The Lord your God will be with you.. Did God lie?

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" Joshua 1:9 

This is a very popular verse that is quoted all the time. Chances are, if you've gone to to church over a year or so, you've probably heard it once or twice. It is a good verse! But wait a second.. Look all the bad things that are happening to Christians all over America? Did God lie? Why doesn't it seem like God is with us when why try to go out and be courageous? 

Well first off I want to say that even if God is with us, that doesn't mean that bad things aren't going to happen to us. Bad things will happen. But as the scripture says, we need to be strong and courageous. BUT, that is not the only thing it says. We quote this scripture all the time. But we forget about the one that comes before it. 

"...Be very careful to obey ALL the law my servant Moses gave to you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this book of law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. THEN you will be prosperous and successful.." Joshua 1:7-8

This was God talking to Joshua after Moses had passed away. Notice that God didn't just say, "All you have to do is be brave!" No, it doesn't work like that. God asks for SO much more! "Do not let it depart from your mouth" God wants us to SPEAK His word. That's spending time in prayer, confessing life into any situation. "Meditate on it day and night." God wants us to think on, memorize, and pray His holy word ALL the time! Meaning we should spend more and more time with Him everyday! Why? "So that you may be careful to do everything written in it." 

This is huge for me. In my life, sometimes I find it SO hard to obey God. And I wonder why. "Why is this SO hard when you promised to be with me God?? Did you lie??"

Nope. I had just forgot a very important commandment. To spend time in prayer, worship, and devotion to God, not just when I feel like it, but everyday. 

"THEN you will be prosperous and successful." 

In today's church I feel like we've forgotten about what God wants from us. And honestly, above all else, He just wants us. Our time, our love, and our devotion. And out of that intimacy with Him, comes our prosperity. And that prosperity will be pleasing to God because it will consist of the growing of His kingdom. 

So next time you feel like God isn't with you, remember that He is. But also remember that your success isn't just based on you "trying" but also on your devotion and time spent with God.