Wed.’s Devo - Complete Victory!

Read: Joshua 11:1-12:24; Luke 17:11-37; Psalm 84:1-12; Proverbs 13:5-6 Joshua continues conquering the the land in today’s reading. Jabin, the king of Hazor who ruled north boarding Syria and Assyria summoned three other kings to join with him in fighting Israel. They came out with a huge army on horses and chariots from the north, south, east and west. *** God told Joshua not to fear because in a day he would give them all to him. They were to kill them, hamstring their horses and burn their chariots. They did a surprise attack and chased them down and defeated them. They hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots just like the Lord said. Joshua captured the city of Hazor who was the head of all those kingdoms. It was like the principality of all the other demons. Joshua killed all its inhabitants and burned Hazor to the ground. He killed their king with the sword and devoted them all to destruction. *** Joshua did not burn down the other cities but took the spoil from them. He took all their land and notice that part of that land was Goshen which is not the Goshen Jacob and his sons had lived outside of Egypt when Joseph ruled Egypt. This was a city in the mountains of Judah. They acquired cities, hill country, plains, mountains and valleys. *** Joshua killed the Anakin and destroyed their cities. He took all the land the Lord had given to Moses as an inheritance to the children of Israel. *** Israel defeated two kings east of the Jordan and 31 kings in the promised land making it a total of 33 kings. They took possession of their cities, their goods and killed all who breathed. They did exactly what the Lord told them to do. *** In Luke, Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem when he met 10 lepers begging him to have mercy on them. Instead of healing them, he told them to go show themselves to the priests. As they obeyed and went, they were healed. The Samaritan returned to thank Jesus. Jesus asked where the others were. Then he told the one to go his way because his faith had made him whole, not just healed - whole. He got the whole package, Salvation, healing, and a future in the kingdom. *** The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God would come. Jesus explained that the coming of the kingdom was not something they would be able to see with their natural eyes. The kingdom of God is a presence that will be in you. *** Then Jesus told his disciples that the time would come when they would long to see one of the days of the son of man. We see that in our day. We are longing to see someone do the miracles that Jesus did and when we hear of it, we go chasing after it. Jesus said not to do this, because when that day comes where we will be doing the works of Christ it will be like lightning that starts at one side of the heavens and quickly spreads to the other. Miracle revivals will be like that. *** Jesus then shifts to the present and prepares them for the fact that they are going to see him suffer greatly and be rejected by their generation. *** Jesus then shifts back to the days of the Son of Man. It is compared to both the days of Noah before the flood and the days of Sodom before it was destroyed. It will be business as usual, then the wicked will be taken out. It will be too late to repent. The ones left will be saved and experience the days of the Son of Man. *** When his disciples asked where they would be taken he said, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.” A corpse is a dead person, so the ones who are removed or taken are those who die and are eaten by the birds, which was what they said happened to wicked people who died. This was just to give us insight into who was leaving and who was staying. *** Lord, help us to have great discernment in the days we are in. May we trust your presence within us. Thank you that you are in control and we can trust in your plan.

