Oct 10, 2007
End of Joshua. When Joshua was an old man he called the children to remember all of God’s orders and their obedience to do all he had commanded. He erected a large stone under the oak tree that was in the holy place of God, saying, “This stone is a witness against us. It has heard every word of promise we have made to worship god and Him only. It is a standing witness against you lest you cheat on your God.” Then Joshua died at 110 years old and was buried at Timnath.
October 15, 2007
Romans 1:3 (Thoughts and quotes from The Message) “The sacred writing contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God’s Son. Through Jesus we received both the generous gift of His life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus.”
Thank You Jesus for life. Your life that I have received by faith in You. Even the very faith to trust is a gift from You. May I be obedient to pass this gift on to all You put in my path.
Paul goes on to talk about how he longs to visit Rome and says, “The longer the waiting goes on, the deeper the ache.” Lord, I identify with this ache. The longer I wait for my family to come fully into that wonderful relationship with you, the deeper my ache to see it happen. Keep me faithful to pray and trust, even if I never see it with my own eyes.
Now they have traded the glory of God for cheap worthless trinkets. Oh God, keep the hounds of heaven on their trails. Bring these ones that I love into the lives You have appointed for them. Their faithlessness does not cancel out your faithfulness. Praise the Lord! Your words stand fast and true. Rejection doesn’t faze you. Hallelujah!
V. 23-31. We are utterly incapable of living the glorious life God wills for us. God did it for us! Out of sheer generosity He puts us in right standing with Himself. A pure gift.
He did it by means of Jesus Christ! God sets right all who welcome His action and enter into it. Both those who follow our religion and those who have never heard of our religion.
Lord, give us all a fresh touch from You on and in our lives and heart.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
“And Israel had rest from war!”
October 3, 2007
Joshua 9-11
The people of Gibeon tricked the people of Israel and made a covenant with them for their lives. Verse 14 says “the men of Israel looked them over and accepted their evidence” but they didn’t ask God about it!
Oh Lord, how often do I weigh the evidence in my own so-called wisdom and make wrong decisions because I do not ask You about it? Keep my humble and needy before You that I would always seek Your leadership in small and big decisions.
You allowed Israel to keep their promise to these people, but it would have been so much better Your way! Then king after king came to fight against Israel and were defeated every one, because they obeyed Your orders to kill every one. No survivors. Not a breath of life anywhere.
10:15 says “Just as God commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua and Joshua did it. He didn’t leave incomplete one thing that God had commanded Moses.” V. 23 He did everything God had told Moses. Then he parceled it out as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribes. “And Israel had rest from war!”
Joshua 9-11
The people of Gibeon tricked the people of Israel and made a covenant with them for their lives. Verse 14 says “the men of Israel looked them over and accepted their evidence” but they didn’t ask God about it!
Oh Lord, how often do I weigh the evidence in my own so-called wisdom and make wrong decisions because I do not ask You about it? Keep my humble and needy before You that I would always seek Your leadership in small and big decisions.
You allowed Israel to keep their promise to these people, but it would have been so much better Your way! Then king after king came to fight against Israel and were defeated every one, because they obeyed Your orders to kill every one. No survivors. Not a breath of life anywhere.
10:15 says “Just as God commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua and Joshua did it. He didn’t leave incomplete one thing that God had commanded Moses.” V. 23 He did everything God had told Moses. Then he parceled it out as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribes. “And Israel had rest from war!”
Monday, October 12, 2009
Joshua and the King of Ai.
October 1, 2007
Joshua 8:
God tells Joshua that He has turned the King of Ai over to him. He was not to be timid or hesitant to attach Ai again. And – this time they were given permission to plunder and loot their stuff until their hearts were content. God said He would hand it to Joshua on a platter! He was ordered by God to set an ambush at night. Then, in the morning, Joshua led the remaining army openly to the gate of the city.
When their army came Joshua’s army pretended to run away. Then those in ambush came from behind trapping Ai in the middle. The whole city had emptied out. The ambush group went in and burned the city.
Your Word says every man, woman, and child was killed except the king, who Joshua hanged later. The children of Israel did go back and save the livestock and looted – with God’s blessing this time. After all was said and done Joshua built an altar to God, following instructions from Moses’ book and Joshua read all that Moses wrote to the entire congregation.
I wonder if it was the whole five books that Moses wrote, or just a part? Whatever, it would have taken quite a while. Thank you for the written Word. It is our only connection with Your words now. We need it because we cannot be sure of some of the things we may think You are saying to us in our hearts. Thank you.
Joshua 8:
God tells Joshua that He has turned the King of Ai over to him. He was not to be timid or hesitant to attach Ai again. And – this time they were given permission to plunder and loot their stuff until their hearts were content. God said He would hand it to Joshua on a platter! He was ordered by God to set an ambush at night. Then, in the morning, Joshua led the remaining army openly to the gate of the city.
