Joshua 18:1-21:12

I grew up wanting to be a Moses, obviously a man easily to be honoured, but I loved Joshua. Lot’s of implications here for how to live my life as a follower of Jesus.

Then the entire congregation of the People of Israel got together at Shiloh. They put up the Tent of Meeting.

The land was under their control but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had yet to receive their inheritance. – Joshua 18:1-2 MSG

When I come into the presence of God, I do so to honour Him. When I come together with the church family, I do so to honour God. When I am obedient, I am filled and empowered with the Holy Spirit, and when I am not, I find myself neglecting to take the opportunities and blessings God is offering to me.

Joshua addressed the People of Israel: “How long are you going to sit around on your hands, putting off taking possession of the land that God, the God of your ancestors, has given you? Pick three men from each tribe so I can commission them. They will survey and map the land, showing the inheritance due each tribe, and report back to me. They will divide it into seven parts. Judah will stay in its territory in the south and the people of Joseph will keep to their place in the north. – Joshua 18:3-5 MSG

My walk with Jesus is one of progress. I have heard it called many things – a warfare, a race, a pilgrimage, a building etc. – all this denoting a continuous effort. There are strongholds to be taken, plains to be seized, fountains and woods and rivers to be gained, trophies to be won. As a follower of Jesus, I am expected to advance in faith, hope, love, knowledge, purity and holiness including gifts and graces in discipline and improvement and in being useful to others and to the Church. This is the secret to discipleship. I can expect this because I have a High Priest, Mediator, who is my Deliverer and who leads me to the land of rest. Why have I not taken my position there? While others are engaged in tending the ground, planting and sowing, erecting houses and expelling the enemy, I am content to remain. To stay where I am is an injury to myself. It is a loss to the Church and dishonours my Redeemer.

Father, I do not confess as much as I could and should. I see revival around the world and all of it starts with confession. I confess that I have not moved forward and engaged as much as I could with the gifts and graces who have provided to me. Forgive me for being comfortable remaining where I am. May I honour You by growing more to be like You.

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Joshua 5-8; Psalm 14; Luke 15

What I love most reading Joshua chapter five and the first nine verses is how God places a premium on preparation. I see it in the New Testament too. Even in the preparation I am reminded that this is all for one task – cross the Jordan. It had nothing to do with the second task of taking Jericho for that required a different kind of preparation. In this case circumcision became the physical sign of a covenant, a mark that these were God’s people. I love the symbolisim of what God would do in my heart, enabling me to love Him. I am so thankful for the death and resurrection of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.^[d] The day after Passover they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land. – Joshua 5:10 HCSB

However, this preparation, celebrating the Passover, won my heart for I believe the spirit of unity is the soul of victory. It was a time of being thankful, together, a time to remember together.

Remember how the story of the prodigal son ended?

But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. – Luke 15:32 HCSB

The father loved the older son as much as the younger one and reminded him that all his wealth and all his property were at his disposal. There was time needed for the older son to reorient his thinking. He needed to see that they had something to celebrate – the brother who was thought dead, is alive. There had to be a party – the one lost was now found. I always wonder if the older brother ever recognized his self-righteousness, arrogance and lovelessness and made the decision to come to the party or did he resist the invitation because of his stubbornness and hard heart.

I know that same invitation to prepare, to celebrate is the same invitation that Jesus gives to me. It also is the same invitation he gave to the Pharisees and scribes and every other sinner that ever lived. What an invitation it is – a call to respond to the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Father, I love how You prepare my heart, taking each day, one day at a time, to grow me and mature me in my walk with You. I might be tempted to see it as a walk of trust or one of faith, but in my heart I know that You are calling me to a walk of love. When I watched You pray, prepared the Last Supper, prepare hearts for Your death and resurrection and specifically Your love for Peter, who You knew would struggle and fail so hard, I know that You have me in a special place too, preparing me for what You have called me to do. May today be no different, may I expect to be in awe of Your presence in my life.

Erwin (evanlaar1922)

Joshua 20,21; Acts 1; Jeremiah 10; Matthew 24

“The Lord said to Joshua, “Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses.  Anyone who kills another person accidentally and unintentionally can run to one of these cities; they will be places of refuge from relatives seeking revenge for the person who was killed. These cities were set apart for all the Israelites as well as the foreigners among them.”  Joshua 20:1-9 NLT

Where do I find my refuge?

“Not a single one of all the good promises of the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.” Joshua 21:44-45 NLT 

When I get impatient and start to feel weary, this verse gives me renewed hope.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.  And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 NLT

I can get complacent and forget that he calls me to be a testimony for him.  At times I just want to go about my day and get my tasks done.  But, this is most often when God will put someone in my path who needs to hear about him.

