Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 24.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+24&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“16 The people answered and said, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods;  17 for the Lord our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and who did these great signs in our sight and preserved us through all the way in which we went and among all the peoples through whose midst we passed.  18 The Lord drove out from before us all the peoples, even the Amorites who lived in the land.  We also will serve the Lord, for He is our God.”

19 Then Joshua said to the people, “You will not be able to serve the Lord, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God;  He will not forgive your transgression or your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.”  Joshua 24:16-20.

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Psalm Chapter 78 contains a vivid and detailed history of Israel, and how Israel, despite God’s miracles and wonderful works for Israel, time after time forgot God and rebelled against Him.

But because the chapter is too long, I can only quote herein the following verses from this chapter.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+78&version=NASB

“31 The anger of God rose against them
And killed some of their stoutest ones,
And subdued the choice men of Israel.
32 In spite of all this they still sinned
And did not believe in His wonderful works.
33 So He brought their days to an end in futility
And their years in sudden terror.”  Psalm 78:31-33.

But, there is hope!

“65 Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep,
Like a warrior overcome by wine.
66 He drove His adversaries backward;
He put on them an everlasting reproach.
67 He also rejected the tent of Joseph,
And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim,
68 But chose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion which He loved.
69 And He built His sanctuary like the heights,
Like the earth which He has founded forever.
70 He also chose David His servant
And took him from the sheepfolds;
71 From the care of the ewes with suckling lambs He brought him
To shepherd Jacob His people,
And Israel His inheritance.
72 So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart,
And guided them with his skillful hands.”  Psalm 78:65-72.

Notice that this hope is not that Israel came to their senses or tried harder.

Rather, we read:  “Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, Like a warrior overcome by wine.”  Psalm 78:65.

And, we read:  “He also rejected the tent of Joseph, And did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which He loved.”  Psalm 78:67-68.  And, later we read:  “He also chose David His servant” in Psalm 78:70.

This focus on the Lord and His choices should remind of “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Because of man’s “Total Depravity” (the “T” of “TULIP”), and there is no condition that man can supply that could motivate God to save us (because we are dead in sin and hostile to God), the only hope that we have is in God’s  “Unconditional Election”, or simply put, that despite our continual rebellion, God will save His chosen ones.

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 23.

“1 Now it came about after many days, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their enemies on every side, and Joshua was old, advanced in years, 2 that Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders and their heads and their judges and their officers, and said to them, “I am old, advanced in years.  3 And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations because of you, for the Lord your God is He who has been fighting for you . 4 See, I have apportioned to you these nations which remain as an inheritance for your tribes, with all the nations which I have cut off, from the Jordan even to the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun.  5 The Lord your God, He will thrust them out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.  6 Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, 7 so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them.  8 But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day . 9 For the Lord has driven out great and strong nations from before you;  and as for you, no man has stood before you to this day.  10 One of your men puts to flight a thousand, for the Lord your God is He who fights for you, just as He promised you. 11 So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God.  12 For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, 13 know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.

14 “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the Lord your God spoke concerning you has failed;  all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.  15 It shall come about that just as all the good words which the Lord your God spoke to you have come upon you, so the Lord will bring upon you all the threats, until He has destroyed you from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you.  16 When you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the Lord will burn against you, and you will perish quickly from off the good land which He has given you.”  Joshua Chapter 23.

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Indeed, Israel knew in all their hearts and all their souls that God was Almighty God and their Faithful Father and that God had fulfilled all of His promises and had abundantly blessed them.

There was no reason why they should rebel against such an Almighty God.  They had seen what He had done to their enemies.

There was no reason why they should rebel against such a Faithful Father.  They had seen that He had fulfilled all of His promises and had abundantly blessed them.

There was no reason why they should disobey the Law.  They knew how holy, righteous, and all around good the Law was.  They also had been warned many times as to the severe consequences of disobedience.

