Legal Permission to Build God's Temple

Ezra 6
Background:Atleast 3 books are running in parallel to this book of Ezra that I read. The book of Nehemiah, Haggai and Zechariah. As the Israelites began their spiritual journey back to their God, with the rebuilding of the temple of their Living God under the leadership of 2 great leaders God has raised up for them, Ezra the priest and Nehemiah the governor, the enemies did not like the idea of Israelites rebuilding the temple of their God.

The Bible says "Ezra 4:4 "Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. [a] 5 They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia." The opposition worked, not only during the reign of King of Cyrus but through the reign of king Xerxes and Artaxerxes until King Darius arrived on the throne. Though the opposers might have thought they had brought to halt the work of God when Artaxerxes sent a decree refraining the Israelites from building the temple of God " Ezra 4:24 "Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."

It might have seemed to the enemy they had won, when the work stopped, the Bible records "Ezra 5:5 "But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received. " So the Israelites continued to work with the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. This time, the governor of Trans-Euphrates , Tattenai's attention came upon the Israelites who were still working at the temple. He sent the right letter to King Darius, seeking, whether King Cyrus had really sent a decree to rebuild the temple of the Israelites' God. What happened after Tattenai's letter reached King Darius is so glorious, I think you should read it yourself , here.

Lessons

• Activate God's divine intervention through obedience to His Word-All this while, atleast for the past 400yrs or so the Israelites had been running away, in disobedience, from God and they saw defeat upon defeat till they lost the kingdom. As they started returning to God, God began to intervene and change their lives into a blessing. He changed the heart of King Cyrus to give them authority to build the temple and now He moved King Darius' heart to affirm the decree King Cyrus had given, with even more fervour. As we walk in obedience toward God, we get closer into God's intervention so that our lives may be transformed and God will not leave any stone unturned, in order for His good pleasing and perfect for our lives to be completed.
• Hurdles are not road blocks-When the Israelites started rebuilding the temple of God, their enemies discouraged them, defamed them even to bring their work to a halt for a time, but God kept watching His people and did not rest until the hurdle was overcome, until Darius' response had come(Ezra 5:5). When we are at God's work, in obedience to God, there will be many hurdles the enemy places in our paths to prevent us from running the race that is set before us. However God knows, He watches over us and will not rest until the solution for our situation has come to us.
• Legal Permission to Rebuild-It was God's desire to rebuild the temple of God for the Israelites, then. Even so for us, God desires for us to rebuild His body, His temple, us, the body of Christ. God desires ever so greatly that every soul be reunited to His body and we have a permission to rebuild. King Darius sent out a decree, saying no one should hinder the Israelites from working on the temple, infact the Israelites should be provided for their need from the national treasury, everything they need to rebuild the temple. Can you imagine that, Persia(Iran) paying Israelites to rebuild God's temple!!!
• When God's in the middle of the work, your provisions are taken care of- Darius declared Ezra 6:8"v8 The expenses of these men are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop" God is able to provide for all the needs we might have during the rebuilding of His temple, from treasuries you never thought of.

Conclusion:Through this reading of Ezra 6 a great revelation dawned on me. We have a legal permission and calling to build the temple of the Living God. Jesus commanded Mark 16:15 "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

Our King Lord Jesus has given out a decree Matthew 28:19-20 "19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." And all our needs, while we work, are met by the royal treasure, just as another builder of God's temple, wrote in his letter to us "Philippians 4:19"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Whatever be our need, spiritual, physical, financial, be it anything, our King Jesus is able to provide from His royal treasury, as we continue at our work for His Kingdom

Don't Let Opposition Discourage You

Ezra 4 & 5
These 2 chapters are exciting chapters from the Book of Ezra, it talks about the beginning of the rebuilding of the temple and immediate opposition to cut it off, but God had His eyes set on the elders and prophets right there to encourage His people, prophet Haggai and Zechariah. These chapters remind me of the Christian walk, though at times we might feel lonely, discouraged and everything else the enemy is willing to throw at as, even as you read this, I want to encourage you in remembering that our Lord Jesus is faithful and just in forgiving our sins and above all " 13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature,[b] God made you[c] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.[d] (Colossians 2:13-15). DON'T GIVE UP, continue building the temple of God, the Body of Christ.

Lessons

1. Know who you allow to build the temple of God with you-"1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, "Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us here." Spiritual discernment is a key to building your faith and relationship with the Lord. The Word of God says "Matthew 7:21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." The Israelites were building the temple in accordance with God's will in Ezra 1. What did these enemies have to do with the building??? The way to find out who's really helping is to check those people's lives, do they do God's work because they're being obedient or because they expect something in return, some gain...that check includes me too.
2. When you tell the enemy to take their hands off from the project God has given you, they go out to find ways to discourage you- "v4 Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. [a] 5 They hired counselors to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia. In the Word of God, Lord Jesus compared His body to the temple and Lord Jesus also compares all believers to be the body of Christ, so God's temple=body of Christ and when we take on the project of rebuilding God's temple, in getting back God's children into the kingdom of God, be sure we'll find lots of opposition, spiritual, physical, emotional, mental and all other ways the enemy could possibly try to discourage us, because what you're doing is defeating their hold in your life.
3. The enemy begins the blame game-Ezra 4:6-24 records the ridiculous weave of conspiracy the enemies planned against the Israelites to somehow stop them from building God's temple. The placed accusations against Judah and Jerusalem. Why does this not surprise me? Its because we have an enemy, who knows if you're not getting discouraged, you can surely be falsely accused thats the enemy's works day and night to falsely accuse (Revelation 12:10). The Word of God says, we are righteous because of our Lord Jesus, but the enemy continues to say "Look God, that woman is a sinner, look God she has done this, he has done that" and Jesus our Saviour continues to intercede for us and says "They asked for my pardon, they are pure through my righteousness". Don't fall for the blame game.
4. Don't give up building, for God is watching over you and encourages you-" 5 But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received. " I know when accusations build up, and the enemy is determined to put you down, it can be difficult to stand, but don't give in. God spoke through the prophets Haggai ("Haggai 1:13 "Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD. 14And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God" ) and Zechariah to encourage the people and they continued to build.

