And In This Corner . . . – Joshua 23:10

10 Think of it - one of you, single-handedly, putting a thousand on the run! Because God is God, your God. Because He fights for you, just as He promised you.

– Joshua 23:10

And In This Corner . . .

Standing eleventy-thousand feet and 7 inches tall, weighing in at 2 kajillion tons (or sometimes weighing nothing at all [depending on the circumstance]), with a record of 100% KOs, with zero losses and zero ties . . . the Reigning – now and forever – WWJD, World-wide – Eternity now-and-forever – Champion of everything ever created, ever existed, ever though of, or ever will be thought of . . . Your God . . . GOD!

And now, for the billions around the world, and all the angels in heaven, and especially those pesky demons in Hell . . . LLLetttt'sss Get Ready to RRRRUMMBBLLE!!!!

Pretty cool huh?  I wonder what the Vegas line on this fight would be?  Knowing Vegas, they would have God as the underdog (Vegas bookies are clueless).  But God . . . OUR God . . . the God in OUR corner . . . wearing OUR colors  . . . ALWAYS has OUR back.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, no-one, no circumstance – not in your past, not in your present, and nothing in your future – can ever, defeat OUR God.  

BUT! (and there always is one), there will always be the fight.  Why?  Hmmmm . . . now that's a good question.

There's a commercial on TV that talks about how difficult losing is and how painful the process is.  The ads go through all of these very comical, but poignant examples of what it's like for these celebrity athletes to experience pain.  The message of these ads is this . . . we must feel these terrible bouts with pain so that we know how absolutely, wonderfully, magnificently joyful it is to win.  In a nutshell, losing helps us to truly experience the joy of winning.  Without experiencing one, the greatness of the other cannot be fully understood.

That's why I think God allows us to go through painful times – experiencing the fight and the struggle – so that He can prove Himself to us, and so we can taste and see that He is so very good.  Think about it . . . how amazing do you feel when you've found yourself in a time of blessing after having gone through months or even years of struggle.  The ability to breathe again, to not have "stuff" hanging over you like a dark cloud following you wherever you go, is one of the best things to experience in the world.  The "aaahhhh" of relief, can only be realized after having gone through the "AAAHHH!" of the painful experience.

So today . . . think of it . . . think and meditate on how God, YOUR God, fought along side of you, seeing you through each difficult round, picked you up each time the enemy knocked you down, and ultimately raised your hand in victory.  Think about it!  Especially if you are in the middle rounds of a dog fight right now – THINK about it.  Thank Him for the victory, even while you are struggling.  Your victory is coming.  Your championship is just a few rounds away.  Your trophy is being buffed and polished this very minute.  You are heading in to the Winners circle . . . just as He promised you.

Prayer

Father thank You for being there for us.  Thank You for fighting for our victory.  Thank You for allowing us to realize how good You are by experiencing Your saving Grace.  Forgive us for doubting, and for wanting to give up, and maybe even for thinking You aren't there.  In the heat of the battle we can be weak and a little cowardly at times, but deep down we know You are able, more than able, to see us through to the victory.  Thank You Lord, for the joy of victory.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Only This! – Joshua 22:5

5 Only this: Be vigilant in keeping the Commandment and The Revelation that Moses the servant of God laid on you: Love God, your God, walk in all His ways, do what He's commanded, embrace Him, serve Him with everything you are and have."

– Joshua 22:5

Only This!

Be vigilant in keeping the Commandment and the Revelation that Moses the servant of God laid on you.

• Love God, your God
• Walk in all His ways
• Do what He's commanded
• Embrace Him
• Serve Him
• with everything you are
• with everything you have

There is nothing else . . . ever.

Prayer

Father, You are God.  We promise on this day to Love You, to walk in Your ways, to do everything you have commanded.  We embrace who You are and we will serve You with everything we are, and everything we have.  You are God!

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Everything's Gonna Come Out Right! – Joshua 21:45

45 Not one word failed from all the good words God spoke to the house of Israel. Everything came out right.

– Joshua 21:45

Everything's Gonna Come Out Right!

Do you believe the Word of God?  

All of it?  

I mean REALLY B-E-L-I-E-V-E it?  

Are you sure?

