Joshua 15
Southern border of Judah verse 1- 4
This then was the lot of the tribe of children of Judah by their families
even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was
the uttermost part of the south coast
And their south border was form the shore of the salt sea
from the bay that looks southward
and it went out to the south side to Maaleh-acrabbim
and passed along to Zin
and ascended up on the south side unto
Kadesh-barnea
and passed along to Hezron – and went up to Adar
and fetched a compass to Karlaa
from thence it passed toward Azmon
and went out to the river of Egypt
and goings out of that coast were at the sea
this shall be your south coast
Eastern border of Judah verse 5a
And the east border was the salt sea
even unto the end of Jordan
Northern border of Judah verse 5b- 11
And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the
uttermost part of Jordan
and the border went up to Beth-hogla
and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah
and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben
and the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor
and so northward – looking toward Gilgal
that is before the going up to Adummim
which on the south side of the river
and the border passed toward the waters of En-shemesh
and the goings out thereof were at En-rogel
and the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom
to the south side of the Jebusite
the same is JERUSALEM
and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lies
before the valley of Hinnom westward
which is at the end of the valley of the
GIANTS northward
and the border was drawn from the top of the hill to the
fountain of the water of Nephtoah
and went out to the cities of mount Ephron
and the border was drawn to Baalah – which is Kirjath-jearim
and the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir
and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim
which is Chesalon – on the north side
and went down to Beth-shemesh
and passed on to Timnah
and the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward
and the border was drawn to Shicron
and passed along to mount Baalah
and went out unto Jabneel
and the goings out of the border were at the sea
Western border of Judah verse 12
And the west border was to the great sea – and the coast thereof
This is the coast of the children of Judah round about
according to their families
Caleb drove out the giants verse 13- 14
And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah
according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua
even the city of Arba the father of Anak – which city of Hebron
And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak
Sheshai – Ahiman – Talmai – the children of Anak
Daughter of Caleb given verse 15- 17
And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir
and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher
And Caleb said
He that smites Kirjath-sepher – and takes it
to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife
And Othniel the son of Kenaz – the brother of Caleb took it
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife
Caleb’s daughter asks for land verse 18- 19
And it came to pass – as she came to him
that she moved him to ask of her father a field
and she lighted off her ass
And Caleb said to her
What would you?
Who answered
Give me a blessing – for you have given me a south land
give me also springs of water
And he gave her the upper springs and the nether springs
Judah’s border towns with Edom verse 20- 32
This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to
their families
And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the
coast of Edom southward were
Kabzeel –Eder – Jagur – Kinah – Dimonah – Adadah
Kedesh – Hazor- Ithnan – Ziph – Telem – Bealoth
Hazor – Hadattah – Kerioth – Hezron which is Hazor
Amam – Shema – Moladah – Hazar-gaddah – Heshmon
Beth-palet – Hazar-shual – Beer-sheba – Bizjothjah –
Baalah – Iim – Azem – Eltolad – Chesil – Hormah –
Ziklag – Madmannah – Sansannah – Lebaoth – Shilhim
Ain – Rimmon – all the cities are twenty and nine with their villages
Judah’s western border towns verse 33- 44
And in the valley – Eshtaol – Zoreah – Ashnah – Zanoah – En-gannim
Tappuah – Enam Jarmuth – Adullam – Socoh – Azekah – Sharaim
Adithaim – Gederah Gederothaim – fourteen cities with their villages
Zenan – Hadashah – Migdal-gad – Dilean – Mizpeh – Joktheel – Lachish Bozkath – Eglon – Cabbon – Lahmam – Kithlish – Gederoth – Beth-dagon Naamah – Makkedah – sixteen cities with their villages
Libnah – Ether – Ashan – Jiphtah – Ashnah – Nezib Keilah – Achzib
Mareshah – nine cities with their villages
Judah inherited Philistine territory verse 44- 47
Ekron – with her towns and her villages – from Ekron even to the sea
all that lay near Ashdod with their villages
Ashdod with here towns and her villages
Gaza with her towns and her villages
to the river of Egypt and the great sea and the border thereof
Mountain territory for Judah verse 48- 62
And in the mountains
Shamir – Jattir – Socoh – Dannah – Kirjath-sannah which is Debir
Anab Eshtemoh – Anim – Goshen – Holon – Giloh
eleven cities with their villages
Arab – Dumah – Eshean – Janum – Beth-tappuah – Aphekah – Humtah
Kirjath-arba which is Hebron – Zior
nine cities with their villages
Maon – Carmel – Ziph – Juttah – Jezreel – Jokdeam – Zanoah – Cain
Gibeah – Timnah – ten cities with their villages
Halhul – Beth-zur – Gedor – Maarath – Beth-anoth – Eltekon
six cities with their villages
Kirjath-baal which is Kirjath-jearim – Rabbah
two cities with their villages
In the wilderness
Beth-arabah – Middin – Secacah – Nibshan – and the city of Salt
En-gedi – six cities with their villages
Jebusites of Jerusalem not defeated verse 63
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of JERUSALEM
the children of Judah could NOT drive them out
BUT the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah
at JERUSALEM to this day
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 13 And to Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. (6310 “commandment” [peh] means mouth, opening, a command conceived of in terms of the mouth, perhaps with an emphasis on the verbal nature of the command, spokesman, statement, decision, or communication)
DEVOTION: There are many more communications that the LORD gave to the children of Israel than the Ten Commandments. We know all about the Ten Commandments but the LORD wanted to make sure that when the land was distributed that each tribe received what HE wanted them to receive.
