SUMMIT WEEKEND
Vulnerability
Patrick Lencioni
May 19 & 20, 2012

Definition of Vulnerability –
Liable to increased penalties, but entitled to increased bonuses

Three Fears that keep us from being vulnerable:

Fear of B_______________________ R_______________________
Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth.” But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.[b] When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, “This man is definitely one of them!” But Peter denied it again. A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, “You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean.” Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” MARK 14: 66-71
A. ENTER THE DANGER
B. SPEAK THE KIND TRUTH
C. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE REJECTED

2. Fear of B_______________________ E_______________________
A. CELEBRATE OUR MISTAKES

3. Fear of F_______________________ I_______________________
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” JOHN 13: 4-6
A. DO THE DIRTY WORK – Show people you are willing to do what you are asking of them.
B. BE GENUINELY INTERESTED AND HONOR OTHERS WORK

Vulnerability breeds trust, loyalty, commitment, and can be very powerful. Even though it is attractive, our culture has instilled in us to avoid suffering and pain at all costs. We as Christ followers, are called to be vulnerable by Jesus Christ, the most humble and vulnerable leader of all time. He was seated comfortably in heaven at the right hand of the father, but came to Earth as a servant to show his unconditional love for us. The example has been set to willingly be rejected and speak the kind truth in spreading the Gospel. Now, it’s our role to carry out the Great Commission, as vulnerable servants, we will truly be rewarded for answering the call. Matthew 5:12 says, “Be happy about! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.”

Discussion Questions

1. Patrick Lencioni describes vulnerability as an attractive and powerful attribute. Have you ever viewed vulnerability as an attractive attribute in your life?

2. Lencioni said that despite the power of vulnerability, many of us do not embrace being vulnerable.

A. Where on the continuum below would you place your own willingness to be vulnerable?
Rarely Willing? Cautiously Willing? Totally Willing?
B. Depending on your level of vulnerability, you might not be comfortable sharing your rating with others. Take a step toward increased vulnerability by talking about where you marked yourself with a group of friends that you trust and share why you placed yourself where you did.

3. Three fears that keep us from being vulnerable are fear of being rejected, fear of being embarrassed, and fear of feeling inferior. Rate how much you struggle with each fear in the scale below.
Fear of REJECTION – Rarely, Sometimes, Really
Fear of being EMBARRASSED - Rarely, Sometimes, Really
Fear of being INFERIOR - Rarely, Sometimes, Really
Take on a challenge and risk vulnerability by sharing the above results with your group.

4. Think of a mistake you have made that you’ve never told anyone about. Discuss what the result might be if you shared that story? Write out your thoughts and if you feel comfortable, share it with a group.

5. Do you have a fear of speaking the truth to someone because you think you might offend them? Describe a time where you spoke up and told the truth and risked vulnerability.

6. Do you lead an organization, team, group, or are you a coach, parent or mentor? If so, you likely are asking people to do things to challenge themselves and do a lot of “dirty work.” How often do you lead by example by showing that you are just as willing to do the things you are asking them to do?

FRIDAY — What is Your Rhythm of Life?
Big Point: By developing a rhythm of life, you can effectively engage in the spiritual disciplines and live a life that allows you to be available to the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

This week’s Bible study was intended for you to gain not only knowledge of the Trinity and its truth but also to learn how to apply it to life. The C.S. Lewis Institute developed what’s called “Instructions for Developing a Personal Rule of Life.” These are rules drawn by you to help develop your spiritual disciplines. These “Personal Rules” do not mean that you only engage in inward disciplines or private disciplines. Your Personal Rule should include corporate disciplines (such as worship, confession, celebration, or spiritual direction) and outward disciplines (such as service, simplicity, or chastity). The C.S. Lewis Institute provides this further explanation:

“A ‘Rule of Life’ is an intentional pattern of spiritual disciplines that provides structure and direction for growth in holiness. A Rule establishes a rhythm for life in which is helpful for being formed by the Spirit, a rhythm that reflects a love for God and respect for how He has made us. The disciplines which we build into our rhythm of life help us to shed the “old self” and allow our “new self” in Christ to be formed. Spiritual disciplines are means of grace by which God can nourish us. Ultimately a Rule should help you to love God more, so if it becomes a legalistic way of earning points with God or impressing others, it should be scrapped. If the traditional, ancient term “rule” concerns you because it sounds legalistic, think of “rule” as a “rhythm of life” or as a “Curriculum in Christlikeness” (Dallas Willard), or as a “Game Plan for Morphing” (John Ortberg).

The following graphic is meant to illustrate this “rhythm” or “rule of life” a bit more. Take a look and then answer the questions that follow:

LIVE…What will you do now?
Provide a clear self-assessment that briefly describes your current situation in life–family responsibilities, work schedule and other life circumstances. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your character?

Are you blessed, for example, with self-control, a compassionate heart, a bright mind, or a spirit of joy? Which vices do you most struggle with?

Describe the way in which you practice specific disciplines (how and when to pray, serve, practice simplicity). How do these disciplines address the areas where you need discipline and growth?

Where do you sense that God is calling you to stretch and grow? Where do you want to change?

If you could hear your own eulogy, what would you want to hear?

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?
Ask God to help you take the time to develop your “rhythm of life” and to always be open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Visit: http://www.cslewisinstitute.org/webfm_send/338 to get additional instructions on C. S. Lewis Institute’s “Instructions for Developing a Personal Rule of Life”

Weekend Updates!

• Who will you invite to our next series? “FIGHT!” Starting the weekend of May 26th, a new series will begin that addresses how to fight for your country, your faith, your marriage, your soul and how to fight your fears. We encourage you to invite someone to this series of messages.

• Ready to commit to Missional Membership? If you completed your Missional Membership study (either online, by completing the Missional Membership workbook or through the LifeGroup DVD), feel free to attend any one of the Commitment Day sessions during all four services this weekend.
• Does your teenager feel trapped? Suicide is rising as the number one cause of death among teenagers. The cause? Bullying. Join Fusion (6-7:30pm) and Vertical (6:30-8:00pm) this Sunday as they continue to tackle these issues in their series “Trapped.”

• Are You Interested in Joining a Ministry? Become an Intern. The CedarCreek internship program is a year long opportunity that allows individuals to get personal ministry experience and grow in their faith. Send an email to Wade at wades@cedarcreek.tv for more information.

