TEXT: Joshua 1:8 “…for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
INTRODUCTION: When you come to the book of Joshua, it is important to notice that Moses – the man who had been the leader, who had acted as delivered, and who had led the people of God from bondage and toward the blessings of God – was dead. He was no longer at the helm of the nation. Now, a younger man Joshua filled that position. No doubt, this was a bit overwhelming for Joshua. Moses had been a larger-than-life figure. He had been a strong leader. In the first chapter of Joshua, God commissions Joshua to lead. In verse number 8, he provides Joshua with a sure plan for success. This pathway to success was centered upon the “book of the law.”
1. SUCCESS COMES FROM MEDITATING UPON THE SCRIPTURES!
(v. 8a) “This book of the law shall not depart out of the mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein…”
To mediate is more than just to read through. It means to chew on it for a while, to think upon the truths, and to ponder the principles. Success doesn’t come from simply skimming through Scripture, but by spending time to dissect, think upon, and abide in the truth of Scripture.
2. SUCCESS COMES FROM CONCENTRATING UPON THE SCRIPTURES!
(v. 8b) “…day and night,”
The relationship with the Word of God that brings success to the servant of God is not an on-again, off-again relationship. The Bible declares that it needs to be a “day and night” relationship. Though you might only sit down to actually open the Bible and study in the morning for a few minutes during the day, the truths of Scripture should be on your heart and in your mind throughout your day. Bible truth should accompany you to work, to lunch, to the gym, to the ball field, to the store, and everywhere else you go – “day and night.”
3. SUCCESS COMES FROM APPLYING THE SCRIPTURES!
(v. 8c) “that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:”
The natural response to a life saturated with Bible knowledge ought to be a life that models Bible conduct. The truth learned and meditated upon must be applied. Information is not the aim of Scripture. Transformation is the aim of Scripture. If we want spiritual success we must be more than Bible learners. We must be Bible “livers.”
ILLUSTRATION: Gipsy Smith once spoke of a man who said he had read the Bible through several times and had gotten nothing out of it. Smith responded, “You’ve gone through the Bible several times, let it go through you once! Then you will tell a different story.”
QUOTES OF NOTE:
“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” – Theodore Roosevelt
“Within the covers of the Bible are answers for all the problems men face.” – Ronald Reagan
“The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” – D.L. Moody
“The Bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed.” – John Bunyan
“Hold fast to the Bible. To the influence of this Book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization and to this we must look as our guide in the future.” – Ulysses S. Grant
A MERRY HEART:
A collector of rare books ran into a friend who told him he had just thrown away an old Bible he found in a dusty, old box. He happened to mention that Guten-somebody-or other had printed it. The collector gasped, “Not Gutenberg?!” “Yes that was it,” replied his friend. “Oh no! You’ve thrown away one of the first books ever printed. A copy sold at auction for a half-million dollars!” His friend responded, “Well, I don’t think this one would have been worth anything anyway. It had been scribbled all over in the margins by some guy named Martin Luther.”
PULPIT FACT:
Did you know that Harold Sightler was the son of an automobile mechanic? The great work for God that Sightler accomplished in Greenville, South Carolina is connected to this fact. The family lived in Columbia, South Carolina until the Packard Motor Co. moved the Sightler family, along with their son Harold, to Greenville. God’s hand was obvious in this move as Greenville would be the place that the great Tabernacle Baptist Church would be raised up.
SUNDAY’S COMING:
As Sunday approaches, let’s be sure that the first impression factor is cared for at the church house. Keep the grounds manicured, the bathrooms cleaned, the tissue boxes stocked, the pews clear, the floors swept, and the air fresh. A clean, presentable, first-class atmosphere goes a long way in making visitors feel welcome and comfortable.
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