Vol. 4/11 After the death of Joshua

(Pam:  make these into normal size print
Ask Joan if this should be like ministry blog, and if so, ok to pull episode items from OT blog??)

The children of Israel were assigned lands by God ... promised by God.  But they had to go into each land and take that land for their own land.  This involved lands for more than 1 million people who had been brought by God out of Egypt.

Joshua was assigned to divide the lands and assign lands to the tribes of Israel.

3 tribes needed land for much cattle so they choose their land on "this side" of Jordan where the land was very good for raising cattle.

The other tribes were assigned lands on the other side of Jordan.

They had to go in and take those lands for themselves, either driving out the previous "tenants" or killing the people who dwelt in the lands.  God showed them which to do.

***

New Testament Church:  God assigns us our lands

God places individuals in specific jobs.  But each of us have to "take" that land given us by God.

In my case, my first land was radio, where I did exhortations for the church. (1980)  I started where God showed me to start.  God even gave me the name of the radio station where HE wanted me to begin the broadcasts in the Dallas area.  Then after that, a couple of months or so, I saw lands in two more cities, Houston and Oklahoma City.  I had to add these "lands".  I went into these cities and had meetings for the radio audience.  Then there were more lands to be taken.  It didn't happen automatically.  When I saw that land, I had to take that land.  Finally I was on radio from Hartford to Seattle, coast to coast in USA, not all cities but many big areas of the land in the United States.

We "take" that land that is given to us by God.

Then I was shown to write books, starting in 2015.  These are all published on Amazon.

***

Just as Joshua took the lands for the children of Israel, we take our lands today.

There are new obstacles to overcome to take our land but God shows us exactly what to do to take each land.

James 1:5   If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

We go forward taking those lands assigned to us by God, trusting God to show us what we are to do to overcome the various "giants" in the lands!

This is the same as Joshua had to do in taking the lands placed before him.  Except today God gives us different lands which accomplish HIS assignment which HE gives to us.

***

The children of Israel were assigned lands by God ... promised by God.  But they had to go into each land and take that land for their own land.  This involved lands for more than 1-million people who had been brought by God out of Egypt.

Joshua was assigned to divide the lands and assign lands to the tribes of Israel.

3 tribes needed land for much cattle so they choose their land on "this side" of Jordan.

The other tribes were assigned lands on the other side of Jordan.

They had to go in and take those lands for themselves, either driving out the previous "tenants" or killing the people who dwelt in the lands.  God showed them which to do.

***

Judges 1:1-   Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?

And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

And Judah went up; and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.  And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.

Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem (they took Jerusalem for the children of Israel), and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.

And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.

And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher:

And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.  And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.  

(Later Othniel will be the first appointed by God to judge Israel.  Judges 3:9)

And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?

And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.

Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

And the Lord was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.

And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the Lord was with them.  And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.

And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.

(Those who side with God's people are blessed.)

And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer; but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and became tributaries.

Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor of Aphik, nor of Rehob:  But the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them out.
 
Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh, nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley:  But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries.

And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim, from the rock, and upward.

***

It is a big error not to drive out the people of the other nations.

Judges 2:2-3   And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed MY voice: why have ye done this?

Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

New Testament:

II Corinthians 6:14-18    Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

***

James 4:4   Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

friend:  one who gives aid or assistance to another

Are we going to approve sinners in the church and in this world and make them feel good about those sins they do?  God forbid!  For that would make us into  an enemy of God.

*****

Vol. 4/10 Joshua completes his assignment and charges the people of God.

Both Moses and Joshua were chosen by God for specific works.

Moses would lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Joshua would lead the children of Israel into that land which God promised Abraham for his seed.

***

Joshua 23:1-16   And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.

And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:

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.

(When God has told us to do something, we can be assured that God will also fight for us.  Go in the will of God. Ask yourself:  Did God lead me to do this?  If so, you can pray in faith.)

Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.

And the Lord your God, HE shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath promised unto 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 there from 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.

