Posts Tagged ‘Joshua’

Are You Facing a Closed Door?

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Have you ever faced a closed door?

  • Perhaps you apply for a new position at work. You have all the right credentials and long for a new challenge, but the boss bypasses you and chooses someone else. The door to the new opportunity closes.
  • Maybe you feel led to write a book. You attend writers conferences to hone your skill. You network with editors. You even find an agent willing to represent you. Your book proposal is submitted to the publishing house you really want to work with but, sadly, it’s rejected. The door to working with that publisher closes.
  • How about this scenario? Your family has grown and you need a larger house. You find one that seems perfectly suited for your needs but before you can take action, someone else makes an offer and it’s accepted. The door to buying that house closes.

Closed doors often spell disappointment or frustration. I’ve experienced it in regards to my writing pursuits many times. I’ve also experienced it in regards to potential speaking opportunities—an event planner contacts me, asks about my topics and availability, and then chooses a different speaker. The door to that opportunity closes. Ouch.

One thing I’ve learned, however, is to change my perspective about closed doors. Rather than dwell on the disappointment, I now thank God that He’s in control. He uses closed doors to steer me the right direction. And when He wants a door to open, then nothing hinders that from happening. There’s huge peace in trusting His sovereignty.

Joshua 6 tells the amazing story of Jericho. Verses 1 and 2 say, “Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in.  But the LORD said to Joshua, ‘I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors.’”

These verses bring me a lot of encouragement. They remind me that, yes, I’ll face closed doors. But God is bigger. If He wants to bring a new opportunity into my life, then He’ll ensure that happens in the right time and in His way. He’s also wiser than me. He knows what’s behind that closed door and whether or not it would do me more harm than good. There’s a reason it’s closed. I only need to trust and obey (and be willing to wait patiently).

I hope this insight encourages you today. Remember—closed doors might seem like a sad end to our hopes and dreams, but they’re nothin’ for God! If He wants them to open, they’ll open.

Have you ever faced a closed door? What lesson did you learn from that experience?

Photo courtesy: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Devotionals | No Comments »

Bustin’ Through the Fear Factor

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

In the past couple of days I’ve spent at least five hours talking with individuals who are wrestling with fear. In this context, it’s mostly about going on short-term missions trips. For some, they’ve carried a desire to go for years but have never taken the first step. For others, this is a new consideration and they’re scared silly.

What are the fears?

  • What if I can’t raise the funds?
  • What if my family thinks I’m nuts?
  • What if my church doesn’t support me?
  • What if I don’t have anything to offer?
  • What if I get sick?
  • What if I can’t sleep at night?
  • What if I can’t find someone to look after my pet while I’m away?
  • What if it changes my life? Then what?

I address their what-ifs as best as I can, but I believe the only question of concern is this: Is God telling me to go? If so, then it’s time to start walking even if you have to walk afraid.

The fears expressed aren’t only about missions trips. They’re just the evidence of something much deeper – a lack of trust in the God who loves them, promises His presence, and holds them in His hand. And where does that lack of trust come from? From a faulty or incomplete understanding of His character, and from focusing on our inadequacies/obstacles rather than on His adequacies and ability to remove those obstacles.

Joshua 21:43-45 encourage and challenge me in my own fear-versus-faith walk: “So the Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as He solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything He had spoken came true.”

God commanded Israel to take possession of the land. He could have done it single-handedly, but He asked them to face their enemies and fight the battle. Were they scared? Probably. But they moved forward even if they had to do it afraid. And when they did, God gave them victory. They experienced all His promises, but only after they moved into action.

I’ve seen this prove true in my own life over and over again – from writing books to traveling overseas for ministry to trusting God for finances on a monthly basis. Each scenario forced me to make a decision, and how I responded revealed what I believed to be true about God. Did I think He was trustworthy, or did I not? Thankfully He gave me the faith to believe and I said yes. I’ve never been sorry, and I’ll never go back. I’ve seen God do some amazing things; I doubt that would have been the case if I’d said no.

