Richvale Community Church
Sunday, September 7 2025
  • Good morning!
    Growing up in our family, we all learned how to drive a stick shift.
    And if you’ve ever driven manual, you know that when it comes to changing gears, timing is everything.
    If you get it wrong, things get rough—not just for you, but for your passengers..
    I still remember those early lessons. More than once I ended up stalled right in the middle of an intersection—while my dad sat next to me , sweating bullets, wondering if we’d ever get moving again.
    But over time, as I learned to coordinate the clutch, the gears, and the brake, driving became second nature.
    Life, in many ways, is a lot like driving manual..
    There are moments when everything runs smoothly, and then suddenly—you hit a transition. A new season.
    The gear has to change.
    And if you don’t handle it well, things can get pretty bumpy.
    This fall, we’re beginning a new series entitled “Trusting God in Transitions.”.
    TODAY we talking about Navigating new seasons.
    Over the next several weeks, we’ll be walking through the book of Joshua…
    Joshua is the 6th book in the OT.
    The first five books of the Bible—are written by Moses—are called the Torah, or the Pentateuch. 
    They tell the story of beginnings—of creation, of covenant, and of God gathering a people to Himself.
    The Torah ends with anticipation — of a promise ..
    God had promised Abraham in Genesis that his descendants would inherit a land of their own.
    Yet by the close of Moses’ life, that promise was still unfulfilled…
    Part of the reason was Israel disobedience —
    Instead of walking faith and trusting God they kept on looking back towards Egypt and ended up walking in circles for forty years—Until an entire generation passed away in the wilderness.
    But now— in Joshua chapter one .. its a new day.. … God has raised up ..A new leader. God was giving His people another chance to step into His promise.
    God calls Joshua —who has a record of faithfulness — his name come up 27 time in Moses writings..
    He was one of the twelve spies sent to scout out Canaan land—and only he and Caleb came back with a report of faith.
    Yes, there were giants and obstacles in the land, but with God’s help, they believed they were the majority and the land could be taken.
    So God chose ,,Joshua - ..a man of faith and faithfulness to lead Israel across the Jordan into the land of promise.
    Let’s read our text together from Joshua 1:1–9.
    Joshua 1:1–9 ESV
    1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
    The story opens with Israel standing once again on the edge of Canaan. They had been here before.
    In Numbers 13–14, after leaving Egypt, Israel came right up to the edge of the Promised Land. But instead of stepping forward in faith, they hesitated. They doubted God’s promises and gave in to fear.
    That moment of unbelief cost them dearly—
    Now, a new generation stands in the same place where their parents once stood.
    But this time, their hearts are different. They are ready to trust God. They are ready to step forward. They are ready to cross over into God’s promise.
    T/sBut they still had overcome obstacles.. the first was the

    I. The Challenge of Discomfort

    Until we had children, I never realized that “growing pains” were a real thing. I always thought it was just an idiom or a saying.
    But then our kids would wake up in the middle of the night with literal pain in their legs from growing.
    Growth, by its very nature, is uncomfortable. . .
    If we are going grow there be levels of discomfort…
    Tim Keller once said, 
    “God first disturbs the comfortable, and then He comforts the disturbed.” Tim Keller
    That’s exactly what’s happening in our text.
    God says to Joshua…Moses Gods servant is dead.. Joshua 1:1–2.
    Joshua 1:2 ESV
    2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.
    Moses death marks the end of one season and the beginning of another..
    … the word servant tells us a lot.. it tells us don’t discount the past.. we appreciate it… Moses was Gods man for the moment..
    he led Israel well… and we stand on the shoulders of these who have gone before us..
    but can’t live life in the past… In our text.. God was doing something new—and that required new leadership, new faith, new people who would walk in new steps of obedience…
    But this was not going to be easy.
    Transitions are never easy — They stretch us, they unsettle us, and they force us to depend on God in now and fresh ways.
    Here is the thing about transitions.
    A. - They often Don’t Look Inviting. Joshua had been Moses’ assistant for decades. He knew the people well—
    their weaknesses,
    their complaints, and their fears. … it wasn’t a simple task of leading..
    There would be challenges, opposition, and unknown dangers.
    there is discomfort in leadership..

