July 3, 2024, Day 4 of week 14

Daily Dose of Hope July 3, 2024, Day 4 of week 14

Scripture: The book of Joshua Chapter 18-21; Psalm 15: The gospel of Luke Chapter 18

Welcome back to the daily dose of hope, the devotional and podcast that complements New Hope Church’s Bible reading plan.

Let get into our scriptures today:

Chapter 18-21of the book of Joshua continue to provide details on how Joshua and the Israelites comes in the fulfillment of God’s covenant to give them the land in Canaan. We begin with all of Israel gathering at Shiloh where they set up the tabernacle to offer sacrifices to God. The land was conquered. The hard battle for it was over. Yet we learn, "And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance." That means they had not gone into the land to possess it. It had been given to them, but they had not gone in to receive it. No wonder Joshua admonished them, saying, "How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your father has given you? The thought is that they had a home in which they could settle. Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true (21:25). Joshua saying “Look the land is not going to divide itself. We’ve got work to do. They subdued the people and made them pay tribute. This was coexistence, not dispossession. This program was a fruitful source of trouble for Israel. It is also a dangerous one for us to follow with regard to sin and the failure to assume our possessions in Christ. The same question could be asked of many Christians. How long will it be before we avail ourselves of the vast spiritual riches God has made possible? He has given us the privilege of life-changing prayer. He has made it possible for us to study His Word in any number of translations. We are new creatures in Christ, with all the potential that can be found in such a position. When will we possess these riches? Don't delay. Begin today to possess all the spiritual benefits God offers you. Now is the time for you to take what God has promised. God can only give what you are willing to take.

Now let us look at Psalm 15. David opens this psalm with these two questions to the Lord, “Who may Worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill?” These relevant questions of asking what are the qualification for the worship of the true God in his sanctuary? The answer is the one who aligned with God. The one who live blamelessly, practices righteousness, and acknowledge the truth. One cannot merely profess to know God but must walk before him in integrity. In otherwards, to have access to God, one life must reflect devotion to the two great commandment: love for God and love for people (Mark 12:28-31). The righteous one cares for his neighbor and despise those who are evil. He honors those who fear God especially those who take him seriously. He keeps his word whatever it cost. No matter what personal harm may come to him, he holds true to his commitments. He does not seek to prosper by ripping out others, nor can he be bribed. Such a person will never be shaken because he aligned himself with God. He will have a stable life because he will oversees it.

Moving to our New Testament text in the 18th chapter of Luke. Jesus teaches on the  importance of prayer. Through the use of a parable Jesus now encouraged his disciples to pray, and not grow weary of praying, though the situation might not change immediately. In times of persecution, this remain a valuable lesson and tool for endurance. Constancy and persistency in prayer is a sign of faith, not of a lack of faith. Jesus chose two unlikely character a poor widow and a corrupt judge to state his claims. These characters hardly seem like the proper comparison for choosing a relationship with God, but Jesus wants us to focus upon several important contrast in this story. The judge had both power and authority, and he abused both. The widow was legal resident who deserved the Judge assistance, yet she found herself to be helpless, because the judge would not hear the case. Her only recourse was to be just as troubling to the one who could do her any good-the Judge. The judge never intended to grant the woman a hearing, because he was man, who had no need of anything or anybody and what more he was proud of it. There was nothing in him that feared God or man. This is what the woman had to face on a daily basis. It looks like the judge sided with the adversary, though he was not on anybody’s side. Through the widow persistence and constancy, not only did he grant the woman a hearing, but also gave her fair justice, just so she would not return again. Jesus said there is something to learn from the unjust Judge. Those who are evil still know what is right, else how could they know what is wrong or which way to turn? A pivotal point here Jesus makes, if a person who can do this, surely God has no desire to mete out justice to the one deserving, surely God who is the just one, not only can, but will dispense Justice on behalf of all those whom he has drawn to himself by Christ. The question is “How badly do you want what you want?” When you are dragged before the courts of the world, will you continue in prayer, steadfast and unmovable ? When it seems like God is not listening will you quit praying.

