Daily Devotional: BE! Day 30: Be Still

Daily Devotional: BE!

Day 30: Be Still

In today’s Devotional, I would like to share some occasions where God showed Himself strong on behalf of His people, and told them just to be still and see what He would do to save them.

Exodus 14

1 "Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon. 

3 Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ 

4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.

5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” 

6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 

7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 

8 The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 

9 The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.

10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. 

11 They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 

12 Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 

14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

15 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 

16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 

17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 

18 The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 

20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 

22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 

24 During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 

25 He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

26 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” 

27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the Lord swept them into the sea. 

28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 

30 That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 

31 And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.”

Let’s look at what Joshua experienced when he faced an insurmountable battle. God Himself causes the sun to be still for the sake of the victory in an unfair fight.

Joshua 10:1-14

1 “Now it came to pass when Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai and had utterly destroyed it—as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king—and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 

2 that they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were mighty. 

3 Therefore Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish, and Debir king of Eglon, saying, 

4 “Come up to me and help me, that we may attack Gibeon, for it has made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.” 

5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.

6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp at Gilgal, saying, “Do not forsake your servants; come up to us quickly, save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the mountains have gathered together against us.”

7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 

8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” 

9 Joshua therefore came upon them suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. 

10 So the Lord routed them before Israel, killed them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 

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.

12 Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon; and Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”

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 down for about a whole day. 

14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.”

NOTE: You can find the Ancient Book of Jasher as part of the Midrash. In the Midrash it is called the Sefer HaYashar. The account is written in the portion called the Book of Joshua. This is the historical record spanning the time from Creation to the death of Joshua, which corroborates the Torah, but with greater detail. Joshua quotes from it to verify the truth of the occurrence of the miracle, because it gives a second witness to the account as proof. 

Another Account of God as Valiant Warrior for Israel

Because there was precedent, King Jehoshaphat, also faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, sent out the praise team ahead of the army, based on God’s promise to fight the battle for him.

In 2 Chronicles 20:16-18, God said:

16 Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. 

17 You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you.”

18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem bowed before the Lord, worshiping the Lord.”

And finally I share a song, from the sons of Korah, recorded in Psalm 46, where we find the very famous Scripture: Be still and know that I am God.

Psalm 46

1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 Come and see what the Lord has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Daily Devotional: BE! Day 29: Be Steadfast

Daily Devotional: BE!

Day 29: Be Steadfast

I checked the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Definition of the word steadfast, and it says:

1. A: firmly fixed in placce, Immovable

B: Not subject to change

2. Firm in belief, determination, or adherence: loyal

The Definition of Loyal:

1. Unswerving in allegiance: such as

1. Faithful in allegiance to one’s lawful sovereign or government
2. Faithful to a private person to whom faithfulness is due
3. Faithful to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product

2. Showing loyalty, for example: a loyal friend

The Apostle Paul uses the term, to stand firm. Once you know and believe the truth God has given you, be immovable, steadfast, loyal to it, and stand your ground as peacefully as you can.

1 Corinthians 15:58

“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

King David sang about being steadfast in Psalms 51, and 57, and the Psalmists reiterate this sentiment in Psalm 108 and 119. 

King Solomon continues the legacy by teaching his son the same principle in Proverbs 4:26

“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.”

The Prophet Isaiah reminds us in chapter 26:3

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

1 Chronicles 12 is an amazing account of the loyalty of the people who supported King David. 

He notes in verse 33, that the “men from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;”

Undivided loyalty! They could not be intimidated, bribed, threatened with their lives, or thwarted — they followed David, and protected him, and fought alongside him, for the kingdom God had given him.

It is this kind of tenacious loyalty, this steadfast and immovable faith, that God is looking for. We follow Him with unswerving faith, standing firm on the words He has personally promised us. 

When Satan tried to bribe Jesus in the wilderness with short cuts to His destiny, Jesus turned him down. 

Matthew 4:8-10

8 “Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

When Satan tried to talk Jesus out of going to the cross, by speaking through Peter, Jesus looked right through Peter at the being standing behind him, and said, Get behind Me, Satan, for Jesus was impenetrable! Jesus was protecting Peter.

Be so loyal to Jesus that the devil can’t use your mouth for any reason. 

And look at the reward for loyalty to the kingdom God ordained:

Let us look at what made Zebulun unique.

In Genesis 30:20, Leah, his mother, blesses him at his birth with these words:

Then Leah said, “God has presented me with a precious gift. This time my husband will treat me with honor, because I have borne him six sons.” So she named him Zebulun.

In Genesis 49:13, Moses pronounces the blessing over Zebulun, saying:

“Zebulun will live by the seashore and become a haven for ships; his border will extend toward Sidon.”

And in Matthew 4:15-16, Jesus blesses Zebulun with the light of life eternal as the reward of the steadfast and loyal to God.

“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

King David prayed, in Psalm 23:4, undaunted and not one bit intimidated by his persecutors:

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

Even though we all go through hardship at times, we are on the Rock, Jesus Christ, Who is our Immovable Foundation, from which we cannot be shaken when we remain in Him. 

Remember Jesus’ Own words in Revelation 3:11.

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”

Daily Devotional: BE! Day 28: Be Courageous

Daily Devotional: BE!
Day 28: Be Courageous 

Our Devotional today is entitled, Be Courageous, and I would like to share with you a story of great courage. It occurs in the Ancient Nation of Israel, during the reign of king Saul, and it is recorded by Samuel the Prophet.

