GraceWalk - A Daily Bible Reading Blog

Okay - if you haven't been reading along, let me give you the cliff notes version. Joshua just got finished leading the children of Israel to victory over Jericho. God gave specific instructions to destroy the city and everything in it. He warned the people not to take anything for themselves, as was sometimes the custom (to the victor go the spoils). In the beginning of this chapter, we read of this man named Achan (btw, means "He that troubleth") who secretly took a beautiful robe imported from Babylon, two hundred silver coins, and a bar of gold that weighed more than a pound. Achan buried them under his tent, thinking that no one would ever know.

God knew - and because of this disobedience, He removed his blessing from the armies as they went to fight against the city of Ai. This was a small town and should have been an easy victory for the army of Israel, so they sent only 3,000 troops. As a result, Israel was defeated and lost 36 men as they were fleeing down the hillside.

Imagine the shock of the army and the leaders. They must have been very confused. They had seen God's blessing on them and their confidence in Him was building day by day. Suddenly, they are bested by the puny city they should have easily defeated. Where is God? Why has He abandoned us? Why did God bring us this far only to allow us to be slaughtered here?

The Bible says "their courage melted away." (verse 5)

Just look what a simple act of disobedience caused. God was very serious when he warned them not to take anything for themselves. As a result of a "harmless" act of selfishness, 36 men died and the courage of the entire army of Isarel was shaken. The price of this disobedience was great to Achan, too. Achan paid with his life, along with the life of his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, and sheep. Even his tent, and everything he had were destroyed.

Only then God's blessing returned. "So the LORD was no longer angry." (verse 26)

I have to be honest. I was a bit surprised that people had to die because of one man's hidden sins. Was that fair? Couldn't there have been some kind of warning before these men went into battle? And, why did Achan's entire family have to die?

How do we apply this today? Do we ask what we've stolen from God? Do we ask what He has told us to do but we didn't do? Are there those among us who have disobeyed the Lord and as a result, His blessing has been removed from us?

I think the message today is to make time each day to listen to Him. Ask Him to show you those things that are causing any diffiulties and deal with those things He reveals. In Joshua's time, it took the death of 36 innocent warriors to signal the presence of unresolved sin. What will it take in your life?

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 2:35 PM | Permalink | Comments

When my daughter was young, her mother and I tried to instill in her a respect for her parents and for authority. I knew there would be times I would need her to carry out a request (or command) that I wouldn't have time to explain all the reasons behind the request, so we frequently would have her say a quick little rhyme with us that went something like this - "first time, right away, no delay." That simply meant when asked to do something, she needed to respond right away, and that we did not need to repeat the request.

I find it interesting that God had Joshua carry out such an elaborate set of instructions to defeat Jericho. I mean, God could have told Joshua to do anything - close your eyes, hold one foot up in the air, spin around seven times and shout, "Ohwah - Tagoo - Siam!"

As I'm beggining to understand about God, you just never know what to expect. Even in Jesus time, sometimes He would have them put things on their eyes and go to a certain river to wash before they would receive the gift of sight. Other times, He would spit on the ground and touch their eyes. Other times, He simply spoke the words and the person was healed, like the man at the pool of Bethesda who waited for years for his turn to jump into the waters when they stirred. In this case, God gave Joshua the following instructions regarding the victory at Jericho:

2 But the LORD said to Joshua, "I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its mighty warriors. 3 Your entire army is to march around the city once a day for six days. 4 Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram's horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. 5 When you hear the priests give one long blast on the horns, have all the people give a mighty shout. Then the walls of the city will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the city."

I didn't read about Joshua questioning God at all. I didn't read where he delayed the instructions or took a break to get rested up. We see in verse 8, the priests took up the Ark right away and began marching. Nobody questioned it, they just did it.

Which, makes me think about my response to God's requests (commands) to me. First, do I take time to listen for His instructions? Then, once I've heard them, do I begin questioning His logic or formulating a better way to do it? I think sometimes I do, which only points to a lack of faith on my part.

Thank You, Lord, for Your word for me today. Help me to listen and then to act "first time, right away, no delay."

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 1:17 PM | Permalink | Comments

What is a legacy? Dictionary.com defines legacy as: "Something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past." Joshua left a rich legacy.

The Lord told Joshua to build a memorial at the place where they crossed the river Jordan:

6 We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future, your children will ask, 'What do these stones mean to you?' 7 Then you can tell them, 'They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the LORD's covenant went across.' These stones will stand as a permanent memorial among the people of Israel."

I love what the last verse in this chapter says:

24 He did this so that all the nations of the earth might know the power of the LORD, and that you might fear the LORD your God forever."

Because Joshua was faithful to do what God had asked him, God was able to demonstrate His power. Joshua and the tribe leaders built the memorial so that the world would be reminded of God's power forever. The Bible says this memorial remains to this day. If not physically, it is recorded in God's Holy Word for us to read about.

Joshua's legacy was that he heard and obeyed God. As a result, God made Joshua great in the eyes of his people:

14 That day the LORD made Joshua great in the eyes of all the Israelites, and for the rest of his life they revered him as much as they had revered Moses.

What is your legacy? Do you think about what it is you're handing down to your children and their children? What is it in your life that will cause your children and your grandchildren to stop and ask, "What does this mean?"

I want to leave a legacy that I heard the Lord and did what He asks of me. I want there to be a trail of memorials in my life that cause people to recognize the power of God - not me. I don't want to do anything in my own power or of my own thought.

I'm listening, Lord.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments

Joshua to the children of Israel: Okay people, listen up. Today we go into the promsied land and you're all going to know that God is with us. We're going to watch Him drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.

