Faithful Service

Bible Reading:  Joshua 24

Key Verse: Verse 15 - “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Key Words: but as for me and my house, we will servethe LORD

Joshua’s final message to the people of Israel is that there is no room for compromise.  So he offers them a challenge to put God first.  Israel’s response is found in verse 16, “And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods.”

After Joshua’s final plea and the pledge of the people, Joshua died at the age of 110.  The last word spoken about Joshua speaks volumes about him.  Verse 29: “...Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died,... .”

From the 1980s to the early 1990s Word Perfect was  the most popular computer word processor with over 7 million registered users.  At that time, this was said. “In poll after poll, it is the word processor of choice among computer users.  It isn’t that Word Perfect’s product is superior to anything else on the market.  It isn’t that the price is lower.  Word Perfect is number 1 because of its superior service.  One-third of the company’s employees, 750 in total, are trained and equipped to handle customer questions and problems.  They deal with more than 16,000 toll-free calls each day at a cost of half-a-million dollars in long-distance charges per month.  Word Perfect’s operators are on call 11 hours per day and can be reached at over 25 different 1-800 numbers.  Corporate policy is not to have any customer on hold for more than 60 seconds; so far this year, the average wait time is about 41 seconds.  Word Perfect has discovered that service is the key to its success.”

Joshua had figured that out as well, don’t you think?

                                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Live your life for God and you will never have to fear what they put on your epitaph.

Joshua's Commencement Address

Bible Reading:  Joshua 23

Key Verse: Verse 3 - “And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.”

Key Words: for the LORD your God

 

The curtain is beginning to close on Joshua’s life.  He senses that death is not far away.  He is old and well-stricken in years.  Before that time should come, Joshua wants to pass the torch and share his concerns.  Joshua delivers his commencement address to the new generation of leaders.  These are men who had fought with Joshua in battles.  Joshua reminds them that the place of their faith was to be in the Lord, and he tells them why.

• Because of His power, verse 3.
• Because of His provision, verse 4.
• Because of His promise, verses 5 and 10.

During the terrible days of the Blitz, a father, holding his small son by the hand, ran from a building that had been struck by a bomb.  In the front yard was a shell hole.  Seeking shelter as quickly as possible, the father jumped into the hole and held up his arms for his son to follow.  Terrified, yet hearing his father’s voice telling him to jump, the boy replied, “I can’t see you!”

 The father, looking up against the sky tinted red by the burning buildings, called to the silhouette of his son.  “But I can see you.  Jump!”  The boy jumped because he trusted his father.  The Christian faith enables us to face life or meet death, not because we can see, but with the certainty that we are seen, not that we know all the answers, but that we are known.

                                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Remember that one day you must pass the torch. Who are you preparing to pass it to?

Assuming

Bible Reading:  Joshua 22:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 6 - “So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.”

Key Words: So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away

The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance, and it is separated from the other nine and one-half tribes.  The two and a half tribes are so thankful for their inheritance they built an altar and began to worship.  The other tribes assumed that they were worshipping a false god because their action was large, and as a result of rumors, hear-say, and assumptions, the other nine and a half tribes are preparing to go to war with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh.

Making decisions on hear-say, rumors, and assumptions is a dangerous thing.  In the end it all worked out but that is not always the case.

Speaking of assuming and such, I got a kick out of the following story.

“This story deals with a rather old-fashioned lady, who was planning a couple of weeks’ vacation in Florida.  She also was quite delicate and elegant with her language.  She wrote a letter to a particular campground and asked for reservations.  She wanted to make sure the campground was fully equipped but didn’t know quite how to ask about the ‘toilet’ facilities.  She just couldn’t bring herself to write the word ‘toilet’ in her letter.  After much deliberation, she finally came up with the old-fashioned term ‘Bathroom Commode,’ but when she wrote that down, she still thought she was being too forward.  So she started all over again; rewrote the entire letter and referred to the ‘Bathroom Commode’ simply as the ‘B.C.’  Does the campground have its own ‘B.C.?’ is what she actually wrote.  

“Well, the campground owner wasn’t old-fashioned at all, and when he got the letter, he couldn’t figure out what the lady was talking about.  That ‘B.C.’ really stumped him.

