Month: June 2016

Re: Verse reading–1 Kings 19:1-18 (day one)

“So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me. . . if by this time tomorrow I do not (take your life).  Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.”–v 2-3

I know people who are trustworthy.  I also know people who are trustweary.  They serve well and long.  Stand like heroes against doubt and disappointment, opposition and criticism.  Then, one day, they get in the “red zone”.  Overload.  They get weary, and then they get afraid.

Sometimes they run.  Sometimes they get negative.  Sometimes they make foolish decisions.  Elijah is in the first category.  Jezebel’s threat sends him “over the edge”.

Rest is a spiritual necessity.  Sabbath is a command not a suggestion. Those who don’t get it in normal rhythms will experience God’s intervention.  “He MAKES ME lie down”.

Rest from all other things!  Guard your margins.  Save your energy for the most important thing.  Trust.

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day seven) 

“And they gave out to the sons of Israel a BAD report”–13:32.

Was it BAD because it was dishonest?  No.  The majority that day were being completely honest.

Was it BAD because it was malicious? Motivated by self-interest?  No.  The ten members of that study committee thought that they were speaking wisdom.

It was BAD because it was not true, not an accurate reflection of God’s will.   They had not heard from God.  Listened to fear, instead.  It was BAD because “whatever is not of faith is sin”–Romans 14:23.

When God says, “go”, fear hesitates but faith obeys.  When God says, “wait”, pride pushes forward but faith kneels in humble patience.

Bad or good is ultimately determined by whether God is in it.  Have you waited on Him?  If so,  He is calling you to obey the “GOOD and acceptable and perfect will of God?”–Romans 12:2.  Anything else is going to be BAD.

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day six)

In the Princess Bride, Wesley finds himself in the Pit of Despair where he is tortured and ultimately dies…at least mostly. His body is rescued by soon-to-be accomplices. They then take his body to a magician who works a miracle on the mostly-dead Wesley. Immediately he becomes conscious, but must slowly regain his strength over the course of the movie in order to rescue the damsel in distress. Great movie!

We too can find ourselves in our own pits of despair, with no apparent way out. It could be related to health, finances, or relationships; regardless of the source, we can feel helpless and hopeless. That is how the spies felt in Numbers 13 and 14 (except Joshua and Caleb) as they faced the obstacles ahead of them in claiming the Promised Land. They couldn’t see how they could overcome it; they were helpless and hopeless, and it infected everybody. With the obstacles so great, they had forgotten all that God had already done as well as his promises. We can fall into this sin just as quickly, can’t we?

The apostle Paul wrote from prison in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Two things to notice here, one Paul learned, it wasn’t immediate, he had to grow in the Gospel; two, God did not necessarily whisk him away out of every despair inducing circumstance. It is clear, like Joshua and Caleb, Paul learned to cling to the promises of God based on what Jesus had done in the Gospel. Even though we may find ourselves in the pit, we do not despair because Jesus has already overcome the world; his promises hold true for all eternity!

That is far better than a giant miracle pill!

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day five)  “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there.”

Since Exodus 3, God has been telling the Israelites that the promised land would be “flowing with milk and honey” and would also be “occupied by Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Jebusites,” (and others)

So… Why the doubting? Why the panic? Why the disobedience?

Perhaps one of the answers is found in the response of the spies. When Joshua and Caleb saw the others they remembered God’s promises. When the other 10 saw those inhabitants of the Promised Land they saw themselves in relation to the giants and forgot all about God’s promises and power. They forgot who they were in relation to their Heavenly Father, but rather focused on themselves in relation to the giants. They had a very skewed perspective of their identity!! Part of our faith is believing and trusting God’s Word and Promises about His children and His followers. Look closely at 1 Peter 2:9-11

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day four)

Verse 14:4 – “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”  It was a bad report from a majority of the spies.  They were afraid…the cities were big, the walls were heavily fortified, and the people were giants.  Their eyes were on the wrong things.  Caleb and Joshua had their eyes upon the Lord.  They recognized that the Lord had removed His protection from these people.  Man-made fortifications were of no consequence, apart from the hand of God.  It was God who had sent the Israelites to the Promise Land and covenanted with them to give them the land.  Now, the Israelites wanted to be in control…notice in verse 4 they said “let us…”.  They wanted to determine their own destiny…not to follow the Lord’s direction.

Caleb and Joshua also recognized that a prerequisite for God’s provision was that He was pleased with them (v. 8).  “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.”  (Hebrews 11:6)  Caleb and Joshua knew it…we know it…what choice do we make?

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day three)

“Our wives and children will be taken as plunder.”  You trust fear.  You know fear.  Fear’s been around your whole life, working to keep you safe, affirming what you’ve suspected all along.  It keeps you away from risk, away from putting your mind to the hard task of solving problems, away from people calling for your help with troubling questions, away from the misery of those who need a word of hope or encouragement or warning.  Courage, well, that’s a different story.  Courage is a newcomer, spouting off new ways of thinking about the future.  By thinking in those new ways, consider all you have to lose, fear tells you.  Why do you think fear never tells you what you have to gain by staying afraid?

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day two)

“Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 4:19b

In what would foreshadow Joshua’s first sermon to the people of Israel forty years later, Joshua pleads for his comrades to be strong and courageous.  Joshua 1:6. The Israelites could not see past their own understanding of the world. They had left the oppression of the Egyptians and followed the Lord’s command through the Red Sea, but they could not fathom how the God who did all that could possibly defeat this new foe. Do you do that? Do you limit our Sovereign God’s ability to move any mountain, part any water, or vanquish any foe because of your small understanding of his power? When will we stop measuring God’s power by our earthly yardstick? If God has brought you to it, he’ll bring you through it.

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:26-33; 14:1-9 (day one)

“Our wives and children will be taken as plunder.  Wouldn’t it be better to go back to Egypt?”–14:3

It was a sad day.  A permanent regret.  God had prepared them.  Proved Himself at the Red Sea crossing, provided for them in daily manna.  Then, irrational fear took over.  At the first mention of powerful opponents and fortified cities and giant warriors, the people panicked!  No reference to a faithful, powerful God.  Wildfire anxiety!  Before long, they were imagining disaster and considering a return to Egypt!

At some point, fear becomes a choice.  “Let not your heart be troubled” says the Lord.  If fear is ruling my life, at some level I am allowing it.

Sad day for them.  Costly failure.  Doesn’t have to be so for us.  “TRUST in the LORD with all your heart!  Lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him and He will direct your paths.”–Proverbs 3:4-5.

RE Verse reading–Exodus 3:7-15; 4:1-17 (day seven)

“When God saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush.”–3:4

It isn’t really a virtue, but almost.  Curiosity.  Interest.  Hunger for something that you haven’t yet found. The ability to dream again despite all disappointments.

The Bible says that God watched for it in Moses. Waited to see what he (Moses) would choose.

Maybe he was tempted to just walk on by.  Once burned, twice shy.   Why does it matter? Life is over for me anyway.  Or, maybe he identified with the bush.  Saw his own story in it. In the fire, but not destroyed.  Resilient.  Humbled but still hopeful.

Henry Blackaby talks about the “crisis of belief”.  That moment when what you thought would happen didn’t.  The answer you thought would come doesn’t.  What then?  Will you survive that moment?  Will your faith?

After all the bumps and delays, are you still curious?