In Spirit and Truth - I

"But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." John 4:23-24

Last week, we looked at God's exhortation to Joshua to "be strong and very courageous" as he led the Israelites into the Promised Land. But Joshua is given another command on the banks of the Jordan: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe 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." Joshua 1:8

This is a key to the Spirit-Filled life that we cannot miss. Please don't tune out thinking that this will be just another "read your Bible" lecture. There is more here than meets the eye. There is no better way to abide in the Spirit (listening and obeying every moment) than by being immersed in Scripture. I don't mean that we have to read constantly, but that our minds and hearts are filled with God's Word, so the Holy Spirit can readily speak to us and through us.

Jon Courson offers this insight, "God didn't tell Joshua that His Word was not to depart out of his hand or out of his back pocket, but that it was not to depart out of his mouth. The word "meditate" simply means "to mutter". Thus, biblical meditation consists of speaking the Scripture over and over. It is not a matter of thinking about the Scriptures because merely thinking about them allows our minds to wander. Meditation means to speak verbally, quoting Scriptures audibly, talking to others about them constantly."

Courson goes on to say, "Prosperity, success, and the abundant life are hallmarks of the Spirit-filled life. And the Spirit is inextricably linked to the Word..." Colossians 3:16-22 and Ephesians 5:18-22 & 6:1-6 describe very similar effects of letting the "word of Christ dwell in you richly" and being "filled with the Spirit". They are things such as "speaking to ourselves and each other with psalms and hymns, being submitted to each other, being the husband, wife or child we ought to be and the kind of worker that honors God. In other words, being filled with the Spirit and being filled with the Word are linked together." As we study, meditate and speak the Word, we will be "continually filled with the Spirit in fresh ways." Spirit-filled people are those who worship in Spirit and in truth.

I've noticed another effect of being filled with God's Word - it decreases my appetite for wordly things. It fills the space inside us that often seeks pleasure or entertainment to satisfy. It gives our minds and hearts something substantial to chew on and reduces our "junk food" cravings. I know we have all kinds of excuses not to read and meditate on the Word: "I don't have time...I don't understand it...etc.", but it really boils down to a lack of desire. We will make time for the things we value and enjoy. So ASK the Holy Spirit to increase your desire for the Word. ASK Him to increase your understanding. ASK Him to provide resources to help along the way (teaching, commentaries, websites, friends, etc.). He longs to interact with you through His Word.

A final quote from Jon Courson, "At the very beginning of his ministry, Joshua is told to meditate in the Word day and night because that is the key to appropriating the power of the Spirit he would need to accomplish that which God had called him to do." We'd all like to be "prosperous" and "have good success" as promised in Joshua 1:8, but are we willing to do it God's way? We must take hold of this key to the Spirit-filled life if we are to enter the Promised Land.

Exercise: Imagine what your marriage, family, friendships, etc. would look like if you were constantly speaking the Word to yourself and others. What steps can you take today to create that kind of dynamic? Are you making excuses for your lack of "fullness"? Be honest with yourself and ask the Lord to increase your appetite for His Word.

Take Courage

"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts." Zechariah 4:6b

As God commissions Joshua to lead the Israelites across the Jordan and possess the Promised Land, He offers reassurance and exhortation. God knows the journey is not going to get any easier, but it is worth it!

First, the reassurance in Joshua 1:4-5...
"From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great River, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and 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; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." (emphasis mine)

When stepping out into new spiritual territory, all we really need to know is that GOD IS WITH US. How is He with us? In the person of Jesus (Emmanuel = God with us) and the presence of His Holy Spirit. We don't need to know exactly where we're going because we have the most amazing Guide with us - leading us every step of the way. We just need to listen and keep pace with Him. The lessons we learned in the wilderness about God's character will come into play. If we let Him "be with us" as He desires, there's nothing that can stop us. Practically, I think this comes down to trusting, listening and obeying on a moment by moment basis. We don't place any hope in our "might" or "power", but recognize that our lives are powered by His Spirit. This is tough for most of us who relish our self-sufficiency. But after a humbling time in the wilderness, perhaps we are ready to cross over into a new way of being with God in the land of Promise.

Next, a double exhortation in Joshua 1:7...
"Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law with Moses my servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go." (emphasis mine)

One of the definitions of "to be strong" in Vine's Bible Dictionary is to "take hold of". Joshua was to take hold of the promises, take hold of God's character and take hold of himself as he entered the new land. It is a new sense of purpose. We aren't going to be weak and wandering anymore. We're going to be strong and follow the Lord forward into whatever He has for us.

