Week of 9/15/19 - Pages 89-101

Dealing With Disappointment

How do you handle disappointment?

When the job offer you thought you were about to receive didn’t come through? Or that promotion you’d been counting on was given to someone else? When you received a doctors report with a diagnosis you weren’t expecting? When you lost the game you’d worked all your career to win? Or maybe it was when someone you said “forever” to, decided they wanted to walk away? How did you respond?

Yeah after year, Hannah was disappointed and ridiculed for her inability to have a child. She was teased by the other ladies and harassed by one bully who had plenty of her own kids.

Hannah knew disappointment. We see it over and over in scripture, that God responds to prayers of the heart. In Hannah’s case, her anguish was so great that the priest thought she was praying drunk and scolded her! But, as she explained her grief, Eli blessed her. Her’s was a prayer that got Gods attention, and He answered with a blessing so great that no one could not fathom.

When we face disappointments, it’s tempting to blame God and grow bitter. Sometimes we feel like giving up and walking away. But it’s in these times of disappointment that we need to remember, God is a loving God who knows what you're going through… and He cares.

It’s interesting to ponder, God who is omniscient already knew what was happening to her. He had an answer in the waiting, but it was Hannah who needed to find dependence on God before He released the blessing. It was in her dependence on Him, that she found her blessing.

Be encouraged this week. Bring your disappointments to the cross and allow God to carry the burden. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30 - “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

What a wonderful promise. What blessings await you at the foot of the cross?

Week of 9/8/19 - Pages 81 - 88

The book of Ruth tells the story of God’s working in ways we cannot always see and understand.  Because of a famine in the land, an Israelite woman named Naomi moves to the neighboring country of Moab with her husband and two sons to find food.  They settle there and the son’s marry Moabite women.  Soon her husband and sons die and Naomi is left with her two daughter’s-in-law.  One returns to her homeland and  Ruth and Naomi need to return to Judah (Naomi’s homeland) to continue to live.  There they meet a man named Boaz who becomes their family redeemer.  Through Boaz, and the love and faithfulness of Ruth, the story depicts God’s faithfulness to his covenant promise to the Israelites.  

The book is primarily a story of Naomi’s transformation from despair to happiness through the selfless, God-blessed acts of Ruth and Boaz.  She moves from emptiness to fullness, from destitution to security and hope.  The book of Ruth shows that David’s Moabite ancestor was a woman of true faith in the God of Israel.  

The genealogy at the end of the book lists ten generations leading up to King David.  In Jesus, the great “son of David” and his redemptive work, the promised blessings of he kingdom of God find their fulfillment.

Praise Jesus!

Week of 9/1/19 - Pages 65 - 80

After reading the book of Judges my first thought was Thank You Jesus. Having never really read the book of Judges, just small snippets for bible study here and there through out the years. I honestly thought it would be a book, like its title, about judges. Basically that we would see how the person that the Lord put in charge decides on matters or places judgement on others.

What I discovered is that this book is cyclical. What I mean by that is that we see over and over how the people of God continue to go back to their old ways. The people break their covenent with God. The people disobey His laws, by engaging in idolatry, disbelief and immoral behavior. We are told several times that there was no king but God was their King. The consequences of their behavior is that there is lots of lives lost, because God allows them to be oppressed by the Philistines. Until he raises up a judge, Samson. We continually see this pattern from the Israelites, they complain, say they will obey the rules, only to break the rules and then seek God to save them. They repent and turn back to God. Until the fall again and begin the cycle all over again.

Fortunately for us we also see who God is, his love for his people and how he chooses people for his good. Like he did when he chose Manoah and his wife, as told by the angel of the Lord of the impending birth of Samson. Judges 13:5 NIV - “You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”

Samson was born to do great work for God. God’s gift to him was his tremendous physical strength. Judges 14:6a NIV - says, “The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat.” Sadly, we see Samson use his abilities unwisely. He was a jokester, fell for the pretty girls and misjudges who he could confide in. For example, when he tells Delilah where his strength comes from and then she uses against him. The Philistines, seized Samson, gouged out his eyes and imprisoned him because of Delilah’s betrayal. It is then that the Lord leaves him. We see that even the ones dedicated to God are flawed. Samson is a good example of the cyclical behavior. Samson is born dedicated to God, follows God, then walks away when Samson relies on his own strength, then to finally turn back to God. Judges 16:28 NIV - “Then Samson prayed to the Lord, “Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 30 Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died then while he lived.”

