No More Circles | Pastor Matt Lacey | 04.26.2026

Devotional

Day 1: Priests at Flood Stage

Joshua commanded the Israelites to consecrate themselves before crossing the Jordan. They stood at the river’s edge—swollen, impassable, roaring. But God required holiness before the miracle. The priests stepped into rushing water first, ark on their shoulders. Their sandals sank into mud as the current tugged their robes. Obedience preceded the parting. [43:33]

God’s wonders demand prepared hearts. The Jordan didn’t stop flowing until the priests’ feet broke the surface. Holiness isn’t perfection but surrender—making space for God to act. Jesus still calls His people to wash their hands, purify their motives, and expect His intervention.

What stagnant cycle have you normalized? What compromise keeps you circling the same banks? Confess it plainly. Then step toward the river. Where is God asking you to consecrate your heart today—not for your strength, but for His glory?

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

Prayer: Ask God to expose one area of compromise. Confess it aloud.
Challenge: Set a 10-minute timer today. Sit silently. Write what distracts you.

Day 2: Eyes on the Ark

The Levites carried the ark—a gold-covered box holding manna, Aaron’s staff, and stone tablets. Israel followed it at a distance, their gaze fixed on this symbol of God’s presence. No maps. No strategies. Just the ark cutting a path through unknown terrain. When they lost sight, they wandered. When they focused, they advanced. [58:02]

The ark represented God’s leadership. Manna reminded them of daily provision; the staff affirmed His authority; the tablets declared His covenant. Jesus is our ark—the Bread of Life, our High Priest, the Word made flesh. Following Him requires letting go of self-made plans.

How often do you check your phone before seeking God’s face? What false “arks” (routines, comforts, opinions) have you followed instead of Christ? Tomorrow, wake up and physically turn your eyes toward scripture before scrolling. What shifts when you fix your gaze on Him first?

"When you see the ark of the covenant… move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go."
(Joshua 3:3-4, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for being your provision, authority, and covenant.
Challenge: Turn off notifications for one hour. Use that time to pray while walking.

Day 3: Stuck on the Carousel

The merry-go-round spins—bright lights, familiar music, painted stallions. It feels like progress but goes nowhere. God told Israel to stop circling Moab’s mountains. He tells you to stop orbiting the same fears, sins, or distractions. The Jordan waits. His presence beckons beyond the predictable. [49:09]

Lukewarm faith nauseates Christ. Half-hearted obedience drains joy. The disciples left fishing nets; Matthew abandoned his tax booth. Jesus doesn’t want your partial attention. He demands full surrender—not to drain you, but to free you. Every step toward Him breaks a chain.

What ride have you boarded repeatedly, hoping it’ll finally satisfy? Gossip? Comparison? Binge-watching? Name it. Then step off. Who in your life can help you stay accountable to walk toward new ground?

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm—I will spit you out of my mouth."
(Revelation 3:15-16, NIV)

Prayer: Confess one repetitive sin. Ask for courage to abandon it.
Challenge: Text a friend: “Help me quit ______.” Set a meeting to pray about it.

Day 4: Backpacks on the Sidelines

The father stood at Knott’s Berry Farm, nauseous and stagnant, while his family rode thrillers. Distraction numbed him to joy. Israel nearly missed the Jordan’s miracle because they crowded the ark. God told them to step back—to see the full scope of His work. [59:45]

Distance from noise clarifies vision. Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray. The disciples finally understood His resurrection when He “opened their minds” post-Easter. Your phone isn’t evil—but endless scrolling blurs eternal perspective. Create margins to hear His whisper.

When did you last sit without stimulation? What truth has God spoken that you’ve drowned out with busyness? Tomorrow, leave your phone in another room during breakfast. Taste your food. Thank Him for three gifts. How does silence sharpen your focus?

"Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God."
(Colossians 3:1, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one distraction stealing your spiritual hunger.
Challenge: Write Colossians 3:2 on a sticky note. Place it on your bathroom mirror.

Day 5: FastPasses for the Broken

A grieving father and daughter received free ride vouchers at Disneyland—a divine appointment in the crowd. Joshua’s priests carried the ark so all could see God’s power. Your obedience—praying, giving, serving—positions others to witness miracles. [01:30:37]

God uses prepared people to spark revival. The woman at the well ran to her village after encountering Jesus. Your story, shared boldly, becomes someone else’s lifeline. Mission Church rented the Concord Pavilion not for spectacle, but so seekers could find Christ.

Who needs your “FastPass”—an act of generosity, a prayer, a bold invitation? Where is God asking you to step out so others can see Him part their Jordan? Will you risk discomfort to become someone’s signpost to grace?

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
(Galatians 6:9, NIV)

Prayer: Ask God to highlight one person needing encouragement.
Challenge: Call or visit that person today. Say, “God told me to check on you.”

