THE LORD GOD SAID AS I WAS WITH MOSES SO I WILL BE WITH YOU

PROCLAMATION

“Now after the death of Moses the servant of The Lord it came to pass, that The Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, ‘Moses My servant is dead;  Now arise, go over this Jordan … As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee;  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”  Joshua 1:1-5 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God allowed Moses to climb to the top of Mount Nebo and to see the promised land, but He did not allow him to cross over into it. (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)  Moses died in Moab and The Lord God buried him at some unknown location in the valley. (Deuteronomy 34:5-7)  Joshua was filled with The Spirit because Moses had laid hands on him. (Deuteronomy 34:9)  After the Israelites had grieved for Moses for thirty days, (Deuteronomy 34:8) The Lord God spoke to Joshua and told him that he would lead the people into the promised land. (Joshua 1:1-6)  The Lord God also told Joshua to be strong and courageous, and to obey the law which Moses had given to them. (Joshua 1:7-9)  Joshua told the people that in three days they would cross the Jordan river and take possession of the land which God had promised them. (Joshua 1:10)  They responded to Joshua saying, as we obeyed Moses, so will we obey you. (Joshua 1:17-18)  There were no written Scriptures available to Moses, The Lord God spoke to him directly.  However, Moses had faithfully written down all that The Lord God had spoken to him so the first five Books of the Bible were written and available to Joshua.

 

APPLICATION

Moses was clearly a man of God, and so was Joshua.  Both of them were leaders of God’s people.  The Lord God was with them to counsel and advise them, to guide and direct them, and to protect and defend them.  The same is true today for the men of God who are leading God’s people.  However, this also applies to all of the leaders of God’s people who are believers.  That also includes the patriarchs and matriarchs who are believers and leaders of our families today.  When they die, it passes on to us to obey The Word of God and to lead our families.  As leaders of God’s people, even if we only lead or influence a few of them, we must also obey The Lord God.  If we will obey His Holy Word, then He will be with us as He was with Moses and Joshua.  He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5) 

 

A VOW OF LOVE COMMITMENT AND DEVOTION

Proclamation:

“But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die and there will I be buried …’”  Ruth 1:16-17 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by an unknown human author, but some credit it to Samuel because of the timing when the judges ruled Israel.  Ruth, the daughter-in-law of Naomi, demonstrates an excellent example of love, commitment, and devotion to her mother-in-law.  After her father-in-law and her husband died, Ruth would not leave her mother-in-law’s side and vowed to stay with, even after death.  Ruth was a Moabite and her people worshiped idol gods, (Ruth 1:15) but thanks to Naomi and her son, Ruth was exposed to The Lord God and was converted.

Application:

People often say the words, “I love you” but their actions are not always consistent with their words.  Ruth, the great, great grandmother of David, demonstrated her love for her mother-in-law by vowing never to leave her.  She even vowed to be near her in death by being buried where she is buried.  In this life, very few people will go with us wherever we go.  Some people will go as far as to become extended family members and our people will become their people.  However, most people will not go as far as to change their religious beliefs and worship The Lord God with us.  In marriage the two people are to become as one person. (Ephesians 5:31)  There is rarely this level of commitment in any other relationship.  Parents are willing to die for their children, and some children are willing to die for their parents, but they do not go with them everywhere they go.  When we make a commitment to love The Lord God, nothing in the world, or in our lives, should be more important to us than Him.  He will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5)  Nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Romans 8:35 and 8:39)

THE LORD GOD SAID AS I WAS WITH MOSES SO WILL I BE WITH YOU

Proclamation:

“After the death of Moses the servant of The Lord, The Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ‘Moses My servant is dead.  Now then … As I was with Moses, so will I be with you.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Joshua 1:1-5 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of God which were written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God allowed Moses to climb to the top of Mount Nebo and to see the promise land, but He did not allow him to cross over into it. (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)  Moses died in Moab and The Lord God buried him somewhere in the valley. (Deuteronomy 34:5-7)  Joshua was filled with The Spirit because Moses had laid hands on him. (Deuteronomy 34:9)  After the Israelites had grieved for Moses for thirty days, (Deuteronomy 34:8) The Lord God spoke to Joshua and told him that he would lead the people into the promise land. (Joshua 1:1-6)  The Lord God also told Joshua to be strong and courageous, and to obey the law which Moses had given to them. (Joshua 1:7-9)  There were no written Scripture available to Moses, The Lord God spoke to him directly.  However, Moses had faithfully written all that The Lord God had spoken to him so the first five Books of the Bible were written and available to Joshua.

Application:

Moses was clearly a man of God, and so was Joshua.  Both of them were leaders of God’s people.  The Lord God was with them to counsel and advise them, to guide and direct them, and to protect and defend them.  The same is true today for the men of God who are leading God’s people.  However, this also applies to all of the leaders of God’s people who are believers.  That also includes the patriarchs and matriarchs who are believers and leaders of our families today.  When they die, it passes on to us to obey The Word of God and to lead our families.  As leaders of God’s people, even if we only lead or influence a few of them, we must also obey The Lord.  If we will obey His Holy Word, then He will be with us as He was with Moses and Joshua.  He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5) 

THERE IS NO NEED TO FEAR THE STORMS OF LIFE

Proclamation:

“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.  And He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?  And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, ‘Peace, be still.’  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.  And He said to them, ‘Why are ye so fearful?  How is it that ye have no faith?’  And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, what manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”  Mark 4:37-41 (KJV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by John Mark, a nephew of Barnabas but not an apostle.  This is the gospel as he received it from Simon Peter.  He began chapter four where he ended chapter three, with Jesus by the sea side with the great crowd that had followed Him.  After He sat in the ship near the shore, He began to teach them using parables. (Mark 4:1-2)  He taught them the parable of the sower and the seed, (Mark 4:3-8) the parable of the growing seed, (Mark 4:26-29) and the parable of the mustard seed. (Mark 4:30-32)  Jesus taught them many parables that day and when the evening came He told His disciples to sail to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. (Mark 4:33-36)  They were crossing the sea when the great storm came upon them.  The disciples panicked and woke Jesus.  He calmed the storm and then questioned their faith.  They became even more fearful when they realized that the wind and the sea obeyed Him.

