Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart.  They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are;the cities are large, with walls up to the sky...Deuteronomy 1:28


Where and what has God called you to?  Is it bigger than you? Is it impossible?
Good. 
It might just be about His glory and not yours.
Good.

Possessing the promise land for the Israelites was God's design, it wasn't their idea.
Their question therefore 'Where can we go?' or 'What way can we go up into the land?' was not based on what God desired but rather what man feared.

If the fear of what others think is louder in our hearts than what God desires we will lose heart.

What is it to lose heart?
To lose heart is to lose courage.
Courage is always coupled with the purpose of God.
Courage is always coupled with His glory.
Discouragement is always coupled with self, seasoned with victim mentality, blaming others for our lack of heart.

Courage.

Two spies came back with a positive report, ten negative...difference...faith.
Believing what God says is true. 
Faith always results in courage.
Its a gift because you know it is possible even though you have done nothing and logically it is totally impossible.

The cities we are called to reach are intense.
Its real.
It will eat you up and spit you out.
Its imposible.
Its too difficult.
Its too dark.
Its too large.
Its too...
Its too...
Its too...

It was His design not your idea.
He commanded you, you didn't ask.

It is not your fear driving you to reach a city it is His heart for humanity to know His glory.

You lose sight of His Glory you lose courage, you lose courage, you lose heart, you lose heart, you lose purpose, you lose purpose, you lose.

Our Heart His Courage.

Our Heart His Love.

Our broken hearts His unending Grace.

As we live for His glory courage comes like a flood.

Do not lose heart friend, lose your heart in His glory.


It all hangs on this...


+jk

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”- Joshua 1:9


I love that God asks questions...that makes me smile.

It is interesting what God commands of us
Sometimes in religious piety we are tricked into thinking God has commanded us to be weak and afraid...
But perhaps what we miss is that we are weak without being commanded to be weak - that's why we need grace

God's saving work through the CROSS+ is so confronting to me
I realised last sunday that I murdered God

Seriously...

Yet the Father allowed His son to take all our murderous sin upon himself
Jesus did it willingly out of love for His Father and for a fallen humanity

Who do I think I am to be afraid or insecure when a Most Holy & Perfect God died for me?

So today I receive the command of God...

BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS
DO NOT BE TERRIFIED
DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED


Why and How?

Because the CROSS+ has shown me that the Lord God will always be with me wherever I go.

He meets me at my point of weakness everyday through the cross, looks into my eyes and commands me to:

BE STRONG & COURAGEOUS
DO NOT BE TERRIFIED
DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED


it all hangs on this
+jk