092406

Joshua on Leadership
Pass on the Baton


Joshua 24:1-7 (Monday)
“Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God. Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: `Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt. "`Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out. When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the LORD for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the desert for a long time.” (NIV)
1) Verse 1 seems to particularly single out the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel. Why? (Romans 2:21-24; Romans 13:1-6; Titus 3:1 and James 3:1)
2) Well, I hope you realize from reading this passage that our “forefathers” can be idol-worshipping pagans like Terah and God can still single us out to be used for His glory. We are really without excuse in that department! As the Israelites will later hear from God, it all comes down to our personal choice! Whom will we follow? Thank God, for us, Abraham, his son Isaac and Isaac’s son, Jacob chose to follow the LORD God!
3) Yes, God wanted to remind the Israelites that He was and is the God of their fathers. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Their fathers who had entered into a faith covenant with Jehovah God—choosing to believe God--period! One reason God wanted to remind the Israelites of this binding covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was that He wanted them to know that He remembered! Why is it important that God remember His promises to us, when we so often forget or ignore our promises to Him?
4) Another very important thing I want you to notice in this passage is that our circumstances in this life have nothing at all to do with our being blessed or cursed by God. Esau, who despised his birthright as first-born son (he sold it to Jacob for a bowl of hot stew), lived in relative ease and plenty in the hill country of Seir, yet it is written that God hated Esau! Jacob and his sons experienced extreme famine in their homeland and through an unbelievable set of circumstances escaped to the land of Egypt, finding relief from the famine. They, too, lived in relative peace until a new ruthless and heartless Pharaoh arose. Then, they were forcibly kept in exile, subjected to cruel slavery—for four hundred years! Still, it was Jacob and his sons who experienced God’s favor and to whom was the promise given! Who can understand the ways of God!
a) It is hard for us to fathom, but God receives glory through our difficulties, and yes, our pain and suffering. One important reason, I believe, is that the Israelites, and, oh, yes, the church today has to know the God we are following! If God is about anything at all—He’s all about relationship! It is sad to admit, but this is one area we usually don’t pursue on our own! So, it is God Who takes the initiative to introduce Himself to us!
i) Remember, Egypt had many gods—one for whatever situation you might find yourself in or whatever need you might have. While in Egypt, the Israelites had fallen into idol worship—trusting and following after false gods. God wanted the Israelites and He wants the church body today to know Him—the One True God. He wants us to know His character, His ways! Perhaps the greatest way He reveals Himself to us humans is by delivering us and setting us free! Believe me, when God has parted your sea, or calmed your raging waters, you are not likely to ever, ever forget it!
ii) Yes, God received glory by delivering the Israelites, but perhaps even more so with the Egyptians. God did so by putting to naught their false gods and philosophies! When all was said and done, even Pharaoh knew there was only One True Living God! Glory to God, indeed!
Joshua 24:8-13 (Tuesday)
“I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand. "`Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you--also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.” (NIV)
1) Monday was about deliverance. Today, we have stepped out of Egypt (sin) and are setting out to conquer the promises God has set before us in this, our promise land! Like we studied recently, this requires a little more effort on our part! We have to take possession! God has given the land to you, has placed your enemies in your hand—have you taken possession? Why or why not?
2) Now we are children of God! We cannot be cursed! How did God respond to Balaam’s trying to curse Israel? Pretty comical! I would have loved to have seen that false prophet trying to speak curses, but only blessings coming forth from his lips! It’s the same thing for you and me! God has a plan and a future for you—not harm—good! (Jeremiah 29:11) Oh, child! Walk in it! Will there be giants? Oh, most probably, but remember they have been given into your hands! Possess!
3) I love the uniqueness of God! Oh, that reveals His character, too! I think He has a better sense of humor than we (me) give Him credit for and one thing is for sure, God is never, ever boring! I hope you have noticed that very rarely does God do the same work twice (I guess you can see that in nature, too. No two fingerprints alike, no two snowflakes alike, DNA, etc.) Anyway, sending hornets! The Israelites didn’t even have to lift a bow! Have you ever had a situation that you thought you were going to have to go to battle and when the time came, it was already settled? No words needed? No explanations? That’s walking in the favor and blessing of God! Don’t you love it that our God goes before us, paving the way, clearing our paths?
4) When God sent the Israelites into the promise land, the fortified towns were already there. Homes, vineyards, wells—all the necessities and luxuries of life. When there battle was over—rest, comfort, fruitfulness! Can you think of any way(s) we can compare that to our Christian lives today?
Joshua 24:14-22 (Wednesday)
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods! It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God." Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you." But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD." Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes, we are witnesses," they replied.” (NIV)
1) Boy, those idols I want to through away seem to have a death grip on me! It’s like their stuck with super glue or something! Can anybody relate?
2) Once we are on this side of the cross, it is hard to imagine the Lord being undesirable to anyone. We forget He was once undesirable to us! What were some of the reasons, or excuses someone might use to avoid choosing Christ?
3) Choosing Christ is a conscientious and deliberate decision and it is a matter of our will! It’s either my will or God’s will. We have to choose!
4) Joshua actually seems to be discouraging the Israelites even before they make an actual choice! “You are not able to serve the Lord!” And, again, “You are witnesses against yourselves.” Why did he utter these words? What had he experienced and seen in the Israelites to lead him to utter such words? More, what did he know about God and salvation that the Israelites did not?
5) The Israelites had operated in their flesh and unbelief over and over again! They professed God, but when the going got tough, they repeatedly wanted to return to their bondage to Egypt. Also, when confronted by their sin, they tried to right matters in their own strength. What warning does 1 Corinthians 10:12 hold for each and every one of us?
6) So if we can’t stand in our own strength and our own effort, how on earth can choosing to follow Christ make a difference in our lives and save us from ourselves (2 Corinthians 1:21, 24)?
Joshua 24:23-27 (Thursday)
“Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey him." On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. "See!" he said to all the people. "This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.” (NIV)
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Joshua 24:28-33 (Friday)
“Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance. After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel. And Joseph's bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph's descendants. And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.” (NIV)
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091706

