March 22, 2012 … The Prescription for Spiritual Success

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Joshua, Chapters 1-4 … To study these chapters, go to this link -

Added Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Joshua 1: 1-9 … To study these chapters, go to this link -

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Highlight Reference Passage : Joshua 1: 8 … Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

My Journal for Today: My chronological read in the Bible today takes me from the “Book of the Law,” i.e., the first five books of the Bible, penned by Moses, into the chronicle of God’s people, led by Joshua, moving into the promised-land. And the highlight passage from these four chapters, which I was led to read/study today, and to which you’re linked above, was easy for me to pick. Joshua 1: 8, which was God’s specific prescription to Moses for spiritual success, is a passage which has helped to shape my life; and hence I have a particular personal/emotional investment in this blog this morning.

First, the key verse today lies at the outset of Joshua’s charge and encouragement – by God Himself – for Moses’ hand-picked leader to take the people across the Jordan, moving from what is now the country of Jordan into the designated and God-given promised-land in what we now know of as Israel. This was certainly a daunting task for the man who had been Moses’ right-hand warrior and co-leader for so many years. But here was Joshua, tagged as the complete and singular leader of God’s people; and he wasn’t used to wearing the mantle of leadership which Moses had held. So, at the outset of Joshua 1, verses 1-9, we read of God’s pep-talk to Joshua, encouraging him with a remembrance of the covenant that God would give Joshua and the people every parcel of property where they walked into the new land; and with their obedience to His word – past and present – God would be with Joshua in all he did.

But the highlight verse today, Joshua 1: 8, is key in this task directive God imparts to Joshua. And the Lord tells Joshua that for this task to which Joshua has been selected by God, Joshua must discipline himself to be in and stay in God’s word (and that would be those first five books of the Bible) day and night, being “… careful to do everything written in it;” … and if Joshua did this, God promised him success and power in carrying out God’s charge [i.e., His will].

My reading friend, I hope you can see the immediate application for you and me for this prescription for success when we are moving in life across whatever Jordan we must cross and when we move through life toward God’s promised-land. But whenever we know where God is leading us (i.e., His will or direction for our lives), it usually involves some decision to cross a “Jordan River” in our lives. Perhaps you know that you need to begin living in a manner which involves courage to change some habit or lifestyle pattern. At one point in my life I knew that God wanted me to turn from pursuing sexual sin and other habitual patterns of idolatry and/or covetousness in my life. The decision to repent and move from ungodly behavior to Godly behavior was my “Jordan.” Well, it was a mentor, the Moses in my life, who helped me, as his Joshua, to see the application of Joshua 1: 8 to the task that God was laying out for me … i.e., to be obedient and follow Him (much like Jesus instructed His disciples in Luke 9: 23).

So, using the instruction and personal interpretation of Joshua 1: 8 for the life choices which lay ahead of me, my mentor helped me realize that I was going to have to be in and stay in God’s word daily and continuously, letting God’s word and His purpose guide me, … much as is put forth in other Scriptures like Isaiah 55: 11 and 2nd Timothy 3: 16-17. So, needing desperately to reform my life under God’s will and direction and away from fleshly pursuits, with the help of my mentor, I got involved in a rigorous daily scripture memory process; and he helped me begin and develop the discipline of a daily morning Bible-led devotional, where I would be in God’s word daily and getting God’s word deeply into my being in a disciplined way. And that, my friends, is the essence of what God was instructing Joshua to do to be successful in carrying out the will God had for his life.

My dear one, how much is God’s word a part of your pursuing personal success with regard to God’s will in your life? Is there some task or direction which you know God is leading you toward; but you have retained selfish desires to satisfy your flesh rather than fulfilling God’s will successfully? Well, if so, have you tried carrying out and following through with the Joshua 1: 8 prescription?

And one of the scripture passages I was given by my mentor to contextualize, memorize, and internalize years ago was Psalm 119: 9,…11, where God’s word states - How can a young man (i.e., an immature Christian) cleanse his way? … By taking head to Your word. … Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You.

My friend, I don’t know about you; but I want to be a Christian who is successful in the way I live, avoiding sin in my life, and being able to live in fulfillment of God’s will. And today’s prescription for success in living this way is the same for me (and for you) as it was for Joshua; and if we desire to be successful as “Christians,” being in, living in, and living out God’s word is the key to that success.

