Saturday, March 20, 2010

Bible Study: Venture Out 03.20.10

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Saturday March 20, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Joshua, chapters 20 & 21. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-20

Title: Bible Study: Venture Out
Jesus chooses His disciples, we do not choose Him, He actually chooses us, we are not contained in a city of refuge, but live amongst everyone else all over the world. One may wonder why we are scattered, but if we were all in one place we would never venture out of our comfort zone and do what is needed for God. We are all here for a purpose and as disciples we are given the most important task of all and that is to teach the Gospel to all nations. While it would be a lot easier to be in a city of refuge we would not do much for God if we were.

God appointed cites throughout the land for people who killed someone in order to have a place of refuge before they stood trial. If they were found to have deliberately killed someone, they would face an instant death penalty, but should they be found to have done it by accident they had to reside in the city of refuge until the high priest died and then were free to join the rest of their family. “The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.” - Joshua 20:1-5. This is where the phrase, innocent until proven guilty comes in at, while a family member of the victim was able to avenge his brother, he was not allowed to do it before he was found guilty. This is why the accused were sent to the city of refuge until he stood trial and if the person was found innocent he was to stay there until the high priest died as people are not so forgiving as God and would have someone would have avenged him regardless of the outcome.

You know, once we get labeled, whether it is something we did or did not do, it stays with us forever, regardless of how much we try to do to clear our name, and we are always going to come across someone who thinks they know us and tries to cause trouble for us. It is very important as Christians that we stay away from any appearance of evil as people will stop at nothing to give us a bad name and God as well. We are to do as the Apostle Paul says, “See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - I Thessalonians 5:15-23. We may have a past, but everyone else has a past as well, the difference between us and the world is that we have turned to Jesus to save us from our past and, Praise God, He no longer remembers all of those things. As long as we are doing our best at changing our lives and the situations we get ourselves into God knows who we are and it does not matter what people think. We are testimonies of just how faithful, loving, and forgiving God is to all, murders, adulterers, prostitutes, drug dealers, homosexuals, and every one in between. He is not a respecter of persons, just wants His children to come to Him and He will change anyone's life as long as they truly want to change and seek Him.

Many people will come to Jesus and ask Him to forgive them and save them from hell and as long as they truly meant it from the bottom of their heart, they are forgiven and saved, even if they never change. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:13. Praise God, that He is more forgiving than we are or we would all be facing a death sentence by someone who wants to revenge on us. However, among those people a few will change their lives and actually serve God and this is why His disciples are scattered all over the world.

Before Jesus came, God appointed the Levites to work in His ministry and serve Him, this was their inheritance. “Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle. And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.” - Joshua 21:1-3. The Levites were divided into three groups according to the descendants of Levi's three sons, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, only those who were descendants through Kohath's could be priests and serve in the Tabernacle. The priests were responsible for preserving, transcribing, teaching, and interpreting the Law. They were also the civil officers responsible for the administration of the Law. Some of these descendants were physically disqualified to be ministers at the altar because of disabilities and defects, and some were spiritually disqualified because they violated one or more of the Commandments. However, all the Levites, were given cities to dwell in amongst the rest of the tribes and this is how they became scattered all over the country. Why did God scatter them? Because the land was so great that some of the people would not be able to get ministered to until they got to the Tabernacle. Now that the Levites were scattered abroad they were able to minister to the people all over the nation. Today, God scatters His disciples in order to reach the people in our surrounding cities and in our nations so that we can reach all nations as Jesus commanded. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” - Matthew 28:19,20. As disciples of Christ we are to venture out of our comfort zone and minister to all who do not know Him. God blesses all who venture out and serve as Jesus did while He was here.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and the first day of spring.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Visit: I'm Following Jesus!
http://www.readytofollow.com

Missed A Lesson?
Go to: Daily Bible Study
http://www.readytofollow.com/daily-bible-study

Learn About Salvation Only Made Through Jesus Christ
Go to: I'm Ready to Get Saved
http://www.readytofollow.com/salvation

Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
devotion@readytofollow.com

Friday, March 19, 2010

Bible Study: Make An Effort 03.19.10

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Friday March 19, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Joshua, chapters 17-19. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-19

Title: Bible Study: Make An Effort
As Christians we are to set the example for the rest of the world, we are to be loving and forgiving and kind to everyone, even those in the world. However, even kindness can go so far, we can not do so much for the world and even other Christians that we lose the concept of what loving kindness is. For example, everyone comes across a family member or friend that really has no ambition in life, but wants everything handed to him/her with no effort to make a change. Are we really helping people who do not help themselves? Not really, all we are doing is trying to get them out of our hair, but in reality all it does is keep them coming back for more.

