"So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God. For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the Lord your God has given you." -Joshua 23.11-13
Joshua's final instructions have begun with the most vital thing for Israel to do. They must continue to hold firmly to God and follow Him. Here he warns them of what will happen if they fail to do that. If they choose to abandon God by intermarrying with the pagan nations that are left, associating with their sinful worship, then God will not be with them. IF they turn their back on God, He will let them go.
God has blessed the people and been with them. He has given them His standards to live by, and as long as they are faithful to Him, He will continue to be with them and protect them. But at the same time, He is not forcing them to be His people. They have the ability to choose and when they choose Him, they receive all of the blessings that He offers. If they decide they no longer want to follow Him they have that choice, but in choosing that they forfeit His blessings.
The idea here is that you receive what you choose. If the people continue to choose to devote their lives to God they will receive His goodness. If they choose to pursue the pagan nations of the land, they will find the destruction that lifestyle brings. Where you invest yourself determines the outcome. Investing in God brings His presence and blessings. Investing in anything else brings about suffering.
Men, where are you investing? Are you pouring yourself intentionally into God, being diligent to love Him, obey Him, and follow Him? Or are you investing in the things of the world? Are you seeking to gratify your own, fleshly, desires? What are you living for? Who are you serving? Who/what do you love? We choose if our investments become a snare or the source of life.
Let us be diligent in our love of God. Let us invest ourselves in things that bring life.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Showing posts with label Joshua 23. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joshua 23. Show all posts
Friday, February 6, 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Final Instructions
"Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you will not associate with these nations, these which remain among you, or mention the name of their gods, or make anyone swear by them, or serve them, or bow down to them. But you are to cling to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day." -Joshua 23.6-8
Joshua is old and is preparing his final words for Israel. When Moses delivered a similar message Israel was preparing to enter the end and take it. Now they have possession of the land and rest from war. But even though their circumstances have drastically changed for the better, Joshua gives a very similar introduction as Moses did.
Joshua tells the people to be firm and do all that the law says. They are not to turn aside from it, or associate with the nations that still remain in the land. They are to continue to cling to God as they have. Joshua does not want the people to wander from God. As another leader is preparing to step out of leadership he is passing on the most vital instructions he has.
Men, what instructions have you passed on? What sort of example are you setting so that when the time comes to pass on instructions people will heed them? Joshua had set an example for the people of obedience to God, just as Moses had, and he is instruction them to follow that example after he is gone.
The most important thing is faithfulness and obedience to God. This is the emphasis of Joshua's final instructions.
Let us live in a way that permits us to give final instructions. Let us offer final instructions that give the most vital information.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
Joshua is old and is preparing his final words for Israel. When Moses delivered a similar message Israel was preparing to enter the end and take it. Now they have possession of the land and rest from war. But even though their circumstances have drastically changed for the better, Joshua gives a very similar introduction as Moses did.
Joshua tells the people to be firm and do all that the law says. They are not to turn aside from it, or associate with the nations that still remain in the land. They are to continue to cling to God as they have. Joshua does not want the people to wander from God. As another leader is preparing to step out of leadership he is passing on the most vital instructions he has.
Men, what instructions have you passed on? What sort of example are you setting so that when the time comes to pass on instructions people will heed them? Joshua had set an example for the people of obedience to God, just as Moses had, and he is instruction them to follow that example after he is gone.
The most important thing is faithfulness and obedience to God. This is the emphasis of Joshua's final instructions.
Let us live in a way that permits us to give final instructions. Let us offer final instructions that give the most vital information.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
To God alone be the Glory!
Strength and Honor
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