Patient Obedience

“As the LORD had commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua. And Joshua did as he was told, carefully obeying all the commands that the LORD had given to Moses.” Joshua 11:15

Claiming the land God had promised wasn’t an overnight accomplishment for the Israelites. The battles for each portion of land, north and south, continued for many years. The opposition from the pagans in the land grew in intensity. Numbers increased, as did the sophistication of their weaponry. Eventually they faced an overwhelming coalition of kings and their armies.

“All these kings came out to fight. Their combined armies formed a vast horde. And with all their horses and chariots, they covered the landscape like the sand on the seashore.” Joshua 11:4

Do you ever feel like everything is working against you? Do you have days when you wish you’d never gotten out of bed? You know, the kind of day when unexpected demands intrude on your day before you’ve had time with the LORD, before you’ve had a “cuppa” something hot or even had time to check your calendar for activities already scheduled? You feel as though there isn’t enough of “You” to deal with all the needs calling your name. Everything that can go wrong manages to do it before lunchtime. Overwhelming problems “cover your landscape like the sand on the seashore.”

Joshua looked at his problem and I think he consulted the LORD. Why do I think that? Because the LORD spoke to him.

“Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them. By this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel as dead men. Then you must cripple their horses and burn their chariots.’. . .And the LORD gave them victory over their enemies. . .Then Joshua crippled the horses and burned all the chariots, as the LORD had instructed.” Joshua 11:6, 8a, 9

As we live the days of our lives, God will allow tests to pop up. They will be tests designed to bring us to the point of surrendering our own strength to His power, our will to His. When we seek the LORD for His conclusion, He will give us success and strengthen our faith.

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you.” James 4:8a

Ever practical, James goes on to pinpoint what is often the root of the problem we are facing when obstacles rise up and overwhelm us.

“Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.” James 4:8b

When our world is threatening to come apart, we need to come close to God. That means we need to humble ourselves--take the “ME” out of the equation--and trust God to receive our petition and act on it…in His time and in His way.

“Humble yourselves before the LORD, and He will lift you up in honor.” James 4:10

We need to cultivate patience in waiting on the LORD. Obey Him in what we know to do. Our Pastor has exhorted us: “until you know what to do, keep doing what you know.”

“So do not throw away this confident trust in the LORD. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.” Hebrews 10:35-36

When Joshua obtained the victory, he was to hamstring the enemy’s horses and destroy their chariots. There’s something in us that immediately cringes at the thought of hamstringing the horses.

Ancient battle tactics reveal the practice of cutting the hamstring tendons in the rear legs of horses, rendering the animal useless to be used again in war. For the Israelites, who were admonished by God to refrain from adding to themselves horses (Deuteronomy 17:16), it was a caution against trusting in what they could see--returning to Egypt and trusting in their own efforts and strength-- rather than trusting in the LORD God to deliver them.

Trust in the LORD is the key to patient obedience. We are to hamstring the things that take the place of our trusting in Him—cut the power from whatever we are relying on that keeps us from turning to Him.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Heavenly Father, may we choose to trust in You with all our hearts. May we acknowledge You as LORD, and see as You direct our paths.

by Marilyn Allison

It Is Finished

"When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished," and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit."  John 19:30

FINISHED!
Chains of sin and death broken, 
The veil was torn,
The world changed for all eternity! 
Hope was born, 
Forgiveness given and received
And love reigns in the hearts of those who know HIM!

Is there anything more to say? Can I even put into words what this truth means? I stop to grapple for words because I am so unworthy for such a precious gift. My heart cries out "Thank You!" And at the same time, it cries "I’m sorry; forgive me!"

He bore the scars of a brutal beating. He was mocked and abused and still, He stood and walked--stumbling--crawling to the cross. Pain beyond comprehension, thorns thrust on His head, nails piercing His skin and then, as He called to Father GOD, the skies darkened. As our sin fell on HIM - HE cried out'

And about the ninth hour JESUS cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My GOD, My GOD, why have You forsaken Me?" 
Matthew 27:46

I wonder how our Savior, the perfect Lamb of God who knew no sin, bore the horrific grossness of our sin. But He endured, He bore the sin, the shame and the pain for us. Horrible? Yes. But God so loved. . .

