Scripture Reading: Numbers 13:1-3, Numbers 14:5-10, Numbers 14:26-38; Joshua 1:1-9, Joshua 23:1-16
I’ve known lots of guys named Josh in my day, and three in particular are great examples of what God can do with time and trust.
One of them is a veritable home improvement wizard. He installed a subterranean gas line to heat his home in Minnesota like it was no big deal. Josh fearlessly faces challenges that make mere mortals like me wince with apprehension.
Another example is the phenomenally talented drummer, who toured with some of the biggest acts in Christian music. Josh wasn’t the headliner, but he was so incredible at what he did that all the heavy hitters wanted him in their lineup.
Currently, I work with a young man who is so bright, talented, and charismatic in his early twenties, there’s no telling what amazing things he’ll do for God’s kingdom in the future. Josh is a natural leader, born to connect with and encourage the people he serves.
To be sure, there’s no magic in the name itself, but my three friends all have a lot in common with their namesake, the Bible’s Joshua, who beautifully modeled courage, selfless service, and leadership. From the Jordan River to the walls of Jericho, Joshua son of Nun is one of the great figures of Scripture.
We immortalize him as a figure of unflappable courage, but in between the “greatest hits” of Joshua’s storied life, I bet fear crept in from time to time. When things were tough and the people complained about their circumstances, I imagine Joshua occasionally wanted to ditch Moses and start his own movement. Surely, the shadow of looming death would darken his soul as he beheld the enemy’s army stretched beyond the horizon. But God would assure him again and again: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
I’m so encouraged when I picture Joshua’s human moments not recorded in Scripture, those times when he wasn’t being the Joshua—conqueror of cities, bane of the Canaanites. In his 110 years of life, he must have matured so much as he continued walking with the Lord in faith. He didn’t emerge from the womb a biblical hero; he became the Joshua after a lifetime of practicing the discipline of trusting in the strength of God rather than his own. As such, Joshua’s greatest legacy is not his war record but his dependence on the faithfulness and might of the living God.
Parents call their sons Joshua because they love the name, and, on some level, they hope their children will someday embody part of what made the “original” Joshua so great. But make no mistake: my three aforementioned friends—along with their namesake—are amazing humans not because of what it says on their birth certificates. It is because they have made it their primary objective in life to lean on the strength of God and to trust that He is with them always.
Written by Alex Florez
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90 thoughts on "Joshua"
Thank you Lord, your reassurance to me that even in fear, I should trust your faithfulness. I will hold on to this.
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Amen
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So good!
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Please continue to pray for Amanda. After today, she has two more chemo treatments. Then, surgery to remove the rest of her lymph nodes under her arm. She told me this week that they expect to find more cancer in them. I had convinced myself that removing them was just a precaution. Now, I feel sick to my stomach thinking that there’s more cancer in there. I’m praying the chemo has prevented it from going anywhere else in her body, but it’s scary to think it’s been in there all this time. I also pray that the chemo has healed it (that God has healed it). I pray every day that God has already healed her of all cancer and she never has to face this again. It helps so much to know you all are praying for her too.
I pray for Amanda, that cancer flees/healed in the name of Jesus. I can “hear” the fear it brings to a mother when it is her daughter. So I pray for you as well, that in your weakness, he is strong. That you have comfort that he is our healer. Hugs
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Which Amanda
Amanda is my daughter. She has breast cancer.
Dear Teresa, praying for healing for Amanda and all of the family. Hugs
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Teresa, holding Amanda close in prayer..
And your mama heart..❤️
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Praying for Amanda. May healing be hers in the mighty name of Jesus. ❤️
Praying for both you and Amanda, Teresa! ❤️
Relationship and relational love is what God desires and not to be despised. He is so faithful and kind, a prodigal God, reckless in his outpouring of love like Dr. Tim Keller taught. Our actions impact his heart.
God, because if your sacrificial love for me, may I be defined and remembered by clinging to you and drawing close to you moment by moment and step by step. Teach me your ways like you taught Joshua when he learned to be close to you while he stayed in the tent of meeting. May I know the love of the Father, the friendship of Jesus, & the fun and power of the Holy Spirit fresh each day until I’m 110 -120 too.