And yet, Israel did indeed transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded them, and did go and serve other gods and bow down to them, and the anger of the Lord did burn against you, and they did perish quickly from off the good land which He had given them, except for a remnant.

Today, we know the same things.  And yet, we too disobey, even knowing in addition, what happened to Israel.

But, there is hope!

“7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says,

“Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,
When I will effect a new covenant
With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9 Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers
On the day when I took them by the hand
To lead them out of the land of Egypt;
For they did not continue in My covenant,
And I did not care for them, says the Lord.
10 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds,
And I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
11 “And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For all will know Me,
From the least to the greatest of them.
12 “For I will be merciful to their iniquities,
And I will remember their sins no more.”

13 When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.”  Hebrews 8:7-13.

This hope is provided solely by God. 

“Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, helps us understand why Israel then and why we today are so disobedient despite all the above-stated reasons to be obedient.

We need this hope solely provided by God.

Our only chance for salvation is “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

We need a God Who does everything for our salvation from “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” through “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Our hope is not that we just try harder to obey the Law.  

“For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse;  for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”  Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.”  However, the Law is not of faith;  on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”  Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  Galatians 3:10-14.

Our hope is that we die to the Law and be joined to Christ and serve “in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”  

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.  For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.  But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.”  Romans 7:4-6.

Our hope is that we are children of promise.  “And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.”  Galatians 4:28.  “That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.”  Romans 9:8.  “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”  Acts 2:39.  “For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise;  but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.”  Galatians 3:18.

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua chapter  22.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+22&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“10 When they came to the region of the Jordan which is in the land of Canaan, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar there by the Jordan, a large altar in appearance.  11 And the sons of Israel heard it said, “Behold, the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built an altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region of the Jordan, on the side belonging to the sons of Israel.”  12 When the sons of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the sons of Israel gathered themselves at Shiloh to go up against them in war.

…

21 Then the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered and spoke to the heads of the families of Israel.  22 “The Mighty One, God, the Lord, the Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows, and may Israel itself know. If it was in rebellion, or if in an unfaithful act against the Lord do not save us this day!  23 If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the Lord, or if to offer a burnt offering or grain offering on it, or if to offer sacrifices of peace offerings on it, may the Lord Himself require it.  24 But truly we have done this out of concern, for a reason, saying, ‘In time to come your sons may say to our sons, “What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?  25 For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between us and you, you sons of Reuben and sons of Gad;  you have no portion in the Lord.”  So your sons may make our sons stop fearing the Lord.’

26 “Therefore we said, ‘Let us build an altar, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;  27 rather it shall be a witness between us and you and between our generations after us, that we are to perform the service of the Lord before Him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings, so that your sons will not say to our sons in time to come, “You have no portion in the Lord.”’ 28 Therefore we said, ‘It shall also come about if they say this to us or to our generations in time to come, then we shall say, “See the copy of the altar of the Lord which our fathers made, not for burnt offering or for sacrifice;  rather it is a witness between us and you.”’

…

30 So when Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the congregation, even the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the sons of Manasseh spoke, it pleased them. 31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the sons of Reuben and to the sons of Gad and to the sons of Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is in our midst, because you have not committed this unfaithful act against the Lord; now you have delivered the sons of Israel from the hand of the Lord.”

32 Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest and the leaders returned from the sons of Reuben and from the sons of Gad, from the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the sons of Israel, and brought back word to them.   33 The word pleased the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel blessed God;  and they did not speak of going up against them in war to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad were living. 34 The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness;  “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the Lord is God.”  Joshua Chapter 22:  Verses 10-12 and 21-28 and 33-34.

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I have a wooden piece that I placed on the mantle above the inside part of the front door of my home.  On it are the words:  “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”  We neither worship there nor pray there.  But, it is a witness to others who see it in our home that we serve the Lord.  It is also a reminder to us, the residents of the home, that we serve the Lord.

You also have your own things that serve as a witness and reminder.

