April 20th Bible in a Year Readings

Joshua 21:1-22:20 + Luke 20:1-16 + Psalm 89:1-13 + Proverbs 13:15-16
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Old Testament - In Joshua chapter 21 we read about the towns given to the Levites, the priestly tribe appointed in the Mosaic Law for the service of the Tabernacle and of the Temple.  It seems very wise that the Levites are given towns throughout the various tribes of the Israelites.  In my mind this is spreading out the priestly tribe strategically.  Can you imagine if the Levites were all in just 1 location?  It seems to me that there would be a vacuum of spiritual leadership in the tribes if the Levites were not dispersed in the manner which they were. How does reading about the Levites being dispersed remind you of the church today? Is the church dispersed throughout the world today a good thing? What are your thoughts on the benefits or drawbacks of denominations?

In Joshua chapter 22 verse 10 today we read: "Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh built a very large altar near the Jordan River at a place called Geliloth."  The place where our readings end today in verse 20 is quite a cliff-hanger!  Note that verse 20 is not the end of chapter 22, and as Paul Harvey says, in tomorrow's readings you will get "The Rest of the Story."  :)

New Testament - Okay, so it's every so often that I post up about the non-Biblical (not the original text) sub-headings that translations put into our daily readings.  For some reason I got a kick out of the NLT's subheading above Luke chapter 20 verse 9, "Story of the Evil Farmers!"  (okay, I added the exclamation point).  Is it just me, or is that kinda funny?  I mean, the evil farmers in the story are not funny - and what they did is certainly not funny...  hmmm... I think I've dug myself into a hole here.  :)  I'm sure everyone probably picked up on that the point of the farmer story is that Jesus is the son who was murdered in the story.  And Jesus is the stone rejected by the builders - who has now become the cornerstone of our Christian faith.  Nice quote by Jesus of Psalm 118 verse 22 there in Luke 20 verse 17.  Is Jesus the cornerstone of your life?

Bible.org's commentary on our Luke chapter 20 readings today titled "The Tempest in the Temple: The Abuses of Authority" is at this link and commentary titled "God and Government" is at this link.

Psalms - Psalm 89 verse 11 is so powerful for us to remember - "The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours; everything in the world is yours--you created it all."  Everything in this world is God's.  Everything.  This means every single person we meet is God's.  However... they might not realize it.  But, I think it is important for us to remember that every single person we meet - no matter how "bad" they may seem or whatever - is still made in the image of God.  And there is the possibility of that person getting to know they are God's.  There is the possibility of redemption - not by our human power, but by the power of God.  I think sometimes we go through our day thinking the world is bad.  People are bad.  It all is bad.  And certainly, it is a fallen world.  But it is still God's world - and yes, the devil is thrashing around his temptations as rapidly as he can in the hearts of men and women.  This is the great spiritual battle.  But, God is so much stronger than the devil.  The name of Jesus expels the devil quicker than anything.   So, know that while we are in a fallen world, it is God's world.  Everything in this world is God's.  What are you and I doing to let others know that they are God's - particularly if they don't know it?  What are we doing to bless others with the knowledge that there is another Way than the devil's temptations in this world?  What are we doing?  Really.  What are we doing with our lives to let others know about Jesus?  Whew... this one gets to me for some reason.  There are people suffering so much in our world.  If only they knew there was another way....   Will you help to show them to the Way? 

Continuing on the thoughts in the paragraph above - take a moment to reflect on this image below.  Wow... Can you make out the angel on the right coming from the prayers of the woman to defend her from the evil one?  Who are we praying for today to defend them from the evil one?

Psalm 89 verse 13 today - "Powerful is your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength."  Amen and Amen.

Proverbs - Proverbs 13 verse 16 is great - "Wise people think before they act." 

And I agree with this.  My one additional thought is don't think for too too long!  I know some folks that like to think... and think.... and think.... and this is good.... but there is also a time for action.  There is a time to move and get involved in the advancement of God's Kingdom.  Yes, let's think about how we'll do this - but then let us act!

Worship Video: Psalm 89:11 reminded me of the Steven Curtis Chapman song "Yours:"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vu9m8m1lEw

Do you believe it is all God's? Click here and give it all to Him!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture today: "The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it." Psalm 89:11 NIV

Prayer Point: Pray in thanksgiving to God for all of the blessings He has given us here on this earth. Pray that you will treat everyone and all thing's as God's - and not yours.

