Category: Joshua Devotionals

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Joshua Devotionals

Forgetting the “therefore”

Bible

Therefore, fear the Lord and worship him in sincerity and truth. (Joshua 24:14)

Therefore.

When I first read verse 14 this morning, I’ll admit my first focus was on worshiping God in sincerity and truth, and thinking about what that meant.

But as I read it again, the word “therefore” leapt to my eye.

What was the “therefore” there for?

Joshua had been reminding the Israelites of God’s goodness and mercy towards them.

And only after having done so, did he then say, “Therefore, fear him, worshiping him in sincerity and truth.”

It reminded me of another “therefore” in the Bible.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. (Romans 12:1)

It’s so easy to start with God’s commands to give our all to him. To put aside the idols and sin in our lives and to serve and worship him with all our heart, soul, and mind.

But let’s not skip over the “therefore.”

Rather, let us always start with these two truths:

Our God is so good to us.

And he has shown us so much mercy and grace.

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Joshua Devotionals

Watch yourselves

Guard your heart

So diligently watch yourselves! Love the Lord your God! (Joshua 23:11)

Those words arrested my attention this morning.

“Watch yourselves.”

And not only, “Watch yourselves.”

“Diligently watch yourselves.”

For what purpose?

That our love for God would show in our every thought, action, and deed.

This morning, my heart was a bit out of sorts and my attitude not right.

Part of it was concern about my daughter catching a cold and being forced to miss her semester exams.

Part of it was just some annoyances at work.

But after reading that verse, I’m trying to refocus and remember what’s important: To love God. And to love those he’s put in my life.

It’s so easy to get put off track by our circumstances and our emotions.

But let’s remember Joshua’s words:

“Diligently watch yourselves.”

“Love the Lord your God.”

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Joshua Devotionals

Leaving nothing undone

Joshua

Just as the Lord had commanded his servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses. (Joshua 11:15)

There are several famous verses in the book of Joshua, including chapter 1, verses 5-9, and chapter 24, verse 15.

But this is also one of my favorites. “Joshua left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded.”

I want to be that way too. Especially when it comes to sin.

I don’t want to make excuses for my sins. I don’t want to treat them lightly. I want to wipe them out as thoroughly as Joshua and the Israelites wiped out the Canaanites and their evil from the land. (See Leviticus 18, especially verses 24-25).

Father, help me to do just that. Let me leave nothing undone of all that you command.

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Joshua Devotionals

Judgment day

Judgment day

So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the slopes—with all their kings, leaving no survivors.

He completely destroyed every living being, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. (Joshua 10:40).

Let’s be honest, words like these are tough to swallow. Why would God command such a thing?

In a word: judgment.

What were the Amorites being judged for?

Their sin.

God goes into great description of that in Leviticus 18, telling the Israelites that the land was “vomiting” out the Amorites for their sin. (Leviticus 18:24-25)

That said, God was patient with them. He waited 400 years for them to repent. (Genesis 15:13-16)

They never did.

And when their sin reached their “full measure,” judgment came, with God instructing Joshua and the Israelites to wipe them out.

I mentioned in my last article that the Bible is not all encouraging and comforting words about God’s love and mercy. It also has hard words about judgment too.

God is patient. He desires all to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

But if like the Amorites, people refuse to repent, judgment will come.

So let us never take our sin lightly. Remember that a day of judgment is coming as it came for the Amorites. And always keep in mind the words of Peter.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.

Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming. (2 Peter 3:10-12)

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Joshua Devotionals

Whether hard or pleasant

Your Word is Life

Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings as well as the curses…There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read. (Joshua 8:34-35)

Those words struck me today.

Joshua didn’t just read the parts of God’s word that he liked. He read the parts that were hard to read too.

Not all places in the Bible are pleasant, talking about God’s love and mercy.

Some places are hard, talking about God’s justice and judgment.

Forgetting that can lead us to treat sin, and more importantly, God, lightly as Achan did (Joshua 7).

