Joshua 11:1-12:24 + Luke 17:11-37 + Psalm 84:1-12 + Proverbs 13:5-6
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Old Testament – An interesting note on Joshua 11 verse 21 – “During this period, Joshua destroyed all the descendants of Anak, who lived in the hill country of Hebron, Debir, Anab, and the entire hill country of Judah and Israel.” The descendants of Anak were the giants the Israelite spies feared some 40 years earlier in Numbers chapter 13 verses 32 & 33 – and you’ll recall these verses kept the Israelites wandering in the desert for the next 40 years… “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 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.” Interesting to see how the fear of 40 years prior had turned into the faith and confidence here in Joshua. I wonder if this type of change can happen in our lives too? A change from fear to faith and confidence? Is there an area in your life where you might need this type of change? Below is a good map of the nations of Canaan at the time of the conquest:
New Testament – Wow. I love Jesus’ teaching in Luke chapter 17 verses 20 & 21 – “Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God isn’t ushered in with visible signs. You won’t be able to say, `Here it is!’ or `It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is among you.”” And truly, of course, literally the Kingdom of God was amongst those Jesus was speaking to with this verse – Jesus himself was there. But, also the Kingdom of God is still amongst us today. Jesus has risen from the dead. He lives in the hearts of men and women. We do not need to look for visible signs to which we can say – here it is! Truly, the Kingdom of God can be within you. And once the Kingdom of God is within you it is amazing to see how Jesus can transform your life and those around you through his peace, grace and power. Is the Kingdom of God among you?
Bible.org’s commentary on our Luke chapter 17 readings titled “Putting Faith in Perspective” is at this link and commentary titled “Sign-Seeking and the Coming of the Kingdom” is at this link.
Psalms – Today in Psalm 84:5 we read: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.” Where does your strength come from? God? Or your own will-power? Why might it be a good idea to rely on God for your strength rather than yourself? Have you set your heart on a pilgrimage? Is the pilgrimage toward God? Do you think this will be a life-long pilgrimage? Later in this Psalm, verse 10, we read: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” This is a song many of us have probably sung before at church. What does this verse mean to you? What does one day in God’s courts look like for you? Why would one day in God’s courts be better than one thousand days elsewhere? Do you look forward to spending an eternity in God’s courts? Is your heart on a pilgrimage to God’s courts?
Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 13 verse 5 – “Those who are godly hate lies; the wicked come to shame and disgrace.”
Worship Video: Today’s Psalm reminded me of the terrific song “Better is One Day” by Matt Redman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEr5Wn7LHvw
Are you in God’s courts? Click here to enter God’s courts today!
Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” Psalm 84:10 NIV
Prayer Point: Pray that you are in God’s courts today. Pray that you’ll stay in God’s courts forevermore. Pray that you will not dwell in the tents of the wicked.
Comments from You & Questions of the Day: Based on this Proverb above, is it ever okay to lie? I’ve spoken with friends who have said they believe it is okay to lie to preserve an innocent life. And I guess if you think about maybe someone who saved lives in the Holocaust by lying, then this would seem to be an okay instance to lie? I mean, you are lying to save an innocent life. Is that okay? I realize the trick becomes where do you draw the lines on when it is okay to lie. We could rationalize almost anything saying it was okay to lie because of x, y, z greater good. This Proverb says those who are godly hate lies. I am sure we all do hate lying. But is it ever okay to lie? To save an innocent life – is it okay? Please post up in the Comments if you have thoughts on this. One more thing I just thought of – Jesus never lied. I’m guessing this is a pretty strong hint to the answer to my questions above… but, as sinners, could we perhaps lie to save an innocent life and then confess it to God right away?? 🙂 This is some tricky theology ground I’m treading – and probably not very well… I’m sure there are books written on this subject right?? Yeah, I know, the book by Moses about the Ten Commandments…. 🙂 Also, what verses or insights stand out to you in today’s readings? Please post up by clicking on the “Comments” link below!
God bless,
Mike
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======= Ramona:
Joshua 11-12:24
As I read today’s passage I immediately thought about one of David’s Psalms, the second one to be exact.
1 Why do the nations rage?
Why do the people waste their time with futile plans?
2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle;
the rulers plot together against the LORD
and against his anointed one.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they cry,
“and free ourselves from this slavery.”
4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
Why do we fight against God and His people? It’s a futile act and will only lead to our destruction.
Luke 17:11-37
I love the story about the ten lepers. I love it because it shows the mercy of God toward the nine healed lepers who either didn’t notice or didn’t bother to turn back and give thanks. The Samaritan, a non-Jew, understood and valued what had happened. How often do we Christians miss out on everything God wants to do for us because we are ungrateful and unthankful? This story not only convicts me of how casual I treat my relationship with God but it also reminds me that the simple act of giving thanks to God is the ultimate act of graciousness. There is nothing I can really do for God, yet He allows me to co-labor with Him when He really doesn’t need my help. Thanks be to God!
Psalm 84:1-12
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty.
2 I long, yes, I faint with longing
to enter the courts of the LORD. With my whole being, body and soul,
I will shout joyfully to the living God.
Continuing with my thoughts from the Gospel reading, this too reminds me that there is nothing better then giving thanks to God and enjoying His Presence in my life. Having an attitude of gratitude is everything.
