Today’s Reading: Judges 4:11–5:31, Psalm 21

“Very well,” she replied, “I will go with you. But you will receive no honor in this venture, for the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the hands of a woman.” – Judges 4:9

This was Deborah’s response to Barak when he put conditions on his obedience. At first it seems as if Deborah was talking about herself, but as we read on we see that the battle was finished by a woman named Jael. Although Jael was not in leadership and there was no expectation for her to do anything but stay in the tent, God had plans to do great things through Jael. He saw worth and value in someone whom the current culture did not value.

GOD STRATEGICALLY POSITIONED THIS WOMAN TO DO GREAT THINGS.

When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, he called for all 900 of his iron chariots and all of his warriors, and they marched from Harosheth-haggoyim to the Kishon River. Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the Lord will give you victory over Sisera, for the Lord is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. – Judges 4:12-14

When Barak led the warriors into battle, God caused Sisera and his warriors to fall into a panic. Barak and his men chased after the fleeing army and killed all 900 warriors, but Sisera had hopped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. He ran to Heber’s tent, which had been pitched a distance from the rest of the tribe. Knowing Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin, Sisera thought he had found a safe place to hide.

Heber’s wife, Jael, invited Sisera into the tent. When he asked for water, she gave him milk. When he laid down, exhausted from his flight, she covered him with a blanket while she took watch for anyone approaching. But as soon as he fell into a deep sleep, Jael took action.

One day I was discussing with a coworker the job that God had called her to do. She had a difficult conversation ahead and she was not looking forward to it. I remember her words — It’s okay. I can do hard things. She knew that, if this is what God was calling her to do, He would equip her with the right words to say and the courage with which to do it. There have been several times when her words have come back to me as I recognized the challenge ahead of me, and I think of her again this morning as I read through the fourth chapter of Judges.

I CAN DO ALL THINGS, EVEN HARD THINGS, THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.

Jael saw that God had strategically positioned her and she was up for this opportunity to let God do SUPER THINGS through her — she made the decision to do a hard thing! I believe God must have given Jael some extra strength as she picked up the tent peg and hammer, walked across the tent, and placed the end of the peg on Sisera’s temple. I believe God must have given her extra courage and superhero strength in order to drive the tent peg into his skull, killing the king and finishing the battle.

So on that day Israel saw GOD DEFEAT Jabin, the Canaanite king. And from that time on Israel became stronger and stronger against King Jabin until they finally destroyed him. – Judges 4:23-24

Once again, God had called His people into battle and He had fought their battle for them. He caused Sisera and his men to panic and flee the battlefield, and He gave Jael the courage to finish the battle. Deborah and Barak led the people of Israel in celebration of this victory. They recognized that when God marched across the battlefield, the earth trembled; when God was present, the mountains quaked.

The people of Israel were living in fear until Deborah “arose as a mother for Israel” (5:7). I love it! The description of this superhero was MOTHER! Are you surprised? Consider the emotional response that all of us have just at the sound of the word “mother” — it often evokes strong feelings of love and security. My mother was the first person I ran to when I needed someone to talk to or cry with, and her arms are where I felt the safest growing up. She is the superhero in my life who taught me how to do hard things by trusting in the God who strategically positions us for His purposes.

The song of celebration continued:
Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes.
They recount the righteous victories of the Lord and the victories of his villagers in Israel.
THEN the people of the Lord marched down to the city gates. – Judges 5:11

What a great example! Before entering into a battle God has called us to fight, let’s look back and remind ourselves of the many victories God has performed in the past. Let’s give Him praise as we stand in confidence of His power and His mercy.

THE GOD OF OUR PAST STRUGGLES IS THE GOD OF BOTH OUR CURRENT BATTLES AND OUR FUTURE VICTORIES.

Lord, we strategically position ourselves in your presence this morning. Fill us with your strength and your courage. We are ready to do what you have asked us to do. Lord, thank you for being the source of victory in our life. We trust you and we obediently follow you today. Amen.