But beyond that, whether hard or pleasant to hear, all God’s words are for our good.

So let’s not just read the parts of the Bible we like and which are easy to read. Instead, like Joshua, let’s read all of it, not failing to read a single word.

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Joshua Devotionals

Casting crowns

Casting Crowns

When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

“Neither,” he replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.”

Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in homage and asked him, “What does my lord want to say to his servant?” (Joshua 5:13-14)

This chapter has so many awesome things in it.

I love the idea of the rolling away of our past. (9)

I was also thinking about how failing to trust and obey God will lead us to wandering around the desert instead of finding the life God desires for us. (6)

But for some reason, whenever I read this chapter, I always gravitate toward verses 13-14. This is now the fifth article I’m writing on it.

I love how the English translation of the Jewish Bible describes Joshua’s response to the commander of the Lord’s army.

Joshua threw himself face down to the ground and, prostrating himself, said to him, “What does my lord command his servant?” (14, Tanakh)

Here was Joshua, the leader of God’s people. But when the commander of the Lord’s army shows up (who many Bible scholars believe is actually Jesus), he throws himself down before him, and asks, “What do you want of me?”

It reminded me of the response of the 24 elders in Revelation 4.

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever.

They cast their crowns before the throne… (Revelation 4:9-10)

Just as the twenty-four elders cast their crowns before the throne of God, so did Joshua before his commander, submitting to God’s authority in his life.

And that was my response to Jesus today.

Jesus, I cast my crown before you. You are my King. I surrender reign over my life to you. What do you want me to do?

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Joshua Devotionals

What does this mean to you?

Stones at the Jordan

In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ you should tell them, ‘The water of the Jordan was cut off in front of the ark of the Lord’s covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan’s water was cut off.’

Therefore these stones will always be a memorial for the Israelites.” (Joshua 4:6-7)

Last Sunday, my pastor was talking about Abraham’s circumcision, and how it was a constant reminder to Abraham of his relationship with God.

The stones in today’s passage served a similar function. They reminded the Israelites of their relationship with God and all he had done for them.

But getting back to my pastor’s message, he asked, “What things serve as memorials for you?”

I was thinking of my baptism picture today. It’s in a box in my closet right now. I think the glass for the frame is broken, but the picture is intact.

And I was thinking, “What does that picture mean to me? Why is it stuck in that box in the closet?”

That picture actually represents a lot. It represents a turning point for me in my walk with God.

I can’t say I totally understood everything baptism represented that day. But I vividly remember my pastor asking me, “Why do you want to get baptized.”

I answered, “I want to know God better.”

An imperfect answer, to be sure.

But God honored that request. And as I look back, it wasn’t long before he started to make himself more real to me.

Maybe it’s time for me to pull that picture out of the box.

How about you? What are the things that remind you of your relationship with God? Which remind you of all he’s done for you?

What do you need to pull out of the box and put on display?

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Joshua Devotionals

Because we’re on untraveled ground

Untraveled ground

When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.

But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before…”

Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” (Joshua 3:3-4, 9)

As I read those words, I couldn’t help but think of some verses I’ve been memorizing over the past week from Psalm 143.

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge.

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! (Psalm 143:8-10, ESV)

That could have been the song of the Israelites entering Canaan.

But it’s also my prayer now.

The future is all untraveled ground for me. There’s so much I don’t know.

And Satan would lay so many traps for me that I can’t see.

But God knows everything that lies ahead.

And so I want…I need to draw closer. To listen to His words. To learn to do his will. To be led by his Spirit moment to moment, day to day.

What does that look like practically? I’m still trying to figure it out, to be honest. But that’s my prayer.

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust.

Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to you for refuge.

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground! (Psalm 143:8-10)

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Joshua Devotionals

Single-hearted devotion

Joshua

As I read today’s passage, the words that came to mind were “single-hearted devotion.”

God cannot accept anything less, any more than a husband or a wife can accept a spouse who keeps many other lovers.

And yet, our hearts so easily wander.

