2021 Meeting The Challenges Ahead

Jos 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

God offers Joshua and us a sure way to meet the challenges that are ahead. God’s will for Joshua and us is that we have good success. Nehemiah successful build the walls because God gave him good success. Joseph was called a successful man as a slave on his way into Egypt because God was with him. Moses led the people of Israel out of Egyptian bondage to the borders of the Promised Land because God was with him. In our text today, Joshua is told if he would keep the word of God in his heart, meditate on it day and night, putting in practice what he reads and do it, He would have good success. Standing on the banks of the Jordan river, in Moses’ shoes, leading an unruly people, God uses this moment to encourage Joshua. God places the emphases on this book of the Law. Joshua’s challenge is to keep it, meditate on it, to speak it and put it in to constant practice. Joshua was to make the word of God a pattern for his life.

It is interesting to note that no one have ever been given instructions this way before. Remember, God spoke to Abraham in an audible voice; Joseph received his revelation from God in a series of dream; God spoke to Moses audibly through a burning bush, yet Joshua standing to the threshold of a new beginning, had to receive his direction from the word of God, the book of the Law. Yet that’s exactly how we receive God’s directions today. Moses left Joshua the first five books of the Bible and it would be enough if he would make studying the Scriptures his constant practice. If we are to be successful 2021, with all its uncertainty, The word must be our constant practice.

1. Make the Word Your Constant Practice! Studying the word of God must be our constant practice. Bible study is hard work! Why study when answers are at our fingertips? Why Study when can read some else’s commentary? Why study when we can google it or ask siri? Only studying the word can get God’s truth deep in our minds and heart. We are called to meditate on God’s Word until plays like a tune in our heads. This constant practice leads to a Completed purpose.

2. Allow God’s Word to Complete Its Purpose. What is the purpose of keeping the word in our mind and in our mouth? So that we may observe to do according to all that written therein. By keeping the word in our mind and speaking out of our mouths, enables us to do what it says and apply it in our lives. Reading the bible allows us to accumulate knowledge but apply what we study and meditate on allows to complete God’s purpose of making us living epistles. The purpose is not complete until practice the word in our own experience.

3. Then Receive God’s Conditional Promise. Note the important four letter word, “then”. When we obey the word, then we will have good success. How do we do it? We do it through the constant practice of meditating on God’s word. Keeping it in our heart, our mind and our mouth, allowing God’ word to direct our paths. That agrees with what David said in Psalms one. “In his law mediate day and night”. True success in life and the new year is to stay in the word of God, until we find the will of God so that we can walk in the way of God. The word, the will, and the way of God leads to good success! Good success comes because of we find the will of God for our lives and acting on it. God has a great plan for your life, it is individual, personal and tailor made for you.