Comments from You & Questions of the Day:  Are you someone that thinks before you act?  Or do you sometimes act before you think?  :)  If so, can you meditate on this Proverb, memorize it, and put it into practice?  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

p.s. Download our monthly Small Group study notes for our Bible readings at this link.

p.s. #2 - Download a schedule of our Bible readings for the year in PDF format at this link.

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Comments

[Ramona]

Joshua 21:1-22:20
1 Then the leaders of the tribe of Levi came to consult with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the other tribes of Israel. 2 They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, "The LORD instructed Moses to give us towns to live in and pasturelands for our cattle." 3 So by the command of the LORD the Levites were given as their inheritance the following towns with their pasturelands.

God promised but the Levites had to ask for what God promised. This seems to be a principal we should still use today. I am reminded of Hebrew’s 4:16 that encourages us to come boldly to the throne of grace … Often we know or think we are suppose to receive something and if we think we are not going to get what we have been promised we don’t bother to ask. Since we don’t get what we want, we begin to sulk and start to hold grudges against either God or against the person we believe God was working through.

The first three verses of Joshua are letting me know that it is O.K. to ask for what we have been promised just as long as we are asking the right person after having gone boldly to God with our request and direction.
Luke 20:1-16

I believed I touched on this before when we read through this in Matthew (21) and Mark (11), but just as the religious leaders challenged Jesus’ Authority, sometimes we may find someone challenging how we read the “text,” they may even challenge our authority to even read the Bible. I know because in my B.S. (Before Salvation) days I use to challenge people who I saw reading the Bible on public transportation. No, I did more than challenge them; I cursed them out! Be careful who you allow to challenge your right to read the Word, if an unqualified person questions your authority, question his or hers right to challenge you, just like Jesus.

Psalm 89:1-13

11 The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
Everything in the world is yours--you created it all.

It’s amazing to think that there is nothing that God doesn’t’ own everything we see, feel, touch, taste and smell belongs to Him so nothing we claim to pocess is ours we are only stewards of His possession and we will have to give an account of how we use what belongs to Him.
Proverbs 13:15-16
16 Wise people think before they act; fools don't and even brag about it!

Couldn’t understand how “fools” brag but I remember overhearing conversations and participating in discussions where “fools” bragged about their foolishness only I didn’t realize they were bragging. Check bouncers who bounced more checks than the New York Knicks bounce balls; criminals who discus their new and improved criminal tricks they committed just before they got caught the last time and went to jail trading their useless criminality tricks with other foolish crooks.

Grace and peace,
Ramona

[Dee]

I am notorious for acting before I think. I do so and then wonder why did I do that? Sometimes we often seek out our Egypts when it was put behind us for a reason. We always think something is greener on the other side when it wasn't, and when God turns a negative into a positive sometimes we still have trouble being still and just trusting in God! But God is constant and He is good. He knows best and he loves us anyway. He gives strength to the weak and confounds the wise. He is good.

[Dd]

In Joshua per distributing the Levites and Mike you talking about a vacuum leadership, made me think of my college class on collaborating teams.. and we talk about enlightenment and vacuum groups..one is ego and other is a taker..not a very good type of leadership.

Based on Luke, I pray Jesus is the cornerstone of my life! I was to stand strong and hold tight to my faith.

Psalms: everything is His and the hall I teach is his..I pray I show people the way more ans show his/her potential

[Manville]

I like the part of casting lots..makes me think of Jonah on the boats, drawing to see who God exposed caused the storm against them. And stillakes me think of Lot picking first the best of land and Abraham picking 2nd best.

Jesus..so many didn't understand him, they tried to trick him ..he didn't allow them to seize him until the right appointed time. Love it!

And yes have Patience and discernment..we need more of that in our life

[Marcella]

My nephew recently made a statement to me that if God created everything then that means he also created the Corona Virus. I also had an aunt say (because of the Corona Virus) "God is pissed off." I didn't know what to say. How do you respond to statements like that?