Tues.’s Devo - Conquering Kings

Read: Joshua 9:3-10:43; Luke 16:19-17:10; Psalm 83:1-18; Proverbs 13:4 Gibeon was one of the royal cities of the Hivites. They knew that God had commanded Moses to give them all the land and to destroy all of its inhabitants. They also heard about all the cities that Joshua had already taken. Instead of joining with the other “ites” in a war against Joshua, they came up with a better plan. They took old moldy food and put on worn out clothes and sandals and went to meet with Joshua. They explained how they were from a far off country and were passing through. They wanted to make a covenant with him of peace. Joshua didn’t want to make a covenant with them in case they lived close by, but when he saw all their old clothes and molded bread, he believed them. Instead of asking the Lord, Joshua let them deceive him into making a covenant with them. *** Three days later, they found out they did live among them, but it was too late; they had made a covenant with them. They went to see them in their cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim but could not attack them because of their covenant. The people of Israel grumbled against their own leaders for making the covenant. Joshua told the people that since they couldn’t kill them, they could make them cut their wood and draw their water. The people the cities were happy to be able to serve them and live. *** When the king of Jerusalem, Adoni-zedek heard how Joshua had captured Ai and Jericho and had now make a covenant with Gibeon, he met with he kings of Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to wage war against the people of Gibeon for making a covenant of peace with Israel. *** The people of Gibeon then went to Joshua and asked for help to fight all these nations. The Lord told Joshua not to fear because He would give them into his hand. Joshua marched his army all night and when they reached Gibeon, the Lord threw their enemies into such a panic, they ran. Israel chased them to Azekah and Makkedah where the Lord threw down huge hail stones from heaven to kill them. More died from the hail than the swords of Israel. *** Joshua prayed that the sun would not go down so they could finish fighting and it stood still for a whole day until they could finish the fight. They returned to Gilgal in victory. The five kings of the nations they had fought all hid in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua had stones rolled over the entrance so they couldn’t escape while they fought. After their total victory, they returned to the cave and had the five kings brought out. He had all the men of Israel put their feet on the necks of the kings. He did this to take away all the fear of them and the kings they would meet in the future. Then Joshua killed the kings and hung them on five trees. When evening came, he had their bodies thrown into the cave they had hidden in and rolled the stone back over the opening. (They did not rise from their grave like Jesus did.) *** Joshua then took the city of Makkedah and killed all of its inhabitants and the king. Joshua continued to the city of Lachish and took it and killed the king. *** Horam, king Gezer came with his army to help Lachish but they were killed also. Joshua then went on to Eglon and captured it in a day and killed all its people and king. They went to Hebron and captured it, killing its occupants. They did the same to Debir. ***Joshua struck the whole land devoting everything that breathed to destruction. Joshua captured all the kings and their land from Kadesh-barnea as far as Gaza and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon. Then he returned to their camp in Gilgal. *** In Luke, Jesus told the story of a poor man named Lazarus who begged at the gate of a rich man’s estate. The rich man enjoyed his good food while Lazareth longed to eat his scraps. Lazareth died and was taken to Sheol by angels and lay with Abraham. *** The rich man also died and was taken to Hades where there was a deep chasm between where Lazareth and Abraham rested and where the rich man was. Hades was a place of fire, anguish, and drought where Abraham was was a place of refreshing. He begged Abraham to bring him a drop of water to drink but Abraham reminded him of the pleasure he enjoyed in his lifetime and the lack and pain Lazareth endured in his lifetime. Lazareth was now being comforted, but the rich man was in anguish. There was no way they could cross over to him. *** Then the man begged him to send someone to warn his family about hell. Abraham said they had Moses and the Prophets to warn them. The man contested that if he would send someone from the dead they would listen. Abraham told him if they wouldn’t listen to the prophets or Moses, they would not listen to someone who rose from the dead. Jesus was telling this story to the Pharisees who didn’t believe the prophets or Moses and still wouldn’t believe when he rose from the dead. They would be the ones who ended up in Hades. *** Jesus told his disciples, us, to be sure not to be the one to temp someone else to sin. He also encouraged us to rebuke a brother who is sinning so he will repent. If he does repent, then we must forgive him no matter how many times he has to ask us. It is God who judges sin. *** Jesus explained the relationship of a servant and his master. The master expects him to do what he says. If we only obey God as our master then we remain his slave. If we love, honor, give him our lives, worship and praise him, and seek to know him, we become his children and his friends. *** Lord, help us to go beyond just obeying you because it is the right thing to do. May our hearts be yours and may we enjoy a relationship with you as your child and your friend.

