By the Way
Joshua 5:1-9

Many things happen by the way: We grow by the way. We fall by the way. We learn by the way. We are corrected by the way. We suffer by the way. But thank God, we also find grace by the way.
Israel's journey paused at Gilgal so God could deal with what had been neglected along the way before they could conquer what lay ahead. God often does the same with us. Before he advances us into greater victories, he first deals with unfinished business by the way.

The word circumcise (in its various forms) appears nine times in these six verses. In Scripture, nine is commonly associated with fruitfulness, while six is the number often associated with man. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he and every male in his household were circumcised (Genesis 17). The following year, Isaac, the promised son, was born. Before the promise of the future came the pain of cutting in the present.
Likewise, before Israel inherited the blessings of Canaan, the unbelieving generation had to die in the wilderness, and their sons had to be circumcised at Gilgal.
Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God gave to Abraham. Under the New Testament, this physical sign finds its spiritual fulfillment in every believer. At salvation, God performs a spiritual circumcision, separating the believer from the sins of the flesh.
"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands..." (Colossians 2:11–12). Paul also reminds us, "For we are the circumcision..." (Philippians 3:3). True circumcision is no longer merely outward in the flesh but inward in the heart (Romans 2:28–29).
Gilgal, therefore, becomes a beautiful picture of God's work of salvation and sanctification.

The Reaching 
Israel had finally reached Gilgal. After generations of waiting, years of slavery in Egypt, forty years of wandering in the wilderness, and the miraculous crossing of the Jordan River, they stood on the land God had promised their fathers.
What a tremendous milestone! Yet reaching Gilgal was not the end of their journey.
Jericho still stood in the way. Crossing Jordan did not eliminate every obstacle. Every victory simply introduced another challenge.
The same principle applies to every believer. Salvation is a wonderful reaching point, but it is not the finish line. The Christian still has battles to fight, spiritual ground to claim, temptations to overcome, and opportunities to serve the Lord.
Likewise, achieving a life goal, whether spiritual, personal, or professional, does not mean the work is finished. Every milestone should encourage us to press forward rather than settle into complacency. God's people were not called merely to reach Gilgal. They were called to possess Canaan.

The Reasoning
God's command to circumcise the men of Israel was not arbitrary. There was a reason.
The previous generation had refused to believe God at Kadesh-barnea (Numbers 13–14). Because of their unbelief, they wandered in the wilderness until that generation died.
Disobedience always leaves consequences. That truth reaches all the way back to the Garden of Eden. Adam's disobedience brought sin and death upon the entire human race.
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin..." (Romans 5:12)
Likewise, a father's neglect of God's word can leave painful consequences for future generations. Parents never live entirely unto themselves. Their obedience, or disobedience, often shapes the spiritual direction of their children.
So how does God deal with disobedience? With the sharp knife of his word. "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword..." (Hebrews 4:12)
The Sword of the Spirit is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). God's Word exposes what needs to change before it transforms what needs to grow. The Lord cuts away what does not belong so that spiritual fruit can flourish.

The Raising
Joshua now stood before a new generation. The fathers had died in the wilderness. The sons would inherit the promises. One of the greatest responsibilities God gives every parent is preparing children to take their place in serving him. Yet Joshua tells us these children had been left uncircumcised by the way. Something had been neglected during the journey.
Parents today have an even greater responsibility. "Train up a child in the way he should go..." (Proverbs 22:6). "And, ye fathers... bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4). No generation can survive indefinitely on the faith of the previous one.
Every son and daughter must personally know the Lord. Every parent should strive to leave more than an inheritance. They should leave a spiritual legacy that their children can be loyal to.

The Recovering
After the circumcision came recovery. God did not immediately send Israel to Jericho.
He allowed them to remain in the camp until they were healed. That is an important spiritual lesson. Sometimes, after the sword of the Spirit has pierced our hearts through the preaching of God's word, we need time to recover.
We live in a culture that expects immediate results. God often works differently.
Sometimes, lasting change requires remaining under conviction long enough for His truth to take root. Sometimes we need to quietly sit with what we have heard and allow God's Word not merely to cut us, but to cure us and cleanse us. "The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly." (Proverbs 20:30)
The same God who wounds also heals. "He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds." (Psalm 147:3). His correction is never intended to destroy His children. It is designed to restore them.

The Rolling
God then declared, "This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you." The name Gilgal means "Rolling Away" or "Circle." God was making right what had been wrong.
The reproach of Egypt represented everything associated with Israel's former life:

• Bondage and slavery
• Idolatry
• Shame and unbelief
• Uncircumcision
• Their old identity

All of it had to be left behind. This is one of the clearest pictures of salvation found in the Old Testament. Salvation does far more than forgive sin. Christ breaks the chains of sin. He removes our spiritual uncleanness. He gives us a new identity. He makes us new creatures.
At Gilgal, God rolled away Israel's reproach. At Calvary Christ rolled away our guilt. One day in glory, he will roll away every remaining consequence of sin forever. The shame will be rolled away. The tears will be rolled away. The curse will be rolled away. The reproach will be rolled away. Even death itself will be rolled away forever.
What began at Gilgal finds its ultimate fulfillment in the finished work of Christ and the eternal hope of the believer.

Conclusion:
The Christian life is a journey, and many important things happen along or "by the way." God teaches us by the way. He humbles us by the way. He corrects us by the way. He strengthens us by the way. He heals us by the way. He prepares us by the way.
Don't despise the stops God places in your journey. Some of God's greatest works are accomplished by the way.

On That Day
Joshua 4:14–24

There are certain days in life wherein everything changes forever. We remember the day we graduated, the day we were married, the day our children were born, or the day we received life-changing news.
The Bible is filled with memorable days as well: the day Noah left the ark, the day Israel crossed the Red Sea, the day David defeated Goliath, the day Christ rose from the dead, and the day the church was born at Pentecost.

Joshua 4 records another unforgettable day: the day Israel came up out of the Jordan River and entered Gilgal. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, God's people finally stepped into the land he had promised their fathers. It was more than a geographical crossing; it marked the beginning of a new chapter in Israel's history.
That day also illustrates three important truths for every believer. Just as God worked in Israel's lives on that memorable day, He continues to work in ours, from the day of our salvation, throughout our Christian walk, and ultimately on the day we enter eternity.

The Lord Magnified Joshua
Joshua 4:14 says, "On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel."
Joshua did not elevate himself. He did not campaign for recognition or demand respect. The Lord himself magnified his servant before the people. Joshua had faithfully followed the Lord, and now God publicly confirmed His leadership.
Throughout Scripture, God delights in exalting those who humbly follow Him. Moses was magnified before Pharaoh through the mighty acts of God. Joseph was exalted before the very brothers who had sold him into slavery. Job was honored after enduring tremendous suffering. David was magnified in the eyes of his family and friends of Israel and his foes, the Philistines. In every case, promotion came from the Lord rather than from self-effort.
The same principle applies today. The greatest day in every Christian's life was the day Jesus Christ was magnified in his heart. Before salvation, Christ may have been merely a historical figure or a religious name, but when the Holy Spirit opened our eyes to the gospel, Jesus became precious, glorious, and altogether lovely. As Paul wrote, "Christ shall be magnified in my body" (Philippians 1:20).
Instead of seeking to make our own names great, we should labor to magnify the Lord. Psalm 34:3 declares, "O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together." When Christ increases, our lives become far more influential than any amount of self-promotion could ever accomplish.

The Lord Brought Israel Up Out of Jordan
Once the priests had faithfully remained in the midst of Jordan until every Israelite had crossed safely, the Lord commanded them to come up out of the river. Joshua 4:17 simply records, "Come ye up out of Jordan." Those words beautifully illustrate the Christian life.
God's desire is always upward. Scripture repeatedly calls believers to lift up their eyes, lift up holy hands, lift up their voices, and seek those things which are above (Colossians 3:1–2). Christianity is never intended to be stagnant. God continually calls his people to greater growth, deeper fellowship, and a higher ground of spiritual maturity.
Yet God's pattern is that before there is an ascent, there must first be a descent.
Jesus first humbled himself unto death before ascending into glory. Joseph descended into the pit and later into prison before ascending to the throne of Pharaoh. David spent years fleeing from Saul before becoming king. Likewise, every believer first comes to Christ as a guilty sinner before rising to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).
Joshua also notes that the priests' feet came up "unto dry land." That wording emphasizes more than merely stepping onto solid ground. It speaks of leaving one place entirely and entering another. Egypt was behind them. The wilderness was behind them. Jordan was behind them. Gilgal lay before them.
Paul later described himself as "separated unto the gospel of God" (Romans 1:1). God calls every Christian to leave behind the old life and fully embrace the new life. A believer cannot effectively walk with God while one foot remains planted in the past.
One day, another call will come from heaven. In Revelation 4:1, John heard the voice of Christ saying, "Come up hither." For the child of God, that future call will bring the final crossing from this present world into the eternal presence of the Lord.

The Lord Memorialized Their Journey
After the crossing was complete, Joshua established the twelve stones at Gilgal. Those stones became a permanent memorial so future generations would ask, "What mean these stones?" The monument testified that the mighty hand of God had brought his people safely through the impossible. Reminding us of the hand of God for the humble is the God of our exaltation in due time. 1 Peter 5:6 - "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:"
Today, believers possess an even greater memorial than twelve stones. God has preserved his mighty works in the pages of Scripture. The Bible records thousands of years of God's dealings with mankind and reveals his mighty power to save, to judge, to deliver, and to keep His promises.
Because of God's written word, every generation can know that "the hand of the LORD... is mighty" (Joshua 4:24). The Scriptures not only point sinners to salvation, but they also teach believers how to walk in fellowship with God and cultivate a godly fear of him.
God also keeps perfect records. He has a book of remembrance (Malachi 3:16). The names of all who have trusted Christ are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. Every work done for Christ is remembered and will be evaluated at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Nothing done in faithful service is overlooked by the Lord Jesus Christ

Looking Toward "That Day"
Israel never forgot the day they crossed the Jordan River. It was the day God magnified Joshua. It was the day the priests and the people came up out of Jordan. It was the day twelve stones were established to testify of God's mighty hand.
Every believer is also moving toward another unforgettable day. One day, we will stand before Jesus Christ. On that day, the question will not be how much of the world we accumulated, but whether our names are found in the Lamb's Book of Life and whether our lives magnified the Lord who saved us.
May we spend these present days faithfully magnifying Christ, walking in the newness of life, and living with eternity in view, so that when that day arrives, we may hear, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Put Your Trust in the LORD
Text: 1 Chronicles 5:20

The world teaches us to trust ourselves. Scripture teaches us to trust the Lord.

