February 20, 2014 - Thursday

Start Time: 6:02  A.M.

End Time: 6:36 A.M.

Title: Division of the Land West of the Jordan

Scripture: Joshua 14:1 – 15

God’s Message / God’s Promise / God’s Commands:

→ Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them. Their inheritances were assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, as the Lord had commanded through Moses.  Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest,  for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds. So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

NOTES:

Ø God ensures that everyone had their inheritance!  God has an inheritance for each one of us!  There is no need to get jealous or envious or others who are receiving their promises or land because God, Himself, separated ours as well.  He is fair to everyone even to the Levites who received no inheritance; He ensured that they received towns to live in with pasturelands for their flocks and herds.  So we are not to worry for God has set everything up for us even before we are born.  We are to trust fully in Him because we know that He has the best in-store for us always!

→Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me.  I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions,  but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed theLord my God wholeheartedly. So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lordmy God wholeheartedly.’ “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.  So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.  (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.) Then the land had rest from war.

NOTES:

Ø God never forgets His promises and He allows us to come boldly to Him to claim His promises in us!  God is the King of kings and Lords of Lords yet He allows us to come boldly to Him and claim the promise He gave us.  Caleb was 85 years old when he went to Joshua and boldly claim the inheritance that belongs to him.  As God’s children, we can come boldly to God’s throne thru His Son, Jesus Christ, to claim and receive the promises that belong to us.  God permits us to do so, in fact, he encourages us to do so!  So let’s come boldly to His throne and take a step in claiming what He promised us.  Hallelujah!

Ø God restores the youth of His people! Caleb was 85 years old yet the passage above shows that He was kept alive by God and he is still as strong today as the day Moses sent him out!  At 85, he felt, look and is strong as he was 40 years before.  Our God is the God of youth and He restores our youth when we spend our lives soaked of His presence.  So let’s spend time with God and let Him renew our youth!

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, the Great Son, Almighty Lord and the beloved Son of God!  I praise You Jesus and worship Your Name as there are no other name like Yours!  Only Your Name can calm the sea and stop natural calamities.  Only Your name can drive away demons and claim victory in everything.  Jesus, I am forever grateful for Your love, grace and favor that continually pours down on me every day.  Lord, thank You because You have a specific inheritance for me and it is only for me and You never forget every promise You made to us.  Lord thank You because of You, I can come boldly into the presence of the Lord and claim the promises that He gave me.  Thank You because I can come to His presence without fear because Jesus You are with me.  Lord thank You because as I spend my life with You, just like caleb, You will restore and renew my youth and You will give the strength and activeness of a young person because thru You flows the fountain of Life and the restoration of our youth.  Holy Spirit, help me to fully trust You and You alone.  Open my eyes to see God’s hands working in my life every day.  Every grace and favor poured out and the sense of His love surrounding me every step of the way.  Help me Lord to see You every day of my life.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!