And don't for a minute...

Where does a warrior find strength? I watched a show this weekend about the great warrior chiefs of various American Indian tribes as they were being asked to sign treaties to no longer attack the white settlers. The thing that struck me was not just that they were fighting for their land, but for their way of life - they valued their beliefs, customs, and traditions. These included how they viewed and treated the land and the animals inhabiting that land. They were willing to fight for them. The warrior has a different kind of 'heart' and 'mindset'. The warrior knows what he believes, stands upon those beliefs even when pushed to give up on them, and trusts those beliefs because he trusts what is behind those beliefs!

And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take. (Joshua 1:8-9)

Joshua became the leader of Israel right after Moses passed away. Moses passed the torch on to him as he was next in line to get the Israelites out of the wilderness territory they had wandered in for long enough and into the Promised Land. He was commissioned with a huge purpose - cross the Jordan - get the people across safely and into their inheritance. It was finally the time for Israel to take what God had given to them when he delivered them from in Egypt. The promise to Joshua was pretty clear - "I'll give you every square inch of land you set your feet on". If that was not enough to get Joshua motivated to move into the land, God promised to be with him just like he had been with Moses. As a new leader, knowing you had the 'backing' of the one you believed in more than anything else was huge!

The "success" Joshua enjoyed in taking the land of Canaan was based on him keeping God's Word clearly before him and the people - obediently pursuing the revelation God had given through Moses. If we look at how this sentence is structured, we will notice that it is an "imperative" - it demands our attention and our action. There is an unavoidable obligation - keep the Word before you - practicing every word of it - none of it was to be neglected or discounted. We also see a tremendous promise or word of assurance that reminds Joshua that there is to be an order to the victory Israel will win. First, God will be in his right position. Then his Word would be the guiding force of their lives. As each of these were rightly aligned, they would realize success in their endeavors. This is definitely something we can learn. When we get the "order" right, victory is just the next step away.

There is something extra-ordinary in getting this right: God is with us every step we take. When God is in the right position in our lives (at the center of all we do) - the hunger for his Word is also there. His presence at the core of our being and his Word continually being turned over in our minds is certain to guide our steps. Joshua received two other reminders: Be strong! Be courageous! The strength here is not that of physical strength - muscular enhancement that just let him fight like a warrior. It is also the mental strength that would keep him focused in the times when defeat, not victory, seemed more like a possibility. It is the emotional strength to doubt his doubts and continue on in the faith that God was with him each step of the way. The courage of a warrior - the strength of a leader - Joshua was expected to have both and so are we. Strength and courage are based on keeping our focus right - God first, his Word constantly before us, and our steps will be ordered of God. We will do well to learn the lesson of Joshua - Be Strong! Be Courageous! The Lord Thy God is With Thee! Just sayin!

Courage comes from within

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. (Lao Tzu)

Tzu really described what it is like to come to the revelation of how deeply we are loved by God and then in turn, we begin to draw strength way beyond whatever is resident within us - building and growing until we are able to overcome obstacles that once stood squarely in our way. To be deeply loved by God and to realize even a tenth of what that love is like is to begin the journey of walking with a strength not your own. We will never fully comprehend the love of God in this lifetime, but we have an eternity to enjoy it!

15 Every family in heaven and on earth gets its true name from him. 16 I ask the Father with his great glory to give you the power to be strong in your spirits. He will give you that strength through his Spirit. 17 I pray that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. I pray that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. 18 And I pray that you and all God’s holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ’s love—how wide, how long, how high, and how deep that love is. 19 Christ’s love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with everything God has for you. (Ephesians 3:15-19 ERV)

Strength comes through God's Spirit residing within us - his presence is an assurance we shall see all he has promised to us as his children (our full inheritance in Christ Jesus). We can be strong, but unless it is a strength that begins and grows in our spirit under the tutelage of the Spirit of God within us, that strength will falter and fail. The more we begin to grow in God's love, the more we realize courage in places where we once felt only fear or anxiety or mistrust. It is an amazing truth of the gospel - faith brings love into our lives with an intensity and integrity that overcomes all fear, displaces all anxiety, and exposes truth in ways it could never have been known before.

