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You don’t know…but He does…In His Word 10-27-2025 ( adapted from- In His Word-11-28-05)
This week I overheard a leader, in a public place, teaching
a bit about the promised land exploration where they talked about Caleb and
Joshua and the other guys going into seeking out the land and see if it was
good. The leader kept mentioning that Caleb was the one who talked about it
being a perfect land for them because they saw the good things God had for them
there. Though it was true, he kept mixing up the fact that Joshua was also
there. Finally, someone in the group asked about Joshua, and the Leader said he
was the one Moses passed the leadership on to but then recalled Joshua was also
there as they read the verses for their study. Sometimes there is a purpose we
try to get across in our study but it’s important to use the scripture as our
guide. Read it first then go on to point out the lessons in that portion of
scriptures. I have been guilty of mixed verses in the past, and I know God’s Word
does not come back void so it completes its purpose. If you recall reading I
learned that I had to teach about not mixing up my verses to a bunch of little
kids one day! Be careful what you read and apply it to your life appropriately!
Enjoy this adapted but appropriate for my day and I hope
yours- In His Word
Then Moses said to
him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from
here. How will anyone know that you are
pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will
distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the
earth?" And the LORD said to Moses,
"I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you
and I know you by name." Exodus 33:15-18
Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this
Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even
to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread
upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. Joshua 1:2-3
Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall
divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all
the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right
hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go this Book of the Law
shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night,
that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you
will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded
you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the
LORD your God is with you wherever you go."Joshua 1:6-9
Years ago, a singer by the name of “Amy Grant” sang a song
called “We Don’t Know” or something like that. In it it tells the story of a ‘reckless
car’ running out of gas before it ran my way. It talks about how sometimes what
we see as a problem in our day is actually a deterrent from something bad.
Sometimes when we wait longer at a light than we should have it is not only to
keep us from harm, but to help someone else.
Someone I
know was waiting at a light for more complete cycles than he wanted to be
waiting for. Just as he was about to just go anyway, figuring the light was
broken, a car pulled up beside him.
Glancing to
the side, my friend noticed the driver was rolling down the window and
motioning to him to do the same. He called from one car to the other something
like , “Can you help me? I need to know how to get to….”
If he had
not chosen to turn a block earlier than usual, and if he had turned anyway when
the road was clear and the light did not change the first time… the people in
that car may have been later than they wanted to be, may have been in any kind
of troubled situations. We do not know. But what we do know is that he was at a
certain place at the certain time and was able to be a help to them.
There was a
day, a while back, when I had been coming home from shopping and my son said
there was a sound coming from the car, I listened just as the air went
completely out of the tire.
We were on a road that was a mile from nowhere, about mile
and a half from home, with no sidewalks etc. The only road like that is between
my house and the mall!
After
climbing out of the car I was ready to send my teen aged son home to get his
dad to come and help. Now don’t laugh, I do know how to change the tire, but I
did not know how to get it off the car. They have so many gadgets now days to
attach the spare to the bottom of your car I had no clue how to release it. It was a little embarrassing really!
Across the
street was a lady selling roses. She asked if everything was okay, I mentioned
that we had a flat. She said, “do you want to use my cell phone to call for
help?”
I said “Wow
yes! Thank you!” what a blessing that she was right there at the right time. Also,
the week prior to this she had had two flat tires, so she was feeling sorry for
me.
She was in
the right place at the right time. When I think of it, she is usually about a
hundred yards in the other direction from where she was parked that day.
We had been
over billed at our local movie theater last month, and I had to go and talk to
the manager or someone to fix it. When I drove by two or three other times I
felt it was not time to go in. Each time something hindered me from parking the
car and getting out and going in the theater.
This
weekend as I was driving by, headed someplace else, I turned in at the first
corner instead of waiting to get to the store of my choice and turning there. I
then thought of the over charge and went in to correct it.