We already saw in the last chapter that people had already begun to talk. All the "ites" had begun to talk. Rahab told the two spies that people were "living in terror" having heard of how the Lord had made a dry path through the Red Sea. No one had the courage to fight after hearing such things.

Now, Joshua tells the priests to bring out the "secret weapon," the "big guns":

3..."When you see the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God, follow them. 4 Since you have never traveled this way before, they will guide you. Stay about a half mile behind them, keeping a clear distance between you and the Ark. Make sure you don't come any closer."

It must have been an exciting day. After all this time, it was finally the day to see victory. God had everything prepared. Joshua told everyone to purify themselves.

Isn't it cül that as soon as the priests' feet touched the water, the river piled up in one heap. Downstream, it dried up. Where they were to cross, it was once again dry ground.

One thing that stuck out to me is the first four words in this chapter: "Early the next morning." Those who would bring great things to pass, must rise early. "Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty." - Proverbs 20:13

I don't know if you sense it, but God is on the move. He's definitely up to something. The heat has been turned up and He is seeking those who will rise early, purify themselves and cross the river and follow Him. With Him in the lead, what is there fear?

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments

God provides a way when there seems to be no way. In this chapter we see how God provided Rahab, a resident of Jericho who believed in God.

Joshua sent two spies into the land east of the Jordan river. They came upon the great city of Jericho, but the king found out about it and he sent men to find them. Rahab hid them on her roof beneath piles of flax (my mom always said that stuff was good for you). Later, she helped them escape the city. Her house "just happened to be" built into the wall of the city. She simply lowered a rope and they escaped.

Did you catch Rahab's declaration?:

9 "I know the LORD has given you this land," she told them. "We are all afraid of you. Everyone is living in terror. 10 For we have heard how the LORD made a dry path for you through the Red Sea when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. 11 No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.

Such a statement of faith. She didn't know these men, but because of the reputation of God and His power, Rahab believed and helped His people, these two spies. Talk about "bold and courageous." She took a great personal risk to help these men she did not know.

I say it again, God provides a way when there seems to be no way.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments

Welcome to the book of Joshua. Recently we finished up reading Exodus where we saw the release of the children of Israel from captivity in Egypt. Moses received the law and is considered one of the Bible's greatest leaders. As we will see in this book, Joshua is considered one of the Bible's greatest military leaders. Here are some facts we've seen about Joshua to this point:

• Joshua was born as a slave in Egypt, about 40 years before the Exodus. He was the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim (1 Chronicles 7:20,27).
• Originally named Hoshea (Numbers 13:8), meaning salvation, Moses renamed him Joshua, meaning The Lord is Salvation (Numbers 13:16).
• Joshua was an active participant in the Exodus, and was Moses' military commander when the Israelites defeated the Amalekites in Rephidim about 2 months later (Exodus 17:8-16).
• Joshua was a close aide to Moses. He was permitted to accompany him part of the way up Mount Sinai when Moses received The Ten Commandments from God.
• Joshua was one of the twelve men sent by Moses to explore the land (Numbers 13:16-17), but only Joshua and Caleb gave an encouraging report.
• Before Moses' death the leadership of Israel was formally transferred to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:23).

Now, the Lord appointed Joshua leader here in chapter 1 (verses 1-2) with a promise:

3 I promise you what I promised Moses: 'Everywhere you go, you will be on land I have given you – 4 from the Negev Desert in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River on the east to the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and all the land of the Hittites.' 5 No one will be able to stand their ground against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you."

What stands out to me in this chapter is how many times God tells Joshua to 'be strong and courageous." Once is enough for God to mean it, but three times in rapid succession?:

6 "Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed. 9 I command you – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

God tells Joshua to obey the laws and medidate on the law day and night. What is the reward? "You will be successful in everything you do." "Only then will you succeed."

Like Joshua, God wants us to be successful. But, we need to know "the law." For us today, God's law is The Bible. We need to be in God's word, studying it, applying it, obeying it. Only then will we be successful.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 7:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

Like many people, I love a good mystery. I loved reading those Encyclopedia Brown books as a kid. I still love Sherlock Holmes stories. Logic puzzles would completely frustrate me until I was able to put the last answer down, but I was drawn to them every time.

I guess this is what led to my love for mathematics and my change to math major in college. But, it wasn't always that way. In high school, I struggled with math. I was an "A" student, but when I got into Algebra and Calculus, my grades began to nose-dive. This created quite a drama. I had the desire and the drive to be good at math, but I couldn't understand it. Looking back, I now understand that my math teachers were two coaches and the choral director. I remember asking for help but not getting much.

My first year at Oscar Rose Jr. College in Oklahoma City, I decided that I would go back to Intermediate Algebra and if I didn't get it, I would forget about math and go a different direction. I had the priviledge of sitting under one of the most famous mathmaticians of our time, John Saxon.

This eccentric little German man came complete with a funny accent, Tyrolean hat and a beer stein (I still wonder what was in that pewter mug), but he had passion to teach. He taught us from unfinished manuscripts (which later became his famous textbooks), and he had us all up at the chalkboards working out problem after problem. (Yes we really used chalk! Boy, I'm starting to feel old)

Today, even after his passing, elementary and middle school students are using Saxon math textbooks - especially homeschoolers. It's highly sought after and highly effective. Mr. Saxon knew the secret to teaching math. He had passion. He got us involved. He had us memorize acronyms to remember formulas (do you think this is where my abnormal love of acronyms was born?). Not only did I start to understand math, I loved it! I changed my major from computer science to mathamatics. John Saxon made me want to be a math teacher. I knew that if one man could change my understanding so drastically, I wanted to be able to do the same.

