Podcasts about Girgashites

Joshua 3Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[a] between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” 6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. 7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'” 9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. 1. God goes before His people Joshua 3:1 NIV Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. Joshua 3:3, NIV3 … “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Joshua 3:4 NIV 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[a] between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 2. God prepares His people before He moves them Joshua 3:5 NIV 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” 3. Faith steps before it sees Joshua 3:7 NIV 7And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Joshua 3:8 NIV 8Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'” Joshua 3:13 NIV 3 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” Joshua 3:15 NIVNow the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, Joshua 3:16 NIV 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Joshua 3:17 NIV 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. Joshua 4:1-3 NIV When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” Joshua 4:6-7 NIVto serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?' 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

The world can be a scary place – so many things that strike fear in our hearts. And yet over and over again, God says "Do Not be Afraid." What does that mean? How does that work?   Spiders and Snakes I don't know about you but as I look around, it seems to me that the world can be a scary place. Take spiders and snakes – I mean, depending on where you live in this world, they are either dangerous or they're not. Here in Australia we are seriously over represented in the world's "top ten" list of most venomous creatures, so when I was growing up as a child I had good reason to be afraid of them. And still today, the idea of a spider crawling into my bed … ! It's one of the scariest thoughts I can come up with. Let me tell you a funny story. One of the most venomous snakes on the planet is the death adder – great name isn't it? When I was in the Army training to be an officer at the Royal Military College Duntroon, we were one day out doing some grenade practice and that meant you had to sit in bunkers and the person who was throwing the grenade would go out and throw their grenade. Now we had New Zealanders as well as Australians at the Royal Military College and in New Zealand there are no venomous animals at all, so when the Kiwis come across the ditch to Australia, they are petrified of our snakes and our spiders. Well one Kiwi, we'll call him Rock – I've got to tell you this death adder story. He went out of the bunker to go and throw his grenade and we had a dead death adder. So we positioned it in the bunker so he had to sit down right next to it when he came in. Well he came in and he sat down and he looked at it and I've got to tell you, his legs were going before his backside was up off the log and he was running out. We can laugh about it now but the world can be a scary place, especially with friends like me. In my defence I was a young man at the time. So this week we are starting a new series on the programme, it's called "Do Not be Afraid". There is a reason for that – there are lots of people in this world who spend much of their lives living in fear. Sometimes it's because they are living in a war zone – I mean there are plenty of people listening to this programme today who know that only too well. People in the Democratic Republic of Congo for instance, where there is war raging in parts right now – some of those people are sitting in their homes listening to this programme today wondering whether they will see tomorrow or next week or next year. Other times there are different life threatening things that happen. We can have a health scare. The morning I sat down to prepare this message was the morning of the funeral of a friend of mine. Now, he was just a couple of years older than me and he died suddenly of a heart attack. It's easy to be afraid – and it rocks our confidence. And yet other people, they just live lives with a real sense of dread. There is always something there for us to be afraid of or to dread. There is always something lurking out there. For me honestly, if I allowed it, I could be afraid of quite a few things. I mean, I have some things in my life right now that could cause me to experience fear – and that's the thing. It doesn't matter who we are or where we live or … whatever, we all go through times of fear. And that fear can rob us of life itself but time and time and time again, you read in God's Word, these words from God to His people. He says, "Do not be afraid." And He speaks them right at the time when the people He is talking to have every reason to be afraid. They have got people and circumstances coming against them and conspiring against them and they're experiencing fear and yet God wades in and says, "Do not be afraid." Now if God doesn't want me to be afraid when I have every reason to be afraid, you know something? I want to have a piece of His brand of confidence. Don't you think? I mean, think about it! What's the point of God saying, "Do not be afraid", when we have no reason to fear? It's right in the middle of our fear that we need His confidence. I definitely want that – how about you? Well, how can we have that confidence? That's a good question – that's what today's programme is about – that's what this whole four week series is about … "Do not be afraid." So I invite you to come on a journey with me. We are going to start that journey with an account of a time when God's chosen people, Israel, had every reason to be afraid. They were in exile – they had been living in the Promised Land for about five hundred years and yet they had struggled with God. They had worshipped idols and other gods and eventually the Lord their God lost His patience. So in around 586BC, the Babylonians, who were the dominant world power of the day, invaded Jerusalem. They destroyed the place – they destroyed the temple, the place where God's presence dwelt and they took this remnant of God's people back to Babylon as slaves. Talk about a crisis of confidence! Think about it – God made all these promises to Abraham and to Isaac and Jacob and then when Israel was enslaved in Egypt, He sent Moses and did amazing miracles and the whole Red Sea thing and the exodus and the manna from heaven … everything that got them to the Promised Land. And when they got there, with Joshua as their leader, they fought battle after battle against nation after nation that was bigger and stronger than Israel itself and yet God was with His chosen people and they took the land that God had promised them. And now … now Babylon wins! God's own temple is destroyed! Where is God? What happened? Are the Babylonian gods stronger than our God? They have a loss of confidence – it's a big thing. I mean we hear people talking about shareholder confidence and consumer confidence and that feeling when you go to sleep at night, you know, you get that falling sensation and you wake up in a panic, grabbing onto the bed. Confidence is the trust that the earth beneath our feet won't move. It's the trust that the stock market won't fall; it's the trust that the plane we are flying in won't fall off the sky; it's the trust that our governments will do the right thing – it's about trusting, whatever. And then, it's like the rug gets pulled out from under your feet and you lose confidence and panic and fear set in. Why? Because we no longer feel safe – we are no longer able to trust in the things that we have always trusted in. That's where Israel was – there was a complete loss of confidence in their God. Now He was punishing them but they couldn't quite see that. It was like they were flying in a plane at thirty two thousand feet above the ground and all of a sudden, all the engines are silent – panic, fear! And fair enough too! So what does God say to them right in the middle of their fear and panic ... what does God have to say? We are going to take a look at that next.   I am Your God So here is Israel in this scary, fearful place. They have in slavery, exiled in Babylon for the best part of three generations – that's a long time – so only a handful of Israel's elders who can even remember Jerusalem in its heyday. So what does God have to say to these people of His who are cowering in fear under the yoke of slavery? If you have got a Bible, grab it and open it up at Isaiah chapter 41, beginning at verse 8 – he says this: But you Israel, My servant Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, My friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth and called from its farthest corner, saying to you, "You are My servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off. Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be afraid for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My victorious right hand. See, the first thing that God does is He reminds them of His promises to Abraham. When Abraham stood in that Promised Land, centuries before, this is what God promised him – just flick back to Genesis chapter 15, verse 18: On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, "To your descendants I give this land; from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates, the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Rephaim and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites. See, God's promise is that God had chosen them; God had chosen Abraham, their ancestor, God had promised this land and God said, "I will do this." Notice it is all about God! Do not fear, I am with you; I am your God; I will strengthen you. I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious right hand. The whole thing that God relies on here in talking to His people in their fear and in their despair, is not who they are or how strong they are or how clever they are, or how well they have done because they haven't, they are there being punished. No, He is saying to them, "Look who I am, My promise, I am your God, I am with you," but how does that help them? Isn't He the God who failed them seventy years earlier? Okay, so He sends them some prophet, Isaiah, to tell them this – BIG DEAL! And that may well be what you are going through right now. You look at your circumstances – they are so fearful! Okay, so God sends you some joker on the radio with a smooth voice who says "Do not be afraid", but how can you put your confidence in that? It was exactly the same problem that the Israelites had. Their circumstances, the Babylonians, looked so much bigger than their God. I mean, you think about it in your head and you know God is bigger than the things that we are confronting but in your heart, it's so hard to believe in your heart – the fear is destroying any confidence that you might have in God. God knew that – that's why He also said this to them: have a listen to this … this is powerful stuff! So let's pick it up in Isaiah chapter 40 – this is the chapter before the one we have been looking at, verse 18. Have a listen to what God says about Himself: To whom then were you likening God or what likeness compare with Him, an idol? A workman casts it and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. As a gift one chooses mulberry wood – wood that will not rot – then seeks out a skilled artisan to set up an image that will not topple. Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? Hasn't it been told to you from the beginning? Haven't you understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches the heavens out like a curtain and spreads them like a tent to live in; who brings princes to nothing and makes rulers of the earth as nothing. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely are they sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when He blows upon them and they wither and the tempest carries them off like stubble. "To whom then will you compare Me, or who is My equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them by name, because He is great in strength and mighty in power, not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord and my right is disregarded by my God?" Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint and grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable." Do you see how powerful this is? God is saying, "Look, I am God. I created the whole shooting match. See those trillions of stars up there – lift up your eyes, have a look, who do you reckon put them there? I know the Babylonians worship them but I created them. They are out there every night because I tell them to march out there. This is Me who is talking to you – not some crummy idol like the stuff that Babylonians worship – I am bigger than your circumstances. It makes absolute sense to put your confidence in Me.' See, God is speaking this stuff into the hearts of His people when they are afraid; when they have no hope and no future, God comes along and says, "Do not be afraid. Not because of who you are; not because of your circumstances, no, do not be afraid because of who I am. I will come to help you; I will fight your battles for you; I will be your God; I will keep My promises to you."   A Part for God to Play The hardest thing I think in overcoming fear in life is actually getting to the point where we have a high level of confidence in God; in who God is, what He has done – His might and His power and His sovereignty. That all sounds great in theory but what about the practice; what about when the rubber hits the road, then what? See, I used to think it was up to me and I guess in part it is, but not completely. That's just as well because you and I, we're human. We can't conjure up confidence; we can't take this theory about who God is and let the theory somehow wipe away the fear because fear is real. Now, I need something more than that; I need something more than promises on paper and fortunately, that's exactly what God had planned too. He didn't want to leave it all up to us – He wants us to actually experience His peace – not our strength – but a "peace" and a "strength" that come from Him and Him alone. Let's pick up the rest of this story in Isaiah chapter 40, beginning at verse 28. This is what it says: Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. Great, there was the theory again! But now, watch for what comes next! Verse 29: He gives power to the faint and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Do you see the point? The power and the strength, where do they come from – do you or I conjure them up? No, they come from God. He gives those things to us, why? Even youths will faint and be weary and the young and the strong will fall exhausted, but….." And here's the 'but' – the glorious, wondrous, powerful 'but,' "but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not grow faint." You know what it means to wait? It does not mean to wait with a bad attitude; it does not mean to wait with grumbling in our hearts and on our lips; it doesn't mean to stand there paralysed by fear either. No, it means to wait expectantly; to wait on God with the expectation that He is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He is going to do. To wait, right in the middle of our fear – boy that's hard – with our emotions on a rollercoaster; with our enemies around us; with our hearts cast down but with an expectation, never the less, that somewhere deep inside, that God is going to act. Who knows – will God give us victory over our enemies today? I don't know! I mean there were more Christians martyred in the twentieth century than in the whole two thousand years before that, combined. We all die sometimes – is He going to heal this cancer or let it take its course? I don't know! But this one thing I do know, that: those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they will mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. God is saying, indeed He is commanding us through His Word today, "Do not be afraid" instead, wait on Him. You know, when we are waiting in fear and when we are waiting in pain and when we are waiting and it is uncomfortable and unpleasant, we want to grumble and whinge and complain and blame everyone else and have bad stuff coming out of our mouths and have grumbling in our hearts … isn't that what we want to do? We don't like being uncomfortable; we don't like being afraid, we just want it all to finish – "God what are You doing? Come on, move along, let's get over this." But those who wait….who wait expectantly for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. See, come what may, if I am diagnosed tomorrow with terminal cancer, I still am going to put my confidence in God who has given me a life eternal with Him. Because Jesus said to His disciples when they were afraid…..listen to this, John chapter 14, verse 27: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I don't give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not let them be afraid. And yet, so far as we know, each of these disciples, other than Judas, went on to do mighty things for God and then … then they died for their faith. So often, we are focused on the here and now but God's plan for my life and for your life is a life eternal. God's perspective is an eternal perspective and that … that my friend is why you and I can put our confidence in Him. When we are afraid ... when we are in this place that is so scary, we can go to His Word and say, "You know what it says – it says here that 'those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength'." You know, you never feel big; you never feel strong when you are waiting for God. When we are afraid we feel so small – you know, I think God means it to be that way. When we humble ourselves and we just come before God and say, "God, I can't do this. I don't know. I'm afraid; I don't know what to do next. I'm just going to wait on You. I'm just going to wait for You – I don't know what You are going to do – I don't know if You are going to show up, I don't know if You are going to talk, I don't know. I am going to put my faith in You and I am going to wait on You and I know my emotions are going to go up and down. I know it is going to be hard but I'm just going to wait for my God." That's an eternal perspective – that's a God perspective. Jesus had to put His faith in God. Jesus lay all His glory aside and He was there in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before He was crucified – struggling – He was afraid and He was hurting and He just put His trust in God. Do not be afraid. God gives us His peace; that's what this passage from Isaiah says: "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength," the strength comes from God. The "mounting up with eagles" doesn't come because we flap a lot; it comes because we waited on God. The 'running and not being weary' comes from God. "Do not be afraid" – take God's peace from Him – go and wait ... just go and wait before Him and let Him pour His love and His peace into your life. It doesn't matter how big or bad or ugly the enemy is. It doesn't matter how fearful we are. It doesn't matter how dire the consequences of this particular situation might be. Why? Because God is the God who created the whole shooting match – every star in the sky, every part of creation -–God created it. God has an eternal perspective and when we wait on Him, He gives us His peace. That's the promise my friend! "Do not be afraid." Let your confidence rest in God Himself and then, let Him do the rest. Wait on the Lord and you shall renew your strength. Wait on the Lord and you shall mount up with wings like an eagle. That's the promise – it's a God thing!

In this preach, Dion van Breda reminds us that our lives leave a legacy for those who follow after us. Preaching from Joshua, we see that Joshua wanted the people to remember all that God had done for them, so that they would continue to follow Him faithfully even after Joshua was gone.Joshua 24: 1 - 18 (NIV)Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. 3 But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, 4 and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.5 “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. 6 When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. 7 But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.8 “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. 9 When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. 10 But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.11 “‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. 12 I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. 13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.'14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

Study Passage:Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.7 The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, tha they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.4 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘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 and laythem down in the place where you lodge tonight.'”19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?' 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.' 23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.4 Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God.5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.6 Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.7 Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:9 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;10 And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.12 Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:15 And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,17 And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.18 Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.23 Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the land of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;29 And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.30 Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:34 Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.35 For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.36 Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:37 And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.38 And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

“Into the Water”Joshua 3:1-171 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[a] between you and the ark; do not go near it.”5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'”9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/

“Into the Water”Joshua 3:1-171 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits[a] between you and the ark; do not go near it.”5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'”9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.CONNECT WITH USIf you have any questions or would like to get to know us further, head over to https://www.triumphlbc.org/connect and fill out our online connection card.ABOUT TRIUMPHTriumph wants to see the life and message of Jesus transform your heart, home, and city. To learn more visit https://www.triumphlbc.org/

Fear was the first enemy. Flesh is the second. If the Hittite spirit of terror does not stop you at the border of your inheritance, the Girgashite spirit of carnality will try to drag you down once you have entered.But God has made provision. The same Spirit who casts out fear also overcomes flesh. Walk in Him. Set your mind on His things. Follow His guidance. Receive His power. Submit to His will.Do this, and you shall not, you shall by no means, you shall never fulfill the lust of the flesh.It is time to drive out the Girgashites.---------SUBSCRIBE ▶️   Receive our latest videos:https://www.youtube.com/c/PastorSteve...ABOUTPastor, author and speaker Steve Berger is known for his straight talk in dealing with various hot-topic cultural issues that many pastors avoid. In 2021, he founded Ambassador Services International with his wife, Sarah. He serves on the Executive and Pastoral Advisory Boards for Promise Keepers International, and the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast Board, and is Pastor Emeritus of One Church Home in Fairview TN. Whether preaching or writing, in great joy or pain, Steve longs to be a proclaimer of the grace and hope that Jesus came to offer. Since June of 1987, he has been married to Sarah, the love of his life, and together, they have four beautiful children and five grandchildren.LEARN MORE

"And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.4 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the Lord spake unto Joshua, saying,Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:" Joshua 3-4:5

