Wrinkled noses and puckered lips - sometimes this is my family's reaction to my cooking, especially when I'm trying something new in the kitchen. Recently, I had a breakthrough with a unique version of macaroni and cheese. I jotted down the ingredients and tucked the recipe away for future reference. Without that set of instructions, I knew the next batch would be a flop.
Without God's instructions, Joshua would have failed at leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. The first step was to "be strong and of good courage" (Joshua 1:6). Next, he was to continually meditate on the Book of the Law, and finally, he was to do everything it said. As long as Joshua followed the directions, God promised him "good success" (v. 8).
God's "recipe for success" can work for us too, but His idea of success has little to do with money, popularity, or even good health. In the original Hebrew, "then you will have good success" means "then you will act wisely". Just as God called Joshua to walk in wisdom, He wants us to "walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise" (Eph. 5:15). As we take courage in the Lord, feast on His Word, and obey Him, we have a recipe for godly success that's better than anything we could cook up on our own. Obedience to God's Word is the recipe for spiritual success.
AMEN
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