MARCH 22, 2022

  “The monster is only scary while it is in the closet.Once in the light,you can see its many flaws and weaknesses.And often,we end up laughing,at what we shield our eyes from no more.” - Tom Althouse

JOSHUA 7-8

 5And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of them, chasing them from the gate as far as the quarriesd and striking them down on the slopes. So the hearts of the people melted and became like water.

6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before the ark of the LORD until evening, as did the elders of Israel; and they all sprinkled dust on their heads.7“O, Lord GOD,” Joshua said, “why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to be destroyed? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? 9When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”(7:5-9)

LUKE 2:25-52

 46After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

49“Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^f 50But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

51Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

JOURNAL 

So Joshua and the Israelites suffer their first defeat since crossing the Jordan and everyone falls apart. Tearing their clothes and making extreme statements of doom and gloom. Joshua goes on to declare that it would have been better to never have crossed the Jordan. Hmmm...sounds familiar. 

With Jesus we get his first recorded words, and insight into the characteristics that set him apart...what 12 year old is content to be separated from his parents in order to sit around with astute older men and debate the scriptures? 

  6Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”b

Deuteronomy 31:6

MARCH 21, 2022

 “What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.” 

― C.S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew

JOSHUA 4-6

14That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.(4:14)

LUKE 2:1-24

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

JOURNAL 

Joshua needed to do nothing but obey God...Joshua needed not to worry about public perception, how he was viewed, who liked him, who didn't. Joshua just needed to trust God and in doing so...God paved the way for him. 

It was the same with Jesus...from a PR perspective it was a nightmare. Jesus born in squalor to a teenage girl, who is pregnant outside of marriage. What a disaster...how God was this the plan?  Joseph must have made that long walk to Bethlehem thinking..."what have I gotten myself into?". Yet God takes what the world would consider as all wrong and makes it righteous. 

This is such a great reminder of the core of everything is God's love. His love is what made me, this world, the miracle of living things...all of it is because he loves us. To really live in this reality is very humbling. Then to not be motivated to use all my talents and power to serve God in giving this love to others would be the height of arrogance. We are here to serve God by loving others. That is done when I humbly acknowledge that my talents, gifts, circumstances are a gift and a gift that is best used when done in the spirit of love. 

Every day the world is going to throw adversity my way. My response is not to complain or wish it were different, my response is to dig deeper into his love for me, his love for this world and use my abilities to respond as he would respond. 

37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

MATTHEW 25:37-40

MARCH 20, 2022

  “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” 

― John C. Maxwell

JOSHUA 1-3

7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(1:7-9)

LUKE 1:57-80

76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77to give his people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79to shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit^d ; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

JOURNAL 

Joshua becomes the leader of Israel after the death of Moses. Joshua will have many battles and many trying times but he succeeds in leading the people into the promised land and setting up the establishment of Jerusalem and God's kingdom. Fear and Courage really are the two defining characters within these first 3 chapters of Joshua. God commands the Israelites to be courageous while the people of Jericho are "melting in fear". This fear proves to be their undoing.

John is born and it is prophesied that he will prepare the way for Jesus. The verses contain promises that resonate...

 78because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79to shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

                                         to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Not a person knew the path or way it would all play out but God made promises that he has kept. It is within these promises that I find courage to face all challenges.

Looking back 2 years now...the anxiety and fear were deep and extreme...amazing to see how we persevered how things actually turned out...such a lesson in how to live each and every day!

Day 5...as more are confirmed with the virus, this new reality seems to only be getting started. The prognosticators really get to me at times. Predictions about the end of the United States, about how this will go into next year, online school from now on...Reality is NOBODY KNOWS. Reading scripture I can take comfort in that neither did most in the Bible. God promises that we will never be alone and that he loves us. God promises that in the end all will be made right and all the righteous will be restored. That's really about all we get and it really is enough. I definitely want more and throughout each day I battle the desire to know how this is all going to play out...but that's not what I get. I do get the promise that God will never leave or forsake. Courage not fear!

