September 25
It Really Is All About Jesus Introduction The story of Joshua is all about the people of God who are on the edge of a new era in their history and are on the move into new territory. After 400 years of being slaves in Egypt and 40 years of wandering around in the wilderness, the story of Joshua is about God’s people finally laying claim to a land of their own. This was all a part of the plan of God for the redemption of humanity. What we read about in Joshua is a fulfillment of a promise God had spoken hundreds of years earlier to Abraham. (Genesis 12:1-7) In the story of Joshua, the land known as Canaan, which God’s people will claim, will eventually come to be known as Palestine – the homeland of the Messiah. Since the days of Abraham, God had planned for the land of Canaan to be the place where the Messiah, a descendant of Abraham, would be born, grow up, live, die, be raised from the dead, and alter history and eternity for humanity. It’s through the Messiah that everyone on the earth and throughout history would have the opportunity to be blessed through the line of Abraham. When God was giving His people the land in Canaan, it wasn’t merely for their sake but for the sake of all people for all time. Though relocating His people into Canaan, He was putting them in position to bring forth Jesus out of the very land God had ordained the Messiah would come from. The story of Joshua isn’t just about Joshua and his generation. It’s about Jesus and all generations. It’s interesting that the name “Joshua” is actually the Hebrew name for “Jesus.” The fact that Joshua is the Hebrew name for Jesus reminds all of us that any movement of God involving His people ultimately is all about Jesus. And speaking of names, do you know what the names Joshua and Jesus mean? “The Lord Saves.” When God calls His people to move, it’s almost always toward the ultimate end of more people 3
having the opportunity to be swept up in a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Considering Our Church Like the people of God in Joshua, we, too, are on the move as a church. Our “Beyond Me” campaign really is about us working together for the purpose of many more coming into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Considering Ourselves – Can you think of a time in your life when God called you to make a move, to transition, to enter into new territory? Looking back, what were blessings that came to you personally? Also, our blessings are never just about us. How were others blessed through your transition?
4
September 26
Walk It Out Joshua 1:1-6 God tells Joshua He will give the Israelites every place they set their foot. It’s the same promise He had given Moses and the previous generation of Israelites. Perhaps you remember that 40 years earlier God was ready to give them this land, but they weren’t willing to take it. So they wandered for 40 years in a wilderness just outside the Promised Land of Canaan. There’s a difference between having access to something and possessing something. The generation before Joshua had access to Canaan but never took it because they never set foot on it. Every person has access to salvation and life abundantly through Jesus Christ, but not every person comes into possession of it. He gives us every place we set our foot. For most every promise in the Bible there is a premise. God makes a promise, but in order for us to experience it we must walk out the premise to the promise. The premise for Joshua and his generation was that they set their foot on the land. The promise is that they would receive every place their set their foot. The territory God describes to Joshua that He’s giving to His people encompasses about 250,000 square miles. Spoiler alert! What we see by the end of Joshua is that they really only claim about 25-30,000 square miles. They only lay claim to one-tenth of what He promised! So did God lie to them? Absolutely not! He said He’d give them every place they set their foot. They only set their foot on 25-30,000 square miles of the promise in Joshua. In many cases, the promises of God are fulfilled to the degree that the premise is fulfilled. It isn’t until the reign of David that the full 250,000 square miles are claimed. Some of us grew up singing an old hymn, “Standing on the
5
Promises of God.” If we’re going to truly stand on His promises, we’re going to have to walk out the premises to His promises. Can you think of three or four promises in Scripture?
Consider John 3:16, Philippians 4:6-7, 4:8-9, or Malachi 3:9-10. Each of these have a premise that is laid out, and then a promise. Take a moment and look at each of them. What’s the premise?
What’s the promise?
How have you seen this principle of premises and promises at work in your own life?
6
September 27
Out Of The Wilderness Joshua 1:7-9 The people who would enter into the Promised Land were people who had lived in the wilderness all their lives. They were either born there or were children when they arrived there from Egypt. Most of their parents and grandparents who had entered into the wilderness forty years earlier had died in the wilderness because they didn’t trust God to give them the land of Canaan. Now that generation had passed along with Moses. It was time for Joshua and his generation to take the land! It blows my mind to think about Joshua’s generation having never known anything but “wilderness living.” It was their norm. Some of God’s first instructions to Joshua involved his relationship with the law of the Lord that had been passed down to him. He was to meditate on it, having it ever before him. It would have everything to do with Joshua and his generation going forward and not retreating into “wilderness living.” I was talking to one of our new brothers in Christ the other day. He’s 64 years old and has had a lifelong career in law enforcement. His dad, granddad, and great-granddad were all police officers and lifelong alcoholics. In a sense, all this man knew was the “wilderness living” of alcoholism. But today, his standard of living is being dictated more by God’s purposes and promises for his life rather than the generational bondage of alcoholism running through his family. He grew up with “wilderness living,” but He’s been exposed to another standard of living. It’s a standard of freedom and sobriety that God has purposed for him and has made available for him through Jesus Christ. Our brother’s relationship with the Word of the Lord in Scripture has been an important part of his move into the Promised Land of life abundantly. Meditating on God’s promises and will as revealed 7
in Scripture has kept him moving forward into God’s glorious future and from retreating back into life in the wilderness that he once knew. Don’t settle for life in the wilderness. Set your mind on the will and promises of God as revealed in Scripture. Your future does not have to be like your past.
