Windows of the Soul

You Choose

Joshua 24:15
Originally uploaded by NeilNorman Light Tamer

14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24)

Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land, and they had to fight to take possession of the land. But God was with them, and they were successful. Now Joshua is about to die and he is reminding the children of Israel to fear and serve the LORD with faithfulness. He reminds them to throw away the gods (idols) worshipped previously. Yet, he gives them the option. If it seem undesirable to serve the LORD then decide. Choose for yourselves whom you will serve. Serve God faithfully, or choose some other gods. Then Joshua goes on record to the community as to his choice.

As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

It boils down to choice. God or gods? What will you choose? You cannot have it both ways. One way.

It’s easy to become distracted by other gods. It’s easy to slip into poor choices.

It takes a conscious decision to choose to serve the LORD. And to remain there. It takes being fastidious. Faithful. Steadfast. Kind of the way a good marriage works. It is a conscious decision to love someone and remain true when there are many other options out there. But the rewards of faithfulness cannot be measured easily. Why? Because our lives touch so many others. And because we may not be thinking about the impact devotion has in terms of blessing. And likewise, we may not fully consider the impact sin would have. Both have a ripple effect. It impacts at the core, but jettisons outward.

So, choose for yourself this day whom you will serve. If you don’t make a conscious decision, I’m afraid the decision, whether you realize it or not, was made for you. As for me and my household: We will serve the LORD.

Father, we are here to serve You. It takes all we have and all we are to do just that. May we serve you with a steadfast heart. And may we realize the impact of blessing many times over for our faithfulness to you. Amen.

Devotion

"Purity"
Originally uploaded by * Nina *

21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. (1 Corinthians 10)

This verse basically talks about integrity. You cannot be one thing and another. You cannot talk out of both sides of your mouth. You cannot be aligned with God and with demons. It’s pretty straightforward.

How can this be? Pretty simple. Paul is talking in Corinthians about the freedom we have in Christ. Yet we must be mindful of new believers. We may know that food sacrificed to idols means nothing because there is one true God, yet others may suffer in their consciences about such things. As we look back in history, the children of Israel would follow God and then turn to idols. We, too, often are guilty of the same things.

What Paul is saying here is that our devotion must be true, and ongoing. Not here one day and gone tomorrow. Not, I worship God today and other gods tomorrow. Not using our freedom in Christ to engage in pagan practices, and before you know it, slipping away from our devotion to God.

Paul warns believers to FLEE immorality. Why? Because it entangles. Have you ever thrown a cast net and gotten tangled in it instead? Or gotten locked into one of those rope climbing nets on a playground only to get really stuck? It takes some careful maneuvering and moving to get untangled, unstuck.

Immorality and idol worship is much the same. It gets us stuck. And next thing you know we are practicing a little of this mixed with a little of that, and we lose power because our Holy God will not tolerate it. He wants our devotion. He wants our whole heart. He wants to be the center of our lives. And He is not willing to share His place with any other thing, person, or entity. Period.

LORD, may we be singularly devoted to You. May we drink from your cup and worship you in Spirit and in Truth. May we in return know you and be blessed by you. Amen.

Intention

Setting Intentions free in Boulder, CO
Originally uploaded by Well-LABB

26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9)

The verses above are pretty self explanatory. Yet seems like there are some good reminders in the points covered in these verses. What would it look like to watch a man running aimlessly? Pretty funny. Or maybe we wouldn’t watch because it would not keep our attention. We would be wondering where he was going, and why he was moving in senseless directions. The goal – well there wouldn’t be one – wouldn’t be obvious. We couldn’t really cheer him on.

Or can you imagine watching a fight – you know – such as boxing where the guys aren’t fighting each other, but rather, the air. What kind of sense would that make? It might be funny for a moment, but it would be hard to follow, and we would lose interest.

Paul says he beats his body and make it his slave. Reading this sentence literally makes little sense as well. The idea here is that he is master of his body, and not the other way around. He (his mind and heart) determines what his body will do. It is subject to him, and not he to it. Big difference.

