Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Joshua 1
Set – Joshua 1; 1 Corinthians 3
Go! – Joshua 1-2; Psalms 37; 1 Corinthians 3
Joshua 1
1Moses served the Eternal One faithfully until the end of his days. After his death, the Eternal singled out Joshua, the son of Nun, who had walked at the right hand of Moses during the wilderness wanderings.Eternal One (to Joshua): 2 Since My servant Moses is now dead, you and the Israelites must prepare to cross over the Jordan River to enter the land I have given you. 3 I will give you every place you walk, wherever your feet touch, just as I promised Moses. 4 From the southern deserts to the northern mountains in Lebanon, from the great Euphrates River in the east—including all the land of the Hittites—to the great Mediterranean Sea in the west, all of it is yours. 5 No one will be able to oppose you for as long as you live. I will be with you just as I was with Moses, and I will never fail or abandon you.
6 So be strong and courageous, for you will lead this people as they acquire and then divide the land I promised to their ancestors. 7 Always be strong and courageous, and always live by all of the law I gave to my servant Moses, never turning from it—even ever so slightly—so that you may succeed wherever you go. 8 Let the words from the book of the law be always on your lips. Meditate on them day and night so that you may be careful to live by all that is written in it. If you do, as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success.
9 This is My command: be strong and courageous. Never be afraid or discouraged because I am your God, the Eternal One, and I will remain with you wherever you go.
10 When Joshua had heard God’s commands, he gathered the leaders of the people of Israel and gave them their instructions.
Joshua (to all the leaders): 11 Go through the camp and tell your people, “Gather whatever you need because in three days you will pass over the Jordan into the land the Eternal One, your God, has given you to possess. Soon it will be ours.”
12 Then Joshua spoke to the leaders of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh.
Joshua: 13 Remember what Moses, the servant of the Eternal, told you: “The Eternal One, your God, is making a place for you to settle and will give you this land as your own.”
14 Your wives, your children, and your livestock will stay on this side of the Jordan in this land that Moses awarded you. But all of you who can fight must lead your brothers in battle formation over the Jordan and help them 15 until the Eternal gives them rest from their enemies, as He has given rest to you. Fight with them until they, too, occupy the land your God, the Eternal One, is setting aside for them. Then you may cross the Jordan again and return to this land that Moses, His servant, has given you east of the Jordan and live here.
Leaders (agreeing): 16 We will do all you have commanded, and we will go wherever you send us. 17 We will follow your orders just as we obeyed Moses in all he told us. May the Eternal One, your God, be with you as He was with Moses. 18 Anybody who rebels against or disobeys your words—all you command—will be put to death. Always be strong and courageous!
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
After Moses died, I put Joshua in charge of leading the Israelites into the promised land. One of the most important things I told him was recorded in this first chapter of the book that bears his name. “Always be strong and courageous, and always live by all of the law I gave to my servant Moses, never turning from it—even ever so slightly—so that you may succeed wherever you go. Let the words from the book of the law be always on your lips. Meditate on them day and night so that you may be careful to live by all that is written in it. If you do, as you make your way through this world, you will prosper and always find success.”
Those are the words Moses gave the Israelites about any king they chose. Never be afraid, but meditate on My word to make them a part of you. When you consume My word until it consumes you, you will prosper and always find success. But you’ll also find that your prosperity will happen for Me, not for you. You’ll become generous in your care of the less fortunate. You’ll learn success isn’t measured in dollars and cents, but peace, comfort, souls you introduce to Me.
David talked about meditating on My word in his songs. Moses encouraged the Israelites to do so. Jesus resisted temptation in the wilderness by the use of scripture. Paul complimented the Berean’s for their searching the scriptures. He reminded Timothy to preach the word. My word must become a constant source of information for you. It is My guidebook for your life. I want you to read it and know it. The more you engage in My word, the more you will learn of Me and My plan for you.
I’m always surprised people think they can follow Me without reading My word. How do they know what I want if they don’t read about Me or what I’ve said to them? How can they know My commands if they’ve never read them? People will read the instructions to their TV but not the instructions for their life. It’s really amazing the priority people put on things. Don’t you think My word should become one of those top priorities? After all, it tells you how to live. How to be successful and proper. How to find eternal life. I’d think that rates better than a sitting on a shelf and only opened on Sunday. Don’t you?
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