Joshua 22:1–34

May 21, 2010

The three tribes that were given land on the (east) side of the Jordan were told they could go back home. They promised to help the Israelites remove the enemy and they had fulfilled that promise. Joshua called them together and reminded them of Moses instructions to them (KJV):

1. Love the LORD your God
2. Walk in his ways
3. Keep his commandments
4. Cleave (stay close to him)
5. Serve him with all your heart and soul

Those five steps say it all. Love. Walk. Keep. Cleave. Serve. When you get those right, all is right. 

The three tribes returned to their land on the east side of the Jordan and built an altar. The other Israelites sent leaders from each tribe to confront them. They thought they were building the altar to worship other gods and they wanted to prevent the wrath of God from being against Israel. IF they (the three tribes) had left their beliefs behind and were now worshiping false gods the other tribes were willing to go against them and destroy them in order to obey God and the first commandment. It turned out they weren't worshiping false gods, it was instead a replica of the real altar, meant to be a reminder to all tribes of who the true God was/is.

The point here is the importance of standing up for who God is, even if (or maybe I should say especially if), you see a fellow believer slipping away in their faith. Achan sinned, and he brought trouble to ALL the Israelites. We each have a responsibility to first make sure our own hearts are pure and then to make sure we confront sin not only in our lives but in the lives of others as well.

Stand up. Stand firm. 


Next Entry: Joshua 23:1 – 24:33

Joshua 20:1 – 21:45

May 20, 2010

Cities of safety.

Cities of safety were designed to protect those who accidentally harmed someone from those whose intent was to harm someone. Accidental—verses—Intentional. The people who fled to designated cities of safety were safe "until a court comes to a decision." (Joshua 20:6) However, the cities of safety were only for those who accidentally harmed someone and were not for those who set out to intentionally harm another person.

I love how God put a plan in place to protect His people. God is faithful. He protects those who come to Him for safety. His promises are true. Every. Single. One. Joshua 21:45 says this, "He kept every promise he made... each one came true."

We believe His promises and are grateful for His protection. There will come a day when we look back and say, "He kept every promise He made ... each one came true." Until that time we will continue to claim the promises found in Psalm 140, Psalm 1, Isaiah 30, and Jeremiah 33 (to name a few). But, before we claim HIS promises, we first and foremost will remember Psalm 150 and we will praise HIS holy name. (Her Name Was Jane)

Praise the LORD!

Addendum: His promises proved true. Every. Single. One. See: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!


Next Entry: Joshua 22:1–34

Joshua 13:1 – 19:51

May 18, 2010

The land was divided among the Israelites as Moses said. Caleb asks Joshua for the land Moses promised him.

When the twelve spies were sent to look at the land God promised to give the Israelites only Caleb and Joshua believed that God would give them the power to take the land. The rest of the twelve were afraid and lacked the faith to believe God could (and would) fulfill His promise. Now it is 45 years later. Those who were too afraid to trust God are all dead, but even after wandering around the desert for 40 some years, Caleb still believes. Caleb acknowledges that it was God who sustained him and gave him the strength to survive all the years in the desert. He acknowledges that God has kept His promises, and now Caleb is asking Joshua for his portion of the land. Even after 45 years he still believes and he is ready to go into battle if necessary for the land God promised him. "Now with the LORD helping me, I will force them out, just as the LORD said."

The rest of the land was split as God directed Moses. Joshua received a portion of the land for himself just as Caleb did. Both men were honored by God for their faithfulness.

God has promised us His protection. He has sustained us. He has given us the strength to carry on. He has been faithful. The "storm" has been going on for over three years, but we still believe and we are still willing to stand strong and fight the fight. And, "Now with the LORD helping me; I will force them out, just as the LORD said." We choose to believe. We choose to be faithful.

Addendum: 11/29/13 ~ It has now been almost seven years. We still choose to believe.

4/17/18 ~ Now it has been eleven years. We still believe.

1/16/20 ~ Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!


Next Entry: Joshua 20:1 – 21:45  

Joshua 11:1 – 12:24

May 17, 2010

The size of the enemy does not matter to God. The kings and armies that gathered together for the purpose of fighting against and destroying the Israelites were "as many soldiers as grains of sand on the seashore." The Lord said to Joshua, "Don't be afraid of them, because at this time tomorrow I will give them to you." So Joshua and his men went out to battle as the LORD said, and "The LORD handed them over." The armies that were as many as the sand on the seashore were completely destroyed.

Joshua 11:20 - "The LORD made those people stubborn so they would fight against Israel and he could completely destroy them without mercy." Wow. The NIV says so He could exterminate them. What strong words. Some people may look at that and wonder how or why God would make someone stubborn so that He could destroy them. God making them stubborn is not the cause it is the result. God did not cause them to reject Him and to serve idols. They chose to reject God and serve other gods, and the result of their choices is the destruction mandated by God.

It all goes back to the choices we make in life. The blessings for obeying and curses for disobeying are found in: 

Leviticus 26:1 – 27:34
Leviticus 26:1 – 27:34 (Continued)
Leviticus 26:1 – 27:34 (Continued)
Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68
Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68 (Continued)
Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68 (Continued)
Deuteronomy 30:11–20

The choice is ours. Life—or—Death. Blessings—or—Curses. To choose life is to love the LORD your God, obey Him, and stay close to Him. I choose to obey. I choose life.


Next Entry: Joshua 13:1 – 19:51

Joshua 9:1 – 10:43

May 14, 2010

Ask God!

Two of the most important things we've learned while navigating "the storm" is:

1. The importance of asking God what it is He wants in each situation; and.
2. How to ask God what He wants.

The way I pray has totally changed. Now I literally ask: God, what is it you want me to do about ________ (fill in the blank)? Jeremiah 29:11–13 - God knows the plans He has for us. The problem isn't that God doesn't know the plans. The problem is we don't know what God's plans are without asking Him! In Jeremiah it goes on to say that if we call out to Him, He will hear us and if we search for Him we will find Him.

My prayers weren't just a laundry list of what I wanted Him to do for me, but I certainly wasn't focused on praising Him for who He is like I am now. Now, I praise God first and foremost, and then I inquire of Him what He wants me to do. I literally ask. What is it You want me to do God?

When you ask—God answers.