It’s so easy to say, “We will serve the Lord” as the Israelites did.

To declare our devotion for Jesus as Peter did. (Matthew 26:33-35)

But whether because of “the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, or the desires for other things,” that devotion often gets choked out. (Mark 4:19)

O Lord, you know my fickle, wandering heart. Lord, give me an undivided heart that I might fear your name. (Psalm 86:11)

Lord, your faithful love toward me is great. (Psalm 86:13)

Though I am faithless, you are faithful. (2 Timothy 2:13)

Help me to be so filled with your love that I can’t help but be singularly devoted to you.

In Jesus’ name, amen.”

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Joshua Devotionals

God’s great and precious promises

Joshua

I am now going the way of the whole earth, and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed.

Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed. (Joshua 23:14)

Lord, just as you gave the Israelites promises that never failed, you have given me great and precious promises as well (2 Peter 1:3-4).

Promises that your Spirit would dwell within me, changing me and transforming me into your likeness. (John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Promises of strength to overcome the sin in my life that would be “a snare and a trap” for me, “a sharp stick” for my side, and “thorns” in my eyes. (Joshua 23:13)

Promises of an eternal inheritance with you. (John 14:1-3)

Thank you for your glory. Thank you for your goodness to me.

Thank you for your great and precious promises that never fail.

In Jesus’ name, amen.  

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Joshua Devotionals

Seeking the Lord’s counsel

Joshua

…but [the men of Israel] did not seek the Lord’s decision. (Joshua 9:14)

Lord, it’s so easy to lean on my own understanding. To think I have all the information I need, and yet fail to seek your counsel.

I don’t know everything. There’s so much I cannot see.

But you know all. You see all.

So help me to trust you, acknowledging you in all my ways, and leaning on your wisdom and understanding.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joshua Devotionals

Repentance

Joshua

It has never struck me until today that God did not point out Achan as the one who had sinned until the next day. Why not? Why not deal with the problem right then and there?

I don’t know. But perhaps the answer is found in verse 13.

Go and consecrate the people. Tell them to consecrate themselves for tomorrow… (Joshua 7:13)

In telling the people to consecrate themselves, God was telling the people to prepare their hearts, and give themselves wholly to God.

Certainly part of that process was confessing their sins.

I think God was giving Achan the chance to repent that night. He had a full night to search his heart and get it right before God.

Even the next morning, God did not expose him right away. First his tribe was chosen, then his clan, then his family. But despite multiple chances to confess his sin and repent, Achan remained silent until finally he was singled out by God.

And by then, it was too late.

Had he repented, would he have still been killed? I can’t say for sure, but my guess is he would have found mercy.

So let us not hide our sin. Rather, let us confess it and repent before it’s too late.

As John said,

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (I John 1:9)

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Joshua Devotionals

Rebuilding what God has torn down

Joshua

At that time Joshua imposed this curse:

“The man who undertakes
the rebuilding of this city, Jericho,
is cursed before the Lord.

He will lay its foundation
at the cost of his firstborn;
he will finish its gates
at the cost of his youngest.” (Joshua 6:26)

Years later, someone would rebuild Jericho, and he paid the price for it just as Joshua had said. (I Kings 16:34)

How often do we rebuild the strongholds of sin in our lives that God has torn down?

So often, when we become Christians, God gives us victory over different sins in our lives, and we rejoice because of it.

But then we start to remember the pleasures of our sin while forgetting all the damage and destruction it caused.

And so we start rebuilding what God has torn down to our harm.

Lord, let me never rebuild what you have torn down. It’s so easy to go back to my old, sinful habits. But those habits will destroy me. Help me not to look back, only but forward, following you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Joshua Devotionals

Our attitude toward God

Joshua

It seems from the fact that this “commander of the Lord’s army” accepted Joshua’s worship (unlike the angel in Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9) and that his words mirrored God’s words to Moses in Exodus 3:5, that this commander was actually Jesus.

When Joshua found out who he was, he instantly dropped his “Are you with us or with our enemy” question, and said, “What does my Lord want to say to his servant?”

