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OceanSide church of Christ
Read devotionals for July 2015
August 1, 2015
Joshua 4:13 - About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
Thought: After the people passed over the Jordan the army of God stood ready for war. We may not be fighting a physical battle as Joshua did, but we are certainly involved in a spiritual one. Paul says we fight against rulers of the darkness. Our fight is against forces unseen. How do we defend ourselves and fight back spiritually? Our weapon is the sword of the Spirit. We must prepare ourselves with the armor of God and the sword of His Word. How can we expect to stand up to Satan when we have little to no knowledge of God’s will for our lives? Are you growing stronger every day to fight the spiritual battle or are you fighting on Satan’s side?
Ephesians 6:17
August 2, 2015
Joshua 4:24 - That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
Thought: God desired that all people of the earth know about His power and reverence Him. Interestingly, He said the chances of this occurring will grow if parents teach their children about God. That is the context of this statement. This reminds us that evangelism starts in the home. We can’t expect to just bring our children to church twice a week and for them to learn all they need to grow faithful and to teach others the gospel. We need to be studying the Bible every day in our homes. This is the real reason our nation is heading in the direction it is going. It isn’t the fault of the education system nor is it the fault of false teachers. Their teaching would have little to no effect on a child who was properly taught in their own home. Start remembering today, if you haven’t already, that the future of our children begins in the home.
Proverbs 22:6
August 3, 2015
Joshua 5:1 - And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
Thought: When the kings of Canaan heard how Israel had crossed over into their land they were filled with fear. They lost all confidence and pride in their futures as kings of the land. It is sad when people close off their hearts to the evidence and do not allow the power of God to change their hearts. Man is full of pride and will not allow themselves to recognize God is in control and not them. One day they will fear God and their heart will melt before Him. However, what a tragedy it will be if that does not happen until judgment day. But what about us? Do we fear God and His terrible wrath? Do we live our lives in a way to show our awe for His power?
Hebrews 10:31
August 4, 2015
Joshua 5:2 - At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
Thought: Israel was once a circumcised people but they had all died in the wilderness. It was now time for another circumcision to take place under Joshua’s leadership. Recall that any male not circumcised was not part of God’s people. We must be circumcised today in order to be God’s people as well. Paul describes Christ’s circumcision as a spiritual removal and not the removal of physical flesh. Christ removes the filth of our spiritual flesh, sin, through the waters of baptism. When we die with Christ He surgically removes the sin in our life and we become part of His people. Have you been spiritually circumcised?
Colossians 2:11-13
August 5, 2015
Joshua 5:7 - And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
Thought: All of the men who were twenty years old and up died during their forty years in the wilderness. This left many children without their fathers. However, God was a father to them as He cared for them and nourished them. Just as God took those children into His care so He takes us into His care as well today. When we become Christians we become His children. He adopts us into His family and cares for us as our spiritual Father. Furthermore, He gave up His “biological” Son in order for the adoption to be possible. What kind of children are we being for our loving Father?
1 John 3:1
August 6, 2015
Joshua 5:9 - And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
Thought: Apparently the children of Israel were mocked for being Egyptians as they had nothing to distinguish them from their time in Egypt. Now, with their circumcision, that reproach is gone. This means that they are the people of Israel both spiritually and physically now. What a great lesson for man today. When we are of this world there is nothing to distinguish us. But when we become Christians our sin has been removed and we are different from the world. Sadly some Christians still try to be part of the world and bring reproach on the church. We cannot be in love with this world and in love with God simultaneously. Are you distinguished from this world or are you bringing reproach on the Lord’s people?
1 Peter 2:9
August 7, 2015
Joshua 5:13 - And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
Thought: Joshua showed great courage and trust in God as he addressed this strong stranger instead of running in fear. He did not know who the man was or what would happen but he did not fear him. This kind of bravery takes great trust in God. We know we are to fear God alone and not be concerned with what man can do to us. But sometimes that can be difficult when we are alone, in the dark, or around a stranger. We must remember that nothing man can do will be worse than what God will do to the lost soul on judgment. If the worst were to happen and someone actually killed us it would simply put us in a place of comfort sooner. Trust in God and stay faithful to Him so that you need not live in fear of your life.
Matthew 10:28
August 8, 2015
Joshua 5:14 - And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
Thought: This man turned out to be someone very special. Although His identity is never directly revealed, we do see Him accept worship. Not even the angels in Heaven accept worship. Therefore, this man must have been deity. It is very probable this is the same voice that spoke as God in the burning bush. I believe this to be Jesus the Christ. While we may not run into Jesus today we certainly never know who we may run into in the world around us. The stranger in the store we bump into might just be a Christian or a heart of good soil ready to learn the Gospel. It can be easy to judge someone based upon appearance, but that is the devil’s way. Let’s be on the lookout today for any opportunity we might have to meet someone knew and encourage them spiritually.
