Joshua 3 & 4: Be Sanctified
Verse of the Day: (3:5) And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

1. Sanctify (3:1-8)
And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. (3:8)

Unless we yield our lives to God and let Him sanctify us from all our sins, He cannot use us for His holy work and glory. This was why God commanded Israel through Joshua to sanctify themselves before He would miraculously open the Jordan River so that they could cross it dry into the land of Canaan where they shall then fight against their enemies to possess their Promised Land. God commanded Israel not to panic or worry, but to stand still when they would come to the brink of the water and believe that God shall indeed perform a great miracle for them, and for His glory. Let us therefore be still and sanctify ourselves so that God can use us for His holy work and glory. (Romans 6:13)

2. Soles (3:9-17)
And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. (3:13)

The ark of the LORD represented God, and His command was that when the soles of the priests carrying the ark touched the waters of Jordan River, the waters shall stop flowing and shall stand like a heap. It was beyond their imagination when God did that, and Israel knew that He was indeed the true God, and Joshua was their leader after Moses, whom God also used him to perform the miracle of the opening the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:21-22)

3. Stones (4:1-24)
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. (4:7)

We are to bring up our children in the admonition of God, and most importantly share the gospel to them so that they receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, at a young age, as death comes to everyone young or old. This was why God commanded twelve men out of the twelve tribes of Israel to gather a stone each and carry it to the other side where Joshua shall set them up at Gilgal, to remind their children and their future generations of how God had miraculously opened the River Jordan for them to cross dry. (Ephesians 6:4)     

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please sanctify and use me for Your holy work and glory.
 

Joshua 1 & 2: Be Strong
Verse of the Day: (1:6) Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 

1. Strong (1:1-18)
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. (1:7)

Why did God keep encouraging Joshua, the successor of Moses, the leader of Israel, to be strong and courageous? It was because Joshua knew that what he was about to do for God was impossible in the human mind. He was to lead Israel to cross the river Jordan and fight the enemies on the other side so as to possess God’s Promised Land. Without boats how could Israel cross the river Jordan? Without swords, spears, shields and armours how could Israel fight the enemies and possess the Land? Yet God encouraged and enabled Joshua that He shall be with him and Israel, and He shall open the river Jordan, just like He had opened the Red Sea for Moses. Indeed God fought for Israel, and they managed to overcome their enemies and possessed the Promised Land. The only thing that Joshua and Israel did was to trust and obey God and His commandments. Indeed, let us trust and obey God, and be strong and courageous, and believe that God is able to help us overcome our struggles and storms, just like He did for the nation of Israel. (Psalms 46)
  
2. Spy (2:1-8)
And Joshua the son of Nun sent out Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot’s house, named Rahab, and lodged there. (2:1)

Moses and Joshua failed to trust God when they sent out spies to their enemy’s territories. When God promises, He shall deliver, yet man fails to believe in Him. Just like Moses, Joshua send spies to Jericho to assess how great their walls and army were. Though he failed God, yet God still protected his spies, and used Rahab, a prostitute, to help the spies escaped, when the king of Jericho discovered that Israel had sent out spies to infiltrate their land. Though Rahab was an immoral woman, yet when she repented of her sins, and believed in the God of Israel, God used her to delivering the spies. Let us repent of our sins, and God is always faithful to forgive us our sins and to bless us. (1 John 1:9)

3. Save (2:9-24)
And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. (2:13)

As a result of Rahab delivering the spies out of Jericho, and her request to the spies, God delivered her and her entire extended family when Israel defeated Jericho. (Joshua 6:25)

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be strong even as I go through life’s hardest trial.
 

Deuteronomy 33 & 34: Servant Of The LORD
Verse of the Day: (34:5) So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

1. Saints (33:1-25)
Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. (33:3)

Everyone shall die, and all of us shall have our life stories that people may talk about, and so what is your life story? May our life story be that of Moses, a servant of the LORD, who loved and feared God, though he failed God many times, but God had never failed him, not even once! In Moses’ dying moment, he blessed Israel and all the tribes, and admonished and encouraged them that God truly loved them, His saints and servants, and His rich blessings shall always be upon them and their descendants when they chose to obey and fear Him. However, Moses also reminded and warned them of the grave consequences of their sins and rebellion if they chose to disobey and rebel against Him. God knew Israel including every tribe and every man, and He knows us too, even the number of hairs we have on our head, because He is our Creator. God truly loves us with an everlasting love, and His greatest desire is that we confess and repent our sins, and believe and trust in Him, and He shall be with us forever. However, if we choose to reject God, He shall eternally condemn us to fiery hell. The choice is yours! (Jeremiah 31:1-3)    

