relationships (Joshua 5:1-12) Celebrating Victory

(Joshua 5:1-12)  Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.

2 At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time.” 3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth. 4 This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way after they came out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 6 For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the Lord, to whom the Lord had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.

8 Now when they had finished circumcising all the nation, they remained in their places in the camp until they recovered. 9 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the shame of Egypt from you.” So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. 11 Then on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain. 12 And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

What sets Christians apart from others?  How should the world recognize that we are believers who are led by an all-powerful God?  It is our heart that needs to be circumcised, and only God is able to do that when we repent and put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  

In this, our sins are forgiven and He takes away our shame.  In this, we are reborn and become children of God.  In this, we are made new, because it is the Lord who changes us from the inside out.  By continually walking with the Lord in His way, we will be continually renewed and refreshed in our hearts!  Still, it isn't anything we do, it is what God does for us as we allow Him to work in and through us.

As we journey forward in our relationship with the Lord, He wants us to call on Him for everything!  It is He who is more than able to go before us and fight our battles.  And it is He who is more than able to provide what we need in life.  In Him we can trust!  Everything we have is from the Lord!

It is also in the Lord and all that He has done for us, all that He is doing for us, and all that He is going to do for us, that we can come together and celebrate!  Why get together with other believers?  For the simple fact that we all have this amazing bond in God's Holy Spirit.  We are a spiritual family!  

Can we really, properly celebrate something like a birthday or a victory all by ourselves?  It is far, far better when we are able to get together with others who share the same love!  And what better love to celebrate than the love that Jesus has for each and every one of us in that He willingly died in our place and rose again to have victory over death!!!

Are we perfect?  NO!  As children from the same family, we will squabble, but let us keep going back to our heavenly Father for guidance!  In His wisdom and truth, He will equip us for each and every circumstance.  And in His love and grace, while applying His instructions, we will grow closer to each other.  And in this, we will be able to encourage each other to continue growing closer to the Lord!  We can share in this victory, all to His glory!

relationships (Joshua 4:1-24) Remember the Good

(Joshua 4:1-24)  Now when the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from each tribe, 3 and command them, saying, ‘Take up for yourselves twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firmly, and carry them over with you and lay them down in the encampment where you will spend the night.’” 4 So Joshua called the twelve men whom he had appointed from the sons of Israel, one man from each tribe; 5 and Joshua said to them, “Cross again to the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel. 6 This shall be a sign among you; when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ 7 then you shall say to them, ‘That the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.”

8 So the sons of Israel did exactly as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the encampment and put them down there. 9 Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day. 10 For the priests who carried the ark were standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was completed that the Lord had commanded Joshua to speak to the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. And the people hurried and crossed; 11 and when all the people had finished crossing, then the ark of the Lord and the priests crossed in front of the people. 12 The sons of Reuben, the sons of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over in battle formation before the sons of Israel, just as Moses had spoken to them; 13 about forty thousand equipped for war, crossed for battle before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho.

14 On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, so that they revered him, just as they had revered Moses all the days of his life.

15 Now the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony that they come up from the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, saying, “Come up from the Jordan.” 18 It came about when the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord had come up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground, that the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before.

19 Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal, on the eastern edge of Jericho. 20 As for those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set them up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ 22 then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

In any relationship, whether with a spouse, a parent, siblings or friendships... when we go through tough issues or phases, it is far too easy to remember only the problems and forget about the fun times and the good times.  It can help to take a breath and think back to those "good" times so we don't vilify our loved ones.  

In order to fix these relationships, or attempt reconciliation, or at the very least, find some peace in our hearts, knowing that we did what we could... we need to always be looking to God's word for His instructions.  Confess our sins.  Apologize for anything we have done that has hurt anyone.  And forgive!  After that, a healthy discussion about how to move forward might be required.  Or, with baby steps, planning short get-togethers to only do positive things and NOT dredging up dirt.

