Wondering where your blessedness is? Don't fret! Discover how to dwell in it today. Faithlife.com           Psalm 37 (NKJV) A Psalm of David. 1       Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. 2      For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb. 3       Trust in the L ORD , and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. 4       Delight yourself also in the L ORD , And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 5       Commit your way to the L ORD , Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it  to pass. 6       He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. 7       Rest in the L ORD , and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. 8       Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret— it  only causes  harm. 9       For evildoers shall be cut off; But those who wait on the L ORD , They shall inherit the earth. 10       For yet a little while and the wicked shall be  no more; Indeed, you will look carefully for his place, But it shall be  no more . 11       But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. 12       The wicked plots against the just, And gnashes at him with his teeth. 13       The L ORD laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming. 14       The wicked have drawn the sword And have bent their bow, To cast down the poor and needy, To slay those who are of upright conduct. 15       Their sword shall enter their own heart, And their bows shall be broken. 16       A little that a righteous man has Is  better than the riches of many wicked. 17       For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the L ORD upholds the righteous. 18       The L ORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever. 19       They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. 20       But the wicked shall perish; And the enemies of the L ORD , Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish. Into smoke they shall vanish away. 21       The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. 22       For those  blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those  cursed by Him shall be cut off. 23       The steps of a good  man are ordered by the L ORD , And He delights in his way. 24       Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the L ORD upholds him with  His hand. 25       I have been young, and now  am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. 26       He is  ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are  blessed. 27       Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. 28       For the L ORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off. 29       The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. 30       The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, And his tongue talks of justice. 31       The law of his God is  in his heart; None of his steps shall slide. 32       The wicked watches the righteous, And seeks to slay him. 33       The L ORD will not leave him in his hand, Nor condemn him when he is judged. 34       Wait on the L ORD , And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it . 35       I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a native green tree. 36       Yet he passed away, and behold, he was  no more; Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found. 37       Mark the blameless man,  and observe the upright; For the future of that  man is  peace. 38       But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; The future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39       But the salvation of the righteous is  from the L ORD ; He is  their strength in the time of trouble. 40       And the L ORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 125 Q. What does the fourth request of the Lord's prayer mean? A. “Give us today our daily bread” means, Do take care of all our physical needs so that we come to know that you are the only source of everything good, and that neither our work and worry nor your gifts can do us any good without your blessing. And so help us to give up our trust in creatures and to put trust in you alone. Summary Most of you are reading this on the first Friday in April, and already a quarter of 2026 is in the rear view mirror. Certainly there may be a few of you for whom everything about this new year is turning out splendidly, just as our first Psalm of the year promised , that the man who rejects sin and delights in God's law will be blessed. But for most of us, this year hasn't been a bed of blessed roses. For some of you, maybe even many, this year's been anything but blessing - even though you've not walked, stood or sat in the company of evildoers and have made a concerted effort to meditate on God's Word. David wrote today's psalm for those who find themselves in that second group - those who look around them and see evildoers prospering while they languish. David's message to you is clear: Do not fret because of evildoers. In other words, don't let their apparent success fool you; don't be envious of them, because they shall soon be cut down like the grass and whither. It may seem like everything is going their way now, but David pulls back the curtain. These evildoers will be cut off; the swords they draw to slay the upright shall instead enter their own heart; The wicked shall perish, David continues, writing that into smoke they shall vanish away. Ultimately, the LORD laughs at the evildoers, for He sees that their day is coming , but, the LORD knows the days of the upright, and their inheritance shall be forever.   Dig Deeper   Psalm 37's overall message is that the blessedness that God's people are promised isn't always evident on a day to day basis (or year to year, or even decade to decade). This isn't just a theoretical claim presented in poetry. David gives a whole list of practical instructions that will help you persevere as you continue on your journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land. Pick one of these imperatives that you need to improve on the most. Share your pick and explain why you picked it in the comment box below. Do not fret Trust in the LORD and do good Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness Delight in the LORD Commit your way to the LORD Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him Do not fret (mentioned twice!) Cease from anger, and forsake wrath Depart from evil, and do good Wait on the LORD, and keep His way AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who shall save and deliver us from the wicked; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Choose one of Psalm 37's imperatives and pray that God will strengthen and equip you to live it out; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Samson is one of the Bible's most fascinating characters.           