Following Instructions (Joshua Study Post 9)

Following Instructions

Read Joshua 3:1-6

I am filled with anticipation as we begin chapter 3!! The Israelites are so close to finally going into the Promised Land....I can only imagine the excitement they felt as they camped on the very banks of the River Jordan for 3 days. The very river that stood between them and their PROMISE...

What I want to talk about tonight is the instructions that Joshua gives to the Israelites as to how they are to cross into their land. We can probably safely say that by this point they were sitting on ready...they more than likely didn't sleep the night before b/c they were SO excited because they knew that this promise that they had been waiting soooo long for was about to be fulfilled. They would probably have just took off running towards their promise just because they were so ready to receive it after all this time!! Or, they could have let a little fear creep back in. They knew they were supposed to be crossing this river, but for the last 3 days they have looked at the waters as they flowed. they have noticed, over and over, the size of the river. I can't say for sure how they were feeling...But once again, there is a seemingly impossible task blocking their way. However; Joshua asks them to be patient...be obedient....be faithful....once again. He asks them to follow a specific set of instructions. Instructions that initially sound insignificant. But we know better than that by now! ;)

Let's take a look at the instructions he gave them;
First, Joshua tells them
3“When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, move out from your positions and follow them. 

Joshua didn't send his strongest warriors first. He didn't tell all of the strongest warriors to take the front line...Joshua realized that this battle was a spiritual one and not a physical one. He realized that the priests that carried the Ark of the Covenant, which was the visible representation of God's presence among the Israelites, had to be their fist line of defense.

So many times we want to attempt to fight our battles ourselves. We think "we got it". We think we know what is best. Only to find out that we are completely wrong. Then, when all else fails, we decide to give God a go at it. All the while we are fighting with our own strength, God is just waiting for us to let Him go before us and fight our battle for us! (and we're only on the 1st instruction!! :) )

Second, Joshua instructs them to
4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don’t come any closer.”

Joshua instructs them of this for 2 reasons. In order to respect the holy nature of the Ark. And also so that everyone had a clear view of the Ark...So they could keep their eyes on the presence of God. They presence of God was leading them. How much more victorious could our lives be if we let the presence of God lead our every decision?

And Lastly,Joshua tell them,
And Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

"Sanctify....... (Consecrate, Purify, Cleanse, make yourselves holy) for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."....The Israelites were a l m o s t ready to enter into the promise God had for them...but there was just one more thing to do. God needed to get them prepared spiritually. He needed them to purify their minds and hearts completely so that they were ready to receive ALL He had for them!

Couldn't it be that God is saying the same thing to his us today?
Sanctify yourselves.
Purify yourselves.
Consecrate yourselves
for tomorrow I will do wonders among you!!

I believe that God has got a new level for our lives to go to.
He’s got bigger authority for us to realize.
He's got more work for us to do!
He's got more friends for us to share our story with!
He’s wants to enlarge our vision, enlarge our purpose.....
But first, before these wonders will come, he says  “Sanctify yourself.”
The word, Sanctify means the process of becoming pure and holy, just as God is pure and Holy.
Cindy Jacobs says that “Sanctification is a process in which you become more Christ like."
In a nutshell, It means you make clear decisions in your life.
It's all about making a decision to not let sin have a say in your life any longer.
You make a choice that you will not sin.
You make a choice that if you are addicted that you will get help.
You make a choice to not entertain temptation.

I believe that God uses this story to make it clear that; a) we all need instruction. Just as the Israelites needed instruction before crossing the Jordan. b) that sometimes all that's left to do is surrender our life completely to Him in order to walk into our promise. All that may be left to do if you are still waiting on your promise, is for you to surrender to God's instruction for your to sanctify yourself!

Joshua Study Post 2

Equipped through Experience....
Read Joshua 1:2

We didn't get very far into the text yesterday and we aren't going to get very far today... :) I promise we'll move along more quickly after the first week!Just  lots speaking to me here in the beginning!

So, we read in verse 2 that God chose and called (literally) Joshua to become the next leader of the Hebrew people. This wasn't unexpected nor was Joshua unprepared for it. The people were aware, they knew that Joshua would be their new leader (Num 27:18-19) Even so, I have to believe that Joshua may have been a little intimidated. We are talking a group of possibly close to 2 million people here!! I'm sure Joshua spent quite a bit of time wondering how he was going to manage as a leader. If Joshua is like us (though not a woman :) lol) he may have battled some insecurity with being prepared for what lay before him. That's what I want to talk about today. If we look back in the history of Joshua's ministry to Moses, we see that all along, throughout his life experiences, God was preparing Joshua for his role as leader to the Hebrew people. He had life experience in battle,        (Ex 17:8-13), He had life experience meeting with God (Ex 33:7-11), He had life experience in being persecuted for his faith (Num 14:6-9)...All of these things that Joshua went through, while not always ideal or comfortable, were necessary. They were necessary to equip him for the role that he would fill in the future. God was preparing him all along for a greater purpose. His pain, his persecution were all for a greater purpose!

I'm convinced that God still does this in our lives today. I believe that He is preparing each and every one of us, just as He did Joshua, for a greater purpose. The trials we live through. The circumstances we face. The hurt we endure...He can use it all! I ask you...think back over your life. Think about the things that you have been through. Good and bad. Now look at where you are today. Can you see how God was preparing you? Can you see His fingerprints on those things? Maybe not. Maybe you are not where you are purposed to be yet....maybe you are in the middle of a Joshua "life experience". If so, try to look at it with this perspective. Instead of a trial...consider it training.

Lord, I ask you to bless each and every woman in this study group. I ask that You surround them with Your love and Your grace. God, help all of us to be like Joshua when we are faced with the trials of this life. Don't let us be like the Israelites who are so quick to give up and walk out on the promises that we have in You. In every circumstance help us to consider the purpose and not focus on the pain. Hlelp us, through this study, learn to live a life without fear in You! I love you, Lord! Amen (So be it!)

Joshua Study Post 1

A Fresh Start...

Read Joshua 1:1-2

This book starts out with a sad event...Moses, the servant of the Lord, is dead. After he leads the Israelites to the borders, his work was done. Joshua, the servant of the servant of the Lord, was called upon to step up and take his masters place. Now, just go with me for a moment...Just reading and studying out the text it's very apparent that Moses and Joshua had a very close relationship through their time together. Although Moses was appointed by God to deliver His people from slavery, he understood early on that Joshua would be the one to lead them into freedom. (Duet 3:27) Moses took Joshua everywhere with him. Protected him (Ex 27:9-14), corrected him (Num 11:26-30) and introduced him to the intimate relationship with God (Ex 33:11).....Now, I say all that to say this; Joshua is grieving the loss of his mentor and friend when God speaks to him..."Moses, my servant is dead"....Why do you think God starts out this way? I mean, Joshua has just spent 30 days weeping for the loss of his friend..surely he has not forgotten that he is dead! Do you think that, maybe, God is just reminding Joshua of the facts so that he can accept them? Maybe Joshua is like us...we need to be reminded at times to move forward. We sometimes need someone to look us in the face and say "It's over", "It's the end", "It's gone"....not to hurt us or cause us despair, but to cause us assurance! To help us realize that we must get up and get a fresh start.Through Moses' death the Israelites and Joshua got a fresh start. Now they can move into the promised land. Have there been times in your life that death has brought about new life? For instance the death of a habit bringing out new possibilities....or the death of a plan you have for your own life bringing out a new vision for God's better plan?

What things might you need to die to in order to bring new life to your life so that you can move into your promised land?

What do you think? Thoughts to add....insight?