Keeping the Faith; Never losing Hope; Always Loving

Deuteronomy 31:6

S–Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.

H–Moses is talking to the Israelites and telling them that he will not go with them into the promised land.  Moses, the one that led them out of Egypt; the one that spoke the law to them; the one that led this community of faith through the wilderness….this guy stands up and says, “I’m not going any further with you.”  Its this idea that God is the true leader of the community.  God’s presence is the most important presence and it is God’s presence that will lead the community into the promised land.  Yes, we cannot deny Moses’ importance; however, Moses’ presence is not the most important and the determinant of Israel reaching the promised land; it is God’s presence that is required.  Going to the promised land without Moses helps to solidify that is it God that is truly leading this community of faith.

A–This is such a great thought for me this morning.  It reminds me that Jesus must be the leading, guiding presence within a community of faith.  It reminds me that Jesus has different leaders for different seasons within the community of faith but that the “presence” or “leaving” of leaders is not the deciding factor in the community of faith going to the promised land; it is the presence of Jesus that is the deciding factor.  This gives me great comfort as I look years ahead and know there will be a time when I will move from Crossroads.  Although, I must admit I hope it is decades from now.  However, I am reminded this morning that Crossroads going to the promised land is not dependent upon my leadership and presence but is dependent upon the power and presence of Jesus Christ.  My job is to make sure that the power and presence of Jesus never leaves this community of faith.  Pastors and leaders will come and go but if the power and presence of Jesus remains; Crossroads will cross the Jordan into the promised land.

P–Lord Jesus, thank you for this reminder this morning.  I come to you this morning holding the people of Crossroads and the whole Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Raeford, Lumberton, Grays Creek, North Ramsey region in the palm of my hands.  I come before you today and would ask your protection upon them and for your guiding presence.  I come this morning thankful for the opportunity to travel with them during these beginning steps of Crossroads.  I pray that you would continue to be the leader of this community of faith and throughout the history of this community of faith you would protect it by bringing the right mose’s and joshua’s into their midst.  Use us to reach our world with your saving grace and ultimately bring us to the promised land.  Amen.

E–I am excited that Crossroads belongs to Jesus not to me; I am only a steward during this season.

Peace from Pastor P