30.12.2007



Have You Asked God About It?



The men of Israel looked them over and accepted the evidence.

But they didn't ask God about it.

- Joshua 9:14 TM



It's hard to remain humble when you've just walked through the Red Sea without getting wet, and conquered Jericho, the biggest city in the Promised Land. Over-confidence can be deadly!



Flushed with victory the Israelites thought they didn't need to consult God or listen to what He had to say concerning their next move. It's quite a story. The crafty Gibeonites realised they couldn't win against God's people so they sent out a team of negotiators to make peace with them. And it worked!



Even though they were lying, Joshua presumed they were telling the truth and signed a peace treaty. It was one of the biggest mistakes of his life! From that day on the Gibeonites were a constant thorn in Israel's side. Joshua lived to regret that he "didn't ask God about it."



Fanny Crosby, the blind songwriter, wrote: "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer!"



It's frightening how easily we move from relying on God to relying on ourselves, or trusting in a method because it worked in the past, or doing what everybody else is doing. Hearing from God for yourself is what gives you the edge; leaving Him out is what gets you into trouble.



If you have a tendency to move too quickly or to operate in your own strength and skill, pray for a red light in your Spirit. Ask God to let you know when you're moving in your own will rather than in His. It'll save you untold heartache!



SoulFood Bible Readings: Zec 10-14, Jn 20:19-31, Ps 97, Pr 31:22-24



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Thanks Tonto. It feels like we get washed clean every sunday, by these good words you bring. May The Lord our God have mercy on us. Amen.

30.12.2007



Listening For God's Voice



He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

- Matthew 11:15



It's not only possible to hear from God, it's absolutely essential! Mary took the time to sit and listen to Jesus (See Lk 10:39). Her sister Martha didn't, she was too busy serving.



There's a lesson here: you can get so busy serving the Lord that you lose your sensitivity to His voice and end up settling for second best. You learn to hear from God - by making time to hear from God! Fifteen times in the New Testament Jesus said: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."



This tells you three important things:

(1) You were born into God's family with Spiritual ears.

(2) You have to learn how to use them.

(3) Hearing from God must become your highest priority. A baby is born with the ability to hear, but he doesn't understand what he's hearing. Understanding takes time; it requires intimacy with his parents. Getting the idea?



Luke writes: "Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (Lk 24:45 NIV). Looking back over your life you realise that God has often talked with you, you just didn't understand what He was saying at the time. But He's patient with you while you learn.



Why is it that you can hear from God in times of crisis, yet not at other times? Because you have to! Until that changes, you'll keep living from crisis to crisis and you'll never learn to hear from Him regularly or correctly. Jesus said, "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge" (Jn 5:30).



Jesus did only those things placed in His mind by God the Father. And He wants you to learn to live that way too!



SoulFood Bible Readings: Ne 8-10, Jn 18:12-24, Ps 57, Pr 30:24-28



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Meli wrote:

QUOTE:
Thanks Tonto. It feels like we get washed clean every sunday, by these good words you bring. May The Lord our God have mercy on us. Amen.

God can never forget his people. Webale kusiima, mukwano.

30.12.2007



The Reason For The Battle



The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.

- Judges 6:12 NIV



If you've been under attack lately, get ready; God's about to show you what the fight is all about! The level of warfare over your life tells you what God is going to build in and through you. Sometimes the devil is more aware of who we are than we are.



Gideon was hiding in a cave, afraid of the Midianites. Yet God calls him a "mighty warrior." God sees things in you others don't; that even you don't! Our God, who is "the beginning and the end" sees things in their completed state - including your ultimate victory.



Somewhere in your life you should have a vision that humanly speaking makes no sense, something you know could never happen without God. When you first receive it something inside you will say, "I will," while everything around you is saying, "you can't." It will take you beyond your own competency and make you realise that it's "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord" (Zec 4:6).



Quit asking people who they think you are. Ask God! When He endorses you what difference does their opinion make?



When God calls you He shows you what you've got, then empowers you to use it. When Gideon said, "I don't have what it takes," the Lord replied, "Go in the strength you have" (Jdg 6:14), and "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites" (Jdg 6:16 NIV).



There's an important truth here: you must start where you are and use what you have, then God will give you more. If you're unwilling to move until you get more, you may wait forever!



SoulFood Bible Readings: Ne 11-13, Jn 18:25-40, Ps 67, Pr 30:29-33



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Please tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service.

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Thank you Tonto, for God's word for today.

The massage is very relevant.