CALEB'S GENEROUS GIFT

Scripture to be read - Judges 1:9-15

Verse to be learned - “The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it” (Proverbs 10:22).

Our lesson for today is a repeat of this experience which was first given in Joshua 15:13-19. Do you wonder why this was done? I think it was because God wanted us to realize how He delights in telling of the experiences of those who completely and fully trust the Lord and serve Him. It is just the same today even in this space age. God loves to bless and use those who give the Holy Spirit full and complete charge of their lives. I hope I can get you to see and realize this. You can know this is true by experience.

I think it will be helpful if I explain some of the things mentioned in this lesson. It will refresh your minds when I tell you that Caleb was one of the spies who entered the Holy Land when the children of Israel were in the wilderness. It was Caleb and Joshua who urged the Israelites to enter the Land, trusting God to deliver the Land into their hands. But the people rebelled and because of their rebellion they were kept in the wilderness forty years. They all died and were buried in the wilderness. Joshua and Caleb were the only two to enter and live in the Land.

Caleb was given the portion of land he desired and in his desire to see the idol-worshipping Canaanites driven out and their cities captured, he said, "And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher” (which was called "The City of the Book"): And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife” (Judges 1:11-12).

 

Othniel, the son of Caleb's younger brother, Kenaz, captured the city and he was given Achsah as his wife.

Let me tell you that in ancient times fathers assumed an absolute right over their children, especially in arranging for their marriage. It was customary for a king or a prominent man to promise his daughter in marriage to one who would capture a city, or kill an enemy, or carry out some designated assignment. King Saul promised his daughter to the man who would kill the giant, Goliath (Samuel 17:25).

Caleb gave his daughter a piece of land which we now know as the Negev. This was fertile land but it needed water so she asked her father to give her land that contained springs. Her father gave her even more than she requested. He gave her some land among the mountains which contained abundant springs of water, and also another lot in the plains which was well located and well watered.

Our Heavenly Father is likewise on the giving hand - promise after promise is given to us if we, like Caleb, give Him full control of our lives. Here is a promise I want you to commit to memory: “The Lord is a sun and a shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). Here is another promise: “Delight thyself in the Lord; and He will give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4).

There are so many more promises I could give you. Consider these two I have given you. Remember our Heavenly Father does not lie. He will make good the promises in your life if you will meet God's conditions.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Make good thy promise in my life. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

A STRONG MAN NEEDED

Scripture to be read - Judges 1:1-9

Verse to be learned: “Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?" (Judges 1:1).

There was an urgent need for a strong man to rule the country. Joshua was now dead and buried. Canaan had been conquered, but the nations remaining were far from defeated. These enemies of the Israelites, knowing their leader was dead, now became more aggressive. They began trips into a country that had been taken from them. In the south the Philistines held five cities. The Jebusites held Jerusalem. They held out against the children of Israel even unto the days of David, the King. Nearly all the sea coast and all the rich plain of Esdraelon was held by the Canaanites, and in the northern part of the land, were still living those who remained of the nations Joshua had conquered. So you see there was still much of the land to be conquered before they could have a permanent peace.

The Israelites were constantly exposed to attack by their enemies because they had no strong central government. The priesthood had evidently fallen into the hands of weak men from the days of Phinehas, the priest. From this there is striking confirmation in the fact that Eli, the priest, came not from the house of Eleazar, the oldest son of Aaron, in which the succession should have been continued, but from his youngest son, Isthamar. I can imagine that the children of the oldest son were not strong enough to meet the demands of this time, so they were set aside. Possibly Eli, as a young man, had enough powers of leadership to take over and unite the fighting forces of Israel. However, when we are told about his life, we see a man, pitiful in his old age, unable to lead the people. So you see a strong man was needed.

In our lesson for today we see that the leaders of Israel inquired of the Lord through Phinehas, the High Priest, asking him to tell them who of the tribes should be first to attack the Canaanites. It appears that some of the land occupied by Judah and Simeon had been invaded by the Canaanites, so Judah asked Simeon to join him and together their forces would attack the enemy.

Do you know what happened? We are told that the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand. It must have been a terrific battle, for ten thousand men of the enemy were killed. The forces of the enemy were led by a Canaanite called Adoni-bezek, which literally means "The Lord of Bezek". When he saw the tide of battle going against them, Adoni-bezek fled. They caught him and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. This was the ancient mode of mutilating an enemy-when their thumbs were cut off they could no longer handle a sword, and by removing their great toes they could no longer pursue or escape from an enemy.