Cleave to the Word of God, the scriptures and that word given you by God through HIS Spirit.

For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day. 

As we speak the Word the people of this world who hide in churches will leave us and we will identify them before they do their various perversions among us.  God drives them out from before us with the Word which we speak to them.

Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God.

The "Lord" our God is Jesus, "The Word."  We love the Word of God, the scriptures.  Jesus loved the scriptures so much he died to fulfill those scriptures.  Matthew 26:53-54  Jesus says: Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?  But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?  So Jesus went to the cross to fulfill the scriptures which were written about HIM.

***

Joshua 23:12   Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:

* Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you.

If we will speak "the Word" when we are around the people of this world, or even when we are among the counterfeit church, they will leave us.  If we hold back, they will be thorns in our lives.

If we will speak "the Word" when we are around the people of this world, or even when we are among the counterfeit church, they will leave us.  If we hold back, they will be thorns in our lives.

Several years ago, Pam Padgett, our little church group, was engaged to be married.  Her fiancé had a son who was planning to marry a divorced woman.  After Pam found out, she told Chuck that if the son married a divorced woman he would commit adultery.  Matthew 5:32  After she told Chuck this, he no longer wanted to marry Pam, though Chuck said he was a Christian.  (Many say they are Christians but they are not.)  The Word of God separated Pam from this man who was a counterfeit Christian.  

***

Joshua 23:14   And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.

For those of us who follow the Spirit of God doing the will of God as instructed by the Spirit, it is good to examine the good given to us by God to see that nothing has failed that God has said concerning us.

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. 

***

New Testament church:

We do not follow the Old Testament law of Moses where animals are sacrificed for sins.

We have a better covenant.  Jesus paid for our sins with His own blood.  He made one sacrifice, HIMSELF, for all.

Therefore when God reveals HIMSELF to us we are born again as a new creature that we no longer have to serve the sin nature of man.  We reckon the old man dead, crucified with Christ, that we no longer have to yield to sins of our flesh but we now have the power of God in us to refuse the sins we once did and choose to go in the way of the Spirit of God who lives in us.

Galatians 5:19-25    Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft (following superstitions), hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

When temptations of the flesh rise up in us, the Holy Spirit of God makes a way of escape for us in that temptation so we can choose not to do that which we once did.  We can deliberately choose the way shown us by God's spirit and resist our flesh in the temptation.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (walking in love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance)

***

Everyone who is born of God today has the Holy Spirit of God living in him to teach him and to guide him in ways of God, to remind him of all Jesus has said so he can go in the ways of God, and to show him things to come.  (John 14:26 & John 16:13)

In the Old Testament a few had the Holy Spirit, but not all.

And since blood had to be shed for remission of sin, they were required by God to present animal sacrifices over and over for those sins for none were perfected by the blood of animals but Jesus had not yet paid with HIS own blood so this was the only thing they had for sins, animal sacrifices.

But today it is the blood of Jesus that has been shed for our sins so we no longer have to do those animal sacrifices of the Old Testament.

Hebrews 9:11-28    But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by HIS own blood HE entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

(So "who" has shed HIS blood to pay for my sins.  It requires the shedding of blood.  I cannot pay for my sins with my own good works.  And I have shed no blood to pay for my sins.  We reckon that it is by the shed blood of Jesus that our sins are paid for.)

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Nor yet that HE should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;  For then must HE often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath HE appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall HE appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

***

Romans 8:14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

***

Joshua 24:1-15  And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 

And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. 

And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 

And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 

I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 

And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 

And when they cried unto the Lord, HE put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. 

And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 

Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 

But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. 

And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. 

And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. 

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. 

Jesus, the Word, is Lord.  Therefore the scriptures rule and we follow the Word doing as instructed by the Word and thereby we serve the Lord.  And God also speaks the Word to us by HIS Spirit and we follow "that" word for "that" word is also Jesus, the Lord.

We cannot serve God or Jesus unless we obey the Word.

***

Joshua 24:23-25   Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the Lord God of Israel.

