"Arise - Go Forward"

Standing at the threshold of a new year, we're confronted with a powerful truth from Joshua chapter 1: we cannot move forward into what God has promised while lingering in what God has already closed. This message explores the pivotal moment when Israel stood at Jordan's edge, caught between the familiar wilderness and the promised land. God's command to Joshua was clear and urgent: 'Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan.' The word 'now' becomes the hinge on which everything turns—not when we feel ready, not when circumstances align perfectly, but now. We discover that honoring our past doesn't mean living in it. Many of us remain stuck not because God hasn't spoken, but because standing still feels safer than stepping out. The land was promised, but it required participation—every place the sole of their feet would tread upon was theirs, but they had to walk where they wanted to dwell. This challenges us to examine our own lives: Are we camping out at yesterday's encounter with God instead of pursuing Him today? If there's ever been a moment we were closer to God than right now, we're backslidden. God doesn't bless good intentions; He blesses obedience. The call is corporate too—this isn't just an individual journey but a collective movement forward as the body of Christ. What decision will we make on this first Sunday of a new year?