Have you ever made one too many mistakes? You know, you get to a point where you think, That's it! God must be done with me? Well, Abraham was a man of faith who made plenty of mistakes along the way. Yet God seemed to overlook, even o compensate for them. Why was that?   Life Changing Moments As we travel through life we all kind of experience these moments and often they are seemingly insignificant events that in fact, turn out to change the whole course of our lives. It's amazing when you think about it! We all have a plan for our lives but there are things just around the next corner or just over the next rise that can change everything – good things and bad things, happy things and sad things. Some people think, "Well, it's all a matter of chance." Well, I don't believe in chance. I remember a brochure that changed my life. I was attending a little church – I had not long become a Christian and it was a Sunday service like every other Sunday. At the end of the service I walked to the back of the little church and I saw a brochure for a particular Bible College, Tabor College in Sydney. It wasn't a particularly attractive brochure or a well designed brochure – I picked it up and that was a defining moment – I took it home, I read about this ministry degree, I prayed and I felt this incredibly strong tug in my heart. Now in my mind I am thinking, "There's no way. You know Berni, you have been a Christian for five minutes" but in my heart I knew. So I rang them, I applied, I went to see the Principal, I felt like such a fraud. "They are never going to accept me." They did! And there I learned so much but also, by chance again, I came into contact with my predecessor in this ministry; the former CEO of Christianityworks and one thing led to another. And today I'm doing what I am doing because I picked up that little brochure at the back of the church. Now I had no idea that morning that something would happen that would change the course of my life. This week we are starting a new series on Christianityworks, it's called "Defining Moments". It's really exciting! I want to look at this from a different perspective; from God's perspective. See when we look back on our lives most of us can pick three or four, maybe half a dozen defining moments – those little things that seemed to change the whole course of our lives. Now, sure we can see them from our natural human perspective – after all, we are people; we're human, but if we do that I think we miss the point. I want to look at some defining moments in the lives of four people in the Bible – Abraham, Joseph, David and Josiah over the next four weeks and we are starting today with Abraham. I want to see if we can discover how God reaches into our lives with miracles - great and small to define the very course of our lives because God does have a plan. Psalm 139, verse 16, says: Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In Your book were written all the days that were formed for me when none of them as yet existed. And when we at least expect it, and even despite what you and I do or fail to do, His plan is worked out through His grace for His glory. God brings those defining moments. Let's start with Abraham - the man with whom God's engagement of His chosen people began. He was living comfortably in a place called Ur, east of Israel – of course Israel didn't exist back then. Ur was the land of the Chaldeans, later it was called Babylon – it's just south of modern day Baghdad. And he travelled with his father up to Haran and then God called him to leave his comfort and follow this really crazy, absolutely incredulous promise. Let's pick it up – if you have got a Bible, grab it; open it up at Genesis chapter 12. We are going to look at the story of Abraham – it's too much to look at it all in one programme but we are going to have a look at part of his story. Genesis chapter 12, beginning at verse 1: Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. So Abram when as the Lord had told him and Lot when with him. Abram was seventy five years old when he departed form Haran." Seventy five years old! "He and Sarai his wife and they were childless." You see, you have to remember, in the Old Testament, blessing; God's blessing, you knew you had it when you had lots of land and lots of children. They had neither, so they didn't have God's blessing on their lives. Now the word "Abram" means "exalted father". So even his name was a joke, but still he went, off into the never never, based on what – some intangible, crazy call from God? Remember Abram had no Bible; he had no Scriptures to reveal who God was. He had no church tradition, or Jewish tradition – nothing like that. All the other nations had their gods; idols – they worshipped them, they believed all sorts of weird and wonderful things but Abram put his faith; he put his whole life and all his possessions in this God who came up with this incredulous promise. How did God say this to Abram - through an audible voice, a dream, a vision, a whisper of the Spirit in his heart? We don't know but he just heard the call and he trusted in the promises of God and off he went, into the blue yonder. Now God's plan A, remember, is to bless Abram with land and children – impossible of course! Oozes fantasy, not faith – could never happen. And then begins Abram's comedy of errors – pretty tragic actually. We don't have time to look at them all today but we are going to look at some of them. It's a journey where Abram and Sarai his wife, made plenty of mistakes along the way. Take Lot for instance, his nephew – if you look at Genesis chapter 12 again, did God tell Abram to take Lot with him? Not at all – it was Abram's idea. No doubt, this was plan B for Abram. "Well, if God doesn't come through on this promise of a son, at least I'll have a relative to be my heir" and Lot…..Lot causes him all sorts of grief. Let's have a look – Genesis chapter 13, verse 5: Now Lot who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents so that the land couldn't support both of them living together, for their possessions were so great that they could not live together. And there was strife between the herders of Abram's stock and the herders of Lot's stock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land. Then Abram said to Lot, "Let there be no strife between you and me – between your herders and my herders for we are kindred. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I'll go to the right; of you take the right hand, then I will go to the left." Lot looked about him and saw the plain of the Jordan that was well watered everywhere like this garden of the Lord; like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar - this was before the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. So Lot chose for himself all the plain of Jordan and Lot eastward thus he separated from Abram. Gee, plan B worked really well for Abram didn't it? Obviously God didn't know what He was promising Abram and needed a back up! And look how it turned out! Strife, separation and then Abram gave away the best half of the Promised Land. And if you read on in chapter 14, Abram risks his life and God's plan because he has to fight a battle to save Lot's life. Lot was not part of plan A and in chapter 19 of Genesis (we won't go there for now for time reasons) but he ends up sleeping with his own daughters and fathers the Moabites and the Ammonites; both nations that became enemies of Israel. Huh – well done Abram! God obviously needed your help!!   Who Can Blame Him? Well, who can blame Abram? He is in his late seventies now on a journey to nowhere and Sarai is no spring chicken either, I have to tell you. And God gives him this utterly incongruous, impossible promise and Abram is aching inside. "God, what are You doing?"  Can you relate to that? I can! Let's have a look at the defining moment in Abram's journey. It begins in Genesis chapter 15, verse 1: After these things the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: "Don't be afraid, Abram, I am your shield. Your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "Lord God, what will You give me for I continue childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer, son of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the Word of the Lord came to him, "This man shall not be your heir. No one but a son coming from your very own body shall be your heir." God brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then the Lord said to him, "So shall your descendants be!" And Abram believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. I reckon this is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Is Abram a man of faith? Absolutely! But he is struggling – he has tried everything he can do in his own strength and he can't make this promise from God happen and time is marching on. So through his doubt, he ends up with plan C or D or whatever he is up to. How does God respond – with rebuke, with punishment, with discipline? God brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heaven and count the start, if you are able to count them." Then God said "So will your descendants be! Isn't it beautiful? You know, the Milky Way when you get away from the smog and the lights of the city is just the most awesome thing – there are so many stars out there – it almost looks like clouds. Trillions of stars – this is the love of God! And he believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. Abram's faith meant that God's righteousness became part of who he was. It's a theme the Apostle Paul picks up in Romans chapter 4 and in Galatians chapter 3 in the New Testament, much later. See I struggle with the rose coloured glasses that Paul and others in the New Testament use to look back on Abraham. They paint him as this paragon of virtue; this great man of faith. Hebrews chapter 11, beginning at verse 8: By faith Abraham, when he was called to go to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he didn't know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the Promised Land like a stranger in a foreign country, for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age and Sarah herself was barren, was enabled to become a father. That's great but what about all of Abraham blunders? What about his lack of faith? He goes to God and says to God, "What will You give me? What will You show me? I can't see it – I'm losing hope." See, Abraham was human – Abraham had human failures and he made mistakes just like you and me - but the answer is in what we just read in Genesis. How is it that despite all of Abraham's blunders and doubts, God's plan still came to fruition? Because Abraham: "believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness." Abraham believed – he didn't do it perfectly – but he believed and this was counted by God as righteousness. The righteousness of God when we believe, He forgives our sins – He forgets them. "As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us." You see, that's why in the New Testament it doesn't talk about Abraham's mistakes because God has forgiven them and they are not relevant. That's how God deals with Abraham's human failings. This is the defining moment in Abraham's journey: he believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. This night that was like any other; he was in his tent; he was struggling; he was praying; he was saying, 'God, what are you doing?' And God just touches him and brings him outside and says, "Look up at the stars; as many as are there so numerous will be your descendants." It's not about what Abraham did or didn't do. The defining moment is about God's grace! And come and look with me exactly how imperfectly Abraham believed. Come and see with me how human and frail his faith actually is. He is credited with righteousness – God speaks to him and right on the back of that, just two verses later, in Genesis chapter 15, verse 8, begins this: But he said "O Lord, God, how am I to know I shall possess it?" And God said to him, "Bring Me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle dove and a young pigeon." He brought God all those things and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abraham drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abraham and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Know this for certain that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs and they shall be slaves there and they shall be oppressed there for four hundred years but I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you yourself, you shall go with your ancestors in peace and you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." When the sun had gone down and it was dark, and a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day (listen to this) On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham, saying, "To your descendants I give this land – from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates and the land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites and the Kadmonites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Raphaim and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebusites." See, in the face of further doubt from Abraham, God gives him this vision and he makes an unbreakable promise; a covenant; a promise from God Himself to Abraham.   The Last Laugh Just as well, this covenant from God was an unbreakable promise because what happens next, after the stars thing and the vision and the promise, would have been the final straw for me if I had been God. Have a look at the next Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave girl whose name was Hagar and Sarai said to Abram, "You see the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Go into my slave girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of his wife Sarai, so after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian; her slave girl and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife. He went into Hagar and she conceived and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. Then Sarai said to Abram, "May the wrong done to me be on you. I gave my slave girl to you to embrace and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me." Ok, men had more than one wife in those days but people haven't changed that much. Wives, how happy would you be with this outcome? Your husband sleeping with a slave girl and then all of a sudden the slave girl is pregnant. Can you see how perverted this is? And the son that Hagar bore was Ishmail and he became the father of the Arab world! Gee, that worked out brilliantly, didn't it? And so Abram, left to his own devices would have lurched from one blunder to the next but now the bit that really gets me about this story, is the ending. Both Abram and Sarai get to the point – I mean this has been going on for years now; decades where they just end up laughing at God's promises. I mean they are so ridiculous; they are so impossible – have a look – Abram first in Genesis chapter 17, verse 15: God said to Abram, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai anymore but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her and she will give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her." Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah who is ninety years old bear a child?" And Abraham said to God, "O that Ishmail might live in Your sight." And God said, "No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him." And then Sarah's turn next! God appears to Abraham in the form of three men and those men said to him, "Where is your wife Sarah?" And he said, "There, in the tent." Then one of them said, "I will surely return to you in due season and your wife Sarah shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance, behind them. Now Abraham and Sarah, they were old and advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, "After I have grown old and my husband is old, shall I have the pleasure?" See, can you blame Abraham and Sarah for laughing at God? I mean if you don't laugh you will cry. It has been twenty five years – they headed away on this fool's errand into the blue yonder. Abraham is over a hundred – Sarah is over ninety – come on God, what do You think You are doing? But let's see how it ends! Genesis chapter 21: The Lord dealt with Sarah just as He had said and the Lord did for Sarah as He had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken. Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah had borne. Do you know what the word "Isaac" means? It means "he laughs" – you see God had the last laugh! They both laughed at God's promises and God gives them a son called Isaac and God has the last laugh! It's the laughter of God's grace. And when you look back on this journey, what was the defining moment? See, what you and I want to look at is say: "What do I have to do….what do I have to do? What do I have to do to get God's favour?" Isn't that what we are always thinking? And you look at all of Abraham's blunders and you see all the mistakes he made but in his heart he believed and it was reckoned unto him by God as righteousness. His faith trumped his failures! Let me say that again ... Abraham's faith trumped his failures! People came to Jesus years later and they said, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" And Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God: that you believe in the One whom He has sent." Do you get it? The defining moment for Abraham was God's gracious, loving, powerful, impossible, unbreakable, ridiculous, only God could ever do it, take it forever….promise. And in his heart Abraham believed. That's the bit that God saw and took and used and blessed Abraham through. That's why the New Testament writers can completely ignore the failures of Abraham because God….God had forgotten them a long time ago. God had decided to overlook them a long time ago. Abraham was not a perfect man – Abraham was human just like you and me. You make blunders in your life; I make blunders in my life. What does God look at? He looks at whether we put our trust in Him through Jesus Christ. God not only forgave Abraham and Sarah but He cleaned up their mess along the way so that His plan would be fulfilled and realised for His glory. Look again at the defining moment in Abraham's life…Genesis chapter 15, verses 5 and 6: God brought Abraham outside and said, "Look up toward the heaven. Count the stars if you are able to count them." Then God said to him, "So shall your descendants be. And Abraham believed the Lord and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness. What do I have to do to do the works of God? To believe in the One whom He sent; His Son, Jesus Christ!

Pastor John Ryan Cantu brings this week's message, “Egypt Spirit." Deuteronomy 7:1-7 ESV: ““When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples,” Deuteronomy 6:12-13 ESV: “then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.” Deuteronomy 7:17-19 ESV: ““If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?' you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.” If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe and share it with your friends on social media. For more information about PNEUMA Church, visit our website at mypneumachurch.org. Connect with Us: Instagram: https://instagram.com/mypneumachurch YouTube: https://youtube.com/mypneumachurch Facebook: https://facebook.com/mypneumachurch If you'd like to Support the Need for our upgraded sound system, visit mypneumachurch.org/speakers Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Welcome 06:16 - Deuteronomy 7:1-7 ESV; Deuteronomy6:12-13ESV 08:38 - Egypt Spirit

How many of you have heard that God has promised the Jewish people a Land, the Land of Israel, in perpetuity? We talked about this last time but a brief review might be helpful. It's in the Bible, in a covenant that God made with Abraham when he was still Abram:Genesis 15:18–21 NIV18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”Folks, this Land is not just a piece of real estate. It is part and parcel of a series of promises that God made to the Jewish people thousands of years ago. The fulfillment of these promises has not been completed yet. The final completion is yet future. But how is it that through a theological sleight of hand some Christians have tried to subvert or nullify these promises? It has happened through something called Covenant Theology. Covenant Theology is not Biblical. That does not mean that every Covenant Theologian who has ever lived was or is an antisemite; far from it. But Covenant Theology, because it is not Biblical, lays the groundwork for false teachings about the Jewish people and consequently for antisemitism and replacement theology and we are seeing this use of Covenant Theology more and more.What is Covenant Theology? It began after the Reformation, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It is a teaching that says that the entire Bible, from right after The Fall of Man, comes under one Covenant, the Covenant of Grace. This Covenant of Grace, which is nowhere explicitly mentioned or taught in the Bible, subsumes or overarches all other Biblical Covenants that follow the Fall of Man. These are clearly mentioned in the Bible and include four unconditional covenants (the Abrahamic Covenant, the Promised Land Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant) and one conditional covenant (the Mosaic Covenant). If you try to find a clear and easy to understand definition of the Covenant of Grace in the writings of Covenant Theologians I believe you will have great difficulty in doing so. That is because there is no Covenant of Grace in the Bible. The grace of God is in the Bible in abundance in both the Old and New Testaments but there is no Covenant of Grace. But because Covenant Theology is not Biblical, certain false doctrines based on Covenant Theology have come into being over the centuries. Let me give you one major example today. We'll start by looking at some New Testament Scriptures that talk about Abraham.Romans 4:11–12 NIV11 And he received circumcision as a sign, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. 12 And he is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.And:Galatians 3:7 NIV7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.These New Testament verses are telling us that Abraham is the father of all who believe in Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus) whether they are circumcised or uncircumcised (in other words all those who are born again, whether Jew or Gentile). The Gentile believers are obviously spiritual and not physical children of Abraham.Because Covenant Theology teaches that there is one Covenant of Grace that runs from Genesis 3:15 to the end of Revelation 22, that allows Covenant Theologians to use Romans 4:11-12 to over-ride Genesis 15:18 and to make it read like this:Genesis 15:18 “18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants the Church I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—”That is what I would call theological slight of hand and I don't think the motivation for that is good. I believe that it comes straight from the Father of Lies, the Devil.Remember folks, the Bible does not contradict itself. If God made an unconditional covenant with Abraham, He is not going to nullify that later. In fact, listen to what the Apostle Paul says:Galatians 3:17 NIV17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.In other words the Mosaic Covenant does not make void the Abrahamic Covenant, nor does the Covenant of Grace because the Covenant of Grace does not exist. And Covenant Theology is bogus.Next time we'll talk about other distortions of the Scriptures that some Covenant Theologians attempt to create in an attempt to nullify God's promises to Israel.Thanks for listening folks.This is Art Wolinsky. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com