Good Friday passed and Sunday was Resurrection Day and that's what held Him.

"And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split."  Matthew 27:51

by Eve Montano

 

It Is Finished

"When Jesus had received the sour wine He said, 'It is finished,' and bowed His head and gave up His spirit.  John 19:30

“It is finished.” Our sins on Him, Father God turned away from His only begotten Son. 

“It is finished.” There was more love in those three words than the words ‘I love you' or any other declaration of love--the words totally selfless. 

“It is finished” Heaven heard the words as a command tearing the veil that separated us from God--from top to bottom--so religion could not boast of its achievement.

“It is finished,” He cried out--shaking the core of His creation--causing an earthquake with the force of creation's grief.

“It is finished,” softly spoken from the cracked lips of the Son of Man, whose ultimate purpose was to become our ‘sin offering’ and die instead of us. 

The sinless Saviour hung on that cross and looked beyond time and space. With every drop of His blood, He accomplished what He stepped off His throne to do.

“It is finished.” Don’t let anything come between you and those words. Drink them in and let them refresh you. Bow your head in awe at the intensity of His love. Be humbled by our Heavenly Saviour who came not to be served but to serve. Let His love roll over you as gentle waves caressing you and making you…His!

“It is finished.” No one took His life--He gave it freely. What compelled Him? You!

"...It is finished,' and bowed His head and gave up His spirit.."  John 19:30

by Eve Montano

 

Power Of God

“On the day the LORD gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the LORD in front of all the people of Israel. He said, ‘Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies. . .The sun stayed in the middle of the sky, and it did not set as on a normal day.”  Joshua 10:12-13

Joshua and his contemporaries had no idea how the universe worked. They knew the sun rose and set, and the moon and stars provided lesser light in the night sky. They were in a battle and they were winning, but the light was fading. The enemy could escape under cover of the dark or they could turn unseen and counterattack. The outcome of the battle could change.

The sun’s rising and setting, followed by the moon’s appearance in the same way, were--and still are--signs of God’s covenant of ownership and protection over the nation Israel. Perhaps it was only natural for Joshua to ask God to stop the path of the sun while they finished the battle.

Do you ever think about the power displayed in these verses? Our planet moves slowly, both in rotation on its axis, but also in its revolution around the sun. As a result, we have day and night and four seasons within twelve months.

Even if we aren’t scientists in the field of astronomy, those who study the heavens tell us the universe is in constant movement. Our planetary system moves around the sun. However, the whole system, including the sun, orbits around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. For any one of the heavenly bodies to stop moving, there would be climactic consequences. You know how everything that isn’t tied down flies out of place when the brakes are applied in a moving car? Or in our homes when the earth quakes? Imagine the effect of a sudden stop to the turning of the planet Earth. Nothing would be in its place. Nothing could remain standing against the force of change.

Yet, the sun stood still and the battle continued until victory was won. Why?

“There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the LORD answered such a prayer. Surely the LORD fought for Israel that day!” Joshua 10:14

BUT GOD. . . Here is another instance of God’s Power intervention.

“About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah went to visit him. He gave the king this message: ‘This is what the LORD says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’ When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD. . .”  2 Kings 20:1-2

Scripture goes on to say the king reminded God of his faithful service to Him before he broke down and wept bitterly. Isaiah hadn’t made it past the courtyard before the LORD sent him back to Hezekiah with the message that He would give him fifteen more years of life. He would also defend the city for His own honor and “for the sake of my servant David.” (verse 6) Isaiah instructed him in the medical treatment of the infection threatening his life. Then Hezekiah asked the prophet:

“What sign will the LORD give to prove that He will heal me and that I will go to the Temple of the LORD three days from now? Isaiah replied, ‘This is the sign from the LORD to prove that He will do as He promised. Would you like the shadow on the sundial to go forward ten steps or backward ten steps? ‘The shadow always moves forward,’ Hezekiah replied, ‘so that would be easy. Make it go ten steps backward instead.’ So Isaiah the prophet asked the LORD to do this, and He caused the shadow to move ten steps backward on the sundial of Ahaz!”  
2 Kings 20:8-11

For Joshua, God made the sun stand still. In response to Hezekiah’s prayer, God made the sun back up 10 degrees. What kind of affect would that have on this slowly spinning planet?