Living It Out: May 2012
“I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”
Galatians 2:21 (NLT)

Living It Out
It is the dream of CedarCreek that everyone who calls this their church home will be reading and studying the same topics, both individually and in groups. Each week, join with thousands of others at CedarCreek Church in applying God’s Word, the Bible, into your daily life. Our hope is that while we learn and grow together, as individuals and as a church, we will collectively live out the weekend message.

Living It Out resources, such as the Daily Bible Study, Daily Bible Reading Plan, Discussion Questions and Scripture Memory Verses are designed to help us embrace a missional mindset…a mindset that compels us to love Jesus, serve others and tell the world about Christ.

Living It Out: Daily Bible Study…Daily Bible study activities to reflect on the weekend message

Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan…Read through the Bible in 1 year—Old and New Testament will alternate month to month.

Living It Out: Discussion Questions…Weekly questions to discuss with others

Living It Out: Scripture Memory…Memorize one Bible verse per month

All of these resources are also available electronically at www.livingitout.tv, where you can subscribe to have any or all of them emailed to you as they are updated.

We Want Your Feedback!
Tell us about any questions or comments you have about this week’s Living It Out: Daily Bible Study. Forward them to DianaP@cedarcreek.tv

Living It Out: Daily Bible Reading Plan scriptures are listed for each day. By completing each of the daily readings, you will read the entire Old Testament in 1 year. These readings are separate from the Daily Bible Study.

RESOURCES:
Forgotten God
Francis Chan

The Knowledge of the Holy
A.W. Tozer

cslewisinstitute.org

gotquestions.org

This week’s Living It Out Daily Bible Study written by:
Barb Roose
Diana Patton
Stephanie Coil

Daily Bible Reading: Judges 1-4 (NLT)

Judges 1

Judah and Simeon Conquer the Land

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, “Which tribe should go first to attack the Canaanites?”

² The Lord answered, “Judah, for I have given them victory over the land.”

³ The men of Judah said to their relatives from the tribe of Simeon, “Join with us to fight against the Canaanites living in the territory allotted to us. Then we will help you conquer your territory.” So the men of Simeon went with Judah.

⁴ When the men of Judah attacked, the Lord gave them victory over the Canaanites and Perizzites, and they killed 10,000 enemy warriors at the town of Bezek. ⁵ While at Bezek they encountered King Adoni-bezek and fought against him, and the Canaanites and Perizzites were defeated. ⁶ Adoni-bezek escaped, but the Israelites soon captured him and cut off his thumbs and big toes.

⁷ Adoni-bezek said, “I once had seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off, eating scraps from under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them.” They took him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

⁸ The men of Judah attacked Jerusalem and captured it, killing all its people and setting the city on fire.(Click here to view commentary on verses 9-20)⁹ Then they went down to fight the Canaanites living in the hill country, the Negev, and the western foothills. ¹⁰ Judah marched against the Canaanites in Hebron (formerly called Kiriath-arba), defeating the forces of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.

¹¹ From there they went to fight against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher). ¹² Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.” ¹³ Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel’s wife.

¹⁴ When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”

¹⁵ She said, “Let me have another gift. You have already given me land in the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

¹⁶ When the tribe of Judah left Jericho—the city of palms—the Kenites, who were descendants of Moses’ father-in-law, traveled with them into the wilderness of Judah. They settled among the people there, near the town of Arad in the Negev.

¹⁷ Then Judah joined with Simeon to fight against the Canaanites living in Zephath, and they completely destroyed the town. So the town was named Hormah. ¹⁸ In addition, Judah captured the towns of Gaza, Ashkelon, and Ekron, along with their surrounding territories.

Israel Fails to Conquer the Land

¹⁹ The Lord was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, who had iron chariots. ²⁰ The town of Hebron was given to Caleb as Moses had promised. And Caleb drove out the people living there, who were descendants of the three sons of Anak.

(Click here to view commentary on verses 21-36)

²¹ The tribe of Benjamin, however, failed to drive out the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live in Jerusalem among the people of Benjamin.

²² The descendants of Joseph attacked the town of Bethel, and the Lord was with them. ²³ They sent men to scout out Bethel (formerly known as Luz). ²⁴ They confronted a man coming out of the town and said to him, “Show us a way into the town, and we will have mercy on you.” ²⁵ So he showed them a way in, and they killed everyone in the town except that man and his family. ²⁶ Later the man moved to the land of the Hittites, where he built a town. He named it Luz, which is its name to this day.

²⁷ The tribe of Manasseh failed to drive out the people living in Beth-shan, Taanach, Dor, Ibleam, Megiddo, and all their surrounding settlements, because the Canaanites were determined to stay in that region. ²⁸ When the Israelites grew stronger, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves, but they never did drive them completely out of the land.

²⁹ The tribe of Ephraim failed to drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer, so the Canaanites continued to live there among them.

³⁰ The tribe of Zebulun failed to drive out the residents of Kitron and Nahalol, so the Canaanites continued to live among them. But the Canaanites were forced to work as slaves for the people of Zebulun.

³¹ The tribe of Asher failed to drive out the residents of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Aczib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob. ³² Instead, the people of Asher moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land, for they failed to drive them out.

³³ Likewise, the tribe of Naphtali failed to drive out the residents of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath. Instead, they moved in among the Canaanites, who controlled the land. Nevertheless, the people of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath were forced to work as slaves for the people of Naphtali.

³⁴ As for the tribe of Dan, the Amorites forced them back into the hill country and would not let them come down into the plains. ³⁵ The Amorites were determined to stay in Mount Heres, Aijalon, and Shaalbim, but when the descendants of Joseph became stronger, they forced the Amorites to work as slaves. ³⁶ The boundary of the Amorites ran from Scorpion Pass to Sela and continued upward from there.

Judges 2

The Lord’s Messenger Comes to Bokim

The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said I would never break my covenant with you. ² For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed my command. Why did you do this? ³ So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the people living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides, and their gods will be a constant temptation to you.”

⁴ When the angel of the Lord finished speaking to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. ⁵ So they called the place Bokim (which means “weeping”), and they offered sacrifices there to the Lord.

The Death of Joshua

(Click here to view commentary on verses 6-23)

⁶ After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession of the land allotted to them. ⁷ And the Israelites served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him—those who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel.

⁸ Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. ⁹ They buried him in the land he had been allocated, at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

Israel Disobeys the Lord

¹⁰ After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.

