365 Days of Praise

Nations and schools have them. Businesses and clubs. Flags. Banners. We hold them high. Our banner means we’re staying and not leaving. We’re laying claim to what is ours. And, so, Moses raised the banner of the Lord. Here’s how it happened:

Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua,

Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.

So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy. Then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it; and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and one on the other. Thus his hands were steady until the sun set. So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner;…

Exodus 17:8-14, 15

Have you been battling something and you’re tired? You have a heavy heart? Heavy hands?  Maybe you’re not in the actual battle, but you’re standing with someone who is and needs encouragement? We’re in this together, just like Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua were.  Although Christ has won the eternal victory, we continue to battle our flesh and the enemy. Evil is going to win or we are . Our flesh is going to take ground or we are. We’ll daily look more like Christ or look like the world. The pressure to give into the enemy, the world, and our flesh is real. We need cheerleaders; someone to come to our side and hold high the banner of the Lord; reminding us who our Great God is and that we can win by His power.

The Israelites won the battle as long as they could see God’s staff, the banner that represented Him and His great power.

We can lift high God’s banner, His name and power to our friends and family. How? Share “365 Days of Praise.” Moses, Aaron, and Hur held up God’s banner all day. It takes 30 seconds for us to click on the FB, Twitter, or share link. Will you join me in daily holding up God’s name and power by sharing these posts?  Who in your family and which of your friends could use the daily reminder that God is in the battle with them?

Heavenly Father, we often feel there’s little we can do to make a difference in our crazy mixed up world. But, one thing we can do is lift high Your name so others are reminded of Your great power. Thank You, Jehovah-Nissi, our banner.

And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

Exodus 15:26

Are you in a desperate spot? Sick of body, mind, or soul? Are you frustrated because you’re not caring for yourself in the way you should? If so, I can relate. Our bodies, minds, and emotions are wonderfully made. But, if we don’t take care of them, and even sometimes if we do, they break or get sick. Disease can strike…physically, spiritually, emotionally. But, let’s zoom in on a way our Heavenly Father chose to reveal Himself. Israel had just celebrated with singing their crossing of the Red Sea and escape from the Egyptians. After three days in the wilderness and no water, they arrive at the waters of Marah, but the water was bitter. They couldn’t drink it. Picture the scene. You’re dying of thirst…looking at water you can’t drink. And you can’t do a thing about it. You can’t fix it. Are you there now in your life? You have a problem and can’t fix it?

Moses is desperate. He “cried out” to the Lord. And Jehovah-Rapha “showed him” what to do. Rapha means healer; to mend, cure, make whole. Jehovah-Rapha showed Moses what to do: throw a certain tree in the water. It worked. The water became sweet. Which brings us to question – what have we cried out to Jehovah-Rapha about? What has He shown us to do? Are we doing it?

Jehovah-Rapha’s message is very clear to us.

• “If”… that means there’s a choice we make with a correlating consequence.
• “we give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord our God” …. that means if we pay attention when He shows us what to do.
• “and do what is right”….Moses had to do the work of cutting the tree and throwing it into the water. We have to act on what Jehovah-Rapha shows us.
• “in His sight”….God is watching to see if we’re doing what He showed us.
• “and give ear to His commandments”… He knows what works. Do we pay more attention to our car manual than or the Bible?

God is our spiritual, emotional, relational, mental, physical doctor. Have we cried out to Him? Are we doing what He’s shown us?

Jehovah-Rapha, Lord our Healer, we praise You for the complete healing we’ll experience in heaven. In the meantime, move in our hearts to look to You for direction and act according to what You show us.