My approach to leadership too:
Joshua did not really need to establish himself as Israel’s next leader. The people knew he was the one, God clearly directed them to follow him. Sometimes I really want to push myself to the front as a willing and able leader, but I just feel too much like David’s son, Absalom, who tried to take his father’s kingdom by force. I’d rather be Solomon, thrust into the place of leadership when the time came.

Burning the chariots:
The biggest and only military failure of Israel seems to be their refusal to keep the military advantages they gained when they conquered other armies. They were quick to dispose of chariots in many cases–expensive, highly advantageous, and hard to rebuilt war machines. God directed them to destroy them, so it’s not really failure at all, but it seems quite amazing to me that He had them destroy their advantages, knowing that there were more battles to be fought and a constant defense to be kept up in the land. As always, we depend on God for our victory, and in some cases, like Israel, fighting our battle or preparing for the next is often done in ways that are foolish to the world, but keep us dependent on the one who ultimately brings the victory.

The War is over, but the battles are just beginning:
The book of Joshua is quick to define the campaign for the land that swiftly destroyed the kingdoms of Canaan, concluding that the land then had “rest from war,” but this series of battles left tons of land to be won from the towns and small lands that lay between all those major players. The people were to take up the smaller battles on their own, God’s victory was assured. Reminds me of the Christian life in many respects: Christ as won – the grave is defeated and our lives are new in Him, but what remains is still patches of enemy territory in our own sinful lives, our misled culture, and in our battle to spread the gospel. Just because the victory will come, does not mean that there’s not a lot of fighting and a hard road ahead.

I got to see what must have been one of the best funerals you can have: a whole family sharing faith was there to celebrate their father. A man who had been a pastor in the community for 27 years was so well known and respected that the school was let out the day of the funeral and the church was so crowded that a projector and live stream was setup to accommodate the extra guests. It’s rare, I think, that one has a family so close, that you die young enough for your peers to celebrate you as a child and youth, not just as an old man. It’s rare to do ministry in one place for so long and see the multipied fruit of that ministry. It’s rare to have a town so respectful of the ministry that you’ve done.

I appreciate the authenticity that a town saw in a man who they knew so well.

I appreciate the sons respect for their father.

I appreciate the words of the oldest son, quoting Spurgeon, “it’s our priviledge to burn ourselves out in the masters’ service and die young”

A life well lived. And appropriately celebrated.

The older I get, the more life trains me to live for the long term. When Isaiah predicts that Assyria will leave Israel alone, he gives them a game plan for the next three years: live off what grows for two years, then plant and harvest in the third year. Three years to recovery–that used to sound so shocking! Now it sounds typical.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a patient person. I don’t want anything to take three years. I hate working on projects that I can’t get complete quickly. I need the sense of completion or I lose hope putting together a project.

However, I have learned the danger in a short-term perspective as Isaiah also illustrates it, and I am challenged to take on a perspective that far exceeds even the most conservative ideas of long term perspective today.

In Isaiah’s story, Hezekiah’s only concern is for his lifetime. His whole world stops when he gets sick, and he pleads with God not to end his life. Then, when given an extra fifteen years, Hezekiah doesn’t seem to do anything remarkable with it, doesn’t appear to pour any spiritual guidance into his successor, and isn’t upset by the news that the kingdom will be conquered by Babylon–because it won’t happen in his lifetime.

How much time to I spend working toward things that will outlast me? How far past my lifetime do I envision the world? Am I doing things like raising my kids to make an impact on the world after I am gone, or do I just want them to be responsible adults so that I don’t deal with embarrassment later on…and so I can depend on them in my old age?

This passage isn’t intended to teach that long term perspective matters, but it seemed to jump off the pages to me as I read it this week as something I need to think more about. What do you think?

I am totally convinced that the one thing every person can do to grow the fastest is to spend time with God every single day. There’s great research out there to prove it—and it has proven to be true in my personal experience and the experience of others who take the challenge too.

As a pastor my greatest goal is to see people grow in big ways spiritually—so naturally, I get really excited when a new, simple to use tool arrives that helps that happen. The latest tool has become the foundation of my new personal Bible reading plan for the year: The Every Day with Jesus Bible.

Although I am a HUGE fan of the Bible app and have used their Bible reading plans with great success, I often find it distracting to read on my phone…and it can seduce me into thinking through the rest of the day before I’ve gotten into a good conversation with God. Print materials are often a better tool for me, provided I remember to keep them with me until I get my quiet time in.

I love the format of this Bible too. Instead of a straight read through the Bible, which can be a bit monotonous when you get into less applicable portions of the Bible, this Bible mixes together relevant passages from the Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms. It even includes a devotional thought to challenge me to apply what I have read each day in a very specific way.

Aside from a good study Bible, which I’ll be sure to keep close by while I do my reading, this Bible’s format really appears to be a great setup for my time with God this year. I even secured a few copies for $5 each during Lifeway’s holiday sale.

If you don’t already have a plan for your time with God this year, then I urge you to make one. Your time with God is far too important to miss, and far too important not to approach with some intentionality. Make sure you set a regular time, place, and format. No one…no one is too busy to neglect this crucial appointment in their day.

If you need a one year Bible, then let me know. I’ll get you one.
If you are new to this and need something simplier, then make sure you start each day with the Daily Bread devotional, online at www.odb.org or free in print.

But as we end 2015 and look forward to an exciting 2016, my biggest wish for you, is that your time with God each day leads to some amazing outcomes!

Oh, and remember: if you are a parent, make sure you do this with your kids too! Try out the Bible App for Kids or this printed version.

I am totally convinced that the one thing every person can do to grow the fastest is to spend time with God every single day. There’s great research out there to prove it—and it has proven to be true in my personal experience and the experience of others who take the challenge too.

As a pastor my greatest goal is to see people grow in big ways spiritually—so naturally, I get really excited when a new, simple to use tool arrives that helps that happen. The latest tool has become the foundation of my new personal Bible reading plan for the year: The Every Day with Jesus Bible.

Although I am a HUGE fan of the Bible app and have used their Bible reading plans with great success, I often find it distracting to read on my phone…and it can seduce me into thinking through the rest of the day before I’ve gotten into a good conversation with God. Print materials are often a better tool for me, provided I remember to keep them with me until I get my quiet time in.

I love the format of this Bible too. Instead of a straight read through the Bible, which can be a bit monotonous when you get into less applicable portions of the Bible, this Bible mixes together relevant passages from the Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms. It even includes a devotional thought to challenge me to apply what I have read each day in a very specific way.

Aside from a good study Bible, which I’ll be sure to keep close by while I do my reading, this Bible’s format really appears to be a great setup for my time with God this year. I even secured a few copies for $5 each during Lifeway’s holiday sale.

If you don’t already have a plan for your time with God this year, then I urge you to make one. Your time with God is far too important to miss, and far too important not to approach with some intentionality. Make sure you set a regular time, place, and format. No one…no one is too busy to neglect this crucial appointment in their day.

If you need a one year Bible, then let me know. I’ll get you one.
If you are new to this and need something simplier, then make sure you start each day with the Daily Bread devotional, online at www.odb.org or free in print.

But as we end 2015 and look forward to an exciting 2016, my biggest wish for you, is that your time with God each day leads to some amazing outcomes!

Oh, and remember: if you are a parent, make sure you do this with your kids too! Try out the Bible App for Kids or this printed version.