Forgotten Promises Resurrected, Joshua 1:9

Joshua 1:9

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

What Road Are You On?

Do you take the high road or do you take the low road?  Either way you go, it tells a lot about your character and what you truly believe.  As always, this is for self reflection, especially for those who call themselves Christians or those who are trying to be Christ like.   Not to say that we are expected to be perfect like Jesus, but we should strive to be like Him.  There are certain things we are warned about in the Bible not to partake in.  For instance, as a Christian we shouldn’t argue or debate with foolish people.  In fact I’m reminded of when I was a student at the Air Force Officer Training School and the whole class was warned that we were in a fishbowl and somebody was always watching us just because we where Commissioned Officers to be and then for the rest of our career because we were leaders.  I’m here to tell you, it’s the same thing for Christians.  Someone is always watching and possibly making a decision to be like you or not.  God knows all but we tend to forget that people watch as well.  We are told to put on the Armor of God every day for a reason, it"s because the war we fight is real and it's for all the marbles. So, back to the warning verses in the Bible, there are many that warn us of folly and to not to fall into that trap.  Do you take heed or to fall for the trap?  Here are few examples of verses I'm referring to:

Proverbs 26:4

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him.

Proverbs 18:2

A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Proverbs 18:6

A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.

Proverbs 6:19

“…A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren”.

Seek knowledge and Wisdom

Just as we are warned to avoid folly,  we are told to seek wisdom, pray for our enemy, be bold and to stand firm in the truth.  Jesus told us in Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves”.

Wise as Serpents and Harmless as Doves...

Wise as serpents and harmless as doves, hmmm, what does that mean to you.  The word discernment comes to my mind.  We must have knowledge and wisdom that comes from Holy Spirit that allows us to distinguish between wrong or right.  It also lets us know when to speak up and when to remain silent.  And, when it’s time to speak up, Holy Spirit fills our mouth with the words to speak.   In a carnal world, this seems impossible, but it is possible and is a result of walking in the spirit and not in the flesh.  Remember, nothing is impossible for God. In your daily walk, where is your heart?  Do you walk according to the flesh or do you walk in the spirit.  Besides God, the only person that can answer that question truly and wholeheartedly is each individual person. 

What are you portraying about yourself for the world to witness?  I'm not talking about your words, even though they can be powerful. I'm concerned about your actions, you know, the fruit of your labor. Those are the real barometer of your heart. Just one more chance to self reflect, analyze who you say you are vs. who people see.  

Thank God For Grace

Many call themselves Christians but do they operate as Christians or like Jesus operated in His day-to-day life?   Or, do they let our pride, arrogance, greed, etc, get in the way and rely on God’s grace to forgive them?   If that is you, can you honestly say with a straight face that is what God’s intent was when He offered us His grace?   Paul said it extremely well in Romans 6:1-2, What shall we say then? Shall we continue to sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

The More You Know

Once you meet God, once you totally submit to His will and you realize what Jesus actually accomplished on the cross for us you want to know Him more and glorify Him with your life.  The gifts He gave you were not given to you to glorify yourself, even though that’s an easy trap to fall into.  No, the gifts were given to each of us to glorify God.  We each have a divine purpose and each one of us have been equipped to successfully fulfill our particular mission.  But, we must avoid the temptations of this world, we must take the high road, the one less traveled, we must always let the light of Jesus shine before us, and we must be humble and meek.  That doesn’t mean we we are weak, no, just the opposite.   When we stop operating in our own power and fully relying on the authority and power through Jesus we become unstoppable.  And, the meaning of meek as originally written in Hebrew translates in English as “Bridled Power”. 

We have every reason to operate with absolutely no fear.  As a Christian you should know, believe and act that portrays Joshua 1:9, Where God said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”  Just that one commandment and promise should be enough to fill you with boldness and courage to stand firm against all evil, against every challenge, against any lie or deception knowing that as a Christian, a child of the most high, you have been bought and paid for by Jesus Himself.  You are His, and by no means will He ever leave you or forsake you.  So, take the high road, let all that can see that there is a better way, that there is hope, that there is salvation and all the lies, and deception of the world are only for a time because Jesus is coming back.  And I’m here to tell you, when that day comes you want to be a the right side of eternity.  Make no mistake about it!

May You Always Walk in the TRUTH!