Talk to God, Not Just About Him

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. (Psalm 23:4)

The form of the 23rd psalm is instructive.

In Psalm 23:1–3 David refers to God as “he”:

The Lord is my shepherd . . .

he makes me lie down . . .

he leads me . . .

he restores my soul.

Then in verses 4 and 5 David refers to God as “you”:

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me.

You anoint my head with oil.

Then in verse 6 he switches back:

I shall dwell in the house of the Lord.

The lesson we can learn from this form is that it is good not to talk very long about God without talking to God.

Every Christian is at least an amateur theologian — that is, a person who tries to understand the character and ways of God and then put that into words. If we aren’t little theologians, then we won’t ever say anything to each other, or to God, about God, and will be of very little real help to each other’s faith.

But what I have learned from David in Psalm 23 and other psalms is that I should interweave my theology with prayer. I should frequently interrupt my talking about God by talking to God.

Not far behind the theological sentence, “God is generous,” should come the prayerful sentence, “Thank you, God, for your generosity.”

On the heels of, “God is glorious,” should come, “I adore your glory.”

This is the way it must be, if we are feeling God’s reality in our hearts as well as thinking it in our heads and describing it with our lips.

John Piper 

April 9

Mark 3:20-35

[20] Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. [21] And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit

[22] And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” [23] And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? [24] If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. [25] And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. [26] And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. [27] But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

[28] “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, [29] but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—[30] for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

[31] And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. [32] And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” [33] And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” [34] And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! [35] For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

1 Corinthians 7:1-16

Principles for Marriage

[1] Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” [2] But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. [3] The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. [4] For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. [5] Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

[6] Now as a concession, not a command, I say this. [7] I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

[8] To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. [9] But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

[10] To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband [11] (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.

[12] To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. [13] If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him. [14] For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. [15] But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. [16] For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

Psalm 79

How Long, O LORD?

A Psalm of Asaph.

    [1] O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;

        they have defiled your holy temple;

        they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 

    [2] They have given the bodies of your servants

        to the birds of the heavens for food,

        the flesh of your faithful to the beasts of the earth. 

    [3] They have poured out their blood like water

        all around Jerusalem,

        and there was no one to bury them. 

    [4] We have become a taunt to our neighbors,

        mocked and derided by those around us.

    [5] How long, O LORD? Will you be angry forever?

        Will your jealousy burn like fire? 

    [6] Pour out your anger on the nations

        that do not know you,

    and on the kingdoms

        that do not call upon your name! 

    [7] For they have devoured Jacob

        and laid waste his habitation.

    [8] Do not remember against us our former iniquities;

        let your compassion come speedily to meet us,

        for we are brought very low. 

    [9] Help us, O God of our salvation,

        for the glory of your name;

    deliver us, and atone for our sins,

        for your name’s sake! 

    [10] Why should the nations say,

        “Where is their God?”

    Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants

        be known among the nations before our eyes!

    [11] Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

        according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die! 

    [12] Return sevenfold into the lap of our neighbors

        the taunts with which they have taunted you, O Lord! 

    [13] But we your people, the sheep of your pasture,

        will give thanks to you forever;

        from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Joshua 20

The Cities of Refuge

[1] Then the LORD said to Joshua, [2] “Say to the people of Israel, ‘Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, [3] that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there. They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. [4] He shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and explain his case to the elders of that city. Then they shall take him into the city and give him a place, and he shall remain with them. [5] And if the avenger of blood pursues him, they shall not give up the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor unknowingly, and did not hate him in the past. [6] And he shall remain in that city until he has stood before the congregation for judgment, until the death of him who is high priest at the time. Then the manslayer may return to his own town and his own home, to the town from which he fled.’”

[7] So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. [8] And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland, from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. [9] These were the cities designated for all the people of Israel and for the stranger sojourning among them, that anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there, so that he might not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, till he stood before the congregation.

Joshua 21

Cities and Pasturelands Allotted to Levi

[1] Then the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and to Joshua the son of Nun and to the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel. [2] And they said to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, “The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given cities to dwell in, along with their pasturelands for our livestock.” [3] So by command of the LORD the people of Israel gave to the Levites the following cities and pasturelands out of their inheritance.