Proverbs 13:5-6
Proverbs is not only a book about cause and effects, how behavior effects our lives and the lives of others, it also gives lessons in “profiling.” It doesn’t profile based on race, ethnicity or culture, it profiles people’s character by connecting choices with core beliefs and values. Our choices are not based in a moment of time but are rooted in our character. Proverbs teaches us to work on our character and discern the character of others.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= Shane:
Is it okay to lie? The answer, for those who believe the Bible, must reply, “Yes, in limited circumstances.” Here are two examples: 1) the women who lied about having Moses; 2) Rahab who lied to save the lives of the spies. There can be no doubt but that those were both sanctioned by God.
The distinction is the same as between murder and killing. Murder is always wrong, but not all killing is murder. Otherwise, Joshua would be in some serious trouble!
All that to say that I think a very strong argument could be made for biblical lying for military reasons (Rahab), and for the purpose of saving life (Moses).
Shane
======= Luch:
Re ‘is it ever right to lie’ I agree with shane that there seems to be room within God’s ‘value system’ for lying to save a life. Witness Hebrews 11:31 the chapter on heroes of the faith, and Rahab was given honourable mention alongsidE Moses and a bunch of other heavy weights. As Francis Schaeffer once said, “God blessed her faith if not her morality.” Or how about the hebrew midwives in Exodus 1:11-19 who chose to obey God rather than a fanatical, manaical ruler. I guess in some very limited circumstances it’s not just okay to lie, it’s the wisest and most loving thing to do. Last thought, what about Brother Lawrence who has smuggled Bibles in past years into what were once closed countries, or the survivors of The Hiding Place during world war 2 where Corrie Ten Boom and her family hid Jews from the Nazis?? Just a few heavy thoughts to ponder on a very delicate subject.
One more thought I was encouraged by today in Psalm 84:5-7 “Happy are those who are strong in the LORD who set their minds on a pilgrimmage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping (otherwise called “baca” it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains! They continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God…” I have seen this to be true of my wife, Rosetta, who has been battling breast cancer since October. She has completed five rounds of chemo treatment, with 3 to go. She and I have been going through our own Valley of Weeping, but we, especially is coming through it with greater ‘inner person’ strength than ever. “The outer man is perishing but the inner man is being renewed day by day.” REading the Word of God daily sure does help the inner man be renewed as the outer suffers with hair loss, as well as other physical manifestations. The other night on Holy Thursday, Rosetta led our life group of 12 through the most beautiful Passover, communion meal. She is growing stronger through this. Her favourite verse these days has been Job 1:10 where Job exhorts his wife and says, “You are talking…foolish. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?” I think this in part is what it means to grow stronger as we all go through our own valleys that may be life threatening.
Our hope is solidly anchored to our Risen Jesus!!!
Luch
======= Roslyn:
On Mike’s question about lying: Is it wrong to lie?
God gave us laws to follow, that’s true. Although it’s not about lying, Jesus himself negated the law to cure the sick on a Sabbath which shows that life is more important than the law.
Kohlberg, a famous pychologist, did a research about a moral dilemma story involving children, adolescents, and adults. The moral dilemma concerns stealing vs. saving a life. In this instance Heinz (this was obviously a fictitious story) was desperately trying to save his wife who was dying of cancer, ended up stealing the drug that he couldn’t afford to pay for because the pharmacist would not budge to bring down the price of the drug. The question that was asked which is a very similar quetion that Mike asked: is it wrong to steal the drug to save Heinz’s wife? To make the story short, adult thinking individuals who have reached the highest level of morality or the so-called post-conventional level said that it is okay to steal to save the life of Heinz’ wife.
To me, this is no different from the behavior of Christ when he had to cure the sick (save life) despite negating the law (keeping the Sabbath holy). Christ obviously typifies the highest level of morality which
is —LIFE IS PARAMOUNT and is above any law. Which to me is no different from the commandments being summed up with the word LOVE!!!
Lying to save life is different from compulsive lying or what some people call “congenital lying”.
Re God’d kingdom being in our hearts. True, until we find Him first in our hearts we will never find him anywhere…
Roslyn
======= Emily:
Interesting bit to reflect on. Lying for good or the purposes of God. Notably, Joshua also sent some men to spy out the land before invading Jericho. Of course spying itself has ulterior motives and is designed to deceive one party.
Now let’s compare it to God’s Ten Commandments. In many Bible commentaries and maybe also some bible translations one of the commandments simply reads, ”Do not lie.” But if we look up in the Bible (Exodus chapter 20) after, ”You shall not steal”(no exceptions) is ”You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.”
I think it is clear that the malicious lies, like the lies of Satan are the ones Bible commands us to stay away from. It is ok to conceal information for noble purposes or save human life. There is a clear distinction.
