Judges 4
To read this text CLICK HERE
Judges 4:8-10, Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.”
“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. There Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali, and ten thousand men went up under his command. Deborah also went up with him.
The cycle began again. The previous judge died, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of God and God allowed them to be overtaken by the Canaanite king. They were brutally oppressed by the Canaanites for twenty years and they cry out to the Lord. He hears them and sends another judge. This time it's Deborah, the only female among the judges.
The Scripture said that Deborah was a prophet and a judge. Remember, prophets are the mouthpieces of God to the people so Deborah had a really difficult job in the midst of all this evil and idolatry. She was obviously highly respected. She summons Barak, and tells him that Yahweh commands he gather his troops for the conquest ahead. But Barak recognizes his own inadequacies. He says he will only go into battle if Deborah goes with him. She doesn't seem entirely pleased with this and tells him that the honor of the victory will not be his but hers. But Deborah does it anyway and the Israelites overtake the Canaanites. It would have been highly unusual for a military victory to be at the hands of a woman in that culture, at that time!
The rest of the chapter describes the quest to find the captain of the Canaanite army, Sisera, who is eventually killed with a tent peg in the head by a woman he thinks is offering him protection. If you haven't read the whole text, it's certainly full of action. The chapter closes with these words in verses 23-24, So on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him. And thanks to Deborah, the Israelites are back to acknowledging the one true God.
Let's pray...Lord, we thank you for Godly leaders like Deborah, who lead your people in times of difficulty and continue to point the way to you. Help us be the kind of people who point others to you in all we do. We love you and give you all the glory. Amen.
Judges 3
To read this text CLICK HERE
Judges 3:7-9,12-15, The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim, to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them...Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms. The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years. Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab.
In Judges 3, we begin to see the cycle that we spoke of yesterday start to establish itself. The people do evil in the eyes of God by worshiping Baal and other gods. As a result, God is angered and he allows his people to be overtaken by a pagan people group. The Israelites cry out to God so God sends a judge. The first judge sent is Othniel, Caleb's younger brother. Othniel goes to war on behalf of God's people and they have a solid victory against the enemy. The Israelites then have peace for forty years until Othniel dies.
After Othniel's death, the cycle begins again. The Israelites do evil in the eyes of God. As a result, God is angered and allows the Moabites to overtake them. The people cry out in desperation and God hears their cry. He sends another judge, Ehud, who kills the king of Moab and leads the Israelites to victory over the Moab nation. They then have peace for eighty years.
The next judge was Shamgar, who struck down hundreds of Philistines. And the cycle begins again...
Let's pray...God of the Ages, Almighty Father, How patient you have been with your people. Over and over again, we have messed up. We have sinned. Just like the ancient Israelites before us, we still sin. How grateful we are to live on the other side of the cross, to know with certainty that you have forgiven us and made a way for us to be reconciled to you. Thank you, Jesus. You made a way where there seemed to be no way. Help us do better, God. In Your Name, Amen.
Judges 2
To read this text CLICK HERE
Judges 2:10-16, After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In his anger against Israel the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the Lord was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. Then the Lord raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders.
God's people seem to have a short memory. It doesn't take long before a new generation of Israelites grew up without knowing the one true God. Possibly because there was so much pagan influence left in the land, this new generation was thoroughly Canaanized. They worshiped other gods, they failed to remember the God who gave them the land, and as a result, God no longer stood with them in battle. God's people, if we can still call them that, are a total and complete mess. God decides to lift his hand of protection and the Israelites become highly vulnerable to attacks from the pagan nations around them.
And despite of all the sin, God extends grace. God raises up judges. The purpose of the judges was to deliver Israel from a series of military attacks by foreign enemies. We will begin to see a definite cycle: the people fall into sin and idolatry, God becomes angry, the people are oppressed by their enemies, the people cry out, the people receive salvation through a particular judge, there is a period of peace, and then the judge dies. And it all begins again.
Let's pray...God, Your grace is amazing. We mess up over and over again and you make a way to save us. You MADE a way to save us through the person of Jesus. We are nothing without you. In Your Name, Amen.
Judges 1
To read this text CLICK HERE
Judges 1:19-21, The Lord was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had chariots fitted with iron. As Moses had promised, Hebron was given to Caleb, who drove from it the three sons of Anak. The Benjamites, however, did not drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the Benjamites.
