Anxiety

Anxiety

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Anxiety. It's a low-grade fear. An edginess; a dread. It's not so much a storm as the certainty that one is coming. Any minute now. You can't relax – can’t let your guard down. You don't sleep well. You don't laugh often. You don't enjoy the sun. You don't whistle as you walk. And when others do, you give them a look. That "Are you kidding me?" kind of look. You may even give them a word. "Haven't you read the news and heard the reports and seen the studies? Airplanes fall out of the sky. Bull markets go bear. Terrorists terrorize. Good people turn bad. The other shoe’s gonna drop. It's just a matter of time.”

Anxiety is a meteor shower of “what-if’s.” What if I don't close the sale? What if we don't get the bonus? What if we can't afford braces for the kids? What if my kids have crooked teeth? What if crooked teeth keep them from having friends, a career, or even a spouse? What if they end up homeless and hungry, holding a cardboard sign that reads "My parents couldn't afford braces for me"? Anxiety is trepidation. It's a suspicion; an apprehension. You're part Chicken Little and part Eeyore. The sky is falling, and it's falling disproportionately on you. As a result, you’re anxious. A free-floating sense of dread hovers over you; a nebulous hunch about things that just might happen sometime in the future.

Anxiety and fear are cousins, but not twins. Fear sees a threat. Anxiety imagines one. Fear screams, “Get out!” Anxiety ponders, “What if?” Fear results in fight or flight. Anxiety creates doom and gloom. Fear is the pulse that pounds when you see a coiled rattlesnake in your front yard. Anxiety is the voice that tells you, “Never, ever, for the rest of your life, walk barefooted through the grass. There might be a snake . . . somewhere.” The word anxious defines itself. It’s a hybrid of angst and xious. Angst is a sense of unease; Xious is the sound I make on the tenth step of a flight of stairs when my heart beats fast and I run low on oxygen. I can be heard sounding like the second syllable of anxious, which makes me wonder if anxious people aren't just that: people who are out of breath because of the angst of life.

Anxiety takes our breath, for sure. And if only that were all it took. It also takes our sleep. Our energy. Our well-being. "Do not fret," wrote the psalmist, "it only causes harm." (Ps. 37:8) Harm to our necks, jaws, backs and bowels. Anxiety can twist us into emotional pretzels. It can make our eyes twitch, blood pressure rise, heads ache, and armpits sweat. To see the consequences of anxiety, all you have to do is read half the ailments in a medical textbook. Anxiety ain’t fun. Chances are that you, or someone you know, struggle with anxiety. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are reaching epidemic proportions. In a given year nearly fifty million Americans will feel the effects of a panic attack, phobia or other anxiety disorder. Our chests tighten. We feel dizzy and light-headed. We fear crowds and avoid people. Anxiety disorders in the United States are the number one mental health problem among women, and are second only to alcohol and drug abuse among men.

The United States is now the most anxious nation in the world. The land of the Stars and Stripes has become the country of stress and strife. Stress-related ailments cost our nation $300 billion every year in medical bills and lost productivity, while our usage of sedative drugs keeps skyrocketing. In the last seven years, Americans more than doubled their spending on anti-anxiety medications like Xanax and Valium, from $900 million to $2.1 billion. Despite the meds, people of each generation in the 20^th century are three times more likely to experience depression than people of the preceding generation.

How can that be? Our cars are safer than ever. We regulate food and water and electricity. Though gangs still prowl our streets, most Americans don’t live under the danger of imminent attack. Yet if worry were an Olympic event, we'd win the gold medal. Ironically, citizens in other countries enjoy more tranquility. They experience one-fifth the anxiety levels of Americans, despite having fewer of life’s necessities. What's more, when these less-anxious developing-world citizens immigrate to the United States, they tend to get just as anxious as Americans. Must be something in the water.

So, what’s the cause? Change, for one thing. Researchers speculate that the Western world's environment and social order have changed more in the last thirty years than they have in the previous three hundred. Think about what’s changed. Technology, for one. The existence of the Internet. Increased warnings about global warming, nuclear war and terrorist attacks. Changes and new threats are imported into our lives every few seconds thanks to smart phones, TV’s, and computer screens. In our grandparents' generation, news of an earthquake in Nepal would reach around the world some days later. In our parents' day the nightly news communicated the catastrophe. Now it’s a matter of minutes. We've barely processed one crisis, when we hear of another. And then there’s the onslaught of personal challenges. You or someone you know is facing foreclosure, fighting cancer, slugging through a divorce or battling an addiction. You or someone you know is bankrupt, broke or going out of business.

One would think that Christians would be exempt from worry. But we’re not. We have been taught that the Christian life is a life of peace, and when we don't have peace, we assume the problem lies within us. Not only do we feel anxious, but we also feel guilty about our anxiety. The result is a downward spiral of worry, guilt, worry, guilt. It's enough to cause a person to get anxious. It's enough to make us wonder if the apostle Paul was out of touch with reality when he wrote, "Be anxious for nothing." (Phil. 4:6) "Be anxious for less," would have been a sufficient challenge. Or, "Be anxious only on Thursdays," or, "Be anxious only in seasons of severe affliction." But Paul doesn't seem to offer any leeway here. Be anxious for nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. Is that what he meant? Well, not exactly.

He wrote the phrase in the present active tense, which implies an ongoing state. It's the life of perpetual anxiety that Paul wanted to address. The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional. Anxiety is not a sin; it’s an emotion. So don't be anxious about feeling anxious. Anxiety can, however, lead to sinful behavior. When we numb our fears with six-packs or food binges, when we spew anger like Mt. Vesuvius, when we peddle our fears to anyone who will buy them, we are sinning. If toxic anxiety leads you to abandon your spouse, neglect your kids, break covenants or break hearts, take heed because Jesus gave this word: "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with ... the anxieties of life." (Luke 21:34)

Is your heart weighed down with worry? Here are some signals: Are you laughing less than you once did? Do you see problems in every promise? Would those who know you best describe you as increasingly negative and critical? Do you assume that something bad is going to happen? Do you dilute and downplay good news with doses of your own version of reality? Many days would you rather stay in bed than get up? Do you magnify the negative and dismiss the positive? Given the chance, would you avoid any interaction with humanity for the rest of your life? If you answered yes to most of these questions, I have a scripture for you: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – mediate on these things.” (Philippians 4:4-8)

Five verses with four admonitions that lead to one wonderful promise: "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds." (v. 7) So, celebrate God's goodness – “Rejoice in the Lord always." (v. 4) Ask God for help – “Let your requests be made known to God." (v. 6) Leave your concerns with him – “With thanksgiving . . ." (v. 6) Meditate on good things – “Think about the things that are good and worthy of praise." (v. 8) Celebrate. Ask. Leave. Mediate. The first letter of each spells, “Calm.”

Could you use some calm? If so, you aren't alone. The Bible is Kindle's most highlighted book. And Philippians 4:6-7 is the most highlighted passage. So, take heart – apparently we could all use a word of comfort. And God is right there ready to give it. With God as your helper, you’ll sleep better tonight and smile more tomorrow. You'll re-frame the way you face your fears. You'll learn how to talk yourself off the ledge, view bad news through the lens of sovereignty, discern the lies of Satan, and tell yourself the truth. You’ll discover a life that is characterized by calm, and will develop tools for facing the onslaughts of anxiety.

