Joshua 22

In verse 8 we find a wonderful reminder that we can speak words of blessing and words of life over others! This is very different from a prophetic words spoken over them. A prophecy is us saying that this will come to pass, God giving you supernatural insight to proclaim and declare. Blessings are like prayers...there are moments we call out to God on their behalf...it's God choice and in many ways, even the life lived by the person over whom we are speaking, as to whether or not it will come to pass...so bless away, don't hold back...fill the lives of everyone you know with blessings, words of life!!!!!!

And in verse 30-31, come on, the verses before and after are some of the most instructive verses on conflict in all of Scripture. The tribes west of the Jordan misunderstood the action of the tribes to the east of the Jordan and came for war. First, the tribes to the west should not have assumed anything, lesson number one. But, the tribes to the east did not take offense, they humbled themselves, they did not allow themselves to be provoked, they explained, they were gracious...lesson number two. Then, the tribes to the west understood, reconciled, embraced them, unity! The tribes to the east could have replied, "Who do you think you are..." Sound familiar? We let the mistep of the person approaching us become the issue instead of keeping what God calls us to have in focus, and that is reconciliation!

Paul said that we should endeavor to keep the bond of peace, check it out, see if you can find it, it's in Ephesians...he was in prison when he wrote this letter so he wasn't talking about a bond like an adhesive but rather that we should be imprisoned to our commitment to unity...are you, am I?

Pastor Fred