Too Many Prophecies Not to be True!

Our Text this week, which is Jeremiah 33:14-16, transitions us from the Old Testament to the New Testament as we look at just one of many Prophecies in the O.T. relating to the details surrounding the Birth of Jesus Christ.  I sit here a bit frustrated with Group Publishing because I've been going by the scope and sequence in the directors guide in order to know which scriptures to study in preparation for this blog and my Sunday School lesson.  Unfortunately I've been studying the wrong lesson as they stuck a new one in not listed in the manual.  Thus, this will be a bit off the cuff but fortunately, it's a topic I'm familiar with and have much passion about.

I use to really get into apologetics.  Although, this is also the name of a Christian band only spelled differently (ApologetiX) this is not what I'm talking about.  Nor is it the study of how to best apologize to someone.  If you're familiar with the term, I am "apologetic" for my silliness involving my description of apologetics, but I thought I should clarify in case there are those unfamiliar with the term (plus I never pass on an opportunity to make a goofy joke).  Anyway, apologetics is simply theological efforts to show proof of one's faith.

One such apologetic argument involves the probability of one person fulfilling all the prophecies given in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah.  As you may know, there are many prophecies concerning the Messiah in the Old Testament.  People have used statistical analysis of probabilities to calculate various "odds," if you will, of certain events occurring.  According to the website Good News Dispatch here are the odds of certain events occurung:

• Being struck by lightning in a year - 1 in 700,000
• Being killed by lightning in a year - 1 in 2,000,000
• Becoming president - 1 in 10,000,000
• A meteorite landing on your house - 1 in 180,000,000,000,000   

Also according to Good News Dispatch, Dr. Peter Stoner applied the laws of probability to 8 of the over 300 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament and determined that the probability of those 8 prophecies being fulfilled in the life of one man were:

1 in 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.  

Please don't ask me how to say this number because I have no idea other than to say it is 10 to the 28th power.  All I know is anyone wanting to argue that the Old Testament Prophets just got lucky are simply kidding themselves.  The words of the prophets were God inspired and came to fruition in the life of Jesus Christ.  Let's just say the odds are against it being otherwise.

I challenge you this Christmas season to take time to review the many O.T. prophecies as they relate to the details of the Christmas scriptures.  Share and discuss these scriptures and this evidence with your family in order to give them a deeper understanding of the significance and meaning of Christ's Birth. Below is a list of several of them for your review:

Numbers 24:17 (The Star)
Psalm 72:10, 15 (kings bringing gifts)
Isaiah 7:14 (Virgin Birth)
Isaiah 9:6 (For unto us..)
Isaiah 11:1(Stem of Jesse)
Isaiah 60:3,6 (Coming of kings with gifts)
Jeremiah 31:15 (Innocent children killed - See Matthew 2:16-18)

Jeremiah 33:14-16 (Branch of David)  
Hosea 11:1 (Jesus called out of Egypt - See Matthew 2:15)
Micah 5:2 (Bethlehem)
Malachi 3:1-2 (messenger of the covenant)

My prayer is that as this Christmas season begins that you and your family would embrace the powerful depth of the Christmas message that was not only delivered 2000+ years ago in Bethlehem but was prophesied 100s of years before it occurred and is ours for the receiving yet today.
             

When the Walls Come Tumblin' Down (Joshua 5:13-6:27)

I would guess analogies using walls have been used since the human race began building them.  I can't help but think this scripture has something to do with that.  Whether of not this is the case their is much to consider literally and figuratively as we take a look at Joshua and the Israelites at the "battle" of Jericho.  So let's look at the details of the account of this divine victory and then we will consider the walls built that God has called us to tear down and what we can learn from Joshua and the Israelites about how we go about it.

At the end of Joshua 5, we see Joshua "near Jericho."  How near he was, we don't know, but he was likely contemplating the battle to come.  Perhaps it was evening and thus he felt safe to anonymously walk near the wall of the city, perhaps thinking and praying about how they would overpower this fortress before him.  Thus it would've been natural for him to ask this warrior that meets him with his sword drawn whose side he was on.  This also explains the warrior's response of "neither."  The warrior is saying I'm not a member of either Earthly army but commander of the Lord's army.  This is not to say God was neutral in the upcoming battle.  This was more likely God's way of getting Joshua's attention to say "Snap out of it man, you're about to have a divine encounter."

