Joshua’s Leadership Tip #8 Contentment: A Battle Strategy

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But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

(Joshua 7:1 ESV)

We are all too familiar with our personal struggles with our flesh or sin. Many times we can relate to Paul’s internal pleading found in Romans:

“But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” (7:23-28).

Joshua sent 3000 men to capture the city of Ai and they were defeated. When Joshua asked the Lord why they lost the battle, the Lord responded “Israel has sinned…taken some of the riches for themselves…You are contaminated…The one caught with the riches must be burned up with all who belong to him because he violated the Lord’s covenant and did such a disgraceful thing in Israel” (7:11, 13, 15).  God had warned the Israelites to not keep the valuable plunder found in Jericho (Joshua 6:18-19).  It is easy to understand why Achan would disobey God’s ban on keeping valuables for themselves. Temptation and sin are easier than obeying God. The result of disobedience was a broken fellowship with God and the loss of battles.

Like Achan, we can break our intimate relationship with God and be tempted by ungodly pursuits.  Keathly, a Bible Scholar reminds us we all face desires (or lust patterns) and include things like a desire for position, power, prestige, pleasure, possessions, praise or applause, and recognition. Our lust patterns are nothing more than human solutions or protective strategies we use apart from God to find security, significance, and satisfaction (1).

Let’s take the directive from the Lord to Joshua, “I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst.” (Joshua 7:12). We can follow Paul’s wise advice and find security, significance, and satisfaction in God alone. (Philippians 3:13-14; 4:12-13; 1 Timothy. 6:6-19)

(1) Keathley III, J. Hampton. Defeat at Ai and the Sin of Achan (Joshua 7:1-26)

NCFI Cares: Joshua’s Leadership Tip #7: PTL–A Battle Strategy

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So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.

Joshua 6:20 (NASB)

Who does not love the classic historical account of the Wall of Jericho? It is taught to children in Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. I must confess my favorite rendition of the story is with the kids’ movie Veggie Tales. The movie captures how absurd the Lord’s plan sounded to the Israelites. Yet, this is precisely why it worked. God provided the plan, directed the steps and received all the credit. Our conflict with the world can follow the same strategy.  We begin by being reminded that the world has already been conquered by Jesus.

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

As we are reminded many times, the victory is complete—Hallelujah! As we praise God, we are stuck here trying to live godly in an ungodly place. Therefore, the Apostle John gave us his wisdom:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world… By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (1 John 4:1,5)

We need to look at everything in our world through the eyes of truth. Not just my truth or your truth, but Biblical truth. Today finding good, solid Bible teaching is more and more difficult. Add to this the challenge of finding solid Bible teachers and leaders. This is even more challenging when we look at health care and nursing. The fundamental ethical and moral values of nursing have become scarce and confusing.

“The world pressures us and hammers us and tries to conform us to its mold.”(1). Yet, we stand firm using our weapons and keeping our eyes on the author and perfector of our faith (Ephesians 6:10-18; Hebrews 12:2). As you reflect on your current conflict with the world, be reminded that the walls of Jericho were not brought down by human ability. They tumbled down with praise and worship. Find your favorite praise song to stay rooted against the tempting lure of our culture.

(1) Keathley III, J. Hampton. 9. Destruction of the Amorite Coalition (Joshua 10:1-43)

NCFI Cares: The Gift of Death

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I am the resurrection and life. Whoever believes in me though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

John 11:25-26, ESV

Joshua’s Leadership Tip #6: Don’t Be Surprised by Conflict

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For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12

Joshua led the Israelites in many battles to possess their Promised Land.  Joshua’s battle was a physical battle where they did hand-to-hand combat against Israel’s enemies, whereas Christians are engaged in a spiritual battle: skirmishes where we are easily deceived, devoured, and destroyed (1 Peter 5:8). There were three distinct areas of conflict which Joshua faced: the battle of Jericho, the sin of the Israelites while fighting at Ai, and disastrous treaty they entered into with the Gibeonites. Bible scholars compare these three conflicts or formidable enemies to the three enemies Christians face: “the world,” “the flesh,” and “the devil.” (1,3)