I’m an athlete. And I ride road bike. I train my body to ride long distances and work to increase speed and technique. When you think about it this way, it makes sense. If I stop training, my body doesn’t get stronger, rather it becomes soft and weak. So, I train. I ride when I don’t feel like it. I ride and push myself even when I am tired. I ride when it’s cold. I ride when it’s windy. I ride when it’s hot. I ride when I’m sick of riding. I ride to train, whether I like it or not. Most days I like it. I like how I feel after a good ride. It’s a great feeling of accomplishment.

Basically, Paul doesn’t want to be disqualified from the race. He lives what he preaches. We should do the same. It gives weight to our words, it gives credence to our lives.

Lord, may we remain qualified for the race. May we live with integrity and intention and do what we say we do. Our witness will be stronger. Our influence wider. And our walk deeper. Selah.

Kingdom Matters

The Power Of Love
Originally uploaded by Grzegorz Chorus

20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. (1 Cor. 4)

We have a lot of talkers in this world. People to boast and brag. Convince and Connive. People who cannot back up what they say with the lives they live. People who say they can, say they are, but can’t and aren’t. You know them. So do I.

As a Christ follower, I wonder - why does God permit this? I don’t get it. Why do his followers suffer so much? And why is it we are always taking in on the chin? 

Paul describes it this way:
9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

This doesn’t make sense. The kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power. Yet we see God’s people treated like men condemned to die. A spectacle. Fools. Dishonored. Hungry. Thirsty. In rags. Treated brutally. Homeless. Cursed. Persecuted. Slandered. Treated like scum.

Ok. So, why? Why, if we are apostles - One who is appointed a "messenger," sent forth by Jesus to preach his Gospel - are we treated like this?

Could it be that regardless of what happens to the body, we are faithful in spirit? 

Paul starts his discourse in this chapter with this:
1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Do some believers think that if we are suffering, we are somehow less than other believers? Less than in God’s eyes? Not fit? Seems to me that those God uses mightily have all had the crippling hand of God touch their lives in such a way that they suffered much. But were ultimately victorious. Think of Moses, Joseph, Daniel, David, Jeremiah, Jesus, Paul, to name a few. Think about Job. 

 Hmm.

In light of that, perhaps those who have not yet suffered are the ones who may have become arrogant. We all will suffer in some way, some how. Trust is holding on in faith that whatever comes our way, God will see us through and it is for our ultimate good, and not harm. This is tough to believe when you are on trial. In the heat of battle. Suffering for doing good. This is where the rubber meets the road. 

And Paul addresses this, too:
18Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. 21What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?

Power is love and gentleness. Power is humility. Power is blessing and not cursing. Power is believing and holding on when treated like refuse. Power is the fruit of the spirit evidenced in our lives when we live in a desert. Power is God at work supernaturally in and through us evidenced in who we are in a fallen world.

LORD, we often do not understand you and your ways. And your Word says, your ways are higher than ours. May we trust you with all that we are knowing you have our very best interest in mind.

Amen.

Inquiry

Well Captured Trees
Originally uploaded by trondjs

14 The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. (Joshua 9)

This verse stood out to me today – when the Gibeonites deceived the Israelites. They lied, they looked the part of travelers from a distant land. They talked like they had come a long way. They even went to the trouble of wearing old sandals, using old wineskins, and bringing moldy bread. But they were really Israel’s next door neighbors.

And the children of Israel ‘bought’ it. They looked at the evidence and judged based on what they saw. They saw old sandals, moldy bread, patched wineskins, and heard the story. So, it looked like they were travelers from a distant land, sounded like they were travelers from a distant land, and they obviously knew the history of the Israelite community. So, the children of Israel bought into the lie.

There’s a lesson in this story for us today. They did not inquire of the LORD. What the Israelites could not see coming was the motive. The motive for the Gibeonites’ deception. The motive for the lies. The motive for the treaty. The motive behind the action. This is the part that is not hidden from God, but may be entirely hidden from us. Motive.

There is motive to every action a person takes. Often we don’t pause to consider what might be motivating another to take the action they take. We are thinking about ourselves, and what we can see. We are judging for ourselves. But we are limited in what we know. We cannot see into another man’s heart and discern the intentions. But God can.

