getting ready for missions

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

j0410081Joshua 3

Joshua’s instructions to the people were “ Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”  It would have been easy to focus on the obstacles to their mission, and many still do.  Such negative thoughts actually are quite truthful because there are many obstacles to doing what God wants us to do.  But we will not see the miracles until we are ready to follow the presence of God into the river.  Part of our consecration is keeping an eye on the ark  — watching to see where God is, and what he is doing.  It is not so much preparing ourselves as it is keeping our focus on him.

LORD, help us to keep our focus on you and your mission, so that we may be prepared when you are ready to move to the next step in your plan.

Posted in commitment, dependence upon God, discernment, missions, preparation | Tagged | 1 Comment

God’s sovereignty and missions

Posted on July 4, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

j0410081Joshua 2

Rahab’s choice to protect the Israelite spies is an example of how our human wills work in conjunction with God’s sovereign choice in salvation.  Rahab would become an Israelite, even an ancestor of Christ (Matthew 1:5).  The LORD had called her to himself.  Her desire for the preservation of herself and her family led her to risk everything and join the congregation of the LORD.  She made her choice, but behind that choice was the choice that God had made to save her.  The scarlet chord was a symbol of God’s grace.

All around the world today there are Rahabs waiting to be discovered.  The LORD has called them to himself, but they do not know it yet.  Will we have the courage to put our lives at risk for the joy of seeing these people come to Christ?

LORD, give us the courage to go, and send others so that all might have the opportunity to respond to your gospel.

Posted in church, commitment, dependence upon God, grace, plan of God | Tagged | 1 Comment

a theology of missions

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

j0410081Joshua 1

The book of Acts has been called the missions manual of the New Testament.  Joshua serves a similar purpose for the old covenant community.  Chapter 1 gives all the elements the Israelites needed for a theology of missions.

  1. The assurance of the presence of the LORD wherever they went.
  2. The awareness that the land was not only promised, but was given to them by its rightful owner and creator.
  3. The need for strength and courage because the mission requires conflict.
  4. The necessity of staying true to God’s word in order to accomplish the mission.
  5. The importance of the whole team being involved in the task.

LORD, today you have called us to reclaim the whole planet for you.  May we stay true to our mission.

Posted in church, commitment, conflict, courage, evangelism, missions | Tagged | 1 Comment

in retrospect: the end

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

mosesatneboDeuteronomy 34

Why did God not let Moses cross over the Jordon to set foot in the promised land before he died?  Partly it was because of his sin, but there is more to it than that.  Moses’ life serves as a kind of analogy for us.  He comes to an end of a long and fruitful life – and it stops.  He does not see the fulfillment of his dreams and aspirations. He must await a resurrection for that.

Likewise, we – who live today and seek to do God’s will – will not get our reward at death.  But our next conscious moment will be a resurrection in which we see Jesus face to face.  The one who began a good work in us will carry it on to completion.  Death is not the end; it is merely a dramatic pause in the story.

LORD, help us to live fully until the end – knowing that it is not really the end.

Posted in dependence upon God, resurrection, sleep of death | Tagged | 1 Comment

in retrospect: leaving a legacy

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

mosesatneboDeuteronomy 32:48-33:29

Moses blesses the tribes just before he climbs Mount Nebo.  He has an appointment. All of us do (Hebrews 9:27). 

In the end, Moses showed fatherly love to the nation and blessed them.  His fight was over. It was up to the next generation to carry on the battles – to overcome in the LORD’s name.  Memories of Moses would encourage them to pay less attention to trivial matters, and more attention to the eternal God, who is their dwelling place (33:27). 

LORD, show us how to leave a legacy that points people to you.

Posted in encouragement, faithfulness, leadership | Tagged , | 2 Comments

in retrospect: no empty word

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

mosesatneboDeuteronomy 31:30-32:47

Moses’ retirement speech was not a series of platitudes and celebration of the past.  He shared a warning for the generations that followed.  God is not like the gods of the nations that the Israelites are about to conquer.  God is perfection and justice.  He is a father who loves and disciplines his children.  If they rebel, the only thing that will keep them from being destroyed is the fact that their enemies would think they did it.  Moses’ warning is no empty word.  History will show that the nation will many times come to the brink of destruction, only to be miraculously preserved.  God still has a plan for his people.

LORD, forgive us for ignoring the warnings in your word. They are not empty.

Posted in dependence upon God, enemies, ethnic Israel, judgment, plan of God | Tagged , | 2 Comments

in retrospect: the source of strength and courage

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

mosesatneboDeuteronomy 31:1-29

Moses knew that the people were going to rebel against the LORD.  But he also knew that the LORD was going to take them into his promised land.  He encouraged them to be strong and courageous,  not in order for God to work among them, but because he had chosen to do so.  Our strength and courage comes from our faith that God is with us.

LORD, give us a vision of your presence. That is all the strength and courage that we will need.

Posted in church, confidence, courage, discernment | Tagged | 1 Comment

in retrospect: a simple choice

Posted on June 28, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

mosesatneboDeuteronomy 30:11-20

As strange and complicated as the Mosaic law seems, it must not have been so to the Israelites. They must have naturally known what kinds of choices pleased the LORD and what kinds were idolatrous. So, following the LORD came down to a simple choice. As long as their heart did not turn away from it, that choice would ensure peace and life in the land. Here is where we can see a clear parallel to the promises that Jesus makes in the Gospels. He sets before us the hope of eternal life, and the joy of divine peace. Our choice is simple. It is not a hard choice.

LORD, give us the wisdom to make the simple choice, and the strength to stay the course when the enemy seeks to divert us from it.

Posted in discernment, discipleship, eternal life, faith, Jesus Christ, relationship with God | Tagged | 1 Comment

in retrospect: the secretly disobedient

Posted on June 27, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

mosesatneboDeuteronomy 29:1-30:10

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 ESV)

Moses called on the Israelites and all those with them in the camp of Israel to be openly and honestly obedient to the covenant.  There would be those tempted to put on a show of obedience while harboring a devotion to another god or gods. Moses warned that these people will be like diseased roots within the nation, and would bring disaster.

Nevertheless, he also reminded the people that their God was forgiving, and would return the outcasts and restore the fortunes of the repentant.  

LORD, give us a heart to be openly and honestly obedient to you.

Posted in commitment, discipleship, integrity, obedience | Tagged , | 2 Comments

in retrospect: what if?

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Jefferson Vann

mosesatneboDeuteronomy 28:15-68

Moses was an old man, and the Israelites associated him with their past – which they wanted to forget. 

“Well, OK”, says Moses, “as long as you learn the lessons from the past, you can concentrate on the future.”  But his fear was that they had not learned the lessons of the past.  They still had the urge to forsake the LORD – to rebel.

So Moses challenged them to envision a future after rebelling against the God who rescued them.  It was a horrible sight.  The most undreamed-of consequences would follow if the nation rejected its Savior.  Outside of his protection, every possible curse would fall upon them.

These are not the words of a vindictive old man.  They are the heart of a father, reaching out to his children, seeking their restoration and peace.

LORD, whenever we envision life without you, we recoil in horror.  Keep us close, and surrounded by your protective arms.

Posted in commitment, dependence upon God, discernment, faithfulness | Tagged | 1 Comment