We each need to make sure we have the right perspective and keep the God/man relationship in the right order.

God

    ↓   

Man

The Israelites didn't ask what they should do when people showed up at their camp seeking peace. It appeared the people were from a great distance away, but they weren't. They were tricking the Israelites and the Israelites fell for the trick because they didn't ask God what they should do about it. 

Ask!! God will reveal to you what He wants you to do.

All throughout these verses there is a recurrent theme. Over and over God tells Joshua and the Israelites to be strong and brave. "I will..."!  Joshua 10:25 - "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous... I will hand them over." Acknowledge who God is. Ask Him what He wants you to do, and then do it. Leave all the rest up to God. Wait on Him. Follow His lead.

 

Addendum: 2/5/2024 ~ As I was reading about the destruction of the Southern Cities in this passage (Joshua 10:29-43) this morning—I found the violence rather disturbing. But then, a phrase repeated five separate times, jumped out at me. The destruction of these cities were "... as an offering to the LORD." God promised the Israelites this land, but he didn't just hand it over to them. They had to be obedient and destroy the evil, but it wasn't personal acts of violence and destruction they were perpetrating upon the people living there out of anger, jealousy, greed or any other reason. No, their actions were entirely in obedience to God's instructions and it was "as an offering to the LORD." I'm so thankful we are living in New Testament times and the LORD would never ask us to personally go out and perpetrate violence on our fellow human beings, but the essence of the teaching remains the same. Our obedience to whatever difficult thing He is asking us to do—is "an offering to the LORD."

 

Next Entry: Joshua 11:1 – 12:24

Joshua 8:1–35

May 13, 2010

God told the Israelites to go and attack Ai again. This time the end result was entirely different. When the Israelites tried to defeat Ai in their own power (with sin in the camp) they were humiliated and they were soundly defeated. But once the sin was removed and the Israelites followed God's instructions, God granted the victory and Ai was defeated.

Joshua 8:1 - "Don't be afraid or give up...I will help you."
Joshua 8:7-8 -"The LORD your God will give you the power to win.  After you take the city, burn it. See to it! You have your orders."

The LORD encouraged them.  

If trouble comes and discouragement begins to set in, hang on! Hang on to the "I will" promises of God. Let HIM encourage you. Psalm 140 - "I will uphold the cause of the needy"; Isaiah 30 - "I will show you which way to go"; Jeremiah 33 - "I will restore the land."  Psalm 1:5-6 - "So the wicked will not worship with God's people. This is because God takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed."  See Her Name Was Jane.

Joshua followed God's orders. God's orders were to put some men in front of Ai like before, but to also put men behind the city as well. When the people of Ai saw the men in front they came out to attack them. Joshua's men turned and ran like before. The people of Ai chased them leaving the entire city open and vulnerable. Joshua's men from behind entered the city and easily destroyed it. Joshua's men in the front turned back around and the people of Ai were totally trapped and destroyed. None of them escaped. After the victory an altar of stone was built and half the people stood on Mt. Ebal and half the people stood on Mt Gerizim and the blessings and curses were read to the people just as Moses instructed in Deuteronomy 27:23

The people of Ai were so confident in themselves. They were successful in chasing and humiliating the Israelites in the past. Why would it be any different this time? In their pride and selfishness they were only focused on "getting" the Israelites. They were single minded. They never took into account that what they were doing (their single minded intent to "get" them) was going to be the very thing that brought their destruction. They left themselves out in the open with nowhere to go and were easily, completely, and utterly destroyed.


Next Entry: Joshua 9:1 – 10:43

Joshua 7:1–26

May 12, 2010

Joshua 7:1 - "But the Israelites did not obey the LORD."

Achan disobeyed God's instructions. The Israelites were totally unaware of Achan's hidden sin, but because of Achan's disobedience, the entire tribe of Israel paid the price for it. Joshua 7:1 doesn't say Achan sinned, it says the Israelites didn't obey. Achan took for himself what belonged to God and the entire group of Israelites suffered because of Achan's decision.

Sometimes we carry the consequences for the decisions and actions of other people.  

Joshua sends some men to go and spy out Ai. It's just a small place. The Israelites had just come through the major battle of Jericho and God handed over the enemy, so they assume that because Ai was so small it would be easy to conquer. As a result, Joshua sends just 3000 men, and the Israelites are soundly defeated and humiliated. The men lose courage, turn their backs, and are chased back to their camp. Joshua falls on his face before God and asks God why in the world did you bring us here if you are no longer going to be with us?

Joshua 7:11–12 - God answers, "The Israelites have sinned: they have broken the agreement I have commanded them to obey... I will not help you anymore unless you destroy everything as I commanded you."

The Israelites faithfully followed the LORD's directions when they crossed the Jordan; the LORD led them safely across. The Israelites followed the LORD's directions as they marched around Jericho; the LORD gave them the city. But then, when they went up against the small city of Ai, they are soundly defeated. Why? There was sin in the camp and the sin needed to be dealt with and removed.

When "the storm" in our lives hit we questioned everything. Why? Were we doing something outside of God's will? Everything was going smoothly ... what happened? After questioning and examining everything, we finally began to understand the sudden turn of events was not what we were expecting, but God was directing our path. While we were caught unaware by the secret actions of others, God was not surprised and He knew what we didn't know. Hidden motives began to be revealed. The new path we were on was going to be tough, but we made the decision to stand strong and follow HIS lead—no matter what. It was tempting to turn around and run in an attempt to flee the power of "the storm", but fear is never from the LORD, so we began to take our first steps on HIS path. We would stand strong and face "the storm."

If whoever reads these words understands nothing else please understand this: when I say "we" I am not referring to just my husband and myself. The WE is God with us. There is no way we could have withstood all "the storm" has thrown our way these last years without GOD being the LORD of our lives. We could not have survived if we had tried to face "the storm" in our own strength. It was God's power; God's might; God's strength; God's hand; God's leading; God's encouragement; God's directions; God's faithfulness; God's love; and God's protection. The LORD—HE is the ONE! All we did was open our hands and drive the stake in the ground. When we said, "We will follow You wherever You lead and whatever the cost," God supplied ALL the rest. He gave us strength to stand strong in the battle. He gave us Jane (Her Name Was Jane) and His words through her lips. He put a holy numbness and barrier around us to protect us emotionally from the ugliness of "the storm."  He is the One who has sustained us and He is the One who will deliver us. 