That is where the children of Israel made their mistake. They did not inquire of the LORD. God surely would have revealed to them the truth of the situation. Instead, they sinned against God, made a treaty with foreigners, and did it all under oath. They messed up! And that’s putting it lightly.

Don’t we do the same? How often do we look at a situation, make a judgment, and move forward with out asking God for His input into the decision?

I don’t know about you, but I do it far more than I’d like to admit. And it costs me. I get hoodwinked. I make mistakes in judgment … because I cannot necessarily read another’s motive. But God can. And He can reveal to me the decision to make in any given situation. This one little thing would make a BIG difference. If only we would inquire of the LORD. If only we would wait on Him. If only we would ask and listen. If only…

So what’s the reason we should inquire of God in the first place? Because He knows - He knows best.

Why don’t we do this? Human nature. We forget one simple truth. Jesus reminded us in John 15: 5-8: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Even Jesus lived this truth. He continually inquired of his Father.

So – do you want to be prepared for battle? Don’t make the mistake of making a treaty with the enemy. Inquire of the LORD. He will ensure that we make the right decision.

LORD, may we heed the adage from the proverbs to trust you. Your Word says, Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all our ways we are to acknowledge You, and You will make our paths straight. Amen.

The Obvious

hidden tuscany - #1 the road to pienza
Originally uploaded by seligr

19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. (Galatians 5)

What to write on? The obvious. Sometimes as Christians we make the obvious obscure, difficult, and twisted. But it’s really obvious. The Word says so. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious. And those who live like this will NOT inherit the kingdom of God. So, what sins? Sexual immorality. Basically sex outside of marriage. Idolatry. Worshipping anything other than Yahweh, the LORD God. Witchcraft – engaging in spiritual things forbidden, evil, and of the devil. Hatred. Discord. Jealousy. Rage. Selfish ambition. Dissension and factions – not unity. Envy. Drunkenness. Sex parties. These things are evil and we are NOT to engage in them. Period.

God’s Spirit has fruit also. But it’s not the obvious immoral behaviors we just addressed. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is distinct.  It is love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. The sinful nature does not control the child of God. The Christian lives by the Spirit of the Holy One. And lives in step with the Spirit of the living God.

The outcomes are much different.

Why is it that we seem to have such a struggle, as it were, determining if the obvious is really the obvious? Because we are caught off guard. We are doing things we should not be doing. We are flirting with evil. We are thinking we are missing out on the fun, but it really isn’t fun at all. It entangles. It ruins. It destroys. It causes addictions. It is a curse, not a blessing.

To stay in step with God, we must spend time with him. We must guard our hearts and minds. We must live in step with his Spirit. It takes devotion on our part.

LORD, may we realize the things you have promised to those whose minds are stayed on Thee. All goodness, blessings, and mercy. Your holy presence. Thank you for keeping us in a world fraught with evil, danger, toils and snares. You alone are worthy of glory, honor and praise. Selah.

Secret Revealed

Revelation in Blue
Originally uploaded by Wavy1

29 The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29)

I decided to take some time to look up what the secret things are. But, they are a … secret. :-)  

Secret things, the mysteries of faith, the mysteries of life, these things belong to God. God chooses to reveal himself to his friends. His friends are those who believe in him, walk with him, and who obey him. Those who spend time with God. To them, God reveals himself.

Even Jesus taught in parables. Some enjoyed a story at face value. Others enjoyed a story that seemed to have a moral or meaning. Still, generations later, many of us read the parables and wonder, "Huh?"  Parables are stories with a purpose. They are a conundrum. And God uses them to reveal himself to us. 

God reveals secrets … the secret of Himself, His nature, what He is about to do …. to his friends. Those whom He can trust.

The things revealed belong to us. Some revealed things are obvious. But you’d never know it the way some of us live. Nature itself points to a Creator. But some of us refuse to acknowledge the wonders of nature.  We ignore the way the beauty, complexity and magnificence of nature reveal the God of creation.

Other things are revealed only by spending time with God. Things may seem painfully obvious to the Christian walking with the Lord, but may be hidden to those walking in sin. Revelation is exactly that. It is opened to us by God. We are allowed to see, to understand, to have insight, to have discernment. These things are revealed. And not to everyone.