Caleb was one of only two spies that entered the Promised Land because ten spies gave an evil report which stated that they couldn’t conquer the Promised Land because it was too strong with giants and cities with walls. They feared defeat when the LORD promised victory. They doubted the ability of the LORD to give victory over the people of the land.
Today we have many things that we consider giants in our land. We seem to be fighting many of the teachings that are going on in our public schools. We seem to be fighting for Biblical truth in our colleges. We are fighting for Biblical truth in the courts of our land.
There are many areas that have turned into giants in our sight because it seems impossible to defeat them.
However, the LORD is still on the throne and HE can defeat any enemy that we might face if we trust in HIM. HE is more powerful than any government. HE is more powerful than any army.
We need to turn our giants over to HIM and watch HIM give us the strength to defeat them in our world. We are more than conquerors in HIS strength.
CHALLENGE: We need to be like Caleb and face our giants with the help of the LORD.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. (802 “wife” [ishshah] means women, married, female, or a man’s partner in marriage)
DEVOTION: Caleb was moving toward the mountain he spied out forty five years earlier. He was given the area by Joshua for the tribe of Judah to settle.
He here offers his daughter in marriage to the man who conquers the city of Debir which was renamed Kir-jath-se-pher. Caleb was willing to arrange a marriage between a man who was a conqueror of the city and his daughter.
The man that came forward was from the tribe of Judah. He was his brother’s son who was able to conquer the city. Othniel was also one of the judges of Israel after the time of Joshua.
Today we find in many cultures that marriages are arranged. There were some from India in my last church who were married under this system. It would seem to be foreign to our system here in America because we are so independent. This is not true in other cultures.
One man was married to one woman for life. Fathers gave their daughters to those they thought were capable of staying in a marriage relationship. This needs to be true today as well.
Marriage is to be for a lifetime. Divorce is too easy. The only one who wins in a divorce here is the lawyer. The ones who lose the most are the children.
God’s design was for one man to be married to one woman for life. This design was broken during the time of Adam and Eve. It has continued to be broken today.
The goal of all those who are planning to be married is that they should want to stay with the individual for life. Not try to work out an arrangement for a trial time and then if one is not satisfied it can be ended.
We need to look at marriage from the LORD’S perspective. HE only created one man for one woman. HE brought them together and when Adam saw Eve he said WOW!!! That should be every husband’s reaction to his wife for a lifetime.
Sin causes both men and women to look for someone else when they are not happy with the one they picked at the beginning. God wants us to work out our differences because both partners are sinner who are saved by grace that should want to please the LORD with their marriage.
CHALLENGE: Are we honoring the LORD in our marriages today? Is the church promoting one man married to one woman today? That is God’s command.
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: 19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for you have given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the neither springs. (1293 “blessing” [barakah] means something bringing prosperity and life, invocation of good, capitulation, treaty of peace, gift, or benefit)
DEVOTION: Here is a daughter coming to her father for property. She wanted more land. She wanted the springs of water that were near her land. She was not afraid to go to her father and ask for something she felt she needed.
Too often we think that in that culture women were not important. That is not true. Women are mentioned in all kinds of ways where they are given possessions that some countries will not allow women to own.
Fathers had a soft spot for daughters most of the time. Here we have Caleb’s daughter asking her father for more than he had originally given her. He was not afraid of what people thought about his granting her request.