¹¹ The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. ¹² They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. ¹³ They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. ¹⁴ This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. ¹⁵ Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress.

The Lord Rescues His People

¹⁶ Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers. ¹⁷ Yet Israel did not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands.

¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the Lord took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering. ¹⁹ But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

²⁰ So the Lord burned with anger against Israel. He said, “Because these people have violated my covenant, which I made with their ancestors, and have ignored my commands, ²¹ I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. ²² I did this to test Israel—to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.” ²³ That is why the Lord left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.

Judges 3

The Nations Left in Canaan

These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan. ² He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle. ³ These are the nations: the Philistines (those living under the five Philistine rulers), all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the mountains of Lebanon from Mount Baal-hermon to Lebo-hamath. ⁴ These people were left to test the Israelites—to see whether they would obey the commands the Lord had given to their ancestors through Moses.

⁵ So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, ⁶ and they intermarried with them. Israelite sons married their daughters, and Israelite daughters were given in marriage to their sons. And the Israelites served their gods.

Othniel Becomes Israel’s Judge

⁷ The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. (Click here to view commentary on verses 8-11)⁸ Then the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he turned them over to King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim. And the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years.

⁹ But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Othniel, the son of Caleb’s younger brother, Kenaz. ¹⁰ The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram, and the Lord gave Othniel victory over him. ¹¹ So there was peace in the land for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Ehud Becomes Israel’s Judge

(Click here to view commentary on verses 12-30)

¹² Once again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord gave King Eglon of Moab control over Israel because of their evil. ¹³ Eglon enlisted the Ammonites and Amalekites as allies, and then he went out and defeated Israel, taking possession of Jericho, the city of palms. ¹⁴ And the Israelites served Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

¹⁵ But when the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord again raised up a rescuer to save them. His name was Ehud son of Gera, a left-handed man of the tribe of Benjamin. The Israelites sent Ehud to deliver their tribute money to King Eglon of Moab. ¹⁶ So Ehud made a double-edged dagger that was about a foot long, and he strapped it to his right thigh, keeping it hidden under his clothing. ¹⁷ He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

¹⁸ After delivering the payment, Ehud started home with those who had helped carry the tribute. ¹⁹ But when Ehud reached the stone idols near Gilgal, he turned back. He came to Eglon and said, “I have a secret message for you.”

So the king commanded his servants, “Be quiet!” and he sent them all out of the room.

²⁰ Ehud walked over to Eglon, who was sitting alone in a cool upstairs room. And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you!” As King Eglon rose from his seat, ²¹ Ehud reached with his left hand, pulled out the dagger strapped to his right thigh, and plunged it into the king’s belly. ²² The dagger went so deep that the handle disappeared beneath the king’s fat. So Ehud did not pull out the dagger, and the king’s bowels emptied. ²³ Then Ehud closed and locked the doors of the room and escaped down the latrine.

²⁴ After Ehud was gone, the king’s servants returned and found the doors to the upstairs room locked. They thought he might be using the latrine in the room, ²⁵ so they waited. But when the king didn’t come out after a long delay, they became concerned and got a key. And when they opened the doors, they found their master dead on the floor.

²⁶ While the servants were waiting, Ehud escaped, passing the stone idols on his way to Seirah. ²⁷ When he arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, Ehud sounded a call to arms. Then he led a band of Israelites down from the hills.

²⁸ “Follow me,” he said, “for the Lord has given you victory over Moab your enemy.” So they followed him. And the Israelites took control of the shallow crossings of the Jordan River across from Moab, preventing anyone from crossing.

²⁹ They attacked the Moabites and killed about 10,000 of their strongest and most able-bodied warriors. Not one of them escaped. ³⁰ So Moab was conquered by Israel that day, and there was peace in the land for eighty years.

Shamgar Becomes Israel’s Judge

(Click here to view commentary on verses 31)

³¹ After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad.

Judges 4

Deborah Becomes Israel’s Judge

After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. ² So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. ³ Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.

(Click here to view commentary on verses 4-9)

⁴ Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. ⁵ She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment. ⁶ One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali. She said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. ⁷ And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.”

⁸ Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”

⁹ “Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh. (Click here to view commentary on verses 10-16)¹⁰ At Kedesh, Barak called together the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, and 10,000 warriors went up with him. Deborah also went with him.

¹¹ Now Heber the Kenite, a descendant of Moses’ brother-in-law Hobab, had moved away from the other members of his tribe and pitched his tent by the oak of Zaanannim near Kedesh.

¹² When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, ¹³ he called for all 900 of his iron chariots and all of his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River.

¹⁴ Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. ¹⁵ When Barak attacked, the Lord threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. ¹⁶ Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors. Not a single one was left alive.

(Click here to view commentary on verses 17-24)

¹⁷ Meanwhile, Sisera ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor. ¹⁸ Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don’t be afraid.” So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.

¹⁹ “Please give me some water,” he said. “I’m thirsty.” So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again.

²⁰ “Stand at the door of the tent,” he told her. “If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no.”

²¹ But when Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.

²² When Barak came looking for Sisera, Jael went out to meet him. She said, “Come, and I will show you the man you are looking for.” So he followed her into the tent and found Sisera lying there dead, with the tent peg through his temple.

²³ So on that day Israel saw God defeat Jabin, the Canaanite king. ²⁴ And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him.

THURSDAY– Living by the Spirit’s Power
Big Point: Are you living by the Power of the Holy Spirit?

The following is an excerpt of a children’s story by Richmond Park Church in the United Kingdom on how to live by the Holy Spirit:

“One day George and Susan went to the fair. They went upside down on the roller coaster. They bumped into each other in bumper cars. They won a stuffed animal. Next on the agenda was the creepy “house of horrors.” George did not want to go. Susan teased him that he was too scared.

“It doesn’t feel right,” George explained. “Scared is different. It’s like an alarm bell ringing inside of me, warning me not to go any further. It’s God’s way of letting me know there are things in the ‘house of horrors’ he’s not happy about.”

“How did you get an alarm bell inside you?” asked Susan.

“God put it in me because I’m friends with Jesus. He’s called the Holy Spirit. He’s not just an alarm bell. He does other stuff too,” said George.

“Like what?” inquired Susan.

