Tabernacle set up at Shiloh                                          verse 1- 2 

And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together

at Shiloh – and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there

And the land was subdued before them

            and there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes

                        which had not yet received their inheritance 

Seven tribes send out three men to survey the land  verse 3- 6

 And Joshua

said to the children of Israel

How long are you SLACK to go to possess the land

which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

Give out from among you three men from each tribe

and I will send them – and they shall rise

and go through the land

            and describe it according to the inheritance of them

and they shall come again to me

And they shall divide it into SEVEN parts

            Judah shall abide in their coast on the south

                        and house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts

on the north

You shall therefore describe the land into SEVEN parts

and bring the description hither to me

that I may cast LOTS for you here before the

LORD our God 

Other tribes already had possession of land                 verse 7 

BUT the Levites have NO PART among you

            FOR the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance

And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh

            have received their inheritance beyond Jordan

on the east – which Moses the servant of the LORD

gave them 

Lots cast for seven plots of land for the seven tribes verse 8- 10 

And the men arose – and went away 

and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land

saying

Go and walk through the land – and describe it

and come again to me – that I may here cast lots

for you before the LORD in Shiloh

And the men went and passed through the land

and described it by cities into SEVEN PARTS in a BOOK

      and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh

And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD

and there Joshua DIVIDED the land unto the children of Israel

      according to their divisions 

Lot of land given to Benjamin                                      verse 11- 20 

And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up

according to their families – and the coast of their lot came forth

between the children of Judah

                  and the children of Joseph

And their border on the NORTH side was from Jordan

and the border went up to the side of Jericho

on the NORTH side

and went up through the mountains WESTWARD

      and the goings out thereof were at the

wilderness of Beth-aven

And the border went over from thence toward Luz

to the side of Luz which is Beth-el SOUTHWARD

And the border descended to Ataroth-adar

near the hill that lies on the SOUTH side of the

nether Beth-aven

And the border was drawn thence and compassed the corner of the sea

            SOUTHWARD – from the hill that lies

before Beth-horon SOUTHWARD

            and the going out thereof were at Kirjath-baal

which is Kirjath-jearim – a city of the children of Judah

                                    this was the WEST quarter

            and the SOUTH quarter was from the end of Kirjath-jearim

                        and the border went out on the WEST

                                    and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah

            and the border came down to the end of the mountain

that lies before the valley of the son of Hinnom

                                    and which is in the valley of the giants

on the NORTH

            and descended to the valley of Hinnom

                        to the side of Jebusi on the SOUTH

                                    and descended to En-rogel

                        and was drawn from the NORTH

                        and went forth to En-shemesh

                                    and went forth toward Geliloth

                                                which is over against the going up of

                                                            Adummim

                                    and descended to the stone of Bohan

the son of Reuben

                                    and passed along toward the side over

against Arabah NORTHWARD

                                                            and went down unto Arabah

                                    and the border passed along to the side of Beth-hoglah

                                                NORTHWARD

                                    and the outgoings of the border were at the NORTH

                                                bay of the Salt sea at the SOUTH

end of Jordan – this is the SOUTH coast

                                    and Jordan was the border of it on the EAST side

This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin

            by the coasts thereof round about – according to their families 

Cities given to Benjamin by lot                                     verse 21- 28 

NOW the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their

            families were

Jericho – Beth-hoglah and the valley of Keziz – Beth-arabah 

Zemaraim – Beth-el – Avim – Parah – Ophrah – Chephar-haammonai

Ophni – Gaba – twelve cities with their villages

Gibeon – Ramah – Beeroth – Mizpeh – Chephirah – Mozah – Rekem

Irpeel – Taralah – Zelah – Eleph  

Jebusi which is JERUSALEM – Gibeath – Kirjath

fourteen cities with their villages

This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families 

COMMENTARY:              

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers 

: 1        And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them. (3533 “subdued” [kabash] means bring into subjection, bring into bondage, to bring under control, force, keep under, or conquer)

DEVOTION:  The Tabernacle was first built in the wilderness under the direction of the LORD through Moses. It was set up each time they moved to a new location. Now we find that it is set up in the Promised Land.

