Archive for May, 2008

God’s charge to Joshua

Wednesday, May 28th, 2008

Have you read Joshua lately?  I was reading it tonight with my daugther as we had our nightly devotions together. The first chapter is God’s charge to Joshua as he took over leading the Israelites after Moses death.  That must have been an awesome (scary) thing… to fill the shoes (sandals) of Moses! Wow!  I would be shaking in my boots. God kept telling him over and over a couple of things. Here it is , you read it ….

Jos 1:6 “Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors.  Jos 1:7 Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do.Jos 1:8 Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed.

Jos 1:9 I command you – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”Here’s what I hear

1) Be Strong and Courageous – There are going to be toughtimes, but hold on..you can do it!

2) Stay in the Word – The only way to succeed is to read the Word, Study the Word, Meditate on the Word. It didn’t say anything about studying war manuals, or getting others opinions, or whatever else we try to do as we take things on by ourselves. I think I fall short here. I need to be in His Word more than I am. You know in the past, I have always found that if I took time for God first thing in the morning, the rest of the day goes much better. Give God the first fruits of EVERYTHING even our time.

3) Obey His commands (immediately) – How many times do we hemhaw around trying to decide whether or not we should obey. But listen do we not expect our children to obey immediately? Sometimes immediate obedience is vital. Sometimes there is no time for questioning and still come out on the other side. God sees things coming that we don’t. We’ve got to trust Him wholeheartedly.

4) God is with us!  – Maybe this is because we invite Him to come when we start our day with Him.

 It’s our choice. Don’t you agree?

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I’ve quit praying…

Friday, May 9th, 2008

For the past few months, my husband has been leading our congregation to get burdened for the lost. We have focused so much on the disease that is all around us. We spend so MUCH time praying for healing for this one and that one. We need to get our eyes focused on what is important.

 Not to minimize that someone having a health issue needs our prayers, but consider it, should we not be more concerned about the spiritual health of those we love? When was the last time you really got serious about praying for someone’s salvation? Maybe all these health issues are the work of Satan distracting us so that we get focused on other things (like the physical) rather than on saving souls.

OR maybe it’s God trying to get our attention. To get us to see what is really important. After all, when you are faced with death, doesn’t your eyesight get much better as to what really matters?

Anyway, I’ve decided that plenty of us will still be praying for the physical things. So… I have quit praying.. for the physical things. I am going to focus on the spirtual. I’m going to keeping asking God to show me who needs Him so desperately. And when someone asks for prayer, I’m going to pray that they will be drawn ever closer to Jesus. I’m going to pray that their focus will be to be fully and completely ready to meat their maker (whether it is “their time” or not.)

When I’m praying with the prayer partners, I am praying that God’s spirit will bathe every classroom, every teacher, and every pew in the church. Because what we need is a fresh annoiting from God.

 Will you join me?

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