Thoughts on Discipleship by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview

SAVORING GOOD SUCCESS

”This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8

The context of the verse above finds the children of Israel poised on the eastern shores of the Jordan River. Moses is dead and Joshua is assuming the leadership role as they began the conquest of the land they had left Egypt to inhabit some 40 years previously. What were his thoughts? We can only imagine, but we do know that God spoke to him in a most encouraging manner, a part of which includes the above verse.

No leader, whether military, political, religious or of another field of endeavor wants to be a failure. Success is always desired. Certainly, Joshua wanted to be successful. After all, he and his friend Caleb were now the only two men living who had lived in Egypt, and survived the 40 years of wandering. He wanted to lead successfully, and to see the Hebrews settled into, and enjoying the Promised Land.

It is here, then that the term success appears for the one and only time in the Bible. To achieve it he must not allow the Law of God to depart from his daily speech. He must meditate in it day and night. The deep thinking referred to as meditation comes from the Hebrew word “Hagah” which means to become so engrossed in thought as to mutter aloud over the enormity of fixed focus and joy that grabs the soul! Indeed, this continues to be the recipe for Christian success. There are those who think that God gave the rules of the Christian life, but left them in charge of His Word to change it as they see fit. NOT SO! God’s recipe for success for Joshua is our recipe for success today. Study the Word! Do not turn from it to the right or left! Keep it in the forefront of the mind, and speak of its content often.

Solomon reiterated the same principle of success in somewhat different terms, but with the same meaning. He said, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Prov. 3:5-6.

Too many folks equate success as material accumulation, or achievement of prideful power. Such should remember that these are useless when they are in a coffin, and there are no U-Haul trailers attached to a hearse! This does not mean there is nothing to take with you into eternity. In fact there is much! But, it will not be anything material; it will be spiritual success, or the lack thereof that one must meet at the Judgment Seat of Christ, over which to rejoice in reward or to weep as the meaning of their life on earth is consumed as wood, hay, and stubble. Are you living in a manner to achieve success in life, and to enjoy its fruit for eternity? Repent of sins, claim Jesus as your personal Savior, follow Him in scriptural baptism, fellowship regularly in His church, learn the Bible. Nothing in life is more important than these things.

FOR THOUGHT: Success is easily definable in earthly things, but what about spiritual things? Are you living a successful life as a disciple of Jesus? Do you wish to start doing so? Are you trusting Jesus as your personal Savior? Then will you begin to study and employ the teachings of Jesus more fully in your life?

SEPARATE: AN ESSENTIAL BIBLE “BE”

Oft repeated in Holy Writ is the Bible imperative: “Be Ye Separate.” In the earliest stages of Bible reading, it becomes obvious that the objective of God for His people is NOT the creation of a comfort zone in a God-rejecting, hell-bound world. This may be a shocking viewpoint to non-bible reading church members whose source of religious information is limited to the homiletic platitudes of a materially glutted clergy. For them, the call to separation is mostly avoided due to its conflict with the flesh, and its being out of sync with a fleshly, flighty world of make believe Christians who love their religious country-club-called-church. Think with me!

From the earliest stages of God’s covenant work with men, the paramount call is to separation. God called Abraham to leave Ur of Chaldea, and He taught the Israelites in their exodus, “. . . I am the Lord your God, which have you from other people.” Lev. 20:24.

When Judah returned from Babylonian captivity to rebuild Jerusalem, Nehemiah 9:2 records, “And the seed of Israel themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.” Then in 13:3 it further states, “Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they from Israel all the mixed multitude.”

But it is not just Old Testament stuff! The New Testament underscores separation as essential to living the Christian life. The apostle Paul wrote adamantly to the church at Corinth, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” 2 Cor. 6:17.

The idea of Christian separation is not to isolate oneself from the world as the proverbial, monastery monk, but to be separated by believing and employing in an evil world the life-teachings of the Lord . Paul went on to explain this to the church at Corinth: “I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.” I Cor. 5:9-10. It is the separated life of Christians that brings them spiritual joy. It is also that which the Holy Spirit uses to convict and attract lost ones to His fold.

Let those who take the name of Christ then hear the clarion declaration of beloved John as he penned, “But if we walk in, as he is, we have fellowship one with another, and of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” I John 1:7. One does not walk in that light with one foot while the other foot is walking comfortably in step with a wicked world of darkness. “Be ye separate!” It is an essential Bible “Be!”

FOR THOUGHT: Do you understand the call to separation for God’s people is not the New Birth though predicated upon it? Is not separation speaking of how one lives? Does this not underscore understanding and employing the practical teaching of Jesus day by day? What is different about your life that men might consider you to be separated unto the Lord?