Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: Joshua 1-3
Devotional Thought:
Title: “True Success.”
General Andrew Jackson said “one man with courage makes a majority,” and I would add, “the courage to trust God and be faithful to His commands.” As God’s people today face the challenges that God gives us, we would do well to learn what true success is from the threefold encouragement found in this chapter. First, true success is learning to submit to the authorities God places in our lives. God ALWAYS works through authority to show us His will. These authorities may or may not have direct authority over us, but may be an authority in their field of study. Whether those authorities are parents, doctors, financial planners, pastors, teachers, lawyers, or a judge, they can be used of God to direct our decisions. It is important that we realize that God is in charge of placing the authorities in our path that will help us to understand His will. It is equally important that we choose authorities that recognize that their authority is God and His word, and that they are living in submission to that authority in their lives. We must never take advice that contradicts God’s word. Joshua was following an amazing leader, maybe the best the world has ever known. Although Moses was not perfect, God used him as a great leader to accomplish an amazing task in leading the children of Israel from bondage to the promise land. Joshua did not compete with Moses, but rather modeled submission to him for many years as he learned to be a leader. Joshua realized that his success was directly tied to the biblical truth of learning to submit to the authorities in his life. Secondly, true success is telling those you lead what God has told you. Too many leaders today are doing what they want, the way they want, to the extent they want and they have failed to apply a biblical principle or mandate to what they are doing. It is important that those following a leader realize that he is getting his instruction from God and that God is ultimately leading. One of the reasons I enjoy sharing my devotional life with each of you is that you might see what God is teaching me each day. I want to get my instruction from God’s word and be conformed to God’s person so that those following me look more like Christ each day. Thirdly, true success is observing to do all that is written in the Bible. We live in a day of options and smorgasbords. Unfortunately we have Christians looking at the principles of scripture as an option to be considered rather than a command to be obeyed. We often use the Bible principles as a reference point rather than a course of action. True success is meditating upon the scriptures and observing to do ALL that is written therein. Prosperity and success are tied to the day we stand before God and give an account, not on what we accumulate or accomplish in the 70 or 80 years here on this earth. True success is living the way God envisioned us living and faithfully following His word until He comes again or calls us home.
Personal Requests:
• Lord, please help me to discern truth from your word amidst the lies and deceit of our society and even of my own heart. Please help me to always elevate your word as my final authority.
• Lord, please help me to consistently memorize and meditate upon your word. May your truths be more familiar to me than anything else in this life.
• Lord, please help me to be a true leader. Help me to remember that leadership is influencing people to live more like Christ. Please help those who follow me to see Christ in me whether that be my wife, children, friends, church, or staff.