November 05, 2009
However, these events don’t offer “spiritual power,” they merely focus on human effort. Spiritual power comes from an outside source – God Himself. It’s not the lofty sails that move the ship, but the unseen wind.
Many years ago, Israel faced a seemingly impossible task – defeating the impenetrable city of Jericho. Every one of us has our own Jericho. We all need hope. Doing the impossible and winning your battle will require more than “getting motivated”. It will require God’s power. Here’s how:
1. Admit you don’t have what it takes. The night before the Jericho battle, the Commander of the Army of the Lord appeared to Joshua and said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” Joshua was told, “STOP! You are in over your head.” The first step to battling the impossible is to get face down. Have you ever said, “Lord, I’m in over my head.” What’s your battle? A health problem? A wayward child? Unemployment? A secret addiction? Are you ready to admit that you don’t have what it takes? Spiritual power comes from an outside source. It’s not the lofty sails that move the ship, but the unseen wind.
2. Believe that God will fight for you. The Lord’s instruction to Joshua was in effect, “I’ll fight – you follow.” Here was God’s unique plan -- walk around the city, blow trumpets and shout. I’m sure Joshua was skeptical, but he obeyed and won. I think it is obvious that many followers of Jesus live their lives in such a way that God doesn’t have to fight for them. We keep trying, and yet often keep failing. The good news is that the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. If the Lord can fight for Joshua, he can fight for you. It’s not the lofty sails that move the ship, but the unseen wind.
Read more about the battle of Jericho in Joshua 5 - 6.
Other articles by Paul Schlieker
Christian Discipleship - Expecting your Disciple to Read the Bible for Himself (Paul Schlieker)
The DNA of divine truth comes from heaven. It comes from the Spirit of God through the Word of God. The Bible is unlike all other books. It is inspired by God (II Timothy 3:16). That puts it in a category by itself. A.W. Tozer writes, “The knowledge of God is by the direct impression of the Spirit of God upon the spirit of man.” A “direct impression” begins when we read the Word of God. Just as God once spoke directly to Moses from within the burning bush (Exodus 3:4), God continues to speak directly to us from within the Bible. We should approach the Bible as a Voice from heaven, not a user’s manual. It’s not a book that was once written – it’s a Voice that is speaking here and now.
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Making Christian Disciples Requires Practice -- How People Learn to be Like Jesus by Paul Schlieker (Paul Schlieker)
Disciple-making requires practice. People learn by doing. No one becomes like Jesus be merely thinking about him. In August 2008, Nebraska football player Philip Dillard was quoted in the Omaha World Herald on what Bo Pelini and the other defensive coaches at Nebraska were expecting. "They're not really trying to correct stuff from last year; they're just coaching their defense. They tell you what you're supposed to do and you're supposed to do it."
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New Articles
Psychology of Persecuted Christians in Pakistan (Naeem Harry)
Pakistan is going through a serious moral turmoil, and Pakistani Christians are being targeted in this moral and spiritual turmoil. The continuous persecution of Christians in Pakistan is making them suffer from many psychological dis-eases. This moral turmoil is also making them suffer from spiritual distress. Their questions needs to be answered, if not answered they need to be listened, so that they are able to explore their emotional and spiritual pains.
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Matriarchal Society of Harrapa and Pakistan (Naeem Harry)
Between the years 3000 BC and 1500 BC, a unique civilization
flourished in the Indus Valley that covered an area larger than modern
Pakistan. This was an empire called the Harappan Empire whose people
were called Dravidians. The major cities were Harappa and Mohanjodaro
whose features were unique for those days because they included well-
planned brick streets, drainage and large baths for ritual cleaning.
Housing varied from two-room structures to large two-storied houses
with courtyards.
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Reflection: - Empowering the Youth (Friar Bernard Y Bhatti OFM)
I firmly believe that the youth have a great role to play in any country, nation. It does not matter what they are, what language, color, or geographical background they come from. They have the power, energy, and potential to change and to transform their world for better or for worse.
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Divided we fall (Nasir Saeed)
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said recently that relations between the US and Pakistan had reached a turning point after the killing of Osama bin Laden and that Pakistan needed to take “decisive” steps in the days ahead to fight terrorism.
As always, Pakistan is confused and divided on this and many other issues which need our urgent attention as we seek to take solid steps to resolve them. These issues have become a chronic disease but unfortunately, almost without realising, we have become involved in a blame-game and the rest of the world is looking at us amid increasing trust deficit.
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Governor's murder deepens fears of Pakistani Christians (Michael Georgy)
To understand why Pakistani Christians feel so threatened by growing Muslim extremism in their country, speak to the uniformed police guard at the jail where a Christian woman is on death row, accused of blasphemy.
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