Joshua 1:3-5 Gods Will

 3I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses. 4Your territory shall extend from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great River Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites—and west as far as the Great Sea.

5No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Gods Will

“Victory is assured not because Joshua is a great leader, or because Israel is a great nation, but because God is a great God, and He says to Joshua, I will be with you. This is enough for any man seeking to do God’s will.” (Guzik)

Romans 12:2 (ESV)

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

How can I know Gods will for my life?

Watch this short video to find out.

Blessings 

How can I know God's will for my life?

Joshua 1:1-2 Small Things

 1Now after the death of His servant Moses, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, 2“Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, you and all these people, and cross over the Jordan into the land that I am giving to the children of Israel.

Small Things

“Joshua – who was not a young man at this time – had spent his entire career previously as the assistant of Moses. Joshua found that now it was his time to lead, but only after God had prepared him.” 

“Joshua was prepared by faithful service in small things, in being Moses’ assistant. Redpath tells of a motto over a kitchen sink: “Divine service is conducted here three times daily.” The motto is true, and great men and women are prepared by faithfulness in the small things.” (Guzik)

God uses our faithful service in small things to prepare us for large things according to HIS timing and will.

How long was Joshua assisting Moses in small things? At least forty years!

What is God preparing you for?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 34:5-8 Moses Died

 5So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, as the LORD had said. 6And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab facing Beth-peor, and no one to this day knows the location of his grave. 7Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, and his vitality had not diminished. 8The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning for Moses came to an end.

“As a mother takes her child and kisses it, and then lays it down to sleep in its own bed; so did the Lord kiss the soul of Moses away to be with him for ever, and then he hid is body we know not where.” (Spurgeon)

“With God descended from heaven three angels, Michael, Gabriel, and Zagzagel. Gabriel arranged Moses’ couch, Michael spread upon it a purple garment, and Zagzagel laid down a woolen pillow. God stationed Himself over Moses’ head, Michael to his right, Gabriel to his left, and Zagzagel at his feet, whereupon God addressed Moses: ‘Cross thy feet,’ and Moses did so. He then said, ‘Fold thy hands and lay them upon thy breast,’ and Moses did so. Then God said, ‘Close thine eyes,’ and Moses did so. Then God spake to Moses’ soul: ‘My daughter, one hundred and twenty years had I decreed that thou shouldst dwell in this righteous man’s body, but hesitate not now to leave it, for thy time has run….I Myself shall take thee to the highest heavens and let thee dwell under the Throne of My Glory’….When Moses heard these words, he permitted his soul to leave him, saying to her: ‘Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.’ God thereupon took Moses’ soul by kissing him on the mouth.” (Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews)

“Moses’ life was neatly divided into thirds. He spent 40 years as the crown prince of Egypt, 40 years as a humble shepherd in the wilderness, and 40 years leading the children of Israel to their destiny in the Promised Land. The first two-thirds were in preparation for the last one third. Moses was willing to let God prepare him for 80 years.” (Guzik)

Jude 1:9But even the archangel Michael, when he disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, did not presume to bring a slanderous charge against him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Let archangel Michael be a lesson for us, it’s not right for us as Christians to bring a slanderous charge against someone! By doing so you are sitting on the throne of God!

What has God been preparing you for?

Blessings 

What do you crave?

 

Deuteronomy 34:4 But you will not cross into it

 4And the LORD said to him, “This is the land that I swore to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross into it.”

“The invitation to Moses to view the land was not merely a kindly provision of God to allow His servant to view Israel’s inheritance. It may have had some legal significance. There is some evidence that this was part of a legal process. A man ‘viewed’ what he was to possess.” (Thompson)

“What drama! What pathos! What inward pain! What sense of accomplishment mixed with disappointment must have been in Moses’ mind as he looked over the land the Lord had promised to Israel!” (Kalland)

But you will not cross into it.

If Jesus was just a nice man, just a prophet, then what is the point?

The point is this, nowhere in the Bible has the Lord reneged on His promises! 

John 3: 36b Whoever rejects the Son will not see life. Instead, the wrath of God remains on him.”

But you will cross into it!

John 3: 16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and onlye Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

John 3: 36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.

Will you or will you not, cross into it? It’s your choice, so choose wisely!

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 34:1-3 Sweet Grace!

 1Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which faces Jericho. And the LORD showed him the whole land—from Gilead as far as Dan, 2all of Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea,a 3the Negev, and the region from the Valley of Jericho (the City of Palms) all the way to Zoar.