Could you imagine being in Joshua's shoes and receiving these peculiar instructions.  Now, I'm no military expert but I think most would find the idea of marching around the wall of the city, playing horns and on the last day of this exercise, yelling at tue top of your lungs as a strange military strategy.  Yet, there is no mention of questioning by the people of Joshua or the Lord.  This is not the first time we have seen God give strange commands nor would it be the last.  God called Noah to build an ark.  God used Joseph's dreams to save Egypt and the tribe of Israel from famine.  As told in Exodus 17, Joshua himself had already experienced military victory because God had granted the Israelite army success only when Moses kept his staff held high and the army would falter when his arms would lower from fatigue.  Thankfully Aaron and Hur were there to hold Moses' arms up so the Israelites could have victory.  And soon after this we see God's military strategies where less is more in the story of Gideon as well as putting the Israelite army's fate in the hands of a boy with a sling against a gigantic man with a shield and spear.  All this to say, time and time again, God desires for his people to have a clear sense that victory is only possible through His power.  Trust and faith remains at the heart of God's strategy.  This was a message not only to the Israelites but to those who who inhabited the promised land.  God wants the Inhabitants of Canaan to know the hand of God is with the Israelites.  We could even compare it to the message of John the Baptist as he prepared the way of the Lord.  John declared Jesus' arrival with the words of Isaiah saying "Every valley shall be raised up and every mountain and hill made low, the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.  And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind will see it.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it."  (Isaiah 40: 3-5)  Through Joshua and the Israelite army, God is making the inhabitants of the land aware of his presence. Though it might not be a mountain or a hill in this case, but every city and fortress will be made low.

It may seem a violent expression of God's presence, but none the less, an expression.  Why so much death and destruction?  Is this the same God we read of in the New testament?  Is Yahweh not  a God of peace, a God of mercy?  I do not pretend to have an answer as to why all this destruction needs to take place, but I do know this.  Our God is somehow a God of justice while still being a God of grace and mercy.  We clearly see judgement on the people of the land as much destruction takes place not only of Jericho, but other cities and places in the chapters that follow.  Yet at the same time, we see God's grace in the redemption of Rahab and her family.  We know through the story of Rahab that news of the people's coming had reached Canaan and because Rahab responded to this news through the opportunity of meeting the spies, she and her family were saved.  Perhaps there are more untold stories of redemption among the inhabitants of the Promised Land but for the sake of moving the story along Joshua did not bother to record them. 

Yet, we can also be sure that God had no intention of compromising in the area of purity.  Amy and I just saw the movie Lincoln that just recently came out.  I felt the major theme of the movie was that Lincoln was going to do whatever it took to rid the United States of slavery.  Thus, he used every political means necessary to make sure the 13th amendment that abolished slavery was passed.  He would not entertain any talk of peace with the South unless it was completely understood that slavery would be no more.  The movie expressed that though Lincoln was compromising in other areas, he was uncompromising on the issue of slavery and felt it absolutley necessary to be rid of it as the country would move forward after the Civil War.  God was no different with those who inhabited the land of Canaan, but the issue for God was who or what they worshipped.  God would not allow compromise with these people in terms of the Gods they worshipped.  He desired purity.  In other words, I believe there was so much destruction in the book of Joshua because God would rather see nations die than to allow his people Israel to be compromised by the false religions these other nations brought to the table.  Perhaps God felt fair warning had been given as news traveled of the great power of the Lord of the Israelites.  These are just one man's thoughts but to gloss over the dectruction would be too easy, and as Christians we should not be afraid to wrestle with why it happened.  I believe honest questions lead to stronger faith.  (I'll get off my soap box now)

At the heart of the story of the Battle of Jericho is this simple question:  Who are you going to trust?  Joshua and the Israelites after many struggles seem to finally be on the same page with God here.  They trusted God's crazy plan to march around the wall for seven days and on the 7th day to yell as loud as they can in order to make the wall of Jericho fall down.  I wish I had trust like that.  I wish I could trust God so much that he would knock down all the Jerichos in my life.  How 'bout you?  How deep does your trust go?  What are the Jerichos you are facing right now?  Are there walls you need to trust God to knock down in your life?  Did you build them or did someone or something else?  The bigger picture here is trusting God's plan.  We may think we are putting things in God's hands but often we have a tendency to manipulate the plan along the way or perhaps cajole it more than we should.  Parenting is a big Jericho many of us face or have faced.  How do we guide our children while trusting God in the process without manipulating?  I don't pretend to know the answers but I know the more I can put in the hands of God as days go by, the better it will be for all involved in the long run.  If anything, may Joshua and the crumbling walls of Jericho teach us that trusting in God can lead to powerful break throughs (pun intended) and mighty victories to be celebrated on God's behalf.            

