He Is Faithful; His Promises True

"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." Joshua 21:45

For two weeks I've been pondering this declaration. The preceding verse indicated the LORD gave them rest on every side, and that none of their enemies could stand against them. Yet, we know they have never defeated all of their enemies. Some of them remain in the land to this day. 

Time is a confusing concept. We live within the limits of time...a beginning and an end. God does not. He is Omniscient, all knowing, without beginning, and without an end.

"Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish." Isaiah 46:9-10

He knows the end from the beginning, so when He makes a promise, in His eyes it's already done. We see things as they play out in time and have no idea what tomorrow looks like. We need to remember the events and people described to us in the Old Testament are there for our examples. They show us the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. That was the choice God gave the ancient Hebrews.

"Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today. But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the LORD your God and turn away from Him and worship gods you have not known before." Deuteronomy 11:26-28

We can see the truth of that pronouncement throughout the Bible. God tells us the truth. He does not lie, nor mislead.

"God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change His mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through? Numbers 23:19

Pastor David Guzik wrote in his commentary on Joshua 21:45, "God was completely faithful in regard to the Promised Land, but Israel was not. Any failure to fully possess was not because God had not made adequate provision, but because Israel had failed to fully follow the LORD."

They claimed the land during the first few years of their sojourn, but possessing it would take the rest of their lives. God told them He would drive out their enemies "little by little" (Exodus 23:30; Deuteronomy 7:22). That was His design. God brought the battles when they had the strength and spiritual fortitude to manage them and win.

Through Jesus Christ we have the same promises--exceeding great and precious--purchased for us on the cross at Calvary. They are given to us so Christ's divine nature will live and thrive in us.

"By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." 2 Peter 1:3-4

Two things kept the Israelites from claiming and possessing the Promised Land. The same two things keep us from walking in the promises we have received. Unbelief and disobedience. Unbelief causes us to disobey. It is faith that pleases the heart of God. Faith produces obedience.

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see....By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen...And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him." Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6

Faith produces patient endurance. When we trust God in our faith, everything eventually turns out right. How can it not? For our God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

I'd like to share some words of Jon Courson, from his commentary on Joshua 21:45. "God has kept every promise He's ever made to me. Without exception, He's done everything He said He would do. Mix the word with faith. When Satan attacks your faith, tell him, 'I believe creation was accomplished by my Father. I also believe Jesus rose from the dead." I couldn't believe either one of those things had not the Father given me huge, colossal-sized faith. He has given me faith for the big issues, and everything else--health, finances, relationships--are minuscule by comparison."

Mix the Word with faith and patiently endure. Hold on to His promises even when it doesn't look like they will be fulfilled. His plan is perfect and is being worked out in our lives every day. Be encouraged in what He's already done. One day soon we will say:

"Not a single one of all the good promises the LORD has given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything He has spoken came true." 

by Marilyn Allison

 

 

When You're Not Strong Enough to Climb

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety." Psalm 18:2

If I look down, I’ll fall!

And then…my kids will tumble off.

If we survive, we’re doomed! I didn’t pack any snacks or hand sanitizer!

Welcome to me--unhinged in a National Park. Fear of heights is a relatively new "blessing." Something short circuited when Aaron and I were newlyweds. On top of the Sacred Heart church in Paris, a strong wind blew. I stopped. Dropped. And rolled into the fetal position.

We kept the shovel he used to scrape me off the floor as a souvenir.

Ever since, I imagine myself plunging to my death at the slightest height. My sweet husband thinks I’ve lost my mind. I don’t even allow the kids to walk next to the railing on the second floor at the mall.

It freaks me out.

What if they decide to climb over and jump to Santa?!

It could happen.

If anyone fell off this cliff in Sequoia, Santa wouldn’t be there to catch us.

I decided the best way to prevent a tragedy, was to glue my face, arms, legs and stomach to the cold stone; like a flattened fruit roll up. This offered room for other hikers to push past.

Yes, it was a good idea

"Mommy! Aren’t you going to the top with us?"

"Nah…Mommy is going to smell this rock for a bit."

People were staring. Many stopped. "Do you need a doctor? A tissue? Essential oil?"

