Joshua 22:10 – And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size.
In our last post, we saw that Joshua summoned the soldiers of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh to Shiloh.� There, he commended them for their military service to the nation.� They had been faithful and obedient to their pledge to cross the Jordan and assist the remaining tribes in conquering the Promised Land.�
Now that the land was subdued and distributed to the remaining tribes, Joshua discharged them from active duty. They had made many sacrifices in assisting their brothers; now it was time for them to go home and enjoy their own inheritance.
Apparently, at some point on the march homeward, the trans-Jordan tribes got an idea – they were going to build an altar.
The first question to be addressed is where were they building it? This verse simply says it was in the 'region of the Jordan'.
Common sense tells us it must have been on the eastern side of the river because the trans-Jordan tribes would not have built a structure on someone else's property.� (This assumption will be further confirmed as we discover the purpose of this altar.)�
Many scholars believe the structure was built parallel to the city of Jericho, because there was a river crossing near that point which was routinely used by all the Israelites.� Anyone using that crossing would have no difficulty seeing the altar.�
The altar would also have been plainly visible due to its 'imposing' or remarkably large size. It was clearly not the work of a single individual, but of hundreds or even thousands of men working together for a common purpose.
In keeping with the law, the altar was made of earth and uncut stones; it was a giant replica of the altar at Shiloh.
Joshua 22:11-12 – And the people of Israel heard it said, "Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel." And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.
Apparently, it isn't long before the altar is noticed and word of it spreads throughout the land. As a result, tribal leaders gathered at the temple in Shiloh where they decided to take up arms and wage war on their own brothers.
Does that seem a bit extreme to you?� Were they really going to destroy their brothers over a pile of stones and dirt?� Are they over reacting, or are their actions justified?
In order to fully understand the situation, we must remember that God had been very specific about the rites and practices of worship.� No variations or substitutions were permitted; everything must be done strictly according to the laws given by God.� For example:
- There was to be only one tabernacle and God was the one to determine where it would be located.�
- Those serving as priests came exclusively from the family of Aaron.�
- There was a precise formula for the incense offered before the Lord.�
- The daily sacrifices and offerings were clearly delineated in the law; there could be no substitutions or changes.�
- The sacrifices were processed in the same way every time, etc.
We could go on and on, but my point is that God had given very specific directions for worship/religious rites and these directions could not be changed. This is significant because the law specifically stated that there was to be one (and only one) altar for sacrifices and it was to be located in the tabernacle:
Deuteronomy 12:13-14 - Take heed to yourself that you offer not your burnt offerings in every place that you see: But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
(See also Leviticus 17:8-9). So, if the trans-Jordan tribes were erecting a second altar to offer sacrifices to the Lord, that was a serious problem. It was an unlawful practice that would essentially pollute/blaspheme the true worship of God.
There was also great danger in having an unattended altar in the middle of nowhere, because it could be used to offer sacrifices to the heathen gods/idols of the Canaanites.
Keep in mind that God had also already given strict instructions on how to deal with overt acts of apostasy/idolatry within the nation. According to the Lord's instructions in Deuteronomy 13, if the Israelites heard one of their fellow citizens so much as suggest that they should worship/serve other gods, they were to immediately investigate the matter. If the rumor turned out to be true, the punishment was immediate death:
Deuteronomy 13:15 - You shall surely strike the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is in it, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
Not only were all living things in the city to be destroyed, the spoil was to be piled in the street and burned:
Deuteronomy 13:16 -And you shall gather all the spoil of it into the midst of its street, and shall burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof, unto the LORD your God: and it shall be a heap forever; it shall not be built again.
As a lasting witness to their idolatry, the city was to remain a ruin; it could never be rebuilt (see Deuteronomy 13:12-18 for full details).
Obviously, in light of these instructions from the Lord, the western tribes were very concerned about this enormous, rather strange altar built by the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.
Joshua 22:13-14 – Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and with him ten chiefs, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, every one of them the head of a family among the clans of Israel.
According to the law, it was the responsibility of the western tribes to investigate this matter. If the accusation of idolatry turned out to be true, they would need to slaughter the people and animals of the trans-Jordan tribes, burn their goods and destroy their cities. Therefore, we can conclude that they did not simply overreact; their readiness to fight their brothers was a fulfillment of their duty to the Lord.
