The Judges foreshadow what God will do through the saviour he sends. The things that happened to Israel are there as a lesson for us.

God uses an unusual method, an unusual weapon and an unusual person to bring about his plan to rescues his people. Israel were taking God for granted. We need to remember that all we have comes to us from God’s hand

Israel are in the land … but unwilling to finish the job of driving out the nations who are still there. And part of the problem is that you don’t inherit faith and trust in the promises of God. The Bible says the trials/struggles in the Christian life are there to help us grow & mature.

The book of Joshua closes … and leaves you wondering if the people will continue to be faithful. And sadly, we know that Israel were unable to be faithful. The differences with the new covenant is that God gives us his Holy Spirit to enable us to be faithful.

The Gibeonites manage to con their way into being part of God’s people. God will never turn people away who genuinely seek him and trust his promises.

Sometimes trusting God’s promises and living faithful lives may seem silly … and we may be tempted to trust our own instincts. Thinking we know better than God is a dangerous thing to think.

The word that under-girds the book of Joshua is "promises". Right from the opening chapter we are reminded of the promises God made to gather his people and give them the land they will live in. The people can move ahead with confidence because they know God is faithful to his promises.

Romans 12 is the turning point in the book of Romans. Paul has gone to great lengths to explain the Gospel message he preaches and starting in Romans 12 Paul explains how we should respond to God's mercy to us in Jesus.

Jesus (and the writers of the Gospels) were well aware that the crucifixion of Jesus was also his coronation ... when he is made King.

The Scouts motto is "Be Prepared" ... but be prepared for what? Jesus tells us to be prepared, what to be prepared for and how to be prepared.