Week of 8/4/19 - Pages 21 - 32

God is faithful to fulfill His promises.  Do we trust Him?

In pages 22 - 30 in the Kingdoms book, we see the fulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham over a 1/2 century earlier. For generations in their oral tradition they have heard the stories and about the "promised land." This land of wealth and goodness that God has promised to the descendants of Abraham.

It is the beginning of a fantastic time for the people of God, a time where the scripture says there is rest from war. Where God gives them a bountiful land. A land that already is full of villages and towns, even fortified towns. They will enjoy great harvests, and long periods of peace and great wealth. 

But yet as they move in to claim these amazing promises, there are still the signs of the "human condition" that plague both the Israelites and plague us today.

One of the elements of the human condition that I think many of us can relate to, was fear.  All of these people (all except Joshua and Caleb that is) were 19 years old or younger when they started their 40 year wondering in the wilderness. God has been tangibly present for the majority of their lives. They have experienced God first hand providing miracles for daily provision & protection, stopping the Jorden river at flood stage, demolishing major walled cities like Jericho without Israel throwing a stone, and providing them tremendous victories over  the armies of the land. Yet, for some reason they have not taken full possession of the land. Why?  I wonder if it is fear. God has shown up so far, yes, but will He show up and give ME victory over the people in the land I am supposed to fight for? He has saved the armies of Israel, but will He save ME?

They have been given the land. The promise is fulfilled, but they have a role in receiving the promise. For this promise God expects them to be actively involved in its fulfillment.  They must drive the current occupants out of the land.  God promises that they will have victory, and God says he will be with them, BUT they must do their part and the thoughts of what "could" happen generate fear in their human condition, and I think in ours too.

I wonder how many times in my life I am not able to "fully" enjoy God's promises for me because "fear" enters in to my thinking.   I know He offers peace and I know He wants me to experience Joy in my life, but I wonder how many times being anxious about an unknown outcome or uncertain future keeps me from fully experiencing His promises. 

Can I truly be safe, can I be content with a life of trusting Him? Is it that simple, just trust Him.

Have a good work ethic, act justly, live generously, show mercy, and walk humbly with Jesus every day and fully trust Him for the outcome.  

I wonder if the solution to many of the ills of my human condition is to simply walk close to God each day, grabbing hold of all of the promises He offers, and simply trust Him for the outcome.

Week of 7/28/19 - Pages 10 - 21

Prayer is a powerful thing. We have learned a great deal about prayer this year. However, the power of prayer in this week’s reading is undeniable. Joshua, has led the people into the promised land and now are going village by village and city by city defeating king after king. God is delivering them without much opposition. 

This brings us to what might be the boldest prayer in history. Joshua prays that the sun would stand still so the Lord would give the Israelites the victory over the Amorites. The passage says that Joshua says the prayer in sight of the Israelites. So get this, Joshua, God’s chosen leader, prays that the sun and moon would stop so they can continue to be victorious in their war over the promised land. 

I cannot tell you how many times in my life I have tried to pray a prayer like this. It often seems that nothing quite as extraordinary happens. In fact there have been some times in my life where it seems like God isn’t listening and I am pleading for his comfort and provision. I often want to get to the end of the lesson I am learning by the fastest means possible. However, God often has other plans for my life. What I often fly right by in this story is the years and years of obedience by Joshua and his people. They have followed God day by day for generations. I often want God to provide me with the reply or answer instantly. 

God calls us to obedience first, then he blesses us with his provision. God wants us to actively seek him. If we do this in all we do, we will begin to see our prayer life increase with boldness and power. God is waiting for us to grow into the men and women that God calls us to be. This process is at times frustrating and debilitating but what God is teaching us and showing us is the power we have in and through him. 

Be bold in your prayers and pray with the same power of Joshua. 

Week of 7/21/19 - Pages 1 - 10

Joshua 4:4-7

So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel.  He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

Congratulations!  You’ve finished the Torah!  

Now we turn our attention to a new part of the journey.  Moses has died, along with almost all of his peers who left Egypt.  A new generation with a new hope has set their sights on the promised land as Joshua rises from the ranks as God’s anointed leader. In this first book of Kingdoms, the reader will experience the conquest of Canaan with all its challenges neutralized by God’s faithful presence and power.  Each victory increases the faith of the Israelites while melting the hearts of the inhabitants of these Canaanite city-states.

In this week’s reading I’m struck by the stone memorial built after Israel crosses the Jordan in flood-stage on dry ground.  The miraculous crossing was no doubt reminiscent for the people of this generation who had been either children at the time, or being born in the wilderness, had later heard about the incredible story of the Red Sea crossing.  But this time, Israel stops and takes the time to build a large stone structure – what we might call a testimony -- to remind them of God’s power, provision, and providence in their lives.