Hebrews 13:2
August 9, 2015
Joshua 6:2 - And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
Thought: It is interesting to see God speak of Jericho’s defeat in the past tense. Israel has just arrived outside of Jericho and hasn’t even received the instructions on how to bring down the wall. Yet God tells them to see that Jericho is already theirs. We know that when God says something will be done it is as sure as though it already happened. Our God cannot lie and He cannot be wrong. Therefore, if He says something will come to pass then we can count on it without a shred of doubt. They were going to overtake Jericho and nothing could stop them.
Titus 1:2
August 10, 2015
Joshua 6:4 - And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
Thought: God always chooses specific numbers for a reason. One of the numbers He commonly uses is the number seven. It is certainly not coincidental that He desired seven priests, seven trumpets, the seventh day, and seven trips around the wall. As we study God’s Word we must always strive to notice the details and not just speed through the reading. Every word is inspired by God and is profitable after all. As you are doing your Bible reading this week pay special attention to the details. Notice how God uses numbers, colors, locations, names, and other simple details. After all, we want to know everything we can about our Lord.
2 Tim 3:16-17
August 11, 2015
Joshua 6:7 - And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
Thought: Notice that only those who were armed were to be involved with encircling Jericho’s walls. Although God was with them and the victory was certain, they still were to go to battle prepared. Sadly, many in the religious world believe God wants us to do nothing but allow Him to do everything for us. While God is certainly the one doing the work, we are not to just sit by and watch. We too must prepare for battle by equipping our armor. How can we expect to be a soldier without armor, without a weapon, and without the courage to fight? While God deserves all the glory we must do our part to serve in His army.
Eph 6:11
August 12, 2015
Joshua 6:10 - And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
Thought: God commanded that the people be silent until the entire process was completed and the walls were ready to fall. Shouting was part of celebration and was ineffective until the victory was won. Furthermore, they were to stay focused and not engage in idle talk during the mission. There are those today who want to focus on things in the world. Many celebrate every weekend in a sense as they go to local bars and live their sinful life of pleasure on earth. Even Christians lose their focus from time to time engaging in that which hurts God. We must remember that a day is coming when we will hear a shout and join in the celebration of victory. However, until that time comes we must focus on the goal of Heaven.
Heb 12:1-2
August 13, 2015
Joshua 6:18 - And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Thought: Once Israel had defeated Jericho they were not to take of its spoils as all belonged to God. God won the victory and He deserved the honor. He warned them that if they were selfish enough to take of it for themselves the consequences would affect all Israel. Sin is always a selfish decision. For one it is choosing myself over God. But it is also selfish because of how it can affect others negatively. We know that we cannot continue in sin and it never affect someone else. When we lie we risk hurting the ones we lie to. When we gossip, steal, cheat taxes, fornicate, or commit any other sin we risk harming the spiritual welfare of another. Sin just isn’t worth the risk!
Romans 14:7
August 14, 2015
Joshua 6:24 - And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.
Thought: After Jericho was conquered its remains were burned with fire. Only Rahab and her house were spared as promised. One day the Lord will return and the entire earth will melt with a powerful heat. Only those who are in the house of God will be spared from the eternal fire of Hell. Hell isn’t something we like to think about but it is certainly a motivator to keep us faithful to God. And it helps us to appreciate the love of our God when we consider what He is saving us from. Next time you are tempted to willfully sin consider the consequences should the Lord return before we repent.
2 Thess 1:7-9
August 15, 2015
Joshua 6:26 - And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
Thought: God set a curse upon Jericho through His servant Joshua. Anyone that rebuilt Jericho would lose their firstborn when they laid the foundation and would lose their youngest when he finished the job. Many years later a man by the name of Hiel ignored the warning and lost both his oldest and youngest sons. Sadly, the world is full of many selfish fathers like Hiel. We ought to be thankful to have godly fathers and strive to be selfless fathers. We may think we would never hinder our sons physical wellbeing but what about an even worse tragedy of leading them to spiritual destruction? Be thankful for godly fathers, strive to be godly fathers, and most of all thank God for becoming our Heavenly Father through Christ.
1 Kings 16:34
August 16, 2015
Joshua 7:4 - So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
Thought: Achan stole from the spoils of Jericho and separated Israel from God as He had warned. However, Israel did not know this had happened and went into battle confident they would have the victory. In fact, they were so confident they only sent three thousand men to battle. But the men fled in defeat as Ai won the battle. Notice again that one sin can affect many others. But also notice that even though Achan’s sin was private there were still consequences and others involved. Private sins can be more tempting as we assume others are not affected. Maybe they don’t realize why they are affected but it doesn’t mean the consequence isn’t there. Don’t be selfish like Achan!
