Don't be discouraged...GOD IS WITH YOU ALWAYS

Good morning everyone!!! Yes, a wonderful day to be alive in the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!! Did you tell someone about Jesus Yesterday??

We should not be discouraged??? Why??? Because God is with us, HE will not leave us, and HE will see us through. Family.....what better family than to be in God's family. Family should stick together, see things through, and not abandon. Is this always true? I dare say not!! Why, because we live in the world, temptations come, temptation lead us astray, we may return, yet the fact is we have strayed.

Does God stray?? Does God pick up strays??? He brings them back. We should be encouraged because we have a LIVING GOD. Think about this....we did not carve an image our of wood, marble, steel, and then worship it. We worship a LIVING GOD!!! HOW AWESOME!!!

Deuteronomy 31:8 "Do not be afraid or discourage, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you, he will neither fail you nor abandon you." WOW!! How strong is that?!?!?!

Joshua 1:9 "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD you GOD is with you wherever you go."

1 Chronicles 28:20 "Then David continued, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD GOD, my GOD, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the LORD is finished correctly."

Here David advised Solomon not to be frightened about the size of his task as king and builder of the Temple. Fear can stop us dead in our tracks. We look at the size of the job, all the risks, or the pressure of getting it done. We may freeze solid in our tracks and then do nothing.

We need to refocus...not on the fear of the task.....but on the task itself. Break it down, look at the parts, focus on the work at hand. Sometimes the most frightening part of a task is just getting started.

We need to focus!!! At LCUMC we are in a building project...we need to focus.....we need to encourage and support our church staff. If the new building is or was not of GOD, we would never have started. Pray for the pastors, administration, and staff as we focus on the work at hand.

Isaiah 41:10 "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

God has a relationship with us, HE will strengthen and help!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???? Go out boldly, with GOD as your strength, and tackle the task at hand. Remember - F O C U S ! Thank you all for reading today. Love you all. May you be encouraged and focus on your task or job at hand.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny