- Today we know that the Lord is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the Lord. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the Lord. Joshua 22:31b – There was almost a war between brothers in the faith because one brother heard rumors about the other and began to act on those rumors without first talking with the other brother. Thankfully though the brother nations here actually talked it out because the rumors were wrong and things were misunderstood. How often though can we make the mistake of acting on rumors or our perspective of things before actually talking it out with the other person? While confronting the person you’re upset with isn’t easy or desirable, the relationship you have with them is worth the uncomfortable talk. Don’t let rumors that other people have spread or your one-sided perspective on things tear a part a relationship that God wants together. Follow the lead scripture gives us here and talk things out. You might come to find the person you thought was against you is actually on your side. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac
- Joshua 22 Daily DEVO And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh, “Today we know that the Lord is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the Lord. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the Lord.” Joshua 22:31 – A few days ago we had a devotion much like today’s, meaning scripture must be telling us to really hear something! That communication is vital for the health of relationships between Christians. Our passage today revolves around a war almost starting between the tribes of Israel all because part of the tribes heard about something done and made assumptions before ever talking it through with the other side. They were ready to wipe their brothers out because they THOUGHT they did something wrong, which wasn’t the case at all. Brothers and sisters in Christ, please talk with each other before making assumptions about the other’s actions or words. You could so easily destroy a relationship God blessed you with over a misunderstanding. Be the one that fights for a relationship rather than the one that cuts ties before ever seeking out the truth. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1186
- Joshua 22 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord, “What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the Lord by building yourselves an altar this day in rebellion against the Lord?” Joshua 22:16 – The 2.5 tribes that chose to settle on the other side of the Jordan, apart from the other tribes, were finally able to go home and settle for the promise land had been taken over by Israel. Yet on the way home they created an altar, and while their intentions were good, the rest of the tribes thought they were turning away from the Lord. Our verse today comes from the mouth of a handful of leaders who chose to visit the 2.5 tribes and confront/question them about this breach of faith. As I read this story, I wonder how often we’d have the courage to do this. That when we got word of or saw another follower of Jesus turning to sin that we’d be willing to confront/question like this this. This shouldn’t be done in a prideful, mean, or judgmental way, and I’m not encouraging us to do that either, but if we saw sin in our brother’s life would we say anything? For how the next verse in the passage starts truly says it all…”Have we not had enough of the sin…” If then you see your brother or sister in Christ taking a step away from the faith, take a step into their story. Maybe what you’re seeing isn’t a sinful move, like we see in our passage, but maybe it is. Care enough about them to step in. If sin is our enemy’s tool to steal, kill, and destroy us, then let’s love our neighbor enough to step in when we see a pursuit of sin taking place in their life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2481
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