“Like when I read Bible stories with the Holy Spirit, I know exactly what part of the story that God wants me to learn about and I understand every word of it. It’s like having someone sit next to me and explaining what the difficult parts mean. And when I’m sad He makes me feel better. Like getting a hug on the inside. And He gives each person something different that they can be good at, so that they can use that thing to help each other.”

“So the Holy Spirit is like an alarm bell, a teacher, a hug and a giver of useful things,” summarized Susan.

“Yes He is!” said George.

“Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.”
Corrie Ten Boom

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?
Now we’re going to look at Galatians 5:16-26 a little bit at a time and learn what these verses say about living by the Holy Spirit’s power.

According to Galatians 5:16-18, who is supposed to guide our lives? What does our sinful nature want us to do? What does the Holy Spirit want us to do?

Galatians 5:16-18 (New Living Translation)
¹⁶So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. ¹⁷The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. ¹⁸ But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

Answer:

According to Galatians 5:19-21, what are the results of following our sinful nature? What will we lose by living this way?

Galatians 5:19-21 (New Living Translation)
¹⁹When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, ²¹envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Answer:

According to Galatians 5:22-23, what fruits does the Holy Spirit produce in our lives?

Galatians 5:22-23 (New Living Translation)
²² But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Answer:

According to Galatians 5:24-26, what have Christians done with the passions and desires of their sinful nature? In what part of our lives should we follow the Holy Spirit’s leading?

Galatians 5:24-26 (New Living Translation)
²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. ²⁵ Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Answer:

LIVE…What will you do now?
When we are filled with the Holy Spirit—our fears are taken away, our longing for God is satisfied, we will overflow with love, we become free from judging ourselves by the good that we do or becoming despondent over our failure to do good. Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your life? Why or why not?

When do you follow the desires of your sinful nature?

Everyone needs help in developing the fruits of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control). What fruit of the Spirit have you developed in your life? Where do you need help?

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?
Again, thank God for the Holy Spirit that is with us always. Ask God to help develop in you ALL the fruits of the Spirit.

Daily Bible Reading: Joshua 21-24 (NLT)

Joshua 21

The Towns Given to the Levites

Then the leaders of the tribe of Levi came to consult with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders of the other tribes of Israel. ² They came to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us towns to live in and pasturelands for our livestock.” ³ So by the command of the Lord the people of Israel gave the Levites the following towns and pasturelands out of their own grants of land.

⁴ The descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, were allotted thirteen towns that were originally assigned to the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin. ⁵ The other families of the Kohathite clan were allotted ten towns from the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

⁶ The clan of Gershon was allotted thirteen towns from the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

⁷ The clan of Merari was allotted twelve towns from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

⁸ So the Israelites obeyed the Lord’s command to Moses and assigned these towns and pasturelands to the Levites by casting sacred lots.

(Click here to view commentary on verses 9-42)

⁹ The Israelites gave the following towns from the tribes of Judah and Simeon ¹⁰ to the descendants of Aaron, who were members of the Kohathite clan within the tribe of Levi, since the sacred lot fell to them first: ¹¹ Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah, along with its surrounding pasturelands. (Arba was an ancestor of Anak.) ¹² But the open fields beyond the town and the surrounding villages were given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his possession.

¹³ The following towns with their pasturelands were given to the descendants of Aaron the priest: Hebron (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Libnah, ¹⁴ Jattir, Eshtemoa, ¹⁵ Holon, Debir,¹⁶ Ain, Juttah, and Beth-shemesh—nine towns from these two tribes.

¹⁷ From the tribe of Benjamin the priests were given the following towns with their pasturelands: Gibeon, Geba, ¹⁸ Anathoth, and Almon—four towns. ¹⁹ So in all, thirteen towns with their pasturelands were given to the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

²⁰ The rest of the Kohathite clan from the tribe of Levi was allotted the following towns and pasturelands from the tribe of Ephraim: ²¹ Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Gezer, ²² Kibzaim, and Beth-horon—four towns.

²³ The following towns and pasturelands were allotted to the priests from the tribe of Dan: Eltekeh, Gibbethon, ²⁴ Aijalon, and Gath-rimmon—four towns.

²⁵ The half-tribe of Manasseh allotted the following towns with their pasturelands to the priests: Taanach and Gath-rimmon—two towns. ²⁶ So in all, ten towns with their pasturelands were given to the rest of the Kohathite clan.

²⁷ The descendants of Gershon, another clan within the tribe of Levi, received the following towns with their pasturelands from the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone) and Be-eshterah—two towns.

²⁸ From the tribe of Issachar they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Kishion, Daberath,²⁹ Jarmuth, and En-gannim—four towns.

³⁰ From the tribe of Asher they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Mishal, Abdon,³¹ Helkath, and Rehob—four towns.

³² From the tribe of Naphtali they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Kedesh in Galilee (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Hammoth-dor, and Kartan—three towns. ³³ So in all, thirteen towns with their pasturelands were allotted to the clan of Gershon.

³⁴ The rest of the Levites—the Merari clan—were given the following towns with their pasturelands from the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam, Kartah, ³⁵ Dimnah, and Nahalal—four towns.

³⁶ From the tribe of Reuben they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Bezer, Jahaz,³⁷ Kedemoth, and Mephaath—four towns.

³⁸ From the tribe of Gad they received the following towns with their pasturelands: Ramoth in Gilead (a city of refuge for those who accidentally killed someone), Mahanaim, ³⁹ Heshbon, and Jazer—four towns.⁴⁰ So in all, twelve towns were allotted to the clan of Merari.

⁴¹ The total number of towns and pasturelands within Israelite territory given to the Levites came to forty-eight. ⁴² Every one of these towns had pasturelands surrounding it.

(Click here to view commentary on verses 43-45)

⁴³ So the Lord gave to Israel all the land he had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there. ⁴⁴ And the Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had solemnly promised their ancestors. None of their enemies could stand against them, for the Lord helped them conquer all their enemies. ⁴⁵ 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.

Joshua 22

The Eastern Tribes Return Home

Then Joshua called together the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. ² He told them, “You have done as Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you, and you have obeyed every order I have given you. ³ During all this time you have not deserted the other tribes. You have been careful to obey the commands of the Lord your God right up to the present day. ⁴ And now the Lord your God has given the other tribes rest, as he promised them. So go back home to the land that Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave you as your possession on the east side of the Jordan River. ⁵ But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” ⁶ So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went home.

