Joshua 3. This is quite an adventure. To have lived in these days would have been remarkable.
"And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan." Joshua 3:10 & 17
Joshua begins his announcement by telling the Israelites the sign of the very presence of God. by the end of the chapter in verse 17 we see that his pronouncement and instructions which God undoubtedly gave him had come to pass.
How often does God give instructions and grand gestures that go ignored? How often does God's Word not come about exactly as He states it? He's never wrong. That is how we know it is His voice. He is right 100% of the time.
Lets all test our sources of guidance by this measure. If they aren't correct 100% of the time then they cannot be God's voice. Somehow we tend to place our faith in people who don't get it right all the time. Sylvia Brown has a huge following even though she cannot claim a perfect record. Perhaps we lay our faith in things and people merely because we can see them.
As the saying goes, "Seeing isn't believing, believing is seeing!" He'll always do as He says, just wait and see.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Today's Reading....
Continuing on in Joshua I read chapter 2 tonight. It details the story of the 2 spies finding and being hidden by Rahab. That wasn't what stuck with me though. This was....
"And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." Joshua 2:9-11
In this heathen land, in the heart of this harlot woman dwelt fear of Jehovah God. The Canaanites had heard of all the miraculous victories and deliverances that God had performed for His Chosen People and they were faint of heart. They knew nothing of Jehovah personally yet they feared and understood His Majesty.
This is often the case with non-believers now. when someone on the brink of death recovers with no medical reason behind it even the heretics and scoffers must acknowledge something, really Someone, was at work. When the Holy Spirit delivers and touches a dissenter there is no excuse they must acknowledge God's mighty hand. It is invigorating to serve a God whose very presence commands attention even among those that deny His existence. Someday they will not have that option anymore.
It is interesting to note that a conversion must have happened in Rahab's life because she become the great-great-grandmother of David. She gave birth to Boaz who married Ruth. Ruth bore Obed, the father of Jesse. Jesse was King David's father. See Matthew 1:5-6
Its wonderful that forgiveness and grace (even in the Old Testament) are such that a harlot is not only converted but becomes a pillar in the lineage of our Lord!
"And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." Joshua 2:9-11
In this heathen land, in the heart of this harlot woman dwelt fear of Jehovah God. The Canaanites had heard of all the miraculous victories and deliverances that God had performed for His Chosen People and they were faint of heart. They knew nothing of Jehovah personally yet they feared and understood His Majesty.
This is often the case with non-believers now. when someone on the brink of death recovers with no medical reason behind it even the heretics and scoffers must acknowledge something, really Someone, was at work. When the Holy Spirit delivers and touches a dissenter there is no excuse they must acknowledge God's mighty hand. It is invigorating to serve a God whose very presence commands attention even among those that deny His existence. Someday they will not have that option anymore.
It is interesting to note that a conversion must have happened in Rahab's life because she become the great-great-grandmother of David. She gave birth to Boaz who married Ruth. Ruth bore Obed, the father of Jesse. Jesse was King David's father. See Matthew 1:5-6
Its wonderful that forgiveness and grace (even in the Old Testament) are such that a harlot is not only converted but becomes a pillar in the lineage of our Lord!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
What's going on in our world?
I am sure by now that we have all seen the vicious beating of a teenage girl by her fellow classmates that has been broadcast repeatedly over the news. The premeditated attack is said to be motivated by the girl's negative comments on the Internet about her attackers. How do words become the impetus for this?
I can't even begin to understand the mindset of the girls. What has gone on in their lives that this behavior is not atrocious to them? The investigating officer even commented that they joked about spending spring break in jail and wondered if they would make it to cheerleading practice. What has gone so terribly wrong that this is laughable to them and not a tragic event that should mar the rest of their lives?
Obviously my first hope is that they find a real relationship with God. I do however hope that they are prosecuted as adults and to the fullest extent of the law. There is little doubt of their guilt as the attack was videotaped by a reported 4 video cameras, a phone camera, and a digital camera. At their age there is limited culpability of their parents. These young girls and the two young boys who served as look-outs at the door are more than old enough to understand that brutally beating another person to that degree with that level of forethought is completely unacceptable and criminal.
