Hello Everyone,
The second lesson of Gigal shows up in Joshua chapter 5:1-9 read with me.
1 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the LORD had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until we had crossed over, their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites. 2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again." 3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. 4 Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the desert on the way after leaving Egypt. 5 All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the desert during the journey from Egypt had not. 6 The Israelites had moved about in the desert forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the LORD. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land that he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7 So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8 And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.
The generation that had come out of Egypt had forgotten something along the way. During the forty years they spent wandering in the desert, they stopped practicing the sign of the covenant God had made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
That sign was circumcision.
To be a Hebrew male meant being circumcised.
But as sons were born during the wilderness wanderings, God’s people failed to honor their covenant obligations.
So now it is like God is saying, “Stop everything. This generation is living in disobedience. Don’t take another step until you straighten this out.”
When Joshua had circumcised all those who where supposed to have been, the Lord responded with, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” (5:9)
Listen: Your holiest days will be your happiest days.
The people of Israel got right with God at Gigal, and then they were ready to go out and conquer the land.
You do not need to pray about things that God has already called sin.
God lovingly calls us to obedience. He never gives UP.
The fact of His Holiness can never be compromised!
To reject God’s requirements does not set us free to enjoy our independence. Instead it puts us evermore into a deeper bondage.
Only when we are in obedience to His commands are we truly free to live in His blessings and go forward.
Don’t take another step into 2009 if you are in disobedience go back and do what God has said to do.
And then you will be in the “Place of God’s Blessing” in this New Year.
All For Jesus
Phil
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Look Back At The Stones
Hello Everyone,
At Gilgal, Joshua followed God’s command to take twelve large stones from the middle of the Jordain River-which God had miraculously divided to allow his people to cross on dry land-and set them up as memorial stones.
The purpose of the stones was to ignite discussion with the next generation:
“In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean? Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (Joshua 4:6-7)
When they would do this they would be reinforcing the miracle of God’s power and provision.
These stones were not idols to be worshiped.
They were a testimony to the faithfulness of the one and only true God!
They gave reason to give praise to God.
Instead of looking at the battles ahead of them and worry about what was going to happen they could focus on the twelve stones, and their fears would evaporate.
Their God had stopped the flood stage Jordan so they could cross over! Surely He could stop the arrows, spears, and rocks of the enemy, too!
In our times of confrontation with those things that would try to come against us it would be best NOT to focus on the troubles lined up against us.
Instead, we need to celebrate the God who has already demonstrated His POWER and PROVISION in our past.
We do not need to be fretful or anxious.
We need to anchor our hearts and minds in God’s overwhelming track record.
Your Bible says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:8)
Apparently not all Believers live the same distance from God.
As we live a life FULL of praise and thanksgiving for God’s past mercies and blessings we experience God coming closer to us in the present.
What a difference it would make if we would simply paused once an hour or so to say, “Thank you Lord for being so good to me! I give You praise!”
Just think how much more the Joy of the Lord and the Peace of the Lord would be ours all day long.
Yes we will have problems in 2009, it is inevitable. But instead of worrying about what we are facing are going to face look at the difficulties in the reality of ALL that God has done for us in the past.
Look at the STONES that you have for a testimony of God’s faithfulness!
Be “happy in God” on the fact of His faithfulness up to now-that is the first lesson of Gilgal.
Certainly each of us has at least twelve stones of Gods faithfulness in our lives.
I am looking forward to a great New Year, but first I must pause and look back at the Faithfulness of God in the past.
All For Jesus
Phil
At Gilgal, Joshua followed God’s command to take twelve large stones from the middle of the Jordain River-which God had miraculously divided to allow his people to cross on dry land-and set them up as memorial stones.
The purpose of the stones was to ignite discussion with the next generation:
“In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean? Tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord” (Joshua 4:6-7)
When they would do this they would be reinforcing the miracle of God’s power and provision.
These stones were not idols to be worshiped.
They were a testimony to the faithfulness of the one and only true God!
They gave reason to give praise to God.
Instead of looking at the battles ahead of them and worry about what was going to happen they could focus on the twelve stones, and their fears would evaporate.
Their God had stopped the flood stage Jordan so they could cross over! Surely He could stop the arrows, spears, and rocks of the enemy, too!
In our times of confrontation with those things that would try to come against us it would be best NOT to focus on the troubles lined up against us.
