The Message of the Lord to Joshua (Josh. 3:7-8)

8/14/2009 8:41 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                              Focus: The message of the Lord to Joshua

Bible Reading & Meditation               Reference:  Joshua 3:7-8

            Message of the verses:  “7 ¶  Now the LORD said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. 8  ‘You shall, moreover, command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’”

             When God used Moses to dry up the Red Sea as Israel was leaving Egypt Moses became very important to the children of Israel, for this miracle from God authenticated Moses’ individual standing before the children of Israel.  In the same way the miracle of crossing the Jordan River on dry ground will also bring stature to Joshua and the people will understand that he has authority from the Lord to do the job of leading these people of Israel.  As Warren Wiersbe points out in “Be Strong” “It takes both authority and stature to exercise effective leadership.”  Now Joshua has them both and will lead the children of Israel into battle and into victory over the people who were living in the Promised Land at this time.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  God provided exactly what was needed for Joshua to do the job that he needed to do for the Lord and in the same way God will provided for me what is needed to do what He has for me to do for His glory.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service.
2. Trust the Lord to guide my path today.
3. Trust that the Holy Spirit will search my heart of unconfessed sin so that I might confess them to the Lord.
4. Continue to learn contentment.
5. Put on the spiritual armor of God:  The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit.

Scripture verses that relate to these steps of faith:

1. Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
2. 5  Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
3. 23  Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24  And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.
4. 11  Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
5. 14  Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15  and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16  in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17  And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

8/14/2009 9:20 AM