Many folks, who claim to be Christians, only really believe the parts of God's Word that make them feel good, or that promise prosperity and wealth.  Many take His Word out of context and manipulate it to make things seem like God is OK with their questionable desires and decisions.  But that's not what God's Word is all about.  His Word is Truth.  All of it.  Every letter, each space in between the letters, every punctuation mark, every ascender, descender, and even the spaces within the characters themselves (like the letters O, B, and D [to name a few]), are all Truth, spoken directly from the mouth of God, OUR God . . . THE God.

Well if you really do believe, wholeheartedly, and completely in God's Word, then you know, no matter what happens – good AND bad – everything is going to come out right . . . just like God planned it.  That's right, i said "AND bad."  It's the AND bad that we don't like, but bad things are essential to our very existence.  They are the things that build our character, and prove to us that we can overcome anything, and make us stronger as we rely on God's strength, and the power of His Love, and His Grace.  We become who we were designed to become by taking on Christ's example, and gracefully and confidently going through the bad, and coming out the other side with victory . . . despite the bad, AND because of the goodness of God's love for each one of us.

So as bad comes your way (and it's going to), take it on, head-on, full-on, with Christ on.  Understand that for a season, things are going to be tough, and you are going to be tested. But go into that season full of hope.  March into it with the pride and the fullness of understanding in Whom you serve.  Dive into it, head-first, with total abandon, covered with the blood of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, and show " AND bad" how "BAD" you are because of Whose banner you march under.  Your season of "AND bad" will soon end, the victory will come, AND GOOD will return once again, and EVERYTHING will come out right . . . just like God promised.

Prayer

Father thank You for the strength of Your promise.  Thank You for seeing us through the bad times.  Thank You for making everything right, every time, according to Your plan.  Forgive us for the times when our faith waivers, and especially forgive us for not always believing Your Word.  Help our Faith Lord.  Help us to Believe, in all things, and at all times.

Have a Blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Don't Bury Your Head in the Sand! – Joshua 7:6, 10

6   Joshua ripped his clothes and fell on his face to the ground before the Chest of God, he and the leaders throwing dirt on their heads, prostrate until evening. 

10 God said to Joshua, "Get up. Why are you groveling?

      – Joshua 7:6, 10

Don't Bury Your Head in the Sand!

Joshua made a mistake. A BIG mistake.  A mistake that got a lot of men killed.  Why? Because he got ahead of God, left God out of his decision-making, and as a result, he and his leaders threw themselves on the ground and buried their heads in the sand.  This reminds me of those DirecTV commercials.  You know, the ones where some poor guy  only has cable TV, which causes him to do one thing, which causes him to do another thing, which causes him to do yet another thing, which results in him burying his head in the sand.  The end of the commercial goes something like "Don't bury your head in the sand . . . Get DirecTV."

This scenario is perfect for that commercial:  

The scene opens with Joshua was sitting around with his generals.  

• When you sit around with your generals, you send men out to spy the land.  
• When you send out men to spy the land, they may come back with a good report.  
• When men come back with a good report, it causes you to get ahead of God. 
• When you get ahead of God, your army is wiped out.  
• When your army is wiped out, you bury your head in the sand.  
• Don't bury your head in the sand. 
• Always consult and do God's will, your army will thank you and your hair will stay nice and shiny.

We've all done this right? We get so excited about this ministry opportunity or that outreach program that we get ahead of God and everything we do (though well-meaning), ends up fruitless and frustrated.  So what do we do?  Well, usually we feel sorry for ourselves and we try to figure out who it was that caused the problem.  In essence, we are burying our heads in the sand because the problem started with us, getting ahead of God.

God knows us, and He understands our puppy dog enthusiasm, so He sits and watches us make a mess of things.  But instead of letting us stew in our misery, He wants us to "Get UP!"  He wants us to stop our self-pity, and our useless "why"ning.  He wants us to learn that we have to stay behind Him and let Him be the power behind our energy.  Like a Chess Master, He must be the one moving us from place to place, with His strategy, and His purpose.  Because we are on the board, we can't see over or around the obstacles that are in our way.  Only God can see the entire playing field, and no matter if we see ourselves as kings, queens, knights, bishops, rooks, or pawns, we are useless unless God moves us.

So if you are in a rut in your life, your job, or your ministry, perhaps you have gotten ahead of God and you need to let Him move you back a few squares.  Get up, shake all that dirt out of your hair, stop your groveling, and look to the Master.  See what He wants.  Then make yourself completely available to His will.  It might not be your idea of where you want to go, but if God is the One directing you, you will succeed, and you will prosper, and you will never have to bury your head in the sand again.

