Author: David

HIGHLIGHT

Judges 6:14 (ESV): 14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”

EXPLAIN

Israel was suffering greatly under the oppression of the Midianites at this time. The people had built dens and caves to hide themselves and their belongings from these marauders. Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress.

It is interesting to notice that an angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, but throughout this conversation, the LORD himself spoke with Gideon.

APPLY

God uses messengers, circumstances, and more to show us his will, but our desire should be to commune with God. When we do so, we will gain the courage to attempt the impossible tasks before us, for while God uses people, it is he who brings us victory.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for direction and provision. May I grow ever closer to you, guided in life and ministry by the Holy Spirit. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

1 Thessalonians 1:6–7 (ESV): 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.

EXPLAIN

Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica is filled with joy and praise for their faith. He noted their “work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope” and that God’s Word had echoed throughout the regions due to their sterling testimony of faith.

Might we suggest the secret is these two verses?

This church is a great example of disciple-making. These believers were disciples by the example of Paul as he taught them how to follow Jesus and then discipled others by their example of faith.

APPLY

I am becoming increasingly concerned that the many programs, activities and services of the local church may be a distraction from what Jesus intends for His Church to be doing.

Our mission is to make disciples who make disciples!

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, guide me and empower me in fulfilling your mission of making disciples who make disciples. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Colossians 3:23–24 (ESV): 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

EXPLAIN

Colossians 3 is all about the new life the Christian should live, versus the old life we must be done with.

The final few verses of this chapter talk about various relationships and how we are to live Christianly in them: husbands and wives, parents and children, employers (masters) and employees (servants).

Regarding this final relationship, Paul tells the worker to do his job with passion, knowing and viewing his work as done for God, not for people.

APPLY

“You are serving the Lord Christ” – this principle gives great purpose for us all, whether we serve as garage collector, yard worker, restaurant worker, construction worker, lawyer, banker, CEO, politician, entrepreneur, pastor, etc.

We should so work in whatever field God has put us as called by Christ, serving Jesus with all our heart.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for the privilege of serving Jesus in whatever I do in life. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Philippians 4:12 (ESV): 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

EXPLAIN

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi to thank them for a gift of money they had sent him. He expresses thanks here at the conclusion of his letter.

He wanted them to know his appreciation, but also to state that in Christ, he was content. Paul knew how to thrive in both times of want and times of plenty, because he had learned the secret: the strength of Christ’s enabling.

APPLY

Like Paul, in both times of plenty and times in which we have little, we can thrive through the power of Christ.

The challenge is to entrust ourselves to his care, especially when God does not seem to be providing for us.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for your faithfulness and your empowerment to be content, even to thrive, in all seasons of life. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Philippians 3:17 (ESV): 17 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

EXPLAIN

This call to discipleship comes in the context of Paul warning the believers of those who called themselves the people of God, but relied on their rules and “spiritual practices” to assure them of salvation.

In contrast, Paul stated that he had counted as loss everything in his life by which he might be spiritually proud. Instead, he focused on knowing Christ Jesus as his Lord in the power of his resurrection, sharing his sufferings, becoming like him in his death so that he might participate in the resurrection of the dead.

Therefore, Paul had left everything he had accomplished behind to pursue Christ ever more closely. Now, he called the believers to imitate his example, realizing that those who went another way had become enemies of the cross of Christ.

APPLY

This is the passion, the call, and the example of disciple-making. We must live sold-out lives for Christ, calling people to imitate us in giving all for Jesus.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to live a holy life, sold-out for you that serves as a powerful example of Christlikeness. Help me call others to follow you as I do. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Joshua 17:17 (ESV): 17 Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only,

EXPLAIN

The book of Joshua is exciting. God’s people are finally entering the Promised Land. Repeatedly, God tells Joshua not to be afraid. The war of conquest is amazing.

But in the apportionment of the land, we begin to see some concerns. In Joshua 17, we find the allotment to the tribe of Manasseh. It sounds like a great inheritance.

Now, in the final verses, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh begin to complain about their inheritance. They were not given enough, they said.

Joshua responded, saying that if they needed more, they should clear the land God had given them. The people complained again that the hill country was not enough, and the Canaanites who lived there had chariots of iron.

in Joshua 17:17-18, Joshua responded, telling the people they had all the resources they needed to conquer the territory and settle the land.

