Joshua 7
"God said to Joshua, “Get up. Why are you groveling? Israel has sinned: They’ve broken the covenant I commanded them; they’ve taken forbidden plunder—stolen and then covered up the theft, squirreling it away with their own stuff. The People of Israel can no longer look their enemies in the eye—they themselves are plunder. I can’t continue with you if you don’t rid yourselves of the cursed things. So get started. Purify the people. Tell them: Get ready for tomorrow by purifying yourselves. For this is what God, the God of Israel, says: There are cursed things in the camp. You won’t be able to face your enemies until you have gotten rid of these cursed things."
There is so much in this chapter. Rebellion. Greed. Pride. Anger. Hurt. Desperation. Sin.
He says he can't move us forward when we are full of sin. But, God can and will use us if we walk in repentance, forgiveness, healing, freedom and obedience.
I have been reading over this chapter for nearly 1 week, sitting with the Lord to let Him dissect each part of it for me. When the words started carving their way deep down into my heart, it took me back to the place I was in my life several years ago. Even though I am living in freedom from the sin that weighed me down, I am often reminding of that difficult place. I can let satan use those dark memories to discourage me, distract me, and deter me; or I can stand in confidence of the victory the Lord has placed over my life. I choose to stand.
So, standing next to the Lord today, I see that it took me getting rid of all the junk I had plundered from what He was giving me. The Lord set me up when I gave my life to him, to master and conquer all that would come against me. But, just like Achan, so many times I took advantage of the gifts, rather than being obedient to them. Oh the temptations that come our way. Every day I am faced with them, regardless of what they may look like, they are there. Every day I have to choose victory over them. Every day I could easily become like Achan. Every day God saves me from falling back into that place.
“God creates out of nothing. Wonderful you say. Yes, to be sure, but he does what is still more wonderful: he makes saints out of sinners.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, The Journals of Kierkegaard
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
look at what great things he has done
A few months ago I started a list of all the things that would have to be done on the house. The list grew rather quickly, and I grew overwhelmed rather quickly. My thoughts circled around: how the heck am I going to do all this, where do I even start, and the one that lingers still....I don't want to do all this by myself.
For several days I was stressed out, just looking at the list. I had a million ideas of what I wanted the house to look like, colors, furniture, etc...Letting my mind drift off to those places, I could not think about the tasks ahead of me for a few minutes. Early on in this journey, the Lord spoke to me one day and said "I paid your debt in full, I need you to believe I will pay this one in full too." That was a lot to digest and believe, but I said ok.
Here is the list I made. It may not overwhelm you, but me...
You can see that the first item on the list is $12,000 to buy the house. In my very first post about Moving to Midtown, I mentioned this as a prayer request.
Before I move ahead with this, I have to share about the shift in my heart the Lord did with "the list". My last Tuesday night as an intern at WWGO, during our family ministry time, we were writing down names of people to pray over them. I think there were close to 100 names that were written down on the big flip chart pages. We worshiped and prayed over each of these lives. During that time, the Lord spoke to me about the list I had made on the house. He said very clearly, "You have made a list of things, but you haven't even considered the people in Midtown. I can take care of all the things, I want you to pray over the people." I was again, overwhelmed, but in such a beautiful way. I grabbed my journal and started writing down names of souls. I started on the first street in Midtown and made my way clear to the last street, writing down the names of people on every street that I know.
This is what I have been praying over since then. All the things that have to be done on a house, are meaningless compared to the hearts and souls that are worthy of the love of Jesus. I will live in the house as is, if it means I get to witness people get saved, healed, freed, delivered and full of joy!
After this shift, things started happening. I had open access into more hearts, my overwhelming feelings faded, and the Lord provided in crazy ways.
In the length of one day = I said Yes to the Lord to invest fully in this home and with His people - whatever the cost would be. And then He provided $12,000 for me to buy the house. Not just that, He provided over that so that I can start working on it!
The mysteries of the works of the Lord will always amaze me. This is the word He gave that day, that confirmed His call to obey and move forward in faith.
Not for our sake, God, no, not for our sake,
but for your name’s sake, show your glory.
Do it on account of your merciful love,
do it on account of your faithful ways.