Mon.’s Devo - Accountability

Read: Joshua 7:16-9:2; Luke 16:1-18; Psalm 82:1-8; Proverbs 13:2-3 Yesterday we read where the Israelites were defeated by the small city of Ai. God revealed that there was sin in their camp and someone had stolen of the spoils of Jericho that they were told to totally destroy. Today, we read where God exposes who was guilty. God pinpointed it to Achan. He had coveted and stolen a beautiful cloak from Shinar, 200 shekels of silver and a bar of gold. His selfish desires had cost the lives of 36 men and the humiliation of their nation. His sentence was to be stoned with stones and burned with fire till he died at the hands of his own people. *** Once this was taken care of, it was time to go take Ai. Joshua had chosen 3,000 men the last time. This time he chose 30,000. Joshua took most of the men to attack from the north. Then he took about 5,000 to wait in ambush from the west. The king Ai brought his army to fight Joshua’s army in the north. When they were drawn away from the city, God told Joshua to stretch out his javelin toward the city and the 5,000 attacked the unguarded city. They quickly took it and set it on fire. When their army looked back and saw their city on fire they lost hope and scattered. Israel captured them and none escaped. Twelve thousand were killed and took their king captive. *** God had told them they could take the spoil from Ai so they plundered the city and took the goods and the livestock. They hung the king on a tree and when he had died, they buried him under a heap of stones in the gate of the city. *** Joshua built an altar to the Lord on Mt. Ebal and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on it to the Lord. He had the law of Moses written on the stones. The ark was brought into the valley with half of the people standing on Mt. Gerazim and half of them standing on Mt. Ebal. Joshua read all the commandments of the law to the people just as Moses had done in that very place. *** After this, all the kings left in the land - the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites, teamed together to fight against Joshua and Israel. *** In Luke, Jesus told a story gives a story much like we just read in Joshua. This man was a rich man’s accountant. He found that his accountant had been embezzling his money. When the accountant realized he had been found out, he wanted to make some friends real quickly so they would give him a place to stay in his unemployment. He went to one of them men who owed his boss 100 measures of oil. He told him to tear up his debt and make it only 50 measures of oil. Then he went to another debtor of his master and had his debt reduced also. *** When the master found out what he had done, he commended him for his shrewdness. This evil man was planning for his future so he would have someone to take him in when he lost his job. He told the righteous that they could take a lesson from this and use their life on earth to prepare for their eternal life. How faithful we are in the way we live on earth will determine how we will live in the live hereafter. *** When the Pharisees heard this story they made fun of Jesus. He told them they were the ones who justified their sins before man, but God knew their hearts and he wasn’t falling for their lies. *** Jesus then threw in the law about adultery and divorcement. He was referring to spiritual adultery and divorcement. They were the ones who had divorced the law and were breaking it in secret. *** Lord, reveal to us our faults so that we bring ourselves to accountability and repent. May we live our lives with eternity in mind.

Sun.’s Devo - Taking Jericho

Read: Joshua 5:1-7:15; Luke 15:1-32; Psalm 81:1-16; Proverbs 31:1 When the kings of the Canaanites heard how the Lord dried up the Jordan River for the Israelites to cross over, they were totally afraid to fight them. *** God commanded Joshua to circumcise all the men since they had not been circumcised yet. When he did this, God said he had removed the reproach of Egypt from them on that day. He named the place Gilgal which means “a wheel.” They had now rolled out of their sinful state into a state of righteousness. *** They celebrated the Passover which was given to them when they were leaving Egypt. This Passover, they were leaving the wilderness and entering into their promise. This was the last time they ate manna. They now ate food the promised land provided. *** The commander of the army of the Lord came and met with Joshua to give him strategy for taking Jericho. The first thing he told him was to take off his shoes because the ground he was standing on was holy. *** Joshua came back and gave the people the plan. The men who were fighting age were to walk around the city for six days. Seven priest were walk, blowing trumpets before the ark. On the seventh day, they were to walk around it seven times and when the priests were to blew a long blast on their trumpets, the people were to shout. The walls will fall down flat and they could take the city. *** Joshua gave the instructions to his men and told them to walk silently so the only thing heard would be the trumpets. *** Can you imagine the fear that was mounting in the city? They were already afraid of the Israelites and their God and now they had to watch them encircle them every day blowing their trumpets. This had to be greatly intimidating. *** On the seventh day, when they shouted, the walls fell flat. They took the city and were supposed to destroy everyone and everything in it. The two spies rescued Rahab and all who were in her house. They lived outside of the camp but became a part of Israel. Rahab married an Israelite and they had a son named Boaz. He married Ruth, a Moabite and became part of the lineage of the Messiah. *** Joshua made a curse that if anyone tried to rebuild Jericho, they would lose their first born son when they laid its foundation and their youngest son would die when they set up its gates. *** When we traveled to Israel, our guide told us that a few decades ago, a man was trying to rebuild Jericho. He had three sons and the first one died when he laid the foundation. His youngest son begged his father to stop so he wouldn’t die. His father stopped excavation. God’s Word is timeless and has no expiration date. *** Unknown to Joshua, Achan from the tribe of Judah took some of the idols of the city of Jericho and hid them. *** The next city before them was Ai. When their spies looked it over, they reported it was small and would only take about 3,000 of their men to take it. Instead of a clean victory, they lost 36 mean and fled before the people of Ai. *** Joshua was so upset, he tore his clothes and fell on his face before the Lord. God explained that they had lost because their was sin in the camp. Someone had taken some of the idols Canaan secretly. They would have no more victories till they dealt with the sin. *** God told them to consecrate themselves and then have every tribe stand before him and he would show the clan that took the things. *** In Luke, Jesus was accused of attracting and welcoming tax collectors and sinners. Jesus explained they were the lost sheep, and heaven rejoiced more over one of them coming to repentance than 99 righteous people coming in who didn’t need to repent. *** Jesus gave them the story of the lost coin and the prodigal son. The woman in the story of the lost coin didn’t do anything wrong to lose the coin, but was so thankful when she found it. The father in the story of the prodigal son didn’t do anything wrong to lose his son. The prodigal son, chose to walk away and squander his inheritance. It took losing everything for him to wake up and realized what a great father he had. The older son of the father had never lost anything, but had lived in the blessing of his father. He was like the Pharisees who walked in the works of righteousness but had no compassion for the unfortunate. The father pointed out, that he should celebrate because his son was dead and now alive. Jesus was making the same parallel about the tax collectors and sinners. They were once spiritually dead with no hope, but were coming to life with his teaching. The Pharisees should be happy instead of judging. *** Lord, may we not judge people by their circumstances and outward appearances, but may we see them as you see them. May we see them as how you want them to be, saved and forgiven and prospering in righteousness. Thank you that you saw our sinful state and had compassion on us.