Hi Folks,What does one do when he finds himself at a church that seems just a bit peculiar? It's almost as if there is a paradox. It is a very uplifting place. The people are loving and friendly. The Lead Pastor frequently says to the congregation: I love you. I believe he means it. The preaching is unusually solid and Bible based and the application of the Bible based truths that are taught each week are appropriate and strong. And there are a multitude of spiritual activities that an attender can choose to be involved in. It is a great church!But something is missing. Unfulfilled prophecy, eschatology (the end times), and the modern Nation of Israel are never mentioned or talked about even though much of the Bible is about these things. And looking back over past messages on podcasts, even on the day after the massacre in Israel (October 7, 2023), the worst day of slaughter for the Jewish people since Hitler's Holocaust, not one word of any kind was said about it from the pulpit by the Lead Pastor that Sunday morning. A few weeks ago I asked one of the two associate pastors if the church leadership believed in replacement theology. I received a prompt, courteous, and truthful answer: “We believe in Covenant Theology”. That raised a red flag for me since I understand Covenant Theology to be intimately connected with replacement theology. So, what does a believer do in a situation like this?What is Replacement Theology? It is a teaching which deprives the Nation of Israel and the Jewish people of the specific elect status which God gave to them in the Bible. People who believe in Replacement Theology are sometimes confused about certain things. Let me list some of them, with my answers in upper case, in an attempt to clear things up:Are the Jews still God's Chosen People? YES.Are the Chosen people all saved and are they all going to spend eternity in heaven? NO. Only the elect, those with circumcised hearts, will spend eternity in heaven with God.Do Jewish people have a way of salvation that is different than the way of salvation for Gentiles? NO. There is only one way of salvation for all people: through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, on the cross.Is the gospel still to the Jew first, (Romans 1:16). YES. Is “Salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22) still true? YES. The Jews are no better than anyone else but God chose them for a specific purpose. The husband is no better than the wife but God chose him and not the wife as head of the family (Ephesians 5:23). It was and is like that with the Jews, the elect Jews. God has a certain order of things and He hasn't changed that. Thousands of years ago God said this to the Jewish people through Moses: Deuteronomy 28:13 “The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.”Did God make specific promises to the Jewish people as a Nation? YES. He did this in part through specific covenants, unconditional covenants, that He made with them. We'll look at the Abrahamic Covenant as the first example of this. Covenant Theology attempts to nullify or change the promises made to the Jewish Nation through these covenants.Do saved Gentile people, including those in the Church, participate in the promises that come through these covenants? YES! But they do not participate in promises made specifically to the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One of those promises is the Land of Israel. The Abrahamic CovenantDo you remember when God made certain promises to Abraham in the Torah? In fact He made these promises to Abram even before his name was changed to Abraham. Let's look at some of these.Genesis 15:17-21 NLTAfter the sun went down and darkness fell, Abram saw a smoking firepot and a flaming torch pass between the halves of the carcasses. [18] So the LORD made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River - [19] the land now occupied by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, [20] Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, [21] Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.”The smoking firepot and flaming torch, representing God, passed between the divided animal pieces alone indicating that God cut this covenant with Abraham unilaterally. It was an unconditional covenant. It was a covenant made with Abraham and his physical descendants, the Jewish people. The Land promised to Abraham was much larger than the Land of Israel is today.Then God promised certain other things to Abraham after he offered up his one and only child of promise, his son Isaac, on the altar after God had commanded Abraham to do so. It was a test of Abraham's faith. God interrupted the sacrifice and said this to Abraham:Genesis 22:16-18 NLT“This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that [17] I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. [18] And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed-all because you have obeyed me.”Well folks, all the nations of the earth have been blessed through Abraham's descendants. Most important of all, the Messiah is a descendant of Abraham. The Jewish people were and are descendants of Abraham and they have been a great blessing to the world.But along the way, the Jewish people were seriously disobedient, breaking the Law in many ways, worshipping idols, and offering up their own children as sacrifices. And when their Messiah came, they rejected Him. There would be severe punishment for doing these things. The Jewish people were cast out of their Land twice and after two thousand years they still have not fully returned.And yet because of the unconditional covenant that God made with Abraham earlier, God renewed His covenant with the Jewish people and added to it shortly before they entered the Promised Land. This additional covenant, another unconditional covenant, is probably best called the Promised Land Covenant (a name given to it by Matthew Ervin). Let's read it:Deuteronomy 29:1,12-15 NLTThese are the terms of the covenant the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites while they were in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Mount Sinai. [12] You are standing here today to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God. The LORD is making this covenant, including the curses. [13] By entering into the covenant today, he will establish you as his people and confirm that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. [14] “But you are not the only ones with whom I am making this covenant with its curses. [15] I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the LORD our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.And He also said this to them:Deuteronomy 30:2–3 NIV2 and when you and your children return to the Lord your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you.But many people say the Jewish people are still disobedient today. Most of them do not follow God's Laws, many are atheists, and as a Nation they continue to reject their Messiah. And they are still being punished. Look at what happened on October 7, 2023!Yes, all true. So how is God going to regather His people if they continue in disobedience? Here's how. The Promised Land Covenant continues:Deuteronomy 30:6-8 NLT“The LORD your God will change your heart and the hearts of all your descendants, so that you will love him with all your heart and soul and so you may live! [7] The LORD your God will inflict all these curses (the curses of Deuteronomy 28) on your enemies and on those who hate and persecute you. [8] Then you will again obey the LORD and keep all his commands that I am giving you today.Yes, folks, God will supernaturally effect a change in the heart of every Jewish person and they, the whole nation, will obey God's Laws. After that, all God's promises to the Jews will be fulfilled, in the Millennial Kingdom, after the Messiah returns. That is yet future. At that time, these things will occur:Isaiah 2:2–3 KJV 19002 And it shall come to pass in the last days, That the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; And he will teach us of his ways, And we will walk in his paths: For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.Folks, the God of Jacob is the God of Israel.And here is one more passage:Zechariah 8:23 NIV23 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In those days ten people from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.' ”Folks, these are just two of many examples in the Bible!In the meantime the following verse regarding the Jewish people has not expired:Genesis 12:3 NLT3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”And God's special love for the Jewish people will never pass away:Isaiah 49:15–16 NIV15 “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.Now, what is the point of this message?* There is a future for Israel and the Jewish people as a nation and a people. God has ordained this. The Bible attests to this.* Covenant Theology is not Biblical and it evacuates the promises and prophecies regarding Israel that are in the Bible.* Covenant Theology therefore delegitimizes Israel and its right to the Land and its right to exist. Covenant Theology therefore promotes replacement theology and antisemitism even though individual covenant theologians may not be antisemitic.So, what should church leaders do? Those church leaders who subscribe to Covenant Theology should understand its negative aspects and reverse their position on Israel and the Jewish people. This is not a political issue. Leaders must take a stand.Next time we'll talk about what Covenant Theology is and how it delegitimizes Israel.Thanks for listening!This is Art Wolinsky. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com

When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the Lord be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.6 For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.7 The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:8 But because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.9 Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.15 And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the Lord thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.17 If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the Lord thy God brought thee out: so shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.20 Moreover the Lord thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.22 And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.23 But the Lord thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the Lord thy God.26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“Waiting is not a waste.”~Mark Vroegop (author Dark Clouds, Deep Mercies, pastor, president of TGC)“In the waiting, in the searchingIn the healing, in the hurtingLike a blessing buried in the broken piecesEvery minute, every momentWhere I've been or where I'm goingEven when I didn't know itOr couldn't see itThere was Jesus.”~Zach Williams (Southern Rock artist), feat. Dolly Parton “Waters never part, until our feet get wet.”~Petra (Christian Rock group) “Life doesn't discriminateBetween the sinners and the saints.It takes and it takes and it takesAnd we keep living anyway.We rise and we fall and we break.And we make our mistakes.And if there's a reason I'm still aliveWhen so many have died,Then I'm willing toWait for it,Wait for it."~Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr in Lin Manuel-Miranda's Hamilton “The waiting is the hardest part.”~Tom Petty (Rock artist, 1950-2017) SERMON PASSAGEJoshua 3:1-3, 3:9-4:3 (NIV)Joshua 3 1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it….” 9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.Joshua 4 1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

Jesus Delivered Us (5) (audio) David Eells – 7/16/25 Saints, I want to point out to you that if you want deliverance from any demon, do not put the responsibility for the sin upon the demon. What did Peter say to Ananias and Sapphira? (Act.5:3) … Ananias, why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Spirit …? Was Peter blaming the lying spirit, or was he blaming Ananias? Some people have demons they inherited through the bloodline (Exodus 20:5, 34:7; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 5:9), but we are born in sin. Psa 51:5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.  If you have a demon because of what you have done, guess what? You are still guilty. The Bible does not let you get off without being guilty. So the solution is 1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins (not the demons sins), he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (Pro.26:2) As the sparrow in her wandering, as the swallow in her flying, So the curse that is causeless alighteth not. See, there are people who just run from ministry to ministry looking for somebody to give them deliverance, but they will not first repent. They think all they need is deliverance, but God says they need to repent, because you can get delivered of anything and everything if you repent and believe. So there may be things you have never been delivered of yet, but God's plan is to deliver you from lusts of the flesh and demon spirits that take advantage of them. Let's look at some Old Testament types and shadows about delivering the Promised Land that show us the way God leads us from the time we come to know Him. This “house,” your body, is supposed to be ruled over by the spiritual man, and for that to happen, the carnal man who lives in your house has to be driven out and killed. This is a type of taking the Promised Land. Those Israelites represent the spiritual man, and those Canaanites represent the carnal man. God told them the Canaanites had to be driven out and killed, and the Israelites had to live in their houses. God said in (Deu.7:2) And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them up before thee, and thou shalt smite them; then thou shalt utterly destroy them: thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor show mercy unto them. And He also commanded, (Exo.23:33) They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me; for if thou serve their gods (demons), it will surely be a snare unto thee. You see, if you leave one of the lusts of the flesh in your land, it is going to cause you to sin, so don't leave them and don't bow down to their gods. (Exo.23:20) Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. By the way, you have an angel, too, as the Bible says in (Heb.1:14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation? These spirits are with us to bring us into this salvation that Jesus provided. Exodus 23 is an exact parallel. (Exo.23:21) Take ye heed before him, and hearken unto his voice; provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgression: for my name is in him. God's Name, which is His Nature, Character, and Authority, is in those angels. His Nature is so strong in them that they are perfect prophets for the Lord, and when an angel speaks to you, he speaks to you with the Voice of God. In the Book of Acts, Stephen said it was an angel who spoke out of the burning bush to Moses. (Acts 7:30) And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. An angel spoke to Moses with the Voice of God. (Exo.23:22) But if thou shalt indeed hearken unto his voice, and do all that I speak; (We see the Lord is speaking, but it is the angel's voice.) then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies. If you obey His Voice, He will be an enemy to your enemies. If you do not obey His Voice, He is not going to be an enemy to your enemies. You may run around everywhere looking for your deliverance from flesh and spirit, but you will fail when you are not obeying His Voice. (Exo.23:23) For mine angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: and I will cut them off. These are the original inhabitants of the land. They represent the lusts of the flesh that live in our Promised Land right here, and the Lord is going to lead us to sanctification from every one of these lusts. Each group of these original inhabitants represents the old man ruled over by demon gods with matching specialties and each of their names has a meaning. “Canaanite” means “to bend the knee, to humiliate, to subdue.” “Amorite” means “prominent,” and of course, one of the evils of the flesh is pride. “Hittite” means “terror, fear.” There are many different kinds of demons of fear, and God wants to deliver us from all kinds of fear. Your flesh fears many things; you could have a fear of rejection or a fear of heights and so on. “Perizzite” means “to separate.” Think about it; religions separate from religions and nations separate from nations. Factions separate. When religions separate from each other, it's “sectarianism,” which Paul listed among works of the flesh. (Gal.5:19) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these:] fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (20) idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties, (21) envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like… Paul called them “lusts of the flesh”; we call them “denominations.” And countries naturally have a bias toward the people who live in their nation, but we are not supposed to be divided from Christians anywhere in the world. We are a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). We are “one man in Christ Jesus.” (Gal.3:28) There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one [man] in Christ Jesus. That means a Christian over in Russia is my brother; I am not going to fight for America to kill a Christian over in Russia, or anywhere else. It is wrong! This is worldly thinking and we need to understand that Jesus said, (Joh.18:36) My kingdom is not of this world… We are one holy nation, so no matter where on earth we are living, we are supposed to be a part of (Heb.12:22) … the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. “Jebus” was the old name for Jerusalem, and it's interesting that “Jebusite” means “trodden down.” The Bible says that Jerusalem will be “trodden down.” (Luk.21:24) Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. Revelation 11 talks about the outer court being trodden down. (Rev.11:2) And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. Jesus told us in (Mat.5:13) Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men. It's the old Jerusalem, not the New Jerusalem, who is going to be trodden down. Old, unregenerate Jerusalem was Jebus. They were trodden down that New Jerusalem could take their place. Going on in (Exo.23:24) Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works… Notice two things in this verse: “their gods” and “their works.” If you live after the lusts of your flesh, that is your works, and if you “bow down to their gods,” then you're being ruled by demons. It says in (1Co.10:20) But [I say,] that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have communion with demons. You see, every one of the lusts of the flesh has a demon spirit that rules over it. Jesus Christ sowed a Seed in us to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, but the demons have sown other seeds in mankind. They have sown seeds of anger, seeds of lust, and seeds of rebellion, and the flesh has been bringing forth what is called the “lusts” of the flesh, which is another way of saying “fruit” of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 2:10-19). Demons are the ones who sowed the seeds that have brought this forth. They are the gods of the lusts of the flesh and God commanded us to kill them and not to serve their gods. (Exo.23:33) They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me; for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee. He is talking about marching through this Promised Land, and putting to death, one by one, the lusts of the flesh. And He is talking about not submitting, not bowing down, to their gods. If you are throwing out their “flesh,” you are throwing out the demon gods' power. If you simply throw out the demon gods and hold on to the flesh, they will be back. We are this Promised Land that has to be sanctified. The word “sanctified” means “separated from sin, separated from the curse, and separated unto God.” As God led the Israelites through their Promised Land and they put to death the original inhabitants with a physical sword, so we are led of the Holy Spirit through our promised land to put to death the lusts of the flesh with the “sword” of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. (Heb.4:12) For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. And it is two-edged because one edge is for you. We are commanded to Put to death therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Col.3:5) The devil fears you if you know your authority and you are walking with God. Now, what about casting out demons from the lost? Are we authorized to do that? One time, I had been asking God about casting demons out of my mother. She had come to live with us in our house, but she didn't know the Lord. Most people do not know you need permission from God to cast demons out of a lost person, but it's biblical. (Luk.11:24) The unclean spirit when he is gone out of the man, passeth through waterless places, seeking rest, and finding none, he saith, I will turn back unto my house whence I came out. (25) And when he is come, he findeth it swept and garnished. (26) Then goeth he, and taketh [to him] seven other spirits more evil than himself; and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. You see, the lost person will get them seven times worse if you cast the demons out without the person turning to God. There are “loopholes” in the Bible, and so I asked God for permission to cast the demons out of my mother on the basis that my house is not cursed, but she was in my house and bringing me under a curse. I asked, “God, I am not under the curse. Can I cast the demons out of her because she is bringing a curse upon me?” God gave my daughter Jennifer a dream that night. She saw my mother's house in the middle of my house, except it was three stories tall, sticking out of the top of my house. Out of the second floor, representing the soul, there was a plank leading out to the street. Five chickens, representing unclean spirits, were on it and they were walking the plank to the street. Well, I knew exactly what the Lord was saying. That night, Mama, full of demons, came to our bedroom door and her demons threatened us, “I am going to keep you awake all night!” I said, “Oh no you're not!” My wife and I jumped up and went into her room, and as we stood there, God gave us five spirits to cast out. We didn't even wait to see them come out. We just commanded, “Come out in the Name of Jesus!” as fast as we could name them. Then we marched out, went back to bed, and slept peacefully all night. The next day, we noticed that it was awfully quiet in that room. Not knowing what was going on, we opened the door and peeked in to see that her room was a total mess. And there was my mother, crawling out from under the bed! She had been wrestling in there with something all night long, but when she came out, she was humble, meek, and submissive. I never knew my mother to be that kind of person. She had been demon-possessed all of her life; she had been taking medication all of her life to keep those demons in subjection. Her “religion” had kept her from turning to God when she had the opportunity, but as long as she was in my house, we had peace. When the demons started drifting back, the Lord took her out of my house. As she was dying she returned to peace. There are several reasons why God will give deliverance to the lost, and we should read the Bible like a lawyer because God put loopholes in there so you can step through them sometimes. Another great loophole that the Lord showed me is that if somebody is a blessing to you, you can be a blessing to them. It does not matter if they are lost. We have the example of when Paul was shipwrecked on Melita and the natives of the island came to the rescue. They were very kind to Paul and the others who were cold and wet. The natives dried their clothes and got them out of the rain (Acts 28:1-2). (Act.28:7) Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and entertained us three days courteously. (8) And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him. He never preached the Gospel to him; he just healed him. Then they brought all the sick people on the island to Paul. He prayed for them and God healed them. (Act.28:9) And when this was done, the rest also that had diseases in the island came, and were cured. You do not see this elsewhere in the Bible because “healing is the children's bread” (Matthew 15:26), so I asked, “Why is this, Lord?” The Lord answered, “They were kind to them.” God will let you pray for somebody and heal them because they were good to you. He said, (Gen.12:3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed. This is talking about us; we are the “Israelites.” There's one loophole, too, that's the mercy of God. The demoniac described in the Gospels was so far gone that you could not expect the man to have faith or make a rational decision, and Jesus cast the demons out of him, knowing what kind of decision he was going to make afterward (Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39). Sometimes God does this, but He does not have to do it. Now let me share with you the following testimony: Delivered from Scoliosis by D. M. My brother-in-law once bought me a book by Henry W. Wright entitled “A More Excellent Way: A Teaching on the Spiritual Roots of Disease.” I found the book to be fascinating and, as the British say, “spot-on” in many ways. (There is definitely a connection between a sin and its curse. Quite often, a sickness can identify the sin.) I have a good friend named “A” whom I've known since I was saved. We have conversed via phone for years, since we live in different states. A couple of years ago, he mentioned that he'd had scoliosis since childhood. I didn't say anything to him, but I went to Henry Wright's book and looked up what he had to say about scoliosis. I kept this to myself because I didn't feel right bringing it up to “A.” I knew the time would come as the Lord gave me freedom to do so. Today, I received an email from “A” asking me to pray for him for deliverance from a particular sin. He did not go into detail but gave me a hint. I replied that I would pray for him in a moment. But first I wanted to know when his scoliosis had begun, and if, in fact, it had begun about the time of his traumatic incident. He replied back that it did begin right afterwards. I decided to give him a call. We talked. He made a full confession of the incident. I quoted (Jas.5:16) Confess therefore your sins one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man availeth much in its working. And I told him that there was now nothing in the way of his deliverance. I prayed over the phone with him in agreement. Glory be to God, a hundred-pound weight came off my friend and he was delivered from the evil spirit of scoliosis and was healed! Awesome! Praise the Lord! Saints, we need to be led of the Spirit and wait for the Lord's leading so He can open the way for us to minister to others. Here's another testimony I'd like to share with you. Delivered from Lung Cancer by Linda L. (This lady was healed of a spirit of cancer when I for the brethren in our meeting rebuked it, although she was not present at that meeting. She related to us how, later that same night, what looked like smoke came out of her nose and she knew she was healed. Please note that she had faith to be healed.) My doctor's office called to tell me I had an inconsistency on my chest x-ray. I needed to go to the hospital for another x-ray. The second x-ray was not any better than the first. A CT scan was ordered. The suspicious spot was a ten-centimeter (approximately two inches) sized nodule in the upper right lobe. That night after numerous internet searches, I was devastated to learn that most nodules are malignant. My father had died of lung cancer in 1998. I am very familiar with the disease. At this point I started to do a lot of praying. Even though I knew Jesus heard my prayer, I did not have peace yet. My doctor sent me to a pulmonary specialist. The first thing Dr. Wagner told me was that I was not to worry. The surgeon would remove my lobe. I would not have to undergo chemotherapy or radiation. He started to ask questions about health, lifestyle, etc., and we talked more. He decided to wait and repeat the CT scan in two months. At this point, I told Dr. Wagner that God would heal me. He did not say anything, but I am sure he thought I was deluded. I am a very reserved person. I usually do not share information of this nature with many people. However, the Holy Spirit prompted me to tell Dr. Wagner how Jesus would heal my lung. When I saw Bob, a UBM elder, I told him my predicament. And as we talked, I asked his group to pray for my healing. Jesus would heal me. This was a Tuesday. I did not see Bob during the week, but I KNOW his prayer group prayed for me. A peace beyond all understanding came over me Saturday night. During the middle of the night, I saw an evil spirit leave my lungs! I KNEW I was healed. The next month arrived. It was time to repeat the CT scan. The doctor at the Imaging Center observed the entire scan. He reported the nodule was starting to calcify. In his opinion the nodule was now benign. Tears and praise flowed, as Jesus had healed me. Dr. Wagner told me I was one lucky lady. I reminded him that Jesus would heal me. The doctor did not acknowledge anything yet, but he knows that this healing from a deadly lung nodule was a miracle. Jesus hears our prayers and heals those who ask and have faith. He knows our pain. He honors His commitment to us when we believe Him and the works of His hands. Amen! That's so true! Praise You, Lord! Let's look at this parable in the Old Testament, how God delivers us. The Lord says in (Exo.23:27) I will send my terror before thee, and will discomfit all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. (28) And I will send the hornet before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. You know, it's easy to win a battle when your enemy is afraid, and making your enemy fearful is a proven strategy of warfare. There have been great battles won by very small armies against very large armies, all because fear was in the larger army. This happened to Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War when Arabs attacked them from all sides. Israel won overwhelming victories against all odds because God put fear in the hearts of their enemies. It's a quick battle when the enemy is fearful. Only God is able to do this! He did this in many places in the Scriptures, giving the Israelites tremendous victories. We have a good example where they sent spies into the Promised Land to understand their enemies' thinking. (Jos.2:1) And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men as spies secretly, saying, Go, view the land, and Jericho. And they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lay there… (8) And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof; (9) and she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that the fear of you is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. (10) For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt… Going through the Red Sea was their salvation experience. Guess who knows immediately about our salvation experience? Demon spirits. They know who we are, but the problem is not that they know; the problem is, do we know? This is why we need to study the Scriptures; it's important that we find out who we are. Unless we know who we are, demon spirits can, and do, take advantage of us, but when you know who you are according to Scripture, the demons are fearful. In the dream that the Lord gave my daughter, the Lord had a sense of humor because He pictured the five demons as five chickens. Our enemies know that they cannot keep us from taking our land. (Jos.2:10) For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan, unto Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. (11) And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath. All of these verses are types and shadows of our enemies being fearful of us. (Jos.1:5) There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (6) Be strong and of good courage; for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I sware unto their fathers to give them. (7) Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest have good success whithersoever thou goest. (8) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate thereon day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Spiritually speaking, the Lord is talking about taking this “land” in which we live, taking this land of the soul, which is our mind, our will, and our emotions. God says, (Exo.23:29) I will not drive them out from before thee in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the beasts of the field multiply against thee. From this example, we see that it is not God's plan to purify us instantly, but almost every Christian religion teaches some form of “instantaneous sanctification.” They say all you need to do is get saved and you're sanctified. A number of them also believe that you're automatically filled with the Holy Spirit. In other words, there's a line you just step over and that's all there is to it; then you can sit down and take it easy. No, we can never sit down and take it easy because we have a land to conquer. God goes on to say, (Exo.23:30) By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land. “Little by little” is God's plan. People who have their “instantaneous sanctification” theology do not understand that sanctification is when you are delivered of all the lusts of the flesh to the point where you're not even going to be tempted anymore. The ultimate end of sanctification is when the flesh is dead. We can all think of things in our lives from which God delivered us. They do not even tempt us anymore because that flesh is dead, but God wants to continue that process until He goes through all of our “Promised Land.” God wants to lead you to your enemy, give you the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), and put the fear of God in you (Psalms 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; etc.) He wants to give you understanding to know that you have victory through the Gospel and through the Blood of Jesus. So the Lord said, (Exo.23:22) But if thou shalt indeed hearken unto his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. But He also says, (Exo.23:29) I will not drive them out from before thee in one year… and (Exo.23:30) By little and little I will drive them out from before thee… Well, the people of Israel did not “hearken unto his voice” to do all that the Lord spoke. We read in (Jdg.21:25) In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Jdg.2:20) And the anger of The Lord was kindled against Israel; and he said, Because this nation have transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; (21) I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations that Joshua left when he died; (22) that by them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of The Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not. (23) So the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua. If you break God's Covenant, He is not going to do a quick work of delivering your enemies into your hand. The Blood is our weapon to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The New Testament says, (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The Blood cleanses as we walk in the light and as we obey what we know to obey. We cannot do anything about what we do not know, but as we do what we know to obey, the Blood cleanses. These “lusts of the flesh” and their “gods,” which have the same names, have to be driven out. Every lust of the flesh has a “god.” It's the demon spirit, having the same name, that rules over that particular lust. God said He is not going to be in a hurry to drive out your enemies if you are going to rebel. The Bible says in (Luk.12:48) And to whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required. If you do something with what God gives you, He will give you more, but if you do not do something with what He has already given you, He is not going to give you anymore. You're going to stop right in your tracks because God is a merciful God. Otherwise, you would be condemned for not doing even more, and so when you stop doing something with your Sword against your enemy, God is going to stop. God does not flood us with knowledge of our every evil. He leads us to each individual evil, step-by-step, and He expects us, at that point and time, to do something about it. If He were to just flood our minds with the knowledge of all of the evil in us, we would be overwhelmed and probably lose faith. And if we didn't do something with all that knowledge, we would be condemned. When you have a lot of knowledge, Scripture warns us, (Jas.4:17) To him therefore that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. When you have a lot of knowledge, yet do nothing, you have a lot of sin. God brings these enemies up, one at a time, in front of our face. This usually occurs through temptation, through something happening around us. When He brings these enemies up in front of our face, we have an opportunity to use the Sword to come against that enemy. We can reject that lust of the flesh and command it to go in the Name of Jesus. If there is any demon spirit in our flesh, or if there is any demon spirit using that lust of the flesh to exercise authority in our soul, we can come against it, and we can win right there. We do not have to live with these demons all of our lives or go searching for some deliverance ministry, because we have authority over demon spirits and the flesh (Matthew 28:18-19; Luke 10:19; etc.) We're told, (Rom.6:11) Even so reckon ye also yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God in Christ Jesus. This is what we have to believe. We are dead unto sin, but alive unto God. We have total authority over the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Canaanites, and so forth. We have total authority over them and their gods. Every one of us can learn to exercise our Sword, the Word, against the lusts of the flesh and those spirits. We don't have to live with them anymore, but God is only going to continue this process as long as we cooperate. We are here to conquer our Promised Land, and there's no time for us to rest in the flesh. Our rest is in the Spirit. Our rest is in the promises of God. We can safely rest in His Word. The quicker we submit to him and resist the devil, the quicker we win. It says in (Psa.81:10) I am the Lord thy God, Who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt (He delivered you from the power of the old man at the Red Sea baptism.): Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. That is, “Say what I say,” speak as an oracle of God (1 Peter 4:11). And (11) But my people hearkened not to my voice; And Israel would none of me. (12) So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, That they might walk in their own counsels. (13) Oh that my people would hearken unto me, That Israel would walk in my ways! (14) I would soon subdue their enemies (If we obey and fight the enemy, we will “soon” win.), And turn my hand against their adversaries. And they will be conquered. (15) The haters of the Lord should submit themselves unto him: But their time should endure for ever. (16) He would feed them also with the finest of the wheat; And with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee. It's our obedience that brings the blessings. Remember, we are to be vigilant when we are in a trial because it's our opportunity to come against that particular enemy in our Promised Land and win. God brought us to this enemy for us to conquer it, and to do it now. This is why we are here. He has given us total authority over that enemy. There is no such thing as a “giant” in our Promised Land since even the least of us has total authority over the mightiest demon that comes into contact with us. God is walking with you. You need to realize that He wants your enemies to be conquered here and now, day by day, little by little. (Psa.81:11) But my people hearkened not to my voice; And Israel would none of me. (12) So I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, That they might walk in their own counsels. You see, if you're resting in the flesh, rather than resting in the Spirit, then you are not doing anything. We are here to redeem the time and to win a battle. (Eph.5:15) Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; (16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (17) Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. What is His Will for us if we walk in His ways? (Psa.81:13) Oh that my people would hearken unto me, That Israel would walk in my ways! (14) I would soon subdue their enemies, And turn my hand against their adversaries. You may say, “Well, David, that's exactly my problem, walking in His ways,” but there is always a step you can take, however small it may be. If He makes us responsible to walk in His ways, then we can walk in the light. (1Jn.1:7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. We can take those steps. (Pro.4:18) But the path of the righteous is as the dawning light, That shineth more and more unto the perfect day. You can take one step at a time, and God will be with you each step.