Note what this Canaanite said, "Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me."

He had heard, no doubt, of the Living God of the Israelites. He now believed he was punished because of what he had done to others. The Israelites took him to Jerusalem and there he died.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. I believe that what I sow I will reap. Help me to sow the right kind of seed. In Jesus' name, Amen.

JOSHUA'S FAREWELL MESSAGE

Scripture to be read - Joshua 24:13-15

Verse to be learned - "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 1116:15).

Joshua had a strong desire to see all his people face to face. He had met with their representatives at Shiloh. We have just considered this meeting so now he asked all the tribes to come to Shechem. You will recall in a previous lesson where some years before they had stood together here in this valley. On the one side were tribes on the heights of Ebal and on the other side were tribes on the heights of Gerizim. You may also recall that from here had come the "Amens" of the people in answer to the blessings and the curse (Joshua 8).

The stones on which the law was written were still there. The people would remember their former meeting, but from now on this valley would always be remembered as the farewell message of their wonderful leader who here had given them his last passionate warnings and appeal.

What a meeting this must have been! You can imagine this aged, white haired leader, one hundred and ten years old, standing before his people. As his voice rang clearly through those heights, he told the people of their wonderful past. He told them of God's dealing with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, of the leadership of Moses, and Aaron, and the deliverance from the hands of Pharaoh from Egypt at the Red Sea. Then Joshua, acting as a spokesman for God, told the people of God bringing them across the turbulent Jordan, the fall of Jericho, the overthrow of the seven nations of Canaan, and their final possession of the land.

All through his message, Joshua placed the entire stress upon the grace and mercy of God. As you read this twenty-fourth chapter you will notice that this is true. It was “I took”; “I gave”; “I sent”; “I brought”; “I destroyed”; “I gave”; and “I delivered”. Not once does Joshua mention himself or Israel's mighty men. He wants the people to realize fully that it was God who had brought them safely into the land.

Joshua now appeals to the people to put away the gods which their ancestors served years before, as well as the gods some of them had brought with them from Egypt. This warning was given them at the close of his message (verse 14) and again just before he gave them his final closing words.

If you are a student of Bible history you will know that every nation under Heaven has, to some extent, been idol worshippers, and this idolatry has sooner or later led to impurity of life. Even the apostle, John, at the close of his first epistle, warns his disciples to keep themselves from idols.

The people then told Joshua that they had no desire to forsake the Living God and worship idols. They freely acknowledged that they owed everything to God and it was their desire to serve the Living God.

Joshua was not convinced that they were sincere. He believed that what they told him was but WORDS, nothing more! He warned them that God was holy. God would destroy them if they indulged in secret sins. Joshua then took a great stone and set it up before the people, saying, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God" (Verse 27).

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Help me to keep my promise to Thee. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

JOSHUA'S MESSAGE TO ISRAEL

Scripture to be read - Joshua 23:1-11.

Verse to be learned - “Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God” (Joshua 23:11).

It is believed that around eighteen years had passed since the events recorded in yesterday's lesson took place. The country was quiet; there were no wars of any kind. There were still Canaanites in the land, but they were now used to living with the Israelites, for the land was so rich it could easily provide enough for them all.

Joshua was now an old man, "old and well stricken in years." He knew that his end was drawing near, that he would not be with them much longer, so he called the leaders of the people to meet with him. They most likely met at Shiloh, where the Tabernacle of God was located. It must have been a most outstanding and memorable gathering.

I try to imagine in my mind who was there. I know that Caleb would be there, and Phineas the High Priest, the warriors who had been in all the great battles, the heads of families, the elders, the judges and officers; all would be there. They were all there to hear the last words of their leader, who had been with them from the time they crossed the Red Sea to that very day when they had been living in the Promised Land for around twenty years.

He reminded them of what God had done for them, how God had fought for them giving them victory over their enemies, that God had not failed in fulfilling every promise given to them. He was greatly concerned about the enemies still in the land; seven times he refers to them. He is afraid they will be tempted to intermarry with them and adopt their gods. He knows that he is the only barrier between them and their giving in to the worldly and idolatrous rites of these enemies.

