Direction for our Christian Lives:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “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.”

This is of the heart, not the head.

If we will acknowledge Him in all our ways…He will direct our paths.  

And acknowledge here, means that we are to seek Him  in everything concerning our lives.

Good things, bad things,  we are to “see” that Christ knows about it and about us being in this situation.

Then,  we are to tell Him about everything in it:  our side, and wants concerning it;  and the other side as well.

You can tell this is of the heart:  for those who love the Lord, and really want the Lord’s direction. 

To have this direction aright, we must do this in everything, not just the big important things,  but the little everyday things, as well.

Because this is the fellowship that is offered us, as we go along with Jesus.

It is constant fellowship:  we always know His presence with us.

We need to lean on Him:

We can “lean on our own understanding” pretty easily.  We have intelligence, and we are here in the situation;  who better to figure this out?  

We all know how this turns out!

Real direction comes to us by the Holy Spirit within us.  That is a matter of the heart, again,  not the head.

You ask for direction,  then you hear His Voice.   Light comes.    You see what to do.    In your heart,  you quickly remove anything that would hinder your fellowship with Him, for fellowship is mutual sharing.

That Light brings the knowledge of what pleases Him in this situation;  and you do it.  And you also know what displeases Him,  and turn away from it.  The gift of wisdom is a great gift from the Lord.

He directs and helps us in our “path”.

Isaiah 43:19 “Behold,  I will do a new thing;  now it shall spring forth;  shall ye not know it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the the desert.”

There is no place or time He does not know, and does not make preparation for.

Isaiah 42:16 “And I will bring the blind by a way that they know not;  I will lead them in paths that they have not known:  I will make darkness  light before them,  and crooked things straight.  These things will I do unto them,  and not forsake them.”

God sees to us, and to our path, as we let Him into all the “ways” we go,  and seek His direction for our lives.

And He will not forsake us,  ever.

Borrow Vessels, not a Few.

Elisha was a prophet in Israel.    There were many who, though contrary to the “popular religion”, followed God.

They would gather together to hear Elisha, as he traveled the country.      He ministered to the people with the Word of God, and instruction.

Many followed the teachings of God, and they were called the “sons of the prophets”.     Some set themselves aside for ministering, and prayer.        Others had families, and lived for God in there jobs.

A widow of one of these men came to him in dire straights.  After her husband had died,  things had gotten very tough financially,  and they had come into debt.

2 Kings 4:1 “Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha,  saying,  Thy servant my husband is dead;  and thou knowest that thy servant  did fear the Lord:  and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.”

This was very serious.  Both sons being taken, must have meant a large debt.

But she came to Elisha;  he would be able to pray for her,  or tell her what she could do by the Word of the Lord.

2 Kings 4:2 “And Elisha said unto her,   What shall I do for thee?    Tell me,  what hast thou in the house?   

And she said,  Thy handmaid hath not anything in the house,  save a pot of oil.”

At first, it is as if  Elisha is not asking the woman at all….but rather praying for direction.

Then,  he asks her, according as the Holy Spirit showed him,  “What do you have in the house?”

She had nothing to sell,  nothing to trade.  She only had a pot of oil. 

How often we think we need something more, before we can serve God.    More knowledge,  more courage,  more understanding.

But really,  we need to just use what we have,   then God will enable us, and He will supply more of what we need.

2 Kings 4:3-4 “Then he said,   Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors,  even empty vessels;  borrow not a few.

                          When thou art come in,  thou shalt shut the door upon thee, and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels,  and thou shalt set aside that which is full.”

               Here was the answer:

She would have to be obedient, and God would supply.

She would have to borrow empty vessels; for the Lord was going to work a miracle for her.   

But it was to be for her and her sons.  No one else was to be present,  or even see through the door.    Elisha was not present.  He did not do this.   

The Lord did this for her, and her sons; using their obedience.

Did God supply the need?

2 Kings 4:5-6 “So she went from him,  and shut the door upon her and upon her sons,  who brought the vessels to her;  and she poured out.

                        And it came to pass,  when the vessels were full,  that she said unto her son,   Bring me yet a vessel.

And he said unto her,  there is not a vessel more.   And the oil stayed.”

Yes,  abundantly the need was met!   All the vessels they had borrowed, were filled,  till there was no more.

God would have us bring our “empty vessels” to Him to be filled with His Spirit, for our everyday needs.

Shutting the door,  so we may be alone with God in prayer and devotions is often the means He uses to supply our need for the day.