First Chronicles 5 records an impressive army of 44,760 trained warriors. They were courageous men equipped with bows, swords, and shields. From every human perspective, they appeared ready for battle. Yet when the fighting began, they discovered that military preparation alone would not secure victory. Their success came because "they cried to God in the battle" and "put their trust in him."

This passage reminds us that God never intended His people to live independently of him. Every battle, whether physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual, should drive us to our knees before it drives us to our own resources. Prayer is not a last resort; it is the believer's greatest weapon.
Notice the progression in the chapter. They cried unto God. They earnestly sought Him. God answered. He intervened in the battle and gave them victory. Scripture even declares that "the war was of God." Their triumph belonged to the Lord because they depended upon Him rather than themselves.
After the battle, however, the story takes a tragic turn. Prosperity produced pride. Success led to spiritual compromise. The very people whom God had delivered eventually committed idolatry and abandoned the LORD who had fought for them. The LORD, who once defended his people, eventually allowed judgment to come because they forsook Him.

How often does this happen in our own lives? During hardship, we pray fervently, but after blessing arrives, our dependence quietly fades. We begin trusting our experience, our resources, our abilities, or our accomplishments instead of the God who provided them.
Trusting God is not merely how we begin the Christian life; it is how we continue living it every day. Every answered prayer should deepen our dependence, not diminish it.

Whatever battle you are facing today, remember the lesson of 1 Chronicles 5. Cry unto God. Seek Him earnestly. Place your trust completely in him. Then, after he gives the victory, continue walking humbly with Christ, who fought the battle on your behalf.
Victory belongs to the Lord, and so does every heart safely truly trusts in him.

Samuel's Ebenezer Stone
A Reminder of God's Power to Help
1 Samuel 7:9-12

The Bible is filled with memorial stones that remind God's people of important spiritual truths. The stones of Gilgal reminded Israel of God's saving power and their new beginning. Jacob's stone at Bethel reminded him of God's presence. The stone of Abel reminded God's people of God's pleasure in sacrifice. Now we come to Samuel's Ebenezer Stone, a monument that stands as a testimony to God's power to help his people in times of need.

Israel was facing a formidable enemy. The Philistines had oppressed them for years, and the nation desperately needed divine intervention. Samuel understood that victory would not come through military strength or human ingenuity. It would come through sacrifice, prayer, and dependence upon the LORD.

The Offering
Samuel offered from the heart, a sucking lamb, which is considerably young, between 20-30 days old, as a burnt offering wholly unto the LORD. This sacrifice represented complete surrender and devotion. At the same time, Samuel made supplication and cried unto the LORD, and the LORD heard him.
What a reminder that sincere prayer still gets God's attention. When God's people begin to seek him wholeheartedly, the enemy often becomes more active.
 
The Opposition
The Philistines moved against Israel while Samuel was sacrificing and praying. Opposition often intensifies when spiritual progress is being made. The opposition in the believer's life may come from the enemies of his own flesh,  family, friends, foes, or even finances.
When opposition arises, there is a possibility that areas of your life are hindered. Prosperity can be hindered, as in Genesis 24:56: "Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way." Prayers can be hindered according to 1 Peter 3:7. Purposes can be hindered, as Paul wrote to the Romans in Romans 1:13: "Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let (hindered) hitherto,) And Progress can be hindered like in the days of Israel rebuilding the house of God in Ezra 6:8: "...forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered."

Yet what the enemy intended for defeat, God used as an opportunity to demonstrate His power.

The Overthrow
The LORD thundered with a great thunder upon the Philistines and discomfited them. Their plans were overturned. Their confidence vanished. Their army was thrown into confusion. The God who had divided the Red Sea and removed the wheels from Pharaoh's chariots in Exodus 14:25 once again intervened on behalf of His people.
The LORD has power both to help and to cast down (2 Chronicles 25:8). Another way of putting it, he can help you while at the same time casting down or abasing the opposition surrounding you. The LORD smote the enemy before Israel’s eyes so they would see his power and might, and encourage them to keep fighting in the victory.

The Offensive
The LORD destroyed the enemy, and the victory belonged to him, but he let the nation of Israel have a part in it.
Israel pursued the fleeing Philistines and smote them until they came under Beth-car, the "house of the lamb." What a beautiful picture of the Christian life. When we surrender, submit, and sacrifice ourselves to God, He brings the enemy "under subjection." He subdues the enemy through us while we subdue the enemy through Christ.
The believer does not gain victory through self-effort but through dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. James 4:6-7, "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

The Observance
After the battle, Samuel erected a stone between Mizpeh (watchtower) and Shen (tooth) and called its name Ebenezer, meaning "stone of help." He declared, "Hitherto hath the LORD helped us." Samuel wanted future generations to remember that their victory was not the result of their own strength but the result of God's intervention.
As Samuel observed, so too should the Christian remember that our help comes from God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

David would go on to write verses like 2 Samuel 22:3, "The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence." Psalm 46:1, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalms 62:7,  "In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God." And Psalms 94:22, "But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. The writer of Hebrews 2:18 would say,  "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (help) them that are tempted."

We all face battles, hindrances, and opposition. Sometimes our prayers seem delayed, our progress appears blocked, and our strength feels insufficient. In those moments, we need our own Ebenezer to remind us that our help comes from the LORD.
The God who helped Israel still helps his people today. He remains our refuge, our strength, our defense, and our rock. Through the Lord Jesus Christ, we have access to divine help for every trial, temptation, and difficulty.
When you find yourself overwhelmed, lift your eyes upward and remember Samuel's testimony: "Hitherto hath the LORD helped us."

The Stone of Abel
Text: 1 Samuel 6:14-18

While the stone at Bethel is a reminder of God's presence in a Christian's life, the Stone of Abel is a reminder of sacrifice in a Christian's life.

The first Abel in Scripture appears in Genesis 4. Abel pleased God because he approached God by faith and offered the sacrifice that God required. In 1 Samuel 6, we find another sacrifice associated with a place called Abel. Here, as the ark of God returns from Philistine territory, sacrifices are offered upon a great stone. The event teaches timeless principles concerning sacrifice and service.  Oswald Chambers wrote, "Sacrifice is the source of spiritual discipleship." The Christian life is not merely one of belief, but one of surrender, submission, and sacrifice. Every child of God is called to be a living sacrifice.

The Cart
The Philistines placed the ark upon a new cart. While it was new and impressive, it was still contrary to God's instructions. The ark was never intended to be carried by a cart. God commanded that it be borne upon the shoulders of the priests.
The Philistines acted in ignorance, but later Israel repeated the same mistake. In 2 Samuel 6, Uzzah died because of a casual approach to the ark of God being carried in a new cart. The lesson is simple: God blesses obedience and punishes rebellion.

When the ark arrived at Abel, the cart was broken apart and burned. It became fuel for the sacrifice. That is all it was good for. Anything not done according to God's word ultimately has no lasting value.
The world is often fascinated with innovation, trends, and "new methods." Yet God told Israel to seek the old paths and walk therein (Jeremiah 6:16). God's truth does not need to be reinvented. Worship, service, and sacrifice must always be governed by Scripture rather than culture.

The Cattle
The cattle are often overlooked in this passage, but they are the real heroes of the story.
God owned them. He directed them. He created them. He used them. Without understanding why, they faithfully followed the path God set before them until their journey ended in sacrifice.
The same is true for God's people. Jesus possesses our souls. He directs our steps. He has created us anew in Christ. Therefore, we are called to present our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2).

Our responsibility is not to see every detail of the future but to faithfully obey what God has placed before us today. As Thomas Carlyle observed: "Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand."
Until the day of our departure, our purpose remains unchanged: praise him, trust him, pray to him, please him, and preach him.

The Coffer
The Philistines gave their best. They offered a new cart, valuable cattle, and costly treasures of gold. Yet their best could never make them God's children. The same principle remains true today. Religion, morality, wealth, tradition, and human effort can never purchase salvation.
Peter reminds us that we were not redeemed with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). Titus teaches in Titus 3:3-7 that salvation is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy.

The world gives its best and still falls short. God gave his best, and it was sufficient. We see this illustrated in the life of the prodigal son when he returned home to his father in Luke 15:22, "But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the BEST robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:"
Because Christ gave himself for us and clothed us in the robe of his righteousness, believers are called to give their best in return. Paul was willing to spend and be spent for God's people. Scripture teaches us to do all things for the glory of God and to serve heartily as unto the Lord.

David refused to offer God that which cost him nothing (1 Samuel 24:24). Mary poured out costly ointment upon the Lord (John 12:3). The Macedonians gave of themselves unto the Lord and unto others sacrificially and liberally out of deep poverty (2 Corinthians 8:2, 5). Each understood a principle that many have forgotten: God deserves our best.

The Stone of Abel reminds us that sacrifice comes at a great cost, and the Christian life is a continual offering of ourselves unto God. What has serving Christ cost you? Are you willing to give him your best? Are you willing to become a living sacrifice and a testimony to what pleases God?

A Stone For A Pillow
Text: Joshua 4:1-9; Genesis 28:10-22

When Israel crossed the Jordan River, God instructed twelve stones to be taken from the river and erected at Gilgal as a memorial. These stones were reminders of what God had done. Every time future generations saw those stones, they would remember God's power, faithfulness, and provision.
For the believer, Gilgal represents a new beginning. It pictures passing from death unto life, from the old man to the new man, and from being born once to being born again. Throughout Scripture, God often allowed stones to be used as memorials to remind his people of significant spiritual truths. One of the most memorable is the stone Jacob used as a pillow when he met God at Bethel.

Jacob arrived at Bethel during one of the darkest moments of his life. He was fleeing from his brother Esau after deceiving both his father and his brother. His future was uncertain, his family was behind him, and he was headed into unfamiliar territory. Yet it was there, in a place with nothing but a stone for a pillow, that God revealed himself.
Jacob named the place Bethel, meaning "house of God." Today, God no longer dwells in temples made with hands. Through the Holy Spirit, he indwells every believer, and collectively the saints form the house of God and the body of Christ. The local church also serves as a Bethel in our lives, a place where we meet with God, hear his word, worship together, and find spiritual rest.

Jacob Was Lost
Jacob arrived at Bethel spiritually and emotionally lost. Though he knew about God, he had not yet come to personally know God's presence as he would that night. His journey eastward serves as a reminder of how often people wander away from God before they are finally confronted with his presence.
After his dream, Jacob exclaimed, "Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not." Like many today, Jacob did not realize how near God was. The prodigal son had to leave home before he came to himself. Many people wander through life searching for purpose, peace, and satisfaction, only to discover that what they truly need is God.
The house of God remains a place where lost sinners are found, and wandering believers are restored.