My take away is that God does hear our cries, our prayers. It’s never too late to start over. Our past fails are just that, in the past. Today is where we can start by putting our trust in Him, our King.

Week of 8/25/19 - Pages 52 - 65

A God Who Sees Us

After seven years of Israel being under the thumb of the Midianites, they cried out for God’s help. As a response, the Lord called Gideon to save Israel. At that moment we learn Gideon’s status within Israel’s tribes, his family, and even his view of himself. In verse 15, Gideon could not understand how he could save Israel . He is from the weakest clan of the tribe of Manasseh and the least of his father’s family. One of the most amazing things about God is that He sees us for who we are, apart from the labels placed on us by culture or society. God called Gideon a “mighty man of valor,” which from the outside seemed the furthest from who he was.

The first thing God required of him was to destroy Baal's altar and replace it with one for the Lord. So Gideon did this under the cloak of darkness, out of fear of his family and the people of the city. When discovered the people renamed him Jerubbaal, let Baal defend himself- yet God called him “a mighty man of valor.” Although God has already reassured Gideon he was with him, Gideon asked for confirmation through a sign using fleece, not once but twice. God patiently provided what Gideon needed to continue to move forward. Many would criticize Gideon for this action as a lack of faith, however, I see it as part of  Gideon becoming who he was, “a mighty man of valor.” God goes on to greatly reduce Gideon’s resources to do the very thing God is asking him to do. With a small army of 300, Gideon followed God into battle and defeated the Midianite army of thousands. God was very clear that the victory was His, bringing glory and honor to Himself. Through that process, Gideon became the man God always knew he was.

 When I think of this passage, I'm reminded of who the Bible says we are in the eyes of God, regardless of who others say we are. Our Father, Savior, Creator and Friend says we are sons and daughters of God. (Galatians 3:26) We are part of the body of Christ (1Cor 12:27), a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19), a priesthood, and we are His. (1 Peter 2:9) God sees who we really are.  Like Gideon, as we learn to trust God more and more, we become who we are meant to be, someone who God can use to do great things in His name.

Week of 8/18/19 - Pages 41 - 52

The period of the Judges marks a dark and difficult era of Israel’s history.  It covers the time between Joshua’s death to the time that Israel would later be ruled by a king (1 Samuel). There are several applicable themes within the book that are worth noting as you read Judges:

1.    Israel’s Disobedience and Forgetfulness of God leads to Disaster after Disaster.

Judges reveals a brutal cycle of disaster when God’s people fail to remember and adhere to His instructions.  So much of what God had shared with Israel in their covenant agreement was designed specifically for their own safety, protection, health, and prosperity.  But almost all these grace-filled parameters were ignored and replaced with selfish, motives and action – “in those days, everyone did what was right in his/her own eyes…” (Judges 21:25).

 2.    God’s Discipline is an Instrument of His Mercy.

 It’s amazing to consider that God at any point in these cycles of disobedience could have justifiably called it quits with a people prone to breaking their word, and embracing evil.  Instead, He uses each circumstance to underscore His faithfulness and love.  The Hebrew writer describes both this dynamic and its purpose well:

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son…No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed (Hebrews 12:5-6, 11-13).

 3.    Even in Disaster, Faith Rises

 The author of Hebrews interestingly enough, lists several characters from Judges as models of Old-Testament characters who gained approval through faith (see Hebrews 11). Though Judges highlights the consequences of unbelief in its brutal cycle of destruction, one can also see that even in such periods of darkness, unbelief, and cultural digression, men and women of simple trust and obedience can be a powerful, positive light whose effects can move an entire nation.

The period of the Judges has remarkable application to our own cultural context – meaning You and Me.  By reading both how God’s mercy works through discipline, and the dramatic pitfalls of following one’s own counsel without the guidance of God’s Spirit, Judges has much to contribute to our own relationship and walk with God.

Week of 8/11/19 - Pages 32 - 39

This week we come to the close of the book of Joshua and Joshua’s life. But before the death of Joshua, we see him encouraging Israel to remain faithful to God and to serve Him alone. In Chapters 23 and 24, Joshua summons all the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel and reminds them all that God has done for them. It was God who rescued them from slavery and brought them out of Egypt. It was God who performed mighty miracles as they traveled through the wilderness. It was God who fought against their enemies and who gave them possession of the land. God has been faithful to Israel and everything He has promised has come true. Joshua then implores the people to be strong and to serve the Lord wholeheartedly. Joshua’s final words to the Israelites may be exactly what we need to hear as well. For like the Israelites, we, too, often need to be reminded of God’s faithfulness, His provision, and His power. We need to remember that whatever we are facing it is God who will rescue us and it is God who will fight our battles. We need to focus our eyes on the One we serve and not allow our circumstances to turn our eyes to the right or to the left.   We need to hold tightly to the truth that each and every one of God’s promises will come true. Not a single one will fail! May Joshua’s words encourage us and like him, may we be strong and serve the Lord wholeheartedly.

