How did you get to this point?
Everyone finds themselves at some point, or numerous points in their life in a place where they wonder, “how in the world did I get here?” Whether it’s in the pit of despair, the brink of the cliff, or the deep dark valley of dry bones, we will all find ourselves there any number of times until we learn to follow Adonai wholeheartedly. Why? Adonai allows us to reach that point of brokenness to give us an opportunity to turn to Him. It’s in those moments that you are broken and empty of your own physical strength that you can’t go on and need a source of help. At that point, you have to make a choice; turn to God for help, or turn to the world and what it offers to help you numb the pain.
Someone shared a story with me once of their personal experience. This person had been very successful and had worked his way up into executive management over the years, living la vida loca. Everything going his way enjoying life to the fullest. Suddenly in a turn of events, he lost everything and found himself in his 50s crawling under houses checking for foundation cracks to pay the bills. One day under one of the houses he asks God, “how did I get here?” It was a turning point for him in his life and in his relationship with Adonai.
We will all come to a crisis of belief in those moments and we must make a choice. It’s in that broken place you find yourself, that if you sit really still and listen closely and quietly, that you can hear the still small voice of Adonai whispering for you to turn to Him. He meets you there and invites you to follow Him and let Him care for you. Everyone must go through this process; we must all be broken, humbled, and rescued from our pride and stubbornness that has held us captive for far too long.
This is your moment to find Him and the peace, hope and love He offers you.
The world on the brink today
From the first day the year 2024 began, there has been daily worldwide end-time events. For those who are studying their Bible, they are witnessing Bible prophesy unfold. God told the prophet Daniel to seal up the things He was shown, they would be revealed in the end-times. Well, that proves to be true. They are being revealed now more than ever. The end-time signs began to unfold quickly beginning in 2017, and have increased in activity every day since. There are many who are watching these prophesies unfold, and there are many that aren’t. Either they don’t believe them or they aren’t interested. There are many who don’t want their life disrupted by knowing these things. These people may call themselves Christians even, but they don’t want to be bothered with this information; they are too busy in their daily lives to worry about these things.
Some say, “I’m good, if it’s my time to go or the end is near, I’m going to Heaven, but I’m not going to dwell on it.” Others say, “If I focused on end-time news, it would paralyze me with fear.” Perhaps you might step back from these statements and let them sink in. Try to view it from what it might look like from God’s perspective. Could it be interpreted as you don’t care, or you care more about your life than God’s plan, or that you don’t trust Him, or that you are more interested in fulfilling your dreams and living your life than following God’s plan?
It’s definitely something you should consider taking time to stop and pray about. This blog is not meant to condemn anyone but to lead you back to Him, to a quiet place alone with Adonai and ask Him what He wants to show you and what He wants you to do at this time. If Jesus spent half His ministry warning us of what to do and look for to see and prepare for the season of His return, be aware of the ramifications of choosing to ignore His warnings for any reason.
Obsessed with the wrong things
Did you know that you can become so obsessed with serving God or looking for his return that you can lose intimacy and relationship with Him? It’s true! Looking up for Jesus and watching the end-time signs in the Bible are important to see, know, and be ready for His return. However, it’s still important to maintain your relationship with Jesus and keep spreading the Gospel until He returns. Don’t lose your focus.
“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” John 15:15
“Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7
God warns us in His entire Holy Bible what to do and what to look for. He stresses repeatedly, to follow Him, obey, and trust Him. If we are doing that, we can’t get obsessed or distracted with other things.
For those who are focused on over-serving Him at church, make sure you still have plenty of one-on-one time alone with Him studying and meditating on His Word. Your serving should come out of that time with Him as He tells you what He needs you to do. What good is it for you to obsess or stress over serving God, that you don’t have time to spend with Him studying and getting to know Him? The same thing goes for prophecy watchers. What good is it to get obsessed with prophecy and when Jesus is coming back, if you lose the intimacy of relationship with Jesus?
