Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts. Proverbs 21:2
I love that God is in control and knows our heart! Here is a perfect example.
"And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, 'Thus says the Lord God of Israel: "Concerning the words which you have heard---"because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the Lord. 2 Chronicles 34:26-27
These words were spoken to a young man named Josiah. You can find his story in 2 Kings 22:1-23:30 and in 2 Chronicles chapters 34 and 35. As a youth pastor I love Josiah. He became king when he was eight years old and the word says, "He did what is right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 2 Chronicles 34:2 A young man true to his walk with God and as great as that is I love this point even more.
In 1 Kings 13:2 God spoke a word about him through a prophet of God and he named Josiah by name and told about what he would do because of his heart for God. He spoke of Josiah by name 300 years before he was born.
What about? "Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them." Psalm 139:16 or Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; And ordained you a prophet to the nations."
300 years before he was born he knew Josiah's heart! So, some food for thought?
"...who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14 GOD KNOWS!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
"SEE! What God Has To Say"
Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And the Lord said to Joshua: "See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all you men of war"...So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country. Joshua 6:1-27
I love the story of Joshua at Jericho. I must confess it is a personal favorite. Although today I don't get to share any of those favorite little tidbits. Today I simply get to talk about this first verse and our need to "Walk By Faith Not By Sight."
It says that Jericho was securely shut up. The reason being, that they had word that the Israelites were coming and they had the time to prepare the city. It was shut up like a fortress, no one in or out and that is what Joshua saw with his eyes as they approached the city. With his ears and his heart something else was taking place. Faith, in his heart he believed the Words that God was speaking. "SEE! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor."
His first word to Joshua was "SEE!" What Joshua could SEE in the natural was an impossible obstacle. What he could SEE with his eyes fixed on God was a defeated city. By faith, he trusted, not in what his eyes perceived, but instead he trusted and obey every Word that God spoke to him and that securely shut up city fell.
We who call ourselves believers need to listen and obey as we deal with the obstacles in our life. We need to stop seeing the impossible obstacles and start seeing and trusting that He has the perfect plan to bring the victory!
I love the story of Joshua at Jericho. I must confess it is a personal favorite. Although today I don't get to share any of those favorite little tidbits. Today I simply get to talk about this first verse and our need to "Walk By Faith Not By Sight."
It says that Jericho was securely shut up. The reason being, that they had word that the Israelites were coming and they had the time to prepare the city. It was shut up like a fortress, no one in or out and that is what Joshua saw with his eyes as they approached the city. With his ears and his heart something else was taking place. Faith, in his heart he believed the Words that God was speaking. "SEE! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor."
His first word to Joshua was "SEE!" What Joshua could SEE in the natural was an impossible obstacle. What he could SEE with his eyes fixed on God was a defeated city. By faith, he trusted, not in what his eyes perceived, but instead he trusted and obey every Word that God spoke to him and that securely shut up city fell.
We who call ourselves believers need to listen and obey as we deal with the obstacles in our life. We need to stop seeing the impossible obstacles and start seeing and trusting that He has the perfect plan to bring the victory!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
"The Sower"
Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the... Matthew 13:3-4
Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the...Mark 43-4
A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell... Luke 8:5
In three of the four Gospels we have an account of the parable of the sower. For most of us this parable becomes about the four different places the seed lands, the wayside, the stones, the thorns and the good ground. Which of course is important because Jesus not only took the time to teach it but to explain it to the disciples in detail.
Today I want to focus on the sower. It says that this sower had seed to sow and he went out with one purpose. To sow his seed. The definition of the word sower in the Strongs is - through the idea of extending; to scatter, i.e.to sow. So here we have a sower out there with a purpose. He wanted to sow his seed for a reason. It wasn't to just get rid of the seed he had in his bag. He wasn't just throwing it out there. It mattered to him. You don't plant seed for no reason. You plant because you want to see the fruit.
Anyone who has scattered seed or anything else knows that as you scatter something it doesn't always land where your aiming. Some might fall from your hand as you taking it from the bag. Some might shoot to far or too close but the most goes where you want it to. As the sower scattered his seed some fell off to the side. Some landed in among some rocks. Some landed in the weeds and thorns. Some hit the mark and landed where he would reap a harvest.