“This was God’s sweet grace to Moses. Though he could not set foot in the Promised Land, God allowed him to see it. Standing on the peak of Nebo on the collection of Mountains called Pisgah, Moses stood on what is the modern nation of Jordan, looking towards the Promised Land.” (Guzik)

Sweet Grace

We as Christian’s have received this sweet grace also but to a Higher degree in Jesus Christ! God allowed us to see sweet grace standing at the foot of the cross as the blood 🩸 ran down to remove sin! 

Will you kneel at the foot of the cross or stand there shaking your head?

Matthew 27: 39And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads

Accept the sweet grace or get what you deserve, it your choice.

Blessings 

Merry Christmas

 

Deuteronomy 33:26-29 God of Jeshurun

 26“There is none like the God of Jeshurun,

who rides the heavens to your aid,

and the clouds in His majesty.

27The eternal God is your dwelling place,

and underneath are the everlasting arms.

He drives out the enemy before you,

giving the command, ‘Destroy him!’

28So Israel dwells securely;

the fountain of Jacob lives untroubled

in a land of grain and new wine,

where even the heavens drip with dew.

29Blessed are you, O Israel!

Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD?

He is the shield that protects you,

the sword in which you boast.

Your enemies will cower before you,

and you shall trample their high places.”

“What blessing God bestowed on Israel! As Paul said in Romans 3:2: To them were committed the oracles of God. The true greatness of Israel is the same as the greatness of the Christian: not in and of themselves, but in their God: There is no one like the God of Jeshurun.

Who rides the heavens to help you: God is great and uses His greatness on behalf of His people, upholding them with the everlasting arms. When we are a people saved by the LORD, it means that God is for us and heaven is on our side! If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) He is the shield of your help.” (Guzik)

Jesus is the reason for the season! Merry Christmas Eve.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 33:24 Most Blessed of Sons

 24And concerning Asher he said:

“May Asher be the most blessed of sons;

may he be the most favored among his brothers

and dip his foot in oil.

25May the bolts of your gate be iron and bronze,

and may your strength match your days.”

Genesis 49: 20Asher’s food will be rich;

he shall provide royal delicacies.

Most Blessed of Sons

Clearly in Jacob’s family Joseph was the most blessed of sons because the Lord was with him in everything he did even if he was a slave, a prisoner or ranked the 2nd highest authority in Egypt.

And if you are born again of the Spirit, you too are the most blessed of sons or daughters of the Lord spiritually. It means you are the adoptive son or daughter of God and no one can snatch you from His hand 🤚! 

On 🌍 they can sell you as a slave like Joseph, they can put you in a prison like Joseph or they could even kill you but they can’t kill your soul or affect your final destination as a child of God!

As you celebrate Christmas remember, Jesus is the reason for the season.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 33:23 Satisfied With Favor

 23And of Naphtali he said:

“O Naphtali, satisfied with favor,
And full of the blessing of the Lord,
Possess the west and the south.”

Genesis 49: 21“Naphtali is a deer let loose;
He uses beautiful words.

“The tribe of Naphtali was indeed satisfied with favor. Naphtali’s land was in a key portion near the Sea of Galilee, the region where Jesus did much of His teaching and ministry.” (Guzik)

Satisfied with favor 

Isaiah 66:2…. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.….

Are you satisfied with favor of the Lord?

https://www.gotquestions.org/favor-of-God.html

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 33:22 Concerning Dan (you)

22Concerning Dan he said:

“Dan is a lion’s cub,

leaping out of Bashan.”

“He shall leap from Bashan: This may not be a complimentary phrase. History records that Dan was a troublesome tribe. They were the tribe to introduce idolatry into Israel (Judges 18:30); Jeroboam set up one of his idolatrous golden calves in Dan (1 Kings 12:26-30), and later Dan became a center of idol worship in Israel (Amos 8:14). Indeed, Jacob said of Dan in Genesis 49:17, Dan shall be a serpent by the way.” (Guzik)

“From Bashan: The tribe of Dan originally was allotted land in the southern part of Israel but migrated to the north hundreds of years after this (Judges 18). Moses’ reference to Bashan (a region in northern Israel) prophetically anticipated this migration.” (Guzik)

Concerning (you)

What could be said about either one of us? What I know about myself is as I get older, I reflect more on my past. This is why the Lord allows us to age, to reflect on our life on earth. I’ve done many things I’m not proud of but I know through Jesus it’s all been wiped clean, my criminal, sinful record has been absolved and I’ve been pardoned. My record now becomes one that I strive for the crown 👑 which HE has prepared for me. I’ve been faithful in many things but I also been unfaithful in many others. When our day comes and we prostrate ourselves in front of Jesus can any one of us say, I have fulfilled YOUR mission for my life?