I’ve seen those who have become so obsessed with the pre-tribulation rapture signs, that they have stopped living their life. They get so fixated on Jesus saving them from their current circumstances, that they wake up every day mad that they are still here. Then I’ve seen the reverse, those who refuse to even think about Jesus’ return because they are so busy with their life’s needs and wants; they don’t have time to “deal or worry” with when Jesus is coming back. Neither of those environments are healthy. Eyes on Jesus! Cling to Him.
What can we learn from the two Arks?
Let’s consider the Arks for a few moments as how it relates to being on the brink and wondering what to do next. As I was studying in the book of Joshua recently, I was reminded of the role of the Ark of the Covenant. While in the first few chapters, the Holy Spirit would not let me move on. He had me park in the first three chapters for about a week. This was my sign that there was “more meat on those bones,” He was calling me to dig deeper.
The dig started with the Ark of the Covenant. He then reminded me of Noah’s Ark and had me pray and mediate about the two Arks and what they had in common. Why were they both called Ark?
What He showed me:
- The Ark boat protected God’s promise
- The Ark of the Covenant protected God’s commands
Both Ark’s symbolize a special place of protection wherein Adonai resides. He protected the only righteous ones inside His Ark boat. He had Noah build it exactly like He told him, then He told Noah and his family when to enter, then it was Adonai who closed the door. He protected them from the storms, death and destruction. They were in His coverage of protection.
Inside the Ark of the Covenant, His presence resided along with His covenant promise and commands for all His followers for ever! The Ark of the Covenant went ahead of the people and led them in the way that they should go (Joshua 3:3-4). Adonai led them and protected them here, just like He did with the Ark boat. The Ark of the Covenant is a visual of how Adonai goes before you, He leads you, He goes into battle before you to fight with you. He told them when to move and when to stay. Through their journey following Him, He pruned and refined them, taught them His ways. There were many who followed Him wholeheartedly. Those ones were protected and lavished with His love and blessings. Life was difficult for everyone but those who followed Him and trusted Him to do what He said He would do, were given favor in the wilderness.
There were so many lessons for us in just these few chapters, for this section, know that Adonai protects His righteous ones that love, trust, obey, and follow Him. He goes before them into battle and fights with them and protects them, even in the wilderness moments of learning.
How are we to know what He wants us to do?
Since the beginning of time, Adonai planned out everything, every single detail for what would be done til the end of time and back to the beginning. He is not surprised by anything that we say or do, or what happens in this world. Nothing happens without His permission. A great illustration of that truth is found in the story of Job in the First Testament of the Holy Bible. In order for satan to torment Job and try to destroy his faith in God, he first had to state his case before God and ask His permission. God knew Job, He knew his heart, and He knew that he would pass the testing of his faith, but allowed satan to take everything he had, except for his life. God was not surprised by Eve eating the fruit in the Garden. He already had a plan for Jesus to come two thousand years later to redeem us from our sins that began with Eve.
All that to say, God breathed a Holy book with His Holy Word into what is called the Holy Bible (1Timothy 3:16-17). It has everything He wants us to know from the beginning of time to the end. He does nothing without warning us; it’s all there in the Holy Bible warning us of what was, what is, and what is to come (Revelation 1:19). It’s our instruction book for life. He never intended for you to focus only on a few feel good scriptures; He wants you to know the whole story. In this story, He tells you how much He loves you, what He expects from His followers, what will happen to those who choose not to follow Him, how to spread His truth to warn others, and how to be prepared and what to look for to know the season of when the end is near and how to look for Jesus’ return for His followers.
His Word is very clear, when Adonai moves, we are to follow Him (Joshua 3:3). Just like the cloud and pillar of fire that led the Israelites out of Egypt through the wilderness and to the promised land, Adonai still leads those who will follow Him. He tells us when to go and when to stay. We must keep our eyes on Him to know.
