Josh. 6,7

No invention or device of man can hold back the Lord when He wants to do something. Jericho’s walls went straight INTO the ground when Joshua’s men shouted.

Through our prayers and obedience to God, we can have the same powerful results.

Joshua 3-5

God gave Joshua THE PLAN to cross the Jordan river. He sent the Ark, carried upon the shoulders of 12 leaders, to stand with their feet in the waters. Immediately, God began causing the river’s waters to begin stacking upstream. The entire congregation saw this miraculous demonstration of God’s power and control over nature. They were awed. God had thereby put his stamp of approval upon Joshua’s leadership. He was revered the rest of his life.

God similarly endorses leaders today by protecting them and blessing them. He defends them from gainsayers when they, like Jesus, defer to God’s power and methods.

The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. [1 Tim. 5:17]

Joshua 1, 2

When the spies were hidden by Rahab from the king of Jericho and his henchmen, she told them, “Great fear has fallen upon us because of you … we saw what your God did to the Red Sea, Sihon, and Og.” This was news to the spies, but it gave them a glimpse of how God could bring fear upon their foes.

Nothing has changed. God is still FEARED by our enemies. They seem to use every weapon in their arsenal against us, but it will not avail them. Knowing this should motivate us to use our spiritual weapons even more aggressively … faith and prayer and praise. [Ps. 149:6-9]

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. [2 Cor. 10:4]

Deut. 33, 34

God told Abraham He would give him a land to live in. It would also be a land his descendants could live in. When Moses was about to pass, God took him to the top of Mt. Nebo and showed him this land that was promised to Abraham.

God fulfilled His promise, although the journey to get there seemed difficult and long. Nevertheless, He was faithful.

Our timetable is not God’s. He takes the time necessary to accomplish His purposes in HIS WAY. It is up to us to hold on to those promises and endure to the end.

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. [1 Thess. 5:23,24]

Deut. 32

The Song of Moses is recorded in this chapter. It was his final tribute to God and his parting instructions to the Children of Israel. Sadly, he climbed the mountain for a glimpse of the Promised Land and was taken. He and Aaron couldn’t enter the land because he displayed a lack of faith in front of the entire nation at Meribah.

Our faith doesn’t depend upon our own spiritual strength. We find our strength in the Lord. He gives us the faith we need to overcome. We thereby receive that faith and respond by being obedient to Him and honoring His Name in our generation.

We don’t deserve to go to Heaven, but God in His love sent Christ to pay the entire admission price for us. How can we neglect so great a salvation. [Heb. 2:3]

Deut. 29-31

God is a gatherer. Christ gathered wherever He went. Jesus said, “Come unto Me, ALL YE who labor and are heavy laden.” [Matt. 11] When He looked at the rebellious city of Jerusalem, He lamented, “I would have gathered you as a mother hen gathers her chicks.” [Luke 13] Christ commanded the man who had a feast, “Go out into the highways and hedges and COMPEL them to come in.” Get the message?!

Likewise, we are to gather to Him … not to us. Don’t get me wrong … people gather to us but we lead them to Christ. Paul said, ‘Be ye followers of me AS I follow Christ.” [1 Cor. 11]

GATHER ON!

Deut. 26-28

Satisfaction is a life reward for belonging to the Lord. The term is used to mean “enough.” It fulfills your actual need. It says your gas tank is full and your belly has what it needs.

Jesus fed the multitude with 5 loaves and 2 fishes until they were satisfied. It was often used in scripture to signify that enough food was available. Going beyond is not necessary. Falling short can cause suffering. Satisfaction is “just right.”

Christ’s blood atoned for our sin and it was enough. Our debt obligation was satisfied. In Christ, we can be satisfied in every area of our lives because of His provision.

“No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” Ps. 84:11b

Deut. 22-24

Participation privileges for Israelites were revoked for descendants of the Moabites and Ammonites and for others whose sinful practices were abhorrent to the Lord. They couldn’t worship with everyone else. They were marked “to the tenth generation.” If a sin is not blotted out, God sees it for eternity.

Then came Jesus. God knew we couldn’t survive without Him. The blood of Christ cleanses us from ALL sin and iniquity if we repent before Him and accept His Salvation from our sin. Apart from Christ, God still remembers. Through Christ, He FORGETS.

“Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

“I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:34

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” Psalm 103:12

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 Jn. 1:9

Deut. 19-21

God hates this. He gives life and watches over each one. Shedding of innocent blood is listed in Proverbs 6, the catalog of things God hates. When an innocent soul is murdered, God desires swift judgement and wants it avenged.

Abortion must be the ultimate form of this tragedy. Can you imagine the heart of God when He sees the potential of each little life get snuffed out before it has a chance to unfold? Does it make Him regret giving us a free will?

The judicial replacement of Ruth Bader Ginsburg will probably impact abortion in our nation. (Potential overturning of Roe v. Wade) For this reason, prayer should be offered for her replacement. When we pray, we give God something to work with.

Deut. 17, 18

Many well-intentioned Christian leaders may tell their prophecies/predictions about the future … even delving into political event outcomes that they think God gave them. Some are accurate and some are not. In Deuteronomy, Moses gave the litmus test for prophets … does their prophecy come to pass. Prophecy is to be judged. Incidentally, false prophets could be stoned for their deceptive practice.

The wise Christian maintains a “watch and pray” posture for upcoming political events, being careful not to presume “inside knowledge” that clouds the issue. We should love what God loves and hate what God hates and thereby vote and relay His heart to the world.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” [Matt. 5:14-16]