As I read today's chapter, God's secret plan jumped off the page:

2 As you already know, God has given me this special ministry of announcing his favor to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly mentioned earlier in this letter, God himself revealed his secret plan to me. 4 As you read what I have written, you will understand what I know about this plan regarding Christ. 5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now he has revealed it by the Holy Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets. 6 And this is the secret plan: The Gentiles have an equal share with the Jews in all the riches inherited by God's children. Both groups have believed the Good News, and both are part of the same body and enjoy together the promise of blessings through Christ Jesus. 7 By God's special favor and mighty power, I have been given the wonderful privilege of serving him by spreading this Good News.

I'm not of Jewish heritage, but God revealed to Paul His "secret plan" to take the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ to everyone, not just those of Jewish heritege. It was God's plan all along! But, He chose not to reveal this plan to previous generations.

Like my struggles with math, until the right teacher came along I was hopeless. I wanted to understand and I knew I liked math, but something was missing. I asked for help, but couldn't receive understanding from the answers I was given.

Praise God that He chose to include all the world (Jews and Gentiles alike) in His plan! And, I'm thankful that we have God's Word to bring us the truth (the secret plan).

Okay gumshoes, your mission, should you choose to accept it: share the secret plan with those around you today.

This message will self destruct in 5 seconds...

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 9:29 AM | Permalink | Comments

Listening to the new Israel & New Breed CD entitled "Live in South Africa" I was reminded of a childhood memory. Did you ever have one of those inflatable "punching bag" toys? I think mine was Bozo the Clown. I loved that thing. Or I hated it. Or I loved to hate it?! I could punch it in the face, kick it in the head, throw my newest leggo aircraft creation at it, and it would sway and bob, but it always came back for more (hmmm - did I have violent tendancies as a child or what?).

Why did it always bounce back? Because it had that heavy weight in the bottom. Look at the verses in today's chapter:

20 We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also joined together as part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.

He is our foundation - our weight, our anchor that allows us to have a "bounce-back" spirit. No matter what the world throws at us, because Christ is in us as our foundation, we can bounce back. Because we're "carefully" joined together we can help each other to bounce back. Wow - that preaches!

There is something else I picked up on this morning in Ephesians 2. I really like the NLT version of those famous grace verses, Ephesians 2:8-9. Check it out:

8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Salvation is not a reward... There are rewards for serving Christ, but Salvation is not one of them. Otherwise, if we could earn Salavation, we would boast about it. It is a gift.

Lord - thank You that You have been my heavy weight, my foundation that has allowed me to remain flexible and bounce back no matter what the world and the enemy has thrown at me. Thank You for my brothers who have helped me bounce back because we are so "carefully" joined together.

peace!
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments

I love this chapter. Paul's description of the things God has done for us in verses 3 through 14 is breathtaking. If you're only reading other dBraggers' thoughts, let me encourage you today to get out your Bible and read these chapters for yourself. I have nothing you need to read, but the reading of God's word will change your life.

I must admit that today my mind is elsewhere. So much is going on right now with family and friends. I read today's chapter in the shadow of my mother's heart catheterization this morning. She has already had a quad bypass and I'm praying that another will not be required.

As I read today's chapter, with all this in mind, my eyes focused on verses 19 & 20 and I read it over and over:

19 I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms.

I know the power these verses speak of. I've heard stories of miraculous healings. I've seen it before my own eyes. I know that God "heals all our diseases" (Ps. 103:3). It's amazing to think that the same power that raised Christ from the dead is for us who believe Him.

So, I ask you to join me in praying for my mom today.

Lord, with all the faith I can "muster" I ask You to touch my mother's heart and circulation system. Restore those vessels & veins to their perfect function, unblocked and flexible. Lord, guide the plans and the hands of the doctors. I pray they will find nothing wrong and that she has been restored to full health. I understand that the power that raised You from the dead, Jesus, is for those who believe You. Thank You Lord, for healing my mother.

peace?
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 9:15 AM | Permalink | Comments

34 Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glorious presence of the LORD filled it.

It is finished. This chapter also seems a bit redundant with God telling Moses exactly what to do with each finished piece of the Tabernacle, then we get a play-by-play of Moses setting each piece up in the Tabernacle. Do you think God had very specific intentions for every minute detail concerning the preparation of the Temple? Everything had to be just so.

Which seems to crush my previous premise of comparing our "temple" to the Tabernacle. Do you see what I mean? Maybe I'm still a bit cloudy this morning, but if I had to have everything "just so" in my "temple" before the glorious presence of the Lord filled it, I'd be running on empty most of the time.

I'm thankful that God has chosen to reside me in spite of me. Thank God that the only preparation I'm required to carry out has to do with accepting what Jesus did on the cross. Because of that, God dwells in me in the Holy Spirit.

Well, that about does it for our study of Exodus. Want to know what's next? Check out my blog:
http://jaqua.blogspot.com/2006/05/whats-next.html

See you in the Word!

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 7:48 AM | Permalink | Comments

I don't know about you, but it seems like we've had plenty of descriptions of each of the elements of the Tabernacle in the book of Exodus. We read God's prescription to Moses, then Mo took it to the people, then the people brought the offerings needed, now we read a description of each of the completed items.

God is emphasizing the meticulous detail required here in Exodus. He wants the Tabernacle to be "just so." How do we get something from reading this for today? Here's what's hitting me:

Where is the Tabernacle? We are the Tabernacle. If we're a Christian, God is in us:

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;" 1 Corinthians 6:19

So, what is God saying to you today about your Tabernacle? Are there rooms that need to be cleaned out? Are there uninvited "guests" who have taken up residence in your heart that you can't get out? What about your health? Do you need to loose weight or start exercising more? What about rest?

Do you need to start reading the Bible every day to fill your mind with Truth and increase your faith? Are there other books God has prompted you to read, but you just don't "have the time?"

