KEEP YOUR STRENGTH UP! And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old. I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. —Joshua 14:10-11 You, God, are awesome in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.  Praise be to God! —Psalm 68:35 The years of our life are seventy, or even by…

INQUIRE OF OUR LORD AND DON’T BE DECEIVED The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. —Joshua 9:14             Beware of looking at the outward appearance alone.  You could be deceived, especially if you do not inquire of our Lord and look at things from His perspective.  This is what happened when the Gibeonites came to them.  Even though they lived close by, “They put worn, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies, and their whole supply of bread was dry and moldy” (Joshua 9:4-5).  They made it look like and claimed that they came from a distant country.  The Israelites looked…

HIS AWESOME DEEDS! Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! —Psalm 66:5 Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. —Psalm 66:16             God has done wonderful things for mankind in general.  Sadly, most of mankind does not acknowledge this.  Not only has He done wonderful and awesome things for mankind, but He has done wonderful awesome things for me as and individual.  Those who “fear God,” that is, have a holy reverence for Him and acknowledge His awesomeness, it is those who will hear what God has done for mankind and for me.            …

NEVER ALONE, NEVER FORSAKEN! I will never leave you nor forsake you…  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. —Joshua 1:5, 9 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?” —Hebrews 13:5-6             Fellow follower of Jesus, brothers and sisters in Jesus, He has promised never to leave us and never to forsake us.  In victory, He is there.  In failure, He is there. …

THE GREATNESS OF GOD I will proclaim the name of the Lord.  Oh, praise the greatness of our God!  He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just.  A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. —Deuteronomy 32:3-4 See now that I myself am he!  There is no god besides me.  I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. —Deuteronomy 32:39             How are you proclaiming the name of the Lord?  How are you praising the greatness of our God?  Are you standing on…

PROCLAIM JESUS! Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.  See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I…

REST IN HIM! Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken…  Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. —Psalm 62:1-2, 5-6             It is so wonderful to have rest in God from where my salvation comes from.  He cannot be moved.  He is my stability in life.  He is my protection and I will never be shaken because of Him.  Truly, brothers and sisters, fellow followers of…

LISTEN AND WALK IN OBEDIENCE You have declared this day that the Lord is your God and that you will walk in obedience to him, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws—that you will listen to him. —Deuteronomy 26:17             Do remember the day when the Lord God Almighty revealed Himself to you?  Remember that time when you said you would follow Him— that you would obey Him—- that you would listen to Him?             I remember that day clearly in February of 1979.  He said to me, “Turn from your evil ways or be condemned forever… and become a priest.”  I had been reading my roommate’s New Testament when…

GOD GIVES THE VICTORY  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. —Psalm 60:11-12             In any situation, it is only God who can give us the victory.  Human help is worthless.  Again, it is only with God that “we will gain the victory.”  I cannot change a person, nor can you.  I cannot change a situation, nor can you.  But with God working in us and through us, He can both change a person and any situation.             This is where you and I need to trust Him with any person and…

GOD ALONE IS FULLY RELIABLE You are my strength, I watch for you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely. —Psalm 59:9-10             If I am honest with myself, I know how weak I am with Him.  He is my strength and without Him I can do nothing (John 15:5).  I need to watch for Him and line up with His ways.  He is my protection and I can totally rely on Him in any circumstance and in any situation.  And for that, Dear Father, I am eternally grateful.  Now, oh, that I might live faithfully for You by the power of Your Holy Spirit…