COMMUNICATING WELL
Suggested Reading: Joshua 3-4
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
Just east of Jericho, looking across the Jordan River into the country of Jordan, you can see a church that commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. This is also the area where the Children of Israel crossed into the Promised Land.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Joshua 4:24
…that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.
God has often intervened in human history to use so-called “acts of God” to accomplish His purposes. In the case of the Jordan River being dammed up at Adam (there is a bridge here today called “The Adam Bridge”), God may have used an earthquake. In 1927 there was a quake in this very area. A 150-foot rise on the West Bank was dislodged, completely blocking the flow of the Jordan River into the Dead Sea for 21 hours.
The leadership of Joshua, born a slave in Egypt, was not questioned from this time forward. Moses, raised in Pharaoh’s palace, saw the potential of Joshua and mentored him well. The written Word and the verbal telling of God’s stories, along with the pile of stones, succeeded in keeping the people faithful for at least one generation. Let us remember that we must creatively renew our means of communicating God’s message in every generation.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, please enable me to communicate well to those for whom I am directly responsible. May I be faithful to point as many people as possible to You by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
As a boy, I would often look at the photo album from my parents’ honeymoon in 1924 in what was then known as Palestine. They were in old-fashioned bathing suits swimming in the Jordan (see photo below) at approximately the place where the Children of Israel crossed over. I’ve visited that place several times. As a great-grandfather of 13, a grandfather of 16, and a father of 4, I must do everything I can do to remind those whose lives I can influence of the faithfulness of God in the past, present, and future.
Yours for communicating our God stories to the next generations,
David
P.S. Below is a fragment of the Dead Sea Scrolls from the book of Joshua. For more about the Dead Sea Scrolls, click here. The second photo below is
Found among the Dead Sea Scrolls were fragments, like the one pictured here, which retold various stories from the book of Joshua.
My parents on their honeymoon in 1924, bathing in the Jordan River.
Wonderful scripture, message, prayer and photos, dear David. Wishing you and Norma-Jean, a very good day! Thank you dearest saints for your prayers; starting to feel a bit better. Wishing all, a blessed day.
Please pray for my dear friend, Sue, who has an echocardiogram test, this morning. We pray the valve has been repaired and totally healed by the precious sealing blood of Jesus, and that she will not require open heart surgery. She is an anointed faithful child of God who lives to serve You, Lord.
Please pray for Dr. Jay Rawlings of Israel Vision in Jerusalem who has a weakened heart and faces a month of complete bed rest. Pray for God’s healing touch and Holy Spirit anointing of his heart, that it be completely renewed. Give Ray, his wife Meridel and their family, strength and comfort so their work continues to glorify You, Lord.
You are the great Jehovah Rapha. In Exodus 15:26, our God declares, “I am Jehovah, who heals you.” You are the rock on which we stand. Psalm 18:2 says, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” We sing praise to You, our Holy King. You are everything and we will adore You! We trust in You! Yes, we trust in You!
For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
Psalm 33:4 NIV
Healer, Kari Jobe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzejd6r9DwE
Amen, Lord hear our prayer!!!
Thank you Pastor David, I so enjoy reading the Words and then your comments. Your mom and dad look lovely in their modest bathing suits. It is very interesting that they were at the same spot as Joshua and the Israelites crossed.
You have a wonderful heritage and you have carried it on beautifully.
I am feeling quite a bit better and go for my 2nd therapy this morning. I am still wobbly but don’t get the nausea so much now. Thanks for all the prayers. I am continuing to pray for complete health for you Pastor David . Blessings to all. Eleanor M.
Fascinating photographs!
May we all pray for the ceremony in Washington today, and that we would continually pray for the President and leadership of America and our Prime Minister and our leadership as well!
Amen.
Yes Amen David we need to pass on our God stories to the next generations and you are doing it well. Thank you for the scripture, prayer, stories and photos. Brings back memories of our trip to Israel in 2015 and the baptism that took place and I felt a touch of the Lord when I stepped into the Jordan. Glad you are feeling better Beverlee and will pray for Sue, Dr. Jay Rawlings as well as you David. God bless you, Norma Jean and all the family. Ger
Thank you Pastor David for your teachings. I enjoyed learning more about the Dead Sea Scrolls from the link you provided. Astonishing.
Pastor Samuel, my copy of Pebbles from the Brink by M. C. Pritchard, finally arrived, today, which I am delving into for the afternoon. It comes at a time when I have really just started grieving for my mother. Monday was the first day my tears began to flow for her. The timing of this book is right on. Thank You, God!
What a precious memory, the photo of your Mom and Dad, Pastor David. Thank you for sharing. Your comments and stories shared with your children and their children are special, as too they are to us through this blog. May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to heal and restore you to complete health.
What a miracle takes place in this scripture, as the Lord leads Joshua and His people into the promised land, in His miraculous way.
As with the stones for a memorial…The Word of God has been given to us not only as The Way to Life, but also as a memorial. Praise God for The Dead Sea Scrolls: What a miracle, the find, and what a memorial and treasure!!! Affirming the that the Bible is the Word of God!! And He is Alive!!! The One and True God!!!
Amen!
Amen Irene So true….R….
PTL I find it so humbling to see your parents in the Jordan river where the Children of Israel had crossed; what a wonderful meaningful picture;
water has a powerful meaning; I swim alot and always think about my baptism and that of Jesus also! Water is healing; powerful; calming;cooling; makes a way when there is none; we could not live without water!
Yes let us also pray for the President of the USA, Mr. Donald Trump; pray for Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada; all the leaders of other countries, let us pray for the Holy Spirit to lead all our leaders to the knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour! Nothing is impossible with God for those who believe!
I am realizing that while we pray for the Lord God to speak to all these leaders; we realize that we must be totally dependent on God to bring about Godly change and Godly guidance and Godly wisdom for each of the leaders in our world.
I pray for all Christians to forgive one another where forgiveness is needed; this may take time; to come together with our friends and neighbours and family and love one another unconditionally……in Jesus Name we PRAY amen