Thursday, September 17, 2020
Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to
all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the
right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. 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. Joshua 1:7-8
God's Work, God's Way, in God's Power
We have all seen it far too often. When we attempt to perform the works of God in our own power, we can easily find ourselves consumed with spiritual pride, but doing the work of God in the power of God will glorify God. The beginning of courage is the deep understanding that we are doing God's work - in God's power.
When stepping out to accomplish a great work for God. we need to prayerfully and carefully determine that this is His will. Fear may often be the result of not truly discerning whether or not we are doing God's will. Fear, in this instance, may be of God and not of our weakness. Next, we must remember that to do the right thing in the wrong way is to do the wrong thing. Our courage and confidence increases as we do God's work, in God's way, and in God's power.
To KNOW the will of God is man's
highest knowledge.
Discovering God's method, or plan, requires prayer and time with
God. But just to know what God wants
done is not enough. God reveals Himself
and brings glory to Himself in the WAY that He does things. Satan loves to confuse our message by
infiltrating our method. It is just as
important to know God's method as it is God's purpose. God's message will never change, but God's
method's do. We lose relevance with the world, and they will ignore us if we cling to methods that are outdated. Many churches have lost
their relevance because they have been unwilling to change their method. While they understand the message, it remains
clouded to the world around them. God's
method will never contradict His Word. So, He commands us to meditate upon
it. It is always relevant.
Proper Meditation is:
- The Word of God, not the
writings of men.
- Performed day and night, not
spasmodically.
- Receiving
God's blessing requires obedience.
To DO the will of God is man's greatest task. We may test the value of our meditation by the
obedience that results. God's Word will
bear fruit. Prosperity and victory are
the results of TOTAL OBEDIENCE. "be careful to do according to all the law" says that God's will is not a cafeteria line.
The courage of the Christian increases as he finds confidence in God's method as much as God's message. Pray for your church leadership, especially this year. This is the hardest task for the staff of any church, to discern the method of attack that will create confidence in the people. Many a church today has been stilled because they refuse to be courageous in their method, and now confidence and courage among God's people is needed more than ever.
They answered Joshua, saying, All that you have commanded us we
will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all
things, so we will obey you; only may the LORD
your God be with you as He was
with Moses. Joshua 1:16-17