God tells Joshua to gather the people and He will choose the tribe, family, and then person that broke the agreement with the LORD and brought trouble to Israel. Achan is called out. Joshua tells him to bring honor to God and confess what he had done. Achan confesses. (Note that he only confessed after God exposed him, not before.) He admits sinning against God. He admits that he saw things he wanted (a beautiful coat, gold and sliver) and he took them and hid them. What happened next is both sobering and frightening. Joshua 7:25 - Joshua says to Achan, "I don't know why you caused so much trouble for us, but now the LORD will bring trouble to you." Psalm 140:9 - "Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips have caused."

Everything Achan had was destroyed. The things he took, everything he owned, his entire family—all destroyed. Everything! Achan confessed his sin but his confession did not stop the punishment and consequences. I hope his soul was saved.

Addendum: 11/21/13 ~ When things didn't go as expected, Joshua "bowed face down on the ground before the Ark of the LORD and stayed there until evening," and then he asked God specific and direct questions. What a life lesson. When life throws us a curve ball that is what our first response should be. Go to the LORD and stay there. Ask God specific questions. Wait for His answer. When we search for God, we WILL find Him, because He "lets" us find Him, and He WILL answer. (Jeremiah 29:13–14) The LORD answered Joshua and said to him, "Stand up"! Here is the problem and this is what you need to do.

I am so grateful that we serve a living God. One who hears our prayers and knows our name. One who demands our obedience and gives us His blessings. One who instructs us and guides us. One who intercedes to the Father on our behalf.

The LORD—He is the One.

"Our greatest struggle is not in the realm of understanding the will of God; it's in the realm of obeying the God whose will it is. To be painfully honest, when you and I look back at our lives, we do not find ourselves puzzled and mystified about God's will nearly as much as we find ourselves stubborn and resistant to the One directing our steps. Our problem isn't that we don't know; our problem is that we do know but aren't willing to follow through.

That's the basic struggle of the Christian life. The clear truth of God is set before us time and time again. It's available to us, we read it, we hear it explained from the pulpit, in a Christian book, or on a Christian radio program, and we sense the Holy Spirit whispering, Yes, this means you. We understand Him clearly but we resist. When the chips are down, our tendency is to say, "I've got it planned another way." ~ From Wisdom for the Way by Charles Swindoll

Next Entry: Joshua 8:1–35

Joshua 5:13 – 6:27

May 11, 2010

The fall of Jericho.

God used such improbable means to accomplish the destruction of Jericho. Who would have ever thought that marching around the city one time and blowing horns for six days, then marching around the city seven times on the seventh day, blowing horns and then shouting, would cause the walls to fall? But it did! God uses ways and means that defy human wisdom and logic. It is then that He and only He can get the glory for what He has done. Notice what had to happen after the walls fell, and after God had done his part. The Israelites had to go in and take the city. Everyone was to be destroyed except for Rahab and her family. They were also instructed not to take any of the plunder for themselves because it belonged to God. 

You wonder how the Israelites felt marching around the city one time each day for six days. Was there anyone saying, "What is the point of this?" Sometimes God asks us to do things that seem to make no logical sense. We have experienced this first hand. We had to put our feet in the water at flood stage, but God in HIS wisdom has totally protected us.

Trust God. Give Him the space to lead, and then follow!

Side note: Joshua 6:26 - "...don't try to rebuild what God has destroyed!" I Kings 16:34 shows what happened when they disobeyed and tried to rebuild Jericho. What God says will happen—WILL happen!!

Addendum: 11/12/13 ~ The LORD—He is the One.

The Israelites crossed the Jordan on the dry ground God provided because of their obedience to God. Joshua, because he was obedient to God's commands, circumcises all the men in the group. God sustained the Isrealites the entire time they were in the desert by providing manna from heaven but now they "no longer got the manna from heaven." Now, because of their obedience, they eat the food from the land that God promised them. And now, because of Joshua's obedience, God is preparing them to face the first battle.

Joshua is standing near Jericho when "he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a sword in his hand." Joshua went to him and asked, "Are you a friend or an enemy?" And the man answered, "I am neither. I have come as the commander of the LORD's army."

The LORD—He is the One.

God is a God of details. He is in control. He has a plan and it will be accomplished. It is not by our power or by our might, but by my Spirit saith the Lord. We tell the story of how the men marched around Jericho for seven days, but let's not miss or forget the most important part of the story. Were they doing this in their own power? No. The LORD was marching around the walls step by step with them. They were following the Ark of the Agreement. They were following the LORD! HE was the One leading the way. It was HIS presence that caused the walls to fall. It was the Israelite's obedience that "allowed" God to fulfill His promises. And the walls fell.

It wasn't about their power and might—it was about HIS. It wasn't their battle—it was HIS. The spoils of the battle weren't theirs—the spoils belonged to HIM. They were to keep nothing for themselves. Why? Because it wasn't about them.

"The storm" we are in isn't about us. It was and is ALL about HIM. God is faithful. His promises are true. Our responsibility is to believe, surrender, trust, and obey. 

The LORD—He is the One!


Next Entry: Joshua 7:1–26

Joshua 3:1 – 5:12

May 10, 2010

Crossing the Jordan.

The Israelites were to follow the Ark, but they were not to follow it too closely. They had never been this way before and God was going to lead them BUT they were to give Him space, give Him room to lead; and then they were to follow.

We have been through some tough times in our lives. My husband's accident, the death of my best friend, and the turbulent years with our daughter. But never, never have we faced a battle like "the storm" we are in right now. We have never "been this way before" and we certainly did not know what path to take. Very early on we decided to follow God no matter where the path led. And, we truly did need to give God space. It has been a very interesting journey. We could have never planned this path. We could not have even imagined what all God had in store for us. Now that some time has passed and we can look back, we are amazed at what God has done. Just amazed. If you don't give God the space to lead then it becomes too easy to try circumvent His agenda with our own agenda. It's also becomes easy to "miss the turn" because our ability to see God's perspective is diminished in our impatience and hurry. We still don't know when this violent storm will end, but we believe our time to cross the Jordan will soon be coming.

