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Joshua 24:15, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 24 and ask all the questions!
Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 23 and ask all the questions!
Turning on one another ALREADY? Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 22 and ask all the questions!
Levitical Cities? Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 21 and ask all the questions!
Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 20 and ask all the questions!
Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 19 and ask all the questions!
Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 18 and ask all the questions!
Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 17 and ask all the questions!
Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 16 and ask all the questions!
How to pray boldly? Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua 15 and ask all the questions!
Have you heard of Caleb in the Bible? What about Joshua and Caleb together? Come Bible Study WITH ME and ask all the questions!
How old was Joshua in the Bible? What was God's instruction to Joshua? Come Bible Study WITH ME and ask all the questions!
This week we’re diving into the eight chapters detailing the distribution and allotment of the land in the book of Joshua. These chapters are long and packed with intricate geographical details—too much to read aloud in one sitting. So what are we meant to take away from all of it? Join us as we explore six big takeaways that bring clarity, meaning, and relevance to these detailed passages (Joshua Chapter 12-19).
Let's COLLECT THE EVIDENCE! Come Bible Study WITH ME and ask all the questions!
Be strong and courageous, Joshua! Come Bible Study WITH ME and ask all the questions!
How did God make the sun stand still for Joshua? Come Bible Study WITH ME and ask all the questions!
Wondering about the Gibeonite deception? Come Bible Study WITH ME and ask all the questions!
Need a Joshua chapter 8 summary? Come Bible Study WITH ME through, and ask all the questions!
A study of Joshua Chapter 4 by Dr. Jim Richland.
Where's your sense of adventure? The Holy Spirit empowers God's people onto supernatural works and a life we cannot do in our own abilities. This takes shape through a life connected to Jesus as we respond in faith and obedience. Joshua Chapter 6 gives us an account of God's people being moved forward to their promised land by a miraculous event only available to them through that same supernatural power and the pattern we see most often used. In this message we will look at 3 principle ways we see God work as we broaden our sense of adventure for his glory.
Have you heard of Achan's sin and the defeat at Ai? Come Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 7, and ask all the questions!
Grab your tea and come on in and Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 6, and ask all the questions!
Grab your tea and come on in and Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 5, and ask all the questions!
Grab your tea and come on in and Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 4, and ask all the questions!
Grab your tea and come on in and Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 3, and ask all the questions!
Grab your tea and come on in and Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 2, and ask all the questions!
Grab your tea and come on in and Bible Study WITH ME through Joshua chapter 1, and ask all the questions!
We are studying the Bible to understand and apply God's Wisdom to our daily lives. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@findinggodswisdomBitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/GYMxeD3Xn8FB/Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-2051564Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ricky.killen/Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1nUbCJXCSiDiEWUDavwNKCOdysee: https://odysee.com/@FindingGodsWisdom:aInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/killenricky/YouTube Handle: @findinggodswisdomPlease like and subscribe!Join in our study with comments below.God bless you and have a wonderful day!#God #Jesus #Bible
Send us a textThis episode is the latest message from the 4Heroes Huddle! The focus is Joshua Chapter 2. A woman named Rahab hides 2 Hebrew spies and helps them escape Jericho. She had no spiritual advantage.. Rahab was a prostitute from Jericho who recognized that God was at work and chose to be on God's side. Because of her faith in action, Rahab is later listed in the Genealogy of Jesus! What an honor God gave her as a reward for her faith!! We hope this will encourage you—No matter what you've done or where you've been—to live a life of faith.
Happy Palm Sunday! Join us as we explore of the story of Achan in Joshua Chapter 7.