So again, in keeping with their duty, leaders of the western tribes gathered at the tabernacle in Shiloh to consult with the priests. They formed a committee made up of a priest (Phinehas) and one elder from each of the western tribes (10 in total) and sent them to investigate the matter face-to-face.
This is a lesson that we can learn from.�
None of us can read the mind of another person; we do not know the true intentions or motivations which drive their actions. Since that is the case, we should always confirm a person's intention/motivation before we judge them or lash out against them. This is best done face-to-face, without stopping to gossip, accuse, or speculate about what the alleged lawbreaker is doing.
Let me repeat that one more time:� If we suspect one of our brothers or sisters in Christ is breaking one of the laws of God, we should meet them face-to-face to ask them about the situation.� We should NOT gossip about them, accuse them without facts or presume that we know their intentions.�
When we approach them in love, sincerely asking about their actions/decisions instead of attacking them, we may find out that we misinterpreted their deeds. If that turns out to be the case, we can 'clear the air' and quickly resolve the misunderstanding. This will retain unity within the body of Christ.
However, if our brother/sister really was in gross violation of one of God's laws, we should seek to discuss the matter with them, and show them the truth of God's word. It is our responsibility to help restore them to fellowship.
Galatians 6:1 – Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
Joshua 22:15-16 – And they came to the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them, "Thus says the whole congregation of the Lord, 'What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the Lord by building yourselves an altar this day in rebellion against the Lord?'"
The committee members that were sent on this mission were all men of great rank and honor.� Their presence was a mark of respect toward the men of the trans-Jordan.� But make no mistake - they were also men of authority.� They had the ability to assess this situation and the power to declare war against the eastern tribes if needed.
It is unclear whether the committee sent a messenger in advance to set up a meeting with the heads of the 2 � tribes, or whether their arrival was unexpected, and a meeting was convened when they arrived.
In either case, the meeting was convened and for reasons we will shortly discuss, Phinehas is almost certainly the speaker for the committee.
He begins by proclaiming that the committee has come on behalf of the 'whole congregation of the Lord'. �He does not use the term 'congregation of Israel' because this was not a mere civil complaint, it was a religious matter of great importance.� They had not come to plead the cause of their fellow citizens; they were there out of concern for the glory and honor of God.
We can't help but notice that Phinehas doesn't approach the elders of the trans-Jordan tribes with an open mind.� His opening statement is a harsh accusation, given in a rough manner.� The committee obviously assumed that the 2 � tribes had built the enormous altar with the intention of using it to make sacrifices to the Lord (or possibly idols), which was a direct violation of the law (Leviticus 17:8-9).
In their opinion, this showed that the eastern tribes had already begun to fall away from the true worship of God.� In their eyes, this offense was all the more grievous because of all the good things/favors God had recently done on their behalf, and because Joshua had just admonished them to stay true to the Lord.� It seems like the committee was already looking to declare war on their brothers.
Although they should be commended for their zeal in righteousness, they could have handled the situation in a different way. As it is, they assumed that the eastern tribes were guilty, and it was now up to them to prove they were innocent!
Joshua 22:17-18 – "Have we not had enough of the sin at Peor from which even yet we have not cleansed ourselves, and for which there came a plague upon the congregation of the Lord that you too must turn away this day from following the Lord? And if you too rebel against the Lord today then tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel."
Phinehas proceeds to reference an incident which he calls the 'sin at Peor'.� What sin is he alluding to?
If you dig back into your memory, you will remember the story of Balaam and his talking donkey (Numbers 22).� In case it's been a while since you read that narrative, let me give you a quick summary.�
As the children of Israel traveled to the Promised Land, they defeated Sihon, king of the Amorites and Og, king of Bashan. (These kingdoms were located east of the Jordan River and their territory eventually became the inheritance of the trans-Jordan tribes.)
These two kingdoms were extremely powerful.� In a natural match between Israel and Bashan or Israel and the Amorites, Israel was sure to lose every time.� But they didn't lose – they won.� Because of this, the nations around them recognized that Jehovah was fighting for Israel, and they were terrified.
There was yet one more mighty king in that area – Balak king of Moab.� Based on what had happened to Sihon and Og, he too was extremely fearful of Israel.� Since mere military might was not enough to subdue Israel, he took another approach.� He hired Balaam to come and put a curse on Israel, so they could be defeated by Moab.
To make a long story short, Balaam tried three separate times to curse Israel, but God took a hold of him, and he blessed Israel instead:
Numbers 24:10 - And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called you to curse my enemies, and, behold, you have altogether blessed them these three times.