The oil of joy,  and strength, and peace; and increased faith is often given as we close the door on the world, and seek Him, only.

2 Kings 4:7 “Then she came and told the man of God.   And he said,   Go, sell the oil,  and pay thy debt,  and live thou and thy children of the rest.”

After the miracle, she did not get “swelled head” and say, I know what I will do.      No, she came and asked for guidance as what to do next.

Amazingly,  the answer was an answer for the rest of her life.

God saw to the need,  and more.    The Lord gave to her, so that she would be able to live beyond this debt.

That  is what God always gives us:  life.      It is what He supplies,  even if He is seeing to a specific need, for now.

Our life as His children, here and now; and every time we need it.

It does not say whether the oil came drop by drop,  or poured out fast from the vessel she had.

Only that the oil came,  the need was met. He supplied it for her and her son’s life.

Let us look to God to supply the need of our life,  bringing our “empty vessels” for His Spirit to fill….that we may have His life for us.

Elijah, and the rain  

Elijah came in like a whirlwind, and went out with a whirlwind (2 Kings 2:11).

Because he honored God and His word,  Israel was given new hope. 

It begins with Elijah praying for the rain to stop.  (James 5:17)   But why?

When Ahab the king of Israel married a idol worshipper,  Jezebel, she began to run the government.  She outlawed all other worship beside her idol of Baal.

         She intimidated and slew any who opposed her.

Yet God always has His remnant.

          Enter Elijah.   

He was torn apart by his country following this horrid idol, and not following the Lord God.

So, claiming a verse God had promised (Deuteronomy 11:14-17),  he began to pray that God would withhold the rain, to wake up the people that they should return to the Lord.

Rain was essential for any crops.  The former and latter rains were needed.

Six months passed.  God had honored his prayer, and there had been no rain.

He was told to go to the king, and….

1 Kings 17:1 “And Elijah the Tishbite, who was the inhabitants of Gilead,  said unto Ahab,  as the Lord God of Israel liveth,  before Whom I stand,  there shall not be dew or rain these years,  but according to my word.”

“but according to my word”.    Elijah was standing before God in prayer, therefore he was empowered to stand before the king.

                   He does not say “according to God’s Word”,  for that would mean nothing to Ahab,  or Jezebel.         And Elijah’s word was God’s word.

All their attention would be focused on Elijah, and his prayers to God.

Would God answer them?  

God did.   For three more years there would be drought and famine,  because Israel had forsaken God.

It was a very bad time.    But God had said what He was going to do.

But the Lord always leads us through measured trials, so…..

And in the third year,  the Lord said, it was enough:  He would send rain.

1 Kings 18:1 “And it came to pass after many days,  that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year saying,   Go, show thyself unto Ahab,  and I will send rain upon the earth.”

But before the rain is sent;  Elijah calls for all Israel to be gathered together to Mount Carmel. 

There Elijah wanted to talk to Israel,  remind that they were to be God’s people.  Show them God’s Power, and show the falseness of their idol.

1 Kings 18:21 “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said,  How long halt ye between two opinions?  If the Lord be God,  follow Him:  but if Baal, then follow him.   And the people answered him not a word.”

A test was chosen:  the priests of Baal, the idol, would choose a sacrifice, and make an altar;   But put no fire under the sacrifice.

Their idol would have to send down fire and burn it up.

Elijah would do the same,  and God would send down fire and burn up his sacrifice.

1 Kings 18:23-24 “Let them therefore give us two bullocks,  and let them choose one bullock for themselves,  and cut it in pieces,  and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:  and I will dress the other bullock,  and lay it on wood, and put no fire under.

                              And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord,  and the God that answers by fire,  let him be God.   And all the people answered and said,  It is well spoken.”

Well, all morning and all afternoon,  the priests of Baal jumped and hollered, and cried, and moaned for fire to come down.   They cut themselves and begged.

But nothing happened.

Then Elijah built an altar:

1 Kings 18:32-33 “And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord:  and he made a trench about the altar,…

                                And he put the wood in order,  and cut the bullock in pieces and laid him on the wood,  and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.”

Elijah was making it extra hard: putting water on everything.  Because he knew God’s power, and faithfulness.

And then Elijah prayed:    “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel,  let it be known this day that Thou art God in Israel, and that I am Thy servant, and that I have done all these things at Thy word.

                                            Here me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that Thou art the Lord God, and that Thou hast turned their heart back again.”

