Reading With the People of God #7 CommitmentSample

Memorization Challenge:

6 Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. 9 This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6-9 NLT)

15 But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve... But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NLT)

Reading Primer: The Divided Heart Is Easily Conquered

Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see You, hear You, and know You more than I have seen, heard, or known You in the past. Help me, Lord. Search my heart and show me the things I am entertaining or clinging to within my secret place and outside of myself that You want me to let go of. I want what You want for me, Lord. Help me, Lord. I want Your wisdom; don’t let my eyes skip over these words. I want You above all other things, people, and experiences. I want to love, trust, and obey You more than I do right now and even more tomorrow and the day after that. Ignite my fire for more of You, Lord, and less of EVERYTHING else. In Jesus’ name, amen.

For today’s reading plan assignment, let us do something slightly different. Instead of reading this primer first, step outside the “supposed to” and read the scriptures first, then return to this primer. Read the primer and then read the scriptures again but from a different translation. Let us open up to the expectant hope of hearing directly from our Lord and Savior through His Word in a new and fresh way!

Today’s Bible reading is weighty and has A LOT to chew on. I am going to list several questions that sprang up within my heart as I was chewing on these passages. When you read through the scriptures for the second, third, or 157th time, ask the Holy Spirit to drop questions within your own heart to prompt you to dig deeper into God’s Word, search for Him, and see what happens.

• “What does it look like to cling to You, Lord?” - what or who am I clinging to more than you
• “Am I serving You with all my heart? How do I know?” - am I living with an offended heart
• “Lord, I don’t want to live a deceived life. When I read what You do to those that align their hearts with darkness and lurk within the congregation spoiling for a fight, I can’t help but wonder what beast life is hiding within me?”- what past traumas/lies are distorting my vision
• “People are slaves to whatever overcomes them. Lord, what am I overcome with outside of You?”- in what practices am I placing myself or others on Your rightful throne

- Ardena Hamill, Celebrate Recovery, Encourager