As I make this list, these are things I'm hearing. Perhaps there are other things God is telling you about your Tabernacle.

Here's an interesting thought I found on a site from a brother in New Zealand (http://inner.geek.nz):

Host of the Heart

After hearing the sermon at my church on Sunday, I was inspired to write this little devotion in time for my bible study group this week. Some of the members of our group asked if I’d give them a copy, so here it is. I hope you like it, even if you’re not a christian.

Imagine your heart as a room, a room you have prepared for God to live. This room is perfect in every way — clean, spick and span.

You live there too. It’s your heart, and you and God share it.

It didn’t used to be clean. It was once like a dirty old store room, full of dust and dirt and some big old cardboard boxes you didn’t really want to open.

But here you are, in this room with God, sharing the space. You are both having a good time.

God decides to take a look around. He sees a white cloth that seems to hiding something. He takes the cloth off gently, and reveals the boxes, still crusted up with the thick grey dust of years gone by. He also sees some brand new boxes, still kind of shiny.

You’d forgotten you had put the boxes there. Just remembering that they are still there after all this time is painful.

You know what is in the boxes. He knows what is in the boxes. You know you should have gotten rid of the boxes, but you can’t put the boxes anywhere else — no-one will take them.

Except Jesus.

Jesus pops in and spies the boxes. Wanting to get the boxes out of your life, you run over and grab a box, giving it to Jesus. He gladly takes it, and starts prying apart the flaps on the top of the box. Afraid, you quickly hit the flaps out of his hand and hold the box shut.

“I know it’s painful to remember what you’ve done, but if you want to stop doing it, you’ll need to understand the reasons behind why you continue to do what you do.”

You know he’s right. The box is there, and you know he’s here to help. Together, you open the box and begin unpacking it, sorting through its contents.

It really hurts. Countless times during the time that passes you are brought to tears. And the more you dig through the box, the more things you find. The box is deeper than it looks.

After a long time, you find a long forgotten memory. It hurts so much to recall it. You want to just close the lid and forget it ever happened.

But Jesus takes it in his hands, and shows you that he was there.

You struggle to take it in. Do you believe it? He was there. In one of the most painful memories of your life. It’s unbelievable. But it’s true. He was always there. He is always there.

. . .

There’s a lot more boxes in the corner, and the memories of what lies within start flying around your head. Dealing with those boxes is gonna take some time. What will you do with the boxes?

Something to think about today. What do we do with all the baggage?

The bottom line is, God wants you to be free of the baggage and He wants to clean out your heart of anything impure or unproductive. The more clutter there is, the less room there is for Him.

Lord, as David prayed, please create in me a clean heart.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments

I try to keep this blog for my thoughts about my daily Bible reading. But, I have been thinking about this Da Vinci Code book & movie lately and how I'm supposed to react or respond. I can justify posting my thoughts here because it really is related to the Bible.

I started to wonder, what would Jesus do?

If you're not familiar with what's going on (and you've been in a cave for the last few years) author Dan Brown has written a controversial book with what some call a highly blasphemous view of a "secret life" of Jesus Christ that was covered up by a hardline Catholic movement called Opus Dei, and that Mary Magdelene and Jesus actually married and had children.

Like most of my friends, my first reaction was of horror and shock. I was highly offended and have avoided any discussions. I'm reading Josh McDowell's book about the Da Vinci Code now just for a different perspective. But for the most part, I've successfully avoided the heated debate.

There have been calls for boycotts from Cardinals, authorized by the Vatican. Churches all across America have expressed similar calls. It seems a new industry has risen out of the controversy to publish books and articles refuting the book, its author and everything to do with the movie.

This morning, I found an interesting article from "The London" films section. It has some comments from the film's star, Tom Hanks, and I wanted to post some questions to my readers. In the article, Tom said:

"But the story we tell is loaded with all sorts of hooey and fun kind of scavenger-hunt-type nonsense. "If you are going to take any sort of movie at face value, particularly a huge-budget motion picture like this, you'd be making a very big mistake. "It's a damn good story and a lot of fun... all it is is dialogue. That never hurts."

What do you think of Hanks' remarks? On one hand, I agree that just because something is said or incinuated in a film or a book, does that make it true? Why would so many people get so fired up because of this?

On the other hand, we're talking about Jesus Christ here. We're not talking about Bill Gates or some other popular political figure. This is about God. And what effect would this have on someone who is not familiar with the Truth? Would they be led astray? How serious is that? It's not like a parody on the ruler of some foreign country would cause someone to miss out on eternity with God.

Archbishop Angelo Amato, the number two official in the Vatican doctrinal office, had what I thought was a good point. He said, "If such lies and errors had been directed at the Koran and Holocaust they would have justly provoked a world uprising. Instead, if they are directed against the church and Christians, they remain unpunished." We all got to see first hand what happened when someone said something disrespectful about the Quran this past year. People died.

I hesitated even posting this because with a controversy like this simply by discussing it you may be adding fuel to the fire. Something I say may just be the thing that gets someone interested enough to read the book or see the movie.

Is that a bad thing? Would it be wrong for me to go see the movie? Can I, like Tom Hanks suggests, go an enjoy the movie for its hooey and mystery?

What then are we to do about it? Cardinal Francis Arinze went a bit further. He said, "Christians must not just sit back and say it is enough for us to forgive and forget. Sometimes it is our duty to do something practical. Some know legal means which can be taken in order to get the other person to respect the rights of others."

The Catholic church in London commented that calling for a boycott would be pointless. I would go as far as to say that calling for boycotts would only serve to make the film more popular.