“After worrying about it for several days, he showed the letter to other campers, but they couldn’t figure out what the lady meant either.  The campground owner finally came to the conclusion that the lady must be asking about the location of the Baptist Church.  So he sat down and wrote the following reply:

‘Dear Madam:

I regret very much the delay in answering your letter, but I now take pleasure of informing you that the B.C. is located nine miles north of the camp site and is capable of seating 250 people at one time.  I admit it is quite a distance away if you are in the habit of going regularly but no doubt you will be pleased to know that a great number of people take their lunches along, and make a day of it... .  They usually arrive early and stay late.  The last time my wife and I went was six years ago, and it was so crowded we had to stand up the whole time we were there.  It may interest you to know that right now, there is a supper planned to raise money to buy more seats... .  They plan to hold the supper in the middle of the B.C. so everyone can watch and talk about this great event... .  I would like to say it pains me very much not to be able to go more regularly, but it is surely not for lack of desire on my part... .  As we grow older, it seems to be more and more of an effort, particularly in cold weather... .  If you decide to come down to the campground, perhaps I could go with you the first time you go, sit with you, and introduce you to the other folks... .  This is a very friendly community.”

Moral: Don’t assume.

 

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞Make sure you know what you are talking about before speaking.

Rest

Bible Reading: Joshua 21:34-45

Key Verse: Verse 44 - “And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.”

Key Words: And the LORD gave them rest

At last the children of Israel have possessed the land and are in the land of promise.  There they are at rest, free from war and strife.  Only in Christ are we at rest, free from war and strife.  Praise God for His wonderful rest!

According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little boys.  He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his time in such a frivolous activity.

Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and placing it on the ground.  Then he said to the critical Athenian, “Now, answer the riddle, if you can.  Tell us what the unstrung bows imply.”

The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point Aesop was trying to make.  Aesop explained, “If you keep a bow always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will be more fit for use when you want it.”

People are also like that.  That’s why we all need to take time to rest.  Jesus prescribed time off for His wearied disciples after they had returned from a prolonged period of ministry.  And in the Old Testament, God set a pattern for us when He “rested from all His work” (Genesis 2:3).

Shouldn’t we take His example seriously?  Start by setting aside a special time to relax physically and renew yourself emotionally and spiritually.  You will be at your best for the Lord if you have taken time to loosen the bow.

                                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

                                                                                                            

What to do:

✞Rest in the Lord.  Remember the old saying, “We all need to come apart and rest or else we will just come apart.”

The Levites and God's Grace

Bible Reading: Joshua 21:1-8

Key Verse: Verse 3 - “And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.”

Key Words: And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance

The tribe of Levi did not receive land allotments like the other tribes of Israel because of God’s judgment on them (see Genesis 49:5-7).  Just the fact they were given land shows the marvelous grace of God.

Reader’s Digest wrote of the late Harvey Penick: “For 90-year-old golf pro Harvey Penick, success has come late.  His first golf book, Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book, has sold more than a million copies, which his publisher believes makes it one of the biggest things in the history of sports books.  His second book, And If you Play Golf, You’re My Friend, has already sold nearly three-quarters of a million.  But anyone who imagines that Penick wrote the books to make money doesn’t know the man.  In the 1920s Penick bought a red spiral notebook and began jotting down observations about golf.  He never showed the book to anyone except his son until 1991, when he shared it with a local writer and asked if he thought it was worth publishing.  The man read it and told him yes.  He left word with Penick’s wife the next evening that Simon & Schuster had agreed to an advance of $90,000.  When the writer saw Penick later, the old man seemed troubled.  Finally, Penick came clean.  With all his medical bills, he said, there was no way he could advance Simon & Schuster that much money.  The writer had to explain that Penick would be the one to receive $90,000.  People often have Penick’s reaction to the fabulous grace God has to offer.  We ask, ‘What must I do?’  God answers, ‘Just receive.’”

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞Be thankful and gratefully receive the grace of God.

Cities of Refuge

Bible Reading:  Joshua 20

Key Verse: Verse 2 - “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:”

Key Words: cities of refuge

Below is what J. Vernon McGee says in part about the cities of refuge.

