WEEKLY REFLECTION by Pastor Lap Dinh on Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭NASB2020 >>How do we know if the Lord our God is with us? Faith-that-works. Believing in the Lord is doing what He commanded. What did he command us? Be strong and courageous! Why? Perhaps because our natural tendency is to be terrified and dismayed when we face obstacles/troubles/difficulties. The Day that Adam and Eve sinned, man’s good nature had fallen. So fear and shame and guilt has been passing down to their descendants. Every human being who was born and who will be born is a sinner at birth. Being fearful and dismayed are our natural trait. They surface when we face unfavorable life circumstances. Now in Jesus, we have a new life by faith. So God's presence is with us when we abide in Jesus. When the disciples were fearful, Jesus came and affirmed His presence, by saying, "Do not fear...." (e.g. Matthew 10:18; 14:27; John 14:27)So when (not if) we are fearful and dismayed, we should remind ourselves of this: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." This is now fulfilled in Jesus and His perfect love, which casts out all fear (cf. 1 John 4:18). So, keep abiding in Him no matter what.