Chapel with Dr. Thomas White

Today in chapel, Dr. Thomas White continued to walk through the book of Joshua. As we reflect on Joshua 20–21, we discover key aspects of God's character — His justice, holiness, and faithfulness — and how He demonstrates His care for His people in both tangible and spiritual ways.

In Joshua 20, we see God’s concern for justice through the establishment of cities of refuge. These cities were places where someone who unintentionally caused the death of another could flee to find safety from vengeance (v. 3). This demonstrates that God values justice for both the innocent and the guilty.

Notice the characteristics of God’s justice:

Accessible: The cities were strategically placed so that no one was too far away from a place of refuge (v. 7–8). This reflects the accessibility of God's justice for all His people. No one is too far from God's justice.

Values Life: God’s justice does not seek retribution for the sake of revenge but for the preservation of life. The cities of refuge were not for those who intentionally harmed others, but for those who committed acts without malicious intent. God's justice promotes life and righteousness.

Due Process: It was important that the person seeking refuge was genuinely innocent (v. 6). This shows that God’s justice is thorough and demands accuracy, ensuring that due process is followed.

Universal: God's justice is for everyone. It is not restricted to a certain group, but accessible to all who need it.

One day, we will see true justice when Christ returns and all wrongs are righted. Until then, God’s justice is a gift to His people, ensuring that fairness and righteousness prevail in a broken world.

In Joshua 21, we learn that God values holiness when He provides cities for the Levites, the tribe set apart for His service. These cities were spread across the nation of Israel, ensuring that no one was far from a Levite (v. 41). This distribution reflects God’s desire for His people to be close to His presence, worship, and guidance.

The Levites were not given a portion of land as the other tribes were, because their inheritance was in serving God (Numbers 18:20). Their purpose was to lead others in worship and spiritual matters. Through the Levites’ proximity, the people were reminded of God’s holiness and how to live in accordance with His will.

Finally, in Joshua 21:43–45, we see the culmination of God's care for His people in the fulfillment of His promises. The land He had promised to the Israelites was given to them, just as He had said it would be. Every word of God’s promise was kept. God’s faithfulness is a constant theme throughout Scripture, and we can trust that He keeps every single promise He makes.

As we reflect on God's justice, holiness, and faithfulness, we can trust that He will continue to care for us in the same way. In our lives, God’s character remains the same: accessible, life-giving, and trustworthy.

Let us remember that, just as the Israelites were called to follow God’s ways, we too are called to live justly, walk in holiness, and trust in God's faithfulness. He is a God who cares deeply for His people, and His promises are sure.

Today in chapel, Dr. Thomas White gave us a powerful reminder of what it looks like to fully follow the Lord in Joshua 14:6–14. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, stands as an example of unwavering faith and commitment to God. In a world full of distractions and challenges, Caleb’s life teaches us that we must wholeheartedly follow God, no matter the cost. 

So, what does it mean to “be a Caleb”? First, it means having the conviction to take a stand for truth. While the majority of the Israelites were gripped by fear and doubt, Caleb trusted God’s promise. Joshua 14:6–9 recounted how, even in the midst of rebellion, he remained faithful. He stood firm when everyone else wavered. This is the kind of conviction we need to take a stand for the truth of God’s Word. As Dr. White says, “If God has called you to do it, He will allow you to do incredible things for His glory.”  

Second, consistently walking by faith is crucial. Caleb walked with God for 45 years, never turning back or losing sight of the Lord's promises; Joshua 14:10–11 highlights his enduring faith and vitality. Caleb’s example teaches us to walk with God daily, asking Him for opportunities to serve and being faithful in the small things. It means worshiping the Lord no matter the circumstances, knowing that He is worthy of our devotion and trust. 

Third, Caleb’s life shows us the confidence to be bold for God. In Joshua 14:12, Caleb asks for the mountain promised to him, a bold request for someone of his age. He knew God was able and willing to deliver what He had promised, and Caleb’s faith was contagious. His boldness wasn’t in his own strength but in the strength of the Lord. 

Finally, the results of Caleb’s faithfulness are seen in the example he set for others. In Judges 3:7–11, we see that Caleb’s legacy lived on through Othniel, who became a judge of Israel. Caleb’s faith inspired and equipped the next generation to walk in obedience to God. 

So, how do you respond when life doesn’t go your way? Are your eyes on the difficulties you face or on the Deliverer who is with you? Like Caleb, we are called to be bold for God, unwavering in our faith, and fully committed to following Him. May we take up that challenge every day, walking in conviction, consistency, and confidence, knowing that God rewards those who fully follow Him. As Dr. White encouraged us today, “It doesn’t matter what your background is or what mistakes you’ve made ... wholly follow the Lord!”

