Not one of all the LORD’S good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. Joshua 21:45
Here’s another fabulous statement about God that could be overlooked. It’s the last verse of the chapter—buried at the end of the story, so to speak. But it’s certainly not an afterthought. This is the line that the narrative builds up to.
And notice, it’s not, “God kept all of His promises.” That’s too casual. Most of us know at least one person that we consider very trustworthy, someone whose word is as good as gold. But I doubt any of us thinks there is anyone who never, ever broke or forgot a promise. No, it’s more like, “There was not a promise that God made (and He made quite a few) that He did not keep—not a single one!”
On top of that, God’s promises were significant ones—promises that only He could fulfill; worthy and good promises. That’s standard behavior for God.
You and me, if we can keep most of our promises, we feel pretty good about ourselves. That’s standard behavior for us.
I’m so glad that we serve a faithful, larger-than-life God. Nothing is too difficult for Him and we can always depend on Him.
Lord, thank You for keeping Your promises to Your people. I praise You that I can always trust in You, no matter what.
Have a blessed day,
Jim
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Loving Jesus
"If anyone does not love the Lord--a curse be on him. Come, O Lord!" 1 Corinthians 16:22 NIV
Jesus declared that the greatest commandment is to love God with every ounce of your being (Matthew 22:37). Paul was so passionate about loving Jesus that he declared a curse on anyone who does not also love Him. Paul was not just declaring his own passionate opinion but he was speaking God's truth. Those who love Jesus are blessed with full life and adventure in following Him. Those who do not love Jesus know neither this fullness of life nor the joy of doing His will.
The chief purpose of our life is to love Jesus. We are not called merely to a life of religious duty and worship but we are called to love the Lord who loves us. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 NIV). Here is the heart and soul of the Christian life: in love we give our self fully to the One who in love gave Himself fully for us. In daily receiving His love and giving our self to Him in love we live in Him and He in us and we know the meaning of abundant life.
Father, stoke the fire of love for Jesus in my heart today. Forgive me for complacency toward Your Son and My Savior and fill me with passionate devotion to Him with ever increasing intensity.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
Jesus declared that the greatest commandment is to love God with every ounce of your being (Matthew 22:37). Paul was so passionate about loving Jesus that he declared a curse on anyone who does not also love Him. Paul was not just declaring his own passionate opinion but he was speaking God's truth. Those who love Jesus are blessed with full life and adventure in following Him. Those who do not love Jesus know neither this fullness of life nor the joy of doing His will.
The chief purpose of our life is to love Jesus. We are not called merely to a life of religious duty and worship but we are called to love the Lord who loves us. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20 NIV). Here is the heart and soul of the Christian life: in love we give our self fully to the One who in love gave Himself fully for us. In daily receiving His love and giving our self to Him in love we live in Him and He in us and we know the meaning of abundant life.
Father, stoke the fire of love for Jesus in my heart today. Forgive me for complacency toward Your Son and My Savior and fill me with passionate devotion to Him with ever increasing intensity.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
Monday, June 28, 2010
The End of the Story
"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
This verse concludes an amazing chapter on the resurrection. Christ is risen! Therefore, we who are in Christ anticipate resurrection. "Let nothing move you" from this belief or from continued trust in the risen Lord. Trials will come and we will walk through discouraging days on the way to resurrection but we know the end of the story and we stand fast in faith and hope.
And keep in mind that what you do for the Lord in these days will last for eternity. It is not "vain" (i.e. empty, useless) to serve the Lord. We spend so much time, energy, and resources on things that will not last and will not matter in the end. View your life in light of the end of the story and pour yourself into those things that will last beyond this life.
Father, I thank You that Christ is indeed risen and that faith in Him is not empty. Help me to live with the confidence and joy that accompany the certainty of resurrection and to serve You faithfully today.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
This verse concludes an amazing chapter on the resurrection. Christ is risen! Therefore, we who are in Christ anticipate resurrection. "Let nothing move you" from this belief or from continued trust in the risen Lord. Trials will come and we will walk through discouraging days on the way to resurrection but we know the end of the story and we stand fast in faith and hope.
