05.31.07
Posted in Thoughts on Joshua at 7:25 am by Administrator
Text: Joshua 6:1-21 Theme: Nothing is too difficult for God when His people obey Key verses: “Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city…” (v. 1-3a) “They did this for 6 days. On the seventh day, they…marched around seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, ‘Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!’” (v. 14b-16) “When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted…the wall collapsed: so every man charged in, and they took the city.” (v. 20) What God said to me: Dwayne, my son, never question my authority and ability. Jericho was closed up so tightly that no human could penetrate it. It was a formidable barrier that stood between my people and my will for them. Could I have brought the wall down without all that marching and shouting and fanfare? Of course I could have. But what brought that giant hindrance and prohibitive obstacle down was a combination of my power and my people’s obedience. I commanded them to put forth extra effort, even exhaustive effort for some of them. What they had to do challenged their faith in me and their confidence in Joshua’s leadership. It was an outrageous and unprecedented requirement. Never had anyone had to march conspicuously around and around a fortified city. So what are the applications for you today? Dwayne, you have some seemingly unpenetrable barriers facing you. You can’t cause certain key people to act certain key ways. You can’t force certain key companies to open their doors to your ideas and needs. Basically you can’t move forward in key areas because of walls that hold you back. Dwayne, my son, I can and will break down those walls, divinely and miraculously. It will done in my time and in my way. Do whatever thing I lead and command you. Don’t question me no matter how outrageous it may appear to you and to others. Be faithful. Put forth extra effort. But more than anything trust and obey me with joy and thanksgiving ahead of the barrier-busting moment. What I said to God: Thank You, precious, precious God and Lord. I so appreciate You speaking so directly to my heart this morning. You know I am battling some discouragement and You have stepped right in through Your written Word and renewed my thinking once again! Praise You forever and ever! May Your Kingdom come and Your holy will be done both in my life and in the lives of my family today. I love You.
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05.21.07
Posted in Thoughts on Joshua at 9:05 am by Administrator
Text: Joshua 5:13-15 Theme: Favor from God comes through obedience Key verses: “Joshua…saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell face downward to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ Then the commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (v. 13-15) What God said to me: Dwayne, be careful not to misinterpret what I’m wanting to tell you today. Because of my Son living in you you are favored by me period. Make no mistake that you are pleasing in my sight. However, the principle of obedience still applies. Paul said if I be for you… Who, therefore, am I against? - those who do not obey me, those who have rejected my Son. My wrath abides on them. But as for you, my son, there are points at which I am neither for you or against you. I come to you through the powerful, daunting sword of my Word and give you a choice. I do not stand before you at those moments as loving Father, but as Commander and Lord. I present to you who I am and you must choose to bow in surrender or rebel. If your response is as Joshua’s and if you obey my direct and implicit commands, then my favor and my anointing will rest on you for your assigned task ahead. If you choose not to take off your shoes and recognize my holiness and authority, then you are on your own to dodge the ditches and fight the lions and knock down the high walls alone. Remember, without me you can do nothing, but with and through me you can do all things. What I said to God: Father, thank You so much for speaking to me in Your authoritative, matter-of-fact, Lordly way this morning. I humbly bow my heart, life and body before You. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and anoint me for Your service today. I know I cannot do anything apart from You, and I dare not try. Help my wife and my boys to recognize your holiness and power and authority in their day as well. May we surrender and obey.
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05.10.07
Posted in Thoughts on Joshua at 8:19 am by Administrator
Text: Joshua 5:1-12 Theme: God gave Israel a new beginning in the promised land. Key verses: “…the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Make flint knives’ and circumcise the Israelites again.’” “…all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord.” (v. 6a) “So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised…because they had not been circumcised on the way.” (v. 7) “Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away the reproach of Eygpt from you.” (v. 9) “…the Israelites celebrated the Passover that very day…the manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land…that year they ate of the produce of Canaan.” (v. 11-12) What God said to me: Son, I am a restoration God. I am a promise-keeping God. I am sovereign in my plans for my people. I do not play favorites or overlook rebellion. I did not allow the entire generation who came out of Egypt to go into the promised land because of their complaining and lack of faith. Yet, I remembered my covenant with their children. I removed their reproach and gave them a fresh start in a new and rich land. Dwayne, there is a promised rest for you as well. There is a place of abundant life awaiting you if you will humble yourself and surrender completely to my will. If not you will wander in the desert of doubt and disappointment. You will make it to your ultimate promised land of heaven, but miss the wonderful promised place here on earth - one Paul descibed as “in Christ.” I have circumcised your heart. You are mine. Dwell in the land, in the sanctuary, in the peace of my presence and provisions and protection. What I said to God: Thank You, precious and personal God. You are my Master and Redeemer, my All in All. I yield myself to You this morning. Forgive me when I grumble and complain and doubt Your ways and wisdom. Circumcise my heart and the hearts of my family. Set us apart to serve You and only You. Thank You that You have not left us in the desert of despair. Praise You, Lord, for Your mercy and grace to bring us into Your fold and into Your rest! I love You. Help me share You with someone else today.