A life strong in love is so because it is a life enveloped in God's love. There is no greater way to overcome a life-debilitating habit than to be immersed in the love of God. It is the beginning of all victories and the end point will require a courage not our own, but one which grows out of the realization of how deeply we are loved. There is no lack of trying on our parts in this thing we call life. We try this, that, and the next thing. We often face the "new thing" we must do with a little anxiety - simply because it is a "new thing". Yet, as long as the love of God is there to guide us through, we can walk with a strength not our own. There is no greater way to invest ourselves in others than to share that love which envelopes our lives. In so sharing, we might just help to create the courage in others that they need to take their first step toward God, or something he has been impressing on their hearts to do. 

The strength we find in Christ is something somewhat different than, or contrary to human strength. It is a supernatural strength that is rooted and grounded in the assurance of God's love. Down through the ages, man has stood wanting in many areas of his life. In each place of "wanting", there is a need for a little courage to realize the fulfillment of that longing. Human strength would call out how much we "cannot do", while supernatural strength that comes through the love of God resident within us points out how much he has "already done" and "continues to do" in and through us. It is this revelation that actually gives us the courage to take that next step even when it may seem harder than we might imagine. In essence, when we say courage comes from within, it is true - but it is there because of "who" is there, not because of anything we possess ourselves. Just sayin!

I need a little shoring up

Be strong and brave, and don’t tremble in fear of them, because the Eternal your God is going with you. He’ll never fail you or abandon you!  (Deuteronomy 31:6 VOICE)

Moses was about to "pass the baton" to Joshua, and in preparing for his leaving of this earth, as well as the future leadership of the Israelite nation, Moses gives final instructions to carry on without fear.  Great armies, vast in number and strong in "fighting force" would stand in their way, but greater forces would rear their ugly heads most of them knew nothing about.  Forces like stubborn pride, unyielding discontent, and unbridled lust.  Forces which indeed, if unchecked quickly, would lead to their fall as a nation.  I think Moses had a foreshadowing of this, since one of the very last things he did while on this earth was the recording of the words given to him by God so they could be brought out long after he had gone as a reference and reminder of all God required and promised. Charles Stanley says, "When God speaks, oftentimes his voice will require an act of courage on our part."  The problem is we often start well in our "acts of courage", but somewhere along the line, we dwindle in our resolve, or tremble in fear of the unknown which lies ahead.

We often associate "strong" as a word describing the powerful ability of something or someone.  When we buy a new cleaning product, do we buy it because it advertises gentleness or fluffy scent?  Not usually!  We buy it because it promises to remove "even stubborn stains" or that it "breaks through dirt and grime".  We want power!  We want whatever is in that bottle or can to be a force dirt will have to reckon with.  I'd like us to begin to change our thinking about "strong" - because strong isn't just "able", it is "firm".  When Moses commands the people to be strong and brave, he isn't saying he wants them to have all the "power" to fight the enemies they face, but to be strong in their resistance of those powers who will oppose them (especially the ones they won't see coming).

It isn't what we see coming which usually is our undoing - it is the unnoticed attacks which do us in.  At first, we don't notice them because we are distracted by something else, or we just plain don't recognize the "skill" at which these forces "invade" our lives.  I like to play board games like backgammon, and card games like Euchre.  On my tablet, I can play these with "virtual opponents" or "partners".  In a couple of these, I can set the "skill level" I want to play at - like novice or expert.  This gives me a hint about the skill with which the other player will "maneuver" to win.  I know this up front - something I think I'd like to know up front in most of my life's dealings, but which oftentimes remains hidden until I make the "first move".

The "first move" in life is often the hardest - not because we are cowards, but because we "fear the unknown".  As Moses is speaking with Joshua and the people, he is reminding them of the importance of not just trusting what we can see with our eyes alone.  We need to develop a sense of confidence in the one who walks with us into the unknown, so that we stand strong (firm) and don't succumb to the fear lurking at the doorways of our hearts.  What gives us the greatest problems in life aren't the things we know will oppose us, but those things from within and without which we don't know will give us more than a few challenges. What Moses did that day might just serve as a reminder of the tactic we need to take when asked to do something which requires courage.  He set into permanent record the words of God - so they could stand as a reminder of all he had done, what he promised to continue to do, and what we should be doing.  

