March iJourney by Crossgates Baptist Church

INTRODUCTION Welcome to iJourney 2011! Every person is on a spiritual journey. Our journeys are laced with challenges, changes, and choices every day. The way in which we each navigate our journey will have lasting effects throughout eternity. It is therefore imperative we see our journey from the right perspective and then proceed down the right path in order to fulfill the purposes for which we have been created. Your journey traces the story of your life. Every twist and turn, every hill and valley, and every person and place, converge to define the story of your life. Your life story, though unique, fits within a much more grand story – God’s Story. Since the beginning of time God has been unveiling His grand story for all creation. The Bible is God’s journey with man as He unveils His story. In Genesis, God tells us how His story begins. And in Revelation He tells us how it will end. His story is a love story, with Himself as the hero and people as the heroine in need of rescue. Within this love story your story fits and comes to life. iJourney has been developed to help you better visualize and navigate your story within God’s story. To assist you on your journey this year we are walking through the Bible chronologically. In doing this you will experience God’s story from beginning to end historically. For instance, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were preaching during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. Reading the prophets within their historical context will give you a better feel for their messages and a better understanding of their meaning. iJourney is designed, however, to help you do more than simply gain a better understanding of the Bible historically. iJourney is an opportunity for you to engage God personally. Jesus said that real life is knowing God intimately (Jn 17:3). Most Bible readers never move beyond reading the Bible for information. Through iJourney you will be challenged to move from reading for information to revelation. God is a talker. He is always speaking. The problem is not with his voice, but with our ears. To the seven churches in Revelation Jesus said the same words. He said, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” (Rv 2:7; 2:11; 2:17; 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22).

The Lord wants to guide you on your life journey. He wants you to discover your journey within His story. He wants to walk with you as you fulfill your purposes. Reading for revelation is hearing God’s voice and then following God’s path as He unveils His plans to you and through you. iJourney 2011 includes three weekly sections along with your daily reading plan. The first section is Cross Walk. In the same way cars are to yield at designated crosswalks when they see pedestrians, Cross Walk is written for you to slow down and see Jesus. In each weekly reading a Cross Walk has been written to help you see Jesus and His redemption throughout Scripture. The second section is Scenic View. When traveling the country you will see areas along the way marked Scenic View. These are places where you can pull over to view the beauty of an area. Each week a Scenic View has been written to help you discover the beauty of a particular reading. The final section is Journaling. Like any traveler, this section is for you to journal any thoughts, comments, or observations made along your journey. Blessings! David Jett Senior Pastor

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

Joshua: A Picture of Jesus - Numbers 27:15-23

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord is My SCOTT DOING

The Old Testament is filled with types - symbols of a reality that will occur in the future - that point to their fulfillments in the New Testament. Joshua is a type of Jesus. It is through this typology and the Old Testament prophets that we get our first look at what the Savior of the world would do and how He would do it. The Hebrew name Joshua (Yeshua) means God (Yahweh) is salvation, and was the name Jesus was called in the Hebrew community. Jesus is the Aramaic translation of Joshua and has the same meaning.

A banner is usually a pole with a sign, emblem, or flag at the top. When the banner was raised it became the rallying point for the warriors of the army to gather around. Shortly after the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea the Amalekites came and attacked them. Moses, the man of God, told Joshua to choose men to go to the valley and fight against Amalek while Moses went to the mountain to pray. As long as his hands were lifted up, Israel prevailed, but when his hands came down, Amalek prevailed. Aaron and Hur came to Moses, sat him down on a rock and held his hands up in order that Joshua and the Israelites would prevail.

Joshua was the great warrior and general of the conquest of Canaan. After the death of Moses, he led the people of Israel across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. Jesus is a warrior. He came as the LORD of hosts and defeated the works of the devil (1 Jn 3:8). Like Joshua, Jesus pioneered the path into the Promised Land—that daily walk in this world through the power of the Holy Spirit – by His life, death, and resurrection. One day that same walk will take every believer into the full promise of the presence of God in heaven.

