Bible League: Living His Word "... as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come."— Joshua 5:14 NKJV It was a critical juncture in the history of the Israelites, the old covenant people of God. They had left Egypt. They had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. They had finally crossed the Jordan River into the promised land. Now they were about to go to war against the city of Jericho. It would be the first and the most important battle in the promised land. If ever they needed help from the Lord, it was now. If ever they needed instructions on how to conduct a battle, it was now. In the history of the people of God, some times are more significant than other times. At those times the opposition is strong and the stakes are high. For the Israelites, a loss at Jericho would have cast them out of the promised land. It would have been a major disaster and a failure of God's promises to them. That's why Jesus showed up. The pre-incarnate Jesus Christ, the commander of the army of the Lord, showed up personally to help. This time, He did not stay in heaven. This time, He came to personally lead and direct the battle. The stakes were too high and the opposition too strong to leave it to His underlings. He gave Joshua the instructions for battle that He needed and it resulted in a miraculous victory (Joshua 6). Jericho was not the only critical juncture in the history of the people of God. There have been, and there will be, other ones. When the early church, for example, was undergoing severe persecution from the hand of Saul, Jesus showed up personally again. He appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus and He stopped the persecutions by blinding him. He graciously turned Saul's heart around and later healed him. Saul the persecutor was turned into Paul the Apostle of the Gospel. In our own day, the critical junctures seem to be coming in swarms and they seem to be happening all over the world. The people of God are under severe duress. No doubt, Jesus is showing up personally to help. No doubt, He comes as commander of the army of the Lord. He helps His people overcome. He will not allow the spread of the Gospel and the advance of the Kingdom of God to be stopped by the opposition (Acts 1:8). Indeed, one day He will come back on the clouds and lead the army of the Lord in the definitive and final battle against the enemies of the people of God (Revelation 19:11-21). Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 59, 60, 61 Psalm 59 -- David's Psalm of Deliverance (1Sa 20) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 60 -- David's Psalm of Victory (2Sa 8) NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 61 -- Hear my cry, God. Listen to my prayer. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Acts 28:16-31 Acts 28 -- Paul Ashore at Malta; Preaches at Rome NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion When Jesus heard his answer, he said, “There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. Insight This man's wealth made his life comfortable and gave him power and prestige. When Jesus told him to sell everything he owned, Jesus was touching the very basis of his security and identity. The man did not understand that he would be even more secure if he followed Jesus than he was with all his wealth. Jesus does not ask all believers to sell everything they have, although this may be his will for some. He does ask us all, however, to get rid of anything that has become more important than God. Challenge If your basis for security has shifted from God to what you own, it would be better for you to get rid of those possessions. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon John 6:37 Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.No limit is set to the duration of this promise. It does not merely say, "I will not cast out a sinner at his first coming," but, "I will in no wise cast out." The original reads, "I will not, not cast out," or "I will never, never cast out." The text means, that Christ will not at first reject a believer; and that as he will not do it at first, so he will not to the last. But suppose the believer sins after coming? "If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." But suppose that believers backslide? "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him." But believers may fall under temptation! "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." But the believer may fall into sin as David did! Yes, but he will "Purge them with hyssop, and they shall be clean; he will wash them and they shall be whiter than snow;" "From all their iniquities will I cleanse them." "Once in Christ, in Christ forever, Nothing from his love can sever." "I give unto my sheep," saith he, "eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." What sayest thou to this, O trembling feeble mind? Is not this a precious mercy, that coming to Christ, thou dost not come to One who will treat thee well for a little while, and then send thee about thy business, but he will receive thee and make thee his bride, and thou shalt be his forever? Receive no longer the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption whereby thou shalt cry, Abba, Father! Oh! the grace of these words: "I will in no wise cast out." Daily Light on the Daily Path John 7:50 Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) said to them,Matthew 26:58 But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see the outcome. John 12:42,43 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; • for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted. John 6:37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. Isaiah 42:3 "A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. Matthew 17:20 And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. 2 Timothy 1:7,8 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. • Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, 1 John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. Matthew 10:32 "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. 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