      

Making the Crossover (Joshua 3-4)

We see in this passage of Joshua that the Israelites after 400 years of toil under Egypt and 40 years of wandering in the desert wilderness are preparing to cross over the Jordan River.  It has been a long wait and God wants Israel to realize how sacred and symbolic this moment is.  In Joshua 3:5 as Joshua prepares the people to move out, he tells them "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."  In other words, God wants the people to be alert, aware, in the right frame of heart, mind and soul because tomorrow is going to be a sacred, holy, unforgettable day.

Then God, through the leadership of Joshua, gives instructions for the people to follow the Ark.  He tells them that the water will stand in a heap so they can cross but to keep a distance of about 1000 yards (or 2000 cubits, length of arm from elbow to end of longest finger) from the Ark.  All of this to show reverence for God and his covenant with them.  We must understand that the Jordan was not anywhere near the size of the body of water that the Red Sea was but still for all those people to cross the Jordan river with efficiency was a necessity, especially in the face of a threatened kingdom of Jericho so close by.  That's why we see the men of tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh crossing over in the lead, armed and prepared for war. (Joshua 4:12) The passage also tells us the Jordan was at flood level so this would have caused even more exposure for them if God had not provided safe passage on dry land. 

Imagine being one of these people in the nation of Israel.  Perhaps you are a younger man or woman with a family. You were not born when God parted the Red Sea but you've heard the stories.  Now you will see God hold back the waters as you cross the Jordan River.  Imagine millions of people crossing the Jordan on dry land.  The Israelites had no doubt become a nomadic people so their traveling efficiency would have been a sight to see.  Team work would have been a must.  I wonder if people in Jericho could see them.  If so, they would have been impressed while at the same time frightened.  They would have witnessed the water being held back, the efficiency of the way the people moved.  They would've been able to see the beautiful Ark and the dutiful priests who carried it and stood there as the water heaped upstream.  Perhaps Rahab watched from her window and knew the time had come to make haste and warn her family if she had not already done so.   

Imagine the people as they talked among one another as they set up camp on the other side.  "Joshua was right, the Lord did do amazing things among us.  This is a day I will never forget."  And God made sure they wouldn't forget either as they built a twelve stone memorial, representing their 12 tribes, using stones from the Jordan River.  This memorial, Joshua told them, was to help them remember and be able to tell their children how the water from the Jordan stopped in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant and they were able to cross over into the Promised Land because they served a mighty God.

This passage in Johshua brings me back to my college days. I was a Music Ed major in college and my major instrument was voice.  Some of the first songs I studied with my voice teacher were African American Spirituals.  My favorite spirtual was one called "Deep River."  Here are the lyrics:

Deep River.
My home is over Jordan.
Deep River, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground
Oh, don't you want to go,
To the Gospel feast;
That Promised Land,
Where all is peace?
Oh, deep River, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.

This spiritual reflects the same theme that John a. Huffman Jr. speaks of when he says that "This sovereign God...is a God who called Israel then, and us today, to be a 'crossover people.'"  The experiences of the people of Israel's were highlighted by major points of crossing over, not just from one side of a body of water to another, but from one way of life to another.  The Israelites crossed over from being slaves of Egypt to being a sovereign nomadic people in the wilderness for 40 years.  Then in this passage they are preparing to put aside their nomadic ways and claim this promised land that God has destined them to possess. 