Israel itself should have remembered a similar witness and reminder when they crossed the Jordan.  It was also close to the frontier of the land of Canaan.

“Now the people came up from the Jordan on the tenth of the first month and camped at Gilgal on the eastern edge of Jericho.  Those twelve stones which they had taken from the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.  He said to the sons of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’ then you shall inform your children, saying, ‘Israel crossed this Jordan on dry ground.’   For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed;  that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”  Joshua 4:19-24.

Israel did not offer burnt offerings at those twelve stones nor otherwise worship there.  But, it was a witness and reminder:  “that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

But, as a witness and reminder, we have more than twelve stones or a wooden piece on the front door mantle:  “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;  and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”  Acts 1:8.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  John 14:26.

God is in our midst!  God dwells within us!  God uses His Holy Spirit to bear fruit within us and causes us to be witnesses and brings to our remembrance all that He said to us!

“Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.  ‘What are you, O great mountain?  Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain;  and he will bring forth the top stone with shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’”  Zechariah 4:6-7.

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 21.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+21&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“41 All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands.  42 These cities each had its surrounding pasture lands;  thus it was with all these cities.

43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it.  44 And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them;  the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand.  45 Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed;  all came to pass.”   Joshua 21:41-45.

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The righteous live by faith in God’s promises.  “Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident;  for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.  However, the Law is not of faith;  on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.”  Galatians 3:11-12.

We are children of promise.  “And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.”  Galatians 4:28.  “That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.”  Romans 9:8.  “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”  Acts 2:39.

“For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise;  but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.”  Galatians 3:18.

“Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not listen to the law?  For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman.  But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise.  This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants:  one proceeding from Mount Sinai (symbolizing the Ten Commandments which came from Mount Sinai – Bill’s comment) bearing children who are to be slaves;  she is Hagar.  Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.  But the Jerusalem above is free;  she is our mother.  For it is written,

“Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear;
Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor;
For more numerous are the children of the desolate
Than of the one who has a husband.”

And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.”  Galatians 4:21-28.

“Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God?  May it never be!  For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.  But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”  Galatians 3:21-22.

“For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.  For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;  for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation.

For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, “A father of many nations have I made you”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.  In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”  Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb;  yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.  Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness.  Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.”  Romans 4:13-25.

“For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes;  therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.  Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.”  2 Corinthians 1:20-22.

“remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Ephesians 2:12-13.

“to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,”  Ephesians 3:6.

“in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”  Galatians 3:14.

“in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,”  Titus 1:2.

“Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it.”  Hebrews 4:1.

“And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”  And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.  For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.  In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.  This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”  Hebrews 6:13-20.

Today’s devotion is a special addition and continuation of the last Scripture presented in yesterday’s devotion.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

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“His doing” is “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“His doing” is “Limited Atonement”, the “L” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“His doing” is “Irresistible Grace”, the “I” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

“His doing” is “Preservation of the Saints”, the “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Praise God for “His doing”, because the only thing or condition man contributed is “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation!

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 20 which covers the designation of the cities of refuge.

“1 Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Designate the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, 3 that the manslayer who kills any person unintentionally, without premeditation, may flee there, and they shall become your refuge from the avenger of blood.  4 He shall flee to one of these cities, and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city and state his case in the hearing of the elders of that city;  and they shall take him into the city to them and give him a place, so that he may dwell among them.  5 Now if the avenger of blood pursues him, then they shall not deliver the manslayer into his hand, because he struck his neighbor without premeditation and did not hate him beforehand.  6 He shall dwell in that city until he stands before the congregation for judgment, until the death of the one who is high priest in those days.  Then the manslayer shall return to his own city and to his own house, to the city from which he fled.’”

7 So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah.  8 Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they designated Bezer in the wilderness on the plain from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan from the tribe of Manasseh.  9 These were the appointed cities for all the sons of Israel and for the stranger who sojourns among them, that whoever kills any person unintentionally may flee there, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the congregation.”  Joshua Chapter 20.

