Faith is gained by hearing the Word. (Romans 10:17) The first-hand account of the Saving Grace of God from a trusted parent to a child is a powerful Word to be heard. Don’t overlook a teachable moment; remember to build those monuments!

(Joshua 4:6 NLT) We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’

In Sundays New Year Service, the full impact of what God is doing for my family began to sink in. I suddenly realized that God had not only began to reveal His plan for the next step in our ministry, but that He did so BEFORE we faced the New Year! What a Blessing! It wasn’t as easy for me in 2011. Although I was Blessed and did not have any great problems to speak of, there was much uncertainty concerning the direction of our Ministry. We had just previously left the church where we had been the pastors for five years and simply did not have a clear vision of what we would do next. I think that when a pastor finds himself without a congregation, it is more than simply being unemployed, it becomes a spiritual wasteland. It’s like coming to the end of a road you have long journeyed, and finding you must choose from countless roads the path that is right for you.

As a pastor you have a good understanding of the seriousness of the choices we make. We have watched many others make those choices and seen the impact of making right and wrong choices. I can tell you that I have spent many nights agonizing before the Lord, seeking to hear the Spirit give instructions. I prayed with my pastor, whom I have trusted for most of my life, and his advice to me was simple, yet straight from the Holy Spirit. He simply said, “Ricky, be patient son. Be patient.” I had no idea how hard that would be! But I really had no choice other than to patiently wait on the Lord for instruction, and thankfully, God was faithful to remember me.

I don’t know what you face coming into 2012, but I can promise you that God cares as much for you as He does for me, and He wants 2012 to be a year of VICTORY for you! I believe that those who put their trust in Him will live a victorious life in 2012! This will be a year of Sharp Focus for Gods people. Are you tired of your Promises and your destiny being cloaked in a cloud of secrecy; barely visible and often not visible at all? This year, as you seek the Lord, that cloud will lift! Not just enough for you to get a bit of a glimpse, but see enough to energize you and spring you forward with a new confidence.

The worlds problems are still hanging around; financial, political, cultural, and environmental issues are as gravely serious as ever in history, yet I have Hope! Banks will continue to collapse, Governments will fall or drastically change, cultural differences will lead to new battles, Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Floods, Hurricanes, whatever; Our God is STILL in control!  I have Peace, even as the world seeks relentlessly for peace to no avail, because I know the Giver of Peace! I have Confidence, even as the world destabilizes by the hour as every once- firm foundation that modern man has known loses it’s security and crumbles. Why do I have this peace, this joy, this hope and security? Because I have a relationship with the one who spoke the universe into existence, and continues to command it with authority today! I enjoy peace because the Prince of Peace was waiting to speak with me when I opened my eyes this morning.

Join me in dedicating this New Year to the only one who can Bless it, even in troubled times, our Savior Jesus Christ! Thank You Lord for your tremendous Blessings in my life!

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”  (John 10:10 NLT)

In Sundays New Year Service, the full impact of what God is doing for my family began to sink in. I suddenly realized that God had not only began to reveal His plan for the next step in our ministry, but that He did so BEFORE we faced the New Year! What a Blessing! It wasn’t as easy for me in 2011. Although I was Blessed and did not have any great problems to speak of, there was much uncertainty concerning the direction of our Ministry. We had just previously left the church where we had been the pastors for five years and simply did not have a clear vision of what we would do next. I think that when a pastor finds himself without a congregation, it is more than simply being unemployed, it becomes a spiritual wasteland. It’s like coming to the end of a road you have long journeyed, and finding you must choose from countless roads the path that is right for you.

As a pastor you have a good understanding of the seriousness of the choices we make. We have watched many others make those choices and seen the impact of making right and wrong choices. I can tell you that I have spent many nights agonizing before the Lord, seeking to hear the Spirit give instructions. I prayed with my pastor, whom I have trusted for most of my life, and his advice to me was simple, yet straight from the Holy Spirit. He simply said, “Ricky, be patient son. Be patient.” I had no idea who hard that would be! But I really had no choice other than to patiently wait on the Lord for instruction, and thankfully, God was faithful to remember me. 

