Bring Life to the Valley

The 23rd Psalm is familiar.  It's generally used as a comfort, often in the context of a funeral or time of trouble, but one day recently it resonated with me in a whole new way.

I was reading a story of some mission work, looking at pictures of real-life desperation.
Inescapable, indescribable desperation.

As I looked I prayed, and God spoke.
"The valley of the shadow of death."

He repeated.
"The valley of the shadow of death."

So, I started reeling back in my mind and reciting:

Psalm23  

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk 

through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

I realized this Psalm was much bigger.

This Psalm I had heard my entire life spoke to me in a brand new way.

See, in the first verse, we acknowledge the Lord as our Shepherd.

It's followed by things we expect from our Shepherd, places we would expect to be led as His sheep.

But in verse 4 - He is still the Shepherd.

He is still leading, and we are still following.

The valley of the shadow of death is not speaking to our death and dying.

It is not the difficulties of life that "happen" to arise in our journey.

It is where the Shepherd is leading us.

Read it again:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk 

through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Now I read the 23rd Psalm like a prophetic word about the call to discipleship Jesus brings in the New Testament.

Jesus proclaimed Himself the Good Shepherd:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.  And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.  For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

John 10:11-18

The first 3 verses are easy to accept.  Jesus will lead us in righteousness, will provide, will restore us.

1   The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.        
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

But then, if you look at what Jesus actually calls us to:
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.    Matthew 16:24-25   

Following Jesus is sacrifice.
Jesus spent His ministry describing how the Kingdom of God is a reverse to the way we try to live.
(Matthew 5-7 Sermon on the Mount)
 
And the prophecy in Isaiah that Jesus said He fulfills:
And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”      Luke 4:17-19

The poor, captives, blind, and oppressed are not in desirable places.

It's obvious that following Him is not all green pastures and still waters.

⁴Even though I walk 

through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

Death - by spiritual definition is separation from God.  The valley of the shadow of death to me speaks to this world and this life.  
In Eden, we were not separated.  Sin separated us.
Because of this separation, our world has become a place of death and dying.
People all around us are separated from God or are suffering as a result of this world's separation.

The valley of the shadow of death shows up in the physical with things like poverty and disease.
It reveals itself in the hidden parts of brokenness, sadness, and hatred.
Even more painful are places where life is stolen, killed, or destroyed.
Evil is the source.
But, evil will not win.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. - John 10:10

We follow our Shepherd with no fear of evil.
His rod and His staff are comfort.
And we have the Armor of God:
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:11

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
 We even eat in the presence of this enemy.
We are sustained in all ways by the provision of our Shepherd.
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."  John 6:35

you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
We are anointed by His Holy Spirit to do good works and fulfill His purpose.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

And, it ends with the promise and hope of eternal life.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me 
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.


 -------------------------------
I now read this Psalm differently.
I read it as a prophecy to discipleship in Jesus - The Great Commission.
I read it as a call to action.
I will follow my Shepherd through the valley of the shadow of death- and bring Life.

 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.        
He leads me beside still waters.
³     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name's sake.

⁴ Even though I walk 

through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

John 14 

 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. ² In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. ⁴ And you know the way to where I am going.” ⁵ Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

...

¹² “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. ¹³ Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, ¹⁷ even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹ Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” ²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. ²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, ³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

Matthew 28:19-20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

 

Bring Life to the Valley

The JOY Equation

The JOY Equation

Oh, how I need this formula!!!

Philippians

This is a great book.  Paul is teaching about JOY, true joy.  The gift of joy that only God can give.
Joy is not dependent on circumstances. Joy is constant.  Joy comes from the Spirit.
Joy doesn't replace our feelings or emotions, 
but our feelings and emotions should not steal our joy.
It's okay to feel.  We were made to feel. 


This is how I visualize Philippians:

Perspective  (Chapter 1)
      +
Humility   (Chapter 2)
      +
    Faith     (Chapter 3)
____________________
    Joy    ------->    Peace   (Chapter 4)

Putting together Perspective, Humility, and Faith bring us real Joy.
And, that Joy also leads to Peace.