Now, the Israelites finally are in the promised land and all the land is being divided by tribe, how much land they received was according to the number of people in the tribe. So, naturally if they did not drive the people that were there out of their part of the land, there was not enough land to contain them all. Of course, this caused issues. “And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father........Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out. And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?” - Joshua 17:4,12-14. Although they had received some of the best territory in the promised land, the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim complained that they should have more territory given to them because of their great numbers and what they perceived as their prominent position among the tribes. The Ephraimites were proud of their history as descendants of Joseph and that Joshua, the victorious commander who had led in the conquest of Canaan, was also from their tribe. However, these two tribes chose to compromise with the Canaanites instead of doing what God had commanded. The blessings of God depend upon our faith in Him, but if we are not willing to do some work to help Him along then we are wasting our breath praying for it. God will not bless people who want everything, but are not willing to do any work to get it. “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.” - I Corinthians 3:8. We will receive our blessings according to the work we do to get it.

One thing I would like to stress is that doing the work needed to receive blessings is not the same as getting saved. We can not work our way to heaven, the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:8-10. We are saved by the grace of God through our faith in Jesus Christ, not by what we do for God. In fact, until we are saved, God will not even acknowledge our works. Jesus Said, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye ,workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.” - Luke 13:24-28. Many, many people will try to enter the one and only gate to heaven, claiming that they have done all these things to get to heaven, but God will say I do not know you and anyone that He does not know will be cast out of the Kingdom of God.

There is a saying that comes to mind, you can not help people that can not help themselves. If we want to go to heaven, we need to have faith in Jesus and we have to make the effort to ask Him to save us. If we want things to change in our lives, we have to have faith that it will change and make an effort to change them. If we want to see others change, we have to have faith and stop giving into their habits. Until they see for themselves that they too have to make an effort, nothing will change. God wants to bless all His children, He does not want to see us go through needless suffering, but He does wants us to trust in Him and have faith in Him to help us receive those blessings. If we just had everything handed to us, as those with no ambition do, would we appreciate it? Absolutely not! We never appreciate the things we have until we no longer have them. Think about it. If you are thirsty, what do you have to do to quench that thirst? You have to go get something to drink. You can not blame God for not giving you anything to drink when you just sit there and expect it to fall out of the ceiling. If you are thirsty and want something to drink you need to get up and go get it. We would all avoid a lot of needless suffering if we would just stop waiting for things to be handed to us and start living by faith and doing the work needed to get them. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?......For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” - James 2:17-20, 26. We can and do have God's blessings, as long as we are willing to make an effort to show God that we want His blessings.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and weekend.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Visit: I'm Following Jesus!
http://www.readytofollow.com

Missed A Lesson?
Go to: Daily Bible Study
http://www.readytofollow.com/daily-bible-study

Learn About Salvation Only Made Through Jesus Christ
Go to: I'm Ready to Get Saved
http://www.readytofollow.com/salvation

Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
devotion@readytofollow.com

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Bible Study: Heirs With God 03.18.10

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Thursday March 18, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Joshua, chapters 14-16. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-18

Title: Bible Study: Heirs With God
It is amazing to think that with all the crazy things going on in the world today that God is still in control of it all. People whine and complain and even blame God, wondering why He allows so much pain and suffering in the world, but they fail to realize that He is not the one causing the problem, we are. How can God make a change when even we as Christians do not want to do anything in the will of God? He is going to continue to allow pain and suffering until we all realize that God is in control, and no matter how many people try to pretend that they do not need God or are in control nothing will change that.

The Israelites were now receiving their inheritance, the land of Canaan was divided up precisely by the amount of people in each tribe, nine and one half of the tribes received a part of the land. Some did do as God commanded and removed all the inhabitants there before moving in, but others allowed them to dwell with them. “And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them. By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.” - Joshua 14:1-3. There were three people remaining out of the first generation of Israelites that were able to enter the promised land, Joshua, Eleazar, the priest, and Caleb. Before receiving their inheritance, at the age of eighty-five, Caleb, who was of the tribe of Judah, went before Joshua and requested a certain part of the land. “Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea. Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old.” - Joshua 14:6-10. God allowed the request and gave Caleb the land he asked for because of his faith in God, it took him forty-five years to be able to receive his inheritance, but he never gave up on the promise that God made.

It may seem insignificant to read of the division of the land and where exactly each tribe dwells, but it is very important. This is the land that God had given His chosen people to dwell in and still today they dwell there, even some of us today come from one of those tribes. Yet nations are turning their backs on it and trying to divide the nation and take it away from them. The day we turn our backs on Israel is the day God places judgment upon any nation who tries to take the promised land from His people. Think about all that is going on in America right now, they have cut support to Israel and are even trying to get them to divide the nation. And we wonder why the economy is getting worse and why there is so many natural disasters and wars going on in the world? God is in control and until we get that in our heads He is going to keep allowing people to suffer. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” - Romans 8:16-18.