Conclusion: If you have embarked on a journey with the Lord Jesus, to rebuild God's temple, His body, then be sure of facing difficulties and discouragements, even accusations, but we have hope in this, that our God constantly watches over us as we continue in His work.

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:13-15)

God is ready to fight your battle

Background:Hezekiah has been recently threatened by the Assyrian king, to either give in to him and surrender or fight and die. Hezekiah has decided to fight, rather than to give in. Isaiah, God's prophet sent a reply to Hezekiah's request "6 Isaiah said to them, "Tell your master, 'This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard—those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 7 Listen! I am going to put such a spirit in him that when he hears a certain report, he will return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.' "
Soon after this word had come from God, through Isaiah, the Assyrian commander had to withdraw from Jerusalem(Judah) because the Assyrian king had gone away for another battle to Lachish. Instead of going on to fight his enemy, Assyrian king Sennacherib sends a letter to Hezekiah threatening him and discouraging him from believing God for his victory.(2 Kings 19:10-13)
Hezekiah didn't budge from him faith but goes with that letter straight to God and says a beautiful prayer "14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD : "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God.
17 "It is true, O LORD, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. 18 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by men's hands. 19 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."

Lessons I learnt

1. In despair turn to God-Hezekiah turned to God when the Assyrian commander came to threaten him with words. More often than not, the enemy works in our lives with negative words and negative suggestions, or luring temptations. The way to turn away from them is to turn to God.


2. God always has an answer for any situation, in His Word-The moment Hezekiah sent his men to ask Isaiah for the Lord's Word, they got their answer. God has our answers ready, if only we turn and go to His Word. There is one special request I have made to God and He sure did answer my situation through His Word. It made me glad.


3. Enemy will not let go easily-In our walk with God, sometimes when we've heard the Word of God and found an answer for our situation, things don't seem like they're changing the way God said it would, oreading about the way the Assyrian king did not immediately go away, but in fact sent him a letter, discouraging him to believe in God, trying to cause doubt in Hezekiah, thats the 1st attack our enemy the satan tries to put in our heart, when we have and we know God has directly given in our heart His Word.


4. Take it to the Lord in prayer-Thats what Hezekiah did with the threat letter he received from Assyrian king Sennacherib. He took it to God and prayed a simple prayer, surrendering all to God. Thats what we must do when the enemy sends waves of doubt and fear, and tries to say, God's Word won't work. This is the time we have to wait in order to see God's word at work in our lives. It's the only time the enemy can make his last attempt to defeat us. Hezekiah trusted God's Word over the enemy's word and he saw glorious victory in a battle he didnt even have to fight. "35 That night the angel of the LORD went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there. "

Conclusion: The essence of it all, I realise, is to stand. Ephesians 6:10-15 "10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.". God didn't want us to fight alone, He just requires of us, to wear His armor, His protection from the enemy, and "stand". God didn't say to wear all that armor and fight, but to "stand". So while we're standing who's fighting? God is.

Studying Enemy Strategy-II

How does the enemy attack?
When you stand and resist the enemy-

1. he will try to attack, your basis of confidence even your faith-"19 The field commander said to them, "Tell Hezekiah: " 'This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: On what are you basing this confidence of yours? 20 You say you have strategy and military strength—but you speak only empty words. On whom are you depending, that you rebel against me?" For those who have no clue what they're depending on or who have not enough knowledge of their Saviour, may lack in confidence, but for us the children of God , we have a wonderful God who has opened all knowledge of the Kingdom of God to us. He has called us friend. "John 15:15 "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." God has opened His heart and His plan in His wonderful book the Bible, and nothing about Him is hidden, so that we may know Him and become confident in Him. God has opened heaven's knowledge to us, through His Son Lord Jesus Christ, that all may be made plain to us and it is not difficult that we dont understand, but that we might know and understand the height and breadth and depth of our Saviour Lord Jesus' love for us. Now more so, that we may have confidence in our God's Love for us, no matter what the enemy may say.
2. he will attack your actions of faith-"v22 And if you say to me, "We are depending on the LORD our God"-isn't he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem"? " Hezekiah had earlier broken down the bronze snake which Moses had made, because people had idolized that snake and were burning incense to it!!! Those who did not understand Hezekiah's motive behind that, would not be able to fight this argument placed by the enemy. If we are doing things we don't know why we're doing, that could become a point of attack for the enemy. For e.g if we're fasting every Friday, and come to the point where we're just doing it without any plan or any knowledge (like automatic) then that fast becomes a 'thing' that you do on a Friday and you're supposed to do every Friday...is that fast a time, you deliberately spend with the Lord to know Him better? what would happen to you if you were to shift it to a Monday, would it still mean the same to you? We cannot idolise the "fast" but our main reason for fasting should be for knowing our God, fasting as submission to our Lord, not because everybody does it, not because fasting is good for health, not because it is convenient...but because it gives me an opportunity to come closer to God. Fast anyday every day, as the Lord leads you, to fast and pray for some loved one, or for yourself to overcome habits..making sure you can counter an attack for your actions of faith.
3. he brings in a good-looking bargain- v23 " 'Come now, make a bargain with my master, the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses—if you can put riders on them! 24 How can you repulse one officer of the least of my master's officials, even though you are depending on Egypt for chariots and horsemen [f] ? Hey this sounds like a good idea, I get horses, all I have to do is give some men. That sounds like a really good deal, but how much do we know about the dealer? In my Christian walk too, I have come across times, when I have fallen for this bargain For e.g. if I spend my time watching TV rather than reading the Word of God I will have more knowledge and insight in the ways to operate in this world???? Well great as it may sound, most of the right and basic winning principles to live successfully are already mentioned in this many hundreds of years old book ,the Bible and it holds true, beyond the barriers of the socio-economic condition of the world at any given time. When Jesus was given this bargain of getting riches and stuff, in exchange for bowing to satan, Jesus countered it with the Word of God. Thats our way to counter this bargain-attack too.
4. he talks in your language-"26 Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, "Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don't speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall." ........28 Then the commander stood and called out in Hebrew" Something unique and special to a man is his language. In India we've got many different languages, and I happened to learn a new one, and I've seen people's face light up and almost an immediate bonding form, when I spoke in a South Indian language and they know I am from North India. It touches their heart. So also, satan knows what is closest to you(he has agents that keep track of what you're upto), what can really move you and will speak to you in that language. If you are an emotional person, he will work in your life through emotions(probably people trying to manipulate your stand through emotions). If you're a person who is intellectual(he will get you into fantastic debates at the end of which you would be so confused, you wouldn't know right from wrong). So bring everything to God, for He judges the motives of every mind and every heart and He is able to direct your steps.

Studying Enemy Strategy-I

This post has blessed me and opened my eyes to see clearly and I know it will bless you too. While reading through Israel's journey through spiritual darkness, with kings that didn't follow the Lord wholeheartedly, worshipping all other gods and forgetting God's covenant, I've come to the point where Israel (one division of the entire Israelite tribe) was taken captive after a 3 day siege by the Assyrian king. The Israelites lost their promised land and were deported to Assyria and the Assyrian king brought in other people babylonians and others to resettle Samaria. In the meanwhile, Judah was under the rule of king Hezekiah. For the first time after a long time, the Bible now describes Hezekiah as a man who did like his ancestor David "3 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.". He saw what had happened to the Israelites for being a traitor to the Assyrian king, but that didn't stop him from rebelling against him. I now focussed on the way the Assyrian king behaved with Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a god-fearing man, he trusted God and God gave him victory in all he undertook.

Let me show you the lessons I learnt
What is the enemy like?

1. The enemy wants to take it all-Assyrian king was not satisfied by having the entire Samaria as his newly captured state, but he wanted more. He wanted to take over Judah as well. So it is with our enemy the devil, if you think he will let other people be, just because a few have already traded themselves with him. No. We the children of God, who want to live for the Lord are his nightmare. He knows he cannot defeat us, but he will not stop trying. So we've got to keep our guards up, the Sword of the Word of God sharpened at all times.
2. You are deceived if you think you can make a fair trade with the enemy-After capturing Israel out of Hoshea's hands, the Assyrian king turned to Hezekiah, to take over Judah too. Sennacherib the Assyrian king attacked Judah and captured it, but Hezekiah begged him to leave and that he would give him all he wants (2 Kings 18:13-16). Hezekiah gave Sennacherib everything even to the point of, stripping the gold with which he had decorated the temple of God. It might have given him temporary relief from the attack, but that wasn't going to be for long. Sometimes when we knowingly let go of our stand on some "harmless" things, like backbiting, lying, tolerating evil, we're making trades with the enemy. It might give you temporary relief, but soon we might get trapped. I fall many times, but the key is to get up, ask for pardon and move on never to return to that trade again.
3. Give the enemy a little space and he'll want to stake a claim-When Hezekiah paid Sennacherib with gold from the temple and everything he could find within his jurisdiction, that didn't stop the Assyrian king from sending his commander in chief to make another trade with Hezekiah, to the point of making him his vassal as well (like king Hoshea of Israel was). He wanted to claim the entire land little by little. He wasn't going to stop at the point where he got all that gold. He wanted the people in the land as well and more. So the Bible says to counter this attack "Resist the devil and he will flee from you". Resistance needs something within you which will counter what's trying to happen to you. Without Jesus we would have no resistance, but now for us we have this assurance ,"1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.. So stand and resist.

there are more lessons than I could probably try to fit into this one post...therefore to be cont'd

Fight the Good Fight

Background:After a long list of kings who did evil in the eyes of the Lord. God directs Elisha to send his servant to anoint Jehu, king of Israel. He would be the one to purge Israel of all the remnants of Jezebel's followers, baal worshippers and to avenge the blood of all Lord's servants (2Kings 9). While reading of the accounts of kings from 2Kings 9 onwards until 2Kings 13, I find that, there were people who longed to be kings and queens of Israel and Judah and were willing to do anything for it. However when they went into power, they didn't care about following the Living God, they did what they desired, they sinned against God, they worshipped idols, turning their face from God. One of the kings mentioned in 2Kings 11 is Joash. Joash organised the task of repairing the temple of the LORD, but when the Aramean king came to attack Jerusalem he gave away all the gold from the temple, that had been dedicated to the Lord, to the enemy???

There are quite a few lessons I have learnt from reading about these kings, and find some bit of myself in their behaviour.