 “Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full power.  Who would fear you, O King of the nations? The title belongs to you alone! Among all the wise people of the earth and in all the kingdoms of the world, there is no one like you.”  Jeremiah 10:6&7 NLT

I am thankful that God knows the future and I don’t have to.  I can get so caught up in thinking too far ahead that it causes me to be anxious and fearful. He is sovereign.

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.  Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.  You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Matthew 24:42-44 NLT

My daughter and I went out to lunch after church this past Sunday.  And my car was broken into. Thankfully we were fine and nothing valuable was stolen. It was more that we were taken off guard.  What a picture it was for me, that I want to live my life in a way that I am not surprised by the Lord’s return.  I want to be ready.

“I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own.  We are not able to plan our own course.  So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle.  Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.” Jeremiah 10:23&24 NLT

Dear Father, I surrender my life to you again.  Thank you for your love, mercy and patience with me.  Thank you for your Holy Spirit.  I want to be set apart to do your work.  I put my trust in you. Amen.

Amy(amyctanner)

Joshua 9; Psalm 140, 141; Jeremiah 3; Matthew 17

Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips (Ps 141:3)

If only I prayed that daily! If only I prayed before I spoke! So often the words come and they are out of my mouth without so much as a filter. How many people have I torn down instead of built up (1 Thess 5:11)? My words matter.

Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness; let him rebuke me—it is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it. (Ps. 141:5a)

There is a group of women that meet almost every Wednesday night at my house. We figured out we’ve been meeting since 2011. Needless to say, we’ve done a lot of life together. I know them, I know their character. I know their love for the Lord and their desire to walk in righteousness. Do we get it right? Of course not! They have my permission to point out if I am heading in the wrong direction. I trust them and believe they have my best interests at heart. They keep me on the narrow path. Their desire is to always point me to my Lord—and so we are accountable to each other. They are quick to pray for me, build me up, or tell me the truth in love. Their words carry weight.

Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath. (Joshua 9:15)

Joshua and the Israelites were deceived by the Gibeonites. They had heard what happened in Jericho and Ai and did not want to be killed, so they asked to make a treaty with the Israelites after convincing them they had come from far away. They did not inquire of the Lord but made a binding oath in his name. The Gibeonites became water carriers and woodcutters to serve the Lord. God’s word is binding!

¹⁴ When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. ¹⁶ I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.”

¹⁷ “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” ¹⁸ Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. (Matt. 17:14-18) NIV

Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of the boy—his words have power.

So often I speak when I should listen, don’t stop to inquire of the Lord and suffer because of it, and try to do things in my own power when I should be trusting Jesus. I am truly a work in progress. Words have such impact on every aspect of our lives. I am so thankful to have the words in the bible to teach me.

Oh Lord, I shake my head as I remember times I’ve hurt people with my words. But through that I’ve learned humility and to ask for forgiveness. There are times I’ve said I would do something when it is not what you wanted me to do at all! Had I asked, life would have been so much easier. I ask for your help in this area. Help me speak words of kindness and encouragement. Help me to stop thinking I know what those words are and pray for the Holy Spirit to give me the right words at the right time. Those words have power that does not come from me! They have power to love and power to heal. Help me use my words wisely. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen

Cindy (gardnlady)

Joshua 8; Psalm 139; Jeremiah 2; Matthew 16

be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the Lord,
¹³ for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
    the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
    broken cisterns that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:12-13 ESV)

Such a tragedy, and often the truth of our own lives as well.

God offers us living water. We reject it and build our own faulty wells.

God offers protection. We build material fortresses and think them safe.

God exposes our faults to correct us. We think we can run and hide in the darkness.

Do not fear and do not be dismayed. (Joshua 8:1 ESV)

With God, victory is complete. Life is full.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me! (Psalm 139:1 ESV)

We don’t need to second guess anything. He completely knows. He completely knows us. He completely knows the future. He completely knows best.

Some of His plans don’t add up in our mental calculations. Peter actually rebuked Jesus in Matthew 16 when he said he had to suffer and be killed. Can you imagine that? Rebuking Jesus. After confessing Him as Christ.

Yes, I can imagine that. My prayers sometimes stray into that territory, “God, do you really know what you are doing here?” “Wouldn’t it be better if . . .?” “Do you really have this under control?”

Then I realize what I am doing. I’m rejecting his living water and trying to build my own cistern that will surely leak and never satisfy my thirst.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25 ESV)

Father God, laying it all down again. Denying myself. Picking up that cross. Following You. I don’t want to try saving my own life, I leave that in Your capable hands as You already completed that on the cross with Your blood. I want to continue to completely lose myself in you that in doing so I will find life abundant. In Jesus Name, Amen.