Joshua 15:63 “Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day.”

 REGRETS

 What did God tell them to do?  Destroy the people. Don’t leave one alive?  Why?  He didn’t want them to get pulled into idolatry and heathen living.  If the inhabitants of Canaan were to be left to live among them, there would be confusion and moral failures.

But here we see that the Jebusites lived among them.  Stupid!  And what happened later?  Intermarriage, rebellion, strife.  The same is true for us.  When we allow our past “pagans” to live among us, our walk with Christ is hampered.  We can’t focus on righteous living as long as we allow our past to influence us.

TEACHING MOMENT

Does your child have that special item which it seems will never leave their side?  Do they have habits that belong to their life before Christ?  We need to show them the blessings that await to a totally surrendered life.  They need to see how those unhealthy paths lead to destruction.

What do I mean?  I am referring to anything in their lives that does not point them to Jesus.  Idolatry can be seen in a lot of seemingly innocent things.  Our children need to be reminded of that covenant they cut with God at salvation.  This covenant demands total surrender.

What are you dragging along in your walk with Christ?  Whatever it is, lay it down.  Let the love of Christ fill you to overflowing so there is no room for any “wrong” thing.

Lord, I know You are holy and demand whole-hearted devotion.  Thank You for the reminder that I, too, am holy in Your eyes.  Help me to live that way each day.

 Joshua 11:23 “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war.”

PEACE

We don’t know exactly how long it took Joshua and the army to accomplish this task.  They fought a lot of battles.  We only have a record of one defeat, at Ai.  Pretty impressive.  In fact, the loss of life by the Israelites was minimal compared to the pagan nations. God had promised through Moses that they would have a “land flowing with milk and honey” if only they would obey him.  They did, and now they had the land.

Do you believe God when He gives you a promise?  Let me challenge you to google “promises of God” and claim them.  Now, I am not talking about “name it and claim it” or “blab it and grab it” theology.  I am simply pointing you to the promises of God through the Scriptures.  Just don’t forget – you have to keep your part.  You have to obey.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Promises!  Promises!  They can either build a relationship or tear it down.  Don’t let your children make silly promises that you know they can’t keep.  It is your responsibility as a parent to teach them this. The best way to teach them this is through God’s Word.  Show them the promises God made to His people and how He kept His promise.  Rash and silly promises do nothing to build character or reputation.

You can make some promises to them also which require some input from them.  This will model God’s promises to us which require our obedience.  Of course, the biggest promise God makes is salvation that requires us to surrender our life and heart to Him.  You can’t promise that, but you make other reasonable promises.  But you must keep the promise if they fulfill their end of the deal.  Remember, you are always teaching.

What are you NOT obeying right now, in regards to the promises God has made?  God wants to bless you.  Don’t let your disobedience be the reason He doesn’t.

God of all promises, I praise You for being the faithful keeper of Your Word.  Teach me through my obedience to rest in Your promises.  Help me show others the truth of Your Word.

Joshua 2:15 “Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.” 

SAFE ZONE

A lot of people miss the point that when the walls of Jericho fell, one section didn’t.  Rahab’s home stood safe and sound.  Rock and timbers and gates were falling around her, but she was (please excuse the pun) rock solid.  The two spies had promised her safety if she tied the scarlet thread out her window.

Now, you have to remember that the spies had no idea of the plan of attack on Jericho.  They assumed it would be a normal siege.  “Mark your window, Rahab, so we won’t come into your home and kill you.”  They didn’t know her home would be the only one standing on the wall when they came into the city.

TEACHING MOMENT

This would be a great story to teach your kids using building blocks or Legos.  (You may want to hold off explaining the harlot part until later.)  Build a wall of a city, designate one section as Rahab’s and then act out the battle with all the walls falling down.  I bet when you do that it will be hard to avoid knocking down that section.

God tore down this massive wall around Jericho as He promised, but He also honored the promise of the two spies to keep Rahab safe.  The point for your children is this.  If we are obedient, even if the world seems to be falling down around us, we are safe in God’s promises.  We may get a little dusty and shake a little, but we are safe.

Is your life shaking all around you right now?  Do you feel like the walls are collapsing?  Turn to Him.  Place your life firmly in His powerful hands.  He can protect you.  He loves His children and will only allow what is going to make you more like Him to touch your life.

Lord, when everything seems to be exploding around me, remind me to stop and pray.  I don’t need to tie a scarlet thread outside my window for You to know where I am.  I place my family in Your capable, strong hands.

 Joshua 4:9 “Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan at the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant were standing, and they are there to this day.” 

EXTRA DUTY

 I’ve looked, and I can’t find anywhere that God told Joshua to do this.  He was supposed to take stones and set them up on the bank, cover them with lime and mark the commandments on them.  But nowhere does God say, “Set up a monument in the Jordan.”  So, why does Joshua do this and was it being disobedient?

Obviously, God didn’t mind since Joshua wasn’t chastised for it.  We don’t know how deep the Jordan was normally at the crossing site, but probably once the waters returned you couldn’t see those rocks.  But the people would know they were there.  They could remember the wall of water which was backed up so they could cross.  Maybe years later, when the river got low you could see them. Who knows?