When their army came Joshua’s army pretended to run away. Then those in ambush came from behind trapping Ai in the middle. The whole city had emptied out. The ambush group went in and burned the city.
Your Word says every man, woman, and child was killed except the king, who Joshua hanged later. The children of Israel did go back and save the livestock and looted – with God’s blessing this time. After all was said and done Joshua built an altar to God, following instructions from Moses’ book and Joshua read all that Moses wrote to the entire congregation.
I wonder if it was the whole five books that Moses wrote, or just a part? Whatever, it would have taken quite a while. Thank you for the written Word. It is our only connection with Your words now. We need it because we cannot be sure of some of the things we may think You are saying to us in our hearts. Thank you.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The not so great Cover-up
September 26, 2007
Joshua 7
Be sure your sins will find you out. God had told Israel that they were not to take anything from Jerico. Only take what God commanded for His treasury. When the army went to fight against a smaller city, they were quickly defeated and sent fleeing in shame. As Joshua fell before God asking why, God told him His covenant had been violated. Someone had stolen and kept some of the loot.
So one by one the tribes were called before God and Joshua – then the clans – then the families, and finally the guilty one – Achan. He confessed that he had taken forbidden loot and buried it in his tent. So the people purified themselves and Achan was taken out of the camp and all Israel stoned him and buried him under the pile of stones. (ugh).
And God’s anger was satisfied that the sin was settled and now they could go on to claim the next section of the promised land.
My Lord, do I have anything that I am trying to cover up and hide from You? The key word here is “try” as I know nothing is ever hidden from You. You know all. You see all. You hear all. I do not want to hide anything. I do not want to hide from Your love.
Keep me open and honest before You and everyone else including myself. Enable and empower me to be honest with myself and recognize truth and live by it.
Joshua 7
Be sure your sins will find you out. God had told Israel that they were not to take anything from Jerico. Only take what God commanded for His treasury. When the army went to fight against a smaller city, they were quickly defeated and sent fleeing in shame. As Joshua fell before God asking why, God told him His covenant had been violated. Someone had stolen and kept some of the loot.
So one by one the tribes were called before God and Joshua – then the clans – then the families, and finally the guilty one – Achan. He confessed that he had taken forbidden loot and buried it in his tent. So the people purified themselves and Achan was taken out of the camp and all Israel stoned him and buried him under the pile of stones. (ugh).
And God’s anger was satisfied that the sin was settled and now they could go on to claim the next section of the promised land.
My Lord, do I have anything that I am trying to cover up and hide from You? The key word here is “try” as I know nothing is ever hidden from You. You know all. You see all. You hear all. I do not want to hide anything. I do not want to hide from Your love.
Keep me open and honest before You and everyone else including myself. Enable and empower me to be honest with myself and recognize truth and live by it.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
God's strange orders
September 24, 2007
Joshua Chapter 6
God’s orders to Joshua were so strange. Proving once again that following His orders (no matter how strange it may seem), is always the best way.
Circle the city only once. Following seven priests with rams-horn trumpets. Do this for six days. On the seventh day march around seven times with the priests blowing away on their trumpets. And, as they marched, the people were instructed to stay quiet – not even whisper, until the signal to shout.
After the seventh time the priests blow a long blast on the horn and when the people hear that they are to shout at the tops of their lungs. Then when the thunderous shout was given– the walls just collapsed and every soldier had a straight direct entry into the city.
Joshua ordered the two spies who had been given protection by Rahab to go immediately to her home and take her and all her family to safety outside the camp of Israel.
The people were also instructed not to covet anything in this cursed city. Everything was to be destroyed – every man, woman, child and beast. The city was burned. Only the silver, gold, bronze and iron were salvaged and put in God’s treasury.
Joshua Chapter 6
God’s orders to Joshua were so strange. Proving once again that following His orders (no matter how strange it may seem), is always the best way.
Circle the city only once. Following seven priests with rams-horn trumpets. Do this for six days. On the seventh day march around seven times with the priests blowing away on their trumpets. And, as they marched, the people were instructed to stay quiet – not even whisper, until the signal to shout.
After the seventh time the priests blow a long blast on the horn and when the people hear that they are to shout at the tops of their lungs. Then when the thunderous shout was given– the walls just collapsed and every soldier had a straight direct entry into the city.
Joshua ordered the two spies who had been given protection by Rahab to go immediately to her home and take her and all her family to safety outside the camp of Israel.
The people were also instructed not to covet anything in this cursed city. Everything was to be destroyed – every man, woman, child and beast. The city was burned. Only the silver, gold, bronze and iron were salvaged and put in God’s treasury.
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