LESSON 1 *September 27–October 3

Recipe for Success

Recipe for Success

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Deut. 18:15–22; Joshua 1; Heb. 6:17, 18; Eph. 6:10–18; Ps. 1:1–3; Rom. 3:31.

Memory Text: “ ‘Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go’ ” (Joshua 1:7, NKJV).

Benjamin Zander, musical director of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, taught a music interpretation class. He observed the students’ anxiety as they faced the evaluation of their performance. In order to put the students at ease and to open them up to their full potential, he announced on the first day of the class that everybody would get an “A.” This “A” was not an expectation to live up to “but a possibility to live into.” The only requirement was for the students to write a letter within the first two weeks of the semester but dated at the end of the class. The letter explained why they deserved the high grade.

The book of Joshua is about new possibilities. Moses, who had dominated 40 years of Israel’s history, belonged in the past. The Exodus from Egypt and the wanderings in the wilderness, tragically marked by rebellion and stubbornness, had ended. A new generation, willing to obey God, was ready to enter the Promised Land, not as an expectation to live up to but as a possibility to live into.

Let’s study the way God opened up a new chapter in Israel’s life and how He can do the same in ours, as well.

* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 4.


Sabbath Afternoon, September 27

Lesson 1 - Recipe for Success

After the death of Moses, Joshua was to be the leader of Israel, to conduct them to the Promised Land. He had been prime minister to Moses during the greater part of the time the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness. He had seen the wonderful works of God wrought by Moses, and well understood the disposition of the people. He was one of the twelve spies who were sent out to search the Promised Land, and one of the two who gave a faithful account of its richness and who encouraged the people to go up in the strength of God to possess it. He was well qualified for this important office. The Lord promised Joshua to be with him as He had been with Moses, and to make Canaan fall an easy conquest to him, provided he would be faithful to observe all His commandments. He was anxious as to how he should execute his commission in leading the people to the land of Canaan, but this encouragement removed his fears.

Joshua commanded the children of Israel to prepare for a three-day journey, and that all the men of war should go out to battle. “And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us, we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as He was with Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.”

The passage of the Israelites over Jordan was to be miraculous. “And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.”—The Story of Redemption, pp. 175, 176.
 

The mighty God of Israel is our God. In Him we may trust, and if we obey His requirements He will work for us in as signal a manner as He did for His ancient people. Everyone who seeks to follow the path of duty will at times be assailed by doubt and unbelief. The way will sometimes be so barred by obstacles, apparently insurmountable, as to dishearten those who will yield to discouragement; but God is saying to such, Go forward. Do your duty at any cost. The difficulties that seem so formidable, that fill your soul with dread, will vanish as you move forward in the path of obedience, humbly trusting in God.—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 437.

SUNDAY September 28

A New Moses

Read Deuteronomy 18:15–22 and Joshua 1:1–9. Why is it significant that the book of Joshua starts by echoing a promise related to what would happen after the death of Moses?

* Your notes will not be saved!

Though Moses had died and a new leader, Joshua, had been appointed by God, there are parallels between them. Both men had been told by God that they would lead their people into the land promised to their fathers. As the Lord said to Joshua: “ ‘Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses’ ” (Josh. 1:3, NKJV). Joshua would finish the work that had originally been given to Moses. He was, really, a new Moses.

Read Exodus 33:11; Numbers 14:6, 30, 38; Numbers 27:18; Numbers 32:12; Deuteronomy 1:38; Deuteronomy 31:23; and Deuteronomy 34:9. What do these texts tell us about Joshua?

* Your notes will not be saved!

At this stage, the promise that God would “raise up” a prophet similar to Moses (Deut. 18:15) is only a possibility rather than an accomplished reality. The opening words of the book of Joshua remind the reader of this promise and, at the same time, create an expectation to see it fulfilled.

Though dead, Moses still dominates the first chapter. His name is mentioned ten times, Joshua’s only four. Moses is called “the servant of the Lord” while Joshua is referred to as “Moses’ assistant” (Josh. 1:1, NKJV). It will take a lifetime of faithful service and obedience for Joshua to receive the title “servant of the Lord” (Josh. 24:29, NKJV).

