Joshua Spoke To God’s People

God had His the people out of slavery in Egypt through a series of mighty miracles. God then led them through the wilderness for forty years. And finally, He fought for them and gave them the land. After all this, Joshua gathers the people and speaks to them, knowing that he will soon leave them. Joshua recounts the miracles that God has done for them and reminds them of their own failures to follow God. At the end of his speech, Joshua says, “Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.” To serve God with sincerity means to be free from efforts to make ourselves proud, using deceit, or to cover our weaknesses. To serve God with faithfulness means to be steadfast in our affection and loyalty to Him, as well as to be firm in fulfilling our commitments to Him.Joshua commands the people to decide on that day whom they will serve. He adds His own commitment by saying, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” We all must make the choice of whom we will serve. Will we choose to serve ourselves through selfishness? Or will we choose to follow God and serve Him with sincerity and faithfulness? Our choice has eternal consequences or rewards. So choose with careful thought and commitment.

Walk In The Light

I have noticed that my eyes have a difficult time adjusting from darkness to light, and vice versa. When I leave my house or even a store to go outside when it is light out, I sneeze three times, until my eyes adjust to the glare. Similarly when I go from a lighted room to a dark room, I really can’t see much until my eyes adjust. We generally operate much better in lighted areas.

I John 1:5,7 says, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” It is difficult to walk in the dark. Unseen obstacles trip us up and progress is slow or nonexistent. In the same way, it is difficult for us to walk apart from God, as He is the Light. Walking in God’s light mitigates the unseen obstacles, allowing us to grow in godliness and spiritual strength. It also allows us to receive the support and encouragement of other believers. God’s light dispels the darkness of evil that surrounds us and empowers us to be lights for a fallen world.

Faith Is…

Some people profess to reject faith in favor of evidence and facts. Yet, they live by faith everyday and in numerous ways. Here are some of my thoughts about faith:

  • Fear is the glue that keeps us stuck, faith is the solvent that sets us free.
  • We never know what God can do for us, until we trust Him enough to give Him a chance.
  • When God’s omnipotence connects with our impotence, the unimaginable occurs.
  • Only through faith can we be freed from fear.
  • Hebrews 11:1,6 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” We never know what God can do for us, until we trust Him enough to give Him a chance. When God’s almighty power connects with our humble trust, the unimaginable occurs.

Footprints in the Snow

Yesterday, I was walking in the snow toward a restaurant. As I walked, I looked down and saw my own footprints from the day before. For some reason, I didn’t want to disturb my footprints, so I walked a path next to them. It was like I didn’t want to disturb my legacy from the day before.

Often, we walk in the steps of those we admire. It may be one of our parents, a famous person, or just someone whose life we can relate to. Those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord want to walk in His footsteps, becoming more like Him every day. We want to live in the legacy of love and sacrifice that He laid before us.

Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Children naturally imitate their parents in many ways. Therefore, as children of God we ought to imitate our Heavenly Father, especially in love for Him and for others.

Mercy and Humility

God enjoys teaching us the simple and basic things. For instance, we are told to forgive others and we are given the example of how He has forgiven us through Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:13). So we should forgive every time and without holding back. We should include ourselves in this forgiveness. We tend to be the hardest on ourselves when we fail or are weak. We should extend, even to ourselves, the mercy that God gives. Another basic teaching from God is the need for humility. Again, we are given the example of Jesus Christ, who took the form of a servant and humbled Himself to endure death on the cross for our salvation. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” I am convinced that two of the most important attributes that God wants His children to demonstrate are mercy and humility. Mercy is the quality to allows us to forgive others and to be patient with ourselves when we are weak or fail. Humility is the attribute that enables us to trust and follow God, even through the difficult times.