It will require some work on your part. I don't want to leave the impression that anxiety can be waved away with a simple pep talk. In fact, for some of you God's healing might include the help of therapy and/or medication. If that’s the case, don’t for a moment think that you’re a second-class citizen of heaven. Ask God to lead you to a qualified counselor or physician who will provide the treatment you need. But this much is sure: It’s not God's will that you lead a life of perpetual anxiety. It’s not his will that you face every day with dread and trepidation. He made you for more than a life of breath-stealing angst, and mind-splitting worry. He has a new chapter for your life. And he’s ready to write it. The question is, are you ready to turn the page?

Grace,

Randy

Anxiety - Audio/Visual

Fighting for You

Fighting for You

For the Lord has driven out great and powerful nations for you, and no one has yet been able to defeat you. Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God. (Joshua 23:9-11)

Nadin Khoury was thirteen years old, five foot two, and weighed, soaking wet, maybe a hundred pounds. His attackers were teenagers, much larger than Nadin, and outnumbered him seven to one. For thirty minutes they hit, kicked and beat him. He didn’t stand a chance. Nadin’s mom had recently moved the family to Philadelphia from Minnesota. She’d lost her job as a hotel maid and was looking for work. In 2000, she'd escaped war-torn Liberia. As a result, Nadin Khoury was the new kid in a rough neighborhood with a mom who was an unemployed immigrant – everything a wolf pack of bullies needed to justify an attack.

The hazing began weeks earlier. They picked on him; they called his mother names. They routinely pushed, shoved and ambushed him. Then came the all-out assault on a January day. They dragged him through the snow, stuffed him into a tree, and suspended him on a seven-foot wrought-iron fence. Nadin survived the attack and would have likely faced a few more except for the foolishness of one of the bullies. He filmed the pile-on and then posted it on YouTube. A passerby saw the violence and chased away the bullies. Police saw the video and got involved. The troublemakers eventually landed in jail, and the story hit the newspapers.

A staffer at the nationwide morning show, The View, read the account and invited Nadin to appear on the broadcast. He did. As the video of the assault played on the screen behind him, he tried to appear brave, but his lower lip was quivering. "Next time maybe it could be somebody smaller than me," he said. Unbeknownst to him, however, the producer had invited some other Philadelphians to appear on the show as well. And just as the YouTube video ended, the curtain opened and three huge men walked out, all members of the Philadelphia Eagles football team. Nadin, a rabid fan, turned and smiled. One of the athletes was All-Pro receiver DeSean Jackson, who’s now a Buccaneer. Jackson took a seat on the couch, as close to the boy as possible, and promised him, "Anytime you need us, I got two linemen right here." Nadin’s eyes widened saucer-like as Jackson signed a football jersey and handed it to him. Then, in full view of every bully in America, DeSean gave the boy his cell phone number. From that day forward Nadin has been only a call away from his personal bodyguards. Thugs think twice before they harass the kid who has an NFL football player's number on speed dial. Pretty good offer. Who wouldn't want that type of protection? Joshua did.

Brutal and bloodthirsty enemies occupied the Promised Land. Joshua's men were untested. His leadership was unproven. Yet in spite of the odds, God guaranteed the conquest. "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." (Josh. 1:5) It was as if God told him, "Jericho has its thick, tall walls? True, but you have me. The Amorites have home-field advantage? They do, but you have the King of heaven on your side. The enemies have more chariots, experience and artillery? Yes, they’re strong, but I’m stronger still. And I will not leave you or forsake you." And God gives you the same promise. In fact, the writer of Hebrews quoted the words in his epistle: "For [God] has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.' So we can say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?'" (Heb. 13:5-6)

That last question is a troubling one, however. What can anyone do to me? Because you know the answers. "Lie to me." "Injure me." "Bully me." But the Scripture asks a different question. If the Lord is your helper, what can anyone do to you? The Greek word for "helper" in this passage is boetheia, from boé, which means "a shout," and théō, which means "to run." When you need help, God runs with a shout, "I'm coming!" He never leaves you. Ever. He never takes a break, takes a nap or takes time off for vacation. He never leaves your side. Lost your job? That’s hard, but God’s your helper. Is your blood cell count down? Difficult for sure, but the One who made you is with you. A world rife with conflict? Yes it is but, still, the Almighty will never leave you or forsake you. Consequently, everything changes. Since God is strong, you can be strong. Since he is able, you’ll be able. Since he has no limits, you have no limits. With the apostle you can boldly say, "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Heb. 13:6) But there’s more.

The biggest – and best – news of Joshua is this: God not only stays with you . . . he fights for you. Not only does God desire that you live the inheritance life, but he fights for you so that you can. This was the main point of Joshua's victory speech. Envision the commander as he stands before his army to deliver one of his final messages. "I am old," he begins, "advanced in age . . . [T]his day I am going the way of all the earth." (Josh. 23:2,14) He was 110 years old when he died (24:29), so he must have been nearly that age when he gave this speech. He has a rush of white hair, and a chest-length beard. His back is stooped, but his voice is strong. He stands on a rock and looks out over a valley full of faces. When he lifts his hand to speak, their voices fall silent. He’d led them out of the wilderness, through the Jordan River, and into Canaan. When Joshua spoke, they listened. Joshua has seen every significant moment of the last half century. "You have seen all that the LORD your God has done," he announces to his soldiers. (23:3) The Jordan River opened, and the Jericho walls fell. The sun stood still, and the enemies scattered. The Hebrews inhabited farms they did not plow, and ate from vineyards they did not plant. And Joshua, in his final words, wants to make sure they’ve gotten the message: "The LORD your God is He who has fought for you." (v. 3)

The Hebrews took the land not because of their skill, but God's. Throughout the book of Joshua, God does the fighting. In his call to battle Joshua told his men, "Go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess." (Josh. 1:11) Then again, "The LORD your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land." (v:13) On the eve of the Jordan crossing, Joshua declared, "The LORD will do wonders among you." (3:5) As they stood on the western side of the river, Joshua deduced, "The LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan." (4:23) On the outskirts of Jericho "Joshua said to the people: 'Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!'" (6:16) The entire narrative reads like this: God claiming; God giving; God defending. Joshua summarized the victory by saying, "For the LORD has driven out from before you great and strong nations; but as for you, no one has been able to stand against you to this day. One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you, as He promised you." (23:9-10)

Don't you love that image? One man of you shall chase a thousand. I envision a single Hebrew soldier with drawn sword racing after an entire battalion of enemies. He’s outnumbered a thousand to one, but since God fights for him they scatter like scared seagulls. So, picture the same. The Amorites of your life – fears, dread, hatred and hurt – come at you like a legion of hoodlums. Yet rather than run away, you turn and face them. You unsheathe the promise of God's Word and defy the enemies of God's cause. You’re a lion and they’re the rats. "Get out of here, shame. Goodbye, guilt. Fear of death, regrets of the past – take your puny attacks somewhere else." That’s inheritance living. You weren’t made to quake in fear. You weren’t made to be beholden to your past. You weren’t made to limp through life like a wimp. You are a living, breathing expression of God. What's more, he fights for you.

