Peace in the Valley

Psalms 23:4

There is a change of direction in the 4th verse of the great Shepherd’s Psalm. Notice that in verse 2, “he maketh me…” and “he leadeth me…” Then in verse 3, “He leadeth me…” occurs again. In each instance, the Shepherd is leading and providing for the direction of His sheep. The Psalmist then says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” (Psalms 23:4). In this verse there is no mention of the sheep being led, only that they walk through of their own free will. This is a type of all of us wandering off of the beaten path of righteousness (verse 3) and into the dark valleys of life.

There are three important things to note about this journey into the valley. First, we should remember that it is only a valley, and valleys do not go on forever. They are simply depressions between mountains, so there are brighter days to come. This valley also has a name, “the valley of the shadow of death”. It is not “Death Valley”, it is only death’s shadow that we will see while here. Only a small child or an animal would fear a shadow on a wall, thinking that it might be a dark individual chasing them, but a mature adult would not harbor such fear. We know that in order for there to be shadows, there must be light shining on the other side of an object. Based on the fact that Malachi calls Jesus the “Sun of Righteousness”, who do you suppose that light might be?

Second, David says, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me”. David has no fear because he knows that shadows cannot hurt him. No matter what evil lurks in the valley, causing the shadows, David has confidence in the Shepherd, realizing that Jesus’ very presence will calm the storms of doubt and fear. You have not been given a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), so do not accept it! As the old song says, ‘There is nothing to fear when Jesus is near; I’m living in sunlight now’.

Finally, “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”. The rod is used by the shepherd to attack the predators that lurk near the flock. The Hebrew word for ‘rod’ as used here is typically translated ‘scepter’ or even ‘tribe’. It denotes more than a mere stick of wood; it is symbolic of the authority of God and His covenant keeping ways. He protects the sheep with the rod of His Covenant, bound to care for us by the finished work of His Son Jesus Christ.

The staff has a crook at the end of it, used for pulling wayward sheep out of ditches and trenches. When we slip off of the path, the Shepherd will put the staff under our shoulders and pull us close to Him. The staff is also a symbol of the healing and restorative power of God. Elisha placed his staff on a dead child and the life came back to him (2 Kings 4:29-37). The staff of our Good Shepherd will bring life back to weary legs.

Even though the Shepherd does not lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, He will not merely wait on the other side for us to emerge either. If we go in, He will go in, though it may not be in His perfect plan for us. Remember, no matter what you are going through, He will go through it with you, even if the trouble is of our own making. Do not blame yourself; for there are valleys between mountains and while He may not lead you into it, He will always lead you out.

From a Harlot to a Grandma!

Joshua 2:1-24

The story of the conquest of Jericho would be incomplete without the salvation of Rahab the harlot. She lived on the town wall, strategically located to bring success in her line of work! It also provided a great stopping point for the spies that were sent in to access the strength of Jericho. We know how the story ends, with Rahab hanging a scarlet thread out of her window, and the army of Israel sparing her and her family. What we don’t think about often enough is that this woman was saved long before the thread came out the window.

Hebrews chapter 11 lists Rahab in the New Testament’s Hall of Fame of faith: “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31). Did you notice when she “perished not”? It was not when she obediently put the scarlet line in the window, but rather when she received the spies with peace. Her placement of the scarlet line was to save her physical life, and it was a testimony to all who would see that she had placed her faith in the army of God.

Rahab displayed her faith before the spies had even laid down on her roof, to hide from their pursuers: “I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you…as soon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:9, 12).

What a profession of faith she had. Her actions afterward were the sign of an inward change (James 2:25). It was her initial faith that brought the spies to stop in her house, as they could have stopped anywhere, but the Holy Spirit had found a household of faith. Notice how our Father’s provision covers everyone. The spies found safe shelter and the harlot found a new life and a new hope.

After her rescue from Jericho, we do not know what she does from day-to-day within the camp of the Israelites, but she obviously adopts their ways and becomes a part of their society, because we do see her again, this time as one of only 4 women listed in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). She becomes the matriarchal head of the line that produces Boaz, king David and eventually, the Lord Jesus.

