March 28, 2012 … Say It Again, Josh!

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Joshua, Chapters 22-24 … To study these chapters, go to this link -

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Joshua 1: 1-9… To study these chapters, go to this link -

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Highlight Reference Passage : Joshua 22: 4-5 … 4 Now that the LORD your God has given them rest as He promised, return to your homes in the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
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Highlight Reference Passage #2 : Joshua 23: 6-8 … 6 “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. 7 Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. 8 But you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have until now.
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Highlight Reference Passage #3 : Joshua 24: 14-15 … 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.”

My Journal for Today: Today in my chronological reading plan, we’re closing out on the Book of Joshua – the last three chapters. And in reading and meditating through them, a theme resounded out of redundancy from words God gave Joshua right back in the first nine verses of Joshua’s book.

Remember God’s pep talk to Joshua in Joshua 1: 1-9, as the LORD was encouraging the leader of God’s chosen just before they were to cross the Jordan and enter the promised-land? If you don’t recall those words, I’ve provided a link to that passage above. But when you study that directive of encouragement from the Lord, you will read many of the same words/thoughts which Joshua used to commission and encourage the people to move forward in their lives after they had taken the promised-land.

Meditate on the three highlight passages I’ve copied for you above; and you’ll see how Joshua mirrored the instructions God had given to him before the land was taken. And when you study Joshua’s charge to the people, you realize that this is God’s bottom-line charge to all of us, just as it was (and IS) Jesus’ bottom-line instruction for us as we live in God’s promises today.

And isn’t it wonderful symmetry that Joshua’s name in Hebrew is “Yeshua,” which, of course, is the translated Hebrew name for “Jesus.” And here they both are giving us the same choices as we cross over the Jordan river of our lives, and in repentance, leaving behind the old life, we live in the promised-land which the LORD has for us.

Joshua laid it out very clearly for the people [in Joshua 22: 5] … “…be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses, the servant of the LORD, gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to keep his commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” And then old Joshua, just before he died, told the people ever so clearly where he stood; and we quote him from one of the most oft-quoted passages in Joshua’s memoirs, … [written in Joshua 24: 15] "… choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, … But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

And that, my dear one and fellow follower of the LORD, it is our choice as well this day. Whom will we serve? And my friend … as for me, I choose to follow Joshua … Yeshua … Jesus!

My Prayer Today: … LORD, I follow You!!! Amen

2010 – Mar. 20 – Godly Leadership

Study from God’s Word…Judges, Chapter 8 and 9 … Passage for Reflection: Judges 8: 23 … NIV 23 But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you."

My Journal for Today: The premise of Dr. Smith’s journal entry from his devotional for today is worthy to state, up front, as the highlight truth from my study of Judges 8 & 9 today. He writes: Unless I’m willing to let God be king of my own world, how can I possibly be king of any other world?”

And therein lies the story of Gideon, who was offered, by God’s people, the opportunity to become their king, especially since he had led the people to be freed from the control of the Midianites. However, Gideon realized and recognized Who the real KING was and who had really led them to victory in his day. He knew that the Lord was their deliverer; and so, he exhorted the people to recognize this truth as well and to make God their king.

Can you imagine some of our political leaders today being willing to recognize and transfer their power over to the One who really deserves it, … God? No, unfortunately when some get a taste of leadership control today, they become addicted to the power very quickly. How many of our elected leaders do you see recognizing God’s anointing and His part in their positions of leadership? It just doesn’t happen; does it? When today’s leaders, in whatever sphere of life you may recognize, get a position of control, they want to keep it and to develop as much power as they can so that they can exercise as much control as they can.

Who today would live by the teachings of the King of kings Who taught and modeled “servant leadership?” Gideon, in the biblical times which I’m studying now, recognized exactly on Whom the leadership of God’s people should rest; but unfortunately, just as today, the people seek leaders who will take the reigns of leadership; and one who will take their own individual responsibilities for leadership, copping out to “the king.”

I hope we all recognize that in certain aspects of our lives, each of us needs to be the “servant leader,” stretching ourselves to exercise our personal control over that God-anointed part of our life. We cannot, and should not, turn over all control and responsibility for leadership to the CEOs, the politicians, and/or the worldly leaders who would gladly desire to control our lives. When God calls us to lead in certain areas of life, we need to lead; and then, God will give us, as He did for Gideon, what it takes to get God’s job done for His glory. And so, let us learn and lead as God so designates. And when we do, He will get the glory.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, if You call me to lead, I will lead. If I am to follow, I will follow. Amen