Find Your Strength

David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

1 Samuel 30:6

One of the things I like about David was his realness. You know, he was distressed because his men, his followers, were thinking of stoning him. I would be too. But what made David a man after God's own heart, different than Saul, was that in that moment of stress he found his strength in God. He still had to seek the Lord about what to do. There was still a battle to be fought. He would have to make some discussions that would not please everyone, but he found his strength in the Lord his God.

The lesson for us is that we can find strength in the Lord our God in the circumstances we are facing today. What is the battle you find yourself in the middle of? Maybe you just went through a trial and you've been hit with another crisis with no time to rest. Time to find your strength in the Lord your God. Like David you might find yourself the focal point of blame. Time to find your strength in the Lord your God. No matter why or how you find yourself in a trial, remember: find your strength in the Lord your God. Seek him and fight on in Jesus' Name.

Find Refuge

Lord, thank you for being our Refuge, Savior, and Deliverer. Be with us and protect us this week. Give us strength to fight the good fight. Remind us of your love for us. Praise be to you in us today!

Be Battle Tested and Taught

These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan  (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): ... They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.

Judges 3:1-2,4

Sometimes we like to paint a picture of Christianity like it makes life easy. We forget that Christianity is life as it truly is. In the third chapter of Judges the Israelites are confronted with the reality that there would be warfare. 

I see three things from this passage; there will be warfare, warfare has a purpose and God wants us to have victory. For every nation back at the time of the judges warfare was just what you did. Even during the time of David the spring was when kings went out to war (1 Chronicles 20:1). Jesus warned his disciples that the world would hate them because the world hates him (John 15:18ff). We live in a world that is constantly trying to destroy our faith. 

Warfare tests us and warfare tests our faith. God does not test us to see if we will fail or not, he tests us to reveal himself and strengthen our faith. Sometimes when you work out you see how far you can go, how much you can lift, how much you can endure. You push yourself to strengthen yourself. God allows us to experience battles to strengthen us and show us his faithfulness. 

Jesus told us, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).  Psalm 60:11-12 encourages us to pray, "Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies." Paul tells us, "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin in the law. Bu thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:56-57). The apostle John proclaims, "for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4). 

There will be spiritual warfare. You will struggle. You will battle. You, by faith in Christ, will have victory, knowing Christ and the power of his resurrection in deeper and deeper ways. 

Keep Holding Tight

But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now.

Joshua 23:8

Sometimes we just need to remember to hold on to the Lord our God, not ourselves, not our own wisdom and understanding, just remember to hold on to the Lord. 

Joshua and the Israelites had been taking the land. Under Joshua's leadership they were learning that God was faithful to fight their battles for them. Joshua knew his time was just about up and he would soon go see the Lord. He gives the Israelites good advice. Keep holding fast to the Lord. 

Isn't it easy after you have had some victories to sort of take your foot of the gas? Maybe make a few "treaties" with the enemy, let down your guard. But, Joshua told the people to keep holding fast. Thanking God for the victories and remembering that it's all about the Lord's faithfulness. 

Hold tight because the Lord is holding on to you!

Drive Them Out

Joshua was telling the tribes of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, that even though the enemy was well equipped and strong, with God's help, they could take them. Here's the deal: we often look at the strength of the enemy that is all around us and fail to know that God and his army is all around them. Greater is he that is with us than he that is in the world! Yes, the enemy will resist, but God will grant the victory.

Remember, there are areas of our lives that God wants us to live by faith in. Our marriages, families, finances and more, are areas that he should be reigning. There may be struggles but, his peace should reign. So, go ahead and take the land and through prayer and faithful obedience, drive out the enemy.

Battle Up

Leave No Survivors

So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 

Joshua 10:40

Joshua and Israel were taking the land the God had promised. They had just been tricked by the Gibeonites and made a treaty with them. They had to defend the Gibeonites because of it. They had to expend their time and effort defending them rather than taking the land. So, from then on Joshua made sure to obey the Lord and totally destroyed their enemies. Remember God was judging the inhabitants of the land because their sin was so great. 

