So I am wrapping up three weeks of rest…actually I have worked a little this week…sorry, I can’t stay away. :-)
During this time I have really been focused on trying to listen…AND I have been reading the book of Deuteronomy and Joshua…and dove into Judges this morning…so here are just a few of the things I have learned…OR that have been reinforced.
#1 - You Can Not Underestimate The Value Of Rest
I believe I said this in my earlier post—but if you will review the ten commandments in Exodus 20 and then again in Deuteronomy 5 you will notice that the longest command is the one to take rest. It has been good for me & I praise God for a church that allows me to do what I need to do.
#2 - Obedience Isn’t Always Easy
All too often as Christians I think we want what is easy. AND…if things don’t line up exactly the way we want then we assume that “God isn’t involved” because “doors are not opening!”
Maybe the reason the door is not opened is because we haven’t KICKED it open!!! Following Christ isn’t the easy thing to do; after all, didn’t He say that if we were going to be followers of Him that we would need to pick up our cross? Uh—didn’t people die on crosses?
#3 - God Wants Us To Be Involved In His Plan
This sort of overlaps with the last point…but…when God told the children of Israel to go in and possess the land—He said that He would go before them…BUT…they still had to take action because He wasn’t going to do it all.
This applies in life—we want God to “do it all” when it comes to repairing a broken marriage. God WILL lead us in the right things to do…but we have to take action in order for things to happen.
This applies to everything…finances, dating, careers. AND please don’t use the excuse, “Well…I’m just waiting on God.” If you are “waiting” on God then that implies that you have gone out ahead of Him…and do you REALLY think that you can run ahead of God? If so…then your “god” is too small!
#4 - All Too Often We Focus On The Size Of Our Circumstances Rather Than The Size Of Our God!
Please understand…I struggle with this more than anyone. But here is my question—why would a Christian who acknowledges the fact that God is Sovereign ever be “stressed” about anything? Do we, as His children, have the right to be “stressed?”
I have found in my life that if I will get on with what God wants me to do instead of telling Him why He can’t do all that He wants to do—then life will get better.
God is HUGE…and we know that…we sing about it…we read Bible verses about it…but then we get a bill in the mail or receive a negative e-mail or a tire goes flat on our car and we react as if God doesn’t even exist! WOW—like I said—this is me!
So—God is teaching me that HE is HUGE and that I am not! And…that because of this fact He will always be in control…and when things are THE MOST out of control in my life—that is when He can demonstrate HIS control best!
#5 - Professional Wrestling Is Real
OK…just wanted to see if you were paying attention!
#6 - God Wants Us To “Be Careful”...Sort Of…
All too often we as Christians try to be careful…we don’t take risks…we keep the vision for our lives and churches safe and sanitized…but…
In reading through the book of Deuteronomy I see the phrase “be careful” a lot. (Look for yourself…it’s all over the place.) But…the only thing God tells them to be careful about is following His word—obeying His word—applying His word!
As followers of Jesus we are called to be reckless in our pursuit of Him…but careful to LISTEN and OBEY! That’s the only thing I find a Scriptural mandate for in regards to being careful!
#7 - God Wants Us To Follow Through
One of the BIGGEST problems the Israelites faced in Joshua and Judges is that they did not follow through on what God had specifically told them to do.
If you read in Deuteronomy and Joshua…God tells them to completely wipe out all the people living in the land of Canaan—everyone!
BUT…I guess they might have thought they had a better plan because they didn’t follow through…they did a half way job…and throughout the rest of the Old Testament we see them struggling as a result.
God wants us to follow through. In our jobs—we are to follow through. In our marriages—we are to follow through. In our commitments to Him—we are to follow through. Is there anything you need to follow through on?