I encourage you to think about the moments in your life where God has honored His promises to you in an undeniable way.  Do you remember, or have the layers of busyness and struggle slowly eroded the details?  Have you built a testimony that not only reminds you of God’s faithfulness in times of future difficulties, but also testifies to others who might not have otherwise known of God’s works in your life?  

Such memorials come in many shapes and sizes.  I’ve come across necklaces, plaques, tattoos, songs, paintings, stories, and video testimonies – all of which follow Joshua’s pattern of reminding one that God is at work in one’s life…”an ever-present help,” and a faithful father who will never forsake us.  We need to regularly see these reminders from our own experiences, and from others who know and have tasted the goodness of God.  

Like Israel, take the time to build memorials – so that when your children, or your friends, or your Life Together family asks – “Why is that necklace so special to you?” or “What does that tattoo mean?” or “What a lovely song, what’s it about?” you can share how God carried you across a river of adversity, and your feet didn’t even get wet.

Week of 7/14/19 - Pages 313-327

This is it. After the years of waiting and wandering, the Israelites are poised to enter the promised land, the land God has provided. 

Our reading this week starts in the middle of all the curses—all the consequences God vows will befall the Jews if they break their covenant with him. This was a surprise to me. I didn’t recall that there were specific curses outlined as part of the covenant relationship. I’m so much more comfortable with the word “consequence” than the word “curse.” I recalled that God vowed the Israelites would be conquered and taken into exile if they forsook him and worshipped other gods. But I wasn’t aware of the variety and specificity of the curses detailed for them. To be honest, I found it rather disturbing, and was a little rocked by “Just as the Lord has found great pleasure in causing you to prosper and multiply, the Lord will find pleasure in destroying you” (315). 

Wait, what? 

The Bible bears testimony to the justice of God, to his longsuffering, and to his allowing and even using difficult circumstances to test, shape, shepherd, discipline, and fight for his people. He’s clearly a God of tough love and letting his children experience the consequence of their choices. But finding pleasure in destroying them? That does not sit easy with me. That’s a scary God that harkens back to fire and brimstone sermons that I frankly see as alienating people from knowing God’s grace, love, and forgiveness. But there it is in the Bible in black and white. What are we to do with it? 

Reading through the curses, it made me wonder if anyone had second thoughts about entering into this agreement. But human nature being what it is, we tend to only look at the upside, don’t we? Picture it: a couple of million people, amassed on the border of the land their forefathers were promised. A land large enough and lush enough to provide for all of them. A land they’ve endured a forty-year detour to enter. How closely did they listen to the fine print? And how could they turn back now or decide to strike out on their own because the contract was too onerous? I have to keep in mind that they have seen God’s presence and provision day in and day out. They are in a sweet period of relationship with him—how easy it would be to downplay the punishment clause that would certainly never need to be invoked.

How smart was God to have the warning put to music and taught to them all in a song, “so that it may serve as a witness for me against them” (319). God knew that the people would break their covenant, and he planned ahead for that day: “and when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them” (319).

God certainly knows human nature. And not only does he have blessings in store for his people when they keep his covenant, and curses for when they don’t, he even has a contingency for when they come back to him: “If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you” (317). There’s his mercy and grace. 

I have to note that in the middle of all of this—the covenant details and prophecy about their exile and return—God slips a little detail of his mysterious plan into the song: “I will rouse their jealously through people who are not even a people; I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles” (321). If I’m not mistaken, I think that’s a little foreshadowing of how God’s plan will go on to provide for the Gentiles when the Jews largely reject Jesus as their messiah, without his forsaking his original covenant with the Jews.

He’s definitely the God of the long game. 

Week of 7/7/19 - Pages 298-312

The fifth commandment (honoring one’s parents) is expanded with discussions of other authority structures, including judges and courts, a future king, priests and Levites, prohibited occultist professions, and prophets.

The sixth commandment (prohibiting murder) is also leveraged by addressing cities of refuge, importance of honest testimony, rules of warfare, and how to deal with unsolved murders.

Several miscellaneous laws are discussed relating to primarily two issues: 1) everyone has the responsibility for caring for the welfare of others, and 2) the concept of keeping clean and unclean things separate.  Sexual offenses are also discussed.  All of these, and a variety of other laws, are for the well-being of everyone.

Ancient treaty agreements usually had a section containing blessings and curses, blessings for keeping the treaty and curses for breaking it, Deuteronomy follows this ancient form.  Once Israel (God’s people) was to enter the Promised Land, Moses warns of the two contrasting consequences of the covenant.  On the one hand, if the people truly obey God, they will be blessed.  On the other hand, if they do not obey God, terrible curses will come upon them.

