Hey, welcome to another episode of dwell in these things. My name is David. I'm the podcast administrator here at dwell Community Church. On today's episode of dwell in these things, we're featuring an episode from our new devotional podcast, the word in 10. And so a couple of months ago, we had the idea of creating a smaller, shorter podcast to just give people quick insights into the word from some of our best teachers. And so we brought in Chris Risley for four kind of pilot episodes, just to see how they would do and if people were into them. And based on viewership and on reception, I've gotten online, but also in person, it seems like people are really into these. And so we want to keep doing them for the rest of 2025 and so dwell on these things is staying the same. However, on Tuesdays, we now additionally have a weekly 10 minute devotional series posting from the word intent. And so the month of March is going to have four devotionals from Scott Risley, and then the month of April is going to have been Faust. And so we're really excited about this new content coming out. If you have ideas on how to make this better, we are all ears. We're trying something new, and so we want to make sure that we're creating good equipping material for our members that people are actually using and it's actually beneficial. And so we hope you enjoy again. You can find the word intent by searching the word intent on Spotify or Apple or YouTube. You can also subscribe to the word intent by going into our app and enabling notifications on the word intent as well, and so we hope you enjoy. Here's Scott Risley on the word intent. Welcome to the word in 10, a devotional from dwell Community Church. Scott Risley here with a short word from the book of Joshua. The Book of Joshua begins around 1400 BC. Moses, the great leader of Israel, the man who delivered the first five books of Scripture, has died. God chose Joshua to lead the people into the promised land. He gave Joshua a job to do and promised to be with him. Joshua has now faithfully led the people into the land, and they've conquered the portions of land God gave to them. Joshua, chapter 12, gives a long list of all the kings they had conquered. But then we turn to Joshua 13. Many years have passed since the battles of Joshua one through 12, and we read Joshua 13 one. When Joshua was an old man, the Lord said to him, you're growing old, and much land remains to be conquered. When I read this recently, really hit me. You're growing old. God says, and much land remains to be conquered. Let that sink in. God wasn't looking back at all Joshua had done. He was looking forward saying, Joshua, you still got some time left. There's a lot of work to do. What are you doing about it? I felt like God was saying to me, Scott, you're growing old and there's a lot still to do. Of course, as New Testament believers serving the Lord, looks a lot different. We aren't conquering lands like Joshua, but there are still battles of faith, things to accomplish, good works, God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. I sit here 46 years old. My kids are 15 and 17, starting to drive, getting busier with their own lives. I stand on the doorstep of the empty nester life. And on the one hand, it would be easy to sit back and relax and look at past accomplishments, but God's always pushing us forward. Yesterday's faith cannot fight today's battles, God points toward the horizon, toward new adventures, and we have limited time to accomplish those things. This is a theme in wisdom literature. Psalm 90, verse 12, teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. There's some sort of wisdom we get just by understanding how short our life is. Psalm 39 four, Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, how fleeting my life is. Again, we need constant reminders from God that our days are numbered. He knows the number of your days, he knows the exact time of your death, and he is sovereign over your life. We need to reflect on that every moment of life is a precious gift from God. How will we use it? Even Ecclesiastes, seven, two better to spend your time at funerals than parties. After all, everyone dies, so the living should take this to heart. Now it's not that we never party. Solomon's point here is you get a certain measure of reality when you see a life passing away. If you've been to funerals, you understand this. It's a time of reflection, a time of mourning. You. A time to reflect on our own mortality and the shortness of our lives. Solomon probably wishes he'd spent a little less time partying and a little more time thinking about the limited life that God had given him. I'm reading a time management book right now called 4000 weeks, and the author points out that the average life expectancy for a person who lives into their late 70s there's only 4000 weeks. I wondered, how many do I have left until retirement? Assuming age 67 a little over 1000 if I stretch that out till I'm 80, I've got maybe 1700 left. Life looks a little different when you start thinking about how many weeks you have left. Suddenly there's a sense of urgency. This stage of life will not go on forever. One day we will enter into eternity to enjoy the new earth and new bodies. But not yet. You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered, no matter how old you are, couldn't the Lord say the same thing to you? What is the call of God on your life? Have you numbered your days? Have you realized the brevity of life? Have you taken this to heart? This can sound a bit overwhelming. This is our part that God calls us to. But whenever God gives a command in Scripture, you can usually find an accompanying promise revealing his part in the matter. And fortunately, God's part is far bigger than ours. Even here, we see at least three ways God gets involved. First of all, God is the one who initiates with Joshua. Joshua wasn't sitting around wondering what new ground he could take. No, the Lord said to him, you are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered. Perhaps God is speaking to you right now, stirring you to action, pointing out reality, painting a vision for you. Second, God directs him over the next five verses of chapter 13, God tells Joshua exactly what land he should focus on next. It's a detailed list. He didn't leave Joshua to figure this out on his own. If you feel God stirring your heart to action, ask him for direction. Sit and listen. James says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously. Tell God you want this wisdom, but you'd better make sure you've got ears to hear if you're going to pray a prayer like that. Third and finally, God not only initiates with Joshua and directs him, but God promises to supply the power. He tells Joshua in chapter 13, verse six, I myself will drive these people out of the land. I myself, which one is it? On the one hand, God tells Joshua, go conquer the land. And then he says, but remember, Joshua, just like with every single victory of your life, I supply the power and I give the victory, Lord, I pray for those listening right now, I pray you would stir their hearts like you did for Joshua. Point out that they are growing older and much land remains to be conquered. Show them you have work for them to do, no matter what they've accomplished or how much time they have squandered, and help them to see that they are your workmanship, created in Christ, Jesus for good works, which you prepared beforehand, so that we would walk in them. I pray they would seek your guidance on what that looks like. Thanks that you promised to guide your children. Lord, even though you may not give the entire road map, show them the big picture and show them the next step, and I pray they go forward, knowing this doesn't depend mainly on them, but on you. You not only direct our path, but you provide the power and the victory.