We want to help you experience the hope that comes from looking to the Lord when your life turns upside down by sending you Pastor David McGee's CD series titled Lessons from the Wilderness. In this encouraging resource, Pastor David looks at one of the most difficult periods of King David's life to show you how you can wait confidently on God, no matter what you're facing. Lessons from the Wilderness is our thank you for your gift this month to share the hope of Christ with others. So please visit crossthebridge.com for your copy of Lessons from the Wilderness. Now here's David McGee with part three of his teaching, Blessed and Blessing. Joshua chapter 19 verse 1.

So this is laying out the boundaries. The second light came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the children of Simeon, according to their families, and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah. They had in their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, Hazershua, Bala, Esam, Eltulad, Bethel, Harimah, Ziklag, Beth, Markaboth, Hazersuza, Bethlebeoth, and Sharaheen. 13 cities in their villages, Ain, Rehmon, Ether, and Eshon.

Four cities in their villages, and all the villages that were all around these cities as far as Belathbir, Ramah of the south. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families. The inheritance of the children of Simeon was included in the share of the children of Judah, for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore, the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of that people. Wow.

Well, that's interesting. What's interesting about that is last week we were talking about, you know, the descendants of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh were complaining that they didn't have enough. And look what Judah's doing. Judah's going, you know what, we got too much. We got too much. As a matter of fact, we'd like to give some to the tribe of Simeon.

Wow, what a blessing. Which do you think looks more like Jesus? Yeah, Judah did. We know that Jesus came from the tribe of Judah, called the lion of the tribe of Judah.

That's where the picture of Aslan being the lion came from in the Chronicles of Narnia. So, Judah is saying, you know what, you've blessed us so much. What we want to do is, you know, bless somebody else. And look at all these cities. And I know I read through them quickly and there's more that I'm going to read through quickly too. But what's interesting is that this whole list represents battles waged and battles won. And all these things are glorious testimony that God has the power to make His promises come true. The life lesson here, God always keeps His promises.

God always keeps His promises. One of the things that happens as we study God's Word and as we dig in God's Word is we learn who God is. And perhaps you're sitting there and going, oh yeah, yeah, I know who God is. Do you really know who God is?

See, because you know what we usually do? We usually think of God in our terms. Oh yeah, yeah, He's a little bit stronger. God's not just a little bit stronger than we are. God created the heavens and the earth.

And sometimes we get this picture and we got it from movies and weirdness and all in cultures. You know, He's just like this really old fella and He's really nice, but you know, perhaps He's forgetful and stuff. And that's not God. God is all powerful. That's why we're told, who is like you, Lord? Nobody. Nobody's like God. And somehow we get the picture that He's like us.

Let me blow apart that thing. It says, he who watches over Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. God doesn't sleep. God doesn't sleep. I don't know if you've ever thought about that. Aren't you glad He doesn't sleep?

I'm glad He doesn't sleep. Because what if, I mean, can you imagine, and this is going to get a little weird, but just go with me. We'll come back in a minute.

But can you imagine if, you know, like you're getting ready to do something and God goes, well, I guess I'm going to turn in now. How long will you be sleeping? Oh, about eight hours.

Okay. I'm just going to sit right here for eight hours. I'm not going to drive a car. I'm not going to go anywhere. Definitely not going to fly a plane because you're sleeping.

That would cause us concern, wouldn't it? You realize when you wake up in the middle of the night, you can pray to God and talk to God and He's there. He's listening. He's not slumbering. He's not sleeping. He's right there waiting to talk to you.

You understand what a blessing that is? If you call me at like four in the morning, you're going to have to give me a few minutes. Seriously.

I mean, I'm going to, you know, I'll be like, hey, you know, I mean, maybe I'll be speaking English, maybe not, you know, and, and, and I'll be like, okay, well, you know, I'm going to need that second cup of coffee before I really understand what it is you're trying to tell me right now. God's not like that. God's not like that. What a blessing that God neither slumbers nor sleeps and He always keeps His promises. Well, there's certain promises I haven't seen come to pass.

Just wait. Well, I'm still waiting on God to heal me of this or heal me of that. Let me guarantee you something. If you're suffering physically, mentally, emotionally, whatever, I guarantee you, God's going to heal you. I don't know when it's going to happen. It may happen as you are ushered into His presence, as you pass away from this life to the next.