I don’t know what you face coming into 2012, but I can promise you that God cares as much for you as He does for me, and He wants 2012 to be a year of VICTORY for you! I believe that those who put their trust in Him will live a victorious life in 2012! This will be a year of Sharp Focus for Gods people. Are you tired of your Promises and your destiny being cloaked in a cloud of secrecy; barely visible and often not visible at all? This year, as you seek the Lord, that cloud will lift! Not just enough for you to get a bit of a glimpse, but see enough to energize you and spring you forward with a new confidence. 

The worlds problems are still hanging around; financial, political, cultural, and environmental issues are as gravely serious as ever in history, yet I have Hope! Banks will continue to collapse, Governments will fall or drastically change, cultural differences will lead to new battles, Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Floods, Hurricanes, whatever; Our God is STILL in control!  I have Peace, even as the world seeks relentlessly for peace to no avail, because I know the Giver of Peace! I have Confidence, even as the world destabilizes by the hour as every once- firm foundation that modern man has known loses it’s security and crumbles. Why do I have this peace, this joy, this hope and security? Because I have a relationship with the one who spoke the universe into existence, and continues to command it with authority today! I enjoy peace because the Prince of Peace was waiting to speak with me when I opened my eyes this morning.

Join me in dedicating this New Year to the only one who can Bless it, even in troubled times, our Savior Jesus Christ! Thank You Lord for your tremendous Blessings in my life!

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”  (John 10:10 NLT)

The cross was a symbol of shame. It was the means of ending one’s life in utter disgrace. If someone one sentenced to die on the cross, it indicated that this person was the lowest of lows, the dirtiest of them all. People would pass by and spit at them, or even curse them, while gazing at the cross in disgust. 

But look at the cross today. What happened? Today we look upon the cross with such reverence. I would say that every one of us has at least one cross or picture of a cross among their belongings. Today, when I look at a cross, it is easy for a lump to form in my throat and tears to fill my eyes. Today, most of us see a cross and we feel a sense of awe and reverence. Why? How can such an image of disdain be transformed into an image of profound respect?

What happened that changed the world’s opinion of the cross?

That change came when our Savior was nailed to that cross, a sacrifice for our sins. He bore our shame for us on that day. Because our Savior was nailed to that cross and became my ugly shame, the image of the cross has been transformed into an image of love and beauty. 

This may not seem like a big deal to you, but think about this;

So often I run into someone who radiates the love of Christ and have become a walking billboard for the beautiful love of God! We all know a people like this, they are everywhere. The sad truth is that many times Christians expect these wonderful examples of Christ to be perfect, (ugh) perfect SINCE BIRTH! (Oh you know there are perfect people EVERYWHERE!) When they discover that they have a forgiven past, they are no longer able to see the awesome Beauty of Christ in these people. Perhaps these types of critics need another look at the Cross, then and now, to jog their memory of the beauty of forgiveness. 

Until the cross was labeled as an image of shame, it had no beauty, nor shame. It was the shame of sin that gave the cross a negative image, and it was the love of Christ that gave the Cross an image of beauty. Without Christ, we all look like a troubled mess, but because of Christ, we are transformed into beauty! If we are created in His image, then we are created in BEAUTY!

I can now see the significance of the cross. It was transformed from an object of shame and disgrace into a symbol of perfect love. The same can be said for the lives of you and I. Our life was a symbol of shame and disgrace, but because of the sacrifice of Jesus, we now reflect His perfect love!

The next time you see a cross, try this; don’t focus of the form of the cross, but instead reflect on the changes that cross has made in your own life, and your own image. The Crucifixion transformed your ugliness into beauty. Think about this and stop condemning others for the forgiven-ugliness in their past. 