The idea I want to hit on this morning is that like Joshua we need to leave no survivors and totally destroy all who breathe, so to speak. Of course I'm not saying to physically attack non-believers. Paul teaches us to "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). Those are strong words. 

I seem to gather stuff on my desk and every now and then I just have to take stock of it all and toss some stuff out because it's not useful and in the way. Spiritually, we need to take stock of things and see if there is anything we need to get rid of. We need to check and see if there are any "survivors" of things that should not be in our lives. I think this is a normal part of being a Christian over time. Has any "enemy" snuck back in or have we allowed some things to just hang around? Are we making "treaties" with some enemies? If something is popping up in your mind maybe it's time to go to battle...

In the Battle Today, God is Your Shield

Today, you will be in a battle. Remember, God, who is your strong deliverer will shield you. The battle may be fierce or it may be subtle, because we live in a world that at it's very center seeks to undermine and destroy every true perception and any hint of authentic worship of the One true God. But our God is the Sovereign LORD, our strong deliverer and he shields us in the day of battle. 

Only God Can Fix It

When Moses reported this to all the Israelites, they mourned bitterly. Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, “Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!”

Numbers 14:39-40

This is a bit of a warning to start of the work week. I want to point out two things  about their reaction to God dealing with their unbelief, which is sin and then remind us that God is still Sovereign and gracious.

First, notice that the Israelites didn't deal with their sin as he commanded. Yes, they admitted that they sinned, but, they didn't go to the tabernacle and offer the proper sacrifice. That's what God had commanded them to do with regards to their sin.

Second, they did what we do, tried to fix it by themselves. They just decided that they would go ahead and take the land. Well, no. They needed to deal with their sin. And just like us, if we don't deal with it God's way, we will face defeat.

Now, it isn't that God didn't want to forgive them, because he did. God always wants to restore us, to bring us back to himself. But, it must be on his terms. When I read the Old Testament it's easy to say they didn't have the Holy Spirit indwelling them like we do, or to just write off their stubborn refusal to trust God and obey his commandments as and Old Testament issue. But, quite frankly, what's my excuse? I have the Holy Spirit, the New Testament, access to great teaching, the Bible in a myriad of translations including the original, and yet... I sometimes still struggle to believe God is able and seek to do things my own way. 

What I have, what we have, is access to the throne of grace where Christ, our Lord and Savior, sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. So, as we go into battle with the world around us and we fight the good fight within ourselves and around us, let us seek the Lord for his strength, grace, forgiveness and love. 

Battle On, Lift Up Your Hands

As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 

Exodus 17:11 NIV

Joshua led the army and fought the battle, yet the focus of this narrative is Moses holding his arms up to the Lord, interceding, if you will. Later in the chapter the Lord  tells Moses to make sure that Joshua hears about it. 

The lesson for Joshua was that it was the Lord who gave him the victory. As Moses, Aaron and Hur recounted the day to Joshua, recalling when Moses' arms lowered and they lifted them back up, Joshua remembered how the battle took its ups and downs. It was a lesson I believe he learned and knowing that it was God who fought his battles gave him the courage to lead the Israelites when Moses died. 

The lesson for us is that while we may think we are all alone in the battle Christ is interceding for us (Hebrews 7:25) and the battle is not just us, but the Lord with us. Christ is always interceding for us and the good news is that he never gets tired. There is one other part of the lesson and that is that sometimes we are called to lift up holy hands in prayer for someone we know who is in a battle, to be the intercessor. So, battle on and lift you hands in prayer to those you know in the battle they are fighting.

Stand Strong and Battle On!

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Timothy 4:18 NIV

We are in a war. Some battles are longer than others. You might feel like you're in a WW1 trench warfare type extended battle. It will end. God will be victorious. 

In Paul's battles he was shipwrecked, beaten and left for dead. Yet, in the end, he could say that God would rescue him from every evil attack and bring him safely to his heavenly kingdom. 

Whatever the battles, the evil attacks, God will rescue you and bring into his heavenly kingdom. Stand strong and battle on!

The Battle Was Won on the Cross

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 7:24-25 NIV

Tomorrow we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every day a battle is waged within us. But every battle has been won on the cross. Today we remember that Christ paid the price so that we might live by faith in him. 