Now, regarding our relationship with God, when we are going through whatever trials we might have, we need to take a breath, and know that with God - He only wants good for us and wants to be close to us!  We should be careful that we don't judge God according to what people have done or said!  God is perfect, we are not.  Even as Christians, we will still make mistakes.  And we live in a broken world.  Because of sin!!!  It is not God's fault!!!  God is there, wanting and waiting to help us, when we go to Him and ask!

Therefore, even while going through struggles, no matter what they are, it is beneficial to look to God for His help and let Him sort things out!  And when doubt shakes our faith a bit, think back to the "good times" when we saw God at work!  It even helps to hear other people's testimonies about certain events which they have gone through.  Personal testimonies not only remind and encourage us and other believers to seek out the Lord's guidance and help, to depend on Him for everything, these can be poignant messages of hope and a way to share to others the gospel message.

relationships (Joshua 3:1-17) Taking Steps in Faith

(Joshua 3:1-17)  Then Joshua got up early in the morning; and he and all the sons of Israel set out from Shittim and came to the Jordan, and they spent the night there before they crossed. 2 Then at the end of three days the officers went through the midst of the camp; 3 and they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. 4 However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about two thousand cubits by measurement. Do not come near it, so that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”

5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do miracles among you.” 6 And Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over ahead of the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went ahead of the people.

7 Now the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they will know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. 8 So you shall command the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “By this you will know that the living God is among you, and that He will assuredly drive out from you the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Hivite, the Perizzite, the Girgashite, the Amorite, and the Jebusite. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over ahead of you into the Jordan. 12 Now then, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe. 13 And it will come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, that is, the waters which are flowing down from above; and they will stand in one heap.”

14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who were carrying the ark came up to the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark stepped down into the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 then the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

The Lord is right here, among those who believe.  As we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, because of His power and grace, we have eternal security.  He is always with us, and will never forsake us.  It truly is a miracle that we can have this close, intimate relationship with God!

Our salvation is not the only miracle that God will work in our lives!  As our loving heavenly Father, He wants us to go to Him for absolutely everything!  It's interesting how we "limit" God n our own thinking, but He is able to do far more than we could ever imagine.  And as Jesus Christ said, "You don't have because you don't ask."  Just ask!  The "worst thing" that could happen is that He says "no"... 

BUT - because the Lord is all-knowing and wants the best for us, there will always be excellent reasons why He has said "no"... or "not yet".  We can take comfort in knowing this!  And when asking for something that is in His will, like having more wisdom, this prayer will be answered!!!  We can have confidence in knowing this!

As well, God will go ahead of us in order to guide us into His perfect peace.  But it takes our obedience, which is based on our trust in the Lord.  Just as the priests had to take that first step into the water - and THEN - the waters parted as God promised!  When we take each faithful step in God's will, God will "part the waters" for us!  Even when there are various struggles in our lives, as we are obedient, God will make sure that we stand on solid ground, because He is our firm foundation.

relationships (Joshua 2:1-24) Loving Others

(Joshua 2:1-24)  Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and rested there. 2 But it was told to the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to spy out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 It came about, when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan, to the crossing places; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

8 Now before the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. 10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 When we heard these reports, our hearts melted and no courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the Lord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father’s household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our lives from death.” 14 So the men said to her, “Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the Lord gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.”

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall. 16 And she said to them, “Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not encounter you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.” 17 And the men said to her, “We shall be exempt from this oath to you which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father’s household. 19 And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outside will have his blood on his own head, and we will be innocent; but anyone who is with you in the house, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be exempt from the oath which you have made us swear.” 21 She then said, “According to your words, so be it.” So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

22 So they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days, until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had searched for them all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country, and they crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun. Then they reported to him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “The Lord has indeed handed over to us all the land; furthermore, all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of us.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

God loves everyone - from His chosen ones - as well as this prostitute, Rahab.  God even loves the ones He was about to destroy, and He would have spared them if only they had turned their hearts to Him!  

Because God is omniscient, He knows everyone who is going to choose to believe in Him or not.  God is just and fair!  Therefore, if anyone is to believe in Him, of course, the Lord will make sure they remain alive until that point.  

