Week of Monday April 13 – April 19
Divine Direction – Man as Provider
“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:7-9
In our book Strong and Courageous, we relate a true and tragic story about a pilot who filed a flight plan but veered far off course. Air traffic control lost contact with him. Fighter jets were scrambled and tried desperately to get his attention by flying alongside him and dropping flares, signaling him to respond. But there was no response. The plane kept drifting, farther and farther from its intended destination, until it finally disappeared from radar. It is presumed to have crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. A life lost—not due to a lack of direction, but because the direction was abandoned.
That tragic story is more than an aviation mystery; it is a sobering picture of what happens when a man goes off course. An even greater tragedy happens when a man off course takes his family with him. Joshua was grappling with the weight of leadership now that Moses was gone. God gave him a command that is just as relevant for us today: “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left” (verse 7). God called Joshua to complete dependence on His Word in order to provide direction to His people.
God laid out three essentials for leading well in verse 8:
First, the Word of God must be in your mouth. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth….” Men, we talk about everything—sports, finances, politics, work—but how often do we speak the Word of God? If God’s Word is not in your mouth, it will not shape your leadership. When you verbalize truth, you reinforce it, not only in your own heart but in the lives of those you lead. Your family doesn’t just need your advice; they need God’s truth spoken into their lives.
Second, the Word must be in your mind: “…you shall meditate on it day and night….”
Meditation is not passive reading. It is letting God’s Word run through your mind like a song you can’t shake. If you don’t fix truth in your mind, the world will gladly fill that space with noise, lies, and distractions. Strong men are not just physically disciplined; they are mentally anchored in truth. You cannot lead your family with clarity if your own mind is cluttered with everything but God’s Word.
Third, the Word must be evident in your manner of life: “…so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it….” This is where the battle is won or lost. Knowledge without obedience is useless. Jesus said that the one who keeps His commandments is the one who loves Him. Your family is watching your walk far more than they are listening to your words. If your life contradicts your leadership, you are leading them off course.
God’s warning is clear: “Do not turn… to the right hand or to the left.” One small deviation can lead to disaster. Just like that pilot who veered off course and never reached his destination, many men drift spiritually—slowly, subtly—until they crash. But here is the good news: you can course-correct. God doesn’t just give commands; He gives a promise: “For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (verse 9). You are not leading alone. The same God who called Joshua stands with you. His presence empowers your obedience. His Word provides your direction. His promise secures your future.
When a man aligns his life with God’s Word, he walks in true success and leads others safely in that direction. So, here’s the charge: Be a man of the Word. Speak it. Think on it. Live it. And don’t drift. Help those you love and lead stay on course by providing God’s divine direction.
Reflection Questions
Divine Direction – Man as Provider
“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” - Joshua 1:7-9
In our book Strong and Courageous, we relate a true and tragic story about a pilot who filed a flight plan but veered far off course. Air traffic control lost contact with him. Fighter jets were scrambled and tried desperately to get his attention by flying alongside him and dropping flares, signaling him to respond. But there was no response. The plane kept drifting, farther and farther from its intended destination, until it finally disappeared from radar. It is presumed to have crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. A life lost—not due to a lack of direction, but because the direction was abandoned.
That tragic story is more than an aviation mystery; it is a sobering picture of what happens when a man goes off course. An even greater tragedy happens when a man off course takes his family with him. Joshua was grappling with the weight of leadership now that Moses was gone. God gave him a command that is just as relevant for us today: “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left” (verse 7). God called Joshua to complete dependence on His Word in order to provide direction to His people.
God laid out three essentials for leading well in verse 8:
First, the Word of God must be in your mouth. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth….” Men, we talk about everything—sports, finances, politics, work—but how often do we speak the Word of God? If God’s Word is not in your mouth, it will not shape your leadership. When you verbalize truth, you reinforce it, not only in your own heart but in the lives of those you lead. Your family doesn’t just need your advice; they need God’s truth spoken into their lives.
Second, the Word must be in your mind: “…you shall meditate on it day and night….”
Meditation is not passive reading. It is letting God’s Word run through your mind like a song you can’t shake. If you don’t fix truth in your mind, the world will gladly fill that space with noise, lies, and distractions. Strong men are not just physically disciplined; they are mentally anchored in truth. You cannot lead your family with clarity if your own mind is cluttered with everything but God’s Word.
Third, the Word must be evident in your manner of life: “…so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it….” This is where the battle is won or lost. Knowledge without obedience is useless. Jesus said that the one who keeps His commandments is the one who loves Him. Your family is watching your walk far more than they are listening to your words. If your life contradicts your leadership, you are leading them off course.
God’s warning is clear: “Do not turn… to the right hand or to the left.” One small deviation can lead to disaster. Just like that pilot who veered off course and never reached his destination, many men drift spiritually—slowly, subtly—until they crash. But here is the good news: you can course-correct. God doesn’t just give commands; He gives a promise: “For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (verse 9). You are not leading alone. The same God who called Joshua stands with you. His presence empowers your obedience. His Word provides your direction. His promise secures your future.
When a man aligns his life with God’s Word, he walks in true success and leads others safely in that direction. So, here’s the charge: Be a man of the Word. Speak it. Think on it. Live it. And don’t drift. Help those you love and lead stay on course by providing God’s divine direction.
Reflection Questions
- What specific step will you take this week to get God’s Word into your mouth, your mind, and your daily conduct?
- If your family or those you lead followed your example exactly, where would they end up? On course or off track?
- Pray and ask God to help you faithfully provide His divine direction to your family so that they stay on a course that leads them closer to Him.