the power behind the grace

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

the power behind the grace

Joshua 4:21-24 (JDV)

Joshua 4:21 and he said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’
Joshua 4:22 you should tell your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground’
Joshua 4:23 because Yahveh your God dried up the water of the Jordan in front of you until you had crossed over, just like Yahveh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up in front of us until we had crossed over.
Joshua 4:24 This is so that all the peoples of the land may know that Yahveh’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear Yahveh your God.”

the power behind the grace

Can we really fear a God who rescues people? Yes we can, if we realize the mighty hand behind the rescue. Those stones represented the grace of God in action, and their presence should cause us to fear him — always.

When we come to God in prayer, we should not just criticize and complain. We should respect the power behind the grace.

Lord, forgive us for our casual disrespect. Teach us to respect the power behind your grace.

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miracle memorial

Posted on August 7, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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miracle memorial

Joshua 4:19-20 (JDV)

Joshua 4:19 The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.
Joshua 4:20 Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan,

miracle memorial

It was important to Joshua to follow through after the miracle to make sure the memorial was set up in Gilgal. Future generations needed to know what their parents and ancestors had experienced here.

We need to ensure that our children and descendants have a good record not only of what we believe, but also what we are experiencing. This is a gift to them from their past, and a sign of God at work that they will consider when making their life choices.

Lord, enable us to share our faith with our descendants.

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confidence in the captain

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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confidence in the captain

Joshua 4:10-18 (JDV)

Joshua 4:10 The priests carrying the ark continued standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that Yahveh had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in keeping with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people rushed across,
Joshua 4:11 and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of Yahveh crossed in the sight of the people.
Joshua 4:12 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh went in battle formation in front of the Israelites, like Moses had instructed them.
Joshua 4:13 About forty thousand equipped for war crossed to the plains of Jericho in Yahveh’s presence.
Joshua 4:14 On that day Yahveh exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they revered him throughout his life, like they had revered Moses.
Joshua 4:15 Yahveh told Joshua,
Joshua 4:16 “Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come up from the Jordan.”
Joshua 4:17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.”
Joshua 4:18 When the priests carrying the ark of Yahveh’s covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan, and their feet stepped out on solid ground, the water of the Jordan resumed its course, flowing over all the banks like before.

confidence in the captain

Imagine being an ordinary Israelite on that day. You saw the water in the river cease to flow as soon as the priests set foot in it. You saw a mighty army march through the miraculous riverbed to the other side. You, yourself, passed through, viewing the amazing ark of the covenant as you passed it in the center of the path. Then you heard the command of Capatin Joshua, as he gave word for the priests to come up the rear, and then the water came back.

An event like that stays with you. You learn to respect people whom God uses in such a dramatic way. You learn to trust their judgment.

Lord, bless us with events which give us confidence in those whom you have ordained to lead us.

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when your children ask

Posted on August 5, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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when your children ask

Joshua 4:1-9 (JDV)

Joshua 4:1 This happened when the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan. Yahveh said to Joshua:
Joshua 4:2 “Bring twelve men from the people, one man for each tribe,
Joshua 4:3 and command them: Take twelve stones from this place in the middle of the Jordan where the priests are standing, carry them with you, and set them down at the place where you spend the night.”
Joshua 4:4 So Joshua summoned the twelve men he had secured from the Israelites, one man for each tribe,
Joshua 4:5 and said to them, “Go across to the ark of Yahveh your God in the middle of the Jordan. Each of you lift a stone onto his shoulder, one for each of the Israelite tribes,
Joshua 4:6 so that this will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean to you? ‘
Joshua 4:7 you should tell them, ‘The water of the Jordan was cut off in front of the ark of Yahveh’s covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan’s water was cut off.’ Therefore these stones will always be a memorial for the Israelites.”
Joshua 4:8 The Israelites did just like Joshua had commanded them. The twelve men took stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each of the Israelite tribes, just like Yahveh had told Joshua. They carried them to the camp and set them down there.
Joshua 4:9 Joshua also set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing. The stones are still there today.

when your children ask

This memorial was important because it established a connection between the miracle in the past and the ongoing faith of the Israelites. The future generations would not relive this miracle, but the stones would be a reminder that it had happened. Even the significance of the miracle may be lost in time, but it could be relearned in generations to come because the sign of the event remained.

What signs are you leaving for future generations that God has been at work in your life. It is not too late. Begin leaving breadcrumbs for your children and grandchildren to follow you on your walk. Testify to what he is doing in your life.

LORD, may we leave such evidence of your work in our lives that our descendants know that you have visited us.

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passing the ark

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

passing the ark

Joshua 3:16-17 (JDV)

Joshua 3:16 and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a mass that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah – the Dead Sea – was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho.
Joshua 3:17 The priests carrying the ark of Yahveh’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

passing the ark

Notice what God wanted the priests to do, and how that would challenge the people. First, the priests would have to walk into the water in the shallow overflow area, and the water would respond to this act of faith by stopping its stream, leaving the riverbed dry.

Then, the priests with the ark were to walk all the way to the middle of the riverbed and stop. Then the people were to walk the same path and pass them, following on until they reached the other side. Once all the people had completed the route, the priests could resume. This was another challenge because it entailed passing on after the ark (symbolizing the presence of God) had stopped. Would they have the faith to take the path even when there was no physical evidence of God’s presence?

LORD, give us the courage to follow your prescribed path, and wait on you to manifest your presence when you see fit.

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wet feet

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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wet feet

Joshua 3:14-15 (JDV)

Joshua 3:14 When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.
Joshua 3:15 Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge

wet feet

Since the river was overflowing its banks at the time, it looked to the priests like they were stepping into the river. They had to be willing to act in faith and step on the water to see the miracle take place. Just like Peter, who wanted to walk on water like his master. He had to be willing to jump out of the boat into the water.

God wants to prove himself to us as he did to the Israelites. But someone has to be willing to get a little wet before that will happen.

Lord, tell us where to go. We are willing to get wet feet.

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a miracle for a mission

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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a miracle for a mission

Joshua 3:9-13 (JDV)

Joshua 3:9 Then Joshua told the Israelites, “Come closer and listen to the words of Yahveh your God.”
Joshua 3:10 He said: “You will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hethites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites
Joshua 3:11 when the ark of the covenant of Yahveh of the whole land goes ahead of you into the Jordan.
Joshua 3:12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.
Joshua 3:13 When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of Yahveh, Yahveh of the whole land, come to rest in the Jordan’s water, its water will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand up in a mass.”

a miracle for a mission

The purpose of this miracle is important. It was not a miracle of deliverance. Many of us need that, but that was not the crucial need for the Israelites at this time. They had already been delivered from Egypt, and they would not be in battle as soon as they crossed the river. No, the purpose of this miracle was to assure the Israelites that the living God was among them. They needed courage and the assurance of protection. They needed motivation for the mission that God was calling them to accomplish.

If we are not going anywhere, and don’t intend to do any thing, then we will probably see no miracle. So, the best way to ensure the miraculous in our lives is to get aligned with God’s purposes for them.

Lord, set our feet on the path of your mission, and give us the encouragement we need to accomplish that mission.

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the commander’s commander

Posted on August 1, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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the commander’s commander

Joshua 3:7-8 (JDV)

Joshua 3:7 Yahveh spoke to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just like I was with Moses.
Joshua 3:8 Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: When you reach the edge of the water, stand in the Jordan.”

the commander’s commander

Joshua was learning about the role of a leader who wants to follow God. The LORD told Joshua that the people would know that God was with him because God was going to verify the relationship miraculously. We should expect the same thing if we are leading people to follow God. But we cannot just say what comes into our minds. We have to first get our commands from our commander, and then pass them on.

Lord, thank you for being the commander’s commander.

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following the ark

Posted on July 31, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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following the ark

Joshua 3:6 (JDV)

Joshua 3:6 Then he said to the priests, “Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.

following the ark

If the ark of the covenant had to go ahead of the people, even when they were walking in his will, that tells us something about how much God values our seeking his guidance for every day. He does not just want our allegiance to traditions that honor him, he wants us to follow him. His covenant is only as good as his presence. Should God decide not to go with us, it would not matter which direction we went. Every step would be away from him.

Lord, we seek your presence and guidance, every day.

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not too close

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

not too close

Joshua 3:3-5 (JDV)

Joshua 3:3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahveh your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.
Joshua 3:4 But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to walk, because you haven’t traveled this way before.”
Joshua 3:5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because Yahveh will do miracles among you tomorrow.”

not too close

The ark was to guide the Israelites so that they could accomplish the mission. But there was the danger of their becoming distracted and narrowly focused by the ark, so Joshua encouraged them to not follow it too closely.

There are elements of religion which have a purpose, and are important, but which can also become means to prevent us from accomplishing our mission. Traditions and pet doctrines can do this. They may not be wrong in themselves, but we have to make sure that we don’t allow them to obscure our vision from the path to our mission — the mission of the whole congregation.

Lord, help us to pursue your mission without becoming distracted, even by good things.

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