This morning I received word that my cousin went to be with the Lord. He was a good man, a man who loved God and lived his life according to the Word. When the time comes for you to die, and that time has been appointed to us all, there is no greater testimony to anyone’s life than this.

I was told that my cousin was fine when he went to bed. No doubt he fell asleep thinking about all the things left undone that he would tackle in the morning. He may have gassed his car up that evening, filled his calendar with appointments, and possibly even determined what to wear the next day. Like the rest of us he went to bed with plans for tomorrow. Sadly, sometime during the night he suffered a stroke that took his life hours later.

It’s hard to say goodbye to a family member who has always been there. It brings sadness to know someone you care about will never take another breath or walk another step in this life. The beautiful side of this story is that we know that my cousin is resting in the Presence of God because of his Faith. Wow! What a comfort to those close to him! Can you imagine not knowing the eternal fate of a loved one?

I believe that in all things we learn lessons. As we face disappointments and even great victories, we should look around us and find the precious lessons of great value. After receiving word about my cousin today the lesson I have learned is this; … Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls. (Ecclesiastes 11:3 NLT)

It doesn’t matter what my plans for tomorrow are if I have no tomorrow. It is ever so important to live our life complete spiritually. I can go to sleep without finishing my paperwork or making all my notes for tomorrow, but there are things that should not be put off until tomorrow, for we have no guarantee we have another day. We should place the highest priority on maintaining our relationship with Christ, and our relationship with our loved ones. Never miss an opportunity to express your love to either one of those!

It’s probably a good idea to run this mental check once in a while:
Imagine that your life stopped five seconds ago. Pause for a bit and think of the things that are undone in your life at that moment. I am sure we would all have many things we would have liked to have completed, but what stands out the most to you? The last comments you made to loved ones? Things left unsaid that can never be said? Prayers you meant to pray but never got around to it? Maybe you intended to tell some one. “I am sorry.” Perhaps there is someone you needed to forgive. Maybe you simply intended to get closer to God, but thought it could wait. When your life stops, everything you have done is all you will do. “Whether a tree falls north or south, it stays where it falls”.

I am sure that my cousin, like many others who have passed away, left much undone. But my cousin had the most important things covered; his relationship with Christ and his testimony of Faith. Life continues with little interruption until we face the inevitable disruption that comes to us all. We can’t be prepared to leave nothing undone, but God help us to live our lives properly prioritized, with the most important things covered and ready for an unexpected exit.

Dwight Thomason.A Good Man Who Was Ready For A Better Place!

It amazes me how much wisdom can be found in every page of the Bible, and how the Holy Spirit uses scripture to teach, encourage, and strengthen God’s people at just the right moment! As I have struggled the past few years to find a way to encourage those who have committed themselves to a ministry that ended without producing what they had expected, this story of Peter walking on the stormy water is one example of this for me.

When Peter asked Jesus to call him out of the boat and into the water, he knew very well that he could soon be drowning in a raging sea. Some say that Peter only stepped out because he had faith that no harm would come to him. I believe if he had that kind of unwavering faith, he wouldn’t have needed to be pulled back into the boat. It is more likely that Peter, although unaware, was becoming a living example of Ministry for generations to follow. When Peter said; … “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28 MSG), he was making a sacrifice that so many in ministry have made, and continue to make today. In a way Peter, having a full understanding of the risk, was saying; “Lord, if you call me, I will come to you. I hope I will make it, I know you can help me do it, but if I make it or not, if you call me, I will go.”

Many who are called into various ministries answered that call knowing that like Peter they faced extreme odds. They could see the seas raging around them and battled overwhelming fear just as those disciples faced when they saw Jesus walking by on the water. I don’t know for certain how many people were in that boat but only one man (Peter) cried out to Jesus and said, “Call me.”