“The cities of refuge set before us a vivid scene which has a remarkable lesson for us.  God gave to the children of Israel commandment regarding setting aside certain cities for refuge.  It is interesting that many tribes and many primitive people have had this same thing.  Evidently this is something that was passed on to all mankind.  The cities of refuge were for the protection of one who had killed another accidentally.

“In the Hawaiian Islands, on the Kona coast of the Big Island, there is a place known as the City of Refuge.  It was in use back in the days before Christianity came to the Islands, when the tribes were slaying each other and even offering human sacrifices.  It is there as a tourist attraction today.

“God’s commandment for the establishment of cities of refuge was first given in Exodus 21:13: ‘And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.’  Then explicit directions for the cities of refuge are given in Numbers 35 – the entire chapter.  ‘Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares’ (Numbers 35:11).

“Now that the children of Israel are in the Promised Land and each tribe has been allotted its portion of land, the Lord speaks to Joshua about assigning certain cities to be cities of refuge.”

There are also a number of spiritual truths about the cities of refuge, some of which are...

• The cities provided salvation and shelter for anyone.  Salvation is for anyone who believes on Jesus Christ.
• The cities were easily accessible.  Salvation is easily accessible.
• The gates to the cities were always open.  Salvation is always open to all who come to Jesus.

I trust today that Jesus is your place of refuge.

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞Run to Jesus, He’ll never fail.

Uncontrolled Anger

Bible Reading:  Joshua 19:1-9 and Genesis 49:5-7

Key Verse: Genesis 49:7 - “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.”

Key Words: Cursed be their anger

Simeon’s inheritance was closely associated with Judah’s.  Their inheritance was a fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy found in Genesis 49:5-7.  Simeon and Levi are instruments of cruelty.  Because they did not control their anger, they now reap the fruit of their actions.  They would both be divided and scattered in Israel.  Simeon’s inheritance was settled within Judah.  The Levites had no inheritance.  They were scattered throughout Israel in 48 priestly cities.  Simeon and Levi remind us of the consequences of uncontrolled anger.

A fable was told by Ralph Woener about a young lion and a mountain goat.  Quite thirsty, the animals arrived at a water hole at the same time.  They immediately began to argue about who would drink first.  The disagreement became so heated that each decided he would rather die than give up the privilege of being first to quench his thirst.  As each stubbornly confronted the other, their anger turned to rage.  Just then something distracted them, and they both looked up.  Circling overhead was a flock of vultures waiting for the loser to fall.  That was all they needed to end their quarrel.

 Your anger will not only harm others, it will also harm you!

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞Be ye angry and sin not!!

Zeal

Bible Reading:  Joshua 18:1-10

Key Verse: Verse 3 - “And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?”

Key Words: How long are ye slack

What do you do when you get behind a slow driver?  Do you pass when it’s dangerous, tailgate, lay on the horn, flash the lights, or relax and enjoy the scenery?  

There were seven tribes that were driving slowly – real slow.  They had not possessed their land.  Joshua is honking his horn and getting impatient with the slackness.

The seven tribes were slow to respond to the challenge.  They were weak in faith and spiritual zeal.  These folks wanted to take the easy road.

Sounds a lot like many Christians today, doesn’t it?  A little girl saw a church sign in a church meeting hall and was crying.  The sign read, “The zeal of the house hath consumed me.”  The girl said, “I’m crying because of the zeal.”  Someone responded, “Don’t cry, little girl.  There is no zeal here.”  What a shame!

John Milton got up at four o’clock every morning to work on Paradise Lost.  William Cullen Bryant rewrote Thanatopsis ninety-five times.  Noah Webster worked thirty-six years to produce the first edition of his dictionary.  Many business executives put in ten or twelve hours a day, six or even seven days a week – not always because they have to, but because they are enthusiastic about their work.

So we should be about our work for the Lord.

 

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞Be zealous, not a slackard, in your work for the Lord.

Selfishness

Bible Reading:  Joshua 17

Key Verse: Verse 14 - “And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?”

Key Words: And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?

The children of Joseph, Ephraim and Manasseh, feel they have been slighted of their fair share of the land inheritance.

In verse 14 they proclaim their selfishness, arrogance and pride by proclaiming their own greatness.

There is little in life that will make you more spiritually miserable than a haughty attitude of selfishness.  You may get your way, but a selfish attitude will leave you empty and unfulfilled.

