God Is In Charge

Reading 27: Joshua 6

This is the verse that stands out to me today:

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.


Jericho was tightly shut up, but the next thing God says is "See! I have delivered Jericho into your hands." It's just like God to see the bigger picture. Sometimes I look at a problem that's all "shut up" no way in, no way out...but God is there and He sees the whole picture. He knows the whole story, and He says "See, I have already taken care of everything". All I have to do is trust His lead.


New blogging plan (if anyone is reading): Blogging about the reading every day was getting entirely tedious and was sucking the "joy" out of my 180 days....so I decided to cut back to just a few times a week, and continue to read on the off blogging days from my physical Bible.

Loud and Clear

Day 25: Deuteronomy 28 (I caught up off line)

Amazing blessings, "small" requirement.

All these blessings could be yours IF you obey the Lord your God. It's noteworthy to me that the blessings don't simply make my own life 'better', but these types of blessings listed also affect the people around me.

My city, my children, my 'flocks', my food, my land. Everything in my life, everyone in my life benefits (essentially) when I choose to obey the Lord.

I'm writing these two phrases on a card this week:

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. (maybe put this on a door)

If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom

Reading 21: Numbers 11 (Yes, I'm a day behind.....)

Moses is struggling under the burden of sole leadership. And asks the Lord to either kill him or send him some help.

As leaders, we've all been there. Sometimes we're there more than once.

Moses has to bring 70 people to recieve the Spirit to be leaders, even the ones who were too busy for the meeting still get the job!

It's interesting how the people of the camp are unsettled by the new leaders. Sometimes people have a hard time not just taking on leadership, but accepting shared leadership.

Reading 20: Exodus 32
Reading 21: Leviticus 26

As I reflect on the possibilities of ministry and chances for the future, I'm in constant reflection on whether or not we are "following God's lead". I think it's important to take time to check the direction of our efforts.

I do believe that we can be in the center of God's will, and experience difficulties, struggles, and conflict, the Leviticus passage says that obeying God's lead results in:

rain and fruition of crops
peace
fearlessness
victory over enemies
fruitful and increase in numbers
so many blessing, just keeps piling up
God will walk among you
you will walk with head held high

the contrast is:
life waste away
defeat
hard work with no results
constant hunger for 'more'
fearful hearts

The Ten Commandments

Reading 18: Exodus 20

I keep coming back to the very first phrase of this chapter:

"And God spoke all these words"

It was important to the writer that we understand these are God's rules, from God's very mouth. These are not arbitrary laws, created to oppress a people just escaping from oppression. These are encouragements to pattern a lifestyle.

If I could take these commandments to heart in my own life, think of how much easier life could be? I heard a sermon once on the fact that the first 4 govern my relationship with God, and the last 6 govern my relationship with other people.

1. No other gods
2. No false images
3. No misusing God's name
(in other words, just 'cause you tack God's name on to it doesn't mean He endorses it.)
4. Keep the Sabbath
5. Honor mom and dad
6. No murdering
7. No adultery
8. No stealing
9. No lying
10. No coveting other people's stuff

A a day to get the thoughts going...

Reading 16: Genesis 10 & 11
Reading 17: Genesis 14

After reading the Miracle at the Red Sea, it really got me thinking!

The Egyptians lost the wheels on their chariots, they couldn't see the Israelites for a whole day, and still they pursued them. It reminded me that no matter what some enemies will never give up pursuing you. They could witness God performing an impossible miracle around them, and still will seek out to destroy you.

It may sound harsh, but perhaps I should be willing to let them be carried away in the water? I follow God regardless of what's ahead or behind me. And let God take care of those that wish only to do harm and destroy, and sometimes He deals with those people rather ruthlessly.

Time for Action

Reading 15: Exodus 3

I'm not sure that my first response to a burning bush would be to rush over and look at it. I'm pretty sure, I'd have panicked probably thinking of ways I could put the fire out. But Moses rushes over to this miraculous bush, and recieves a direct and personal word from God.

What are the "burning bushes" in my life? What miraculous signs has God placed around me that I am running away from? I don't think my instinct to run is limited to physical fire. I often run away from spiritual fire, emotional fire,...anything that has the capacity to burn or hurt me.