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“He (Joshua) didn’t emerge from the womb a biblical hero; he became the Joshua after a lifetime of practicing the discipline of trusting in the strength of God rather than his own.” Yes. This.
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We, or at least I – can so easily get discouraged because I feel I should be so much further along in my faith journey, in my strength and maturity.
How often I forget that biblical “giants” did not become who they were overnight. It took a lifetime of practicing the discipline of trusting God – practicing, failing, and practicing some more! Spiritual strength and maturity happens gradually, over time – as it is exercised daily. This is where patience comes into practice too.
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May it become my – and each of ours – primary objective in life to lean on God’s strength, not my own and to trust that He is always with us.
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I also noticed for the first time, after reading the book of Joshua many times, that at the end of his life, he repeats the very words spoken by the Lord to himself at the end of Moses’s life.
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Blessings to each of my dear sisters today!❤️
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Dear Shes
I’d never read with focus about the complaining Israelis in Numbers. The ones who wanted to stone Moses & Aaron. Where God declared:
“(31) I will bring your children whom you said would become plunder into the land you rejected, and they will enjoy it.(32) But as for you, your corpses will fall in this wilderness.”
I hear a wrathful & vengeful & vindictive God. Which I know in my heart to be untrue. Even in the undercurrent of salvation. Yet it grabs me by the throat. There comes a reckoning & there are consequences for sin.
I can’t skip over the difficulties to get to the victories. I can be aware of how my present actions will either impede my crossing over or propel it. I can set my face & place my faith forward. Unafraid.
“I can’t skip over the difficulties to get to the victories. I can be aware of how my present actions will either impede my crossing over or propel it. I can set my face & place my faith forward. Unafraid.”
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Great reminder, sister, no matter how badly we want to avoid the difficulties we must persevere trusting God for the strength to do so while acknowledging that our power comes only from Him.
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Yes agree, that is so good Gwineth!
Amen.❤️
Good morning! With going back to Colorado and a new puppy, I missed starting this study. Can someone let me know what study is next? I haven’t received any books lately. Not sure why that is.
Traci, I believe the next study is Names of God, to begin on June 12.
I was wondering about you, Traci and was about to ask, glad to see you back. How sweet do you have a puppy!
❤ Good to see you, Traci; I have been thinking of you/missing you!
Good to see you. You have been on my mind. Praying life is being kind to. you ❤️
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In amongst these passages we read that God does, what He says He will do. There is harsh language and harsh consequences. Yikes. But, there is encouragement to see, experience and know God’s presence and favor when we have trust, obedience and courage. I didn’t jot down the references, but these verses…WOW.
-the glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting
-I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads
-I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or abandon you.
-Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
-be loyal to the Lord your God, as you have been to this day.
-the Lord your God was fighting for you, as he promised. So diligently watch yourselves! Love the Lord your God!
-none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.
Nothing fails from the Lord when we walk in obedience and are loyal to Him. We are not alone. He lays out every path and walks with us. The words we read today in scripture just so clearly remind us that walking with the Lord is the only way.
Thank you, Lord that you have made a way and shown us the way to diligently walk with you, to serve you. Fill us with your strength and courage, give us an undivided heart to seek you and love you. Amen❤️
I should just wait on your comments that sum it up always what I want to say..lol. And say..”Yes, Amen, what she said!”
Agreeing with Rhonda! ❤☺❤
I am also agreeing with Rhonda!❤️
Such good verses ❤️
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Love this! ❤️
I love that I’m reading: “Be Strong and Courageous” again! I know My God is speaking to me as HE is for you as well. Thank you Rhonda J, Foster Mama, Mercy, Teresa Donley, and ALL of you for your heart-felt prayers. I am a firm believer in where ever two or more are gathered in HIS name. Also, just to confirm, my court date is set for June 23. We leave for vacation to the beach (long trip) June 25.
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Continuing to pray, Mari.
