Journey Thru The Bible! (Judges 22-24)

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The book of Ruth is an incredible story that takes place during the stage within Israel's history when judges ruled over Israel - a time before the installation of kings, such as Saul, David, and others. It was written thousands of years ago, but has some great insights for those of us living in the 21st century! It is an inspiration to all women and remains an icon of what it means to be a woman of God, to live under the impulse of the Spirit, and to be a creative part of God's future plans in the world. Most people would like to think this is a man's world, but the reality is that God uses women, just as He uses men, in a mighty way in this world. Here are a few thoughts about the story of Ruth...

1) We often blame God for our tragedies! Moments of loss throw us all back on our own assets. When, Ruth, Naomi, and Orpah lost their own husbands, they had little to no assets from which to draw on. Like most women in the world today, their lives and fortunes were intricately tied to the fortunes of the men in their lives. When they lost their husbands, their social status and economic security was gone as well. While Orpah and Ruth trusted in their mother-in-law Noami, Naomi had lost practically ALL of her confidence in God! Listen to how painfully bitter she had become in 1:20-21, "Don't call me Naomi...call me Mara (which means "bitter"), for the Almighty has made life very bitter for me. I went away full, bu the Lord has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and...has sent such tragedy upon me?"

Women everywhere know the feeling of abandonement and marginalization. They know what it's like to be the outsider looking in, having a sense of powerlessness that comes from being a woman in a world shaped primarily for men. What can possibly be the will of God for a woman, like Ruth and Naomi, at a time like this?

I'm sure many women feel this today! They're asking the question, "What does God have in mind for a woman who's come to the end of motherhood, and there is no man to support them, no institution to define them, and no one their for them?" But, in the book of Ruth, we see God taking a stand on the side of two women who are alone in the world. He shows that He's intricately involved in their lives, even though they can't see it, and He wants to make each of them whole and capable of a life of happiness and fulfillment.

What Ruth and Naomi didn't know was the future plans God had for the both of them! God was about to turn their tragedy into nothing short of a miracle! From this, we learn that since we can not see the future as God sees it, it's critical to trust Him, even when things don't make sense or have a logically positive outcome!

2) Ruth shows the same qualities ALL Christians should have for the Lord! Ruth is a great example of how a Christian ought to feel towards the Lord! Notice these characteristics she had for her mother-in-law, Naomi, and see if you can't agree that these are the very same qualities all Christians should possess in their relationship with Christ:

- She refused to go back to her old lifestyle!

- She didn't want anything from Naomi but her love and friendship!

- She gave up all that she had to follow Naomi!

- She wanted to serve and please Naomi more than anything else in life!

Are you willing to give up everything for the Lord like Ruth did for Naomi?

3) God makes the "impossible" happen out of ordinary events! Earlier, in Deuteronomy, God had demanded that the Jews were to never intermarry with the nations of Ammon and Moab. The reason for this was two-fold. First, it was because they denied bread and water to the Israelites on their way through their land as they got ready to possess the Promised Land. Secondly, if you remember, Balak (the king of Moab) hired the Midian sorcerer Balaam to curse Israel.

Realizing this, Ruth should have never been married to Kilion! Naomi and her husband should have NEVER allowed this to happen. But it did! Perhaps this is why Elimilech, Mahlon, and Kilion die prematurely? We don't know, however, God turns the entire situation into a marvelous praise! It's not until we get to the very last few verses of the book of Ruth that we see the significance of this story. Ruth will one day marry Boaz, and thus become the great grandmother of King David, one of Israel's champions! But the story doesn't stop there! In the book of Matthew, we see that she in one of the ancestors of Jesus Christ! It's an amazing story of how God uses ordinary people in ordinary circumstances of life to do some creative and powerful things!

Thanks for reading today's post! May His countenance shine upon you today!

Journey Thru The Bible! (Judges 19-21)

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One of the saddest commentaries on the life of Israel is the story you read in today's text! God was right! He told the Israelites explicitly that if they didn't completely wipe out the entire land of the pagan people (who had gone completely wild and wicked in their sinfulness), that these same pagan people would eventually infuse their doctrine and lifestyle upon them. And, that's exactly what happened to the Benjamities in the hill country of Gibeah!

A number of the Benjamite men had turned into vicious homosexuals! They were rabid in their thinking! They not only wanted to have sex with the visiting Levite, but they wanted to abuse him completely. Since they couldn't get him, they abused his wife to death.

To gain the attention of other Israelites (and it worked!), he cut up his wife into pieces and sent them to the leaders of the other tribes. This crazy act of mutilation grabbed the attention it needed and stirred the Israelite army to descend upon the Benjamites.

This sad story brings several things to mind:

1) Without leadership, people tend to be unrestrained! It says at the beginning of chapter 19 and at the end of chapter 21 that the Israelites had no leadership or king, and they simply resorted to doing "what was right in their own eyes." That's never a good thing! People tend to become unrestrained without some form of leadership. Jesus knew this fact! In Matthew 9, He says that He looked upon Israel "as a sheep having no shepherd." In other words, there was no one who could provide them with accountability, focus, direction, and boundaries! Everyone needs to be held accountable. Everyone needs direction and focus. That's what leaders do! They provide that for people.

2) We're often suprised by how cruel our Christian brothers and sisters can be! It's interesting to note that the Levite's servant suggested they stay in the city of Jebus (Jerusalem), which at that time was occupied by the Jebusites - a group of people the Israelites could not force out due to an alleged pre-arranged document that Abraham made with the elders of the city when he was purchasing the Cave of Machpelah for the burial of Sarah, his wife. But the Levite was afraid to do so! He felt safer to keep going until they got to Gibeah - after all, the people of Gibeah were his kin, the children of Benjamin! They would certainly love him and take them in for the night.

Oh...if only they had stayed at Jebus! Little did he know how wicked the Benjamite men had become! They ended up killing his wife, and nearly killed him!

How often we are surprised by our fellow Christians who do things that hurt us! We anticipate love, and we get rejection. We expect hospitality, and we receive pain. And, especially today, we see many Christians compromising their walk with God with a stroll with the world!

There are many who call themselves "believers", yet live just like the world. So much so, that if you could ask their friends about their love for God, many would be surprised.

3) Something MUST be done against sins that pollute the land! The Bible says that "righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is reproach to any people." God told the Israelites BEFORE they went into the Promised Land to wipe out all the pagan people who willingly refused to leave lest they eventually infuse their wicked lifestyle upon them and spiritually corrupt the entire nation of Israel! God warned them of "polluting" the land with sin! Now, it's happened! The Benjamites, while not all of them were homosexuals, protected those who practiced homosexuality. What Israel did was right! They needed to cleanse the land of defilement before the eyes of the Lord!

We must do the same thing today! That's why it's so important that we Christians GET INVOLVED in attacking sinful institutions, sinful laws, injustices, wicked practices, and corruption at every level! If we don't do it, no one will!

Well, those are my thoughts for today. What are yours? May the Lord give you a wonderful day!

Journey Thru The Bible! (Judges 16 - 18)

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1) The careless life of Samson! Today's text begins with the ending of Samson's life! He served Israel for twenty years as a leader. In fact, he did more to protect Israel against their Philistine enemies than anyone else. But, he was careless with his life. Here's why:

- As a Nazarite, he wasn't supposed to touch "dead" things, but he did!
- As a Israelite, he wasn't to marry outside his nation, but he did!
- As God's chosen man, he should have never gone to a prostitute, but he did!