1. Is it easy to follow God in hardships, or during prosperity ?-I've noticed in my life, that my spiritual life has grown more during troubled times, than during times when I was well-fed. The learnings I got through the valley, were the ones, that changed my life. It brought meaning to my relationship with the Lord. Those times are the times, when I no longer learnt by listening or observing, but by experiencing God's amazing Love. His power to forgive, His power to provide, His power to heal, His power to help me live righteously before God. In order for us to be in our best behaviour during prosperity, we would need to be trained in difficult times, else we would never appreciate what we got, if we had it all easy.
2. Never give away, what has been dedicated to God, Fight- We are more than conquerors, we are a royal nation, a holy priesthood. For Joash, when the Aramean king came to attack Jerusalem, instead of fighting against him, he paid him with dedicated items from the temple of God!!! How often, we do that. Of course our battle is no longer against flesh and blood, but you know our battle is more subtle and spiritual and moral. The Bible says, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we are not ours but were bought with a price and Jesus our Lord dedicated us ,so to speak, to the Father in heaven. When satan throws in a scene, or a picture, or some people in an attempt to attack our spirit, how many times have we given away our eyes, our ears, our mouth,the instruments of God from the temple of the Holy Spirit, to the enemy!!!
3. God still has room for forgiveness-In 2 Kings13 I read about a king, who wasn't actually living the kind of godly life, but "4 Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD's favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. 5 The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before." God never leaves us alone to face the difficulties or the attacks that satan makes on our lives. He is well aware of the oppressions we face and is more than willing to forgive and provide deliverance.

Conclusion: No matter what satan throws at you, to attack your spirit, run to God, cry out to Him for He is able. The biggest lie that he tries to blind you with is that "you can't do anything about this ". I don't believe that, I am more than a conqueror in my Lord Jesus Christ. I am a royal nation, a holy priesthood, a people separated for my God and I am not going to give from the temple of the Living God, what belongs to God, even His people. God has given me the armour for spiritual battle, not to stand around doing nothing and compromising, but to fight the good fight. The fight of faith.(1 Timothy 6:12) And as I know how God rescued Lot, " 7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.(2 Peter 2:6-8 )

All About God's Love- All For Us

The more I thought about my previous post, the more I knew I didn't do justice to the lesson it was teaching.

"Siege" means: "the act or process of surrounding and attacking a fortified place in such a way as to isolate it from help and supplies, for the purpose of lessening the resistance of the defenders and thereby making capture possible. "

When one is under siege, the sooner they learn, they need help from outside, the better. Sometimes God allows us, His children, to be sieged by the enemy, and I found that there were atleast, 2 reasons that struck me, and they both mean or lead to the same thing, knowing the One Who Loves us.

1. To grow in the knowledge of His sufficiency in our insufficiency-When we haven't experienced God as our Financer, we will never know He can finance us. When we haven't experienced God as our Healer, we will never know He can heal. When we haven't experienced God as our Deliverer we will never know He is able to Save us completely from all disasters. God is not and never limited in the way we think about Him. He is able, whether we know it or not. And if there be a lesson we really need to learn for our moving onto the next grade of our spiritual life, God would help us learn it.Would we as parents, ask our kids to drop out of school, just because our child is not able to add numbers or not able to read, not able to understand algebra, when everything else about them is fine. I think, we would never, we would try and find out what is wrong, what can be done about it and do it so that our child is helped. For a time when we're not around, we will make sure that our child will be well equipped to face his/her future, even without us. The king didn't know what would happen next and couldn't even provide answers to women who were eating their own children, but by the knowledge of God's amazing power and love, Elisha could perceive God's sufficiency.
2. To help us to see beyond ourselves -We like to be in control of what concerns our life. Where we live, where we work, where our children go to school, which church to go to, who to make friends with and so on...we don't like situations where we don't know what to do. These control mechanisms we have, tend to take away our trust in God, in His ability, we forget, we're just humans. On the downside of this, if we don't realise who's to be in control of EVERY situation soon, and that we can't do everything, the moment something goes wrong we'll blame someone, even ourselves and never forgive. That could lead to further sieges in our life. The king did not know God, like the way Elisha did. The king was sulking in bitterness and helplessness in the siege, Elisha on the other hand responds to the siege in declaration of God's power to overturn the economy and the siege all in one night.

Conclusion-The lessons that God gives us from the Word of God is not About us, it is FOR US. Its all ABOUT GOD and His love, FOR US. God didn't need to make the sacrifice. God didn't need to die that painful death...but it was done all FOR US. Rejoice as you read ABOUT GOD"S LOVE, and finding that it was ALL FOR US. Through God's Loving Sacrifice, we are given forgiveness, we are partakers of God's kingdom and sonship. Through God's sacrifice we are being made His Very Own.

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:13-15

For those in the siege of financial difficulty-2 Corinthians 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" It is for us to realise that we are being made His children to have the same inheritance as His Son Jesus, because of our Lord Jesus. All provision for life has been made.

For those in the siege of sickness-Isaiah 53:5 "5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.

For those in the siege of sin-Trying to come out of sin without knowing God, in our own efforts and failing and then going round and round in this siege, 2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." Ask God for help, ask God for strength Ask Lord Jesus to come into our lives and sin will be no more the controller. We cannot even in our best efforts live right in the sinful body, because like Paul says , the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, but even in this, it is not an excuse to sin wilfully.

To be an Overcomer, you will need something to overcome!!

So you want to be an overcomer, but want nothing to overcome??? That doesn't happen.
I am reading from David's life, Saul is impressed by David's victory over Goliath and "5 Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully [a] that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well. "(1 Samuel 18:5). Later on Saul becomes jealous of David and tries to kill him. Saul is still king of the Israelites. I was wondering, is it too difficult for a king to kill someone in his own country? I think if the president of some country wanted someone from their country dead, it wouldn't be that difficult for him to find and kill that person. However in David's life its amazing to note, that right under one roof, there were the king and his men to kill David and right there we see Jonathan and Michal who love David sooo much. Why was David so dangerous to Saul? David has realised what He can do when he works in obedience, to an Almighty Living God. When Saul tries to tell David before his fight with Goliath "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth." (1 Samuel 17:33) Remember what he said "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." (1 Samuel 17:35). This verse tells me the amount of confidence David had in the Living God and how close he is with God, to so boldly declare of a relation with God in whatever he does, knowing that he is being guided by a Living God. Moreover in the later chapters we read, that Saul got so jealous of David's victories, that he tried to kill him several times, but David escaped all the times.

