After the death of Moses, Joshua  led the  Children of Israel  into the  Promised Land.  Here in Joshua 1:1-9 we   read of the commission  given  by the  LORD  Himself.  We  can  make  application for  ourselves from this  passage  on how we are  to regard the Word of God.

He  promises Joshua  and  us that, if we   obey  Him He will never  forsake us. (Joshua 1:5).   Joshua 1:7-8  tells us what the LORD  told Joshua regarding the Word of God.  Christians  today  must   appropriate these   verses for  themselves.  Remember, no truth of God’s Word is  truly yours  until you  find it for yourself in the Bible.  We must  be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11.

Joshua  is  told  to  do everything “according to the  Law”  that  Moses taught him.  This   tells us that  the whole  counsel of God is important, that  all of God’s Word is  true, not  just the  parts  we like. (II Timothy 3:16-17).  The LORD   instructs Joshua not  to turn from the center of His  Word.  We must be  found believing and  teaching the same message everywhere we  go (II Timothy 4:1-8).

In Joshua 1:8 we see the importance of knowing the  Word of God; that  is, knowing what you believe and why.  A  Christian  who  knows why  he is  one will not fall into apostasy and  be  led astray by the  Devil.

Joshua is  further instructed  to  “meditate on the Word, day and  night.” Meditating  on God’s  Word goes  beyond studying His Word. It  tells us that we have be  willing to  put in the  time need to  grow “in the grace and  knowledge of the Lord Jesus.”  We must be like Joshua and  be  strong and  courageous in the Lord,  and  being willing  to share the Word of God with all we come in contact.  Joshua had the opportunity  to live out  his faith, the same can  be said for us.  Joshua 1:9 lets us know that wherever we go, the Lord is  with us.  God will equip us  for service if we will let  Him. We must, as the   hymn writer says, “Take the Name of Jesus With You…” So I say to myself and to you, “Onward Christian Soldiers….” let’s keep the  Cross of Jesus uplifted. The world is  lost  without Christ—we have  been given the  opportunity to  take His Word to whole world.  So, let’s  be  strong in the Lord and seek to reach those in our “world or sphere of influence!