Prayer

Father, thank You for reminding us that our efforts will be fruitless, and may actually cause harm if we try to get ahead of You.  Forgive us for leaving You out of our plans and out of our hopes and dreams.  Help us to remember that You are the Master over our lives so that we can accomplish Your will, whatever it may be.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

SHHHHHHHHHHH! – Joshua 6:10

10 Joshua had given orders to the people, "Don't shout. In fact, don't even speak - not so much as a whisper until you hear me say, 'Shout!' - then shout away!" 

– Joshua 6:10

SHHHHHHHHHHH!

Can you imagine? Millions of people gathered, poised to take over a city, adrenaline pumping, heart racing, marching in circles . . . in complete silence.  No way! Not even a whisper?  No one saying "Oy, all this dust is killing my sinuses"  or "Is this the 5th time around or the 6th?"   I know these are silly examples but that's exactly my point.  I'm the type of guy who would say something to the guy next to me, just to break the tension and to try to ease some of the nervous energy.  But at this time, in this situation, I believe that the Israelites had seen enough of God's unusual ways of bringing about victory that they knew to stay quiet until the time was right.  No one dared whisper a word for fear of being the one who prevented God from fulfilling His promise.

Would we do that today?  Or would we scoff at the ludicrous and the illogical and try to change God's plans to fit our own understanding of how things should go?  Would we be willing to stay when the situation appeared to require us to go?  Would we be OK with waiting when moving forward would seem to be the logical thing to do?  How about sitting in silence when voicing our opinion would surely and quickly call attention to a problem?  Sometimes all those logical things are appropriate, but then there are other times when not doing the obvious is exactly what God requires.  Are you be able to recognize the difference?

The key is being willing to let God stay in front of our plans and our own ideas.  When He leads, it is easy to get in step behind HIm, but when we try to get ahead of God, when we rush into situations without taking the time to let Him give us clear instructions, we run the risk of being out of God's will.  We, in our well-meaning, "git-er-done" frame of mind, can even prevent God from fulfilling the promise that He had planned, and instead, He will allow us to fail miserably.  Oh we might make some noise on our own, and initially, our efforts may produce some results, but because we got ahead of God, our efforts will eventually fall short, and the work we started will fizzle and become ineffective.

So let's get behind God.  Let's learn to listen to His voice before we act.  Let's learn to move when He says move and go when He says "GO!"  Let's be so in tune with God that we recognize and understand how to be about His work so that He brings the victory in every situation.  

It's good to be doers of the Word, but let's make sure it's His Word and not our own that we are doing.  And when it's time, and we hear Him say "Shout," then let's be ready to shout away, at the top of our lungs, so all the world will see, and hear, and know that our God is THE God.  The God who brings down walls, and breaks through barriers, and fulfills every promise through His people who are called by His name, and who clearly hear His voice.

Prayer

Father, we want to get to know You so well that we can clearly hear Your voice.  We want to know and understand Your will so we can be effective ministers of Your Word.  Help us to be in tune with You Lord.  Help us to discern when it's time to move and when it's time to be still.  Forgive us for the times when we get ahead of You.  Show us the way Lord and we will follow in Your footprints so that Your Will be done, in every situation.   

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

Manna - Manna - Manna . . . No Manna! – Joshua 5:12

12 And then no more manna; the manna stopped. As soon as they started eating food grown in the land, there was no more manna for the People of Israel. That year they ate from the crops of Canaan.

– Joshua 5:12

Manna - Manna - Manna . . . No Manna!

God knows just how long we need to be hand-fed His Word, and nurtured in His ways . . . then . . . He gives us the cut-off date and lets us know that it's time to start gathering the Bread of Life for ourselves.  It's time for us to start feasting on the big, meaty, bone-in, well-marbled slabs of the Good Stuff, straight from His adult menu (Bible), on our own – becoming self-sufficient, mature Christians who don't fall over every time the enemy blows a trial or a temptation our way.

The Meat that sustains us and puts His weight on our fragile egos; the Gristle that holds us together and helps us not be offended by every little thing that people say; the Marrow of our very souls which keeps us centered and focused on why we're here in the first place; the Blood which identifies us and gives us new life.  No more manna!  No more just getting by with the basic required daily nutrients.  No more needing God to be our "Da-Da," but now understanding the strength we have in our Father God.  Having Power, and Might, and Victory over our own lives, with the ability to serve, and to work, and to minister, and to hand-feed manna to those just coming in to the fold.

