King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Ask, Believe, and Work
Date: Friday March 09, 2012
Today's Chapters: Joshua 17-19

Hello My Friend,

The word content means to be satisfied with what one is or has, not wanting more or anything else. The Bible says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content...Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” - 1 Timothy 6:6-8,17-19.

The key to being content and seeing God give us all things richly through it, is following His commands. Think about it. A person is hired for a job and gets paid minimum wage, at first they are content with making minimum wage, but after a while they get tired of it and want more. If they want to advance they must make an effort to show they are ready to do the labor needed. This does three things, it shows the employer that they are a hard worker to keep what they already have, they are willing to work more to advance, and shows that they can be trusted with more responsibility. God rewards us the same way if we have faith that He can provide for us. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” - Hebrews 11:6.

The children of Israel were on the promised land, each of the nine tribes was given a part of the land, which was divided by how many people were in the tribe. What the tribes did not account for was the people already dwelling in the land, not God or Joshua, the people. The command from God was to drive them out as Israel was told not to dwell with the Canaanites. However, many of the tribes did not want to fight and were content to live among them, which caused problems for the smaller tribes. The children of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh) came to Joshua complaining that they were not given enough land for all their people. Joshua's response, go get it.

“And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee. And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel. And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.” -Joshua 17:15-18.

Joshua was himself of the tribe of Ephraim, but was far from supporting the demands of his kinsmen, he tells them that they were given enough of the land to share amongst them, plenty of it, and if they fought for it like they were told to do then they would see that. God has much more to give us, but we must show Him that we are content and thankful with what we have first and follow through with what He asks us to do. We can do anything that God asks us to do, He never gives us anything that we cannot handle, above all He strengthens us through Christ to be able to accomplish it.”Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you... But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 4:9,19.

In the midst of the division all of Israel came together to set up the Tabernacle. “And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them. And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance. And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?” - Joshua 18:1-3.

God has much to give us, but we must go get it, quite often we do not receive the things we really want because we do not want to work for it. I am one to admit that I have forfeited some things that I could have had over the years because I did not want to have to start all over again. The truth is, with every door that closes a new one opens, but we must walk through it to receive what is waiting for us, yes, it's like starting over again, but imagine the possibilities. Jesus said, “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.

The setting up of the Tabernacle in Shiloh gives a hint of the coming Shiloh (Christ) of whom Jacob had spoken. “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” - Genesis 49:10. Jesus is coming again and when He returns, all who are His will gather together, Jew and Gentile will become one nation lead by the only King of kings. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” - 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17.

After Joshua got all the tribes situated it was time to receive his inheritance, he did not just receive any land, he received the land he asked for. “When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them: According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein. These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.” - Joshua 19:49-51.

I witnessed to a 9 year old boy last night, I told him about heaven, how it was full of everything he ever wanted and more. His eyes lit up and he could wait to ask Jesus to come into his heart just to be able to see what would be waiting for him when he gets to heaven. It's that childlike faith that we never need to let cease, our eyes should light up at the thought of what we, who have received Christ, will inherit when we leave earth to receive our promised land. We do not have to wait to get to heaven to see God give is things, we can get them now, we just need to have faith and keep serving God the best we can. He knows what we are doing, He feels our pains and sorrows, and as we endure them He will reveal great things to us. All we have to do to receive is ask and believe. “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” - Matthew 21:22.

Today's Psalm: 21:4 - “He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and ever.”

Today's Proverb: 4:10 - “Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many.”

Today's Prayer: God, I know that You have many things that You want to give me, things that not only supply me with what I need, but also with what I desire. You are willing to give me anything I ask for as long as I ask believing, of course, I must be willing to show You that I can do the work necessary to get them and that it will not hinder my relationship with You. Lord, help me to learn and understand what I need to do to receive the things I am asking besides having faith and give me the ability to wait for You to give them to me when I am ready to handle receiving them. I love You Lord, and ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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