How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord!
He shouts with joy because you give him victory.
For you have given him his heart’s desire;
you have withheld nothing he requested…
Rise up, O Lord, in all your power.
With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts. – Psalm 21:1-2,13

Today’s Reading: Judges 3:31-4:10; Matthew 8:18-22, 21:28-32; Psalm 20

After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath rescued Israel. He once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad. – Judges 3:31

SHAMGAR, NINJA WARRIOR

The next “superhero” we find in the book of Judges is Shamgar, son of Anath. We do not have much information about Shamgar, except to say that he once killed 600 Philistines with an ox goad (a long sharp stick used to prod animals). This epitaph of Shamgar’s life is short but sweet. We know that God used Shamgar to rescue Israel from their enemies, and we know that Shamgar had some sick NINJA moves! Now, that’s quite a claim to fame!

But the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight, as they often were in the habit of doing. So God turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor and his commander Sisera, who ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for 20 years (another generation). Scripture says: Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help (Judges 4:3). 20 years passed before the Israelites humbled themselves and cried out for help!

Lord, forgive me for all the times I try to handle things on my own for a while before I finally give up and ask You for help! Forgive me for delaying my recognition that I am helpless on my own. I KNOW I need you every day, in every situation!

Now I know that the Lord rescues his anointed king.
He will answer him from his holy heaven
and rescue him by his great power.
Some nations boast of their chariots and horses,
but we boast in the name of the Lord our God.
Those nations will fall down and collapse,
but we will rise up and stand firm. – Psalm 20:6-8

DEBORAH, WONDER WOMAN

The next average-person-turned-superhero is Deborah — the Bible’s Wonder Woman. This is the first time we hear in Scripture of a female placed in a formal leadership position. This woman of God would sit under what became known as the Palm of Deborah, and people would come to her for judgment. Obviously God had given her the gift of wisdom and insight, trusting her with great responsibility.

Deborah must have also strategically positioned herself in God’s presence because scripture says she heard from the Lord. He gave her a message to give to Barak, calling him to lead a group of 10,000 warriors into battle in order to set the people free of their current oppression.

One thing that stands out to me about this co-hero, Barak, is that he put conditions on his obedience to God’s call on his life. He was willing to go into battle, just as God asked, but only if Deborah went with him. Does this hit close to home for anyone else?

Yes, Lord, I’ll do what you ask as long as…
I’ll obey if first you…
I want to trust you, but…

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he instructed his disciples to cross to the other side of the lake.

Then one of the teachers of religious law said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

Another of his disciples said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.”

But Jesus told him, “Follow me now. Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead.” – Matthew 8:18-22

God is calling us to respond in obedience to Him, no questions asked. He wants a strong submission to flow out of our love relationship with Him, so that we are eager to be used by Him however He pleases.

“But what do you think about this? A man with two sons told the older boy, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ The son answered, ‘No, I won’t go,’ but later he changed his mind and went anyway. Then the father told the other son, ‘You go,’ and he said, ‘Yes, sir, I will.’ But he didn’t go.

“Which of the two obeyed his father?”

They replied, “The first.” – Matthew 21:28-31b

Lord, forgive me for all the times I have put conditions on my obedience to your call. Forgive me for my selfish desire to be comfortable while following your plan. Give me the strength to always say an unqualified “yes” and never “yes, as long as…” Help me to respond in obedience without delay or argument. Lord, my life is yours to use as you see fit. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Judges 1 – 3:30; Psalm 7

I love a good superhero story! Perhaps it is because I grew up watching cartoons every Saturday morning that I enjoy the plot of a superhero coming in and saving the day. Therefore, when I read the book of Judges, it reminds me of a comic book full of superhero stories. Over and over again, the people get themselves into a mess and God sends a superhero (or judge) to come in and save the day! Let’s spend the next two weeks going through the book of Judges and studying how God gave some pretty ordinary people some pretty extraordinary moments!