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Gideon's son Abimelek, whose name literally means 'my father is king,' rises to power. After slaughtering his 70 brothers to solidify his power, he 'reigns' until he's killed by a woman in battle. Several other judges come and go in the intervening years, and after the Israelites once again descend into evil, the LORD delivered them to the Philistines. But then He gives rise to the most famous of all the judges: Samson. Dale Ralph Davis explains Samson well : "Samson is a paradigm of Israel: one raised up out of nothing, richly gifted, who panders around with other loves and yet, apparently, always expects to ‘have’ Yahweh... Samson’s tragedy still speaks: watch out, lest you abandon the divine call, leave your first love, and forfeit the divine presence." We catch up with Samson in his final moments, after he'd confessed to Delilah that his long hair - which as a Nazirite, he had taken a vow to never cut - was the key to his strength. Delilah then cut his hair off and called in her Philistine co-conspirators. Judges 16:21–31 (NIV) 21  Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison. 22  But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved. 23  Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled to offer a great sacrifice to Dagon their god and to celebrate, saying, “Our god has delivered Samson, our enemy, into our hands.” 24  When the people saw him, they praised their god, saying, “Our god has delivered our enemy into our hands, the one who laid waste our land and multiplied our slain.” 25  While they were in high spirits, they shouted, “Bring out Samson to entertain us.” So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. When they stood him among the pillars, 26  Samson said to the servant who held his hand, “Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them.” 27  Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. 28  Then Samson prayed to the L ORD , “Sovereign L ORD , remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes.” 29  Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, 30  Samson said, “Let me die with the Philistines!” Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. 31   Then his brothers and his father’s whole family went down to get him. They brought him back and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of Manoah his father. He had led Israel twenty years. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 37 Q. What does it mean that Christ 'suffered'? A. That during his whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the anger of God against the sin of the whole human race. Summary Most people are familiar with the name Samson even if they don't really know much about the rest of the Bible. He's one of those characters who's larger than life. His super human strength, his exploits, and his one weakness - women - have made him legendary. Take some time to read the four chapters of Judges that tell his full story sometime soon. I guarantee it will be far more entertaining than anything you can watch on TV. The scene in the Dagon's temple shows humanity at its worst. Certainly the Philistines are sickening, as they pour out praises to their pagan god, who in their mind delivered our enemy into our hands. Everybody who was anybody in Philistia had gathered there that night; the temple was crowded with men and women... and on the roof, were about three thousand, whose weight strained the temple structure. It was a real rager for sure - they were in high spirits. Most importantly, all the rulers of the Philistines were there. This obvious lapse in national security shows the overconfidence they had now that the blinded Samson was in their hands. But the ugliest aspect of this scene began once the drunken crowd shouted "Bring Samson out to entertain us..." So the mighty Samson was led out, guided by the hand of a young boy to perform. It was in this moment of the enemy's triumph and celebration, when the hero of Israel was led out, humiliated, broken, and seemingly defeated, that God's people would gain their salvation. Samson deserved what he got, unlike our Savior, who would ultimately save God's people in a very similar way - by dying in the presence of His gloating enemies.   Dig Deeper   Commentator Mark Boda captures the tragedy of Samson, and the judges as a whole: The account of Samson highlights a community that has lost all faith. By failing even to cry out for help and by handing over their judge-deliverer to the enemy, the community reveals their acceptance of the status quo of divine discipline and the reign of his agents of wrath... Samson, the judge-deliverer himself, is one who receives Yahweh’s Spirit violently, acts by personal vendetta, enters foolishly into dangerous zones, and is depicted largely as a powerful human who pursues his physical lusts (honey, sex, water). ...Theologically challenging is the way Yahweh uses this tragic figure’s inappropriate patterns for his advantage. In no way does this action by Yahweh absolve Samson of his guilt, but it does remind the reader that God will use even one’s failures for his greater glory, even if in the end these failures are destructive. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who snatches salvation even from the jaws of defeat; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would use the gifts God's given you for His glory, rather than your own, as Samson so often did; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

How much proof do you need that God is calling you? Faithlife.com           Judges 6 (NIV) 6 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the L ORD , and for seven years he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2   Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. -- 7   When the Israelites cried out to the L ORD because of Midian, 8   he sent them a prophet, who said, “This is what the L ORD , the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9   I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians. And I delivered you from the hand of all your oppressors; I drove them out before you and gave you their land. 10  I said to you, ‘I am the L ORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.” 11  The angel of the L ORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah... 12  When the angel of the L ORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The L ORD is with you, mighty warrior.” 13  “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the L ORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, ‘Did not the L ORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the L ORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14  The L ORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” -- 17  Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. -- 19  Gideon went inside, prepared a young goat, and... he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak. -- 21  Then the angel of the L ORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread with the tip of the staff that was in his hand. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the L ORD disappeared. 22  When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the L ORD , he exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign L ORD ! I have seen the angel of the L ORD face to face!” -- 36  Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— 37  look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.” 38  And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. 39  Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.” 