Joshua told the priests to go and stand in the water, the flood stage water. THEN God would make the way. It takes faith to put your feet in the water when the water is at flood stage and before the waters recede. Why does God have us exhibit faith before His promised results? Because faith requires the obedience of the first commandment, "No other God." It keeps everything in the right perspective.

God

↓

Man

                                      

If God laid everything out clearly before us we would soon think life was about us and not about God. It is the LORD—HE is the One.

Joshua 3:13 - "When they step into the water, it will stop."

WHEN we decided we would follow God, no matter what, and put our feet into the water and our heads in the mouth of the lion, THEN God began to do His work. Hard at times? Sure. Stressful at times? Sure. Overwhelmed at times? You bet. But, each step we took in obedience brought peace, contentment, and joy. Yes, joy—even though the water was at flood stage.

The Israelites crossed over on dry ground! God did not make a path for them and then make them trudge through a soggy river bed. They crossed on dry ground. God has made a path for us and it has been surprisingly easy. He has removed fear. He has removed concerns about what other people think. He has removed any emotional distress from the ugliness of "the storm" and the betrayal by a sister and brother-in-law. When you are on God's path He makes the way "dry ground." There may still be walls of water stacked up on either side of you, but God's path is "dry ground."

God told them to make a memorial of rocks from the center of the river as a remembrance to future generations of what GOD did. We will build that memorial as well. Our children, grandchildren, and our parents will gather. We will gather stones and we will build a remembrance. The foundation stone will have Joshua 24:15 engraved on it. "As for me and my house, we WILL serve the Lord."

I find it interesting that Joshua told the twelve men to get rocks from the river and to "carry it (the rocks) on your shoulder." (Joshua 4:5) These weren't little pebbles, and they weren't so big that it caused them to stoop or strain. God gives us the strength to carry what we are to carry—erect, shoulders back, head held high. That is how we are to walk HIS path—standing tall, confident and obedient.

The Israelites crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, forty years to the month and day of the first Passover in Exodus 12:2-3. God's timing is perfect. Jane (Her Name Was Jane) told us to read Jeremiah 33 in April of 2008. One year later, on the exact same day in 2009, God fulfilled His promise of restoration and released us from a financial obligation caused by "the storm." On the exact same day in 2010, it was published online that my husband's business was "awarded" a large new project. The LORD has blessed us and provided for us in amazing ways. On our accuser's side, on the exact same day in two different years, God brought about accountability and they suffered great consequences.

God is in control. "The storm" will be over on the exact day it is to be over. Until it is, HE will continue to protect us.

The Israelites cross the Jordan and Joshua circumcised the men, putting them out of commission for four days. Think about that! It makes no logical sense. Their forefathers were too frightened and lacked the faith to cross the Jordan 40 years earlier. Now, they cross the Jordan, and are out of commission for four days in the very land their forefathers were afraid to enter. What does that tell you? They were relying on God, and God alone. If they were doing this in their own strength they would have circumcised everyone before crossing over so they would have been ready for battle when they crossed. Instead, they did it God's way, a way that made no logical sense. They went into a land where they were going to face battles and oppositions, and put themselves in a helpless and vulnerable position within their enemies reach. And what did God do to honor and bless their obedience? Joshua 5:1 - the kings heard what God had done in drying up the rivers. "After that they were scared and too afraid to face the Israelites." Wow!

When God leads, God provides. Our job is to follow. Not impatiently pushing God along, but giving God the space to do what He wants to do, and then obediently following. God will lead you through on dry ground. He will prepare the way. Praise God!

Addendum:  11/18/13 ~ Joshua 4:1 - "After....."  After they crossed the Jordan, Joshua (following God's instructions) chose twelve men (one from each tribe) and he sent them back into the Jordan to retrieve twelve rocks from the middle of the dry ground they had just come across so they could be used as a sign, as a testimony for future generations of what God had done. After! They didn't just march on. They stopped and they gave honor and glory to the One who provided the way.

When "the storm" we are in is over, we will not just continue on our way. We WILL stop and gather stones and build a remembrance for all who come after us as a way to honor and give testimony to ALL of God's great and awesome power. Not only did God tell the Israelites to leave a testimony going forward, He also told them to leave a testimony as to where they had been. Joshua 4:9 - "Joshua also put twelve rocks in the middle of the Jordan River where the priests had stood while carrying the Ark of the Agreement. These rocks are still there today." We are to leave our testimony as well. A lasting testimony of where we came from and where we have been along this path that God has us on. We are to share not only what God has done, but why it was done. The Ark of Agreement was the LORD. It was because they followed the LORD, surrendering to His will, that God provided the way. He went before them and they followed. It takes full and complete surrender to the authority of God—no matter what. THEN God does His amazing work in our lives and through our lives.

The LORD—He is the One!!

Addendum #2: 5/17/16 ~  The statement I made in my 11/18/13 Addendum really caught my attention today.

"We are to leave our testimony as well. A lasting testimony of where we came from and where we have been along this path God has us on. We are to share not only what God has done, but why it was done."  

Wow! That is what I am doing. Who knew? Who knew that my private journals of our journey on HIS path was going to be that testimony? I certainly didn't. In 2013 I had no idea what God was going to start revealing to me in 2014.  See:

LORD – What Am I to do?
The LORD Answers!
I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!


Next Entry: Joshua 5:13 – 6:27

Joshua 1:1 – 2:24

April 28, 2010

Joshua 1:3 - "I (God) promised Moses I would give you this land, so I (God) will give you every place you go in the land."

Be strong and brave! Be strong and brave! No matter what… be strong and brave.

God was preparing the Israelites for crossing the Jordan and taking the land that He had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But He wasn't preparing just the Israelites. The "enemy" was also watching and being prepared. Twice Rahab says, "We have heard...". They'd heard about how the LORD dried up the Red Sea. They'd heard about the Amorite kings being defeated. They understood that it was the LORD who was in control and that the Israelites were going to be given this land by the LORD. "Now our men are afraid to fight you because the LORD your God rules the heavens above and the earth below."

ALL will know that the LORD—He is the One.

