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Today is Friday March 13, 2009 and we are beginning our studies on the book of Joshua. Please read chapters 1-3 in your Bible or you can Click Here to read them online. If the link does not work you can copy and paste this one into your browser:https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%201-3&version=9

Today's Message: Success With God
Success by the world's standard is vastly different from God's. The world says, "Success comes from gaining all you can", but God says success comes from gaining God's Word.

The book of Joshua is the sixth book of the Old testament and contains twenty-four chapters, it is also the beginning of the books of history. The author of the book is Joshua and it was written to the people of Israel. The purpose of the book was to record the history of their conquest of Canaan. It details how Moses' successor, Joshua, led the people of Israel into the Promised Land and also records 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 battles.

After the Israelites mourned the loss of Moses, it was now time for his successor, Joshua, to lead the people into the promised land. "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." (Joshua 1:1-5).

Israel's first encounter with the Canaanites in the promised land was at the powerful walled city of Jericho. " And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. 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." (2:1-6). Rahab quickly turned from her false gods, left her life as a prostitute, and trusted in the mercy of the One True God.

It was no accident that the spies came to her home to bring God's protection upon her and her family. God plans everything and knows exactly what we are going to do. Even if we think we are not following His plan we are, He knows what going on, He grows us and prepares us for the time that we will be used of Him. No matter what kind of past we had, God eventually gets His children to come to Him when He knows we are ready to accept Him.

Joshua's battles were physical while ours are primarily spiritual. Yet, the same principle of success holds true. Our battle is not with men, though Satan may use people at times to discourage our efforts to please the Lord, but it is with our own flesh and blood. If we are not shielded by God's Word we will continuously fall into sin. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:11-13).

Today's Prayer: 73:11-13
"And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency."

Today's Prayer:
Dear God,
We recognize the spiritual, emotional, and physical strength that comes from relying on truths and principles established in Your Word. And yet we still get lax or led astray from the paths You’ve laid out for us. Lord, fill us with the power of Your Holy Spirit to keep our hearts right and our will submitted to You. In Jesus' name..........Amen.

Have a wonderful night/day and weekend.
God Bless,
Christina

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