Sermon Summary

The text exhorts a decisive shift from stalled patterns into an expectant season of obedience and holy readiness. It opens by anchoring hope in Christ and reminding saints that God dwells with them even in suffering, citing the assurance that there is another in the fire. A vivid conviction surfaces during an ordinary moment at an amusement park where God declares that his people are not meant to go in circles. The call to stop circling links to Joshua chapter three where a new generation prepares to cross the Jordan, and where the ark symbolizes God’s holiness, provision, authority, and mercy leading the way.

Practical steps surface from the Joshua narrative. Direction from God requires distance from distraction so the people could witness God dam the river and step through on dry ground. The text warns that screens and endless scrolling often numb, not nourish, and that attention becomes an environment shaped by algorithms unless people intentionally reclaim it. Consecration follows as necessary preparation. To consecrate means to set apart, to wash and ready the heart so that the coming wonders register as God’s work rather than mistaken for coincidence or human effort.

Scripture anchors the theology of preparation. Ecclesiastes reminds that seasons differ and that God’s timing may call for grief, uprooting, or rebuilding. Revelation condemns lukewarmness and urges wholehearted devotion. Colossians reframes identity: believers already live hidden with Christ in heavenly places, so focus on heavenly realities reshapes priorities, steadies waiting, and empowers faithful endurance. Practical rhythms strengthen readiness: regular church engagement, providential relationships, private disciplines like prayer and fasting, service in personal ministry, and attention to pivotal circumstances create the soil in which God’s wonders grow.

The narrative closes by inviting immediate response. Preparation begins with repentance and trusting Christ, but it also includes small, tangible practices that position people for the miraculous. When distance from distraction and focused consecration align with expectancy, God’s power becomes visible and congregations step from wandering into promised life.

Key Takeaways

1. No more circling, move into promise Repeating the same patterns keeps believers trapped in delay and diminishes faith. Recognizing circling as a spiritual problem invites a decisive step of faith into the new season God names. Embrace the posture of forward movement so God’s power, not human effort, defines the outcome. [49:09]
2. Create distance from digital distractions Screens fragment attention and cultivate comparison, fear, and restlessness rather than spiritual formation. Intentional distance clarifies God’s direction and preserves time for prayer, Scripture, and face to face relationships. Reclaim attention by scheduling technology, practicing solitude, and valuing conversation over constant consumption. [60:52]
3. Consecrate and prepare for God Consecration sets life apart to meet God’s work with readiness and expectancy. Preparation includes confession, discipline, and small practical acts that tune the heart to recognize God’s wonders. When people prepare, they perceive God’s hand and respond with thanksgiving rather than confusion. [72:09]
4. Fix gaze on heavenly realities Setting sights on what is hidden with Christ reshapes priorities and strengthens endurance in waiting. Heavenly focus transforms everyday choices and breaks cycles of fear and distraction. Living from identity in Christ enables courageous obedience in the present. [80:24]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[37:24] - Living Hope and Worship
[38:04] - There is Another in the Fire
[43:54] - No More Circles It Is Time
[49:09] - Vision from the Merry Go Round
[54:25] - Crossing Jordan Context
[58:02] - Keep Distance to See God
[60:52] - Technology and Distraction
[72:09] - Consecrate and Prepare
[80:24] - Set Sights on Heaven
[92:07] - Invitation and Response

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Joshua 3:1-5 (ESV)
Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”

Observation Questions

In Joshua 3:3-4, why were the Israelites instructed to keep a distance from the ark as they followed it? How does this relate to the idea of creating space to witness God’s work?
What specific symbols were inside the ark of the covenant, and what did they represent (e.g., holiness, provision, authority)? [55:41]
According to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, how do differing seasons of life require different postures of obedience? [51:13]
How does Revelation 3:16 describe the consequence of spiritual lukewarmness, and why is this contrasted with God’s call to “no more circles”? [53:16]

Interpretation Questions

Why might distractions like constant screen time hinder the ability to discern God’s direction, as illustrated by the command to “keep distance” in Joshua 3:4? [01:00:52]
The sermon describes consecration as “setting apart” to recognize God’s wonders. How does neglecting this preparation risk misinterpreting God’s work as coincidence or human effort? [01:14:40]
What does it mean practically to “set your sights on the realities of heaven” (Colossians 3:1-4) while navigating earthly challenges like fear or comparison? [01:20:24]
How does the metaphor of “circling” (e.g., repetitive sin or stagnation) conflict with the Israelites’ forward movement into the Promised Land? [49:09]

