Bible Chapter: Joshua 3 & 4

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    THE day was at hand.  THE day?  Yes.  The day when they would cross the Jordan River and begin their conquest.  The people were told to consecrate themselves to God.  They were to be submissive to God and be pure before Him.  They were to be in a clean and right relationship with God.  The promise was that the Lord would do amazing things.  It would start with how they would miraculously cross the river.  The river was at flood stage.  This was no problem for God.  All it took was for the priests to take a literal step of faith and step in to the river.  When that happened God stopped the flow and provided a dry path across.  Amazing things are no challenge to God.
    The whole nation crossed the river.  Because people so quickly forget, God commanded that they take twelve stones from the river bed and build a memorial.  This is so that future generations would ask about what the stones mean and they would be told of the miracle God gave them. Every new generation must be taught the truths, power and majesty of God.
Joshua 4:23-24 NKJV
23 for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The priests brought the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.  They knew what God had promised.  A critical fact: the water did not stop flowing until the priests stepped in.  They had to actually step in to the river before the river began to back up.  When God directs, we don’t see everything perfectly laid out ahead of time.  There are times when we have to take a literal step of faith and see God provide and intervene.  Having faith to move mountains is one thing.  Stepping out in faith is another.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Believers in Jesus must be people of faith.  We must learn to hear from God and trust God to come through with His supernatural power.  The Lord still does amazing things.  Because the battle is intense against the forces of evil, it is only through God’s power that we will win.