The place chosen was the town of Shiloh. It would stay there for over three hundred years until Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem. Wherever the Ark of the Covenant was located the people celebrated their feasts before the LORD.

Here we find them coming to the LORD for the purpose of dividing the Promised Land. There would be a sacred lot given to show which tribe was to inherit a section of the map made by the men who walked the land and divided it into seven sections for the seven last tribes.

They could only do it if the land was under their control. The people of the land had submitted to them. They were willing to have them rule over them rather than be killed.

So it was a partial victory over the land. It was something that the children of Israel settled for instead of complete victory. We can fall into the same sin if we settle for only partial obedience to the LORD’S commands for us.

When we assembled, we need to be sure that our leaders are teaching the whole counsel of God regarding any matter, so that we can live a life that is pleasing to the LORD. HE wants us to have victory in our battles with sin.

CHALLENGE: What battle are you facing? Are you settling with a partial victory? Do you seek a full victory in some area of your life? Ask the LORD for strength. 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 3        And Joshua said to the children of Israel, How long will are ye slack to go and possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers has given you? (7503 “slack” [raphah] means abate, cease, fail, faint, be feeble, idle, be slothful, or be weaken)

DEVOTION:  The Levites would not receive an inheritance as the LORD was considered their inheritance. Two and a half tribes received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan. Judah had received it’s inheritance in the northern part of the Promised land. The half tribe of Manasseh and Ephraim received their inheritance in the southern part of the Promised Land. Now there were seven tribes that had not received their inheritance as yet.

The children of Israel had been fighting for five years since they entered the land. They seemed to be tired of war. The other seven tribes seemed to be satisfied with wandering around and not claiming territory for themselves.

Joshua didn’t like this. They were in a slothful mood. They had stopped moving forward. Joshua is trying to challenge them to move forward.

He moved the tabernacle of the congregation to Shiloh. This was the center of the land. The tabernacle stayed in Shiloh until the time of David. David set it up in Jerusalem.

Joshua sent out three men from each of the seven tribes to survey the land that remained. When they returned from recording the land to be divided up, he began to divide it up by sacred lot. He wanted the land to be possessed by the children of Israel. The first lot fell upon Benjamin the only other full brother of Joseph.

We need to survey our territory and begin conquering it for the LORD. Our country is still open to the Gospel. Each door represents a family that needs the LORD. Has the LORD ended HIS promise to be with us and to give us victory?

We are commanded to OCCUPY until the LORD returns. Are we occupying a pew or the land? Do we have a large vision or a small vision for our church? Let us get out and knock on doors for the LORD. Let us send out mailings to those in our community. Let us advertize in the local paper. Let us tell everyone in our world about the LORD. Let us be good representatives for the LORD.

The battle is real. The enemy is real. The war is WON because of what Christ did on the cross. PTL

Each Biblical church has an area around their church that they should reach for the LORD. We don’t have to try to reach other Christians that are going to Biblical churches. There are plenty of people who are going nowhere to church.

CHALLENGE: Our families need to know the LORD. Our neighbors need to know the LORD. Our friends need to know the LORD. Ask the LORD to give you courage to reach them.

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: 4        Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them: and they shall come again to me. (3789 “describe” [kathab] means subscribe, recorded, engrave, to be ordered by writing, to communicate or express by writing, register, or issue a written  statement)

DEVOTION:  The LORD wants HIS people to have a plan. HE has a plan that HE established before the foundation of the world for the world. HE is working HIS plan for HIS world.

HE knew who HE was going to use when HE was going to use them for HIS glory. HE wanted them to inherit what HE had promised.

Our goal in life should always be to do things that are pleasing to the LORD. We need to bring HIM glory.

Now we need to move from the world to our own personal map for our life.