  • The battle at Jericho represents “the world” which pressures us and hammers us and tries to conform us to its mold.
  • The sin of Ai represents “the flesh” or the sinfulness within us which betrays us and undermines us and sabotages us,  even though we want to serve God with our minds and our bodies.
  • The deceit of the Gibeonites represents the devil as a master strategist of assault against Christians. He sometimes attacks us openly, sometimes craftily, but always with an unerring sense of where our weaknesses lie. (2,3)

This coalition of evil forces that have banded together against Christians attempts to destroy us. At times, it seems like an unbeatable combination. BUT, we have the assurance of victory.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5)

As Christian nurse leaders, we are vulnerable to attacks in both our professional and personal lives. Thus, we need to remember three important truths.

  • We do not war with people, institutions, or systems. We are to engage in spiritual battles, not human battles. (Ephesians 6:12; 2 Corinthians 10:3-4).
  • The battles are personal and God uses them for faith development (James 1:2-3; 1 Peter 1:7).
  • Our weapons are spiritual and found in prayer, worship, and scripture (Ephesians 6:10-18).

“The Christian’s possession of spiritual blessings and experience depends upon conflict and conquest (Ephesians 6:10-20; Galatians 5:25; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; 1 Corinthians 9:25-27; Hebrews 4:11). These are never attained through the energy of the flesh, but through the power of the Holy Spirit working in the yielded life of the believer (Romans 7, 8).” (1)

In the next three devotions, we will discuss each of our enemies. We will learn how Christian nurses can take Joshua’s strategies to arm themselves for battle against each enemy.

(1) McGee, J Vernon. Briefing the Bible © Thru the Bible

(2) McGee, J Vernon. Ai and I © Thru the Bible Radio Network.

(3) Keathley III, J. Hampton. 9. Destruction of the Amorite Coalition (Joshua 10:1-43)

NCFI Cares: Joshua’s Leadership Tip #5 Memorial Stones

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So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.

Joshua 4:7

Except for a few individuals, most Israelites had only heard stories of how God had performed miracles in Egypt and divided the Red Sea. They had never witnessed the mighty hand of God at work. Thus, God wanted the miracle of crossing the Jordan River to be more than a story passed down from generation to generation. He wanted a visual reminder.

So, when the entire nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua. 

“Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you …. that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, What do those stones mean to you? then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.” (Joshua 4:1-7)

The three objectives of a memorial of commemoration for the stones: a sign to promote encouragement and reverence, promote instruction to future generations, and a testimony to other nations. (1).

Creating memorials wasn’t something new for the Israelites, nor did the practice disappear for Christians.

Paul instructed the church in Corinth on Jesus’ instructions during the Last Supper.

“This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:24-26). 

As New Testament believers, we continue to commemorate or memorialize the work of Christ when we participate in communion. We also participate in Lent, Easter, and Christmas (1). They unite us as a body of believers and provide an opportunity to remember God’s miracles. There are individual times to reflect on and celebrate God’s work and blessings. Some believers have life verses, carry a special momentum, or save their first Bible to remind them of Jesus’ work in their life.

Commemorating or celebrating God’s work can also be recognized by an organization or personally. We need visual reminders of how the Lord has worked in our hospitals, schools, clinics, or ministries.  Pictures can commemorate special times, like in academics, we have graduating class, or perhaps a group photo of the clinic/ministry staff. Or maybe some logos or symbols point to Jesus in your clinic. For example, at work, I wear a lanyard with my keys from my first NCFI Congress. The purpose is to find a visual reminder that speaks to the work of God in your organization. The hope is not only that we will remember those great moments but that we will find encouragement when we are experiencing difficulties.

Keathley III, J. Hampton, Studies in the Life of Joshua. 3. Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:1-4:24)

NCFI Cares: Joshua’s Leadership Tips #4: Do a Heart-Check

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Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness.