But what if instead of running away, I did like Moses and ran towards it? Think of all the possibilities that this "burning bush" holds! I think that in every 'burning bush' we will hear a direct and personal word from the Lord, but too often we are running away, afraid of getting hurt.

A Long Forgiveness

Reading 14: Genesis 45

Joseph forgave his brothers. A long hard road that eventually led him to the top of the local economy, and he just forgave them.

Joseph chose the higher road in his situation. He was able to see the bigger picture, the picture that involved God weaving the details together. He was able be objective in his situation.

In the passing of time in my own life, am I taking an objective view? It's rather helpful, in taking a look at the whole of my life and "connecting the dots" of how God has pieced together His story in my life's events.

Behind the Scenes

Reading 13: Genesis 41

I sit eating beef stew for dinner, with no thought or concern as to where my next meal will come from. People in Gaza tonight, have no such luxury. Famine and distress are as real today as they were then.

Pharaoh was warned in a dream, interpreted by Joseph, and acted accordingly. It's another lesson for me on how when God speaks into my life, what is my response? Am I slow to act? Do I rationalize non-action? Or do I comply with the desires of my God?

Part that stuck out to me today was that Joseph was shaved and given new clothes (vs. 14) before coming before Pharoah, and then presented with new clothes and new jewelry. It's important to prepare for the role we will play in God's plan...

Family Battles

Reading 12: Genesis 37

Joseph's brothers are not nice people. I don't know if it's disturbing or reassuring that many families in Scripture are seemingly far more dysfunctional than my own....I've never plotted to kill my brother...well, I never went through on anything.............

It's interesting that 2 brothers tried to "save" Joseph from certain doom, but neither was willing to stand up to the rest of them.

Reuben suggested just throwing him in the well, rather than out and out killing him. And he came back to rescue him....but where was he when they decided to sell him??

Then Judah decides it's best not to leave him for dead in the well (not knowing Reuben's plan) so persuades the mob to sell him to the Ishmaelites.

When faced with a group of people who are obviously doing something wrong, do I stand up for what it right? Or do I mask good choices through misled understandings? Do I simply try to persuade the group to make a lesser evil choice?

Something Undeserved

Reading 11: Genesis 28

The story continues. This is quite the dysfunctional family...

Isaac blesses Jacob once more (odd...maybe he wasn't as upset with being tricked as previously thought, otherwise why bless him a second time??) and tells him to marry a daughter of his uncle Laban. (ewww..but completely acceptable in the time frame)

There is a quick shot of how Esau really prefers to please his parents rather than frustrate them. After hearing that his father dislikes Canaanite women, he goes out and marries another wife that happens to not be Canaanite (and also happens to be a relative...).

Jacob makes a vow to God that starts with 'IF'. "If God does _________, then He will be my God." If? Can one really make demands of God? Is it safe to give God ultimatums? Unfortunately I know I do it all the time. A lot of my "promises to God" begin with "If...".

I think that the stories of the OT tend to allow for a chance to 'bargain' with God. We see in person after person this thread of making covenants with conditions. Covenants that are truly attempts at upholding the original Abrahamic covenant.

Hmmmm....so, in my own life, what am I bargaining with God about?

Jacob gets the blesssing

Reading 10: Genesis 27

There is a GREAT Liz Curtis Higgs novel series based on this very story. If you've not read, I strong recommend it. Find information here.

Jacob steals the blessing. Honestly, in our modern society and my cultural understanding, I've never completely understood why Isaac couldn't just take back his blessing and give it to the son it was intended for...but that's not the point.

Jacob does only what his mother tells him, and ends up alienating himself from his entire family. But what a blessing to steal!

May God give you of heaven's dew and of earth's richness—

an abundance of grain and new wine.

May nations serve you and peoples bow down to you.

Be lord over your brothers,

and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.

May those who curse you be cursed

and those who bless you be blessed.

Final Exam

Reading 9: Genesis 22

Both times that the Lord called to Abraham there was an immediate response of "Here I am." Both times. Even at the point when he had the knife in the air and was prepared to do as God had commanded him earlier, he paused to respond to God's call.

When God calls into my life is there an immediate response? Am I quick to say 'Here I am', or "Just a minute..." "Let me finish this one last thing..."

These past two readings have contained two very different responses to God when He speaks into your life. Lot hesitated and bargained. Abraham responded, obeyed, and was blessed.

