Inside Out Living

In part of Solomon’s address to the people of Israel, he refers to the Davidic covenant. Solomon recognizes that he has fulfilled the portion of the covenant that says one of David’s descendants will build the Lord’s temple. However, what Solomon did not know was that this prophetic statement in 2 Sam. 7:12-14 was not only fulfilled by Solomon, but would ultimately be fulfilled by the Messiah.

In the last two days we have emphasized the individual role each of us has as a temple of the Holy Spirit. The New Testament also teaches us that the Church is collectively a temple whose foundation is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11).

This temple established by Jesus is being continually built upon by those who have put their faith in Christ (1 Cor. 3:10-16). When we are doing the Lord’s work, we are building onto this temple. Paul speaks of building with gold, silver and jewels which will last, or building with wood, hay and straw which will be burned up. So how are you building onto the temple? Will your works of service last and be rewarded?

Solomon did many great things and was a good king for a while, but as you will discover from your reading this week, not everything he did was right. In chapter 7 of 1 Kings we read the details of the palace compound that Solomon built for himself. Now certainly the temple of the Lord was impressive, but the palace of the Forest of Lebanon described in 7:2-5 was over 4 times the size of the temple alone.

At this point in his reign as king, Solomon is still following the Lord closely, but the amount of effort and material that went into building his own palace compared to the temple indicate to me the direction that Solomon’s heart is really going. Whose legacy is he more concerned with, his own or the Lord he serves?

Or maybe I should ask you that same question. Are you more concerned with the legacy of your temple (your life: body, soul, mind and spirit); or are you more concerned with the legacy of your palace (your earthly treasures: house, cars, toys, etc.).

Remember the words of Jesus, “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

This week’s reading covers the early part of Solomon’s reign over Israel. During this time Solomon accomplished many great things, leaving a tremendous legacy. He built the temple and a massive palace compound in Jerusalem. He also built storage cities and outposts for the defending Israel.

Because of the legacy that Solomon left we are going to look at what it means to build a legacy. A legacy is far more than what we accomplish in our careers. It involves choices that we make and things that we value. I hope that, through this week, you are encouraged to evaluate your life and the legacy that you are currently building and the legacy that you desire to leave.

Today's Devotional:

If ever anyone had everything going for them it was Solomon. He was the King of Israel during the peak of the nation’s prosperity. He was wealthy and possessed wisdom beyond compare and, on top of all that, he was chosen by God to build the temple in Jerusalem. Other than his role as one of the authors of Scripture, Solomon’s building of the temple was the biggest part of the legacy he left. I say this because of the significance that the temple played in the worship of God.

For us, as New Testament believers, the concept of temple is different. We no longer worship a God who dwells in a temple (Acts 7:48, 17:24); rather, He dwells inside the individual believer (1 Cor. 3:16). So, even though it is different, the importance of the temple is still very real. Paul emphasizes the need for holiness and care for the body (1 Cor. 6:20).

Solomon built a majestic temple leaving quite the legacy. What kind of legacy will your temple leave? What will people say about your life when you’re gone?

In reading Psalm 69 today you probably made many direct connections to the life of Jesus. Verse 9 was quoted by the apostle John (John 2:17) and verse 21 was fulfilled with Jesus on the cross (John 19:29).

How can we, though, connect verse 5 to Jesus since it indicates that the Messiah was guilty of sin; and yet Scripture is clear that Jesus never sinned. Paul explains this mystery in 2 Cor. 5:21; “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us.” Jesus became sin for the entire world, experiencing the guilt and shame of all those sins. This psalm reveals what it was like for Jesus to take on these sins?

