"Hey, How Long are You Going to Wait?"

Joshua 18:3 "Then Joshua asked them, "How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given to you?"

As the children of Israel finally begin to take possession of their inheritance, we find that there are seven tribes that for some reason, have failed to come forward to receive theirs. So, Joshua goes to them and asked them, "How long are you going to wait?" And he gives them "a little hand holding, a little push start."

I wonder what they were waiting for? Where they lazy or fearful, surely it wasn't because they didn't know they had land to claim. I think it was because they would rather remain comfortable right were they were. It was easier to sit back and settle for less...than stand up and fight for something. Besides, who wants to go into battle...someone might get hurt.

I'm like that at times, even worse, instead of standing and fighting, or even sitting and staying put, I turn and run. Whatever their reason, Joshua isn't taking no for an answer...he tells them to select three men from each of their tribes and sends them out to survey the unconquered territory.

Sometimes we need people like that in our life...who will give us a little time and then they come and say, "Hey, how long are you going to wait? Get up and get moving...

This makes me think of those the LORD brought into our life...early in our walk with the LORD, who were just like Joshua. They loved us enough to come and say..."How long?" God has so much more for you and took us by the hand, gave us some instruction and showed us how to live from Victory.

Father, thank you for the "Joshua's" that You sent into our lives to challenge us by asking...why are you living the way you are living...there's a better way. May we be like Joshua and go to those who are settling for less and challenge them, help them to get on their feet and move forward to claim their inheritance...You've already promised the Victory.

Blessings,
Sharon

Hungry Souls

Isaiah 58:10  "And if you draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity and the darkness around you will be as bright as the noonday."

The LORD isn't asking us to "feed the hungry with just physical food.  He is asking us to draw from our soul and give to the hungry.  It's certainly much easier to hand someone some change or a McDonald's gift certificate and feed their hungry mouths.  But that won't meet the need of the hungry soul.  


Only the Bread of Life, Jesus, can truly satisfy.  As we decrease and allow Jesus to increase.  His light shines brighter through us...lighting the darkness all around us...bringing hope. John 6:35  "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life:  
he that comes to me shall never hunger; and he that believes on me shall never thirst."

Giving spiritual food to others will not only meet their spiritual need, but it will continually meet ours too.  Have you experienced that?  You are sharing the Word of God with someone and as the Word leaves your mouth, you hear it in your own ears and it waters you own life...your soul.  Isaiah 58:11b "...You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring."

Funny how that works, when we give, we receive back - if we give with the right motives, with the right heart.  

Jesus is the bread of life.

"Hey, Don't Make Me Come Over There!"

Nehemiah 4:2  "Sanballat was very angry.....saying in front of his friends and the Samaritan army officers, "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they are doing?  Do they think they can build the wall in a day if they offer enough sacrifices?"

 

I feel like I'm at school watching some bully on the playground...who acts real tough when he's in front of his friends...but when Sanballat starts with the "Do they think they can build the wall in a day if they offer enough sacrifices?....I took a step back...just incase a lightening bolt comes down from heaven...The things we say when we are angry...oy vey!  Then Tobiah adds That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!"  Sanballat might have his friends...but Nehemiah and the Jews have their GOD! And so do we.

Now, we can't control what people say to us or about us...but we can control how we respond...and that's a key message in this chapter.  This is a spiritual battle and the battle belongs to the LORD.  The enemy wants us to respond in the flesh, but God wants us to respond in the spirit.  Nehemiah refuses to take the bait.   Instead of getting into a conversation with the enemy, Nehemiah turns and prays to God:  

"Hear us, O God, for we are being mocked."  

Nehemiah could have chosen to respond differently:  "Hey, don't make me come over there!"  Or, "Guys, can't we all just get along?"  But he chose to pray...and I wonder if  Proverbs 9:7-8 came to Nehemiah's mind as he prayed?  "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you;  rebuke a wise man and 

he will love you."  This we do know...God heard those prayers, answered each one...giving Nehemiah wisdom on how to respond every time and He will do the same for us.

