Day 81 of the 2nd Bible Study Journey - 22 Mar 2022 reflections
Day 81, 22 Mar 2022
1) Joshua 7:1, 1 Chron 2:7 , Joshua 7:2-26,8,9
JOSHUA 7
Achan's Sin
1 (Jos 22:20; 6:17-18) Yet the children of Israel violated their obligations
with regard to the things dedicated for destruction. Achan, son of Karmi,
son of Zimri, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah took from the things
dedicated for destruction, and the anger of the Lord burned
against the children of Israel.
[1] But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing:
for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the
tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was
kindled against the children of Israel.
1 Chron 2:7
7 (Jos 6:18) The sons of Karmi were
Achar, the troubler of Israel, who acted unfaithfully
in regard to the ban.
7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel,
who transgressed in the thing accursed.
Joshua 7
2 (Jos 18:12; 1Sa 13:5) Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is near
Beth Aven, east of Bethel) and said to them, "Go up and spy on the land."
So the men went up and spied on Ai.
3 Then they returned to Joshua and said to him,
All the people need not go up. Let about two or three thousand men go up
and strike Ai. Since they are so few, all the people need
not weary themselves."
4 (Lev 26:17; Dt 28:25) So about three thousand men went up from
among the people there, but they fled from before the men of Ai.
5 (Jos 2:11; Lev 26:36) The men of Ai struck down 36 men
and pursued them from the gate to Shebarim. They struck them down
on the mountainside, and the hearts of the people melted like water.
6 (Ge 37:29; 37:34) Then Joshua ripped his clothes. He and the Israelite
elders fell on their faces to the ground in front of the ark of the Lord
until evening and threw dirt upon their heads.
7 (2Ki 3:10) Joshua said, "O Lord God, why did You bring this people
across the Jordan to give us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?
If only we had been content to dwell on the other side of the Jordan!
8 O my Lord, what should I say now that Israel has fled before its enemies?
9 (Ex 32:12; Ps 83:4) The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land may
hear, turn on us, and cut off our name from the earth.
What will You do for Your great name?"
10 Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face?
11 (Jos 6:17-19; Ac 5:1-2) Israel has sinned, and they have broken
My covenant that I commanded them. They took from the things
dedicated for destruction. They have stolen, acted deceitfully,
and put them among their own possessions.
12 (Nu 14:45; Jos 6:18) Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand
before their enemies. They turn their backs to their enemies
because they have become dedicated for destruction.
I will not be with you anymore if you do not destroy the things
dedicated for destruction in your midst.
13 (Jos 3:5) "Get up! Consecrate the people and say,
'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says the Lord,
the God of Israel: "Things dedicated for destruction are in your midst,
O Israel. You are not able to stand before your enemies
until you remove the things dedicated for destruction from your midst."
14 (Pr 16:33) " 'In the morning you will be brought forward by tribes,
and the tribe that the Lord selects by lot shall come forward by clans.
The clan that the Lord selects by lot shall come forward by households,
and the household that the Lord selects by lot shall come forward
man by man.
15 (Ge 34:7; Jdg 20:6) And he who is taken with the things dedicated
for destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all who belong to him,
for he broke the covenant of the Lord
and has done a disgraceful action in Israel.' "
16 So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought forward Israel
by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.
17 (Nu 26:20) He brought forward the clans of Judah, and the clan
of the Zerahites was selected. He brought forward the clan of the Zerahites
man by man, and Zimri was selected.
18 (Nu 32:23; Ac 5:1-10) He brought forward the household of Zimri
man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, son of Zimri, son of Zerah,
from the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 (1Sa 6:5; Jer 13:16; Jn 9:24) Then Joshua said to Achan,
"O my son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give Him praise!
Tell me what you have done! Do not hold back anything from me."
20 Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed, I sinned against the Lord,
the God of Israel. This is what I did:
21 (Dt 7:25) When I saw among the plundered goods a beautiful robe
from Babylon, two hundred shekels of silver,
[About 5 pounds, or 2.3 kilograms].
and a gold bar weighing fifty shekels, [About 1 1/4 pounds, or 575 grams.]
I coveted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground in my tent.
The silver is underneath them."
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent.
There it all was hidden in the ground with the silver underneath.
23 They took it from the tent and brought it to Joshua
and all the children of Israel. They spread it out before the Lord.
24 (Jos 15:7; 7:26) Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan
son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons, his daughters,
his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all he had,
and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
25 (Jos 6:18; Lev 20:2) Then Joshua said, "Why have you brought trouble
on us? The Lord will trouble you today!" So all Israel stoned him.
They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
26 (Dt 13:17; Isa 65:10) Then they erected over him a large pile of stones,
which is still there today. So the Lord turned from His burning anger.
Therefore the name of the place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
[2] And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on
the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the
country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
[3] And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people
go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make
not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
[4] So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and
they fled before the men of Ai.
[5] And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they
chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the
going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
[6] And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before
the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put
dust upon their heads.
[7] And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought
this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to
destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side
Jordan!
[8] O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their
enemies!
[9] For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it,
and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what
wilt thou do unto thy great name?
[10] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus
upon thy face?
[11] Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I
commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have
also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own
stuff.
[12] Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies,
but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed:
neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from
among you.
[13] Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to
morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in
the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies,
until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
[14] In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes:
and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according
to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come
by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by
man.
[15] And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be
burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the
covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
[16] So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their
tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
[17] And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the
Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi
was taken:
[18] And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi,
the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
[19] And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the
LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou
hast done; hide it not from me.
[20] And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the
LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
[21] When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two
hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then
I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the
midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
[22] So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it
was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
[23] And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto
Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the
LORD.
[24] And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and
the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his
daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all
that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
[25] And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee
this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire,
after they had stoned them with stones.
[26] And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the
LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that
place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
{The sin of the Community is costly}
JOSHUA 8
Ai Destroyed
1 (Jos 1:9; 6:2) Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or dismayed.
Take all the fighting men with you. Arise, and go up to Ai. See, I have given
the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land into your hand.
2 (Dt 20:14; Jos 6:21) Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho
and its king, except you may plunder its spoils and its livestock.
Now set an ambush for the city behind it."
3 So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. Joshua chose
30000 men, mighty men of valor, and sent them out at night.
4 (Jdg 20:29) He commanded them, "You shall ambush the city from behind.