TEACHING MOMENT

We need markers in our lives.  Children need to be taught to mark milestones in their walk with Christ.  When a prayer is answered, mark it down.  When a healing occurs, mark it down.  When a new direction is given, mark it down.  Why?  Because we tend to forget the details of the pivotal moments.  We need to teach our children to retail these stories to their children one day.

Every moment of our lives is watched over by God.  He will direct us, if we will let Him.  But He won’t force us.  Not forcing  us, though, does not mean He is not keenly aware of what is going on.  Children learn this by watching us in our own walk.  Make them part of your journey.

Are you going through a “redirection” right now?  Is God sending you down a new path?  How about your children?  Are they facing a big decision?  Set up your stones.  Mark the spot.  One day you will look back and say, “That’s where I crossed my Jordan.”

O God, You are the One who tells me where to cross the Jordans in my life.  Help me to trust that You know exactly the perfect spot.  Teach me to lead my children in their own crossings.

Deuteronomy 33:1 “Now this is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the sons of Israel before his death.”

ONLY THE BEST

Isn’t it sad that the only time most of us ever hear those words “bless you” is after we sneeze?  It’s such a – well – blessing to hear those words.  In my experience, it seems Christians are the least likely to “bless” someone when we should be the most diligent at it.  Blessing someone invokes God’s blessing on them, not ours.  We are praying God’s protection and presence.  What’s NOT good about that?

Here in this chapter today, the next 28 verses are Moses’ last blessing on the tribes of Israel.  He goes through each tribe and blesses them.  Some get one sentence, and others get several.  The length of the blessing isn’t the important thing.  It’s the blessing being done that is key.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Have you ever blessed your child?  You don’t have to be ordained to bless them.  You don’t have to take them to the Pastor for that.  You can do it as often as you desire.  Let me encourage you to do that.  I would often pray for my children before school, asking for protection and provision (especially on test day, lol).

Blessing your child, speaking truth to them from God’s word, is a huge encourager to your little Elrod or Gertrude.  When they hear Mom or Dad praying a blessing on them, they know that you and God are both on the same team rooting for them.  They know that you have them on your mind.  They realize how much you desire God’s direction in their lives.

If you aren’t in the habit of blessing your children, let me encourage you to do that today.  Make it a routine.  Let them hear your heart for them according to God’s will.  I promise you will be blessed too.

Father, today I ask Your blessings on my brother or sister who is reading this right now.  Give them good health.  Meet their physical, emotional and spiritual needs today.  Protect them from those who would want to harm them and give them peace.

 Psalm 65:2 “O You who hear prayer, to You all men come.”

 DOES HE HEAR US?

 In order for us to believe that God answers prayer, we must first believe He hears us.  The Psalmist says so right here.  In fact, he addresses God as “You who hear prayer” as if that was His title.  The writer does not question it.  To him, it is just a fact.

How do we come to that?  By seeing God answer prayers.  How many prayers have you seen God answer?  For me, it’s been countless.  Some big and some small. Small quickly and some I’m still waiting on.  But they have all been answered in one of three ways – yes, no or not now.

TEACHING MOMENT

Teaching our children the importance of prayer is critical to their spiritual growth.  But teaching them to recognize when God answers is even more important.  They can’t just look for the answer they want.  We don’t pray and then only accept our desire.  Nope, we have to be pray in His will.

This verse above also says, “to You all men come.”  In one way or the other, at one time or the other, they will.  Our children will all come to God at some point.  Our prayer, of course, is that they will come to Him surrendered at an early age and not face Him in judgment.  God will hear that cry of confession if it is prayed sincerely and honestly and with brokenness.  He eagerly awaits your child to become His child.

How about you?  Are you believing God for something right now?  What are you praying about?  What are you waiting to hear?  Is it His Will or yours you want to see done?

You are the answerer of prayers, O God.  I know You hear and stand ready to respond when I pray in Your Will and not my own.  Thank You, in advance, for answered prayers.

 Deuteronomy 28:15 “‘But it shall come about, if you do not obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:’”

HARSH WORDS

This is a tough chapter.  While verses 1-14 tell about God’s blessings for obedience, verses 15-68 describe the consequences for disobedience.  I don’t know about you, but I definitely prefer blessings over punishment.

I know what you are saying.  “Carl, this is Old Testament, so it doesn’t apply to me as a Christian.”  Really?  Do you think a holy God is still going to allow you to thumb your nose at Him and live a life of disobedience?  Not hardly.  Now, if you are truly a believer, you should be very careful to obey Him.  Why?  Because you love Him.  That’s simple.

TEACHING MOMENT

 I don’t need to explain to you how to apply this verse, do I?  As a parent it seems we are always dishing out either consequences or praises.  I prefer to praise children.  It is a lot more fun.  I love catching kids doing the right thing.  Let me encourage you to do the same.  Look for the good stuff rather than the bad stuff.