Our Father in heaven also gives gifts to HIS children whether they are men or women. We can go to HIM at any time and ask for what we think we need and if it is a genuine need HE will provide it in HIS timing.
HE doesn’t withhold gifts from HIS children because HE wants them to suffer. HE allows suffering in our life for our spiritual growth, so sometimes we don’t receive things we need as soon as we want them but that doesn’t mean we will not receive them.
The LORD wants us to show total dependence in HIM. HE wants us to always accept HIS timing for HIS answers to our requests for our needs.
CHALLENGE: Prayer is the key for keeping a close relationship with HIM. HE wants to hear from HIS children on a regular daily basis.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, to the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof. (2691 “villages” [chatser] means towns, enclosure, settled abode, yard without walls, hamlet, farm, or permanent settlement)
DEVOTION: The tribe of Judah was to defeat the Philistines. They were given the territory but they settled for just making them pay tribute to them instead of conquering them. This caused many problems for the children of Israel.
The territory that was given to Judah extended to the Mediterranean Sea. They were supposed to conquer all the people and drive them into the Sea. When this didn’t happen there were times when the children of Israel were not obedient to the LORD so HE allowed the Philistines to conquer them.
When God gives us areas in our lives that HE wants us to conquer because sin is involved we need to conquer them in HIS strength. There were giants still in these cities that needed to be conquered.
Caleb didn’t kill all the giants that were in the Promised Land. He left some for future generations to conquer. We need to teach the next generation how to conquer giants rather than give them place in the hearts of our children and grandchildren.
Parents and grandparents lead by example. If we don’t teach through example our children will not know how to win against the giants that come into their lives. We are to overcome with the help of the LORD.
How many giants have you conquered lately? Have you instructed your children in how to conquer them? The besetting sins of families are the giants we have to help our future generations to understand and realize that they can defeat them in the strength of the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Do our children understand the family giants that need to be defeated? Each family has their own giants. There are besetting sins in every family that the LORD can give victory over if we ask HIM.
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: 63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day. (3117 “day” [yowm] means to be hot, daily, time or period)
DEVOTION: The LORD continues to lists of things for us to read in HIS Word. Here we have lists of towns and villages that belong to the tribe of Judah. Here we have Caleb giving his daughter to his brother’s son. Then we have more lists. Why is this important to God? Why should it be important to us?
The lists show us again that God is a God of detail. HE has given land to the tribe of Judah. They had the responsibility to conquer and live in the land. They were not willing to conquer all of the land. They seemed to settle for just enough to live on and then let the rest wait.
Was that God’s plan? HE did tell them that they would conquer slowly so that, the animals didn’t take over. So it might have been in HIS plan. It took until the time of David for them to control of the land the LORD had given them.
The author of the book of Joshua was making a statement. He was stating that Jerusalem was not in the hands of the children of Israel by the time this book was written. David conquered the land many years later.
God had promised the Land. God had promised to fight for the children of Israel, but we find that they settled for less than God had promised. They were promised more. They were satisfied with less than the LORD wanted them to occupy.
Sometimes we settle for less than what God has promised us. HE wants to do great things through us but we are slow learners. Some seem to mature faster than others but the majority seem to mature in the faith very slowly. HE wants us to mature.
We have to know what the LORD is telling us to do and then go out and do it. What has HE promised us? How much strength do we have to conquer today? Are we claiming the promises of God? God wants to give us a life of joy in the midst of our struggles. Do we have the joy? Victory is promised! Let us celebrate our victory in Jesus!!!