Joshua on Leadership
The Agony of Defeat


Joshua 6:18-19; 7:1-5 (Monday)
“But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the LORD and must go into his treasury.”
Joshua 7:1-5 “But the Israelites acted unfaithfully in regard to the devoted things ; Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the LORD's anger burned against Israel. Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and spy out the region." So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, "Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there." So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water.” (NIV)
1) When you think of a thing or an object as being devoted, what thought(s) come to your mind?
2) Here, the word is cherem, which can be translated as being physically shut in (such as a fish caught in a net); an object subject to doom, or a thing appointed to utter destruction. One translation is accursed.
3) Cherem is first mentioned in Deuteronomy 7:22-26. What were these devoted things, what were the Israelites to do with them and why?
a) Oh, our idols can and do ensnare us! Where does the entrapment begin according to this passage in Deuteronomy?
i) Once we have moved past the sin of covetousness, then we sink deeper into a pit of destruction by bringing the accursed thing into our dwelling places! Big mistake! How can this bring about our own spiritual downfall?
(1) Let’s skip over the obvious idols or “gods” of this world; money, position, fame. Let’s dig a little deeper and try to uncover other “devoted things” or areas in our life that we have turned into substitute idols or “gods”. Please share if you feel free.
4) Does it seem that Joshua was spiritually tuned into this very serious situation? What may have been the reason he lacked discernment (Jeremiah 10:21)?
5) This direct act of disobedience was carried out by one man, yet these verses tell us that “the Israelites” acted unfaithfully. This implies guilt upon the entire nation. Do you believe this was just on God’s part? Oh, go back and read Joshua 6:18-19! No one in the entire camp could say that God didn’t give them fair warning! How does this speak of being “your brother’s keeper” (Genesis 4:9)? How might this scenario played out if someone had been watchful for someone else being tempted? (James 5:19-20; 1 John 5:16)
6) The Lord had promised to go before the Israelites, every piece of land they stepped their foot upon was theirs for the taking. The Israelites believed God’s word and sent three thousand men to fight—seems reasonable, or does it? How did the Israelites err in their decision making?
a) Read Numbers 14:27-45. I don’t believe many of us intentionally set out to presume upon God’s mercy and grace covering or even fully realize when we are doing so. Still, we do this grievous act of sin time and time again. What are some ways we are presumptuous in our thoughts and actions towards God’s loving kindness toward us?
7) Has you heart ever melted and become like water within you—a time when you realized that you were fighting a battle all by yourself? What were the circumstances? How did you respond? How were you able to recover? were you able to recover?
Joshua 7:6-9 (Tuesday)
“Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” (NIV)
1) Joshua and the elders were so right in falling prostrate before God. However, Joshua utters a statement that had earlier drove God to cause an entire generation to wander in the desert for 40 years (Exodus 14:10-12; Numbers 11:1-6, 18; Numbers 13:25-33, 14:1-4)! What was it that Joshua said before his God? How was his statement different from those of the Israelites coming out of Egypt?
2) Do you believe Joshua’s concern for God’s great name was the main motive at work here? If not, why was?
3) Well, whether or not Joshua’s heart was in the right place, you can bet Joshua’s leadership ability was on the line—among the Israelites, among the pagan peoples and before God!
4) Moses also expressed his concern to God about how other peoples would perceive Jehovah if He destroyed the very people He had saved (Numbers 14:11-23). Compare these two passages and note similarities and differences.
a) What do you think was Moses’ motivation?
b) What do you think was Joshua’s motivation?
i) Which seems to be more of an intercession? Does either sound in any way accusatory?
Joshua 7:10-15 (Wednesday)
“The LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction. "Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, `Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: That which is devoted is among you, O Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove it. "In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD takes shall come forward clan by clan; the clan that the LORD takes shall come forward family by family; and the family that the LORD takes shall come forward man by man. He who is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the LORD and has done a disgraceful thing in Israel!” (NIV)
1) The Lord has a way of setting someone straight! My goodness! I can almost heart God telling Joshua, “What are you doing on the ground? What are the others going to think of your name? Be a leader, stand up like a man of God and take responsible action! If I made a promise and you don’t see the fulfillment, then you had better look among yourselves for the source of the problem!”
2) Well, before we get too harsh on poor Joshua, at one point God had to kick Moses into gear, too (Exodus 14:8-18)! There is a time for inquiry, a time for intercession, a time for repentance and obviously, a time for faith-filled, live it out action! Oh, there is never a time for wallowing in self-pity!
3) Whether or not Joshua had truly inquired of the Lord, God graciously reveals the source of the problem—a devoted thing is among you!
4) Now, you know God knew who took those items! So, why go tribe by tribe, clan by clan, and family by family?
5) Why would God destroy all that belongs to the man guilty of this single act of disobedience?
6) Could Achan have hidden these items without the knowledge of his family?
Joshua 7:16-21 (Thursday)
“Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was taken. The clans of Judah came forward, and he took the Zerahites. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was taken. Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Carmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me." Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” (NIV)
1) Every tribe of Israel was under suspicion. Have you ever been called out, been completely innocent and, yet still felt shame and guilt simply because you were grouped together with the real culprit? Not being guilty of this particular sin didn’t in any way stop the trembling and fear all of Israel must have been feeling standing there before the judgment of Almighty God! Why (Romans 3:10-19)?
a) What is God’s answer for this hopelessness (Romans 8:1-4)!
2) What tribe was the guilty man from?
a) Read Genesis 49:8-12. What blessing did the patriarch of our faith give unto his son, Judah?
i) Rule belonged to the tribe of Judah—it would fall to one of Judah’s descendants and it would be everlasting! To whom does the specter belong (Revelation 5:1-10)! Glory to God!
b) I’m sure it grieved the clans of this noble and royal tribe that one of their own brethren would be devoted or accursed because of this act of sin and treachery against God’s spoken commandment. Just have to make this parallel—Remember, Christ became our curse for our sin (Galatians 3:13)! In God’s grand design, the curse was necessary for one man—the God-Man, so grace could abound all the more for us! Oh, don’t get me wrong—this man sinned, and Jesus was and is the spotless, sinless One! Just something to think about!
3) This appears to be a contrite confession, right? If Achan were truly repentant, why wasn’t he the one face down before God? Why wait until his tribe, his clan, indeed, the entire nation was shamed?
a) Maybe I’m the only one, but God help me, I really do try and convince myself sometimes that I can get away with things (sins) because no one will ever find out—this man thought the same thing! What does Isaiah 29:15-16 tell us about that lie from the pit?
4) Okay, we see a devoted thing that is not necessarily what we would think of as an idol—a beautiful robe! God help me, how many “beautiful robes” fill my closets, my draws, my shoe racks!!!
5) The silver and gold were to go into God’s treasury! We would never do anything like that—would we (Malachi 3:8-10). Yes, I know—money talk!
Joshua 7:22-26 (Friday)
“So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD. Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today." Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.”
1) Stoning was a punishment set aside for the most grievous of sins:
a) Sacrificing Israelite children to a pagan god (Leviticus 20:2)
b) Divination (consulting demonic spirits (horoscopes, mediums, etc.) (Leviticus 20:27)
c) Blasphemy (Leviticus 24:14) A person guilty of blasphemy had to be stone outside the camp!
d) Causing others to follow after a false god (Deuteronomy 13:6-18)
e) A rebellious and stubborn child (Deuteronomy 21:18-21) Ouch!
f) Adultery, rape, and incest (Deuteronomy 22:13-25)
i) In each of these instances, the stoning was to be done by the entire camp
(1) Special provision was made so that no one would be falsely accused. According to Deuteronomy 17:6 what was required?
2) Which of these categories would you say Achan’s sin fell into?
3) Achan lineage was completely erased from Israel! Why was God so swift to meet His full and just wrath upon this man (Deuteronomy 13:5b; 17:7b)?
4) Go back to Monday’s discussion of devoted things. As God had warned, Achan and his family became devoted things themselves. How does this family’s demise line up with God’s instructions for devoted things?
a) Aren’t you glad that God does not deal with us as our transgressions deserve, but according to His great compassion, grace and love (Psalms 103:9-14)? Thank you, Jesus!

