Valley of Achor is the place where Achan and his family were stoned after having stolen the spoil from the first victory of Canaan. The goods acquired at Jericho were specifically dedicated for the Lord and strict warning had been given not to take anything from there lest you would be accursed. Consequently, Isreal lost the next battle and suffered 36 casualties because of Achan's hidden sin. To remove the curse of the Lord from the camp, Achan and his family were executed. Achor means “causing sorrow” or “trouble”.
The Valley of Achor became something of a figure of speech to Isreal. Everyone knew what happened there and what it represented. Hosea used it to show an antithesis: “And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.” Hosea 2:15 God is able to take our occasions of trouble and sorrow and turn them into a door of hope and a place of singing.
Isaiah 65:10 says, “And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.” Here, in this place of curse and judgment, God will cause us to be safe at rest, satisfied with every need as a herd of sheep. Of course there is a disclaimer: “for my people that have sought me.”
It then lies in our power as to whether our Valley of Achors are a time of trouble, or hope and rest!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Life More Abundant: Believing God is Good
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose. - Rom 8:28
Do we really believe as Christians that all things work for our good? Do we believe that God allows every thing in our life for a purpose? Why should we with our limited view get to decide which things are good and which things are evil? Take Joseph, for example: it was evil that he was sold in to slavery wasn't it? Evil that he was falsely accused by Potipher's wife? Evil that he was forgotten by the king's cup bearer? But all these things played a part in placing him in command of Egypt to save the nation of Egypt and her neighbors including the Jewish lineage of Christ and therefore the whole world. We cannot judge what things are for good and what things are evil because we only see a small part of the picture and are commanded to follow Joseph's example to have faith that God meant it for good. We have a promise after all that “All things work together for good to those that love the lord.”
Each time a doctor neglects to call, or an appointment cannot be scheduled in a timely manner, or the money is unavailable, every small upset is allowed by God to happen. It does not mean we should not fight or pray for things to come through, only that we should be at rest in our souls because God continues to be in control and it is part of his plan. He has something he is trying to accomplish in your Christian walk.
What was the most recent “evil” that happened to you?
__________________________________
How has the Lord used it for good? How can it be used for good in someone else's life?
___________________________________________________
Do we really believe as Christians that all things work for our good? Do we believe that God allows every thing in our life for a purpose? Why should we with our limited view get to decide which things are good and which things are evil? Take Joseph, for example: it was evil that he was sold in to slavery wasn't it? Evil that he was falsely accused by Potipher's wife? Evil that he was forgotten by the king's cup bearer? But all these things played a part in placing him in command of Egypt to save the nation of Egypt and her neighbors including the Jewish lineage of Christ and therefore the whole world. We cannot judge what things are for good and what things are evil because we only see a small part of the picture and are commanded to follow Joseph's example to have faith that God meant it for good. We have a promise after all that “All things work together for good to those that love the lord.”
Each time a doctor neglects to call, or an appointment cannot be scheduled in a timely manner, or the money is unavailable, every small upset is allowed by God to happen. It does not mean we should not fight or pray for things to come through, only that we should be at rest in our souls because God continues to be in control and it is part of his plan. He has something he is trying to accomplish in your Christian walk.
What was the most recent “evil” that happened to you?
__________________________________
How has the Lord used it for good? How can it be used for good in someone else's life?
___________________________________________________
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Life More Abundant: Thankful Hearts, Not Able Bodies
Micah 6:8 He has shown thee, O man, What is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.
Notice that everything listed here is right thinking. In the passages that lead up to verse 8, the prophet asks what should be brought to the Lord. Should we bring burnt offerings and a calf? How about thousands of rams and rivers of oil? Would God be pleased with THAT? A rhetoric “no!” Well then how about your firstborn? “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” I Sam. (15:22)
It is difficult for us to comprehend a world not based on productivity, especially in this humanistic society. Our worth is based on how much we contribute. When we cease to be “productive” and start to become a burden, we become despondent and depressed. But God is not looking for productivity. He is only interested in a clean heart, and every life has value. We have to change our thinking. We need to be a blessing even if it is by having a happy heart while we are suffering and letting others take care of us. Am I difficult to be around because I have a negative attitude? Do I cause people to wish they were somewhere else because I am depressed? It is hard to serve, but strive to make it easier on others by being thankful and pleasant. Of course, this is not something you can fake, but comes from a heart that is surrendered and thankful before the Lord. Infirmity is an opportunity to minister. Instead of you going out and finding people to be a blessing to, God brings them to you! Take advantage of the door that has been opened to you because of your trial.
In what ways can your trial be a potential blessing?