Do not go very far from the city. All of you be ready.
5 (Jos 7:5) I and all the people who are with me will approach the city.
When they come out to engage us as before, we will flee from them.
6 They will come after us until we have lured them away from the city,
for they will think, 'They are fleeing from us as before!'
So we will flee from them.
7Then you shall rise up for the ambush and take possession of the city.
The Lord your God will give it into your hands.
8 (2Sa 13:28) When you have seized the city, set it on fire.
Act according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you."
9 So Joshua sent them out. They went to the place of ambush
and took up a position between Bethel and Ai, westward of Ai,
and Joshua spent the night among the people.
10 Joshua got up early in the morning and mustered the people.
He and the elders of Israel went up before the people to Ai.
11 All the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near to the city.
They camped north of Ai, and there was a valley between them and Ai.
12 He took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between
Bethel and Ai, westward of the city.
13 So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north
of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, and Joshua spent
that night in the midst of the valley.
14 When the king of Ai saw this, the men of the city hurriedly got up
early and went out to engage Israel in battle at the assembly point
near the Arabah. Yet he did not know that there was an ambush
for him behind the city.
15 (Jos 18:12) So Joshua and all Israel allowed themselves to be
beaten before them, and they fled in the direction of the wilderness.
16 (Jdg 20:31) All the people who were in Ai were assembled to pursue
them, so they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city.
17 Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel.
They left the city wide open, and they pursued Israel.
18 (Jos 8:26) The Lord said to Joshua, "Point toward Ai with the sword
that is in your hand, for I will give it into your hand." So Joshua pointed
toward the city with the sword in his hand.
19 When his hand pointed, the men in ambush got up quickly from
their place and ran. They came into the city, captured it, and quickly
set the city on fire.
20 The men of Ai turned around and looked, and there from the city
came smoke rising to the sky! They could not flee in any direction,
and the people who had fled into the wilderness had turned back
toward their pursuers.
21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured
the city and that smoke rose from it,
they turned and struck down the men of Ai.
22 (Dt 7:2) Then the men in the city came out to engage them in battle,
so they were now in the middle, with Israel on each side.
Israel struck them down until neither survivors nor escapees were left.
23 (1Sa 15:8) They took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24 When Israel completed killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open
wilderness where they had pursued them, and when all of them had
finally fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai
and struck it with the edge of the sword.
25 All who had fallen that day, men and women, numbered 12000,
all the people of Ai.
26 (Ex 17:11-12; Jos 8:18) Joshua did not draw back his hand
with the stretched-out sword until he destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27 (Jos 8:2) Israel plundered only the livestock and the spoil of that city
for themselves, according to the word of the Lord
that He had commanded Joshua.
28 (Dt 13:16) Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever,
a desolation to this day.
29 (Dt 21:22-23; Jos 7:26) The king of Ai hanged on a tree until evening.
At sunset, Joshua commanded that the people take down the body
from the tree and throw it down at the city gate.
They erected a large heap of stones over it that remains to this day.
The Covenant Renewal at Mount Ebal
30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal,
31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel.
As is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, it was
"an altar of uncut stones not shaped by iron tools."
They sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord on it, as well as peace offerings.
32 (Dt 27:2-3; 27:8) There in the presence of the children of Israel he wrote
a copy of the Law of Moses on the stones.
33 (Dt 11:29; 31:12) All Israel, resident alien and native alike, with
its elders, officials, and judges, were standing on either side of the ark
in front of the Levite priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
half in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal,
as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded from the beginning,
in order to bless the people of Israel.
34 (Ne 8:2-3; 13:1) After this, Joshua read out all the words of the law,
both blessing and curse, according to all that is written in the
Book of the Law.
35 (Dt 31:12) There was not a word from all that Moses had commanded
that Joshua did not read out before the whole assembly of Israel,
with the women, the children, and the resident aliens who were among them.
Joshua 8
[1] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take
all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given
into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
[2] And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her
king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a
prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
[3] So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and
Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by
night.
[4] And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the
city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all
ready:
[5] And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city:
and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first,
that we will flee before them,
[6] (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city;
for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will
flee before them.
[7] Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the
LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
[8] And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city
on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have
commanded you.
[9] Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and
abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that
night among the people.
[10] And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and
went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
[11] And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up,
and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of
Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
[12] And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush
between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
[13] And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the
north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua
went that night into the midst of the valley.
[14] And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and
rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he
and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not
that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
[15] And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and
fled by the way of the wilderness.
[16] And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after
them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
[17] And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after
Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
[18] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy
hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out
the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
[19] And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon
as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took
it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
[20] And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the
smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this
way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon
the pursuers.
[21] And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city,
and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew
the men of Ai.
[22] And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the
midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote
them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
[23] And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
[24] And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the
inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them,
and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were
consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the
edge of the sword.
[25] And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were
twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
[26] For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the
spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
[27] Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto
themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.
[28] And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation
unto this day.
[29] And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as
the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down
from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and
raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
[30] Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
[31] As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as
it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones,
over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt
offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
[32] And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he
wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
[33] And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood
on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which
bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that
was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of
them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded
before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
[34] And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and
cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
[35] There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not
before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones,
and the strangers that were conversant among them.
JOSHUA 9
The Gibeonite Deception
1 (Nu 34:6; Ex 3:17) When all the kings west of the Jordan
in the hill country, in the low country, and along all the coast
of the Mediterranean Sea toward Lebanon-the Hittite, the Amorite,
the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite kings
-heard this,
2 they gathered together as one to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 (Jos 10:2; 9:17) But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua
had done to Jericho and Ai,
4 they acted craftily, and took old sacks on their donkeys,
and old wineskins, torn and mended,
5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves.
All the bread of their provision was dry and crumbly.
6 (Jos 5:10) They went to Joshua at the Gilgal settlement and said to him
and the children of Israel, "We have come from a distant land.
Now make a pact with us."
7 (Jos 11:19; Jdg 2:2_ Then the children of Israel said to these Hivites,
"Perhaps you live among us, so how could we make a pact with you?"
8 (Dt 20:11; 2Ki 10:5) Yet they said to Joshua, "We are your slaves."
Joshua said to them, "Who are you, and where do you come from?"
