How often do we think God hasn't answered our prayers? I wonder if He has answered them but not the way we expected. He may answer prayers that are outside the box of our thinking. How often do we pray for specific answers, answers that we deem reasonable or safe, answers that fit comfortably inside the box of our thinking?  I read Joshua 10 today. This is the story of the sun standing still. Talk about outside the box!! In this case, Joshua was the one thinking outside the box. He specifically asked God that the sun and moon stand still - to make the day last longer. And God granted it!! Which part is more astounding. that Joshua thought to ask the sun and moon to stand still, or that God granted it?  I can only imagine how pleased God was to receive such a request. To have someone with so much faith that he could ask God such an outlandish thing! Dear God of Everything, I am so sorry that I limit my prayer request to those things that seem relatively easy, things t...

Joshua begins where Deuteronomy ends, at the death of Moses.  The Book of Joshua begins with "After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua...." I want my life to end that way, with the words "the servant of the Lord" associated with my name.  I know I will never do anything great like Moses.  I am not looking for that kind of recognition (or calling!!!!).  I just would like to be known as someone who is a servant of the Lord.  I don't know how to accomplish that. I would like to be greeted in Heaven with "Ah, Sherri's here.  She is a good and faithful servant of our Lord." I know one way to do this is to obey God's beaconings.  When He asks, I reply, "when and what?"  When He says, "go", I go.  When He demands, I respond.  Unfortunately, I don't always or even frequently respond that way. I don't take the opportunity to look for what He might what me to do.  I don't look for oppo...

See Joshua 13:14   and 18:7 , for the Levites, Priestly Service was their inheritance.  According to Joshua 18:7, " The Levites, however, do not get a portion among you, because the priestly service of the LORD is their inheritance . "   I wonder if the Levites felt short-changed.  All the other tribes from the sons of Jacob were given LAND, lots of land, as their inheritance of the Promised Land.  God promised and delivered.  But did the tribe of Levi feel mistreated?  Did they whine about their inheritance, or lack thereof?  Did the people from other tribes try to keep their daughters from marrying a Levite because there was no land inheritance?  OR was serving God in the temple and representing the people to and for God such an honor that land was immaterial?  Because land ownership was only temporary, I think that maybe the Levites had a more stable life than the ones who owned property.  But when you think of tasks invo...

Why would God have us do such strange things? Have you read the story of Joshua and the Israelites walking around the city walls of Jericho one time each day for six (6) straight days, then on the 7th day walking around 7 times and shouting?  ( Joshua 6: 1-21 ) What could be the reason for this? In Judges, God told Gideon that he had TOO many men to go into battle ( Judges 7:2-8 ) so he told Gideon how to reduce the number (to 300!).  Then when they went into battle a few verses later, He had them break jars as part of the battle plan. (See Judges 15-19   Break Jars!  What could be the reason for breaking jars as part of war?    God told the prophet Hosea to take an adulterous wife to illustrate Israel's adultery against God.  I have a friend who roped off several of the back pews in the sanctuary one Sunday because she felt strongly that God wanted her to. These are such strange things for God to ask.  I'm sure He has a reason. But what co...

See Joshua's warnings in chapter 23, specifically versus 12,13 and 15. "But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes , until you perish from this good land, .... You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. But just as every good promise of the LORD your God has come true, so the LORD will bring on you all the evil he has threatened , until he has destroyed you from this good land he has given you." We like to warm comfy feel of Jesus in the New Testament.  We like the strength, power and warmth of God in the Old Testament.  But we really don't l...