[4] The lot came out for the clans of the Kohathites. So those Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received by lot from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, thirteen cities.

[5] And the rest of the Kohathites received by lot from the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, from the tribe of Dan and the half-tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

[6] The Gershonites received by lot from the clans of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.

[7] The Merarites according to their clans received from the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

[8] These cities and their pasturelands the people of Israel gave by lot to the Levites, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

[9] Out of the tribe of the people of Judah and the tribe of the people of Simeon they gave the following cities mentioned by name, [10] which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the clans of the Kohathites who belonged to the people of Levi; since the lot fell to them first. [11] They gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasturelands around it. [12] But the fields of the city and its villages had been given to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as his possession.

[13] And to the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands, Libnah with its pasturelands, [14] Jattir with its pasturelands, Eshtemoa with its pasturelands, [15] Holon with its pasturelands, Debir with its pasturelands, [16] Ain with its pasturelands, Juttah with its pasturelands, Beth-shemesh with its pasturelands—nine cities out of these two tribes; [17] then out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with its pasturelands, Geba with its pasturelands, [18] Anathoth with its pasturelands, and Almon with its pasturelands—four cities. [19] The cities of the descendants of Aaron, the priests, were in all thirteen cities with their pasturelands.

[20] As to the rest of the Kohathites belonging to the Kohathite clans of the Levites, the cities allotted to them were out of the tribe of Ephraim. [21] To them were given Shechem, the city of refuge for the manslayer, with its pasturelands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasturelands, [22] Kibzaim with its pasturelands, Beth-horon with its pasturelands—four cities; [23] and out of the tribe of Dan, Elteke with its pasturelands, Gibbethon with its pasturelands, [24] Aijalon with its pasturelands, Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands—four cities; [25] and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Taanach with its pasturelands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasturelands—two cities. [26] The cities of the clans of the rest of the Kohathites were ten in all with their pasturelands.

[27] And to the Gershonites, one of the clans of the Levites, were given out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for the manslayer, and Beeshterah with its pasturelands—two cities; [28] and out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishion with its pasturelands, Daberath with its pasturelands, [29] Jarmuth with its pasturelands, En-gannim with its pasturelands—four cities; [30] and out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with its pasturelands, Abdon with its pasturelands, [31] Helkath with its pasturelands, and Rehob with its pasturelands—four cities; [32] and out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for the manslayer, Hammoth-dor with its pasturelands, and Kartan with its pasturelands—three cities. [33] The cities of the several clans of the Gershonites were in all thirteen cities with their pasturelands.

[34] And to the rest of the Levites, the Merarite clans, were given out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with its pasturelands, Kartah with its pasturelands, [35] Dimnah with its pasturelands, Nahalal with its pasturelands—four cities; [36] and out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with its pasturelands, Jahaz with its pasturelands, [37] Kedemoth with its pasturelands, and Mephaath with its pasturelands—four cities; [38] and out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with its pasturelands, the city of refuge for the manslayer, Mahanaim with its pasturelands, [39] Heshbon with its pasturelands, Jazer with its pasturelands—four cities in all. [40] As for the cities of the several Merarite clans, that is, the remainder of the clans of the Levites, those allotted to them were in all twelve cities.

[41] The cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the people of Israel were in all forty-eight cities with their pasturelands. [42] These cities each had its pasturelands around it. So it was with all these cities.

[43] Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. [44] And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. [45] Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

Are You Afraid to Die?

PRAY OVER THIS

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

 

PONDER THIS

A woman and her two children were in their garden enjoying a beautiful day when a big bee sat on the little boy and stung him. The little boy began to cry, and the sting began to swell. Then the bee began to buzz around the little girl, and she was terrified. By this time the little boy had quieted down, and the mother said to the little girl, “Darling, don’t be afraid. Come over here and let me show you something. Look closely at your brother’s arm. Do you see the stinger that’s there? When that bee stung little brother, he left his stinger.” Did you know that a bee does that? He can’t sting but one time. She continued, “Now sweetheart, that bee can’t hurt you because he left his stinger in little brother. He may buzz, and he may frighten you, but he can’t hurt you.”