That’s the attitude we should take with our Lord. Not questioning whether he is on our side or not, or demanding he do as we ask.

But rather coming before him humbly, and saying, “What does my Lord want to say to his servant.”

Lord, I come before you now. I make no demands. I don’t question your love or loyalty to me. I simply kneel quietly before you today, and say, “What does my Lord want to say to his servant.”

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Joshua Devotionals

A prayer for God’s leading

Joshua

When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it…so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before. (Joshua 3:3-4)

Lord in so many ways, I need your leading. There’s so much I don’t know. I don’t know what’s ahead. I haven’t traveled this way before. But you have. So Lord, help me to keep my eyes on you today and to follow you.

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.” (5)

Lord, I give my life to you today. My life is yours. My time is yours. Everything I have is yours. I want to join in with what you’re doing today. Let me see what you’re doing around me. Let me see your wonders as you work in my life and in those around me.

Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God…You will know that the living God is among you… (9-10)

Lord I long to know your presence in my life. I need to hear your voice. So I draw near to you now. Help me to hear what you’re saying to me.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joshua Devotionals

God’s kindness and mercy

Joshua

When we heard this, we lost heart, and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and earth below…

Now please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my father’s family…

Give me a sure sign that you will…save us from death. (Joshua 2:11-13)

God, you are God in heaven above and earth below. You are holy. And because of our sins, we feared you, deserving death.

But Lord, by your kindness and mercy, you saved us, not because of our righteousness, but because of your mercy. (Titus 3:4-5)

Now you have given us a sure sign of our salvation by giving us your Holy Spirit who dwells within us. (Ephesians 1:13)

Thank you so much for your kindness and mercy to us.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joshua Devotionals

Aligning our thoughts with God’s

Joshua

Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you.

Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. (Joshua 1:7)

Lord, give me a heart to observe your whole instruction. Not just the parts of it I like, but all of it. Let me not turn from it to the right or the left.

And may I not be conformed to the pattern of this world, whose way of thinking is becoming more and more corrupted by the day. Rather, renew my mind and align my thoughts completely with yours. (Romans 12:2)

In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

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Joshua Devotionals

Following God, seeking his will.

Joshua

As I was reading today’s passage, I thought about prayer.

In this passage, the commander of the army of the Lord appears to Joshua. Most likely, that was Jesus himself, hundreds of years before he came to this earth as a baby.

Anyway, when the commander appears, Joshua challenges him asking, “Are you for us, or for our enemies?”

The commander answered. Neither. “But as the commander of the Lord’s armies, I have come.”

What was he saying? Essentially he was saying, “You’re asking the wrong question. I’m the one in charge, not you. The question is not whether I am for you, but whether you are for me.”

Sometimes in prayer, we ask the Lord, “Are you really for me? Then do this for me. Do that for me.”

But that’s the wrong attitude toward prayer. In prayer, we are not trying to draw God to ourselves and make him do our will. We are drawing near to him, seeking his will.

Jesus said, “When you pray, say, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done.'” (Matthew 6:10)

So when you pray, remember: We are not seeking to make God align to our will. Rather, we are aligning ourselves to his.”

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Joshua Devotionals

Crossing the river

Joshua

Short and sweet today.

As I was reading Joshua 3 today, I couldn’t help but remember the words of Isaiah.

Now this is what the Lord says—
the one who created you, Jacob,
and the one who formed you, Israel—

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; you are mine.

I will be with you
when you pass through the waters,
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not overwhelm you.

You will not be scorched
when you walk through the fire,
and the flame will not burn you.

For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior.” (Isaiah 43:1-3)

I’m so glad that the God of Joshua and the God of Isaiah is our God too.

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Joshua Devotionals

Clinging to what we shouldn’t

Joshua

As I read the first few words of this chapter, these words struck me.

The Israelites, however, were unfaithful regarding the things set apart for destruction. (Joshua 7:1)

It says here that the Israelites were unfaithful. How? Because of how they dealt with things set apart for destruction.