He cries out for salvation (vs. 1-4)
He feels shame and humiliation (5-8)
He is scoffed at, mocked and gossiped about (9-12)
He expresses faith in God’s ability to deliver (13-18)
He recognizes that comfort is not available from men (19-21)
He calls for judgment on the unrighteous (22-28)
He pleads for salvation (29)
He expresses faith in God and praises His name (30-36)

How do you respond to the guilt and shame of sin?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with life? Have you ever felt distant from God and troubled? If so, don’t be alarmed. We have all been there, every person, including Jesus. The first four verses of Psalm 61 seem to indicate that Jesus experienced these emotions as well.

The very fact that Jesus experienced these emotions tells me that our experience of them is not always because of our sin. While sometimes it is our sin that leads us to a sense of despair, it never was for His personal sin that Jesus felt this way since He was without sin. Rather, it was because He was dwelling in a broken world and living among broken people that Jesus experienced these low moments.
So what are we to do when we, who live in this same broken world among broken people, are overwhelmed? I see three things from this psalm that we can do:

1) Cry out to God for help
2) Trust in Him for shelter and protection
3) Respond with praise and thanksgiving

Is this your practice when you are overwhelmed by this world?

Have you ever struggled to do God’s will? You know what I am talking about, those situations where what you should do is very apparent and yet you still rebel and choose to sin.

Jesus never had that kind of experience, for He always followed God’s will.

Psalm 40:6-8 declares that Jesus delights to do the Father’s will. These verses are also quoted in Hebrews in reference to Jesus coming to do the will of the Father. Also in Jesus’ own declaration of His purpose in John 6:38 he said, “I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do what I want.”

Everything that Jesus did in His earthly ministry was to carry out the will of the Father in His life. Jesus spent time with His Father in prayer and solitude, He submitted to his Father, He exercised compassion on people, He knew the Scriptures and taught them to others, and He resisted temptation. Much of what Jesus did is also God’s will for us, so if you desire to know God’s will for your life, you need not look farther that how Jesus lived His life.

Have you ever considered the treatment that Jesus received from those he came to save? I think Psalm 35:11-14 provides insight into how He felt and increases our understanding of the mistreatment He received. The ones He has prayed for, fasted for, and grieved over are now rejoicing because of the trouble He is now in.

A striking example of this is in Luke 19:41 when Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. He wept, not just because He knew the city would be destroyed, but also because of their sin and rebelliousness. Later the same crowd that Jesus wept for was yelling, “Crucify Him” (Luke 23:21).

His mistreatment was obvious, but He did not retaliate. Rather, we see in this psalm and the gospels that He trusted His fate and the fate of those mistreating Him to a holy and righteous God.

How do you respond to mistreatment? Remember what Paul wrote, “Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, ‘I will take vengeance, I will repay those who deserve it,’ says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

Psalm 28 is what Bible scholars call an imprecatory psalm. This is because the psalmist asks God to judge the wicked and the enemies of the righteous. Some have been troubled by the presence of such psalms. They wonder how a God of love and grace could receive such a request. Will God really act in response to this request?

Today I am challenging you to think differently about this psalm and others like it. If these psalms are prophetically the words or prayers of the Messiah, then it changes their message, the reason being that Jesus came for the purpose of taking the punishment for the sins of mankind. Thus Jesus, in praying these imprecatory psalms, actually prayed for God’s judgment and wrath to come and then willingly became the object of that judgment and wrath on our behalf.

Because of Jesus, these imprecatory psalms are no longer messages of condemnation and judgment, but rather of grace and love, for “He personally carried away our sins in His own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds.” – 1 Peter 2:24

Psalm 22 is another psalm of David or the beloved one and, once again, it is prophetically speaking of the Messiah. This psalm is so interconnected in the life of the Messiah that the first line was spoken by Jesus as He hung on the cross.

The four gospel accounts give us information on the details of Jesus’ crucifixion, but Psalm 22 allows us to enter into His emotions as He hung on the cross. And as we look, we see an overwhelming trust in the Father’s will and a dependence upon Him for deliverance.