Even if the first chapter of Joshua captures a transition between two great leaders of Israel, the most important character is the Lord Himself, whose words open the book and whose guidance dominates it. There are no questions as to who is the real leader of Israel.

Throughout the ages, God has called men and women to lead His people. Why is it crucial to remember who the true, invisible leader of the church is?


Sunday, September 28

A New Moses

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.

If men will walk in the path that God has marked out for them, they will have a counselor whose wisdom is far above any human wisdom. Joshua was a wise general because God was his guide. The first sword that Joshua used was the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. . . .

It was because the strongest influences were to be brought to bear against his principles of righteousness that the Lord in mercy charged him not to turn to the right hand or to the left. He was to follow a course of strictest integrity. . . . If there had been no peril before Joshua, God would not over and over again have charged him to be of good courage. But amid all his cares, Joshua had his God to guide Him.

There is no greater deception than for man to suppose that in any difficulty he can find a better guide than God, a wiser counselor in any emergency, a stronger defense under any circumstance. . . .

The Lord has a great work to be done in our world. To every man He has given His work for man to do. But man is not to make man his guide, lest he be led astray; this is always unsafe. While Bible religion embodies the principles of activity in service, at the same time there is the necessity of asking for wisdom daily from the Source of all wisdom. What was Joshua’s victory? Thou shalt meditate upon the Word of God day and night. The word of the Lord came to Joshua just before he passed over Jordan. . . . This was the secret of Joshua’s victory. He made God his Guide.

Those holding the positions of counselors should be unselfish men, men of faith, men of prayer, men that will not dare to rely upon their own human wisdom, but will seek earnestly for light and intelligence as to what is the best manner of conducting their business. Joshua, the commander of Israel, searched the books diligently in which Moses had faithfully chronicled the directions given by God,—His requirements, reproofs, and restrictions,—lest he should move unadvisedly.—Conflict and Courage, April 20, p. 116.

MONDAY September 29

Cross! Take! Divide! Serve!

Read Joshua 1. What can we learn about the structure of the book from this opening chapter?

The first chapter of Joshua serves as an introduction to the whole book. It comprises four speeches that correspond to the four main sections of the book: crossing (Josh. 1:2–9); conquering (Josh. 1:10, 11); dividing the land (Josh. 1:12–15); and serving by obedience to the law (Josh. 1:16–18).

The book of Joshua can be seen as a series of divine initiatives. In each initiative, God gives a specific task to Joshua related to the conquest of Canaan, and each one is acknowledged later in the book after its successful completion.

In the end, the promises of God concerning the occupation of the land would be fulfilled. From then on, the responsibility of keeping the land lay in the hands of the Israelites and could be accomplished only by true faith and by the obedience that such faith always engenders.

God’s initiatives, expressed by the three verbs—“cross,” “take,” and “divide”—receive a proper answer in the people’s obedience, which derives from the final initiative: service.

Again, the book of Joshua has four major sections, each characterized by a specific concept expressed through the dominating presence of a Hebrew word:

  1. Cross (Josh. 1:1–5:12)
  2. Take (Josh. 5:13–12:24)
  3. Divide (Josh. 13:1–21:45)
  4. Service (Josh. 22:1–24:33)
Thus, the structure of the book itself conveys its main message: God’s initiatives are not accomplished automatically. Instead, they require the faithful response of His people. That is, with all that God has done for us—including all that He has done for us that we cannot do for ourselves—we are then called to do what we can do for ourselves, which is to obey what God commands us to do. This is how it has always been in all of sacred history, and it remains so today. For example, the depiction of God’s end-time people in Revelation 14:12 conveys the same idea: faith in what God has done for us, which leads to obedience.

Think about some of the promises of God’s Word that are most precious to you. What kind of response do they require on your part in order for them to become reality?


Monday, September 29

Cross! Take! Divide! Serve!

By every wholehearted, earnest sacrifice for the Master’s service our powers will increase. While we yield ourselves as instruments for the Holy Spirit’s working, the grace of God works in us to deny old inclinations, to overcome powerful propensities, and to form new habits. As we cherish and obey the promptings of the Spirit, our hearts are enlarged to receive more and more of His power, and to do more and better work. . . .

