Category: trust

Posted on

Joshua 1-4 Obedience 

Trusting God

It was harvest time and Joshua sent men ahead to scout out Jericho. Unlike the first time that men went ahead, this time he just sent two. They must have been fearless, strong, brave, and willing to die if found. They were faithful and that is a characteristic we must have to be followers of the Lord. Joshua has spent over 40 years following the orders of Moses and now the mantle has been placed on his shoulders. His first test of leadership will fall on the shoulders of these two men. Will they pass or fail? The test came as they entered the house of Rahab. Would they disclose their reason for being there in Jericho? How about Rahab? How would she handle this test? All four passed and God honored Rahab, the spies and Joshua. How about us when God gives a task that is challenging? 

This section of God’s Word challenges us to follow Jesus 100% with no questions asked. Joshua gave the spies the battle plan and they succeeded because God had also placed Rahab in the mix. We often see the plan but not the steps included, but God sees all and He has placed all the information we need to be successful. God only asks us to be strong and courageous for He goes ahead of us. What is keeping us from being God’s spies and getting information?  

Posted on

Exodus 30-32 Idolatry

what are you trusting

Do you find that your patience grows thin as you wait for the Lord to intervene? Do you place “idols”  of gold and silver before you as the Israelites did?  It is amazing that God did not destroy them immediately…the patience of God is beyond my understanding. As He was patient with the Israelites, so He is patient with me…yet there are consequences. 

Aaron was given the responsibility to take care of the Israelites as Moses went up the mountain and as he waited, he began to waver and then to finally fail by yielding to the voices of the children of Israel. How often are men/women in placed in charge only to be found failing when the pressure is on to perform? We hear, what are you waiting for? The lesson of Aaron is a prime example of those who are in leadership and fail. There is a saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough keep going.” Aaron did not heed this but yielded to the voices of the masses. I wonder how he faced the Israelites after this episode? How quick he was to blame shift and we do as well. 

So many lessons here! 

Posted on

Exodus 13-15 Where are you looking? 

Open the eyes of my heart Lord

What does it take for us to give praise to the Lord God Almighty? Does it take a miracle or more? The Israelites have seen the power of the Lord over 10 plagues, the last being more deadly than the firs, but when they come to the Red Sea they looked back. Looking back they saw the fearsome Egyptian army closing in on them and they began to murmur again. Looking back is a sin if you look and see the power of Satan instead of looking forward to what God has planned. Looking back means your focus is on what was instead of what will be. 

This will be one of many murmurings for the Israelites and as we study this scenario we learn much of what God wants us to see. God is our protector and provider, but just like the Israelites we lose our focus and begin to murmur because we fail to remember His goodness and provision. 

Today look forward to what God has planned for you. Keep your eyes on He who is your provider and protector. 

Posted on

Genesis 48-50 Blessings, Death, Forgiveness

Forgiveness ..man's greatest need

As we close out Genesis, we come to these three chapters which might be called, God’s Diary for in it we find how God operates through human history. 

God blesses those who obey and honor Him. He brings “home” those of his servants to enjoy the afterlife. And lastly, maybe one of the most important lesson and take away for us is the trait of forgiveness.

As we have said, God never wastes a trial but uses it to show His faithfulness and his lovingkindness. We see that in the life of Joseph and even though it was years and years, God used them to grow Joseph to be the man of God He could use to bring about His plans for his people.  In the meantime, Jacob has to learn from his sins, which were many, to prepare his sons for the next stage in their lives. God opens the windows of heaven and pours out his blessings on Jacob after he has lived in the cauldron of affliction and sin. He is now humble and ready to see God’s plan unfold in steps in the restoration of his family in a very agonizing and challenging time. God restores Joseph to Jacob so that he and his children might be spared the death knell of famine. 

Jacob has a family time and pronounces “blessings” upon each boy  “what will happen to you in future days.” It seems strange to hear the words of Jacob because they don’t sound like blessings to us, but God will use each to show us Jacob may have had 12 sons but he knew the character of each. And after this time of reflection, Jacob blesses Joseph’s children, draws up his knees and dies. 

But, the last lesson is what we want to focus on: forgiveness. Joseph has had many a year to process his life and what has happened to him but has come to terms with “God’s ways are not our ways.” [Is 55:8-9] As he welcomes his brothers and provides for them,he is astounded and deeply hurt when they announce they will give their lives to be his slaves. They have not learned the lesson of forgiveness as seen by Joseph’s tears. They really didn’t get it! 

Which brings us to our own lives. Do we get it? Do we understand that verse in Isaiah? 

Posted on

Genesis 28 “if…”

You can trust God

Jacob was a man who couched his obedience in the “if’s”. He did it with men and he did it with God. “If God is with me and protects me on this journey I am taking and gives me food to eat and clothing to wear, and I return safely to my father’s home, then the Lord will become my God.”  Like many today, Jacob shows us that men’s belief and dependence on God depends on His presence and provision with conditions they set up. How often do we also present conditions to God? We use manipulation to get what we want without considering the cost. 

