Bible League: Living His Word "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you."The words of our verse for today are words that God spoke to Joshua. Moses had died and Joshua was now the head of the people of Israel. In order to strengthen Joshua's resolve in his new capacity, God assured him that He would be with him just as He was with Moses. God had been with Moses through thick and thin and the same would now be true for Joshua. This meant, first of all, that God would help him to govern the nation of Israel. This was no small task. God described the Israelites as a "stiff-necked people" (Exodus 32:9) and Joshua surely knew he would face severe challenges in this regard. God's promise, however, was that no man would be able to stand against him and take his authority from him. Secondly, this meant that God would help him lead the people into battle against the Canaanites. This, too, was no small task. God knew the opposition was entrenched and fierce. That's why He led His people the long way to the Promised Land. He knew they needed time to get ready for battle (Exodus 13:17). God also promised never to leave Joshua or forsake him. Given the difficulties of Joshua's new position of authority, this was a comforting promise to receive. Joshua had taken control of the Israelites and was about to lead them into the most difficult period of their national history. With God's help Moses had successfully led the people out of Egypt and to this point in their journey and Joshua needed to know that God would help him as well. He needed to know that God would not abandon him when the going got tough. Perhaps you find yourself in Joshua's shoes today. You have been led by God to this point in life and you are about to take on the most difficult task you have ever faced. The people you lead may be rebellious, there may even be one that covets your position, and the opposition may be entrenched and fierce. If so, then take heart today, for the God of Joshua is your God too. He will be with you and He will not leave you or forsake you. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJeremiah 1, 2 Jeremiah 1 -- The Call of Jeremiah; Almond Rod and Boiling Pot NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Jeremiah 2 -- Judah Forsakes God NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading 2 Thessalonians 2 2 Thessalonians 2 -- Standing Firm in the Faith NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives.Insight God is interested in every part of our lives, not just the spiritual part. As we live by the Holy Spirit's power, we need to submit every aspect of our lives to God—emotional, physical, social, intellectual, vocational. Paul says that because we're saved, we should live like it! Challenge The Holy Spirit is the source of your new life, so keep in step with his leading. Don't let anything or anyone else determine your values and standards in any area of your life. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Job 35:10 God, my maker, who giveth songs in the night.Any man can sing in the day. When the cup is full, man draws inspiration from it. When wealth rolls in abundance around him, any man can praise the God who gives a plenteous harvest or sends home a loaded argosy. It is easy enough for an Aeolian harp to whisper music when the winds blow--the difficulty is for music to swell forth when no wind is stirring. It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but he is skilful who sings when there is not a ray of light to read by--who sings from his heart. No man can make a song in the night of himself; he may attempt it, but he will find that a song in the night must be divinely inspired. Let all things go well, I can weave songs, fashioning them wherever I go out of the flowers that grow upon my path; but put me in a desert, where no green thing grows, and wherewith shall I frame a hymn of praise to God? How shall a mortal man make a crown for the Lord where no jewels are? Let but this voice be clear, and this body full of health, and I can sing God's praise: silence my tongue, lay me upon the bed of languishing, and how shall I then chant God's high praises, unless he himself give me the song? No, it is not in man's power to sing when all is adverse, unless an altar-coal shall touch his lip. It was a divine song, which Habakkuk sang, when in the night he said, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Then, since our Maker gives songs in the night, let us wait upon him for the music. O thou chief musician, let us not remain songless because affliction is upon us, but tune thou our lips to the melody of thanksgiving. Daily Light on the Daily Path Philippians 2:1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,Job 14:1,2 "Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil. • "Like a flower he comes forth and withers. He also flees like a shadow and does not remain. Psalm 73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. John 14:16,26 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; • "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 2 Corinthians 1:3,4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, • who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 1 Thessalonians 4:14,17,18 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. • Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. • Therefore comfort one another with these words. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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