Tuesday, May 6, 2014


It is time to cross over . . .
2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. 5 No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; [b]be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may [c]have success wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may [d]be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will [e]have success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

                                                                                                                                                Joshua 1: 2-9
When you follow God’s leading in your life, there will come a day that you look back at all the AWESOME works He has done through and for you over the years.  You may remember the sickness which he healed.  You may remember the financial crisis’s that became stepping stones for financial blessings.  You may remember the fear and the word He gave you which you hung on to for dear life, .  . . . and the faith which He wrought within you through it.  You will smile.  You will cry.  And you just may . . . you just may . . .  You just may want to do what I wanted to do today . . .

Pitch a tent and camp out, not move an inch forward or backwards, and just “veg.”   In other words . . . I just didn’t want to face the new battles and problems facing me, right in front of me.

But it is time to cross over . . .

In the passage God is talking to Joshua, who is now the leader of God’s people going forward.  Behind him is the desert and in front of him is the raging Jordan River.  Behind him are all the miracles he had seen God work through Moses – crossing the Red Sea on dry land– drowning Pharaoh’s army in the Red Sea – sending bread from heaven, water from a stone and birds for meat.  He had seen the pillar of fire at night and the clouds during the day.  WHAT AN AWESOME GOD!!

But now it is a new day.  It is a new challenge.  There are occupied lands where they may have to fight to take ownership of.  And look what he God has given him to work with!   . . . a bunch of?

I cannot say farmers because they have been moving for 40 years . . . I cannot say warriors because they have not had to do much if any fighting . . . I cannot say builders because all of those have died in the desert.  There are also no ship builders – which might have been useful since he was facing crossing the Jordan River.  So what does Joshua have?

He has a people that he is leading that really has only one identifying  characteristic . . . . following God.God gave him nothing but a bunch of followers, who knew nothing BUT to rely on God for everything; to believe God’s word to them, and to act on it.  That is all that they knew how to do.

And that is all that Joshua needed to know, to believe, and to do.

Joshua - It is time to cross over  . . . Arise cross this Jordan!

God’s promise: 

Every place you walk on I HAVE given it to you (notice it is already done according to God!) -- No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life (WOW! You mess with Joshua you are going to fall!) – I will be with you, I will not fail you or forsake you (Remember how I was with Moses? I will be with you! AWESOME . . . “let my people go!” . . . “Behold the arm of the Lord” . . . and the Red Sea parts! – AWESOME GOD!)

Be strong and courageous . . .

God’s promise:

Through you they will take possession of the land

Only be strong and very courageous . . .

God’s promise:

You will have success wherever you go IF you are careful to do all what I told you to do, not turning to the right or the left from doing the God’s law. – You will make your way prosperous and have success IF you will meditate on God’s word day and night, His law so that your heart is so full of Him that His word, His love pours out of you ( “. . . out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Matthew 12:34b).

Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed . . .

God’s promise:

The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

WHENEVER GOD TELLS YOU TO GO SOMEWHERE, DO SOMETHING, HE ALWAYS SUPPORTS HIS PLANS!!

SO . . . .

It’s time to cross over!

You and I can’t camp out on this side of the Jordan, by the desert.  He has so much more for you in the land He has promised!  Arise cross this Jordan!  Stop looking back and stop looking and staring at the problem . . . look to where He is taking you . . . where He is telling you to go . . . It is SO AWESOME a place for your life!  He is with you, will not fail you or leave you!  Be strong and courageous!  You will OWN the promise!  It will be REALIZED!! Only be strong and very courageous! Put God’s word in you!  Read it! Memorize it!  Paste it on your dashboard! On your computer screen saver!  Speak what God says about you and the new place HE is leading you.  Stick to doing ONLY what God says and living ONLY as God says to live! In so doing YOU make your way prosperous and successful!  Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed!  For the Lord YOUR God is with you WHEREVER you go!!!

I know what I got to do . . . .  I am off my butt  . . .

Are you?

Got Word?

Love yah

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