A common warning used throughout this section, “purge evil from among you.”  We too should heed this warning.  God is merciful, loving, patient and slow to anger but He is also holy and just.  His principles are for our protection, He desires that we choose to obey so we can be blessed and experience His goodness.

Week of 6/30/19 - Pages 283-297

The definition of the word must is; expressing necessity. I wanted to look this word up simply because the word “must” was used 54 times during this weeks reading. During this week’s reading  we find Moses reexplaining the importance of the message the Lord God ask him to share. Did it catch your attention? What did it mean to you? Did the words make you feel uncomfortable? Were you reassured by any passages? Why?

Moses continues to address the Israelites before they enter the promise land of Canaan. He tells them “You MUST be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following his instructions in every detail.” (Deuteronomy 5:32-33)  He continues on in detail as to the commands the Lord has given. These issues are some that stand out to me: 

·      “You MUST love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all you strength”. (Deuteronomy 6:5) How many times do I use these words and undermine them by having my job be my biggest love, or my family, or?, or?, or?…  and put my Lord on the back burner?  

 ·       The Lord wants us to tell the children about all that we know of Him. Teach the children by example and by words. (Deuteronomy 6:20)  I ask myself, “how do I feed into my grown children or the children in my sphere of influence about the Grace of God?”

 ·      “People do not live by bread alone; rather we live by every word that comes from mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3z)  How regimented am I in being in the word daily?

 ·      “You have been set apart as holy to the Lord your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure” (Deuteronomy 14:2)   Do we consider ourselves a special treasure and holy? 

. We are commanded to “Celebrate” and “ be joyful” in Deuteronomy 16. We know that fellowship is important for us but God finds it important for us too!

 In this weeks reading I find an understanding of how the Old Testament does have credence to my life. The commandments from God on what food to eat, how to treat servants, and canceling debts are foreign to me yet, true nuggets of divine inspiration and direction on how God wants me to live my life and what I MUST do to achieve His will are found throughout this week’s reading.

May you be blessed by this week’s reading!

Week of 6/23/19 - Pages 270-282

I admit to reading this with a bit of confusion.   Moses relates how he was forbidden by the Lord from entering the promised land because of the Israelites’ unwillingness to trust God’s protection and take over the land they had been promised.   In Numbers 14:29-34, God tells Moses that everyone over 20 years old, including Moses, will perish before the Israelites can enter the promised land.  Moses reminds them of this in Deuteronomy 1:36-37.

But remembering Moses’ history with the rock, I looked up Numbers 20:10-12, where Moses is told by the Lord to command the rock to produce water for the thirsty people, but instead he strikes the rock with his staff, and the Lord tells him he will not lead the community into the land the Lord is giving them.

So, it looks like Moses is doubly excluded.  Regardless, it no doubt was a crushing disappointment for Moses to not be able to set foot on and enjoy the promised land, after all he had been through over the years.  But, when the judgement had been passed down from God, it wasn’t like Moses could appeal it to a higher court.

Moses accepts God’s ruling and went on to do his duty and honor God, as he had done for the majority of his life.  He reminds the people of their history together and everything that had transpired to get them to where they were at the present, all the high points when they received God’s blessings and the low points when they suffered God’s punishments.

This was especially important, as the older generation that had experienced most of those highs and lows and had received God’s guidance had all died off and Moses was soon to join them.  Moses accepted God’s judgement and remained a faithful servant of God.  Quite an example for us, can we play the hand dealt us and continue to trust in God’s goodness, or are we only on board when dealt the “good” hand?  Hmm……

Week of 6/16/19 - Pages 255-269

As I read about the intricate sacrifices that were required to receive forgiveness from God.  I came to realize why Jesus was the only one who could ultimately redeem us. 

The animals that were used for offerings were all pure and without blemish. We are not without sin,  not pure on our own.  Without the sacrifice of someone who is pure and without blemish (sin).  I could not spend eternity with God.  He made a way for me,  because he loves me that much. What a humbling thought.

Week of 6/9/19 - Pages 241-254

At the risk of sounding irreverent, this story reminds me of the Dr. Seuss book, “Green Eggs and Ham”.  Balak wanted Balaam to speak a curse over the Israelites and he contrived many different ways to make this happen, all to no result.  

Could you, would you, in a box?  How about with a fox?  Here or there?  How about anywhere?  Of course, in “Green Eggs and Ham”, the outcome was very different as the guy ended up actually liking green eggs and ham and it ended on a high note.

