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Heart Preparations:
As you read, ask God to open your heart to his word, to take his teachings and apply them to your life in every way possible. Weekly Reading:
What to expect: As we enter into the book of Judges, we enter into some of the darkest moments in the history of Israel. This period is marked by the people continually doing what they want to do, instead of listening to God. They allow for themselves to be polluted by the nations that surround them, the nations that they were commanded to clear out, but yet they failed to do this. Judges is a book that shows the constant cycle of the sin of the people, who then cry out to God, who then sends them a deliverer, someone who will rescue them from their bondage. Things to look for: There is a cycle that is continually repeated in Judges, mentioned earlier. The people sin against God, doing what is right in their own eyes → God then sends a foreign nation to oppress the people → The people then cry out to God → God hears the cry of the people and sends a judge to deliver them from their oppression → Repeat the cycle. In the very first chapter, you see what leads to this cycle. The people were called to drive out all of the inhabitants, but you begin to notice a repetition (such and such tribe did not drive out the inhabitants). Judges 2 serves as a mini overview of the book of Judges, showing the cycle of sin → oppression → crying out → deliverance. Personal Insight: As I read through the book of Judges, I want to constantly look at the people of Israel, grab them by the shoulders, and yell at them will you never learn?! But then, as I look closer, I look at my own life, my own constant cycle of doing what I think is right, and not following God’s law. But what really hits me through this reading is the grace of God. None of this caught God by surprise. He knew the people were going to rebel against Him. They’ve had a track record of this already. He knew that they were not going to be obedient to Him. And though the people had to face consequences for their sins, God always gave them grace. He always sent a deliverer, someone who would come and set them free from their oppression. The book of Judges gives us a glimpse into the human condition, the need for a deliverer, and thank God He sent that deliverer, Jesus Christ, who delivers us from the bondage of sin and death. When we cry out to God, He hears us, He forgives us, and He delivers us! Prayer: Father, You are good. You are right in all of Your ways. You continually show us Your love, even when we rebel against You and do what is right in our own eyes. Thank You for sending Jesus to deliver us from our sin. Thank You that You do not condemn us, but You love us. Thank You for being the ultimate deliverer! This week’s devotion was prepared by Andrew Peterman.
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Heart Preparation:
Take a moment to gather your heart, focusing on God. Try to clear your mind of distractions, and focus on the fact that you get to enter into the throne room of God because of Jesus. Ask for clarity in the passages you are about to read, and that God would reveal His truth to you. Weekly Reading:
Personal Insights This week, Jay Evans prepared the devotion for each individual reading. Save this email and refer back to it each day as you are about to read the daily reading. Sunday, March 23: Joshua 1-4 One of the things that I noticed as the children of Israel prepared to enter, the promised land the statement “be strong and courageous“ I believe it has mentioned four times in chapter 1 . three times it is the Lord speaking to Joshua the final time it is his peers. It would seem to me. This is a pretty good indication of what God expects of a leader. I’ve seen this in my own life as well. anytime I make a decision based on fear it hardly ever goes well. We are called to live by faith and obedience. I think that’s what Joshua did.the other thing I noticed was the idea , that while not expressed explicitly was the thought that they were right where they were supposed to be and Joshua understood that. God had destined his people to be in this land. You can see the comparison with Ephesians chapter 1:4-5 Monday, March 24: Joshua 5-8 Back in the 1980s financial teacher and author, Larry Burkett used to ask his Radio callers this question “do you trust God or just say you trust God“. In chapter 5 through eight I see this played out. He commanded all the next generation of Israeli men to be circumcised ,now that’s commitment . he also gave them a bunch of strange requirements for them to do before Jericho would fall. I can just imagine the grumbling among the people, but they were obedient, even though it didn’t seem to make sense and God rewarded them. The other side of this “proverb“ occurs in chapter 7 with the disobedience of Achan. He was disobedient. He did not trust God to provide for his needs and paid a horrible price Along with his family. The final scene in today’s reading must’ve been quite a scene as Joshua read the entire law both blessings and curses, and the people renewed their covenant with God. As Israel was blessed with victory as they began to dwell in the promised land, so it is with believers today. As the apostle Paul prayed for his church in Ephesians chapter 3:14-20 we see the same God at work in the lives of his people people because