As I step back and look at this passage, I am struck by God's vision and the symbolism that He gives for all of us to identify with in the story of the Israelites.  I am struck by how God has made us all so different, yet so much the same.  I'm struck by how diverse people are, yet so relatable and connectable.  I say all this because it is apparent to me that the story of the Israelites is my story.  It's your story.  We are people with a promise of hope but we become enslaved, be it by Egyptians, circumstances of life, or sin.  We seek out direction, guidance, a sign from God in hopes of freedom from what has enslaved us.  God reveals to us our redemption (for us Jesus Christ, for the people of Israel a plan of release from captivity a promise of a land of their own under the leadership of Moses and Joshua).  We choose to follow and believe in God's redemption plan but along the way we may question His plan.  We may even harken back to when we were still slaves and think we were better off then, but God always reveals the next step in his time and shows us how to move forward.  He may have to trust Him to part some waters and we may have to take some steps of faith, but there is always a next step.  We may even find ourselves in the wilderness while God is preparing us, working on different things we need to resolve, trust issues we may have, but always in front of us is the vision of the Promised Land.  Many times we are called to cross over that body of water to whatever is next.  Maybe it's a new chapter in life, a new school, a new job, adjustments with someone new in our life, adjustments without someone we've relied on for many years. Maybe it's a lifestyle adjustment like retirement.  Of course, we all will face the big crossover some day from this life to the next.  Just as the Israelites, we are called to be a crossover people.  The African American slaves who sang those spirituals knew they were called to be a crossover people when they sang of their home "over Jordan."  They knew someday they would receive freedom from their slavery, be it in life or death.  That was the hope they sang of.  God invites you to keep crossing over to what's next.  "Oh don't you want to go to that Gospel feast, that Promised Land where all is peace?"  What is God preparing you for next in your life, in the life of your family, your children?  May we trust him to show us the next step and to keep in mind that God will keep his promises to us.

Speaking of "gospel feasts," may we be a people who as we celebrate around tables this upcoming holiday be a people who embrace God's story and vision for our lives as part of His great Kingdom!

Happy Thanksgiving!
   

      

Two Nations and One Land, Two Spies and One Harlot (Joshua 2)t

So Joshua has established himself as the new leader of the Israelites.  The people are preparing to cross the Jordan and begin their conquest of the promised land.  He sends out two spies to check out Jericho and other surrounding areas.  It's interesting that Joshua just sends two, for when he was called  on by Moses to spy there were twelve but only two, he and Caleb, gave a positive report regarding their ability to overtake the people occupying the promised land.  Perhaps there is nothing to this, but it is interesting nonetheless that only two spies were used.  Joshua 2:1 ends giving us the knowledge that these spies found a place to stay in the home of an innkeeper/prostitute named Rahab.

It cracks me up when young people claim the Bible is boring.  How could you read this story and say the Bible is boring?  We have two nations of people about to come to blows over land.  We have espionage.  We have prostitution.  This doesn't sound like what we think of when we talk about Bible stories.  This sounds like it's straight out of Hollywood.  The problem is we don't use our imagination enough.  This is a case where the scripture almost calls on us to make inferences and use our imaginations a bit, because it appears that a lot takes place that goes unmentioned from vs. 1 to vs. 2 of Joshua 2.

In order to make certain inferences about what happens we need to consider what we do know according to the scripture. Verse 2 tells us the king of Jericho found out the spies had found a place to stay at Rahab's Bed, Breakfast and Brothel.  But how did he find out?  Did one of his staff who frequent there over hear a conversation.  Did they see the men and somehow know they were spies?  Were they just not very good spies and they stuck out like soar thumbs?  Did God have the writers of the Bible leave these things out to move the story along or to allow us to use our imaginations so we might think on these accounts longer?  I don't know, but the fun part is if we were to make a movie of it in real life or in our minds, we can come up with whatever seems to work in order to help the story make sense.  My guess is some of the king's officials got wind of the spies through their frequenting Rahab's place.  I say this because I don't think our spies were bad spies.  It would have been a clever plan for the spies to find solace in a brothel.  Where else would be a better place to lay low than an inn/brothel on the wrong side of town where citizens likely didn't want it to be known they were frequenting there?  Again, I am just speculating but this is what makes sense to me.  Feel free to make your own speculations.   

What else do we know?  Somehow, and for some reason, the spies had found favor with Rahab.  So much so that she hid them from the authorities and lied to her king and/or whoever brought the message from the king to "bring out the men."  She devised this whole made up story about how they had just left before the city gate was about to be closed and if the men would follow them right now they may catch them.  She was not only a harlot and an inn keeper but evidently a pretty convincing actor because the men bought it and went chasing after them when in reality they were hidden under some flax on her roof. 