He was careless about his relationship with women, especially with Delilah. He told her "the secret" to his strength. Actually, as I mentioned yesterday, his hair was NOT "the secret" to his strength...God was!

The story of Samson is one of the most remarkable stories in the Bible! And, he is one of the most talked about persons in the Bible. He has been dubbed the "strongest man who's ever lived!" But, there's a secret to his strength, and it's NOT his hair! He may have lost his strength when the Philistines cut his hair, but that's NOT what gave him his strength. The reason for Samson's weakness and his subsequent capture by the Philistines was NOT the cutting of his hair, but that through the cutting of his hair it ended the Nazarite vow upon him (an act of disobedience) and the Spirit of the Lord did not come upon him at that time! Without God's help, Samson was as weak as any other man!

Notice that at the end of chapter 16, Samson prays to the Lord and asks Him for the strength to bring down the crowded stadium. Samson's strength came from the Lord! And so does ours!

2) The careless life of the people of Israel! Chapter 17 and 18 is the sad story of how Israel had lost touch with God. It begins with the story of Micah, who worshiped pagan idols and hired a Levite to administer the office of being his own personal priest. Even the Danites got caught up in this and stole Micah's images and the priest just before going to war. Israel was without a leader, and therefore "everyone did as he saw fit" (17:6). How careless they had become!

Every group of people needs a leader! Most people are followers and require someone to lead them. And, it's typically the leaders responsibility to set the standard. People look to leaders to know what to do. It's just an innate sense within people. They need someone they can see with their own eyes, hear with their own ears, and know in order to find the boundaries in which to live. Sadly, however, when it comes to living a life with integrity and in having a relationship with God most people never rise above the level of the integrity and/or spirituality of their leader.

Well, these are a few of my thoughts for today, what are yours? Let me know! God bless, and have a great day in the Lord! Make sure you attend a good, Bible-centered, Bible-teaching church today!

Judges 13 - 15

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Today is an EXCITING read! Here are a few thoughts...

1) The secret to Samson's strength was NOT his hair! The story of Samson is one of the most remarkable stories in the Bible! And, he is one of the most talked about persons in the Bible. He has been dubbed the "strongest man who's ever lived!" But, there's a secret to his strength, and it's NOT his hair! He may have lost his strength when the Philistines cut his hair, but that's NOT what gave him his strength. Three times in today's text we read the secret to Samson's strength. It was "the Spirit of the Lord!"

- When he ripped the Lion apart - "At that moment the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him, and he ripped the lion's jaws apart..."

- When he killed 30 men for their clothing - "Then the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him."

- When he killed 1000 men with the jawbone of a donkey - "But the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon Samson..."

The reason for Samson's weakness and his subsequent capture by the Philistines (which we'll read about tomorrow) was NOT the cutting of his hair, but that through the cutting of his hair it ended the Nazarite vow upon him (an act of disobedience) and the Spirit of the Lord did not come upon him at that time! Without God's help, Samson was as weak as any other man!

We are no different than Samson. Without God's help, we're nothing! With God's help, we can be as strong as Samson, or stronger if God so chooses! Samson was only limited by God's will. Whatever God wanted done, God gave Samson the supernatural strength to accomplish it! God can use us in the very same way. That's why Jesus said, "If you have faith as much as even a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Be removed and cast into the sea', and it will be done." What mountains stand in your way? With God's help, you're strong and can conquer any obstacle that comes your way.

2) When God can't find a man to use...He creates one! Samson, had a purpose for being created...as we all do! We get a hint of that purpose in 14:4 when it says concerning his affection for a Philistine woman, "His father and mother didn't realize the Lord was at work in this, creating an opportunity to work against the Philistines, who ruled over Israel at that time. God created Samson and raised him up to fight against the Philistines who were oppressing His children.

It's sad that God couldn't find a man that was already created! The Bible says in 2 Chronicles 16:9 - "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." And, in Ezekiel 22:30 - "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

God is looking for men and women to use. In Samson's day, since God couldn't find one, He went to a woman who couldn't have children and gave her Samson.

3) What exactly is the Nazarite vow? This vow is described in Numbers 6. It is for men and women who want to separate themselves to the Lord. Here are the conditions they must follow:

- He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink.

- He shall eat nothing made from the vine tree.

- No razor shall come upon his head all the days of the vow.
- He shall come to no dead body all the days of his vow.

- When the vow is fulfilled the man is to shave his head at the tabernacle and offer sacrifices.

Can you find anything among this list that Samson did to defile his Nazarite status?

First, he came into contact with a dead lion and dead men. Secondly, the vow ended when he had his head shaved. Plus, when his head was shaved, he didn't do it according to the law of Moses.

That's why God did not allow "the Spirit of the Lord to come upon Samson" when Delilah shaved his head...as we'll read about tomorrow!

That's all for now. Have a great weekend, and make sure you attend a Bible preaching church! God bless!

Judges 10 - 12

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Here are a few thoughts from today's text:

1) What could an historian say about you? Today's text begins about the same way as it ends! It begins in chapter 10 naming a couple of judges who judged Israel, each for a period of at least 20 years. The sad part is that it doesn't say much about their leadership! There are NO great accomplishments. There are NO great battles. All we know about the first one is that he lived in a town called Shamir, and the second one had 30 sons who rode around on 30 donkeys and owned 30 towns. Wow! Is that it? Apparently the writer saw nothing more to write about them. If you look at the end of chapter 12 it's the same thing! In chapter 12 it speaks of 3 more judges and merely states the number of their children.

If you had 20 years to lead a nation and that's the only thing the historian could come up with about you, how would you feel? I thinks it's disappointing! Did they not accomplish anything that was influential for the nation? If the only attribute that comes to mind from a historian about your influence as a leader is that you had children (although having children is something to be proud of), I would say that you weren't much of a leader.

If someone were to write an historical account of how your life made an impact in this world, what do you suppose the writer would say? Would they be able to account for some mighty things God has accomplished in you and through you? Would they say that the people and neighbors around you are positively influenced by your life? Have you ever led someone to Christ? Will there be people in Heaven because of you? Do Satan and his forces feel any threat from the way your life influences people for the glory of God?

Think about it! Every day, your life is being written down in one of God's books! God is keeping a record of every thing you say, think, feel, and how you live. If knowing that you're life could possibly be found as reading material in a book some day, would people be encouraged by it, strengthened by it, find hope in it, and learn from it? Your life is a book. Make it an exciting one, one that you and God can be proud of!

2) God is a "tough love" kind of father! It doesn't take us long as we read chapter 10 before we see Israel doing "evil in the sight of the Lord" again! Isn't this the 7th time we've read this sad statement? Each time Israel does evil in God's sight, God abandones them up to their own fate. And, each time they fall into enslavement to the people who were once their slaves. In chapter 10, God's patience wears out and he says, "I will not rescue you anymore. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen! Let them rescue you in your hour of distress!"

God was angry! And, He had every right to be. But, Israel was no different than many Christians today. Many Christians turn away from God eventually and begin to live lifestyles that are totally contrary to what God expects of us. And, like the Israelites, when their in distress they cry out to God and say, "Where are you God? Don't you love me?"

