Ready, aim, fire!
Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Joshua 4, 5, 6
Joshua 6:20-21 (NIV)
20 When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city. 21 They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it – men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.
Psalm 100 (NIV)
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God, It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. 5 For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.
Good morning!
How much do you trust in the Lord? Listen to my words and ask yourself again: How much do you really trust Him?
When the Lord told Joshua to take the city of Jericho, He said, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands.” The battle had already been won! Still, the Lord commanded the Israelites to take their armed men and march around the city once, for six days in a row, as the seven priests carried their rams’ horn trumpets in front of the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times, while the priests blew the trumpets. At the long blast, the people were commanded to shout to the Lord and watch how He would take out the wall of the city so they could enter in.
I’ve been running into brick walls most of my life. I must be a real glutton for punishment! I take a good, hard look at the problem that is placed in my path, and with great determination, I assess the issue, place a helmet of protection on my head, clinch my fists and take off running toward the wall with every ounce of strength I have. I’m determined to take that wall out. Unfortunately for me, when I try to do it on my own steam, I invariably end up hitting the bricks full force, only to bounce off the wall and land with my face in the mud. I realize that I didn’t even leave a mark! However, I allowed that wall to leave a permanent mark on me.
If God knows our need before we ask; if He has a plan to help us bring down the walls that separate us from Him, why is it that we try to take the walls down on our own and not place our total trust Him to lead? Can you identify a wall or two that you are up against this morning? Do you have a plan on how to take it down?
I live approximately 1/2 mile from Faith Church. I can walk to worship on Sunday mornings. As I move along the sidewalk, I see the evidence of a brand new day dawning. My neighbors are waking up. Some are sitting on their porches, drinking coffee and reading the paper. Others are letting their dogs out for a romp in the back yard. Many are hopping into their cars to head out for the day. In every home, there is a precious family that the Lord loves. He sees their need and He waits for us to reach out to them in Christian love. Do you ever pray for the people in your path? We may not always know the walls they face; yet, we know that God knows and if we obey Him, we will march around our subdivision, blanketing each home in prayer, as we wait for the Lord’s magnificent lead.
I like making noise for Jesus. I am learning day by day how to hand Him the walls I face in life. He knows my need. The solution is already there. He understands the things I face and expects that I will trust Him enough to go before me to lead the way. Prayer is the powerful weapon that allows God to take the walls out for us. When we pray, seeking His will for our life, and as we intercede for our neighbors’ salvation, we can trust that He will bring these walls down around our feet. We can march over the rubble, reach out, and take the hand of a precious child and introduce them to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Do you think the walls in your life are just too big? Remember, with God, all things are possible. Take your wall to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to remove the barrier so that you share the Good News with others. Pray, pray and pray! Pray until you hear the Lord tell you to shout it out! When you wait for His lead, and act when He says to go, He will make a way! It's shouting time!
Ready, aim, fire!
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com
Pray for: patience! Pray without ceasing! Wait for it, and when He says to go, GO! Shout to the Lord this morning! Will you pray for the salvation of your neighbor today?
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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