Off to the women's retreat
Today I'm leaving for up north. Beautiful Covenant Pines. I haven't been up there since the women's retreat I attended two years ago. I know there are new buildings and facilities. I look forward to eating in the new dining hall (I did eat in there last time) and enjoying the beauty of God's handiwork at the spacious grounds nestled between two beautiful lakes. We can watch the sun set over Round Lake and gather around bon fires or the huge fire place in the retreat center.

We will enjoy fellowship, worship time, small group discussion and quiet time, as well as games and activities. It will be a time of refreshment and rest (well, refreshment any way!).

Can't wait.

Till next time,


Suzi
- posted by Suzi @ 6:47 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 11
Today's Scripture

The battle against the enemies of Israel continues. Joshua faces a mighty foe as kings and kingdoms of the north unite to wage war with Israel. But God gives Joshua the courage and strength to press on to victory--these wars are fought by the Lord--Joshua and his warriors are only instruments in his hands.

Finally, after defeating and destroying many cities and people, the land is at rest and at peace. It took a long time and a lot of hard work, but the battles were finally over.

We may be facing our own battles today--battles that seem to have no end. But with the Lord as our guide, we can persevere and follow his marching orders, till he leads us to a time of rest. We must only trust his command and follow his heart.
- posted by Suzi @ 6:43 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 10:29-43
Today's Scripture

Joshua and his army defeated and destroyed the armies of all the southern cities of Canaan. No survivors are left--everyone was killed, and the Lord fought for the Israelites.

It seems like a harsh way to come into a country and claim it as your own, but God has his purposes. Rather than focus on the destruction and killing, which we may not be able to understand, we should focus on God's mighty hand giving victory to his people when they completely trusted in him.

This same God that defeated the enemies of old can defeat enemies we face today. Our enemies may not be ones of flesh and blood--but can perhaps be self-doubt, jealousy, pettiness, unkindness, adultery, laziness, workaholism, or a number of other things. God wants us to seek after his heart and give us victory over evil. We just have to make him commander and chief of the army of our heart.
- posted by Suzi @ 5:08 PM 0 comments

 
Joshua 10:16-28
Today's Scripture

The purging of the land of Canaan continues as Joshua and the armies pursue the inhabitants of the new land. The kings of the peoples are not spared--even though they flee to a cave, Joshua gathers them up and puts them to the sword.

God's judgment is harsh--his orders are clear in the case of Israel entering the new land. He must be God of the people--they must not succumb to worship of foreign gods.

This is symbolic of the cutting out of sins in our own lives. It is often painful, but necessary. To make us holy, we must often must give up things that we love that aren't good for us. As we trust God, he will become Lord of our lives and bring us into the path that is best for us.
- posted by Suzi @ 1:36 PM 0 comments

 
Joshua 10:1-15

Today's Scripture

Joshua is given a new challenge as five kings and their armies come to attack Gibeon for making an alliance with Israel. Joshua comes to their aid, and the Lord is with him. He gives him victory, and even sends a hailstorm ahead of the Israelites, so that more men are killed by the hail than by the sword of Israel.

An amazing sign is given as Joshua asks that the sun stand still and that the moon stop. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down for a full day. Nothing like that had happened before or since--this was truly a sign that God was with his people!

We don't see a sign like this in our day, but God has given us his Son as a sacrifice for our sins, and he gives his Holy Spirit to live within us. How much better is this than the sun stopping for a time--we have the Son of God living in our hearts!

- posted by Suzi @ 8:43 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 9
News of the Israelites and the power of their God was spreading throughout the new land. When the Gibeonites heard of it, they took a new tactic--instead of attacking them, they pretended to be coming from a far land, dressed in worn clothing, and carried old provisions as they went to meet them.

Israel inspected their items, but didn't inquire of the Lord. They decided to grant a peace treaty with them--yet in a few days they discovered that they were really neighbors.

The Gibeonites were spared their lives, but they became woodcutters and water carriers for the Israelites.

This is an interesting story of grace upon a people who were not among God's chosen. Even though we read of the severe consequences of deceit and thievery among God's people, we see here a picture of his mercy. We who have knowledge, should heed God's teachings. Fortunately, through the shed blood of Christ, we can all know his grace and forgiveness. How much better, though, to follow the way he has for us then to wander and fall!
- posted by Suzi @ 12:02 PM 0 comments

 
Joshua 8:30-35
Today's Scripture

The people rededicated themselves to the Lord after this battle had been won. They had had tremendous victory, followed by bitter defeat and anguish as one of their own was discovered to have disobeyed--and the punishment--death--was indeed severe. Now they are on a path of obedience and Joshua builds an altar to the Lord, copies the 10 commandments onto stone, and reads the Book of the Law to all those assembled--including all the blessings and curses.

When we are tempted to stray from the Lord, it is good to look back into his word and remember how he has blessed us, and recall too, what the consequences of sin really are. If his abundant blessings are not enough to cause us to follow him, perhaps the results of disobedience may be. As we read his word, let us heed what the Lord tells us.
- posted by Suzi @ 10:17 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 8:1-29
Today's Scripture

After the incident with Achan, the Israelites were ready to listen to God's orders and obey. They came back to the city of Ai and this time carried through with God's plan. A group of them marched up to the city, then retreated, drawing the men of Ai into an ambush. Meanwhile, others of the Israelite soldiers took the city and set it on fire. The men in the ambush were trapped and perished that day.

The Israelites carried out God's orders after their tragic earlier disobedience. As we go about our lives today, hopefully we can live out God's plan without suffering through disobedient tragedies. God is a loving and forgiving God, but how much better if we live a life of obedience and know that we can trust him as he leads us with his plan for our lives.
- posted by Suzi @ 6:23 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 7
Today's Scripture

God takes sin very seriously. As he was establishing his nation, Israel, in a new land, he needed to make sure they were obedient to him. One man had taken a robe and silver from the spoils of Jericho and hidden them. The consequence was the Israelites losing in battle and losing their confidence in the new land.

