Mike Edmisten Follower of Jesus. Husband of Nicki. Father of Ryan & Brock. Communicator of the Word.

Amazing Things

"Joshua told the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.'" (Joshua 3:5)

Joshua gave the Israelites a command and a promise.

The command = consecrate yourselves.  For the Israelites, this meant that they had to wash their clothes. They also had to abstain from sex. It was all meant to purify and prepare the people for the move of God that was coming.

The promise = tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you. Joshua didn't say that God "might do amazing things."  He didn't say, "all indicators point to God doing amazing things."  He simply said that God WILL do amazing things.

What if the church took a page out of Joshua's playbook? What if we prepared ourselves, because we believe that God will do amazing things among us?  What would that look like?

It would look like a person who unashamedly invites a friend who is outside of Christ to church.  They pray about it, preparing themselves to invite their friend.  And then, the invitation is issued confidently because they expect God to do amazing things in their church…and they know their friend should be a part of that.

It would look like volunteers who are passionate about what they're doing.  Whatever their volunteer role is (greeting, worship band, children's ministry, seving communion, etc., etc., etc.) they have prayed about it before they ever walk through the doors.  And then, when they arrive, they expect that God is going to do something amazing through their efforts that day.

It would look like a church who stays focused on the vision God has for them.  Instead of getting caught up in political issues like health care and environmentalism, the church never sways from the vision. They prepare themselves, begging God to give them the vision.  And then they allow nothing to move them, because they believe God will do amazing things through the vision.

Joshua's formula is strikingly simple.  Prepare for God to move…and God will move.