2. Shield (33:26-29)
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. (33:29)

Moses’ last breath was to encourage Israel to be happy and rejoicing in the Lord knowing that God was their shield, salvation and sword, and He shall always protect, save and fight for them now and forever. Indeed, God is our shield and sun, and He shall grant us grace and glory, and all things to enjoy, as we trust, obey and fear Him. (Psalms 84:9-12)

3. Servant (34:1-12)
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, (34:10)

Moses was the greatest prophet because God knew him face to face. Throughout Moses’ life, though he was imperfect, yet he kept fearing the perfect God. Though God forfeited him from entering the Promised Land, because he disobeyed Him by striking instead of speaking to the rock for water to flow out, yet by His grace He promoted him to the perfect Promised Land, His home in Heaven. Indeed, let us be servants of the LORD who fear no one except the LORD and who preach nothing except the LORD. (Galatians 1:10)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, please help me to be Your servant who always fear and obey You.

Deuteronomy 33 & 34: Servant Of The LORD
Verse of the Day: (34:5) So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

1. Saints (33:1-25)
Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. (33:3)

Everyone shall die, and all of us shall have our life stories that people may talk about, and so what is your life story? May our life story be that of Moses, a servant of the LORD, who loved and feared God, though he failed God many times, but God had never failed him, not even once! In Moses’ dying moment, he blessed Israel and all the tribes, and admonished and encouraged them that God truly loved them, His saints and servants, and His rich blessings shall always be upon them and their descendants when they chose to obey and fear Him. However, Moses also reminded and warned them of the grave consequences of their sins and rebellion if they chose to disobey and rebel against Him. God knew Israel including every tribe and every man, and He knows us too, even the number of hairs we have on our head, because He is our Creator. God truly loves us with an everlasting love, and His greatest desire is that we confess and repent our sins, and believe and trust in Him, and He shall be with us forever. However, if we choose to reject God, He shall eternally condemn us to fiery hell. The choice is yours! (Jeremiah 31:1-3)    

2. Shield (33:26-29)
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. (33:29)

Moses’ last breath was to encourage Israel to be happy and rejoicing in the Lord knowing that God was their shield, salvation and sword, and He shall always protect, save and fight for them now and forever. Indeed, God is our shield and sun, and He shall grant us grace and glory, and all things to enjoy, as we trust, obey and fear Him. (Psalms 84:9-12)

3. Servant (34:1-12)
And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, (34:10)

Moses was the greatest prophet because God knew him face to face. Throughout Moses’ life, though he was imperfect, yet he kept fearing the perfect God. Though God forfeited him from entering the Promised Land, because he disobeyed Him by striking instead of speaking to the rock for water to flow out, yet by His grace He promoted him to the perfect Promised Land, His home in Heaven. Indeed, let us be servants of the LORD who fear no one except the LORD and who preach nothing except the LORD. (Galatians 1:10)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, please help me to be Your servant who always fear and obey You.

Deuteronomy 31 & 32: Be Strong
Verse of the Day: (31:7) And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. 

1. Strong (31:1-15)
Be strong, and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake. (31:6)

Everyone must die, but the most important question is - Do you know where you are going when you die? The world may think that after death, we just vanished and life ceases, but what happen if there is life after death? Indeed, there is a God, the Creator, who creates us, and give us souls, and our souls shall either be with Him in heaven when we believe in Him, or without Him in hell when we reject Him. Moses shared with Israel that he was dying, and he endorsed Joshua to be his successor. Moses assured Joshua to be strong, because God shall fight for them, and grant them great victory. (Joshua 1:1-9) 

2. Song (31:16-30)
Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put in in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel. (31:19)

God’s last command to Moses was that he shall write a song to teach Israel to worship and praise Him for who He was, and what he had miraculously done for them, especially saving their souls, the opening of the Red sea so that they be freed from the Egyptians, providing all their needs in the wilderness, and preparing them to cross the river Jordan dry so that they could overcome their enemies and possess their Promised Land. Indeed, spiritual songs are important in our worship of God as they prepare our hearts to thank Him for who He is, and what He has done for, in, through and with us. (Colossians 3:16)

3. Salvation (32:1-52)
But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. (32:15)

It was tragic that as God blessed and prospered Jeshurun (Israel), they became proud, and forsook Him, and worship the idols of the world. God judged and chastised them for their sins and pride. They failed to see that God was their Rock of salvation, and without Him, they were nothing, and they had nothing. Indeed, there is no other name, except Jesus Christ, God’s Son, who has the power to save us from our sins and eternal condemnation, and richly bless us with abundant life with Him in His home in heaven. (Romans 1:16)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, please help me to be strong and fear not as I go through life storms.