The superheroes in the Bible were not perfect, but superheroes rarely are. After all, even though Superman was “faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,” he did have an aversion to green Kryptonite. He went from strong and powerful to pained and nauseous in the presence of this substance. In the same way, the superheroes in the Bible are imperfect.

THE HEROES IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES WERE REGULAR PEOPLE WILLING TO LET GOD DO SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY WITH THEIR LIVES.

They were flawed, imperfect people with a desire to see God do something heroic. God called them into leadership and filled them with His Spirit so that He could rescue His people through them. The true Superhero in this book is God Himself, and this book reminds us that God is looking for regular people who are willing to let Him do something amazing and heroic with their lives.

When the tribes of Israel went to conquer the land and defeat the Canaanites, they did not fully obey the Lord’s command. Most of the tribes failed to drive out the people living in the land, even though God’s command was to completely destroy them. Because of their disobedience, God declared He would no longer drive out the people living there but would allow them to stay and be thorns in the sides of the Israelites — a constant temptation with their false gods (Judges 2:2-3). Their presence would test whether His people loved God enough to obey His commands and to serve only Him.

This first generation wept at their sin but the next generation forgot about the Lord their God and did evil in the Lord’s sight by serving the images of Baal. In His anger, the Lord allowed raiders to come in and steal their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies (2:10-14). After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, God’s plan was to give them a peaceful and beautiful land but, because of their disobedience, they needed to be rescued over and over again from the villains in their life.

GOD RAISED UP A SUPERHERO!

When the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, the Lord raised up a rescuer [superhero] to save them…The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. – Judges 3:9-10

First there was Caleb’s nephew, Othniel (Acsah’s husband) through whom God gave the Israelites victory after 8 years of suffering. Again the Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and King Eglon of Moab controlled Israel for 18 years (a generation). When they cried out to the Lord, He gave them their second hero or judge — Ehud.

Ehud was left-handed, which came in useful when he stood before the king with the Israelites’ tribute. He kept his double-edged dagger hidden under his clothing, strapped to his right thigh. The king cleared the room after Ehud said he had a secret message for him. He approached the king as he reached with his left hand for the dagger and plunged it into the king’s belly. The king was so fat that the dagger disappeared. Ehud locked the doors and escaped down the latrine (3:15-23).

PERHAPS TODAY YOU WILL HAVE A SUPERHERO MOMENT.

Perhaps God is calling us to do SUPER things with His help. The trick is to remember who the real Superhero truly is. The moment I see myself as capable as Wonder Woman, I forget about the Wonderful Counselor. When I believe myself to be as strong as Mighty Mouse, I forget who is the Almighty God! When I start believing I am a modern day Marvel Hero, I take my focus off my Marvelous Lord! There is only one Savior in this world and His name is Jesus Christ! To God be the glory, great things He has done!

God is my shield, saving those whose hearts are true and right. – Psalm 7:10

Lord, we desire for you to do great things through us. Please help us overcome issues of pride and perfectionism, reminding us that we are nothing without you. Give us a fresh infilling of your Spirit today and prepare our hearts for whatever you would have us to do. Please give us a heart of obedience like Moses and daily reminders to be strong and courageous like Joshua. We don’t want to miss any potential superhero moments today! To you be the glory, great things you have done! Amen.

Today’s Reading: John 11:1 – 12:8; Acts 2:14-41; Colossians 3:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.”

Jesus told her, “Your brother will rise again.”

“Yes,” Martha said, “he will rise when everyone else rises, at the last day.”

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

“Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” Then she returned to Mary. She called Mary aside from the mourners and told her, “The Teacher is here and wants to see you.” So Mary immediately went to him. – John 11:21-29

Mary walked away from the mourners and made her way towards Jesus. Instead of sitting in her grief, she approached the One who had the ability to raise the dead. Although she was disappointed in Jesus’ timing and grieving the death of her brother, Mary responded immediately when she heard that Jesus wanted to see her.

JESUS HAD THE AUTHORITY TO RAISE THE DEAD.

