Ambushing our Ai's

Day one hundred eighty-one

Today is one of those days where I have lots of little chores to do instead of a few big chores to do.  It is amazing how quickly the little things add up and can feel overwhelming. So this morning my prayer included gratitude for the blessing of work and a request that I would have the proper perspective as I tackled each chore today.  Also, a request that I might focus on what is being accomplished and not on what is yet to be done. 

After my prayer I grabbed my list of chores and started to prioritize them. As I accomplish one I plan to mark it out.  There is something about watching my list dwindle that brings me hope throughout the day.  May the day be filled with hope!

Joshua 8:1-35

Chapter 8 finds Israel facing the same city that they faced in chapter 7. The little city of Ai. The first time Israel went up to do battle at Ai, they were defeated by the inhabitants of that city and 36 of their number lost their lives. The primary reason for their defeat was that there was sin in their midst that had not been dealt with. With the offender dealt with, they are back, and ready to face the people of Ai in battle once again.

Just like Israel, we often lose battles in our lives because of problems we have not dealt with.  But because the Lord loves us, he teaches us ways to overcome our defeats and make them victories.  In the case of the city of Ai, the Lord teaches Israel how to conquer this city His way.  There are some good lessons for us to learn from His techniques on how to ambush our Ai and walk away with the victory in our lives.

Verse 1:  When the Lord speaks to Joshua, after the death of Achan, God tells him to go to Ai. However, he tells him that things will be different this time. He assures Joshua and Israel of the victory.  It is interesting that the Lord called them to return to the place of their greatest defeat. God knew that they needed to overcome the defeat at Ai before they could move on in the conquest of Canaan.

How many times have we fallen and wondered if we will ever get back to where we were before? The Lord has some powerful words for Joshua and for us; in fact, these are the first words He states to Joshua, "Fear not!" He follows that statement with, "Neither be thou dismayed." To those who have been defeated, what a great message of hope these words would bring! "Fear not, and don't worry, I am giving you the victory!" What a great blessing to know that these words are true for us too!

Verse 2:  Notice that the Lord tells them that they will do to Ai what they did to Jericho, except for the fact that in Ai, they are to take all the spoils for themselves! If Achan would have waited just a few more days, then he could have had all the riches that he could have imagined. Instead, he ran ahead of God and grabbed for himself that which was forbidden by God and as a result, Achan paid the ultimate price.

What a great lesson!  Sometimes we are guilty of the same kind of foolishness? If we could just learn to wait on God and let Him lead and bring into our lives the things that need to be there, we would be far better off. This is a great message for a world where people want what they want and they want it now! The world doesn't want to wait. Instead, people run ahead of God and mess things up and then expect Him to bail them out!  

I cannot think of a better "life coach" than the Lord.  It makes sense to wait on the Lord to bring those things into your life that He knows are best for you, (i.e. mate, sexuality, finances, etc.).  He has way more information than we do! When we can learn to wait on the Lord, we are well on our way to victory in our lives (Rom. 12:7; Psa. 130:5; Psa. 37:34).

God told Israel in exact detail how they were to mount their attack against Ai. They were to lay an ambush for Ai and they would take the city and all its inhabitants.  In other words they would wait.  Israel had already learned what happens when you do things the Lord's way. When you fight the battle by following His plan, you cannot fail. They had also learned what happens when they refused to do it God's way. They learned that failure awaits that person who goes against the will of the Lord.

If we are going to pursue victory over our defeats, then we must go about it God's way. No other plan will work.  And like Joshua, we need constant contact with the things of God. We are strengthened spiritually when we are exposed to the things of the Lord such as prayer and the scriptures. He will guide us, the information is there, we just have to do our part and wait for the answers.

At this point in this story, Israel has followed God's plan and they have achieved the victory. Now, they must maintain their victory. They take two steps that make this a reality for them. In our lives, we can achieve and maintain our victories too by taking the same steps as Israel did. 

Verses 27-29:  Notice that they did not leave a single person alive in Ai. No one from the king down to the humblest servant was spared from death in this battle. Joshua knew that this enemy had to be totally eradicated or there would be problems down the road.

The lesson for us is that once we have victory over whatever is holding us back we must completely eradicate it from our lives.  This may mean changing friends, habits, our surroundings, etc. We need to eliminate the negative things that hold us back.

Verses 30-35:  After the enemy had been eradicated and victory had been preserved, Israel finished by doing what the Lord had told them to do through Moses (Deut. 27:1-28:6). Half of the nation was to stand on Mount Ebal and the other half on Mount Gerizim. The Levites were to stand in the valley between these mountains and were to read the cursings and the blessings. As they read the cursings, the crowd on Mount Ebal shout, "Amen." When they read the blessings, the crowd on Mount Gerizim was to shout "Amen." This exercise was to remind them of what God would bless and of what He would not bless. They were reaffirming their commitment to live by the word of God every day!

If we are to win and preserve the victory day by day, then we too must commit to live by the word of God. If God said do it, then we do it! If God said don't do it, then we don't do it!  Obeying is the best way we can show our devotion to God.

What a great chapter this turned out to be!  It is filled with hope, victory, God's love for His children, His children's love for Him, and so much more.  It has made me think of ways that I can recommit to keeping the Lord close to me and receive His guidance. It has also left me energized and ready to conquer, just the combination I need to get me through my day!

Lessons From Achan

Day one hundred eighty

I woke this morning filled with anticipation because I would be going through the temple with my son.  It is one more step he needed to complete as he prepares for his missionary work in Virginia.  I prayed that the Spirit might be with us as we shared this experience, that our hearts would be filled with love for the Lord, and that we would recognize the significance of this event.  Needless to say, it was a great experience and I was overwhelmed with the joy of seeing my son at the temple.  I am truly blessed!

Joshua 7:1-26

Israel has just been involved in the greatest military conquest in their history. They have just witnessed the tremendous defeat of the city of Jericho and they are still basking in the glow of that great event. But, verse 1 tells us that God was upset with the people. Israel thought that everything was all right. They thought that they were standing on the edge of a great string of victories that would see them conquering the entire land of promise. Yet, what they didn't know was that there was a problem in the camp. There was one in their midst who was causing a problem for the entire family of God's people.

This brought to mind the verses in 1 Cor. 12:26-27 in which we are described as "the body of Christ" and taught that when one member suffers they all suffer.  Our spiritual status has a deep effect on the entire body of Christ. We are not an island unto our self. What we do effects those around us. This truth is illustrated in the story of Achan.

A PAINFUL DEFEAT (vv 2-5)
Israel was still basking in the glow of their victory at Jericho and they looked at Ai and felt like that little town would be no problem for such a great army. They were confident that the Lord would provide another victory for them.  They were so confident that they decided that they didn't need to send the whole army, but a few thousand men.  It must have been devastating and very confusing when Israel went up to Ai and they suffered a terrible defeat and 36 of their number were killed.  The question, "What went wrong?", must have been on everyone's mind.