Yes He does, but His tough love kicks in! This is how we know this - 10:16 says, "And he was grieved by their misery." God was grieving deeply over Israel's sinfulness and personal suffering. Like a loving father, He wanted to reach out and help His children in such a desparate way, but He knew that they would have to learn the hard way. As tough as it was for God, He chose to let them "skin their knees and bop their heads on tables." He loved Israel deeply, just as He loves us today. However, He will allow us the privilege to choose our own direction. If we fail to do as He commands, then He allows us the privilege to live with the consequences. Just like what we have to do with our own teenagers! You hate to see them make bad choices. You scold them and spank them and love them, but sometimes you have to give them over to God and practice tough love. Sometimes our children (and even us) best learn things doing it the hard way. You've heard it said, "We learn by our mistakes." It's true. Pain has a way of teaching us the facts of life. God knows this and allows us to experience pain for the very purpose of teaching us to trust Him and in His ways...not our own ways.

3) Words hurt! In chapter 11 we read the sad story of Jephthah. He had the unfortunate fate of being born out of the infidelity of his father. Due to the fact that he was seen by others as the unfortunate by-product of his father's lust over a town prostitute, life was made difficult for him. It became impossible to have a good relationship with his half-brothers. In fact, at some point in his life, these brothers forced him out of the family and away from any possibility of receiving any inheritance from his father. They verbally accused him of being "the son of a prostitute." Those words hurt Jephthah down to the very core of his being. And, it influenced him horribly. This anger caused him to charismatically attract "a band of worthless rebels" to follow him, and in return, became a "great warrior." Apparently, this anger created a sense of "fight" in him.

Although he was ridiculed and rejected by his own family, they eventually required his help to fight off the Ammonite army. In return, they would offer him the rulership of the city of Gilead.

I can understand kids saying bad things to each other, but I want to know "where was his father in all of this?" Gilead was proven to be an unfaithful husband. Apparently, he was an unfaithful father too! Jephthah was innocent, yet lived a life a guilt by association.

Who do you know that may have faced (or is facing) this type of situation? Only love can cure the pain that this kind of suffering has caused.

Have a great day! God bless!

Judges 7 - 9

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What drama in today's text! While there's much that can be taken out of today's Bible reading, let me stir your thinking with just a few thoughts:

1) God wants ALL the glory! That was the purpose of God whittling down the size of Gideon's army to only 300 men. He said in 7:2, "If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength."

2) The impossible is possible with God! Can you imagine the odds? God wrought a victory over 135,000 Midianite army soldiers with only 300 men! That's 450:1 odds! In other words, if God hadn't created a spirit of confusion to come over the Midianite army, each Israelite soldier would have been responsible to kill 450 men. What would be going through your mind if your commander said, "All right guys, each one of you has to kill 450 trained soldiers if we're going to win the battle." You probably would have resolved in your mind that you were going to die!

What seemingly "impossible things" are going on in your life that you need to conquer? God can help!

3) God uses spirits to accomplish His work! If you'll notice in 9:23, God sent "a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimilech and the leading citizens of Shechem." God probably allowed one of His angels or a demon spirit to stir up trouble between the two parties. The purpose of God allowing this to happen was to punish Abimilech for killing 70 innocent sons of Gideon. If you purchase my series on "Angels: Unlocking the Mystery", you'll learn a lot about how God uses spirits in this world. Behind the physical world is an active spiritual world. Angels and demons are at war! Satan is currently stirring up trouble in the leaders of countries - a good example would have been Sadaam Hussein! The Bible gives numerous incidents to the activity, purpose, and function of angels and demon spirits. When you understand why God created them and how He uses them to accomplish His work, you'll understand more of what's going on in this world than ever before!

I've got to get to work. Have a GREAT day in the Lord, and we'll see you tomorrow!

Judges 4 - 6

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Once again, we are reading some incredible stories in the Bible! Here are a few thoughts about today's text:

1) God uses women in powerful ways, just as He uses men! Anyone, in the hand of God, will be mightily used! As we read Chapter 4, we see two women used powerfully by God to conquer the feared Canaanite army under Sisera's command. Deborah naturally rose up to power due to the fact that she had a close relationship with God! In fact, the scriptures call her "a prophet" (vs.4). Barak, the commander of the Naphtali army, was so impressed with Deborah and her closeness with God, that he was afraid to fight the opposing army without her presence. He knew he needed God on their side to win this battle. Having Deborah's presence at the battle site gave him a sense of security - knowing that God would be there fighting for Israel. In the end, it was Jael, a smart woman, who killed the powerful commander Sisera. Instead of giving him water to make him feel more alert, she gave him a warm pouch of milk, which caused him to fall asleep! That smart thinking won Israel's cedence from King Jabin.

2) Many Christians are in the valley of "indecision." When it came right down to the fighting, the song of Deborah in chapter 5 makes a scathing remark against several of the tribes of Israel, especially the tribe of Reuben! Twice (5:15, 16), the song of Deborah speaks of the tribe of Reuben being in "great indecision" about helping their brothers conquer their enemies. The song also speaks of Gilead staying on the "east side of Jordan" and Dan staying at home. In other words, the song catapults accusations against those tribes for doing nothing to help their brothers.

How often this is true today! Many Christians are in "great indecision." They don't come to the aid of their brothers in Christ when a personal struggle arises or when they're in need. We all say we mean well, but when it comes right down to it we're either too lazy to help or we don't want to help! As we continue to fall in moral decay as a nation, it's time for Christians to wake up, sound the alarm, and become actively involved in being "salt" and "light" as Jesus told us to be! May God work in our hearts and minds to motivate us out of this lethargic spirit!

3) There's a progression to God's discipline! Already, we're starting to see a horrible pattern of disobedience among the nation of Israel! Fives times we've read how the "Israelites did evil in the Lord's sight" (2:11 ; 3:7 ; 3:12 ; 4:1 ; 6:1). And, each time, they fell into grave disobedience. This, in turn, forced God's hand of discipline. Therefore, each time, He enslaved them to a pagan king. After a few years of slavery, the Israelites would "cry out unto the Lord" for deliverance! Then, God would raise up a person to help free them from their enslavement.

But, notice something here! With each period of disobedience, enslavement, and deliverance by God, notice how the pattern of slavery gets worse! God is starting to spank harder now! By the time we get to chapter 6, it says that the Midianites "were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in caves..." Their captivity was so bad that they're actually hiding in caves and dens from the enemy. Furthermore, the Israelites were reduced to starvation! But, God raises up a new leader in the man Gideon.

4) God can use anybody! Chapter 6 is a remarkable story of how God can use ANYBODY for His work and for His glory! In fact, take a few moments to notice a few things:

- God did not view Gideon for who he was, but for who he could be! Notice in 6:11-12 that Gideon was fearfully hiding in his winepress when the Lord shows up out of nowhere! When the Lord arives on the scene, He calls out to him "Mighty hero, the Lord is with you." Now, I'm sure Gideon was looking around and saying, "Who me?" Up until this point, Gideon was not a hero! He was anything but a hero. When the Lord addressed him, He didn't say "Oh you coward! Buck it up! I'm going to help you get out of this mess." No...the Lord called him a "Mighty hero!" God didn't see him for what he was, He saw him for what he could be!

Notice also...Gideon is NOT a strong spiritual person!

- Gideon is angry with God! Notice the questions he throws at the Lord in verse 13. You can almost hear the anger in his questions.
- "Why has all this happened?"
- "Where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about?"
- "The Lord has abandoned us."