As Peter climbed out of that boat, his fate may have seemed uncertain, but it no longer mattered. Peter only wanted to be obedient and show his heart for Jesus. The moment his leg went over the side of that boat, it changed his destiny! It was less than two chapters later when Jesus declared to Peter in Matthew 16:18, “ Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build My church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”

When Peter stepped out of the boat knowing quite well that he was risking everything, Jesus must have thought, ‘I have found my man!’

A true servant’s heart seeks only to be close to and obey Christ. When a True Servant hears the Master bid them to step out, they will quite likely see the obstacles and they will certainly battle the fear of the circumstances, but in that moment it simply doesn’t matter. No matter the level of difficulty, win or lose, live or die, Lord, I will go!

It’s heartbreaking to watch good men and women enter some form of ministry and it looks like they are overcoming the odds, but suddenly they must reach for a hand to pull them ‘back in the boat.’ Many will never try again. Many will spend the rest of their lives believing they failed and blame themselves for it. The enemy will work tirelessly to blind them from this amazing truth: what may look like a failure was actually their defining moment of great victory! Just like Peter.

We must remember that our desire and willingness to step out at the Masters bidding is far more beautiful to God than our achievements.

Stop lamenting over the times you didn’t make it and understand that your obedience and willingness to serve at any cost, not your excellent skills, provided you an opportunity to become a Rock!

As I sat among the gathering family members, I was impressed by the love and sense of pride in that room to be a part of such a great family. It wasn’t a brag session, and I didn’t notice any conversations of people comparing their success with one another, this wasn’t that type of a reunion. Instead, the room was filled with humble and grateful people. As far as I know, everyone present had a successful life, good job, and financially sound, but worldly success wasn’t being measured in this crowd. These people were simply filled with pride and appreciation for a being part of a Godly family with a strong heritage that was Christ Centered.

In today’s world everything seems to be intently focused on our ‘stuff’ and our ability to get more of it. While there is certainly no harm in providing a good life of plenty for our families, we have lost the order of priorities. Too much emphasis has been placed on building our dreams, filling our houses with nice things and staying just a step ahead of the other guy, while too little value is placed on the things that matter eternally. Last weekend was a tribute to some great family members who lived their lives in a way that gave priority to the more important things; things that that reach us today in our times of greatest need. My father, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others before me, taught me that by putting God FIRST, everything else could be built on a solid foundation.

Success matters, it pays the bills and provides us with entertainment, but unless it comes fastened to a solid Christ Centered foundation, it rings empty. There isn’t a lonelier sound in this world as the empty and hollow ring of success without God. It is all meaningless in the end. You can spend your life building your dreams, but in the end your dream dies with you. And your children? They will have their own dream. Most of what you spend your life building will blow away like dust in the wind. Sounds depressing, but my grandfather and father knew of something greater that they could pass to me and my children that would only gain in value; a Godly Christian heritage!

I think Psalms 146 covers this subject very well. The Psalmist said:
Psalms 146:2-6 NLT
(2) I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.
(3) Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there.
(4) When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them.
(5) But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God.
(6) He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever.

Our own earthy plans die with us, but God’s Promises to Bless our families will carry on FOREVER! Many of the family members who lived before me knew this, they counted on it! When they breathed their last breath, their thoughts were not on the material things they would leave behind, but rather on the spiritual treasure that they had buried deep in our hearts. IF they had a worry, it must have only been the question; “Did I plant enough seed in my children’s heart?” And, “will my children remember to do the same?”

As I looked around the room housing the reunion, I began to do a mental count on those who were no longer with us. My dad, my grandparents, an uncle, my cousin Carolyn, some great aunts, too many I think, but then a thought brought great joy to my heart; I will see them ALL again! Wow! In all my years, I have never stood at a coffin and said goodbye to a close loved one without knowing that they knew Christ, and that they were resting with Him. What a testimony! Did my family before me leave a treasured legacy? You bet they did! There simply isn’t a higher treasure than that. Did they leave mansions behind for us to see? No. What they left was far better, and for that, I am grateful.