In this story, Balaam is known as a man to whom “blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse.” (top of p 243)  The problem was that Balak, king of Moab, was trying to get Balaam to curse the Israelites, God’s chosen and protected people. God clearly told Balaam not to curse the Israelites.  Balaam starts out great, seeming to be a valiant force for God, but it all falls apart when he lays out the surrender flag by saying “But stay here one more night, and I will see if the Lord has anything else to say to me.”

What is this “anything else” of which he speaks?  What’s going on in Balaam’s mind?  Why is he playing dumb, as if God might change his mind and decide to curse His own people?  Was he indulging in a sense of self-importance, wanting to stretch it out and make it last longer?    

I think about myself.  What do I do when I have clearly heard what God wants of me?  Do I seek new and clever ways to get out of doing what He has already told me?  Do I go back to God “one more time” just to be sure and pretend that this makes me a careful Christian?  Do I even want to be a “careful Christian”?  What would life this side of heaven be like if I more immediately obeyed God’s voice, certainly His rhema words?  

What I know for sure is that every single time I have obeyed… something big and amazing and life-changing and soul-satisfying happens – every time.  All it takes is getting over all of my protestations and pleadings with Him that I might just check “one more time” if I heard him correctly.  The older I get, the less I’m willing to settle for this watered-down version of the vibrant Christian life.  How about you?        

Week of 6/2/19 - Pages 227-240

Sometimes when I read the OT I find myself wondering how people could act like that and how could they make the decisions they do? I mean I never would. Or would I?

 The chapters in this section of Numbers are like a tug of war of emotions with truth and fiction warring against one another as the people repeatedly rebel and Moses and Aaron repeatedly advocate for the people and negotiate with God over their outcome. The two words that kept coming to me as I read through their trial and tribulations were “Faith and Fear.” There is one aspect of this story in this section of Numbers that really captures my attention.

Just look at this section in Numbers where Moses had been leading the Israelites. The Lord told him to send out men to explore Canaan. He sent one leader from each of the twelve tribes to do just that. He gave them very detailed instructions on what to look for. The men returned and gave the report on what they had seen.  The report was a mixed bag with descriptions that ranged from a land flowing with milk and honey to scary looking giants and towns that were impossibly fortified.  

Caleb excitedly interrupts their report and is filled with faith to marshal the people forward to conquer the land! He challenges the people to do just that. The Tribe leaders on the other hand, the ones who actually saw the land first-hand, were filled with fear. They let their imaginations run wild and painted all kinds of horrible pictures of what could happen to them if they were to try to go and conquer the land. They struck fear in their hearts as they described how their families would be devoured and that they would be helpless against such giants. Their fear was like a disease and it spread like wildfire amongst the people and soon the people were weeping. Just imagine how you might feel to see your loved ones and neighbors distraught and worried beyond belief! It would be hard to stand up against such a crowd and not join forces with them. Their emotions had gotten the best of them and the next thing you know they were protesting against Moses and Aaron, two Godly men that had loved them and led them through so much. Next thing you know they are railing against God, basically blaming Him for their predicament. How could God possibly do this to them? They got so worked up that they began to think it would even be better to return to Egypt. Outrageous! I thought. They would go back to a time where they were enslaved rather than stay in a place of deliverance and a future with hope?  Not a good scene! How could this situation get any worse? Was there any way for it to turn around? – read on in Numbers to find out.

 But for now I want to pause with you here for a moment to dig a little deeper into what caught my attention. Why we are not so different than the people of the Old Testament when it comes to our reactions to life’s circumstances.

 If I am honest, when I think about it, I have to admit that both faith and fear permeate my Christian life. I would like to think that I am filled with faith like Caleb was. That I am ready to conquer any and all situations with courage and determination, but the truth is that I have varying degrees of faith and varying degrees of fear that come into play in my daily life. Over the years, with some practice and a lot of help, I have most certainly discovered that there are things that help me lean more strongly into a life of faith over a life of fear: Actions, that if I practice, help me to increase the “Faith Meter” in my life.

1)    The promises of God – Psalm 119:105 (In addition to the reading of God’s Word, if He has given me a specific Word or Words, these are also great reminders to help me in trailblazing a life of faith)

2)    Christian Friends – Community of Faith - Proverbs 15:22  (wisdom is found in many Godly Counselors, the Israelites chose to listen to trouble-makers, those who were stirring up trouble and living in fear. We have a choice in the kind of friends that we seek advice and counsel from)

3)    Prayer – Jeremiah 33:3 (Turning to God, not away from Him as the Israelites did when they were blaming God for their present circumstances)

4)    Reviewing the many ways He has delivered me in the past - Lamentations 3:22-23, Reviewing His mercies ( The Israelites let their fear blot out the amazing miracles, signs and wonders that they had experienced and had lived through)
So next time you are faced with a decision or a difficult life circumstance, consider how you might increase your “Faith Meter.”