“THIS BOOK!”

Joshua 1:8-9                                            (ESV)

“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 good success.

9 Have I not commanded you? Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS. Do not be FRIGHTENED, and do not be dismayed, for THE LORD YOUR GOD is with you wherever you go."”

It can be easy to offer advice and give direction when we don’t have any “skin in the game”.  But whenever we have a friend or loved one who is in a life and death situation, being able to SEE clearly is not as easy!  I’ve always said, you can hurt me and it may be overlooked, but hurt my wife or my kids (GRANDKIDS!) and a new story has developed!  There is something about the ones that we love being hurt where we think we can protect them.  But ultimately, we are NOT IN CONTROL, GOD ALMIGHTY IS!

Many of you know that yesterday I celebrated my 59th birthday.  One would think that someone who is almost 60 years old would have enough maturity about themselves to not allow “the enemy” to infiltrate their business.  “THIS BOOK”, in actuality, is the character of ALMIGHTY GOD that we are allowed to carry with us wherever we go.   GOD told Joshua if he would meditate on “THIS BOOK” day and night, his way would be prosperous, and he would have good success!  GOD DID NOT PROMISE THAT HE WOULD MAKE HIS WAY SIMPLE!

Being STRONG and COURAGEOUS should, in fact, tell us quite the opposite.  We don’t need to STRONG and COURAGEOUS to fight battles that are simply cakewalks!  Reflecting “THIS BOOK”, HIS Character, should be what “the enemy” gets out of us when THE PRESSURE is put on us.  It has been said that orange juice can ONLY be made when oranges are squeezed, NOT whining and crying and taking my toys and running inside LIKE A LITTLE CHILD!

GOD instructed Joshua to “meditate on it day and night” when talking about “THIS BOOK”!  Instead, I usually run to “THIS BOOK” when I see “the enemy” coming to attack!  If I could SEE that “the enemy” is doing anything he can to get my EYES off of THE MASTER, then I wouldn’t be so quick to try and fight battles on my own!  Spiritual Maturity isn’t for the weak and immature.  Remaining in “THIS BOOK” will bring Spiritual Maturity, but it might be after we go through some trials!!!