Today's Passage - Joshua 8:34-35

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Joshua 8:34-35    Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law - the blessings and the curses - just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the aliens who lived among them.   After blessing the Israelites, Joshua read all the words of Moses' law. He read to not only to the men of Israel, but also the women and children, even the aliens residing among them.  Reciting the Bible is an important thing for Christians to learn.  Before the advancement of printing, all ideas were conveyed through recitation. Today, with the advancement of printing, we seem to lose the blessings of listening to recitals of Bible.  Some believe that it is fine to receive God's word in silence. On the contrary, God's word needs to be spoken aloud, because God's word has power. Bible says, "my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty". God's word needs an outlet. And our mouths are the outlet for God's word. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, God has been using people as outlets for his word. Not through the mouths of a few, but through everyone. Everyone will spread His wonderfulness. Psalm 119:13 says, "With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth." It is important to open your mouths and recite God's word.   In fact, reciting God's word is the way to release the faith given by God. When the Lord says, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed", it refers to the faith within us. Even though sometimes it is as small as a mustard seed, if you know how to use it, God will fulfill deeds on us that are beyond our imaginations. The principle of the Bible is to proclaim God's word in our everyday lives. James mentioned that our tongue have influence, because it is like the rudder of a boat, controlling our directions. If we only speak negative complains, then we will lead a life of negative complains. If we speak full of God's word, His word will influence us. There is a spiritual book titled "Boulevard of Praises". It mentioned that when we move from the street of complains to the boulevard of praises, we shall expect God to do even more miracles.   We should not only recite God's word out loud in church, but also lead our children to recite God's word out loud at home, so that they learn our example of reading God's word from a young age. We thank God for how Joshua proclaimed the preciousness and importance of God's word to all people, for it had great influence for the latter generations!     Pray with Pastor Tong       Lord, we thank you for giving us your precious word.  May you give us hearts of yearning so that our mouths will read your word out loud, our ears will listen to it attentively, and our hearts will accept it completely. May God also teach us and give us the wisdom to use God's word.  I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!