Inner Strength

Be strong and [be] very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Joshua 1:7 NIV

We all have those ‘goto’ verses where we find help, strength or comfort, and sometimes all three like this one! But like all of God’s promises, this one comes with a condition. Our salvation is free for the asking. Yes, you have to want it enough to ask for it and only then it is given as a free gift. In this verse, the condition is obedience to the law of Moses, but Jesus brought an extension to the law, so I suggest that our condition today, is to obey the commands and law of Christ.

Not straying to one side or the other is easier said than done, but it is required, no it is necessary for our success in life. Did you notice that being strong and courageous came first? Only then to taking care and obeying the law? By staying on the straight road, then and only then God’s people would be successful, and not only where they were, but wherever they went!

The strength of our convictions must come first, and the other things follow. There was a time that I thought we must not get sidetracked to the left or right, but that’s not the timeline of the verse, is it? As modern language would say, we have to ‘man up’ (or woman up!) with all the strength God will give us, and ultimately we will be successful. Just as it was for Joshua, so we are keeping good company. I can almost hear you asking, how on this earth are we supposed to find this strength. The answer is found in the very next verse where it says: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Joshua was to be obedient to the law of Moses, but we have the greater law as given by the Son of God and the apostles. Now I must ask myself the question, am I up to reading and studying the Bible, so that I will overcome? That’s something we must each work out for ourselves, so how about you?

Trust God, but Work!

David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. 1 Chronicles 28:20

Evangelical Christians believe in the power of faith to move mountains, and to do the things thought humanly impossible, so we sometimes take a back seat, and leave it all to God. After all, He is the one with all the strength to get the job done. But take a look at the verse again.

When David was talking openly and honestly to his son Solomon, God through David reminded him that it was still Solomon’s job to be strong and do the physical work, but it is God’s job not to fail him or forsake him, until ALL the work….is finished!!

What a combination. Our human efforts, coupled with God’s Blessing to see the work finished. We may not be required to build a massive temple, but what about that Sunday School Class, or Youth Group, or using your musical talent, or that gift you have of encouragement within the fellowship of your church? If we do our part, according to the Word, God will see it through to completion. What a promise!

Counter Intuitive

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them”. Luke 6:27-32

Let me be honest. I have trouble with these verses. I see the horrific images on TV of innocents being butchered in the name of Islam and their god (small ‘g’) and I have a natural reaction to do the same to them. Especially when those innocents are children, or people from my own nation who take Muslims readily and try to assimilate them into our society with all the benefits we can give. What do some of them do? They head off to Syria to join and help ISIS! Now that is counter to all we give them.

But Jesus gives us a command which is even more counter intuitive. Jesus tells us to love them. Really? How are we supposed to do that? I know I forget that this kind of terrorism is not new. Jesus was familiar with it too, and in spite of his own country being overrun by the Romans and their own brand of terrorism, and even knowing that His own journey would lead to a cruel death at the insistence of His own church people, He tells His disciples and us to love our enemies! That’s all well and good, but does it work?

It didn’t take long after Jesus death, resurrection, ascension and pentecost for that same band of timid and afraid disciples to take to the streets and enthusiastically preach the new Gospel Message of Love, the Gospel of Peace, the Gospel of Jesus the Christ! It works. Over 2,000 years later, we still celebrate Christmas, Pentecost, Whitsun and Easter and all because of the counter intuitive message of love in the face of abuse, injury and even death. Amen for that simple, working, Gospel Message.