As Christians, we inherit a part of the Kingdom of God by our faith in Jesus Christ. The word inherit means that we receive or possess something as an heir to a family member. In other words, the day we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts and ask Him to save us from hell we become an heir, a family member of God, and will receive our inheritance in the Kingdom of God. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” - Galatians 5:19-25. Praise God that we are heirs of God and no matter what suffering and judgment is placed upon the world, we know where we are going, to our mansion in the Kingdom of God. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Visit: I'm Following Jesus!
http://www.readytofollow.com

Missed A Lesson?
Go to: Daily Bible Study
http://www.readytofollow.com/daily-bible-study

Learn About Salvation Only Made Through Jesus Christ
Go to: I'm Ready to Get Saved
http://www.readytofollow.com/salvation

Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
devotion@readytofollow.com

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Bible Study: Work For It 03.17.10

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Wednesday March 17, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Joshua, chapters 11-13. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-17

Title: Bible Study: Work For It
You know, God has an amazing way of answering prayers, just this morning I am praying and asking God to teach me how to pray and show me whether I am praying for something I really need right now, something I keep praying for in hopes of getting it, or something I just need to stop praying for all together. He answers every prayer. So, I begin reading today's chapters and as I seek God's guidance in what to write about through these chapters, it hits me. God promises to give us the things we need and even desire, but it's not going to be easy, we are going to have to work for it.

God promised the Israelites that He would give them the land that He promised them. However, the land was already occupied by other people, heathens no doubt, so if they were to possess it, they had to fight for it. However, He did promise that He would be there with them and lead them to victory as long as they made an effort. “And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.” - Joshua 11:1-8. These kings knew they were powerless against the people of God alone, so, they thought if they joined together they had a chance. Wrong. People just never get the fact that God is in control and it does not matter how many nations join together to try and stop Him, they are powerless against Him. God assured Joshua that he had nothing to fear because He was with them and would deliver the enemy into their hands and He did.

Joshua defeated all the Canaanites and executed their kings, but the people within each tribal territory still had to be subdued as God commanded. “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.........All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee. Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh,.......Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. ” - Joshua 13:1,6,7,13. God allotted the Israelites the territory that would best meet their physical and spiritual needs. However, although the land had been allotted to them, they had to exercise faith and trust the guidance from the Lord to possess the land. Sadly, many of the tribes did not do as God commanded, to destroy all the people, so they dwelt among the people and this is how all the trouble of the new generation began. They thought they had the power to control the people dwelling among them, but without God they are powerless against the enemy. As long as we are in the will of God and seek His guidance, we have the power to defend ourselves against the enemy, but the second we think we can control the situation ourselves we lose that power and are defeated.

If we want things from God we must be willing to do the work to get it, think about it. A person gets paid at their job for the work they have done, you can not expect to get a pay check until the labor is done. Jesus Said, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” - Matthew 9:37,38. Jesus is saying, many want the blessings of God, but few are willing to labor to get it. If we want things, we need to work to get it. Now, one thing I would like to point out is that our works is not what gets God to give us the things we need and desire. Of course, we have to work to receive wages, but our work should not replace God and if it does, we are going to suffer for it eventually. Jesus Said, “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” - John 6:27-29. God knows our hearts and knows if we are doing something just to get recognition or truly believe in Him and seeking His will in the process.

God answers all prayers for those who do the work, sometimes He will give us the thing we desire, sometimes He will show something miraculous, but often He will give us answers that raise questions. My brother just passed away with pneumonia a few days ago, at the age of 34, we prayed and prayed and did everything possible to help him get better and He did help him get better, only He took him home to heaven. Of course, we question why he was taken so soon or if we prayed enough or did enough to prevent this from happening. You know what though? Satan loves to put those questions in our heads and try to get us to doubt God, many people become very bitter and angry with God when losing a loved one because of that, but we fail to realize that God does what is best for His child. My brother got so ill that it would have taken months for him to get better and who knows what his life would have been like after that. God saw what his life would have been like and knew that He was not going to let His child go through needless suffering, so, He answered our prayer and healed him so he would not have to go through any needless suffering. Of course, it hurts, but a little bit of heartache is easier to deal with than seeing my brother in so much pain. Through Solomon, God Said, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?…....And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God. ” - Ecclesiastes 3:1-9,13. As long as we do everything we can in the will of God we will receive and enjoy the things we desire. We may cry at times, but through sorrow comes joy and we will see blessings because of that. One day I will see my brother again, in his mansion, doing the things he loved doing here and even the things he always wanted to do, but could not. And that is the greatest gift and answered prayer that anyone could receive. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and Happy St. Patrick's Day.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Visit: I'm Following Jesus!
http://www.readytofollow.com