Deuteronomy 29 & 30: God Will Circumcise Thine Heart
Verse of the Day: (30:6) And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 

1. Covenant (29:1-29)
These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb. (29:1)

God’s covenant with Israel was that He shall bless and prosper them when they chose to keep His words. However, God’s anger and curses shall be upon them when they chose to rebel against Him. God warned Israel the severity of His judgment upon them, just like He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with brimstone and fire when they rebelled against Him. Today, God’s covenant is still with Israel, and He is waiting for them to repent their sins and turn to Him, so that His blessings shall be upon them. We, who are the Gentiles, too have God’s covenant, when we believe in Jesus, God’s Son, and He shall not only forgive us of our sins, but give us everlasting life with Him in heaven. (Romans 10:9-11)     

2. Circumcise (30:1-14)
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, (30:1)

To sum up God’s dealing with Israel – God’s great and abundant blessings shall be upon them when they trust and obey Him, while His judgement and curses shall be upon them when they reject and rebel against Him. Let us therefore trust and obey God, and He shall circumcise our hearts, so that we shall love Him with all our hearts and souls. Indeed, when we trust and obey God, not only we shall receive His blessings, even our children shall receive them, when we encourage them to believe in Him. (Colossians 3:20-21) 

3. Choose (30:15-20)
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: (30:19)

God is our Creator, and He makes us in His image so that we have choices and are not just robots. However, the first man and woman failed God when they chose to disobey Him, and henceforth, all have sinned and come short of His holiness. However, God has a salvation plan for man that whoever believes in Him shall never perish in hell but have everlasting life with Him in heaven. Let us choose to believe and obey Him, like Joshua, who proclaimed that, as for him and his family, they shall serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, thank You for circumcising my heart when I believe and trust in You.

Deuteronomy 27 & 28: THE LORD THY GOD
Verse of the Day: (28:58) If thou wilt not observe to do all the word of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD.

1. Law (27:1-26)
And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee. (27:3)

God’s law is perfect as He uses them to convert souls to Himself of those who believe in Him. God assured Israel that He shall lead them to cross the river Jordan dry, and fight against their enemies, and give them victory, so that they shall inherit their Promised that was overflowing with milk and honey, when they fully trusted and obeyed Him. Indeed, God’s law is to be desired than fine gold, and it is sweeter than honey, as we read and apply its principles in our lives, and therewith receiving His blessings. (Psalms 19:7-14)

2. LORD (28:1-59)
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: (28:1)

God truly loves Israel as He promises them that He shall exalt them above all nations of the world, and bless them both materially and spiritually when they humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. He also promises them that He shall bless their labour, and open His good treasure of rain from heaven upon their land, so that they shall have bountiful and plentiful harvest not only for themselves, but also to lend to others, rather than borrow from them. However, time and again, Israel sinned and rebelled against God, and they were judged, chastised, and now they are scattered all over the world. Indeed, let us humble ourselves, pray, seek God and turn from our wicked ways, so that we shall receive His rich blessings and perfect peace. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

3. Life (28:60-68)
And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: (28:66)

God warned Israel that they shall live in doubt and fear, when they refused to acknowledge and believe in Him that He is their true and living God. Indeed, God shall grant us abundant and everlasting lives when we fully trust and obey Him, otherwise we shall be eternally condemned if we keep rejecting and rebelling against Him. (John 10:10)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, please help me to trust and obey You, the LORD, my GOD.

Deuteronomy 25 & 26: READY TO PERISH
Verse of the Day: (26:5) And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.

1. Perform (25:1-19)
And if the man like not to take his brother’s wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother. (25:7)

God’s command to Israel was that they must take good care of their own kindred, and when one of them died, one of his brothers must marry his wife, so that they shall carry on their lineage. If all his brothers refused to marry his wife, she shall approach the leaders of their tribe, and they shall call them, and she shall then spit on their faces declaring that all his brothers-in-law were unwilling to carry on their lineage. It was indeed a shame to the dead man’s family. The lineage was important, because Jesus Christ, God’s Son, shall come from Israel, namely, the tribe of Judah. (Matthew 1:1-17)    

