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Monday 27 April, 2015
Jos. 9:14-16
God’s will is indispensable for His children
When the Gibeonites heard of Israel’s victory over Jericho (Jos. 6:1-25) and
Ai (Jos. 8:1-29), they resorted to a ruse (Jos. 9:3-13). Without enquiring of
the Lord, the Israelites made a treaty of peace with them to make them live
(Jos. 9:14-15). Later, however, they found out that the Gibeonites were
neighbours who lived near them (Jos. 9:16). Had they enquired of the Lord,
they would have found out the truth about the Gibeonites. By failing to
enquire of the Lord, they failed to find out the truth about them and ended
up making a treaty of which the Lord had forbidden (Exod. 34:11-15; Deut.
7:1-6). Therefore, it is of utmost importance to seek out and follow God’s
will in everything, all the time (cf. 2 Sam. 5:18-21). One can make a
fundamental or fatal mistake by not doing so (see Jos. 9:3-27; cf. Exod.
34:11-15; Deut. 7:1-6). The Scripture requires believers to seek out and
follow God’s will in everything (Eph. 5:17). Nothing can be as dangerous as
not seeking out and following God’s will in every matter and situation.
Failure to seek out and follow God’s will always is worse than driving in
thick darkness without lights or sailing in the high seas or flying in high
altitude without a compass. And when we are sure of what God’s will is,
we must follow it whole-heartedly. It is inexcusable and most dangerous
not to do so.
PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to seek your will in everything.
2. Father, please reveal your will to me in every matter concerning me.
3. Father, please keep me within your will always.
Tuesday 28 April, 2015
2 Thess. 1:6-7
God’s relief for His suffering children
Paul declared to the Thessalonian believers that God will give relief to
them in their suffering (2 Thess. 1:6-7). His love and justice demand that He
does so (2 Thess. 1:6-7). As He will payback those who persecute them, so
will He give them relief for the persecutions and trials they encounter (2
Thess. 1:6-7). This promise applies to all believers, not to the Thessalonian
believers alone. It is the nature and will of God to comfort His persecuted
and afflicted children (see 2 Cor. 1:3-5). God never abandons His
persecuted and afflicted children (see 2 Cor. 4:8-9). On the contrary, it is
when we are persecuted and afflicted that His presence and help become
more visible and real (see Acts 18:9-12; 2 Kgs.6:15-17; Dan. 3:13-30).
Therefore, believers who suffer should trust Him for His promised relief (2
Thess. 1:6-7).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please be with me in suffering.
2. Father, please give me relief in suffering.
Wednesday 29 April, 2015
Jos. 10:8
The Lord gives victory over our enemies
When the five kings of the Amorites joined forces together to attack the
Gibeonites for making a treaty of peace with the Israelites (Jos. 10:1-4), the
Lord promised Joshua that He will give them into his hand, and that not
one of them will be able to withstand him (Jos. 10:8). The Lord kept His
promise, and these kings and their cities were given into Joshua’s hand
(Jos. 10:19, 29-32). Not one of them was able to stand up against Joshua as
the Lord promised (Jos. 10:19, 29-32; cf. Jos. 1:5). Joshua could not have
defeated these kings if the Lord did not give them into his hand. Therefore,
it was not Joshua’s army that brought him and the Israelites victory, but the
Lord. This is exactly what the Scripture teaches, that it is the Lord who
brings His children victory, not their weapons or armies (see Ps. 44:1-8).
Thus, if we desire victory over our enemies, we must allow the Lord to
fight for us and give us victory over them (Ps. 44:1-8; 1 Sam. 17:47). As was
the case for Joshua, so it is with us who believe in the Lord today. Our
victory over our enemies does not lie in our weapons, but in the Lord’s
hand (Ps. 44:1-8; 1 Sam. 17:47). Being the Alpha and the Omega, the First
and the Last, the Beginning and the end, the Almighty (Rev. 22:13; Rev.
1:8), and the one of whom nothing is impossible (Lk. 1:37), He is more than
able to overcome all our enemies for us.
PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to entrust all my enemies unto you.
2. Father, please fight all my battles and give me victory over all
my enemies.
Thursday 30 April, 2015
Hos. 1:7
God’s love
Whereas God promised to withdraw His love from the northern kingdom
of Israel (Hos. 1:6), He promised to keep His love for the southern kingdom
of Judah (Hos. 1:7). Why? Is God inconsistent in His being and activity?