That just makes me so excited. That has been our prayer; that ALL will know that the LORD—He is the One who delivered us. God has promised to be with us. (Her Name Was Jane) When will we be delivered from "the storm"? I don't know. Until God delivers us we will continue to believe His promises. Joshua 1:5 - "I will not leave you or forget you." And, we will continue to follow His instructions to: be strong and brave; follow my commands; be strong and brave; and don't be afraid because the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

God never said it would be easy, but He did promise to be with us. Praise the Lord!  

"When the LORD..." It is not if—it is WHEN!


Next Entry: Joshua 3:1 – 5:12

Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12

April 27, 2010

Moses gave his final blessing to the people. He reminded them that God "takes care of all those who belong to him."

Deuteronomy 33:3 - We bow down at your feet, please teach us.
Deuteronomy 33:12 - "The LORD's loved ones will lie down in safety because he protects them all day long. The ones he loves rest with him."

Thank you Lord for the promise of safety, protection, and rest. We will wait on You to show us the way. The Lord is our shield and helper (Deuteronomy 33:29). There is no one like God. We will trust Him.

Moses dies. He isn't allowed to enter the promised land but God takes him up the mountain and shows it to him. When Moses died God himself buried him. There has never been another prophet like Moses. "The LORD knew Moses face to face."


Next Entry: Joshua 1:1 – 2:24

Deuteronomy 31:30 – 32:52

April 23, 2010

Moses' Song: A message for them to repeat over and over in the coming years.

Deuteronomy 32:46 - "To pay careful attention to all the words I have said to you today, and command your children to obey carefully everything in these teachings. These should not be unimportant words for you, but rather they mean life for you!"

Moses starts out announcing the name of the LORD and praising God because He is great. He is a rock. He does what is perfect. He is always fair. He is faithful. He does no wrong. He is right and fair. He was the one who found them, surrounded them, brought them up, guarded them, loved them, and fed them. BUT, after being all that and doing all that, they forgot who God was and what He did. They grew contented with their lives and they left God who made them and rejected the God who saved them. They started to believe in themselves and to do what they wanted to do. They left God and followed their own desires. They forgot God, and believed in themselves instead.

God tells them of the punishment and heartache they will receive for following their own selfish desires. Are you blind? Where is your thinking? How do you think it happened that one could chase a thousand or two fight ten thousand? Do you really think you did that all on your own? Even your enemies (Deuteronomy 32:31) knew it was me—GOD—who delivered you! What happened to make you believe "we" are the ones, instead of God, He is the One? You got too comfortable and forgot to rely on me! Your forgot to "Love the LORD your God" and to obey and serve. You think you have gotten by with doing what you want to do. You think I haven't noticed. But, I have been watching and I am saying this. Deuteronomy 32:25 - "I will punish those who do wrong; I will repay them. Soon their foot will slip, because their day of trouble is near, and their punishment will come quickly." (This verse is quoted and referred to in Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30.) 

We cannot escape God's wrath and punishment. Who do we think we are that we believe we can do what we want and that somehow God won't notice? The problem is obvious. We have lost focus and believe that we are above God. We have set ourselves up as an idol. We have broken the first and most important command. God will not be mocked. We will not escape the consequences of our choices. 

Why are there curses instead of blessings? And, why are we punished? Because God is mad? Or angry? Or just wants revenge? No! It is to bring us back. It is to restore our relationship to Him in the proper order.

God

↓

Man

Deuteronomy 32:39 - "Now you will see that I am the one God! There is no god but me. I send life and death; I can hurt, and I can heal. No one can escape from me."

God
↓

 Man

Get that right and the rest goes right. That is why the most important thing Jane (Her Name Was Jane) taught us was to PRAISE God. Not the act of thanking Him for what He has done for you, but praising Him for who He is.

God

 ↓

 Man

Addendum:  11/14/13 ~ From the Life Lesson: 

"To know the will of God is the highest of all wisdom. Living in the center of God's will rules out all falseness of religion and puts the stamp of true sincerity upon our service to God. You can be miserable with much, if you are out of His will; but you can have peace in your heart with little, if you are in the will of God. You can be wretched with wealth and fame, out of His will; but you can have joy in obscurity, if you are in the will of God. You can have agony in good health, out of His will; but you can be happy in the midst of suffering, if you are in God's will. You can be miserable and defeated in the midst of acclaim, if you are out of His will; but you can be calm and at peace in the midst of persecution, as long as you are in the will of God. The Bible reveals that God has a plan for every life, and that if we live in constant fellowship with Him, He will direct and lead us in the fulfillment of His plan." ~ From Day by Day with Billy Graham by Joan W. Brown

Next Entry: Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12 

Deuteronomy 31:1–29

April 22, 2010

Verse 3 - "The LORD your God will lead you across himself."
Verse 6 - "The LORD your God will go with you."
Verse 8 - "The LORD himself will go before you."

The LORD—He is the One. He will lead, guide, protect. We need to obey, trust, and follow. Moses tells Joshua to:

• Be strong and brave
• Don't be afraid
• Don't worry
• God is with you 
• He will not leave you 
• He will not forget you 

The problem is not God's faithfulness or His abilities. The problem is us. The LORD—He is the One. He knows what He is doing and how He is doing it. It is His power, not ours. We need to recognize the LORD is God, we are man, and act that way! Obey→ trust → follow.

Deuteronomy 31:20 - clearly states where they (and we) trip up. God provides the land with milk and honey. God wins the victories. We enjoy everything HE has done, yet somehow we start thinking we have what we have because of us when it has nothing to do with us! I've often said any "fear" I have of our future is not about surviving the different storms in our lives, it is that we would settle back into a comfortable lifestyle (like described in Deuteronomy 31:20) and somehow think life is all about us and forget it was, "The LORD—HE IS THE ONE!" I don't ever want to forget. We need to tell HIS story.

Deuteronomy 31:13 - "(your children) they must hear it. They must learn!" Commandment #1: Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength. The LORD—He is the One! 

Be strong and brave, I will be with you. 


