Series: Grow Strong

Sermon: Growing Why?

Speaker: Japhet De Oliveira

Writer: Japhet De Oliveira

Refresh: Begin today in prayer. Ask God for understanding through the Holy Spirit.

Read: Joshua 23–24 in the English Standard Version (ESV). Note 1–3 insights or questions.

Reflect: What would you write? What would you share as your last words? Have you thought about the end of life? Have you thought about the difficult questions that you have to process? Joshua, of course, does not share his personal thoughts about the end of his life. Instead, he shares the challenge and covenant he wants for everyone to adopt. He started off as a leader fearful and worried about whether he could fill the shoes of Moses. He wasn’t sure he could lead millions of people into the Promised Land. He wondered if he had the courage to stay the course. In Joshua 24:15, it is clear that he has sensed discrepancies between the peoples’ words and their actions. The three choices he offers them are really only one choice: To be faithful to God.

Last night I received this quote from Spencer Way, and I thought it would be a fitting way to end the Daily Walk for this week. It captures how our walk with Jesus should be. It should be a lot of fun and a natural part of all of our lives. To live this way and to pass this way of life on as a legacy is a task worth pursuing.

A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through what- ever he is doing and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing. To himself, he always appears to be doing both.

—L.P. Jacks

Recalibrate: What do you want to be known for and what needs to change for that to be the case?

Respond: Pray for the joy of Jesus in every moment of life you have.

Research:  Read one of the recommended commentaries on any of the chapters from this week.

Live Wonder (ages 0–3): What makes your child laugh the most? Is it when they are tickled? Is it when you play with them? Is it when they play with their friends? Think about one thing today that will make them laugh with you, because Jesus also loves those memories.

Live Adventure (ages 4–11): If you had to choose between speed or strength which would it be? Either of those would be great. What if you had to choose between ice-cream and vegetables forever? Hmmm, a bit harder? What if you could have ice-cream and vegetables forever? Jesus wants you to grow up and enjoy life and be strong and fast. The choice is Jesus or no Jesus.

Live Purpose (ages 12–16): I have to ask. I know you probably don’t want this question right away, but I have to ask: What would it take for you to reach the same point that Joshua did and claim Jesus as your choice? Maybe you already have done this, so this would be a recommitment question. Or maybe this would be the first time you have committed your life to Jesus. If you are honest with yourself, what is holding you back from commit- ting your life to Him? Are you willing to share your concerns with your mentor, your elder, or your pastor?