Today in chapel, Dr. Thomas White continued his sermon series in Joshua, showing how the faithful God worked in the midst of an unfaithful people in chapters 13-19. Despite God’s continual faithfulness, the Israelites struggled with disobedience and complacency, much like we do today. These chapters offer critical lessons about trusting in God's promises and not resting on past victories.

Seven Key Concepts from Joshua 13-19

First, there was land to still be conquered for Israel (Joshua 13:1–7). Although much of the land had been conquered, Joshua was told that more remained to be taken. This reflects that God’s work is never truly complete. There’s always more to be done in our walk with Him. Joshua, despite his old age, did not retire but continued to lead, showing us that our spiritual journey is lifelong and that we must keep pressing on in obedience.

Second, the allotment of the land to the tribes highlights Israel’s unity (Joshua 13:8–33). This moment is a fulfillment of God’s promises, but it also foreshadows the eventual division of Israel. For us today, it is a reminder of the importance of unity within the Church. Despite differences, we must remain united in Christ and His mission.

Third, the Israelites failed to fully defeat their enemies as the Lord had commanded them to. They were instructed to drive out all the Canaanites from the land, but instead they allowed remnants of the enemy to remain. This failure reflects our own tendency to compromise and leave unchecked sin in our lives. Dr. White implored the chapel to “make war with [their] sin and annihilate it,” not just leave it alone or make peace with it.

Fourth, Joshua 13:14 and other passages talk about the tribe of Levi’s land inheritance — or lack thereof. Unlike the other tribes, the Levites did not receive a land inheritance. Instead, they were to receive the Lord Himself as their inheritance. This reminds us that the greatest inheritance we have is not in earthly possessions but in God Himself. Jesus Christ is the ultimate pursuit and fulfillment of our lives.

Fifth, the Lord offers grace and equality for all, as we see in Joshua 17:3–6 and in Numbers 27. The daughters of Zelophehad fought for their inheritance, challenging the norms of the time. God responded by giving them their rightful share. This teaches us that God values all people and that His Word is the final authority on matters of justice.

Sixth, Joshua 17:14–16 shows the tribe of Joseph expressing discontentment with their allotment of land, complaining instead of trusting God’s provision. This attitude reflects the Israelites’ ongoing struggle to fully rely on God, just as we often find ourselves grumbling when we don’t get what we want. Joshua contrasted with this attitude by fully trusting God in all things, whether they were big or small, easy or hard.

And finally, Joshua highlights how faithful God is to His unfaithful people. As we look at the Israelites, we see a pattern of not fully trusting God despite all He has done. Have we, like them, become satisfied with past spiritual victories and stopped trusting God for the challenges ahead? Let us remember that God’s faithfulness requires our ongoing obedience and trust.

These chapters of Joshua remind us that God is faithful even when we are unfaithful. Our greatest inheritance is found in Him, and we are called to trust in His promises every day.

Today in chapel, Dr. Thomas White reminded us that God will ultimately be victorious and that our role is to respond in faithful obedience. Joshua's life demonstrates what it means to keep a Kingdom vision in sight, stand firm in faith, and continually trust in God's sovereignty. 

Joshua’s leadership in Joshua 10–12 teaches us several key lessons, starting with his vision. He maintained a clear focus on God's promises, not allowing distractions, even good ones, to derail his mission. In our own lives, we must ask, “Do I have a vision for my life that aligns with God’s purpose?” If we lose sight of God's Kingdom goals, we risk getting sidetracked by the lesser things of life. Like Joshua, we must stay focused on the ultimate mission of God’s glory. 

Joshua also boldly modeled strong and courageous faith. In Joshua 10:24–26, he led by example, stepping forward to confront the enemies of God. The Lord encouraged Joshua to act with courage, and Joshua obeyed without hesitation. We must ask ourselves, “Are we willing to be an example of faith to those around us?” Are we willing to take bold steps in obedience, even when it’s difficult? 

Another leadership principle we see in Joshua is his ability to choose the right friends. Joshua surrounded himself with those who were committed to God’s mission. We too must be cautious about our associations and befriend those who will push us closer to the Lord instead of further away.  

Joshua also obeyed in the small matters. From the allocation of land to the small details of God’s commands, Joshua remained faithful. In Joshua 11:20–23, even when things seemed trivial, he did what God asked because obedience in the small things matters. In our own lives, we must take care of the details: consistent Bible reading, regular church involvement, and fulfilling commitments with excellence. 

Moreover, Joshua failed forward. When he made mistakes, he learned from them and kept moving forward, trusting God’s plan. The important question for us is, “How do we respond when we fail?” Do we give up, or do we press on, learning and growing from our failures? 