Maybe the best strategy when facing the unknown isn't to "muster up" whatever courage we can on the inside, but to admit we aren't as "firm" as we need to be and allow God to "shore us up" through his Word.  Just sayin!

More than be strong and take courage

If you have ever "inherited" a monumental task because someone left the company, was promoted, or you just were "tagged" as "it", you know the overwhelming sense of terror which grips you, if even for a moment, as you consider the magnitude of what you are going to have to do.  For just a moment, you are overcome by the responsibility and you might even falter a little in your acceptance of the task at hand.  This is probably a reaction quite common to man - one which is based in fear as much as it is in pride.  We might fear failure because it will impact our "impression" in the eyes of others.  We could think no task is beyond our means of completion, but silently be worrying we might not have the wherewithal to pull this one off.  What usually happens in these moments is someone bolsters our "faith" a little by reassuring us that we "can do it".  This might do more than bolster our faith - it could even make our head swell a little in this thing we call pride.  Either way, we often have the same result - inside we are a mess, but on the outside, we display this calm, cool confidence that says "you picked the right guy for this one" to all those who are looking on.  Truth be told, we'd do better to let a little of the mess ooze out so others could actually see us as "human" and dealing with the same issues they deal with than to exude all this self-confidence!

Long ago I promised the ancestors of Israel that I would give this land to their descendants. So be strong and brave! Be careful to do everything my servant Moses taught you. Never stop reading The Book of the Law he gave you. Day and night you must think about what it says. If you obey it completely, you and Israel will be able to take this land. I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.  (Joshua 1:6-9 CEV)

Joshua probably had a little more than "subtle misgivings" about assuming the role of leader of Israel after the death of Moses.  Moses had been both a great leader and someone who had actually seen the face of God and lived!  He received the Law from God directly and spent a great deal of time getting to know him personally.  In this respect alone, Joshua could have felt a little "insecure" in taking the role.  To make matters even worse, Joshua had seen the resistance of the people to actually "follow the rules" God established and to frequently drift into "complaint" and "stubborn self-focus" on occasion!  Now, that wouldn't make me want to step right up to the position!  In fact, I might actually turn someone down if it was offered to me! 

In those moments of what were probably a little more than "mild fear" and "trepidation" over assuming the leadership role for Israel, Joshua is likely wrestling with the idea that he "can" do this job, but also with the concerns of "do I really want to do it".  This is only natural and God knows this inner anguish exists in each of us.  It should come as no surprise that God comes to Joshua with reassuring words and direction for "how" to accomplish the task ahead.  See what God says:

1. I made a promise a long time ago.  We can count on God's promises - not one has been uttered which did not come to pass.  Just go with it!  It is something to be relied upon.

2. Based on this promise, be strong and brave.  God isn't point Joshua to his natural talents of leadership - charisma, business sense, the power to persuade the masses, etc.  He is pointing him back to himself - because all successful leadership is based upon the relationship we maintain with God, not the talents we naturally fall into. 

3. Pay attention to God's teachings.  It is only natural for us to want to take our own ideas and infuse them into the situation at hand.  After all, isn't that why someone appointed us to the position of leader?  They saw some raw talent and creativity in us that caused us to rise to the top - right?  Not!  God's way is to follow his plan - using the talents he gives us, not putting our own "spin" on it, but taking those talents to use as we obediently align them with God's Word.

4. Don't pick and choose what you will follow - follow God's plan in it's entirety!  I have often taught we cannot be "pickers and choosers" when it comes to what part of scripture we will obey and what other part we might dismiss as "irrelevant" to today's circumstances.  God's Word is long-standing, entirely true and relevant.  Period!

5. You aren't doing this alone.  I think this is the crux of where our pride is broken down. When we finally realize ALL our success - even our appointment to take on the task at hand - is simply because God is IN us and is going BEFORE us - we come face-to-face with the fact our own efforts shall not be enough for the journey ahead.  God's plan demands his hand!