Have you ever forgotten to remember? In this timely message, Pastor Sean Booth takes us into Joshua Chapter 4, where God commands the Israelites to set up stones of remembrance after crossing the Jordan River. These stones weren't just memorials, they were markers of God's faithfulness, signs of His provision, and reminders to future generations of His power. But we don't just stop at just remembering. We're challenged to not only look back and honour what God has done but to take that memory and move forward with faith into what God is doing next. Whether you're in a season of transition, facing uncertainty or needing a fresh reminder of God's presence in your life, this message is for you. #openarms #churchonline #sermon #onlinechurch Stay Connected: Visit our website - https://openarms.ie/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/openarms.ie/ Instagram - https://instagram.com/openarms_church Donate/Give - https://openarms.ie/giving
Joshua Chapter Twenty-four, Joshua's farewell address to the nation, history, challenge to commit, covenant renewal, death of Joshua and Eleazar, burial of Joseph's bones, Scarlet Threads, Jesus Christ
Many of us are probably familiar to some extent with Rahab, the Jericho prostitute who turns to God and is spared along with her family when the Israelites destroy the city. But there is much more to her story that should cause us to marvel at Gods mercy and grace, and warn us against hypocrisy. Lets go look at where we encounter her. Israel had sent out two spies to check out Jericho. They go to the home of Rahab, the prostitute, where presumably it would not be unusual to find strangers. But someone alerts the authorities and Rahab is told to turn over the men. She covers for them and hides them on her roof. A search party begins looking for them near the Jordan River. Joshua 2:8-21 8Now before[a]the spies lay down, she came up to them on the roof,9and said to the men, I know that theLordhas given you the land, and that theterror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you.10For we have heard how theLorddried up the water of the[b]Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, andwhat you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you[c]utterly destroyed.11When we heardthese reports,our hearts melted and no[d]courage remained in anyone any longer because of you; for theLordyour God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below.12Now then, please swear to me by theLord, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my fathers household, and give me apledge of[e]truth,13and[f]spare my father and my mother, and my brothers and my sisters, and all who belong to them, and save our[g]lives from death.14So the men said to her, Our[h]life[i]for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when theLordgives us the land that we willdeal kindly and[j]faithfully with you. 15Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.16And she said to them, Go to the hill country, so that the pursuers will not encounter you, and hide yourselves there for three days until the pursuers return. Then afterward you may go on your way.17And the men said to her, Weshall beexempt from this oath[k]to you which you have made us swear,18[l]unless, when we come into the land, you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, andgather into your house your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your fathers household.19And it shall come about that anyone who goes out of the doors of your house outsidewill have[m]his blood on his own head, and wewill beinnocent; but anyone who is with you in the house,his bloodwill beon our head if a hand islaidon him.20But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be exempt from the oath which you have made us swear.21She then said, According to your words, so be it. So she sent them away, and they departed; and she tied the scarlet cord in the window. Lets think about a couple of things. First: How did God communicate with Rahab? By dream?By vision? How did she learn that Yahweh was the one true God? However He did it, we must be humbled by the love and concern God showed to a woman who was part of an accursed tribe and who lived an immoral lifestyle. Second: Think about the scarlet cord hanging out her window. Where else do we see in Scripture that a red mark protects everyone inside a dwelling? The night of Passover, when the blood of the lamb on the lintel and doorposts protected those who were inside. Here is another picture of Passover, but this one is not protecting Israelites, but pagan Canaanites! Were these Hebrew spies thinking about how their relatives had been spared from wrath by a similar process? Here is an example of faith resulting in right standing with God apart from the Law, just like Abraham, proving that God is no respecter of persons. Now we pick up in Joshua Chapter 6. Most of us know how Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, so we will skip to the relevant portion for our study today: Joshua 6:20-25 So the people shouted, and[g]the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and thewall fell down[h]flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight[i]ahead, and they took the city.21They[j]utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, sheep, and donkey, with the edge of the sword. 