The Litmus Test

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Job 32:8  But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. 

Belief, faith, and trust are choices. Every person has a standard by which they judge and accept truth. For some, proof must come wrapped in science while others are driven by and even willing to fight over their opinions, still others base their beliefs on the experiences they’ve had in life.

We all have qualifying factors by which we judge truth.

I personally think the worst standard people often use to judge truth is that of suspicion. The devil is so adept at creating suspicion. In fact, suspicion was the very thing he used to deceive Eve in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3 gives a detailed account of satan in the form of a serpent planting a seed of suspicion in Eve’s mind concerning God. 

What is your litmus test for truth? 

If the most compelling argument, the most recent review, the latest trend, social issues, political polls or published research makes it true for you … then I bet you own more than one vacuum cleaner, or maybe an abundance of health care products you no longer use, or perhaps a few pieces of cookware that eggs now stick to. Lol 

Smooth talking sales pitches move the world. 

Marketing is a trillion-dollar business in America. Not every consumer is a victim of deceptive advertising. But, if you require proof in the form of scientific research before you believe, get ready … google will listen to your conversations and find just the right You Tube video with loads of evidence in support of your suspicions, whatever they may be. There is evidence it will heal you and evidence it will kill you … take the shot or don’t take the shot??? 

Smooth talking sneaky snakes are aiming to change what you believe about everything from butter to Islam, and they are good at it. The devils of today have learned to present themselves as intelligent, sophisticated, highly educated, very successful and well-groomed authorities on the ideas they wish to promote. And somebody somewhere is getting rich. 

Arguments can however be sincere without being right. Again … The aim of the devil is to influence what you believe. What influences you? What motivates you to believe one voice above another? 

We all make a decision to accept the truth we choose to follow. Whether we are moved by an outside source of information or an inner witness. Something moves us to decide. What does it take to make you believe?  

Today we are going to take our text from the sixth book of the Old Testament, the book of Joshua. I will be reading from chapter one.  

Joshua 1  NKJV 

1 ¶  After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 

2  “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them — the children of Israel. 

3  “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 

4  “From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and 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; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 

6  “Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 

7  “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 

8  “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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 of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” 

The first thing we see here, in the life of Joshua, was that Joshua believed God was speaking to him. When a person believes God is speaking to them, a certain undeniable boldness takes root.  

Here are 3 truths I gleaned from our text this morning. Again – trusting the promises of God is a choice. 

• 1. There is a “Due Time!” 
  
• a. We need to know when it is our time and our turn. 
  
• b. Like Joshua … the disciples … Moses … Esther … Mary etc. 
  
• c. There is a time for everything, and we need to understand the time and our current season of life. (Ecclesiastes 3:1) 
  
• d. The Bible says if we humble ourselves in the sight of God, He will exalt us in due time. There is a “due time.” (1 Peter 5:6) 
  
• e. Like David –  
  
• i. There was a time when he was a shepherd. He worked hard to be a good shepherd. 
  
• ii. There was a time when he was an errand boy. He needed to be a good errand boy. 
  
• iii. There was a time when he was a musician … then a soldier … he humbled himself and was a good soldier. 
  
• iv. There was a time when he was a captain of the armies of Israel. He served King Saul with his whole heart. 
  
• v. There was a time when David was the king of Judah only. For 7 years he was a good king of Judah before all Israel accepted him, and God promoted him to be Israel’s king. 
  
• vi. David knew when it was not his time, and he knew when it was his time. How? Because God spoke to him both by God’s word and by God’s Spirit. (The Book of Psalms) 

If it is your time or your turn to be a hamburger flipper at McDonalds, be the best hamburger flipper McDonalds has ever had. It will prepare you and position you and qualify you for promotions from both God and man. 

Know your time and know your turn. 

Joshua served Moses until it was his turn. He wasn’t any smarter in Joshua 1 as he was in Deuteronomy 34 … it was just his time and his turn.

 There is a “due time.” 

• 2. Embrace the promises and the plan of God for your life. 
  
• a. Remember the prophecies which have gone on before you that by them you might war a good warfare. (1 Timothy 1:18) 
  
• b. “Every place on which your foot shall tread, I have given you for an inheritance.” 
  
• c. “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. 
  
• d. Lay claim to the promises of God. Stand on the promises … 
  
• 3. The promises of God are conditional. 
  
• a. Joshua’s promise from God was contingent on him being strong and courageous. 
  
• b. He could not be dismayed or quit. 
  
• c. In order to be successful and prosper in the work and will of God, Joshua was going to have to learn and meditate on the scriptures God gave to Moses … the Bible. 
  

The Holy Spirit will take the promises of God and override the subtle lies and smooth deceptions the devil tries to prove. God uses the anointing of the Holy Spirit that is inherent on the Word of God to cleanse our hearts and minds when we choose to believe. 

John 17:17 “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 

Remember, belief, faith, and trust are choices. Romans 4 says that Abraham chose to believe God – he persuaded himself to trust God above his knowledge, above his experiences, and above what others believed. We continue this day to live as beneficiaries of the choice Abraham made to believe God and take Him at His word. 

You do not have to fall victim to every sneaky snake selling their brand of truth. Make a decision and take a stand. 

What you believe and your source of truth is a choice … choose wisely. Make the Bible your most trusted litmus test!