Emily
======= Ramona:
Mike you asked, >>This Proverb says those who are godly hate lies. I am sure we all do hate lying. But is it ever okay to lie?>>
The answer for me is, No!! Do I lie? Yes. Do I feel bad when I do it? Yes, you bet’cha The saying, “Honesty is The Best Policy,” is not correct, it is “Honesty is the Only Policy.” For me the problem of lying is this, “If I can’t believe the words that come out of my mouth, I will not believe anything that comes out of anyone else’s’ mouth. If I have a problem with my own words, their truth, I will have a problem receiving the Words of God. Not only will I begin discounting what others have said, I will discount God’s Words. If I require others and God to stand by their Words and I don’t, then I am a hypocrite, demanding from others, including God, what I am unwilling to do myself.
The second part of your question, >>To save an innocent life – is it okay?>> For this answer I will go to the Word of God (But if you operate with a policy that it is O.K. to lie, then God’s Word is up for negotiation and it will be discounted when it makes you feel uncomfortable),
Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives. (Romans 3:23 AMP)
Since the word “all” means none are excluded, then NO ONE, nobody, is innocent in God’s eyes, though we may be innocent in man’s eyes. Yet no man or woman has a heaven or hell to put me in so I have to go with what the Word of God states. Reading the Bible not only takes discernment but it also takes understanding of who is speaking. If I go into the Public Records and begin reading transcripts of trials, what I read is the truth of what was said in that trial; however, if someone has committed perjury by the words they speak, then what I read of that person’s testimony will be truly stated but it will not be the truth.
I am told by Paul to do this,
PATTERN YOURSELVES after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah). (1 Corinthians 11:1 AMP), so my model is Christ because no one else died for me or could die for me who is able to deliver me from the Judgment but Him.
Ramona
======= Jan:
Proverbs – Proverbs chapter 13 verse 5 – “Those who are godly hate lies; the wicked come to shame and disgrace.”
“I am sure we all do hate lying.” I do so wish this statement were true. I’m not sure many people in the “world” even know the desruction of lying…they take the “truth” so lightly. The “world” is a lie (prince of the world is satan, the father of lies).
Even we as Christians/Believers believe the “lie” in our own lives or we whould not act/behave the way we do. When we manifest actions contrary to Christ, we are believing the “lie” instead of the “truth!” It is hard to see it this way, but it is the “truth” instead of the lie.
If you read “Be Transformed” you will come to understand living the “truth” instead of the “lie”…knowing just who we are in Christ, which is the Way, the Truth & the Life. Lies are death & Truth is Life…HE IS THE TRUTH & satan is the lie. It will always be black & white…no gray areas. Yes, Rahab lied…it doesn’t mean it was not wrong, but that the outcome was right…does that make sense to you/all of us?!?!?! I’m not sure it makes sense to me, but it is the “truth!” I hate lying & I don’t lie 90% of the time, but I have lied & probably will in the future, which is sin. To do something wrong & know it, is sin to us all (or at least that is what the Word of God says in the Bible).
I could never figure out why even as a child I hated lying…but over the years I have got revelation & still getting revelation as to why I hate/hated lying so much. My Father is the Father of Truth & that is why I desire & yearn for the Truth in all things…even as a child. I was saved & baptized at 9 years old…sealed with the Holy Spirit at that moment & it took me until 1976 to start that personal relationship with HIM; although HE protected me all the years in between because I did make a decision & I was sealed with the Holy Spirit, just without knowledge/disciplship/truth or vision…yet HE preserved & protected me because of that one decision that I made. I continue to grow in HIM, because I desire & yearn for HIS truth, even though I manifested living lies instead of His truth in my life…not knowing who I was in Christ. I know now more than ever just who I am in Christ & there is no offense in living this way…fiery darts just go right over my head & I walk in a freedom to love that I have never known before…ever growing in the love walk by yearning for His Truth & living the Truth instead of the lie.
BTW: Transformation comes in reading His Word/the Bible & our minds being renewed to His Truth, the Ultimate Truth of Eternity. We will never know who we are in Christ till we know Him/His Word…this will just not happen. We will also perish without His Truth/Knowledge/Vision & we must have the Holy Spirit to gives us daily revelation of His Word…because His Word is alive & living in us when we read it…it is poweful to heal us in all ways; soul, mind & body…our Spirits/His Spirit within us is already perfect as He is…it is just getting our souls, minds & bodies to line up with our spirits (which is He living within us…the Kingdom of God is within us)…that sets the plumbline for the soul, mind & body to follow.
A little preachy this morning…imagine that?!?!
Jan
======= Becky:
Is it right to tell a lie to save a life? One thinks of Corrie Ten Boom and saving the Jews from the Nazis. One dictionary definition of a lie is “to withold information from someone who has a right it it.” So it would be okay to lie to a Nazi soldier searching for a Jewish child. You’re right, Mike– books have been written about this–and just war theory–it’s a can of worms! However, I agree with what Norman Geisler has written and I’m going to quote him since he’s a much better writer than I am:
“…each moral law is absolute in its hierarchy. That is to say, for a Christian the hierarchy of values is set up by God in accordance with His nature and is therefore absolute. God has established that He is first, persons are next, and things are last. Likewise, the same God who instructs us to obey our parents also tells us not to worship idols. Hence, if a parent should command his or her child to worship an idol, the child’s higher moral obligation is not to do so.”
And “When two or more absolutes come into conflict, the Christian is responsible for obeying the greater comandment. The Christian is not held guilty for not following the lesser of two.”
