God's Ways Are Not Our Ways

Joshua 6:2-5 - Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.  March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days.  Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets.  When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

The commander of God’s army delivered God’s instructions….a simple 7 day plan of attack. The fortified city would crumble all on its own…all they had to do was silently march around it one time for six days...then on the seventh day they would march around it 7 times.  The only sounds for the marches would be the 7 ram horns the priests would blow as they led the Israelites.

Joshua did not argue with what must have seemed a strange plan to him.  He obeyed… carrying out every instruction to the last detail. The camp woke early for the next 7 days …and fell in behind the ark and the priests and silently obeyed the instructions Joshua had received from God.  All that silence ended in a mighty shout when they finished the last march around the city…as the walls crumbed before their eyes.

This story is a great reminder of two things. First…God works in his own unique way.  His ways may seem strange and weird to our earthly brains…but if we trust him in faith…he always keeps his word. Second... God’s timing is perfect...even when we don’t see the purpose right away. God build strength and confidence in the Israelites as he slowly placed fear and terror in the people of Jericho,

Romans 8:28 keeps popping up in my pathway. It promises that if we are obedient like Joshua…. We are assured that whatever has happened is a part of his greater plan to save the world from evil.  It says…..” And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  I still cling to my favorite verse….Jeremiah 29:11…which says that whatever that plan is….it is meant to prosper me and not to harm me…to make my future a good one.

Father...thank you for the reminders that you work in ways that I am humanly not able to fathom…and all those plans are meant for good not evil.   Forgive me for the times that I forget that promise and begin to doubt the goodness of your love and care while I wait on your timing. Help me to be strong and courageous like Joshua..trusting in you even when your plan is not what I imagined it to be.  Amen.

Real Faith Does Not Limit God

Joshua 5:14-15 ^-“Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell face down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”  The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua had led the people over the Jordan River…and followed God’s instructions to circumcise the children that had been born during their wanderings.  He woke this morning…the fortified city of Jericho staring back at him…and wondered just how God planned to give them this city.

I have no doubt that Joshua had plenty of faith to know that God had a plan…but perhaps his earthly mind couldn’t help but set up battle scenarios…cause that how most of us think.  We want the pre-game details…the full plan of how something is going down.  The only problem with that is….no faith is needed for that.

When Joshua saw that soldier…who just happened to be God’s chief in command…he didn’t recognize him…cause God had dressed him as an earthly soldier. Joshua had his “ah-hah moment”…his “burning bush experience”… when the soldier told him not only who he was…but that he was standing on holy ground.

How precious that moment must have been to Joshua.  He was honored….and humbled….and terrified all in the same instant. His earthly mind had to turn off any thought processes it had been processing…and his heart had to open up to hear God’s message from this heavenly visitor. Because Joshua had real faith…there was no delay in him hearing God’s message.

What a great reminder that when our earthly thought processes begin to overthink God’s plan in our life….God shows up with an experience that is so not earthly. In that moment… he takes our thinking right out of the earthly realm…giving faith a whole new perspective.

Father…thank you for the reminder that real faith lets go of the earthly thoughts we try to use to explain you.  Forgive me for limiting myself with only my own thoughts.  Help me to find a way to visit you on your holy ground…so you can expand my visions of how you do things.  Amen.

Use Your 'Stone'... To Bring About Good

Joshua 4:6-7 - to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

God had fulfilled his promise to Joshua and all the Israelites had crossed the high waters of the Jordan in flood stage…ON DRY GROUND!!!  But before they went any further…before the Ark and priests moved out of the river bed….God directed Joshua to tell one man from each tribe to get a stone from close to the priest’s feet.  As they piled them up in their camp that night…God told them that the rocks were to serve as a sign for every generation to follow….of the great miracle God had done for them that day.

It started me thinking of all the things God has done for me…and how important it is that I use those times he helped me to tell others about his love and grace. I am a firm believer that the hurts of our past are allowed ….in one capacity …. so that God can use your experience to bring about good later down the road. We become the fulfillment of Romans 8:28 that says…” And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

The stone we are to gather from our pain is not to be worn as a weight around our neck. It is to be positioned in a place where we will see it daily…so that it will remind us to tell others how God brought us through it to the other side.  Our Jordan’s are all different….but the God who brought us to the other side of that river is the same.