If your reading this there is still time to fulfill your mission for your life.

Will Jesus say?

Matthew 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 33:20-21 Lion-Like Character

 20Concerning Gad he said:

“Blessed is he who enlarges

the domain of Gad!

He lies down like a lion

and tears off an arm or a head.

21He chose the best land for himself,

because a ruler’s portion was reserved for him there.

He came with the leaders of the people;

he administered the LORD’s justice

and His ordinances for Israel.”

“The lion-like character of the tribe of Gad was shown by the fact that Gad furnished many fine troops for David (1 Chronicles 12:14). This is in fulfillment of Jacob’s words in Genesis 49:19: he shall triumph at last.” (Guzik)

1 Chronicles 12: 14These Gadites were army commanders, the least of whom was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand. 

Genesis 49: 19Gad will be attacked by raiders, but he will attack their heels.

Lion like character, let that sink in! When the Lord called on the tribe of Gad they didn’t shrink from their duties as army commanders supporting king David or protecting the Israelites.

But as Christian’s for King Jesus do we experience the same lion like character for HIS kingdom?

Dear Holy Spirit, I lift up every Christian and ask that YOU give us the lion like character of the Gadites to fight for YOUR kingdom. Give us courage to speak of Jesus’s gift of grace and salvation to everyone, to every family member and to every creature about the Son of God and the forgiveness of sins. In Jesus name I pray 🙏 Amen.

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 33:18-19 Feast!

 18Concerning Zebulun he said:

“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your journeys,

and Issachar, in your tents.

19They will call the peoples to a mountain;

there they will offer sacrifices of righteousness.

For they will feast on the abundance of the seas

and the hidden treasures of the sand.”

“Both the tribes of Zebulun and Issachar were in the Galilee region and were blessed to take advantage of the Sea of Galilee.” (Guzik)

Jacob said:

Genesis 49: 13Zebulun shall dwell by the seashore

and become a harbor for ships;

his border shall extend to Sidon.

I’ve always enjoyed crab legs but unfortunately they have become the food of princes. I also enjoy shrimp, oysters and clams too. To be able to feast on the abundance of the seas or the land is truly a blessing.

Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain [Zion] the LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples [to welcome His reign on earth], A banquet of aged wines—choice pieces [flavored] with marrow, Of refined, aged wines.

I can’t wait for the lavish feast at the Lords table, can you?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 33:13-17 Blessed and Lesson!

13Concerning Joseph he said:

“May his land be blessed by the LORD

with the precious dew from heaven above

and the deep waters that lie beneath,

14with the bountiful harvest from the sun

and the abundant yield of the seasons,

15with the best of the ancient mountains

and the bounty of the everlasting hills,

16with the choice gifts of the land and everything in it,

and with the favor of Him who dwelt in the burning bush.

May these rest on the head of Joseph

and crown the brow of the prince of his brothers.

17His majesty is like a firstborn bull,

and his horns are like those of a wild ox.

With them he will gore the nations,

even to the ends of the earth.

Such are the myriads of Ephraim,

and such are the thousands of Manasseh.”

“The two tribes of Joseph - Ephraim and Manasseh - were indeed blessed numerically in Israel. The descendants of this one son among twelve sons of Jacob were far more numerous than all the other tribes.” (Guzik)

Genesis 49: 22Joseph is a fruitful vine—

a fruitful vine by a spring,

whose branches scale the wall.

There is a pattern in these verses, nothing negative is mentioned! If we study all of Joseph’s trials and all that he had suffered, he kept his faith and everyone noticed the Lord was with him. Let that be our lesson today! When we suffer through a trial we need to keep the faith so others notice Jesus is with us. This is hard but how else can we draw others to King Jesus? They need to see Him in us and say to themselves, I want that!

Is Jesus your Rock?

Blessings 

Deuteronomy 33:12 Benjamin-Beloved!

12Concerning Benjamin he said:

“May the beloved of the LORD

rest secure in Him;

God shieldsj him all day long,

and upon His shoulders he rests.”

“The beloved of the LORD: The place of special love and blessing Benjamin had would be prophetically fulfilled in a Benjaminite city becoming the center of the nation - Jerusalem.” (Guzik)

Genesis 49: 27Benjamin is a ravenous wolf;

in the morning he devours the prey,

in the evening he divides the plunder.”

“beloved means “friends dearly loved by God.””

Ephesians 1: 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Is Jesus your King? Then you are His beloved! 

Beloved Blessings to you!

https://www.gotquestions.org/beloved-in-the-Bible.html