Perspective - We need God's perspective as we deal with life.  Our approach to all situations, good or bad, looks completely different from an eternal view.

Humility - An attitude of humility and servanthood lowers multiple kinds of stress and is deeply fulfilling.

Faith - Our belief in Jesus and trust we have in Him are fundamental to all things.  Our confidence is in Him alone.

The result!
God's equations are always more abundant!  Not only we will have Joy - We will have PEACE.

Soak this in:
Always be full of joy in the Lord.  I say it again - rejoice!  Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.  Remember the Lord is coming soon.  Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.  If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.  And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter.  Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.  Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.  - Philippians 4:4-9

Identity & Action

Your identity = Who you are = Who you believe you are

Your identity is fundamental to the actions you choose.

Ephesians is a great letter.  Paul is writing to a church he knows and loves.  Ephesians is full of encouragement and inspiration.

Chapters 1-3 remind us of our identity in Christ.
Jesus' gift of salvation has literally changed who we are.  We are now GOD'S CHILDREN!!!
We are very literally adopted into the family of God.  We are sealed by the Holy Spirit, which labels us and identifies us as God's - like a new last name.

You know that moment when a mom calls her son by his full name.  First, last (maybe even the middle, too)  She is doing more than trying to get his attention.  She is reminding him of who he is.
Identity.
When your actions don't match your identity, you need to remember who you are.

Paul is giving the Ephesians confidence in who they are in Christ.  This confidence inspires us to live as a member of God's family.  If we are representing God, then our actions should show that.

Ephesians 4 talks about our collective identity as the church, God's family, and what that should look like.  Then, Paul continues on with specifics of how living as God's children should look.
Our Actions
- Walk in love
- Be the light
He even translates for us how God's family looks within our own families:  husbands/wives, parents/children.

Then Paul gets really serious.
This identity in Christ requires a boldness in our action.
Not just reaction - but a true effort and work.
Preparation.

Paul starts describing the armor of God.
Okay, we went from words like: adopted, family, unity to . . . armor.
Armor is for battle.
This section of scripture is very familiar, but if you read each verse - each piece of armor - your identity comes to life.  We are a part of something so much bigger than the bits and pieces and clutter of our daily lives.
Army of God - the Lord's mighty power

We have been given a new identity in Christ.
Let's take action!

Not a Failure

<sup>Sometimes we see our weakness as a failure.  We feel like we should be able to handle life better. We think we should have more control and not feel so crushed by daily life.
It's not failure.  It's how we were made.
Clay jars.
Fragile containers.
God did not make us to endure the weight and pressure.  He made us less, a little weaker than we need to be.  He did this intentionally.
He is our strength.  He wants us to depend on Him.
When we do that, we win.
Love Never Fails. (1 Cor. 13:8)
When we realize we don't need to depend on ourselves - that God never intended for us to be capable - then we can have confidence.
Confidence in the "author and perfecter of our faith."  (Hebrews 12:2)
We run the race with His power.
We endure in His strength.
We rely on His wisdom.
We grow, not by seeking independence, but by pursuing more dependence. (John 15:1-11)

2 Corinthians 4:7-18</sup>
 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.  So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak,  because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.  All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
 
2 Corinthians 12: 9-11
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Seeking God's Will

In a previous post, Savior and Lord, we worked through the beginning of Romans.
This is Paul's explanation of the Good News.  He describes the saving grace of Jesus and our new life with Jesus as our Lord.
Romans continues with specifics about how to live for Jesus.  He offers many challenges to the church about how to continue in Christ's love.

Romans, to me, is a great extension of Jesus' words in Matthew.  The Pharisees were questioning Him, trying to trap Jesus into saying something against the law.  They asked Him what is the most important commandment.
Jesus replied, "You must love the Lord God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important:  Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the other commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments."   Matthew 22:37-40

I love this so much.  I wish I could have witnessed that moment.  Jesus always had the perfect responses.  The truth wrapped up inside those verses speaks to the freedom, but also, the weight of joining the Kingdom of God.  
Forget your lists of wrongs and rights.  You don't need a page full of laws.  God is calling us into His love.  There is so much freedom in that.
But, at the same time.  Wow.
Love God with everything.
Love others as yourself.

