Remember! God Favors You - Part 3

When the people of Israel ended their forty-year residence in the desert, it was time to claim the promised land. Their journey, which had begun in Egypt, ended at the Jordan River near Jericho. Joshua, their leader and commander appointed by Moses, told the people, "Consecrate yourselves to the Lord God. Tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."

These people were to go forward to conquer the land. This is not unlike what God asks you to do as you go out to confront the tasks of making a living, parenting children, or just surviving the day. God wanted his people to remember he favored them and they would be successful regardless how the odds seemed stacked against them.

It's important to remember how God favors you by getting you through desperate situations that seemed impossible to navigate. Do not forget that God believes in you and regards you as his treasure and dear possession.  It's difficult to get that fixed into your consciousness, isn't it? You are his treasure and prized possession. He will never forget you!   

At a Crossroads? Get Out of the Rut and Reach Higher - Part 3

Submission was never intended to be a nasty word, but it's not uncommon for the word to bring up strong opposition in both men and women. Ephesians 5:21 instructs Christians to "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." Healthy parenting teaches children to be submissive to rules and authority, for failure to do so could result in long-lasting sorrow for both parent and child.

Submission is required for taking advantage of opportunities that come your way. Opposition to submission can become an obstruction to success. Submission reflects obedience, which is another word that’s hard to swallow and digest. Jeremiah 26:13 implores us to "stop sinning and obey the Lord."

Submission is a good, godly word, but it can be abused. It's important to remember that submission is what you do voluntarily, for being forced to submit isn’t submission at all. Submission to God's laws, his love, and his care for you requires your freedom to choose. Christ Jesus would not have it any other way, but doing so guarantees his blessings. 

Facing the Giants of Life - Part 1

Opportunities will invariably include some obstructions. Obstructions are deterrents that can obscure success. The Hebrew people chose wandering the desert forty years rather than facing giants that possessed the land God had promised to give them. Fear prevented them from following God’s guidelines that would insure their success.

Refusing to take advantage of the opportunities God makes available demonstrates lack of courage to step out in faith and be accountable. Numbers 14 gives evidence of this process in action. Listen to the voice of protest and blame. "If only we had died in Egypt or in this desert. Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?"

They cried out against exaggerated obstructions while rejecting God’s promise of victory. God's promises always embrace possibilities for victory. He does require that you be submissive to his directives and, with the faith he provides, confront the real or imagined giants. He will empower you with his strength, so victory is assured.