- Gideon doesn't have much faith in God! In verse 15, Gideon basically laughs at God. When the Lord tells him to "rescue Israel", he quickly reminds God just how unqualified he is for that position. Sounds familiar doesn't it! Moses did the same thing in Exodus 3. Moses tried to get out of the duty of delivering Israel. Now, Gideon is basically trying to do the same thing. In fact, Gideon demanded proof of God's help! And, God showed him on 3 separate occasions that He would fight in the battle with him.

- Gideon is fearful of retaliation! This "mighty hero" does everything under the cover of darkness. When he pulls down his father's altar of Baal, He does it under the cover of darkness. He doesn't want to be caught because he's fearful of retaliation from his father and the townspeople. Even though his own father defended him, it roused up the neighbors!

The point is - God used Gideon in a mighty way even though he wasn't very spiritual. Hey listen, God can use you in a mighty way too! Trust me, if God can use a guy like this, do you think He has a chance with you? Sure you do!!

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Judges 1 - 3

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As we begin the exciting book of Judges, it will read like a novel! It's gorged full of adventure, spiritual challenges, and mighty men of valor. It contains some great insights into living the life God would have us all live! Here's a few "Power For Life Today Points" out of today's text:

1) God will "test us" with the challenges of life! Reading Judges chapter 1 begins as a delight as the tribe of Judah continues its march to conquer new territories...doing exactly what God told them to do! But, by the middle of the chapter things take a horrible turn for the worse! Half the tribes of Israel - specifically Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan - could not drive out the remaining Canaanites!

Now...why is that? Didn't God say He would help them finish off the inhabitants of the land? Yes, He did! But, God had a purpose in mind for this struggle they were having. He needed to know just how much Israel loved Him and how faithful they would be towards Him. Therefore, He allowed this to happen for two very important reasons:

- To test Israel - (2:22) - "I did this to test Israel - to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did."
- To teach them warfare - (3:2) - "He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle."

This was a new generation! They were only kids when their dads were fighting for the land. However, one sad indictment about this particular generation is found in 2:10 -"After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel."

God was very angry with them for their disobedience! And, in spite of the fact that He made it difficult for them to drive them out, He did what was necessary to get them back on track:

- (2:1) God sent His Son, Jesus, to them to scold them! He is "the angel of the Lord."
- (2:14-15) God fought AGAINST them!
- (2:16 - 3:31) God sent JUDGES to save them from their own ruin!

Unfortunately, Israel didn't respond well at all! It sadly says in 2:17 - "Yet Israel did not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshipping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors..."

2) Godly parenting makes a HUGE difference! The generation "who walked in obedience to the Lord's commands" (2:17) had failed in one area - passing on the knowledge of God and love for the Lord! It sadly says in 2;10, "another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done..." This huge mistake caused several things to eventually happen to their own children:

- To do "evil" in God's sight! (2:11)
- To "go "after other gods." (2:12)
- To "abandon" the Lord competely! (2:13)
- To make God "angry" (2:14)
- Turned God against them! (2:15)
- They became stressed out! (2:15)
- They became overly oppressed! (2:18)
- They suffered greatly! (2:18)

What parent would want these things to happen to their children? None of us! However, the truth is, without God our children just can't have the life God intended them to have. No one can for that matter!

One good example of Godly parenting is in Caleb's family! It's obvious that Caleb is a Godly man! He's the only one (besides Joshua) that God allowed to survive the 40 years of desert wanderings and inherit land within the Promised Land. God allowed this because he was a Godly man! In fact, it must have flowed over to his nephew Othniel, because Othniel is found twice in our text today doing some mighty things as he trusts God. The first is in chapter 1, where he bodly conquered the city of Debir. Next, he's seen in chapter 3 as one of Israel's leaders! In 3:10 it says, "The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel's judge."

What a difference Godly parents make! Wow! Let's choose to be Godly parents and SAVE OUR CHILDREN from failing God, and thus the challenges of life!

3) God doesn't take us out of the battle, He helps us fight it! God never promised things would be rosy for believers! God did not deliver the Israelites from battle, He delivered them from death in battle! Big difference! If you'll notice in 3:2, God needed the new generation to learn warfare! They needed to run up against a life and death situation a time or two! God is in the business of growing His children, not shielding them from life's complicated problems. He allows problems to happen. He does this so that we might be able to trust Him and see His wonderful love and power to help us through those tough times and get the victory on the other side!

Even Jesus warned His disciples of coming problems...and even death! Don't be a naive Christian. Problems will arise in your life - tough problems. But, God wants you to go to Him concerning these problems, and allow Him to help you fight the battle to victory!

4) One man plus God equals UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES! As we finish out chapter 4, look at the last verse. It speaks of a man called "Shamgar." He killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad! When a person trusts God there are no limits to what can happen!

May the Lord give you a wonderful day as you experience His presence and work!

Joshua 21 - 24

Click on Scripture above to read today's text!

Let's read 4 chapters again today to finish the book of Joshua.

As we conclude the book of Joshua, we see things starting to settle down. Israel is now occupying the long-awaited Promised Land, and their enemies are deeply afraid of them! Notice what Joshua writes in 21:44-45, "The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies."

Here are some wonderful things to reflect on as we read today's text:

1) God's promises are ALWAYS fulfilled! As we come to the end of chapter 21 we read the wonderful statement, "Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true." God is faithful.

It's unfortunate that the original crowd of Israelites (20 years old and older) who crossed the Red Sea did not get a chance to see the fulfillment of ALL the many promises God gave to them. Which, again, reminds me of what we miss when we're disobedient to the Lord. The Lord has so much to offer us. If only we would trust Him, perhaps our lives would be radically different! There's no better time to start living the way God wants you to live than today. He has many promises to those who do. When you do live a life that is pleasing to Him, your life will be changed. It doesn't mean that the challenges of life go away, but it does mean that you'll have the opportunity to see the miracle working hand of God at work in your life! You'll see His power, and you'll see that He can conquer anything that comes against you.

2) Things are always as they seem! Talk about sitting on pins and needles! All of Israel had dangerously assumed some things that nearly lead to the extinction of the tribe of Reuben and Gad (chapter 22)! As the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and 1/2 of Manasseh began their journey back home located on the eastern side of the Jordan River, they felt compelled to build and altar of witness. They were afraid that the rest of the tribes in future years would forget that they were part of Israel - primarily due to the fact that the Jordan River separated the two groups from each other. This forward-thinking idea got them nearly killed!

Assumptions can be deadly! The tribe of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh dangerously assumed that building a replica of the Altar at the Tabernacle would be a good idea - as a testimony to the fact that they are part of Israel. The rest of the tribes of Israel dangerously assumed that the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were being rebellious and starting their own place of Tabernacle worship. These assumptions nearly lead to war!

Fortunately, someone was level headed enough to think of having some table discussions first. However, when the 10-man delegate committee got there, they started accusing the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh of rebellion! Instead of first asking the simple question, "Why did you guys build this altar?", they started accusing their brothers. Once the other tribes were able to talk, the accusing delegates were satisfied with their answers.

This says something about negotiations! If you are assuming something about someone, before you start accusing them, you might want to give them the opportunity to clear the air first. You may have assumed wrong and saved yourselves from a bitter discussion!

3) God was NOT the god of Abraham in the beginning! It's interesting to note in chapter 24 that as Joshua rehearses the entire story of how Israel got its beginning, in verse 2 Joshua reminds them that Abraham and his fathers worshipped other gods before they worshipped the one, True God! In essence, Joshua was saying, "Look guys, God chose us! Our own ancestrial father, who we all admire, well....the truth is, he worshipped other gods before realizing our God is the one, True God! So, think about that for a moment! God chose us, we didn't choose Him!"