So, Romans works through this message that Jesus brought.
We learn about loving God and giving all to Him.
Then, Romans chapter 12 steps it up with specifics - reality.
If everything is for God.
If we truly are going to love others...
I plead with you to give your bodies to God.  Let them be a living and holy sacrifice - the kind He will accept.  When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask?  Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.  - Romans 12:1-2

So, yep.  We get words like holy, sacrifice, transform.
We are offering ourselves to God.  We are giving Him control.  This is part of the Lordship of Jesus, but there is so much more to take from this passage.
Holy
We're going to spend some time with this, because holy is huge and feels huge.
Holy means to be set apart.
God is holy.  Nothing is like God or can compare to God.  He is truly perfect and to remain perfect must be separate from anything that is not.
Yes, so... we are called to live a holy life.  - We'll come back to that some more in a bit.

Sacrifice
Old Testament sacrifice meant giving an animal, an offering, in an act of repentance.  It was a way God made for His people to make temporary payment for sins.  A sacrifice was more about the heart than the physical, but the people were required to give of their best.  A sacrifice is supposed to dig in to what's yours, the parts you prefer to keep.  Sacrifice is not sharing from abundance, but giving from the core.
Jesus became the ultimate, once-and-for-all sacrifice for our sins.  As the perfect Lamb of God, God giving from the very core of Himself, He covered us.  Period.
Now, in return and in response, we are giving ourselves back to God.  Not to earn salvation, but because of it.  Not just Sundays, not just the fringe of life, but our whole selves - to the core.

This is big. This is hard, but God is in the midst of it.  And God can be trusted.  God loves us beyond comprehension, and giving yourself over to Him is the BEST thing you can do for yourself.
God - the omniscient, omnipresent - will guide your steps.

Jesus said, If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it.   But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. - Luke 9:24

The giving is hard, but the result is awesome!

Transform
Transformation is not going to come naturally.  It will come by choosing God.  The verse begins with a warning to not be conformed to the behavior and customs of this world.  So, basically the things you see around you, and possibly even your first inclination, could be wrong.  God is going to change the way you would normally do things.  Your actions and goals will likely look different than the common around you.  Paul says God will change the way you think - some translations say by the renewing of your mind.  Our days and lives are driven by our thoughts.  God wants to give us a new perspective, a new plan, a new vision.

--------------
All of this is then followed by a beautiful promise.  -It's one of the most sought after things of Christians - and actually all people. 
Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.
God's will.  His purpose for your life.
How many books have been written on this?  How many sermons spoken?
People are always seeking God's direction and leading in their lives.

Give your life to God and walk in obedience.
Obedience is the one piece of God's will we are clearly given.  Paul says once you have given yourself to God; when you are walking in that holy, transformed life, you will know.  
---------------

So, I'm thankful for this.  I want this.
But,
But - Holy.
The bar is clearly too high.
Right?
Well, God does not expect holiness to come out of our own efforts.  He is with us. We are in pursuit of this holy life.  The transformation is ongoing.

Holy = set apart.
One example we have of this is Daniel.  
God's people in the Old Testament were more or less "set apart" as a group.  God's nation was separate, and lived apart from others to follow God's laws.  When they were faithful to Him, He protected them from other nations.  When they were not obedient, He removed His protection. 
Daniel is an example, though, of a godly man who had to make his own choices to remain holy.
Daniel and other Jews were taken captive in Babylon.  Daniel was among a group of young men chosen to come and learn and work for King Nebuchadnezzar.

Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.  The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king.  - Daniel 1:3-5

Daniel's discipline and work ethic must have been obvious, because he was easily selected.  This deal at the palace would mean a big lifestyle change for these Jewish men.  The king's food would alter the diet these men had faithfully followed.  It likely even included meats that were prohibited by God's instructions.  Daniel requested a separate meal plan for himself and his three friends.  He convinced the attendant to do this for a trial period so Daniel could prove the diet would be beneficial.