The period of the Judges is the time from when Moses and Joshua led the nation of Israel and the time of the monarchy. It's a dark and tumultuous time when the people of God did what was right in their own eyes. This was a time in which there was a crisis of leadership in Israel and God's people were not following the covenant they made with God. In fact, Judges profiles the Israel's slow progressive decline into idolatry. There is a fair amount of ugliness in this book.
Chapter 1 begins with the people of God gathering together at an unnamed holy place. They are ready to take the rest of the land which God had declared was already theirs. But this means ridding the land of the Canaanite people. The tribe of Judah begins the conquest. It is in this narrative that we read about the people of God finally taking control of both Hebron and Jerusalem, which was never subdued under Joshua.
Today's focus verses provide a summary of sorts for the conquest. It states that God was with them and because of that they were able to take the hill country. But they weren't able to take the plains because of the iron chariots belonging to the enemy. Furthermore, the Benjamites were not able to drive out the Jebusites.
Throughout the book of Joshua, we read about amazing conquests. Because God was with his people, they were truly unstoppable. If God could make the walls of Jericho fall down, then certainly iron chariots could easily be defeated. Thus, we know that something else must be going on here. The secular nature of the narrator's commentary speaks volumes. We can guess that the Israelites' defeat was related more to their lack of trust in God than to military superiority. Thus, victory is incomplete. This will continue to haunt God's people from this time forward.
Let's pray...Almighty God, Just like the ancient Israelites, we often fail to fully trust in your power. Where there is doubt, Lord, sow trust and assurance. We need you. More of you, Jesus, and less of me. I want to trust in you totally and completely. In Your Name, Amen.
Colossians 4
To read this text CLICK HERE
Colossians 4:2-6, Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
This last chapter of Colossians begins with a word to slave owners to treat their slaves in a way that was fair and right. Please note that Paul's mention of slavery is in no way supportive of it. Slavery was a reality in the Roman Empire. Paul's discussion of loving others as Jesus loved them and his focus that people all are equal in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28), suggest his disapproval of the institution. Among those in the early church, slaves were treated as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Today's focus verses are the last bit of advice on Christian living that Paul offers to the church at Colossae. He reminds the Colossians that three things are crucial: prayer, wisdom, and grace-filled speech/communication. First, their lives were to be devoted to prayer. This isn't too different from his command to the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing. A devoted prayer life includes a lifestyle of prayer, rooted in both gratitude and vigilance. I love how he asks them to pray for open doors to share the Gospel message, specifically that God would provide opportunities for Paul to share the Good News of Jesus wherever his life journey took him.
Then, there is this focus on wisdom. Remember, Paul is encouraging them to stay away from the false teachers and immerse themselves in Godly wisdom. Wisdom provides the right atmosphere for the Christian walk. We must be wise in what we allow ourselves to ingest into our minds and bodies, wise in our talk, and wise in our actions. This is so critical because it's our everyday, walking around lives that are the strongest witness to those outside the church.
Finally, there is an emphasis on grace-filled speech and communication. Oh, how our mouths get us into trouble over and over again. My guess is it wasn't too different 2000 years ago. Paul implores them to speak words of grace which are also "salty," words that make a difference but also words that are well-seasoned, not offensive, effective. Words can build up and words can tear down. Paul is saying to use words that effectively build up the Kingdom of God. Those who follow Jesus need to be intentional and careful in what and how they speak.
We could just as easily have this same discussion today. Without even thinking too much about it, Christians are so careless with what they say and do. Certainly, the foundation of transformation is a devoted prayer life, to which Paul alludes. When we are vigilant about prayer, when we develop a lifestyle of prayer, then we are less careless in the other areas of our lives. We are wiser, we are more grace-filled in speech and actions. It's possible that if every single person at New Hope made an intentional commitment to maintain a devoted, vigilant lifestyle of prayer, then Jesus could surely change the world through us. Certainly, our church would be transformed in pretty incredible ways!
Let's pray...Jesus, Oh, how we need you! We need you to work within us and through us. Change our hearts, O Lord, so that we can bring glory to you. More of you, less of me. Amen.
Colossians 3
To read this text CLICK HERE
Colossians 3:12-14, Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
In this chapter, Paul begins a discussion on sanctification, encouraging the believers at Colossae to grow in their walk with Christ and reflect Jesus in all they do. He implores them to live differently than those around them; they have a higher calling. The false teachers were concerned with life on earth but Paul is telling the Colossians that there is so much more to live for.