22And Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, Go into the prostitutes house and bring the woman and all she has out of there, just as you have sworn to her.23So the young men who were spies went in andbrought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all she had; they also brought out all her relatives, and placed them outside the camp of Israel.24Thenthey burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the[k]house of theLord.25However,Rahab the prostitute and her fathers household and all she had, Joshua[l]spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, becauseshe hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. Lets think about this first from Rahabs perspective. She and her family have been listening to utter chaos and terror outside her house. The screams of people and animals as they are brutally slaughtered. Then, there is, literally, a deathly quiet, and then there is a knock at the door. With great trepidation, they open the door and step out into a living nightmare. Everything destroyed. All people, all livestock, all structures. Everybody Rahab and her family knew was dead, their corpses lying mutilated on the ground. Spared, but unclean, she and her family are put outside the camp. So was Jesus. Hebrews 13:11-13 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. So then, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. Jesus has a special affinity for those who are rejected, scorned, despised by the in crowd, just as Rahab was and many others. He personally experienced that same rejection, and invites us to journey with Him to where He resides with those whom He has rescued from rejection. Back to Jericho. Imagine the terror of what Rahabs family was feeling. You are now totally dependent on these people who just destroyed your city and killed all your friends and neighbors. You are feeling not just terror, but profound loneliness and sense of loss. Imagine if Russians invaded and killed everybody in your city except you, and now you were dependent on them. What about the other side? As Israelites, you were warned to kill all the Canaanites completely, to avoid being infected with their idols. Now, what do you do with this family? Im sure some advocated to let them starve. They only promised to spare their lives from the destruction of Jericho. There were no promises about feeding and caring for them. But Rahab knew that Yahweh was the God of heaven and earth. God had somehow revealed Himself to her, and He would not see her abandoned. But she is a profound sinner, from a foreign culture, filled with idolatrous practices, living in enforced isolation. How does she become discipled, and an important figure in Jewish history? Yes. That is exactly what happens to her, but we have to fill in the details with our imagination. As with the mystery of Melchizedek, sometimes the most profound biblical stories are about whats left out of the narrative. There had to have been interaction between Rahabs family and the Israelites. Probably, there was daily interaction as more merciful heads prevailed and food was delivered to keep them alive. But that doesnt solve the problem. Keeping her alive doesnt equate to discipleship. I can imagine a godly woman provoking her husband to think about these poor people and shouldnt someone try to teach Rahab and her family about the Lord? Im sure the idea was met with apprehension at first. What if we get infected with their idolatry? No, its too risky. Too bad they werent born Jews. Time passes, but somewhere along the line, at least Rahab is discipled, probably by one of those godly wives who kept persisting until her husband acquiesced! Rahab responds and learns well. In fact, she surpasses most of the young Israelite women in her devotion to the Lord, and becomes known for her character and the radical transformation of a changed life. How do we know that? Because of something revealed in the Book of Ruth and a one-sentence reference in Matthew Chapter 1. So, lets turn our attention first to Ruth. If you are not familiar with Ruth, it is a short book packed with depth and meaning. The story centers around a family from Bethlehem, a husband named Elimelech and his wife Naomi. They have two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. A severe drought causes them to move east across the Jordan river to the area of Moab, where Naomi stays for 10 years. While there, her husband dies. Her sons marry Moabite women. But then her sons die, and she is left in Moab with her two daughters-in-law, Orpah, and Ruth. Naomi hears that the drought is gone in Bethlehem and she decides to return, and tries to convince her daughters-in-law to stay in Moab. Orpah does, but Ruth insists on going to Bethlehem with Naomi and staying with her until her death, and will worship the God of Israel. So, they return. When they arrive in Bethlehem, it is the beginning of the barley harvest, probably mid-April. How to get food? Well, Ruth goes out to glean in the common area which the landowners use, and she just happens to get connected with a man named Boaz. We need to learn something about Boaz. He is described as gibbor, which is sometimes translated as mighty man. It implies he is a man of substance and character, and when we read Ruth, we are touched by his compassion and concern both for Naomi and for Ruth. He is impressed by Ruths devotion to Naomi, and her willingness to seek shelter under Yahwehs wings. Interestingly, he is also a kinsman redeemer (Leviticus 25:47-55) to Naomi, and is willing to redeem her land including the necessity of giving her offspring through Ruth, the Moabitess. He was willing to marry a foreign woman. Boaz and Ruth had a child, Obed, who was the grandfather of David. Ruth 4:21-22. So, Ruth the Moabite woman participates in establishing the earthly lineage of the Messiah. We are told in Ruth 4:21 that Salmon (or Salma) begot Boaz. We dont know from the account here who Boaz mother is, but Matthew clears that up for us. Matthew 1:5 tells us Salmon fathered Boaz by Rahab, Boaz fathered Obed by Ruth, and