Expository Insights with Pastor Lyle Wahl

Joshua 14:6-15. Theme: The victory of faith comes through following God fully. Caleb's example of following God fully. Early in Israel's journey. (Numbers 13:1 - 14:38) Forty-five years later. (Joshua 14:6-15) Lessons from Caleb on following God fully. Follow God with all your heart. (14:8-10) Follow God through all the difficulties and dangers. (14:7-8, 12-15) Follow God in all He says. (...

Joshua 11:1 - 12:24 The victory of faith requires obedience. Obedience to God and His word. (11:6-7, 9, 12, 15, 20,23) Obedience in spite of great difficulty and danger. (11:1-5) The danger of not responding to God, of not obeying God. (11:20) The victory of faith requires work. The work of strategy. (11:6) The work of battle. (11:7 - 12:24) The victory of faith requires patient endurance. Patient...

Joshua 10:1-43 God is a big God. Displayed in the battles. (8-42) Displayed in the miracle. (12-14; see also Habakkuk 3:11) Joshua had a big God. Displayed in courageously engaging the group of city states. (1-9; see also 1:3-9) Displayed in asking God for a miracle. (12-14) Displayed in encouraging the troops. (19; see also 1:10-15) Displayed in completing the mission God gave him. (6-7, 40; see...

Joshua 9:1-27 Theme: Always seek and rely on God's guidance. The Gibeonites' deception. Their motive. (24) Their plan. (1-13) The Israelites being deceived. What they did right. (6-8; 14) What they did wrong. (14b-15) The Israelites living with the consequences. The leaders openly and honesly disclosed what they had done. (18-20) The leaders and people kept true to God despite the personal...

Joshua 7:1 - 8:35 Theme: Holiness is indispensable to the victory of faith. Sing brings defeat and devastation. The process of sin. (7:21) The seriousness of sin. (7:1, 4-5, 11-12, 15, 20, 24-26) Holiness brings restoration and victory. Holiness is . . . (7:19-21; 8:30-35) Holiness brings . . . (8:1-29)

Joshua 6:1-27 Theme: God gives victory through faith. Faith that truly believes God. Faith that believes God's promises. (2; see also John 10:10; 14:3, 27; 15:11; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Hebrews 13:5) Faith that believes God's strategy. (3-5; see also Isaiah 55:8-9; Matthew 5:38-48; 20:25-28; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; 1 Peter 1:22; 4:1-2) Faith that totally obeys God. Ready and eager obedience. (12...

Joshua 4:1 - 5:15 Remember what God has done. Remember His grace. (4:1-24; 5:11) Why? (4:23 - 5:1) Renew your commitment to God. Israel's circumcision" commitment of obedience. (5:2-9) Israel's Passover: commitment of worship. (5:10-11) Relinquish control to God. He is the Commander. (5:13-15) Are you on His side?

Theme: God provides our needs as we follow Him by faith. Move forward following the Leader. God gave Joshua and Israel directions to follow Him. (7-8, 9-13) God gives us directions to follow. (Deuteronomy 4:4-5; 6:1-12, Psalm 18:28, etc.) Move forward with careful preparation. Consecrate yourselves. (5; 7:13) Plan. (1-6, 9-13; 8:3-8) Move forward in obedient, confident faith. God goes ahead of you...

Theme: God's grace is available to all. The strangest place. Jericho, a condemned city. (1; 6:1-27) Rahab, a condemned woman. (1; 6:1-6) The supernatural transformation. By God's grace. (2:14; 6:17, 22-23, 25) Through faith. (8-13) The striking lessons - just two. God's grace is available to all. (8-14; 6:17, 22, 25) We often do not, cannot see God's specific purposes ahead of time...

Theme: Accomplishing God's work requires leading and following. Leading. Take the initiative. (10) Lead according to God's Word. (10-13) Delegate leadership. (10-11) Following. Be committed to God's purposes for the whole group. (10-13) Be committed to obey those leading. (16) Be committed to bless those leading. (17) Be committed to accountability and discipline. (18)

Series The Venture and Victory of Faith in the book of Joshua. Joshua 1:1-9 God's call. Setting the scene. The charge. God's promise. The promise of possession. The promise of presence. The promise of power. Joshua's responsibility. Be strong and courageous. Be obedient to God's Word.

December 31, 2023 2 John 1:1-13 Theme: God's truth opens the door to true success. Being in the truth brings God's blessing. The truth. (2; see also John 8:32, 14:6, 17, 18:38; 2 Peter 1:12) The channel to God's blessing. (1,3) Living in the truth brings God's joy. The key test of living in the truth. (4-6; see also John 13:34-35, 15:9-10, 12, 17; 1 John 3:11, 4:7, 11) The wonderfu...

