Brain on a Chain - Strong & Courageous

In my study for the WOW Wednesday at Harvest Church I was studying the first chapter of Joshua. God gives Joshua instructions, commands, encouragement, and more in that first chapter. He, in a sense, tells Joshua to put his “Brain on a Chain”. The part that really caught my attention today was his repeated words, “be strong and courageous”. The study of these words reveals a great truth that all should apply who desire to “live by faith” (2 Cor 5:7). “Be strong” concerns a prepared condition. Joshua was to take the initiative to “meditate on the Book of the Law day and night”. God was telling Joshua to get his brain on a chain. Making his brain strong. Getting it ready. Taking time to prepare. Then the words “very courageous” follows “be strong”. God knew that Joshua would encounter some tough stuff and if his brain was on a chain from bathing it in the Book of the Law, he would find courage to carry out God’s plan. Courage is an attitudinal action achieved from a prepared condition. So, Joshua would be able to face tough stuff with courage because of his prepared condition. The same holds true for us. If we will “be strong” (do what it takes to prepare) we will find the courage to face the tough stuff of life. So, “PUT YOUR BRAIN ON A CHAIN”.

A Warning

This week in my devotion one of them was based on 2 Corinthians 5:7. It reads, “we walk by faith and not by sight”. This devotion was by Oswald Chambers and he always plows new ground. Let me give you just a few insights he gave. I will not number them because it is not a complete list of truths that this verse or principle gives.

Ω “God is trying to make us do our work as hidden people who are not in the spotlight”

Ω “Can we do our work when it seems that God has sealed up heaven?”

Ω “A self-assured saint is of no value to God.”

Ω “If we continually try to bring back those exceptional moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want.”

Ω “Never live for those exceptional moments – they are surprises. God will give us His touches of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them.”

Ω We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life – our work is the standard.”

Those last two are really good. I want to give you the whole context of this scripture. Paul is talking about our heavenly dwelling. He clearly understood that we are aliens in this world. Our real and eternal home is in heaven. “So we are always of good courage…for we walk by faith, not by sight” (vv6-7).

So, here is the deal. Just do it. Do what God has called you to do and quit trying to recreate experiences. Do not let your sight mislead you, discourage you, confuse you or dissuade you. What you see is not always what you are getting. We are a people that love burning bushes, blinding journeys and emotional worship services. We must be careful in these expectations. We are to live “faith” lives, not “sight” lives. Will we be faithful, even when we do not see what we think we ought to see? I think that is a worthy question.