⁷ Moses had given the land of Bashan, east of the Jordan River, to the half-tribe of Manasseh. (The other half of the tribe was given land west of the Jordan.) As Joshua sent them away and blessed them, ⁸ he said to them, “Go back to your homes with the great wealth you have taken from your enemies—the vast herds of livestock, the silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and the large supply of clothing. Share the plunder with your relatives.”

⁹ So the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh left the rest of Israel at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. They started the journey back to their own land of Gilead, the territory that belonged to them according to the Lord’s command through Moses.

The Eastern Tribes Build an Altar

(Click here to view commentary on verses 10-20)

¹⁰ But while they were still in Canaan, and when they came to a place called Geliloth near the Jordan River, the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh stopped to build a large and imposing altar.

¹¹ The rest of Israel heard that the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at Geliloth at the edge of the land of Canaan, on the west side of the Jordan River. ¹² So the whole community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against them. ¹³ First, however, they sent a delegation led by Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, to talk with the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. ¹⁴ In this delegation were ten leaders of Israel, one from each of the ten tribes, and each the head of his family within the clans of Israel.

¹⁵ When they arrived in the land of Gilead, they said to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, ¹⁶ “The whole community of the Lord demands to know why you are betraying the God of Israel. How could you turn away from the Lord and build an altar for yourselves in rebellion against him?¹⁷ Was our sin at Peor not enough? To this day we are not fully cleansed of it, even after the plague that struck the entire community of the Lord. ¹⁸ And yet today you are turning away from following the Lord. If you rebel against the Lord today, he will be angry with all of us tomorrow.

¹⁹ “If you need the altar because the land you possess is defiled, then join us in the Lord’s land, where the Tabernacle of the Lord is situated, and share our land with us. But do not rebel against the Lord or against us by building an altar other than the one true altar of the Lord our God. ²⁰ Didn’t divine anger fall on the entire community of Israel when Achan, a member of the clan of Zerah, sinned by stealing the things set apart for the Lord? He was not the only one who died because of his sin.”

(Click here to view commentary on verses 21-29)

²¹ Then the people of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered the heads of the clans of Israel: ²² “The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! The Lord, the Mighty One, is God! He knows the truth, and may Israel know it, too! We have not built the altar in treacherous rebellion against the Lord. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day. ²³ If we have built an altar for ourselves to turn away from theLord or to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings, may the Lord himself punish us.

²⁴ “The truth is, we have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, ‘What right do you have to worship the Lord, the God of Israel? ²⁵ The Lord has placed the Jordan River as a barrier between our people and you people of Reuben and Gad. You have no claim to the Lord.’ So your descendants may prevent our descendants from worshiping the Lord.

²⁶ “So we decided to build the altar, not for burnt offerings or sacrifices, ²⁷ but as a memorial. It will remind our descendants and your descendants that we, too, have the right to worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices, and peace offerings. Then your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no claim to the Lord.’

²⁸ “If they say this, our descendants can reply, ‘Look at this copy of the Lord’s altar that our ancestors made. It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices; it is a reminder of the relationship both of us have with the Lord.’ ²⁹ Far be it from us to rebel against the Lord or turn away from him by building our own altar for burnt offerings, grain offerings, or sacrifices. Only the altar of the Lord our God that stands in front of the Tabernacle may be used for that purpose.”

(Click here to view commentary on verses 30-34)

³⁰ When Phinehas the priest and the leaders of the community—the heads of the clans of Israel—heard this from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, they were satisfied. ³¹ Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, replied to them, “Today we know the Lord is among us because you have not committed this treachery against the Lord as we thought. Instead, you have rescued Israel from being destroyed by the hand of the Lord.”

³² Then Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, and the other leaders left the tribes of Reuben and Gad in Gilead and returned to the land of Canaan to tell the Israelites what had happened. ³³ And all the Israelites were satisfied and praised God and spoke no more of war against Reuben and Gad.

³⁴ The people of Reuben and Gad named the altar “Witness,” for they said, “It is a witness between us and them that the Lord is our God, too.”

Joshua 23

Joshua’s Final Words to Israel

The years passed, and the Lord had given the people of Israel rest from all their enemies. Joshua, who was now very old, ² called together all the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel. He said to them, “I am now a very old man. ³ You have seen everything the Lord your God has done for you during my lifetime. The Lord your God has fought for you against your enemies. ⁴ I have allotted to you as your homeland all the land of the nations yet unconquered, as well as the land of those we have already conquered—from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. ⁵ This land will be yours, for theLord your God will himself drive out all the people living there now. You will take possession of their land, just as the Lord your God promised you.

⁶ “So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. ⁷ Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them. ⁸ Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now.

⁹ “For the Lord has driven out great and powerful nations for you, and no one has yet been able to defeat you. ¹⁰ Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised. (Click here to view commentary on verses 11-16)¹¹ So be very careful to love the Lord your God.

¹² “But if you turn away from him and cling to the customs of the survivors of these nations remaining among you, and if you intermarry with them, ¹³ then know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive them out of your land. Instead, they will be a snare and a trap to you, a whip for your backs and thorny brambles in your eyes, and you will vanish from this good land the Lord your God has given you.

¹⁴ “Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed! ¹⁵ But as surely as the Lord your God has given you the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him. He will completely destroy you from this good land he has given you. ¹⁶ If you break the covenant of the Lordyour God by worshiping and serving other gods, his anger will burn against you, and you will quickly vanish from the good land he has given you.”

Joshua 24

The Lord’s Covenant Renewed

Then Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God.

² Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. ³ But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac. ⁴ To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir, while Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

⁵ “Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I brought terrible plagues on Egypt; and afterward I brought you out as a free people. ⁶ But when your ancestors arrived at the Red Sea, the Egyptians chased after you with chariots and charioteers. ⁷ When your ancestors cried out to the Lord, I put darkness between you and the Egyptians. I brought the sea crashing down on the Egyptians, drowning them. With your very own eyes you saw what I did. Then you lived in the wilderness for many years.

⁸ “Finally, I brought you into the land of the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I destroyed them before you. I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land.⁹ Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you, ¹⁰ but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak.

¹¹ “When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I gave you victory over them. ¹² And I sent terror ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. ¹³ I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them.

¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone.(Click here to view commentary on verses 15-28) ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

¹⁶ The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. ¹⁷ For the Lord our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. ¹⁸ It was the Lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the Lord, for he alone is our God.”