So how do we know what He wants us to do? Open up His Word, spend time with Him one on one, ask Him to show you what to do next. Begin in Genesis 1:1; He will meet you there. He wants to teach you all things, Himself. Get His truth firsthand – from Him. (Jeremiah 33:3, 1John 2:27)
Which way do we go?
Before Jesus came and died as a human to redeem us of our sins, people could not get close to God. In this story in Joshua, the people were to follow the Ark of the Covenant from a distance. They had to follow about two miles behind as it/God lead them in their life journey. They were not to get near the Ark so all could see it from this distance, but also out of reverence not to get near and get to comfortable with God and lose respect. (Joshua 3:4)
Lessons from this:
- Keep your eyes on the Ark/Adonai
- Follow the Ark/Adonai/Jesus
- He leads you and goes before you
- He shows you the way
- He protects those who follow Him
Life is a journey that you have never been on before (Joshua 3:4), how could you possibly know which way is best for you? Others don’t know what’s best for you, they can only give you their opinions; they can’t see all that God sees and has planned for you (Joshua 3:10). Only God knows, follow Him as He leads you on the straight and narrow path. When you see God move, follow (Joshua 3:3). He knows what is best for you. Keep your eyes on Him.
Who will follow Adonai wholeheartedly?
For those who willingly and wholeheartedly go “all-in” with Adonai, they will not hesitate to follow Him in all ways, even when they are unsure, they trust Him. His word says we must set ourselves apart from the world (Joshua 3:5). Followers of Jesus are in the world, but not of this world.
– Do Not Love the World – You are NOT of this world – You are just passing through –
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:19
Jesus tells Adonai,
“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.” John 17:14-15
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” 1 John 5:19
“You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:4
You will know the ones that are His, because they will be the ones not conforming to the ways of this world. Is that you? If not yet, I pray that you choose today to follow Him willingly and wholeheartedly, before it’s too late.
Be bold and courageous
When you choose to follow Adonai wholeheartedly, trust Him in all things that come your way. Watch and see what He will do (Joshua 3:5) Those who know Adonai and believe He will do what He says He will do, can look forward to seeing the wonders of our Heavenly Father. We must separate ourselves from all things, all cares, and focus solely on Him. When you find yourself in a place to make a scary step of faith, trust Him and watch what He will do for you.
Not all will follow and leave everything behind. For those who choose to follow Adonai, they will walk through the heat of the battle, through the fiery furnace, and be refined. But, they go through those moments and the valleys with Adonai as their leader and protector. He will not leave them in the fire alone: He is always with you, even until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20)!
In the book of Daniel, there were three Jewish men thrown into the fiery furnace for not bowing and worshipping the king and his gods (Daniel 3). The story says the king saw four men in the furnace. Jesus was with them. He protected them in the fire. The king called them out and the three men came out not burned, or smelling of smoke. Only God! He protects those who wholeheartedly follow Him. He will go with you through the fire.
That story has so many lessons in it, one being, you will go through the fire. Followers of Jesus are NOT exempt from being tested. We are put through the fire to burn off the impurities in our lives, and through the pruning of the dead limbs in us that don’t bear fruit for Him. So don’t ask God to protect you from the testing, fire, and pruning, or to take you around it instead of through it – welcome it! By willingly following Adonai into the fire, He can walk with you through your transformation to be more like Him. You can go through anything as long as you know He is with you.
As Adonai was with His servant Moses, so He will be with you. (Joshua 1:3,5, 3:7)
We must be bold and courageous trusting Adonai in all ways, no matter what comes. (Joshua 1:6,7,9)
Is God your firm foundation yet?
What is your faith built upon? It’s imperative that His commands become the foundation your faith stands on, and the lens through which you view all things. Scripture says His commands are written on your heart, and what is in your heart must be in your mouth. Did you ignore what He put on your heart? Or do you allow the Holy Spirit to convict you with the truths He put there to keep you close to Him? If we are not speaking His truth, we are intentionally ignoring the Holy Spirit speaking to us.
