And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.– Exodus 24:13 

The great violinist, Nicolo Paganini, willed his marvelous violin to Genoa, Italy—the city of his birth—but only on condition that the instrument never be played upon. It was an unfortunate condition, for it is a peculiarity of wood that as long as it is used and handled, it shows little wear. As soon as it is discarded, it begins to decay. The exquisite, mellow-toned violin has become worm-eaten in its beautiful case, valueless except as a relic.

That violin can be compared to a Christian’s life. God, our designer and creator, made us to serve Him and to serve others. While we are busy serving Him, He gives us strength to continue on, but when we neglect to serve Him, His strength is not with us. We see a picture of this in the life of Joshua.

Joshua was a servant. He was the kind of man who delighted in serving. Notice a picture of Joseph’s life in Exodus 20:13, “And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.” Moses went up to Mount Sinai for forty days and nights, communing with God. And Joshua, Moses’ minister, waited at the base of the mountain for Moses.

In today’s fast-paced, get-ahead society, not may people want to be a minister or a helper. But Joshua delighted in being the servant of Moses—he found joy in serving others! Joshua was exhibiting the attributes of Christ as shown in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

The measure of a man’s greatness is not in how many people serve him, but in how many people he serves. Joshua was a great man and greatly used in Israel’s history because he faithfully ministered to Moses, God’s servant.

God is looking today for men and women who will be servants. People who will help a neighbor, pass out a Gospel tract, teach a Sunday school class, sing in the choir, drive a bus for the bus route, or serve in some capacity for the Lord. Joshua wasn’t simply the average Israelite who complained one day and praised God the next. He jumped into helping and stayed by Moses’ side, seeking to minister to him.

How are you serving the Lord? One of the greatest things you can do for the Lord is give yourself in service of Him. You may not be able to sing a solo, but you can help out in the nursery. You may not have the ability to preach a great sermon, but you can teach a children’s Sunday school class. God does not look at the magnitude in which you serve, but at the willingness of your heart.

Get involved in your church and ask how you can serve more. Be willing to volunteer when help is needed. And seek to serve the Lord any way you can! –From Daily in the Word

Newspaper columnist and minister George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. “I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me.”

Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan “Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that you’re getting a divorce. That will really hurt him.” With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!” And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting “as if” she loved him. For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing.

When she didn’t return, Dr. Crane called. “Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?”

“Divorce?” she exclaimed, “Never! I discovered I really do love him.” Her actions had changed her feelings. Motion resulted in emotion. The ability to love is established not so much by fervent promise as often repeated deeds.   

I’m sure we’ve all heard Ephesians 4:32 at one time or another, but it’s a godly principle to live by, “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” That means at all times. Whether we’re treated fairly or not, God commands us to be kind to others.

You will face times when you don’t feel like loving others. Don’t become impatient and lash out in anger during those times. Take time to remember God’s command to be kind, and give others preference —- Do whatever you have to do to remind yourself that joy– comes from putting Jesus and others before you. (From Daily in the Word)

The true test of life—is character. Everything else is extraneous, belonging only to the husk, which shall fall off in the day of ripening! Character is the kernel, the wheat—that which is true and enduring. Nothing else is worth while—except that which we can carry with us through death, and into eternity!—-

It is altogether possible that a man may fail of winning any earthly greatness, any distinction among men, anything that will immortalize him in this world’s calendars—and yet be richly and nobly successful in spiritual things, in character, in a ministry of usefulness, in things which shall abide—when mountains have crumbled into dust! It is possible for one to fall behind in the race for wealth and honor—and yet all the while to be building up in himself—an eternal fabric of beauty and strength!

What is the standard of success in the sphere of the unseen and the eternal? It is the doing of the will of God. He who does the will of God—makes his life radiant and beautiful, though in the world’s scale he is rated as having altogether failed in the battle. He who is true, just, humble, pure, pleasing God and living unselfishly—is the only man who really succeeds—while all others fail.

Really, there is no other final and infallible standard of living. One who writes his name highest in earth’s lists, and yet has not done God’s will—has failed, as God Himself looks at his career.

God had a purpose in our creation—and we only succeed, when our life carries out this purpose. The most radiant career, as it appears to men, means nothing—if it is not that for which God made us. We fail in life—if we do not realize God’s will for us.

We live worthily—only when we do what God sent us here to do. A splendid career in the sight of men—has no splendor in God’s sight!

Not the making of a fine worldly career, therefore—but the simple doing of God’s will—is the one true aim in living. Only thus can we achieve real success. If we do this, though we fail in the earthly race—we shall not fail in God’s sight. We may make no name among men, may raise for ourselves no monument of earthly glory—but if we please God by a life of obedience and humble service, and build up within us a character in which divine virtues shine, we shall have attained abiding success!–By J. R. Miller

The failure of Israel to enter the land of promise began in murmuring—– Just a faint desire to complain and be discontented. This led on until it blossomed and ripened into rebellion and ruin. Let us give ourselves no liberty ever to doubt God or His love and faithfulness to us in everything and forever.

It is very easy to fall into the habit of doubting, fretting, and wondering if God has forsaken us and if after all our hopes are to end in failure. Let us refuse to be discouraged. Let us refuse to be unhappy. Let us ‘count it all joy’ when we cannot feel one emotion of happiness. Let us rejoice by faith, by resolution, by reckoning, and we shall surely find that God will make the reckoning real.–“