Jacob Was Lonely
Jacob was completely alone. No family members accompanied him. No friends traveled beside him. Yet God met him in his loneliness.
Throughout Scripture, God often reveals himself to individuals during seasons of loneliness. Noah stood alone in a corrupt world. Moses spent years in the backside of the desert after fleeing Egypt. Joseph endured isolation and loneliness in a pit or in prison. Elijah sat alone and discouraged beneath a juniper tree. Daniel lived in captivity and was thrown alone into a lion's den. Paul spent lonely nights in prison. Even our Lord sought solitary places for prayer, was forsaken, betrayed, and denied by his own disciples, and on the cross, even the Father had to forsake him for being made sin for us.
Loneliness often becomes the classroom where God teaches us the most about his presence. Jesus promised, "I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you" (John 14:18). Likewise, Hebrews 13:5 assures us that he will never leave us nor forsake us. When human companionship is absent, divine companionship remains.

Lethargic Was Lethargic
Jacob was weary from his journey. He lay down to sleep with a stone beneath his head.
Jacob's stone became a memorial of God's presence. For the believer, Jesus Christ is the ultimate place of rest.
In Matthew 11:28, Jesus invites all who labor and are heavy laden to come unto him for rest. This rest is not the absence of trials. It is not freedom from struggles, storms, sickness, sorrow, or hardship. Rather, it is the confidence of his presence, the assurance of his promises, the patience of hope, and the strength of faith that carry us through life's difficulties.
Whether you find yourself lost, lonely, or lethargic, there is still a Bethel. There is still a place where God meets with his people. There is still rest available in Christ.

Somebody Wake Up the Preacher!
Text: Jonah 1:1–6

The book of Jonah opens with a storm at sea, frightened mariners, and a sleeping prophet hidden in the bottom of a ship. The irony of the scene is staggering. The man who knew God was asleep while the lost men around him feared for their lives. Jonah chapter one is not merely the story of a runaway prophet; it is a warning about what happens when spiritual leaders become careless concerning the will of God.
This story also serves as a prequel and foreshadows the storm in Mark chapter four, when Jesus slept on a ship amid another storm. Yet there is a vast difference between the two men. Jonah slept while running from the will of God, but Jesus slept while perfectly submitted to it. Jonah endangered the lives of those around him through disobedience, while Jesus calmed the storm through obedience.
The old joke has been, “If the people in the congregation are falling asleep, somebody wake up the preacher.” While humorous, the truth behind the statement is sobering. When pastors, deacons, teachers, and spiritual leaders depart from the word and will of God, the church (both local and universal) suffers along with the world that should be reached by it. Jonah’s life reveals at least three dangerous steps that eventually led him to fall asleep during a violent storm.

Jonah Went Contrary
God commanded Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh, yet Jonah deliberately went in the opposite direction. Nineveh was eastward, but Jonah fled westward toward Tarshish. Instead of submitting to God's command, Jonah attempted to outrun God's will.
Jonah’s home region was Galilee, in the territory of Naphtali. From there, he traveled south to Joppa, a journey of roughly sixty miles, before boarding a ship headed thousands of miles away toward Tarshish, likely in Spain. The passage repeatedly emphasizes Jonah’s downward spiral.

• He went DOWN to Joppa
• He went DOWN into the ship
• He went DOWN into the sides of the ship
• He later went DOWN into the sea
• Then DOWN into the fish

"Nobody backslides upward." Sin and disobedience always take a person farther than intended. It makes people pay more than they intended and stay longer than they intended. The preacher who goes contrary to God’s word will eventually bring trouble not only upon himself, but upon those around him.
Jonah’s disobedience also revealed his disregard for God’s authority. Verse three says, “But Jonah rose up…” There is a spirit of self-will and pride in that statement. Rather than surrendering to God’s command, Jonah decided to pursue his own direction.
The danger in churches today is not merely false doctrine from the outside, but spiritual leaders who knowingly drift from biblical conviction while continuing outward religious activity.

Jonah Went Conveniently
Jonah “found a ship” going to Tarshish. Everything seemed to fall conveniently into place. There was room aboard the ship, and Jonah conveniently had enough money to pay the fare.
One of the great dangers in the Christian life is mistaking convenience for the will of God. There will always be a convenience factor connected to sin. The devil often makes disobedience appear easy, affordable, and accessible. Jonah likely interpreted the open opportunity as a workable escape from God’s calling. Yet convenience does not mean something is godly.
Many Christians and churches today have exchanged conviction for convenience. It is easier to compromise than contend. It is easier to blend in than stand apart. It is easier to pursue comfort than obedience.
Convenience is often the first step toward betrayal. In Mark 14:11, Judas conveniently found an opportunity to betray Christ. Lot conveniently pitched his tent toward Sodom. Jonah conveniently found transportation away from the "presence of the LORD." The chapter repeatedly emphasizes that Jonah desired to flee “from the presence of the LORD.” Rather than walking with God, Jonah chose to walk with pagan mariners heading in the wrong direction. Convenience was the second step toward spiritual sleep after Jonah had already gone contrary to God.

Jonah Went Carelessly
Jonah’s carelessness is fully revealed when he goes down into the ship and falls asleep during the storm. The lost mariners were terrified. They cried out to their false gods and desperately threw cargo overboard to save the ship. Meanwhile, the prophet of God slept.
Jonah’s carelessness endangered everyone around him.
He did not care for his own safety. He did not care about the mariners' safety. He certainly did not care for the people of Nineveh, who desperately needed the message God had commanded him to preach. Jonah also became careless concerning his occupation and reputation. When questioned by the mariners, Jonah identified himself more by nationality and religious heritage than by his calling as a prophet of God.
Pastors and Christians alike cannot afford to become careless concerning their testimony, occupation, or reputation. Scripture repeatedly warns believers to walk wisely before the world and maintain a good report. Carelessness eventually leads to drowsiness, and drowsiness eventually leads to spiritual sleep.
Acts 20 warns "overseers" to watch carefully over the flock of God because spiritual dangers are always present. Romans 13 commands believers to awake out of sleep. Ephesians 5 declares, “Awake thou that sleepest.” 1Thessalonians 5 warns believers not to sleep spiritually like others, but to watch and be sober. God’s desire is for His people to remain spiritually awake.

Conclusion:
A sleeping preacher in a storm is dangerous to everybody on the ship. When the preacher sleeps spiritually, the church suffers. When the church sleeps spiritually, the world around it suffers as well.
Jonah chapter one warns believers that living contrary to God’s word, seeking convenient escapes from conviction, and becoming spiritually careless will eventually lead to spiritual sleep.
The church today desperately needs spiritually awake pastors, spiritually awake Christians, and spiritually awake churches that remain surrendered to the word and will of God.

There are moments in the Christian life when God calls us to stop standing on the shoreline and step forward by faith. Joshua 3 records one of those moments for the nation of Israel. The children of Israel stood before the overflowing Jordan River, preparing to cross into the promised land. Before the waters would divide, however, the priests had to take the first step. Their feet had to touch the water.

This scene gives us a practical and spiritual picture of the Christian life. According to 1 Peter 2, believers are part of a spiritual priesthood. Just as the priests were called to step into the Jordan first, Christians today are called to step into the waters of God’s word. God never intended for his people to merely admire the truth from a distance. He calls us to enter into it personally.

Get In
The Bible says in Joshua 3:15 that Jordan overflowed all its banks at the time of harvest. This was not a shallow creek or a comfortable crossing. The situation required faith. The priests could have stood on the bank discussing the river's depth, measuring the danger, or waiting for ideal conditions, but the miracle would never come until they obeyed.
Many Christians live spiritually, exactly this way. They appreciate the Bible, attend church faithfully, and may even agree with the preaching, yet they never truly step into the truth for themselves. The word of God is not meant to remain something distant or theoretical. Ephesians 5:26 describes the word of God as cleansing water. The Christian must personally enter into the scriptures if there is going to be spiritual growth, cleansing, wisdom, and maturity.

Get All The Way In
The priests also had to get all the way into the river. Joshua 3:13 says the soles of their feet rested in the water. They did not merely touch the edge with hesitation. They stood firmly in the middle of Jordan while the nation crossed over. This is a picture of stability in the Christian life. God does not want believers who visit the truth only occasionally. He wants Christians who are rooted, settled, and standing firmly upon His word.
Ephesians 6:14-15 commands believers to “stand...having your feet shod....” In an unstable world filled with confusion, compromise, and spiritual deception, Christians must learn to stand firmly upon the scriptures. The believer who rests in the word of God will not easily be moved by every wind of doctrine or every emotional storm.

Get Others to Get In
There is another important lesson in this passage. The priests did not stand in Jordan for themselves alone. They stood there so others could pass over safely. Their obedience became a pathway for the entire nation. Likewise, once Christians step into the truth of God’s word, they carry a responsibility to help others enter in as well.
Parents should lead their children into the word of God. Pastors should lead churches into the truth. Mature believers should help younger Christians grow in the scriptures. Every believer should seek to bring lost sinners to Jesus Christ, the fountain of living waters.
The Christian life was never designed to stop with personal blessing. God wants His people to become examples, testimonies, and spiritual guides to others.

Ezekiel 47:1-5 tells of the waters that deepen from the ankles, to the knees, to the loins, until finally they become waters to swim in. Many Christians are satisfied with barely getting their feet wet spiritually, but God desires for his people to go deeper into his word until it completely governs and directs their lives.

The question is not whether the water is available. The question is whether we are willing to step in, get all the way in, and get others to get in, also.

Title: What Floats Your Boat?
Text: Mark 4:35-41

Storms have a way of revealing what we truly trust in. When the waters are calm, it is easy to feel secure in what surrounds us: friends, success, business, or even our own strength and health. But when the storm arises, those same things are often found to be insufficient.

The Multitude
In Mark 4, the disciples entered into a storm that they could not control. Before the storm, there were multitudes, crowds of people following Jesus. When the storm came, those multitudes were nowhere to be found because the disciples had sent them away. This is the reality of life.
Many are drawn to the multitude of friends, freedom, or finances, but these cannot rescue you when the storm hits. The same crowd that once followed Christ later cried, “Crucify him.” If given the choice, it is always better to send the multitude away and take Jesus as he is.

The Movement
Then there is movement. The disciples were moving because Jesus told them to go to the other side. But not all movement is necessarily good movement or movement that can get you to where you need to be. Jonah moved, but in rebellion.
In our day, many are caught up in religious movements, trends, and systems. Yet, movement without God’s action or direction is dangerous. Some wait for a movement before they act, as in John 5, where some waited for the water to be troubled before they moved. But the child of God should not wait on trends, feelings, or external forces to move them; he should move when God's word moves him, and in the direction God's Spirit leads.