Jesus displayed his power over death when he raised Lazarus from the dead. It had been four days, but Lazarus walked out of the cave when they rolled the stone away and Jesus called to him. Those who were there came to believe in Jesus, which caused the Jewish leaders to begin plotting his death (11:53).

Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate with him. Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.

But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.

Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” – John 12:1-8

Once more, Jesus visited his friends — Lazarus, Martha and Mary. Imagine the silence that fell over the room as Mary began to anoint Jesus with expensive perfume. The gesture was extravagant and yet worshipful as she wiped his feet with her hair. Jesus spoke of his coming burial, words that would have been hard for his friends and followers to recall after his crucifixion.

Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. – Matthew 27:59-61

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” – John 20:1-2

JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD.

Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

“Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

“Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. – John 20:11-18

JESUS CONTINUES TO RAISE US TO NEW LIFE.

Lord, we are grateful this morning for your willingness to die for our sins. We give you the praise for you conquered death and walked out of the tomb on the third day. We surrender our hearts to you and thank you for rescuing us from death, raising us to new life in you. Lord, we walk away from our grief and respond to your invitation to spend time in your presence. You are Lord of all and we give you all the praise. Christ is risen; He is risen indeed!

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. – Colossians 3:1-4

Today’s Reading: Joshua 24; Isaiah 40; Matthew 27:45-61

What must it have been like for the followers of Jesus the day after His crucifixion? He told them He would be back, that He would rise from the dead, but they did not understand. Their emotions were mixed with sorrow and fear. Some, like Peter, must have felt strong regret over their lack of faith in the difficulties of the day before. This day between the crucifixion and the resurrection, the period of waiting to see what God would do next, waiting for God’s help.

ARE YOU CURRENTLY IN THE TIME IN BETWEEN, WAITING TO SEE WHAT GOD WILL DO NEXT?

In his last days, Joshua reminded the Israelites of all God had done for them. God sent Moses and Aaron to stand before Pharaoh, and he brought terrible plagues against Egypt while protecting His people. When the Egyptian army pursued them, God placed darkness between the Israelites and their enemies. He parted the waters, giving the people dry land to walk on as they crossed the Red Sea. Then they watched as God released the waters, destroying the Egyptian army.

Despite these miraculous events and because of their lack of faith, God’s people spent 40 years in the wilderness. But here they were now, finally enjoying the beautiful land God had promised to them. He had rolled back the Jordan River as they crossed into the land of Canaan; the Lord had caused the walls of Jericho to crumble to the ground. He had fought their battles for them, sending terror ahead of them (Joshua 24:12). He gave them land they had not worked on, cities they had not built, and food they had not planted. Now it was past time for them to start serving Him wholeheartedly.

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

The people replied, “We would never abandon the Lord and serve other gods. For the Lord our God is the one who rescued us and our ancestors from slavery in the land of Egypt. He performed mighty miracles before our very eyes. As we traveled through the wilderness among our enemies, he preserved us. It was the Lord who drove out the Amorites and the other nations living here in the land. So we, too, will serve the Lord, for he alone is our God.” – Joshua 24:14-18

They had come so far under the leadership of Moses and now Joshua. But this season of Joshua’s leadership was now ending and a new chapter was about to begin. They needed to be reminded to keep their eyes focused on the God who had consistently been there for them and who would faithfully continue to lead them.

FOCUS ON THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD, PATIENTLY KEEPING YOUR EYES ON HIM IN THE WAITING.

God does not abandon me in the TIME IN BETWEEN. He stays with me and is my constant Teacher. I hear His voice saying, “This is the way you should go”; I sense His presence reminding me that I am never alone. While waiting, I can rest in Him. I can transition as I move from one chapter to the next.

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!
Make it a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.
The Lord has spoken!”
A voice said, “Shout!” I asked, “What should I shout?”
“Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in the field. The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:3-8

I can wait on the Lord because I know He is coming! He is my deliverer and my Lord, in whom I trust and for whom I wait. Anything else I could reach out to or cling to will fade away because nothing else is eternal. The word of my God stands forever and He is coming! And so, in the TIME IN BETWEEN, I choose to wait. I dare to trust and rest in the knowledge that God is good and that God is present and that God is coming!

Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. He will feed his flock like a shepherd.
He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart.
He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young. – Isaiah 40:10-11

The Lord is coming. And so, like Mary, we watch and we wait. We watch, knowing God is aware and has a plan. We wait, knowing God’s timing is always perfect.

Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. – Matthew 27:59-61

Today’s Reading: Joshua 17-24; Romans 8:31-39

Joshua did as he was told, carefully obeying all the commands that the Lord had given Moses (11:15). He followed God wholeheartedly (14:8) and, at the end of his life, he had these words of advice for God’s people. Listen carefully for all the words that speak of RELATIONSHIP:

“Love the Lord your God, walk in his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” – Joshua 22:5b

“Hold tight to God, your God, just as you’ve done up to now.” – Joshua 23:8, The Message

“So be very careful to love the Lord your God…Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord has come true. Not a single one has failed!” – Joshua 23:11,14

“So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly…Choose today whom you will serve…But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:14-15

GIVE GOD MORE. CHOOSE TODAY TO SERVE GOD WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART.

Stand firm in your relationship with the Lord and declare your allegiance to the One who gave His life for you. Love Him! Obey Him! Submit to all He is calling you to do and allow Him to fight your battles for you. Trust that the One who conquered death has already won the victory and nothing can separate us from His love!

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:31-39

One of the last things Joshua told the people was to turn their hearts to the Lord, yielding to Him (24:23). Or, as The Message interprets it: “Say an unqualified Yes to God!” Unqualified. Not “Yes, IF…” Not “Yes, BUT…” Not “Yes, PROBABLY…” Not, “Yes, I MIGHT…”

TODAY IS THE DAY TO GIVE GOD YOUR UNQUALIFIED “YES!”

God, we thank you for your faithfulness and your daily presence in our lives — for this incredible opportunity to live in relationship with you. Lord, cause our love for you to grow so that our hearts naturally desire to obey you, to trust you, and to follow you. Help us to be content with what you have provided, and help us to call on you when the enemy is pressing in. We pray that you fight our battles for us, and today we choose to serve you and you only. Today we say an unqualified YES to you! Amen.

Today’s Reading: Joshua 13-16; Matthew 7:7-11; Psalm 138

“You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered.” – Joshua 13:1

Have you ever had a moment when God called you back to your purpose? Have you ever needed a reminder from God to do what He has asked you to — to complete the mission to which you have been called? Thirty-one kings had been defeated and Joshua was getting old. So God did something amazing for Joshua and for His people so that they could receive all that He had promised them. He went ahead of them, driving the people out of the land he had declared a “special possession”.

Because God was fighting for them, the promised land of Canaan was conquered and divided between the tribes. Joshua knew the source of his victories because he had a relationship with God, the Victor. Joshua did as he was told, carefully obeying all the commands that the Lord had given Moses (11:15). He followed God wholeheartedly (14:8).

45 years before this moment, Joshua stood beside Caleb and ten other men as they scouted out the land of Canaan (Numbers 13). When they returned forty days later, they brought back reports of the beauty and abundance of the land. It took two men to carry back a cluster of grapes. They described the land as bountiful — a land flowing with milk and honey.

But out of the twelve spies, Caleb and Joshua were the only two who stood in faith instead of fear. The cities were fortified and the people were powerful; there were even giants living among them. God’s people panicked, fearing the giants rather than trusting in their God. They spent the next 40 years in the wilderness, but the Lord’s punishment also held a promise for Joshua and Caleb. Because they had responded in faith, they would enter into the Promised Land.

Fast forward to today’s scripture passage, and the work of conquering the land was almost done. The previous five years had been spent battling their enemies and now they were diving the land amongst the tribes. Caleb stepped forward to remind Joshua of the promise God had made to him almost half a century ago — the land they had scouted was to belong to his descendants forever because he had wholeheartedly followed the Lord their God.

CALEB RECEIVED BECAUSE HE ASKED.

