Joshua 10:21
And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah,
in peace. No one moved his tongue against any of the
children of Israel.
And all the people returned to the camp, to Joshua at Makkedah,
in peace. No one moved his tongue against any of the
children of Israel.
Has God ever done something in your life so miraculous that those around you could not even pretend that God was not working in your life. Looking at the background of this verse, we see Israel, under the direction of Joshua, entering and conquering the promised land. Their first battle -- Jericho was a battle that left no doubt God was giving the land to Israel. However, their second battle where they lost to the small city of Ai because of sin in the camp gave the Canaanites hope that maybe God was not fully with Israel.
This verse comes at the end of their third battle. Prior to this battle Israel learned that God would NOT tolerate the slightest disobedience. After fighting Ai for the second time, Israel learned a second important truth -- Before making a treaty go to God (they where tricked into signing a treaty with the Gibeonites). Now entering into their third battle with the five Amorite kings, Israel knew they had to place full confidence in God. This third battle ended in a great slaughter, including a great hailstorm that killed all who escaped the sword of the Israelites. The outcome of this battle was so great no one in Canaan could deny that God was working on the side of the Israelites. The people were so convinced that they could not even speak a word of negativity against Israel because they were fearful of what the outcome may be.
I have had two such experiences over the last few months that clearly said "Tracy, God is in control you do not need to try to force your will." The first situation happened about three months ago. I woke up on a Friday morning and was rushing around to get my kids ready for MOPS. I am the discussion leader for our group, so I was also responsible for making sure the video and discussion questions showed up with me. I failed to gather everything together the night before, so I did not realize that the video was not sitting on the counter in the same place it had been for the entire month (I had moved it when we had company the previous week). Running around the house like a frantic woman I could not find it. I finally packed up my kids in the car and headed to MOPS - hoping that I had left it at the church at our last meeting. Well, I got the kids placed and then proceeded to look for the video. I was wrong, it wasn't there. It was finally at this point that I realized there was no place left for me to look -- I had already spent more than an hour searching my house. I decided to head home and take one more look. It was finally at this point where I turned to God and said "Lord, I've already searched my house and I don't have any clue where it might be. You know where it is, please give me wisdom to be able to find it." I parked the van and went into the house. Literally within one minute I had the DVD and the discussion questions in my hand. Without God I would probably still be looking for them.
My more recent very clear situation was yesterday. Our little town is about an hour and a half from any major shopping area -- Those of you from NBBC (NUI) can probably relate however I am in an even more rural area as our nearest Walmart is an hour and a half away (I'm not complaining, I really don't want to live anywhere else right now). Getting back to my story. We were on the way home from shopping yesterday and probably about 15/20 minutes from home. I was asleep and JA was driving. Well, he happened to have dozed literally a quarter of a mile before we would be driving under a bridge. We hit the shoulder of the road and we were both shocked into reality. The reason I say this was a complete example of God's protection is because we drifted to the right side of the road. Had we been drifting to the left we would not have awoken until we either hit a car or went off the road. Had he dozed just a few moments later we would have ran into a cement wall. God is so good in soooo graciously protecting us.
My point in telling you these stories is that my life shows plenty of evidence that God is alive and working. Some of you may say that these are just coincidences -- Miracles don't exist. I am not sorry to say YOU ARE COMPLETELY WRONG!!! My husband is a walking miracle which I would be glad to share with you if you need the proof. Let me challenge you, even those of you who are believers may at times feel like you are all alone, or that God is not working in your life (you may feel this way when you observe God working great miracles in the lives of others), examine your life and spot one or two major milestones in your life that leave no room for mistaking God was working in your life. Maybe it's when God saved you, maybe it's when he protected you from certain death, maybe it is in the birth of your child, or how he provided for you financially in a way you can't comprehend. Maybe it's simply in the miracle of life as you observe creation coming out of its winter dormancy. Whatever it is, write down that moment and keep it someplace you can turn to when you need the simple reminder -- God is Alive and He is Working in My life.
God does not forget His people, and He will continue to work in my life and yours as long as you allow Him to.
This verse comes at the end of their third battle. Prior to this battle Israel learned that God would NOT tolerate the slightest disobedience. After fighting Ai for the second time, Israel learned a second important truth -- Before making a treaty go to God (they where tricked into signing a treaty with the Gibeonites). Now entering into their third battle with the five Amorite kings, Israel knew they had to place full confidence in God. This third battle ended in a great slaughter, including a great hailstorm that killed all who escaped the sword of the Israelites. The outcome of this battle was so great no one in Canaan could deny that God was working on the side of the Israelites. The people were so convinced that they could not even speak a word of negativity against Israel because they were fearful of what the outcome may be.
I have had two such experiences over the last few months that clearly said "Tracy, God is in control you do not need to try to force your will." The first situation happened about three months ago. I woke up on a Friday morning and was rushing around to get my kids ready for MOPS. I am the discussion leader for our group, so I was also responsible for making sure the video and discussion questions showed up with me. I failed to gather everything together the night before, so I did not realize that the video was not sitting on the counter in the same place it had been for the entire month (I had moved it when we had company the previous week). Running around the house like a frantic woman I could not find it. I finally packed up my kids in the car and headed to MOPS - hoping that I had left it at the church at our last meeting. Well, I got the kids placed and then proceeded to look for the video. I was wrong, it wasn't there. It was finally at this point that I realized there was no place left for me to look -- I had already spent more than an hour searching my house. I decided to head home and take one more look. It was finally at this point where I turned to God and said "Lord, I've already searched my house and I don't have any clue where it might be. You know where it is, please give me wisdom to be able to find it." I parked the van and went into the house. Literally within one minute I had the DVD and the discussion questions in my hand. Without God I would probably still be looking for them.
My more recent very clear situation was yesterday. Our little town is about an hour and a half from any major shopping area -- Those of you from NBBC (NUI) can probably relate however I am in an even more rural area as our nearest Walmart is an hour and a half away (I'm not complaining, I really don't want to live anywhere else right now). Getting back to my story. We were on the way home from shopping yesterday and probably about 15/20 minutes from home. I was asleep and JA was driving. Well, he happened to have dozed literally a quarter of a mile before we would be driving under a bridge. We hit the shoulder of the road and we were both shocked into reality. The reason I say this was a complete example of God's protection is because we drifted to the right side of the road. Had we been drifting to the left we would not have awoken until we either hit a car or went off the road. Had he dozed just a few moments later we would have ran into a cement wall. God is so good in soooo graciously protecting us.
My point in telling you these stories is that my life shows plenty of evidence that God is alive and working. Some of you may say that these are just coincidences -- Miracles don't exist. I am not sorry to say YOU ARE COMPLETELY WRONG!!! My husband is a walking miracle which I would be glad to share with you if you need the proof. Let me challenge you, even those of you who are believers may at times feel like you are all alone, or that God is not working in your life (you may feel this way when you observe God working great miracles in the lives of others), examine your life and spot one or two major milestones in your life that leave no room for mistaking God was working in your life. Maybe it's when God saved you, maybe it's when he protected you from certain death, maybe it is in the birth of your child, or how he provided for you financially in a way you can't comprehend. Maybe it's simply in the miracle of life as you observe creation coming out of its winter dormancy. Whatever it is, write down that moment and keep it someplace you can turn to when you need the simple reminder -- God is Alive and He is Working in My life.
God does not forget His people, and He will continue to work in my life and yours as long as you allow Him to.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
for good works, which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
Earlier this week I received a book in the mail by John MacArthur called Drawing Near. I don't know who sent me this book, but if you are reading this post, I want to say thank you.
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