Becky
======= Tina:
about lying, i believe that no matter how you look at sin, it is still sin. a lie is what it is. i believe also that if you are in a situation like discussed above, then it is necessary to discuss it with the Lord first. what is His will in this situation. does he want me to take a stand, and deny giving information, instead of lying? too many times we do things without consulting God first. there is always time to pray. pray that God gives you the strength each day to be honest. that is always the best. God bless you, and what you are doing with you bible study.
Tina
======= Nasser:
to lie to save an innocent life bib;ically is wrong sometimes in our ministry we are doing something with unbelief people so as we can have them opportunity to witness to them about Jesus our lord by doing so is it we are lying to people we are serving . sometimes they ask us what exactly you are here for what is your purpose of doing releif and community development ?
is it a cover of what really you doing? sometimes i do not know what to think about this ?
please give your opinion about this ? i know there is a lot of ministries is doing this so as they can reach people under cover and show them the light of Jesus through their activities.
Nasser
======= Skip:
Is it Ok to lie to save an innocent life? I think most of us will say that our first reaction would be yes!, of course I would lie if it was to save an innocent life! But…the scriptures are very clear about lying. THOU SHALT NOT LIE! This commandment doesn’t say, Thou shalt not lie except if…. or except when …or except to, it states very, very clearly, THOU SHALT NOT LIE. Jesus should be our example. Jesus never lied and if we are to follow Him and be like Him, we should not lie.
There were times when I thought the only way to help someone or to not hurt someone’s feelings was to lie. But when I stopped and thought about it for even a moment, there was a way to accomplish the same end result without lying. I’m sure if you stop and think about the lie you are about to say or tell, you too will come up with a way to accomplish the same end result without lying. Remember what Jesus told John of Patmos in Revelation:
Revelation 21:8
8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all “LIARS” (emphasis added)—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (NLT)
Again…there really isn’t anything to question. We should not lie for any reason.
Yours in Christ
Skip
======= Renee:
I think the bible teaches very strongly not to lie, but there are examples in the bible where people were blessed because people chose to lie. I think this makes it difficult to say that lying in every circumstance is wrong. In Genesis when the edict was given that all Hebrew children (males?) should be killed, the midwives reported to Pharoh that they couldn’t get there in time to deliver the babies. This is a lie; they just refused to kill them. (That could be my interpretation, but it seems like that’s what they were doing.) And again when Rahab was asked if she’d seen Joshua she lied flat out and was blessed for it. Jesus is one of her descendants! So there are biblical examples where it appears that lying was at least tolerated. I don’t think that means we should do it, but I can’t say conclusively that lying is wrong in every circumstance.
Renee
======= Mick:
Do not bear false witness is not the same as do not lie althought the spirit is the same. False testimony is intended to do harm, to produce a wrong result for another person. Lies are wrong and falsehood is evil but may not be more evil than another outcome. Lies are sometimes matters of silence more than of speech, the sin of omission applies surely, and few could claim to always avoid it, and many would happily support such “untruth” in a better cause. Ethically we rarely choose between good and evil only betwen better and worse; surely the use of a lie (spoken or silent) may well be right as the better option? YIHS
Mick
======= Tim:
I wrote a blog post on the whole issue of lying, where I stated that (IMHO) lies are the root of all evil more so than the love of money, because they stem from the Liar himself and even “white lies” are ultimately deceptions, regardless of how we try and dress them up. The sad thing is that the best of us do it and therein lies (pardon the pun) the measure of us – to be able to be honest no matter what the cost, is the greatest gift I think you can give to your fellow man. However, I’m also reminded of Rahab who openly lied in order to save the spies, and I’m sure many throughout the ages have done similarly, and yet I have to wonder if it can ever be truly justified for us. I think too though that if we lie about small things, it is an indication of how easily we will lie about much more important issues. Food for thought perhaps. Blessings,
Tim
======= Terriann:
When you discussed the topic of lying and if it is ever OK I thought about Rahab back in chapter 2. She lied to the king’s men to protect the spies and then utters words of faith that could only have come from the Holy Spirit. One might argue that she did not know God’s commandments but she knew that Israel’s God was the God of all the earth. It appears that the spies also asked her to continue lying on their behalf. Is keeping a secret a form of lying? Is saying something that is technically true but has the intention of deception another form of lying? Isn’t being a spy a lie in and of itself? Christianity is all about Truth with a capital T and I think we should hate lies and always seek to live our lives with honesty and truth. It should mark our character. I also think that it is an over simplification to just say never ever lie no matter what.