And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.JOS.3:6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.JOS.3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.JOS.3:8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.JOS.3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.JOS.3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.JOS.3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.JOS.3:12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.JOS.3:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.JOS.3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;JOS.3:15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)JOS.3:16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

Join Matt & Jake in this enlightening discussion as they explore the biblical "Seed War" from Genesis to Revelation, starting with the powerful prophecy in Genesis 3:15. Dive deep into the enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed, and how this conflict unfolds throughout Scripture. They also unpack the prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel, offering insight into its significance and prophetic fulfillment. From Genesis 10:15-19 and the lineage of Canaan to the final victory over evil, discover how God's plan of redemption is revealed in history and prophecy. https://itsyahushua.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/seed-war.pdf   Key Topics Discussed: Genesis 3:15 – The First Prophecy of the Messiah & the Seed War The descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:15-19 and their role in Scripture The Prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel and its end-time implications The battle between the seed of the woman and the serpent's seed from Genesis to Revelation How God's redemptive plan unfolds in the midst of the conflict between good and evil Scripture References: Genesis 3:15 – The first prophecy of Jesus and the ongoing war between good and evil. Genesis 10:15-19 – The genealogies of the Canaanites and their impact on the biblical narrative. Ezekiel Prophecy – The judgment and future of Tyre, and its significance in prophetic history. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell icon to stay updated with future discussions on Scripture, prophecy, and biblical insights! #Genesis315 #SeedWar #TyreProphecy #SabbathLounge #BiblicalProphecy #EndTimes #Ezekiel #Genesis #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith #Messiah #EndTimeProphecy #Canaanites #GodsPlan #ChristianPodcastFor more information see www.sabbathlounge.com Find us on iTunes, Spotify, TikTok, and Podbean. At Sabbath Lounge we are dedicated to eating clean, keeping the Feast, Sabbath, following Torah, and leading as many people out of Babylon as possible.   Find more information below: www.sabbathlounge.com    https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge   https://www.britannica.com/place/Tyre   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan_(son_of_Ham)   https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/TableNations   https://genesis6conspiracy.com/   https://knowingscripture.com/articles/giants-in-the-land-a-biblical-theology-of-the-nephilim-anakim-rephaim-and-goliath   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)#Family_tree   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)   https://www.blueletterbible.org/.   https://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Archite   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perizzites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan#Canaanites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebusites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidon   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girgashites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Sinites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Arvadites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Zemarites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Hamathites   https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Amorites-Amurru-Mesopotamia/dp/3330036745   https://www.blueletterbible.org/   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200528115829.htm#:~:text=The%20people%20who%20lived%20in,biblical%20texts%20as%20the%20Canaanites.   Canva AI Images https://www.biblestudying.net/phoenicians.pdf   https://www.lgic.org/en/phoenicians.php  

Join Matt & Jake in this enlightening discussion as they explore the biblical "Seed War" from Genesis to Revelation, starting with the powerful prophecy in Genesis 3:15. Dive deep into the enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed, and how this conflict unfolds throughout Scripture. They also unpack the prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel, offering insight into its significance and prophetic fulfillment. From Genesis 10:15-19 and the lineage of Canaan to the final victory over evil, discover how God's plan of redemption is revealed in history and prophecy. https://itsyahushua.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/seed-war.pdf   Key Topics Discussed: Genesis 3:15 – The First Prophecy of the Messiah & the Seed War The descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:15-19 and their role in Scripture The Prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel and its end-time implications The battle between the seed of the woman and the serpent's seed from Genesis to Revelation How God's redemptive plan unfolds in the midst of the conflict between good and evil Scripture References: Genesis 3:15 – The first prophecy of Jesus and the ongoing war between good and evil. Genesis 10:15-19 – The genealogies of the Canaanites and their impact on the biblical narrative. Ezekiel Prophecy – The judgment and future of Tyre, and its significance in prophetic history. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell icon to stay updated with future discussions on Scripture, prophecy, and biblical insights! #Genesis315 #SeedWar #TyreProphecy #SabbathLounge #BiblicalProphecy #EndTimes #Ezekiel #Genesis #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith #Messiah #EndTimeProphecy #Canaanites #GodsPlan #ChristianPodcastFor more information see www.sabbathlounge.com   Find us on iTunes, Spotify, TikTok, and Podbean. At Sabbath Lounge we are dedicated to eating clean, keeping the Feast, Sabbath, following Torah, and leading as many people out of Babylon as possible.   Find more information below: www.sabbathlounge.com    https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge   https://www.britannica.com/place/Tyre   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan_(son_of_Ham)   https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/TableNations   https://genesis6conspiracy.com/   https://knowingscripture.com/articles/giants-in-the-land-a-biblical-theology-of-the-nephilim-anakim-rephaim-and-goliath   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)#Family_tree   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)   https://www.blueletterbible.org/.   https://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Archite   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perizzites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan#Canaanites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebusites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidon   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girgashites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Sinites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Arvadites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Zemarites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Hamathites   https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Amorites-Amurru-Mesopotamia/dp/3330036745   https://www.blueletterbible.org/   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200528115829.htm#:~:text=The%20people%20who%20lived%20in,biblical%20texts%20as%20the%20Canaanites.   Canva AI Images https://www.biblestudying.net/phoenicians.pdf   https://www.lgic.org/en/phoenicians.php  

Join Matt & Jake in this enlightening discussion as they explore the biblical "Seed War" from Genesis to Revelation, starting with the powerful prophecy in Genesis 3:15. Dive deep into the enmity between the serpent and the woman's seed, and how this conflict unfolds throughout Scripture. They also unpack the prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel, offering insight into its significance and prophetic fulfillment. From Genesis 10:15-19 and the lineage of Canaan to the final victory over evil, discover how God's plan of redemption is revealed in history and prophecy. https://itsyahushua.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/seed-war.pdf   Key Topics Discussed: Genesis 3:15 – The First Prophecy of the Messiah & the Seed War The descendants of Canaan in Genesis 10:15-19 and their role in Scripture The Prophecy of Tyre in Ezekiel and its end-time implications The battle between the seed of the woman and the serpent's seed from Genesis to Revelation How God's redemptive plan unfolds in the midst of the conflict between good and evil Scripture References: Genesis 3:15 – The first prophecy of Jesus and the ongoing war between good and evil. Genesis 10:15-19 – The genealogies of the Canaanites and their impact on the biblical narrative. Ezekiel Prophecy – The judgment and future of Tyre, and its significance in prophetic history. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and click the bell icon to stay updated with future discussions on Scripture, prophecy, and biblical insights! #Genesis315 #SeedWar #TyreProphecy #SabbathLounge #BiblicalProphecy #EndTimes #Ezekiel #Genesis #BibleStudy #ChristianFaith #Messiah #EndTimeProphecy #Canaanites #GodsPlan #ChristianPodcastFor more information see www.sabbathlounge.com Find us on iTunes, Spotify, TikTok, and Podbean. At Sabbath Lounge we are dedicated to eating clean, keeping the Feast, Sabbath, following Torah, and leading as many people out of Babylon as possible.   Find more information below: www.sabbathlounge.com    https://linktr.ee/Sabbathlounge   https://www.britannica.com/place/Tyre   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan_(son_of_Ham)   https://www.julianspriggs.co.uk/Pages/TableNations   https://genesis6conspiracy.com/   https://knowingscripture.com/articles/giants-in-the-land-a-biblical-theology-of-the-nephilim-anakim-rephaim-and-goliath   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)#Family_tree   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ham_(son_of_Noah)   https://www.blueletterbible.org/.   https://classic.net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Archite   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perizzites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hittites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaan#Canaanites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jebusites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidon   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girgashites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Sinites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Arvadites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Zemarites   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_minor_biblical_tribes#Hamathites   https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Amorites-Amurru-Mesopotamia/dp/3330036745   https://www.blueletterbible.org/   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200528115829.htm#:~:text=The%20people%20who%20lived%20in,biblical%20texts%20as%20the%20Canaanites.   Canva AI Images https://www.biblestudying.net/phoenicians.pdf   https://www.lgic.org/en/phoenicians.php  