Instead, we need to celebrate the God who has already demonstrated His POWER and PROVISION in our past.
We do not need to be fretful or anxious.
We need to anchor our hearts and minds in God’s overwhelming track record.
Your Bible says, “Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:8)
Apparently not all Believers live the same distance from God.
As we live a life FULL of praise and thanksgiving for God’s past mercies and blessings we experience God coming closer to us in the present.
What a difference it would make if we would simply paused once an hour or so to say, “Thank you Lord for being so good to me! I give You praise!”
Just think how much more the Joy of the Lord and the Peace of the Lord would be ours all day long.
Yes we will have problems in 2009, it is inevitable. But instead of worrying about what we are facing are going to face look at the difficulties in the reality of ALL that God has done for us in the past.
Look at the STONES that you have for a testimony of God’s faithfulness!
Be “happy in God” on the fact of His faithfulness up to now-that is the first lesson of Gilgal.
Certainly each of us has at least twelve stones of Gods faithfulness in our lives.
I am looking forward to a great New Year, but first I must pause and look back at the Faithfulness of God in the past.
All For Jesus
Phil
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Happy New Year
Hello Everyone,
This time of year, after the overindulgence of the holidays we make resolutions to change our habits and our way of life. A new year gives us an opportunity to start fresh and better ourselves. But come the middle of January we somehow forget our resolutions and go back to our old ways.
I want to challenge you at the beginning of this New Year to make a commitment to be planted in the house of the Lord.
Read Psalms 92:13-15 with me:
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
Read verse 15with me one more time: To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
This is the year to let your old rivers dry up and new rivers bust open out of your inner most being to make a new plan for you for all time.
God is able to do this by His Spirit for us.
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
We read about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob:
Ø Abraham was the father of all.
Ø Isaac was the seed of all.
Ø Jacob was the failure of all.
But you never find God mentioning Abraham and Isaac without bringing in Jacob.
Can Jacobs be changed? YES!
That is the plan of God to change the Jacobs and make them Israel’s and plant them in the House of the Lord.
May Your God give you a Blessed and Happy New Year
Phil
This time of year, after the overindulgence of the holidays we make resolutions to change our habits and our way of life. A new year gives us an opportunity to start fresh and better ourselves. But come the middle of January we somehow forget our resolutions and go back to our old ways.
I want to challenge you at the beginning of this New Year to make a commitment to be planted in the house of the Lord.
Read Psalms 92:13-15 with me:
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
Read verse 15with me one more time: To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
This is the year to let your old rivers dry up and new rivers bust open out of your inner most being to make a new plan for you for all time.
God is able to do this by His Spirit for us.
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
We read about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob:
Ø Abraham was the father of all.
Ø Isaac was the seed of all.
Ø Jacob was the failure of all.
But you never find God mentioning Abraham and Isaac without bringing in Jacob.
Can Jacobs be changed? YES!
That is the plan of God to change the Jacobs and make them Israel’s and plant them in the House of the Lord.
May Your God give you a Blessed and Happy New Year
Phil
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
We need to be FAT
Hello Everyone,
A woman walked into her bathroom at home. As she did, she saw her husband weighing himself on the bathroom scales, sucking in his stomach. The woman thought to herself, "He thinks that he will weigh less by sucking in his stomach." So, the woman rather sarcastically said to her husband, "That’s not going to help." Her husband said, "Sure it will. It’s the only way I can see the numbers."
Read Psalms 92:13-15 with me again:
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
Read verse 14with me again: They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
Fresh means full of oil or sap it literally means FAT.
Flourishing means green.
Listen carefully to the voice of God this year and receive from Him HE will intervene in a moment’s time.
I believe God is saying to His Church:
“I will pour out my Spirit without measure when I have a people without mixture”.
When we as a people decide to be in this world but not of it, when we truly decide to be a peculiar people I believe God will pour out His Spirit without measure!
Read verse 14 with me one more time: They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
If your memories are bigger than your dreams you are in TROUBLE!
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
Paul told us to “forget those things that are behind and press on”
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
Have you ever notice that the person who has never done anything is just sure it can’t be done.
They never make statues of failures.
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
When you are doing all that you can where you have been planted pain is inevitable but misery is optional.
