Kenneth Winter's Blog, page 23

Boundaries

Boundaries can be good things. They can protect us. They can help define us – as to what we believe, what we will stand on, and what we will stand for. They can unite us in a common effort. 

Yes, like any good thing, boundaries can also be misused. Others can attempt to use boundaries to control us and abuse us. That’s why it’s important that we understand the reasons for the boundaries. We need to understand why they’ve been established. British writer and philosopher G. K Chesterton wrote, “Don’t remove a fence until you know why it was put up in the first place.” There are some fences that need to be taken down – but there are many others that need to stand strong.

From the very beginning, our Creator established boundaries for us – boundaries for our good. But our prideful and sinful nature resists those boundaries. And it is easy for us to be convinced – just like Eve was – that surely that boundary doesn’t apply to me. It took little effort for the serpent to convince her that she knew better than her Creator – and it has taken him little effort ever since.

Even though God’s chosen people had witnessed His majesty and His power in the events leading up to their release from slavery, they still needed to be continually reminded that He was God and they were not.

Two months after they left Egypt, the people arrived at Mount Sinai. God was preparing to meet with His people there; and He was preparing His people to meet with Him. God’s instructions to His children were very specific – they most often are. If He was going to visit His people, they needed to make preparations for Him to do so – and they needed to respond within the boundaries He had set. They could not come just as they were – any way they wanted.(1)

Time and again, God had reminded them, as Dr. Henry Blackaby says, that “they could not stay where they were and go with God.” It is also true that we cannot stay as we are and go with God. Their entire journey was about the preparations and adjustments that God was leading them to make in their lives. He has called us in our journeys through life to make similar adjustments in order for us to be “vessels useful for the Master.”(2)

Does that mean we stay on the sidelines until all of that preparation is completed? No! Though God is continually at work preparing us for what He is preparing for us; by His grace He is working in us and through us right where we are. We must never let our sense of inability or our sense of inadequacy keep us from being immediately obedient to Him (as if there is any other kind than immediate obedience). 

It is in our weakness that He is made strong; in our inadequacy where we rely on Him more; and in our inability where we see Him do what only He can. But we must be mindful that God loves us too much to leave us as we are and where we are, and He is constantly molding and shaping us.

Paul clearly describes this process in his letter to the believers in Rome, “Give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.“(3) That surrender and adjustment to God is an act of worship on our part, and His transformation of our lives is an act of love on His part.    

God’s preparation of our lives includes boundaries that He has established for our lives; boundaries that protect, not imprison. God intended to visit His people. They would hear His voice and they would witness His presence. But He was setting a boundary line beyond which they could not pass. They were not even allowed to touch the boundaries, for if they did, they would die. He knew that if the people saw His face they would die, so He established the boundary to define the “safe zone” so that they could experience His presence. As their loving Heavenly Father, God set a boundary for His children.         

God has set a boundary for us – a boundary within which we will experience the blessing of His presence. And He knows that the areas outside of those boundaries will lead to our death – either physically, or spiritually, or both. Therefore because of His love for us He has established those boundaries. 

I am reminded of when our children were toddlers. We had a pet dog, Ezekiel, that became a part of our family long before the birth of our children. Ezekiel did not appreciate the intrusion of these little people into the family, let alone his “dining area”. Violations into that area by either of the children were met with loud barking and growling. I can still see their “sweet, angelic faces” looking up at us as they willfully defied his warnings and tried to cross the boundary out of the safe zone. And they can still to this day show you the scar from the bite they received from Ezekiel for their efforts. 

The unfortunate reality is that we, like them, want to continually “test” the boundaries. We want to walk up to them and touch them, or see what happens when we take one step over them. We act as if God is a “cosmic killjoy” who just wants us to miss out on something good. Or perhaps, it’s just the temptation of forbidden fruit. Whatever our motive or our motivation, we step across that line, and whatever was waiting for us on the other side of that boundary sinks its teeth into us. And either it drags us further and further into the area that we shouldn’t have entered, to the point that we can no longer find our way back; or at the very least, we are scarred for life.          

Each of us has a testimony of how God by His grace has rescued us from the mire when we have crossed over His boundary into forbidden territory. But fellow travelers, let’s stop presuming on His grace. God has set His boundaries around our path as we journey through this wilderness of life. Heed those boundaries; they are boundaries He has put in place to protect us and set us apart for Himself!

* * * * *

(1) Exodus 19:10-13 (NLT)

Then the LORD told Moses, "Go down and prepare the people for my visit. Purify them today and tomorrow, and have them wash their clothing. Be sure they are ready on the third day, for I will come down upon Mount Sinai as all the people watch. Set boundary lines that the people may not pass. Warn them, 'Be careful! Do not go up on the mountain or even touch its boundaries. Those who do will certainly die! Any people or animals that cross the boundary must be stoned to death or shot with arrows. They must not be touched by human hands.' The people must stay away from the mountain until they hear one long blast from the ram's horn. Then they must gather at the foot of the mountain." 

(2) 2 Timothy 2:21

(3) Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

Adapted from The Journey Begins, Ch. 33

Photo by Clay LeConey on Unsplash

The Journey's End

Two men wandered through the wilderness with the Israelite children for forty years; one led them through the wilderness, the other would lead them into the Promised Land. Both had an assignment from God. One was to stop here(1), the other was to lead the people the rest of the way.

I must confess that on the surface this is one of the most perplexing incidents in Scripture for me.  God’s hand was conspicuous on the life of Moses from his birth. God rescued him from the hand of Pharaoh as a little baby in a basket in the bulrushes. God prepared him for his assignment in the walled palace during his first forty years, and then took him to the wilderness pasture to continue his preparation for the next forty years. 

Then God gave him one of the toughest assignments He has ever given any man – to shepherd His people out of Egypt and to shepherd Egypt out of His people. For forty years, Moses was the undershepherd of a nation without borders as they migrated through a tract of land small enough to traverse in eleven days.  His assignment began with the intimidation of Pharaoh, the most powerful king on the face of the earth at the time, and continued with the insubordination of the Hebrew people, some of the most obstinate and ill-natured people one could ever encounter.

God accomplished through Moses some of the greatest miracles that have ever been performed, before or since that time - beginning with the plagues of Egypt and including the parting of the Red Sea, water that poured from rocks and food that came from heaven. God gave him authority over two million plus people, and through him established their form of governance, their military structure and national defense, their manner of worship, their means of conflict resolution and judicial overview, and their constitution – the laws of God. God Himself commended Moses by recording in His Word that there has never been another prophet like Moses; there has never been another man who has known God face to face.

