God is with you, wherever you go

"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." Joshua 1:9

Joshua is the new leader. Moses has died, and he and the people with him have finally reached the Promised Land after a forty-year journey from Egyptian bondage.

God speaks directly (audibly) to Joshua. He asks him, "Have I not been your Commander?" Then God tells him, as the leader, to be strong and courageous. It is interesting to note that, in chapter one of Joshua, God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous four times! Maybe Joshua doubted his leadership ability. Maybe he was afraid of what lay ahead.

As Joshua thinks about this question, and God's instruction, he realizes that he and the thousands with him have been led by the hand of God in the past, and they can now confidently walk the road ahead.

Today's verse is helpful to you, as you think about the past, live in the present and look to the future. You might be facing health challenges, financial problems, work-related issues, family difficulties, friendship concerns – or any other villain that attacks your mind.

Don't be afraid of the issues you face, nor of the unknown - and don't be discouraged, because God is on your side to help you – wherever you go!

At evening it will be light

"But at evening time it shall happen that it will be light." Zechariah 14:7

If we read the verse in its context, we discover that the prophet is speaking about the day of the LORD – when Jesus returns at His Second Coming. He says that on that day there will be no light – the lights grow dim and there will be darkness, "but at evening time it shall happen that it will be light." Christ appears and His brilliance illuminates the darkness. This is how it was at His first coming – the glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds, and at the start of Christ's ministry, Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled, "the people who sat in darkness saw a great light." (Matthew 4:16)

When we were small, some of us were afraid of the dark. Some grownups are still afraid of the dark. But when there's a light, how different the night looks! The light swallows up any fear people may have, and they have courage.

There's a deeper meaning to our verse: When the light of day fades into evening - when the confidence you had in times of prosperity turns to fear, and even terror in the time of adversity, remember, God is still there – He has promised, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

Do you find yourself in some kind of darkness? Whatever form that darkness may take, God promises that the dark of night will be illuminated by His presence.

More abundant life

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

In today's text we see the contrast between the thief and the Lifegiver.

Jesus talks about the thief – Satan – whose purpose is to steal peace and happiness from the people of earth, to spread death across the planet and to leave destruction in his wake. Jesus calls him a "murderer from the beginning" and "the father of lies". See John 8:44

Today's verse tells us about a battle going on. It's a war being fought between the forces of darkness and the forces of light. This war started in heaven (see Revelation 12:7-9) and the battle continues. It's the battle for our minds. It's the same battle that Jesus fought in the wilderness, when Satan came to tempt Him. He overcame the tempter by quoting from the Word of God, because He knew the scriptures and put his trust in His heavenly Father.

Jesus tells us the purpose of His mission to Earth: to bring life – He is the Lifegiver. In contrast to the thief who takes away, Jesus gives. In contrast to the killer, Jesus brings life. In contrast to the destroyer, Jesus builds up, He re-builds the broken.

The life Jesus brings is a quality of life – He calls this "abundant life" - life for all; not merely to exist, but to experience real living - new life in Christ!

How do I get this life? It's a gift. Jesus offers it to us - "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

"And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17)

May you be strengthened this day in your resolve to possess the abundant life Jesus gives.

What will you do with Jesus?

Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” Matthew 27:22

 

It was early on Friday morning, and Jesus stood before the judgment seat of Pilate, the Roman Governor. Pilate asked Him several questions, but Jesus remained silent.

Pilate had the opportunity to release Jesus then and there. He had even, that morning, received a message from his wife saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man.” She had dreamed, and in her dream been shown that Jesus was innocent.

Pilate was a fickle ruler – he was swayed by the people, and eventually he gave in to the mob and sent Jesus to His death.

We have just come through the Easter weekend. In my mind I contemplate that Friday morning long ago, when the Creator of the universe stood on trial before an earthly monarch.

The question comes to you and to me: “What then shall I do with Jesus?” Will we turn Him away? Or will we gladly invite Him into our lives each new day? – to lead and guide us on the journey.

 

“Once to every man and nation

Comes the moment to decide

In the strife of truth with falsehood

For the good or evil side.” (Anonymous)

Give thanks to God

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15

 

It is a good thing for us to stop a while and count our blessings. When we do so, we notice how blessed we are, and this generates a natural response of thankfulness.

But we are not only thankful for material blessings – we are also thankful for God's saving grace, without which, we would be nothing.

Paul tells us, in verses 10 & 11 of today's chapter: "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God."

May you go forth into this day, thinking about today's verse, and with praise and thankfulness on your lips.

Trust in God with your entire heart

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths." Proverbs 3: 5 & 6　

To trust in another is difficult for us humans. We tend to follow our own path. We feel secure with our own reasoning.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, advises us to trust in the LORD. The LORD, when written in the Bible in upper-case letters, is the self-Existent, Eternal God, Jehovah. He depends on no-one else; His creatures (that's us) depend on Him for every breath we take.

And so, in the light of who God is, Solomon's counsel in today's verse makes good sense.

But there's more: we are advised to trust in God with all our hearts. The heart is the seat of our emotions. The mind is the seat of our intellect and reasoning. Notice how the verse indicates to trust with both the heart and the mind: it goes on to say, "do not lean on your own understanding."

To acknowledge God is to admit that He is the Supreme Being in the Universe; it means to include Him in our plans; to give Him the leadership of our lives.

And when we acknowledge Him in all our ways - in one hundred percent of our activities - He becomes the Director of our paths. The director of a company is the top person, the operations leader.

Today, as you include God in all of your plans, take note of how He leads and blesses you on the road of life.

God is our Shelter and Strength

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea." Psalm 46:1, 2.

When the troubles of life come upon us, and we need a place in which to take refuge, the Psalmist makes the positive statement that God is a safe place of shelter, and He is our strength.

In connection with the place of shelter, there are two identical refrains in the Psalm - verses 7 and 11: "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."

The LORD of hosts is the Commander of the armies of heaven (see Joshua 5:14 & 2 Kings 6:17).

The God of Jacob is the One who appeared at the ladder in Jacob's dream (see Genesis 28:12-15) to give Jacob comfort and hope - the One who promises us victory, the One who changed Jacob's name from "deceiver" to "overcomer", after he had wrestled with God (Genesis 32:22-30).

Because of the fact that God is very close to us (present) in times of trouble, and because He is our shelter and strength, we will not fear. Even if the unmovable things - the Earth - is removed; even if the mountains are carried into the middle of the sea (both of which are illustrations of large calamities that may come our way), the Psalmist gives us the assurance that we need not fear.

And so, you can confidently step into this new day, because "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge."

God is, and all is well.