KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Chapters: Joshua 22-24
Message: Choose Your God
Hello My Friend,
Just because a person says they are a Christian and knows who Jesus is that does not necessarily mean they belong to Jesus or that the god they follow is the Almighty and only living God Himself. There are thousands of religions claiming they know the only living God, but their actions prove otherwise. Oh, they may give off a good appearance to the naked eye, but give off subtle hints of who they really are, the majority of the time it is how they treat the Word of God. We must believe that every word is true, any alteration, any omission, any denial is not knowing the Almighty, but another god. And if we are holding onto the promises of a man made god than we will have a bitter and sad testimony when we face Jesus. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” – Revelation 22:18-19.
Now that everything was settled in Canaan it was time for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh to enjoy their land. Joshua blessed them, but reminded them to be diligent in their walk with God since they would not be on the promised land.
“And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan. But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul. So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents. Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them, And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.” – Joshua 22:4-8.
“and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” If we are going to choose Christ then we need to be committed to Him one hundred percent, not when we feel like it, not when things are going well, but all the time. I know we are not going to always be in His will, but we can be committed to Him, and that starts first by receiving Him as our Saviour, and then letting Him be Lord of our lives every single day we are here on earth. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10.
Keep in mind that it is not our works that save us, but it is our works that prove whether or not we walk with Christ. Now, Joshua was now one hundred and ten years old, he knew his time on earth was coming to an end, before he passed he gathered all the elders together for one last remembrance of the miracles, lessons, blessings, and laws given by God, he left them with a warning also.
“Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day. Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.” – Joshua 23:4-8,12-13.
“But cleave unto the LORD your God,” We must cleave to Jesus in order to be able to remain faithful to God and not fall into the temptations of false gods. The closer we get to Him the more we will become like Him and able to stay faithful, otherwise we will fall prey to the worlds gods. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” – Romans 6:4-7.
When we are faithful to the Almighty God, He is faithful to us and He will always fight for those who put their faith and trust in His Son. Before Joshua died he gathered the elders and heads of the tribes together and told them to choose which God they were going to follow, but if they chose God they had better be committed.
“Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.” – Joshua 24:14-20.
“Ye cannot serve the LORD:” If you are going to remain living in sin it is pointless to serve God because that will bring even more chastisement. God will not share us with the devil, so if any of those who know Christ are living sinful lives and then doing work for God they can be sure that there will be consequences for their actions. Of course, we are going to have bad days and our faith is not going to be as strong, but God knows our hearts, He knows who are His and whether He needs to give us a good kick in the behind to remind us who we are. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” – I Peter 4:12,13,16,17.
Jesus Christ Magnified: Today Jesus is revealed through the Peace Offering (22:27) Jesus offered Himself to us so that we can have peace with God. “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” – Colossians 1:20.
Today’s Prayer: God, It is comforting to know that even if I mess up you will not disown me, but I do not want to be a child that just gets to receive Your inheritance because I am one of Yours. I want to prove myself to You, to show You how much I do love you, and to thank You for the sacrifice You made for me. While I know it is only by Your grace that I am saved and that nothing I do earns my salvation, I am willing to be the witness that so many can find rest through their trials with Your Son. Lord, help me to be reminded that You are my rest, and peace through my trials as well, and that all things work out together for good. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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