You may be wondering, how does this relate to me? Remember that Jesus possessed full humanity, including emotions and free will. The crucifixion was when Jesus was at His lowest point. He was physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually drained. He was dying a criminal’s death having done nothing wrong, and yet we see Him continuing to praise the Father and trust in Him. How do you respond when you are at your lowest? Will you still trust and praise God when all hope seems lost?

When I was in seminary, one of my professors challenged us with this question: how can the ancient prayers written in the psalms to God, be God’s Word to us today? The answer, I propose to you, is that the psalms are prophetically the prayers of Jesus, the Messiah Himself. I know this may be a different way of understanding the psalms for you, but I believe that there is sufficient biblical evidence to support this.

So, as you read through the psalms this week, I hope you enjoy some insights into the life of the Messiah by reading through the prayers of the Messiah.

Today's Devotional:

Psalm 16 is a fitting start to our study in the Psalms this week. If you read Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost, you will discover that Peter quotes verse 8-11 of this psalm in Acts 2:25-28. Peter then goes on to declare that David was not writing of himself, but rather of the coming Messiah. However, we recognize that the whole psalm is in the first person, so logically we conclude all of it to prophetically be the words of the Messiah Himself.

As I read through the rest of this psalm, I am encouraged by verse three, “The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!” Have you ever considered that living a godly life is a source of joy for Jesus?

Not that living a godly life is possible on our own, but rather because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we are then able to live godly lives. No wonder it brings Him joy to see us living a godly life. It is one of the reasons He died. His joy is in seeing our lives reflect the benefit of His sacrifice. May you bring joy to God by living a godly life through the power of Christ who is in you.

“When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. And though there was no law to break, since it had not yet been given, they all died anyway…” (Romans 5:12-14a).

Absalom’s death was tragic and unnecessary. It deeply impacted his father, David, as is obvious from the narrative. Had either David or Absalom made some different choices, this tragedy could have been avoided.

The reality is that this instance of death and pain is representative of human life and history. Death was not a part of God’s perfect creation. Rather, death was introduced into the human race as a result of Adam’s sin. Death is wrong and this is why we grieve when it happens.

The hope that we have in Christ is because He defeated sin and death through His redemptive work on the cross (Col. 2:13-15).

We have all been there. We are at our lowest moment and someone says or does something to make it even worse. This must have been how David felt as he was fleeing Jerusalem and endured the insult from Shimei. How tempting it must have been to let Abishai kill Shimei. However, David exercises self-control and humility in not retaliating against Shimei. Not only did David exercise restraint at this moment, but he practiced forgiveness when Shimei met him at the Jordan River as David returned to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 19:18b-23).

How do you respond when you are wronged? Jesus forgave those who put him on the cross (Luke 23:34). Stephen forgave those who stoned him (Acts 7:60). Scripture teaches us that there is a connection between receiving forgiveness and extending forgiveness (Luke 6:37; Mark 11:25; Matt. 6:15).

So how do you feel about forgiveness? Are you willing to forgive like David and others did? Would you rather take revenge and even the score? Do you trust in God’s ability to judge rightly and work it out according to His will when you are wronged?

“Don’t be deceived, God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows “ (Galatians 6:7).

David loved the Lord, but he also made his share of mistakes. Even though he was quick to confess his sin, that did not remove the consequences for his sin (2 Samuel 12:14).

Now, from this point on, David’s kingship takes a downhill turn especially within his family. As is apparent from today’s reading, David was no longer in control of his sons and had failed to instill in them a fear of the Lord. David’s mistakes were catching up to him, not just his sin with Bathsheba, but other sins related to fathering and mentoring his sons were having an impact now.

Sin has real consequences. While we cannot blame our sin for everything in life, much of the pain and grief we experience results from our own sinful choices and actions. Are you living with the consequences of past sin? Pray and ask God for strength and wisdom to deal with those consequences appropriately.

“If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong” (1 John 1:9).