Now in context, the meaning is that God had told the Israelites to destroy all the people of Jericho and all the things in it, except for the silver, gold, iron, and bronze things which were to be given to the Lord’s treasury. (Joshua 6:17-19)

And in this story, a man named Achan was unfaithful to the Lord in that he took some beautiful and valuable things for himself.

But how often do we as Christians cling to that which God has determined should be destroyed in our lives, namely sin?

Like Achan (and for that matter, Eve back in the garden of Eden), we see, we covet, and then we take for ourselves that which God has forbidden. As a result, not only do we bring trouble upon ourselves, we bring trouble on those around us as well.

God was very severe in his judgment toward Achan. There was no mincing of words. He said,

“They have stolen, deceived, and put those things with their own belongings.” (Joshua 7:11)

God says the same thing when we cling to our sin, claiming rights to sin that we do not have.

And God warns,

I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you what is set apart. (12)

In short, God will not be mocked. If we cling to our sin, he will withdraw his presence from us. He will not answer our prayers. He will not bless us. And we will pay the price for our sin.

Some of you may ask, “Are you saying you can lose your salvation?”

Here’s what I’m saying. God will discipline his children until they repent. You don’t lose your status as God’s children because of sin, but you will be under his discipline until you repent. And that is a miserable thing.

But if you can willfully stand in rebellion against God, clinging to what is to be destroyed in your life, I would strongly question whether you are God’s child at all.

So would Jesus (Matthew 7:21-23, John 8:34-47).

So would his apostles (James 2:18-26, I John 2:3-5, 3:4-10; Romans 8:1-14, 1 Peter 1:13-23).

So let us listen to the words of John who said,

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world.

And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever. (1 John 2:15-17)

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Joshua Devotionals

Who is in charge?

Joshua

This is always a striking passage when I read it. And it always makes me think  about my relationship with God.

So many times, people ask, “God, are you really for me?”, as if we were the center of the universe. As if we were the ones calling the shots and God has to fall in line with us.

But God answers us as he did Joshua in this passage. “No. I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.” (Joshua 5:14)

In short, “Wrong question. I’m the one in charge. I’m the one calling the shots. So the question is not whether I am for you and will support you in your plans. The question is whether you will fall in line with me and my plans.”

Joshua’s response?

What does my lord want to say to his servant? (14)

And he worshiped.

Lord, you are worthy of my worship. You are worthy of my obedience. So like Joshua, I ask, “What do you want to say to your servant?”

Help me to hear your voice clearly. To not just charge ahead with my own plans. But to submit myself to yours. Let my whole life to you be praise. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joshua Devotionals

Why we need a Savior

Joshua

The interaction between Joshua and the people is very interesting.

Joshua basically told  the people, “I don’t care what you folks decide, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

When the people insist that they too will serve the Lord faithfully, Joshua responds, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God.”

But again the people insist, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

“You are witnesses against yourself that you have made this promise.”

“Yes we are witnesses.”

Joshua then charged them to throw away what idols they still had (it’s amazing to me that any of them would still have some hidden away), and when the people again reaffirmed a fourth time that they would follow the Lord, Joshua reaffirmed the covenant with them.

I read this and think about Peter. How Jesus told the disciples that they would all fall away, and Peter insisted, “Even if everyone else abandons you, I will not.”

And when Jesus told him, “You will deny me three times,” Peter insisted that he would not, and so did the other disciples.

But like the people of Israel, Peter and the others fell. When the emotion and fervor of the moment fell away, so did their faithfulness.

For Peter and the disciples, it was a matter of hours. For the Israelites, it lasted as long as Joshua and the other elders were alive. But eventually, all of them fell away.

And that’s why we need a Savior. Because despite all our fervor, despite all our promises, we all fall.

For Joshua, however, all he could do was encourage and admonish the people to follow the Lord, and to set an example for them.

But Jesus did more. He went to the cross to pay the price for our sin. And now he has given us his Holy Spirit so that we can obey him.

