Life Plan Devotion #119 [Success]

Hi, Everyone.
I trust you had a wonderful weekend and are ready for a great week. It's a marvelous Monday, here in Kansas!
Today, we begin looking at a new, wonderful promise. My prayer for you is that God will speak to you through His Word. As always, I love hearing from you.

Life Plan Devotion #119 [Success]

Joshua 1:8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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" (NKJV).

     Joshua 1:8 is the only place in the early English version of the Bible where the word "success" is found. I feel the Lord would have us look at this very important verse, one clause at a time. Today, we will focus on the first clause of Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth."
     When God breathed, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth," did He mean that we shouldn't speak it? Of course not. Let's look at this clause in other Bible versions. 
     I frequent www.BibleGateway.com often, for the many versions of the Bible there, and because you can look at the same passage of scripture in up to 5 versions at a time. This is how some of those versions state the first clause of Joshua 1:8.
--"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips" (Today's NIV).
--"Never stop reading this Scroll of the Law" (NIRV).
--"Always remember what is written in the Book of the Teachings" (NCV).
--"This Book of the Law must not leave your mouth" (NLV).
--"This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth" (HCS).
--"Don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind" (Message).
--"Study this Book of Instruction continually" (NLT).
     It is absolutely crucial that you know what is written in God's Word. Read it (and read it often), memorize it (and review it), study it (go after God's Word, as a scholar), get it down deep into your mind and heart and spirit ****il you know that you know it), think it (let it renew your mind), and speak it (to yourself and to others). Those are the first 6 rungs of the Ladder of Success. Don't try to skip any of them, or you may fall off the ladder.
     Take an honest look at your relationship with God's Word, especially in the quantity and quality of time you spend with it. Do you climb those 6 rungs quickly or sporadically, or perhaps you try to skip some of those rungs up the Ladder of Success. We'll look at more of this verse next time, and, eventually, we'll look at what "success" means. Right now, though, answer this soul-searching question, "How much do you want it?"

Confession:
Because I want success in every area of my life, I read, memorize, study, meditate on, think about, and speak the powerful Word of God every day.

Blessings,
Mary

A picture!  We finally get to see what our Mary looks like!  And she looks happy and beautiful, that's how she looks--the outside totally matches the inside.  It is so nice to put a face to a name.  Thank you.

Great message.  I think I've been skipping some rungs.  Looks like I need to climb down and start over.

Vickie

Hi, Vickie.
Thank you for your kind words. We all have days where we skip some rungs of the Ladder. It's okay, though, because God is all about do-overs. :)  He loves us, no matter what, but He knows how helpful His Word is to us, in us, and through us, and He wants the best for us.
Maybe sometime soon you could send me a PM or email, to get me updated on your miracle. Pretty please? ;)
As always, thanks for reading and replying.
Blessings,
Mary