Nice one --- On Thu, 12/30/10, Bola Ayoola <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Bola Ayoola <[email protected]> Subject: [Jos Commandos] Go in this strength To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, December 30, 2010, 11:31 AM Sent from my iPhone. Be strong and of a good courage..." (Josh. 1:9). Joshua 1:9 provides us with two words for looking ahead to the new year: strength and courage. The Lord issued this statement as a command to Joshua. Often we think of God's commandments as being strictly prohibitive ("thou shalt not"). Here the command is quite affirmative. The Bible tells us that the commandments of the Lord are not grievous or cumbersome (1 John 5:3). The thing to remember is that each commandment given us by the Lord carries with it the enablement of its own fulfillment. That is, each command comes with an assurance that you and I are able to perform it. God, in His infinite love and mercy, would never issue an order we are not capable of carrying out. Strength and courage are the two qualities the Lord demands of us as we face the unknown future. Strength and courage are ideal characteristics for making progress into the new year. Courage is found in the inner man, and strength is shown in bodily action. This command coincides with Philippians 2:13 in which the Apostle Paul declares that it is the Lord who works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Courage and strength are placed into our frame by the Lord. Courage motivates our will, and strength accompanies effort. It is incongruous to say, "I have a lot of courage, but no strength," or, "I am a powerhouse of energy, but am afraid." The best confession is: "The Lord is my strength for this year. The Lord is my source of courage for this year."
