Tuesday, June 30, 2015

The Tyranny of the No Labels Crowd



The Washington Post (who, btw, has been very nice in letting me post my blog address – they must have a profit motive – unlike their peers – I hope this doesn’t spoil it for me – now that I’ve outted them) has that article.  Yesterday, at noon, I posted the comment following that article “Sounds like tyranny (normally called liberalism) to me -- the ends justify the means” followed by my blog address.  Later, on Mark Levin’s show, when he was describing Obama’s tyranny, he used the phrase “the ends justify the means”.  I immediately thought that he must have read my comment to the Washington Post article.  So I got the audio clip of Mark saying that and replied to my comment to that article with the audio clip address


and the comment “When I heard this live today (5:30 into the video), I thought Mark must have read my comment (‘the ends justify the means’).”

Its great to be partnering with Mark Levin in this War on Tyranny.

Resting in His Omnipotence



From the CANON on this blog:

     Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.
 

From today’s scripture reading:

And we know that God causes everything to work together kfor the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. References for Romans 8:28 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn, with many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And he gave them right standing with himself, and he promised them his glory. What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? (Even the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep."leferences for Romans 8:36 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:28-39 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

Think about a circumstance in your life you’d change if you could. Are you frustrated? Worried? Angry? To experience the freedom of contentment in the midst of it—whether a hardship or unfulfilled desire—you must accept the situation as having been allowed by God, even if He didn’t cause it.

In these situations, I often pray, “Lord, I choose to accept this as though it’s coming from You. No matter what I see, I’m choosing to look to You.” Then I can rest in His omnipotence and the knowledge that I’m a child of the living God. Instead of feeling like a helpless, hopeless victim of my circumstance, I know I’m cared for and guided by my sovereign Father through whatever may come.

The second crucial decision is total submission. This doesn’t mean approaching God insincerely and saying, “Well, Lord, I just want to thank You for this! It’s all just so sweet, Jesus.” No, it’s not. Be honest and admit, “This is painful and I don’t like it. But I choose to submit to You because You are trustworthy and loving. I’m willing to persevere until You accomplish in me whatever You want. I choose to draw from Your strength for everything I need.” My friend, if you make this decision and follow through, your fears will lose their power.

Either you believe Romans 8:28 or you don’t. And if you do, you can entrust yourself to the Lord, knowing that He has your best interest at heart, will take care of you, and won’t ever leave your side. When you embrace these truths, you’ll have no reason to be anxious.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Drawing from the correct source



From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.
 

10.  Thou shalt not covet.

This is what causes Tyrants and their subjects to violate all the other commandments.  The Tyrants covet, and their resulting actions cause their subjects to covet.

     Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.
 

From today’s scripture reading:

For my people have done two evil things: They have forsaken me -- the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!"

Jeremiah 2:13 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

For us who believe in Jesus, contentment should be governed by inner attitude and the decisions we make rather than by external circumstances. Because Paul had learned this secret, he was able to experience joy and peace in any kind of situation—whether he was surrounded by friends or isolated in a Roman prison; whether he had plenty or was in great need.

The apostle understood what it meant to live in Christ and to have Christ living in him ("I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned for greater fruitfulness by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful apart from me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father. I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” John 15:1-9;  “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.” Galatians 5:22-23). He had made a simple but profound faith decision to draw his life from the Lord and, as a result, had the calm assurance that what he possessed inside could never be stolen. He was confident in his identity as a child of the Almighty, with full access to the abundant life Jesus offers.

I want to challenge you—this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God; decide to stop drawing from other sources and trying to be in control. When you find yourself becoming flustered, anxious, or angry, stop and say, “Lord, You are my source, and I draw from You the capacity to be kind. I draw from You the forgiveness I need to extend right now. I draw from You the love I need to express.” This decision is a matter of simple trust.

Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. You’ll be surprised at your own attitude: When you respond from within—rather than from the flesh—Jesus will give you the ability to respond as He would.

Commentary:

Contentment should be governed by inner attitude and the decisions we make rather than by external circumstances.  We should be able to experience joy and peace in any kind of situation—whether we have plenty or are in great need.

I want to challenge you—this week, when something threatens to steal your contentment, choose to draw from God; decide to stop drawing from other sources.  Watch and see how God will quiet your spirit and provide confidence when you draw only from Him as your source. You’ll be surprised at your own attitude: When you respond from within—rather than from the flesh—Jesus will give you the ability to respond as He would.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

The Secret of Contentment



From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.