CHALLENGE: Ask the LORD if you are settling for less than HE wants in your life. Spend a time in solitude with HIM. See what HE challenges you to do with the gifts that HE has given you.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD (Jehovah) verse 13
Commandment of the LORD verse 13
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Edom verse 1
Salt sea verse 2
Egypt verse 4
Jordan river verse 5
Jebusite verse 8
Giants verse 8, 14
Edom verse 21
Jebusites verse 63
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Inheritance verse 20
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Children of Judah verse 1- 63
Reuben verse 6
Jerusalem verse 8, 63
Caleb the son of Jephunneh verse 13- 19
Joshua verse 13
Achsah – Caleb’s daughter verse 16- 19
Asked for blessings
Othniel verse 17
Jerusalem verse 63
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
Josh. 15:8. It then went up into the more elevated valley of Ben-hinnom, on the south side of the Jebusite town, i.e., Jerusalem (see at Josh. 10:1), and still farther up to the top of the mountain which rises on the west of the valley of Ben-hinnom, and at the farthest extremity of the plain of Rephaim towards the north. The valley of Ben-hinnom, or Ben-hinnom (the son or sons of Hinnom), on the south side of Mount Zion, a place which was notorious from the time of Ahaz as the seat of the worship of Moloch (2 Kings 23:10; 2 Chron. 28:3; 33:6; Jer. 7:31, etc.), is supposed there, but of whom nothing further is known (see Robinson, Pal. i. pp. 402ff.). The plain of Rephaim (LXX γῆ Ῥαφαείν, in 2 Sam. 5:18, 22; 23:13 κοιλὰς τῶν Τιτάνων), probably named after the gigantic race of Rephaim, and mentioned several times in 2 Sam. as a battle-field, is on the west of Jerusalem, and is separated from the edge of the valley of Ben-hinnom by a small ridge of rock. It runs southwards to Mar Elias, is an hour long, half an hour broad, and was very fertile (Isa. 17:5); in fact, even to the present day it is carefully cultivated (see Rob. Pal. i. p. 323; Tobler, Topogr. v. Jerus. ii. pp. 401ff.). It is bounded on the north by the mountain ridge already mentioned, which curves westwards on the left side of the road to Jaffa. This mountain ridge, or one of the peaks, is “the mountain on the west of the valley of Hinnom,” at the northern end of the plain referred to. (Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 112). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.)
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2–12. The particularity of Judah’s lot in the statement of his boundaries, renders it unnecessary to explain it by a comment. If the Reader be fond of tracing the geographical situation of Judah’s province, here is ample space left him for that purpose. I only desire him while doing this, not to overlook the several spiritual things to the contemplation of which it leads. As our Lord after the flesh sprang out of Judah, we find here that Judah’s lot hath the precedency. And when we behold the great extent of territory Judah had assigned him, it may serve to remind us of the Lord of Judah, whose dominion was to be from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. Psm. 72:8. The Reader will do well to look at the Patriarch Jacob’s blessing concerning Judah’s lot, while reading the accomplishment of it in this place. And if he reads the Father’s prophecy with the spiritual illustration of it in the Lord Jesus, he will find this scripture not to be without its sweetness. Let the Reader recollect that our Lord sprang out of Judah; was born after the flesh in those regions, and then let him consider concerning the sceptre and the law-giver, the Shiloh and the gathering of the people to him, the redness of his eyes with wine, and his teeth white with milk, and compare with it what the church saith of him whose love is better than wine, and whose eyes are as the eyes of doves washed with milk, and he will not need any comment from me if the Holy Ghost be his teacher, to discover the sweet application of the Father’s prophecy fulfilled in the person of our Lord Jesus. See Solomon’s Song 1:2, 5:12. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Deuteronomy–2 Samuel (Vol. 2, pp. 254–255). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
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Ver. 8. And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom, &c.] Which belonged to a man of that name formerly, and was near Jerusalem, placed by Jerom to the east of it; but Relandn rather thinks it is to the south. It was infamous for the sacrifices of children to Moloch in it, by burning them, or causing them to pass through fire: hence, in allusion to it, hell-fire is often in the New Testament called Geenna; this border from the salt sea, and from Jordan, is oil along said to go up, because from hence to Jerusalem was an ascent, that lying on higher ground: unto the south side of the Jebusite; of the place the Jebusite inhabited: the same is Jerusalem; which was formerly called Jebus, from the inhabitants of it; yea, Jebusi, as here, and so may intend not the inhabitants, but the place, see ch. 18:28. Judg. 19:10 and here the Jebusites lived, at least in some part of it, until the time of David, 2 Sam. 5:6, 7, 8. and the border went up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward; which is generally supposed to be the mount Moriah: which is at the end of the valley of the giants, northward; the valley of Rephaim, as it is called 2 Sam. 5:18 and here. Mount Moriah, as it was to the west of the valley of Hinnom, it was to the north of the valley of Rephaim; which valley, as Josephus says, was not far from Jerusalem, 20 furlongs from it. Some late travellerso tell us it lies in the way from Jerusalem to Beth-lehem, and is not above two hours’ ride from the former. From this account it appears, as Jarchi remarks, that Jerusalem was not within the line, and was not in the border of Judah, but of Benjamin, which tribe lay to the north of Judah: it seems indeed to have been one part of it in the tribe of Judah, and the other in the tribe of Benjamin; though the Jews frequently say it did not belong to either tribe. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 236–237). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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15:8 Jebusite (that is, Jerusalem). Not fully conquered until the time of King David (2 Sam. 5:6–10; for other attempts, see Judg. 1:8, 21). (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 418). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles)
