Method of beginning
Joshua 3:1~13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord –the Lord of all the earth—sat foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.(13)
Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #347 We are Bound for Canaan Land (#382 in previous version)
When you start your work and business, your studies, your day, your month and your year, and when you start your walk of faith, how must you begin? You must grab on to the Word and follow it. Why?
1. Method of going together
There are people who, regardless of their personal selections, are swept away by unfortunate events or encounter ominous situations. If you take a closer look into why those circumstances arose, there is a connection with that person’s spiritual state. Hence, starting the day, holding on to today’s Word greatly affects your spiritual state. In the quiet hours of the morning, first grab on to God’s Word through the Prayer Journal (Joshua 3:1). Then relay the Word of grace to people you wish to evangelize to befitting their levels (Joshua 3:2). If you follow the Word exactly, not going ahead or falling behind, God will direct you to the correct path.
2. Because you are walking down a path that you have never taken before
Why must you follow after God’s Word? Because the path you are about to embark on is a path that has never been walked before. The same path is a blessing to some, but a way to failure for others. Therefore, God tells me to hold on to His Word and follow after it. When you hold on to the Word and listen, God performs powerful works. The Jordan splits and Jericho falls when you receive the guidance of the Word. When I walk with the Word of God, He sends His invisible heavenly forces of angels to my field and answers me.
3. Works arise when you believe and take action in God’s Word
The moment the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped foot into the Jordan River, the water split and all the peoples could pass. Some doors are already opened by God, but other times, God works when you act holding on to the covenant. The standard lies in when you have confidence in God’s plan or when the Word is clearly revealed.
- Do you think you do not amount to anything? God gives evidence to those who follow after His Word, holding on to it, and makes them the eternal monument. Instead of harboring doubts about ‘a person like me,’ hold on to God’s Word of ‘a child of God’ and enjoy His blessings.
Immanuel Church Sunday Worship 2nd Service / 2011.1.9