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Today is Saturday March 13, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Joshua, chapters 1-3. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-march-13

Title: Bible Study: Be Strong And Of Good Courage
Today we begin our studies in the Book of Joshua, the Book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Old Testament/Bible and contains twenty-four chapters. This begins the series of books on the history of the Israelites before the birth of Jesus. The author of the book is Joshua and it was written to the Israelites, the purpose of the book was to record 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 people. What we are to learn from the book is that no moral or spiritual victories are won without a battle.

While we are in the midst of trials we often wonder why we are going through them, but the trials we face prepare us for the future. Whether we will be prepared to be able to handle another trial or be a mentor for someone else, everything we go through strengthens us and gives us the knowledge that we need to get through the next challenge in life. Joshua was born into Egyptian slavery and faced one trial after another, little did he know that he would one day be the successor to Moses that would lead the Israelites into the promised land. Yet through it all he remained faithful to God thus becoming the new leader of Israel. “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 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.” - Joshua 1:1-6. As God handed over the reins to Joshua He assured him that He would always be with him, He told him to be strong and of good courage because a battle was coming, that He would not forsake him, and that they would receive the inheritance that was promised to them. Whether we are Christians or not, we will face battles in our lives, but the difference between us and them is that we have a great God who promises to always be there and never fail us nor forsake us. We can be strong and of good courage, knowing that He is with us. Praise God!

You know, the great thing about God is that He chooses anyone who comes to Him, regardless of their past to be His people and never goes back on His promise to fail nor forsake us, but the biggest step to receiving all of God's promises is putting our faith in Him. Joshua sent two people over into Canaan to spy out the land, word had already got out that the Israelites were about to come in and siege the land so people were searching for them to kill them. While trying to escape a woman named Rahab hid them and helped them escape, but before she showed them the way out she asked them to spare her and her families lives in return for her helping them. “And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country. And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country. And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.........And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. 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. Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.” - Joshua 2:2-6,11-15. Rahab had faith in God and knew by helping His people that her life would never be the same. She had the strength and courage to hide them, even though it could have cost her her life, but in doing so her and her families lives were spared. In doing so, she then turned from her false gods, left her life as a prostitute, and trusted in the mercy of the One True God. And later on became an ancestor of King David and was included in the genealogy of where God would send Jesus to be born of. God will give us all the strength and courage we need to turn away from the world and turn to Him.

It takes a giant leap to put our faith in God, we are to be strong and of good courage, knowing that He will not fail us nor forsake us, but until we take that leap forward nothing will change. The only way that we can change is by having Jesus in our lives. Without Jesus life is just one trial after another full of hate, anger, discouragement, and depression. However, with Jesus we can get through each trial with peace and comfort. Jesus Said, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” - John 14:26-28. When we receive Jesus in our hearts, He moves in us in the form of the Holy Spirit and it is only through Him that we can be at peace and rejoice through times of sorrow. My brother just past away yesterday morning, I thank God that Jesus is in my life because He is the only one who can get me through the grief and countless retelling of why a healthy young man suddenly died. Jesus is my peace and comfort and I can rejoice knowing that he is up there with Jesus, doing what he loves best, I am sure it has something to do with lights and music. Praise God that I have Him in my life and that anyone who calls on Him will get the same peace and comfort that I do. Be strong and of courage and know that Jesus is with you and if you do not know that He is with you, it is time to ask Him into your life.

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

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