A TIME TO BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

Our courage or lack of it is shown by how we face the various challenges that stand before us. Let us stand and let us face our challenges rather than run from them.

Numbers 32:6-11
Moses was addressing the fact that some among the Israelites were discouraging others and killing their faith by their negative thinking. The negative people were not wholehearted.

Q. Are you wholehearted in serving God, helping the weak, encouraging other disciples, organizing and participating in kingdom activities?

Great things can be done, and great things will be done if we face life with courage.

1. PERFECT LOVE DRIVES OUT FEAR

1 John 4:16b-18
When you walk according to the Scriptures, you have confidence. When you do not walk according to the Scriptures, you lose confidence.

Love drives out fear. So when we are in fear, we lack love. In evangelism, for example, we tend to size people up and choose who to talk to and who not to depending on who we fear and who we don't.

Q. Are you fearful about confronting disciples in sin whom you have the opportunity to help, or do you look away?

Romans 8:12-15
God has given us his Holy Spirit to liberate us from fear. So, if you are still held back by fear, you are not relying on God's Spirit.

2. FEAR WILL LEAD TO DISCOURAGEMENT

Deuteronomy 1:19-21
Moses sent out spies. Yet, given that God had promised that he would give the land, there was no need to spy out the land. They needed, instead, to advance and take the land.

We need to make the most of our monthly themes and not just sit back waiting to hear messages on those themes. For example, we should love always, but in this month that the theme is about love, we have the chance to think more specifically about this area of our lives and make changes, e.g. in visiting the sick, mourning with the bereaved, following up on the weak, etc.

Deuteronomy 1:26-28
When we fear, we end up making poor excuses, e.g. verse 28 - "walls up to the sky."

Q. Have you been making excuses about different things in your life, or boldly living out the radical Christ-like life to which we have been called?

Deuteronomy 1:29-32
When tempted to fear and o doubt, remember different ways in which God has been good and faithful to you. And remember, too, that God is still faithful to you.

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