Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
If you’re reading the first chapter of Joshua you should have gotten the message by now. By the time you get to verse nine, the command is repeated three times: “Be strong and courageous”. But, experience teaches us that it’s not enough just to be told to be strong. After all, we already know that strength and courage is a good thing. Usually, this command raises a couple of legitimate questions. (1) Where do I find this courage? (2) How do I muster up this strength? When I studied Joshua this week, I thought of the relevance of a prayer found in the third chapter of Ephesians. Read Paul’s prayer carefully:
For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)
No wonder Joshua 1:9 includes the connection between courage and the presence of the LORD. When Paul prayed for the early church, he understood that without Christ in their hearts they would be weak. He prayed that they would make the connection between real inner strength and the presence of God. In addition, Paul prayed that they would expand their estimate of God’s love. We draw strength from His abiding presence. We find our courage when we embrace the infinite love of God for us.
About Me
- Paul Metler, Ph.D.
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- Hello. Thanks for stopping by. If you care to read about what's crossing my mind or sticking in my heart I welcome you to my latest post. So, I hope you enjoy my ramblings. More importantly, I hope I can encourage you to join me in my quest to be a faithful follower of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Discipline
You don’t wait until you’re in an unexpected storm to discover that you need more strength and endurance. You prepare with intensity, all the time, so that when conditions turn against you, you can draw from a deep reservoir of strength.
Jim Collins (2011), Great by Choice.
It’s such an easy thing to forget. God knows what lies ahead. God knows us and God knows the terrain that is before us. Also, we tend to forget just how much God loves us. His discipline is never separated from His holy character. No matter how you slice it, it’s impossible to prepare for the future without discipline. Do you remember the words of Deuteronomy 8:5? Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. This brief verse follows a description of the wilderness journey of the Children of Israel. Moses was reminded them that God did not bring them to the edge of the Promised Land without preparing them for entry. A careful reading of Deuteronomy reveals that God’s discipline included training, instruction and correction delivered by a God who loves his children. We have such a distorted view of God’s discipline that we tend to separate our preparation from God’s plan. What is your response? We can choose to become bitter or better.
Jim Collins (2011), Great by Choice.
It’s such an easy thing to forget. God knows what lies ahead. God knows us and God knows the terrain that is before us. Also, we tend to forget just how much God loves us. His discipline is never separated from His holy character. No matter how you slice it, it’s impossible to prepare for the future without discipline. Do you remember the words of Deuteronomy 8:5? Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. This brief verse follows a description of the wilderness journey of the Children of Israel. Moses was reminded them that God did not bring them to the edge of the Promised Land without preparing them for entry. A careful reading of Deuteronomy reveals that God’s discipline included training, instruction and correction delivered by a God who loves his children. We have such a distorted view of God’s discipline that we tend to separate our preparation from God’s plan. What is your response? We can choose to become bitter or better.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Self-destructive behavior
I have a lot of images that come to mind when I think of "self-destructive" behavior. None pretty. As I was reading in Deuteronomy, I was struck with the application of this terminology to our tendency to forget to be thankful to God. Read Deuteronomy 8:7-9 carefully and see if you pick up on it.
You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.
Is there any doubt that worship of the god of "self" is rampant today? If all of your thoughts revolve around yourself this week, you probably need to read the warning label in Deuteronomy. God warned His people in Deuteronomy. I don't think it is any less important today. Forgetting to give thanks to God is destructive.
You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed.
Is there any doubt that worship of the god of "self" is rampant today? If all of your thoughts revolve around yourself this week, you probably need to read the warning label in Deuteronomy. God warned His people in Deuteronomy. I don't think it is any less important today. Forgetting to give thanks to God is destructive.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Remember
You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt. You saw with your own eyes the great trials, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and outstretched arm, with which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear
Deuteronomy 7:17-19
Deuteronomy is a book about “remembering”. Moses delivers a series of messages that warn the Children of Israel against selective amnesia when they enter the Promised Land. When I read it, I am tempted to ask “How do we forget?” I think the answer is simple. We forget, one day at a time. So, “How do we remember?” We remember, one day at a time. C.S. Lewis has some practical advice that helps.
“What is concrete but immaterial can be kept in view only by painful effort…That is why the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.”
C. S. Lewis (19600) Mere Christianity
Deuteronomy 7:17-19
Deuteronomy is a book about “remembering”. Moses delivers a series of messages that warn the Children of Israel against selective amnesia when they enter the Promised Land. When I read it, I am tempted to ask “How do we forget?” I think the answer is simple. We forget, one day at a time. So, “How do we remember?” We remember, one day at a time. C.S. Lewis has some practical advice that helps.
