Joshua 7:1-25 CEV
The LORD had said that everything in Jericho belonged to him. But Achan from the Judah tribe took some of the things from Jericho for himself. And so the LORD was angry with the Israelites, because one of them had disobeyed him. While Israel was still camped near Jericho, Joshua sent some spies with these instructions: “Go to the town of Ai and find out whatever you can about the region around the town.” The spies left and went to Ai, which is east of Bethel and near Beth-Aven. They went back to Joshua and reported, “You don't need to send the whole army to attack Ai—2,000 or 3,000 troops will be enough. Why bother the whole army for a town that small?” Joshua sent about 3,000 soldiers to attack Ai. But the men of Ai fought back and chased the Israelite soldiers away from the town gate and down the hill to the stone quarries. Thirty-six Israelite soldiers were killed, and the Israelite army felt discouraged. Joshua and the leaders of Israel tore their clothes and put dirt on their heads to show their sorrow. They lay facedown on the ground in front of the sacred chest until sunset. Then Joshua said: Our LORD, did you bring us across the Jordan River just so the Amorites could destroy us? This wouldn't have happened if we had agreed to stay on the other side of the Jordan. I don't even know what to say to you, since Israel's army has turned and run from the enemy. Everyone will think you weren't strong enough to protect your people. Now the Canaanites and everyone else who lives in the land will surround us and wipe us out. The LORD answered: Stop lying there on the ground! Get up! I said everything in Jericho belonged to me and had to be destroyed. But the Israelites have kept some of the things for themselves. They stole from me and hid what they took. Then they lied about it. What they stole was supposed to be destroyed, and now Israel itself must be destroyed. I cannot help you anymore until you do exactly what I have said. That's why Israel turns and runs from its enemies instead of standing up to them. Tell the people of Israel, “Tomorrow you will meet with the LORD your God, so make yourselves acceptable to worship him. The LORD says that you have taken things that should have been destroyed. You won't be able to stand up to your enemies until you get rid of those things. “Tomorrow morning everyone must gather near the place of worship. You will come forward tribe by tribe, and the LORD will show which tribe is guilty. Next, the clans in that tribe must come forward, and the LORD will show which clan is guilty. The families in that clan must come, and the LORD will point out the guilty family. Finally, the men in that family must come, and the LORD will show who stole what should have been destroyed. That man must be put to death, his body burned, and his possessions thrown into the fire. He has done a terrible thing by breaking the sacred agreement that the LORD made with Israel.” Joshua got up early the next morning and brought each tribe to the place of worship, where the LORD showed that the Judah tribe was guilty. Then Joshua brought the clans of Judah to the LORD, and the LORD showed that the Zerah clan was guilty. One by one he brought the leader of each family in the Zerah clan to the LORD, and the LORD showed that Zabdi's family was guilty. Finally, Joshua brought each man in Zabdi's family to the LORD, and the LORD showed that Achan was the guilty one. “Achan,” Joshua said, “the LORD God of Israel has decided that you are guilty. So tell me what you did, and don't try to hide anything.” “It's true,” Achan answered. “I sinned and disobeyed the LORD God of Israel. While we were in Jericho, I saw a beautiful Babylonian robe, 200 pieces of silver, and a gold bar that weighed the same as 50 pieces of gold. I wanted them for myself, so I took them. I dug a hole under my tent and hid the silver, the gold, and the robe.” Joshua told some people to run to Achan's tent, where they found the silver, the gold, and the robe. They brought them back and put them in front of the sacred chest, so Joshua and the rest of the Israelites could see them. Then everyone took Achan and the things he had stolen to Trouble Valley. They also took along his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys, and sheep, his tent, and everything else that belonged to him. Joshua said, “Achan, you caused us a lot of trouble. Now the LORD is paying you back with the same kind of trouble.” The people of Israel then stoned to death Achan and his family. They made a fire and burned the bodies, together with what Achan had stolen, and all his possessions. Real Dudes, Maybe it’s a guilty conscience, but the times when I know I’m involved in sin seems like my family is attacked by Satan the most. Those are times I feel like I’m the "Achan" in our home. It’s like I allowed this evil to be present and it’s infecting all parts. Even if I try to hide it, I’m beginning to see some of the damage taking place that I’ve caused because of my selfish choices. Self-reflection…am I more like Achan than I realized? What is God bringing to surface in my life that needs to be addressed immediately? Praise God for how He works in our hearts and lives today…Just keep 1 John 1:9 in mind (see below) - bring your sin before Him, He’s not going to wipe you and your family out…He’s waiting with open arms to show you that you’re forgiven if you’d just confess. Men, get right before Him early and often…do whatever you can to keep the sinful influences out of your home and family’s lives. Keep current before Him, and pray over your family as often as you can. Practicing His Presence, Nate 1 John 1:9 (ESV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Ephesians 4:27 (NIV) and do not give the devil a foothold.
