Begin with the Promises and Presence of God  1:1...the LORD spoke to Joshua...2...arise, go over this Jordan...to the land I will give...5...as I was with Moses, so I will be with you: I will not fail you, nor forsake you.

Meditate for Success 1:7 Only be you strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law...turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success. 9 Have not I commanded you? Be strong and courageous; be not terrified, do not be discouraged: for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

Meditation = thinking through the implications for applications

Faithfully Take and Remember the Initial Steps of Obedience 3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning...5 Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you 13...as soon as the soles of the feet...17 the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan 4:7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial to the children of Israel for ever.

Take Drastic (sometimes painful) Action to Obey and Increase Your Sensitivity to God 5:2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, Make you sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. 3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

Adapt to God's Changing Means of Provision 5:12 And the manna ceased on the next day after they had eaten of the old grain of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Humbly Ask for, Listen to and Obey God's Instructions 5:13 Joshua was by Jericho...Are you for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and worshipped, and said to him, What says my lord to his servant? 15 And the captain of the LORD'S host said to Joshua, Loose your shoe from off your foot; for the place on which you stand [is] holy. And Joshua did so.

Do the Ridiculous (Holy Moley) when based on Revelation 6:10 And Joshua had commanded, Ye shall not shout...until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout...15 on the seventh day, they rose early about the dawning of the day...they marched around the city seven times. 16 the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, Shout; for the LORD has given you the city.

Deal Drastically and Decisively with Desire 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass...and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. 13...you can not stand before your enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. 20 Achan:...Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 21 When I saw...coveted...took...hid 25...And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire

Remember the Basis of Your Blessings 8:32 wrote on the stones the law 34...read all the words...blessings & cursings

Never Judge Based on Sight Alone 9:3 Gibeon heard...Jericho and to Ai...14 And they received the men by reason of their provisions, and asked not [counsel] at the mouth of the LORD. 15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league

Ask God to do His part (the supernatural) if you're doing your part (the natural) 10:11...the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them and they died: [they were] more who died with hailstones than [they] whom the children of Israel slew with the sword. 12 Then spoke Joshua to the LORD said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand you still upon Gibeon; and you, Moon 13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies...

Realize God Lets Others Harasses Us So He Can Bless Us 11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but he might destroy them...

Be a Wholehearted Giant-killer like Caleb 14:7 Forty years old...8...but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 10...eighty five years old. 11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: 12 Now therefore give me this mountain...Anakims...cities great fortified: if the LORD be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

Avoid the Consequences of Complacency 13:13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day. 15:63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not expel them: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem to this day. 17:12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not expel the inhabitants; but the Canaanites dwell in that land.

Eyelid Tattoo: God Always Keeps His Promises 21:44 And the LORD gave them rest on all sides, according to all that he swore to their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 45 There failed nothing of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Seven Secrets of Success 22:5 diligent to perform the commandment and the law...to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart & with all your soul

Love God's Approval More than People's 23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside from it to the right hand or to the left; 8 But hold fast to the LORD your God, as ye have done to this day. 9 For the LORD has driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. 10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fights for you, as he has promised you. 11 Take good heed therefore to yourselves, that ye love (=are loyal to) the LORD your God. 12 Else if ye do in any way go back, and follow after the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and associate with them, and they with you: 13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

Be Unshakeably Convinced of God's Goodness, Faithfulness, and Justice 23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass to you, and not one thing has failed of it. 15 Therefore it shall come to pass, [that] as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you.

Choose & Serve Your Master 24:13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. 14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the river, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. 16 And the people answered and said, Be it far from us that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;

Serve As If Your Life Depended On It 24:19 And Joshua said to the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he [is] an holy God; he [is] a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after that he has done you good.21 And the people said to Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. 22 And Joshua said to the people, Ye [are] witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, [We are] witnesses. 23 Now therefore put away, [said he], the foreign gods which [are] among you, and incline your heart to the LORD God of Israel. 24 And the people said to Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. 26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that [was] by the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 And Joshua said to all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD which he spoke to us: it shall be therefore a witness to you, lest ye deny your God.

A server focuses his/her will on the will/needs/desires of their Master, finding their personal joy and satisfaction solely in the smile of their Master.

Questions for Reflection/Discussion/Response:

1. What causes fear and discouragement? What enables us to be strong and courageous?

2. Does meditation cause success? What are some of evidences that a believer is meditating ala Joshua 1:8?

3. What are you doing to remember the things that God has done for you?

4. What "decisive and drastic" actions are believers slow to take in dealing with deadly desires? Incentives?

5. What are some of the "gods" that believers fail to put away completely? Consequences?