Motivation
Motivation is another unstable foundation. Many are driven by external influence—emotion, excitement, or encouragement. Churches have become places of motivation (e.g., pep rallies) rather than a place of conviction or instruction through the word of God. Feelings change, and people come and go.  If your walk depends solely on motivation, you will eventually stop moving. True motivation must come from a love for Jesus Christ and a life led by the Spirit

Mankind
Man is often placed at the center of everything. Human ability, intellect, and effort are praised as the solution to life’s problems. The Bible is clear, “man at his best state is altogether vanity.” (Psalm 39:5).
The disciples learned this firsthand. Their experience, strength, and effort could not calm the storm. Jesus was no ordinary man. His name is above every name, his mediation between God and man is unmatched, and his love is unlike any other. He is not merely a man—He is the Master.

Master
And that brings us to the most important truth: the Master was in the ship. The presence of Jesus did not prevent the storm, but it guaranteed they would not perish in it. When all else failed, when the multitudes were gone, movement was powerless, motivation was exhausted, and man was helpless—the disciples turned to the Master, and with three simple words, “Peace, be still,” everything changed. The storm did not respond to the disciples, but it responded to the Master.

The question remains: what floats your boat? When the storm comes, what are you trusting in? Because at the end of the day, you need the Master to calm your storm and keep your boat afloat.

Following in Unfamiliar Territory
Joshua 3:1-6

Life is full of moments where we are forced to step into places we have never been before. These moments often bring uncertainty, discomfort, and even fear. In Joshua 3:1-6, the nation of Israel finds itself in such a moment. Having come out of Egypt, passed through the Red Sea, and wandered in the wilderness, they now stand at the edge of the Jordan River facing yet another unfamiliar step in their journey (Joshua 3:1–6).
What makes this moment even more significant is not just the path, but the change in leadership and direction. Israel had grown accustomed to following Moses and the visible guidance of a cloud (Exodus 13:21-22). Now, they are called to follow Joshua and the ark of the covenant (Joshua 3:3). The method has changed, the leadership has changed, and the territory is unfamiliar, but God has not changed (Malachi 3:6).
This is the nature of the Christian life. We are constantly being led into situations we have never experienced before (2 Corinthians 5:7). Whether it is transitioning from one stage of life to another, adjusting to new responsibilities, or facing seasons of hardship and loss, the believer must learn how to follow God in unfamiliar territory (Proverbs 3:5-6).
It may be like moving from school into adulthood, from one job to another, from being single to being married, or from being a child to becoming a parent. It may even be as serious as walking through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4). In every case, the principle remains the same—we must learn to follow.

Following the Standard (vs. 3)
First, we see the importance of following the standard bearer. In Joshua 3, the ark of the covenant was the standard, and the Levites were the ones who bore it (Joshua 3:3). The people were not free to choose their own direction; they were commanded to follow what God had established. The ark represented the presence and authority of God (Exodus 25:22), and the Levites carried the burden of that testimony (Numbers 4:15).
For the Christian today, our standard is the word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17), the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), and faithful leadership that rightly handles the Scriptures (Hebrews 13:7, 17). We are not navigating life based on our feelings or opinions; we are following a fixed standard that does not change, even when everything around us does (Psalm 119:89).

Follow with Space (vs. 4)
The Israelites were commanded to keep a distance of 2,000 cubits (1/2 mile or 1,000 yards) between themselves and the ark (Joshua 3:4). This distance ensured that the ark could be clearly seen and that it would be treated with reverence. It also prevented the people from getting too close and mishandling something holy, as seen in the example of Uzzah (2 Samuel 6:6-7).
Spiritually, this teaches us to avoid falling too far behind, like Peter in John 18:15-16, or running ahead of God, like Ahimaaz in 2 Samuel 18:23. In part, Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD…” The balance is to follow closely, but properly by faith and obedience (Romans 10:17).

Follow in Sanctification (vs. 5)
Finally, the passage emphasizes the necessity of sanctification. Before God would do wonders among the people, they were commanded to sanctify themselves (Joshua 3:5). This involved preparation, separation, and examination (Exodus 19:10-11, 15; 2 Timothy 2:21).
Sanctification is not optional for those who desire to follow God effectively (1Thessalonians 4:3). It is the process by which we set ourselves apart for his use. When we are prepared, we position ourselves to witness God’s power at work. The wonders of God often appear in the form of opened pathways (Joshua 3:14-17), removed obstacles (Joshua 6:20), and defeated enemies (Joshua 10:8-14), but they always follow obedience (Deuteronomy 28:1–2).

Unfamiliar territory is not something to fear when we are following God properly (Isaiah 41:10). Our confidence is not in the path itself, but in the one who leads us through it (Psalm 48:14). When we follow the right standard, maintain the proper distance, and live a sanctified life, we can move forward with assurance (Hebrews 11:8). God will provide the strength we need for the work we have never done (2 Corinthians 12:9), and he will lead us safely through places we have never been (Psalm 32:8).

Sit Where They Sit
Ezekiel 3:15-21

There is something deeply instructive about the simple phrase in Ezekiel 3:15—“I sat where they sat.” It is a very practical principle when it comes to being a help in times of need.

Ezekiel had just received a difficult calling. He was sent to a rebellious people in captivity, a people whose condition was the direct result of their own sin. His spirit was bitter, with righteous anger toward them. Yet despite his feelings, the hand of the LORD was upon him, and that divine enabling led him to sit where the people sat. This is where real ministry begins.
Too often, believers attempt to minister at a distance. We form opinions without understanding, offer solutions without listening, and speak before we have truly seen the condition of others. Ezekiel did none of that. He sat for seven days: silent, observant, patient. He allowed time, presence, and discernment to do their work before ever opening his mouth. That kind of patience is rare, but necessary.
In a culture, even within churches, that values quick responses and constant expression, there is a spiritual discipline in restraint. Words have power (Proverbs 18:21), and careless speech can wound rather than heal. Ezekiel teaches us that sometimes the most powerful ministry is simply being present without speaking.

Ezekiel's silence was not passive; it was preparatory. The word of the LORD came after those seven days. That is no coincidence. God often speaks to those who have first positioned themselves correctly, among the people, attentive, humbled, and prepared. Ezekiel had prepared his heart, and when the time came, he was ready to hear and to speak.

This leads to the final aspect of his ministry: perception. God told Ezekiel to watch, hear, and then speak. That order matters. Many reverse it, they speak first, and only afterward consider what they should have seen or heard. But effective ministry requires spiritual awareness. It requires listening to God and understanding people before speaking on His behalf.

The application is direct and unavoidable: if we are to minister as Christ did, we must draw near to one another. Matthew 9:10 – "And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples."
Jesus did not remain distant from his disciples or those in need of him. He sat with them, ate with them, walked with them, corrected them, and comforted them. He entered into their lives fully. If we are to reflect Jesus Christ, we must do the same.

The church is not meant to be a place where people simply attend; it is a place where people connect. Connection requires proximity. If you are going to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, you must first be close enough to know when they are doing either. That only happens when you deliberately choose to sit where they sit.

The Burden and Blessing of a Mother
Text: Genesis 29:31–35

There is a sacred tension that exists in the heart of a mother. A tension between burden and blessing. In the life of Leah, we find a woman whose story begins in affliction but unfolds into praise. She was hated by her husband, overshadowed by her sister, and burdened by sorrow, yet God saw her, heard her, and worked in her life in such a way that her sorrow became a testimony. The names of her first four sons are not random; they are a record of her prayer life, her pain, and ultimately her praise.

Looked
The Bible tells us in Genesis 29:31 that the LORD saw that Leah was hated and opened her womb. That single verse establishes the foundation of this message: God looks upon affliction. When Leah bore her first son, she called his name Reuben, meaning “Behold, a son,” because she said, “Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction.”
Her burden was real, but so was God’s attention to it. This truth echoes throughout Scripture: God saw the affliction of Sarah, he heard the cry of Hannah, and ultimately, he looked upon the affliction of sinful man and sent his only begotten Son into the world. God still looks upon our afflictions today, and he is not indifferent to the burdens we carry.

Listened
But God does not merely look, he listens. When Leah bore her second son, she named him Simeon, which means "God hath heard," saying, “Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also.”
What God hears, he sees, and what he sees, he responds to. This same pattern is seen when Israel cried out under Egyptian bondage. The Lord said, “I have surely seen… and have heard their cry.” (Exodus 3:7). The God of heaven is not distant; he is attentive to our cry. For the believer, this is deeply personal. The same God who heard Leah hears the cry of a sinner calling for salvation (Romans 10:13), and he continues to hear the prayers of his children after salvation (Jeremiah 33:3; Hebrews 4:16).

Linked
As Leah’s family grew, so did her understanding of God’s work. Her third son, Levi, means “joined.” This third son represents a "strong cord (that) is not quickly broken" (Eccl. 4:12). Her hope in God is that Jacob, her husband, would be joined unto her. Though her immediate desire may not have been fully realized, a deeper truth emerges: God is a God who joins himself to his bride in love.
In the New Testament, we see that “he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:17). Through Jesus Christ, God has done more than observe and respond; he has linked, joined, united, and bound us to himself. This is no temporary bond; it is eternal, sustained by a loving and living Savior who ever liveth to make intercession for his bride.

Lauded
Then comes a remarkable shift. With the birth of her fourth son, Leah no longer speaks of her affliction or her desire to be loved by her husband. Instead, she says, “Now will I praise the LORD.” She names him Judah, which means "praise," and "laud" is another word for "praise," as Romans 15:11 says: "And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people."
This is the turning point. Her burden has not necessarily been removed, but her focus has been redirected. Praise replaces pain as the dominant expression of her heart. This is the work of God in a life that has learned to trust Him.

The progression is unmistakable: God looked, God listened, God linked, and therefore God is to be lauded or lifted up in praise. What began in sorrow ends in worship. This is not just the story of Leah; it is the pattern of the Christian life. When we recognize that God sees our affliction, hears our cry, and has joined us to Himself through Christ, the only fitting response is praise.

Leah began in affliction, but she ended in praise. That is what prayer can do, not just for a mother, but for any child of God. God specializes in turning burdens into blessings and prayers into praise.

Rahab's Rope
Joshua 2:12-21

The account of Rahab in Joshua 2 is one of the most vivid and instructive pictures of salvation in the Old Testament. In a single scarlet cord hanging from a window, God compresses a doctrinal masterpiece of redemption. What appears to be a simple escape mechanism is, in reality, a divine illustration of how God saves sinners.

The scarlet cord is not just a rope; it is a line composed of cords, and those cords are composed of threads. Each element contributes to a fuller understanding of salvation. Just as there is what many call “the scarlet thread of redemption” running through Scripture, from Eden’s coats of skins, to the Passover lamb, and ultimately to Calvary. So, in Joshua 2, we see that same truth concentrated in a single object.

