DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY MARCH 22:
WORD OF WISDOM
Don't give up what you want most for what you want now.
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DAILY DEVOTION
A Portrait of Grace
"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. By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he
condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by
faith."
Hebrews 11:6-7
One of the most beautiful pictures of grace in all the Word of God is found
in the story of Noah. At a time when the world was filled with great
wickedness-much like our day-Noah found grace from the Lord and was saved
along with his family from the flood that destroyed the world. Our modern
world skeptically laughs at the story of the flood, just as Peter said that
they would. He wrote that in the last days men would deny the truth of this
particular Bible story.
Peter said these scoffers "willingly are ignorant.that.the world that then
was, being overflowed with water, perished." (2 Peter 3:5-6) Why would men
deny the flood? The answer is twofold: First, denying the flood is an
attempt to deny the fact that we must one day face judgment. Second, denying
the flood is an attempt to deny that the only way of escape from the
judgment that is to come is found in the grace of God.
As you remember, the ark had only one door-symbolizing that Jesus Christ is
the only way to salvation. This message of an exclusive means of salvation
is not popular in our day, but it is true. There are not many roads that
lead to Heaven; there is only one way. For those of us who have received
salvation by grace through faith, there is a responsibility to do as Noah
did and invite others to join us in escaping the coming judgment.
Find someone today who has not experienced the grace of God in salvation and
point them to Christ.
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DAILY BIBLE READING
Joshua
Joshua 12 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Kings Defeated by Israel
12 The Israelites had taken control of the land east of the Jordan River.
They had all the land from Arnon Ravine to Mount Hermon and all the land
along the eastern side of the Jordan Valley. These are all the kings the
Israelites defeated to take this land:
2 They defeated King Sihon of the Amorites living in the city of Heshbon. He
ruled the land from Aroer at the Arnon Ravine to the Jabbok River. His land
started in the center of that ravine. This was their border with the
Ammonites. Sihon ruled over half of the land of Gilead. 3 He also ruled over
the eastern side of the Jordan Valley from Lake Galilee to the Dead Sea
(Salt Sea). And he ruled from Beth Jeshimoth to the south to the hills of
Pisgah.
4 They also defeated King Og of Bashan. Og was from the Rephaites. He ruled
the land in Ashtaroth and Edrei. 5 Og ruled over Mount Hermon, Salecah, and
all the area of Bashan. His land ended where the people of Geshur and Maacah
lived. Og also ruled half of the land of Gilead. This land ended at the land
of King Sihon of Heshbon.
6 The Lord's servant Moses and the Israelites defeated all these kings. And
Moses gave that land to the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and half the
tribe of Manasseh. Moses gave them this land to be their own.
7 Joshua and the Israelites defeated the kings of the land west of the
Jordan River. This land was in the area west of Baal Gad in the Lebanon
Valley as far as Mount Halak that rises toward Seir. Joshua divided it among
the tribes. 8 This included the hill country, the western foothills, the
Jordan Valley, the eastern mountains, the desert, and the Negev. This was
where the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites
had lived. These are the kings the Israelites defeated:
9 the king of Jericho,
the king of Ai near Bethel,
10 the king of Jerusalem,
the king of Hebron,
11 the king of Jarmuth,
the king of Lachish,
12 the king of Eglon,
the king of Gezer,
13 the king of Debir,
the king of Geder,
14 the king of Hormah,
the king of Arad,
15 the king of Libnah,
the king of Adullam,
16 the king of Makkedah,
the king of Bethel,
17 the king of Tappuah,
the king of Hepher,
18 the king of Aphek,
the king of Sharon,
19 the king of Madon,
the king of Hazor,
20 the king of Shimron Meron,
the king of Acshaph,
21 the king of Taanach,
the king of Megiddo,
22 the king of Kedesh,
the king of Jokneam in Carmel,
23 the king of Dor at Mount Dor,
the king of Goyim in Gilgal,
24 and the king of Tirzah.
The total number of kings was 31.