Moses clearly laid out our problem when he said to the Israelites,

You saw with your own eyes the great trials and those great signs and wonders. Yet to this day the Lord has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear. (Deuteronomy 29:3-4)

But then he told them,

The Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love him with all your heart and all your soul so that you will live. (Deuteronomy 30:6)

And that’s what the Holy Spirit does for us. As Ezekiel put it,

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

Jeremiah says basically the same thing.

“I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

No longer will one teach his neighbor or his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them”—this is the Lord’s declaration.

“For I will forgive their iniquity and never again remember their sin. (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

Lord Jesus, thank you that while I was still powerless, utterly incapable of keeping your law, when I was still your enemy, you died for me.

I thank you that you don’t just tell me, “Here’s what you need to do. Do it.”

Instead you have given me your Spirit so that I can obey.

Holy Spirit, circumcise my heart. Give me a heart that loves and follows you. I desire to obey.

Now grant me the power to do so. I can’t change myself. But you can. 

Help me to fall more in love with you each day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Joshua Devotionals

When God listened to a man

Joshua

As I was reading this passage about how God made the day longer and helped the Israelites conquer their enemies, this verse struck me.

There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to a man (Joshua), because the Lord fought for Israel. (Joshua 10:14)

Certainly what God did that day was incredible. But since the time that those words were written, we have seen such a day when God listened to man.

Ironically, that man had the same name…Joshua, or in the Greek form of the name, “Jesus.”

The writer of Hebrews wrote,

During [Jesus’] earthly life, he offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him…(Hebrews 5:7-9)

Certainly, there were many days that Jesus prayed. But the crucial time came when he hung on the cross, and cried out, “It is finished. Father into your hands I commit my spirit.”

The Father heard him, and three days later raised him from the dead.

Truly there has never been a day like that before or since when the Lord listened to a man’s cry, saved him, and in the process saved us.

All I can say to that is, “Thank you Father. And thank you Jesus for all you’ve done for us.”

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Joshua Devotionals

Taking what belongs to God

Joshua

This is a pretty familiar passage to me. I’ve read it dozens of times, it being the story of Achan taking things for himself that should have been devoted to the Lord.

But as I read it, God’s words to Joshua came across very strongly to me.

Israel has sinned. They have violated my covenant that I appointed for them.

They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put those things with their own belongings. This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies.

They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they have been set apart for destruction.

I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you what is set apart. (Joshua 7:11-12)

“They have stolen.” “They have deceived.” “They have put those (stolen) things with their own belongings.”

And then, “I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you what is set apart.”

Why did Achan take them?

When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Babylon, five pounds of silver, and a bar of gold weighing a pound and a quarter, I coveted them and took them. (21)

“It was beautiful. It was valuable. I coveted them.”

How often do we keep from God what rightfully belongs to him? I’m not just talking about tithes and offerings. I’m talking about our very hearts.

God may tell us to give up something, even something that might be good in another context.

He asks us to give up a hobby, or at least cut down on the time we spend on it for things of more eternal value.

Or he tells us to get rid of something that is definitely evil such as porn.

But we hold back these things back from God. They’re beautiful to us. They’re precious to us. We just have to have them.

But in failing to give our whole hearts to him, God says to us, “You have stolen. You have deceived. You have put things that rightfully belong to me, either to use for other purposes (your time, for example), or to utterly destroy in your life (sin), and called them your own.”

And he says to us, “I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you what is set apart.”

This is not to say that we will lose our salvation. But we will start to notice a definite lack of his presence or power in our lives.

Where we once felt his warm approval, there will now be a cold distance.

Our prayers will bounce off the ceiling. Our times in his Word will dry up. And we will sense a lack of power in our daily lives and in our ministry.

Why? Because we have stolen. We have deceived. We have taken things that rightfully belong to God and called them our own.

And we will not know his presence, we  will not know his power again until we surrender what we have taken as our own to him.

How about you? Is there something that you have taken as your own that you need to surrender to God?