9 (Dt 20:15; Jos 9:24) They said to him, "We, your slaves, have come
from a very distant land because of the name of the Lord your God,
for we heard news of Him and all He did in Egypt
10 (Nu 21:24-35; Dt 1:4) and all that He did to the two Amorite kings
on the other side of the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan
in Ashtaroth.
11 (Est 8:17; Jos 9:8) So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country
said to us, 'Take food provisions for the journey and go to meet them.
Say to them, "We are your slaves. So now, make a pact with us." '
12 This bread of ours was hot as we took it from our homes on the day
we left to come to you, but now, see, it is dry and crumbly.
13 These wineskins that we filled were new, but see, they are ripped open.
These clothes and sandals wore out due to the very long journey."
14 (Nu 27:21) So the men examined some of the food provisions,
but they did not ask the Lord about it.
15 (2Sa 21:2; Jos 11:19) Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant
with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore
an oath to them.
16 Three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that
they were neighbors to them and lived among them.
17 (Jos 18:25-28; 1Sa 7:1) So the children of Israel set out
and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon,
Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
18 (Ps 15:4) Now the children of Israel did not attack them,
for the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the Lord,
the God of Israel, so the congregation murmured against the leaders.
19 Yet all the leaders said to the whole congregation,
"We swore to them by the Lord God of Israel, so now we may not harm them.
20 This is what we will do to them. We will let them live so that wrath
will not come upon us due to the oath that we swore to them."
21 (Dt 29:11; Jos 9:23) The leaders of the congregation also said to them,
"Let them live!" So they became woodcutters and water carriers
for the whole congregation, as the leaders told them.
22 (Jos 9:6; 9:16) Joshua met them and said,
"Why did you trick us, saying, 'We are very distant from you,'
but you are living in our midst?
23 (Jos 9:21; 9:27) Therefore now you are cursed, and you will
always be slaves, cutting wood and carrying water for the house of my God."
24 (Dt 7:1-2) They answered Joshua, "It was told to your slaves that the Lord
your God commanded Moses His servant to give you all the land
and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you.
So we were very afraid for our lives, and we did this thing.
25 (Ge 16:6) Now here we are, in your hands.
Do to us whatever is good and right in your eyes."
26 Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hand
of the children of Israel; and they did not kill them.
27 (Dt 12:5) That day he made them woodcutters and water carriers
for the congregation and the altar of the Lord, even to this day,
at the place He would choose.
Joshua 9
[1] 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;
[2] That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with
Israel, with one accord.
[3] And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto
Jericho and to Ai,
[4] 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;
[5] And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them;
and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
[6] 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.
[7] And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among
us; and how shall we make a league with you?
[8] And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto
them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
[9] And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come
because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him,
and all that he did in Egypt,
[10] And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond
Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at
Ashtaroth.
[11] Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to
us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and
say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
[12] This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the
day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is
mouldy:
[13] And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they
be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of
the very long journey.
[14] And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth
of the LORD.
[15] 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.
[16] 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.
[17] 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
Kirjath-jearim.
[18] 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.
[19] But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto
them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
[20] This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon
us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
[21] And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers
of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had
promised them.
[22] And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore
have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among
us?
[23] Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from
being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my
God.
[24] And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy
servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you
all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before
you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have
done this thing.
[25] And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right
unto thee to do unto us, do.
[26] And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the
children of Israel, that they slew them not.
[27] And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for
the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the
place which he should choose.
[Make your decisions in prayer being taking action]
2) Our Daily Bread for 22 March 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/03/22/keep-it-simple-2
entitled Keep It Simple
Acts 8:26-35
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26 (Ac 5:19; 27:23; 12:23) Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,
"Rise up and go toward the south on the way that goes down from Jerusalem
to Gaza." This is desert.
27 (Ps 68:31; 87:4) So he rose up and went. And there was a man of Ethiopia,
a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,
who was in command of her entire treasury.
He had come to Jerusalem to worship.
28 He was returning, sitting in his chariot
and reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 (Ac 10:19; 11:12) The Spirit said to Philip,
"Go to this chariot and stay with it."
30 Then Philip ran to him, and heard him read the book of Isaiah the prophet,
and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 (Ro 10:14) He said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?"
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 (Isa 53:7-8) The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
"He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so He opened not His mouth.
33 (Isa 53:8; 53:12) In His humiliation justice was denied Him;
who will speak of His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch said to Philip, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak,
of himself or of someone else?"
35 (Lk 24:27; Ac 18:28) Then Philip spoke, beginning with the same Scripture,
and preached Jesus to him.
[26] And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go
toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza,
which is desert.
[27] And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of
great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of
all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
[28] Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
[29] Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this
chariot.
[30] And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias,
and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
[31] And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
[32] The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a
sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened
he not his mouth:
[33] In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare
his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
[34] And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh
the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
[35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus.
The email was short but urgent. "Request salvation. I would like to know
Jesus." What an astonishing request. Unlike reluctant friends and family who
hadn't yet received Christ, this person didn’t need convincing. My task was to
quiet my self-doubt about evangelizing and simply share key concepts,
Scriptures, and trusted resources that addressed this man’s plea. From there,
by faith, God would lead his journey.
Philip demonstrated such simple evangelism when on a desert road he met the
treasurer of Ethiopia who was reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. "Do you
understand what you are reading?" Philip asked (Acts 8:30). "How can I," the
man answered, "unless someone explains it to me" (v. 31). Invited to clarify,
"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus." (v. 35).
Starting where people are and keeping evangelism simple, as Philip showed,
can be an effective way to share Christ. In fact, as the two traveled along,
the man said, "Look, here is water" and asked to be baptised (v. 36). Philip
complied, and the man "went on his way rejoicing" (v. 39). I rejoiced when the
email writer replied that he had repented of sin, confessed Christ, found a
church, and believed he was born again. What a beautiful start! Now, may God
take him higher!
By: Patricia Raybon
Reflect & Pray
How do you respond to opportunities to share your faith?
What simple answers could you have on hand for someone
who wants to know Jesus?
I'm not an expert at evangelising, heavenly Father,
so show me simple, effective ways to share the good news about Christ.
Learn more about
leading others to Christ.
