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.”  Joshua 1:9

Our church will hold Kid’s Camp this week with a superhero theme.  The verse for the week is Joshua 1:9 so I thought it would make a great meditation.

So often we go through life afraid.  We allow fear of failure, fear of disappointing others, fear of backlash, even the fear of success.  These fears hold us back from becoming all God calls us to be and impacts our lives in a negative way.

Yet just as God commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous as Joshua took over for Moses, God calls us to be strong and courageous in our lives.  It doesn’t mean we have to get our way all the time, it does not mean we should be over-zealous, it means we should have confidence in ourselves when we walk with God, for God is with us.

As you journey through this week, be strong, be courageous, be mindful of God’s presence, and let go of all that holds you back.

Peace

Pastor Bill

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Matthew 6:25-27

We were gathered together in the chapel for the Sunday morning prayer service.  As everyone was silently meditating the lights began to flicker.  Soon it was obvious that the power had gone out.  We continued with the prayer service and then went into the sanctuary to investigate. 

Due to a storm, power was out in the neighborhood.  We had no air conditioning, no sound system and no live feed and everyone got to work.  We got some battery operated lights for the musician and pulpit, we kept the doors closed as much as possible to retain the cool air, and we held worship.  It was amazing how silent the building can be without the constant din of electrically operated devices!

The service went well and when the power returned, we all gathered for fellowship.

Yet here is the amazing part.  These were lyrics from the hymns selected weeks ago:

“Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light” “Great Father of glory, pure Father of light.” (Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise)

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Thy Word)

“Christ be my leader by night as by day; safe through the darkness, for he is the Way. (Christ be My Leader)

Brothers and sisters, God has it under control.  Things will not always work out the way we want, things will go wrong, things will even get very difficult, but do not worry.  ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

May your journey this week be filled with God’s wonder, blessings and grace,

Pastor Bill

How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you. 

Psalm 139:17-18

Are God’s thoughts as precious to you as they are to the Psalmist?  The shear immensity of God’s “thoughts” are overwhelming and yet those thoughts can be boiled down to one word, love.  God’s thoughts are about God’s love for us.  God’s will, God’s desires for us, God’s promises to us are all centered around love.

God’s love for you is immense and precious.  As you journey through this week, share some of that immense love with others.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13

As we celebrate our nation’s independence we always need to stop and give thanks for those who continually work for our freedom.  For those who have honorably served, we give thanks.  For those currently serving, we give thanks and pray for safety. 

Our freedom, however, is not just a political thing.  We as members of the universal body of Christ, are made free from all those things that can hold us back, our past, our bad actions, our failings.  We are made free and whole, and we are freed for a purpose – to serve one another in love.

As you celebrate the Fourth, give a prayer of thanksgiving for all who keep us free, then pray for God to show you areas where you can serve humbly in love.

Peace,

Pastor Bill