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Family Blueprint

    by Julianne Bell

Blueprint #38: Crossing the Jordan, Victory at Jericho
Date Posted: June 20, 2006

(Ping pong balls, a pitcher of water, and cups teach us along with the children of Israel and Joshua that complete obedience brings victory.)

The Lord gave us the blueprint of His Word to architect our family on Jesus Christ.

Going through the Bible with your family…

Weekly Scripture:
Joshua 3Joshua 6; 1 Kings 16:34

Story:
"Crossing the Jordan, Victory at Jericho"

Application:
God gives us victory through complete obedience.

Summary:
After 40 years in the wilderness, the time had come for Joshua to lead God’s children across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Joshua gave orders to the children of Israel to follow after the priests who carried the Ark of Covenant. As the priests stepped into the river the water stopped flowing and began to pike up like a great wall. Joshua and the children of Israel all crossed over to the other side of the Jordan. God then told Joshua to select twelve men, one from each tribe and command them to each take a stone out of the Jordan River and place them were they camped. This was to be a memorial of remembrance of where God halted the waters for safe passage of His children. Joshua was now ready to attack the city of Jericho which had a high wall surrounding it. God gave Joshua detailed instructions to obey with the children of Israel. When they completed the obedience to these instructions that seemed strange to them, the walls of Jericho collapsed. God was faithful to keep His Word.

Focus:
We want to encourage our children to obey God’s word and see Him bring about victory in His way.

Finding Christ:
In Joshua 5 we have the captain of the host of Yahweh. This appears to be a preincarnate visitation of Christ again, as Joshua bows before the Captain and He does not rebuke Joshua for the worship. We are told where the Captain is standing is holy ground. Sounds a lot like when God spoke to Moses from the burning bush.

Live the Lesson:
Give your children a pitcher of water, cups, and ping pong balls. Ask them to pour some water into the cup and then float the ping pong ball on the water, only make it float in the center. More than likely your children will not be able to make this happen. Let them work at it for a bit so that they will see it as impossible.

Now tell them with your exact directions, if they obey them, they can have victory in this matter. Because if you do not fill the cup to the brim, the ping pong ball will keep floating over to the side of the cup. But if you fill it to the brim, then the surface tension keeps the ball in the center of the cup as it prevents it from going to the sides. Tell your children to fill the cup to the brim and try floating the ball in the center again. Ta-duh! We have success!

Explain to them that often God will give us instructions He expects us to obey. If we do it our own way, even if we are close to His instructions, doing what seems right to us without complete obedience, we will fail. But if we do it EXACTLY His way we will have victory!

Now for a little more fun, we have a game called Cookie Ping Pong you can play at your kitchen table: www.familyblueprint.org/cookie_ping_pong.htm

Memory Verse:
"Thanks be to God, who give us the victory." 1 Corinthians 15:57

Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us to obey Your instructions to us in exact measure that we too may have victory in our lives.

Living the Life:
This week discuss with your children how partial obedience to God is actually willful disobedience. That we must choose to completely obey the Lord. Give them examples in everyday things.

"'Christ in You...'" from Dale Krebbs

Perilous Times

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Biography Information:
Julianne Bell is blessed with a husband who challenges her to fulfill her calling. Their quiver is overflowing with children ages 3-young adult, one of which has autism.

Family Blueprint has come to fruition as a complimentary service for those seeking creative ways to 'teach them (the words of the Lord) diligently to your children...' Deuteronomy 6:7

Julianne Bell is also a consultant for Once Upon A Family at www.familyblueprint.org/once_upon_a_family.htm This allows her to work from home while homeschooling her children and keeping her ministry website resources free.
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