Moses’ shepherd’s staff had become the rod of God. As Moses raised the rod of God in the air with his hands, it signified that the Lord was the banner the armies of Israel were fighting under. When Moses’ hands grew tired and the rod of God was lowered, the Israelites were no longer fighting under the banner of the Lord but were fighting in their own strength.

Joshua passionately pursued his relationship with God. This is portrayed beautifully by his sleeping in the Tent of the Lord each night (Ex 33:11). This pattern of passionate pursuit was elevated and perfected through the life of Jesus. Scripture tells us Jesus did only what He saw or heard the Father doing (Jn 5:19-20). The life of Joshua is a picture of Jesus painted on an Old Testament canvas 1,500 years before the Lord’s birth. Our close and careful inquiry of the Bible’s portrait of Joshua will result in a deeper, richer, and more focused picture of the New Testament revelation of Jesus.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

The story of the Israelites and their escape from Egypt, desert wanderings, and entrance to the Promise Land is a picture of the life of every believer. The Lord redeemed you from Egyptian slavery to bring you to His land of Promises. Along the way, however, we find that even though the enemy was defeated, battles still rage. The Amalekites represent sin and evil in our lives and will never be defeated as long as we are fighting in our own strength. But when we come under the Lord as our banner (Jehovah Nissi), sin is defeated and the enemy must flee! The finished work of Jesus on the cross – applied by faith to the fiery darts of our arch enemy – results in certain victory. Are you or someone you know falling in defeat to the enemy’s arrows? Do not attempt to fight back in your own strength. Come under the banner of the Lord and rely upon the strength of His indwelling Spirit to win the victory. Jesus said, “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (Jn 6:63).

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

March 1

March 2

March 3

March 4

March 5

March 6

March 7

March 8

q Num. 6:1-27 q Num. 10:1-36

q Num. 11:113:33

q NUM.14:1-15:41

q Nu. 16:1-18:32

q Nu. 19:1-21:35

q Nu. 22:1-24:25

q Nu. 25:1-26:65

q Nu. 27:1-29:40

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

The Mercy Seat (Exodus 25:10-22) SCOTT DOING

No Images Allowed - Deuteronomy 4:15-24

The Ark of the Covenant was a visible representation on earth of a literal reality in heaven. It was the only piece of furniture in the Holy of Holies—a box measuring approximately 4 feet long by 2 ½ feet wide and high covered in gold—located in the innermost section of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. It was there the presence of the living God dwelled among His people. Today, that same reality (the Ark) is expressed as the Holy Spirit taking up residence in the spirit of a believer at the moment of salvation.

On Mt. Sinai, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. These laws were given to teach the people of Israel how to interact with their God and with each other. The first commandment was very clear—they were to have no other gods besides the Lord. Literally, God told them to put no other god in His face. The second commandment was a prohibition against creating visible portrayal of the invisible God by sinful humanity. Later, through the incarnation, Jesus would show us the Father through His life and ministry (Jn 1:18; 14:9). Fresh out of Egypt and with the disappearance of Moses, the children of Israel fell back into the same gross idolatry God had delivered them from just weeks earlier. While God was writing the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone with His own finger, they were fashioning a golden bull calf and worshiping it as Jehovah (Ex 32:1-10). Over and over the people of Israel fell back into the sin of idolatry—bowing down and adoring lifeless facsimiles of what they thought God looked like. God’s purpose for forbidding images was to set us free to worship Him, not some inferior image conceived in the mind of a mere mortal. Our God cannot be contained in a single image, much less through the fanciful imagination of a created being. Every time man attempts to create an image of God, he exchanges the glory of the incorruptible God for the cheaper inferior glory of a man, bird, beast, or insect (Rom 1:22). To do this is to deny all that God is. We can only envision what we have seen, and no man has ever seen God’s face and lived (Ex 33:20). Even the heavenly angels who exist in His glorious Presence cover their faces in honor of His holiness as they serve Him. The Lord is not bashful, but He is jealous for His glory. Therefore, no images allowed.