    b. Transitions also Test Our Confidence

    Moses left big shoes to fill. 
    Every time we transition into a new ministry role—we have followed in the steps others leaders.. some times it’s easy and other times I t difficult… —there is always a favorite pastor..
    Can you imagine following Moses? He was the man who received the Ten Commandments.
    He spoke to God face to face. He confronted Pharaoh in Egypt and led the people out.
    The pressure to measure up must have been overwhelming.
    It’s easy to feel unqualified or ill-equipped when God calls us into something new.
    But here’s the truth:
    God’s call is never about our ability and skill sets—it’s about His presence and His power working through us.
    God is not looking for ability as much as He is looking for our availability.
    God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
    That’s why God said to Joshua in verse
    vrs 5“Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you.”
    What a comforting verse.. God says Go and I will go with you …
    another challenge was…
    C. The extent of the Calling..
    God says to Joshua in
    Joshua 1:3–4 ESV
    3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.
    Notice that this is written in the past tense—God says to Joshua — every step you take —“I have given you
    Joshua hadn’t even stepped into the land yet, the victory was already secured …because God had goes before him…
    Here’s the wonderful thing about our faith:
    in Christ, God has already secured the victory for us.
    We may struggle, we may face difficulty, but Jesus took it to the cross and paid the ultimate price—so that we already have what He has provided…
    We can face life knowing that regardless the future is secure in Christ…
    This gives us confidence as we enter new seasons— that be uncertain…
    What learn from Joshua is that..
    God’s promise is bigger than our footprint.
    When you study the boundary lines of how large of area God had laid out for Israel to possess, it’s breathtaking.
    In today’s geography, this territory would include:
    The whole of Jordan
    A large portion of Saudi Arabia
    Half of Iraq
    The whole of Lebanon
    Part of Syria
    And even all of Kuwait
    This was a massive inheritance!
    But here’s the fascinating thing: even at the height of Israel’s power—under kings David and Solomon—they never possessed the full extent of what God had promised.
    Why? Because this promise was pointing beyond Joshua’s day.
    It was a shadow of something far greater—the ultimate reign of God’s Kingdom, fulfilled through Christ.
    Joshua’s inheritance was physical land. But in Christ, the inheritance is spiritual it…expands to all nations and all people.
    And here’s the takeaway for us:
    REGARDLESS OF HOW BIG OR SMALL — OUR CALLING.
    ALL OF US . only get to see and participate in a piece of God’s larger plan of salvation…
    God gave Joshua two clear instructions to move forward in this new season:
    Be Strong and Take Courage
    lets read this again.
    Joshua 1:6–7 ESV
    6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
    One of the most respected books on leadership is The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner.
    They make this simple observation:
    “Leaders are pioneers—people who are willing to step out into the unknown.”
    Leadership is all about going in to new territory .
    A leader is — being a change agent—- moving towards a God vision — when ever you promote change — you hit resistance!!
    God reminds Joshua, not once, not twice, but three times in this chapter: 
    “Be strong and courageous.””
    God knew Joshua would face battles, resistance, and uncertainty. God was saying: Don’t let fear or insecurity define you. Lean on My power…
    Let nothing master you accept t he a master…
    First we have to overcome
    I. The challenge of Discomfort.

    II. THE JOY OF GOD’S PRESENCE

    There is a well-known study in psychology about children raised in isolation.
    Dr. René Spitz, a researcher in the mid-20th century, observed infants who were placed in institutions where their basic needs were met,
    but there was almost no human touch or personal interaction.
    The results were heartbreaking:
    many of these children
    stopped smiling,
    stopped speaking,
    and some even failed to thrive altogether.
    Decades later, similar findings came from the Romanian orphanages,
    where children who grew up without consistent presence or affection -
    showed severe delays in walking, speaking, and even brain development. 
    WE as humans we are designed to live in connection with others—we need community ..we need presence..
    Presence is more than just being physically nearby. It is actively engaging,
    walking alongside,
    noticing,
    supporting, and sharing life with someone…
    One thing the Bible promises is presence…
    God promises Joshua that He will be with him
    Joshua 1:5, 7–9:
    Joshua 1:5 ESV
    5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
    God says to Joshua: “I will be with you as I was with Moses.”..
    If we look at Moses’ journey, we see a man who started out trying to do things in his own strength.
    He grew up in Pharaoh’s house, took matters into his own hands by killing an Egyptian, and had to go into hiding.
    It took forty years of preparation, humility, and dependence before God could fully use him.
    During that time, Moses learned to listen to God, to hear His voice, and to depend on Him … only then did things happen..
    Now, God reassures Joshua: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” 
    God’s promise the same presence, the same guidance, the same power that enabled Moses will enable Joshua—if he trusts and follows..
    God’s presence is not symbolic or distant—it’s PERSONAL .. we can know him and known by him..
    God’s presence is powerful. It carries authority, strength, and the ability to accomplish what we cannot on our own.
    Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty.”
    God’s presence is permanent. He does not leave us
    even when the path ahead is unclear,
    The psalmist wrote
    Psalm 23:4 ESV
    Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
    God says to Joshua — I will not leave you or forsake you..
    One of the encouraging things in the NT is the indwelling of the H.S. Gods Spirit lives within every believer, and His promise is unshakable.
    Matthew 28:20b: “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
    Transition…often moves us toward his presence..
    The theologian Henri Nouwen said. “Change is never easy, but it is always an invitation to grow deeper in the knowledge of God’s presence.”
    First we have to overcome
    I. The challenge of Discomfort.