Is that a new thought? You've heard about the God who made you, watches you, directs you and knows you . . . but the God who fights for you? Who blazes the trail ahead of you? Who defends you? Who collapses walls, stills the sun and rains hail on the devil and all his forces? Did you know that God is fighting for you? That "with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles" (2 Chron. 32:8)? That "our God will fight for us" (Neh. 4:20)? That the Lord will "fight against those who fight against [you]" (Ps. 35:1)? God fights for you. Let those four words sink in for just a moment.

God. The CEO, President, King, Supreme Ruler, Absolute Monarch, Czar, Emperor, and Raja of all history. He runs interference, and provides cover. He is impeccably perfect, tirelessly strong and unquestionably capable. He is endlessly joyful, wise and willing. And he . . . Fights. He deploys angels and commands weather. He stands down Goliaths and vacates cemeteries. He fights . . . For. For your health, for your family, for your faith, and for your restoration. Are the odds against you? Is the teacher against you? Is your boss against you? Difficult to be sure. But God fights for . . . You. Yes, you. You with the sordid past. You with the receding hairline. You with the absentee dad. You with the bad back, bad credit or bad job. He fights not just for the rich, pretty or religious. He fights for the you’s of the world. And aren’t you a you?

The big news of the Bible is not that you fight for God, but that God fights for you. And to know this – to know that your Father fights for you – is an unparalleled source of empowerment. You'd love for someone to rush to your defense. To stand up on your behalf. Well, God has. And, God does. When God became flesh, he fought for your soul. When Jesus faced the devil in the wilderness, he fought for your peace. When he stood up for the neglected, was he not standing up for you? When he died on the cross for your sins, he fought for your salvation. When he left the Holy Spirit to guide, strengthen and comfort you, he was fighting for your life. Miss this truth and you might as well plant a mailbox in the wilderness because you’ll be there a very long time. But believe this truth, and watch the clouds begin to clear. Believe this: “[God] won't let you stumble, your Guardian God won't fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel's Guardian will never doze or sleep. GOD's your Guardian, right at your side to protect you – shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. GOD guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.” (Ps. 121:3-8 – MSG)

Toward the end of the invasion, the narrator of Joshua's story itemizes all the kings that the people of Israel defeated. He does so in an interesting way. “The king of Jericho – one. The king of Ai – one. The king of Jerusalem – one. The king of Hebron – one.” (Josh. 12:9-10) The list goes on for thirty-one lines. Each line has a name and the word one. It's as if the victors were placing a check mark on their list of their enemies and announcing the score: Joshua – 31 vs. Canaanites – 0. Imagine your list. Envision the day you stand before Jesus, your Jeshua, and look back over your life. "God will give to each one whatever praise is due." (1 Cor. 4:5) And your Commander will declare: "With my help, John Doe took on the enemies of his inheritance and drove them out. Greed - one! Explosive temper – one! Envy – one! Abused as a child yet stable as an adult. Tempted with drugs yet sober and steady. Strayed off course yet returned with vigor. One! One! One!"

One by one the conquests will be read and celebrated. Every witness will rejoice at the work God did. This is God's goal for you, and this is your inheritance: more victory than defeat, more joy than sadness, more hope than despair. These are your inheritance days, and God fights for you – always.

Grace,

RandyFighting for You - Audio/Visual

Yes

Yes

So the LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The LORD gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass. (Josh. 21:43-45)

Faith is a choice, and inheritance people make that choice. When forced to stand at the crossroads of belief and unbelief, they choose belief. They place one determined step after the other on the pathway of faith; seldom with a skip, usually with a limp. They make a conscious decision to step toward God, lean into hope, and to heed the call of heaven. They press into the promises of God. Joshua's story urges us to do the same. In fact, you could argue that the central message of the book is this headline: "God keeps his promises. Trust him."

“All came to pass.” (Josh. 21:45) These four words in three verses are the theological heart of the book of Joshua. They rise up like trumpets at the end of the narrative. "Don't miss this. Attention everyone. God keeps his word!" The writer pounds the point in triplicate. Three times in three verses he declares: God did what he said he would do. "The LORD gave . . . all . . . He had sworn to give." (v. 43) "The LORD gave . . . rest . . . according to all that He had sworn to their fathers." (v. 44) "Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken . . . All came to pass." (v. 45) One commentator was so taken by that last statement that he entitled his Joshua study, No Falling Words.

We live in a world of falling words. Broken promises. Empty vows. Pledges made only to be retracted. Assurances given, then ignored. They were spoken with great fanfare. "I'll always love you." "Count on us to recognize good work." "Till death do us part." But words tend to tumble. They’re autumn leaves in a November's wind. You've heard your share. But you'll never hear them from God. In a world of falling words, his remain. In a life of broken promises, he keeps his. "The Lord's promise is sure. He speaks no careless word; all he says is purest truth, like silver seven times refined." (Ps. 12:6)

God is a covenant-keeping God. Want proof? The narrator tells us to look at history. "The LORD gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers." (Josh. 21:43) Specifically, God gave Abraham a promise: "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your descendants I will give this land.'" (Gen. 12:7) That was six hundred years earlier. Who believed it would happen? When Abraham died, the only land he owned was Sarah's cemetery plot. His descendants were sharecroppers at best, slaves at worst in Egypt for four centuries. Moses led them near but never into Canaan. How many sons and daughters of Abraham looked to the stars and prayed, “God, will you keep your promise?” The answer from the pages of Joshua is, “Yes.” God promised to bless Abraham and through Abraham's seed all the nations of the earth. "I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (Gen. 12:2-3)

This was the promise partially fulfilled in Joshua. And this is the promise completely fulfilled in Jesus. In him all nations are blessed. In Jesus every person has hope and the possibility of redemption. No wonder the apostle Paul wrote, "All the promises of God find their Yes in [Jesus]." (2 Cor. 1:20) Our God is a promise-keeping God. Others may make a promise and forget it. But if God makes a promise, he keeps it. "He who promised is faithful." (Heb. 10:23)

Does this matter? Does God's integrity make a difference? Does his faithfulness come into play? When your child is on life support, it does. When you're pacing the ER floor, it does. When you’re wondering what to do with every parent's worst nightmare, you have to choose. Faith or fear. God's purpose or random history. A God who knows and cares, or a God who isn't there. We all choose. Inheritance people choose to trust God's promises. They choose to believe that God is up to something good, even though all we see looks bad. They echo the verse of the hymn, My Hope is Built: “His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood.”

Nothing deserves your attention more than God's covenants. No words written on paper will ever sustain you like the promises of God. Do you know them? To the bereaved: "Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." (Ps. 30:5) To the besieged: "The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all." (Ps. 34:19) To the sick: "The LORD sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness." (Ps. 41:3) To the lonely: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." (Isa. 43:2) To the dying: "In my Father's house are many rooms . . . I go to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2) To the sinner: "My grace is sufficient for you." (2 Cor. 12:9) These promises are for your good. "And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." (2 Peter 1:4)

Press into God's promises. When fears surface, respond with this thought: But God said. . . When doubts arise, But God said. . . . When guilt overwhelms you, But God said. . . . Declare these words: "You have rescued me, O God who keeps his promises." (Ps. 31:5) Turn again and again to God's spoken covenants. Search the Scriptures like a miner digging for gold. Once you find a nugget, grasp it. Trust it. Take it to the bank. Do what I did with the promise of a pilot.

