TheRoadtoEmmaus

AdailydevotionalfortheForestdaleCommunityChurch

February6–February10,2017

ThisweekinStillness&SilenceThefocusofthisweek’sdevotionalison“JoshuaandtheBattleofJericho.”InleadingGod’speopleintothePromisedLand,JoshuaistypeofChrist-figure.ButallalongthewayJoshuahastolearntotrustandnotbeafraid.HehastolearntotrustthatGod’sstrengthwillactuallybemadeperfectinHisweakness.Inyourtimesofstillnessandsilencethisweek,practicerestinginthatpromiseyourself.

“ButtheLordsaidtome,‘Mygraceissufficientforyou,formypowerismadeperfectinweakness.”

2Corinthians12:9CloseyoureyesandletthiswordfromGodresonateinyourmindandheart.Afterafewminutes,youarereadytobegin.

Monday:MakingtheConnection

BeStillBeforeTheLord (2minutes)

ScriptureReading:Joshua6:2“ThentheLORDsaidtoJoshua,"See,IhavedeliveredJerichointoyourhands,alongwithitskinganditsfightingmen.”

DevotionalThisweekwe“discoverJesusintheOldTestament”intwoways:

byarchetypeandbyanalogy.First,Joshuahimselfisa“typeofChrist.”Infact,heactuallysharesthesamenameasJesus!InHebrew,theirnameis“Yeshua,”anditmeans“theLordsaves.”AndJoshuaisalsoaforerunnertoJesusinthatheleadsGod’speopleintothePromisedLandwhereGod’sKingdomistobeestablished.ThisallpointstowhatJesuswouldultimatelycomeandfulfill.

However,wealsodiscoverJesusinthispassagebywayofanalogy.ThebattleplanforthedefeatofJerichoisan“upsidedownandbackwards”battleplan.Whoeverheardoflayingsiegetoaheavilywalledandfortifiedcitybymarchingsilentlyarounditonceadayforsevendays,andthenontheseventhdaymarchingarounditsevenmoretimesandthenblowingatrumpet?Butthat’swhatGodorderedJoshuatodo,andthat’swhatwontheday.Theanalogyisthatinjustthesameway,Godhadan“upsidedownandbackwardsbattleplan”fordefeatingsinandhellanddeaththroughJesusChrist.Hewassenttodieonacross!Inbothcases,itisnotthroughhumanmightorstrengththatGodwinssalvationforHispeople,butthroughhumanweakness.ThelivesofbothYeshua’sdemonstrate:“God’sstrengthismadeperfectinourweakness.”

Question:InwhatwayshaveyouexperiencedGod’sstrengthbeingmadeperfectinyourweakestmoments?

BeStillBeforeTheLord (2minutes)

Prayer:Lord,helpmetotrustyouwiththebattlesIfacetoday.Helpmetolistenforyourvoiceinthemidstofthebattle,andfollowYourleading.MayIdiscoveronceagainthatwhenIamweak,thenYouarestrong,throughJesusChrist.Amen.

Tuesday: PrayerBeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Scripture:Joshua6:1 “NowJerichowastightlyshutupbecauseoftheIsraelites. Noonewentoutandnoonecamein.”Devotional Flood!Ilookeddownfromahighhillandmyeyescouldn’tbelievewhattheywereseeing…housescoveredwithwaterfromthepouringrainsandoverflowingriver.AllmyplanstoleaveBrazilandreturnhometoAmericaseemedruined!Iwokeeachdayprayingthatthewaterswouldrecedeonlytofinditunchanged.Itseemedlikeanimpossibleprayertobeanswered. JoshuaandtheIsraeliteswerealsofacingwhatseemedtothemlikeanimpossibleobstacle.ThewallsofJerichowesotallandthicktheyseemedimpossibletoovercome.HoweverJoshuarespondedbybeingobedienttoGod,puttinghistrustinHim,andfollowingHisinstructions.AndGodbroughtaboutanamazingvictory.

Jesus,likeJoshua,alsoobedientlyfollowedHisFather’splan,evenwhennooneunderstood(notevenhisdisciples)howlayingdownhislifewouldeverbringvictory.Question:Whatdifficultsituationareyouprayingabouttoday?CanyoutrustJesustobringyoudirectionandhope?BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Prayer:LordJesus,Isometimesfeellikethesituationsinmylifearelikeafloodthatwon’trecedeoranimpenetrablewall.IfeeloverwhelmedwhenIthinkaboutit.Pleasehelpmetotrustandobeyasyouhelpme.MayIberemindedthatwhenIamweakyouarestrong.Amen.

Wednesday: RestBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture Joshua6:25ButJoshuasparedRahabtheprostitute,withherfamilyandallwhobelongedtoher,becauseshehidthemenJoshuahadsentasspiestoJericho—andshelivesamongtheIsraelitestothisday.Devotional:

GodhadaplantodestroyJericho,andtheIsraelitesrestedinthatplanbyfollowingGod’sinstructions.TheymarchedwhenGodwantedthemto,theywerequietwhenHewantedthemto,andtheyshoutedatHiscommand.God’splantodestroyJerichowasclearandpreciselyexecuted.Buttheplanwouldn’thaveworkedifitweren’tforRahab,theprostitute.ShehidJoshua’sspies,whenhesentthemintospyouttheland.Herhidingofthespieswasanunusualactforanunusualwoman.ShesaysshediditbecauseshehadheardabouttheGodofIsrael,andallhehaddonefortheIsraelitesindeliveringthemfromEgypt,andbringingthemthroughtheRedSea.ShebelievedthatGodwaswiththeIsraelites,andshewantedtoputhertrustinHim.