The sting of death was taken by Jesus Christ. Death cannot hurt you. Death may frighten you, but Jesus has taken the sting out of death and the gloom out of the grave.

What feelings arise for you when thinking about the reality of death?

How does the hope of Christ lead us to grieve differently, even though we’re sad someone has died?

PRACTICE THIS

Pray and tell God any reasons you are afraid of death. Take some time to look up and reflect on Scripture passages that speak to the hope followers of Jesus have after death.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Make Satan Know His Defeat

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

The more real Satan appears in our day — the more obviously active — the more precious the victory of Christ will become to those who trust him.

The New Testament teaches that when Christ died and rose again, Satan was decisively defeated. A time of limited freedom is granted to him, but his power against God’s people is broken and his destruction is sure.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)

“[Christ] himself likewise partook of the same things [flesh and blood], that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2:14)

“[God] disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15)

In other words, the decisive blow was struck at Calvary. And one day, when Satan’s time of limited freedom is over, Revelation 20:10 says, “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire . . . and will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

What does this mean for those of us who follow Jesus Christ?

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

“Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies!” (Romans 8:33)

“[Neither] angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38–39)

“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

“They [the saints] have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” (Revelation 12:11)

Therefore, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!” He has been defeated, and we have been given victory. Our task now is to live in that victory and make Satan know his defeat.

John Piper 

April 8

Mark 3:1-19

A Man with a Withered Hand

[1] Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. [2] And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. [3] And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” [4] And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. [5] And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. [6] The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

A Great Crowd Follows Jesus

[7] Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea [8] and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. [9] And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, [10] for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. [11] And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” [12] And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

The Twelve Apostles

[13] And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. [14] And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach [15] and have authority to cast out demons. [16] He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); [17] James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); [18] Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, [19] and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Flee Sexual Immorality

[12] “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. [13] “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. [14] And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. [15] Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! [16] Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” [17] But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. [18] Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. [19] Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, [20] for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

Psalm 78:40-72

    [40] How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness

        and grieved him in the desert! 

    [41] They tested God again and again

        and provoked the Holy One of Israel. 

    [42] They did not remember his power

        or the day when he redeemed them from the foe, 

    [43] when he performed his signs in Egypt

        and his marvels in the fields of Zoan. 

    [44] He turned their rivers to blood,

        so that they could not drink of their streams. 

    [45] He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them,

        and frogs, which destroyed them. 

    [46] He gave their crops to the destroying locust

        and the fruit of their labor to the locust. 

    [47] He destroyed their vines with hail

        and their sycamores with frost. 

    [48] He gave over their cattle to the hail

        and their flocks to thunderbolts. 

    [49] He let loose on them his burning anger,

        wrath, indignation, and distress,

        a company of destroying angels. 

    [50] He made a path for his anger;

        he did not spare them from death,

        but gave their lives over to the plague. 

    [51] He struck down every firstborn in Egypt,

        the firstfruits of their strength in the tents of Ham. 

    [52] Then he led out his people like sheep

        and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. 

    [53] He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid,

        but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. 

    [54] And he brought them to his holy land,

        to the mountain which his right hand had won. 

    [55] He drove out nations before them;

        he apportioned them for a possession

        and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

    [56] Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God

        and did not keep his testimonies, 

    [57] but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;

        they twisted like a deceitful bow. 

    [58] For they provoked him to anger with their high places;

        they moved him to jealousy with their idols. 

    [59] When God heard, he was full of wrath,

        and he utterly rejected Israel. 

    [60] He forsook his dwelling at Shiloh,

        the tent where he dwelt among mankind, 

    [61] and delivered his power to captivity,

        his glory to the hand of the foe. 

    [62] He gave his people over to the sword

        and vented his wrath on his heritage. 

    [63] Fire devoured their young men,

        and their young women had no marriage song. 

    [64] Their priests fell by the sword,

        and their widows made no lamentation. 