Application Questions

Identify one area of your life where you’ve been “circling” (e.g., unresolved conflict, procrastination, or avoidance). What tangible step could you take this week to move forward in faith?
What specific distraction (e.g., social media, busyness) most often numbs your spiritual sensitivity? How could you create intentional “distance” from it to prioritize prayer or Scripture? [01:00:52]
Consecration involves practical preparation like confession, fasting, or serving. Which of these practices do you feel prompted to adopt, and how might it position you to recognize God’s work? [01:12:09]
How does your daily routine reflect a focus on “heavenly realities” versus earthly anxieties? What one habit could you adjust to align your priorities with eternal truths? [01:20:24]
The sermon warns against mistaking God’s wonders for coincidence. When have you overlooked His intervention in your life? How can you cultivate greater expectancy for His activity this month?
Revelation 3:16 challenges lukewarm faith. What area of your spiritual life feels stagnant or half-hearted? What would wholehearted devotion look like in that area? [53:16]
The Israelites crossed the Jordan at flood stage, trusting God’s power over their fear. What “flood-stage” obstacle are you facing? How can you lean into God’s provision rather than self-reliance this week?

Sermon Clips

``Because tomorrow, the Lord will do wonders among you. The unprepared in the scriptures, they miss out. The Israelites, listen, set themselves apart to unbelief and not the Lord. And an eleven day journey took forty years, and they never entered the land. In Matthew chapter 25, the 10 bridesmaids, it's a picture. It's a parable about the return of Christ. Can I just remind you, Mission Church, that Jesus is returning? Yes, he is. We want to be a bride that is prepared, waiting with great expectation. This is our mandate. This is our calling. This is our privilege. [01:17:32] (38 seconds) #ReadyForHisReturn

Consecrate means to set yourselves apart. It means special preparation. So remember, we're not just getting distance from the world, we're consecrating ourselves to God. We're saying, God, I'm going to disconnect from the world, and I'm going to connect to the things of you. Consecration isn't just we're trying to get something from God. It's I'm separating myself to you and for you. Like, this is this is also relationship. I'm I'm going to set my life apart. My life belongs to you. [01:12:24] (29 seconds) #SetApartForGod

And I just wonder how many things, man, God is calling us to say, listen, I've made provision. I I've I'm I'm gonna part the seas. Like, it's it's not about it's not about what you can do. It's about what I can do. But can you see it? I want you to see it. Get some distance. Concentrate yourselves to me so you can see the path that I'm leading you. It's a new season. I'm going to show up powerfully. [01:19:44] (28 seconds) #TrustGodsProvision

It's time to deal with the sin. It's time to deal with the pain. It's time to deal with the wounds. It's time to deal with the stuck. And listen, you may be in a great place and you're stuck, and you may be in a terrible place and you're stuck. Stuck is stuck. Yeah. Good. But it's a new season of obedience. And so so as as all this is happening, then the Lord flashes Ecclesiastes chapter three verses one through eight. There is a time for everything [00:50:49] (23 seconds) #SeasonOfObedience

Invite the Lord into every space. And what Moses was saying is, listen, just like you get ready for the day, wash your clothes. Get cleaned up. God is about to move. Not clean up before you come to him. That's not what I'm saying. That's not the gospel. But but what I'm but what I'm saying is is I'm I'm preparing to watch the wonders of God move in my life with great expectancy, that when the Lord shows up, I want to be ready. [01:13:52] (27 seconds) #ReadyForGodsMove

They trusted God. They believed God. How did they stand that whole time? They had their eyes fixed on God. They trusted his promises. They had their eyes on Canaan that this is not my home. The wilderness is not my home. That one day I will enter into Canaan. And oh my goodness, church. If we could just have that same reality permeate our hearts, that we would keep our eyes fixed upon the Lord, that we would trust in his promises, and that we would live in light of his return, it would change everything. [01:24:27] (35 seconds) #LiveInLightOfHisReturn

But this way, if they were backed up, they could all see what the Lord was doing. They could all see His wonderful hand at work. They could all see the clear path of direction to take as God began to dam up the river. And so for you and I, maybe we don't need to back up from the priests in the ark, a different context. But I would argue that today we need to back up from our phone screen and devices that take up so much time in our face and just have us going in circles. [01:00:27] (35 seconds) #UnplugToSeeGod

Here's the deal, though, ladies and gentlemen. Technology used to be a tool. Now it's our environment. And so we have to know how to steward that. It promises easier, faster, and to help us focus on what we value. But now this marketing persuasion industry is leading us toward their goals and not ours. And it and it's it's it's bigger than we think. And if you think you're not impacted by it, trust me, you are. [01:05:17] (22 seconds) #StewardYourTech

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No More Circles | Pastor Matt Lacey | 04.26.2026

Devotional

Day 1: Priests at Flood Stage

Day 2: Eyes on the Ark

Day 3: Stuck on the Carousel

Day 4: Backpacks on the Sidelines

Day 5: FastPasses for the Broken

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

No More Circles | Pastor Matt Lacey | 04.26.2026

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