DCLM Daily Manna 5 December 2023 — Reward For Peacemakers
DCLM Daily Manna 5 December 2023 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Reward For Peacemakers
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Topic: Reward For Peacemakers
Text — Joshua 11:10-23
10And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.
12And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
13But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
14And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
15As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
16So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;
17Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
18Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
19There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.
20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
21And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
22There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
23So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.
Key Verse: “There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle” (Joshua 11:19).
Message
Onetime prime minister of England, Ramsey MacDonald, was said to be discussing with another government official the possibility of lasting peace in the world. The official considered the PM’s viewpoint too idealistic and cynically remarked, “The desire for peace does not necessarily ensure it”. The PM admitted this but quipped, “Quite true. But neither does the desire for food satisfy your hunger, but at least it gets you started toward a restaurant”.
Also Read: Open Heaven 5 December 2023 – Divine Group Insurance
The peace move made by the Gibeonites alluded to in today’s text paid off eventually. Israel’s effort to possess the land of Canaan that was divinely willed to them did not come without stiff oppositions and wars. One of the notable wars they had to fight was with a confederacy of northern Canaan’s crowns headed by Jabin, king of Hazor. As happened in previous wars, God fought for Israel and discomfited all the hostile countries and handed Israel, under Joshua, a decisive victory. Even the Anakims (a race of giants) were routed and a remnant of them took refuge in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod, cities of the Philistines. Only the Gibeonites were spared because they pursued peace with Israel.
Also Read: DCLM Daily Manna 4 December 2023 — The Delusion Of Evolution
It pays to tread the path of peace at all times and everywhere. The pursuit of peace is generally misunderstood as a sign of weakness; but the Christian is enjoined to “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
True believers are not only followers of peace; they are also peacemakers. Their presence, words and actions help to douse, not inflame, quarrels, fights and uproars. We must equally observe what was said about Joshua’s obedience to divine instructions originally given to Moses. We cannot hope to have the Joshua kind of victory without absolute obedience to God’s word.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The ultimate turning-point for lasting peace is knowing the Prince of peace
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
Hosea 10-14
Deeper Life Daily Manna For Today 2023 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)