And keep in mind that what you do for the Lord in these days will last for eternity. It is not "vain" (i.e. empty, useless) to serve the Lord. We spend so much time, energy, and resources on things that will not last and will not matter in the end. View your life in light of the end of the story and pour yourself into those things that will last beyond this life.
Father, I thank You that Christ is indeed risen and that faith in Him is not empty. Help me to live with the confidence and joy that accompany the certainty of resurrection and to serve You faithfully today.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
Thursday, June 24, 2010
What's Love Got To Do With It?
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:13
What's love got to do with it? - Everything!
What good is it to have incredible understanding? Or great faith? Or to be extremely generous? None, if you don't have love. Without love they are all meaningless. Love is the authenticator of our faith and actions (1 John 3:18-19). Love is the distinguishing characteristic in the life of a person who knows God (John 13:34-35). Christ modeled love for us (John 15:13). 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 defines the kind of pure and undefiled love God has for us and that we are to show one another.
This chapter is often read at weddings to characterize the love between a husband and a wife, and to challenge them to spend their lives showing this kind of love to one another. But God doesn't reserve this kind of love for husband's and wives. This is the kind of love we are to show all people; all the time (Matthew 22:39). God has shown you and I this kind of love. He loved us enough to send his Son. So now we are called to do for others what Christ has done for us - infiltrate a hurting and broken world with the kind of radical love that transforms lives and redeems hearts.
Father, thank you for showing me such great love. Help me to embody that same kind of love as I live out my life for the sake of others.
For His Glory,
Matt Moore
What's love got to do with it? - Everything!
What good is it to have incredible understanding? Or great faith? Or to be extremely generous? None, if you don't have love. Without love they are all meaningless. Love is the authenticator of our faith and actions (1 John 3:18-19). Love is the distinguishing characteristic in the life of a person who knows God (John 13:34-35). Christ modeled love for us (John 15:13). 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 defines the kind of pure and undefiled love God has for us and that we are to show one another.
This chapter is often read at weddings to characterize the love between a husband and a wife, and to challenge them to spend their lives showing this kind of love to one another. But God doesn't reserve this kind of love for husband's and wives. This is the kind of love we are to show all people; all the time (Matthew 22:39). God has shown you and I this kind of love. He loved us enough to send his Son. So now we are called to do for others what Christ has done for us - infiltrate a hurting and broken world with the kind of radical love that transforms lives and redeems hearts.
Father, thank you for showing me such great love. Help me to embody that same kind of love as I live out my life for the sake of others.
For His Glory,
Matt Moore
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The Body of Christ
"All these [spiritual gifts] are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.... But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." 1 Corinthians 12:11, 18 NIV
God's design for the church is amazing and awesome. The church is the body of Christ with many individual members working together as one unit to do the work of Christ in the world. Every member is gifted to serve. Every member is needed for a healthy, fully functioning body. Together the many serving side by side can do far more than one or a handful of extremely gifted people could ever accomplish.
Each one of us has been given a significant and necessary role in the body. Each one of us has been entrusted with an important piece of God's kingdom work. It is an amazing privilege and an awesome responsibility. But remember it is the Spirit who distributes the gifts and empowers us to use them in ministry. Rely on the Holy Spirit to help you discover, develop, and deploy your gift for the glory of Christ.
Father, it is awesome to realize that You have gifted me and trusted me with a significant role in Your kingdom work. Help me by Your Holy Spirit to know my role and to be faithful in it to the glory of Christ, the Head of the body.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
God's design for the church is amazing and awesome. The church is the body of Christ with many individual members working together as one unit to do the work of Christ in the world. Every member is gifted to serve. Every member is needed for a healthy, fully functioning body. Together the many serving side by side can do far more than one or a handful of extremely gifted people could ever accomplish.
Each one of us has been given a significant and necessary role in the body. Each one of us has been entrusted with an important piece of God's kingdom work. It is an amazing privilege and an awesome responsibility. But remember it is the Spirit who distributes the gifts and empowers us to use them in ministry. Rely on the Holy Spirit to help you discover, develop, and deploy your gift for the glory of Christ.