Lessons I learnt

1. Know Who the Lord is to you- David was so confident about his being in the army of the Living God, thought technically David was not in the army of Israel, he was still a boy, but he knew to Whom he belonged, or rather to which side he belonged...remember the song, I am on the winning side and Jesus is the Winner Man" Can we identify ourselves being in the army of the Living God?
2. Hold onto the confidence you have in the Lord-Hebrews 10:35:"35Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward." Saul told David that he was a mere boy, and had no experience in warfare, yet he held onto the confidence he had in the Lord that the Lord would deliver him. Irrespective of what size and weight he is, he knows a God who can deliver him. Can we identify ourselves as people who have a Mighty God for our deliverer from ALL troubles?
3. No one can defeat God's plan for our lives other than us-When we live in total obedience to God's will and plan for our lives, no one can prevent us from becoming all that God has planned for us to be. God had desired David to be king, Saul tried to kill David so many times, hurling his spear at him, or sending men to his house to kill him, he never succeeded. When God has planned for David to be king and David has decided to follow God's plan, nothing can come in between them. So for us, as long as we are following God exactly on the way that He shows us, nothing can harm us. Thats why the command that God gave Joshua Joshua 1:7-9:7 "Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
   8This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good [a]success." Can we identify ourselves as followers of a Living God, come what may?
4. Trouble, trouble everywhere but not one that can harm David- David was having a peaceful life shepherding the flock, until the time he got anointed to be king. Well God's Holy Spirit came on him to work wonders through him, to make him victorious in all he did and to tranform him to be the kind of king that God wanted him to be. Then there was this king Saul, who wanted to kill him, David spent half of his anointed life, running and trying to hide from the king who was wanting to kill him. He could not harm the king because David respected God's anointing on any man, he respected God soo much. Well, it cannot be hidden, whenever God anoints His people and the people desire solely to follow God's commands, we'll have even more oppression than we've ever had before. I don't think I'd like to call it a price to pay for being anointed, but its an opportunity to see how God will work in a totally yielded life and bring us victoriously into the place where he promised to take us and to being the person God wants to make us. Can we identify ourselves working with a Living God, who will throw obstacles away from our path as we move to a higher place? Its like take off time, the initial run on the ground is jittery and uncomfortable, until we're airborne and no ground can touch us, no more jittery feeling, just calm sailing, well a few air pockets here and there thats all, but the plane has overcome the major force of friction from the ground.Every other friction now is just tiny compared to what has already passed.

Conclusion:Following a Living God is not easy or difficult, but it is exciting. It is a wonderful feeling of confidence to know that we're being backed up by God, because its no longer our own measly plan. And because it is God's plan for our lives and we are obedient to what God has for us, there is nothing that can thwart or change or damage God's plan for our lives. I once again quote Job in saying "2I know that You can do all things, and that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained or thwarted." (Job 42:2). I used to be afraid of God's plans earlier, its like losing control, not knowing what will happen next, even though God says "11For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome."(Jeremiah 29:11 Amp) Until one day, I knew there was nothing better I could do with my life, I would just be an ordinary person, working in a big company, serving only the clients, being good at my job, getting raises and then one day vanish from this planet having done nothing of 'real' benefit to anyone. You know when God touches a life, and that life stays in touch with God, that person's life-impact goes on beyond his/her grave. Their lives impact lives, beyond their earthly timeline.

The Joy of Knowing-God is in control

Reading through, 1 Samuel 1-16 chapters I find the Israelites, kept making mistakes and God kept finding ways to get them back into His perfect plan. I sometimes wonder, would we (the people now) have got any chance to hear this wonderful gospel if God would have given up on the Israelites when they continued to revolt against Him. When they grumbled in the desert during Moses' time or now when they chose a king for themselves. Well God knew, all this would happen Isaiah 46:10 declares" I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come...I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please."

Over the years of my walk with Jesus Christ, I have been obedient and I have been disobedient sometimes too. I have learnt something from all this, that God does not give up on His children, until His children totally give up on God. We are made to give up by the enemy's voice which keeps nagging us, saying "God doesn't love you any more, you sinned, don't you remember?" Well initially I used to get bogged down by that thought. Then I learnt -NEVER TO FIGHT A THOUGHT WITH A THOUGHT, BUT WITH THE WORD OF GOD" So I did just that. Took the Word of God and found out what I should do and it always has answered all my questions and led me out.

A verse that impresses me is Job 42:2 "I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. "This is Job's testimony after all that happened to him.

Well every time I see disobedience in the Bible, I saw that God makes a way around it or through it and takes His children out. Every body made a mistake from Noah onwards, but God finally had the perfect plan brought into our world through Jesus Christ who was without sin/blemish. The perfect person to take away our sins and disobedience. Now the people also paid for their mistakes, because the consequences will always be there.

In 1 Samuel 1-16 I found that the Israelites, under the leadership of Samuel, sin against God and want a king (like all other nations). God knew this wouldn't work. From the Israelites' point of view, all other nations had king and so it should work for them too. However they failed to realise, they had God Himself as king, else which nation would be able to stand without a king and stay together as a nation? Now God went with their demand, but since He knew it wouldn't work, God had a man prepared after His own heart "David". The plan was good per the people's eyes, but God had a perfect plan.