An irritable old fellow boarded a train, occupied the best seat, and then tried to reserve another seat for himself by placing his luggage on it.  Just before the crowded vehicle started, a teenage boy came running up and jumped aboard.  “This car is full,” said the man irritably; “that seat next to mine is reserved for a friend of mine who has put his bag there.”  The youth paid no attention but sat down saying, “All right, I’ll stay here until he comes.”  He placed the suitcase on his knee while the elderly man glared at him in vain.  Of course, the “friend” did not appear, and soon the train began to move.  As it glided past the platform, the young fellow tossed the bag through the open window remarking, “Apparently your friend has missed the train.  We mustn’t let him lose his luggage, too!”

 Selfishness doesn’t pay, now does it?  I challenge you to be content with what God has given you.  It’s really the key to a happy, fulfilled life.

                                                                                                Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞Remember, the way to have joy is: Jesus, Others, and You.

Avoiding Compromise

Bible Reading:  Joshua 16

Key Verse: Verse 10 - “And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.”

Key Words: And they drave not out the Canaanites

Believers must realize that they cannot compromise with evil.  The tribe of Ephraim failed to understand that and suffered greatly because of it (Judges 1).

When you compromise with evil, you weaken yourself greatly.  The Boy Scouts of America understood this truth.  In 1992 the Boy Scouts were under fire in California.  The Berkeley, California, schools closed their doors to the Boy Scouts because they refused to admit homosexuals and atheists.  A judge in Santa Ana, California, ordered Cub Scout Pack 519 to re-admit atheist twins.  The two boys were ousted when they refused to say “God” during their pledge.  All across California people began to pull their financial support for the Scouts.  In San Francisco alone $849,000 was withdrawn from support of the Scouts because of their exclusion of homosexuals.

Blake Lewis, spokesperson for the Boy Scouts, said, “Mainstream families want moral values for their youth.”  He went on to explain that there is no chance that the Boy Scouts will change its policy no matter how much financial support they lose.  He closed by saying, “Our values are not for sale.”  Because they took a strong stand, people from every corner of the United States began to send in money and, as a result of their stand, the Boy Scouts were much better off financially in the end because they would not compromise.

We must, as believers, come to the place where we understand compromising doesn’t pay.  Stay the course, do right.  The psalmist David said, “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”

                                                                

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞   Do right, always, every time.

Boundaries

Bible Reading: Joshua 15:1-20

Key Verse: Verse 1 – “This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.”

Key Words: even to the border

Chapter 15 describes for us the boundaries for the Israelites.  A boundary is a confinement, a limit.  Boundaries promote order and security.  Without boundaries we couldn’t play ball, drive on the road, nor could we live in peace.  Without boundaries there would be chaos.  We as believers have boundaries.  The Ten Commandments are boundaries.  Parents need to provide boundaries for their children.  Without them children would be wild, rebellious, and out of control.

The poet Coleridge was visited by a man who had a theory about raising children.  He stated, “I believe children should be given a free rein to think and act and thus learn at an early age to make their own decisions.  This is the only way they can grow into their full potential.”  Coleridge made no comment but simply led the man to his garden.  “Come see my flower garden,” he said.  The opinionated visitor took one look at the overgrown garden and remarked, “Why, that’s nothing but a yard full of weeds.”  The wise poet declared, “It used to be filled with roses, but this year I thought I’d let the garden grow as it willed without tending to it.  This is the result.”  Children, like gardens, will not automatically flourish.  They need daily attention and care.

They need boundaries.  Amen and amen!!

                                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

 

What to do: 

✞Boundaries given with love are not something you are doing to your child, but for your child.

Caleb

Bible Reading: Joshua 14

Key Verse: Verse 8  - “Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.”

Key Words: I wholly followed the LORD my God 

Three things you see about Caleb in Joshua 14.  

First of all, he was committed to doing the will of God (verse 9).

Secondly, he was consistent (verse 10).

Thirdly, he was courageous (verse 12).

For forty-five years Caleb had been behind the scenes as an obedient, faithful servant.  We never find him grumbling, griping, or complaining.  He was loyal and consistent.  Caleb would be a perfect example of absolute surrender.  Caleb meant business for God.