That verse reminds me of what Jesus said to his disciples in John 15:16, "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you..." In other words, the disciples didn't go looking for Christ, He went looking for them! It's the same way with us today! We don't inherently just run after God, He comes after us first! It's within our sinful nature as human beings to inherently do "our own thing." We don't naturally seek after God, God goes after us. Remember what Jesus said in John 14:6, "no man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him..." Salvation begins with God, and ends with Him too!

Nothing explains this truth better than Ephesian 2:1-10:

"Once you were dead (spiritually) because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers in the unseen world...all of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!...So God can point to us in all future ages as example of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward of the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

Wow! We have a lot to thank Him for...don't we?

I hope this will be a blessing to you today. God bless!

Joshua 17 - 20

Click on Scripture above to read today's text!

Let's read 4 chapters today. That way, we'll finish off the section on "land grants." Yea!

Since pictures speak a thousand words, I'll let this picture do most of the talking today! It is a map depicting the areas of Israel where each of the 12 tribes (besides the Levites) were given land through the use of either force or "sacred lots."

What are these sacred lots? The Bible describes these as the "Urim and Thummin" - two beautiful stones on the breastplate of the high priest. If you remember Exodus 28:30, God told Moses to "Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron's heart when he goes into the Lord's presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the Lord's will for his people whenever he goes in before the Lord." According to the Talmud, a brilliant light would shine forth from these stones indicating an answer from the Lord, usually in a "yes" or "no" fashion. The Bible is not real clear on how these two stones were exactly used to determine God's will, but the fact remains that they were used quite often! They are actually referred to in Scripture as the "sacred lots." In Numbers 27:21, Moses writes, "When direction from the lord is needed, Joshua will stand before Eleazar the priest, who will use the Urim - one of the sacred lots cast before the Lord - to determine his will. This is how Joshua and th rest of the community of Israel will determine everything they should do." It seems obvious from the text, and from other texts as well, that these stones were removed from the breastplate of the high priest and "cast" or thrown down on a table or ground. From that, God would show His will.

Don't you wish knowing God's will was as easy as that today?

Some time later, the Urim and Thummin seems to have disappeared. After the days of King David, prophecy was in ascendancy, and accordingly, we find no clear record of the use of the Urim and Thummim in the days of the later kings. However, in Acts 1:26, after the death of Jesus, His remaining 11 disciples "cast lots" over who would be the next disciple of Christ since Judas Iscariot went out and hanged himself. Could these be the Urim and Thummim? How could they have received them from the high priest? In reality, no one knows! However, it's intereting that Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, sets the date for the obsolescence of the Urim and Thummin at sometime near the time of Christ, or shortly thereafter.

I hope this was interesting and helpful. God bless!

Joshua 13 - 15

Click on Scripture above to read the text!

Out of what may seem to be a boring set of chapters comes a few POWERFUL points! Let me share a few of them with you!

1) The Levites receive no land , but are uniquely blessed of God! The Bible says in 15:4, "the Levites were given no land at all, only towns to live in with surrounding pasturelands for their livestock and all their possessions." The Levites didn't receive any portion of land because God said, "I will be their portion." In other words, they will have the privilege to serve before the presence of God - a privilege no one else, other than the priests, were to enjoy! Simply put, they were to act as God's ministers in behalf of the people and were given the specific duties of serving at the Tabernacle. Instead of being granted only one geographical location like the rest of the tribes, God gave them an opportunity to enjoy 48 beautiful cities (21:41) scattered throughout the land of Israel.

Another advantage these Levites enjoyed was that they were to receive the food from the Israelites too! Actually, how this was done was that they were to receive the food that was offered on the altar of the Lord as a burnt sacrifice to God (13:14). You might be thinking, "Yuck, burnt food! What good is that?" But, in all reality, there was plenty of food left over. Since God said, "I am their portion", He wanted to make sure that the Levites were fed well, and lived well. God made it the responsibility of every Israelite to make sure that these ministers of God were to be well taken care of!

Should it be any different today? Shouldn't we, as Christians, find it within our duty to take care of our ministers? In the same manner as the Israelites were to take care of the Levites (God's ministers), so we should take care of our pastors and church leaders! It is our responsibility, as Christians, to take care of those who feed us and nurture us spiritually before the Lord!

Here's a tough question: Are you doing your part? Are you taking care of your minister? Are you making sure your pastor and/or spiritual leader is being fed and taken care of well? You might want to look into the matter! I've personally met many pastors who are struggling financially, being paid a mere poverty wage with no retirement benefits (and in many cases, no health benefits either), yet they continue to live with a smile on their face with hope in their heart and serve us who are being paid much more handsomely! May God forgive us for being guilty of abusing his servants! If you feel your pastor is being mistreated in respect to the Godly position that he (or she) holds, you ought to do something about it!

2) Oh that God would make me a man like Caleb! Reading 14:6-15 is one of my greatest joys! After a thorough examination, I'm convinced that Caleb is one of the greatest men who's ever lived! He is a man's man - a combination of great "Godly" characteristics as well as great "Manly" characteristics. As we study this man in scripture, we can see some things about him that is so uniquely characteristic of another GREAT man - Jesus!

Caleb began as a scout for Moses at the age of 40. So, it stands to reason that he must have been a brave, intelligent, and militarily cunning individual. His eyes enjoyed the wonderful and unique privilege of seeing God bring ALL the plagues on Egypt and the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. He was also the only scout (besides Joshua) who possessed an unwavering faith in the power of God because he came back to Moses and said, "Let's take the Promised Land now! Let's kill the giants of the land! God is on our side!" In addition all of this, he outlived all of his generation due to their lack of faith in God.

Now, in chapter 14, at the age of 85, he wants to go to war against the toughest people on the planet - the giants, the descendants of Anak. Listen to what Caleb tells Joshua, "Now as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty five years...I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on the journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then...you will remember that as scouts we found the descendents of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out...just as the Lord said."

Here's a guy who's 85 years old and says to Joshua "As you can see". In other words, "Look at me Joshua! I'm the same, muscular, rugged warrior today that I was 45 years ago! Look at me, you can see that I haven't changed a bit!" Wow!

Caleb doesn't want to quit working (fighting) for the Lord! He refuses to get old! He's right out there leading the young men into the toughest battles! He's trusting God to wipe out the toughest gang of giants on the planet! Can you imagine this guy??? Better yet...can you be this guy?

Here is a man that simply "Believes God!" Oh that we were ALL like that! Oh that we were all men and women who are looking for new territories to conquer for Jesus! Where are the men like Caleb today? Will you be one of them? What territories are left to conquer in your life? What giants stand in your way? What walled towns are keeping you from believing God?

3) The Jebusites could NOT be driven out! The Jebusites lived in and occupied the town of Jebus - what we now call Jerusalem. In rabbinical literature, it is said that the reason "they could not drive out the Jebusites" is because they were under an oath that Abraham made to them hundreds of years before! When the Israelites came into the city of Jebus (Jerusalem) to conquer it, they held up a bronze engraving noting the oath Abraham made with the city inhabitants. Abraham apparently let them know that God had promised him that one day his descendants would occupy the city of Jebus. Therefore, in order for Abraham to purchase the cave of Machpelah to bury his wife Sarah, he was forced into an agreement with the Jebusites. This agreement was engraved on a bronze flatware for future reference. So, it is said that when Joshua led the campaign against the city of Jebus, the Jebusites brought to him the bronze covenant articulating the terms of agreement Abraham made, which included "not take the city of Jebus against the will of its inhabitants."

