What the Giveonites Did (JOsh. 9:1-5)

10/7/2009 10:05 AM

SPIRITUAL DIARY

My Worship Time                                        Focus:  What the Gibeonites did

Bible Reading & Meditation                        Reference:  Joshua 9:1-5

            Message of the verses:  “1 ¶  Now it came about when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan, in the hill country and in the lowland and on all the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittite and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, heard of it, 2  that they gathered themselves together with one accord to fight with Joshua and with Israel.

    3 ¶  When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4  they also acted craftily and set out as envoys, and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and wineskins worn-out and torn and mended, 5  and worn-out and patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and had become crumbled.”

            In verses one through three it is told that the nations who were living in the land came together to begin to fight Israel even though they probably were not friends they decided to get together to begin fighting Israel.

            Now the inhabitants of Gibeon were a crafty lot and they may have heard from the Law of God that Israel was to conquer all of the inhabitants of the Promised Land but were able to make peace with those outside of the Promised Land and therefore they decided to get some of their people to pose as some from a far away land by putting old wine sacks on their donkeys and having crusty bread in their packs in order to fool Israel.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is easier to see Satan working when he works like a roaring lion, but when he works like an angel of light it is much more difficult to see him working.  There is a need to put on the spiritual armor each and everyday in order to be protected from the evil one.

My Steps of Faith for Today:

1. Give myself to the Lord for worship and service today.
2. Put on the Spiritual Armor to be protected from the deeds of the evil one.  Put on the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, take up the shield of faith, put on the helmet of salvation, and take up the sword of the Spirit.
3. Trust the Lord to guide my path.
4. Keep my mind on the things of the Lord today.
5. Continue to learn contentment.

Memory verse for the week:                                   Philippians 4:8

8. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, swell on these things.

10/7/2009 10:22 AM