8
September 28
Be Strong And Courageous Joshua 1:7-9 I heard about a teenager and his dad who were at a sporting goods store. He was begging his dad to buy him this expensive set of weights so he could work out in order to make the school football team. Finally his dad gave in and went to the register to make the purchase. After he made the purchase, he began to pick up the weights and asked his son to do the same. To which his son replied, “What? You mean we’ve got to carry these to the car?” Any individual or community that’s going to step into what God has for them is going to have to do some heavy lifting every now and then. And for that, strength and courage are a requirement. Three times God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous. Any time the Lord repeats Himself three times it’s a pretty good clue to pay attention. Stepping into what God promises doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. Strength and courage are required because there will be forces resisting you. God reminds Joshua of two things that have everything to do with finding strength and courage – His Word and His Presence. He calls Joshua to meditate on the law of the Lord, and promises that He will be with him wherever he goes. What gifts Scripture and the presence of God’s Spirit are today for each one of us in our journey to step into what God has for us. There’s “heavy lifting” to be done from time to time. We’re far from alone though. Courage and strength are by-products of His Word being before our eyes and His Spirit being within our hearts.
9
10
September 29
Helping The Rest Get “Their Rest” Joshua 1:10-18 The promised land of Canaan was also occasionally referred to as a land of “rest” for God’s people. Finally, after more than four centuries, they would have a land to call their own. The Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh will get the first plots of land the Israelites come to when they enter Canaan. Their plots of land are east of the Jordan River. Everyone else’s land to claim is west of the Jordan River. The Israelites are moving from east to west. Joshua is careful to tell these first three tribes that their wives, children, and livestock may stay in their land east of the Jordan. But the men of these tribes were to cross over the Jordan ahead of all the other tribes and get in position to help the rest of the tribes claim their land west of the Jordan River. This is a powerful picture of tribes helping one another to claim their own pieces of the Promised Land. Throughout the story of Scripture, we find God calling individuals, tribes, and churches to look beyond themselves and to help other individuals, tribes, and churches. I’ve been privileged to see this at work in the life of The Branch. My children heard the story of Jesus and developed lifelong relationships with other kids in the Kids Branch building on our Farmers Branch Campus which was built in 1998. So many of the people who gave to build it are now gone. Many of them I never met. But I’m forever grateful for them giving sacrificially to construct a place where hundreds of children could engage with the message of Jesus on a weekly basis. I think of the 10th anniversary of our Vista Ridge Campus this year, and of so many from the Farmers Branch Campus who gave toward the purchase of it even though it wouldn’t be their personal church home. I think of servants here who, though they’ve already raised their own children, still give of their time weekly to continue to pour 11
into the lives of children and students in our Next Generation ministry. I think of servants here who daily are involved in helping others stay on the path to sobriety through Jesus Christ. Who is a person that’s helped you in your journey to claim a piece of the Promised Land?
Spend a few moments prayerfully considering how you’re at work or desire to be at work through The Branch to help others experience the life abundantly that’s found in Christ.
12
October 2
Faith And Responsibility Joshua 2:1 Jericho is the stronghold of Canaan. For the Israelites to take Canaan they’ll have to go through Jericho. When Joshua sent the spies secretly into Jericho, I don’t think it was just a secret to Jericho. After all, operating in secrecy is what a spy does in a foreign country. I think it was also a secret to the Israelites. The whole story in Joshua 2 begins and ends with them reporting to Joshua alone. Perhaps this is because Joshua remembers the last time he sent spies into the land of Canaan forty years earlier. Everybody knew when he sent them and everyone knew when they came back. Joshua had no opportunity to privately screen them or challenge their interpretation to the people of what they saw. A bad report about the land was spread among the people, their faith gave way to fear, and Joshua lost 40 years because of it. And perhaps this is why he only sends two spies this time as opposed to twelve the first time. Joshua wasn’t about to be set back again from claiming what God had promised. This wouldn’t be the only time he did reconnaissance before a battle – he would do this again later in preparation for other battles. Even though God had promised His people the land, Joshua still did his due diligence in sending spies and gathering intelligence. What’s the takeaway for today?
13
What God wants to give still must be received. Often the receiving of the promise requires diligence and responsibility. A battle still had to be found. Preparations still had to be made. God’s promises do not absolve us of responsibility, but rather invite us into responsibility. Exercising responsibility and due diligence is not a lack of faith. It’s an expression of it. Considering Our Church – Please pray for our leadership to continue to exercise a Spiritguided diligence as it relates to every effort of The Branch. Considering Ourselves – In what areas of your life are you being challenged to exercise diligence and responsibility as an expression of your faith?
14
October 3
Rahab Knows Joshua 2:1-11 Why did the two spies go to a prostitute’s house? Well, as we’ll learn later, her house was actually attached to the wall around Jericho. It was on the outskirts of Jericho. They didn’t have to go deep into Jericho. Another reason is that a brothel may have been an ideal place to hide out in that culture because you’d find all kinds of people from many nations going in and out of one. As the story unfolds it turns out that Rahab has already put her faith in the God of Israel. She actually believed that He was giving her land over to the Israelites! “Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, ‘I know that the Lord has given this land to you….We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan…. for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below.’” Rahab and other Canaanites had heard of the miraculous parting of the Red Sea some 40 years earlier, not to mention other divine interventions on Israel’s behalf. Word travels! In a step of great faith and risk, she hides the spies at the risk of her own life, and asks them to spare her life and the life of her family when Israel takes over Jericho. There is so much irony here. God’s own people were in the wilderness for 40 years because they didn’t believe that they could take the land of Canaan. And here’s a Canaanite hooker who has more faith than they did! Have you ever had an experience where someone you least expected had a faith that far exceeded your own? 15
Before the spies were sent out, God was already at work in Jericho on the heart of a prostitute coming to faith. We have a role to play in people’s lives just like those spies in Rahab’s life. But God was already at work in her heart. There’s nowhere we can go where God isn’t already at work.