The sower, he had a purpose, to scatter his seed and reap a harvest. He didn't worry about where every little seed landed, he just sowed his seed. Jesus said that the seed was the Word. That makes you and I a sower of seed. Are we faithfully sowing the Word daily in the lives around us. It is our job as the sower to have a purpose. We need to be faithful to sow and to know that we can trust Him with where it lands and to bring in the Harvest!
Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the...Mark 43-4
A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell... Luke 8:5
In three of the four Gospels we have an account of the parable of the sower. For most of us this parable becomes about the four different places the seed lands, the wayside, the stones, the thorns and the good ground. Which of course is important because Jesus not only took the time to teach it but to explain it to the disciples in detail.
Today I want to focus on the sower. It says that this sower had seed to sow and he went out with one purpose. To sow his seed. The definition of the word sower in the Strongs is - through the idea of extending; to scatter, i.e.to sow. So here we have a sower out there with a purpose. He wanted to sow his seed for a reason. It wasn't to just get rid of the seed he had in his bag. He wasn't just throwing it out there. It mattered to him. You don't plant seed for no reason. You plant because you want to see the fruit.
Anyone who has scattered seed or anything else knows that as you scatter something it doesn't always land where your aiming. Some might fall from your hand as you taking it from the bag. Some might shoot to far or too close but the most goes where you want it to. As the sower scattered his seed some fell off to the side. Some landed in among some rocks. Some landed in the weeds and thorns. Some hit the mark and landed where he would reap a harvest.
The sower, he had a purpose, to scatter his seed and reap a harvest. He didn't worry about where every little seed landed, he just sowed his seed. Jesus said that the seed was the Word. That makes you and I a sower of seed. Are we faithfully sowing the Word daily in the lives around us. It is our job as the sower to have a purpose. We need to be faithful to sow and to know that we can trust Him with where it lands and to bring in the Harvest!
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
The Midnight Hour
Ruth 3
Naomi tells her daughter-in-law, Ruth, that Boaz is a relative. A relative close enough to be a kinsman redeemer. She tells Ruth to go down to the threshing floor, and when Boaz laid down for the night, go, uncover his feet, and lay down at his uncovered feet. Ruth said she would do everything Naomi had said.
So Ruth found herself at the threshing floor. Searching for Boaz. When she found him, she did exactly as Naomi said. She uncovered his feet, laid down, and waited.
At midnight, Boaz woke up, and saw Ruth.
At midnight, everything changed. There was a twist. That season ended, and a new one began.
I don't know if you've noticed this, but midnight is a common theme in the Bible. It's often the time when something major happens. Good or bad. The battles were won-or started, the thief came, the Bridegroom came, praise, worship, preaching, love, and triumph---all at midnight.
This was a redeeming hour.
Guys, this can be your midnight hour, in a good or a bad way. This can be the hour where you give yourself to the True Redeemer, where you uncover His feet, where you lay at His feet. This can be the hour you experience true change in your walk with God. Like Ruth, we need to go to the threshing floor. We need to get with God. That's where our midnight hour will be waiting.
---Joy
Naomi tells her daughter-in-law, Ruth, that Boaz is a relative. A relative close enough to be a kinsman redeemer. She tells Ruth to go down to the threshing floor, and when Boaz laid down for the night, go, uncover his feet, and lay down at his uncovered feet. Ruth said she would do everything Naomi had said.
So Ruth found herself at the threshing floor. Searching for Boaz. When she found him, she did exactly as Naomi said. She uncovered his feet, laid down, and waited.
At midnight, Boaz woke up, and saw Ruth.
At midnight, everything changed. There was a twist. That season ended, and a new one began.
I don't know if you've noticed this, but midnight is a common theme in the Bible. It's often the time when something major happens. Good or bad. The battles were won-or started, the thief came, the Bridegroom came, praise, worship, preaching, love, and triumph---all at midnight.
This was a redeeming hour.
Guys, this can be your midnight hour, in a good or a bad way. This can be the hour where you give yourself to the True Redeemer, where you uncover His feet, where you lay at His feet. This can be the hour you experience true change in your walk with God. Like Ruth, we need to go to the threshing floor. We need to get with God. That's where our midnight hour will be waiting.
---Joy
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
"Notice The Exclamation Point"
Now Naaman, a commander of the army of the king of Syria, was agreat and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman's wife.
Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." 2 Kings 5:1-3
This little captive maid is one of my favorite "Heroes" of faith. I know her name isn't David, Moses, Joshua, Daniel or one of any number of big name Bible heroes but she is still one of the giants to me. The truth is we don't even know her name, but name or not, she still gives us a great example of what faith looks like.
We have a little girl, taken captive, taken from her family, her home, and everything she had known, brought to Syria, and made to be a servant to Naaman's wife. It couldn't have been an easy experience to have gone through! I love her example because even though it must have been very hard to go through what she did she didn't lose God in the process. She couldn't control being taken captive. She couldn't control being made a servant in a distant land far from her family. She was in no way in control of her activities. She was a servant being told what to do, when to do, and how to do things. The one thing that she could control is her belief in her God!
I've seen to many people lose heart and turn their backs on God over the years when something bad that was beyond their control happened in their lives. This little girl didn't do that instead she testified That her God could make a difference. "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria!" I love the exclamation point. She spoke like she believed it would make a difference. She still believed in the faithfulness of God to meet needs. She didn't say, "Maybe he could try the prophet in Samaria." She said, IF ONLY MY MASTER WERE WITH THE PROPHET WHO IS IN SAMARIA! FOR HE WOULD HEAL HIM OF HIS LEPROSY." Again, notice the EXCLAMATION POINT. She said it full of excitement and full of faith that God would make a difference!
I love this little girl because even in the midst of tough circumstances beyond her control she was still faithful to testify about the goodness of her God!
And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman's wife.
Then she said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy." 2 Kings 5:1-3
This little captive maid is one of my favorite "Heroes" of faith. I know her name isn't David, Moses, Joshua, Daniel or one of any number of big name Bible heroes but she is still one of the giants to me. The truth is we don't even know her name, but name or not, she still gives us a great example of what faith looks like.
We have a little girl, taken captive, taken from her family, her home, and everything she had known, brought to Syria, and made to be a servant to Naaman's wife. It couldn't have been an easy experience to have gone through! I love her example because even though it must have been very hard to go through what she did she didn't lose God in the process. She couldn't control being taken captive. She couldn't control being made a servant in a distant land far from her family. She was in no way in control of her activities. She was a servant being told what to do, when to do, and how to do things. The one thing that she could control is her belief in her God!
I've seen to many people lose heart and turn their backs on God over the years when something bad that was beyond their control happened in their lives. This little girl didn't do that instead she testified That her God could make a difference. "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria!" I love the exclamation point. She spoke like she believed it would make a difference. She still believed in the faithfulness of God to meet needs. She didn't say, "Maybe he could try the prophet in Samaria." She said, IF ONLY MY MASTER WERE WITH THE PROPHET WHO IS IN SAMARIA! FOR HE WOULD HEAL HIM OF HIS LEPROSY." Again, notice the EXCLAMATION POINT. She said it full of excitement and full of faith that God would make a difference!
I love this little girl because even in the midst of tough circumstances beyond her control she was still faithful to testify about the goodness of her God!
Monday, August 26, 2013
Don't Miss The Wedding Feast
"The kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding
feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited
to the wedding feast, but they would not come."
Matthew 22:2-3
Those who were invited would not come. As Jesus continued to tell the people this parable, you saw those once honored guests of the king, ignore the king. Some went to work, some went home, and some evil people seized the king's men, and murdered them. The king took sent his armies to destroy those evil people. Then he told his servants to go into the streets and invite as many people as they can find because those who were invited were not worthy. So the servants did as they were told, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came to look in, and visit, he saw a guest without a wedding garment. The king confronted the guest, but the guest was speechless. The king had to throw him out, into a terrible place.
This parable is still relevant today. Past, present, future. There is going to be a feast in honor of Jesus' marriage to the church. Those who were invited refused to come. They wouldn't believe in Jesus. They ignored Him, and killed Him. God is going to take care of those people.
Jesus wants all of us to be in Heaven with Him. Heaven will be filled with all kinds of people! Until that day, we, His servants, need to serve Him faithfully.
But just because someone believes in a "higher power" doesn't mean they can just waltz into Heaven. They need Jesus. They need to believe that God sent Jesus to die for them, and ask Him into their life. They need that covering to be able to come to Heaven.