One last thought. Romans 10:14 says…. “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Some of the best sermons…aren’t from a fancy pulpit inside a church.  They can be simple stories …personal testimonies ….of how God dried up the river for you to get to the other side.

Father…thank you for the reminder that one of the best ways to share your love… is to share the story ..or stories…of how you have helped me through the roughest rivers of life.  Forgive me for the times that I forget that you can use every moment of pain I have felt to help someone else.  Open my eyes and heart and ears to every opportunity to share the love you have shown to me with others.   Amen.

Consecrate Yourself For A Boost Of Faith

Joshua 3:3-5 - … giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.  Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Joshua had just taken over the responsibility of leading this massive group of Israelites. He waited for God to speak with him…then set straight out to the bank of the Jordan River.  Joshua made them stop and wait three days. These days were to be spent consecrating themselves …so that they would be prepared to not just witness God’s next great miracle among them.

God was going to dry the river bed for them to walk across.  It would be different this time….not a wall of water on either side like the sea they crossed before.  This time God planned on stopping the water upstream…during its flood stage.  The Jordan at normal times would be about 180 feet wide ...with a current of about 4mph…but the Jordan at this time would have been double that…with a current of around 10 mph. It could have been 65 feet deep at some points.

As soon as the priest walked into the water at the edge of the river…the water stopped flowing. The bed of that river dried up…and stayed dry till the ark was completely through to the other side. The people all crossed over on dry land…just as their ancestors had crossed the sea 40 years earlier.

It’s a reminder of how important it is to stop before venturing into any new territory. We need to make sure that God has given us all the directions we need to be his best servant. We should take time to identify and admit all our sins and weaknesses and clean up all the sin that might be able to entangle us…keep us from staying focused on the task that God gave us to do.  Joshua called this process consecration.

It is also a reminder to me to keep my faith ever strong.  Even though God has never asked me to cross a 65 foot deep river…with no boat…or life jacket…..he has led me to the edge of some pretty rough situations….with no clue how they would turn out. If my faith is anchored in God….he can help me through any situation…even envisioning what miracle he might do for me on the other side.  Amen.

Be A Rahab

Joshua 2:15 - 16   -  So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall.  She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

Joshua’s first decision as a leader sent two spies into the city of Jericho.  It was a mighty city protected by a mighty wall. They went to a prostitute named Rahab…for lodging….perhaps not for the reason we might first think of. She ended up meeting God…and was used of him in spite of her lifestyle choices.

It struck me as I read the story how she is such a strong example of how God can use anyone to do his work.  She understood the power the God of these two spies was as soon as she met them…probably way before.  Rumors of the God of the Israelites had spread throughout this land God was giving them. She approached these men with fear…a reverent fear for her life if their God chose to give her city over to these people.

God used this fear to stir up a passion to save her family…which translated in protection for these two spies that had been discovered by the king.  She not only hid them on her roof under some flax plants…she lied to the king… and let them down from her window that just happened to be located on the city wall.  She even gave them instructions how long to hide…where to hide…and how to travel back safely to their camp.

Rahab accepted an offer from these spies to save her family… in exchange for their escape… and the hanging of a scarlet ribbon in the window they used to escape…her family would be spared when they came to take the city. She left behind all that she knew to become a part f this people of God….letting God build for her and her family a new future…full of hope.

Think about that for a second.  Her faith…not even fully complete…earned her a verse in what most Christians consider the hall of faith.  Hebrews 11:31 says… “ By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.^” Her life…scared and broken and dirty as anyone…even before she accepted Christ as her Savior….or God as her forever God…became an example of how to step out in pure faith…with just the simple word of two spies

I needed the reminder this morning that the simplest of faith….a tiny grain as small as a mustard seed …placed in God’s hands... will move the mightiest of mountains.  No matter what is in my past…all the broken pieces can be used of God to bring about good for his kingdom.

Father...thank you for the reminder that I need to be a Rahab.  Forgive me for the times that I let the past limit my faith. Help me to cling to that small seed of faith you planted in me when you saved me …so you can use it and grow it into all that I need to be the best that I can for you. Amen.

