Joshua 3:15-17 "And as they that bare
the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark
were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all
the time of harvest,) (16) That the waters which came down from
above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is
beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the
salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against
Jericho. (17) And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of
the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the
Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean
over Jordan."
We used these same passages yesterday, but today we show a continuation in the steps of obedience unto the Lord. We began this process with practicing the art of listening to the Lord. Then we saw the people removed themselves from their tents. As we would say today, they got out of their comfort zone. Then they followed their appointed Captain Joshua to the Jordan River.
We are told something about the river at the time in which the people arrived. At harvest time, the river overflows. It was not a lazy flowing river that would be easy to ford; rather it was overflowed out of its banks. If you have seen a flood river, there are a couple things that happen. One, it becomes much larger in size. The people must have looked at the river as an impossibility to cross on their own. Then it becomes a raging flowing river. There is much power behind the waters of a swollen river. To look at the river through natural eyes would make it appear as an impossible task. Therefore we see the necessity of listening to the instructions of the Lord rather than coming to a conclusion based on human logic. The Lord had said, "I'm giving you the land on the other side of Jordan." They had to cross in order to receive the land.
A supernatural thing happened as soon as the feet of the priests touched the waters. The waters stood upon a heap. There was an invisible dam that caused the waters to stop above where the people would cross. That is beyond our ability to comprehend in itself, but that was not the only miracle that took place in that instant. We read, "the Israelites passed over on dry ground." They went across on dry ground. I can tell you that is a miracle in itself. I grew up in East Tennessee around the TVA lakes. Each winter, they lower the level of the water in those lakes to allow for the winter rains and to try to prevent flooding. The ground where the water had been does not dry out during the winter. If you go in the early Spring and try to step onto the mud where the water had been, you will sink to your ankles. But as soon as the waters stood on a heap for the people of Israel, the ground was dry. Only the Lord could cause this to happen.
What does all this have to do with us today? When the Lord speaks to our hearts concerning a matter, you can be assured that He stays ahead of you and with each step you make, He already has prepared the next step for you. We can make progress in our daily Christian walk only by learning to listen, getting out of our comfort zone, taking the first step, and continuing in faith, trusting the Lord to open the way for us to follow Him. One of the names of Jesus is revealed to us in the book of Revelation, chapter 19: His name is "Faithful and True." You can trust Him!
We used these same passages yesterday, but today we show a continuation in the steps of obedience unto the Lord. We began this process with practicing the art of listening to the Lord. Then we saw the people removed themselves from their tents. As we would say today, they got out of their comfort zone. Then they followed their appointed Captain Joshua to the Jordan River.
We are told something about the river at the time in which the people arrived. At harvest time, the river overflows. It was not a lazy flowing river that would be easy to ford; rather it was overflowed out of its banks. If you have seen a flood river, there are a couple things that happen. One, it becomes much larger in size. The people must have looked at the river as an impossibility to cross on their own. Then it becomes a raging flowing river. There is much power behind the waters of a swollen river. To look at the river through natural eyes would make it appear as an impossible task. Therefore we see the necessity of listening to the instructions of the Lord rather than coming to a conclusion based on human logic. The Lord had said, "I'm giving you the land on the other side of Jordan." They had to cross in order to receive the land.
A supernatural thing happened as soon as the feet of the priests touched the waters. The waters stood upon a heap. There was an invisible dam that caused the waters to stop above where the people would cross. That is beyond our ability to comprehend in itself, but that was not the only miracle that took place in that instant. We read, "the Israelites passed over on dry ground." They went across on dry ground. I can tell you that is a miracle in itself. I grew up in East Tennessee around the TVA lakes. Each winter, they lower the level of the water in those lakes to allow for the winter rains and to try to prevent flooding. The ground where the water had been does not dry out during the winter. If you go in the early Spring and try to step onto the mud where the water had been, you will sink to your ankles. But as soon as the waters stood on a heap for the people of Israel, the ground was dry. Only the Lord could cause this to happen.
What does all this have to do with us today? When the Lord speaks to our hearts concerning a matter, you can be assured that He stays ahead of you and with each step you make, He already has prepared the next step for you. We can make progress in our daily Christian walk only by learning to listen, getting out of our comfort zone, taking the first step, and continuing in faith, trusting the Lord to open the way for us to follow Him. One of the names of Jesus is revealed to us in the book of Revelation, chapter 19: His name is "Faithful and True." You can trust Him!