Whatever your lot in life, remember that every moment is another chance to change it all. You may have ruined many things and burned many bridges, but God is not looking for scarlet lines of obedience, just open hearts of faith. Don’t get me wrong, the obedience will come, but let us walk in the faith of Jesus Christ first, and all of us can change from who we are and become known by who we become.

Go in His peace and prosperity, with the abundant favor and blessings of God upon you in Jesus’ name.

The Names of Jesus

Isaiah 9:6, 7

The title is not a misprint; I did not mean to write “the name” of Jesus in the singular, but rather the “names” of Jesus. While there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12), it is not only the name “Jesus” by which the Son of God is identified.

Isaiah prophesied that a child would be born and a son would be given (Isaiah 9:6). This child and son was Jesus, the child of Mary and the Son of God. The government of both Israel and the world would rest on Jesus’ shoulders and His name shall be called “Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

“Wonderful” – Hebrew, “pele” - extraordinary, marvelous, hard to understand. Jesus was beyond ordinary and unlike any man before or after Him. His acts brought marvel to the minds of people, just as His miracles still bring in each one of us, and His ways are so unusual, so revolutionary to the Old Covenant that Peter called them “hard to be understood” (2 Peter 3:16).

“Counselor” – Hebrew, “ya’ats” – to advise, to consult, to give purpose. Another Greek word for the “Comforter” of the New Testament is “counselor”. Jesus was our original counselor and He promised to send, “another Comforter” (John 14:16). Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit function in this role of advisor and counselor, giving purpose to the believer in their daily walk.

“Mighty God” – Hebrew, “gibbowr ‘el” – the strong God or hero. Look at that last definition of “mighty God”; “hero”. Of all of the heroes of this world, there is none mightier, none braver and none more worthy than the true hero, Jesus Christ. This scripture also shows the Jewish world that the coming Messiah would not only be God’s Son, He would be God Himself.

“Everlasting Father” – Hebrew, “ ‘ad ‘ab” – perpetual, eternal head of household. Jesus is here known as the endless Father, a title that the Old Testament never attributes to God. Prior to Christ, Israel never viewed God as their Father, but Jesus both taught His disciples to pray to the Father and to call Him, “Abba” or “daddy” (Mark 14:36). It is actually this name, Father that Jesus came to reveal to the disciples and the world. All other Hebrew names for God were already well known, but Jesus said, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world” (John 17:6).

“Prince of Peace” – Hebrew, “sar shalowm” – the leader of completeness, health, wholeness and prosperity. Jesus is the captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), and as such, He is the leader of our complete wholeness in His finished work. The Hebrew word “shalom” means more than simple peace in our lives; it denotes all of our existence. Christ is the captain of our wholeness and health, even of our prosperity. Jesus left His peace with us, meaning that He left everything that He is, so that we can be that as well! (John 14:27)

You can call on Jesus using any of these names as a guide as to His true character. Remember that He not only desires to manifest Himself as these things in your life, He really is everyone of these descriptions. See Jesus in this manner and you see Jesus in His finished work.

The Peace of God

Philippians 4:6-9

There is a difference in making your peace with God and having the peace of God. When someone accepts Christ and His forgiveness, they have “made their peace with God”. As life goes on, many of these who have made peace with God find that there is no peace in their hearts. This is not to be blamed on Jesus, the Prince of Peace, for His work is a finished work; so why do we feel this absence of God’s peace?

Paul said for the believer to be “careful for nothing”, which means “anxious” in Greek. Instead of having anxiety and worries over our lives, we should cover everything with “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” as we let God know what we need (Philippians 4:6). When we live a life of thanksgiving, quick to thank God in spite of our circumstances, we have the peace of God, “which passeth all understanding”. This peace keeps our hearts and our minds at rest in Jesus.