To keep them from accepting the worldly and idol-worshipping custom of their enemies, Joshua proposed three safeguards:

1. They were to be very courageous, so as to keep and to do all that was written in the law of Moses, not turning aside from it to the right hand or to the left (Verse 6).

2. He warned them that if they intermarried with their enemies and accepted their idolatrous practices, then it was certain they could not prevail against them in battle; they would then all perish quickly off the good land into which they had come.

3. He emphasized the importance of their loving the Lord their God. His command was, "take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that you love the Lord your God” (Verse 11).

The whole law of God and of human life is fulfilled in these three words - “Thou shalt love." If you will truly love God with all your mind, all your heart, and all your soul, then you will naturally keep all the other commands I've given you.

- Love God and you won't be satisfied until you have conquered all the land;
- Love God and His courage will motivate and control your life;
- Love God and you will love His Book and you will want to keep all His commands;
- Love God and you will fulfill all God's law.

This was Joshua's message given to those gathered at Shiloh.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father – Give me this love for Thee. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

THE WISE COUNSEL OF PHINEAS THE PRIEST

Scripture to be read - Joshua 22:12-16

Verse to be learned - “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).

When the children of Israel learned that these two and a half tribes had set up an altar on the east bank of the Jordan, their first impulse was to go to war against them. They met at Shiloh where the Tabernacle of God was located; it seemed to them that a terrible sin had been committed by their building another altar - that it would cause the anger of God to be unloosed upon them all. It was like the sin of Achan, which caused the wrath of God to fall upon all the people.

But wiser counsel prevailed, so they sent Phinehas, the High Priest and ten princes, outstanding men of the tribes, to go at once to these two and a half tribes and let them know that none of the tribes of Israel, or even any individual person could commit such a sin without involving all Israel in judgment. They said, "Rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us” (Joshua 22:19).

Then, in a spirit of love, they even proposed to share with them the land they now occupied, where the Lord's Tabernacle was at Shiloh, if they were not satisfied with what land they had.

The children of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh then told Phinehas and the princes why they had built this altar of Ed (This name "Ed" means witness). They said that they built the alter “. . . not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD."

When Phinehas and the princes heard the explanation, they were satisfied, for they knew that no sin had been committed against the Lord. When they returned and told the people, all Israel blessed God, for they knew that they were a unified people.

There is a lesson in this for us; all true born again believers are unified into one body. So often someone will come forth to present a common creed, saying all must subscribe to it; - in other words, to build, like these two and a half tribes, an altar to Ed. But no such altar is necessary. We are in the world, but we are not "of the world." It matters not what color of skin, whether educated or ignorant, whether rich or poor; if you are a true born again believer, you are a part of God's family.

The closer we live to our Blessed Lord Jesus, the more clearly we discern our unity with all who walk with Him. It is the indwelling Holy Spirit who makes us one in Christ. It is my prayer that you, each and all, will this day give the Holy Spirit complete control of your life. For it is only those who have spiritual discernment who know how wonderful this unity really is.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Help me always to know that I am one of Thy born again believers. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

LIFE LIVED IN CANAAN

Scripture to be read – Joshua 22:1-6.

Verse to be learned - “The Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that

He swore unto their fathers" (Joshua 21:44).

When the seven years of fighting with the enemy for the possession of the land came to an end, then the children of Israel settled down to enjoy the land that God had given to them. They now gave themselves to the cultivation of the land, some to occupying the cities they had captured; now they were enjoying a well-earned rest. Joshua, in his message to the two and a half tribes, said to them, "The Lord your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as He promised them” (Joshua 22:4).

This was the climax of God's dealing with His chosen people. They were now located in the land He promised them. He had brought them out of Egypt, He had brought them safely through the Red Sea, He had met their needs when living in the wilderness, He had brought them safely over the raging waters of the Jordan River and given them victory over their enemies; now the Spirit of the Lord caused them to rest (Isaiah 63:14). Not only did the people rest; the land rested as well (Joshua 11:23).

The forty thousand warriors of these two and a half tribes, who had so faithfully done their share in the war of conquest, received the public thanks of Joshua, their leader; his last advice to them was, "Turn ye, and get ye unto your tents, only take diligent heed to do the commandment of the Lord." He told them that all the people hoped they would soon have much cattle, silver, gold, brass and iron as well as clothing; they were to divide the spoil of their enemies with each other. Then he gave them his blessing.

