Whose side are you on?

 I've been reading through Joshua with my wife recently.

God tells us that all Scripture has been written for our learning.

And as I have read about the experiences of the Israelites as they entered the promised land,

the things God is teaching me are very relevant.

One of the lessons that has stuck out to me and continues to challenge me is found in chapter 5.

The people have crossed over the Jordan River, and as an act of obedience, the men have been circumcised.

After this is accomplished, and while they are healing, some significant events take place.

They celebrated the Passover

They ate from the produce of the land

The provision of manna ceased

And Joshua had an encounter with God as he took a walk.

I want to focus on that encounter.

Joshua sees a man standing near Jericho with a drawn sword in his hand

I think if I had been Joshua, I would have turned aside

but Joshua approached the man and asks a question:

"Are you for us or for our adversaries?"

This is not a surprising question. After all, they have come to drive out the people who are living in this land that has been promised to them.

But the response is quite interesting:

"No, rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord."

Joshua's immediate response is one of recognition.

He realizes he is in the presence of God, and falls on his face on the ground.

Joshua then asks a second question:

"What has my Lord to say to his servant?"

and he is told to remove has sandals because he is on holy ground

The lessons here for me are twofold

First, how do I approach God when I am having conflict with someone?

I think too often, I'm like Joshua, asking God to pick a side, when I should be asking Him what He is wanting to teach me.

Many times, when facing conflict, I'm trying to convince God to change the other person.                    (more about this in a future post)

I'm more about pushing for my agenda than listening to God's voice

But God is seeking obedience and His glory.

We see this over in chapter 7 when God uses the people of Ai to defeat the Israelites because there is sin in the camp.

If He was just for making my life more pleasant and victorious, He could ignore my sin and always let me walk in victory.

But He knows that at times I need discipline because of my disobedience.

Thus the response from the captain of the Lord's host:

not taking sides, just accomplishing My will!

And so I'm learning to respond to conflict differently. (it's a slow process!!)

Second, how well am I showing reverence for God?

When was the last time I was down on my face before the Lord?

How often am I asking God to speak?

Sure, I'm spending time reading God's word.

But am I really paying attention?

Am I taking the time to ponder and meditate on the things God is saying?

Whose side am I on?

Thankful Thursday

I am very conscious of how much I have to be thankful for

and I try to make gratitude a part of each day

I believe it does make a difference

I remember hearing a statement years ago that 

"attitude determines your altitude"

and having an attitude of gratitude gives me the ability to soar

I don't want to be trudging through life

Jesus said that He came to give His followers abundant life

I'm thankful Jesus came

thankful for His example in living as a servant

thankful for His teaching as recorded in the 4 gospels

I'm thankful for His death on the cross

becoming the ultimate sacrifice for my sins

I'm thankful Jesus is no longer buried in a tomb

He is alive and active in my life

I'm thankful that because of His resurrection I now experience newness of life

I'm thankful God is the giver and sustainer of life

I'm thankful He is above all things

I'm thankful God is the creator 

thankful He owns the universe and rules in majesty over it

I'm thankful God is my source

thankful He provides for all my needs

I'm thankful for God's knowledge of me

I've been spending some time meditating on Psalm 139

in verses 5 and 6 the psalmist describes God's caring presence and says the knowledge of that is too wonderful for him to understand

in verse 18 he says that God's thoughts about him outnumber the sand!

I'm very thankful God considers me, a mere speck in the scope of the universe, and knows me completely

I'm thankful nothing ever catches Him by surprise

I'm thankful God is a refuge for me

thankful He gives strength for each day

I'm thankful God doesn't deal with me as my sin deserves

thankful He is gracious and merciful

I'm thankful God is my loving Father

I'm thankful His love is an everlasting love

thankful there is nothing that can separate me from that love

life isn't a stroll down easy street

it can get messy sometimes

but I'm thankful God is with me in the messiness of life

thankful that He patiently guides me and directs my steps 

Thankful Thursday

it's a new year

I'm thankful God brought me through another year

thankful for His direction and protection in 2022

I'm thankful that God is the source of my strength

thankful that He continually puts a song in  my heart and His praise on my lips

I'm thankful for God's peace which guards my heart and mind

I'm thankful for God's faithfulness

thankful He is always with me

I'm thankful God knows my needs

and grateful He provides for those needs

I'm thankful for the skills God has given me

and thankful for the opportunities to use those skills in serving others

I'm thankful for the reminder from a friend today that God is my source

I know that without Him I can do nothing

but thankful that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength

I'm thankful for my job, and specifically for my bosses

I had breakfast with them one morning this week

thankful for the tone of our conversation

and thankful they took time to pray for me as we were wrapping up our time together

I'm grateful to be part of a company that strives to honor God

I'm thankful God speaks to me through His word

thankful it is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness

I'm thankful I don't have to try and figure everything out on my own

grateful God is in the business of providing wisdom when I am lacking it

I've been meditating on Ps. 139 quite a bit recently

I'm actually working on writing a song from that psalm

I'm grateful God is the One who created me, formed me in my mother's womb, and knows the number of my days

thankful I am fearfully and wonderfully made

I'm thankful there is nothing that can separate me from God and His love for me

thankful He examines my heart and mind and reveals areas where I need transformation and growth

I'm thankful God guides me in His righteous path

and thankful that path will eventually lead me to His eternal home

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for 38 years

38 years loving the wife of my youth

38 years walking through life with my best friend

38 years of experiencing God's favor and grace

I was so young and clueless when I married Chris back in 1984

but I knew one thing--I needed God's help if I was going to be the husband He called me to be

