3. Follow God’s instructions.
Joshua 1:8. “Don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed."
God have given Moses the ‘book of the law’ to guide them. When we hear the word 'law' we often think of legalism or rules. But to Israel, the Torah was a revelation of God’s character and it contained principles for maintaining a loving, covenant relationship with God. His commands were always “for their good”. Joshua was to read, meditate, study, and obey God's instructions. Only then would he know success in his mission. It was easy for him to drift. God's instructions provided a compass and a map for his journey.
Jesus commanded his followers to “Go and make disciples … teaching them to DO all I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-20). Today, in addition to the Old Testament and the lessons we can learn from it's stories, we have the Gospels which contain the stories and teachings of Jesus about how to live LIFE in the kingdom. The Christian life is about “life before death” not just “life after death”!
By reading God's Word, as contained in the Scriptures, we can regularly re-calibrate our lives. It is so easy to end up with a culturized form of Christianity that looks nothing like Jesus. God’s Word provides us with encouragement, direction, and wisdom for our lives. It is our “daily bread”. One good meal once a week, no matter how nutricious and delicious, won’t get you through the week! In the same way, no weekly sermon will feed you spiritually. Learn to be a “self-feeder”.
[Part 4 tomorrow]