King James Daily Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Strength And Courage
Date: Sunday March 04, 2012
Today's Chapters: Joshua 1-4

Hello My Friend,

The word strong is defined as having physical passive power or having the ability to bear or endure. The word courage is defined as that quality of mind which enables man to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of the spirits. Quite often in the Bible you will see the words strong and courage nestled somewhere together, while God does not promise to remove the challenges of life He does promise to give us strength and courage to endure them. The key to enduring all obstacles, Jesus Christ. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” - 2 Corinthians 12:8-10.

The Book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twenty-four chapters. The author of the book is Joshua and it was written to Israel, the time line for these events is approximately between 1451 BC and 1427 BC. The purpose of the book was to record the details on how the successor of Moses, Joshua, led the people of Israel into the promised land of Canaan and explains the military campaigns and the division of the land among the tribes. What we are to learn from the book is that no moral or spiritual battles are won without God, He gives victory to all who let Him lead them. “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.” - Joshua 1:5.

The time had finally come, Israel was about to cross over the Jordan to enter the promised land, God gave Joshua some advice before they made the journey. “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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” - Joshua 1:5-9.

Joshua is to make the law of God, which is His Word, his ruler, he is charged to meditate there upon the law day and night, that he might understand it and follow it. Interestingly, God commands Joshua to be strong and of a good courage, whatever challenges we face, we must not forget the one thing needed to give us the strength and courage to face them, the Word of God. God's Word is powerful, without it we are left to fend for ourselves and if we choose to handle things on our own we might not like the outcome. God is always with us, but if we truly want to see Him show Himself mighty then it is important to learn and do what He wants us to do if we truly want to see a successful outcome. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” - 2 Timothy 2:15.

After God spoke to Joshua it was time for them to pass over into the promised land, first Joshua sent two spies over into Jericho to search it out, just to see what they were up against. Word had already gotten out that the people of Israel were about to come in and siege the land so when people found out that Israelites were there already they searched all over to capture them and kill them. However, the spies met a woman, a harlot, named Rahab, she asked them one thing before she led them down the scarlet thread down her window.

“Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee...Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.” - Joshua 2:12-14,18,19.

This is a great illustration of salvation, just one thread of Christ's blood is all we need to be saved from death, the death of our souls, but we must grab it to be saved. Those who reject Christ have the blood of their own heads upon them and will face the consequences on their own, there is nothing that anyone, not even God can do to save them. However, those who receive Christ have His blood upon their heads, that means Christ is responsible for them and their salvation. Yesterday we had a women's prayer breakfast at my church, one of the ladies asked prayer for a man that his family had been trying to get saved for forty years, a devout Catholic, he refused once again, just as she was speaking we were told that he in fact, died that night. We cannot force anyone to receive Christ, those who refuse Him have no one to blame, but themselves for the consequences they face. “The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” - Deuteronomy 24:26.

The spies returned, Joshua gathered all the congregation together to make the trip over the Jordan, first he instructed the Levites to go ahead of everyone else while the rest stood and waited. “And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you...And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.” - Joshua 3:3-5,7.

Probably the hardest thing for them to do was stand there and wait as they watched the one tribe that had no inheritance of the land cross over the Jordan first. However, as they were waiting, God was right there paving the way for them to enter and show Himself mighty and alive. Quite often, the waiting is the hardest part, but during the waiting that is when God is preparing for His greatest miracle yet. God is not down with You, He has much more to prove Himself mighty and alive to you too and He will as long as you are willing to wait. “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” - Hebrews 10:35-39.

Today's Psalm: 31:24 - “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”

Today's Proverb: 14:26 - “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.”

Today's Prayer: (Taken from Psalm 31) God, In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! In Jesus' name. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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