JoshuaonLeadership_TheAgonyofDefeat_Joshua6,7,4_091706

091006

Joshua on Leadership
The Thrill of Victory


Joshua 3:12-17 (Monday)
“Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel , one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD--the Lord of all the earth--set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap." So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan , the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho . The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan , while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.” (NIV)
1) These words should jar our memories just a bit because a couple of things are very familiar to us. One, twelve men—the exact number of Jesus’ closest disciples and apostles. Second, God again parts the waters—a little differently this time. Go back and read Exodus 14:5-23 . What are the most notable comparisons?
a) I hope you noticed that both times the Lord went ahead of the Israelites. In Exodus 14 , the Angel of the Lord (most probably the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ) was out in front (and later behind) and here, in this passage, the Lord’s presence went before them in the ark of the Lord (ark of the covenant). And, yes, the waters must somehow again be displaced so the Israelites could cross over on dry ground!
b) Notable differences are:
i) In Exodus 14 , the Israelites were being hotly pursued! Remember, they were fleeing slavery from Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Here, they are preparing to enter the land promised to them by Almighty God.
ii) In Exodus 14 , the Israelites were told to be still—the Lord would fight for them. Here, they are going to have to conquer in order to occupy the promised land
iii) In Exodus 14 , all of the Israelites went through at the same time. Here, the priests went ahead of the people carrying the holy ark before them
iv) In Exodus 14 , the people crossed over on dry land. Here, the priest’s feet actually had to touch the water’s edge first (they had to get a little wt) before the waters completely dried up, stand in the middle of the waterbed and wait until the other Israelites passed over.
v) In Exodus 14 , the waters divided to the right and to the left. Here, the waters heaped up some distance away.
2) We have previously discussed how Egypt represents spiritual bondage to sin—a place of toil, sweat, tears and death. Okay, stay with me here. Exodus 14 can be compared to our first step of faith—salvation! God, through His precious Son, Jesus Christ victoriously forged ahead of us, fought and won the battle against sin and the devil while we were STILL sinners! Like the Israelites, all we must do is to follow Christ out of sin, crossing over from death unto everlasting life! Beloved, at this point in our spiritual walk, we are all on level, dry, holy ground. Believe and cross over, dear one!
3) What does stepping into the water’s while they were at flood stage say about the faith it may have taken for that very first step into the water’s edge?
4) Let’s make sure we are viewing the promise land— Canaan , in its proper perspective. Canaan represents our God’s purpose, plan and mission for us in this life—not heaven! Heaven is ours the moment we believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Heaven is right now, and, also a future promise won for us at the cross of Calvary !
5) Oh, I wish I could tell you differently, dear one, but you have to know that things change once we have crossed over those waters leading us from death unto life—changes that Joshua and the Israelites were sure to take notice of!
a) Stillness was/is no longer an option! Why?
b) This time, the priests of God went out first and they had to get their feet wet! Why?
c) Why wasn’t God’s presence visible, instead of being incased in a gold laden box? And, why must His presence be carried on the shoulders of the priests?
d) Why didn’t God part the waters in the exact same way He did with Moses?
6) Yes, salvation is free—walking this life with Jesus requires being ready to fight the good fight (1 Timothy 1:18-19a and 2 Timothy 4:7)! If we want all that God has for us—we’re going to have to snatch it away from the giants in the land! How can we accomplish such a fearsome task?
Joshua 4:1-7 (Tuesday)
“When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, "Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight." So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, "Go over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan . Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, `What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan , the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” (NIV)
1) These waters were standing up in a heap for quite a while! Estimates are that over 2 million Israelites crossed over into Jordan! Now, God tells Joshua to send twelve men from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to go back into the still dry waterbed and retrieve 12 memorial stones! Do you think at any point these men may have trembled, believing the heap would fail? Why or why not?
2) Why would God command that every tribe be represented and responsible for retrieving the stones?
3) These 12 stones, carried on the men’s shoulders, had to be of some significant size so they would be seen by later generations! I thought we left sweat and toil behind us! We’re talking a few people doing a whole lot of work—sound familiar to anyone!
4) What was God trying to provoke or promote in future generations?
5) God did not say, “If your children ask…”! No, He said, “When your children ask you…”! Most of you know I am helping my son and daughter in caring for my precious grandson, Elijah. As I am with him, I try and look for opportunities to reveal God to him. Rain, grass, trees! God’s wonders are all around us! Children will ask—be ready to tell them how God made all that we see for them. Elijah is 14 months old and understands as a child. What are some ways we can provoke our sons and daughters—even our spiritual sons and daughters to ask questions about our God? Oh, we need to be ready to tell them that God is alive in our lives and that He wants desperately to be alive in theirs, too! Be willing to share what He has done personally for you and how He has worked and moved mountains (or bodies of waters) in your life! Go back and read Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
6) Why is it important for us to look back and remember what God has done for us in the past? How can our past impact our present and our future walk with Christ? Oh, child, God’s marvelous workings in our life promotes faith!” Sadly, as someone once said, “The greatest enemy to faith is forgetfulness.” Remember!
Joshua 4:8-13 (Wednesday)
“So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan , according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day. Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the LORD and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, armed, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war.” (NIV)
1) Do you think it was coincidence those 12 stones just happened to be in the exact spot where the ark had stood in the middle of the waterbed? If your answer is no, then who do you think placed them in this spot and why? What kind of remembrance would this be for the person who had initially placed the stones?
2) Why not just pile the twelve stones into a heap? Why was each stone “set up”?
a) What does Deuteronomy 16:21-22 tell us about setting up sacred stones?
3) There is a huge difference in erecting a stone honor God and one honoring our idols.
a) What is Jesus called in 1 Peter 2:4?
i) What did Jesus say in John 12:32?
4) It is believed that even now plans are underway to rebuild God’s temple in Israel. A very important part of the temple worship will be absence—the ark of the covenant. While we study the ark, I want you to keep in mind that God gave Moses a pattern to follow, based on what was actually in the heavenlies! If you don’t keep that thought close to your heart, you are going to miss a rich and awesome blessing!
a) God gave Moses detailed instructions for the ark (Exodus 25). The ark was a wooden box overlaid with finest gold. How can we apply the significance of the ark’s construction to Christ Jesus?
b) What was the original name of the ark? (Testimony is also translated, witness).
c) According to Exodus 25:22 what was God’s purpose in the Israelites building the ark?
i) What was to be placed inside the ark?
(1) Commandments (Testimony) written in stone (Exodus 25:16)
(i) Who fulfilled the commandments (Law) of God?
(2) Jar of Manna that had fallen from heaven (Exodus 16:33-34)
(a) How does Jesus refer to Himself in John 6:35-58 ?
(3) Aaron’s rod which had miraculously and instantly displayed all three stages of vegetation (budding, blossoming and bearing fruit) (Exodus 25:16; Numbers 17:10 and Hebrews 9:4) Why do you think this was placed in the ark?
ii) According to Exodus 26:33-34 , where was the ark supposed to be placed in the Tabernacle?
(1) What type of covering was to be place over the ark?
(a) How does Paul refer to Jesus Christ in Romans 3:19-26 ?
iii) What significance do the two cherubim hold?
(1) Oh, read Genesis 3:24, 1 Samuel 4:4; 1 Kings 8:1-7; 1 Chronicles 28:10-21; Psalms 99:1; Isaiah 37:16; Ezekiel 9, 10 and Hebrews 9:5.
iv) Read Exodus 28 . What offices did God institute to make intercession for first for themselves and then for all of Israel ?
(1) Who was the high priest?
v) According to Exodus 40:3 , how was the ark shielded?
(1) Oh, read Hebrews 10:19-21 ! What was that curtain?
vi) According to Leviticus 16:2 could Aaron, the high priest enter the Holy of Holies anytime he wished?
(1) In Hebrews 4:1 we are told to come “boldly” unto God’s throne of grace!
d) How did king David refer to the ark of the covenant and by what Name was it called?
e) The ark is believed to have been stolen, plundered or destroyed either by Egypt (1 Kings 14:25-28 or by Babylon (Jeremiah 3:16-17). The ark was not rebuilt for the second Temple, rather the temple itself became the symbol of the Lord’s holiness (This should sound familiar to all of us! What does 1 Corinthians 3:16 say about God’s temple?) Keep in mind this was all predicted by Jeremiah in chapter 3:16-17! Glory!
i) So, what actually happened to the ark of the covenant?
(1) Oh, remember the ark was patterned after what was actually in the heavenlies. Well, read Revelation 11:19! Glory!
Joshua 4:14-18 (Thursday)
“That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel ;and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses. Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Command the priests carrying the ark of the Testimony to come up out of the Jordan ." So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan ." And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.” (NIV)
1) We noted earlier that Joshua had some mighty big shoes to fill in stepping into the leadership role of Moses. How did God use this miracle to bring respect to Joshua’s authority of the people of Israel?
2) The waters returned to flood stage levels—no turning back! Does that comfort you, or make you feel hedged in? Why?
a) Finally, God’s people had accomplished what He willed for them 40 years earlier! Having left Egypt behind through the miraculous parting of the Red Sea (leaving sin and death behind), the Israelites are now entering God’s purpose for their lives. Beloved, it is the same for us today. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior—He delivers us from sin and brings us into His eternal purposes and eternal life. The, glory to God, we are sealed in by His precious Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)! No turning back for us either!
Joshua 4:19-24 (Friday)
“On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho . And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan . He said to the Israelites, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, `What do these stones mean?' tell them, ` Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.' For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”
1) Again, the reason behind God’s wonders—to instill faith! Always, faith!
2) Oh, we have to know that our God is powerful! Why is that so important?

