February 8, 2014 - Saturday

Start Time: 6:27 A.M.

End Time: 7:24 A.M.

Title: Crossing Jordan
Scripture: Joshua 3:1 – 17

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 

NOTES:

Ø God leads us to victory!  God, Himself, walks before us when we go and possess what He has promised.  This is to ensure that we know which way to go.  The passage above says that the people were instructed to move out from their positions and follow the ark of the covenant when they see it so that they will know which way to go because they have never been in the promised land before.  God is saying, “Follow Me, for I know the way to your success!  I know the road towards you achieving my promise!  I know the path to your victory!”  So we are to follow God’s lead for He knows the right way to His promise.  In our lives, we are to do the same when we want to receive His promises.  Just follow Him!

→Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”  Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.   And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

NOTES:

Ø God does amazing things among us!  When we follow Him, He will exalt us in the eyes of everyone so that they will know that God is with us!  God gives favor, love, and pour out His grace to His appointed ones (those who believes and follow Him) because He wants others to know that He is with His people – giving the glory back to God and not to the man who was appointed.  The chosen man may be exalted but remember the purpose is so that people will know that God is with him.  And to do that, God will do amazing things thru Him, which will exalt man in the eyes of others!  Praise God!  Lord let me remember that all glory always is Yours!  And even when men exalts me, remind me always that it is for the purpose that they will know that You are with me!

→Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe.  And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”  So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.  The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

NOTES:

Ø The Lord wants us to know that we have a Living God with us!  He is alive and His works in our lives will reveal His living existence in us.  He will drive away those who currently live in the promise He gave us, meaning He will drive away everything and everyone who will hinder us from getting what HE said we will have!  He is true and alive!  He will do what HE says He will so all we need to do is listen to His words!

Ø When God leads, no obstacle can stand in His way!  When God takes the step, everything and everyone created steps aside and make way for Him!  HE owns the path and all (living or not) make way for Him! This is how powerful God is and how smooth are way towards receiving His promise when we let Him lead us the way to it!  Listen and follow are two things we need to do.  We just need to set our eyes and ears towards Him, so we will see and hear which way He directs us to go and we can go peacefully and securely for nothing and no one can ever go against us because we have God our Lord leading the way and nothing and no one can stand against Him!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, Gracious God, Merciful Father, Loving Lord, Amazing King!  You are my Victory!  Lord thank You that in every battle or challenges in life, I know You are my victory!  You are my win!  When I have You leading me, I know I will end up victorious!  Thank You that You do this not only because You love me, but because victory in me will let others know that You are with me!  Thank You because I know that You have prepared amazing things to do in my life to show everyone Your presence in my life and that You are alive and true.  Lord I pray that every victory and testimonies that come out of my mouth speaks of Your living existence, speaks of Your love, Your grace, Your favor, Your presence…all about You Lord!  Every success and experience I have in life will show Your genuine existence and will lead people to believe and know truly that You are with us!  Holy Spirit, help me to listen and follow You and You alone for You will lead me to Your promise.  Lord remind me that following You allows me to walk on secured and smooth path towards my success despite of the Jordan river I need to cross in my life.  When You leads, the river divides.  When You walk ahead of me in my life, obstacles scatter, my enemies run, challenges and problems make way because they cannot stand against You!  Lord, help me to focus my eyes and ears on You and You alone.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!