As we move further along in this text, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and tax collector. One was self-aware and the other not. The pharisee had a high regard for God. He believes himself to be religiously superior to the common sinner. He did not believe himself to be sinner at all. On the other hand, the tax collector knew he was corrupt and everybody else also knew this about him. We do not know what his sin is, perhaps Jesus omitted this detail so that people who read this story might know there are no particular sins that cause the person to be a sinner just the fact that all of us are  human. The tax collector obviously realized this and recognized his unworthiness and inability to stand in the presence of God. The conclusion and the lesson of the story we find in verse 14. Both men needed forgiveness. The pharisee did not know he need forgiveness, did not ask for it and did not get it. The tax collector knew he needed the forgiveness that would be only by the mercy of God, ask for it, and received it. Jesus concluded those who are righteous and despise others, like Pharisee in the parable, think they have arrived spiritually, but yet have a long way to go.

Continuing along in the text it apparent the disciple had forgotten the lesson of Luke 17: 1-3 and missed the practical application of humility in the lesson just given. It is easy to forget, but now something has occurred that would bring the lesson to the forefront. Jesus went about blessing the children. As more children came to Jesus, the  disciples rebuked the group as a whole, but especially the adults, speaking to them in such a stern way to prevent them from completing their purpose.

Jesus uses the opportunity to illustrate the disposition one must have to enter the kingdom and receive kingdom rewards. The kingdom of God is only for those who available to receive it like a child. In a parent-child relationship, children bring nothing to the table, but their own weakness, need and dependency. In the same way we come to God through Jesus Christ, entirely dependent on him in kingdom entry and kingdom blessing.

The text gets a little deeper when a rich young ruler asks Jesus, “Good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus’ response only God is good. Why did the rich young ruler approach Jesus with his question. It appears that the rich ruler was a genuine seeker of the truth, not just another religious leader looking up to trap Jesus in his own words. The young ruler believed that heaven is attained by goodness because he had seen that Jesus was good at heart and sought to be good to others. Jesus recognized the sincerity of the man and his question, but also saw there were other things that needed to be dealt with ahead of the answer. Jesus response , “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! Instead, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” The young ruler’s love for his wealth superseded his love for people. Jesus uses his encounter with the rich young ruler to warn his disciples about the danger of wealth. Those who heard Jesus’ response to the rich young ruler said who can be saved? Jesus replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” Jesus assure Peter that faithful kingdom disciples will be repaid, sometimes in history but ultimately in eternity.

After this encounter Jesus is headed toward Jerusalem, but in private he took his disciples aside as he predicts his death by explaining what would happen. This baffled the disciples they could not gasp it, because how could the messiah be killed at the place, they felt he would be enthroned. They would need spiritual clarity from the Holy Spirit. Although the disciples could not discern the anointing of Jesus and who he was . As they approach Jericho on their way to Jerusalem. A blind man heard people going by, he asked what was happening? When he heard it was Jesus. He shouted “Jesus, son of David, have mercy in me!” those in the crowd tries to prevent the blind man from receiving his miracles. The second shout cause Jesus to stop in response to his cry of faith and ask him what he needed, but did Jesus really have to ask? All heard his request, “Lord…. I want to see.” With the blind man proclamation of faith and Jesus’ ability to restore his sight he was healed instantly. The blind man regained his sight, he became a disciple, follow Jesus and glorified God. As a result, the people who witnesses it gave praise to God. This miracle severed as a spiritual lesson to the nation of Israel. If they respond and acknowledge their spiritual blindness. God would grant them spiritual life and entrance into the kingdom that Jesus was offering. Until tomorrow remember our goal as a congregation to read the bible in one year together as a family of faith. Five days a week we read. Two days rest or catch up. Reading the is the way we increase and walk out our faith as believers. This is Pastor Lavetta, and this is the daily Dose of Hope. 

The Daily Dose of Hope is a devotional intended to provide context and reflection to the New Hope Church Bible Reading Plan.  It’s our goal  to read the Bible in a year together as a family of faith.  Five days a week we read.  Two days a week we either rest or catch up.  Reading the Bible is the number one way to grow in our walk with Jesus.  We have to know God’s Word to live God’s Word.  Now for our Daily Dose of Hope… https://www.findnewhope.com