If there’s one constant in life, it’s simply that life moves on. Regardless of your situation, the state of the world or what you think of either, life moves forward at an unabashed pace that at times, can just drag you along. This Covid virus has been just that example, our lives changing and evolving before our very eyes so quickly, so drastically and so radically that your lucky to just hold on tight enough for the ride. Life is constantly changing, evolving, and earnestly pulling ahead regardless of our feelings, emotions or desires. Hold on and keep your hands inside the car at all times, life is a fast ride.
Speaking of life moving along, today we see a major change of leadership for God’s people. It’s always a special day when I have the privilege of starting a new book in God’s Word, especially in the O.T. when the books can have upwards of 40 chapters. Today we see chapter one of Joshua. Joshua had been the assistant of Moses for 40 years so I guess you could say that he had plenty of O.T.J. (on the job training.) In fact, if you look at a comparison of the life of Joshua versus the life of Moses, they have a few interesting parallels. Moses was called by God at 80 years old to free the Israelites and today He calls Joshua at 80 years old to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Moses served God until 120 and Joshua will serve God until 110. So, the message here is that for you folks, nearing 80 years old, watch out, God can still call you!
The book of Joshua is one of conflict, conquest, war, battles and great death and destruction. You see, God had always intended this land for His people but in the meantime other people groups had taken the land. People groups that denied Almighty God, worshiped false Gods and idols and served their own flesh in all manner and styles of sexual immorality, child sacrifice and outright sinful debauchery. God had given them over 400 years to repent, yet they refused, staunchly adhering to their own fleshly desires over the commands of God. Because of this God knows that as His people claim the land He has for them, they will be polluted by these sinful tribes. God commands that these peoples be wiped from the face of the Earth, man woman and child. It sounds beyond violent, but folks, for those that reject God, eternal death is no different. There are people dying all around us today that if they don’t have Jesus as their Savior will spend their eternity separated from the love and peace of God. It’s a harsh reality of life, what you do with Jesus has an impact that most of this world doesn’t fully comprehend.
Joshua chapter one contains one of my favorite passages. Since Moses is now dead, God proceeds to speak directly with Joshua. And as He begins to speak it is a speech of epic proportions. Encouragement, advice, wisdom, motivation, peace and careful instruction, they're all here. And in a real ground-breaking moment, for the first time in God’s Word, God can instruct someone to study, meditate and do what His Word says. Why is this ground breaking? Well, think about it, before this moment, God’s Word in written form did not exist. Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible as He walked with God and Moses just died 30 days ago. It’s almost like Joshua got Moses’ personal journal of walking with God for the last 40 years and what he really had was the very first copy of the Pentateuch. Amazing, talk about hot off the press. Let’s take a look at God commissioning Joshua.
“No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:5-9
What an amazing, amazing passage. Can you imagine God speaking these words directly over you? Well, the truly amazing thing is that if you’re a child of Jesus Christ, HE IS! God’s Word if just that, God’s Words to you. Directly to you and to you today. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, whatever you may be enduring, God is speaking these words directly to you. Let’s look at a few highlights that God has to say to you.
1) “Be strong and courageous.” God doesn’t just tell Joshua this once but a whopping three times! Three times in only four verses. This is very important, God wants us to know this. No matter what you may be currently facing, be strong and have courage. No matter what enemy you are facing, be strong and have great courage. No matter what impossible obstacles lie in your immediate path, be strong and courageous. And just exactly how do you garner this great strength and courage? You don’t, God does it all. You see the strength and courage of the Lord lives within us, we simply need let it manifest. God’s message here is clear, you can be strong and courageous because I am the one fighting for you. God’s strength and courage will flow through you and into the problems and enemies you encounter. One word makes this happen….faith.
2) “so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” There are no sweeter words from our Heavenly Father. These words are easy and simple yet carry a truth that should send chills up your spine as you read them. As you call upon Jesus Christ to be your Savior, you claim Him for life. God will be with you forever, for all time. He will never leave you or forsake you. There is nothing you can do, say or think that can ever separate you from the love and care of Jesus. Folks, if the world today is beating you up, this is something you can immediately fall back onto for comfort. The God of the universe and your personal creator has made you a promise directly from His mouth, “I will not leave you or forsake you.”
3) “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” Folks, if I gave you an extremely difficult puzzle to assemble and it had a 240 step assembly guide, what would you do with the guide I gave you? Would you toss it aside and proceed to try to assemble the puzzle on your own? If you did, imagine the frustration, headache and work you would cause yourself. Would you out of haste, only reach for those instructions as you hit dead ends, so angry with the puzzle that you were ready to pull your hair out? Why didn’t you reach for those instructions quicker? Folks, the puzzle is life and the instructions are God’s Word. There is no more complicated puzzle that we will ever deal with than the life that God has given us. But all that we need to know is within His guidebook, the question is, are you trying the puzzle on your own or are you using the guidebook? God is crystal clear here with Joshua. What you need is in the power of my Word, use it, meditate on it, study it, memorize it, and most importantly do it. As a result, your way will be made prosperous and you will have great success. Folks, I don’t know about you, but I like that promise from God.
Today, claim these promises of God. In order to do so though, you must be one of His children. If you have never called upon Jesus Christ to save you from the sins that separate you from God, you can do so. It is free, it is instant, and it will change your life in the blink of an eye. I pray today that if you don’t know the peace, love and comfort of Jesus Christ that you will cry out to Him today. He is waiting. As a result of His saving grace, these promises will ring true in your life. Do not be afraid, do not fear, do not be anxious. But instead, be strong and courageous as you rest in the almighty, endless power of God. Rest in the confidence that no matter where you may go or what you may do, the Lord will be with you. And finally, know that God gave us the miracle of His Word to guide us, instruct us, and ensure us success and prosperity when we conduct our lives by it.
Praise God for His Promises.
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