BUT GOD. . .

God answered the prayers of Joshua and Hezekiah with a brilliant display of His power. What do you need today? What Power intervention do you need in your battle with _________? You fill in the blank. Are you struggling with health issues? Financial needs? Relationships? Abandonment? Feeling unloved? Discouragement? Fear? Abuse? Anything that makes you feel distant from God? Doubt that He cares for you?

Here is one more evidence of God’s love for us and His power to intervene. The Cross at Calvary and the Empty Tomb. God’s power placed our sins upon Jesus and judged them there at the Cross. And His power provided the victory over the last enemy—death.

“But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man…And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 1 Corinthians 15:20-21, 26, 54b-55

Jesus is alive. The tomb is empty. There has never yet been a day like this before or since. Jesus fought our battle and won. Magnificent Love. Awesome Power!

by Marilyn Allison

Found By Jesus

"Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.' So He told them this parable..." Luke 15:1-3

The Pharisees and the scribes had heard Jesus speak before. Each time they came with a critical attitude, wanting to find a reason to condemn Him. They sadly refused to open their eyes and their ears to hear His words and let them reveal what was hidden in their hearts: their need to recognize their own sin and to humbly confess and repent the sin that ruled their lives.  They were missing the "why" of Jesus’ coming: Jesus had come to save the lost! Upon hearing their grumbling, He told several parables.

Jesus first told the parable of the lost sheep, verses 4-6:

“What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep, and lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’”

The second parable Jesus told was the lost coin, verses 8-9. In the same way, it portrays the length the woman, who had ten silver coins and loses one, went searching and searching until she found her one lost coin. She also calls together her friends and neighbors to rejoice with her in finding the coin that had been lost, but now was found!

The third parable Jesus told was the prodigal son, verses 11-32. The son had chosen to leave his father and family and live his life his own way. When he had lost all he had and became impoverished, he came to his senses, returning to his father confessing his sin. The father doesn’t scold him or rebuke him, but gladly restores him to his former position as a son.  His love for his son is so great! Verses 21-24 give us a portion of the conversation between the son and his father:

“And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.’”

You and I were at one time that lost sheep--that lost coin--and perhaps the prodigal, who chose to walk away. When Jesus searched for us--when we found ourselves found by Jesus--we humbly and gratefully allowed Him to carry us home, to restore us from our lost state, and rescue us from the bondage of our sin knowing our very life depended on Him.

Jesus came to save the lost. He came for you and for me. It is why he laid down His life at Calvary, taking all our sin upon the cross, knowing it was the only acceptable way redemption and salvation could be obtained for us whom He loved so deeply. These parables Jesus told that day speak to our hearts, letting us know we can never be so lost that Jesus’ love cannot find and restore us to Himself. We needed to recognize the "why" Jesus came and with faith believe His Word. And, we did!

At the end of each of the first two parables, we read that even the angels rejoice over each sinner who repents! The great love God has for the lost blesses my heart and my spirit! Jesus’ own words record it for us in scripture!

“I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” Verse 7

“In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Verse 10

Easter is coming this next weekend. It is a good time to once again remember Jesus has broken the bond of sin over us!  He died on the cross carrying our sin. He was buried, and on the third day, He rose again!

This Easter let it find you rejoicing you were His lamb that was found, rejoicing you were His coin that was found, rejoicing you were the prodigal returned, rejoicing that the angels and heaven also rejoice over your salvation, and above all, rejoicing in the God of your salvation!

On the cross
He said “It’s finished!”

On the cross
He said, “It’s done!”

The price was high,
He paid it all.

Come, ye sinner
Hear His call.

Receive His forgiveness,
Bend the knee.

And, know that heaven
Is yours for eternity!

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

by Pat Tingwall