40  That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew. Gideon goes on to rout the mighty Midianites with an army that God had reduced down to 300 men. Sadly, rather than giving all the glory to God, Gideon elevates himself, and in many ways sets himself up as a de-facto king over Israel. His dysfunctional son Abimelek goes on to a reign of terror, killing his seventy brothers. Canons of Dordt Article 8: The Certainty of Our Preservation It is not by their own merits or strength but by God’s undeserved mercy that we neither forfeit faith and grace totally nor remain in our downfalls to the end and are lost. With respect to ourselves, this not only easily could happen, but also undoubtedly would happen; but with respect to God it cannot possibly happen, since his plan cannot be changed, his promise cannot fail, the calling according to his purpose cannot be revoked, the merit of Christ as well as his interceding and preserving cannot be nullified, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit can neither be invalidated nor wiped out. Summary The sad cycle once again repeats itself as today's chapter opens: The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD. So, as He has in the past, and will again in the future, the LORD gave them in the hands of their enemies. This time the Midianites raid Israel each harvest season and loot the entire crop as the Israelites cowered in mountain caves. This time it only takes seven years for the Israelites to come to their senses and cry to the LORD for relief, but rather than immediately raising up a judge to save His people, this time He sent them a prophet. The unnamed prophet's message from God is quite simple: "I told you so." Although He would have been justified in doing so, the LORD doesn't leave His people in the misery they brought upon themselves. This time, the Angel of the LORD Himself shows up while the cowardly Gideon was threshing his wheat while hiding out, ironically greeting him as a mighty warrior. Gideon's response is anything but faith filled humility. He begins by rejecting the Angel's announcement that the LORD was with them, because, as Gideon puts it, all this happened to us. Gideon wants to know what happened to all the LORD's wonders that our fathers told us about. Three times, Gideon demands proof of the Angel's veracity, and each sign that he's provided never seems quite good enough.   Dig Deeper   The men God raises up in the Old Testament to lead His people are a miserable lot. Though they all demonstrate faith in one way or another - oftentimes quite profoundly - they also all have significant character flaws. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph and Moses - just to name a few - all make huge mistakes, especially when they detach themselves from the LORD and rely only on their own strength. Now we can add Gideon to this club of misfits. Perhaps he's the most dysfunctional of them all. We won't have time to dig into the stories of all the judges as we keep pushing forward, but we'd see the same pattern emerge time after time. These 'heroes' of the Bible are all massively broken people who had often got tripped up by their own mistakes. But the story really isn't about these men. It's about the God who always comes to save His people. It's about how God raised them up and used them despite their faults. It's about the morsels of faith that they do demonstrate which enabled them to do amazing things as God poured out His saving power through them. That's why men like Gideon are mentioned in the 'Hall of Faith' passage in Hebrews 11. So the practical take away today is certainly not 'be like Gideon.' The take away is that you can always count on your covenant God to save you, despite your continual sin. And be reminded also that God can and will use you, just like He used a less than stellar guy like Gideon, to help proclaim that salvation to those around you who need it so badly. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sends salvation for His people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would recognize and trust in what God has called you to do without talking back and continually asking for more proof; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Sometimes salvation seems downright disgusting.           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... As one commentator has put it, the longer Israel lived in Canaan, the more Canaan lived in them. They fall into a vicious cycle in which they rebel, the LORD brings discipline, they cry out for salvation, which the LORD sends. Then it all starts over again. Judges 3:12–31 (NIV) 12  Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the L ORD , and because they did this evil the L ORD gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 13  Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.  14  The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years. 15  Again the Israelites cried out to the L ORD , and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16   Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17  He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18  After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. 19  But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.” The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left. 20  Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace  and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, 21  Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22  Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23  Then Ehud went out to the porch; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them. 24  After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace.” 25  They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead. 26  While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27  When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them. 28  “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the L ORD has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29  At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30  That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years. Belgic Confession Article 13: Providence We believe that this good God, after he created all things, did not abandon them to chance or fortune but leads and governs them according to his holy will, in such a way that nothing happens in this world without his orderly arrangement. Yet God is not the author of, nor can he be charged with, the sin that occurs. For his power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible that he arranges and does his work very well and justly even when the devils and wicked men act unjustly. Summary If you'd never heard of Ehud the Sinister ( the Latin word for 'left handed ') before today, there's a good chance your jaw is on the floor right about now. It just doesn't seem very Biblical. For some reason we don't put up much of a fight when the sort of disgusting content we read about in Judges 3 fills our screens, but it just seems plain wrong to see it fill the pages of scripture. But the dagger being plunged into the smelly nether regions of King Eglon isn't what ought to disgust you the most in this strange tale. Rather, it's the passage's opening words... words that we've become so accustomed to that we've become used to their stench: Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD. Examples of God's people - including us - doing evil after all He's done to make us holy so often pass by unnoticed because we've become so desensitized. The cycle presses on. Because they did evil, the LORD gave a wicked king power over Israel. Start making a mental list of how many wicked kings God uses throughout history as we read the Bible together to shepherd and discipline His people! But notice that how long it took before the Israelites once again cried out to the LORD: eighteen years. They were so numbed to their own evil stink and a pagan king taxing them to the hilt (pun intended) that it took nearly two decades before they even reached out to God for salvation.   