Two dictionary definitions of "courage" are "the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear" and "able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching." I like that. Wouldn't it be great to be so filled with faith that we don't even flinch at the sight of danger? Most of us don't live in fear of physical harm, but we do tend to be very protective of our time, feelings, relationships and material goods. Moving into new territory might unsettle these precious things a bit. But rather than respond with fear, we can be courageous because God is with us. We can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He wants the best for us. If we experience any loss in the journey, He will provide something far more fulfilling.

One final thought...God was speaking to Joshua in a very personal way, but it wasn't just for him. He was the leader of the people. His attitude affected everyone in the congregation. So too, when God is leading us, it's not just about our progress. It's about our families, friends, neighbors or anyone else in our lives. Are we exhibiting strength and courage in our Lord for them to follow?

Listening Exercise: Ask the Lord what particular reassurances and/or exhortations He has for you right now. Write them down and pray them back to Him. His words may be the key to unlock new things He has in store for you this year.

Please Stay Tuned...

Holidays are wonderful, but they can also be busy and distracting times of the year. Add a little snow and ice to the mix and things get downright chaotic at our house. All that to say, I'm finding it difficult to post new entries this month. To any faithful readers out there, please check back after the New Year. I promise to get back on track when our schedule is normal again.

Hope you have a very merry Christmas and happy New Year. :)

Jennifer

Moving Forward

"However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

We've seen how God works in our hearts during wilderness seasons. He cultivates humility, purity and faith in us as well as a deep hunger for His presence and power. Now we are ready to approach the banks of the Jordan river and consider the Promised Land ahead. For this, we will begin studying the book of Joshua which recounts the Israelites' journey across the river and into Canaan. We will not go through every verse, but try to draw out the most important concepts from each chapter. It is an exciting journey ahead!

Joshua Chapter 1 begins with the death of Moses, who we have already described as a picture of the "Law". Joshua's name was orginally Hoshea (Numbers 13:8) which means "salvation". But Moses changed it to Joshua, which means "Jehovah is Salvation". As "Jehovah's salvation", Joshua is also a picture of Jesus - the only one who can take us into the Promised Land.

God speaks to Joshua in Ch. 1 vs. 2-4 saying, "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all the people, to the land which I am giving to them - the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory." (emphasis mine)

First, note that God did not say, "I will give you the land". He said "I have given it to you." Jon Courson says, "The same is true today. Concerning the things of God, whenever you choose to step out and engage your "sole", that land is already yours. It's a matter of possessing your possession. It's a matter of appropriation. Where do you want to put your soul? Where do you want to plant your foot and say "I believe you for this, Lord. I'm stepping out in this. I'm going after this"?" To me, this is a decison point where we stop wandering and start taking ground in our spiritual lives. It's a recognition of who God is and what He has for us if we will step out and engage our souls with purpose.

Next, God describes the scope of the promised territory in verse 4. For those like me who aren't good at geography, the Promised Land covers about 30,000 square miles! So how far did the Israelites get? Courson states that in Solomon's reign, at the height of their power, the Israelites claimed 3,000 square miles. They only took one-tenth of what God had already given to them! Then he says, "Isn't that like us? We strive for peanuts when the Lord has grapes for us the size of bowling balls. The Lord says, "I've already given you the land. It's already a done deal. It's just a matter of how much of it you want. I won't take you any farther than you choose. But I'll take you as far as you want to go."

Courson continues, "Concerning the Spirit-filled life and the appropriation of the power of the Holy Ghost, many people say, "If the Lord wants to empower me and baptize me, I'm open." But in Genesis 8, we see Noah on the ark, with the dove - a symbol of the Holy Spirit - circling overhead. Noah stretched out his hand and brought the dove in unto him. I believe the Spirit of God is looking for a person, a people, a congregation to land upon. But this will not happen through passivity. Rather, like Noah, He responds to those who see the opportunity and extend their hand to pull Him in unto them. Here in Joshua 1:3, the Lord says, "The land is already yours. It's up to you how far you want to go, how deep you want to be."

This journey is all about allowing God to reign in our hearts and His Spirit to flow freely through us. It is about His power and strength, not ours. But we cannot be passive in the process. God is looking for hearts that are prepared and seeking; hearts that are tired of wandering and hungry for more of Him; hearts that desire to possess all He has already given us.

Thought Question: Think of an area in your life where you are desiring spiritual progress or breakthrough (could be an attitude, relationship, career pursuit, etc.). Are you working in your own strength or the power of God's Spirit? Thank God that He has already given you the land if you will pursue it in Him. Does it change your perspective to know that He wants more for you than you want for yourself?

