GOD’S WORD, NOT CONTRARY THOUGHT, IS TO BE OUR PRIORITY! But my brothers who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt with fear; yet I wholly followed the Lord my God. —Joshua 14:8 Jesus answered him, “It is written…” —Luke 4:4, 8, 12             Obedience brings blessing… disobedience brings disappointment and consequences.  Caleb, along with Joshua, brought favorable reports after reconnaissance of the land that the Lord already said He was giving to them.  The ten others brought back a discouraging report that impacted the whole nation to disobedience.  The people wanted to stone Joshua & Caleb for their encouraging words to go up and take…

BEWARE OF DECEIVERS! So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them. At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them. —Joshua 9:14-16             Those from Gibeon “answered Joshua, ‘Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of…

WHAT YOU TRULY TREASURE IS YOUR HEART’S FOCUS! The LORD said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, God of Israel,…

WALK THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR! For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over,  so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.” —Joshua 4:23-24  And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand… —Joshua 6:2 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given…

THE JOURNEY TO REVEALING “THAT PROPHET” After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord… —Joshua 1:1  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. —Joshua 1:3 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. —Joshua 1:5 “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. Keep this Book…

PREPARE OTHERS FOR WHEN YOU ARE GONE! Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the Lord had commanded Moses. —Deuteronomy 34:9             To whom are we imparting what our Lord has taught us so when we are no longer living, they will carry on in our Lord’s work?  Who can we trust to be faithful with the message we have to share with others? (II Timothy 2:2).             Moses had mentored and coached Joshua for some time.  He took the time and made the effort to intentionally spend…

CONFIDENT IN CHRIST! It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. —Deuteronomy 31:8 And the LORD commissioned Joshua the son of Nun…  —Deuteronomy 31:23 For I will proclaim the name of the LORD; ascribe greatness to our God!  The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. —Deuteronomy 32:3-4 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and…

NEEDED— RELIABLE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS! The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law. —Deuteronomy 29:29             There are some things our Lord has chosen not to reveal to us.  That is just the way it is and we are to trust Him for those things He has chosen not to reveal to us.  “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name“ (John 20:31).  God has given us all we…

BE FAITHFUL IN THIS DECLINING, SINFUL WORLD! If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God— the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. He will bring on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they will cling to you. The Lord will also bring on you every kind of sickness and disaster not recorded in this Book of the Law, until you are destroyed. —Deuteronomy 28:58-61             The nation of Israel was warned what would happen if they did not live according…

REJOICE! And you shall rejoice in all the good that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house… —Deuteronomy 26:11             Do you celebrate with joy for all the good our Lord God has given you and your house?  What do you rejoice in?  Rejoice in— The joy of children/family The food and clothing He has given you. The water and other fluids He has given you to drink. The shelter that you are living in. The lungs to breathe in air. The heart pumping continually without much thought from you. The marvelous systems in all your body. The years He has given you to live.…