Lessons I learnt
God has a perfect plan for all His children, all who declare Lord Jesus to be their Saviour. It is really as simple as saying, no to our own selfish ways and saying "Yes Lord, let your will be done. I want you Lord and your plan be done in my life" Something amazing happens. As beings of reasoning, we like to be in control of our lives and know whats happening. I used to be like that, I wanted to know exactly what I would do next. After a certain change took place in my life, I have turned my life over to God like I've never done before. I can see God's plan now making things beautiful for me....no no troubles are not gone away.....they're very much present...but its that amazing knowledge, that God is in control . Its that joy that assures me God's plan for my life cannot be thwarted and you know what His plans are?... Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. " Now how can I not want a plan like that??? Would you?

In the meanwhile....God is working

Time and time again, now, the more I read, the more there are instances of God working behind the scenes, even before an event happened. God prepares the future, that will be the best for his people, he knows what they will ask, and has already prepared an answer. He's not surprised, by their disobedience, but prepares a way out for them into obedience and life....not now and then...but ALL THE TIME. Its only up to us to choose the right things, in obedience to our Lord Jesus, that God's perfect will may be done.

I am reading 1 Samuel 8-9 where Saul is going to be anointed. The Israelites asked for a king, so that they'd be like all other nations.Now talking about being like other nations, I am strongly reminded of Jesus comparing us to salt and light. Why would Jesus pick these 2 things from our seen world to compare believers in Jesus with. I think, because when either the salt or light is missing, we know it. We know, because salt gives the food its taste and light shows the way. Its a powerful comparison. So we were never made to get so dissolved that we're not seen, but that in spite of being dissolved into something, we would exist, we could be tasted and seen, by others. They could see our life and experience God's power through our lives.

Here Israelites asked for a king, God was not very happy with their choice, but knew it would come, and gave them their choice. In the meanwhile, somewhere in one corner, Saul was growing in the Benjamite tribe. Now, one day Saul lost the donkeys he had, his father asked him to go look for them with one of the servants. These 2 could not find the donkeys, the servant suggests that they go meet Samuel, who could tell them where the donkeys went. Saul did not want to go at first, on account he did not have any gift to give Samuel. However the servant said, he had some money and they went.In the meanwhile, God has already told Samuel that Saul was going to come to meet him, and also told him what Samuel was to do with Saul.(1 Samuel 9:15). "When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD said to him, "This is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people." (1 Samuel 9:17).

Lessons I learnt:

1. God can give you what you ask, but that may not be the best God had in mind for you- The Israelites asked for a king, God did not approve of it, but then God knew it was coming and had gave them their desire. The people would realise only later that this was a wrong choice.
2. So we goofed up, no worries, God's got you covered-Israelites would be troubled by the king only years later, God by then had a king ready for them, king David, the king after God's own heart.God knows what you're going to choose, but at every choice you make, even if it be in disobedience, God keeps a way open for you to return to Him, if only we would return. The return path to God, from disobedience to obedience and life, is always open, never shut. If we made a wrong choice ever in our life, know this, that God's plan still stands good, He can direct our ways towards the right direction as per His perfect plan, IF we are willing to let go and let God.The prodigal son, really went the wrong way, in his own free will, but his father did not despise him or make fun of him when all was lost. When the son returned, the father who waited for him daily, greeted him and took him back in his plan. How much more our Father in heaven.
3. In the meanwhile...God was working out a plan-The plan for the Israelites was laid down so much earlier, before they would go through it. God knew the points in history, where the Israelites would go away from Him. In the meanwhile God would prepare a deliverer for them someplace else, in another background.These are God's people, the Israelites. They also made some good decisions and some, not good. They lived in serious obedience and in severe disobedience too, yet in all these when I read the Word of God I find how beautifully God has orchestrated everything, that a God of Israel is now a God of Americans, Indians, Australians. Hey y'all can we see!!! God opened up His plan for everyone in the whole world, through it all. God doesn't leave us on our own to figure out life and all that it comes up with. He's right there with us, working 'in the meanwhile'. What the enemy thought for harm, God turns into a blessing. When the enemy thought killing Jesus would mean the end, it became the point of salvation for the entire mankind.

Conclusion: God has a plan for everyone, we all, everyone belong to Him (Psalm 24:1), if only we would want God's plan for our lives, that we may be blessed and be a blessing to everyone.

"28We are assured and know that [[j]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. "

(Amp Romans 8:28)

Our Wonderful Redeemer Lord Jesus

I had missed writing the study on Ruth 4 so I am presenting it here.. We see, that after Ruth had surrendered herself at the mercy of her kinsman-redeemer Boaz, knowing only Boaz would redeem, Boaz gets to work immediately. Now Ruth and Naomi had another kinsman-redeemer apart from Boaz. In Ruth 3:12 we read, (Whole Chapter) "Although it is true that I am near of kin, there is a kinsman-redeemer nearer than I."Boaz could not redeem Ruth and Naomi, before giving a chance to the nearer kinsman-redeemer. He was only second in line as a redeemer, to that kinsman-redeemer for Ruth and Naomi. If the other kinsman-redeemer could not or would not want to redeem Ruth and Naomi, then Boaz could take over.

Now Boaz, gathered up all the elders in his town, as witness for the redemption of Ruth and Naomi. " 2 Boaz took ten of the elders of the town and said, "Sit here," and they did so. 3 Then he said to the kinsman-redeemer, "Naomi, who has come back from Moab, is selling the piece of land that belonged to our brother Elimelech. 4 I thought I should bring the matter to your attention and suggest that you buy it in the presence of these seated here and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, do so. But if you [a] will not, tell me, so I will know. For no one has the right to do it except you, and I am next in line." "I will redeem it," he said. "
5 Then Boaz said, "On the day you buy the land from Naomi and from Ruth the Moabitess, you acquire [b] the dead man's widow, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property."
6 At this, the kinsman-redeemer said, "Then I cannot redeem it because I might endanger my own estate. You redeem it yourself. I cannot do it." (Ruth 4:1-8)