Fear can either keep us in chains or it can be a catalyst for us to know God more intimately. To experience His rest. And to see His promises fulfilled. The choice is ours. The choice is yours. What will it be?

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Devotionals | 2 Comments »

Impossible Prayers

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

For what impossibility are you trusting God? Personally, I’m praying that He’ll supply more men than women volunteers for our summer ministry needs in Eastern Europe. Here’s why:

Unbelieving men need to see that Christianity isn’t just a woman-thing. If we take teams comprised mostly of women, the impression given is that practical Christianity isn’t applicable to the male gender. They feel that real men don’t need Jesus – He’s merely a crutch for the weaker sex. That’s so not true, but it’s understandably their perception.

We need godly men to build relationships with male unbelievers and to show how life works better when submitted to Jesus Christ rather than enslaved by vodka. Plus, when a husband participates with his wife on a missions trip, the marriage becomes a living testimony to the fact that having God in the center of their relationship can make a union strong and sweet. This is a foreign concept in some cultures, and a living example of a Christ-centered marriage speaks volumes.

The calendar countdown is on. It’s mid-April, and we have only a few weeks left before teams must be fully organized and participants receive their training. When I look at our numbers, I feel like I’m praying an impossible prayer.

I wonder if that’s how Joshua felt when he asked God to extend the day so he could complete the battle (Joshua 10:12-14). Think about it. What’s the likelihood of the sun and moon slamming on their orbital brakes? Zero. Nevertheless, the impossible happened.

Joshua was doing what God had told him to do – eliminate the enemy. And so, he asked God to do what was necessary to help him complete the task. There’s no record of his summoning astronomers to calculate statistics and variables before stating his request. There’s no mention of his weighing the odds. There’s only a simple and straightforward prayer: “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” And God answered his request (v. 13).

As I consider my prayer, I ask myself a couple of questions:

  • What is my motive for asking this?
  • On what basis am I asking this?

My motive is simple. I want unbelieving Eastern European men to know Christ as Savior and for them to become spiritual leaders for their families. Entire nations would be revolutionized if this became reality.

The basis on which I’m asking this is also simple – God loves people and wants relationship with them. If building relationships is one of the most effective ways to share His love with those who have never heard the Gospel, then we need men to build those relationships with men.

Is this an impossible prayer? By human standards – yes. But if God can make the sun and moon stand still to accomplish His purposes, then He can change the hearts of North American men and give them a desire to get involved this summer. “God, I believe….help Thou mine unbelief…”

How about you? For what impossibility are you trusting God?

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Devotionals | No Comments »

One Little Word Says it All

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Have you ever thought about the significance of the word all? It has only three letters, but it carries huge significance. For instance, take a look at Joshua 21:43-22:5.

  • The Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors (v. 43).
  • The Lord helped them conquer all their enemies (v. 44).
  • All of the good promises that the Lord had given Israel came true (v. 45).
  • Joshua commanded the Israelites to be very careful to obey all the commands and the law that Moses had given them (v. 5).
  • Joshua commanded the Israelites to love the Lord their God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, be faithful to him, and serve him with all their heart and all their soul (22:5).

As I read this passage, I circled the word all so I could grasp its significance. What did I learn? For starters, the Lord doesn’t leave a job half-finished, nor is He a God who commits half-hearted to His people. He fulfilled all His promises and defeated all the Israelites’ enemies.

Because He never changes, I can count on Him to defeat all my enemies and fulfill all His promises to me today, too. I can expect that from Him because of who He is. So what does He expect from me? An obedient heart to obey all His commands, and a commitment to love Him with all my heart and all my soul. (If I truly love Him like that, then obedience shouldn’t be so hard, should it?).

It’s a two-way, totally committed relationship. The Lord is wholly devoted to us, and His longing is for us to return that devotion without reservation. Nothing half-hearted here! Are we ready for commitment to that degree? We ought to be, considering all that Jesus has done for us.

“God, thank You for giving Yourself to us completely. Please give us hearts to love You without reservation in return. Amen.”

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Devotionals | 2 Comments »