I am going to pray that they all find Jesus and are held accountable. I believe that consequences are necessary and should be severe. I hope you will join me. I fear, though, that they will receive minimal consequences and learn even less from them. I am also going to pray for the victim and her family that all physical, mental, and emotional wounds are healed and that this event leads to their own relationship with God.
I can't even begin to understand the mindset of the girls. What has gone on in their lives that this behavior is not atrocious to them? The investigating officer even commented that they joked about spending spring break in jail and wondered if they would make it to cheerleading practice. What has gone so terribly wrong that this is laughable to them and not a tragic event that should mar the rest of their lives?
Obviously my first hope is that they find a real relationship with God. I do however hope that they are prosecuted as adults and to the fullest extent of the law. There is little doubt of their guilt as the attack was videotaped by a reported 4 video cameras, a phone camera, and a digital camera. At their age there is limited culpability of their parents. These young girls and the two young boys who served as look-outs at the door are more than old enough to understand that brutally beating another person to that degree with that level of forethought is completely unacceptable and criminal.
I am going to pray that they all find Jesus and are held accountable. I believe that consequences are necessary and should be severe. I hope you will join me. I fear, though, that they will receive minimal consequences and learn even less from them. I am also going to pray for the victim and her family that all physical, mental, and emotional wounds are healed and that this event leads to their own relationship with God.
Monday, April 7, 2008
Today's Reading....
I decided to go random tonight and just chose a book I had never before read completely through to start reading. I chose Joshua. Here is what I landed on to write about.....
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:8-9
Wow, what promises God presented Joshua! Just after Moses died and Joshua was to lead the Jews into an unknown land God hands Joshua this precious gift. I see no reason why these things don't apply to us today.
If we meditate on God's Word day and night we will be better equipped at all we do. We also have the assurance of never being without His presence. That is a very real aspect of Hell. Eternal and complete separation from God. Not like before we were saved but complete and total alienation from our Creator. Thankfully, we have been given the gift of escaping that end. Praise the Lord!
Don't forget to meditate on the Word tonight and every night. The benefits far outweigh anything that might be sacrificed.
Goodnight.
"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:8-9
Wow, what promises God presented Joshua! Just after Moses died and Joshua was to lead the Jews into an unknown land God hands Joshua this precious gift. I see no reason why these things don't apply to us today.
If we meditate on God's Word day and night we will be better equipped at all we do. We also have the assurance of never being without His presence. That is a very real aspect of Hell. Eternal and complete separation from God. Not like before we were saved but complete and total alienation from our Creator. Thankfully, we have been given the gift of escaping that end. Praise the Lord!
Don't forget to meditate on the Word tonight and every night. The benefits far outweigh anything that might be sacrificed.
Goodnight.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Today's Reading....
Tonight we caught the last hour of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King on TV. Its is truly a fantastic movie. One line prompted my reading tonight.
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Isaiah 53:4
In the movie, when they were feeling desolate and alone yet within sight of the top of Mount Doom Samwise tells Frodo, "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you!" He then lifts his friend to his shoulders and carries him toward their journey's end. This is one of my 3 favorite lines of the whole trilogy. It speaks wonderfully of what friends can do for one another. Its beautiful but falls dreadfully short of what Jesus did (and still does) for us.
Unlike Samwise, Jesus can and does carry our burdens as well as carrying us. He is there even before we seek Him. Almost any born again Christian can recall a time before they were saved that they believe God rescued them and carried them through something. Before we believed His hands and shoulders were there for us.
An awesome God for certain! I know that during my prayer tonight I'm going to thank Him for shouldering my load time and again even as I compounded the load and ignored His voice.