3) From The Billy Graham Evangelical Ministry Association
Words in Season - Scripture Memory Tools
Week 3 - Saved Now and Forever - Day 3 - Inseparable From God's Love
Romans 8:38-39
38 (Eph 1:21; 1Pe 3:22) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present
nor things to come,
39 (Ro 5:8) neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Separation is a fact of human life. Relationships disintegrate,
children grow up, loved ones die, husbands and wives divorce,
friends changes and drift apart. We may resist change and separation,
but we must deal with them nevertheless.
Separation sometimes is a natural result of growth and development;
sometimes it is a violent, cataclysmic shaking of an individual's life.
2 lifelong friends go separate ways to college or into future careers;
a church splits over doctrinal differences; a wife finds out a hidden
secret in her husband's past.
But with God, there is no separation, no death, no breaking of vows,
no growing beyond the relationship. Nothing, says Paul, can separate
us from the love of God. A skeleton in my closet, once revealed, may
cost me the trust of those I thought were my friends. But God knows
all my past, all my sin; he forgives, and it cannot separate me from him.
My present personal struggles may cause trouble in my job and result in
the loss of that income, but God understands what I'm going through,
and even when I'm angry at him, he can take it without drawing away
or striking back. My present problems cannot separate me from the Lord.
And God knows, too, the plan he has established for my future. I cannot
walk away from him, grow beyond my need for him, or outrun him into
tomorrow.
She may separate me from my awareness of God's presence in my life,
but it cannot set me beyond his reach. There is no power that is greater
than God's love, and no place I can go that will separate me
from that love.
Application
a) Have I ever felt separated from the love of God? Under what circumstances?
b) How can today's verse free me from anxiety about the past,
the present or the future?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Ps 37:25-26
25 I have been young, and now am old;
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor their offspring begging bread.
26 The righteous are gracious and lend,
and their offspring are a source of blessing.
25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth;
And his seed is blessed.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are ill or injured
Matthew 8:14-17
The Healing of Many People
Mk 1:29-34; Lk 4:38-41
14 When Jesus entered Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother,
lying sick with a fever.
15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she rose and served them.
16 When the evening came, they brought to Him many
who were possessed with demons.
And He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all who were sick,
17 to fulfill what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet,
"He Himself took our infirmities
and bore our sicknesses."
[14] And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother
laid, and sick of a fever.
[15] And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and
ministered unto them.
[16] When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed
with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that
were sick:
[17] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet,
saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Saskatchewan
Quick facts on Muslims in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan 2015 population 1125400
est Muslim Population 17279
CNMM Networks: Saskatoon
Saskatoon has seen quick growth in its Muslim population over the past
5 years, which maybe as high as 5000 today. Islamic leaders have
focused specifically on this city , having twice already sent cohorts
of about 70 families to start mosques. There are now 7 Islamic centres
of worship and an Islamic madrassah (school) located right next to a
Christian school.
Of particular concern recently is the number of young adults who grew up
in evangelical churches and converted to Islam. Most of these are young
women who were wooed by Muslim man and became emotionally bonded.
Both prior to and after marrying, these women are known to convert to Islam.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 "In the last days it shall be," says God,
"that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
22 Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Province of Quebec
I) Pray for the leaders of Quebec,
that God's Spirit would influence
then to act justly,
serve with integrity
and honour high moral standards. ( 1 Tim 2:1 - 4
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 (Ezr 6:10) for kings and for all who are in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty,
3(1Ti 1:1; Lk 1:47) for this is good
and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 (Eze 18:23; 18:32)who desires all men to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
II) Pray for the churches of the province,
that they would be lighthouses
beaming forth the illuminating truth of God's Word.
III) Pray that the Lord would use
the Finding the Hope Campaign
and booklet to turn many hearts to Jesus
b) Pray that the influence of the Holy Spirit would dissolve
every argument and pretension exalted against the knowledge
of God.
(
2 Cor 10: 3 - 5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds,
5 casting down imaginations and every
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ;
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for forgiveness of the sins of your community.
Pray to the Lord for ever decisions you make.
Pray to the Lord: "I'm not an expert at evangelising, heavenly Father,
so show me simple, effective ways to share the good news about Christ."
Pray to the Lord and thank Him for wanting to be in community with us.
Pray to the Lord and thank Him for He will not forsake you.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Healing in His Name.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
Pray that the influence of the Holy Spirit would dissolve
every argument and pretension exalted against the knowledge
of God.
Pray for media ministries reaching Somali people around the world
with the Gospel message.
1) Joshua 7:1, 1 Chron 2:7 , Joshua 7:2-26,8,9
JOSHUA 7
Achan's Sin
1 (Jos 22:20; 6:17-18) Yet the children of Israel violated their obligations
with regard to the things dedicated for destruction. Achan, son of Karmi,
son of Zimri, son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah took from the things
dedicated for destruction, and the anger of the Lord burned
against the children of Israel.
[1] But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing:
for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the
tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was
kindled against the children of Israel.
1 Chron 2:7
7 (Jos 6:18) The sons of Karmi were
Achar, the troubler of Israel, who acted unfaithfully
in regard to the ban.
7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel,
who transgressed in the thing accursed.
Joshua 7
2 (Jos 18:12; 1Sa 13:5) Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (which is near
Beth Aven, east of Bethel) and said to them, "Go up and spy on the land."
So the men went up and spied on Ai.
3 Then they returned to Joshua and said to him,
All the people need not go up. Let about two or three thousand men go up
and strike Ai. Since they are so few, all the people need
not weary themselves."
4 (Lev 26:17; Dt 28:25) So about three thousand men went up from
among the people there, but they fled from before the men of Ai.
5 (Jos 2:11; Lev 26:36) The men of Ai struck down 36 men
and pursued them from the gate to Shebarim. They struck them down
on the mountainside, and the hearts of the people melted like water.
6 (Ge 37:29; 37:34) Then Joshua ripped his clothes. He and the Israelite
elders fell on their faces to the ground in front of the ark of the Lord
until evening and threw dirt upon their heads.
7 (2Ki 3:10) Joshua said, "O Lord God, why did You bring this people
across the Jordan to give us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?
If only we had been content to dwell on the other side of the Jordan!
8 O my Lord, what should I say now that Israel has fled before its enemies?
9 (Ex 32:12; Ps 83:4) The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land may
hear, turn on us, and cut off our name from the earth.
What will You do for Your great name?"
10 Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Stand up! Why have you fallen on your face?