In today's verses, Paul is focusing on virtues (in the preceding verses, he talked about vices). He speaks of these character traits like clothing, "clothe" yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Because they are new people in Jesus Christ, they put on new clothes that represent that new life. One can accept Christ and receive salvation, but it is a process learning how to live like a believer. It takes practice putting on these new clothes and yet it is so very important. They must also learn to forgive one another and love each other. We take these concepts for granted in today's church because we talk about love and forgiveness so often. But this would have been new stuff for these early believers. For many, it would have been a drastic shift from their previous life.
While we talk a great deal about love and forgiveness in the modern-day church, I think we also still are figuring out how to live out these concepts. If you ask people who left the church why they did so, it often amounts to being mistreated by a church member or being turned off by hypocritical behavior. It would probably do all of us some good to do an assessment. How much do we reflect compassion in our interactions with others? How often do we reflect kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? How loving have we been toward others over the past week? How forgiving have we been?
Take a moment and think about each virtue. Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10. What areas need work and how might you practice living these out?
Let's pray...Jesus, We need you. It is only in your power that we have a chance of living like the person you have called us to be. How can we reflect your love, forgiveness, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? Only through your power, Lord Jesus. More of you and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Colossians 2
To read this text CLICK HERE
Colossians 2:4-8, I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces[a] of this world rather than on Christ.
Paul was very concerned that the people of the Colossian church would be swayed by fancy and smart-sounding arguments. The arguments of false teachers often sound very convincing. They typically take a small bit of truth and twist it so that it sounds just right enough that people will be convinced. Paul knew this. His goal was for them to grow in their knowledge of Christ, become mature, well-developed disciples, so they would see through the untruths. If they were rooted in Christ, like a solid tree with deep roots, then they would be less apt to be affected by the winds of false teachings.
I love this idea of growing our roots deep into Jesus Christ. If we look at plants, we tend to focus on that which we can see. We see the trunk, the branches, and the leaves, and they may be very beautiful. But what's most important is what we can't see - the deep roots which are vital to the health and longevity of the tree. If a bad storm comes, the tree will stay put because its roots are deep and strong. Paul wanted the Colossian church to have a deep root system as well, one that was firmly based in Jesus Christ. If they grew into strong, mature believers with strong roots, then they would be much less likely to be swayed by the fancy, sophisticated arguments of false teachers.
Historically, we haven't focused on having deep roots. In fact, our discipleship in most American churches has been quite shallow. We have required little of our members; we've asked them to simply warm a pew. Where has that gotten us? Being rooted in Jesus Christ means so much more than church attendance. It means reading and knowing God's Word, abiding with Jesus through prayer and Scripture reading. It means connecting with others for real accountability, listening to others who tell us hard truths about life and faith. It means serving others with the love of Jesus. It means giving sacrificially. And when the strong winds blow, we are ready. We stay solid and united in Jesus Christ, our roots strong and steady.
Let's pray...Dear Jesus, Help us stay rooted in you. How we need you! We get so distracted with stuff that doesn't matter. We get wooed by false teachers. We've become complacent. Lord, we need you. Convict us. Stir a holy discontent within us. More of you, Jesus, and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Colossians 1
To read this text CLICK HERE
Colossians 1:15-18, The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
When Paul wrote this letter, the church at Colossae was facing threats from false teachers. As we read this, we will find a clear theme: the centrality of Jesus Christ. While details aren't known, there was apparently a movement within the town to remove Christ from the church. Thus, Paul goes to great lengths in this short little book to describe the person and work of Jesus and what it means to live as a Christ-follower. While Paul did not found the church at Colossae, he very much feels responsible for it. Therefore, Paul writes this letter with much urgency from a Roman (or possibly Ephesian) prison cell.
Our focus verses for today highlight this emphasis on the identity of Jesus Christ. Notice how in the previous verses Paul speaks about Jesus as Savior, as the one who rescues and redeems us. Now, Paul is speaking of Jesus as Lord. This section is considered a hymn to Jesus Christ and it is rich in theology. Jesus is the visible manifestation of God, God in human form; Jesus is God and nothing less. God's character can be seen in Jesus Christ. Let that sink in.
But there is more. Jesus was present at creation and serves as Lord over all creation. He is supreme over all things. Jesus is Lord and everything exists to reveal his glory.