he desperately loves us Tuesday, March 25: Joshua 9-11 In our reading today, we see, possibly the first mistake made by Joshua. In chapter 9, verse 14 you’ll see the words they failed to inquire of the Lord . The Scriptures do not indicate why they did not,possibly it was overconfidence in their own abilities. Maybe things were happening too fast. We don’t know. What we do know is that a Godly leader made a mistake. Joshua will continue to do his best to honor God by keeping his commitment to those who had deceived him. We too will make mistakes.In Ephesians 5:17 Paul encourages the church with these words. “be very careful then how you live not as unwise, but as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil“. The Lord knows we are going to make mistakes, but if we do our best to honor him, he will honor us right back. Wednesday, March 26: Joshua 12-15 Today’s reading seems a bit tedious to us with all the difficult names to pronounce and obscure places on Maps that are hard to follow, but to the people of that day and for the next thousand years or so this was very important to know. They had to know that God had fulfilled His promises. There are approximately 40 kings that were overthrown as God worked among his people some were overthrown by Moses before they crossed the Jordan River. The rest were overthrown by Joshua .one of the things that I found interesting was the faithfulness of Caleb for 45 years. He waited for God to fulfill his promise. He was a faithful servant to Joshua and the Lord through all the campaigns, all the while waiting for it to come true. When you get to the end of your life, what else could you ask for, except that you were found faithful? In Ephesians chapter 6, Paul begins his benediction in verse 10 with these words “finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”, and encourages his people to stand against the devil’s schemes, stand your ground and stand firm. I believe that is what Caleb‘s faithfulness look like. Thursday, March 27: Joshua 16-18 Today’s reading continues on with the division of the land among the 12 tribes. The one thing that stood out to me occurring chapter 17 beginning inverse 14. It appears that the tribes of Manasseh and ephriam were dissatisfied with their allotment of land. They approached Joshua with their complaints. Joshua sent them down the road with the instruction, there’s the land,it needs cleared of Forest ,It’s yours,go take it. to me it seems like they were a little bit entitled and ungrateful . My wish is that all believers would live with an attitude of gratitude and not entitlement. Ephesians chapter 5 encourages us to be imitators of God, therefore as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just Christ, loved us, and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice of God. Friday, March 28: Joshua 19-21 In today’s reading, we will wrap up the division of the promised land. Their remaining seven tribes will see their allotment along with a parcel for Joshua, their leader. It appears the Lord spoke to the head of the tribes and told them to take care of their leader. After Joshua was taken care of there-still remained unfinished details including establishing cities of refuge, following the Lord‘s command to Moses in numbers 35. it is interesting to note that each of the cities of refuge were part of the allotment for the tribe of Levi. This was probably done because the Levites were in charge of administering Justice ,like our courts. In numbers 35 God established strict penalties for murder, but in his infinite wisdom, he established these cities of refuge so that the penalties would not be abused. The Ephesians chapter 2 verse four and following we read, “but because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in transgressions by Gracie have been saved, and God raised us up with Christ and sees with him in the heavily realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming age, he might show the incomparable riches of his grace expressed to us and kindness in Christ Jesus. “ I think that the cities of refuge are an example of God‘s mercy. Saturday, March 29: Joshua 22-24 At the end of Ch21 we read “not one of all of the Lord‘s good promises to the house of Israel failed, every one was fulfilled”. At the beginning of chapter 22 Joshua sends the Eastern tribes to their allotted land. They had been serving about 31 years, true to the theme of Joshua,faithfulness was rewarded. When they returned home and constructed an alter, a misunderstanding with the other tribes occurred. immediately delegation from both sides met, and the issue was resolved via a restatement of their faith(ch22:22-27). Unity among God’s people is certainly still an issue today. I heard it once said that unity is not spelled AGREE, but.U-N-I-T-Y(you and I tie). When Joshua begins his farewell address, you can almost hear the passion in his voice similar to when Paul writes his letter to the Ephesian church. only wanting the best for his people and give them all the advice they will need to get along in this new land much like Paul did to the church at Ephesus . This week’s devotion was prepared by Jay Evans. Jay helps serve in many ways, from preparing communion, to teaching Sunday School classes and Youth Services, to helping many people behind the scenes. In the past, Jay has faithfully served as an Elder at Center as well. Heart Preparations:
