And the Moon Stopped...

Joshua 9 (selected)

14 The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the LORD, the God of Israel.

Oops! Even Joshua [the great leader that he was becoming] neglected the most important thing - to inquire of the LORD when making important decisions like this one.  Now the "ruse" is solidified and out of his hands.  But God comes to his aid and to that of all Israel.  Joshua regains his boldness and trusts the LORD to do a mighty and supernatural work. And... GOD comes through - with a work of great WONDER!

Joshua 10:6-15

6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: "Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us."

7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you."

9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

12 On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel:
       "O sun, stand still over Gibeon,
       O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon."

13 , a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!

15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal. [all emphasis added]

Oh, what God will go and do for us. He loves us so much and He is Who He says He is and He can certainly do what He says He can do. He came through with the WONDER of impossibilities on this day. He can do it for me and for you... even when we blow it.

Joshua was God's man. We can ask ourselves, am I God's man [woman]? If our hearts are right with Him - He will see us through anything! His promise in Joshua 1 - to "be with us and never forsake us" stands as true today as it did in Joshua's day!

Looking Upward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[Embracing Real JOY]

Something to PONDER

Proverbs 15 (selected)

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1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.

3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the  .......................................................       Photo: Graffiti on the bike path

evil and the good.

4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.

6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.

7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.

8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. [emphasis added]

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I've been reading through my very first Bible which is a KJV. It was given to me on my 15th Birthday. Yep it's really OLD!! Yesterday I had to glue some of the edges back on as the cover is disintegrating in my hands. This is the passage that I opened to today. As I pondered over these selected verses that were marked in my Bible - on Wisdom versus Foolishness - it occurred to me that the KJV puts it in terms that really make me have more reverence toward God's Word. Does that make sense? Sometimes the KJV just forces me to 'hear' better! Hopefully, it will make me respond to God's Word better too! None of us wants to be foolish. We desire to please God and be wise in His Ways. The whole book of Proverbs gives us plenty to digest. For what it's worth, I hope you will ponder the thoughts of these verses - in this version - and respond to what God speaks over your heart today!

Looking Upward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[Embracing Real JOY]

God's Response to Humble Praying!

 

Daniel 9 (selected)

4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed:  "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands,

5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

7 "Lord, You are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against Him; 10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws He gave us through His servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You.
       "Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against You. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 14 The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything He does; yet we have not obeyed Him.

15 "Now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for Yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 O Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Jerusalem, Your city, Your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and Your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

17 "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For Your sake, O Lord, look with favor on Your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, O God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name. We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. 19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name."

Daniel 10:12

Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel [insert your name]. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. [all Scripture emphasis added]

 Isn't it awesome to know that the God of all the Universe - hears our humble prayers - and has come in response to them? What are you praying for this day - waiting for His response ?

Looking Upward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[Embracing Real JOY]

PROMISES

In Search of Living Water

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Jeremiah 2:13
"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Zechariah 14:7-9
7 It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime—a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.
8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter.
9 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and His Name the only Name.

John 4 (selected)
9 The Samaritan woman said to Him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water."
11 "Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"
13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

John 7:38
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Revelation 7:17
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their Shepherd; He will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." [all emphasis added]

Actually, God brought a pair of bluebirds to my window this morning in search of clean water. It has been over a year and a half since I have seen these birds. The last time they came it was snowing really hard and they were searching for water in another birdbath in my yard. They were here for a moment - just long enough to get a drink and then flew away.

Like the "Bluebirds of Happiness" - we can only find real joy in the clean & living water of our Savior Jesus!

Looking Upward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie [Embracing Real JOY]

LOVE WITHOUT DISSIMULATION

This morning, the worship team leader at our church shared some verses from:

Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Living Sacrifices

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. [emphasis added]

It's a familiar passage that most of us know. When I came home I wanted to read it over again and glean what else God was speaking to my heart. I had memorized those scriptures from the King James Version so I dug out my KJV and began reading further. The passage that hit me the most is the first one in this section [highlighted].

Romans 12 (selected) KJV

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

21 Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. [emphasis added]

Let love be without dissimulation. What does that word really mean? I dug out two dictionaries and this is what God spoke about love from verse 9 in relation to the meaning of DISSIMULATION.

Love without.... Disassembling

Love without.... Hypocrisy

Love without.... Disorder

Love without.... Pretending

Love without.... Disguise

Love without.... Concealing true motives or thoughts

Love without.... Pretense

Love without.... Acting Hypocritical

Love without.... Speaking Falsely

Love without.... Lying

Love without.... Tearing Down

LOVE is... GOD'S TRUTH...

The Whole Truth - and nothing but the TRUTH!

May we all truly learn to give and receive love without dissimulation!

Looking Upward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie

[Embracing Real JOY]

What We are Becoming...

Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Romans 5 (selected)
Peace and Joy
1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. [Scripture emphasis added]

When God begins to build His character into what He desires for us to become [like Him] -sometimes it is a struggle and a steep climb uphill. But, the end result is worth more than gold!

Looking Upward and Choosing JOY,

Stephanie
[Joy to the World]