¹⁹ Then Joshua warned the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy and jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. ²⁰ If you abandon the Lord and serve other gods, he will turn against you and destroy you, even though he has been so good to you.”

²¹ But the people answered Joshua, “No, we will serve the Lord!”

²² “You are a witness to your own decision,” Joshua said. “You have chosen to serve the Lord.”

“Yes,” they replied, “we are witnesses to what we have said.”

²³ “All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

²⁴ The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.”

²⁵ So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day at Shechem, committing them to follow the decrees and regulations of the Lord. ²⁶ Joshua recorded these things in the Book of God’s Instructions. As a reminder of their agreement, he took a huge stone and rolled it beneath the terebinth tree beside the Tabernacle of the Lord.

²⁷ Joshua said to all the people, “This stone has heard everything the Lord said to us. It will be a witness to testify against you if you go back on your word to God.”

²⁸ Then Joshua sent all the people away to their own homelands.

Leaders Buried in the Promised Land

(Click here to view commentary on verses 29-33)

²⁹ After this, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110. ³⁰ They buried him in the land he had been allocated, at Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

³¹ The people of Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him—those who had personally experienced all that the Lord had done for Israel.

³² The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought along with them when they left Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of ground Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor for 100 pieces of silver. This land was located in the territory allotted to the descendants of Joseph.

³³ Eleazar son of Aaron also died. He was buried in the hill country of Ephraim, in the town of Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas.

WEDNESDAY– God the Holy Spirit
Big Point: Holy Spirit is fully God, always present in Christians’ lives, not a force from God.

The Holy Spirit is the least understood Person of the Trinity. Dictionary.com defines the Holy Spirit as “1. the spirit of God. 2. the presence of God as part of the person’s religious experience. 3. Holy Ghost.” But what does this really mean?

Francis Chan, in his book Forgotten God, tackled the theology of the Holy Spirit in the chapter “Theology of the Holy Spirit 101.” Chan looked at the theological issues of the Holy Spirit that shape our faith and behavior. But he prefaced his explanation of the Holy Spirit by saying, “I realized how ludicrous it would be for anyone to say they were going to explain the Holy Spirit … know that even as you seek to understand the Spirit more, he is so much more and bigger than you will ever be able to grasp… the Bible says we cannot fully understand God, and I am certainly no exception to that rule.”

Yet, Chan continued his writing by explaining some practical truths about who the Holy Spirit is and what he does in our lives. He provides these seven truths about the Holy Spirit:

1. The Holy Spirit is a Person
2. The Holy Spirit is God
3. The Holy Spirit is Eternal and Holy
4. The Holy Spirit has his own mind, and he prays for us
5. The Holy Spirit has emotions
6. The Holy Spirit has his own desires and will
7. The Holy Spirit is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient

Let’s read what the Bible has to say about the Holy Spirit.

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?
First, let’s look at the work of the Holy Spirit in Scripture. Read John 16:12-15. What word does John use to describe the Holy Spirit? What does John say the Holy Spirit will do when he comes?

John 16:12-15 (New Living Translation)
12 “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

Answer:

According to Ephesians 3:5, what does the Holy Spirit do?

Ephesians 3:5 (New Living Translation)
5 God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.

Answer:

In 1 Corinthians 2:10-13, we hear again that God reveals things by his Spirit. Take a look at these verses. Verse 13 helps us to know how the Bible was written and how the Holy Spirit works in us and in our pastors today.

1 Corinthians 2:10-13 (New Living Translation)
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

What does verse seven in Psalm 139 reassure us about the Holy Spirit’s presence?

Psalm 139:7 (New Living Translation)
7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!

Answer:

LIVE…What will you do now?
In the past, how have you defined or explained the Holy Spirit?

How will you explain the Holy Spirit to others now after reading these Scripture verses? Do you feel like St. Basil the Great as he described the Holy Spirit?
Describe how you feel.

Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit’s presence? If so, describe what that was like. How did you know it was the Holy Spirit?

What does the Spirit do? His works are ineffable in majesty, and innumerable in quantity. How can we even ponder what extends beyond the ages? What did he do before creation began? How great are the graces he showered on creation? What power will he wield in the age to come? He existed; he pre-existed; he co-existed with the Father and the Son before the ages. Even if you can imagine anything beyond the ages, you will discover the Spirit is even further beyond.
St. Basil the Great

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth and to tell you what he has heard. Thank God for His ever present Holy Spirit.

Daily Bible Reading: Joshua 17-20 (NLT)

Joshua 17

The Land Given to West Manasseh

The next allotment of land was given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph’s older son. Makir, the firstborn son of Manasseh, was the father of Gilead. Because his descendants were experienced soldiers, the regions of Gilead and Bashan on the east side of the Jordan had already been given to them. ² So the allotment on the west side of the Jordan was for the remaining families within the clans of the tribe of Manasseh: Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida. These clans represent the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph.

³ However, Zelophehad, a descendant of Hepher son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, had no sons. He had only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.⁴ These women came to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the Israelite leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us a grant of land along with the men of our tribe.”

So Joshua gave them a grant of land along with their uncles, as the Lord had commanded. ⁵ As a result, Manasseh’s total allocation came to ten parcels of land, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan across the Jordan River, ⁶ because the female descendants of Manasseh received a grant of land along with the male descendants. (The land of Gilead was given to the rest of the male descendants of Manasseh.)

¹² But the descendants of Manasseh were unable to occupy these towns. They could not drive out the Canaanites who continued to live there. ¹³ Later, however, when the Israelites became strong enough, they forced the Canaanites to work as slaves. But they did not drive them out of the land.

(Click here to view commentary on verses 14-18)

¹⁴ The descendants of Joseph came to Joshua and asked, “Why have you given us only one portion of land as our homeland when the Lord has blessed us with so many people?”

¹⁵ Joshua replied, “If there are so many of you, and if the hill country of Ephraim is not large enough for you, clear out land for yourselves in the forest where the Perizzites and Rephaites live.”

¹⁶ The descendants of Joseph responded, “It’s true that the hill country is not large enough for us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its surrounding settlements and those in the valley of Jezreel. They are too strong for us.”

¹⁷ Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “Since you are so large and strong, you will be given more than one portion. ¹⁸ The forests of the hill country will be yours as well. Clear as much of the land as you wish, and take possession of its farthest corners. And you will drive out the Canaanites from the valleys, too, even though they are strong and have iron chariots.”