A solid gold lid called the mercy seat covered the Ark. It was there between the two cherubim and above the Ark that the presence of God dwelled with His people. Once each year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies with the blood of a bull. He would carry a sensor and burn incense, so that the mercy seat was shrouded in smoke. Here the priest would sprinkle the blood. This act culminated the national repentance of Israel for the sins of the past year. God’s mercy and forgiveness were secured as the blood covered the broken laws represented under the lid by the tablets of Moses which were the Ten Commandments. This beautiful picture of atonement – the ransom payment for sin – was fulfilled in Jesus as He suffered and died on the cross. His blood was the perfect sacrifice the Old Testament ritual had long anticipated. No longer would a bull be slaughtered and a man disappear behind the mysterious curtains to perform the atoning work each year. Jesus died and His blood was sufficient for eternal forgiveness. He became our High Priest and sprinkled His own blood on heaven’s mercy seat (Heb 9:11-12; 23-26; 10:19-25).

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

March 9

March 10

March 11

March 12

March 13

March14

March 15

March 16

q Nu. 30:1-31:54

q Nu. 32:1-33:56

q Nu. 34:1-36:13

q Deut. 1:1-3:20

q Deut. 3:21-5:33

q Deut. 6:1-9:29

q Deut. 10:112:32

q Deut. 13:116:17

JOURNALING

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JOURNALING

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

Cross Again - Joshua 4

God’s Charge to Joshua Joshua 1

Joshua led the entire nation of Israel down into and through the Jordan River to enter the land of Canaan – the Promised Land. What it must have been like to see this happen! Joshua called the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant to walk down into the Jordan River. As soon as their feet hit the floodwaters, the river divided! The Ark stopped in the middle of the riverbed, with the priests’ feet standing on dry ground. The nation of Israel celebrated as they walked through a literal miracle.

God said, “My servant Moses is dead.” What an opening statement for the Lord to make to Joshua, Moses’ mentee and new deliverer of Israel. It was followed by a string of commands: (1) “You and all of the people arise” (2) “cross this Jordan” (3) “to the land which I am giving to Israel.” Then came the guarantees: (1) “Everywhere your foot steps, I have given it to you.” WOW! There is some serious assurance! (2) “No man will be able to stand before you.” There is the icing on the cake! Just as God had chosen Moses, so too, he had chosen Joshua. If you are His, He has chosen you. He chose you before you chose Him! He is the great initiator of love!

When all but the priest and The Ark had made their way to the other side, something very odd happened – the Lord asked Joshua to take one man from each tribe and have them CROSS AGAIN into the valley of the river to pick up a stone. They were to bring them back and erect an altar as a memorial so that when their children asked, they could testify that the Lord had cut off the waters of the Jordan and allowed them to walk over on dry land. Why didn’t they simply pick up the stones as they came across the first time? When they came across initially, in excitement and celebration, they were overwhelmed with the miracle. But when the twelve men walked back into the river alone, the water had been piling up higher and higher. The runoff water had drained farther and farther away, with the Shekinah Glory of God hovering above. As they walked back in, they began to comprehend the power and presence of the Lord God. The first trip across was exciting, but the return trip empowered them to take Canaan. It wasn’t enough to simply cross into blessing. It was imperative that they stop and CROSS AGAIN to realize Who had empowered them. They needed to allow the significance of the moment to burn into their memories, for their sake and the sake of their children. Once Israel settled into the calm assurance of the Power and Presence of the Lord, they were ready to go into Canaan and take the land. Are you conscious of His abiding Power and Presence? Will you CROSS AGAIN? (WS)

