Sreedhar's Journey

With increasing crime you usually make added investment in security systems that include cameras, motion sensors and a central monitoring service. Some add a security check service to increase visibility of surveillance and deter would be criminals. They did not have all this in the ancient days. Caleb and Judah after receiving their alloted land had to occupy it and displace the original people. Joshua 15:8, And the border went up by the Valley of the Son of Hinnom to the southern slope of the Jebusite city (which is Jerusalem). The border went up to the top of the mountain that lies before the Valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the Valley of Rephaim northward. The borders were marked out clearly but the Jebusites were not completely removed. It was important enough a situation that it got recorded. Joshua 15:63, As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Je...

Be careful of what you say in jest or in passing, it may become true. The power of the tongue cannot be underestimated. It moves something within us and in the heavenlies. I have learned some strong lessons about this. You either speak up or leave. In any case, when you speak up you may be asked to leave. When you speak or declare positive truth (remember it must be true) God hears you and through His sovereign will, He will bring it to pass. This is what happened to Caleb. Joshua 14:9, So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land where your foot has trodden shall be your inheritance and your children's forever, because you have wholly followed the Lord my God.’ Caleb brought a positive report about the land that God had given the people of Israel 45 years earlier and he claimed the statement made by Moses. He then successfully received the inheritance of Hebron that used to be occupied by the people of Anakim or giants living in great fortified cities. How did Cal...

At what age are you considered old? Don't answer. You may consider me old without knowing it. As you age certain faculties start to deteriorate and you are not the same as you were before. The first thing that you notice is that your wounds don't heal as well and as quickly as before. Joshua is also getting old. Joshua 13:1-2, Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the Lord said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed. This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites. The work is not finished yet. In fact God shows him clearly what is still outstanding. So do you have outstanding work? Joshua ran out of time. As I read the rest of this book let me further understand God's game plan for the people of Israel. In my case, I need to make sure that I finish what I started. Plan and execute! Now! Don't procrastinate. Do it before it is too late. As the speaker sai...

I have reflected on the matter of Israel's boundaries before. Yes, it is sensitive. I choose to label it as a political issue that has been capitalized using religious sentiments by many. Who is right? God's Word is clear about history. Between Moses and Joshua led the people of Israel and defeated 33 kings to settle the people of Israel in both sides of the Jordan. Joshua 12:7, And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel conquered on this side of the Jordan, on the west, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon as far as Mount Halak and the ascent to Seir, which Joshua gave to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their divisions. It is difficult to out think God. He works plans beyond our understanding and intellect. He is sovereign and He will work out His purposes His way. All of these nations that were defeated rejected God to worship other gods. They worshiped wood and stone. They worshipped created and handmade things. God r...

Have you ever intentionally stirred up a bee hive? A few days ago a friend of mine shared his story as a 7 year old disobeying his parents and showing off to his cousins just that. He learnt some serious lessons that day. He had multiple washes of vinegar and thankfully he was not allergic to bee stings. Israel was stirring up bigger trouble. Joshua 11:4, So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. After some preliminary battles, this appeared to be the biggest battle of all. What would you do if you were Joshua and the people of Israel? The battle seems insurmountable. How can Israel defeat them all? It can only be done when the battle is the Lord's. Joshua 11:6, But the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire...

Have you heard of unexplained supernatural calamities. Many have occurred over the years. These have impacted the people of the area where it happened. One that sticks out greatly in my lifetime is the earthquake of December 24, 2004 that hit off the coast of Sumatra and killed between 230,000 and 280,000 people. Why did it happen? Wake up call? Joshua and the people of Israel saw God intervene in two ways in their campaign besides how He delivered the various kings into their hands. Joshua 10:11, And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent of Beth Horon, that the Lord cast down large hailstones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with the sword. Joshua 10:13, So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the people had revenge upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go...