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Many claim that God is their refuge.  But, their actions show that they really trust themselves and their alleged free-will. 

The extent to which Reformed Doctrine trusts God as its refuge is the joyful embrace that Reformed Doctrine gives to God’s “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Many bristle against that predestination, that “Unconditional Election”.  They want salvation to be in their own hands.  They think that they can be either good enough:  “I am not as bad as my next door neighbor Jimmy.”  Or, they think they can be wise enough to know God and His commandments:  “I live a good moral life;  God certainly loves me.”  Or, they think that their alleged free-will is not hostile to God:  “I can and will at least wave my hand to summon God to save me.”

But, Scripture is clear about man’s “Total Depravity”, the “T” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

Man is dead in sin.  Man is not wounded in sin;  man is dead in sin.  “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.  Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”  Ephesians 2:1-3.

And, even if man was not dead in sin, only wounded and drowning, man still would not even use his alleged free-will to at least wave his hand to summon God to save himself.  Man is hostile to God.  “… you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,”  Colossians 1:21.  “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God;  for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”  Romans 8:7-8.

And, even if man was not dead in sin and not hostile to God, man does not seek God.

10 as it is written,

“There is none righteous, not even one;
11 There is none who understands,
There is none who seeks for God;
12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless;
There is none who does good,
There is not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave,
With their tongues they keep deceiving,”
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”;
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood,
16 Destruction and misery are in their paths,
17 And the path of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

The stark contrast between trusting God and trusting man (including himself) is present in the following Scripture.

“5 Thus says the Lord,
“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind
And makes flesh his strength,
And whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6 “For he will be like a bush in the desert
And will not see when prosperity comes,
But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness,
A land of salt without inhabitant.
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.”  Jeremiah 17:5-8.

“Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.  Selah.”  Psalm 46:10-11.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:26-31.

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 19.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+19&version=NASB

I quote the following verses.

“When they finished apportioning the land for inheritance by its borders, the sons of Israel gave an inheritance in their midst to Joshua the son of Nun.  In accordance with the command of the Lord they gave him the city for which he asked, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim.  So he built the city and settled in it.

These are the inheritances which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel distributed by lot in Shiloh before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting.  So they finished dividing the land.”  Joshua 19:49-51.

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Five chapters later, we later read the following about this city of Timnath-serah.

“It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being one hundred and ten years old.  And they buried him in the territory of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of Mount Gaash.”  Joshua 24:29-30.

Joshua received the city for which he asked, Timnath-serah, and he built the city and settled in it, and he was also buried there.

We may get what we want.  It may be good for us.  Or, it may be bad for us.  We need wisdom to guide our requests.

But, even if we are wise and get what is good for us, we may keep it for a short time.  Or, we may keep it for a long time.

And, even if we are wise and get what is good for us and keep it for a long time, compared to God’s eternity, man’s life (even the best of us) is very short.  

“1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born
Or You gave birth to the earth and the world,
Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

3 You turn man back into dust
And say, “Return, O children of men.”
4 For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it passes by,
Or as a watch in the night.
5 You have swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep;
In the morning they are like grass which sprouts anew.
6 In the morning it flourishes and sprouts anew;
Toward evening it fades and withers away.

7 For we have been consumed by Your anger
And by Your wrath we have been dismayed.
8 You have placed our iniquities before You,
Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.
9 For all our days have declined in Your fury;
We have finished our years like a sigh.
10 As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years,
Or if due to strength, eighty years,
Yet their pride is but labor and sorrow;
For soon it is gone and we fly away.
11 Who understands the power of Your anger
And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

13 Do return, O Lord; how long will it be?
And be sorry for Your servants.
14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us,
And the years we have seen evil.
16 Let Your work appear to Your servants
And Your majesty to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
And confirm for us the work of our hands;
Yes, confirm the work of our hands.”  Psalm Chapter 90.