11 (Jos 6:17-19; Ac 5:1-2) Israel has sinned, and they have broken
My covenant that I commanded them. They took from the things
dedicated for destruction. They have stolen, acted deceitfully,
and put them among their own possessions.
12 (Nu 14:45; Jos 6:18) Therefore the children of Israel cannot stand
before their enemies. They turn their backs to their enemies
because they have become dedicated for destruction.
I will not be with you anymore if you do not destroy the things
dedicated for destruction in your midst.
13 (Jos 3:5) "Get up! Consecrate the people and say,
'Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, for thus says the Lord,
the God of Israel: "Things dedicated for destruction are in your midst,
O Israel. You are not able to stand before your enemies
until you remove the things dedicated for destruction from your midst."
14 (Pr 16:33) " 'In the morning you will be brought forward by tribes,
and the tribe that the Lord selects by lot shall come forward by clans.
The clan that the Lord selects by lot shall come forward by households,
and the household that the Lord selects by lot shall come forward
man by man.
15 (Ge 34:7; Jdg 20:6) And he who is taken with the things dedicated
for destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all who belong to him,
for he broke the covenant of the Lord
and has done a disgraceful action in Israel.' "
16 So Joshua got up early in the morning and brought forward Israel
by their tribes. The tribe of Judah was selected.
17 (Nu 26:20) He brought forward the clans of Judah, and the clan
of the Zerahites was selected. He brought forward the clan of the Zerahites
man by man, and Zimri was selected.
18 (Nu 32:23; Ac 5:1-10) He brought forward the household of Zimri
man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, son of Zimri, son of Zerah,
from the tribe of Judah, was selected.
19 (1Sa 6:5; Jer 13:16; Jn 9:24) Then Joshua said to Achan,
"O my son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and give Him praise!
Tell me what you have done! Do not hold back anything from me."
20 Achan answered Joshua and said, "Indeed, I sinned against the Lord,
the God of Israel. This is what I did:
21 (Dt 7:25) When I saw among the plundered goods a beautiful robe
from Babylon, two hundred shekels of silver,
[About 5 pounds, or 2.3 kilograms].
and a gold bar weighing fifty shekels, [About 1 1/4 pounds, or 575 grams.]
I coveted them, so I took them. They are hidden in the ground in my tent.
The silver is underneath them."
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent.
There it all was hidden in the ground with the silver underneath.
23 They took it from the tent and brought it to Joshua
and all the children of Israel. They spread it out before the Lord.
24 (Jos 15:7; 7:26) Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan
son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons, his daughters,
his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all he had,
and brought them up to the Valley of Achor.
25 (Jos 6:18; Lev 20:2) Then Joshua said, "Why have you brought trouble
on us? The Lord will trouble you today!" So all Israel stoned him.
They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones.
26 (Dt 13:17; Isa 65:10) Then they erected over him a large pile of stones,
which is still there today. So the Lord turned from His burning anger.
Therefore the name of the place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
[2] And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on
the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the
country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
[3] And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people
go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make
not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
[4] So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and
they fled before the men of Ai.
[5] And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they
chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the
going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
[6] And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before
the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put
dust upon their heads.
[7] And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought
this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to
destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side
Jordan!
[8] O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their
enemies!
[9] For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it,
and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what
wilt thou do unto thy great name?
[10] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus
upon thy face?
[11] Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I
commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have
also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own
stuff.
[12] Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies,
but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed:
neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from
among you.
[13] Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to
morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in
the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies,
until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
[14] In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes:
and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according
to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come
by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by
man.
[15] And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be
burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the
covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
[16] So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their
tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
[17] And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the
Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi
was taken:
[18] And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi,
the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
[19] And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the
LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou
hast done; hide it not from me.
[20] And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the
LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
[21] When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two
hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then
I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the
midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
[22] So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it
was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
[23] And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto
Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the
LORD.
[24] And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and
the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his
daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all
that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
[25] And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee
this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire,
after they had stoned them with stones.
[26] And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the
LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that
place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
{The sin of the Community is costly}
JOSHUA 8
Ai Destroyed
1 (Jos 1:9; 6:2) Then the Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid or dismayed.
Take all the fighting men with you. Arise, and go up to Ai. See, I have given
the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land into your hand.
2 (Dt 20:14; Jos 6:21) Do to Ai and its king what you did to Jericho
and its king, except you may plunder its spoils and its livestock.
Now set an ambush for the city behind it."
3 So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. Joshua chose
30000 men, mighty men of valor, and sent them out at night.
4 (Jdg 20:29) He commanded them, "You shall ambush the city from behind.
Do not go very far from the city. All of you be ready.
5 (Jos 7:5) I and all the people who are with me will approach the city.
When they come out to engage us as before, we will flee from them.
6 They will come after us until we have lured them away from the city,
for they will think, 'They are fleeing from us as before!'
So we will flee from them.
7Then you shall rise up for the ambush and take possession of the city.
The Lord your God will give it into your hands.
8 (2Sa 13:28) When you have seized the city, set it on fire.
Act according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you."
9 So Joshua sent them out. They went to the place of ambush
and took up a position between Bethel and Ai, westward of Ai,
and Joshua spent the night among the people.
10 Joshua got up early in the morning and mustered the people.
He and the elders of Israel went up before the people to Ai.
11 All the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near to the city.
They camped north of Ai, and there was a valley between them and Ai.
12 He took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between
Bethel and Ai, westward of the city.
13 So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north
of the city, and its rear guard on the west of the city, and Joshua spent
that night in the midst of the valley.
14 When the king of Ai saw this, the men of the city hurriedly got up
early and went out to engage Israel in battle at the assembly point
near the Arabah. Yet he did not know that there was an ambush
for him behind the city.
15 (Jos 18:12) So Joshua and all Israel allowed themselves to be
beaten before them, and they fled in the direction of the wilderness.
16 (Jdg 20:31) All the people who were in Ai were assembled to pursue
them, so they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city.
17 Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel.
They left the city wide open, and they pursued Israel.
18 (Jos 8:26) The Lord said to Joshua, "Point toward Ai with the sword
that is in your hand, for I will give it into your hand." So Joshua pointed
toward the city with the sword in his hand.
19 When his hand pointed, the men in ambush got up quickly from
their place and ran. They came into the city, captured it, and quickly
set the city on fire.
20 The men of Ai turned around and looked, and there from the city
came smoke rising to the sky! They could not flee in any direction,
and the people who had fled into the wilderness had turned back
toward their pursuers.
