DO NOT!

How many times have we read this verse?
How many times have we been obedient to it?
Yes, obedient.
Did you catch the key word in the first line?
COMMANDED

I usually take this verse as a cheer,
a coach's pep talk at half time,
"you can do it, now go show me what you've got!"

But that key word in the first line is not just an encouraging word,
not a word to rally the troops.
It says....COMMANDED.

What's the COMMAND in this verse?
be STRONG
be COURAGEOUS
do NOT  be terrified/afraid
do NOT be discouraged.

How's everybody doing with that?
Me?
Well, I do great with that when things are going well,
when things are going my way.

But how are we doing when things are not going "well"?
No place to live in 30  29 days?
No deposit?
Just lost your job?
No money to pay the light bill?
Kids running wild?
Someone you love is sick?
How are we doing with that command during those times?

Because the truth is.......that's when it counts,

that's when we really find out where our faith is.

But let's be honest.
When those hard times come most of us can be found with our heads hung down,
whining to anyone who will listen, crying, complaining,
wringing our hands, worrying, the list goes on......
All of those things are bad for us,
but they are also bad for those who are watching us.
What does it say to lost people when they see us falling apart?
I think it says that we were trusting in earthly things, earthly security.
I think it shows them that we say we trust God but we don't really mean it.

So how do we fix that?
We do what God told Joshua to do in these verses.
Obey the law, keep it always on your lips, meditate on it.
(Joshua 1:7-9)
The answer is the Word.
We need to be in the Word.
How's our quiet time? Our Bible study?
Are we spending time with HIM in HIS Word?
That's where our strength comes from. Instead of looking at our problems and seeing problems,

let's look at them and call them opportunity.
Opportunity to draw closer to HIM.
Opportunity to trust HIM.
Opportunity to point others to HIM.
Opportunity to prove to anyone who is watching that our God is real,
that HE will come through, in HIS time and in HIS way.

And remember,

HE PROMISED TO BE WITH US.
What else do we need?