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05.08.07
Posted in Thoughts on Joshua at 7:45 am by Administrator
Text: Joshua 4:10-24 Theme: God’s people will risk their lives for leaders they really trust. Key verses: “Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people…The people hurried off.” (v. 10) “About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord…for war. That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses.” (v. 13-14) What God said to me: Dwayne, there is a great famine of great leaders in your world today. Consistent, strong, godly leadership is required to lead people toward their promised land of heaven and holiness. Notice how the priests remained standing in the Jordan until the people had done everything they were supposed to do. “Having done all, to stand” are the words Paul wrote. Those are the words my pastors, evangelists, teachers and lay leaders need to hear and heed today. Keep standing, Dwayne. Don’t quit. Stand your ground right in the middle of potential disaster. The high waters that piled up behind those priests was roaring with threats to come crashing down on them. Yet, they stood firm and stood long - long enough to finish their jobs as real leaders. Real leaders give great confidence to others and cause them to want to follow. Note also that what those priests did there at the Jordan was dictated by their leader, Joshua, who was being dictated by his leader, me. So, who are you following and who are you leading, my son? How are you standing firm? And will you stand firm even during the most difficult and hazardous times? Why should others want to follow you? Ultimately, my people will only follow you if you are following me. What I said to God: Thank You, holy and awesome Lord, my Elyon, my Jehovah. I humbly submit my life to You this day. I want to be the leader among men that You have called and anointed me to be. And when I am called to stand in the middle of circumstances that could overwhelm me and those I lead, help me be up to the task. Help me keep standing and having done all, to stand.
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05.04.07
Posted in Thoughts on Joshua at 9:44 am by Administrator
Text: Joshua 4:1-9 Theme: We should leave reminders of God’s power and mercy for our children to keep. Key verses: “When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan…Joshua called together the twelve men…and said to them, “…Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes…to serve as a sign among you. 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….These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” (v. 1, 4-7) “Joshua set up the twelve stones at the spot where the priests who carried the ark had stood. And they are there to this day.” (v. 9) What God said to me: Dwayne, parting the waters so my people could walk over is a great example of my power to keep my promise to Israel. I wanted them to always remember that defining, “kodak” moment. I wanted their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren to discover that memorial and be prompted to ask, “Hey, why are these here?” Some wise old soul who had asked that same question years earlier would answer the young ones, “This is the place our God came through for us and showed Himself as the one, true God.” Son, I haven’t ceased doing great and marvelous things for my little ones. Even in your lifetime I have performed some amazing life-changing miracles around and for you. Did you set up a sign? Did you leave a reminder for your children? Signs don’t have to be rocks. They can be old, well-worn Bibles, or a journal stuffed full of memories and records of my faithfulness. In your case, it might include a little bakery in your mom’s backyard that provided for you and for her all those years since your dad died when you were only ten - or perhaps a recording of songs you sang for me growing up. When your boys and their children in the future hear those old albums and read from your old Bibles they will be prompted to ask, “Why was this stuff important to him?” Then some wise older saint will be able to say, “This reminds us of how good God was to Dwayne Moore and his family.” What I said to God: Thank You, holy Lord, for loving me and for speaking to me today. Please forgive me for taking my eyes off of you part of yesterday. Forgive me for ignoring Your commandments and for temporarily laying aside my vows to follow You every minute of every day. Looking back over my life I see Your hand at every step and in every venture. Please help me and my wife look for more creative ways to leave some stones behind for our children’s children. Thank You for my great-grandmother’s Bible that still reminds me of the legacy of belief I have to live up to. Praise You for the many stones others have left for us and the signs we are yet to leave for the generations to come.
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