Throughout the time of King David and the rule of his son, Solomon, you see the Jebusites as being servants to the Israelites. In fact, the Bible tells the story of the death angel who killed thousands of Israelites due to King David's census taking and stopping at the threshing field of a man called Araunah, a Jebusite. David, subsequently purchased that field and erected an altar to God seeking His forgiveness.

I hope this was an interesting addition to your reading today. May God give you a wonderful day!

Joshua 10 - 12

Click on the Scripture above to read Joshua 10-12!

Today, you are reading one of the most amazing stories of the Bible! Like the famous Napolean Bonaparte and Alexander the Great who we read about so often in our history books, Joshua courageously leads his army to some incredible military victories! But Joshua had an edge that Napoleon and Alexander didn't have! He had the foreknowledge of God's spoken promise! God promised Moses and Joshua that He would fight these battles for them, and that He would help them wipe out every inhabitant who wasn't voluntarily willing to leave in an attempt to spare their own lives.

Out of this story (which runs through all 3 chapters), we learn some provocative insights about our God and our relationship with Him! Here are a few of those insights:

1) The battle is won or lost BEFORE the battle ever starts! One can only imagine the courage Joshua must have had knowing the outcome of all the battles BEFOREHAND! God encouraged Joshua with this statement in 10:8, "Do not be afraid of them...for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you." In fact, notice what God does beyond the elements of human ability:

- He "threw them into a panic" (vs.10)
- He "destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven" (vs.11)
- He answered Joshua's prayer whereas "the sun stood still" (vs.13)

We'll talk more about the sun standing still, but what I want us to focus on is two things:
A) We are NEVER alone in our battles! B) We MUST always remember that the battle is won BEFORE it's fought!

Let me give you an example! When I'm invited to speak at a church, I know that there will be forces at work that I cannot see. From the Bible, we learn that the angels of Heaven and the demons are in a constant battle over men's souls. There is a battle raging every time a preacher gets up to preach, especially if that preacher is one who is preaching the Word of God! So, realizing this incredible truth, I spend time with God in prayer BEFORE I enter the battle. It's during prayer or as the result of prayer that God lays on my heart the message He wants me to present to an audience. It's through prayer that I ask for God's help. It's through prayer that God communicates to me His support. When I know I've spent time with God and He's answered me, I can boldy enter into a pulpit knowing that the battle over men's hearts is won! That doesn't mean everyone will respond positively to the message, but it does mean that God will get the victory somehow!

What battles do you feel you're fighting? What forces are you up against? My advice is to run to your prayer closet and pray! Continue praying until you feel you've connected with God.

And, know this too! God has already given us MANY promises about life! Knowing His Word and knowing these promises are what give many mature Christians the boldness and courage to keep fighting, even when the battle seems overwhelming. Remember, the battle is won in the prayer closet! It's won BEFORE you enter the battle!

2) It's amazing what God will do for us...if only we'll ask! One of the most remarkable and controversial passages in Scripture is Joshua 10:12-14. Joshua, in his quest to finish off the remaining enemy forces, prayed to God and asked Him to do something that defies nature! He asked Him to "Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon." Amazingly enough, God did it! The Bible records, "the sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day. There has never been a day like this one before or since when the Lord answered such a prayer."

Several modern interpretations of the story have been suggested:
- Some say that no miracle happened and it's only poetic license.
- Others say that a solar eclipse took place.
- Still, some scientists say that something actually did take place long ago!

As a Christian, we know that anything is possible with God. God did the same sort of thing for King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:9-11. Hezekiah asked God to show him a sign that he would regain his health by causing "the shadow to move back ten steps backwards (5-6 hours) on the sundial of Ahaz." God did it!

Even Jesus showed us some incredible miracles - the blind made to see, the deaf made to hear, the lame to walk, and brought people back to life after being dead for days! Jesus said in Matthew 21:21, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith...you can say to this mountain 'Go throw yourself into the sea' and it would be done."
We have a miracle working God! Are you allowing God to work miracles in your life? If not, where is your faith? How "BIG" is our God to you? Is He as BIG and POWERFUL in your mind as BIG and POWERFUL as He reveals Himself in the Bible? "Houston, we have a problem!"

3) People can be their own worst enemy! God gave Joshua the command to allow people to willingly leave the land. Sadly, in 11:19, it says, "No one in this region made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites of Gibeon." Instead of realizing the fact that "God was fighting for them" (remember Rahab told Israel they knew that!), they stubbornly and pridefully stood their ground and it cost them their lives!

According to 12:24, Israel fought 31 kings and kingdoms...and WON! Sadly, the command from God was to completely wipe out anyone who wouldn't voluntarily leave. God did NOT want the Israelites to be corrupted by these pagan people - just like what happened in Moab before they entered the Promised Land. Therefore, we read these harsh words:

- "they totally wiped out five armies" - 10:20
- "leaving no survivors" - 10:28
- "leaving no survivors" - 10:30
- "killed everyone in it" - 10:32
- "leaving no survivors" - 10:33
- "killed everyone in it" - 10:35
- "completely destroyed the population" - 10:37
- "completely destroyed everyone" - 10:39
- "leaving no survivors" - 10:40
- "not a single person was spared" - 11:11
- "but they killed all the people, leaving no survivors" - 11:14

God's patience had run out with these pagan people. He gave them the opportunity to voluntarily leave, but they refused and trusted in their ability or their own gods to protect them.

Here's an incredible truth - 1 person + God = Invincibility!

Hope you got something out of today's lesson. Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Joshua 7 - 9

Click the scripture above to read Joshua 7 - 9.

One of the most tragic stories of the Bible comes from Joshua 7. It tells us a couple of powerful truths about God:

1) God is sensitive about the things that belong to Him! God had explicitly told the people of Israel "not to take any of the things set apart for destruction...everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord, and must be brought into His treasury (6:18-19). But, in chapter 7, while fighting the battle, Achan saw a beautiful garment, some silver coins, and a bar of gold weighing more than 1 pound. He couldn't resist the temptation to take it. After all, it was lying there, nobody was around, and he could use it as a nice financial bonus for putting his life at risk. However, all of the human reasoning wouldn't make this sinful act right! Though Achan felt that he got away with something, God saw what he did and wasn't about to let him get away with it! God was very angry about it! Those things belonged to God, not to Achan!

Achan's sin cost him his life, the life of his family, and the death of 36 warriors as they ran down the hill escaping from the city of Ai. Plus, his sin caused God to pull back His blessings from Israel. Isn't it amazing what one man's sin can do to effect a lot of people, or even God's blessings?

Here's a few lessons from this story:

--- Don't take what belongs to God! He doesn't like it!
--- Your sin may do more harm than you think! It may hurt others!
--- Your sin will effect God's hand of blessing, mercy, and grace!

2) There's a time NOT to pray! As Joshua and the leaders of Israel were face down in the dust praying before the Ark of the Covenant, God said to them, "Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this...Israel has sinned?" In other words, God was telling them "Hey, this is no time to pray! This is a time to act! Israel has sinned!" Isn't it amazing that God blames the entire nation for one man's sin?