I don’t reminisce over this snapshot often. However, I’m a visual learner. I’ve been asking God to teach me by showing me. During worship on Sunday, God brought this distressed picture of me to the forefront of my mind. 

There I was, clinging to the side of the cliff.  When I looked down, I was seized with fear. When I looked up, the clouds were crushing me. But, just like in Sequoia, if I kept my face towards the rock, I knew I would be OK.

He was clear.

"This is what you look like, Jenna. You’re panicking. Stop looking away from the rock." 

We’re living through a season of great unknown in our adoption journey. I don’t know how to stop shifting my gaze in every direction. I’m looking for answers.

Will this break me, Lord?

Will any good come out of this?

God is the fire by night, the cloud by day. But he is always the rock.

"...there is no Rock like our God." 1 Samuel 2:2

King David was protected by the rock,

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge." 2 Samuel 22:2-3

The Israelites were pursued by the rock,  “…for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

God’s people were given sweet provision from the rock,

“He nourished them with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag” Deuteronomy 32:13

There’s no shame in taking a season to stop and grasp to the rock…the rock that is Christ.

We were made to climb with Jesus.

Honestly, there are days when all I can do is cling to Him.

God knows. He gives grace if we’re not ready to forge to the top. But, it’s those pesky what ifs that pry our fingers from our stronghold. We glance down and imagine our broken bodies at the bottom--even more--our shattered expectations of what God should’ve done.

I have a choice. I’m learning to train my thoughts to press back into the solid rock. My arms wrapped tight around Jesus.

Yes. This is a good idea.

I may look like a crazy-lady-pancake fastened to my faith. I’m not ashamed.

God answered my question. Can any good come from this?

Yes.

God’s protection...
God’s pursuing love...
God’s sweet provision.

This time, I’m not gripped by fear, but faithfulness. I’ll be brave enough to climb again soon.

For now, I’m just going to hang on.

by Jenna Masters

 

Place of Refuge

"Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses. Anyone who kills another person accidentally and unintentionally can run to one of these cities; they will be places of refuge from relatives seeking revenge for the person who was killed. Upon reaching one of these cities, the one who caused the death will appear before the elders at the city gate and present his case. They must allow him to enter the city and give him a place to live among them. If the relatives of the victim come to avenge the killing, the leaders must not release the slayer to them, for he killed the other person unintentionally and without previous hostility. But the slayer must stay in that city and be tried by the local assembly, which will render a judgment. And he must continue to live in that city until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the accident. After that, he is free to return to his own home in the town from which he fled." Joshua 20:2-6

After many years of fighting and destroying the stronghold of inhabitants living in the land of promise, the tribes received their allotted land by the casting of sacred lot. Then the LORD reminded them to give the tribe of Levi their allotment among all the tribes in the land.

The Levites would receive no land, because the LORD was their inheritance (Numbers 18:20, Deuteronomy 10:9). However, they were to receive cities and the adjoining pasture lands to provide for them and the animals they raised for sacrifice. In this manner, the spiritual influence of the Levitical priests was spread throughout the nation.

Six of the cities were to be designated as "Cities of Refuge." Three would be on the east side of the Jordan (Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh) and three were on the west side. The Cities of Refuge were strategically placed in the northern third, middle third, and southern third of the land on both sides of the Jordan River. In this way, no one--Israelite or foreigner--who accidentally killed another person would be very far from a city of refuge. 

When someone died at the hand of another for any reason, the nearest relative was designated to mete out justice by taking the life of the person who had killed their family member. When the killing was accidental and unintentional, a place of mercy was readily available. The guilty party would head for the nearest refuge and be safe, as long as he remained within the boundaries of the city. Upon the death of the Levite who bore the seal of High Priest at the time of the infraction, the person could be free to return home. If he left the refuge before the high priest's death, he was fair game for the "kinsman avenger."

God knew the war-like nature of fallen man. In the Law, the LORD sets forth very exacting standards and penalties for those who treat life casually. He knew there needed to be a place of mercy.

Many times David referred to his need for mercy and a place of refuge. Read through the Psalms.