Then fire fell.

1 Kings 18:38-39 “Then the fire of the Lord fell,  and consumed the burnt sacrifice,  and the wood and the stones,  and the dust,  and licked up the water that was in the trench.

                                 When all the people saw it,  they fell on their faces:  and they said,   The Lord, He is the God;   The Lord, He is the God.”

And when Elijah prayed again, the Lord sent the rain.  

1 Kings 18:45 “And it came to pass in the meanwhile,  that the heaven was black with clouds and wind,  and there was a great rain….”

Prayer is the means here.  The sacrifice was offered to the Lord, for there had been no sacrifice to God for three years (the sacrifices in the Old Testament always looked forward to Christ),  and prayed that God would bless it.

The rain was prayed for.

God was awakening His people that He is a God that answers prayer.   And that He was calling them to return to Him.

James said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”  (James 5:16)

Elijah was shown a way by prayer to help his people,  and he did.  By prayer he showed Israel a way back to God.

We, too, should help God’s people by our prayers.

Jacob:  “All these things are against me.”  

Genesis 42:36 “And Jacob their father said unto them,   Me have ye bereaved of my children:  Joseph is not,  and Simeon is not, and ye take Benjamin away:  all these things are against me.”

But were they, really, “against“ him; or was God just working His purpose through this difficult time?

Jacob had twelve sons: but there was jealousy among them.    Joseph was his favorite.  Joseph loved the Lord, and Jacob made him a coat of many colors, which signified his love for him.

Joseph was sent by his father to find the older brothers who were herding cattle.

Because of this jealousy,  he was taken by them, and sold to a passing caravan going down to Egypt. 

That coat of many colors was dipped in the blood of goats.  Then they told Jacob that they just found it.   (They had wanted to kill him;  but God would not allow that.)

Horrible story!    Jacob was heartbroken.

Years past:  Joseph, the boy, became Joseph the man, in Egypt. (His story of when he was a slave in Egypt is an amazing story of God’s goodness, even in a terrible situation.  Genesis 39-41)

Joseph had a gift of interpreting dreams.  And after years in prison, he is brought out to give the interpretation of a dream Pharaoh had:  there would be seven “fat” years, or years of plenty.   And then there would be seven “lean” years,  or years of famine for the whole world.

Pharaoh was so grateful  for the interpretation, he made Joseph second in command under him.    

Seven plentiful years came, and Joseph saved up the excess for the famine to come.

Now, the famine was here, even into Canaan, where Jacob and his family was.

Hearing that there is corn(grain) in Egypt,  Jacob says to the older sons, “Take money and go buy some,  that the children may live.”

But, after losing Joseph,  he would not send his youngest son,  Benjamin.

So they came to Egypt, to the very one they had so badly treated years before:

But they knew him not.

Genesis 42:7-8 “And Joseph saw his brethren,  and he knew them,  but he made himself strange unto them,  and spake roughly unto them;  and he said unto them,   Whence come ye?    And they said,   From the land of Canaan to buy food.

                             And Joseph knew his brethren,  but they knew not him.”

Joseph speaks through an interpreter, so they would not know he knew what they were saying.   He speaks roughly to see what they would do.  

They protest their innocence;  telling him where they come from,  who is their father, and that they have a brother at home.

But Joseph throws them into prison,  claiming they “are spies” for three days. (Not the years he was)

After three days,  he says that they can go home with corn,  but one of them, Simeon,  will stay in prison.    

And one more thing:  they would need to bring the youngest brother,  before Simeon could be free.

What?!  Oh, no.  They can’t believe it!  What would this do to their father?

The oldest son then speaks to the rest:  This is a judgement upon us for Joseph.  We heard his pleadings,  yet would not be moved.  Now his blood is required at our hand.

But they do not know Joseph is hearing all of this confession.  

So, they go home, with the corn that they went for;  but sadly, for they knew this would tear Jacob up to hear what happened.

Then Jacob cries,  “…all these things are against me.”

“You will kill me,  if anything happens to Benjamin.   No,  he will not go.”

But the famine worsens.  There would be several years of depravation to come.  They could not hold out.

(The thing is:   God had allowed all of this.   He had purposed the saving of Jacob’s family by Joseph,  and had allowed their hatred of Joseph to go so far….and no further.  

Joseph would go before them into Egypt, and God would protect him, and in God’s time,  raise him to the powerful position he was in.)

But Jacob did not know this.   He looked at the circumstances around.

