“Have you found honey? Eat only as much as you need, lest you be filled with it and vomit.” (Proverbs 25:16)
Our Creator was teaching nutrition before it was cool. Moderation is a lifestyle.
Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.
Live a balanced life.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 15-24; Psalm 25; Proverbs 25
This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45)
God says a lot of things in Scripture. He makes wild, radical promises at times. His promises to make a nation of millions out of a childless couple (Abraham and Sarah) and His vow to free a slave nation (Israel) from the most powerful empire in the world (Egypt) and then to drive out giants and warriors from their fortified cities by those same freed slaves – these are staggering promises.
And they came to pass. What God says happens. Pay close attention to the promises of the New Testament. They all will come to pass. Every last one of them.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 15-24; Psalm 25; Proverbs 25 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“For the Levites have no portion among you because the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance.” (Joshua 18:7)
The Levites were not given land like the other tribes. They were the tribe of the priesthood, and though given cities to live in, were wholly dependent upon the contribution of the nation to the Lord’s work to live off of.
The Levites had to learn to trust the Lord’s provision so that they would then teach the rest of the nation to trust Him, too. The Levites were to teach faith by living faith. How we live will either strengthen or undermine our words with those we wish to influence.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 15-24; Psalm 25; Proverbs 25
This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“Joshua said to them, ‘If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest and clear a place for yourself there in the land…’” (Joshua 17:15)
The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh came with a complaint that they needed more room. Joshua gave them a job instead. If you want more land, go get more land. Historically, God has never been a big fan of complaining. Grumbling isn’t productive, and God made us for dominion, not helplessness (see Genesis 1:26).
When you have a complaint in your marriage, your job, your congregation, or any other arena – find the work and do something about it. You aren’t helpless. You were made to shape the world.
Bonus verse – compare Joshua’s response to the Ephraimite complaint to what the tribe of Dan does in Joshua 19.
“The territory of the sons of Dan proceeded beyond them, for the sons of Dan went up and fought…” (Joshua 19:47)
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 15-24; Psalm 25; Proverbs 25
This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“But they did not drive out the Canaanites who live in Gezer, so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and they became forced laborers.” (Joshua 16:10)
God told Israel to drive out all the Canaanites, or they would become “thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you” (Judges 2:3). The command was simple to understand but hard to fulfill. Driving out your enemies is hard work, so Israel decided to accept “good enough” by letting them stay as forced laborers.
But moral compromise is never good enough. When we accept sin in our lives by telling ourselves that we have it under control and subdued, we lie to ourselves, and instead of driving out the danger, we lull our souls into accepting the snares. Don’t accept mediocrity. Perfection isn’t the goal, but excellence can be pursued.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 15-24; Psalm 25; Proverbs 25
This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.” (Proverbs 24:16)
Remember, God knows your limitations and weaknesses better than you do. Get up every morning and just do your best. When you fail, own it, and begin again. Life’s too short to quit on yourself. He hasn’t given up on you; you shouldn’t either.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 7-14; Psalm 24; Proverbs 24 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“Now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba; for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim.” (Joshua 14:15)
So hang with me for a second because this verse is impressive, but you have to know a little history to get there.
Kiriath-arba was named after a guy named Arba. Arba was the greatest Anakim. The Anakim were the people who were gigantic – Goliath was a descendant of the Anakim. So, the greatest man of the greatest people made a city.
And then a Jew came along and conquered the city… but not just any Jew – Caleb. Caleb, the spy who came back with a good report. Caleb the man who told the people they could conquer the land because he believed in God and simply “brought word back to him [Moses] as it was in my heart.” (Joshua 14:7).
Caleb conquered the city just because it was in the part of the country that the Anakim dwelt (see Joshua 14:12). And he did it when he was EIGHTY-FIVE years old!
So, if you are keeping score. An 85-year-old man defeated an entire city of Goliaths just because he wanted to prove what he had told everyone when he came back as a spy all those years ago. He waited forty years to give God glory through victory.
Before there was David, there was Caleb.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 7-14; Psalm 24; Proverbs 24 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“Just as the LORD had commanded Moses His servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.” (Joshua 11:15)
Five times the LORD had told Joshua to be “strong and courageous” as He prepared him for leadership. There would be hard and bloody days ahead – days which test men’s souls. Joshua would need to remember he was not alone.
And Joshua did. Joshua held the line, fought the battles, and kept the trust with His God. There is no greater eulogy to a life than verse 15: “he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded…”
But that was Joshua’s commendation, not the rest of the nation’s. The rest of the nation would fail to drive out all the pagan tribes – they would leave them as snares and traps for future generations. Joshua was a great leader, but great leadership does not mean everyone follows.
The moral of the story is that we stand alone in our legacy. You have no say in the faithfulness of others. You can’t do anyone else’s job for them, but you can make sure that your tasks are not “left undone”. Don’t wait for others to lead, and certainly don’t wait for others to follow. Go alone if that is what is needed. And so often, that is EXACTLY what is needed.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 7-14; Psalm 24; Proverbs 24 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“So the men of Israel took some of their [the Gibeonites] provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD.” (Joshua 9:14)
Just one small step was skipped in making the treaty with the Gibeonites. Joshua and the other leaders considered God’s laws against making pacts with people in the land, they investigated carefully to the best of their ability the evidence that the Gibeonites were not from the area (i.e. the worn-out sandals and the torn wineskins). Careful consideration was made to the best of their ability to do things right.
But that is the problem: the best of our ability isn’t good enough. Prepare for the journey all you want – flat tires still happen. Use all the wisdom in the world before investing your money, and the stock market may still crash. Get a second or third opinion from the best doctors in the world, and you still run the risk of the unknown quantity.
The brightest minds in the world still can’t know everything. So ask counsel of the LORD. “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess 5:17) Be faithful and inquisitive and wise in your dealings, but never forget to inquire of God for His help and protection. A prayerful novice is more blessed than a prideful expert.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1:5)
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 7-14; Psalm 24; Proverbs 24 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
“The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men.” (Joshua 7:5)
When Achan coveted the silver and gold of Jericho, he was thinking about the money and the shine of the metal, not murdering thirty-six soldiers, but that is exactly what happened. Achan’s sin led to those men dying in the next battle.
Sin always has unintended consequences. You cannot transgress God’s laws without it causing damage. Achan killed those men without even thinking about them. Temptation is always that way – it gets us to focus on ourselves instead of the cost to our relationship with God or the damage it will do to others. Beware the shiny siren’s call of sin. It promises life, but its sting is death.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Joshua 7-14; Psalm 24; Proverbs 24 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision
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