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. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates-all the Hittite country-to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No 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. 7 Be 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. 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. 9 Have 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."
Introduction : When a woman lives alone, she can freely make all decisions, but she also has to carry the burden of life all alone. But when a woman gets married and lives in partnership with her husband, she can share the burden of life by discussing everything with him. This is living a life in partnership. From the moment we accept Jesus as our Savior and He saves us, we can live a life in partnership with God.
1. God who lives in partnership with me (Jos 1:5). 1) God who is omnipotent, omnipresent (Lk 1:37; Ps 139:7). 2) God who loves me very much (1Jn 3:1; 4:10). 3) God who becomes a shepherd (Ps 23:1). 4) God who gives heaven as an inheritance with Jesus (Ro 8:17).
2. Be strong and courageous (Jos 1:6; Isa 41:10). 1) When you are with a martial arts expert, you are not afraid of an attack from a robber or thief. 2) When you are with a person with great authority, you are not afraid of being looked down on. 3) When you are with a rich person, you are not afraid of lacking anything. 4) When you are with God in partnership (Ps 146:5): ¨ç you can be as strong and courageous as Moses (Ex 14:13-14). ¨è as strong and courageous as David (1Sa 17:36, 47). 5) You are not afraid of life or death (Ps 23:4; 91:4).
3. Conditions to live in partnership (Jos 1:8). 1) Do not neglect communication. Listen closely and sympathize with others (Jas 1:19). 2) Respect relationships and cooperate with others. Consider others better than yourselves (Php 2:3). 3) Always try to please others (Mt 7:12). 4) To live a life in partnership with God: ¨ç Always listen closely to God´s Word (Dt 6:3; 30:20). ¨è Do not neglect communication in prayer (1Sa 12:23). ¨é Believe in God and obey Him (Heb 10:38). ¨ê Always try to please God (Heb 11:6).
4. Have positive thoughts, dreams, and words (Jos 1:9). 1) It is difficult to live with a negative and pessimistic person (Ps 106:24-25). 2) It is difficult to live with a person who is always fearful about his/her circumstances (Nu 14:9). 3) If you do not have a dream of hope and talk about it, others will be discouraged (Nu 13:32-33). 4) You are now a new person through the Cross, so you should look, think, and speak like that new person (2Co 5:17; Mk 11:23-24).
Conclusion : Because of God´s calling, we have become God´s chosen people to live with Him in partnership. Just like a woman who can be so happy living with a wonderful husband, we can also be happy, peaceful, and joyful, because we live in partnership with the Trinity God-the God who is beyond compare with anything in the universe, with Jesus the Savior, and with the Holy Spirit the Counselor.
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