Famine, and death for all his family.

Or send Benjamin, and maybe lose him,  too.

What to do?   

Genesis 43:2, 13-14 “And it came to pass,  when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt,  their father said unto them,   Go again, and buy us a little food.

                                    Take also your brother,  and arise,  go again unto the man:  

And God Almighty give you mercy before the man,  that he may send away your brother,  and Benjamin.  If I be bereaved of my children,  I am bereaved.”

So they went to Egypt.

But there would be one more test of the loyalty to their father, that Joseph would give:

He had them in for the noon meal with him,  seeing Benjamin for the first time,  in years.

Joseph filled their sacks with corn,  but also slipped a gold cup of his into Benjamin’s sack.

He let them go just out of the city,  and sent his men after them,  saying that one had his cup!  

When they found it in Benjamin’s sack,  Jacob’s sons were terrified.  What would happen now?  Death?  Slavery?   What would become of their family in Canaan?

Joseph said that only Benjamin would become a servant:  this is quite a test!  Would these brothers that sold him into slavery, care about Benjamin, and the heart of their father?

They did.   They had learned their lesson.  

So Judah stepped forward and begged Joseph (though they did not know it was him) to take him as a servant,  and let Benjamin go.

Then Joseph tells them who he really is,  and sends for Jacob and the rest of his family to come and live near Joseph;  and be provided for.  

All that they could need,  was provided by God beforehand,  only they just did not know it yet.

Genesis 45:28. “And Israel (Jacob) said,  It is enough;  Joseph my son is yet alive:  I will go and see him before I die.”

Genesis 46:2-4 “And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night,  and said,  Jacob,  Jacob.   And he said,  Here am I.   

                             And He said,  I am God, the God of thy father:  fear not to go down into Egypt;  for I will make of thee a great nation.

                             I will go down with thee into Egypt;  I will also surely bring thee up again:  and Joseph shall put his hands upon thine eyes.”

Jacob had said,  “All these things are against me”,   when God had purposed his good, after the trial of his sons.

Everything seemed wrong;  but God’s Ways led him right.

Psalm 107:6-7 “Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.

                            And led them forth by the right way,  that they might go to a city of habitation.”

The Lord will always lead us the right way:  through trials,  troubles (and yes, it is through them),  and joys.   He is God Almighty still.

Hast thou Hast thou Faith? 

Romans 14:22 “Hast thou faith?  Have it to thyself before God.   Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which He alloweth.”

When we begin to walk by faith and not by sight;  we begin to deal with those things that we  “condemn”  ourselves with.

Faith is the active ingredient of our Spiritual lives.  It comes to us by the Holy Spirit, when we are born again;  but it (usually) takes us a while to use it.

Faith tells us to trust and stand;  and our eyes tell us that what were about to do is impossible.

Faith tells us to “Get out of here, now.”   And our eyes do not “see” anything wrong.

Faith nudges us to speak to someone about Jesus; we wait…but then the subject is changed,  the opportunity is gone.

We learn (it is called “growing” in scripture: 2 Peter 3:18)  to use the faith given in the situations of our lives;  and when we do,  we come into Christian Liberty.

Our Christian Liberty should make us free to be what we ought: to be what God’s wants us to be.

1 Corinthians  6:12 “All things are lawful unto me,  but all things are not expedient:  all things are lawful for me,  but I will not be brought into the power of any.”

1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful for me,  but all things are not expedient:  all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”

Twice in the same book,  Paul warns these Christians to be careful not to let what “other people” do, or social norms, to be their rule of life. 

Rather, they should be fully committed to God’s Will and Way;  no matter what anyone else does.

Paul gives his testimony:  “I will not be brought into the power of anything;  even though it might be lawful (or nothing that would seem to be wrong).”

It is “I will”,  for we must will with God’s Will.

For the Christian there are certain things we know are wrong:  stealing, lying, adultery, to name a few.

But for each Christians there are “convictions” of the Holy Spirit (for them) that say, “This is not for you.”

(My wife, years ago, gave up make up.   It was before we were even married.  Not because she felt the make up was sinful;  but rather for her, it was wrong to wear it.This is a conviction of the Holy Spirit to her.)

True Spiritual Life is following the Lord Jesus wherever He leads in my life.

True liberty is freedom from the power of sin in my life.

Faith is the “sight” that makes both of these possible.

“Hast thou faith?   Have it to thyself before God.”