All for Jesus
Phil
A woman walked into her bathroom at home. As she did, she saw her husband weighing himself on the bathroom scales, sucking in his stomach. The woman thought to herself, "He thinks that he will weigh less by sucking in his stomach." So, the woman rather sarcastically said to her husband, "That’s not going to help." Her husband said, "Sure it will. It’s the only way I can see the numbers."
Read Psalms 92:13-15 with me again:
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
Read verse 14with me again: They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
Fresh means full of oil or sap it literally means FAT.
Flourishing means green.
Listen carefully to the voice of God this year and receive from Him HE will intervene in a moment’s time.
I believe God is saying to His Church:
“I will pour out my Spirit without measure when I have a people without mixture”.
When we as a people decide to be in this world but not of it, when we truly decide to be a peculiar people I believe God will pour out His Spirit without measure!
Read verse 14 with me one more time: They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
If your memories are bigger than your dreams you are in TROUBLE!
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
Paul told us to “forget those things that are behind and press on”
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
Have you ever notice that the person who has never done anything is just sure it can’t be done.
They never make statues of failures.
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
When you are doing all that you can where you have been planted pain is inevitable but misery is optional.
All for Jesus
Phil
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The year of FAVOR
Hello Everyone,
I saw a recent article that listed the five most popular resolutions made most every year. The 5th was to take up a new hobby, the 4th was to make more money, the 3rd most popular resolution was to improve relationships, the 2nd was to stop smoking and the most popular New Years resolution, was you guessed it, losing weight.
I am not necessarily fond of New Years resolutions but I do believe in commitments and covenants. So our challenge this week and the coming New Year is to be the planting of the Lord.
Read with me:
Ps 92:13-15
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
Read verse 13 with me again: Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
The year of FAVOR FOR THE FAITHFUL!
Listen: A MOMENT of FAVOR is worth more than a year of labor and toil in the field.
Ø God in one moment can drop something into your spirit.
Ø God in one moment can drop something into you dreams.
Ø In one moment you can respond to God and your whole life can be changed.
Ø In one moment your decisions, your words, can open ways that have never been open.
“It is not by might nor by Power but by my Spirit says the Lord”
By one moment of Devine Favor God can open doors that have been closed.
How do we flourish in the courts of our Lord? We flourish by being planted in the house of the Lord.
All for Jesus
Phil
I saw a recent article that listed the five most popular resolutions made most every year. The 5th was to take up a new hobby, the 4th was to make more money, the 3rd most popular resolution was to improve relationships, the 2nd was to stop smoking and the most popular New Years resolution, was you guessed it, losing weight.
I am not necessarily fond of New Years resolutions but I do believe in commitments and covenants. So our challenge this week and the coming New Year is to be the planting of the Lord.
Read with me:
Ps 92:13-15
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
Read verse 13 with me again: Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
The year of FAVOR FOR THE FAITHFUL!
Listen: A MOMENT of FAVOR is worth more than a year of labor and toil in the field.
Ø God in one moment can drop something into your spirit.
Ø God in one moment can drop something into you dreams.
Ø In one moment you can respond to God and your whole life can be changed.
Ø In one moment your decisions, your words, can open ways that have never been open.
“It is not by might nor by Power but by my Spirit says the Lord”
By one moment of Devine Favor God can open doors that have been closed.
How do we flourish in the courts of our Lord? We flourish by being planted in the house of the Lord.
All for Jesus
Phil
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Planting of the Lord
Hello Everyone,
I heard about a man who moved into a retirement community to spend the rest of his life there. It wasn’t long until he had made a number of friends among the other residents. There was one lady he was especially attracted to, & she was attracted to him, also. So they spent a lot of time together. Finally one evening he proposed, asking her to marry him.The next morning he woke up remembering his proposal, but he couldn’t remember her answer. So he went to her & said, "I’m really embarrassed. I proposed to you last night but I can’t remember if you said `Yes’ or `No."’ "Oh, thank goodness!" she replied. "I remembered saying `Yes’ but I couldn’t remember who asked me."
Ps 92:13-15
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
I believe with all that is within me that the year 2009 is going to be the year of FAVOR for the FAITHFUL.
Why has God planted you where you are at this time and season?
There is something about being planted there is something about knowing that you know that you know this is where you belong.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Heb 11:1
11:1 Now faith is! NKJV
Faith is a now thing “Now faith is” but faith also shapes the future.
For those who have been faithful in your giving, God will open TRESURES to you so your giving can increase.
Ø This is a season that the mountains are breaking!
Ø This is a season that the circumstances are changing!