Obed fathered Jesse. Salmon was the father of Boaz, and Boaz mother is Rahab. Interestingly, she is not referred to as Rahab the Harlot, just Rahab. She is a harlot no more. Remember, Boaz is a man of influence and character in Bethlehem. There is no doubt that Boaz character was formed in large part due to his mothers influence. She would have had to be a woman of great moral character to attract the attention of Salmon. Knowing people as we do, we can be sure that Salmon was scorned and rejected by some of his peers for marrying a former pagan harlot. That took a lot of courage on his part. And think about his parents! Lets say our son came home all excited about this woman he met at a Bible study, who had been a sexual abuse victim by her stepdad, ran away from home, wound up on Colfax Avenue in Denver, was befriended by a man who turned out to be a pimp, got her strung out on fentanyl, and trafficked her as a prostitute? Sound like something that happens every day. But she had been arrested, detoxed, came to Christ while in substance abuse treatment, and was now a very godly young woman in love with Jesus. We love to hear stories like that. But what if our son decided he wanted to marry her? Would we be accepting of her as a redeemed child of God, or would we be concerned about our familys reputation, and suggest he seek out a virgin from one of the good families from his Awanas group? What if your son said, But what about that verse in Second Corinthians Five? 2 Corinthians 5:17 If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Is that true, or not? Do we feel the conviction of hypocrisy as we contemplate our reaction? Are we interested more in what serves Gods purposes, or being concerned about what our peer group will think? Remember, God chose Rahab and Ruth (and Tamar, for that matter) to be mothers of men in the lineage of Christ. He did that on purpose to teach us something about His mercy and grace. No doubt, Boaz own family history was a strong influence for him to so readily agree to marry Ruth the Moabitess. He knew his parents story, had heard from his mother Rahab about the pain of loneliness and rejection when they lived outside the camp, and had no hesitation to marry a foreign woman who so obviously loved God and honored Naomi. The character of Rahab may also be inferred from Hebrews. She and Sarah are the only two women named in the Hall of Faith (Hebrews Chapter 11). Rahab is also mentioned by James as an example of the works of faith. (Call up the worship team) So, who are the Rahabs in our life? The people who have a checkered past, but who are growing in the Lord? Can we see past who they were, and see what they can become as the Lord changes them? He wants us to see with His eyes, and be His hands and feet to disciple them so they can become the godly Rahabs of this generation. The main reason why I love working in the criminal justice system is that I get to participate in Gods mission of making modern-day Rahabs. To see a life in chaos become a godly man or woman is a privilege I have witnessed repeatedly over the past 35 years. Fact is, none of us come from good families. There is only one Good Family, and that consists of all of us, from whatever background, who have repented, been born again, and belong to the body of Christ. We all are new creations in Christ, and our sinsall of themare forgiven and forgotten by our Lord. May we celebrate our new beginnings every day!
Joshua Chapter Twenty-three, Joshua's farewell address to the leaders of Israel, warns of consequences of disobedience, Scarlet Threads, Jesus Christ
Joshua Chapter Twenty-two, eastern tribes commended and warned, an altar built, investigation and challenge, explanation, misunderstanding, unity restored, Scarlet Threads, Jesus Christ
Joshua 8 Pastor Doug Link teaches from Joshua Chapter 8. The post The Downfall of Ai appeared first on Grace Church of Tallahassee.
Joshua 7 Josh Hollingsworth teaches from Joshua Chapter 7. The post Sin in the Camp appeared first on Grace Church of Tallahassee.
Joshua Chapter Twenty-one, Levitical cities, God's promises fulfilled, Scarlet Threads, Jesus Christ
Rebekah's Website Book a Christian Life Coaching Discovery Call Let's kick off our August Theme: Singleness with a heart-level, somewhat confrontational challenge from Rebekah to accept your singleness by allowing yourself to grieve. The church will not give this to you, friends, you will have to fight for it. In order to mourn, you will have to acknowledge the reality of loss, really name it. This will be hard but it's the gateway to healing, a deeper faith, and accepting the reality that God has for you. So grieve...but also, there comes a time when you must arise and embrace the new land that God has for - this idea is taken from Joshua Chapter 1, when God allows His people to grieve but tells them to move on and take the promised land. To all my single friends, divorced, widowed, single-never-been-married... you will have to fight the church to have your grief. But you will also have to Satan to not stay there and give into self-pity. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:05 The Importance of Grieving and Mourning 08:54 Feeling Invisible and Unsupported in the Church 16:27 Embracing Grief and Mourning as a Necessary Step Towards Healing 22:53 Finding Comfort and Guidance in God During the Grieving Process 26:00 Trusting God's Plan and Purpose for Single Women's Lives 28:56 The Power of Grieving and Mourning in Deepening the Relationship with God 31:33 Conclusion and Encouragement Rebekah Did a Previous Series on Singleness: Episodes 50-55 (go back and listen to those episodes on all major podcast platforms if you want more on this topic!)