16
October 4
Gathering Intelligence? No! Gathering Rahab! Joshua 2:12-16 In the beginning of chapter 2, we find Joshua sending the spies into Jericho to gather intelligence for the coming invasion. The reality is they wouldn’t need any of the intelligence they gathered when you see how Jericho falls in Joshua 6. As the story unfolds, we realize that the spies were there to gather Rahab and her family. Joshua had sent them in for one reason, but God had another reason in mind. When the Israelites finally overthrow Jericho later, Rahab and her family are the only ones spared. In fact, Rahab becomes a part of the people of God (actually marrying into them), makes a new home in Canaan with them, and eventually becomes the greatgrandmother of King David and a direct ancestor of Jesus. The story of Rahab reveals that the heart of God wasn’t just for His people the Jews but for all people – even the Canaanites -who would believe in Him, what He said He would do, and would live in light of His promises. Israel’s move into Canaan wasn’t just about them. It was for the sake of people who weren’t yet a part of them. God moving us into blessing isn’t just about us. It’s also for the sake of others. Is there a person or family you know of that could be coming to faith right now or that is spiritually tender?
17
Take a moment and pray for them. How might you be of encouragement or service to them this week?
18
October 5
Rahab’s In This Huddle? Joshua 2:17-24 Hall-of-Famer Dick Butkus was a legendary linebacker for the Chicago Bears. Floyd Little, another Hall of Fame running back for the Denver Broncos, was once involved in a violent collision with Butkus. Little never wanted the opposition to know that he was hurting after he was tackled. He definitely didn’t want Butkus to know how much he was hurting. As he was picking himself up off of the ground, he said to Butkus, “Is that all you got? Was that your best hit?” Butkus looked at him and said, “Are you all right, Floyd?” Little said, “Of course, I’m all right, why you asking me that?!” Butkus replied, “Because you’re in the wrong huddle, Floyd!” Rahab seems like she’d be in the wrong huddle if someone mentioned her on a list of the giants of faith in Scripture. A Canaanite prostitute? This is exactly what we find though when we read Hebrews 11, and the writer includes her on a list of examples of people of faith. How can she be an example of faith?
19
For one, she allowed the unseen to dictate what she did with what she did see. She had heard about the God of the Israelites and chose to believe that He had already given her land over to them. In faith, she chose to cooperate with the Israelite spies and hide them. Secondly, she shifted her allegiance from Jericho’s king to the Eternal King. When she hid the spies, she was committing an act of treason against her king and surrounding culture. How Rahab responded to the spies made all the difference in the world in how Joshua and the Israelites responded to her when they overtook Jericho. Finally, she took steps to see to it that more than just herself was saved. Rahab sought to see her entire family saved. Which expression of her faith speaks to you today?
Rahab moved beyond herself in planning for her family’s salvation. Who is someone close to you that you long to see saved by the King of Kings?
20
October 6
Rewritten Joshua 2:1-24 One morning in 1888 Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, awoke to read his own obituary. It was a mistake. Actually, it was Alfred’s brother that had died. But Alfred was shocked to read how he was described as the “Dynamite King,” who had made his fortune from explosives and changed the way wars were fought. One of his other nicknames was “the merchant of death.” He was so alarmed at the obituary that he resolved to live the rest of his life writing a different ending. One of the expressions of that was his creation of a prize that would be given each year to one who would do the most for the cause of world peace. It’s what we associate the name “Nobel” with today – the Nobel Peace Prize. Late in life Nobel said, “Oh, that every person would have the opportunity to read their obituary in the middle of their life and have time to rewrite it.” Alfred Nobel had the opportunity to do so. Today, we know him, not for inventing dynamite, but for promoting peace. As we’ve reflected upon the story of Rahab this week, we’ve seen that Rahab is remembered in Scripture for far more than being a prostitute. She’s an example of great faith. We’d be remiss, though, if we didn’t note the scarlet cord at the heart of her story. The scarlet cord by which the spies were lowered down out of her home, would be the one she would hang outside her home when the Israelites would take over Jericho. It would be a sign to Israel that all within the home with the scarlet cord were to be spared. Thousands of years have passed. We see this story from the other side of the cross. Her story is ours. There’s a scarlet cord running throughout the Bible. It’s the blood of Jesus. And it saves. 21
Our salvation rewrites our stories. A different ending becomes possible just as it did for Rahab. C.S. Lewis wrote, “You can’t go back and change the beginning. But you can start where you are and change the ending.” Is there an area in your life in which you need to “start again” and right where you are? Is there a person you know who needs to be reminded that Jesus is in the business of rewriting stories?
22
October 9
Flood Stage Moments Joshua 3:1-17 The first big test of faith for the Israelites as they entered Canaan was not a battle but a river crossing. In between them and the city of Jericho was the Jordan River. One of the things that’s so interesting about the crossing is the timing of it. For most of the year they wouldn’t have needed a miracle to cross it. There are many points along the Jordan where, during a dry season, people can walk across it quite easily. We learn from verse 15 that they crossed during the harvest season when the river was at flood stage. At certain points during this season the river can swell as much as a mile wide and have a pretty strong current, carrying all kinds of brush and debris. Knowing this causes me to consider a question. Why didn’t God just have Israel wait to cross the Jordan until after flood stage? Or why didn’t He have them arrive before? The river was only at flood stage during a small window of the year. After all, they had been waiting forty years, or if you count the four centuries in Egypt as well, 440 years! Why then, when the river was at its worst and most intimidating? By the way, did you notice that they camped beside the river for three days? That’s three days of staring at the river at flood stage. Joshua has an idea why. He tells the Israelites to prepare for the Lord to do amazing things. (vs. 5) “Flood stage” moments have a way of setting the backdrop for God to do something amazing. They also have a way of helping us come to grips with our need to trust God. Has God ever brought you to a “flood stage” moment in your life? What happened? What did you learn about God as a result of it? 23
What did you learn about yourself? What could you pass on to others as a piece of wisdom or encouragement?
24
October 10
Follow The Leader Joshua 3:1-4 The Ark of the Covenant is mentioned 16 different times in Joshua 3-4. It was a visual reminder of the presence of God, and even an object dripping with the presence of God at times. It was to go before the Israelites at all times. This painted a powerful picture for them. They would only succeed through following God. S.I. McMillen, in his book None of These Diseases, tells a story of a young woman who wanted to go to college, but her heart sank when she faced a particular question on her application – “Are you a leader?” Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No.” She returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1452 new leaders. We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.” God is looking for followers as well. In fact, it’s the best followers of Him that make the best kind of leaders for Him.
