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“Joshua Study - Faith and Courage for the Unknown”
The land of Egypt was familiar to the Israelites, just as our current home and habits may be familiar to us. But God was calling the Israelites to leave their mediocrity and comfort and enter the radical unfamiliarity of Canaan, the Promised Land. As Christians, we must realize that our comfort is eternally insignificant, but our faith and trust in God will endure forever.
Is the unknown scary? Yes, it can be. But we must remember that our unknown is not God’s unknown. As the Creator of the universe, there is nothing that He does not already know, nor is there anything that He cannot do on our behalf. When God calls us to forsake our own agenda in order to follow Him, there are two specific concepts that we need for our journey:
1) The courage to move past our fears and any unexpected challenges that arise.
2) The faith to believe that God is good and He is for our good.
Just as God required the Israelites to trust in Him for His promise, we must also do the same. Faith is not merely a figment of imagination. On the contrary, it requires believing that God can be trusted and that He is the Provider of all good things. When our faith and trust lie with the Giver of the Promised Land instead of the land itself, we are protecting ourselves from unnecessary hurt and disappointment if things do not go according to "plan".
Allow me to share two important points from the book of Joshua:
1. When God led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, He chose the harvest season, which means the banks were swollen and the waters were high. God chose the most difficult time possible for His people to pursue the promise. Why? Because He wanted to demonstrate His power and His faithfulness. Be aware that He may do the same in your own life.
2. As soon as the first foot (of one of the priests) touched the water of the Jordan, the river was split in half and the people crossed into Canaan. What a breathtaking image to behold - the Levitical priests standing in the middle of the Jordan river holding up the Ark of the Covenant (a visual of God's presence) while two million Israelites cross a dry river bed. God did the impossible for man and delivered on His promise. He will do the same for you and me as we choose to follow Him.
The land of Egypt was familiar to the Israelites, just as our current home and habits may be familiar to us. But God was calling the Israelites to leave their mediocrity and comfort and enter the radical unfamiliarity of Canaan, the Promised Land. As Christians, we must realize that our comfort is eternally insignificant, but our faith and trust in God will endure forever.
Is the unknown scary? Yes, it can be. But we must remember that our unknown is not God’s unknown. As the Creator of the universe, there is nothing that He does not already know, nor is there anything that He cannot do on our behalf. When God calls us to forsake our own agenda in order to follow Him, there are two specific concepts that we need for our journey:
1) The courage to move past our fears and any unexpected challenges that arise.
2) The faith to believe that God is good and He is for our good.
Just as God required the Israelites to trust in Him for His promise, we must also do the same. Faith is not merely a figment of imagination. On the contrary, it requires believing that God can be trusted and that He is the Provider of all good things. When our faith and trust lie with the Giver of the Promised Land instead of the land itself, we are protecting ourselves from unnecessary hurt and disappointment if things do not go according to "plan".
Allow me to share two important points from the book of Joshua:
1. When God led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, He chose the harvest season, which means the banks were swollen and the waters were high. God chose the most difficult time possible for His people to pursue the promise. Why? Because He wanted to demonstrate His power and His faithfulness. Be aware that He may do the same in your own life.
2. As soon as the first foot (of one of the priests) touched the water of the Jordan, the river was split in half and the people crossed into Canaan. What a breathtaking image to behold - the Levitical priests standing in the middle of the Jordan river holding up the Ark of the Covenant (a visual of God's presence) while two million Israelites cross a dry river bed. God did the impossible for man and delivered on His promise. He will do the same for you and me as we choose to follow Him.
About this Plan
This three-day devotional is full of practical insight for any leader seeking to honor and obey the Lord through the application of scripture. This devotional offers multiple lessons covering the following topics: wise decision-making, how to avoid the danger of assumptions, how to confront the unknown through faith and courage, and how to successfully lead your team to triumph through the grace of Jesus Christ.
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We would like to thank Christine Becker, Founder and Author of His Daily Dose, Inc. for providing this plan.
