Signs of Faith Outside of Jericho
Memory Verse:
'Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, '
2 Corinthians 6:17
Day 1
Read Hebrews 11:1-16
(Today’s devotion written by Jamie Walker)
I once heard a story of a father who demonstrated faith to his children in such a way that made me really think. He had his two girls make forts in the living room, pile up the floor with couch cushions and dining room chairs. When they were done, there was very little room to walk. It looked like a bomb had gone off. What the dad had in store next was going to baffle these kids. He asked them to go to one side of the room and walk to the other. But with a blindfold on. The girls asked him how they would do it without falling, without getting hurt? He assured them he would guide them every step of the way. So they did as they were told, put the blindfolds on and waited for their first instruction. Slowly, each step measured and cautious, they listened to their father guide them to the other side.
How many times have we been asked to take that first step? With a blindfold on? It seems scary, we don’t see what is next. We anticipate, will it be dangerous or not what is best for us? But we forget we have a Father, guiding us across the way.
Given the reading for today, as well as the example above, can you list out some ways you could change the way you think about faith?
What can you learn from the examples cited in Hebrews 11?
If you put yourself in the shoes of any of those examples, can you see yourself feeling comforted by the father guiding every step, or do you think you worry about each step?
(Today’s devotion written by Jamie Walker)
I once heard a story of a father who demonstrated faith to his children in such a way that made me really think. He had his two girls make forts in the living room, pile up the floor with couch cushions and dining room chairs. When they were done, there was very little room to walk. It looked like a bomb had gone off. What the dad had in store next was going to baffle these kids. He asked them to go to one side of the room and walk to the other. But with a blindfold on. The girls asked him how they would do it without falling, without getting hurt? He assured them he would guide them every step of the way. So they did as they were told, put the blindfolds on and waited for their first instruction. Slowly, each step measured and cautious, they listened to their father guide them to the other side.
How many times have we been asked to take that first step? With a blindfold on? It seems scary, we don’t see what is next. We anticipate, will it be dangerous or not what is best for us? But we forget we have a Father, guiding us across the way.
Given the reading for today, as well as the example above, can you list out some ways you could change the way you think about faith?
What can you learn from the examples cited in Hebrews 11?
If you put yourself in the shoes of any of those examples, can you see yourself feeling comforted by the father guiding every step, or do you think you worry about each step?
Day 2
(Today’s devotion written by Jamie Walker)
Read Hebrews 11:17-40
After taking a day to think about the ways those in the Old Testament demonstrated faith and it paying off, can you list one or two times in your life, you took that first step of faith and it finished off in a beautiful success story?
Next, Take any of those examples listed above and dive deeper into that story. Write down some ways in which they overcame their doubts to take their first step of faith.
Have there been times that you were stubborn, tried to take the blindfold off, predict the next step?
If so, how can you take steps today to be ready for the next time you are asked to step out in faith?
Faith and Patience go hand in hand. In some ways they are the same. Both involve waiting without anger, hostility, concern. What are some differences between the two?
Read Hebrews 11:17-40
After taking a day to think about the ways those in the Old Testament demonstrated faith and it paying off, can you list one or two times in your life, you took that first step of faith and it finished off in a beautiful success story?
Next, Take any of those examples listed above and dive deeper into that story. Write down some ways in which they overcame their doubts to take their first step of faith.
Have there been times that you were stubborn, tried to take the blindfold off, predict the next step?
If so, how can you take steps today to be ready for the next time you are asked to step out in faith?
Faith and Patience go hand in hand. In some ways they are the same. Both involve waiting without anger, hostility, concern. What are some differences between the two?
Day 3
(The next three days devotions written by Pastor Tom Jones)
Over the next three days, let’s look at how faith and fear can impact how we follow the Lord. Faith moves forward while fear freezes or moves backward. We will move with the Lord when we are experiencing faith but we can be tempted to stop following when we experience fear.
Read Joshua 6:1-25
Joshua was leading a group of people who had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years. There is no record of military training and preparation for war as they prepared to take the promised land. Yet, there they were on the brink of war.
If you put yourself in the shoes of those with Joshua that day, what do you believe your thoughts would have been?
What do you think you would have thought about Joshua’s battle plan?
Read Hebrews 11:1
Faith is referred to as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The following verses in Hebrews 11 describe how faith influenced many major events in the lives of those following the Lord.
How does your faith impact the decisions you make in life?
What do you believe the Lord is leading in your life that requires following in faith?
Take some time to pray that the Lord will help your faith to increase and agree to follow him in faith.
Over the next three days, let’s look at how faith and fear can impact how we follow the Lord. Faith moves forward while fear freezes or moves backward. We will move with the Lord when we are experiencing faith but we can be tempted to stop following when we experience fear.
