tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59068891510645034042024-03-18T03:00:33.562-04:00United In THE WORD(A Group Bible Discussion Blog)Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.comBlogger3017125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-63866210967933320952024-03-18T03:00:00.004-04:002024-03-18T03:00:00.451-04:00HOMOSEXUALITY is a ‘GROSS’ SIN in the SIGHT of GOD!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3o5XPbUEGPci8a2CdpWjVGqcdU62vcwotng14o07BuTgrpNPR5NJGFhUejxt5KLRbucPZx2iM0J1BHLBamnb6mBnojE08V9StioPJr5emIVj6oGrro_8UPZddMKUmjb_gVBfC00MdAwmXrfe_wyW4H7w50RirMurJr_QhyphenhyphencKm-6UrtMUrGc-5GWEGqY0/s308/18-Mar.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="308" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3o5XPbUEGPci8a2CdpWjVGqcdU62vcwotng14o07BuTgrpNPR5NJGFhUejxt5KLRbucPZx2iM0J1BHLBamnb6mBnojE08V9StioPJr5emIVj6oGrro_8UPZddMKUmjb_gVBfC00MdAwmXrfe_wyW4H7w50RirMurJr_QhyphenhyphencKm-6UrtMUrGc-5GWEGqY0/s1600/18-Mar.png" width="308" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 18 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 19-21</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">HOMOSEXUALITY is a <i>‘GROSS’ </i>SIN in the SIGHT of GOD!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>As
they were enjoying themselves, suddenly certain men of the city, perverted men,
surrounded the house and beat on the door. They spoke to the master of the
house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came to your house,
that we may know him carnally!" But the man, the master of the house, went
out to them and said to them, "No, my brethren! I beg you, do not act so
wickedly! Seeing this man has come into my house, do not commit this
outrage."</i> (Judges 19:22-23)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As we come
to the closing chapters of the book of Judges, we are confronted with
unimaginable depravity in the land of Israel where <i>“everyone did what was right in their own eyes”</i> (21:25). This book
had started on a high note with the tribe of Judah taking on the lead to
continue the legacy of Joshua, and taking possession of more land territory in Canaan
according to the stipulations of their inheritance (1:1-2). <i>However, this book ends with the entire
nation of Israel sinking in a moral cesspool of lust, anarchy, and a civil war that
almost wipes out one tribe – Benjamin - from the face of earth!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">How did this spiritual down slide
happen in Israel?</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
The answers are many, but broadly may account to <i>the disappearance of moral values and the lofty standards of God’s laws</i>
that were envisioned in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.
Further<i>, there was no spiritual leader</i>
in the likes of Moses and Joshua, who could lead by example and set godly
standards for the people. Due to these and other related reasons, the Israelites
chose to turn away from God, and in doing so sank to the very bottom of the
moral sink hole….<i>even closely enacting
the depravity of the people of Sodom during the time of Abraham!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The men of
Gibeah had committed such highly immoral acts as had not occurred since the
days of Sodom (v. 30; Hosea 9:9; 10:9). It appears that the writer of Judges was
trying to make a connection between the two incidents with all of the terrible
implications for Israel’s true condition. In fact, a close reading of the two
episodes in Sodom (Gen. 19:1-8) and Gibeah (Judges 19:12-25) reveal the <i>similarities</i> between the two incidents:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Sodom</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, two angels (in the form of men)
came as visitors and wanted to spend the night in the open square, but Lot
persuaded them to take rest in his home (Gen. 19:1-3a). <i>In Gibeah</i>, the Levite and his concubine planned to rest in the open
square, but an unnamed old man persuaded them to take rest in his home (Judg.
19:12-21a).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Sodom</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, the men surrounded Lot’s home while
they were having a feast (Gen. 19:3b-4). <i>In
Gibeah</i>, the men surrounded the old man’s home while they were having food
(Judg. 19:21b).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Sodom</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">, this is what the men told Lot: <i>"Where are the men who came to you
tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them <b>carnally</b>."</i> (Gen. 19:5) <i>In
Gibeah</i>, this is what the perverted men told the old man: <i>"Bring out the man who came to your
house, that we may know him <b>carnally</b>!"</i>
(Judg. 19:22) The sadistic intentions of these wicked men who sought to satisfy
their homosexual desires reveal the decadence of both these periods.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In Sodom, </span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Lot offered his two daughters to be molested
instead of the angels (Gen. 19:8), while <i>in
Gibeah, </i>the old man offered his virgin daughter and the Levite’s concubine
instead (Judg. 19:24). <o:p></o:p></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The utter
depravity and lasciviousness of the men of Sodom and Gibeah were described in
almost similar words by Lot and the old man: <i>"please, my brethren, do not do so <b>wickedly</b>!"</i> (Gen. 19:7); and <i>"no, my brethren! I beg you, do not act so <b>wickedly</b>!" </i>(Judg. 19:23) </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Finally,
there were immediate repercussions for this gross sinful act: <i>the men of Sodom died when God rained fire
and brimstone upon them</i> (Gen. 19:24-25); and <i>the men of Gibeon and most of the tribe of Benjamin were killed in a
civil war that erupted shortly after</i> (Judg. 20:29-46). </span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s be
clear that <i>God hates homosexuality</i> (Lev.
18:22; 20:13), and human depravity can hardly sink any lower than living in a
homosexual (or, lesbian) lifestyle. It is important to note that we are facing
a similar moral decline in our society today, and we should be aware of God’s
standards and views regarding this alternate lifestyle. <i>Homosexuality is a <b>gross sin</b>
in the sight of God</i>, and the scriptures are clear that <b><i>homosexuals will not inherit the
kingdom of God</i></b>!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Do you not know that the
unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor <b>homosexuals</b>, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of
God."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (1 Cor.
6:9-10)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-68543471273328419502024-03-17T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-17T03:00:00.152-04:00We are ‘MANDATED’ to DO what is RIGHT in GOD’s EYES!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSuehJWO-uB8A1gk9jpe084SJoklXn-5SjyspSpnEm4gd6j-Z8VIq3D8HBxHrrNWbukkKqjXY4dlhg3kQM99yMQq6RKRpa8KO_lClNqa5C6D-nPTzc7nJ_YAeIz_K_2dOPzUu36cCyLqBTpGHRGZnGCJTSJ4GO1hi_cVuCPR5fwGiBrgCreqlcyqQYMo/s300/17-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjSuehJWO-uB8A1gk9jpe084SJoklXn-5SjyspSpnEm4gd6j-Z8VIq3D8HBxHrrNWbukkKqjXY4dlhg3kQM99yMQq6RKRpa8KO_lClNqa5C6D-nPTzc7nJ_YAeIz_K_2dOPzUu36cCyLqBTpGHRGZnGCJTSJ4GO1hi_cVuCPR5fwGiBrgCreqlcyqQYMo/s1600/17-Mar.jpeg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 17 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 16-18</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We are <i>‘MANDATED’</i> to DO what is RIGHT in GOD’s EYES!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"The
man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he
consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no
king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes."</i> (Judges
17:5-6)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The book of
Judges makes <i>two profound observations</i>
in explaining the different events that start unfolding from chapter seventeen:
<i>first</i>, in those days there was <i>no king in Israel</i> (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25),
and <i>second</i>, everyone did what was <i>right in his own eyes</i> (17:6; 21:25). The
events highlight the low spiritual and moral state of Israel during this period
when there was no king or, judge to rule over the land and establish the laws
of God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The main character
of this unfolding drama in chapter seventeen is a man called Micah (whose name
means <i>“who is like Jehovah”</i>), who returned
back 1100 shekels of silver (<i>exactly the
amount of money paid to Delilah by each of the lords of the Philistines</i>,
see 16:5, 18) that he had stolen from his wealthy mother. His mother had pronounced
a <i>serious curse</i> (probably in the name
of Jehovah) <i>on the thief who had taken
the money</i>, and fearing the power of his mother’s curse, Micah confessed
that he was the one who had taken the silver (vv. 1-4a). Micah’s mother then
took two hundred pieces of silver and gave it to a silversmith, who created
both a carved and molded image for her, which Micah set in a shrine along with an
ephod and household idols for worship, as well as consecrated one of his own
sons to be his priest (vv. 4b-5). <i>Thus,
Micah ends up with establishing an idolatrous cult in Ephraim! <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">All this
happened due to the <i>moral relativism</i>
of those days where <i>every man had become
a law unto himself rather than follow the laws of God</i>. We see people lying,
stealing, conniving, and justifying their own behavior in the name of Jehovah. The
spiritual apostasy in Israel was displayed clearly in the form of <i>religious syncretism</i> and <i>extreme materialism</i>. Many laws of God
established at Mount Sinai were broken in those days, including making graven
images, hiring unauthorized priests for personal worship, creating private
worship places, etc. In short, <i>these were
dark days of total anarchy and spiritual bankruptcy in Israel where people did
whatever they wanted, not what was right in the sight of God! <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We may thus infer
that a king who focused Israel’s attention on Jehovah would have prevented the
outbreaks of sin and oppression so prevalent during the time of the judges. In
fact, Israel needed a righteous king to put a stop to such activities (8:22,
23; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). Similarly, when there is a lack of such leadership
among God’s people today, people lead unrestrained lives guided by their own
opinions rather than God’s Word and godly wisdom. Let us always remember that <i>as God’s children, we are mandated to do
what is right in God’s eyes and not our own.</i> Let us always seek to do those
things that are pleasing in the sight of God only, and let the following prayer
by Apostle Paul become a reality in our lives today:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"For this reason we also, since
the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be
filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being
fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience
and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Col. 1:9-12)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-5535056366668124392024-03-16T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-16T03:00:00.253-04:00Can we EXPERIENCE God’s GIFTS & POWER without His BLESSING? <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtnq9aFXmKuMm2EpMlhnmssA-MBkdn8j02EURxqNsAHp4QKpebBaZNzwpKYWdUtJviop1WIHG504jE-52vaUeP57zXOG8TOZkXYWHyFioKYuERyisWvNQRaxgUwqsYUK4I7BKH9r4j2Sfr1cquEo1A4xgqFVTfu1nrazpbLmAxon7iIfr7UZoYkdR-hk/s271/16-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="186" data-original-width="271" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtnq9aFXmKuMm2EpMlhnmssA-MBkdn8j02EURxqNsAHp4QKpebBaZNzwpKYWdUtJviop1WIHG504jE-52vaUeP57zXOG8TOZkXYWHyFioKYuERyisWvNQRaxgUwqsYUK4I7BKH9r4j2Sfr1cquEo1A4xgqFVTfu1nrazpbLmAxon7iIfr7UZoYkdR-hk/s1600/16-Mar.jpeg" width="271" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 16 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 13-15</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Can we EXPERIENCE God’s GIFTS &
POWER without His BLESSING?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"When he (Samson) came to
Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then the Spirit of the Lord
came mightily upon him; and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax
that is burned with fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a
fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and killed a
thousand men with it."</i> (Judges 15:14-15)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Starting
from the 13<sup>th</sup> chapter of the book of Judges, we encounter a
contrasting picture of a man who starts out his earthly journey based on
certain stipulations <i>given by God Himself</i>
even before he was conceived in his mother’s womb. He grows up under the
watchful eyes of his parents, and enjoys the blessing of God during his growing
days (13:24). In fact, the Spirit of God moves upon him in a very special
manner during those days as well (13:25).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Samson
judged Israel for 20 years, but during this period there was no evidence that
he enabled Israel to have rest like during the earlier days of Gideon (8:28).
His weakness for women was evident and he violated a number of the Ten
Commandments as well as his Nazirite vow. His checkered history of heroism and
moral failure resembled Israel’s troubles during the time of the judges.
Although we can find instances of obedience and humility in his life (15:18;
16:28, 30), but for most part, his life was a string of careless adventures
with no true concern for following God’s commands.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Few men in
the Bible display such a contrast of strength and weakness. His strength was
evident when he killed a lion with his bare hands (14:6), when he killed thirty
Philistines single–handed (14:19), when he broke the cords bound by the men of
Judah, and when he killed 1000 Philistines with a fresh jawbone of a donkey
(15:14–16). His weaknesses were sadly even more apparent as he had a weakness
for women, and was willing to disobey God in order to get the woman who pleased
him (14:1–7). He also disobeyed his parents (14:3), was deceitful (14:9; 16:7,
11, 13b), succumbed to temper and vindictiveness (14:19b; 15:4, 5) and was
cruel at times (15:4, 5). <i>So, during most
of his adult life Samson fell far short of God’s standard with his sin and
disobedience!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is
interesting to note that the strength of Samson was displayed <i>whenever he was moved by the Spirit of the
Lord</i> (13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14). Thereafter, Samson broke each of the three
stipulations of the Nazirite vow and he lost his mighty power (14:8–10; 16:19).
Even the great victory he won was by making himself unclean with the use of a
dead donkey’s jawbone (15:14-15). <i>This is
a clear example of God allowing irregularities during a time of extreme crisis,
which ordinarily would not be permitted!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The book of
Hebrews lists Samson as a <i>hero of the
faith</i> (Heb. 11:32), an honor that <i>seems</i>
to be <i>out of place</i> on account of his
multiple transgressions against God. <i>Samson
exemplifies that it is possible to experience the gifts and power of God
without His blessing!</i> God gives some people extraordinary abilities to
accomplish His purposes, but that in no way guarantees that they will seek to
know Him or follow His ways. Samson is a sobering reminder that great abilities
may not operate through God’s blessing. His life illustrates the truth that
God’s work depends, not on human means, but on divine enablement. <i>God actually used a flawed instrument like
Samson to bring glory to Himself!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The false
prophet Balaam is another example of someone who was empowered by God to bless
Israel, yet his own life remained spiritually bankrupt (Num. 31:15–16). As
Apostle Paul points out, we can <i>“speak
with the tongues of men and of angels”</i> (1 Cor. 13:1); <i>“understand all mysteries and all knowledge…have all faith, so that we
could remove mountains”</i> (v. 2), yet still have <i>no love</i> inside. The final analysis from God in this case is that <i>“we are nothing!”</i> (v. 2b). Let us be
cognizant of the fact that we can experience God’s gifts and power without His
blessing. Let the following words of Jesus Christ propel us to have an intimate
relationship with Him as we obey His commandment always!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in
heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who
practice lawlessness!'”</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Matt. 7:21-23)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-47179094313660467412024-03-15T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-15T03:00:00.252-04:00Does God PUNISH us ‘IMMEDIATELY’ when we SIN? <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ye5eXQpLy7pE6v9Tb1GHbHjlu97kOaJYMF0qfOLtAjPs_pfE_R-aSf-RpmhZPl8swa4rcRD9lLgCrW3PfjXhA0DxCcCCeswyy7emu1D3bOEWZB5qqj2sIGG-8-UwJBPS7NdhpDzbEy4szl7Y-iG9OfRUbJyfIrcgLT9fpjWTjr_5EnD0uArCU8CW4HE/s329/15-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="329" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Ye5eXQpLy7pE6v9Tb1GHbHjlu97kOaJYMF0qfOLtAjPs_pfE_R-aSf-RpmhZPl8swa4rcRD9lLgCrW3PfjXhA0DxCcCCeswyy7emu1D3bOEWZB5qqj2sIGG-8-UwJBPS7NdhpDzbEy4szl7Y-iG9OfRUbJyfIrcgLT9fpjWTjr_5EnD0uArCU8CW4HE/s320/15-Mar.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 15 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 10-12</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Does God PUNISH us <i>‘IMMEDIATELY’</i> when we SIN?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"Then
the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the
Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of
Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and
they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him. So the anger of the Lord was hot
against Israel; and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the
hands of the people of Ammon. From that year they harassed and oppressed the
children of Israel for eighteen years..."</i> (Judges 10:6-8)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The above
passage describes the happenings in Israel during rule of judges, which was towards
the end of the twelfth century (around 1125 B.C.). This was a time when it was
relatively quiet and peaceful from wars and internal turmoil. When there were
no battles to fight, the Israelites took their blessings for granted, which sadly
led them to committing sin exactly as Moses had warned earlier (see Deut.
8:7–20). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In fact, the
people of Israel had now lapsed into <i>unrestrained
idolatry</i> as they forsook Jehovah God and began to worship not only the gods
of Canaan but also the gods of their surrounding enemy nations. The list of
idols that they worshipped indiscriminately include: the <i>demon gods of Canaan</i> Baal and Ashtoreth (Lev. 17:7; Deut. 32:17; 2
Chr. 11:15; Psalms 106:37); the <i>gods of
Syria</i> Hadad and Rimmon (2 Kings 5:18); the <i>gods of Sidon</i>, which were the Canaanite gods listed earlier; the <i>gods of Moab</i> including Chemosh; the <i>gods of Ammon</i> including Molech (1 Kings
11:7); and the <i>gods of Philistine</i> Dagon
(16:23) and Baal-Zebub (2 Kings 1:2, 3). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is therefore
not surprising that God became <i>very angry</i>
with the Israelites, and <i>immediately </i>brought
in a two-fold judgment simultaneously: the Philistines from the west (see 13:1–16:31)
and the Ammonites from the east (see 10:9–12:7). Israel became powerless before
both the Philistines and the Ammonites because they had abandoned the worship
of Jehovah and had served the gods of these heathen (vv. 6-7). By worshiping these
foreign idols, the Israelites had broken their covenant with Jehovah; and,
until they truly repented, could no longer expect His blessing as well. So, for
the next 18 years the Ammonites oppressed Israel so severely that the people cried
out and called upon Jehovah to deliver them out of their misery (vv. 8–15).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we
relate these events to our lives, a good question to ask ourselves is: <i>Does God punish us <b>immediately </b>when we sin?</i> In order to answer this question, we
first need to distinguish between <i>punishment</i>
and <i>discipline</i>. For us, who are believers
in Jesus, all our past confessed sins have already been punished on the cross. We
will <i>never </i>be punished for the sin
that Jesus has already borne on our behalf as <i>“there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”</i> (Romans
8:1). Because of the sacrifice of Christ, God sees only the righteousness of
Christ when He looks at us. <i>Our confessed
sins (1 John 1:9) have been nailed to the cross with Jesus, and we will never
be punished for them…ever!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, the
sins that remain in our lives, however, do sometimes require God’s <i>discipline</i>. If we continue to sin and
not repent from that sin, then God, as our loving heavenly Father, will discipline
us at certain times (see Heb. 12:7-13). In these cases, through His discipline
God lovingly attempts to <i>turn us from
rebellion to obedience</i> so that our eyes are opened more clearly to God's
perspective on our lives. Then, we will confess and repent of sins we have not
yet dealt with, so <i>God’s discipline is
meant to cleanse us</i> as well. Finally, God’s discipline presents us with the
opportunity to learn and to conform ourselves to the image of Christ (Rom.
12:1-2). Thus, <i>discipline is good for
every believer to grow in Christ!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us <i>also </i>remember that we not only have to
deal with God's discipline for our disobedience, but also have to deal with the
natural/societal consequences resulting from our sins. But God works even
through those consequences in order to increase our faith upon Him thereby
making us able witnesses for Him so that He gets all the glorify. Let us fear
God today and obey His commandments so that we can glorify Him every day of our
lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"For godly sorrow produces
repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the
world produces death. For observe this very thing that you sorrowed in a godly
manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what
indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In
all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (2 Cor. 7:10-11)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-11474104434416043322024-03-14T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-14T03:00:00.143-04:00A GENTLE RESPONSE turns away ANGER…ALWAYS! <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHvLJciP6Uj3USPnvLqY-GB4WZ9564I7oNjI_jSoziGFKxFdLNS6sZKesjg2yT5MgiQZdkgdglOCyQtJSfmVCfnfHjpWxfbr07vrku7eBA0Yv-nX8b5DoFskgkPFbNlNtYducqysjqggyZcNfL1j9q6S32tl0Wb_38L2XKmY630-25ya3e2P6aMsnLvQ/s225/14-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHvLJciP6Uj3USPnvLqY-GB4WZ9564I7oNjI_jSoziGFKxFdLNS6sZKesjg2yT5MgiQZdkgdglOCyQtJSfmVCfnfHjpWxfbr07vrku7eBA0Yv-nX8b5DoFskgkPFbNlNtYducqysjqggyZcNfL1j9q6S32tl0Wb_38L2XKmY630-25ya3e2P6aMsnLvQ/s1600/14-Mar.jpeg" width="225" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 14 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 7-9</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A GENTLE RESPONSE <i>turns away</i> ANGER…ALWAYS!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now the men of Ephraim said to him, "Why have you done this to us by
not calling us when you went to fight with the Midianites?" And they
reprimanded him sharply. So he said to them, "What have I done now in
comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than
the vintage of Abiezer? God has delivered into your hands the princes of
Midian, Oreb and Zeeb. And what was I able to do in comparison with you?"
Then their anger toward him subsided when he said that."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Judges 8:1-3)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is
interesting to observe that usually when we do some extraordinary
feat/work/achievement that is unparalleled and worthy of adulation, there is
somebody somewhere who gets upset about this due to some reason that they alone
know. In the case of Gideon, he had surfaced out of his hiding place in his
winepress (6:11) to be a champion leader for the Israelites and had completely
destroyed the combined armed forces of the Midianites, Amalekites and all the
people of the East that were so many as the sand in the sea shore (7:12) with
just 300 men (7:8). Now as Gideon and his victorious army were returning back
from their astounding victory, they were suddenly confronted with a <i>verbal assault</i> from the men of Ephraim.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The men of
Ephraim came up to Gideon with an <i>unbelievable
complaint</i> that they had been left out of this potential victory as they had
been called out late (v. 1). They <i>may
have</i> wanted to take credit of this victory as well. Probably the men of
Ephraim were really angry because they were sent to guard the fords and missed
the looting of the Midianite camp. <i>Although
the men of Ephraim were looking for trouble, Gideon kept his cool demeanor!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Whatever
fear Gideon may have felt prior to the battle with the Midianites, he displayed
shrewd political instincts when he dealt with the men of Ephraim. His reference
to gleaning after a quality harvest was designed to soothe the resentment of the
men of Ephraim that they had not been mustered for the main battle, but only
given the mop-up operation (7:24–8:1). He reminded them that they were not
under the oppression of the Midianites as severely as the people of Abiezer, his
hometown. Further, he also reminded them that their capture of the two princes
was more illustrious than anything he had done. Through his <i>‘soft answer’</i> he appeased their anger
and avoided an unnecessary conflict with one of Israel’s strongest tribes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gideon is a
classic example of the <i>‘soft answer’</i>
that brings peace. Likewise, the response of Naaman's servant to his angry
words (2 Kings 5:11, 12) turned away his anger and directed him to follow good
advice. Other good examples from scripture are: <i>Jacob with Esau</i> (Gen. 32: 33), <i>Aaron
with Moses</i> (Lev. 10:16-20), <i>the
Reubenites with their brethren</i> (Josh. 22:15-34), <i>David with Saul</i> (1 Sam. 24:9-21), and <i>Abigail with David</i> (1 Sam. 25:24-31). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us
remember that <i>gentleness</i> is the
quality that trusts God to do the work of changing bad attitudes of people (see
1 Peter 3:15-17; 2 Tim. 2:24, 25). <i>"(This)
wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to
yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without
hypocrisy"</i> (James 3:17). Such gentleness was displayed in the words
and attitude of our Lord Jesus Christ, even during the most difficult of
circumstances in His earthly life (see 1 Peter 2:21-23). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Next time
when someone gets angry with us, even if it is not our fault, we can always end
the matter peaceably by responding gently and kindly, rather than with our own
anger in defense (see Prov. 12:16; 15:18; 29:22). <i>Never forget that a gentle response turns away anger…always!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"A soft answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Prov. 15:1-2)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-25294858546684830142024-03-13T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-13T03:00:00.355-04:00God is still looking for ‘ABLE’ leaders & ‘WILLING’ followers!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTPiybuWaRw66__fSDKFm-bDathdnMQhCVnWkcvKIWFxZyJavp0GeahZvUYnH6w3DlrKEwjo6ruyHgd8aTiTi7QWsKkxH7qYJVbD8JFMXtvtUCGeZ2oX1f_cAM_pmT4MGDJd4GEnq-tvWJKO_PFbJXt5laX2C3V3enQp54ojKwrNH0tEjCscKfFKFwvk/s299/13-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTPiybuWaRw66__fSDKFm-bDathdnMQhCVnWkcvKIWFxZyJavp0GeahZvUYnH6w3DlrKEwjo6ruyHgd8aTiTi7QWsKkxH7qYJVbD8JFMXtvtUCGeZ2oX1f_cAM_pmT4MGDJd4GEnq-tvWJKO_PFbJXt5laX2C3V3enQp54ojKwrNH0tEjCscKfFKFwvk/s1600/13-Mar.jpeg" width="299" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 13 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 4-6</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God is <i>still</i> looking for ‘ABLE’ <i>leaders</i>
& ‘WILLING’ <i>followers!</i></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Then
Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: "When
leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the
Lord!"</i> (Judges 5:1-2)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After the
Israelites were dominated and harshly oppressed by the Canaanites for over twenty
years, they cried out to God (Judges 4:3) who raised up a prophetess (Deborah)
and a warrior (Barak) to lead the battle against the mighty Canaanite army led
by their commander Sisera (2b). The army under Sisera had 900 chariots of iron
(vv. 3, 13) along with an impressive military force. However, God fought on the
side of the Israelites who had only 10,000 soldiers (vv. 14-15), and routed the
entire Canaanite army until everyone was killed (v. 16) except Sisera, who
escaped on foot and hid in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite (vv.
17-20). While Sisera slept out of sheer exhaustion, Jael drove a tent peg into
Sisera’s head and killed him as well (vv. 21-22). <i>"So on that day God subdued Jabin king of Canaan in the presence
of the children of Israel."</i> (v. 23) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
Bible, we come across songs that were written to celebrate national victories (for
e.g. the song of Moses in Exo. 15:1-8). This song of victory over Sisera and
the Canaanites (in Judges 5), known as the <i>‘Song
of Deborah’</i>, is one of the oldest examples in biblical literature and <i>may </i>have been written by the prophetess Deborah
herself. After opening with praise to God (v. 2), Deborah recalled God’s triumphant
march when the Israelites left the borders of Edom to move toward the Promised
Land. All the opposing forces melted before the majesty of the Lord God of
Israel. <i>This song praises God because His
most recent victory had just demonstrated to Israel that He was still active
and powerful on their behalf! <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, the
important item to note at the very start of the song (v. 2) is that this
victory also happened when truly inspired leaders like Barak and Deborah
faithfully took on the leadership role in the battle against the occupying
forces, and the people offered themselves <i>willingly</i>
as volunteers by enlisting themselves in the Israeli fighting force. This term <i>‘willingly’</i> relates to the Hebrew noun
for <i>“freewill offering”</i> (Lev. 7:16;
22:23). The wonderful aspect of this offering is that <i>the merciful Jehovah God always had His ear tuned to the needs of those
who willingly yield themselves to Him!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We can
always find people who want to be <i>‘in control’</i>
as leaders, but it is very difficult to find <i>able people</i> of <i>sound character</i>,
<i>integrity</i>, and having <i>multifaceted leadership ability</i> who will
step into roles of leadership during times of crisis. It was an established
fact that Israel faced a chronic crisis of leadership after the death of Joshua,
when <i>“everyone did what was right in his
own eyes”</i> (Judg. 21:25). During this period, <i>Deborah was willing and able to offer moral and spiritual direction</i>,
and <i>Barak was willing to lead the people
into a tough warfare!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The song
that Deborah composed celebrates <i>“able leaders
followed by willing people”</i> (5:2, 9). Apparently, the people were <i>willing</i> to follow when they found <i>able</i> leaders to lead them into freedom. Deborah
and Balak were good models of leadership willing to lead as they cooperated in both
fighting the battle and also in praising the Lord. Their stand for God and
integrity before the people were profoundly inspiring—so much so that even
common people such as the woman Jael were emboldened to grab whatever was at
hand, like a tent peg and a hammer, to strike down their enemies (4:17–22;
5:24–27).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nehemiah
serves as another outstanding example of able and effective leadership, who
willingly gave up all his comforts at the king’s palace and traveled with a
group of willing followers to rebuild the broken walls of Jerusalem. <i>God is still looking for able leaders and
willing followers today.</i> Will you decide to be in <i>either one</i> of these two groups today?<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"The elders who are among you I exhort, I
who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is
among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for
dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but
being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will
receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (1
Peter 5:1-4)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-54103888714561143422024-03-12T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-12T03:00:00.152-04:00DISOBEYING GOD will lead us to DEFEAT & DESTRUCTION!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibpGA4e72elyDHfDFN01ZCOUCQ2AlKJuChR7ALrG9X8RKiMf0XRICGeBzvOlMZgif3RVXeaht9VcbxYeLDBCXZf2q1PE8xy6DkRU57w5SyDHGvtOYfr2cJPre6OrDLwm7KTqs4FB4YkIeSQcgZ9dWQSRowPVZSfZGGKsOtarYgXmrHX4FrSY-Dhmf1ek/s300/12-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiibpGA4e72elyDHfDFN01ZCOUCQ2AlKJuChR7ALrG9X8RKiMf0XRICGeBzvOlMZgif3RVXeaht9VcbxYeLDBCXZf2q1PE8xy6DkRU57w5SyDHGvtOYfr2cJPre6OrDLwm7KTqs4FB4YkIeSQcgZ9dWQSRowPVZSfZGGKsOtarYgXmrHX4FrSY-Dhmf1ek/s1600/12-Mar.jpeg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 12 Bible
Reading: Judges Chapters 1-3</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">DISOBEYING GOD <i>will </i>lead us to DEFEAT & DESTRUCTION!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Then
the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up
from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I
said, 'I will never break My covenant with you. And you shall make no covenant
with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.' But you
have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? Therefore I also said, 'I
will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and
their gods shall be a snare to you.'”</i> (Judges 2:1-3)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Israelites had departed from Egypt with high hopes of settling in a land
flowing with <i>‘milk and honey’</i> that
was promised long ago to their patriarch Abraham. During the process of
relocating the Israelites, God had earlier told them to dispossess the
Canaanites by taking over their cities, destroying their idols and altars, and
refusing to enter into any covenants or agreements with them (2:2; see Josh.
