DO NOT DECEIVE TO RECEIVE

*WISDOM FOR TODAY.*

*DO NOT DECEIVE TO RECEIVE.*

*Scripture Treasure.*

Joshua 9: 1-16:

v1 *And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;*

v2 *That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.*

v3 *And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,*

v4 *They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;*

v5 *And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.*

v6 *And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.*

v7 *And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?*

v8 *And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?*

v9 *And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the Lord thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,*

v10 *And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.*

v11 *Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.*

v12 *This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:*

v13 *And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.*

v14 *And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord.*

v15 *And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.*

v17 *And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.*

*Insight and Highlight.*

Be careful of those who attract you to the unreal at the expense of the real.

*Scripture Commentaries.*

People can be dangerous.

A person can appear so helpless or desolate needing assistance yet may do you serious damage that may extend to your future generations.

We live in a world of deceit, fantansy and appearance.

We must pray to walk by faith and never by sight, 2 Cor 5:7.

We are all prone to falling into deception especially when we are kind-hearted.

People who deceive do not care as long as they get what they want.

People who are 'victims' of their compassion often end up with losses and have themselves to blame asking why they helped out in the first place.

This did not start today. It has always been and it is often the case that those who refuse to help have been justified by what bad people have done in return for the good done to them and this have made people who refuse to help felt glad they did not help.

The consolation in life for those who were deceived to do good is that they have fulfilled the law of God of love, generosity, and kindness. Something, the bible teaches should be done without expecting reward. 

Those who may have been deceived but helped or those who helped because of their kind nature have the blessings of God.

They have not withheld good from those it is due when it was in your power to do it, Prov 3:27.

They have done good because they have done what they would want other people to do for them also, Matt 7:12.

They have treated others with the same

respect and care they desire for themselves (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31).

The Gibeonites by their deception attracted the elders of Israel to the unreal at the expense of the people they really are.

Though the Israelites were deceived to help the Gibeonites, the Gibeonites heaped curses upon their own heads.

They became *"......hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord,...."*, Joshua 9:27

Are you sincere of your request for help?

Make plain your reason for help and your ultimate desires known outrightly.

It would not stop you from receiving help from any heart God has already prepared for you.

There is a bad reward coming to those who deceived to receive.

Remember always that your actions, whether good or bad, will bring inevitable results in this life or the next. 

Do not deceive to receive!

*Remorse corner.*

Just because your deception leads to what you wanted to receive does not make it right before God. You have both deceived man and God and because God can not be mocked, your helper is not mocked as well.

But remember Gal 6:7 *"......whatever a man sows, that he will also reap".*

*Call to Word action.*

You can not afford to grow weary in doing good. There is a reward for good people.

Do not allow ungrateful people to make you give up.

Gal 6:9 *And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.*

*The Christian clarion duty.*

There is a reward for doing good, Heb 13:16

There is a reward for those who repay evil for good. Avoid this reward, Prov 17:13

There is a reward for those who repay good for evil, Rom 12:17-21, 1 Pet 3:9.

*Prayer.*

Lord help me not to deceive to receive in Jesus name.

Good morning all and have a blessed day.

God bless you.

Shalom.