As they crossed the Jordan to occupy the land assigned to them, and realizing that the Jordan River divided them from the other seven and a half tribes, a sudden fear gripped them. They were afraid that in the years to come the seven and a half tribes would disown them. So to make clear for all the years to come the fact that they were a part of the entire group, they built an altar on the east bank of the Jordan. It was a large altar, not intended for any sacrifices; they built it to be a perpetual witness that they were faithful and loyal Israelites.

They should never have built this altar; God never commanded them to build it; it was purely a man-made affair. What they should have done was to obey God's command, that three times a year all their men should appear before God in Shiloh. Had they done this there would be no need for them to build this large altar.

There really was no reason for them to doubt that the time would come when they would no longer be recognized as Israelites; they were a part of the entire group; they inherited the blessings that God had promised them.

Tomorrow, I want to tell you what happened because they built this altar, which was called Ed.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Keep me from doing the things that displease Thee. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

THE LEVITES ARE GIVEN CITIES

Scripture to be read - Joshua 21:1-3.

Verse to be learned: “Cast all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (I Peter 5.7).

There was an ancient curse hanging over the assignment given to Simeon and Levi. They were brothers by birth. Years before they committed a terrible crime in wiping out an entire city (See Genesis 34). This gave their father, Jacob, a bad name among all the people living in the land, the Canaanites and Perizzites. He could not forget this act of treacherous cruelty; as it came before him just before he died he pronounced this curse against them: “Instruments of cruelty are in their possession . . . cursed be their anger for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7).

But his curse was not fulfilled in each case in the same way. With Simeon it ran its course. His people located at the south end of Canaan, between Judah and Philistia; they became wanderers until they no longer existed as a separate unit. But in the case of Levi, the curse was transformed into a blessing. At Sinai, when Moses called on all who were loyal to the Lord to gather in the gate of the camp, these Levites to a man answered his appeal. The Lord now entered into a covenant of life and peace with them; He took them as a substitute for the first-born sons of Israel, and pledged Himself to be their inheritance. Turn now and read Numbers 18:20; also Joshua 13:33.

“And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel” (Numbers 18:20).

“But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them” (Joshua 13:33).

So at God's command forty-eight cities were given to these Levites, with fifteen hundred feet of pasture land measured outward from the city walls. It was there they lived when not required for service in the Temple or when they could no longer serve because of age.

As Jacob predicted, they were scattered; but by doing so the whole land was blessed. You can imagine the effect it had upon the people to have a man of God with them who would enter the Temple of God and burn incense at the solemn hour of prayer! Multiply this by a thousand men of God in a thousand different places and you have some idea of the wholesome effect that was produced throughout the land.

These Levites taught the law of God to the people; they also taught the people the difference between the clean and the unclean. And in all matters of controversy they acted as the judge; they were God's messengers to the people (Deuteronomy 33:10).

So the work was finished. God's Holy Word says, “There failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:43-45).

There is a lesson in this for us. There are unlimited blessings available to us, for our Heavenly Father has not withheld any good thing. We are complete in Him. Every promise He has given us will be fulfilled when we meet God's conditions. If there is failure, the fault is ours. So go forward today, in faith believing, and God's blessing will be yours.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Grant me Thy blessing today. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

THE CITIES OF REFUGE

Scripture to be read - Joshua 20:1-6.

Verse to be learned - “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Matthew 5:7).

In our lesson for today we see that Joshua was commanded by God to apportion three cities of refuge on the west side of the Jordan River. Three cities of refuge had already been set aside by Moses after the Israelites had reached Moab before they crossed the Jordan (Deuteronomy 4:41-43). In order that you may understand why it was necessary they have these six cities of refuge, which are referred to in four of the first six books of the Bible, let me say that from the earliest times, when there were many small independent tribes, there was no general government to enforce the law and exact justice when the men of one tribe committed a crime against those of another. So, there grew up the custom of blood revenge in which the relatives of the murdered person were themselves compelled to punish the murderer. There was no one else to do it.

So these cities of refuge were appointed. Here the manslayer who had killed a person unintentionally, or perhaps accidentally, might escape from the members of the family of the man who was killed. The roads were kept in good repair; runners who were learned in the law helped the innocent man to get safely to the entrance of the city. There at the gate the elders of the city judged his case and, if it was shown that the person was killed unintentionally or accidentally, the man was allowed to enter the city and remain there until the death of the High Priest then in office; then at his death he was to return to his own home.