Tap Into God's Limitless Power And Courage

Joshua 1:5-6 -  No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

Joshua was entering a new season of life.  He was no longer the sidekick of Moses…God had made him the leader. God wasted no time speaking to him… breathing the very power into Joshua that Moses had felt at the burning bush. God would be with him just like he had been with Moses…it was all up to Joshua now to bring his best attitude to the picture….so God could make him as courageous and faithful as he had Moses.

God’s promise to Joshua is available to anyone that believes on the name of Jesus Christ.  They were Jesus’ last words before he ascended to heaven to prepare for all who believe. Matthew 28:20 records them… “ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.”

2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us to take this statement to the highest level of praise…and claim the strength and power promised as well. It says… “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Hebrews 4:16 reminds us that to keep this power we must let God power and control the courage he places in us …and not let pride puff our humility levels out of whack. It says … “ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

I needed the reminder this morning that God can make me stronger than I could ever manage on my own.  He wants all of us to claim the power he has to keep us ever fearless of what the world can throw at us.  He wants us to all become strong…fearless…humble servants like Moses…like Joshua…like Jesus.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you can give me limitless power…courage inexhaustible… and infinite love for those you have placed around us. Forgive me for the times I have let fear rob me of a deeper experience with you.  Rekindle the passion you placed in me the day we met…and help me learn to humble myself into a vessel you can make into all that you need me to be for you.  Amen.

Focus On God's Future for You...Forget The Mistakes Of Your Past

Deuteronomy 34:5-8 -  And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.  Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.  The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over.

Moses…still full of strength and faith…eyes and heart focused on God like no other before him…climbed Mount Nebo to see the land that God was giving to the Israelites. At 120 years young…God brought his mission of life to an end…and buried him in secrecy. We are not told how long Moses lived on that Mountain…but I am sure in my heart that he spent every last minute God gave him praying over what he saw…for God to bless them…to given them all the strength they would need to succeed with Joshua as their new leader.

Think of the most majestic view God has ever allowed your eyes to see. Consider the awestruck panoramic view of the Grand Canyon…Look Out Mountain in Chattanooga TN…Clingman’s Dome near my own home….or even the view from the tallest Mountains known to man…the google says that there are at least 109 mountains with elevations greater than 7,200 meters worldwide. None of those compared to what Moses saw when God focused his eyes of Canaan.

Here’s what really struck me… Moses never argued one time with God about his last moments.  He knew he deserved what God had spoken and was content to stare at this land in the presence of his Lord as long as God would allow. I just bet there were non-stop prayers for those people till he took his last breath…. a sort of prayer walk with his eyes.

I needed the reminder not to focus on the mistakes that placed me where I am…but to keep my mind and heart and soul completely focused on God so he can tell me what to do next. Jeremiah 29:11 seeps out of my being…and I am once again sure that he has a purpose for me...to prosper me...for my life to benefit others with good...not evil. Even if what is next is death…I can look forward to seeing Jesus face-to –face myself…and my knees buckling under me as I stand in his glorious presence.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are in control of every minute detail of my life. Forgive me for focusing too many times on the mistakes I made…letting them drag me down and make me unusable to be your servant.  Help me to tap into the same power and strength that Moses had…with prayer…with two –way conversations that will empower me to do your will…and with Bible study…that will teach me all that you placed me here to do. Help me to focus on the future you have for me...instead of bashing myself for the mistakes that have slowed me down. Amen.

Be Still...Learn To Listen For God's Instruction

Deuteronomy 33:1-3 -  This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.  He said: “The Lord came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir;  he shone forth from Mount Paran.  He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes. Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand. At your feet they all bow down,
and from you receive instruction….

It was customary in that day for a dying patriarch to bless his family before he died….so Moses takes the time to bless the people of Israel by singling out each tribe. He blesses all the tribes but Simeon…and gives no direct reason for leaving them out. Many answers I read pointed to the curse in Genesis 49:5-7 as a possibility. 

The specific here of each blessing is not what caught my heart this morning…it was the last part of verse three. Moses knew that God loved him…God loved this people more than anything.  He wanted them to understand above all else that they should always remember to bow before God and allow him to speak his wisdom into their lives.