My Prayer Today: … Oh, Lord, how I desire to stay in Your word everyday of my life, letting Your word guide me and empower me to be successful in shining Your light in a very dark world. Amen

March 21, 2012 … Songs for Salvation

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 32-34 … To study these chapters, go to this link -

Added Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Deuteronomy, Psalm 91 … To study thus Psalm, go to this link -

My Journal for Today: Yesterday, if you were with me in Deuteronomy 31, the last verse (i.e., vs 30) announced that Moses was about to sing/recite a song; and that song is found in its entirety in Deuteronomy, Chapter 32, to which you’re linked above for study. And at the end of Deut. 32, we read of God’s charge to Moses just before he was to die; and that is to go up to the peak of Mount Nebo and look out from what is now the country of Jordan westward into Israel; and for Moses and Joshua to survey visually where God was going to take His chosen ones … into their promised-land. I can just imagine that looking out over that landscape [which I’ve seem myself and captured in the photo below], Moses was inspired to write the song in Deut. 32 as well as the very encouraging words in what is generally attributed to him in Psalm 91, which is also part of my chronological reading for today.

I hope you take the time to go back and read the lyrics in these two songs, realizing that they were penned, with God’s Spirit-led inspiration, by a man who had gone through all of 120 years in his life, being prepared to lead God’s people out of Egypt, and then through all those challenging times in the wilderness with those grumbling people, right up to the Jordan river, where Moses had to lament that he would not be able, by God’s plan, to take even one step into that glorious promised-land. But when we read Deut. 32 and Psalm 91, we read songs of remembrance, psalms of the joy of God’s salvation, and great songs of God’s expectation and protection for His people.

When I was up on Mount Nebo a couple of years ago; and I was able to see (and photo) the glorious expanse of God’s promised-land [see below], I had a great sense of admiration for the faithfulness, loyalty, and “stickability,” which is my word for the courage of a leader of God’s people to pursue and follow God’s plan at all cost. And seeing that expanse of the land in Israel, I had to bow to a man, like Moses, who humbly stayed with God’s will even when he felt inadequate and the people’s overwhelming grumbling would have dissuaded almost any Godly leader.

And also in looking out at the promised-land, which God’s people still have not claimed completely, and thinking of Moses looking at the same scene, it helped me to see that there’s still so much more out there ahead of me in this life until God chooses to bring me into His final promised-land, … heaven. And Moses’ songs help me to be uplifted and encouraged no matter how much in this world can be discouraging.

I hope you’re uplifted in this way today, … especially as you read Moses’ songs of salvation and promise.

My Prayer Today: … Heavenly Father, guide me to Your great reward in the promised-land you have for me ahead. Amen

2010 – Day 41. Feb. 10 – Records That Reflect

Study from Numbers 20 – 21, then on to Num. 33; Passage for Reflection: Numbers 33: 2 … NIV At the Lord’s command Moses recorded the stages of their journey.

My Journal for Today: A number of years ago, I had waded through the Book of Numbers, reading it like a history text book as part of compulsory exercise of biblical study. But now, some years later, as I have committed to read through the Bible this year, being led by The Daily Bible, edited by F. LaGard Smith, and his companion devotional book, The Daily Bible Devotional, reading and studying in Numbers now takes on a whole different light.

First, … there is the fact that my wife and I went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land about a year ago, seeing and walking in many of the places brought out in the Book of Numbers. Being in this very special area on God’s earth does have an enlightening influence when one thereafter studies God’s word. Today, reading about the Israelites coming out from the Desert of Zin and about the travels of God’s people from Kadesh into the land of Edom and Moab, I know where all those places are because we’ve walked there. And when I read of Moses’ journaling about what transpired where he struck the rock and his pride, along with that of his brother, Aaron, kept them from entering the land they saw from Mount Nebo, west of the Dead Sea, all of that is personally meaningful, having been there and “owning the t-shirt,” so to speak. I hope that some day any of you who’re reading here might have the opportunity to visit and travel in the lands described in the passages which were journaled by Moses in the Book of Numbers, in the Old Testament, and especially where Jesus walked in the New Testament times.