Joshua 18

The Allotments of the Remaining Land

Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle. (Click here to view commentary on verses 2-10)² But there remained seven tribes who had not yet been allotted their grants of land.

³ Then Joshua asked them, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given to you? ⁴ Select three men from each tribe, and I will send them out to explore the land and map it out. They will then return to me with a written report of their proposed divisions of their new homeland. ⁵ Let them divide the land into seven sections, excluding Judah’s territory in the south and Joseph’s territory in the north. ⁶ And when you record the seven divisions of the land and bring them to me, I will cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord our God to assign land to each tribe.

⁷ “The Levites, however, will not receive any allotment of land. Their role as priests of the Lord is their allotment. And the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half-tribe of Manasseh won’t receive any more land, for they have already received their grant of land, which Moses, the servant of the Lord, gave them on the east side of the Jordan River.”

⁸ As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua commanded them, “Go and explore the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will assign the land to the tribes by casting sacred lots here in the presence of the Lord at Shiloh.” ⁹ The men did as they were told and mapped the entire territory into seven sections, listing the towns in each section. They made a written record and then returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ And there at Shiloh, Joshua cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord to determine which tribe should have each section.

The Land Given to Benjamin

(Click here to view commentary on verses 11-28)

¹¹ The first allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin. It lay between the territory assigned to the tribes of Judah and Joseph.

These were the boundaries of the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

The Towns Given to Benjamin

²¹ These were the towns given to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

This was the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

Joshua 19

The Land Given to Simeon

The second allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Simeon. Their homeland was surrounded by Judah’s territory.

This was the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Simeon. ⁹ Their allocation of land came from part of what had been given to Judah because Judah’s territory was too large for them. So the tribe of Simeon received an allocation within the territory of Judah.

The Land Given to Zebulun

(Click here to view commentary on verses 10-16)

¹⁰ The third allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Zebulun.

¹⁶ The homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Zebulun included these towns and their surrounding villages.

The Land Given to Issachar

(Click here to view commentary on verses 17-51)

¹⁷ The fourth allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Issachar.

²³ The homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Issachar included these towns and their surrounding villages.

The Land Given to Asher

²⁴ The fifth allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Asher.

³¹ The homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Asher included these towns and their surrounding villages.

The Land Given to Naphtali

³² The sixth allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Naphtali.

³⁹ The homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Naphtali included these towns and their surrounding villages.

The Land Given to Dan

⁴⁰ The seventh allotment of land went to the clans of the tribe of Dan.

⁴⁸ The homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Dan included these towns and their surrounding villages.

The Land Given to Joshua

⁴⁹ After all the land was divided among the tribes, the Israelites gave a piece of land to Joshua as his allocation. ⁵⁰ For the Lord had said he could have any town he wanted. He chose Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim. He rebuilt the town and lived there.

⁵¹ These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders allocated as grants of land to the tribes of Israel by casting sacred lots in the presence of the Lordat the entrance of the Tabernacle at Shiloh. So the division of the land was completed.

Joshua 20

The Cities of Refuge

The Lord said to Joshua, ² “Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses. ³ Anyone who kills another person accidentally and unintentionally can run to one of these cities; they will be places of refuge from relatives seeking revenge for the person who was killed.

⁴ “Upon reaching one of these cities, the one who caused the death will appear before the elders at the city gate and present his case. They must allow him to enter the city and give him a place to live among them. ⁵ If the relatives of the victim come to avenge the killing, the leaders must not release the slayer to them, for he killed the other person unintentionally and without previous hostility. ⁶ But the slayer must stay in that city and be tried by the local assembly, which will render a judgment. And he must continue to live in that city until the death of the high priest who was in office at the time of the accident. After that, he is free to return to his own home in the town from which he fled.”

(Click here to view commentary on verses 7-9)

⁷ The following cities were designated as cities of refuge: Kedesh of Galilee, in the hill country of Naphtali; Shechem, in the hill country of Ephraim; and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), in the hill country of Judah. ⁸ On the east side of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, the following cities were designated: Bezer, in the wilderness plain of the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead, in the territory of the tribe of Gad; and Golan in Bashan, in the land of the tribe of Manasseh. ⁹ These cities were set apart for all the Israelites as well as the foreigners living among them. Anyone who accidentally killed another person could take refuge in one of these cities. In this way, they could escape being killed in revenge prior to standing trial before the local assembly.

TUESDAY — What is “Trinitarian Theology?”
Big Point: The Trinity is “a-logical.” It’s not “like” anything else that we can define in our human experience. Yet, evidence of the Trinity gives us a picture of who God is.

There have been many well-meaning attempts to describe what the Trinity is “like.” Some of you may have been taught that the Trinity is “like” the three states of water (vapor, liquid, ice) or an egg (shell, yolk, white). While these analogies attempt to explain the divine mystery of the Trinity, the truth is that the Trinity is not “like” anything. Why? Because it is “a-logical” – it is beyond our human comprehension. Rather than try to identify what the Trinity is “like,” today we are going to look at a description of the Trinity and how each is intimately involved in our lives today.

There is a summary statement about the Trinity in the box that you can read and keep in mind as we study the Trinity today.

SUMMARY STATEMENT
TRINITARIAN THEOLOGY

1. God is Three Persons
(Genesis 1:26)
2. Each Person is Fully God
(John 14:26, 2 Peter 1:17, John 8:58, Acts 5:3-4)
3. There is only ONE God
(Deuteronomy 6:4)

This principle gives us a framework and context to understand the Trinity as much as our human minds can comprehend it. We cannot switch the order of this principle or else we end up with something other than the Trinity.

READ and THINK…What does the Bible say?
We tend to rebel against things that we don’t understand or cannot fully comprehend. Many religions, even though claiming to be Christian, reject the Trinity because it defies human comprehension. Read Isaiah 55:8-9. Why is it God’s prerogative to not fully share everything that we need (or want) to know about Him?

Isaiah 55:8-9 (New Living Translation)
8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Answer:

If you were following along in our Daily Bible Reading, last week you read chapters in Deuteronomy about the covenant (promises) God made to the Israelites while they were in the country of Moab. Deuteronomy 29:29 is an interesting verse, especially when reviewed in the context of the Trinity. While we may not be able to fully comprehend the Trinity, what are we still responsible for carrying out?

Deuteronomy 29:29 (New Living Translation)
29 “The LORD our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.