Jesus said to the woman that washed his feet with her tears, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace” (Luke 7:50). This woman had just been commended by Jesus for her acknowledgment of sins forgiven. She knew how forgiven that she was, thus she showed Jesus great love. Many want to “love God more”, but they have no knowledge as to how forgiven that they are. When you get a sense of His wonderful mercy and forgiveness for you, you naturally love God more.

The knowledge of your forgiveness and the peace of God go hand in hand. This woman knew who she was in Christ and this empowered her to live a life of peace. If you walk in this revelation, your peace will increase, and you may not even understand how. When you begin to show this calmness and peace in your workplace or your home, people may even question you as to why you are not worried, when everyone else seems to be worried. You can tell them of Jesus and His love for you, but not even that will explain to them how you are at peace. This is because the peace of God “passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Paul goes on to tell the church to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report (Philippians 4:8). When you focus your thinking on the beauty of Christ and His finished work instead of you and your circumstances, you are dwelling on the things that lead to peace. Continue on in the mighty grace and favor that you are learning about, as Paul said, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9).

Please dwell on Isaiah 53:5 that tells us that Jesus was chastised for our peace, which means that Jesus was disciplined so that you and I could have peace. His discipline was not for His failures but for ours. He took your punishment so that you can be at peace with God. Hallelujah!

Go Into Peace

Mark 5:25-34

Tradition says that this woman’s name was Veronica and that she was from Caesarea Philipi, but scripture identifies her only as “a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years”. She must have been very wealthy, at least in the early stages of her sickness, for she had been to many physicians and had suffered many things at their hands, “and had spent all that she had”. These 12 years worth of doctor’s visits had not bettered her in the least but rather she had grown worse.

This woman is a spiritual type of many things, but namely she is the church, typified by the number 12, God’s number of perfect government. Her issue of blood is a type of some sort of problem within the life of the believer that is robbing them of their life and their happiness, for the life of the flesh was in the blood.

When she heard that Jesus was coming, she made the life-changing decision to go and find Him. Her disease made her ceremonially unclean in Israel, so her arrival in a public place would have been a law breaking action. She throws this notion off, too desperate for a miracle to care whether or not she is judged by the law, and she approaches Jesus from behind Him. Perhaps she had let Him pass because she had a change of heart, and nearly let Him get away. Or maybe she let Him pass because she could not bear the thought of looking Him in the eye, content only to get her healing and sneak away.

She grabbed the hem of the garment of Jesus as He passed by and the very moment that she did, the bleeding stopped, and she felt her healing happen. Jesus turns to the crowd, sensing that power has left His body and He asks who has touched His clothes. After a brief exchange between Jesus and the disciples, the woman, “fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth” (Mark 5:33).

The response of fear and trembling is a result of being in the wonderful presence of the Lord and should not always be construed as a bad thing. Jeremiah said that when the earth hears all the good that He does to them, “they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it” (Jeremiah 33:9). Paul said for each believer to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Again, this is a beautiful event, for we are only working out of us what God has worked inside of us, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

Under the Old Covenant, no man could look upon the face of God and live. In fact, when Moses requested to see God’s face, he was denied and God let him look only upon his backside as He walked away (Exodus 33:18-23). Jesus is grace and He is truth (John 1:17), so when He has opportunity to show forth the nature of God, He looks the woman directly in the eye and gives her a title that He gives no other woman in the Bible, “Daughter”. He has adopted her into the family of God!

When Jesus says, “Go in peace”, He uses the word “eis” in Greek meaning, “go into peace”. As the woman dwells on her newfound position of “daughter” she will go into the peace of heaven. This peace will make her whole of her plague. When you find yourself troubled by the symptoms in your body and mind, just remind yourself that you are a son or daughter of God and watch your healing manifest in Jesus’ name.

Peace in the Valley

Psalms 23:4

There is a change of direction in the 4th verse of the great Shepherd’s Psalm. Notice that in verse 2, “he maketh me…” and “he leadeth me…” Then in verse 3, “He leadeth me…” occurs again. In each instance, the Shepherd is leading and providing for the direction of His sheep. The Psalmist then says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” (Psalms 23:4). In this verse there is no mention of the sheep being led, only that they walk through of their own free will. This is a type of all of us wandering off of the beaten path of righteousness (verse 3) and into the dark valleys of life.