How we bow before God is not as important to me as what we do once we have laid ourselves at his feet. Do we just pour out our troubles and praise….or do we sit awhile and just listen to what God wants to pour into us. Moses wanted them to remember that a true relationship has two sides…that communication is a two way street.

I needed the reminder this morning that God is waiting to pour his wisdom and knowledge into this imperfect creature he created and drew to love him. My prayers should not be simply sessions of praise ending with my wants and needs.  I need to do as the Psalmist wrote in 46:10…to be still and know God so deeply that I learn to hear and listen to his voce…like Moses…like Samuel…like Jesus. It is in the deep silence of a visit with God that he will impart the deepest of his secrets with us…so we can learn to use his power to its fullest here on earth.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have must to pour into any humble servant that loves you.  Forgive me for the times that I talk more than I listen. Help me to learn to spend silent time with you…so you can help me hear your voice….so you can instruct me in your wisdom. Amen.

God's Word...It Is Our Life

Deuteronomy 32:45-47 -  When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law.  They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

Moses’ last words to the people he loved so much were in the form of a song. They were long…proud…reflective verses…every word straight from his heart.  He poured out the heart that God had built inside of him as he led these rebellious people. Perhaps he thought if he put his last words to music…they would remember them….sing them more often that the require reading of the law every 7 years. He told them to let his teaching “drop like rain”  …so it would saturate their being.

It began with a call to honor God…. to proclaim his name and ascribe him greatness.  Then he asked them to remember all that they had been through.  He wanted them to remember also how jealous God was when they went astray…and recounted that just because God has chosen them to be his people…they would be treated harshly if they rebelled against him again.

I love the last part…verse 47 especially. Those words speak a basic truth of anyone who believes n God…and has asked his son to rule their lives. This law that God had given them….this law that God expanded to 66 books before the cannon was finished….is not just a collection of idle words. It is our life…our manual to how to make God happy…how to give him honor…how to glorify him with all that he made us to be.

I needed the reminder that this book I read each day…has all the wisdom that I need to live a life pleasing to God. I need to set my heart on each and every word I read…they are God’s words…penned by many men over the ages…to help me know how to live my life with the greatest benefit to God….to help me feel purposeful and content in all that he has called me to do. 

Father…thank you for the reminder that your word is the lamp my feet need to walk the way you want me to walk. Forgive me for the many times I have failed to hide its words in my heart so that they can help me when I need them.  Renew my passion…not just to read the words to say I read them…but truly begin to embed them into who I am…so you can use them to help me through the temptations of life. Amen.

Do Not Be Afraid... Do Not Be Discouraged.”

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 -  Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.  The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

It was time.  Moses was 120 years old…had lived a very long and purposeful life…and was near to his time to die….and Joshua had been selected to lead the people over the Jordan. He gathered all the people together…to let them know that God would be with Joshua…just as he had been with Moses these 40 years. He told Joshua the most comforting words in the Bible… “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

I found 8 other verses in the Bible that say the same thing… in both the old and new testaments.  The most convicting of them being Jesus own words right before he ascended to heaven to prepare it for us to come be him later.  He said in Matthew 28:20 - Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

What a great reminder that we are never finished with what God put us here to accomplish until he calls us home like Moses. He goes before us…and will always be with us...no matter what he allows life to throw at us during our journey. We are never to be afraid…never to let discouragement win our emotions…always falling back on the power Jesus left with us to help us through the harder moments of life.

Father…thank you for the great promise that you are always with us…no matter what. Forgive me for the times that I have let fear…or discouragement win out over claiming your power to overcome any temptation. Help me to claim 2 Timothy 1:7 … using God’s power to overcome the spirit of fear satan tries to burden me with. Then use his power…his love…and his perfect mind to keep moving forward in my faith…no matter what.  Amen.

God Is Always With Us...No Matter What

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 -  Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.  It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”  Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

Moses speaks a truth here that I had not fully comprehended.  Once we accept and believe in Christ…he places his full power inside of us to do his will. We don’t have to chase after something that we can never attain…it is already inside us. The tricky part is allowing God to develop it into a confidence and courage he can use to make us the best servants we can be for him.