[Jane]

I dont understand the vineyard story. Anyone care to explain

[Joyce]

Jane,
Thank you for asking your question!
Thanks God I got to look up some resources to try to understand the vineyard story.
I learned this and am quoting from Pastor Steven J. Cole's sermon, Lesson 91: Who Owns the Vineyard? (Luke 20:9-18) -
"Jesus told this parable for two main reasons. He wanted to encourage His faithful servants who get beat up and thrown out of the vineyard to keep on being faithful. He owns the vineyard and the main thing is for His servants to bear fruit for Him. Second, He told it to warn those who wrongly think that they own the vineyard that they do not. A day of reckoning is coming!"
Pastor Cole also mentioned Romans 11:22 in his sermon,
"Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off." (NLT)
Mike,
for Proverbs 13:16 today, thank you for asking if we are someone who think before we act!
Proverbs 13:13 The Amplified Version reads -
"Every prudent and self-disciplined man acts with knowledge,
But a [closed-minded] fool [who refuses to learn] displays his foolishness [for all to see]."
How I need this reminder!
May God's Word continue to bless, nourish, and strengthen everyone on this blog.
May God continue to bless that this blog bear much fruit for Him around the world, that many will come to revere Him and His Word.
Thank you Mike, may God remember and reward your efforts!

God Bless!
Joyce

[Donnita]

Thank you! I just discovered your blog and it is so helpful while going through the one year Bible reading.

[Joyce]

Sorry, one typo in the previous comment:
It should be-
Proverbs 13:16 The Amplified Version reads (not Proverbs 13:13) -
"Every prudent and self-disciplined man acts with knowledge,
But a [closed-minded] fool [who refuses to learn] displays his foolishness [for all to see]."

Thanks all,
Joyce

[Russ]

This is a great reminder that because of Christ we are free to go boldy as a family member before God and ask for help.

[Bob]

Its a Christmas Story but for some reason I picked it today to read to a Senior's Service. I thought it too much of a coincidence that Paul Harvey is mentioned in our blog today so I thought I would post it. Its very appropriate for Easter!

The Man and the Birds
by Paul Harvey

The man to whom I’m going to introduce you was not a scrooge, he was a kind decent, mostly good man. Generous to his family, upright in his dealings with other men. But he just didn’t believe all that incarnation stuff which the churches proclaim at Christmas Time. It just didn’t make sense and he was too honest to pretend otherwise. He just couldn’t swallow the Jesus Story, about God coming to Earth as a man.

“I’m truly sorry to distress you,” he told his wife, “but I’m not going with you to church this Christmas Eve.” He said he’d feel like a hypocrite. That he’d much rather just stay at home, but that he would wait up for them. And so he stayed and they went to the midnight service.

Shortly after the family drove away in the car, snow began to fall. He went to the window to watch the flurries getting heavier and heavier and then went back to his fireside chair and began to read his newspaper. Minutes later he was startled by a thudding sound…Then another, and then another. Sort of a thump or a thud…At first he thought someone must be throwing snowballs against his living room window. But when he went to the front door to investigate he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They’d been caught in the storm and, in a desperate search for shelter, had tried to fly through his large landscape window.

Well, he couldn’t let the poor creatures lie there and freeze, so he remembered the barn where his children stabled their pony. That would provide a warm shelter, if he could direct the birds to it.

Quickly he put on a coat, galoshes, tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on a light, but the birds did not come in. He figured food would entice them in. So he hurried back to the house, fetched bread crumbs, sprinkled them on the snow, making a trail to the yellow-lighted wide open doorway of the stable. But to his dismay, the birds ignored the bread crumbs, and continued to flap around helplessly in the snow. He tried catching them…He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around them waving his arms…Instead, they scattered in every direction, except into the warm, lighted barn.

And then, he realized that they were afraid of him. To them, he reasoned, I am a strange and terrifying creature. If only I could think of some way to let them know that they can trust me…That I am not trying to hurt them, but to help them. But how? Because any move he made tended to frighten them, confuse them. They just would not follow. They would not be led or shooed because they feared him.

“If only I could be a bird,” he thought to himself, “and mingle with them and speak their language. Then I could tell them not to be afraid. Then I could show them the way to safe, warm…to the safe warm barn. But I would have to be one of them so they could see, and hear and understand.”

At that moment the church bells began to ring. The sound reached his ears above the sounds of the wind. And he stood there listening to the bells – Adeste Fidelis – listening to the bells pealing the glad tidings of Christmas.

And he sank to his knees in the snow.

[Rosana]

Thank you for this inspiring message. I am taking a hold of the truth that everything in the heavens and on earth is God's and that everyone is created in the image of God - so it's only natural that God wants everyone, no matter what, to be saved into His Kingdom, evangelism should not be hard to do then. Afterall God is greater and more powerful than the enemy, he is defeated, we are victorious in the name of Jesus, so let's get on with increasing His Kingdom in these last days, God is for us who can be against. We apply who we are in Christ, that's where all our confidence comes from. I am just getting pumped up to preach the good news to the lost, and usher them in to the Kingdom of God. Have a great day & God bless you all. Your sister in Christ, Rosanna

[Lily]

God knows us, our thoughts, our needs and our hearts. This does not mean that we do not ask God(in prayer). In relationship with our fellow men (e.g. our friends, children, spouses) we assume we know what they know we want, what we are thinking, what they are thinking, or what they. Communication is very important with our relationship with God and with people.

