“34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.” -Joshua 8:34-35 When life falls apart, it’s easy for Christians to run to God for help. But when life goes well, it’s easy... Read more

“Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.” -Joshua 7:13 The same people who had defeated the mighty city of Jericho had just been defeated by the much smaller city of Ai. Why? God revealed to Joshua that sin among his people was the source of the problem. Still today, Christians realize... Read more

“Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.” -Joshua 5:1 God’s power accomplishes much more than we often think. The Lord not only parted the Jordan River, he also used the act to place fear into the... Read more

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell... Read more

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” -Joshua 3:5 Joshua was not in charge. His first big test from God was to do something Moses did–part water for Israel to walk through on dry land. This was not an easy step of faith. Yet Joshua obeyed fully and called others to join him. He declared his people should consecrate themselves in preparation for the event they had awaited for forty years. I wonder how many... Read more

8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. 10 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... Read more

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and... Read more