Sometimes, instead of praying, we ought to start going! I remember when I felt the Lord's leading to start a church back in 1993. But, feeling frightened about the idea and thinking that I wasn't qualified to start a church, I prayed about it for a year. I kept getting the same answer, "Start a church." For a year, God was saying to me, "Stop praying and get going!" The reason I kept praying about it was because I was afraid, and I was sure God would maybe change His mind, or that I wasn't hearing Him clearly enough. God had to use others to get me going!

What is God telling you to do? Are you still praying about it?

3) It's good to consult the Lord on everything! Israel made a mistake in chapter 9. The Gibeonites deceived Joshua and his leaders in order to preserve their own lives. And, you can't blame them! They knew they were no match for Israel's God who was obviously fighting for them. Israel was destroying everything in their path. Here's what they said in 9:24, "We did it because we...were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded...to give you the entire land and destroy all the people...so we fear greatly for our lives..." The Gibeonites exercised some good street smarts, but Joshua "did not consult the Lord" (9:14) and was horribly fooled by their good acting skills.

You know what? Things aren't always as they seem. That's why it's always important to consult the Lord about the things in your life. A new job promotion might seem like a great idea, but unless you consult the Lord you might be making a horrible decision. Here's a good question for you... "Are you taking the time and the initiative to consult the Lord in your endeavors?"

Tomorrow, we'll read about an amazing miracle God performed on the entire earth at the request of Joshua! Don't miss it!

Have a great day in the Lord!

Joshua 4 - 6

NEW FEATURE! Click on the Scripture above to take you to Joshua 4 through 6! Now you can read the Bible text, then come back here for some insight into what you've just read!

Here's another tax cartoon for your enjoyment! Don't forget to have your tax preparer check the "Recovery Rebate Credit" on line 70 of your 1040 for you! You might get an extra stimulus bonus!


Today's Bible reading reads like a novel! It sets a precedent for how God will easily use the Israelites to wipe out any city unwilling to leave. Even a song has become famous about today's story - "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho." Here are a few things to think about!

1) It's good to have physical reminders of God's goodness! As the 1.2 million people population of Israel walked through the Jordan river bed "on dry land", Joshua commanded that 12 stones (one from each tribe of Israel) be heaped up into a large pile in two different places - one at their campsite in Gilgal, and the other within the dry river bed where the priests stood holding up the Ark of God as the people crossed over. He did it for two important reasons:

A) So that future generations will have a physical reminder of what God did at the Jordan River (4:7). It was the pile of rocks set up at Gilgal that was for this purpose.
B) So that the nations of the world will know what God did at the Jordan River and realize just how powerful of a God He is (4:24). This was the purpose for the pile of rocks within the Jordan River.

So, my question to you is... "Do you have any physical reminders of God's goodness?" Years ago, I started recording within a notebook all of the miracles God had and was performing in my family's life. Today, it's fun to go back over some of those old notes, and it's amazing how many of them I've forgotten! I think that's exactly why God had Joshua pile up those stones. He knew that future generations would forget what God had done. How many great acts of God have you forgotten? Perhaps you could start your own "Notebook of Miracles" or some other creative idea that keeps the memory of God's power and goodness alive.

2) Have you ever wondered..."How YOUR life might have been different if you were only more obedient to Christ?" I certainly have wondered that about myself! As I read chapter 5:6-7, my heart breaks over the fact that the generation of Israelites who saw God's great power against the Egyptians did not get to see the fulfillment of their dream...all because they continually disobeyed God while in the desert. After all they went through, they never saw the fulfillment of the promise God made to them due to their own sinfulness. In fact, one good example of their disobedience is found in the fact that they didn't "circumcise" their children eight days after they were born. They knew this was a covenant God made with them through Abraham. They knew exactly how important this was to God. So, what happened? They got lazy with God! Their hearts became lethargic!

This attitude, however, is not unlike many Christians today. As I communicate with many Christians and preach in other churches, I see a serious lack of commitment and excitement about the Lord. It's even happening to people who've been very active in church all their life. And, it makes me wonder, "What if...? What if these people were excited about the Lord, how would their lives be different?" As I said before, I've also thought this about my own life! How much of God's rich hand of blessing are we missing because we fail to fully commit our lives, our trust, and our futures to Him?

3) How stupid are we as human beings? While reading chapter 6, I kept wondering, "Why don't the people of Jericho just simply slip out of town at night and run for their lives?" Think about this! When the two spies went to Rahab, she confessed how frightened everyone in the town was about the Israelites since they had heard of what their God did to the Egyptians. Now, faced with annihilation, why don't they simply run? They know that the battle is not about man verses man, but rather man verses the God of Israel! It's a no-win situation! Still, they shut and bolt up the gates and hide within the city walls. Seven times, Israel walks around the city. Six times, they give them the chance to avoid bloodshed. You'd think they would be a little smarter than that!

Can you think of some of the stupid things you've done? We all can!!! But, when it comes to God, it's best to use what I call "critical thinking." You see, our problem is - we don't think! For example, you know it's stupid to sin against God because of His retribution, so why do we do it anyway? You know we will all stand before God and give account of our lives one day, so why do we live our lives as though that event will never happen? These are "stupid human tricks" we all have a tendency to play. Practice some "critical thinking" today. What is it that you're doing in your life that YOU KNOW IS STUPID? Or as my friend Bob Corbet would say, "Stinkin Stupid." Well, you know what to do!

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

Joshua 1 - 3

Does anyone want to be successful? I'm sure you're saying, "Well, duh!"
There isn't a single one of us that doesn't want God to bless us in everything we do! And, in Joshua 1:8, God gives us insight as to what it is He looks for in a person He wants to bless and make successful "in all you do."

Here they are:

1) Study God's Word - This is NOT just reading it, but studying it!
2) Meditate on God's Word - This allows God's truth to sink in so you can apply it!
3) Obey God's Word - This makes you a channel through which God can work in and through you!

Success is relative! It is NOT necessarily defined by wealth, achievement, position, or fame. It can be as simple as being a loving dad or a faithful friend. Either way, success means something different to all us, especially God! God sees success as something totally different than how we envision it. To Him, success is your faithful devotion and trust Him and His Word, and His enthusiasm about blessing the work of your hands.

The only thing you and I need to strive towards is simply pleasing God! When we focus our life on that one single goal of putting a smile on God's face, everything else will fall into place.

Here's another good admonishment for life..."Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (1:9) God's advice to Joshua before he went on a war campaign was two-fold:
- Don't be afraid! Remember what King David said in Psalms 23:4, "Even though I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me..." If you're afraid - of anything - that fear comes from Satan! The Bible teaches us in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and a sound mind." There's an old hymn that I love to sing when I feel afraid which goes like this, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." It's so true! When we have our focus on God and we are armed with the arsenal of the promises we find in His Word, we can discount fear and charge ahead boldy trusting in Him and His power!
- Don't be discouraged! It's easy to get discouraged...isn't it? I remember Dr. Jerry Falwell making a remarkable statement one time. He said, "The greatness of a man is not determined by what he's achieved, but by what it takes to discourage him!" Over the years, I've given that statement a great deal of consideration, and I think he's exactly right!
- The Lord is with you wherever you go! That's why we don't have to be afraid or discouraged! His Presence is all we need!

