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1December 20, 2009

Joshua 8 1 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I I have givenhave given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

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Israel was defeated in the first battle Ai;

The fighting men lost their courage, because God was not with them.

God was not with them because there was sin in the camp.

When we have faithfully put away sin, that accursed thing which separates between us and God, then, and not till then, we may look to hear from God to our comfort; and God's directing us how to go on in our Christian work and warfare, is a good evidence of His being reconciled to us. God encouraged Joshua to proceed. At Ai the spoil was not to be destroyed as at Jericho, therefore there was no danger of the people's committing such a trespass.

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Achan, who caught at forbidden spoil, lost that, and life, and all; but the rest of the people, who kept themselves from the accursed thing, were quickly rewarded for their obedience. The way to have the comfort of what God allows us, is, to keep from what He forbids us. No man shall lose by self-denial.

Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

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Never underestimate the destructivenessdestructiveness of sin,

Nor the rewardreward of willing obedience.

2And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

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Too often God's people trytry to take for ourselves that which God is wanting to give us freelygive us freely.

God said, "I have givengiven into thy hand."

They wanted to take it for themselvesfor themselves.

God wantedGod wanted to bless them with it.

Is there something which you are tryingtrying to do yourself that God is wantingwanting to do for you?

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Matthew 11 28-30 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

Is this the way you feel?

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Are you overloaded and about to tip over?

The Lord wants to walk with you.

He wants youyou to give your cares to HimHim.

Are you weary, are you heavy-hearted?

Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus.

Are you worried what shall be tomorrow?

Tell it to Jesus alone.

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Tell it to Jesus, tell it to Jesus,

He is a friend that's well known.

You have no other such a friend or brother.

Tell it to Jesus alone.

This time though, the people would get the spoils of war.V2

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Why were they forbiddenforbidden to take anything from Jericho, and commandedcommanded to take stuff from Ai?

The BibleThe Bible doesn't answer this question.

As always, I will say that God is GodGod is God; He knows far more and far more clearly than we can

know.Perhaps Jericho was a testa test of their obedience.

If only Achan had suppressedsuppressed his greedy and selfish desires and obeyedobeyed God’s Word at Jericho, he would laterlater have had all his heart desired and God’s blessing too. The path of obedience and faith is always best.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

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There's always two pathstwo paths that we may walk.

Choose wiselyChoose wisely, according to God's Word.

Deuteronomy 30 19 I call Heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

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That's God desire for all of His children.Choose a life of faithlife of faith manifested

by willing obediencewilling obedience.

2c lay thee an ambushambush for the city behind it. 3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valor, and sent them away by night.

4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in waitlie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all be ye all readyready:

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All they had to do was obey.

5 And I, and allall the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, 6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.

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God didn't bring down the walls of Ai.He used strategystrategy to open the gates.

God is not limited to a few methods of operation.

He does as He Wills.

7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand. 8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: accordingaccording to the Commandment of the Lord shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

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There's a time to fleeflee and a time to seizeseize:

AccordingAccording to the Commandment of the Lord

As we face everyevery situation of life, we must know:

What does God sayGod say about it?

Is someone being meanbeing mean to you; maybe even telling lies on you or yours?

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Matthew 5 44-45 But I say unto you, LoveLove your enemies, blessbless them that curse you, do gooddo good to them that hate you, and praypray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may bebe the children of your Father Which is in Heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

I would never have thought of that!

Do you have perpetual financial needsfinancial needs?

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Luke 6 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

I would never have thought of that!

Would you?

Are you unhappy? Are you often blue?

Jesus tells us what to do:

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John 15 9-11 As the Father hath loved Me, so have I loved you: continue ye in My love. If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My JoyMy Joy might remain in you, and that your your joyjoy might be full.

Too often God's people look downlook down on one another, criticizecriticize one another, belittlebelittle one

another, and resentresent one another,

And then wonderwonder why we're blue.

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God answersGod answers this and every other question of life.

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