Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The book of Joshua is a great read. Forty years later than was intended, the Jews were finally about to enter, claim, and conquer the promised land. Joshua, their leader, was a profoundly brave man who believed God the first time concerning His promise for a land “flowing with milk and honey”, and yet God doubled down as He directed Joshua on two keys to a successful occupation on the second go-around. First was God’s promise in Joshua 1: 5 and 9. God promised that He would never abandon Joshua and would be with him wherever he went. Secondly, was Joshua’s part to play. In Joshua 1: 6, 7, and 9 God declared that Joshua had to be “strong and courageous” and could not let fear or discouragement keep him from his calling.

Christians around the world, including a small country church in Indiana, have the same calling: to hear the promises of our Heavenly Father and obey His directions. Day in and day out we know  “what’s right”, the question is do we have the courage to walk out what we’re called to do? The answer to that question, for most of us, lies in how scary the assignment becomes.

On January 18, 2026 in Minnesota, anti-ICE activists(lawbreakers) stormed into Cities Church in Minneapolis and showed themselves as irrational idiots as they disrupted the morning service. The church’s supposed crime was supporting ICE agents in their lawful pursuit of illegal immigrants. I have little doubt Cities Church did and does support law enforcement, as every church should. Persecution of any church, including ours, is possible when we are courageous enough to stand up for Biblical truths in the midst of a lost world, not just inside our own walls. 

I believe our stance should be clear; legal immigration is a wonderful part of any country and has quite literally been the backbone from which our wonderful country has been built. These men and women who came to America with the intent of becoming “Americans” are among the most patriotic men and women I have ever known.

But when we open the borders to anyone without any vetting, guidance, or education in American values, then America has a big problem. Law enforcement, including ICE, have a responsibility to correct, as much as possible, the horrific mess the Biden open border policy saddled America with, and the Body of Christ has a responsibility to support them in that effort. Illegal immigration is wrong. No one wants violence, but let’s not be confused where the violence originates from…it originates from lawbreakers, not law enforcement. 

In a world gone crazy, the Church, including Sugar Grove, desperately needs to remember Joshua. We have been given by Jesus “everything pertaining to life and Godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). That includes the promises, boldness and courage to stand for what is right.

Jeremiah 17: 5 This is what the Lord says:“Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his]strength,And whose heart turns away from the Lord.

In the crazy, lost world we live in, trust is very difficult. Our Heavenly Father is ultimately the only one we can trust in completely because He never leaves us or forsakes us, He always keeps His word. He does not change, He never lies, and He loves us so much He sent His only Son Jesus so we could become sons and daughters.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life… not me and not you. Trusting people, even Christians, will sooner or later end with being disappointed..or do you think the phrase “none of us is perfect” was off base. Lost people by definition are going to make decisions out of their flesh. Their decisions will always be based on what’s best for themselves. Christians on the other hand SHOULD make good decisions. We have Jesus Spirit living within us and we have His Word…and that’s enough to make the right call in every situation.

Unfortunately, Christians also live in the world and all-too-often we listen to what our flesh wants and ignore our Spirit resulting in some bad decisions. Because of that, trust becomes difficult even between “Believers”.  And yet, at the very same time that trust is a challenge, we are REQUIRED to love one another “by this the world will know you are my disciples…that you love one another” We must trust to love fully, and doing so means that sooner or later we are going to be hurt.  

Trusting with our eyes wide open, and loving one another fully is no easy feat. In fact, it is impossible unless our relationship with Jesus is so intimate that we are  able to “count one another more important than ourselves. That takes a love and trust that can only flow from Jesus within us. That kind of love and trust is the building blocks for miracles in our lives, and the lives of those we touch.

Grace and peace to each of you,

Steve     

Luke 2: 13-14 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army of angels praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest,And on earth peace among people with whom He

I have attempted to place myself with the shepherds every time I read the “Christmas story”. My wonder and amazement has only deepened over the decades as I have contemplated a heavenly host uttering Words from God that had never been said to men before “on earth peace among people with whom He is pleased!” 

The peace the angels announced seems ludicrous in 2025. Christians and Jews have been the target of more hatred and violence than at any time in my life. Evil seems to be ever-increasing, and not only in third-world countries like Nigeria. America, Europe, and Australia have all seen multiple deaths that can only be attributed to evil, demonic activity. Was the angel's declaration of "peace on earth” just wishful thinking?

Never! God’s word is ALWAYS true and will ALWAYS accomplish what it was intended to do.  “Peace” is not apparent between nations, individuals, or even religions, and never will be established until Jesus returns. So what kind of peace were the angels declaring? Peace among people would be impressive, but the peace the angels declared is far, far more miraculous. The peace the angels declared in great joy to the shepherds was not peace between humans, but peace between God and man. 

The impossible was being announced that night… that a HOLY GOD was sending His Son and He would save us from our sins. This peace came through the blood sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. We didn’t deserve the gift the angels declared, nor could we ever earn peace with our Creator. Our salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus alone…we can believe and joyously confess that Jesus is our Savior because on that sacred night“God so loved the world that He gave His Son”. Receive and rejoice in His peace this Christmas season.