Encouraging Word

 There is someone reading this that needed this encouraging word today. 

As we enter deeper into the uncertainty of the future I want to remind you of a conversation between God the Father and a young man named Joshua. 

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You see Joshua had been walking with a great man of god for 40+ years. While he still had duties and responsibilities there was always Moses that he could lean on. Due to some actions of Moses Joshua finds himself entering a stage of his life where he will face the unknown alone (he thought). 

Joshua now finds himself scared, worried, and facing uncertainty. He is going to be leading a people into a new land full of all kinds of uncertainty. God calls out to Joshua and begins to comfort him. God tells Joshua to be courageous and strong. He also tells Joshua to not be frightened (fear not). He tells Joshua the reason he shouldn’t fear is because God the Father himself will be with him and walking with him everywhere he goes. God also promises that He will never leave or forsake Joshua!  

I don’t know about you but I can relate to Joshua as I walk through the uncertainty of the mess going on today. Though I’m not scared, I am concerned with what the future holds. 

The uncertainty of the things we will face can cause anxiety and fear if we fail to do the one thing Joshua did. He TRUSTED God!! He trusted God to fulfill His promises to walk with him, to protect him, and to prosper (not just financially) him. 

If you find yourself struggling today look to the Word of God for comfort. If you are a child of God cling to the promises God has given you in His a Word. 

Promises

“You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  Isa 41:9-10

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."  Mat 6:33

"but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."  Isa 40:31

Satan is crafty and smooth.

 "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

The devil, Satan, is always on the prowl looking for someone who has become weak and defenseless. 

You have to be on guard for Satan's attacks. He is crafty and smooth. He will attack when you least expect it. 

Today, while in a meeting, the leadership allowed for a moment of meditation. First attack... religious freedom allows for every religion except for Christianity. 

Second attack... during the meditation we had a moderator guiding us through verbal dialogue while calming music was being played in the background.  While ushering calming words the moderator repeatedly used the phrase "magic". "You are magic",  "it is magic", and "magic is everything" were just a few of the phrases that were used. 

Based on the teachings of God found in the bible "magic" is a tool Satan uses to distract and defeat mankind. Read the following passages for yourself. 

Leviticus 19:31 - Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.

2 Kings 21:6 - And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke [him] to anger.

Acts 8:9-13 - But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

***I added the emphasis to point out the key words used. Words like familiar spirits, wizards, enchantments, sorcery, and bewitched are all synonymous with one another.  

This meditation was introduced to be beneficial as a calming tool set to music. In this day and time we are all looking for ways to better cope with the anxieties and troubles around us. We are all looking for ways to mentally escape the bombardment of things happening around us. During this time it would be very easy to fall victim to the deceiver.  I have seen so many professing christians fall victim to the deceptive influence of the devil. They have unknowingly praised the introduction of satan into their lives (this makes me so sad). 

While there is nothing wrong with meditation it is the content of your meditation that will cause you the problems.  

The Bible mentions meditation is in Joshua 1:8 and it reads, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” In these verses the focus of the meditation is on the words of Scripture. The Bible also mentions meditating on God’s unfailing love (Psalm 48:9), on God’s works and all his mighty deeds (Psalm 77:12), on God’s precepts and his ways (Psalm 119:15) and on God’s promises (Psalm 119:148). 

It is vitally important to stand firm on the teachings of the bible. 

The bible tells us to "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)".

The way way we test the spirits is through studying God's word. 2 Timothy 2:15 says “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 

I pray this brings you encouragement to study God's Word.