Father, help me to remember that yo have not called me to fight all the evils of this world.  You are my commander, and you lead the battle.   Help me to be like Nehemiah and always go to you first.  Keep me awake and watchful, never letting my guard down, for my enemy, the devil, never rests.  In Jesus name, amen.

Standing in Him,

Sharon

"Working on the Wall or Four Walls?"

Nehemiah 3:12  "Shallum son of Hallohesh and his daughters repaired the next section.   He was the leader of the other half of the district of Jerusalem."

The only women mentioned in this section were the daughters of Shallum.  I been on some of the churches missions trip and not all are trained professionals, like me for instance.  Most of us learn on the spot...as we go. Last year I learned to apply drywall mud and sinking drywall screws....something I had never done before.  Those working on the wall here in Jerusalem weren't construction workers either.  But they rolled up their sleeves and jumped in, willing to do whatever they could.  By the way, on our church missions trips...the men do all the cooking and

they...jump right in there and clean without begin ask!  And like those we are reading about today, they are leaders in our church and in the work place...such servants hearts and what a great example!  

For us today, we women want to be out there "working on the wall" too...but, sometimes God has us at home working within four walls instead.  But this isn't forever....we will go through different seasons of life where serving outside the home isn't always possible.   Especially when our children are small and then again when they hit Jr High and High School (at least for me).   How much we serve will depend on the needs of our family and the ability the LORD gives us.  I know some women that I am amazed at their capacity to do soooo much...I use to always say...they come from good stock.  Physically strong!  But then I realized...God had called them to it and gave them the strength to do all that they do...to Him be the glory!

Our first calling is to the LORD... worshiping Him, praying (listening/speaking to Him), studying and meditating on His Word.  After that, as women, we are called to be keepers of the home...taking care of our family first and foremost....which is a high calling/high privilege.  Raising our family...the way we should...takes tons of time, to do it the right way.   If we have any time left...then we serve outside our home...and this time factor changes with the seasons of our lives.   

I also found that the enemy of our souls want us as wives and mothers to be distracted from our home and the important work we have there.   He uses good things like ministry to draw us away... so we are ineffective as a wife and mother.  But God doesn't just want us to choose good things to do for Him...He wants us to choose the BEST things ...which is walking according to His will for us.

I found that during those seasons that I was home with my children...that PRAYER became my primary ministry...which should be at every season of life.  My heart wanted to be in Thailand and Africa.  I didn't go there physically...but I prayed and went there spiritually instead.  What I thought was a time of me being placed on a shelf...became a huge blessing in my life  and a preparation for the future for me and my family.   When I get to heaven,  I will be able to see all that those prayers accomplished..and not only that,  I learned later...I will receive a reward as  1 Samuel 30:24b tells us  "The share of the man/women who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle.  All will share alike. "  Not everyone can go into battle or "build the wall"...someone has to stay back and take care of things at home so others can go...but we all share in the reward for our part.

You might be in the home, working "within four walls", or you might be one of those that are "outside on the wall"...either way...do it all for God's glory.  "Let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands"  Psalm 90:17

Blessings on your day,

Sharon

"Are You like a Bird"

Isaiah 16:2  "For like wandering birds, like a brood cast out and a scattered nest, so shall the daughters of Moab be at the fords of the river Arnon."


This verse immediately reminded me of the song "Like a Bird" written by Nelly Furtado whose lyrics say: "I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away, I don't know where my soul is, I don't know where my home is."


The daughters of Moab, are like birds who have been shoved from their nest and in their confusion they are ....flitting about, darting here and there.  They've been shown the way to go...but they refuse the path that God has provided.  They don't know where home is, the way to go, because their souls are lost.  It's not because they haven't been told or shown the Way...But because they prefer to sin than obey God.  It's like Zechariah 7:11  "But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear."


Isaiah 6:12 "On the hilltops the people of Moab will pray n anguish to their idols, but it will do them no good.  They will cry to the gods in their temples but no one will come to save them."


The theme and purpose of the book of Isaiah is found in his name:  "salvation is of the LORD."  Until we find salvation...we don't know where our home is, where our soul is.