Daily Dose of Hope July 4, 2024, Day 5 of week 14 Scripture: The book of Joshua Chapter 22-24; Psalm 116: The gospel of Luke Chapter 19 Welcome back to the daily dose of hope, the devotional and podcast that complements New Hope Church's Bible reading plan. Let get into our scriptures today: Chapter 22-24 of the book of Joshua continue to provide details on how Joshua and the Israelites finish their journey into Cannan. In these chapters we move from dividing the land up to preparation of serving God in the promised land. Since they have obeyed all Moses commands , not desert their kindreds to this day and kept the charge of the Lord. Serving their God was in order. To complete this mission of everyone inhabiting their own land. Joshua sent the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh to their land that they inherited with a blessing and instructions to obey the command that Moses gave them. When the two and half tribes return to their home on the eastside of the Jordan. The first thing they did was build an altar. But when the rest of Israel heard about it. They became deeply concerned. The only acceptable place for Israel to worship was in Shiloh at the tabernacle, the tent of meeting. Their building an altar indicated to others that idolatry was brewing in the east among their brothers. To stamp this out the entire Israelite community assembled at Shiloh to go to war against them. To get clarity Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest was sent to speak on behalf of the entire Israelite community. Phinehas ask this question, “How could you break faith with God of Israel like this? How could you turn away from the Lord and build yourself an altar in rebellion against him now?” We already suffering from the sin of Peor. Presently, we have not been able to cleanse ourselves from that sin. Are you now turning away from the Lord?” They continue asking has the land been defiled. If so come and join us so you do not have to rebelled against the Lord. Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh response was we had no intention of turning away from the Lord. We did it for fear that someday your descendants might say to our, “What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel. They confessed that they had no intent of using their altar for worship of any kind. Instead, they established it as a replica of the true altar at Shiloh to bear witness to future generations that all the tribes on the east side of Jordan were true Israelites who worshiped the Lord like the rest of the community. The report pleased the Israelites, they blessed God and spoke no more about war against them to destroy their land. The Reubenites and Gadites called the altar Witness, for they said, “It is a witness between us that the Lord is God.” As we move deeper into the text, years have passed as Israel had been given rest from their enemies. Joshua being an old man summoned all of Israel community to give his farewell speech. He knew his death was approaching, and he wanted to exhort the people one last time. He reminded the people that they had seen with their own eyes what God had done for them. It was the Lord your God who was fighting for you. Joshua commanded them to be strong by obeying all that was written in the book of law of Moses, turning aside from it neither left nor right. Please do not intermarry with the surrounding people. He was not against different skins colors. Only the prohibition against marry someone of another religion, because they would be influence by their spouse to worship their gods instead of worshiping the one true God. “I am now going the way of the whole earth.” This statement was to communicate that he was on his way to die. He reminded them not one promises of God failed, but for these promises to continue they were required to give God their loyalty and commitment. Joshua continue his farewell address exhorting the history of their journey into the promised land. In summary, God was telling them, “You got out of slavery to here because of me. When you sinned and were unfaithful, I came through. I never bailed on you, and my promises never failed. Yes, there were things you had to do, but I enabled you to succeed all the way. The people respond to Joshua bold declaration with this reply, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods! We will worship the Lord , because he is our God.” Their response was a little weak for Joshua so he doubled down by saying, “ God is a jealous God, if you abandon the Lord and worship other gods, he will turn against you. The people insisted they got the point. On that day Joshua made a covenant with the people. After challenging Israel to follow their God Joshua died at the age of 110. How will he be remembered? As a testimony to his faithfulness, we were given insight: Israel worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua lifetime. Unfortunately, as we approach the book of Judges next week it will be reveal, that pattern would soon change. Our next test psalm 116, the psalmist begins with expressing his love for God, because he listened to and responded to his prayer. Therefore, he could commit to call on the Lord for the rest of his life. The psalmist faces with life-threatening trouble and sorrow appeals to God to save his life. Notice how through the psalmist corporate dimension of his worship, he point out that he is our God and he belong to all of his people. The psalmist then offer testimony of his experience with God in order to encourage the congregation. Though he had been brought low by his difficulties, the lord saved him. Therefore , he confidently say he could walk before the Lord. Though his enemies lied to him, he knew that the battle was not over, and that God would have the last word. For the Lord goodness to him, the psalmist contemplates what he could give back to God. He mention two things, First, he would take the cup of salvation( his blessings and deliverance) that God had graciously given him and call on his name. In other words, he would