In this passage, Paul declares that Jesus desires his followers to be truly free. However, he cautions, we can fall prey to the notion that there's a checklist of things we must fulfill in order to make ourselves acceptable to God. Paul urges us to recognize that this "works"-based mindset actually robs us of the freedom God intends for us. He urges us to stand firm in the truth that God's grace is enough. We can't earn it or add to it.

There are so many competing desires in our hearts, so often we try to have the best of both worlds, to experience the blessings of God and the “good things” that this world offers. The reality, however, that it is impossible to serve God and live for ourselves at the same time. In the memorable ending to the book of Joshua, we are invited to get off the fence and make a choice.

We all face battles in life—some big, some small. In the well-known story of the battle of Jericho, we find seven practical lessons for facing our battles today with fresh encouragement, wisdom, strength and hope.

In this story we will see that God is faithful to His Word and He is active today. We will see that we are invited to trust Him, to walk in obedience and to celebrate and declare the amazing things that He is doing.

So often we have a narrow view of the “sort of people” that God would invite into his plans, yet an honest reader would have to admit that the scriptures are peppered with surprises. Rahab’s narrative is one such surprise. Our boxes are broken as we encounter a lying, fearful, Canaanite prostitute stepping out in courageous faith and ultimately being included in the family of God.

We all desire abundant life but so often feel stuck, afraid, unsure or discouraged. On the cusp of entering the Promised Land, God encourages and instructs Joshua with the directives he needs for success. As we listen in, we are exhorted to move ahead and reminded to rely on God’s faithfulness, God’s word and God’s presence in our journey to freedom.

We are all on a journey. No matter what season we are in it is important to pause so we can look back (remember), consider our priorities, and look ahead to how we will choose to walk in those things.

For Jesus, there was no separation between his life and his sense of mission in God’s Kingdom. His mission was expressed in his social life in tangible ways as he avoided self-promotion, pursued relationships with those outside the “in crowd,” and continually pushed conversations deeper.

This passage helps us recognize that “crowdsourcing” our understanding of Jesus can lead us to misinterpret who he is and what he’s up to. Jesus calls us from within the crowd of our culture to truly hear him and respond to him on his own terms.