23:13). Yet by the end of Joshua’s life, major portions of the Promised Land
remained unconquered, and many of the Canaanite and Amorite inhabitants whom
Israel was supposed to displace still remained lodged within the cities
(1:27–36). This failure to obey God completely meant that Israel would go
through several generations of civil, political, and spiritual unrest in the
future (2:11–23). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The book of
Judges began with the death of Joshua (1:1) and the writer narrates what
happened primarily to some of the tribes of Israel following that event. The
confusion and incomplete victories that ends the first chapter serves as a general
introduction to the events of the second chapter. The great victories of the
past under the leadership of Joshua and the elders who served with him were
nullified by subsequent periods of compromise, in which the Israelites neglected
their covenant with God, tolerated idolatry as an alternative style of worship,
and aligned themselves with the Canaanites through intermarriage. Joshua’s life
was over (2:8), and a new generation was coming into power going adrift <i>away </i>from God’s plan and purpose (2:10).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is under
these circumstances that the Angel of the Lord (sometimes described as <i>God Himself</i> – see 6:11-18; Exodus 3:2-6)
had come down to warn the people of Bochim for failing to keep their covenant
with God by engaging in idol worship (see Exodus 23:20–33; 34:10–17). Since they
had compromised their loyalty to Jehovah God through their idolatry, they had
forfeited the privileges of the original covenant promises that God had
promised them. Upon hearing this dire warning from God, the people of Bochim wept
so loudly at their dismal future that the place became known as <i>‘weeping’</i> (Hebrew, bôkîm). Apparently, these
people tearfully repented of their wrongdoings and, in the presence of their
leader Joshua had even offered a sacrifice to atone for their sins (2:5–6). <i>But the pattern of disobedience through spiritual
adultery was already now established in Israel that would lead to their defeat
and destruction later!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us
always remember that <i>disobeying God will always
lead us to defeat and destruction</i>. Sin presents a constant struggle for us
every day, and we must <i>always</i> resist
it through our faith in God and through His Word. When we do not deal with sin <i>ruthlessly</i>, it ultimately weakens us and
eventually causes our downfall. However, when we resist sin, we often feel that
the battle is over <i>only to be tempted by
the same sin again and again</i>. Sin never goes away, and so we must
constantly be on guard against it. However, <i>even
when</i> we are overcome with sin, we have hope. <i>God always gives another chance to turn from sin and back to Him!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, <i>let us turn away from sin</i>, and <i>purpose in our hearts to obey God completely</i>.
We should allow <i>nothing</i> to distract us
from our unswerving allegiance to God. Otherwise, <i>like the Israelites</i>, God will leave us alone to deal with thorny
issues and a legacy of tears all through our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Be sober, be vigilant; because
your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may
devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings
are experienced by your brotherhood in the world."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (1 Peter 5:8-9)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-86510701727105662692024-03-11T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-11T03:00:00.263-04:00How can we RESOLVE a CONFLICT AMICABLY? <p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z83wpfrH4gs0ok-AGs46daPBPlY11fgezmXPTXTGwTD0wXzyoxCMW2X_ZjJAZS6fzyMZMrcDcS16kF9xrJ7ChLrB5EJqPqZcBhWJCbcBZLP_1kHzXgtWStdl-AMwSjQ0gZrgijMIt9URiGSqKjvmtnqJOudUIpK3V-i53jgx-w359Ufiy2udVzyJJAc/s259/11-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Z83wpfrH4gs0ok-AGs46daPBPlY11fgezmXPTXTGwTD0wXzyoxCMW2X_ZjJAZS6fzyMZMrcDcS16kF9xrJ7ChLrB5EJqPqZcBhWJCbcBZLP_1kHzXgtWStdl-AMwSjQ0gZrgijMIt9URiGSqKjvmtnqJOudUIpK3V-i53jgx-w359Ufiy2udVzyJJAc/w259-h194/11-Mar.jpeg" width="259" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 11 Bible
Reading: Joshua Chapters 22-24</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How can we RESOLVE a CONFLICT <i>AMICABLY</i>?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Now
the children of Israel heard someone say, "Behold, the children of Reuben,
the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh have built an altar on the
frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan--on the children of
Israel's side." And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole
congregation of the children of Israel gathered together at Shiloh to go to war
against them.</i> (Josh. 22:11-12)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Towards the
end of the book of Joshua, we encounter a conflict that surfaced suddenly
between the nine and half tribes of Israel situated in the western part of
River Jordan and the two and half tribes who were on their way to be situated
in the eastern part of River Jordan. As per an earlier agreement with Moses
(see Num. 32), the men belonging to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half
tribe of Manasseh had crossed over the river to fight alongside with their
brothers in order to occupy the Canaanite territory. Now, after seven long
years, the major assaults in Canaan had ceased and Joshua had permitted these
men to return to their territory east of the Jordan, as originally agreed. He
also told them to take with them their share of the spoil from the battles they
had fought.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On their way
home, these men decided to erect an altar near the banks of the River Jordan. Here
we come to the first reason why this conflict had taken place…<i>these men did not make their brothers aware beforehand
of their intention to erect this secondary altar</i>. When the other nine and a
half tribes heard about it, they were very angry as they feared that it was a
rival altar to the one set up by God at Shiloh. <i>God had commanded Israel not to offer burnt offerings or sacrifices at
any location except the tabernacle</i> (see Lev. 17:8, 9), and <i>not to worship other gods</i> (Deut.
13:12–15). So, the erection of a second, unauthorized altar would violate the
principles of God. Also, it might become an idolatrous altar in time to come
and that God would punish the entire nation because of it. The situation
carried with it an apparent danger of political disunity and apostasy as well
(vv. 16–20).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, the
children of Israel <i>acted with restraint</i>,
and before declaring war on the tribes east of the Jordan River, they sent a
delegation to find out what exactly was going on. Through this act, <i>they balanced their passion for God’s
worship with wisdom and humility</i>, allowing the possibility that the actions
of their brothers had been misunderstood.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During the
meeting, the men of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh explained that <i>this was not an altar of sacrifice at all</i>,
but <i>simply a memorial altar that would testify
to future generations that the tribes east of the Jordan were indeed a part of
the nation of Israel</i>. The other tribes were pleased by this explanation,
and thus a terrible conflict and a grievous war was averted!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For us
today, this incident offers us some invaluable lessons about how we can resolve
a conflict amicably. Perhaps the most important lesson is <i>the value of talking things over</i>. This was a young nation that came
to the brink of civil war over a simple misunderstanding. Instead of rushing
into combat and war, both sides made sincere attempts to air their perspectives
and talking things over. Due to this wise decision, further hostilities were
averted. Similar conflicts can arise today as well. However, when they do, it
will be wise for both parties to ask questions and listen to each other rather
than jumping into conflicts that create needless disunity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s
remember that the building of the altar was at first misunderstood as a
declaration of war, but then it became a witness of peace and unity. Let all
our conflicts be resolved amicably in the similar manner as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"Who is wise and understanding
among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness
of wisdom."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
(James 3:13)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Before destruction the heart of a man is
haughty, and before honor is humility. He who answers a matter before he hears
it, it is folly and shame to him."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Prov. 18:12-13)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-10519416731382350282024-03-10T03:00:00.002-04:002024-03-10T03:00:00.188-04:00What it means to be a SERVANT-LEADER? <p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnvENTUH7kov46Q9_bxo-3JyP0eUtYNSLauyFiL1lZ7gnfXJtDe5ZFNJtRSwG299_3B-b0yA4RRT8Bnxkf4tq68TjbYu6F9iqQLFSOzffhx6n2dpsgdKYyRochfwKyx1xvgL48tIJj6Bwiz8lsP4chdC8mMeo1buASsRyJkfJs84vJJGnx6zCjenJABQ/s299/10-Mar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCnvENTUH7kov46Q9_bxo-3JyP0eUtYNSLauyFiL1lZ7gnfXJtDe5ZFNJtRSwG299_3B-b0yA4RRT8Bnxkf4tq68TjbYu6F9iqQLFSOzffhx6n2dpsgdKYyRochfwKyx1xvgL48tIJj6Bwiz8lsP4chdC8mMeo1buASsRyJkfJs84vJJGnx6zCjenJABQ/s1600/10-Mar.png" width="299" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 10 Bible
Reading: Joshua Chapters 19-21</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What it <i>means</i> to be a SERVANT-LEADER?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"When they
had made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance according to their
borders, the children of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the
son of Nun. According to the word of the Lord they gave him the city which he
asked for, Timnath Serah in the mountains of Ephraim; and he built the city and
dwelt in it."</i> (Josh. 19:49-50)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When an
inheritance is divided among the surviving family members, it can cause a lot
of problems and create a lot of stress for the person who acts as a trustee in
dividing the estates. An inheritance can be a blessing to a family, but it can
also be a terrible curse that divides family members. A lot depends on the
trustee who manages the disbursements of the assets and how well he does his
job. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the case
of Joshua, we see that he did a <i>remarkable
</i>job in acting as a trustee and dividing the land of Canaan among all the
tribes of Israel. He made sure that each tribe actually received the lands to
which it was entitled. This was truly a delicate job that required him to act
with great integrity. If that was not the case and if Joshua had shown any
partiality, he might have been charged with being unfair in assigning
boundaries or, with neglecting commitments previously made by Moses to the
people of Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Bible
does not record the command granting Joshua any particular inheritance, though
the promise to Caleb and Joshua did guarantee both of these faithful spies an
inheritance in the land, which was as follows: <i>"Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun,
you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell
in" </i>(Num. 14:30). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, after
completing his task of dividing Canaan admirably, the children of Israel
awarded to Joshua a city called <i>Timnath
Serah</i> located in Ephraim (Num. 13:8), which was located about 16 miles
southwest of Shechem. Not until all had received their portions did Joshua
choose his inheritance and his final resting place (see Judges 2:9). <i>Timnath Serah</i> is traditionally connected
with the location where Joshua commanded the sun to stand still (10:13). This
great leader of faith has <i>finally</i> received
a just reward for his labor through the years, according to the word of the
Lord (v. 50).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is truly remarkable is the
quality of Joshua seen as a servant-leader?</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Even though he had led Israel to the conquest of Canaan,
he waited for everyone else to receive their inheritance before seeking his own
inheritance. Only after Joshua had seen to the welfare of his people did he
receive an inheritance for himself. <i>This
is a mark of a truly great leader!</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Joshua saw
to it that the distribution to the tribes was completed before he received his
own inheritance, which was located in a mountainous region <i>where life would not be easy</i>. Joshua could have chosen the finest
place in the land, but he put others first and let them take the best. <i>Joshua’s example as a servant-leader is
worth emulating today!</i> As we accept responsibilities and make decisions
that affect others, our challenge will be to do the right thing by seeking
justice and trusting God to work out the details of our own welfare in the end.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"Let nothing be done through selfish
ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better
than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also
for the interests of others."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Phil. 2:3-4) <i>"Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's
well-being"</i> (1 Cor. 10:24). </span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-28398972334978468032024-03-09T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-09T03:00:00.151-05:00DRIVING out the ‘GIANTS’ from our LIVES!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ob7lDse2-z9qYfnnSaENguLCFGZDePrvkbv4AVg8e2zoT_AaWZUTrHNckWPPjNwZoXZmkC2O6zMGpezy3jDH5PzQ5SjTEJGLyVnCv7K-EX1Uv8RTtp8lfaqvPn2UV_i4crrBJ6oHG0H53RVmel-os-VF_iz4UsqzsbdxnWp4WqFH9FQIBoPBapCplXs/s259/9-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Ob7lDse2-z9qYfnnSaENguLCFGZDePrvkbv4AVg8e2zoT_AaWZUTrHNckWPPjNwZoXZmkC2O6zMGpezy3jDH5PzQ5SjTEJGLyVnCv7K-EX1Uv8RTtp8lfaqvPn2UV_i4crrBJ6oHG0H53RVmel-os-VF_iz4UsqzsbdxnWp4WqFH9FQIBoPBapCplXs/s1600/9-Mar.jpeg" width="259" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 9 Bible
Reading: Joshua Chapters 16-18</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">DRIVING out the ‘GIANTS’ from our
LIVES!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>And Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph--to
Ephraim and Manasseh--saying, "You are a great people and have great
power; you shall not have only one lot, but the mountain country shall be
yours. Although it is wooded, you shall cut it down, and its farthest extent
shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron
chariots and are strong."</i> (Josh. 17:17-18)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After the
half-tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh had received their adjoining allotments
west of the Jordan, they complained to Joshua that they had <i>only</i> one lot (v. 14) and that they were
hemmed in by fortresses on the north (v. 16). This was a <i>legitimate complaint</i> since they needed more land to accommodate their
huge population (v. 14). Joshua answered the fears of these two half-tribes <i>with an application of the promise of God</i>
(1:2–5).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Instead of
pulling out some more land territory from the other tribes, Joshua told them to
use their combined forces to clear out the forest in their territory all the
way to their last boundary line and settle there (v. 15). To address their
complaint that there were Canaanites within their borders with chariots of iron
(v. 16), Joshua assured them that they had superior power to drive out the
Canaanites (v. 18). What Joshua meant was that these half-tribes <i>would not</i> get any additional land but
that they must plan to occupy <i>all</i> of the
land that had been allotted to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These
fearful complaints of the children of Joseph formed a strong contrast with the
words of Caleb earlier (14:6–15). It appears that the half-tribes of Ephraim
and Manasseh had <i>either forgotten</i> or <i>did not believe</i> the God’s word that He
had spoken to them earlier through Moses in Deut. 7:17–22 and 20:1. Through
these words, God had counseled them not to be afraid of their strong enemy with
iron chariots, but remember how God had <i>utterly
</i>vanquished the mighty Egyptian army with all their iron chariots, strong
horses and a superior army. Their Jehovah God, who had brought them out of
Egypt, would be with them as they drive out all the foreign nations and people from
the land of their inheritance. <i>They
should realize that they can only possess their inheritance by applying their faith
in God into action. All they had to do was clear the forest and drive out the Canaanites
with God’s help!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We must <i>also</i> claim a godly inheritance for
ourselves and for our children. However, in order to possess our godly
inheritance and walk in the light of God in our time, we must also drive out
the giants from our lives. <i>What are the ‘giants’
in our lives?</i> In brief, <i>any activity
or hobby or person or food or even social work that impedes our fulfilling
God’s plan in our life</i> can be categorized as a <i>‘giant’</i>. Everyone has different giants that they have to battle in
order to fulfill God’s plan for them. Since these are specific in nature, we
have to look inward, do an inventory of how we manage our time daily, and make
a list of these giant time-wasters that are neither beneficial for us
personally or, beneficial for the extension of God’s kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us
understand that Joshua is a type of Christ who always leads His people in
victory and triumph. Our victories will result from surrendering to Jesus’
lordship and allowing Him to work through us to overcome our obstacles and
adversities. Be assured that regardless of the strength of the enemy, God can
and will enable us to prevail over the giants that impedes our progress to
achieving God’s will in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, can
we put our total trust in God as we make the following resolve that King David
made during his lifetime? <i>"My
enemies would hound me all day, for there are many who fight against me, O Most
High. Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His
word), in God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?