The humble worker who obediently responds to the call of God may be sure of receiving divine assistance. To accept so great and holy a responsibility is itself elevating to the character. It calls into action the highest mental and spiritual powers, and strengthens and purifies the mind and heart. Through faith in the power of God, it is wonderful how strong a weak man may become, how decided his efforts, how prolific of great results. He who begins with a little knowledge, in a humble way, and tells what he knows, while seeking diligently for further knowledge, will find the whole heavenly treasure awaiting his demand. The more he seeks to impart light, the more light he will receive. The more one tries to explain the word of God to others, with a love for souls, the plainer it becomes to himself. The more we use our knowledge and exercise our powers, the more knowledge and power we shall have.

Every effort made for Christ will react in blessing upon ourselves. If we use our means for His glory, He will give us more. As we seek to win others to Christ, bearing the burden of souls in our prayers, our own hearts will throb with the quickening influence of God’s grace; our own affections will glow with more divine fervor; our whole Christian life will be more of a reality, more earnest, more prayerful.

The value of man is estimated in heaven according to the capacity of the heart to know God. This knowledge is the spring from which flows all power. God created man that every faculty might be the faculty of the divine mind; and He is ever seeking to bring the human mind into association with the divine. He offers us the privilege of co-operation with Christ in revealing His grace to the world, that we may receive increased knowledge of heavenly things.

Looking unto Jesus we obtain brighter and more distinct views of God, and by beholding we become changed. Goodness, love for our fellow men, becomes our natural instinct. We develop a character which is the counterpart of the divine character. Growing into His likeness, we enlarge our capacity for knowing God. More and more we enter into fellowship with the heavenly world, and we have continually increasing power to receive the riches of the knowledge and wisdom of eternity.—Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 354, 355.

TUESDAY September 30

Heirs of Promises

In Joshua 1:2, 3, the Lord tells Joshua that He is giving the land to them. On the other hand, He said that He has already given it. What does that mean?

The land was a gift from the Lord, who was the real Owner. In Joshua 1:2, 3, two different forms of the verb “to give” are used, reflecting two significant aspects of inheriting the land. The first form expresses the process of giving the land. Only the Transjordan territories had been occupied by Israel. Most of the Promised Land had yet to be taken.

In Joshua 1:3 the verb is used in its perfect form, giving the impression that the land had already been given to them. When God is the subject of such actions, the form is called “the prophetic perfect.” And that’s because what He promises in His Word is an assured fact that can be trusted as present reality.

The pronouns in verse 3, “you” and “your,” are plurals, so the promise is given not only to Joshua but to the entire people of Israel. The reference to the promise given to Moses conveys the continuity of God’s cause.

Also, the word kol, “all,” “every,” is repeated numerous times in the first chapter. The pervasive presence of this noun expresses the totality and integrity that is crucial to attaining the objective set before Joshua. There has to be a perfect alignment between God, Joshua, and the people of Israel in order to assure success in the forthcoming conquest of the Promised Land.

Read Joshua 1:4–6 and Hebrews 6:17, 18. At that moment, the Promised Land was exactly that, a promise. Yet, God calls it an inheritance. What does it mean to be the heirs of God’s promises?

There is nothing magical about the promises of God. They don’t have the power in and of themselves to secure their own fulfillment. The guarantee that they will come true lies in the presence of God, who says: “ ‘I will be with you.’ ” Indeed, the presence of the Lord was crucial for the survival of the Israelites. Without it, they would be only one among many nations, with no special call, identity, or mission (Exod. 33:12–16). The presence of the Lord was everything Joshua needed to succeed.

Nothing today has changed, which is why we have the promise of Jesus found in Matthew 28:20.


