Be Strong and Courageous

I've been doing a reflective reading of the book of Joshua over the last several weeks. Not a daily thing but at least weekly. Not an in-depth study of text structures and historical comparison and such, just a reflective reading. Hears what I do: I sit down, open my Bible to the chapter that is up next (or I use eSword on my computer), and ask God to speak to me through what I am about to read. Then I read through the chapter, sometimes envisioning in my mind what is playing out before me on the page - kind of a move in the mind - followed by a second reading, maybe even a third. What I try to do is put myself in the place of each of the character's in the chapter, participating in the conversation. Then I try to shift the story to my situation, 21st century experience, my place of faith.

So what follows, and what I am sharing with you, are those "thoughts" that I had. I have made some adjustments, applying it to "we" and "us" instead of just "me" and "I". Hopefully there will be something you can connect with, get insight on, be encouraged about, pushed further along in your walk of faith.

And I also hope that I can keep posting my discoveries and questions from this journey through Joshua at least once a week.

Click here to read Joshua 1

"Be strong and courageous"

These words are mentioned several times in this first chapter of Joshua (1:6, 7, 9). As I read this chapter and especially these verses, I couldn't help but wonder what "land" God is calling each of us to posses. Is it a spiritual land, a level of maturinty that we have yet to achieve? Is it a battle with sin that has kept us from moving forward in our growth with God? Could it be concerning our relationships - with a spouse or family member, with friends, with our church - moving with them into new territory and change? The easy answer would be, yes to all of the above. The hard answer would be, yes to all of the above.

"Be strong and courageous"

I don't know about you but I have to admit that I feel I am neither of these in any of those "lands" I find myself traveling through or that I see coming before me, I'm afraid. Like Moses, I often feel ill equipped to lead God's people or to speak to them on His behalf. Like Timothy, I sometimes doubt my gifts and can struggle with feelings of insecurity. Like Paul, I have my own thorns that irritates and distracts me. Like John Mark, when I get overwhelmed and stressed and frustrated, I want to retreat, to run away. And I'm no different than Demas, who sees life on the other side of the fence a whole lot greener and wonders why I can't have that like everyone else.

"Be strong and courageous"

How do we get ourselves to that place? How do we build strength and courageousness into our character, our spiritual DNA? Could the following verses from Joshua be an important step in the process?

"Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do." (Joshua 1:7-8)

God's Word, coupled with the Holy Spirit within us, along with our committment to allow God to control and leader in our life, helps build these characteristics (the fruit of the Spirit, transformation, holiness) that are necessary for our maturity and growth.

"Be strong and courageous...

for the Lord your God is with you..." (1:9)

I don't think it's because we forget that the Lord our God is with us, though that happens sometimes. I think it has more to do with the fact that we often ignore that truth, or we resist that truth, or we don't rely on that truth. God has promised that He will be with us (through His Holy Spirit), to transform us, to mold us, to lead and guide us, to serve as an "umpire" in our lives. But here is a cool thing: God is quick to forgive us for not listening, for not responding, for not trusting, for not opening ourselves up to Him. He forgives us for settling for mediocrity in our lives.

Here's what I have to ask myself a lot of the times, and maybe you need to start asking these questions, as well: Do I really want to be strong and courageous? Do I want to overtake the land God has promised for me? I don't think God forces us to take something we don't want. And I don't think God can give us what we need until we are willing to put ourselves in the place to receive what He has to offer us. God provides, God leads, God strengthens and encourages, but we have to trust... and posses the land.

A Good Cup in Hand

There are things that we hold dear in our lives that have special meaning. A photograph, a special album, maybe an article of clothing or a piece of furniture. I still have many photographs that I occasionally look through, smiling from the memories that come flooding over me. I don't have but a handful of albums (LP's) now, and none really hold any great significance to me, though I have a few CD's that have taken the place of those attachments that a few albums from way back when once held. And clothing? Well, my wife has long since gotten rid of those. And the only piece of furniture I had - picked up from the side of the road on the way out of town on a road trip with two dear friends after I had graduated from high school - was returned to the side of the road in the winter of 2003 when it finally fell apart and could no longer be repaired. But there is one item that has held a special place in my heart for many, many years. It is a large coffee mug - well, for me, a tea mug.

I purchased this mug when I started my sophomore year in college. I had lived at home my freshman year and decided to move on campus my sophomore year. There wasn't much need to go out and purchase any furniture for the dorm room because it was pretty much furnished: bunk beds, two dressers, two desks with book shelves, and two closets. My roommate was Kurt Brown. We had known each other since I first moved to Greece, New York in 1969 (I think that was the year). We quickly became best friends, and remain so to this day.