When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God
is for me. In God (I will praise His word), in the Lord (I will praise His
word), in God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to
me?"</i> (Psalms 56:2-4, 9-11) </span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-85191213057953974272024-03-08T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-08T03:00:00.173-05:00Look FORWARD to RECEIVING your HEAVENLY INHERITANCE!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxbYEKElq8MeUeUL-S7k0GxY1NloOrtgOon_OY8EzxpxAJQl-Yo-5-YTduFg6neyG9Sik6-7FATiHZUA-ghxop11Uql1xTSmsThbPyG286m-sad6DpmRS4sCPMJCB9eyid-jaFNVWHyVRgPeBZ9VHqaApl2MdkN951qy0NoibxJwcoGI-cGjVRQ7zZE4/s887/8-Mar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="887" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxbYEKElq8MeUeUL-S7k0GxY1NloOrtgOon_OY8EzxpxAJQl-Yo-5-YTduFg6neyG9Sik6-7FATiHZUA-ghxop11Uql1xTSmsThbPyG286m-sad6DpmRS4sCPMJCB9eyid-jaFNVWHyVRgPeBZ9VHqaApl2MdkN951qy0NoibxJwcoGI-cGjVRQ7zZE4/s320/8-Mar.png" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 8 Bible
Reading: Joshua Chapters 13-15</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Look FORWARD to <i>RECEIVING</i> your HEAVENLY INHERITANCE!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"Only
to the tribe of Levi he had given no inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord
God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as He said to them…But to the
tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel was their
inheritance, as He had said to them."</i> (Josh. 13:14, 33)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The word <i>inheritance</i> means <i>‘possession’</i> and here this is <i>directly
linked</i> to the promises of God, particularly that involving the Promised
Land (see Gen. 13:14–17). We know that
Jehovah God is the owner of the entire earth as the Psalmist has so aptly described:
<i>"The earth is the Lord's, and all
its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon
the seas, and established it upon the waters"</i> (Psalms 24:1-2). From
out of His own belongings many years ago, God had granted Abraham and his
descendants a specific parcel of land property in the region of Palestine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Now the time
has come for this land property to be divided among the twelve tribes of
Israel, who are Abraham’s children. However, to one tribe, Levi, God withholds
from giving them any such land property as He would give to the other tribes of
Israel. The reason for this was because the tribe of Levi was set apart for
God’s service; so this was to be their inheritance (v. 33; Deut. 12:19;
18:1–8). Thus, the Levites had no allotted land or assigned duties outside of
the sanctuary. The rest of the tribes were required to support them <i>so that they would be free to serve God and
the congregation. The measure of support given to the Levites would be one
indication of Israel’s obedience to God!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is an
important concept in the book of Joshua, where the previous directives about
the inheritance for the tribe of Levi were obeyed (Num. 18:20–24; Deut. 10:8,
9). We should note that originally the tribe of Levi was sentenced to be without
any land property for its violent behavior (see Gen. 49:5–7), but later the
Levites redeemed themselves (see Exo. 32:25–28) and were promised a blessing
instead (Deut. 33:8–11). Also, the tribe of Levi received some cities in the
territories of each tribe for their dwelling place (21:1–42). <i>So, instead of a land inheritance, the
sacrifices of God (v. 14) and God Himself (v. 33) would be their privileged
inheritance!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In other
words, Levi did <i>not</i> receive a tribal
inheritance (v. 14) since that was the priestly tribe, and the Lord was its
inheritance <i>in a special way</i> (v. 33).
God had so ruled in this matter earlier: <i>"The
priests, the Levites--all the tribe of Levi--shall have no part nor inheritance
with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and His
portion. Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the
Lord is their inheritance, as He said to them"</i> (Deut. 18:1-2). So now,
it is possible that emphasis was placed on the Levites - at the beginning of
the allotment section – that they were to be living models for Israel <i>not</i> to become satisfied with the land
and forget Jehovah, to whom this land actually belonged (Psalms 73:25–28).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us also understand
that <i>the concept of Israel’s inheritance</i>
transcends a simple association with <i>just</i>
the land property. Both King David and Prophet Jeremiah affirm that God Himself
is the real inheritance of His people: <i>"O
Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good
inheritance"</i> (Psalms 16:5-6). <i>"The
Portion of Jacob is not like them, for He is the Maker of all things, and
Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; the Lord of hosts is His name."</i>
(Jer. 10:16)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today and
hereafter, let us find joy and fulfillment in our relationship with God. Let us
remember that nothing this world can offer as an inheritance compares with God
Himself (1 Pet. 1:4). <i>Let us look forward
to receiving our heavenly inheritance one day in the near future!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Can we pray
this prayer today? <i>"Whom have I in
heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My
flesh and my heart fail; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion
forever."</i> (Psalms 73:25-26)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-71149365447258593242024-03-07T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-07T03:00:00.149-05:00If GOD is ‘FOR’ us, then WHO can be ‘AGAINST’ us? <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGY_YKRhfj6AvInD7_Tc6fe7LEsPy6vgJoS5v1snbVrJ8i2rJ6jwbFlKJKqAn-RHLV4LNJ78OfWGoxSPOFodHoppT1aEC8XTpDRE1Vmx9Ssvdnmv-7WzwoQqvriU3_ESTFXXPLxEkkoFZUh4pkf8EOafzWJ1MGhh3ck1X5qThBC2sQ85_Jyo_lotFt2ZI/s303/7-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="166" data-original-width="303" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGY_YKRhfj6AvInD7_Tc6fe7LEsPy6vgJoS5v1snbVrJ8i2rJ6jwbFlKJKqAn-RHLV4LNJ78OfWGoxSPOFodHoppT1aEC8XTpDRE1Vmx9Ssvdnmv-7WzwoQqvriU3_ESTFXXPLxEkkoFZUh4pkf8EOafzWJ1MGhh3ck1X5qThBC2sQ85_Jyo_lotFt2ZI/s1600/7-Mar.jpeg" width="303" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 7 Bible
Reading: Joshua Chapters 10-12</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If GOD is <i>‘FOR’</i> us, then WHO can be <i>‘AGAINST’</i>
us? </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not fear them,
for <b>I have delivered them into your hand</b>;
not a man of them shall stand before you." Joshua therefore came upon them
suddenly, having marched all night from Gilgal. So the <b>Lord routed them </b>before Israel, <b>killed them</b> with a great slaughter at Gibeon, <b>chased them</b> along the road that goes to Beth Horon, and <b>struck them down</b> as far as Azekah and
Makkedah. And it happened, as they fled before Israel and were on the descent
of Beth Horon, that <b>the Lord cast down
large hailstones from heaven on them</b> as far as Azekah, and they died. There
were more who died from the hailstones than the children of Israel killed with
the sword."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
(Josh. 10:8-11)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
narrative of Joshua chapter 10 should make us aware of a <i>very important spiritual truth</i>: <i>one
victory will always lead to more battles to be won!</i> Our enemy (Satan) has
declared an all-out war against us with a plan to completely eliminate our
faith and trust in God. In the case of the Israelites under the leadership of
Joshua, they were now victorious over both Jericho and Ai, and this caused the
Gibeonites to enter into a peace treaty of surrender with Israel. Five of the
neighboring kings got enraged at the Gibeonites for doing this act (while being
fearful of the Israelites as well) that they decided to attack Gibeon with all
their mighty armed forces (vv. 1-5).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Fearful of
the enemy attack, the Gibeonites pleaded with the Israelites to help them on
the basis of their newly-formed alliance (v. 6). The distance from Israel’s
camp at Gilgal to Gibeon was about a 20-mile march - a steep ascent all the
way. However, Joshua put his faith into action by leading the Israeli soldiers
in this overnight march under the cover of darkness. When Joshua and his troops
arrived in Gilgal (v. 7), he heard these reassuring from Jehovah God, his
Commander-in-Chief; <i>"Do not fear
them, for I have delivered them into your hand"</i> (v. 8). He had heard
these words <i>before</i> their victory at
Jericho and <i>before</i> their successful
ambush of Ai, and knew that they <i>guaranteed
triumph</i> despite the size of the opposition. Thereafter, Israel attacked the
enemy forces suddenly and this mighty assault took the enemy by complete
surprise (v. 9).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The <i>interesting point</i> to note about this
battle was that <i>Israel was not alone</i>,
for the battle was predominantly fought by God Himself (v. 10). Assured of
victory by God, Joshua engaged the enemy’s forces at Gibeon, causing them to
flee. While the Amorites fled before Joshua down the descent of Beth Horon, <i>two miracles</i> occurred in the destruction
of the enemy: <i>first</i>, God threw huge
hailstones upon the enemy soldiers that killed more men than the Israelites had
slain (v. 11); and <i>second</i>, these hailstones
were targeted precisely as they killed <i>only</i>
the enemy soldiers. This great hailstorm was a <i>conclusive proof</i>, both to the Israelites and to the Amorites that
Israel’s victory was <i>only</i> from
Jehovah God presented as a gift to Israel.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Actually, God
<i>could have</i> told the Israelites, <i>“You got yourself into this, so you can get
yourself out!”</i> But instead, He gave His people encouragement (v. 8) and
fought for them from heaven (vv. 10–11). In his book <i>‘Archaeology and Our Old Testament Contemporaries’</i>, James Kelso
remarks in this manner, <i>“The crossing of
the Jordan at high flood and the cyclonic hailstorm at Ajalon are of special
theological significance; for Baal was the great Canaanite storm god who was
supposed to control the rain, the hail, the snow and the floods of Palestine.
These episodes proved that Baal was as powerless before Yahweh in Palestine as
he had been in the episode of the plagues of Egypt.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let
us always remember that <i>“God is our
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble”</i> (Psalms 46:1). We can
infer the following: <i>First</i>, what God
is in Himself: <i>“our refuge and strength”.</i>
He is the One to whom we can turn for shelter during any storm, and whose grace
is sufficient for our every need. <i>Second</i>,
God is a <i>real</i> help for us during our
days of adversity and affliction. <i>Third</i>,
God is <i>not only</i> our help, but a <i>very</i> present one, as Spurgeon expressed
it, <i>“more nearly present than the trouble
itself”</i>. He was <i>“a very present help
in trouble”</i> unto Jacob when He subdued the enmity of Laban and Esau, to
Joseph in Egypt, to the widow of Zaraphath, to Daniel in the lions’ den…and <i>He is the same today as well</i>. So, <i>“if God is for us, who can be against us?”</i>
(Rom. 8:31)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-79858166375330358902024-03-06T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-06T03:00:00.272-05:00Be CAREFUL before TRUSTING anyone else - only TRUST GOD!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjb_xThdbJbk32MnuVmF7AK9HUfEm0BHfeV0OPaHBdFoiZv_dr8PkHlegMwjKtaIZdKlIwd_G7Rw8iOUzSTpS8qNB5CPpan_Ir1PXaA1dXARsa7D20GVVi0mOgmuGAUKjOspMf45f8T_76IktCxXHY2en-lSgcX-Bf-iXr2Cvj_FMRjlIiaW6ckdr5Z0s/s275/6-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjb_xThdbJbk32MnuVmF7AK9HUfEm0BHfeV0OPaHBdFoiZv_dr8PkHlegMwjKtaIZdKlIwd_G7Rw8iOUzSTpS8qNB5CPpan_Ir1PXaA1dXARsa7D20GVVi0mOgmuGAUKjOspMf45f8T_76IktCxXHY2en-lSgcX-Bf-iXr2Cvj_FMRjlIiaW6ckdr5Z0s/s1600/6-Mar.jpeg" width="275" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 6 Bible
Reading: Joshua Chapters 7-9</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Be CAREFUL <i>before</i> TRUSTING <i>anyone else</i>
- <i>only</i> TRUST GOD!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>“But
when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,
they <b>worked craftily</b>, and went and <b>pretended </b>to be ambassadors. And they
took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, old and patched
sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of
their provision was dry and moldy. And they went to Joshua, to the camp at
Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, ‘We have come from a far
country; now therefore, make a covenant with us’”</i> (Josh. 9:3-6).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
humiliating defeat at Ai <i>should have</i>
taught Joshua and the leaders of Israel the need to take time to seek the mind
of God. After all, Jehovah God was the <i>Commander
</i>of their army (5:13–15), and He <i>should
have been consulted</i> <i>before </i>every
important decision that they were to take. However, they walked by sight and
not by faith, nonchalantly accepted what the Gibeonites had told them to be
true, and without any delay made a covenant of peace with them. This was <i>totally contrary</i> to what God expected
from His people (see Isaiah 28:16; 30:1–2).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God had actually
instructed Israel to destroy <i>all</i> the
Canaanites without fail, and not make any treaties with them (Deut. 7:2). The
city of Gibeon was relatively close to Ai; located just about five miles
northwest of Jerusalem and about twenty miles west of the camp at Gilgal. The
Gibeonites knew that their neighbors were fighting a losing battle, for God was
fighting for Israel, and no army could resist Him. It was a fact that the
Gibeonites belonged to the Hivites, which was one of the ethnic groups that God
had promised to drive out of Canaan (3:10). Therefore, the Gibeonites had to
work cunningly (v. 4) in order to make it appear they were from another country
altogether.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In this
respect, Joshua and the elders of Israel failed miserably concerning the Gibeonites
as they made a hasty decision <i>just </i>on
the basis of outward appearances rather than doing a careful study, reflection,
and a detailed investigation (9:12–14). They failed to check the facts of the
Gibeonites’ story, and were apparently satisfied with circumstantial evidence.
Further, they made the decision without seeking counsel from God (9:14), which
was by far <i>their gravest mistake</i>.
