Crossing Jordan (Part C)

What happens between the big events and in life. Preparation I have dreams I sometime not too often anymore back to get a memory no matter what I come up here and I didn't study and I just don't have anything so I start doing hand it's just to see this one look about illegal when I wake up is like a cold sweat suit got me less to somebody my position should just be a casual thing. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville.

Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, and now here's Pastor Ricky Joshua chapter 3 with his continuing study called crossing Jordan sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone you ask your reason for the whole that is in you with meekness and respect similar mission identical with the exception of the physical slaughter that accompanied Joshua the sword of the Spirit, not the sort of the blacksmith. So again these lessons they abound. These books should be very much alive, to a New Testament reader will come of the Old Testament says that literature is just a historical account of what they went through. It is living and powerful. It is the Bible that Jesus used and is the Bible that we use and we have even more because of Jesus. Verse six. Then Joshua spoke to the priest saying take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people, so they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. This take-up that's that's one of the words that jump out at least to me. Maybe you reading it and something else.

Maybe. Maybe you just got through in your devotions, you read that you belong to a royal priesthood, and you come to this verse is a Joshua spoke to the priest is a Jesus spoke to the priest because the name Joshua course means. Jesus knew that wouldn't be fair for the moment. How would I paint a picture of this take-up.

The ark and New Testament language. Take up your armor and take up your cross. That's the New Testament teaching on taking things up that are really big Mark chapter 16 Jesus speaking if anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. We spend our Christian life trying to get to the trying to deny ourselves hateful refrigerators deny yourself is a big thing on ice cream and then this be as simple eat it then you worry about since my strategy so I should get fat, you be happy that I forgot some people find nothing funny about that.

Well, here's another take-up just move along word safe. Ephesians chapter 6 therefore Paul said take off the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, stand, he emphasizes that that section of Scripture. So there you are outside of church and life hits you with whatever it hits us with again could be no critical major you know thing going on just the routine of life. Time to so time to reap again. That's what's meant by the one when Solomon wrote that he wasn't trying to write some beautiful language postal wall on the coffee mug he was saying there are routines in life that make it stupid that's what he means is Manatee.

It's all just vanity ENT burst out with this and the other concluded all except in the light of God and you say Solomon then why did you mess up so much. I had some you try being you try what I have sent you to just flash. Well, we take up the whole armor because that's what it's going to take deny ourselves the effort of doing that is very helpful.

Some have overdone it. Trying to deny themselves to the point of ruin. Look for that graceful balance successfully took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people the importance of being led again is stressed here in God has designed the system.

He appointed the priests of someone from the tribe of Asher or her or gado Naphtali they could not say why can I get to carry the ark today could you not called you not assigned that you have other things that you do. This is for them. And of course many defy this in the church and they take it upon themselves to go against the system can clear teachings were verse seven.

Then Yahweh said to Joshua this day, I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you all of this is initiated by God through people ready to trust in on and abided that's important to the other generation couldn't do this.

God had to wait. He had to wait 38 years after the sentence you not going in 40 in the wilderness. Of course, rounding up with doing the math anyway. The cost for this period of time for out of Egypt to the promised land, 40 years. But God now had a people he could work with what I want to be one of those people so they can be very nice fruit for us to preach Christ and be nice for me to come up into the pulpit make all the points I wanted to make, but I still gotta go outside these walls and live it so it's not just a gig. You know you just go play your instrument and the people clapping and everybody goes home.

When the music leaders Coppin we worship the Lord.

It's not a gig it's not something we do. It is very meaningful and this is one of the great differences of living in the wilderness and now entering into the promised land. Now it's meaningful before it was survival. Now this is meaningful. This is my land, the sole of my forte because this is my cornfield or being feel or whatever is God's given it to me and I have little given along with this gift I have these responsibilities that I have to pursue so it says here this day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel is talking directly to Josh saying to him, you're the leader and the Christian leadership is not supposed to be platform for self-promotion. It is a place of appointment to do God's will. Joshua again born a slave in Egypt and now here he is king in Israel. I know I use the term loosely, but is the leader and his God appointed leader and he did not exalt himself. He never said to Moses. Of these, we have no record of written because it didn't exist Moses you know when your dad can I have your guy take this position from yummy nobody else is falling around doing what I do. Matthew 23 and whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted anybody here, snarky and arrogant and short. The other people who you think you're smarter and better than procedure somehow have it. I mean Afro Saturn lined up with Marlin Dave you were born, so you now the smart little cookie goddesses that home. Chapter 1 Mary speaking is put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly West Barrow.