There are three important things to note about this journey into the valley. First, we should remember that it is only a valley, and valleys do not go on forever. They are simply depressions between mountains, so there are brighter days to come. This valley also has a name, “the valley of the shadow of death”. It is not “Death Valley”, it is only death’s shadow that we will see while here. Only a small child or an animal would fear a shadow on a wall, thinking that it might be a dark individual chasing them, but a mature adult would not harbor such fear. We know that in order for there to be shadows, there must be light shining on the other side of an object. Based on the fact that Malachi calls Jesus the “Sun of Righteousness”, who do you suppose that light might be?

Second, David says, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me”. David has no fear because he knows that shadows cannot hurt him. No matter what evil lurks in the valley, causing the shadows, David has confidence in the Shepherd, realizing that Jesus’ very presence will calm the storms of doubt and fear. You have not been given a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), so do not accept it! As the old song says, ‘There is nothing to fear when Jesus is near; I’m living in sunlight now’.

Finally, “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”. The rod is used by the shepherd to attack the predators that lurk near the flock. The Hebrew word for ‘rod’ as used here is typically translated ‘scepter’ or even ‘tribe’. It denotes more than a mere stick of wood; it is symbolic of the authority of God and His covenant keeping ways. He protects the sheep with the rod of His Covenant, bound to care for us by the finished work of His Son Jesus Christ.

The staff has a crook at the end of it, used for pulling wayward sheep out of ditches and trenches. When we slip off of the path, the Shepherd will put the staff under our shoulders and pull us close to Him. The staff is also a symbol of the healing and restorative power of God. Elisha placed his staff on a dead child and the life came back to him (2 Kings 4:29-37). The staff of our Good Shepherd will bring life back to weary legs.

Even though the Shepherd does not lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, He will not merely wait on the other side for us to emerge either. If we go in, He will go in, though it may not be in His perfect plan for us. Remember, no matter what you are going through, He will go through it with you, even if the trouble is of our own making. Do not blame yourself; for there are valleys between mountains and while He may not lead you into it, He will always lead you out.

The Names of Jesus

Isaiah 9:6, 7

The title is not a misprint; I did not mean to write “the name” of Jesus in the singular, but rather the “names” of Jesus. While there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12), it is not only the name “Jesus” by which the Son of God is identified.

Isaiah prophesied that a child would be born and a son would be given (Isaiah 9:6). This child and son was Jesus, the child of Mary and the Son of God. The government of both Israel and the world would rest on Jesus’ shoulders and His name shall be called “Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

“Wonderful” – Hebrew, “pele” - extraordinary, marvelous, hard to understand. Jesus was beyond ordinary and unlike any man before or after Him. His acts brought marvel to the minds of people, just as His miracles still bring in each one of us, and His ways are so unusual, so revolutionary to the Old Covenant that Peter called them “hard to be understood” (2 Peter 3:16).

“Counselor” – Hebrew, “ya’ats” – to advise, to consult, to give purpose. Another Greek word for the “Comforter” of the New Testament is “counselor”. Jesus was our original counselor and He promised to send, “another Comforter” (John 14:16). Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit function in this role of advisor and counselor, giving purpose to the believer in their daily walk.

“Mighty God” – Hebrew, “gibbowr ‘el” – the strong God or hero. Look at that last definition of “mighty God”; “hero”. Of all of the heroes of this world, there is none mightier, none braver and none more worthy than the true hero, Jesus Christ. This scripture also shows the Jewish world that the coming Messiah would not only be God’s Son, He would be God Himself.