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Oh how I LOVE Joshua! So many great stories of him, an example we point to often! Strong and Courageous! Warrior, Scout, faithful, strong, obedient! We love to quote..”Be strong and courageous”… But, what kept standing out to me around our “favorite quotables” were the words to Obey, keep God’s commands, put them on your heart, don’t go to the left or right, do’t bow to others, don’t be fearful, don’t lie, don’t rebel, don’t complain. We MUST be in scripture, prayer, meditation, relationship. Those are a must. We can’t cherry pick the positive words and not want to honor God in other ways. Trust and Obey…”for there’s no other way…to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
As much as I love to see how Good God is, I like to see that the Lord does get angry with us. He does get disappointed in us. He loves us so much that he wants our full love and commitment to honor him and obey him. Thankfully he forgives us unconditionally when we come to him with a respectful heart. But we must desire to change and want what he wants for us. We learn this so well when we ourselves become parents, right?! We do have disappointment in their actions, but we love them. We get stern to teach them the much needed lessons to save them from worse fallout in the future had they not learned. We want them to succeed, so we try to keep them on the right path.
Lord, let me be a faithful servant. Help me be a Joshua, trusting and obeying. Staying on your path, one step at a time. When facing giants, the fire, the stormy sea, a lion…all the things that will surely come. Life is uncertain, and I worry sometimes what is lurking ahead, BUT GOD! As a child of God, You are there right beside me, going in front and behind. You protect me. Give me direction. And making me strong and courageous. I thank you for sending Jesus so I am grafted in and in acceptance, I can say I’m your precious daughter. Thank you Father God!
Great encouragement as always! I loved what you said yesterday, but didn’t get back to comment there. ☺❤
Amen to your prayer!
I like that G-d has feelings too!
Amen, Rhonda ❤️
Numbers 13:16. Moses changed Joshua’s name. His original name was Hosea Ben Nun.
If there were a defining verse for Joshua it would be” With God all things are possible.”
The 10 spies left G- d out of the equation but Joshua knew who would deliver them. ,Joshua and Cable knew that they were undefeatable with the G-d of Heaven’s Armies on their side.
Today, I will be strong and courageous, trusting that God is with me and His promises never fail.
Lord that I always have faith like Joshua that You are mighty in battle, that You are fighting my battles and I am more than a conqueror through the Blood of Jesus. Amen
Numbers 14:10 While the whole community threatened to stone them, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.
The fact that the Lord was so present during this confusing and pivotal time is a great reminder to my soul right now. The people were afraid because they didn’t understand what was happening. Here’s the promised land, but they were getting conflicting reports about it – yes it was what God had promised to them, but there were big scary people there, so….
But God was there, present, in the midst, telling them to not be afraid. He was with them. Have courage. Trust Him.
In the end, it wasn’t enough for the people. they continued to complain and not trust a God who was there – with them. GRRRR. So frustrating. I am thankful for Joshua, who did trust God, who had courage because he knew God was faithful and would do what He said He would do.
Preaching to myself here this morning. Needing a little Joshua courage to not freak out but instead, trust God that He is with me, will go before me, just like He has always done in the past.
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Amen Laura. Conflicting reports are bombarding our world right now, what a great perspective you painted, especially the godly reports are only a very small percent (16% here). Sifting through the noises, lies, grumbling news to find truth is very challenging.
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Josh. 23:14 “you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.”
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Needed to hear this reminder today. My husband and all his coworkers were given layoff notices yesterday. They knew cuts were coming but terminating everyone was a suprise. Prayers appreciated for all to find new employment quickly. Two are expecting their first babies at the end of the year.
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Praying for you to remember God’s love and faithfulness to you today ❤️
Praying for your hubby and Co workers!
Dear Kelly, that is scary for sure! So sorry to hear this! Praying for all involved to find new employment soon and to trust in the Lord. ❤️
Praying for new opportunities for all who were laid off, God has a bigger plan for them
Praying along for your husband to find something perfect the Lord has for him and the others.
Praying for your husband and his co-workers, especially the two expectant dads. The timing seems awful – but we know God in in control, and He has a plan – always in His time. ❤️
Praying for your husband and his coworkers next job and so sorry this happened.