Answer:

LIVE…What will you do now?
In the following grid, you will have the opportunity to review the different functions of the Godhead. Most importantly, you will have space to reflect on what your experience has been with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Remember, we were created in the image of God, so we cannot truly know who God is if we do not experience the Triune God.

God the Father
-Planner of salvation
-Provider of all of our needs
-Administrator of Justice in the world
How have you experienced God the Father in your life?

God the Son (Jesus Christ)
-Used by God to bring Grace into this world
-Modeled tremendous compassion and love while on earth
-The only way to God (John 14:6)
How have you experienced God the Son (Jesus Christ) in your life?

God the Holy Spirit
-Indwells within every believer
-He is our guide
-He is the source of Truth and reveals God to us
How have you experienced God the Holy Spirit in your life?

PRAY…God, what do you want me to know and do?
As you think about the different experiences that you have had with the Godhead, our hope is that you realize all of the ways that God has been intimately involved in your life. No matter where you find yourself spiritually today, take time to pray for God to reveal Himself to you so that you continue to experience the fullness of a Triune God.

Daily Bible Reading: Joshua 13-16 (NLT)

Joshua 13

The Land Yet to Be Conquered

When Joshua was an old man, the Lord said to him, “You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered. ² This is the territory that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and the Geshurites, ³ and the larger territory of the Canaanites, extending from the stream of Shihor on the border of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron. It includes the territory of the five Philistine rulers of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron. The land of the Avvites ⁴ in the south also remains to be conquered. In the north, the following area has not yet been conquered: all the land of the Canaanites, including Mearah (which belongs to the Sidonians), stretching northward to Aphek on the border of the Amorites; ⁵ the land of the Gebalites and all of the Lebanon mountain area to the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath; ⁶ and all the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, including all the land of the Sidonians.

“I myself will drive these people out of the land ahead of the Israelites. So be sure to give this land to Israel as a special possession, just as I have commanded you. (Click here to view commentary on verses 7-33)⁷ Include all this territory as Israel’s possession when you divide this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.”

The Land Divided East of the Jordan

⁸ Half the tribe of Manasseh and the tribes of Reuben and Gad had already received their grants of land on the east side of the Jordan, for Moses, the servant of the Lord, had previously assigned this land to them.

An Allotment for the Tribe of Levi

¹⁴ Moses did not assign any allotment of land to the tribe of Levi. Instead, as the Lord had promised them, their allotment came from the offerings burned on the altar to the Lord, the God of Israel.

The Land Given to the Tribe of Reuben

¹⁵ Moses had assigned the following area to the clans of the tribe of Reuben.

The Land Given to the Tribe of Gad

²⁴ Moses had assigned the following area to the clans of the tribe of Gad.

The Land Given to the Half-Tribe of Manasseh

²⁹ Moses had assigned the following area to the clans of the half-tribe of Manasseh.

³² These are the allotments Moses had made while he was on the plains of Moab, across the Jordan River, east of Jericho. ³³ But Moses gave no allotment of land to the tribe of Levi, for the Lord, the God of Israel, had promised that he himself would be their allotment.

Joshua 14

The Land Divided West of the Jordan

The remaining tribes of Israel received land in Canaan as allotted by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the tribal leaders. ² These nine and a half tribes received their grants of land by means of sacred lots, in accordance with the Lord’s command through Moses. ³ Moses had already given a grant of land to the two and a half tribes on the east side of the Jordan River, but he had given the Levites no such allotment. ⁴ The descendants of Joseph had become two separate tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. And the Levites were given no land at all, only towns to live in with surrounding pasturelands for their livestock and all their possessions. ⁵ So the land was distributed in strict accordance with the Lord’s commands to Moses.

Caleb Requests His Land

(Click here to view commentary on verses 6-15)

⁶ A delegation from the tribe of Judah, led by Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, came to Joshua at Gilgal. Caleb said to Joshua, “Remember what the Lord said to Moses, the man of God, about you and me when we were at Kadesh-barnea. ⁷ I was forty years old when Moses, the servant of theLord, sent me from Kadesh-barnea to explore the land of Canaan. I returned and gave an honest report, ⁸ but my brothers who went with me frightened the people from entering the Promised Land. For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God. ⁹ So that day Moses solemnly promised me, ‘The land of Canaan on which you were just walking will be your grant of land and that of your descendants forever, because you wholeheartedly followed the Lord my God.’

¹⁰ “Now, as you can see, the Lord has kept me alive and well as he promised for all these forty-five years since Moses made this promise—even while Israel wandered in the wilderness. Today I am eighty-five years old. ¹¹ I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey, and I can still travel and fight as well as I could then. ¹² So give me the hill country that the Lordpromised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great, walled towns. But if the Lord is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lordsaid.”

¹³ So Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave Hebron to him as his portion of land.¹⁴ Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹⁵ (Previously Hebron had been called Kiriath-arba. It had been named after Arba, a great hero of the descendants of Anak.)

And the land had rest from war.

Joshua 15

The Land Given to the Tribe of Judah

The allotment for the clans of the tribe of Judah reached southward to the border of Edom, as far south as the wilderness of Zin.

These are the boundaries for the clans of the tribe of Judah.

The Land Given to Caleb

(Click here to view commentary on verses 13-19)

¹³ The Lord commanded Joshua to assign some of Judah’s territory to Caleb son of Jephunneh. So Caleb was given the town of Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), which had been named after Anak’s ancestor. ¹⁴ Caleb drove out the three groups of Anakites—the descendants of Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the sons of Anak.

¹⁵ From there he went to fight against the people living in the town of Debir (formerly called Kiriath-sepher). ¹⁶ Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who attacks and captures Kiriath-sepher.” ¹⁷ Othniel, the son of Caleb’s brother Kenaz, was the one who conquered it, so Acsah became Othniel’s wife.

¹⁸ When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”

¹⁹ She said, “Give me another gift. You have already given me land in the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

The Towns Allotted to Judah

(Click here to view commentary on verses 20-63)

²⁰ This was the homeland allocated to the clans of the tribe of Judah.

⁶³ But the tribe of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, who lived in the city of Jerusalem, so the Jebusites live there among the people of Judah to this day.

Joshua 16

The Land Given to Ephraim and West Manasseh

⁴ This was the homeland allocated to the families of Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

The Land Given to Ephraim

⁵ The following territory was given to the clans of the tribe of Ephraim.