Our life is so short;  we don’t have time to do merely what is good.  We need to determine what is best for us to do through God’s guidance and other grace.  Many times, we need to say:  “No.” to what is only good, so that we have time to do the best.  People may not understand, but we need to be more concerned about God’s will and having time to fulfill our calling.  

We were created and gifted to do very specific good works.  “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10.

It is easy to think we have all the time in the world and lose focus and get lazy and content to do only what is good.

“… Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”  Colossians 4:17.

“So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.”  Psalm 90:12.

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 18.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+18&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel assembled themselves at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there;  and the land was subdued before them.

2 There remained among the sons of Israel seven tribes who had not divided their inheritance.  3 So Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?  4 Provide for yourselves three men from each tribe that I may send them, and that they may arise and walk through the land and write a description of it according to their inheritance;  then they shall return to me.  5 They shall divide it into seven portions;  Judah shall stay in its territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall stay in their territory on the north.  6 You shall describe the land in seven divisions, and bring the description here to me.  I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God.  7 For the Levites have no portion among you, because the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance. Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh also have received their inheritance eastward beyond the Jordan, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.”

8 Then the men arose and went, and Joshua commanded those who went to describe the land, saying, “Go and walk through the land and describe it, and return to me;  then I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.”  9 So the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities in seven divisions in a book; and they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh.  10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord, and there Joshua divided the land to the sons of Israel according to their divisions.”  Joshua 18:1-10.

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As the seven tribes who had not divided their inheritance were commanded to walk through the earthly Promised Land (Canaan) and write a description of it, verse 4, we are commanded to meditate on the LORD, His sovereignty, and the heavenly Promised Land.

“12 Walk about Zion and go around her;
Count her towers;
13 Consider her ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
That you may tell it to the next generation.”  Psalm 48:12-13.

There is some doctrine which seem to be more interested in man and what he is doing. 

But, Reformed Doctrine is ever walking about Zion, learning more about God and what He is doing. 

There is some doctrine which cling to alleged free-will of man.

“2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!”  Psalm 2:2-3.

But, Reformed Doctrine proclaims the total and absolute sovereignty of God.

“4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”  Psalm 2:4-6.

Reformed Doctrine teaches that this total and absolute sovereignty of God includes sovereignty over who will be saved and who will not be saved through “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation.

The following Psalm Chapter 48 puts it all together with its elements of the focus on the LORD, the beauty and strength of God’s sovereignty, the terror of the those who rebel against such sovereignty, the lovingkindness and righteousness of the LORD, and the command to meditate on LORD, His sovereignty, and the heavenly Promised Land. 

“1 Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
In the city of our God, His holy mountain.
2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth,
Is Mount Zion in the far north,
The city of the great King.
3 God, in her palaces,
Has made Himself known as a stronghold.

4 For, lo, the kings assembled themselves,
They passed by together.
5 They saw it, then they were amazed;
They were terrified, they fled in alarm.
6 Panic seized them there,
Anguish, as of a woman in childbirth.
7 With the east wind
You break the ships of Tarshish.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen
In the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God;
God will establish her forever.  Selah.

9 We have thought on Your lovingkindness, O God,
In the midst of Your temple.
10 As is Your name, O God,
So is Your praise to the ends of the earth;
Your right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let Mount Zion be glad,
Let the daughters of Judah rejoice
Because of Your judgments.
12 Walk about Zion and go around her;
Count her towers;
13 Consider her ramparts;
Go through her palaces,
That you may tell it to the next generation.
14 For such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will guide us until death.”  Psalm Chapter 48.

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 17.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+17&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“3 However, Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah.  4 They came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the leaders, saying, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.”  So according to the command of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers.

