Counsel at the mouth of the LORD

Joshua 9 finds the Israelites having recently demolished Jericho and Ai. The Gibeonites, fearing they'll be next, devise a scheme to trick the Israelites into entering a peace treaty. The scheme works, and, as a result, the Gibeonites live amongst the Israelites, creating a constant source of moral corruption.

But a really fascinating aspect of the story appears in verse 14, when the narrator describes why the Israelites fall for the Gibeonites' deception (Joshua 9:14, KJV),

The [Israelites] ... asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.

How often do we fall into trouble -- perhaps even moral corruption -- by failing to consult God? The message is clear and simple, and it give us a roadmap for avoiding such trouble. Pray without ceasing!

Strive to enter in at the strait gate

In Luke 13:24 (KJV), Jesus says,

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

This does (and should) sound scary. Is he saying that many will seek salvation, but still won't be able to achieve it? And if so, how do we go about achieving salvation?

Rewinding back a few verses in the same chapter, we see that the path to salvation really isn't a mystery. In verses 1-5, Jesus recounts two recent catastrophes that resulted in the deaths of many people. Jesus stresses that their deaths were not punishment for their sins. But Jesus does caution that (verse 5, KJV)

Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

And that's it! God's commands to us are not meant to be mysterious or hard to understand. Simply put, we must repent our sins, and accept that Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice for the forgiveness of those sins.

I see men as trees

Mark 8 tells of Jesus restoring sight to a blind man. Fascinating as that is, the story contains a curious element. Specifically, at first the man's sight is only partially restored.

After putting his hands on the man's eyes, Jesus asks what he sees. The man responds (Mark 8:24, KJV),

I see men as trees, walking.

Jesus then touches his eyes again, after which we're told (Mark 8:25, KJV),

He was restored, and saw every man clearly.

This story seems to highlight an important aspect of spiritual growth. Rather than a one-time bolt of lightning, after which we're fully imbued with the wisdom of Solomon, spiritual growth is more often a process consisting of small, imperfect steps forward, and, unfortunately, occasional backslides.

Perhaps that start-and-stop process owes to our sinful nature, or perhaps it's a deliberate design by God. Or perhaps it's a combination of the two. Either way, we must avoid becoming frustrated and losing zeal when we "see men as trees." Because with continued faith and prayer, one day we'll eventually "see clearly."

Spiritual progression, as described in Proverbs

The first five verses of chapter 2 of Proverbs (KJV) read:

1  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2  So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3  Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4  If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 
5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

In reading those verses, pay close attention to the verbs, which emphasize the increasing intensity of spiritual progression.

Verse 1 states that we should "receive" God's words, and "hide" them within ourselves. Then verse 2 takes it a step further, stating that we should "incline" our ear and "apply" our heart. The verbs in verse 3 crank up the intensity: "criest" and "liftest." Verse 4 outlines further spiritual progression: "seekest" and "searchest," with particular emphasis on the superiority of God's word over all earthly devices. Finally, verse 5 reveals the rewards for this spiritual development: we "understand" and "find" knowledge of God.

Those five verses, particular the verbs, highlight the path all of us should strive to follow. Whenever we encounter spiritual stagnation, let us try to restart back at verse 1, and follow this outline.

A good verse for prayerful meditation

Sometimes praying doesn't need to consist of a logically stream of deep thoughts. Rather, sometimes our prayers can be quiet reflections upon spiritual matters. For those types of prayers, it can help to repeat an easy-to-memorize verse over and over in our head. One good candidate appears in Proverbs 30:5 (KJV),

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

The verse highlights the importance of scripture, and it emphasizes God's protection and love for us. Try taking a few moments to repeat this verse, say, 5-10 times in your head. See if it helps establish a connection with God!

Bad influences

In Haggai 2:12 (KJV), God asks,

If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy?

And to this question, the priests answer "no." But then in verse 13 (KJV), God asks,

If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?

And to this, the priests answer "yes."

Dealing with ancient Jewish law, these verses can seem cryptic, but the message is actually fairly simple. Verse 12 is saying that one person's righteousness will not "rub off" on someone else. Verse 13, on the other hand, is saying that sinful behavior will, in fact, tend to rub off on other people.

Thus, these two verses offer a call to personal responsibility, along with a note of warning. We, and we alone, are responsible for our standing toward God. We can't count on someone else having a good standing that somehow becomes credited to us. But at the same time, wickedness does tend to become contagious.

In our prayers, let's focus on strengthening our standing with God, while also praying for protection against worldly sins. 

God's forgiveness

Hosea 5:15 (KJV) highlights the process involved in God's forgiveness.

I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

This short verse packs a load of information. First, when we sin, God leaves us to our own devices by "going and returning" to his place. His pulling away eventually brings us "affliction." (Those points are made many places in the bible.) Second, he patiently awaits our repentance. 2 Peter 3:15 makes this same point. Finally, there is an indication that our turning toward God is inevitable, when he says, "they will seek me."

So in sum, we are going to sin, which pushes God away and invites negative consequences. He waits for us to turn back toward him. And this entire process is inevitable, a realization that should humble us before him.