Guilty. I have a tendency to speak before I think. As I grow older, I am starting to pause, think, count one to ten before I speak my mind. How many times we do not allow others to speak while we do our dissertations non stop.

[Frederick]

Re: Don't know

Luke 20:7

7So they answered, "We don't know where it was from."

The religious leaders replied to Jesus that they did not know the authority of John's Baptism. They verbalised their own spiritual situation. They did not know John the Baptist and consequently, they did not recognise the Son of Man--Jesus.

[Michael]

I occasioanlly find the sub-headings offered us by the editors of various editions illuminating but more often obscuring becasue they focus us on one aspect of passages that often have many layers of meaning and help. Sometimes they are even wrong! The one you quote is surely not a story about "wicked farmers" not a "vineyard" but about the patient father or the Slain Son? I wish readers in church would forget the titles and just read the scripture, i also wish they would insert the Noun for a pronoun att he beginning of apssages to tell us who "He" or "They" are. YIHS Michael

[Jim]

"You created it all."

Of course, "all" must also include evil. If God is all-powerful, then the bad -- the chaos, particularly as it manifests in human suffering -- is also God's work. That conclusion may be disturbing to us, but what is the alternative? A return to a Zorasterian Persian-style of dualism (or similar Eastern concepts of Ying and Yang)? If God is indeed all-powerful, then God must also have created evil (He didn't just bring order out of chaos, but everything out of nothing). In fact, the inclusion of darkness in the Genesis creation story is designed to help us understand that if darkness is created by God, then so is evil. How, then, are we to worship this God?

Hear O Israel, our God is one -- that is, all "bad" in our lives is always meant for our "good." Our healing needs may include our mind, body, and soul but this God even gives life to the dead. God promises to always provide a way out of every sinful situation in which we may find ourselves.

[Nasser]

psalm 89: 11 it is a good reminder for all believers that everything is god's own he created everything even bad people are god's creation but they do not know ,so here come our part the inspired believer to tell them that they are god's people God owns everyone of us ,teh bad people are blind and far away from the truth that give freedom and eternity so it is your responsibility to go and tell these lost people because if you did not go and tell they will see the light of Jesus and you will be convicted for not witnessing to them about Jesus about the Kingdom of the real God.
proverb 13: 16 think before you act is very important especially when you you are in front of somebody accusing you or insulting you it is important to be slow in speaking quick in listening and slow in anger thinking before acting is a wise thunk to do some people naturaly they are doing it because their personality are like this and some who are fast in acting . how unique God in created everyperson different from others ,this give appreciation to our Creator God the father Amin

[Lisa]

Thank you for your post Jim, but I must say, I am confused about your statement regarding the topic of God, Creator of all in which you also included He created evil - so I did a little research.

In the King James version it says: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7); so at FIRST glance, you can say yes, God did create evil, but one needs to probe a little deeper.

What does the word "evil" mean?

"First of all, the Hebrew word for evil "rah" is used in many different ways in the Bible. ...

... We can see that the Bible teaches that God is pure and does not approve of evil, that the word "rah" (evil) in Hebrew can mean many things, and that contextually, the verse is speaking calamity and distress. Therefore, God does not create evil in the moral sense, but in the sense of disaster, of calamity." Quoted from: http://www.carm.org/diff/Isa_45_7.htm

Another thought - continued.

The word "evil" is used in the KJV; while "calamity" is used in other translations.

In the NET Bible First Edition, I will post the scripture and the footnotes (the footnotes are indicated by the numbers 13tn, 14tn and 15tn) which corresponds to the numbers within verse 47.

45:7 I am13 the one who forms light

and creates darkness;14

the one who brings about peace

and creates calamity.15

I am the Lord, who accomplishes all these things.

13tn The words “I am” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the participle at the beginning of v. 7 stands in apposition to “the Lord” in v. 6.

14tn On the surface v. 7a appears to describe God’s sovereign control over the cycle of day and night, but the following statement suggests that “light” and “darkness” symbolize “deliverance” and “judgment.”

15sn This verses affirms that God is ultimately sovereign over his world, including mankind and nations. In accordance with his sovereign will, he can cause wars to cease and peace to predominate (as he was about to do for his exiled people through Cyrus), or he can bring disaster and judgment on nations (as he was about to do to Babylon through Cyrus).

http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=3086 (download Net Bible for free).

