Verse 8/29

[DerekP Houston]

5 The LORD will deliver them to you, and you must do to them all that I have commanded you.
6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.
8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

[Pine Baron]

Thanks Derek. "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

[Blackwater]

Amen. Fear is the great discourager, and courage is its antidote. And as Christians, what could we possibly HAVE to fear, with the certain knowledge that whatever transpires, we'll be with our Lord in Heaven for Eternity? This world will eventually pass away, and the New Heaven and New Earth established for us. What it will be, I doubt any of us can conceive, but I know I trust the One who'll be preparing it. If this world is made for us as lush and awe inspiring as it has been, what will the New Heaven and New Earth be like? All I know is I have a sense that we'll all be stunned with its beauty and richness and grace when we see it. I learned to never give in to fear ever again in Da Nang one night. I'll always fear my Lord's wrath, but if I try hard to follow Him, I really have nothing to fear. Blessed be the name of our Lord!

[DerekP Houston]

Amen. Fear is the great discourager, and courage is its antidote. And as Christians, what could we possibly HAVE to fear, with the certain knowledge that whatever transpires, we'll be with our Lord in Heaven for Eternity? This world will eventually pass away, and the New Heaven and New Earth established for us. What it will be, I doubt any of us can conceive, but I know I trust the One who'll be preparing it. If this world is made for us as lush and awe inspiring as it has been, what will the New Heaven and New Earth be like? All I know is I have a sense that we'll all be stunned with its beauty and richness and grace when we see it. I learned to never give in to fear ever again in Da Nang one night. I'll always fear my Lord's wrath, but if I try hard to follow Him, I really have nothing to fear. Blessed be the name of our Lord!

You know, for all our beliefs there is still the fear of the great unknown. I sat with my grandfather for a few hours today and as a devout baptist he still answers "I just don't know" to a lot of things. I'll be there til the end but I'm still going to miss him. As one of my role models and best folks I know; he is heading to a better place. He is almost refusing pain medication just to keep his head clear to the end. Dirty scoundrel already filed all the paperwork and final expenses so there is nothing to be done except sit with him and keep him company, conversation is getting to be difficult so I just kinda sit there and chase people away from bothering him.

[Blackwater]

You're right, Derek, but when we have real faith in God, we face those fears and unknowns with greater courage, because we know Christ rose from the dead, and showed us death is not "the end." So even though we fear and dread things like death, and the "great unknown," it's faith that helps us cross that threshold with assurance and confidence, even though fear IS present, at least in a certain measure. Mostly, I think none of us wants to quit this life because we all know we've been less than perfect, even within our faith. And no matter when our time is to go, there's always that sense of "unfinished business," things we want to stay and work on or do. But letting go of even those things is what gives us the very real freedom to cross the Great Divide with inspired confidence and a sense of a new adventure beginning. Both my parents pretty well decided they'd had enough suffering, and crossed the Veil as easily and casually and confidently as I think is probably possible. It's amazing what seeing that did to me and for me. Such things so clearly illustrate the real and ever-abiding value of real faith and conviction, that even a dumb country boy can see it. So often, we turn away from things and moments like this because it's not what we WANT. But God never said he'd give us all we want. He said He'd give us what we NEED. And He always does. It's just up to us to see that and accept it, and learn and grow in it all. Praise God, from whom ALL blessings flow!