Bible Chapter: Joshua 3 & 4

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    THE day was at hand.  THE day?  Yes.  The day when they would cross the Jordan River and begin their conquest.  The people were told to consecrate themselves to God.  They were to be submissive to God and be pure before Him.  They were to be in a clean and right relationship with God.  The promise was that the Lord would do amazing things.  It would start with how they would miraculously cross the river.  The river was at flood stage.  This was no problem for God.  All it took was for the priests to take a literal step of faith and step in to the river.  When that happened God stopped the flow and provided a dry path across.  Amazing things are no challenge to God.
    The whole nation crossed the river.  Because people so quickly forget, God commanded that they take twelve stones from the river bed and build a memorial.  This is so that future generations would ask about what the stones mean and they would be told of the miracle God gave them. Every new generation must be taught the truths, power and majesty of God.
Joshua 4:23-24 NKJV
23 for the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over, 24 that all the peoples of the earth may know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    The priests brought the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.  They knew what God had promised.  A critical fact: the water did not stop flowing until the priests stepped in.  They had to actually step in to the river before the river began to back up.  When God directs, we don’t see everything perfectly laid out ahead of time.  There are times when we have to take a literal step of faith and see God provide and intervene.  Having faith to move mountains is one thing.  Stepping out in faith is another.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Believers in Jesus must be people of faith.  We must learn to hear from God and trust God to come through with His supernatural power.  The Lord still does amazing things.  Because the battle is intense against the forces of evil, it is only through God’s power that we will win.

Bible Chapter: Joshua 1 & 2

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    The book of Joshua continues the history of Israel, picking up where the writings of Moses leave off.  When Moses died, God appointed Joshua to lead the people.  He was given the great promises of God that when he would be strong, courageous and obedient to God’s law he would be a successful leader.  He was challenged by God to keep the Law in his heart day and night.  So, Joshua followed God’s commands and began to organize the people to finally enter the promised land.  The people responded that they would obey and follow Joshua’s leadership.
    Joshua sent two spies across the Jordan River to check out the situation.  The first city they encountered was Jericho.  They met Rahab and she helped them.  She told them that the people feared Israel because of all the things God had helped them do.  Because of her help the spies made an agreement that she and her family would be protected when Israel conquered Jericho.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Joshua had been through an amazingly long journey with the nation.  He was alive to see the plagues in Egypt that God used to free the people.  He saw the ups and downs of the nation for forty years in the desert.  He saw a whole generation of people die off.  Now, finally, he was chosen by God to lead the people to the place they had been promised.  He faithfully stuck with the calling of God.  He was obedient to what God commanded.  He was ready to be used in a big way.
    Joshua and Caleb were two of the twelve spies Moses sent to check out the promised land.  These two saw the challenges and the potential.  Ten spies were afraid and gave a bad report.  These two said that God would help them conquer the land.  Because of their obedience and faith they were permitted to see the victory of conquering the land.  They stuck with what God called them to do.  Their faithfulness brought them victory.  They are a powerful example to follow.  Stick with it and serve God.  He is never late in how He will use a person.  Never quit.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Good examples make a difference.  When a person is going through a challenge it is easy to become discouraged and quit.  Life was not easy for Joshua.  He faithfully obeyed God and trusted that God would accomplish all that was promised.  I want to help people see how He will help them as well as He has helped people like Joshua.  Obedience and submission to God are keys.

Bible Chapter: Deuteronomy 33 & 34

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Moses pronounced a blessing on the tribes of Israel.  He ended it with the promise that God is their refuge and underneath are His everlasting arms.  God promised to drive out the enemy and they could live in safety.  God is their shield and helper.
    Then Moses left them and climbed Mount Nebo.  It was there that God showed him the promised land.  Then Moses died.  He had the most unusual funeral.  God alone attended.  God buried Moses somewhere, no one knows where.  Moses was an amazing leader and prophet.  He had a unique and special relationship with and understanding of God.  He is a great example for all believers.  We must strive to know God more intimately.  To have fellowship with God is the greatest accomplishment in life.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Moses faithfully served God.  It was not in perfection, but in faithfulness and a desire to be close to God.  Included in this faithfulness was passing the mantle on to Joshua.  Note 34:9.  9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. NKJV Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom to be the leader of the nation.  When God empowers a person, they can do all God planned.  That is a great lesson for all to learn.  It is important to remember because even when a person gains experience and education, they must still fully rely on God.  According to the end of this book, Moses was unique.  Joshua was especially used by God to bring Israel to the land of promise.  God’s anointing makes all the difference for anyone.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I have the privilege of working with people in various settings of ministry.  I want to help people grasp that there is no limit to what they can accomplish as they are living and working under the power and anointing of God.  We can all work and make an eternal impact.

Bible Chapter: Deuteronomy 31 & 32

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    God had a plan for His people.  The leadership role was passed from Moses to Joshua.  While Moses longed to take the people to the promised land, he was forbidden to do so.  Joshua would lead them to the great conquest God planned.  Joshua was given a powerful promise that God would go with them and give them victory.
    Moses wrote down the Law God gave and told them of the importance of reading it.  They were to read it so that everyone would know what God commanded.  This truth is still necessary, people need to read what God said so they can obey.  We all need to be reminded that God never gave suggestions.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Moses told Israel that after his death he knew they would rebel.  They would walk away from obedience to God and prostitute themselves with foreign gods.  Sadly, that had previously happened and would happen again, just as he predicted.  There is a strong spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of people.  It appears that often some “new teaching” will show up and people will be drawn down to believing it.  I must keep God’s revealed Word in focus and only let that guide me.  There are excellent teachers who can help me better understand what the Bible says.  That is great.  I must not be trapped by some lie that says I can sin or reject God and He won’t mind.

