DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 9.5.20

OurSins �All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid onhim the iniquity of us all.� (Isaiah53:6) As Christ hung on the cross, the Jewish leaders felt that He was guilty of blasphemy�a mere man, claiming to be God. In short, they felt that He was dying for His own sins. Their tragic misconceptions were predicted centuries before, as recorded in the treasured53rd chapter of Isaiah: �We hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not....we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted� (vv. 3-4). But not so! God did not punish Him for His sins but for ours. �He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities� (v. 5). �For the transgression of my people was he stricken� (v. 8). The penalty for sin has always been death, and even though �he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him� (vv. 9-10). He was the perfect �offering for sin� (v. 10), and �he bare the sin of many, and madeintercession for the transgressors� (v. 12). Justice has been served! �He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many� (v. 11). Furthermore, through His death, even our griefs have been borne and our sorrows carried (v. 4). In addition to all this, our peace has been gained through His chastisement, and our healing has been accomplished with His stripes (v. 5). Such considerations can drive us only to the most complete prostration of wonder and amazement. Necessitated because �all we like sheep have gone astray,� God�s justice has been satisfied, because Christ, in love, has taken upon Himself �the iniquity of usall.� As in the hymn: �Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.� JDM Judge, but Don't Condemn - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters? -1 Corinthians 6:2 When someone says that a Christian should never judge, that's incorrect. But didn't Jesus say, "Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matthew 7:1 NKJV)? Yes, and He went on to say, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" (verse 15 NKJV). Unless we make some kind of judgment, how will we determine who a false prophet is? There is a place for judgment. The Bible even says, "For the time has come for judgmentto begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17 NKJV). Also, 1 Corinthians 6:2 tells us, "Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?"(NKJV). There are many verses that actually teach us as Christians to judge, make evaluations, and exercise discernment. So yes, we are to make evaluations in judgment. It's very important. But having said that, what did Jesus actually mean when He said, "Judge not, that you be not judged"? A better way to translate this statement of Christ in Matthew 7:1 is, "Condemn not, that you be not condemned." There's a big difference between the two. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to make judgments, make evaluations, and use our discernment. However, we are not to condemn others. We judge for identification, notfor condemnation. We need to refrain from hypercritical, condemning judgment. As the late J. Vernon McGee pointed out, "The only exercise some Christians get is jumping to conclusions andrunning down others." While we should make evaluations in judgment, we should not condemn other people. Pie in the Sky “And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. Andhe saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation19:9) Unbelievers sometimes ridicule Bible-believing Christians as being “so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly use” and as waiting for “pie in the sky bye and bye.” This canard is, of course, unjustified because the Lord Jesus has told us: “Occupy tillI come” (Luke19:13), and we are also instructed: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians3:23). A Christian could—and should—do a better job in his particular occupation than he would ever have done as a non-Christian. All honorable occupations come within the scope of God’s primeval dominion mandate (Genesis1:26-28). “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might” (Ecclesiastes9:10). Nevertheless, there is indeed a great feast day coming bye and bye, and indeed it will be a great blessing to be “called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” Presumably those who partake of this wonderful feast will be not only those who constitute His Bride,but also others who are called to be guests at His wedding supper. Since the Holy City is also called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife” and since it is inscribed with the names of both the “twelve tribes” of Israel and also of the “twelve apostles” (Revelation21:9, 12, 14), it is clear that believers from both the pre-Christian and Christian ages will be there. They will all have responded to the Lord’s invitation and have had the right attitude of heart and life toward the will of the Bridegroom (Matthew22:1-14; 25:1-13). Whether some kind of heavenly pie will be served at the supper is doubtful, but it will surely be a time of great blessing. HMM The Choice Before Us - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right handof the throne of God. -Hebrews 12:2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-choice-before-us-2/ - Listen I don't always finish what I