DCLM Daily Manna 2025: DCLM Daily Manna 23January 2025: Follow God’s Compass
Text: Joshua 1:1-9 (KJV)
1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 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.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
KEY VERSE: Joshua 1:8
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
Entering a New Year is akin to arriving in a new territory. The two events have their peculiar unknowns. Uncertainties, testing times, and great possibilities all lie ahead. You may come with a deep knowledge and rich experience of thriving in previous years or old surroundings, but that will be insufficient when new realities appear, as they would. Therefore, you will need new strategies to travel through the New Year successfully.
In the case of Joshua, God spoke to him that he was now wearing the big shoes of “Moses, my servant”. He was younger than Moses, but his task was no less difficult: leading the Israelites through River Jordan into the Promised Land was now up to him. Tough as the journey would get, the Lord gave him supreme assurances of success. He would possess every land he conquered in the vast territory known as Canaan. No man could successfully resist him all his life because he was divinely assured that “as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee”. God repeatedly charged Joshua to be strong and brave, as he would indeed possess the land and share it among the Israelites. He must also act according to the law God handed down through Moses. Joshua’s success depended on his obedience to it. If these were to happen, he must not cease to read, meditate, and faithfully observe all the content of the Book of the Law, for then he would prosper and record “good success.” And for the third time, the Lord urged him to be strong, brave, and never be afraid nor be dismayed, assuring him, “The LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Acquired knowledge and past experiences are inadequate to equip us for life’s journey in this New Year. Only God knows the twists and turns ahead. He has great prospects for us and wants us to prosper in His service and our professions or vocations. But for these to materialize, we must follow His compass in the Scripture. We should read, meditate, and obey it, and we must allow the Spirit of the Lord to guide our every thought and action. That way, this year will indeed be a prosperous and happy New Year.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
The path charted by God always leads to a desirable destination.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Genesis 7-10
Daily Manna 3 January 2025
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