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Bible Pathways 3/21/2001



March 21

Read Joshua 22 -- 24

When God told Joshua: I have given to you every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon (Joshua 1:3), Joshua did not merely "trust the Lord" that He would force the Canaanites to voluntarily give up their territory. The fact is, the Israelites received their inheritance by faith. This meant that they would fight for every foot of land that God had promised to give them. James reminds us that by works was faith made perfect (James 2:22).

After about seven years, the Israelites, under the leadership of Joshua, conquered the Canaanite kings: The Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand (Joshua 21:44). Thirty-one kings had been defeated and executed (12:24), leaving the Promised Land in the control of the Israelites. Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, And said to them, You have kept . . . the charge of the commandment of the Lord your God. And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brethren, as He promised them: therefore now return . . . to the land of your possession . . . on the other side of the Jordan (22:1-4). But Joshua's parting words were: Take diligent heed to do the commandment and the Law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments, and to cleave unto Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul (22:5).

Without a doubt, the Israelites' greatest danger was yet to be faced. Joshua said to the people. . . . If you forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then He will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after having done you good. . . . Therefore put away . . . the strange (foreign) gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel (24:19-20,23).

We too need to be reminded daily to incline our hearts to the Lord. What a tragedy that so many people assume that, once a person has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, he has nothing to do but "just leave everything up to the Lord." The truth is, the Lord has left it up to us to put on the whole armor of God. . . . truth . . . righteousness . . . faith. . . . and take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:11-18), that we might fight the good fight of faith (I Timothy 6:12) and make known . . . the . . . Gospel (Ephesians 6:19). The words put on imply urgency for preparation which demands our immediate action as loyal soldiers of Jesus Christ. Satan is an enemy who is determined to destroy us, and it behooves us to recognize our great need to put on the armor of God and fight successfully against our deceitful and strong adversary.

Jesus, our "Joshua," freed us from sin by His substitutionary death on the cross and His triumphant physical resurrection. Through our new birth into the family of God, we are empowered to daily conquer the enemies of our mind, such as lust, greed, hate, jealousy, envy, and strife.

By meditating upon the Word of God, our inner man is strengthened and we develop a desire to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (II Corinthians 10:5).

Christ Revealed: Through the peace offering (Joshua 22:27). Our Lord offered Himself to God as our means of peace with the Father (Rom. 5:1).

Word Studies: 22:10 to see to means for all to see (see 22:7); 22:29 meat offerings means cereal (grain); 23:1 waxed old means grew old; 23:8 cleave means remain faithful.

Prayer:

Government Official: Rep. James Matheson (UT) · Pray for Rick Hash and the Bible Pathway Radio Broadcasts on WNGN-FM, Buskirk, NY · Pray for the Bible Pathway International Radio broadcast in memory of John D. Michael, Sr. · Country: Benin (6 million) in western Africa · Major languages: French and tribal languages · Some hostility toward Christians · 59% animism and voodoo; 17% Muslim; 16% Roman Catholic; 3% Protestant · Prayer Suggestion: All men need to pray to the Lord, who hears prayers (Psalms 65:2).

Optional Reading: John 12

Memory Verse for the Week: Colossians 2:10



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