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

Following these incredible promises, tender, yet powerful, encouragement came. Three separate times within the same dialogue, the Lord encouraged him to be strong and courageous. Strength is the ability not to bend under pressure. It displays unbending passion and purpose. Courage is the capacity to advance in the face of adversity, regardless of the threats of the enemy. Strength holds what is, and courage conquers what is not. One is internal and the other is directional. Joshua was about to take the Lord’s people on a journey of victory and blessing. His example would set the tone for the people of God. Next, the Lord asked him to be careful to live in the Word and meditate on it. This would allow him to be sure that he was walking in the Lord’s ways, bringing blessing and success. Within this thought, the Lord gave one last challenge, “Do not fear or be dismayed.” Fear is when we project into the NOW what might be a possibility in the future. It is the way that the enemy binds us in the present with what is not real in the future. Being dismayed is when we project into the NOW what has happened in the past, though it has passed. It is how the enemy binds us with failures or sins that have already been dealt with. The Lord’s last word to Joshua reminded him that along the way, the Lord would be with him wherever he might journey. We would do well to do the same on our iJourney. (WS)

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS

March 17

March 18

March 19

March 20

March 21

March 22

March 23

March 24

qDeut. 16:18-21:9

q Deut. 21:1025:19

q Deut. 26:1-29:1

q Deut. 29:231:29

q Deut. 31:3032:52 q Psalm 90

q Deut. 33:134:12 q Josh. 1:1-2:24

q Josh. 3:1-6:27

q Josh. 7:1-9:27 q 1 Chron. 2:7

CROSS WALK

SCENIC VIEW

Final Words – Joshua 23-24

In the Fight - Joshua 14:6-15

Have you ever thought about what you would say to those dearest to you if you knew you were speaking your last words? Final words are important. In the Bible, it is interesting to pay close attention to the final words biblical characters say to the people of God. You will notice they tend to be dramatic, God exalting, instructive and empowering. This was definitely the case as Joshua’s life was coming to a close in Joshua chapters 23-24.

The story of Caleb is one of the most inspiring texts in scripture. Taking a look at Caleb’s past, we begin to understand why this story is so inspiring. Caleb first appears as one of the twelve spies whom Moses sent to scout out the land of Canaan. Upon returning, all twelve confirmed the magnificence of the land. Ten of the scouts focused only on the giants, while Joshua and Caleb believed God would enable Israel to conquer the Canaanites. They advised the Israelites to immediately move forward and take the land. The people disagreed and even wanted them stoned, but the Lord intervened and protected Joshua and Caleb. He later rewarded their faithfulness by allowing them to be the only ones to actually enter the Promised Land from among all who initially left Egypt.

As you read this text, take notice that Joshua doesn’t pat himself on the back for his accomplishments as a great leader. He doesn’t focus on himself at all but rather continually exalts the work of his God. With a thankful heart, he gives all the credit for every victory, every plot of land taken, every conquered people and every possession acquired to the Lord his God. Joshua knew the tendency of the people to settle for something so much less then Yahweh God and His Kingdom. I love the urgency in his voice as he commissions the people of God over and over again with the message “Don’t give up! Don’t turn back! It’s going to be worth it!” The guide that he wisely gave them was to pay attention and stay close to God’s words in scripture. I am reminded of our risen Savior’s last words in Matthew 28:18-20: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

While waiting for the fulfillment of the promise to enter the land, Caleb’s faith did not diminish. It would have been so easy to become frustrated to the point of giving up when the promise did not come immediately, but Caleb’s faith held firm. Let’s face it - most of us have not been waiting forty years for a promise the Lord has made to us. There are many things we can learn from Caleb’s life if we stop for a moment to check out the view. Firstly, we can see he kept his faith in the One who had promised him. Caleb knew it was not God who delayed the entering of the Promised Land but rather the sin of His people. Instead of playing the blame game or becoming embittered toward God, Caleb waited for the Lord to fulfill a work that would glorify His name. Secondly and most importantly, Caleb stayed ready to fight. He did not sit around idly. He was just as ready at eighty-five as he was at forty to fight for what God had promised him. That truth is a great lesson for all of us – keep the faith and stay in the fight!

Final words are so important. Take a few moments today to focus on those of our crucified and risen Lord.

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS March 25

March 26

q Josh. 10:1-12:6

q Josh.12:7-15:19 q Josh. 15:2017:18

March 27

March 28

March 29

March 30

March 31

q Josh. 18:119:48

q Josh. 19:4921:45 q 1 CHRON 6:54-81

q Josh. 22:124:33

q Judg. 1:1-3:30