“Everlasting Father” – Hebrew, “ ‘ad ‘ab” – perpetual, eternal head of household. Jesus is here known as the endless Father, a title that the Old Testament never attributes to God. Prior to Christ, Israel never viewed God as their Father, but Jesus both taught His disciples to pray to the Father and to call Him, “Abba” or “daddy” (Mark 14:36). It is actually this name, Father that Jesus came to reveal to the disciples and the world. All other Hebrew names for God were already well known, but Jesus said, “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world” (John 17:6).

“Prince of Peace” – Hebrew, “sar shalowm” – the leader of completeness, health, wholeness and prosperity. Jesus is the captain of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10), and as such, He is the leader of our complete wholeness in His finished work. The Hebrew word “shalom” means more than simple peace in our lives; it denotes all of our existence. Christ is the captain of our wholeness and health, even of our prosperity. Jesus left His peace with us, meaning that He left everything that He is, so that we can be that as well! (John 14:27)

You can call on Jesus using any of these names as a guide as to His true character. Remember that He not only desires to manifest Himself as these things in your life, He really is everyone of these descriptions. See Jesus in this manner and you see Jesus in His finished work.

The Peace of God

Philippians 4:6-9

There is a difference in making your peace with God and having the peace of God. When someone accepts Christ and His forgiveness, they have “made their peace with God”. As life goes on, many of these who have made peace with God find that there is no peace in their hearts. This is not to be blamed on Jesus, the Prince of Peace, for His work is a finished work; so why do we feel this absence of God’s peace?

Paul said for the believer to be “careful for nothing”, which means “anxious” in Greek. Instead of having anxiety and worries over our lives, we should cover everything with “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” as we let God know what we need (Philippians 4:6). When we live a life of thanksgiving, quick to thank God in spite of our circumstances, we have the peace of God, “which passeth all understanding”. This peace keeps our hearts and our minds at rest in Jesus.

Jesus said to the woman that washed his feet with her tears, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace” (Luke 7:50). This woman had just been commended by Jesus for her acknowledgment of sins forgiven. She knew how forgiven that she was, thus she showed Jesus great love. Many want to “love God more”, but they have no knowledge as to how forgiven that they are. When you get a sense of His wonderful mercy and forgiveness for you, you naturally love God more.

The knowledge of your forgiveness and the peace of God go hand in hand. This woman knew who she was in Christ and this empowered her to live a life of peace. If you walk in this revelation, your peace will increase, and you may not even understand how. When you begin to show this calmness and peace in your workplace or your home, people may even question you as to why you are not worried, when everyone else seems to be worried. You can tell them of Jesus and His love for you, but not even that will explain to them how you are at peace. This is because the peace of God “passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Paul goes on to tell the church to think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report (Philippians 4:8). When you focus your thinking on the beauty of Christ and His finished work instead of you and your circumstances, you are dwelling on the things that lead to peace. Continue on in the mighty grace and favor that you are learning about, as Paul said, “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:9).

Please dwell on Isaiah 53:5 that tells us that Jesus was chastised for our peace, which means that Jesus was disciplined so that you and I could have peace. His discipline was not for His failures but for ours. He took your punishment so that you can be at peace with God. Hallelujah!

Go Into Peace

Mark 5:25-34

Tradition says that this woman’s name was Veronica and that she was from Caesarea Philipi, but scripture identifies her only as “a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years”. She must have been very wealthy, at least in the early stages of her sickness, for she had been to many physicians and had suffered many things at their hands, “and had spent all that she had”. These 12 years worth of doctor’s visits had not bettered her in the least but rather she had grown worse.

This woman is a spiritual type of many things, but namely she is the church, typified by the number 12, God’s number of perfect government. Her issue of blood is a type of some sort of problem within the life of the believer that is robbing them of their life and their happiness, for the life of the flesh was in the blood.

When she heard that Jesus was coming, she made the life-changing decision to go and find Him. Her disease made her ceremonially unclean in Israel, so her arrival in a public place would have been a law breaking action. She throws this notion off, too desperate for a miracle to care whether or not she is judged by the law, and she approaches Jesus from behind Him. Perhaps she had let Him pass because she had a change of heart, and nearly let Him get away. Or maybe she let Him pass because she could not bear the thought of looking Him in the eye, content only to get her healing and sneak away.