"The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." Psalm 9:9

"God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." Psalm 46:1

"The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge." Psalm 46:7

"...You have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress." Psalm 59:16

"My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to Him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:7-8

And my personal favorite:

"This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him." Psalm 91:2

We have a place of refuge when we commit murder. We haven't killed anyone, we protest. But God says:

"You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment. But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." Matthew 5:21-22

God is concerned about the condition of our hearts, for it's from the heart that our actions spring forth. So, if our thoughts lead to words or actions that would hurt someone, it pains God's heart. Instead of reflecting well on Him (aka brings Him glory), our actions give cause for others to mock Him. 

Oh, how we need to flee to His place of mercy...and stay there. Jesus gave His life to buy mercy for us. He will never die again. Just as the murderer needed to remain in the City of Refuge as long as the High Priest lived, so we need to stay firmly in our Refuge, Jesus Christ.

"But our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. There He waits until His enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering He forever made perfect those who are being made holy. And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For He says, 'This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day,' says the LORD: 'I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their mind. Then He says, 'I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds." Hebrews 10:12-17

Oh, the mercy, grace, refuge, protection and hope we receive through our Savior. May we be "glued" to Him from this day forever.

by Marilyn Allison

 

Barefoot Before the LORD

"The commander of the LORD's army replied, 'Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.' And Joshua did as he was told."  Joshua 5:15

My friend’s eyes spied my daughter climbing through our side window, cradling a rabbit. 

Yup. Our children use windows like doors. 

Realizing this may not be the norm for most families, I let out a raw laugh. “Didn’t you know? We live like animals around here!”

Her face lit up, “Oh, we don’t have screens, either!” 

Ah, a kindred "momma" spirit.

“But, I did notice your kids don’t wear shoes very often…”

She listed various times and events when she’d witnessed my shoeless children. It was a completely non-judgmental, endearing encounter. We giggled as she collected her cuties.

I didn’t recall half of the times she mentioned. 

I kept saying, "Really?"

“Oh yes, last week when you picked up Micah, no one had shoes on then, either…”

"Really?"

Apparently, there’s a crack in my parenting I wasn’t aware of.

The door shut as she left. "Jesus help me. I am truly raising animals."

My head sunk back. The admission slipped out in a single breath, “Jesus, there are so many holes in my parenting”.

His spirit whipped back sharp and clear. "It’s Ok. I can make them Holy."

*****

God isn’t surprised I’m not a perfect mom. If my kids do miraculously grab a shoe…they can’t find the other one anyway. Still, I imagine He delights in watching their naked toes running through grass and tiptoeing through Target.  

He must’ve been pleased with his servant Moses, barefoot before the burning bush--and Joshua, a mighty warrior, barefoot before battle.

“Take off your sandals,” he commanded them, “for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:5, Joshua 5:15)

Before both men were commissioned into their own form of battle, they were asked to remove their shoes. Well, my friend, parenting is a battlefield! 

God is asking us to take off our shoes, too. 

In ancient culture, removing one’s shoes had great significance. It could signify many things, reverence, submission, redemption of property, transfer of power, showing the legality of a purchase. It was also symbolic of giving up one’s rights.  

Yes, God can make the holes in my parenting holy. However, I need to give up my parental rights to the perfect Father.

There are areas I can’t reach in the hearts of my children; no matter how hard I strain to touch them.

The tears I don’t see... 

The pain they don’t share... 

The lies they believe... 

The innocence I can’t protect…

These places are holy ground. They must be set apart for the Lord. 

Because--let’s be honest--we’ll never know the whole story of what happened at school that day. It isn’t possible to intercept every cruel word and relationship thrown at them. Sometimes, things slip between the cracks. 

No matter how hard we try, there will be days our kids aren’t wearing shoes at Costco. 

Sometimes this happens, because ALL the time, we are just human parents. Human parents, stomping around in our big ‘ole boots, thinking we've got this parenting thing all figured out.

We think we love our kids more than God does. Mamma Bears, you know this is true. This lie violently twists and tightens around our sandals, making it feel impossible to ever take them off in submission. 

I’d lay down my life for my children in a heartbeat!  But...

their Father in heaven already did when He sent His Son to the cross.. 

 I can’t beat that. I can’t love them like God does. 

When we yank those sandals off, the rocky terrain of faith may bruise and bloody our sensitive soles.

