FEBRUARY 20, 2023

 “Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. It is about one life influencing another.” 

― John C. Maxwell

JOSHUA 1-3

7“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. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; 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. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(1:7-9)

LUKE 1:57-80

76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77to give his people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79to shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit^d ; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

JOURNAL 

Joshua becomes the leader of Israel after the death of Moses. He leads the Israelites into the promised land. Joshua will have many battles and many trying times but he succeeds in leading the people into the promised land and setting up the establishment of Jerusalem and God's kingdom. John is born and it is prophesied that he will prepare the way for Jesus. Such an amazing story and God's love and redemption through it all is clear. Even though the end is brutal for John as is Jesus for that matter. The fruit of their lives is what provides the direction and the basis for my own salvation. 

 One of the great things about reading the Bible through each year is that I pick up on things that I never saw or thought before. The overwhelming command for Joshua is to be strong and courageous but the verse then gives him the key to strength and courage....

Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go. 8This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.

Joshua will succeed when he leans on the word of God. He will succeed when he begins and ends his day with God's word.  Seeking it for direction, meditating on it and following it. While I've heard and read this my whole life for some reason today it is so clear. For God has a purpose for each of our lives and in order to fulfill that purpose we need courage and strength. The source of that comes day and night from his word. 

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

JOSHUA 1:5-6