begin. Awhile ago I started cleaning my office at home, but I didn't quite finish it. It was absolutely transformed, but a few little pilesremained. It wasn't long before I noticed those little piles were starting to grow again. I had cleaned my office the wrong way. I needed to completely clean it. I didn't finish what I began. The apostle Paul, describing what conversion looks like, said that we turn "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God" (Acts 26:18 NKJV). Yet some peoplego part of the way, sort of like how I cleaned my office. They say, "I'll follow Jesus, but there are a few little piles I'm keeping to myself." Those little piles turn into big piles, and soon they discover they haven't changed as much as they should have. What God said to the Israelites is in principle true for us well: "Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obeythe commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before" (Deuteronomy 11:26-28 NLT). We have that choice before us every day. We can choose the blessing by choosing to follow God, or we can choose the curse by not following Him. Maybe you're at a point in your life where things aren't making sense. There seem to be a lot of loose ends, a lot of unanswered questions. God always has a plan. He hasa beginning, a middle, and an end. And He always finishes what He begins. Jesus Is Praying for You by Max Lucado Have you ever have anyone stand up for you? The answer is yes. Jesus stands at this very moment, offering intercession on your behalf! Jesus says to you what he said to Peter. Knowing the apostle was about to be severely tested by Satan, Jesus assured him, �But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail� (Luke22:32). Jesus promises to pray and stand up for you. When we forget to pray, he remembers to pray. When we are full of doubt, he is full of faith. Where we are unworthy to be heard, he is ever worthy to be heard. We�d prefer to have every question answered, butJesus has instead chosen to tell us this much: �I will pray you through the storm.� Are the prayers of Jesus answered? Of course they are! And because God�s promises are unbreakable our hope is unshakable! Losing Your Life to Save It - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses hislife for My sake will find it. -Matthew 16:24-25 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/losing-your-life-to-save-it-2/ - Listen What comes to mind when you see a cross? Maybe you think of it as the symbol of the church or of Christianity. For many, the cross is a fashion accessory or maybe even atattoo. The early church, however, did not use a cross as their symbol; they used the fish as their symbol. The early church did not wear crosses; they died on crosses. It was an upsetting, shocking image. In the first century, people who lived in any area occupied by the Romans knew about crosses, because the Romans had a penchant for crucifying people. Crucifixion was notan efficient way to put a person to death. There were far more effective ways. The Romans used crucifixion as a means of torture. They used it to inflict the maximum amount of pain. They crucified people and put them on public display to serve as a warningto anyone who would dare defy the power of Rome. That's why Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24 NKJV). It was an alarming way to phraseit. And it meant one thing: death. That sounds pretty unappealing. You imagine yourself living a miserable, sacrificial life-an unhappy life. But Jesus went on to say, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (verse 25 NKJV). The fact of the matteris that when you're truly taking up your cross, you're experiencing life. The objective is not to learn to love yourself; it is to deny yourself. If you actually want to find yourself, then lose yourself. And how do you lose yourself? You takeup your cross and follow Him. Seeing Obstacles through God's Eyes Joshua2 Jericho was the first city that the Israelites needed to conquer in their quest for the land of Canaan. When Joshua sent a pair of spies to check it out, he probably didn't realize that he would receive a glimpse of God's impressive behind-the-scenes activity. God wants us to look at every obstacle through the lens of His unlimited strength and resources. Anything that appears to block His plans is an opportunity for Him to demonstrate His sovereign power. Just because we don't see anything happening, that doesn'tmean He's inactive. Great and Precious Promises �Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers ofthe divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.� (2Peter 1:4) Scripture is full of promises, more than 2,800 in the Old Testament and more than 1,000 in the New. The first of these exceeding great and precious promises was the Protevangel (�first gospel�) of Genesis 3:15. Immediately after the fall of Adam and Eve throughthe temptation of Satan, God promised the coming Seed of the woman, the Savior: �And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; [He] shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.