10.  Thou shalt not covet.

This is what causes Tyrants and their subjects to violate all the other commandments.  The Tyrants covet, and their resulting actions cause their subjects to covet.

     Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.
 

From today’s scripture reading:

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again -- rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you. How grateful I am, and how I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but for a while you didn't have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.

Philippians 4:4-13 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

In today’s reading, the apostle Paul says he has learned the secret of experiencing contentment in all circumstances, good or bad. Does it surprise you that he wrote this when he was in prison, unsure of his future? We’re often discontent even when all is going well. Consequently, we wonder how it’s possible to be truly content during our most difficult trials, especially when there’s no end in sight. So what is genuine contentment? Paul is speaking of a freedom from worry and frustration in all aspects of life—even unfulfilled desires.

It’s usually when we cannot control or change our situation that we feel discontentment. As long as our satisfaction depends on whether certain things actually work out, we’ll allow circumstances to cheat us out of peace. I’m not saying there’s some spiritual stage where you will never again experience anxiety or frustration. But what matters is how we respond when those feelings grip us.

This is something that the apostle had to learn. Paul endured amazing suffering, from shipwrecks and hunger to unjust imprisonment and beatings (2 Corinthians 11:24-30). He had gone through countless situations that were uncertain, extraordinarily painful, and seemingly hopeless. But he finally discovered that contentment could not be dependent upon his circumstances.

How do you respond when circumstances are out of your control? Do you get angry? Do you try to escape? Does despair make you want to give up? Paul chose to give his anxieties to Jesus in exchange for peace that “surpasses all comprehension” (“If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7). That same peace is available to you!

Saturday, June 27, 2015

A Decision of the Heart



From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.
 

10.     Thou shalt not covet.

This is what causes Tyrants and their subjects to violate all the other commandments.  The Tyrants covet, and their resulting actions cause their subjects to covet.

From today’s devotional:

The Christian life is, to put it simply, walking obediently with God. Obedience is so important to the Lord that Jesus made a point to model it His entire life on earth: "I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him" (John 8:28-29). Can you say the same?

The Lord’s desire isn’t simply to save us; He wants to live inside us to show the world who He is. God sent His Spirit to invigorate and inspire our lives—and also to empower us for His assignments. We can't succeed alone, but the Holy Spirit living within us enables our consistent obedience through the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).

We may stumble at times, but the important issue is which way our heart is bent. Is it inclined toward gratifying self or toward obeying God? Scripture shows us many heroes of our faith who were not always obedient, such as Moses, Sarah, Peter, and David. But God knew that David was a man after His own heart, and we also hear his heart-cry in the words he wrote: "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Psalms 42:1). Do you have a yearning to obey God above all else, in every decision you make, no matter what? If so, you can be sure He will show you the way—the Lord always honors such hunger and thirst for Him.

Commentary

The important issue is which way our heart is bent. Is it inclined toward gratifying self or toward obeying God?

Can you say as David did, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God" (Psalms 42:1).

Thursday, June 25, 2015

SCOTUScare



 
Baal Supreme Court Chief Injustice:  “Obamacare is about improving health insurance markets”.  Role changes:  Roberts is now an economist, not a judge.  I think real economists would disagree that Obamacare has improved markets.  And if not an economist, Roberts is a politician.  And Gruber, the architect, is a liar.  And the president is a monarch.

Baal Socialism’s great appeal = “getting something to become part of society and having it accepted.  And then once something is in place, such as Obamacare, to use that as an example here, once it's in place, people generally don't complain.”

“Conservatism on a daily basis becomes an argument over how to make socialism work better, not an argument over whether we should get rid of all this or not and replace it with free market entrepreneurism.”  This is what tyrant fascism is.

"’Hospital, insurance stocks surging.’ You've heard the old saw, you want to answer most any question, follow the money. Is that ever true in politics. It is apparent the Republican Party right now is, as Senator Cruz points out, the Republican Party is far more loyal to lobbyists, donors, money people than they are constituents, than they are voters.”  (Baal Capitalism)

“Stocks for insurance companies and hospitals are skyrocketing. There's a clear benefit to certain people that has nothing to do with politics, resulting from this decision. ‘But, Rush, but, Rush, are you saying that moneyed interests could somehow get to a chief justice or any justice on the US Supreme Court?’"  Is Roberts, the economist, benefiting from Baal Capitalism?

