The Jordan River Rules: Week 2

We are thrilled to have you join us! Every Tuesday morning at 9:00, now until August 6, we'll gather for a Summer Book Club-Style Bible Study. As a community of like-minded followers of Jesus Christ, we'll share our journeys, support each other, and find encouragement together.

Our focus will be on studying 10 God-given strategies for moving forward, as outlined in "The Jordan River Rules." Each week, we’ll explore one rule and discuss it in the comment section. If you haven't yet grabbed the book, you can get your copy here.

Can't make it on Tuesday mornings at 9:00? No problem! You can participate anytime during the week at your convenience. Simply read the week’s chapter and the corresponding blog post, then join the discussion in the comments. Don’t forget to invite a friend to join us! We look forward to growing together in faith!

​WEEK 2: Say No to Discouragement, Yes to Strength

“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 1:9

The opening verses of the book of Joshua are timeless and empowering. For three millennia, they have stirred the hearts of God's people, and for years, they've held a special place in my heart—recently more than ever. Joshua 1:6 begins with a commanding whisper from God: "Be strong." These words, echoing through Scripture, offer a profound guide for living empowered lives.

Be Strong: Robert Morgan writes that during his wife's final days, the command to "be strong" took on new significance. In the face of emotional turmoil, he needed strength for her and their family. In times of trials, the call to "be strong" resounds throughout Scripture, occurring exactly thirty times—a daily reminder of God's provision.

"Be strong and courageous; don't be terrified or afraid. For the Lord...will go with you." Deuteronomy 31:6

Thirty Days, Thirty Commands: The repetition of "be strong" underscores its importance. From Deuteronomy to 2 Timothy, God consistently urges His people to embrace strength and courage. These commands are not mere encouragements but divine mandates, emphasizing our need to draw strength from God amidst life's challenges.

"Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this." Josh. 10:25

Meditation on Strength: Strength is not a magical summoning but a result of meditation on God's Word. Joshua 1:8 encourages us to meditate on Scripture day and night. In these moments, we discover the inexhaustible might of our Lord. To amass strength, immerse yourself in the thirty "be strong" verses. Let them become personal slogans, etching God's power into your character.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous." Psalm 27:14

"Joshua 1:6 begins with the command, “Be strong.”
 
...I studied the command to “be strong” in Scripture and found it occurred exactly thirty times—one for just about every day of the month. Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord…will go with you. —Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. —Deuteronomy 31:7 The Lord commissioned Joshua son of Nun, “Be strong and courageous.” —Deuteronomy 31:23 Be strong and courageous. —Joshua 1:6 Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. —Joshua 1:7 Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? —Joshua 1:9 Above all, be strong and courageous! —Joshua 1:18 Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this. —Joshua 10:25 Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the Lord’s will be done. —2 Samuel 10:12 Be strong and valiant!—2 Samuel 13:28 Be strong and be a man. —1 Kings 2:2 Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged. —1 Chronicles 22:13 The Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong, and do it. —1 Chronicles 28:10 Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God…is with you. He won’t leave you or abandon you until all the work for the service of the Lord’s house is finished. —1 Chronicles 28:20 But as for you, be strong; don’t give up, for your work has a reward. —2 Chronicles 15:7 Be strong; may the Lord be with those who do what is good. —2 Chronicles 19:11 Be strong for battle! —2 Chronicles 25:8 Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged before the king of Assyria or before the large army that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. —2 Chronicles 32:7 Be strong and take action! —Ezra 10:4 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. —Psalm 27:14 Be strong, and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord. —Psalm 31:24 Say to the cowardly: “Be strong; do not fear! Here is your God.” —Isaiah 35:4 The people who know their God will be strong and take action. —Daniel 11:32 Even so, be strong, Zerubbabel. —Haggai 2:4 Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, high priest. —Haggai 2:4 Be strong, all you people of the land…. Work! For I am with you. —Haggai 2:4 Let your hands be strong. —Zechariah 8:9 You will be a blessing. Don’t be afraid; let your hands be strong. —Zechariah 8:13 Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. —1 Corinthians 16:13 You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. —2 Timothy 2:1 You can’t conjure up strength like a wizard summoning a genie. It comes from meditating on words like these. Joshua 1:8 tells us to meditate on Scripture day and night. As you do so, you’ll learn our Lord is all powerful. There’s no exhausting of His might, no diminishing of His power, no ebbing of His fortitude....
 