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Joshua on Leadership
Who Me? A Leader?


Deuteronomy 34:9-12 (Monday)
“Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses. Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt--to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel .” (NIV)
1) God is omniscient—all knowing! When He called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt , He already knew Moses would not be the man to lead His people into the promise land. What circumstance forbade Moses from entering into the promise land (Numbers 20:1-13)?
a) Does this seem overly harsh or severe since Moses had been such a faithful servant of God, facing many obstacles and performing many miracles before God’s people Israel ? Oh, sweet child of the Father, remember, God’s word is rich with “word pictures” of the life and work of Jesus Christ! This is just such an instance!
2) Who was/is that Rock (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)?
a) The “picture” of the Rock being “smitten” was given in Exodus 17:-1-6 . Don’t miss this! Christ, who was that Rock, was smitten (Isaiah 53:4; Romans 6:9-10 ) by God for our transgressions as a just payment for the penalty of our sin (death)—a once and for all people occurrence! No further suffering, shame, or death is required save that of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:25-28)!
b) b) The second time the Israelites thirsted (Numbers 20:1-12), God told Moses to “speak” to the Rock. Instead, out of anger and frustration, Moses smote the rock twice! This act was grievous, yes, because Moses disobey a direct command of God, but also because the Rock had already been smitten bringing forth water! It did not need to be struck again, only spoken to for the waters to freely flow again!
c) c) Oh, dear one! Jesus Christ doesn’t need to get back up on that cross every time someone needs to be saved from their sins or when we slide back into sin! No, that was fully accomplished on the cross at Calvary ! Now, we speak to the Rock, wisely seeking forgiveness and salvation that only comes to us by Jesus’ once and for all death on the cross! Then, glory to God, Jesus gives to us freely of His Living Waters (His Holy Spirit)! Amen!
i) Oh, read Hebrews 6:3-6 . A serious warning for those who hear the truth and a refuse to go all the way with God—they crucify Christ afresh!
3) “…no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face…” Imagine yourself trying to step into a position of authority over a people had known, trusted and depended upon Moses’ spiritual leadership for over 40 years! So, when and how did God start preparing Joshua for such an awesome task?
a) A glimpse into Joshua’s background may give us better insight as to why Joshua was chosen above other Israelites and to his God-confidence in completing the task God set before him:
i) Joshua was an elder among the people and fought directly beside Moses (Exodus 17:5-16)
ii) When Joshua defeated the Amalekites with the sword, the Lord commanded Moses that the details of the battle be written down on a scroll as a remembrance and read in front of Joshua (Exodus 17:14)
iii) Joshua served as Moses’ aid and was not fearful in approaching the holy, fearfully awesome mountain of God (Exodus 24:13-18)
iv) Unlike Aaron, Joshua was faithful and obedient in waiting for Moses’ return from receiving the Ten Commandments, even though the wait turned out to be 40 days and 40 nights (Exodus 32:15-24)
v) While others stood outside their tents, watched and worshipped from afar as Moses entered the Tent of the Meeting, (by the way, anyone could approach and enter if they wish to inquire of the Lord vs. 7b), only Joshua remained (at or in the tent) even when Moses left the tent (Exodus 33:7-11)
vi) Though wrongly placed in this instance, Joshua had a righteous, jealous zeal for God’s chosen leader, Moses (Numbers 11:28)
vii) Joshua was among those who went in to spy out the promise land
viii) Joshua and young Caleb were the only ones to give a good report back to Moses—“We can possess the land…” (Joshua believed God) (Numbers 14:7-9)
ix) Of all the people who were delivered from Egypt by God, all those who had witnessed His mighty miracles—only Joshua and Caleb lived to enter the promise land! (Numbers 14:21-38)
(1) How could this fact prove to be vital in leading the people of Israel ?
x) Joshua followed the Lord wholeheartedly (Numbers 32:12)
xi) When the Israelites entered the promise land, Eleazar the priest and Joshua were given the responsibility to allot the inheritance of land to the various tribes (Numbers 34:17)
xii) Moses was told by God to encourage and strengthen Joshua for the task (Deuteronomy 1:38; 3:28; 31:7-8)
xiii) The LORD commissioned Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:14-15)
xiv) The LORD encouraged Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:23)
xv) The LORD promised never to leave or forsake Joshua and admonished Joshua 3 more times to be strong and very courageous (Joshua 1:5-10)
4) Os Hillman, in his Today God is First devotional of September 25, 2006 has another interesting take on the smiting of the rock by Moses:
Management by Force
Numbers 20:8"Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

Moses and the people had been traveling for days without water. The people were thirsty. They were complaining and grumbling about their plight, and Moses became the object of their complaining. Moses sought the Lord for wisdom on how to handle the situation. The Lord instructed him to speak to the rock and water would flow. This would be a sign that God was still in control, that Moses was still the leader, and that God was their provider.

