Skip to main content

The One thing - part 15 - The Finale

By
In this final post for this series, we are looking at chapters 23-24. In chapter 23, Joshua gives his final speech to the nation of Israel. In chapter 24, Joshua takes some time to remind Israel of what God has done for them. How God saved them from Egypt by parting the Red Sea and taking out the Egyptian army (Exodus 14). How God provided for them while they were in the wilderness. How God helped them get across the Jordan River and defeat Jericho (Joshua 4-6). God had done a lot for them. Everything they had was because God had helped and been there with them.

Joshua told them a few things in his final speech. They are good way to end this series of posts:

1) “You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you.”
Joshua 23:3 NIV

Joshua wanted them to remember all that God had done for them. The ups and downs and the times when they follow God and the times when they didn't. God had given them all that they had - the land, the plants, the vineyards and everything else in the land that was now theirs. He also reminds them how God fought for them in Egypt, Jericho and the land they are now in.

God also fights for us. We never face a battle alone. God is there to help us if we let Him. Sometimes we just need to be still and God do the battle (Exodus 14:14).

2) “Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.
But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. So be very careful to love the Lord your God.”
Joshua 23:6, 8, 11 NIV

Joshua here gives them words that God gave him. "Be strong!" God told Joshua a good handful of times when he first took over leadership after Moses to "Be strong and courageous…. the Lord will be with you” (Joshua 1:9).

God is still speaking those words today. The Bible breathes and is helpful at all times and circumstances [1]. The words "Be strong and courageous… the Lord is with you"[2] were not just for Israel or Joshua; they were for us as well. God wants us to be strong and courageous because He is in our side and fighting for us! [3]

Joshua also said to stay strong in the Lord. They were following God better than ever and they were reaping the benefit of being close to God. There is great benefit in being close to, loving and following God. The Bible says in the New Testament that loving God is the greatest commandment
(Matthew 22:37-38).

3) “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”
Joshua 23:14 NIV

Joshua then calls them to remember all of the promises that God has kept and that none of them had failed. God keeps His promises. He promised them a land and He delivered on that promise.
(See "Promises, Promises,Promises" post for more)

I have enjoyed looking at this book of the Bible these last few months. But also just think about it, in these posts, I only mentioned just one thing in these chapters. There is way more in pages of the book of Joshua that I didn't even touch on! I encourage you to take a look at it yourself and see what God has for in this book.

Also, keep coming back EVERY WEDNESDAY for new posts! There is some exciting things to come here on this blog and the Second Stage.

[1] Joshua 1:9
[2] 2 Timothy 3:16 
[3] Joshua 1:9 & Exodus 14:14

 ___________________
Questions or comments... please email secondstagequestions@gmail.com
PLEASE VISIT THE SECOND STAGE YOUTUBE CHANNEL - NEW VIDEOS POSTED EVERY SUNDAY AT 9AM!! 
CURRENT SECOND STAGE VIDEO SERIES - ELEVATE a look at Psalm 23
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts for Second Stage Ministries

God, You Failed

By
"God, you failed me!” Many of us have probably heard these words, thought these words, or even said these words. We get tired of waiting for God to do something. We feel like God’s inbox is full and our prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling and coming right back at us. So, in some cases and with some people, they give up and say “God, you failed me!” I feel these words in certain areas of the Bible: Peter, Paul, Moses, Joseph, the disciples and the people that followed and believed in Jesus just to watch Him get crucified. The one that is probably the most obvious is David as he writes in the Psalms about feeling abandoned by God. For this post, I was directed to a familiar story in the Gospel of John. In this story, we are going to see this happen as two women he frustrated with Jesus. The women’s names were Mary and Martha and they had a brother named Lazarus. Lazarus has talked ill and the women had sent for Jesus urging him to come quickly saying “the one yo
Post a Comment
Read more

Eyes Up - part 5 - Patience

By
“...where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.... Psalm 121:1-2 NIV Ahhhh..... patience. That’s it. That’s all I have for this post. Anyone suffer from a lack of patience? I know I do and that is why I find it hard to give advice on the topic. This is why I’m not giving advice. I’m going to let God do that. I want to draw you attention to Exodus 14 for this week’s post. Moses has already been summoned by God to go back to Egypt and free the Israelites from Pharaoh. After much talking, plagues and stubbornness - Pharaoh lets the Israelites go. Moses leads them out of Egypt and they get as far as the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Pharaoh has changed his mind and is in hot pursuit of them. The people begin to grumble at Moses because of their situation. They said things like: “They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egy
Post a Comment
Read more

Eyes Up - part 4 - Peace

By
“...where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.... Psalm 121:1-2 NIV There are just some things that we need help with and that is just a fact. So in this series of posts we are looking at a few of those kind of things and trying change our focus to the One that can give us true help with these things. We have been focusing in on Psalm 121:1-2 for this “Eyes Up” refocus. The psalmist realized that there is really only one true source of help and refocused attention to that source. The topic of today’s post is one that is really only found in Jesus. Peace. What is that anymore? Look around you, turn on the news or scroll Facebook/Twitter and you will see there is really no such thing as peace anymore. People are constantly at each other because of their opinions and refusing to accept one another’s views and move on with life. There is chaos in the line at Walmart because someone cut in line and instead of just letting them have the spot - a verbal fight brea
Post a Comment
Read more

Kryptonite

By
“[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus , who is the Author and Perfecter of faith....” -  Hebrews 12:2 a AMP Have you ever lost focus? Maybe it was a task you were working on and one of your kids (or spouse) come into the room or called out to you from another place in the house causing you to turn your attention from what you were doing to them or their calling out. Then you look back at your task and have to remember where you were or what exactly you have done. Did I add salt to this? Did I put in the sugar for the cookies? How many cups of flour did I put in the mixing bowl already? You get the idea. Have you been there? There are times in life when we can be the same way. We are going along in life - our day to day activities - our gaze is laser focused on Jesus. Then all of a sudden something happens in our life that seemingly comes out of nowhere and takes our focus off of Jesus. We begin then to fall into the storm of what
Post a Comment
Read more

I

By
Last Thursday night, I was sitting in service and Pastor Beeson started the service with a prayer. He started with the words "I need you God" and this is what came to me over the course of that opening moment of prayer. Take a minute to read these words, reflect on these words or pray these words. ---------------- I need you God I need grace I need your love I need your patience I need your forgiveness I need you God I need your joy I need your self-control I need your kindness I need your knowledge I need you God I need your strength I need your hope I need your presence I need your power I need you God I need your peace I need your goodness I need your gentleness I need your mercy I need you God I need what I am not worthy of ___________________ Questions or comments... please email secondstagequestions@gmail.com PLEASE VISIT THE  SECOND STAGE MINISTRIES FACEBOOK PAGE  - CLICK LIKE!! PLEASE VISIT THE  SECOND STAGE MINISTRIES
Post a Comment
Read more