God, Courage and Commitment

[newton3005]

God, Courage and Commitment

“Be strong and courageous.” So said Moses to the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 31:6 shortly before their entry into the Promised Land where they might be confronted by those who don’t want them. So said Moses to Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:7 shortly before Joshua led the Hebrews into the Promised Land and against those who might oppose them there, with Moses knowing the Lord forbade Moses to enter the Promised Land. And so said the Lord to Joshua in Joshua 1:9, repeating what Moses said to Joshua about his entry and the rest of the Hebrews into the Promised Land. To elaborate, the full verse of Joshua 1:9 is this: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

It was good advice to follow, whether in undergoing Operation Overlord in the invasion of Normandy in 1944, or any undertaking in which you are called on, or you call yourself, on to confront those who do not act with the righteousness of God in mind. In any such confrontation the temptation may be great to walk…or run…away from a challenge set before you that has alot of risk to yourself and those who depend on you. There may be a temptation to hide from the responsibility set before you. But which is worse? Is it worse to fulfill a responsibility you are on the verge of undertaking, or is it worse to run away and hide from that responsibility?

What would God say if you were found to evade your responsibilities that are placed before you in His Name and that He called upon you? Would He justify you? Would He glorify you? Would He sanctify you? Or would He hold you accountable as someone who failed to provide coverage and comfort to those who depended on you to do so, as you step aside, leaving open the forces of evil that are ready to come crashing through the floodgates that you believed would hold them back?

On the other side of the coin, it takes courage to stand up and say ‘No, I won’t do it,’ or ‘No, I won’t vote to pass what others say is “One big, beautiful bill” when it is contrary to what Jesus and the Bible says about helping the poor and needy. But oftentimes, what starts out as a righteous undertaking by a government presumably under God as specified in Romans 13:1 in an earlier age to help the poor and needy, gets mired in the politics of the selfishness that shows itself in a later generation. And so, we have the NIMBY crowd and others that say, ‘It is socialism and communism to give the less fortunate even a tithe of what I have!’ Well, that crowd may just as well as well falsely claim that the Bible is summarized in Marx’s Das Kapital! For did not Jesus say in Matthew 25:31-40 to give of yourself to the poor and needy?

Ah, but there are those who believe that helping the poor and needy is a form of socialism and communism. Those who take that position would leave Romans 13:1 hanging out to dry. For does not that passage say to be subservient to a government authority that is an extension of God? And if that government asks that you help to “promote the general welfare,” Is that not God telling you to do so?

To be sure, neither socialism nor communism have helping the poor and needy as their primary goal. Instead, their primary goal is to feed an institution that is only out for itself rather than to help the poor and needy as their primary objective. Socialism and communism exist only to benefit its leaders through the guise of seeming to help the less fortunate. As for God, they believe the less you know about God the better, for to know Him is to realize the wool that socialism and communism try to pull over your eyes so its leaders can continue to feed themselves.

So, in the name of God who loves you and who will give you what you need in order to do what’s right, be strong and courageous. He will be with you as it says in Psalms 23. He will be your light, your stronghold and your salvation as it says in Psalms 27. Whom shall you fear? Of whom shall you be afraid when He is your sword and shield?

 

[com7fy8]

To elaborate, the full verse of Joshua 1:9 is this: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Of course, it is possible for us to assume what we want is what God wants; and then it can be stubbornness and not strength, which has us doing the thing, holding to the thing. And we can be self-righteous, comparing ourselves with someone else, not really being humble with God and evaluating ourselves in comparison with Jesus.

Ezekiel 25:12-15 > what I see here is yes God used the Gentiles to punish the Jews; yet, the Gentiles did it in a despiteful and hateful way; they they, too, shall be punished. So, this is an example of how ones might seem strong and courageous, but are not.

