Christ Church Daily Devotion Jan 9 2024

The transcription is a daily devotion reading from the book of Joshua, reminding believers of their high calling from God and the promise of His presence and support. Joshua, after the death of Moses, is instructed by God to be strong and courageous as he leads the Israelites into the Promised Land. The reading emphasizes the need to trust God and not be deterred by obstacles or doubts. It encourages believers to rely on God's reassurance in times of difficulty and to remember that He is with them even in the midst of storms. Welcome to Christchurch's Daily Devotion for January 9th, 2024. Today, we will be reading from Joshua, chapter 1, verse 1 through 7. 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 Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand 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. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and be very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you. Do not turn from it, to the left or the right, that you may be successful wherever you go. Every believer has a high calling from the Lord, and God promises that if we act in faith, trusting Him, He will bring that plan to fruition. But, as anyone who has walked with Jesus for any length of time can attest, following our calling means we will meet obstacles along the way. Joshua had provided strong leadership for the children of Israel after Moses died, and the people trusted him. Yet, when it came time to lead the people through the Jordan River into the Promised Land, God saw his need for reassurance, and He spoke to him three times about being bold. Be strong and courageous. Only be strong and very courageous. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1, verses 6-7 and 9 As we faithfully seek to cross into our personal Promised Land, voices of skepticism often arise. It's not going to happen. It's easier where you are. How can you be sure you heard from God? The questions may come from a friend or acquaintance challenging what you believe to be God's direction. Or, it may be a voice inside your head raising every kind of argument to keep you from obeying your father's direction. You will be most vulnerable to attacks of the enemy when you are on the brink of possessing the land God has called you to inhabit. The enemy, and our flesh, will put up strong resistance in the form of fear, anxiety, doubt, and uncertainty. But that is the precise time you must heed the instruction that God gave to Joshua. Today's personal worship option. Are you going through a storm of any kind in your life right now? It is easy to think that God is distant, and that the storm is more than you can handle. God is with you in the storm, and will be there to help you pick up the pieces and move on with your life when the storm passes.