Notice here that, the kinsman-redeemer was ready to redeem the property of Naomi, but was not willing to raise up a family of the dead. In those days the tradition of the kinsman-redeemer was to buy back all the property that their relative(now dead) had sold due to poverty. Also if they had any widows left behind, they were to take them as wife and raise up a family on behalf of the relative who had died, so that their generation does not die. The kinsman-redeemer nearer than Boaz, could redeem partially, because he was not interested in continuing the family line for the dead relative. Now that he was unable to redeem or did not want to redeem. Boaz is able to redeem Naomi and Ruth, because he is the next kinsman-redeemer in line and is willing. "9 Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, "Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimelech, Kilion and Mahlon. 10 I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!" "(Ruth 4:9-10)

The lessons I learnt from Ruth 4

1. The two kinsman-redeemers-Ruth had 2 kinsman-redeemers, but only Boaz was willing to redeem them completely. Boaz was willing to redeem not only the property but also the widow Ruth. We too have 2 redeemers from our sin and destruction. The law and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Law has everything written down, so that if people are able to follow it, we can be saved from sin and death. However the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilled all the law so that we can now trust in His salvation and be redeemed from the curse of death. Its what the book of Romans talks about.
2. Total Redemption-The nearer kinsman, was willing to redeem the property, but would not want to have a family with Ruth and Naomi. For us too, law could save us only partially -law can only tell us what is right and wrong-it can only save us if we're on the right, else we're condemned, with no relation to our God as a Father, but the very act of our Lord Jesus to come down and rescue us, by paying for our sins, we got connected to the family of God. We became children of God by believing in our Lord Jesus death for us. (John 1). Not only that, Ruth's children will now maintain her husband's family name through Boaz. Jesus did the same too "Acts 16:31 (Whole Chapter) They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." Our redemption through Jesus is not only for us, but for our entire family. So if you have family members not yet knowing Jesus, rest assured Jesus died for them too and the redemption stands good for them too and continue praying that they will realise and recognise Jesus as their redeemer.
3. A public declaration-Boaz took Ruth as wife, before a whole community, in public. So also does our Lord Jesus. Our Lord Jesus, even though He was absolutely blameless and pure, took up our sin and did not die for it in a hidden corner, but right on top of a hill, before the whole world. Not secretly, but in public, declaring in public, "I take away the sins of the world." Can you imagine the sins of this entire humankind, from then until all the ones who aren't even in this world yet!!! Now thats total redemption.

Conclusion: The Law, which was given to Moses, that if we may abide by it, we will live and be blessed else we will die in sin. God knew that we would not be able to cope up with such a high standard of living, hence He sent His one and only Son, Our Redeemer Lord Jesus, who paid our death penalty for which we were held guilty by Law-(like Boaz paid for Ruth and Naomi's poverty stricken condition). All we need to do is believe that Jesus died for our sins and we immediately are redeemed, and become God's family. Thats how simple God has made it for us, I don't think there is anything that could be simpler than this. In the book of Ruth, the whole story of man and his redemption from sin and death is so beautifully adressed, along with the saving Grace of our Lord Jesus. Hope we see the lesson God gave through their lives.

Surrendered Life-Renders Blessings

Today I start another life journey....this time with Ruth.This book of the Bible has been by far the most impacting book in my life. Last night I lay down thinking about her life...etc..and now I write them down.
Ruth's Background:Ruth is a Moabite. Moabites are people from Moab. Moab was a generation that came out of Lot through disobedience and evil. Lot's daughters got him drunk and they each lay down with him to have children. "36So both of Lot's daughters became pregnant by their father. 37When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab.[b] He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites. 38When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi.[c] He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites." Genesis 19:36-38. Here's what happened some time after all this "Deuteronomy 23:3 No Ammonite or Moabite or any of his descendants may enter the assembly of the LORD, even down to the tenth generation. " So we see Ruth from a background, which came out of evil, she probably had not known the God of the Israelites who was jealous for His people. Now Elimelech with his wife Naomi sojourns (goes to another country for a short while) to Moab. They had sons Mahlon and Chilion who were married to Ruth and Orpah respectively.

Naomi's husband is dead, Ruth's husband is dead so also is Orpah's husband. There are no more members in their family. Naomi had nothing to give to her daughters and she asks them to leave her and go back to their own country as she plans to return to Bethlehem. Orpah returns but Ruth clings on to Naomi-"16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." (Ruth 1:16-17).

I wondered, why would Ruth not want to go back and remain in Moab. She sounds so desperate to go with Naomi, that the only way she wishes to part her mother-in-law is through death. Now this woman was desperate to get out of all the situation she was in. She wanted out of everything, Moab was about. She wanted out...desperately.

What was it that interested her to come out? "6 When she(Naomi) heard in Moab that the LORD had come to the aid of his people by providing food for them, Naomi and her daughters-in-law prepared to return home from there." (Ruth 1:6). Naomi wanted to return because she heard of the way God had come down to help His people. Ruth might have wondered wow I never knew of a God who helped His people like that, since her forefathers (the Moabites) wouldn't have seen God work in the way He worked for the Israelites. Ruth wanted what they(Israelites) had.

Did she make the right choice? Would God accept her? Would the people accept her? What would happen? She's a Moabite after all and there is a whole horrid past that she's running from. Moab didn't have anything to offer to her, only all the evil there is, only fleshly lusts, only being harassed by evil men and women. She knew that Moab was only a cycle of evil, with no way out. In Naomi she found something that gave her some hope, something that could change her life. Something that could make meaning out of her senseless and meaning less life in Moab......