Recently I shared about the need to wait and not rush into grabbing an opportunity. In the same way, we may be rushing to make a decision and possibly a wrong one. I like the traditional way the Japanese make decisions. It is always collective. It takes a long time but the whole group comes to an agreed decision. With God He is looking for us to seek His counsel. Joshua 9:14, Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. Joshua did not seek God's counsel before he made a covenant with the Gibeonites. They only lived 3 days away and were to be defeated off their land. But, they became servants. It was a compromise but a bad decision stayed. They could have at least waited 3 days to find out where they lived, but they did not. Father, help me to always wait on you for decisions.

I have been talking about strategies and being focused in acting on these strategies. It is important that you also understand and be able to predict human behavior. Joshua was given Godly wisdom on how to attack Ai a second time given that they were defeated the first time. Joshua 8:1, Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. Joshua draws out the fighting men of Ai in a retreat, and signals for another group of his people to attack from behind the city in an ambush. It was a great victory for the people of Israel. After this they went back to Mount Ebal and reread and reminded themselves the commands of God, including the blessings and the curses. The formula is clear. Right strategies, be focused, right conditions and obedience. Father, help me stay on top of this for your glory.

Do you have some handicap that prevents you from being totally effective? Are you distracted and therefore find that you have no time for what is important? We spend much of our time pursuing things that have little value. The sin of Achan is quite a story. It shows how a distraction of the eye caused Israel to lose its first battle across the Jordan. Joshua 7:11, Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. Instead of following what God had said, Achan stole and this caused the whole nation to be in sin. Joshua calls him son, and you can feel Joshua's grieve for this man and his family. They were to be put out. Drastic? Yes. Do you and I have things in our lives that need to be put away? I do. Father, give me wisdom in rejecting things and activities that would distract me from implementing your plans...

I love formulating strategies and implementing them. When in business school we had a live practice doing this with a chemical company in Toronto. When we had finished our presentation the professors made a note that we did not consider the threat of additional legislation for hazardous materials. It was important enough to move our grade to an A- from an A+. But whatever the threats, Joshua was moving with God's strategy into victory. Joshua 6:20, So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. The men of war were called together with the 7 Levites who blew the trumpet, and the Ark of the Lord carried by other Levites. They only blew their trumpets for 6 days and walked around the walls of Jericho once each day in silence. On the 7th day they...

Are you in a hurry? Sometimes when we are faced with an opportunity we rush to grab them. However, there may be a need for preparation. How do you prepare and for how long? Joshua was not anxious about this. He had the promised land before him to takeover after he crossed the Jordan. Instead, he had those born in the wilderness circumcized. They conducted Passover. They started to eat the produce of the land. And, he waited on the Lord. Joshua 5:12, Then the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten the produce of the land; and the children of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate the food of the land of Canaan that year. What a change. God was preparing these people for a new phase. They were to work through this step by step. No hurry. And, Joshua encountered God (I believe so because the person said this is holy ground). Joshua asked whose side are you on, and He answered, neither. Joshua was to just follow. Father, let me not be rushed. I will wait on you.

There are some places that brings up great memories from the past. I have many times reminisced these, especially since I am more than half a century old. One of those is Toronto where I grew so much spiritually in 7 years. I must visit Toronto one of these days. The people of Israel should also have great memories of another place. Joshua 4:24, that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever. They took 12 stones from the Jordan where they crossed and placed them in Gilgal where they lodged for the night. This became a memorial for them of how God continued to move the people of Israel into the promised land. The memorial is not just for the people of Israel, but for the whole world. They arrived just before Passover was to be celebrated. His story continues to evolve. Father, your goodness and might is unmatched. Thank you.

There is a tendency to take sole credit for something that went well, or even for something that you were not responsible for. Goes back to human greed. On the contrary, if you start acknowledging the contribution of others to the success, you will see repeats of the same successful experience. Joshua was going to get his credentials from God by having some miracles being performed. Joshua 3:7, And the Lord said to Joshua, This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. But Joshua does not take credit for it. He attributes it back to God and uses these experiences to build faith in God in the people of Israel. Joshua 3:10 And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites. God is among them. In t...

