JOSHUA'S LAST MESSAGE

"Be very careful to love the Lord your God."

Joshua 23.11

Of all that Joshua said the the people, this was the most important:

"Love the Lord your God."

There is no greater Law. If we keep this one, we will keep everything else with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Our only concern this moment is, "Do I love the Lord my God?"

If we love Him, we will keep His commandments. And Jesus said that if we keep His commandments, He and the Father will reveal and do ever greater things for us.

Joshua points the people to what God has already done:

9 "The LORD has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised."

Then he says, "Be very careful...."

The problem we face (23.12-13) is that the ways of the nations are designed to turn us away from our God. It is so easy for us to become complacent with God and become attracted to the attractions of our culture.

Without the discipline of "Be very careful," we will find ourselves just as tempted as Adam and Eve to believe "one little bit won't hurt." But from Genesis through Revelation we are warned of the attractive distractions of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

When we do love the Lord, the command to love Him resonates within us as an affirmation of our love. As we love Him and keep all His commands, we are kept safe in Christ as the Holy Spirit empowers us:

1) to resist and overcome the temptations of the world;

2) to deny our selfishness and put to death the lusts of the flesh; and,

3) to follow Jesus and grow in grace and knowledge of His gloriousness.

Paul said, "I (We) can do this (all things) through Christ," because He empowers us to do His will--Phil. 4.13.

Paul tells us that Christ will make all things serve His good purposes and plans for our eternal glorification--Romans 8.28-39.

"Onward, Christian Soldiers!"