This free church bulletin article was written by Brian Humek from Irving, TX. You are free to use this in church bulletins, church emails and on church websites. No credit needs to be given. Simply clicking the book link at the end of this free bulletin article will help more content to be placed on this site. Donate your own bulletin article here.
Bible Passage: Joshua 1:9 and 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Last night, I went into my son’s room to pray for him. He was sound asleep but I accidentally woke him to the point where he said, “Daddy you were right near the gorilla.” My son was dreaming. He can’t remember that dream. But I like to interpret it as I was such a strong courageous guy that I could get right in there next to the Gorilla. I was given an extra bit of strength and courage in my son’s dream, or so I like to think.
After reflecting on that for a while, I began to think about the strength God personally gives each of us. A little wisdom from the Old and New Testaments is in order. God tells Joshua in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Those are some encouraging words. Knowing that God is with us wherever we go, through all of our difficult times, can be quite a calming influence in our souls. Paul says something similar in 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, “May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loves us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” There is no doubt about it, God strengthens and encourages us.
I don’t have to wait until the next time my son excitedly dreams, that I’m in there right next to the Gorilla, for me to have strength and courage. In his dream, I may have been the main course. Nevertheless, I prefer to see myself as a strong gorilla tamer or courageous zookeeper. I am blessed that I can simply have that kind of strength and courage given to me by God. We all can!
—> Support our free bulletin articles ministry by purchasing the 5 Star rated Leave it to God on Amazon today.
Related posts:
Our Bible passage today has shown me that when someone has a trouble that I’ve also experienced, I am to use my experience to help them out in any little way I can. I was able to put these verses into...
The following is a movie quote from an old Lindsay Lohan movie...“I’m not trying to prove you wrong, I just want to help you see.” This is the attitude I have towards anyone I meet that is unchurched ...
Anxiety is defined as: a vague unpleasant emotion that is experienced in anticipation of some (usually ill-defined) misfortune. I sometimes let this emotion inside my mind when I shouldn’t. Do you?
I’ve been persistent over the years. I write picture books and the name of my website is “Persistent Picture Book Writer.” I’ve seriously been submitting my manuscripts for two and half years and I ha...
I hate to admit it, but I waited for years to have a girl fall in love with me. I always had bad experiences with girls. In 5th grade Andrea really acted as if she liked me. We were going on a field t...
In a column on art restoration, Robert Fulford writes, “A scholar came upon a striking fact: in the year 1516, the Brancacci Chapel in Florence burned half a barrel of oil every day, just to keep its ...
You’ve heard that saying, “Where one tree is cut down, God will provide another.” What? You haven’t heard that saying? It’s true. I’ve witnessed it personally in my own front yard.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church that they should give thanks (2 Cor. 9:15). While I took my son to a breakfast with Santa this morning, we did this. We gave thanks for the food. I heard a lady at...