Read Joshua 6:1-25
Joshua was leading a group of people who had been wandering in the wilderness for forty years. There is no record of military training and preparation for war as they prepared to take the promised land. Yet, there they were on the brink of war.
If you put yourself in the shoes of those with Joshua that day, what do you believe your thoughts would have been?
What do you think you would have thought about Joshua’s battle plan?
Read Hebrews 11:1
Faith is referred to as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” The following verses in Hebrews 11 describe how faith influenced many major events in the lives of those following the Lord.
How does your faith impact the decisions you make in life?
What do you believe the Lord is leading in your life that requires following in faith?
Take some time to pray that the Lord will help your faith to increase and agree to follow him in faith.
Day 4
Read Joshua 6:1-25
Yesterday we attempted to put ourselves in the shoes of the Israelites as they heard and followed Joshua’s instructions which he received from the Lord. We considered the faith that would have been involved.
As you read today, try to put yourselves in the shoes of those who were living in fear inside the walls of Jericho. The city was estimated to encompass about five or six acres with two to three thousand inhabitants. The walls were about twelve feet high. Joshua 4:13 declares, “About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the LORD for battle, to the plains of Jericho.” The fear being experienced inside the walls makes sense.
Read Judges 6:11-16
The Israelites were under the control of the Midianites when the Lord went to instruct Gideon to lead a charge to deliver his children from the Midianites.
What was Gideon’s response?
What are your thoughts about Gideon’s concern?
What promise do you see that both Joshua and Gideon were given when asked to do large things?
How confident do you feel that the Lord will go with you?
If we live in fear, we will not move forward. There is a difference in feeling concern and moving forward and allowing ourselves to be frozen in fear. Having a heightened state of awareness is healthy at the proper times, however, allowing fear of the unknown can and often does hinder following the Lord.
Take some time to pray for help facing and overcoming your fears. The bible gives a great deal of verses to help battle fear. Allow God’s word to speak to your heart regarding fear.
Yesterday we attempted to put ourselves in the shoes of the Israelites as they heard and followed Joshua’s instructions which he received from the Lord. We considered the faith that would have been involved.
As you read today, try to put yourselves in the shoes of those who were living in fear inside the walls of Jericho. The city was estimated to encompass about five or six acres with two to three thousand inhabitants. The walls were about twelve feet high. Joshua 4:13 declares, “About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the LORD for battle, to the plains of Jericho.” The fear being experienced inside the walls makes sense.
Read Judges 6:11-16
The Israelites were under the control of the Midianites when the Lord went to instruct Gideon to lead a charge to deliver his children from the Midianites.
What was Gideon’s response?
What are your thoughts about Gideon’s concern?
What promise do you see that both Joshua and Gideon were given when asked to do large things?
How confident do you feel that the Lord will go with you?
If we live in fear, we will not move forward. There is a difference in feeling concern and moving forward and allowing ourselves to be frozen in fear. Having a heightened state of awareness is healthy at the proper times, however, allowing fear of the unknown can and often does hinder following the Lord.
Take some time to pray for help facing and overcoming your fears. The bible gives a great deal of verses to help battle fear. Allow God’s word to speak to your heart regarding fear.
Day 5
God delights in His children following Him. Jesus instructed some to follow him, while telling others who sought to follow him to return to their home and tell others there. Your following him might not manifest in the same manner as others. All might not be called to follow the Lord to pastor, as he has Pastor Nate. He does not call everyone to move to a new city and start a church from scratch, but he does some. He won’t call everyone to a foreign country to serve as missionaries, but he does call some. He does command all of us to follow him.
Read Exodus 3:1-10 and Joshua 5:13-15
The common commandment in these two passages was for shoes to be removed because it was holy ground. God was commanding Moses to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land. He was commanding Joshua to lead the Israelites in taking the Promised Land. Both were huge undertakings, but both were given the promise that God would be with them.
What must it have been like for Moses and Joshua to remove their shoes in those moments?
Why might have God asked them to remove their shoes?
The bible records many instances in which God asked individuals to do hard things. Hard things are hard to do, but they are not impossible because of God’s presence. Some biblical examples are Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, David, and the disciples.
Read Hebrews 11
Hebrews 11 has been dubbed the Hall of Faith. Notice that some were delivered but some were not. Yet, they are all mentioned in Hebrews 11.
What hard thing(s) has God asked you to do?
What will you do if God asks you to do a hard thing?
The final decision will be made by you. No one can make the decision for you to follow him.
Take some time to pray that he will help you be willing to do that which he is asking…even if it is challenging. Those who have done so would likely tell you there is nothing like living in that which you know the Lord has called you to do!
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