God permitted him to hear and bear the brunt of more murmuring and complaints than any one should ever have to endure in a lifetime. On more than one occasion the mutinous crowd threatened to stone him. And for 1,262,303,990 seconds he faithfully and obediently followed God. But for about 10 seconds at Meribah, he disobeyed God and struck a rock.(2) And I have been struggling with the fact that because of that ten seconds of disobedience, God denied him the opportunity to lead the people into the Promised Land. After all, it wasn’t that severe of an action – he struck a rock out of exasperation with the people. If that is Moses’ punishment for what he did, I am toast; I have absolutely no chance! 

But then God prompted me to go back to the burning bush and look at what He had originally told Moses to do. God told Moses to “lead My people out of Egypt.”(3) Just before that God had said “I have come to rescue them from the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own good and spacious land.”(4) God was going to lead them all the way, but Moses’ assignment was to lead them out of Egypt through the wilderness.

As he climbed Mt. Nebo, Moses had fulfilled his assignment; he had completed the task for which he had been called. And now instead of entering into the reward of the Promised Land, God had something far greater in store. God was allowing Him to enter into the reward of Heaven.

Twenty-five years ago today, the Lord permitted me to stand on the summit of Mt. Nebo – the very place that He led Moses that day. And from that site on a clear day, you can see all of the Promised Land to the Mediterranean Sea to its west; the land that God had promised His servant Abraham. God enabled him to see the land of His promise for the people before He took him home from the wilderness. God’s promise for Moses never included the Promised Land. God’s assignment for Moses concluded on the eve of its entry.

That realization has caused me to look at the wilderness experiences in my own life differently. Too often i make the mistake of looking past the wilderness, trying to see the Promised Land. i become discouraged when all i can see in every direction is wilderness. But what if my assignment is the wilderness? God has told me to go from my Egypt and go to a land that He will show me. What if that land is the wilderness? Will i be content if my promise doesn’t include the Promised Land? Will i be content to fulfill my assignment in the wilderness if that is God’s plan? 

We don’t get to make the assignments – just ask Moses! We’re the servants; only the Master gets to make the assignments. Am I willing to follow Him all the way to Mt. Nebo, if that is where my journey is to end? Will I be content to walk according to His plan, even if that walk does not include the Promised Land? It’s one thing to be willing to journey through the wilderness; it’s quite another to be willing to journey in the wilderness especially when you are faced with the possibility that your journey may end there. Am I willing for it to end there, if God so intends?

Perhaps you have come to Mt. Nebo in your journey. One will say farewell here, and one will continue on. Whichever one you are, remember – God has led you in this journey. The same God who led you into this wilderness will lead you on and lead you out. But He determines the time and He determines the point of exit, just as He determined the point of entry. Moses trusted Him and experienced Him in ways that no man before or since has known Him. If you too will trust Him – completely, no matter where He leads – you too will experience Him in ways that very few ever will.

After all, the lesson of the wilderness is that He alone is God and we are to love Him with our whole heart and soul and mind regardless of the circumstance and regardless of where the journey leads. He wants us to know Him, know Him more and know Him more intimately because He is the God of Heaven and earth, the God of the Promised Land, and yes, even the God of the wilderness.

A special note: i have chosen to post this blog this week for two reasons. First, as i have already mentioned, today is the 25th anniversary of the day that i stood on the top of Mt. Nebo with my good friend and pastor, Dr. Keith Thomas. i will forever be grateful for that opportunity to join him on that journey and to join him in the journey of ministry for the nine years that followed. Second, the Lord called a dear friend and servant, Mike Hedler, home this past Sunday. i find myself thinking of how God enriched my life through both Keith and Mike. They’re both in glory – most assuredly catching up with one another – and most certainly they are both sporting the biggest smiles you’ve ever seen – because they’re in the presence of Jesus! They’ve both stepped from Mt. Nebo into the Promised Land!

* * * * *

(1)  Deuteronomy 34:1-7, 10 (NLT)

Then Moses went to Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab and climbed Pisgah Peak, which is across from Jericho. And the LORD showed him the whole land, from Gilead as far as Dan; all the land of Naphtali; the land of Ephraim and Manasseh; all the land of Judah, extending to the Mediterranean Sea; the Negev; the Jordan Valley with Jericho--the city of palms--as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to Moses, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I told them I would give it to their descendants. I have now allowed you to see it, but you will not enter the land." So Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, just as the LORD had said. He was buried in a valley near Beth-peor in Moab, but to this day no one knows the exact place. Moses was 120 years old when he died, yet his eyesight was clear, and he was as strong as ever. …There has never been another prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.

(2)  Numbers 20:1-13

(3)  Exodus 3:10 (NLT)

(4)  Exodus 3:8 (NLT)

Adapted from The Wandering Years, Ch. 61

Photo of Mt. Nebo from 1.4 km by Berthold Werner from Wikimedia

God Has Never Been Unfaithful

Even the best of us, no matter how well-intentioned, have come up short. We have failed to follow through on a promise we made to a friend or a loved one – albeit unintentional. We have missed a deadline at work or school – due to circumstances beyond our control. Three days into a new year we have broken that new year’s resolution that we made so earnestly. Or the one that hurts the most of all – we have done something or said something – or failed to do something or say something – that brought pain to someone we hold dear. We didn’t mean to hurt them or break our promise. We didn’t mean to not deliver on our commitment. We didn’t mean to be unfaithful … but we were!

As a result, we have broken a trust. At best, we have planted a seed in the minds – and hearts – of others that we are unreliable, undependable – or worse, untrustworthy. At worst, we have shattered a relationship due to our failure or neglect. A reputation of faithfulness and trustworthiness is built over a lifetime … but it can be destroyed in a solitary moment.

The reality is that we live in uncertain times. Though 2020 may hold some distinction in history for its many challenges, it’s not alone. Those who have gone before us also experienced their own unique challenges. And none of us – from the beginning of creation – have ever known what tomorrow might bring.

