Sunday Words of Encouragement August 7, 2016

We had a good morning – Sunday School covered Romans Chapters 5 through 7. We had nice worship service with a sermon shared by one of our congregants. (Our new Pastor will be in place next Sunday.)

Our brothers message was based on Joshua 1:1-9. In summary it says that ‘God is with you wherever you go; do not turn right of left’. But there is always … “What’s next?” Robert Breault stated: “God sends the dawn that we might see the might-have-beens that still might be.”

The Israelites had a dream of the land promised by God. But their own fears resulted in wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Joshua had to be the leader to step up and make the people accept the reality and proceed…move forward. These nine verses reveal four points we can learn from to face loss or obstacles and to move forward to the future, to the next step.
1. The cause still advances – it is not dependent on any one person. Sometimes in order for the next thing to happen, something must change. (Reference the book Who Moved My Cheese?) Sometimes change happens and our live will never be the same again. The sooner the change is accepted the sooner we find the new location of the 'cheese'.
2. The cause requires our strength and passionate action. The Israelites had to go and conquer the land. It requires energy to move forward. Thinking about it and hoping it will happen is not enough. You have to “go”.
3. The cause demands unwavering determination. Verse 7. Eugene Patterson said that 'possessions in your life are less important than taking the message'. A man set up a birdfeeder to enjoy watching the birds. But every time he went inside the squirrels came to steal the food. No matter what obstacles he put up the squirrels were persistent. The man focused on the problem in between work, sleeping and other activities. The squirrels focused on getting to the food all of the time. Sometimes we need to be the squirrel! As Calvin Coolidge stated: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.”
4. The cause comes with God’s assurances and blessings! Verses 5 and 9.

I found this very upbeat song to share with this message.

Get Up by Mary Mary

A Verse for Today:
Joshua 1:9 NIV (But I encourage you to read verses 1 through 9!)
9”…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."

Thank you, God, for being a fair and guiding God. I commit myself to be used as you wish to reach others in my community and as far as you wish.