”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.” Joshua 1:8
The context of the verse above finds the children of Israel poised on the eastern shores of the Jordan River. Moses is dead and Joshua is assuming the leadership role as they began the conquest of the land they had left Egypt to inhabit some 40 years previously. What were his thoughts? We can only imagine, but we do know that God spoke to him in a most encouraging manner, a part of which includes the above verse.
No leader, whether military, political, religious or of another field of endeavor wants to be a failure. Success is always desired. Certainly, Joshua wanted to be successful. After all, he and his friend Caleb were now the only two men living who had lived in Egypt, and survived the 40 years of wandering. He wanted to lead successfully, and to see the Hebrews settled into, and enjoying the Promised Land.
It is here, then that the term success appears for the one and only time in the Bible. To achieve it he must not allow the Law of God to depart from his daily speech. He must meditate in it day and night. The deep thinking referred to as meditation comes from the Hebrew word
“Hagah” which means to become so engrossed in thought as to mutter aloud over the enormity of fixed focus and joy that grabs the soul! Indeed, this continues to be the recipe for Christian success. There are those who think that God gave the rules of the Christian life, but left them in charge of His Word to change it as they see fit. NOT SO! God’s recipe for success for Joshua is our recipe for success today. Study the Word! Do not turn from it to the right or left! Keep it in the forefront of the mind, and speak of its content often.
Solomon reiterated the same principle of success in somewhat different terms, but with the same meaning. He said , “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Prov. 3:5-6.
Too many folks equate success as material accumulation, or achievement of prideful power. Such should remember that these are useless when they are in a coffin, and there are no U-Haul trailers attached to a hearse! This does not mean there is nothing to take with you into eternity. In fact there is much! But, it will not be anything material; it will be spiritual success, or the lack thereof that one must meet at the Judgment Seat of Christ, over which to rejoice in reward or to weep as the meaning of their life on earth is consumed as wood, hay, and stubble.
Are you living in a manner to achieve success in life, and to enjoy its fruit for eternity? Repent of sins, claim Jesus as your personal Savior, follow Him in scriptural baptism, fellowship regularly in His church, learn the Bible. Nothing in life is more important than these things.
FOR THOUGHT: Success is easily definable in earthly things, but what about spiritual things?
Are you living a successful life as a disciple of Jesus? Do you wish to start doing so? Are you trusting Jesus as your personal Savior? Then will you begin to study and employ the teachings of Jesus more fully in your life?
SEPARATE: AN ESSENTIAL BIBLE “BE”
Oft repeated in Holy Writ is the Bible imperative: “Be Ye Separate.” In the earliest stages of Bible reading, it becomes obvious that the objective of God for His people is NOT the creation of a comfort zone in a God-rejecting, hell-bound world. This may be a shocking viewpoint to non-bible reading church members whose source of religious information is limited to the homiletic platitudes of a materially glutted clergy. For them, the call to separation is mostly avoided due to its conflict with the flesh, and its being out of sync with a fleshly, flighty world of make believe Christians who love their religious country-club-called-church. Think with me!
From the earliest stages of God’s covenant work with men, the paramount call is to separation. God called Abraham to leave Ur of Chaldea, and He taught the Israelites in their exodus, “. . . I am the Lord your God, which have you from other people.” Lev. 20:24.
When Judah returned from Babylonian captivity to rebuild Jerusalem, Nehemiah 9:2
records, “And the seed of Israel themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.” Then in 13:3 it further states, “Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they from Israel all the mixed multitude.”
But it is not just Old Testament stuff! The New Testament underscores separation as essential to living the Christian life. The apostle Paul wrote adamantly to the church at Corinth,
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I wil receive you.” 2 Cor. 6:17.
The idea of Christian separation is not to isolate oneself from the world as the proverbial, monastery monk, but to be separated by believing and employing in an evil world the life-teachings of the Lord . Paul went on to explain this to the church at Corinth: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.”
I Cor. 5:9-10. It is the separated life of Christians that brings them spiritual joy. It is also that which the Holy Spirit uses to convict and attract lost ones to His fold.
Let those who take the name of Christ then hear the clarion declaration of beloved John as he penned, “But if we walk in, as he is, we have fellowship one with another, and of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” I John 1:7. One does not walk in that light with one foot while the other foot is walking comfortably in step with a wicked world of darkness. “Be ye separate!” It is an essential Bible “Be!”