    [65] Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,

        like a strong man shouting because of wine. 

    [66] And he put his adversaries to rout;

        he put them to everlasting shame.

    [67] He rejected the tent of Joseph;

        he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, 

    [68] but he chose the tribe of Judah,

        Mount Zion, which he loves. 

    [69] He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,

        like the earth, which he has founded forever. 

    [70] He chose David his servant

        and took him from the sheepfolds; 

    [71] from following the nursing ewes he brought him

        to shepherd Jacob his people,

        Israel his inheritance. 

    [72] With upright heart he shepherded them

        and guided them with his skillful hand.

Joshua 18

Allotment of the Remaining Land

[1] Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.

[2] There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned. [3] So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you? [4] Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me. [5] They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall continue in his territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall continue in their territory on the north. [6] And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God. [7] The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their heritage. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.”

[8] So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.” [9] So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh, [10] and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.

The Inheritance for Benjamin

[11] The lot of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to its clans came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph. [12] On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan. Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward, and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven. [13] From there the boundary passes along southward in the direction of Luz, to the shoulder of Luz (that is, Bethel), then the boundary goes down to Ataroth-addar, on the mountain that lies south of Lower Beth-horon. [14] Then the boundary goes in another direction, turning on the western side southward from the mountain that lies to the south, opposite Beth-horon, and it ends at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city belonging to the people of Judah. This forms the western side. [15] And the southern side begins at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim. And the boundary goes from there to Ephron, to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. [16] Then the boundary goes down to the border of the mountain that overlooks the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is at the north end of the Valley of Rephaim. And it then goes down the Valley of Hinnom, south of the shoulder of the Jebusites, and downward to En-rogel. [17] Then it bends in a northerly direction going on to En-shemesh, and from there goes to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. Then it goes down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, [18] and passing on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-arabah it goes down to the Arabah. [19] Then the boundary passes on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-hoglah. And the boundary ends at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border. [20] The Jordan forms its boundary on the eastern side. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin, according to their clans, boundary by boundary all around.

[21] Now the cities of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to their clans were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, [22] Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, [23] Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, [24] Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba—twelve cities with their villages: [25] Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, [26] Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, [27] Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, [28] Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.

Joshua 19

The Inheritance for Simeon

[1] The second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of the people of Simeon, according to their clans, and their inheritance was in the midst of the inheritance of the people of Judah. [2] And they had for their inheritance Beersheba, Sheba, Moladah, [3] Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, [4] Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, [5] Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, [6] Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen cities with their villages; [7] Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four cities with their villages, [8] together with all the villages around these cities as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Simeon according to their clans. [9] The inheritance of the people of Simeon formed part of the territory of the people of Judah. Because the portion of the people of Judah was too large for them, the people of Simeon obtained an inheritance in the midst of their inheritance.

The Inheritance for Zebulun

[10] The third lot came up for the people of Zebulun, according to their clans. And the territory of their inheritance reached as far as Sarid. [11] Then their boundary goes up westward and on to Mareal and touches Dabbesheth, then the brook that is east of Jokneam. [12] From Sarid it goes in the other direction eastward toward the sunrise to the boundary of Chisloth-tabor. From there it goes to Daberath, then up to Japhia. [13] From there it passes along on the east toward the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Eth-kazin, and going on to Rimmon it bends toward Neah, [14] then on the north the boundary turns about to Hannathon, and it ends at the Valley of Iphtahel; [15] and Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve cities with their villages. [16] This is the inheritance of the people of Zebulun, according to their clans—these cities with their villages.

The Inheritance for Issachar

[17] The fourth lot came out for Issachar, for the people of Issachar, according to their clans. [18] Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, [19] Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, [20] Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, [21] Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Beth-pazzez. [22] The boundary also touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and its boundary ends at the Jordan—sixteen cities with their villages. [23] This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Issachar, according to their clans—the cities with their villages.