On a flight many years ago, bad weather had come our way. The flight into Los Angeles was delayed by storms. We landed at the exact time the final flight into San Diego was scheduled to depart. As we taxied toward the gate, I was checking my watch, thinking about hotels, grumbling at the bad break. Then over the loud speaker a promise: "This is the pilot. I know many of you have connections. Relax. You'll make them. We are holding your planes. We have a place for you." Well, I thought, he wouldn't say that if he didn't mean it. So I decided to trust his promise. I stopped thinking about hotels. I quit checking my watch. I relaxed. I waited my turn to get off the plane and set my sights on my next gate. I marched through the concourse with confidence. Hadn't the pilot given me a promise? Other people in the airport that evening weren't so fortunate. They, also victims of inclement weather, were in a panic. Travelers were scrambling, white faced and worried. Their expressions betrayed their fear. Too bad their pilot hadn't spoken to them. Or, maybe he had and they just didn’t listen.

Your Pilot has spoken to you. Will you listen? I mean really listen? Let his promises settle over you like the warmth of a summer day. When everyone and everything around you says to panic, choose the path of peace. In this world of falling words and broken promises, do yourself a favor: take hold of the promises of God. One of my favorite pictures of God’s working in our lives, especially during hard times, is the picture of God stitching needlepoint. Have you ever seen a finished needlepoint? It’s beautiful; some even frame it and hang it on the wall – like a piece of art. But have you ever looked at the backside? It’s a mess of multi-colored threads and knots. On this side of heaven, we stand behind the needlepoint and see only the knotted ends and frayed edges of what God is doing. If we could only see the other side of the needlepoint, we could see God doing something beautiful. But we live on the backside of the needlepoint with painful circumstances and God’s purposes unclear.

Have you ever struggled to believe that God was weaving anything beautiful? Maybe it was when God gave you a glimpse of the “beautiful side” of the needlepoint after a season of staring at the backside. We spend a lot of time staring at the “ugly side” of the needlepoint. And if you haven’t, maybe you know someone who is. And the temptation is to see the knotted underside of the needlepoint in a friend, or spouse, or family member and give them encouragement by speculating about what beautiful thing God is doing. We like to suggest possible hopeful outcomes, to write our own endings to God’s story. But that’s not particularly helpful since we don’t actually know for sure what God is doing – even if we sometimes think we do. But it’s also not helpful because it implies that what is needed for us to trust God in the hard times is an understanding of what he’s doing; where the particular part of the story fits into the big picture. Biblically, that’s not what God tells us is needed. Ask Job. Ask Joseph. Ask the author of Ecclesiastes.

Our seeing the needlepoint from God’s viewpoint, and understanding the whole story is not the answer. God says the answer is to know and trust the Weaver, to know and trust that he is indeed making something beautiful. That he is, in fact, a God who redeems and restores even the most broken and hopeless situation – even when we don’t understand why or how. He actually calls us to live almost exclusively looking at the backside of the needlepoint. Our hope from that side is a trust that there is a beautiful side being created by a Master Weaver who keeps his promises.

In other words, we needn’t tell Jack and Jill how their marital struggles are part of God’s grander purposes, or tell Sally how her heartbreak will be redeemed, or tell Bob how his failure will be made glorious. Instead, when those “ugly sides” of the needlepoint are shared, we can love others well by reminding them of who God is, what he is like as a God who can be trusted to keep his promises, and how much he understands their pain and has experienced it himself on the cross. That’s a God we can trust. That’s a Weaver who gives us hope from the backside of the needlepoint. The faith that turns to God in the darkest hour, and praises God with the weakest body. The kind of faith that trusts in God's promises. The kind of faith that proclaims, "Faith is a choice. Yes, I choose faith."

Grace,

Randy

Yes - Audio/Visual

Drenched

Drenched

Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said." (Joshua 14:12)

You'll never have a problem-free life. Ever. Pigs might fly. Kangaroos might swim. Men might surrender the remote control. Women might quit buying purses. None of these are likely, but possible. But a problem-free, no-hassle, blue-sky existence of smooth sailing? Don't hold your breath. Problems happen. They happen to rich people, sexy people, educated people and sophisticated people. They happen to retired people, single people, spiritual people and secular people. All people have problems. But not all people see problems the same way. Some people are overcome by their problems; others overcome their problems. Some people are left bitter; others are left better. Some people face their challenges with fear. Others with faith. Caleb did. His story stands out because his faith did.

Forty-five years earlier, when Moses sent the twelve spies into Canaan, Caleb was among them. He and Joshua believed that the land could be taken. But since the other ten spies disagreed, the children of Israel ended up wandering in the wilderness. God, however, took note of Caleb's courage. The man's convictions were so striking that God paid him a compliment that would make a saint blush. "My servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly." (Num. 14:24) How would you like to have those words on your resume? So then, what type of spirit catches the eye of God? What qualifies as a "different spirit"? Answers begin to emerge during the distribution of the lands west of the Jordan. But before the people received their inheritance, a promise needed to be fulfilled. “And Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him: ‘You know the word which the LORD said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea.’" (Josh. 14:6)

I'm envisioning a sturdy guy with sinewy muscles. Caleb, gray-headed and great-hearted, steps forward. He has a spring to his step, a sparkle in his eye, and a promise to collect. "Joshua, remember what Moses told you and me at Kadesh Barnea?" (Id.) Kadesh Barnea. The name stirred a forty-five-year-old memory in Joshua. It was from this camp that Moses had sent out twelve spies, and it was in this camp that Moses had received two different reports. All twelve men agreed on the value of the land – it flowed with milk and honey. All twelve agreed on the description of the people and the cities – large and fortified. But only Joshua and Caleb believed that the land could be taken. Read carefully the words that Caleb spoke to Joshua at the end of the military campaign:

Caleb . . . said to [Joshua]: ‘You know the word which the Lord said to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh Barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to spy out the land, and I brought back word to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the Lord my God. So Moses swore on that day, saying, 'Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.'

And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said." (Joshua 14:6-12; emphasis added.)

What name appears and reappears in Caleb's words? The Lord. The Lord. The Lord. The Lord. The Lord. The Lord. The Lord. The Lord. The Lord. Nine references to the Lord. Who was on Caleb's mind? Who was in Caleb's heart? What caused him to have a different spirit? He centered his mind on the Lord. So what about you? What emphasis would a transcript of your thoughts reveal? The Lord, or the problem, the problem, the problem, the problem? The economy, the economy? The jerk, the jerk? Inheritance people don’t deny the presence of problems. Canaan is full of giants and Jericho’s. It does no good to pretend that it isn’t. Servants like Caleb aren't naive, but they immerse their minds in God-thoughts. Caleb was different because he soaked his mind in God.