Do you have a plan for your life this year that would include your spiritual growth? Do you have a plan that would help you witness better to your family?

We need to go to the LORD and ask HIM to help us plan our life and ministry, so that, it will bring glory to HIM.

Most of the time at the beginning of a new year we should write down what we want to accomplish in the coming year. There should be some lifetime goals and yearly goals that can be examined at the end of each year to see if we are accomplishing what we set out to do in the year.

Then we can ask ourselves the question: “Are their areas in your life that needs improvement? “
Once we ask the question we can start writing down what needs to be done to reach our life goals.

It is always good to ask others to help us with our life goals. The Bible has a plan for each of our lives when we include Christ in our plan.

Israel wandered from the LORD because they didn’t stick to the plan the LORD had for their lives. This is true in our life if we don’t spend time with the LORD planning our daily, weekly and yearly activities in a manner that is pleasing to HIM.

CHALLENGE:  Writing down a plan for our life that will help us grow in all the areas the LORD want us to plan and include HIM in each of our plans. Then we can grow in our Christian life in a way that is pleasing to HIM.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers 

: 9        And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh. (5612 “book” [cepher] means inscription, something written, letter, scroll, a written work or composition contained in a scroll, document, missive, or certificate)

DEVOTION:  One of the things that helps us know where we are headed is to have a written plan for our lives. Here we find that the children of Israel sent out men to survey the land that was left to be conquered and then write in a book then bring it back to Joshua for the division of the land amongst the tribes that were left to conquer their section of the land.

It was a task that needed to be done and if the men returned with a map that helped them know the borders of each tribes land it would help make it easier to make sure that everyone received a proper amount of land to live in, so that, there would be no fighting amongst the children of Israel.

The book had to be written while they were traveling. Today we would call this a survey of the land. Then each tribe would know where their land ended and the next tribes land began.

It seems like a simple plan but somethings it doesn’t work that way. God want us to know the section of land HE has given us to reach for HIM.

Each church should know their neighborhood and then visit their neighborhood and reach those in that neighborhood for the LORD. Too often we are not surveying the area around our church with the idea of reaching those who could come to our church and receive instructions in the Word of God.

God wants us to conquer our area for HIM. HE has placed Biblical churches in areas that need the message of salvation and it is the responsibility of each congregation to conquer the area for the LORD.

The enemy is real even today. It is not the Promised Land but it is the land the LORD has given us to reach for HIM.

CHALLENGE: Is your church reaching the area around it with the message of salvation? Are you even trying? We will all answer to the LORD for our work for HIM.

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: 10      And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions. (1486 “lots” [gowral] means allocation by lot, any kind of small object used for making decisions by a random outcome or for determining the will of God, or allotted portion)

DEVOTION:  Joshua ended the disbursement of the land in the Promised Land at this point in his life. He had a map written that divided the land for the seven tribes that were left and he cast lots before the LORD to make sure that they received the land the LORD wanted them to receive.

There was nothing left to Joshua’s personal chose. He wanted to make sure that the LORD gave them their land and that they couldn’t come back on him regarding what territory they received.

If we include the LORD in our plan for others, we will always make the right decisions. There needs to be a commitment to asking the LORD for good direction for our own personal life but also those who are around us that are depending on wisdom from us.

Too often people are not taught how to make sure they are doing what the LORD wanted them to do where the LORD wanted them to do it. Discerning the will of God for someone else has to be done with great care.

I have had people say they know the will of God for my life. They think they are doing everything right but there needs to be a personal time with the LORD to make sure HE is speaking not only to them but to me also.

CHALLENGE:  Take time to determine the will of God for your life. HE has a plan.