Examine all things by the Word, the scriptures in the New Testament Bible.  If what you are doing at church is not shown in the Bible, you must not do that at church.  It is an idol set up in the church by men.

And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and HIS voice will we obey.

So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

***

Joshaua 24:29-33  And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old.

And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. 

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. 
 
And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. 

And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.

*****

Vol. 4/9 31 kings are destroyed by Joshua and the children of Israel.

God has set the land before the children of Israel, but now they have to go in and possess that land.

When I read of Joshua destroying kings and their followers, I sometimes translate that action to the way we must deal with destructive thoughts, taking each thought captive and putting to death those thoughts which keep us from moving ahead in this life according to the will of God.

***

The kings destroyed:

* Sihon of the Amorites  (on this side of Jordan where these lands would be possessed by the tribes of the Rubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.  These lands were good for cattle and these 3 tribes of Israel had much cattle and asked to remain on these lands instead of crossing over river Jordan.)

On the other side of river Jordan, the following kings and their people were destroyed and these lands were given to the other tribes of the children of Israel.

* the king of Jericho
* the king of Ai
* the king of Jerusalem
* the king of Hebron
* the king of Jarmuth
* the king of Lachish
* the king of Eglon
* the king of Gezer
* the king of Debir
* the king of Geder
* the king of Hormah
* the king  of Arad
* the king of Adullam
* the king of Makkedah
* the king of Bethel
* the king of Tappuah
* the king of Hepher
* the king of Aphek
* the king of Lasharon
* the king of Madon
* the king of Hazor
* the king of Shimronmeron
* the king of Achshaph
* the king of Taanach
* the king of Magiddo
* the king of Kedesh
* the king of Jokneam
* the king of Dor
* the king of Tirzah 

These were the lands of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzite, the Hivites, and the Jebusites which were promised to the children of Israel in the days of Moses and were spoken of to him by God.

There were more than a million of the children of Israel to be settled in the promised land so it would require many lands for God's people.

***

An angel goes before Joshua:

Exodus 23:20-24    Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.  Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for MY name is in him.

But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.

For Mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.

***

Joshua 13:1   Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the Lord said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.

2-8 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines, and all Geshuri, From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites: From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites: And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath. All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh, With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the Lord gave them;

***

Sometimes God is very specific in the information HE gives to us:

On January 10, 1980, I was asleep in the night when a very loud trumpet-like voice spoke 3 words into my ear:  "Hartford, Seattle, KWJS"

I jumped out of bed and wrote KWJS on a note pad.  It sounded like call letters to either radio or television.  (It was radio.)

I said to God, "Are YOU telling me to go on radio?  I wouldn't know how to do that!  I'm a writer, not a speaker."

I heard these words immediately:  "Call the station manager."

I called that same morning and asked to speak to the radio station manager at KWJS.

I said to him:  "God might be showing me to go on radio.  How would you do that?"

The station manager told me to make an audition tape, 29 1/2 minutes long, and send it to him and if I fit their broadcasts, they would offer me a contract.

I recorded a tape that morning and put it into the mail to station manager that same day.

Within about 5 days, I was broadcasting exhortations to the church on KWJS.

In approximately 1 year I was on radio from Hartford to Seattle and cities in-between, just exactly like that word that was spoken to me by what I believe to have been an angel carrying a message from God on January 10, 1980.

God can be very detailed with us when HE wants to do so.  We must be very careful to fully obey what we believe God has said.  This is critical.  I've seen church people fail to do this.

A woman from our little church group told me that God had said to her, "Now is the time for you to get a dog."  She told me about this around March.  She said she heard this in November of the previous year.  She was still looking for the "rig ht" dog for her.

What God said to her is:  "NOW"

I feel certain had I heard that word, NOW, I would have had a dog by a day or so.

I've been very highly trained by God to do exactly what I have heard from God and to fully follow that word without changing that word.

Saul was removed from being king of Israel because he did not wholly follow the Word given by God.

