365 Reflections

How do we know where we belong in life?  It is the great question many ask, is it not? Accompanied with that question is the resident fear that we may not be living up to the fullest of our potential. I'm sure you can relate. For that reason we may need to take a close look at what happens in Joshua 18. Once again the people have stagnated from occupying the land. Listen to Joshua's speech: Joshua 18:3–4 (ESV)  So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you? 4 Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me. Joshua instructs them it's TIME TO MOVE. This need of instigation to capture what was theirs by promise has become a recurring theme for Israel. It is getting a bit redundant. The...

In Numbers 20 things don't go much better from Moses' failure to the next scene. Miriam dies in verse 1, Moses fails to honor God and loses out on the Promised Land and now another setback looms on the horizon. Moses has to lead the people of Israel through the territory of Edom. These are the descendants of Esau, the brother of Jacob. Most are familiar with the heated nature of that relationship but also how the two brothers resolved their differences in the end.  Moses knows well this tenuous relationship and acts incredibly diplomatic sending a nicely worded transcription to Edom's leaders. Numbers 20:14–17 (ESV)   Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: “Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the hardship that we have met: 15 how our fathers went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt a long time. And the Egyptians dealt harshly with us and our fathers. 16 And when we cried to the Lord , he heard our voice and sent an angel and brough...

1 Timothy 4:16 (ESV) Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. Timothy is a Pastor struggling through his Pastorate of an important Early Church.  He's dealing with false teachers, arguing over silly myths, and to top it off: looking down on him for his age.  Paul gives the young disciple much needed advice.   When your surrounded by doubters, look at yourself.  Keep watch on yourself.  It's not about what they say, it's about what you do!   It can be summed up in two words: GET BUSY. You don't have to prove yourself by arguing.  Words on the defensive rarely convince anyone.  So Paul gives Timothy a great word of wisdom: "Set an example" (VERSE 12).  Let these haters see your earnest energetic endless work for God!  It will speak for itself and keep you on track! So Timothy... Lead!   VERSE 11: "Command an...