Monday, 24 March 2025   When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. Matthew 8:28   “And He, having come into the beyond, into the country of the Gergesenes, two demon-possessings, they met Him, coming out from the tombs – exceedingly dangerous – so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way” (CG).   In the previous verse, the disciples marveled at the capability of Jesus to silence the storm, asking who He could be. Matthew next records, “And He, having come into the beyond.”   In other words, they had left Capernaum, sailed across the Sea of Galilee, and had then arrived on the other side, having gone “into the country of the Gergesenes.” Depending on what source text is used, or what book (Matthew, Mark, or Luke) is being evaluated, the area arrived at could be –   Gergesenes Gadarenes Gerasenes   Charles Ellicott notes the following: “Gadara was a city east of the Sea of Galilee, about sixteen miles from Tiberias. ... Gerasa was a city in the Gilead district, twenty miles east of the Jordan, described sometimes as belonging to Cœle-Syria, sometimes to Arabia. ... There was no city named Gergesa, but the name Gergesenes was probably connected with the older Girgashites, one of the Canaanite races that occupied the country before the invasion of Israel (Genesis 10:16; Genesis 15:21; Joshua 3:10; Joshua 24:11; et al.). Apparently, however, from the last passage referred to, they were on the western side of the Jordan. It is, on the whole, more likely that the reading was a mistake, than that the old tribe still remained with its old name; but it is possible that the name of Gerasa may represent an altered form of Girgashim.”   Both Matthew's and Mark's gospels say that the herd of pigs noted in the account rushed into the sea. Luke says they rushed into a lake (meaning the Sea of Galilee). Therefore, the location now must be on the shore of the sea, not some place 20 miles from the Jordan.   Despite this, Albert Barnes rightly states, “There is no contradiction, therefore, in the evangelists. He came into the region in which the two cities were situated, and one evangelist mentioned one, and the other another. It shows that the writers had not agreed to impose on the world; for if they had, they would have mentioned the same city; and it shows. also, they were familiar with the country. No men would have written in this manner but those who were acquainted with the facts. Impostors do not mention places or homes if they can avoid it.”   As for their arrival, Matthew next says, “two demon-possessings, they met Him.” Another seeming problem arises. Matthew says two but Mark and Luke only note a man in the singular. Again, there is no contradiction. This occurs elsewhere in the gospels where one person is noted here and two there.   If there are two, then there is one. Mark and Luke are giving specific focus to one of the men who they encountered. Of these two people possessed with demons, it next says they were “coming out from the tombs.”   Here is a new word, mnémeion. Specifically, it means a remembrance, as in a monument. As such, it then provides the thought of a tomb where one is laid and a remembrance is implied. These demon-possessed men were there, and they were “exceedingly dangerous.”   Another new word is found here, chalepos. It is found only one more time, in 2 Timothy 3:1, where it speaks of perilous or difficult times. It signifies that which is dangerous, but it can also be applied to the state of a person by saying he is fierce or furious. The context will decide the intent.   Of them, it next says, “so too, not anyone capacitate to pass through that way.” The men were so violent that people avoided the area lest they be harmed. In the gospel records of Mark and Luke, the one that they focus on explained that the demons in him were named Legion, signifying many demons possessed him.   His violence was so great that Luke records that “he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness” (Luke 8:29).   One can see that because of this, while Matthew focused on the fact that there were two of them, the other two narratives wanted to highlight this one man who was an especially terrible case.   Life application: With a little bit of mental effort, difficulties between the gospel narratives are seen to be not impossible contradictions. It is good to remember that these are eyewitness accounts. As such, people's perspectives will naturally be different, and they will focus on different things.   Further, the fact is that when two accounts are exceedingly similar, those who want to dismiss the Bible will use that as an excuse, saying they were merely copied from one account to the next.   In other words, no matter what God has revealed in His word, there is always someone who is there to tear it apart and challenge it as if it is corrupt. The corruption can be found in their own mirror. They have failed to accept the written word of God for what it is.   Lord God, we pray for Your word to be held in the highest esteem among churches who proclaim You. When pastors, preachers, and teachers fail to uphold it for what it is, it can only damage the listeners who are waiting to be instructed by it. May we carefully and contemplatively consider it, and may we expect that from our spiritual leaders as well. Amen.

Sometimes, we can be walking in the promises of God, and things start getting tough.  Opposition.  Battles.  What's going on?  Is it time to give up? What happened to all those promises?   THE SPIRITUAL BATTLEFIELD Well over these last weeks on the program we've been looking at the fact that it's time to take the Promised Land. God makes so many promises of peace and of joy and His protection and forgiveness and eternal life, the list goes on and on and you know you and I can come up with so many excuses in our lives as to why those promises couldn't possibly ever be for us. It's true, we do. In a sense those excuses are completely natural and understandable. There was a young woman who wrote recently in response to a program, I want to share with you what she wrote because it's kind of a road we all travel sometimes, this is what she said: For a while now I've been getting negative thoughts and saying negative things, I know the devil's doing it and not God but it won't stop. I want so much to do Gods will and to walk in His ways, am I going mad? Will this wreck my relationship with God? I so much want to do His will for His glory and not mine. I want to be a serving and faithful servant for Him. I have all these problems; I say bad and negative things. I can say things without thinking, I tell lies and other unchristian things, what does it mean for me? Is it going to ruin my relationship with God? See this young woman is struggling with the realities of life. She wants to live in that Promised Land but somehow she's just, she just can't see how it's for her, she just can't seem to get there. We all struggle with these things, we struggle with doubt, we struggle with our failings, will this wreck everything with God? We go over that over and over again. Listen to me, it is time to take the Promised land. Over the last three weeks on the program we've been looking at Israel. God promised to Abraham, the father of Israel, this land of the Canaanites, the Promised Land. And centuries later, centuries, after Israel had grown into a large and mighty nation in slavery in Egypt God brought Moses and through a series of miracles he brought the nation of Israel, His chosen people, out of Egypt, through the Red Sea and they wandered in the desert for forty years as God purified them. And then one day under the leadership of Joshua because Moses had just died, they're standing on the banks of the Jordan River and finally ready to cross into the Promised Land. And what they discover is that there's already a whole bunch of other people living there, the Canaanites and the Jebusites and the Amorites and all those other little vegemites were already there. And even though this was Gods Promised Land it wasn't going to be delivered to them on a platter like a pizza, they had to go out and take it, they were on a war footing. They had to fight battle after battle beginning with Jericho, they went through a lot of battles to take the Promised Land. You know something, it's the same with you and with me and with that young woman, we live on a spiritual battlefield. That is the reality of life. And the moment we step out and we believe in Jesus, the moment we step out and say, "Lord, I'm going to follow you in your promises", we step onto that spiritual battlefield. John Eldridge in his book Waking The Dead makes this powerful statement, he says: Things are not what they seem, this is a world at war. And then he goes on to explain what he means, he writes this: The world in which we live is a combat zone. A violent clash of kingdoms, a bitter struggle unto the death. You were born into a world at war and you will live all your days in the midst of a great battle involving all the forces of heaven and hell and played out here on earth. Until we come to terms with that war as the context of our days, we simply will not understand life. See this is why over the last few weeks we've been working our way through this series in the Book of Joshua called, "It's Time To Take The Promised Land" because the context is war. The devil is not going to hand us God's promises on a silver platter. In fact, he is going to try to rob us of Gods promises at every turn. We'd like to think, particularly those of us who live in the affluent west that being a Christian means living in the blessings of God and having a comfortable life and having plenty of money and taking it easy. Well I don't know if you've noticed but life is not like that especially when we step onto the spiritual battlefield by giving our lives to Jesus Christ. The moment we do that all the forces of hell are unleashed against us. That's the reality, we shouldn't be surprised. I think that the surprise element is what makes it worse. We have these expectations of an easy and comfortable life and when satan unleashes all his devils against us, of temptation, of doubt, failure and opposition and trials and on and on and on, over and over and over, we start thinking 'wow there must be something wrong with me'. Au contraire! Inevitably when we decide to take hold of the promises of God in our lives there will be a battle involved. Don't be surprised by this, it's in the Bible. C S Lewis in his book Mere Christianity put it like this: One of the things that surprised me when I first read the New Testament, seriously, was that it talked so much about a dark power in the universe. A mighty evil spirit who was held to be the power behind death and disease and sin. This universe (writes Lewis) is at war. Wake up! The world is at war. The context of our lives following after Jesus Christ is a spiritual battlefield. See Israel was promised this land through Abraham centuries before they even got there. Do you think when God made that beautiful promise to Abraham that he expected battles and wars and stuff? Listen again just briefly to this beautiful promise to an old man, this impossible promise in Genesis chapter 15. The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision. He said 'don't be afraid, I'm your shield and your very great reward'. But Abraham said, 'O Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus.' Abraham said, 'you have given me no children so a servant in my household will become my heir. And then the word of the Lord came to Abraham, 'this man will not be your heir but a son who comes from your own body will be your heir' and God took Abraham outside of the tent and said, 'look up at the heavens and count the stars if indeed you can count them' and then He said , 'so shall your offspring be. And Abraham believed the Lord and God credited it to him as righteousness. And God also said to him, 'I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to take possession of it.' But Abraham said, 'O Sovereign Lord how can I know that I will gain possession of it? So the Lord said to him, 'bring me a heifer and a goat and a ram, each three years old along with a dove and a young pigeon'. Abraham did that he brought all of those things and cut them in two and arranged the halves opposite each other. The birds however he did not cut in half. And then the birds of prey came down on the carcasses but Abraham drove them away and as the sun was setting Abraham fell into a deep sleep and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him and then the Lord said to him, 'know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and they will be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years but I will punish the nation they serve as slaves and afterwards they will come out with great possessions. You however will go to your father's in peace and be buried at a good old age. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure. And when the sun had set and the darkness had fallen, the smoking fire pot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham and said, "To your descendants I give this land. From the river of Egypt to the river of the Euphrates. The land of the Kenites and the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites and the Rephaites and Amorites and Canaanites and the Girgashites and the Jebushites. This was a serious promise, who would have ever had expected that is would involve battle after battle after battle after battle.   IT'S TIME So let's go from that promise of God to Abraham centuries before into the midst of the taking of the Promised Land. Israel, under the leadership of Joshua, crossed over, they fought battle after battle, they'd taken Jericho and city after city has fallen before them. Why? Because that's what God promised and we're going to pick up the story in Joshua chapter 18, they're not quite half way through taking this Promised Land. There are twelve tribes in Israel, five tribes have their land and seven are left to go, seven have yet to get their Promised Land. It must have seemed like an eternity. You know when you face battle after battle, we're tempted to pull over and stop, to take a breather that kind of turns into a lunch break that turns into a holiday that turns into long service leave and before you know it we haven't got what it takes to keep going again. I tell you, in my life in this ministry Christianityworks, I've been involved now for just on three years and the call on my heart as I took over to start producing radio programs again we weren't on any stations three years ago and today we're on over seven hundred stations in eighty countries around the world. I have to tell you it was hard work, battle after battle after battle. Sometimes there were not enough funds and people said they'd help but then they realised how hard it was to do this work and they just didn't deliver and they fell by the wayside. And people criticised and people didn't understand, you know what I'm talking about and you get tired, you get exhausted. It would have been so easy just to pull up, to slow down, to give up, what a temptation. And yet there was this promise of God in my heart that He'd called me to do this. But we're all tempted to give up half way. You know the only reason I haven't is because along the way I've had some great teaching on this subject from a wonderful teacher called Joyce Meyer and there was just one message and God wrote this stuff on my heart, 'to keep going' and that's my prayer for you today, just this one message that in these few moments we spend together that He will write His word on your heart to keep on pressing forward into the promises of God. Whether we're struggling with fear or sin or addiction or a tough relationship and we hear about Gods promises so we set out on that journey of faith but after a while, oh it's hard work and there is opposition and there are battles and we want to give up, you know what I mean. In fact my hunch is you know exactly what I mean. And it was the same with Israel, they were almost half way into taking the Promised Land, if you've got a Bible open it up, lets listen to Joshua chapter 18. The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up there the Tent of the Meeting. The country was subdued before them but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance. So Joshua said to the Israelites, 'how long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers has given you. Appoint three men from each tribe, I will send them out to make a survey of the land to write a description of it according to the inheritance of each then you will return to me. You are to divide the land into seven parts. Judah is to remain in its territory on the south and the House of Joseph in it's territory on the north. After you have written the descriptions of the seven parts of the land bring them here to me and I will cast lots for you in the presence of the Lord. The Levites however do not get a portion among you because the priestly service of the Lord is their inheritance and Gad and Rueben and the half tribe of Manassah have already received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan, Moses the servant of the Lord gave it to them. As the men started on their way to map out the land Joshua instructed them, 'go and make a survey of the land, write a description of it then return to me and I will cast lots for you here at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord'. So the men left, they went through the land, they wrote its description on a scroll, town by town, in seven parts and returned to Joshua in the camp of Shiloh. Joshua then cast lots for them in Shiloh in the presence of the Lord and there he distributed the land to the Israelites according to their tribal divisions. I love this passage because they're almost half way through and it begins by saying, "the whole land, the whole country was subdued before them". See so much of the work had already been done , God had done so many things, they were so far down the track and sometimes when we're tired of the battle after battle we lose sight of how far we've come. We look back and then, then we see the mighty hand of God at work in the victories. Isn't it the same in our lives? You get tired and you think, "argh Lord this is too hard". It's time to just take a quick look back and see all the mighty things that God has done in our lives. I get such great courage from just looking back, even over these last three years in the ministry of Christianityworks and I think, "man, look at what God has done." And once they've looked back Joshua asks the sixty four million dollar question. Joshua said to the Israelites: How long will you wait before you take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers has already given you? How long will you wait? See you're almost half way there. You take a breather, you pull over, you stop, you get set in your ways, you can't go any further, you lose heart, what are you people doing, how long will you wait? What came next? There was work to be done. They sent the men out, they looked forward, they divided up the land into seven portions. See God always, ALWAYS involves us in what's going on, He never lets us become spiritual couch potatoes, He sent three men from each tribe out to survey the land, to record the land and to choose the seven divisions. And next they came back to Joshua and in the presence of the Lord Joshua cast lots. Really what Joshua was saying there is, "we're going to leave this up to God, we've got some work to do but God is in charge. We're going to cast lots for this land between the seven tribes in front of God and we will let God choose through the lots who gets what land." See there's a message for us here. If we're a people thats pressing forward into the promises of God don't stop, don't pull over, don't give up. If it's a tough relationship that you've been praying over and the Lords has been leading you to do good things, to serve and to support, to humble yourself and you're tired and you want to take a breather and you think, "augh, it's just not going to happen" and get to thinking, "this isn't working, it's not going anywhere, it's time to give up". Or God's called you to something, a ministry or a job or whatever it is that somehow, as you look back you can see all the good things He's done. But the promises seem like such a long way off. Whatever the situation, how long will you hang around here before you take the land that God has already given to you. Come on! Get up and do the things you know you have to do, do them under God and, and what? Do you think God is going to fail you? Do you think God is just leading you up the garden path? Do you think that God has put you up the creek in a barbed wire canoe without a paddle? Are His promises faithful, are they worth following, are they worth it?   THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD Well are the promises of God real? In a sense in theory we can all answer, "sure, I mean if God is God and He makes a promise then it has to be real". But you know something, the theory and the reality can be two different things. I shared a little before about the battles over the last three years that I've travelled through in taking this ministry from, I guess, pretty much nothing to reaching millions of people each week. Now I don't want any of that to seem remarkable because it's nothing that we did, God opened door after door and performed miracle after miracle to do that and it's what God's called me to do, He's called you to something different. So let's not compare as I share my story, hear what God is saying to you today about your story. Now I'm someone who knows the theory of God's promises as well as anyone. I mean a big part of my job is to study God's Word to put together these programs. So I'm "in the theory" if you like all the time but the reality has been that it's been lots of hard work and there have been disappointments and setbacks. And one of the hardest things has been often the people closest to us, people in our own Church, who haven't understood what we do or supported us or encouraged us, there's so many times the finances looked critical. It's still something that happens now and I find myself thinking, "why is it that the people in our own Church don't even support us?" Or one station where we've had a huge audience for a number of years was talking about taking our program off air and we've had to pray and pray and pray and then finally see God's victory. And sometimes I think, "God why can't it be easier than this? God why does there have to be so many battles along the way?" And you know what Gods answer has been to me, so that you my child would discover my faithfulness for yourself. See God wants us to experience his faithfulness, not in theory but in practice and you know something, I know so much more today about the faithfulness of God than ever have simply by travelling through battle after battle and seeing the victories that God has brought along the way. And there is such an intense satisfaction as I look back on that and I can truly say, "yes Lord, it's been hard work but all the glory goes to you and not to me because I could never have done this". The Book of Joshua that we've been travelling through these last weeks is about Israel's battles on the journey of taking the Promised Land. And when finally all the land is taken and allocated to all the tribes have a listen to what God's Word says, if you've got a Bible open it at Joshua chapter 21 beginning at verse 43. So the Lord gave Israel all the land that He had sworn to give their forefathers and they took possession of it and settled there and the Lord gave them rest on every side just as He had sworn to their forefathers, not one of their enemies withstood them, the Lord handed all their enemies over to them, not one of all the Lord's good promises to the House of Israel failed, every one was fulfilled. WOW! Let's just let that sink in for a minute. Not one of all the Lords good promises to the House of Israel failed, every one was fulfilled. When God makes a promise he never ever fails to deliver. When Jesus promised that He came that we would have life in all its abundance, that is a promise of God and it's a promise He intends to keep in your life and in mine. And as we travel through battle after battle and hang close to Him and just let those promises of God glow in our hearts and we hang on to them through this spiritual battlefield the devil comes after you with a meat cleaver and you fail some days and you stumble and you remember Jesus on that cross, you remember He purchased that life for you, we can know in our hearts that now, now it's time to take the Promised Land. And not one of all the Lord's good promises to you or to me will fail; every one of them will be fulfilled. It is time to take the Promised Land.

