Be Strong and of Good Courage!

Three times in a short passage of scripture(Joshua 1:6-9) God tells Joshua to "be strong and of good courage..." I wonder a little over the term "good courage". Is there a bad courage? After digging a little deeper it seems this is what is being said, "Be courageous, but be careful." Often we are courageous to do things that have little positive impact on our lives. Like when we are in school and do things that take courage, but they usually end up costing us a trip to the principal’s office. Joshua is about to take over for Moses. Can you imagine the feeling of inadequacy Joshua may have been experiencing? Following Moses? But God comes to him and tells him - be courageous, but be careful. Be careful in what? Be courageous to do what? Joshua was God's choice to lead His people and it was going to require great faith on Joshua's part to take the people into the Promised Land. At the same time it was going to require that he be careful. God tells Joshua to be courageous, take the land! But be careful to follow My instruction. The two are inseparable - be courageous, but be careful. God further tells Joshua that as long as he is courageous and careful he will not fail. In these days we must be courageous - we might even need to take a risk for God. And in taking that risk if we are careful to follow God, He promises we will not fail. So in living out your life, what courageous thing will you do for God as you follow His Word? Remember, follow His instruction and He will empower you to be courageous and take a risk to do something you have never done before - for Him!
Pastor Roger

Living Passionately

Do you live your life with passion? Some of us have a passion for hobies, some have passion for work, some have a passion for football or basketball, and some have a passion to become a couch potato after giving a hard day at work. All of us have a passion for something, the question is "Is our passion being directed to the right things for the right reasons?" Too often our passions are misguided or misdirected and we find ourselves doing great in one area while we are dangerously close to loosing it in another area. One of my favorite verses is Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." NIV. The reason I like this verse is it gives me the right reason to be passionate about the right thing. Be passionate enough to seek God first in everything and God will see to it the right things are added to my life at the right moment. I have only one thing to do then, seek God first. The result, I have enough time for the right things, I have enough money for the right things, and I have enough energy for the right things. When the wrong things come along, I have enough strength to say "no" and stay on course in my passion for serving God first. So how are you doing in the area of "Living Passionately"? And where is your passion directed? Let me know how you are doing.
Roger