“Lessons Learned at AI” Joshua 8:1-35

TRANSCRIPT

Date: September 21, 2025 Author: Wayne J. Edwards

In Genesis 12:5-9, the Bible says, when Abram first came to the land of Canaan, he “passed through the place of Shechem, and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and AI on the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.” This became a significant place of worship for the Israelites when they returned to the land. “Bethel” means “house of God,” a place of fellowship with God. “AI” means “heap of ruins,” which represents the world and its attractions. That’s where God’s people are standing today, doing all we can to maintain our relationship with God while very much aware of the threat of the world’s influence. The good news is, when we, as Christians, discover that we have allowed the attractions of the world to draw us away from our intimacy with God, we need to STOP, return to our “Bethel,” that place where we had that first encounter with the Lord and we received Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and do whatever we have to do to restore our relationship with God. In genuine repentance, we climb back up on that altar and leave behind those things that we allowed to become more important to us than God – our possessions, our worldly ambitions, and those unhealthy relationships. In this sermon, Joshua instructed the Israelites to walk 30 miles from Gilgal to the place where Abraham had built an altar and worshipped God some 500 years earlier. Joshua challenged them to renew their trust in and their commitment to God. Do you need to return to your Bethel? The title of this sermon is: “Victorious Christian Living: Lessons Learned at AI” We are deeply grateful for your continued support and for sharing these sermon study guides with those you think might be interested. Your efforts in spreading the message of faith and holiness are truly appreciated and have helped us reach viewers worldwide.

In Genesis 12:5-9, the Bible says, when Abram first came to the land of Canaan, he “passed through the place of Shechem, and pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and AI on the east, and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.” This became a significant place of worship for the Israelites when they returned to the land.

“Bethel” means “house of God,” a place of fellowship with God. “AI” means “heap of ruins,” which represents the world and its attractions. That’s where God’s people are standing today, doing all we can to maintain our relationship with God while very much aware of the threat of the world’s influence.

The good news is, when we, as Christians, discover that we have allowed the attractions of the world to draw us away from our intimacy with God, we need to STOP, return to our “Bethel,” that place where we had that first encounter with the Lord and we received Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and do whatever we have to do to restore our relationship with God. In genuine repentance, we climb back up on that altar and leave behind those things that we allowed to become more important to us than God – our possessions, our worldly ambitions, and those unhealthy relationships.

In this sermon, Joshua instructed the Israelites to walk 30 miles from Gilgal to the place where Abraham had built an altar and worshipped God some 500 years earlier. Joshua challenged them to renew their trust in and their commitment to God. Do you need to return to your Bethel?

The title of this sermon is: “Victorious Christian Living: Lessons Learned at AI”

We are deeply grateful for your continued support and for sharing these sermon study guides with those you think might be interested. Your efforts in spreading the message of faith and holiness are truly appreciated and have helped us reach viewers worldwide.

Download the following translated Sermon guides:

Old Testament Reading – 1 Samuel 15:10-23 New Testament Reading – 1 Peter 1:13-21

In Galatians 5:16-25, the Apostle Paul challenged his followers to:

The title of this sermon series is Victorious Christian Living , and the word “victory” implies a battle.

From their freedom from slavery in Egypt to the crossing of the Red Sea, their survival in the wilderness, their crossing of the Jordan River, and their military victory over Jericho, the Israelites had enjoyed victory after victory in their journey to the Promised Land.

No matter how spiritual we think we are, sooner or later, we will fall short of the glory for which God created us, which is why the Apostle John assured us in 1 John 1:9, “ If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins, and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”

Charlie Kirk “The Bible is very clear: for six days you shall work, and on the seventh day you shall rest.” He urged, “Take a break from the chaos. Rest. Worship. Spend time in the Word, not on your phone. God built the Sabbath into the week for a reason—honor it.” He often described turning off his phone as the Sabbath began so he could be entirely present to God and family. His wife Erika Kirk said, “As the wife, I have seen it [the Sabbath] transform him.”

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