Without reading further what would you say was Israel's problem? What was missing?  Some answers might be:

There is no record of them praying before the battle and asking the Lord what they should do with the city of Ai. (Were they guilty of jumping ahead of the Lord's will?)

They didn't take the Ark of the Covenant into battle.  Remember the Ark symbolized the presence and power of God.  (Did they go into battle on their own strength?)

Although these seem like good answers and many of us have fallen into these pitfalls, the answer would lie with one family members actions.

After their terrible defeat at the hands of Ai, the people of Israel are feeling the same fear that their enemies experienced (Josh. 2:9; 5:1; 6:1). Israel didn't know at this point what was wrong. All they knew was that they had just suffered their first defeat. Thankfully, God wants His people to have the victory, not the defeat. So, He takes the necessary steps to reveal to the nation of Israel just exactly where the problem lies.

A PAINFUL DISCOVERY (vv 6-15)
After the tragedy happens, Joshua finds himself before the Lord in prayer. His prayer is from a broken heart (v 6). However, there is also a hint of anger and accusation against the Lord. Joshua is going to learn that prayer is the correct recourse in a time of trouble. As he wonders why Israel was powerless in the battle, he learns that the answer wasn't to blame God, or to dispute His will, the answer was in their own camp!

Think about the last time you made a decision that brought with it terrible consequences, who did you blame?  When there is a tragedy in our lives, we need to look within and see where the problem is. When there is a lack of power in my life, I find that the the problem is not with God, nor is it with others, the problem is always with me!

God Reveals The Problem (vv 10-15) 
While Joshua and Israel try to figure out what is happening, God already knows and tells Joshua all about it. He tells him that there is sin in the camp of Israel. He tells Joshua that it is this sin that brought about their defeat and He tells Joshua how to discover the guilty party.

In these words to Joshua, God gives us some insights into sin, of which we need to take note:

1. God knows about our sins (v 11) (see also Pro. 15:3; Heb. 4:13)
2. God hates our sins (v 11) (see also Pro. 6:16-19)
3. God has a plan for our sins (v 14-15) (see also 1 John 1:9; Psa. 32:5)
4. God will punish our sins (v 15) ( see also Gal. 6:9)
5. Sin affects those around us (v 11-12)  Our sins have the ability to drastically lower the spiritual effectiveness of those around us. We are all one body and what effects you effects me!
6. Sin must be dealt with (v 13) Basically, either you and I will deal with our sins, or God will deal with them. Either way, they will be handled!  (1 Cor. 11:31)

Often, the greatest problems faced by God's people come from within and not from without. There is a saying that goes:  "It's not the water on the outside of the boat that causes the problem, it's the water on the inside of the boat that causes trouble!" More often than not, when there are defeats and trouble with God's people, there is usually someone or someones that are not following God's will!  The scriptures are filled with examples of this!

 Dealing with the Problem (vv 16-26)

The Sinner Discovered (v 18-19) The process that God used to point out Achan is interesting. God knew who was guilty, why didn't He just tell Joshua who they were looking for? Maybe God was giving Achan time to repent and to confess his sins. I don't know for sure, but what is sure is that the Lord pointed His finger at Achan.

The lesson for us:  You can't hide from your sins.

The Sin Discussed (vv 19-21) 
When Joshua speaks to Achan, he speaks with love in his heart. He knows that Achan is condemned, but Joshua still cares for this man who brought so much trouble to Israel.  In this, Joshua is a picture of God. While God hates sin with His entire being, He still loves the sinner (John 3:16).

Achan finally confesses his sin. However, don't believe for a second that Achan repented. He, like some others in the scriptures, only confessed his sins after he got caught in them. At this point, it would have been impossible to hide them any longer anyway.

(On a side note can you see the pattern of sin in Achan's statement (v 21)? "I saw...I coveted...I took." The progression is always the same.)

The Sinner Destroyed (vv 22-26) - These verses give us the sad conclusion to this tragic tale. Achan and all that he had were taken out and stoned to death by the people of Israel. It didn't have to end this way.  But it is true, sin can destroy us!

This message seems so relevant to our world today.  There is a lot of the blame game going on and little of taking accountability for your sins and how they affect others.  I think my job is to be a better example of dealing with sin, even the smallest sins, so that the effects of my actions will be more positive and less negative to those around me.

Being More Confident

Day one hundred seventy-nine

We had a great Family Home Evening last night.  My eldest son taught a lesson on effective scripture study, which led into a discussion about how each of us can increase or decrease the Spirit in our home.  As I sat and listened to the conversation I was impressed by how far my family has come in spiritual matters.  It is not always easy to have the Spirit in your home when you have teenagers, but when we are all on the same track, there is nothing better or stronger!  My prayer this morning is filled with gratitude for the blessings that are in my home because of the gospel in our lives.  I am grateful that we work together to invite the Spirit into our home and into our individual lives.  I am grateful for the lessons we teach each other and that our goal is to build each other up in a world that wants to tear us down.  I am truly blessed!

Joshua 5:13-6:5; 20-21

Yesterday I wrote about the stronghold's in our lives that keep us from having a deeper relationship with the Lord.  I focused on the things we need to confront in order to effectively tear down the walls.  In part two I would like to focus on the things we need to have confidence in to help us break down the walls.

Part Two - Involves Confidence (Joshua 6:1-5)

Another major step in the path toward spiritual victory over the strongholds of life demands confidence in the Lord. There are three areas in which Joshua displayed confidence. These areas are important to us too.

In God's Promises - Before Joshua goes to battle against the city of Jericho, he is reminded of the Lord's promises to give Israel the victory. There were Past Promises (Josh. 2:9) and there were Present Promises (Josh. 6:2). The past promises reminded Joshua of what the Lord had promised to do long ago. Rahab had known about these promises for years. The present promises reminded Joshua that the Lord had not changed His mind about the matter. God still intended to give Israel the victory.

As we look at our strongholds, we may think that we will never see them fall at our feet. However, we should remember that God will always keep His promises! He has promised us the victory, and the victory shall be ours (1 Cor. 15:57; 2 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:37). Whatever God has promised, He is well able to bring to pass (Rom. 4:21; Eph. 3:20). Therefore, we should face our strongholds well assured in the fact that God will do everything He has promised us He will do!

In God's Plan - On the surface, God's plan for Israel's victory seems really strange. After all, what was really required of Israel to bring the walls of Jericho down? Not much! When you get right down to it, all they had to do was to follow God's plan and the walls would fall down flat. What was His plan? Seven priests bearing seven trumpets were to walk before the ark. The priests would blow the trumpets and the people were to walk behind the ark, and the whole parade was to walk around the city once a day for 6 days. On the seventh day, they were to walk around the city seven times and at the end of the seventh time, they were to shout. When this happened, the walls would fall down flat. Strange!

I think the lesson for us becomes clear when we take the time to look closely at what the Lord told them to do.

They were to take seven priests. Seven is the biblical number of completion or fullness. Priests are a picture of an advocate, or one who stood between men and God. This is a picture of a complete or perfect Advocate. According to the Bible, the saints have a perfect Advocate in the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). And, as we come against the strongholds of life, He is making intercession for us (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34).