Application:

As believers we will go through many storms in this life but there is no need for us to be afraid because The Holy Spirit of The Lord God is always with us. (Hebrews 13:5)  He can calm the storms if He chooses to do so, or He can provide us with safe passage through the storms.  Either way, there is no need for us to fear the storms.  If, however, it is in God’s plan for our life to end during a storm, we know that being absent from the body means that we are present with The Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8) so there is still nothing for us to fear from the storms. 

WE ARE UNFORGETTABLE

Proclamation:

“Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice you earth; burst into song, you mountains!  For The Lord comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.  But Zion said, ‘The Lord has forsaken me, The Lord has forgotten me.’  ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion for the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!  See, I have engraved you on the palm of my hands; your walls are ever before me…Lift up your eyes and look around; all of your children gather and come to you.  As surely as I live,’ declares The Lord, ‘you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.’”  Isaiah 49:13-18 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of the Prophet Isaiah which were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God and spoken to the people of God.  Because the city of Jerusalem had been destroyed, the people of Israel said that The Lord God had forsaken and forgotten them.  Isaiah told them what The Lord had revealed to him.  These were His words of compassion to comfort them and to assure them that He had not forgotten them.  The Lord compared Himself to a mother who had given birth to and breast fed a child. (Isaiah 49:15)  She would never forget her child, and if she did, He would never forget His children.  Then He compared Himself to a lover who has the name of a loved one tattooed on their body. (Isaiah 49:16a)  Their relationship may change but He would never forget those that He loved.  Then He compared Himself to a watchman guarding the city.  Their city walls are always on His mind. (Isaiah 49:16b)  Then He compared Himself to a jeweler who would adorn a bride with fine ornaments. (Isaiah 49:18)

Application:

We may go through some difficult times in this life and we may feel as though The Lord has forgotten us.  However, He is true to His word and He said that He would never leave us or forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:6)  As believers we are the children of God. (Matthew 5:9 and John 1:12)  He loves us so much that He died for us. (Romans 5:8)  When we were lost in sin He paid the price for our transgressions. (Ephesians 2:4-7)  We are in the very hands of God and no one can take us out of His hands. (John 10:27-30)  The Lord God sees all that we do, (Psalm 33:13) and He hears our prayers. (Proverbs 15:29)  Our concerns are always before Him for He neither slumbers nor sleeps. (Psalm 121:4)  God has great plans for us.  The church will be the bride of Christ and she will be adorned beautifully for the wedding.  He will never forget or forsake us.  To Him we are (as in the words of Nat King Cole) “unforgettable.”  He has made promises to us and He keeps His word. (1 Kings 8:56, Psalm 85:8, and 2 Peter 1:4)

TRUST IN THE LORD AND NOT IN MAN

Proclamation:

"Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me.  My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught ... My heart is in anguish within me ... If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him.  But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God ... My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant.  His speech is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.  Cast your cares on The Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall … But as for me, I trust in you." Psalms 55:1-23 (NIV) Shortened

Explanation:

This psalm of David is one of his prayers. He prayed this prayer when he was being attacked from without and from within, and even some of his friends had turned on him.

Application:

Not only are we suffering from the attacks and disappointments from others, but our thoughts and emotions are negative and out of control.  This psalm of David advises us to pray when things seem to be going wrong.  David also warns us to watch out for our "so-called" friends.  We expect attacks from our enemies, but not from our "friends."  These "friends" will attack us, usually verbally, and break promises made to us that they never really intended to keep.  They are smooth talkers, but they have malice in their hearts.  Even our friends with good intentions will let us down and disappoint us. Some times, like the Apostle Paul, when they want to do good and do the right thing, they don’t do it and they do wrong instead. (Romans 7:19)  It is better to put our trust in The Lord. (Psalms 118:8)  Trust in The Lord, for only He can protect and sustain us, (Psalm 28:7 and Proverbs 29:25) and He will never leave us of forsake us. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE US OR FORSAKE US

Proclamation:

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’"  Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

Explanation:

Under the influence and inspiration of The Holy Spirit of God the unknown author of the Book of Hebrews wrote to the scattered believers during their time of persecution.  He told them to be content and happy with that which they have been blessed with.  He also told them not to get caught up in the love of money and worldly possessions.  He said that along with whatever else that they have, they have The Lord God with them, and He will never leave them or forsake them.

Application:

We know that it is not money, but the love of money which is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10)  The love of money will cause many people to sin and turn away from God.  Therefore we are advised and encouraged to be content with that which we already have.  The Apostle Paul said "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." (Philippians 4:11)  It is better to have a little and have The Lord with us, than to have plenty of riches and not have The Lord in our life.  God is omni-present, He is every where all at the same time, (Psalms 139:7-10) so He is always with us.  Regardless of how we may feel, or how bad our situation appears, we are never really alone.  The Lord God is always with us and He will never leave us.  This was His promise to the believers of old (Genesis 28:15 and Deuteronomy 31:6) and it is His promise to us today. (Hebrews 13:5)