Dig Deeper   Today's episode raises an important hermeneutical question ( hermeneutics is a fancy word for 'interpretive method'): We read that the LORD gave His people a deliverer - Ehud, a left handed man. Does this mean that all of Ehud's subsequent actions in this passage are divinely ordained and free from sin? After all, the sinister Ehud didn't just obscure his true purpose in returning to the king after delivering that year's tribute (likely a hefty dose of produce that the Israelites desperately needed), but he flat out lied - even more, he lied in the LORD's name, telling the king that he had a secret message from God for him. Nowhere do we read of Ehud consulting the LORD's will or being told what to do. Were Ehud's actions a manifestation of God's justice, or was it his own sinful retribution that God used in a sinless way? I don't have a solid answer. And we're going to come across lots more similar curiosities that will cause us to scratch our heads as we continue reading the Bible together. But we can be OK with this, because the primary point of these stories isn't for us to be sinister and sneaky like Ehud. The primary point of every story we read in the Bible is that God will always save His covenant people. And quite often, as we see here in Judges 3, God's salvation comes in strange, unexpected, and sometimes even disgusting ways. Keep that in mind as this week we once again are reminded of what our Savior experienced on the cross. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who always saves His people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that in the strength of the Spirit you would break the cycle of sin that's so easy to fall into; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Your purpose in life is to know the LORD and teach the next generation what He's done. Photo Credit: Amit Rai, via Unsplash           Judges 2:6–23 6   After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to their own inheritance. 7  The people served the L ORD  throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the L ORD  had done for Israel. 8  Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the L ORD , died at the age of a hundred and ten. 9  And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. 10   After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up who knew neither the L ORD  nor what he had done for Israel. 11   Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the L ORD  and served the Baals. 12   They forsook the L ORD , the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the L ORD ’s anger 13   because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. 14   In his anger against Israel the L ORD  gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. 15   Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the L ORD  was against them to defeat them, just as he had sworn to them. They were in great distress. 16   Then the L ORD  raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17   Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their fathers, who had been obedient to the L ORD 's commands. 18   Whenever the L ORD  raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the L ORD  relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19   But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. 20   Therefore the L ORD  was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their fathers and has not listened to me, 21   I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. 22   I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the L ORD  and walk in it as their fathers did.” 23   The L ORD  had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua. Belgic Confession Article 2: The Means by Which We Know God We know him by two means: First, by the creation, preservation, and government of the universe... Second, he makes himself known to us more openly by his holy and divine Word, as much as we need in this life, for his glory and for the salvation of his own. Summary The people of Israel had now fully settled Israel (well, mostly settled, but we'll get to that later). Their exodus was finally over, but in many ways their story is just beginning. Verses 10-12 summarize the whole sad theme of the book of Judges: 10  After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel. The Israelites here demonstrate our primary problem as fallen human beings: we do not know the LORD nor what He has done. Solomon famously begins the proverbs by proclaiming that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; therefore any people or nation separated from truly knowing and fearing the LORD is doomed to failure. This is good reminder that our primary purpose as God's people is to glorify God by teaching the new generations about what the LORD has done. Not only do you have this obligation for your own children, but also for those who are part of your own covenant community - the children of your church whom you stood up and promised to help instruct when you witnessed their baptism. God included the book of Judges in the Bible as a sad example of what happens when one generation fails to teach the next about who the LORD is and what He's done for His people. But you need not look far to see evidence of this lack of knowledge in our own day and age - and unfortunately, even in our own churches. So as we see this sad pattern unfold in Judges over these coming days, pray that it deepens your own resolve to use and develop the gifts God has given you to teach those He's trusted to you about who He is and what He's done.   Dig Deeper   The actions people take are a direct reflection of the knowledge they have. So it's no surprise that as the knowledge of the LORD is forgotten, 11   Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD and served the Baals. 