Wholehearted- The Book of Joshua - Andy Savage

51 Pages·2009·6.91 MB·English

Field Manual
Wholehearted- The Book of Joshua
By Teaching Pastor, Andy Savage
INTRODUCTION
Something does not make sense to me… the God of the universe
has clearly given us His purposes with the promise of great bless-
ing, yet we are so often half-hearted in our pursuit of those purposes.
This study is designed to get to the heart of wholehearted pursuit of God’s purposes. Are you wholehearted
in your commitment to the purposes of God? I believe the life story of Joshua and specifically his leadership
of the Israelites into the Promised Land is a case study in wholehearted commitment to God’s purposes. This
“field manual” gives you the opportunity to study the entire book of Joshua in a way that helps you marry whole-
hearted commitment with the clear, Biblical purposes of God. I think we can all admit that it is our tendency is
to limit the work of God in our lives either by our half-hearted commitment to His purposes or by abandoning
His purposes all together.
Make no mistake - pursuing God’s purposes is no small task. Right now there are many things that exist in your
life that keep you from the brave pursuit of God’s purposes. Over the next 21 days you will face the fear and
discouragement in your faith and discover areas of your life that needs changing or thrown away.
Joshua is one of the great men of God in scripture. God used him in a mighty way to literally deliver the Prom-
ised Land to the Jewish nation. By God’s power Joshua was able to take a wandering nation once weak in faith
and fearful of God’s purposes and turn them into a brave and mighty army; full of faith that would overthrow
their enemies and establish the people of God as a nation dedicated to the Lord. Our stories will not likely be
as dramatic as Joshua leading the people of God into the Promised Land. However God absolutely wants to
establish His purposes in and through you.
This study consists of 21 daily readings from the book of Joshua in the Old Testament. Each reading is followed
by five questions to help you understand the text. There is also one “personal application” section to help you
bring God’s truth into your life immediately. I would encourage you to use this study wisely and carve out ad-
equate time to read the chapter and give careful thought and prayer to the questions and personal application.
I encourage you to identify an accountability partner to help you evaluate where you need to grow and help you
evaluate after the 21 days are complete.
My prayer is that you walk away with a solid understanding of the storyline and teaching of the book of Joshua
as well as an understanding of the specific purposes of God for your life today and how you are to pursue them
wholeheartedly.
Throughout this study you will hear and see the reference to “God’s Purposes.” This term is used because it
reminds us of the three core principles of this study:
1. God is always working in our world and specifically in our lives.
2. God’s work is always purposeful – He is not a God of confusion or randomness but acts with purpose.
3. The focus of our lives should be His purposes and never our own.
Let’s begin!
IDENTIFYING MY PURPOSE
Listed below you will find a list of scriptures that identi-
fy a variety of God’s purposes revealed throughout the Bible.
WARNING: we must be very careful not to refer to something as a
“purpose of God” that is not clearly identified in scripture as such.
Our only true method of clearly identifying the purposes of God is what we find explicit-
ly in the text of scripture (yet another reason we should become people who live by God’s Word).
Prayerfully read through this list of scriptures and identify at least one purpose of God you would like to pursue
during the next 21 days of this study. If you feel the scripture applies to your life currently check the box to the
left and continue reading. Once you have finished, select one or two only at this time. I would encourage you
to repeat this study in the future to address other purposes of God you identified for your life. This is NOT a
comprehensive list of the purposes of God – these are simply examples of God’s purposes within scripture to
give you a place to start.
All Scriptures taken from the New International Version Bible.
The Holy Bible, New International Version © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
! Exodus 20:12
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
! Exodus 20:16
“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.”
! Leviticus 19:16
“Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am
the LORD.”
! Joshua 1:8
“Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do
everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
! Joshua 24:15
“…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
! Proverbs 20:19
“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.”
! Proverbs 27:17
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
! Job 31:1
“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.”
! Matthew 5:21-22
“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to
judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.”
! Matthew 5:27-28
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has
already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
! Matthew 6:25-26
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not
life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”
! Matthew 7:3-5
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How
can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your
brother’s eye.”
! Mark 12:30-31
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The
second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these”
! Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
! 1 Corinthians 6:18
“Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his
own body.”