We live in a day where lines of decency have been blurred as people have labored tirelessly to do away with rights and wrongs, and replaced them with only ‘good and better’. Morals have been rewritten with a less offensive modern interpretation, which rejects the sound doctrine handed down to us from our forefathers. The people who gathered at my family reunion have clearly rejected today’s modernism philosophy and have held firm to something this world has tried so hard to obscure; TRUTH! This didn’t happen by accident, and it wasn’t a result of genetics. My family is this way because of a conscious effort of our fathers and mothers who put the highest priority on a relationship with God, which transformed their lives into a tremendous heritage for generations to come.

I can only repay what my family left for my inheritance by leaving the same to my children. I hope I can leave them with many comfortable earthly things, but I will always remember to put priority on the things that truly matter; a spiritual legacy. I must always remember Psalms 146; my dreams will die with me, but God’s promises, and the blessings that come from following Christ, are forever.

You’re gonna have to serve somebody,
It may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.

Now, maybe Bob Dylan should not be taken as a voice of Christian authority, although he did show some wisdom when he wrote that song! “You’re gonna have to serve SOMEBODY!’ We might think of ourselves as being independent but the truth is we are not capable of being the Lone Ranger, we all serve one of two masters.

Jesus said in Luke 16:13, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.

THERE ARE TWO MASTERS, TWO PLANS FOR YOU!

We’ve all heard it said that God has a plan for your life, and that is comforting and true. All the people around you, God has a plan for THEM also. Just as God has plans for you, He has plans for your family, your co-workers, your friends, even your enemies. It’s easy to feel good and be happy about the thought that God has a GOOD plan for all of us, but we should also be aware that the devil has a plan for us all as well.

When Simon Peter begins to tell Jesus how he would follow him anywhere and that he would never deny Him, Jesus responded; “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat.( Luke 22:31)

The ‘Sifting of Wheat’ process isn’t anything a human would ever want to endure for themselves! The first step in process of sifting wheat is to loosen the chaff from the edible grain, which is called threshing. The old fashioned way to do this was to spread the wheat onto a floor made from stone, concrete or tamped earth and to beat it with a flail. If you don’t know what a flail is, I can only tell you that it was also used as weapon for brutal warfare

The next step is called ‘winnowing,’ where the loosened chaff is removed from the grain. In Peter’s day they did this by throwing the grain in the air, where the lighter chaff would be blown off by a breeze. The heavier grains would fall back to the ground below. After the sifting process, only the pure true wheat remained. Everything else was separated! This ‘Sifting ‘ process continues to be played out in Christian lives and in the church DAILY!

WE HAVE FOUR ACTIVE FORCES DECIDING OUR DESTINY!

FIRST FORCE, We have GOD: He has a good plan. All the details of Gods plan are good! His Word tells us He wants to bring us a “Rich and satisfying life” In order for His good purpose to play out in our lives, we have a few obligations that we must take upon ourselves in order to bring Gods blessing to pass. Most every aspect of our destiny depends on our own willingness to follow the explicitly detailed guidelines in Gods Word and make the right choices. Why is this so hard for us to understand?

If you want to be a Doctor, you know that the option for you to accomplish that is open to you. You understand that you would go to medical school, do the training, and follow the guidelines that are in place to be a doctor. The same is true with all career choices. You don’t reach your goals without following certain guidelines and seeking the proper training .You also understand that you will face obstacles along the way that you will need to overcome. While it is true that God has a perfect plan for your life, He can only make the resources available for you, so you can take advantage of His resources, and reach your God-planned destiny.

Still you MUST make the right choices!
God’s plans for you can be derailed by your disobedience and bad choices. Look at the story of Saul. God chose Saul and gave him a bright future, but King Saul messed it up. He messed it up so badly that in the end, we read the God was ‘sorry that He chose Saul!’