� The first New Testament promise, significantly, is this same primeval promise, now made far more specific: �And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins� (Matthew1:21). The last promise of the Old Testament speaks of a second coming of �Elijah the prophet,� who will �turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers� (Malachi4:5-6). Then, the final promise of the Bible is the wonderful assurance of Christ concerning His glorious second coming: �Surely I come quickly� (Revelation22:20). Sandwiched between these great and precious promises are over 3,800 other promises. Some of these are in the form of promised warnings to the sinner, but promises nonetheless. Most promises, however, are to the obedient follower of God, and we know that �heis faithful that promised� (Hebrews10:23). �For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us� (2Corinthians 1:20). HMM When You Are Low on Hope by Max Lucado Water. All Noah can see is water. The evening sun sinks into it. The clouds are reflected in it. His boat is surrounded by it. Water. Water to the north. Water to the south. Water to the east. Water to the west. Water. He sent a raven on a scouting mission; it never returned. He sent a dove. It came back shivering and spent, having found no place to roost. Then, just this morning, he tried again. With a prayer he let it go and watched until the bird was no bigger than a speck on a window. All day he looked for the dove�s return. Reasons to Surrender 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 As we learned yesterday, God tells us to surrender our lives to Him. This is no small task. All our plans, every desire we feel, each entitlement that once seemed our right�everything is put aside in order to make way for our King�s will. But perhaps youhave wondered why God can ask this of us. The Lord has every right to demand that we give Him our all. First, Scripture teaches us that He is sovereign�the King and Ruler over the entire universe. As a result, we are under His authority, whether we choose to submit or not. Next, through His deathand resurrection, Jesus saved us from our sin and its consequences. Therefore, we are indebted to Him more than we could ever repay. And finally, He sustains us; we should consider each breath and heartbeat a gift from Him. Undoubtedly, God is entitled to ask that we yield our life to Him. At the same time, surrender is in our best interest. The Father promises that following Him leads to hope and an established future. Psalm31:19 states, �How great is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who fear You . . .� So, while He is the Almighty One with all authority to demand our life, He promises to care for us and to do what will benefit us most. Are you willing to put yourself aside in order to follow Jesus? His way is best, and it offers hope, joy, and peace. We will not always like everything He chooses at the moment, but He promises to work all things for good. Will you trust God enough to handthe reins over to Him? The Omniscience of God �O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.� (Psalm139:1) The marvelous 139th Psalm consists of a prayer by King David to his King, the omniscient, omnipresent, holy Creator God, the King of kings. In this psalm David reflects on and praises God for His majestic attributes, and by doing so is driven to introspection. David claims that God knows when we sit down or stand up (v. 2). He even knows our thoughts (v. 2). Furthermore, He knows our direction and habits (v. 3). He knows our words better than we do ourselves (v. 4). In everything, God knows and guides (v. 5). �Suchknowledge is too wonderful for me� (v. 6), David claims, and neither he nor we, trapped as we are in finiteness, can comprehend this omniscience. Where can we go to escape His omnipresence (v. 7)? Neither to heaven nor hell (v. 8). Not to the air or the sea (v. 9). Neither darkness nor light (vv. 11-12) can shield us from His presence. In all, He leads and guides (v. 10). Thinking such lofty thoughts should compel us to praise and thankfulness as it did David, especially as it relates to our own creation and growth. God knew us in the womb (v. 13) and controlled each stage of our embryonic development (vv. 14-16). He knew andplanned all the events of our lives (v. 16). �How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!� (v. 17). They are innumerable (vv. 17-18). Reflection on God�s holiness makes David painfully aware of his own sinfulness, as it should us. Recognition of God�s nature should bring us to a place of submission and a desire for holiness, as well as a yearning to follow fully the omniscient God. �Searchme, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting� (vv. 23-24). JDM The Guest of the Maestro by Max Lucado What happens when a dog interrupts a concert? To answer that, come with me to a spring night in Lawrence, Kansas. Take your seat in Hoch Auditorium and behold the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra�the oldest continually operating orchestra in the world. The greatest composers and conductors in history have directed this orchestra. It was playing in the days of Beethoven(some of the musicians have been replaced). You watch as stately dressed Europeans take their seats on the stage. You listen as professionals carefully tune their instruments. The percussionist puts her ear to the kettle drum. A violinist plucks the nylon sting. A clarinet player tightens the reed.And you sit a bit straighter as the lights dim and the tuning stops. The music is about to begin. Milk or Meat �For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meatbelongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.