Arm us. Send us.

Just began reading Joshua. Again.

Only in the first chapter. Think I am going to be there for a while.

Was wondering about beginning our Tuesday night fellowship. Starting tomorrow. There are several verses in the beginning of Joshua that caused me to know I am to continue. And a couple in Hebrews as well. But I'll get to those further down.

We all remember the words that Moses spoke to Joshua:

"Be strong and courageous... 

Be careful to obey...

Do not deviate...

Study...

Meditate..."

And the most important:

"This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Pretty fantastic words! What a promise from God!

Then further down, Joshua commands:

"Go... take possession."

"Your strong warriors, fully armed, must lead the other tribes across the Jordan to help them conquer their territory. Stay with them until the Lord gives them rest."

Do you realize, the people answered and told Joshua at the end of saying they would obey, do and go as Moses through God commanded:

"So be strong and courageous."

What a great way for the people to bless Joshua.

The people speak the same words as Moses spoke to Joshua!

As believers we know that "strokes" to our lives and ministries can be beneficial, but they are not necessarily necessary. We are not the leaders of this fellowship. God is. We are simply people God has asked to help in other people's lives. We minister, we help, we encourage to bring glory to God, not to man.

My question is this.

Are we fully armed? Not with the physical means of war, but with the spiritual. Are we leading? Are we helping others to conquer? Are we helping to bring them into rest in the Lord? 

So then I realized there was some verses in Hebrews 4 that I needed to read which went along with these ones from Joshua.

The writer of Hebrews is talking about hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

"Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still "today," so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ." 

That is what we are about. 

Let's not rebel against God. 

Let's not harden our hearts. 

All it does is cause us and others around us trouble.

Thanks for showing us Lord how to continue.

Arm us and send us to to conquer for your name.

Continuing to joy in the journey,

David