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| Josh. 1:8-9 |
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Lesson # Josh. 1:8-9 Study Material - Josh. 1:8-9 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Josh. 1:8-9 8 This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.' Joshua has been given a high commission, and appointment of high office. He has been given power and authority over a nation of huge numbers of peoples who have no home at the moment. Joshua has been given the charge to cross the Jordan River and take the land from its present occupants. Joshua was not given freedom to do as he pleased. Too many national leaders take their offices and forget, if they ever knew them, their responsibilities to their nation and the principles of government as laid down in the Bible. Too often political agendas take precedence over what is right, and liberal attitudes and very flexible beliefs squeeze out privileges for certain constituents at the expense of the masses who find themselves unrepresented in government. Too many times in history the peoples become slaves to the people they place in power, or power is taken by force by people with selfishly wicked motives. Verses 8 and 9 give us the guidelines which God lays down for all political leaders, as well as each of us individually in our daily lives. First, it is not enough to hear and read the Bible, to commend and admire it, to know and remember it, to talk and discourse of it, but we must do it. And therein is the first and fundamental failure of most believers. They read the Bible and that is as far as it goes. They never learn what they read. They are not in fellowship and therefore the scriptures they read never make it through their human spirit and into their soul as spiritual nutrition. So they might have academic knowledge, but they possess no spiritual wisdom, and therefore have no ability to apply it to any situation in life. And the applications they do make are inevitably tainted with bias or prejudice toward some selfish preference Secondly, Joshua must do according to what was written, exactly observing the law as his copy, and doing, not only that which was then required, but in all circumstances according to the appointment. We too havbe our responsibility and our doctrine of our day. Joshua had the Law of Moses and the Levitical offerings and observances. Today we do not have those specific observances and rituals. They have been abrogated by Jesus Christ. But we do have the principles which they represented. The principles of salvation and faith in the savior who is the Son of God. The principles of fellowship and sin confession for living the life in Gods power and the sphere of spiritual growth. The principles of applying Gods word to our daily lives for bettering our understanding and advancing our spiritual lives even more. Third, Joshua must do according to all that was written, without exception or reserve, having a respect to all God's commandments, even those which are displeasing or seemingly boring. We have our charge to study daily the entire content of scripture, not just the neat and cool things like battles, to Christ's speeches, or whatever you might like at the moment. We have to endure the repetition of the things being taught. If you become bored, then you have not learned the principles being taught. Though we study one given thing on different occasions, we cover different aspects and principles of doctrine even from the same passage. The Bible is meant to teach us principles of life, by example, by illustration, by parallel. Even though Joshua is being addressed, we too are being addressed and taught what our path should be. We are not given options in many cases. Prayer is addressed to the Father and no one else. On this principle God is very strict. If we choose to define our own rules and decide to pray to Mary, or to some person that history had given the title of saint, or to Jesus even, or to the moon, or to the bear or fish, then we are out of line and disobedient to Gods will. On the other hand some rules are flexible, like loving one another, which means being tolerant of others despite their ridiculous quirks. Not everyone is as advanced as you are!!! And I know that everyone reading this is virtually a spiritual giant. Right??? Hummm. Well 'wanna be's' anyway. Fourth, Joshua must observe to do so, observe the checks of conscience, the hints of providence, and all the advantages of opportunity. Careful observance is necessary to universal obedience. We must learn doctrine to be alert and prepared for events that might unfold suddenly or even subtly in our lives. Believers in fellowship have a unique alertness about them. Ever aware of their world about them and therefore able to cope with and adapt to changing situations. Fifth, Joshua must not turn from doctrine, either in his own practice or in any act of government, to the right hand or to the left, for there are errors on both hands, and virtue is in the middle. Doctrine must be always on your mind and your counsel for direction in your life. Listening to your lusts or impatience's only leaves you in a losing posture. Never let others dictate your life for you. Never react to the actions or verbal abuses of others. Let them destroy their lives by their own choosing, but do not let others turn you from doctrine and onto the same path of doom they have chosen. Do what is right. Do not follow public sentiment or peer pressure especially when that public opinion is clearly wrong or simply an expedient for some superficial and unfair end. Sixth, Joshua must be strong and courageous, that he might do according to the law. So many discouragements there are in the way of duty that those who will proceed and persevere in it must put on resolution. Doctrine provides courage, true courage. Doctrine gives you the inner strength to stand up against the public pressures, or social pressures you may encounter in life. So you do not go to the right churches, or belong to the right clubs, or drive the right vehicles, or live in the right neighborhood. Your environment in this world is not ever an issue and should not be allowed to guide your decisions. Keeping up with the neighbors is a losing battle. Last, to encourage Joshua in his obedience, God assures him that then he will do wisely and make his life a prosperous one. God is always with us when we maintain our fellowship status. In fellowship we have His power at our disposal. Though we do not command mountains to fall, we do have His guidance and blessings, and that extra edge in life that all others can only hope to gain. God commands throughout the scriptures for us to be strong and courageous. This can only come from a consistent program of spiritual growth. True courage comes only from a spiritual life. A spiritual life comes only from learning Bible doctrine. 
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
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