At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.  So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the rich foods and wines.  God gave these four young men and unusal aptitude for learning the literature and science of the time.  And God gave Daniel a special ability in understanding the meaning of visions an dreams.  Daniel 1:15-17

Key points -  
- Daniel maintained obedience right in the middle of some tempting alternatives.  I'm sure whatever food the king was serving was yummy.  Daniel knew from experience why he needed to continue following God's plan.  His previous faithfulness gave him the willpower he needed in a more difficult situation.  God had prepared him.
- God's directions proved to be the healthier choice.
- God blessed the men, because of their obedience.  Their efforts were multiplied, and He gave them favor as they worked and studied.  Daniel even received a new ability that God would need him to use later.  (This is very similar to Jesus' parable of the talents in Matthew 25)

We see Daniel use this new talent in Daniel 2.  Daniel interprets the king's dream, because God reveals to him what it means.  Daniel continues to show his obedience and dependence on God by quickly giving God all the credit for the revelation:
"While Your Majesty was sleeping, you dreamed about coming events.  The revealer of mysteries has shown you what is going to happen.  And it is not because I am wiser than any living person that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wanted you to understand what you were thinking about." - Daniel 2:29-30

We see holiness in Daniel, because of his reliance on God.  His choices are directed by God, and he never even claims his success or talent as being his own.
Holiness and transformation are about emptying ourselves and allowing God in.  God is not going to mix and mingle with our selfishness.  When we clear away space for Him, He fills it.
Holiness is about being a vessel.

Daniel continues to show his faithfulness to God, and later in the book we read how others around him were jealous.  God protected and blessed Daniel, because of his obedience.  The king chose Daniel for more leadership, because Daniel was strong and trustworthy.  Jealousy made the other leaders look for something to bring against Daniel,
but they couldn't find anything to criticize.  He was faithful and honest and always responsible.  So they concluded, 'Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the requirements of his religion.' - Daniel 6:4b-5

Reputation.  As Christians, we should have this kind of reputation.  We are not going to be perfect.  We will make mistakes, but our reputation at work and with peers should be like Daniel's.  Faithful, honest, trustworthy.  Christians should be known for these qualities in all areas of life.  
To challenge Daniel, they would have to challenge his religion.  His life had demonstrated that that would be the only way he would falter.

So, as you know, Daniel does not falter.  He goes all the way to the lion's den for God.

Back to Romans

Paul gives us some specifics - not as a list of rules - but as a practical picture of what this living sacrifice, this holiness, will mean.
Romans chapters 12 - 15 are packed full of expectations.  
There are lots of example of loving others and putting others first.
He describes serving enthusiastically and not being lazy, being patient, staying in prayer, not arguing, not being judgmental, overcoming evil with good, respecting authority.
There is a lot packed into these 4 chapters (not going to type it all in here), but..

We have a high calling. Our commitment should set us apart.  The love of Christ inside of us should be evident.  Relationally, geographically we are not and should not be apart, but our choices and the depth of our love should be a light in a dark world.  (Matthew 5:14-16)

And, remember the promise:
Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is. - Romans 12:2

Choose This Day

The Promised Land.
After 40 years, a new generation could finally enter the land God had promised.

I love this story and reading about God's love through this time.  A constant, unwavering love of a Father.

This was a gift God had wanted to give so much sooner.
He rescued His people from slavery in Egypt through a series of miracles.  He brought them literally through the sea into safety, and showed His presence through constant guidance, protection, and provision.
His power and commitment were steady and clear.  They had a strong leader in Moses and a clear destination.
But...
In a matter of days, they were whining.
Complaining.  Doubting.  Retreating.  Even worshiping other gods.

In the wisdom of a Father, God orders a time-out.
The entire nation of God's people would spend 40 years in the desert.  The promise would have to wait for a new generation.
But, in His great love, God still provided for them every day.

Finally, Joshua would lead God's people into Canaan, the land He had promised.
Again, God proves Himself in mighty ways, and He even helps them establish memorials that will hold their short attention spans to God's power and provision.
The very beginning of their journey would be crossing the Jordan River.  A whole nation of people followed the priests and the Ark of the Covenant.  As soon as their feet stepped into the water, the water flow stopped, and the bed of the river became a dry path.