12  They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. This brings us to the other big problem the Israelites never solved: they had only mostly settled the land. The LORD had commanded them to completely rid the Promised Land of the wicked Canaanites that had inhabited it - a command that's difficult for our modern ears, which are used to equating love with tolerance. But this command was no less difficult for the ears who heard it first. Surely completely didn't really mean completely. So in various places and for various reasons, pockets of paganism were left intact as the Israelites made Canaan home. And then it didn't take long for their limited knowledge to disintegrate into a full fledged forsaking of the LORD. And since mankind is incapable of religious neutrality, the Baals and various gods of the peoples around them quickly filled the void. But God gave us the book of Judges for a bigger reason than just to illustrate the ugly results of rejecting Him. It's an account of how over and over, the LORD raised up judges, who saved them. Unfortunately, each of these judges demonstrate their own serious lack of knowledge regarding the LORD, and so the salvation they offer is always limited and fleeting. So the book of Judges, just like the rest of the books in the Old Testament, points us forward to the coming of the Holy Spirit, who softens our hearts so that we can truly repent (a word that literally means to think differently - to know the LORD) and recognize the one true Savior who has saved His people in a full and final way that the judges never could. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who never gives up on His rebellious people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would more and more fulfill your obligation to help subsequent generations know the LORD and what He has done; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

With God's light, you can see truth that others can't. In the LORD's Light, we see light. - Psalm 36:9           Psalm 36 For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. 1   I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:  There is no fear of God before their eyes. 2  In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. 3   The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. 4  Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong. 5   Your love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ), L ORD , reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. 6  Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, L ORD , preserve both people and animals. 7   How priceless is your unfailing love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ), O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. 8  They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. 9   For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. 10  Continue your love ( ḥěʹ·sěḏ ) to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. 11  May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12  See how the evildoers lie fallen— thrown down, not able to rise! Canons of Dordt Point III/IV Article 1 Man was originally created in the image of God and was furnished in his mind with a true and salutary knowledge of his Creator and things spiritual, in his will and heart with righteousness, and in all his emotions with purity; indeed, the whole man was holy. However, rebelling against God at the devil’s instigation and by his own free will, he deprived himself of these outstanding gifts. Rather, in their place he brought upon himself blindness, terrible darkness, futility, and distortion of judgment in his mind; perversity, defiance, and hardness in his heart and will; and finally impurity in all his emotions. Article 11 God enlightens the minds of His elect powerfully by the Holy Spirit so that they may rightly understand and discern the things of the Spirit of God... Summary Summary section reposted from June 20, 2025 David wastes no time getting to the crux of the matter in defining why wicked people are the way they are: There is no fear of God before their eyes. David doesn't reach this harsh conclusion on his own, perhaps at the end of a hard day when he's in a bad mood so as to skew his objectivity. No, his definition concerning the sinfulness of the wicked  comes as the result of a message from God in his heart. In this regard, Psalm 36 isn't any different than any other psalm, or any other passage of scripture for that matter; God, through His Spirit breathed   His message into the writer's heart, who then took up a pen and committed it to paper. David begins his description of wicked people negatively - that is, he indicates what's missing: there is no  fear of God before their eyes. Whenever something is missing or removed, a vacuum results. Something will fill the void. So in this case, when the fear of God  is removed, it's quickly replaced with self flattery in their own eyes and wicked and deceitful words in their mouths. This exchange sparks a vicious cycle of increasing depravity. As the fear of God decreases, the flattery increases to the point where a person can no longer even detect , much less hate their sin. As the words of their mouth  becomes more and more wicked and deceitful, they more often fail to act wisely or do good. Once the fear of God is removed from a person's life, sin becomes all consuming. Even on their beds they plot evil! Instead of just dipping their toes in sinful waters from time, they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.   Dig Deeper   It's so easy to stop reading Psalm 36 at the end of v4, where the Psalm transitions from being an exposition of wickedness to a reminder of God's ḥěʹ·sěḏ ( unfailing covenant love ). Just think of the conversations you've had this past week; did you spend more time talking about problems or God's goodness in the midst of those problems? If you're like most people, you focused on the problems caused by sin. But notice how Psalm 36 is weighted. David certainly doesn't ignore the issues caused by those mired in a cycle of flattery, deceit and sinfulness, but he spends the majority of the psalm writing about God's love, righteousness and even His river of delights! And David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, makes a stunning claim: whereas those blinded by sin wander in darkness unable to properly interpret truth, in the LORD's light, we see light! Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck writes, Augustine adopted this image and said, "God is the sun of our minds." Just as with the physical eye we cannot see anything unless the sun sheds its rays over it, so neither can we see any truth except in the light of God, which is the sun of our knowledge... These beautiful images make clear to us the principles from which all science proceeds.  It's only through the light of God's Word that you can truly see and appreciate the beautiful truth that God's creation reflects - truth that most people miss in science, mathematics, music, literature and the arts. But this light illumines a knowledge which is far more valuable, for it's only in this Light that you can see and believe in Christ, who is the true light of all mankind (John 1:5). AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose love reaches to the heavens and whose faithfulness to the skies; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would walk in the LORD's light; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Choose this day whom you will serve... then let go of your sticks! These hapless dogs refusing to let go of their giant sticks are a good example of trying to serve the Lord while refusing to let go of our idols.           