At this point, it becomes apparent that God is with his people.� His unyielding desire to bless Israel cannot be overcome by any of her enemies, nor can it be thwarted by a curse.
Balaam, however, was an evil and crafty man. He knew that he could not stop God from blessing Israel. But he also recognized that there WAS someone who could rob Israel of her blessings – Israel herself.
So upon the advice of Balaam, the Midianite women of Peor began to make friends with the people of Israel, particularly the men.�
They invited Israel to their sacrifices and worship services for Baal.� These services were enormous feasts which encouraged unbridled self-gratification.� Gluttony, idol worship and all types of sexual immorality (including orgies) were common at these celebrations.
The end result was that the scheme of Balaam (carried out by the women of Midian) was a huge success. Israel bound herself to Baal of Peor and as a result she forfeited many of the blessings of God.
To put it mildly, God was extremely angry with Israel for worshipping Baal. He called the entire nation to assemble before him at the entrance to the tabernacle.
There, God instructed Moses to call forth the judges of Israel who were told to kill any of their men who had worshiped Baal. The bodies of these men were to be impaled upon poles before the Lord, so that his anger would be appeased. All the people of the nation were weeping and groaning because of the great sin they had committed and because of the punishment/plague that was ravaging the nation.
As these events were taking place, an Israelite man named Zimri, son of Salu of the tribe of Simeon had the nerve to come to the entrance of the tabernacle with a Midianite woman!� Can you imagine the audacity?� To bring one of the very women who caused Israel to sin to the temple where repentance/punishment was taking place was to show utter contempt for God.� It was like spitting in God's face!
There was one man among the Israelites who wasn't going to allow Zimri and Cozbi (the Midianite woman) to get away with such a vile and outrageous mockery of the Lord. When he saw the two come to the temple together, he took action:
Numbers 25:7-9 – When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.
Did you notice the name of the priest who was zealous for the glory of the Lord during the incident of Baal-Peor? That's right – it was Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the same priest who was head of the committee that was sent to confront the trans-Jordan tribes about their alleged apostasy. Because of his background, he was the logical choice as a priestly representative.
As Phinehas addresses the elders of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, he mentions the events of Baal-Peor to remind them of the serious/deadly consequences of rebelling against the commands of the Lord.� He also reminds them that their sin would not just affect them; it would reach out and touch the whole nation of Israel, just as the sin of Baal-Peor did.���
Therefore, their actions were of interest to all; the western tribes had a right/obligation to confront the eastern tribes.
Joshua 22:19-20 – "But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over into the Lord's land where the Lord's tabernacle stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us. Only do not rebel against the Lord or make us as rebels by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the Lord our God. Did not Achan the son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he did not perish alone for his iniquity."
The point Phinehas is making is that any kind of rebellion against the Lord would call down destruction upon the entire nation.�
As a further example, he points to a very recent incident in the history of Israel. During the destruction of Jericho, Achan son of Zerah rebelled against the Lord and took some things that were devoted to the Lord.
Even though he acted alone and in secret, destruction came upon the whole nation as they attempted to conquer the city of Ai (see Joshua chapter 7). If the anger of God burned against the entire nation because of the sin of one man, how much more destruction would come upon the nation if the 2 � tribes decided to rebel and/or commit idolatry?
At this point, Phinehas finally gives his brothers a very small benefit of the doubt. He does this by asking them if they considered their land polluted, defiled or 'unclean'. In his mind, this was the one and only reason they could have for erecting this altar.
What did he mean by that?
Essentially, he wonders if the trans-Jordan tribes considered their land unholy because the tabernacle was not in it.
In other words, perhaps the trans-Jordan tribes felt that they were in a sense 'cut off' from the Lord because their land was east of the river. If that was the case, they may have considered their land unholy/not consecrated to God and thus not under his protection and blessing.
Phinehas further supposes that his brothers constructed the altar as a token of God's presence in their land; by performing sacrifices and bringing offerings to this altar, their land would be holy.
He goes on to tell his brothers that if this was indeed the case, he had a different solution for their problem. The 2 � tribes were welcome to cross the river once again and receive an inheritance west of the river, where the tabernacle (and God's presence) dwelt.
This meant that the elders of the other tribes had already agreed to suffer personal loss and expense in order to give some of their land and inheritance to help their brothers.� It was a remarkable display of their love, and it demonstrated a true concern for their brothers' spiritual good.� It also showed Israel's great desire for the glory and honor of God, which they valued far above their own personal blessing.