The psalmist showed us how to do this. He asked, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me?" (Ps. 42:5) He was sad and discouraged. The struggles of life threatened to pull him under and take another victim. But at just the right time, the writer made this decision: "Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him . . . I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, and from the heights of Hermon, from the Hill Mizar." (vv. 5-6) There’s resolve in those words. "I shall yet . . . I will remember You." The writer made a deliberate decision to treat his downcast soul with thoughts of God. Everywhere I go, I will remember you – from Jordan to Hermon to Mizar. Maybe in your case the verse might read, "From the ICU to the cemetery, to the unemployment line, to the courtroom, I will remember you." There’s nothing easy about this. Finding God amid the billows will demand every bit of discipline you can muster. But the result is worth the strain. Besides, do you really want to meditate on your misery? Will reciting your problems turn you into a better person? No, but changing your mind-set will. "Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed." (John 14:27) Instead, immerse your mind in God-thoughts. When troubles come our way, we can be stressed and upset, or we can trust God.

Caleb could have cursed God. He didn't deserve the wilderness. He had to put his dreams on hold for four decades. Still, he didn't complain or grow bitter. When the time came for him to inherit his property, he stepped forward with a God-drenched mind to receive it. "Set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things)." (Col. 3:2) When giants are in the land, when doubts swarm your mind, turn your thoughts to God. Your best thoughts are God-thoughts. He is above all this mess. He is "the Most High over all the earth." (Ps. 83:18) Moses announced, "Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you – majestic in holiness?" (Ex. 15:11) Isaiah wrote, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!" (Isa. 6:3) God is not just holy or holy, holy; he’s holy, holy, holy. Wholly unlike us. Pain does not plague him. The economy does not faze him. The weather does not disturb him. Elections do not define him. Diseases do not infect him. Death cannot claim him. He has resources we do not have, and wisdom we've never imagined. He is "able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think." (Eph. 3:20)

Stare at the mountain less and at the Mountain-Mover more. Ponder the holiness of God. Let his splendor stun you and inspire you. Turn a deaf ear to doubters. Ignore the naysayers. People have a right to say what they want. And you have a right to ignore them. Just because someone sings the blues, doesn’t mean you have to join the chorus. Caleb and Joshua were outnumbered ten to two, but they still believed in God's power. "My brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God." (Josh. 14:8) Caleb chose to ignore the doubters and believe anyway.

Let's take our cue from Caleb. Disregard the lethal disbelief of cynics. That’s not to give sanction for rudeness or isolation. When people express their sincere struggles or questions, help them. But some folks just don’t want to be helped. They prefer the wilderness. They traffic in misery, manufacture unhappiness, and spurn growth. They would rather pull you down than let you pull them up. Don't let them. Caleb didn't. He filled his mind with faith and took on a God-sized challenge.

When Moses sent Caleb to spy out the land, Caleb saw something that troubled him: the town of Hebron. Hebron held a special spot in the history of the Hebrews. It was the only piece of land that Abraham ever owned. Abraham buried his wife there. He was buried there. So were Isaac, Rebekah and Jacob. Hebron was a sacred site. But on the day Caleb first saw it, the holy hill was inhabited by unholy people. To see the burial place of Abraham disrespected and disregarded bothered Caleb. It was more than he could take. So Caleb asked Moses for Hebron. Hebron, beneath whose oaks Abraham had slept; whose soil had known the visitation of angels; whose earth entombed the holiest family. Caleb, the man with a different spirit, had a secret desire. "Just give Hebron to me; I'll take care of it." So, Moses took the request to God. God gave the answer, and Caleb was given the land.

And forty-five years later, at the age of eighty-five, the old soldier was ready to inhabit Hebron. "Give me this mountain of which the LORD spoke in that day." (v. 12) Last sighting of Caleb had him turning his face toward Hebron, where he did what he promised to do. He chased the enemy and reclaimed the city. Caleb wanted to do something great for God. He lived with a higher call. How high is yours? Maybe the reason your problems feel so great is because your cause is too small. Perhaps you need to set your mind on a holy cause, because when your cause is great, the problems begin to shrink. Do you have a holy cause? A faith worth preserving? A mission worth living for? Ask God to give you a Hebron to claim for his glory. A neighbor to encourage. A needy family to feed. A class to teach. Some senior citizens to encourage. It really is better to give than to receive.

In the kingdom of Christ we gain by giving, not taking. We grow by helping, not hurting. We advance by serving, not demanding. Want to see your troubles evaporate? Help others with theirs. You'll always face problems. But you don't have to face them in the same way. Instead, immerse your mind in God-thoughts. Turn a deaf ear to doubters. Set your mind on a holy cause. Once you find your mountain, no giant will stop you, no age will disqualify you and no problems will defeat you. After all, you and Caleb have something in common. You have a different spirit. You’re drenched.

Grace,

Randy

Drenched - Audio/Visual

You Be You

You Be You

So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war. (Joshua 11:23)

No one else has your "you-ness." No one else in all history has your unique history. No one else in God's great design has your divine design. No one else shares your blend of personality, ability and ancestry. You are heaven's first and final attempt at you. You are matchless, unprecedented and unequaled. Consequently, you can do something no one else can do in a fashion no one else can. You aren't the only person with your skill. But you are the only one with your version of your skill. Call it what you wish. A talent. A skill set. A gift. An anointing. A divine spark. An unction. A call. The terms are different, but the truth is the same: "The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others." (1 Cor. 12:7) Each of us – not some of us, a few of us, or the elite among us. Each of us has a special way – a facility, a natural strength, a tendency or an inclination. This "special way" is the work for which you are ideally suited. This is your destiny. This is you at your best. This is Canaan.

Many people stop short of their destiny. They settle for someone else's story. "Grandpa was a butcher, Dad was a butcher, so I guess I'll be a butcher." "Everyone I know is in farming, so I guess I'm supposed to farm." Consequently, they risk leading dull, joyless and fruitless lives. They never sing the song God wrote for their voices. They never cross a finish line with heavenward-stretched arms and declare, "I was made to do this!" They fit in, settle in and blend in. But they never find their call. Don't make the same mistake. "It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others." (Eph. 2:10) Your existence is not accidental. Your skills are not incidental. God "shaped each person in turn." (Ps. 33:15)

Uniqueness is a big message in the Bible. And it’s a huge message in the book of Joshua. In fact, one could argue that the majority of its chapters advance one command: know your territory and possess it. Joshua's first goal was to establish Israel in Canaan by taking the land, neutralizing the enemy armies, and eliminating the major seats of authority. The lists of conquered kings in chapter 12 proclaim, “The land is taken.” The rest of the book urges, “Now, take the land.” As a result, each tribe was given a distinct territory and/or assignment. The inheritance was for everyone. All the Hebrews were welcomed to Canaan – the old, the young, the feeble, the forceful. The inheritance was universal. But the assignments were individual. They are listed in detail in Joshua 13-21. And if you can't fall asleep tonight, read those chapters.

The book moves from an action novel to a land survey. The pages make for dull reading unless, of course, you stand to inherit something. But since all the Israelites stood to receive an inheritance, they all stood alert as Joshua assigned their territories. Each tribe was called forward. Reuben, Gad, Manasseh, etc. Each territory was different. Judah's parcel was large and central. Dan's section was smaller and coastal. Even the assignments were unique. The tribe of Levi, for example, wasn’t given any land, but God himself as their inheritance. Their role was to lead worship and teach the Torah.

