The Day TheSun Stood Still
“DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME”
Joshua 10: 12-14
*Old hillbilly back in the days of prohibition was brought before Judge “Are you the Joshua that made the sun stand still? He said “No I’m the Joshua that made the MOON SHINE STILL!”
Well this morning we’re gonna talk about the Joshua who made the sun stand still!
*Twice a year, we change the clocks for daylight-savings time.
One Businessman said twice a year, his normally punctual secretary arrived late to work. Heasked why. "Do you have a problem remembering to spring forward or fall back?"
"Oh, no," she said. "What gets to me is staying up until 2 a.m. to change my clock!"
Sunday before last I preached about SAINTS standing still…today I want to talk about the SUN standing still!!
Every2nd Sunday in March we spring ahead to save energy --
The bright idea was first brought back in 1784 by Benjamin Franklin. The idea failed to see the light of day until practically 100 years later. *Woodrow Wilson &FDR called it “War Time”
I don't mind daylight saving time. With this economy, the hour MIGHT be the only thing I've saved all year!
June 6th 1944 –“D-Day” is known as “THE LONGEST DAY” but that honor belongs to another day
This is story separates the men from the boys, the sheep from the goats!
Skeptics and Scofferssay “See! They thought the Sun revolved around the Earth! Ha ha!”
Really?—so the weathermanthis morning doesn’t know that? He forecast Sunrise and sunset!!
He MADE the sun! He can tell it or the earth to do whatever He wants!
God doesn’t obey the laws of nature; the laws of nature obey God!
God has the POWER and PEROGATIVE to make any day LAST as LONG as He LIKES!
*If you don’t believe in Miracles…you didn’t see that Carolina game yesterday! *
History says this happened.All around the world there are stories……..
The Indians over here probably wondered why the sun did not come up as it should for several hours.
Little did they know that on the other side of the world, Joshua was needing more daylight savings time!
As the Sun started to sink in the sky…..Joshua knew he needed more time to finish the fight……and has the AUDACITY to ASK the ALMIGHTY—to make the SUN STAND STILL!
~He insrigated the impossible! A DOUBLE DAY! ~
How did HE have such strong “Sun stand still”faith? How can WE?
I. JOSHUA ACCESSEDA HOLYPROMISE
Vs 8“And the Lord said unto Joshua”
2 Cor 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen,”
*March not of 2011 but of 1839….George Mueller ran an orphanage in England on prayer—alone.
They were struggling—funds were low….one morning he went upstairs to his window and prayed as the sun shined in……he begged God to provide the needs—there was aknock at the door. A lady immaculate dressed-jewelry “This is the answer” He thought—he took her on a tour. She left. And he was left empty handed. His heart sank.
A few minutes later another knock. She was back....but now the necklace on her neck was in her hands and she said “The Lord spoke to me and said give this to the orphanage”
He went upstairs and took those diamonds and scratchedon the window “Jehovah Jireh -God will provide”
Fromthen on, every morning he saw those words written and the sun shining through them. “God will provide”
A.THE PROMISE WAS HEARD …….Vs. 8
You cannot HEEDwhat you do not HEAR! General Joshua was listening to the Lord!
“God helps those who help themselves” …to His word!
Rom 10:17“Faith cometh by HEARING”
Sunday is the LORD’S Day! -notLake Day, Lazy Day, or Lawn Day! (—not just morning!)
B. THE PROMISE WAS HARD …….Vs.9 “all night”
Doing what is RIGHT usually isn’t EASY!
There’s a lot of battling that goes on when you raise kids! ---they are WORTH fighting for!
We can’t let up!
Ii.Joshua ACComplishedwhat was HumanlyPossible
Vs 8“And the Lord said unto Joshua”
Josh didn’t say “Well since God is God and He can do everything, I don’t have to do anything!”
Joshua did what HE had to do, before God did what only GOD could do!!!!
OBEDIENCE doesn’t bring IDLENESS!
Some saints are afraid to ask of God because they don’t want to do any more than they are already active at!!!
They are afraid, if they ask God to do MORE that He will ask them to do more!...and He WILL!
“To whom much is given much is required”
We are to operate with ANTICIPATIONEXPECTATION but also PARTICIPATION!!!
People wonder why God let them down when theyare the ones who fell down on the job!
NO WONDER their life is a WRECK!
If you don’t do what God asks YOU to DO—don’t expect Him to do what you ask HIM to do!
A. HIS ACTIONS WERE SWIFT …….vs. 9“Suddenly”
David said to Alimelech in 1 Sam 21:8 “The kings business requires haste”
We miss miracles when we wait around!
…there is a difference between patience and procrastination
B. HIS ATTENTION WASSTEADFAST …….vs. 10 “chased them along the way”
He didn’t sit down and say “YEAH…you better run!...and don’t come back!”
We are warned repeatedly not to be weary in well doing!
1 Cor 15:57-58tells us, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Wemust KEEP ON- PRAYING ! TITHING! LOVING! Don’t stop now!
C. theirARMY WASSToned …….vs. 11
Hailstones from Heaven headed them off at the pass!
Biggest on record in America were in Kansas-18 inches across!
Job 38:22-23 “Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?”
An amazing miracle in itself! NOT ENOUGH!
I can hear his sergeants say: “Whew Josh –you got ‘em on the run! You have won the victory!”
When God moves, it inspires us to ask for more!!!!!!!!
Joshua was there when the RED SEA parted! When the plagues fell on Egypt!
He asked for GREATER! Are we willing to ask for MORE?
iii.jOSHUA AskedforHeavenlyPower
Vs12“then spake Joshua to the Lord……and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still”
Sometimes I wish He would STOP TIME today! When I wish a day would last a little longer
My reasons would be selfish!
a. because of his apparentdeficiency
*David Brainerd went from YALE to evangelize the American Indians during a very difficult time….the early 1700’s He struggled tremendously with physical problems and died at age 29
DIARY“Lord let me make a difference for you that is utterly disproportionate to who I am”
When we see a great want-we become aware how weakwe are!
“If your prayers are not intimidatingto you—they just might be insulting to God!”
Mark 9:23we read—“Ifthoucanstbelieve,all thingsarepossibletohim that believeth.”
The problem we have today is that we don't believe God!
Do we not believe God can heal that marriage? Save that soul?
Jesus said in Matthew 9:29—“According to thy faith be it unto you.”
b. because of the approachingdarkness
John 9:4—“Imustworktheworksofhim that sentme,whileitisday:thenightcometh,whenno mancanwork.”
Joshua said “This can’t wait till tomorrow!”
TIME is almost UP…it’s GETTING DARK---and the battle is not yet won!
-loved ones are still lost! Marriages still a mess! Children still astray!
*An artist was teaching some students how to paint…before them was a little barn on a cliff overlooking a beautiful sunset. The teacher moved from canvas to canvas. He stopped by a young man who was having trouble.“I’m having trouble getting the shadow on the shingles on this barn just right,” he said.
The teacher (pointing at the horizon), “Young man, the sun is setting, In a few moments it'll be gone why do you waste your time in the shadows”
Life's evening sun is sinking low, a few more days and I must go
To meet the deeds that I have done ,where there shall be no setting sun.
Mark 10:49 “And Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.” The SON stood still!