They were to take seven ram's horn trumpets. The ram was a picture of Atonement. Remember when Abraham took Isaac to the top of Moriah to put him to death? It was a ram that provided the atoning, redeeming price for Isaac. So, we need a full or perfect atonement. I love the symbolism in this story!

They were to take the ark of the covenant. The ark represents the Lord Jesus Christ in all of His fullness. In the ark was the pot of manna, which speaks of His full provisions. Aaron's budding rod was also in there. This spoke of Christ's power and His life. The tables of the Law were also there. These remind us that He is the fulfillment of the Law for you and me. The idea is this: in Jesus we find all we need to wage the battle against the strongholds in our lives. He gives us all the provisions we need as we fight. He has all power in heaven and in earth. He gives us power to walk in newness of life, free from sin. This is an important part of the plan!

They were simply to take these things and walk with them around the city. God promised them that the walls of Jericho would fall down as a result of their obedience. In other words, all they had to do was have confidence in God's plan, walk with the things He had given them and they would enjoy the victory. He was asking them to walk by faith.

Sometimes the best way to victory is through obedience to the simple things.  We need to walk in faith, doing the little things that God asks us to do (Gal. 2:20).  It is by confidence in His plan, we enjoy the victory. What a great lesson for us!

In God's Power - Israel was about to learn the truth that victory was in the Lord and not in themselves. They were about to participate in the strangest victory in the annuls of history. For them, victory would come about, not as the result of a fierce battle, but as the result of merely trusting God.

There is a time in our lives when we will need to come to realize that there is really only one person we need to please, God. If we live God's way, we will be holier than ever and we won't have to work so hard to enjoy it.  Far too many people are defeated because they are trying to live up to some standard that has been imposed on them by men, when all they really have to do is have confidence in God's ways.   

Today I will try to live my life with more confidence in God's promises, His plans, and in His power.  I could use a break from the stress that comes with the lack of confidence I often find myself in. I tend to over think things and create more complications than solutions.  I am a poster child for the quote: 

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.  ~Confucius

I will stick to the simple things and see where it leads me.  I might just learn that I really enjoy the simple life!

Life's Strongholds

Day one hundred seventy-eight

My prayer this morning was filled with gratitude for all the blessings that I have in my life.  After four days on the trek it was great to come home to my family.  I loved the hugs and kisses and listening to everything that went on while I was gone.  I really missed them.  Then last night my family came over and we had a great time visiting and BBQing.  My testimony of family has been greatly increased in the last few days and I wanted to express that to my Father in Heaven.  I want Him to know that I get it, I know that His hand is in the lives of my family.  I see the divine blessings from the organization of my family and I love that my Father in Heaven has a place in my home!

Joshua 5:13-6:5; 20-21

The ancient city of Jericho was a great walled city. History tells us that it was surrounded by 2 massive stone walls. The outer wall was 6 feet thick and 20 feet high. The inner wall was 12 feet thick and 30 feet high. There was a 15 foot guarded walkway between these two walls. From a military standpoint, it was practically impenetrable. This great walled city stood as an obstacle between the people of Israel and them claiming all that God had for them. Before they could go deeper into the land of Canaan, Jericho had to fall first.

For us, this ancient city could represent those things that are entrenched and rooted in our lives that prevent us from growing closer to God. We all have them, things embedded in our lives that hinder our walk with God. It may be some besetting sin or a root of bitterness and unwillingness to forgive that stands between us and God's blessings. It may be some old, bad attitude that is holding us back. It could be something from our past that we continue to struggle with to this day. Whatever it is, it is a stronghold in our life and it stands between us and God's blessings. Before we will ever receive all God has for us, that stronghold must be torn down!

In this page from Israel's history, we uncover some truths that help us as we fight the battle against our own strongholds in our day.

Part One - CONFRONTATION (vv 13-15)

With God
As Joshua surveys the city of Jericho, he has a strange encounter. This individual that Joshua meets outside the walls of Jericho identifies Himself as "The Captain of the host of the Lord." Based on the account and the similarity in language with the "burning bush" that Moses saw (Ex 3:2-6) there is cause to believe that this individual may actually have been Jehovah whom Joshua saw.

We may never have a face-to-face encounter with Jesus, but we do need to ask ourselves: Have I had a personal confrontation with the Lord?  Has there ever been a specific moment in your life when you knew that you were headed in the wrong direction and that only Jesus could save you? Do you remember the time when you were saved by the power and grace of God? If it has happened to you, you will know it! When someone the size of God gets in your heart, you will be aware of it!

With His Position
The Lord tells Joshua that He is the Captain of the Lord's host. That is, He is the one who is always victorious. He is the one who is walking in victory even before the battle is fought. In other words, He is the one who is in control of all situations. He is merely reminding Joshua who is really fighting the battle!

For us, this speaks of our coming to a place where we recognize that if there will ever be any victories over the stronghold's in our life, they will come about because of His power and not our own. We must understand that as we yield to His power in every area of our life that we are learning to trust Him to secure the victory for us in every battle we fight. In other words, we come to a place where we dedicate our lives to Him and trust Him to bring us into victory. The real question for us is: Have we come to terms with who is really in control? Until we do, we can forget about sustained victory and get used to defeat.

With God's Power
This is just a thought but notice that Joshua's encounter with the Lord caused him to bow in worship (v. 14). Remember that Joshua is a warrior. When he got down before the Lord, he placed himself in a vulnerable position. He exposed his neck. He placed himself in a position where he could not use his own sword. He placed himself in a position of extreme weakness. He was totally yielded to the Lord!  He had recognized that God, not himself, is the power behind the victory that will come. What a great lesson for all of us! When will we ever learn that our success and our victory are not a matter of our power or ability, but of God's?

Joshua had come to a place where he could admit his own weakness and inability to gain the victory. He had surrendered to the Lord. We need to learn the truth that when we can't, He can! We need to learn to surrender and let the walls come down and to say "I can't Lord, but You can!"

This is a great lesson for me, I struggle with the surrender. I tend to wait until I have exhausted all my efforts before I turn to the Lord.  It seems like the backwards, difficult way to do things as I learn the lessons of this story.  Maybe you are like me and struggle with this too.  The great thing is that the Lord will keep reminding us and give us chances to work on it each day.  With it fresh in our minds, maybe we will recognize the moments we need Him sooner and we can take the opportunity to remove at least one stone from our walls today!

Learning from Trek

Day one hundred seventy-seven

I spent the last four days with the youth on a pioneer trek.  It was a great learning experience for me.  I have never planned activities for a pioneer trek or experienced the behind the scenes action that it takes to keep it going.  I came home tired, filthy, and with a new appreciation for all those that give of their time to bring these experiences to the youth.  Some things I learned:

Grace under pressure
The youth were divided into family units with a Ma & Pa.  I was fortunate to a have the opportunity to visit with some of these Ma's & Pa's along the trail.  They shared with me some of the teaching moments they had with their families.  Topics such as tithing, the adversity that can be found in how well we wait, and learning to adapt were brought up.  These parents took moments that could have gone in a negative direction filled with complaints and frustration and changed them into moments that helped the youth see these situation with a different perspective.  I was very impressed with the grace they showed under the pressure of the conditions.  Thank you for teaching me!

The importance of humor 
As with any huge undertaking there were some not-so-great moments on the trek too.  Accidents happen, unforeseen conditions come up, and illness strikes when you really could do without it, but through it all I saw the leaders who had planned this event work to overcome these things and do it with a smile and a laugh.  When I was feeling a little frustrated there was always someone there to bring a smile to my face and a good laugh.  I used that same technique with the youth when they were facing some of those not-so-great moments.  It is amazing how much a smile and a good laugh can help!

Service
I loved watching the participants help each other on the trek, especially the youth.  To see a young man voluntarily go over and help a young women get her bucket into the cart or to see a young woman  bring something to a young man was very touching.  My favorite service moment for myself was tying someone's shoes.  I have known this person for a good part of my life and he has a physical limitation that does not allow him to tie his shoes.  As long as I have known this person I had never thought about how a simple thing like tying his shoes could be such a problem.  When he asked me to tie his shoes it opened my eyes a little more and I appreciated the opportunity to help him out.  I would tie his shoes any day!

Love
There is something special about the family unit, even when it isn't your biological family.  The sense of responsibility the adults felt for their assigned families was amazing to watch, and the bond between the youth within these families was awesome.  Watching new friendships emerge from each little group was a real blessing and definitely helped bring the Spirit to the trek for me.  I would watch the families each morning as they had their devotionals and prayers and each night when they would talk about the day and have family prayer, it was one of the best things about trek to me.  My favorite love moment was when I was invited to stay and have family prayer with the Medina family.  There was definitely some love in that family and the hugs after prayer were great.  The highlight of your day is when Sister Medina gives you a kiss on the check and a great big hug!  What a great example of love she is to me.

All in all I would say that the Trek was a success.  There were more good moments than bad, which is always a good way to measure success.  It was my hope that the Trek would touch the lives of those that participated in a positive way, I think that happened, and it is my continued prayer that they will always cherish the things they learned on the Trek and use them to become great pioneers in their own lives.  

Thanks to all those that made the Trek a great experience for me, I will always remember it!  
   

Inspirational Thoughts - Saturday

Day one hundred seventy-six

There is a lot of good that comes out of youth conference, but one of my favorite things is making new friends! 

Nobody
If nobody smiled and nobody cared and nobody helped us along.
If every moment looked after itself and good things always went to the strong;
If nobody cared just a little about you and nobody cared about me,
and we stood alone, in the battle of life, what a dreary old world this would be.
Life is sweet, just because of the friends we have made and the things which in common we share,
We want to live on, not because of ourselves, but because of the people who care.
It is doing and giving for somebody else on which all of life’s splendor depends.
The joy of this world, when you’ve summed it all up is found in the making of friends.

- B.J. Morbitzer
(Used with Permission)

Inspirational Thoughts- Friday

Day one hundred seventy-five

What a great gift if I could make a difference in one person's life this week! 

The Starfish Story

A vacationing businessman was walking along a beach when he saw a young boy. Along the shore were many starfish that had been washed up by the tide and were sure to die before the tide returned. The boy was walked slowly along the shore and occasionally reached down and tossed the beached starfish back into the ocean.
The businessman, hoping to teach the boy a little lesson in common sense, walked up to the boy and said, “I have been watching what you are doing, son. You have a good heart, and I know you mean well, but do you realize how many beaches there are around here and how many starfish are dying on every beach every day. Surely such an industrious and kind hearted boy such as yourself could find something better to do with your time. Do you really think that what you are doing is going to make a difference?”

The boy looked up at the man, and then he looked down at a starfish by his feet. He picked up the starfish, and as he gently tossed it back into the ocean, he said, “It makes a difference to that one.”

I love this story!!

Inspirational Thoughts - Thursday

Day one hundred seventy-four

I am hoping that I will show the qualities of a good leader to those I am serving on the Trek.

To Be a Leaderby Dee Bernhardt
To be a leader is to be vulnerable--to meet the disapproving stares of others with the joy and certainty of God's infinite love;
To be a leader is to be imperfect--to enjoy the enriching process of a new challenge with the hope and confidence of the Master;
To be a leader is to be naive--to believe the very best of all people in the love and acceptance of our Savior;
To be a leader is to be trusting--to disregard dire projections of gloom for the joy and creativity of our Creator;
To be a leader is to be honest--to own our sinfulness with the sincerity and authenticity of the Spirit;
To be a leader is to be unique--to accept the wonderful gift of self, in the knowledge and understanding of community;
To be a leader is to be free--to welcome recurring waves of change with the awe and wonder of a child;
To be a leader is to be empowering--to share the exhilarating power of information in the establishment of inter-connectedness;
To be a leader is to be humble--to give the inestimable gift of flexibility with the grace and forgiveness of God;
To be a leader is to be whole--to know the startling reality that I am central, yet peripheral, in God's plan for the world;
To be a leader is to be weak--to understand that I can rest in the hollow of God's hand only in the total yielding and complete trusting of my child's heart.

Inspirational Thoughts - Wednesday

Day one hundred seventy-three


My prayer for Trek...


Teacher's Prayer (or Leader's Prayer)
I want to teach my students (the youth) how
To live this life on Earth.
To face it's struggles and it's strife
And to improve their worth.
Not just the lesson in a book
Or how the rivers flow, But how to choose the proper path
Wherever they may go.
To understand eternal truth
And know the right from wrong,
And gather all the beauty of
A flower and a song.
For if I help the world to grow
In wisdom and in grace,
Then I shall feel that I have won
And I have filled my place.
And so I ask your guidance, God,
That I may do my part.
For character and confidence
And happiness of heart.
-James J. Metcalf

Inspirational Thoughts-Tuesday

Day one hundred seventy-two


I am grateful for the chance to point some lives to the right this week!


You Never Know
You never know when someone might catch a dream from you.
Or something you say may open up the windows of a mind that seeks light;
The way you live may not matter at all, But you never know, it might.
And just in case it could be that another’s life, through you,
might possibly change for the better with a better and brighter view,
it seems it might be worth a try at pointing the way to the right;
Of course, it may not matter at all, but then again, it might!
~Unknown

Inspriational Stories - Monday

Day one hundred seventy-one

So this week is super busy and I will be out of town for the Trek for a couple of days so I thought that I would share some of my favorite inspirational stories.  I will date them for each day this week and you can read them as you want. I hope you enjoy them!

Today's inspirational thought is on Attitude

24 Things to Always Remember. . .
and One Thing to Never Forget

Your presence is a present to the world.
You’re unique and one of a kind.
Your life can be what you want it to be.
Take the days just one at a time.
Count your blessings, not your troubles.
You’ll make it through whatever comes along.
Within you are so many answers.
Understand, have courage, be strong.
Don’t put limits on yourself.
So many dreams are waiting to be realized.
Decisions are too important to leave to chance.
Reach for your peak, your goal, and your prize.
Nothing wastes more energy than worrying.
The longer one carries a problem, the heavier it gets.
Don’t take things too seriously.
Live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.
Remember that a little love goes a long way.
Remember that a lot . . . goes forever.
Remember that friendship is a wise investment.
Life’s treasures are people . . . together.
Realize that it’s never too late.
Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way.
Have health and hope and happiness.
Take the time to wish upon a star.
And don’t ever forget . . .
For even a day . . .
How very special you are.

