No fear for the future .

      When we look at the uncertainty of the future and how difficult things look ahead. We see all the impossibilities and doubt fills our minds but there is no reason to fear the future.  The nation of Israel before crossing the Jordan river, I am sure  they were thinking about how difficult the conquest on the new territory about the challenges they were going to face settling in, I am sure they had fear of failure and doubt about accomplishing all the things God had promised them.  New challenges in life always cause us fear and doubt so Joshua tell the children of Israel "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. ⁴ Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before."Joshuah 3:4 

      Joshua is assuring them that God's presence will be with them.  I wonder how many times, God put new challenges in our lives, new territories  that we need to conquer in our spiritual walk  and you know "you have never been that way before "But God delivers you. Every day is a new battle, How can we face those battles without fear?  Joshuah led God by does something remarkable he tells 12 leaders "Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶ to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’  ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” Joshua 4.  We need to have memorials in life and when we are facing trials ,and challenges we need to remember the way God has delivered us in the past . The messenger of the Lord tells us " we have nothing to fear for the future except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us and his teaching in our past history " LS 196 . Ellen White encourages us to look to our past and see how God has led us. 

      Two years ago, I was doing bible work in Visalia, Ca.  But my dream has always been to be a Pastor, after 7 months I spoke to the leaders of the Central California conference and they told me they could not sponsor me, that they had some people already waiting, I was the new guy and there was not enough money to send me.  I felt so disappointed and decided to come to the Seminary anyway, with two small children, my wife, and without any source of income or any savings, by the grace of God I will finish my Mdiv this year. God has provided in miraculous ways, God has bless my work with the little income to pay for classes, rent, food, clothing, and all the things that we need and good friends who have done so much, praying and helping me with money just when things seem impossible, God has made a way.  Praise Jesus for all his blessings for giving us memorials of his blessings  in our past so we don't have fear for the future .