Aug. 7
RULES FOR PROSPERITY
"Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe
to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee:
turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest
prosper whithersoever thou goest" Josh. 1:7
Yes, the Lord will be with us in our holy war, but He demands of us
that we strictly follow His rules. Our victories will very much depend
upon our obeying Him with all our heart, throwing strength and courage
into the actions of our faith. If we are halfhearted we cannot expect
more than half a blessing.
We must obey the Lord with care and thoughtfulness. "Observe to do"
is the phrase used, and it is full of meaning. This is referred to
every part of the divine will; we must obey with universal readiness.
Our rule of conduct is "according to all the law." We may not pick and
choose, but we must take the Lord's commands as they come, one and
all. In all this we must go on with exactness and constancy. Ours is
to be a straightforward course, which bends neither to the right nor
to the left. We are not to err by being more rigid than the law, nor
turn out of levity to a more free and easy way. With such obedience
there will come spiritual prosperity. O Lord, help us to see if it be
not even so! We shall not test thy promise in vain.