Simply, use the faith the Holy Spirit has given you,  and follow the Lord Jesus into the happiness He has for you.

Don’t “allow” anything that He does not want;  and happiness will be your heart’s companion.

Romans 14:22 “Hast thou faith?  Have it to thyself before God.   Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which He alloweth.”

When we begin to walk by faith and not by sight;  we begin to deal with those things that we  “condemn”  ourselves with.

Faith is the active ingredient of our Spiritual lives.  It comes to us by the Holy Spirit, when we are born again;  but it (usually) takes us a while to use it.

Faith tells us to trust and stand;  and our eyes tell us that what were about to do is impossible.

Faith tells us to “Get out of here, now.”   And our eyes do not “see” anything wrong.

Faith nudges us to speak to someone about Jesus; we wait…but then the subject is changed,  the opportunity is gone.

We learn (it is called “growing” in scripture: 2 Peter 3:18)  to use the faith given in the situations of our lives;  and when we do,  we come into Christian Liberty.

Our Christian Liberty should make us free to be what we ought: to be what God’s wants us to be.

1 Corinthians  6:12 “All things are lawful unto me,  but all things are not expedient:  all things are lawful for me,  but I will not be brought into the power of any.”

1 Corinthians 10:23 “All things are lawful for me,  but all things are not expedient:  all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.”

Twice in the same book,  Paul warns these Christians to be careful not to let what “other people” do, or social norms, to be their rule of life. 

Rather, they should be fully committed to God’s Will and Way;  no matter what anyone else does.

Paul gives his testimony:  “I will not be brought into the power of anything;  even though it might be lawful (or nothing that would seem to be wrong).”

It is “I will”,  for we must will with God’s Will.

For the Christian there are certain things we know are wrong:  stealing, lying, adultery, to name a few.

But for each Christians there are “convictions” of the Holy Spirit (for them) that say, “This is not for you.”

(My wife, years ago, gave up make up.   It was before we were even married.  Not because she felt the make up was sinful;  but rather for her, it was wrong to wear it.

This is a conviction of the Holy Spirit to her.)

True Spiritual Life is following the Lord Jesus wherever He leads in my life.

True liberty is freedom from the power of sin in my life.

Faith is the “sight” that makes both of these possible.

“Hast thou faith?   Have it to thyself before God.”

Simply, use the faith the Holy Spirit has given you,  and follow the Lord Jesus into the happiness He has for you.

Don’t “allow” anything that He does not want;  and happiness will be your heart’s companion.

Justification and Sanctification.

Justification deals with our guilt as sinners by chance and choice.

And Sanctification deals with the problem of the power of sin in our lives,  as Christians.   

Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith,  we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”

Romans 6:12-13 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,  that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

                               Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin:  but yield yourselves unto God,  as those that are alive from the dead,  and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

We are justified when we are born again.    Justified is a legal term, and means to be made:  not guilty before God.

As lost sinners, we are only justified when we receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.   We have come to believe in Him,  Whom to know aright is to have Eternal Life (Romans 6:23).

As saved sinners,  we are  sanctified, or set aside for God’s use;  as He has more and more of us.

It is not:  “How much of God do I have in my life?”

It is:  “How much does He have of me,  or how much have I lost of my self-life?

You see the Holy Spirit indwells believers at new birth.  (Hallelujah)

But,  after that,  He empowers us, only as much as we let Him, in all the areas of our life.

To do this,  we need to deny ourselves,  pick up our cross,  and follow Him. (Matthew 16:24-25)

Our “cross” is anything which goes against “our” will;  that we have a choice in:  it is not illness, or our relatives, or our looks;  it is what we can say “no” to.

It is different for each of us:  what God requires at my hand,  He might not do to you. (And visa versa)

But the method is the same:  we need to say “no” to ourselves (that is denying yourself);  and do the thing required of us,  giving the Holy Spirit access to teach us,  implant within us,  or remove from us,  what He will.

As we do this,  the “power” of our will,  is made more and more joyfully willing to do His Will;  and we are little by little sanctified (made a force for God to use in our circumstances).

Justification is just the first part of our life in Christ,  for He wants us to go on from strength to strength in Him, in our lives.

And that requires us to be sanctified.  Setting ourselves aside to Him.

The longest Day

Joshua 10:12-13 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;  and thou,  moon,  in the valley of Avalon.

                               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 hasten not to go down about a whole day.”

A little background is necessary:  

Israel was in the five year process of fighting the different sections of Canaan,  to inherit the land God had given them.