Preparations of the Heart

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

We've been taking a hard look at God's purposes in the wilderness. I think it all boils down to preparation of the heart. After 400 years of slavery, the Israelites needed to rediscover their God and learn to follow Him. They experienced His miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. But they also needed to experience Him in the wilderness before they would be ready to enter the Promised Land. God wanted them to have a right picture of Him so they would follow with whole hearts into the new land. Unfortunately, as we've seen, many of them still missed it. We don't want to make the same mistakes. So how did God reveal Himself in the wilderness?

1. He led and protected His people. Exodus 13:21 says "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night." The pillar of cloud gave the people something visible to follow and provided shade to protect them from the hot sun. The pillar of fire at night provided light to their path. He was always with them. All they needed to do was follow in the shade or light of His presence.

2. He provided for their needs. Psalm 78:15-16 says, "He split the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink in abundance like the depths. He also brought streams out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers." And verses 23-25, "Yet He had commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven, had rained down manna on them to eat, and given them the bread of heaven. Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full." This not only speaks of God's ample provision for physical needs, but spiritual as well. Jesus is the "living water" and "bread of life" that we so desperately need.

3. He purified their hearts. Psalm 78:32-35 says, "In spite of this, they still sinned, and did not believe in His wondrous works. Therefore, their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear. When He slew them, they they sought Him; and they returned and sought earnestly for God. Then they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High God their Redeemer." God allowed them to experience the consequences of their sin and many died. But some turned from their sin, sought the Lord and remembered who He was.

In summary, God was preparing His people to enter the land of destiny by revealing His character and purifying their hearts in the desert. We, too, need to prepare our hearts so we don't miss what God has for us.

My Tuesday morning Bible study at church is going through the book of Matthew. When we reached Chapter 3, I got a new perspective on verses 11-12. John the Baptist is speaking to the the Pharisees and Sadducees - religious leaders of the day. He says, "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He (Jesus) who is coming after me is mightier than I , whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." I had always thought this passage was talking about judgment, but it is really about purification. The definition of chaff is "worthless residue". God wants to clean out the residue that's clogging up our hearts and lives. While "chaff" can be sin, it can also just be worthless worldly stuff that clouds our vision and keeps us from seeing God clearly. Jesus wants to purify us and gather the "wheat" from our lives - the part that is useful and has eternal value. According to Scripture, this is connected to the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Jon Courson says, "Many people want the power of the Spirit, but they are not interested in the fire, the purity. The baptism of Jesus in the Spirit is a baptism of fire - which speaks of purity. It's a dying to self, a cleansing of motives. Many folks want that power, but they don't want a changed lifestyle." Whoa - how's that for a convicting statement?

In the wilderness, God proves to us that He is our Pathfinder, Protector, Provider and Purifier. We can trust Him to take us into new spiritual territory, even if we don't know exactly what that looks like. We don't need to have all the answers, but we do need to fully follow Him and not settle for the familiar side of the river. Then we will be ready to cross the Jordan.

Who Do You Follow?

"He (Jesus) said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Matthew 16:15

I keep planning to move on, but it seems God has more to teach me about the wilderness - perhaps because it's hard to move forward unless we understand what's holding us back. In previous posts, we have looked at sins that keep us from "wholly following" the Lord. While it's good to acknowledge and confess sin, I feel like there's more beneath the surface - kind of like treating the symptoms of a disease without addressing the cause. Maybe there's something deeper God wants us to see.

Why did Joshua and Caleb "wholly follow" the Lord when the rest of the congregation did not? My guess is that they knew WHO they followed and caught His vision for their lives. Wholly following implies complete trust. In order to have complete trust you have to know the person in whom your trust is placed. I've heard it said that our image of God is the most important thing in the world. Most of us don't have a very accurate picture of God. It's easily distorted by our own background and biases. So how can we follow a God we don't know very well into a new land? The answer is, it's hard and many of us opt to stay in the wilderness.

I just finished reading a book called The Shack, which I highly recommend. But watch out - it might just blow the walls off the box that you've placed God in, or at least push them out a bit. One principle it reaffirmed to me was rules vs. relationship; it's easier to live by a set of rules than in a dynamic relationship. At one point, the main character is having a discussion with God about this very thing. Mack says "It feels like living out of relationship - you know, trusting and talking to you - is a bit more complicated than just following rules". He goes on to describe "rules" as things like doing good, going to church, reading the Bible, etc. God affectionately chides him saying, "Mackenzie...the Bible doesn't teach you to follow rules. It is a picture of Jesus. While words may tell you what God is like and even what he may want from you, you cannot do any of it on your own. Life and living is in him and in no other." And later God says "it is true that relationships are a whole lot messier than rules, but rules will never give you answers to the deep questions of the heart and they will never love you." (excerpts from pg. 197-198). I would also add that they will never lead you to the promised land. Only Jesus can do that.