Then, Jesus as creator and redeemer are brought together again. Jesus, who is head over all creation is also head over the church, his body. Obviously, Jesus existed without the church but the church cannot exist without Jesus. The church is the visible body of Christ in this world but Jesus serves as the head of the church. A body can't function or exist without a head. The church cannot function or exist without Jesus.
It almost seems laughable to me that there was a movement within Colossae trying to remove Jesus from the church. A church can't be a church without Jesus. It's totally absurd. And yet, even as I write that, I realize that there are probably many churches in existence right now that basically function separate from Jesus. Maybe they are religious social clubs or possibly political organizations but they aren't the body of Jesus. This could have happened gradually and slowly. After all, we live in a very distracted, self-reliant culture. I have to admit, even the thought of this is so, so scary to me. How can we ensure that Jesus stays central in all we do at New Hope? Pray, friends. Pray diligently and specifically that Jesus stays at the core of all we do.
Let's pray right now...Dear Almighty God, We serve you and you alone. Jesus, you are our Savior and Lord. You are Lord of our lives and our church. Help all we do reflect that. Help us have laser focus on following you. The world is a mess and a distraction. We need laser focus on you. In Your Name, Amen.
Philippians 4
To read this text CLICK HERE
Philippians 4:4-8, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
In this final chapter of Paul's letter to the church at Philippi, he gives his dear friends some words of wisdom for enduring difficult circumstances. First, there is a command to rejoice. Notice it says nothing about rejoicing when things are good and lamenting when things are bad. Nope. It clearly says to rejoice ALWAYS. If our joy is found in Jesus Christ, then it is unchanging no matter our circumstances. This is certainly hard stuff. I might even say it's impossible except for the fact that Paul was writing this from prison and living it out! These weren't empty words. Think about people you have known personally who, because of their deep faith in Jesus, were able to experience joy and rejoice in the middle of terrible circumstances.
Then, Paul tells the Philippians to let their gentleness be evident to all. Gentleness is part of the fruit of the Spirit and is (or should be) an attribute of all Christ-followers. Gentleness involves being mild-mannered, kind, and selfless. Certainly, demonstrating gentleness would differentiate the Philippians from those around them. Think about gentleness today. How might being gentle show that we are different from the rest of our world, which if we are honest, tends to be loud, bold, and demanding of their own rights.
Next, there is a negative command - don't be anxious! As someone who has struggled with anxiety for years, this seems incredibly difficult. But we must read on. When anxiety strikes, pray with a spirit of gratitude. Then, the peace of God, which makes no sense without Jesus Christ, will guard your hearts and minds. Again, this is really hard. Anxiety can be overwhelming and all-consuming at times. But the presence of God is more powerful. We have to know this and believe it.
Finally, Paul implores the Philippian church to focus on things that are excellent and praiseworthy. For peace to occur, we have to focus on the things of God. How easy it is for the things of the world to dominate our thinking! This is certainly the danger of our 24-hour news cycle - it's all negative and sensational. While we need to know what is going on in the world, we don't need to ruminate on it. We need to ruminate on the things of God! I'm a big fan of turning off the news, limiting time on social media, and being very careful what kinds of things we mentally ingest. Instead, focus on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
Let's pray...Almighty God, We live in a world that will gladly steal our peace. Help us focus on the things of Jesus - the beautiful things of Jesus - rather than the mess of this broken world. We need your peace, Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Philippians 3
To read this text CLICK HERE
Philippians 3:7-9, But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.
What is it about us as human beings that we are always seeking after things that make us look good compared to other people? The apostle Paul in this scripture is speaking to this dynamic. He experienced it too. Earlier in this chapter, Paul talks about his background. He had quite the Jewish pedigree, as he was circumcised at exactly the right time and was born into a pure-blooded Jewish family from the tribe of Benjamin. He says in verse 5, “I was a real Jew if ever there was one.” He was a member of the Pharisees and was zealous. At the time, Paul thought those things were extremely important. So, if we think of a ledger sheet, these things were all gains, his religious merit badges so to speak. They were also a source of pride for Paul; in his mind, he was proving his “spiritual worth” to God and those around him.
Then Paul meets Jesus and everything changes. He writes, But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. Now that he knows Jesus, everything else pales in comparison. Those spiritual merit badges are no longer gains, they are now losses. The ledger sheet gets corrected.