Are you a believer? There are many things told to you and many would be considered unbelievable. They could be exaggerated, or totally false. How do you verify such things? Having worked with many news teams as part of my work, this is so critical. Don't simply share or "like" everything you see. Otherwise, you are just a low class rumor monger. But the spies sent out by Joshua got first hand news. Joshua 2:11, And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. This statement by Rahab, a citizen of Jericho, shows that the people across the Jordan were scared of the people of Israel, and that Rahab became a believer of God. Her entire household, including her father, were going to be saved because of her faith. What a beautiful story of faith symbolized by the scarlet cord. It was red. This reminds me of Chinese New Year. The C...

Are you a strong and courageous person? Ready to attempt great and big things that you never tried before? It is not easy and it could give you anxious moments, especially if you find yourself taking over the leadership of a nation. This happened to Joshua. Joshua 1:9, 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 was told 3 times, by God and once by his people in this chapter, to be strong and courageous. How do you get to this position? For starters, Moses mentored him. But more importantly, God emphasizes the need for him to be obedient. Joshua 1:8, 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. God spoke to him and he obeyed. He makes his first announcement. Pack up your provisio...

Ever been in an organization that has had a transition of leaders? Or perhaps you are going through a transition right now. It is never easy. People are so used to the earlier leader and the person may have influenced the culture of the organization with his or her style of leadership. Sometimes the transition not smooth. But it was smooth between Moses and Joshua. Deuteronomy 34:9, Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. Joshua went everywhere with Moses. He was the silent follower. He observed everything. He also heard everything. It was on the job training. However, it is interesting that this was mentioned about Moses. Deuteronomy 34:10-12, But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all...

Sarawak is a large state in Malaysia that is situated in the Borneo Island shared with Sabah, another Malaysian state, and Indonesia (Kalimantan). I have heard of stories where the people of the land in certain areas lighted lamps fed with fuel from the ground. They would use bamboo sticks. Plunge them in the ground and light the gas that came out on the open end. The same, I believe, is being mentioned here. Deuteronomy 33:19, They shall call the peoples to the mountain; There they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness; For they shall partake of the abundance of the season. And of treasures hidden in the sand. Treasures hidden in the sand. Not only were the people of Israel to ensure the fruits of agriculture, but the treasures in the sand. Of course, this included iron and bronze, but I believe it included oil and gas. What treasures are hidden in the sand for you by God? Never underestimate God's provision. He owns cattle on a thousand hills. Psalm 50:10 . Let him surprise y...

Many songs have been composed over the years. Also many scores of music have been arranged to these songs. The music styles have evolved over time. The people of Israel were no different. In those times songs were especially important because there were no printed books and only a small few handwritten ones. Many things were remembered through words of songs. Moses wrote a song just before he died to remind the people of Israel the commands of God and the repercussions of not following them. But he also left a promise as inspired by God. Deuteronomy 32:43, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.” Yes, God will provide atonement. Moses in his presentment of God's instructions, included intricate details of all the animal sacrifices and offerings to be made to God. These were meant to be for atonement of sins of the people. But, Mos...

Are you strong? You may respond with a question. In what area? My church has just launched the word for the year "Strong". And the pastor used the passage from Isaiah 35:3-7, Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water; In the habitation of jackals, where each lay, There shall be grass with reeds and rushes. What a powerful promise from God. In the chapter I read today there is also a promise that is repeated 3 times. Deuteronomy 31:6, Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid o...

What is love? Are you lacking love? Maybe you need to love first? The Scriptures say that we need to love our neighbors as ourselves. In fact, it says to love our enemies. All this requires the work of God in our lives. That is exactly what God promised to the people of Israel. Deuteronomy 30:6, And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. In spite of this, God still provided the freedom of choice to His people. They were not compelled to love, but given the ability to love. Our hearts are complex. We are torn between our fleshly desires and our God given conscience. But God urges us to choose life. Deuteronomy 30:19, I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; Father, let me choose life every moment.