May I always remember to obey and be blessed...so I may fulfill God's covenant with Abraham and bless others;

"I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."

The Catastrophe Sent By God

Reading 8: Genesis 19

Lot hesitated twice. Twice. And he still ended up in the mountains. He lost a wife, 2 son-in-laws, and who knows how many friends and colleagues.

What a tough moment. Once again, God has become so fed up with a portion of His creation that His choice is to do away with it. To utterly destroy it.

I don't find Lot (or his family) to be the most positive of role models. Lot offered his daughters to be violated, his wife clearly disobeyed the angels, Lot's son in laws don't take the threat seriously, Lot argued with the angels (who argues with angels???), and his daughters decided to empregnate themselves through trickery. Interesting bunch, aren't they?

Yet the poinangt part, for me, is the fact that God kept to His promise. He promised Abraham that He would not destroy Lot, that Lot would be spared this catastrophe of raining sulfur. (Unfortunately, Lot created his own personal catastrophe, even as the angels personally escorted his family to safety)

How often do I hesitate to heed God's protecting command? How often to I shamefully beg for a different decision? Really, am I any better than Lot and his family? Sadly, usually not. But the magnificent part is that God is always the same!

The Plan

Reading 7: Genesis 15

Abraham had been chosen by God for a very specific promise: your descendants will be as numerous as the stars.

A new 'rite' seems to be established as part of God's people; the covenant. God passes through the time's customary display of a covenant between two people, but He passes alone. This signifies that He alone is responsible for the complete fulfillment of the covenant being made.

The part that catches my attention in this reading is the fact that God prepares Abram that his descendants will be slaves for 400 years! He knew and believed in God's promise still! He accepted God's plan and God's decisions...if only I could be so faithful...

The other line that speaks to me specifically today is:

Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own

As I am a stranger in a country not my own, I can identify with this plight. Just a few days ago I was mentally tallying how many of the "great" Biblical characters were foreigners in their time of ministry. It's just a chance God takes to remind me that I'm not the only one to deal with being away from home or being a cultural newbie...

The Rainbow

Reading 6: Genesis 8

From the time Noah stepped foot into the ark, to the time the muddy earth was finally drying out an entire year had passed. An entire year! Cooped up with animals, children, wives...all kinds of things that can make long trips miserable. :)

One rabbi suggests that the rainbow holds special significance regarding God at war with man. That the rainbow reminds us that God would no longer destroy man in effort to "clean up the act" and reminds us of a bow and arrow pointed away from earth. It's an interesting comment; click here to read the rabbi's comments on the dove and rainbow.

The verse that stood out to me today is this:

The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man

One person's sacrifice can make a difference. Noah offered what he had, and God "smelled the pleasing aroma"...quite a difference from His reaction to Cain. Perhaps this is the attitude offerings require: willingness, thankfulness, self-directed not law-directed.

I pray that my offering (time, talent, etc) is a pleasing aroma.

Under Water

Reading 5: Genesis 7

"Build an arky, arky!"

The flood waters came and everything was gone. The "slate" was wiped clean, and we started over.

It's interesting that we don't necessarily associate getting rid of something completely as a "mature" way of dealing with a problem. Yet here, God got rid of everything as the best way to deal with the issue that was happening: man's increasing wickedness.

In ministry, we all too often fight tooth and nail to hold onto something that really should be let go. Perhaps there are moments when we need to let it go, wipe the slate clean, and start fresh? That kind of decision is not made lightly (God didn't just jump to the flood, He tried other things see Genesis 6.) It's not an endorsement to cancel whatever it is you're doing that's not working. It's not an excuse to give up on trying to work things out and make amends. But there must come a point when you realize that it's not working, it's time to start over.

Crouching at the door

Reading 4: Genesis 4

Cain and Abel. The first reported sibling rivalry.

We're never told exactly what was wrong with Cain's offering to God. There aren't any "laws" at this point in the story, so the brothers are choosing to give God an offering. We're merely given the description of the two's offerings. Abel: fat portions from the firstborn of his flock, Cain: fruits of the soil. We are just told that God looked with favor on Abel and not on Cain. But, why?

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.

