Joshua 1

"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 do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful."
Joshua 1:8

Moses had been God's Old Testament people's leader for forty years.  Moses had now died, and Joshua was to be the new leader of God's people.  God's people were finally ready to cross the Jordan River and to enter the new land that God had promised them.

At his point in time God made a promise to Joshua in Joshua 1:5.  God said, "No one will be able to stand up 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."  God promised Joshua that He would always be with him each step of his life.  This might not necessarily be success in the way the world would define success, but Joshua would experience the bountiful blessings of the Lord's presence in his life. Everything in Joshua's future wasn't perfectly laid out and made clear to him, but Joshua was assured that he simply had to trust and follow the Lord.  The Lord would always be with Joshua, and the Lord would give Joshua His protection and love.

The Lord promises to always be with His children today also.  The Lord promises to never forsake His children.  He will always be there to guide and direct His children.  We simply need to follow Him in trust and obedience.  We need to fear nothing in this life, because the great and powerful God of the universe is our God!  God said to Joshua in Joshua 1:6a and He says to us today, "Be strong and courageous."

As children of God we have the assurance of the Lord's blessing on our lives, if we stay in the center of His will.  The best way that we can stay in the center of God's will is by immersing ourselves in God's Word.  We need to read God's Word, study God's Word, and meditate on God's Word.  Then we need to apply God's Word to the specific areas of our lives.  When we read and meditate on God's Word we need to individually ask ourselves three questions: What does this Scripture passage teach concerning God's perfect will for my life?  Where and how do I not measure up to God's standard for holiness in specific areas of my life?  What are the definite steps of action I need to undertake to be a more obedient and holy child of God?

God told Joshua and He tells His children today that we must be careful to heed and obey God's Word.  In Joshua 1:7b-8 God says, "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 do everything written in it.  Then you will be prosperous and successful."

God's success and blessings in our lives does not include the lack of obstacles in our lives.  God has promised that His children will face some trials and difficulties, but God will bring good things out of even the deep trials of life.  Through these times we grow in our love and dependence on the Lord. Hence, God's children are commanded to walk unafraid through life, because the Lord is on their side.  God said to to Joshua in Joshua chapter 1:29 and He says to His children today, "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."