King David sinned. It wasn’t just a simple sin, but a messy one of lust, sexual immorality, deception and murder. It was the kind of thing that anyone would look at and agree was wrong. How is it that a man who did all of this can still be referred to as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22) in the New Testament?

Confession.

David was not perfect and neither was Saul. However, the way that each responded to being confronted for their sins was markedly different. Saul was defensive and blaming others, but David responded with a soft heart and quickly confessed.

Practicing regular confession is a key element to a healthy relationship with Christ. How do you respond to the realization that you have erred in some way? Remember David’s words in Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifice you want is a broken spirit. A broken and repentant heart, O God, you will not despise.”

The devotional from last Saturday (9/13) was about how David fulfilled his covenant promise to Jonathan by showing kindness to his son, Mephibosheth. Today, we have been reminded of this act in the reading. As we think about this today we are going to consider David’s treatment of Mephibosheth in light of God’s treatment of us.

Mephibosheth had done nothing to deserve the kindness that David showed to him. It was an undeserved gift. Mephibosheth was the benefactor of David’s decision to fulfill his commitment to Jonathan.

God is not contractually or morally bound to save anyone. Based on our actions, we are all deserving of his judgment. For our sake, God has chosen to extend grace to all who come to faith in Jesus Christ. “God saved you by His special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it (Ephesians 2:8-9).

“For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12).

In writing Psalm 60, David is crying out to the Lord for help against the enemies that he is battling with. David makes the statement in verse 11 that “all human help is useless.”

This statement is especially true for the battle we face as Christians, for as Eph. 6:12 so clearly states, our battle is a spiritual one. In the spiritual battle that all people face, human help is indeed useless because of the turtle syndrome. Turtles are incapable of helping themselves if they are placed on their backs and, without outside help, they will die. We people are the same. Without outside help or someone to intervene, we will die. Fortunately, Jesus intervened and “died once to defeat sin, and now He lives for the glory of God” (Rom. 6:10).

The theme for this week is sin. I know it is not very glamorous and not so fun to think about, but it is a reality that we all live with. This week’s readings have us right in the heart of David’s kingship. We will see him at his highest point and his lowest point during this week.

Some of the topics we will think about are judging, depravity, confession, forgiveness, consequences and death. Because of our broken nature, sin permeates our lives. We live with the impact of sin all around us. I hope that through the devotionals and Bible reading this week, you will have a better handle on how to manage the impact of sin in your life.

Today's Devotional

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1-2).

Making judgments about others comes natural to human nature; broken, fallen, sinful human nature that is. While, as Christians, we are not to ignore sin in the lives of our brothers and sisters, this action is always to be done in love (Eph. 4:15), aiming towards repentance (Gal. 6:1), and after proper self-reflection (Matt. 7:3-5).
In today’s reading we see David’s wife, Michal, make a quick judgment against David on an issue that did not involve sin. Unhappy with how David chose to worship the Lord before the Ark, she condemns David for this action.

These are the types of judgments that scripture teaches are not for us to make. When we pass judgments on others’ actions that are not clearly defined as sin by scripture, we are usurping God’s role as the righteous judge and ruler over all humanity. Instead of judging, we are to leave room for God to work.

Jonathan and David had a special friendship. Chapter 20 gives us a little insight into how close the two were. Unlike his father, Jonathan was not jealous for the throne of Israel, but recognized that the Lord was with David. Thus, as part of their covenant of friendship, Jonathan asked David to continue to show “faithful love” to his descendants even if Jonathan died. David accepted this responsibility as part of their covenant.

Have you ever made a promise without thinking the consequences through? I think all of us as parents have done this at some point. So, how many of our promises are we to keep? If the Lord is the standard for righteousness, then we are to keep them all, for “the LORD is faithful to all His promises” (Psalm 145:13 NIV).
What did David do about the promise he made to Jonathan? 2 Samuel 9 tells us that David, in fact, kept his promise to Jonathan by showing kindness to his son, Mephibosheth.