But the things revealed are for us and for our children. For Always.

Why?

So we keep God’s law. In our hearts, minds, actions, and motives. So that He is magnified and glorified. So that we may know Him.

Lord, may we live by the precepts of Your Word, and may we hide Your Word in our hearts so that we might not sin against You. May we also seek you in your Word that we may know You, even as we are known. Selah.

Because of Me

What Have I Done?
Originally uploaded by tropicaLiving

24And they praised God because of me. (Galatians 1)

Paul was appointed an apostle by Christ when he was traveling the Damascus Road. While he was gone on that journey, Paul was stopped by a bright light and the voice of Christ. He was never the same again. The remainder of his life was spent journeying to many places to preach the Gospel- the good news of Jesus Christ.

The caveat was that many of the early churches remembered his former ways. He was one of the biggest opponents of the Way. He killed the early Christians, and lived to brag about it. But on that Road, everything changed. Paul sold out to Christ, and began living as a Christian and preaching the Word of Christ.

After three tireless years of preaching, Paul landed in Jerusalem. They (the early church) praised God because of the work Paul had done.

Once he cursed them, but now he worked tirelessly and they praised God.

Would that we all would receive such praise. That others would stop and praise God because of something we did.

Wow. That’s excellence. That is WELL done. And would that we all would hear from our Father in Heaven, “Well done!”

Something to think about.

LORD, may we live such lives, that others cannot help but know we belong to You. And may we live such that we hear you say, “Well done.” May our lives be evidence of the faith we have in You. Selah.

Forget-Me-Knot

because
Originally uploaded by hyerblogs

2 Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

Today’s verse is actually verse 3, but I placed it in context (vv 2-5) to help give us more to chew on. It's really just a few phrases from verse 3 that caught my eye. But, let’s start with just verse 3 – then the phrases.

He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.

There actually was method to God’s madness. Within this long verse, we learn that it’s really very simple. He humbled us to teach us. We are inextricably bound to God via every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. We live in relation to the words that come from God’s mouth. By His words we live, move, and have our being. We find our purpose, direction, an so much more. His words bring life. His words teach. His words humble us. His words destroy. His words are his words. We are to listen, obey, and learn from them.

LORD, may we hang on your words. May we hide your words in our hearts that we might not sin against you. May we forget not all you have done for us. Selah.

All of Me

All that we are
Originally uploaded by insashi

29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. 31 For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath. (Deuteronomy 4)

It’s pretty clear that God wanted the devotion of the children of Israel. He warned them in previous verses that he is a jealous God. He also warned them, prior to entering the Promised Land that if after they settled in, they worshipped idols of wood and stone, He would banish them to foreign lands belonging to their enemies. If from there, his people would seek Him with all of their heart and soul, then when they were in distress His people would find Him. Then they would return to the LORD and obey him. He reminds us He is merciful, and He will not abandon, destroy or forget the covenant he made.

How different is that for you or for me? How would we translate this into our modern everyday life?

If we seek God with all of our hearts we will find Him. But it takes everything we have. It’s called worship.

Are there times when we are banished to enemy territory? In a word, yes. Think about it. When we mess up we can go only so far before we realize we are out on the limb too far. Things catch up with us. We are found out. And we crash.

We find ourselves in enemy territory when we have turned away from God to our idols. Maybe it’s material things, people, destructive relationships, addictions – alcohol, sex, money, power, position. So when we crash – sin – we find ourselves estranged from God. We may find ourselves estranged from our family or friends as well. We may hit rock bottom. The principle is pretty much the same as the one we find above in Deuteronomy.

Yet if we turn away from our idols, and we seek God with all of our heart and soul, He will remember the covenant He made so long ago. 

He will be merciful. He will forgive. He will be found. 

But it takes all of me. And it takes all of you.

Lord, help us see our way out of the mess we make of our lives. And help us to seek you and to find you, with all we have within us. All of our heart. All of our soul. Thank you that your word says you will be found by us when we seek you with all that we are. Amen.