Matthew 11:28-30  "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Come to Jesus, those who are burdened with sin.  Instead of living in self-sufficiency, he will meet all your needs, come.  Those who are willing to be guided by Him, willing to be taught the Way of life, come.  He is gentle and will bear your burden and give you rest for  your soul...but you must come.

Standing in Him,
Sharon

Apples of Gold

Proverbs 25:11  "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."   
I expect to pass through life but once.  If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.--William Penn


Words are free and used properly can encourage, inspire,  motivate and most importantly, they can glorify God. 


Psalm 12:6 "The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

No matter where we go or what we do daily...the words we use have great potential to either build someone up or tear someone down.  Proverbs 18:21 "The tongue has the power of life and death."

The quote, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" is simply not true. Our words can crush a person's spirit, and they can leave people feeling hurt and hopeless.  But they can inspire, encourage and give life as well.

Proverbs 15:4  "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life."  Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

I once heard it said that "Words are the medium with which the soul paints a picture.  Challenge yourself and others to paint masterpieces."  The way to do that is found in  Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

With all this in mind LORD, who needs to hear from You, through me today?  Do I need to call someone, write a note of thanks, or is there a family member who needs to hear "I love you."  Help me LORD to be ready to give a "fitly spoken word" Your Word today.  In Jesus name, amen.

Blessings to you,

Sharon

"Pass the Bread (of Life) Please"

Luke 2:15  "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." 

When Micah, the Old Testament prophet, foretold the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, he emphasized its lack of significance to the world.   "But thou, Bethlehem, Ephrata, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel: whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting."  Micah 5:2

Jesus was not born in Jerusalem, nor in Rome, nor in Athens or Alexandria.   He was not born in any political, cultural, educational, or socially significant city of the day. He was born in Bethlehem, and the literal meaning of that city means "THE HOUSE OF BREAD."

"The House of Bread" is interesting...since Jesus said, "I am the bread of life:   he that cometh to me shall never hunger." John 6:35    

I can't help but think of chapter six of the book of John when reading this.  Jesus is a grown man and has just performed the miracle of feeding the five thousand with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish.   He leaves the area but the crowd of people follow Him.   

At first you might think that the people were interested in spiritual things, after all, they were seeking after Jesus.  But Jesus knows the heart of man and puts His finger on the problem... 

John 6:26,27  "Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign.  But you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food.  Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you.  For God the Father has sent me for that very purpose."

Instead of being interested in spiritual things, they were concerned about "perishable things like food", they weren't interested in feeding their soul.  They are missing the whole point of why God the Father had sent Jesus.

People today are still doing the same thing.  God sent His Son to provide the true bread from heaven, the Bread that satisfies and gives eternal life....and instead of being interested in spiritual things of God...They are concerned on what to eat, what to wear, getting a bigger house, a better job.  Many are eating the wrong kind of bread, looking to only satisfy their physical needs.  This isn't the purpose for which Jesus was sent and it's not the purpose for which we were created for either.

The people asked:  "What does God want us to do?"  Jesus told them, "this is what God wants you to do:  Believe in the one He has sent."  

Jesus said, "I assure you, anyone who believes in me already has eternal life.  Yes, I am the bread of life!  You ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died.  However, the bread from heaven gives eternal life to everyone who eats it.  I am the living bread that came down out of heaven.  Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh, offered so the world may live."   John 6:47-51

The crowd argued and was offended because of what Jesus said and they walked away.  Jesus turned to the disciples and asked "You don't want to leave too, do you?" And I love what Simon Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." John 6:67-69

Peter understood what the crowds had missed. The Apostles weren’t there for fish sandwiches, or to start a Jewish revolt against Rome, or to find a new list of rules to keep, or to get in on a Jesus pep rally, or to hold a big miracle crusade. They were there because they believed and knew that Jesus was the Holy One of God --- the Messiah --- the Bread of Life. All they needed was what they already had --- Jesus himself.

Is He all you need? Is he YOUR Bread of Life? If you had been there the day Jesus preached the Bread of Life sermon would you have walked away, or would you have echoed Peter’s words, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  We believe and know that you are the Holy one of God.”

Satisfied in Him,

Sharon