Joshua 23:14: “Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you, and not one word of them has failed.”

April 13th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

More than 20 years had passed since Joshua had replaced Moses and led the people of God into the Promised Land. The land was now subdued before them, and Joshua was old, but before he stepped down from leadership, God gave him insight into a looming threat. The dangers for the people of God going forward would be compromising, indifference, concessions, and tolerance. So Joshua called together the leadership in chapter 23 and then the everyday citizens in chapter 24. We can get a picture in our mind of this old warrior as he stood before them, white hair and beard flowing in the wind. No doubt old Caleb was standing close to the front, and probably Phinehas the high priest in his robe, as well as many of the mighty men who had shared the battlefront with Joshua. They stood proudly to hear one last time from their God-appointed leader. They knew and expected an exhortation from him on principals they needed to follow if they were to establish their hold on the land of blessing. He did charge them, but more importantly, he reminded them of God’s faithfulness. He carefully chose words that pointed them back to God’s goodness, which had been poured out on them all those years.

So often we are tempted to focus on the negative things that happen to us in life. For some perverse reason, humanity finds it easier to remember the storms of life than the blessings. In Joshua’s closing address it was the faithfulness of God that he pointed them to: “not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke.” That is still true today in our lives. God has promised to never leave or forsake us (Deut. 31:6). We have tried to leave Him and we have forsaken His guidance on many occasions, but He is faithful. Not one word of God’s promises of blessings on our lives has failed. What has God done for you? Take a moment and remember to thank Him for what you have. Pause a moment to consider the tragedies that have befallen others around you that have not happened to you. The old saying “I wept because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet,” helps us remember our blessings.

“LORD You are faithful to us. Thank You for saving and keeping us this day.”

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Joshua 23 KJV

¹ And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.  ² And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: ³ And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you. ⁴ Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.  ⁵ And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you. ⁶ Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; ⁷ That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them , neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: ⁸ But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.  ⁹For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.  ¹⁰ One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you. ¹¹ Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.  ¹² Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: ¹³Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. ¹⁴ And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. ¹⁵ Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. ¹⁶ When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORDbe kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.