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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)

                Three men wrote in a book survey of land             verse 4, 6, 8, 9 

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) 

Congregation assembled

to worship at Tabernacle               verse 1

Levites                                                            verse 7

Priesthood                                                      verse 7

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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 3, 6- 8, 10

God (Elohim)                                                  verse 3, 6

LORD God of your fathers                         verse 3
LORD our God                                                verse 6

Priesthood of the LORD                              verse 7

Servant of the LORD                                    verse 7 

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) 

Giants                                                             verse 16 

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels) 

Slack                                                               verse 3 

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins) 

Inheritance                                                     verse 2- 4, 7, 20, 28

Servant                                                             verse 7 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

Congregation of the children of Israel     verse 1- 3, 10

Tabernacle at Shiloh (300 years)                verse 1, 8

Land was subdued                                          verse 1

Joshua                                                                 verse 3- 10

            Three men chosen from each tribe

            Describe the land left

            Divide land into seven parts

            Bring description to me

            Cast lots

            Seven parts in a book

            Shiloh – all met

            Land divided

House of Joseph                                             verse 5

Cast lots for land                                           verse 6, 8, 10

Moses – servant of the LORD                     verse 7

            Reuben, half tribe of Manasseh

                        Received inheritance

Children of Benjamin – lot described     verse 11- 28             

       Church (New Testament people of God)

       Last Things (Future Events)

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DONATIONS:

Remember that all donations to Small Church Ministries are greatly appreciated. The treasurer will send a receipt, at the end of the year unless otherwise requested. Please be sure to make check out to “Small Church Ministries.” The address for the treasurer is P.O. Box 604, East Amherst, New York 14051. A second way to give to the ministry is through PayPal on the website: www.smallchurchministries.org  Also if you can support this ministry through your local church please use that method.  Thank you.

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QUOTES regarding passage

The first lot was Benjamin’s. This relatively small tribe received a portion of territory lying between Ephraim and Judah (Joseph’s portion) (Josh. 18:11). It was not a large tract of land, as befitted Benjamin’s small size, but it included important places: Jericho, Ai, Bethel, Gibeon, and others. Most important, it lay close to Judah, touching Judah’s territory at Jerusalem. In later years, when the nation divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, Benjamin remained with Judah in the south and so preserved the true worship of God for a time. (Boice, J. M. (2005). Joshua (p. 96). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.)

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18:11–28. Benjamin was assigned the land that lay between Judah and Joseph, a reference to Ephraim, thus minimizing the incipient rivalry between these leading tribes. Though their area was covered by mountains and ravines, extending only 25 miles from east to west and 15 miles at its widest point from north to south, it included many cities that were important in biblical history—Jericho … Bethel … Gibeon, Ramah … Mizpah, and the Jebusite city … Jerusalem (vv. 21–28). So the site of the future temple in Jerusalem was in the tribe of Benjamin, a fulfillment of Moses’ prophecy (Deut. 33:12). (Campbell, D. K. (1985). Joshua. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 361). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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Ver. 16. And the border came down, &c.] In the description of the border of Judah, hereabout, it is said to go up, ch. 18:5. because there, as Jarchi observes, the measure was from east to west, but here from west to east: to the end of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom; this south border of Benjamin is the same with the north border of Judah; and the same places are mentioned in the description of the one as of the other, see ch. 18:8. The mountain is Mount Moriah, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north; on the north of the valley of Rephaim: and descended to the valley of Hinnom; the border from the end of Mount Moriah to that valley: to the side of Jebusi on the south; to the south side of Jerusalem, having that city on the south; and descended to En-rogel; of which see the note on ch. 15:7. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 250–251). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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12–28. I do not think it necessary to detain the Reader with many observations on these verses. The principal things to be noticed concerning Benjamin’s lot, are the spots which were made memorable in them; and the more illustrious persons, which in the after ages of the church sprang out of Benjamin. Jericho, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and Jebusi, (which is Jerusalem) and Gibeah of Benjamin, and more especially Bethel; these are names of places very familiar to the Reader of the Holy Bible, and well known from the remarkable circumstances connected with them. And when we recollect that Jeremiah, and the apostle Paul, were of this tribe, we cannot but feel interested concerning Benjamin. Jer. 1:1. Phil. 3:5. (Hawker, R. (2013). Poor Man’s Old Testament Commentary: Deuteronomy–2 Samuel (Vol. 2, p. 268). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

