God Keeps His Promises

 Yesterday, in our family Bible study, Dad was teaching us about the legacy of faith that Caleb had. His text for yesterday was Joshua 14:6-15.

Dad gave some background on the story, about how Caleb & Joshua had given a glowing report about the Promise Land (Numbers 13), saying that the inhabitants of the land were large, but that the Israelites could overcome them, with the LORD's help, even though their fellow spies had doubted the Lord. The Lord made a Promise to Caleb, that he would inherit the Land, because of his hope, faith & trust in the Lord (Numbers 14:20-24).

Then he told us how Joshua moved up in the ranks, becoming Moses' right-hand man & then assumed leadership over the nation of Israel when Moses passed away (Joshua 1). And how Caleb was right beside him, in all of this. Still serving the Lord. Still doing His Work.

Dad read to us from Joshua 1: 

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the
son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 'Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over
this Jordan, you & all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people
of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you,
just as I promised to Moses... No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of
your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake
you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land
that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being
careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn
from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and
night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you
will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,
for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.'”
- Joshua 1:1-9

Dad pointed out (from the text above) that God had given all of the Promise Land to the Israelites (verse 3- "every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you"), that no man could stand against them (verse 5). That God was still with them, even though Moses had died (also verse 5). That the Israelites must be very careful to follow the Path that the Lord was Calling them on (verse 7-8). 

That took us to our text for yesterday (Joshua 14:6-15). Caleb asks Joshua to remember the Promise that the Lord made to him forty-five years earlier. Caleb had served the Lord faithfully all this time & was now ready to received the Promised Inheritance. Joshua rewarded Caleb's faithfulness in serving the Lord, how He blessed Caleb for following Him wholeheartedly. Now the Lord remembered His Promise to Caleb, made forty-five years earlier.

This reminded of 2 Samuel 7- God's Covenant with David. How God promised some very specific things that David didn't receive in his lifetime- a multi-generational Promise. But how David understood that & continued to trust in the God of his Salvation. And also of Hebrews chapter 11- the Hall of Faith. 

"These all died in faith, not having received the things promised,
but having seen them & greeted them from afar, & having acknowledged that
they were strangers & exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it
clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that
land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not
ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared for them a city."

- Hebrews 11:13-16

 This is not our Home. We are seeking a better home, in Heaven. And God always keeps His Promises- both years later & in future generations. His ways are not our ways. He has a Plan & a Purpose for this. No Promise He has made will ever return void. The Word of the Lord will stand forever. There will always be a Remnant. God is Sovereign over the affairs of man. He is still on His Throne. Be a faithful steward of all that the Lord has entrusted you with. You will be blessed. Trust Him. Do not lose heart. Be strong & courageous!

 "Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up..." 

- Galatians 6:9

"Blessed Be Your Name"





Last night, I finished a book entitled Blessed Be Your Name by Matt & Beth Redman. It was very encouraging & a blessing to me. I bought this book on a tangent about two years ago, but never read it until yesterday. It was a very timely reminder. The vast majority of this book is underlined & highlighted, because I learned so much from it.

I would highly encourage you to read this book. It talks about praising God, no matter what He brings into your life. About choosing to praise Him in the middle of the storm and when the sea is calm... It talks about the importance of remembering what God has done for you in the past, what he is doing for you in the present & what He will do for you in the future. It talks about thanking God, no matter what happens.

Its title comes from one of my favorite songs (that Matt Redman wrote). You can hear the song here & read the lyrics here. This song has a special meaning to my family, because it's one of the songs that we held onto when my youngest brother was born with spina bifida in 2005. It was a special encouragement to us & still holds a special placei n our hearts...

Some excerpts-

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you...

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned."

- Isaiah 43:2

 

"We worship a triumphant Savior, a victorious King... The God of unbroken promises. When He acts, no one can reverse it. When He speaks, His commands never reutrn empty... The doors He chooses to open, no one can close; & the doors He purposes to close, no one can open. No plan of His has ever been thwarted. No one has ever outmaneuvered Him, outlived Him or outloved Him..." - Matt Redman

 

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving & His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him & praise His Name..."
- Psalm 100:4-5

 

"Father, let me dedicate all this [life] to Thee, in whatever worldly state thou would have me be. Not from sorrow, pain or care freedom dare I claim,this alone shall be my prayer, glorify Thy Name." - Laurence Tuttiett

 

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on His Name;
make known among the nations what He has done.
Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.
Glory in His holy Name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD & His strength; seek His face always..."
- Psalm 105:1-4

 

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains- it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." - C.S. Lewis

 

"Why are you s downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise Him,

my Savior & my God..."