Joshua 22:21-23 – Then the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel, "The Mighty One, God, the Lord! The Mighty One, God, the Lord! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the Lord, do not spare us today for building an altar to turn away from following the Lord. Or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, may the Lord himself take vengeance."
Finally! The men of the eastern tribes get a chance to speak!
The eastern tribes, who are utterly amazed at the suspicions/accusations of their brothers, flatly deny that they intended to offer sacrifices to the Lord (or idols) on their enormous altar. Furthermore, they are in no way unhappy with their land or inheritance; they do not consider themselves 'cut off' from God.
Let's take a closer look at their defense.
The men of the east begin by exclaiming 'The Mighty One, God, the Lord'.� In the original Hebrew, they are saying God-El (the Strong One), Elohim (Creator God and Supreme Being) and Jehovah (the covenant God).� In so doing, they are appealing to the One True God as the judge of their case, because He alone knew their true reason for constructing the altar.�
The phrase 'he knows' is an emphatic declaration that God heard their words and was a witness that they were speaking the truth about their reasons for building the altar. The implication is that if they are guilty, the God of the universe can judge/pour out his wrath on them.
This phrase was later used by the Psalmist Asaph in the same manner - to express the supremacy of the Lord:
Psalms 50:1 – The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets.
By saying the phrase twice, it adds an emphatic tone as well as an added level of sincerity to their argument.� Through it, they seek to show their deep concern for the honor of God and to wipe away this awful reproach/accusation which the western tribes placed on them.
Calling upon the name of the Lord is also proof of their faithfulness - they worshiped no gods/idols other than Jehovah, the One True God of Israel, who was also worshiped by their forefathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.� They are basically saying that they are completely committed to the Law; it would be ridiculous to think that they had abandoned the God of their fathers in order to worship false idols.�
As further proof of their innocence, they willingly place themselves in harm's way – if they are guilty of the charges brought against them, then their western brothers were welcome to attack and destroy them. Nothing but true innocence could have prompted them to make this statement.
Joshua 22:24-25 - "No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel?' For the Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the Lord.'"
At last we come to the true reason why the altar was built.
The promises made to Abraham and his descendants were specifically related to the land of Canaan – the land west of the Jordan River.� However, the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had willingly chosen to remain in the trans-Jordan lands conquered by Moses.� The men of these tribes were concerned that future generations of Israelites would therefore consider them as being outside the blessings and privileges of the Mosaic covenant.�
If that were to happen, their future offspring would be cut off from the temple at Shiloh. They would be unable to offer sacrifices, serve the Lord, and fellowship with their brothers. They would be 'kicked out' of the nation of Israel and cheated out of the blessings of being a member of God's chosen people.
This was the last thing the trans-Jordan tribes wanted to happen!
Joshua 22:26-27 – Therefore we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, "You have no portion in the Lord.'"
So they built an enormous alter as a memorial or a monument that would stand as a witness to all future generations that the people living in the trans-Jordan were just as much a part of the nation of Israel as the people living west of the river.
As such, they were entitled to all the rights and privileges of the covenant and they were fully obligated to obey the law:
- They would have full access to the tabernacle.�
- They would bring burnt offerings, sacrifices and peace offerings to the Lord.�
- They would participate in all national festivals and feasts.�
- Their males would appear before the Lord three times each year, etc.�
In other words, they were true brothers of the western tribes and no one could claim otherwise.
Joshua 22:28 – And we thought, If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, 'Behold, the copy of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.'
The men of the eastern tribes recognized that as time marched on, the generation who knew that Reuben, Gad and Manasseh had valiantly fought with their brothers in the wars of Canaan would eventually die.� Future generations might call their service into question and seek to cut them off from the nation.���
In order to prevent that from happening, the eastern tribes would point to the witness of the monumental altar. It was an exact replica of the Mosaic altar, which proved that the people of the east had both seen the altar at Shiloh and sacrificed upon it. Since that was the case, they were clearly true descendants of Israel.
Joshua 22:29 – Far be it from us that we should rebel against the Lord and turn away this day from following the Lord by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the Lord our God that stands before his tabernacle!"
The men of the eastern tribes concluded their defense in the same way it began – by protesting before God, in the most emphatic and sacred manner, that they were not in any way, shape or form rebelling against the Lord.�
In fact, the opposite was true. They were doing their best to ensure that the unity of the nation was preserved both politically and religiously.