Normally Joshua was known as a leader who moved only after seeking God’s
direction (see 5:13–15; 8:30–35; 11:15), but on <i>this occasion</i> God was kept out of their equation. As a result, <i>the Israelites under Joshua’s leadership
made a bad decision under pretentious circumstances!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A lesson for
us is that we should be <i>very careful</i>
before <i>trusting anyone these days</i>, as
our natural tendency is to blindly trust people not knowing their evil
intentions. We know that Joshua and the Israelites trusted the Gibeonites, who
actually deceived them by their play acting. Even though the Israelites were
somewhat suspicious (v. 17), they did not seek counsel from God (v. 14) and
made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. Let us remember that if Satan cannot defeat
us trying to scare us as a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8–9), he will try to deceive
us as a serpent (2 Cor. 11:3). We not only need the <i>power of God</i> to <i>overcome</i>
our <i>obvious enemies</i>; but we also need
the <i>wisdom of God</i> to <i>detect</i> our <i>subtle enemies</i> as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today let us trust God alone and seek
Him prayerfully for every decision that we make!</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> It is better to seek counsel from
God’s Word (Psalms 119:105), godly people (Prov. 11:14) and God Himself (James 1:5;
4:2; Eph. 6:11). We should be convinced by now that we <i>cannot </i>consistently make good decisions <i>without</i> God’s Word and God’s Spirit to guide us continually every
day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"The Lord will guide you continually, and
satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a
watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
(Isaiah 58:11)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-80667655169447799482024-03-05T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-05T03:00:00.140-05:00Are you WILLING to ‘FIGHT’ under GOD’s COMMAND?<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rhFsF2AUtHGkNlikic1j2opEl4K4BClWFQAeCbK4uEKRhWMO8l-OXStlJ8r3gmwh1w1WNZG6qWR7RxHgajstzUaAlyrfBRfawLYrqc5EJrOuKqiwEFoGZPgzCrueY9U3kiVvClcFQYCXHnUZMY6fBjnD0-AsmE0cwKI4qLBEN7OPWom3ol_s8Xz4iMc/s268/5-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="268" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rhFsF2AUtHGkNlikic1j2opEl4K4BClWFQAeCbK4uEKRhWMO8l-OXStlJ8r3gmwh1w1WNZG6qWR7RxHgajstzUaAlyrfBRfawLYrqc5EJrOuKqiwEFoGZPgzCrueY9U3kiVvClcFQYCXHnUZMY6fBjnD0-AsmE0cwKI4qLBEN7OPWom3ol_s8Xz4iMc/s1600/5-Mar.jpeg" width="268" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 5 Bible
Reading: Joshua Chapters 4-6</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Are <i>you </i>WILLING to ‘FIGHT’ <i>under</i>
GOD’s COMMAND?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>And it came to pass, when Joshua was by
Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite
him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him,
"Are You for us or for our adversaries?" So He said, "No, but as
Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And Joshua fell on his
face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say
to His servant?" Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua,
"Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is
holy." And Joshua did so.</i> (Josh. 5:13-15)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are
times when we must get alone with God to strategize our next steps and take
some <i>big </i>decisions in our lives. After
taking charge over the Israelites, Joshua went to a hill overlooking Jericho
and began to think about how he would conquer this great city that was enclosed
within a mighty fortress wall. As he was there alone planning his war strategy,
he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against
him with his sword drawn in his hand. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Since the
man had his sword drawn, Joshua could only infer that he was prepared for
battle and thus asked, <i>"Are You for
us or for our adversaries?"</i> The answer this man gave must have been as
startling to Joshua as His very presence. And he said, <i>"No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now
come"</i>. When Origen writes his <i>Sixth
Homily</i> on the book of Joshua, he states the following, <i>“Joshua knew not only that he was of God, but that he was God. For he
would not have worshiped, had he not recognized him to be God. For who else is
the Captain of the Lord’s host but our Lord Jesus Christ?”</i> Other Bible
scholars also affirm that <i>this person was
none other than the Son of God!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We know that
God had previously appeared to Moses on Mount Horeb in a burning bush to make
the announcement that He would be directing him for the enormous task of
leading His people to the land of Canaan (see Exo. 3). Now, He appeared to his
successor Joshua as the <i>‘Commander of the
army of the Lord’</i> to proclaim His support for completing this task (vv. 13–14).
Just like in the case of Moses (see Exo. 3:2–6), Joshua was made aware that the
ground he stood on was holy because of God’s near presence (v. 15). This <i>private encounter</i> that Joshua had with God
Himself preceded Joshua’s <i>public role</i>
for the remainder of his public life! This encounter with the divine Commander of
the Lord’s army validated Joshua’s place as Moses’ rightful successor<i>. What He discovered that there is a
Commander-in-chief, mightier than he, who stands ready to lead the Israeli nation
in conquest!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The famous
Bible scholar Arthur W. Pink in his classic narrative <i>‘Gleanings in Joshua’</i> has made this great analysis: <i>“Observe how well God suits the revelation
of Himself unto His saints according to their circumstances and needs: to
Abraham in his tent He appeared as a Traveler </i>(Gen. 18:1–3) <i>to Moses at the backside of the desert in a
bush</i> (Exo. 3:1–2), <i>to Joshua at the
beginning of his campaign as ‘a Man of war’ </i>(Exo. 15:3)”. Just as the Lord
had appeared unto Moses, He has now appeared unto Joshua, and just as the Lord
had been with Moses, He promised to be with Joshua. <i>The preparations for Canaanite conquest are now complete!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is now
evident that as <i>‘the Commander of the
Lord’s army’</i>, God is now in full control of the next phase of the conquest
of Canaan. The significance of this incident is that Joshua, the human leader
of Israel, is subordinated to God, the divine Commander. It is very important
to acknowledge God’s position and understand His role in the battles ahead. From
that time, whenever Joshua took off his shoes, it reminded him that he was
second in command. God does not come <i>just</i>
to help us, but <i>He comes to take full
control over our lives!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, God
does not intend to be <i>just</i> a foot
soldier in our personal campaign, whatever it may be. He does not make His
resources available to us so that we can accomplish our own agenda. He comes as
our Lord and Savior, as the Sovereign One, and as our supreme Commander. We
serve Him, we fight in His army, we worship at His feet<b>,</b> and we allow Him to take over our life battles. <i>Are you willing to fight under God’s command
today?</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"You therefore must endure hardship as a
good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with
the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a
soldier."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (2
Tim. 2:3-4)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-35435690391639265842024-03-04T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-04T03:00:00.137-05:00It takes a STEP of FAITH to see MIRACLES in our LIVES!<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxD_Z7B9_mL0hIj2g_nIXaAha07VZGIRu5XACeuaAdcHR_mUjaD-8WGUjuzCQkZuM9-KO5l3VUP3zlJKMKre7ZoBtSxtD5sQq7M4-tObJNmDZmQ8PBdZd19LKznN4h3XVQJnvihsh-2Usj1CheEQpCINUrC6QscP0yqyy-exbsK7vqZF6R8TMyITf-t4/s945/4-Mar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="945" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNxD_Z7B9_mL0hIj2g_nIXaAha07VZGIRu5XACeuaAdcHR_mUjaD-8WGUjuzCQkZuM9-KO5l3VUP3zlJKMKre7ZoBtSxtD5sQq7M4-tObJNmDZmQ8PBdZd19LKznN4h3XVQJnvihsh-2Usj1CheEQpCINUrC6QscP0yqyy-exbsK7vqZF6R8TMyITf-t4/s320/4-Mar.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 4
Bible Reading: Joshua Chapters 1-3</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It takes a STEP of FAITH to see
MIRACLES in our LIVES!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"So it was, when…the feet of
the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan
overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest), that the waters
which came down from upstream stood still…and the people crossed over opposite
Jericho. Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood
firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on
dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan."</i>
(Josh. 3:14-17)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After the
death of Moses, one of the first tasks that God had entrusted his successor
Joshua was to lead the Israelites in crossing the Jordan River in order to physically
enter the land of Canaan. This is what God told Joshua: <i>"Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this
Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them--the
children of Israel"</i> (1:2). It was a seemingly impossible task for this
huge Israelite population to walk across the Jordan River, especially because
this river was overflowing its banks at this time. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The miracle
of the Jordan River parting (so that the Israelites could enter Canaan on dry
land) was comparable to miracle of the parting of the Red Sea that the previous
generation had experienced (see Exodus 14:21–31). This miracle also helped to
confirm Joshua as the successor to Moses. We should note that many years later,
a similar miracle would confirm Elisha as the successor to the prophet Elijah
as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The detail
concerning the Jordan River overflowing all its banks (v. 15) enhances the
miracle, <i>as an act of God displaying His
sheer conquering power</i>, by focusing on the seemingly impossible natural
impediment. The symbol of God’s presence was the <i>Ark of the Covenant</i>, which served metaphorically as His throne
(25:10–22; Deut. 20:1–4; 1 Sam. 4:1–11). So, God would lead the way in the
person of the priests and Levites bearing the ark (vv. 1–6). When the priests’
feet touched the water of the Jordan, a miracle occurred. The river was stopped
at the city of Adam, some miles to the north. The waters piled up there in a
heap, and whatever water was left in the bed of the river below that point drained
into the Salt (Dead) Sea.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The famed
theologian D. K. Campbell has emphasized that this was indeed a <i>special miracle</i> due to the following <i>six </i>reasons: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The event
came to pass as predicted (vv. 13). </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The timing
was precise and exact (v. 15). </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The event
took place when the river was at flood stage (v. 15). </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The wall of
water was held in place for many hours, possibly an entire day (v. 16). </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The soft,
wet river bottom became dry at once (v. 17). </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The water
returned immediately as soon as the people had crossed over and the priests
came up out of the river (4:18). </span></li></ol><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the <i>key</i> instrument in the miracle, the ark
conveys the powerful message of God’s faithfulness to His covenant promises.
God, represented by the ark, led the people through the Jordan River even as He
would lead them to victory west of the Jordan River. He was demonstrating that <i>His presence</i>, which caused the waters to
flee before Israel, <i>was their only hope
of triumph!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It took <i>great courage</i> and <i>tremendous faith in God</i> for the priests to step into the rushing
torrent of the flooded Jordan. But as long as they stood on the eastern bank,
no Israelite would be able to cross the river. The priests had to take a step
of faith and <i>‘get their feet wet’</i>
before their task could be accomplished. As soon as the priests stepped into
the water, the waters of the Jordan River backed up into a heap. <i>True faith always produces miracles!</i> The
priests stepped into the muddy Jordan on faith, and the people accomplished the
work of entering into the Promised Land. As Matthew Henry wrote, <i>“God could have divided the river without
the priests, but they could not without Him. The priests must herein set a good
example and teach the people to do their utmost in the service of God, and
trust Him for help in time of need.” <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let’s
remember that <i>our step of faith can
encourage others in their walk with God as well</i>. It takes <i>great faith to walk through the water</i>,
but it takes even <i>greater faith to walk
on the water</i> (see Matt. 14:25–31). We will see miracles every day when we follow
God closely by taking small steps of faith by trusting in His promises. Let us <i>never despair</i> because the conditions in
which we find ourselves are altogether beyond our power to overcome. Our
troubles may have already reached the high-water mark, but when they <i>‘overflow’</i> beyond our expectations <i>then</i> we can expect God to show Himself
strong in our behalf. <i>"For the eyes
of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong
on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him."</i> (2 Chron. 16:9)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-658133205252233972024-03-03T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-03T03:00:00.245-05:00‘SUCCESS’ without a SUCCESSOR actually spells ‘FAILURE’!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3PBOi83WmeLVWcrYh3GjfLBRtR3497lxwPe_wFhHEJrQGVR0CkTUdrK7rlDeXRHsU72l9PqHFB0Wgp3ljrzKXEmbsw4fz25XZ9U6YgmLbAfiDNrCW64g_mfHgDcXPFvjnr8_SxFKJkZegS2yDC-1dyUmZ9lw0qJ_X7u-HL4nyGSORrbFC7n2XacmnBs/s960/3-Mar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3PBOi83WmeLVWcrYh3GjfLBRtR3497lxwPe_wFhHEJrQGVR0CkTUdrK7rlDeXRHsU72l9PqHFB0Wgp3ljrzKXEmbsw4fz25XZ9U6YgmLbAfiDNrCW64g_mfHgDcXPFvjnr8_SxFKJkZegS2yDC-1dyUmZ9lw0qJ_X7u-HL4nyGSORrbFC7n2XacmnBs/s320/3-Mar.png" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 3 Bible
Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 31-34</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">‘SUCCESS’ <i>without </i>a SUCCESSOR <i>actually</i>
spells ‘FAILURE’!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>Then Moses went and spoke these words to all
Israel. And he said to them: "I am one hundred and twenty years old today.
I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, 'You shall
not cross over this Jordan.' The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you;
He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them.
Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said.</i> (Deut.
31:1-3) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In this
final section of his ministry on this earth, Moses provides for a smooth
transition for the leadership to the children of Israel even before blessing
the twelve tribes and his demise. In order to reveal his mind before the
Israelites, he called all the Israelites to a large meeting and told them the
following realities:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His advanced
age limitations: <i>“I am one hundred and
twenty years old today.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His physical
weakness and frailty: <i>“I can no longer go
out and come in.”</i></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His
inability to enter Canaan: <i>“Also the Lord
has said to me, 'You shall not cross over this Jordan.'”<o:p></o:p></i></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His trust in
Jehovah God who would go before the Israelites to win their battles for them: <i>“The Lord your God Himself crosses over
before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall
dispossess them”.</i></span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">His desire
for Joshua to take over the mantle of leadership: <i>“Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said”.</i></span></li></ol><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is
significant that Moses left the leadership of Israel in the hands of Joshua (vv.
7–8), whose name means <i>‘the Lord is
salvation’</i>. In fact, Moses had been mentoring and grooming Joshua for many
years for this very day. Knowing that he would not be able to enter into The
Promised Land himself, he realized that he had to equip Joshua to finish what
he had started. That is the reason Moses revealed some personal information that
involved his impending retirement followed by death, and did the following for
his successor Joshua:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He convinced
the Israelites that the new must replace the old (vv. 1-2).</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He reminded
the Israelites of God’s commitment to fulfill His promise (v. 3).</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He endorsed
the new leader and passed on his authority to Joshua (vv. 3-5).</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He
forecasted victory under Joshua by citing his track record (vv. 3-6).</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He
commissioned Joshua with the enormous task of leading the Israelites into
Canaan (vv. 7-8).</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He directed
Joshua to read and follow God’s Word implicitly (vv. 9-13).</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In fact,
Moses reminded the Israelites that Jehovah God would go with them, and that
Joshua would be their captain, and that victory over their enemies was assured.