continue to worship and depend on the God who saves. Why would we turn anywhere but to the one who has proven that he can deliver? Secondly, he would fulfil his vows to the Lord. Why? Obedience is the only appropriate response when God has come through for us. The death of God's faithful one is supremely valuable in his sight. God find great pleasure and joy in fellowship with his children who go to be with him eternally at death because of their personal relationship with him. Knowing this, the psalmist pledges to continue praising and serving the Lord publicity, so God's people could do the same. Our New Testament text opens in the 19th chapter of Luke as we see that the Blind man was not the only person in Jericho to experience God's grace that day. A wealthy tax collector name Zacchaeus heard Jesus passing by. As the crowd was passing by, he was trying to see who Jesus was, but because he was short in stature, He ran ahead and climb in a sycamore tree to see him. This way he would have the opportunity to see Jesus. It was clear that he was very successfully involved in a time-consuming business. It was taxing, to say the least. His name mean pure, but he is anything but this to his peers because his job was that of a tax collector. The Jewish society despised and hated him as his job required him to be a vassal to the Romans. Everyone knew he was trying to see Jesus , but no one cared. All he wanted to do was see Jesus, but how many of you know you cannot hide from Jesus. When Jesus reached his spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus hurry and come down for I must stay at your house today.” Can you imagine how Zacchaeus reacted to the invitation? He was thrilled and he welcome Jesus, but the crowd was shocked. “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” Why had he chosen this sinner instead? Because sinners were the reason he had come in the first place. Once Zacchaeus was near Jesus he had a change of heart. Knowing that he was a sinner and knowing grace that Jesus was showing to him, Zacchaeus said, I'll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I'll pay back four times as much. That's what repentance look like. Repentance doesn't merely say, “I'm sorry, it makes amends for wrongdoing. This is why Jesus said, Salvation has come to this house. Zacchaeus' outward actions were testimony of an inward transformation. This why Jesus came to seek and save the lost. While the crowd was admiring what Jesus was saying, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem. This would be his last time to teach on the kingdom of God. The people thought the kingdom of God was going to appear right away. Jesus proceeded to tell the story of a nobleman who commanded his servants to engage in business on his behalf until he returned. Each of the servants where given a certain amount to manage. The nobleman's subject hated him and declared that they did not want him to rule over them. Upon the nobleman's return, he summoned the three servants to learn how they manage his money. Two made a return on their investment, while one did nothing, because he feared the nobleman. His lack of stewardship was fueled by a lack of relationship and failure to take seriously the knowledge of the master's expectation and the fact that he would return. Needless to say, the servant was chastised by the master, because he could have at least put the money in the bank to collect a minimal amount of interest. What is the point here ? Unfaithful believers will experience negative consequences at the judgement seat (see 1 Cor. 3:15). Don't missed out on the eternal rewards that God has for faithful steward who manage well what he has given them. Faithfulness results in kingdom rewards; unfaithfulness results in lack and loss reward it is not about stewardship, but Lordship that God desire. Those who rebel will have their just reward, though they may have to wait for it. Though God forbears for a season, the time for punishment will come only too soon. Those who make themselves enemies of God and will not accept Jesus as king will receive eternal judgment. After Jesus said these things, he went to Jerusalem at the hill called Mount of Olives. There he sent two disciples to the town ahead to prepare for his triumphal entry. He gave strict instructions on how the disciples were to obtain the material he need for the coming event. Not an uncertain mission, but a specific mission. Jesus never sends people on wild goose chase. Their mission was to enter the village find a colt tied up that had never been ridden. As they untie the colt the owner approach the disciples and they replied as Jesus stated, “ the Lord need it. ” Jesus got on the colt and rode to his destination. Three things to learn from this passage of scripture: The riding of the colt fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, Jesus presenting himself publicly as the Messiah. Second, the disciple learns Jesus knowledge of what would happen demonstrated his omniscience. Third, a colt that had been ridden would not accept a rider easily. Jesus rides into Jerusalem as a humble servant of God and not an emerging military king. As Jesus move through Jerusalem the crowd shouted, “Blessed is the king who come in the name of the Lord” quoting from psalm 118. The people openly acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. The Pharisee once again wanted Jesus' disciple to be rebuke, but Jesus if they keep quiet the stone will cry out, Jesus wept for Jerusalem. Salvation was so close yet not grasped. Jesus entered the temple to drive out the illicit practitioners of evil there he began to teach daily in the temple, thereby providing another opportunity for those who desired to hear and receive him to do so. Unfortunately, their remain elements of person who sought to rid themselves of the presence of goodness and holiness. The religious and civic leader could not stop Jesus from conducting his mission to establish the kingdom of God. No matter how much you strive to help the organized Church to become