Tag: Devotional

HIGHLIGHT

Joshua 7:1 (ESV): 7But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

EXPLAIN

Joshua 6 tells the story of Jericho’s fall. It is a great, magnificent example of God’s power. The last verse of that chapter says God was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout all the land.

The first verse of chapter 7 is ominous. Even though only one man sinned, the scriptural record says the “people of Israel” sinned. Furthermore, God’s anger burned against all the people.

Whether the plan to send only a few men to conquer Ai was a sign of acting outside of God’s will could be debated. Surely, the men appear to have been overconfident, for without God’s blessing they could do little.

Indeed, when God told Joshua to stop praying and take care of the sin in the camp, God said the people had become devoted for destruction (v. 12).

APPLY

Has the Church today forfeited God’s power, blessing, and wisdom because we have tolerated sin in the camp?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to live holy and pure before you. May my life, my family and my church be pure and holy, blameless in how we act, speak, and think. Amen.

Joshua 5:13–14 (ESV): 13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”

EXPLAIN

At this point in the book of Joshua, the people had crossed over the Jordan on dry land, and set up twelve memorial stones in the middle of the river.

The Canaanite nations were terrified of them. Israel camped at Gilgal and all the men were circumcised, who had been born on the way to Canaan.

Israel then observed Passover, and the day after, ate of the land’s produce for the first time. The next day, God no longer sent manna for the people to eat.

Joshua was near Jericho, and he saw a man standing with a drawn sword. Joshua challenged him, asking whose side he was on.

The man answered that he was on neither side, for he was the commander of the Lord’s army. At this, Joshua worshipped and asked for God’s instructions.

APPLY

We often approach life and other people like Joshua did. We want to know who is on our side. We implicitly believe that God must be on our side.

But the question is wrong. Instead of asking if others are on our side, we should ask if we are on God’s side. “Lord, what would you have me to do?”

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, I have surrendered my life to you. May I live each day following your directions as a good soldier in the Lord’s army. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV): 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.

EXPLAIN

Paul was continuing to defend his ministry to the church in Corinth. This statement concludes a long list of the sufferings he had endured as an apostle.

In the next chapter, Paul continued boasting of his weakness, speaking of a great vision of paradise that he had experienced, yet a thorn in the flesh that God would not remove, so that he would not be proud.

Therefore, Paul said… 2 Corinthians 12:10 (ESV): 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

APPLY

Do we boast of our weaknesses, or our strengths? Are we content to be known for things that magnify our weaknesses, or must we hide any deformity and act as if all is well?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, may I boast of my weaknesses so that you may be strong in me. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Corinthians 10:3–6 (ESV): 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

EXPLAIN

Reading 1 and 2 Corinthians indicates that there are two letters that were not preserved. In 1 Corinthians Paul sought to correct many spiritual abuses in the church. It appears that the first reaction of the church was to disregard Paul and rebel against his authority.

In a letter he wrote between 1 and 2 Corinthians, it appears that Paul was even harsher in condemning sin and unspiritual practices of the people. God finally got through to the people and they repented.

In 2 Corinthians Paul sought to assure the people of his love and reconcile with them. In this letter, the apostle was very vulnerable with the people.

Yet in 2 Corinthians 10, Paul again defended his ministry against those who argued that he was bluffing and not in line with the Spirit. So Paul wrote this powerful set of verses.

APPLY

There are many ways to wage war by the flesh: political manipulations, bribery, gossip, slander, threats, flattery, etc.

The follower of Christ instead wages war in the Spirit, destroying arguments and opinions raised against God, taking all thoughts captive to obey Christ.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to wage war in and by the Spirit, even though we live in world that operates by the flesh. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV): 7Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

EXPLAIN

This is the first verse of this chapter, but these words conclude Paul’s thought from the previous chapter, especially 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

In these verses Paul strictly forbade them from being unequally yoked with unbelievers. He does not specify a context, and so the general application includes entering into marriage, business partnership, etc., with an unbeliever.

This principle is followed with a quote from the Old Testament in which God promised to make his dwelling with the people and commanded them to be separate from the heathen nations around them. So God would be a father to the people.

APPLY

With these promises, we should be careful to seek cleansing from all sin. God is holy and will not tolerate sin among his people.

Therefore, if God is to be with us, we must be holy. Indeed, seeking the completion of holiness is only the proper response of God’s children.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and holiness. Continue to cleanse me of any sin – anything that displeases you. May I be pure and holy before you. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

2 Corinthians 6:1 (ESV): 6 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

EXPLAIN

2 Corinthians 5 begins with the recognition that our earthly body is temporary; therefore, our purpose must be to live for eternity with Christ.

That chapter ends with Paul speaking of our ministry of reconciliation. We are ambassadors of Christ, God making his appeal through us.

This highlighted verse explains that we work with Christ. And Paul’s appeal to these believers was that they would not receive God’s grace in vain. They had begun to follow Jesus. They must live faithfully for God.

APPLY

It is a high honor for the believer to be called to work with Christ. We do not merely work for Christ. We surely do not work separate from Christ. Rather, we work with Jesus that God might reconcile the world to himself.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege of being your son, your servant, your friend, your fellow worker. Help me to work faithfully as an ambassador of Christ. Amen.