The House You're Building

[ 1] After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, [2] “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. [3] Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. [4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. [5] No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. [6] Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. [7] Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn fro...

  Introduction   The Israelites have seen God move in dramatic ways.  They have just been rescued from Pharaoh for a second time.  This left them on a spiritual high as they responded in worship.  Yet after seeing the plagues and God’s deliverance, days without new miracles leave them despondent.  Many of the stories in this installment of Exodus show a people with short memories.  They begin to grumble as God’s provision doesn’t come in their timing.  They need water in the desert and complain to the One who had just commanded the Red Sea to destroy their enemies.  In biblical settings, the desert is a place where people wander, need guidance, and mutter against Yahweh [1] .  Is it so different in our days? In symbolic fashion we describe seasons of life where there is dryness and scarcity as being “in the desert.” Are we patient with God and remember what He has just done for us when His timing i...

  Introduction:   I have two children and raising them into their teens has taken two different approaches.  My son is pretty straight forward.  He is a logical young man and it’s always been rational conversation that has helped him see the light.  My daughter on the other hand is all heart.  She fires up quickly and needs time to process her emotions before having a conversation where she can admit to wrongdoing.  Though I did my best to treat them the same, their response to my authority had two different outcomes.     In this section of Exodus, we see God the Father begin to parent His children.  He begins His rescue mission by showing His power to the Israelites.  We see two different responses to His displays of power.  In beholding the majesty of God, the Hebrews begin to trust in God and Pharaoh becomes more and more stubborn and determined to rebel.  Despite their ...

        Orient  John 15:1-17 Christ continues his teaching to the disciples before His arrest as they walk from the Upper Room to the Garden of Gethsemane.  In this well-known section, Jesus uses an analogy from horticulture to explain the benefits to staying close to God.  He returns to previous themes connecting love for Him with obedience to Him.     Introduction A funny thing to ask people about is household chores.  Some people love laundry while others hate it.  I personally would rather clean a toilet than mop the floor.  There is really no apparent rhyme or reason to placing our weekly chores on a scale of enjoyment.  For me, one of my least favorite responsibilities is yard work.  Ironically, I live on 5 acres and the previous owners had spent lots of time curating a meticulous landscape surrounding the house.  Though a beauty to behold, it is a lot of work! T...