Verse of the Day 12/28

Joshua 1:9  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."    English Standard Version (ESV)

Yesterday we considered how Immanuel, "God is with us", in the form or our Savior Jesus is with us all the days of our lives.  Yes, we celebrate His birth at Christmas, but that knowledge should carry us through the rest of the year, each and every year.

Those thoughts led me to today's verse from the book of Joshua.  In a few days we will be headed into the New Year with unknown challenges to face and boundaries to cross and there will be uncertainty.  Today's verse was given as Joshua was preparing to lead the people into the promised land.  His message to them "Be strong and courageous, do not fear, for the Lord your God is with you".  That still applies to us today, each and every day.

These thoughts also brought me to a song by Morris Chapman that we sang at Promise Keepers many years ago:
 Be bold! (be bold!) / Be strong! (be strong!) / For the Lord thy God is with thee / (repeat) / Do not be afraid / Do not be dismayed / Walk in faith and victory / Walk in faith and victory / Walk in faith and victory / For the Lord thy God is with thee /

As we go out today, through this week and into the new year,  may we be bold, be courageous and walk in faith and victory, knowing that the Lord, my God is with me.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Joshua 1:9The Message (MSG)

1 ^1-9 After the death of Moses the servant of God, God spoke to Joshua, Moses' assistant:

"Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I'm giving to the People of Israel. I'm giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon east to the Great River, the Euphrates River—all the Hittite country—and then west to the Great Sea. It's all yours. All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you. I won't give up on you; I won't leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take."