Suspended Indefinitely

Many of you know that yesterday, March 2^nd 2008, I officially resigned from my official duties and ministry at Valley Christian Church. In lieu of this announcement this particular blog will be suspended.

What I am reading, listen, thinking and doing will now be posted (spasmodically) on my person blog “the confessions of st. joshua”

Thank you.

Feb. 29 - Daniel 2:1-23

still sick.... the basics? are you ready to use gifts God has given you to bless non-Christians in the world? if the Lord rewards faithfulness with mission, are you ready for yours?
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2:1 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” 4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. 6 But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— 9 if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”

12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.

17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
23 To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king's matter.”

Feb. 28 - Daniel 1:1-21

Sick today: the basics r this... The Lord rewards faithfulness.
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1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. 3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. 7 And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Feb. 27 - Ezekiel 37:1-28

RE:flect
"And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord."

Time and time again we must ask ourselves in the Bible -- is anything too hard for the Lord? Would not he who caused these bodies to be formed (re-formed) in front of Ezekiel, to teach him a lesson, not act just as much to give our bodies life. Is he not even more active, or wishing to help, those who are called his children, who have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit? He who calls into being that which is not? Who speaks and a universe is formed? Will he be shy to use his power to help us in our hour of need or trial? Will he not sustain us? See us through, form us, and carry our souls into His Kingdom? It is my dear hope that all of you will see sooner than later in your young lives the work of God's mighty hand. And when you see it, I hope you will also KNOW THAT OUR GOD, HE IS THE LORD.

RE:act
Believe.
When Jairus' daughter died of fever in, Mark Chapter 5, while Jesus was on his way to heal her -- Jesus looked at Jairus and said, "Don't be afraid, just believe". And this is my challenge to you today.
Believe.
Just belief.
Will you know that our God, "He is the Lord" by how you see him bring what was lifeless, dead and dark in your life -- and-- bring this into his light, his life, his presence? Is anything to hard for the Lord?

RE:ply
Lord, you are mighty. I need your might. Your raise the dead, you do mighty works, they are all very good. I need your good work in my life.
Lord, you are preparing me, building me, sustaining me and strengthening me. Help me to believe deeper in you. Help my faith to be strong in the valleys of life. And help me to cling also to you when I am on the peaks.
Lord, take this tired skin that I have been living in, hold me to the light and if my spirit dies - take this broken skin and wrap me tight within your brand new skin!
Lord, how we need your new life.

"By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible."
Hebrews 11:3

Feb. 26 - Ezekiel 4:1-17

RE:flect
"And you, son of man, take a brick and lay it before you, and engrave on it a city, even Jerusalem. And put siegeworks against it, and build a siege wall against it, and cast up a mound against it. Set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around."

Ezekiel begins to play "sandbox" here in the middle of Jerusalem. a naked man with a brick (symbolizing Jerusalem) and some toys around it making it look like a war is happening. Weird? yah. pretty weird. Yet this is what GOD wanted him to do! It was a way to prophesy against the nation of Israel. ... oh did I mention the 390's straight of laying on ONE side, and then 40 days on the other... oh did I mention the 40 days on the other side?

RE:act
Would you be willing to do something that would shun you from virtually everyone for God? Look, God will most likely not require us to do anything like this... or send an angel to us. However, are you ready to be different. What if the youth of this world are looking for answers, and you are the main person to take them there? Would you be willing to be radical, different, unique, set apart, and possibly rejected by the Mtv Main Stream of youth culture that has hypnotized themselves to believe that they control youth culture....
Would you stand up if it meant being weird and rejected... if no one would listen?

RE:ply
Lord, help us to be your people. Everyday, Everyway.
Lord, help us to tell this generation and the coming ones of your faithfulness.
Lord, give a burden to Valley's students to make themselves modern prophets to their peers.
Lord, prepare them for all kinds of reactions.
Lord, use us I pray. Amen.

"The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me."
Luke 10:16

02.25.08 - Ezekiel 2:1-9; 3:3-27

RE:flect
"And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house."

Sometimes we are called to speak the words of God to people who do not want to hear them. In our politically correct view of the world... or being in High School for 4 years together (in case you make a mistake, insult someone, etc.. you still have to sit in classes with them).. we find ourselves hesitant to speak the words of life to them. Why? cause we are human (no surprise to God). But even still now, today, God is calling us to speak out at work, school, in the youth group, even in the house -- to remind, inform, and "witness" for God (even if they refuse to hear).

RE:act
Who do you first need to pray for . This week, it's Monday, think about those 2-3 people you first need to pray for, and pray for an opportunity to speak to them. Pray that God will work in your life and theirs to create a "special moment of Providence" so you can share your heart with them, and God's words. But be warned - they may refuse to hear and treat you like a freak for a bit. So, will you feel like Ezekiel (or Moses after Dave's sermon yesterday?)

RE:ply
Lord, you have my heart, my mouth, my life... use it for your glory.
Lord, I wish to be used, and I know that this may mean being uncomfortable. Prepare me for this.
Lord, you have come to die for me - help me to put my feelings in context and do your will.
Lord, hear my prayer.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33

Readings 02.24- 03.02 (it's a leap year!)

Sunday - the 24th
Feb. 25 - Ezekiel 2:1-9; 3:3-27
Feb. 26 - Ezekiel 4:1-17
Feb. 27 - Ezekiel 37:1-28
Feb. 28 - Daniel 1:1-21
Feb. 29 - Daniel 2:1-23
Mar. 1 - Daniel 2:24-49