Maybe Cain knew all along what he was supposed to do? Maybe he knew that his offering was not a real "offering" but a mere duty? He gave while his heart harbored sin. And God does not look lightly on hearts harboring sin.

My offering...what kind of attitude is it given with? Do I do so out of duty, because it's "my job", or do I do so because it's the right thing to do?

Other points that caught my attention:

1. Were there people living outside of the garden? Adam & Eve's first recorded sons are Cain and Abel, so why is Cain afraid of people that will kill him when God sends him away??.....

2. Lamech, o Lamech. It's such a odd, random story. Just a few verses, why is it even in there? I once tried to do some back ground on it, and found relatively nothing. It's just odd to me that he would claim the same "protection" that Cain was granted merely for being family. Perhaps Lamech is included to demonstrate the continuance of ruthlessness and aggression within the family?

The Crash

Reading 3: Genesis 3

I was just thinking today that one of Satan's most powerful tools against the children of God is: doubt.

The serpent simply suggested to Eve (which wasn't even her name yet...) that perhaps she misunderstood or misheard God. Doubt. "Does God really want to keep you away from that tree?" Doubt. "Do you think God is just trying to keep something really good away from you?" Doubt.

Perhaps part of the lesson of the mere existence of a tree that was to be untouched is the need we have to trust God's plan. We won't know all the reasons, but we know God.

This is a true lesson in my own life currently. It seems as we begin to embark on a new ministry, a chance to gain more ground for the Kingdom, the enemy begins his attack of doubt. "Is this really what you should be doing?" "What if no one comes?" "What if, what if, what if" Doubt.

Trusting God's guidance contains a lot more possibility than the results of taking things into my own hands.

Man & Woman, Male & Female, He created them.

Reading 2: Genesis 2

It is in the second chapter that we get more details on exactly what happened in regards to the creation of man and woman. We get specifics in the story line.

So, we're brought into the whole of creation and we're the only ones given a task to accomplish. The birds were never sat down (at least it's not recorded) and told what to do. The shrubs didn't get a growth plan and goals and objectives. But man was endowed with a task. God created us in His image, and that included accomplishing something beyond 'surviving'.

So what's our job??

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

Our job is to take care of the creation. All of the creation, and encouraging the creation to meet its potential by caring for it.

We're also the only part of creation that received an explict rule. (seemingly arbitrary (specifics about its reason to come, I'm sure))

you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die

Honestly, why the rule? Why even put us near the tree if we can't eat it? .... a question for all time... I mean I know the theological responses, but deep in my heart I can still ask "Why?"

Anyways, I kept coming back to verse 6:

but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground

Just thinking in line with my whole "perceive the stream" topic...it's just like God to keep reminding me that I'm on track. The stream came up whether man was there or not. God's will was accomplished, with or without our help and yet He still decided to create these finicky, problematic, troublesome creatures...and still called them GOOD.

In my own ministry, it's a reminder that God doesn't necessarily need me to get His will accomplished, but He's chosen me to be a part of it. It also forces me to recognize that God's been at work in the various situations around me LOOOOONG before I ever showed up, and well after I move on.

God is the stream, not me.

The Story Begins

Reading 1: Genesis 1

It's always a struggle to not just skim through relatively familiar passages of Scripture. As I start this 'adventure' of letting God turn my life around, I want to make sure that I don't miss anything. I have to be paying attention if I'm going to see God do His 'brand new thing' (Isaiah 43: 16 - 19).

So, Genesis 1. The story of creation, the story of the beginning. As I continue to read through the rest of the 179 days remaining, why does God start His story this way?

Besides the fact that every story must have a beginning, I think that God is setting up a model of how He works.

Note how God's Spirit was always there. He was hovering above the surface. God is always here. He's always present. We don't have to find Him, we have to pay attention and SEE Him.

Note the order, rather than chaos that He creates. He takes nothing and makes something. I can attest in my own life that He took nothing and created something, something with purpose and direction only given by Him. He brought me out of the chaos.

He also called everything GOOD. In God's eyes, all of His creation is good. ALL of His creation was formed by His hands and His work. And He said it was good.

I also noticed that God typically only worked on one project a 'day'. That could be a major lesson for me. Too often I try to take on lots of various things, and end up frustrated at the end of the day when I've not finished any of them.

As I continue to read, I wonder how these themes will pop up again???