April 10, 2012

Serve God in Spite of Your Previous Sin (4/10)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from 1 Samuel 9-12.

The Israelites sinned in asking for a king because God was already their king. God granted their request, but had warned them that once the king was in place, it would be too late to undo what had been done (1 Samuel 8:18).

However, even though requesting a king was a sin with consequences that would exist for generations, the people would still be able to, and would still have the obligation to, serve the Lord.

“Then all the people said to Samuel, ‘Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, so that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil by asking for ourselves a king.’ Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart’” (1 Samuel 12:19-20).

There was no way to undo their sin. They now had to live with the consequences. But they still needed to obey the Lord from that point forward.
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April 3, 2012

"Go and Cry Out to the Gods Which You Have Chosen" (4/3)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Judges 10-12.

Following their regular pattern, the Israelites fell away and “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 10:6). To punish them, God “sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon. They afflicted and crushed the sons of Israel that year” (Judges 10:7-8). Then, as they typically did, the sons of Israel cried to God for help.

“Then the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord, saying, ‘We have sinned against You, for indeed, we have forsaken our God and served the Baals.’ The Lord said to the sons of Israel, ‘Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the sons of Ammon, and the Philistines? Also when the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hands. Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress’” (Judges 10:10-14).

Time and time again, God proved His love for the sons of Israel in delivering them despite their disobedience. But they thought of God’s grace as a reason to tolerate sin, just as many do today (Romans 6:1-2).
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April 1, 2012

"Surely I Will Be With You" (4/1)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Judges 6-7.

During the time when the Midianites were oppressing Israel, the people cried out to God. As He regularly did during this time period, God raised up one to deliver the people from their oppressors. On this occasion, God called Gideon for this task. Gideon, however, showed reluctance in accepting this role.

“The Lord looked at him and said, ‘Go in your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?’ He said to Him, ‘O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man’” (Judges 6:14-16).

God nullified Gideon’s excuses with the promise, “Surely I will be with you.”
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March 29, 2012

"You Will Not Be Able to Serve the Lord" (3/29)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Joshua 22-24.

“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

This is one of the more well-known verses in the Bible. Joshua, toward the end of his life, challenged the Israelites to choose to either serve God or not. His decision was already made – he and his house would serve the Lord. But he told them they would have to make their own choice.
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March 26, 2012

Caleb’s Inheritance (3/26)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Joshua 12-15.

Caleb was one of the twelve spies who believed the Israelites could conquer the land of Canaan because God was with them. Though he and Joshua were unable to convince the people, he was promised an inheritance in the land. After the land was divided among the tribes, Caleb asked Joshua to grant him what he was promised.

“You know the word which the Lord spoke to Moses the man of God concerning you and me in Kadesh-barnea. I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land, and I brought word back to him as it was in my heart. Nevertheless my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt with fear; but I followed the Lord my God fully. So Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden will be an inheritance to you and your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God fully.’

“Now behold, the Lord has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. […] Now then, give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out as the Lord has spoken” (Joshua 14:6-12).

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March 24, 2012

Rahab Lived in the Midst of Israel (3/24)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Joshua 5-8.

Yesterday we noticed Rahab’s faith which led her to help the Israelite spies who had come to Jericho. Because of her actions, her life was spared when the city was destroyed.

“However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho” (Joshua 6:25).

Her life was spared. But what did she do next? Did she simply go her own way, leaving Jericho and departing from the nation of Israel? No. She remained with Israel and lived among the people of God.
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March 20, 2012

"The Secret Things Belong to the Lord" (3/20)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Deuteronomy 28-29.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

This verse comes after Moses reviewed the law and the covenant with the people. Many commands and instructions were handed down, yet God did not reveal everything in His mind to man. He revealed enough for man to be faithful to Him.
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