When it came time to speak to the rock, Moses' disgust with the people became so great that instead of speaking to the rock, he angrily addressed the people and then struck the rock twice. The water came out, in spite of Moses' disobedience. But the Lord was not pleased with Moses.

This was a time for Moses to operate at a higher level. No longer was he called to touch things with his staff to perform miracles; it was a time for him to speak to the problem. His very words would have changed the situation. Moses' staff represented two things-his physical work as a shepherd of sheep and his spiritual work as a shepherd of the people. God was calling him to move into a new dimension of using his staff. Up to now, Moses had always been commanded by God to touch something to perform the miracle. Now it was time to speak God's word to the problem.

However, Moses made the mistake many of us make. He used his instrument with force to accomplish something for God. He took something God wanted to be used in a righteous manner and used it in an unrighteous manner. He used force to solve the problem. This disobedience cost Moses his right to see the Promised Land.

Have you ever been tempted to use your power, skill, and ability to force a situation to happen, perhaps even out of anger? God is calling us to use prayer to move the face of mountains. The force of our ability is not satisfactory. God is calling each of us to a new dimension of walking with Him. Pray that God will give you the grace to wait on Him and not take matters into your own hands. Then you will not be in jeopardy of failing to move into the Promised Land in your life.”
5) Now, take the time to dwell on (better, write these things down) some of the major events in your life. Can you now look back and see how God might have used your circumstances, your struggles, your failures, your pain, perhaps even your triumphs—to prepare you for a particular position or a particular service?
6) Remember, last week we studied how during the Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit did not normally fall on a person with any permanency. What was one of the purposes for Moses laying hands on Joshua?
a) The first mention of laying hands on someone is found in Numbers 8:6-15 . In obedience to a direct command from God, all of Israel laid their hands upon the Israelite tribe of Levi as they were consecrated, commissioned (set apart) unto the Lord.
i) What was God’s purpose in calling out the Levite tribe from the other Israelites (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 3:5-10 and Deuteronomy 18:15 )?
ii) Under what conditions were the Levites initially called out by God (Exodus 32:1-35, especially verses 25-29)? Unusual way to receive God’s blessing! Remember, Aaron, who was a Levite, formed the idolatrous calf for the people to worship!
iii) Who were the most prominent leaders of the Levite clan (Exodus 2:1-10 and Exodus 4:1-17 )?
7) In Numbers 27:15-23 we get a little more detailed account of Joshua’s consecration to the Lord’s service.
a) In each of these instances God “set apart” His priests, the Levites who served the temple of God , and Joshua in front of the entire assembly of people. What do you think was His motivation in doing so?
8) No, God’s intent was not that Joshua be a prophet such as Moses, but rather, a shepherd or leader of His people. Still, in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 , Moses, and then God Himself told the Israelites another prophet would come and that the people were to listen to him. Who was/is that prophet?
Joshua 1:5 (Tuesday)
“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon , and from the great river, the Euphrates--all the Hittite country--to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (NIV)
1) Do you believe these words still echo down to God’s children today? “Every place you step your foot is yours—I will be with you—I will never leave you nor forsake you!” They do, beloved, they do!
a) God has promised that if we ask, it will be given; seek and it shall be found; knock and the door will be opened (Matthew 7:7; John 15:7 )
b) God gives us good gifts (Matthew 7:11; 1 Corinthians 12 ; Ephesians 4:1-13
c) God has given the secrets of the kingdom to us (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11 )
d) God has promised that if we faithfully and wisely use what He has given us, He will give us abundantly more (Matthew 25:14-29)
e) God has promised that as we learn to give, He will give back to us—pressed down, shaken together, overflowing (Luke 6:38)
f) God has given us authority to overcome our enemy—satan, (Luke 10:19)
g) God is pleased to give us His kingdom (Luke 12:32)
h) God gives believers light so that we may walk and not stumble in this dark and fallen world (Proverbs 4:10-12; John 1:9 )
i) God’s gives us of His Holy Spirit and eternal life (Luke 11:9-13; John 4:14 )
j) God has promised that where Jesus is, so shall we be (John 17:24)
k) God has promised that we will one day be honored for our service to His Son, Christ Jesus (John 12:26)
l) God has promised us peace (John 14:27) Oh, never more important than in our day and time!
m) God has prepared a place for us and is coming back for His own (John 14:1-3, 28)
n) God has chosen and appointed us to bear much fruit (John 15:16; Romans 8:29-30 )
o) God has given us His word (John 17:14)
p) God has given us glory (John 17:22; Romans 8:30 )
q) God has promised that we will do greater things (in quantity, not quality) than Jesus (John14:8-14)
r) God has called us to be Christ’s ambassadors, compelling others to be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:14-20)
2) If you really believed, believed that God was with you in whatever you set out to accomplish—what would you dare to do?
3) What is the territory that God has given to you?
4) God has promised that no one will be able to stand against us. Oh, beloved, know that they will try! I think this is what causes most of us to stumble—we come face to face with our own personal Goliath and our natural instinct is to run! What Goliaths have you faced in your walk with Christ?
5) How do we overcome our Goliaths?
a) We arm ourselves for battle (Ephesians 6:11-18)
i) Who does verse 12 tell us we are battling against?
b) 1 John 2:13-14 tells us we have overcome the evil one. 1 John 4:1-5 says we have overcome the world. How? Oh, read 1 John 5:1-5 ! We are more than conquerors (Romans 8:26-37)!
6) Ever been forsaken? So was Jesus Christ (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34 )!
a) Hebrews 13:5 again promises that God will never leave or forsake us. So, how do we face our personal “losses”?
7) Whoa! We need to be careful, because we can be on the over end of this forsaking thing! What we must guard ourselves against according to Revelation 2:4 ? Dangerous! Very Dangerous! (I used to say this to my children when something was really bad for them!)
Joshua 1:6-9 (Wednesday)
“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (NIV)
1) God did not suggest that Joshua be strong and very courageous—no, God commanded Joshua to be so! What has God commanded you to be strong and very courageous in?
2) God gives Joshua a promise of success, but also a warning. What is it?
a) What is man’s idea of success?
b) According to these verses, what is God’s?
3) Why would God command Joshua to not be terrified? What was Joshua coming up against?
4) What have you come up against that has struck terror in you? Okay, terror is usually immediately and natural response! How were you, or were you able to overcome your fear(s)?
a) Take time to read over 2 Peter 1:3-8 . Oh, God has given us His divine power and great and precious promises to hold unto! How I pray we learn to mediate on those promises, so we faint not! Remember, we walk by faith in those promises—not be sight!
5) Discouragement comes to us all! I have a wonderful article by Bill Hybels on discouragement that I will pass out this week (also at the end of this lesson)!
6) Since we make up the body of Christ, we have a God-given responsibility to lift one another up! How I pray you are an encourager! It is wonderful to have brothers and sisters in the Lord to help us through life’s struggles, but to what truth (and promise) does God point Joshua? Oh, please read Psalms 121:1-18 ! There is no god like our God (Deuteronomy 3:24)! Amen!
Joshua 1:12:15 (Thursday)
“But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, "Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: `The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.' Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan ,but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” (NIV)
1) Hard to fathom, but not all the 12 tribes of Israel wanted to go into the promise land! Can you imagine! Three tribes had settled into fertile ground east of the Jordan and were very content right where they were (Numbers 32)! Are you settling, or falling short of God’s promise land for you? What keeps you from going all the way with God?
a) God granted these three tribes their request to live outside of Canaan —the land of promise. Oh, it was not without cost! Settling never is! Based on Numbers 32 , what was their responsibility to the rest of the tribes? What was God’s reasoning?
i) God had set aside the land of Canaan with the idea of the land being conquered and occupied by all 12 tribes! Since these tribes refused to enter, only nine tribes were left to fight against the giants in the land. What kind of burden would that place on the other nine tribes? What would losing the land allotted to them cost the three absent tribes of Israel ?
(1) Oh, God speaks this same message to His church today! How many faithful servants do you see fulfilling the same tasks Sunday after Sunday after Sunday? I know you also see other church members enjoying the fruit of these mighty warriors labor! Fair? No way! The church is compared to a body—the body of Christ! The body cannot function properly unless each part is fulfilling its necessary task! Who has to fill the body’s function if we decide we are comfortable resting where we are? Is this fair to others in the body?
b) Get this! To put a soothing balm on the Lord’s anger, The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh promised go in to Canaan first! I don’t know about you, but being on the frontline in any battle is not a good place to be!
c) Still, there are some of us who will enter our place of rest (on earth) before others. Or, we may just be in a place or time of peace in our lives. Do you know someone who is in the midst of a heated battle over their own promise land? Plow in ahead of him or her! It may be that you have already been through the very fire they are just entering—stand and fight together! A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12)!
2) I hope you didn’t miss the fact that God made the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh hold up to their vow! God does not take vows lightly and never should we! If we say we will do something, then God requires that thing of us (Numbers 30)!
a) This is why scripture tells us not to swear, period (James 5:12)!
Joshua 1:16-18 (Friday)
“Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”
1) Can’t leave this lesson without encouraging you in your own area of godly service! A strong, faithful leader will rightly and justly guide his people. A leader is not afraid to forge ahead, preparing the way for others. A leader encourages others in their own gifts and talents, and will step aside if they can fulfill a need better than he. A leader is a re-builder and a restorer of brokenness—relationships—lives! Sounds like Joshua—sounds like Jesus Christ!
2) 1 Timothy 3:13 reads, “Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” What promises does this verse hold for you?