Serving God requires hard work and perseverance, as we saw in Joshua 10:26–27 and 11:18. Joshua embraced and continued to serve God through the hard things. Are we willing to do the hard things for the sake of God’s Kingdom? If you’ve never done something hard, it’s time to find something challenging and pursue it with all your might.  

Finally, Joshua always gave glory to God for the victories. Psalm 2 reminds us that God is sovereign over all. His victory is assured. Our role is not to seek glory for ourselves but to humbly acknowledge God's power and dominion. Dr. White asked left us with this question: Will we reject the rule of King Jesus or take refuge in Him? The ultimate victory belongs to God, and we are called to be faithful servants in His plan.

Our View of God Is Too Small: Lessons from Joshua 10

Do you believe in a big God or a small God? Joshua 10 challenges us to examine how we see God and respond to His greatness. Too often, our faith, prayers, and actions reveal that our view of God is far too small. Joshua 10 is a story of mistakes, miracles, and God’s unmatched power. In Joshua 9, Joshua made a mistake: he entered a covenant with the deceptive Gibeonites without seeking God’s counsel. But when the Gibeonites later called for help, Joshua honored his word. Rather than sulking over his mistake, he failed forward. God took Joshua’s error and turned it into an opportunity, bringing multiple enemy nations into a vulnerable position. In the battle, God didn’t just intervene—He overwhelmed. He threw the enemy into confusion, rained hailstones from heaven, and even made the sun stand still at Joshua’s request. This extraordinary miracle was God’s response to an audacious prayer from a leader who believed in a big God.

Key Lessons from Joshua 10

1. Fail Forward: Mistakes don’t have to define us. When we stumble, we can follow Joshua’s example and move forward in faith. God can redeem our failures for His glory.
2. God’s Sovereignty Doesn’t Excuse Passivity: Joshua and Israel didn’t sit back and watch. They marched through the night, fought with all their might, and trusted God for victory. God’s sovereignty invites active participation.
3. Bold Prayers Reflect a Big View of God: Joshua’s request for the sun to stand still wasn’t timid—it was audacious. And God responded. Too often, our prayers are small because we don’t truly grasp the greatness of the One we’re praying to.

Application: Pursuing the Almighty

1. Reassess Your View of God: Struggling with miracles in Scripture? Questioning God’s ability in your life? Perhaps your view of God is too small.
2. Pray Bold Prayers: What is your Bold, Audacious Request (BAR) of God? Let your prayers reflect His greatness.
3. Stay the Course: When you make mistakes, don’t give up. Keep pursuing God with passionate faith, trusting Him to work even through your failures.

Joshua’s story reminds us that God’s greatness is beyond comprehension. Our response to Him reveals the condition of our heart. Will we stay small in faith, or will we passionately pursue the Almighty, believing He can do far more than we imagine? What’s your prayer today? Will you set your BAR high and trust the God who made the sun stand still?

Today in chapel, Dr. Thomas White delivered a powerful sermon on the importance of trusting in the Lord rather than relying on ourselves. The message out of Joshua 9 reminded us that the greatest source of wisdom, guidance, and deliverance comes not from ourselves, but from God alone. The central idea of the sermon came from Proverbs 3:5–6: Trust in the Lord and not in your own understanding. 

In the opening verses of Joshua 9, we are introduced to the Gibeonites, who tricked the Israelites into making a peace treaty. The Gibeonites, fearing the God of Israel after hearing about His mighty acts, resorted to deception to save themselves. They disguised themselves as travelers from a distant land, showing worn-out clothes and moldy bread to make it seem like they had come from far away. Unfortunately, Joshua and the leaders of Israel were deceived. 

In Joshua 9:14, we read that "the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord." This is the key moment of failure in the story. The Israelites relied on their own judgment rather than seeking God’s guidance. Dr. White pointed out that their pride — thinking they could handle the situation themselves — led to a disastrous mistake. They didn’t pray or seek wisdom, and as a result, they fell into a trap. 

This mistake teaches us that we must constantly seek the Lord in all our decisions. Dr. White emphasized how easy it is to make the mistake of thinking we can handle things on our own. Whether it’s decisions at work, in relationships, or in everyday life, the tendency to act without seeking God’s wisdom is dangerous. “If you go to the Lord with everything you do, it will save you so many headaches,” Dr. White said, urging us to make seeking the Lord a daily habit. 

Despite Israel’s failure, the chapter ends with a surprising turn of events: God’s deliverance. The Israelites were bound by their treaty with the Gibeonites, but God used this situation to teach them valuable lessons about humility and trust. The Gibeonites were spared, and God later used them for His purposes. 