Next Entry: Deuteronomy 31:30 – 32:52

Deuteronomy 29:1 – 30:20 (Continued)

April 21, 2010

Choose Life—or—Death. Moses says: Look, this command I'm giving you today is not beyond what you can do. It's not something you have to go find. It is in you. What you have to do is choose.  Here are your choices:

Life and Success
 OR
Death and Destruction

You choose. If you love the LORD your God, do what He wants you to do, and keep His laws and commands, then you will be blessed. BUT, if you  turn away from Him and do not obey Him and put anything else above what He tells you to do, then you will be destroyed. As heaven and earth are my witnesses you have two choices:

Life and Blessings
OR
Death and Curses

Choose Life! To choose life is to love the LORD your God, obey Him and stay close to Him. He is your life. All very simply put. No one can make the choice for us. We must each choose individually for ourselves.

I choose to believe. I choose to surrender. I choose life. 

I will trust God in those unseen things.
I will wait upon the LORD.
I will believe in His protection.
I will rest in His promises.
My life is in His hands.

I choose to believe.


Next Entry: Deuteronomy 31:1–29

Deuteronomy 29:1 – 30:20

April 20, 2010

Moses reminds the gathered people that they saw with their own eyes all God had done, but they still did not comprehend the awesomeness of God. God totally sustained them during their years in the wilderness. Then Moses reminds them: "You must carefully obey everything in this agreement so that you will succeed in everything you do." You are standing here in the presence of God. God is promising that you will be His people. Not only you, but your descendants as well. Make sure! Make sure that no one, no one, leaves God and serves a false god. If they do, it will be like a root that produces poison. Deuteronomy 29:19 - "These are the kind of people who hear these curses but bless themselves thinking, 'We will be safe even though we continue doing what we want to do.' " The LORD will not forgive them. All the curses will happen to them.

"A root that produces poison." I picture the root of a dandelion. It is long and grows deep into the soil. If you try to pull it out it breaks off easily and the plant grows back. To completely eradicate it you have to remove the entire root. A dandelion never says as just one single plant. It quickly spreads and multiplies and it will take over an entire area. We all need to be diligent about eradicating the poisonous roots in our own lives. The best way to do that is to be intentional about carefully following God's commands. We need to surrender all. We aren't called to be in control of our own lives—we are called to submit! We aren't called to desire the world's wealth and riches—we are called to care for the "least of these"! We aren't called to desire prestige, power, or honor—we've been called to be humble! We have not been called to be greedy—we've been called to be generous.

Deuteronomy 29:18-20 - "Make sure no man, woman, family group, or tribe among you leaves the LORD our God to go and serve the god of those nations. They would be to you like a plant that grows bitter, poisonous fruit. These are the kind of people who hear these curses but bless themselves thinking, "we will be safe even though we continue doing what we want to do." Those people may destroy the land ... the LORD will not forgive them. His anger will be like a burning fire against those people, and all the curses written in this book will come on them."   


Next Entry: Deuteronomy 29:1 – 30:20 (Continued)

Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68 (Continued)

April 19, 2010

BUT if you do not obey the LORD your God, then ALL these curses will come upon you and STAY:

• You will be cursed in the city and country; no matter where you go you cannot get away from the curses.
• Your basket (what you reap) and your kitchen (what you produce) will be cursed. You can strategize, you can scheme, you can work hard, but it will be for nothing.
• Your children will be cursed. You will have taught them the ways that dishonored me, and generations will bear the consequences.
• Your crops will be cursed.
• Your herds will be cursed.
• You will be cursed when you go in or out; you will not be able to get away from it.

The curses in Deuteronomy 28:16–19 are the exact opposite of the blessings found in Deuteronomy 26:3–6. Blessings—verses—Curses. Our actions bring God's promised results. Why do we (people) think we can do whatever we want and not reap the consequences? God's word is so clear! If we submit ourselves to God's authority and obey His teachings, we are blessed—even when we face struggles. If we insist on doing things our way, and make ourselves our own god and refuse to submit or obey—we will be cursed. 

The list of curses that follow the ones already listed in verses Deuteronomy 28:16–19 are powerful:

Verse 20 - you will have curses, confusion, and punishment
Verse 20 - you will be destroyed and suddenly ruined
Verse 21 - you will have terrible diseases, fever, and swelling
Verse 24 - you will have lack of rain and plant diseases
Verse 25 - you enemies will defeat you
Verse 28 - you will be paranoid
Verse 28 - you will be punished
Verse 28 - you will have madness, blindness, and a confused mind
Verse 29 - you will fail in everything you do
Verse 29 - people will hurt you and steal from you
Verse 29 - no one will help you
Verse 34 - you will lose your mind
Verse 36 - you will be sent away
Verse 37 - you will become hated and people will make fun of you and laugh at you
Verse 51 - you will be ruined
Verse 52 - you will trust in yourselves but it won't work
Verse 53 - you will be surrounded
Verse 54 - you will become cruel to those you love
Verse 56 - your personality will change
Verse 65 - you will have no rest
Verse 65 - you will have no place of your own
Verse 65 - you will be worried and sad
Verse 66 - you will live with danger and be afraid
Verse 67 - you will have terror in your heart and wonder whether you will live

Deuteronomy 28:45 - "All these curses will come upon you. They will chase you and catch you and destroy you, because you did not obey the LORD your God and keep the commands and laws he gave you." (Psalm 140:11 - "May disaster hunt down men of violence.")

Deuteronomy 28:47-48 - The curses will be a sign to you and generations to come. "You had plenty of everything, but you did not serve the LORD your God with joy and a pure heart," SO, you will serve those the LORD sends against you. "You will be hungry, thirsty, naked, and poor, and the LORD will put a load on you until he has destroyed you." Wow! This sounds so much like Psalm 140.  (Her Name Was Jane)

It is our choice. Blessings—verse—Curses. God has promised us the results. Deuteronomy 28:58 says it crystal clear. "You must respect the glorious and wonderful name of the LORD your God" OR you will suffer the consequences. This ought to stop every single one of us in our tracks. What are we going to do? Who are we going to serve? God? Or ourselves? The choice is ours, the results are promised. 

 

Joshua 24:15 - Choose you this day whom ye will serve. As for me and my house, we WILL serve the Lord.

Addendum:  11/12/13 ~ The Life Lesson has an excerpt from Walking With Christ in the Details of Life by Patrick Morley. It is spot on. Here it is in its entirety:

"The partially surrendered life may be Christian in spirit, but it is secular in practice. It may save one's soul, but it hardly leaves a noticeable ripple on one's lifestyle, life view, or the world and culture in which we live. Of what earthly value is Christianity if it leaves no indelible mark on one's lifestyle? It is of no value (in this life) to be Christian if you do not think Christianity—if you do not have a Christian life view. 