But that was not all. Achan confessed to his misdeed, and he, his family, and his animals were stoned and then burned. What a terrible lesson for Israel to learn.

As a parent, I know that sometimes harsh consequences are called for when our children rebel. It is not easy to administer this, and I am glad that I'm not parenting alone. My husband is my partner, and God is my guide. Thankfully now, we have the cross and the forgiveness of sins through Christ for any sin. Still, consequences are necessary at times and often painful. I'm glad that even though we suffer with the results of wrong choices, God can still draw us back to himself through the love of Christ and his sacrifice.
- posted by Suzi @ 6:40 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 6
Today's Scripture

God's ways certainly are not our ways. Most of us probably would not have guessed the way to overtake a city was to march around it for seven days, and on the seventh day, to march around it seven times, shout, and watch the walls come tumbling down. And would we have heeded the call to destroy every living thing--man or woman, young or old--human or animal?

But God didn't want the Israelites to be tainted by any of the sinful ways of the people of Jericho. He wanted them to trust him and follow his ways--even if it didn't seem to make sense. He rescued Rahab and her family because of her faithfulness to God and her protection of the Israelite spies.

When we don't understand God's methods, we need to trust in his love for us. A popular song says, "when you can't see his hand, trust his heart." God loves us even more than we can understand. He sees the big picture--we only see what's right in front of us, which may be fuzzy or cloudy. The Father knows best.
- posted by Suzi @ 4:38 PM 0 comments

 
Joshua 5:13-15
Today's Scripture

In times of conflict, especially in times when we may feel like we are the losing team in a spiritual or physical battle, we may ask--whose side is God on? If we deem ourselves to be godly people, and our opponents as ungodly, we most likely assume God is on our side. Yet, when we feel defeated, even though we strive to please God, we may wonder.

But we are asking the wrong question. The question isn't, "Whose side is God on?" but "Whose side am I on?" God doesn't take sides, as evident in this encounter between Joshua and the angel of the Lord. He was not for one army or another. He wanted his people to follow him and his path. He wanted them to put their complete trust in him--to follow in a path of holiness.

Too often we choose our own way and ask God to bless us, when we go the opposite way of what, deep inside, we know he wants for us. We need to come before him in reverence and awe, bowing before him as we look for his will for our lives. Let's ask the question, "whose side am I on?" instead of asking God to join us in our selfish activities.

- posted by Suzi @ 5:04 PM 0 comments

 
Joshua 5:1-11
Today's Scripture

Israel had now crossed over the Jordan, but God had more work for them to do before they could begin taking the land as their own. Part of the transition of included circumcising all the men. Those who had been circumcised in Egypt had all died, because of their unfaithfulness to the Lord in the desert. A new generation had come up, and it was time for them to be consecrated to the Lord.

Circumcising all these men and boys put the who Israeli camp in a vulnerable state. Before they could go on, they had to take several days to heal. But God was faithful, and Israel put its trust in him. The nations were afraid of Israel and the God of Israel, so they did not bother them.

Passover was celebrated, and after this the people ate of the produce of the new land. The manna that God had supplied in the desert for food for 40 years stopped, since the people could now find food in their new home.

God has many ways to provide for our needs. Sometimes he intervenes miraculously, as in the case of the protection of the Israelites during the circumcision healing and the providing of manna every day. Other times he provides, and we need to work to secure his provision. Either way, we need to trust in him and seek his wisdom for how he would have us live our lives.

- posted by Suzi @ 8:29 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 4
Today's Scripture

Some people are saying that the hurricane disaster that has totally devastated New Orleans is due to the sin of the people. New Orleans has been known for its wild living, especially during Mardi Gras, after all. The judgment of God has come upon the wicked, they say.

Well, all of us are deserving of death--it is only through the grace of God in providing Jesus as our Savior that we are rescued. As I read of the story of the Israelites crossing the Jordan, I see that the ark of the covenant went before them, remained in the river until all of them had crossed, then as the ark returned to the shore, the people set up stones as a monument to the Lord, thanking him for his provision.

The Lord could dry up New Orleans in an instant, too. Perhaps he is waiting for people to turn to him--to put him in the center of their lives as the ark was in the center of the Jordan. Even though the city will take years to rebuild--if we all turn to God in humility and prayer, he can rebuilding our souls and lives, filling them with his purpose when all around us seems despairing and meaningless. He is the God of hope in hopeless circumstances. I pray the people of New Orleans and other areas affected by hurricane Katrina will turn to God and find peace in him, our only true solace.
- posted by Suzi @ 6:37 AM 0 comments

 
Joshua 3
Today's Scripture

It seems to me that we hear a lot more about the crossing of the Red Sea in Moses' day than we do the crossing of the Jordan River on dry ground. Both events were orchestrated by God--both to bring the people closer to their destiny in the land that God had promised.

This time they are not being pursued by an army, but they are forming an army that will take over the new land. The ark of the Covenant goes before them, leading the way into their new land.

What faith it must have taken to step into the Jordan at flood stage! As I write this, people in New Orleans are suffering terribly during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Not only was New Orleans affected, but thousands and perhaps millions of people in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.

The ark of the covenant may not be physically visible in our day, but the hand of God is still evident. God works through his people, and many are helping with financial gifts or donations of food and water. Others are donating their time to help rescue and help survivors.

The God who is the Lord of rivers and oceans and hurricanes has power to restore. Let us seek to be part of his healing and restoring power among those who are hurting.
- posted by Suzi @ 7:12 AM 0 comments