- Psalm 42:5-6, 11

 

"I believe in the sun even when it's not shining. I believe in loveevenwhen I feel it not. I believe in God even when he is silent." - written on the wall of a Nazi concentration camp prisoner 

 

"Nevertheless, I still belong to You;
You hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
& afterward You will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?   
& there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You.My flesh & my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart & my portion forever."

-Psalm 73:23-26

 

"So often the soil of our suffering will become the fertile ground for our seasons of fruitfulness." - Matt Redman

 

" Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you..."

- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

Matt & Beth Redman use a lot of Biblical examples (Joseph, David, Job etc) of people who trusted in God, even when the circumstances seemed to contradict their faith. They also told the story of William Cowper, who wrote one of my favorite hymns- "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" (listen to it here & read the lyrics here) & his life-long battle with manic depression. God is Faithful through it all!

"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant,
but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness
to those who have been trained by it."

-Hebrews 12:11

 

 "For devotion to stand the test of time & endure through every season of the soul, it cannot be based on the ever-changing circumstances of our lives- it must have its foundation on the never-changing worth of God." - Matt Redman
 

 "Bless the Lord, O my soul,
& all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    &  forget not all his benefits,who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love & mercy,who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's..."

- Psalm 105:1-5

 

"The question for us is this: What do we do when our world falls in? What shape does our worship take when things that we depend on give way beneath us? Can we... be found with an unswerving song of worship on our lips? Oh that God would bring us to that place- that even when the familiar & the comfortable fall away beneath us, still we are found with an undying song of trust flowing from our lips & from our lives." - Matt Redman

 

"And [Job] said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb,
& naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
blessed be the name of the Lord.'”

- Job 1:21

 

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away,
our inner self is being renewed day by day.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us
an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,as we look not to the things that are seen
but to the things that are unseen.
For the things that are seen are temporary,
but the things that are unseen are eternal."

- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

 

 ^"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed..."

- 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

 

Some questions to consider-

 

* In what ways can we choose to worship God in our daily lives in the good times and in the bad?

* Why do we constantly need to focus on God when life gets hard?
* When life is hard or painful, Can you still find your way to the place of praise?

* Why do you think faith in God is so important in this age of doubt, uncertainty & confusion?

* What do you think it means to be thankful in the midst of the pain?

* Do you ever think about honoring God throughout your day?
* Thanking Him for the small and the large things that He does for you?

* How has God been there for you yesterday & today?

* Can you thank Him for the blessings of life that are yet to come?

 

"For we know that God works all things

for the good of those who love Him,

who have been Called according

to His Purpose..."

- Romans 8:28

 

Be encouraged today!

Whose Vision Are You Serving?

This morning, during Sunday School our Pastor gave a sermon (on 1 Samuel 20) about the nature of the friendship between David & Jonathan, as compared to Saul's response to David.

Jonathan saw things from a bigger-picture mindset. He had a Kingdom Perspective. He grasped the Vision & acted upon it. Jonathan's heart was immediately knit to David's. They were One in spirit & had the same motives & goals in life (glorifying God). Jonathan had no desire to promote himself or his interests. He was captivated with the Power, Honor & the Glory of God. He was servant-minded. He gave up his robe & sword to God's Chosen King. He possessed the Vision & the Revelation. He led by his conduct. Can you imagine the effect his submission to David's leadership (& his love for him) had on the nation of Israel?

He was Saul's eldest son. He was next in line for the throne. But he set all of that aside to serve a Vision & Purpose greater than himself. And he spared David's life. He had a right heart & spirit before God. His zeal was for God, not for his own self-advancement. He wasn't seeking authority over others. He just wanted to see God glorified. He was selfless. He had no purpose in life other than seeing God work through his life. He did exploits for God's glory.

What of Jonathan's father Saul? What do you think was at the center of his motives? What was in his heart, thoughts, emotions, actions etc? (Selfishness, self-preservation). This is the danger of a "wasted life"- a life not lived to bring God glory. He was driven by jealousy & pride. He had lost his love for the Kingdom. We have a small, cowardly vision when we are focused on Self.

My Pastor spoke on the beauty of a David & Jonathan relationship, of two souls knit together, joined in heart & in spirit, like-minded,  pursing a common goal (Christ). I am blessed to be in several of these relationships in my life!!!

There were a lot of good lessons to be gleaned today. And then our pastor's nephew (our assistant pastor) spoke on 1 Corinthians 10, warning against idolatry...