Since we do not know who will become a Christian or not, we are to faithfully take every opportunity we get to share the good news with others.  Not that we have to fret about lost opportunities or worry that we didn't do or say the exact right thing - because God doesn't want us to fret or worry - about anything!  Just like the people in Jericho and all the other nations could see that there was something different with the nation of Israel, because of the Lord their God - others will see a difference in our lives.  And just as God gave the land into the Israelite's hands, God will give us what we need to carry out His will.

Loving God first-and-foremost will then help us love others, no matter who they are!  His unconditional love will shine out to those around us when we are trusting and relying on Him to give us the right words to say and the strength and guidance to do the right things.  Having a close relationship with the Lord, will help us in all our relationships.  It is when we continue allowing God to work in and through us, He will use us to His glory.

relationships (Joshua 1:1-18) Blessed for Success

(Joshua 1:1-18)  Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; so now arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 Every place on which the sole of your foot steps, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. 5 No one will be able to oppose you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not desert you nor abandon you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are going to cross this Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving you, to possess it.’”

12 But to the Reubenites, to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest, and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross ahead of your brothers in battle formation, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He is giving you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you may return to your own land, and take possession of that which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. 18 Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

It is really up to God to bless us in the way He deems appropriate.  The Bible does NOT teach a prosperity gospel!  God is not some fairy godmother who grants wishes, or some magical vending machine in the sky.  So for us, the definition of blessings, or "success" is not whether we have a higher education, or a lot of power, status, money or material things.  It is not about our physical appearances.  It is not about being married and having children.  It is not even about being struggle-free!!!  It is all about doing God's will and glorifying the Lord in everything that we do, no matter where we find ourselves.  THAT is true "success".

While here on earth, we have not been promised a life that is struggle or battle-free, so it stands to reason that we need God's strength and courage BECAUSE we will face struggles and battles!  These "battles" can be literal, but for the most part, these can be spiritual, emotional, psychological, physical, with our health or the health of a loved one, and there will most certainly be battles within relationships.  Not that we need to "go to war" against our friend or spouse or boss or teacher... It is all about seeking peace with God, with others and within ourselves - God's way!

Being strong and courageous is part of finding this success, so we need to know what that actually looks like.  It is the opposite of being terrified and dismayed.  Being strong and courageous is not being loud or arrogant.  Being strong and courageous is staying close to God and His word.  It is confidently putting into practice and living in God's will.  And it is allowing and trusting Him to fight our battles for us.  This is when we will experience God's perfect peace, rest, joy and contentment in any circumstance.  These are the greatest blessings that we could ever experience!  And THIS is true success!

relationships (Deuteronomy 34:1-12) Find Good Leaders

(Deuteronomy 34:1-12) Now Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2 and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 and the Negev and the territory in the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not go over there.” 5 So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, in accordance with the word of the Lord. 6 And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows his burial place to this day. 7 Although Moses was 120 years old when he died, his eyesight was not dim, nor had his vigor left him. 8 So the sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days; then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10 Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 for all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land— 12 and for all the mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

When our spiritual leaders move, retire or pass away, God is faithful to send replacements.  When we pray, God will provide!  The Lord is still the One we need to look to for everything, but He does send people into our lives who will equip, lead, challenge, encourage and inspire us to live in God's will.

Moses was the "greatest" prophet the Israelites had ever seen, yet Moses was still not perfect.  None of our spiritual leaders are perfect, therefore we should not neglect to pray for them.  Let us also remember to love and encourage one another, in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The more that believers utilize the Lord's Holy Spirit who dwells within our hearts, the more steadfast and effective we will be.

relationships (Deuteronomy 33:1-29) Finding Our BFF

(Deuteronomy 33:1-29) Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death. 2 He said,

    “The Lord came from Sinai,
    And dawned on them from Seir;
    He shone from Mount Paran,
    And He came from the midst of myriads of holy ones;
    At His right hand there was flashing lightning for them.
3 Indeed, He loves the people;
    All Your holy ones are in Your hand,
    And they followed in Your steps;
    Everyone takes of Your words.
4 Moses issued to us the Law,
    A possession for the assembly of Jacob.
5 And He was king in Jeshurun,
    When the heads of the people gathered,
    The tribes of Israel together.

