March 2nd

In order to reach people and make disciples there are a lot of things that need to be in place. However, if we are following Jesus, He already has the details worked out and we just need to walk in it.

Think again back to the Israelites and the promised land. God told them they were to take the promised land and they rebelled against that, so the Lord had them wander the desert instead. You know what didn’t change? The promised land was theirs the whole time they wandered in the desert. They just needed to be obedient and go in and take it, walk through the plan that God already laid out for them.

This is where we find ourselves sometimes. We know that God has called us to be disciples making disciples, but we are resistant, afraid, nervous, busy, or whatever and we are just circling the sun in disobedience. We just need to be obedient and walk in the plan that He has already laid out for us.

God told the Israelites to get ready to go in and take possession of the land. Jesus told us to go make disciples.

Joshua 1:1-2 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “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. Joshua 1:7-9 “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. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; 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. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

In the interest of space verses 3-6 of Joshua 1 were left out but you can look those up yourself for the details if you want. Notice both the Joshua passage and Matthew passage instruct movement, going, not waiting or staying or whatever. There are a couple more similarities. Look at how both passages are ended. Both end with God promising to be with us always. And in both passages what is before that promise? -A bit about obeying! Jesus actually tells us to teach obedience.

So both passages tell us to go. Both speak to us on obedience. Both promise that God will always be with us. Hmmm, did you ever think to compare your mission of being a disciple making disciples to the Israelites taking the promised land? Because we know the story, the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years instead of being obedient and taking the promised land seems rather silly, or even dumb/stubborn. Well, I would venture to say that we are in that same situation. It really is that simple. God said it, so why would we even hesitate to walk in it and “take the land.”

Our own battles always seem more real or difficult than others, especially when read about after the fact. So, ask the Lord what giants you need to identify and defeat so that you can get over it and be obedient. Don’t forget, if you are struggling with something in this walk, talk to your bible study groups or one of us so that you can get help and prayer from others in this situation. Accountability may help you get moving. But also don’t forget, the promised land is already yours, you just have to walk in it, -those that you are to reach for Jesus are not “cold calls,” the Holy Spirit has already been working on them.

Jesus, thank you for promising to be with me. Thank you for giving me a mission. Help me to remember that you have already worked out the details and help me to walk forward in it. Help me to remember that it is no different than any other part of your plan for so many in the past. Help me to apply what I can learn from your Word to my life and situations. Thank you for your Word.

They were all Ordinary Men. -God has a plan for each of us to be a part of his plan! Today’s verse to remind us that He has called us (the ordinary) to do the extraordinary:

Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.