Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Joshua 2:22-24

By

Joshua 2:22-24    "And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.  (23)  So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:  (24)  And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us."

Without going back and placing the verses in this devotion, I would encourage you to take a moment and read the portion of Numbers chapter 13 when forty years earlier the 12 spies came back from this same land. Their report was quite different than the report given this time by these two men. The ten spies gave a report that caused many of the Israelites to faint. These two men gave a report that told of the Canaanites fainting. Both reports were the result of the same promise. God had promised to give the land to Israel. That promise had not changed. But the manner in which it was received had changed. What was the difference? The Word of God teaches us the difference came as a result of faith exercised by those who received the promise.

Forty years prior to this, Joshua and Caleb received the promise by faith. They were about to enter the land. Those who did not believe the power of God to fulfill His promise perished in the wilderness. Let me take a sidenote here. This has nothing to do with whether they went to heaven when they died, but it has everything to with doing the right thing (righteousness), having peace while obeying the Lord, and the joy that comes when you see the hand of God on your life in a mighty way. Paul describes this as the Kingdom of heaven or kingdom of God, which is experienced here in this life as we walk in humble submission to our Lord. Faith is the key element in enjoying the blessings of the Lord. Joshua, Caleb, Rahab, these two men, along with those who followed, exercised their faith and were about to experience the power of God in a mighty way.

Today as we think about the manner in which we live our lives. God's promises are still true and very vibrant in our lives. When we receive those promises by faith and walk in them, there is much peace and many joys to be experienced in life. Know the promises of God. Trust the promises of God. Seek to walk by faith in the way He has laid before you. Trust Him.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

By
One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...
Read more

Daily Devotion: Psalm 100:4-5 - Thanksgiving

By
Psalm 100:4-5     "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Many songs have been written about these verses and with these words included. What do they mean? Today, we celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. I've listened to many people speak about their family traditions and most of them include family, food, and football. These are wonderful and fun things that enrich the day, but is it the true meaning that was intended when the day was established?  The Psalmist instructed us to include a special action with our words of thankfulness.  We are to "enter into HIS gates." The heartfelt words of thanksgiving allow us to enter the gates of the Lord, but there is a much deeper place into which we can go. Not only are we to enter into HIS gates, but He invites us to come much closer to H...
Read more

Daily Devotion: Colossians 1:25-26

By
Colossians 1:25-26    “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;  Even   the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” In verse twenty-four, Paul has expressed his joy in bearing hardship for the church. It is of this church, the body of Jesus Christ, that he is made a minister. Since Paul used the phrase “made a minister” in verse twenty-three of this same chapter, it seems there is something important that he wishes to convey. The Greek word translated as “made” means “to cause to be.” It was the will of God (Col 1:1) that caused Paul to become a minister. God is always the cause of true ministry. Although our fathers may be ministers, if we become true ministers of the gospel it is  not  because our fathers are ministers. True ministers of the gospel do not take that path because they seek honor for themselves, or b...
Read more