� (Hebrews 5:13-14) The Scriptures are compared in these verses to our daily food�milk and meat. Milk is the necessary food for babies (1 Peter 2:2), but it becomes grotesquewhen a baby continues year after year as a baby, still incapable of partaking of anything but milk. This was the case with the Corinthian Christians who were, according to Paul, �babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto yewere not able to bear it� (1 Corinthians 3:1-2). It was also true for these Hebrew Christians: �For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have needthat one teach you again�the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat� (Hebrews 5:12). Sad to say, this is still the situation with most Christian people today, even in Bible-believing churches. This is indicated not only by the many carnal divisions between them (1Corinthians 3:3), but even more by the frothy nature of the Christian materials they read, almost always centered on introspective personal relationships rather than on the person of Christ, the deeper truths of Scripture, and the great purposes of God.The time spent in personal Bible study is minimal, and even most sermons repeatedly serve up milk for Christian babes rather than strong meat for spiritually healthy Christians �of full age� whose �senses� have already been strengthened by use to recognizethe true and the false, the good and the evil. How urgently we need to heed the last words of the apostle Peter just before his martyrdom: �But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ� (2Peter 3:18). HMM God Believes in You by Max Lucado The tale involves a wealthy father and a willful son. The boy prematurely takes his inheritance and moves to Las Vegas and there wastes the money on slot machines and call girls. As fast as you can say �blackjack,� he is broke. Too proud to go home, he getsa job sweeping horse stables at the racetrack. When he finds himself tasting some of their oats and thinking, H�m, a dash of salt and this wouldn�t be too bad, he realizes enough is enough. It�s time to go home. The gardener at his father�s house does betterthan this. So off he goes, rehearsing his repentance speech every step of the way. But the father has other ideas. He �had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.� We don�t expect such a response. We expect crossed arms and a furrowed brow. At best a guarded handshake. At least a stern lecture. But the father gives none of these. Instead he gives gifts. �Bring out the best robe � a ring � sandals.� And bring the fattedcalf � and let us eat and be merry� (Luke 15:11�23 NKJV). Robe, sandals, calf, and � Did you see it? A ring. Praying for Change James5:16 Hanging above the door in our house, my mother's favorite plaque constantly reminded us, "Prayerchanges things." From an early age, I witnessed this powerful truth through her example. She'd tell me about some difficulties she was facing and then have me pray about them with her. And later, she'd always be sure to give God the glory when sharing theawesome news that He had answered those prayers. Indeed, this is our confidence: Anything we pray for that aligns with the Father's plan will be granted. And the more time we spend with Him, the more we'll come to understand His will and how to pray for it. His Master's Crib �The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master�s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.� (Isaiah 1:3) What an indictment this is�not only against the people of Israel, but against men and women everywhere. All were created and made in the image of God (Genesis1:26-27) for fellowship with Him, but even His own chosen people rejected Him, and most people everywhere all but ignore Him in their daily lives. �Crib� is the same as �manger,� and when God became man, His human parents �laid him in a manger� (Luke 2:7) since there was no room for Him anywhere else.The animals knew Him, and so did the angels, but His people were unconcerned. �He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not� (John1:10). When He came into Jerusalem offering Himself as King of Israel, He rode on an unbroken colt, �whereon yet never man sat,� and the little �foal of an ass� (Luke19:30; Zechariah 9:9) willingly submitted, knowing his divine Master and Maker. But the people of Jerusalem as a whole joined in clamoring for His crucifixion just a few days later. The indictment against Israel could be lodged with even greater justification against America today. �Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth:�I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me� (Isaiah1:2). The morals of our people seem to have been turned upside down, and God would say to us also: �Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness� (Isaiah5:20). Yet�in modern America, as well as in ancient Israel��as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name� (John1:12). HMM Blessedby the Word �Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.