“Congress passed Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets. Well, right now health insurance markets, Bloomberg, June 21st: "Biggest Health Insurers to Get Even Bigger Under Obamacare," for a while. For a while they will because they're being weeded out. There are fewer and fewer of them. That's why you can't do better on premiums. There's fewer places for you to go shop. It's just that simple.”  That is Baal Capitalism – the free market capitalist is squeezed out of the business, there is less competition, prices go up.  Roberts not doing too well with the improving of health insurance markets.

"’GOP Pledges to Fight Tooth and Nail to Repeal Obamacare.’ It's a story that just cleared. Today! Today they're gonna ‘fight tooth and nail to repeal Obamacare.’ Well, whew! That's a relief. I feel better now.”  Ya, right, with Boehner and McConnell leading a bunch of Baal Capitalists in congress?

O’Reilly is at it again



 
See my post “O’Reilly’s Spin Zone is dangerous” which was posted May 1, 2015.
 

This time, he says “The truth is there is no organized effort to harm black people by white people.  That does not exist in America.  The real racism is looking away from what is really harming black Americans, the root cause of poverty.  And as Talking Points has reported over and over again, that it is the dissolution of the African American traditional family; chaos on the streets in poor neighborhoods; and an educational system that does not demand the same standards of achievement that are demanded in the white neighborhoods.”

 
He doesn’t give the root cause as I stated in the May 1 post.  And, of course, being a Baal Socialist, his solution is more government:


“American taxpayers fund entitlements for poor people, their hard earned dollars given to folks who need help.  The American Congress has passed law after law after law to ensure that all Americans have equal opportunity to pursue happiness.”

A Lesson from Jonah



From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.
 

     Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.
 

From today’s scripture reading:

Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.

Instead, the sailors tried even harder to row the boat ashore. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn't make it. Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah's God. "O LORD," they pleaded, "don't make us die for this man's sin. And don't hold us responsible for his death, because it isn't our fault. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons." Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the LORD's great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

Jonah 1:5,13-16 (NLT)

Commentary:

I have taken a different lesson from Jonah than the daily devotional did.  I have looked at the story from the perspective of the sailors.

Desparate people shout to Baal for help and try to do what they can to lighten their burden by themselves.  When Baal does not satisfy their need,  they try even harder to solve the problem in their own strength.  Hopefully, after the stormy sea is too violent for them, and they can’t make it, they cry out to the LORD.  They are then awestruck by the LORD’s great power, and vow to serve Him.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Pope Francis doesn’t get the gospel


Limiting the debates



Compare this to my RINO Theorem in my post “What’s going on with the Democrat Baal Tyrants?” which I posted March 5, 2015.  In the “Proofs” section of the RINO Theorem, I said “The Republican National Committee is limiting the number of these debates because of the fear that one Conservative could over the course of too many debates become the leading candidate”.  At the time, I did not know that they would also limit the number of candidates in the debates.  This National Journal article mistakenly says “This isn't what RNC chairman Reince Priebus envisioned”.  It agrees with what I said is the RINO strategy when it says “If Republicans wanted to coronate Jeb Bush as their inevitable nominee, a limited slate of debates would make sense”.

“Liberal” is the wrong word



It should be “tyrant”.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

In God’s Hands



From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.
 

     Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.
 

From today’s scripture reading:

The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, "Go down to the shop where clay pots and jars are made. I will speak to you while you are there." So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel.

But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started again. Then the LORD gave me this message: "O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand.

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

In today's Scripture passage, God is teaching us about His relationship with His children. He says that He will deal with us just as a potter works with clay and that we, like the clay, are in His hands.

God deals with believers in two ways. First, He is molding every one of us into the image of His Son Jesus. Second, He is shaping us for a specific purpose, one that is individually designed so we will help build His kingdom. Our part as the clay is to submit ourselves to His purpose. As the Potter, He may subtract something from our life—similar to removing lumps from clay. Another possibility is that He may speed up the pace until we feel as if we’re spinning. Or, desiring a new shape for His “vessels,” He might dramatically rework our pattern of living in order to start us in a new direction. Our responsibility is to accept any changes from the Master Potter.

We can do this confidently because we are in God's hands. Scripture describes them as:

·       Creative hands whose skillful work is displayed in nature.

·       Hands filled with righteousness.

·       Hands that give life and take it away.

·       Mighty and powerful hands that rescued Israel from Egypt and us from slavery to sin.

·       Hands that protect us.

·       Hands that were pierced so we might be made new.

When we think about being clay in the Potter's hands and the ways that God deals with us, we can relax knowing "in His hands" is exactly the place we want to be.

