DCLM Daily Manna 23 July 2024 — Dealing With Conflicts
DCLM Daily Manna 23 July 2024 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Dealing With Conflicts
Topic: Dealing With Conflicts
Text: Joshua 10:1-14
1Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
3Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
4Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
5Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
6And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
7So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
8And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
9Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
10And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
11And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
12Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
14And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
Key Verse: “Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel” (Joshua 10:4).
Message
Wars in any part of the world, especially in developing countries, usually incur heavy human, economic and social costs. Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the United Nations (UN) to assist countries in navigating the difficult path from conflict to peace.
Also Read: Open Heaven 23 July 2024 – Dangerous And Benign
The Gibeonites made peace with Israel and established alliance with them in the text. Therefore, their battles became Israel’s battles through this alliance, even though the Gibeonites obtained this accord by deception. The five Kings of the Amorites teamed up to fight against Gibeon as a deterrent to other Amorite nations who may be thinking in the same direction. The Gibeonites appealed to Joshua to come to their aid. Joshua led an army into the battle and crushed the confederates in a long-drawn war. When it was turning late in the day and the war had not ended, Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stand still until the victory was fully secured. God granted his decree by miraculously suspending time.
We need to keep in mind that wars and conflicts are caused by unresolved issues among dominant and aggressive neighbours. These conflicts develop as little interpersonal, relational, domestic or business issues snowball into largescale conflicts. There is wisdom in the saying that the costliest peace is cheaper than the cheapest war. That is why conflicts and disagreements should be resolved before they grow and metamorphose into big issues.
We must strive to keep peace and avoid conflicts at all costs. Conflicting issues and interests are bound to arise within the church and the family because we are humans but we must always find ways to resolve these as recommended in the Scriptures.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Unresolved conflicts destroy fellowships and relationships.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Exodus 23-25
Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2024 was written by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