Joshua 22:30 – When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their eyes.
The committee fully accepts the explanation of the eastern tribes; they gladly admit that no offence had been committed. What's more, they were delighted with what the trans-Jordan tribes had done to preserve the common faith and fellowship of Israel.
This reveals that the zeal of the western tribes was rooted in genuine concern for the glory of God. Had they been motivated by religious jealousy, they would have found fault with the explanation and looked for other reasons to find fault with their brothers.
Joshua 22:31 – And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh, "Today we know that the Lord is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the Lord.� Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the Lord."
As previously mentioned, Phinehas and the rest of the elders rejoice to find their brothers innocent.� They acknowledge that it was the presence of the Lord himself who preserved their brothers from sinning in this manner.
Because they had been faithful to God and not rebelled against his commands, the entire nation was delivered from the judgment/wrath of God. Furthermore, the western tribes were spared from engaging their own brothers in bloody warfare.
They rejoiced mightily, because they could continue to expect God to be in their midst, to save, deliver, protect and provide for the entire nation. ��
Joshua 22:32-33 – Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs, returned from the people of Reuben and the people of Gad in the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them.� And the report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel.� And the people of Israel blessed God and spoke no more of making war against them to destroy the land where the people of Reuben and the people of Gad were settled.
The committee had been sent by the entire nation to investigate the alleged rebellion/apostasy of the trans-Jordan tribes. After their investigation, they returned to Shiloh with the good news that all was well; there was no need to wage war on their brothers because they were not in rebellion against the Lord.
In fact, the trans-Jordan tribes were to be commended for seeking the glory of God and the political/religious unity of the nation.
This report caused unbounded joy and thankfulness to rise up within the entire nation. They gave credit to the Lord and his goodness for preventing a dreadful civil war within Israel.
Joshua 22:34 – The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, ''For," they said, "it is a witness between us that the Lord is God."
'Witness' was a very appropriate name for this altar. It is very likely that after this meeting, an inscription was placed on this altar, which established the purpose for which it was built – to confirm that the trans-Jordan Israelites were one in worship, one in faith and one in fellowship with their brothers on the western side of the Jordan.
Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:
Phinehas acknowledges that it was God's presence among his people that prevented a civil war from taking place. That is because when we dwell in his presence, we experience joy, peace, provision, wisdom and other blessings as well. If we are in close communion with the Lord, rebellion against him will be the furthest thing from our minds. Unity among the people of God is a natural outcome of dwelling in his presence.
We know by the nature of the world that God is present everywhere (Psalms 139:7-10). Yet, not everyone experiences a close, intimate relationship with him. The difference is our desire to commune with him.
Revelation 3:20 - Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will eat with him, and he with me.
When we ask Christ into our lives, we have the capacity to enjoy spiritual communion with him.� But like any relationship, it only thrives and grows as we interact with him, learn more of him, spend time with him, and follow his ways.� God is always standing at our heart's door knocking and waiting for us to open the door and fellowship with him.� Sadly, we often leave him outside while we go on with our lives.
However, when we are one with him through daily or hourly communion, his real, tangible presence is with us and upon us. It is through this communion that we receive blessings from him.
God does not simply send blessings from a far away distance or through the mail slot in the closed door of our heart; he breathes them upon us while we are close to him. That is why our bodies are his temple – so we can closely commune with him at all times.
1 Corinthians 6:19 - What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have of God, and you are not your own?
How much quality time are you spending with the Lord?� Remember, you enter into his presence with praise and worship.� Why not set aside some time today to fellowship with him?
Let me offer you some strength:
In today's post, we noted that God has an unyielding desire to bless his people. Nothing our enemies do can stop him from blessing us.
However, it is possible for us to rob ourselves of the blessings of God intends to shower upon us. Most often we do this by disobeying his commands.
For example, in 1 Samuel chapter 2, we find that God had promised the descendants of Aaron that his family would have the honor of being his priests forever. This was an amazing blessing that no one could ever take away.
But sadly, the house of Levi was unfaithful to the Lord.� They were disobedient and they dishonored the sacrifices of the Lord.� The culmination of their unfaithfulness occurred in the family of Eli (Samuel 2:27-34).� �As a result, God cast them from their office and gave that blessing to another.�
Are you walking in disobedience in some area of your life?� If so, now is the time to submit yourself to the Lord and repent.� Then ask the Lord to renew his blessings upon your life.
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