As you read, ask God to open your heart to his word, to take his teachings and apply them to your life in every way possible. Weekly Reading:
What to expect: This week’s readings demonstrate how like any good father, God has provided his children with specific rules to obey. Essentially, this is a guide to life as a follower of Christ. Moses gives us very specific details on what God’s expectations are for his people, as well as the consequences that come with disobeying God. These chapters demonstrate how our choices make a difference, choosing to stray from God will only bring harm to ourselves and others. A commitment to God cannot be taken for granted. Things to look for: As you read, try to visualize the setting. These are the sons and daughters of a nation of people who have been roaming a desert for 40 years. Watch how God fulfills his promise to Abraham, Issac and Jacob and delivers his chosen people to the promised land. Take note of how despite their many failures and disobedience, God still blessed his people. Personal Insight: This week’s reading shows just how much we are called to be different from the world. God has not left us to fumble thru this life, but rather he has provided us with a roadmap. We are to: Devote our entire being to God and obey his commands, be honest and fair, be generous and humble, courageous and strong in our faith. We are to use restraint and show kindness, to be just and merciful. Psalm 91 tells us that while we are not immune from trials and tribulations, God the Father will never leave us. He is with his children always. Psalm 91:2- I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Prayer: Father, you are so merciful. Even in times when I don’t deserve your mercy, when I stray from you, you are there calling me back to you. Thank you, God, for your patience and the grace you give me time and time again. I pray that I grow closer to you every day. For the strength to keep my eyes on you always. In your name I pray, Amen. This week’s devotion was prepared by Trista King. Trista and her family started worshipping with us in 2024 and have been faithfully attending and helping out in various unofficial capacities. Heart Preparation:
As you read, ask God to show you the timeless truths in these chapters of Numbers and Deuteronomy, and to help you see clearly which Old Testament commands and laws were fulfilled by Christ and no longer apply to us today. Week’s Reading Plan:
What to Expect: Chapters 33-34 of Numbers review Israel’s journey from Egypt to the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River, God’s instructions for the conquest of Canaan, and God’s appointed boundaries for the Promised Land. The last 2 chapters of Numbers establish cities for the Levites, cities of refuge, and land to be inherited by women whose fathers had no sons. Deuteronomy is Moses’ last address to Israel before they begin conquering the Promised Land. Moses tells the next generation that their parents and grandparents refused to trust God and follow His plan for them to conquer Canaan, so God caused them to wander in the desert for 38 years, yet He still led and provided for them. Now, Moses urges the Israelites to trust and obey God, and to beware of idolatry. Moses reviews the Ten Commandments and God’s other laws, details the blessings of obedience, and warns of the dangers of disobedience. Things to Look For: Deuteronomy means “second law”, as it repeats many commands first given in Exodus and Leviticus, plus adds some specific applications. God, through Moses, repeatedly tells the Israelites to do, or not do, specific things. He spells out their blessings if they obey, then the disasters that will befall them if they do not obey. Over and over, God tells them (and us) to remember Him, His love and care for us, His standards, and to seek His guidance. He wants the next generation to learn from their parents’ sins so they do not repeat them, and to teach their children to hear and follow God. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is Israel’s creed, the Shema, still recited by pious Jews twice each day, and Jesus cited it as the greatest commandment. Jesus and the apostles quoted from Deuteronomy over 80 times in the New Testament, more than any other book except Psalms. When Jesus fasted for 40 days and was tempted by Satan, He answered each of Satan’s temptations with a quote from Deuteronomy (8:3, 6:16, and 6:13). Personal Insight: God repeatedly commanded the Israelites to “drive out” the Canaanites, and destroy all their idols and high places with alters to false gods (Numbers 33:52-56, Deuteronomy 7:5, 25-26 and 12:29-31). If the Israelites obeyed and destroyed all the Canaanites’ idols, God promised to miraculously defeat the Canaanites, so the Israelites would “displace them and dwell in their land” without having to kill many. Some of this happened, but I believe that if the Israelites had completely destroyed all Canaanite idols, more Canaanites would have come to worship the true God as Rahab of Jericho and the Gibeonites did, and far fewer Canaanites would have been killed. Israel would not have been led into idolatry and exile later, as God did to Israel as He thought to do to Canaan, as promised in Numbers 33:56. God did not tell Moses to repeat most of the ceremonial law, which was mainly for the priests and later abrogated by the New Covenant in Christ. The moral laws given