Why did Rahab do this for them?  We don't know for sure, but isn't it fun to speculate what is "in between" the verses of this story.  John Huffman Jr. suggests that it is likely Rahab's family were poor farmers who worked land outside of Jericho and the flax she hid the spies under was possibly even part of their crop.  Perhaps the ropes she lowered them on when they got away were the ropes they would use to bring the flax from outside the walls into the city.  Huffman also suggests she was a prostitute out of financial need, not one of the glamorous prostitutes of the Canaanite religious rituals of fertility.  (The Communicator's Commentary, Old Testament Vol. 6 - Joshua pgs. 59-60) 

I think several things were at work here all at once.  Rahab was tired of the life she was living.  As the scripture makes mention of, she had heard the stories of the Israelite nation and this powerful God of theirs that divided the Red Sea and destroyed Pharaoh's Army and she dared to believe that their might be a hope to hope in, greater than what she was experiencing.  She had been witness to the corruption that was the Canaanite kingdom of Jericho and she was on the bottom rung of it's existence.  She saw an opportunity to give her and her family a new start with a new people.  Perhaps she offered her "services" to these spies upon their arrival and they, unlike any other men she had known, simply refused, yet showed her a warmth and a respect she could not fathom.  Perhaps she was intrigued and began to suspect who they were and they entrusted her into their confidence.  Again, we don't know this for sure, but something happened in between vs 1 and vs 2 of Joshua 2 and it is sure fun to speculate.  We do know this, God got a hold of Rahab somehow and used her for the good of His Kingdom and His people.

What else do we know?  Against all odds, Rahab did a heroic thing for Israel in spite of all she had going against her.  Again, Huffman suggests she had four strikes against her in light of how she would've been viewed in that time period. (1) She was a woman.  We know society has come a long way and women are much more respected as equals today then in these Old Testament times. (2) She was a Canaanite.  A foreigner was to be kept at a distance, let alone trusted as she was by these spies of Israel.  (3) She was a harlot, a member of what many call the oldest profession, but one of darkness and sin.  (4) She was a liar.  She did not hesitate to deceive her own people for the sake of two men she hardly knew.  Yes, it was for God's people and yes, she was lying to servants of a questionable king, but still it was a lie. (The Communicator's Commentary, Old Testament Vol. 6 - Joshua pgs. 58-61) Yet, God still chose to speak to her and use her in a powerful way.  So much so that she is included in the lineage of Jesus.  After the Israelites defeated Jericho, Rahab began that new life and the Israelite, Salmon, took her as a wife.  She and Salmon were parents of Boaz, who married Ruth.  Boaz and Ruth were King David's Great Grandparents.  Yes, this is the same King David who killed Goliath.  (Check out Matthew 1:5-6).

Our God is an amazing God.  Rahab is proof we must never discount ourselves or anyone else as unusable by God.  I spent last weekend with 10 teenagers, 5 of which were 8th grade boys.  I love all of them but sometimes 8th grade boys do things that make you wonder, are they ever going to grow up?  Yet at the same time, I see God working on each one of them.  He's working on each one of our teens, each one of our children, and yes, each one of us.  We must believe if God can use a foreign, lying harlot like Rahab for the good of His Kingdom to not only help the Israelites take the city of Jericho but to also be a part of the ancestral line of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, then He can surely use you and me.    

              

Be Strong and Courageous Times Three (Joshua 1:1-11)

We move our focus this week from Moses to Joshua.  Joshua's story is an amazing one that I think sometimes can be overlooked due to the great shadow that Moses casts over Joshua.  But the power of God is displayed through Joshua and his leadership.  If you read through Joshua, you will find it is not a peaceful book, but one of military battles and the favor that God gives to the Israelites.  If you've never read completely through Joshua you might be amazed at how violent the story of the Israelites taking the promised land really is.  If there was a "Joshua's Greatest Hits" album it would certainly include at least one story and two verses.  The story we are mostly familiar with is greatly due for most to the gift of music  as most of us have probably heard "Joshua fit the Battle of Jericho and the walls came a tumblin' down."  The two well known verses are like bookends for the book itself as at the beginning, Joshua is encouraged three times by God to "Be strong and courageous."  Then at the end of the book Joshua lays before Israel a choice as to whose God will they serve.  Is it Yahweh who delivered them or the Gods of the people of the land they now inhabit?  But Joshua makes his choice clear by pronouncing "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."   

As the book of Joshua begins, Moses has passed on.  In Numbers 20, we see why Moses did not have the opportunity to lead the people to the Promised Land as he did not follow God's instructions exactly when the Israelites complain to him again about not having water in the wildernass.  Instead of speaking to the rock as God instructed, Moses strikes it twice in anger and water flows from it. Thus God says because of this, Moses and Aaron will not see the promised land.  Pretty harsh, but this is what happened.