6 “May Reuben live and not die,
    Nor may his people be few.”

7 And this was regarding Judah; so he said:
    “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah,
    And bring him to his people.
    With his hands he contended for them,
    And may You be a help against his adversaries.”

8 Of Levi he said,
    “Let Your Thummim and Your Urim belong to Your godly man,
    Whom You tested at Massah,
    With whom You contended at the waters of Meribah;
9 Who said of his father and his mother,
    ‘I did not consider them’;
    And he did not acknowledge his brothers,
    Nor did he regard his own sons,
    For they kept Your word,
    And complied with Your covenant.
10 They will teach Your ordinances to Jacob,
    And Your Law to Israel.
    They shall put incense before You,
    And whole burnt offerings on Your altar.
11 Lord, bless his strength,
    And accept the work of his hands;
    Smash the hips of those who rise up against him,
    And those who hate him, so that they do not rise again.”

12 Of Benjamin he said,
    “May the beloved of the Lord live in security beside Him 
    Who shields him all the day long,
    And he lives between His shoulders.”

13 Of Joseph he said,
    “Blessed of the Lord be his land,
    With the choice things of heaven, with the dew,
    And from the deep waters lying beneath,
14 And with the choice yield of the sun,
    And the choice produce of the months;
15 And with the best things of the ancient mountains,
    With the choice things of the everlasting hills,
16 And with the choice things of the earth and its fullness,
    And the favor of Him who dwelt in the bush.
    Let it come to the head of Joseph,
    And to the top of the head of the one who was prince among his brothers.
17 As the firstborn of his ox, majesty is his,
    And his horns are the horns of the wild ox;
    With them he will gore the peoples
    All at once, to the ends of the earth.
    And those are the ten thousands of Ephraim,
    And those are the thousands of Manasseh.”

18 Of Zebulun he said,
    “Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
    And, Issachar, in your tents.
19 They will call peoples to the mountain;
    There they will offer righteous sacrifices;
    For they will draw out the abundance of the seas,
    And the hidden treasures of the sand.”

20 Of Gad he said,
    “Blessed is the one who enlarges Gad;
    He lies down as a lion,
    And tears the arm, also the crown of the head.
21 Then he selected the choicest part for himself,
    For there the ruler’s portion was reserved;
    And he came with the leaders of the people;
    He executed the justice of the Lord,
    And His ordinances with Israel.”

22 Of Dan he said,
    “Dan is a lion’s cub;
    He leaps out from Bashan.”

23 Of Naphtali he said,
    “Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
    And full of the blessing of the Lord,
    Take possession of the sea and the south.”

24 Of Asher he said,
    “More blessed than sons is Asher;
    May he be favored by his brothers,
    And may he dip his foot in olive oil.
25 Your bars will be iron and bronze,
    And as your days, so will your strength be.

26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
    Who rides the heavens to your help,
    And the clouds in His majesty.
27 The eternal God is a hiding place,
    And underneath are the everlasting arms;
    And He drove out the enemy from you,
    And said, ‘Destroy!’
28 So Israel lives in security,
    The fountain of Jacob secluded,
    In a land of grain and new wine;
    His heavens also drip down dew.
29 Blessed are you, Israel;
    Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord,
    The shield of your help,
    And He who is the sword of your majesty!
    So your enemies will cringe before you,
    And you will trample on their high places.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

To put God first in our lives means that He is more important than any other relationship we could ever have.  It means that we trust what He says in His word.  It also means that we will want to obey His will, by living it and teaching it.  We will also desire to give our very best to the Lord, and serve Him, and Him alone.

Maybe one could tire of hearing this, but I cannot say this enough - even to myself.  I see far too many people thinking that marriage will be the answer to their happiness.  Or making friends with a certain popular person.  Or church-hopping because you are looking for that pastor who checks all the boxes on your list.  Or...  But to place anyone else in first place, expecting them to be in the place of God, will only disappoint us, because none of us are perfect, or eternal.  