FOR THOUGHT: Do you understand the call to separation for God’s people is not the New Birth though predicated upon it? Is not separation speaking of how one lives? Does this not underscore understanding and employing the practical teaching of Jesus day by day? What is different about your life that men might consider you to be separated unto the Lord?
SHIRLEY, GOODNEY, AND MARCY
One day, at the reading of the 23rd Psalm, and not being used to hearing the words in the format of verse six, a youngster heard “Surely, goodness, and mercy,” as “Shirley, Goodney, and Marcy” and wondered just why they would want to follow him around all the days of his life.
This underscores just how easy it is for some to misunderstand in the best of environments, particularly if the reader does not observe punctuation. Little pauses of the lack thereof can mislead the hearer.
It is interesting to note that the Psalmist, King David, the author of the 23rd Psalm, lived under the economy of the Mosaic Law. He was keenly aware of the unbending austerity of Law, but he also knew much about grace and mercy, due to his unique relationship with the God of those attributes. Doubtless, he was immersed in the marvelous thoughts of these things as he penned those beloved words.
Some time ago, a lawyer friend of mine arose from our early morning coffee and announced his need to leave early. He was to substitute for a court judge that day. I remarked that I hoped he would show mercy in the cases before him. To this he replied that mercy has nothing to do with law. If mercy is introduced into a case it necessitates the setting aside of law.
He was right of course, even as the Bible forthrightly states in James 2:13b. Judgment is on the basis of law; however, “. . .Mercy rejoiceth against judgment.”
The Shepherd King began his writing of many psalms by underscoring the blessedness of the man who meditated in the law of the LORD day and night. Truly, the law of the LORD is holy and righteous, and much to be desired as it is “our schoolmaster that brings us to Christ.”
Gal. 3:24. But rejoicing over and above the righteousness of the law is that rejoicing in the indisputable, consistent, and unparalleled goodness and mercy following those who sit at His feet all the days of their life. “. . . mercy rejoiceth against judgment.” We all do well to join the ranks of those who do not wish to receive what they deserve in life, (the judgment of law) choosing rather to bask in mercy, grace, and their goodness. This is our blessed privilege through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who paid the demands of law for us.
FOR THOUGHT: Have you ever heard anyone say, “Al I want is what I deserve.”? Have you said that? Do you realize that all men are sinners, and sinners deserve the devil’s hell? When did you last pause and simply rejoice that you bask in the grace of the Loving God?
SIMEON: A MODAL FOR GOD’S PEOPLE IN EVERY GENERATION
List your top twenty heroes of the Bible. Is it difficult? There are so many! Some come readily to mind, others require some thought, and all of them have such desired qualities of life in spite of the difficulties they bore. Is ancient Simeon one of them? Probably not! If not, then think again. He is a model for us all in every generation.
Simeon was an old man as the spotlight of Holy Writ fell upon him. What that light in Lu.
2:25-34 tells all ensuing generations is:
* He was a resident of Jerusalem.
* He was just and devout.
* He patiently waited for the consolation of Israel.
* The Holy Ghost was upon him.
* He received knowledge from the Holy Ghost that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
* He came by the Spirit into the Temple.
* He saw and touched Jesus.
* He announced Him as the salvation of the Lord, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Israel.
* He being fulfilled prayed to depart this world in peace.
Now, let’s dare to make a comparison of modern saints for the modal. Like him, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is old. It has trod a 2,000 year trail of hardship, persecution, and faith. And now it is largely rejected by the younger generation as pews are filled with mostly older, gray-haired folks. But notice:
* We are residents ,through promise, of New Jerusalem, the mother of us all. Gal. 4:26.
* True saints are just and devout, and will not have sin imputed to them. Rom. 4:8.
* We wait for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thess. 3:5.
* The Holy Spirit is within the saved, and upon His churches. Jn. 14:17.
* Some of this generation will not taste death until they have seen Him come. Matt, 24:34
* We are brought by the Spirit into the New Testament Temple. Jn. 16:13.
* We have seen and been touched by Jesus in the Spirit by faith. Jn. 14:23.
* We proclaim Him as the only hope of salvation, the light of the world, and the glory of God.
Jn. 14:6.
* Being fulfilled, we shall indeed depart this world in peace, and our eyes shall behold him and not another, Job 19:27.
Whether the Lord returns this year, or a later year, the time is doubtlessly close, and Simeon provides an admirable modal of life for us all who long for His coming.
FOR THOUGHT: Have you ever considered Simeon as a model for us in the present time?
How does your life line up with the characteristics of Simeon? How does your church line up with those characteristics? Identify shortcomings and seek to rectify them.