Tag: Discipleship

Reflections on Joshua 8-12

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

The conquest continues and is a great success, except for one misstep.

  • God’s counsel – The Gibeonites pretend to come from a long distance to make a covenant with Israel. Rather than seek the Lord’s direction (9:14), Joshua and the leaders decide on their own to make a treaty with them.  Only then, do they realize they have been deceived – but it is too late.  How easily we can be deceived!  A situation may appear one way to us, but is really very different.  What decisions do you need to make?  Are you seeking the Lord’s direction?
  • No fear – As the southern kings gather to fight Israel, God tells Joshua not to be afraid (10:8). Later, as the northern kings gather, God again tells Joshua not to be afraid (11:6).  What situations cause you fear?  Will you remember that God goes with you and will help you?  Trust him, and do not be afraid.
  • Obedience – As Joshua fights the northern kings, we read that Joshua obeyed God. Indeed he left nothing undone that the Lord commanded him (11:15).  How careful are you to obey the Lord?  In what areas of your life do you need to be more careful to obey the Lord?

 

Joshua 8-17: Faithfulness

On By BrianIn OT Studies

(8-17) What promise did God make to Abraham back in Genesis 12:6-7?  How does God show his faithfulness to keep his promise in chapters 10-12?

In chapters 14-17?

How has God shown himself to be faithful to keep his promises in your life? (Consider for example: Romans 10:13, I John 1:9, Psalm 9:9-10, 23:4, 34:18, 55:22)

(8) After conquering Ai, the people gather on Mt Ebal and Mt Gerizim as Moses had commanded in Deuteronomy 27.  How does this location specifically point to God’s faithfulness (using the map, compare with Genesis 12:6-7 and 33:18-20)?

(8, 10-11) What promise does God give in each of these chapters (8:1-2, 10:8, 11:6)?  In light of that promise, what do they not need to do?

When are we tempted to be afraid?  How can God’s faithfulness to keep his promises give us courage?

(9) How did Israel prove to be unfaithful in this chapter (see especially v14)?  When are we tempted to act like this?

What did Joshua do after he discovered the deception?  Why?  What application do you see for your own life?

(13-17) In what way did Israel prove to be unfaithful in these chapters (see 13:13, 16:10, 17:12-13)?

Compare their unfaithfulness to Caleb’s faithfulness.  What did he do in his old age (15:13-17)?

What phrase is used three times to describe Caleb (14:6-15)?  What did that look like in Caleb’s life?

What would that look like in our lives today?

Reflections on Joshua 5-7

On By BrianIn OT Reflections

In our passage today, the conquest begins!

  • Trust and Obey – Before they take Jericho, God commands the men to be circumcised. They are in enemy territory, and God commands them to incapacitate the entire army.  They trust God and obey.  God commands them to march around Jericho for seven days and the walls will come down.  An unusual strategy at best, and we can only imagine the ridicule from the walls.  They trust God and obey.  What is God calling you to do?  What step of faith is he asking you to take?  What ridicule might you have to face for standing firm upon God’s Word?  In your life’s situations, will you trust God and obey?
  • On God’s Side – Before the battle of Jericho, Joshua meets the “commander of the army of the Lord.” Joshua asks whose side he is on.  The commander says, “No.”  In other words the issue is not if God is on Joshua’s side, but is Joshua on God’s side.  Will he obey?  Are you trying to get God to perform for you, to be on your side?  Or are you humbly following him, on his side?

Cultivating Your Prayer Life

On By BrianIn Habit of Prayer1 Comment

CultivatePrayerFollowing the introduction, Joel Beeke’s booklet, How Can I Cultivate Private Prayer, has two main calls: “Take Hold of Yourself” and “Take Hold of God.”  Each call has seven principles.  But before we get to them, this week I want to focus on his introduction to the first call to take hold of yourself.  He writes:

I thus plead with you to seek a more fervent and faithful prayer life, with effort, urgency, and dependence on Christ and the Holy Spirit.

I must exert effort if I am going to cultivate my prayer life.  Prayer can be hard work, and pressing forward in this holy habit will require discipline and self-control.  I will not simply drift into a greater prayer life.

I must have a sense of urgency.  There are always other things to do that seem more urgent, that will crowd out this important habit of prayer.  There is always the temptation to put this off to another time when I have more time (whenever that will be).  The only way I will grow in this habit is if I sense an urgency today to make it happen today.

I must depend on God to help me grow in prayer.  I need his grace and his Spirit if I am going to have the self-control to exert the necessary effort (Titus 2:11-12, Galatians 5:22-23).  I must pray even to grow in prayer.  But here surely is a prayer that God delights to answer!

Effort.  Urgency.  Dependence.  May these be true of me – and of you too, as we seek to grow in prayer.

Reflections on Joshua 1-4

On By BrianIn OT Reflections1 Comment

After 40 years of wandering, the time has finally come to enter the land.

  • God’s Presence – God promises to be with Joshua. God will never leave him nor forsake him.  And God goes with Joshua, miraculously leading the people through the Jordan River.  Because of God’s presence, Joshua need not be afraid.  Instead he is to be strong and courageous to lead the people in taking the land.  What difficult situations are you facing?  Remember that God is with you.  You need not fear.  Because of God’s presence, you can be strong and courageous too!
  • God’s Word – Joshua is told to meditate on God’s Word day and night that he might be careful to obey God’s Word. To meditate on God’s Word is to ponder or think about his Word.  Do you meditate on God’s Word each day?  How might you meditate on it day and night?  Are you acting on what you ponder?
  • Remember – God commands Joshua to set up a pile of stones from the Jordan River to be a reminder of God’s miraculous act of bringing the people into the land. We are such a forgetful people!  What are some ways you are reminded of God’s work in your life?  Perhaps you need to set up your own stones of remembrance.