Ø This is a season that gates are unlocking, the hinges are breaking, the Heavens are opening and the treasures of darkness are being released.
What are the treasures of darkness?
We have some that are treasures of darkness sitting on our pews every Sunday morning.
Some that Satan thought he had in his grip but GRACE came into the picture, but MERCY came into the picture.
The challenge for this year and this season is to be planted in the house of the LORD so you can flourish in the courts of our God.
All for Jesus
Phil
I heard about a man who moved into a retirement community to spend the rest of his life there. It wasn’t long until he had made a number of friends among the other residents. There was one lady he was especially attracted to, & she was attracted to him, also. So they spent a lot of time together. Finally one evening he proposed, asking her to marry him.The next morning he woke up remembering his proposal, but he couldn’t remember her answer. So he went to her & said, "I’m really embarrassed. I proposed to you last night but I can’t remember if you said `Yes’ or `No."’ "Oh, thank goodness!" she replied. "I remembered saying `Yes’ but I couldn’t remember who asked me."
Ps 92:13-15
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. NKJV
I believe with all that is within me that the year 2009 is going to be the year of FAVOR for the FAITHFUL.
Why has God planted you where you are at this time and season?
There is something about being planted there is something about knowing that you know that you know this is where you belong.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Heb 11:1
11:1 Now faith is! NKJV
Faith is a now thing “Now faith is” but faith also shapes the future.
For those who have been faithful in your giving, God will open TRESURES to you so your giving can increase.
Ø This is a season that the mountains are breaking!
Ø This is a season that the circumstances are changing!
Ø This is a season that gates are unlocking, the hinges are breaking, the Heavens are opening and the treasures of darkness are being released.
What are the treasures of darkness?
We have some that are treasures of darkness sitting on our pews every Sunday morning.
Some that Satan thought he had in his grip but GRACE came into the picture, but MERCY came into the picture.
The challenge for this year and this season is to be planted in the house of the LORD so you can flourish in the courts of our God.
All for Jesus
Phil
Friday, December 19, 2008
What is it that we really need?
Hello Everyone,
Let me ask you a question: What does man really need?
If our greatest need is money, God may have sent us a banker.
If our greatest need is knowledge, God may have sent us a teacher.
If our greatest need is wisdom, God may have sent us a philosopher.
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness - so God sent us a Redeemer who would buy us back! "... you are to give him the name JESUS, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matt 1:21)
And so Jesus put on human skin and everything that comes with it. The Son of God sacrificed Himself so that we can become sons and daughters of God.
John 1:12-13 "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
We can now go HOME to where He is, because we are His children. Jesus made all this possible because He fulfilled the righteous demand of the Father that sin be paid for in full. If God did all He can to meet us at the point of our need, and save us from our sin and death... then today, we can rest assured He can.
He has not changed. He WILL meet you at the point of your need today. If He made such a great sacrifice to save your soul, is there any greater need than that that He cannot meet, or is not willing to do?
Rom 8:32 "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
Only God Himself can thoroughly express who He is to us. Only God could make Himself fully known.
If our Creator chose to hide Himself, we would never know Him. But He came... in the person of Jesus Christ. And we saw His heart...
All for Jesus
Phil
Let me ask you a question: What does man really need?
If our greatest need is money, God may have sent us a banker.
If our greatest need is knowledge, God may have sent us a teacher.
If our greatest need is wisdom, God may have sent us a philosopher.
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.
But our greatest need was forgiveness - so God sent us a Redeemer who would buy us back! "... you are to give him the name JESUS, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matt 1:21)
And so Jesus put on human skin and everything that comes with it. The Son of God sacrificed Himself so that we can become sons and daughters of God.
John 1:12-13 "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
We can now go HOME to where He is, because we are His children. Jesus made all this possible because He fulfilled the righteous demand of the Father that sin be paid for in full. If God did all He can to meet us at the point of our need, and save us from our sin and death... then today, we can rest assured He can.
He has not changed. He WILL meet you at the point of your need today. If He made such a great sacrifice to save your soul, is there any greater need than that that He cannot meet, or is not willing to do?
Rom 8:32 "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
Only God Himself can thoroughly express who He is to us. Only God could make Himself fully known.
If our Creator chose to hide Himself, we would never know Him. But He came... in the person of Jesus Christ. And we saw His heart...
All for Jesus
Phil
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
