Footnote From NIV Life Application Bible (v.6-8):
Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must 1) be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy, 2) obey God's law, and 3) constantly read and study the Book of the Law - God's Word. To be successful, follow God's words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world's standards, but you will be a success in God's eyes - and His opinion lasts forever.
Joshua is one of my absolute favorites to read about in the Bible. He was Moses's assistant and successor. He was one of only two adults who experienced Egyptian slavery and lived to enter the Promised Land. He led the Israelites into their God-given homeland. He was a brilliant military strategist. He was faithful to ask God's direction in the challenges that he faced. We learn from his life that effective leadership is often the product of good preparation and encouragement. That the people we pattern ourselves after will have a definite effect on us. That a person committed to God provides the best role model for us.
Something we should ask ourselves is Who is our Joshua? We are part of the chain of God's ongoing work in the world. We are modeling ourselves after others, and others are patterning their lives after us. How important is God to those we want to be like? Do those who are watching us see God reflected in every area of our lives? We can and should ask God to lead us to trustworthy Joshua's so that we can become more like them as we strive to walk lives worthy of God.
WHO INFLUENCES OUR LIVES MATTERS!!!
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