Remember, my friends, it is very easy to let ourselves become the same type of guest that was invited, but would not come. They were His people, too. No matter how busy we are, when God calls, we need to go. Otherwise, the day may come and go, and we will never notice.
A wedding feast is a big deal. Especially to those who are getting married. I know it has been for me! But at the same time, it is pretty routine. Those people illustrated in the parable were caught up in the routine. They missed a life changing event because they were too busy with their routine lives. We need to pay attention!!!! We don't want to miss this. After all, we are one of the guests of honor.
---Joy
Matthew 22:2-3
Those who were invited would not come. As Jesus continued to tell the people this parable, you saw those once honored guests of the king, ignore the king. Some went to work, some went home, and some evil people seized the king's men, and murdered them. The king took sent his armies to destroy those evil people. Then he told his servants to go into the streets and invite as many people as they can find because those who were invited were not worthy. So the servants did as they were told, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came to look in, and visit, he saw a guest without a wedding garment. The king confronted the guest, but the guest was speechless. The king had to throw him out, into a terrible place.
This parable is still relevant today. Past, present, future. There is going to be a feast in honor of Jesus' marriage to the church. Those who were invited refused to come. They wouldn't believe in Jesus. They ignored Him, and killed Him. God is going to take care of those people.
Jesus wants all of us to be in Heaven with Him. Heaven will be filled with all kinds of people! Until that day, we, His servants, need to serve Him faithfully.
But just because someone believes in a "higher power" doesn't mean they can just waltz into Heaven. They need Jesus. They need to believe that God sent Jesus to die for them, and ask Him into their life. They need that covering to be able to come to Heaven.
Remember, my friends, it is very easy to let ourselves become the same type of guest that was invited, but would not come. They were His people, too. No matter how busy we are, when God calls, we need to go. Otherwise, the day may come and go, and we will never notice.
A wedding feast is a big deal. Especially to those who are getting married. I know it has been for me! But at the same time, it is pretty routine. Those people illustrated in the parable were caught up in the routine. They missed a life changing event because they were too busy with their routine lives. We need to pay attention!!!! We don't want to miss this. After all, we are one of the guests of honor.
---Joy
Sunday, August 25, 2013
"What Profit?"
"Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am weary."
"Sell me your birthright as of this day."
"Look, I am about to die; so what profit shall this birthright be to me?"
"Swear to me as of this day."
So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
This exchange between these two brothers always causes me to take a moment to examine my heart, to check and see that I am still giving God first place in my life. The statement Esau made had a few words in it that are key to the choice he made.
"What profit shall this birthright be," was key because it shows that Esau was making a decision about which he wanted more. His birthright meant that, as the first born, he was given preference and a double portion. He decide that it was of less value in the long run then, having soup in the moment.
I find it interesting that they felt a birthright was valuable enough that it could be bartered and sold. It ends this exchange with these words. "Thus Esau despised his birthright." I looked it up in the Strongs and it simple means; to disesteem. Esau didn't esteem his birthright as being of "great value." He sold it for a bowl of soup. In that moment he desired soup more that his place of preference and his double portion.
How often do we not "Esteem" as His sons and daughters because of what we want and desire in the moment we are in? Jesus put it this way.
"For whoever desires to save his life must lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
"Sell me your birthright as of this day."
"Look, I am about to die; so what profit shall this birthright be to me?"
"Swear to me as of this day."
So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. And Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils; then he ate and drank, arose, and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
This exchange between these two brothers always causes me to take a moment to examine my heart, to check and see that I am still giving God first place in my life. The statement Esau made had a few words in it that are key to the choice he made.
"What profit shall this birthright be," was key because it shows that Esau was making a decision about which he wanted more. His birthright meant that, as the first born, he was given preference and a double portion. He decide that it was of less value in the long run then, having soup in the moment.
I find it interesting that they felt a birthright was valuable enough that it could be bartered and sold. It ends this exchange with these words. "Thus Esau despised his birthright." I looked it up in the Strongs and it simple means; to disesteem. Esau didn't esteem his birthright as being of "great value." He sold it for a bowl of soup. In that moment he desired soup more that his place of preference and his double portion.
How often do we not "Esteem" as His sons and daughters because of what we want and desire in the moment we are in? Jesus put it this way.
"For whoever desires to save his life must lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
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