Joshua was the general who led Israel to the promised land. During his reign, there was total support from the people. He never experienced the insurgence Moses had. Even, his closest rival-Caleb bowed to his leadership. What could have contributed to his immense success as a leader?
How easy is it for you to be under the tutelage of a superior for 40 years? Joshua did just that. He was the servant of Moses for 40 years. That was 40 years of total submission to higher authority. He operated at the background. His capacity to serve was very rare. While other leaders chose to rebel against Moses, he kept his cool and remained loyal to the annointed man of God. He never knew it would be his turn one day to lead the people(Aaron was always there with Moses).
Joshua prepared well for leadership role. His education was complete. He never jumped the gun.
Many there are today who are not patient enough to learn from superior authorities before going it alone. Some new generation churches emerged from act of rebellion. Such leaders cannot expect to go scot free. What a man sows he shall reap.
If you have been found wanting in this, quickly reconcile with your leader and mend your ways.
We have so much to learn from Joshua. Lessons could be derived from the acronym of his name as follows:
J-Just: When Joshua was sent as a spy with 11 others, he never wavered in his faith. He knew that 'The just shall live by his faith'. He led Caleb to instill faith in others contrary to the false reports from the despondent 11.
O-Obedient: Yes. Joshua was an obedient follower. He performed all assignment given to him excellently. His loyalty was total.
S-Self-contrained: Can you despise his level of discipline? As a warrior he never entangled himself with the affairs of this world. He lived like an eagle of God.
H-Humble:His patience for 40 years under tutelage speak volumes of his humility. No trace of pride was found in him.
U-Untiring:Joshua never compromised his faith in the God of Israel. He defended his faith when it matters. He never looked back like Lot's wife.
A-Above reproach: No one had anything against him till he finished his course. At the twilight of his ministry, he made it know to the people that 'as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord'.
The question to you is this. What kind of a follower are you? How are you learning from your leader? If you follow the good example of Joshua, you will profit thereby.
Dissociate yourself from any rebellion in your church and wait for your time. Keep working for God and serving His people. It shall be well with you.
Text: Num 13:16, Ex 17:10, Ex 24:13.
Soul Searching Question
If you drop dead tonight, where will you spend eternity?
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Take It To Jesus
Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him there is no other. 'Cast your burden upon Him for He cares for you'. When affliction overtake us, we seem to forget that we should pray. Sorrow and pain or regret should never be a reason to refuse to pray to Jesus. If you will take your time to talk to the Lord, you will find that He has been waiting for you.
The song writer in Psalm 88 had many disappointment and affliction yet he still went to God in prayer. 'O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee, Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; for my soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave'. When overwhelmed with the consequences of your sin what should you do? Pray.
Are you weary and heavy laden, tell it to Jesus in prayer. He is a friend you can trust. Hear His words of assurance and certainty-'Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'
You need not bear the pain alone. It is a priviledge to carry everything to Him in prayer. Would you?
Text: Ps. 88, Matt 11:28
Soul Searching Question
If you drop dead tonight, where will you spend eternity?
The song writer in Psalm 88 had many disappointment and affliction yet he still went to God in prayer. 'O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee, Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry; for my soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave'. When overwhelmed with the consequences of your sin what should you do? Pray.
Are you weary and heavy laden, tell it to Jesus in prayer. He is a friend you can trust. Hear His words of assurance and certainty-'Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.'
You need not bear the pain alone. It is a priviledge to carry everything to Him in prayer. Would you?
Text: Ps. 88, Matt 11:28
Soul Searching Question
If you drop dead tonight, where will you spend eternity?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
When Challenged To Prove What We Believe
My trip to the office from home this morning was dramatic, significant and interesting. Inside the taxi came a middle aged woman with tracts in her hands to proclaim the message of salvation. She briefly shared the love of Christ with the occupants of the taxi. As a follow up, she handed over tract leaflets to everyone in the vehicle.
That's obeying the great commission. The tract I was given is the reason for this message. No. It is not about the basic message of salvation. It is about challenge of our faith by atheists and others who does not share our faith in Christ.
A story was told of a courageous atheist who gathered an audience and right there spoke about the non existence of God. 'There is no answer to prayer' he quipped.