We live in a broken generation. One doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to make this observation, but the obvious question, of course, is Why? Many think the answer is confusing, but it is not. It is found throughout the record of Scripture—it is disobedience. It is to lead a partially surrendered, or worse, an unsurrendered, unyielded life. How can we learn to be obedient? We must learn how to surrender, to submit to Christ in the details of daily life.

Over the past few decades, many of us started off on the wrong foot with Jesus Christ. It is the proposition that Jesus can be Savior without being Lord. It is the idea that one can add Christ, but not subtract sin. Many of us have merely added Christ to our lives as another interest in an already busy and otherwise overcrowded schedule. This sort of thinking has watered down the meaning of a personal relationship with Christ.

The problem is that we often seek the God we want, but do not know the God who is. Many men and women I have met express complete, utter frustration about leading this kind of defeated (sometimes counterfeit), partially surrendered life—the life of a cultural Christian.

 How did this come about? The low demands of cultural Christianity have led to a low response—it has become the norm. But the Bible calls men and women to a turning point, to a radical, life-transforming change. This turning point is no mean challenge, but a full surrender to history's most ideal, most radical leader: the Lord Jesus Christ."

Next Entry: Deuteronomy 29:1 – 30:20

Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68 (Continued)

April 16, 2010

Deuteronomy 27:9–26 - Moses and the Levites stand before the people and began to remind them again of their instructions and the consequences of their choices. First and foremost: Obey the LORD your God and keep His commands. When they cross the Jordan, six of the tribes were to stand on Mount Gerizim to announce the blessings and six of the tribes were to stand on Mount Ebal and announce the curses.

You will be cursed IF:

• You have any kind of idol instead of or in addition to the LORD
• You dishonor your parents
• You try to cheat someone and take what is not yours as your own
• You take advantage of or mislead someone who does not know the way
• You are unfair to others
• You sin sexually
• You hurt or harm others secretly
• You are willing to harm an innocent person for greed and making money.
• You do not obey or *agree with the words of God's teaching

Then, all the people will say AMEN—so be it.

*The very "act" of not agreeing says you have set up an idol (yourself) in addition to God. God is either God—or He isn't. You can't have it both ways.    

Deuteronomy 28 has 68 verses, and like Leviticus 26, it lists the Blessings for Obeying and the Curses for Disobeying. Scripture is SO clear. It is our choice whether we receive Blessings—or—Curses. Our actions bring God's promised results. When you live with God's blessings that does not mean that you have a pain free or trouble free life. It does mean that you are given the guidance, peace, understanding and strength that you need to live confidently in Christ while in the midst of "the storms" that battle around you. There may be (and probably will be) storms. But the storms are around you and not in you. 

The Israelites faced many battles when they went into the Promised Land.  God did not go in and wipe out all the enemies before they entered. There were huge battles; BUT God was with them. He provided the ways and means for them to be successful. When they remembered to trust and obey God they were successful. When they decided to take things in their own hands they failed. It is the same for all of us today. When we remember who we are and who God is and we decide to trust Him and to obey His commands, we WILL be successful. If we decide we are a god and we know how to best do things, and we will decide if, when, or how things are done—we WILL fail. It is our choice. Obey God—receive His blessings. Trust in ourselves—receive the consequences of our choices. 

Our actions bring God's promised results!

Blessings—verses—Curses  Our actions choose the result. IF—we obey, completely obey, THEN—all these blessings (From Deuteronomy 28:3–6) will come and stay with you:         

• You will be blessed in the city and country. Everywhere you go—I will bless you
• Your children will be blessed
• Your crops will be blessed
• Your herds will be blessed
• Your basket (what you reap) and your kitchen (what you produce) will be blessed
• You will be blessed when you come in and when you go out

The LORD will help you defeat the enemies that come to fight you. The LORD will bless you with full barns. He will bless everything you do. He will bless the land He is giving you. He will make you His as He promised. But you must obey His commands and do what He wants you to do. If you do then He will continue to pour out His blessings on you. I love these next metaphors: You will be like the head not the tail; and you will be on the top not the bottom. But you must obey all the commands, being careful to keep them. 

LORD, right now I claim your promises. You have promised to bless those that obey you. LORD, bless us, bless us indeed. Enlarge our territory. May we see Your Hand working in our lives. Protect us from evil so we will harm no one. Bless us, LORD. May Your will be done. Protect us. Guide us. Bless us. May YOUR will be done.


Next Entry: Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68 (Continued)

Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68

April 15, 2010

Wow! Looks like I will be writing for several days on these chapters.

We have long felt that we need to do something to honor God and commemorate what God has done in our lives and the fulfillment of His promises that He so miraculously gave us through Jane. (Her Name was Jane)

We need to remember!

God often used stones as a means for remembrance. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River they were to pick up stones from the river bed. (Joshua 4) The rocks were to remind them and their children what God had done. Now here in Deuteronomy 27, Moses is telling them that soon you will be crossing the Jordan. (Soon this storm in our lives will be over.) And, when they cross over they are to build an altar of stone they have collected from the fields and cover it with plaster. They are to use the altar for burnt offerings and fellowship offerings and "eat them and rejoice before the LORD your God." Then, write clearly the words of these teachings on the stone.

That's it! That's it! Now I know what we are to do! For the last several years my husband and I have mentioned different times that we'd like to build an outdoor stone fireplace. That we would mortar it ourselves, maybe build a small pavilion over it, etc. We've talked about where it could be done how we would do it, etc. It never got any farther than a couple of "what if" conversations. Then, as I was reading Deuteronomy 27:1–8, I immediately know—that's it! That is what we are supposed to do. We are to gather stones, we are to build an altar of praise to our God. Can you imagine? I can't wait! All of us will gather, from the oldest grandparent to the youngest grandchild. We will gather stones and we will take those stones we have gathered and mortar them together to build our altar of praise. We will work together and talk about what God has done. We will gather together in the coming years and remember. We will talk about it with our children and grandchildren.

We will remember!