This truth did not change when Christ fulfilled the law. It became even easier.  Christ took the last barrier to eternal life and gave it to all people.  God made all lives matter.  Jesus began to share his power to overcome the world ...beginning with the criminal that hung beside him when he died for our sins.

Paul explains it further in 1 Corinthians 10:13. He said…”No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

What a great reminder that when things seem hard or hopeless…all I have to do is look for the door God left cracked for me to remove myself from it. Life never presents us with only one choice…God always provides his choice…clear enough for us to see when satan has been given any power over our circumstances.

Father…thank you for the reminder that your door is always open an ready to help me fight off any attack or pain that might be crippling my ability to love you and others. Forgive me for failing to search for the door you have left for me when I feel overwhelmed. Open my spiritual eyes wide so I can see it clearly …then give me courage and faith…and wisdom to keep walking toward it till you have shut the door behind me.  Amen.

Stand In His Presence... And Recommit Your Life To God

Deuteronomy 29:10-11 -  All of you are standing today in the presence of the Lord your God—your leaders and chief men, your elders and officials, and all the other men of Israel,  together with your children and your wives, and the foreigners living in your camps who chop your wood and carry your water. 

Moses stood with the people he had been asked to lead for 40 years one last time.  He reminded them that God himself was standing there with them…his presence mingled with everyone from leaders to foreigners among them. They had come together to make a commitment to follow God from this day till the end of their days on the earth.

It got me thinking….when was the last time I stood in God’s presence and vowed the same. Certainly when I gave my life to him at 14 …I could feel his presence strong as we started our journey together. Once with a group of youth at their summer camp I felt him stronger than I ever had. Many times during worship services… and just yesterday...as I toured the Billy Graham Museum…his presence took over my emotions most of the time I was there.

But it seems that most of those experiences were one sided exchanges.  God pouring something into me …and yours truely soaking it up as a renewal of God’s strength to help me through whatever I was going through at the time.. I can’t always remember stopping like that sweet leper in Luke 17. He came back to praise God and give thanks. I’ll just bet that time was a time of commitment for him as well.

I sure needed the reminder that my relationship with God…his son Jesus…and the Holy Spirit I cling to so many times for help should be a two way exchange. I should tell them daily that I love them…I am committed to the laws they left for us to live by…and I will gratefully give what is left of my earthly life to serve and do God’s will.

Thank you Lord for the reminder to renew my commitment to love and follow your commands. Forgive me for the times that I take advantage of your care and the love you show me every day by not returning to thank and praise you for what you have done. Help me to be more like that leper…and shout loud and proud all that you have done for me…giving you all the glory and praise for each tiny detail.  Amen.

Sell Out To God

Deuteronomy 28: 1-2  and 15 – If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

… However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:

Moses left them with two choices.  They could obey God...and reap a bounty of wonderful blessings….  OR…they could disobey him and choose for themselves curses upon curses. The list of blessings was great…God opening Heaven to anything and everything they needed…so many things that the other pagan nations around them would see he had called them to be his people.

The list of curses was extensive.  As I read it….many of the things Moses told them seemed to be a normal part of life in my world. Destruction of all types…diseases of all kinds…some that caused tumors… some with no cures. I quickly wondered…even voiced a quick question in prayer form to God.  Is this what is happening to the world he created in 6 days?

I know there are people in the world obeying God because I see pockets of blessing all around me too. But that’s also where the truth of Moses words ring true as well. Good…Godly…obedient people suffer every day. My mind asks the question…do they also harbor some secret sin for their lives to seem so cursed?  Are these words to every individual today…or were they just for the Israelites?

Perhaps when Jesus came to fulfill the law contained in this part of the Bible…the logistics of this passage changed…but that still leaves me with tons of questions about why some Christians suffer. Galatians 3:13 says… “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

I choose to believe that the things on Moses ‘cursed’ list that seem to be coming true in our world are not a fulfillment of this scripture…but rather a way of God showing us that he is in control. God allowed satan to bring sadness and disease to Job’s life…simply because he knew that Job’s heart was sold out to God. Then he blessed Job double for showing satan that nothing could pull him away from God’s control.