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... After Jericho fell by the LORD’s power, Israel’s conquest of Canaan unfolded with both victories and warnings: Achan’s hidden sin brought defeat at Ai until it was judged, the Gibeonites deceived Israel into a treaty because the people failed to seek the LORD’s counsel, and God then granted Joshua sweeping victories over coalitions of kings in the south and north so that the land could be divided among the tribes as their inheritance. The remainder of the book shows this inheritance carefully allotted, cities of refuge and Levitical cities established, and examples of faithful perseverance such as Caleb receiving his portion. As Joshua neared death, he's gathered Israel to remind them that every victory came from the LORD alone, urging them to fear Him, abandon their idols, and serve Him with covenant faithfulness. Joshua 24:14–28 14  “Now fear the L ORD  and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the L ORD . 15  But if serving the L ORD  seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the L ORD .” 16  Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the L ORD  to serve other gods! 17  It was the L ORD  our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18  And the L ORD  drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the L ORD , because he is our God.” 19  Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the L ORD . He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20  If you forsake the L ORD  and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.” 21  But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the L ORD .” 22  Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the L ORD .” “Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied. 23  “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the L ORD , the God of Israel.” 24  And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the L ORD  our God and obey him.” 25  On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. 26  And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the L ORD . 27  “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the L ORD  has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.” 28  Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 94 Q. What does the Lord require in the first commandment? A. ...That I sincerely acknowledge the only true God, trust him alone, look to him for every good thing humbly and patiently, love him, fear him, and honor him with all my heart... Summary Now that Israel is fully settled in the Promised Land, Joshua has summoned the entire nation one last time to assemble where it all began - a place called Shechem, the very place that God had 600 years earlier promised Abram to your seed I will give this land . Joshua here presses the people to faithfully recommit themselves to the covenant they have with the LORD in a series of four statements, to each of which the Israelites respond enthusiastically. Joshua calls the people to: 1) SERVE THE LORD: Being in covenant with God is an all consuming commitment to serve , a word used 13x in this short passage. It means to offer work, toil, accomplishment and dedication. Joshua famously sets a choice before the people: if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But our sinful nature doesn't want to serve anybody but ourselves... we just want freedom. But freedom isn't an option. You can serve the LORD, or you must define the pagan deity you will serve. If the Israelites wouldn't serve the LORD, they needed to choose from either the traditional gods their fathers served or the newer contemporary gods of the Amorites. The Israelites, who finally recognize all that the LORD has done for them, promise to serve the L ORD , because he is our God . 2) REALIZE THE GAP BETWEEN YOUR COMMITMENT AND ABILITY: Joshua, perhaps stunned by the people's quick and enthusiastic choice to serve the LORD, immediately tells them that they are not able to serve the L ORD . The problem is clear: the LORD is holy , and His people are not. Furthermore, He is a jealous God. Anyone who fails to serve Him wholeheartedly would deserve the disaster God would bring, and He would make and end of them. It's here that the Israelites make a fatal mistake. Instead of acknowledging their obvious history of failure and pleading for God to continue graciously giving them strength to serve , the people brazenly witness against themselves that they have chosen to serve the LORD.   Dig Deeper   3) SERVICE BEGINS WITH REJECTION: Now then, Joshua continues, throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel. Maybe you've seen videos of dogs futilely trying to carry wide sticks into a narrow gate. They simply need to let go of the stick and go forward, but they won't, so they can't move forward. You're not surrounded by the allure of physical pagan idols, but we all are guilty of keeping one foot firmly planted in the allurements of this world, even as we try to serve the LORD with our other foot. It doesn't work. Soon both feet are set in the here and now. You need to let go of the world's sticks and put every effort into serving the LORD. 4) LIVE IN COVENANT: The Bible is the story of God covenantal relationship with His people. The flow always goes one way: God sets the terms, conditions, and promises of a covenant, invites people to enter into it, and then ends up keeping it on our behalf. But within this larger Covenant, we make smaller covenants amongst ourselves - for example, many people have entered into a marriage covenant. So Joshua calls the Israelites to a covenant within the Covenant - they reaffirmed God's decrees and laws and promised to hold each other accountable. This is just one more example from God's Word illustrating the value and need for us all to live into God's Covenant promises by living in a covenanted community of Christians in order to help one another let go of our sticks. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD, who is our God! A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that the Spirit would equip you and your family to serve the LORD; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God doesn't pick sides. He picks His people and delivers victory.           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground and has entered Canaan, the Promised Land. Joshua 5:2–6:5 (NIV) 2  At that time the L ORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” 3  So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth. 4   Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. 5  All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. 6   The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the L ORD . For the L ORD  had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. 7   So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. 8  And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed. 9  Then the L ORD  said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal  to this day. 10  On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11  The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12  The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan. 13  Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14  “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the L ORD  I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” 15  The commander of the L ORD ’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. 