Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Tues.’s Devo - Jericho - The Tithe

Read: Jos. 5-8
I can’t imagine how scared the Amorites and Canaanites were when they saw the waters of the Jordan split just like they had heard had happened in the Red Sea. It had to given validity to all they had heard about the miracles their god did to the Egyptians and now they were coming toward them.
The first thing God had them do was to circumcise the new men. It was a picture of us circumcising our heart to receive the things of God. As soon as they ate the corn of the land and the fruit God stopped the manna from falling. Fruit speaks of maturity. Gifts are given by grace but fruit is developed. They had been tested and tried in the wilderness and were now able to eat fruit.
As Joshua stood looking at his first city to destroy, Jericho. God came as the captain of the host and stood before Joshua. God gave Joshua a strange strategy and Joshua obeyed. Because he did the walls fell down.
Jericho means “fragrant”. Eph. 5:2 tells us that our sacrifice is a sweet savor to the Lord. Jericho was to be their tithe-city. They were not to take any spoil but bring it all to the Lord. So when Achan took part of the spoil it brought defeat instead of the victory they were expecting. It not only hurt him and his family but thirty-six men died needlessly when they went to the next city, Ai. Tithing is the way of blessing and when we refuse to tithe we are withholding God’s share. We will not be blessed but face defeat in every area of our lives. When we tithe we invite God’s blessing and give God something to work with.
Lord, help us to give you a tithe of our money, time and talents.

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