I think we all feel the battle that Paul shares with us in Romans chapter 7. We wish that we could claim the victory and never have to fight the battle again, but, that is just not the way it is. We are called to fight the good fight and remember, every day, that Jesus rescues us from this body of death. Everyday we are reminded of his grace and his mercy, his forgiveness and faithfulness. 

Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!

By His Might

David wanted to be saved and he wanted to be vindicated. He knew if either of those were going to happen it had to be by God's hand, by God's MIGHT in his life. David might fight the battle but he knew it was God working through him that would bring the victory. 

I've coached several of my kid's sports teams. Every now and then there are a few kids who are just sort of there. Maybe their parents made them participate, but, clearly it wasn't their idea. Once I was coaching a soccer team and a couple of girls were out on the pitch and the ball went by them and they didn't even notice because they were so engrossed in their eleven year old girl conversation, intently listening to each and giving each other their full attention. Both girl's parents were screaming, "Get the ball! Stop talking and get the ball!!" (Yes, one was mine.) They both jerked to attention and ran futilely after the ball.  

Here's the deal: we must realize that we are in a spiritual battle and that our victory is in Christ in order to attain the victory. We must look to God, because the victory is by his name and by his might, not ours. It is easy to get sidetracked and distracted and miss what God has for you. Sometimes God will use something to sort of jolt you to get your attention refocused on the spiritual battle you are in. Refocus and get after what ever God has before you!

God Gives the Victory

You are my King and my God,
   who decrees victories for Jacob.
Through you we push back our enemies;
   through your name we trample our foes.
I do not trust in my bow,
   my sword will not bring me victory;
but you give us victory over our enemies,
   you put our adversaries to shame.
In God we make our boast all day long,
   and we will praise your name forever.
                                                   Selah
Psalm 44:4-8

Who do I trust? I'm in a little battle right now and the question is: do I trust in my ability to finagle my way through the situation, or, am I going to trust God to open the door and make a way?

I guess the way I look at it is if I were in a real battle I would fight the enemy who was in front of me. So, if God puts something in front of me I should "attack" it, if not, I just lob some prayers into the fray. 

The truth that I need to remember is that it is God who gives the victory. 

It's Time to Contend for Your Faith

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 

Jude 1:3 (NIV)

Amongst the intellectual elite, the press and many average citizens Christianity is considered an obsolete myth. It is also to blame, according to some, for most of the evils of the day. Somehow churches who have always fed and cared for the homeless are evil. Missionaries who seek to love the world in Jesus' name are just part of an imperialistic western world. Telling someone that Jesus loves them and can free them from the chains of sin is an evil of unspeakable terms.

Why aren't we standing up to these lies? I think we just don't really recognize that we have a president that says we aren't a Christian nation and public education is run by people who want to erase Christianity and the rid the world of its' influence. I have interacted with quite a few "atheists" on Google+. They all want to blame the god they don't believe in for the problems they have created. Mankind will shake it's fist at the God who sent his one and only Son to save them from death and sin. It's time for us to realize the world needs to hear the gospel despite it's hatred for God.   

I think most of us will naturally avoid conflict if we can. I understand that. I just don't think we can avoid this conflict any longer. It's time to contend for your faith.

Do You Feel Like You Look Like You're Losing?

My wife hates it, but I like watching MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fights. At the end of the match they interview the combatants and by the looks on their faces (the cuts and bruises) it's not always apparent who the winner was. Sometimes the battle with the flesh and the world leaves us a little beat up. You may stop for a moment and look at yourself and feel pretty beat up and think you must be losing this fight. Remember, our salvation protects us. The battle is ultimately God's and he is faithful to bring us through. 

But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
   may your salvation, God, protect me. 
I will praise God’s name in song
   and glorify him with thanksgiving.
This will please the Lord more than an ox,
   more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
The poor will see and be glad—
   you who seek God, may your hearts live!
The Lord hears the needy
   and does not despise his captive people.
Psalms 69:29-33 (NIV)

Thank you, Father, that you hear our prayers and you don't despise us. Praise be to you and the victory you give in us!