Psalm 26:2

The pandemic has been brutal on nurses. We may have found ourselves in places we never expected—like struggling with depression, anger, frustration, hopelessness, and others. Do you relate to any of these emotions? Or maybe, you have distanced yourself from God. This can be a normal reaction to difficult experiences. Or perhaps, you sense that something is amiss in your walk with God and are unsure what it is.As nurses coming out of the wilderness experiences with the coronavirus pandemic, we may need to do a mini-spiritual assessment. Similar to the Israelites needing to be consecrated before entering the promised land. Or the need to be restored or dedicated like Peter experienced after his denial. One way to complete a mini-spiritual assessment or “heart-check” is to reflect on a passage of scripture and explore areas of repentance and improvement. Galatians 5:22-26 is an excellent passage for reflection.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

5:22-26
  • Is your day filled with frustration instead of patience?
  • Do you find yourself filled with worry instead of peace?
  • Are you impatient or angry instead of self-controlled and kind?

Wilderness journeys can undermine our faith and fill us with doubt and hopelessness. It can leave us emotionally exhausted and frustrated. Sometimes, we don’t even know what has happened; we just know something is amiss. Take time to invite the Holy Spirit to “Test our mind and heart.” (Psalm 26:2).

 Keathley has powerful words as our final thought: “When there is a lack of consecration through confession for the defilement of sin along with a commitment to God’s purpose for our lives in service or ministry, we hinder the power of God.”

Keathley III, J. Hampton, Studies in the Life of Joshua. 3. Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:1-4:24)

NCFI Cares: Joshua’s Leadership Tip #3: Get Ready for Miracles

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Joshua told the people, “Ritually consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will perform miraculous deeds among you.” (Joshua 3:5)

Before the Israelites could participate and witness God’s miracle, they needed to be consecrated to the Lord. Joshua leads them into consecration or “getting right with God” on two different occasions. The first is before they cross the Jordan River (Joshua 3) and then before they go to battle (Joshua 5).

The Israelites needed to get spiritually ready for the Lord’s work through them. Keathley, a Bible scholar, asserts that consecration includes preparation and dedication to the Lord’s purpose. In other words, God prepares us to do mighty works in Him!

Keathley includes the importance of preparation and dedication in consecration:

  • Being reminded of God’s holiness – God cannot have fellowship with a sinful man or woman. (1 Peter 1:16) 
  • Demonstrating the necessity of the cross of Christ—without faith in the cross and the cleansing, we can’t be set apart for God’s use or blessings. (James 2:22)
  • Recognizing that God doesn’t use unclean vessels—believers are saved and cleansed by the work of Christ; consecration reminds us to deal with the known or unknown sins in our lives. (Colossians 3:8-10)
  • Accepting the necessity of understanding our purpose as God’s people along with the commitment to God and His purpose (2 Timothy 2:21)
  • Recognizing the need for the Holy Spirit for consecrated living. (Eph 3:16; 5:18)

A New Testament example is seen in the life of Peter. Even after he denied knowing Jesus, the Lord reinstated Peter as a disciple and as a leader of the church (John 21:15-19; Matt 16:18). Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I do.” Jesus then told Peter distinctly to care for the church, “Feed my sheep.” Jesus’ conversation with Peter was a form of consecration as Peter was prepared for the ministry ahead.  

As we pray for God to do a miracle in our workplace, let’s open our hearts to the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying hand.

Keathley III, J. Hampton, Studies in the Life of Joshua. 3. Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3:1-4:24) https://bible.org/seriespage/3-crossing-jordan-joshua-31-424

Catch up on Joshua’s Leadership Series and read the posts in order.

Challenges to Godly Excellence with The ICN Code of Ethics

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The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses includes 4 principal elements that outline standards of ethical conduct. In the presentation, I supported each element with biblical scripture and Christian nursing resources. Watch the presentation and then feel free to respond to the following questions.

Element #1 Nurses and Patients, other people requiring service. Luke 10:33-37 or The Good Samaritan

Element #2 Nurses and Practice. Colossians 3:12-17

Element #3 Nurses and the Profession. 1 Peter 4:7-11

Element #4 Nurses and global health. Originally I chose Proverbs 3:27-28. I would change it to Matthew 25:35-40.

I would love to hear which one of the elements is the most difficult to live out as a Christian nurse.

Is it providing compassionate, empathetic nursing care to difficult patients?

Do you lack the moral courage to speak up with conscientious objection?