6 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 2   Then the L ORD  said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3  March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4  Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5  When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 1 Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death? A. That I am not my own, but belong— body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven: in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him. Summary The conquest of Canaan doesn't really begin with a conquest. Instead, the first thing that God commanded of His people after they crossed the Jordan was to participate in several ceremonial reminders of who they were, and more importantly, who the LORD was. They began with a mass circumcision, signifying that the reproach of Egypt had been rolled away . After that, they celebrated the Passover. Finally, the manna the LORD provided each morning ceased; the LORD would still provide food for His people, but now they would eat the produce of Canaan. It's after this series of ceremonies meant to refocus Israel's attention on the true and living God that Joshua looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand . Joshua then asked the same question any of us would ask in this situation: Are you for us, or for our enemies? We talk often of how bifurcated our society has become; people are either for us or against us: if we're on the right, we're leery of those on the left; rural folk are suspect of urbanites; now there's even a growing divide between Americans and Canadians (and all of these divisions cut both ways). But while dichotomies may seem more pronounced now than ever before, Joshua's gut reaction shows that doubt and mistrust are deeply woven by sin into our very nature. But the Man, who identifies Himself here as the commander of the army of the LORD, doesn't fit into our preconceived categories. He's neither for or against us. Rather, His only purpose is to do the LORD's will - the same purpose that this same Man would painfully carry out a millennia later as He painfully prayed not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42) . That will of His Father , the LORD, who had sent Him was to raise up all those He has given me ( John 6:39 ) . This included Joshua and the Israelites, and it includes you.   Dig Deeper   Upon hearing this, Joshua immediately recognized that this was no ordinary man, so he fell face down to the ground in reverence. So it makes sense, then, to consider Joshua's next words as prayer, and like so many other Biblical prayers, this one is short and focused: What message does my Lord have for His servant? This is the type of prayer that you can pray all through the day in the midst of your work and activities. It's reasonable to assume here that Joshua hoped this sword bearing Man would now relay some detailed strategies and tactics for how his ragtag bunch of wanderers could successfully wage war against men who were bigger, stronger and had much better technology and weaponry. And that's exactly what Joshua got in response... but it wasn't the answer Joshua expected. The Commander gave one simple - yet quite profound - command: take off your sandals, for the place you are standing is holy. The Commander here wasn't just giving temporary orders to Joshua, He was indicating that Israel's sole strategy would be to completely rely upon their Holy, all powerful God to fight their battles for them. And so it was that their first battle would be won in the most unconventional way imaginable: by simply marching around the amazingly well fortified and defended city of Jericho for six days, with the priests carrying trumpets in front of the Ark. On the seventh day, after marching around the city seven times, they were to sound a long blast on their trumpets and shout loudly, and the city would miraculously collapse. The Commander of the LORD's Army is neither for nor against your particular pet issues. Rather, He has fulfilled our Father's will for you, that you might look to the Son and believe in Him so that you would have eternal life ( John 6:40 ) . AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose Army fights the forces of evil that set themselves against Him; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that just like your Commander, that you too would not do your own will but do the will of him who sent Him ( John 6:38 ); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

God calls you to hurry forward by waiting on Him.           SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Two Israelite spies entered Jericho and were protected by Rahab, who confesses that the LORD has given Israel the land, and asks for mercy for her family. Through her faith and the spies’ safe return, God confirms that the fear of the LORD has already fallen on the land He promised to give His people. Joshua 3:1–17 (NIV) 3 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2  After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3  giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the L ORD  your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4  Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits  between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 5   Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” 6   Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. 7  And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8   Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’ ” 9  Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the L ORD  your God. 10  This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11  See, the ark of the covenant of the L ORD  of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12  Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13  And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the L ORD —the L ORD  of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 14  So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15  Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16  the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17  The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. Belgic Confession Article 31: The Officers of the Church So everyone must be careful not to push one’s self forward improperly, but all must wait until called by God, so that they may be assured of their calling and be certain and sure that it is from the Lord. Summary This is the moment the Israelites had been waiting for since the day they were born - quite literally. It was their parents and grandparents who'd been saved from slavery in Egypt by walking through the Red Sea on dry ground. But God caused that generation to wander in the wilderness until they'd died off because of their stubbornness. Those now camped on the banks of the Jordan had all been born along the way to the Promised Land, which they would enter into by also walking on miraculously dry ground. Eager as they were, they needed to wait just a bit longer. After all, the land they'd been promised was currently inhabited by people who were bigger and stronger than they were in every way, so they couldn't just go charging in. They would be led in by the presence of the LORD, following the priests carrying His earthly throne - the Ark of the Covenant. But not too closely... they needed to stay at least a half mile (2,000 cubits) behind its holiness. And once again, there would be a mediator between the LORD and His people. Moses is dead and buried by this point, but God promised to exalt Joshua in the eyes of all the people. Not just because Joshua was an awesome guy, but so that the people may know that the LORD was with Joshua. God has likely exalted you in many ways - blessed you in the eyes of your family, church and community. You may not realize it, but people look up to you and admire you. You're probably pretty awesome, but that's not why... it's because the LORD is with you, and He does amazing things through you. So are you living Soli Deo Gloria - that is, a life that gives all glory to God alone, or are you trying to shine some of His glory back down on yourself?   