Missed A Lesson?
Go to: Daily Bible Study
http://www.readytofollow.com/daily-bible-study

Learn About Salvation Only Made Through Jesus Christ
Go to: I'm Ready to Get Saved
http://www.readytofollow.com/salvation

Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
devotion@readytofollow.com

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Bible Study: Watch Out For The Wolves 03.16.10

Hello My Friend/Guest,

Today is Tuesday March 16, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Joshua, chapters 9 & 10. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-16

Title: Bible Study: Watch Out For The Wolves
The moment we as Christians say Amen, after we pray to God and ask Him to forgive us of all our sins, and say that we believe in Jesus, and accept Him as our Savior, we have a choice to make. You either continue on with your life without even mentioning Jesus again or you invite Him into your life, regardless of which you choose, your life will never be the same again. Now, what many Christians do not realize is that we are feared by the world. Think about it, we have the all powerful God on our side and if any one has picked up a Bible they know that God does not take kindly to people messing with His people. Of course, those who live in the world think God to be cruel because He allows war and pain, but through it all He is guiding, preparing, and protecting His people.

After their victory at Jericho and Ai, the surrounding cities were getting a little scared, in fact, very scared, to the point that the kings were hiding and people were fearing for their lives. In order to spare their lives, the Gibeonites came up with a scheme to get Joshua and the Israelites to believe that they were not a part of Canaan. “And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord. And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.......And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them. And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them. And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim. And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.” - Joshua 9:1-615-18. Joshua was deceived by these men, yet he he allowed them to remain in the land because he swore to make an alliance with them. Now, the mistake Joshua made was that he did not seek God's advice in this matter. We can not trust our own judgment to make decisions, our flesh goes by sight and is often deceived and this is why Joshua made an alliance with them. There will be many people deceiving us because they fear their lives, but God knows who His true people are and the only way we can know is by staying in His Word.

God teaches us how to distinguish between those who are true and those who are wolves in sheep's clothing. Jesus even warns us of this, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” - Mathew 7:15-18. What He is saying here is that evil and good can not co-exist, there are some people who are good, they may have been corrupted, but deep down are good, and some are just evil who will not change, but are good at deceiving people. However, we can know that they are deceiving us by the way they act. I am a person who does not run up to people right a way that I do not know, I am cordial, but stay at a distance, observing them along the way. I can pretty much tell how a person is by how they react to certain things and what they do, but from time to time I got caught off guard and was not as cautious as I normally am and that was always when I got myself into trouble as I was deceived by their charm. We can not let our guard down, God's Word is the armor we need to keep us on guard and help us distinguish the wolves from the sheep.

Something caught my attention when reading these chapters, “Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.” - Joshua 10:12-14. God allowed the sun to stand still until the work was done. God eagerly honored Joshua's request, not only so he could fight for Israel, but also to prove this great miracle to those idolaters whom worshiped the sun and moon by demonstrating, that these also are subject to the command of the God of Israel. Also, here we learn of the book of Jasher, which is not in the Bible. There are several books mentioned in the Old Testament that are not in the Bible. Often, people will question this and think that the Bible is not complete. They are wrong, there are thousands upon thousands of testimonies of the power of God that if every person were to be in the Bible it would be so huge that it would be endless. He did not leave some out because they proved Him wrong or left it incomplete for others to add to it. God chose exactly which events and people to feature in the Bible for a reason and we may never know the reason, but some questions in life can only be answered by saying, because I said so. Faith truly is the substance of things hoped for and we may not always see the things that are good for us or the miracles that are given to us every day, but if we saw everything in front of us, what would we believe. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen......Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” - Hebrews 11:1,3.

The Gospel of John even addressed the issue of people who question God and why every book is not included in the Bible. “This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” - John 21:24,25. The entire Bible is centered around one man and that id Jesus Christ, incidentally, the name Joshua means Jehovah(God) is Salvation. Jesus was with the Israelites even in the Old Testament, only through the Spirit of God. Every Word of the Bible is true and proven time and time again, if we keep all of His Word with us we will be able to identify those wolves and also know how to handle them when they come sneaking around. Trust in His Word and He will show you great and mighty things. Praise God!

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

Visit: I'm Following Jesus!
http://www.readytofollow.com

Missed A Lesson?
Go to: Daily Bible Study
http://www.readytofollow.com/daily-bible-study

Learn About Salvation Only Made Through Jesus Christ
Go to: I'm Ready to Get Saved
http://www.readytofollow.com/salvation

Want To Receive These Devotions in Your Email?
Send me a blank email with the word Subscribe in the Title to:
devotion@readytofollow.com