Sat.’s Devo - Crossing Jordan

Read: Joshua 3:1-4:24; Luke 14:7-35; Psalm 80:1-19; Proverbs 12:27-28 Joshua brought the people to the Jordan where they camped for three days. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant set out first, and the people followed leaving a space of 2,000 cubits between them and the ark. Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves because tomorrow the Lord was going to do a great wonder in their eyes. *** The next day, Joshua commanded the priests to walk into the Jordan with the ark and stand still. God would do a sign for them to encourage them that He was going with them to drive out all the “ites” of the land. Joshua was to pick out a man from each tribe. *** As soon as the feet of the priests walked into the water, it stopped flowing from the town of Adam in the north of the Jordan. Then the people could walk over the dry ground just like them did at the Red Sea. *** The twelve chosen men were to take a stone from the midst of the Jordan and carry it on the other side in a heap. These stones were to be a memorial of that day. *** When everyone had crossed the Jordan, Joshua commanded the priests to come out of the Jordan. As soon as their feet stepped on dry ground, the waters came flooding back. The people feared Joshua like they had feared Moses when they witnessed this great miracle. *** This happened on the 10th day of the first month which is the month of Passover. The number 10 represents a test. This was a test to see if the people would trust the Lord and believe he was their God and could give them the land he had promised them. *** In Luke, Jesus was eating in the house of a ruler of the Pharisees. He gave them a parable about those who were invited to a wedding party. They were not to seek to sit in the seats of honor least someone more important than them come. Then, they might be asked to give up their seat and have to take a seat in the back. But, if they would begin at the back, maybe the host would honor them with a better seat in the front. Those who humble themselves, will be exalted, but those who exalt themselves will be humbled. *** Jesus told the man who had invited him to his house that he should invite those who cannot pay him back like the poor, crippled, lame and blind. He be reward for this in the resurrection of the just. *** One of the people at the dinner commented how blessed it will be when they eat at the Lord’s table in his kingdom. Jesus gave a parable about God’s kingdom and his table. In the parable, a rich man gave a great banquet but, everyone he invited gave excuses why they couldn’t come. So, the master invited the poor, crippled, lame and blind and filled his house with people. Sadly, the ones he had invited never got to taste his food. *** Of course, this parable was given to the person who said everyone would be blessed who eat bread in the kingdom of God. It was also given to other Pharisees sitting at that table. They would probably never get to eat food at God’s table. *** Jesus explained who would be able to enter into his kingdom. It was those who have counted the cost and been willing to lose it all for the sake of gaining the kingdom. Those who are not willing to pay the price would be cast out eternally. *** Lord, may we choose you every day, above our reputation and anything the world has to offer. You are much much greater!