Moses next encouraged Joshua publicly concerning his new appointment and
assured him of God’s presence (vv. 7, 8). The written law was entrusted to the
Levites, and a copy of the law was placed beside the ark with the directive
that during every seven years the law was to be read in the presence of all
Israel. Instead of Moses, Joshua would now lead the people into battle.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
scriptures declare that Moses was the <i>greatest
prophet and leader</i> of the Israelites <i>"…since
then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew
face to face, in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the
land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land,
and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in
the sight of all Israel"</i> (Deut. 34:10-12). Moses could have closed his
life under a dark cloud of discouragement. Instead, he gave encouragement to
his people as they faced the challenge of a new life in a new land under a new
leader Joshua.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With the
passage of time, God will change His leaders, but His work must go on without
fail. Let every spiritual leader take note of this fact, and get involved in
succession planning, mentoring and guiding potential men and women to take over
the mantle of leadership in due time. Let’s leave a legacy for our future
generations, and always remember that <i>success
without a successor actually spells ‘failure’</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"If anyone speaks, let him speak as the
oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which
God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to
whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> (1
Peter 4:11)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-27175078915525990882024-03-02T03:00:00.002-05:002024-03-02T03:00:00.130-05:00Let us SERVE God with JOY and GLADNESS of HEART!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliOrdmF8Rx6j_YyNl1QaH-ivMQHSjC6RezWOlyVp-we8_TeZvGQE2vAODVZNhUwyuGbDfbGQNsZ53AUncRx_dsb3rvgs4Er-ExbyjzMaD8nLa6rtglKN_p_VxfWDsDLNhuvVnvJyBinxZGvGyMx0L1LegmpijB_AtDOO2d3ZxkE35gxWEExxgrHmaMz4/s259/2-Mar.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiliOrdmF8Rx6j_YyNl1QaH-ivMQHSjC6RezWOlyVp-we8_TeZvGQE2vAODVZNhUwyuGbDfbGQNsZ53AUncRx_dsb3rvgs4Er-ExbyjzMaD8nLa6rtglKN_p_VxfWDsDLNhuvVnvJyBinxZGvGyMx0L1LegmpijB_AtDOO2d3ZxkE35gxWEExxgrHmaMz4/s1600/2-Mar.jpeg" width="259" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 2 Bible
Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 28-30</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us SERVE God with <i>JOY</i> and <i>GLADNESS</i> of HEART!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"Because you did
not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance
of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send
against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and
He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you."</i>
(Deut. 28:47-48)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As we arrive
towards the culmination of Moses’ leadership, God through His servant warns His
people of the consequences of either obeying or disobeying Him while they dwelt
in The Promised Land of Canaan. In the land of Moab, across the Jordan River
which they had to cross over to enter their earthly habitation, Moses
pronounces an array of blessings and curses upon the Israelites. These blessings
and curses form Moses’ <i>third address</i>
and constitute a recapitulation of the covenant demand. The blessings are in
seen in the <i>first fourteen verses</i> (vv.
1–14), while the curses are listed in the <i>next
fifty-three verses</i> (vv. 15–68). <i>The
point is clear:</i> <i>obey God and be
blessed, disobey God and be cursed!</i>
The commandments and consequences get repeated many times because the
children of Israel have <i>already proven</i>
to be stubborn.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Moses had
elaborated the blessings and curses according to the standard Near Eastern
treaty pattern following the completion of the treaty stipulations. Three
groups of punishment for disobedience are prescribed in the narrative: (1) <i>internal calamities</i>, such as death,
despair, disease, and decline (vv. 20–46); (2) <i>external judgments</i>, such as defeat before the enemy (vv. 47–57);
and (3) <i>the transmission of judgment to
Israel’s descendants</i> (vv. 58–68). The
threat of a severe judgment on the covenant-breaker seems to act as a stronger
stimulus to correct behavior than any promise of blessing. The judgment of God
is compounded in this discourse so that <i>should</i>
they be guilty of disobedience, <i>Israel
would be cursed</i>. Hence, <i>the purpose
of the judgments upon Israel was to show the certainty of God’s promises!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, the
expected response to God’s goodness was <i>joy</i>
and <i>a heartfelt willingness to do His
will</i>. If the Israelites would not serve God willingly with joy and
gladness, they would <i>instead</i> serve
their enemies in hunger, thirst, nakedness and in perpetual discontentment <i>until they are totally destroyed from the
face of the earth</i>! Let us understand clearly that this principle holds true
for us today as well.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God desires
that we will have continual joy and gladness in our daily walk with Him for all
that He has already done for us. This may be the reason why Apostle Paul has
exhorted: <i>"Rejoice in the Lord
always. Again I will say, rejoice!"</i> (Phil. 4:4) We should not walk
around moping, murmuring and complaining as the Israelites did during their
wilderness journey (1 Cor. 10:10). Instead, God wants us to trust His providence,
grace and love for us so completely that we will be witnesses of His goodness
in our lives! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The joy and
gladness should naturally flow out from our inner being in our daily walk and
worship: <i>“Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before His presence with singing”</i> (Ps. 100:2). <i>“He brought out His people with joy, His chosen ones with gladness”</i>
(Ps. 105:43). <i>“Be glad in the Lord and
rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”</i> (Ps.
32:11). <i>“Let the righteous be glad; let
them rejoice before God; yes, let them rejoice exceedingly”</i> (Ps. 68:3).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is God’s
Word that exhorts us to <i>"rejoice
always"</i> (1 Thess. 5:16). Moses understood this clearly when he penned
the following verse: <i>“Oh, satisfy us
early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!”</i>
(Psalm 90:14). We need to trust God <i>implicitly</i>,
believe His Word <i>completely</i>, and experience
His joy <i>continually </i>pouring out from
our hearts. However, <i>if we do not serve God
with joy and gladness, we will end up serving our enemy Satan with sadness and
grief!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, let’s
join with the Psalmist who declared: <i>“I
was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord...to give
thanks to the name of the Lord.’"</i> (Psalms 122:1, 4)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-59764716939566085362024-03-01T07:41:00.000-05:002024-03-01T07:41:05.413-05:00It is IMPORTANT to ‘RATIFY’ our COVENANT with GOD!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML15r-v7Q_lxF7oue_CjGguN6tu-r8ylCqk9qgvKcwzvAUHr8_A4C_WIv4MBxuoyAlm474xO0PsPpWYKY6MVTi_wL4NXx7s-YMCKhBZdqMKAkzi3Q8o0-CxQWDc_ja21u_wglzPBmjcy5_Vlphdh1Rt_77g83L9w5caPSZVaBFH8nFmYPGY8Pb0DbPdA/s1024/1-Mar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="1024" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgML15r-v7Q_lxF7oue_CjGguN6tu-r8ylCqk9qgvKcwzvAUHr8_A4C_WIv4MBxuoyAlm474xO0PsPpWYKY6MVTi_wL4NXx7s-YMCKhBZdqMKAkzi3Q8o0-CxQWDc_ja21u_wglzPBmjcy5_Vlphdh1Rt_77g83L9w5caPSZVaBFH8nFmYPGY8Pb0DbPdA/s320/1-Mar.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">March 1 Bible
Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 25-27</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is IMPORTANT to ‘RATIFY’ our
COVENANT with GOD!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>And Moses commanded the people on the same
day, saying, "<b>These shall</b> <b>stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people</b>,
when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph,
and Benjamin; and <b>these shall stand on
Mount Ebal to curse</b>: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. <b>And the Levites shall speak with a loud
voice and say to all the men of Israel</b>..."</i> (Deut. 27:11-14)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As the
Israelites were about to enter the Promised Land, Moses urged them <i>never</i> to forget how they had the
privilege to obtain the land of Canaan as their inheritance that God has
promised to their great grandfather Abraham many years ago (Gen. 12:1-3). They
were a people who had been called out of all the nations (Gen. 12) and out of
slavery (Ex. 12). This land was God’s gift to them, and they were <i>never</i> to forget that fact all their
lives (vv. 2–3). As they would step into their inheritance, they were to be a
holy people who would obey God and be blessed as a result.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However,
before they would move into their final destination, <i>they had to ratify their covenant with God that was made 40 years ago
at Mt. Horeb by the earlier generation</i>. This would be done through an
elaborate ceremony that would serve to reinforce the two alternatives available
to the Israelites in their new land. In order to conduct this ceremony, Moses
divided the twelve tribes into two equal groups. Six <i>favored</i> tribes were to station themselves on the side of Mount
Gerizim and face the valley in order to pronounce the <i>blessings for obedience</i>. The other six tribes were likewise to
station themselves on the side of Mount Ebal, face the valley and they were to confirm
the <i>curses for disobedience</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Levites
were to stand in the middle of the valley (which was approx. 1600 feet across) that
formed a natural amphitheater where a speaker's voice could be heard on both
hillsides. Likewise, the shouts of the tribes gathered on Gerizim could be
heard on Ebal, and vice versa. A city called Shechem was located between these
mountains where the blessings and cursing of the Law were heard, and this city
became the <i>ideal site</i> for the nation
of Israel to ratify their covenant with God. The Levites were to read the
curses in unison, and in response to the readings, all the people were to say, <i>Amen</i> (vs. 26). Thus, <i>the entire nation of Israel was involved in
one loud praise service to God!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This
ceremony must have been a spectacular sight, where an entire nation of perhaps
several million people gathered on the two hills on either side of Shechem,
shouting <i>“Amen”</i> as the Levites
reviewed the conditions of the Law. As the Levites read off the curses (twelve
in all), the people would assent with shouts of <i>“Amen”</i>. Let’s remember that the violations of covenant listed are
related to the Mosaic Law already given in the Ten Commandments and cover many
aspects of personal life as well. Thus, <i>when
the Israelites obeyed the Law, they could live together and enjoy the abundant
blessings of God!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is important for us also to ratify
our covenant with God regularly. </span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This can be done by giving thanks for what Christ has already
done for us on the cross (Gal. 3:10–14) and what the Holy Spirit is doing daily
in our lives (Rom. 8:1–4). The best way for us to ratify our covenant is <i>by presenting our bodies to God as a living
sacrifice</i>, so that our minds get renewed in order to do the will of God and
what is pleasing in His sight.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove
what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
(Romans 12:1-2)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-67378771283151576362024-02-29T03:00:00.002-05:002024-02-29T03:00:00.143-05:00Why should we read God’s Word on a daily basis?<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZYt4QYTT5av8TK6r9mGl2tL8QQB6J1RvXtj1ahBA24GwMD3epocbX9iQblQ2kgGCgQvS79yx0Zw8pUNrLzO__kB7-0mPIAPczUs5XwWPUikcU29K_q6clA3q-wWdnsUysM8y0TTrvaAhDZOPWWnyRc-C3KFbHF8knO6xLa_9VQeOUrO3LdKqyj-RjE0/s310/29-Feb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="310" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIZYt4QYTT5av8TK6r9mGl2tL8QQB6J1RvXtj1ahBA24GwMD3epocbX9iQblQ2kgGCgQvS79yx0Zw8pUNrLzO__kB7-0mPIAPczUs5XwWPUikcU29K_q6clA3q-wWdnsUysM8y0TTrvaAhDZOPWWnyRc-C3KFbHF8knO6xLa_9VQeOUrO3LdKqyj-RjE0/s1600/29-Feb.jpeg" width="310" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: red;"><u>Why should we read God’s Word <i>on a
daily basis</i></u>?</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">February 29,
also known as the <i>leap day of the
Gregorian calendar</i>, is a <i>date that
occurs in most years that are divisible by 4</i>, such as 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Today is a good day for us to pause and reflect on a very important question: <b><i>Why should we read God’s Word on a daily
basis?</i><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
opening pages of the Bible, we read that God created man in His own image and
likeness and placed him in the Garden of Eden in order to have fellowship with
him. However, sin entered into man’s life through disobedience, which broke off
man’s intimate relationship with God. However, God still wanted to have the
fellowship with man, which was evident with His walk with Enoch (Gen. 5:21-24)
and his great grandson Noah (Gen. 6:9). When His people - the Israelites -
refused to have close fellowship with God, God made His servant Moses to write
down God’s Law so that His people will read it and obey it without fail. God
has continued His narrative of His work on this earth through anointing His
servants to write inspired words that would constantly guide His people through
the ages.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are at least <b><u>ten reasons</u></b>
why we should read the Bible, reflect upon it, and hear from God daily:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word is essential for our daily
living:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> After
fasting for 40 days and nights with no food or water, our Lord Jesus Christ was
confronted by Satan to create bread from stones. However, our Lord quoted
Deuteronomy 8:3 when He stated (in Matt. 4:4) that man shall not live by bread
(natural food) alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God
(spiritual food). We should receive God’s Word daily, which was what Jesus
taught us through His model prayer (Matt. 6:11).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word gives us the answer for
every need</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: For
every problem faced by humankind, God’s Word provides the answer. In fact, the
former US President has made this statement: <i>“Within the covers of one single book, the Bible, are all the answers
to all the problems that face us today - if only we would read and believe”</i>.
God’s Word teaches us two unchanging truths: what we have to believe about God,
and what God requires from us. Are we turning to God’s Word today to search for
an answer to our need?<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word gives us direction through
life</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: The Bible is
clear that God leads us “in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake”
(Ps. 23:3) through His Word that is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path
of life (Ps. 119:105). The light from God’s Word will keep us from stumbling in
the darkness of sin that can invade our lives. As our spiritual navigation
system, God’s Word tells us (in 2 Tim. 3:16) the following: which road to
travel (doctrine); when we are off the road (reproof); how to get back on the
road (correction); and, how to stay on God’s path through our life journey
(instruction in righteousness).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word gives us healthy spiritual
food for our soul</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">:
After we are spiritually born-again by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior,
as spiritual infants, we drink the milk of basic biblical truth (Heb. 5:12-13),
but then we should progress to solid food/spiritual meat as we mature
spiritually (v. 14). Based on 1 John 2:12-13, we grow from being children
(receiving) to becoming youth (doing) and finally advancing to adulthood
(knowing) as we built our lives on the rock of His Word (Matt.7:24).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word gives us the right thought
pattern</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: As we
delight in God’s Word (Ps. 1:2), we can avoid sinful pattern and enticement
that will lead us to wrong counsel and way of sinners (v. 1). God’s Word will
create a positive environment for us through the right attitudes that we
develop every day, and helps us to refocus our thoughts on what is really
important to God. God will enable us to see, hear and comprehend exactly as He
does, and then we can obtain God’s perspective about all our life activities.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word gives us power in our
lives</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: Oswald
Chambers has made this statement: <i>“Five
minutes with God and His Word is worth more than the rest of the day. This is
what exerts the greatest power in our lives.”</i> God longs for us to meet with
us through His Word and display His power in our lives if only we will pause
enough to listen to Him.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word helps us to defend against
the attacks of Satan</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">:
God’s Word is not only an offensive weapon in our spiritual defense, but a
defensive weapon as well. God’s Word is depicted as a sword (Heb. 4:12; Eph.