We often take this passage and quote it at ceremonies "commissioning" someone for the mission field, or some new role in ministry.  I suppose it is a good one to quote, but we'd do well to teach it, model it, and pass it on through our modeling.  God's commission comes with several reminders of us not being commissioned to go it alone.  God made the promise, he stands behind it, we stand on it and pay attention to all he has said, making his plan our plan.  This is how we fulfill the commission!  Just sayin.

Sermon Lessons: Courage

⁴⁸"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you."

(Matthew 5:48)

¹³Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts.

(James 3:13)

I think it takes great courage to live out the Christian life.  When you really begin to examine what Jesus outlines in this Sermon on the Mount, he is focusing on his disciples living by a standard that is just a little higher than the rest of what other "religions" require.  For example, he says to live as "kingdom subjects" - living out our God-created identity.  Before we can do that, we have to discover what that identity entails.  We have spent a couple weeks now outlining the "criteria" of our identity in Christ.  So, in capping this off, Jesus says, "Now, live like you are a new creation!  Stop living by the old ways of thinking and acting!"

Two characteristics he emphasizes of a man or woman that has taken this "God-created identity" to heart - graciousness toward others and generosity.  Why does he focus on these two when he describes us living "grown up" lives? It is simply because when we finally "grow up" in Christ, we learn to look beyond our own needs and wants - connecting with the needs of others.  We learn that always being right is not always going to be the best for relationship development.  In turn, we learn to be gracious to overlook offenses, or let another "win" on occasion.

These seem like strong words for Jesus to use.  Remember, he is speaking to those disciples who were his constant companions.  He wants more for them, and he is requiring more of them.  The words to "grow up" imply that they may not have been living very mature lives.  It gives me great joy and hope in knowing that others struggle with making mature decisions, too!  As "old" as I am in a physical sense has nothing to do with the "maturity" of my decisions.  I have been a Christian for 41 years now...but I still struggle with living like a "grown up" in the spiritual sense sometimes. 

I demand my own way - whining and complaining when others seem to be getting theirs.  I whimper and act annoyed when the demands of another's life interfere with my plans.  I run into circumstances that present me with all kinds of temptations to act wrong, talk boastfully, and live out of sync with my new identity.  The truth is, we all do!  In fact, none of us is above another in this "living out" of our Christian faith.  The message to "grow up" is to all of us  - if we count ourselves as disciples of Christ.

Courage is defined as the quality of mind and spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear.  This is not "bravado" - the boastful, puffed up, kind of "courage" that puts self out there for all to see.  It is the quiet connection with our source of strength (Christ) that enables us to face life head-on.  "Grown up" people exhibit this type of "head-on" courage.  There is a desire to "be all we can be" in Christ.  Today will present some opportunities for "grown up" decisions - are you ready?

Focus, Attitude, and Action

 ⁶ "Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down; he won't leave you."

(Deuteronomy 31:6)

As a new week is starting, a month comes to an end and the issues we are facing worldwide continue to mount in severity, I encourage us to embrace these words as our standard for the various personal, national, and international challenges that are ahead of each of us.  It is quite easy to be intimidated by that which we don't understand - war, unrest, falling stock market values, crashing home sales, troubles in our homes or work environment, etc.  We can look at the challenges of our very own life and become discouraged by what seems to be mounting pressure to perform, crushing demands on our time/energy, and emotional highs/lows that keep us as unbalanced as a ride on a roller coaster.  Or...we can embrace the words of Moses to "be strong...take courage".

Moses is 120 years old at the time he is speaking these words.  They are spoken to Joshua, the one who would be taking his place in leading the nation of Israel into the Promised Land of Canaan.  He is speaking as much to Joshua as he is to the entire nation.  That is often how God works - he speaks to one man or woman first, and in turn, the entire community begins to benefit by the words as they are embraced.  Several thoughts are contained in this one verse - they describe our focus, our attitude, and our actions.

Our Focus:

God is right there with you!  In the midst of the things you are facing today - regardless of what they are - he marches ahead of you.  Look at his place in your life - it is in the "lead" of your steps.  He goes ahead - and he is marching on.  If our focus remains on him, the way will be evident.  We may not understand all we feel we need to know, but we can trust the leadership of our God to take us into victory in grand style!

