Moses had mentored Joshua as his successor…but Joshua had failed to do the same…and as a result, the next generation after Joshua’s death succumbed to idolatry. God’s people are always just one generation away from turning their backs on everything their parents and grandparents believed in. Todays Church needs to be focusing on young people…drawing them in, encouraging, and disciplining them, for they will be the ones carrying the Word of God on in the future.
Tag: Blog Posts
Luke 12: 15 ” Then He said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’ “
Jesus was warning us to be careful of forsaking God in the pursuit of collecting wealth. We don’t exist for the sake of hoarding riches…and we will never save ourselves by the amount of property we’ve amassed. Our trust can never be in gold and riches. (Psalm 62:10)
Revelation 3:11 ” I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
In John’s letter to the church in Philadelphia, he urged the Believers to hold fast to and maintain their saving faith in Jesus Christ. That still holds true today. The world and its strong lure is ever trying to take us down a path of destruction and death. But we are more than victors…having been given the crown of life…the symbol of triumph and eternal life.
Genesis 4:9 ” Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ “
From the first time that question was uttered by Cain, to today, we must all be accountable to God for our fellow-man. If we see someone flailing in the water…we help. If we see someone drowning in sin…we need to go to their aid as well. We can never become an island unto ourselves…for God commands us to love and protect one another, just as He loves and protects us.
Isaiah 30:15 ” This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’ “
God really does know best, and always has our best interest in mind. But we sometimes think we know better. Exodus 14:14 is an excellent example of what the Lord is trying to tell us in the verse…”The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Our strength is derived from hope and obedience, not sheer force and brute determination.
Jonah 4:4 ” But the Lord replied, ‘Have you any right to be angry?’ “
Jonah couldn’t understand why the Lord would have compassion on the wicked people of Nineveh…and he was angry about it. We see things happening in the world today and we can be just as shocked and angry as Jonah. .. “What are You thinking Lord to allow this to happen?” But God’s ways are above our ways…His plan is perfect in this imperfect world…for only the Lord can see around the corner.
Psalm 88: 2-3 ” May my prayer come before You; turn Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.”
There comes a time in everyone’s life when anguish, grief and heartache takes over our body. We truly feel that we are approaching death…the pain is that intense. But we can’t allow the pain to overwhelm and consume us…rather, we need to allow the Lord and others to help pull us from the abyss…until the darkness subsides.
Mark 1: 16-18 ” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow Me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed Him.”
There was not a moment of hesitation…not one look of disbelief or word of doubt that came from the brothers when Jesus approached them with His request. Rather, they left all, giving up any claim to their property…turning from everything they knew to follow a stranger. And with that decision, began a journey for them of fellowship, faith, and eternal life.
Ecclesiastes 1:2 ” ‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’ says the Teacher. ‘Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!’ “
King Solomon had spent his life searching after the pleasures of this world. And as he became older and wiser, he realized that he was just chasing after fleeting fantasies. There is and will never be peace and joy in the pursuit of the empty things of this world. All temporal things will disappear in a cloud of smoke… for they are empty and futile in the view of eternal life.
Lamentations 3: 55-57 ” I called on Your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: ‘Do not close Your ears to my cry for relief.’ You came near when I called You, and You said, ‘Do not fear.’ “
I sit… shrouded by the darkest depths of the mire, for I know Lord, I am living with the despair of bad choices I have made…and choices I had no control over. So I cry out to You for deliverance, for I believe that You will not only hear, but also draw close and comfort me. Because I put my trust in You… I know I can face all my fears.
Safetypinlove 