� (Psalm119:1) The Hebrew word barak appears over 300 times in the Bible. It basically means to endue or bless with power for success, prosperity, fruitfulness, longevity, and so on. The oft-used Aaronic blessing (Numbers6:24-26) closes with �The LORD lift up [turn] his countenance upon [toward] thee, and give thee peace,� and is initiated by the greater upon the lesser. The opening stanza of Psalm 119 identifies the traits of a lifestyle subject to the Word of God and then claims the blessing that comes as the result of those who �seek him with the whole heart� (Psalm 119:2). The unknown psalmist saturates all 22 stanzas with eight key words describingthe intimate role by which inspired Scriptures empower godly behavior. Six are used in this opening testimony and prayer. Those who �walk in the law [torah] of the LORD� and �keep his testimonies� (edah) receive God�s blessing (Psalm 119:1-2). These instructionsinscripturated in God�s Word enable us to be �undefiled in the way� and to �do no iniquity� (Psalm 119:3). The apostle Paul noted that apart from the law,he would not know he was sinning (Romans 7:7). God �hast commanded us to keep [His] precepts [piqquwd�listings, statutes, laws] diligently....Then shall [we] not be ashamed, when [we] have respect unto all [His] commandments [mitzvah�instructions]� (Psalm119:4-6). The promise to �praise [Him] with uprightness of heart� (Psalm 119:7) is based on a prayer: �O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes [hoq�engravedlaws]!� (Psalm 119:5). And we can be certain that a righteous life will come when we have �learned [His] righteousness judgments [mishpat]� (Psalm119:7). May our lives be as dedicated to God�s Word as is described in this magnificent song. HMM III The Fear of Not Protecting My Kids by Max Lucado Parents, we can�t protect children from every threat in life, but we can take them to the Source of life. We can entrust our kids to Christ. Even then, however, our shoreline appeals may be followed by a difficult choice. As Jairus and Jesus were going to Jairus�s home, �a messenger arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. He told him, �Your daughter is dead. There�s no use troubling the Teacher now.� But when Jesus heard what had happened, he said toJairus, �Don�t be afraid. Just have faith, and she will be healed� � (Luke8:49�50 NLT). Jairus was whipsawed between the contrasting messages. The first, from the servants: �Your daughter is dead.� The second, from Jesus: �Don�t be afraid.� Horror called from one side. Hope compelled from the other. Tragedy, then trust. Jairus heard two voicesand had to choose which one he would heed. Our Heavenly Home Revelation 21:22-27 As enjoyable as traveling may be, most of us would admit to having a sense of security and delight upon arriving back home. There's just something comforting about opening the door, seeing familiar things, and feeling we're where we belong. The apostle John was given a vision that included glimpses inside our future home, the new Jerusalem. You may be surprised to know that some things from our old abode will be missing. But what replaces them will be infinitely better. For one thing, there were no church buildings in John's vision, "for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple" (Rev.21:22). No longer will denominations divide up the body of Christ. Nor will the sun or moon shine on the city in that day, "for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb" (v. 23). Imagine--no need for electricity, flashlights, or candles. One other difference is that the city gates will always be open. Since sin will not be a factor, locks will be unnecessary in our heavenly home. Death and decay will also be absent. In fact, nothing impure will ever enter that future residence--utter holinesswill characterize the heavenly place, and suffering will be a thing of the past. What we have to look forward to is the abundant life in Christ, pure and unmarred. Think about the comfortable feeling you have as you open your front door. That's but a hint of what we'll feel some day on arriving at the place our Father has lovingly and personally prepared for us in heaven. We will finally--and permanently--be "at home" in a way that defies description. Real Christianity - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. -Ephesians 5:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/real-christianity-2/ - Listen Do you consider yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ? Every Christian should be able to say that he or she is a disciple-not a perfect disciple, but a growing disciple ofJesus. Every believer should be one. Discipleship is living the Christian life as Jesus taught it and as the early church understood it. It's real Christianity. I think some are reluctant to live that way because it seems, well, radical. Discipleship is the road less taken, and some don't want hardship. They don't want a challenge.They don't want difficulty, so they will take the path of least resistance instead of the discipleship road. Yes, discipleship is challenging, but it is fulfilling. It's difficult, but it's more than worth it, because it is living the Christian life as it was meant to be lived.Here is what it comes down to: Every believer should be a disciple. Then as disciples, we either should be discipled by someone more mature than we are, or we should be discipling someone less mature than we are. Right after I accepted Christ on my high school campus, I could have fallen through the cracks so easily. But someone I had never met before walked up to me