I'm hoping that these words will help me keep a good attitude on the Trek!

Final Steps of Preparation

Day one hundred seventy

I would like to take a minute and wish my dad a Happy Father's Day! Over the years I have come to realize that  I have not always shown the gratitude I should when it comes to my father.  My relationship with him was strained when I was younger, we both know exactly how to push each others buttons and often butted heads.  But over the years I have come to realize that too often I have been too hard on him.  I should have been less judgmental and more forgiving.  In spite of all our difficulties I can't imagine my life without him.  So I wish my father some extra special blessings of happiness today, he deserves them for putting up with me for so long!

My prayer this morning was filled with gratitude for the fathers that I have in my life.  I am grateful for a Heavenly Father that has never stopped loving me, an earthly father that loves me even when I am a pain, and a husband who is a great, loving father to our children.  I am very blessed!


Joshua 5:10-15


There are two more steps that the Lord takes in preparing His army.  One is remembering the commitment of the Lord and the other is recognizing who is in control.  They are definitely worth taking a look at.


Remembering the Commitment of the Lord (v 10-12)
In these verses, we find Israel once again keeping the feast of the Passover. They first observed it when they were still in Egypt (Ex. 9-14). They also celebrated it at Mount Sinai before they left for Kadesh-Barnea (Num. 9:1-14). However, there is no evidence that they had celebrated the Passover in 40 years. The fact is they couldn't! The new generation had not been circumcised and this was a requirement for participating in the Passover.


Now, it might help us to remember what the Passover is all about. The Israelites were to remember the night when they were passed over by the Lord and spared from the plague of death. They were to remember that it was that night in which the Lord had delivered them from their bondage in Egypt. The Passover was a time for the Jews to remember their deliverance by the Lord. Now that they are in the promised land, they are to celebrate the feast of the Passover. They are to remember the things God did for them in bringing them out of Egypt and in providing for them along the way.


When we face the battles of life would it benefit us to remember some of the great things the Lord has done for us in our pasts? What would you choose to remember that would help you prepare for what is ahead?  Here are some things that I would want to remember:


The times He has shown me love.
The times He has blessed me by grace.
The times He has forgiven my sins.
The times He lifted me up when I fell.
The times He conquered my enemies of the past.
The times He gave me victory when I thought there was no hope.


Take some time to remember the way God has proven that He is strong in your life all along the way. It will give you courage to face the next battle. If there is one thing that has stood out to me in my studies so far is that He was God then and He is still God now!


Recognizing Who is in Control (v 13-15)
The final step in getting Israel ready to conquer Canaan was to help them recognize who was in control. One day, as Joshua was looking over the city of Jericho, he saw a man standing with a drawn sword. Joshua boldly asked the man to identify himself and to state which side he was on! When the man responded, He said that He was the Captain of the Lord's Host. He told Joshua that He did not come to take sides, but to take over! Basically, General Joshua had just met the Commander in Chief (Gen 18:2)!  Joshua's response is to fall down before Him and to worship Him. This action shows that Joshua understood that he needed to submit to the will of the Lord and recognized who was in control.


What does this have to do with you and me? We must do what Joshua did, we must lay down our swords at the feet of the Captain of the Lord's host. There is a great blessing that comes from submitting to the Lord's will, it takes some of the pressure off of us!


Look at Joshua's situation, He is trying to lead an army in the successful conquest of a powerful enemy. More than anything, he needs to know that the promises God gave him when He called him are real (Josh. 1:5). Here, Joshua is experiencing the reality of those promises. God is telling Joshua that he does not have to fight the battles alone. The Lord is present and ready to direct the battle and to give the victory!


The same is true for us, we do not have to fight the battles alone.  The Lord is present in our lives and He is ready to direct the battle, we just have to submit and let Him lead!  If we do, it will give us relief from some of the pressure that we might be feeling.  I know I could use a little of that in my life!


This is the perfect topic for me to think about this Sabbath day.  As I take the sacrament I will be presented with opportunities to remember what the Lord has done for me and to stop and think about what His will is instead of mine, and maybe, if I choose to be prepared, I will be more willing to let Him lead! 


  

Removing Condemnation

Day one hundred sixty-nine

This week has been crazy busy and to top it off I got sick part way through, but some how I have managed to keep going!  I am grateful for the energy that I have been blessed with, it comes in handy when I am on a deadline and I need to get things done.  I am especially grateful for the talents and gifts the Lord has blessed me with. I think I have used just about all of them and discovered a few new ones working on the Trek stuff.  So I thanked the Lord this morning for such blessings and I asked that He would please bless me that I would feel better and be able to finish the work that needs to get done.  He has done a great job being there for me so far! 

Joshua 5:9

Preparing His Army - Step Three - Removing Condemnation
In verse 9 the Lord makes the statement "This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you."  What is the "reproach of Egypt"? 

The word reproach means:  The expression of disapproval or disappointment. Did God disapprove of Egypt or Israel?  I think the answer is both.

Israel 
In my research I found that the term "reproach of Egypt" could  reference two events during Israel's wilderness wanderings. The first is found in Ex. 32:1-12 when the Children of Israel made a golden calf and worshiped it as God. The other happened at Kadesh-Barnea when the children of Israel displayed unbelief and refused to enter into the promised land (Num 14:11-14). On both occasions, the Lord threatened to destroy the nation of Israel and start fresh with Moses. And, both times Moses interceded with the Lord and He gave them another chance. 

Egypt
When Moses interceded with the Lord he brought up the point that if He destroyed the Israelites He would give the Egyptians a reason to mock God. They would say that He brought them out of Egypt, but could not bring them to Canaan.

However, now they are in the land and God has proven that He is well able to bring His people into their possession. The Israelites had made it to the Promised Land and had proven that they were ready to enter. Therefore, the Lord tells them that He has rolled the reproach away. In other words, their past was no longer an issue. It was a new day!

What a great message the Lord is giving us:  We must get past the guilt of the past before we can walk in victory.  We need to put the negatives behind us, The Lord has certainly put them behind Him! What a profound message of love and forgiveness this verse gives us!

I can see how removing condemnation from Israel could help them prepare for victory.  Think about the times in your life when you have lived with the shame of things you have done. Maybe there have been times when you find yourself dwelling on the fact that you have failed the Lord.  It is difficult to live under the constant stab of self-condemnation.  We are least productive when we are focusing on the negatives instead of the positives.  The Lord knows this and knew that the Israelites needed to know that He had moved on and they needed to also. God is telling Israel that they are to walk looking to the victory of today rather than to the defeat of yesterday.