“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Jeremiah 31:33
“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45
Out of the heart the mouths speaks. You must meditate on His Word day and night to know His truth; knowing it prevents you from believing the lies the enemy throws at you all day everyday (Joshua 1:8). When you stay in His Word, you recognize the enemy’s tricks and can stand firm on scripture and quote it out loud to the enemy. The enemy must flee when you do that. How would you know what Adonai expects of you if you don’t study His Word? He blesses those who spend time with Him in His word.
Is it even possible to totally trust God with all things?
With God, all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26)
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10
“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
Questions? For those who refuse to obey Him for any reason, there will be consequences. You have choices, but be prepared for the result of your choices. (Joshua 1:18)
I’m too weary, anxious, fearful, and distracted to believe in anything at this point!
Remember, everyone has this moment every time we need to learn a new lesson from Him. God allows us to reach that point so that we will see that we can’t do life without Him. He gave us human strength but it takes super human strength to fight all the battles in this life and in the supernatural realm. The enemy battles us constantly from the supernatural realm. We aren’t equipped to fight those battles alone, yet, so many humans try and fail miserably. That’s why there are so many fighting mental health issues. God never intended us to do life without Him.
The next time you come to the brink, stand still. If you are there now, stand still. Pray for Him to forgive you and help you; keep standing still. Don’t make a move without God. Wait till He tells you what to do next (Psalms 46:10 – Be still and know). If you don’t hear anything, keep waiting. Study His Word, He will meet you there and tell you things through His Word; the Holy Bible. Teach yourself to never make a decision without Him. Stand still and wait for Him to speak (Joshua 3:8).
When all hope seems lost and you are backed against a wall, come close and hear the word of the Lord. (Joshua 3: 9)
Blessings of obedience
When you stand still and wait. Study His Word and meditate on it day and night as He instructed, you will start to hear His still small voice speaking to you (Joshua 1:8). How will you know? Trust me, you will know when He is speaking to you. Sometimes it seems like an idea just popped into your head, but you realize suddenly that you could not have thought of that on your own. It was the Holy Spirit speaking to you. That’s Him speaking anytime you have an idea. You just usually take the credit for thinking of it. It’s time to realize He is talking to you. LISTEN!!! It will transform your life and your faith once you learn how to listen to Him speaking to you.
There will be no mistaking at that point that Adonai is with you and that He is working a plan you cannot see. (Joshua 3: 10)
Watch as Adonai passes over you and goes before you into the scary deep place that He is leading you to follow. (Joshua 3: 11)
Choose now, will you go and follow Him into the unknown?(Joshua 3:12)
And watch, it will be that as soon as the soles of your feet, of those who will follow the Lord wholeheartedly, touch the scary waters, it is in that moment of complete stepping out of faith, that Adonai will show you His mighty wonders. These mighty wonders will reveal part of His plan and protection for you. (Joshua 3:13-17)
Those who follow Him may be persecuted and walk through many valleys, but through it all, they enjoy walking with Adonai while receiving His many blessings that He washes over those who obey and willingly, wholeheartedly follow Him.
In closing,
let’s make sure your heart is right with the Lord so that you can enjoy getting to know Him and what He has for you. Don’t complicate the process for salvation. Keep it simple. Whether you have prayed this before, rededicate your life today and go “all in” with Him. It’s time for a deeper relationship with your Creator, Adonai.
Do the ABC’s and repent today.
- A: Admit that you are a sinner. (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6, Ephesians 2:8-9)
- B: Believe in your heart that Jesus is the son of God and that He died for your sins and rose from the dead for you. (John 3:16-18, 1Corinthians 15:1-4)
- C: Call on Jesus and repent of your sins and turn back to Him and ask Jesus to show you the way. (Romans 10:9-13, John 14:6)
May God bless you and keep you.
“Put everything to the test.
Hold on to what is good.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21
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