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

JOSHUA 1:5-6

MARCH 19, 2022

  “If man had his way, the plan of redemption would be an endless and bloody conflict. In reality, salvation was bought not by Jesus' fist, but by His nail-pierced hands; not by muscle but by love; not by vengeance but by forgiveness; not by force but by sacrifice. Jesus Christ our Lord surrendered in order that He might win; He destroyed His enemies by dying for them and conquered death by allowing death to conquer Him.” 

― A.W. Tozer, Preparing for Jesus' Return: Daily Live the Blessed Hope

DEUTERONOMY 33-34

29Blessed are you, Israel!

Who is like you,

a people saved by the Lord?

He is your shield and helper

and your glorious sword.

Your enemies will cower before you,

and you will tread on their heights.”(33:29)

LUKE 1:24-56

46And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48for he has been mindful

of the humble state of his servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49for the Mighty One has done great things for me—

holy is his name.

50His mercy extends to those who fear him,

from generation to generation.

51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;

he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52He has brought down rulers from their thrones

but has lifted up the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things

but has sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful

55to Abraham and his descendants forever,

just as he promised our ancestors.”

JOURNAL 

Here we have the end of Moses' life and his last words and the beginning of Jesus'. God is faithful and works in the lives of all people. For all of my 50 years I have seen God work and it is never predictable. Although his ways and methods seem cruel, heartless and dismissive at times...the reality is that they are so far above my understanding that the glimpses that I do get into his reasons and ways, never fail to astound me in their goodness and perfection. 

To be able to truly have a God that I can connect to at any moment, that promises to never leave or forsake me and that will always forgive me for my foolish wanderings, is overwhelming. "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so..." It is true and it is the fuel that sustains me and propels me every day of my life. 

Two years ago we were into the 4th day of "social-distancing"....so many things happened after that point, here we are now with things pretty much back to normal, other than the 4.00 gas prices.  I look back to then and realize all the good that did transpire although it was mixed with the bad...but that's just the reality of life. Both will always exist this side of heaven. The key is to not allow the adversity be a distraction that takes me away from the core of God's love and from all that he calls me to do and be. Regardless though...God is always there, always waiting, always good...the story of the prodigal is always a great reminder that no matter what we face he is there pure and perfect and loves us far more than we can ever comprehend.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

LUKE 15:21-24

MARCH 18, 2022

And suddenly you know: It's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” 

― Meister Eckhart

DEUTERONOMY 31-32

7Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. 8The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”(31:7-8)

 45When Moses had finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46he said to them, “Take to heart all these words I testify among you today, so that you may command your children to carefully follow all the words of this law. 47For they are not idle words to you, because they are your life, and by them you will live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (32:45-47)

LUKE 1:1-23

11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

JOURNAL 

The great thing about reading the New Testament through is that Jesus life ends and starts over 4 times through the 4 Gospels. It's really interesting reading the mission for John and what is said about him. Fascinating that God's spirit is with him even before birth. His mission is to "turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous-to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Of all the things...turn the hearts of the parents to their children.  Well doing research this comes from  Malachi and the last words of the old testament...5“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”So how does John the Baptist do this? Baptism...Wow...people become new. Not physically but spiritually and are then adopted into the Kingdom. 

This last year continued to be filled with challenges that no one saw coming. Yet as I read the Bible it's clear that uncertainty and difficulty are just simply part of life. It has been easy in our culture to get sucked into the false belief that we know how life "should" go. Reality is none of us know what will happen tomorrow and that's the way God designed it. The more I accept this reality the closer I am to truly trusting God. I am realizing more and more the gift of this time. If there was ever a time when God can "turn the hearts of the parents to their children" it is now. All life is a gift, it was then and it is now. 

Every single morning I get the same gift...it's a new day, new opportunities, new circumstances in which to serve God and tackle adversity. New opportunities that God's light and love can shine within me, it is truly a cause for celebration. Should I trust God enough to live this way then what a wonderful day and ultimately wonderful life this will be.

 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^a The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Corinthians 5:17