Five kings got together to come against Gibeon,  which Israel had made a league with.   Gibeon was a great city, and the men were mighty. (Joshua 10:2)

So these kings thought if they all came together to destroy Gibeon,  then the Israelites would be no match for them all.

But in this process,  they did not take into account,  Israel’s God.

Israel had made a league with Gibeon,  and God honored the league. 

(Actually, it was wrong to make this league.   Joshua and the rulers of the tribes “looked” to what the Gibeonites wanted them to see, when they lied to Joshua;  instead of asking counsel of God. Joshua 9:9-11, 14-15)

But their mistake did not annul the league.   And God said they had to honor it.

The Gibeonites had been made servants of God’s house,  and they believed in the Lord God of Israel.

So when Gibeon was attacked,  word was sent to Joshua and the Israelites, to come and help.

Joshua 10:6 “And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp of Gilgal,  saying,   Slack not thy hand from thy servants;  come up to us quickly,  and save us,  and help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

When they got the word,  Joshua and his army took a forced march of 20 some miles at night, to get there;  so they could fight five kings and their large armies!  (Whew!)

Thankfully they heard from God about the march and battle.

Joshua 10:8-9 “And the Lord said unto Joshua,   Fear them not:  for I have delivered them into thy hand;  there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 

                            Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly,  and went up from Gilgal all night.”

Now I want to add a word of our Great Shepherd here:

John 10:4 “And when He putteth forth His own sheep,  He goeth before them,  and the sheep follow Him:  for they know His voice.”

He goes before….   

God has a plan and a way;  even when we fail.   He is ever ready to lead us into the right way.

Joshua 10:10-11 “And the Lord discomforted them before Israel,  and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,  and chased them along the way…

                               And it came to pass,  as they fled before Israel,  and were in the going down to Beth-horon,  that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:  there were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with a sword.”

The Lord “discomforted”them.  If you look at other scriptures that this word is in, for battle,  it means:  the Lord sent thunder and lightening,  scaring the horses.   And then,  He sent hailstones!  (These, God had reserved for the day of battle. Job 38:22-23)

God had said, “Fear not,…I have delivered them into your hands”.   But the day was waning.   It would soon be sunset.

So Joshua asked for help.   He would need more time,  so he asked for it.  

He did it publicly,  in front of his men, to encourage them in their faith.   God was with them, now.  He did not guide from a distance;  but was in charge in the battle, now.

Joshua 10:12-14 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon,  in the valley of Ajalon.

                                And the sun stood still,  and the moon stayed,  until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies….So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hastened not to go down about a whole day.

                                And there was no day like that before it or after it,  that the Lord harkened to the voice of a man:  for the Lord fought for Israel.”

                     

The sun stayed up for an extra day,  so that the enemy could not escape.  It was to stand still over Gibeon,  where they were fighting.    

(Some believe that God’s might was shown so strongly here, because these city-kings were sun worshippers.)

God was showing them that He was greater than the sun above them.  That the sun was at His command.  And could do nothing but what He said.

The battle continued the extra day.   “For the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.”

The territory they took in this battle was about a 30 mile radius!   More than they had taken so far.    “For the Lord fought for Israel”

We often fail.  Can God get “good” from our failures?   

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,  to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

But it is for God’s good,  God’s glory.

But we can learn the lesson our failure teaches us;  to go on to trust and rely on God alone.

Notice that in this battle:  Israel fought,  but God really won the victory.  The “discomfort” of the thunder and lightening.   The hailstones.  And the sun standing still.

God did it,  and He did it for “failures”. 

(I very much dislike this word.   I hear it applied to people too many times.   In the truest sense:  we are all “failures”.   We are all sinners:  saved sinners or lost sinners.  Thank God for our Savior,  Jesus Christ,   Who loves us,  and enables us sinners,  to know what we should do,    and empowers us to do His Will.)

The longest day, was a day of power.   God’s power to guide, and deliver those who trust in Him.

The Holy Spirit’s Work

John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter,  that He may abide with you forever;”

When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes within our spirits to live there.   He is the Paraclete;  which means, “to come under, to support”.   He is our Comforter.

He places us in the family of God. 

Galatians 4:5-7 “To redeem them that were under the law,  that we might receive the adoptions of sons.

                               And because ye are sons,  God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father.

                               Wherefore thou art no more servants,  but a son;  and if a son,  then an heir of God through Christ.”