But on to the subject of today’s devotional passage, where, in Numbers 33 Moses was commanded to journal the trek of God’s people in the wilderness during those 40 years of purging carried out by God for His chosen people, and where they were finally allowed to enter and take the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua [later in the book by his name]. And the subject of today’s verse points to the importance of journaling in our devotional lives, as we attempt to go deep in building a very personal and lasting relationship with God.

Years ago, my personal mentor helped me to see the value of journaling in my devotional life. (Oh, how I pray that you have had or now have a Godly, and biblically knowledgeable, mentor to be your guide as possibly Elijah was for Elisha or Paul was for Timothy.) And so, … as I began to develop the discipline and techniques I now use in journaling, much as I am here in writing this blog, I came to realize that God’s truth could, if I surrendered myself to the enlightening ministry of God’s Spirit, become so much clearer - for me personally - if I tried to put into words – possibly for others – what God was trying to show me in order to help me become more like my Savior and Lord, Jesus.

And so now, today, I journal about journaling, …an interesting bit of circular redundancy, isn’t it? But God wanted Moses to journal; and much of what we know of in the Bible, especially in OT books like Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Proverbs, Psalms … and in the NT in books like Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation are really just journaling, led and inspired by God’s Spirit [see 2nd Tim. 3: 16-17] which has become canonized and incorporated into God’s word for our edification and enlightenment so that we, as Christian believers, can deepen our understanding of our God and His work (i.e., that of the Holy Spirit) to shape us into the image of God’s Son, Jesus.

So, I’ve come to recognize and realize the importance of journaling as I attempt to go deeper and deeper into God’s word, which really is His journal, in my attempt to know my Lord and to share Him with others. Therefore, if you are not into journaling, I would strongly exhort you to consider doing so. And for Heaven’s sake (literally), don’t get hung up in the “HOW” of journaling, which is not so important as the “WHY” you would do it. Don’t fret over technique; just begin journaling your prayers or your thoughts as you have your “quiet time” with God each day. Obviously the regularity and the discipline of doing it daily is important; but just rely on God’s Spirit to do His thing of giving you His wisdom as you seek to know God more today than yesterday … and even more tomorrow than today. That’s the promise of James 1: 5,6; and as you journal in your devotional life, you’ll see it unfold in truth for you in a very personal way.

And I’m here to give witness to the truth that God can and will do that more powerfully in your life if you begin journaling what He’s bringing to you than just being a sponge, soaking up what He has for you. The latter is not a bad model of devotional life [it’s better than no devotional model at all]; but journaling will add so much more to your time with God each day. …. Trust me! … It works!!!

My Prayer for Today: Lord, … precious Holy Spirit … I thank You for Your ministry of enlightenment, which grows exponentially in my heart/mind when I journal what You share with me. Amen

2010 – Day 39. Feb. 8 – Crowned with Humility

Study from Numbers 12 – 14; Passage for Reflection: Numbers 12: 3 … NIV Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.

My Journal for Today: In the chapters we read today, the statement from Num. 12: 3 just jumps out from the pages of scripture. It’s like a neon sign, lauding Moses’ character trait of humility; … and God’s word becomes outright superlative about it, declaring Moses to be the most humble man on earth.

And we see some comparisons in these chapters as well, … the most obvious being Moses’ brother, Aaron, and his sister, Miriam, both of whom had become prophets among God’s peoples, with the people looking to them for support of Moses. And early in Numbers 12 we read of Miriam, followed by Aaron [what a “wuss” is Aaron ;>), disputing Moses’ choice of a Cushite wife (we don’t know what has happened to Zipporah, his Midianite wife). But God became so displeased at Miriam’s grumbling against God’s chosen #1 Prophet that she was given a case of leprosy for a week as a lesson in humility.

Then we read – ONCE AGAIN – of the Israelites becoming prideful and selfishly grumbling against God, with their lack of faith on display when the 12 spies came back from Canaan with their fearful report (well, at least 10 of 12). And the people grumbled – AGAIN – that they should rather have stayed back as slaves in Egypt. And we know what happened there; … off they were sent by God for 40 years in the wilderness to learn their lesson in humility.

Humility is obviously a quality God honors very, very, very highly. If you do a biblical study in humility, you find that in both the Old and New Testaments that God honors the humble (with His grace) but simply refuses to honor the prideful (go back and read Prov. 3: 34, 1st Peter 5: 5-6, and James 4: 6 … as well as how Paul had to learn to be humble via Satan’s thorn when he learned to receive God’s empowering grace – in 2nd Cor. 12: 7-10). And here we have Moses, God’s shining example of humility.