again in Deuteronomy were important for every Israelite, and many of them still apply today. Christ and His new Church did end the Old Testament dietary laws (Mark 7:19, Acts 15:28-29) and rules for the Sabbath, sacrifices and annual feasts (Luke 6:5, Colossians 2:16-17), but the rest of the Ten Commandments and God’s other moral laws still stand. In the New Testament, those who’d turned to Christ did completely destroy their former idols. Christians in Ephesus, in Acts 19:19, burned books with “magic spells” worth 50,000 silver coins (5 to 6 million U.S. dollars today). God still calls Christians to completely destroy anything sinful (such as pornography or addictive substances) and to renounce anything that takes their focus away from following Jesus (such as excessive sports viewing or expensive hobbies that don’t provide chances to witness to others about Christ). Prayer: Thank you, Father God, for sending your Son Jesus to perfectly fulfill the Old Testament Law, and take our place as your perfect sacrifice for sin. Thank you for showing your power by raising Jesus from the dead, and then sending the Holy Spirit to guide us as You led the Israelites in the desert. Thank you for your Word, and that by following the Holy Spirit and your Word we can become more like Jesus, as you planned for us to be. Help us to trust and obey you more and more. In Jesus’ name, may it be so. This week’s devotion was prepared by Brenda Reid, Missions Team leader at Center Christian Church. Heart Prep:
God, as we open Your Word this week, prepare our hearts to have an encounter with You. May we see Your holiness, Your grace, and Your love through the text. Help us remove our own agenda and to see You fully for who You are. This Week’s Study:
What to Expect: This week, you will begin the Wandering Years of Israel, a period of 40 years in which they are to wander throughout the wilderness. This is a consequence for the people not trusting God and being obedient to Him. An entire generation is going to pass away in the wilderness, but God is faithful to His covenant with His people. Some Things to Look For: This section of Numbers can be difficult to read, not because of a list of laws and regulations, but because it appears that God is vengeful and genocidal. This is actually what God has been called in recent years, starting with this portion of Scripture. God calls for the complete destruction of the nations. But what we must understand is the holiness of God. When we encounter these passages, we need to look for the context of the holiness of God. We need to see the omniscience of God (He knows all things), and therefore He knows that these nations will cause the people of Israel to fall away from Him. This is what you see when the men of Israel marry the women of Shittim, they turn their hearts to worshipping Baal, the very thing that God had warned them about. God has just spent a portion of Exodus, all of Leviticus, and some of Numbers expressing His holiness, and His people’s call to be holy. These nations will instead cause the people to not be holy, but rather to worship Baal and Molech (both involved child sacrifice, an abomination to God). Through these challenging reads, we need to see God for who He is, and trust that He is still good. Personal Insight: This weeks reading has a lot of memorable events, many of which are referred to again in the New Testament. There is Korah’s rebellion, Aaron’s staff that buds, water from a rock, the bronze serpent, and who can forget Balaam’s talking donkey. But what kept coming out to me was all the times that the people grumbled, complained, and rebelled: “We can’t stand this food.” “Did you bring us out here to die of thirst?” “We wish we were back in Egypt.” “Moses and Aaron, you’ve gone too far.” Even after all that, God does not destroy them or abandon them, not because of who they are but because of who He is. Yes, this is God’s chosen people. He has promised that through these people, the whole world will be blessed. And when God gives a blessing, you are blessed indeed! I have to stop, reflect and ask myself, “Do I ever see myself in these people?” Yes, more often than I would like to admit. But that’s where the greatness of God’s mercy and grace kicks in. You see, in God’s perfect timing, the Descendant of this grumbling, rebellious nation, is born in the little town of Bethlehem. A new star announces His birth. The Angels proclaim, “Peace on earth, good will to men.” Later, John the Baptist calls Him the “Lamb of God” who takes away the sins of the world. All the laws and sacrifices that God is giving to His people as they are wandering in the wilderness comes to fulfillment in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And He did all of that so that anyone who puts their faith in Him becomes a child of God. Remember what I said about a blessing? Prayer: God, thank you for being a God of grace. Thank you for not giving up on me, but for continuing to offer your forgiveness and grace upon me. Help me when I look at situations and think that You are not a good God. Help me see Your goodness through everything that I do. This week’s personal insight was offered by Kregg Rennie. Kregg is an elder at Center, as well as teaches the High School Sunday School class, older Junior Church class, and helps with the Youth Group on Sunday nights. |
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