This He does, by giving us faith: the substance of things things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Plainly, by faith, the Holy Spirit makes God real to us, in our everyday life.

Ephesians 1:13, 17  “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,  the gospel of your salvation: in whom also,  after that ye have believed,  you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,

                                    that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,  the Father of glory,  may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him:”

                                     He is in our spirits, and turns the light on within us, so we can see the truth, and do it.

John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,  even the Spirit of truth,  which proceedeth from the Father,  He shall testify of Me.”

1 Peter 1:22 “Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren,  see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:”

He speaks to us through the Word of God, and by working in us the knowledge of God’s Will for us. 

John 14:26 “But the Comforter,  which is the Holy Ghost,  whom the Father will send in My name,  He shall teach you all things,  and bring all things to your remembrance,  whatsoever I have said unto you.”

He empowers us,  sanctifying us to God.

Ephesians 3:16”That He would grant you,  according to the riches of His glory,  to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;”

2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you,  brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:”

 He gives us the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith,

                                  Meekness, temperance; against such there is no law.”

And as we yield to the Holy Spirit within,  He works through us.   (People will see a change;  not in word only,  but in our manner of life.)

Romans 8:13-14 “For if ye live after the flesh,  ye shall die:  but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body,  ye shall live.

                               For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,  they are the sons of God.”

1 Thessalonians 1:5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only,  but also in power,  and in the Holy Ghost,  and in much assurance;  as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes.”

When we sin,  the Holy Spirit stays after us,  showing it to us again and again.

If we grieve Him (Ephesians 4:30),   He does not leave us, though He may withdraw the comforting feeling of His Presence;  till we have sought forgiveness and cleansing. 

1 John 1:7,9 “But if we walk in the light,  as He is in the light,  we have fellowship one with another,  and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

                       If we confess our sins,  He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,  and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

                         He teaches us to rejoice and give thanks.

1 Thessalonians 5:18-19 “In everything give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  

                                             Quench not the Spirit.”  (Don’t put out the fire of God burning within you by the Holy Spirit)

He teaches us how to pray.

Romans 8:26 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:  for we know not what we should pray for as we ought;  but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered.”

Jude 20 “But ye beloved,  building up yourselves on your most holy faith,  praying in the Holy Ghost,”

As the Holy Spirit is in us,  we have fellowship with other believers.  The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, and we are to love one another, as He loves us.

2 Corinthians 13:14 “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,  and the love of God,  and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.”

1 John 2:10 “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”

And we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, having the power of His influence within us (as as a man is under the influence of wine).

Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine,  wherein is excess;  but be filled with the Spirit;”

(We are filled by the Holy Spirit, to the degree we are empty of self-seeking.   Galatians 5:25-26.    Matthew 16:24-25)

The Holy Spirit was given us, that we will never be alone:    Not spiritual orphans.    

He comes to us,  to hold us up, giving us joy and peace;   and He supports us in God’s Will, giving us the faith to overcome.

Our Place in the World

Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.   For there is no power but of God:  the powers that be  are ordained of God.”

This was written in a day when Rome and the Caesar’s ruled.  Their reign was often terrible.  The soldiers could be cruel, or kind.  Their judges could imprison or set free, at a word.

Yet,  as Christians,  we are to respect authorities, because of their office.  And be subject to them. (God always has His due order.  Think of the chaos without the police, fire department, and government.)

1 Timothy 2:1-4 “I exhort therefore,  that, first of all,  supplications, prayers,  intercession, and giving of thanks,  be made for all men;  

                             For kings,  and for all that are in authority,  that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and honesty. 

                             For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;                                who will have all men to be saved,  and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

This is the secret for a quiet life:   Prayer for all.    

We should pray for our family, our city, the church on the earth,  for our nation, and it’s leaders.

It is not because we believe, necessarily, in what they do;  but rather it is what the Lord wants.

And when we pray,  God hears.

Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,  as the rivers of water:  He turneth it whithersoever He will.”

The Lord can turn the heart of any ruler, politician, judge, etc. as He turns the rivers in there course;  to do what ever He wants. 

(There are times He allows rulers to go on in there wicked way;  simply to increase their punishment,  or to make the deliverance of His people from their hand even more amazing!)

Our place in the world is to be lights for Jesus Christ.   

To shine God’s life in us.

To do this we are to pray for those we know,  who are Christians;  and those who have not yet come to Christ Jesus.

To seek the good of our family, neighbors, and city by prayer. 