____________________________________
How is the success of my infirmity becoming a blessing dependent on my attitude of thankfulness?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Notice that everything listed here is right thinking. In the passages that lead up to verse 8, the prophet asks what should be brought to the Lord. Should we bring burnt offerings and a calf? How about thousands of rams and rivers of oil? Would God be pleased with THAT? A rhetoric “no!” Well then how about your firstborn? “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” I Sam. (15:22)
It is difficult for us to comprehend a world not based on productivity, especially in this humanistic society. Our worth is based on how much we contribute. When we cease to be “productive” and start to become a burden, we become despondent and depressed. But God is not looking for productivity. He is only interested in a clean heart, and every life has value. We have to change our thinking. We need to be a blessing even if it is by having a happy heart while we are suffering and letting others take care of us. Am I difficult to be around because I have a negative attitude? Do I cause people to wish they were somewhere else because I am depressed? It is hard to serve, but strive to make it easier on others by being thankful and pleasant. Of course, this is not something you can fake, but comes from a heart that is surrendered and thankful before the Lord. Infirmity is an opportunity to minister. Instead of you going out and finding people to be a blessing to, God brings them to you! Take advantage of the door that has been opened to you because of your trial.
In what ways can your trial be a potential blessing?
____________________________________
How is the success of my infirmity becoming a blessing dependent on my attitude of thankfulness?
_____________________________________________________________________________
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Life More Abundant: Surrendering your plans
Ecc. 9:10 ___________________ thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy _____________; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Sometimes we look for things to do on purpose for the Lord. We teach a Sunday school, or watch someone's children. Sometimes we are doing things out of necessity like working. Sometimes we are doing things strictly for our own pleasure. But sometimes, we have things which are dumped on us because that is what life has dealt to us. For example, I became most unhappy today when I went outside and found my tire flat. It was the second tire within the week (two separate tires might I add). It did not steal very much time out of my day, but because I had spend the evening before planning a schedule to turn over a new leaf and try to organize my days more efficiently, I was most irritated. But as I sat in the smelly waiting room of the tire shop with only a handful of auto magazines and a cheesy soap opera playing, I remembered that the Lord is good all of the time, and if we feel he has treated us unfairly, it is because we are not seeing all of the picture, and I surrendered my disrupted day to him again, which was still going according to HIS plan.
Most of our day is consumed with things we wish we did not have to do, even without the tragedies. But it is true that if we do whatever it is that requires our attention with our whole attention, we will enjoy it much more. If we submit to the Lord and say, “this is what the Lord has for me to do right this moment and nothing else,” we will find ourselves in a far happier state.
One of the steps to enjoying life is by submitting to the Lord: to the interruptions he sends us, the struggles, the hurts, the annoyances, and the wrongs. Even when that obstacle is a permanent fixture like when things can not be accomplished because of ailments and afflictions. We have to redirect our thinking and say, the Lord wills this for me, and I must ask for His strength to walk this way.
What is stealing your joy? What things would you wish to be out of your life that are out of your control to change?_______________________________________________________________
What daily chores have you been doing out of necessity and not “as unto the Lord”?______________________________________________________________________________
What “flat tires” have ruined your plans today and this week?
_________________________________
Ask the Lord to control your day. Surrender every hour to him, even if it means giving up every ounce of your leisure time. Ask him to help you see how you are serving him in the daily menial tasks.
Sometimes we look for things to do on purpose for the Lord. We teach a Sunday school, or watch someone's children. Sometimes we are doing things out of necessity like working. Sometimes we are doing things strictly for our own pleasure. But sometimes, we have things which are dumped on us because that is what life has dealt to us. For example, I became most unhappy today when I went outside and found my tire flat. It was the second tire within the week (two separate tires might I add). It did not steal very much time out of my day, but because I had spend the evening before planning a schedule to turn over a new leaf and try to organize my days more efficiently, I was most irritated. But as I sat in the smelly waiting room of the tire shop with only a handful of auto magazines and a cheesy soap opera playing, I remembered that the Lord is good all of the time, and if we feel he has treated us unfairly, it is because we are not seeing all of the picture, and I surrendered my disrupted day to him again, which was still going according to HIS plan.
Most of our day is consumed with things we wish we did not have to do, even without the tragedies. But it is true that if we do whatever it is that requires our attention with our whole attention, we will enjoy it much more. If we submit to the Lord and say, “this is what the Lord has for me to do right this moment and nothing else,” we will find ourselves in a far happier state.
One of the steps to enjoying life is by submitting to the Lord: to the interruptions he sends us, the struggles, the hurts, the annoyances, and the wrongs. Even when that obstacle is a permanent fixture like when things can not be accomplished because of ailments and afflictions. We have to redirect our thinking and say, the Lord wills this for me, and I must ask for His strength to walk this way.
What is stealing your joy? What things would you wish to be out of your life that are out of your control to change?_______________________________________________________________
What daily chores have you been doing out of necessity and not “as unto the Lord”?______________________________________________________________________________
What “flat tires” have ruined your plans today and this week?
_________________________________
Ask the Lord to control your day. Surrender every hour to him, even if it means giving up every ounce of your leisure time. Ask him to help you see how you are serving him in the daily menial tasks.
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