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The Art of Self LeadershipYour toughest management challenge is always yourself. Bill Hybels Imagine a compass—north, south, east, and west. Almost every time the word leadership is mentioned, in what direction do leaders instinctively think?
South.
Say the word leadership and most leaders' minds migrate to the people who are under their care. At leadership conferences, people generally think, "I'm going to learn how to improve my ability to lead the people God has entrusted to me."
South. It's a leader's first instinct.
But many people don't realize that to lead well, you need to be able to lead in all directions—north, south, east and west.
For example, good leaders have to lead north—those who are over you. You can't just focus on those entrusted to your care. Through relationship and influence good leaders lead the people over them. Much of what I do at Willow Creek, through relationship, prayer, and careful envisioning, is to try to influence those over me—the board and the elders.
Effective leaders also learn how to lead east and west, laterally, in peer group settings. If you don't learn how to lead laterally, if you don't know how to create win-win situations with colleagues, the whole culture can deteriorate.
So a leader must lead down, up, and laterally. But perhaps the most overlooked leadership challenge is the one in the middle. Who is your toughest leadership challenge?
Yourself.
Consider 1 Samuel 30 . David, the future king of Israel , is a young emerging leader at the time. He is just learning to lead his troops into battle. He's green. But God is pouring his favor on David, and most of the time the battles go his way. One terrible day though, that pattern changes. After returning home from fighting yet another enemy, David and his men discover soldiers have attacked and destroyed their campsite, dragged off the women and children, and burned all their belongings.
This would define "bad day" for any leader! But it's not over. His soldiers are tired, angry, and worried sick about their families. They're miffed at God. A faction of his men spreads word that they've had it with David's leadership. They figure it's all David's fault, and they decide to stone him to death.
In this crisis David's leadership is severely tested. Suddenly, he has to decide who needs leadership the most. His soldiers? The officers? The faction?
His answer? None of the above.
In this critical moment he realizes a foundational truth: he has to lead himself before he can lead anybody else. Unless he is squared away internally he has nothing to offer his team. So "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God" (1 Samuel 30:6). Only then does he lead his team to rescue their families and what's left of their belongings.
David understood the importance of self-leadership. And although self-leadership isn't talked about much, make no mistake, it is a good part of the ballgame. How effectively can any of us lead others if our spirits are sagging, our courage is wavering, and our vision or commitment is weak?
Last summer I read an article that created some disequilibrium for me. The author, Dee Hock, challenged leaders to calculate how much time and energy they invest in each of these directions—people beneath them, over them, peers, and leading themselves. Since he's been thinking and writing about leadership for over 20 years and is a laureate in the Business Hall of Fame, I wanted his wisdom.
His recommendation: "We should invest 50 percent of our leadership amperage into the task of leading ourselves; and the remaining 50 percent should be divided into leading down, leading up, and leading laterally." His numbers bothered me so much I put the article away. But I let it simmer, which is my normal practice when someone messes with my mind.
While that was simmering, I read an article by Daniel Goleman, the author of the best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence. Since that book was released in 1997, Goleman has been spending his time analyzing why some leaders develop to their fullest potential and why most hit a plateau far from their full potential.
His conclusion? The difference is (you guessed it) self-leadership. He calls it "emotional self-control." What characterizes maximized leadership potential, according to Goleman? Tenaciously staying in leadership despite overwhelming opposition or discouragement. Staying in the leadership game and maintaining sober-mindedness during times of crisis. Keeping ego at bay. Staying focused on the mission instead of being distracted by someone else's agenda. All these indicate high levels of emotional self-control. Goleman says, "Exceptional leaders distinguish themselves because of superior self-leadership."
As I read his corroborating data, I thought, Maybe Dee Hock's percentages aren't all that absurd! Recall the first five chapters of Mark's Gospel. Remember Jesus' pattern of intense ministry quickly followed by time set aside for reflection, prayer, fasting, and solitude? That pattern is repeated throughout his ministry. Jesus was practicing the art of self-leadership. He would go to a quiet place and recalibrate. He would remind himself who he was and how much the Father loved him. Even Jesus needed to invest regularly in keeping his calling clear, avoiding mission drift, and keeping distraction and temptation at bay.
This is self-leadership. And nobody—I mean nobody—can do this work for you. You have to do this work yourself. Self-leadership is tough work—so tough, Dee Hock says, that most leaders avoid it. Instead, we would rather try to inspire or control our people than to do the rigorous work of reflection.
Some years ago a top Christian leader disqualified himself from ministry. A published article described his demise: "[He] sank like a rock, beat up, burned out, angry and depressed, no good to himself and no good to the people he loved."
When this pastor finally wrote publicly about his experience, he said, "Eventually I couldn't even sleep at night. Another wave of broken lives would come to shore at the church, and I found I didn't have enough compassion for them any more. And inside I became angry, angry, angry. Many people still wonder whatever happened to me. They think I had a crisis of faith. The fact is I simply collapsed on the inside."
He failed the self-leadership test. He should have regrouped, reflected, recalibrated. Maybe taken a sabbatical or received some Christian counseling. Goleman would say that this guy lost his emotional self-control. Now he's out of the game.
A little closer to home, I'll never forget when three wise people came to me on behalf of the church. They said, "Bill, there were two eras during the first 20 years of Willow Creek history when by your own admission you were not at your leadership best—once in the late seventies and again in the early nineties. The data shows Willow Creek paid dearly for your leadership fumble. It cost Willow more than you'll ever know when you were off—not hitting on all 8 cylinders."
Then they said words I'll never forget: "Bill, the best gift you can give the people you lead here at Willow is a healthy, energized, fully surrendered, focused self. And no one can do that for you. You've got to do that for yourself." And while they were talking, the Holy Spirit was saying, "They're right, Bill. They're right."
Because I know what's at stake, I ask myself several self-leadership questions on a regular basis.
Is my calling sure?On this matter, I'm from the old school. I really believe that if you bear the name of Jesus Christ, you have a calling, whether you're a pastor or a lay person. We all must surrender ourselves fully to make ourselves completely available to God. Ask, "What's my mission, God? Where do you want me to serve? What would you have me do in this grand kingdom drama?"