21 When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured
the city and that smoke rose from it,
they turned and struck down the men of Ai.
22 (Dt 7:2) Then the men in the city came out to engage them in battle,
so they were now in the middle, with Israel on each side.
Israel struck them down until neither survivors nor escapees were left.
23 (1Sa 15:8) They took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24 When Israel completed killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open
wilderness where they had pursued them, and when all of them had
finally fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai
and struck it with the edge of the sword.
25 All who had fallen that day, men and women, numbered 12000,
all the people of Ai.
26 (Ex 17:11-12; Jos 8:18) Joshua did not draw back his hand
with the stretched-out sword until he destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
27 (Jos 8:2) Israel plundered only the livestock and the spoil of that city
for themselves, according to the word of the Lord
that He had commanded Joshua.
28 (Dt 13:16) Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever,
a desolation to this day.
29 (Dt 21:22-23; Jos 7:26) The king of Ai hanged on a tree until evening.
At sunset, Joshua commanded that the people take down the body
from the tree and throw it down at the city gate.
They erected a large heap of stones over it that remains to this day.
The Covenant Renewal at Mount Ebal
30 Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel on Mount Ebal,
31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the children of Israel.
As is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, it was
"an altar of uncut stones not shaped by iron tools."
They sacrificed burnt offerings to the Lord on it, as well as peace offerings.
32 (Dt 27:2-3; 27:8) There in the presence of the children of Israel he wrote
a copy of the Law of Moses on the stones.
33 (Dt 11:29; 31:12) All Israel, resident alien and native alike, with
its elders, officials, and judges, were standing on either side of the ark
in front of the Levite priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
half in front of Mount Gerizim and half in front of Mount Ebal,
as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded from the beginning,
in order to bless the people of Israel.
34 (Ne 8:2-3; 13:1) After this, Joshua read out all the words of the law,
both blessing and curse, according to all that is written in the
Book of the Law.
35 (Dt 31:12) There was not a word from all that Moses had commanded
that Joshua did not read out before the whole assembly of Israel,
with the women, the children, and the resident aliens who were among them.
Joshua 8
[1] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take
all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given
into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
[2] And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her
king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a
prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
[3] So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and
Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by
night.
[4] And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the
city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all
ready:
[5] And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city:
and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first,
that we will flee before them,
[6] (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city;
for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will
flee before them.
[7] Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the
LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
[8] And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city
on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have
commanded you.
[9] Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and
abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that
night among the people.
[10] And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and
went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
[11] And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up,
and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of
Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
[12] And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush
between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
[13] And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the
north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua
went that night into the midst of the valley.
[14] And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and
rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he
and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not
that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
[15] And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and
fled by the way of the wilderness.
[16] And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after
them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
[17] And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after
Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
[18] And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy
hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out
the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
[19] And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon
as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took
it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
[20] And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the
smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this
way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon
the pursuers.
[21] And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city,
and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew
the men of Ai.
[22] And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the
midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote
them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
[23] And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
[24] And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the
inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them,
and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were
consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the
edge of the sword.
[25] And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were
twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
[26] For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the
spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
[27] Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto
themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.
[28] And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation
unto this day.
[29] And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as
the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down
from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and
raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
[30] Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,
[31] As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as
it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones,
over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt
offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
[32] And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he
wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
[33] And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood
on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which
bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that
was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of
them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded
before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
[34] And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and
cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
[35] There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not
before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones,
and the strangers that were conversant among them.
JOSHUA 9
The Gibeonite Deception
1 (Nu 34:6; Ex 3:17) When all the kings west of the Jordan
in the hill country, in the low country, and along all the coast
of the Mediterranean Sea toward Lebanon-the Hittite, the Amorite,
the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite kings
-heard this,
2 they gathered together as one to wage war against Joshua and Israel.
3 (Jos 10:2; 9:17) But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua
had done to Jericho and Ai,
4 they acted craftily, and took old sacks on their donkeys,
and old wineskins, torn and mended,
5 old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves.
All the bread of their provision was dry and crumbly.
6 (Jos 5:10) They went to Joshua at the Gilgal settlement and said to him
and the children of Israel, "We have come from a distant land.
Now make a pact with us."
7 (Jos 11:19; Jdg 2:2_ Then the children of Israel said to these Hivites,
"Perhaps you live among us, so how could we make a pact with you?"
8 (Dt 20:11; 2Ki 10:5) Yet they said to Joshua, "We are your slaves."
Joshua said to them, "Who are you, and where do you come from?"
9 (Dt 20:15; Jos 9:24) They said to him, "We, your slaves, have come
from a very distant land because of the name of the Lord your God,
for we heard news of Him and all He did in Egypt
10 (Nu 21:24-35; Dt 1:4) and all that He did to the two Amorite kings
on the other side of the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan
in Ashtaroth.
11 (Est 8:17; Jos 9:8) So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country
said to us, 'Take food provisions for the journey and go to meet them.
Say to them, "We are your slaves. So now, make a pact with us." '
12 This bread of ours was hot as we took it from our homes on the day
we left to come to you, but now, see, it is dry and crumbly.
13 These wineskins that we filled were new, but see, they are ripped open.
These clothes and sandals wore out due to the very long journey."
14 (Nu 27:21) So the men examined some of the food provisions,
but they did not ask the Lord about it.
15 (2Sa 21:2; Jos 11:19) Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant
with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore
an oath to them.
16 Three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that
they were neighbors to them and lived among them.
17 (Jos 18:25-28; 1Sa 7:1) So the children of Israel set out
and came to their cities on the third day. Their cities were Gibeon,
Kephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath Jearim.
18 (Ps 15:4) Now the children of Israel did not attack them,
for the leaders of the congregation had sworn an oath to them by the Lord,
the God of Israel, so the congregation murmured against the leaders.
19 Yet all the leaders said to the whole congregation,
"We swore to them by the Lord God of Israel, so now we may not harm them.
20 This is what we will do to them. We will let them live so that wrath
will not come upon us due to the oath that we swore to them."
21 (Dt 29:11; Jos 9:23) The leaders of the congregation also said to them,
"Let them live!" So they became woodcutters and water carriers
for the whole congregation, as the leaders told them.