If you recall from our reading the New Testament, or from your days in Sunday School, Jesus was not stranger to this kind of controversy. People were constantly making up lies, trying to frame Him, trying to get mob riots to kill Him. What did Jesus do? He went about His business. He knew what He had to accomplish and He let nothing stand in His way.

Focus on the Family had this point:

"The movie will confuse lots of people, but Jesus will become the centerpiece of many conversations. For those who are prepared to explain that Christianity rests on solid foundations, the opportunity will be tremendous."

Perhaps the best thing to do is nothing at all - and pray that God would call Dan Brown, Tom Hanks and all these protesters to a closer walk with Him - so this kind of thing would never have happened in the first place.

Just my thoughts. Do you have any comments? Please post them...

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

When God is in it, He will provide the resources.

Have you ever been involved in a start-up ministry? I've been involved in ministries that God breathed and I've also been involved in start-ups that man began. Those that were simply man's ideas were a struggle from the get-go. Even though the intentions were good and the purpose honorable, it was difficult to make things happen and eventually the plans failed. But, those that God inspired flourished: the right people were involved, the right skills were there, the commitment was solid, people were coming and God showed up.

So it was with Mo and the crew here in Exodus 36. Moses asked the people to bring their contributions and they did! Their hearts were stirred. They were so willing and cheerful that they brought more than enough and Moses had to tell them to stop:

6 So Moses gave the command, and this message was sent throughout the camp: "Bring no more materials! You have already given more than enough." So the people stopped bringing their offerings. 7 Their contributions were more than enough to complete the whole project.

Have you ever found yourself involved in a ministry that seemed to struggle at every turn? Was it difficult to get people to commit? Did you always have to struggle to get things done? Perhaps the ministry started out strong, but has peaked and interest has subsided?

I believe that when God is in something, the resources are there in abundance. I would even go as far as to suggest that if resources are scarce that it's time to consult with God, "Is this of You, Lord?"

Life is short and our time on this clay is precious. Don't waste it trying to do anything other than what God has gifted and directed you to do.

Check out the picture - it's Berol fine pen, felt tips and stamper pens directly on the page of a good news Bible. This picture is about the crafting of the veil in the Tabernacle. It's not a very clear picture, but if you look close the artist drew around the words on the left side that describe the veil. I'd give you the link, but upon reading more, and seeing some of the questionable content on the page, I think I'll just leave it at this for now.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 6:37 AM | Permalink | Comments

"Anyone who works on that day will die."

Pretty strong words found in verse two of today's chapter. I hate to go into the whole "where do we draw the line?" thing again (so I won't). But, every time I read about God's commandment to honor the Sabbath - something in me wriggles.

"But I'm too busy, Lord"
"This is Old Testament teaching"
"It's not for today"
"Things are different now"

This is a list of some of the thoughts that go through my mind. Other thoughts have to do with the busyness of today's hectic pace. I need more rest. I know my health suffers when I don't get enough rest. I find myself running from one project to another, sacrificing proper diet and proper sleep because my days are already taken up. My thoughts turned to my desire to read - I'm several books behind where I want to be. And then there's the whole I-want-to-start-writing-songs-again thing - but I can't find the time.

And then it hit me.

All these things had to do with me. The Lord asked me, "Why did I implement the Sabbath?" Well, my first thoughts were focused around me - I need to rest, my mind needs rest, my health depends upon it. But that internal wriggling continued.

"It is for You, Lord"

He wants me to honor Him with T-I-M-E. He wants me to stop what ever I think is important and focus on Him. He wants to talk to me. He wants me to listen. All the other benefits are there - that's the beauty of it. But, the main reason for the Sabbath is for communication - for relationship building.

How do you get to know someone? You spend T-I-M-E with them. I confess, my daily Bible reading has improved to the point where I miss it if I don't get around to it. But, I need to spend more time WITH Him and not focus so much on the FOR Him. Does that make sense?

The children of Israel are now preparing to implement God's instructions to Moses. They're gathering the materials to build the Tabernacle, and all the related implements and furnishings:

21 If their hearts were stirred and they desired to do so, they brought to the LORD their offerings of materials for the Tabernacle and its furnishings and for the holy garments.

If their hearts were stirred. Did you see that? First, God re-emphasized the importance of the Sabbath. How can our hearts be stirred if we don't be still and listen once in a while? What are the consequences? "Anyone who works on that day will die."

As we go about our busy days, even if we're in ministry, we need to be mindful of Him and take care to leave time to commune and to just listen for His voice. It's far too easy to become too busy to hear what He wants us to be busy doing.

I'm listening, Lord.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 1:08 PM | Permalink | Comments

As we near the end of Exodus, I wanted to let you know that I've been in prayer about where to turn next in our Bibles. Please understand that I take this very seriously and really try to hear God about which books to read next.

I felt strongly about Exodus because while I was praying about this back in the end of March, I kept hearing about the children of Israel from everywhere - in church, on TV, on the radio, from friends discussions. I knew we needed to go there next. And, it has been fascinating and very informative. Thank you all for your insights and your emails. I have learned much about myself and my "wandering" tendancies.

This time, I'm hearing "Joshua" the same way. I'm excited about learning what treasure is hidden in the book of Joshua.

But first, let's take a look back at Ephesians. It's a short book, and I feel the need to understand about the importance of the armor again.

So, here's the schedule for you dBraggers and Bible readers for the next few months:

May 17, 2006 - Start reading Ephesians
May 23, 2006 - Start reading Joshua!
June 16, 2006 - TBD
July 1, 2006 - It's a SURPRISE!!!

You know the benefits of daily Bible reading. Renew your commitment and jump back in there. God rewards the faithful.

Thanks for joining me on this journey.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments

HOLY!!!

