By Pastor William Y. K. Brown Ph.D
(Resident Pastor)
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Osu-Bethel.
Tel: 0244165628/0243310773.
wykbrown@gmail.com
FRIDAY
THEME: THE LIVING GOD WILL EXALT YOU“
SCRIPTURE: Joshua 3:7
“And the Lord 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.”
REFLECTIONS
Sometimes, we wonder how close God is to us, especially during trying times. So you may know that He is God, immutable, and ever-living, you need to draw closer and walk with Him and allow Him to lead you. Solomon’s admonition in Proverbs 3:5-6 is very instructive: “[5]Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; [6]In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” The God of yesterday is the God of today – the Ancient of Days! The God of the mountains is the God of the valleys, the water bodies, and the wilderness.
Israel had come within the precincts of the promised land, but they had the Jordan River to cross as they did with the Red Sea at the beginning of the Exodus. Joshua Chapter 3 records the experience. First, Joshua gave instructions on crossing the river and asked the people to sanctify themselves – an essential daily requirement for victory (verses 1-6). Second, verse 7 states: “And the Lord 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.” Could the Lord be saying something similar to you today that He will begin to exalt you in the sight of your people, whomever they may be, so that it will be a testimony that God is with you?
Third, God told them in verse 8, “. . . ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’” “And Joshua said, “By this, you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites . . . and the Jebusites:” (verse 10). Surely, God will fulfill every promise of His and will complete the good work He has begun in you. So, from verses 13-17, the Bible records that as soon as their feet touched the Jordan River, which had overflown its banks, the water parted and became a heap with a dry land to walk on (reminiscent of Exodus 14:21,22).
When your path is filled with water, take a leap of faith, and the Lord will pave a dry ground for you to walk on. He is the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is in control of every situation you may face – trust Him, and then you may know that the everlasting God is with you as He was with the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles. God will begin to exalt you with His divine presence.
MY SONG OF COMMITMENT
SDAH 590 – “Trust and Obey”
LET US PRAY
– Praise and thank God for His unfailing promises; thank Him for His promise to exalt you with His presence; pray for grace to trust and obey Him;
– Spend some moments to present your personal challenges and needs to God and claim His promises;
– Pray for some individuals and friends by name and present their unique needs to God;
– Pray for the nation, your church, and its members in general, as well as Gospel workers, and for the spread of the gospel.
