Two lessons learned from Abraham this morning. 1. Do not settle for less than God’s best. Terah, Abraham’s Father was originally called to the land of Canaan. But when he got to Harran, he stopped. He settled there. He never reached his potential. He died short of his promise. Giving up is tempting. I threaten to give about once a week. But I am spurred by a promise and a...
Your Land
Sunday I was praying. I closed my eyes and saw a beautiful green pasture on a hill. I opened my eyes and it was gone. I closed my eyes again and saw it again. I didn’t think much of it until I read this: “Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land....
An Abundant Life
When I read the book of Joshua, I’m uncomfortable with the violence. I’m uneasy when I read how nations were completely annihilated in the name of God. But I do believe God is teaching me through these lessons. God wants us to completely and thoroughly annihilate our enemies today. But our enemies are never ever people. Our enemies are lack, lies, sickness, fear, racism, and hatred. How do we extinguish...
Lessons Learned
Lessons learned from Joshua as he entered the promise land. 1. Expect great things. Prophesy what God will do. – “Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”” (Joshua 3:5 NIV) 2. Don’t wait for the waters to part. Take a risk. Step out in faith. – “Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet...
Here I Come
Moses at 120 years old came to the end of his life and was commissioning the children of Israel to go into their promised land. Moses would die in the desert just short of the promised land. He gave the people a final exhortation: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you...
Promised Land Via the Wilderness
Traversing the wilderness. I believe every Christian at some point or another will have a wilderness experience. Now the wilderness experience does not include sickness or lack. When the children of Israel went through the wilderness, the Bible says, “their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet swell and there was none sickly among them.” While the wilderness experience is not pleasant it is necessary to prune and...
Giant Slayer
Between you and your promise is most often a giant. Abraham had to slay infertility. Moses had to slay impetuousness and condemnation. Joseph had to slay enslavement and accusations. David had to slay Goliath, jealousy and low expectations. When it was time for the children of Israel to receive their promised land, it was everything God had promised. A land flowing with milk and honey, fruit as big as your...
Little by Little
“I will give you a promised land. It will be a land flowing with milk and honey. It will extend for miles. I will fill your houses with good things which you did not buy. You will dig treasures out of the land.” This was the promise given the children of Israel when they left bondage. And this is the promise given to us when we leave our bondage behind....
Moses, My Servant is Dead
Forty years Joshua had roamed the desert. Forty years seeing the promise but not experiencing it. Forty years refusing to doubt, forty years refusing fear, forty years knowing the promise is just steps away. Then suddenly. Moses, their beloved, wise, humble and fearless leader died in the desert on the wrong side of the promise. God appeared to Joshua and renewed the promise He had given Abraham then Moses. But...
Hold On! I’m Coming!
Abraham was given a promise. Three times God spoke to him and reiterated the promise. Abraham had left his family, separated from his nephew, was living in a foreign land, waiting. Days turned to months; months turned to years. Abraham is aging. Sarah is aging and nothing seems to be happening. Doubt began to rise. Did I hear Him correctly? Did I leave my family and friends for nothing? Fear...