3.  How can I help someone?
    The Bible is filled with warnings and promises.  I want to help people see them.  God told Joshua that He would go with him as he brought the people to the land promised.  It was a major task and challenge, but God helped him.  God goes with all His people.  Never forget that.

Bible Chapter: Deuteronomy 29 & 30

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    At the end of Israel’s forty year trek through the wilderness, Moses spoke to them to renew the covenant God made with them.  He challenged them to carefully follow the terms of the covenant so that they would prosper in all aspects of life.  They were warned to not claim the blessing and then insist on going their own way.  God has never given people permission to sin.  Moses told them that this would bring disaster down upon them.  There are deceived people who think they can put on a show of serving God while they continue to actively participate in sin.  God clearly warned them against this mind set.
    God’s promises of provision and prosperity always hinged on their obedience.  This principle was repeated many times throughout the writings of Moses.  The modern church needs to be reminded of this truth.  Jesus didn’t come to simply give us a free pass to sin and then forgiveness.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    From the beginning God has given people a free will to make the choices of behavior.  This is repeated in the ending of chapter thirty.  Moses talked about a person’s heart.  He talked about a person’s heart being drawn away from worshiping God.  What we allow to come in to our hearts will direct our lives.  Israel was challenged that God gave them a choice: life and death.  He said they should choose life so they and their children might live.
    The longer I live the more I see that God loves life and the devil loves death.  The desire of evil is to make life miserable and present death as a viable and desirable option.  People really do have choices to make.  Sadly, so many make the choice for the things of evil and destruction.  These bad choices influence their children and grandchildren.  Moses challenged them to choose life so that they and their children would live.  When the lie of evil convinces someone that what they do doesn’t matter or impact others, multiple generations are destroyed.

3.  How can I help someone?
    Someone wrote a song that includes the prayer that God will open the eyes of their heart.  This is what I want to help people do, open their eyes so they can really see what is happening in their lives and what is the impact of their decisions.  I want people to see that choosing God is always the best, no matter what the other options may look like.

Bible Chapter: Deuteronomy 27 & 28

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
     When Israel entered the promised land, they were to set up stones as a place of worship and sacrifice.  They were to post the law God had given them.  It was to be a constant reminder of what God had done and what He expected from them.  The Levites were to recite several of God’s commands to the people and they all were to say “Amen”.  These commands would remind the people of God’s curses on sin and immorality.
    They were reminded of the great blessings for obedience.  This thought jumps out to me because so often the perspective of people regarding what God expects is all negative.  The view is that God is always against everything fun and not for anything that people would want to do.  Yet here we find a great list of blessings that come from obedience.  For example, 28:8 says that God will send a blessing on their barns and everything they put their hand to.  That is something that should get the attention of all people.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    With sixty eight verses, chapter twenty eight is long and unique.  The majority of the chapter deals with the curses that they will live with if they disobey.  Israel was reminded of the importance of obedience and application of God’s laws.  And I see this speaks to all people since God’s truths are universal.  As I read the chapter I thought over and over of how our modern world is mocking everything God commands and how we are seeing problem after problem.  This talks about crop failure, horrible diseases, being conquered by enemies, and the list goes on.  Looking at the current world situation it is easy to see that God is still judging sin.  The culture I live in seems to be having a contest to see who can mock God’s ways more than the next person.
    The personal application I see is that I have a choice.  I can decide to obey and bring God’s blessings on my life.  I can decide to do what I want, ignoring God.  That will bring God’s judgement.  I make the choice to serve and obey God.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to challenge people to make the same choice I just said for myself.  I challenge people to make the best choice, to serve and obey God.  No person will spend eternity in heaven in God’s presence regretting that they obeyed God.  No one will ever be disappointed at the gift of life God gives them for obedience and submission to HIM.

Bible Chapter: Deuteronomy 25 & 26

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Honesty in business dealings.  Back in the day they sold products by weight using a balance scale.  They were commanded to have honest weights for their business dealings.  They were told not to have different, deceptive weights that said the wrong weight, so that in the process they would cheat people.  God detests those who deal dishonestly.  That strong language should get the point across.  This is a good example of the many times Moses recorded God’s desire for righteousness and justice.  Don’t be a cheat.
    Israel was reminded to bring the firstfruits to God.  Be a faithful steward of what God has provided and never be stingy.  They were to also always remember their history.  God was their salvation to deliver them from slavery in Egypt with miraculous signs and wonders.  When people forget what God has done it is too easy for them to stray from serving and worshiping God and drift off in to sin.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Moses told the people to carefully observe God’s commands with all their heart and soul.  They were to really worship God, not just go through the routine.  Sadly, much “worship” to God has turned in to simply a routine.  Do it because of guilt or fear that not “worshiping” will make you look bad.  There is a major difference with honoring and seeking God with all one has verses simply going through a routine.  Gathering together with God’s people to bring Him glory should never be boring.  Teaching or preaching should always have life.

3.  How can I help someone?
    The Lord is the One who brought Israel out of bondage.  He is STILL the ONE who brings anyone out of bondage as they reach out to Him and receive the new life Jesus promised.