Follow His lead.
“…for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”- Joshua 1:8
As I talked about yesterday, the Israelites world had just been turned upside down. Their leader Moses had just died. All the plans that they had died with him, so they thought. In the middle of all this turmoil Joshua went before God and God told him, “As I have been with Moses, I will be with you.”(Joshua 1:5) We can find a lot of comfort in those words because no matter what we go through, or who we lose God has promised us over and over again that He will never leave us.
Listen to the words of Jesus, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.”-Matthew 28:19-20
When the Israelites lost Moses it felt like someone stuck a knife in their heart, and drained out all the blood. They were still alive, but they were I’m sure frantic with concern about what was going to happen next. Into this picture stepped God, and He told His new chosen leader, Joshua, “Follow Me”. I am fortunate enough to live in the state of Georgia, about an hour and a half above Fort Benning, the largest military installation in the United States. As you drive in to Fort Benning there is a statue of a soldier going into battle, and below the statue are these words, “I’ll lead the way, if you follow me.” That’s the message that God gave Joshua, and He has told us through His Son. He knows that we are going into a battlefield, an earth that is temporarily under the control of Satan and his demonic forces (Ephesians 6:11-12), but God has said, I will lead you safely home, if you will only follow Me.
God told Joshua; if you desire to follow Me you must keep My law in your heart, and you must meditate on My words day and night. When you and your children honor Me in this way then I will honor you, and even though your plans fell apart when Moses died I will do through you what I promised Moses.
As I was writing this devotion I was thinking about someone that had a major influence in my decision to follow Christ, Joni Eareckson Tada. (There’s a link to her ministry website on the side.) I’ve only met Joni one time, but the strength that she has and her faith in the Lord truly spoke to me after I became handicapped. In 1967 Joni had a diving accident, and broke her neck. She is now a paraplegic, although the plans that she had for her life were shattered that day when she dove into the Chesapeake Bay because she obeyed the Lord, and followed His leading Joni runs an international ministry for the disabled, and is a much sought after evangelist.
Two of my favorite passages of Scripture remind us that God can use the bad things that happen to us for His glory and ours; if we will only live our lifes for Him. John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” Jesus told us our plans are going to fail sometimes, but if we follow Him then we will overcome. Romans 5:8 says, “And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.” God knows that you’re going to have problems, but He also tells us that when we come to Him then it’ll all work out!
Father, I thank you for reassuring me that if I will only look at You in my troubles then I can defeat them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The image above can be found at:
Yes, You Can Ministry 
exactly wanted i needed to read!!!! thank-you for always following God and writing your posts.