The Israelites experienced this first-hand. In Exodus 20, the Ten Commandments were given to Moses. Jon Courson says that as "a representative, a picture, a type of the Law, Moses brought the people to the edge of the Promised Land, but it would be Joshua, whose name is the Old Testament name for Jesus, who would actually bring them into the Promised Land." Galatians 3:24 says, "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith." We will never enter a life of abundance by trying to follow the "rules". That leads to self-effort and legalism. Living by the Spirit is being in constant relationship with God. It is following a living person - Jesus Christ. Granted, God is mysterious and His ways are unpredictable at times, so this can be scary for us control freaks. But He is so wonderful. Where's our sense of adventure?

Side note: Last week I said that pursuing the abundant life requires purpose and discipline. By that I did not mean that it depends on our works. A better word for discipline would have been "self-control" because we have seen how sins of self-gratification can shut out the Holy Spirit. And without a sense of purpose (an idea of where we're going and setting goals to get there) we are prone to wander. I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said "Not all who wander are lost". To which I say, that may be true, but you're still not going anywhere.

God does not force Himself upon us. We have to open ourselves to His vision and leading. To trust Him we need to know Him.

Thought Questions: What is your picture of God? Take some time to write it out. As Graham Cooke would say, "Is it time for an upgrade?" Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal any misconceptions you might have. Let Him speak to you about what He's really like. This may require a new perspective on some "old" Scriptures.

Wilderness Wisdom

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6

I promise we will get to the banks of the Jordan soon, but we can't afford to miss the lessons of the wilderness. Sometimes God allows - even designs - dry, difficult times in our lives for a purpose. Why did the Israelites have to journey through the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land? Why not arrive instantly after deliverance from Egypt? Granted, God did not intend for them to wander in the desert for 40 years, but He did want them to experience it for a time. What was the purpose?

I believe Deuteronomy Chapter 8 answers this question. In 1999, God gave me this chapter during a difficult season in my Christian walk. In 2006, He brought me back to it during a women's retreat and spoke to me about the "promised land" in my own life. Looking out over the beautiful mountain scenery at the Applegate retreat center, I realized how different God's ways and timing can be from ours. I would not have chosen to wait seven years. A lot of the time, it felt like "wandering", but God was accomplishing a deeper purpose.

Here are a few passages from Deuteronomy 8 that will give us a picture of His heart for us in the wilderness:

"Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD." Deut 8:1-4 (emphasis mine).

The chapter goes on to describe the abundance of the promised land and warns the people not to forget who brought them there. There's a tendency when we come into a good place to think "My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth." (Deut 8:17). This is very dangerous. God says "And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covanent which He swore to your fathers , as it is this day." (Deut. 8:18) Of course, this is not just referring to material wealth, but any type of richness and blessing in our lives.

So what are God's purposes in the wilderness, the dry, difficult times in our lives? Based on the scriptures above, I believe it is to:

• Humble us
• Test us (show us what's in our hearts, whether or not we will obey)
• Create a deep hunger in our hearts
• Teach us that only God Himself can satisfy our hunger

As Jon Courson says, "Too often, we don't crave the Bread of the Word or the Bread of Life because we're not hungry. There's a progression seen here: My reaction in the wilderness makes me hungry for righteousness. So I go to church once again, have devotions once more, exchange Newsweek for the Word, turn off talk radio and listen to teaching tapes. But this doesn't happen until I'm hungry. And I don't know I'm hungry until I'm in the wilderness. It's all part of the program."

A life of abiding and advancing in the Spirit will not just fall into our laps. We will not get there by wandering aimlessly and refusing to take steps of faith. It requires purpose and discipline. We need to get HUNGRY for God. He designs it this way. Otherwise, we have the tendency to take the credit. When we are humbled, tested, hungry and seeking, we know that we live by the words of the Lord. Then He can bless us, empower us, and move through us. His glory is safe with us.

Thought Questions: Mentally review wilderness seasons in your own life. What did God teach you? Did it bring you to a place of greater hunger for Him? Did you allow that hunger to propel you towards the promised land or let it fade with time? Where are you on the journey now?