Teriann
======= Anka:
“Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle.”….I couldn’t keep thinking of the humility of these people….All the other nations must have heard about Israel(Rahab confirms that)but they thought they could save themselves with their own power…they lost..it also says that God hardened their hearts…well since God is no respecter of persons I think(may be wrong and I welcome any corrections)God saw the conceit in their hearts and fore knew they’d never submit to Him.The Hivites lied,deceived…yep…but they came to ask for mercy…they maybe thought they were not worthy to stand before the Israelites so they acted up a bit..In the end when they were attacked Israel fought for them too…
I kinda thought…like us we need to humble ourselves before God,see ourselves as not worthy…and He will fight for us too.I don’t see God admonishing Joshua for not asking Him before signing a peace treaty…not do I see God being so mad at the Hivites for lying either…He knows we are human and sinful…He asks us to come just as we are and accept His sovereighty..He’ll adopt us..and clean us up…
God bless you all
Anka
======= Jim:
I can relate many things in my life to how the Israelites were when they feared the descendants of Anak, then 40 years later they defeated them. My wife and I have a new baby and for years I didn’t want kids because I feared parenting would be my downfall (pretty siily, I know). But now, three weeks into fatherhood, I find I’m approaching it with ‘faith and confidence’. It’s a lot of work but God provides the strength as needed… moment by moment. I try to always remember that God knows every challenge I will face. He knows it better than I ever will and he will provide my strength. I just need to have faith that what happens is the will of God. Maybe it seems simplistic, but the simpler the better for me.
Mind you, I have failed and fallen far more times than I can count, but by the grace of God do I keep going.
Take care,
Jim
======= Jenny:
Amazing to see that map which is still modern day Israel, tho it ceased to be a nation but then was reestablished as God brought the Jews who had been dispersed “from the four corners of the earth” and Israel was reestablished as a nation in 1948. Israel is still the most discussed nation today! the majority of end time prophesy is in regards to Israel! Israel is, was, and remains God’s primary focus! It just fascinates`me truly! In fact, gotta go to night church soon and my pastor will be discussing Israel, end time prophesy. if anyone is interested in hearing it, go to kwve 107.9 fm in southern CA or their website: http://www.kwve.org Or go to my site and i have a link under Big Tent Revival that you can view a live broadcast. should be awesome!!
hmm..the lying thing is tricky…we arent to lie..but like in the first chapter of Joshua, Rahab hid the spies…that was lying but it was blessed. I know many Christians smuggle Bibles and such into other countries or they disguise the bibles as something else. I always wondered about that. Is that ok? its technically lying. The Bible says we arent to bear false witness which means make something appear one way when its another.
I’m sure most of us wont ever have to lie to save an innocent life. Look at the girl in the Columbine shooting..she was asked if she believed in God with a gun to her head. she could have easily said no, then asked God to forgive her, but she didnt. She chose to die rather then deny God and her testimony has spoken to many many people! So yes, i’m anxious o hear others’ thoughts on this!
I love in Joshua, the fear turned to faith and confidence. This is my life testimony…I was soooo shy and fearful as a youngster, like jr high, high school, even early 20s, i was the shyest person ever. In that, I was an easy target for bullying. I think i cried every day in 7th grade. I couldnt talk…ppl would talk to me and I just couldnt get a word out! But this bullying, along with emotional/physical abuse led me to self hatred, self destruction like suicide attempts, cutting, eating disorders, etc and anger. I had a fear of guys growing up, they picked on me so bad…i couldnt walk past a group of guys without hearing some mean comment. I had a fear of men also bcos I had a difficult relationship with my dad, I was so small and powerless and he and all guys seemed to take their anger out on me. My dad hurt me very bad (its forgiven, i’m very close with him today n i love him more then words!!!) Eventually I slid away from God, but He worked on me the whole time, even the times I turned from Him. he used so many things to change me to a person of confidence and perseverance moreorless. I am still deep down a bit shy, a loner, an introvert…just who i am, but I’m pretty much outgoing, friendly, positive and social. People who know me now think I’m this outgoing person and assume i had tons of friends in high school and its just a miracle my life has turned so much. that anger i had in me is gone. that doubt…maybe God doesnt love me, maybe He hates me..thats gone. I realize all this was the enemy working on me big time.
this ties in with Psalms: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you” God is my strength because i know who i was before. I know very young on, like in 7th grade, even then i knew God was fighting for me and delivered me from so much. i used to just cry and pray to God, why do ppl pick on me? i did nothing to them! I’ve had the blessing of finding one of my bullies on myspace and writing him about how much he hurt me but that i forgave him. he never replied but i am released from that pain now! I love forgiving others!! It frees us!
Church was awesome! man….so many prophesies concerning Israel fulfilled and Eze 37-38 is amazing…some stuff going on! the Hezbolla (sp?) have rearmed themselves with 38000 bombs and are planning on attacking Israel this summer, this could be the attack described in Eze. 38. who knows, but extremely unbelievable times we are in! OK, so I got to the Bible readings.
In the readings I was amazed that we just went over at church, the land God promised to Abraham in Genesis and this is the land talked about in our Joshua readings.
8 in the mountain country, in the lowlands, in the Jordan plain, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the South—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Compare to Genisis 15:18-21
18 On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying:
“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— 19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”
Luke 17 shows how important it is to thank God for what He does, not merely get healed/blessed and run off to life as normal, but to be and live and thankful life.
Oh, I love this psalm…i’m sure many recognize the lyrics to Better Is One Day in Your Courts!
I love vs 11-12: ” For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.”
Jenny
========= Jackie:
Joshua
Im not sure about fear leading to confidence and faith. I do know that while last year was deeply distressing for me. God brought me through it and therefore I now have more faith in Him.
Luke
I know that without God in my life today Io would not be where I am today. God gives me hope, unconditional love and protection. He is my rock. He truly is wonderful.