The men Moses sent in to search out the land were destroyed by God, except for Joshua and Caleb, because they did not fully follow the Word given by God.

These passages of scripture from the Bible teach us these principles.  When God speaks something, fully follow that instruction that you believe to be from God.

***

In the case of the children of Israel, God told them they could not live with the people of those lands but they had to dispossess those people and then take over their lands. God told them those people would turn them to their gods so they must not try to coexist with them.

Joshua 13:13-14    Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.

(They will be thorns in your sides and pricks in your eyes to torment you in the land.) 

Only unto the tribes of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as HE said unto them.  

***

Joshua 13:32-33   These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.

But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as HE said unto them.

***

God gave these lands, but they had to go into these lands and destroy the people who lived in these lands.

God has given us in the New Testament church victories over such things as destructive thoughts but we have to drive these thoughts out by turning to God and hearing that which God would tells us about each thought and using that Word of God to slay the thought.  It will not work to try to reason the thought away.  When we kill the destructive thought with that word from God or with that concept that God gives us, that thought is dead.

Hebrews 4:12-13    For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in HIS sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of HIM with whom we have to do.

***

Joshua 14:5   As the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.

6-15 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the Lord said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.

Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.

Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God.

And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the Lord my God. And now, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. (85-years-old)

As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.

Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said.

And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel.

And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. 

And the land had rest from war.

*** 

Joshua 15:63  As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

(thorns in your sides)

Joshua 16:10   And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.

Joshua 17:12-13  Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.

Numbers 33:55   But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

There have been times I have let individuals into our church group who became thorns to me.

Each time they would speak they were off a little.  I was consumed by trying to correct their ways.  It didn't take many corrections before some would leave me.  But one woman stayed 39 years, troubling me continually with her decisions.  Finally she left.  I was in the rehabilitation hospital and she came to me and said she no longer cared about anyone or anything, and she snuck out of my room.

It is amazing but shortly after surgery, after an accident, this same woman appeared at the foot of my hospital bed.  She was wearing a bright red shirt.  She just stared at me, saying nothing.  Then she turned her back on me, and walked through the wall, disappearing.  I thought I was having an hallucination from the pain medicine they had been giving me.  But when she did this a few weeks later, I realized God had given me a vision of that which this woman would do.

It was a great relief for her to be gone from me for she had been as a thorn to me for many years.

At the time I am writing this, I live in the home of Pam Padgett, who took me into her house after the surgery from this accident in 2018.  

I've been at Pam's house since that time, for 10-months, and we have never had a problem.  There have been times when a disagreement would arise but we both prayed and God turned one of us to the better way to go in the matter.  Pam prays and follows God by His Spirit, as do I, and it is a great joy to be with another believer, and with her 2 dogs and 2 cats!

But if you try to be around a church person who cannot follow God, having not the Spirit, that will be a very bad situation for you, and there are many church people like that.

I have also seen church people who are reprobate, and that is terrible.  They followed another spirit, which suited their fleshly desires and ended up being turned over by God to a reprobate mind.

Romans 1:28   And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

*** 

Joshua 17:14-18   And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?  

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.

***

How can anything be too strong for us when God has given us a land?

At one point,  I went on radio in both Oklahoma City and Houston.  I invited a woman who sings, to go with me and minister to the radio audience in Oklahoma City.  We had previously worked in church groups throughout France, Switzerland, Germany, and Belgium.  She said, "Let's wait until a man can go with us."

I just went on to Oklahoma City by myself.

After that, I traveled to each city where I was on radio, and I went alone, where I spoke to radio audience:  New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Minnepolis-St. Paul, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Houston, Denver, Seattle, Eugene Oregon, Bakersfield California, Los Angeles, Phoenix.

There was never any problem travelling alone.

If our assignment is from God we move forward as given opportunity to do so, doing that assignment.

We can't sit around imagining problems when God has assigned us the work!

*****

Vol. 4/8 The kings of the nations join together to fight against Joshua and the children of Israel for the purpose of destroying Israel.