The answer is no. At this time, Judah’s time to face God’s wrath was not
yet ripe (see 2 Kgs. 17:18-19). Its cup was not yet full. Later, however, Judah
refused to repent, God’s love for her was also withdrawn, and she was sent
into captivity (see Jer. 9:12-16; Jer. 52:27). God’s patience does not
invalidate His justice (see 2 Pet. 3:8-10). His patience with the sinner is to
encourage him to repent (2 Pet. 3:9). Therefore, God’s love is not
irrevocable or eternal for those who refuse to acknowledge and serve Him
only (see Jn. 3:18, 36). It is irrevocable for those who acknowledge and
serve Him only.
PRAYER: 1. Father, please enable me to acknowledge and serve you only.
2. Father, please thank you for your unfailing love.
Friday 1 May, 2015
Jos. 10:10-11
The Lord fights for His own children
The Lord promised Joshua to give the five kings of the Amorites who
joined forces to fight against Gibeon for making a treaty of peace with
Israel into his hands (Jos. 10:1-8). The Lord personally took part in the
battle to ensure that His word to Joshua came to pass (Jos. 10:10-11). He
threw the armies of the five kings into confusion and hurled large
hailstones down on them from the sky (Jos. 10:10-11). According to the
Scripture, more of the Amorites died from the Lord’s own weapon than
from the swords of the Israelites (Jos. 10:11). It was because the Lord fought
for Israel that they had the victory (Jos. 10:14, 42). The point is made here
again that the Lord fights for His children (see Exod. 14:13-14; 2 Chron.
20:14-17; Jos. 10:14, 42), and that He is the one who gives us victory over
our enemies, not our weapons (see Ps. 44:1-8; 1 Sam. 17:47). Our battles are
indeed His battles (see 1 Sam. 17:47; 2 Chron. 20:14-17). We do not have to
fight our battles (Exod. 14:13-14; 2 Chron. 20:14-17). As He fought for the
Israelites against the Amorites, He will fight for us today against our
enemies (Jos. 10:14, 42; Exod. 14:13-14; 2 Chron. 20:14-17). All we need to
do is to leave all our battles for Him to fight them for us and give us the
victory (Exod. 14:13-14; 2 Chron. 20:14-17).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please fight all my battles for me.
2. Father, please enable me to entrust all my battles to you.
Saturday 2 May, 2015
Ps. 11:4-7
The Lord’s whereabout
This passage answers the question of the Lord’s whereabout. According to
it, the Lord is on is heavenly throne (Ps. 11:4). There is a heavenly throne,
and the Lord alone is seated on it (Ps. 11:4). He is seated on it continually.
There is no time when He is not seated on His throne. This is the constant
teaching of Scripture (Ps. 47:8; Is. 6:1). This means that He alone is King
and He alone reigns over all of His creation (see Ps. 44:7-8). It also means
no act escapes His attention (see Ps. 11:4-5). There is no throne but His
own, and no one sits on His throne except Him. While Satan roams about
(cf. 1 Pet. 5:8), the Lord remains seated on His throne (Is. 6:1). Since His
throne is the only throne and He alone is seated on it, everything and
everyone is subject to Him, including Satan. Anyone who seeks can find
Him always seated on His throne. He never abdicates His throne or
responsibility. He alone is in charge of all creation. There is no rival or
equal to Him.
PRAYER: 1. Father, please show in my life that you alone are seated on the
throne.
2. Father, please let all creation be subject to you completely.
Sunday 3 May, 2015
Jos. 10:12-14
The Lord listens to His children
Joshua asked the Lord for the sun to stand still over Gibeon and the moon
over Aijalon to enable him and the Israelites to complete their campaign
against the five kings of the Amorites who had joined forces to fight
against Gibeon for making a treaty of peace with Israel, and the Lord
listened to Joshua (Jos. 10:12-13). Joshua 10:14 does not mean that the Lord
has never listened to anyone else before or after Joshua, but that Joshua’s
case lacked an equal or a comparison. God always listens to His children.
He listened to Moses (Exod. 8:12-13, 29-31). He listened to Hannah (1 Sam.
1:9-20). He listened to Elijah (1 Kgs. 17:1-6; Jam. 5:17-18). He listened to the
psalmist (Ps. 18:3-6). He listened to Zechariah (Lk. 1:8-17). He listened to
His only begotten Son (Jn. 11:41-44). He listened to Peter (Acts 3:1-10; Acts
9:32-42). He listened to Paul (Acts 28:2-9). He has even invited us to ask of
Him and has promised to hear us when we do so (Matt. 7:7-11; Rom. 8:32;
Phil. 4:6, 19). It is our duty to ask of Him as He has told us (Matt. 7:7-11).
But we must ask with faith (see Matt. 9:22, 28,29; Jn. 11:40). Unbelief
deprives us of His answers to our requests (Matt. 13:58).
PRAYER: 1. Father, please teach me to pray.
2. Father, please hear and answer me when I call upon you.