Psalm
I love my church. I find that if I miss going to church for a week or more I miss it. I love the fellowship, the singing and the fact that this is another place where I can feel close to God.
He is my King and my God. At my church there is actually a birds nest near the church hall where we have coffee and fellowship after church.
Im wondering verse 4 goes on to discuss heaven. We will live in Gods house then and we will spend our days singing praises to God whom along with His Son allowed us to live there in the first place.
If we believe and love the Lord he will bless us.
When we go though hard times He is right beside us and brings us though.
When we are weak. He makes us stronger.
He came to save us. He answers prayer. He protects us. I am one of his chosen. How wonderful that is!!!
I like to think He is looking down from Heaven and smiling down on me one of His daughters.
It will be wonderful being in Heaven one day with Him. It is also being at church.
It is a good place to be. And if we are thinking eternally its much better than being in the alternative place.
He treats us much better than we deserve.
My strength comes from God. He has seen me though some very difficult times.
He has our lives in His Hands He knows the best way for things to turn out therefore it makes sense to trust in Him.
My life is a journey with the final destination being with God in Heaven.
Proverb
I would normally say one should never lie. However, when you have to save an innocent life. Then I would probably would. However, then Id be terrified that the enemy would see right though me. I pray we are never put in this position.
Jackie
======= Raeann:
The book of Deuteronomy is full of Moses preparing his people to enter the promised land on the other side of the Jordan. Moses reminds the people of there journey in the wilderness. Moses reminds the Israelites of several things that he had already taught them, love the LORD with ALL of your heart, to follow the law and commandments that GOD had given them on Mount Sinai and of all of the lands that they had conquered on this side of the Jordan. When Moses defied GOD he is forbidden to cross over the Jordan to the promised land. The LORD gives the Israelites his blessings for obedience and his punishments for disobedience to GOD. The LORD will walk among the Israelites in the promised land at HIS HOLY sanctuary among the people. Moses blesses the people before he dies. Moses dies in the mountains of Jericho over looking the promised land. I enjoyed reading the book of Deuteronomy.
Raeann
======= Lily:
I agree with Ramona. Many times we forget to thank God for all our blessings. In the midst of all the blessings (such as in an affluent society) we forget to thank God and just merrily move on until one day, the blessings are taken away. I pray that I will be cognizant of God’s blessings everyday and thank God. As I wake up every morning, I try to remember that the day is a gift from God.
Guilty of white lies. This is an area of my life where I need growth. I feel that I am protecting others from heartache by telling a little white lie or am I protecting myself instead. I pray to God that I maybe truthful all the time.
Lily
======= Marabel:
Mike’s thoughts: ” Interesting to see how the fear of 40 years prior had turned into the faith and confidence here in Joshua. I wonder if this type of change can happen in our lives too? ” D. Bernard Wright says in his book Squashing Grasshoppers: “They saw giants in the land but seeing the giants was not the problem. They saw giants before them, but they saw themselves as grasshoppers. The problem was not the giants but the grasshoppers. They made the tragic mistake of seeing themselves in a way that was totally inconsistent in what they were and what they were called to do. They no longer saw destiny, but obstacles. They saw themselves as grasshoppers, and the enemy as giants. In reality, the reverse was true.
Marabel
======= Ross:
What about the Rahab when she hid the two young spies in Joshua 2- didn’t she lie? It seems that she deceived the guards who were trying to find the spies. I don’t think it is as straight forward as you make it. God honored Rahab’s deception (read- Lie).
Ross
======= Reuben:
Ross,
I think it would be a mistake to assume that lies such as told by Abraham, Lot, Rahab, etc. were condoned by God per se. He works through sinful people to accomplish his ways, that much is clear.
If I were in any of their shoes, I might have lied as well … but I would not assume that means that God approves of it.
Reuben
======== Barbara:
Corrie Ten Boom’s sister Betsy would not lie and in fact told the soldiers coming into their home one day that there were people hidden under the table in the kitchen. The Lord covered her and they did not pursue this at that time. I think if we trust God to protect us we never have to lie although we often do. We will never know in these cases what God might have done had we depended on Him.
Barbara
======= Bob:
In Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, we see a lie told to help another. In the story when the saintly bishop takes Jean Valjean in after his release from prison, Valjean responds by stealing the silver candlesticks from the bishop’s house; then when he’s caught with them and the police drag him back to the scene of his crime, the bishop says, “Oh, he didn’t steal them! I gave them to him!”
This is one of those rare occasions when lying makes sense. Valjean is so moved by this goodness that he resolves to become a better person, and does.
The bishop says, ‘Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.’
Bob
======= Marie:
Didn’t Rahab lie to protect the Hebrew spies?
” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and [a]lodged there. 2 It was told the king of Jericho, saying, “Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.” 3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, “Bring out the men who have come to you, who have 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, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark, that 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 hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate. Joshua 2:2-7
She was not honest when asked about these men, but her dishonesty saved them.
