A MAN OF GOD

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“Just be determined, by confident; and make sure that you obey [all of the Word of God].” Joshua 1:7 (Good News)

I apologize for not posting Wednesday--I had many life-crises--my internet connection didn’t connect! Could it have frozen up in our extreme cold?

Joshua Son of Nun became Moses’ right hand man early in the Old Testament when he started helping Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt. To read how Joshua established himself as a righteous man, google “Joshua” in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy in the Bible.” Or grab a concordance and look for his name in these five books.

He always honored the Lord, from his young manhood to the end of his life. Therefore God honored him. Joshua 1:1-9 reveals how God promised, “I have given you … the entire land of Israel … no one will be able to defeat you as long as you live (WOW!)… I will always be with you; I will never abandon you.” These are the types of promises God gives to those who honor Him. Today he sends along the Holy Spirit to guide us and comfort us. Not bad rewards for selling out 100% to the God of the Universe, right?

God reminds godly Joshua what he already knows: He takes nine verses in the first chapter of the book of Joshua to repeat the secrets of spiritual success:
۰ Be determined and confident (repeated three times!)
۰ Study the Word day and night and obey it. Read it publicly during worship.
۰ Do not be afraid or discouraged because I, the God of the Universe, am with you always.

We can use these success points, too, with the Holy Spirit’s help. Why not ask the Lord right now to build these secrets and their rewards into your own life? Your decision will pay off big time, both now and in eternity.



Email me at audrey4j@cox.net with your comments & questions.

This ends our study on dwelling close to God’s heart, unless you have questions. I will post on other subjects—keep checking back.

Check back Saturday to see the first word I wrote in my new manuscript, Motocross Mania. It’s for tweeners, ages 8-12. Let your friends know! Spread the word! Another kids’ book about motocross is on the way. As usual, we’ll post book reviews between.

Two Minds?

← Lori in 1986, with her painted-on Halloween Mask

“[Ask] in faith, with no wavering—no hesitating, no doubting. For one who (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea, that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. [For being as he is] a man of two minds—hesitating, dubious, irresolute—[he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything (he thinks, feels, decides).” James 1:6, 8 (Amplified version)

I know, one of the rules for writing is, “Don’t write in negatives.” But I’m breaking it today, okay? Dwelling does not mean—
--Reading your Bible all day
--Praying for hours on end
--Singing and praising all day
--Witnessing to everyone you meet
--Doing good works
--Keeping your room/house clean

The activities listed above are important, but they are not included with our d-word.

Dwelling is a state of mind. In order to dwell, you need to know the Lord (Psalm 91) and abide in Him.

Because He is who you are. (‘Xcuse the poor grammar.) Dwelling involves a similar process to making tea. A teabag drops into hot water. Tea flows into the water, water flows into the teabag. Soon the two are permanently combined in the cup and no one can separate the water from the tea.

I attended a conference at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. Several of us gathered at the front, and as I worshipped the Lord I saw Jesus in my mind’s eye, sitting on the edge of the platform about 15 feet away. He had eyes only for me, and I saw nothing but holy love there. I continued worshipping, opened my eyes and sensed Him standing beside me, worshipping too. Wow! Jesus standing beside me! Imagine that! I closed my eyes again, and when I opened them, He was in me! He in me and I in Him, intermingled. His heart beat with my heart, His arms moved in worship with my arms, His mind with mine—you get the idea.

I did not manufacture that vision—the Holy Spirit did. Neither can we dwell with the Lord unless the Holy Spirit makes it possible.

Sherry lives in Wichita, Kansas, and her mother told me Sherry worships all the time. She’s a brilliant scientist, ministering to individual children and adults constantly. Sherry has allowed the Holy Spirit to set up shop in her mind and enable her to worship 24/7 as she goes about her day. I cannot explain the process but I can assure you--

He has established 24/7 worship in my mind. He will do the same for you.

Ask Him right now to help you.

The above picture hangs in my hallway, and I walk past it many times a day. Every time I see Lori, with half her face painted white and the other half painted black, double minded flits across my mind-screen. (A man of two minds in the above verse reads doubleminded in the King James Version, and I memorized most scriptures in KJV).

We are called to abandon doublemindedness, as Joshua called the Israelites to step away from indecision and entanglement with temporary things that will be worthless in eternity. (Joshua 24:15) We, too, have to make up our minds to dwell with the Lord. And the first step is deciding we will do it. Then we have to ask Him to help us. How will you answer His invitation?

Email me at audrey4j@cox.net with your decision, comments & questions.

We’ll talk more about dwelling close to God’s heart in the coming posts. As usual, we’ll post book reviews between. Check back on Wednesday.

YIPPEE! SKIPPEE!

There's more information in Green Light Red Light, esp. Appendix I.

“[Jesus] willingly took the place of many sinners and prayed that they might be forgiven.” Isaiah 53:12c

I’m so glad I can look you in the eye and declare, “I AM WHITE AS SNOW!” Yes, I’ve lived many years, committed many sins, but as I write this post I live my life without condemnation.

If you’ve known me a long time you may be tempted to recall my many sins. Yes, I’ve committed many terrible sins. But when the Lord looks at me, He views this member of His family, me, without spot, wrinkle or condemnation. How about you? Can you claim the same promises I have?

If you’ve repented of running your own life and asked Jesus to be Lord of your life, you can claim the same scriptures I did. I’m not talking about easy grace here, because Jesus paid a terrible price for our forgiveness (Isaiah 53). But He offers this gift freely to anyone who will accept it.

Sixty years ago I repented of running my own life and asked Jesus to be Lord of all. At that time I became God’s child. For more information go to www.stepupto life.com. Order and study the booklet, Step up to Life, and a study book called Life God’s Way.

At spiritual birth God handed me a “birth packet” containing a birth certificate guaranteeing that I will go to heaven when I die. In the meantime, I use other tools from the packet. One tool is forgiveness for our sins.

Space doesn’t permit a full discussion, but we’ll talk more in future posts.

I John 1:9 states clearly, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Another way to say it—“…if we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right: he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing.” (Good News version)

Confession here means agree with God. That’s it. No crawling 15 miles on our knees, no pumping up deep sorrow or other human works. Simply agree with God that you have sinned. Start with Hebrews 2 and google from there.

If you follow these steps, you can look anyone in the eye and say it—“I am as white as snow.” If your listener (or your own conscience) starts with, “But I cannot forgive you. . . .” add Romans 8:1—“There is no condemnation now for those who live in union with Christ Jesus.”

Yippee! Skippee! Hallelujah! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! We’re free, we’re members of God’s kingdom, God loves us so much that He thinks of us more times in a day than there are grains of sand on the seashore (Psalm 139).

Who wouldn’t want to dwell with a God who makes this possible!

We’ll talk more about dwelling close to God’s heart in the coming posts. As usual, we’ll post book reviews between. Check back on Saturday.


Email me at audrey4j@cox.net with your comments & questions.