1 Samuel 14:1-45 [NKJV]

1 “Now it happened one day that Jonathan the son of Saul said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the Philistines’ garrison that is on the other side.” But he did not tell his father. 

2 And Saul was sitting in the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron. The people who were with him were about six hundred men. 

3 Ahijah the son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord’s priest in Shiloh, was wearing an ephod. But the people did not know that Jonathan had gone.

4 Between the passes, by which Jonathan sought to go over to the Philistines’ garrison, there was a sharp rock on one side and a sharp rock on the other side. And the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 

5 The front of one faced northward opposite Michmash, and the other southward opposite Gibeah.

6 Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the Lord will work for us. For nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few.”

7 So his armorbearer said to him, “Do all that is in your heart. Go then; here I am with you, according to your heart.”

8 Then Jonathan said, “Very well, let us cross over to these men, and we will show ourselves to them. 

9 If they say thus to us, ‘Wait until we come to you,’ then we will stand still in our place and not go up to them. 

10 But if they say thus, ‘Come up to us,’ then we will go up. For the Lord has delivered them into our hand, and this will be a sign to us.”

11 So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, “Look, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden.” 

12 Then the men of the garrison called to Jonathan and his armorbearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something.”

Jonathan said to his armorbearer, “Come up after me, for the Lord has delivered them into the hand of Israel.” 

13 And Jonathan climbed up on his hands and knees with his armorbearer after him; and they fell before Jonathan. And as he came after him, his armorbearer killed them. 

14 That first slaughter which Jonathan and his armorbearer made was about twenty men within about half an acre of land.

15 And there was trembling in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and the raiders also trembled; and the earth quaked, so that it was a very great trembling. 

16 Now the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked, and there was the multitude, melting away; and they went here and there. 

17 Then Saul said to the people who were with him, “Now call the roll and see who has gone from us.” And when they had called the roll, surprisingly, Jonathan and his armorbearer were not there. 

18 And Saul said to Ahijah, “Bring the ark of God here” (for at that time the ark of God was with the children of Israel). 

19 Now it happened, while Saul talked to the priest, that the noise which was in the camp of the Philistines continued to increase; so Saul said to the priest, “Withdraw your hand.” 

20 Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion. 

21 Moreover the Hebrews who were with the Philistines before that time, who went up with them into the camp from the surrounding country, they also joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan. 

22 Likewise all the men of Israel who had hidden in the mountains of Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, they also followed hard after them in the battle. 

23 So the Lord saved Israel that day, and the battle shifted to Beth Aven.

24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food. 

25 Now all the people of the land came to a forest; and there was honey on the ground. 

26 And when the people had come into the woods, there was the honey, dripping; but no one put his hand to his mouth, for the people feared the oath. 

27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath; therefore he stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in a honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his countenance brightened. 

28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’ ” And the people were faint.

29 But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 

30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?”

31 Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. 

32 And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 

33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood!”

So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.” 

34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man’s ox and every man’s sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’ ” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night, and slaughtered it there. 

35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar that he built to the Lord.

36 Now Saul said, “Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and plunder them until the morning light; and let us not leave a man of them.”

And they said, “Do whatever seems good to you.”

Then the priest said, “Let us draw near to God here.”

37 So Saul asked counsel of God, “Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will You deliver them into the hand of Israel?” But He did not answer him that day. 

38 And Saul said, “Come over here, all you chiefs of the people, and know and see what this sin was today. 

39 For as the Lord lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But not a man among all the people answered him. 

40 Then he said to all Israel, “You be on one side, and my son Jonathan and I will be on the other side.”

And the people said to Saul, “Do what seems good to you.”

41 Therefore Saul said to the Lord God of Israel, “Give a perfect lot.” So Saul and Jonathan were taken, but the people escaped. 

42 And Saul said, “Cast lots between my son Jonathan and me.” So Jonathan was taken. 

43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, “Tell me what you have done.”

And Jonathan told him, and said, “I only tasted a little honey with the end of the rod that was in my hand. So now I must die!”

44 Saul answered, “God do so and more also; for you shall surely die, Jonathan.”

45 But the people said to Saul, “Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great deliverance in Israel? Certainly not! As the Lord lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.”

KEY: Being Courageous in our Circumstances — Let our Yes mean yes, and our No mean No. Stand strong in Faith.

In Matthew 5, Jesus speaks to a very large group of people. He teaches them the way of blessing, and how to live according to the intent and plans God has for the good of all of His creation.

In verse 33-37, Jesus says:

33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 

34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 

35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 

36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. 

37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”

It takes courage to be honest. Speak the truth in love. Walk in Faith, and watch God vindicate the righteous, by stopping what the enemy of our souls, Satan, thought he was going to get away with.

Jonathan and his armorbearer showed incredible courage. They believed God with all their heart, knowing that God would back up their faith. 

This story isn’t just about eating or not eating honey, or about making oaths or not. This story defies military logic. 

Two men decide to go up against an army which outnumbered their own. They agree to go on the most difficult path, to take out an undefeatable army.

God fought the battle at their side, honoring their faith. When the national army realized the victory at hand, they decided to join in, but they were too weak to even take up the spoils, because of the ineffective decision on the part of the king.

This is why Solomon advises kings to surround themselves with good and wise counsellors.

I am grateful that the Holy Spirit is our Counsellor. He is our Advocate, and the One Who stands by us, teaching us the right path in which to walk.

Whatever your circumstance, trust in the Lord of Angel Armies to give you the courage you need, and the victory only He can grant.