Fri.’s Devo - Preparing to Enter into the Land

Read: Deuteronomy 34:1-Joshua 2:24; Luke 13:22-14:6; Psalm 79:1-13; Proverbs 12:26 God took Moses on top of Mount Nebo in the land of Moab and showed him all of the land he had promised them. Moses died on that mountain and the people mourned for 30 days. Moses was the only prophet who God spoke face to face with and was shown such miraculous signs and wonders. *** It was now time to enter the land. God told Joshua that every place the sole of their foot tread on was a gift to them. God promised to be with Joshua like he had been with Moses and not to leave them. God commanded Joshua to be courageous and stay on the path. God would give them success as long as they followed his laws and obeyed him. *** Joshua told the people to get prepared because in three days, they would enter into their land. The warriors from Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh would go with them. *** The people swore their allegiance to Joshua and prepared. Secretly, Joshua sent two spies to spy out the land, particularly Jericho. In Jericho, they met a prostitute named Rahab and stayed at her house that night. The king sent men to her house to ask her to turn the men over to them but, she lied and told them the men had already left. If they hurried, they could catch them before they left the city gates. She had hidden the two spies on the roof of her house which was built into the wall of the city. *** She told the men that she knew the Lord had given them the whole land and all the people were afraid of them. They had heard what they did to the kings of Og and Sihon. Then she begged for the life of her and her family. The spies promised that if she kept the red rope hanging from her window to indicate which house she was in, they would not kill anyone inside her house. She agreed, and the men escaped and hid out in the mountains for three days. *** We just read how Rahab’s family would be the only people saved out of the whole city of Jericho and now in Luke, a person asked Jesus if only a few will be saved. Jesus explained that the way to salvation is very narrow, but all who want to lay down their lives and live for him will be allowed to enter in. Many will be disappointed when they find that their evil deeds will keep them from entering. God doesn’t judge like we do; he sees the heart and the intent of the heart. *** Jesus was warned by the Pharisees, of all people, that Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus explained that Herod had no power to kill him. He was safe till he got to Jerusalem where all the prophets were killed. He told Jerusalem that she would not see him again until they were ready to repent and confess him as Lord. *** Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and this upset the lawyers and the Pharisees. He asked them how many of them refused to help his donkey if it needed help on the Sabbath. They refused to answer him. *** Lord, may we enter into your gates of salvation with humility and praise. Thank you for your power to save us. Thank you for giving us hearts to respond to your kindness and grace.

Thurs.’s Devo - Moses Blesses the Tribes

Read: Deuteronomy 33:1-29; Luke 13:1-21; psalm 78:65-72; Proverbs 12:25 Moses was about to die and gives a blessing to every tribe. First he gives us some insight into what he saw when God came to him on Mt. Sinai. He saw God’s glory and ten thousands of his angels. He saw flaming fire at God’s right hand. He gave them the law making him their king. *** This is what he said of the tribes: Reuben had lost his right as the first born because he went into to his father’s concubine, but Moses prayed his tribe would survive, even if they were few in number. *** He prayed that God would hear Judah’s voice and contend for him and help him to fight against his enemies. He prayed that Levi would have the answer from the Lord and commended them for choosing the Lord over their own family. He prayed that God would bless Levi’s hands and crush his enemies. *** Moses prayed that Benjamin would dwell in safety under the shadow of the Most High. He prayed that Joseph would be blessed with favor and the best of everything the earth and heaven had to offer. *** Zebulun was blessed with trade as they were situated by the sea. He prayed that Issachar would give to the Lord of their abundance. *** He blessed all who helped Gad because they went in and helped all the other tribes fight and possess their land. ** Dan never gets a good prophecy. Here he is described as an offspring of Bashan, the evil nation where Og was the king. In Joseph’s prophecy (Gen. 48) he is compared to a snake. *** Naphtali is blessed with favor and the fullness of the Lord. Asher is blessed with popularity with his brothers, safety and strength. *** Then Moses reminds them of who God is. He is their eternal dwelling place who holds them forever in his arms. He is the one who destroys their enemies. They were saved by the Lord who gave them the power to triumph over their enemies. *** In Luke, Jesus gives them two examples of people who were killed and suffered. It was believed that bad things happened to people because they deserved it, but Jesus explained that all who die without repenting of their sins meet the same fate. *** Like the story of the fig tree, God had had much patience and compassion on them, but there was a limit to his mercy. Judgement is inevitable to everyone. *** Jesus healed a woman who had been bound up by Satan and could not stand up straight. She had been like this for 18 years. Jesus healed her but the Pharisees objected because it was on the Sabbath. Jesus reminded them of how they would unbind their own donkeys and lead them to water on the Sabbath and this woman who was much more important than a donkey had been bound and just needed the “water of the Word.” *** Jesus then explained that the Kingdom of God would start very small and grow until many were being refreshed with its life. *** Lord, thank you that we are part of your kingdom. May we spread your love and provide healing and love to those who need it.