Week of 8/4/19 - Pages 21 - 32

God is faithful to fulfill His promises.  Do we trust Him?

In pages 22 - 30 in the Kingdoms book, we see the fulfillment of the promises God made to Abraham over a 1/2 century earlier. For generations in their oral tradition they have heard the stories and about the "promised land." This land of wealth and goodness that God has promised to the descendants of Abraham.

It is the beginning of a fantastic time for the people of God, a time where the scripture says there is rest from war. Where God gives them a bountiful land. A land that already is full of villages and towns, even fortified towns. They will enjoy great harvests, and long periods of peace and great wealth. 

But yet as they move in to claim these amazing promises, there are still the signs of the "human condition" that plague both the Israelites and plague us today.

One of the elements of the human condition that I think many of us can relate to, was fear.  All of these people (all except Joshua and Caleb that is) were 19 years old or younger when they started their 40 year wondering in the wilderness. God has been tangibly present for the majority of their lives. They have experienced God first hand providing miracles for daily provision & protection, stopping the Jorden river at flood stage, demolishing major walled cities like Jericho without Israel throwing a stone, and providing them tremendous victories over  the armies of the land. Yet, for some reason they have not taken full possession of the land. Why?  I wonder if it is fear. God has shown up so far, yes, but will He show up and give ME victory over the people in the land I am supposed to fight for? He has saved the armies of Israel, but will He save ME?

They have been given the land. The promise is fulfilled, but they have a role in receiving the promise. For this promise God expects them to be actively involved in its fulfillment.  They must drive the current occupants out of the land.  God promises that they will have victory, and God says he will be with them, BUT they must do their part and the thoughts of what "could" happen generate fear in their human condition, and I think in ours too.

I wonder how many times in my life I am not able to "fully" enjoy God's promises for me because "fear" enters in to my thinking.   I know He offers peace and I know He wants me to experience Joy in my life, but I wonder how many times being anxious about an unknown outcome or uncertain future keeps me from fully experiencing His promises. 

Can I truly be safe, can I be content with a life of trusting Him? Is it that simple, just trust Him.

Have a good work ethic, act justly, live generously, show mercy, and walk humbly with Jesus every day and fully trust Him for the outcome.  

I wonder if the solution to many of the ills of my human condition is to simply walk close to God each day, grabbing hold of all of the promises He offers, and simply trust Him for the outcome.

Week of 7/28/19 - Pages 10 - 21

Prayer is a powerful thing. We have learned a great deal about prayer this year. However, the power of prayer in this week’s reading is undeniable. Joshua, has led the people into the promised land and now are going village by village and city by city defeating king after king. God is delivering them without much opposition. 

This brings us to what might be the boldest prayer in history. Joshua prays that the sun would stand still so the Lord would give the Israelites the victory over the Amorites. The passage says that Joshua says the prayer in sight of the Israelites. So get this, Joshua, God’s chosen leader, prays that the sun and moon would stop so they can continue to be victorious in their war over the promised land. 

I cannot tell you how many times in my life I have tried to pray a prayer like this. It often seems that nothing quite as extraordinary happens. In fact there have been some times in my life where it seems like God isn’t listening and I am pleading for his comfort and provision. I often want to get to the end of the lesson I am learning by the fastest means possible. However, God often has other plans for my life. What I often fly right by in this story is the years and years of obedience by Joshua and his people. They have followed God day by day for generations. I often want God to provide me with the reply or answer instantly. 

God calls us to obedience first, then he blesses us with his provision. God wants us to actively seek him. If we do this in all we do, we will begin to see our prayer life increase with boldness and power. God is waiting for us to grow into the men and women that God calls us to be. This process is at times frustrating and debilitating but what God is teaching us and showing us is the power we have in and through him. 

Be bold in your prayers and pray with the same power of Joshua. 

Week of 7/21/19 - Pages 1 - 10

Joshua 4:4-7

So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel.  He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 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.”

Congratulations!  You’ve finished the Torah!  