and introducedhimself. His name was Mark, and he said, "Greg, I'm taking you to church." And he did. He helped me get through that rough spot. And soon I found myself doing the same thing for others. Can you be there for someone else? When you take a new believer under your wing, you are helping that person grow spiritually as you model what a Christian looks like. Are you willing to step out from the multitude and be a real disciple? Are you willing to be more than a fair-weather follower of Jesus? Fear of What's Next by Max Lucado "I am going away" ( John 14:28). Imagine their shock when they heard Jesus say those words. He spoke them on the night of the Passover celebration, Thursday evening, in the Upper Room. Christ and his friends had just enjoyed a calm dinner in the midst of a chaotic week. They had reasonfor optimism: Jesus' popularity was soaring. Opportunities were increasing. In three short years the crowds had lifted Christ to their shoulders . . . he was the hope of the common man. And now this? Jesus said, "I am going away." The announcement stunned them. When Jesus explained, "You know the way to where I am going," Thomas, with no small dose of exasperation, replied, "No, we don't know, Lord. We have no idea where you are going,so how can we know the way?" ( John 14:4-5 NLT). God's Clear Instructions Joshua 6 Joshua needed guidance as he faced one of the most crucial moments of his life. Because the Lord had promised him success in conquering Jericho, he knew the outcome of the battle, but as the day of combat approached, he needed a specific strategy for victory.What he heard the Lord say must have made his jaw drop. Can you imagine the soldiers' thoughts as they carried out this bizarre battle strategy? In confusing times like this, it's good to remember three requirements for benefiting from God's instructions. We need: � Faith to believe the Lord � Courage to obey Him � Patience to wait for His timing. Cleansed by the Word �Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.� (Psalm119:9) Psalm 119:9-16 provides key instructions for those who would seek to please their Creator with a godly life. �Taking heed� (Hebrew shamar�guarding) of God�s Word is the foundation upon which a godly life is built (vv. 10-11). The psalmist sought God with his whole heart and pleaded with God to prevent him from wandering (Hebrew shagah�to stray through ignorance). That plea was then turned into a confirmation and an understanding: �Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee� (v. 11). With the assurance of these foundational elements, the psalmist promised the Lord that he will organize his life so that he �will not forget thy word� (v. 16). Similar to the apostle John�s assurance in his first epistle, the psalmist recognized behaviors that he was already exhibiting. His �lips� have �declared� the judgments of God (v. 13). He knows that he has �rejoiced in the way� (v. 14) of God�s revealed testimoniesas much as the ungodly have boasted of gaining wealth. He is no stranger to godly living and loves the way of God, seeking to excel in holiness (1 John 5:3). The section closes with two �I will� promises, surely based upon his earlier commitment to cleanse his way. The psalmist promised to �meditate in [God�s] precepts, and have respect unto [His] ways� (v. 15). This assumes time, study, and careful thought aboutthe purposes and intent of God�s message. It is not a promise to sit comfortably and �clear one�s mind� of cogent thinking, waiting on some voice to reveal truth. The psalmist can then �delight� in the statutes of the Word (Psalm119:16; Romans 7:22). As we seek to know God�s great Word, may His works refresh our hearts and delight our lives. HMM III The Burden of Inadequacy Deuteronomy 1:19-36 Standing on the edge of the Promised Land, the Israelites were overcome by fear. The size and strength of the enemy contrasted sharply with their own weakness and inability. Because we're human, everyone at times will experience inadequacy and the uncomfortablefeelings that accompany it. The issue you and I face is not whether we are sufficient for a task, but how we will respond when a challenge is beyond our capabilities. Like the children of Israel, we can give in to fear and then focus on the expectation of certain failure. As the obstacle grows in our minds, our feet run in the opposite direction, away from the challenge and toward safety. However, turning away from thetask that God has given us will lead us not to security but into bondage. By allowing fear to control our choices, we'll become chained to feelings of inadequacy, which will shape our future decisions and, ultimately, our destinies. As a result of their refusal to trust the Lord and move forward to conquer the land, the Israelites were consigned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. The men who did not believe God's promise never saw the land that He wanted to give them. Opportunitiesare always lost when we let fear overrule our faith. When God calls you to a task beyond your abilities, instead of giving in to your feelings, choose to rely on what you know about Him and His promises. By moving forward in faith despite your inadequacy, you will discover the Lord's faithfulness. He alwaysempowers us for the works He assigns. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM