Joshua 1 ~ and Joshua commanded

Sea of Galilee

Joshua 1

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.

Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”

And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 

 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them.

Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

In Aramaic & Hebrew, the name Jesus is "Yeshua". Jesus was probably called "Yeshua".

Joshua is “Yehoshua”, in Hebrew - Aramaic. Jesus and Joshua in English. Similar names. In Greek, both names are “Iesous”. Joshua stands as the shepherd to Israel in this chapter. Like Jesus.

We are called to be like Joshua - a light to the world. God's people are called to believe and act on the promises of the LORD. Our light brightens the dark parts of life. We have been called by God, God is with us wherever we may go.

If we are called upward, the hill can be steep. The Hope of God and the purer air pull us higher. God hasn't brought us this far to drop us on our heads. We might swerve, have detours, but His Call is Bring us A Long Way. His Way.

Does His Call seem a bit watered down. Do we see a path that has curves. Maybe. Just maybe, there is a vast difference to what we see and what He sees. 

Father God, be our guide and we will go Far! In Jesus' name. Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves +

<><

Isaiah 49:1-13 ~ Saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’ to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’

 The question was asked: "i wonder what God thinks of me"

Empathy filled me at the lower case i and the desire to know, capital G God, in the question.

There are multitudes of Scripture written personally to "i" just for this reason. As many as the stars we can see in the sky. Four hit me that I'd like to share. The Word being living and active - these Scriptures create thoughts & emotion in us - sometimes this is why people are angry or uncomfortable reading the Scriptures. For those emotions, prayer and talking to God is needed.

As Father God sees us, He is like Isaiah, He is not fixed on today, in a cage of time. He is not seeing us as teenagers, moms/dads, married or elderly and (based on the colors described of the people in Jesus' ancestry) He doesn't really see us as a color. We are not locked in to a specific time for God, He sees us as the whole journey of our lives.

Gideon wasn't seen as a young man, or weak, or questioning - Gideon was seen as a wonderful, wonderful soul, a creation of God.

Judges 6:11-23

11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” 17 And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. 18 Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.”

19 So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them. 20 And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so. 21 Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. 22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.” 23 But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”

God has no trouble being in the moment, in your conversation to Him.

John 1:44-51
44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

50 Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Why God would be interested in a question like that. A humble question.

Matthew 19:17
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”

Jesus says:

John 14:1Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me

In believing God, we can read about Jesus and ourselves told to us through Isaiah:

Isaiah 49:1-13

1 Listen to me, O coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples from afar.
The Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name.

2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.

3 And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my right is with the Lord,
and my recompense with my God.”

5 And now the Lord says,
he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him—
for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
6 he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

7 Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation,
the servant of rulers:
“Kings shall see and arise;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves;
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”

8 Thus says the Lord:
“In a time of favor I have answered you;
in a day of salvation I have helped you;
I will keep you and give you
as a covenant to the people,
to establish the land,
to apportion the desolate heritages,
9 saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out,’
to those who are in darkness, ‘Appear.’

They shall feed along the ways;
on all bare heights shall be their pasture;
10 they shall not hunger or thirst,
neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them,
for he who has pity on them will lead them,
and by springs of water will guide them.
11 And I will make all my mountains a road,
and my highways shall be raised up.

12 Behold, these shall come from afar,
and behold, these from the north and from the west,
and these from the land of Syene.”

13 Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;
break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For the Lord has comforted his people
and will have compassion on his afflicted.

John 13:1
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.


1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves +

<><

Luke 23:33-35 ~ "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

 

Luke 23:33-35


When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."

And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One."


 

Let's be very serious. Is God re-inventing Himself in the New Testament?

Some people consider the God of the Old Testament to be Very Different from the New Testament. 


Instead of the reinvention of God,  

let's see Jesus and forgiveness. 

Because


Hear O Israel, the Lord Thy GOD is One.

What did Jesus show in His Forgiveness - what is His Model?









 

Sincere Forgiveness came from the Innocent Son of God. 

