JOSHUA 24:1-33
A GREAT SOLDIER DIED: Joshua died at 110 years old. A Great Statesman was Buried: Joseph was buried "in Canaan". A Great Leader died: Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the High Priest of Joshua.
"Choose you this day whom you will serve....but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
ACCESS TO THE HEAVENLIES: Joshua is the OT version of Ephesians. One accesses the Land, the other accesses the heavenly realms, the invisible spirit realm. Both are accessed by obedience of faith. Prior to that we got salvation (out of Egypt) by faith. We received the Promised Holy Spirit by faith (through the Wilderness). But, we gain the Land (the Kingdom of God, the spiritual realms) by obedience (that is outward evidence of faith). The rules all changed. No one will drop our food on the lawn at night. We have to forage for ourselves now. Do our OWN Bible study. Pray ourselves. Joshua and Ephesians show us the struggles, problems, and pressures we face when we walk the walk of faith. Giants, principalities, powers, compromise, lust for other things - our flesh is infested. The Word of God and obedience to that Word determine our success or failure.
RESPONSE: The things we got by with as young Christians don't go into the Land. We can't bring our baggage with us into God's Presence. But, the beauty of it is, they drop off as we cross the Jordan (death to the SELF/Flesh). Old habits, old talk, old inconsistencies begin dropping off almost right away - if we deny our flesh and keep walking with God. Just drop your baggage and go!
LUKE 21:1-28
ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER: Speaking of Pharisees "devouring widows' houses," and "making a show" (Luke 20:47)...Jesus watched them giving into the treasury, then watched a widow put in her Social Security check. While He's looking at that, someone comments on how the Temple was adorned with "stones and gifts". Jesus told them that it's just a building - and it would all come down some day.
"WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE?" Life on the fallen planet will go on as usual, but BEFORE all hell breaks loose - you will be persecuted and dragged before leadership of various kinds. That's your opportunity to be a witness! Your family and friends will give you up to save themselves. But don't you worry - "In your patience, possess your souls". Persevere in these trials and you will be safe. Don't give up in the calamities, but bear up under them. (V.26) The shaking of the heavenlies dislodges satan and powers, causing them to fall to the earth. (Satan's desire was to ascend to heaven, not descend to earth.) The increase of demonic activity on earth is a DEFENSIVE tactic. He is being forced back!
WATCH AND PRAY: NOT watch for your escape plan to come to pass! But watch and pray because your flesh is weak. Escapism is pagan! We are staying and inheriting the earth!
RESPONSE: It never ceases to amaze me that people think the Gospel is powerless to be an influence in the world. The church does not need an escape hatch! Why would we want to prematurely leave the arena of God's power and God's working? We have work to do!
PSALM 89:38-52
CONTRAST: David's throne is forever, through his descendent Jesus Christ. He has God's promise and God's oath. Contrast this with the present condition of His people. Even though our present circumstances contradict what God has promised, God's Word is still absolutely reliable. Therefore, I must reject anything and anyone that:
(1) Weakens my confidence in God's sufficiency.
(2) Distorts my understanding of God's ways.
(3) Dulls my discernment or weighs me down.
(4) Causes me to rely on a substitute or a counterfeit.
(5) Takes me captive to the world's systems.
PROVERBS 13:20-23
A good, wise, and righteous man is again contrasted with a foolish sinner. The good, wise, and righteous man hangs out with wise people, gets rewarded with prosperity (success), which he leaves for his grandchildren, and makes use of the sinner's wealth too.
RESPONSE: Many times I look at Scripture and see what I SHOULD be, and then look at where I AM - and get disappointed in myself. Sometimes I CHOOSE to be unhappy because I want to complain, so that people know how much I am suffering. But that doesn't help anything, and in fact, it drives people away. If we want encouragement and help, we must be positive, upbeat people who look like we are going somewhere! Complaining gets you stuck in the past and the present! There is no future in it. And it "dulls my discernment and weighs me down." And it "causes me to rely on a substitute or a counterfeit." There is no living water in complaining. There is no godly understanding in it either. Complaining also "weakens my confidence in God's sufficiency." If I really believed God is sufficient, I wouldn't complain.
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