Seventh-Day Devotional For Children: “Be On Your Guard”

*DAILY BREAD – A DEVOTIONAL FOR CHILDREN*

Eastern Nigeria Union Conference Children’s Ministries

*THEME: I WILL GO*

Friday, March 4, 2022

*Topic: BE ON YOUR GUARD*

_And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” Joshua 9:6._

Ai was not to be the final battle. There were more cities to captured, thus more battles to fight. One defeat does not lose the battle, and one victory does not win the war. The devil is not excited about the prospect of victory for the people of God. This was true for the Israelites, and it is true for God’s children today. We must be aware of the devil’s strategy and recognize when he seeks to lead us astray with deceptive actions.

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 mouldy. 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 people of Gibeon knew they could not defeat Israel. Although other kings were forming alliances to fight Israel, the Gibeonites developed a solo plan (v. 1). With old clothes, old wineskins, and mouldy bread, they sought to convince Joshua that they were from far away and had been led to Israel as a result of hearing the great things of Israel’s God.

The problem was, God had told Joshua not to make an alliance with anyone. They were not to align themselves with non-Israelites.

The lesson for us is that the devil is deceptive and will use anything to convince God’s people to compromise. Satan is sly and seeks to sneak up on believers. He uses subtle ways to draw us from the things of God. Christians today need to remember that Satan will probably not try to get us to deny the entire Bible. He’s much more content to entice us to compromise in “small” ways. He tempts us to keep a little corner of our lives just for ourselves

*SONG*
Yield not to temptation,
For yielding is sin;
Each vict’ry will help you,
Some other to win;
Fight valiantly onward,
Evil passions subdue;
Look ever to Jesus,
He will carry you through.
*Refrain*
Ask the Savior to help you,
Comfort, strengthen and keep you;
He is willing to aid you,
He will carry you through.

*PRAYER*
Dear Lord help me to always be on guard. Help me to not compromise your word in Jesus name. Amen.