Psalm 115:1
You can see in the picture of the list that the very first item is checked off. I am looking forward to the day when every item on there is checked off, too.
But more than that, I look forward to the day when my list of lives in Midtown takes up a whole book and there is a big, fat check mark by each name that means they have been adopted into the Kingdom!
For several days I was stressed out, just looking at the list. I had a million ideas of what I wanted the house to look like, colors, furniture, etc...Letting my mind drift off to those places, I could not think about the tasks ahead of me for a few minutes. Early on in this journey, the Lord spoke to me one day and said "I paid your debt in full, I need you to believe I will pay this one in full too." That was a lot to digest and believe, but I said ok.
Here is the list I made. It may not overwhelm you, but me...
You can see that the first item on the list is $12,000 to buy the house. In my very first post about Moving to Midtown, I mentioned this as a prayer request.
Before I move ahead with this, I have to share about the shift in my heart the Lord did with "the list". My last Tuesday night as an intern at WWGO, during our family ministry time, we were writing down names of people to pray over them. I think there were close to 100 names that were written down on the big flip chart pages. We worshiped and prayed over each of these lives. During that time, the Lord spoke to me about the list I had made on the house. He said very clearly, "You have made a list of things, but you haven't even considered the people in Midtown. I can take care of all the things, I want you to pray over the people." I was again, overwhelmed, but in such a beautiful way. I grabbed my journal and started writing down names of souls. I started on the first street in Midtown and made my way clear to the last street, writing down the names of people on every street that I know.
This is what I have been praying over since then. All the things that have to be done on a house, are meaningless compared to the hearts and souls that are worthy of the love of Jesus. I will live in the house as is, if it means I get to witness people get saved, healed, freed, delivered and full of joy!
After this shift, things started happening. I had open access into more hearts, my overwhelming feelings faded, and the Lord provided in crazy ways.
In the length of one day = I said Yes to the Lord to invest fully in this home and with His people - whatever the cost would be. And then He provided $12,000 for me to buy the house. Not just that, He provided over that so that I can start working on it!
The mysteries of the works of the Lord will always amaze me. This is the word He gave that day, that confirmed His call to obey and move forward in faith.
Not for our sake, God, no, not for our sake,
but for your name’s sake, show your glory.
Do it on account of your merciful love,
do it on account of your faithful ways.
Psalm 115:1
You can see in the picture of the list that the very first item is checked off. I am looking forward to the day when every item on there is checked off, too.
But more than that, I look forward to the day when my list of lives in Midtown takes up a whole book and there is a big, fat check mark by each name that means they have been adopted into the Kingdom!
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
a crazy perfect plan
Joshua 6
"God spoke to Joshua, “Look sharp now. I’ve already given Jericho to you, along with its king and its crack troops. Here’s what you are to do: March around the city, all your soldiers. Circle the city once. Repeat this for six days. Have seven priests carry seven ram’s horn trumpets in front of the Chest. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, the priests blowing away on the trumpets. And then, a long blast on the ram’s horn—when you hear that, all the people are to shout at the top of their lungs. The city wall will collapse at once. All the people are to enter, every man straight on in. So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and told them, “Take up the Chest of the Covenant. Seven priests are to carry seven ram’s horn trumpets leading God’s Chest.” Then he told the people, “Set out! March around the city. Have the armed guard march before the Chest of God.” And it happened. Joshua spoke, the people moved: Seven priests with their seven ram’s horn trumpets set out before God. They blew the trumpets, leading God’s Chest of the Covenant. The armed guard marched ahead of the trumpet-blowing priests; the rear guard was marching after the Chest, marching and blowing their trumpets. Joshua had given orders to the people, “Don’t shout. In fact, don’t even speak—not so much as a whisper until you hear me say, ‘Shout!’—then shout away!”
That was the plan? March around the city walls, in complete silence for 7 days, then on the 7th day, do it 7 times? Seems comical in a lot of ways. Only God could design a strategic plan like this.
The number 7 means - perfection, or completion. Of course God would require 7 priest, 7 trumpets, for 7 laps and 7 days. His plan is always perfect, even if it seems crazy.