Be blessed and be a blessing!

[Vance]

Regarding Levites scattered throughout the tribes of Israel, I saw on the news what may be a modern version of this in the ruins of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.

~~~
Members of a Baptist church in Louisiana are moving back to their town even though the town is still in shambles because of the hurricane. The Baptist church in Louisiana is being rebuilt in the midst of the wreckage.

I saw an interview with the Baptist minister on the news last night. Many people who were forced to move away from their town because of Hurricane Katrina were driving by, and they came up to the pastor and the members of the Baptist church and asked: "Are you rebuilding this church?"

The pastor or members answered, "Yes." Upon hearing that, the people asking the question said, "Then, I will be moving back to my town because now I know everything will be all right because you are rebuilding this church."

~~~

Perhaps something similar happened among the Israelites. The Levites scattered among the Israelites surely must have reminded them of their faith in God and that God is among them -- and also of the need to worship, reverence, and obey God.

Surely, where God's people are thriving, then the surrounding community will be all right.

When in seminary, I heard of stories of darkness and oppression being lifted after a local church fought the spiritual battle to be established in a new area.

Then, the light of the Gospel could penetrate and provide the water of life to the community.

Psalm 89 (NKJV)
1
I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2
For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.
3
“I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David:
4
‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah

~~
THANK GOD THAT HE IS A COVENANT- MAKING AND COVENANT - KEEPING GOD!

Vance

[John]

Proverbs 13

13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it,
but he who respects a command is rewarded.

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of death.

15 Good understanding wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful does not endure

16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge,
but a fool exposes his folly.
======================================================
Proverbs have many good instructions on how to live life - but again, I think there is deeper spiritual meaning in sets of proverbs from yesterday and today.

Can you see the eternal consequences of these proverbs above?

If you scorn Jesus' teaching on salvation you will pay (eternal separation), but if you heed - rewarded (eternal life).

Wise is associated with knowing God - Jesus knew God the most - his teaching is the fountain of (eternal) life - turning a man from the snares of death (eternal separation from God).

Good understanding will lead you to be co-heirs to heaven, the way of the unfaithful does not endure - (leads to damnation).

Prudent man acts out of knowledge - knowing God's Word. Fool's ignore God's Word and pay the price.

See the pattern. A challenge - to look at proverbs on two levels - practical advice and spiritual advice.

Solomon may not have realized this point - but the Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible - and there are no coincidences when it comes to God or His Word:).

Proverbs will be a major project for me next year :)

[Jen]

Joshua
The Lord keeps His promises
He lets His people live in peace
The Lord helps and does good things for us

The people were taught to love the Lord, to be faithful to Him, to worship and obey Him with their whole heart and with all their strength just as we are today.

Psalm 89
When we know how great He is. We feel lead to tell others.
Then we will all praise His name forever.
He is the greatest nothing nor no one is better than Him
He rules the oceans and they are under His control
Everything was made by Him and is His
He has the whole world in His hands
Even nature praise Him

Proverbs
If we follow good advice we will do well. Good advice comes from the Lord. It is sensible follow the word of God. Foolish men don’t and they get lost.

[Angelo]

Man, it is oh so very hard at times... I understand exactly what that lady in the picture is feeling with the devil behind. For instance, like right now. I try not to think selfishly, but I dont think that I am doing so well in that area. My birthday is this sunday, and my two closest sisters are not going to even see me. One of them is not coming anymore because the other one isnt. And the other one isnt because she dislikes two of my other sisters and I wanted to see them too on my birthday, but she wasnt going to allow them in her house (we were going to hold the party at her house), so she said that I am now just on the phone call list (just receive a phone call for my birthday). I was taken from my house when I was 14 because of child abuse, and my mom doesnt talk to me anymore because she has taken the side of my step dad (the one who beat and starved me). I dont think any of my family is going to come and see me now and it hurts. My girlfriend is tripping because she wants to go to prom and freak dance with everyone, and I thought it was wrong so now she's breaking up with me. It doesnt seem like I will have anyone to spend my 21st birthday with, and I try to be a strong individual, but I'm failing. I know and undertsand 1 Cor. 10:13, about God not giving us more than what we can bear, but that doesnt mean that taking it will be easy. Sometimes I just really feel that only God loves me. Just pray for me please that He would strengthen me in this time of weakness. Thank you

[Mae]

Todays Psalms are sooo powerful ... yes, I love Psalms, most of you know that! I will pick different verses and make my own prayer, I always LOVE to do that!
"This means every single person we meet is God's. However... they might not realize it". ~ Good point! I always try to tell people that they're God's and how God loves them, especially when we go out on the streets, most people just have NO IDEA that God loves them! I do my best to show them the way, but it's hard! I'm glad to feel the Holy Spirit moving in me when I talk to people on the streets. God defenitly puts words into my mouth!