In the midst of that uncertainty, we all look for someone – or something – in whom, or in which, we can place our trust. Some of us place our trust in our finances … or our success … or ourselves. Some place their trust in government. Many of us place our trust in friends or family. It is those people or “things” that provide consistency and assurance in our lives when everything else is spinning out of control. When that unexpected illness attacks, or we are blindsided by the loss of a job or an unplanned expense, or the sorrow of tragedy or loss – we turn to those people or “things” for comfort and assurance.

But tragedy and loss are compounded when we suddenly realize that those, or that, on which we are depending are also fallible and unfaithful. Finances can prove to be insufficient, success can be fleeting, and our own abilities can be inadequate. Friends and family – though well-intentioned – can be distracted by their own challenges or incapable of providing us with the care or support we need. Or in some instances, they may choose to withhold that support. We then find ourselves in that place of desperation with nowhere to turn and no one to whom we can turn.

And here’s the thing – everything and everyone – no matter how hard we all try – will at some point disappoint – and at some point prove to be unfaithful – because our capability will fall short of the need or expectation.

But there is One who will NEVER disappoint. There is One who will NEVER be inadequate or incapable. There is One who will NEVER be unfaithful. 

My favorite psalm is Psalm 37. In his old age David was thinking back over the times in his life when everything and everyone around him had failed him, when he wrote this psalm. He had experienced attack by “evildoers” or “wrongdoers”. He had seen the grass fade, and the herbs wither. Evil and wickedness had given the appearance they were winning. The poor and needy had seemingly had no place to turn. Death and disease appeared to have had the upper hand. There was no earthly remedy on which he could rely.

But there was One who had proven Himself to be reliable. There was only One who had ALWAYS proven Himself to be trustworthy. There was only One through whom there was the absolute guarantee of a future and a hope.

David wrote:

Trust in Him and feed on His faithfulness.(1)

Delight yourself in Him for He is able to give you the desires of your heart.(2)

Commit your way to Him and He will act.(3)

Be still before Him and wait for Him.(4)

He upholds you in His hand.(5)

David went on to bear witness in his old age, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or His children begging for bread.”(6) Never in all of his years had David seen God be unfaithful – and he never would. He knew that it was against God’s very nature for Him to be unfaithful. 

God is the very definition of faithful. The apostle Paul wrote, “He who calls you IS faithful.”(7) He is trustworthy. Sometimes in our desire to be faithful and trustworthy, we are limited by our own capability. But God has NO limitations. There is nothing beyond His power, His knowledge or His ability. He is never surprised – there is nothing beyond His sight or awareness. 

Regardless of what you are walking through or how bleak your circumstances may be right now, do not lose hope! God has NEVER been unfaithful. Allow Him time to reveal His faithfulness to you. The day WILL come – just like it did for David – that you will look back and praise Him for His absolute faithfulness. He will NOT disappoint. God will NEVER be unfaithful!

He’s Always Been Faithful  

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me 

Morning by morning I wake up to find 
The power and comfort of God's hand in mine 
Season by season I watch Him, amazed 
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways 
All I have need of, His hand will provide 
He's always been faithful to me. 

I can't remember a trial or a pain 
He did not recycle to bring me gain 
I can't remember one single regret 
In serving God only, and trusting His hand 
All I have need of, His hand will provide 
He's always been faithful to me. 

This is my anthem, this is my song 
The theme of the stories I've heard for so long 
God has been faithful, He will be again 
His loving compassion, it knows no end 
All I have need of, His hand will provide He's always been faithful, He's always been faithful 
He's always been faithful to me.

Songwriters: Sara Groves / Thomas O. Chisholm / William M. Runyan

He's Always Been Faithful lyrics © Hope Publishing Company

Sara Groves: He’s Always Been Faithful

* * * * *

(1)  Psalm 37:3

(2)  Psalm 37:4

(3)  Psalm 37:5

(4)  Psalm 37:7

(5)  Psalm 37:23-24

(6)  Psalm 37:25

(7)  1 Thessalonians 5:24

Photo from 123RF

What The Crisis Reveals

For decades, i, like many of you, have been mining a “daily nugget” from the collection of writings by Oswald Chambers entitled, My Utmost for His Highest. And no matter how many times i read it, the Lord never fails to draw my eyes to a truth of which i need to be reminded.

Such was the case on September 10th. Oswald writes, “It is not the crisis that builds something within us — it simply reveals what we are made of already.” 

There were three reasons that truth stood out to me. First, that particular day happens to be my birthday. Perhaps like many of you, i find myself, on the occasion of my birthday, reflecting back over events from the previous twelve months – and – thinking through my hopes and dreams for the year ahead. 

There is no question that the past year has brought more than its share of crises into all of our lives. None of us could have anticipated the events that have unfolded over the past year – particularly those over the past six-plus months. But Oswald’s statement must cause us to ask ourselves the question – what did those events reveal about what i was made of already?

How did i respond or react to the crisis? Christian psychologist Dr. Henry Brandt was noted for putting it another way (my paraphrase): what spills out when your cup is jostled? Whatever spills out was there long before the event that jostled it!

Second, that truth stood out to me because it appears on the day before September 11th. Any of us who were reading that statement on September 10, 2001 had no idea about the crisis we, as a nation, would be facing the next morning. i particularly think of those who were first responders – including those who spontaneously boatlifted 500,000 people off the island of Manhattan. The bravery and selflessness that was demonstrated by so many – in NYC, in Washington, DC, and on a plane that crashed in Pennsylvania –  was already deeply-rooted in each of those responders’ lives long before that day.

Third, that truth stood out to me because it caused me to recall a very special memory. i was with a group of friends in Cairo, Egypt a number of years ago. We were visiting the gravesite where Oswald Chambers’ body is buried. It seemed to be a fitting setting for a special presentation to be made. It was the presentation of a cross that had been carved by a man by the name of Bill Koehn. Bill was one of three missionaries who were martyred for their witness in a hospital in Yemen. He and his co-laborers had surrendered to God’s call on their lives so that others could hear the Gospel. They had freely given their lives, not knowing they would be tragically cut short. But the reality was that their lives had been freely given for the sake of the Gospel … not taken.

The message of the presentation that day in front of Oswald’s gravestone in Cairo was that these three people had faithfully carried the cross that God had put before them. It was now our turn – each one of us who are followers of Jesus – to pick up that cross and continue the journey. I never knew Bill personally, but one who did described him in this way: “I’ve heard meekness defined as ‘strength under control.’ If that is true, the most accurate picture I can think of would be Mr. Bill.”(1) The crisis – and in this case, the tragedy – didn’t create something within Bill, it revealed what was already there.