God was proving His power and faithfulness again to a new generation.
This time He added an order for Joshua to give:
So Joshua called together the twelve men and told them, "Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God.  Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder-twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes.  We will use these stones to build a memorial.  In the future, your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean to you?' Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord's covenant went across.'  These stones will stand as a permanent memorial among the people of Israel. - Joshua 4:4-7

God had seen His people forget so quickly.  He was trying to help them hold their focus.

Nothing stands between God's people as they enter the land.
Jericho falls.
They win every battle against every king.
They receive the promise.

Now, they have a land of freedom and everything they need to provide for themselves.
They have a relationship with a great, loving God.
The law has already been established, so they know how to live and continue in God's favor.

Joshua warns the people that they must keep their covenant with God, or they will lose His protection.
If you break the covenant of the Lord your God by worshiping and serving other gods, His anger will burn against you, and you will quickly be wiped out from the good land He has given you. - Joshua 23:16
So honor the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly.  Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt.  Serve the Lord alone.  But if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose this day whom you will serve.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  - Joshua 24:14-15

Serve.
A verb. 
Your service identifies your master.  You can say who your master is, but your actions will prove what is true.
If you don't choose your master and follow through in service.  Your service (actions of your life) will choose for you.

Joshua said, "Choose."
"Choose this day."
He set the example with "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
His actions were faithful to his word, and he helped God's people hold on to the covenant.
They did well as they followed Joshua, but lost track when he died. 

Godly leadership is important, but the choice and the follow-through are very personal.

Jesus said,
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. -Luke 16:13
Your actions have to follow your intentions.

Today is our day. 
Who are we choosing?
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. - Romans 10:9-10

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  Matthew 16:24-25

That is true service.  Giving up your life.  Dying to yourself.  Obedience to your master.
Jesus is Lord.
Have you confessed Him as Lord?
So, I ask myself...
Are you serving?  Does His Lordship impact your daily decisions?
Is God in charge of your priorities?


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The Promised Land had a good start.  God's people held their covenant for a time, but again we saw them drift.  
Distracted.  Shifting priorities.
Sounds familiar.  It still happens now.

In Colossians, Paul writes to the church at Colosse, and he tells them to also share it with the church in Laodicea.  He commends them for their faithful service, but sets a clear warning.  The church was starting to waiver on some of their teaching.  They were beginning to blend their beliefs with other religions and philosophies.  It was subtle, but Paul knew the danger.

I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many others who have never known me personally.  My goal is that they will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have full confidence because they have complete understanding of God's secret plan, which is Christ himself.  In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  I am telling you this so that no one will be able to deceive you with persuasive arguments.   Colossians 2:1-4
Let your roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him, so you will grow in faith, strong and  vigorous in the truth you were taught.  Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all He has done. 
Don't let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.  For in Christ the fullness of God lives, and you are complete through your union with Christ.  He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.  Colossians 2:6-9
Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise.  Use His words to teach and counsel each other.  Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the Father. - Colossians 3:16-17

Paul knew the threat that was surrounding these churches.  They were not being persecuted - that often causes a boldness. 
The threat was the subtle persuasion.  The mixing of beliefs.  A silent battle of two masters.

Colossians - written about A.D. 60

A.D. 95
Revelation - Jesus gives John letters for seven churches
One of them - Laodicea.  Paul had warned them, and now...
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Revelation 3:14-22

35 years later.  A slow fade.  They had been warned.  Jesus said you cannot serve two masters.  

A mixture of hot and cold = lukewarm.

Choose this day whom you will serve.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.

And remember the game changer - The Holy Spirit.

The Spirit is the reason we can now have victory.  The Spirit enables us to serve.

Salvation in Jesus, not only brought us back into relationship with God, but we have been adopted as God's children.  His very presence lives in us and through us.

So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves.  You should behave instead like God's very own children, adopted into His family - calling Him "Father, dear Father".  For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.  And since we are His children, we will share His treasures - for everything God gives to His Son, Christ is ours, too.  But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. - Romans 8:15-17

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."

Choose This Day