Dr. White’s message also had a practical application for us in our personal lives, especially in relationships. He challenged us to seek the Lord’s guidance in even the most personal areas, like choosing a spouse. Just as the Israelites needed to consult God before making decisions, we too must seek His will in everything. “Pray about who you are wanting to pursue a relationship with,” Dr. White said, encouraging us to trust God to guide our steps in all matters, big and small. 

When we seek the Lord, He guides us and protects us, even when we fall short. As Dr. White reminded us, no matter what situation we face, we should always run to God. Take refuge in Him, and He will lead you in the way you should go. Trusting in the Lord is not just a one-time act — it’s a daily habit that saves us from many heartaches and leads us to His astonishing mercy and grace. 

Dr. Thomas White reminded us in chapel to run toward the Lord as His mercies are new every morning. Your heart posture is what matters above all else. If you have a repentant heart posture toward the Lord, His mercies are new, and He will forgive you. If you have a heart posture of rebellion against the Lord, God will send judgement your way. Develop a heart that longs to follow the Lord. When you fail, come to Him and repent. Don’t choose to actively rebel against God.  

Jesus paid the price and died on the cross for all your sins. He forgave you for all your sins, and they no longer define you. You don’t have to be good enough or earn your way to get to God. He already paved the way for you. All He wants is your heart and for you to seek Him. 

You were saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone. It is okay for you to mess up and fail. It’s not about what you’ve done; it’s about what you will do. Now that you messed up, what are you going to do? Are you going to get frustrated and run away from God, or are you going to get back up and run towards God? 

Dr. White emphasized this message of running to God by saying, “There is mercy for you at the cross. Don’t push away from God. Lean into God.” 

Don’t allow your failures to get you down. Even if you messed up last night, His mercies are new this morning. Even if you will mess up this weekend, His mercies are new Monday morning. Jesus loves you just the way you are, and you don’t have to earn His love. Keep running the race and strive to head towards Christ.  

Below are some guidelines Dr. White provided to help with studying Joshua 8:  

Biblical Principles:  

• A posture of rebellion against God leads to judgement.  
• A posture of repentance toward God leads to mercy.  

Memory Verse:  

Lamentations 3:22–23: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  

Big Idea:  

God’s promise of never-ending mercy provides hope to pursue new victories. 

Outline:  

• War (Joshua 8:1–29)  
• God’s Assurance (8:1–2)  
• The Preparation (8: 3–13)  
• The Battle (8:14–23)  
• The Finish (8:24–29)  
• Worship (8:30–35) 

Main Takeaways:  

• God’s mercies are new every morning. 
• Failure is not final. Keep failing forward.  
• After victory, they worshiped God. 

Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University, led the chapel through Joshua 6. He went through the passage and painted a clear story of what happened in the text along with what we can take away from it.  

The passage focuses on the fall of Jericho. The Israelities walked around Jericho for six days while seven priests blew loud trumpets. On the seventh day, Jericho’s walls came crashing down. Immediately, the Israelites rushed in and captured Jericho.  

Dr. White’s main point was that God uses His power to keep His promises. Through this whole passage, the Lord demonstrated His sovereignty and faithfulness to Israel. The first thing we are to remember is that the text is not about Joshua. It isn’t even about us. This passage is about God and how great He is. Joshua didn’t make the walls fall. God did. Joshua remained faithful and obedient to the Lord. He trusted Him even when walking around the wall for seven days didn’t seem to make sense. Like Joshua, we are to be obedient to the Lord even when things don’t make sense.  

Along with obedience, we are to stay on course. There will be times in our lives when we feel like we have no hope. There may also be times when we don’t understand why the Lord is calling us to wait. No matter how many doubts you have, you must stay on course with the Lord. Stay obedient to Him and trust in Him. God is working all things out for your good and His glory; we must trust in that.  

Look at your own life and consider how far you're willing to go to follow the Lord. The sons of Israel had to wake up early in the morning to circle a wall for days on end. They listened to the Lord’s call and obeyed. 

An encouraging note that Dr. White gave was, “Whatever God is telling you to do, you respond with bold faith.” 

 When the Lord is calling you to do something, you better do it. Don’t sit around and say, “but God, why do I have to do this?” Trust that the Lord that this is a piece of His master plan. Follow the Lord with strong and courageous faith no matter how crazy it may seem. Don’t be ashamed to be obedient to the Lord.  

Concluding Thoughts:  

• God is the hero of the story.  
• We must respond with strong and courageous faith that trusts and obeys God. 
• We must stay the course.  
• God mercifully provides many opportunities to repent.