Have you been unkind and/or unprofessional to your colleagues at work?

Are you blind to the health inequities within your area of nursing or health care?

If you prefer, you can email me your response at nurses4him@gmail.com

Defining Godly Excellence Through Applying Scripture to The ICN Code of Ethics

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In October of 2022, at the NCFI PACEA (Pacific and East Asia) Regional Conference I had the wonderful honor to be one of the conference presenters. I used this opportunity to encourage Christian nurses to live out biblical scripture in fulfilling each element of the ICN Code. I have included the abstract, the video presentation, and a link to the ICN Code for your reference. Enjoy!

Abstract

The ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses defines ethical values, responsibilities, and professional accountabilities to nurses in all areas of practice. Each principal element of the code is a framework for the application of ethical conduct with patients, within nursing practice and the profession, and most recently for global health. Christian Nurses use a biblical worldview based upon the life and teachings of Jesus Christ to guide ethical nursing practice. The application of scripture to each element of the ICN Code of Ethics provides a basis for godly excellence in nursing.

 “The Good Samaritan” teaching in Luke 10:33-37 supports Element #1: Nurses and Patients or Other People Requiring Service.  In the passage, the Samaritan (or nurse) reached across racial/societal barriers to implementing person-centered nursing care. The compassionate nurse promoted human rights while striving for equitable and respectable health care through Christ’s teaching of “love thy neighbor.”

Element #2: Nurses and Practice speak to the identity and role of the nurse. Colossians 3:12-17 reminds nurses they are God’s chosen ones clothed in kindness, humility, and patience. The Spirit of love, peace, thankfulness, and joy form a solid ground of competence and dignity so that everything the nurse says and does is in the name of Jesus.

Christian nurses live out Element #3 Nurses and Profession by contributing to research, managing disasters, and improving organizational environments. 1 Peter 4:7-11 is the basis for collaborating with professionals and using godly gifts to contribute to nursing. Professional characteristics of prayer, self-control, sound judgment, love, and hospitality distinguish the use of gifts to serve and glorify God.

Proverbs 3:27-28 speaks to Element #4: Nurses and Global Health. Christian nurses should make every effort to do good and give to others. Our neighbors, especially those across our borders, have needs and we should not delay in providing for them. At the same time, we can actively advocate against evil in exploitation and abuse.  

Godly excellence is defined by the application of scripture to each element of The ICN Code of Ethics defines by implementing compassionate evidence-informed nursing care, upholding personal and professional standards, engaging in the advancement of the nursing profession, and contributing to the health of all peoples.

Here is the presentation:

Defining Godly Excellence through Applying Scripture to The ICN Code of Ethics

Presentation at PACEA Regional Conference

NCFI Cares: Prayerful Waiting During Advent

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As nurses and midwives, we are in the business of waiting. Whether our patients are waiting for surgery, an upcoming test, healing from an infection, or for an update on their condition, nurses wait with their patients. As nurses, we not only wait with our patients, but we also wait for physicians to see our patients and update their plans of care. We wait for the multidisciplinary team to visit our patient and provide services. We also wait on other nurses. We wait for a report from the previous shift or another facility, or at the end of our shift or day, we wait for the next nurse to take over our assignment.

The Advent Season is a time of waiting also. We seek to find time to quiet our hearts from the busyness of the season to spiritually wait for the anticipated birth of our Messiah. Since we are living in the post-coming of the Messiah, we also equate our spiritual waiting with His future coming (Revelation 22:20).

During these final weeks of Advent, let’s turn our physical waiting into spiritual waiting. We can do this for both ourselves and our patients. Turn the time of inactivity while you are physically waiting with your patient into a time of contemplative waiting. Take those few moments to praise the Lord with the angels from Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Or repeat from Mary’s praises, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” Luke 1:46-47.

If you are waiting with your patient, then quietly pray for your patient following Zechariah’s proclamation in Luke 1:78-79, “the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  You can also spend time waiting with your patient and sharing how as Christians, our time of waiting is over. As believers, we boldly join Simeon in proclaiming:

“Lord, now You are letting your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation that You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”

(Luke 2:29-32)

Christmas Blessings from NCFI