25
26
October 11
Trusting In His Instructions Joshua 3:5-13 So what does it mean to follow God? The image of His people following the Ark of the Covenant gives us some insight. One of the things the Ark carried was the Law of God written on stone tablets. Consider this image of God’s people following behind the Ark as they made their way into Canaan. God’s instructions are out in front of them. “Instructions” are the way they viewed the Law of God. The Hebrew word for “law” is “Torah” which means instruction. This is one of the things it means when we talk about following God. It means to walk in the path of His instructions. Today, when people hear the word “law,” they think “burden, restrictions, fun-killers.” When I think of it as “instruction” though, something different comes to mind. When I think of following instructions, I’m usually working on putting something together or making something. This is at the heart of God’s instructions for our lives. He speaks and instructs to bless and not to burden, to bring about “life” and not squelch it. His instructions help us to put “life” together. Sometimes, though, His instructions put us in a position of having to do some challenging things. The crossing of the Jordan at flood stage is a powerful picture of following God, no matter what. Dallas Willard writes, “The idea that you can trust Christ and not intend to obey him is an illusion….In fact, you can no more trust Jesus and not intend to obey him than you could trust your doctor or your auto mechanic and not intend to follow their advice. If you do not intend to follow their advice, you simply do not trust them.” Is there an instruction of God in Scripture that you’re being called to trust right now, but that’s challenging to you? (If you can’t think of one in particular, consider Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7.) 27
28
October 12
Getting Our Feet Wet Joshua 3:14-17 Just imagine it. The priests are instructed to put this big heavy box on their shoulders and walk into a river at flood stage?! The river rushing by at flood stage didn’t stop flowing until the priests carrying the Ark stepped into it. The river did not lose its power until those who trusted God got their feet wet. The promises and purposes of God are often not experienced until they are acted upon. Studying and underlining the promises and purposes of God in Scripture with a big highlighter is good. But it takes more than a highlighter for our lives to be changed. It takes getting our feet wet. More often than not, if we are to “experience God” we must be willing to get our feet wet. How are you being called to step out as you follow God? Take a moment and pray about this. Now think about those priests. They were the first to step into the river. Seeing them step in and watching the river begin to slow and recede had to be inspiring and confidence-building for the rest of God’s people. Is there someone in your life who has “set the pace” for you when it comes to stepping out in faith? Take a moment, give thanks for them, and find a way to tell them thanks for being an example to you.
29
30
October 13
Dry Ground Joshua 3:17 There were few people at the Jordan who had been through the miracle at the Red Sea. They had heard about it, but few besides Joshua were there to witness it. It’s one thing to hear about what God has done for others. It’s quite another to experience Him for yourself. For most of us, it’s easier to believe that God moved in the past in the lives of others than it is to believe He’ll move in your life in the present. I’m struck by the mention of the Israelites crossing the riverbed of the Jordan “on dry ground.” The previous generation of Israelites had crossed the Red Sea “on dry ground.” The God of the past generations had proved Himself faithful to the present generation. They stepped out, “got their feet wet,” and crossed “on dry ground.” He’s the great “I Am.” Not “I Was.”
31
32
October 16
Remember Joshua 4:1-2 Several years ago, the elder George Bush was visiting an assistedliving facility for senior citizens in the Houston area. He was walking through the facility with reporters and photographers when he came across an older gentleman in a wheelchair. Bush reached out his hand, smiled, and said hello to the man. He then asked him a question trying to get a conversation started. “Do you know who I am?” The man quickly responded, “No, but I’m sure the nurse can tell you.” There are some places in the world where you expect to run into others who are losing their memory. Assisted-living facilities and nursing homes are far from the only places where you’ll meet people losing their memory. We live in a culture that’s very aware of how easily everyone forgets. This is why we erect memorials throughout our country. Over the course of several trips to Washington D.C., I’ve been enlightened and deeply moved by so many memorials and monuments there. Several years ago we spent five days there with our boys. I’ve never been asked so many questions in all of my life. But this is what memorials are designed to do – provoke some generations to remember and other generations to inquire. This week’s devotionals rooted in the story in Joshua 4 are about the discipline of remembering the faithfulness of God. Do you have any visual reminders or meaningful items around your home or office reminding you of a time in your life when you experienced the faithfulness of God? They can be a faith-stirrer to your own spirit and a conversation-starter with others.
33
34
October 17
Stones
Joshua 4:4-9 God is into memorials. After the people cross the Jordan, the first thing the Lord tells Joshua is to choose a man from each tribe to go to the center of the Jordan riverbed, pick up a stone, and carry it to a designated place. This was no small thing to do. The Hebrew word for “stones” could also be translated “boulders.” In verse 5, each of the men haul a boulder on their shoulder – that’s a good-sized stone! This was work! There’s much to do ahead in order to claim the land, but taking a moment to make sure that future generations wouldn’t forget the miracle at the Jordan was important. So often, our rush to move forward eclipses our need to pause and give thanks. Beyond giving thanks, there’s a place for doing a little work to remind future generations of what God did in a particular place or at a particular moment in time. Take a few moments and pray without making a request of the Lord. You can definitely make requests later, but just pray a prayer of thanksgiving for a few moments. How has He been faithful to you or those you love recently? If you’ve been at The Branch for a little while, how have you seen His faithfulness at or through The Branch?
35
36
October 18
Headquarters Joshua 4:10-20 It’s at Gilgal that Joshua erects a memorial out of the stones collected from the Jordan. Gilgal will become a base of operations for the people of God as the story unfolds. God knew they would have an interesting and challenging road ahead of them when it came to taking the land He wanted to give them. On their good days, the memorial would remind them they had only come as far as they had by the miraculous hand of God. On their days of setbacks and discouragement, the memorial would call for them to depend upon the miraculous hand of God in the face of their present challenges. In other words, the memorial of stones would promote humility on their good days and hope on their bad days. We need both, don’t we? This week as you’ve been remembering the faithfulness of God, what have you experienced more of in your spirit? Humility or hope? Either one is a good place to live from!
