"Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before..." (Joshua 3:4)
Moses was now dead. Joshua was now the servant of the Lord that would lead the Israelites across the Jordan. The Lord told Joshua to be strong and courageous because he would lead the people to inherit the land he promised to their forefathers to give them. As I was reading this passage of scripture this morning I couldn't help but realize that in order for the Israelites to inherit the land, "the promises of God", three things had to happen. There had to be a listening, a leading, and a leaving.
Joshua, first, had to listen to the voice of God. In order for the Israelites to receive the blessings of God and the promises of God, Joshua had to have an open ear and an open spirit to what God was telling him. I believe that in our individual lives we have to do the same thing. Are we preoccupied with other things in our lives that drown out the voice of God? Are we wrapped up in listening to other people, wrapped up in technology, internet, etc... and are not really giving "ear" to God? In order for us as Christians to go where God has promised us to go, we have to first listen to what he is telling us.
Secondly, Joshua had to lead the Israelites into the promise and plan that God had for them. Joshua couldn't do this on his own, so he had to gather some people around him to be put into leadership positions to help facilitate the process. The Priests, which were Levites, were in some part in a leadership position (carrying the ark of God before the Israelites) and they had to submit to the leadership of Joshua and trust that he was hearing from God and in turn they had to follow his lead. I like to believe that the Priests, in submitting to the leadership set before them, was finding themselves to be leaders. Isn't that what Christianity is all about? Submitting to God's authority and letting Him teach us how to lead someone else to the Kingdom.
Thirdly, the Israelites had to leave the stationary position they were in and to travel some unfamilar territory. I wonder what it must have felt like to cross that Jordan River? In order to receive the promise of God they had to trust in the leadership of Almighty God! We sometimes want to hold back and see what's going to happen and then if everything turns out ok then we are eager to join in. What if the Priests had done that very thing? I don't think the Israelites would have received the promise. What if the Israelites had held back to watch? Think they would be out of luck also! What if Joshua wouldn't have listened to who was leading him? Could have been a mess!
To sum up what I believe God is telling me, we have to be able to listen, lead, and leave when it comes to doing the will of God. Whatever end of the spectrum we find ourselves (leader or follower) we have to learn to trust in what God has promised and set before us.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Community of Believers
"And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 2:42
Yesterday I was on the road for most of the day traveling from hospital to hospital, as I am about to head out to do again this morning, but as I was having coffee & devotion time before I began my day I was reading in the book of Acts on the account of the "first church". Peter had just finished his "pentecostal sermon" and the Bible says that those that were with Peter were "pricked in their heart", in other words, what Peter had just spoken to them about pierced their heart, soul and mind. Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. He concluded that statement with this, "and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (v38) I think a lot of people are missing this ingredient when it comes to holy living before God.
In order for the children of God, the church, to be a community of believers that are steadfast in prayer we have to realize that our hearts, souls, and minds may need to be pricked daily through the Holy Spirit's leading and guiding. I want to be open to the ways of the Lord and I can't help but believe that what Peter was preaching referred to me also. Let's be a community of believers and turn our hearts, souls, and minds back to the basics of Christianity! Let's be Christ-like today and live a holy life before the Lord.
Yesterday I was on the road for most of the day traveling from hospital to hospital, as I am about to head out to do again this morning, but as I was having coffee & devotion time before I began my day I was reading in the book of Acts on the account of the "first church". Peter had just finished his "pentecostal sermon" and the Bible says that those that were with Peter were "pricked in their heart", in other words, what Peter had just spoken to them about pierced their heart, soul and mind. Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins. He concluded that statement with this, "and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (v38) I think a lot of people are missing this ingredient when it comes to holy living before God.
In order for the children of God, the church, to be a community of believers that are steadfast in prayer we have to realize that our hearts, souls, and minds may need to be pricked daily through the Holy Spirit's leading and guiding. I want to be open to the ways of the Lord and I can't help but believe that what Peter was preaching referred to me also. Let's be a community of believers and turn our hearts, souls, and minds back to the basics of Christianity! Let's be Christ-like today and live a holy life before the Lord.
Monday, February 1, 2010
WOW
One of my tweet people had this link on twitter this morning. Read it and you'll be convicted of feeling sorry for yourself when you get a headache. Just click on the link below.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35086396/ns/health-cancer//
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35086396/ns/health-cancer//
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Inquiring Minds (continued)
"As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me." (2 Samuel 5:20b)
King David was in battle against the Philistines and the promise of the Lord was that he would hand over the enemy to David and his men. I like the analogy of the waters breaking forth. When I read this passage of scripture I can vision David's army coming against the Philistines in a way that caused the Philistine army to be in awe and amazment of the feeling of overshadowing. When I think of waters breaking forth, I think of a gushing, forceful, speedy, energized body of water spreading out and covering whatever it falls upon. This is how the power of God should be in our lives. If we are facing giants (the Philistines were in the land of gaints) we can overcome those gaints by the force of God that works in us by just releasing ourselves to the obedience of God's will in us. Whatever the battle, it's not greater than the power of God. Whatever the choice, it's not greater than the power of God. Whatever the decision, it's not greater than the power of God. We need to let the power of God break forth like waters into our lives and we will see the glory of the Lord work in our daily lives.
