Taking Sides

"Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?' 'Neither;' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.'"

When Joshua sees the commander of the army of the Lord, with sword drawn, he asks whose side he's on. The commander reveals that he does not take sides between human peoples or nations. Though God has chosen Israel as a special people to reveal Himself to the world, He isn't partial or more loving of them.

The commander is on God's side and fights His battles. God loves all peoples the same but fights battles for His own namesake using different peoples.

"Lord Jesus, may I never choose earthly sides. May You cause me to only serve the Father and the sides He leads. As You are at His right side, may I be at your feet serving You wherever you lead."

Depend, Delight, Deliver!

"Trust in the Lord and do good; ... Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:3a, 4)

In these two verses, I find my life's purposes summed up. I am asked to trust or fully depend on God: 100%! I am told to delight in God: in all things allow my heart to sing the joys of loving God. I am told to do good or deliver God to the nations. When I always do good, people experience the fruit of God and His name and renown are put on display and His fame grows.

I strongly identify with these purposes. My goal is to have my mind depend, my heart delight, and my tongue, hands, and feet deliver Him to all He puts in my path.

"Jesus, thank you for the present of these verses today on my birthday. Thank you for the changes you bring to my life. Thank you for the dependence, delight, and delivery that is glorifying our Father."

Secret Wisdom

"No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began." (1 Corinthians 2:7)

Knowing our sinful tendencies, God planned to reveal Himself through His redeeming Son since before time began. He has hidden it such that after His Son was revealed, His wisdom became available and eventually unmasked for every believer. This is true so that Jesus would be glorified by all believers.

When we trust in Jesus, we will eventually also share in His glory. Many times I reflect on how grateful I am because of God's mercy and grace but I forget about another motivator- namely sharing in the Messiah's glory.

"Thank you Son of Man that all the good things you ever did will be credited to me as I am a follower of Yours."

WRATH

"All the nations will ask: 'Why has the LORD done this to this land? Why this fierce burning anger?'" (Deuteronomy 29:24)

God will often gain fame and renown by displaying His blessing or miracles upon a people or nation. This display will cause the nations to see and fear God as He shows off. Conversely, God receives renown when His blessing is removed. This scripture explains how the nations will ask what on earth did these people do to deserve this? What incredible force could inflict such devastation? Even under curse God's renown is accomplished.

Does this scripture fortell the future for our one nation founded under God? If our when America were to fail, would the nations knowing our Christian roots recognize our abandon from whom our country was founded? Or, would they scoff at the powerless God who could not care for his followers?

"Jesus- use me to increase God's renown. Cause me to be obedient so that our Father receives most glory from my existence, whether my household or nation's future holds."

Joy Forgotten

"What happened to all your joy?" (Galatians 4:15a)

By God's providence, Paul originally meets the Galatians due to an illness (probably of the eye(s)- v.15; 6:11). The Galatians joyfully respond to the peace and freedom of the Gospel. GBut after Paul's departure, they are influenced by the Judiazers and exchange the Gospel for the restraints of legalism. Paul knows that a list of laws cannot be followed and in the attempt to follow them detracts from Jesus' perfect sacrifice for all at Calvary.

I notice that when I am experiencing least joy, I am most bound by my anxiety due to placing my trust in me and my rules and plans versus God and His grace and actions. Do you lack joy? Are you following rules or a person who has died and risen to set you free?

"Messiah- thank you for the peace and true joy you provide. I confess my retreat to rules of life when I forget the freedom of your victory at the cross. Cause my joy to overflow and gladly meet the needs of others today."

Fear Factor

"Is any man afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home so that his brothers will not become disheartened too." (Deuteronomy 20:8)

The presence of fear indicates a lack of trust. Israel was not to trust in the size of its army, but in God alone. God allows and would prefer desertion so the seed of mistrust and fear would not begin to grow and distract from His commands and purposes.

How afraid are we Christians? How fainthearted am I? Are we more content to see our churches grow in numbers than we are willing to give the command and permission for those afraid to go home? Is their mistrust collectively clogging our ears to hear and cementing our feet from going? Are you disheartened?

"Lord Jesus, cause me not to tremble. May others faithlessness or mistrust be overcome by your greatness. Heal my fear. I yearn to obediently and courageously battle for You and your namesake!"

Dead Man Walking

"For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (Galatians 2:19-20a)

All men live equally under the law and are condemned by it. Simply loving God and others cannot be done perfectly. When Jesus is followed as leader, the condemned life dies and is replaced by the living Messiah. Those who have not exchanged their selves for Jesus' life are dead men walking.

I forget sometimes that the old Tom is dead, and that I no longer live, but Christ in me. The life I live- my very time between breaths- is Christ living in me. Though I still fall in battles to sin, the war is won as Christ did not die for nothing- but for everyone!

"Praise You God for providing Christ alive in me. For surely the old Tom was a wretched dead man walking. Thank You for the true life You have replaced in me. Cause me to live for and worship You deliberately with each breath that You have given me in exchange for my previous despair."

Teach as You Think, Feel & Do

"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (Deuteronomy 11:18-19)

God wants us to affix His words to: love Him with all our hearts, minds, body, soul and strength; and to follow His direction- with our heads, hearts and hands. All that comes in and out should be filtered by our Father. That should be reflected to our children throughout our days with them.

As my Father's son, He desires to pervade my thoughts, feelings, and actions. He wants to teach me, talk with me along the road and at home, when I lay down and get up. As such, He invites me to reflect these same realities with my children.

"Son of Man, cause me to have all of my senses filtering in, of, and through our Father's words. Cause me to breathe Yahweh. Thank you for teaching me to teach the next generations."

"Be Warned"

"If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God." (Deuteronomy 8:19-20).

Forgetting (or not loving and fearing); worshipping other gods (depending on anyone or thing in place of the Lord); or not obeying God will lead to a nation's destruction.

I am remiss for not DAILY standing in the gap for my nation and people. I need to repent for our collective sin. Perhaps God will allow for revival of our land based on this confession of our sin. Without this revival, our land drifts to eventual destruction.

"Lord God- whatever will bring You greater glory- I pray for. If repentance and revival will more glorify You- so be it. If our nation's destruction will bring you more glory- so be it. To God my Father and His Son my King be all glory."