The big message was this: No one gets everything, but everyone gets something. Drive out the remaining enemies. Build your farms. Cultivate your fields. Find your lot in life and indwell it. And Joshua wasn't the only commander to distribute territories. Jesus distributes gifts that are unique as well. The apostle Paul explained it this way: "[God] has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. That is why the Scriptures say, 'When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.'" (Eph. 4:7-8) The apostle was using the metaphor of a victorious king. It was common in Paul's day for the conquering monarch to return to his palace with prisoners and treasures in tow. He celebrated his conquest by giving gifts to his people. So did Jesus. Having defeated sin and death on the cross, he ascended to heaven, took his rightful place at the right hand of God, and "gave gifts to his people." Jesus, eternally crowned, distributing abilities and skills. Wow.

Joshua said, "Tribe of Judah, take the high country." "Manasseh, occupy the valleys." "People of Gad, inhabit the land east of the Jordan." Jesus says, “Joe, take your place in the domain of medicine.” “Mary, your territory is accounting.” “Susan, I give you the gift of compassion. Now occupy your territory.” Everybody gets a gift. And these gifts come in different doses and combinations. “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is.” (1 Cor. 12:7) Our inheritance is grace-based and equal. But our assignments are tailor-made. No two snowflakes are the same. No two fingerprints are the same. So why would two skill sets be the same? No wonder Paul said, “Make sure you understand what the Master wants.” (Eph. 5:17) Do you understand what your Master wants?

Do you know what makes you, you? Have you identified the features that distinguish you from every other human who has inhaled oxygen? You have an “acreage” to develop, a lot in life. So, “make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.” (Gal. 6:4) In other words, you be you. "If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies." (1 Peter 4:11, emphasis mine). Ability reveals destiny. So, what’s your ability? What do you do well? What do people ask you to do again? What task comes easily? What topic keeps your attention? Your skill set is your road map. It leads you to your territory.

God loves you too much to give you a job and not the skills. Identify yours. What you do for a living should conform to your design. Few situations are more miserable than a job misfit. Yet few maladies are more common. One study concluded that only 13% of all workers find their work truly meaningful. No wonder commuters look so grumpy: nearly nine out of ten of them don't want to go to work. So, find something you like to do, and do it so well that people pay you to do it. Look for ways to align your job with your skills. This may take time. This may take several conversations with your boss. This may take trial and error . . . but don't give up. Not every tuba player has the skills to direct the orchestra. If you can, great. Then do it. But if you can't, blast away on your tuba with delight. "Stir up the gift of God which is in you." (2 Tim. 1:6, emphasis mine) You be you.

Don't be your parents or grandparents. You can admire them, appreciate them, and learn from them. But you can’t be them. You aren't them. "Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life." (Gal. 6:4-5) Jesus was insistent on this.

After the resurrection he appeared to some of his followers. He gave Peter a specific pastoral assignment that included great sacrifice. The apostle responded by pointing at John and saying, "'Lord, what about him?' Jesus answered, 'If I want him to live until I come back, that is not your business. You follow me.'" (John 21:21-22) In other words, don't occupy yourself with another person's assignment; stay focused on your own.

A little boy named Adam wanted to be like his friend Bobby. Adam loved the way Bobby walked and talked. Bobby, however, wanted to be like Charlie. Something about Charlie's stride and accent intrigued him. Charlie, on the other hand, was impressed with Danny. Charlie wanted to look and sound like Danny. Danny, of all things, had a hero as well: Adam. He wanted to be just like Adam. So Adam was imitating Bobby, who was imitating Charlie, who was imitating Danny, who was imitating Adam. Turns out, all Adam had to do was be himself.

So stay in your own lane. Run your own race. Nothing good happens when you compare and compete. God doesn’t judge you according to the talents of others. He judges you according to your own. His yardstick for measuring faithfulness is how faithful you are with your own gifts. You’re not responsible for the nature of your gift, but you are responsible for how you use it. Don’t be like the Hebrews. I wish I could report that each tribe moved quickly into its land, drove out the inhabitants, and put the acreage to good use. They didn't. In some cases the tribes didn’t drive out the enemies: "The children of Israel did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maachathites." (Josh. 13:13) "They did not drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer." (16:10) Your enemy, the devil, is determined to linger in your land as well. You must drive him out. He’ll lure you with thoughts of greed, power or jealousy. So, be on your guard.

Unfortunately, other tribes fell victim not to the Canaanites, but to their own laziness. Long after Joshua had distributed the land, seven of the tribes were still in the military camp. Joshua had to scold them: "How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?" (18:3) How do we explain their indolence? They marched out of the wilderness and conquered the land. Yet when the time came to inherit their unique parcels, they got lazy. Don't make the same mistake. You are an heir with Christ of God's estate. He has placed his Spirit in your heart as a down payment. What God said to Joshua, he says to you: "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you." (1:3) But you must possess it. You must deliberately receive what God so graciously gives. All that you need to enter your inheritance is to walk by faith. So walk. Move forward. Find your lot in life and live in it.

You be you.

Grace,

Randy

You Be You - Audio/Visual

Audacious

Audacious

The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening: “Stop, sun, over Gibeon; halt, moon, over Aijalon Valley.” And the sun stopped, and the moon stood stock still until he defeated his enemies. (You can find this written in the Book of Jashar.) The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day. There’s never been a day like that before or since — God took orders from a human voice! Truly, God fought for Israel. (Josh. 10:12-14)

When Martin Luther's good friend, Friedrich Myconius, was sick, Luther wrote to him: "I command thee in the name of God to live because I still have need of thee in the work of reforming the church . . . The Lord will never let me hear that thou art dead, but will permit thee to survive me. For this I am praying, this is my will, and may my will be done, because I seek only to glorify the name of God." Friedrich outlived Martin Luther by two months. As John Wesley was crossing the Atlantic Ocean, howling winds began to blow. Wesley was reading in his cabin when he became aware of some confusion on board. When he learned that the winds were knocking the ship off course, he responded by praying. Adam Clarke, a colleague, heard the prayer and recorded it. “Almighty and everlasting God, thou hast sway everywhere, and all things serve the purpose of thy will, thou holdest the winds in thy fists and sittest upon the water floods, and reignest a king forever. Command these winds and these waves that they obey thee, and take us speedily and safely to the haven whither we would go.” Wesley stood up from his knees, took up his book, and continued to read. Dr. Clarke went on deck and found calm winds and the ship on course. Wesley never said anything about the answered prayer. Clarke wrote, "So fully did he expect to be heard that he took it for granted that he was."

How bold are your prayers? Boldness in prayer is an uncomfortable thought for many. We think of speaking softly to God, humbling ourselves before God, or having a chat with God. But agonizing before God? Storming heaven with prayers? Pounding on the door of the Most High? Wrestling with God? Isn't that irreverent? Even presumptuous? It would be had God not invited us to pray that way. "So let us come boldly to the very throne of God and stay there to receive his mercy and to find grace to help us in our times of need." (Heb. 4:16; emphasis mine) Joshua did that, but not before he didn't. His prayer life teaches us what happens when we don't pray, as much as it tells us how to pray.

