22 Feb 2012; Joshua 8

Joshua 8

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.(Joshua 8:18 ESV)

What is the significance? God asked Moses to do the same.

The act is a symbol of obedience, a symbol of dependence on God. Joshua need not to do anything except to hold onto the javelin and stretched it out.

There is no need to do a lot of things... do you trust this God whom you claim to be your Lord?

16 Feb 2012; Rev 2

Rev 2
“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.(Revelation 2:2-5 ESV)

the 2 main points for balance are:
Avoid loving God without labouring for Him
Avoid labouring for God without loving Him

It also point me back to what type of convert am I:
a work convert - God did some work for me, I am grateful, so I became a Christian
a miracle convert
a intellect convert
a feeling convert
a passionate love convert

I know God through intellect, but I should be a heart convert, a passionate love convert. Who is God to me?

God is not a boss, whom I strive to work well and labour for Him. And of course the balance is to labour for God, serve in my work place as a minister... and labour for the kingdom.

Labour for the doctrine, labour over deed and labour for the church.

It all begans with the heart and how it relates with God. Change and touch my heart...

Rev 2: 5 Remember, Repent and Redo
remember - from where you have fallen , when you have fallen out of love for God
repent - stop the wrong action, change the mind set and alter the attitude, then pursue back the Godly direction
redo - do the deed first, but based the doing from being with God. Spend time alone with God

As all, check my heart, change it as I desire myself to...

14 feb 2012; Jos 6

Jos 6
Joshua remembers Rahab!

As the leader of the army, he remembers her. This was a surprised to me as to a commander, my job is to order the kill, like CHARGE! rather than the long sermon "order" from v16 to 19

And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city. And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” (Joshua 6:16-19 ESV)

I am conviced that God is a merciful God. A God who remembers.

Lord remember me and my family. Lead and guide me as I place my trust.

10 Feb 2012; Joshua 5:13-15

Joshua 5:13-15

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the LORD. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the LORD's army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.(Joshua 5:13-15 ESV)

I pray that I and my family can be in God's favour. I too pray that we are part of God's plan. Joushua is the leader of the people of God, but he seemed not the commander of the Lord's army. Joshua was part of the Lord's army and God uses Joushua to lead the people of God's in the fight.

How to be in God's favour... regardless, I pray for heart to be right,... do this and that.. simple consider God.

8 Feb 2012; Ps 100

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100 ESV)

It is a short Psalm, but it speaks of the joy and gladness, the singing and the worship... that I have seemed lost or missing. I still give thanks and praise, but that is just an expression of gratitude for the things the Lord has provided.

But, internally and deep in, where is that flow of joy and gladness.. change my heart o lord...

1 Feb 2010; Isa 43

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.(Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV)

Indeed, it is a great promise to start.

Forget the old, the former. Move on, new springs forth, make rivers out of wilderness.
As I did my time alone with Josef on Joshua 4, stop the wandering. But do not settle down until you cross the Jordan river and take the promise land.

I have more or less settle down in Ngee Ann, except for a ceiling in pay. But I am compensated by the extra industrial projects consultation. Quite free in that sense.

So, let me settle in the things of God, for the sake of leading my family across the Jordan. Let the Lord lead and I based on his promised.