Marie
======= Sarah:
In Joshua chapter 2, Rahab lied in order to protect the two spies, because she believed in the Lord of Israel. Rahab’s whole family was saved. I think God sees our motives and our hearts. I’m a teacher; when students ask me if they’re doing a good job after putting efforts in projects/assignments, I always say yes before offering suggestions, even when it’s really not a good job. Hopefully I won’t be punished by God for this kind of lies…
Sarah
====== James:
Mike,
I agree with Ramona’s statement about lying. Many times we do it out of “fear” and that in itself doesn’t justify it. What would I do if someone put a gun to my head and told me to denounce Jesus Christ or die. What would I do? Out of shear terror I would probably lie. But that doesn’t make it right. If I told the truth in faith or refused to denounce Jesus perhaps my death would lead to “new life” for many others who witnessed or heard of this happening.
On a much lighter note, sometimes we lie because we don’t want to hurt the feelings or be a burden to another. I think of the hundreds or more times someone has asked me “so how are things going today for you?” and rather than being totally honest my response is “fine thank you”. Or politely laughing at a joke we really thought wasn’t funny because we just wanted to be “polite”.
I believe God likes “tests”. Many I have failed over and over again but every now and again He proves to me that I need to trust Him in being obedient. I remember one such instance where I set up an investment account for a friend. Weeks later I found out that one part of the description of the investment was explained incorrectly by me. I knew I had to face the music and share this with my friend unsure how he was going to react. I was nervous but I prayed about it and obeyed God by going to my friend to reveal what I explained incorrectly. After I gave my friend this explanation / clarification, my friend said, “Oh that’s fine it really doesn’t change my mind about the investment as it won’t effect my goal for this, thanks for letting me know, no problem” says my friend. Situations like that don’t always turn out in a happy ending but sometimes the Lord will reveal it’s not always the outcome we expect when we trust Him to be “truthful”. We just need to trust Him in everything. I pray that I will.
Blessings to everyone!
James
======= Robert:
Proverbs 13:7-8
Poser
A few years back I had the opportunity to join a men’s group and we dug into what a lot of Christian men face in the world when it comes to being true to yourself. A great book and study we dug into was by John Eldredge called “Wild at Heart”. He talks about men and their facade which stems right back to Adam. “We are hiding, every last one of us. We hide in our office, at the gym, behind the newspaper and mostly behind our personality. Most of what you encounter when you meet a man is a façade, an elaborate fig leaf, a brilliant disguise”. The book covers a lot of subjects: men’s deepest fear to be exposed, most men are simply here on earth to kill time, every man carries a wound and needs healing, masculinity, father figure and the search for eve. We live for a battle to fight, a beauty to rescue and an adventure to live. (Through Jesus Christ our Lord).
Robert
======= Dee:
I love Caleb as well..I think about how Isaac spoke of his death way before he ever left this earth, but not Caleb..he was as healthy and strong in his independence now as he was 40 + years ago! That is amazing..
I love that the Lord is always ready to hear our prayers..not like the evil judge but way cooler and chill with our requests, in fact he loves our prayers to Him.
Proverbs..the poor try to act rich, and rich try to be poor..I have seen some rich people really chill and act like pauper and like they don’t have a dime to their name. The poor not sure how they can act rich physically, maybe mentally, or emotionally ..not sure..just be yourself! Much better.
Dee
======= Allison:
Hi! Today is my first time here and first time reading The One Year Bible (my sister in Christ mailed it and I just received it today)!
Luke 17:8 stood out (about the 10 healed lepers)
“Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”
How often do people take for granted blessings they have? Who recognizes they are a gift from God? The only one who returned was the foreigner. It reminds me of people in the western culture (many Americans) who take for granted things like running water, heat, homes with garages or basements…not to mention all the other gazillion materialistic things we have). Sometimes it takes someone who doesn’t have these things to point out what is taken from granted.
At 8, I lived in a woman’s shelter with my mom and brother and we shared an area with 2 other women with children. Each woman with her kids had a bedroom.
I remember not having much food (just what was donated). I remember a used toy for Christmas. I know this experience taught me not to take things for granted.
(God indeed uses all things for a greater purpose)!
V20-21 stood out: “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
When my sister in Christ (who I have never met personally, but study with online) sent me this book, I felt so profoundly blessed. She had a surprise tucked inside and I was even more blessed. The little acts of kindness we bestow on one another showing God’s love IS the kingdom of God among us, right here, right now–in the midst of us. So beautiful. I’m forever grateful.
I underlined Luke 17 v33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.
There is FAR more beyond this life in the flesh than we realize; most will never experience it, but some of us are catching glimpses of this other life. I pray I never forget to hold loosely to this life because this isn’t all there is. Kind of goes straight into Psalm 84:1-2 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. …v10 For a DAY in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. …v12 O Lord of hosts, blessed us the one who trusts in you!
Allison
===== Rob:
mike, i love the stuff about vultures – it seems to me we have a choice, to be vultures waiting uselessly for the end of the world, or visionaries using the time that is left to us well, after all, we have enough of the kingdom inside us to be getting on with.
Rob
======= Ramona:
Rob,
Thank you for your comments they have ignited my imagination. Hmm, I see folks with their binoculars surveying the horizon looking for signs of the end of the age, with little vulture winds flapping at their sides and their tongues hanging out of their little hooked beaked heads.
Vultures eat dead things so if the end-of-the-age watchers are compared to vultures then what they are waiting to feed on is death. Jesus said I he came to give abundant life not death (John 10:10).