God can use anyone for His work and glory! In Joshua 2, we read the remarkable story of how God used Rahab, the prostitute, to help hide the two Israelite spies and give them confirmation that everyone in the entire land knows about the power of their God! Of all people, God saves a prostitute and her family! Our God is RICH in mercy and grace, and we should be as well! God didn't approve of Rahab's lifestyle, but He didn't reject her from being saved or protected. God loved Rahab, even though He hated her sin. He granted grace to her for showing respect to His children. As we read the rest of the Bible, we find an absolutely mind-blowing fact - that Rahab becomes an ancestor of King David and of Jesus Christ! Isn't God amazing?

God splits the Red Sea as they left Egypt and splits the Jordan as they enter the Promised Land! It's interesting that the same miracle happens at the beginning and end of their time of testing in the wilderness for 40 long, dusty years! How long has it been since God has performed a miracle in your life? You may feel like you're in the desert and it's been a long time since you've heard God's voice or seen God move in your life. But, open your eyes, unlock your ears, and really analyze for a moment. God is not static in your life! He's active! He's willing to talk to you today and He's willing to move in a mighty way. The question is, "Are you looking and listening?"

It's often hard to hear God or see God at work when we're too busy or too active. My recommendation is to slow down, find some quiet place, and spend some time in God's Word or in prayer. Ask the Lord to open your eyes and ears. And, see what marvelous things He is doing in your life!

May the splendid countenance of His face shine on you and through you today!

March 2 - Deuteronomy 31 - 34

We'll read 4 chapters today since the last chapter of Deuteronomy is only 12 verses. This will conclude Moses' final address to Israel prior to his death on the top of Mount Nebo.

Just before he climbs the Mountain to join his ancestors, Moses is summoned by God to join Joshua at the Tabernacle for a last word from Him. In his final opportunity to hear God speak to him while on earth, God informs him of 2 very important things:

1) He informs them of the future DOOM OF ISRAEL! He describes to them how that one day, in the future, Israel will turn their backs on Him and that He will have no choice but to nearly destroy them! Althought Moses already knew that from previous conversations with God, Joshua (the new leader) hears it for the first time from God! I can only imagine how this frightening message might have discouraged the both of them! Alot of time and energy went into leading these stubborn Israelites into a stable relationship with God...and now they learn that it may end in tragedy!

That reminds me! God has invested alot of time and energy into ALL OF US! How do you suppose He feels about where we are in our relationship with Him? Do you think He's pleased with our trust and obedience to His will? Are you living the life God wants you to live?

2) God provides Moses with a SONG OF WARNING!. God explains that this song of warning was "to serve as a witness for me against them" (31:19). Within this song of warning, God informs the nation of Israel of the many ways He will rise up against them if they decide to disobey Him. Here are just a few of those ways:

- "I will heap disasters on them" (vs.23)
- "I will weaken them with famine, burning fever, and deadly disease." (vs.24)
- "I will send the fangs of wild beasts and poisonous snakes." (vs.24)
- "Outside, the sword will bring death..." (vs.25)
- "Inside, terror will strike..." (vs.25)

In fact, God confesses that His anger will rise up and be so great that He describes in 32:22, "For my anger blazes forth like fire and burns to the depths of the grave."

So much so, that God goes on to say in verses 26-27, "I would have annihilated them, wiping out even the memory of them. But I feared the taunt of Israel's enemy, who might misunderstand and say, 'Our own power has triumphed! The Lord had nothing to do with this!"

God is so frustrated with Israel that He considers eve WIPING THE MEMORY OF THEIR EXISTENCE out of human history. The only problem - God doesn't want their enemies to gloat and become proud and think that God had nothing to do with their demise! God wants the glory due His Holy name! As He shares in the book of Isaiah, "My glory I will not share with another."

Oh, how I want to be careful not to anger the God who demands that we "fear Him!" That's why Solomon explains in Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."

3) The Lord buries Moses! It might sound odd, but God Himself is the one who buried Moses according to 34:6, and no one knows the exact place! Moses was NOT sick or ailing. Even though he was 120 years old, the writer says that "his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever."

This would have been Moses' view overlooking the Promised Land from Mount Nebo at Pisgah Peak.

Oh how I want to finish strong! Moses, through a sinful act, had to die prematurely. However, he finished the race strong! How about you? What legacy will you leave when you die? What investment (not financial) will you offer to your children and grandchildren? May God help us all to end life with a spiritual strength like Moses!

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!

March 1 - Deuteronomy 28 - 30

Good Morning! It's the Lord's day! I love my Sunday School class!

Please pray with me concerning a couple of matters:
1) My dear friend, Ronnie Metsker, who is in the initial stages of developing a new ministry and raising funds. Ronnie is the son of Al Metsker, founder of Kansas City Youth For Christ.
2) A revival and prophecy conference I will be speaking at on March 20-22 - Calvary Baptist Church in Leavenworth, Ks.

In today's reading, Moses is continuing to remind Israel of the blessings and cursings that come as a result of either following God and not. Here are a few "take-aways" we get out of these 3 chapters:

1) The Lord is NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS! In chapter 28, we see that very clearly! As Moses goes through the incredible list of how much God will bless the Israelites if they are obedient, he spends nearly twice as much time going through the list of how awful it will be for the Israelites if they are NOT obedient! In fact, Moses says something very astounding in verse 63, "Just as the Lord has found great pleasure in causing you to prosper and multiply, the Lord will find pleasure in destroying you."

In other words, God is basically saying that it's up to them! He will simply respond in direct correlation to the way they react to His instructions.

Even today, it's important for us to know that God feels the very same way about us! He is no respecter of persons. He will respond to you in the same way you act towards Him. It's our choice. It's up to us whether God will bless us or curse us. If we willfully choose to disobey Him, God says, "Ok...I have no choice but to attempt to correct your behavior." He will do whatever is necessary to cause us to change the direction of our lives and live for Him. Eventually, His patience will wear out! The Scriptures are very clear on that! Although He is longsuffering, He has a limit to what He will bear.

In fact, the cursings you read about in chapter 28, actually all took place! You'll read about them throughout the book of Jeremiah!

2) To whom much is given, much is required! The chilling truth Moses gives to the Israelites is that those Israelites to whom he was talking to in the present, as well as those who will be born in the future (vs.19), are under the covenant with God. Moses reminds them of their awesome responsibility to follow God's commands like no other nation. That's because no other nation throughout the world has had the wonderful privilege of personally knowing and seeing God, His character, His glory, His power, and His very nature than the Israelite nation! In vs.29, Moses says to them... "The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us..."

For those of us who are Christians today, the responsibility is the same! God has made known Himself, His glory, His faithfulness, and His nature to us. We will be held more accountable for holy living and Godly obedience than those who've never heard the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ! Jesus, Himself, tells us of this truth when He said in Luke 12:48, "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

3) The key to life is loving the Lord! In another chilling statement, Moses begins chapter 30 by stating in verse 1, "In the future, when you experience all these blessings and curses I have listed for you..." Notice what he said! It's not "if you experience all these...", Moses says, "when...."! Moses was telling them that they will be blessed initially, but that eventually the nation of Israel will fall away from God and the list of curses WILL HAPPEN! I can only imagine what they might have been thinking at that time.

Moses, once again, offers them a choice when He says (vs.19), "Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessing and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make."

Then he reminds them, "loving the Lord your God, obeying Him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life."

What would you do? And, what would you do to ensure your children and grandchildren will walk holy before God? These chapters are stirring!

Have a wonderful day in the Lord!