2. Perish (26:1-15)
That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there. (26:2)  

Gratitude is what God’s desires most from His people. God commanded Israel to offer their first-fruits through His priests to Him before His altar to show their gratitude to Him for His deliverance of them from the Egyptians. God called Abraham, a Syrian, to be the founding father of His nation, Israel. God knew Abraham’s heart that he was ready to perish for Him because he had the faith in Him. Indeed, let us be like Abraham, and also Esther, the Jewish Queen of Persia, who was ready to perish for her true God of Israel, and her people, the Jews. Let us therefore be ready to pray, preach and perish for our God, as our lives belong to Him, and only what is done for Him shall last forever. (Esther 4:16)

3. Praise (26:16-19)
And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken. (26:19) 

Again, God commanded Israel to love, fear and obey Him, so that His rich blessings shall be upon them and their descendants. Indeed, we are God’s special, chosen and holy people when we believe that He is the true God, and let us keep praising and thanking Him for who He is, and what He has done in, for, with and through us. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, please help me to be ready to pray, preach and perish for Your praise.

Deuteronomy 23 & 24: WASH WITH WATER
Verse of the Day: (23:11) But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again. 

1. Water (23:1-25)
If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: (23:10)

God is clean and holy, and He desires His people to be clean and holy physically as well as spiritually. God commanded Israel to literally wash themselves with water before they entered into their camp as this was personal hygiene and for their health benefits. God also commanded them to daily wash themselves spiritually with His holy Word by obeying His Ten Commandments, that of loving others and their properties and possessions. Indeed, water represents God’s Word, and we must daily read and apply His holy Word in order to spiritually clean ourselves from the dirt of sins. (Ephesians 5:25-27)

2. Wife (24:1-16)
When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. (24:1)

Marriage is of and from God, and it is honourable for two hearts to become one heart. God commanded Israel to honour their marriages, and the only reason for divorce was for fornication and adultery. Once it was proven that the wife was unfaithful, her husband could then divorce her. It is a painful process as God commands us that marriage is for life, until death does the couple apart. In fact, God has never approved of divorce as an option, but because of the hardness of man’s heart. Let us truly love and cherish our wife, just like Christ loves and cherishes His church now and forever. (Matthew 19:3-9)

3. Widow (24:17-22)
Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge: (24:17)

God loves and cares for the weak and helpless, including the widows. Many times in the Bible, God’s holy Word, He always commands His people to love and care for the widows. Indeed, we ought to love and care for all, especially those who lost their loved ones, as it is beyond imagination how the flashbacks came to them, as they see the empty chairs and beds, that were once occupied by their loved ones. Let us truly love and care for all, and pray for those who lost their loved ones, that God shall grant them peace and comfort in this life, before they finally are reunited with their loved ones. (James 1:27)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, thank You that I am washed by Your precious blood and holy Word.

Deuteronomy 21 & 22: THE FIRSTBORN
Verse of the Day: (21:17) But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

1. Forgive (21:1-14)
Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them. (21:8)

God is fair and just, and He shall vindicate the innocent. God commanded Israel that the elders and the priests of the city that was nearest to the corpse found on their land, offered a heifer, that had never laboured the field, for the slain, and then they would investigate the cause of his death. Even though God knew who the murderer was, yet He was testing the faith and obedience of Israel. God knows our secret sins, and let us therefore confess and forsake them, and He shall forgive us, and purify us, for His glory. (1 John 1:9-10)

2. Firstborn (21:15-21)
Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that ne may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: (21:16)

God is not a respecter of persons. God commanded Israel that their fathers must give double portions of their inheritance to their firstborns, even though they hated them. This was God’s law to protect and honour the firstborns. Indeed, God shall richly bless us when we show no favouritism, but treat everyone equally, and obey Him. (Acts 10:34-35)

3. Father (22:1-30)
And the damsel’s father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; (22:16)

One of God’s Ten Commandments, and the only one with a promise, is that we shall have longevity when we honour our parents. Indeed, parents are from God and they are our authority. Though they may not be perfect and godly parents, we must still obey them unless they are unreasonable and evil. God commanded Israel of how they must love others and their properties and never to commit dishonest or wicked deeds. One of the commands was concerning marriage, and unless the wife had committed fornication, the only reason for divorce, the father of the wife must protect her from her husband’s false accusation. This was not only to protect the innocence of his daughter, but also to make sure that her reputation was honoured. Children, let us honour and respect our parents as they raise us up for God’s glory. Let us, as parents, love and raise our children in God’s way, so that they shall know Him, and make Him known to others. (Ephesians 6:1-4)

Prayer of the Day: 
Dearest God, thank You that You are the Firstborn, my Saviour, who died for me.