David inquired of the Lord in his battle. We must do the same and in so doing, we will see that the Lord will go before us and cause us to "hear the sound of marching" (another post). When we hear from God we are to move quickly and as King James says, "bestir thyself" - become active, rouse up. It's time to be active in the Kingdom of God and rouse up some dead spirits that have been just laying around among giants and to go forth in His name and live victorious!! Inquire of the Lord today and watch Him do a work in you!!
King David was in battle against the Philistines and the promise of the Lord was that he would hand over the enemy to David and his men. I like the analogy of the waters breaking forth. When I read this passage of scripture I can vision David's army coming against the Philistines in a way that caused the Philistine army to be in awe and amazment of the feeling of overshadowing. When I think of waters breaking forth, I think of a gushing, forceful, speedy, energized body of water spreading out and covering whatever it falls upon. This is how the power of God should be in our lives. If we are facing giants (the Philistines were in the land of gaints) we can overcome those gaints by the force of God that works in us by just releasing ourselves to the obedience of God's will in us. Whatever the battle, it's not greater than the power of God. Whatever the choice, it's not greater than the power of God. Whatever the decision, it's not greater than the power of God. We need to let the power of God break forth like waters into our lives and we will see the glory of the Lord work in our daily lives.
David inquired of the Lord in his battle. We must do the same and in so doing, we will see that the Lord will go before us and cause us to "hear the sound of marching" (another post). When we hear from God we are to move quickly and as King James says, "bestir thyself" - become active, rouse up. It's time to be active in the Kingdom of God and rouse up some dead spirits that have been just laying around among giants and to go forth in His name and live victorious!! Inquire of the Lord today and watch Him do a work in you!!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Inquiring Minds
The Lord has put in my spirit this week the passage of scripture we find in 2 Samuel chapter 5 that talks about King David inquiring of the Lord about a battle with the Philistines. We have battles in our lives just about everyday. We make choices in our lives just about everyday. We have some kind of decision that we have to make in our lives everyday. Those battles, choices, and decisions may be good battles, choices, and decisions, or they may be bad battles, choices, and decisions. How can we take those battles, choices, and decisions and be confident that we are going to be victorious? We do what David did. We inquire of the Lord about our battles, choices, and decisions.
David knew that there was going to be a battle against the Philistines and the first thing he did was inquire. 2 Samuel 5: 18, 19 "Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, 'Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?' The Lord answered him, 'Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.' " David used good sense when it came down to choosing this battle and he made the right decision. He asked the Lord what to do. He was victorious because the Lord assisted him in this battle. We can be victorious in our battles, heartaches, frustrations, etc... if we would just learn to inquire of the Lord about our business.
I believe God has more for us in this passage of scripture so, to borrow a phrase from Paul Harvey, keep tuned in for "the rest of the story, good day!"
David knew that there was going to be a battle against the Philistines and the first thing he did was inquire. 2 Samuel 5: 18, 19 "Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the Lord, 'Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?' The Lord answered him, 'Go, for I will surely hand the Philistines over to you.' " David used good sense when it came down to choosing this battle and he made the right decision. He asked the Lord what to do. He was victorious because the Lord assisted him in this battle. We can be victorious in our battles, heartaches, frustrations, etc... if we would just learn to inquire of the Lord about our business.
I believe God has more for us in this passage of scripture so, to borrow a phrase from Paul Harvey, keep tuned in for "the rest of the story, good day!"
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Coke is evil
I sit in my office this morning a humbled man. I sit in my office this morning in repentance. I sit in my office this morning in shame. BOY, DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION NOW! Last night as I was having dinner at my CTI (Christian Training Institute) class (subway sandwiches, chips and COKE) I began to feel dirty and ashamed of what I was putting in my body. Why you ask? You may or may not know that the congregation of KC and myself were on a 21 day Daniel fast and of course it, as all great things, has come to an end. But you know, as I was on that fast and only drinking water I began to feel better about myself, lost some weight but also my body, stomach, energy, etc... seemed to be better than ever (benefits of giving yourself to the Lord through discipline). All I have been drinking lately is water, some tea this past Sunday, but that was it. When I decided to drink a COKE last night with my sub sandwich about 5 minutes later I began to feel why cokes are evil. My body began to let me know that I was putting something into it that seemed to be foreign in nature from what it has become accustom to. You know what I mean?
As I was reading my devotional this morning I was intrigued by the title of it: "Choices" (I made a bad one last night with the evil coke). I want to share with you this morning a little from that devotional. 2 Corinthians 5:9 says, "So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." Your life is a series of choices. From the instant you wake up in the morning until the moment you nod off to sleep at night, you make lots of decisions: decisions about the things you do, decisions about the words you speak, and decisions about the thoughts you choose to think. Simply put, the quality of those decisions determines the quality of your life. So, if you sincerely want to lead a life that is pleasing to God, you must make choices that are pleasing to Him.
