Joshua 1:8 has always been one of my favorite scriptures. From a child, I’ve heard it said that this verse is God’s secret to success. It says, “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” (NLT). The secret to success is to know God’s laws, to study them, to meditate on them, and to obey them.
Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” If we will study God’s Word, and put it in our hearts, we are more likely to do what it says and less likely to abandon it. It gives us advice on how to live, what to say, and how to make Godly decisions. The more we study it, the more knowledge and wisdom we will gain. It sheds light on the traps others have fallen into so that we can avoid them.
One of the things we discussed with our guide in Israel was how God wanted all kings to be given a copy of the scriptures and He wanted them to read them daily. He wanted the leaders of Israel to be successful and for their people to prosper. He knew that they would be given all kinds of advice, and that they would need a way to determine if it was good or not. The scriptures do just that. If the advice lines up with God’s Word, follow it.
If God was so concerned about kings reading His Word, you and I should follow that example. There’s not one of us who doesn’t need help in our Christian walk. We all face temptation, but we don’t have to give in to it. When we put God’s Word in our heart, we give ourselves a fighting chance against temptation. Jesus used God’s Word against the devil when He was tempted, and we can do it too. The secret to living a successful Christian life isn’t secluding yourself from the world. It’s having a power in you that’s greater than the world’s attempts to pull you away from God.
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 