! 1 Corinthians 6:20
“…you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”
! Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
! Galatians 6:1
“Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also
may be tempted.”
! Ephesians 4:25
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.”
! Ephesians 4:29
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to
their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
! Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
! Ephesians 5:22
“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.”
! Ephesians 5:25
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”
! Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
! Philippians 2:14
“Do everything without complaining or arguing…”
! Philippians 3:3
“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no
confidence in the flesh…”
! Philippians 4:6
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to
God.”
! Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…”
! 1 Thessalonians 5:17
“…pray continually…”
! 1 Peter 2:2
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation…”
! 1 Peter 3:7
“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker
partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
! 1 John 1:8-9
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
GOD’S PURPOSES
List one or two purposes of God you will pursue during this study.
I _________________________________ am committing myself on ___________________to pursue
(name) (date)
the following purpose(s) of God…
Purpose of God #1 ________________________________________________________________________
(Write in the scripture reference here and give it the title of your choosing, i.e. Eph. 5:25-28 “To be a Godly Husband”)
Purpose of God #2 (optional) _________________________________________________________________
(Write in the scripture reference and title here)
Signed: ______________________________________________________ Date: _________________
Accountability Partner __________________________________________ Date: _________________
CHAPTER 1
The LORD Commands Joshua
1After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2”Moses
my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land
I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I
promised Moses. 4Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Eu-
phrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. 5No one will be able to stand up against
you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6”Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers
to give them. 7Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not
turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Do not let this Book of the
Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written
in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do
not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
10So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11”Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your supplies
ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD
your God is giving you for your own.’ “
12But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13”Remember the command
that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: ‘The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you
this land.’ 14Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the
Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your
brothers 15until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of
the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which
Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will
go. 17Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was
with Moses. 18Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command
them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”
CHAPTER 1
Reflection Questions
1. What did the death of Moses represent to Joshua?
2. What purpose of God is Joshua called to pursue? What is significant about that calling as revealed in v. 5?
3. Why does God repeatedly command Joshua to be “strong and courageous?”
4. What does this chapter reveal about true success and prosperity?
5. What gives Joshua confidence to lead without fear and discouragement?
Personal Application
List one action point you will take from today’s reading to pursue God’s purpose(s) wholeheartedly in your life.
CHAPTER 2
Rahab & the Spies
1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially
Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
2 The king of Jericho was told, “Look! Some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” 3 So
the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house,
because they have come to spy out the whole land.”
4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not
know where they had come from. 5 At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don’t know
which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” 6 (But she had taken them up to the
roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) 7 So the men set out in pursuit of
the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate
was shut.
8 Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof 9 and said to them, “I know that the LORD has
given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting
in fear because of you. 10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you
came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom
you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of
you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below. 12 Now then, please swear to me by
the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign
13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them,
and that you will save us from death.”
14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly
and faithfully when the LORD gives us the land.”
15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16
Now she had said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days
until they return, and then go on your way.”
17 The men said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the
land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought
your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If anyone goes outside your house
into the street, his blood will be on his own head; we will not be responsible. As for anyone who is in the house
with you, his blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be
released from the oath you made us swear.”
21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.” So she sent them away and they departed. And she tied the
scarlet cord in the window.
22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all
along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of
the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them.
24 They said to Joshua, “The LORD has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting
in fear because of us.”
CHAPTER 2
Reflection Questions
1. God had already promised to deliver Canaan into Joshua’s hands. Why did Joshua need to send spies?
2. What do you learn about God’s character from his using an immoral woman to fulfill His purposes?
3. Do you think it was okay for Rahab to lie about the spies’ whereabouts? Can our sinful choices be used for
God’s purposes?
4. How did Rahab demonstrate her faith?
5. Why were the Canaanites “melting in fear?”
Personal Application
List one action point you will take from today’s reading to pursue God’s purpose(s) wholeheartedly in your life.
CHAPTER 3
Crossing the Jordan
1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they
camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the
people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying
it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have
never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not
go near it.”
5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”
6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took
it up and went ahead of them.
7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I
am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant: ‘When you reach the edge
of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’ “
9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. 10 This is how you
will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites,
Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the
earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from
each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD -the Lord of all the earth—set foot in
the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead
of them.15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark
reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It
piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flow-
ing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite
Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle
of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.