We don’t get to live our lives crisis-free. Crises are a part of life. For the great majority of us, life will continue after COVID-19. It will even continue after the November elections! And it will continue after the crisis through which you are right now personally walking. The question is not so much what will the crisis do to us, the question is what will the crisis reveal about us?

I think the apostle Paul said it best:

Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.(2)

In this day of social distancing, uneasiness, upheaval, uncertainty and unrest, may our crises reveal peace, confidence, joy, strength to endure … and ultimately God’s love and His glory.

* * * * * 

(1)  Taken from Lives Given, Not Taken by Erich Bridges and Jerry Rankin

(2)  Roman 5:1-5 (NLT)

Photo by AmericanMaritimePartnership.com

A Seed Must Die

The apostle Paul wrote, “A seed must die before it can sprout from the ground.”(1)

i don’t know about you, but that statement put me off a bit. i’ve never thought about seeds needing to die. To me, seeds are always the picture of new life just bursting to get out. But the fact of the matter is that the seed must die in order for life to burst out. As it dies, it transforms into roots that go deep, and stems that soon make their way out of the dirt into the air in order to grow and blossom. If you dig up a plant after it has blossomed you won’t find the seed – only the product of the dead seed. Because … a seed must die!

Paul made this statement as he was explaining that God’s people will be raised to life.  He wrote, “These bodies will die, but the bodies that are raised will live forever. … Our physical bodies will be changed into spiritual bodies.”(2) In order for us to have spiritual bodies that will live forever, the bodies we now have must first die – either at the moment Jesus returns, or as our bodies await His return in the grave. At some point … a seed must die!

But the reality is so much more than what will happen to our physical bodies. The reality holds true for the very essence of who we are – our soul. Don’t lose sight that our body is not who we are – it is merely what we walk around in. Our soul was created by our Maker to live forever. Sin has crippled us – body and soul. In order for our soul to live on in the fullness of our Maker’s purpose, it must also be made new. There must be a surrendering of our lives – our hearts, our wills and our emotions – to the One who created us and made the way for us to be made new through His Son. There must be a conscious decision that … a seed must die!

Paul explained it well when he wrote, “I have died, but Christ lives in me. And I now live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave His life for me.”(3) The seed of my life that i have surrendered to Him is now dead – once for all. That seed no longer exists, because Christ lives in me. i am a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.(4) The old must first pass away before the new can come. By God’s grace … a seed must die!

But Jesus teaches us that the death of that seed is not solely once and for all, there is also a death that is ongoing and daily. It is a death to self. A death to the seed within each one of us that wants to raise its ugly head on an ongoing basis. Jesus could see into the hearts of His apostles and the crowd who was following Him, just as easily as He can see into our hearts. As He looked into their hearts, He knew that His disciples were preoccupied with stepping into the positions of power that they thought awaited them in an earthly kingdom. As for the crowd, He knew they saw Him as their ticket to get out from under Roman rule. They all had their own agenda – just like we do. But … a seed must die!

Jesus said to them (paraphrased), “If you want to follow Me, you must give up your right to be your own master, and you must take up an instrument of death.”(5) That was not the message His followers were expecting to hear! The people were thinking about what the Messiah was going to do for them, and Jesus interrupted their happy thought and told them they must die to themselves. It was true then … a seed must die!

They weren’t any different from us today. When we look at Jesus from our point of view, we’re expecting Him to do things for us – heal us, bless us, provide for us, and the list goes on. We tend to remain focused on what Jesus can do for us. Now, does Jesus heal, bless and provide? Of course He does. But that can’t be our focus. Jesus said that day, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost?”(6) We must die to our point of view and turn to Him. And it’s just as true today … a seed must die!

He’s looking to bear fruit though our lives. What fruit? His fruit. Fruit that remains and fruit that brings glory to God.(7) Does that fruit simply burst forth out of the “big” moments in our lives when we’re on our best behavior? No! The lasting fruit is most often borne through the everyday moments of our lives – through every aspect of our lives. That’s why, by His grace, He has redeemed us. That’s why He has made us new. That’s why we remain – to be the seeds He plants in His garden to bear His fruit. If we would be seed used for His purpose, we must never forget – a seed must die!

* * * * *

(1)  1 Corinthians 15:36 (CEV)

(2)  1 Corinthians 15:42, 44 (CEV)

(3)  Galatians 2:20 (CEV)

(4)  2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

(5)  Luke 9:23 paraphrased

(6)  Luke 9:25 (NLT)

(7)  John 15:8

Adapted from Walking With The Master, Ch. 36

Photo by Chu Tai on Unsplash

Amazing Faith

There are only two times recorded in the Bible when we read that Jesus was amazed. It was highly unusual for the Son of God to be amazed. He knew what was in man, so very little could amaze Him. 

The first time was by the unbelief of the Jews in His hometown of Nazareth.(1) These were the people who knew Him the best. He had grown up among them. He counted them as friends and neighbors. He had done carpentry work for many of them. (Imagine having the Creator of the universe doing your carpentry work. It must have been stunning!) 

For almost thirty years they had seen Him live out a sinless life of righteousness. (Presuming that the Creator could possibly hit His own thumb with His hammer, not one disconcerting word ever came out of His mouth!) And yet, these friends and neighbors not only didn’t believe in Him – they rejected Him. Amazing!

The second time Jesus was amazed was quite the opposite. He was amazed by the faith of a man. It was a man who had never before met Jesus. He wasn’t one of Jesus’ closest followers. He wasn’t a devout religious leader. He wasn’t even a Jew. He was a Roman soldier.(2)

Whenever i think about a “man of faith”, i think of George Müller. Müller was an evangelist in the mid-1800’s and the founding director of the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. During his lifetime he cared for over ten thousand orphans in five orphanages and established one hundred seventeen schools. It is said that Müller never made requests to anyone for funding, and he never went into debt. The only One to whom he ever made his requests known was his Lord. Often he would receive unsolicited food donations only hours or minutes before they were needed to feed the children. On one well-documented occasion, thanks was given for breakfast when all the children were sitting at the table even though there was nothing to eat in the house. As they finished praying, the baker knocked on the door with sufficient fresh bread to feed everyone, and the milkman gave them plenty of fresh milk because his cart broke down right in front of the orphanage! 

