Facing the Battle

Joshua 8-11

Here I read about some incredible battles the Lord fought for Joshua and the Israelittes. Amazing defeats. It seems that the Israellites are finally on track...haven't read about any complaining but rather courage and bravery. I read how You evan made the sun stay still for a whole day until they defeated their enemies. You said they would never be a day like that again where You would hearken to man like that.

My personal application....hmmm...Abba, You are fully able to fight my battles. I need only to seek Your face and trust You. Sometimes because it's not a literal battle like in the Bible I tend to try to face my "battles" on my own.

After the Trial

It was the weekend...and I didn't take home my laptop to be able to blog. Thus the reason for my absence. I did read, though. :)

Deut 21-27

I am reminded about how much God roots for the underdog. He pleads the cause of the poor and needy. He tells the Israellites to leave remenants to them because they should remember they were once in Egypt, too.

24:22
And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

Abba, help me that when I go through a trial or a season of hardship and then I am on the side of victory...remember where I came from. Remember who I was before, and help those that are where I was.

Humilty, Old Shoes, & God's Glasses

Deut 8-13

Moses farewell charge continues...some good verses noticed..

8:2
And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee

to humble thee...to prove thee...I have heard the illustration that trials are like hot water. I am the tea bag. When I'm put to the test (hot water) it reveals what I was/ am all along. By the same token, the greatness of the "tea" is never proven. unless it is put in the hot water. What trials am I facing that God is trying to "prove" me.

8:4
Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.

This is where I am sure that God has a sense of humor. Imagine a man who is 50 wearing the same shoes he did as a 10 yr old. Amazing and humorous at the same time. So I'm sure they didn't have the same on and off trends in clothing as we do today, but I'm sure a 3 yr old's clothes looked different that a 43 yr old. Hahaha...such a funny visualization.

10:12
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

Simple request. Certainly I can fulfill this in my life.

11:7
But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.

Not much to add...Wow...they really did see the miracles first-hand.

11:16
Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

A constant awareness needs to be in my life...careful of those things that can deceive my heart--the tv I watch, people I associate with, the books I read, the radio. Do the casual situations in my life pull my heart from God?

13:18
When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God...to do [that which is] right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.

His eyes, not mine. Abba, help me to put on "God" glasses in every routine part of the day and be consciously and constantly asking myself..."Is this right in Your eyes?"