“Do not be Dismayed”
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. Joshua 1:9
Definition: Dismayed - to feel consternation or
distress.
Oh my! when I looked up the definition of “dismayed”
in the dictionary, I immediately felt distressed!
Please forgive me, but “consternation” is not a
word I’m accustomed to using! I am just not familiar with that word.
However, I do understand feeling distressed,
dismayed, and this feeling of “consternation”
all wrapped into one!
I get it! Life can get crazy, consternation happens! Maybe, I am not the only on.
I’ve learned that dismay comes quick and sometimes
out of nowhere, it seems! In the middle of the day, in the middle of the night,
when we least expect it, there it is… consternation,
distress, and dismay.
All of these words basically mean the same thing…“anything and everything that is opposite
of peace”!
I’m starting to get it now, life can be full of “dismay”,
“distress” and “consternation”.
I ask myself, in our crazy fast paced world, how
can we not become dismayed?
But there it is, right there in scripture…God
says, “Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your
God is with you wherever you go.”
Do not be dismayed!
In the New
Testament, Jesus gives basically the same instruction when He says, “Let not your hearts be
troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” John 14:1
Peace I
leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give
to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
John 14:27
Is there an echo in here, or
is it just me?!!
It sounds like the same
message being delivered from the God of the Old Testament, from Jesus in the
New Testament, and now through the power of the Holy Spirit working in my mind
and penetrating deep into my soul with the same message…
Do not be
dismayed!
Through the anointing of the
Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul gives us this admonishment…
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your
reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be
anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is
true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is
lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is
anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned
and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things,
and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9
Do not be dismayed!
Here is my prayer for
you today. “God, please help us learn to recognize
your free gift of peace. Help us receive your peace, and help us practice
your peace daily. Thank you for your blessing of peace.”
And the peace of
God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Passionate
for the cause of Christ,
Pastor
Randy R. Urich
MAG
Church, 02-28-2020
For from his fullness
we have all received,
grace upon grace, John
1:16 ESV
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