Getting Stronger and More Courageous

Memory Verse:
 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” '

Joshua 1:9

Sermon Sentence: Obedience is the practice that brings strength and courage when following God.

Day 1 

Read Deuteronomy 28:1-14

1.  Be careful to do it.

Moses' chief role was to be the bearer of God’s word for delivery to God’s people.  His story is a story about leadership and adventure, but the heart of the story is about God getting His words to His people.  When Joshua takes over Moses' role, the chief responsibility has changed.  No longer is that role the one of getting God’s word to God’s people, but rather it is about leading God’s people in the life of that word.  Both are important, but they are very different.  
God is trying to communicate to the people that life is found in His words.  It was His words that spoke everything into existence and it is His words that will usher His people back into His presence.  That is why careful consideration of God’s words are a vitally important part of following God.  If you get it wrong, it alters life.  That is the point God wants to make over and over again in the Bible.  You don’t have to wonder what God says, you have His words.  So don’t act confused, bewildered, or misled, just look down at what you have all the access in the world to!  Much like is supposed to be in our patrenting, it is the boundaries that help us stay in the blessings.  If you want to be blessed, or to experience life to the fullest, notice that the blessing comes ONLY from God’s words.

How do you apply these ideas of blessings in your life (maybe you don’t have cattle and crops to be too exact here!)?

Why do you think that we struggle with this idea; of the blessings of life are found in God’s ways?

How does this become part of your prayer?

Day 2

Read Proverbs 4:10-27

2. Do not allow yourself to veer.

There is a natural pattern to life that is important to know.  You are a child that is under your parents, then you learn to be a responsible person.  God doesn’t expect children to be parents.  Parents are expected to guide children to be responsible.  That is the way it is.  That is the way it should be.  Anything messing with that, as we have all seen, tends toward chaos and struggle.  As a follower of God, that same idea should carry over.  As a new follower of God learning God’s word, not as much is expected of you and you should rely on the help of other people in the community. It is called accountability.  But as you get older, you become more responsible.  That doesn’t mean there is no need for other people in your life, it just means you are more responsible.  The next thing that happens naturally is you start to take care of others.  Kids grow into adults and adults take care of kids.  
Follow this language in this passage.  It is neat to see.  Your training in God’s word is producing knowledge and wisdom that is needed to help show you the right way.  As you grow up, you will learn it easier and develop even more.  Maturity is the constant returning to the center of what God’s word says as you exercise the muscles to be careful in your walk with God.  
The Proverbs tells us to ponder the path of your feet…what does that mean you should be doing today in this time of devotion?
Where do you notice your gaze being distracted or veering slightly because your attention has been distracted?
How does this become part of your prayer today?

Day 3

Read Nehemiah 8:1-13

3. Speak the words out loud

I have read through the Bible in a year many, many times.  I have read through it many different versions as well.  This year, when I was setting a goal for 2025, I decided to set the goal of listening through the Bible.  It’s different.  It’s the same, but it is different.  It is a difference that I think we have missed and it maybe has some significance to it we should double back to. Most of the Bible was written for that setting, the context of being read out loud in front of people.  That is part of the beauty of going to church where there are things like what we call sermons.  It is the public reading of the word of God.  As we discussed in the sermon, even the events like Passover that were to be played out each and every year, were a form of having God’s word heard.  We should be finding ways to put ourselves in front of hearing God’s word.  That doesn’t mean we should not read it, it just means maybe we need to do both and not just one or the other.  
In a day when they didn’t have copies of the Bible like we do now, this story plays out of cultural left field for us.  Many of these people were hearing the Law for the very first time.  They had no clue!  Also, many of them were remembering it for the very first time in a long time.  They too had no clue.   I so desire seeing a scene play out like this in real life, where people are moved by the Words of God!  

How are you hearing the word of God?

What are ways that you can do this better, more often, or just even at all?

Do you see the benefit in hearing the word of God along with reading it?  Why do you think the Bible makes a distinction?

How does this become your prayer today?

Day 4

Read Psalm 1

4. Meditate on God’s word day and night.

How do you meditate?  Lately, I have been reading through the book of John with a group of guys.  Our pattern was to read one chapter, three times a day.  Until the third day, then we would read 1-3 each day.  So I have read the book of John’s first three chapters 6 times by the end of the week.  Each time, it said the same thing. I know that is obvious, but I have gained so much from those few chapters this week.  More than I ever have.  The reason is because I have spent a lot of time on the thoughts.  Not only that, but these guys and I have a group chat going where they keep sharing their thoughts too.  That has caused me to listen to other people I have been in conversation with, through the filter of what I have been seeing in John.  I have shared so many thoughts in random conversations that relate to it this week.  That is the biblical idea of meditating on God’s word day and night.  

The opposite of this would be shutting your mind down and focusing elsewhere.  It would involve endless scrolling through social media to no real gain, but just to have something to do.  It is easier than thinking.  It is also more addictive than meditating on God’s word.  But its benefits do not compare.   In fact, its benefits are really hard to figure out and see, but for some reason, it is so easy to convince ourselves to shut down and be mindless.  You will face the desire to do it today, I would almost bet anything. So will I.  But let’s resolve to like the tree planted by the waters, not standers, sitters, or those that walk by what the world goes after.  Let’s aim for life and growth.

When are you most likely to shut down your mind and why?

How do you manage the amount of time that you shut down and go mindless?

What are some ways that you could practically meditate on God’s word?

How does this become part of your prayer today?

Day 5

Read Psalm 119:97-112

God’s word is important.  That seems like a small, but mighty statement and it probably feels as obvious as it can.  But my goal in this week has been to remind us of that, encourage us in God’s word, and draw us to more of God’s word.  I, like Moses did, see the strong benefit and the only way to live a life, in the word of God and want to be known as a champion of that truth.  I hope you have seen enough, even if just this week, to fall in love with this collection of books that we get so much from.  I am praying that you will be careful to do all that it says, that you will not veer to the left or the right, that you will not let it depart from your mouth, and that you will meditate on it day and night. If you aim after these pursuits, you will find the strength and courage to face all that you will face in life.

How has God spoken to you this week on this topic?

What could you do to act out what God is calling you to this week?

How does this become your prayer today?

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