How many of those marching were thinking, "I can't believe we are doing this. This is so crazy. Do you think this will really work?" But that was it. God's plan for victory. Simple. Unconventional. Out of the norm. Perfect.
Joshua had already seen God do so many miracles, walked through other crazy acts of obedience, and trusted everything God told him to do, so this was becoming normal to him. I am sure Joshua did have some hesitating thoughts about what God told him to do, but his desire to please God was way greater then his desire to avoid defeat or suffering. Remember what God told Joshua at the beginning of his journey? "Be strong and courageous." It doesn't matter what the crazy thing God asks you to do looks like - it could be something like "Hey - call that person - buy this person a cup of coffee - go to this place - adopt this child - move to the most dangerous place in the world - give this money to them - stop and pray for them - move to Midtown." How do you know it is from God? Well, Jesus said "actions speak louder than words. You don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me."
People talk about being "radical" or having "radical obedience", but really, obedience shouldn't be radical, it should be normal. Saying YES to each thing God asks of you, that is what we were made for.
"God spoke to Joshua, “Look sharp now. I’ve already given Jericho to you, along with its king and its crack troops. Here’s what you are to do: March around the city, all your soldiers. Circle the city once. Repeat this for six days. Have seven priests carry seven ram’s horn trumpets in front of the Chest. On the seventh day march around the city seven times, the priests blowing away on the trumpets. And then, a long blast on the ram’s horn—when you hear that, all the people are to shout at the top of their lungs. The city wall will collapse at once. All the people are to enter, every man straight on in. So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and told them, “Take up the Chest of the Covenant. Seven priests are to carry seven ram’s horn trumpets leading God’s Chest.” Then he told the people, “Set out! March around the city. Have the armed guard march before the Chest of God.” And it happened. Joshua spoke, the people moved: Seven priests with their seven ram’s horn trumpets set out before God. They blew the trumpets, leading God’s Chest of the Covenant. The armed guard marched ahead of the trumpet-blowing priests; the rear guard was marching after the Chest, marching and blowing their trumpets. Joshua had given orders to the people, “Don’t shout. In fact, don’t even speak—not so much as a whisper until you hear me say, ‘Shout!’—then shout away!”
That was the plan? March around the city walls, in complete silence for 7 days, then on the 7th day, do it 7 times? Seems comical in a lot of ways. Only God could design a strategic plan like this.
The number 7 means - perfection, or completion. Of course God would require 7 priest, 7 trumpets, for 7 laps and 7 days. His plan is always perfect, even if it seems crazy.
How many of those marching were thinking, "I can't believe we are doing this. This is so crazy. Do you think this will really work?" But that was it. God's plan for victory. Simple. Unconventional. Out of the norm. Perfect.
Joshua had already seen God do so many miracles, walked through other crazy acts of obedience, and trusted everything God told him to do, so this was becoming normal to him. I am sure Joshua did have some hesitating thoughts about what God told him to do, but his desire to please God was way greater then his desire to avoid defeat or suffering. Remember what God told Joshua at the beginning of his journey? "Be strong and courageous." It doesn't matter what the crazy thing God asks you to do looks like - it could be something like "Hey - call that person - buy this person a cup of coffee - go to this place - adopt this child - move to the most dangerous place in the world - give this money to them - stop and pray for them - move to Midtown." How do you know it is from God? Well, Jesus said "actions speak louder than words. You don’t believe because you’re not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me."
People talk about being "radical" or having "radical obedience", but really, obedience shouldn't be radical, it should be normal. Saying YES to each thing God asks of you, that is what we were made for.
"The priests blew the trumpets. When the people heard the blast of the trumpets, they gave a thunderclap shout. The wall fell at once. The people rushed straight into the city and took it."
Thursday, October 2, 2014
not fighting alone
Joshua 5
"And then this, while Joshua was there near Jericho: He looked up and saw right in front of him a man standing, holding his drawn sword. Joshua stepped up to him and said, “Whose side are you on—ours or our enemies’?” He said, “Neither. I’m commander of God’s army. I’ve just arrived.” Joshua fell, face to the ground, and worshiped. He asked, “What orders does my Master have for his servant?” God’s army commander ordered Joshua, “Take your sandals off your feet. The place you are standing is holy.”