Think about it: those things I thought were so important, those things that I thought demonstrated my value, those things that I thought earned me some gold stars with God – they are nothing. Jesus is everything. But Paul goes one step further. Not only are these spiritual merit badges counted as losses now that he knows Jesus, he actually says that he considers them to be garbage. His whole life, these were things that brought huge amounts of pride, they were what made him admired in his community. He was a real Jew if ever there was one, he was learned, he knew the law backwards and forwards. His family was adhered to tradition and they were admired and esteemed. And now, these things are like rubbish in comparison to knowing Jesus Christ.
Our spiritual merit badges truly have no value in comparison to the grace we have through Jesus. Now, this doesn’t mean that these things are worthless, but we have to know their place. If you led a Bible study and people grew in their walk with Jesus and lives were changed, then that is amazing. It made a huge difference for God's Kingdom but it didn't make put you in a better place before God. Jesus already did that for you! These things don’t make us better than others, they don’t increase our value before God, and they don’t make us better Christians. When we know Jesus, our value isn’t in this stuff, our value is totally and completely found in him. If all our spiritual merit badges were stripped away, we would have the same standing before God. My worth as a person, my worth as a Christ-follower, is not found in any of these things I've done. My worth is totally and completely found in Jesus.
Do you believe this?
Let's pray...Jesus, Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am chosen, adopted, and loved. My worth is found in you and you alone. Amen.
Philippians 2
To read this text CLICK HERE
Philippians 2:12-13, Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
There is so much substance in Philippians 2. We could spend a week on this one chapter alone. If you didn't get the opportunity to read through the whole text, please do so! Paul begins the chapter with this amazing narrative about the attitudes that should characterize Christians. To whom should we compare ourselves? To Jesus Christ, who is the ultimate example of humility, sacrifice, and love. This is some of my favorite Scripture and I can read it over and over again. If you get a chance today, simply take some time to meditate on verses 1-11.
Our focus verses today are really interesting though. Paul is speaking to the Philippians about working out their salvation with fear and trembling. First, obedience to God was a central concept for Paul. Whether he was present with them or not, the expectation is that they should stay obedient to the faith. With salvation comes an expectation of obedience. What does that mean?
We know, and Paul has certainly established this in other writings, that salvation is a free gift. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. If we have said yes to Jesus, then we receive salvation. However, once saved, we don't simply go on living exactly the same way (if we do, then maybe there was no real heart change to begin with). Thus, our attitudes, behavior, and speech should demonstrate our new life in Jesus in some way. When Paul says we work out our salvation through fear and trembling, he is getting at this point. Yes, salvation is a free gift but then we begin to figure out how to live as saved people. We grow in obedience to Jesus, we live out those attitudes that Paul speaks of earlier in the chapter (humility, love, sacrifice), and we begin the process of becoming more like Jesus.
What has your sanctification process been like? How are you working out your salvation with fear and trembling?
Let's pray...Lord Jesus, Thank you for your amazing example of humility, sacrifice, obedience, and love. Help us reflect you more in our everyday, walking around lives. We need you so much! In Your Name, Amen.
Philippians 1
To read this text CLICK HERE
Philippians 1:12-14, And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.
Paul's letter to the church at Philippi is a warm, informal letter, written to address specific concerns to which the church was dealing. Paul is writing the letter from a Roman or possibly Ephesian prison approximately A.D. 62. He doesn't spend a lot of time detailing his circumstances, although the Philippians probably want to know how he is fairing; they love him and are worried about him. But Paul flips the narrative.
Rather than complaining or focusing on the negatives of being imprisoned, Paul discusses how God is using this not so nice situation to advance the Gospel message. Paul uses this situation to share Jesus with those in the prison and encourage fellow believers. This is not wasted time for Paul. He is still evangelizing, ministering, and encouraging.
This reminds me of Romans 8:28 (also penned by Paul), And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. The Apostle Paul knew that God was using this experience for something greater. While God does not cause bad things to occur in our lives, God can and will use the bad to bring about His bigger purpose. God will take the mess in our lives, the prison cells, the struggles, and the tragedies and bring good from them - maybe more people will come to know Jesus, God will grow us spiritually, lives will be changed in some other way, etc. Of course, this takes perspective. In the middle of the dank prison cell, it's sometimes hard to see what good could possibly come from this. It was a gift that Paul could already see how God was using him in such dire circumstances.