Joshua 7:24-25
August 17, 2015
Joshua 7:9 - For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
Thought: Joshua did not understand why Israel lost the battle with Ai. He was concerned not only with the morale boost that would be granted to the Canaanites but also the effect it would have on God’s name. We must realize that sin does not only affect ourselves and our fellow man, but it also affects God’s name. We represent God as we wear the name Christian. What we say and do represents the God we serve. It is no wonder so many are turned off by religion as hypocrisy is rampant. Others may shame the name of God but don’t help them out by being a poor light in this dark world yourself.
John 17:21
August 18, 2015
Joshua 7:10 - And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Thought: When Israel was defeated by Ai Joshua assumed the worst. He begin questioning God and by the end of his rant he was laying on the ground ready to give up. However, God had a solution when Joshua was finally ready to hear it and move forward. Sometimes things happen that can be very discouraging, stressful, or grievous. These tough times visit all of us every now and then. The question isn’t whether or not we will face them but how we will handle them. Do I let difficult times cause me to lose motivation and to want to give up? Or do I trust in God to see me through it with the solution that best fits His will?
1 Peter 5:7
August 19, 2015
Joshua 7:12 - Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
Thought: Even after crossing the Jordan, that great picture of salvation, Israel still could turn their backs on God. Because Achan took of the spoils of Jericho all Israel was separated again from God. Yet, God gave them the same solution He gives us today. He would be with them once again if they would repent of their sin and turn back to Him. There are many today who believe that once I am a Christian there is nothing to stand in our way. But we know that Satan wants us back and will do everything in his power to ensure our fall back into sin. If you are allowing sin in your life then God has been separated from you. Repent of that sin and turn back to Him and all can be well once more.
1 John 1:7
August 20, 2015
Joshua 7:14 - In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
Thought: Achan thought his sin was private and the he could get away with it. Instead of repenting he chose to try and keep it secret from Israel and God. Achan’s time ran out and God had all the people stand before Joshua and He narrowed it down to Achan. Can you imagine the anticipation as Joshua called his tribe, then his family, and ultimately his name? The anticipation must have been brutal. But Achan kept his secret to the end. Friends we may have some private sin in our lives but it will be revealed on judgment day. Nothing that is hidden will be unknown then. If you knew your sin would be made public would you stop? If so, then let go of that sin before you suffer the same fate as Achan.
Luke 8:17
August 21, 2015
Joshua 7:20 - And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
Thought: Once Achan was finally caught, and his sin made public, he decided to confess his wrongdoing. He goes on to explain why he did it and is seemingly penitent knowing what the consequence might be. But it was too late for Achan. God had given him ample time to confess and repent but he did not. The fact is, we will all confess our sin sooner or later. We can choose to confess and repent now or confess when it is too late. If there is sin in your life why not confess it to God now? Why wait knowing the outcome is an eternity in the lake of fire? Let’s learn from Achan’s mistake and make things right today.
Romans 14:11
August 22, 2015
Joshua 7:21 - When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Thought: When Achan admitted to his sin he explained why he chose evil over good. The temptation was strongest when he saw the spoils ripe for the taking. Achan was tempted by the lust of the eyes and even the flesh in a sense. We can learn a great lesson from Achan’s explanation. When we protect what our eyes see and how close we get to sin we stand a much better chance of remaining pure. But when we willfully choose to watch things, listen to things, and go to places full of wickedness we are writing a prescription for failure. Many seem to think getting close to sin is acceptable so long as we do not participate. However, our God teaches to flee sin and remain unspotted from the world.
1 Tim 6:11
August 23, 2015
Joshua 8:1 - And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land
Thought: Israel was fresh out of their battle with Jericho and it was time to battle once more. God told them to “fear not” and to “take all the people of war” with them into this battle. It was not time to rest for anyone. As soldiers of Christ we must continue to fight every day. At times we gain small victories in this life and feel defeated at other times. But we must dust our feet off and keep on fighting. There will be an eternal rest for those who do not grow weary and those who do not give up. Remember to keep fighting with Satan today and that it will surely be worth it all.
1 Tim 6:12
August 24, 2015
Joshua 8:2 - And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
Thought: When Israel defeated Jericho the spoils belonged to God. Interestingly, this time God tells Israel the spoil of the city is theirs. While we must lay up treasures in Heaven that doesn’t mean God never gives us treasures in this world. We can easily take for granted the blessings of life we enjoy on a daily basis. For one, God does not ask for us to give all of our earnings to the church even though our ability to work at all comes from God. We only give a portion back each Lord’s Day. Furthermore, He blesses us with the homes we live in, the clothes on our backs, and the food we eat. Remember who gives you the ability to earn a living and allows you to enjoy the majority of the spoils.
