King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Cleaving To Christ
Date: Sunday March 11, 2012
Today's Chapters: Joshua 23,24

Hello My Friend,

The word cleave means to stick, to hold on to, since we have been justified through grace, by faith in Jesus Christ, it is our first duty to cleave to Jesus in order to learn how to have the best relationship with God that we can possibly have here on earth. Since man became enemies to God, they have been enemies to one another. And those that cleave to Christ, must expect to meet with the same enemies who seldom agree with God. However, as Christians, we are not to overcome evil by being evil ourselves, but by cleaving to what is good. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;..Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” - Romans 12:9911,19-21.

Joshua was now one hundred and ten years old, he knew his time on earth was coming to an end, before he passed he gathered all the elders together for one last remembrance of the miracles, lessons, blessings, and laws given by God. He left them with a warning also.

“And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you. Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day...Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.” -Joshua 23:3,6-8,15,16.

As all good things come upon the believer according to the promise, likewise, evil things will come upon the unbeliever, according to His promise. Love the Lord your God, and you will not leave him. Cleave to Him and you will not face unnecessary suffering. Conflicts may have been severe and long, trials great and many, but as long as we cleave to Christ we will see the victory. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” - 1 John 5:4,5.

Joshua reminded Israel that they are standing on the promised land not because of any work that they have done, but because God promised it to them. He also gave them a choice, “And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.” - Joshua 24:13-15,18.

We all have a choice, that is God's gift of free will, He does not and will not force Himself upon any of us, if we choose not to follow Him He is okay with that. God wants someone faithful to Him, someone who will cleave to Him, to serve Him willingly and wholeheartedly. He rather a person not follow Him at all then to say they do and lie about it. Jesus said, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.” -Revelation 3:15-19.

It is essential that the service of God's people be performed with a willing mind. For LOVE is the only genuine principle that is acceptable service to God. Joshua reminds Israel one last time that God is a jealous God and if they choose Him they will face consequences if they forsake Him. “And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey...And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.” - Joshua 24:19-24,31.

It is important in our Christian walk to cleave to godly men and women who set the right example for us to follow. So many people are caught up in false religion, living the examples they were taught, but they were taught the wrong examples. Sadly, they chose to serve a false god instead of the living God, any religion that does not teach that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection alone is serving a false god. Jesus is God in the flesh, therefore, He is the only living God and the only one to cleave to. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men...And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” - John 1:1-4,14.

Today's Psalm: 34:11 - “Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.”

Today's Proverb: 9:9 - “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”

Today's Prayer: God, I want to be Your faithful follower as You fulfill Your purpose in my life. I need not fear when I cleave to You, for You will help guide me through the uncertainties and difficulties of life, for You truly know what Your intentions are for my life. I trust You for the days ahead and will not fear nor dread the future, since it is through the eyes of faith, that I will see the victory ahead! In Jesus' name. Amen.

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

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