Passage: 1 After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. 7 And he said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9 He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” 17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.” (Genesis 15:1-21 ESV) Song: Promises (https://open.spotify.com/track/1l4XUxfkBwv43NMRzDe4Mj?si=db82e92dbb3d4bcc) by Jonny Robinson, Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, and Rich Thompson Lyrics: I can always call you father You chose me as your child And your word is always faithful You will not turn aside Now I live in full assurance For my savior paid that price Every promise that you made me Is yes in Jesus Christ You are faithful to your promises We will trust in what the cross has said Through the ages hallelujah you are Faithful to your promises Are you with us in the fire Will you keep us in the storm Are you still the light that guides us When the darkness overwhelms Through the doubts and through the valleys Through the passing years we find Every promise you have spoken Is yes in Jesus Christ You will be our God We will be your people You will be with us Keep us from all evil Every promise made Is a promise kept You are faithful to your promises You began this work within us You will bring it to the end You're the one who goes before us You will have the last Amen So we set our hope upon this An on this we build our lives All your promises forever Are yes in Jesus Christ Prayer: Most loving Father, whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing but the loss of you, and to cast all our care on you who care for us: Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, that no clouds of this mortal life may hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested to us in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. -The Book of Common Prayer

Wednesday, 18 December 2024   “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' Matthew 5:43   “You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall hate your enemy.'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of giving to all who ask of you and to not turn away those wanting to borrow. Now, He says, “You heard that it was said.”   Jesus will again cite precepts from the law of Moses. The first clause is very close to a direct quote from the law. However, the second clause is something that is more to be inferred. It may be that rabbinic commentaries went further in their analysis than the law, but what Jesus says can be rightly inferred from various portions of the law. They are not far from what Moses said in some ways. And so, He begins with, “You shall love your neighbor.”   The words are formed from a greater precept found in Leviticus 19:18 –   “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”   Jesus cites this to His disciples to begin the instruction which follows. Before He gets to that, He next cites the contrary precept saying, “and you shall hate your enemy.”   This precept could be found in the law. For example –   “When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you go to possess, and has cast out many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than you, 2 and when the Lord your God delivers them over to you, you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them nor show mercy to them. 3 Nor shall you make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to their son, nor take their daughter for your son. 4 For they will turn your sons away from following Me, to serve other gods; so the anger of the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly. 5 But thus you shall deal with them: you shall destroy their altars, and break down their sacred pillars, and cut down their wooden images, and burn their carved images with fire.” Deuteronomy 7:1-5   Likewise, this was instructed in Exodus 17 –   “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.' 15 And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; 16 for he said, ‘Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.'” Exodus 17:14-16   Moses then repeated the precept in Deuteronomy –   “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you were coming out of Egypt, 18 how he met you on the way and attacked your rear ranks, all the stragglers at your rear, when you were tired and weary; and he did not fear God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from your enemies all around, in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance, that you will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. You shall not forget.” Deuteronomy 25:17-19   As these words are found in the law, Jesus cannot be said to be citing only rabbinic commentaries. Anyone who reads these instructions could only conclude that these particular enemies were to be hated and destroyed.   Life application: A large majority of the commentaries on Jesus' words in this verse say that He is citing the law in the first clause and only citing rabbinic commentaries in the second. As seen, this is not necessarily correct. If God said to utterly destroy particular people groups, it means that they were not to be associated with. They were to be hated and abhorred.   A problem arises, however, when the term “enemy” is abused. The law notes that when Israel is attacking an “enemy,” if they accept the terms of peace set forth by Israel, they are to be given leniency (see Deuteronomy 20:10-15).   If the rabbis were saying that all “enemies” of Israel were to be hated, it would be contrary to the tenor of Scripture concerning the guidelines for warfare in Deuteronomy 20 as well as other places where enemies become allies.   As such, we need to be attentive to not accept commentaries on Scripture, Christian or otherwise, without checking to see if what those commentaries say aligns with Scripture. But we cannot actually do that unless we are familiar with Scripture already. Putting your trust in what other people say without checking is not a good way to run your life. How much more when it involves spiritual matters that can affect one's eternal destiny?   Be sure to read your Bible daily. Take in what it says and store it away as the finest of treasures. When it is time, take it out and enjoy it again as you carefully consider each word.   Heavenly Father, Your word is wonderful. It is without contradiction, but it has to be considered in light of the context You provide in each passage. Help us to maintain the proper context and carefully consider what You are telling us. In this, we will have a more perfect understanding of Your will and intent for us. Thank You, O God. Amen.

Preacher: Andy Bauer Date: 10/6/24 Series: More Than Conquerors Key Scriptures: Joshua 3:9–17 (ESV) 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” 14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

In Adonai we trust - Prosperity for our PosterityWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.com/studio/?in-adonai-we-trustNetwork: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%203%3A5-6&version=TLVProverbs 3:5-6Trust in Adonai with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A1&version=TLVGenesis 15:1After these things the word of Adonai came to Abram in a vision saying, "Do not fear, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A2-3&version=TLVGenesis 15:2-3But Abram said, "My Lord Adonai, what will You give me, since I am living without children, and the heir of my household is Eliezer of Damascus?" Then Abram said, "Look! You have given me no seed, so a house-born servant is my heir."https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A4-5&version=TLVGenesis 15:4-5Then behold, the word of Adonai came to him saying, "This one will not be your heir, but in fact, one who will come from your own body will be your heir. He took him outside and said, "Look up now, at the sky, and count the stars—if you are able to count them." Then He said to him, "So shall your seed be."https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A6&version=TLVGenesis 15:6Then he believed in Adonai and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A7&version=TLVGenesis 15:7Then He said to him, "I am Adonai who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans, in order to give you this land to inherit it."https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A8&version=TLVGenesis 15:8So he said, "My Lord Adonai, how will I know that I will inherit it?"https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A9&version=TLVGenesis 15:9Then He said to him, "Bring Me a three year old young cow, a three year old she-goat, a three year old ram, a turtle-dove and a young bird."https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A10-17&version=TLVGenesis 15:10-17So he brought all these to Him and cut them in half, and put each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. Then birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, but Abram drove them away. When the sun was about to set and a deep sleep fell on Abram, behold, terror of great darkness was falling upon him! Then He said to Abram, "Know for certain that your seed will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will be enslaved and oppressed 400 years. But I am going to judge the nation that they will serve. Afterward they will go out with many possessions. But you, you will come to your fathers in peace. You will be buried at a good old age. Then in the fourth generation they will return here—for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." When the sun set and it became dark, behold, there was a smoking oven and a fiery torch that passed between these pieces.https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2015%3A18-21&version=TLVGenesis 15:18-21On that day Adonai cut a covenant with Abram, saying, "I give this land to your seed, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River: the Kenite, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Raphaites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."

Genesis 15:18-21 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants, I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” We finished our series, Taking Destiny, last week by looking at the last tribe. And this week, we'll go through each of the tribes to refresh all the different enemies that we might face while stepping into God's promises! This has been a wonderful series, and there's so much more that we could say about God's promises. But hopefully it's been abundantly clear: if God calls you into something, He will provide the very means to accomplish the thing He is calling you to. There may be obstacles and roadblocks and even attacks, but greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. And if God is for us, who can be against us?

Genesis 15:18-21 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants, I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” We are finishing up our series, Taking Destiny, by looking at the last tribe, the Rephaim. These were giants and pretty intimidating people. Physically, they were scary, but what they represented to the Hebrews: a BIG problem. Many people know the story of David and Goliath, of a child overtaking a giant, and this story is kind of a prequel. Pretty early on, God's people found themselves in hard situations facing large obstacles, and they had to lean not on their own understanding and trust in God! In the flesh, we see a huge obstacle, but in the Spirit and with God's help, all giants can be conquered!

Genesis 15:18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi[a] of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates— 19 the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20 Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21 Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” We are continuing in our series, Taking Destiny, this weekend at the Vineyard! This has been a great series looking at all the different tribes that the Hebrew people encountered as they moved towards the Promised Land. Whenever we are led by the Lord to something new, we typically experience some form of resistance, some form of hardship, and it would be easy for us to just shrug our shoulders and say, "Well, maybe I wasn't supposed to do that..." But where the Lord guides, He provides! And we must remember that getting to our place of promise is going to cost something. It may be uncomfortable and hard at times, but if the Lord is in it, He is in it. And we must remind ourselves that God is the one that goes before us as we go to where He is taking us. This week, we're looking at the Perizzites, which means something like apathy and lack of drive to do something that the Lord is asking of us.

Genesis 15:18-21 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates—the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.” We are continuing in our series, Taking Destiny, by unpacking the Kenite tribe! This word means something like a liar, slanderer, or gossiper. We've all been in situations where someone has said something mean or rude to us. We've told ourselves that "sticks and stones may break our bones but words will never hurt us," but this isn't always the case. In the New Testament, James reminds us that there is life and death in the tongue, and we can either uplift one another or tear someone down. And as followers of Christ, our call is always to speak the truth in love and to elevate one another. This week, we'll look at the Kenite tribe and how we're supposed to deal with gossipers and slanderers!

Pastor Damaris Solis brings this week's message, “My Legacy." Key Verse: Joshua 3:1–16 "Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' " Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD–the Lord of all the earth–set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing." Sermon Topics: Legacy, Presence, Trust Time Stamps: 00:00: Intro 00:30: Welcome 04:43: Joshua 3:1–16 08:23: My Legacy

Miracles Do Happen!Joshua 3:13 “When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a single heap.”This is a story that I don't remember from the Bible. I have gone through the Bible in a year twice with Father Mike, so I am sure I have heard it; I don't remember it, so I thought we would take a look at it today especially because I know a lot of people who need some reassurance that miracles do happen. God will take care of you no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. God is not surprised you are in these circumstances. He knew you would be in them, and He has prepared you for them. He has a plan to help you through them. Trust Him.This verse is taking place when Joshua is trying to get the Isrealites to cross the Jordon River to go into the promised land. Let me read to you this part of the story so you can see how it all unfolded. Remember Moses led the people out of Egypt but was not able to live to lead them into the promised land. This was left to Joshua as He was faithful and trusted God could conquer the people who occupied that land currently. I will read you Joshua 3:7-17 “Then the Lord said to Joshua: Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, “When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, there take your stand.” So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord, your God.”  He continued: “By this you will know that there is a living God in your midst: he will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. The ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth will cross the Jordan before you.  Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel. When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a single heap.”The people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. When those bearing the ark came to the Jordan and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were immersed in the waters of the Jordan—which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest— the waters flowing from upstream halted, standing up in a single heap for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the Jordan riverbed while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the whole nation had completed the crossing of the Jordan.”Wow, the Israelites crossed on dry ground again! Remember, these are the ancestors of those who crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. These people were not actually there, but I am sure they heard all about it. So, why do you think God needed to show them again? Why do you think God parted the Jordan River for them to cross? It says above that it was to show the people that God was with Joshua the same way that He was with Moses. This miracle, like many others, is a testament to the power and faithfulness of our God.  It amazes me how often we can see signs and wonders and yet still doubt the Lord will come through. The Israelites had seen miracle after miracle while they were in the desert. Their food miraculously showed up each morning. When they complained about not having meat to eat, Quail miraculously showed up. They walked across the Red Sea on dry land, and this is to name a few of the big ones.So, why would they need to see another miracle? I think it is because we sometimes think it is the person doing the miracle instead of God doing the miracle through those people. God knew the Israelites knew God was with Moses because He was the face of most of the miracles they had received. However, God also knew they weren't sure if God was with Joshua. He was young and new to leading them. God understood that these people would need a sign to show them that He was with Joshua.How many times have we been like this? How many times has God called us to cross our own Jordan Rivers, and we have been hesitant because we don't know that He is with us? How many times has He given us a sign, and yet we require another one? If we look back upon our lives, I bet we can all see how the Lord has been right here with us in each of the hard times. If we can see this, why do we still doubt He will be with us in this hard time? I am sure we have all seen miracles in our lives. If we haven't, then we are not looking hard enough because the Lord is working in each of our lives.The news doesn't like to talk about the good stuff going on in the world as that doesn't sell as much as the bad stuff. However, you don't have to look too far to find the good things going on in this world if you want to. You can find articles and videos on the internet. We can actually be a beacon of light to those around us. If you see someone you know struggling, you can give them hope and peace in Jesus Christ. If someone you know needs a miracle right now, relay this one to them. Relay other ones from the Bible. Look on YouTube for testimonies from others who have been healed from what they have or gone through what they have gone through.Sometimes, seeing is believing, so pray for God to show them a miracle. Pray for a miracle in your life. Miracles are not reserved for certain people. They are not reserved for perfect people, people who pray a lot, or those whom God loves the best. Miracles come to those who ask for them, those who seek them, and those who believe they will happen. We believe, Lord. Help our unbelief.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening today. Lord, we love you, and we know you are there with us in the hard times. We are sorry we sometimes forget. We ask you to be with all those struggling in a special way today. We ask you to give each one of us a renewed sense of awe and wonder. We ask that you give us a renewed faith and belief that miracles are not only possible but that they will happen in our lives. Open our eyes to the miracles that are happening in our lives every day! We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with our will and in Jesus's holy name; amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. Tonight is week 3 of our topic, “Come As You Are.” I hope you will join us live this evening on Zoom at 8 EST. If you haven't joined yet, there is a link in the show notes. I also want to remind you that I send out a daily email with the words of prophecy included at the end of the episodes. I don't include the words of prophecy on the Witness Wednesday episodes, and I don't do weekend episodes, so if you are not receiving the emails, you are missing out on some of the words of prophecy. If you want to sign up for that, the link is in the show notes. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “There is no more time for looking back. Look only to what is ahead. Look up, and you'll see the glory of God.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Joshua 3:10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites... We are continuing in our series, Taking Destiny, by looking at the Canaanites. This word literally means zeal and fervor, and it has to deal with getting ahead. Many times in life, when the Lord reveals His plan to us, we get so excited and so eager to step into it. But sometimes we jump into a situation before we're actually ready and prepared for it. We should jump into the pool when we see water. Tempering our expectations and trying to stay lockstep with the Holy Spirit who sets the pace is sometimes challenging. Many of us want a microwave Kingdom of God, but in reality, it's much more like a slow-cooker. Learning how to walk hand-in-hand with the Lord as He guides and directs us is so crucial whenever we're stepping into our destiny. We can't let our zeal and fervor dictate the pace; we must let the Lord do it!

Joshua 3:10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites... We are continuing in our series, Taking Destiny, by looking at the Jebusites. This word means something like anxiety, dread, or worry. Coming out of the last few years, most if not all of us struggle with anxiety. Whether it's acute or something prolonged, we worry about so many things, and we can sometimes let our worries overwhelm us. But in Philippians, Paul reminds them to put their trusts and hopes in the Lord. His solution to worry? He tells them to worship and make their requests known to God. The Lord cares about us! He loves His children, and the more that we realize that we are His beloved, the less worried we should be about the future, about our pasts, or anything at all. Resting in the arms of God, He is our security and our peace. Let us confront our anxieties with the love of God!

Joshua 3:10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites... We are continuing in our series, Taking Destiny, by looking at the Hittites. This word means something like fear of danger or fear of the unknown and failure, and we'll be talking about our need to put our fears to rest! All of us, at one point or another, have to deal with fear. The phrase, "do not be afraid," is used 366 times in the Bible; one for each day of the year plus a bonus for when we get more fearful. And this fear especially creeps in whenever we're about to step into something special and important, especially when God is calling us to something unknown. But we're called to keep taking steps, and in order to do that, we must deal with our fears!

Joshua 3:10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites... We are continuing in our series, Taking Destiny, by looking at the Girgashites. This word means something like a stranger, and we'll be talking about our need to put down roots. We'll spend some time looking at Vineyard Values, and why it's important for us to be rooted in the love of God as we continue to take steps towards the destiny laid before us!

The Hybrid Human Canaanite Cofederacy Nimrod and Babel City The Anakim and Patriarch-less Nations The Jebusites of the Mighty Seven Nations The Amorites  The Girgashites and Hivites The Arkites, Sinites, Arvadites, Zemarites, and Hamathites The Canaanites The Sidonians The Hittites  

Joshua 3Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.”  Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'” And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap. So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. Sermon Questions:1. Where in your life are you facing something that feels impossible? What causes confusion, chaos, or hopelessness?2. When have you expereinced God doing the seeming impossible in your life?3. At what point has God felt like 'dry ground' on which you could stand?4. Where to do you see Jesus at work in your life recently?5. What might following Jesus look like today and what intimidates you about following him in that way?

Joshua‬ ‭3‬:‭1-17‬ "Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' ” Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord —the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground."