In the days following the Shechem gathering, a group of strangers entered Joshua's camp. They told him, "From a very far country your servants have come." (Josh. 9:9) They presented themselves as hapless pilgrims from a distant place. And everything seemed to fit their story. Their grain sacks, sandals and clothes were all worn-out. Even their bread was moldy and dry. They praised the accomplishments of God, and asked Joshua and his men to make a covenant with them. Joshua weighed the options, and his rulers eventually agreed. Three days passed before Joshua realized he’d been hoodwinked. These people weren’t from a distant land; they were from Gibeon, only a day's walk away. Their weathered clothing was a disguise. They pretended to be foreigners because they knew that the Hebrews had ransacked Jericho and Ai. Maybe they also knew about God's laws which had a special provision for any city that agreed to make peace with God’s people would be spared. So they resorted to deception.

Why didn't Joshua and the elders detect the ruse? Because "they did not ask counsel of the LORD." (Josh. 9:14) The practice of the Hebrews was supposed to be pray first, act later. In fact, Joshua was told to "stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire before the LORD." (Num. 27:21) But Joshua didn’t do that. He and his council entered into an alliance with the enemy because they didn't first seek the counsel of God. We’d do well to learn from Joshua's mistake.

Our enemy enters our camp in a disguise, too. "Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light." (2 Cor. 11:14) He’s crafty. That's why it’s essential that we consult God in everything. Always. Live with one ear toward heaven. Keep the line open to God. "Is this opportunity from you, God?" "Are you in this venture, God?" "Should I take this road, God?" At every decision. At each crossroads. Acknowledge him, heed him, and ask him, Do I turn right or left? "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prov. 3:5-6; emphasis mine) Our relationship with God is exactly that: a relationship. His invitation is clear and simple: "Come and talk with me, O my people." (Ps. 27:8) And what should be our response? "Lord, I am coming." (v. 8) We abide with him, and he abides with us. He grants wisdom as we need it.

God will help us against the tempter. He will disclose the craftiness of Satan. But we must regularly consult him. In everything. His word is a "lamp unto [our] feet" (Ps. 119:105), not a halogen spotlight into the future. He gives us enough light to take the next step. Call it footstep faith. We learn to hear God's voice telling us to turn this way or that way. "Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, 'This is the way you should go,' whether to the right or to the left." (Isa. 30:21) Refer every decision to the tribunal of heaven. Wait until God speaks before you act. Be patient. Monitor your impulse. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye." (Ps. 32:8) If you feel a check in your heart, heed it and ask God again. That’s the only way to outwit the devil's deceit. Consult God in everything, and call on God for great things. Joshua did.

The alliance with the Gibeonites quickly proved to be a nightmare. The other kings of Canaan saw the Gibeonites as traitors and set out to attack and kill them. Five armies bore down on the people of Gibeon. They were overwhelmingly outnumbered. But since they had an alliance with Joshua, they asked the Hebrews for help. And because he had given his word, Joshua had no choice but to come to their rescue. “So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. And the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.’ Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal." (Josh. 10:7-9)

The five kings didn’t stand a chance. Apparently they didn’t expect Joshua to respond with such fervor. They turned and ran with the Hebrews hot on their heels. And as Joshua's army thundered behind them, the clouds began to thunder above them. "Large hailstones" fell from the sky in a divine carpet bombing. (v. 11) Joshua saw the hailstones falling and anticipated the sun setting. But it was midday. We need more time, he realized. Nightfall would give the enemies a chance to regroup. If he had just a few more hours of daylight, he could win the battle and strike a decisive blow. So he began to pray. He’d failed to pray about the Gibeonites, but he didn't make the same mistake twice. So Joshua prayed. For reinforcements? No, he prayed for the world to stop. Now that’s praying, or just plain crazy.

“The day God gave the Amorites up to Israel, Joshua spoke to God, with all Israel listening: ‘Stop, sun, over Gibeon; halt, moon, over Aijalon Valley.’ And the sun stopped, and the moon stood stock still until he defeated his enemies. (You can find this written in the Book of Jashar.) The sun stopped in its tracks in mid sky; just sat there all day. There’s never been a day like that before or since — God took orders from a human voice! Truly, God fought for Israel.” (Josh. 10:12-14) This was a stunning, unprecedented prayer. The narrator, knowing his readers would be shocked at the story, referred to the Book of Jashar, an extra-biblical volume that contained stories of the Hebrew people. He was stating, in effect, "Hey, if you think that one’s hard to believe, just check it out in the Book of Jashar." But the verse that really deserves your highlighter is verse 14. "GOD took orders from a human voice!" God, in his providence, pressed the solar Pause button. He chose to hear and heed Joshua's request. Might he do something similar for us?

Greg Pruett is trained as an engineer, linguist and Bible translator. But his most significant contribution might be in the area of "extreme prayer." In his book by the same name, he relates how he returned from Guinea, West Africa, to assume the role as president of Pioneer Bible Translators. It was 2008. The great recession was sucking dollars out of the economy and confidence out of the public. The ministry's financial chart was in a free fall toward a pool of red ink. Greg had no tangible place to cut expenses. Resources were few, and donors were disappearing. Greg knew of only one response: prayer. "That's when I began to learn not to pray about my strategies, but to make prayer the strategy." So, in July he wrote a half-page letter to his teammates worldwide, calling them to prayer. He urged them to stand before God's throne with specific and bold requests. They did, and Greg described the result: “When I saw the end-of-the-year report, I knew God had heard our prayers. My eyes welled up with tears . . . If a financial expert were to analyze this graph, he or she would put their finger on the month of July and say, ‘What did you do right here? Whatever it was, you need to do a lot more of that.’ I searched in vain for a tangible explanation. I wanted to find trends to explain how it worked, so we could do it again. I never could . . . I just know [God] provided. All I had was God and prayer.”

Maybe God and prayer are all you have, too. Like Joshua, you face battles. Maybe five kings are bearing down on you called discouragement, deception, defeat, destruction and death. They roar into your world like the Hells Angels. Their goal is to chase you back into the wilderness. But don’t give them an inch. Respond in prayer – honest, continual and audacious prayer. You’re a member of God's family. You come to God not as a stranger but as an heir. Confidently approach his throne. Earnestly make your requests known to him – not because of what you’ve achieved, but because of what Christ has done. Jesus spilled his blood for you, so you can certainly spill your heart to God. "Ask and it will be given to you." (Matt. 7:7) "If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer." (Matt. 21:22) Yes, it’s a battle, but you’re not fighting in vain. Consult God in all things. Call on him for great things. And then bring extra sunscreen because the day of victory will last long into the night.

Grace,

Randy

Audacious - Audio/Visual

Consequences

Consequences

Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal. He followed the commands that Moses the Lord’s servant had written in the Book of Instruction: “Make me an altar from stones that are uncut and have not been shaped with iron tools.” Then on the altar they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. And as the Israelites watched, Joshua copied onto the stones of the altar the instructions Moses had given them. (Joshua 8:30-32)

The last words I remember hearing before I stepped into the water were, “Remember, son, still waters run deep.” I waved away the odd warning without even turning around. Still waters? What was he talking about? I was in my dad’s waders on the banks of the Metolius River – fly rod in hand; big trout on my mind. Besides, this was a river. What “still waters” could he possibly be talking about? And that’s when I spotted it; the perfect place to wade into the clear, frigid waters of the Metolius – a beautiful river nestled in a forested valley on the east side of the Cascades in central Oregon, and one of the largest spring-fed rivers in the United States whose clear, cold and constant waters are to fly-fishing what Wrigley Field is to the Chicago Cubs. That still pool of crystal clear water couldn’t have been more than a foot deep, anyway, and would be the perfect place to wade out into the river and catch that monster trout. It was more than a foot deep.

