Lent Youth Guide |  Jesus' Real Talk During His Hardest & Darkest Moments

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[Know This] Promises of a Precious Faith

Titus: Godliness in a Rebellious Culture | Video Devotional

Art in Scripture: The Earth Is the Lord's

How Sweet the Sound

Our God Who Pursues: Guiding Us Back to Him

The Leadership Style of Jesus

In Crisis but Not Consumed

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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkACT">
 <div class="chapter ch1" data-usfm="ACT.1">
 <div class="label">1</div><div class="s1">Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven</div><div class="p">1In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: &#8220;Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with#1:5 Or in water, but in a few days you will be baptized with#1:5 Or in the Holy Spirit.&#8221;</div><div class="p">6Then they gathered around him and asked him, &#8220;Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?&#8221;</div><div class="p">7He said to them: &#8220;It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.&#8221;</div><div class="p">9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.</div><div class="p">10They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11&#8220;Men of Galilee,&#8221; they said, &#8220;why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas</div><div class="p">12Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day&#8217;s walk#1:12 That is, about 5/8 mile or about 1 kilometer from the city. 13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.</div><div class="p">15In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16and said, &#8220;Brothers and sisters,#1:16 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God&#8217;s family; also in 6:3; 11:29; 12:17; 16:40; 18:18, 27; 21:7, 17; 28:14, 15. the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.&#8221;</div><div class="p">18(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)</div><div class="p">20&#8220;For,&#8221; said Peter, &#8220;it is written in the Book of Psalms:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;May his place be deserted;</div><div class="q2">let there be no one to dwell in it,&#8217;#1:20 Psalm 69:25</div><div class="m">and,</div><div class="q1">&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;May another take his place of leadership.&#8217;#1:20 Psalm 109:8</div><div class="m">21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22beginning from John&#8217;s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.&#8221;</div><div class="p">23So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24Then they prayed, &#8220;Lord, you know everyone&#8217;s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.&#8221; 26Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOS">
 <div class="chapter ch7" data-usfm="JOS.7">
 <div class="label">7</div><div class="s1">Achan&#8217;s Sin</div><div class="p">1But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things#7:1 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them; also in verses 11, 12, 13 and 15.; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri,#7:1 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 2:6; Hebrew Zabdi; also in verses 17 and 18. the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord&#8217;s anger burned against Israel.</div><div class="p">2Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, &#8220;Go up and spy out the region.&#8221; So the men went up and spied out Ai.</div><div class="p">3When they returned to Joshua, they said, &#8220;Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.&#8221; 4So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.</div><div class="p">6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7And Joshua said, &#8220;Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?&#8221;</div><div class="p">10The Lord said to Joshua, &#8220;Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.</div><div class="p">13&#8220;Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, &#8216;Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.</div><div class="p">14&#8220;&#8198;&#8216;In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!&#8217;&#8198;&#8221;</div><div class="p">16Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.</div><div class="p">19Then Joshua said to Achan, &#8220;My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.&#8221;</div><div class="p">20Achan replied, &#8220;It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia,#7:21 Hebrew Shinar two hundred shekels#7:21 That is, about 5 pounds or about 2.3 kilograms of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels,#7:21 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.&#8221;</div><div class="p">22So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.</div><div class="p">24Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25Joshua said, &#8220;Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.&#8221;</div><div class="p">Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor#7:26 Achor means trouble. ever since.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOS">
 <div class="chapter ch8" data-usfm="JOS.8">
 <div class="label">8</div><div class="s1">Ai Destroyed</div><div class="p">1Then the Lord said to Joshua, &#8220;Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 2You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.&#8221;</div><div class="p">3So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night 4with these orders: &#8220;Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don&#8217;t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. 5I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. 6They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, &#8216;They are running away from us as they did before.&#8217; So when we flee from them, 7you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The Lord your God will give it into your hand. 8When you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do what the Lord has commanded. See to it; you have my orders.&#8221;</div><div class="p">9Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai&#8212;but Joshua spent that night with the people.</div><div class="p">10Early the next morning Joshua mustered his army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched before them to Ai. 11The entire force that was with him marched up and approached the city and arrived in front of it. They set up camp north of Ai, with the valley between them and the city. 12Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 13So the soldiers took up their positions&#8212;with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley.</div><div class="p">14When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city. 15Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness. 16All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city. 17Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.</div><div class="p">18Then the Lord said to Joshua, &#8220;Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.&#8221; So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand. 19As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.