Tuesday, September 30

Heirs of Promises

But the word of God had not failed; neither did it meet its final accomplishment in the occupation of Canaan by the Jewish people. “To Abraham and his seed were the promises made.” Galatians 3:16. Abraham himself was to share the inheritance. The fulfillment of God’s promise may seem to be long delayed—for “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8); it may appear to tarry; but at the appointed time “it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:3. The gift to Abraham and his seed included not merely the land of Canaan, but the whole earth. So says the apostle, “The promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” Romans 4:13. And the Bible plainly teaches that the promises made to Abraham are to be fulfilled through Christ. All that are Christ’s are “Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”—heirs to “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away”—the earth freed from the curse of sin. Galatians 3:29; 1 Peter 1:4. For “the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;” and “the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Daniel 7:27; Psalm 37:11.

God gave to Abraham a view of this immortal inheritance, and with this hope he was content. “By faith he sojourned in the Land of Promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Hebrews 11:9, 10.

Of the posterity of Abraham it is written, “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Verse 13. We must dwell as pilgrims and strangers here if we would gain “a better country, that is, an heavenly.” Verse 16. Those who are children of Abraham will be seeking the city which he looked for, “whose builder and maker is God.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 169, 170.
 

The voice of God was heard, bidding him not to expect immediate possession of the Promised Land, and pointing forward to the suf­ferings of his posterity before their establishment in Canaan. The plan of redemption was here opened to him, in the death of Christ, the great sacrifice, and His coming in glory. Abraham saw also the earth restored to its Eden beauty, to be given him for an everlasting possession, as the final and complete fulfillment of the promise.—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 137.

WEDNESDAY October 1

Be Strong!

Read Joshua 1:7–9. Why did the Lord need to emphasize twice to Joshua that he had to be strong and courageous?

The task set before Joshua seemed to involve overwhelming challenges. The walls of the Canaanite cities appeared unassailable, and the population of the land was trained for battle. In contrast, the Israelites, simple nomads, did not possess even the most primitive war machines to take on the fortified walls. History tells us that not even Egypt, the superpower of those times, was able to gain a steady foothold in Canaan.

Yet, the summons to be strong and courageous is not related here only to battle morale or to war strategies. Courage and strength are needed to stay faithful to the Torah and its specific requirements, which defined Israel’s covenant with Yahweh.

Read Ephesians 6:10–18. Although we are not required today to participate in military combat, how can we apply the words of encouragement given to Joshua in our daily spiritual struggles?

Today, in fulfilling the mission entrusted to them by Christ, Christians face similar challenges to those of Joshua; that is, they are required to wage war against their own sinful tendencies, against the principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the hosts of wickedness. Like Joshua, they also have the assuring promise of Christ’s presence: “ ‘I am with you always, even to the end of the age’ ” (Matt. 28:20, NKJV). As the supporting presence of the Lord was enough to expel the fears of Joshua, so it should be sufficient to banish our doubts and anxieties today.

The challenge for us is to know the Lord well enough to trust in Him and His promises to us. And that is why, more than anything else, we need that personal relationship with Him.

The crucial question for us today is not different from that faced by Joshua. How can we stay true to what the Word of God says, even when it is unpopular or inconvenient to do so?


Wednesday, October 1

Be Strong!

Joshua was now the acknowledged leader of Israel. He had been known chiefly as a warrior, and his gifts and virtues were especially valuable at this stage in the history of his people. Courageous, resolute, and persevering, prompt, incorruptible, unmindful of selfish interests in his care for those committed to his charge, and, above all, inspired by a living faith in God—such was the character of the man divinely chosen to conduct the armies of Israel in their entrance upon the Promised Land. During the sojourn in the wilderness he had acted as prime minister to Moses, and by his quiet, unpretending fidelity, his steadfastness when others wavered, his firmness to maintain the truth in the midst of danger, he had given evidence of his fitness to succeed Moses, even before he was called to the position by the voice of God.

It was with great anxiety and self-distrust that Joshua had looked forward to the work before him; but his fears were removed by the assurance of God, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. . . . Unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.” “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.” To the heights of Lebanon in the far distance, to the shores of the Great Sea, and away to the banks of the Euphrates in the east—all was to be theirs.

To this promise was added the injunction, “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded.” The Lord’s direction was, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night;” “turn not from it to the right hand or to the left;” “for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 482.
 