Dig Deeper   Joshua had already commanded the people three days earlier (near the end of the first chapter) to get their provisions ready to cross the Jordan, which was no small task for such a large camp. It's not hard to imagine the frantic busyness that this would entail, as all of daily necessities can't really be packed up until the last minute. And this wasn't just another in a long line of camp relocations; this time, the men needed to prepare themselves for battle as well. But the day before they were to set out, right when the busyness would have been at its zenith, Joshua reorients their focus, commanding the people to consecrate themselves - to purify themselves physically and spiritually. As we learned in Leviticus, consecration was a detailed, time consuming process! I wonder how many Israelites silently wondered, can't we just skip this step this time? Your life is consumed with daily details and overwhelming tasks as well - worries that never disappear and that you never really seem to get ahead of. But in a very similar fashion, the LORD comes to you every seven days and tells you to set it aside. He commands that you rest and be consecrated - cleaned, purified and made holy - not by the means of complicated rituals and ceremonies, but by God's Word which reminds you of His never ending covenant love and provision for you, as one who's been washed in the blood of Christ. Just as the Israelites weren't to get ahead of the Ark as they eagerly got to work settling the Promised Land, you also need to have your pace set by the LORD, being reminded of His holiness and following His lead. The best way for you to do this is to deliberately set the ever-present busyness aside and gather with the saints in God's house each Lord's Day, so that you are reminded that the LORD is with you. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who leads and provides for His people; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will rest as God commanded, so that you may know that the LORD is with you in the midst of your busyness; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Are you ready to cross into the Promised Land?           Joshua 1:1–9  After the death of Moses the servant of the L ORD , the L ORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2   “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4  Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5   No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6  Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their fathers to give them. 7   “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8  Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the L ORD  your God will be with you wherever you go.” Canons of Dordt Point V Article 14: God’s Use of Means in Perseverance Just as it has pleased God to begin this work of grace in us by the proclamation of the gospel, so he preserves, continues, and completes his work by the hearing and reading of the gospel, by meditation on it, by its exhortations, threats, and promises, and also by the use of the sacraments. Summary The book of Joshua begins on an ominous note: after the death of Moses. Moses has been leading Israel almost since their very inception as a people. The LORD worked His wonders through Moses, beginning with the plagues unleashed upon Egypt, their march to freedom through the opened Red Sea, and continual miracles through the wilderness wanderings, all of which originated with God and were worked through the hand or voice of Moses. Most critically, Moses served as the man in the middle, mediating between the holy God and His sinful, stubborn people. How could this 'movement' survive without Moses' leadership? The LORD's announcement to Joshua is straightforward and to the point: Moses my servant is dead. But God doesn't even skip a beat. Now then, He instructs Joshua, keep the people moving forward. Nothing has changed; the promises God made to Moses - and to Jacob, Isaac and Abraham centuries before - would be fulfilled. Nothing changes here for the Israelites because the LORD God never changes. He was the One who'd carried Israel to the banks of the Jordan, and He is the One who'd settle them in the Promised Land. Notice all of the first person promises He makes to Joshua: I will give you every place you set your foot, as I promised; As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Here's where it's important to see how the entire Bible fits together. These stories of the ancient Israelites being freed from slavery, wandering through the wilderness, and being brought safely into the Promised Land are most certainly historical narrative. These things happened. But at the same time it's a much bigger story that includes you. You've been freed from slavery to sin and protected from judgment under the blood of the Lamb; You're being shepherded into the Promised Land , and while that promise is certain, you're not quite to the banks of the Jordan yet. But you can be certain the LORD will be faithful to the promises He's made to you.   Dig Deeper   God here makes it clear that He will be the One who delivers Israel - not Joshua or even Moses. But in sovereignly working out salvation - for Israel then or us now - God works through people and ordinary means. He issues a series of imperatives that Joshua, the Israelites and us need to follow in order to be prosperous and successful as they enter the Promised Land: Get ready to cross the Jordan River into the Land - moving from the wilderness into the Promised Land requires preparation, focus and determination. Are you ready? Be strong and courageous - The LORD repeats this command three times. Meditate (chew on) these words today. Why do you think the LORD repeats them? Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left - Although we make difficult distinctions in God's Law in the light of Christ , God's expectations for us to obey it have not changed. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it - That humble little word keep keeps showing up in critical places in the Bible, so pay attention to it! As you go through your day, meditate on scripture: read it, pray it, sing it, think about it, and discuss it. Do not be discouraged - Why not? Because the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the unchanging LORD God Almighty, who is bringing His people to the Promised Land; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be strong and very courageous as you keep God's Word on your lips and in your mind; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: