Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written

Jos 23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;

Joshua is coming to the end of his life, but before he goes on he knows that there is much yet to do and say to secure the hearts of the Israelites. Joshua calls on the leadership for a meeting, what a joy it must have been to look out on the people that were willing to follow God. There were in attendance all those able to make a difference by leading the people. I pray today for our president and our leaders no matter what position they may be in, that's right folks I also pray for my boss and my boss's boss. Here we have an opportunity to show that we have humility for those in a position over us, let us do it with meekness. Jesus was meek, but effective, a lot of people confuse meekness with weakness, but what a difference there is. As Joshua gathers together the leaders he begins to give the nation some advice in order to follow after God whole heartily.
1. Do not mix with the other nations. (Joshua knew in so doing that their false
religions and unconverted hearts would ruin what God was doing)
2. Take heed unto yourselves. (Serve the Lord God with all your hearts, mind, and
soul. Take caution lest you fall, and in so doing have others fall with you)
These were just two of the many exhortations given unto the leaders, for as the Bible says.."unto whom much is given, much is required". I have learned that all things rise and fall on leadership. Leaders are to be training leaders to replace themselves, as was Joshua here. They didn't know it but he was giving them ample instruction on how to carry on after he was gone. Leaders who grow in pride and try to horde knowledge and power unto themselves are ignorant, so is today's modern society of "I know more than you do". Folks we are to be helping one another, it is just like in the Word of God when it comes to salvation, why should I leave that hid in my heart so others wouldn't know what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for me? Is it not a commission from the Lord to Go ye therefore...if the gospel be hid, it is hid from them that are lost. Be a leader, take those steps to get out in your Jerusalem, and work your way to the uttermost, train others to go door knocking, teach others how to witness. Now Joshua also had instructed them not only of their responsibility as leaders, but, their responsibility if they failed in doing as leaders. Notice the following..Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. Friends this was a light exhortation to ensure that his point was being made, DO NOT MIX with the unbelieving nations. The same goes today as we have such an issue with young folks who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and get married to one that does, the Bible says..2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? If it goes wrong in the beginning, don't expect it to get any better. Leaders of today the same message applies in our commitments, and leagues, and partnerships...be ye not unequally yoked. Remember the unbelieving do not look at situations, or life in the same way you do, so naturally they don't respond the same way as we think they ought to.