Hoodwinked (Part B)

You can lean on your own understanding. At times when you all again what's for dinner. What color socks to wear with an outfit lean on your own understanding when it comes to serious spiritual matters.

Serious matters of life. We are not to do it that way site without spirit. Of course, there is a way that seems right to man but is then as a way of death. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua. Please stay with us after today's message here.

More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Joshua chapter 7 hoodwinked is the title of Pastor Rick's message and he'll be teaching in Joshua chapter 9 how we get caught by looking at all the factors of moldy bread that is a fact, but showing it to the story now is no truth. Truth is that there not from a country far away, a land far away there from the promise land was a lesson that is for us, get confirmation get to the bottom of it on serious matters. I mean, you can pull this off in the morning would woo blue socks and black socks. I mean, that's you don't go try to get on your knees and figure that one out. But the serious matters in life, you bet we take these to the Lord. Have you ever noticed you say to someone, will any pray about it even says a little frustrated. They want the answer now, I know you can't pray about it. I don't want to wait. I want you to say yes and that is an indication to say no, not right now.

I'll get back to you and then you can kind of been you know. Enjoy them writhing in impatience all well know you shouldn't do that. Verse six. Thank you Lord is always another verse to get out of something and they went to Joshua to the camp of Ed Gill gal. Remember, that's with the Shane was rolled away how profound a thought that is said to him, and to the men of Israel, we have come from a far country. Now, therefore, make a covenant with us well they lying we know that we can anybody blame them, they can stand and fight go down like AI and Jericho, or they can come up with a plan like they did Jesus eat told the story said no, the sons of this world they craftily think they used and not again Christians come along that all think not all of us, but many of us, we get emotional was God's going to provide one because Gabe given no indication is going to provide and we take a step out. We shouldn't take a step out and you learn you falsely know that didn't work. I don't do that again next time I'm going to be pretty deep careful.

Then the steward said within himself when his master caught him up to no good but fired him. What shall I do for my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig. I am ashamed to Bay. I have resolved what to do that when I am put out of the stewardship. They may receive me into their houses so he called every one of his master's debtors to him and said to the first, how much do you all my master and he said 100 measures of oil so he said take your bill sit down quickly and right 50.

They said to another, how much do you all reset 100 measures of wheat, and he said take your bill right 80, so the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly for the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. Certainly Jesus not condoning stealing a line when he was doing, is how much your my master hundred bucks right down 50 and the person that writes down 57 like this guy. I like looking out for me so that when he gets fired he got a guy think I have a job see that the crafting I can beg. I can't dig ditches all I am a zillion like a little box and cooking to and Jesus said to see what they did under pressure receive that mandate uses nog and he tells a story in such a way that disdaining us makes us remember the story. Our Lord's heart sharp. That's what where to get out of the story here in the book of Joshua that we are to use our noggins and not take things for granted. To see it through to apply ourselves in verse seven Joshua nine. Then the men of Israel said to the Hittites. Perhaps you dwell among us. So how can we make a covenant with you as worded as though Joshua knows they understand this and they do understand as we get to verse 24 comes out the day they knew all about this at this time. At this moment as Joshua was talking to them. He doesn't know that he invites that state the narrator of the story is, is giving us that Jerusalem is not Jerusalem, yet is JBoss at this time and at the end of this chapter. Of course going to say it's Jerusalem, but that they will serve and into Jerusalem.

I want to get too far ahead of myself. My point is Joshua records the story for us, but it is put in this format by editors and is nothing wrong with that whatsoever is not any corruption there, but just so you know Joshua doesn't know that these are Gibeonites and now these Jews, of course, would be the hammer of God just like we are to be the hammer of God on lives they were to be at on whole peoples because of their lies. We are to be the hammer of God on lies that come up against Christ, hammer them out.

That's not true with Mattel them.

Believe what you hear that about Jesus Christ. Jesus was a married know it was not wood but did you get that one other dumb things you got that's how you go about purging the devil's influence is out of souls by confronting them with the truth that they would otherwise not be confronted with. Anyway, the Jews were to purchase the land through the sword, exterminate the land.

Deuteronomy 20 verse 16, but of the cities of these people, which Yahweh your God gives you as an inheritance you inheritance, you shall let nothing that breeds remain alive other than he is pretty clear you shall utterly destroy them. Hittite Amorite Canaanite in the peasant right and the headlight. That's these people. That's the commandment right therefrom from Moses handed on to Joshua goes on in the Jebusite inhabitants of Jerusalem, just as Yahweh your God has commanded you not suggested command less they teach you because the reason is less they teach you to do according to all their abominations which they have done for their gods and you sin against Yahweh your God sent 11 you if you have them begun up to convert you, you lose souls before forget is that all have this well just before forget him for getting on talking.

He says here in verse seven. Perhaps you dwell among us.