With family: 1 Chronicles 1–2; Hebrews 8 1 Chronicles 1–2 (Listen) From Adam to Abraham 1 Adam, Seth, Enosh; 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech; 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 5 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 6 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath,1 and Togarmah. 7 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim. 8 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 9 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 10 Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man.2 11 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 12 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim. 13 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 14 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 15 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 16 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. 17 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. And the sons of Aram:3 Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 19 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg4 (for in his days the earth was divided), and his brother's name was Joktan. 20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Obal,5 Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu; 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah; 27 Abram, that is, Abraham. From Abraham to Jacob 28 The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. 29 These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. 32 The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the descendants of Keturah. 34 Abraham fathered Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. 35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and of Timna,6 Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. 38 The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Hemam;7 and Lotan's sister was Timna. 40 The sons of Shobal: Alvan,8 Manahath, Ebal, Shepho,9 and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. 41 The son10 of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan,11 Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.12 The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 43 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel: Bela the son of Beor, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 44 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 45 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 47 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 48 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates13 reigned in his place. 49 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor, reigned in his place. 50 Baal-hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51 And Hadad died. The chiefs of Edom were: chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom. A Genealogy of David 2 These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, 2 Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. 3 The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah; these three Bath-shua the Canaanite bore to him. Now Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death. 4 His daughter-in-law Tamar also bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all. 5 The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. 6 The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara, five in all. 7 The son14 of Carmi: Achan, the troubler of Israel, who broke faith in the matter of the devoted thing; 8 and Ethan's son was Azariah. 9 The sons of Hezron that were born to him: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. 10 Ram fathered Amminadab, and Amminadab fathered Nahshon, prince of the sons of Judah. 11 Nahshon fathered Salmon,15 Salmon fathered Boaz, 12 Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered Jesse. 13 Jesse fathered Eliab his firstborn, Abinadab the second, Shimea the third, 14 Nethanel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 15 Ozem the sixth, David the seventh. 16 And their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three. 17 Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite. 18 Caleb the son of Hezron fathered children by his wife Azubah, and by Jerioth; and these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. 19 When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. 20 Hur fathered Uri, and Uri fathered Bezalel. 21 Afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father of Gilead, whom he married when he was sixty years old, and she bore him Segub. 22 And Segub fathered Jair, who had twenty-three cities in the land of Gilead. 23 But Geshur and Aram took from them Havvoth-jair, Kenath, and its villages, sixty towns. All these were descendants of Machir, the father of Gilead. 24 After the death of Hezron, Caleb went in to Ephrathah,16 the wife of Hezron his father, and she bore him Ashhur, the father of Tekoa. 25 The sons of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron: Ram, his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. 26 Jerahmeel also had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. 27 The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel: Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. 28 The sons of Onam: Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur. 29 The name of Abishur's wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. 30 The sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim; and Seled died childless. 31 The son17 of Appaim: Ishi. The son of Ishi: Sheshan. The son of Sheshan: Ahlai. 32 The sons of Jada, Shammai's brother: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died childless. 33 The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel. 34 Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters, but Sheshan had an Egyptian slave whose name was Jarha. 35 So Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to Jarha his slave, and she bore him Attai. 36 Attai fathered Nathan, and Nathan fathered Zabad. 37 Zabad fathered Ephlal, and Ephlal fathered Obed. 38 Obed fathered Jehu, and Jehu fathered Azariah. 39 Azariah fathered Helez, and Helez fathered Eleasah. 40 Eleasah fathered Sismai, and Sismai fathered Shallum. 41 Shallum fathered Jekamiah, and Jekamiah fathered Elishama. 42 The sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel: Mareshah18 his firstborn, who fathered Ziph. The son19 of Mareshah: Hebron.20 43 The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem and Shema. 44 Shema fathered Raham, the father of Jorkeam; and Rekem fathered Shammai. 45 The son of Shammai: Maon; and Maon fathered Beth-zur. 46 Ephah also, Caleb's concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez; and Haran fathered Gazez. 47 The sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. 48 Maacah, Caleb's concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. 49 She also bore Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of Machbenah and the father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. 50 These were the descendants of Caleb. The sons21 of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim, 51 Salma, the father of Bethlehem, and Hareph the father of Beth-gader. 52 Shobal the father of Kiriath-jearim had other sons: Haroeh, half of the Menuhoth. 53 And the clans of Kiriath-jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; from these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. 54 The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. 55 The clans also of the scribes who lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab. Footnotes [1] 1:6 Septuagint; Hebrew Diphath [2] 1:10 Or He began to be a mighty man on the earth [3] 1:17 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks And the sons of Aram [4] 1:19 Peleg means division [5] 1:22 Septuagint, Syriac (compare Genesis 10:28); Hebrew Ebal [6] 1:36 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:12); Hebrew lacks and of [7] 1:39 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:22); Hebrew Homam [8] 1:40 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Alian [9] 1:40 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Shephi [10] 1:41 Hebrew sons [11] 1:41 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:26); Hebrew Hamran [12] 1:42 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:27); Hebrew Jaakan [13] 1:48 Hebrew the River [14] 2:7 Hebrew sons [15] 2:11 Septuagint (compare Ruth 4:21); Hebrew Salma [16] 2:24 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew in Caleb Ephrathah [17] 2:31 Hebrew sons; three times in this verse [18] 2:42 Septuagint; Hebrew Mesha [19] 2:42 Hebrew sons [20] 2:42 Hebrew the father of Hebron [21] 2:50 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew son (ESV) Hebrews 8 (Listen) Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant 8 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent1 that the Lord set up, not man. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ2 has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. 8 For he finds fault with them when he says:3   “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,    when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel    and with the house of Judah,9   not like the covenant that I made with their fathers    on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.  For they did not continue in my covenant,    and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.10   For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel    after those days, declares the Lord:  I will put my laws into their minds,    and write them on their hearts,  and I will be their God,    and they shall be my people.11   And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor    and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,'  for they shall all know me,    from the least of them to the greatest.12   For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,    and I will remember their sins no more.” 13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Footnotes [1] 8:2 Or tabernacle; also verse 5 [2] 8:6 Greek he [3] 8:8 Some manuscripts For finding fault with it he says to them (ESV) In private: Psalm 145; Amos 2 Psalm 145 (Listen) Great Is the Lord 1 A Song of Praise. Of David. 145   I will extol you, my God and King,    and bless your name forever and ever.2   Every day I will bless you    and praise your name forever and ever.3   Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,    and his greatness is unsearchable. 4   One generation shall commend your works to another,    and shall declare your mighty acts.5   On the glorious splendor of your majesty,    and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.6   They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,    and I will declare your greatness.7   They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness    and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. 8   The LORD is gracious and merciful,    slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9   The LORD is good to all,    and his mercy is over all that he has made. 10   All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,    and all your saints shall bless you!11   They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom    and tell of your power,12   to make known to the children of man your2 mighty deeds,    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.13   Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,    and your dominion endures throughout all generations.   [The LORD is faithful in all his words    and kind in all his works.]314   The LORD upholds all who are falling    and raises up all who are bowed down.15   The eyes of all look to you,    and you give them their food in due season.16   You open your hand;    you satisfy the desire of every living thing.17   The LORD is righteous in all his ways    and kind in all his works.18   The LORD is near to all who call on him,    to all who call on him in truth.19   He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;    he also hears their cry and saves them.20   The LORD preserves all who love him,    but all the wicked he will destroy. 21   My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,    and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. Footnotes [1] 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet [2] 145:12 Hebrew his; also next line [3] 145:13 These two lines are supplied by one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac (compare Dead Sea Scroll) (ESV) Amos 2 (Listen) 2 Thus says the LORD:   “For three transgressions of Moab,    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,1  because he burned to lime    the bones of the king of Edom.2   So I will send a fire upon Moab,    and it shall devour the strongholds of Kerioth,  and Moab shall die amid uproar,    amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet;3   I will cut off the ruler from its midst,    and will kill all its princes2 with him,”      says the LORD. Judgment on Judah 4 Thus says the LORD:   “For three transgressions of Judah,    and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,  because they have rejected the law of the LORD,    and have not kept his statutes,  but their lies have led them astray,    those after which their fathers walked.5   So I will send a fire upon Judah,    and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.” Judgment on Israel 6 

Rumored Wars and More - Influential Powers of the PressWebsite: http://www.battle4freedom.comNetwork: https://www.mojo50.comStreaming: https://www.rumble.com/Battle4Freedomhttps://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Deuteronomy+7%3A1-5&version=ESVDeuteronomy 7:1 "When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, 2 and when the Lord your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. 3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire.http://www.battle4freedom.com/tmp/apcamerahamas-10October2023-09-51-47AM.mp4Video from Associated Press about the point-blank shootinghttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12626287/idf-flotilla-13-sufa-checkpoint-hamas-hostages.htmlAstonishing moment IDF elite force retakes military post overrun by Hamas, rescuing 250 hostages, killing 60 Hamas fighters and capturing top terror leaderSoldiers with Israel's elite Flotilla 13 unit, which specializes in counter terrorism, on Saturday stormed a checkpoint which had been overran by HamasBody cameras worn by the soldiers shows them fighting the terrorists room-by-room: they rescued 250 hostages, and killed 60 militantshttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12621915/khaled-meshaal-hamas-friday-13th-day-jihad.htmlFormer Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal calls for day of jihad on Friday the 13th, and tells Muslims to 'take to the streets' in protest against IsraelKhaled Meshaal led Hamas from 2004 to 2017 and now lives in QatarREAD MORE: Jo Malone's SON helps lead Harvard Palestinian group behind outrageous letter that blamed Israel for massacrehttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12625761/New-York-City-Eric-Adams-Kathy-Hochul-Security.htmlNew York ramps up security and puts National Guard on standby after Hamas chief promised Friday 'Day of Jihad' - but Gov. Kathy Hochul insists there's NO specific threatMayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul addressed state safety concernsExtra patrols of uniformed officers have been sent to Jewish communities and the National Guard has been activated Police are bracing for unrest after former Hamas leader called for 'Day of Jihad' on Friday

Numbers 13:26-33 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.  27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.  28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.  29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”  32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size.  33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim).  We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”   Joshua 1:6-9 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”   Joshua 3:5-17 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” 6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. 7 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.  8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'” 9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.  10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.  11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.  12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.  15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge,  16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.  17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.   In order to not go back, you must consecrate yourself today for what God will do through you tomorrow.

With family: Joshua 24; Acts 4 Joshua 24 (Listen) The Covenant Renewal at Shechem 24 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates,1 Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River2 and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. 4 And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. 5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. 6 “‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. 8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.' Choose Whom You Will Serve 14 “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” 16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” 19 But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.” 24 And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance. Joshua's Death and Burial 29 After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being 110 years old. 30 And they buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. 31 Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel. 32 As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money.3 It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph. 33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim. Footnotes [1] 24:2 Hebrew the River [2] 24:3 That is, the Euphrates; also verses 14, 15 [3] 24:32 Hebrew for a hundred qesitah; a unit of money of unknown value (ESV) Acts 4 (Listen) Peter and John Before the Council 4 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. 5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus1 is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.2 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men3 by which we must be saved.” 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old. The Believers Pray for Boldness 23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,4 said by the Holy Spirit,   “‘Why did the Gentiles rage,    and the peoples plot in vain?26   The kings of the earth set themselves,    and the rulers were gathered together,    against the Lord and against his Anointed'5— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. They Had Everything in Common 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Footnotes [1] 4:11 Greek This one [2] 4:11 Greek the head of the corner [3] 4:12 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women [4] 4:25 Or child; also verses 27, 30 [5] 4:26 Or Christ (ESV) In private: Jeremiah 13; Matthew 27 Jeremiah 13 (Listen) The Ruined Loincloth 13 Thus says the LORD to me, “Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water.” 2 So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist. 3 And the word of the LORD came to me a second time, 4 “Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.” 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me. 6 And after many days the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.” 7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing. 8 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9 “Thus says the LORD: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. 11 For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen. The Jars Filled with Wine 12 “You shall speak to them this word: ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Every jar shall be filled with wine.”' And they will say to you, ‘Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?' 13 Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land: the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 14 And I will dash them one against another, fathers and sons together, declares the LORD. I will not pity or spare or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.'” Exile Threatened 15   Hear and give ear; be not proud,    for the LORD has spoken.16   Give glory to the LORD your God    before he brings darkness,  before your feet stumble    on the twilight mountains,  and while you look for light    he turns it into gloom    and makes it deep darkness.17   But if you will not listen,    my soul will weep in secret for your pride;  my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,    because the LORD's flock has been taken captive. 18   Say to the king and the queen mother:    “Take a lowly seat,  for your beautiful crown    has come down from your head.”19   The cities of the Negeb are shut up,    with none to open them;  all Judah is taken into exile,    wholly taken into exile. 20   “Lift up your eyes and see    those who come from the north.  Where is the flock that was given you,    your beautiful flock?21   What will you say when they set as head over you    those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you?  Will not pangs take hold of you    like those of a woman in labor?22   And if you say in your heart,    ‘Why have these things come upon me?'  it is for the greatness of your iniquity    that your skirts are lifted up    and you suffer violence.23   Can the Ethiopian change his skin    or the leopard his spots?  Then also you can do good    who are accustomed to do evil.24   I will scatter you1 like chaff    driven by the wind from the desert.25   This is your lot,    the portion I have measured out to you, declares the LORD,  because you have forgotten me    and trusted in lies.26   I myself will lift up your skirts over your face,    and your shame will be seen.27   I have seen your abominations,    your adulteries and neighings, your lewd whorings,    on the hills in the field.  Woe to you, O Jerusalem!    How long will it be before you are made clean?” Footnotes [1] 13:24 Hebrew them (ESV) Matthew 27 (Listen) Jesus Delivered to Pilate 27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Judas Hangs Himself 3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus1 was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.” Jesus Before Pilate 11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. The Crowd Chooses Barabbas 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood;2 see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged3 Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. Jesus Is Mocked 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters,4 and they gathered the whole battalion5 before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. The Crucifixion 32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.'” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. The Death of Jesus 45 Now from the sixth hour6 there was darkness over all the land7 until the ninth hour.8 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son9 of God!” 55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Jesus Is Buried 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The Guard at the Tomb 62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.' 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard10 of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. Footnotes<

Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 1 1 Chronicles 1 (Listen) From Adam to Abraham 1 Adam, Seth, Enosh; 2 Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; 3 Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech; 4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 5 The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. 6 The sons of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath,1 and Togarmah. 7 The sons of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim. 8 The sons of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. 9 The sons of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. 10 Cush fathered Nimrod. He was the first on earth to be a mighty man.2 11 Egypt fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, 12 Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim. 13 Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth, 14 and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, 15 the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, 16 the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. 17 The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. And the sons of Aram:3 Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech. 18 Arpachshad fathered Shelah, and Shelah fathered Eber. 19 To Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg4 (for in his days the earth was divided), and his brother's name was Joktan. 20 Joktan fathered Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, 21 Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, 22 Obal,5 Abimael, Sheba, 23 Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. 24 Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; 25 Eber, Peleg, Reu; 26 Serug, Nahor, Terah; 27 Abram, that is, Abraham. From Abraham to Jacob 28 The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. 29 These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth, and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 30 Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, 31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. 32 The sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. 33 The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the descendants of Keturah. 34 Abraham fathered Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. 35 The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. 36 The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and of Timna,6 Amalek. 37 The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. 38 The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. 39 The sons of Lotan: Hori and Hemam;7 and Lotan's sister was Timna. 40 The sons of Shobal: Alvan,8 Manahath, Ebal, Shepho,9 and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. 41 The son10 of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hemdan,11 Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 42 The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan.12 The sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 43 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the people of Israel: Bela the son of Beor, the name of his city being Dinhabah. 44 Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his place. 45 Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 46 Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, reigned in his place, the name of his city being Avith. 47 Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 48 Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates13 reigned in his place. 49 Shaul died, and Baal-hanan, the son of Achbor, reigned in his place. 50 Baal-hanan died, and Hadad reigned in his place, the name of his city being Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 51 And Hadad died. The chiefs of Edom were: chiefs Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, 52 Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, 53 Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, 54 Magdiel, and Iram; these are the chiefs of Edom. Footnotes [1] 1:6 Septuagint; Hebrew Diphath [2] 1:10 Or He began to be a mighty man on the earth [3] 1:17 Septuagint; Hebrew lacks And the sons of Aram [4] 1:19 Peleg means division [5] 1:22 Septuagint, Syriac (compare Genesis 10:28); Hebrew Ebal [6] 1:36 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:12); Hebrew lacks and of [7] 1:39 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:22); Hebrew Homam [8] 1:40 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Alian [9] 1:40 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:23); Hebrew Shephi [10] 1:41 Hebrew sons [11] 1:41 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:26); Hebrew Hamran [12] 1:42 Septuagint (compare Genesis 36:27); Hebrew Jaakan [13] 1:48 Hebrew the River (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 150 Psalm 150 (Listen) Let Everything Praise the Lord 150   Praise the LORD!  Praise God in his sanctuary;    praise him in his mighty heavens!12   Praise him for his mighty deeds;    praise him according to his excellent greatness! 3   Praise him with trumpet sound;    praise him with lute and harp!4   Praise him with tambourine and dance;    praise him with strings and pipe!5   Praise him with sounding cymbals;    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!6   Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!  Praise the LORD! Footnotes [1] 150:1 Hebrew expanse (compare Genesis 1:6–8) (ESV) New Testament: Revelation 20–22 Revelation 20–22 (Listen) The Thousand Years 20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit1 and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. 4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. The Defeat of Satan 7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven2 and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Judgment Before the Great White Throne 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. The New Heaven and the New Earth 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place3 of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people,4 and God himself will be with them as their God.5 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” The New Jerusalem 9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed—13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia.6 Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits7 by human measurement, which is also an angel's measurement. 18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. The River of Life 22 Then the angel8 showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life9 with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. Jesus Is Coming 6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.” 7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.” 12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes,10 so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.11 Amen. Footnotes [1] 20:1 Greek the abyss; also verse 3 [2] 20:9 Some manuscripts from God, out of heaven, or out of heaven from God [3] 21:3 Or tabernacle [4] 21:3 Some manuscripts peoples [5] 21:3 Some manuscripts omit as their God [6] 21:16 About 1,380 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters [7] 21:17 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [8] 22:1 Greek he [9] 22:2 Or the Lamb. In the midst of the street of the city, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life [10] 22:14 Some manuscripts do his commandments [11] 22:21 Some manuscripts all the saints (ESV)

