The Open Word (Audio)

The Lord told the Israelites to burn what they found in Jericho, but a man named Achan coveted what he saw there, and kept it. Not only did he disobey the Lord, but he CONTINUED to hide his secret - even when The Lord announced that His judgment was coming. How long do our sins go unconfessed, just because the anger of the Lord has not found us yet? Pastor David will be teaching today that although God’s heart IS for reconciliation, we should not keep walking in our sin like Achan, simply because He hasn’t disciplined us yet!

Often, we are not the only ones affected by our sins… They affect people around us as well. Today we will learn with Pastor David the story of Achan. His sin prevented Israel from winning what would have been an EASY battle, against the small city of Ai. A whole nation was affected because of ONE man’s sin! We will learn that the promises of God ARE there for us, but sometimes we are our own enemies! As with Israel, our sin can stop us from conquering what the Lord has promised. We must walk in obedience in order to win our battles!

Today, we will learn the story of Achan, a man whose sin brought judgment to the whole nation of Israel. They had just defeated the powerful city of Jericho, when Achan disobeyed and stole from the Lord. Filled with self-confidence - and unaware of Achan’s secret sin - Joshua didn’t ask The Lord what they were supposed to do next… All of which led them to losing the easiest of all battles! Pastor David will teach today that when we surrender our mess to Jesus, whatever it is, He will fix it and turn it into miracles!

Some of Christ’s commands or callings for your life may leave you shaking your head in confusion. The Israelites, when ordered to march around an insurmountable wall and shout, must have felt the same way. Today as Pastor David looks at the story of Joshua and the wall of Jericho, he focuses on the obedience of the Israelites. He encourages listeners that that same obedience to The Lord can work wonders even today, no matter how crazy or impossible His callings may seem.

We face physical battles on an almost daily basis. Today Pastor David will talk about the Spiritual battles behind those physical battles. As he studies Joshua chapters 5 and 6, Pastor David admires the leadership of Joshua. The Israelites had been known to question The Lord and complain about their circumstances. Here their faith is about to be truly tested as God calls them to march around the city of Jericho. But Joshua’s leadership propels them because of his obedience to The Lord.

Has God ever called you to do something totally opposite of what you would naturally want to do? The reality is, in life, the Lord demands total surrender of our fleshly desires that can only separate us from Him. Pastor David, in Joshua chapter 5, speaks on the custom of circumcision. He compares this act to the “cutting away of flesh” that must take place in our life. It hurts and is difficult to do, but the Lord is always faithful to supply us with the strength that it takes!

Have you been intentional about documenting times in your life when the Lord has faithfully provided? Have you been active in sharing these “God moments” with those around you? Today Pastor David will study Joshua chapter 4. The Lord makes himself known in your life in a variety of ways, whether it be financial provision, physical healing, or emotional support. Pastor David encourages listeners to fearlessly proclaim these good deeds, not only to fellow believers in the church, but to non-believers alike!

When we face something impossible, we try to rationalize; we calculate our best ideas; and we forget that God can do the supernatural! Today, we will learn with Pastor David that when the Israelites had to cross the Jordan, they could have chosen several reasonable alternatives – according to MAN’S wisdom. However, God called them to step into the river and watch Him OPEN the waters! Joshua could have argued with God, but instead, he OBEYED in faith. And only for that reason were they able to experience the miracles of God!

The people of Israel were about to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land, when their leader Joshua told them: “Sanctify yourself, because tomorrow The Lord will do wonders.” In today’s message, Pastor David will teach that when we are about to enter a battle and conquer what the Lord has promised us, He asks us to be spiritually PREPARED. Why? Because the enemy will do whatever he can to stop us from getting there! We will learn that spiritual battles increase when we are about to receive the blessings God has promised!

How patient are you, when you have to wait for something…?? The Lord told the people of Israel about His promises, but it took HUNDREDS of years for them to happen! God works in a totally different realm than we do. Today we will learn with Pastor David a little bit more about how God operates, as we study the story of Joshua leading the people into the Promised Land. We are usually anxious to ARRIVE, while God is invested in our JOURNEY. He has not forgotten His promises. He is PREPARING you. He is faithful!