Know God is Your Mighty Warrior

But the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior;
   so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. 
They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced;
   their dishonor will never be forgotten.
Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous
   and probe the heart and mind,
   let me see your vengeance on them,
   for to you I have committed my cause. 
Sing to the Lord!
Give praise to the Lord!
He rescues the life of the needy 
   from the hands of the wicked.
Jeremiah 20:11-13 (NIV) 

Jeremiah sought to do what God had called him to do even though he met with unbearable opposition. His own people just didn't want to hear the truth. The whole country basically hated to see him coming because he constantly reminded them of their sins. To say he might feel like it was him against the world is truly an understatement of Biblical proportions!

Despite the constant opposition Jeremiah reminded himself that it was God that fought his battles and God who they were actually struggling with. Jeremiah did ask to see God's vengeance upon them. I'm comforted by that because I believe I should be gracious with others because God is so gracious to me, yet, sometimes I just want God to squish some people. I think it's all right to sometimes ask God to show you that those that oppose your godly actions reap what they sow. 

The truth for us is that during the daily battles of our faith we can remember that it is God that fights the battle, he is our mighty warrior.

Father, be our mighty warrior today! Open our eyes to see that greater is he that is within us than he that is in the world. Praise be to you in us today!

Don't Be Crazy

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

2 Peter 1:5-7 (NIV)

When I was in college I played goalie for the soccer team. It was a small school and we played in a league that had several semi-pro type players. One game against a team that called themselves the Pars got pretty physical and the ref warned everyone (mostly this one guy from the other team) that he would call the game if it got out of hand. 

Shortly into the second half the ref awarded the Pars a free kick. The player from the other team who was player just shy of dirty, thought it should have been a penalty kick. While he was complaining we blocked their attempt and went down and scored. Crazy guy "attempted" to block a pass from our best player and kicked him full force in the shin. The ref blew the whistle and called the game. 

Crazy out of control guy was just getting warmed up. He was yelling at the ref and his entire team was trying to restrain him from attacking the ref. He broke free, ran directly at the ref, jumped in the air and kicked the ref square in the chest. Crazy out of control guy and his team were kicked out of the league. 

Proverbs 25:28 warns, "Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." If you don't have self-control, you have no defense. While crazy guy was busy complaining about the call, we scored. Sometimes we do that too, don't we. Something happens and we start complaining (maybe just to ourselves) but, we get distracted from the battle at hand, our defenses are down like broken walls, and the enemy can walk right in. 

Self-control is knowing that God is Sovereign and acting like it even when we don't see exactly see or discern what God is doing. 

Father, help us to by faith be self-controlled. Praise be to you in us today!

WHAT MATTERS IS THE TRUTH

 O Lord, how many are my foes!
   How many rise up against me!
Many are saying of me,
   “God will not deliver him.”
But you, Lord, are a shield around me, O LORD;
   you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the LORD,and he I cry aloud,
   and he answers me from his holy hill.
Psalms 3:1-4 (NIV)

It doesn't matter what people say, what matters it the truth. The truth is that God is our shield, he will deliver us, and he will answer us from his holy hill!

GOT SELF-CONTROL?

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 

I Peter 5:8

The first thing I want to point out is that if the God, in his Word, tells you to do something, then you can do it. So, if the Bible says to be self-controlled (sober-minded in the ESV) then you can have control of yourself. That doesn't mean you won't be tempted. It just means you can choose to keep your mind clear. The idea of being sober in contrast to drunk is pretty clear. When something else is influencing your mind, your decision making and your ability to foresee danger will be weakened or nullified. 

Having control of your mind is really what the enemy wants. If the devil, because that is our enemy, can get you to make decisions based upon desires and fears then he knows you won't make them by faith in Christ. 

Our job is to be self-controlled and alert and to do that we need to be acting in faith, humbly seeking Christ. Casting our cares upon him because we know he cares for us is part of the process. The enemy is roaring, trying to distract us and we need to stay focused on the truth that God loves us and is Sovereign over all. 

Jesus, we cast our cares upon you. Thank you that you are Sovereign and reign over all and will work all things for our good. Praise be to you in us today!