Father, it is awesome to realize that You have gifted me and trusted me with a significant role in Your kingdom work. Help me by Your Holy Spirit to know my role and to be faithful in it to the glory of Christ, the Head of the body.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The Sun Stood Still
The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand.
Not one of them will be able to withstand you." ... The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel.
Joshua 10:8, 13-14 NIV
God promised to deliver the inhabitants of the land of Canaan into the hands of the Israelites and He delivered. So determined was God to fulfill His promise and carry forward His purpose that He even lengthened the day in response to Joshua's prayer to allow Him to finish the conquest.
God can and will literally move heaven and earth on behalf of His people to accomplish His purpose through them. What stands between you and the fulfilment of God's purpose in your life? Call out to Him and He will either remove it or enable you to hurdle it so that He might be glorified in you.
Father, You created the heavens and earth and You are able to move them as it pleases You. Create in me a faith like Joshua's that believes Your promise and lays hold of Your faithfulness.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
Not one of them will be able to withstand you." ... The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel.
Joshua 10:8, 13-14 NIV
God promised to deliver the inhabitants of the land of Canaan into the hands of the Israelites and He delivered. So determined was God to fulfill His promise and carry forward His purpose that He even lengthened the day in response to Joshua's prayer to allow Him to finish the conquest.
God can and will literally move heaven and earth on behalf of His people to accomplish His purpose through them. What stands between you and the fulfilment of God's purpose in your life? Call out to Him and He will either remove it or enable you to hurdle it so that He might be glorified in you.
Father, You created the heavens and earth and You are able to move them as it pleases You. Create in me a faith like Joshua's that believes Your promise and lays hold of Your faithfulness.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
Monday, June 21, 2010
Don't Forget to Pray
"So the Israelite leaders examined their bread, but they did not consult the LORD."
Joshua 9:14 NLT
The Israelites had been instructed by the LORD to completely conquer all the inhabitants of Canaan (the Promised Land). They were to make no treaties and allow none of the inhabitants to remain so that their pagan religions would not become a snare to the Israelites. The Gibeonites outwitted the Israelites. They pretended to have journeyed from a far country by wearing worn out clothes and packing dried and moldy bread in their bags. They convinced the Israelites to enter into a treaty with them. The leaders examined the bread which seemed to indicate they had traveled from far away but they did not seek the Lord's guidance.
Things in this world are not always as they seem on the surface. Satan is the "father of lies" who master's in deception. He draws us away from the will of God in much the same way the Gibeonites drew Israel away from God's will. If we are to stand firm and not be "tricked" into sin we must keep ourselves in tune with God through prayer. Prayer is more than a religious duty. It is our spiritual lifeline. Through prayer we are able to see with spiritual eyes and so recognize the enemy's deceitful schemes. Don't forget to pray!
Father, I have too often relied on my own judgment and failed to consult with You. Help me to be mindful to pray and seek Your counsel through this day.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
Joshua 9:14 NLT
The Israelites had been instructed by the LORD to completely conquer all the inhabitants of Canaan (the Promised Land). They were to make no treaties and allow none of the inhabitants to remain so that their pagan religions would not become a snare to the Israelites. The Gibeonites outwitted the Israelites. They pretended to have journeyed from a far country by wearing worn out clothes and packing dried and moldy bread in their bags. They convinced the Israelites to enter into a treaty with them. The leaders examined the bread which seemed to indicate they had traveled from far away but they did not seek the Lord's guidance.
Things in this world are not always as they seem on the surface. Satan is the "father of lies" who master's in deception. He draws us away from the will of God in much the same way the Gibeonites drew Israel away from God's will. If we are to stand firm and not be "tricked" into sin we must keep ourselves in tune with God through prayer. Prayer is more than a religious duty. It is our spiritual lifeline. Through prayer we are able to see with spiritual eyes and so recognize the enemy's deceitful schemes. Don't forget to pray!
Father, I have too often relied on my own judgment and failed to consult with You. Help me to be mindful to pray and seek Your counsel through this day.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
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