</div><div class="p">20The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. 21For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives. 23But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.</div><div class="p">24When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 25Twelve thousand men and women fell that day&#8212;all the people of Ai. 26For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed#8:26 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them. all who lived in Ai. 27But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.</div><div class="p">28So Joshua burned Ai#8:28 Ai means the ruin. and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day. 29He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.</div><div class="s1">The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal</div><div class="p">30Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses&#8212;an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. 32There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses. 33All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.</div><div class="p">34Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law&#8212;the blessings and the curses&#8212;just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkJOS">
 <div class="chapter ch9" data-usfm="JOS.9">
 <div class="label">9</div><div class="s1">The Gibeonite Deception</div><div class="p">1Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things&#8212;the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)&#8212; 2they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.</div><div class="p">3However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded#9:4 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Septuagint) They prepared provisions and loaded their donkeys with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, &#8220;We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.&#8221;</div><div class="p">7The Israelites said to the Hivites, &#8220;But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?&#8221;</div><div class="p">8&#8220;We are your servants,&#8221; they said to Joshua.</div><div class="p">But Joshua asked, &#8220;Who are you and where do you come from?&#8221;</div><div class="p">9They answered: &#8220;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, 10and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan&#8212;Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, &#8216;Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, &#8220;We are your servants; make a treaty with us.&#8221;&#8198;&#8217; 12This 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. 13And 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.&#8221;</div><div class="p">14The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.</div><div class="p">16Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. 17So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.</div><div class="p">The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19but all the leaders answered, &#8220;We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. 20This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God&#8217;s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.&#8221; 21They continued, &#8220;Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.&#8221; So the leaders&#8217; promise to them was kept.</div><div class="p">22Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, &#8220;Why did you deceive us by saying, &#8216;We live a long way from you,&#8217; while actually you live near us? 23You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.&#8221;</div><div class="p">24They answered Joshua, &#8220;Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.&#8221;</div><div class="p">26So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.</div>
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<div class="version vid111 iso6393eng" data-vid="111" data-iso6393="eng">
 <div class="book bkPSA">
 <div class="chapter ch80" data-usfm="PSA.80">
 <div class="label">80</div><div class="cl">Psalm 80#In Hebrew texts 80:1-19 is numbered 80:2-20.</div><div class="d">For the director of music. To the tune of &#8220;The Lilies of the Covenant.&#8221; Of Asaph. A psalm.</div><div class="q1">1Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,</div><div class="q2">you who lead Joseph like a flock.</div><div class="q1">You who sit enthroned between the cherubim,</div><div class="q2">shine forth 2before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.</div><div class="q1">Awaken your might;</div><div class="q2">come and save us.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">3Restore us, O God;</div><div class="q2">make your face shine on us,</div><div class="q2">that we may be saved.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">4How long, Lord God Almighty,</div><div class="q2">will your anger smolder</div><div class="q2">against the prayers of your people?</div><div class="q1">5You have fed them with the bread of tears;</div><div class="q2">you have made them drink tears by the bowlful.</div><div class="q1">6You have made us an object of derision#80:6 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text contention to our neighbors,</div><div class="q2">and our enemies mock us.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">7Restore us, God Almighty;</div><div class="q2">make your face shine on us,</div><div class="q2">that we may be saved.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">8You transplanted a vine from Egypt;</div><div class="q2">you drove out the nations and planted it.</div><div class="q1">9You cleared the ground for it,</div><div class="q2">and it took root and filled the land.</div><div class="q1">10The mountains were covered with its shade,</div><div class="q2">the mighty cedars with its branches.</div><div class="q1">11Its branches reached as far as the Sea,#80:11 Probably the Mediterranean</div><div class="q2">its shoots as far as the River.#80:11 That is, the Euphrates</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">12Why have you broken down its walls</div><div class="q2">so that all who pass by pick its grapes?</div><div class="q1">13Boars from the forest ravage it,</div><div class="q2">and insects from the fields feed on it.</div><div class="q1">14Return to us, God Almighty!</div><div class="q2">Look down from heaven and see!</div><div class="q1">Watch over this vine,</div><div class="q2">15the root your right hand has planted,</div><div class="q2">the son#80:15 Or branch you have raised up for yourself.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">16Your vine is cut down, it is burned with fire;</div><div class="q2">at your rebuke your people perish.</div><div class="q1">17Let your hand rest on the man at your right hand,</div><div class="q2">the son of man you have raised up for yourself.</div><div class="q1">18Then we will not turn away from you;</div><div class="q2">revive us, and we will call on your name.</div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1">19Restore us, Lord God Almighty;</div><div class="q2">make your face shine on us,</div><div class="q2">that we may be saved.</div>
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