Let's pray...Lord Jesus, We tend to complain about difficult circumstances and not see how you can use them to bear fruit for your Kingdom. Give us eyes to see. We trust you that you don't waste any experience. More of you, Jesus, and less of me. Amen.
Joshua 24
To read this text CLICK HERE
Joshua 24:29-31, After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah[c] in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.
Joshua's whole life was dedicated to serving God. His faith never wavered, from the spy reconnaissance mission in Numbers 13, to wandering in the wilderness for forty years, to successfully leading God's people into the promised land. Joshua spent a lifetime leading faithfully, trusting in God to see his people through the next stage of their journey. He may have had moments of wavering but we don't see those in the Scripture. Certainly, if he did doubt, he never acted on them. He made the decision to trust, even when it was hard and scary.
Think about your own life. How has reading the book of Joshua inspired you? What can you learn from the life of Joshua? Are there times in which you made the decision to trust God even though it was really, really hard? What would it take for YOU to live a more faithful life, centered on God's purpose for you?
Let's pray...God, Thank you for faithful leaders like Joshua. Help us become more laser focused on the purpose you have given us and help us trust even when it's hard. More of you, Jesus, and less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Joshua 23
To read this text CLICK HERE
Joshua 23:12-13, But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.
The last two chapters of the book contain Joshua's two farewell speeches. In chapter 23, Joshua is very pastoral, providing encouragement to the Israelites to love God, continue to follow God's law, and avoid becoming contaminated by the pagan people groups around them. He also reminds the Israelites that God will remain with them as they continue to conquer those pagans who still reside in Canaan. I love how he states, "Your God fights for you."
But then there is a stern warning. If the Israelites do become connected to these pagan peoples and intermarry with them, then the blessings of God will not last. God will no longer fight for them and they will risk losing the promised land. It's almost painful to read this because we know the rest of the story. The people do become enchanted with the pagans and their gods. The people don't follow God's ways. They stray. Despite many, many chances to get right with God, the Israelites fall hard. God lifts his hand of protection and they do eventually lose the land.
This speaks to an important point: the land belongs to God and not to Israel. All they have, all they have achieved has been because God provided it. How quickly this gets lost.
How quickly this point also gets lost in our own lives! In the lives of the Israelites, all they had came from God. We may live on the other side of the cross but really our lives aren't that different. God is still provider, protector, and sustainer. As Christians, we serve Jesus as Savior AND Lord. When we say "Jesus is Lord," that means he is Lord of all things, of every area of our life, and that we submit it all to him. Our bodies, our homes, our jobs, our bank accounts, belong to Jesus. We can't hold anything back. Romans 11:36 reads, For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.
Let's pray...Jesus, You are Lord and Savior. All I have is yours. All I have is from you and to be used for your glory. Help that truly be reflected in the way I do life. I want to glorify you. More of you, less of me. In Your Name, Amen.
Joshua 22
Joshua 22: 1-6
Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God.4 And now the Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side Jordan.5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went
After seven years of fighting and helping their brothers, it was time for the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh to return to their homeland east of Jordan. Joshua reinforced the instructions to heed the Lord's command given to them by Moses in Deuteronomy 6:5, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.". In the King James and several other translations in the remainder of verse 5 in chapter 22, we find the word cleave translated from the Hebrew word, habaq. Biblical concordances give the following as definitions of cleave cling, stick, stay close, keep close; follow closely; join; adhere to as if glued; to be glued.
We find this commandment in Matthew 22:37-40, Mark 12;30-31, and Luke 10:27. We are to walk in His ways as commanded by Jesus. Walking closely to the LORD was the way to abundant life for the twelve tribes in the Promised Land and is the way of abundant life in Brandon, Valrico, Lithia, Seffner, Dover, Riverview, etc. We are to walk in his ways, be obedient to Jesus, hold fast- CLEAVE -to our LORD in every trial, every sorrow, every challenge, and every celebration. At the end of each day, we should reflect upon how we loved, served, walked, and, yes, cleaved to the LORD.
Prayer: Lord, you gave us your first commandment in the Old Testament, and you had Joshua remind us again not only to love you, to walk in your ways, to keep your commandment, and to serve you, but to cleave to you. How important it is for us to cleave, to abide, to follow closely. How much sweeter is our life is when we do! We have the peace that passes understanding when we cleave to you. We have joy when we cleave to you, even in our darkest storms. Holy Spirit we ask you to come against the “solvents” of this world which try to keep us from cleaving to you. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Joshua 21
Joshua 21:43-45
43 So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. 44 The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stood against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
In verses 43 -45, the LORD gave the Israelites all that he had sworn or promised to them. Each tribe inhabited their land, and the Levites dwelled in the 48 cities allotted to them with land for their flocks. The LORD was faithful to keep his promises. God made them his chosen people and gave them specific instructions to live for their protection and His best for them. On the other hand, the Israelites did not follow God's commands, and the consequences were costly as we will see later in Judges.