I also feel deeply  in my heart that we are smack in the middle of many of the end time prophecies. Its gonna get worse before Jesus comes back to make it all better for all who believe. I needed the reminder to keep my heart and mind focused on God…the sacrifice his son made to give me eternal life…and to use the Holy Spirit to help me stay focused like Job when trials come my way.

Father…thank you for the reminder that You are my power when things around me seem to be hopeless.  Forgive me for the times that I let my heart and mind wander to earthly things and distract me from all that you need me to do.  Help me to stay focused on you …so any trials you allow in my life can be overcome with your power and love guiding my heart.  Amen.

Quick To Listen...Slow To Speak

Deuteronomy 27:9-10 -  Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Be silent, Israel, and listen! You have now become the people of the Lord your God.   Obey the Lord your God and follow his commands and decrees that I give you today.”

Moses had already told them to listen many times…but this time he added the phrase…be quiet…in front of his command.  Perhaps the crowd had gotten louder than usual that day.  Perhaps he felt the urgency of what would happen if they didn’t listen because he couldn’t go with them. For whatever reason…Moses felt the need to add a bit more drama to his words this time.

David added to Moses wise words to also be still when trying to listen to God. He said in Psalms 46:10… He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;  I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Solomon said to really listen we have to use our heart as well.  His words from Proverbs 3:5 have always been one of my favorites…which by the way have been popping up in my pathway a lot lately.  He said… “ Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.”

I’ve never been a great listener.  I’ve never mastered completely the art of when to talk and when to be quiet. My heart has always wanted to do better…but my mouth keeps stealing the show…so to speak. I sure needed the reminder that if I really want to hear God speak clearly to my soul… I need to work on this listening skill some more. 

I admit that the earthly heart we are born with is corrupt and sinful. One quick google search will give you several scriptures to back this up. But even as far back as Ezekiel 36:26 God clearly told the people that all they had to do was allow God to replace that heart of stone with a heart of flesh. 

Jesus modeled for us what we are like when God has done that heart transplant in us. We walk this earth with God’s eyes…ears….hands….and feet.  We no longer search for our own agenda…but pray daily for God to work his will in our lives. Caring for others becomes priority one. Spending time with God... listening through his word…listening to songs of faith…and serving others turns the world’s volume down and God’s volume way up.

Father…thank you for the reminder that listening is an important skill.  Forgive me for not working harder on this vital skill …so I can hear even your whisper as Samuel did. Help me to internalize James 1:19…. be quick to listen, slow to speak…  so that the heart transplant you did on me at 14…can be put to its best use for you.  Amen.

Dedicate ALL Your Heart...ALL Your Soul...And All Your Mind To God

Deuteronomy 26:16-17-   The Lord your God commands you this day to follow these decrees and laws; carefully observe them with all your heart and with all your soul. You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. 

Moses stops his listing of laws just long enough to put a call to dedicate themselves to following them in their brains. He has watched these people mess up …more than twice… and knows that he will not be there to intercede for them if they don’t get it right this time. He wanted them to learn to listen to god as he had…with all his heart…all his soul…and all his mind.

I will admit that it is not always easy to listen to God.  I have trouble even hearing that still quiet voice sometimes. Even though Even though I am getting to know God in deeper and deeper ways...I know the reason….I still have not mastered the art of loving him with ALL my heart ...ALL my soul…and ALL my mind.

One of my problems is the background noise of the world. It distracts me…disorganizes me…sways my thoughts too much to self. It makes me give up too soon. It reminds me too often that I am only a human.  It limits my field of vision to what I think I can do. It convinces me that the dry spells I go through can’t be helped.

Moses was such a great leader because he let that personal experience at the burning bush transform him to what God saw he could be.  He let God have ALL of who he was ...and allowed him to penetrate every part of his being. The background noise in his time did not have a chance against God’s presence in his life.

I needed the reminder that my best defense against the world is to give ALL of my being to God.  To stop holding back those tiny pieces…or large chunks of what I think my life with him should be…and allow God to take COMPLETE control …so I can become who he made me to be.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I can be only who I allow you to make me. Forgive me for the times that I have let the world speak louder than your voice…and convinced me to keep pieces of who I am from your control.  Help me to learn to surrender all I am to your control…so you can use me the way you created me to be your servant.  Amen.