37
38
October 19
Passing The Baton Joshua 4:20-24 There was a once a little girl who asked her mom, “Mom, you know that vase that’s been handed down from generation to generation?” “Yes,” her mom replied. “Well, this generation just dropped it.” There are more precious things for a generation to drop than vases. The baton of faith is to be passed from generation to generation. God leading Joshua’s generation across the Jordan had more to do than just with them. It had everything to do with future generations. God wanted Joshua to mark the spot and seize it as an opportunity to pass on the truth (about God’s presence and activity in the world) to the next generation. Is there someone from a younger generation in your sphere of influence or relationships? Maybe it’s your child or grandchild. Maybe it’s someone you coach or tutor or teach. Maybe it’s an employee. Look for opportunities to direct their attention to the faithfulness of God and the love of Jesus. We are in the midst of a season of prayer and reflection in regard to our “Beyond Me” campaign as a church. So much of this campaign concerns our testimony to the next generation about the ways of the Lord and what it means to walk with Him. Our facilities aren’t monuments, but they provide places where hundreds and hundreds of children gather every week for teaching and testimony in regard to the power and love of Jesus. Please continue to seek the Lord regarding your commitment to support the “Beyond ME” campaign. Thank you!
39
40
October 20
Boulder Believers Joshua 4:24 The memorial at Gilgal wasn’t just about providing a teaching moment for future generations of Israelites. We learn from vs.24 that it’s “so that all peoples of the earth might know the hand of the Lord is powerful….” God giving the Israelites the land of Canaan wasn’t for their sake. It was for the world’s sake. As Jesus would make crystal clear later in John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world….” God isn’t just concerned about leading His people into a more abundant life, but all people. And His people are a critical part of the plan to reach all people. When thinking about the memorial stones or “boulders” at Gilgal and how they testified to God, I couldn’t help but think about what Peter wrote when he said that all believers are like “living stones” (1 Peter 2:4-5). Like those stacked stones at Gilgal, our lives are to testify to the world of God’s grace, presence and activity. I know of a young boy who wanted to be baptized, but he couldn’t quite remember the word. He simply told the preacher, “I’m ready to be advertised.” He may have had the wrong word, but he had the right idea. May God make us all “boulder believers.”
41
42
October 23
A Surgical Procedure? Joshua 5:1-3 Well, how about this story to get your week started off? The Israelites are but a few miles away from Jericho, and Jericho, along with all of Canaan, is quaking in its boots because it’s quite apparent to them that a supernatural force is at work on behalf of the Israelites. All of the Amorite kings and Canaanite kings caught wind of how the Lord had dried up the Jordan for the Israelites. Their hearts were melting. This was the ideal time for Israel to attack! They had crossed over the Jordan and were officially in enemy territory, with the enemy thoroughly intimidated. So what does God do? He has them camp for a few days, but not just camp. He has them undergo a rather crude surgical procedure – circumcision. Don’t underestimate how strategically foolish it was to be in enemy territory, undergo that procedure, and then wait around for at least a few days to be healed. They couldn’t have made themselves any more vulnerable! (Just read the story in Genesis 34 sometime about what can go wrong when a tribe of men are healing from circumcision.) Any Canaanite army could have made their way into Israel’s camp and wiped them out during that time. Why was it such a big deal to God that they undergo circumcision then? Why on that side of the river, in enemy territory, with the enemy quaking in their boots, would God have them do such a thing when all the momentum is on their side to attack right at that moment? We’ll consider more of this story tomorrow, but there’s a question to ponder already. Have you ever been in a position in which trusting God made you particularly vulnerable? Think of a time you were being called to forgive, or to be generous, or to share your 43
personal story of the sin or darkness God redeemed you from. Sometimes trusting God puts us in extremely vulnerable positions. Trusting in God’s protection and provision as we obey Him is no small thing. Who’s been a person who has modeled this for you in your life?
44
October 24
On Your Mark Joshua 5:4-8 God chose circumcision as the sign or mark of His covenant with Abraham and his descendants, the Jews, down through the generations (Genesis 17). It was both a divine seal showing that God had chosen them as His people, and also a response of faith on their part in His promises. Every 8-day-old Jewish boy was to be circumcised as a family’s statement of faith saying, “We receive you as our God and we believe in your promises.” The tradition of circumcision had skipped a generation, though -- the generation of all those who had been born in the desert after the Israelites had been delivered from 400 years of Egyptian bondage. Now I don’t entirely know why. But the fact that they were uncircumcised is interesting when we consider that their parents were in the desert for 40 years primarily because they didn’t believe in the promise of God to give the land of Canaan over to them. Perhaps their children’s lack of circumcision could have been a reflection of their parents’ unbelief. God was not going to have His people, though, go into Canaan without being marked as His. They were entering into a land whose people worshipped all kinds of gods and trafficked in all kinds of religions. With those gods and religions came all kinds of different messages about who they were, what life was all about, what was right and what was wrong, what was real and what was not. Canaan was going to be more confusing to live in than Egypt. In Egypt there was one primary religion and one set of gods, but in Canaan there were multiple religions and multiple sets of gods. On top of that they would deal with all kinds of issues in Canaan that they never did as slaves in Egypt, such as the temptation to intermarry with the Canaanites who worshiped other gods and lived by other codes. The possibility of intermarriage didn’t even 45
exist with the Egyptians because the Israelites were slaves. Circumcision would be a mark to remind every Israelite male, every day he got dressed, who he was and who he belonged to. It was God’s way of reminding His people that they belonged to Him down to their most intimate, hidden parts, and all of their bodies and lives were to be used for the glory of God. Their new land wasn’t just about them. It was about the glory of God and the purposes of God. How does remembering that you belong to God affect the way you approach your blessings and opportunities?
