Craig's Living H2O

December 9th - "Place the Vision Before Your Eyes"

"Provide for yourselves three men from each tribe that I may send them, and that they may arise and walk through the land and write a description of it according to their inheritance; then they shall return to me."    Joshua 18:4

Joshua was giving the leaders of the Israelites a vision of what the God wanted for them to enjoy and possess. The Israelites had become passive and were no longer pursuing their promised possession. Joshua moved them into action be placing the vision of what God had for them before their eyes. What is going to move us into action? Have you written a "description" of what you want your life to look like five years from now? ten years from now?  Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish." I think that in today's world we could also say, "Where there is no vision, the people get a big screen plasma television." Get up and "walk through the land and write a description of it according to your inheritance." Joshua's plan worked because we read in the very next chapter:

"And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father."    Joshua 19:47

December 8th - "Vigilant Gatekeepers"

"It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the Sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the Sabbath day."    Nehemiah 13:19

We are to be the gatekeepers of our homes and lives. Boundaries, filters, and barriers must be in place to keep sin out and righteousness ruling within. Diligence is the need of the hour! You cannot afford to be slothful, lazy, and passive in this charge. Parents, are you hearing this clarion warning from the Lord's servant today? You must know the condition of your home. Don't allow compromise to reside within your home. Have you become slack, passive, or too busy to monitor the gates of your home? Nehemiah became serious about keeping sin out and God honored him by blessing all of Israel. "Sin in lurking at the door." A concentrated and organized effort must be made to keep sin out. The Internet, the television, My Space, etc., must be monitored or forbidden if necessary. There must be an accountability structure in place with severe consequences when rules are broken. Severe, because the stakes are just so high. "Hell has enlarged itself" the Scripture tell us. It is enlarging itself for someone's children. Don't let it be yours. Guard the gates!

"Then I warned them and said to them, "Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath."   Nehemiah 13:21

December 7th - "Peace in the Storm"

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you."    Proverbs 3:1-2

 

If I keep God's Word I will enjoy a peaceful existence. His peace reins even in the midst of the storms of life. His peace "passes understanding." Those who "do not forget His teaching" are endowed with a confidence in God that ushers in His peace. When the storms of life cause others to be terrified, you can enjoy a peaceful existence in the midst of the storm. What a tremendous benefit this is for those who keep His commandments. Life can throw curve balls at you that cannot be avoided, but "He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind in stayed on Him."  Isaiah 26:3 

December 6th - "God Himself"

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."    Revelation 21:3-4

Think about it! God Himself shall wipe away every tear from your eye. What a personal God we serve. He is not some uncaring mystical spirit that is totally detached from us. No, He is intimately involved with us. Oh what a blessed thought. One day all the toil, all the heartache, all the sickness shall have passed away and all things will become new. There in His Presence we will rejoice for eternity. So much is riding upon how we live our earthly lives that we cannot afford to falter. Eternity is waiting.

"Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."    Hebrews 11:16

December 5th - "Mercy Trumps Judgment"

"For judgment will be merciless to the one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment."    James 2:13

This is the time of year when we are often asked to help the less fortunate. We can easily fall into the trap of rationalizing why we don't have to give. Why "they should help themselves." We can pass judgment upon the less fortunate without any effort because they are easy targets and because it comes at no expense to us. But "mercy triumphs over judgment."  We all want generous doses of mercy for ourselves, but we have to give mercy to receive mercy.

December 4th - "The Fool's Highway"

"There is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel against the Lord."    Proverbs 21:30

Any argument to compromise God's Word is a faulty argument. It will not stand. There may be many of God's laws that you do not like. Perhaps you even loathe some, because you want to do what you want to do and not what the Word says to do. Don't take the fool's highway. "There is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel against the Lord." He knows best. His ways are above ours and some are beyond our comprehension. When Job finally got to cross-examine God, seemingly with a good case, Job was the one left speechless. The following is God's response to anyone who thinks they know better than God.

 

"Will you really annul My judgment? Will you condemn Me that you may be justified?"    Job 40:8

December 3rd - "Taking the High Road"

"Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel."    Proverbs 20:3

There are some Scriptures you  wish would immediately blink on and off in your head like a neon sign, especially in the moment when they are needed most. This is definitely one of those Scriptures. I don't want to get quarrelsome and cranky as I age. I don't want to quarrel with the inhospitable waitress, the "I'm too busy" bank teller, or the obnoxious "customer service representative" that is basically useless at giving any customer service. I want to take the higher road, the road of "honor." This Scripture points the way. Besides, "any fool will quarrel."

December 2nd - "Fulfilled Desire"

"He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him: He will also hear their cry and save them."    Psalm 145:19

Do you need to be rescued? Are you in need of a miracle? Take this Scripture to heart and commit it to memory. Let me remind you that this is God's Word and not the empty promises of a liar. Hold on to the promises of God and don't let go. He is more than able to deliver you.

"He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."    1Samuel 15:29

December 1st - "The Road to Zion Is In Your Heart"

"How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion."    Psalm 84:5

For all those who have put their trust in Christ, an internal process is ongoing in their heart. God is building the "highways to Zion" inside of them. I want an interstate system within with all roads leading to Zion! An interstate allows us to get to our destination quickly with no stops. Interstate highways are so much faster than city roads. Oh may we all have such "roads to Zion" in our hearts that we can be brought instantly into His Presence. May it only take one thought, one song, one phrase, or just a glimpse of His wonderful creation to usher us into His Presence. A song entitled, "The Road to Zion" reads like this, "There is a road inside of you, inside of me there is one too. No stumbling pilgrim in the dark, the road to Zion is in your heart. Sometimes its good to look back down, we've come so far we've gained such ground. But joy is not in where we've been, joy is in Whose waiting at the end."

"But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect."    Hebrews 12:22-23

November 30th - "Take a Break"

"On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate."    Psalm 145:5

Need something to think about today? Pick your head up from the daily grind and look around you. Meditate on the glorious splendor of our God and King. Meditate upon all His wonderful works, the beautiful sky, the trees, and the sunshine. Don't let life suck the life out of you. Pause and acknowledge His splendor and all His wonderful works and suddenly your perspective will change.

"I lift up my eyes to you,  to you whose throne is in heaven."    Psalm 123:1