GodnotonlyhonoredherbysavingherlifeintheBattleofJericho,butalsowelcomedherintoHisfamilyoffaithsuchthatRahabbecamepartofthelineageofJesusChrist,theultimatehonor!(SeeMatthew1:5)Question:HowcanyourestinGodtodayandentrusttoHimtheultimateplanforyourlife?Prayer: DearHeavenlyFather,helpustothinkaboutJerichoandGod’splantodestroyit.HelpustoseehowtheIsraelitesrestedinyou.Weknowyouhaveagrandplan.Helpustoseekoutthatplanforourlives.Amen.BeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)

Thursday:RelationshipBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture:Joshua6:2

“ThentheLORDsaidtoJoshua,"See,IhavedeliveredJerichointoyourhands,alongwithitskinganditsfightingmen.”

Devotional Inthischapter,Joshua,whowasamighty,fightingwarrior,isbeingtoldbyGodthatGodHimselfwillfightthisbattleforJoshua,andindoingso,JoshuaandthepeopleofGodwillinheritthePromisedLand.GodtoldJoshuatomarcharoundthecity7times,thenblowatrumpetandshout.OnecanonlyimaginewhatJoshuawasthinkingatthisplanforabattle!Maybesomethinglike,“SeriouslyGod?”ButJoshuaneverquestionedGod,insteadhefollowedGod’swordexactly.ThefaithJoshuaportraysiswithoutquestion.AndjustasGodfoughtJoshua’sbattle,Jesusfoughttheultimatebattleforus!Alongwithsalvation,Jesushasprovidedforusa“promisedland”oftheKingdomofGod. Weallhavehadsome“wallsofJericho”inourownlives.Itmaybeheartache,depression,anxiety,addiction,fear,orcountlessotherafflictions.Sohowcanweliveinandenjoythe“promisedland”Christhasgivenus?WedosojustasJoshuadid:wehearGod’sword,andrestinGod’sword,andobeyGod’sword.Jesusistheonlyonewhocanteardownthewallsofthe“Jericho’s”weface.Ourjobistotrust,andkeepgrowinginourrelationshipwithHim,readingthescriptures,studyingHisword,andprayingtoHim.HeiswithusandHecanandwillknockdownthosewalls! Question:What“wallsofJericho”areyoucurrentlyfacing,whichyouneedJesustobreakdown?Prayer:Lord,wedothankYouforwhatYouarealreadydoinginourlives.HelpustoleanonYousothosewallsofoppositionordiscouragementwefacewillcomecrashingdown.AmenBeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)

Friday:WorkBeStillBeforetheLord (2minutes)Scripture:Joshua6:2

“ThentheLORDsaidtoJoshua,“See,IhavedeliveredJerichointoyourhands,alongwithitsKinganditsfightingmen.”

Devotional:

Inyesterday’sdevotional,thequestionwasraised,“WhatwallsofJerichodoyoucurrentlyface,whichyouneedJesustobreakdown?”There’sakeyphraseinthatquestionthatdeservestobehighlighted….”whichyouneedJesustobreakdown.”Sooftenweapproachthethingswewanttoseechanged,andwedoallthatwecaninourpowertochangethem.Butthatisn’ttheworkGodiscallingusto.Hecallsustosurrenderourpower,tolaydownourwayofdoingthings,toresistrespondinginthewaytheworldwouldapproveof,andinstead,toturntheproblem–orinthiscasethewall–overtoJesus.

Sometimesthiscanfeelfoolish.TheLordmaycallustowait,ortorespondwithmercywherenoneisdeserved.Hemayaskustorespondinawaythatwillappearfoolishtotheworld.Whatsoldiercanwinabattlejustbymarchingandshouts?Noonecan.ButifthebattleistheLord’s,thenanythingispossible.Ourpartrequiresobedience,faithandparticipationonHisterms.TherealworkcomesinallowingJesustofightourbattlesonHisterms.Question:CanyoulaydownyourwaysofapproachingaproblemandaskhimtorevealHis?BeStillBeforetheLord(2minutes)Prayer: Lord,thebattleofJerichoshowsuswhatcanbedonewhenyourfollowerslistentoyouandfollowyourways.ShowushowwecanwalkinthetypeofobedienceandfaiththatJoshuaexhibitedwhenhefoughtthebattleatJericho.Helpustotrustyoutobreakdownthewallsweface,andtowinthebattlesyoucallustofight.Amen.

Thisweeksdevotionalwriters:

Monday:PaulMcPheetersTuesday:SusanMatos

Wednesday:ChrisRedfordThursday:ChristineBartholomew

Friday:BethGovoni