March 23-29

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: 

• Sunday, March 23: Joshua 1-4
• Monday, March 24: Joshua 5-8
• Tuesday, March 25: Joshua 9-11
• Wednesday, March 26: Joshua 12-15
• Thursday, March 27: Joshua 16-18
• Friday, March 28: Joshua 19-21
• Saturday, March 29: Joshua 22-24

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.