22 (Jos 9:6; 9:16) Joshua met them and said,
"Why did you trick us, saying, 'We are very distant from you,'
but you are living in our midst?
23 (Jos 9:21; 9:27) Therefore now you are cursed, and you will
always be slaves, cutting wood and carrying water for the house of my God."
24 (Dt 7:1-2) They answered Joshua, "It was told to your slaves that the Lord
your God commanded Moses His servant to give you all the land
and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you.
So we were very afraid for our lives, and we did this thing.
25 (Ge 16:6) Now here we are, in your hands.
Do to us whatever is good and right in your eyes."
26 Thus he did to them, and delivered them from the hand
of the children of Israel; and they did not kill them.
27 (Dt 12:5) That day he made them woodcutters and water carriers
for the congregation and the altar of the Lord, even to this day,
at the place He would choose.
Joshua 9
[1] 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;
[2] That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with
Israel, with one accord.
[3] And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto
Jericho and to Ai,
[4] 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;
[5] And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them;
and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
[6] 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.
[7] And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among
us; and how shall we make a league with you?
[8] And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto
them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
[9] And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come
because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him,
and all that he did in Egypt,
[10] And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond
Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at
Ashtaroth.
[11] Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to
us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and
say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
[12] This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the
day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is
mouldy:
[13] And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they
be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of
the very long journey.
[14] And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth
of the LORD.
[15] 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.
[16] 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.
[17] 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
Kirjath-jearim.
[18] 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.
[19] But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto
them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
[20] This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon
us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
[21] And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers
of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had
promised them.
[22] And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore
have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among
us?
[23] Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from
being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my
God.
[24] And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy
servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you
all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before
you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have
done this thing.
[25] And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right
unto thee to do unto us, do.
[26] And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the
children of Israel, that they slew them not.
[27] And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for
the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the
place which he should choose.
[Make your decisions in prayer being taking action]
2) Our Daily Bread for 22 March 2022
https://odb.org/CA/2022/03/22/keep-it-simple-2
entitled Keep It Simple
Acts 8:26-35
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26 (Ac 5:19; 27:23; 12:23) Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip,
"Rise up and go toward the south on the way that goes down from Jerusalem
to Gaza." This is desert.
27 (Ps 68:31; 87:4) So he rose up and went. And there was a man of Ethiopia,
a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,
who was in command of her entire treasury.
He had come to Jerusalem to worship.
28 He was returning, sitting in his chariot
and reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
29 (Ac 10:19; 11:12) The Spirit said to Philip,
"Go to this chariot and stay with it."
30 Then Philip ran to him, and heard him read the book of Isaiah the prophet,
and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 (Ro 10:14) He said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?"
So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 (Isa 53:7-8) The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
"He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so He opened not His mouth.
33 (Isa 53:8; 53:12) In His humiliation justice was denied Him;
who will speak of His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch said to Philip, "I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak,
of himself or of someone else?"
35 (Lk 24:27; Ac 18:28) Then Philip spoke, beginning with the same Scripture,
and preached Jesus to him.
[26] And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go
toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza,
which is desert.
[27] And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of
great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of
all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
[28] Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
[29] Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this
chariot.
[30] And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias,
and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
[31] And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
[32] The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a
sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened
he not his mouth:
[33] In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare
his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
[34] And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh
the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
[35] Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus.
The email was short but urgent. "Request salvation. I would like to know
Jesus." What an astonishing request. Unlike reluctant friends and family who
hadn't yet received Christ, this person didn’t need convincing. My task was to
quiet my self-doubt about evangelizing and simply share key concepts,
Scriptures, and trusted resources that addressed this man’s plea. From there,
by faith, God would lead his journey.
Philip demonstrated such simple evangelism when on a desert road he met the
treasurer of Ethiopia who was reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. "Do you
understand what you are reading?" Philip asked (Acts 8:30). "How can I," the
man answered, "unless someone explains it to me" (v. 31). Invited to clarify,
"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus." (v. 35).
Starting where people are and keeping evangelism simple, as Philip showed,
can be an effective way to share Christ. In fact, as the two traveled along,
the man said, "Look, here is water" and asked to be baptised (v. 36). Philip
complied, and the man "went on his way rejoicing" (v. 39). I rejoiced when the
email writer replied that he had repented of sin, confessed Christ, found a
church, and believed he was born again. What a beautiful start! Now, may God
take him higher!
By: Patricia Raybon
Reflect & Pray
How do you respond to opportunities to share your faith?
What simple answers could you have on hand for someone
who wants to know Jesus?
I'm not an expert at evangelising, heavenly Father,
so show me simple, effective ways to share the good news about Christ.
Learn more about
leading others to Christ.
3) From The Billy Graham Evangelical Ministry Association
Words in Season - Scripture Memory Tools
Week 3 - Saved Now and Forever - Day 3 - Inseparable From God's Love
Romans 8:38-39
38 (Eph 1:21; 1Pe 3:22) For I am persuaded that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor principalities nor powers, neither things present
nor things to come,
39 (Ro 5:8) neither height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
[38] For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Separation is a fact of human life. Relationships disintegrate,
children grow up, loved ones die, husbands and wives divorce,
friends changes and drift apart. We may resist change and separation,
but we must deal with them nevertheless.
Separation sometimes is a natural result of growth and development;
sometimes it is a violent, cataclysmic shaking of an individual's life.
2 lifelong friends go separate ways to college or into future careers;
a church splits over doctrinal differences; a wife finds out a hidden
secret in her husband's past.
But with God, there is no separation, no death, no breaking of vows,
no growing beyond the relationship. Nothing, says Paul, can separate
us from the love of God. A skeleton in my closet, once revealed, may
cost me the trust of those I thought were my friends. But God knows
all my past, all my sin; he forgives, and it cannot separate me from him.
My present personal struggles may cause trouble in my job and result in
the loss of that income, but God understands what I'm going through,
and even when I'm angry at him, he can take it without drawing away
or striking back. My present problems cannot separate me from the Lord.
And God knows, too, the plan he has established for my future. I cannot
walk away from him, grow beyond my need for him, or outrun him into
tomorrow.
She may separate me from my awareness of God's presence in my life,
but it cannot set me beyond his reach. There is no power that is greater
than God's love, and no place I can go that will separate me
from that love.
Application
a) Have I ever felt separated from the love of God? Under what circumstances?
b) How can today's verse free me from anxiety about the past,
the present or the future?