Author and business leader Fred Smith writes: “One of my treasured memories comes from a doughnut shop in Grand Saline, Texas.  There was a young farm couple sitting at the table next to mine.  He was wearing overalls and she a gingham dress.  After finishing their doughnuts, he got up to pay the bill, and I noticed she didn’t get up to follow him.  But then he came back and stood in front of her.  She put her arms around his neck, and he lifted her up, revealing that she was wearing a full-body brace.  He lifted her out of her chair and backed out the front door to the pickup truck, with her hanging from his neck.  As he gently put her into the truck, everyone in the shop watched.  No one said anything until a waitress remarked, almost reverently, ‘He took his vows seriously.’”

So it was with Caleb – he took the business of God seriously – and so should we.

 

                                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞You can join the crowd and not be serious about the business of God...or you can join the few who take it seriously: that’s my recommendation.

Unfinished Business

Bible Reading: Joshua 13

Key Verse: Verse 1 - “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.”

Key Words: and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed

Joshua had lived a full life.  We know that he is over the age of 80.  The term “well stricken in years” means over 80.  Yet God wasn’t through with Joshua yet; he still had unfinished business to take care of.  Two lessons we learn from this portion of Scripture: age is never an excuse not to serve; and secondly, we are never to rest on our past achievements.  There will always be unfinished business of God’s that needs to be done.

An older man began cutting trees to construct a log house.  A neighbor who knew him and his age asked, “Isn’t this too large an undertaking for one person who is no longer young?”

“It would be,” replied the elderly man, “if I looked beyond the chopping of the trees and sawing of the logs and picturing myself laying the foundation and erecting the walls and putting on the roof.  Carrying the load all at once would exhaust me.  But it isn’t much of a job to cut down this one tree, and that’s all I have to do right now.”

The moral of the story is take one thing at a time and do it – then that which is unfinished will be finished.  So it is in all of our lives, no matter what our age.

                                                                                                            Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞ Finish the course.

The Defeated

Bible Reading: Joshua 12

Key Verse: Verse 1 - “Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:”

Key Words: Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote

Chapter 12 is a roll sheet of the defeated kings of Canaan.  They remind us that the enemies of God are numerous; that the faces of evil are many; that the enemies of God are united, desperate, but by the power of God, they are defeated.  In verse 9 – 16, sixteen kings of the South are defeated by Joshua.  In verse 17 – 24, there are fifteen kings of the North that are defeated.  Thirty-one kings in all remind us of two key things.  First, these thirty-one kings remind us that God’s people have obstacles to overcome everyday of the month.  Secondly, the thirty-one kings were defeated by God.  Daily victory comes from God.  The number thirty-one in the Bible is the numerical value term.  The number thirty-one reads in the Hebrew EL, the name of God.  Victory comes daily from a daily walk with God.  What a great lesson for each of us!

When Felix of Nola was hotly pursued by murderers, he took refuge in a cave, and instantly over the opening of the cave a spider came and wove his web.  Seeing the web over the cave’s entrance, the murderers concluded Felix could not have entered the cave, so they passed him by.  The point is “Where God is not, a wall is but a spider web; but where God is, a spider’s web is as a wall.”  Thank God for his marvelous ways which benefit us daily.

                                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞Commit each day to God and He will carry you through.

The Victory

Bible Reading:  Joshua 11:1-20

Key Verse: Verse 18 - “Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.”

Key Words: made war a long time

The victory over the enemies of Israel did not come quickly or easily.  These foes were formidable opponents, but by God’s grace and perseverance, victory did come.

Now there is a lesson in this for us as well.  Not all victories in our lives will come easily, but by God’s grace and perseverance on your part, victory will come.

A lad saw a want ad in a small Massachusetts paper asking for a young man to assist the office manager of a brokerage house in Boston.  Applications were to be mailed to Box 1720 in Boston.  The young man wrote the best letter of application he knew how.  When no reply came, he wrote a second letter.  Still no reply.  Though discouraged, he did not quit.  He rewrote his letter, changing the wording, improving the construction.  Still he received no reply from his third letter.

The lad knew that success required persistence.  So he took a train to Boston, went directly to the post office and asked, “Who rents Box 1720?”  The clerk replied that to give out such information was against the law.