To make Jesus our soul mate is literally making Him our BFF - best Friend FOREVER!!!  Jesus is eternally faithful, and cares more for us than anyone else ever could.  Understand very clearly that - only the Lord can fulfill and satisfy us.  And it is only in Jesus that we can find eternal security, perfect love, peace and hope.

relationships (Deuteronomy 32:1-52) Choose Wisely and Share

(Deuteronomy 32:1-52) “Listen, you heavens, and I will speak; 

    And let the earth hear the words of my mouth!
2  May my teaching drip as the rain,
    My speech trickle as the dew,
    As droplets on the fresh grass,
    And as the showers on the vegetation.
3  For I proclaim the name of the Lord;
    Ascribe greatness to our God!
4 The Rock! His work is perfect,
    For all His ways are just;
    A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
    Righteous and just is He.
5  They have acted corruptly against Him,
    They are not His children, because of their defect;
    But are a perverse and crooked generation.
6   Is this what you do to the Lord,
    You foolish and unwise people?
    Is He not your Father who has purchased you?
    He has made you and established you.
7  Remember the days of old,
    Consider the years of all generations.
    Ask your father and he will inform you,
    Your elders, and they will tell you.
8  When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
    When He separated the sons of mankind,
    He set the boundaries of the peoples
    According to the number of the sons of Israel.
9   For the Lord’s portion is His people;
    Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.
10 He found him in a desert land,
    And in the howling wasteland of a wilderness;
    He encircled him, He cared for him,
    He guarded him as the apple of His eye.
11 As an eagle stirs up its nest,
    And hovers over its young,
    He spread His wings, He caught them,
    He carried them on His pinions.
12 The Lord alone guided him,
    And there was no foreign god with him.
13 He had him ride on the high places of the earth,
    And he ate the produce of the field;
    And He had him suck honey from the rock,
    And oil from the flinty rock,
14 Curds of the herd, and milk of the flock,
    With fat of lambs
    And rams, the breed of Bashan, and of goats,
    With the best of the wheat;
    And you drank wine of the blood of grapes.

15 “But Jeshurun became fat and kicked—
    You have become fat, thick, and obstinate—
    Then he abandoned God who made him,
    And rejected the Rock of his salvation.
16 They made Him jealous with strange gods;
    With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
17 They sacrificed to demons, who were not God,
    To gods whom they have not known,
    New gods who came lately,
    Whom your fathers did not know.
18 You forgot the Rock who fathered you,
    And forgot the God who gave you birth.

19 “The Lord saw this, and spurned them 
    Because of the provocation by His sons and daughters.
20 Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them,
    I will see what their end will be;
    For they are a perverse generation,
    Sons in whom there is no faithfulness.
21 They have made Me jealous with what is not God;
    They have provoked Me to anger with their idols.
    So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people;
    I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation,
22 For a fire has flared in My anger,
    And it burns to the lowest part of Sheol,
    And devours the earth with its yield,
    And sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

23 ‘I will add misfortunes to them;
    I will use up My arrows on them.
24 They will be wasted by famine, and emaciated by plague
    And a bitter epidemic;
    And the teeth of beasts I will send against them,
    With the venom of crawling things of the dust.
25 Outside the sword will make them childless,
    And inside, terror—
    Both young man and virgin,
    The nursing child with the man of gray hair.
26 I would have said, “I will wipe them out,
    I will remove the mention of their name from humanity,”
27 Had I not feared the provocation by the enemy,
    That their adversaries would misjudge,
    That they would say, “Our hand is triumphant,
    And the Lord has not performed all this.”’

28 “For they are a nation destitute of counsel,
    And there is no understanding in them.
29 If only they were wise and they understood this;
    If only they would discern their future!
30 How could one chase a thousand,
    And two put ten thousand to flight,
    Unless their Rock had sold them,
    And the Lord had given them up?
31 Indeed, their rock is not like our Rock;
    Even our enemies themselves judge this.
32 For their vine is from the vine of Sodom,
    And from the fields of Gomorrah;
    Their grapes are grapes of poison,
    Their clusters, bitter.
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
    And the deadly poison of vipers.