46
October 25
A Strange Strategy Joshua 5:4-9 If I was getting an army ready for battle, I would oppose any strategy that would weaken the human body. But God had little concern for how weak their bodies would be and was more concerned with how devoted their hearts would be. One thing’s for sure. If grown men were undergoing circumcision and becoming this vulnerable for days within a few short miles of Jericho, in enemy territory, then their hearts really were submitted to God. As far as God was concerned, if His people were to really experience victory in the land of Canaan, it was far more important that their hearts were ready than their weapons. Because if their hearts weren’t submitted to God when they went into the land, they would end up destroying themselves in the end in the midst of their own victory and prosperity. It’s easy to think that only Jericho and the other cities stood in the way of them experiencing the land of Canaan for all that it could be. But cities and armies weren’t the only things that stood in the way. The Israelites themselves could get in their own way. And they would, eventually. Without submitting to God as King, we aren’t able to handle our victories or prosperity for very long. We destroy ourselves in the midst of our own freedom. This was also why God gave commandments or instructions for how to live in their new land. The last thing God wanted was to lead them out of bondage in Egypt, only for them to wind up in bondage to themselves in their own land. As you reflect on your own life, can you think of a time when you ruined a good thing that God had brought you into? What happened? Where did you go wrong? Thank God for His forgiveness and grace! We can learn from our past, but we don’t have to live in the shadow of it. 47
God has been gracious to give us a “marking moment” in our lives to express our desire to be His. It’s interesting that in the New Testament, baptism is likened unto circumcision. Consider Colossians 2:9-12. Baptism’s a sacred moment of marking our lives as His. Have you experienced this great moment and privilege? If you haven’t yet, we would love to help you prepare for this meaningful expression of trust in Jesus.
48
October 26
From Food Delivery To Home-Cooking Joshua 5:9-12 The Israelites have been healing from circumcision, but they still aren’t ready for battle. Now it’s time for them to have the Passover and be reminded of how far God has brought them out of slavery in Egypt. Before they engage in battle, God is marking them as His and reminding them of all that He has brought them through up to this point. He’s getting their hearts ready for the battles ahead while also giving them a taste of the land. For forty years, the Lord had fed them manna every morning. It’s how they survived in the desert. Now, for the first time, they eat of the fruit and produce of Canaan. They get a taste of their new land. There are still battles to be fought and work to be done. Resting, remembering the faithfulness of God, and enjoying what He’s led them to thus far would be fuel for the journey ahead. How does resting and remembering God’s faithfulness help prepare you for challenges ahead? In your journey to follow the Lord, how has He been particularly faithful to you? What are you enjoying right now that He’s led you into? What’s the fruit of the land of abundant life through Christ that you are enjoying?
49
50
October 27
Security John 5:13-15 The Israelites may not have been in a position to defend themselves while they were healing or having the Passover, but that didn’t mean they were without security. There was an invisible army in between them and Jericho. Joshua stumbles upon the angelic commander of the army of the Lord. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” (Psalm 34:7) “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14) Joshua and his army are far from alone. It turns out they were not so vulnerable, after all. Neither are we. This doesn’t mean, though, that God is our personal assistant. The commander of the Lord’s army made clear to Joshua that he was for neither Joshua nor the Canaanites. He served God and reminded Joshua that the ground he stood on was holy. It belonged to God. With his face in the dirt, Joshua had a fresh reminder that he was second in command and someone else had come to take charge of the battle with Jericho. So often we want God to help us in our battles, but He comes to lead us in our battles. The question isn’t, “Is God on my side?” The question is, “Will I continue to pursue being on God’s side and get behind His leadership in my life?”
51
52
October 30
Take The High Country First Joshua 6
It’s worth noting that for many, many years the taking of Jericho has been referenced in military academies as one of the earliest examples in world history of how to take a land. Joshua and Israel knew that the only way to take the land was to drive toward the road that ran through the high country of Canaan. One of the reasons is that armies had the upper hand when they fought from an elevated position. Taking the Promised Land involved going through the high country first. Jericho was the gateway to the high country. I think about this picture when I think about us making progress as believers when it comes to our transformation and experience of abundant life in Christ. The question is, when it comes to our lives, where is the “high country” where we gain real advantage in dealing with our enemy and the resistance he puts up? I believe the “high country” is our mind. One of the primary keys to transformation and change in our lives is having our minds transformed. This is why Paul speaks of us being transformed “by the renewing of our minds” (Romans 12:2) and “being made new in the attitude of our minds” (Ephesians 4:23) The road to transformation and abundant living runs through our minds. This is one of the most neglected understandings of repentance. There are three different words for repentance in the Bible, and one of them means “to change your mind.” Think of it this way – “re” means “to go back” and “pent” is like the penthouse, the top floor of a building. To repent is to go back to God’s perspective on reality. Ultimately, if there’s no change of mind or heart then no change in life will ever stick. We won’t be likely to persist in radical trust and obedience to God’s instructions. The first thing God does with Joshua is challenge him to “see” differently, as we’ll see tomorrow. Our hearts and minds are where the real leverage is for life change. That’s why the enemy wants to do everything he can to keep us from paying any attention to the “high country” of our 53
hearts and minds. So he’ll get us to focus on the low-lying areas of our lives – the external things like our behavior, our image, our reputation, our possessions, our religion. What many don’t understand is that the low-lying areas of our lives are fed by the streams that flow down from the “high country” of our minds and hearts. The road to the Promised Land of life abundantly really does run through the “high country.” In what way do you need your mind and heart transformed? What’s the “Jericho” in your mind that needs to be dealt with?