He believed that there is no hereafter. When we die, that is the end. Any achievement is based on common sense and imagination.
To round up his 'sermon', he challenged the audience to prove him wrong.
That was a call for a debate about the existence of God and the power of prayer. These are principles of faith dare to children of God.
Did he found anybody to take him up on the debate? No. But a man came out with a testimony.
These are his heart touching words 'I'm not a public speaker. I did not intend to dispute anything this man has said. But when he said there was no value in prayer, and challenged anyone to prove him rworng, I had to come forward.''You see standing before you a man who was once a s big a liar, drunk, gambler, and wife beater as you could find in this city. I was all this and more! My wife and daughter dreaded the sound of my footsteps. ANd yet. bad as I was, and unknown to me, my wife had prayed for me for years-and even taught my child to pray for me.
'One night, quite by accident, I ended up at home sober and much earlier than usual. When I opened the door, I could hear my little daughter praying, 'Dear Lord, save my Daddy!Please save my Daddy!' As she prayed her childlike prayer, I heard my wife in the background sobbing, 'Lord Jesus, please answer her prayer.'
'I left the house quietly, with strange feelings. My daughter's prayer was ringing in my ears. Did that child really care that much for me? Why? She had never known a father's love. I don't think I had ever kissed her. I got a lump in my throat and tears filled my eyes. I cried, 'Lord, help me!Lord, answer my daughter's prayer!' And guess what? He did!
'That was years ago. Today I am respected in this town. My sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus. I am a new creation in Christ. I am saved and a living testimony that God did answer my daughter's prayer'.
That was not the end of the story. Here is the conclusion. 'Friends, wouldn't I be a coward if I kept silent today? How can I do anything but believe that there is a God, and that He not only hears, but also answers prayer?'.That was the end of the debate and the atheist was put to shame.
There is power in testimony. When challenged of what you believe, confront it with how Christ turned your life around. There is a wonder working power in the blood of Jesus.
See how the 'mean' man confounded the 'great' atheist with the power of his testimony. 'Let no man deceive himself. If any amn among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise'.
Text: Ps. 14:1, Roman 6:23, Is. 55:6-7. Romans 10:13, 1 Cor. 3:18-19
That's obeying the great commission. The tract I was given is the reason for this message. No. It is not about the basic message of salvation. It is about challenge of our faith by atheists and others who does not share our faith in Christ.
A story was told of a courageous atheist who gathered an audience and right there spoke about the non existence of God. 'There is no answer to prayer' he quipped.
He believed that there is no hereafter. When we die, that is the end. Any achievement is based on common sense and imagination.
To round up his 'sermon', he challenged the audience to prove him wrong.
That was a call for a debate about the existence of God and the power of prayer. These are principles of faith dare to children of God.
Did he found anybody to take him up on the debate? No. But a man came out with a testimony.
These are his heart touching words 'I'm not a public speaker. I did not intend to dispute anything this man has said. But when he said there was no value in prayer, and challenged anyone to prove him rworng, I had to come forward.''You see standing before you a man who was once a s big a liar, drunk, gambler, and wife beater as you could find in this city. I was all this and more! My wife and daughter dreaded the sound of my footsteps. ANd yet. bad as I was, and unknown to me, my wife had prayed for me for years-and even taught my child to pray for me.
'One night, quite by accident, I ended up at home sober and much earlier than usual. When I opened the door, I could hear my little daughter praying, 'Dear Lord, save my Daddy!Please save my Daddy!' As she prayed her childlike prayer, I heard my wife in the background sobbing, 'Lord Jesus, please answer her prayer.'
'I left the house quietly, with strange feelings. My daughter's prayer was ringing in my ears. Did that child really care that much for me? Why? She had never known a father's love. I don't think I had ever kissed her. I got a lump in my throat and tears filled my eyes. I cried, 'Lord, help me!Lord, answer my daughter's prayer!' And guess what? He did!
'That was years ago. Today I am respected in this town. My sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus. I am a new creation in Christ. I am saved and a living testimony that God did answer my daughter's prayer'.