Mike my pastor has said, “Anything built on a lie will collapse,” and :Half-the-truth is a whole lie.” We talk about little “white” lies which means it is just a little itsy bitsy one, so no one will get hurt, or will they?
If we are truthful with ourselves, we lie because we are afraid. And if we lie to “protect” others from the wrath of others (Hitler, etc; even the crazy boss), are we really protecting others, or are we protecting ourselves because we are unwilling to pay the cost of doing the right thing? Another Note: No one is innocent, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, but the gift of God is everlasting life (Romans 6:23). Time to receive the “gift,” if you already haven’t and move from death to life.
Grace and peace,
Ramona
======= John:
Proverbs 13:5
The first three verses have to do with contrasting hearing and speaking, the fourth contrasts the soul. Verses 5 and 6 have to do with the character of the righteous and the effect of righteousness.
Keil & Delitzsch translate verse 5:
“A deceitful thing the righteous hateth;
But the godless disgraceth and putteth to shame.”
Hebrew word for lying, deceitful is “sheqer”.
Sheqer means ‘not only the word in which the soul (verse 4) reveals itself, but the inner principles or essence (of one) which comes forth to be viewed.’ “The righteous hateth all that bears in it the character of a falsehood.” – Keil & Delitzsch
The second part is not explicit, but to be consistent in the idea of contrasts. ‘The godless LOVE disgracing and putting to shame.’
[Back to “hating lying”]
As imputed righteous but still being sinners – we should hate that character of deceit in ourselves as much as in others (when evidenced).
So as much as the focus has been on individual lies, I believe the point of emphasis is on hating the inner nature that nurtures and allows these lies (acts of deceit) to come out. That goes to the character of a righteous “man”.
Is it O.K. to lie? No. When those lies occurred that poster(s) referenced; they were wrong. But God uses all things to his glory and greater purpose – even wrongful acts.
John
======= Vance:
What God commands and does through his servant Joshua in Joshua chapter 11, and what God reveals through Jesus in Luke 17 may seem completely contradictory to one another.
On a superficial level, not willing to study and seek the deeper heart of one God who deeply loves mankind, Joshua 11 and Luke 17 could be seen as contradicting one another.
After all, merely from the view of the limited human mind, God’s wrath can seem to contradict God’s love. And theologians have wrestled how to put the two together.
Yet…I do not believe it has to be that hard as long as we let Scripture interpret Scripture.
We must let God interpret Himself, and we must let Jesus speak for Himself– and then listen. We must suspend so-called “superior 21st century understanding” and really listen.
Look at the “apparent contradictions” here. Of course, I do not believe in contradictions in Scripture… just the opportunity to study and pray and learn more about God.
Joshua 11 (NKJV)
9
So Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
11
And they struck all the people who were in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them. There was none left breathing. Then he burned Hazor with fire.
12
So all the cities of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took and struck with the edge of the sword. He utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.
15
As the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did. He left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
Luke 17 (NKJV)
11
Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12
Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13
And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14
So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.
DOES THE GENTLE, HEALING, LOVING JESUS CONTRADICT THE “SO CALLED ANGRY GOD OF THE OT”?
Read further in Luke 17, and you will see there is more agreement than noticed at first glance.
Luke 17 (NKJV)
21
nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
26
And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:
27
They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
29
but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
30
Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
32
Remember Lot’s wife.
33
Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
37
…He said to them, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together.”
NOTE:
Note verse 20 of Luke 17: Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
JUDGMENT WILL COME BY JESUS HIMSELF WHEN HE COMES THE SECOND TIME. This age of wonderful grace and mercy DOES NOT NEGATE THAT FACT.
What is the challenge of Jesus to me and you, and to all generations?
==>
BE TOTALLY COMMITTED TO GOD’S WILL AND TRUTH, AND TO THE LORD JESUS.
==>
DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST.
Jesus’ command in Luke 17 is very short and somber, meant to provoke thought:
32
Remember Lot’s wife.
~~~
WHAT IS THE MESSAGE? In every age, God is wonderfully merciful, and has ALWAYS been so. Yet… if people persistently and consistently harden their hearts over many centuries, time will run out.
Certainly, when each one dies, then time runs out for that one.
~~~
Thus, God’s command to Joshua now begins to take on a different interpretation: God is not “the big bully just waiting and eager to crush you and I.”
NO… God is very patient and longsuffering, and merciful. He will always give anyone a chance to change and receive love instead of judgment.
YET… there must be judgment of sin or else evil could not deserve to be called evil and goodness could not be good.
There must be a separation between the two. There must be judgment of wrongdoing, and there must be rewarding of right.
Keep in mind God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 15 (NKJV):
15
Now as for you [Abram], you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age.
16
But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.
DID YOU CATCH THAT? God will wait FOUR GENERATIONS until judgment comes.
That gives PLENTY of chances for a people group, a nation, a family, and an individual to repent and receive mercy.
~~~
THINK ABOUT THIS: How many people repented and received mercy, and then physically moved away from the sin and iniquity of the Amorites?
We do not see that part. Yet, because God is not willing that any should perish, I am certain that God was always calling people to repent and receive mercy… and that there must have been some, or even one, who responded.
Vance