54
October 31
Dangerous Joshua 6:1 Erwin McManus serves as pastor of the Mosaic Church in Los Angeles. Several summers ago, he sent his son Aaron to church camp. He was particularly thankful that it was church camp because his son was still pretty young. He figured his son wasn’t going to hear all those ghost stories, because ghost stories can really cause a kid to have nightmares. But unfortunately, since it was a Christian camp they didn’t tell ghost stories, because they didn’t believe in ghosts at the Christian camp. Instead, they told stories about Satan and demons! When Aaron got home, he was terrified. Erwin wanted to tell him that all those stories about demons weren’t real, but he knew that he couldn’t lie about the existence of demons. Night after night his son would beg Erwin to leave the lights on and to stay with him till he fell asleep, while praying that God would keep Aaron safe. Finally, one night Erwin said, “Aaron, tonight I’m not praying for God to keep you safe. I’m praying that God will make you dangerous, so dangerous that demons will flee when entering the room.” Aaron said, “Dad? Then will you pray I would be really, really dangerous?” Jericho was sealed shut because they considered the Israelites dangerous. Truth be told, it was God who made them dangerous. The citizens of Jericho had already caught wind of the miracles happening on behalf of the Israelites. We may not think about it much, but God does want to make us dangerous when it comes to our enemy Satan. When I think about Erwin’s story I can’t help but think about how many times in my life I’ve prayed for God to keep me safe – and how few times I’ve prayed for God to make me dangerous, in all 55
the right ways. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” (1 John 3:8) “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4) That’s dangerous! Lord, make us dangerous in all the right ways.
56
November 1
Say What? Joshua 6:1-2 There’s an old story out of the Korean War about a group of American soldiers called Baker Company. It was in the middle of a firefight with the North Koreans and they had been cut off from supplies and support from other American troops. For a few moments though, headquarters reestablished contact with Baker company saying, “Baker Company, come in, Baker Company! What’s your situation?” Back came the response, “The enemy’s to the north, south, east, and west of us – there’s no way they’re going to get away from us now!” Now that’s perspective. God is calling Joshua to join Him in His perspective on Jericho. “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands.” (Joshua 6:2) Say what? It would be quite a stretch for Joshua to see that Jericho had already been given over to the Israelites. After all, he’s staring at walls thirty feet high and six feet thick with the city in total lockdown mode. The Israelites have no ladders, no ramps, no catapults, no battering rams – no conventional weapons to overtake a fortified city. On top of that, they had no experience overtaking a city! They had only fought skirmishes on the open plains and in the wilderness. God wasn’t calling Joshua to see with his natural eyes but with his spiritual eyes – his eyes of faith. Faith is when we see things from God’s perspective and then speak and act out of that perspective. Everything that follows in Joshua 6 is what flows out of Joshua and the Israelites seeing things from God’s perspective and acting accordingly. This is really what’s behind radical obedience – 57
choosing to see things from God’s perspective and walking it out. When George McClellan was made commander of the Union Army by President Lincoln during the Civil War, he wrote the next morning to his wife, “I do not feel any different today than yesterday, I have yet to put on the new uniform. But I know I’m in charge of the Army because I have the President’s order in front of me.” We may not always feel like the kind of believer who’ll break through when we’re up against a wall, but that doesn’t really matter if we believe more in what God has to say about us and our walls than in what we think about ourselves and our walls.
58
November 2
An Odd Way To Invade Joshua 6:3-14 God has some strange ways of doing things. So what’s His invasion plan for Jericho? Marching in circles around it! It’s worth paying attention to how God arranges the processional. First, there are armed guards at the front of the line. Then behind them are seven priests with seven trumpets. Behind them was being carried the Ark of the Covenant. Behind the Ark were rear armed guards. And then the rest of the army followed. Note that the priests and the Ark of the Covenant are out in front leading the procession, just like they were when they crossed the Jordan. Did you notice how many times the number seven is used in this passage? There are seven priests with seven trumpets. They march for seven days. They march seven times around the city on the seventh day. The number seven is everywhere! I’m sure you’ve heard before that the number seven in Jewish numerology is the number for “completion.” One of the things that this repetition of the number seven could be saying is that with God out in front the victory is already completed. The idea being confessed here is that God is out in front leading them. Because God’s out in front, this thing is as good as done – the battle’s already decided. This is a victory parade before the victory. The Israelites are obedient to God’s instructions. This helps us to see obedience from a new angle. Has it ever occurred to you that obedience is a “victory parade” in advance of the victory? In our obedience we are saying that we believe His instructions are our way forward. They may not always make sense to us or the surrounding world, but we’ll trust and obey. How would this change our perspective on things? Instead of sacrificial giving being a burden, it becomes our victory parade. 59
Instead of pursuing purity being a burden, it becomes our victory parade. Instead of loving our enemies being a burden, it becomes our victory parade. Instead of forgiving others who’ve sinned against us being a burden, it becomes our victory parade! Obedience can be difficult. It can feel like a funeral procession sometimes. Those with faith, though, see it as a victory parade. What does the “victory parade” of obedience look like for you right now?
60
November 3
Breakthrough Faith Joshua 6 The story of the fall of Jericho is a story of “breakthrough faith.” What’s sobering to consider is that it could have happened forty years earlier for the Israelites. The generation that died in the wilderness could have been the generation to break through the walls of Jericho. God made the same promise to them that He did to Joshua’s generation. “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” Why didn’t it happen for them? The Hebrew writer sheds some light for us when commenting on this time in Israel’s history later in the New Testament. He writes, “. . . but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard it did not combine it with faith.” (Hebrews 4:2) The degree to which Gods promises are truly of practical value to us is related to the degree that we’re willing to combine them with faith and walk them out. Breakthrough faith isn’t just about understanding what God says but undertaking what God says. It’s going to take more to bust through a wall than a highlighter, a pew, and a three-point outline. It’s going to require us combining what He says with faith and walking it out. What is something God has said to you in Scripture (or after a season of discernment with Scripture, prayer, and others) that it’s time for you to combine with faith and walk out?