But let me guarantee you, you will be healed of that condition. Verse 10. The third lot came out for the children of Zebulun according to their families and the border of their inheritance was as far as Sarid. The border went towards the west and to Marilah, went to Dabbasheth and extended along the brook that is east of Joknaim. Then from Sarid, it went eastward towards the sunrise along the border of Chisloth-Tabor and went out towards Debarath, bypassing Japhiah. And from there, it passed along on the east of Gefur towards Eth-Kazin and extended to Rimom, which borders on Neah.

Then the border went around it on the north side of Hanathon and it ended in the valley of Jitha-El. Included were Katath, Nahalal, Shimron, Adali, Adala and Bethlehem, 12 cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages. The fourth lot, verse 17, came to Issachar for the family of Issachar according to their families, for the children of Issachar according to their families. And their territory went to Jezreel and included Chisloth, Shunem, Hefrem, Shean, Anaharath, Rabith, Kishyan, Abez, Remeth and Ghanim, En-Hadah and Beth-Posez. And the border reached to Tabor, Shahazima and Beth-Shemesh. And their borders ended at the Jordan, 16 cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.

Verse 24. And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. And their territory included Hekath, Hali, Betin, Ashef, Alamelek, Amad and Mishal. It reached to Mount Carmel westward along the Brook, Sahar, Libnath. And it turned towards the sunrise to Beth-Dagan and it reached to Zebulun and to the valley of Jishath-El. Then northward beyond Beth-Amech and Neil, bypassing Kabul which was on the left, including Ebran, Rahab, Haman and Kanath as far as greater Sedan. And the border turned to Rehman to the fortified city of Tyre. Then the border turned to Hosah and ended at the sea by the region of Aksib. Also Ummah, Aphek and Rahab were included, 22 cities with their villages. And this was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages. Now, at this point you may be going, you know what, boy this is just a whole lot of borders, right? This is just a whole lot of technical information.

Yes it is, but you know what, understand something. That all these things represented God coming through for these people. God coming through for his people.

Because these people had been in bondage for over 400 years in Egypt. Then they had wandered around the desert for 40 years looking forward to this place. And while we kind of read the list and go, oh yeah, okay, whatever. Do you understand what the list meant to them?

Oh, we're in this land and we go from here and we go from here and we go from here and we go from here. And this is awesome, God has given us this land. And somehow we call part of this land occupied territories now? When God himself is the one that gave it to them?

I don't understand that. And also understand as he lays out the borders for these people, there's an expectation that there's an accountability here. This is your part of the promised land. You be in that part of the promised land and worship God and drive out the other inhabitants and keep pure before the Lord.

Why? Because there was accountability. God gave them something and in return he expected them to serve him with it. Surely God doesn't expect something when he gives you something. Friend, he does.

He sure does. He blesses you with a mouth to speak and expects you to speak words of kindness, of love, of peace, of truth to other people. He gave us ears and expects us to listen to other people. He gave us jobs and he does expect according to scripture for us to tithe, to honor God with our first fruits. Oh come on, now God doesn't expect us to do that. God doesn't expect us to take the things he's given us and use them for his glory. You bet he does.

If you have any doubts about that, you shouldn't. Remember the parable of the talents? I'll refresh you real quick. Remember there was talents and one guy got 10, one guy got five, one guy got one. And the guy who got 10 used them in, interesting word, talents. It multiplied and was blessed. The guy who got five multiplied and was blessed. The guy who had one got to give it back. He didn't use it.

It's his blood. There's an expectation that as he blesses people, he expects you to bless others and to walk in that. We all have gifts. Maybe you're sitting here tonight and you go, well I don't have a gift. I can't teach the word. I don't do music. I don't do this. I just don't have any gifts.

Who has been lying to you? You are uniquely made. You are wonderfully and fearfully made. God made you and God gifted you and he gave you unique gifts that make up the body of Christ.

And we're supposed to use these gifts. And this is the way that we all fit together as the body of Christ. You're listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge. He'll be back with more powerful insight from God's word in just a moment. But first, no matter how wise you are, listening to your own advice when you should be trusting God is dangerous. That's why we want to send you Pastor David McGee's CD series called Lessons from the Wilderness.

Journey through one of the darkest times in King David's life and discover how you can wait confidently on God no matter what struggles you're facing because his plans are perfect and he always comes through for you. Lessons from the Wilderness is our thank you for your gift this month to share the hope of Christ with others. So please visit crossthebridge.com for your copy of Lessons from the Wilderness. This is Pastor David McGee with Cross the Bridge.

You know I want to thank you for listening to Cross the Bridge. I also want to tell you about an exciting website. The website is lostlovedones.org and it works very simply like this. You go to the website and you put the first names of up to 10 people that we begin praying that they get saved. Now it takes two things to get saved. Presentation and prayer. And what we're offering is prayer and also there's different tools there to help you present the gospel to them. So we're there with you helping you with the presentation, helping you with the prayer.