So how can we make a covenant with you is a valid concern of course we don't want to violate the Lord by making a covenant with you. If you in fact are in the U tracking us you know what, I noticed Steve's will do while I worked one time in a very bad neighborhood for a long time and I were at the pool lift so I could see the street level action from higher and there were times we could see thieves in action and they would walk and someone would look at them and they that Michael Cabot caught and walked away, and they turn right back around and steal what they were trying to get because they knew the other person felt chase them away with the lock looked at them they made eye contact and okay I'm leaving good. I scared them away walks back at his shop comes back grab one of the goals of these gone well here we have a case of Joshua thinking that he is giving a thorough investigation and chasing away any thoughts of these people are deceiving them him but he is wrong is a valid concern, but is not going to see it through to the satisfaction of the spirit failed to investigate it all the way has the idea, but that's all he does doesn't go the rest of the way and I think that individuals, households, and whole churches are still doing this is overall susceptible to it.

We link up with spiritual contraband, something that doesn't belong inside creep sailors brought in and when it's not dealt with with the congregation or a household or an individual understands the basics of this and you have a chance better chance of them pushing it out someone coming to the church with false ideas about Christ up there in the lobby and it did at the service of fellowship and they bring these things. Let me start, hammer, and by no wait a minute will believe that that's the day that's what has to happen.

Somebody some child comes home and says hey look what I found out about Jesus and shares and parents of the other siblings. It is not biblical. That's wrong and is dealt with but it's when it's tolerated, excused or permitted that it becomes a problem and that's what is going on here. So the lesson that we would would say to believers if the Lord does not say so, then it must go not complicated no matter what anyone else says or feels about it. You must stand your ground when it comes to the truth now. Unfortunately, I think of those who never seem to learn this. They've defined by the seat-of-the-pants and not by the gauges they and in the churches that filter these folks out.

Those churches are better off doing that you live by the truth, you must take the consequences of standing your ground. It's worth it if you don't look at your gauges and your trying just going by how it feels you are likely going to crash Joshua's conclusion was only years was based on natural investigation when it should've been spiritual. Also, because he was spiritual. They were spiritual and that's why he was wrong century later centuries later Paul right, of course, we are not ignorant of his devices. That is Satan's and his stories like this help us perform a response. Verse eight, but they said to Joshua, we are your servants. And Joshua said to them who are you and where you come from within the skirt. This question not going to tell him if he pressed it. They could've made up a whole bunch of places it it doesn't get asked and it should have been pressed. Verse nine, so they said to him from a very far country, your servants have come because of the name of Yahweh your God, for we have heard of his fame in all that he did in Egypt. While the Gibeonites they knew how to port on the pouring a little thick here that they knew the Jews again could not make treaties with the inhabitants of the land. However, the Jews could make treaties with people outside the promised land was not an uncommon practice then or are now you try to get along with your neighbors and globally continues because of the name of Yahweh your God for your heard of his fame in all that he did in Egypt, sort of, reminiscent of Rahab and we we've all heard about what's been happening with you people.

I'm changing teams and heavy PS did not and they perish. This answer would've impressed the Jews. Yes that's right, God has been working for us just the about two weeks ago I got an email to think of already let the cat out of the bag and planning a trip to babysit Pastor Thomas Powell to the UK next year and so I get this email inviting me to speak in London at some little church conference. Now I'm suspicious right away, but it's also flattering.

So yeah you got the right guy you want somebody to come there. Clean your clock. I'm him but it was a little bit of that can't line the pulpit but anyway certainly did the investigation was a scam, which is that moment of yeah okay I can do this and this is flattering within the tell scam artists where they from, you know, one of the things they do.

They flatter us that they make us feel good about them and ourselves at the same time and you just as human nature. That's what we can't lose sight of in the story or in our lives just because we are spiritual people walk by faith not by sight does not mean where immaterial people.

We still have a body and we still are human. We we have to make sure we strike that balance and it is not that difficult to do. If we pay attention, it becomes very difficult if we start disregarding these these facts well these Gibeonites they're not trying to scam Israel. They are fighting for survival. And that's a big difference between many people scam churches today are over other people are looking to enrich themselves, but the lessons are still available, even though their motives are different. The tactics are the same and not in every single case, I will. I wouldn't go that far saying it, but in many of the cases they are verse 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to sigh, honking of hegemon to the king of the Sean who was at asteroid. Therefore our elders verse 11 and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us saying take provisions with you for the journey and go to meet them and say to them. We are your servants. Now, therefore, make a covenant with us. As I said discussed. It was customary for neighboring glands to enter into covenants with friendly people.

Oftentimes a Dubai marriage well in these two verses we get a little bit more information about the Gibeonites that they had a lot of information about the Jews, they knew about their conquests.

On the other side. The east side of the Jordan and the Jews were loving. Hearing this, they were being reminded of just how God was with them. I don't know that that was the intention of the Gibeonites, they were certainly trying to win the Jews until they were familiar with them, but I don't know doesn't matter about the same time.