Now God turns to Joshua to lead the people.  Imagine being in Joshua's shoes (or sandals perhaps) having served under Moses all these 40 years waiting for the opportunity to enter the promised land which he had seen first hand 40 years prior as one who went on a scouting expedition.  All of those who went with him on that journey except Caleb were dead because they did not trust that the Lord could deliver on his promise. (See Numbers 13 and 14)  Moses, his mentor and leader, was no longer with him because of his brief lapse in trust.  Likely Joshua had anticipated Moses to lead the people into the promised land until Moses himself commissioned Joshua in front of Eleazar, the priest, and the "entire assembly" as we see in Numbers 27:12-23.  Is it any wonder God felt the need to speak the words "Be strong and courageous" three times to Joshua.  Joshua had been given a big job amidst observing others falter over the years.

If you have ever been in the shadow of someone great and then called to follow them in leadership, there is no greater road map or outline for how to move forward than this passage in Joshua.  The first thing God does here is to help Joshua face reality.  According to the NASB, God says to Joshua "Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross the Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel." (Joshua 1:2) I sense a tone as if God is saying to Joshua "your time is now.  Moses is gone and I need you to get up and time for mourning him is over.  Put the past where it belongs, behind you, and move forward.  I need you to step up.  I need you to be the leader I know you can be."

Then God unveils the Geography of the promised land to Joshua in vss. 3-4.  Then comes a series of promises and encouragement.  God promises "no man will be able to stand before you" in vs. 5.  This promise comes true in that Israel was tremendously successful in conquering those already dwelling in the promised land, with the exception of one set back at Ai, due to them not waiting on the Lord for instruction and some not following God's command to not take things under the ban when they defeated Jericho.  (See Joshua 6-7)            

Then, is the first encouragement to "be strong and courageous" followed by God promising this inheritance of land He promised to their forefathers.  Then again, God tells Joshua to "be strong and very courageous" and encourages him to follow the law that Moses had given him, to meditate on it, to not turn from it.  And with this encouragement to follow the law comes a promise, a promise of prosperity and success.  We will come back to this in a moment, but then God again emphasizes once again "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous..."  This time he gives Joshua a reason why he can be strong and that is because God will be with Joshua wherever he goes.
     
What did Joshua do next?  He got after it.  He began the work God had prepared for him to do.  God gave Joshua a vision, a game plan for success.

What do you do when you have to follow in someone's footsteps of leadership?  First, we are called to get out of their shadow and not dwell or worry about the past because the person whose shadow we were in is not there anymore.  We see God calling Joshua in such a way as mentioned earlier.  Second, trust in the plan that has been put before you.  God called Joshua to embrace the vision of moving into the promised land and encouraged him to be strong and courageous.  Third, don't forget what you've been taught and return to those lessons daily.  "Meditate on them day and night."  Just because that mentor isn't there anymore, doesn't mean that what they taught you is gone.  Finally, just take the first step and let those who are with you know what they need to do.  This is what Joshua did in vss. 10-11.  He let them know what they needed to prepare to do.  What's the motivation, the promise?  Prosperity and success and God's presence along the way.

Now, back to this prosperity and success thing.  Let's not mistake God's picture of success with the world's picture of success.  Is a rich man successful if he hoards his wealth?  Is a land owner successful if he owns much property but doesn't use it for anything but personal gain?  Is a wise person successful if he doesn't pass on his wisdom?  I think you get the picture here.  Just as in the parable of the talents, we are expected to use what God has given us, big or small, for the purpose of growing His Kingdom.  And what makes up His kingdom is love, mercy, hope, compassion, salvation, etc..  If God makes us wealthy, he's entrusted us to be good stewards of our wealth and use it for others.  If God gives us land, what are we doing to use the land for his kingdom purposes.  If God grants us wisdom, how are we contributing to the wisdom of others?  Don't allow this lesson to be missed with the younger generation.  We worry as parents about helping our children be "successful" enough to provide for themselves after they leave home, but are we pointing them in a direction to be successful for the sake of the Kingdom of God?  This involves trust.  This involves us being and encouraging our children to "be strong and courageous."  Trust in God's bigger plan.  Teach you children, grandchildren, the younger generation to meditate on God's word day and night and he will make their way prosperous, and they will have success, success for God's kingdom.  In the midst of doing this, he promises to be with us wherever we go.

So "be strong and very courageous" and as Jesus promised he is with you always "even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20b)