Have you ever had a moment when God called you back to your promise? Have you clung to a promise for so long that the moment of its fulfillment is surreal? Let’s take a moment to express gratitude to the God who is faithful — to the One who keeps His promises.

I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
by all the honor of your name.
As soon as I pray, you answer me;
you encourage me by giving me strength. – Psalm 138:2b-3

So the land of Hebron became Caleb’s inheritance. With the Lord’s help, Caleb drove out the three groups of Anakites living there, successfully taking over the area. He promised to give his daughter Acsah in marriage to the one who captured the town of Debir, and his nephew Othniel received this honored prize.

When Acsah married Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she got down off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What’s the matter?”

She said, “Give me another gift. You have already given me land in the Negev; now please give me springs of water, too.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs. – Joshua 15:18-19

ACSAH RECEIVED BECAUSE SHE ASKED.

Acsah had already been blessed with land, but she dared to believe for more. She approached her father with the request for a field and springs of water, confidently requesting what her heart desired. And her father gave her both the upper and the lower springs.

I see the heart of our Heavenly Father in this passage which could be so easily overlooked. We serve a God who loves to give good gifts to His children. When we serve the Lord wholeheartedly, He responds with blessings only He has the authority to grant, just as a father lavishes gifts upon his children.

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. – Matthew 7:7-11

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. – Ephesians 3:20

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Bring your requests before the God who loves you enough to give His Son for your salvation. Ask the Lord to supply your needs and equip you for what is ahead. Keep on asking; keep on seeking. Dare to believe that God is good and that He is faithfully responding to your prayers according to His perfect will.

Today’s Reading: Joshua 11 – 212; John 18:1-11; Psalm 55

When the five Amorite kings united in hopes to attack Gibeon and defeat Israel, the Lord confirmed to Joshua that he would give them victory. Not only did God faithfully fulfill His promise by letting Joshua and the army defeat their enemies, God joined them on the battlefield.

Joshua traveled all night from Gilgal and took the Amorite armies by surprise. The Lord threw them into a panic, and the Israelites slaughtered great numbers of them at Gibeon. Then the Israelites chased the enemy along the road to Beth-horon, killing them all along the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As the Amorites retreated down the road from Beth-horon, the Lord destroyed them with a terrible hailstorm from heaven that continued until they reached Azekah. The hail killed more of the enemy than the Israelites killed with the sword. – Joshua 10:9-11

I love this! God was not just watching passively, God was acting on their behalf. Once more, the Lord struck fear in the hearts of their enemies causing them to panic, and it’s hard to win when panic takes over. And even when their opponents were running away from the battle, God caused a hailstorm to wipe the rest of them out. And this is my favorite part — God defeated more of their enemies from above than the Israelites did from below.

GOD DID MORE! GOD DOES MORE! GOD IS MORE!

God did more than they expected Him to do, and He continues to do more than we give Him credit for today. God is more than we will ever need. God had told Joshua that He would be with him, encouraging him to be strong and courageous. And God was present for Jesus when soldiers came to arrest him.

After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. Judas, the betrayer, knew this place, because Jesus had often gone there with his disciples. The leading priests and Pharisees had given Judas a contingent of Roman soldiers and Temple guards to accompany him. Now with blazing torches, lanterns, and weapons, they arrived at the olive grove.

Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him, so he stepped forward to meet them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked.

“Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them.) As Jesus said “I am he,” they all drew back and fell to the ground! – John 18:1-6

Simon Peter drew a sword in response to those who came to arrest Jesus, but he was not the first to react to the situation. God was not just watching passively, God was acting on Jesus’ behalf. Once more, the Lord struck fear in the hearts of enemy soldiers, causing them to draw back and fall to the ground. Jesus was not alone in the garden; God had not abandoned him. Although it was not a part of God’s plan for Jesus to avoid arrest, His presence was physically experienced by those who were coming to take Jesus into custody.

