Every Place You Set Your Foot, Prayer Walking Series: Day 31—Choose

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

You’ve probably heard this verse before. It’s key to the book of Joshua. And on this final day of the prayer walk series, I’d like to gather you all together and ask you the same question. Who are you going to serve?

Like the Israelites, we have ancestors who have served false gods. In Egypt there were over 2,000 gods. After serving as slaves in that culture for 430 years, the Israelites’ understanding of the one true God would have been muddied. That’s why God introduced himself to them through Moses, and showed how superior He was by defeating the ten main gods of Egypt through specifically targeted plagues.

The gods worshiped where you and I grew up are probably a little harder to pinpoint. Regardless of your economic status, the gods worshiped or served in your household might have included money, education, power, sensual pleasure, drugs or alcohol, physical fitness, patriotism, revenge, relationships, or even family. Some of these things are good balanced with other aspects of life. But anything that claims our thoughts, time, and affections ahead of God is a false god.

Joshua also mentioned the gods of the Amorites, where they were living. The Israelites had finally made it to the Promised Land, but had yet to take it over.  The people who lived there had rejected God and chosen their own variety of deities. These were a snare to many Israelites, because instead of obedience and holiness, their worship encouraged sexual immorality and wild behavior.

This sounds like our world today. No matter where in the world you’re reading from, there are gods that appeal to the part of us that wants to “do it our way.” People all over the world worship nature, psychology, atheism, humanism, New Age, witchcraft, shamanism, animism, various prophets and teachers, and so many more. Even if you don’t consciously follow any of these religions, it’s easy to absorb false beliefs, because the ideas are everywhere and subtly packaged.

All of them are rooted in the same lie the serpent used to entice Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit in the Garden. He promised, “‘You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil’” (Gen. 3:4-5). To seek fulfillment apart from God is a dead end road.

Joshua called the people to make a conscious choice; it’s what we must do as well. Who will you serve? How you answer that question will determine all the other choices you make in life:

• Who you marry
• Who you pick for leaders
• Whether you fear man or God
• Whether you’ll pursue wealth or wisdom
• Who your best friends are
• How to express your sexuality
• Whether you’re friends with the world or with God
• Whether you’re on a path to death or to life everlasting

I hope this last day of the series isn’t your last prayer walk. I encourage you to think about the gods you’ve encountered in your lifetime. Ask God to reveal any you’ve bowed before or sacrificed those you love to, for self-gratification or the pursuit of truth. Ask Him to show himself mighty on your behalf—as the only Provider, Healer, Truth, Life, Light, Comforter, Lord, Savior, Friend, and Almighty God. Turn away from all others who claim to be those things, but are powerless to meet the deepest need of your soul.

As for me and my household, we have chosen, and will continue daily to choose Jesus, the only Lord and Savior. The only God.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

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#whowillyouserve #whichgodisreal #asformeandmy #prayerwalking #spiritualwarfare #claimingterritory #Joshua24

Every Place You Set Your Foot, Prayer Walking Series: Day 30—Provide

So, as the Lord had commanded, the Israelites gave the Levites the following

towns and pasturelands out of their own inheritance.

 Joshua 21:3

Every October is Pastor Appreciation month at our church. We send cards, take them out for coffee, have them over, give gifts, and let them know how much we appreciate them. Unless you’re a pastor, or the spouse or child of one, you may have no idea how exhausting and thankless their work can be. Most of them are up all kinds of crazy hours—praying, studying, counseling, visiting, sitting through meetings, setting up and tearing down for events, dealing with personnel issues, and you name it—caring for the flock. And that doesn’t even include preaching!

Being a pastor is not just a Sunday job; it’s a life calling. A worthy and honorable and blessed calling.

That’s why the Lord told the Israelites to make special provision for the Levites, giving them towns and pasture for their flocks. When God divided the land, all the other tribes were granted portions, except the Levites. As the priestly tribe, God was to be their portion and inheritance.

The priests’ job was spiritual leadership—teaching the people about God, and offering their sacrifices to Him. But like all of us, they still needed to eat, live somewhere, and care for their families. So God told the other 11 tribes to give them some of their land.

This served three purposes:

It gave them a place of their own where they could live and thrive.

It sprinkled them throughout the Promised Land among the other tribes.

It gave the Israelites a chance to bless their spiritual leaders out of the abundance God provided.

It’s like the 10% tithe we’re commanded to give out of our earnings. That money pays our pastors’ wages, and for heat, lights, insurance, and all the supplies and expenses of running a church.

 

for you Pastor Jeff

Some people get stingy about sharing their wealth—as if it’s optional. They pay their pastors meager salaries, provide inadequate housing, expect them to work 6-7 days a week, and be at every event. Then they criticize them when they get sick because they never get any time off. 

The law said to let oxen eat while they worked (Deuteronomy 25:4). Well fed oxen are healthier and happier than ones forced to work with no reward. In the New Testament, Paul applies this to the way we care for our spiritual leaders:

“Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.’...because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.” (1 Cor. 9:7-11).