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Real Dudes,
What do we learn about the woman in the following passage? Luke 7:11-16 (NLT) 11 Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. 12 A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” he said. 14 Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” 15 Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16 Great fear swept the crowd, and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited his people today.” We learn two things about her: First she’s a widow…her husband is no longer around. Secondly, her only son just died…he too is now no longer around. With all the men absent from her life - how was she now going to be able to move forward when at times widows were ignored? I’m sure many thoughts were racing through her mind. BUT with perfect timing as always - in walks Jesus, and what was His response to what He observed? In verses 13 and 14 we read that He saw her and her situation with His eyes, He had compassion on her in His heart, He consoled her with His words, and then He took action by helping do something about it. What an amazing example He displays for us. But let me ask you this…in the progression of what we just read, are there steps that you are prone to eliminate in your own life? You might say, “sure, I see the situation some face,” but then it ends there. Or “sure, I see the situation and am bothered by it,” but it soon has no effect on you. Or “sure, I see, am bothered, provide cliche words to them in hopes to console them,” but is that really enough or helpful? What is your response once you’ve checked every step off, and then come to the taking action portion of it? Do you tend to hesitate, ignore, or jump into action however the Lord leads? Pray for the Lord to give you His eyes for just one second and see where that takes you. He’ll reveal it to you if you’re genuinely looking to do something that’ll bring Him glory!!! Enjoy! Practicing His Presence, Nate A good friend of mine had a t-shirt on the other day…instead of it reading “Just do it,” it read “Just did it.” That statement is observation put into action…not should I do it, but I did it. Loved it!!! Additional Passage to Consider: James 2:14-17 (NLT) 14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Are you expressing that you love or loathe the Lord?
When reading the Christmas story I couldn’t help but recognize the attention to detail when the love that Mary had for her newborn was described for us.
Nate Real Dudes,
The Holiday season can be a time of rejoicing as family members are able to get together after spending some time apart because of geographical distance. But I don’t want to ignore the fact that some might not get together because of distant hearts. The Lord expressed this strained relationship in Isaiah 29:13 and in Matthew 15:8 when He states that “their hearts are far from me.” This got to thinking about the parable of the Prodigal Son. The father in this story recognized that his son willingly chose to go his own direction in life…to be distant geographically and in heart. When you read the passage below, do you see the father chasing after his son as he left? Calling him and demanding that he return? Awaiting an opportunity to subtly slide a Bible verse to him in some way so he’d feel the guilt? What we’re given is that the father just waited with arms open wide. What we know about the prodigal son is that in God’s timing he came to his senses. I am praying for families…for the family members of the prodigals to be patient and allow God to work on the prodigals hearts, to be patiently awaiting for their return and be prepared for a celebration rather than a scolding, and for the prodigals to come to their senses, to come to their senses and then take the humble action of actually coming home. Family members, don’t give up…keep waiting by the door, however that looks for you, however hard that is for you, keep praying for their return, and be sure that your open arms send the message that they are loved and welcome home. The prodigals don’t need to be reminded of what they did, they’re well aware of that and have been beating themselves up because of their previous actions, but reminded them that they’re still loved and welcome in your presence. Also, be able to block out the noise of others who might question your actions of how you’re receiving your prodigal home…live in the example of what God the Father set before us in the passage below. Praying for families to come together this Holiday Season!!! Practicing His Presence, Nate Parable of the Lost Son from Luke 15:11-32 (NLT) 11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began. 25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’ 28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’ 31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’” Real Dudes,
The other morning I read Philippians 4:8 without reading any other verse in that passage. It’s a verse most of us are familiar with, but maybe not so familiar with the verse immediately after it. We tend to stop after verse 8. I’ll get to verse 9, but let’s begin with verse 8. Verse 8 reads as follows…Philippians 4:8 (CSB) 8 Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy--dwell on these things. When I finished reading verse 8, I couldn’t help but think that it can’t stop at just Thinking/Dwelling. Thought life has an effect on each person. Why, or How? Because our thoughts often turn to actions. Without actions, these things to think about don't do us much good. Kind of like faith, without works, is dead (James 2:14-26). Then I went back and read verse 9, which states for us to…Philippians 4:9 (CSB) 9 Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. There it is…our thinking is now encouraged to be put to action. Where did they learn these things? From the Apostle Paul’s example that he left them concerning truth, honor, being just, purity, love, and commendation. That was Paul each day of the week. He was constantly leaving an example for others to follow. An example that he learned from the Lord and other followers of Christ. Just so you know, our example leaves an impression on those whom the Lord allows to follow our teaching and walk. Will our example be whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely and commendable, a reflection of Christ…pointing to Christ? Or will it be thoughts of the world and its ways that they’re thinking on and then acting out? Many are observing our lives…do they want to think on our actions and then imitate them? Why or why not? What needs to change if anything? It’s not too late. God’s still working on each of us. I pray that we’ll be growing and progressing towards maturity…all for His honor and glory! Cheering for Y’all, Nate The Apostle Paul states in 1 Corinthians 11:1 for us to…Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. New Living Translation And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. English Standard Version Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. King James Bible Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. For further knowledge…below is a breakdown and description of the words used in these two verses: Logidzomi…think/dwell (BDAG, p. 598) “to give careful thought to a matter, think (about), consider, ponder, let one’s mind dwell on…someth.” Manthano…learned (BDAG, p. 615) “to gain knowledge or skill by instruction, learn.” Paralambano…received (BDAG, p. 768) “Somet. the emphasis lies not so much on receiving or taking over, as on the fact that the word implies agreement or approval, accept…w. regard to teaching and preaching.”
Akouo…heard
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AuthorNate Smith is a husband, a father of 6 girls, grandpa to 3 granddaughters and one grandson, a police and fire chaplain, a pastor, and has a passion to see men grow in Christ. #girldad including granddaughter
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