SECOND FORCE, is Satan; he has a plan for you also. The Bible says he is a thief, and he comes to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’ you, but Satan can’t do this on his own! If he had the ability, he would sweep across this land in one night and murder every man, woman, boy, and girl but he does not have that power. Every plan he has for you is full of sorrow and brokenness. In order to destroy YOU he needs to enlist the help of…. YOU!

THIRD FORCE is the INFLUENCE of OTHER PEOPLE!
God knows how important the influence of others is and so does Satan! God consistently seeks out people to come to you and speak His message of love and hope. He speaks to the song writers to write songs, KNOWING you will turn the radio on and hear and LISTEN to His message to YOU!

Every Sunday morning across the world, Ministers stand behind the pulpit and bring you a message of encouragement from the throne of God. I know this is a serious thing for me, because it is God’s way of reaching out to you and keeping you safe and on the right path for His Blessings! I am certain that most pastors honestly seek God before they speak to the congregation, because we understand the seriousness of our position, to bring a CURRENT Word from the Lord. Then there are the many people you cross paths with every day.

As a Christian, we should always remember that we are a constant influence to others. Jesus said we are to be the ‘Light of the world and salt of the earth. How well do you use your opportunity to influence others? Do you influence them in a positive or a negative way? I can assure you that in each contact with others, you will influence them one way or the other, as they influence you.

THE FORTH FORCE DECIDING YOUR DESTINY: YOU!
Life brings serious choices to you and lays them at your feet for YOU to decide what to do with them! The way you decide these choices have a direct impact on the course of your destiny. You can’t continually make bad choices and still hope to reach the great destiny that God has planned for you! You can’t reap that ‘Rich & Satisfying life’ if you continually make bad choices.

ON THE OTHER HAND, the enemy can’t deliver his bad intentions to you if you are standing firm in your faith and rejecting his plan! Resist him and he will fold up his plans and for you and go away!

In this battle of GOOD and EVIL, the struggle between the forces is constant, and you have the power to choose the winner. You can’t stay out of this fight because, as with Peter and the others, Satan desires to sift YOU as wheat! You can be the victor, or the victim, it is ultimately up to you!

The devil will find always someone to speak his mind to you. Shut one mouth and he’ll find another. Our responsibility is to recognize the voice of Satan, even when he is speaking through the mouth of our friendly neighbors, stand up and say ‘Get thee BEHIND me!’ Know the Word, and dwell on the good things of God. YOU are the greatest influence in your own life. Put your finger in your own chest and say, “I am a person of Great Influence!”

Remember that you are also a great influence on those around you. Don’t blow the opportunity! (1Timothy 4:12) ‘……….Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.’ You are a voice of one or the other of the two active forces (God or Satan) in others! Your words bring life, and they bring death!

God has a great plan for your life! It doesn’t matter where you are or where you have been, He still wants you to live the good life He planned for you. Don’t allow the enemy to replace Gods plan with his own. The choice is yours!

This thought caused me to think about my Faith. It occurred to me that the same principle applies to my faith. My Faith is only as strong as my ability to defend it! How far am I willing to go to defend what belongs to me? How far will I go to defend my faith?

History is filled with stories of Christians who laid their life down defending their faith. It is because of their sacrifice and willingness to defend the faith, that we can have the confidence and assurance to stand on our own faith. Most Americans will never face death because of their faith, but we are all certain to face resistance and have a thief determined to steal it. Even today, we must be ready and willing to defend it. If we fail to defend our faith, we will lose our ownership rights to it.

All of the early Disciples and Apostles faced torture, imprisonment, and even death defending their faith. Paul was certainly no exception to this. Paul spent most of his life in prison, chained and beaten, defending his faith. His relationship with God was more than a culture statement or a passing fad, Paul was willing to defend his faith with his life! Many times Paul wrote to his fellow Christians about his suffering and imprisonment. Paul always kept his head up high, claiming it was an honor to defend his faith! Look at how he mentions this in Philippians:

So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. (Philippians 1:7 NLT)

Our faith, like our property ownership, is only as good as our ability to defend it. This is why the Word tells us many times to study and pray. Paul compared it to athletes preparing constantly for competition. He said; “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” (1 Corinthians 9:24 NKJV) And when Paul was nearing the end of his life, he summed it up this way; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV)

Why did Paul stress the fact that he ‘kept the faith?’ The answer is simple; he spent his life publicly defending his faith, and by telling us in the end that he was successful in keeping his faith, it also tells us that he was continually at risk of losing his faith. It was because of his willingness to defend it that enabled him to hold on to it until the end!