Christmas 2023

Luke 2:1-20 Theme: A Christ-honoring Christmas requires conquering circumstances. The original Christmas Mary's far from ideal circumstances - shattered dreams, strange surroundings, scant quarters, simple welcome. Mary's far from normal response - what we do not find, what we do find. Your Christmas, 2023 Your circumstances? Far from ideal? Your response?

Theme: A Christ-honoring Christmas requires a Christ-centered focus. Mary's Focus on God. Some examples of her inevitable and mounting distractions. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:29, 56; 2:1-5) Some examples of her process to manage the distractions. (Luke 1:29, 38, 46-56; 2:19) Some examples of God's provisions for the distractions. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-5) Your Focus on God. Expect distr...

Slow Down for Reflection Theme: A Christ-honoring Christmas requires calm consideration. Chaos Strikes. A surprise appearance. (26-30) A startling greeting. (28) A shocking message. (30-37) Chaos Stilled. A process of thorough thought. (29) An acceptance, and obedience to God. (38) A place and time of quietness and reflection. (39-40) Chaos For You This Christmas? Initiate your own process of thor...

Parable of the Ten Virgins Matthew 25:1-13 Theme: Indifference to God's grace is dangerous. A closer look at the parable's story. Some background on marriage celebrations at that time and place. Examining the parable's story. A closer look at the parable's meaning. Looking at the setting and subject. (chapters 24 & 25) The principle lessons. Some basic applications.

Luke 10:25-37 Theme: Believers demonstrate their faith by being good neighbors. Correcting some misconceptions. Being a good neighbor does not make one a Christian. (25-28) A good neighbor does not draw lines to exclude people. (29) Sharpening the focus. What a good neighbor looks like in action. (30-37) The necessity for Christians to be good neighbors. (27-28, 37).

God's Great Invitation Matthew 22:1-14 Theme: The chosen respond to God's gracious invitation. What is a parable? Jesus' message to Israel. God had repeatedly invited them. (2-4) They had repeatedly refused. (2-6) Judgment was coming. (7) God's invitation will go to others. (8-10) Jesus' message to all today. God's grace is great. (2-4) God provides the means of entrance. (...

John 20:1 - 21:25 Theme: The gospel is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes. Written so that you may believe the truth about Jesus Christ. Two essential facts to believe. (20:31) Essential evidence for the facts. (chapters 20 & 21) Written so that you may have life in Jesus Christ. What life? (20:31; 3:15-16; 17:3) The statements. (20:31; 3:15-16, 10:10, 11:25-26, 14:6; 1 Joh...

John 18:1 - 19:42 Theme: Your character determines your destiny. Judas, a self-centered taker. (18:2-3; See also Matthew 26:14-16, 47-50; 27:1-5) Annas and Caiphas, respectable religion. (18:12-27) Pilate, political expediency. (18:28 0 19:16) Peter, an unprepared believer. (18:10-10-11, 15-18, 25-27; see also Matthew 26:69-75)

John 17:1-26 Jesus prays for Himself. He prays for the glory of His mission being completed. (1, 4) He declares the essence of eternal life. (2-3) He prays for His eternal glory to be revealed. (3) Lessons for us: Jesus prays for His disciples. He recounts their nature and progress. (6-16) His specific requests. (11-19) Lessons for us: Jesus prays for all His disciples. His central focus: unity. (...

Theme: God prepares His people to withstand persecution. Persecution is certain. The reasons. (15:18-25; see also Matthew 5:10-12; Romans 1:18-32, 3:9-23, 8:7; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4; 2 Timothy 2:3, 9, 3:12; 1 Peter 1:6-9, 4:12) Some examples. (15:18-20; 16:2) Victory is certain. The preparation for victory. (15:19-20; 16:1, 4) The power for victory. (15:26-27). The promise of victory. (16:1)

Who to remember. God. (1, 3) Your God. (2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20) What and how to remember. Keep God's commandments. (1, 2, 6) Remember God's way of leading you. (1, 2-5, 7-9, 12-16, 18) Why to remember. Some dangers of not remembering. (14, 17, 19-20) Some blessings of remembering. (1, 3-4, 7-9, 12-13, 16)

Theme: God produces a bumper crop in healthy believers. God is the source of all real life and fruit. Jesus, the Vine. (1, 5) God the Father, the Vinedresser. (1-2) To be a healthy believer requires: Vital contact with God. (4-7) Loving contact with God. (9) Loving contact with others. (12-13, 17) The bumper crop God produces in a healthy believer. The fruit of effective prayer. (7, 16) The fruit...