Rahab, a Gentile harlot in a doomed city, becomes the recipient of mercy by her faith and works (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:25). Her obedience in displaying the scarlet line parallels the obedience required at the first Passover. As Israel was commanded to remain inside the blood-marked house, so Rahab and her household were instructed not to step outside the protection of that scarlet rope. The message is unmistakable: safety is not in the individual, but in the provision of the gospel that God has given.

The Cord
The cord itself speaks of binding. Salvation is not merely a transaction; it is a union. The blood of Christ binds the believer to the Savior with cords of love, according to Hosea 11:4 -  I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.
This is not a loose association but a fixed relationship, likened in the New Testament (Romans 7 & 1 Corinthians 7) to a marriage bond. The believer is joined to Christ in an intimate, permanent, and unbreakable way, as the old Hymn says, “Standing on the promises of Christ my Lord, Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord.”

The Thread
The thread highlights identification and attachment. A thread marks ownership (Genesis 38:28 & 30) and is used to mend what is broken. So it is with salvation: the blood of Christ permanently marks the soul of the believer, indicating that the child of God belongs to Jesus Christ. He is the possessor of the believer's soul. He restores what sin has torn apart.
The thread is often considered insignificant and weak (Judges 16:9 & 12), and while the world may view the gospel as insignificant, a mere “thread,” God esteems it as precious, beautiful, and powerful. To Him, its as the scarlet thread that adorns the lips of his bride - Song Of Solomon 4:3 – Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

The Line
Finally, the line extends outward. It connects, secures, and communicates. Whether as a mooring line anchoring a ship, a tether holding fast, or a communication line reaching the ear of another, salvation connects the believer to something beyond themselves. It stabilizes in storms, activates when we cannot act, and provides access to God through prayer (Jeremiah 33:3; Hebrews 4:16).
Moreover, it extends outward for others. All of creation has a line that declares the glory of God, according to Psalms 19:1-4. Rahab’s entire household was saved because she let the lifeline hanging in the window be visible and accessible.

Rahab’s rope is more than history; it is theology in action. It reminds us that salvation is by grace through faith, secured by the blood of Christ, evidenced by obedience, and extended for the benefit of others. The scarlet line still hangs, and it still saves.

A Night to Remember
Text: Joshua 2:1–7
Theme: Your past does not have to determine or control your future.

There are nights in life we would rather forget. Rahab certainly had many of them. As a woman living in Jericho with a reputation she could not escape, her past likely followed her everywhere she went. But one night changed everything. One night, two men knocked on her door, not to take something from her, but to bring something to her. That night became a turning point that changed her life forever.

Joshua 2 records the story of Rahab, who received the spies of Israel into her home. Though Jericho stood strong and secure behind its walls, Rahab already believed something the rest of the city refused to accept: that the LORD God of Israel was the true and living God. Because of that faith, she made a decision that secured her future and placed her in the lineage of Jesus Christ.

Rahab’s story reminds us that a life's direction can change in a single moment when faith replaces fear and obedience replaces hesitation.

Rahab's Faith
First, we see Rahab’s faith. Hebrews 11:31 tells us she “received the spies with peace,” and James 2:25 confirms her faith was demonstrated through her works. Her belief came from what she had heard about the God of Israel: “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea…” (Joshua 2:10).
Rahab's faith came from what she had heard, as Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." She believed what she heard, and her belief moved her to action. This is a beautiful picture of salvation. The gospel is heard, received, and trusted; from there, everything changes.

Rahab's Fortitude
Second, we see Rahab’s fortitude. When the king’s messengers arrived at her house demanding the spies, Rahab did not panic. As Martin Lloyd-Jones once said, “Faith is the refusal to panic." Her faith produced courage under pressure, and she became "bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1), while also exercising the principle of being wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove (Matthew 10:16). She hid the spies on her roof beneath the stalks of flax and protected them at great personal risk.
Faith leads to courage, and obedience comes at a cost. Rahab chose to protect the messengers of "THE KING" rather than submit to the messengers of a king. Her decision required discernment, resolve, and boldness. She believed God before she saw the walls fall.

Rahab's Future
Third, we see Rahab’s future. Because of her faith, God spared her life and those of everyone in her household when Jericho fell, just as those spies had promised. While the city collapsed around her, her house remained standing, according to Joshua 6:17 & 25. Even more remarkably, Rahab later became part of the genealogy of Jesus Christ according to Matthew 1:5.
What a testimony of God's amazing grace! Rahab’s past did not prevent God from saving her. Her reputation did not prevent God from using her. Her environment did not prevent God from changing her future.

And the same is true today. Your past does not have to determine your future. One decision by faith on any given night or day can change everything and give you something to remember forever.  
If God could use Rahab, he can use you. You just need to open the door when Jesus is knocking. Receive by faith what he has to offer you, and let him forever change the outcome of your future.

Getting the Most Out of Your Salvation
Text: Joshua 1:13–15

When the children of Israel stood at the edge of the promised land, Joshua gave specific instructions to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Though they had already received their inheritance on the east side of Jordan, they still had responsibilities to fulfill before entering into full rest. Spiritually speaking, this presents a powerful picture of the Christian life. Though we are saved and have entered the promised land of salvation, we have not yet received the fullness of our inheritance. Until then, God has given us instructions so that we may enjoy our salvation and live victoriously.

Joshua’s command to Israel was simple but profound. They were to remember, remain, return, and rest. These same four principles help believers today get the most out of what God has already given them in Christ.

Remember
First, believers are commanded to remember. Joshua told the tribes to remember the word that Moses commanded them. Forgetfulness has always been a spiritual danger. God’s people often lose their joy, not because God has changed, but because they have forgotten what he has already done.
We are to remember the word of God, the way God brought us from our former condition into salvation, and the warfare that still lies before us. Paul and Peter both emphasized the importance of putting believers “in remembrance” of sound doctrine and present truth. A remembering Christian is a stable Christian.

Remain
Second, believers must remain where God has placed and planted them. The idea for the Christian is, "Grow where you are planted." In Joshua’s instruction, the wives, children, and livestock were to remain in the protected inheritance while the men helped their brethren secure victory. This reveals God’s mercy and provision for the vulnerable.
Spiritually, it reminds us that God desires his people to remain under his protection and provision. Christians thrive when they stay where God waters, feeds, protects, and strengthens them through his word, his Spirit, and his people. Remaining where God provides strength enables us to endure the battles we must fight.

Return
Third, believers are called to return. After completing the work of helping their brethren, the men were to return home to their inheritance: their wives, children, livestock, and land. If they had stayed on the west side of Jordan, they would've been out of bounds from where God had prepared a place for them and from where they had promised to return.
Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the blessing of returning to the Lord. Isaiah declared, “Return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.” The prodigal son returned home and found restoration. Even our Lord Jesus Christ returned to the Father after completing his earthly mission and the gospel. We are promised at the return and reception of Jesus Christ to go to the Father for our inheritance and home in heaven.
The Christian life involves service and warfare, but it also includes the continual invitation to return to the place of fellowship, forgiveness, and assurance.

Rest
Finally, believers are promised rest. Joshua assured these tribes that rest awaited them after obedience was fulfilled. Likewise, God has promised his people rest. Psalm 127:2 -  It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. While ultimate rest awaits us in eternity, God also gives present rest to those who trust him and walk with him by faith.
Many believers struggle with “fightings without” and “fears within” (2 Cor. 7:5), but the Lord gives rest to those who come to him for it. Matthew 11:28-30 -  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.  

True enjoyment of salvation comes when we learn to rest in what God has already provided through his word and his promises. God does not intend for his people merely to possess salvation; he intends for them to enjoy it. As Paul wrote in part, in 1 Timothy 6:17, God “giveth us richly all things to enjoy.”
When believers remember the word of God, remain under God's care, return when they depart, and rest in the promises of God, then they begin to experience the fullness of joy that salvation was designed to bring.

By The Book Success
Text: Joshua 1:5–9

Transitions in life can be some of the most uncertain and intimidating moments a believer faces. Leadership changes, responsibilities shift, and familiar voices are sometimes removed. Joshua stood at exactly such a moment. Moses, the great lawgiver and leader of Israel, was dead; yet Israel was not without direction. God had already prepared Joshua for the next chapter by giving him something more enduring than a man: He gave him a Book.

The Lord made it clear that Joshua’s strength, courage, leadership, and success would now be connected to “the book of the law.” This transition was not accidental. Long before Moses died, God instructed him to write his words in a book (Exodus 17:14), and before his departure, Moses completed that writing and placed it beside the ark as a witness to Israel (Deuteronomy 31:24–26). God was preparing Israel to be guided by written revelation. Joshua would not lead by personality, preference, or impulse; he would lead "by the Book."

Operate by the Book
First, Joshua was told to operate by the Book. God had already written down the promise, the inheritance, the boundaries, and the mission. Joshua’s responsibility was not to invent a strategy but to execute what God had already revealed. The believer today likewise has an operation manual in the word of God. We follow it by faith, trust it as fact, and align our feelings beneath its authority.

Observe by the Book
Second, Joshua was instructed to observe the Book. The word of God was to remain in his mouth, occupy his mind, and dwell in his heart. Meditation, memorization, and proclamation were essential to spiritual readiness. What fills the mind shapes the heart, and what fills the heart governs the mouth. Even the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated this pattern when He resisted temptation by quoting Scripture from memory (e.g., "It is written...").

Obey by the Book
Third, Joshua was commanded to obey the Book. Scripture was never intended merely to be read or heard; it was meant to be lived (James 1:22 -  "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."). God emphasized complete, careful, continual, and confident obedience. The blessing of Scripture is not promised to exposure alone, but to application.

Obtain Success by the Book
Fourth, Joshua was promised success by the Book. Biblical success is not measured by military victory, political strength, financial prosperity, or numerical increase. True success is living in alignment with what God has written. As Deuteronomy 8:3 reminds us, "man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live." Israel’s survival depended on the Book. Joshua’s leadership depended on the Book. The believer’s walk still depends on the Book.

Overcome by the Book
Finally, Joshua would overcome by the Book. Strength and courage were not personality traits; they were promises rooted in God’s presence and his precepts. Scripture produces confidence that dispels doubt, discouragement, disappointment, and fear. When the word of God governs the heart, courage follows. Courage is not passive; it is active (e.g., Acts 28:15 - "when Paul SAW, he THANKED God, and TOOK courage.").

When God removed Moses, he left his word. And that word carried his presence forward into the next chapter. The same remains true today. If we desire strength, direction, and success in the Christian life, we must live by the Book.

