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Resources Dispensed By God
Money, supplies, and equipment can be used up while the needs God wanted to be addressed are still unmet. Just because a legitimate need presents itself doesn't mean God wants it met. We think that the need has to be a real need. We will examine the need, examine the person with the need, and then decide whether or not we think it is legitimate. God wants us to consult Him. It doesn't matter whether or not we think the need is real. It only matters that God does or does not want it met. He is much wiser than we are. He sees the past, present, and future as one complete picture.

He knows why He gave us the resources He has given us. He knows how much of the resources He wants us to take for ourselves and He knows how much He wants passed on to others. In the Old Testament there was a great leader who was guiding God's people into being obedient to God's plans. But, as often happens in our spiritual lives, Joshua started feeling like he had gotten the hang of how to do God's ministry. Up until now, he had consulted God for all the big issues of his life and leadership. When it came to a "small" issue, Joshua felt he was qualified to make the decision without consulting God. The people who lived in Gibeon were called Hivites and were people who were supposed to be treated as enemies of God's people. Their spiritual condition was such that they were going to be a very bad influence on the spiritual conditions of God's people. Here's what happened.



What Does God Know?
Josh 9:3-15 (NIV) However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy.
Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, "We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us." The men of Israel said to the Hivites, "But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?" "We are your servants," they said to Joshua.

But Joshua asked, "Who are you and where do you come from?" They answered: "Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the LORD your God. For we have heard reports of Him: all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan--Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, 'Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, "We are your servants; make a treaty with us."' This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey." The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.


We often think that we can analyze a situation and make a good decision. Joshua and the men of Israel felt that they had considered all the evidence and were ready to decide what to do. They didn't need to bother God with all this. This was something they could accomplish on their own. They found themselves giving the Hivites something that God had told them not to give. God has to be consulted prior to all our decisions or we will end up giving resources to people that God doesn't want having it. Then, once that resource has gone to the wrong place, it is no longer available to go where it was truly needed.


This concludes your studying for today.
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what you have studied so far.
Let Jesus use these truths to change your life.

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