Have you ever wondered, as F. LaGard Smith discussed today, why Moses was so humble? Here he had been in the very presence of God, really the only man to that date who had had face-to-face encounters with God. God generally spoke to His Prophets indirectly – through dreams or visions; but not Moses. With this humble man, it was mano-a-mano interaction; and you’d think that such encounters would cause a man like Moses to fall trap to the very human default of pride.

In fact, religious leaders are particularly vulnerable to slipping into pridefulness, … aren’t they? Think of examples in Scripture like Jonah or even the Apostle Peter. In today’s church environment, Pastors, especially high profile televangelists, often get acute cases of pridefulness when so many people put them up on pedestals as their preaching becomes very well known. It’s hard for any public leader to remain humble; – think of our Presidents and political leaders in the past decades who’ve fallen prey to pride, finding it very difficult to humbly cope with the power which comes with their office.

So, back to the question of how Moses was able to remain so humble; and though you might say that it had something to do with Moses remembering his roots or being convicted by his past sin (remember he’d been spared by God even though he murdered an Egyptian). Or maybe you might speculate that it was because he’d been given a 40 year lesson in humility out there in the Negev deserts as a shepherd. And maybe some of that is true; but I agree with Dr. Smith in thinking that Moses was such a humble man because he had developed such a deep, deep and abiding relationship with the living Lord. Moses had an audience with God everyday; and when you’ve gone that deep with the Creator of the Universe, it’d pretty hard to become prideful about anything.

And I think therein we have a key to leading us toward God’s highly desired quality of humility and away from man’s default character weakness of pride. Some of the most humble people I know, now in my life, are those who have the deepest and most disciplined devotional relationships with God. They are the ones who never miss a day being with God and digging deep into His word, which is the repository of God’s treasure of grace in this world. Oh, how I pray that I can develop the kind of humility which God honored in Moses and He desires for all of His children. And I will continue to seek out that humility by learning more about my God in my daily encounters with Him … just as I’m doing as I write this … on this very morning.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, show me all of Yourself and help me to see less of myself as I see more of You. Amen

2009 - Day 59.Mar.1 - A Major in Obscurity

2009 – Day 59.Mar. 1 – A Major In Obscurity

Passage of the Day - Exodus 3: 1 … Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.

My Journal for Today: We revisit the concept of God using lessons in obscurity (see my entry of Feb. 27th) to use our God-given gifts for His glory or to prepare us for some God-ordained plan for our future. The latter, of course, was the reason why God had Moses out in the desert of the Sinai, tending sheep for the second third of his life.

Swindoll reminds us again of Moses’ first forty years, spent in the lime-light of Egyptian royalty, where everything he did was scrutinized and revered. But when God led him into the Midianite deserts to become a shepherd for the next 40 years, the sheep he tended didn’t care who he was. They just followed him from one source of water and food to another; and God was using these lessons in humility to prepare our protagonist for what was to come.

I talked about this earlier (again, see Feb. 27), that often we may live a “hum-drum,” repetitive, and even boring lives; and we wonder why God has planted us there. And I maintain that these types of feelings are the result of God’s testing of our faith, … testing our belief in such truths as Prov. 3: 5 – 6 and Romans 8: 28. Sometimes we need to earn our degree in obscurity and followership before we can get the job as “leader” in God’s Kingdom. OR … it may be the case that where we are exactly where God can use our gifts and talents for His kingdom purposes for the rest of our lives.

In Moses’ case, he was in the desert as a shepherd for those 40 years in the college of obscurity, learning what God needed him to learn and preparing him for his burning bush diploma. And today’s verse has him about to get his degree in obscurity and to be thrust once again into the lime-light of leadership. I pray that whatever is God’s intention for my day-by-day, life in obscurity, I accept it and do what my Savior commands all of His disciples to do … to deny self, to take up the crosses of life laid before us, and to follow Him (see Luke 9: 23). If I do that, I know that I will get my Master’s degree in followership; and maybe I’ll have the opportunity and the privilege to lead others to the Lord.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, You said to Peter, “Tend My sheep.” I feel You saying that to me; and I will do that, Lord, to follow You. Amen