It was closer to four feet deep, and my three foot waders on my 5’10” frame were filling up with ice cold water. Fast. In fact, the water was so cold that I started to hyperventilate as I was carried out into the middle of the river by the swift-flowing water. Teenagers, you know, can do anything, but the only thing I wanted to do at that moment in time was to save my dad’s cherished fly rod and reel. So, I found a little island out in the middle of the river, threw the rod and reel onto dry land and looked for something to grab onto before taking an unplanned whitewater rafting trip down the river in waders, rather than a kayak. That’s when I spotted a log near where I had thrown the rod and reel. I latched onto it and pulled myself onto the sandbar. Soaked and shivering, I sheepishly looked across the river at my mom and dad, dumped the water from the waders, and found my way back to the river’s edge. The only thing that would’ve made me feel better that day was if I’d at least found a trout in those waders.

Life comes with voices. Voices lead to choices. Choices have consequences. Why do some saints thrive while others scramble to survive? Why do some tackle Everest-size challenges and succeed, while others walk seemingly downhill paths and stumble? Why are some people unquenchably content while others are inexplicably unhappy? Some seasons feel like a downhill, downwind bike ride. Others are like pedaling a flat-tired unicycle up Pikes Peak. Why? The answer comes back to voices and choices. Our happiest inheritance days happen when we make good choices. Trouble happens when we don't.

That’s the headline message delivered by Joshua to the nationwide assembly in the Valley of Shechem. As you compile your list of key geographical touchstones in the book of Joshua, don't overlook this one. The list includes: the Jordan River (site of the crossing); the Gilgal encampment (the stones of remembrance, and the renewal of circumcision); Jericho (where Joshua saw the Commander, and the walls collapsed); Ai (where Achan fell, and Joshua rebounded); and now, Shechem.

The pilgrimage to Shechem was actually Moses' idea. (Deut. 27:4-8) He had instructed Joshua to bring the invasion to a halt, and every person to the Valley of Shechem. Shechem was a twenty-mile hike from the Hebrew encampment at Gilgal, and the Hebrews must have looked like an Amazon River of humanity as they marched inexorably toward their destination. Once they reached the valley, Joshua set about the task of building an altar. (Josh. 8:30-32)

In the ancient Near East, it was customary for kings to commemorate their military achievements by recording their conquests on huge stones covered with plaster. Joshua, however, didn't memorialize his work. He celebrated God's law. The secret to the successful campaign of the Hebrews was not the strength of its army, but the resolve of its people to keep God's commandments. And then this: “Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as he who was born among them. Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.” (vv. 33-34)

The then-meadows of Shechem sit between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Gardens, orchards and olive groves grew throughout the valley. Limestone strata sit in the deepest part of the ravine, broken into ledges giving the appearance of a series of stone benches. The rock formation creates a natural amphitheater with acoustic properties that allow a sound originating on one side of the valley to be heard on the other. So, the twelve tribes were assigned their places: six on one side, and six on the other. In between the tribes stood the priests, Levites, leaders, and the Ark of the Covenant. When Joshua and the Levites read the blessings, the million or so people standing on Gerizim shouted, "Amen!" And when the leaders read the curses, the million or so remaining on Ebal declared, "Amen!"

Can you imagine the drama of that moment? "If you listen obediently to the voice of God, he will . . . "Defeat your enemies!" "Amen!" "Order a blessing on your barns!" "Amen!" "Lavish you with good things!" "Amen!" "Throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land." "Amen!" (See, Deut. 28:1-13) The proclamation of the curses followed the same pattern. "Cursed is anyone who . . . "Carves a god image!" "Amen!" "Demeans a parent!" "Amen!" "Takes a bribe to kill an innocent person." "Amen!" (See, Deut. 27) Back and forth, back and forth. Voices reverberated off the stone cliffs. All the people – children, immigrants, old-timers, everyone – in antiphonal rhythm proclaimed their values. "There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them." (Josh. 8:35)

Keep in mind the “when” and “where” of this particular assembly. This was in the middle of an invasion, in the midst of enemy territory. These desert-toughened people pressed the Pause button on the physical battle in order to fight the spiritual one, because heeding God's Word is more critical than fighting God's war. In fact, heeding God's Word is fighting God's war. Conquest happens as the covenant is honored. Do you want to experience Canaan to the fullest? Then obey God's commands. What? Were you expecting something more mystical, exotic, or intriguing?

Did you think that the Canaan-level life was birthed from ecstatic utterances or angelic visions, mountaintop moments or midnight messages from heaven? Sorry. "Obedience," wrote C. S. Lewis, "is the key to all doors." Don't think for a second that you can heed the wrong voice, make the wrong choice, and escape the consequences. At the same time, obedience leads to a waterfall of goodness not just for you but for your children, your children's children, and the children of a thousand generations in the future. God promises to show "love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Ex. 20:6) As we obey God's commands, we open the door for God's favor.

Obedience leads to blessing. Disobedience leads to trouble. Remember Jesus' parable about the two builders who each built a house? One built on cheap, easy-to-access sand. The other built on costly, difficult-to-reach rock. The second construction project demanded more time and expense, but when the spring rains turned the creek into a gulley washer, guess which builder enjoyed a blessing and which experienced trouble? According to Jesus, the wise builder is "whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them." (Matt. 7:24) Both builders heard the teachings. The difference between the two was not knowledge versus ignorance, but obedience versus disobedience. Security comes as we put God's precepts into practice. We're only as strong as our obedience. As the apostle James encourages, "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22)

Voices await you. Maybe not on the banks of the Metolius, but at work, in your neighborhood, at school, on the Internet. They're waiting for you. You can't eliminate their presence, but you can prepare for their invitation by remembering whose you are. You are God's child. You've been bought by the most precious commodity in the history of the universe: the blood of Christ. You are indwelled by the Spirit of the living God. You are being equipped for an eternal assignment that will empower you to live in the very presence of God. You’ve been set apart for a holy calling. You are his. And remember where you are. This is Canaan. You’re in the Promised Land. Not geographically, but spiritually. This is the land of grace and hope and freedom and truth and love and life. The devil has no jurisdiction over you. He acts like he does, but as you resist him and turn to God, he must flee. (James 4:7) Decide now what you will say then. Choose obedience. And, as you do, you can expect blessings: the blessing of a clean conscience; the blessing of a good night's sleep; the blessing of God's fellowship; the blessing of God's favor. This is no guarantee of an easy life. It’s the assurance of God's help. "The good man does not escape all troubles – he has them too. But the Lord helps him in each and every one." (Ps. 34:19)

One final thought before leaving the Valley of Shechem. Take note of the altar's location. Did you notice where it was built? Not on Gerizim, the mount of blessing. Joshua built it on Ebal, the hill of the cursing, instead. You see, even in the midst of poor choices, there’s grace. So, may we hear the right voice. May we make the right choice. May we enjoy blessing upon blessing. But if we don't, may we return to the altar on Ebal. It was built for people just like us.

Grace,

Randy

Consequences - Audio/Visual