THE LORD SPOKE (April 04)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Joshua 21-22

“Intentional”. It’s something of a current Evangelical buzzword. It’s not new but it gets used a lot lately. It too will probably pass as new buzzwords come up but let’s hope that the concept never passes for it’s a very significant definition of a godly characteristic.

Webster defines “intentional” as “done by design”. That certainly describes God - the Master Designer who does everything by plan and forethought. Never does anything “just happen” with Him. He’s never caught by surprise and has to pull up Plan B because something went wrong with Plan A or He didn’t plan it through well enough.

One area in which we need to be intentional is in our relationship to God. Today’s passage contains a beautiful summary of how we should go about this:

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul. (Josh. 22:5)

Six strong verbs. Six action words which will give you direction and purpose in your service for the Lord. We need to be careful...

• “to keep” - that means to hang on to something, to be completely committed
• “to love” - our whole heart must be His, we need to be decidedly devoted
• “to walk” - in continual fellowship, He wants us to be actively associated
• “to obey” - no fakery, no holding back, no half-hearted following, but openly obedient
• “to hold fast” - never wavering or second-guessing, but determinedly defending
• “to serve” - motivated by a desire for His glory alone, we must be sacrificially serving

Six strong verbs. Try them out today. Be intentional!


New Testament: Acts 5

They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus.... Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. (Acts 5:40,42)

Do you have that kind of holy boldness? Or do you find it hard to bow your head quietly in a public restaurant to thank the Lord before you eat? Are you quick to speak up for Him or do you find yourself saying later, “What I should have said was....” Do you seize the opportunities that come your way or are you always “planning” some forever-future ministry?

The example of these early believers in Acts might be a helpful pattern to follow:

• join together with other believers for mutual strengthening (vs. 12,14)
• minister to the needs of others - it will help you stop dwelling on yourself (vs. 15-16)
• trust God to do the impossible and act quickly when He does (vs. 19-20)
• obey God immediately and thoroughly, lest you miss the opportunity and lose momentum (vs. 21)
• recognize that the Holy Spirit has made you a witness and will strengthen you for the task (vs. 29-32)
• when you suffer persecution, if you do, count it a great blessing that God has considered you worthy (vs. 40-41)
• never stop (vs. 42)

God’s grace is sufficient to carry you through. All He asks is that you trust Him. He has a long record of helping His children through difficult times.

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials he multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
A strict account to give!

Help me to watch and pray,
And on Thyself rely,
Assured, if I my trust betray,
I shall for ever die.