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted." Isaiah 53:4
In the movie, when they were feeling desolate and alone yet within sight of the top of Mount Doom Samwise tells Frodo, "I can't carry it for you but I can carry you!" He then lifts his friend to his shoulders and carries him toward their journey's end. This is one of my 3 favorite lines of the whole trilogy. It speaks wonderfully of what friends can do for one another. Its beautiful but falls dreadfully short of what Jesus did (and still does) for us.
Unlike Samwise, Jesus can and does carry our burdens as well as carrying us. He is there even before we seek Him. Almost any born again Christian can recall a time before they were saved that they believe God rescued them and carried them through something. Before we believed His hands and shoulders were there for us.
An awesome God for certain! I know that during my prayer tonight I'm going to thank Him for shouldering my load time and again even as I compounded the load and ignored His voice.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Today's Reading....
I actually hopped around quite a bit tonight before I settled on something that resonated with me.
"There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD." Proverbs 21:30
I consider myself to be a logic-driven person as opposed to an emotionally-driven person so this verse speaks directly to my heart.
Whose wisdom or understanding or counsel or anything else can stand in the face of God's? His Word is final yet all too often we try to rationalize and negotiate our way to the position of rightness. We are merely the creation. We cannot even take our next breath except that God grants it to us. Why then do we think our minds and the concoctions thereof supersede His finality?
I'm going to work on not questioning that which He says is done. I hope you will, too.
Goodnight, all!
"There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD." Proverbs 21:30
I consider myself to be a logic-driven person as opposed to an emotionally-driven person so this verse speaks directly to my heart.
Whose wisdom or understanding or counsel or anything else can stand in the face of God's? His Word is final yet all too often we try to rationalize and negotiate our way to the position of rightness. We are merely the creation. We cannot even take our next breath except that God grants it to us. Why then do we think our minds and the concoctions thereof supersede His finality?
I'm going to work on not questioning that which He says is done. I hope you will, too.
Goodnight, all!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Trying Something New...
I have never been particularly good at keeping up with my "daily's" with God, i.e. daily Bible reading and/or devotionals. I can delve deeply into the Word when I am curious or need an answer or I have the need to research for a short story or article or to answer a question from someone. But to pick it up like I would a novel or something has always been an obstacle for me. So now I'm trying something new.
I want to become a servant who hangs on her Lord's Words (all of them.) To facilitate that and provide some motivation and accountability, I am going to read a passage daily and report to you on it via this and my other blog. I am going to attempt something else that's outside of my character: be short and sweet in 100 words or less (not counting scripture.)
Here goes...
Today was rainy. I thought I would see how much I could find in God's Word about rain. There were the usual suspects like Noah and the Latter Rain. What I hit on that resonated today was Isaiah 55:10-11.
"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
The cycle of precipitation is quite remarkable. What we see fall eventually returns to the One who caused it to fall but in a different form. He then uses it again to accomplish that for which He created it.
How would our lives change if we allowed ourselves to be the "rain" when it comes to the Great Commission? (Matthew 28:19-20) We would be the vehicle that accomplishes His Word! What greater service is there than to rescue a soul from the brink of Hell?
OK, so it was 124 words. I'm new at this short thing. I'll get used to it. Maybe.
I want to become a servant who hangs on her Lord's Words (all of them.) To facilitate that and provide some motivation and accountability, I am going to read a passage daily and report to you on it via this and my other blog. I am going to attempt something else that's outside of my character: be short and sweet in 100 words or less (not counting scripture.)
Here goes...
Today was rainy. I thought I would see how much I could find in God's Word about rain. There were the usual suspects like Noah and the Latter Rain. What I hit on that resonated today was Isaiah 55:10-11.
"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
The cycle of precipitation is quite remarkable. What we see fall eventually returns to the One who caused it to fall but in a different form. He then uses it again to accomplish that for which He created it.
How would our lives change if we allowed ourselves to be the "rain" when it comes to the Great Commission? (Matthew 28:19-20) We would be the vehicle that accomplishes His Word! What greater service is there than to rescue a soul from the brink of Hell?
OK, so it was 124 words. I'm new at this short thing. I'll get used to it. Maybe.
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