Are you willing to keep your promises like David did? What about when no one is watching? Do you still keep your promises then?

David never did wrong against Saul, but he was constantly the object of Saul’s jealousy. Saul made multiple attempts to kill David or to have him killed by others. However, we recognize that David was innocent in all of this and never lost his integrity. So why the constant attacks? Why did David have to call out to the Lord for help and protection when he was innocent?

The reality is that innocence and integrity don’t always protect us from personal attacks and accusations from people. Our innocence and personal integrity will eventually come under attack as no result of our own.

How are we to respond to such attacks? David did not take the opportunity to exact his revenge against Saul (1 Samuel 24:1-7), but rather allowed the Lord to take care of His enemies. He called out to the One who judges rightly to deliver him out of the situation.

May you, like David, seek God first when your innocence and integrity come under attack.

Saul was caught red-handed. He had again disobeyed the Lord and was confronted by Samuel for his actions. His response to Samuel’s confrontation was worthy of an Academy Award. In verses 15 & 21 Saul declares that ‘the people’ are the ones who spared the animals, and then he further justifies the sin by adding the spiritual benefit of sacrificing the animals to the Lord. It takes Saul three times before he admits to Samuel his wrongdoing.

You do not have to be perfect in order to maintain integrity. This is what the discipline of confession is for. Saul was unwilling to admit his sin and to ask for forgiveness. A person of integrity does the exact opposite. David was a prime example of this. David was not perfect, but when he was confronted by Nathan the prophet about his affair with Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah, he confessed immediately. Both Saul and David made mistakes just like you and I. Are we going to respond like Saul, denying the sin and blaming others? Or will we respond like David with a soft heart that is quick to confess?

Can you picture Saul in the situation described in 1 Samuel 13? He had gathered Israel’s troops to battle the Philistines, but once they got a glimpse of the Philistine army, they were full of fear. Sensing the fear in his army, Saul becomes anxious and comes to the conclusion that the offerings to the Lord must be offered. However, Samuel has not arrived when Saul was expecting him. Thus, Saul takes matters into his own hands and violates the Lord’s command by assuming the priestly function.

Saul’s lack of integrity in this matter provides us with a three-part lesson:

1) Basing our decision on fear does not bring glory to God, for perfect love casts out fear.

2) Our timing is not always the same as God’s timing. Samuel was coming, Saul just lacked the patience.

3) Obedience is far more important to God than sacrifice or, for us, you could say it is more important than public worship.

In 1 Samuel 8:6-9 the Lord reveals to Samuel that Israel was ultimately rejecting God Himself by asking for a king. In 12:16-19 Samuel reminds the people of their wrongdoing in asking for a king and then uses a sign to reveal to them the level of God’s anger.

Certainly the people did wrong in asking for a king. But Samuel makes it clear that God had not abandoned them as a result of their wickedness. Rather Samuel shared with them that God was willing to restore the integrity of the nation; “…make sure now that you worship the LORD with all your heart and that you don’t turn your back on Him in any way…The Lord will not abandon His chosen people” (12:20b, 22a).

The same God that called Israel back and restored the integrity of the nation is the same God that we serve today. So, readers take courage that all is not lost when your integrity is compromised. The invitation to return to following the LORD is there for us the same way it was for Israel. Are you willing to humble yourself and return to following God so He can restore your integrity?

Samuel was a man of God and a good leader for Israel. However, for all that he did right, he failed in one area. He did not learn from the mistake of his predecessor, Eli. 1 Samuel 8:1-3 reveals that Samuel’s sons were lacking in integrity much the same way that Eli’s sons were. We then see this lack of integrity result in Israel demanding a king to rule over them.

When it comes to leadership, integrity or personal character is what gives you the trust of the people. According to Christian leadership guru John Maxwell, “Trust is the foundation of leadership…People will forgive occasional mistakes based on ability. But they won’t trust someone who has slips in character.”

