Joshua 8 - 12.3.21
Scripture - What stood out?
Joshua 8:30-31 NIV
30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings.
Observation - What does it say?
God had just given the nation of Israel another victory. They had just defeated the king and people of Ai. Before this particular victory there had been failure. In the previous chapter we read that the Lord had taken His blessing from them due to sin within the nation (Joshua 7:11-12). This had led to an initial defeat in the first battle against the people of Ai.
Understanding - What does it mean?
God’s people had wronged Him. Again. Sin had crept into the nation like a thief in the night. And instead of doing it God’s way, someone had chosen to do it their own way. Again. Cue Frank Sinatra.
The altar that Joshua builds, is built just as God asks for it. Joshua’s way was God’s way. He writes God’s laws onto the stones. And then Joshua re-reads the commands, blessings, curses God had given to Moses in front of the entire nation.
Joshua did it God’s way.
Life Application - How can I apply this to my life today?
Lord, I have sang one of my favorite songs of all time thinking about how I would integrate it into my walk with You. After reading this bible passage I think I know my prayer. I want to do it Your way. That is what I would like inscribed on the altar of my heart o Lord. Inscribe in me Your Holy Word so that I may never forget, that I may remain committed, living my life Your way. In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee
Psalm 55-12.2.21
Scripture
Psalm 55
22 Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
Observation-What does it say?
David, a man who never is shy to crying out to God, cries to him in a moment under what seems like oppression from his enemies.
He calls for God in a way it almost makes me wonder if David felt like God was hiding from him at first. But he goes on to write in a way, that you know David is trusting God and that he hears him.
Spilling out all his burdens, fears, and even anger. Coming close to the end you still see the faith in his words.
Above all opposition, even with the emotions of fear, anguish and anger, David knew the Lord was above all.
There is and was nothing the Lord couldn’t handle. However big or great it burdened David, he still trusted the Lord and called upon him.
Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
he will never let
the righteous be shaken.
Understanding-What does it mean?
It may not be directly opposition from people, but what about things in our lives that heavily burden us? The things that bring us fear, cause us to become angry, feel anguish just as David did?
Fear/anxiety are two things I let get a bit too carried away in my own life. I’m not so proudly admitting this, but I have the tendency to overthink, even to extents I let things burden me so much I just mentally break!
In this year, I’ve been learning a lot and casting my cares on the Lord has been a big highlight for me. He cares about the things I care about. Why wouldn’t I give them to him? Coming to a place where I must trust in him, however God wants to deal with it. It’s helped break off that anxiety in moments—I so terribly harboured. The second a worry comes to mind I ask God to hear me, help me, and guide me. Even if I feel as though I get no response from God, I trust in knowing he cares and still hears me.
Life Application
Just like David says: “He will never let the righteous be shaken.”
I must choose to believe it. To become righteous, it follows with putting God first before anything else.
I pray each and every one of us would find that place of trusting in him. Worries, fears, pains, burdens no matter how big or small go to him first. Knowing that he hears us and that it’s okay to pour out our emotions to him! God is the same God who cared about David’s cries and prayers.
Practice giving burdens to him first. I challenge you in your quiet times & throughout the day, in a small prayer, ask him to help, guide, and intervene with the things that weigh on us.
-Grace Lilley
Matthew 11-12.1.21
Scripture
Matthew 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Observation-What does it say?
“These last three verses of Matthew 11 are called the Great Invitation. Those invited are "all ye that labor and are heavy laden." Christ's teaching has a special appeal for the poor, the downtrodden, the despised, rejected, and suffering of earth; but it is incorrect to assume that only these are invited. Rather, all people are invited to fly unto Jesus for peace and redemption; and, in one sense or another, at one time or another, by some means or another, every soul ever born into this world is "weary," "heavy laden," and troubled by the common sorrows and calamities to which flesh is heir. In this larger view of the unmitigated sorrow in which all men dwell, the Great Invitation excludes no one. The common burden of sin, sickness, death, doubt, disillusionment, and sorrow is an invariable heritage of every man coming into the world. Reasons why men should come to Christ are: (1) for the rest He will give, (2) for the rest they will find, and (3) because Christ is meek and lowly in heart, thus fully qualified to provide sympathy, love, understanding, and whatever else may be required to alleviate human distress and to provide eternal life.” (Reference: Coffman Commentaries on studylight.org)
Understanding-What does it mean?
True rest comes from Jesus Christ alone.
Sometimes I hear people say that they need a vacation from their vacation. This just proves that external rest never satisfies the way internal rest with the Lord does!
We find rest, refreshing and a lifting of the burdens from our souls by being with the Lord, knowing that we are loved, forgiven and cherished by Him just because He chose us first.
Life Application
Take a break with Jesus. We are LOVED by Him just because we are His child.
Work is holy and is part of worshipping the Lord as Pastor would say; however, resting in Jesus is a form of worship too! As Pastor would also say, we work FROM rest.
24 hours starting from Tuesday night to Wednesday night are naturally my days off or Sabbath rest with Jesus. Without being legalistic, this sometimes gets switched around, but I was definitely NOT created to run 7 days a week! I used to do that when I was younger and it would run me to the ground! I need to get off the hamster wheel and stop to reflect once a week, whether that means getting off of social media or not answering my phone unless it’s an emergency, to just quiet everything down and journal, listen and pray. The work will always be there the next day and it’s healthy for people to not to be dependent on me (or any of us) every single day.
What does rest look like for you? What needs to change in your schedule to make sure resting in Jesus becomes a priority? Praying that we all seek true rest for our souls through the Lord.
Worship Song: (Come to the Altar by Elevation Worship)
https://youtu.be/ycWDFd0yCHA
-Michelle Gaddi