Remember what Paul said about his calling? "I no longer consider my life as dear unto myself. Only that I fulfill the mission or the calling given to me by God himself" (Acts 20:24).
What happens when you receive a call from the holy God? Your life takes on focus. Energy gets released. You're on a mission.
I have to keep my calling sure. So on a regular basis I ask, God, is your calling on my life still to be the pastor of Willow Creek and to help churches around the world? And when I receive reaffirmation of that, then I say, "Then let's go! Let's forget all the other distractions and the temptations. Burn the bridges!"
If you've been called to be a leader, it's your responsibility to keep your calling sure. Post it on your refrigerator. Frame it and put it on your desk. Keep it foremost in your mind.
Is my vision clear?How can I lead people into the future if my picture of the future is fuzzy? Every year we have a Vision Night at Willow Creek. You know who started Vision Night? I did. Guess who I mainly do it for? Me. Every year when Vision Night rolls around on the calendar it means that I have to have my vision clear.
Every leader needs a Vision Night on the calendar. On that night you say, "Here's the picture; this is what we're doing; here's why we're doing it; if things go right, here's what the picture will look like a year from now.
We prepare very diligently for Vision Night at Willow Creek. We have countless meetings to discuss the future. We spend many hours in prayer: "God, is this what you would have?" We search the Scriptures. By the time Vision Night rolls around, the vision is clear again. But it takes a lot of work to clarify the vision and to keep it clear. Nobody can do that work for you. It's the leader's job.
Is my passion hot?Jack Welch, the celebrated leader of General Electric, says, "People in leadership have to have so much energy and passion that they energize and impassion people around them."
I couldn't agree more. When I appoint leaders, I don't look for 25-watt light bulbs. I look for 100-watt bulbs because I want them to light up everything and everyone around them.
Whose responsibility is it to keep a leader's passion fired up? The leader's. That's self-leadership. Last year, at an elders' meeting, a couple of the elders asked me, "As busy as you are, why do you fly out on Friday nights to speak in some small out-of-the-way church to help them raise money or dedicate a new facility? Why do you do that?"
My answer: Because it keeps my passion hot.
Last year I helped a church in California dedicate their new building. One guy took me to the corner of the auditorium, peeled the carpet back, and showed me how everyone in the core of their church had inscribed the names of lost people in the concrete. Then they covered it over with carpet. In that auditorium they're praying fervently that the lost will be found.
It was a four-hour flight back to Chicago . I was buzzed the whole way. That church fired me up! I just love watching men and women throw themselves into the adventure of ministry. It inspires me. I know that my passion has to be white-hot if Willow is going to catch it. I can't become a 25-watt bulb—nor can you.
We do a lot of conferences through the Willow Creek Association. At times pastors of flourishing churches will pull me aside and say under their breath, "I have to come here once or twice a year just to keep my fires lit." They seem embarrassed about being here so often, as if it's a sign of weakness.
I tell them, "If you're a leader, it's your job to keep your passion hot. Do whatever you have to do, read whatever you have to read, go wherever you have to go. And don't apologize. That's a big part of your job."
Is my character submitted to Christ?Leadership requires moral authority. Followers have to see enough integrity in the leader's life that high levels of trust can be built. When surveys are taken about what it is that inspires a follower to throw his or her lot in with a particular leader over a long period of time, near the top of every list is integrity.
A leader doesn't have to be the sharpest pencil in the drawer or the one with the most charisma. But teammates will not follow a leader with character incongruities for very long. Every time you compromise character you compromise leadership.
Some time ago we had a staff member who was struggling in his leadership. I started poking around a little bit. "What's going on here?" I asked.
Then the real picture emerged. One person said, "For one thing, he sets meetings and then he doesn't even show. He rarely returns phone calls and often we don't know where he is."
I spoke to that guy and said, "Let's get it straight. When you give your word that you're going to be at a certain place at a certain time and you don't show up, that's a character issue. That erodes trust in followers. You clean that up, or we'll have to move you out." If character issues are compromised, it hurts the whole team and eventually impacts mission achievement.
I don't want to be a leader who demoralizes the troops and hurts the cause either. So on a regular basis, I sing Rory Noland's song in my times alone with God:
Holy Spirit, take control.Take my body, mind, and soul.Put a finger on anythingthat doesn't please you,Anything that grieves you.Holy Spirit, take control.
It's the leader's job to grow in character. No one can do that work except the leader.
Is my pride subdued? First Peter 5:5 says, "God opposes the proud. He gives grace to the humble." Do you know what Peter is saying? As a leader I have a choice. Do I want opposition from God in my leadership, or do I want grace and favor?
If you're a sailor, you know how hard it is to sail upwind. You also know how wonderful and relaxing it is to sail downwind. Peter is saying, "Which way do you want it? Do you want to sail upwind or downwind? If you're humble, the favor of God carries you. If you're proud, you're sailing into the wind. God opposes the proud."
Do you want to know the best way to find out if pride is affecting your leadership? Ask.
Ask your teammates. Ask the people in your small group. Ask your spouse. Ask your colleagues. Ask your friends, "Do you ever sense a prideful spirit in or around my leadership?" If you just couldn't ask a question like that, then you probably do have a pride issue!
It's a leader's job—with the Holy Spirit's help—to subdue pride.
Are my fears at bay?Fear is an immobilizing emotion. Sometimes I ask pastors, "Why haven't you introduced more change in your church when you know the church is crying out for it?"
I ask business leaders who are hesitating to launch a new product, "Why haven't you pulled the pin?" I ask political leaders why they haven't taken a stand on a particular issue, one I know they have strong personal convictions about.
So often the response is: "Because I am afraid." Fear immobilizes and neutralizes leaders. Believe me, I am not above this. I remember the morning in the year 2000 when it became clear to me that we needed to launch a $70 million building program. Our vision for the future was clear. The elders, the board, the management team signed off on it. The last step in the whole equation was for me to have the guts to pull the trigger. And you know what swirled around in my mind? The minute you go public with a $70 million campaign, there's no backing out. It's pass-fail. I realized that everything we had worked for over the past 25 years, all the credibility our congregation has established in our community and around the world was on the line. Fear kept building in my heart. Why expose Willow to that kind of risk? We're cruising along. We're growing and baptizing a thousand people a year. Why are we doing this?