I took my receipt and went to talk to someone… I didn’t even
know whom to talk to! Just as I entered the building, I was asked if I had a
return ticket, there was an official looking person on the phone, so I pointed
to them. I needed to talk to someone in charge. I showed my overcharge slip. Just then the
manager typed person walked up. In short, he offered to pay cash or to give us
free tickets… for the whole family! My over charge was small, and I could have
let it go, but being obedient to correct an error I was blessed! Now my whole
family is going to attend Narnia when it comes out! For free! What a blessing!
There are
so many times, when we have found ourselves in the right place at the right
time…I believe that they are God ordained times! I will call those God-incidences!
Joshua was
one of those who managed to be in the right place at the right time. He
listened to God’s instruction and followed closely to Moses and what God told
Moses to tell them. He adhered his heart to what was right in the sight of God. In this following the Lord and knowing that
if God was with them that good would come from it, Joshua and Caleb were the
only ones left who went from Egypt to the Promised land! Joshua followed God’s
lead, no matter how silly it seemed.
Think of how the Israelites looked marching around Jericho
for all those days, just marching, not
waging war, just marching. But they were doing what God had told them to do.
When they were obedient to the Lord He blessed them and all
the walls that hindered them fell to the ground that they might have victory.
It was not easy to remain quiet walking around that terrain
I am sure; we have a poster of the lands out there. Think about it, these are
the impatient people who groaned and complained all the time’s children. I
guess they learned by now how to follow God’s directions to a T!
Sometimes
God does things when we least expect it. Sometimes He does the opposite of what
we expect. I expected to get razzed or
treated like I was cheap when I went to correct
the error at the theater, but God knew we were going to get a blessing
out of it. I was even afraid they would say too bad so sad and send me out of
the place embarrassed and ashamed for making them fix the problem they made…
I hope from
this devotional today you take a look around and think about what mishaps you
have been through that kept you from having a bigger one or brought you to a
place of blessing. Think as you drive around in the seasonal traffic this week
of all the things you are being kept from or blessed with by the slow moving
traffic.
So many times we have been slowed at getting someplace only
to find that it was because God was working His perfect timing.
The Israelites had to wander for 40 years waiting for their
promised land, a land the oldest ones would never have received An entire
generation had to pass away before Joshua and Caleb could see the promise of
God. Through out Exodus and Joshua you can find many stories of how strong and courageous
God told Joshua to be. I think that when we go through rough days, trials and
tests that we need to remember those words.
Be strong and courageous… don’t turn to the left or the
right because when you do what the Lord God says to do then He will bless you
and make you a success at all that you put your hand to. But first you must be
ready to do what He says, no matter how silly it seems, or how frustrating it
seems, I believe God orders our steps and in that good will come from it. We
need to trust Him to direct our paths and show us what to do in every
situation. We need to know that when God
is with us, no one can stand against us! All He asks is that we follow His
example, read His Word to find out what that example is, and then just do it!
What a blessed life we would have in all areas if we would
just seek Him in all things, follow after Him in all that we do, and listen and
respond to His voice…all the time.
Dear Heaveny Father, thank you for those surprise blessings
that we receive from day to day. Thank you for helping us to be glad and
rejoice in this day. In all that we do let us do it as unto You! In Jesus’
Name, Amen.
Suggested Readings for this week.
Monday: Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Tuesday: Psalm 5:1-12
Wednesday: Psalm 29:1-11
Thursday: Isaiah 28:1=29
Friday: Hebrews 4:1-16
Weekend readings:
Hebrews 12&13-all. Think on how this is useful at this time of year.
***If for any reason you choose ever not to receive this
devotion again please remember that all it takes is replying with a
"Please remove me from this list." I do ask that if there is a
problem with anything I write for you to feel free to write me back and let me
know what the problem was, that we might go over it together and seek the truth
in love.
In His love, Teresa M. Wilson
Copyright © 2005
by Teresa M. Wilson.