RUSSELL SANDERS

10-22-2025

THE LIFE OF JOSHUA – LESSON 7

THE LAYING ON OF HANDS BY MOSES

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Israel had now completed forty years in the wilderness. They were encamped in the plain of Moab just north of the Dead Sea. Mountains were on their east side and the Jordan river just to the west. The LORD told Moses to go up onto one of the mountains, Mount Abarim, where he could look out and see the promised land of Canaan. (Numbers 27:12-13).

He knew he could not enter Canaan. God told him on this mountain he would be “gathered” unto his people. We see Michael the archangel taking Moses’ body in Jude 1:9.

But before Moses went up, he petitioned the LORD saying in Numbers 27:16, “Let the LORD, the God of all spirits…set a man over the congregation.”

Although Joshua had been with Moses the entire time, Moses was not going to presume that he had the wisdom to make the choice. He wanted it to be God’s choice. (How many times do we make a choice without asking God about it first?)

In numbers 27:18-23 we see that God Himself designated Joshua to be the new leader. God had spent 40 years preparing him for his ultimate destiny.

God wanted the whole congregation to witness the transfer of authority to a faithful Joshua. Moses set Joshua before the priest Eleazar who brought the Urim to receive God’s word. This was a pattern for Joshua to use in the coming years to receive word from God.

Moses then laid hands upon Joshua and gave him his charge ordaining him as Israel’s prophet and leader in Moses’ place. Yes, it was by the “laying on of hands” that he was ordained.

Joshua’s faithfulness and his hunger for the glory of God’s presence had prepared him for his calling.

HELEN SANDERS

10-22-2025

RELIGIOUS BUT NO RELATIONSHIP

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A very religious man named Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee, and a ruler of the Jews came to Jesus at night. I imagine he came at night because he didn’t want any of his cohorts to know he was visiting him. After all, the majority of the Pharisees hated Jesus.

When he saw Jesus, he acknowledged that Jesus was a Rabbi that came from God because of the many miracles that he had done. He acknowledged that God must be with him.

Instead of being impressed by Nicodemas’ flattery, Jesus said in John 3:3, “…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus was puzzled at this. His reaction was one of confusion and more questions. How can this happen? How can one go back into their mother’s womb a second time.

Then, Jesus said in John 3:5, “…Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [natural birth] AND of the Spirit [spiritual birth], he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh [natural birth] is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit [spiritual birth] is spirit.”

Then he rebuked Nicodemus for being a religious leader that didn’t understand spiritual things. Nicodemus had no clue about a second birth. He was just like many religious people who do not understand it. 

One can be religious, meaning that they do good things, they go to church, they don’t swear. They give money to the poor. They may follow all their church religious rules, yet, that is all for nothing if they are not born of the Spirit. They have no personal relationship with God.

Without repenting of one’s sin and acknowledging that Jesus is the only way to the Father and receiving Jesus’ blood as the payment for your sin debt, you can do all the right things and still end up separated from God in hell. Religious rules and regulations will not get you there. You must be born of the Spirit as Jesus said.

Have you ever been born again? Have you received Jesus as your personal Savior? Have you made the choice to give your life to him as a “living sacrifice?” If so, then you have eternal life with Jesus to look forward to.

If not, then it is time to receive His salvation. Say this prayer: “Father God, I know I am a sinner. I acknowledge that I need a Savior. I thank you for sending Jesus into the world to pay for my sin. I thank you Father, for allowing him to die on the cross and shed his blood for me. I thank you that his blood washes away my sin. I receive Him as my Savior now, in Jesus’ name amen.”   

If you have done this, you have gone from being religious to having a relationship.

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