Joshua 15 & 16: Give Me A Blessing
Verse of the Day: (15:19) Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs. 

1. Caleb (15:1-62)
And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. (15:16)

Whose fathers shall not give the best to their children if they truly love them? This is even more so for the perfect and heavenly Father, who loves His children or those who believe in Him, that He shall give them the best. Caleb, one of God’s servants gave his best to Achash, his daughter, when she asked him for springs of water. Not only did he gave her both the upper and the lower springs, he also gave her and her husband a south land. Caleb also fulfilled his promise when he gave his daughter in marriage to Othniel, as he had offered her to anyone who could overcome the city of Kirjathsepher, their enemy. Othniel did, and thus he married Achsah. God always fulfil His promises, and shall grant the desires of those who call upon Him according to His will. (Matthew 7:7-12)

2. Children (15:63)
As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day. 

Though God promises us to grant us His rich blessings, yet we must first seek and obey Him first. This was why the children of Judah could not completely drive their strong enemies, the Jebusites, from the land. In fact, until today, Israel has never fully claimed all the Promised Land. Let us seek God and His righteousness first, and He shall grant us all our desires and needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Let us live one day at a time and never worry about the future as God is already there. (Matthew 6:33-34)

3. Canaanites (16:1-10)
And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute. (16:10)

It is not easy to live victoriously for God if we have not fully trust and obey Him, and put on His whole armour consisting of the helmet of salvation, breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the sword of His Word and above all, prayer. Beside the children of Judah who failed to fully drive out the enemies, the children of Ephraimites, also could not totally drive out the enemies, the Canaanites. What went wrong? They failed to obey God and put on His armour and thus unable to overcome all the enemies and inherit all the Promised Land. (Ephesians 6:10-19)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please give me Your richest blessings as I fully trust and obey You.

Joshua 13 & 14: Wholly Followed The LORD
Verse of the Day: (14:8) Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

1. Five (13:1-33)
From Sihor, which is before Egypt, even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites: (13:3)

God’s work can never be completed even until the day we die, as there will always be millions of souls who have yet to hear the Gospel that Jesus saves. The harvest of souls is plenty, but the labourers are few. This was why though God blessed Joshua at his dying moment, yet He told him that there was still much land to be possessed as He promised Israel the entire Canaan, but they had not fully completed their conquest. Indeed, life is short, and like Joshua and Apostle Paul, may we declare at the end of our lives that we have indeed fought a good fight, finish our course, and keep the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)

2. Follow (14:1-9)
And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children’s for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. (14:9)

It is easy to believe in God, but to repent of our sins, and wholly follow and obey Him is the hardest. Caleb was one of the few men who truly believed in God, and repented of his sins, and wholly followed Him. Subsequently, God through Moses blessed him the land of Hebron as his inheritance. Let us keep on following and serving God as He remembers our obedience and labour of love, and shall truly reward us in due time. (Hebrews 6:10)

3. Fourscore (14:10-15)
And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. (14:10)

Age is only a number, and it is our mind and heart that truly determines how much zeal and passion we live for God and His Word. Though Caleb was 85 years old, yet he proclaimed that he was as strong as he was 45 years ago when Moses first sent him out as a spy. In fact, only he and Joshua, the 2 out of the 12 spies, came back and assured Israel that they could overcome their enemies, while the rest refused to fight claiming that their enemies were too strong for them. Subsequently, Israel fought and won and inherited the Promised Land, because it was God who fought for them! (1 Corinthians 15:57-58) 

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to wholly follow You, and obey Your Commandments.

Joshua 11 & 12: A Long Time
Verse of the Day: (11:8)
Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

1. Tomorrow (11:1-14)
And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. (11:6)

Divide and conquer. This was the strategy that God gave to Joshua and Israel, and since then many army generals used this strategy to battle and win wars. Joshua led Israel to attack and defeat Jericho, the central area of Canaan, before they moved to the South to overcome their enemies. They then moved to the North, and faced off with their enemies who were countless in numbers. Joshua and Israel feared their strong and formidable enemies and thought this time they would surely fail in their mission to possess their Promised Land. However, again God encouraged and promised Joshua and Israel that the next day He shall fight for them and they shall surely defeat their enemies if they would only trust and obey Him. Indeed, God overcame their enemies, and they immobilised their enemies’ horses and burn their chariots so that there shall be no more weapons of war in the future. Though the best strategy of winning wars is to divide and conquer, yet the best strategy of God for His people is to unite and love one another! (Psalms 133) 

2. Time (11:15-23)
As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses. (11:15)

God shall deliver us from all our troubles only when we obey Him and wait patiently for Him. Moses and Joshua obeyed God and wait patiently for Him, and this was why He opened the Red Sea and delivered Moses and Israel from the Egyptians, and He opened the Jordan river and let Joshua and Israel crossed it dry to fight their enemies and possessed their Promised Land. Both Moses and Joshua took a long time before God finally grant them victory over their enemies. Indeed, it may take a long time for us to accomplish God’s plan, but let us keep obeying and waiting upon Him. (Isiah 40:31)

3. Thirty-one (12:1-24)
The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one. (12:24)

We shall live victoriously when we obey God and wait patiently for Him in everything. Joshua and Israel obeyed God and fought a long time with their enemies before they overcame the 31 kingdoms of their enemies and finally possessed their Promised Land. Indeed, let us pray and wait patiently for God as though everything depends on Him, and let us work and serve Him as though everything depends on us. (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to obey You, and wait patiently for You in everything.

Joshua 9 & 10: Sun Stood Still
Verse of the Day: (10:13) And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 

1. Shoes (9:1-27)
And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy. (9:5)

Let us first seek God in everything, otherwise, we shall reap the consequences of our disobedience. This was exactly what happened to Joshua and Israel when they sought not God, and was deceived by the Gibeonites who wore old clothes and shoes telling them that they were from a far country. Instead of destroying them as God had commanded them, Israel made allegiance with them. Subsequently, Israel reaped the consequences of their rebellion as the Gibeonites became their perpetual enemies. (Matthew 6:33)

2. Sun (10:1-14)
Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sin, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. (10:12)

God answers prayers when we pray to Him according to His will. As Israel were fighting the 5 kings of the Amorites, Joshua prayed to God to let the sun and the moon stood still, so that they could have more time to destroy their enemies. Indeed, God miraculously answered them, as the sun and moon stood still the whole day until they destroyed all their enemies, except for the 5 kings who escaped and hid in the cave. (Jeremiah 33:3)

3. Stones (10:15-43)
And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day. (10:27)

We can never prevail against God as He is the Almighty God. Joshua and Israel came to know that the 5 kings were hiding in the cave, and immediately rolled great stones to block their exit. After they had completely destroyed their enemies, they captured the 5 kings and hanged them upon the trees. They then brought their corpses into the same cave they hid, and covered the entrance with the great stones. Indeed, God helped Israel to overcome all their enemies who were wicked people so as to tell the whole world and you and me that He is the Potter and we are the clay. Whoever believes in Christ shall never perish in fiery hell, but have everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven. (Isaiah 64:8)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to trust fully You that You can do all things except fail.