Here's here's Joshua the slave God certainly has exalted. It is hard to not see ourselves as being number one in some area. We think we should be the best the best dad best mom the best husband will when I got sick of the guys will take notes later on the job anyway. Continuing, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will you evidently this was a concern. Joshua had looked up. See 2 million people have million people. I never seem to have million people at one time.

You can even see that many from space. I mean, this is too far out really good pair of binoculars. I mean he had to look as sick cattle. I get. I was a slave and here I am now this is something must've wrestled with this is why God said don't be afraid. Joshua must've been something Joshua was struggling with as a person, no matter how high you go. You're still a human being. You still struggle with things. Some pastors have miserable congregations are not one of them. Some pastors have congregations that they have to fight tooth and nail to get anything done with the Jews have had that in their history. Ezra, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were told specifically by God will not Ezra but in the book of the Zerubbabel.

I will make your four head stronger than therefore it they do not want to butt heads with you, you will win so nice. Is there another church, active pastor and I'm not trying to win a headbutting contests but sometimes you will have a choice and that is not only in ministry is life. God will make a strong the divine objective here is to magnify Joshua in the sight of the people that as he had been with Moses he would be with Joshua verse eight you shall command the priest to bear the ark of the covenant saying when you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan you shall stand in the Jordan. Jordan is no puddle brown water lake. It's not that great but it's still a river and will kill you very quickly like any other river will in this incidentally is April May end of when the waters are melting up north of Mount Herman snowcapped Mount Herman and coming right down the Jordan towards the Dead Sea. It's going to its overflowing its banks. God's time. He did this he does his top arrangement, and they were going to have to be centered on him if they were going to get across is no poster, no bridges. There was no other way around. Here they were as a priest were to stand in the water of the emblem of standing and obedience to what God had told them to do the will of God in truth withholding. The article that article of the ark, and this of course we can see in this that for experiencing Christ exist for us.

We can be saved under each side of Jordan we can enter into that promise territory.

The richer experience. Verse nine so Joshua said to the children of Israel, here and here words of Yahweh your God, because Jesus is still making this command, Jesus being our Joshua. Joshua and Joshua seen as a prophet speaking is a prophetically verse 10 and Joshua said by this you should know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail, drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the invites the prisoner rights gurney sites the Amorites and the Jebusites.

I always feel like relieving five others out and told will help always at the contest for the mind is always a the mind is a battlefield Satan. In verses the spirit of core, of course the air all of these people had dead God's they were man-made demonic concoctions that men had fallen for versus the living God, and that emphasis is intentional. These people in the land, they were unfit to remain there and they would not go un-judged by God himself. The Jews being the instruments. Of course we live in a world where people are all around us going to face facts about Christ there so against him that the they don't even want him to be right, even if you could prove him right.

And that's not really too much our concern. Our concern is to be led by the spirit and to be ready to preach Christ, to whom the Holy Spirit is already working on verse 11. I don't want you to raise hands, but how many of you pray that God would use you more evangelical to use you more to preach to someone ready to receive Christ.

It is, what will you will be here for verse 11. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into Jordan so every one of us to have million souls will have a clear and personal view of the ark even if it is covered. They know that beneath that covering there is the ark and again I mean even if it were, they wouldn't get so much of a look at the detail that be too far away a minute just kind of wasted thing and we can see it is gold, but none of us can get through to Jesus Christ. Unless we have a personal clear view of him. Verse 12 now therefore take for yourselves. 12 men from the tribes of Israel. One man from every tribe. Now they want to again full coverage that God is interested in all of them. Verse 13 in each with one indicative verse 13 and it shall come to pass as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of the Jordan that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off the waters that come down from upstream and they shall stand as a heat. Of course he's done this before and the people know some of them lived through that some of these in this crowd of people.

They were they were there when God parted the sea they were young, of course, but some of them have seen many others did not. God doesn't do. Needless miracles and when he can use natural means.

He tends to use natural means to accomplish his goals.

But there are, of course, times were he wants to make another point, and it is always on our behalf and here he is going to Forest Park to see you should see I want to talk about all the naysayers and while there was an earthquake and it is somewhat sly came down to so what time did I admit anybody can swing it, a fastball, not anybody has the timing to hit it out of the park God of all of his miracles of gout connected to timing.

We've covered this before so anyway this God is going to roll back the waters. What transpires between big events is what makes us fit for those events. What happens in preparation for battle or whatever being used by God. What happens between not speaking to somebody about Christ and speaking to somebody about Christ. During that time. What's going on is that is that going to disqualify us or is it going to enter energize us from me. My life is the rhythm of my life is dictated by Sunday and Wednesday that dictates my life.

What happens between those two days means everything to me. What about you what happens between the big events and in life preparation. I have dreams I sometime not not too often anymore to get them every now and then.

What I come up here and I didn't study and I just don't have anything so I start doing hand puppets and disc did you see this one look at that illegal but I when I wake up is like a cold sweat.

Was it got me less to somebody my position should just be a casual thing will look at 20 minutes left to get ready.

I'm not boasting, is come, his heart is not easy, and my wife sometimes at the pay for these things. He doesn't know it.

Anyhow, my point and I hope we see it is what happens between the big events this church has had some big events.

What happens in between them. Patient's faith trusting God doing the routine that is demanded by us.

If we are going to be effective for the Lord is good that we worry. What if we lived in an environment where the animals set the pace you have to get up in the morning and do whatever you can to the animals. I don't know the the biggest beast I've ever had is been a German shepherd but I have yet cows and chickens. I would sell them but some of you would have them and and you know you'd worry about the animals dying. You have to take care of them. Like I get my cam is on my eyes that I go to Food Lion and I get myself some meat to hit to the other dentist think I see no if I should learn hunting to really fit all right anyway. Verse 13 and it shall come to pass. What way way is go back to that I could take you to the city and put you in a bad neighborhood, you would know how to survive marking the city folks like that don't almost this just what jungle you used to you have them to you been up on 125th St. that's Harlem New York. Incidentally, and it shall come to pass as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth shall rest in the waters of the Jordan that the war of the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off the waters that come down from upstream and they shall stand in the heat so it was when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people would pause there to say it happened. It took place, incidentally, were not told how long the polls or how thick the polls the girth of the pole was in the Bible that means we don't know how many men were used was it for six or 86 left the two. They knew of course, though those carrying it. But if you doing up. I was single I want to know how many priests are holding this thing in the waters moving out alone for 2 million people in the damp shifts – believes all that out. I I wouldn't be at all surprised and find nothing wrong if that the priest had shifts okay help rollover. These tires look at his knees shaking, that would be the sensible thing again tend to million and a happy and the kids in an animals coming cards and you know people drop things and hold up the whole crowd of the stuff is going on so somebody stopping asked questions for the Jordan overflows it says its banks during the whole time of harvest Apus April May, the harvest season. He's talking about waters coming down runoff from the mountains.

G.

Campbell Morgan says in one of his sermons.

I think I assume Joshua one of the sermon anyway. I do not think you can frighten me with a running river. When I have seen the sea divided.

Another was he saying he go you go to the river and you see overflowing its banks initiate rollbacks I got this word about this at all at this point, and that is so true to try to see ourselves. There this generation grew up at the feet of those who told stories about this happening before.

Now they are living it and they're going to be faithful to it. They had they heard about God's outstretched onto them as a people and what their fathers did in did not do their determined to get it right. Verse 16 that the waters of pause here. We never read about this generation.

Bad mouthing their parents, we never read them saying those losers had their chance is our turn now we know better than they know we never hear honor your mother and father. They took that very seriously. You know that would include include mother-in-law's father-in-law's. I'm just saying we can't cherry pick that verse say, well, do not. My mother told you anywhere €100 alternative think these things through. What is God's intention here. Love is God's intention to get people to work together for 16 that the waters which came down from upstream stood still and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zara 10 so the waters that went down into the sea of our above sulci failed and were cut off, and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. They weren't directly opposite of Jericho, but they would pop on the side of Jericho, less than the meaning in the Hebrew is going in that direction. We don't know where this place Adam is located so close to Sarah. 10 of an idea that is and is not necessary. They knew where they were.

This swath of land that they were crossing at what pace did it take whatever it took.

They moved at the pace of the slowest one verse 17 then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people across completely over Jordan emphasis our lease and reading it the feel of it when I read it is that you stand up to me as the priest standing firm. They had to wait till they got into the waters before the waters were rolled back and sometimes it is our life before God doesn't think we gotta step out into what ever he's assigned us before anything happens and there are many times that there are those that won't step out how many times someone take an application to serve and never fill it out, not rebuking anybody but this a good teachable moment. You've gotta step out, no guts no glory and in in the faith well all Israel crossed over on dry ground, a miracle in a miracle that happens often when Shadrach me shack and Abednego in the furnace. They also did not smell like smoke.

So it was a double benefit to the whole thing. I would've you know.

Knowing the humor of the Jews. One of the mice and it was a known I would've taken some good meat shish kebab until all the people crossed over completely over Jordan, I don't think there's anything to add to that the Jews were given this land there still there again because of God and the lessons about all of these this entering into the land to do this subject all sorts of types you don't get in without Christ named Joshua how Joshua has let us in. It would all be valid. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so, you'll be notified each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. You could also follow the links and cross reference radio.com.

Glad we were able to spend time with you today due to next time to continue learning from the book of Joshua right here on cross reference radio