A New Chapter
Text: Joshua 1:1–5
Theme: The reality of change and new beginnings in the life of the believer

The book of Joshua opens with a major transition. Moses is dead. Joshua is called to rise and take the reigns as Israel stands at the river Jordan, facing a new chapter that will require faith, courage, obedience, and movement. In many ways, Joshua is a picture of the Christian life: Romans 6:4 - Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The believer is not on a playground but on a battlefield. Paul told Timothy to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). He told the Corinthians that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Corinthians 10:4), and he told the Ephesians to "put on the whole armour of God." because we wrestle against spiritual powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:10–18). The Christian life is spiritual warfare, and the book of Joshua helps us understand what it means to move forward with God in seasons of change.

A New Reality
First, Joshua was confronted with a new reality. Moses was dead. That fact was not only historical, but instructive. Moses, the servant of the LORD, pictures the law, and the law could never bring a man into the promised inheritance. What the law could not do, grace does through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Joshua, whose name corresponds to Jesus (Acts 7:45), would now lead the people forward. God buries one season and raises another. When one servant passes off the scene, another must be ready to step into the work. Spurgeon once remarked that, “God buries His workmen, but carries on His work.” Death has a way of bringing things into focus. It reminds us that life is short, time is limited, and God's work must continue.

A New Responsibility
Second, Joshua was given a new responsibility. God told him to arise and go over this Jordan. There is no standing still when God has spoken. “Arise” speaks of awakening and resurrection (Eph. 5:14 – Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.) “Go over” speaks of movement and obedience. “This Jordan” speaks of God’s precise direction. God did not tell Joshua to invent his own path. He told him exactly where to go. So it is in the Christian life. After salvation comes responsibility. After awakening comes action. After instruction comes direction. God knows which river he wants you to cross, and he knows when you are ready to cross it. As Andrew Murray said, “God is ready to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.”

A New River
Third, Joshua stood before a new river. Jordan is more than a geographical boundary; it is a picture of death, separation, and transition. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  Every believer must cross certain Jordans in life. John 5:24 says. "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
There must be death to self, death to the old man, and separation from the world. There must also be a transition into service, maturity, calling, and usefulness. Jesus said in Matthew 10:39, “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” There is no entering Canaan without crossing Jordan. There is no crown without a cross. There is no true life without death to self. If we are to enter a new chapter with God, we will have to cross some rivers by faith. As Oswald Chambers put it, "“The test of abandonment is always over the neck of some river.”

A New Region
Fourth, Joshua was shown a new region. God had already prepared a place for Israel, just as Christ has prepared a place for his people in heaven (John 14:2). Yet while we wait for the full inheritance to come, God also has places of service, growth, and usefulness for us now. He gave Israel borders, and those borders mattered. The wilderness, Lebanon, the Euphrates, and the great sea each marked the boundaries of divine purpose.
In the Christian life, God gives boundaries for our good. They keep us in the place of safety, service, and blessing. Within those borders, we are to walk, war, and wait. We walk in obedience, war against the enemies of our inheritance, and wait on God to bring us into all he has prepared. 1 Corinthians 2:9 -  "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

A New Reassurance
Finally, Joshua received a new reassurance. God said, “I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Joshua 1:5). Joshua had every human reason to fear. He was stepping into Moses’ place, leading a nation, and facing enemies across the river. But the call of God always comes with the presence of God. Hebrews 13:5 repeats this promise for believers today. The Lord does not send his people into a new chapter alone. He goes with them. He does not abandon them in transition, trial, or warfare.

Every believer eventually comes to moments like the one in Joshua 1. One book is closed, and another book is opened. One chapter has ended, and a new chapter begins with new responsibilities. A new reality with a new river stands ahead of a new region. The future is unfamiliar, but the same God who spoke old reassurances to Moses speaks new reassurances to Joshua through his word.
Today, God still calls his people to arise, go forward, cross over, and trust him. Whatever chapter you are entering, the reassurance remains the same: God will be with you. He will not fail you, and he will not forsake you.

The Resurrection Laundry
Text: John 20:5-7

John’s Gospel gives us a remarkable detail about resurrection morning that is easy to overlook if we are not careful. In John 20:5-7, the Holy Ghost pauses the movement of the narrative long enough for us to examine what remained inside the tomb. It is almost as if God wants us to think on these things. There was no body in the sepulcher, but there were linen graveclothes and a napkin lying in their place. This resurrection laundry pictures victory over death. They stand as silent witnesses to the truth that Jesus Christ was not stolen, did not merely revive, and did not leave the grave as He entered it. He rose in triumph, leaving death and all its garments behind Him.

The Long Look In
John first took a long look into the tomb.
When John arrived at the tomb, he stooped down and looked inside. What he saw must have puzzled him. The linen that had wrapped the body of Jesus were his graveclothes, and they were still there. If someone had stolen the body, they would not have taken the time to unwrap it and carefully leave the grave wrappings behind. As John Gill observed, the orderly condition of the linen clothes proved the body had not been taken by thieves. Charles Spurgeon likewise noted that the resurrection was not a hurried escape from a tomb but a deliberate and triumphant rising. Sometimes we look at circumstances that do not immediately make sense, but God is always working with purpose beyond what we can see.  

The contrast with Lazarus is striking. Lazarus came forth from the grave still bound in his graveclothes, needing others to loose him and let him go (John 11:44). But when Jesus Christ arose, He left every grave covering behind. Lazarus was restored to mortal life and would die again. Christ arose in resurrection power, never to die again. Romans 6:9 declares, “Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.” The lying linen clothes declare that the garments of death had no further claim on Him. He no longer needed the clothing of a dead man, because He was alive for evermore.
 
The Lying Linen Clothes
These graveclothes also picture something spiritually true for every believer. The angel declared, “He is not here, but is risen.”  Christ did not merely rise temporarily like Lazarus. He rose in everlasting resurrection power. Death no longer had dominion over him. Those grave wrappings belonged to a dead body, but Jesus lives forevermore.

Apart from Christ, man is dead in trespasses and sins. The lost man may dress himself in religion, morality, ceremony, or self-righteousness, but in God’s sight all his righteousnesses are as filthy rags. The graveclothes represent the old condition of a dead man, covered but not cleansed, wrapped but not redeemed. But the child of God has been quickened together with Christ. The believer is no longer dressed in the garments of spiritual death, but stands clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Because Christ arose, those who are in Him are made alive and are called to walk in newness of life.

The Lonely Napkin
Then there is the lonely napkin. John makes special note that it was not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. That napkin had once covered the face of death. It was associated with tears, sorrow, and grief, but in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the napkin was no longer needed. No veil. No death. No sorrow. No tears. In Christ, there is fellowship instead of loneliness, life over death, joy, hope, peace instead of grief, sorrow, and tears. "We sorrow not as others, who have no hope...." (1 Thess. 4:13).

The napkin speaks of the lost sinner. It pictures the veil that remains upon the heart and mind without Christ. It pictures the loneliness of being without God and without hope in the world. It pictures sorrow that cannot be finally relieved because, outside of Christ, there is no joy, hope, or peace for the soul.

What a blessing that the clothing and the napkin were found without the body of Jesus. If the body had remained and only the clothing was missing, there would be no gospel hope. But because the tomb was empty and the graveclothes were left behind, the believer can rejoice that Christ has conquered death, hell, and the grave. The resurrection laundry of John 20 is more than an interesting detail. It is a testimony that Jesus Christ is alive, and all who trust Him may leave behind the old garments of death and walk in the newness of life.  


 

The Victorious Christian Life
Text: Hebrews 12:1-4

The Christian life is repeatedly compared in Scripture to a race. Paul told the Corinthians, “So run, that ye may obtain” (1 Cor. 9:24), and near the end of his life he testified, “I have finished my course” (2 Tim. 4:7).  Hebrews chapter 12 continues this imagery and shows believers what it takes to run the Christian race victoriously. Victory in the Christian life does not happen accidentally. According to this passage, it requires endurance, exercise, and exhortation.

First, the victorious Christian life requires ENDURING.
Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “run with patience the race that is set before us.” Endurance means bearing hardship without yielding, continuing without perishing, and remaining faithful under pressure. Paul reinforced this truth when he wrote, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3).

Joseph endured betrayal, false accusations, and imprisonment. Joshua endured warfare and responsibility as the leader of Israel. Likewise, every believer must endure slander, betrayal, defeats, and difficulties if he intends to finish his race faithfully.

Some of the hardships believers must endure include sufferings, sacrifices, criticisms, and contradictions. Scripture clearly teaches, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Christians are also called to present their bodies “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” (Rom. 12:1). Just as Jesus endured shame at the cross, believers will sometimes be criticized and misrepresented for their convictions. The Lord Himself endured contradiction from sinners, being falsely accused and treated as though He were guilty, though He had committed no sin. Yet Hebrews reminds us that we endure these things by looking unto Jesus (Heb. 12:2) and considering Him (Heb. 12:3). When our eyes and minds remain fixed upon Christ, we gain strength to continue running.

Second, the victorious Christian life requires EXERCISING.
No athlete finishes a race successfully without training. Hebrews 12 explains that one of God’s primary methods of strengthening believers is chastening. Though chastening may seem painful at the time, it produces spiritual fruit afterward. God corrects us so that we do not run in vain (Gal. 2:2; Phil. 2:16) or run with vain men (1 Peter 4:4).

Chastisement consecrates us so that we may partake of His holiness (Heb. 12:10), and develops in us a conscience that produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Heb. 12:11; Acts 24:16). Unlike the devil, who works through sin to bring pain and destruction, the Lord chastens His children to bring out the best in them. His goal is not frustration, but fruitfulness.

Third, the victorious Christian life requires EXHORTING.
Hebrews 12:12-13 describes runners whose hands hang down, whose knees are weak, and whose feet are lame. This is not the condition of someone running effectively. Instead of quitting the race, believers are called to strengthen one another.

Just as Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses, Christians must help support one another in times of weakness. Sometimes the best cure for spiritual weakness is simply to begin walking again in obedience. As the lepers said in 2 Kings 7:4, “Why sit we here until we die?” Scripture encourages us to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9) and promises that those who wait upon the Lord “shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

The Christian race is not meant to be run alone. Hebrews 12:1 reminds us, “Let us run,” showing that believers run together. Above all, the Captain of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ, knows every battle we face and every mile we must travel. He strengthens us, supports us, straightens our path, and sees us through. As we rely on Him and encourage one another, we can finish the race victoriously.

The important question each believer must answer is this: Are you even in the race? If you are, how are you running? What condition are you in today? And are you helping others finish their race as well?

PRESS ON, CHRISTIAN. PRESS ON.

Exhorting One Another:
Check Your Mirror at the Door
Text: Hebrews 10:22–25

The local church is not merely a place to attend; it is a place to engage. Hebrews 10:22–25 reveals one of the great responsibilities of every believer: the ministry of exhortation. To exhort is to incite unto good works, to stir up, to encourage, and to provoke one another toward faithfulness. This is not optional Christianity; it is essential Christianity.