That was not the end of the story. Here is the conclusion. 'Friends, wouldn't I be a coward if I kept silent today? How can I do anything but believe that there is a God, and that He not only hears, but also answers prayer?'.That was the end of the debate and the atheist was put to shame.
There is power in testimony. When challenged of what you believe, confront it with how Christ turned your life around. There is a wonder working power in the blood of Jesus.
See how the 'mean' man confounded the 'great' atheist with the power of his testimony. 'Let no man deceive himself. If any amn among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise'.
Text: Ps. 14:1, Roman 6:23, Is. 55:6-7. Romans 10:13, 1 Cor. 3:18-19
Monday, August 3, 2009
No Excuse For Sin
'And the man said, the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat'. That was vintage Adam. He blamed God for the disobedience he committed. Is that not what we do when we go wrong and sin against God? We often find excuses to give for our sins instead of repenting immediately and turning away from them. God will not spare you for the sin commmitted. The soul that sin, it shall die.
Adam was not the only man who gave excuse for sin. The Israelites at a point in their lives were fed up of being led by God. It was during the priesthood of Samuel. They came up with different excuses to justify why they rejected God-'And they said unto him behold, thou art old and thy sons walk not in thine ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.' That was it. Three great resons to justify their action. What are the justifications you give for your idolatory and fornication? Know for sure that your sin will find you out. God is a respecter of no man.
Saul disobeyed the commandment of God and offered a priestly sacrifice. It was a sacriledge but did he repent of the sin? No. Instead, he found an excuse to justify his error. Hear him 'And Saul said, because I saw that the people were scattered from me and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash'. He missed the opportunity for his reign to be established. Do you know that your impatience and deliberate rejection of God's will in marriage and godly conduct has turned God against you? God is angry at the sinner everyday. In righteousness only can you be established.
How to escape form the wrath of God is not to give excuse for our deliberate sins but to repent and turn away from them.
Here comes King David who went into adultery. God exposed his evil to prophet Nathan. Did David excuse himself? No. 'And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned aganst the Lord'. Such is the attitude God expect of us. Humble yourself before God. Repent of your sins and never go back to them. Believe in the power in the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from all sins.The vilest offender who truly believe; that moment from Jesus, a pardon receive. 'The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord'.Here is my final charge to you. Get down on your knees and confess your sins to God. He will forgive you. He is ready to take you back. He will turn your life around and you will never be the same again.
Text: Gen. 3:12, 1 Sam 8:5, 2 Sam. 12:13
This Is Urgent
If you drop dead tonight, where will you spend eternity?
Adam was not the only man who gave excuse for sin. The Israelites at a point in their lives were fed up of being led by God. It was during the priesthood of Samuel. They came up with different excuses to justify why they rejected God-'And they said unto him behold, thou art old and thy sons walk not in thine ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.' That was it. Three great resons to justify their action. What are the justifications you give for your idolatory and fornication? Know for sure that your sin will find you out. God is a respecter of no man.
Saul disobeyed the commandment of God and offered a priestly sacrifice. It was a sacriledge but did he repent of the sin? No. Instead, he found an excuse to justify his error. Hear him 'And Saul said, because I saw that the people were scattered from me and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash'. He missed the opportunity for his reign to be established. Do you know that your impatience and deliberate rejection of God's will in marriage and godly conduct has turned God against you? God is angry at the sinner everyday. In righteousness only can you be established.
How to escape form the wrath of God is not to give excuse for our deliberate sins but to repent and turn away from them.
Here comes King David who went into adultery. God exposed his evil to prophet Nathan. Did David excuse himself? No. 'And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned aganst the Lord'. Such is the attitude God expect of us. Humble yourself before God. Repent of your sins and never go back to them. Believe in the power in the blood of Jesus to cleanse you from all sins.The vilest offender who truly believe; that moment from Jesus, a pardon receive. 'The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord'.Here is my final charge to you. Get down on your knees and confess your sins to God. He will forgive you. He is ready to take you back. He will turn your life around and you will never be the same again.
Text: Gen. 3:12, 1 Sam 8:5, 2 Sam. 12:13
This Is Urgent
If you drop dead tonight, where will you spend eternity?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)