Joshua 11:4-5
“So they went out, they and all their armies with them, as many people as the sand that is on the seashore in multitude, with very many horses and chariots. And when all these kings had met together, they came and camped together at the waters of Merom to fight against Israel.”

As Joshua and the armies of Israel began to have success in battle, it was not long before they are ganged up on. At least fifteen kingdoms, from throughout northern Canaan, joined forces to attack Israel. These combined forces, no doubt, greatly outnumber Israel; they are described as being like the sand on the sea shore in number (Joshua 11:4). Not only were Joshua’s forces outnumbered, but the Canaanites also had the advantage of knowing the terrain. All seemed hopeless for Israel, until they clung to the promises of God. As this chapter unfolds, we read of…

Acts 9:10

We read that Ananias had a vision. A vision is much like a dream, but happens while a person is awake, instead of when they are sleeping. There are many cases in Scripture of God speaking to His people through visions.

We are not told what Ananias was doing when God interrupted and commissioned him. We…

Joshua 10:5

“Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered together and went up, they and all their armies, and camped before Gibeon and made war against it.”

Joshua Chapter 10 describes a great battle, where five nations join ranks to come against the Gibeonites, who had made an allegiance with the people of God. The battle that rages is driven by a group of people who are outraged against those who have chosen to ally themselves with Israel, and be a part of the furtherance of the kingdom of God. While there may be political applications from this story, I think we would benefit greatly from some of the personal ones. 

First off, there was great cost involved with becoming a follower of God. Sadly,we find today, like…

Joshua 9:14
“Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord.”

The men of Gibeon pulled off quite a scam. They went to great lengths to look like something they were not, in order to fool Israel into making a treaty with them. Old clothes, worn out shoes, moldy bread, all made it appear they had traveled a great distance. In reality, they lived within the borders of Israel’s land. Joshua and the other leaders of the nation were duped by the Gideonite’s ruse because when faced with this dilemma, they used their senses, rather than the Word of God. Had they taken the time to pray, God would have revealed to them the true nature of the Gibeonites. His Word already spoke regarding the inhabitants of the Land; Israel was to drive them out.

The reason for removing the…

Acts 8:5

“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.”

Philip was one of the men selected to serve tables at the church in Jerusalem. Now we find him heading out to Samaria as a missionary and winning many souls to the Kingdom. His ministry became so effective, it drew the attention of the apostles, who came to aid him in discipling those who had been saved. As quickly as he arrived in Samaria, Philip leaves.  God calls him away from the masses, to reach an individual with the message of salvation through faith in Christ. After a muddy baptism in the desert, he headed out once again, this time making his way to Caesarea, where he settled down and raised a family of followers of Jesus. 

Philip’s story is a fascinating one filled with application for our daily lives. One of…

Joshua 8:1

The Fall of Ai

“​Now the Lord said to Joshua: “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; take all the people of war with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.”

Israel’s failure at Ai was due to the sin of both Achan and Joshua. Achan’s sin was following his desires, and taking into his life that which God had forbidden. Joshua’s sin, while equally as destructive, is somewhat more subtle. Joshua failed by moving forward without consulting the Lord. He chose to look at his circumstances and his resources, and do what seemed logical at the moment. The result: he sent a battalion of men into a battle they were certain to lose. 

Joshua’s failure is recorded for us because it is common to all of us…

Joshua 7:13
“Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “ There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you.”'”

The story of Ai is tragic. Thirty-six men lost their lives that day. Thirty six sons, brothers, fathers, husbands and friends, fell in battle. Their deaths had a devastating effect upon the people. Not only were they filled with the normal grief of losing loved ones, but this grief was compounded by the fact they had been sent by the Lord into Canaan, and now they had lost the battle and thirty-six lives. The ripples of this were so great, even Joshua, their heroic leader, wished they had never crossed the Jordan. This passage is filled with applications for us today. Not the…

Acts 7:56 

“Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

Stephen’s story is a common one with an uncommon ending. All who have attempted to share the love of Christ with others have experienced the crowd turn on us. The very ones we have prayed for, and stepped out in faith to share with, have accused us of wrong doing, and lashed out against us. Unfortunately for Stephen, these men lashed out not only with words, but also with stones. Stephen was taken outside the city, as if he were a false prophet, and stoned to death. A martyr could be defined as one who lives for Christ, even if it means dying for Christ. Stephen is not the only martyr the church has ever seen, but he was the first.

As Stephen is facing his execution, he looks up, and…

Joshua 6:2
“And the Lord said to Joshua: ‘See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor.’”

Jericho is one of the greatest military victories of all time. A group of relatively untempered wanderers, enters into a new land, defeats the most secure city in the area with loud shouts and ram’s horns. Never, in the history of warfare, have their tactics been repeated. No training camps have ever been set up, teaching soldiers how to play musical instruments, and expose themselves to their enemies day after day. That being said, there are spiritual principles that led to Israel’s success. These same principles will lead us to success in our walk with the Lord, and service for His Kingdom. Back in chapter five, three things guaranteed their victory.

First, upon entering the land, God required the men to be circumcised (Joshua 5:2). Circumcision…