61
62
November 6
The Longest Day Joshua 10:1-14 The land of Canaan was God’s to give and what happens here is yet another reminder. The Lord tells Joshua, “I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you” (10:8). The Lord throws the Amorites into confusion, unleashes a massive hailstorm upon them, and causes the sun to stand still until the battle was finished. God’s activity is not a license for inactivity, though, on the part of Joshua and the Israelites. They still marched all night in order to catch the Amorites by surprise. They still pursued them when the Amorites began to flee. Joshua still prayed. The sun may have stood still for a while, but God’s people didn’t. Most any progress made in God’s purposes and promises involves a mixture of His gracious intervention and the exercise of our responsibility. God won’t do it all for us, but He’ll do it all with us. What’s an area of your life right now in which you are asking and depending on God to do something that you can’t do? In that same area, what is it you can do as an expression of faith or cooperation with Him?
63
64
November 7
Faith In Full View Of Everyone Joshua 10:12 While Joshua does speak to the sun, the writer clearly says he’s praying to the Lord. As it turned out, it’s not just the land that belonged to God, but the sun as well. Did you notice that Joshua requested of the Lord that the sun stand still in the presence of Israel? This was not a request made in his heart. It was no “unspoken request.” He prayed for something never seen before in the presence of everyone. If he was afraid of the prayer going unanswered or him being humiliated, one would never know it. Perhaps he was too occupied with the size of his God and the battle at hand to worry about what anyone else thought. Asking for the sun to stand still is no small request. When’s the last time you prayed for God to do something miraculous so that you could continue to walk out His plans for you? What is something you want to ask Him for right now? Is there a “sun stand still” moment you are asking for? (While you’re at it, would you pray for a “sun stand still” moment as it relates to our “Beyond Me” campaign? Our commitment weekend is this coming weekend.)
65
66
November 8
Decide In Advance Joshua 24:1-15 (The last three devotionals this week have to do with the closing chapter of Joshua, which we’ll be considering in our services this coming weekend. We’re getting a head start for the next three mornings on the climax of our Joshua series this weekend!) The book of Joshua closes with the people of God being called by Joshua to renew their covenant with the Lord. They are in a season of calm and peace. It’s time to reflect upon the faithfulness of God and time to renew their faithfulness to God. It’s a chance to decide again in advance who they’re going to serve. A good portion of the land has been claimed by them. They are freer than they’ve ever been as a people. We all know, though, that the possibility exists for us to destroy ourselves in our own freedom if we do not continue to follow God. When Joshua challenged the people to choose to serve God and spoke of himself as choosing God, the tense in the Hebrew language implies more than a once-for-all choosing, as if one can make the choice once. It refers to a continuous action, involving the past, the present and future. It is as if Joshua is saying, “I have chosen, am choosing, and will go on choosing to serve God until the very end.” There’s power in taking a few moments and deciding in advance who we will serve. The other day I was talking to one of our elders who I consider to be a godly man and fine father. His kids are grown and gone now. In the course of our conversation he mentioned one thing he often tried to drive home to his kids, and I took note of it. He said he often told his kids, “Don’t wait until you get into a situation before you decide what you’re going to do. Decide in advance who you’re going to serve at that moment – God or yourself. And then what you’re going to do should the situation present itself.” John Paton was a famous missionary to the South Sea Islands. Paton once hitched a ride on a naval ship to one of the small
67
islands in the chain. A naval captain warned him that the particular island they were taking him to was known for having cannibals. The captain said, “If you stay here you could die.” Paton responded, “Sir, I died before I came here.” “Choose for yourselves this day who you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15)
68
November 9
Have Idols, Will Travel Joshua 24:14-28 Isn’t it interesting that after everything God had delivered them from and brought them through, the Israelites still had other gods or idols among them? Joshua mentions three different categories of “gods” or idols they were still among them in some way -either in trinkets, symbols or in their thoughts and prayers. Some of them still acknowledged “gods” their fathers had worshiped “beyond the river,” which referred to the Euphrates River and the Babylonian empire beyond it. Others still carried with them a reverence for the Egyptian gods, as difficult as that would be to imagine after the power God had displayed over the Egyptian gods when He delivered His people from Egypt. Others apparently had become distracted by all the Canaanite gods worshiped in their new land. This is a reminder to us that just because we’ve made a commitment to God in the past, had a history with Him, and even tasted of some of the Promised Land of life abundantly, that doesn’t mean that we can’t pick up a few idols along the way. Nor does it mean that we’ve thoroughly dealt with certain “gods” or idols in our family history which have been passed down from generation to generation. What is so amazing, though, is that God, nevertheless, blessed His people throughout Joshua even though there were idols among them. The longer I walk with God the more I find that there are layers of idolatry that He has to deal with in my life. That’s why it’s important that there are times where we renew our covenant with God. Tim Keller in his book Counterfeit Gods writes: “We look to our idols to provide us with a sense of confidence and security. Anything that becomes more important and nonnegotiable to us than God becomes an enslaving idol. In this paradigm, we can locate idols by looking at our most unyielding emotions. What makes us uncontrollably angry, anxious, or 69
despondent? Idols control us, since we feel we must have them or life is meaningless. ‘What many people call psychological problems are simple issues of idolatry. Perfectionism, workaholism, chronic indecisiveness, the need to control the lives of others – all of these stem from making good things into idols that then drive us into the ground as we try to appease them. Idols dominate our lives.” The very last sentence of the New Testament letter of 1 John says so much with so few words. “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21)
70
November 10
All Of Me Joshua 24:29-31 I’m struck by this closing scene. Joshua is buried in the land of his inheritance. Perhaps there’s no greater compliment to his life and leadership than that Israel served the Lord throughout his lifetime and leadership. It wasn’t a journey of perfection, but it was journey in the direction God was leading them. He had led them into a realization of the promises of God. They were standing on them. Joshua had been strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9) and all of Israel had been blessed because of it. When I think of the life of Joshua, I can’t help but think of something that William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, once said. Near the end of his life, after God had used him to impact so many lives, he was asked what he considered the secret to his success. He responded, “I suppose there were other people with more brains and others with more brawn, but in the end I guess you could say that God got all of William Booth.” God had all of Joshua. Let the same be said for you and for me.
71