And to pray for our country.  That revival might come to our churches, schools, institutions that are suppose to do good;  and to all.

To seek the good of all, in prayer;  is a down payment on a peaceful life.

The longest Day

Joshua 10:12-13 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon;  and thou,  moon,  in the valley of Avalon.

                               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 hasten not to go down about a whole day.”

A little background is necessary:  

Israel was in the five year process of fighting the different sections of Canaan,  to inherit the land God had given them.

Five kings got together to come against Gibeon,  which Israel had made a league with.   Gibeon was a great city, and the men were mighty. (Joshua 10:2)

So these kings thought if they all came together to destroy Gibeon,  then the Israelites would be no match for them all.

But in this process,  they did not take into account,  Israel’s God.

Israel had made a league with Gibeon,  and God honored the league. 

(Actually, it was wrong to make this league.   Joshua and the rulers of the tribes “looked” to what the Gibeonites wanted them to see, when they lied to Joshua;  instead of asking counsel of God. Joshua 9:9-11, 14-15)

But their mistake did not annul the league.   And God said they had to honor it.

The Gibeonites had been made servants of God’s house,  and they believed in the Lord God of Israel.

So when Gibeon was attacked,  word was sent to Joshua and the Israelites, to come and help.

Joshua 10:6 “And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp of Gilgal,  saying,   Slack not thy hand from thy servants;  come up to us quickly,  and save us,  and help us for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.

When they got the word,  Joshua and his army took a forced march of 20 some miles at night, to get there;  so they could fight five kings and their large armies!  (Whew!)

Thankfully they heard from God about the march and battle.

Joshua 10:8-9 “And the Lord said unto Joshua,   Fear them not:  for I have delivered them into thy hand;  there shall not a man of them stand before thee. 

                            Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly,  and went up from Gilgal all night.”

Now I want to add a word of our Great Shepherd here:

John 10:4 “And when He putteth forth His own sheep,  He goeth before them,  and the sheep follow Him:  for they know His voice.”

He goes before….   

God has a plan and a way;  even when we fail.   He is ever ready to lead us into the right way.

Joshua 10:10-11 “And the Lord discomforted them before Israel,  and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon,  and chased them along the way…

                               And it came to pass,  as they fled before Israel,  and were in the going down to Beth-horon,  that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died:  there were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with a sword.”

The Lord “discomforted”them.  If you look at other scriptures that this word is in, for battle,  it means:  the Lord sent thunder and lightening,  scaring the horses.   And then,  He sent hailstones!  (These, God had reserved for the day of battle. Job 38:22-23)

God had said, “Fear not,…I have delivered them into your hands”.   But the day was waning.   It would soon be sunset.

So Joshua asked for help.   He would need more time,  so he asked for it.  

He did it publicly,  in front of his men, to encourage them in their faith.   God was with them, now.  He did not guide from a distance;  but was in charge in the battle, now.

Joshua 10:12-14 “Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel,  and he said in the sight of Israel,   Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, moon,  in the valley of Ajalon.

                                And the sun stood still,  and the moon stayed,  until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies….So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven,  and hastened not to go down about a whole day.

                                And there was no day like that before it or after it,  that the Lord harkened to the voice of a man:  for the Lord fought for Israel.”

                     

The sun stayed up for an extra day,  so that the enemy could not escape.  It was to stand still over Gibeon,  where they were fighting.    

(Some believe that God’s might was shown so strongly here, because these city-kings were sun worshippers.)

God was showing them that He was greater than the sun above them.  That the sun was at His command.  And could do nothing but what He said.

The battle continued the extra day.   “For the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.”

The territory they took in this battle was about a 30 mile radius!   More than they had taken so far.    “For the Lord fought for Israel”

We often fail.  Can God get “good” from our failures?   

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,  to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

But it is for God’s good,  God’s glory.

But we can learn the lesson our failure teaches us;  to go on to trust and rely on God alone.

Notice that in this battle:  Israel fought,  but God really won the victory.  The “discomfort” of the thunder and lightening.   The hailstones.  And the sun standing still.

God did it,  and He did it for “failures”. 

(I very much dislike this word.   I hear it applied to people too many times.   In the truest sense:  we are all “failures”.   We are all sinners:  saved sinners or lost sinners.  Thank God for our Savior,  Jesus Christ,   Who loves us,  and enables us sinners,  to know what we should do,    and empowers us to do His Will.)

The longest day, was a day of power.   God’s power to guide, and deliver those who trust in Him.