Joshua did it.
I travel quite a lot for my job, and for the occasional trip out of the country. This week I was sitting in my seat on a flight from Atlanta to North Carolina and watching from the window as a plane landed and made it's way down the tarmac to the gate. We were a little delayed so I didn't have much else to do. I have seen this a million times, but something about this particular time had my attention.
There were about six people with the lighted orange sticks guiding the plane to where it needed to stop. Others came out and put the stoppers under each wheel so it didn't roll once in position. One man was pulling the fuel line out and connecting it to refuel. Several came riding up on the carts to unload luggage, then more can to load luggage. A car with the drinks and snacks came to make sure it was stocked for the next flight. The pilots walked around the plane inspecting it. I could see people inside cleaning. And the most extravagant of all - the one who had to clean out the bathrooms! All of this was happening at the same time. Since my flight was delayed, I sat and watched as all of this happened and the plane was boarded and left the gate - all within 30 minutes.
Sitting there seeing all of this, the Lord used it to make what I had read in Joshua 5 earlier that morning become real.
When Joshua saw the Commander of God's Army, he realized that he was not fighting alone. God's army of angels was already ahead of all of Israel, fighting in the spirit, preparing the way, getting God's people ready to cross over into the Promised Land. Most of the victory happened before Joshua ever stood on the front line of battle, and was not anything that could be seen with human eyes.
Exodus 14:14 "God will fight the battle for you."
All the times we get on and off planes, we never realize what all goes into preparing it for us. If all of those that have a hand in getting that plane ready for it to take us where we need to go were not there, then what?
The Lord and His army are that for us in this spiritual battle we fight. To know that God's army is fighting ahead of you, and for you right this minute, even though you can't see it with your human eyes. Victory is happening all around you in the spirit. What a beautiful gift of protection we have over us. What else can we do but fall on our face and worship in response to that!
"And then this, while Joshua was there near Jericho: He looked up and saw right in front of him a man standing, holding his drawn sword. Joshua stepped up to him and said, “Whose side are you on—ours or our enemies’?” He said, “Neither. I’m commander of God’s army. I’ve just arrived.” Joshua fell, face to the ground, and worshiped. He asked, “What orders does my Master have for his servant?” God’s army commander ordered Joshua, “Take your sandals off your feet. The place you are standing is holy.”
Joshua did it.
I travel quite a lot for my job, and for the occasional trip out of the country. This week I was sitting in my seat on a flight from Atlanta to North Carolina and watching from the window as a plane landed and made it's way down the tarmac to the gate. We were a little delayed so I didn't have much else to do. I have seen this a million times, but something about this particular time had my attention.
There were about six people with the lighted orange sticks guiding the plane to where it needed to stop. Others came out and put the stoppers under each wheel so it didn't roll once in position. One man was pulling the fuel line out and connecting it to refuel. Several came riding up on the carts to unload luggage, then more can to load luggage. A car with the drinks and snacks came to make sure it was stocked for the next flight. The pilots walked around the plane inspecting it. I could see people inside cleaning. And the most extravagant of all - the one who had to clean out the bathrooms! All of this was happening at the same time. Since my flight was delayed, I sat and watched as all of this happened and the plane was boarded and left the gate - all within 30 minutes.
Sitting there seeing all of this, the Lord used it to make what I had read in Joshua 5 earlier that morning become real.
When Joshua saw the Commander of God's Army, he realized that he was not fighting alone. God's army of angels was already ahead of all of Israel, fighting in the spirit, preparing the way, getting God's people ready to cross over into the Promised Land. Most of the victory happened before Joshua ever stood on the front line of battle, and was not anything that could be seen with human eyes.
Exodus 14:14 "God will fight the battle for you."
All the times we get on and off planes, we never realize what all goes into preparing it for us. If all of those that have a hand in getting that plane ready for it to take us where we need to go were not there, then what?
The Lord and His army are that for us in this spiritual battle we fight. To know that God's army is fighting ahead of you, and for you right this minute, even though you can't see it with your human eyes. Victory is happening all around you in the spirit. What a beautiful gift of protection we have over us. What else can we do but fall on our face and worship in response to that!
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