In this autobiographical entry on February 12, 1842, Müller wrote:

   “A brother in the Lord came to me this morning and, after a few minutes of conversation gave me two thousand pounds for furnishing the new Orphan House ... Now I am able to meet all of the expenses. In all probability I will even have several hundred pounds more than I need. The Lord not only gives as much as is absolutely necessary for His work, but He gives abundantly. This blessing filled me with inexplicable delight. He had given me the full answer to my thousands of prayers during the [past] 1,195 days.”

Müller knew that his Lord was able and sufficient to meet every need. There was never any question of “if”; it was merely a question of “when”. And even in that question, Müller knew that the Lord’s timing was perfect. i don’t know if Jesus was ever amazed by Müller’s faith – though i know i am. But a significant difference between Müller and the Roman officer is the fact that Müller was a follower of Jesus. He had long before surrendered his life to Christ. But the day the Roman officer approached Jesus – though he believed Jesus was able – he had yet to trust Him with his eternal soul.

In a parallel account of the same miracle, we read that the officer had devised a plan for approaching Jesus. Though he had faith, he thought he could approach Jesus on his own terms. First, he sent emissaries on his behalf – making a case as to why Jesus should help him. Surprisingly, it was a group of Jewish leaders – and in that day, Jews were not in the habit of advocating for Roman soldiers. He presumed he could leverage relationships to gain the favor of Jesus. But he wasn’t going to use relationships as his only strategy. Second, the emissaries endeavored to merit the favor of Jesus on the officer’s behalf, by telling Him about the officer’s good works. As they pled that the officer deserved Jesus’ help, they underscored that “he loves the Jewish people, and even built a synagogue for us.”(4) Again, just like the Jews were not in the habit of helping the Roman soldiers, those soldiers were not in the habit of helping the Jews. 

But it was his personal appeal that caused Jesus to respond. It wasn’t about who he knew, or the works he had done, it was his faith – his wholehearted confidence in who Jesus was and his firm conviction that Jesus was able. Billy Graham once said, “God will not reward fruitfulness; but He will reward faithfulness.” 

And that’s true for each one of us – whether we are a follower of Christ like Müller, or an unrepentant sinner like the officer. It’s not about who we know or what we have done. We are not able to come to Him because we are worthy. We are able to come to Him by faith, purely because of His grace and His mercy. And Jesus is a Rewarder of faith. The writer of Hebrews says, “it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.”(5)That is true whether we are seeking Him as a sinner seeking salvation, or as His child seeking His answer.

Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He reminded His disciples that “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”(6) Unlike most of the Jews, and even the disciples of Jesus at that moment in time, the Roman officer recognized Jesus’ absolute authority. He knew, as John Calvin wrote, that only He who has Supreme authority can “by the mere expression of His will, restore health to men” – physical, emotional and spiritual health.

“And the young servant was healed that same hour.”(7) The officer’s request was answered. In response to his faith and according to God’s will, the servant was healed. 

Does that mean that whatever we ask – if we ask in faith – like Müller or the Roman officer, God will give it to us? No. Faith acts in alignment with God’s purpose and His will. Faith is not the proverbial “rubbing of the genie’s lamp” to receive whatever we want. It is a recognition that He has all authority, and His purpose and plan will be accomplished. 

The apostle John was a first-hand eyewitness of the Roman officer’s encounter with Jesus that day. i can’t help but wonder if he was remembering that very day, when later he wrote, “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”(8)

This was the first fruit outside of the Jews recorded in the Gospels. As Jesus was commending the officer’s faith, He was also emphasizing that salvation does not come from our good works or “who” we are. Salvation comes by faith – like the faith demonstrated by this Gentile officer.  Jesus said, “Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west” and enter into “the Kingdom of Heaven. ”(9)

And because of that faith, there will be a multitude of believers from every language, people, tribe and nation gathered around God’s throne in heaven worshiping Him.(10)

We are the beneficiaries of that amazing faith … and our lives are to be a reflection of it. What could happen if Jesus was amazed by our faith … today?

* * * * *

(1) Mark 6:6

(2) Matthew 8:5-13 (NLT)

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer   came and pleaded with Him, “Lord, my young servantlies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have You come into my home. Just say the word from where You are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority  of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” When Jesus heard this, He was amazed. Turning to those who were following Him, He said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

(3) Luke 7:1-10

(4) Luke 7:5 (NLT)

(5) Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

(6) Matthew 28:18 (NLT)

(7) Matthew 8:13 (NLT)

(8) 1 John 5:14-15 (NASB)

(9) Matthew 8:11 (NLT)

(10)Revelation 7:9

Adapted from Walking With The Master, Ch. 23

Photo by Artem Sapegin on Unsplash

What Do These Stones Mean?

Twelve years ago, our family started a tradition of creating an annual book of photographs highlighting our family’s special memories for the year. Digital desktop technology makes creating such a book so much easier than printing individual pictures and putting them in an organized album – at least for us. We entitle each year’s book “A Year To Remember…” with the respective year. It has three main benefits for us. 

First, it helps us recall the treasured memories, blessings and events that our Lord has given us, and even those challenging times through which He has led us. Often, as we look back several years, it helps us recall when something took place, or who was at that special event, or to be reminded of how much our family has grown. (However, we never use it to remind ourselves how much older we have become!) 

Second, we use it as a “coffee table” book for friends and guests to browse when they visit us in our home. (We now have friends who look forward to being included in the book each year – and our family vies for who or what memory will make the coveted cover photo of this year’s book.) Through the book, we are able to magnify the works of God on our behalf and give Him glory. 

Third, prayerfully, it will be a way for us to pass along special family memories to the next generation of our family, as Jesus tarries.

A critical factor for a memory to make it into the book is that while a memory is being made we must remember to capture it in a picture. i cannot tell you how many times LaVonne and i have looked at each other after something has passed and exclaimed, “we forgot to take a picture!” For all the technology we use to create the book, we haven’t yet discovered a good technological tool to help us remember to take the picture. And sometimes when we are in the midst of the moment – its busyness, the excitement, the challenge, the details – we just simply forget. We have found that often, no matter how special the moment is, if we do not capture it in some way, we will forget it – and we don’t want to miss those special moments. 

What about a God-sized event and miracle like two million Israelites being led by God across the Jordan River?(1) Isn’t it interesting that it was God Himself who “suggested” that they take twelve stones – one for each tribe – as a remembrance of what they had seen Him do that day. He knew their (our) propensity to forget. How often in the midst of one of life’s challenges today do i lose sight of God’s faithfulness yesterday? He knew their (our) need to be reminded.

