Good morning all! Father, we know that You alone provide to DOOR to every opportunity. Your plans can not be thwarted, Your plans can not change and Your plans can not fail. Thank You Lord for making a way when we didn’t see a way and for opening the eyes of our understanding to live in Your truth, Amen. Isn’t that the million dollar question? How do we get in?

Joshua 4

Jos 4:4 KJV – Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
Looks like Joshua (the Christ like one) CALLED 12 folks who were prepared…sounds like disciples to me, and he included every tribe…sounds like all.

Jos 4:5 KJV – And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
And every man from every tribe had to PASS over before the ARK of the Lord and walk through the Jordan carrying a BIG stone on their shoulder.

Jos 4:6 KJV – That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
Let this be an example for you, so when you’re children ask in the days ahead, why did you carry those big stones across the Jordan?

Jos 4:7 KJV – Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel forever.
This is what you’ll tell them, the waters from the Jordan stopped flowing at the presence of the ARK so we PASSED over with the stones and made a reminder for our children forever.

Bottom line

Let me try and set up the picture here this morning. Israel has been wandering in the wilderness for the last 40 years looking for the promise land, getting into trouble with God left and right, fighting with the other nations, fighting with each other and here they are…right at the water’s edge of the Jordan river. Isn’t that the way life  works? You’re ready to be done with all this and it would appear there’s another obstacle. This is pretty significant, the crossing of the Jordan. Some would say it’s a picture of us leaving one life and entering into another one, not literally but certainly spiritually. Two things that are significant here; first one man from each of the 12 tribes had to carry a large rock across the Jordan…weird, right? Perhaps naturally speaking but what if we really did PASS over and entered and different realm? Like maybe a life of faith?

Gal 6:2 CSB – Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. What if it’s a picture of you and I carrying the burdens of others so they too can PASS over the Jordan? What if we didn’t help them, would they be able to get into the promise land? What if it’s not an actual place but instead a life lived by the promise of faith?

Gal 3:22 KJV – But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. There is NO promise land without faith, the purpose of carrying each other’s burden is the fulfil the law of Christ, said another way the promise of Christ. If God declares it’s a law or a promise, what’s the difference? He doesn’t break either one. Now, in order to PASS over you do have to stop the Jordan river from flowing otherwise you can’t PASS over, right? You try and carry a boulder on your shoulder and swim across the Jordan…you probably gonna sink, just like the stone. So, how do you stop a raging river? The presence of the ARK stopped it.

Exo 26:34 KJV – And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place. Mercy is the only thing that will stop that raging river and allow you to carry someone else’s burden so they might PASS over, that’s called our testimony. Okay, so let’s put that in practical terms for today. Pro 19:11 KJV – The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression. You want in the promise land? Don’t get angry instead PASS over a transgression. You have to let mercy stop the flow and let go of the transgression, offense, hurt, sin, use whichever one stops you from fulfilling the law of Christ.

Point to Ponder

Did you PASS over? Exo 12:11 KJV – And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’S passover. Gird the loins of our mind with truth, our feet should live this life in peace with all and the word of God the only thing that hold us up and hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God…now you can PASS over.

Let’s all get in to the promise land, In Him Phil

Faith – Family – Friends