Israel could not trust Samuel’s sons, Joel and Abijah, so their opportunity to lead the nation was taken away. How is your character? Would those who know you best say that you are a person of integrity? Fortunately, God is able and willing to work in your life and help you grow in this area if you ask for His help.

The theme for this week is integrity. This week’s readings will cover the last of the judges, Eli and Samuel. Following those two leaders we will meet the first two kings of Israel, Saul and David. All four of these men learned the importance of integrity through their experiences.

Integrity is something that we all can struggle with from time to time. Integrity is something that can be easily lost, but is not so easy to regain without God’s help. As the four men we will read about learn, it is absolutely essential to being a leader in God’s kingdom.

Today's Devotional:

To say the least, Eli’s sons were lacking in integrity. They disrespected the Lord’s offerings (2:12-17), carried on immoral sexual relationships with the young women serving at the tabernacle (12:22), and they didn’t honor or listen to their father (12:25). I think we are safe to say that, somewhere along the way, Eli dropped the ball as their Father.

Why is integrity so essential? As I write this devotional, our nation is mourning the loss of President Gerald Ford. As I have heard of all he did, the one thing that was mentioned the most was his integrity. He may not have been the greatest leader or accomplished as much as other presidents, but he stood out because of his integrity.

Our integrity, or lack of, leaves a lasting impression on the people around us, especially our families. “The godly walk with integrity; blessed are their children after them” (Proverbs 20:7). Are you living a life of integrity? What kind of legacy are you leaving behind?

(Because devotionals didn't get posted over the Labor Day weekend, this is the second devotional for today. A new week of devotionals will begin tomorrow.)

When Gideon received his calling from the Lord, three times he asked for a sign to reassure himself that God was truly with him. Three times! Why would Gideon put the Lord to this kind of test? Does he doubt God and his promises or does he doubt himself?

You know sometimes, I find it very easy to criticize Gideon, but I know that if you and I are honest, we are sometimes just like him. We doubt God’s calling and purpose in our lives.

So, how can you know God’s will for your life? First of all, read scripture, for God’s word reveals His will; “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18). Second is to trust God at His Word; “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov.3:6 NIV).
Don’t be like Gideon, wasting time looking and waiting for a sign. Rather, read God’s word and live according to it, and then you can be confident that you are living according to His will and purpose for your life.

(Because devotionals didn't get posted over the Labor Day weekend, this is the first of two devotionals for today)

I do not know a great deal about my ethnic heritage. In recent years my mother has become involved in much genealogical research which has provided limited knowledge. Now I know that my heritage is mainly European, but somewhere down the line the distinctiveness of that European heritage was lost. Now I don’t think this was intentional, it simply wasn’t handed down or taught to the next generation. The simple truth is that, if someone living as a foreigner doesn’t teach their culture to the next generation, then it will be lost.

Remembering that we are living as aliens in this world, it is imperative that we teach our faith to the next generation. According to Judges 2:10, Israel failed to do so, in spite of the command Moses had given them in Deuteronomy 6:1-9.

So what are you doing to ensure that our faith is not lost and the next generation is not absorbed into the rest of the culture? Tell your story; tell of what God has done for you. Don’t leave it to someone else. Don’t let the next generation forget what a mighty God we serve.

(Because devotionals didn't get posted over Labor Day weekend, this is the second devotional for today)

“I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” – John 17:14-15

The Israelites failed to fully wipe out the Canaanites from the land. Thus the survivors of these nations were living amongst the Israelites. Joshua warns them in 23:12 to avoid marrying any of these survivors because they would be a snare and a trap, making it difficult for Israel to follow God.

As children of God who are in the world but not of the world we face similar difficulty. The relationships that we form with people, both Christians and non-Christians alike, greatly impact our life. The more intimate the relationship, the more impact it will have which is why Joshua knew to warn the Israelites not to intermarry.