Without God’s prompting it would have been easy for Joshua to fail to memorialize God’s supernatural work. Think of the distractions that he, the other leaders and the people experienced that day. 

First, they were marching into enemy territory, and they didn’t know what surprise the enemy might have planned for them on the west side of the Jordan. 

Second, they were watching out for the welfare of their families, their livestock and their possessions. As older children, spouses, parents and heads of households, it would have been easy for them to be caught up in the safe passage of their parents, spouses, children, livestock and possessions – of their families, their tribes and as a people. Though that will be a natural concern for us as well, let us momentarily stop here and be reminded that good stewardship and leadership of our families is an important part of our journey. Over the years i have seen too many men (in particular) who have neglected their role as husbands, fathers and sons in the name of their spiritual pilgrimage. (Do not allow those personal roles of leadership and relationship to become an excuse to distract you from the activity of God, His face and His presence; but do not allow some skewed view of your obedience to God to cause you to neglect your God-given responsibility to your family either!) 

Third, though they were not fording through water, they were navigating the descent and ascent of the riverbed on rocks, and it demanded their attention. (Sometimes the very details of our task can distract us from the purpose of our journey.) But even in their busyness, God reminded them that for the sake of their spiritual walk and service to Him, and to glorify His Name, they could not neglect memorializing His work.

As a matter of fact, the crossing of the Jordan wasn’t complete until the stones had been gathered. It was only after they had been gathered that the priests carried the Ark out of the river and the waters resumed flowing.

Even the date of the crossing was a significant spiritual marker. Joshua records, “the people crossed the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month.”(2) It was exactly five days shy of forty years. God had said that they would wander in the wilderness for forty years, and now He brought them into the Promised Land five days before that forty years ended. In so doing, God ordered it so that they should enter Canaan four days before the annual observance of the Passover, and on the very day when the preparation for it was to begin.(3) In so doing, it was a very tangible illustration of God’s faithfulness as the Alpha (the exodus out of Egypt) and Omega (the entry into the Promised Land). 

So what is the lesson for us? What do these stones mean to us? First, literally related to the crossing of the Jordan, we must be mindful that God’s mercies to the Israelites were also mercies to us as His children; and we should never fail to take opportunity to remember the great things He did for those who have gone before us – even those who crossed the Jordan over 3,500 years ago.

Second, the same God who led the Israelite children across the Jordan is currently leading you across the Jordan of your own life. Be faithful to assemble the stones of reminder of your crossing. The stones the Israelites assembled came from the river bed – the very place where the Ark had been – the center of the river bed; what better remembrance of the miracle than a tangible piece of the miracle itself. Your reminder may be through a written account, through pictures, or through a tangible reminder (a stone from the center of the river bed). 

As i write this, i am sitting in my den surrounded by journals, special photographs, keepsakes, and yes, even a few pieces of rock – all of which are remembrances of God’s faithfulness in days past and reminders of His continuing faithfulness in days yet to come.

Remember that God is at work in and through your life, the path on which He has set your feet, and the promise that you are now seeing Him fulfill. Whatever that specific path or promise might be for you – remember that our God has a mission – and He has chosen to include you in that mission.  Don’t forget to pick up the stones along the way. And allow them to remind you that God is at work in and through every aspect of your life so that ultimately “all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever.”(4)

* * * * *

(1)  Joshua 4:1-3, 6-7, 24 (NLT)

When all the people had crossed the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan….” We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” … He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever.”

(2) Joshua 4:19

(3) Exodus 12:3

(4) Joshua 4:24 (NLT)

 Adapted from Possessing The Promise, Ch. 9

 Photo by Holger Link on Unsplash

You Will Never Ever Wash My Feet

There is absolutely no one who has ever walked on this earth who has had more authority, more majesty and more adoration due Him than Jesus. Every ruler who has ever lived, the most wealthy, the most powerful, and the most famous all fall short of His glory and His authority. The Father had sent Him, and He would return to the Father. 

i grew up in Palm Beach County, Florida. i have heard it said that the island of Palm Beach is home to ten percent of America’s wealth. It is the island of the rich and famous. Our current U. S. President has a home there. Whenever he is in town, traffic is rerouted on land, sea and air. i would not even venture to guess how many people are in his entourage and service  to make sure his every need is met, and every comfort is provided. i don’t say that critically of the President, nor do i disparage in any way the other residents of the town and the way they are served. i mention them solely as a point of comparison. Jesus, who has absolute authority over every one of them – and every one of us –  and is worthy of all praise, all worship, all respect, and all reverence, got up from the table one night, took off His robe and wrapped a towel around His waist like a servant.(1) There are a very few of us who would ever do anything like that – and none of those are the King of Kings.

But this wasn’t the first or the last time that our Lord gave no regard to His divine privilege. The apostle Paul writes:

“Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”(2)

Then Jesus kneeled before each of His disciples, washed their dirty feet, and dried them with the towel He was wearing around His waist. Let that picture sink in! His humility. His selflessness. And He is the Almighty God. Now – think about whose feet He is washing. One of the men will vehemently deny that he even knows Him before the night is out. One of them will doubt that He could possibly have resurrected from the grave, in just a few short days. And if that’s not enough, one of them will betray Him and provide the means for Him to be arrested that very night. And all of those who remain, except one, will scatter when He is arrested and will not follow Him to the cross. There is not a lot that is praiseworthy about these men over the next few days. These are Jesus’ closest friends – and all but one will abandon Him. And yet, Jesus, who knew everything that would transpire, and knew everything about them, washed their feet.

Scripture only records how Peter reacted. We don’t know what the others said or did, if anything. I can’t help but wonder what was going through the mind of Judas as Jesus was washing his feet. Or Thomas, the skeptic. Or John, the beloved. (It’s interesting to me that John did not include any personal commentary about the experience.)

But we do know what Peter did. “All or nothing Peter” never hesitates to be the first one to speak up (until later that night) and he is always the one jumping in with both feet. When he sees what Jesus is about to do to him, he protests – “You will never ever wash my feet!” Peter was one of three disciples who probably had the clearest understanding of who Jesus was (which made his denial later that night even more devastating for him). So, to him, to have the Son of God abase Himself to such a degree would have been so inappropriate. Rather, he was probably thinking, “Lord, I need to wash Your feet. And I’m embarrassed that I didn’t even think of it!” But then when Jesus tells him, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to Me”, in true Peter-form He says, “Then Lord, wash all of me!” 

