Art-postolic.

This past Sunday's guest speaker, Reverend Art Alexander, spoke to us under an apostolic anointing and gave voice to the deep concerns of our hearts. Pastor Art took pages from the life of Joshua and transplanted them into our own lives, giving us insights and counsel to help us in our individual walks of faith. Today, let's consider one point that Pastor Art unpacked for us:

• If you want to be used of God, let go of doubt.

"If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all." (James 1:5-8, Contemporary English Version, italics mine)

Pastor Art said to us, "A lot of people believe their doubts and doubt their beliefs." Every day we face the hazards of life with competing voices in our heads: the words of knowledge from God and God's faithful servants and God's written word clash with the voices of discouragement and hopelessness. For some of us, this has become a constant fight. And, like the description found in James chapter 1, we have become completely untrustworthy. Our faith is so wishy-washy that no one, not even God, will position themselves to respond to our needs. Why? Because our actions say, "Well, Lord, we're here in church and we read the Bible and pray, but we really don't trust You; we have to try to make our own solutions."

Severe pressure has a way of causing us to doubt ourselves. Pastor Art noted some of the issues faced by Joshua: he was the successor to Moses, Israel's famed leader. He was tasked to lead battles against several enemy nations. He had to lead hundreds of thousands of people into unfamiliar territories. All his mentors and colleagues had died in the wilderness except for Caleb. Joshua, feeling the pressure, came into his promotion filled with doubt.

Doubt is a slippery slope that often results in fear. Perhaps that is why God, in calling Joshua to leadership, repeated the admonition to not be afraid. "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." (Joshua 1:9)

What about you? Where is your heart today? Are you afraid? Are you terrified? Are you discouraged? Is there one area of your life where you feel that failure is imminent? Take heart, and appropriate the word of the Lord to Joshua: it is a word for all of us. Be strong. Be courageous. Be careful to obey the law of the Lord. Be diligent in meditating on His word. Be happy and eager to do what God says. Be filled with faith.

Lord, You know our hearts. You know who trusts You and who doubts You. Give us grace to always be found as Your trusting and trustworthy servants. We give to You the areas of our lives in which we have been doubting and wavering. You, our Captain, have called and equipped us; we will do as You say. We love You exclusively. We trust You unequivocally. We give ourselves to Your service completely.