Video of God’s Hands

Monday, June 22, 2015

Simple moral principles


http://www.unionleader.com/article/20150621/OPINION01/150629969/-1/opinion01

I’m not sure what the Union Leader meant by accusing the pontiff of “simple moral impulses”, but I would suggest that simple policy prescriptions should be based on simple moral principles.  The policy prescriptions that I would suggest are the church helping the poor and free-market capitalism.  The simple moral principles upon which those are based are putting God first and not stealing.

Friday, June 19, 2015

God can solve our problems



From the CANON on this blog:

     Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.


From today’s devotional:

Everyone faces challenges in life. Whether our struggles are financial, vocational, relational, or physical, we can be certain that nobody is exempt. Fortunately, we serve a God who is both interested in our problems and able to take care of them.

When trouble looms, prayer is always a good first step to take. But having a foundation upon which to build our prayers also makes a difference. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, faced an enormous challenge. Three different tribes—the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites—simultaneously waged war against him. Most leaders would have crumbled under such pressure, or at the very least taken drastic measures, but Jehoshaphat was a wise leader. Though afraid, he did not strike out against his enemies. Instead, knowing that God was interested in his dilemma, he “turned his attention to seek the Lord” and proclaimed a fast throughout the land (2 Chronicles 20:1-3).

Jehoshaphat also knew that God, who was more powerful than any earthly problem, had done miraculous things for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. That same God would help him, too, in his hour of need. We should never underestimate the Lord’s interest in our affairs. He helped our biblical ancestors, and He can and will help His children today.

It’s easy to think our problems are unimportant in God’s eyes, but He doesn’t feel that way at all. Whatever concerns us concerns Him. If we, like Jehoshaphat, turn to the Lord and proclaim His power, He will intervene. And no matter how great our challenges are, God is greater.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

The True God



If you are reading this on another day, search for June 17, 2015 on the intouch.org website.

From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.
 

From today’s devotional:

Jesus called Himself both the Son of Man and the Son of God. The first title emphasized His humanity; the second, His deity. He is the only person in history who was both God and man. Leaving heaven, He laid aside His divine glory and took upon Himself the robe of humanness (Philippians 2:6-7).

Who recognized His divine nature?

• Angels. At Christ’s birth, the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would bear a child and His name would be the Son of God (Luke 1:26-35).

• God the Father. When Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan, the heavenly Father declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:17). Later, God affirmed this same truth and instructed those present listen to Jesus (Matthew 17:5).

• Satan and the demons. Knowing that Jesus was God’s Son, Satan challenged Him to use His supernatural powers to bypass God’s plan. Later in the same chapter, the demons saw Jesus and shrieked that He was the Son of God (Luke 4:1-41).

• Disciples. When these men saw Jesus walk on water in the midst of the storm, they worshiped Him and concluded He was the Son of God (Matthew 14:25-33). Peter later declared, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

• Martha. When Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, his sister Martha said, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world” (John 11:27 NIV).

The world needs to understand who Jesus is. Whom can you tell about His deity?

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Throes of Adversity



If you are reading this on another day, search for June 16, 2015 on the intouch.org website.

From the CANON on this blog:

     Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.


From today’s scripture reading:

“Be strong and courageous, for you will lead my people to possess all the land I swore to give their ancestors. Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed. I command you -- be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Joshua 1:6-9 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

In the first chapter of Joshua, God delivers the greatest pep talk in all of Scripture. Moses had just died, and now his successor was called upon to lead the nation of Israel into the Promised Land—a military action that would surely involve significant risk. Joshua was no doubt unsettled by the prospects of facing a strong hostile army. Therefore, the Lord spoke words of encouragement to him that still ring true for us today.

What would have happened if Joshua had refused this daunting assignment? Most likely, the nation of Israel would have languished in the desert indefinitely. Fortunately, this leader was a man of great faith and courage, and he boldly took up the cause of God.

Like Joshua, we face daily obstacles that seem to push our faith to the breaking point. And yet, it is in the throes of adversity that God hones our faith (“Dear brothers and sisters, awhenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. erences for James 1:2 For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” James 1:2-4). When we refuse to follow Him into risky situations, the results can be devastating to our spiritual growth. Consider the consequences of disobedience on your life:

1.    You will never become the person that God wants you to be.

2.    You limit your usefulness to the Lord.

3.    You are willing to live a life of rationalized disobedience.

4.    You’ll be governed by fear rather than faith.

5.    You risk losing not only rewards in heaven but also blessings on earth.

Are you in some way refusing God’s call? The Lord is trustworthy. Whatever His plan of action for you, be assured He will see you safely through the ordeal.