Our goodness in forgiveness doesn't necessarily have an immediate payback.

What happened as Jesus Forgave?

1. They cast lots for what they could put their hands upon, to take further. 
They disregarded His forgiveness.
2. Others just looked on.
3. Rulers sneered.





What Difference did the Forgiveness of God Give? Was there an impact? Was that amazing Forgiveness pointless?

1. The people saw the Dead walk.
2. 500 people saw Jesus alive and teaching.

A new Heaven and a new earth. 

And the new earth was formed as a progression of miracles and ripples. 
Allowing the Rock to make Living Water keep moving.


This Lavish Love had Very Old Testament Wonders.

Forgiveness is the Deep Breathe of allowing God to have what we cannot heal. 
Forgiveness is the giving up of retaliation.
Forgiveness is not blaming ourselves to not obtain perfection.
Forgiveness is not taking this on and on, it is rest.
Forgiveness is saying, with sincerity, "My best and foremost step is conversation with God."

Forgiveness is not a magic eraser.  It is a bridge to His Path forward. 

Forgiveness is being at peace even if there are flaws.

Forgiveness has Boundaries.
Places where we don't have to bang our head over and over.
Forgiveness is a Deep, Clean Breathe.
Take that breathe and give Him the Lord's Prayer. 
Letting God have what we can't redo, can't renew, can't be more than human.

What?

We do not see Jesus stand in front of the Holy of Holies and make the Temple repair as HE stands to Proclaim Himself.

Jesus kept on Blazing His Path. For us. 

What?

Jesus does not appear in front of the Sanhedrin Council and destroy their Talmud records (we can read today in Scotland). The Sanhedrin Council cannot let go of the harm they did to God's Son and for years they discuss complete falsehoods to make themselves feel better. History records the real evidence. The Council takes their forgiveness and spin for themselves a way to keep doing the status quo. 

The rulers don't have enough remorse to have anything but excuses.  Old paths and circles. Old values, traditions.  Jesus provided forgiveness and we do not see evidence of any change.

Forgiveness was given.

The Status Quo of Power, died, in 70 A.D., the natural death Jesus would have had.

God was ending the powers that had ended His Son. A consequence to not opening a heart to forgiveness.  God didn't just go gooey. 

This is the Same God. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow.

 










 

What? Only the people who would crucify Jesus?   
Even those who loved Him.

Matthew 20
Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him. 21And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left."

Jesus also told Peter.  Self before help. Peter moved into fear and betrayal. The cost of not being with the multitude of women and people who mourned Jesus on Good Friday brought a cost. They would give up their lives for Jesus. And this - they - chose to do.

Peter made a mistake to the Lamb of God, complete Innocence and Goodness.
Peter continued to Grow with Love towards Jesus. 
Jesus taught Peter not to walk on his own self-righteousness. 

What? 
God was interweaving their failings to comfort us. We all fail. Those who walked with Jesus failed. God weaves all things to good for those who love Him and work to His purpose. Jesus promised many comforts to those who would continue in Him. 


Just like the Kings and Chronicles of The Old Testament we see, sin has consequences, and God is Raising us up again in Him. 






The largest concentration of Blessings surround the Boundaries God gives us.
 
Jesus said to Love.

John, Luke, Timothy, Mark - the loved ones who stayed to help the dying - lived to be old.  THEY LOVED! Mark stayed on in hardship and trouble for Peter. Peter declared Mark to be his son. Mark had failed Paul once before. 

Forgiveness has given mercy.  There is fruit in Forgiveness.

(Proving long life - God seeing His Creation as Good - God sees as a blessing!  Forget the good die young.)

What? 
               The Bible isn't just a book of martyrs with long robes. 

 In this Life, God rewarded "Beloved, let us Love one another - Love is of God."

The Old Testament isn't without processes, doesn't contort.

Forgiveness doesn't require lack of consequence or amnesia. 

The New Testament does not say magic beans and all cuddles, not no consequences.