I know from my own experience that when I feel forgiven and loved that my sense of self-worth increases and my ability to recognize the Spirit is heightened.  If I were preparing to go into battle I would want to go in knowing that I am right with God and that He would be with me and protect me! Wait, we are preparing for a battle, it's just a battle of a different kind!  I love when the stories in the scriptures apply to us today! 

Finding Confidence in the Lord

Day one hundred sixty-eight

There is something special about waking up in the morning to sunshine filtering through the curtains! I think I woke up smiling! It's a great way to start my day and gives me a positive attitude, even when I don't feel good.  

My prayer this morning focused on a topic that I am learning to deal with, being a mom to my adult children.  It is a strange place to find oneself in after 18-19 years of taking care of someone. Some days they want you to tell them what to do and other days they barely want to include you in any decisions they make.  It's not a bad place to be, just different and sometimes a little frustrating.  So I asked the Lord to bless me with the wisdom to know how to get through this period of my life with grace. Transitions can be tough and cause some lasting rifts between parents and their children, I would like to avoid that as much as possible and I know that I can't do that without some help from above.  I also prayed for my boys, that they too would be blessed with those things they need to make this transition as pleasant as possible.  I hope we get it right today! 

Joshua 5:8

Preparing His Army - Step Two -Confidence in the Lord
At this point, Israel is camped in the heart of enemy territory. After they have been circumcised, every male in the nation of Israel is temporarily disabled and is rendered unable to fight. It took great faith for them to submit to the rite of circumcision. They had to be willing to trust the Lord to protect them until they healed. They were literally sitting ducks for the enemy. However, their faith was the secret to their success. These men had learned the valuable lesson that their battles would not be won by military might and by superior battlefield tactics. They knew that if they ever saw victory, it would be because God gave it to them. Theirs would be a victory based wholly in faith.

As we move through this life, we face times of testing just like these men in Israel did. They had just come from a great victory and often, that is the time when pride will rise up in us and we will think that we are unstoppable. When those times come in our lives, this is when the Lord will allow us to go through a time of testing. When we do, we must have faith in the Lord. We need to remember that God can and will take care of His children!

This spiritual truth is taught over and over again in the scriptures. When God's people aren't able to take care of themselves, He is more than able. Here are just a few instances where faith in God has paid off:

• Noah was protected in the Ark while the rest of humanity perished (Gen. 6-9)
• The firstborn of Israel were spared while the Egyptian children died (Ex. 12)
• Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were spared from the fire (Dan. 3)
• Daniel was spared from the hungry lion (Dan. 6)
• Elijah was fed by the ravens and the by a poor widow (1 Kings 17)

How has your faith in the Lord paid off in your life?  Most of us can come up with at least a few times in our lives where we recognize the Lord's hand in what has happened. The amazing thing about this is, that for every instance that you recognize that your faith has benefited you, there are many other instances that we are not even aware of!  Just because we haven't recognized the blessings, it doesn't mean that they aren't there!  Imagine what a great attitude adjustment it would be if we were able to recognize the Lord in our lives daily.  We would never have a reason to be anything less than grateful and happy! 

Today I am going to work on having more confidence that the Lord is working in my life and I am going to look for Him in the things around me.  Then, when I find Him, I think I will write it down in my journal so that I can go back and read the entries when I need an attitude adjustment!

Preparing An Army

Day one hundred sixty-seven

I woke up this morning congested and with a sore throat, ugh!  I think it's too many late nights and early mornings!  I can't get sick, I have way too much to do!  So this morning I prayed that the Lord would please bless my body with health and energy.  And that I would be a better listener to the Spirit's promptings when I am told to rest!

Joshua 5:1-13

Verse 1 tells us that when the kings and people in Canaan heard of the powerful manner in which the Lord brought His children through the Jordan they were totally demoralized by these events. Basically, they had given up hope of winning a war with the Israelites and were resigned to their fate.  This would appear to be the perfect time for Joshua to lead the people forward into the attack. However, instead of commanding His people to go forward into the battle, God commands them to remain at Gilgal and to do several things that, on the surface, appear very strange. It even appears that the things they are required to do puts them at risk before their enemies.  Why would God do that?

While the ways of the Lord may appear strange to us, the scriptures remind us that the ways of the Lord are not our ways (Isa. 55:8-9). Where we might jump in and attack, the Lord takes His time and does things on His schedule. Although the Lord's requests may appear strange against the backdrop of impending battle, the truth of the matter is, God is simply preparing His army to fight.

Preparing His Army - Step One - Renewing the Covenant
Israel appeared ready for the battle. They possessed a large army and they faced an enemy that was terrified at their presence. However, God knew that they would never be ready to fight and win the battle until the proper spiritual preparations had been made.

God has the Israelites do something that seems odd when preparing for a battle, He commands Joshua to have all the men circumcised (Josh 5:2-7).  How does circumcision prepare the Israelites spiritually?  It was their opportunity to renew the covenant that had been made with the Lord in the past. They must renew the covenant with the Lord if they wanted His blessings on them and if they wanted to be guaranteed the victory.

To the Israelites, circumcision was a reminder that they were a "marked people." They were to never forget that they were the servants of the living God and that they were under obligation to obey Him in all things. Circumcision was to be the outward reminder of an inward work of faith (Gen 17:10-11; Deut. 10:16).

Although circumcision is not a requirement to make covenants with God today, there is a lesson for us in these verses: Just as Israel was required to remove from their bodies a piece of flesh as a sign that they were a part of the covenant, so too, we must remove from our lives anything that stands between us and our relationship with the Lord. The Lord gives us examples of the things we need to remove from our lives in a sort of spiritual surgery:

"...fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Col 3:5)

"But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth." (Col 3:8)

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."(2 Cor. 6:17)

The circumcision the Israelites subjected themselves to was painful and required time to heal or become whole.  Our spiritual surgery can be a painful process too and indeed takes time to heal from. But the absence of these things in our lives is one way that we can show the world that we are a "marked people" of the Lord.  We are part of His army that He is preparing for victory in our day.  The question of the day is:  What do I need to get rid of in my life so that I can be closer to God?  I see the chance for a lot of pondering going on today!

An Inward Memorial

Day one hundred sixty-six

Today I am praying that I will get everything done that I need to! This plea is not motivated by worry, but by excitement.  I can't wait to see the finished project!   I am grateful for the work the Lord has given me to do, it keeps my mind and my body busy.  These are not only blessings for me but for those around me, because I don't really do boring well. (I naturally have a lot of energy!)  Just another way that I know that the Lord knows me so well!

Joshua 4:1-24 

When all the people had passed over the Jordan, Joshua commanded one man from each of the 12 tribes to get a rock from the midst of the Jordan and build a memorial on the Canaan side. The purpose of this memorial was to remind successive generations of the power and faithfulness of God on behalf of His people (Josh 4:6-7, 21-24). That memorial would be an important landmark to those who would come after.

By the same token, we need some memorials in our own lives. Many of us are eager to take pictures to help us remember special events or we write in our journals about them.  However, we are not always so eager to record or remember the spiritual experiences we have.  Why is that?  The reality of the situation is that we need to have things that help us remember what the Lord has done for us!