6:17), and Jesus used it effectively against the attacks of Satan (Matt.
4:1-11). As our defensive weapon, God’s Word increases our faith (Rom. 10:17)
and acts as a shield (Eph. 4:16) as it helps us to resist sin (Ps. 119:11).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word helps us to grow in the
grace and knowledge of God</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: 2 Peter 3:18 exhorts us to grow in this manner as we live with a joyful
purpose for the <i>“Day of The Lord”</i>
(vv. 10-18). We can look upward by living Christ honoring lives (v. 11), look
inward by making every effort at peace with God (v. 14), and look outward by
being on guard constantly so that we are not carried away by the wrong
influence of others (v. 17).<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word provides us heavenly
provisions for daily living</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">: Just like the Israelites lived off solely from the heavenly manna,
which they had to gather from outside their tents daily (except on the Sabbath
Day for which they had gathered a double portion on the day before), we should
also live through our daily intake of God’s Word. Just like the provisions of
manna stopped after the Israelites reached Canaan - their Promised Land (Josh.
5:11-12), we will also stop feeding on God’s Word when we reach heaven - our
Promised Land – when we are in God’s presence to hear from Him directly in
person.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s Word transforms us to the image
of Jesus Christ</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">:
Just as God transformed the formless, void and dark earth (Gen. 1:2) into a
beautiful earth that was <i>“very good”</i>
(v. 31) just through His spoken Word (vv. 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26), in the
similar manner, God can transform our marred empty sinful lives that were
destroyed by Satan (John 10:10) into the image of perfection unto the stature
of the fullness of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:13).<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope that
you are now convinced on the importance of reading and reflecting on God’s Word
on a daily basis, and you will take your daily spiritual supplement from God
inscribed in the following portion of the prayer that our Lord Jesus Christ had
taught His disciples: <i>“Give us day by day
our daily bread”</i> (Luke 11:3). Let’s now move forward in our journey through
the Bible.</span></span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-47547634088166421032024-02-28T03:00:00.002-05:002024-02-28T03:00:00.139-05:00Is DIVORCE in any MARRIAGE ideally ACCEPTABLE to God TODAY?<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXvvIhiHieCynjZWnOKq9N3jpvNnuOJnmJq6G5mvF7A4pJclTGjH4aHy0cQcxeLW4y1ruHmu-6JsTrPLqU11-yS_FjPaL7aPXJzX2-wWFrcXock8b4qflHHZMj6UTTpWUtDR84V7_syUDXs-msv-SFhsgQmVbLHcnOUeo7EoYuLF9ZR3-PoxHQDsWGdk/s300/28-Feb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXvvIhiHieCynjZWnOKq9N3jpvNnuOJnmJq6G5mvF7A4pJclTGjH4aHy0cQcxeLW4y1ruHmu-6JsTrPLqU11-yS_FjPaL7aPXJzX2-wWFrcXock8b4qflHHZMj6UTTpWUtDR84V7_syUDXs-msv-SFhsgQmVbLHcnOUeo7EoYuLF9ZR3-PoxHQDsWGdk/s1600/28-Feb.jpeg" width="300" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">February 28
Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 22-24</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Is DIVORCE in <i>any </i>MARRIAGE <i>ideally </i>ACCEPTABLE
to God TODAY?</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"When a man takes a wife and marries
her, and it happens that she finds no favor in his eyes because he has found
some uncleanness in her, and he writes her a <b>certificate of divorce</b>, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of
his house, when she has departed from his house, and goes and becomes another
man's wife..."</i> (Deut 24:1-4)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The above
passage <i>does not</i> provide divine
sanction for divorce, but simply <i>recognizes</i>
that divorce was practiced among the Israelites during the time of Moses. In
fact, no Old Testament law explains or, clarifies the issue of divorce very
well. In the texts that mention about divorce, the focus is to place
limitations on the practice of divorce itself (22:19, 29). These verses do not
institute, encourage, or approve divorce, but treat it as a practice already
operating in the Israelite society during those days. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The custom
of giving certificates of divorce was <i>probably</i>
adopted by the Israelites from the Egyptians because they had a practice of
writing out contracts in relationship to every area of life. A man could
divorce his wife <i>for uncleanness</i> by
writing her a certificate of divorce and giving it to her. This certificate of
divorce then became a <i>legal document</i>
that provided certain rights to the divorcee (see Lev. 21:7, 14; 22:13; Num.
30:9). One such right was that the divorced woman could remarry someone else, but
if her second husband died or divorced her, the first husband was <i>not</i> allowed to marry her again! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The purpose
of this law was <i>actually</i> to <i>prevent hasty divorce</i>, <i>discourage adultery</i>, and <i>preserve the institution of marriage</i>. It
was aimed at preventing people from moving in and out of marriages in a way
that trivialized marriage itself (Jer. 3:1). However, the people of Jesus’ day
took this permission to divorce as a promotion of divorce but <i>Jesus reminded them that such was not God’s
original plan </i>(Matt. 19:4–6), and that divorce was allowed by Moses <i>only </i>because of the <i>“hardness of your hearts”</i> (Matt. 19:8). Actually, <i>divorce is contrary to the creation purposes
of God</i> (Gen. 2:24). <i>The original plan
of God is for a man and woman to be committed to one another for life!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That brings
us to the question: <i>Is divorce in any
marriage acceptable to God today?</i> This is a complex issue, but <i>three biblical principles</i> suggest that
settling questions about divorce should start with a proper understanding of
marriage itself:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marriage is
a divine covenant and a lifetime commitment (Matt. 19:6).</span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marriage is
a holy institution conceived and established by God Himself (Gen. 1:27; 2:24). </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Marriage is
based on mutual trust and faithfulness between the couple (1 Cor. 7:10-11).</span></li></ol><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us be
clear that God <i>hates</i> both <i>unfaithfulness</i> and <i>divorce </i>between married partners (Mal. 2:16), and divorce has been
permitted by God <i>just as a concession</i>
to the fallen nature of humanity (Matt. 19:8). There are only <i>two</i> overt biblical reasons for divorce: <i>adultery</i> (Matt. 5:32; 19:9) and <i>the desertion of a Christian by an
unbelieving spouse </i>(1 Cor. 7:12–16). However, <i>there could be other valid circumstances not addressed in Scripture,
such as persistent physical or emotional abuse that one married partner
inflicts upon another.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s never
forget that God wants both happiness and holiness in our homes. We will enjoy
those blessings if we love and obey Him, as well as love our spouses deeply and
are committed to them for life – just the way God intended. <i>Thus, no divorce in any marriage is <b>ideally</b> acceptable to God today!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"'For
this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I speak
concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in
particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she
respects her husband"</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
(Eph. 5:31-33).</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-79134688590197509762024-02-27T03:00:00.002-05:002024-02-27T03:00:00.282-05:00JESUS became ‘CURSED’ for us through the means of His DEATH!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-ucB6L4a8rxqtFDfKKeAsNILrc83aw3Ty7g2FotxtK1FF4Cp6ve8xI7OpugSnmqiB-bIBzxypcrgVeVKwU4VRlTjVeW9vc5KxioaZN8nd66x99D0IkGfcqtd8ftVZLH7Nasl563pxbPhspRc8bSh3Dn6EoWgAeiT-etVdYmpkxDbThIsCV4IyJFwSB4/s342/27-Feb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="147" data-original-width="342" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-ucB6L4a8rxqtFDfKKeAsNILrc83aw3Ty7g2FotxtK1FF4Cp6ve8xI7OpugSnmqiB-bIBzxypcrgVeVKwU4VRlTjVeW9vc5KxioaZN8nd66x99D0IkGfcqtd8ftVZLH7Nasl563pxbPhspRc8bSh3Dn6EoWgAeiT-etVdYmpkxDbThIsCV4IyJFwSB4/s320/27-Feb.jpeg" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">February
27 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 19-21</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">JESUS became <i>‘CURSED’</i> <i>for us</i> through the
<i>means</i> of His DEATH!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"If
a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you
hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you
shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the
Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed
of God."</i> (Deut. 21:22-23)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As Moses was
expounding the miscellaneous laws to the Israelites, he explained about what
should happen to an Israelite who has committed a gruesome crime worthy of
death. The punishment for that person is that he/she should be <i>“put to death”.</i> Stoning was the approved
means of execution in those days for the Israelites. However, in order to make
this instance as a public example, Moses commanded that this executed criminal,
who was already dead (killed through stoning), was to be hung on a tree as a
stern warning to all the other Israelites that breaking God’s laws was indeed costly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The fact of
the matter was that hanging was not a method of execution among the Israelites.
The guilty person was <i>not</i> hanged by
the neck, and this form of execution was not practiced in ancient Israel. The
hanging mentioned above was actually an impaling of the corpse for public
viewing after death by stoning. Through this public display of the dead man
hanging on a tree, everyone would be made aware that such sins worthy of death
should not be committed any more and bring guilt on the community. Thus, hanging
on a tree was <i>not a means of execution</i>
but <i>only to display</i> an executed
criminal as a warning to others. This person was under God’s curse because of
disobedience to God’s commandments, and this rule was called as<i> ‘the law of public display of executed
criminals’!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us
understand that hanging was also imposed as an <i>additional disgrace</i> after death (John 19:31). There are several
examples of people hanged in this manner in the Old Testament (Josh. 8:29;
10:26, 27; 2 Sam. 4:12; 21:8, 9). If the bodies of criminals like these were
hanged as a public display, they were <i>not</i>
to remain in that state overnight for the curse of God visited on the guilty
individual would then be applied to the whole community (vv. 22–23). These
bodies were objects that were cursed by God, and would in turn defile the whole
land of Israel if they remained overnight in that exposed state (Lev. 18:24–27;
Num. 35:33, 34). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to
Jewish teaching, a person who had been killed <i>“by hanging on a tree”</i> (or, crucifixion) was <i>“accursed of God”</i> (v. 23b; Acts 5:30). This form of death was so
repulsive to the Jewish people that they refused to even discuss it openly. The
crucifixion has been a major stumbling block for many people, preventing the
Jewish nation from accepting Jesus as the Messiah. It was Apostle Peter and the
other apostles who had boldly declared to the Jewish Council: <i>"The God of our fathers raised up Jesus
whom you murdered by hanging on a tree"</i> (Acts 5:29-30).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, it
was the Apostle Paul who expounded the crucifixion of Christ in clearest terms:
<i>“We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews
a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God”</i> (1
Cor. 1:23, 24). He further seized upon verse 23 to demonstrate Christ’s penal
substitutionary death on behalf of all sinners: <i>"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a
curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ
Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith"</i>
(Gal. 3:13-14). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The point of
Apostle Paul’s argument was that Jesus Christ, though innocent, died a
criminal’s death, taking the curse that we all deserved. Just as the corpse of
the criminal was under the curse of God, so Christ hanging on the Cross bore
the judgment of God, the same shame as every condemned criminal. By taking upon
Himself the curse of the Law, He has redeemed us from that curse. Today, let us
thank God for His ultimate sacrifice on our behalf. James Montgomery has
captured the essence of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross through the following
poem that will enable us to thank Him profusely:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"></span></i></p><blockquote><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To Him who suffered on the tree<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our souls at His soul’s price to gain,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Blessing and praise and glory be;<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain!</span></i></p></blockquote></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-39639959144399270512024-02-26T03:00:00.002-05:002024-02-26T03:00:00.277-05:00To GIVE or ACCEPT any kind of BRIBE is a SIN!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjJ4bAoEIuojSZeWWWADG0NMxQGlJbFLY096Iwl9-DSaPzVeEwyEgoYBuUIf_kaTp0EvvgWEsDFmx0u-VrX188LigCKoKt700j_bwoGiUQaGvqxxs5fn8ixl52UWo9KkyVRIkrCzEY-47lpRc946hkO9H1ZDMYD6KYhzwKAL38OXWrHdmh8fouHMBmHA/s310/26-Feb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="310" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibjJ4bAoEIuojSZeWWWADG0NMxQGlJbFLY096Iwl9-DSaPzVeEwyEgoYBuUIf_kaTp0EvvgWEsDFmx0u-VrX188LigCKoKt700j_bwoGiUQaGvqxxs5fn8ixl52UWo9KkyVRIkrCzEY-47lpRc946hkO9H1ZDMYD6KYhzwKAL38OXWrHdmh8fouHMBmHA/s1600/26-Feb.jpeg" width="310" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">February
26 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 16-18</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">To GIVE <u>or</u> ACCEPT <i>any kind of</i> BRIBE is a SIN!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"You
shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God
gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with <b>just judgment</b>. You shall <b>not pervert justice</b>; you shall <b>not show partiality</b>, <b>nor take a bribe</b>, for <b>a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists
the words of the righteous</b>. You shall follow what is altogether just, that
you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you."</i>
(Deut. 16:18-20)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The above
passage is a clarion call for the appointment of judges and officials who will
exercise impartial justice to the Israelite populace. By this time, Moses has
just finished reminding the people of Israel of their religious obligations; and
he now gives them the rules for civil order. Just as the Israelites were to
manifest their spiritual character in their worship of God, so they were also
to manifest their holiness by establishing proper civil authority.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In this connection,
Moses commands the appointment of judges and other officials in every city (16:18-20;
17:2-7), then he establishes a higher judicial court for more difficult cases
(17:8-13); after which he establishes the foundation for the future selection
of a king (18:1–8), and finally establishes the criteria of confirming a
prophet as a genuine spokesman of God (18:9–22). Thus, these passages exemplify
the <i>principle of authority</i> implicit
in the fifth commandment <i>(“Honor your
father and mother”</i>) to include <i>everyone</i>
who is in a position of authority.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
jurisprudence of the ancient Near East, <i>much
</i>responsibility was given to the judge. He did not simply compare an offense
to a particular law and pronounce a verdict. Rather, he compared a case with
the principles of the law along with typical cases and gave a decision in
accordance with justice and equity (16:18; 17:8). Moses had appointed leaders
to judge previously at Mount Sinai (1:13), and the above passage ratifies this
matter. New judges and officers are now appointed to conduct themselves in the
high ideals of justice alone (19:15–21). In doing so, they must recognize their
limitations and exercise their offices in strict conformity to fairness and
righteousness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A system of
justice is only as good as the people who administer it, as justice is the
quality of dealing with people fairly. Judges particularly were expected to
reflect God’s just nature (32:4) by not dealing with the accused on the basis
of discrimination, false witness, or hearsay. In fact, judges must be honest,
righteous, and impartial. The manner in which they can display their integrity
is by <i>not</i> accepting a bribe. <i>A bribe is any gift that might change the
balance in favor of the giver</i>. This actually tips the scales of justice and
making a person incapable of judging fairly. This may be the reason why God
made the following statement: <i>"And
you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the discerning and perverts the
words of the righteous"</i> (Exodus 23:8).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us never
forget that <i>to give or accept any kind of
bribe is a sin!</i> God’s word tells us that <i>“a wicked man accepts a bribe behind the back to pervert the ways of
justice"</i> (Prov. 17:23). The truth of the matter is that bribery
displays partiality, deprives others of justice, and is an offense against the
character of God who shows no partiality nor ever takes a bribe (Deut. 10:17).