After Jesus had washed all of their feet, He put His robe back on and returned to His place reclining at the table. As their Almighty God, He washed their feet. As their Lord and Teacher, He used the experience to teach them an important Kingdom principle. He is the Master; they – and we – are the slaves. He is the King; they – and we – are the messengers. As He has done, we are to do likewise. If He served, we are to serve. If He abased Himself for the sake of the Kingdom, we are to abase ourselves for the sake of the Kingdom. If He gave all for us, we are to give all for Him.

i would expect that if Jesus walked up to any one of us right now and knelt down to wash our feet, our response may be very similar to Peter – “Oh no Jesus, You will never ever wash my feet.” But would that response be driven, like Peter, by our understanding of His Majesty, or would it be driven by our soulish pride or our unwillingness to wash the feet of others? Who has the Master placed before you to wash their feet? It may be literal, or it may be to minister to a difficult need. As He has done, we are to do likewise. And just like Jesus told the disciples that night, “Now that you know these things, you must do them. And the Father will bless you for doing them.” But allow me to add a caution. Don’t do them in order to receive a blessing. Do them because our Master and Teacher did. Do them because our Almighty God did. Do them because it is Him who we take up the cross to follow!

* * * * *

(1)  John 13:3-17 (NLT)

Jesus knew that the Father had given Him authority over everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. So He got up from the table, took off His robe, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a basin. Then He began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel He had around Him. When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” “No,” Peter protested, “You will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to Me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray Him. That is what He meant when He said, “Not all of you are clean.” After washing their feet, He put on His robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

(2) Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT)

Adapted from Taking Up The Cross, Ch. 30

Photo by Lightscape on Unsplash

Keep Nothing For Yourself

God has given me the blessing and privilege of working with a number of great leaders throughout my career in ministry and in business. One of those leaders was a “paradoxical leader”. He believed that a paradox (a self-contradictory statement) was an effective way to create tension within a group or organization from which creative solutions can emerge. That type of leader is very comfortable with ambiguity, uncertainty, messiness and contradictions. The desired result is direction without directives, authority without control, and a creative tension from which creative solutions will emerge. The idea is that the solution to many problems is found somewhere between the two paradoxical thoughts, and the creative tension will allow the diverging groups to converge on that solution. It’s an interesting leadership style; one that can be challenging to work under. But it was highly effective for this leader.

Jesus Himself is well known for using verbal paradox to communicate truth – “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”(1) “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”(2) And, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.”(3) But His use of paradox did not point to a truth somewhere in the middle; His paradox underscored the truth. And i would definitely say that there is nothing paradoxical about God’s leadership. He is both directive and authoritative. His truth is absolute, and without contradiction. 

God’s instruction through Joshua to the people the day that He was delivering Jericho into their hands was VERY clear – the Lord had given them the town… and they were to keep nothing for themselves!(4)

So, are those two statements in conflict with one another? God is “giving” them the town, but everything except Rahab and her family, and those precious metals that were to be purified by fire and placed into the Lord’s treasury, were to be destroyed. Which means that the Israelites – personally – were to keep nothing. i don’t know about you but the promise of “a land flowing with milk and honey” evokes mental images of something more than “keep nothing”.

It doesn’t seem (at least at that moment) that any of the Israelites were bothered by any of this. And as you think about the paradox, you may not be bothered with it either. So why am i making such a big deal out of it? i’m glad you asked! Because i think that many of us struggle when God’s provision doesn’t align with our expectation; or when His outcome doesn’t match up with what we thought He was going to do. 

i think that is particularly true of us after we have walked through a long wilderness experience and are now entering into the promise; but the promise doesn’t quite align with what we anticipated! It may be that the promise is just now unfolding, but it doesn’t look like what we expected; or, it may be that the newness of the promise is wearing off, and things aren’t quite as glittery as we thought they were. Perhaps that new ____ (you fill in the blank) is not quite as i expected God to orchestrate it to be. Why am i disappointed? Why do i feel like i am being told – keep nothing for yourself?

All things versus nothing. Consider the Israelites. God had chosen a people. They would be His people and He would be their God. He would receive glory and worship from them, and glory and worship from all peoples through them. He was bringing them to live in a land of milk and honey, so that they might declare His glory among the nations.(5)  And He had shown them – as He shows us – that what was for His glory was ultimately for their good.(6) God had promised them “a land flowing with milk and honey” – not a land abounding with silver and gold. He would insure that their needs were met so they would be free to worship Him, but not to worship the things the world had to offer. He would also teach them that by laying up treasures for the enriching of His tabernacle that they were in fact laying up treasures for themselves. 

So is my reason for my disappointment because i have gotten my eyes off of the prize – the “true” prize? Do i feel empty-handed because i have allowed myself to become distracted by other things and gotten my eyes off of my Lord? Will i be more than content to keep nothing for myself when i remember that my Master is God – and i’m not! All that i have is His! All that i need is Him! He is the Potter! i am the clay. This journey is really all about Him – not me.

And He has created us, called us to Himself and chosen us to be vessels of His honor. Paul writes, “…In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”(7) It truly boils down to being a vessel for honor versus a vessel for dishonor. A vessel that is wholly surrendered versus one that is not. And that is not a paradox – that is a choice!

God is love versus God is just.  We live in a day and time in which it is popular to espouse that God is love therefore no one will perish for their sin. After all, how could a loving God choose for any of His creation to experience eternal death? Peter writes, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, … [He is] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”(8) He has made a way through the shed blood of His Son that none should perish but have eternal life.(9) So, what about the Jerichoites? Why were all of them – except Rahab and her family – destroyed? They were destroyed because they had rejected God. They had turned from Him – and literally hidden from Him behind their walls.(10) They had made the choice to turn from Him – all except Rahab.