She grabbed the hem of the garment of Jesus as He passed by and the very moment that she did, the bleeding stopped, and she felt her healing happen. Jesus turns to the crowd, sensing that power has left His body and He asks who has touched His clothes. After a brief exchange between Jesus and the disciples, the woman, “fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth” (Mark 5:33).

The response of fear and trembling is a result of being in the wonderful presence of the Lord and should not always be construed as a bad thing. Jeremiah said that when the earth hears all the good that He does to them, “they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it” (Jeremiah 33:9). Paul said for each believer to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Again, this is a beautiful event, for we are only working out of us what God has worked inside of us, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

Under the Old Covenant, no man could look upon the face of God and live. In fact, when Moses requested to see God’s face, he was denied and God let him look only upon his backside as He walked away (Exodus 33:18-23). Jesus is grace and He is truth (John 1:17), so when He has opportunity to show forth the nature of God, He looks the woman directly in the eye and gives her a title that He gives no other woman in the Bible, “Daughter”. He has adopted her into the family of God!

When Jesus says, “Go in peace”, He uses the word “eis” in Greek meaning, “go into peace”. As the woman dwells on her newfound position of “daughter” she will go into the peace of heaven. This peace will make her whole of her plague. When you find yourself troubled by the symptoms in your body and mind, just remind yourself that you are a son or daughter of God and watch your healing manifest in Jesus’ name.

Peace in the Valley

Psalms 23:4

There is a change of direction in the 4th verse of the great Shepherd’s Psalm. Notice that in verse 2, “he maketh me…” and “he leadeth me…” Then in verse 3, “He leadeth me…” occurs again. In each instance, the Shepherd is leading and providing for the direction of His sheep. The Psalmist then says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” (Psalms 23:4). In this verse there is no mention of the sheep being led, only that they walk through of their own free will. This is a type of all of us wandering off of the beaten path of righteousness (verse 3) and into the dark valleys of life.

There are three important things to note about this journey into the valley. First, we should remember that it is only a valley, and valleys do not go on forever. They are simply depressions between mountains, so there are brighter days to come. This valley also has a name, “the valley of the shadow of death”. It is not “Death Valley”, it is only death’s shadow that we will see while here. Only a small child or an animal would fear a shadow on a wall, thinking that it might be a dark individual chasing them, but a mature adult would not harbor such fear. We know that in order for there to be shadows, there must be light shining on the other side of an object. Based on the fact that Malachi calls Jesus the “Sun of Righteousness”, who do you suppose that light might be?

Second, David says, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me”. David has no fear because he knows that shadows cannot hurt him. No matter what evil lurks in the valley, causing the shadows, David has confidence in the Shepherd, realizing that Jesus’ very presence will calm the storms of doubt and fear. You have not been given a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), so do not accept it! As the old song says, ‘There is nothing to fear when Jesus is near; I’m living in sunlight now’.

Finally, “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”. The rod is used by the shepherd to attack the predators that lurk near the flock. The Hebrew word for ‘rod’ as used here is typically translated ‘scepter’ or even ‘tribe’. It denotes more than a mere stick of wood; it is symbolic of the authority of God and His covenant keeping ways. He protects the sheep with the rod of His Covenant, bound to care for us by the finished work of His Son Jesus Christ.

The staff has a crook at the end of it, used for pulling wayward sheep out of ditches and trenches. When we slip off of the path, the Shepherd will put the staff under our shoulders and pull us close to Him. The staff is also a symbol of the healing and restorative power of God. Elisha placed his staff on a dead child and the life came back to him (2 Kings 4:29-37). The staff of our Good Shepherd will bring life back to weary legs.

Even though the Shepherd does not lead us into the valley of the shadow of death, He will not merely wait on the other side for us to emerge either. If we go in, He will go in, though it may not be in His perfect plan for us. Remember, no matter what you are going through, He will go through it with you. Do not blame yourself, for there are valleys between mountains and while He may not lead you into it, He will always lead you out.