    II. THE JOY OF GOD’S PRESENCE

    III. THE NEED FOR BEING STRENGTHENED

    When we think of being strengthened, what often comes to mind is
    some kind of exercise—lifting weights, doing push-ups, or “strength training” at the gym.
    But spiritual strength is different. It isn’t something we manufacture on our own or earn through effort alone.
    True spiritual strength comes from God. Power is innately his.. … but it’s transferable..
    Isaiah 40:29 ESV
    He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
    How are we strengthened? We are strengthened when we pray, when we study and meditate on His Word, and when we remain in union with Christ.
    Spiritual Strength sustain us..in the world..
    Think about Daniel. He was taken into Babylon, surrounded by pressure to conform, and offered the king’s food and delicacies.
    But Daniel drew his strength not from the culture around him, nor from his own willpower—his strength came from God. Because he was rooted in God’s Word and in prayer, he could stand firm when everyone else bowed.
    That’s what God’s power looked like..
    God promised Joshua strength in two ways.. first through his presence..
    Second way was through his word.
    God says to Joshua in Joshua 1:7-9
    Joshua 1:7–9 ESV
    7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
    God doesn’t just give strength through his presence — He gives him his word..
    One of the amazing things about Joshua is the word is already present in the Torah..
    Scholars like Francis Schaeffer point out that, the Torah—the first five books of the Bible—are completed and recognized as Scripture.At the time of Joshua!
    He says what is more incredible :
    “Joshua knew Moses personally. He knew Moses’ strengths and weaknesses; he knew Moses was just a man who made mistakes.
    Nonetheless, immediately after Moses’ death, Joshua accepted the Pentateuch as more than the writing of Moses—he accepted it as the writing of God.”
    Here was , the new generation of Israelites was equipped with God’s VERY Word.
    God said
    Do not let it depart from your mouth (Joshua 1:8)
    Meditate on it day and night (Joshua 1:8)
    Do everything written in it (Joshua 1:8)
    When it comes to transition and change the Bible is our ROAD Map.. The Word of God is able to lead, guide, and sustain us ..
    Paul writes to Timothy that all Scripture is inspired by God
    2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV
    16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

    We strengthen ourselves through study, meditation, and daily obedience.. WE GROW.. READ
    Psalm 1:1–3 ESV
    1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
    The word of God contains real power to accomplish His will.

    Conclusion

    I recently heard the testimony of Nabeel Qureshi, a former Muslim who came to Christ.
    He grew up faithfully following Islam and the Quran, which teaches obedience—
    but it doesn’t emphasize comfort… or the intimate presence of God.
    As he began exploring the Bible, he first came across the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew.
    He thought, “This is a long list of names; I’ll skip over this.”
    .. But then he came to Matthew 5 and read the words of Jesus:
    Sermon on the mount
    “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)
    For him, this was revolutionary. He realized something profound
    What sets God apart is His compassion
    , His presence, and His longing to comfort His people.
    God doesn’t just call us to obedience—He calls us to embrace His presence, to walk closely with Him, and to find strength and courage in His nearness.
    This is exactly what Joshua teaches .
    Obedience is vital—but so is knowing the God  God of comfort, knowing the God who goes with us, knowing the God who longs to strengthen us from the inside out.
    This morning we might find ourselves like Joshua on the banks of our
    Jordan River, looking at the waters that separated us from the Promised Land.
    The river was wide, the current strong, and the challenge before him enormous.
    We may be facing challenges ahead—decisions that feel impossible, seasons of change that feel uncertain, obstacles that seem overwhelming. PHow do we face it...
    The book of Joshua points us forward to Jesus.
    to his presence..
    Joshua was a type—a foreshadow—of Christ.
    The book of Hebrews tells us:
    While Moses was faithful over the house of Israel, Jesus is even greater.
    (Hebrews 3:3–4
    Hebrews 3:3–4 ESV
    3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)
    The good news is Jesus equips us, strengthens us, and carries us when the waters are too deep or the current too strong.
    Today..
    Jesus is faithful. He is with us. His Word will guide us . His Spirit will empower us . His presence will sustain us...
    We looking back to Christ and the cross..at we go into communion..

      • Joshua 1:1–9AMP

      • Joshua 1:2AMP

      • Joshua 1:3–4AMP

      • Joshua 1:6–7AMP

      • Joshua 1:5AMP

      • Isaiah 40:29AMP

      • Joshua 1:7–9AMP

      • 2 Timothy 3:16–17AMP

      • Psalm 1:1–3AMP

      • Hebrews 3:3–4AMP

Richvale Community Church
brendenbridges@gmail.com
5308453694
http://richvalechurch.com
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