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8. and the border went up] From En-rogel the border went up into the valley of the son of Hinnom, on the south side of the Jebusite, that is Jerusalem. The direction accordingly runs S. S. W. of Jerusalem, where the valley mentioned lies. Nothing is known of this Hinnom. Possibly he was some ancient hero, who had encamped here, and from whom it was called “Ge-Ben-Hinnom,” “the Ravine of the son of Hinnom,” whence came “Ge-Hinnom,” and so “Gehenna.” It is a deep retired glen, shut in by rugged cliffs, with the bleak mountain-sides rising over all. Here (a) Solomon erected high places for Moloch (1 Kings 11:7), and (b) in the times of Ahaz and Manasseh it became notorious as the scene of the barbarous rites of that deity and of Chemosh, when the idolatrous inhabitants of Jerusalem cast their sons and daughters into the red-hot arms of a monster idol of brass placed at the opening of the ravine (2 Kings 16:3; 2 Chron. 28:3; Jer. 7:31). To put an end to these abominations the place was polluted by Josiah, who spread over it human bones and other corruptions (2 Kings 23:10, 13, 14), from which time it seems to have become the common cesspool of the city. These inhuman rites and subsequent ceremonial defilement caused the later Jews to regard it with horror and detestation, and they applied the name given to the valley to the place of torment.
the same is Jerusalem] As Bethel was in earlier times called Luz (Gen. 28:19), and Bethlehem was called Ephrath (Gen. 35:16; Mic. 5:2), so Jerusalem was called Jebus (Judg. 19:11; 1 Chron. 11:4). It is interpreted by some to mean a place “dry” or “down-trodden like a threshingfloor,” which is thought to prove it must have been the south-western hill.
went up to the top of the mountain] From the ravine of Hinnom the border now ascended to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of “the Valley of Giants northward.” The “Valley of the Giants” was “the Valley of Rephaim,” an ancient settlement of this giant tribe, from which sprang Og king of Basan, possibly after they were driven from their original seats by Chedorlaomer (Gen. 14:5). It was a “valley-plain,” extending in a S.W. direction from Jerusalem to Mar Elias, spacious enough to serve as a camp for an army. Here (a) David twice encountered the Philistines and inflicted a destruction upon them so signal that it gave the place a new name, Baal-perazim = “the plain of Bursts” or “Destructions” (2 Sam. 5:17–20). Here (b) too it was in all probability that the incident of the water of Bethlehem occurred (2 Sam. 23:13).
the mountain] here alluded to was the slight “rock-ridge” which on the north constitutes the boundary of the valley of Hinnom. (Maclear, G. F. (1897). The Book of Joshua with Notes, Maps, and Introduction (pp. 131–132). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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No GOD BUT GOD: Breaking with the Idols of Our Age
by Os Guinness & John Seel
For if the nation’s crisis is largely because of the decreasing influence of faith on American culture, the church’s crisis is largely because of the increasing influence of American culture on the Christian faith. (p. 12)
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So long as the gospel remains the gospel and the church the church, and so long as the church is in need of reformation, the world of mission, and one last person of salvation, there will always be a future for evangelicals – those who seek to define themselves and their lives by the gospel of Jesus Christ. (p. 13)
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As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn has reminded us, just as a shout in the mountains can start and avalanche, so a word or stand for truth that does God’s work in God’s way in God’s time can have an incalculable effect. (p. 15)
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GOOGLE NOTIFIES CHILDREN IF PARENTS ARE MONITORING THEIR ACCOUNTS (Friday Church News Notes, January 1, 2021, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The following is excerpted from “Google confirms,” Just the News, Dec. 21, 2020: “Google’s child-notification policies received attention when film director Robby Starbuck claimed on Twitter that his 7-year-old child had received a warning from Google that his account was being monitored. ‘Our 7-year-old son has to have google for homeschooling,’ Starbuck wrote on Twitter, ‘so naturally we setup parental controls but look what [Google] did. They sent my son an email telling him we’re supervising his account.’ ‘Your privacy is important to us,’ the company wrote to the 7-year-old boy, ‘and we want to remind you that your parent … is supervising your Google account.’ Reached for comment, the company confirmed it does notify young children when parents are monitoring their account activity. The company pointed to both the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the recently passed UK Age Appropriate Design Code as examples of child-privacy advocacy to which it adheres. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child–which dates to September 1990–holds, in part, that ‘no child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honour and reputation.’”
