Camping at Gilgal
I just want to start today by praising GOD!! Father, I praise you for who you are. You are the Alpha, Omega, the Beginning and the End. You are our Redeemer, our Savior, our Counselor and Friend. You are the Mighty One, our Creator, our Deliverer, the Great I AM! You are the Chosen One, Adonai, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace! You are Wonderful, All-powerful, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, our Healer, our Father, Abba. You are Holy, Perfect and You are worthy to receive all glory, honor and praise! I love you LORD!
We serve an awesome God! I love the way He is making Himself know to us during this journey. Yesterday was such a blessing to me as I remembered where my family had been and how God had taken care of us. Stones of Remembrance are so important and I hope that you have found your stone and have placed it somewhere that you can see it every day. I am enjoying studying God's Word with you ladies so much! I love how God is working in and through your lives! Thank you for encouraging me along the way. I love you!
I was reading today in Joshua 5 about Gilgal. I remembered studying this place before. (Believing God - Beth Moore). Gilgal was the place where God had the Israelites camp after crossing over the Jordan. Gilgal means "circle." It was a place where God brought them full circle and started a new lifecycle, breaking the old one. It was a place of circumcision. (Joshua 5:2-3) Circumcision was the sign that they were in covenant with God. It was a consecration to the Lord's service. Gilgal was a place of new beginning. It was a place that they could "start over," so to speak.
I love the fact that we serve a God who, if we allow Him, will "cut off" the old. He is a God of new beginnings! Today, God circumcises our hearts. When we come to Him with a sincere heart and confess our sins, turning from them, He cleanses us. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 10:9 says, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." THANK YOU LORD!! He gives us new life! 2 Corinthian 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
The Israelites stayed at the camp until they were healed. (Joshua 5:8). The word "healed" is "hayah" meaning "to live, exist, enjoy life, to live anew, recover, be well and to refresh." Sisters, many times we go through a desert time in our lives. It seems as though we will never reach our promised land. We go through a time of wounding, which requires a time of healing. We must be healed in order to experience the abundant life God has for us. He desires for us to be well, refreshed and to enjoy life! He wants us to enjoy all of His promises. He desires that we be a blessing to others and share His goodness and love. I love what Beth Moore says, "Often a wounding precedes our full reception of God's promises, but healing always follows."
Have you been wounded? Are you hurting? Sweet one, maybe God desires for you to camp at your Gilgal and receive a healing from Him. Maybe He has brought you full circle to have complete healing once and for all. Allow Him to cut off the old and give you a fresh, new start. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that "by His wounds, we are healed." Jesus is the Great Physician! He is Jehovah Rapha - the LORD who heals.
Finally, in verse 9, we read that the LORD rolled away the reproach of Egypt. Reproach is a term meaning "mild rebuke, criticisim, disgrace, blame or shame." Aren't you thankful that Almighty God can roll away the reproach in our lives? I know I am! Sometimes we bring this on ourselves and sometimes we are falsely accused, but whatever the circumstance. . . the LORD rolls away our reproach! We do not have to carry it or wear it anymore! We can finally put our own "Egypts" behind us!
I have shared some of my story with you. I want each of you to know that God is using this journey in my life right now to bring about healing. I have been deeply wounded. I have been to the bottom of the pit and I have been exhausted. I know what it is like to be criticized, blamed, falsely accused and rejected. I know what it is like to watch your family go through suffering that is not deserved. Sometimes the pains of leadership and ministry are almost too much to bear. Praise be to God that HE gives us the strength we need to face each day. He loves us and He understands! I am living testimony to the fact that God does heal! I have not arrived yet, but He continues to heal my spirit a little more each day. He is applying the precious balm of Gilead to my soul and He will do it for you too. When we allow Him to circumcise our hearts and roll away our reproach, victory comes! When we surrender ourselves completely to Him and believe Him by faith, He heals. He renews our joy and gives us a new hope, new strength and a new passion to serve Him through serving others.
Please know that I am here for you. I love you and I want you to have true healing and joy that comes only from our Father. I am praying for each of you. Pray for me, and my family, as we continue to camp at Gilgal and receive healing.
Praising God,
Elisabeth
We serve an awesome God! I love the way He is making Himself know to us during this journey. Yesterday was such a blessing to me as I remembered where my family had been and how God had taken care of us. Stones of Remembrance are so important and I hope that you have found your stone and have placed it somewhere that you can see it every day. I am enjoying studying God's Word with you ladies so much! I love how God is working in and through your lives! Thank you for encouraging me along the way. I love you!