Today, take a page out of Jacob’s diary and see that God wants obedience before He blesses and Jacob will learn that very soon. The deceiver will become deceived and it happens to us as well. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us that we are to trust in the Lord and he will make our paths straight. But Jacob has to learn that truth and it will be through hardship. 

Learn from Jacob. Put God first unconditionally and then He will bless. 

Posted on

Job 38-39 God’s ways are unknowable to men

Praising God

After 37 chapters in which Job has sought to defend himself against all the cries of his friends that he is a sinner, Job finally has his audience with the Lord God Almighty. God challenges Job to rethink his assessment of his questions and instead, God presents the case for Him as creator of all that lives and moves about the earth. These chapters remind us of the words of Isaiah: “Indeed, my plans are not like your plans, and my deeds are not like your deeds,” says the Lord, “for just as the sky is higher than the earth, so my deeds are superior to your deeds and my plans superior to your plans.” [Is 55:8-9] 

When we think we want an audience with the Lord, it would be wise to consider that God is Creator, He is Master, He is LORD! He knows the ways of men and He alone is offering Himself to each one that they might consider who they are in the realm of all that is and will be. Look about the world as you see it and experience it through His eyes and stop and praise Him for He is great and greatly to be praised. 

Posted on

12.24.24.Wisdom Speaks

Whom do you fear?

Proverbs 31 A wise woman

This verse jumped out at me today: A woman who fears the Lord—she makes herself praiseworthy.

A woman may have many attributes but this one alone is what pleases the Lord God Almighty. Praying today for women today: may we fear the Lord and Him only.

Posted on

Are you a Phoebe?

Romans 16 Honoring Servants

In today’s world we honor those who serve with gifts and accolades. In the time of Paul, those who served well are also honored not with gifts but with help as needed. What a wise consideration. Phoebe must have been a willing servant and Paul closes his letter to the Romans with that thought. It appears that she has been chosen to carry this letter to them and Paul encourages that church to provide for her needs while she is there. Imagine being asked to carry this document from Cenchrea (a suburb of Corinth) across the sea to Rome. You are going by yourself with such precious cargo. How do you prepare? According to google, it was “ 617 miles.”’ [ as the crow flies]. 🙂

‘“There was not a letter courier service that Paul could use to deliver this letter to the church in Rome. Instead, he would need to use a person. Taking this letter probably encompassed many months of time. Traveling was difficult. Often traveling occurred at nights so that the stars could be followed. I don’t think I can accurately realize the difficulty it was just to take this letter to Rome. What an incredible feat it was just to get this letter to Rome.” [anonymous blogger]

Also Paul asks the Romans for three things for Phoebe: Welcome her in a manner worthy of fellow saints in Rome, Help her in whatever she may need because She has been a patron of many and of Paul.

Would Paul have considered you a “Phoebe” for the work of the Lord?

Posted on

The Worry Syndrome

Matthew 10 Do Not Worry!

One of the greatest challenges in our lives is that we tend to worry. We worry about many things and this is a tool of the enemy that comes to seek, kill and destroy. Worry is one of those nagging sins that we carry like a trophy and it disturbs not just ourselves but spills over into our relationships with others. We worry about what tomorrow will bring or we worry about what we shall wear or we worry about life in general. In other words, we worry about many things. 

Jesus is teaching the disciples about what will happen after he has departed back to heaven. He reminds them, the world will hate you [and I] and seek to undermine your [our]  message of salvation.  He said, “But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say.”  [Matt 10:19-20]  This is a powerful reminder that the Holy Spirit who lives in us will bring words and thoughts to our mind. Why then do we worry? He, the Holy Spirit, who is God in Spirit, will bring to our minds what we need to think or say. 

The bottom line is this: when we worry we are not trusting God and His Holy Spirit. Therefore, reader: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Phil 4:6-7]

Posted on

Jehovah Sabaoth

You can trust God

Psalm 46 One of my favorite titles of Yahweh or Jehovah is this because it reminds me that He is the General of the Lord’s armies and He will fight for those He calls His own…and that includes me. Can you say that too? You can if you know Him, not just know of Him but know Him. So what is it that encourages you and I from the words of this Psalm? 

Jehovah. Sabaoth is our refuge in times of trouble, whether big or small. He is the one standing as Joshua saw Him with a drawn sword. [Josh 5:13]He asked him if he was for them or against them and the man replied: “Truly I am the commander of the Lord’s army.” [Josh 5:14]This is the God we serve and he is battle ready to serve and to be our strength and protection. “For this reason we do not fear…” [ Ps. 46:2]. 

Today, whatever you are facing, call upon the man, the commander of the Lord’s army, Jehovah Sabaoth, to be with you in the battles you are facing. Trust him as Prov 3:5-6 says with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. 

Optimized by Optimole