I had a teenage boy in a children’s home I served in once who was a very negative leader.  But he definitely had leadership skills.  After months of constantly disciplining him for his negative actions, I realized I need to find ways to use his leadership skills in positive ways.  So, I began to give him small tasks to do that would allow him to lead others.  Slowly but surely, he started leading positively.  “Blessings” rather than “curses” followed.

What are you focused on in your life?  Are you so distracted with your own pursuits that you don’t even stop and make sure that you are living obediently?  May I encourage you to stop and do that?  Examine your choices and line them up with God’s Word.  You may be surprised.

Thank You Father, for the blessings You send to me.  I know the disciplines I receive from You are to shape me into a more useable vessel.  Help me choose obedience every day.

Deuteronomy 23:23 “‘You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God, what you have promised.’”

KEEPING YOUR WORD

I bet you’ve never done that, right?  You have never said, “I swear…”  We have all said that.  But do we realize the gravity of that statement?  The Lord warns us of making such vows.  We have to be very careful of “swearing” to do something.  It can really come back to bite us if we are not careful.

Now, not all vows are bad.  Marriage vows are good.  Vows to uphold an office you are elected to are good.  The Pledge of Allegiance to our country is great.  Just make sure that your vow to uphold these is real and that you are willing to be held accountable to the vow.

TEACHING MOMENT

The next time little Johnny says, “But Dad/Mom, I swear I didn’t break that…” take the time to explain what he just said.  Pull out this verse.  Talk about what that means.  Make sure he understands that when we “swear” to something or make a vow, it means something.

One great way to do that is to model it for them.  Make a vow to them that you plan to keep and then keep it.  Show them by modeling good behavior.  When we break our promises to our children they learn that’s okay.  Promises always broken are promises that should have never been made.

Are you guilty of that?  Are you guilty of broken promises?  Who do you need to go to today and ask forgiveness for breaking a vow to them?  Maybe it’s your spouse.  Maybe it’s your child.  Whomever it is, make it right.  Your word matters.

Promise Keeper, remind me of the power of a vow.  Help me keep my word to all I have sworn to.  Help me be that person people know will keep his word.

 Deuteronomy 19:21 “‘Thus you shall not show pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.’”

 I’LL GET HIM BACK

 So, this is where that saying “an eye for an eye” comes from.  Have you ever wondered that?  I have read this before, but never really stopped to realize just how harsh this was.  God was insistent on keeping evil and disobedience out of His people.  He was not going to tolerate outright evil.

But isn’t it amazing how different grace is?  When Christ came He told us to turn the other cheek, to go the second mile.  What?  Isn’t He the same God who spoke these words in Deuteronomy?  Yep!  But He knew from the beginning that law would not save us.  We needed grace.  We needed a Savior.

TEACHING MOMENT

Children have a natural tendency to want to “get them back” if they have been hurt by someone.  Has your child ever said that?  Maybe your little Elrod or Gertrude came home from school fuming.  They started spouting off about so and so in their class who had embarrassed them.  Then they start making plans for payback.  Nip that in the bud.

Take them to this passage and then explain how Christ came to fulfill all the laws of the Old Testament.  Explain how He died for that boy or girl who just hurt their feelings.  Explain how we, as believers, are to do everything in our power (through the Holy Spirit) to win them to Christ, not pay them back.  That’s the world’s way.

I bet you have never gotten revenge on someone, have you?  Right!  We are probably all guilty of that to some degree.  We may not have taken “an eye for an eye,” but we get back at others.  Repent.  Confess that as sin.  Remember, Christ died for each and every one we encounter in our life’s journey – even the mean ones.

Giver of Grace, remind me daily of the forgiveness I have received from You.  Help me forgive others in the same way.  Help me love them as You love them.

 Deuteronomy 14:28-29 “‘28 At the end of every third year you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in that year, and shall deposit it in your town. 29 The Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance among you, and the alien, the orphan and the widow who are in your town, shall come and eat and be satisfied, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.’”

 IS CARING FOR OTHERS

 I love the fact that the Lord had a plan from the beginning for us to meet the needs of those who lead us spiritually, as well as the less fortunate (aliens, orphans and widows).  It is just sad that we don’t do a better job of it in the church or individually.

I serve on the board of a ministry called AMG International.  AMG stands for Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel.  It was founded in the 50’s by Dr. Spiros Zodhiates.  One of the most recent ministry opportunities that has been given to AMG is the refugee ministry in Greece, where thousands of refugees have come trying to get into Europe.  What an opportunity to live out these verses.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Our children, for the most part, love to give to others.  How many times has your child asked to give something to the person beside the road with the sign in their hands?  We adults are the ones who get hard-hearted and look the other way.  Kids look AT the person and want to help.

In this case, they are teaching us.  We need to listen to THEM.  They are living out these verses.  Whether it is assisting an Iraqi refugee in Greece or a homeless vet in Chattanooga, we need to do as the Lord leads and not fear.  Give of your blessings.  I promise you will be blessed so much more.

Lord, all I have is Yours.  Direct me to give in the way You want me to give.  Help me to hold all I have with an open hand.