Now we turn our attention to a new part of the journey.  Moses has died, along with almost all of his peers who left Egypt.  A new generation with a new hope has set their sights on the promised land as Joshua rises from the ranks as God’s anointed leader. In this first book of Kingdoms, the reader will experience the conquest of Canaan with all its challenges neutralized by God’s faithful presence and power.  Each victory increases the faith of the Israelites while melting the hearts of the inhabitants of these Canaanite city-states.

In this week’s reading I’m struck by the stone memorial built after Israel crosses the Jordan in flood-stage on dry ground.  The miraculous crossing was no doubt reminiscent for the people of this generation who had been either children at the time, or being born in the wilderness, had later heard about the incredible story of the Red Sea crossing.  But this time, Israel stops and takes the time to build a large stone structure – what we might call a testimony -- to remind them of God’s power, provision, and providence in their lives.

I encourage you to think about the moments in your life where God has honored His promises to you in an undeniable way.  Do you remember, or have the layers of busyness and struggle slowly eroded the details?  Have you built a testimony that not only reminds you of God’s faithfulness in times of future difficulties, but also testifies to others who might not have otherwise known of God’s works in your life?  

Such memorials come in many shapes and sizes.  I’ve come across necklaces, plaques, tattoos, songs, paintings, stories, and video testimonies – all of which follow Joshua’s pattern of reminding one that God is at work in one’s life…”an ever-present help,” and a faithful father who will never forsake us.  We need to regularly see these reminders from our own experiences, and from others who know and have tasted the goodness of God.  

Like Israel, take the time to build memorials – so that when your children, or your friends, or your Life Together family asks – “Why is that necklace so special to you?” or “What does that tattoo mean?” or “What a lovely song, what’s it about?” you can share how God carried you across a river of adversity, and your feet didn’t even get wet.

Week of 7/14/19 - Pages 313-327

This is it. After the years of waiting and wandering, the Israelites are poised to enter the promised land, the land God has provided. 

Our reading this week starts in the middle of all the curses—all the consequences God vows will befall the Jews if they break their covenant with him. This was a surprise to me. I didn’t recall that there were specific curses outlined as part of the covenant relationship. I’m so much more comfortable with the word “consequence” than the word “curse.” I recalled that God vowed the Israelites would be conquered and taken into exile if they forsook him and worshipped other gods. But I wasn’t aware of the variety and specificity of the curses detailed for them. To be honest, I found it rather disturbing, and was a little rocked by “Just as the Lord has found great pleasure in causing you to prosper and multiply, the Lord will find pleasure in destroying you” (315). 

Wait, what? 

The Bible bears testimony to the justice of God, to his longsuffering, and to his allowing and even using difficult circumstances to test, shape, shepherd, discipline, and fight for his people. He’s clearly a God of tough love and letting his children experience the consequence of their choices. But finding pleasure in destroying them? That does not sit easy with me. That’s a scary God that harkens back to fire and brimstone sermons that I frankly see as alienating people from knowing God’s grace, love, and forgiveness. But there it is in the Bible in black and white. What are we to do with it? 

Reading through the curses, it made me wonder if anyone had second thoughts about entering into this agreement. But human nature being what it is, we tend to only look at the upside, don’t we? Picture it: a couple of million people, amassed on the border of the land their forefathers were promised. A land large enough and lush enough to provide for all of them. A land they’ve endured a forty-year detour to enter. How closely did they listen to the fine print? And how could they turn back now or decide to strike out on their own because the contract was too onerous? I have to keep in mind that they have seen God’s presence and provision day in and day out. They are in a sweet period of relationship with him—how easy it would be to downplay the punishment clause that would certainly never need to be invoked.

How smart was God to have the warning put to music and taught to them all in a song, “so that it may serve as a witness for me against them” (319). God knew that the people would break their covenant, and he planned ahead for that day: “and when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them” (319).

God certainly knows human nature. And not only does he have blessings in store for his people when they keep his covenant, and curses for when they don’t, he even has a contingency for when they come back to him: “If at that time you and your children return to the Lord your God, and if you obey with all your heart and all your soul all the commands I have given you today, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes. He will have mercy on you and gather you back from all the nations where he has scattered you” (317). There’s his mercy and grace. 

I have to note that in the middle of all of this—the covenant details and prophecy about their exile and return—God slips a little detail of his mysterious plan into the song: “I will rouse their jealously through people who are not even a people; I will provoke their anger through the foolish Gentiles” (321). If I’m not mistaken, I think that’s a little foreshadowing of how God’s plan will go on to provide for the Gentiles when the Jews largely reject Jesus as their messiah, without his forsaking his original covenant with the Jews.

He’s definitely the God of the long game.