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. Joshua 1:8.
If men will walk in the path that God has marked out for them, they will have a counselor whose wisdom is far above any human wisdom. Joshua was a wise general because God was his guide. The first sword that Joshua used was the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God….It was because the strongest influences were to be brought to bear against his principles of righteousness that the Lord in mercy charged him not to turn to the right hand or to the left. He was to follow a course of strictest integrity…. If there had been no peril before Joshua, God would not over and over again have charged him to be of good courage. But amid all his cares, Joshua had his God to guide Him.There is no greater deception than for man to suppose that in any difficulty he can find a better guide than God, a wiser counselor in any emergency, a stronger defense under any circumstance….The Lord has a great work to be done in our world. To every man He has given His work for man to do. But man is not to make man his guide, lest he be led astray; this is always unsafe. While Bible religion embodies the principles of activity in service, at the same time there is the necessity of asking for wisdom daily from the Source of all wisdom. What was Joshua’s victory? Thou shalt meditate upon the Word of God day and night. The word of the Lord came to Joshua just before he passed over Jordan…. This was the secret of Joshua’s victory. He made God his Guide.
Those holding the positions of counselors should be unselfish men, men of faith, men of prayer, men that will not dare to rely upon their own human wisdom, but will seek earnestly for light and intelligence as to what is the best manner of conducting their business. Joshua, the commander of Israel, searched the books diligently in which Moses had faithfully chronicled the directions given by God,—His requirements, reproofs, and restrictions,—lest he should move unadvisedly.
Conflict and Courage p. 116
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Prayer Requests
—–We are having a lot of spiritual battles in our house. Please pray that God will protect us and show us what is causing the devil to get in. M
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Dear Friends,
One time, when we were traveling, Ronnie Jay wanted to stop to eat at Subway. A young couple, wanting to order, stepped up from another direction slightly after we did. They squeezed us out, however, and went before us. Ron had no problem with their going first, but for some reason, I did and grumbled rather loudly over their impoliteness. Ron, a little surprised at my childish behavior, helped me to see that I was not acting right. I certainly was not representing the meek and lowly Jesus.
How often I have seen little children want the same toy or chair and say “mine!” Here I was, an old woman, feeling like a kindergartener and wanting to say, “my place in line.” Yet I knew that at that moment I would have squeezed ahead of them if I had had the chance. How often we accuse others of doing that which we, ourselves, are doing or of having an attitude that we, ourselves, are having. Dear Jesus warns us, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye, and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” “Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again, and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you, good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Matt 7:1-5, Luke 6:35-38
How often we grasp onto what we feel is ours, instead of sharing unselfishly as our Loving Redeemer would. It only takes an instant to let self slip back upon the throne of our heart, only a moment to lose sight of our Precious Saviour. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Rom 724,25 Paul bids us, “be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit.” 1 Thes 5:14-19 Moment by moment, we need that experience he speaks about when he says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20
May we ever stay so close to our Dear Saviour that self will not gain the mastery. May we “follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” 1 Tim 6:11,12 May we continually keep our focus upon Him, Who “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14
Rose