Waiting For the Dead

Judges 5:24-28

Sisera was the captain of the army of Canaan, an army so strong that he had amassed 900 chariots of iron. However, his strength came to naught when the prophetess Deborah told General Barak to take the armies of the Lord into battle against the heathen general. He fled on foot into the tent of a supposed friend, who killed him by driving a spike through his skull (Judges 4:17-21).

The song of Deborah and Barak encompasses the fifth chapter of Judges, and Deborah sings of Sisera’s mother looking out a window in her home, waiting for him to return. She is waiting for someone who is not coming back, because unknown to her, Sisera is dead. Her want for “knowledge of the truth” has deceived her.

Paul told young Timothy that there would be many in these final hours that were, “ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). In many cases, people are waiting for things to come to pass or hoping for answers, but they have little knowledge of the truth. These things are like waiting for the dead; wait all you want, but they will never happen.

If you are waiting for peace without turning to the prince of peace, Jesus Christ, then you are waiting for the dead. No peace comes without the peace that Jesus gave to His disciples (John 14:27). Accept by faith that Jesus has made peace with the Father concerning your sins and trespasses (Romans 5:1).

If you are waiting for salvation to come from your labor, then you are waiting for the dead (Galatians 2:21). Jesus said that salvation comes from believing on the Son, and that if your faith is not on the Son (Jesus), then you have God’s wrath abiding on you (John 3:36).

If you are waiting on promotion to leadership without first learning to follow, then you are waiting for the dead. Jesus spoke to His disciples, who twice could not resolve the issue of who would be the greatest among them (Luke 9:46 & Luke 22:24-27), telling them that if they wished to be great they must first learn to serve. Remember that the less is always blessed of the better (Hebrews 7:7), so be ready to be the blessing if you wish to be the truly blessed.

Finally, if you are waiting for Jesus to return, then you are NOT waiting for the dead; you are waiting for the living. “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Wait with all patience on Christ to do His great work in you today. Go in His blessings and His kindness, with a full assurance that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

From a Harlot to a Grandma!

Joshua 2:1-24

The story of the conquest of Jericho would be incomplete without the salvation of Rahab the harlot. She lived on the town wall, strategically located to bring success in her line of work! It also provided a great stopping point for the spies that were sent in to access the strength of Jericho. We know how the story ends, with Rahab hanging a scarlet thread out of her window, and the army of Israel sparing her and her family. What we don’t think about often enough is that this woman was saved long before the thread came out the window.

Hebrews chapter 11 lists Rahab in the New Testament’s Hall of Fame of faith: “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31). Did you notice when she “perished not”? It was not when she obediently put the scarlet line in the window, but rather when she received the spies with peace. Her placement of the scarlet line was to save her physical life, and it was a testimony to all who would see that she had placed her faith in the army of God.

Rahab displayed her faith before the spies had even laid down on her roof, to hide from their pursuers: “I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you…as soon as we heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath” (Joshua 2:9, 12).

What a profession of faith she had. Her actions afterward were the sign of an inward change (James 2:25). It was her initial faith that brought the spies to stop in her house, as they could have stopped anywhere, but the Holy Spirit had found a household of faith. Notice how our Father’s provision covers everyone. The spies found safe shelter and the harlot found a new life and a new hope.

After her rescue from Jericho, we do not know what she does from day-to-day within the camp of the Israelites, but she obviously adopts their ways and becomes a part of their society, because we do see her again, this time as one of only 4 women listed in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5). She becomes the matriarchal head of the line that produces Boaz, king David and eventually, the Lord Jesus.

Whatever your lot in life, remember that every moment is another chance to change it all. You may have ruined many things and burned many bridges, but God is not looking for scarlet lines of obedience, just open hearts of faith. Don’t get me wrong, the obedience will come, but let us walk in the faith of Jesus Christ first, and all of us can change from who we are and become known by who we become.

Go in His peace and prosperity, with the abundant favor and blessings of God upon you in Jesus’ name.