Kelly, how unnerving! Praying with our sisters that God will be seen in this situation and new jobs secured soon, especially the soon to be dads. Thinking about their insurance and cost of delivery! ❤
Oh no. Praying for your husband, your family and other families affected.
Kelly, I’m joining you and our SRT sisters in praying for your husband and his coworkers to find new employment quickly. May God guide him to the job he has prepared for him.
Oh Kelly, I’m sorry to hear this, praying for your husband and his co workers to find new employment quickly and without hinderence or much trouble.. or disruption to family life.
Lord hear our prayers..
Amen..
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Oh no…so sorry to hear this. Have prayed.
Trust and obey … that song is running through my mind as I read about Joshua’s faith, trust and obedience in the Lord, and about the stubborn, hardheaded children of Israel. In Joshua 23, Joshua’s final words to them could not have made it any clearer – love the LORD your God, hold fast to the LORD your God, for the LORD your God is He who fights for you … 12 Or else, if indeed you do go back, and cling to the remnant of these nations—these that remain among you—and make marriages with them, and go in to them and they to you, 13 know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. But they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes …
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Lord, guide each of us to stay the course with You as we trust, obey, believe – staying strong and courageous no matter what the world is telling us or how we perceive things through our own eyes. You are Almighty God, with Your perfect plan for each of us.
Trust and obey.
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So beautifully said, amen ❤️
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I was singing that song too! Amen to your prayer! ❤❤
Thank you Searching ❤️ Amen
Searching, I echo your prayers in my heart. And Trust and Obey. What a wonderful old hymn. Another of those hymns I used to play and sing when practicing my piano as a kid. I didn’t realize then how much truth was seeping into my heart as those words taught me about living for God.
Joining you in praying your lovely prayer, dearest.
Trust and obey.. Amen!
Hugs. ❤️
What a wonderful testament to your friends.. Alex Florez.! And a lovely devotional..
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I once heard that the Indians of America, back in the day, would name the baby the first thing they saw after the child was born..
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Pause… for thought..!
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Seriously though, thankfully our names don’t define us, though, there is much rejoicing when our character matches the meaning, the original owner of the name, or the relative we are named after!
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Joshua, son of Nun, having been with Moses a while and probably witnessed much of the Lords journey with the ‘unfaithful’ Israelites, trusted God to do as He says He would.
When the Lord, gives a command such as. “.. Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them on oath, (the best bit), And I myself, will be with you..”
It doesn’t get better than that, in my book!
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BUT GOD..
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HE didn’t just leave Joshua, son of Nun, to it, He had promised to be with him, every step of the journey.. and He was!
Joshua, had a great example, in Moses, and also had a relationship with Father God, trusting Him, in the unknown, and hope filled in God to see events and things come to pass in victory because, God had gone ahead, as promised.
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I myself will be with you.. What a promise.. What words to inspire confidence, hope and strength of character..
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Funny thing, you don’t have to be called Joshua, son of Nun, for these words to apply..
As we are, Tina, Sue, Mari, Rhonda, Sharon, Linda, Kelly, Aleida, Julie(a), Lynne, Jennifer, Rachael, Amanda, Victoria, Kathy, Gwineth, Cee Gee, Traci, Teresa, Mercy, Martha, Taylor, Donna, Adrienne.. etc, etc, and many more.. these words are for us, to trust Him, to believe in Him, to hold fast to Him, for He will be with us through the thick and thin of our lives.. ALWAYS, HE has promised..
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AMEN..
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Happy Wednesday my dears.. every blessing prayed over each of you..
Much love,
Tina..❤️
Thank you, TINA ❤️, for reminding that Joshua had his own relationship with God – we all need that!
No matter how encouraged we are by someone else’s journey in faith, we must have our own faith in God, relationship with God, lifetime journey guided by God.
Love you, sister!
❤ Amen, Searching!
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Sweet Tina….thank you….I am encouraged this morning by YOU!
So beautifully said Tina – as always!❤️
❤️ Blessings from across the pond!
Beautiful as always, dear Tina! Thank you for these reflections/reminders.
Thank you for that, Tina. What a wonderful reminder that God. Himself, walks with me, with each of us.