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The ball drops in New York’s Times Square. The crowd counts down to Big Ben chiming. Sydney Harbor erupts in fireworks. However, your city marks it, there’s something exciting about welcoming in a new year and the fresh start it brings. On New Year’s Day we push out into new waters. What friendships and opportunities might we find?
For all its excitement, though, a new year can be unsettling. None of us knows the future or what storms it may hold. Many New Year’s traditions reflect this: Fireworks were invented in China to supposedly ward off evil spirits and make a new season prosperous. And New Year’s resolutions date back to the Babylonians who made vows to appease their gods. Such acts were an attempt to make an unknown future secure.
When they weren’t making vows, the Babylonians were busy conquering people—including Israel. In time, God sent the enslaved Jews this message: “Do not fear . . . . When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:1-2). Later, Jesus said something similar when He and the disciples were caught sailing in a violent storm. “Why are you so afraid?” He told them before commanding the waters to be still (Matthew 8:23-27).
Today we push out from the shore into new, uncharted waters. Whatever we face, He’s with us—and He has the power to calm the waves.
By Sheridan Voysey (Daily Bread)
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NAMES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me. Isaiah 61:1
The best way to approach the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is to notice the names or the descriptive titles given to this blessed Person.
First of all, there are the many names that relate Him to the Father. Let me enumerate some of them: “the Spirit of God” (Genesis1:2); “the Spirit of the Lord” (Luke 4:18); “the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Another is “the Spirit of the Lord GOD,” which is in Isaiah 61:1. Our Lord speaks, in Matthew 10:20, of “the Spirit of your Father,” while Paul refers to “the Spirit of the living God” (2 Corinthians 3:3). “My Spirit,” says God in Genesis 6:3, and the psalmist asks, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit?” (Psalm 139:7). He is referred to as His Spirit—God’s Spirit—in Numbers 11:29; and Paul, in Romans 8:11, uses the phrase “the Spirit of him [God the Father] that raised up Jesus from the dead.” All these are descriptive titles referring to the Holy Spirit in terms of His relationship to the Father.
In the second group are the titles that relate the Holy Spirit to the Son. First, “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9), which is a most important phrase. The word “Spirit” here refers to the Holy Spirit. In Philippians 1:19, Paul speaks about “the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” and in Galatians 4:6 he says, “God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son.” Finally, He is referred to as “the Spirit of the Lord” (Acts 5:9).
The third group comprises the direct or personal titles, and first and foremost here, of course, is the name Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. Some people are confused by those two terms, but they mean exactly the same thing. The English language is a hybrid that has borrowed from other languages, and “Ghost” is an old Anglo-Saxon word, while “Spirit” is derived from the Latin spiritus.
A Thought to Ponder Notice the names or the descriptive titles given to the Holy Spirit.
(From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 6-7, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones).
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A Fresh Start
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Everyone deserves a fresh start. As we start the New Year with resolutions and lofty ideals, it is good to remember that we can all renew our commitment. We can all purpose to gain even loftier heights in our spiritual journey toward Christlikeness. No matter how far we have ascended, we can go farther; no matter how low we have fallen, we can begin again.
How can this be accomplished? As the context of our text teaches, we must go back to school—the school of Christ. “But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:20-21). “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
As our text verses explain, we must both “put off…the old man” and “put on the new man,” clearly speaking of our manner of life, just as if we were changing clothes. If we as believers are hanging on to a few old rags, let this New Year see us obey this passage as an act of faith through the living Spirit of God: “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14).
This act of submission and desire will result as we are “renewed in the spirit [or attitude] of [our minds]” (Ephesians 4:23). The old man will not be removed or changed into the new but will be brought under control. The new man is a new creation of God modeled after Him “in righteousness and true holiness.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10)
(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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The first chapter of Genesis reveals God as Creator of the universe.
INSIGHT
In the beginning, God! That is the way it is throughout the Bible. “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).
“Every knee [will] bow . . . every tongue [will] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10-11).
God wants to be first and foremost in your life. He is the Author of the first creation, and He is the Author of the new creation in your heart.
In the first creation, the wind and the waves obey the Lord — they have no choice. In the new creation, there is a choice: to obey or not to obey — the pleasures of sin for a moment or the favor of fellowship for a lifetime.
Have you chosen to put God first in your life? Not to decide is to decide. (QuietWalk)
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NEW
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