I want you to notice here that no provision was made for the escape of the willful murderer. But for wrongs that were not premeditated, there was this merciful provision. There were, however, four especial dangers in this method of punishing those who were guilty of killing others. So it was in later years that the duty of safe-guarding the rights of the community became the duty of the state and not the individual. Now we consider these four dangers:

1. That of using this method as an opportunity to carry out a private revenge.

2. There is a great danger that long bloody feuds and continued enmity would result. This is still happening among some Arab tribes even today.

3. There is a danger by not making a distinction between a deliberate murder and an accidental killing.

4. There is also the danger that those who had money would buy the escape of the murderer, so a poor man had no chance.

One thing we do know. Sin must be punished, whether committed by an individual or a nation, whether accidental or deliberate and willful, in order that they and others may be warned from committing sin and crime. This is the plain teaching of God's Holy Word in both the Old and the New Testaments. However, God does in His punishments make a distinction between willful sin deliberately carried out against God's warning and sins that may be done unconsciously or by those who are ignorant of the truth.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Keep me from sinning today. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

August 25

EXISTING OR REIGNING

Scripture to be read - Romans 6:11-13.

Verse to be learned - “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Romans 6:12).

I get letters every day which tell me that the person writing the letter is NOT living a victorious life. My heart goes out to all such, for this is not God's plan for us. Some people exist; that is all I can say for them. They count one in a crowd when the census taker comes. Others live; they get along after a fashion; they are born again believers but the spark of eternal life burns dimly; it is constantly almost obscured by large quantities of smoke. Then there are those who REIGN; the light burns and shines a clear, brilliant flame. To reign in life is to realize your place as a person in God's great Kingdom; you stand before men as a real born again believer - strong, stalwart, living before the world as a true example of God's power to transform a life.

When I say this I do not mean that we live on the mountain top all the time. To say that we do is not true. There are valley experiences, plenty of them; there are testings; there are trials. But, thank God, we have learned how to let the Blessed Holy Spirit, who is living in our bodies, take over. He is the one who gives us the victory.

We are no longer conformed to this world; our lives have been transformed because our minds have been renewed; we are now able to know what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God (Romans 12:1-2).

Are you living such a reigning life or do you just live the Christian life after a fashion? You rarely read God's Holy Word; you own a Bible but it is rarely opened; you pray occasionally but it's more from a sense of duty than from desire for a close fellowship with God. You are conscious of the fact that your religion is only barely sufficient for your own needs. You attend church on Sunday mornings; perhaps you will attend on Sunday night, but usually you prefer to watch the movies on TV, or to visit friends, or do something else that appeals to you.

You say, ''This is a perfect picture of how I am living." How can I become a reigning Christian?"

There is only one way. Jesus gave us the answer on that last day of the feast. I want you now to turn to John 7:37-38.

” In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.”

Are you really thirsty? If so, our Lord Jesus has told us what to do. I want you now to read verse 39. It is the Holy Spirit who brings about the change in our lives.

“(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

I have told you before, I say it again; GIVE THE BLESSED HOLY SPIRIT COMPLETE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE! You can make this decision today; you can make it even now as you read this lesson. Let nothing keep you from it; then having made the decision, have faith that He has actually taken over.

What will the Holy Spirit do? Read Romans 8:26-27.

“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 cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

He will make intercession with God, asking for just what you need, and it will be supplied according to God's will. If you want to reign, give Him complete control.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Help me to become a reigning Christian. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

VICTORIOUS OR DEFEATED, WHICH?

Scripture to be read - Joshua 17:14-18

Verse to be learned - “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).

The dividing of the Holy Land, which was carried out by Joshua and Eleazer in Gilgal, was still under way. The three great tribes of Judah, Ephraim and Manasseh had received their inheritance. Half the tribe of Manasseh had previously received its lot, for it had been given to them by Moses on the farther side of the Jordan. I want you to note that the descendants of Joseph received but one lot; cities were separated for the children of Ephraim in the midst of the inheritance of the children of Manasseh. See Joshua 16:9; also Joshua 17:14.

The limits of these great tribes are carefully mentioned. That of Judah is given in the fifteenth chapter, even to its uttermost cities. The limits of the children of Joseph are given in the sixteenth and seventeenth chapters. I want to stop here in this, our lesson for today, to say that just as God gave these children of Israel an allotment of the Promised Land, even so God has given to every one of us gifts as well. In Ephesians 4:7 we read, "Unto every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift to Christ."