"But it is still God's world - and yes, the devil is thrashing around his temptations as rapidly as he can in the hearts of men and women". ~ Can someone help me here? Maybe you, Bible Guy? I was taught that the world belongs to the enemy?

"What are we doing with our lives to let others know about Jesus?" ~ I live my life the best I can. I live out of love ... I try my best to love everybody. I'm living God's word in order to let Him shine through me so others know about Jesus. In the past months people have seen me change and they will ask me how I got to change this much. I'll tell them it's because of Jesus. I go on the streets with our church, talking about Jesus ... singing about Jesus, doing drama's about Jesus! It's wonderful to have the Holy Spirit shine through me and make me a powerful Christian!

Yes, it can be hard some times ... thinking about this fallen world. But I'm a fisher of men and I'll do the best I can to save every single soul I can, from this fallen world!

Proverbs 13:16 "Wise people think before they act." ~ Yeah ... I'm not as wise as I should be ... not yet ... I'm working on this. I try to be someone that thinks before I act. But I have to admit that it's not easy at times. I'm praying for this, I ask God for more of His spirit, to give me more wisdom!

Angelo, I'm sorry you have to go through this. This must be so hard for you! You'll be in my prayers! You'll be fine ... God looks upon your heart and your mind. He knows you and your sisters. He sees what you are facing, so don't fear, God can give you peace that only He can bring! God bless you!

[Anka]

"44 The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD handed all their enemies over to them. 45 Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."
So all the enemies that Israel "couldn't" overcome were actually enemies Israel chose not to eliminate...
"19 If the land you possess is defiled, come over to the LORD's land, where the LORD's tabernacle stands, and share the land with us"....
It would seem that in the mind of the other tribes of Israel, Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh were out of God's land...in the statement"come over to the Lord's land"it seems that in their mind,the brothers had taken Land outside of God's land...could this be the perfect will of God vs the permissible will?Where we ask God for something that we want when He made it clear what His provision for us is...Another thing that struck me was the fact that a nation who once fought together now was thinking of fighting each other,I see this so clearly in church today...as one commented,the wounds inflicted on the flock (body of christ)originate more from the sheep than from the wolves!!
:)Wise people also think before they write...I thought psalm 88 was written by David so my comments reflected that yesterday....God bless you all

[Kate]

Anka, in re: v 44, No it's not that they chose not to. It's that if they cleared out the land completely wild animals would come and take over they land that they didn't need. Because Israel wasn't big enough to inhabit the whole land. There is a verse that says it but don't ask me where it is. I just remember it because it seemed so logical.

[Vance]

Regarding Levites scattered throughout the tribes of Israel, I saw on the news what may be a modern version of this in the ruins of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina.

~~~
Members of a Baptist church in Louisiana are moving back to their town even though the town is still in shambles because of the hurricane. The Baptist church in Louisiana is being rebuilt in the midst of the wreckage.

I saw an interview with the Baptist minister on the news last night. Many people who were forced to move away from their town because of Hurricane Katrina were driving by, and they came up to the pastor and the members of the Baptist church and asked: "Are you rebuilding this church?"

The pastor or members answered, "Yes." Upon hearing that, the people asking the question said, "Then, I will be moving back to my town because now I know everything will be all right because you are rebuilding this church."

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Perhaps something similar happened among the Israelites. The Levites scattered among the Israelites surely must have reminded them of their faith in God and that God is among them -- and also of the need to worship, reverence, and obey God.

Surely, where God's people are thriving, then the surrounding community will be all right.

When in seminary, I heard of stories of darkness and oppression being lifted after a local church fought the spiritual battle to be established in a new area.

Then, the light of the Gospel could penetrate and provide the water of life to the community.

Psalm 89 (NKJV)
1
I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever;
With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.
2
For I have said, “Mercy shall be built up forever;
Your faithfulness You shall establish in the very heavens.
3
“I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David:
4
‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah

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THANK GOD THAT HE IS A COVENANT- MAKING AND COVENANT - KEEPING GOD!

Vance