With family: Joshua 3; Psalms 126–128 Joshua 3 (Listen) Israel Crosses the Jordan 3 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits1 in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. 7 The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth2 is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” 14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. Footnotes [1] 3:4 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [2] 3:11 Hebrew the ark of the covenant, the Lord of all the earth (ESV) Psalms 126–128 (Listen) Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord A Song of Ascents. 126   When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,    we were like those who dream.2   Then our mouth was filled with laughter,    and our tongue with shouts of joy;  then they said among the nations,    “The LORD has done great things for them.”3   The LORD has done great things for us;    we are glad. 4   Restore our fortunes, O LORD,    like streams in the Negeb!5   Those who sow in tears    shall reap with shouts of joy!6   He who goes out weeping,    bearing the seed for sowing,  shall come home with shouts of joy,    bringing his sheaves with him. Unless the Lord Builds the House A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. 127   Unless the LORD builds the house,    those who build it labor in vain.  Unless the LORD watches over the city,    the watchman stays awake in vain.2   It is in vain that you rise up early    and go late to rest,  eating the bread of anxious toil;    for he gives to his beloved sleep. 3   Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,    the fruit of the womb a reward.4   Like arrows in the hand of a warrior    are the children1 of one's youth.5   Blessed is the man    who fills his quiver with them!  He shall not be put to shame    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.2 Blessed Is Everyone Who Fears the Lord A Song of Ascents. 128   Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,    who walks in his ways!2   You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands;    you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. 3   Your wife will be like a fruitful vine    within your house;  your children will be like olive shoots    around your table.4   Behold, thus shall the man be blessed    who fears the LORD. 5   The LORD bless you from Zion!    May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem    all the days of your life!6   May you see your children's children!    Peace be upon Israel! Footnotes [1] 127:4 Or sons [2] 127:5 Or They shall not be put to shame when they speak with their enemies in the gate (ESV) In private: Isaiah 63; Matthew 11 Isaiah 63 (Listen) The Lord's Day of Vengeance 63   Who is this who comes from Edom,    in crimsoned garments from Bozrah,  he who is splendid in his apparel,    marching in the greatness of his strength?  “It is I, speaking in righteousness,    mighty to save.” 2   Why is your apparel red,    and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? 3   “I have trodden the winepress alone,    and from the peoples no one was with me;  I trod them in my anger    and trampled them in my wrath;  their lifeblood1 spattered on my garments,    and stained all my apparel.4   For the day of vengeance was in my heart,    and my year of redemption2 had come.5   I looked, but there was no one to help;    I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold;  so my own arm brought me salvation,    and my wrath upheld me.6   I trampled down the peoples in my anger;    I made them drunk in my wrath,    and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.” The Lord's Mercy Remembered 7   I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD,    the praises of the LORD,  according to all that the LORD has granted us,    and the great goodness to the house of Israel  that he has granted them according to his compassion,    according to the abundance of his steadfast love.8   For he said, “Surely they are my people,    children who will not deal falsely.”    And he became their Savior.9   In all their affliction he was afflicted,3    and the angel of his presence saved them;  in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;    he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 10   But they rebelled    and grieved his Holy Spirit;  therefore he turned to be their enemy,    and himself fought against them.11   Then he remembered the days of old,    of Moses and his people.4  Where is he who brought them up out of the sea    with the shepherds of his flock?  Where is he who put in the midst of them    his Holy Spirit,12   who caused his glorious arm    to go at the right hand of Moses,  who divided the waters before them    to make for himself an everlasting name,13     who led them through the depths?  Like a horse in the desert,    they did not stumble.14   Like livestock that go down into the valley,    the Spirit of the LORD gave them rest.  So you led your people,    to make for yourself a glorious name. Prayer for Mercy 15   Look down from heaven and see,    from your holy and beautiful5 habitation.  Where are your zeal and your might?    The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion    are held back from me.16   For you are our Father,    though Abraham does not know us,    and Israel does not acknowledge us;  you, O LORD, are our Father,    our Redeemer from of old is your name.17   O LORD, why do you make us wander from your ways    and harden our heart, so that we fear you not?  Return for the sake of your servants,    the tribes of your heritage.18   Your holy people held possession for a little while;6    our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.19   We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,    like those who are not called by your name. Footnotes [1] 63:3 Or their juice; also verse 6 [2] 63:4 Or the year of my redeemed [3] 63:9 Or he did not afflict [4] 63:11 Or Then his people remembered the days of old, of Moses [5] 63:15 Or holy and glorious [6] 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while (ESV) Matthew 11 (Listen) Messengers from John the Baptist 11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers1 are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” 7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man2 dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet?3 Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,   “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,    who will prepare your way before you.' 11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence,4 and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear,5 let him hear. 16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17   “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;    we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.' 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”6 Woe to Unrepentant Cities 20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.” Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest 25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.7 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Footnotes [1] 11:5 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 [2] 11:8 Or Why then did you go out? To see a man . . . [3] 11:9 Some manuscripts Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? [4] 11:12 Or has been coming violently [5] 11:15 Some manuscripts omit to hear [6] 11:19 Some manuscripts children (compare Luke 7:35) [7] 11:26 Or for so it pleased you well (ESV)

With family: Deuteronomy 7; Psalm 90 Deuteronomy 7 (Listen) A Chosen People 7 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations more numerous and mightier than you, 2 and when the LORD your God gives them over to you, and you defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction.1 You shall make no covenant with them and show no mercy to them. 3 You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, 4 for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. 5 But thus shall you deal with them: you shall break down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and chop down their Asherim and burn their carved images with fire. 6 “For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, 10 and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not be slack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. 11 You shall therefore be careful to do the commandment and the statutes and the rules that I command you today. 12 “And because you listen to these rules and keep and do them, the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love that he swore to your fathers. 13 He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you. 14 You shall be blessed above all peoples. There shall not be male or female barren among you or among your livestock. 15 And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you. 16 And you shall consume all the peoples that the LORD your God will give over to you. Your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you. 17 “If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?' 18 you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, 19 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So will the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. 20 Moreover, the LORD your God will send hornets among them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you are destroyed. 21 You shall not be in dread of them, for the LORD your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God. 22 The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once,2 lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. 23 But the LORD your God will give them over to you and throw them into great confusion, until they are destroyed. 24 And he will give their kings into your hand, and you shall make their name perish from under heaven. No one shall be able to stand against you until you have destroyed them. 25 The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them or take it for yourselves, lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to the LORD your God. 26 And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house and become devoted to destruction3 like it. You shall utterly detest and abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction. Footnotes [1] 7:2 That is, set apart (devote) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction) [2] 7:22 Or quickly [3] 7:26 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction); twice in this verse (ESV) Psalm 90 (Listen) Book Four From Everlasting to Everlasting A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. 90   Lord, you have been our dwelling place1    in all generations.2   Before the mountains were brought forth,    or ever you had formed the earth and the world,    from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3   You return man to dust    and say, “Return, O children of man!”24   For a thousand years in your sight    are but as yesterday when it is past,    or as a watch in the night. 5   You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,    like grass that is renewed in the morning:6   in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;    in the evening it fades and withers. 7   For we are brought to an end by your anger;    by your wrath we are dismayed.8   You have set our iniquities before you,    our secret sins in the light of your presence. 9   For all our days pass away under your wrath;    we bring our years to an end like a sigh.10   The years of our life are seventy,    or even by reason of strength eighty;  yet their span3 is but toil and trouble;    they are soon gone, and we fly away.11   Who considers the power of your anger,    and your wrath according to the fear of you? 12   So teach us to number our days    that we may get a heart of wisdom.13   Return, O LORD! How long?    Have pity on your servants!14   Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.15   Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,    and for as many years as we have seen evil.16   Let your work be shown to your servants,    and your glorious power to their children.17   Let the favor4 of the Lord our God be upon us,    and establish the work of our hands upon us;    yes, establish the work of our hands! Footnotes [1] 90:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts (compare Septuagint) our refuge [2] 90:3 Or of Adam [3] 90:10 Or pride [4] 90:17 Or beauty (ESV) In private: Isaiah 35; Revelation 5 Isaiah 35 (Listen) The Ransomed Shall Return 35   The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;    the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus;2   it shall blossom abundantly    and rejoice with joy and singing.  The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,    the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.  They shall see the glory of the LORD,    the majesty of our God. 3   Strengthen the weak hands,    and make firm the feeble knees.4   Say to those who have an anxious heart,    “Be strong; fear not!  Behold, your God    will come with vengeance,  with the recompense of God.    He will come and save you.” 5   Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,    and the ears of the deaf unstopped;6   then shall the lame man leap like a deer,    and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.  For waters break forth in the wilderness,    and streams in the desert;7   the burning sand shall become a pool,    and the thirsty ground springs of water;  in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down,    the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8   And a highway shall be there,    and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;  the unclean shall not pass over it.    It shall belong to those who walk on the way;    even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.19   No lion shall be there,    nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;  they shall not be found there,    but the redeemed shall walk there.10   And the ransomed of the LORD shall return    and come to Zion with singing;  everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;    they shall obtain gladness and joy,    and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. Footnotes [1] 35:8 Or if they are fools, they shall not wander in it (ESV) Revelation 5 (Listen) The Scroll and the Lamb 5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying,   “Worthy are you to take the scroll    and to open its seals,  for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God    from every tribe and language and people and nation,10   and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,    and they shall reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,   “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,  to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might  and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,   “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb  be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (ESV)

Old Testament: Joshua 23–24 Joshua 23–24 (Listen) Joshua's Charge to Israel's Leaders 23 A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, 2 Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. 3 And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. 4 Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. 5 The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you. 6 Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, 7 that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, 8 but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. 11 Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. 12 For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you. 14 “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things1 that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. 15 But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you, 16 if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you.” The Covenant Renewal at Shechem 24 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God. 2 And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates,2 Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods. 3 Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River3 and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac. 4 And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. 5 And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out. 6 “‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea. 7 And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time. 8 Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. 9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, 10 but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand. 11 And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand. 12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. 13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.' Choose Whom You Will Serve 14 “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” 16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods, 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. 18 And the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.” 19 But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” 21 And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the LORD.” 22 Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” 23 He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the LORD, the God of Israel.” 24 And the people said to Joshua, “The LORD our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” 28 So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance. Joshua's Death and Burial 29 After these things Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being 110 years old. 30 And they buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. 31 Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel. 32 As for the bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt, they buried them at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for a hundred pieces of money.4 It became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph. 33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died, and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of Phinehas his son, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim. Footnotes [1] 23:14 Or words; also twice in verse 15 [2] 24:2 Hebrew the River [3] 24:3 That is, the Euphrates; also verses 14, 15 [4] 24:32 Hebrew for a hundred qesitah; a unit of money of unknown value (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 106:1–23 Psalm 106:1–23 (Listen) Give Thanks to the Lord, for He Is Good 106   Praise the LORD!  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,    for his steadfast love endures forever!2   Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,    or declare all his praise?3   Blessed are they who observe justice,    who do righteousness at all times! 4   Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people;    help me when you save them,15   that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones,    that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,    that I may glory with your inheritance. 6   Both we and our fathers have sinned;    we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7   Our fathers, when they were in Egypt,    did not consider your wondrous works;  they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,    but rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.8   Yet he saved them for his name's sake,    that he might make known his mighty power.9   He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry,    and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10   So he saved them from the hand of the foe    and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11   And the waters covered their adversaries;    not one of them was left.12   Then they believed his words;    they sang his praise. 13   But they soon forgot his works;    they did not wait for his counsel.14   But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,    and put God to the test in the desert;15   he gave them what they asked,    but sent a wasting disease among them. 16   When men in the camp were jealous of Moses    and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17   the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,    and covered the company of Abiram.18   Fire also broke out in their company;    the flame burned up the wicked. 19   They made a calf in Horeb    and worshiped a metal image.20   They exchanged the glory of God2    for the image of an ox that eats grass.21   They forgot God, their Savior,    who had done great things in Egypt,22   wondrous works in the land of Ham,    and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23   Therefore he said he would destroy them—    had not Moses, his chosen one,  stood in the breach before him,    to turn away his wrath from destroying them. Footnotes [1] 106:4 Or Remember me, O Lord, with the favor you show to your people; help me with your salvation [2] 106:20 Hebrew exchanged their glory (ESV) New Testament: Romans 5–6 Romans 5–6 (Listen) Peace with God Through Faith 5 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we1 have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith2 into this grace in which we stand, and we3 rejoice4 in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Death in Adam, Life in Christ 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men5 because all sinned—13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man's sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 18 Therefore, as one trespass6 led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness7 leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Dead to Sin, Alive to God 6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self8 was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free9 from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. Slaves to Righteousness 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves,10 you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. 20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Footnotes [1] 5:1 Some manuscripts let us [2] 5:2 Some manuscripts omit by faith [3] 5:2 Or let us; also verse 3 [4] 5:2 Or boast; also verses 3, 11 [5] 5:12 The Greek word anthropoi refers here to both men and women; also twice in verse 18 [6] 5:18 Or the trespass of one [7] 5:18 Or the act of righteousness of one [8] 6:6 Greek man [9] 6:7 Greek has been justified [10] 6:16 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface; twice in this verse; also verses 17, 19 (twice), 20 (ESV)

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 15:7-16 - And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land to possess.” 8 But he said, “O Lord God, how am I to know that I shall possess it?” 9 He said to him, “Bring Me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 And he brought Him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. 11 And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. 12 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16 And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete. 17 When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, 19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites.”” MENTIONED ON TODAY'S EPISODE: Discover my Christian Fantasy Fiction Series, "The Dragon Slayer Chronicles" : https://DragonSlayerBook.com  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Old Testament: Joshua 2–4 Joshua 2–4 (Listen) Rahab Hides the Spies 2 And Joshua the son of Nun sent1 two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there. 2 And it was told to the king of Jericho, “Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land.” 4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. And she said, “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” 6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out. 8 Before the men2 lay down, she came up to them on the roof 9 and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction.3 11 And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. 12 Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign 13 that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.” 14 And the men said to her, “Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you.” 15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. 16 And she said4 to them, “Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way.” 17 The men said to her, “We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. 18 Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household. 19 Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless. But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head. 20 But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear.” 21 And she said, “According to your words, so be it.” Then she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window. 22 They departed and went into the hills and remained there three days until the pursuers returned, and the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing. 23 Then the two men returned. They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them. 24 And they said to Joshua, “Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us.” Israel Crosses the Jordan 3 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits5 in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people. 7 The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth6 is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” 14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan. Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan 4 When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, 2 “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, 3 and command them, saying, ‘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 and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.'” 4 Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. 5 And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, 6 that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?' 7 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.” 8 And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the LORD told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down7 there. 9 And Joshua set up8 twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day. 10 For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people passed over in haste. 11 And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the LORD and the priests passed over before the people. 12 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them. 13 About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the LORD for battle, to the plains of Jericho. 14 On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life. 15 And the LORD said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.” 17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” 18 And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before. 19 The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. 20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal. 21 And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?' 22 then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.' 23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”9 Footnotes [1] 2:1 Or had sent [2] 2:8 Hebrew they [3] 2:10 That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction) [4] 2:16 Or had said [5] 3:4 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters [6] 3:11 Hebrew the ark of the covenant, the Lord of all the earth [7] 4:8 Or to rest [8] 4:9 Or Joshua had set up [9] 4:24 Or all the days (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 98 Psalm 98 (Listen) Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord A Psalm. 98   Oh sing to the LORD a new song,    for he has done marvelous things!  His right hand and his holy arm    have worked salvation for him.2   The LORD has made known his salvation;    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.3   He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness    to the house of Israel.  All the ends of the earth have seen    the salvation of our God. 4   Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!5   Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,    with the lyre and the sound of melody!6   With trumpets and the sound of the horn    make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD! 7   Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;    the world and those who dwell in it!8   Let the rivers clap their hands;    let the hills sing for joy together9   before the LORD, for he comes    to judge the earth.  He will judge the world with righteousness,    and the peoples with equity. (ESV) New Testament: Acts 22 Acts 22 (Listen) 22 “Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.” 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language,1 they became even more quiet. And he said: 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel2 according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. 6 “As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' 9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand3 the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.' 11 And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. 12 “And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.' 17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.' 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.' 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” Paul and the Roman Tribune 22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips,4 Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him. Paul Before the Council 30 But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them. Footnotes [1] 22:2 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic) [2] 22:3 Or city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated [3] 22:9 Or hear with understanding [4] 22:25 Or when they had tied him up with leather strips (ESV)