Let us also take God’s commandment to the Israelites seriously, and <i>never</i> give/accept bribes, pervert
justice or show partiality. Rather, we should reflect the supreme character of
God by loving others, and that will ultimately display true justice to
everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"He
who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of
oppressions, <b>who gestures with his
hands, refusing bribes,</b> who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and
shuts his eyes from seeing evil: he will dwell on high; his place of defense
will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, his water will be
sure."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
(Isaiah 33:15-16)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-37856371068529509142024-02-25T03:00:00.002-05:002024-02-25T03:00:00.131-05:00UNDERSTAND our RESPONSIBILITY towards the POOR!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYNZ219iAIkrL9BZ6S03CtUEpaah7l_byCxKCeYQGUxayO5pIdZ4TcEyn9cZ58Q7rmDFb19kOwS42Nm9FvCPt21tfcLBGp1kRWOEXaphUHHIg6B9-zbAYfgv5Zvn-Fpq3r1SK7qLHaDVPmDlToCnSbuIi4W__3AKZnarFo58nZtUGYAiVW-dghOa02tY/s640/25-Feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfYNZ219iAIkrL9BZ6S03CtUEpaah7l_byCxKCeYQGUxayO5pIdZ4TcEyn9cZ58Q7rmDFb19kOwS42Nm9FvCPt21tfcLBGp1kRWOEXaphUHHIg6B9-zbAYfgv5Zvn-Fpq3r1SK7qLHaDVPmDlToCnSbuIi4W__3AKZnarFo58nZtUGYAiVW-dghOa02tY/s320/25-Feb.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">February 25
Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 13-15</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">UNDERSTAND our <i>RESPONSIBILITY</i> towards
the POOR!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"You shall not forsake the Levite who
is within your gates, for he has no part nor inheritance with you. At the end
of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year
and store it up within your gates. And the Levite, because he has no portion
nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who
are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your
God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do."</i> (Deut.
14:27-29)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Throughout
the Bible the interests of the poor and needy are connected with the interests
of God. The reason for caring for the underprivileged was that God would bless
the giver. This is why James describes <i>pure
religion</i> in this manner: <i>"Pure
and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and
widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world"</i>
(James 1:27). Obviously, the orphans and widows were considered as the poor and
downtrodden in the society as they were lacking basic support for everyday
living.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
similar manner, the Levites had no allotted land or assigned duties outside of
the sanctuary. It was generally assumed that certain classes of people would be
at an economic disadvantage in the Jewish society: <i>Levites</i>, <i>strangers</i> (or,
non-Israelite foreigners), <i>orphans</i>,
and <i>widows</i>. So, the rest of the
tribes were required to support them so that they would be free to serve God
and the congregation. The measure of support given to the Levites would be one
indication of Israel’s obedience to God as they were commanded <i>never </i>to forsake the Levite who lived
among them to serve God (see Deut. 12:19).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In fact, God
commanded the Israelites to periodically part with <i>one-tenth</i> of their produce (or, income) for <i>three reasons</i>: <i>to celebrate
the abundance that He had provided</i> (14:22–26); <i>to provide for the Levites who owned no land because they were
responsible for the tabernacle and worship</i> (14:27; Num. 18:20–24); and <i>to provide for the poor</i> (14:28–29). In
order to provide for these disadvantaged groups of people, <i>ten percent</i> of <i>every third
year’s produce</i> was to be set aside for their use. This produce was to be
stored <i>within their gates</i> (14:28),
indicating that the aid should be collected and administered by the cities, which
was a form of <i>community charity</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Every three
years the Israelites were allowed to have sacrificial feasts on their own,
during which they were to invite the Levites, the strangers, the widows, and
the orphans to these feasts and give them the <i>tithe of their produce of the third year</i>. This became known as <i>‘the third tithe’</i>, or, <i>‘the poor tithe’</i>. This under-privileged of
society were at the mercy of God, who provided for them through the tithe of
the abundance of their neighbors, thus uniquely binding the community together
and pointing the people to God who <i>alone</i>
provided every good and perfect gift (James 1:17).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let’s also
never forget <i>"the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ that though He was rich, yet for </i>(our)<i> sakes He became poor, that </i>(we)<i>
through His poverty might become rich."</i> (2 Cor. 8:9). In fact, we
should glorify God in what we receive and <i>also</i>
<i>in what we give out to others</i>. In both
our receiving and in our giving, we should glorify God and joyfully serve Him
(1 Cor. 10:31). Even though we are not bound by the law of the tithe today, the
principles still apply for us as we celebrate God’s blessing, support those in
vocational Christian work, and provide for the poor. Today, God wants us to
feast and be joyful in light of His provision and goodness, and <i>freely give</i> out just as we have <i>freely received</i> from God Himself (Matt.
10:8). In time, we will reap what we sow into the lives of others!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">"He who has pity on the poor
lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given."</span></i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> (Prov. 19:17)</span></p></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-29179243909166719862024-02-24T03:00:00.002-05:002024-02-24T03:00:00.143-05:00God’s PROMISES though DELAYED will SURELY be FULFILLED!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmCjV34he7GBAw4oYpRgoP5sneTR7NssGY0hyphenhyphenn3MDT-g5-866en8CeLjFQlxp12dB93t9D4BY6vDHTmn8VgYr3VDGUre3DW7_RheQr4kCvTMzgTZlBHC99xVICtOyXKIq49ydHVRY9cWl9Io0EyUEzUL1-dJZNeUIyS2saJE1m-cv1bu1jJqSkKxcuIs/s225/24-Feb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMmCjV34he7GBAw4oYpRgoP5sneTR7NssGY0hyphenhyphenn3MDT-g5-866en8CeLjFQlxp12dB93t9D4BY6vDHTmn8VgYr3VDGUre3DW7_RheQr4kCvTMzgTZlBHC99xVICtOyXKIq49ydHVRY9cWl9Io0EyUEzUL1-dJZNeUIyS2saJE1m-cv1bu1jJqSkKxcuIs/s1600/24-Feb.jpeg" width="225" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">February
24 Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 10-12</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God’s PROMISES though DELAYED will <i>SURELY</i> be FULFILLED!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"You
shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold
fast, and take oaths in His name. He is your praise, and He is your God, who
has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen. Your
fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons, <b>and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of heaven in
multitude</b>." </i>(Deut. 10:20-22)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The above
declaration by Moses <i>“and now the Lord
your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude”</i> is one of the
clearest indication that when God makes a promise, it may be delayed but it
will be surely fulfilled in God’s time as He (makes) <i>“everything beautiful in its time"</i> (Eccl. 3:11). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many
hundreds of years ago, God had taken Abraham outside his tent under the open
skies and had told him the following: <i>"Look
now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them."
And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be"</i> (Gen. 15:5). Israel
and his large family consisted of only seventy people in total when they had
gone into Egypt. God had promised that in Egypt Israel would be made a great
nation, and now they were an innumerable host of over two million people. Thus,
God had faithfully fulfilled His promise to Abraham that he had made so many
years ago, and it was Moses who declared to the Israelites that <i>God had now made them as the stars of heaven
in multitude</i>. <i>God had indeed
fulfilled the long-awaited prophecy that they would become as the stars of
heaven!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In fact,
there was another promise that God had made to Abraham after that<i>: "Know certainly that your descendants
will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they
will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I
will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions" </i>(Gen.
15:13-14). True to this promise as well, God had caused Israel and his children
to relocate to Egypt on account of Joseph, but after a period of time, they became
slave-laborers in Egypt. The hard-hearted Egyptians afflicted the Israelites
for a period of <i>four hundred and thirty
years to be exact</i> (see Exodus 12:40-41). Not only that, the Israelites <i>"plundered the Egyptians"</i> as
they departed Egypt <i>with great
possessions</i> including articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing
(see Exodus 12:35-36). This is <i>another
example</i> of God’s promise that was fulfilled in due time even though it was
delayed slightly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">One of the
greatest promises ever made by God was to Satan in the Garden of Eden, when God
had made the following declaration: <i>"And
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her
Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."</i> (Gen.
3:15). More than six thousand years would pass before this promise of God would
be fulfilled through the birth of His Son Jesus Christ, whose <i>“heel”</i> Satan bruised by supposedly
killing on the cross of Calvary, but Jesus bruised his <i>“head”</i> by rising up on the third day and proving His deity to one
and all. This is yet another of the countless examples that proves beyond the
shadow of doubt of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">While God
has fulfilled every promise that He had made to the Israelites in the past
starting with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, even now He is fulfilling all His remaining
promises as well. Let us never forget that <i>"The
Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is
longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should
come to repentance"</i> (2 Peter 3:9).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, let us be clear that God <i>will fulfill</i> every promise that He has
made in our lives. Even though, these promises of God may be delayed, they will
be surely fulfilled in God’s time: <i>"For
the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it
will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it
will not tarry."</i> (Habakkuk 2:3)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906889151064503404.post-47617369887867332292024-02-23T03:00:00.002-05:002024-02-23T03:00:00.144-05:00It is GOD alone who gives us the POWER to obtain WEALTH!<p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLU75lItqRy4EyhJsrIcUa6-3bkRFdX9qvxc2xyrXSVOaE7WaNTdZ1djJZ2KcuVOFuGQOT01fGcSUq4GcLyrtMYQubme0KgsuMz2CuoQrp0jB9s4oW6hKKFQXCr9wTBWOTkyDGgxs2Q37ZTnHOKo0VrwpxjkHcFvSOAVFZ_e_UvpcQDF3wmM4oD6mHbig/s306/23-Feb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="306" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLU75lItqRy4EyhJsrIcUa6-3bkRFdX9qvxc2xyrXSVOaE7WaNTdZ1djJZ2KcuVOFuGQOT01fGcSUq4GcLyrtMYQubme0KgsuMz2CuoQrp0jB9s4oW6hKKFQXCr9wTBWOTkyDGgxs2Q37ZTnHOKo0VrwpxjkHcFvSOAVFZ_e_UvpcQDF3wmM4oD6mHbig/s1600/23-Feb.jpeg" width="306" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="color: red;">February 23
Bible Reading: Deuteronomy Chapters 7-9</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></u></p><div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is GOD <i>alone</i> who gives us the POWER to obtain WEALTH!</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><i>"Then
you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gained me this
wealth.' And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you
power to get wealth that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your
fathers, as it is this day."</i> (Deut. 8:17-18)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The history
of the Israelites can be traced back to God’s call to the patriarch Abraham, to
whom God had declared: <i>"I will bless
you...and you shall be a blessing"</i> (Gen. 12:2). As part of the
Abrahamic blessing, riches and wealth were definitely a big component, and a
reward given by God for faithful obedience. In order to educate the Israelites
about the goodness of God, Moses now exhorts them to obedience, based on the
fact that God gave them a good land with plenty of water (vs. 7), good
fertility (vs. 8), and mineral prosperity (vs. 9). The basis of Moses’
exhortation was that <i>it was God who gives
the power to obtain wealth; therefore do not disobey Him! <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">According to
Canaanite mythology, all the blessings of nature derived from nature deities
whose powers could be unleashed through proper sacrifice and rituals. In
contradiction to this, the Israelites <i>must
understand</i> that <i>only God</i> was
responsible for <i>giving them the power to
obtain their wealth</i>. In fact, God would lead them into The Promised Land
and there He would care for them in every area of life (vv. 7–10). The Israelites
would, however, be tempted to attribute their successes to human ability rather
than to divine blessing, and to look upon the land as theirs by human conquest
rather than by divine gift (vv. 14–16). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Therefore,
God’s purpose was to prepare the people for prosperity through an experience of
testing which would turn them again to dependence upon God, and to the
realization that it was God who gave them the power to obtain wealth. However,
if the people forgot God’s mighty acts on their behalf and attributed their
wealth to their own power, Jehovah God would destroy them as He destroyed the
Gentile nations in Canaan. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There are two
<i>extreme opinions </i>today about the <i>connection between God and wealth</i>. <i>One</i> is that wealth and money are
inherently evil and therefore God is opposed to them. The <i>other</i> is that God is just waiting to shower wealth on those who
satisfy certain expectations that He has. The statement of Moses to the
Israelites that <i>“God…gives you power to
get wealth”</i> (v. 18) helps to clear up both these misunderstandings. <i>On the one hand</i>, this statement reveals that
ultimately <i>wealth is a gift of God</i>;
therefore, it is <i>one</i> of the good and
perfect gifts that God provides us (see James 1:17). <i>On the other hand</i>, this statement reveals that we cannot <i>claim wealth</i> as a <i>direct </i>promise from God resulting from our actions, and God is <i>not</i> our divine ATM machine that spits
out money when we press the correct keys of <i>His
promises</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us be
clear that Moses spoke these words to the nation of Israel as they were
involved in a <i>covenant relationship</i>
with God, and this covenant called for blessing of the <i>nation</i> if they kept God’s Law (see Lev. 26:3–5). It was very possible
that in the face of abundant wealth, the Israelites would forget that <i>the source of their wealth was their Jehovah
God who alone gave them the power to obtain wealth</i>. For people today, who
live outside that special covenant that God had with ancient Israel, Moses’
words imply only the <i>general truth</i>
that <i>all the wealth we have ultimately
comes from God alone!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We should
also understand <i>the importance of human
responsibility in obtaining wealth</i>. God did not give His people wealth
directly so much as He gave them the ability to work their fields and develop
their resources so that they prospered. Likewise, we should turn to God for
strength and wisdom as we do our work to provide for our needs (2 Thess. 3:6–12;
Heb. 2:7). God desires that we use our wealth to bless others. We need the
wisdom both to receive wealth without its controlling us; and to see its intent
as we bless others with our wealth (Gen. 12:3). To the wealthy, this is what
God’s Word speaks: <i>"Command those
who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain
riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy."</i>
(1 Tim. 6:17)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ultimately, let us be clear that <i>it is God alone who gives us the power to
obtain wealth</i>. Let us join with Agur in this following prayer today: <i>"Give me neither poverty nor
riches--feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and
say, "Who is the Lord?" or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the
name of my God."</i> (Prov. 30:8-9)</span></span></div>Dr. Shibu Cherianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663080643686437878noreply@blogger.com0Harrisburg, NC, USA35.3237528 -80.65590177.0135189638211557 -115.8121517 63.633986636178847 -45.4996517