4) From Prosperity Promises - Kenneth Copeland
Ps 37:25-26
25 I have been young, and now am old;
yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor their offspring begging bread.
26 The righteous are gracious and lend,
and their offspring are a source of blessing.
25 I have been young, and now am old;
Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth;
And his seed is blessed.
5) From a Book called God's Promises for you:
When you are ill or injured
Matthew 8:14-17
The Healing of Many People
Mk 1:29-34; Lk 4:38-41
14 When Jesus entered Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother,
lying sick with a fever.
15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she rose and served them.
16 When the evening came, they brought to Him many
who were possessed with demons.
And He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all who were sick,
17 to fulfill what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet,
"He Himself took our infirmities
and bore our sicknesses."
[14] And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother
laid, and sick of a fever.
[15] And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and
ministered unto them.
[16] When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed
with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that
were sick:
[17] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet,
saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Remember God's promises when You pray
The Lord's prayer
Matthew 6:9-13
9 "Therefore pray in this manner:
Our Father who is in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.
10 (Mt 3:2; 4:17) Your kingdom come;
Your will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
11 (Pr 30:8; Isa 33:16) Give us this day our daily bread.
12 (Ex 34:7; Ps 32:1) And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 (1Co 10:13; Jn 17:15) And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
6) This come from Praying for Muslims in Canada 2015 (Is there a 2021 edition?)
Saskatchewan
Quick facts on Muslims in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan 2015 population 1125400
est Muslim Population 17279
CNMM Networks: Saskatoon
Saskatoon has seen quick growth in its Muslim population over the past
5 years, which maybe as high as 5000 today. Islamic leaders have
focused specifically on this city , having twice already sent cohorts
of about 70 families to start mosques. There are now 7 Islamic centres
of worship and an Islamic madrassah (school) located right next to a
Christian school.
Of particular concern recently is the number of young adults who grew up
in evangelical churches and converted to Islam. Most of these are young
women who were wooed by Muslim man and became emotionally bonded.
Both prior to and after marrying, these women are known to convert to Islam.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
Adding further
30 days of prayer for the Muslim World 24 April to 23 May 2020
Under the Keep Praying page
When the new moon is sighted it marks the beginning of t he new Islamic month
and Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast", will start! After 30 days
of fasting, the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan is a joyful time that
usually lasts about 3 days. Muslims will buy new clothes, exchange gifts and,
of course, enjoy special foods. In Muslim-majority nations, the streets may be
decorated and festivals will be held.
For many Muslims, Eid-al-Fitr begins with communal prayers at daybreak and the
distribution of money (zakat) to the poor, which is one of the 5 pillars of
Islam.
You can greet Muslim friends during this time by saying "Eid Mubarak",
which means Blessed Eid!"
Ramadan is over for this year, but you can continue to pray for Muslims you
know, and Muslims around the world:
- Despite the unsettling developments in our world today that involve actions
in the name of Islam, there is at the same time a largely untold story about
unprecedented movement to Christ among Muslims. There have been more such
movements of thousands or more new disciples among Muslims in the last three
decades or so than in all the previous history of Christian Muslim
relationships! Pray for this momentum to continue.
Acts 2:12-17 : 17 "In the last days it shall be," says God,
"that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
18 Even on My menservants and maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the earth below:
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes.
21 And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."[a]
Footnotes
Acts 2:21 Joel 2:28-32.
- Pray for Christian workers an organisations focused on seeing effective
discipleship movements among Muslim people.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to continue to inspire you to have god's heart for
Muslims, to see them as He does, and to be the light that then to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14-15 : 14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a
hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under
a basket, but on a candlestick. And it gives light to all who are in the
house."
Ideas for prayer
- Pray for opportunities to show the love of Christ to Muslims around you
- Pray for, and offer generous hospitality to, those you know who are serving
Christ among Muslim people -
Romans 12:13 "contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality."
- When you gather with fellow believers, remember to pray for Muslims
throughout the year and encourage them to also participate in 30 Days!
My paternal side is of Muslim heritage and will offer this section to further
call for Muslim converts to Christian and any other converts to Christianity
(Hindus, Jews, aboriginals Canadian, ...) .
7) Prayers for the nation (Canada) coming from Prayer map of Canada
http://www.ehc.ca
22 Day of the Month
a) Pray for the Province of Quebec
I) Pray for the leaders of Quebec,
that God's Spirit would influence
then to act justly,
serve with integrity
and honour high moral standards. ( 1 Tim 2:1 - 4
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that you make supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for everyone,
2 (Ezr 6:10) for kings and for all who are in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty,
3(1Ti 1:1; Lk 1:47) for this is good
and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 (Eze 18:23; 18:32)who desires all men to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
II) Pray for the churches of the province,
that they would be lighthouses
beaming forth the illuminating truth of God's Word.
III) Pray that the Lord would use
the Finding the Hope Campaign
and booklet to turn many hearts to Jesus
b) Pray that the influence of the Holy Spirit would dissolve
every argument and pretension exalted against the knowledge
of God.
(
2 Cor 10: 3 - 5
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strongholds,
5 casting down imaginations and every
high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God
to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought
to the obedience of Christ;
)
Conclusion:
Pray to the Lord and pray for forgiveness of the sins of your community.
Pray to the Lord for ever decisions you make.
Pray to the Lord: "I'm not an expert at evangelising, heavenly Father,
so show me simple, effective ways to share the good news about Christ."
Pray to the Lord and thank Him for wanting to be in community with us.
Pray to the Lord and thank Him for He will not forsake you.
Pray to the Lord and pray for Healing in His Name.
Agree in prayer with us for:
- entire congregations and individual believers to catch God's heart
and passion for reaching Muslims in Saskatoon and the other growing
Muslim population centres of Saskatchewan.
- for the eyes and understanding of Canadian youth to be opened to the
spiritual reality of Islam, and not deceived nor manipulated into
converting to a religion which cannot offer assurance of salvation.
- for the few workers among Muslims now engaged there, and for many more
to be raised up into effective witness.
- for prayer and training events that are starting in Saskatoon
to spread and grow to other cities.
Pray that the influence of the Holy Spirit would dissolve
every argument and pretension exalted against the knowledge
of God.
Pray for media ministries reaching Somali people around the world
with the Gospel message.