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Be Strong and Courageous
Scripture Passage:
Joshua 1:1-9 INTRODUCTION: Holy Travels – In George Whitefield’s Journal entry of February 8, 1739, we read: “I find much service might be done to religion on journeys, if we had but courage to show ourselves Christians in all places. Others sing songs in public houses, why should not we sing psalms? And when we give the servants money, why may we not with that give them a little book, and some good advice? I know by experience it is very beneficial. God grant this may be always my practice.” –from George Whitefield’s Journals (p.208).
- THERE IS A JOB TO DO (Joshua 1:6Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
See All...) - Unfinished Work Passed On (Joshua 1:1-2 [1] 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,
[2] Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
See All...) - A Land to Conquer (Joshua 1:3-5 [3] Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
[4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
[5] There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
See All...) - An Inheritance to Pass On (Joshua 1:6Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
See All...) - THERE IS A BOOK TO FOLLOW (Joshua 1:7Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
See All...) - Courage to Observe All Things
- Turning Not to the Right or Left (1 Corinthians 16:13Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
See All...) - Full Surrender to the Words of God (Joshua 1:8This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
See All...) - Speak of them
- Meditate on them (Psalm 1:2But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
See All...) - Observe to do them
- Prosper in them
- THERE IS A GOD TO OBEY (Joshua 1:9Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
See All...; Ephesians 6:1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.
See All...) - A Strength That Speaks Highly of our God (Ephesians 4:1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
See All...) - A Rejection of Fear and Discouragement
- A Confidence in the Presence of God (2 Timothy 2:1Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
See All...) - THERE IS A PEOPLE TO LEAD (Joshua 1:18Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
See All...) - A Testimony to the Faithful (Joshua 1:16And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
See All...) - A Proof of the Presence of God (Joshua 1:17According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
See All...) - A Contrast Between the Obedient and the Disobedient (Joshua 1:18Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
See All...; Malachi 3:18Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
See All...)
CONCLUSION: First Baptist Preachers Imprisoned in Virginia - The first recorded instance of Baptist preachers imprisoned for their faith in Virginia was in the county of Spotsylvania. John Waller, Lewis Craig, James Childs, and others, were seized on June 4th, 1768. At their trial, the lawyer accused them with these words: "May it please your worships, these men are great disturbers of the peace; they cannot meet a man upon the road, but they must ram a text of Scripture down his throat." May the Lord give us this kind of courage today. -from History of the Baptists in Virginia by Robert Baylor Semple (p.29-30).
Proverbs 30:4
Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?