We need to grow up.  We need to stand up.  We need to hold up, to anything the world can throw at us.  And we need to man-up and be accountable for our own actions and take responsibility for our decisions – good, and bad – no matter the consequences.  We need to be His church, undivided, unwavering, uncompromising, and unbelievably strong in the face of adversity.  We need to be examples of the Risen Christ, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords . . . our Savior King . . . THE God . . . Our God.

So how about it?  Are you ready to take on the 72oz Cowboy cut?  The All-You-Can-Eat smorgasbord?  The Grade-A, triple-decker, thick-sliced bacon-wrapped, jalapeños, onions, and spicy mustard, on a kaiser roll?  The God's Waffle House "All The Way" scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped, topped, and country-style hash browns?  The give me a Holy coronary, triple by-pass for Jesus meal that's going to send the devil running with his forked tail between his scrawny bow-legged, pigeon-toed hoofs?

It's time, you know – no more happy meals.  Time to take on a real meal.  It's time to devour the Word of God and get it in you.  It's time to let God know that you're ready for all He's got, without conditions, His way, from His pre-set menu, carefully selected, designed, and prepared . . . just for you.

A better meal doesn't exist anywhere in this world because He's the Top Chef, and if you eat His food . . . you won't be Chopped!

Prayer

Father, thank You for the meat of Your Word.  Thank You for the time of training we have had and for the "manna" You have provided for us.  Help us Lord, to be willing to feast on Your banquet and to take ALL that You have prepared for us.  Forgive our finicky, picky ways and know that we are ready to step up to the adult table and start tasting and seeing for ourselves, how very good You are.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard

YES – He did it AGAIN! – Joshua 4:23 - 24

23 "Yes, God, your God, dried up the Jordan's waters for you until you had crossed, just as God, your God, did at the Red Sea, which had dried up before us until we had crossed. 
24 This was so that everybody on earth would recognize how strong God's rescuing hand is and so that you would hold God in solemn reverence always."

– Joshua 4:23 - 24

YES – He did it AGAIN!

God is a busy guy!  He is always working and He is always moving.  If you doubt that, just look at the natural world around you . . . miracles are going on every minute of every day as the world – this big blue ever-changing marble – moves, and breathes, and expands under His direction.  We too, are ever-changing and God is constantly working to get us to a place of intimate relationship, with Him.  That is His goal.  That is His purpose.  That is why we are here.

Throughout the last few books of the Bible, the central theme (and it seems almost every other paragraph), is that the children are being reminded that God is their God, and . . . 

It's the "and . . . " that is so amazing!  ANd God did this; and God did that; and God is doing this other thing; and God will bless; and God will promote; and God will (fill in your own blank).  "And God" is endless, and it continues today just as it did all those thousands of years ago.  The miracles repeat themselves when the circumstances dictate that repetition is needed, and God (see, there it is again), moves His people from one place to another; He rescues, and He restores, and He renews, and He refreshes.  Why?

He does this, and He will always continue to do this so that everyone on earth would recognize how strong His rescuing, and restoring, and refreshing hand is.  He does this so that you and I will hold God, our God, in solemn reverence . . . ALWAYS!

Are you needing a miracle today?  How are you holding God?  Are you giving Him the attention and the reverence He's due and expects? Or, are you barely giving him any part of your day, still expecting Him to come through for you?  Relationships are reciprocal, meaning they are give-and-take; both parties acting on and completing their assignments.  God wants that kind of relationship with us.  He wants to be The BIG God for us.  He created us for this very reason, but it's up to us to do our part.  We have to make God our priority because if we don't, we won't receive all that God has for us.  We won't realize the fullness of life that He designed for us.  We won't ever recognize how really very BIG He is.

I don't know about you, but I want to see how big God is.  I want to experience His power in my life.  I want to see for myself, the miracles that I read about in the Bible.  I believe I can, if I will hold Him, and revere Him, and fight for my relationship with Him, above everything and anything in my life.  I firmly believe that I can . . . and I firmly believe that you can too.

Prayer

Father, You ARE THE BIG GOD!  You are constantly working to bring us into relationship with You.  Forgive our inattentive ways and our lazy attitudes.  Forgive our neglect and our abuse of Your love for us.  Help us Lord, we need Your help.  We need Your relationship so that we can know You in Your fullness.  Reveal those areas in our lives that are blocking our paths to You and then help us to let go of everything so that we can hold on to You.

Have a blessed day everyone!

– Richard