That's how we emphasize words with today's word processing technology. We can use all capital letters to indicate shouting or yelling, we can use bold and italics for emphasis, we can use exclaimation points for excitement.

Did you know that when people were writing the Bible, they didn't have Microsoft Word or even MS Works? So, they had to emphasize words in another way: they would repeat the phrase for emphasis. For example - "Verily, verily I say unto you" today would be more like "VERILY, I say unto you." If the writer repeated a word or phrase, it was for emphasis. If they used the word or phrase three times (rare) as in: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty" today, this would be like shouting: "HOLY!!! is the Lord God Almighty!"

Look at verse 6 in today's chapter:

"I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. 7 I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations."

Kinds puts a new light on things huh?

The other thing I like in this chapter is the glow face effect:

28 Moses was up on the mountain with the LORD forty days and forty nights. In all that time he neither ate nor drank. At that time he wrote the terms of the covenant – the Ten Commandments – on the stone tablets. 29 When Moses came down the mountain carrying the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn't aware that his face glowed because he had spoken to the LORD face to face. 30 And when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses' face, they were afraid to come near him.

Last night in our Wildmen men's meeting I saw some men whose faces were glowing. We had an opportunity for an extended time of worship and they had spent time with God. Like Moses, I don't think they knew their faces were glowing, but we could see it.

I want that. I want that. I want that.

(did you catch that?)

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments

Today, I was blown away by what I read in verse 3: "But I will not travel along with you, for you are a stubborn, unruly people. If I did, I would be tempted to destroy you along the way."

Talk about rocking my world! Did God just say that? Well, after reading the past few chapters, I can kind of understand, but to think God would think this...

Okay, some of my dBraggers have written me and suggested that God was testing Moses, or allowing him to take his leadership skills to another level. I'm more inclined to take it for what it is. God was ticked at these people.

This caused me to examine myself. Could God consider me stubborn and unruly? Let's see, these people lacked faith, were impatient, complained a lot. Whoa...

Then, I read what Moses said to God in verses 15 and 16:

15 Then Moses said, "If you don't go with us personally, don't let us move a step from this place. 16 If you don't go with us, how will anyone ever know that your people and I have found favor with you? How else will they know we are special and distinct from all other people on the earth?"

Mo pleaded the people's case before God, and he seems to have changed God's mind:

17 And the LORD replied to Moses, "I will indeed do what you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and you are my friend."

Can this really be? Can someone change God's mind? There are those who would argue this. I don't know, but when I read this story, I get the feeling that my prayers are not in vain because God already has everything "fixed" in some certain path. And there are other stories, too. Remember the one where God changes His mind about the 50 righteous people in Sodom...no 25 righteous people...no 10...no 5 ?

I mean no disrespect and I know God is all-knowing and he knows what decisions I'm going to make and when. And, I didn't mean to get this far down that road. My point is this: Moses was praying for the children of Israel. He was begging for God to go with them. And, God seems to have changed His mind. Do you see the importance of prayer here?

Do you have someone praying for you? Do you pray for others? The encouragement today is to remember this:

The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. - James 5:16

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 4:23 PM | Permalink | Comments

Have some cake!

Wow, according to my records, this is my 100th posting on GraceWalk (not that I'm counting or anything). Wow. Okay, I admit it's not that newsworthy, but you only get this opportunity once. So - here it is.

Thanks for hanging with me. I encourage you to read along with me - not just my thoughts, but God's Word (I don't have anything of value to say, I'm just telling what God has shown me).

As I've stated before, I never had the discipline to read the Word every day, but I so wanted to. I knew the benefits and I knew I should, but I wasn't strong enough. I'd try it for a while, but after a few days or a few weeks, I'd be back to wishin'. It wasn't until a good friend suggested we become accountable to each other via email that I even attempted something like this.

That was over 2 years ago now, and I've read through the entire NT and several books in the OT (I think I & II Samuel are my favorites still). Well, it changed my life so much that I told a few close friends. They started accountability groups and told their family and friends. They told their family and friends, etc.

What started out as accountability between a few friends has become a significant number of new daily-Bible-reading blogs and dozens of what I call "dBrags" (see dBrag.org for more info) across this country and the world. I have my friends to thank and my Lord.

Sure, I still miss a day here and there, but I can certainly tell when I haven't had my time with God. I miss it. Wow...I never thought I'd hear myself say that. And, I still have issues and God's got lots of work to do, but I'm grateful for my new habbit. I just wish this would have happened a few years earlier...

Lord, Your Word is amazing. Send forth Your Word, Lord. Use me any way You can.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 3:55 PM | Permalink | Comments

This morning through the reading today's chapter, God spoke to me about waiting on Him.

1 When Moses failed to come back down the mountain right away, the people went to Aaron. "Look," they said, "make us some gods who can lead us. This man Moses, who brought us here from Egypt, has disappeared. We don't know what has happened to him."

Like these people, I seem to have a very short waiting tolerance. I'll pray about something and if it doesn't seem to be answered right away, then I jump into action. This has caused me much unnecessary suffering. God has been telling me over and over lately - through my accountability group, in the Sunday message, in my personal study - to ask and believe, not ask and then do it yourself.

The other thing that jumped out at me is Aaron's comment to Moses after he had been busted:

21 After that, he turned to Aaron. "What did the people do to you?" he demanded. "How did they ever make you bring such terrible sin upon them?" 22 "Don't get upset, sir," Aaron replied. "You yourself know these people and what a wicked bunch they are. 23 They said to me, 'Make us some gods to lead us, for something has happened to this man Moses, who led us out of Egypt.' 24 So I told them, 'Bring me your gold earrings.' When they brought them to me, I threw them into the fire – and out came this calf!"