There's over 920 people that belong to the prayer team on Lost Loved Ones and you can join the prayer team as well and help us to pray for others who don't yet know Jesus and together we can see a huge revival starting with your lost loved ones. Now back to today's message. Paul uses and it's a beautiful thing that Paul uses the body and he talks about you know the eyes and the ears and all those the way the body works together is it's incredible isn't it? I don't know if you've ever thought about it.

It's not at war with itself which is a good thing. Do you understand you know tonight before you came to service you probably did this. You took a deadly instrument into your hand. A pointed and sharp instrument and then you moved it towards your face. What if your hand got in rebellion and your hand thought I'm tired of the brain telling me what to do.

I'm going to run the show and the first thing I need to do in order to run the show is I got to take out the brain. So then next time you get ready you think you're going to put a morsel of food in your mouth but your hands in rebellion so what happens you stab yourself right in the forehead. That's your body not working. That's your body with the hand being selfish. As a matter of fact we we have a new word for when our body gets out of control and acts selfish and that word is cancer.

That's what cancer does when it's not operating as part of the body. We're supposed to fit together and act like the body of Christ. What a precious analogy and I love that song only if you've heard it by casting crowns it says if we are the body why aren't his arms reaching why aren't his hands healing and why aren't his words teaching if we are the body. What a glorious thing that we're called the body of Christ and see in this new land there was assignments because it was going to take all they had and all they could be in order to be successful and blessed in this new endeavor and the reason I talk about the body the reason I talk about serving is you know what I know that it's going to take all of us being involved to reach all the people we can.

I know that to do all we can while we can to reach all we can. Verse 32 the sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali for the children of Naphtali according to their families and their border began at Hellef enclosing the territory from the Terebinth tree in Zainenim, Adami, Nekeb and Jepneel as far as Lachim and it ended at the Jordan. From Hellef the border extended westward to Asnoth taper and went out from there towards Hekak. It adjoined Zebulun on the south side and Asher on the west side and ended at Judah by the Jordan towards the sunrise. And the fortified cities are Zidum, Zir, Hamath, Rachash, Chenaroth.

Chenaroth is is Galilee it's up by Galilee the Sea of Galilee. Atama, Rama, Hazar, Kadesh, Edrah, Enhazar. Verse 38. Iron, Mikdal, El, Horem, Bethaneth and Beth-Shemesh. 19 cities with their villages. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families the cities and their villages. Verse 40. The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families and the territory of their inheritance was Zorah, Eshtaal, Ur-Shemesh, Shalabing, Egelon, Jethla, Elan, Timnah, Ekron, Eltukah, Gibethon and Belath.

Jehud, Benat, Barak, Geth, Remon, Mejarkan and Rakan were the region near Joppa. And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it and they struck it with the edge of the sword took possession of it and dwelt in it and they called Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. Pay your attention please. You know what's interesting is as soon as Dan gets in there Dan starts fighting. Why? Because there's an enemy. There's an enemy. Do you understand there's a battle going on in your life? Some of you are painfully aware of this right now. I talk about the enemy and maybe some of you go wait what's the enemy thing?

What are you talking about? You have an enemy. You have an enemy that you cannot win over. That you cannot woo. That you cannot be nice enough to them where they're not your enemy. And that enemy is Satan and his demons. It's real.

The Bible talks about these things being real. Why are you saying that? Because some people don't understand that they're in the battle. They don't understand that there's a war going on. That when you're struggling to pray there's a reason for that. There's a battle going on. When you struggle in sharing your faith or inviting somebody to church there's a battle going on. When you struggle to get here or fight with your spouse on the way to get here there's a battle going on. You need to understand there's a battle going on. And you know there's a battle waging around this church. Do you think Satan is happy with this church? I mean after person after person after person comes the Lord. Person after person after person is being set free.

Person after person is beginning to follow Jesus and be not just saved but a disciple. You think he's happy with that? Oh oh oh I see you're praying for this person that's part of my kingdom but I can see you're praying for me and you really care about him.

Here let me give them to you and if you can turn them around so then they fight against me and I'm okay with that. Uh uh. That's not what the enemy's doing. He's mad. He's mad. He's mad at you. And perhaps you're going whoa okay duh.