Protective walls versus destructive walls.  The very walls that we sometimes build to protect ourselves can be the very walls by which we allow ourselves to be destroyed. The Jerichoites had withdrawn into the “safety” of their walls. Some even stood on the top of the walls in order to better observe the activity of the Israelites. It’s ironic that those who could best see, but were hiding behind the walls, would have probably been the first to perish when the walls collapsed. By the way, metaphorically speaking, don’t hide behind walls of your own making – particularly from God. There is much less fallout from taking down walls than there is from allowing them to collapse. Take down whatever wall you have built between yourself and another person, or between yourself and God, by going to them with a broken and a contrite spirit, seeking or extending forgiveness, and seeking reconciliation. If it is a matter of sin, turn from it, receive forgiveness and break out of the walls. If it is a matter of relationship, be reconciled and break out of the walls.

As you enter into that next Jericho moment in your own life, remember the words of Paul to the believers in Corinth, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”(11) Keep nothing for yourself – not even yourself!

* * * * *

(1)  Matthew 10:39 (NKJ)

(2)  Mark 9:35 (NLT)

(3)  Mark 10:43-44 (NLT)

(4)  Joshua 6:16-21 (NLT)

… For the LORD has given you the town! Jericho and everything in it must be completely destroyed as an offering to the LORD. Only Rahab the prostitute and the others in her house will be spared, for she protected our spies. “Do not take any of the things set apart for destruction, or you yourselves will be completely destroyed, and you will bring trouble on the camp of Israel. Everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the LORD and must be brought into his treasury.” When the people heard the sound of the rams’ horns, they shouted as loud as they could. Suddenly, the walls of Jericho collapsed, and the Israelites charged straight into the town and captured it. They completely destroyed everything in it with their swords….”

(5) 1 Chronicles 16:24

(6)  Romans 8:28-30

(7) 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (NLT)

(8)  2 Peter 3:9 (NKJ)

(9) John 3:16

(10)Joshua 2:9-11

(11)1Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJ)

Adapted from Possessing the Promise, Ch. 16

Photo by Shalev Cohen on Unsplash

The One Who Goes Before Us

Throughout our lives, we will encounter enemies that are assembling to attack us. In some instances it may be other people, but more often it will be enemies like disease, unplanned job loss, financial setback, and the like. When we come upon them, we would do well to remember that God is our “Banner” and He goes before us!

After God had led the Israelites across the Red Sea, they saw the warriors of Amalek assembling for a fight there in the valley of Rephidim.(1) The last army that had assembled against the Israelites had perished at the bottom of the sea. The Israelites had not been called upon to go into battle to defeat them. No Israelite blood had been spilled. The casualty count at that battle had been: Egyptians – ALL; Israelites – NONE. God had gone before the Israelites, making a way for their escape, and He had gone behind them, making a way for their enemy’s defeat. 

There was no question that God had fought the battle for His people that day - and He had won! Remember, God had promised that He would defeat the Egyptians so that the whole world would know that there was one God, and His Name is Jehovah! The reports of how God had gone before His people and had defeated the Egyptian army spread throughout the land. It was heard by the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Edomites – “ites” of every kind – including the Amalekites.

But ironically, the Amalekites approached the Israelites with arrogance and attitude. They considered themselves to be undefeatable. God had defeated the most powerful army in the world – the Egyptians. He had quite literally moved heaven and earth to defeat them. He had revealed His power and His glory to a watching world. He had firmly established His reputation that there was none like Him. He is the Sovereign and Almighty God, and these were His people. 

And yet … the Amalekites were advancing to fight the Israelites – and in so doing were shaking their “fists” at the Lord God Jehovah and declaring war against His throne. But hold onto this truth –  when an enemy advances against a people that God has declared to be His, that enemy is not only advancing against that people, the enemy is advancing against His throne – and God WILL protect His throne. It wasn’t so much that the Amalekites had chosen the wrong people to engage in battle, they had chosen the wrong God!

i can’t help but wonder if the Israelites, as they watched the Amalekites forming their battle lines, were thinking: “How is God going to annihilate this army? We can’t wait to see how He’s going to do it this time. Is He going to rain down fire from heaven or bury them in the sand? Will He lead us up to the hilltop so that we can have a ringside seat like we did the last time?” 

They were expecting God to work in ways similar to the way He had defeated the Egyptians. So I think they were surprised when Joshua called them to arms. This wasn’t how God had done it the last time. Why didn’t God just wipe them out? But God rarely works in the same way we have seen Him work before.

Then they saw Moses standing on the top of the hill holding up the staff. This was the same staff he had held up when the Red Sea parted and the same staff he had stretched out when the sea came back together. But this time, Joshua was shouting, “Charge!” This time, they were face to face with the enemy in battle; and this time they were seeing the blood of friends and family spilled on the field. 

They saw that at one moment they were defeating the Amalekites, but at the next, they were being defeated. And they began to realize that the trend of the battle followed the position of the staff. When the staff was upraised they prevailed; God was giving His people the victory. The staff had become a symbol of their Banner of Victory. Their Banner of Victory was Jehovah Nissi (The Lord is my Banner). As long as the Banner was held high and lifted up, God’s intended outcome was assured. He was going before them on the battlefield. He was making the way. Though He wasn’t working in the same way … He was the same God! Though He had required them to take up the sword this time, the victory was no less His.

Are you encountering Amalekites in your journey? Are others telling you that your Amalekites are undefeatable? Are you a child of Jehovah? Has He declared you to be His? Are you following Him in this journey? Is He the One that goes before you? Then the One that your enemies battle – the One your disease faces – or the one your trial is raging against – is the One that they cannot defeat! His victory is assured – and He is your Banner! He may require you to take up arms. He may call you to be actively engaged in the fight. But take heart – the battle is His and the outcome is assured. He will use the battle to accomplish His purpose and bring glory to His Name. He will give you the strength. He will guide your every effort. Keep your eyes on your Banner!

And at the end of the battle, be faithful to build an altar of remembrance – to testify of His faithfulness to this generation – your fellow sojourners - and all that will come behind you in the days to come. Jehovah Nissi goes before you! 

* * * * *

(1)  Exodus 17:8-9, 13-16 (NLT)

While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek came to fight against them. Moses commanded Joshua, "Call the Israelites to arms, and fight the army of Amalek. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." …As a result, Joshua and his troops were able to crush the army of Amalek. Then the LORD instructed Moses, "Write this down as a permanent record, and announce it to Joshua: I will blot out every trace of Amalek from under heaven." Moses built an altar there and called it "The LORD Is My Banner." He said, "They have dared to raise their fist against the LORD's throne, so now the LORD will be at war with Amalek generation after generation." 

Adapted from The Journey Begins, Ch. 22

Photo by Rohit Dey on Unsplash