Be very courageous

Today I would like to encourage you. Encouragement as defined by Webster’s dictionary is: The act of inspiring with courage, spirit and hope. My goal is to instill in you the courage for the journey, task, challenge or difficulty. I want to fill you with courage for the future! If you are a father, mother, sister, brother, son or daughter it takes courage to succeed. You may say “pastor you don’t know how many times I have failed”. Remember this, where you are is the starting line not the finish line. He is a God of multiple chances. God’s grace can reach you wherever you are if you will let Him. Have we failed, do we fail, will we fail? Yes, but failure can be a building block in the structure of success.

The most encouraging words ever spoken were spoken to a new leader of the people of Israel. Joshua 1 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Lord instructed Joshua to be strong and of good courage. He also promised him He would not leave him nor forsake him. He will never call us to a task that He will not equip us for and He will never leave us until the job is done. Courage is required to be a godly person. The great thing about that is, He will give it to us if we ask for it. May courage rise up in your heart and may you move forward with strength for the journey. Only be strong and of good courage for the Lord you God is with you.

Pastor Leo Kruger of Valley Christian Fellowship is a member of Carson Valley Ministers’ Association.