#18 Be Strong and of a Good Courage

Joshua 1-6; 23-24
****After each question I have asked someone to give an example whether from their own lives or an example from someone they know that lives the principles we will be teaching.

I liked the attention activity in the book: Display a sheet of paper and a book. Ask a class member to stand the paper on its edge and try to balance the book on top of it. There is a way to make the paper strong enough to support the book. Roll the paper into a tube and secure it with a rubber band or tape. Stand the tube on end on a flat surface. Carefully place the book on top. Joshua became strong as he allowed God to shape his character.
The way God shapes our characters is by making covenants with us. He asks us to do things and when we do them He blesses us; this in turn gives us more faith, more confidence in Him and ourselves and turns us slowly into the person we are looking to become; just as our Savior is. Through our readings we will read about covenants the Lord gives them/us and talk about how they will shape them/us as we live them and how living them makes us stronger and more powerful in our everyday battles.

In Joshua 1:5-6 the Lord tells Joshua to do as He asks which is to take the people across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. He promises him that as they proceed, this: “I will be with thee: I will not fail thee nor forsake thee” “Be strong and of good courage”.

*At what times does the Lord tell us this? How/when would/have these words be a comfort to you?

Josh 1:8 The Book of the law is the scriptures- He promises Joshua that if he reads the scriptures a promise will attend, that is: “thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success.”
Now there was one phrase that stuck out to me okay 2 phrases the first one is that “thy way will be prosperous and successful” the other one: THOU shalt make thy way, meaning that by US reading and conforming our lives to the counsel we find, is the only way we will be prosperous and successful. In other words He isn’t promising that if WE read HE will make us successful, but by us studying and seeking answers in these books will WE find true success.

*How do you think this works; can you illustrate this with an experience in your own life?
*Example: The scriptures say love everyone-what result could happen if we really do that? We’d have more friends than we’d want, you’d have a network like verizon’s network a big pack of people backing you up in all your endeavors. Whether you need a job? Whether you need a place to stay in a different state or country etc? Now who doesn’t want that?

1:16-17 what a response- A prophet asks them to do something and their response is fabulous! They’re even ready to put to death those who don’t follow the prophet.
*How can following the prophet’s counsel make us strong, courageous and shape our character? How would having food storage make one strong and courageous? How would repenting shape your character?

Joshua 3:5 our part of the covenant is that we need to sanctify ourselves; the footnote says this means make yourselves clean, Holy, and proper behavior and the Lord’s part of the covenant is that He will do wonders among us.

*an example of this would be: say you need a job, you’ve prayed you’ve repented, you’ve involved yourself in service, you’ve done all you can possibly do to stand before the Lord spotless and pure; then you go to the temple fasting and put your name on the rolls, afterwards you go to the scriptures looking for an answer and say you are directed to go apply at a certain place and you go and put faith in the Lord that He will direct your path, and lo and behold eventually things work our for your highest good; whether that application leads to another application and job or that you find a job right away.

In Joshua 6 you may want to refer to the handout I gave out a couple of weeks ago that explains what the #’s are symbolic of. It makes more sense if you understand the #’s but not crucial.
6:3 &10 First I want you to pay close attention to the detail and preciseness of these covenants and what they remind us of. He tells them all to compass (go around) the city Jericho one time a day for 6 days NOT making any noise at all.
6:4 then on the 7th day He tells them to go around it 7 times then shout. By going through these motions the Lord and Israel are making covenants with each other.
*Where and when have we made covenants that are very specific and detailed? Baptismal covenants (Mosiah 18:8-10) and temple covenants.

Some of those Baptismal covenants are to mourn and comfort others, as well as bear one another’s burdens. How does comforting mourning and bearing other’s burdens make us strong and courageous instead of depressed?

I was told a story the other day by a student body officer; one of the officers had to have an unexpected surgery and she was laid up for a while. While she was laid up she was becoming a little discouraged because she was involved in competing for the keys to success Ken Garff program and couldn’t do all that was required of her to compete. The other officers decided to pay her a visit to keep her company, this is where she told them of her discouragement and they offered to help her out by passing out the things that she needed to. They did and she competed. I don’t know the outcome of the competition, however I do know the result of that service, that group of kids were very close, they became like family, they continued to share more moments like this and created more memories together that would last forever. They have a feeling of love and trust in their hearts for each other. They have a group that is bound by a power that you just can’t describe to people, a bond that can help them fight the adversary!

Our temple covenants hold the same power; as we keep them we gain strength and courage. Think of a time when keeping those covenants helped you to fight Satan off. Whether those covenants gave you the courage to take a calling you never thought you would or that time that you determined to read your scriptures daily even if you had to take them to work with you. Etc.

Back to our story in Joshua 6:16 so the people have all marched around for 7 days all the while making covenants; before anything even happens (as far as conquering goes) Joshua says, “shout; for the Lord hath given you the city”
If I was to be there going through this ritual I’d be thinking, “you’re insane dude- the city still looks the same and we didn’t attack or use swords or anything how can that be?” But 6:20 says the people shouted and that wall fell flat-then of course they used their swords and took the city.
A story in the manual helped me understand the way this kind of faith works.
Elder Boyd K. Packer said:
“Shortly after I was called as a General Authority, I went to Elder Harold B. Lee for counsel. He listened very carefully to my problem and suggested that I see President David O. McKay. President McKay counseled me as to the direction I should go. I was very willing to be obedient but saw no way possible for me to do as he counseled me to do.
“I returned to Elder Lee and told him that I saw no way to move in the direction I was counseled to go. He said, ‘the trouble with you is you want to see the end from the beginning.’ I replied that I would like to see at least a step or two ahead. Then came the lesson of a lifetime: ‘You must learn to walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness; then the light will appear and show the way before you’” (The edge of the light BYU Mar. 1991, 22-23)

Can’t you empathize with Elder Packer? I too just want to see a step or 2 ahead of my starting place, but this story as well as the wall of Jericho is teaching us that we’ve made covenants-things have been promised to us, stuff will always work out for our highest good, but there will be occasions when we must step forth into the darkness first then we can see the light. Our covenants and promises from the Lord can make us strong enough to take these 1st steps and then our faith in those covenants is also strengthened because things do work out for us.

The last 2 chapters 23 & 24 of Joshua occur at the end of Joshua’s life when he is speaking to the people- he reviews all the things the Lord had done for them then in Joshua 24:14-17 He asks them who they will serve? He states that He and His house will serve the Lord. They promise to obey the Lord. He reminds them 24:21-15 to worship only God and makes a covenant with them as they witness to themselves about the promise they have made.

*What do you choose to serve today? Do you choose to serve the Lord or otherwise?
I want to close with Elder Ashton’s opinion on this subject.
Elder Marvin J. Ashton said: “Joshua reminds us of the importance of making decisions promptly: ‘choose you this day whom ye will serve;…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord’ Not tomorrow, not when we get ready, not when it is convenient-but ‘this day,’ straightway, choose whom you will serve. He who invites us to follow will always be out in front of us with His spirit and influence setting the pace. He has charted and marked the course, opened the gates, and shown the way. He has invited us to come unto Him, and the best time to enjoy His companionship is straightway. We can best get on the course and stay on the course by doing as Jesus did-make a total commitment to do the will of His Father” ( Ensign, May 1983, 30-31)