Do we still cling to old strongholds? Romans 6:14, tells us " For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but grace." Through the power of the resurrection, we should no longer have strongholds. Sin has no right to destroy us. We have grace for every trial and the power to overcome every temptation and difficulty. We must ask ourselves if we are living like the 12 tribes, or are we genuinely living like children of God? Are we walking as a chosen member of the "Royal Priesthood"? I do not have Jewish heritage, but I still have some of the "12 tribe hard-headedness" in my spiritual DNA. At times I am just as guilty as the Israelites, who did not wholly follow God's command and ultimately drive out the Canaanites. How about you?
Prayer: O Heavenly Father, we so need the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in complete victory. Help us to remember we are part of Your Royal Priesthood. Those of us with children want the best for them. How much more do you want the best for us? Forgive us when we fail to follow your commands, when we let the busyness of life take our focus off you, when we settle for something less than your best, when we simply don’t listen. You are a patient loving God, and we thank you for sending your son, Jesus to make atonement for our sins and shortcomings, and in His name we offer this prayer to you. Amen.
Joshua 20
Joshua 20:1-4
“The Lord also spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Appoint[a] for yourselves cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the slayer who kills a person accidentally or unintentionally may flee there; and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. 4 And when he flees to one of those cities, and stands at the entrance of the gate of the city, and declares his case in the hearing of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city as one of them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.”
There were six cities of refuge, three on the east side of the Jordan River and three on the west side, placed in strategic locations to be easily reached within one day or less of travel. The roads were well maintained and marked. The perpetrator stood in front of the city gates and pled their case to the city elders, whose requirement it was to admit the fugitive and offer asylum. The elders were not allowed to surrender the person. The fugitive remained in the city until a trial before an assembly. If the High Priest ruled in favor of the fugitive, he was allowed to live in the city until the High Priest died, and then he was redeemed and could return home. If the offender left before the High Priest died, then the other party or family had the right to kill him.
How does this relate to us as a people of the Covenant and not the Law? The cities of refuge and redemption foreshadowed Christ and his shed blood as the atonement for our sins and the gift of eternal life. In 1 John 1:9, we read, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Psalm 34 tells us, “The LORD redeems the soul of His servants. And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. “Another translation uses the words, all who take shelter in Him.”
We see God’s masterful plan woven from Genesis to Revelation. As his followers today, we have the benefit of the entire Bible. Studying the Old Testament is essential to understanding the New Testament. Most importantly, we have the blessing of living right here, right now under the Covenant, knowing all our sins are forgiven. We no longer must run to a city of refuge but to the foot of the cross and confess our sins. In the words of an old hymn, we are “Standing on the promises of Christ, my (our) King.”
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you providing a place of refuge through the cross. Jesus sacrificed his life, so we no longer have to physically run to a place of refuge. We can cry out in anguish and despair or lift our hands and voices in praise to you anytime, anywhere, and you hear us. You are closer than our next breath. Words of old hymns come to mind as I pray this prayer. I have “Blessed Assurance” because I am “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”. Thank you, Jesus for this assurance and your outstretched arms. Amen.
Joshua 19
Joshua 19:49-51
49 When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua, the son of Nun. 50 By command of the Lord, they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it. 51 These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers' houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed by lot at Shiloh before the Lord, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.
There is no explicit direction recorded for Joshua's land inheritance as there was for Caleb. It is probable God did indeed give a specified place for Joshua as well since he and Caleb were the only two of the 12 spies allowed to live in the Promised Land, and Joshua was named Moses' successor in Deuteronomy by "the LORD." The land given to Joshua was in the center or the heart of the land. The name Timnath-serah means an abundant portion or a place in the sun- think Joshua chapter 9. Compared to Death Valley, California, in one commentary, it was a barren place and would require hard work to manage the land and make it prosper. God knew Joshua was the right person to inherit this portion, just as Abraham's portion versus Lot's.