I am not above letting fear mess with my decision making as a leader.
At a certain point, I just had to say, "I can no longer let fear sabotage my leadership." I reminded myself of that little verse, 1 John 4:4 , "Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world." I asked myself: Has God spoken to me? Has he made his direction clear? Is the leadership core with us? Is he going to love me if I fail? Am I still going to heaven if this whole thing doesn't turn out right? I struggled but finally I found the courage to step out in faith. (The campaign was enormously blessed by God. Our church could have missed a great miracle had fear won the day.)
Are interior issues undermining my leadership?All of us have some wounds, some losses, and some disappointments in our past. All that stuff has helped shape or misshape us into the people we are today. I laugh at people who say, "My past has not affected me. My family of origin has not affected me."
Leaders who ignore their interior reality often make decisions that have grave consequences for the people they lead. Most of the time, they're unaware of what's driving their unwise decisions. Some pastors make grandiose decisions that enslave everybody in their churches to an agenda that's not God's. It's an agenda that comes out of their need to be bigger than, better than, grander than.
Other leaders are incurable people pleasers. Every week they want to take a poll to see where they stand in the Nielsen ratings.
Who's responsible for your interior issues getting processed and resolved? You are. I am. I've spent lots of time in a Christian counselor's office. I still am in contact with two Christian counselors. And whenever I think, Man, there's some stuff coming out of me that has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit, and I don't understand it, I call these counselors. I say, "I don't understand why I said what I said, why I did what I did. I know it's junk. Would you help me?" Effective leaders must get a handle on their "junk!"
Are my ears open to the Spirit's whisper?I estimate that 75 to 80 percent of the breakthrough ideas in my leadership over the years have come from promptings of the Holy Spirit, not through hard machinations of my mind. Some of the great sermon series or vision adjustments, value clarifications or strategy changes, some of the greatest people selections have not been due to my cleverness. It has been the Holy Spirit whispering to my spirit.
Leaders cannot afford to be deaf to heaven. Training, process, and strategy are all good. Developing your mind is essential. But ultimately, we walk by faith, not by sight. There is a supernatural dimension to leadership and it comes our way by keeping an ear open to heaven.
I ask myself regularly, Can I still hear God's voice? Is the ambient noise level of my life low enough that I can still hear God's voice when he speaks? And do I still have the guts to obey him even though I don't understand him all the time?
Is my pace sustainable?I came close to a total emotional meltdown in the early 1990s. Suffice it to say I didn't understand self-leadership. I didn't understand the principle of sustainability. I fried my emotions. I abused my spiritual gifts. I damaged my body. I neglected my family and friends. And I came within a whisker of becoming a statistic.
I remember sitting in a restaurant and writing: "The pace at which I've been doing the work of God is destroying God's work in me." Then I remember putting my head down on my spiral notebook in that restaurant and sobbing.
But I asked myself, Bill, who has a gun to your head? Who's forcing you to bite off more than you can chew? Who's intimidating you into overcommitting? Whose approval and affirmation and applause other than God's are you searching for that makes you live this way? The answers were worse than sobering. They were devastating.
The elders, to whom I'm accountable, did not cause my pace problem. It wasn't caused by the board or the staff or family or friends. The whole pace issue was a problem of my own making. I had no one else to blame. That's a terribly lonely feeling—having no one else to blame.
So I sat all alone in this cheap restaurant in South Haven, mad as a hornet that I couldn't blame anybody for my kingdom exhaustion and my emotional numbness. To find the bad guy, I had to look in a mirror.
To further complicate matters, the only person who can put a sustainability program together for your future is you. For 15 years, I lived overcommitted and out of control, and deep down I kept saying, Why aren't the elders rescuing me? Why aren't my friends rescuing me? Don't people see I'm dying here?
But it isn't their job. It's my job. Please, if you haven't already, commit yourself to developing an approach to leadership that will enable you to endure over the long haul.
Are my gifts developing?Pop quiz: What are your top three spiritual gifts? If you cannot articulate them as quickly as you can give your name, address, and phone number, I'm tempted to say, "You need your cage rattled!" Before you write me a note telling me I've made you feel bad, I need to let you know that on this issue, I have Sympathy Deficit Disorder. Maybe I need medication or something. But seriously, leaders have to master their spiritual gift profile. They must know which gifts they've been given and how they rank in order.
In addition, the Bible holds every leader accountable before God for developing each of those gifts to the zenith of their spiritual potential.
It's sobering to have to ask myself regularly, Bill, you know God's only given you three gifts. Some people have five, six, or seven. You've been given three—leadership, evangelism, and teaching. Are you growing them? Developing, stretching these gifts? Reading everything you can read? Getting around people who are better than you in these areas? Are you developing the three gifts God has given you? Because those are the ones I've been given, they're the only ones I'm going to stand accountable for before God someday. I'm learning that I cannot give myself any slack when it comes to spiritual gift development.
Is my heart for God increasing? And is my capacity for loving deepening?Have you reminded yourself recently whose job it is to grow your heart for God? Is it the church's job? Your small group's job? No. It's your job to make sure your heart for God is increasing. Nobody can do that for you. You've got to develop the spiritual practices that keep you growing towards Christlikeness.
Likewise, is your capacity for loving people deepening? If you think about it, you realize God has only one kind of treasure. It's people.
When our kids were young and Lynne and I needed some husband-wife time, we'd get a babysitter. And I'd give those sitters my little talk. As we were heading out, I would say, "You need to know something. We only have two treasures in this life, only two. I don't care if you wreck our car or if the house burns down while we're gone. Really. Just promise me. Promise me you'll take really good care of our children. They are all that really matter to us in this world."
God is saying to leaders, "Promise me. Give me your word. Take care of my treasures. Grow in leadership so that you become the greatest you can be at taking care of my treasures. Love them. Nurture them. Develop them. Challenge them. Mature them. They are all that really matters to me in this world."
And right now would be a good time for you to say to God, "I will."