I was reading today in Joshua 5 about Gilgal. I remembered studying this place before. (Believing God - Beth Moore). Gilgal was the place where God had the Israelites camp after crossing over the Jordan. Gilgal means "circle." It was a place where God brought them full circle and started a new lifecycle, breaking the old one. It was a place of circumcision. (Joshua 5:2-3) Circumcision was the sign that they were in covenant with God. It was a consecration to the Lord's service. Gilgal was a place of new beginning. It was a place that they could "start over," so to speak.
I love the fact that we serve a God who, if we allow Him, will "cut off" the old. He is a God of new beginnings! Today, God circumcises our hearts. When we come to Him with a sincere heart and confess our sins, turning from them, He cleanses us. Romans 3:23 says, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 10:9 says, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." THANK YOU LORD!! He gives us new life! 2 Corinthian 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
The Israelites stayed at the camp until they were healed. (Joshua 5:8). The word "healed" is "hayah" meaning "to live, exist, enjoy life, to live anew, recover, be well and to refresh." Sisters, many times we go through a desert time in our lives. It seems as though we will never reach our promised land. We go through a time of wounding, which requires a time of healing. We must be healed in order to experience the abundant life God has for us. He desires for us to be well, refreshed and to enjoy life! He wants us to enjoy all of His promises. He desires that we be a blessing to others and share His goodness and love. I love what Beth Moore says, "Often a wounding precedes our full reception of God's promises, but healing always follows."
Have you been wounded? Are you hurting? Sweet one, maybe God desires for you to camp at your Gilgal and receive a healing from Him. Maybe He has brought you full circle to have complete healing once and for all. Allow Him to cut off the old and give you a fresh, new start. Isaiah 53:5 tells us that "by His wounds, we are healed." Jesus is the Great Physician! He is Jehovah Rapha - the LORD who heals.
Finally, in verse 9, we read that the LORD rolled away the reproach of Egypt. Reproach is a term meaning "mild rebuke, criticisim, disgrace, blame or shame." Aren't you thankful that Almighty God can roll away the reproach in our lives? I know I am! Sometimes we bring this on ourselves and sometimes we are falsely accused, but whatever the circumstance. . . the LORD rolls away our reproach! We do not have to carry it or wear it anymore! We can finally put our own "Egypts" behind us!
I have shared some of my story with you. I want each of you to know that God is using this journey in my life right now to bring about healing. I have been deeply wounded. I have been to the bottom of the pit and I have been exhausted. I know what it is like to be criticized, blamed, falsely accused and rejected. I know what it is like to watch your family go through suffering that is not deserved. Sometimes the pains of leadership and ministry are almost too much to bear. Praise be to God that HE gives us the strength we need to face each day. He loves us and He understands! I am living testimony to the fact that God does heal! I have not arrived yet, but He continues to heal my spirit a little more each day. He is applying the precious balm of Gilead to my soul and He will do it for you too. When we allow Him to circumcise our hearts and roll away our reproach, victory comes! When we surrender ourselves completely to Him and believe Him by faith, He heals. He renews our joy and gives us a new hope, new strength and a new passion to serve Him through serving others.
Please know that I am here for you. I love you and I want you to have true healing and joy that comes only from our Father. I am praying for each of you. Pray for me, and my family, as we continue to camp at Gilgal and receive healing.
Praising God,
Elisabeth
2 Response to Camping at Gilgal
Elisabeth, I too can relate to how you feel, maybe not fully, as our circumstances have not been fully equal. However, I do know what it is like to serve with a pure heart to only be wounded by others who don't see that you are following what the Lord has told you to do. Leadership, I am learning, is so tough...you are right, sometimes it can seem too much to bear. I have found that I will never please everyone, therefore, I am going to do my best to keep my eyes on Him and please Him and then I have nothing to fear. I know that the enemy works extra hard against those who are in ministry (from personal experience;)...seeking to destroy whatever area of their life he can, because he knows what can be done for the Kingdom of God through God's servants and he hates that. But, I have to remind myself that He who is in me is greater than the enemy. I will continue to suffer for the sake of Christ..for I pray that one day I will experience such great Joy when HE wraps me in his arms and says, "My daughter, you have been faithful, and with you I am well pleased. Come experience what my Father has for you." Thank you Lord for your grace and mercy that you bestow upon me. Help us as pastor's wives to remain steadfast in you, believing in your truth and love for us and our families. Thank you Lord for rolling away the "reproach" in our lives! You are an awesome God!
I love you Sisi! Praying for you;)
Kim,
Thank you so much for sharing your heart! Thank you also for talking with me the other night. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement! I love you so much and I am believing God for something great on your behalf. God is not finished with you and you are a AWESOME pastor's wife!! Don't listen to the lies of the enemy. Cling to the truth of our Savior!! You are so precious and I am so thankful for you! I love you dearly! I am praying for you too!! :)
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