LEAD with STRENGTH

Moses died and God has a chat with Joshua. "My man of the moment Moses took his last breath and so now you have been chosen to lead. This whole territory is going to eventually have an Israeli flag over it. What land you walk across shall mark out the real estate that I am giving you, just like I promised Moses I would. No army will have the mind or might to stop your progress, not while you still breathe. I was faithful to Moses, and you can trust Me, I never go back on My promises. I am with you wherever you go. Trust your gut be strong and very courageous. I will give you the land deeds I promised to your grandparents. Stick to the TEN commandments I carved out for Moses. Chew on My words like juicy gum, and find that they never lose their good taste! Live by My rules and you will succeed. Mull over the BIG TEN by day and hear My words in your dreams at night. Marinate your brain in My Rule Book and it will become your automatic reflex to live right. This is NOT a suggestion, this is your walking instructions, your talking orders. Now go and lead with courage for I am with you! This is not an order for a leader who is easily discouraged when faced with trouble. "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua obeys God without discussion of holy wars ahead, without ethical debates over the role of violence, bloodshed and gore. God equipped Joshua with courage to carry out His long term goal and with many soldiers and nations watching, God uses Joshua to prove that there is only one God. Our Father, the King of Kings gets His people strategically in place for the next stage of His plan to redeem all who trust in Him. ‘In the future when your descendants ask their parents, “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 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 word of the Lord is powerful and so that His people might always fear the Lord your God.’Chapter 10 of Joshua "Tell the people to pack some grub; in three days they will be on the other side of the river, picking up the keys for the new land God is giving them." Joshua send the people to take the land and while people could still reminisce about the many miracles God performed in order for His promise to be fulfilled, the Israelis do things God's way. JUDGES chapters 8-9 at the age of 110, Joshua dies and they bury him in the land of Timnath. Joshua led his people with courage, but will the people keep telling the story of the time our Lord parted the Jordan, the Red Sea? Of the time God poured out His favor and fed them meat and bread from heaven? Will the people recognize when the true Bread of Life comes? Will they remain dis-content and want more?

Joshua's entire generation have passed on and the kids grow up without a clue about their theology or their history. God knows how quick His people are at forgetting the truth, that their is only ONE GOD. The Israleis do stuff that keeps them being connected to a holy God. The people take up the Baal religion wherein you pick and mix the best wooden or stone idols that fits their craving. They chuck out the BIG TEN, their heritage, their history and they merge in with local beliefs. They nod, kneel, and kiss their home made gods which makes our Father livid! God allows Jewish people to be sold as slaves. When the Israeli army went out to fight, God changed sides and fought against them just as He warned He would. God soon installs new leaders who put a stop to the foreign thugs. However, the new preists cannot penetrate the thick heads of the Israelis. The leaders remind the Jewish people about the BIG TEN, but the people simply glaze over and continue to pursue pleasing their flesh. Joshua's generation honored their covenant with God. This new generation does what feels good without fear of God. The Jewish people

are ripped apart by the local thugs and God takes pity upon them. He appoints a new leader and backs them to the hilt. The local gangs back off, the leader dies and the people go back to their old habits. JUDGES chapter 20-22 God rants in anger "They have trashed the Contract, burnt their history books, and treated Me like I do not exist. Perhaps they might wake up with a hangover and be sickened by guilt, greed and gossip. Will they wake up and remember their rich ancestory? NOPE! After a dozen more leaders, the corrupt cycle continues. With no king to call the shots, everyone does their own thing. LESSON: People need to be led or they will adopt the timeless thought "IF it FEELS good, do it". The book of Judges is followed by the story of Ruth, a foreign widow gets to know God by following her mother-in-law Naomi. Naomi and her family had abandoned the land God gave them and they live in Moab. Naomi's son married a foreign girl named Ruth. When Ruth's husband dies she goes beyond the call of duty and

escorts her depressed Jewish monther-in-law back to her home in Bethlehem, southern Israel. Most Israeli's are disgusted with any Moabite, so Ruth's chance for re-marriage is slim. A respected land owner named Boaz notices Ruth and respects how she works hard to provide for her mother-in-law. Boaz authorizes Ruth to gleen from his field and eventually they marry and their first born is Obed. He grows up to become Jesse's dad and King David's grandchild. The book of first Samuel tells the story of a woman named Hannah who makes a deal with God. If God gives her a son, she will hand him over to Eli, a priest chosen by God. Hannah calls her baby Samuel. This is a rough time for Israel; communication with God has almost completely dried up. The Philistine thugs are running the county and the city of Israel. At one point they steal God's sacred chest called the Ark of His Covenant, but weird stuff happens and they return it. As a boy, Samuel hears God's voice and he grows up and has two sons; Joel and Abijah. Samuel makes them leaders based in Beersheba, but the boys are nothing like their old man. They are easily influenced, especially when money is promised.

The townspeople rage and tell Samuel that they need a proper king, a monarchy. Samuel is disturbed by their demand for a king. Samuel talks it over with God, who says "Listen to them! It is not you they are kicking to the curb, it is Me! I am their King! They want to bypass Me, then give them a King, only after you give thema wake-up call. Give them the run down on what it is like living as the hired help within a monarchy. Slaves do not get treated as royalty, they are simply told what to do, where to live, and when to speak. It will cost them their freedom to call on God as their King. In chapter 10-18 Samuel passes on what God warns. Another king will force your sons into his army, and the women into his fields. He will tax you to pay for all the hired help he needs to live in luxury. He will take your best land, and move his best dressed yes-men into the best homes. You will object, but you gave this new king your right to fair wages. God knows all hearts, and He knew they would still demand a new king. God says "Let them have their king"