He mentions it again in his letter to Timothy (1 Tim. 5:17-18). 

 

It’s our job to provide for our spiritual leaders out of what God has so graciously given us. Let’s be generous! If your church doesn’t have a designated time of year when you honor and bless your pastoral staff, maybe you should get it started.

Today as you prayer walk, pray for every pastor you know and their family members—for health, strength, joy in serving, and rewards for their work. Ask God how He wants you to give personally and make plans to carry it out. Our leaders need to know how much we love and appreciate their dedication to the Lord and their efforts as we claim this land in His name.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

#payyourpastor #tithe #prayerwalking #spiritualwarfare #claimingterritory #Joshua21 

Every Place You Set Your Foot, Prayer Walking Series: Day 29—Get Busy!

Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait

before you begin to take possession of the land

that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?”

Joshua 18:3

A wife was surprised one day to see her husband lounging on the couch and said, “I thought you were going out to mow the lawn?”

He replied, “I was, but I’m waiting for a part.”

“What part is that?”

“The part of me that wants to get off the couch and go do it,” he said.

We laugh, but there are consequences for waiting too long (apart from frustrating your wife). Where we live, if I put off mowing the lawn on a sunny day, there’s no guarantee it will be out tomorrow. If I don’t get busy while the sun shines I may miss my chance for another week or so while rain saturates our lawn. When the sun comes out again, the lawn is five inches taller and heavy with moisture.

The consequences for the Israelites waiting too long were much more serious. They got comfortable living at the edge of God’s Promised Land and lost the momentum they needed to actually go in. The land was theirs; they’d come all the way from Egypt to claim it. But that would take effort, so instead they settled “on the couch” waiting for a part—the part of them that wanted to fight for it.

This can apply to us in so many ways. If we want a better marriage, we’re going to have to get off our rear end and start working on it. If we want a closer relationship with our kids, we have to set aside the newspaper, our cell phone or computer, or turn off the football game, so we can ride bikes, play board games, or go hiking with our kids. You can’t build intimacy without regular doses of focused attention.

What has God promised, but you don’t possess, because you haven’t made the effort to claim it? God calls us to do our part. After all, no one buys a present, gives it to the intended recipient, and unwraps it for him too!

God’s already paid for our gift—giving us life and knowledge and strength—enough to claim the prize. It’s time to unwrap His presents and rejoice in His generosity. And go see what blessings this land holds for us and our families.   

So how long are you going to wait for your “part” to come in? It’s time to make a plan and carry it out. Get up off the couch and walk the land. Fight for it. In the name of Jesus, go to battle with the enemy of your soul who seeks to lull us into apathy. And claim the promises that are yours for the taking.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

#couchpotatoChristian #waitingforpromises #claimingterritory #Joshua18

Every Place You Set Your Foot Prayer Walking Series: Day 28—Legacy

On that day Moses swore to me, “The land on which your feet have walked

will be your inheritance and that of your children forever,

because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.”

Joshua 14:9

Kelly and I went to a lawyer a few years ago and mapped out our will. It felt a little weird since I had yet to hit fifty. And we need to update it again already. We want to be prepared, because you never know what tomorrow holds.

We want to make it as easy for our kids as we can when we’re gone. We’ve seen too many families torn apart, squabbling over who gets what when Mom and Dad die, especially when it’s a second marriage. Step siblings who seem to love each other, feud over the stuff their parents meant to be a blessing, instead of leaning on each other in shared grief.

We want to provide for our children’s future, but even more than that, we want to leave a spiritual inheritance. If we live all out for the Lord, as Joshua did, that will be our greatest legacy.

If we model what it means to love our spouse through temptation, sickness, and financial woes, as well as when we’re healthy and secure, we hope it will give our children the determination to stay true to their marriages. If we give freely of our time and resources to help others, we hope our children will find it easier to be generous.

The people we love to the Lord will become their forever family. The neighbors we befriend will support and encourage our children when we’re gone. The authority we speak over demonic forces in the name of Jesus will clear away the oppression and defeat from previous generations.

The Promised Land was an irrevocable gift from God to the Israelites. He also has an inheritance in store for those who choose to be grafted into His family tree. Those who founded this country sought God wholeheartedly and set up laws to govern people in righteousness. But we have given way to idol worship and immorality, pursuing other things more zealously than our relationship with Jesus. How can we reclaim our land so it is worth passing on to the generations to come?

Daniel chapter 9 is an excellent example of repentance for the sins of a nation. I have personalized verses 17-19. I hope you will pray for our country today: “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate [nation of the United States]. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the [country] that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.  Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because [this country] and your people bear your Name.”(NIV)

Let us never forget what made America great to begin with, and return to Him in wholehearted obedience. Only then will we leave an inheritance for future generations that is the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:21

#repentAmerica #inheritance #whatsinyourwill #prayerwalking #claimingterritory #Joshua14