What is your battlefield today? How is life pressing in and in what ways do you need God to step in and take over? Let go of the fear and the worry, because panic just leads to us running away from the battle. Pray that God will join you in the middle of everything that is going on and trust Him with the results. Dare to believe that God will fight today’s battle for you.

But I will call on God,
and the Lord will rescue me.
Morning, noon, and night
I cry out in my distress,
and the Lord hears my voice.
He ransoms me and keeps me safe
from the battle waged against me,
though many still oppose me. – Psalm 55:16-18

Today’s Reading: Joshua 9–10; Luke 23:44-49; Ps 136

Now that the sin of Achan was confessed and taken care of, God renewed His covenant and helped the Israelites find victory in the town of Ai, wiping out everyone and everything. In spite of this renewed covenant, the people of Israel still had a lesson to learn. Without consulting the Lord, they made a decision and entered into a peace treaty with the Gibeonites (9:14). Their foolishness, like that of Achan’s, reaped negative consequences.

But when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to deception to save themselves. They sent ambassadors to Joshua, loading their donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins. They put on worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes. And the bread they took with them was dry and moldy. When they arrived at the camp of Israel at Gilgal, they told Joshua and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land to ask you to make a peace treaty with us.” – Joshua 9:3-6

GOD WANTS US TO INQUIRE OF HIM FOR THE SAKE OF RELATIONSHIP.

It is evident even in the Old Testament that God wants a relationship with each of us. He does not want us to live independently, but to inquire of Him — to call on Him. If Joshua had waited to hear from God, or if he had rested on how God had previously instructed him not to make a treaty with any of the Canaanites, perhaps he would not have made this leadership blunder. But the treaty was made before Joshua realized his mistake.

So Joshua did not allow the people of Israel to kill them. But that day he made the Gibeonites the woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the Lord—wherever the Lord would choose to build it. And that is what they do to this day. – Joshua 9:26-27

While having a large group of people do a lot of work for you might not sound all bad, this treaty also came with some responsibility. When the Amorites heard that the people of Gibeon were living in peace with the Israelites, they decided to join together to attack Gibeon.

The men of Gibeon quickly sent messengers to Joshua at his camp in Gilgal. “Don’t abandon your servants now!” they pleaded. “Come at once! Save us! Help us! For all the Amorite kings who live in the hill country have joined forces to attack us.” So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon. “Do not be afraid of them,” the Lord said to Joshua, “for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.” – Joshua 10:6-8

GOD WANTS US TO INQUIRE OF HIM BEFORE WE ENTER INTO BATTLE.

The Lord confirmed to Joshua that He would give them victory. They called on God and He listened to them. Joshua knew that he needed God if he was going to be the leader God’s people needed him to be in order to accomplish the task God had assigned.

On the day the Lord gave the Israelites victory over the Amorites, Joshua prayed to the Lord in front of all the people of Israel. He said, “Let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated its enemies….There has never been a day like this one before or since, when the Lord answered such a prayer. Surely the Lord fought for Israel that day! – Joshua 10:12-14

NOT ONLY WILL GOD LISTEN TO US, HE WILL RESPOND.

Joshua prayed BIG and God answered his prayer. God let His presence be known in the battle by causing the sun and moon to stand still. This reminds me of another day when God used the movement of the sun in order to make His presence known.

By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching. – Luke 23:44-49

God let His reaction to Jesus’ crucifixion be known by putting out or blocking the light of the sun. Those who experienced the action of God that day walked away with the knowledge that the man on the cross was innocent. The moment Jesus died, He became the sacrifice needed in order for us to experience salvation. When he breathed his last breath, Jesus made it possible for us to be made right with God.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. – Romans 3:24-25a

My prayer for all of us this morning is that we will see God at work — that we will know He is present in our battles. God does not want us to live in fear, but in faith. The Lord repeated the same words he spoke in Joshua 1:9, just like He reminds us again today:

“Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged,” Joshua told his men. “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, for the Lord is going to do this…” – Joshua 10:25

Give thanks to him who made the heavenly lights—
His faithful love endures forever.
the sun to rule the day,
His faithful love endures forever.
and the moon and stars to rule the night.
His faithful love endures forever. – Psalm 136:7-9

Today’s Reading: Joshua 7-8; Galatians 6:1-10; Psalm 62

God entered into a covenant relationship with the people of Israel. A covenant is a formal or serious agreement between two people or two parties. This agreement was that the people of Israel would obey God out of love for Him, and He would be with them and bless them in return. If they chose disobedience, there would be curses instead.

A MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS.

Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. – Galatians 6:8

After their victory at Jericho, God gave specific instructions not to take any of the things from Jericho for themselves, but only to pull aside the silver, gold, bronze, and iron for the Lord’s treasury. If anyone disobeyed, it would bring trouble to the entire camp. A man named Achan saw a beautiful robe, 200 silver coins and a bar of gold weighing more than a pound. He wanted them so much that he took them (7:21). God had supplied Achan’s every need, but Achan was focused more on what he wanted but did not have, rather than focusing on all God had provided.

Unaware of this hidden sin, Joshua confidently led a group of 3000 warriors to the next town, but they were defeated and lost 36 of their men. The people were so sure that God would bless them and give them victory, yet God did not work as they expected. They were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events and their courage melted away. They tore their clothes in dismay and bowed down to the ground asking God, “Why?”

How often is our faith paralyzed by fear when God does not move as we expect Him to? We long to trust God in spite of the pain and suffering. If we’ve learned anything from Joshua, it is to be strong and courageous. Do not be overcome by fear, but recognize God’s presence all around us.

HOLD TIGHTLY TO GOD IN ALL SITUATIONS, EVEN WHEN HE DOES NOT MOVE AS WE EXPECT HIM TO.

When Joshua and the people came to the Lord, seeking an answer for their defeat, God revealed that the covenant relationship had been broken. God ordered that everything be eliminated that would keep them from being totally devoted to Him. Achan had kept items from the Jericho plunder, items that had been set apart for destruction. He confessed his sin saying, “I wanted them so much that I took them” (7:21).

The definition of sin itself — to know what you ought to do and then not do it (James 4:17). How often do we let our sin nature take over and do exactly what we know we should not do. The apostle Paul described it well in Romans chapter 7.

“And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.” – Romans 7:18-19

Achan was found guilty and his sin not only destroyed him and the 36 warriors who died in battle, but also his entire family. His selfish decision affected those he loved most, left 36 families grieving the loss of their soldier, and brought trouble to the entire camp. They placed stones over the place where Achan died for his sins and named the place the Valley of Trouble.

When we choose to do what we want to do with total disregard for God’s instructions, we find ourselves in a dark place — a place of trouble. The good news is that we serve a God who wants to restore the covenant relationship with us. He is willing to forgive us and bring us from a point of defeat to a place of grace. Thank you, God, for your undeserved blessings! You are so generous to us.

GOD PULLS US FROM THE GRAVE OF OUR SIN AND WALKS US THROUGH A GATEWAY OF HOPE.

I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. – Hosea 2:15a

This week, we are reminded that Jesus willingly died for our sins. He who was without sin followed God’s plan of salvation, even though it meant a painful crucifixion. As he hung on the cross, two criminals hung on either side of Jesus. One mocked the Lord while the other recognized that Jesus had done nothing to deserve this place on the cross, while he bore the weight of his own sins that day. He asked Jesus to remember him in his kingdom, recognizing that Jesus was in fact the King of the Jews.

And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” – Luke 23:43

As you read the story of Achan, did you feel shame settle into your spirit? Do you feel the weight of your sin, picturing yourself in a place of trouble and ashamed by your actions? We have all sinned; we all live with regrets of decisions made and seasons of rebellion. But Jesus died on the cross so that we can experience freedom from our sins — escape from our place of trouble. He has invited us to enter into a gateway of hope and fully accept the salvation for which He died. Perhaps today can be your day to accept Jesus’ invitation to transform your Valley of Trouble into a Gateway of Hope.

Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge. – Psalm 62:5-8