Before we can rightly exhort others, Scripture gives three personal preparations. First, we must draw near with a true heart (Hebrews 10:22). Exhortation flows out of proximity to God. A distant Christian cannot effectively stir others because he himself is not stirred. Second, we must hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering (Hebrews 10:23). A wavering believer produces weak exhortation. Third, we must consider one another (Hebrews 10:24). Exhortation requires awareness. It demands that we look beyond ourselves and take notice of others.

These preparations lead directly into the command not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. The church gathering has a divine purpose. According to Hebrews 10:25, it is not merely attendance; it is exhortation. The assembly is a place where believers actively participate in strengthening one another.

The Faithful Assembly
A powerful Old Testament picture of this truth is found in Exodus 38:8. The women assembled at the door of the tabernacle and surrendered their looking glasses (their mirrors) for the service of God. Those mirrors were transformed into a brass laver, where the priests would wash before entering service. What was once used for vain examination became an instrument of virtue.

This is the heart of the message: when we come to church, we must check our mirrors at the door. Too often, people enter the assembly focused on self, e.g., appearance, opinions, pride, preferences, and personal agendas. The church is not a showroom for self-admiration; it is a sanctuary for sanctification. The focus must shift from self to the Savior and from self to others.

The word of God becomes the true mirror in the assembly. As James 1:23-25 teaches, it reveals who we really are. As Ephesians 5:26 declares, it washes us. What the mirror does for the face, the word of God does for the heart. It inspects, convicts, and cleanses. This is why preaching is central. “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). Through preaching, God exhorts His people.

The Falling Away
However, Hebrews 10:25 also warns of a troubling reality: the falling away. Even in Paul’s day, some were already developing the habit of forsaking the assembly. This was not accidental; it was a manner, a pattern, a chosen direction. Scripture makes it clear that this departure is prophesied and predictable (2 Timothy 4:1–4). Yet it is important to note that it is only “some,” not all. God has always preserved a faithful remnant.

Those who remain faithful in days of apostasy will often seem unusual, even extreme, but faithfulness has never been measured by popularity. It is measured by obedience. The remnant may be small, but it is strong.

The Final Approach
The urgency of this command is intensified by the phrase, “as ye see the day approaching.” The church today is on its final approach. Like the final approach of an aircraft for landing, the church is in its final approach to land on the runway of Heaven. Soon we will take off at the rapture and immediately touch down at Gloryland Airport.

Historically, "the day approaching" pointed toward the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. Doctrinally, it anticipates the tribulation. Spiritually, it reminds us that our meeting with Christ at the rapture is near.

The last days are unmistakable (2 Timothy 3:1–7). As darkness increases, so must our diligence. The nearer the day, the greater the need for exhortation. This is not a time to withdraw; it is a time to press in and press on. We need the assembly more, not less. We need preaching more, not less. We need one another more, not less.
The church must reclaim its purpose. When we gather, we must come ready, not to consume, but to contribute; not to admire self, but to edify others; not to carry our mirrors, but to lay them down.

We must come ready to check our mirrors at the door!

The Amen
Text: John 21:25

The Gospel of John ends with a remarkable statement:

“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 21:25). John concludes his Gospel under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost with the word, "Amen." At first glance, it may appear to be a simple closing remark, but it carries far more significance.

The word Amen is one of the most powerful affirmations in all of Scripture. The Hebrew word means certainly, truly, surely, or verily. Throughout the Bible, it serves three primary purposes: it asserts truth, it consents to truth, and it affirms truth.

First, Amen asserts truth.
When Jesus spoke, He frequently began His statements with the phrase “Verily, verily.” This expression literally means “Amen, amen.” In doing so, Christ was declaring that what He was about to say was the absolute truth. His words carried divine authority because He Himself is the truth. Jesus declared in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Second, Amen expresses consent to the truth.
In Numbers 5:22, the woman accused under the law responded with “Amen, Amen,” consenting to the judgment placed upon her. Likewise, when Ezra read the law before the people in Nehemiah 8:6, the people answered with “Amen, Amen,” acknowledging the authority of God’s Word.

Third, Amen affirms truth.
Several Psalms conclude with this affirmation, including Psalm 41:13, Psalm 72:19, and Psalm 89:52. When believers say Amen, they are declaring their agreement with the truth of what has been spoken.

Yet the Amen at the end of John’s Gospel goes beyond John merely asserting or affirming truth. It points us to Jesus Christ Himself. Revelation 3:14 identifies Christ with the title “the Amen.” As Charles Haddon Spurgeon once observed, “The word ‘Amen’ is much more full of meaning than may be supposed, and as a title of our Lord Jesus Christ, it is eminently suggestive.”

Jesus Christ is the Amen of God’s divine person.
Revelation 3:14 calls Him “the Amen, the faithful and true witness.” He is the creator of all things, for John 1:3 declares that “all things were made by him.” Christ also possesses divine authority. The Bible says He spoke “as one having authority” (Matthew 7:29), and the Father has committed judgment unto Him (John 5:27). Just as wisdom is personified in Proverbs 8, so is Jesus Christ the Truth personified in John 14:6.

Jesus Christ is also the Amen of God’s divine promises.
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen.” Every promise God has ever made finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Through these promises, believers are given eternal life (1 John 2:25) and are made partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Because these promises are certain, believers are called to live holy lives. 2 Corinthians 7:1 reminds us to cleanse ourselves from the sins of both flesh and spirit, allowing the words of God to wash and purify our lives (Ephesians 5:25; Psalm 119:9).

Jesus Christ is also the Amen of God’s divine propitiation. 
Sin invokes the wrath of a holy God, and propitiation is the act by which that wrath is appeased. Propitiation requires an offense, an offended person, a guilty sinner, and a sacrifice for sin. Jesus Christ fulfilled all of these requirements. 1 John 2:2 declares that He is the propitiation for our sins and the sins of the whole world. While Romans 3:25 tells us that God set Jesus, the Son of God, as the propitiatory sacrifice through the shedding of His blood. Through Christ’s sacrifice, sinners can be reconciled to God. For those who have received this propitiation, Christ gives a threefold promise found in John 5:24: everlasting life, freedom from condemnation, and the assurance that we have passed from death unto life.

Jesus Christ is the Amen of God’s divine plan.
Revelation describes Him as Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11). God’s redemptive plan will unfold exactly as He has declared. Christ will return, righteousness will prevail, and every promise of God will stand fulfilled. If you are saved and have read the back of the Book, you already know the outcome: we win in Christ. The Bible itself ends with the promise of Christ’s coming: "Surely I come quickly. Amen.” (Revelation 22:20).

The final word of Scripture is a word of certainty. It reminds us that the return of Christ is sure, the grace of Christ sustains us until He comes, and the presence of Christ awaits us when He does. God has sealed His word with the final affirmation: Amen.

These Things
Text: John 21:24–25
The Gospel of John closes with a remarkable statement from the beloved disciple:

“This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 21:24–25)

John reminds us that what he recorded about Jesus Christ is both true and intentionally selected. He witnessed the life, ministry, miracles, death, and resurrection of Christ firsthand. Yet he did not write everything he saw. The Holy Ghost guided him to write exactly what God wanted preserved in Scripture.

There were many other things Jesus did that were never written down. That truth should remind us that the Bible contains everything God intends for us to know. What is written is sufficient for our faith and life. If something is not included in Scripture, then it is information God deemed unnecessary for us to concern ourselves with.

As believers, we are accountable not to speculation, traditions, or extra-biblical writings, but to what God has written in his word. The Scriptures stand as the final authority for truth and doctrine. As one famous saying goes: “It’s not the things in the Bible I don’t know that bother me, but the things in the Bible I do know.”

John wrote “these things” for a purpose. When we examine his writings, we see that they point us toward three major realities: salvation, sanctification, and sound doctrine.

Salvation
John wrote so that people might be saved.
Jesus Himself declared: “If I receive witness from men, the witness of God is greater…” (John 5:34).  John explains further in his epistle: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13).

Salvation is received through believing on Jesus Christ. John makes this clear in the opening chapter of his Gospel: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:11–12).
Those who refuse to believe God’s testimony about his Son effectively make God out to be a liar. Scripture warns: “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” (Romans 3:4), and the seriousness of rejecting the truth is underscored in Revelation: “All liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.” (Revelation 21:8).

But for those who receive Christ, salvation brings tremendous blessings. The believer receives the witness of the Holy Ghost and has their name recorded in the book of life. Eternal life is given immediately: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” (John 3:36)

Salvation also removes condemnation. “He that believeth on him is not condemned.” (John 3:18). “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation.” (John 5:24). “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). As A. W. Tozer wisely observed, “Salvation is not a reward for the righteous; it is a gift for the guilty.”

Sanctification
John’s writings also point believers toward holy living. Jesus prayed for His disciples:

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17). Sanctification is closely connected to purification. God refines his people through trials, sufferings, afflictions, rebukes, and chastening.

Purification often involves separation, as believers are called to come out from worldly influences and live unto God. It also comes through washing, as the Word of God cleanses the heart and mind. “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” (Psalm 119:9).

At times, purification comes through fire, the refining trials that strengthen our faith.

“I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10). “That the trial of your faith… might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7). Isaac Watts once wrote: “Trials are medicines which our gracious and wise Physician prescribes.”

Ultimately, sanctification comes through the words of God. Scripture describes the word as pure, eternal, cleansing, burning, and powerful. “The words of the LORD are pure words.” (Psalm 12:6). “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” (Psalm 119:89). “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” (Ephesians 5:26). “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:29). For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12).
God’s word purifies, shapes, and sanctifies His people.

Sound Doctrine
Finally, John wrote so believers could recognize truth and avoid deception. Jesus said: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine.” (John 7:17)

Sound doctrine becomes clear when a person is committed to obeying Christ. Scripture warns that false teaching will increase in the last days. “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Timothy 4:1).

These teachings often come from self-willed teachers who follow their own desires rather than the Word of God (Titus 1:7; 2 Peter 2:10). John warned believers about these deceptive influences: “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.” (1 John 2:26).

His Gospel even illustrates the danger through the betrayal of Judas in John 13, reminding readers that falsehood can exist close to the truth. Believers must test every spirit and remain anchored in the Word of God. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.” (1 John 4:1).

Conclusion
The canon of Scripture represents the very mind and words of God, given by divine inspiration and preserved in a book. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Timothy 3:16)
Extra-biblical writings and traditions may contain historical value, but they are not divine revelation and must never be elevated to the authority of Scripture.