Psalm 68:19
August 25, 2015
Joshua 8:12- And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
Thought: God could have destroyed the city of Ai with any breath or word that came out of His mouth. Instead, He chose to have Israel take part in this plan to ambush the people. God told them to flee at the first so the inhabitants would leave the city and chase them. Once they led them far enough the extra troops would flank the soldiers and defeat them easily. While many today believe that God discourages us to do anything the Bible teaches differently. Just as God gave the plan and the results to Joshua He gives us the plan and results today. As long as we do our part to obey God’s plans we can be certain of the results. In fact, God’s plan is for us to defeat our spiritual adversary, the devil. The only way to do that is to follow God’s instructions for victory.
Jam 4:7
August 26, 2015
Joshua 8:17 - And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
Thought: God’s plan was executed exactly as he said it would. Not a single man stayed behind to protect the city. Israel would have the opportunity to ambush one hundred percent of their enemy. How great it is to know God leaves no one out. Just as God made sure none were left behind in Ai He makes sure His own are not left behind either. On multiple occasions the New Testament writers addressed the concern that Christians would be left on Earth or forgotten on judgment. But God leaves nothing undone. If we are faithful to Him we can have no doubt that He will remember us on that day. How incredible that God thinks of each of us!
1 Thess 4:14
August 27, 2015
Joshua 8:20 - And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
Thought: How heart breaking it must have been for these men to turn and see their city in flames and their enemies surrounding them. Ai was absolutely demolished and powerless to resist. It isn’t fun to think about but Hell is a real place. If we leave this world separated from God we will look back and realized how foolish we were as well. We will see nothing but smoke as it were when the world burns up and everything we invested in over God is gone. We will spend eternity regretting it. Don’t be foolish enough to be on Satan’s team. Consider this battle at Ai and see how strong our God is over the enemy. Whose team are you on today?
1 Cor 15:57
August 28, 2015
Joshua 8:34 - And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
Thought: After the victory was won the people gave God the glory. Joshua took stones and wrote the law upon them and read it to the people. They served God in their rejoicing and looked to Him for their next step. Friends, sometimes we might have a tendency to only communicate with God when things are bad. We pray to God and listen to God, through His word, when we are struggling. But how are we towards God when life is great? Do we pray to simply express gratitude? Do we study and allow God to continue guiding our way? Don’t look to God only when things are “south”. Look to Him also when things are up. After all, things are much more likely to stay that way while we remain close to God.
Jam 4:8
August 29, 2015
Joshua 8:35 - There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
Thought: Joshua did not pick and choose what he wanted to read or what he wanted the people to hear. He read every word of the Law of Moses to the people. Unfortunately, many preachers and teachers today seem to focus on the scriptures they want to teach or what they believe people want to hear. Lessons on love are preached every Sunday, but lessons on repentance are scant at best. We must use the whole New Testament to be pleasing to God. So many questions are answered if we but take the time to read and study all of it. This is one of the reasons we have so many denominations. If we pick and choose certain verses they will get bent out of context and all kinds of teachings we ensue. Let’s strive to be like Joshua and study every word in Christ’s law for us today.
2 Tim 3:16-17
August 30, 2015
Joshua 9:2 - That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
Thought: As Israel conquered their second city word began to spread quickly to the neighboring enemies. At least six Canaanite kings decided to band together to defeat Israel before they were conquered as well. Consider who had the majority and who had the intimidating presence as six nations joined together to fight one. Yet, Joshua did not back down nor did he show fear for their chances. Many today have the mindset that the majority always rules. People tend to follow what the majority do and teach. However, the majority isn’t always the victor nor are they always right. Remember Jesus said the way to Heaven is narrow and few will find it. I want to be with the minority, spiritual Israel, not the wicked majority. How about you?
Exodus 23:2
August 31, 2015
Joshua 9:6 - And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
Thought: The enemy sent in some men who disguised themselves as being poor servants from a faraway country. They pretended to be the servants of Israel and to want to serve the one God that Israel served. This was all a trick to have Israel make a pact with them not to destroy their people. If they could get Joshua to promise not to destroy them they knew he would not go back on his word once he learned the truth. This reminds us that our enemy is a master at deceiving. He, too, disguises himself as some wonderful and desires to make a pact with us. He may use ungodly friends, an ungodly mate, the media, and many other tools to gain our partnership. We may be making a pact with the devil and not even realizing it. Don’t forget that Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
2 Cor 11:14
Read devotionals for September 2015