Category: Seasons of Life

Re: Verse reading–Genesis 47:27-31; 48:1-2,8-19; 49:33; 50:1-6 (day one)
“Then he blessed Joseph…” Joseph? But his hands were on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. How was he blessing Joseph if his hands were on Joseph’s sons? The blessing that a father gives is never just for one generation. Pouring wisdom, love and discipline into a child is a kind of investment that is reaped for generations. But Joseph’s blessing that day was as much practical as it was spiritual. In a great act of favor, Jacob gives his blessing, his inheritance, not to Joseph himself which would then be split in two for the boys. No. Jacob adopts Joseph’s sons as his own so that Joseph received two full shares of his father’s blessing/inheritance. That’s how it is with a father’s favor. It is as unfair as it is lavish. That’s how it is with our Father’s favor. When He places His hand on your head, it is unfair — you will receive far more than you deserve, and it is lavish – the generosity is astounding. But He doesn’t place his hand on your head because of you. He places His hand on your head because His favor has fallen on His Son in whom He is “well-pleased.”

Re: Verse reading–Genesis 47:27-31; 48:1-2,8-19; 49:33; 50:1-6 (day one)
Jac0b is 147 years old.  He has learned much.  God has been patient with this scoundrel turned saint.  Now he has one final wish.  “I want to be buried in the land that God promised my fathers”, he tells his son Joseph.  I want a memorial service that will remind my family what I believe and my hope for the future–that God will eventually return the sons of Israel to Canaan and fulfill the promise made to Abraham.  Sadly, our generation regards a “last will and testament” as having mainly to do with money.  For Jacob it was more.  It was one last opportunity to declare his faith in God and to  encourage his family toward it.  Joseph would later follow his example.  (Genesis 50:25)  What about you?  Are you using every opportunity to clearly communicate your faith in God to your family.  In life?  In death?  What is in your last will and testament?

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:1-2, 17-33; Joshua 14:6-10 (day seven)
“I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now” (14:11)  It was a dark period, spiritually.  Great mistakes had been made.  Serious consequences were being experienced by the nation.  How did Caleb retain spiritual vitality? How did he escape the deadening, discouraging impact of endless funerals and frustration as the nation waited out the judgement of God?  Good question for us who also live in a time of God’s out-poured wrath.  “The days are evil” says Paul in Ephesians 5.  (As if we needed the reminder)  2 Peter 2:9 says,   “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgement.”  He knows how judge the culture and encourage the believer. Simultaneously.  Let none of us use the present age as an excuse.  God calls us to be  spiritually strong.

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:1-2, 17-33; Joshua 14:6-10 (day six)
“Now then, give me this hill country. . .perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them (Anakim) out as the Lord has spoken.” (Joshua 14:12)  Does your experience with God in the past cause you to trust Him for the future?  Can you look back over life and see His faithfulness?  Can you translate this testimony into courage for the challenges ahead?  Caleb could.  45 years earlier, God promised him that he would survive the wilderness judgment.  Still alive , therefore proving the faithfulness of God, he is confident that 1) the land can be continued to be conquered ,even though “giants” are still menacingly present, and 2) he would get to participate in the victory (even though he was now a senior adult).  He says  “perhaps” more from humility than doubt.  He is still willing to risk!  Still willing for the adventure to continue! Has God’s faithfulness touched your heart?  Are you confident?

Re: Numbers 13:1-2, 17-33; Joshua 14:6-10 (day five)
“But my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear.  I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.”  (14:8)  Caleb is not bragging.  (Moses will make the same judgment about him in v. 9)  He is simply reporting what happened years before at Kadesh Barnea.  10 members of the select committee bring a fear-based report.  Only Caleb and Joshua see the possibilities of God’s call.   Are we whole-hearted?  Hearts COMPLETELY,  focused on the Lord and His plans and power to help?  Do we entertain fear, lingering too long on the  problems that may lay ahead, becoming, by implication, half-hearted?  It will not turn out well.  “Love the Lord with ALL your heart and your soul and your mind and your strength” is not only a command, it is the path of LIFE for the people of God.  No one can serve two masters.  No one can succeed with half a heart.

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:1-2, 17-33; Joshua 14:6-10 (day four)
God had given a specific command to Moses…send out spies to check out the land ‘which I am going to give to the sons of Israel’.  The spies were not to evaluate the strength of the inhabitants or the difficulty of the task.  Only Caleb and Joshua understood their assignment.  They trusted in what the Lord had said.  Verse 14:9 says, “Their protection has been removed from them,”…Caleb recognized that his sovereign God was able to provide.  He trusted God to be faithful to His promise.  Are there any giants in your life?  Are you struggling to see God’s provision for the need in your life?  God is the majority wherever He is.  Where the line is drawn, the battle will ensue.  God will often allow us to experience need in order to learn trust.  Pressure conforms us into His image.  Like Caleb and Joshua, we must not rebel against God and fear man…God is with us!

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:1-2, 17-33; Joshua 14:6-10 (day three)
“You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me.”  It only takes one moment of clarity to save your life.  When something true gets revealed, and you pay attention to that revelation, and you believe it, nothing will ever rob you of hope.  Not forty-five years of wandering, not growing old, not enemies.  And these things will surely present themselves, and they will threaten you, and they will show you no mercy.  The revelation you once heard–that no one who hopes in the Lord will ever be put to shame, the promise that no one but the Lord will ever make to you, that revelation–will save your life, too, if you pay attention to it, and believe it.

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:1-2, 17-33; Joshua 14:6-10 (day two)
Joshua 15:12 “Now give me this hill country the Lord promised me…” A Christian leader doesn’t pray small prayers. He or she prays bold prayers. Here’s some bold prayers based on Paul’s guidance to Timothy: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

“Approved” – let Your “well done” be the reward I seek above all else.

“Worker” – let me be productive out of proportion to my natural gifts.

“Ashamed” – let me honor Your name through how and what I produce.

“Word of truth” – let Your revelation be the source of life for me and those I serve.

Re: Verse reading–Numbers 13:1-2, 17-33; Joshua 14:6-10 (day one)
“My brothers made the hearts of the people melt with fear.  I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.”  (Joshua 14:8)  The longer I live, the more I appreciate God’s less spectacular miracles.  Jesus had to discern when He was tempted.  Stones into bread. Temple dive and angel rescue.  Possible?  Yes.  Profitable?  No.  (See Luke 4 for more)  All the miracles of Christ (sight for blind eyes, mobility for paralyzed) were intended to point our attention to the greater miracle–Heaven’s offer to heal the human heart and restore it to full, powerful, joyful relationship with God.  As unspectacular as it may seem on the surface, the deep work of “writing the Law of God on the heart” (Jeremiah 31) is the TRUE miracle, and the only one that will last.  “Teach me Thy way, O Lord; I will walk in your truth; Unite my heart to fear Thy name.” (Psalms 86:11-12)  An undivided heart is a miracle!

Re: Verse reading–Genesis 41:25-57; 45:4-8 (day seven)  “It was not you who sent me here, but God.” (v 45:8)  He lived 1200 years before Isaiah.  2000 years before Jesus.  Nevertheless, Joseph saw the same truth that they would eventually teach.  Suffering and service are synonymous.  No one can save others and himself too.  Please notice the uncomplaining summary that Joseph gives for his heart-breaking years.  God sent me.  It was not the hatred of men that put me on this road.  It was God’s love.  “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities”, says Isaiah 53:5.  There is a cost!  It is not a surprise to us (or shouldn’t be).  Jesus said the same.  “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”  (John 12:24)  The man who loves his life will lose it.  Serving God means bearing up under the suffering that comes.  You willing?