One of the secrets of amassing strength is reminding yourself God requires it—and He who requires it, provides it." —Robert Morgan

Do not be afraid: Fear, the antithesis of strength, often hinders our progress. The formula for overcoming fear lies in recognizing our tendency to overestimate problems and underestimate God. By fixing our focus on Christ rather than the storms, we navigate challenges with confidence.

"Fear is overestimating your problems and underestimating your God."
 
"...my trust is in God; but sometimes my fears are stronger than my faith.” —Mary Washington
 
"Nothing is more agonizing than anxiety. It’s what kept the Israelites in the wilderness forty years. In Numbers 13, Moses sent twelve scouts to spy the land for the invasion of Canaan. That’s when everything went wrong. “We went into the land where you sent us,” they reported. “Indeed it is flowing with milk and honey…. However, the people living in the land are strong, and the cities are large and fortified…. We can’t attack the people because they are stronger than we are!” (Numbers 13:27-31). Their fears were stronger than their faith, and that marred their future. Now forty years later, the Israelites were back in the same place under a new leader, and the Lord warned them seven times against the same mistake, telling them, “Do not be afraid.” Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid. —Deuteronomy 31:6 Do not be afraid. —Deuteronomy 31:8 Do not be afraid. —Joshua 1:9 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid.” —Joshua 8:1 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them.” —Joshua 10:8 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid.” —Joshua 10:25 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid.” —Joshua 11:67 Those words are for you as much as for Joshua. Woven into them is a Scriptural formula—fear is overestimating your problems and underestimating your God. How often we minimize our Savior and maximize our storms!
 
...In essence, fear is the sin of forgetfulness—forgetting the fathomless omnipotence of the Lord Christ and His truth. When that happens, our anxieties become a cycle of inefficient thoughts spinning through our heads like a whirlwind. Accept challenges as they come, but don’t magnify them. Magnify Him, and He will give you the land." —Robert Morgan

Do not be discouraged: Discouragement finds no commendation in Scripture; it's a wrong choice and a subtle sin. The Bible repeatedly warns against it, reminding us to resist its pull. Resignation, recalibration, and recalculation serve as practical tools to counter discouragement, redirecting our focus from self to God's plans.

"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged." Joshua 1:9

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s…. Do not be afraid or discouraged” 2 Chronicles 20:15-17

“Be strong and courageous! Don’t be…discouraged” 2 Chronicles 32:7

As we traverse life's journey, the divine imperative to "be strong" accompanies us. God's commands echo through the ages, inviting us to draw strength from His eternal might. Amidst challenges, fears, and discouragements, remember these words: "Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord is with you." Embrace empowered living through the unwavering strength found in God's promises.

"The secret of amassing strength is reminding yourself God requires it—and He who requires it, provides it.... Discouragement...It’s the germ of gloom that sends the plague of pessimism through your bloodstream, and it’s highly contagious.... When I’m discouraged, it’s because I’m looking at myself, my own goals, my hopes and aspirations, my dreams and drives. Whenever I’m encouraged, it’s because I’m looking at the Lord and His plans and purposes.... First, resignation. Give God the aspirations you’re clinging to; He can do more with them than you can.... Second, recalibration. Expect God to turn blows into blessings and setbacks into comebacks.... Third, recalculation. We have to count our blessings and add up our gains. In any situation, we can find things for which to be thankful.... Press ahead into whatever God has for you and take these words to heart: Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid! Do not be discouraged!"  —Robert Morgan

“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 1:9). If you have not memorized this verse, friend, can I encourage you to do so this week? You may not need it now, but you will someday, and when you do you'll be glad to have this promise to cling to.

Read The Jordan River Rules: Week 3 here.

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