Joshua 11:1-5  And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.

And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.  

And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

*** 

Joshua 11:6-9   And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.

So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. 9 And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

***

The important focal point for us is the fact that Joshua did "as the Lord bade him".  

We get so fleshly that often we deliver a word from God and then we fret over that which we delivered to that person who was doing evil.  We think we were too harsh.  Or we think maybe we were wrong.  All sorts of fleshly thoughts come to our minds to condemn us for being godly.

From the examples in the Old Testament we should see that God deals with the wicked.

God destroyed the entire earth population, every one who breathed, except for Noah.  And the destruction from God was because of their wickedness.

Genesis 6:6-7    And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And it repented the Lord that HE had made man on the earth, and it grieved HIM at HIS heart.

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

***

And what does God do at the end of this present world?

The wrath of God will come upon this earth to judge man.  Revelation 8-16

Most of the church is so fleshly today, including ourselves, that we often want to shun the judgments of God and not read about such nor think about it.

But if we will learn to rejoice in God's judgment as the angels of God rejoiced in God's judgment we will put ourselves on God's side instead of putting ourselves on wicked man's side.

Revelation 6:9-12   And when HE had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;  And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of HIM that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

***

This is the wrath of God we are reading about in this book of Joshua.  We should rejoice in that which God does as HE judges the evil doers!  Why would we side with the flesh of man?

James 4:4   Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

***

Revelation 6:17 For the great day of HIS wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

God sees truly, where we often allow our flesh to view the situation.

***

Revelation 14:14-20  And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

This happens when the iniquity has come to the full. 

And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.   And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

*** 

Revelation 15:2-4  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.


3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest.


Revelation 18:19-20  And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.


Revelation 18:24  And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.  


Revelation 19:1-2  And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God:

For true and righteous are HIS judgments: for HE hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of HIS servants at her hand.

***

Joshua was assigned by God to replace Moses and to lead the children of Israel into the promised land which God had given to them and to serve as an instrument of judgment for God against all the wickedness done by the people of those lands.

How can we not rejoice when we read these acts which were authored by God? 

Joshua 11:7-12   So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.  

And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.

And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.

And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded. 

***

Joshua 11:15   As the Lord commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.

20    For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that HE (God) might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that HE might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses.

***

In 1982, God said to me:  "The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God."

After that, God began to show me evils that were being done by various big-time TV preachers.  

When I couldn't get a message to these men, I began speaking these messages on my radio broadcasts, naming these men by name and telling that which God showed me.

Hate mail from their followers poured into my office.

My own office workers were very disturbed.  Most of them were in the faith movement churches and had been taught a doctrine opposite from the judgment of God.  So when they heard that which I said, they were disturbed.

My coordinator, who worked on my travel arrangements and helped with the selection of my clothing, came to me and asked,  "Joan, is there any way you could be wrong?"

I replied, "No."

She left me as did most of the others.

They were so accustomed to a doctrine of, "God loves you and wants you to prosper and be happy," so do what you want to do.

Indeed, the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and Jesus returns for the righteous church, that church which hates sin and loves judgment.  For by judgment, the people are delivered.

People develop God in their own fleshly image.

We see God as we read these Old Testament passages.

When I was first born again in 1975, God started me in the Old Testament to teach me about HIMSELF.

We see by these scriptural examples that God is righteous.  He is not as fleshly man.

We know the great tribulation is coming where God brings HIS wrath upon the earth and upon the men of this world who do evil.  How, seeing this, can we think God is like some kind of Santa Clause grandfather figure?

It is time to see God in a true Bible image.

And if this image causes us to fear God, good!

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do HIS commandments: HIS praise endureth for ever.

If we have a fear of the Lord, we will handle the Bible carefully, not as many who use scripture for their own covetousness purposes.

Not only will we love the Word of God but we will greatly respect the Word of God.

The apostle Paul says:

II Corinthians 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

***

Joshua 11:21-23  And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.

So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

*****