“What is concrete but immaterial can be kept in view only by painful effort…That is why the real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.”
C. S. Lewis (19600) Mere Christianity
Monday, November 7, 2011
It's good for you
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
Do this…it’s good for you. Those are words I have heard many times. The sources were varied. Sometimes it was my parents, a teacher, a doctor, a coach. But, I can’t think of a single time when I heard those words that it came from someone who didn’t care about my well-being. By the time we reach message of Moses in Deuteronomy, the great leader knows that he will not enter into the Promised Land with his people. So, he gives them some final words of instruction. Deuteronomy 10:12 provides a good executive summary of those words. Basically, Moses tells them “do these things…it’s good for you”. What fascinates me about these two verses is that we hear them differently depending on our level of maturity. As children, we focus our attention on whether or not we want to do something without considering the impact on our character. After spending nearly forty years in the wilderness listening to complaint after complaint, Moses was well acquainted with the immaturity of the Children of Israel. Thus, before he died, he reminded them of the non-negotiable commands of God. Moses connected the commands with a reminder. All of God’s commands are for our good. What if we reversed the order of the verse? What if we began the verse with a simple question? Ask God, “what will do me the most good in life?” Then, prepare to listen to His reply: “Fear the LORD your God; walk in obedience to Him; love Him; serve the LORD your God with all your heart and soul and observe the LORD’s commands.
And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
Do this…it’s good for you. Those are words I have heard many times. The sources were varied. Sometimes it was my parents, a teacher, a doctor, a coach. But, I can’t think of a single time when I heard those words that it came from someone who didn’t care about my well-being. By the time we reach message of Moses in Deuteronomy, the great leader knows that he will not enter into the Promised Land with his people. So, he gives them some final words of instruction. Deuteronomy 10:12 provides a good executive summary of those words. Basically, Moses tells them “do these things…it’s good for you”. What fascinates me about these two verses is that we hear them differently depending on our level of maturity. As children, we focus our attention on whether or not we want to do something without considering the impact on our character. After spending nearly forty years in the wilderness listening to complaint after complaint, Moses was well acquainted with the immaturity of the Children of Israel. Thus, before he died, he reminded them of the non-negotiable commands of God. Moses connected the commands with a reminder. All of God’s commands are for our good. What if we reversed the order of the verse? What if we began the verse with a simple question? Ask God, “what will do me the most good in life?” Then, prepare to listen to His reply: “Fear the LORD your God; walk in obedience to Him; love Him; serve the LORD your God with all your heart and soul and observe the LORD’s commands.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Life Building
Hebrews 3:4
For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
Chapters thirteen and fourteen in Numbers record an event that echoes throughout the Bible. Moses sent twelve spies to explore Canaan. The result is well known. Ten spies allowed fear to overwhelm the vision that God had given. Only two brought back a report that was anchored in the faithfulness of God. The consequences of contagious fear are recorded in chapter fourteen of Numbers. The people refused to enter the land that God had promised and as a result God made them wander until a generation died. Centuries later, the writer of Hebrews writes a commentary about God’s judgment on the faithless generation described in the book of Numbers. The construction analogy is consistent in the Scriptures. Every house (life) is built by someone. Either we are wise and allow the Master builder design our lives or we attempt to follow our own blueprint. Either we build our lives on faith in Christ or we are foolish and attempt to build our lives on shifting sand that is contaminated with fear. The writer in Hebrews provides a vivid description of the difference and reminds us that we are supposed to encourage one another. So, here’s my encouragement for today: “And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” Hold on to your trust in Christ today!
For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
Chapters thirteen and fourteen in Numbers record an event that echoes throughout the Bible. Moses sent twelve spies to explore Canaan. The result is well known. Ten spies allowed fear to overwhelm the vision that God had given. Only two brought back a report that was anchored in the faithfulness of God. The consequences of contagious fear are recorded in chapter fourteen of Numbers. The people refused to enter the land that God had promised and as a result God made them wander until a generation died. Centuries later, the writer of Hebrews writes a commentary about God’s judgment on the faithless generation described in the book of Numbers. The construction analogy is consistent in the Scriptures. Every house (life) is built by someone. Either we are wise and allow the Master builder design our lives or we attempt to follow our own blueprint. Either we build our lives on faith in Christ or we are foolish and attempt to build our lives on shifting sand that is contaminated with fear. The writer in Hebrews provides a vivid description of the difference and reminds us that we are supposed to encourage one another. So, here’s my encouragement for today: “And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.” Hold on to your trust in Christ today!
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