Joshua 3:5 reminds us that consecration - setting ourselves apart for God - positions us to see Him, discern His will, and be used by Him. In a world of shifting morals, we must stay devoted, purified, and bold in our faith, preparing our hearts for the wonders God is ready to do among us. If we believe deeply in the gospel, we must be willing to share it.
Shame convinces us that we’re too broken, but mercy tells a different story. God meets us in the middle of our mess and invites us to believe, turn, and ask. Life with God isn’t a one-time decision, it’s a daily response to mercy. When we shift our perspective, release our need for approval, and let His mercy shape our story, we find the same freedom Rahab found, rescued, restored, and made new.
In Joshua 4:2–3, God calls His people to remember His faithfulness so their hearts don’t wander. Forgetting leads us away from Him, but remembrance renews faith and hope. Though our stories and “stones” are different, we serve the same unchanging God. As we tell our stories, we declare His power and draw closer to His presence.
When life feels uncertain and the path ahead is unclear, God calls us to be strong and courageous. Strength isn’t found in pumping ourselves up but in anchoring ourselves down to the unfailing, unchanging Word of God. Courage grows from God’s promises, His presence, and His precepts. We are invited to rediscover Scripture, not as a duty but as delight.
Our culture has placed sex where only God belongs, promising fulfillment it can’t deliver. When we worship creation over the Creator, destruction follows. God defines morality and His design for sex is good when kept within His boundaries for unity, life, and joy. Sex can’t give us identity or purpose, only Jesus can. Paul calls us to flee immorality and choose the cross over compromise, living in grace and truth.
Sermon Resources:
"God, You, & Sex: A Profound Mystery" by David White
"Sex in a Broken World" by Paul David Tripp
Idols are carved in our hearts long before our hands. They form when we take things like money or success and give them God’s place. Idolatry is subtle, creeping into everyday moments, and distort the truth. Idols die when we stop sugar-coating them, taste their bitterness, and replace them with the goodness of God.
Obedience is more than rules, it’s mercy that stops our wandering. While many obey for reward, threat, or convenience, God calls us to trust-based obedience. In Joshua 3, we see that moments are big, but trusting the Miracle Worker is bigger; that God is both near and to be feared; and that faith means stepping into the water before we see that it will part. True obedience flows not from what is asked, but from who is asking.
The world pacifies us with temporary fixes, but only Jesus satisfies our deepest desires. In the wilderness, we often exchange God’s promises for the world’s patterns, seeking our own kingdom instead of His. But in Christ, we are chosen, loved, redeemed, forgiven, and never alone. Jesus wants us to jump fully in and trust Him.
We all face wilderness moments when life feels dry, silent, and uncertain. Sin can keep us wandering, false promises can mislead us, and only Scripture can guide us through. Like Jesus, we can trust God’s Word to carry us from the wilderness toward His promises.