APPLY

Sometimes, like these two tribes we feel like we don’t have the resources we need to serve God. We don’t have the talents, skills or abilities to be personally used of God.

Or, our local church doesn’t have the teachers, musicians, leaders, and more to perform effective ministry and outreach to our community.

The truth is, God gives us all we need to be used of him. And, through his power, we can have a powerful ministry to others.

Indeed, it is those who are faithful, even though they think they need more resources, that God tends to bless with more resources and opportunities to serve him.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for all the gifts, talents, skills, and other resources you have entrusted to me to use for your glory. Help me to be faithful in offering my life as a living sacrifice to you. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Joshua 14:11 (ESV): 11 I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming.

EXPLAIN

These are the words of Caleb at 85 years of age, after 7 years of the conquest of Canaan and 40 years of wandering in the wilderness with the faithless Israelites.

Caleb had determined to wholly follow the Lord, and so God promised to give him an inheritance in Canaan. And despite his age, Caleb was emotionally, mentally and physically fit to continue serving God.

APPLY

The blessed life is the one wholly devoted to the Lord. We can rest assured that if we are faithful to Christ, he will be more than faithful to us.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, give me the heart and mind of Caleb, to live fully surrendered to you, not only in my younger years but throughout my life, spending myself freely for you. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Ephesians 1:4 (ESV): 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love

EXPLAIN

In the introductory comments of this letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul expressed blessings and thanks to God.

Considering God’s powerful and amazing work of creation is something special. But when you add to that thought the recognition God knew before he ever created humanity that we would sin against him, it is amazing.

Even more, these words affirming that God planned for us to be holy and blameless before him… before the foundation of the world… therefore, God also planned a way of redemption for sin before the world… is astounding.

APPLY

We are no accident! God had in mind for us a great plan and purpose before the ages began. Though we have all sinned, God will redeem us, adopt us, sanctify us and use us for His glory if we will declare our allegiance to him in faith.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, thank you for your great purpose for me. Thank you for amazing grace. Help me to live in your plan for me, that I may give you glory with my life. Amen.

HIGHLIGHT

Joshua 9:14 (ESV): 14So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord.

EXPLAIN

After dealing decisively with Achan’s sin, Israel used cunning to wipe out Ai. Israel then took time to obey Moses’ commands, reading the Law, reciting the blessings and curses in front of Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal.

Meanwhile, the various peoples of Canaan banded together to fight Israel, except for Gideon. This city used cunning to trick Israel into thinking that they lived in a distant land.

Joshua asked some pointed questions, but the delegation from Gideon told convincing lies. More importantly, Joshua and the leaders of Israel did not consult with God.

APPLY

A determination to follow God’s Word is not enough. Asking insightful questions is not enough. We must be careful to seek the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance.

Seeking God is not a sign of weakness. Any time spent waiting upon the Lord is not wasted. Rather, if we want to move forward with confidence, with no regrets, we should make sure we act within the will of God.

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, please help me to be careful to seek you for advice, to wait upon you until you show me the way, and to be careful to follow your direction. Amen.

Photo Credit: https://www.freelyphotos.com/Collections/Prayer/i-n6pVQqX/A

HIGHLIGHT

Joshua 7:1 (ESV): 7But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

EXPLAIN

Joshua 6 tells the story of Jericho’s fall. It is a great, magnificent example of God’s power. The last verse of that chapter says God was with Joshua and his fame spread throughout all the land.

The first verse of chapter 7 is ominous. Even though only one man sinned, the scriptural record says the “people of Israel” sinned. Furthermore, God’s anger burned against all the people.

Whether the plan to send only a few men to conquer Ai was a sign of acting outside of God’s will could be debated. Surely, the men appear to have been overconfident, for without God’s blessing they could do little.

Indeed, when God told Joshua to stop praying and take care of the sin in the camp, God said the people had become devoted for destruction (v. 12).

APPLY

Has the Church today forfeited God’s power, blessing, and wisdom because we have tolerated sin in the camp?

RESPOND

Heavenly Father, help me to live holy and pure before you. May my life, my family and my church be pure and holy, blameless in how we act, speak, and think. Amen.