Archive for the ‘Daily Devotion’ Category
February 17th, 2011 | 
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Instruction for crossing the Jordan had been given to Joshua
Daily Devotion January 22, 2011
Instruction for crossing the Jordan had been given to Joshua by Divine revelation (Joshua 3). Instruction for dealing with the flesh once they were in the Promised Land had been given to Joshua by Divine revelation (Joshua 5). Instruction for taking Jericho had been given to Joshua by Divine revelation (Joshua 6). In other words, all along the way, Joshua had been seeking the Lord. But when he thought he could handle Ai by himself, the Spirit was quenched.
Paul put it this way when he asked the Galatians, “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3). And the same can be true of us.
Although we were once open to the mystery and intimacy of God’s Word specifically and personally given to us, a “Joshua chapter 7” mentality can creep in which causes us to say, “I can handle this little problem with my own energy, insight, and ability. After all, it’s just Ai.” But whenever we try to do battle in our own strength, whenever we fail to wait upon the Lord and to listen for the Holy Spirit, the same thing that happened to the Israelites will happen to us. We’ll flee before that which we thought we could easily conquer.
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. “Joshua 7:2-4″
Copy write: Jon Courson -Searchlight
We’re not leaving until all have passed over
Daily Devotion January 12, 2011
The priests stepped in and said, “We’re not leaving until all have passed over.” And they stood firm while three million people passed through the Jordan. They stood until the work was done.
Evangelist D. L. Moody locked himself in a hotel room in New York City for three and a half days, saying, “I’m not coming out of this room until I know the power of the Spirit has come upon me.” On the fourth day, God overwhelmed and overpowered him to such a degree that he knew without a doubt that he was empowered to do the work God had called him to do.
So too, as I read the Book of Joshua, I say, “Lord, I don’t want to miss out on anything You have ordained for me.”
And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. “Joshua 3:17″
Copy write: Jon Courson -Searchlight
The Israelites weren’t commanded to step into a trickling stream but into a raging river
Daily Devotion January 11, 2011
The Israelites weren’t commanded to step into a trickling stream but into a raging river. But how could it have been otherwise? In reference to the Holy Ghost, Jesus said, “If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. And out of his innermost being shall gush forth torrents of living water” (see John 7:37-38). Thus, it’s appropriate that, as a symbol of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, the Jordan would have been a roaring river.
For the Jordan to part at the point the priests stepped in, God had to have built a supernatural dam nineteen miles upriver. Because Joshua and the people of Israel couldn’t see that far, this means that God was working out of sight. And He still works that way today. That’s why He says, “Trust Me. Don’t walk by sight. Walk by faith. I’m doing things nineteen miles upriver that you can’t see now – but that you will understand in the right place, at the right time.”
And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; and as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) that the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon a heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. “Joshua 3:14-16″
Copy write: Jon Courson -Searchlight
Behold, the ark of the covenant, even the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
Daily Devotion January 10, 2011
When the priests and representatives from each tribe put their feet into the river, the water would divide. Forty years previously, when the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, the water parted before they stepped in (Exodus 14). But not this time. When it comes to the issues of the Spirit, we’re to step in by faith.
“But what if hands are laid upon me and I seek the Lord’s power aggressively, yet nothing happens? I’ll feel like a big drip,” we say. So we stay on the bank where it’s safe and dry – real dry, dusty dry, wilderness dry.
Why doesn’t God part the water first? I’m convinced it’s because the language of eternity is faith. This life is only eighty years long at best. So God uses every opportunity to teach us to see and hear with the eyes and ears of faith. “Step out. Step in. Step up in faith,” He says. “And watch and see what I’ll do.”
Behold, the ark of the covenant, even the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take ye twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon a heap. Joshua 3:11-13
Copy write: Jon Courson -Searchlight
When you see the presence of God move, go after it
Daily Devotion January 9, 2011
“When you see the presence of God move, go after it,” the officers of the congregation said. I like that! Our God is on the move. And we must be those who go after Him.
When they saw the Ark of the Covenant move, the Israelites were to follow it. Yet they were to follow at a distance of approximately half a mile. In this, it’s as if God was saying, “Follow Me, but don’t push Me.”
People say, “I’m going to have the same experience that he or she or they had.” God, however, wants to take us where we’ve never been before. Therefore, it’s the wise man or woman who says, “Lord, I want Your anointing. And I’m going to give You space to work it out any way You choose.”
And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. “Joshua 3:3-4″
Copy write: Jon Courson -Searchlight
Many say they have committed their lives to the Lord, but have they really?
Daily Devotion January 5, 2011
Many say they have committed their lives to the Lord, but have they really? The psalmist challenges us to commit out way to the Lord. The word “commit” in this passage has the idea of rolling a burden over to the Lord.
Minnie A Steele wrote a hymn in 1908 that I have often sung entitled, “I Remember When My burdens Rolled Away.” The first verse says, “I remember when my rolled away, I had carried them for years, night and day. When I sought the bless Lord, And I took Him at His word, Then at once all my burdens rolled away.” Well, she knew what she was talking about!
Read Psalm 55:22 and once again, roll over to the Lord your burdens. Surrender everything to Him
” Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Psalm 37:5
Copy write: Love Worth Finding Ministries
What is bringing you joy today?
Daily Devotion January 4, 2011
What is bringing you joy today? You say, “The Lord is making me happy.” How do you know it’s not that nice automobile? Or your bean? Or your good looks? Or your bank account? Or your popularity? Here’s how you can know. By the princess of elimination. Let God take away your health, your home, your job, and if your job, and if you still have joy, then you know it is Jesus
If you lose your joy when you lose any of these things, you are an idolater because that is where you are getting your joy. I don’t mean that you cannot be temporarily upset over the loss, but if the joy goes out of your life, you weren’t getting your joy from the Lord.
You’ll never know that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.
“I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.” Psalm 86:12
Copy write: Love Worth Finding Ministries
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin
Daily Devotion January 3, 2011
Did you know that if you let the devil be uppermost in your life today, it is because you are doing the letting? Before you were saved, you had no choice. You were a slave to sin. Now, you don’t have to let sin have the upper hand in your life.
There is absolutely no power that says you must sin. When you entered into union with Christ, you no longer have to let sin reign in your mortal body. You have dethroned sin and enthroned Jesus Christ as Lord of your life.
We need to be like the man who prayed, “Lord, help me cooperate with You, so You won’t have to operate on me.”
“Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:13
Copy write: Love Worth Finding Ministries
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
Daily Devotion January 2, 2011
Mike Kolen, who played linebacker for the Miami Dolphins, told me this story once. “When I graduated from Auburn University, Coach Shug Jordan asked me to do some scouting for him. I said, ‘Sure coach, what kind of man do you need?”
“Coach said, ‘You know the guy you can knock down and he stays there?’ I said, ‘Sure!’ Coach said, ‘We don’t need him. You know the guy you can knock down, he gets up, you knock him down again, and he gets up? I said, ‘Yes! You want him? ‘No,’ said Coach, ‘I want the guy that’s knocking everybody down. That’s the guy I want.’ “
I am grateful that Jesus picks us up when we are knocked down. But wouldn’t you like to do a little knocking down of the devil for a change? You can if you will learn to pray, “Lord, lead me not into temptation, but keep me from evil.”
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. “ Matthew 6:13
Copy write: Love Worth Finding Ministries