The Inheritance for Asher

[24] The fifth lot came out for the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans. [25] Their territory included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, [26] Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west it touches Carmel and Shihor-libnath, [27] then it turns eastward, it goes to Beth-dagon, and touches Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtahel northward to Beth-emek and Neiel. Then it continues in the north to Cabul, [28] Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, as far as Sidon the Great. [29] Then the boundary turns to Ramah, reaching to the fortified city of Tyre. Then the boundary turns to Hosah, and it ends at the sea; Mahalab, Achzib, [30] Ummah, Aphek and Rehob—twenty-two cities with their villages. [31] This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Asher according to their clans—these cities with their villages.

The Inheritance for Naphtali

[32] The sixth lot came out for the people of Naphtali, for the people of Naphtali, according to their clans. [33] And their boundary ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum, and it ended at the Jordan. [34] Then the boundary turns westward to Aznoth-tabor and goes from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun at the south and Asher on the west and Judah on the east at the Jordan. [35] The fortified cities are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, [36] Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, [37] Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, [38] Yiron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh—nineteen cities with their villages. [39] This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Naphtali according to their clans—the cities with their villages.

The Inheritance for Dan

[40] The seventh lot came out for the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans. [41] And the territory of its inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, [42] Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, [43] Elon, Timnah, Ekron, [44] Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, [45] Jehud, Bene-berak, Gath-rimmon, [46] and Me-jarkon and Rakkon with the territory over against Joppa. [47] When the territory of the people of Dan was lost to them, the people of Dan went up and fought against Leshem, and after capturing it and striking it with the sword they took possession of it and settled in it, calling Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their ancestor. [48] This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Dan, according to their clans—these cities with their villages.

The Inheritance for Joshua

[49] When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the people of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of Nun. [50] By command of the LORD they gave him the city that he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he rebuilt the city and settled in it.

[51] These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the people of Israel distributed by lot at Shiloh before the LORD, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.

Jesus Won the Final Victory

PRAY OVER THIS

“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45

 

PONDER THIS

I read of four men who were climbing the Matterhorn—that majestic mountain in Switzerland—together. There were two guides and two tourists. To complete this climb, they had to be tied together. Climbing up the mountain, there was a guide, then a tourist, a guide, and then a tourist. They were going up that steep icy slope, and the last man tied to the rope put his foot down on the ice, slipped, and swung over the side. The man who fell was tied to the second man who was the guide and a skilled Alpine climber, but he was dragged over. When he went over, he pulled the next man over.

When the lead guide felt the tug on the rope, he knew what was happening, and he dug his cleats in, put his pickax into the ice, strained his muscles, and held for all he could. These other three men were dangling, but they finally got their feet back on, and all four of them went up the mountain together. Using this account as a theological picture, the first man who slipped was Adam, but the last man who held was Jesus. We’re all tied together, but thank God for that last man, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has survived for us.

When have you felt like you fell away in life? How did Jesus save and restore you?

How does knowing Jesus’ strength change the way you interact with the challenges in life?

PRACTICE THIS

Consider one area of life where you feel like you are slipping. Call out to God for His help and ask Him to remind you of the strength you can have in Jesus, even when the situation seems grim.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What It Means to Pray for Your Enemy

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

Prayer for your enemies is one of the deepest forms of love, because it means that you have to really want that something good happen to them.

You might do nice things for your enemies without any genuine desire that things go well with them. But prayer for them is in the presence of God who knows your heart, and prayer is interceding with God on their behalf.

It may be for their conversion. It may be for their repentance. It may be that they would be awakened to the enmity in their hearts. It may be that they will be stopped in their downward spiral of sin, even if it takes disease or calamity to do it. But the prayer Jesus has in mind here is always for their good.

This is what Jesus did as he hung on the cross:

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)

And it’s what Stephen did as he was being stoned:

Falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60)

Jesus is calling us not just to do good things for our enemy, like greeting them and helping supply their needs (Matthew 5:47); he is also calling us to desire their best, and to express those desires in prayers, even when the enemy is nowhere around.

Our hearts should desire their salvation and desire their presence in heaven with us and desire their eternal happiness. May God give us grace to pray like the apostle Paul for the Jewish people, many of whom made life very hard for Paul:

My heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)

John Piper