When we make it a priority to remember what God has done for us, we are giving ourselves the opportunity to recall that memory at another time.  A time when we might need to share it with another or for a time when we need to remember that the Lord was faithful in that day and that He will be faithful in this day as well. There is good advice in the saying, "Never forget what the Lord has done for you in your yesterdays. It is those yesterday experiences that will tide you over when the trials of today and tomorrow arise in your life!"

Two Memorials (v 9, 20) - It is interesting to notice that Joshua constructed 2 memorials. One on the bank and one in the river. These 2 memorials served 2 different purposes. Notice what they were.

The Faithfulness Of God (v 20) - The one on the bank of the Jordan stood as a testimony to the faithfulness of God. It was there to remind others of what the Lord had done and of what He could do. Again, we need to remember the faithfulness of God in the past. It will help us through the trials we face today.

The Faith Of The People (v 9) - Now, what about the rock pile in the river? No one could see it but God. What purpose could a pile of rocks in the river serve? One thought is that it stood as a memorial to the faith of the people.  It was a memorial of what was in their hearts.  Even though Israel couldn't see it, they knew the memorial was there. They remembered that they had believed God then and it had worked. This was a memorial in their hearts.

We need that same kind of memorial as well. Too often we are misjudged by others in our times of trial, but God knows what is in our heart. When we have trusted Him and He has brought us through our trial, it is important that we never forget it!

I think the act of building a "memorial" in your heart is brilliant.  The outward memorial is great for sharing experiences with others, but the inward memorial, where only God can see it, means so much more to our spiritual well being.  Creating the inward memorial means we are more likely to never forget it and when the tough times come again, and they will, we can look inward and remember His faithfulness and our faithfulness and know that what worked before will work again. God will bring us through it!

Expect Miracles

Day one hundred sixty-five

A couple of weeks ago my family was visiting another ward's church service and during the closing prayer the man stated the words "keep it holy".  For some unknown reason, my eldest son grabbed onto those words and after some contemplation, decided that he wanted to use them in place of the word "Goodbye".  So now when he leaves he says, "Keep it holy, Mom."  It has become the new catchphrase at my house, but it has also brought with it some discussion about what a sweet thought that is to leave with someone.  A blessing of holiness is indeed sweet!

It reminds me of the word Shalom that the Hebrews use for hello and goodbye.  It has a much deeper meaning than just a simple greeting.  According to Strong's Concordance 7965 Shalom also means completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord. Shalom comes from the root verb shalom meaning to be complete, perfect and full. What a mighty blessing to give to people!

So this morning I prayed with gratitude for the blessings of holiness that my family leaves me with.  It not only reminds me that I need to behave in such a way, but it focuses my mind throughout the day on holy matters.  I am grateful for a son that sees the power of three words, "Keep it holy", and has decided to share them with others.  It is always sweet to be taught by the ones that you taught, the student becomes the teacher, what a great moment!  I am grateful for the Spirit that is in my life and blesses my family.  The Spirit that each of us brings into our home is how we have remained so close and increased our testimonies and love of God.  And so I wish to say to all who read my blog, "Keep it holy!"    

Joshua 3:14-17

As I mentioned in a previous post, the children of Israel were facing a big problem. The Jordon River was over 1 mile wide and there were a lot of people who had to cross, and yet the Lord wanted them to go over. Some might say they could build a bridge or use boats.  There wasn't time for that, the Lord wanted them to go quickly.  Besides, the longer they took the more they would have been sitting ducks for their enemies. There was only one way around their problem and that was through it!

Have you ever sized up your problem and thought about how big it was? Maybe you looked at it and concluded, "There is no way around, through, over or past this problem." I suppose we have all been like the 10 spies that returned from spying on the land of Canaan with Caleb and Joshua. We have sized up our problem and think that it is more than we can ever face (Num 13:31-33). Our problem is that when we face a difficult situation, we forget about God! Where we see only problems, God sees only solutions. Where we look at things and say, "There's no way!" God looks at the problem and says, "Follow me, I have a plan!"

God's plan for the Israelites: "When the feet of the priests enter Jordan, I am going to part the waters and lead you through on the dry ground!" (Josh 3:13)  There was a catch in this plan and it was that the waters would not part until the priests who were carrying the Ark stepped into the water. In other words, it took a step of faith.  The people would need to obediently follow the Lord for them to see the miracle come to pass.

What a great lesson! Too often, we want the Lord to just fix everything in our lives for us. We don't want to have to make any decisions nor do we want to have to exercise our faith in Him. We just want Him to do it and that will be the end of it. (I have been there many times!) 

However, most of the time, God requires us to take steps of faith in order that we might see our miracle. God had a plan, but for this plan to work, it required faith on the part of His people. The same is true for us! As long as we are trying to solve our own problems we are not walking in faith. It is when we turn the problem over, step away from it and let the Lord have it, that we will see it taken care of in His glory.

Expect Miracles (v 13-17) - When the priests stepped into that raging river, it parted and God opened a path of dry ground through the waters for His people. By the way, verse 16 says that the waters backed up to the City of Adam. From what I could find this city is some 20 miles north of where the children of Israel were crossing. God made them a path through the water that was more than adequate for His people to get through.

What does this tell us about God's solutions? When He solves a problem, it won't just be patched up and ready to fall apart again, it will be done right and and have lasting effects! Effects that can be both of a physical and spiritual nature.  Miracles are a part of God's divine teaching, we are meant to learn from them!

Here's the real eye opener: The God who did this great thing for Israel is the same God we love and worship! What He did for them, He can do now. He is still the same miracle working God that He always has been and really He is all we need! We should learn to expect miracles when we are dealing with God!

There is a saying that goes: "Miracles happen to those that believe in them."  I would like to change one word:  "Miracles happen to those that believe in Him!"  That is the key to miracles, that is how miracles come about and that is how we recognize the miracles that He puts in our lives.  It is my hope that we will all learn to see the miracles in our lives and know that the Lord is still blessing His people in amazing ways!

Goodbye Worries!

Day one hundred sixty-four

It is a strange thing how we become so used to certain things, like having a husband sleeping next to you.  When he is there I sleep better, with a sense of peace and safety, and when he is called into work and I am alone in what seems like a ginormous bed, I just can't get to sleep.  I don't like that feeling of something is missing! As I laid there last night I thought about how the "missing something" feeling reminded me of the times in my life when I have felt like the Lord had forsaken me.  Lonely, dark times in my life.  I am thankful that there have not been many of these times. 

So my prayer this morning focused on my gratitude for the blessings that come from having the Lord in my life and for the fact that my husband returned safely to our home.  How grateful I am for the feelings of comfort and safety that come from the Spirit and for my desire to always have it with me.  I don't think I really asked for anything in my prayer, I just said thank you.