Forgiveness is not a contortion.  This is a process. As the Father ran to the Prodigal Son, we read all through the paragraph - this has taken time. Luke 15. 

We forgive immediately as a start by saying, "I want to forgive, I will forgive, God help me each day as the Prodigal Father had time to forgive."  Push back the dark. Forgive.


Jesus told us about this as well.


Matthew 7
"You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit."


This is usually a good rule to be cautious. 
And is Scripture. God says Mercy is shown to the Merciful. A good point to remember in our discernment.

Centered like the Old Testament.

NOW. Jesus told Joshua in the Holy Spirit to be "Centered". We must be real and sincere in our Soul to Our Father who Loves us best.

Matthew 18
21 Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 

Joshua kept working the process.

Jesus did not take vengeance. 
Yet, in the physical body - HE did not chose to attend the Sadduceen Council.





1 Corinthians 7 15 
But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? 


Peace is important. 

Fighting for the Peace is important.

Peace usually is not slid into, we have to work or fight for peace.  Nicey will fall apart like kleenex on a rainy day. Let the people who have ears, hear.  Work to communication with respect.

We did this Today in this household. We had heated and loud words, I was overlooked and I refused to be the back of the bus for no apparent reason. I refused to quit. My husband said,  'cool off time.'  We did.  I sent an email saying my point of view and why POLITE with a constant communication Heard - Was IMPORTANT. 

Because Peace is Work in Progress - Our communication was completed. Misunderstandings were explained. The one flaw was admitted and forgiveness was completely exchanged. Nicey without apology and communication would have left this unresolved.  This peace was loudly fought for. And had a referee to say - stop - pause. Think. Someone cared enough to say - I'm also involved.  Love found a path with Words. 

Like Jesus - Our Hero, Savior, Beloved - we will not have all apparent victories. 

Our steps hope to follow those who love Jesus. Peter, Paul, Timothy, Barnabas, Mark - they all had times to leave. Changes and relationships ended. Towns said no. 

No Portion of the Bible discussing this transient Life had Huge and Continual Spike the Football.

A Boundary - An Important Boundary? !!!

Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."


How is the OLD TESTAMENT LIKE THE NEW TESTAMENT?

And the same joy in the old Testament of Nehemiah....

GOD tells us about Heaven 346 Times in the Old Testament.
Compassion of GOD! And still telling us of Heaven in the New Testament!
 
To what can we compare the Joy of forgiveness?


Philippians 2:2
Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.


Build up the Body of Christ in Love. We ask Jesus for the Encouragement and Miracles You provided to Daniel. Fathers return to sons and hearts encouraged to Love.  Family. Your Will be Done. Amen!!!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

<><

Luke 6:12-16 ~ Jesus went out

Hawaii? Sea of Galilee Palm Farm

Luke 6:12-16

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13 When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14 Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Luke 10:1
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.


Footnotes:

Luke 10:1 Some manuscripts seventy; also in verse 17

Church of 12 Apostles in Capernaum

Psalm 97

1 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad!
let the distant shores rejoice!

2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.

7 All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!

8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, Lord.
9 For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.

Truly marvelous. Great knowing Jesus in the paradise of the greens of Galilee. Jesus picked joy in this life! God's creation is beautiful in Israel. We may have and share Jesus' determination to live in Beauty with people of faith. Jesus was knocked over to see the Centurion's faith. And determined Capernaum to be His Hometown.

And...
Nestle’s Novum Testamentum Graece - the Greek word “hebdomekonta” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible) is trans­lated “seventy.”Immediately following this word, is the Greek word “duo” -  translated “two."

And important fact - easy to remember.
Apostles are the circle of 12. And when John saw Heaven, these were not the faces on the Thrones he wrote of. Surely, an interesting thought.

So, Apostles are 12 and Disciples are 72. 70. What happened in the other two? Aw, cmon, don't you remember this?

Two of the disciples asked Jesus to call down fire on their detractors, to show power. Poooooof. No more two disciples! Now you know, the Paul Harvey, Rest of the Story!

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

 

 

<><