What does this mean? It means that every true born again believer has the Holy Spirit living in his body. Every person is given talents; some more, some less. You have been given at least one talent. The Holy Spirit will reveal to you what it is IF YOU GIVE HIM YOUR BODY (Romans 12:1-2). He will bring it up from the depths of your personality. He will multiply it as our Lord Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fishes (Mark 6:41), and, as it is used, life will be wonderful and complete.

But, just as the children of Manasseh said to Joshua, "But the Canaanites would dwell in the land; . . . but did not utterly drive them out" (Joshua 17:12). They said to Joshua, "Why hast thou given me but one lot and one part for an inheritance, seeing I am a great people?" (Joshua 17:14). Joshua answered, "If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants."

Of course the Canaanites would live in the land; but God had decided otherwise. Because of their wickedness they were to be completely destroyed. The Israelites made a great mistake in allowing them to remain there when God had promised them, "I will drive them out from before you."

Do not condemn these children of Joseph, for if you do, you condemn yourself. Are we any better? We are all born with a flesh nature that hates God (Romans 8:7). When you accepted Christ, and the Holy Spirit entered your body, you were made a partaker of the divine nature.

Now you are a person with two natures, both living in the same body. Now you are faced with a choice; you can live a victorious life or you can be a defeated Christian. There is not the least reason why you should let besetting sins and fleshly lusts take control of your life.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Help me to live a victorious life today. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

August 23

THE LAND TO BE POSSESSED (Part 3)

Scripture to be read - Romans 7:15-25.

Verse to be learned - “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).

I would like to take another day to consider this subject. We saw in yesterday's lesson that the Blessed Holy Spirit asks us to give Him control of our body - our feet, hands, eyes, our ears, our brain; yes, all we are - body, soul and spirit. Why does He ask us to do this? The answer is clear; the Holy Spirit asks us to give Him complete control of our lives that He might release God's power which will enable us to reach the maximum possibility of our lives. You ask me, "Do you believe that I could ever reach this place in my life?" My answer is, "Yes, you can, if you take your hands off your life and let the Holy Spirit take complete control."

I know it is not easy to do this. No doubt you want to do this; you know it is what God would have you do, and it may be you have actually asked the Holy Spirit to take control of your life; yet, no results have been seen as far as you know. Do you know why? It's because you possess a flesh nature, and this flesh nature hates God (Romans 8:7). You were born with it; it is the mark of the curse which God pronounced upon all men. Our lesson for today tells of the battle that is on continually in our lives; here is the place where there is much land to be possessed.

I want to help you. I want you to live a life of victory. I do not mean that you will be on the mountain top all the time, for there are valley experiences we all must conquer. When you make the decision and give the Holy Spirit control, when you drive a stake, LEAVE IT THERE; don't pull it up today and drive it down again tomorrow. Here is where faith plays a vital part. You start a life of victory by using what faith you have; by using it you get more.

As you feed on God's Holy Word you will discover a decided change in your prayer life. Now you consider the Holy Spirit not a God only to be worshipped but a daily companion and friend with whom you fellowship. You tell Him your inmost secrets; there is no interest in your life He cannot share. He is your All, and in All.

What will happen if you do this? He will shower you with His gifts:some will be given tact in leadership, wisdom to win souls; you will be given power to help born again believers into the kind of life you now enjoy; you will be given ability to do the things you most enjoy doing that will glorify our Lord.

I think you see now how much land there is to be possessed. I know the demons that are about us all the time will do their best to discourage you. Do not be satisfied simply to know your failures and your inherent weakness. Launch out into the deep; cut the shore lines; determine you are going to be a possessor - and you will be!

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Help me to drive this stake today and leave it there. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

LAND STILL TO BE POSSESSED (Part 2)

Scripture to be read - James 1:22-25.

Verse to be learned - “Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).

I would like to continue to consider the land that is still before us waiting to be possessed. Have you ever wondered what kind of a person you would be if you reached the maximum possibility of your life? I do believe that this is what God wants of each of us, that the Holy Spirit who lives in our bodies will help us if we put forth the effort.

Do you agree that it would be well if we would ask the Holy Spirit to show us the areas in our lives where we are deficient? I mean that we do this in a spirit of honest self-analysis, for the first step in our exploring is to know just what in our lives needs to be amended.