34 ‘Is it not stored up with Me,
    Sealed up in My treasuries?
35 Vengeance is Mine, and retribution;
    In due time their foot will slip.
    For the day of their disaster is near,
    And the impending things are hurrying to them.’
36 For the Lord will vindicate His people,
    And will have compassion on His servants,
    When He sees that their strength is gone,
    And there is none remaining, bond or free.
37 And He will say, ‘Where are their gods,
    The rock in which they took refuge?
38 Those who ate the fat of their sacrifices,
    And drank the wine of their drink offering?
    Let them rise up and help you,
    Let them be your protection!
39 See now that I, I am He,
    And there is no god besides Me;
    It is I who put to death and give life.
    I have wounded and it is I who heal,
    And there is no one who can save anyone from My hand.
40 Indeed, I raise My hand to heaven,
    And say, as I live forever,
41 If I have sharpened My flashing sword,
    And My hand has taken hold of justice,
    I will return vengeance on My adversaries,
    And I will repay those who hate Me.
42 I will make My arrows drunk with blood,
    And My sword will devour flesh,
    With the blood of the slain and the captives,
    From the long-haired leaders of the enemy.’
43 Rejoice, you nations, with His people;
    For He will avenge the blood of His servants,
    And will return vengeance on His adversaries,
    And will atone for His land and His people.”

44 Then Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he, with Joshua the son of Nun. 45 When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you will command your sons to follow carefully, all the words of this Law. 47 For it is not a trivial matter for you; indeed it is your life. And by this word you will prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”

48 Now the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day, saying, 49 “Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel as a possession. 50 Then you are to die on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people, 51 because you broke faith with Me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh, in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat Me as holy in the midst of the sons of Israel. 52 For you will see the land at a distance but you will not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

One can lean on their own strength and wisdom, which will only deceptively lead to darkness, despair and eternal death.  Or one can put their faith and trust in the Lord who leads us to His righteousness, healing and eternal life.  It is our choice.  As verse 5 says, sinners cannot be God's children.  Children need to share DNA traits of their parents, therefore to become a child of God, we must be born again.  And this is only possible through the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross for us.

It is wisdom to know and embrace Jesus as our Rock who establishes us, guides us, guards and protects us.  He leads us into His perfect peace, rest, comfort and joy,  He is fair, just, faithful, caring, and compassionate.  He is the one who purchased us with His blood, dying in our place to pay for sin, so we can find refuge in Him.  There are so many benefits to being on God's side, and walking with Him in a close relationship, and having Him as our heavenly Father!!!  

Just like as parents, we love our children, and want the very best for them!  So, as parents of two children, we tried our very best to encourage them and equip them for life, teaching them God's word and the benefits of being in a relationship with Jesus.  And even though they are adults now, we have told them that we are always around to give further encouragement and advice.  It is up to them to seek it out and follow.  And it pains us whenever we see them struggle and suffer, even when suffering consequences from their own mistakes and ill-advised actions.

As parents, we have to be careful not to enable our kids by removing all struggles, or consequences.  Firstly, that's impossible to do.  And secondly, it will hurt them in the long run.  It is better for them to experience loving discipline than falling into a life of habitual sin.  Even little kids need to learn cause and effect.  These moments should also become opportunities to teach them how to reconcile issues correctly, and teach them that we can return to being obedient to God in everything - NOT just because "God said so" or "I said so" - but because God loves us and will work things out for good when we do things His way!

Even more powerful than doing all of the above, we each need to be living examples - fully depending on the Rock of our salvation - while striving to follow the example that Jesus set for us!  And while we are doing that, others will see proof that God really does work in us and in our lives!  It is very often that through our struggles, the Lord will provide us opportunities to share the good news of His wonderful gospel message and His amazing hope and grace with those around us.