 The boy hunted for Box 1720, then waited hours until someone came.  He followed the person to one of Boston’s largest brokerage houses.  When the manager heard his story, he said, “My young friend, you are just the type we are looking for.  The job is yours.”  Thus began the career of Roger Babson, one of America’s illustrious statisticians.

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞Remember, if Columbus would have turned back, no one would have blamed him.  No one would have remembered him either!!  Keep going, victory will come.

Sun Stood Still

Bible Reading:  Joshua 10:1-14

Key Verse: Verse 13 - “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”

Key Words: And the sun stood still

This passage of Scripture is one of the most controversial passages in all of God’s Word.  It is one that scoffers and critics use to say the Bible is a hoax.  But need I remind you that God is no hoax?  If God can speak the world into existence, if God can create life, if God can save our souls, then certainly God can cause the sun to stand still.

Joshua did not know the earth is 8,000 miles in diameter, 200 million square miles of surface, and 71% of that is water, that the earth travels 18 ½ miles per second, that the sun is 93 million miles away from the earth, and at the core of the sun, it is 30 million degrees Fahrenheit.  Joshua did not know that the earth weighs 6.6 sextillion tons.  Joshua knew none of this.  All Joshua knew was that with God, nothing is impossible.

Harry Rimmer in his book Harmony of Science and Scripture records the story of a professor of astronomy at Yale University who found the earth was 24 hours out of schedule.  Dr. Trotter, another professor at Yale, challenged him to read the Bible to find the answer.  This professor said 23 hours and 20 minutes was lost at this event in Joshua.  The professor decided the Bible was not true because there was a 40-minute mistake.  

But we read in Isaiah 38:8 that God would turn the sun back 10 degrees to affirm to Hezekiah that He would give him 15 years of additional life.  Ten degrees is 40 minutes on the sun dial.  To God be the glory!!

         

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse 

What to do: 

✞If God can stop time, He can stop the problems you face as well. 

They Failed to Pray

Bible Reading:  Joshua 9:1-15

Key Verse: Verse 14 - “And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.”

Key Words:  and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD

He who does not learn from his past is bound to repeat it.  Israel failed to seek God when they attacked Ai.  Now here in chapter 9, they again fail to seek God when they make peace and a league with the Gibeonites.

Because they did not pray and seek God, they lacked discernment and were easily misled (verses 12 – 15).

We would all do well to heed the prayer checklist of missionary, Ruth Paxton.

1. Has my prayer life been powerless because of besetting sin? _____
2. Has it been hindered by irregularity? _____
3. Have I had such power with God that I have real power with people? _____
4. Have I prayed only for self and my needs? _____
5. Has my prayer life been hindered because of a lack of hearing God’s Word? _____
6. Has my prayer life been joyless, more of a duty than a privilege? _____
7. Has my prayer life been sacrificial?  Has it cost me nothing in time and energy? _____

We will always fail unless we learn that we should:  “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”  Proverbs 3:5-6.

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do: 

✞Always remember, a lot of kneeling keeps you in good standing.

Cockiness

Bible Reading:  Joshua 8:10-29

Key Verse: Verse 14 - “And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers In ambush against him behind the city.”

Key Words:  the king of Ai...hasted and rose up early

It was pride and over-cockiness of Israel that led to their defeat against Ai.  Now the pride and arrogance of Ai will lead to their demise.  Remember, “Pride goeth before the fall.”  Past victories are no guarantee of future victories.

An overconfident girl may think she can handle the “petting” only to find out later the power of worldly lust.  An overconfident pastor may feel as though he can handle his desires and passions as well, only to find himself a shame to the cause of Christ, his family and himself.

The overconfidence of many teens and adults has destroyed them when they thought they could handle the drugs, sex, or liquor.  Watch out for cockiness and pride.

A man who had a high opinion of himself, stepped on a coin-operated scale that dispensed a card giving his weight and comments about his personality.  After reading the card, he handed it to his wife and said, “Here, look at this!”  She took it and read aloud, “You are dynamic, a born leader, handsome, and much admired by women for your personality.”  Giving a second look, she added, “Hmmm...I see it got your weight wrong, too.”

Beware of cockiness!

                                                                                                        Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:  

✞Remember: Philippians 1:21: “For me to live is Christ” – not “for me to live is me.”