Not duh. You need to understand something. A lot of the church today doesn't believe that the devil exists. If you don't believe the devil exists you don't believe this book. You don't believe this book. This book talks about the fact that we have a real enemy. This book talks about demon possession. This book talks about those things as if they were real. In Matthew 4 when Jesus goes out in the desert with the enemy with Satan that's not a parable. That's a real exchange. But perhaps you're going yeah yeah yeah I believe the devil is real.

Do you understand you're in the battle because see this is the thing. I came across some statistics that I was shocked by. 75% of Catholics reject the existence of Satan. 75% of them.

Well but let me go on. 59% of Americans reject the existence of Satan. Now I'm kind of surprised at the first two.

I'm shocked at the next two. 55% of Protestants reject the existence of Satan. Over half of the people who are in Protestant churches reject the existence of Satan and say that he's merely a symbol of evil but doesn't really exist. 65% of teenagers who define themselves as Christians say the devil is not real but a symbol of evil. Two-thirds. Two-thirds of our kids who call themselves Christians say the devil is not real.

There's a problem here. Now I saw other denominational things that were rather staggering but we're a non-denominational church so I chose this one. 52% only 52% of non-denominational churches would strongly disagree with a statement that Satan is not just a symbol of evil. 52% would strongly disagree with a statement that Satan is just a symbol of evil. That means 48 are okay with a statement that Satan is just a symbol of evil.

48%. Now here's the problem guys. If you're in a war and your enemy can talk you into the fact that he doesn't exist, how much more vulnerable are you? Now I know sometimes we can say we can blame him for all sorts of things he had nothing to do with but you know the opposite is true where you're not aware that he is messing with you. That he is planting thoughts in your minds, things to say. There's a battle going on and if you're not aware of that battle you certainly should be because again this book talks about it like it's very real.

Three quick scriptures. James 4 says therefore submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee from you. So now if he's just a symbol of evil how does he flee? He's just a symbol.

Talks like he's very real. 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 8 says be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Again why warn us about a symbol? John 10 says the thief does not come except to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. You've got an enemy.

You need to be aware of it. Verse 48 this is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families these cities with their villages. Verse 49 and when they had made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance according to their borders the children of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he asked for Timnath-sarah in the mountains of Ephraim and he built the city and dwelt in him. These were the inheritances which Eliezer the priest Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided as an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meetings so they made an end of dividing the country.

Again Shiloh comes back around as it did in the front the first and two chapters ago. Do you understand you have peace that's available to you? Are you walking in that peace? Do you understand you can give that peace away and not walk in it? When you had a situation or circumstance and you lose your peace you have given that situation or that circumstance your peace. You could have kept it but you gave it away. There was a man named Yates in Texas that during the depression was really having a hard time with you know clothing and food and stuff and one day an oil company came on his land and said hey we think there might be oil under your under your land and we'd like to you know lease land have a wildcat drill meaning he they share in the revenue so he said sure yeah whatever so they drilled down they found a huge oil reserve produced 80,000 barrels of oil per day for years. Here's a man who was struggling to buy food and clothes and right beneath the ground was 80,000 barrels of oil a day.

My point he had it right there but he was not accessing it. You have the peace that's available to you. Are you gaining access to it? Are you letting stuff freak you out? We got plenty of stuff to freak us out don't we?

Do you ever watch the news? Hopefully you don't get freaked out by it. Hopefully you don't give some newscaster your peace. You can have peace that passes all understanding.

Do you have it? I don't know but I know if you don't he's here to give it to you tonight. If you'll just take the time and say word is there something I'm doing that's causing this lack of peace? Is there something you're asking me to do to bring about peace in my life? Friend do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?

You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life and I've done wrong things. I have sinned and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days in Jesus name.

Amen. Friend if you prayed that prayer according to the bible you've been forgiven you've been born again so congratulations friend you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. If you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can call us toll free you can call us toll free at 877-458-5508 to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ.

So many people look to their friends or within their own thoughts when faced with a problem. Even King David struggled with listening to his heart and not trusting in God's promises. Pastor David McGee wants to encourage you to wait confidently on God through whatever trial you're facing by sending you his CD series Lessons from the Wilderness. Lessons from the Wilderness is our thank you for your gift this month to share the hope of Christ with others. So please visit crossthebridge.com now for your copy of Lessons from the Wilderness. You know each day comes with its share of stresses so what better way to wake up than with an encouraging word from the Lord. Visit crossthebridge.com and sign up now for David McGee's email devotionals. Each devotion includes scripture and a message from the heart of David McGee. It's easy and it's free. Sign up today at crossthebridge.com and be sure to join us next time on Cross the Bridge as we continue in the book of Joshua. We'll see you then.