Yes she did-I am soooooooooo glad to say that she did find meaning when she went into Bethlehem(house of bread) in Judah(house of praise) of Ephratha(fruitful), to hand her life to God, to submit to a God she had not known, only heard. Do you know what happens with such kind of surrendered life? A life, which cares not of what will happen to it, if it surrenders itself to a Living God.A life which does not know what will happen tomorrow. A life willing to face criticism from people who have tried to believe (in their own strength) and failed. A life ready to face any challenge that comes on, just for following a Living God. A life even given over to the point of death being the sole thing to part it from God. Ruth wanted such a life.

What did she get out of all this she was willing to die for?
Her name in the geneology of Jesus Christ Himself" 5Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab,Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6and Jesse the father of King David. ........16and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ."(Matthew 1). She got be Jesus our Lord's, great great great great...grand mom. What a wonderful blessing!!!
Also, as I know now, she had such a beautiful life after that decision, that it was worth being recorded in the list of books, the Bible, a life lesson book named Ruth.

Lesson: No matter what background, or past we're carrying. No matter how daunting or taunting or haunting our past life has been, when that life, is surrendered to the point of totality in the hands of a Living God, God can impact a whole world with that kind of life. Not only in that person's lifetime but in lifetimes to come. Generations that would never see that person will be impacted. Such lives, impact way beyond their lifetime. Now the question is for us who live now. There are many people trying to prove God as all that He is not. In this time, can we dare to stand up like Ruth did and trust God no matter what and let our lives in God's hand be a tool?

Look Who's Fighting for you

Background: The 5 kings from Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon were upset that the Gibeonites had made a peace treaty with the Israelites and wanted to attack them(Joshua 10:5 ). The Gibeonites appealed to Joshua for help in this battle(Joshua 10:6). Joshua agrees to protect them, since they had a treaty with them and God grants them great victory.

Sometimes life can become overwhelming with too many troubles happening all at once. Too many things to worry about, too many things to take care of. How could we possibly deal with so many at once. This account from Joshua's life tells us - yes we can.

• 5 kings joining forces to destroy them, but in (Joshua 10:8) "The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you."
• The Lord threw the enemy into confusion-"The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon."(Joshua 10:10)
• More died from hailstones than from the battle-(Joshua10:11)"As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. "
• Joshua stills the sun-(Joshua 10:12-14) "..Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel:"O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon." ....The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel! "

Its true that 5 kings were against them, but look what the Lord did with them.

We may have a lot going on in our life, than we can handle, it may seem impossible to us to ever get out of it but the Word of God says -in Matthew 19:26 "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." What is it that steals our joy, our peace, our health, our mind, occupies our thought and makes us worry day and night? Burdening us with its pressures, attacking us to the point of making us unfruitful as believers. Lets give it to God because our Lord says in Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. "

Above all what I found in the next 2 points I brought out above is that-more died because of hailstones than with the Israelites' sword, why, because God was fighting the battle for them. That revelation encouraged me a lot. When in trouble we tend to think, God is far away, God's not helping, God's not there, but Joshua's life teaches us that God was right in the middle of it and did more damage to the army than Joshua and the Israelites did. God was fighting for them. Take heart my friend, you are not alone, you are not forsaken, God loves you so dearly that, anything that troubles you troubles Him. He is interested in the intricate issues of our life. If only we will take strength in knowing He's the ever present help in the times of trouble.

Just when we think , how am I going to fight it, how will I overcome this attack, how will I ever get out of this problem in our lives- Romans 12:19 says "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," [ Deut. 32:35] says the Lord. " God is so possessive about His children, that anything bothering us bothers Him. I always wonder at the way some mothers can feel the pain their child feels, even when they are miles apart. How much more can our God feel for us?

You know what God says about His children

That child is mine,

I have paid the price for my child with my blood.

I have taken up his infirmities.

I have carried his sorrows away.

I was pierced for his sins,

I have taken his punishment so that my child can enjoy peace.

I was wounded for my child, so that they will enjoy healing.

(Isaiah 53:4-5)

If only we'd trust our Lord our Father, for whether someone else cares or not, God does and surely the Lord fights for you

Realising Our Potential in Jesus

I get amazed every time I read about the battles God's people fought in the Bible.

Background: Gibeons who deceptively have made peace with the Israelites, are living near them. 5 other kings come to hear about it, now round up their forces to fight the Gibeonites for joining forces with the Israelites. Gibeonites asked the Israelites for help in this battle, since these 5 kings had joined forces. God gives them victory over all the kings who fought against the Gibeonites, through Joshua.

There is one thing I notice here, in Joshua 9:24 when Joshua asked the Gibeonites why they deceived them " They answered Joshua, "Your servants were clearly told how the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this."

Now in Joshua 10:1,2 we come to know more about these Gibeonites "Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed [a] it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and were living near them. 2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters." These were the people who were scared of the Israelites. Imagine that.

When God's with you, no one can stand before you. The Israelites had damaged only a small city compared to the Gibeon's yet the Gibeonites were afraid.

Lesson: We may not know the power we have through our obedience to God. The bible defines this power of a believer, in Ephesians 1:19-25 as ".. his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
By ourselves, we are mere humans, but in the hands of God we become a mighty tool. Knees knelt down in prayer to the Almighty Living God has brought about many a revolution in the lives of people and turned their hearts to Jesus. People obeying the Word of God and living out their Christian Life as God intended them to live, have won many into the Kingdom of our Lord. If we read accounts of the greatest outreach ministries, we'll find that deep within, there would be someone who was praying, someone who knew God's power that was at work within them, someone who realised that power and decided to ask God to help them use it for God's glory.

No matter what the situation we're in, all that we will ever need to come out of it, is already within us, when you know Jesus you're Redeemer.Its up to us to realise our potential and use it for God's glory. Who knows that this realisation may bring about another spiritual revolution and so many we see lost, will turn to the Living God and we will see our Lord's mighty hand bring more and more of His children back to Him.So let's live like Victors and not as Victims.