Joshua 3:9-13

Take a minute and look back at all the obstacles you have faced in your life.  Now choose the one that seemed to be the hardest to overcome and look for the Lord in the situation.  Was He there in the beginning?  Did He see you through to the end?  There are times in our lives when the Lord puts obstacles that we are not meant to cross alone.  He patiently waits for us to recognize these times and to call on Him for help.  His help wouldn't mean as much if we weren't prepared to see Him in the solution!

In Joshua 3:9-13 the message to the Israelites is that getting across the Jordan did not rest on their shoulders, but on the Lord's. They were to prepare, but it was His plan to get them over and it was His problem. In these verses, He makes them a promise and tells them that He will bring them through in a powerful fashion. God commits Himself to bringing his people across their Jordan. All that was required of Israel was that they trust God!

I believe the same is true for us too. If God could be trusted in those days to keep His promises, then He can still be trusted today! Often, we are unable to get past the obstacles in our lives because we live a life that exhibits a lack of faith in the promises of God! I know this from experience.  A lack of faith brings with it worry and doubt, something that marks the lives of many people, including myself.

I took a look at some of the worries people have and God's response to them.  Here is what I learned:

We worry about tomorrow - yet the Lord has said, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself." (Matt 6:34)

We worry about material things - yet the Lord has promised, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:19)

We worry about facing various situation in our lives -  yet the Lord has promised, "... I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Heb 13:5)

We worry about so many other things - but the Lord tells us, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

"Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand."

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:4-7)

The bottom line is this: God is all-powerful, all-knowing and all-present. He knows what we are going through. He knows everything there is to know about it. He even knows more about it than we do!

What He says to us is that He is greater than any problem we have ever or will ever face in life. His desire is that we simply learn to take Him at His word and trust Him. We need to remember that what the Lord has promised to do, He will do (Rom. 4:21; D&C 82:10).

Through my study of these verses I have come to understand the proverb: "Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow."  Too often we create something that isn't even a problem or make it bigger than it really is. The Israelites faced a real problem, but God had provided them with a solution, they just needed to trust Him.  God does the same for us.  With this knowledge fresh in my mind I am choosing to say "Goodbye worries" and put more trust in the Lord.  He will keep His promises I just need to let Him!  So today my goal is to get out of the Lord's way so He can do His work and I can have fewer worries and enjoy the journey a little more. 

Crossing Your Jordan

Day one hundred sixty-three

Last night after dinner I was doing the dishes and my husband came into the kitchen and started helping me.  For some reason that act brought back memories of when we were first married and we did everything together.  We were inseparable and loved doing even the most mundane tasks together.  We are reaching a point in our lives where it will soon be just the two of us again, and there is a comfort that comes to me in knowing that we still have the desire to do the mundane tasks together.  It makes me smile!

On this Sabbath day my prayer was one of gratitude for the blessings that have been placed in my life and for the love that He has shown me and my family.  I am grateful for a relationship with my husband that reminds me that God is in my life and that He loves me.  I am grateful that my sons have a good man to look to for an example and I am so grateful for the love that we all have for each other.  As I remember the Lord during the Sacrament today, I want to have a grateful heart for all He has done for me and make sure that my actions reflect what is in my heart.  

Joshua Chapter 3:1-4

The children of Israel are poised to enter into Canaan. They are ready to claim their inheritance in the land of promise. However, before they can enter Canaan, they must first get past one final, major obstacle: the Jordan River.  Normally, this would not have presented much of a problem, since the Jordan was only 100 feet wide at Gilgal where they crossed. However, it seems that God always does things in such a way that no man can boast of having done them on their own. This crossing would be no exception. You see, God brought them to the Jordan River at the time of harvest (Josh 3:15). During the harvest time the Jordan can swell to an impassable width of over 1 mile! There was no way they could cross this river on their own. They required some divine assistance!

I am always impressed with the way the Lord chooses to help His people.  In this case, He creates what seems like an impossible position and task, crossing the Jordan River, and uses it to make the most impact on ALL those that are involved.  The Israelites have a faith building experience and the people of Jericho have one more thing to add to their list of fears.  Then think about all the people who have read or heard about this story since the time it happened, each person has had some reaction either positive or negative.  I love the fact that He takes everything into consideration with every move.  I wish I was more like that, I would be a much better parent, teacher, etc!

We each have "Jordans" that we face from time to time. These are the obstacles that stand between us and our spiritual victories.  Sometimes we may feel that we will never be able to enter our Promised Land and enjoy the blessings promised us because our Jordan River seems impassable. I do not know all the obstacles that each person faces in their life, but I do know a God who specializes in overcoming the overwhelming and in leading His children to victory!

As I read this account in the scriptures I saw a message of hope.  The things that worked for the Israelites over 3000 years ago will still work for us today. So here is the Lord's advice on overcoming obstacles:

Watch God (v 3) - Notice that the Ark of the Covenant is mentioned some 7 times in chapter 3. The Ark, you may remember, was that special piece of Tabernacle furniture that symbolized the presence and power of God. When the Ark was in the Holy of Holies, the glory of God rested upon it and it was the dwelling place of God. To Israel, it represented God's presence in the midst of His people. In other words, when God moved, they were to move. When God stopped they were to do the same.

There is a valuable spiritual lesson in this passage, we would do well, when we face times of crisis, or when we need direction in life to learn to be sensitive to the movement of the Lord in and around us. It is a fact that God loves you and that He will show you what He is doing (John 5:19-20). If you will watch Him, He will teach you how to live day by day.

Follow God (v 3) - When they saw the Ark of the Covenant move, they were to "remove from your place, and go after it" Not only were they to watch God, they were to move when He did. They were to pursue God!

Again, the lesson for us is that it isn't enough to know what God is doing, there comes a time when you must "remove form your place and go after Him." This may require us to leave our comfort zone! Israel was about to follow the Ark through a river that was over 1 mile wide! That couldn't have been easy, but it was still necessary and right! Following God may not be the easiest thing we will ever do, but it will be the best thing we ever do. If we ever expect to get past our obstacles and enter our Canaan, we must learn to follow God.

Honor God (v 3-4) - Notice that the Israelites are told to put a space between them and the Ark. This was so that they could easily see what was happening ahead of them. Another reason is that the Lord wanted no one but the Levites near the Ark. To get too close would have meant death.

Again, there is a lesson here for us as well. We must always show God the proper honor. There must always be a holy reverence of the Lord in our hearts. It is our faith, obedience, and love for the Lord that allows us to be susceptible to the Spirit and to receive blessings.

Sanctify Yourself (v 5) - Next, the people were told to "sanctify yourselves." This referred to being sure they were as clean and holy as possible. They were to clean themselves physically and spiritually, putting away anything that was displeasing to the Lord. They were to examine themselves and get ready for the Lord to do something great for them.
 
If we are to get past the "Jordans" that arise in our lives, we are going to have to learn that one of the first things we must do is examine our lives to make sure they are as clean as possible. It means asking ourselves tough questions like, is everything in my life just as the Lord would have it to be?

It is interesting that these things are most easily accomplished by learning to walk in the Spirit. When we learn to give control of our life to the Lord and to follow Him, He leads us. It may not always be easy, but He promises us that if we will follow, He will certainly lead!