Getting Our Feet Wet

GETTING OUR FEET WET

REQUIRES SPIRITUAL PREPARATION.

Joshua 3:1-17.

1. IN SPIRITUAL PREPARATION WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT IS BIGGER OUR OBSTACLES OR OUR VIEW OF GOD.

Principle #1. Obstacles show us where we have placed our faith.

Principle # 2. Obstacles show us whether we are willing to stay the course.

Principle #3. Obstacles are often used by the Lord to get us out of living in a rut.

Principle #4. Obstacles are used by the Lord to bring us to the end of our own resources.

2. THERE IS ALWAYS PREPARATION TO STEP INTO THE WATER.

Principle #A. Stepping into the water requires that we follow the Lord into a deeper life

Joshua 3:3b. "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it.

A. By not reading the word of God.

B. By not praying.

C. By not attending the regular schedule service like the Morning Worship and mid-week Bible study.

D. By not accepting the Lord will and plan for one life.

Principle B. Stepping into the water may require a change in our direction.

Joshua Verse 4b. That you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.

Principle C. Stepping into the water require that I live and walk a consecrated life.

Joshua 3:5. Then Joshua said to the people, consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you."

Principle D. Stepping into the water requires that we step out in faith.

GETTING OUR FEET WET

REQUIRES SPIRITUAL PREPARATION.

Joshua 3:1-17.

I suppose that most of us here could tell a story about trying to find a place that you have never been before. Sometimes when we are trying to find a certain place, we may think that we didn’t need detail direction. Some of us may think that all we need to know is where we are going. I think one of the hardest aspects of being married is that most men operated with the old pioneer spirit where as most wives seem to feel that we should have a set of detail directions. I often wonder if when we are travelling that for a man he got to see what is over the next hill, even though it may or may not be in the direction he is suppose to be going.

I have often wondered why the good Lord didn’t just solve this problem by giving wives the same adventurous spirit that their husbands have. It is amazing how many times we try to find our own way when a phone call or asking a question would sure make the whole trip a lot simpler. I know that at times I am probably the worst offender when it come to going someplace and thinking that somehow I will instantly be able to find the place. I got to thinking what would our spiritual lives be like if we applied this same principle to our lives? What kind of spiritual life would we have if we never ask the Lord for directions in our spiritual walk. Well that is what this chapter is about. I see this chapter as the Lord saying to his children that it is time to get our feet wet. In the first chapters of Joshua we have look at the Lord calling the people of God to get moving. I see the Lord saying to the church today that the promise land is across the river. I shared with you that we each are required to cross our own Jordan in order to get to the promise land. In chapter two we looked at the main ingredient, that we live by faith in Jesus Christ. As we look at chapter three I want you to notice that there is a process here for the people of the God that the Lord has provided for us if we are going to step into the River.

The 19th century Danish religious philosopher Soren Kierkegard, tells a story about a town where only ducks live. Every Sunday the ducks would get up leave their homes and head down Main Street to their church. They entered the sanctuary and sat in their proper pews. Then the duck choir comes in and takes its place, and then the duck minister comes forward and opens the duck Bible. He reads to the Ducks! God has given you wings! With wings you can fly! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles. No walls can confine you! No fence can hold you! You have wings. God has given you wings and you can fly like birds. All the ducks shouted AMEN and everyone went home to do the same thing over again next week.