Rick Warren's Daily DevotionalSample

Launch Out in Faith There comes a point in life where you have to stop talking about and praying about a barrier in your life. You must step out -- in spite of your feelings, your fears, and your doubts. Joshua and the Israelites had to take the plunge, literally. Once they crossed the Jordan River, they were going to begin a battle to take over the nations. The Jordan River is not a very big river, except in flood season when it turns into a giant, rushing, torrential, very dangerous river. The Israelites just happened to be right there during flood season. They said, "How are we going to get across?" God said, "I'm going to do a miracle! But I want you to step in first. This is a test." So the spiritual leaders began to walk into the water, and God did a miracle. The waters receded and the people crossed over. What do you do when you know something is God's will but you're scared to death to do it? You do it anyway! And once you start doing it the faith will come. God doesn't do the miracle first. No. He wants you to step out, to launch out in faith. Face your fears. "If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done!" (Ecclesiastes 11:4 NIV)