Too often we forget that our fellow laborers are in need of strength and cheer. In times of special perplexity and burden, take care to assure them of your interest and sympathy. While you try to help them by your prayers, let them know that you do it. Send along the line God’s message to His workers: “Be strong and of a good courage.” Joshua 1:6.—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, p. 185.
 

The great Ruler of nations had declared that Moses was not to lead the congregation of Israel into the goodly land, and the earnest pleading of God’s servant could not secure a reversing of His sentence. He knew that he must die. Yet he had not for a moment faltered in his care for Israel. He had faithfully sought to prepare the congregation to enter upon the promised inheritance. At the divine command Moses and Joshua repaired to the tabernacle, while the pillar of cloud came and stood over the door. Here the people were solemnly committed to the charge of Joshua. The work of Moses as leader of Israel was ended. Still he forgot himself in his interest for his people. In the presence of the assembled multitude Moses, in the name of God, addressed to his successor these words of holy cheer: “Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.” He then turned to the elders and officers of the people, giving them a solemn charge to obey faithfully the instructions he had communicated to them from God.—Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 469.

THURSDAY October 2

Prosperous and Successful

Read Joshua 1:7–9 together with Genesis 24:40, Isaiah 53:10, and Psalm 1:1–3. Based on these texts, what does it mean to be prosperous and successful?

The Hebrew term tsalakh, “prosperous” (Josh. 1:8), implies the satisfactory accomplishment of what was planned, or a state of favorable circumstances.

The term sakal, “to be wise” (Josh. 1:8), can be translated as “prosper” or “be successful.” But it also can mean “to be prudent,” or “to act wisely.” It occurs frequently in Job, Proverbs, and Psalms, where the notion of success is closely tied to acting wisely by fearing God and obeying His Word.

According to this insight, success is not necessarily defined as material prosperity, though it does not exclude it. Success has to be seen as a state of harmony with the spiritual values and principles that lie at the foundation of God’s created world and that are expressed in His law.

Indeed, trust in God’s promises, especially the promise of salvation by faith alone and obedience to His law, are not opposed to each other. They represent two sides of the same coin.

Read Romans 3:31. What does this text say about the relationship between law and faith?

To pit faith in the atoning and sacrificial death of Jesus in our behalf against obedience to God’s law is to set up a false and dangerous dichotomy. Law and grace always go together. Only a superficial understanding of the role of the law can lead to perceiving “law” and “grace” as opposites.

The writers of the Old Testament had a high regard for the law and considered it a source of delight (Ps. 1:2; Ps. 119:70, 77, 174). Rightly regarded and used, the law will lead to a deeper understanding of one’s own sinfulness (Rom. 7:7) and the need for Christ’s righteousness (Gal. 3:24).

However much by God’s grace you seek to keep His law, how has your own experience shown you your need for Christ’s covering righteousness?


Thursday, October 2

Prosperous and Successful

There is perfect harmony between the law of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. “I and My Father are one,” says the Great Teacher. The gospel of Christ is the Good News of grace, or favor, by which man may be released from the condemnation of sin and enabled to render obedience to the law of God. The gospel points to the moral code as a rule of life. That law, by its demands for undeviating obedience, is continually pointing the sinner to the gospel for pardon and peace.

Says the great apostle, “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31). And again he declares that “the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12). Enjoining supreme love to God, and equal love to our fellowmen, it is indispensable alike to the glory of God and to human happiness.—Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, p. 563.
 

The gifts of [God’s] grace through Christ are free to all. There is no election but one’s own by which any may perish. God has set forth in His word the conditions upon which every soul will be elected to eternal life—obedience to His commandments, through faith in Christ. God has elected a character in harmony with His law, and anyone who shall reach the standard of His requirement will have an entrance into the kingdom of glory. Christ Himself said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life.” John 3:36. “Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. And in the Revelation He declares, “Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Revelation 22:14. As regards man’s final salvation, this is the only election brought to view in the word of God.

Every soul is elected who will work out his own salvation with fear and trembling. He is elected who will put on the armor and fight the good fight of faith. He is elected who will watch unto prayer, who will search the Scriptures, and flee from temptation. He is ­elected who will have faith continually, and who will be obedient to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. The provisions of redemption are free to all; the results of redemption will be enjoyed by those who have complied with the conditions.—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 207, 208.