more of the face of the true church in the world, there will remain opposition and defiance. Such person will never leave and yet refuse to love Jesus. True worshippers require more determination and effort on our part with the help of the Holy Spirit. Happy 4th of July! Until next week remember our goal as a congregation to read the bible in one year together as a family of faith. Five days a week we read. Two days rest or catch up. Reading the is the way we increase and walk out our faith as believers. This is Pastor Lavetta, and this is the daily Dose of Hope. The Daily Dose of Hope is a devotional intended to provide context and reflection to the New Hope Church Bible Reading Plan. It's our goal to read the Bible in a year together as a family of faith. Five days a week we read. Two days a week we either rest or catch up. Reading the Bible is the number one way to grow in our walk with Jesus. We have to know God's Word to live God's Word. Now for our Daily Dose of Hope… https://www.findnewhope.com
Daily Dose of Hope July 3, 2024, Day 4 of week 14 Scripture: The book of Joshua Chapter 18-21; Psalm 15: The gospel of Luke Chapter 18 Welcome back to the daily dose of hope, the devotional and podcast that complements New Hope Church's Bible reading plan. Let get into our scriptures today: Chapter 18-21of the book of Joshua continue to provide details on how Joshua and the Israelites comes in the fulfillment of God's covenant to give them the land in Canaan. We begin with all of Israel gathering at Shiloh where they set up the tabernacle to offer sacrifices to God. The land was conquered. The hard battle for it was over. Yet we learn, "And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance." That means they had not gone into the land to possess it. It had been given to them, but they had not gone in to receive it. No wonder Joshua admonished them, saying, "How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your father has given you? The thought is that they had a home in which they could settle. Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true (21:25). Joshua saying “Look the land is not going to divide itself. We've got work to do. They subdued the people and made them pay tribute. This was coexistence, not dispossession. This program was a fruitful source of trouble for Israel. It is also a dangerous one for us to follow with regard to sin and the failure to assume our possessions in Christ. The same question could be asked of many Christians. How long will it be before we avail ourselves of the vast spiritual riches God has made possible? He has given us the privilege of life-changing prayer. He has made it possible for us to study His Word in any number of translations. We are new creatures in Christ, with all the potential that can be found in such a position. When will we possess these riches? Don't delay. Begin today to possess all the spiritual benefits God offers you. Now is the time for you to take what God has promised. God can only give what you are willing to take. Now let us look at Psalm 15. David opens this psalm with these two questions to the Lord, “Who may Worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” These relevant questions of asking what are the qualification for the worship of the true God in his sanctuary? The answer is the one who aligned with God. The one who live blamelessly, practices righteousness, and acknowledge the truth. One cannot merely profess to know God but must walk before him in integrity. In otherwards, to have access to God, one life must reflect devotion to the two great commandment: love for God and love for people (Mark 12:28-31). The righteous one cares for his neighbor and despise those who are evil. He honors those who fear God especially those who take him seriously. He keeps his word whatever it cost. No matter what personal harm may come to him, he holds true to his commitments. He does not seek to prosper by ripping out others, nor can he be bribed. Such a person will never be shaken because he aligned himself with God. He will have a stable life because he will oversees it. Moving to our New Testament text in the 18th chapter of Luke. Jesus teaches on the importance of prayer. Through the use of a parable Jesus now encouraged his disciples to pray, and not grow weary of praying, though the situation might not change immediately. In times of persecution, this remain a valuable lesson and tool for endurance. Constancy and persistency in prayer is a sign of faith, not of a lack of faith. Jesus chose two unlikely character a poor widow and a corrupt judge to state his claims. These characters hardly seem like the proper comparison for choosing a relationship with God, but Jesus wants us to focus upon several important contrast in this story. The judge had both power and authority, and he abused both. The widow was legal resident who deserved the Judge assistance, yet she found herself to be helpless, because the judge would not hear the case. Her only recourse was to be just as troubling to the one who could do her any good-the Judge. The judge never intended to grant the woman a hearing, because he was man, who had no need of anything or anybody and what more he was proud of it. There was nothing in him that feared God or man. This is what the woman had to face on a daily basis. It looks like the judge sided with the adversary, though he was not on anybody's side. Through the widow persistence and constancy, not only did he grant the woman a hearing, but also gave her fair justice, just so she would not return again. Jesus said there is something to learn from the unjust Judge. Those who are evil still know what is right, else how could they know what is wrong or which way to turn? A pivotal point here Jesus makes, if a person who can do this, surely God has no desire to mete out justice to the one deserving, surely God who is the just one, not only can, but will dispense Justice on behalf of all those whom he has drawn to himself by Christ. The question is “How badly do you want what you