We saw yesterday that there is much in God's Holy Word that we know but little, if anything, about:

1. WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT GOD

Yes, we know that He exists, that he is the creator of the universe, that He holds the world in the hollow of His hand. Some of us dwell on one trait of His character in complete ignorance of others. We magnify His mercy at the expense of His righteousness, or His justice at the cost of His grace. The little we know of God was given us by a true Sunday school teacher and a faithful pastor, what friends and loved ones have told us and from our haphazard reading of God's Holy Word. We do not know Him for ourselves. We really ought not rest content until we can say with the prophet, Job, "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). Think of how much more we would get out of life if we began to explore what is to many of us an unknown territory, the real Being of God. Yes, there is much land here to be possessed.

2. THERE IS MUCH WE CAN LEARN AND KNOW ABOUT OUR BLESSED LORD JESUS

Of course you know He is our Redeemer and the Saviour of the world. You know He is the Son of God, and that He was born of the Virgin Mary, that He was crucified, dead and buried, that He arose from the dead and ascended into Heaven where He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, from whence He shall judge the quick and the dead. We recite this Sunday after Sunday at church - but how much do you know of Him, the Personal Christ? Is He real to you or is He just a personage, nothing more? There is much land here to be possessed.

3. THEN, YOUR LIFE CAN NEVER REACH ITS MAXIMUM POSSIBILITY UNTIL THE BLESSED HOLY SPIRIT IS GIVEN FULL CONTROL - BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT

How much of your life does the Holy Spirit possess? In some cases your job is not possessed by him, or your home, or your social life. He wants all of you - your body, your soul, your spirit. I want you to learn Romans 12, verses one and two. Yes, there is much land to be possessed here.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. I pray the Holy Spirit will possess me fully, that I may reach the maximum possibility of my life. I ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

THE LAND STILL TO BE POSSESSED - (Part 1)

Scripture to be read - Joshua 13:1

Verse to be learned - “There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed” (Joshua 13:1).

Joshua was probably about ninety years old when he completed the conquest of Canaan. But don't get the idea that all of Canaan was conquered, for it was not. There was still much land to be possessed. There was all the region of Philistia, which was inhabited by some of the strongest enemies that Israel had ever encountered; there was the rich pasture lands of the south; there was the luxuriant plain of Phoenicia and the fertile upland valleys; yes, there was still much land still to be possessed.

Now I want you to consider again the promise God gave to Joshua when he took command at the death of Moses; read it: “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your borders” (Joshua 1:4).

This is God's promise given to the children of Israel. This promise will be fulfilled; even the unbelief of the people does not cancel God's promise; it will be fulfilled. This is the space age; it has not been fulfilled as yet. You ask, "When will it be fulfilled? Will there be a terrible war with the Arabs in which other nations will be drawn, even our own nation?" My answer is, "I do not know. I only know that God's promise will be fulfilled!"

Dear reader, do not doubt God! Think of the promises God has given to us which have not been fulfilled in your life! Why have they not been fulfilled? Because you have not met God's conditions; you have not possessed the land.

Let's consider some of the area which we have not possessed as yet.

1. THERE IS OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S HOLY WORD

While some folk have pressed on into unknown and untrodden areas of God's Word, the large majority of born again believers are content with a few familiar and well-loved portions. They read again and again the same passages in the Gospels, the Psalm or in Isaiah; but they rarely, if ever, venture into the unexplored territory beyond.

There is so much in God's Holy Word that we miss - land that is to be possessed, if we would put forth the effort. There are many subjects that would bring untold blessings; for instance, the Second Coming of Christ. Give yourself to studying what God's Holy Word says about it.

2. THEN THERE IS THE RESTORATION OF ISRAEL

The fulfillment of this promise I have already mentioned - when will it take place; and what about Israel's mission to the people of the world? This brings the issue right up to today.

3. THERE IS ALSO THE STUDY OF FULFILLED AND UNFULFILLED PROPHESY

What a land there is here to be possessed! Many an evening you wonder what to do; there is nothing on radio or T.V. that interests you; you are bored. Yet, here is a land that will bring you thrill after thrill as you discover the workings of the Holy Spirit in fulfilled prophesy even in our day.

Will you begin possessing the land before you, today?

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. Help me to become an explorer of Thy Word; I ask in Jesus' name.