This week I read the book of Joshua. I am going to tell you Joshua has always been one of my favorite people from the Bible and I have really enjoyed visiting him this week. I have felt like Joshua must have felt a few times in my life. I have even used his situation in reference. I have always been one of those "Just do it" people when I feel like what we are doing is right. Needless to say, especially at work, I have been told to slow down, we need to look at this a little closer first.
I am referring to the time that Moses sent 12 spies to scout out the land. This actually happened in Numbers 13 if you want to do a little refresher reading. The 12 spies came back and reported the land was everything you could ever dream of.....BUT, 10 of the spies said the people who lived there were also big and scary and we can't fight them. Joshua and Caleb tried to convince them otherwise but was not able to. Joshua knew God was on their side, he knew God would see them through this. But the 10 outnumbered Joshua and Caleb- the end result? 40 years of no progress, waiting in the wilderness. In Numbers 14, it says that Caleb and Joshua tore their clothes, which was a sign of major distress. You will also find that the 10 spies who caused all the dissension died of the plague. The only two who survived was Caleb and Joshua.
In the book of Joshua, we find Moses has died and who gets to lead the people FINALLY into the promised land? Joshua. God rewarded him for his faith, (and surely also for 40 years of patience) and Joshua got to step on that ground that had been promised him.
It didn't take long for the people to start turning away though, why do we do that? It seems like we can be a bunch of spoiled children who, when we don't get our way, go try to find something else to fulfill our needs, even though our God is perfect, and we know HIS way is the right one.
The verses I chose today come from Joshua 24, right before Joshua dies at 110 years old. God had told Joshua to go speak to all the people, God reminded them of everything He had done for them; bringing them out of Egypt, caring for them daily, even when they had turned away from Him, helping them defeat the people that we already in the promised land and then giving each of them part of that land as an inheritance.
Then Joshua says:
14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”
19 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
22 Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”
“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.
23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”
25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.
Wouldn't it be great if I could end this with, "and to this day, we all fear God and make him our one and only Savior". We have seen our own family members fade away from their relationship, I am sure we have all had our own times of feeling farther away from God even if we never completely turned our backs.
This week has been a crazy busy one for me, and I have to admit, Yesterday was the first day of 2017, I overslept so badly that I didn't get my Bible Study done. I prayed while getting ready but I knew this morning, I needed to get right back at it or I would ruin a habit I have had for years. That is the first step. So as badly as I wanted to sleep this morning, I got up and had my quiet time with my Lord. and it felt good.
I hope to encourage you that if you have the habit in place of spending time with your Lord and Savior, you keep on doing that, I know YOU know what I am talking about. There is just a peace and comfort in your day when you have started it with Him. If you have never gotten in that habit, I am encouraging you to start this week. You do not have to read a bunch, open your Bible and read one verse.I wholeheartedly believe this is the first step to living that Joshua life that says, "Let's go do this!"
Leaving you with Chris Tomlin's Whom Shall I Fear. Think this is a very Joshua song.
Have a great week!
I am referring to the time that Moses sent 12 spies to scout out the land. This actually happened in Numbers 13 if you want to do a little refresher reading. The 12 spies came back and reported the land was everything you could ever dream of.....BUT, 10 of the spies said the people who lived there were also big and scary and we can't fight them. Joshua and Caleb tried to convince them otherwise but was not able to. Joshua knew God was on their side, he knew God would see them through this. But the 10 outnumbered Joshua and Caleb- the end result? 40 years of no progress, waiting in the wilderness. In Numbers 14, it says that Caleb and Joshua tore their clothes, which was a sign of major distress. You will also find that the 10 spies who caused all the dissension died of the plague. The only two who survived was Caleb and Joshua.
In the book of Joshua, we find Moses has died and who gets to lead the people FINALLY into the promised land? Joshua. God rewarded him for his faith, (and surely also for 40 years of patience) and Joshua got to step on that ground that had been promised him.
It didn't take long for the people to start turning away though, why do we do that? It seems like we can be a bunch of spoiled children who, when we don't get our way, go try to find something else to fulfill our needs, even though our God is perfect, and we know HIS way is the right one.
The verses I chose today come from Joshua 24, right before Joshua dies at 110 years old. God had told Joshua to go speak to all the people, God reminded them of everything He had done for them; bringing them out of Egypt, caring for them daily, even when they had turned away from Him, helping them defeat the people that we already in the promised land and then giving each of them part of that land as an inheritance.
Then Joshua says:
14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”
19 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”
21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”
22 Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”
“Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.
23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”
24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”
25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws.
Wouldn't it be great if I could end this with, "and to this day, we all fear God and make him our one and only Savior". We have seen our own family members fade away from their relationship, I am sure we have all had our own times of feeling farther away from God even if we never completely turned our backs.
This week has been a crazy busy one for me, and I have to admit, Yesterday was the first day of 2017, I overslept so badly that I didn't get my Bible Study done. I prayed while getting ready but I knew this morning, I needed to get right back at it or I would ruin a habit I have had for years. That is the first step. So as badly as I wanted to sleep this morning, I got up and had my quiet time with my Lord. and it felt good.
I hope to encourage you that if you have the habit in place of spending time with your Lord and Savior, you keep on doing that, I know YOU know what I am talking about. There is just a peace and comfort in your day when you have started it with Him. If you have never gotten in that habit, I am encouraging you to start this week. You do not have to read a bunch, open your Bible and read one verse.I wholeheartedly believe this is the first step to living that Joshua life that says, "Let's go do this!"
Leaving you with Chris Tomlin's Whom Shall I Fear. Think this is a very Joshua song.
Have a great week!
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