FRIDAY October 3

Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “Crossing the Jordan,” pp. 481, 482, in Patriarchs and Prophets; “Entering the Promised Land,” p. 175, in The Story of Redemption.
 

“In His promises and warnings, Jesus means me. God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that I by believing in Him, might not perish, but have everlasting life. The experiences related in God’s word are to be my experiences. Prayer and promise, precept and warning, are mine. . . . As faith thus receives and assimilates the principles of truth, they become a part of the being and the motive power of the life. The word of God, received into the soul, molds the thoughts, and enters into the development of character.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 390, 391.

“There is not a point that needs to be dwelt upon more earnestly, repeated more frequently, or established more firmly in the minds of all than the impossibility of fallen man meriting anything by his own best good works. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ alone.”—Ellen G. White, Faith and Works, p. 19.

Discussion Questions:

  1. However different the circumstances of Joshua’s life and experiences are from ours, what spiritual principles can we take away from his life that we can apply to our own? Why, though, must we always keep context in mind when seeking to draw analogies?

  2. Discuss the relationship between God’s promises and our obedience to Him. How do they complement one another? What are the dangers of overemphasizing one at the expense of the other? That is, what danger comes from pushing the law at the expense of eclipsing grace? Or of pushing grace at the expense of eclipsing the law?

  3. Based on this week’s lesson, how would you define success from a biblical perspective? What place does prosperity have in a Christian definition of success?

  4. Imagine how Joshua might have felt, following Moses. What promise did God give to him that surely sustained him (see Josh. 1:5) in his great responsibilities?


Friday, October 3

For Further Reading

God’s Amazing Grace, “Better Promises,” May 8, p. 136.

Patriarchs and Prophets, “The Law and the Covenants,” pp. 372, 373.

INSIDE STORY

Worshiping a Tree

By Andrew McChesney

Sudhakar immediately noticed the tree when he arrived on the Bangkok Noi campus to work as a Global Mission pioneer in Thailand. Colorful ribbons were tied to the tree. Small images of stone and wood encircled it. Bananas, apples, and burning incense sticks were placed in its trunk. Sudhakar learned that townspeople believed that an ancestral spirit lived in the tree. So, they worshiped the tree according to their traditions.

Sudhakar was confused because the spirit tree stood on land that a kind-hearted woman had donated to a Seventh-day Adventist mission hospital. He asked the pastor why the community people came onto the campus to worship the spirit tree. The pastor explained that townspeople had been worshiping the spirit tree long before the land was donated to the church.

Sudhakar understood the cultural sensitivities, and he thought, “If the ribbons and other objects suddenly disappeared, townspeople might overreact.”

But he was determined to do something. With much prayer to the God of heaven, he befriended the community leader and other townspeople. He invited them to cooking courses, English classes, and worship services in a new center of influence that he was organizing in a building near the spirit tree. Then, slowly, he started cleaning up the tree, removing the ribbons, the images, the bananas, the apples, and the incense sticks. It took about a week.

No one in the community said a word to him about the spirit tree.

Then one day, Sudhakar had an unexpected encounter. As he passed by the tree after a class in the center of influence, a voice called out to him by name. The voice offered wealth if Sudhakar would only obey.

But Sudhakar was not tempted. He didn't want anything from the spirit. He wanted the spirit to go. “I command you in Jesus’ name to leave this campus and never come back,” he said.

Three days later, Sudhakar noticed that the tree was dying. All of its leaves fell to the ground. Four weeks later, only a dry, dead tree remained. Sudhakar took an ax and chopped it down.

Townspeople were astounded as word spread around town about what had happened. Large numbers flocked to the center of influence. Sudhakar taught the townspeople to pray to the only true God. Seven people began to attend Sabbath worship services in the center of influence and later were baptized.

Worshiping a Tree

Pray for Global Mission pioneers who, like Sudhakar, have accepted the challenge of proclaiming the gospel to unreached people groups around the world. Learn more about Global Mission pioneers: https://bit.ly/GMPioneers

Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at AdventistMission.org.