We get into many agreements throughout the week. Some written and some verbal. Do we fulfill them? It is important that we assess our ability to fulfill the commitment before we make them. God made a huge agreement with the people of Israel and the consequences of breaking them are disastrous. Deuteronomy 29:25-27, Then people would say: Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. It is so simple. God wants nothing else to be in the way of His relationship with His people. He has shown them that He is all they need. The God of the Universe! But the people keep looking for something else to tie their peace to. This is a big FAIL with major consequences. F...

I am sure you are familiar with the principles of cause and effect. Every effect has a cause. It is sort of similar to Newton's third law of motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. There is logic in this. Our lives are full of consequences of our actions. The people of Israel were made clear that when obeyed God, they will be blessed. If they did not, they will be cursed. Deuteronomy 28:1, Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. Deuteronomy 28:15, But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: As we look back at history you see how the people keep tending to do wrong. There are reasons for God to ins...

The beauty of a country having laws is that people feel very secure with predictability of accepted behavior. It would be difficult to live in a country with no laws. The nation of Israel was settled in the promised land with a God given law. Deuteronomy 27:10, Therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today. As you read the chapter it clearly governs all relationships with God and fellow man, starting with the family. You can see the order of importance in getting things right. Many in their death beds want to get things right, and usually the order is the same. But why wait till then? Get right now. The Heavenly Father waits for us to get right with Him. Don't delay. Father, like in ancient times with the people of Israel, I commit to have no other gods but You. Amen!

In most cultures we have the practice of going to someone's home with something in our hands as a gift. It brings an element of cheer and connection between the host and the visitor. Usually the children are the ones to rejoice as there may be chocolates in the basket. When we go to the house of God the same practice is being instituted. Deuteronomy 26:2, that you shall take some of the first of all the produce of the ground, which you shall bring from your land that the Lord your God is giving you, and put it in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide. What do you have in your hands when you go into the house of the Lord. Don't go empty handed. It is such a joy for the giver to be able to give. There is something supernatural about your act of giving. Don't underestimate your obedience to bring your gift or your tithe. It releases a blessing that is beyond the material value of the gift. So give. Father, help me to give willin...

A friend of mine once gave me a very expensive watch. It was beautiful and I am not sure if I deserved it. But I was thankful for getting it. In the process I was ready to provide whatever help he needed in return as a way to give back. The Lord gave great favor for that to happen. The people of Israel also got great favor. Deuteronomy 25:19, Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget. This is still a very controversial subject. In the ancient days God kicked out whole nations to give the people of Israel their inheritance. These nations had rejected God and worshiped other gods. They were involved in human sacrifices and other activities that were demonic. God proclaimed a standard and raised up a nation that would model that standard. This was to be a blessing to t...

Do you have poor people among you? They could be begging on the street or just preferring to live in the street and away from the need of any help except from the government. Many of them have a story to tell, and it is not pretty. For this reason much inner healing is needed, and their basic needs of food, shelter and clothing is needed. In ancient times they were there too. Deuteronomy 24:19, When you reap your harvest in your field, and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. In modern days we may want to give groceries. I don't like to give cash because it allows them to feed on vices of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. The real solution to their hurts is a thriving open relationship with God. Jesus said I come to give life and life more abundantly. He is the Bread of Life. The giver of life. Whatever their condition, they need J...

Ever gone fruit picking? Usually the sign says that you can eat all you can, but pay for what you carry out. Many farms know that tourists will buy and takeaway what they have tasted. It costs them almost nothing for you to eat what you can. There is similar encouragement here in this chapter I read today. Deuteronomy 23:24, When you come into your neighbor's vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes at your pleasure, but you shall not put any in your container. The chapter has great and practical advice on a number of other things. It has to do with hygiene, trade in sex services, financial transactions, treatment of slaves and relationships with neighboring nations, among others. One of those that stood out for me was about their relationship with Egypt. Deuteronomy 23:7, You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were an alien in his land. The people of Israel have a number of encounters with Egypt starting with Abrah...