And He has been my Helper 

I'm thankful for His promise to respond when I call upon Him

I'm thankful God is faithful

thankful He is patient

I'm thankful for the paths God has led us down

life has definitely been an adventure

I'm thankful for God's word

for the instruction He gives to me as a husband

it's good to have a guidebook when facing the challenges of life

I'm thankful for the example of Jesus in loving His church

His life of sacrifice  is the bedrock for making marriage work

I'm called to give myself up for Chris and nurture her

I haven't always known what that was supposed to look like

but I'm thankful God has been patiently teaching me 

and thankful He continues to teach me as I seek Him

I'm thankful God has blessed Chris and me with children and grandsons

it has been a joy to all be together this Christmas

I'm thankful God has been my provider throughout the years

I'm thankful He knows my needs and promises to supply those needs

I'm thankful God is always present

thankful He walks by my side every moment of every day

where would I be without God?

so thankful I never have to find out

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for shelter this evening

it's a cold and rainy night

I'm thankful for God's provision

there are so many comforts that He has blessed me with

many of them I simply take for granted

but I know there are people tonight who don't have a roof over their head or a bed to sleep in

I'm thankful God brought all of our kids home for Christmas

it is such a blessing to all be together

sitting around the dinner table tonight was very special

I'm thankful for this time of year

thankful for Jesus

thankful He willingly gave up His place in glory to come and live among men

I'm thankful God had a plan in place even before the creation of the world

that His Son would be the sacrificial Lamb who payed the penalty for man's sin

I'm thankful for the newness of life that comes through trusting in Jesus

I'm thankful for freedom from fear

I was reminded today that there are 365 times in Scripture where we are told not to fear

once for each day of the year

I'm thankful God is always present

thankful for His nearness

I'm thankful that although I think up plans God is the one who directs my steps

I'm thankful He is the Sovereign Lord

thankful there's never a plan B with Him

I'm thankful for the grace God provides in every circumstance

I'm thankful that His strength is perfected in my weakness

I'm thankful God never grows weary or tired

and I'm thankful for His patience with me

I'm thankful God's mercy is new every morning

thankful for His faithfulness

I know I can trust Him

thankful He is the same yesterday, today, and forever

I'm thankful God is truth

thankful He is a promise keeper

I know that what God says He will do, He does

every time, every day 

Thankful Thursday

my heart is filled with gratitude

God is good

He is my salvation

I'm thankful for His mercy and grace

thankful God is my defender

thankful He is the lifter of my head

I'm thankful for God's promise of His presence

thankful He walks with me through every circumstance I face

I attended a friend's funeral on Saturday

his family is grieving

but they also have hope

I'm thankful God gives hope

thankful this world is not my final home

my friend was strong in his faith, and passed that strength of faith on to his family

I had the opportunity to see the production "David" at Sight and Sound  today

such a sell produced show giving glory to God

it was a good reminder of the importance of worship

it also brought out God's compassion for His people

and the importance of repentance

I'm thankful God is forgiving

thankful He is the creator of heaven and earth

I'm thankful that God draws near to those who draw near to Him

thankful He gives me songs in the night

I'm thankful God blesses His people with peaceful sleep

thankful He invited me to come and find rest in Him when I'm overwhelmed by the cares of this world

I'm thankful God is a listener

thankful He invites me to call out to Him

thankful God is "abundant in lovingkindness and truth to all who call on Him."

I had the opportunity to pray with a friend this evening

he called me to give me the news that his wife was just diagnosed with cancer

I'm thankful for friends who I'm privileged to share life with

thankful for their prayers for me

and thankful I can pray for them

I'm thankful for the confidence that God does hear and respond when I call upon Him

I'm thankful for this season of year when we celebrate God's gift in sending His Son to walk among men

I'm thankful God is Immanuel

God with us

so thankful He is with me 

Thankful Thursday

It's Thanksgiving

and although I frequently post a list of things I'm thankful for on Thursday evenings

I'm usually reflecting on the previous week

today I had time to ponder God's goodness in my life over the last year

Ps. 86 tells us that the Lord is good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth

how grateful I am for those statements

I'm thankful that God is good and that He pours out good on His people

I'm thankful God never intends for anything to promote evil

He takes even the least desirable situations and uses them for my good and His glory

I'm thankful God is a forgiving and merciful God

because He is good, He desires for His people to be good also

I'm thankful for the blood of Christ that washes me clean

thankful that His sacrifice on the cross made forgiveness possible

thankful I am now clothed in His righteousness

it's God's lovingkindness that allows Him to forgive

it's His lovingkindness that gives Him patience when I stumble and fall

I'm thankful for the abundance of God's love for me

His love never runs out or dries up

I'm thankful God is governed by truth

there is no falsehood in Him

I'm thankful God always keeps His word

another verse in Ps. 86 says God is abundant in lovingkindness to all who call on Him

I'm so thankful for the channel of communication God has opened up for me

I can call on Him at any time knowing His ears are always open to my prayers

as I looked back over the past year today

I realized just how good and forgiving and loving God has been over the last 12 months

as I shared with family today, there were a few times this past year when I didn't know whether my wife would continue to walk by my side

she had quite a few health complications since last Thanksgiving

but God has preserved her life

He has shown me such favor

I'm thankful for each day we've been given

I'm thankful for opportunities to serve my wife as she has traveled down some difficult roads

and I'm thankful God has walked each of those roads with us

I'm thankful God continues to give me a song

I'm thankful for God's protection on the road and on the job site over this past year

there have been a few situations where the outcome could have been a lot different

but God has been a shield about me

He is the lifter of my head

I'm so thankful God calls me His beloved son, wraps me in His merciful arms and lights my path

teach me Your way, O Lord; unite my heart to fear Your name