SCRIPTURE: Joshua 18:1-10 OBSERVATION: The people are holding back. Joshua exercises wise leadership, organizing the last “stretch” of their campaign. The lot selection method (like drawing straws) done in a prayerful manner is how the remaining territories will be divided. Again we are reminded about the Levites who “inherit” the service of the Lord as priests….
Mar 16 — Joshua 17:1-18
SCRIPTURE: Joshua 17:1-18 OBSERVATION: Not sure what “lessons” I glean from this passage. Provision is made for Zelophehad’s daughters? The Manassites were not strong enough, or confident enough, to take the land from the Canaanites? They had more confidence in the enemy’s iron chariots than in their God’s power? Or, like Joshua learned the hard way…
Mar 15 — Joshua 16:1-10
SCRIPTURE: Joshua 16:1-10 OBSERVATION: Here we see God giving a double blessing to Joseph, by giving land to his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. But he is also maintaining the number “twelve” for the tribes, because Levi is the landless tribe, they do not receive an inheritance because their “place” is throughout the nation as the…
Mar 14 — Joshua 15:1-63
SCRIPTURE: Joshua 15:1-63 OBSERVATION: My first thought when I read this is… BORING. Extended list of names of places I never heard of. Most people probably skip over this (some people are bothered that I assigned 63 verses of this stuff for 1 daily reading. So, is there a point? One thought that comes to mind,…
Mar 13 — Joshua 14:1-15
SCRIPTURE: Joshua 14:1-15 OBSERVATION: This section is about receiving the inheritance, the land (space, roots) promised by God. In the context for Israel, it was a dream come true, after Abraham left his home to look for a land, a place to call home. But this local story belongs to the ultimate story of humanity not…
Mar 12 — 1 John 5:13-21
Feel free to leave your comments. My comments are coming soon! SCRIPTURE: 1 John 5:13-21 OBSERVATION: APPLICATION: PRAYER:
Mar 11 — 1 John 5:1-12
SCRIPTURE: 1 John 5:1-12 OBSERVATION: Somehow, Jesus (the Son of God) is the key, to everything. To life, to love, to God, to hope. Apart from the Son of God, there is no life, no love, no God, no hope. I have come to a place where I believe this. My understanding of God and creation reality…
Mar 10 — 1 John 4:7-21
SCRIPTURE: 1 John 4:7-21 OBSERVATION: John is very clear that the primary distinctive that sets Christ-followers apart from others is their radical, self-denying love. Faith in Jesus + indwelling Spirit = radical love for God and others. No love, no faith in Jesus. Is this how the church has defined love? Have we found alternatives to set…
Mar 9 — 1 John 4:1-6
SCRIPTURE: 1 John 4:1-6 OBSERVATION: How do we discern truth from error? John says to look at how the message sees Jesus. If it denies Jesus as the incarnation of divinity in human flesh, then the message is rooted in another spirit. It may contain wisdom and half-truth, but at its core it is misleading. John calls…
Mar 8 — 1 John 3:11-24
SCRIPTURE: 1 John 3:11-24 OBSERVATION: The key to healthy, holy living is LOVE. Not mushy, sentimental niceness, but selfless, sacrificial concern for the good of others. Love sees people as children of God in need of His love, mercy, kindness, assistance. And love sees ourselves as God’s agents to share these things with them. Our actions and…