From our archived blog:
Through this process an old adversary of mine has risen again. Fear. You see I am a man who likes to know the plan before I begin the plan. To practice the different pieces. Just so that I know that part of the plan is well in hand. A personal pride of mine. Faith is something that is difficult for my analytical mind to grasp. In fact many times I have had to pray that prayer the father in Mark 9:24,25:
Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible for one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"So in the praying, seeking, and of course planning my old friend, fear, has raised his head again. Not really a fear of dying or anything like that, but fear of not being accepted. Fear of something health wise keeping us from serving Christ in PNG. God however is far more gracious. Because He has brought a Scripture to mind. 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.Now I've read this before. I'm even guessing (from my analytical point of view) that you have read this verse too! However, I have never really paid attention to the punch of this verse. You see it actually begins at the end of Deuteronomy! What happens there? Well Moses essentially dies (bummer). But it's far more then just a down time for Israel. First in this chapter you find that the people stay in the plains of Moab for thirty days for weeping and mourning. Then it says that the people obeyed Joshua, BECAUSE he was full of the spirit of wisdom, FOR Moses had laid his hands on him. [Emphasis mine] Joshua is basically obeyed (in the eyes of the people) because Moses had, for the lack of a better word, christened him. Notice that it also says, "And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt..."