The ideas are flying through my head, but I don't want to do anything that is just my idea. So, time will be taken. What is it You want us to do God? How do You want it done? We want this altar of praise to honor You and You alone. Show us how to incorporate Your commands. Show us what You want us to do. Our hands are open to You.

Our family has went through this time together, and we will build this altar of praise—together. Joshua 24:15 - "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Can't wait to see what God is going to do and how He is going to do it. Blessed be the name of the LORD!

Addendum: 11/4/13 ~ "All of us will gather..." A lot has changed in the three and one half years since I first wrote that. Dad is gone. My husband's parents are no longer capable of participating. So, that just leaves Mom, but in NO way do I mean "just" Mom. Mom of all people fully understands what all we have been through and the events surrounding this storm. I so hope she will still be alive and well when this is over so she can participate in the gathering of stones. I want Mom to live long enough to be able to witness the Hand of God as HE saves us "from the hands of the wicked." But if for some reason she still isn't with us, I am okay with that. She has already experienced and witnessed the Hand of God working in our lives, and that is enough.

Addendum #2: 5/6/16 ~ We finally realized "the storm" didn't have to be over to build the shelter. Faith is believing before seeing. So the work has begun. The timber peg construction of our Praise Shelter is completed. The fireplace to commemorate the altar is finished; the stones have been gathered and engraved with the promises God gave us through Jane's lips; the plank has been engraved with the words—Praise Shelter Est. 2016. We still need to finish laying the brick and cobblestone floor and stain the wood. We are so grateful. We WILL remember. Thank you LORD. We will celebrate YOUR faithfulness and guidance on this journey.   

Addendum #3: 8/22/18 ~ Picture of the Praise Shelter and video of the completed cobblestone path. 

Addendum #3: 9/20/18 ~ Mom went to her eternal home and her Lord and Savior in 2018. She had no fear of death and zero anxiety about the process; she only felt God was "dawdling" and not taking her soon enough. Mom was ready to "go home."

My brother and I took care of Mom for the last three weeks of her life. What precious memories we have of our time together. We laughed, we cried, Mom told us stories we had never heard, she kept us entertained with funny one-liners, we shared life and love together, and as difficult and exhausting as it was, it was also a beautiful time that I will forever cherish. Mom was fiercely independent, determined, and self-less to the end. She didn't live long enough to see "the storm" in our lives end, but thankfully, she helped with building the Praise Shelter and preparing the surrounding area. She enjoyed spending peaceful time swinging in the hammocks. 

Faith is believing before the proof. I'm so thankful we built the Praise Shelter honoring God's promises while Mom was still alive to enjoy it. You're home, Mom. You're home. Praise the LORD!

2020 Update: "The storm" is over!  See: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow


Next Entry:  Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68 (Continued)

Deuteronomy 26:1–19

April 14, 2010

When you go (when—not if you go into the land) remember it was God who brought you out so give Him some of the first harvest as a way of remembrance and praise for what He has done. Remember where you came from, the circumstances you were in, the miraculous way God saved you, and the promises that are now fulfilled. 

The LORD has kept His promises, now you keep yours. Love the LORD with all your heart and soul. You have said you will obey Him, now do it. Deuteronomy 26:14–19 - I have done what you asked. I have done everything you've commanded. Now, look down from heaven and bless us, bless us indeed. Bless this land, enlarge our territory. May we see your hand working in our lives. Protect us from evil. You are a promise keeping God. Bless us as you have promised. May we always be your people, as you have promised. 

"The storm" in our life will someday end. We will remember. We will keep your commandments. We rest in your promises. 

WHEN you go. It is not IF—it is WHEN! Blessed be the name of the LORD.


Next Entry: Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68

Deuteronomy 23:1 – 25:19

April 13, 2010

All of these chapters are about doing the right thing—always—whether someone is looking or not.

By example, Moses reminds them of people who did not do what was right. The Ammonites and Moabites hired Balaam, someone they knew they could "buy" to put a curse on the Israelites. BUT GOD turned the curse into a blessing. The truth about their hearts were revealed. Moses says, do the right thing, don't start feeling sorry for them and wish them peace and success. Their hearts are their hearts. They need a heart change.

Do the right thing! Be fair and generous. Don't be greedy. Don't overcharge people. Don't take away their livelihood. Don't take things from your neighbors. Don't hoard. Leave some of what you have been blessed with for others. Don't have two sets of weights and measures! Be honest. Do the right thing! Love God → Love Man. Don't be like the Amalekites and sneak up behind people to take advantage of the weak and weary. The LORD hates anyone who is dishonest and cheats.

Proverbs 10:2 - "Riches gotten by doing wrong have no value."

Deuteronomy 25:1 - If two people have an argument and go to the court, the judge will decide. They "must stand in the presence of God."

Do what is right! Be fair and generous. Fulfill your promises to God. Get rid of the evil among you. Do not forget!


Next Entry: Deuteronomy 26:1–19

Deuteronomy 21:1 – 22:30

April 12, 2010

Jesus, in Mark 12:30-31, says what Moses has been telling the Israelites in Deuteronomy. "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." (Cross Reference: Deuteronomy 6:4-5) "The second command is this: 'Love you neighbor as you love yourself'. (Cross Reference: Leviticus 19:18) There are no commands more important than these."

There it is in a nutshell. Love God → Love Man. Three times in Deuteronomy 22 it says, "Don't ignore it." When your fellow man needs help don't ignore it. Help them! Love God → Love Man.

The Life Lesson today sent me to read Psalm 34:14–16. My husband and I memorized these verses and would quote them often as we walked together every morning; praying and seeking God's direction and guidance while navigating "the storm." Psalm 34:14–22 - "Stop doing evil and do good. Look for peace and work for it. The Lord sees the good people and listens to their prayers. But the LORD is against those who do evil; he makes the world forget them. The LORD hears good people when they cry out to him and he saves them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, and he saves those whose spirits have been crushed. People who do right may have many problems, but the LORD will solve them all. He will protect their very bones; not one of them will be broken. Evil will kill the wicked; those who hate good people will be judged guilty. But the LORD saves his servants lives; no one who trusts him will be judged guilty."  

There will come a day when God says enough is enough. "The storm" will end.


Next Entry:  Deuteronomy 23:1 – 25:19