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Verses 11–28

We have here the lot of the tribe of Benjamin, which Providence cast next to Joseph on the one hand, because Benjamin was own and only brother to Joseph, and was little Benjamin (Ps. 68:27), that needed the protection of great Joseph, and yet had a better protector, for the Lord shall cover him all the day long, Deu. 33:12. And it was next to Judah on the other hand, that this tribe might hereafter unite with Judah in an adherence to the throne of David and the temple at Jerusalem. Here we have, 1. The exact borders and limits of this tribe, which we need not be exact in the explication of. As it had Judah on the south and Joseph on the north, so it had Jordan on the east and Dan on the west. The western border is said to compass the corner of the sea southward (v. 14), whereas no part of the lot of this tribe came near to the great sea. Bishop Patrick thinks the meaning is that it ran along in a parallel line to the great sea, though at a distance. Dr. Fuller suggests that since it is not called the great sea, but only the sea, which often signifies any lake or mere, it may be meant of the pool of Gibeon, which may be called a corner or canton of the sea; it is called the great waters of Gibeon (Jer. 41:12), and it is compassed by the western border of this tribe. 2. The particular cities in this tribe, not all, but the most considerable. Twenty-six are here named. Jericho is put first, though dismantled, and forbidden to be rebuilt as a city with gates and walls, because it might be built and inhabited as a country village, and so was not useless to this tribe. Gilgal, where Israel first encamped when Saul was made king (1 Sa. 11:15), was in this tribe. It was afterwards a very profane place. Hos. 9:15, All their wickedness is in Gilgal. Beth-el was in this tribe, a famous place. Though Benjamin adhered to the house of David, yet Beth-el, it seems, was in the possession of the house of Joseph (Jdg. 1:23–25), and there Jeroboam set up one of his calves. In this tribe was Gibeon, where the altar was in the beginning of Solomon’s time, 2 Chr. 1:3. Gibeah likewise, that infamous place where the Levite’s concubine was abused. Mizpeh, and near it Samuel’s Ebenezer, and also Anathoth, Jeremiah’s city, were in this tribe, as was the northern part of Jerusalem. Paul was the honour of this tribe (Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5); but where his land lay we know not: he sought the better country. (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 319). Peabody: Hendrickson.)

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18:11–28 The Hebrew word for lot in v 6 is translated ‘allotment’ in 15:1; 16:1; 17:1. The first lot fell to Benjamin, Rachel’s second son, after Joseph (cf. 14:1–5). Vs 11–20 list the boundaries of this area and vs 22–24 the towns included within those boundaries—twelve in the unattractive, dry eastern district (21–24) and fourteen crowded on the desirable watershed ridge north and west of Jerusalem (25–28). (Waltke, B. K. (1994). Joshua. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 255). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity 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 

The idols we are challenging in this book are largely from the dominant myths and images of modernity – Progress, Change, Technique, Relevance, Need, and so on. (p. 40)

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Life more ancient peoples, we have also revived child-sacrifice – both in the abortion industry and in child neglect – out of loyalty to these idols. (p. 41)

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The Pharisees, who would never have dreamed of turning to a god of a foreign religion, in fact transformed the god of their own tradition inot something quite foreign to what the true God had revealed of Himself. (p. 43)

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The seductiveness of a nearby idol for the Christian is that it promises to get things done, to be powerful, to make good changes – but by using means that conflict with God’s means. (p. 44)

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No idol, near or far, will ever bring us the ultimate moral challenge. Our gods may well challenge us morally, sometimes with extraordinary and severe demands for sacrifice. But they will never confront us with the truth that we fall so far short, that we have no hope apart from the grace of God in His forgiveness, we can then throw ourselves into obedience to God, motivated by gratitude and fullness of life. (p. 46)

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Genesis 6
Man rebels and faces God’s judgment.