I know that the Jews were liking this I would like this is a scam artist came to up to the church door and the I didn't know it was once as I heard about Javelin again as I love this place of people.

Your greatest you like it now. You missed you missed the connection that's all right is late but you would like to see yet it's right people. Are you great I love this church to and you would be good to be very careful when that was happening. Maybe there are if if I was speaking to a New York City congregation.

I could say I know there's a bunch of you scam but maybe there some of you here that have been scam and you and you you know you learn that one time is all you have do verse 12 this bread of ours. We took hot Rod provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you, but now look is dry and moldy in these wineskins, which we filled were new and see their torn these out garments and sandals have become old because of the very long journey. I'm sorry, I mean Joshua should say wait a minute here.

How far did you come from Mars to take the where we just got 40 years in the wilderness.

The temple look when you buy your shoes. Well, I mean you read that you said yet that's a bit much you mean. I think the bread would've been long run out by the time how long it takes to wearable wineskin, but I wouldn't think it would take I think would take a few years. I don't know but I know that there's there pouring it on and Joshua Losey's as yet that's moldy bread.

All right, that proves it on though it doesn't. Joshua, the sting has got to be convincing and it is convincing and again we Christians are not to be like little children who will not learn from their parents.

We are to learn from the Scripture and and pay attention to these things painful not. It was life or death death for them and verse 14 then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but they did not ask counsel of Yahweh. There it is the whole story right there you can you can lean on your own understanding. At times when you you know again what's for dinner. What color socks to wear with an outfit lean on your own understanding when it comes to serious spiritual matters. Serious matters of life. We are not to do it that way sight, without spirit, of course, there is a way that seems right to man but ascend is a way of death. Proverbs 1412 says here but they did not ask the Council of Yahweh again were not judging them were learning from them. David wrote it this way since keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me, then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression places got I don't want to presume I don't want to act without the authority of truth being correct do not want to get ahead of you will myself the Lord's response. At this point is simply Joshua. You should've come to me and he doesn't. Maybe maybe you have had someone in your life that you have been able to say that to him for. You should've come to me. You should've told me this rookie rookie rookie mistake for us to act without the Lord don't believe everything you think you have to learn that, do we not because we can we can come to a place where we think it must be right. We must be correct.

That's sometimes that's right. Sometimes it's not cannot be trusted to know the truth without the Holy Spirit, and his word in the context of events that we're facing here in this story. Now, again, some resent being told this because they like flying by their feelings.

They don't want to do the work. They certainly don't want the don't like the feeling of having to say to someone, no I'm not going to do that know I don't care if it's the last one. I'm not going to buy. No, I don't care if the sale ends tomorrow. Maybe I'll take well trying to relate to these people ordinate just as a wall resisting me anyway. Jude talks about those who just work by their feelings. He says these are sensuous person being at his ease dealing not with just Christians who just go with their feelings and not with facts is dealing with troublesome people to nieces these are sensuous persons who cause divisions not having the spirit so we look at that verse was a well I'm not going to be a sensuous person. I have the spirit and I will not cause these divisions and I will seek the Lord experience and instincts are not trustworthy enough for us to go forward without the Lord Jesus Christ and his word together because if you just say will I'm going with the Lord button but what if what if you start applying yourself in a way that the Scriptures forbidden Sigma strips in them do that.

And so that's why we need to to God doesn't need the duties of you got it all together. What a Joshua have what could he have done well. He had the priest and the lights in the perfection. This is a serious issue a should've gone to them again not picking on Joshua one of my heroes in the Bible and number 27 verse 21. This is Moses getting Joshua ready to be the leader shall stand before Eleazar the priest shall inquire before Yahweh for him by the judgment of the Earlham at his word, they shall go out and at his word that shall come in he and all the children of Israel with him all the congregation so Moses is saying Joshua you are not leaving you alone here.

You've got the resources I'm you going to have the resources and in this case he did not do it.

I guess you know it. This humans go. If I put myself in a spot of support. This is a no-brainer. This the bread this the shoes and all feels right. So they beat Jericho by discipline marching according to their orders in time patients that because that's from maturity.

They beat AI self-examination and battle going to beat the devil going to have to do it through dependence on the Lord in the spirit verse 15 so Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them to let them live in the rulers of the congregation swore to them. We go back up to verse 15 in there again, we read, but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.

So Joshua made peace, made peace with the wrong people and they're the only reason why they did not become a big problem is because they will be they will be drawn into the house of God, get to that the end verse 15 were Joshua made peace with them. Another mistake we make is we tend to project if I don't live in. I'm not being then he's probably not lying to me.

If I don't steal, and probably not being stolen from. I think most of us tend to do that. We have learned not to do that this something to takes one to know you are frequently lying other people in your being lied to probably pick up on it and resented what you know. Imagine the look on the face of Joshua when he learned that he is been duped.

Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia.

If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. You could also follow the links and cross reference radio.com. Glad we were able to spend time with you today due to next time to continue learning from the book of Joshua right here on cross reference radio