Because we live in this world as foreigners, we must exercise wisdom in the formation of our relationships. Consider your relationships. How are you currently being influenced by these relationships?

(Because devotionals didn't get posted over the Labor Day weekend this is the first of two devotionals for today)

Our God is a god of justice and righteousness who cannot allow sin to go unpunished. This has been very evident in the readings of the law where we see God’s high standards of holiness and moral living. However, our God is also “the merciful and gracious God.” He is “slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6). I think that the concept of the cities of refuge is a wonderful example of these character traits of God.

In the Noahic Covenant in Genesis 9, God declares that anyone who commits murder must be killed (Genesis 9:5b-6). Now in Joshua 20 we see God exercising grace and compassion on those who have killed unintentionally.

As Christian brothers and sisters we continue to live with a sin nature that creeps up on us now and then. Fortunately the Merciful and Gracious God who established the cities of refuge is that same God whom we can go to for grace and forgiveness when we sin.

Right now you and I are living as foreigners or aliens in this world. We long for the day when our Savior will call us home. The Israelites taking possession of the Promised Land can be viewed as a picture of our future entrance into Heaven. Their time in the wilderness then would be parallel to our time in this broken and fallen world. Their crossing of the Jordan River the image of Christian baptism, and then the receiving of the Promised Land is like our receiving of God’s blessings in Heaven.

In today’s reading we see how the remaining tribes of Israel receive their allotment of land. It was not based on their requests or wishes, but it was solely based on God’s guiding of their casting lots.

As I ponder how this parallels the blessings God has in store for us, his children, I realize three truths. First, I will not be able to tell God what blessing or reward I want. Second, the decision to bless is entirely the Lord’s sovereign choice. And third, no matter what blessing the Lord gives, it will be absolutely amazing and perfect in every way.

In Joshua 17:14 – 18, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, who are descended from Joseph, come to Joshua to complain about the amount of land they have received. To me it seems as though Joshua is very considerate in his response, giving them a couple of options and then encouraging them to drive out the remaining Canaanites in order to receive more land.

I don’t think my response would have been as understanding as Joshua’s. When it comes to receiving God’s blessing it seems rather presumptuous to complain about the amount that God gives. This attitude represents a lack of contentment with God’s provision and blessing.

Even though this world is not our home, God’s blessings and provision in this world are very real. Do you sometimes find yourself ill content and complain to God regarding his provision for you? If so, remember these two things: first, as co-heirs with Christ, our full inheritance is not in this life but in the life to come; and second, God’s provision in this life is real and is fully sufficient for all our needs.

The theme for this week is ‘living as foreigners.’ In John 17:14, Jesus says that we who are His followers are not of this world. We are going to explore some of the ways in which Israel’s early years living in the Promised Land parallels our experience of living as God’s children in a broken and sinful world that is not our home.

Devotional for today:

45 years after giving a positive report on the Promised Land, Caleb finally has his opportunity to conquer the land that God had promised to him (Numbers 14:24). In chapter 14 Caleb senses his opportunity to ask permission to take this land. It is not a simple task, though, since the Anakites (a race of giants) live there. However, Caleb’s faith at 85 years old is still as strong as it was at 40, and he knows he will conquer if the Lord is with him.

Caleb did not fear the giants that stood between him and God’s blessings. He knew that his Lord is a mighty warrior and greater than the Anakites.

What are the ‘giants’ in your life that must be defeated in order for you to experience the fullness of God’s blessing? Maybe it is lust or pride or selfishness that has you defeated. Caleb had faith that when the Lord was with him there was no enemy too great. We can approach our ‘giants’ in the same way.

I am back after a long weekend. Life was so crazy getting work done before going on a little vacation that I wasn't able to set up the devotionals for the weekend. Sorry about that. So, I am now back and hopefully there won't be any more glitches in our devotional series.

Blessings,

Pastor David