The Original Daylight Savings Time

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Jos 10:12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: "Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

 

Ever have one of those days when you have much to do, but not enough time to get it done? Joshua was having one of those days. He was in the midst of a God-ordained command to conquer cities in the promised land and on this particular day he was running out of daylight to get the job done.

 

So he prayed for the initial institution of daylight Savings Time! (Blame Joshua)

 

Only instead of turning the clock ahead an hour he asked God to turn it back, and God didn’t stop at a mere hour! He turned it back “for about a whole day!”

 

 He provided the time Joshua needed to get the job done in daylight.

 

Finding yourself pressed for time these days? Have you brought your concerns to God? You don’t need to run around like a headless chicken. If God can stop the sun in its tracks, he can step into your time management problem and provide the time and help you need to get what matters done Ps 31:15 reminds us: ”My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.”

 

Look to God to be delivered from the “tyranny of the urgent. He will put His “honey do” list for you in proper order, multiplying your time supernaturally.

Believe it! Trust it! And see those items on God’s “honey do” list get checked off without all the stress.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

AI and Discernment

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Jos 8:34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.

 

Say the word A-I today and most everyone knows you are talking about Artificial Intelligence. If you would’ve said that word to Joshua, his thoughts would’ve turned to a city by that same name, that handed his army their first defeat.

 

Long story short, they underestimated the army of AI and more importantly they underestimated God’s displeasure with disobedience in the camp.

 

After taking care of the disobedience in accordance with the Word of God, Joshua and his army crushed the army of AI in a rematch.

After the victory Joshua read God’s Word… all of it….to all of the people.

 

Here’s the connection I want to make. Modern day AI is capable of imitating anyone’s voice and can put words in their mouth. (You people viewing this vlog may be listening to an imposter, but if you are familiar with my past vlogs and their content you should be able to tell the difference.) Even so it’s not my voice that I want you to recognize, it’s the voice of the Good Shepherd.

 

With AI technology moving ahead at blinding speed, it’s going to be more vital than ever for you and I to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd, which is accomplished by doing what Joshua did…reading all of God’s Word (the Bible)

 

Read the Word of God yourself! Pass it along to your children and connect to a Bible believing church who does the same. Jesus said in

Joh 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

 28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone (including AI) snatch them out of My hand.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

The Burial of Moses

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

 6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.

 7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.

 

Moses dies in the land of Moab, short of the Promised Land, just as the Lord had said, and isn’t it interesting that God dug his grave?

 

There was a little confrontation over the burial as we read in Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

 

Nonetheless, Moses was buried in a place that only God knows and his body is not to be tampered with.

Moses (who represents the Law, the Word of God, is not to be tampered with and further, he goes to his grave with full vigor and perfect sight.

 

I think we can learn two lessons here. First of all, the Word of God is not to be tampered with. De 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

 

Secondly the Word of God does not lose it’s strength and insight. It is as Jesus said eternal! Mt 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

 

 

You want spiritual insight and vigor? Read the Bible. Trust it’s promises, and seek to obey it’s commands.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Sit and Listen

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 33:3 Yes, He loves the people; All His saints are in Your hand; They sit down at Your feet; Everyone receives Your words.

 

First of all understand that saints are not some kind of super departed Christians. Saints are simply all those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation!

 

God loves His saints…if you are a believer….that’s you!  They (you) are in His hand, and Jesus said in Joh 10:28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

 

What comforting words!

 

And note a couple of earmarks of saints here. They sit  down at the feet of Jesus and receive His words! Does that remind you of anyone else in Scripture?

 

Mary and her sister Martha come to mind don’t they.

 

Martha who was preoccupied with busyness didn’t have the time to sit at the feet of Jesus….Mary made time to sit and receive and what did Jesus say about that?

Lu 10:41 "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

 42 "But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

 

Beloved, busyness will always be with us, let us learn to prioritize and don’t neglect our time at the feet of Jesus…it is that good part that will not be wasted.

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Don't Forget

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 6:10 "So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build,

 11 "houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant-when you have eaten and are full-

 12 "then beware, lest you forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

 

 

Would you agree that we Americans have houses filled with good things? Central air and heat, microwave ovens, air fryers, smart Tv’s comfortable recliners, even beds with sleep numbers!

 

We have water (hot and cold) that comes from wells that we did not dig, and it is at our disposal with the flick of the wrist. We have food in abundance at grocery stores that we did not grow.

 

Materially speaking, we’ve got it made. It seems that often our most pressing problem is, what to do with all our extra time! What can we do for entertainment? How can we busy ourselves in this opulent world of ours?

 

God has one word for us here.

 

BEWARE!

 

In the midst of all this luxury, don’t forget Jesus. Don’t forget that you are a sinner in need of forgiveness, and that forgiveness came to you through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 

It came through no merit of your own. Just as you did not dig the well that is providing water for your thirsty body, so too, you did not suffer on a cross to bring living water to your soul! God provided it all!

 

Enjoy the material blessings God has graciously provided for you, but don’t forget to thank Him! Don’t forget to worship Him! BEWARE that you don’t forget Him!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Unintentional Sins

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Nu 15:28 'So the priest shall make atonement for the person who sins unintentionally, when he sins unintentionally before the LORD, to make atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

 

 

Let’s say you are a baby Christian. You have come to the realization that you are a sinner in need of the forgiveness that is promised through faith in Jesus.

 

Now what?

 

The journey begins and as with every journey it is taken one step at a time. Some of those steps will be errant you will sin along the way. Some of those sins will be born out of biblical ignorance….they will be unintentional. Unintentional or not they need to be atoned for.

 

One of the workings of the Holy Spirit is to convict us of our sins. He speaks to us through God’s Word and lets us know what is sin and what is not sin.

 

As you spend time in God’s Word the line between right and wrong will become more and more distinct. Armed with this knowledge, we can be more specific about the sins that we confess.

 

And as we confess, we have the sure promise of forgiveness given to us in 1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

 

In the meantime you can also ask God to forgive you of your unintentional sins as well!   

Ps 19:12 Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults.

 

Remember, you are not along just for the ride, you are to continue your walk growing in the knowledge of Him who saved you from your ALL your sins, intentional or not!

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

How Do You Know A No?

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 3:25 'I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.' 26 "But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: 'Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.

 

Today, we are hopping into the prayer closet with Moses. Evidently it had been a persistent prayer of his to be able to cross into the promised land, but God, who advocates for persistency in our prayer life, (See the parable of the persistent neighbor in Luke Lu 11:5-10) tells Moses to stop it! He flat out told Moses “Enough of that!”

 

Wow! Makes you wonder about your own unanswered prayers doesn’t it. Sometimes the answer is a definite no!

 

But how do you know a no? How do you know when to stop asking?

 

I would recommend getting more in tune with God’s spokesperson given to you as a believer……the Holy Spirit, that’s a request God will not turn down.

 

  Lu 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 

You can’t go wrong with more of the Holy Spirit. He will bring clarity to your situation; He will lead you in your prayers.

 

Ro 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 

Sometimes that “will” is a definite no, other times a yes, and other times it’s not yet.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word