Are you someone who quickly learns the negative lessons from the storms of life, while ignoring the positive value of those life-shaping moments? I have learned that, even in the most difficult times, God somehow takes those situations to shape us for the better.

Many times in my life I have faced disappointments. I have had dreams and plans that didn’t work like I believed that they would. I have spent years building and caring for dreams that seemed to end in ruin. I have had relationships and friendships that I thought would last forever, but ended with disappointment and hurt. When these battles appear, they are most always without warning. In the heat of a battle, we can only focus on one thing; Survival. After the battle ends, it is what we pick up and carry out with us that will shape us the most… forever!

Look at this example in Joshua:
(Joshua 7:2-7 NLT) (2) Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven.
(3) When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.” (4) So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai (5) chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away.
(6) Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing in dismay, threw dust on their heads, and bowed face down to the ground before the Ark of the LORD until evening. (7) Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!

This was a battle that was supposed to be an ‘Easy Win.’ They were not concerned at all, never gave a thought to the possibility of defeat. When they started dying off and found themselves fleeing with fear, no doubt their hearts sunk and their feeling of security quickly faded. “How can this be?” “Has God not led us this far?”

Joshua, even though his spirit was crushed, somehow held on to enough wisdom to cry out to God. But listen to his cry in verse 7 and see if you can relate:
(V7) Then Joshua cried out, “Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side!

In that moment, Joshua was teetering between learning a lesson that would change him for the better, or for the worse. Thankfully, the primary advantage for making the wisest decision was put into place because of Joshua’s first instinct to ‘cry out to God.” That only comes from previous practice! Listen to Joshua and see if it sounds like a prayer you might pray in that type of a moment; “Oh, Sovereign LORD, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us?” He went even further and said something I know I might have said: “If only we had been content to stay on the other side!”

Joshua could have easily learned a lesson that would have altered the course of history for the worse. He could have spent the rest of his life refusing to try again because of a fear of failure. From this prayer he prayed, we can see that was indeed the way he was leaning, but THANK GOD Joshua was accustom to taking everything to God in prayer FIRST. (You have to get this!) Because Joshua was pleading his case to God, and because he was also wise enough to share his disappointments with God, Joshua was in a place that God could turn his head the other direction and learn a positive lesson.

I absolutely love God’s response to Joshua: “But the LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this?” (Joshua 7:10 NLT) These are the same words God has spoken to others, including Elijah when he was hiding from Jezebel. I know God has used that same line on me and probably you too! God then went on to reveal to Joshua that the reason for failure was a disobedience that brought sin into the camp. Joshua stood up, and made a decision to let this experience make him wiser and change him for the better. He confronted the man who brought disobedience and defeat on the people and took care of it.

God saw that Joshua learned the right lesson and gave him another shot at it. The reason Joshua felt comfortable with another attempt was because of Gods words to him in chapter 8; Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all your fighting men and attack Ai, for I have given you the king of Ai, his people, his town, and his land. (Joshua 8:1 NLT)

I could write all day about examples such as these in the Bible, but instead I ask you to think about some of your own examples. Have you ever reacted like Joshua and said; “God, WHY?” I know I have. Those reactions are normal reactions. The important lesson we should learn from this example is:
• If your normal routine is to take everything to God in prayer, then that will be your first reaction when trouble comes. Prayer sets the atmosphere for creating good decisions.
• You can allow the lessons learned from defeat to change you for the better, or for the worse, the choice is up to you!