Our Attitude:

Don't be intimidated!  Don't give those scare tactics of the enemy one single thought!  Stop giving the things that distract our focus a second to inhabit our minds, emotions, or our spirit!  In other words, don't get your minds caught in the trap of entertaining the impossibilities of the present circumstances, but begin to ask God to open your mind's eye to see the possibilities in it.  We get lower than low when we focus on the impossibilities, but we can be escalated to the heights of joy, overflowing with peace when we are maintaining our focus on God and allowing him to direct the stability of our emotions.  Intimidation is nothing more than a scare tactic - it lacks a true threat to us - is nothing more than smoke and mirrors.  That is the best that the enemy of our souls can do to us - intimidate.  Remember that when you are beginning to listen to his lies!

Our Actions:

March on!  Be strong!  Be courageous!  Strength is an outcome of both attitude and focus - what we focus on most bring strength, what we commit to becomes the means by which we develop our strength.  Courage is an outcome of strength - when we are strong in our faith (not focused on the impossibilities), committed in our focus (mind and spirit set on God alone), it is easy to be courageous.  When we have our focus on the wrong things (things that distract us from our worship, study, or mission), we interpret things through a mind and emotional basis that produces fear and chaos.  Focus determines attitude. Attitude directs our actions.  Our actions are coming from a place of strength when both of these are correct.  

Look at what Moses tells Joshua - march on!  If God marches ahead, we have the best leader we could ever hope for - no matter what the territory is that we are marching through.  To march, one must be set into motion - there is action required of us - it is not a passive observance of life.  The fears we entertain are often what will paralyze us and make us passively inactive in times of challenge.  The faith we allow to be built by a right focus will allow us to receive our "marching orders" and will call us into action that is steadfast and committed.

We will face challenges - that we can be assured of.  What we do with those challenges (in our mind, emotions, and spirit) determines how they will affect us.  Stand strong, don't get distracted, and don't listen to the intimidating chaos of your enemy.  Determine to maintain your focus on God - the rest is at his leading!

Be Strong! Be Courageous!

And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.

(Joshua 1:8-9)

Joshua was the leader of Israel right after Moses passed away.  Moses passed the torch to him to get the Israelites out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land.  He was commissioned with a huge purpose - cross the Jordan.  It was the time for Israel to finally take what God had delivered them from Egypt to inherit.  The promise to Joshua - "I'll give you every square inch of land you set your feet on".  If that was not enough to get Joshua motivated to move into the land, God promised to be with him just like he had been with Moses.

The "success" Joshua enjoyed in taking the land of Canaan was based on the passage today - he had to keep God's Word clearly before him and the people - obediently pursuing the revelation God had given through Moses.  If we look at how this sentence is structured, you will notice that it is an "imperative" - it demands your attention and your action.  There is an unavoidable obligation - keep the Word before you - practicing every word of it.

It is also a tremendous promise or word of assurance that reminds Joshua that there is to be an order to the victory Israel will win.  First, God in right position.  Next, his Word to be the guiding force of their lives.  Last, success in their endeavors.  This is definitely something we can learn.  When we get the "order" right, victory is just the next step away.  

There is something extra-ordinary in getting this right: God is with us every step we take.  When God is in the right position in our lives (at the center of all we do) - the hunger for his Word is also there.  His presence at the core of our being and his Word continually being turned over in our minds is certain to guide our steps.  Joshua received two other reminders:  Be strong!  Be courageous!  

The strength here is not that of physical strength - muscular enhancement that just let him fight like a warrior.  It is also the mental strength that would keep him focused in the times when defeat seemed more like a possibility than victory.  It is the emotional strength to doubt his doubts and continue on in the faith that God was with him each step of the way.  

The courage of a warrior - the strength of a leader - Joshua was expected to have both.  Both were based on keeping his focus right - God first, his Word constantly before him, and his steps would be ordered of God.  We will do well to learn the lesson of Joshua - Be Strong!  Be Courageous!  The Lord Thy God is With Thee!