Anyway, we only needed to bring our clothes, stuff to plaster on the walls (we did - Rolling Stone covers), a couple of lights, and some miscellaneous dishes and silverware. I purchased a tea mug. It was dark brown with light brown around the top lip of the cup. It felt good in the hand, solid, held just the right amount of hot beverage, and it kept it warm for a long while. I would often wrap it up and take it on camping trips, even a canoe trip or two. That mug was a part of many conversations over the years. It brought comfort to me through some tough times and had a way of adding a sense of pleasure to times of laughter and joy with friends and family.

Yesterday my mug decided it had served its usefulness and ended its life. I was there when it jumped off the edge of the counter into the sink. My screams of "no" were unheeded.

This morning I got up to have a cup of hot tea. I opened up the cupboard and then remembered. I paused for a few moments, lifted up my hand as if I were holding the mug, and offered thanks to the mug and to God for the many years my cup and I had spent together, in conversation, in prayer, in silence. Then I closed the cupboard door, got dressed, and left for the office. I couldn't bring myself to have a cup of tea without my companion.

So long, my hot beverage companion. Thank you for your many years of service, kindness, and warmth. May you now be ever filled!

15 Reasons Why Beer Is Better Than Religion

So, here I am at Course of Study at Emory/Candlar in Atlanta, having deep discussions about theology, the Wesleyan Movement, doctrine and faith issues and I find it fascinating, challenging, insightful, stirring, inspiring, and, at times, a little confusing. I guess these classes are serving their purpose, right?

Anyway, I check out a YouTube clip that a friend brought my attention to of a current New Testament theologian, Marcus Borg, who I found interesting, insightful, not that I agreed with everything he had to say but he made some good points, nonetheless. In one of his introductions he made mention of the following list and, after some research, I post it here, with a few tweaks and additons. 

I mean to offend no one in posting this. I just found it insightful, challenging, fascinating... and funny!

PS: I couldn't help but think of my high school friend Mark as I read this, who has an amazing ability to find amazing and pleasing beers. So I have been told.

15 Reasons Why Beer Is Better Than Religion:

  1) They don't force beer on minors too young to think for themselves
  2) Beer doesn't tell you how or with whom to have sex
  3) No one will kill you for not drinking beer
  4) No one has ever been hanged, burned at the stake, or tortured for  

choosing the wrong kind of beer
  5) When you have a beer, you don't go knocking on people's door trying to

give it away
  6) There are laws saying that beer labels can't lie to you
  7) If you've devoted your life to beer, there are groups who will help you stop
  8) You can prove you have a beer
  9) Beer never caused a major war
10) You don't have to wait 2000 years for a second beer
11) You don't have to get dressed up to have a beer
12) No one expects you to believe that every word in a beer commercial is

literally true
13) Beer labels include a warning about the dangers of drinking beer
14) No one gives you wine and expects you to believe it's beer
15) Beer is easier to swallow

A Quote About Discipleship

(Jesus) is something—someone—worth losing everything for. And if we walk away from the Jesus of the gospel, we walk away from eternal riches. The cost of nondiscipleship is profoundly greater for us than the cost of discipleship. For when we abandon the trinkets of this world and respond to the radical invitation of Jesus, we discover the infinite treasure of knowing and experiencing him.

- David Platt. Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream (p. 18).

The Church as a Transforming Society?

Came across this quote a little while ago as I was doing some reading and continued prep work on my sermon series, "Why Bother with the Church?" It's by Howard A. Snyder from his book, "The Community of the King."

So the Church is not to be understood primarily as a means to the end of transforming society. This would be to trample over the uniqueness and infinite worth to God of the Christian community. Besides, the amazing and profound fact is that the Church most transforms society when it is itself growing and being perfected in the love of Christ. In fact, when the Church is taken merely as a means to transform society, very little is accomplished. For in that case the uniqueness of the Church is denied and we enter the battle on the same terms as secular and godless forces. We assume the battle for right and justice can be won by force, by technique, by doing. It can't. These very clearly are not the weapons of Christian warfare (Ephesians 6:10-20). Truly Christian transformation of culture comes through Christlike (and hence sacrificial) love, community and being.

But this fact by no means cancels out the responsibility to do, to act, to walk in the words of God. Rather, the being and the doing go together. The being is fundamental but the doing is the natural result.

What do you think? Is the only real way to transform culture through Christlike love, community and being? And how do you think that would play itself out, how would it show itself in the life of the church and among Christians? And, as a church/Christian, are there other ways we can and should go about transforming culture? What if how one group of Christians (church) views how that transformation of culture differently than another group? What do we handle that?

Your thoughts, insights and experiences are welcome to be left in the comments.