Verse 23 - Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord."
Witnesses against ourselves when we chose God. How can men of flesh understand this or its consequences. I'm not sure that man can fully understand but we can certainly accept this charge on full faith with God beside us in everything we do. Some may see this verse as a sentence, like being restricted or thrown into jail. But I see it as freedom in our faith. A freedom and faith that only God can provide when we truly believe. It means that you know something even when we you don't know it. Witnesses against ourselves - powerful and convicting to men of Christian faith.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Joshua 23
"Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.
If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord's anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you." (Joshua 23:6, 16 NIV)
I like these two verses from chapter 23 because they are good lessons and applicable for today.
If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord's anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you." (Joshua 23:6, 16 NIV)
I like these two verses from chapter 23 because they are good lessons and applicable for today.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Joshua 19
More territories being shared and divided but at the end it says the lands are now divided according to God's plan.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Joshua 18
Joshua 18:20b - to the end of the Chapter --- These were the boundaries that marked out the inheritance of the clans of Benjamin on all sides....
When you look through all of the lands that the tribe of Benjamin received one must note that one town/village is missing...Alachua, FL. Sorry, the division of the remaining lands...I could not resist...and I'm asking for forgiveness, too.
When you look through all of the lands that the tribe of Benjamin received one must note that one town/village is missing...Alachua, FL. Sorry, the division of the remaining lands...I could not resist...and I'm asking for forgiveness, too.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Joshua 17
JOSHUA 17:14-17
14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”
15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites. ”
16 The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”
17 But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment 18 but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”
Last night at FG we were studying in John where Jesus had risen and come back to live among the disciples for a short period....casting the net to the right side of the boat and they caught 153 fish, etc. We were all struck by the fact that even at this point in the text of Jesus he was still, the teacher, the mentor, kind, loving and preparing the disciples for their future, even foreshadowing how the disciples might die. In some ways, Joshua has now taken on a similar role with similar character and behavioral qualities when dealing with the Israelites and the divisions of lands. In verses, 14-17, we can see where there is complaining, unhappiness, whining with his decision by his people but we can also see that Joshua has matured in his faith and trust in God (from earlier chapters) by the way he responds in verse 18. He reminds the people of Joseph that if they keep their faith in God, they to, will prevail in their conquest and drive the Canaanites out of those lands.
How often must we practice or fail to practice our own faith in Christ when dealing with issues we encounter during our day? Are we truly placing all in God's hands or are we trying to be BIG MEN and handle it? BIG MEN fall hard, Men of Faith may fall, too, but Jesus is always with us and God's Grace is forever surrounding us. Why do we forget this...?
14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”
15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites. ”
16 The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”
17 But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment 18 but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”
Last night at FG we were studying in John where Jesus had risen and come back to live among the disciples for a short period....casting the net to the right side of the boat and they caught 153 fish, etc. We were all struck by the fact that even at this point in the text of Jesus he was still, the teacher, the mentor, kind, loving and preparing the disciples for their future, even foreshadowing how the disciples might die. In some ways, Joshua has now taken on a similar role with similar character and behavioral qualities when dealing with the Israelites and the divisions of lands. In verses, 14-17, we can see where there is complaining, unhappiness, whining with his decision by his people but we can also see that Joshua has matured in his faith and trust in God (from earlier chapters) by the way he responds in verse 18. He reminds the people of Joseph that if they keep their faith in God, they to, will prevail in their conquest and drive the Canaanites out of those lands.
How often must we practice or fail to practice our own faith in Christ when dealing with issues we encounter during our day? Are we truly placing all in God's hands or are we trying to be BIG MEN and handle it? BIG MEN fall hard, Men of Faith may fall, too, but Jesus is always with us and God's Grace is forever surrounding us. Why do we forget this...?
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Joshua 16
Same type of Chapter as last night - divisions of lands BUT we still need to find out why the last verse in each of the chapters leaves a peoples unconquered??? Is there an importance or not???
Chapter 15 verse 63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
Chapter 16, verse 10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.
Chapter 15 verse 63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.
Chapter 16, verse 10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.
Joshua 15
Ben posted last night via text (and I have to agree): All I got out of 15 were a bunch of places. lol. It's the division of Judah by it's clans. The land that is...
One point of interest to me that is curious but I did nor research this morning is at the end of the Chapter in verse 63, "Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah." I wonder why God left this tribe in Jerusalem, did the people of Israel disobey again, did Joshua disobey or what is the lesson that is being taught?
...perhaps later today I will try to research an explanation.
One point of interest to me that is curious but I did nor research this morning is at the end of the Chapter in verse 63, "Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah." I wonder why God left this tribe in Jerusalem, did the people of Israel disobey again, did Joshua disobey or what is the lesson that is being taught?
...perhaps later today I will try to research an explanation.
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