want?” When you are dragged before the courts of the world, will you continue in prayer, steadfast and unmovable ? When it seems like God is not listening will you quit praying. As we move further along in this text, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector. One was self-aware and the other not. The pharisee had a high regard for God. He believes himself to be religiously superior to the common sinner. He did not believe himself to be sinner at all. On the other hand, the tax collector knew he was corrupt and everybody else also knew this about him. We do not know what his sin is, perhaps Jesus omitted this detail so that people who read this story might know there are no particular sins that cause the person to be a sinner just the fact that all of us are human. The tax collector obviously realized this and recognized his unworthiness and inability to stand in the presence of God. The conclusion and the lesson of the story we find in verse 14. Both men needed forgiveness. The pharisee did not know he need forgiveness, did not ask for it and did not get it. The tax collector knew he needed the forgiveness that would be only by the mercy of God, ask for it, and received it. Jesus concluded those who are righteous and despise others, like Pharisee in the parable, think they have arrived spiritually, but yet have a long way to go. Continuing along in the text it apparent the disciple had forgotten the lesson of Luke 17: 1-3 and missed the practical application of humility in the lesson just given. It is easy to forget, but now something has occurred that would bring the lesson to the forefront. Jesus went about blessing the children. As more children came to Jesus, the disciples rebuked the group as a whole, but especially the adults, speaking to them in such a stern way to prevent them from completing their purpose. Jesus uses the opportunity to illustrate the disposition one must have to enter the kingdom and receive kingdom rewards. The kingdom of God is only for those who available to receive it like a child. In a parent-child relationship, children bring nothing to the table, but their own weakness, need and dependency. In the same way we come to God through Jesus Christ, entirely dependent on him in kingdom entry and kingdom blessing. The text gets a little deeper when a rich young ruler asks Jesus, “Good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus' response only God is good. Why did the rich young ruler approach Jesus with his question. It appears that the rich ruler was a genuine seeker of the truth, not just another religious leader looking up to trap Jesus in his own words. The young ruler believed that heaven is attained by goodness because he had seen that Jesus was good at heart and sought to be good to others. Jesus recognized the sincerity of the man and his question, but also saw there were other things that needed to be dealt with ahead of the answer. Jesus response , “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Instead, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The young ruler's love for his wealth superseded his love for people. Jesus uses his encounter with the rich young ruler to warn his disciples about the danger of wealth. Those who heard Jesus' response to the rich young ruler said who can be saved? Jesus replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” Jesus assure Peter that faithful kingdom disciples will be repaid, sometimes in history but ultimately in eternity. After this encounter Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem, but in private he took his disciples aside as he predicts his death by explaining what would happen. This baffled the disciples they could not gasp it, because how could the messiah be killed at the place, they felt he would be enthroned. They would need spiritual clarity from the Holy Spirit. Although the disciples could not discern the anointing of Jesus and who he was . As they approach Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. A blind man heard people going by, he asked what was happening? When he heard it was Jesus. He shouted “Jesus, son of David, have mercy in me!” those in the crowd tries to prevent the blind man from receiving his miracles. The second shout cause Jesus to stop in response to his cry of faith and ask him what he needed, but did Jesus really have to ask? All heard his request, “Lord…. I want to see.” With the blind man proclamation of faith and Jesus' ability to restore his sight he was healed instantly. The blind man regained his sight, he became a disciple, follow Jesus and glorified God. As a result, the people who witnesses it gave praise to God. This miracle severed as a spiritual lesson to the nation of Israel. If they respond and acknowledge their spiritual blindness. God would grant them spiritual life and entrance into the kingdom that Jesus was offering. Until tomorrow remember our goal as a congregation to read the bible in one year together as a family of faith. Five days a week we read. Two days rest or catch up. Reading the is the way we increase and walk out our faith as believers. This is Pastor Lavetta, and this is the daily Dose of Hope. The Daily Dose of Hope is a devotional intended to provide context and reflection to the New Hope Church Bible Reading Plan. It's our goal to read the Bible in a year together as a family of faith. Five days a week we read. Two days a week we either rest or catch up. Reading the Bible is the number one way to grow in our walk with Jesus. We have to know God's Word to live God's Word. Now for our Daily Dose of Hope… https://www.findnewhope.com
Lesson 24 – Joshua 22 & 23 JOSHUA Lesson 24 – Chapters 22 and 23 We'll continue today in Joshua Chapter 22, a chapter that has some quite dramatic theological and practical implications contained in it. And I outlined for you that we'd identify 4 (although there are more) important questions that are addressed in […] The post Lesson 24 – Joshua 22 & 23 appeared first on Torah Class.
Cross the Bridge 42219-3
Cross the Bridge 42219-2