One of my other dBraggers pointed out how ridiculous this is as well: "and out came this calf" ? Please, Aaron - do you expect Moses to buy that?

This just goes to show me again - God picks ordinary people to do His work. He chose Aaron to be the High Priest, in charge of all the other priests. And look how he blows it. Not only does he agree to gather everyone's gold and then make an idol and then encourage the people to worship it - he saw how excited they were, so he built an altar and sacrificed to this golden calf. Then he lies to Moses on top of it all: "Gee, Mo - I don't know what happened. Here I was just gathering up everyone's gold, I threw it in the pot and out jumps this golden calf!"

For the children of Israel, expecially Aaron, there were consequences, as there always are. We'll read about that later on. But, for today the encouragement is to wait on the Lord and to have no other idols before Him. Even when it seems the Lord has abandoned you, you will be blessed for believing and waiting on Him.

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments

Exodus 31:

1 The LORD also said to Moses, 2 "Look, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, intelligence, and skill in all kinds of crafts. 4 He is able to create beautiful objects from gold, silver, and bronze. 5 He is skilled in cutting and setting gemstones and in carving wood. Yes, he is a master at every craft! 6 "And I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to be his assistant. Moreover, I have given special skill to all the naturally talented craftsmen so they can make all the things I have instructed you to make...

More questions. Do you think Bezalel and Oholiab had natural crafty talent? Or do you think that God chose to give this to them for a very special purpose? Well, look at the end of verse 6. God gave special skill to "all the naturally talented craftsmen." Bez and Oho seem to not be included in this list of naturally talented craftsmen.

Which led my thoughts to the intent of God's special annointing: to build His Tabernacle, the Ark & its cover, all the furnishings and furniture, etc. What do these things represent today? Where is the Tabernacle? We are!

Maybe its a stretch, but the message for me today is that God has the ability and the will to appoint whosoever He will to accomplish what He wishes with what ever skills are necessary.

And, I've seen it with my own eyes. I remember starting out as worship leader at a local church. The existing team consisted of a young trumpeter, a floutist (flute player), and a sweet woman who recently purchased a guitar because she wanted to help in the worship team. Not much on the surface. But, they were willing to be used. We studied what it meant to be a worship team and lead worshipers. I remember that they were so eager to worship Him. There were no puffed up egos to deal with (that you sometimes have with "pro" musicians who've become accustomed to praise of their own). After a few weeks, I noticed how people were responding during the songs. The music was sweet. God flowed freely through this team. The annointing was there, even though the skill was only beginning.

I think this applies to all of us - musician or not. The trick is to seek Him about what He's wanting you to do. How has He gifted you? Where is your passion? Are you listening? Perhaps He will choose you to fill a need in the church or community that you'd never dream of.

Reminds me of a song by Jeff Deo:


peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 2:30 PM | Permalink | Comments

In today's chapter, we read carefully prescribed descriptions from God regarding the building of the altar of incense and the washbasin.

The things that have me really wondering today are the descriptions of the oil and the incense. I understand that these special mixtures were reserved for the Tabernacle and that God says this about them:

31 And say to the people of Israel, 'This will always be my holy anointing oil. 32 It must never be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you must never make any of it for yourselves. It is holy, and you must treat it as holy. 33 Anyone who blends scented oil like it or puts any of it on someone who is not a priest will be cut off from the community.'"

And of the incense:

37 Never make this incense for yourselves. It is reserved for the LORD, and you must treat it as holy. 38 Those who make it for their own enjoyment will be cut off from the community."

Okay - so back then these mixtures were reserved for the Lord. Where do we draw the line? Today, there is no Tabernacle and the Lord is within us. One of my dBraggers asked similar questions after reading this chapter, "Why can't we buy this in the book stores today?" and "Why don't we mix up a batch of this stuff?"

Well, I would pose the same questions. The recipe is right there. Is the warning from God, that we will be cut off from the community, for us today? Has Jesus' sacrifice done away with this prohibition to use this holy oil and incense?

Now, let's take this a bit closer to home. As I read the part about the census tax (that's what it was), I couldn't help wondering about where we draw the line for our analogies from the Old Testament. In other words, we are so quick to draw analogies from the children of Israel when it comes to their bondage and their wandering in the wilderness, and we say, "that's just like us today." We recognize that God is our provider when it comes to what we need by comparing it to the manna. We consider the Ten Commandments to be in effect for today, but the other laws regarding slaves and clothing, etc. that are described in lengthy detail in this book are easily dismissed.

But now - as I read the part about the half shekel offering - it's simple for me to say, "that was for them back then, not now." Furthermore, where does the tithe fit in? Is 10% expected of us today (which by the way is not in the New Testament), or is the concept of a census tax more appropriate? Where do we draw the line?

Sorry - but I have more questions than revelations this morning. Any thoughts?

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments

It's Friday and I needed a good laugh - so I went back to my old favorite video. I got such a kick, I decided to share it with my blogger friends.

I'm posting a link to the hillarious spoof video by Whiteboy DJ called "Baby Got Book." It's a spoof of the rap "hit" called "Baby Got Back." But, it's about the Bible (that's how come I can justify putting it on my dBrag blog).

It's very well done by a pastor in Cleveland, and you can find out more about him and this video (which is now included on a DVD with other great skits & songs) at: http://www.whiteboydj.com/store.html

To see the video, click the picture or the link below:

http://www.ericjaqua.com/wildmen/babygotbible.wmv

ENJOY!
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments

What do you think of as you read these chapters that detail all the rituals the children of Israel had to go through for the forgiveness of sins? As I have mentioned before, it's difficult to trudge through all the detail and find something meaningful or practical for today.

