YOU Be Strong and Courageous

 By: Lauren Thomas 

“Be strong and courageous.” You might know this as the famous line from Joshua 1:9, where God commissions Joshua on how to approach the task of leading Israel. But in my Bible reading this year, I have been struck by just how many times this phrase is sprinkled throughout. 

 

If this phrase happened only in Joshua 1:9, I would believe that this exhortation to strength and courage only applied to Joshua and only to the task of leading Israel.

 

However, because it is found elsewhere, I’m inclined to think that this is an exhortation for all of us! 

 

Be strong and courageous!

Based on translation, this phrase is found as much as 15 times in the Bible. And if we consider derivatives or synonyms, this message is plentiful in Scripture. 

 

Joshua was a leader of God’s people, but the message was not unique to him. It’s not just for Christian leaders. It’s for all who put their hope in the Lord. 

 

Be strong, and let your heart be courageous,
all you who put your hope in the Lord.

Psalm 34:21 CSB

 

I’ve seen the phrase on men’s ministry shirts – “be strong and courageous”. But it’s not just for men. It’s for all who wait for the Lord.

 

Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:14 ESV

 

It’s for you, dear sister. It’s for whatever you face. Be strong and courageous! 

 

That tough conversation you need to have? Be strong and courageous!

 

That parenting situation that is challenging you? Be strong and courageous!

 

That school or work presentation coming up? Be strong and courageous! 

 

The fear and uncertainty you feel about our world right now? Be strong and courageous. 

 

Whatever you face as a Christian, be assured, God is calling you to strength and courage.

 

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

Proverbs 31:25 ESV

 

Reflection:

Do you believe “be strong and courageous” applies to you? What situation are you facing that needs you to show up with strength and courage. How does the Lord help you to be strong and courageous?

Servant's Heart

 By: Grace Metzger 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others,
as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.
 If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides,
 so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ

1 Peter 4: 10-11 ESV

Recently my mother and I were discussing something, which in reality that means I was complaining very loudly and my very kind mother was allowing me to vent to her. But we were talking about how people serve nowadays. I am very passionate about serving in the Church, growing up as a pastor's kid this was just something you always did. I started serving as soon as I could; since I was 11 years old I've been teaching in the preschool class, running the coffee house and helping out in nursery. But as I was complaining I realized that I kept saying that serving is just what you're supposed to do, I wasn't talking about the actual reason why we should be serving. I started looking into why I actual serve in the church.

 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,

remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Acts 20:35 ESV

The first thing that comes to mind when I think about serving is Jesus washing the disciples' feet. Jesus Christ Himself knelt before the disciples and washed their dirty feet, not because He was asked to, not because no one else could, but He did it out of His love for others. It would have been easy for Him to tell one of the others to do it, it would have been easy for Him to refuse to do it. But instead, He humbled Himself to do it because of His great love for others. 

Cleaning their feet wasn't a pretty job, it wasn't like His other acts of service such teaching others or healing. But He still felt like it was important to do the not so pretty jobs -that He wasn't too good to do that kind of service. 

 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.

If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith;

if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach

Roman's 12:6-7 ESV

Everyone has a different gift that we're called to use. Sometimes we don't get the "glamorous" gifts, not everyone is called to preaching and not everyone is called to be on the worship team. But Jesus Himself demonstrated the importance of each gift. He showed that helping others by cleaning the disciples' feet is important just like teaching. Maybe your gift is to clean the church, maybe your gift is to be in the nursery, or serve coffee in the coffee house. Those are all important gifts that God is calling us to use. 

Having a servant's heart is about accepting that God gave each of us a gift and we are called to use it to help others so that we may glorify Him. Whether that be singing on the worship team, teaching a Sunday school class, or cleaning the church building. Whatever our gifts are, God is wanting us to use these gifts and use them with a happy and grateful heart. God called me to work with the younger kids, that is why I serve in my church. What gift is God calling you to use?

Discussion Question: What do you believe a servant's heart means?

 

Valley Lessons

By: Jenifer Metzger

The Lord is my shepherd; I have

what I need. He lets me lie

down in green pastures; He leads

me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He
leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake.

Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort
me. You prepare a table before me in the
presence of my enemies; You anoint my
head with oil; my cup overflows. Only
goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell in
the house of the Lord as long as I live.
Psalm 23 CSB

We've all walked through a valley. Many of us are walking through valleys right now.

Valleys of debt, health crisis, fear, anxiety, grief, broken relationships, loneliness, wayward child, and much more. We often feel like the valley will go on forever, there is no end in sight. We just want to see a glimmer of hope, something to show us the valley will end.

As you walk through your valley, call upon the Lord. Ask Him to show you what you can learn throughout the valley. Valleys aren't there to destroy us, they are there so we can learn, grow, and glorify God.

Friend, no matter what your valley is, we have the promise of God that He is right there with us. Psalm 23 says, "I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me." He is there. He sees us. Reach out to Him.

Discussion:
1. Are you in a valley right now? You don't have to share details, but we would love to pray for you.
2. How to you keep your eyes fixed on the Lord in the valleys?

Names of God Series: The Redeemer

 By: Rebekah Hargraves

Photo Courtesy of: Effie Kimble

"Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel. I will help you”— this is the Lord’s declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel."

~Isaiah 41:14

As we come now to the next name in our names of God series, we come to one that might seem at first to go without saying - the name "Redeemer". Of course our God is the Redeemer. That's basic theology 101 or gospel 101. We know He is the One Who saves, we know Jesus paid the price for our sins.

But sometimes it is the most basic of all theological tenets that we most need to be reminded of, that we most need to revisit for its implications in our daily lives. So, today, we return to the truth that the Lord is our Redeemer, and we immerse ourselves in that beautiful truth.

As Paul tells us in Romans, the wages of sin is death. Because of our sin, we owed a debt to the God we betrayed. But the beautiful, good news of the gospel is that Jesus - God in flesh - came down to earth to die on our behalf, that He might redeem us, pay the debt that was owed, and declare us free and clear.

While we may have heard this truth many times over and been acquainted with it for years, it never ceases to be amazing that the very God we had sinned against became, Himself, the ransom needed, the debt owed, so that we wouldn't have to pay that debt after all. That is amazing grace! That is amazing love!

May we rejoice in this reminder today and relish all that it means for us.

Reflection Questions:

1) Do you find it easy to take this truth for granted or to forget the depth of love it portrays? What can you do to have your wonder restored regarding this truth?

2) What does it mean to you personally that the Lord is your Redeemer?

3) What does the depth of the price Jesus paid reveal as to how deeply He loves you?

Space Mission Reminders

 By: Joanne Viola

 

By the time these words are read, the Artemis will have already returned to earth. For today, I find myself anticipating their return and praying for their safety.

For the past few days, I found myself reflecting on the excitement which I felt as a child watching each take-off and splash-down of the earlier space missions. And tonight’s return will hold equally as much anticipation for many of us.

One early morning this past week, looking up into the dark sky, the moon was visible and bright. I marveled at the sight, thinking of the thousands of miles the Orion spacecraft had begun to make.

Images of the moon sent back revealed an image much larger than it appeared in the sky. The vastness of space, and the unknown territory above us, reveals the ingenuity and creativeness of our God.

“The heavens are telling of the glory of God; 
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. 
Day to day pours forth speech, 
And night to night reveals knowledge.” 
(Psalm 19:1-2, NASB)

Without saying a single word, they point us to our Creator. Each star hand crafted and placed in their position.

“He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them.” 
(Psalm 147:4, NASB)

And each one reveals a God who so deeply cares for us all:

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, 
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 
What is man that You take thought of him, 
And the son of man that You care for him?” 
(Psalm 8:3-4, NASB)

It isn’t only the stars which our Creator has numbered, for Jesus Himself tells us the care we receive. Jesus tells the disciples that not one sparrow can fall to the ground apart from the Father. He sees and cares for sparrows, which had little worth in those days. He then went on to say:

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 
So do not fear; you are more valuable many sparrows.” 
(Matthew 10:30-31, NASB)

Maybe, like me, you are still reflecting on the latest space mission.
May your thoughts turn to our Creator,
and be comforted by His detailed attention He gives to each of our lives.

 

Reflection: 
What have been your thoughts as you watched the recent space mission? Did you need the reminder of the detailed care of our God over your life?

 

Image by Alexander Antropov from Pixabay