John reminds us that many other things Jesus did were never written (John 21:25). The Lord Himself restrained what was recorded. God gave us exactly what He intended for us to have.

The truth is simple: All you need is all you have, and all you have is what is written and sitting on your lap. The Scriptures we hold are sufficient for salvation, sanctification, and sound doctrine.

It is fitting that John ends his Gospel with the word Amen. “Amen” means so be it, truly, or with approval. It is a declaration that something is true and settled. Jesus Christ Himself identifies with that title: “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness…” (Revelation 3:14)
Christ is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, and the final authority of truth.

John closes his Gospel as though Christ himself is placing his seal upon everything written.
The testimony is true.
The record is complete.
The witness stands.

Just as Christ sealed the Gospel with an Amen, today he will seal your heart & soul with an Amen, if you believe.

Believe Him for salvation.
Believe Him for sanctification.
Believe Him for sound doctrine.

Text: John 21:18–23
Theme: Staying faithful and following the Lord because you love him

In John 21, Jesus confronts Peter with one of the most searching questions ever asked of a disciple: Do you love me? Peter had already affirmed his love, declaring, “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee” (John 21:17). Yet Jesus did not leave Peter with mere words. He immediately connected Peter’s love with responsibility: “Feed my sheep.” Love for Christ was not to remain in Peter’s heart alone, it was to govern Peter’s life.

This principle had already been established earlier when Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15), and again, “If a man love me, he will keep my words” (John 14:23). True love for Christ is demonstrated through faithful obedience.

Jesus then revealed to Peter that his future would include suffering and death. He said, “When thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not” (John 21:18). John explains that Jesus spoke this “signifying by what death he should glorify God” (John 21:19). In Peter’s youth, he had walked wherever he wished, governed by his own will and strength. He had once boldly claimed he would die for Christ (John 13:37), yet when the moment of testing came, he denied the Lord (John 18:17, 25–27). But now, Peter would live long enough to prove his love; not through impulsive declarations, but through enduring faithfulness. His eventual martyrdom would not glorify his own courage, but God’s grace working through him. Scripture reminds us, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life” (James 1:12).

After revealing Peter’s future, Jesus gave him a simple command: “Follow me” (John 21:19). This command lies at the heart of discipleship. However, Peter immediately turned and asked about John’s future, saying, “Lord, and what shall this man do?” (John 21:21). Jesus answered with words that still correct believers today: “If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me” (John 21:22). Jesus made it clear that Peter’s responsibility was not to compare his calling with another’s, but to remain faithful to his own calling. Comparison distracts from obedience. Faithfulness requires focus on Christ alone. The Christian life is not about measuring our path against others, but about personally following the Lord wherever he leads.

Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the importance of following after spiritual things. Believers are instructed to follow “the things which make for peace” (Romans 14:19), to “follow after charity” (1 Corinthians 14:1), to press toward spiritual maturity (Philippians 3:12), and to pursue “that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:15). Paul instructed Timothy to follow “righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness” (1 Timothy 6:11). Each of these commands reflects a life oriented around Christ. Following him is not a one-time decision, but a lifelong commitment rooted in love.

Jesus also corrected a misunderstanding about John’s future. Some believed Jesus had promised John would never die, but that was not what he said (John 21:23). John would indeed suffer persecution and exile, yet he remained faithful. While banished to the Isle of Patmos, he received the revelation of Jesus Christ and recorded the prophetic vision of the Lord’s return (Revelation 1:9–19). Peter would die a violent martyr’s death, while John would live to old age and die peacefully. Both glorified God; not because of how they died, but because of how they lived. Faithfulness, not circumstance, is what matters. Jesus said, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

Ultimately, the question Jesus asked Peter is the same question he asks every believer: Do you love me? Everything flows from that question. God demonstrated his love for us through the sacrifice of Christ: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He loved us first, and our love for him is the response: “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Faithfulness is simply love expressed through obedience over time.

Faithfulness is rare. The psalmist cried, “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men” (Psalm 12:1). Solomon asked, “A faithful man who can find?” (Proverbs 20:6). Yet God promises, “A faithful man shall abound with blessings” (Proverbs 28:20). Whether one’s path leads through suffering like Peter, endurance like John, or deliverance at Christ’s return, the call remains the same: Follow him.

In the end, the issue is not what God asks of others. The issue is what he asks of you. And the answer to that question will always be the same: If you love him, follow him.

Feed the Flock (Feed My Sheep)
Text: John 21:15–17

After his resurrection, Jesus met his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. Simon Peter, who had denied the Lord three times, is now given three questions and three charges. In John 21:15, Jesus asks, “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?” This question was not merely about Peter’s words, but about his affections. The phrase “more than these” likely refers to the fishing boats, nets, and the occupation Peter had returned to. Peter had gone back to what was familiar, what was comfortable, and what was carnal.

This question exposed a fundamental truth: affection determines direction. Scripture warns in 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” There is nothing inherently sinful about an earthly occupation, but it becomes a problem when it interferes with a spiritual obligation. Peter was being reminded that his calling was no longer to catch fish, but to shepherd souls. The charge to care for the flock was grounded in Christ’s sacrifice. Acts 20:28 reminds pastors to “feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The flock belongs to Christ because he redeemed it at Calvary.

Jesus’ first command was, “Feed my lambs” (John 21:15). Lambs represent the young and immature believers or those newly born into the family of God. These lambs require nurturing, instruction, and patience. They must be given “the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Spiritual growth does not happen automatically; it happens through intentional feeding. Pastors are responsible for developing the flock through teaching sound doctrine and guiding believers toward maturity. As 2 Peter 3:18 says, “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Jesus’ second command was, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:16). This involves shepherding, guiding, and overseeing the flock. Peter later elaborated on this responsibility in 1 Peter 5:2–3: “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly… neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” Shepherding involves presence, patience, oversight, willingness, humility, and ensample. A shepherd does not stand above the flock as a tyrant but walks among them as a servant. He leads by example, demonstrating godliness in conduct, faith, charity, and purity (Titus 2:7).

Jesus’ third command again was, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17), but this includes defending the flock. Paul warned in Acts 20:29–30 that “grievous wolves” would enter the flock, speaking perverse things and drawing disciples after themselves. Therefore, the shepherd must watch, warn, and weep. He must watch for danger, warn against false doctrine, and weep with compassion for the souls entrusted to his care. This is not a casual responsibility.

This charge to feed the flock is not merely a job; it is a calling. Paul testified in Galatians 1:15-16 that God separated him from his mother’s womb and called him by grace. It is also a commitment. In 2 Timothy 1:13–14, Paul instructed Timothy to “hold fast the form of sound words” and guard the truth entrusted to him. Finally, it is a command. Paul charged Timothy before God and the Lord Jesus Christ to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2).

The responsibility of the shepherd is to feed, but the responsibility of the sheep is to eat. Starving sheep cannot blame the shepherd if food is placed before them, but they refuse it. Many believers today suffer from spiritual malnutrition, not because there is no food, but because they consume more of the carnal than the spiritual. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Hebrews 10:25 commands the sheep to assemble in a centralized location for the purpose of receiving spiritual nourishment and exhortation.

The question remains: What do you love more, the carnal or the spiritual? What do you feed on daily? And if Christ has placed you in a pasture where his word is faithfully taught, are you feeding, growing, and abiding, or wandering and starving? The health of the flock depends on both the faithfulness of the shepherd to feed and the sheep to eat.

It Is The Lord
John 21:7-14

“It is the Lord.” With those four words, the apostle John made a declaration that was both spiritual recognition and settled truth. Jesus Christ was not merely present on the shore of Galilee, He was revealed in the heart of his disciples.
Scripture reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12:3 that “no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” Spiritual sight is not natural; it is given by God the Holy Ghost and received by faith in the heart of man. Many struggle to recognize Christ until he is revealed in the midst of their sorrow or disappointment.

In John 21, the disciples were at one of their lowest points. They had labored all night, relying on experience, strength, and familiarity, yet they caught nothing. This is often when the Lord draws near. Though they did not recognize Him at first, He was already present, watching, preparing, and ready to speak. As Charles Haddon Spurgeon observed, “Christ is never absent from His people, though they are often unconscious of His presence.”

He Speaks to Your Present Situation
Jesus’ first words were not words of rebuke but of relationship: “Children, have ye any meat?” (John 21:5). The term “children” is one of tenderness and authority. It echoes the language of Christ in Mark 10:24 and reflects the loving correction described in Hebrews 12:5.
Jesus addressed them exactly where they were, tired, empty, and honest. The Lord still speaks this way. When we feel alone, He speaks companionship. When we feel guilty, He speaks forgiveness. When fear dominates, He speaks peace. His words are not empty encouragements; they are, as Jesus said and John wrote, words of “spirit and life.” In seasons of disappointment, God is often preparing gracious designs beyond our understanding.

He Reminds You of His Previous Solution
When John said, “It is the Lord” (John 21:7), recognition came through remembrance. The scene echoed an earlier miracle in Luke 5, when empty nets were filled at Christ’s command. John connected what God was doing now with what He had done before.
This is a vital principle of faith. Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” John Newton frequently emphasized that past mercies are pledges of future faithfulness. When Peter heard the truth, he did not hesitate; he plunged into the water, eager to draw near again. Failure had not erased his desire for restored fellowship.

He Abundantly Provides for Your Sustenance
What followed was not a meager provision but an overwhelming abundance. Peter drew in a net containing 153 great fishes, yet the net did not break (John 21:11). Paul’s words ring true here: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). Likewise, “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Before Peter brought any fish to shore, Jesus already had bread and fish on the fire (John 21:9). Fellowship does not begin with what we provide, but with what Christ has already prepared. This scene reflects the early church in Acts 2:46-47, where believers continued in fellowship, breaking bread with gladness, praising the Lord, and the Lord adding to the church daily.

He Extends Himself to You in Personal Supping
Jesus’ invitation is simple yet profound: “Come and dine” (John 21:12). The risen Christ did not distance Himself from His weary disciples; He welcomed them. This same invitation is heard again in Revelation 3:20, where He promises fellowship to all who open the door. It is echoed in Matthew 11:28-30, where the weary are called to rest in His yoke, and in Isaiah 1:18, where sinners are invited to reason with the Lord and be cleansed.
Vance Havner wisely noted, “It is not enough to work for Christ; we must also sit with Him.” John Bunyan likewise emphasized that communion with Christ is the chief joy of the Christian life. The Lord does not merely command service; He offers fellowship.

Conclusion: It is the Lord who stands and waits for you to come to him. He is standing on the shores of grace, ready to receive you and fellowship with you over the warmth of his fire. If you come to him, he will not turn you away. To not come to him is to reject him, and to reject him is to be naked and toiling all alone, empty without hope and without God.