(The ESV translation in today's reading is "By the command of the LORD," which uses the specific name YWHW or as we translate this today, Jehovah, meaning the self-existent, eternal God", the same name God revealed to Moses.)
The name Joshua in Hebrew is Yeshua which when translated to Greek becomes lēsous, which in English translates Jesus. There are resemblances of Joshua and Jesus in addition to their names: they brought/bring deliverance to the people of God; they were both obedient to the One who sent them; they both led/lead the people of God to the Promised Land; they both began life in a very humble manner and rose/have risen to a place of high/highest honor. God saved the best spot in the promised land for last. The first miracle of Jesus was turning the water into wine- the best wine being served last and not first as was the custom.
Prayer: Jesus, forgive us when we are impatient and do not wait to see what your best is for us. You take broken people and barren places and breathe life into them. You bring living water to dry ground, and the land produces plants and trees. You take thirsty souls and quench our spirits for eternity. And you are saving the best wine for us at your banquet table in heaven. Thank you for loving us with a love that is without end. We offer our humble prayers in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Joshua 18
Joshua 18: 8-10
8 So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” 9 So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh, 10 and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.
In ancient times casting lots was viewed as a means of revealing the will of God. The terminology is mentioned at least seventy times in the Old Testament and seven times in the New Testament. God told Moses in Numbers 26 :55, “And the land shall be divided by lot”, and the casting of lots figures most prominently in the Old Testament with the tribal division of the Promised Land. Lots could have been sticks, flat stones, or an object like what we know as dice today. They were often marked with words, symbols, or painted assorted colors. Casting lots was used to determine the offices and functions of the temple, to decide who would bring wood for the altar, by the sailors on Jonah’s ship to ascertain who was the subject of God’s wrath.
The last time casting lots is mentions in the Bible is in the New Testament when the disciples cast lots to determine Judas’s replacement, Matthias at the end Acts chapter 1. In Acts chapter 2, the fulfillment of Jesus’s promise, the Holy Spirit, came at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit changed everything for the apostles and for us. We do not need to cast lots. We do not need to seek psychics or palm/tarot card readers. Through the Holy Spirit indwelling in us, we have direct access to God. We have the God’s Word in its entirety., not just the Old Testament. We have salvation through our faith in Jesus Christ and the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. When faced with tough decisions we ask for wisdom as directed in Romans. 11. The only casting, other than with a rod and reel, we should be doing is what Peter tells us in 1 Peter 5: 6-7:” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please be patient with us as we don’t always cast our anxieties, burdens, and problems on you. We all too often think we can handle things on our own, when, we cannot. Forgive us for not coming to you with everything great or small; for not following your commands which you gave us so that we can live our one and only life on this earth according to your plans. In Jesus name, Amen.
Joshua 17
Joshua 17:12-13
12 Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. 13 Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.
YAHWEH commanded the Israelites, more than once, to destroy all the people in Canaan, the Promised Land. Their religious practices included child sacrifice and religious prostitution, and they were an evil nation in his eyes. YAHWEH did not want his chosen race influenced by this pagan culture. He promised, more than once, that he would drive the pagan nations out of the land, that he would deliver them just as he had in Egypt.
Manasseh’s failure to drive out the Canaanites followed the same pattern as Ephraim in chapter 16. The Canaanites were determined to remain on the land. Manasseh made slaves of the Canaanites instead of following YAHWEH’s command to destroy them. If they had to power to enslave them, they had the power to defeat them. The Manassehites wanted peace and wealth, and enslaving the Canaanites was a convenient and innocent solution. However, this resulted in their downfall, as recorded later in the book of Judges.
The Israelites became comfortable and complacent in their disobedience. We all have areas in our lives where we have become comfortable and complacent because we do not call on the power of the Holy Spirit, given to us under the Covenant of the New Testament, to fight our battles. James tells us in chapter 4 that “you have not because you ask not.” Spend time taking inventory of areas in which you have not completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit and ASK Him to give you victory. The words of a contemporary Christian song reinforces how we are to fight our battles
Bethel Music. “Surrounded (Fight My Battles)”
This is how I fight my battles
It may look like I’m surrounded
But I’m surrounded by You
And for those who prefer hymns, we have the words of Eugene M. Bartlett’s hymn, “Victory in Jesus.
O victory in Jesus, my savior, forever!
He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood,
He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him.
He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood.
For the prayer today, sing one of the songs above as your prayer.