Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. Joshua 1:8
In moments of transition, we always look for good advice from other people. If you move to a new town, you need to learn how to get around, where to buy things, and where you should not go past 10:00pm. We always look for guidance and security in times of instability.
Think about where the people were at when Joshua got this message from God. They were at the edge of going into the Promised Land. Their life was about to change as they moved into this whole new realm after wandering in the desert for 40 years. God knew that they would be uncertain and insecure, so He spoke to Joshua, encouraging him to read the Law and to meditate on it day and night. Their careful study of Scripture was given with a promise that if they obeyed and followed through with their end of the covenant, that God would give them success. In that moment of transition, they found their security in the very Word of God.
In this crazy, insecure, and unsettled world, the place that we find strength and success is through reading the Bible and applying it to our lives. Joshua knew this principle and was zealous for the people to follow and obey all the commandments. After receiving this message, he had a messenger run through their camp to say, "Get ready!" They had to align themselves after a series of missteps they had taken on the truth of God's word. We also have to do the same. We have to prepare ourselves to be surrounded by people who don't think or believe the same way we do. We have to be prepared for them to dismiss our ideas and beliefs as archaic. Some may even see you as intolerant for living according to the principles that we find in the Bible. But when we live this way, holding tightly to the Sword of the Spirit, God gives us success and abundance.
Now, don't send me emails after reading this that I am trying to promote the health and wealth gospel, or making a case if you give one dollar, God will bless you with thousands because that is not what I am trying to do here. The point is that God takes care of His people and makes our path straight when we trust in Him. Success isn't about your outside circumstances. Rather, success is a heart condition that knows our home is in heaven, and life with Christ is more precious than any earthly possession.
What do you think of when you hear the word meditate? For many of us, we think of a monk in a monastery, spending hours with legs crossed, saying "Ummm." Meditating on the Bible isn't clearing our mind and embracing the nothingness, but rather thinking about Scripture. Processing the truths that we find in the word of God and allowing them to sink deeply into your life. With that framework, how well are you doing at meditating on the truths of Scripture? Today, spend some time focusing your thoughts on God, not just reading to "check the box" on a list, but rather to be changed and transformed.
Read Joshua 1:1-9 (NLT)
After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.
“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
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