Good Morning Gorgeous,
It’s a brand new day. A fresh start. Even though it’s still dark as I write this morning, the sun will rise shortly and all will the dark will be replaced by the shining sun. The sun rises every day, and we don’t ever doubt that each morning the moon will be replaced by the sun. We don’t wake up and wonder if the sun will rise today. We trust that it will because it always does. How much more we can trust the One who placed the sun in place!!

The Lord is faithful. He is EVEN more faithful than the rising sun. He is a promise keeper and you can securely trust in Him to fulfill the good things He promised you long ago. He designed you, destined you, and purposed you for this very day. You have an impact to make on the world around you. If there is a promise from God that you are clinging to, let your faith rise up again and keep fighting for your promise until you are able to take possession of it.

In Joshua, the Israelites have conquered the land with the help of the Lord, and now they are taking possession of it. They are stepping ahead and into their lands and the Lord is dividing it up amongst the tribes. They are each receiving their allotment and moving into their given promise. Chapter 21 of Joshua ends with 3 POWERFUL verses!!!

1st verse: So the Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. Joshua 21:43

Notice that the Lord gave Israel ALL the land that He had promised. He held nothing back from His promise. He carried it all out and fulfilled what He said He would do. Also notice the participation required by the Israelites. The Lord GAVE, the Israelites TOOK POSSESSION. The Lord, (the promise giver and keeper) and the Israelites, (the promise receievers) had to fulfill their part for the promise to come to pass fully. The Lord can be counted on to always uphold His words. The Israelites had to also actively choose to move forward and possess their promise in order to receive what the Lord was offering. The same applies to us! The Lord has spoken promises over you. He had great things in store. He will be faithful. You can count on Him even more securely than the rising sun. Yet, after He brings you to your promise, it will be up to you to walk in it and possess it.

2nd verse: And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. Joshua 21:44

Again, the Lord speaks of rest. Look carefully at the kind of rest. Rest on ALL sides! Rest from every single battle. He gave them a rest that was total and complete. The battle was over on all sides. They were hard pressed no longer. Not a single enemy had been successful against them. The SAME is true for you! The Lord will give you rest on all sides. He will not just conquer one of the battles you are fighting, but all! Not one enemy will stand against you. The Lord is preparing rest for you from all that is raging against you. And since we live on the other side of the cross, this promise has already been fulfilled on your behalf. Because at the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.”, we are now able to access the promises that Jesus declared to be ours when He walked the earth and yesterdays verse from Matthew, “Come to me all who are heavy with burdens, and I will give you rest.” is one of those promises. You have access to holy rest even during a battle. You don’t have to wait for the victory to access rest in Jesus. He slept in a boat during a raging storm to show us this rest we can access. Though you might be right in the midst of a battle, you can crawl into the lap of Jesus and find rest and peace. A rest the world cannot offer you. A peace no amount of luxury could provide. A holy peace and rest from the Lord Himself. The one who causes the sun to rise each morning.

3rd and final verse of chapter 21: Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true. Joshua 21:45

The Lord didn’t withhold a single promise. Everything He had spoken came true. I love that so much. The Lord speaks in absolutes: all, everything, not a single one! I am generally careful not to speak in absolutes because I am human and fallible. Yet, God is able to complete ALL His promises so that Everything He speaks comes to pass. You can trust Him, completely and totally. He has good plans for you. When you seek Him with all of your heart, you will find Him.

Dear Heavenly Father,
What an awesome God You are! I am in awe of your amazing love for Your people. Your mercy is hard to fathom. Your love is endless. Your plans are good and many! Thank you Lord for being our Lord and choosing us to be Your people. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

Blessings to all of you today,

Vanessa Lynn