Be Strong and very Courageous

I started lifting weights when I was 14 years old. Charles Atlas had a picture ad in the back of my "Superman" comic books and that's what I wanted. The ad featured a skinny kid getting sand kicked in his face at the beach, and I didn't want sand kicked in my face. I asked my mother how I could look like that and she said, "Lift weights," so I asked for a bench and set of barbells for Christmas one year.

Why did I want that? Because I was always the smallest kid in my class. Other kids made fun of me at school and it made me feel horrible and small. So I did lift weights, joined the wrestling team in the 9th grade, eventually went into the Marines, and earned a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Upon reflection, none of those things were my natural gifts, but I wanted to be strong and able to stand up for myself. I can't say  any of those things have hurt me, but they also haven't made me strong in the way that is most important.

When Joshua takes over the leadership of Israel following Moses' death, the new leader has some big shoes to fill. In fact, Joshua has been called to to do one thing Moses was not allowed to do, lead the people into the promised land. It might seem Joshua was given an impossible task except for one thing; God.

In Joshua 1:7 God commands Joshua to "be strong and very courageous." This was a command from the Lord, not friendly advice from a concerned friend. In other words, it wasn't optional. But what were the conditions of Johsua's strength? A barbell set, a black belt, a tour in the Marines? No, none of the above.

The source of Johsua's strength is found in verse 5 where God says, "as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you."

There it is. The source of Joshua's strength and courage was not in himself, but in God. Why was Joshua assured of victory? Because God was with him.

What are you facing today? Is God with you? If you trust Christ and are not pursuing some sinful course of action the answer is yes. Then be strong and very courageous. God is with you and if God be for us, who can be against us (Rom 8:31)?

Appointed to the Ministry

In Acts 13 the Holy Spirit appointed Barnabas and Saul (Paul) "for the work to which I have called them." Acts 13:2.

Being sent out by the Holy Spirit their first encounter was with a sorcerer who withstood them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, struck the false prophet blind, and the proconsul seeing this, believed.

It seems to me that when we are called by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit that we will always have the power necessary to do the work of the ministry. That does not mean the work will be easy or that there will not be those who will withstand us. But with God's help we press on.

Does this mean everyone who stands against the gospel will be struck blind? Of course not. But God still moves in powerful and significant ways when we are filled with the Spirit and on mission for the Lord.

What is your mission? Are you being filled with the Spirit daily? How have you seen the power of God at work? As normal Christians, we should have ready answers for all these questions.

Defending God's Grace

You sure wouldn't think we would need to defend God's grace.... in the church! But sometimes we do. In Acts 11 Peter returns from taking the gospel to the Gentiles and the first thing that happens is a "clique" accuses him of wrongdoing. Peter explains the working of God through visions and the Holy Spirit and shows his accusers how the Lord blessed in accordance with His Word.

Peter then asks, "If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?"

Good question Peter. Thankfully when the church heard these things they become silent and glorified God. Praise the Lord, for in too many churches today they would have lit up the phone lines, formed a back room committee, fired the pastor, and run off all the people God had just saved.

Let us pray for both; that God saves souls and that the church, even if they don't understand at first, will glorify God.

If we're going to see God move like this, we must do as Peter did, listen to God's voice, be obedient to God's will, and rejoice in God's grace.

Recommitment

Okay, so I know it's been months since I posted to this blog. It's not because I'm lazy, although I am at times.... but when our Freedom Life service began in April the challenges of being a husband, dad, pastor, Sunday school teacher, band leader/guitarist, and person somehow pushed out me being a blogger.

I want, however, to recommit to posting to this blog on a regular basis. I pray it will be a blessing to me and you to continue daily through the Word of God.

By the way, I typically read something in the Old and New Testaments each day. I will share with you how the Lord speaks to me in the most significant ways.

Today, I was finishing up Deut. 31-34. What struck me was how God told Moses that as soon as Moses died, the people would rise up and worship other gods (Deut. 31:16ff), and how He would punish them. God then gives Moses a song to teach to the people to be a witness against them. We tend to remember songs.

The end of chapter 31 has Moses saying these words to Israel, "For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands." What a sad commentary.

Still God is gracious and ends the song of Moses with these words, "He [God] will provide atonement for His land and His people." Deut. 32:43. We know that atonement was Jesus Christ.

Rejoice today that where sin abounded, grace did abound much more. Rom 5:20

Have a blessed day!