The first thought was how grateful I am that we no longer have to go through all this ritual. We no longer have to dedicate priests with the sacrifices of bulls and rams (not sure how I would fancy boiled ram meat). We no longer have to purify altars and pour animal blood at the base of them. It makes me that much more grateful for what Jesus did by taking our sins upon him, both past and future, and being our sacrifice.

But, there's something more I realized as I read this chapter a few times. I began to wonder about how all this preparation changed the people's hearts. Think about it - these people had to go through this ritual over and over again. There is such an emphasis on cleansing and purification. Certain things had to be a certain way. Things had to be done in a certain order. There was much training and preparation involved to meet with God.

Contrast that with today, when we can suddenly stop what we're doing, pop into church for an hour, endure a few worship songs and a sermon, and then get back to our busy lives. When do we take the time to get prepared to meet God? Where is the emphasis on holiness?

Today, it seems the church is more interested in being "seeker-sensitive" and not insulting or offending anyone. It's become a social club for those who want to call themselves Christians. It's little wonder the church has become so powerless.

But, there's a change in the air. I don't know about you, but it really seems like God is turning up the heat. Do you feel it? This past Tampa Bay Tres Dias (#17) was more intense than I've ever experienced and the momentum has yet to slow down. These past few weekends at church have been an experience like none other - we never even got to the message that was prepared! God took over and we went in a whole different direction. Things are changing.

God is calling us to prepare ourselves. It's not by might, nor power, but by His Spirit. Praise God that we don't have to cut up animals and burn them on the altar any more. But, what is it God is asking us to do to prepare? Can we continue to live our lives day-by-day without so much as praying once, and then expect to hear from Him on Sunday?

Ask God today what it is He would say to you. Reserve time to listen to Him. How can we prepare ourselves?

(okay - that was quite a soapbox this morning - are you still with me?)

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 7:58 AM | Permalink | Comments

And I call myself a news junkie! I never heard about this before, did you? There's a Bible reading marathon happening in Washington D.C. and it ends today! They read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation on the steps of our nation's capitol, leading up to the National Day of Prayer.

It's going to take 90 hours to read the entire Bible out loud - no commentary included, just the reading of the Word. That's not even 4 days!

Here's the link: http://www.dcbiblemarathon.org/

Perhaps this is just one of those stories the media chose not to cover...

Go God! Let Your Word go forth and change this nation!

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments

As we read through Exodus, many of you have commented that it's getting a bit more difficult to dig out something practical for today. The first time through, I felt the same thing about this chapter.

As I prayed and tried to dig a little deeper, it occured to me that God was showing the people how to worship Him. He prescribed the setting apart. He prescribed the clothing, the ephod, chestpiece, and robe of the ephod in exquisite detail. These ministers were to oversee the daily operations of the Tabernacle. These people were to help the children of Israel come to God (worship leaders?).

Then, Aaron was the High Priest, in charge of all the priests and Levites. Today, we have Jesus as our High Priest, and the daily animal sacrifices were eliminated because of Jesus' once-and-for-all sacrifice.

But, we still have people that lead us into the presence of God. We need ministers and lay-leaders who have been equiped with gifts from God to lead us into the presence of God. Although the very detailed descriptions of the garmets are not needed for today's ministers (some wear robes, some wear suits, others wear shorts & sandals), God has prescribed the preparation of the heart.

I found the description of the Urim and Thummim (meaning "curses" and "perfections") quite interesting. These are a kind of precious stone which the priest used to determine God's will in specific matters. How nice would it be to cast lots to determine if God wanted us to do something or not.

Again, our High Priest today is Jesus Christ, Himself. We can go directly to God in prayer through Jesus and ask Him to show us His will. Not as easy as throwing dice, that's true. But, it requires us to stop and listen for His voice. It requires a relationship with Him. The more time we spend with Him, the easier it gets.

That's the encouragement for today. Do you know your High Priest? Spend time listening for His voice today. I know I need to...

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 7:12 AM | Permalink | Comments

Chapters 25 through 31 give us God's explicit instructions for the building of the Tabernacle.

The first thing I found interesting is that all the materials for the building of the Tabernacle and the various furniture and items in the Tabernacle were provided by voluntary contributions of the people. All the various items on God's shopping list were donated as needed (and then some - see Chapter 36:5-7). That was then. What about now? Where is the Tabernacle today? Where is God's list? Who provides those items?

As I continued to read about the Tabernacle and the various items, I was a bit overwhelmed by the specificity [I love that word. Lawyers seem to love that word.] of all the instructions. But, did you know there are no less than fifty chapters in the Bible that report instructions concerning the tabernacle? Before Jesus, this was the one place where God met with His people. It had to be just so. It was the only way to God.

Praise God that today, because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we approach God through the blood of Jesus. The tabernacle is us! He lives in us.

Although I get a bit bogged down with all the laborious descriptions and detail in these chapters, it spoke to me about the preparation of my "tabernacle." If so much concern was given back then to the exact appearance and location of the furniture, the construct and dimensions of the items, and the careful routine of the High Priest and the worshippers, shouldn't we be more concerned about our "tabernacle?"

As I thought through this, heath issues came to mind. Are we eating properly? Do we fill our "tabernacles" with harmful substances? Do we exercise? What about spiritual conditioning? Are we attending corporate worship and fellowship with other believers? Are we building our faith by reading His Word? What do we fill our minds with: TV? talk radio? Are we exercising our faith by discipling others? Do we help in the building of other "tabernacles" around us?

These are the things God brings to my mind this morning - and most are for me. Perhaps there are other things God would like for you to be concerned with for your "tabernacle."

Any other thoughts?

peace,
e

Posted by Jaqua (Jāy 'Quāy) at 7:27 AM | Permalink | Comments