INSIGHT

Faith is believing what God has said, not merely hoping for something. It is not like wishing upon a star when, if you believe hard enough, your wish will come true. Faith is trusting God’s Word.

God told Noah to build an ark and save himself from the coming deluge. Noah had never seen an ark, but he believed God and was obedient to what he knew (Genesis 6:22). He believed the Word of God and acted on it. That’s faith.

                                (Quiet Walk)

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As I waited in the breakfast buffet line at a Christian conference center, a group of women entered the dining hall. I smiled, saying hello to a woman who stepped into the line behind me. Returning my greeting, she said, “I know you.” We scooped scrambled eggs onto our plates and tried to figure out where we’d met. But I was pretty sure she’d mistaken me for someone else.

When we returned for lunch, the woman approached me. “Do you drive a white car?”

I shrugged. “I used to. A few years ago.”

She laughed. “We stopped at the same traffic light by the elementary school almost every morning,” she said. “You’d always be lifting your hands, singing joyfully. I thought you were worshiping God. That made me want to join in, even on tough days.”

Praising God, we prayed together, hugged, and enjoyed lunch.

My new friend affirmed that people notice how Jesus’ followers behave, even when we think no one is watching. As we embrace a lifestyle of joyful worship, we can come before our Creator anytime and anywhere. Acknowledging His enduring love and faithfulness, we can enjoy intimate communion with Him and thank Him for His ongoing care (Psalm 100). Whether we’re singing praises in our cars, praying in public, or spreading God’s love through kind acts, we can inspire others to “praise his name” (v. 4). Worshiping God is more than a Sunday morning event.  By Xochitl Dixon

                                                (Daily Bread)

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THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS A MIND

And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit.
Romans 8:27
The Holy Spirit clearly has a mind. In Romans 8:27 we read, “the mind of the Spirit”—this is in connection with prayer. He is also the one who loves, because we read that “the fruit of the Spirit is love” (Galatians 5:22); and it is His function to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5). And, likewise, we know He is capable of grief, because in Ephesians 4:30 we are warned not to “grieve” the Holy Spirit.
The ultimate doctrine about the Spirit, from the practical, experiential standpoint, is that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, so that whatever I do, wherever I go, the Holy Spirit is with me. I know nothing that so promotes sanctification and holiness as the realization of that. If only we realized, always, that in anything we do with our bodies, the Holy Spirit is involved! Remember also that Paul teaches that in the context of a warning against fornication. He writes, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you…?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). That is why fornication should be unthinkable in a Christian. God is in us, in the Holy Spirit: not an influence, not a power, but a person whom we can grieve.
I am going through these details not out of an academic interest, nor because I happen to have a theological type of mind. No, I am concerned about these things, as I am a man trying myself to live the Christian life, and as I am called of God to be a pastor of souls, and I feel the responsibility for the souls and conduct and behavior of others. Wherever you are, wherever you go, if you are a Christian the Holy Spirit is in you; and if you really want to enjoy the blessings of salvation, you do so by knowing that your body is His temple.
A Thought to Ponder: If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in you.
        (From God the Holy Spirit, pp. 11-12, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (John 15:13-14)
Hymns sometimes lift our souls to heights undreamed of. Let us use the familiar hymn “Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners” these next few days to take us into scriptural truth. The refrain that accompanies each verse follows.

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Hallelujah is sometimes translated “praise ye the Lord.” Praising God is a precious privilege to Christians. The Psalms often give praise to our great Lord and King, and this will continue throughout eternity. “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God” (Revelation 19:1).
He is saving us from sin and its penalty. “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (Hebrews 7:25), helping us in our journey through life. “Therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice” (Psalm 63:7). Through any peril, He is keeping us “by the power of God through faith unto salvation” (1 Peter 1:5) while loving us through it. In fact, “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
We can be confident that He will keep us for all time. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:24-25).

                    (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research) 

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