I care about the decisions that my two children are going to make in their own life and with that caring, I as a parent, want to teach them the qualities of life. The most important quality that anyone could receive is having and walking in the presence of God through an upright, quality relationship with Christ. God is looking for us all to live a life of quality in our daily lives and to make good choices through His guidance. Just like in the devotional this morning tells us, we have to make good choices from the time that we wake up in the morning until the time that we go to bed and then do it all over again the next morning. We can only make good choices and the right choices when we are relying upon God to lead us and guide us because afterall, we are supposed to surrender our all to Him anyway! Be blessed today and drink water, stay away from the evil coke!!
As I was reading my devotional this morning I was intrigued by the title of it: "Choices" (I made a bad one last night with the evil coke). I want to share with you this morning a little from that devotional. 2 Corinthians 5:9 says, "So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it." Your life is a series of choices. From the instant you wake up in the morning until the moment you nod off to sleep at night, you make lots of decisions: decisions about the things you do, decisions about the words you speak, and decisions about the thoughts you choose to think. Simply put, the quality of those decisions determines the quality of your life. So, if you sincerely want to lead a life that is pleasing to God, you must make choices that are pleasing to Him.
I care about the decisions that my two children are going to make in their own life and with that caring, I as a parent, want to teach them the qualities of life. The most important quality that anyone could receive is having and walking in the presence of God through an upright, quality relationship with Christ. God is looking for us all to live a life of quality in our daily lives and to make good choices through His guidance. Just like in the devotional this morning tells us, we have to make good choices from the time that we wake up in the morning until the time that we go to bed and then do it all over again the next morning. We can only make good choices and the right choices when we are relying upon God to lead us and guide us because afterall, we are supposed to surrender our all to Him anyway! Be blessed today and drink water, stay away from the evil coke!!
Monday, January 25, 2010
No Complaining
What wonderful weekend services we had at KC yesterday! We witnessed 4 individuals joining the church, 2 individuals being baptized in water, and experienced a great day in the Lord.
I spoke in last nights service about when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt they got to a place to where they became frustrated on their journey. Exodus 16: 2 says, "In the desert the whole community grumbled (murmured - kjv) against Moses and Aaron." In other words they began to complain because they were out of their comfort zone, so to speak. They were finally out from under the bondage of Pharaoh but when they began to go through some "pains of change" (hunger, thirst) they referred back to their past. "If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted..." (vs 3). Isn't it funny how when God is trying to "move" us to a place to where he can use us and free us from the bondage of the enemy and sometimes "ourselves", how we just pay no attention to God having authority over our lives and we tend to not trust in him. I don't want to be like the Israelites and complain about the "season" that God has moved me in and further more the "season" that he has laid out ahead for me! When God is trying to reposition us it's for our own good and His glory!
I see that the Israelites became carnal minded when they should have continued to follow Moses and Aaron (God's leaders for them) and trusted in what God was telling them and where he was leading them. The bible says "to be carnally minded is death.." (Romans 8: 6) If we, in our Christian walk, expect to have love, joy, peace and a spirit filled life we have to be spiritually minded. We can't do what the Israelites did and start complaining. That verse goes on to say, "but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The Lord had a plan for the children of Israel and he also has a plan for you today.
As we go through this Christian life let's be reminded that God is a good God and that he loves us and he is planning things out for us. He has gone before us to make way for our freedom. Let him lead and guide you without complaining! I've had some complaints of my own lately, but God is showing me that if I just trust in him he will bring me out of bondage and into life and peace!
I spoke in last nights service about when God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt they got to a place to where they became frustrated on their journey. Exodus 16: 2 says, "In the desert the whole community grumbled (murmured - kjv) against Moses and Aaron." In other words they began to complain because they were out of their comfort zone, so to speak. They were finally out from under the bondage of Pharaoh but when they began to go through some "pains of change" (hunger, thirst) they referred back to their past. "If only we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted..." (vs 3). Isn't it funny how when God is trying to "move" us to a place to where he can use us and free us from the bondage of the enemy and sometimes "ourselves", how we just pay no attention to God having authority over our lives and we tend to not trust in him. I don't want to be like the Israelites and complain about the "season" that God has moved me in and further more the "season" that he has laid out ahead for me! When God is trying to reposition us it's for our own good and His glory!
I see that the Israelites became carnal minded when they should have continued to follow Moses and Aaron (God's leaders for them) and trusted in what God was telling them and where he was leading them. The bible says "to be carnally minded is death.." (Romans 8: 6) If we, in our Christian walk, expect to have love, joy, peace and a spirit filled life we have to be spiritually minded. We can't do what the Israelites did and start complaining. That verse goes on to say, "but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The Lord had a plan for the children of Israel and he also has a plan for you today.
As we go through this Christian life let's be reminded that God is a good God and that he loves us and he is planning things out for us. He has gone before us to make way for our freedom. Let him lead and guide you without complaining! I've had some complaints of my own lately, but God is showing me that if I just trust in him he will bring me out of bondage and into life and peace!
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