Praise God, we have a Savior who kneels down and cradles those steadfast Momma feet. He gently washes and restores. Tenderly fitting them with readiness and peace, He prepares us to follow Him into battle.

"For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News (Gospel) so that you will be fully prepared."  Ephesians 6:15

He will even help us find that other stinkin’ shoe! 

God’s ways are better for our children, because His love is bigger.

No parenting class, yoga pose, discipline strategy, special smoothie or supplement will help us to fill in the tender areas at which we fail as parents.  I want us to be a generation of parents bowing before the great I AM, taking off our shoes and declaring, “Only through His strength, can we battle for the lives of our children!”  

He is the only Father who can comfort their silent whimpers, mend their broken spirits, heal their bruised hearts, and whisper directly to their souls, You are loved, you are seen…when we cannot. We must intentionally dedicate them to the Father who never fails.

Parenting is holy ground. 

I want to be barefoot before the Lord.

A Marked Life.

Next time you see bare feet, ask God to continually fill in the spaces you can’t reach. 

Take off your own shoes as an offering

We can trust His ways are better, because His love is bigger.

by Jenna Masters

Claim Your Inheritance

"A delegation from the tribe of Judah led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, 'Remember what the LORD said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of the LORD, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God. So that day Moses solemnly promised me, 'The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God." Joshua 14:6-9

In Joshua 14 the time had come for nine and a half tribes to receive their inheritance. Two and a half tribes had already received their inheritance, designated through Moses, on the eastern side of the Jordan. Caleb came to Joshua to request his promised inheritance, the land he had been assigned to survey forty five years earlier. It had been promised him because he had wholeheartedly, or fully, followed the LORD.

As believers, we have an inheritance, too. We've been adopted into the family of God through the blood of Jesus Christ. 

"Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan...He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, God's guarantee that He will give you the inheritance He promised." Ephesians 1:4-5, 11, 13-14a

Believers, Gentile and Jew alike, are heirs of God, joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. Through the adoption process of His blood shed on the cross for us, we partake of His Holy nature. 

"By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." 2 Peter 1:3-4

"...Share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires."The Greek word for "share" is koinonos--partner with, partake, fellowship with. We have the nature of Jesus within us; we have His Holy Spirit dwelling in us to help us partake of Jesus. We make the choice. Do we put on Jesus and walk in righteousness, or do we keep wearing our old sin-desiring natures?

It's when we choose Jesus that the Holy Spirit gives us the power to follow through on our choice.

When we "put on Jesus," we are choosing to walk in the righteousness of God. We choose to put aside thoughts, attitudes and behavior only the world finds appealing. In their place:

"...clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." Colossians 3:12-13a

When we put on Jesus, we are clothing ourselves to please our bridegroom. I think about the preparations every bride goes to in planning her wedding day. Her choice in what she will wear is something she's probably dreamed about at some time or another from her early years. She dreams and decides. Will it be a ball gown? An A-line or mermaid silhouette? What neckline? Sleeves? Lace? Ruffles? Will there be beading? Will it be plain or fancy? 

She finally enters the bridal shop and begins to try on beautiful white gowns. She floats in one gossamer creation after another, but something is always lacking. Finally, she puts on a style she hadn't considered earlier. She looks in the mirror and she just knows. This is her. Every style she tried was pretty, but she wouldn't settle. She pursued finding the one that completed her "look," and, she was willing to pay the price of purchase.

I think of pursuing Jesus with the same single-minded purpose, adding to our gowns (lives) the adornment of love, kindness, forgiveness, compassion, purity...all the attributes our bridegroom finds pleasing and which He gave His life to make available to us.

Just as Caleb received his inheritance because he fully followed the LORD, we are to wholeheartedly follow Him, too. Just as God gave Caleb strength to defeat his enemies, God will give us strength, by His Holy Spirit, to face our battles and win. Trials refine the intricate design on our bridal gowns.

The more we choose to exercise our faith, the more the Holy Spirit makes us able to stand firm.

The more we choose to put on Jesus, the more like Him we will become.

We will have peace within. We will be ready when He comes for us. Our Bridegroom will present us--clothed in dazzling, pure raiment--to Abba Father, and we will share in His glory.

"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory." Colossians 3:1-4

by Marilyn Allison