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"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them"- Joshua 1:6
This wasn't the first time that Joshua had heard these words. These are the same words that Moses spoke to Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:7-8. These are the words that Moses spoke to pass his leadership of Israel over to Joshua. Clearly God wants to make sure Joshua understands just how big and important his new job is. He makes sure that Joshua understands that his is the call to fulfill one of the big promises God had made to His people. A promise that had been made about 500 years before Joshua's lifetime: The covenant that God had made with Abraham. Joshua was the man chosen to make that promise a reality, and it wasn't going to be easy.
Thankfully, God speaks these same words to us. He knows that He needs to constantly reassure us of this because He has given each of us a big job to do: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This isn't some little assignment. It isn't an easy assignment. WE need to be strong and courageous. He has called each of us to lead His people to the land He has promised they will inherit- Heaven. "All nations" is a lot of people and not all of them will joyfully receive God's message of salvation, so be Strong and Courageous!
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to obey everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.- Joshua 1:7-8
Why did Joshua need to be strong and courageous to obey God's law and meditate on it day and night? Wouldn't it make sense that as the leader of God's chosen people he would just do this as a matter of course? The answer is "Yes", but there were also going to be a lot of temptations and distractions for Joshua and the people once they entered Canaan. It would seem like it wouldn't take a lot of courage for Joshua and the Israelites to stay faithful to God, but as history would prove once again, God knew exactly what He was doing and talking about. The Israelites would continue to struggle with faithfully honoring God their entire existence, just as they had while wandering in the wilderness. Sadly, Abraham's descendants still struggle with this command. They don't believe the Scriptures so they continue to reject the Messiah- Jesus.
What about you? How well do you honor these commands that God gave to Joshua? They're pretty simple commands really: Study God's Word everyday, talk about it, and obey everything that is says. This is God's success formula that He has graciously shared with us. He promises that when we do these three things we will be "prosperous and successful". This isn't a commercial exchange between God and us. He isn't saying, "If you do what I say, I will give you everything you want."
God is revealing one of the "natural laws" that He has put in place to govern our world. When we study His Word daily and obey what it says, we will be blessed as a result. This doesn't mean we will be given material success and prosperity, although He may choose to bless you that way. It does mean that we will be blessed spiritually. By honoring this command, our faith will grow stronger every day and we will have the assurance of the greatest blessing He has ever given- Eternal Life in heaven through Jesus!
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."- Joshua 1:9
God says it one more time; assuring Joshua that the One true God, the triune God, will be with him. He doesn't have to be terrified of the giants that live in the land. He doesn't have to be terrified of the cities with high walls and strong defenses. He doesn't have to be afraid of anything that scared the 10 unfaithful spies 40 years earlier. God is with him. Joshua is up to this call because God will be with him wherever he goes. What a promise! What encouragement! What wondrous love!
What an awesome God we have! This promise didn't die with Joshua. Everyone of us has this same promise. The Lord God will be with you wherever you go! You don't have to be terrified of anything. You don't have to be defeated by discouragement. God is with you. He will defeat all of your enemies for you. This is the promise that lead Paul to write, "I can do anything through Him who gives me strength." Praise the Lord!
And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them"- Joshua 1:6
This wasn't the first time that Joshua had heard these words. These are the same words that Moses spoke to Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:7-8. These are the words that Moses spoke to pass his leadership of Israel over to Joshua. Clearly God wants to make sure Joshua understands just how big and important his new job is. He makes sure that Joshua understands that his is the call to fulfill one of the big promises God had made to His people. A promise that had been made about 500 years before Joshua's lifetime: The covenant that God had made with Abraham. Joshua was the man chosen to make that promise a reality, and it wasn't going to be easy.
Thankfully, God speaks these same words to us. He knows that He needs to constantly reassure us of this because He has given each of us a big job to do: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." This isn't some little assignment. It isn't an easy assignment. WE need to be strong and courageous. He has called each of us to lead His people to the land He has promised they will inherit- Heaven. "All nations" is a lot of people and not all of them will joyfully receive God's message of salvation, so be Strong and Courageous!
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to obey everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.- Joshua 1:7-8
Why did Joshua need to be strong and courageous to obey God's law and meditate on it day and night? Wouldn't it make sense that as the leader of God's chosen people he would just do this as a matter of course? The answer is "Yes", but there were also going to be a lot of temptations and distractions for Joshua and the people once they entered Canaan. It would seem like it wouldn't take a lot of courage for Joshua and the Israelites to stay faithful to God, but as history would prove once again, God knew exactly what He was doing and talking about. The Israelites would continue to struggle with faithfully honoring God their entire existence, just as they had while wandering in the wilderness. Sadly, Abraham's descendants still struggle with this command. They don't believe the Scriptures so they continue to reject the Messiah- Jesus.
What about you? How well do you honor these commands that God gave to Joshua? They're pretty simple commands really: Study God's Word everyday, talk about it, and obey everything that is says. This is God's success formula that He has graciously shared with us. He promises that when we do these three things we will be "prosperous and successful". This isn't a commercial exchange between God and us. He isn't saying, "If you do what I say, I will give you everything you want."
God is revealing one of the "natural laws" that He has put in place to govern our world. When we study His Word daily and obey what it says, we will be blessed as a result. This doesn't mean we will be given material success and prosperity, although He may choose to bless you that way. It does mean that we will be blessed spiritually. By honoring this command, our faith will grow stronger every day and we will have the assurance of the greatest blessing He has ever given- Eternal Life in heaven through Jesus!
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."- Joshua 1:9
God says it one more time; assuring Joshua that the One true God, the triune God, will be with him. He doesn't have to be terrified of the giants that live in the land. He doesn't have to be terrified of the cities with high walls and strong defenses. He doesn't have to be afraid of anything that scared the 10 unfaithful spies 40 years earlier. God is with him. Joshua is up to this call because God will be with him wherever he goes. What a promise! What encouragement! What wondrous love!
What an awesome God we have! This promise didn't die with Joshua. Everyone of us has this same promise. The Lord God will be with you wherever you go! You don't have to be terrified of anything. You don't have to be defeated by discouragement. God is with you. He will defeat all of your enemies for you. This is the promise that lead Paul to write, "I can do anything through Him who gives me strength." Praise the Lord!
And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
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