Wednesday, March 13, 2013

AI Captured (Josh. 8:18-20)



9/25/2009 10:01 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                                 Focus:  Ai captured

Bible Reading & Meditation                                  Reference:  Joshua 8:18-20

            Message of the verses:  “18  Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand." So Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city. 19  The men in ambush rose quickly from their place, and when he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it, and they quickly set the city on fire. 20  When the men of Ai turned back and looked, behold, the smoke of the city ascended to the sky, and they had no place to flee this way or that, for the people who had been fleeing to the wilderness turned against the pursuers.”
            Joshua was obeying the Lord in everything that He had told him to do and now the Lord tells Joshua to lift up his sword in order to signal those other Jewish troops who were waiting to enter the city and to burn it.  Joshua obeyed the Lord and then those troops went into the city and quickly burned it and now the people of Ai and Bethel was trapped with no place to go or hide.  Verse twenty-six records that Joshua held up the sword until the battle was over which is similar to when Moses held up his hands while Joshua was fighting against Amalek which was recorded in Ex. 17:8-16.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  There are times when the Lord asks me to do something simple like He did Joshua in holding up his sword and maybe I would think that this was not important, but it is important and I need to do the simple things that the Lord wants me to do in order to demonstrate that I will obey all that He wants me to do.  Now the Lord speaks to His children through His Word for most part, but sometimes He uses other means like a message from a Pastor or Sunday school teacher or a message from a believing friend or even an unbelieving friend and I must be ready to hear and to obey.

My Steps of Faith for Today: 

1.    Romans 12:1-2  “1 ¶  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
 
2.    Proverbs 3:5-6  “5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”   
3.    Psalm 139:23-24  “23  Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24  And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.”
4.    Philippians 4:11  “11  Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.”
5.    Ephesians 6:14-18  “14  Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15  and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; 16  in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17  And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18  With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”
6.    Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

9/25/2009 10:36 AM

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