…

“14 Then the sons of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me only one lot and one portion for an inheritance, since I am a numerous people whom the Lord has thus far blessed?”  15 Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest and clear a place for yourself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.” 16 The sons of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the valley land have chariots of iron, both those who are in Beth-shean and its towns and those who are in the valley of Jezreel.”  17 Joshua spoke to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, saying, “You are a numerous people and have great power;  you shall not have one lot only, 18 but the hill country shall be yours.  For though it is a forest, you shall clear it, and to its farthest borders it shall be yours;  for you shall drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong.”  Joshua Chapter 17:  Verses 3-4 and 14-18.

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We meditate on two requests in today’s Scripture.

In today’s Scripture, in verses 3 and 4, we are first reminded of the request of the daughters of Zelophehad:  “Our father died in the wilderness, yet he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the Lord in the company of Korah;  but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons.  Why should the name of our father be withdrawn from among his family because he had no son?  Give us a possession among our father’s brothers.”  Numbers 27:3-4.

Later, in this chapter, we first read of the complaint/request of the sons of Joseph for more land.  Verses 14-18.

Both requests were granted, but in different ways.  The request of the daughters of Zelophehad was simply granted.  It does not appear that they had to fight for or work much for their land.  In contrast, the request of the sons of Joseph was also granted, but they had to both fight for it (“for you shall drive out the Canaanites”) and work hard for it (“For though it is a forest, you shall clear it”).

Likewise, we may have requests that may be granted quickly and easily.  We may get what is wanted as quickly and easily as one opens a Christmas gift.  Or, in contrast, we may get what is wanted but we will have to fight for it and work for it.

But, even for those requests that we have to fight for what we want and work for it, we should not be dismayed or discouraged, for part of the grant of our request is that God will certainly guide us and empower us to get what we want.

“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you;  He will be with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed.”  Deuteronomy 31:8.

We see this most clearly in our most common request for money.  Although God can give us money through an inheritance or through other gifts, most of the time, we will need to work for it (and figuratively fight for it).  But, let us not be dismayed or discouraged for God will certainly guide us and give us power to make wealth as part of His grant of our request.

“But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”  Deuteronomy 8:18.

“And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones;  And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”  Isaiah 58:11.

“For such is God,
Our God forever and ever;
He will guide us until death.”  Psalm 48:14.

Today’s devotion comes from Joshua Chapter 16.  Here is a link to this chapter – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua+16&version=NASB

I quote only the following verses.

“1 Then the lot for the sons of Joseph went from the Jordan at Jericho to the waters of Jericho on the east into the wilderness, going up from Jericho through the hill country to Bethel.  2 It went from Bethel to Luz, and continued to the border of the Archites at Ataroth.  3 It went down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of lower Beth-horon even to Gezer, and it ended at the sea.

4 The sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.”  Joshua 16:1-4.

————————

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.”  Proverbs 13:22.

All the sons of Israel received their inheritance, even Manasseh and Ephraim (Israel’s “children’s children” in the language of the foregoing verse).  And, it appears from all the details of each share of the inheritance that we have been reading in the last few chapters of Joshua that God took delight in what He was giving each of them.

Like all of the sons of Israel received their inheritance, all of God’s elect will receive their inheritance.

We do not receive the earthly Promised Land of Canaan.  But, we do receive the heavenly Promised Land of Heaven.

Like God took delight in reciting the details of the earthly Promised Land of Canaan, God took delight in reciting the details of the heavenly Promised Land of Heaven.

“And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.  Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper.  It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, …  And the twelve gates were twelve pearls;  each one of the gates was a single pearl.  And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.”  Revelation 21:10-12 and 21.

“He chooses our inheritance for us,
The glory of Jacob whom He loves.  Selah.”  Psalm 47:4.

“54 So He brought them to His holy land,
To this hill country which His right hand had gained.
55 He also drove out the nations before them
And apportioned them for an inheritance by measurement,
And made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.”  Psalm 78:54-55.

“Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the portion of your inheritance,”   Psalm 105:11.

“For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise;  but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.”  Galatians 3:18.

“… In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.”  Ephesians 1:10-12.

“For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”  Hebrews 9:15.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”  1 Peter 1:3-5.