 

[stevevw]

God, Courage and Commitment

“Be strong and courageous.” So said Moses to the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 31:6 shortly before their entry into the Promised Land where they might be confronted by those who don’t want them. So said Moses to Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:7 shortly before Joshua led the Hebrews into the Promised Land and against those who might oppose them there, with Moses knowing the Lord forbade Moses to enter the Promised Land. And so said the Lord to Joshua in Joshua 1:9, repeating what Moses said to Joshua about his entry and the rest of the Hebrews into the Promised Land. To elaborate, the full verse of Joshua 1:9 is this: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

It was good advice to follow, whether in undergoing Operation Overlord in the invasion of Normandy in 1944, or any undertaking in which you are called on, or you call yourself, on to confront those who do not act with the righteousness of God in mind. In any such confrontation the temptation may be great to walk…or run…away from a challenge set before you that has alot of risk to yourself and those who depend on you. There may be a temptation to hide from the responsibility set before you. But which is worse? Is it worse to fulfill a responsibility you are on the verge of undertaking, or is it worse to run away and hide from that responsibility?

What would God say if you were found to evade your responsibilities that are placed before you in His Name and that He called upon you? Would He justify you? Would He glorify you? Would He sanctify you? Or would He hold you accountable as someone who failed to provide coverage and comfort to those who depended on you to do so, as you step aside, leaving open the forces of evil that are ready to come crashing through the floodgates that you believed would hold them back?

On the other side of the coin, it takes courage to stand up and say ‘No, I won’t do it,’ or ‘No, I won’t vote to pass what others say is “One big, beautiful bill” when it is contrary to what Jesus and the Bible says about helping the poor and needy. But oftentimes, what starts out as a righteous undertaking by a government presumably under God as specified in Romans 13:1 in an earlier age to help the poor and needy, gets mired in the politics of the selfishness that shows itself in a later generation. And so, we have the NIMBY crowd and others that say, ‘It is socialism and communism to give the less fortunate even a tithe of what I have!’ Well, that crowd may just as well as well falsely claim that the Bible is summarized in Marx’s Das Kapital! For did not Jesus say in Matthew 25:31-40 to give of yourself to the poor and needy?

Ah, but there are those who believe that helping the poor and needy is a form of socialism and communism. Those who take that position would leave Romans 13:1 hanging out to dry. For does not that passage say to be subservient to a government authority that is an extension of God? And if that government asks that you help to “promote the general welfare,” Is that not God telling you to do so?

To be sure, neither socialism nor communism have helping the poor and needy as their primary goal. Instead, their primary goal is to feed an institution that is only out for itself rather than to help the poor and needy as their primary objective. Socialism and communism exist only to benefit its leaders through the guise of seeming to help the less fortunate. As for God, they believe the less you know about God the better, for to know Him is to realize the wool that socialism and communism try to pull over your eyes so its leaders can continue to feed themselves.

So, in the name of God who loves you and who will give you what you need in order to do what’s right, be strong and courageous. He will be with you as it says in Psalms 23. He will be your light, your stronghold and your salvation as it says in Psalms 27. Whom shall you fear? Of whom shall you be afraid when He is your sword and shield?

You are right that all these political and philosophical ideologies come with some form of kingdom they want to build on earth. It is a mimick and false version of Gods kingdom. The big difference is Gods kingdom is not of this world and in fact in the end this world is nt an option and will become quite evil. But still satan tries and this will continue until its end.

I think you touch on the central truth in the difference between living according to a worldly kingdom and a heavenly one. That is sacrifice of self. Its an alien idea to any ideology that wants to preserve social justice and equality on earth. To be subservient to another without any reciprical return. To give your life to a greater cause beyond the worldly kingdom.

That is what I noticed with the effect the early church had on the pagan world and all their claims about the power of their gods. What they witnessed of the early Christian leaders and everyday Christians was a courage and conviction even from the lowest status in society that match and went beyond the pagan gods strength and power. So much so that it caused them to respect the Christians that it became the Empires religion.